CHAPTER 12: Kissed, Were Happy - Then She Left
AUTHOR: MNEMOSYNE
RATING: R, for violence and some language
CATEGORY: Angst, Drama, Romance, Action, Deathfic
CODES: R/S (heavy on the R) with touches of everyone
20 MONTHS EARLIER
"Malcolm, would ya cut it out? Yer wearin' a hole in the hull plating."
Malcolm ignored his friend's voice. "Do you think she'll say yes, Commander?" he fretted, continuing his frenzied pacing. "What if she doesn't? What if she says no?" He froze and looked at his friend, blue eyes wide. "Dear God, Trip - what do I do if she says NO? How do you ACT in that situation!" Already he could feel himself beginning to hyperventilate.
The pair of them were waiting in the Captain's private dining room, while outside in the main Mess Hall, almost the entire crew of the starship Enterprise was gathering for what was being touted as the Wedding of the Century aboard Starfleet's flagship. Lieutenant Malcolm Reed - the incorrigible bachelor - was marrying newly promoted Lieutenant Hoshi Sato. The announcement of the engagement had sent shockwaves through the ship, when it was discovered that the lieutenant and (former) ensign had been secretly involved since Hoshi's "birthday food mission" of the previous year. The couple had hid their involvement so well, even Captain Archer had been taken aback by the announcement of their engagement.
But now was the day of the wedding, and Malcolm was having… Not doubts. Fears. The fearless armory officer was finding himself utterly terrified by the possible outcomes facing him on this most important of days.
"She's going to say no, Trip. I can feel it."
"She isn't gonna say no, Malcolm."
"You don't know that!"
"And you KNOW she's gonna say no?"
"I told you, I can feel it."
"Feel it, huh?"
"In my bones, yes."
Trip sighed heavily and stood up from where he'd been sitting in the Captain's customary place at the head of the table. "Malcolm," he said calmly, crossing the short distance between himself and the other man. "Don't take this personal, buddy. It's fer yer own good." And without so much as a warning, he backhanded the tactical officer across the face. Hard.
"Wha…! What was that for!" Malcolm sputtered, clutching his cheek and staring in horror at his friend. "You'll have bruised me! I'll be bruised for my wedding day!"
"Oh, calm down, Malcolm. You'll be fine." To Malcolm's disbelief, the engineer actually looked HAPPY. "I'm just trying to snap you outta this nervous funk you've gone and gotten yerself into. Yer the only one's got any doubts about what's gonna happen when you walk out there and say yer I Do's and Amen's. Everyone else's sure as shootin' you're gonna walk outta here as Mr. Hoshi Sato."
Malcolm stared at him for another second or two, then sighed wearily. "I know, Trip," he mumbled, slumping wearily into a chair and letting his hand fall away from his cheek to rest in his lap. He stared at the sweaty palm as he continued. "I just…can't help it." He allowed himself to smile faintly. "Nothing would make me happier than to marry her." Glancing up, he found his friend's eyes. "I never thought I'd be here, you know. In this situation. My parents never believed it either. They always depended on Madeleine to carry on the Reed legacy, I think." A soft chuckle escaped him as he looked down again. "I nearly gave Mum a heart attack when I commed home to tell her about Hoshi."
He heard rather than saw Trip pull up a chair beside him. "But you ARE here, Mal," the engineer said encouragingly. "Don't that mean somethin'?"
Malcolm sighed and rubbed his eyes. "Of course it does, Trip. It means the world."
"Then why all the fuss?"
"You wouldn't understand."
"Try me."
Closing his eyes, Malcolm let his head hang forward. "I keep wondering…why me? Why did she choose me, of all people. She could have had anyone she wanted. I even think she left a piece of her heart on Risa, with that chap she met while we were on shore leave." It was hard to keep the bitterness out of his tone at the thought of the passionate one-night affair she'd described to him once, during their Truth Is Everything phase. They'd been going through a rough patch at the time of the leave, which was the only way he could get away with the "trawling for chicks" schtick he'd pulled. He would've kicked himself for doing that now. "And I wonder, why, when she has so many people who are more…in line with her…interests… Why does she choose me?"
He could hear Trip's confused frown when the engineer replied. "Well…what do you think?"
"Convenience."
He was expecting his friend to respond, but the bark of laughter that accompanied his answer was a surprise. "Convenience?"
Malcolm looked up at the obvious amusement in the engineer's tone. "Yes, convenience. We worked closely together during her self-defense and phase pistol training. And she makes no secret about being a skittish space traveler at best. She may sub-consciously be viewing me as a … protector
Trip outright laughed at that.
"What? What is it?" Malcolm asked, slightly wounded.
"Oh! Oh, Malcolm… Yer priceless, buddy!" The engineer wiped his teary eyes, then clapped his friend on the shoulder. "What the hell gives you the idea anythin' 'bout you is CONVENIENT? Yer probably the most INconvenient member of the entire crew!"
Malcolm frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"Well, 'side from bein' ornery as hell and straight-laced so's to make yer teeth itch, you … exude an … aura."
"Aura? What kind of aura?"
"A… standoffish … kind of … aura thingy."
Malcolm was mortified. "I do not," he defended himself. "I'm authoritative, that's all."
Trip blinked at him. "Sure ya are."
"I am!"
"Absolutely. Look, all's I'm sayin', Mal, is that if Hoshi'd wanted a marriage of convenience, she'da been hard-pressed to pick a WORSE subject than yerself. 'Specially when there's a mess o' handsome, roguish, devilishly clever fellas all over this ship who'da given their eye teeth to have a chance with her."
Malcolm's eyes narrowed to slits. "Watch yourself, Trip. I have access to the phase cannons."
Trip laughed. "I'm just teasin' you, Malcolm," he reassured the other man. "But you see my point. Hoshi isn't marryin' you fer lack of options, that's fer damned sure. And she ain't marryin' you cuz yer THERE. So she's gotta have another reason, right?"
"I would agree, but your theory doesn't hold water, as I'm not entirely convinced I exude an aura."
"Shut up and listen to me, Malcolm. Hoshi LOVES YOU. Me, the cap'n, Travis - we're her friends. We all have fun together, and we like to spend time with each other. But yer the only one who makes her eyes light up EVERY DAMN TIME you walk into the room. Even when yer havin' a fight, her eyes glow when she sees you." He smiled with genuine affection. "And don't take this personally, Mal, but I think she's the only one who EVER lights up when you walk into a room. The rest of the time, yer either eatin', sleepin', or gettin' ready to kick someone's ass, and I'm not jus' talkin' 'bout the Suliban."
Malcolm almost blushed. Almost. "And here I thought I saw a little spark flare up in your eyes whenever you see me, Trip," he jibed, eyes twinkling.
"Nah, that's just gas," Trip joked in return.
Malcolm chuckled, looking down.
A hand squeezing his shoulder brought his eyes up. "You feelin' a little better now?" Trip asked, smiling.
Malcolm nodded. "A little, I think." He smiled. "Thank you, my friend."
Trip raised his eyebrows. "Wow, you must be feelin' better if yer callin' me friend." He winked. "You think yer ready to get hitched?"
Malcolm closed his eyes, took a deep breath, released it, and opened his eyes again. "I think so. Yes. Why?"
Trip grinned. "Cuz it's time, ya British fool." He nodded to the door, and Malcolm looked over his shoulder to see Captain Archer standing there, grinning like a proud parent.
"On your feet, Lieutenant," the captain said, eyes sparkling. "Your bride's waiting."
To Malcolm, the ceremony passed by as a blur, with the only clear image being Hoshi in her soft white gown, with dark brown, doe eyes shining at him through a gauzy, lace-trimmed veil.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…"
//Dear Lord, please don't let me faint. It would be so ungentlemanly. I wouldn't blame her were she to walk out if I fainted.//
"If any man or woman has cause that these two should not be married…"
//Keep quiet, all you. Yes, that's right. Not a peep. You know I can hurt - Hold on… That's right, Tomlinson, hold your tongue. Lecherous bastard… Who invited him?//
"Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"
//That would be her father. Such a silly question that, especially considering he and Hoshi's mum made the trip out here just for the wedding.//
"Do you, Malcolm - "
//Oh, bloody hell. Here comes the important bit.//
"- take this woman, Hoshi Sato, to be your lawfully wedded wife -"
//I do. Remember, it's I. DO.//
"- to have and to hold -"
//I do I do I do I do I do I do…//
"- For richer, for poorer -"
//…I do I do I do I do I do … //
"- in sickness and in health - "
//HURRY UP!//
"- so long as you both shall live?"
//….//
"Malcolm?"
//…Oh, drat!// "I do!" //Silly bloody fool… Oh, stop sniggering, Trip!//
"Hoshi, do you take this man, Malcolm Reed -"
//Please say yes. Please, sweet, say yes…//
"- to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold -"
//Does she look like she'll say yes? I can't tell. That veil is hiding her eyes too much!//
"- for richer, for poorer - "
//You're a tactical officer, Reed, old boy. Use your powers of observation. Is she sweating?//
"- in sickness and in health -"
//I don't THINK she is. Her hands don't feel sweaty. Oh, wait, they do. No… No, that's me. Blast it!//
" - so long as you both shall live?"
//Pleasepleasepleaseplease…//
"I do."
//She smiled. She smiled when she said that. Oh, luv, you mean it…//
"Do you have the rings?"
//Come on, Trip. Prove yourself useful for something other than snickering like a sailor. There's a good man.//
"Malcolm, place the ring on Hoshi's finger, and repeat after me-"
//DON'T DROP IT!//
"With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed." //Thank God, got that right. I think. I did say WED, correct? Not BED, did I? Oh… hell!//
"Hoshi, place the ring on Malcolm's finger and repeat after me-"
//You know… that's nowhere near as tight as I thought it would be...//
"With this ring, I thee wed."
"With this ring, I thee wed."
//I love you.//
"And now, by the powers vested in me as the captain of this vessel, I hereby pronounce you man and wife. Malcolm, you may kiss the bride."
"Better do it quick, 'fore you faint," Trip whispered in his ear, but Malcolm ignored him.
With trembling fingers, he gently lifted Hoshi's veil, to reveal her radiant face. "Hello, Mrs. Reed," he murmured.
Her smile was like a lighthouse beacon, beckoning him home. "Hello, Mr. Sato," she murmured in reply.
"I love you," he whispered, leaning in and brushing his lips against hers.
"I love you, too," she replied, and smiled against his mouth. "But someday you'll have to explain to me why you've got a red handprint on your cheek." Her eyes were sparkling.
Malcolm groaned, but it was drowned out by the raucous cheers coming from the audience and the rush of blood in his ears as, for the very first time, Hoshi Sato-Reed kissed her husband full and crushing on the lips, and onlookers be damned.