Thanks for the reviews. I'm a big fan of feedback.

Okeydokey, on with the next chapter.

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When Malcolm entered his quarters, they were suspiciously quiet. He glanced around, and saw that Alex wasn't there. Where was she? She's probably getting something to eat. Alex had always snacked to help her think, especially at night. As Malcolm turned and started for the mess hall, he remembered often waking up in the middle of the night to find her in the kitchen eating an apple or something. It would always calm her down and help her think, she claimed. Midnight snacking grounded her in stressful situations. And, Malcolm failed to think of a more stressful situation than this. He reached the mess hall.

Lo and behold, Alex sat staring out at the stars, a cup of tea in her hands, lost in her own thoughts. The mess hall was empty except for her, so Malcolm had a chance to study her unobserved. In profile, she looked the same as she had eight years ago, only she looked very tired. According to Jenson and Ford, Alex had been on duty in Engineering pretty much 24/7 for the past few months. What she needed was a two week holiday – with him – somewhere quiet and sunny.

He must have made a noise, because Alex turned to face him suddenly. He glimpsed worry and pain in her eyes before they were replaced with joy at seeing him. He walked over to her, and kissed her nose.

"How did it go?" she asked moving quickly into his arms for a hug.

"Well, it was going peacefully until he started into you." Malcolm replied.

"Malcolm, you didn't!"

"I am proud to say that the distance between the end of his nose and his cheekbones has been drastically shortened."

"Malcolm, I can't believe you did that! Not that he didn't deserve it, of course. But I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Captain Archer called it a moment of temporary insanity, perfectly excusable, given what's happened in the past 24 hours. In fact, I think in different circumstances, he would have been egging me on, or thrown in a few punches himself, but he had to be the disciplinarian"

"As long as you weren't in trouble." She made herself comfortable against his shoulder, and closed her eyes. Malcolm couldn't actually believe that she was in his arms again. All those nights of dreaming of her, of remembering her sound and scent, of praying and ranting at the injustice of it all had never prepared him for the actuality of holding her again. She looked so sweet when she was sleepy.

"Tired?" he asked her.

"A little. I haven't had a good night's sleep since I woke up on Barcarnia. I missed you holding me, I guess." Malcolm smiled at the last part. He knew how she felt. Shifting her head on his shoulder, Alex looked up at her husband. He had hardly changed at all. He had a few more lines on his face, but his eyes were the same as they had been when she had first seen him fifteen years ago. He still had the same clipped accent, which she loved. His mind was as sharp as ever, and his skills as a fighter hadn't left him, if his boasting was to be believed.

Sensing the direction of her gaze, he looked down into her eyes. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing'" she replied, and kissed him. It was a long kiss, and would have lasted for a lot longer if a discreet cough from the doorway hadn't disrupted them. Malcolm jerked his head around to find Trip in the doorway, grinning form ear to ear.

"Sorry to interrupt" he told them in an amused tone. "But the Captain wants to see the both of you in his ready room." Malcolm glared at his friend, which only made Trip's grin wider. Alex rolled her eyes and got to her feet, pulling Malcolm up behind her.

"I'm just glad that they weren't in Malcolm's quarters" Trip mumbled to himself as he watched them walk towards him. Out loud, "Aren't you going to properly introduce us?" Trip asked Malcolm as they all walked towards the turbo-lift. Malcolm put his arm possessively around Alex's waist.

"Sure" he replied. "Commander Charles Tucker, meet Alexandria Reed, my wife. Lexie, this is my good friend, Trip Tucker." He emphasized the word wife, and Trip, seeing right through him, had to hide his snort of laughter. A possessive Malcolm was a sight to behold and very funny.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Commander."

"Please, it's Trip. After all, you're married to one of my best friends" Trip smiled widely, laying on his southern charm, mainly because he knew it would annoy Malcolm.

"Alright them, Trip."

They were saved from the sarcastic comment Trip knew Malcolm was dying to make, by the lift stopping on the bridge. Jon and Trip had informed the bridge crew of what happened, so instead of the curious looks Alex had gotten the last time she had went to the Captain's ready room, she was greeted by warm smiles and even a wave from a young woman working at the communications console.

They stepped into the ready room, and found the Captain sitting behind his desk, frowning over the information on a PADD he was reading, while T'Pol stood by the window looking out at the stars. They both looked up when the trio came in, and Jon stood.

"Trip, Malcolm, Ensign" he greeted them. "Ensign Reed, I called you and Malcolm here because I have some news on James Hawk." Alex stiffened and unconsciously reached for Malcolm's hand, which he in turn, gripped tightly. Jon noticed this, and allowed himself a small smile.

"I had T'Pol here search the databases for James Hawk. There were no references to a James Hawk in any database. Until, T'Pol had a stroke of genius. T'Pol?"

T'Pol stepped forward. "It seemed that he had no qualms about attacking you, so it was logical to assume that he had done something like that before. I searched the court records and prison manifests for the past fifteen years, and found that James Hawk is one alias used by a man named James Hathaway. He was imprisoned in 2152 for the vicious assault and murder of a young woman. He was awaiting trial for his role in four other murders when he disappeared from his prison eight and a half years ago. The picture provided is identical. James Hawk is James Hathaway."

Alex was stunned. James, a murderer? It was hard to believe if one looked at his behaviour most of the time. He was all charm and kindness. But, Alex remembered the look in his eyes that night in engineering, and decided she could well believe it. James was a dangerous man.

Beside her, Malcolm was seething. A murderer! Near his wife! It was all he could do not to go over to the Hope and carry out his threat to kill him. Alex's grip on his hand brought him out of his thoughts. Alex. He had to take care of her. It was obvious that she was hurting because of what happened.

Jon had continued talking.

"Ensign Sato found Barcarnian relatively easy to translate. It appears that he was taken because the Barcarnians wanted to examine the human criminal mind. It is stated in their notes" he held up the PADD "that they down loaded his file from the earth computer system. A Psychologist back on Earth classed him as a sociopath, killing without mercy. Hathaway fascinated them, so they took him."

"Where is he now?" Alex asked.

"I've posted some of my men outside his quarters." Malcolm informed her. "They are armed and will go wherever he goes."

"Oh, thank God. I was so worried that he would try something with someone else. I have a lot of good friends on board the Hope."

Jon smiled. "Well, starting tomorrow, we will be bringing the crew of your ship over, for their checkup, and a chance to communicate with their families. By now, they would have been informed of the Xindi attack, so many would have prepared for the worst. I contacted Starfleet command. They in turn spoke to the Vulcans, and they are sending out a transport ship to meet us. Jenson stated a wish to return the ship to the Barcarnians, so the Vulcans will put it into one of their shuttle bays and bring it back. Then, they will bring you home."

He stopped, noting that Alex Reed was now leaning lightly against Malcolm who had an arm around her shoulders. She looked exhausted.

"Alright, you both look exhausted." He told the two Reeds. Malcolm looked slightly insulted, so Jon quickly assured him

"Anyone would be after the emotional rollercoaster that you two have been on today. I suggest you get some rest. Tomorrow, Malcolm, I want you to begin showing commander Jenson around the Armoury. And Ensign Reed..."

"You'll be with me in engineering." Trip piped up gleefully from the background, earning him another glare from Malcolm. He knew just the right buttons to push to set Malcolm off, and it seems that his wife was big one.

Jon decided to be diplomatic, and asked Alex

"Will you be staying here on Enterprise tonight or do you want to return to your ship." This time, Trip couldn't hold back his snort of laughter, and even Alex smiled.

"I think I'd prefer to stay here" she informed him.

"From the grip Malcolm has on her" muttered Trip in the background, "I don't think she has much of a choice in the matter."

Malcolm politely ignored him, until he and Alex were almost out the door, and then made a rude hand gesture behind his back. Trip let out a bellow of laughter, and Jon joined him.

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Back in Malcolm's quarters, thousands of thoughts ran through his head. What will happen tonight? was the main question he wanted answering. But, looking at Alex, he saw how shattered she was. He gently pushed her down on his bed, and covered her with a blanket. She looked confused, but he said

"Hey. We've got the rest of our lives together. Tonight, we both need sleep."

Alex smiled at his him, and pulled him down next to her on the bed. He put his arm around her, and she pillowed her head on his shoulder. She was soon asleep, a peaceful, dreamless sleep of the weary. Malcolm marveled at the feeling of having his wife sleep in his arms again. It was as if she had never left. She fitted him so perfectly.

Malcolm tightened his hold, and he too fell asleep.

But his sleep was not dreamless.

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Jupiter Station, 2146

"Alex! Call coming through for you!"

Alex put down her diagnostic scanner, and turned to the person who had called out to her, Joe Shepherd, a fellow engineer working on upgrading the systems of Jupiter station.

"Thanks Joe." She called out as she walked over to a secluded comm. unit nearby. She guessed it was Malcolm on the comm., and, knowing her husband, it was probably not a call she wanted to take in public. After almost five years of marriage, she still got a thrill whenever she saw him, even if he was thousands of miles away on earth and she was only seeing him through a vid-screen.

"Hi sweetheart." she said when his face appeared on screen.

"Hi yourself. How are you?"

"Fine. Missing you. I'll be glad when I get back to Earth next week."

"I know what you mean. The house seems empty without you. It's also strange not having your stuff thrown all over the place" Malcolm teased.

"I'm not that bad" retorted Alex indignantly.

"Compared to...?"

"Well, anyone would be bad next to you, Mr. Neat-and-Tidy-Military-Guy" she teased back.

Malcolm laughed. He really enjoyed their banter, still. Alex was cheeky, irreverent and teasing, and he loved every remark she made. He was still madly in love with her, and was going crazy without her. And she'd only been gone two weeks!

"What's up Malcolm?"

"Do you know what day August 27th is?"

"Yeah. It's a Saturday."

"That's not what I meant. I meant..."

"Hon, I know what you meant. I was only teasing. As if I could forget our fifth anniversary."

Malcolm smiled in relief. She hadn't forgotten!

"When you were accepting this assignment, didn't they mention something about weekends off?"

"Maybe."

"Well, can you come home for the weekend?"

"I don't know..."

"Come on. It's our anniversary! And it only takes an hour to get from Jupiter Station to Earth."

(A/N In Broken Bow, Archer says 'Neptune and back in six minutes', but I am took it that he was referring to his Warp Five engine – Neptune and back in six minutes at Warp Five - so on impulse, I am guessing that it would take about an hour or so it get to Earth from Jupiter.)

Alex smiled to herself. She had already booked passage on a shuttle for Friday night. She deliberately chose a time when she knew that Malcolm would be on the ground crew of Armstrong shuttle base. He was doing a month- long rotation there, and she wanted to surprise him. Still, no need to let Malcolm know that.

"If I do, what's in it for me?" she asked in a lightly teasing, husky tone that always raised Malcolm's blood pressure a notch or two.

So, Malcolm proceeded to tell her, in great and vivid detail, the rewards for coming home, causing Alex to blush hotly, and making her very glad that she had chosen a private comm. unit for the call.

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Armstrong Shuttle Base, 2146

Malcolm stood in the control room of the shuttle base. She was coming home! Even if it was only for a few days, she was coming home for their anniversary. Malcolm hugged the knowledge to himself as he went around his duties with a smile on his face on Friday night.

It had taken a lot of cajoling, and Malcolm guessed (rightly) that his wife just wanted how hear how much he love her before she agreed to come home. He felt a little guilty for forcing her almost to come home, but, it was their anniversary! She belonged with him on that day.

"Shuttle craft Cochran to Armstrong Base" came over the comm. unit, audio only.

Malcolm's colleague, Kate Bell, was manning the comm. unit tonight.

"Base here."

"Hi Kate. Charlie here. We're approaching the atmosphere. We should be landing in about ten minutes."

"Copy that."

"Is there a. Ensign Reed there?"

Kate looked at Malcolm, amused.

"There is. May I ask why you are asking for him?"

Charlie sighed. "I have someone here who has been pestering me to patch me through to him for most of the journey."

Alex's indignant reply could be heard in the background.

"I do not pester. I just ask... repeatedly." Both Charlie and Malcolm laughed at her tone.

"Well, I can say of the ten other people in this shuttle craft, you certainly have been the most entertaining. Here, use this comm. unit." There was a sound of shuffling over the comm., and then Alex's voice came on, clear and strong.

"Malcolm?"

"I'm here Lexie."

"I was anxious to talk to you 'cos it's just past midnight."

"It's Saturday."

"Yep, that means that we are five years married. Happy anniversary. Love you. Can you believe it? Five years!"

"Not really. The time has just flown."

"I know. Imagine, our parents would have given anything to stop us."

"I love you too. I..."

He was interrupted by rapid bleeping coming from the shuttle. Kate was immediately alert.

"Charlie, what's wrong?" The bleeping had been replaced by warning alarms and the sound of pressurized gas escaping.

"The engines. They're overloading! I can't stop it. I'm reading something off our port bow, but I can't make it out. The engines..."

"Lexie!!" Malcolm shouted. This was serious. Very serious.

"Malcolm! MALCOLM! I LOVE YOU! MALCOLM!!!" He could hear the fear in her voice as she shouted this, and it tore at him.

"No! Alex!!"

The comm. cut out.

Five seconds later, a brilliant fireball lit up the night sky.

Shuttle craft Cochran was no more.

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Enterprise, 2154

Malcolm jerked awake in a cold sweat. He had been dreaming about the day Alex died... No. the day she was taken. He didn't remember much about what happened after the explosion. Kate had later told him that he had shouted into the comm. unit, frantically pressing buttons. Then, he had screamed "NO!!" and broken down. He had to be sedated, and woke up in sickbay praying it was all a dream.

It wasn't. His wife had died at the ripe old age of 23, and it was all his fault.

He had pressured her into coming home. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't have been on that shuttle, and she would have lived. She would have missed their anniversary, but she would have lived. They would have had more than their short time together. She would have been with him.

Never one for drinking much, Malcolm hit the bottle heavily after her death. He drank to wake up, drank to get through the day, he drank to go to sleep. For two months, he lived in a bottle, the over-whelming guilt, despair and grief that he felt deadened by the alcohol. Until Logan (the guy from the Christmas party) stepped in. Malcolm and Logan were still good friends, and kept in contact. When he heard what had happened, Logan recruited one of Malcolm's school friends and a Starfleet friend to help.

They ambushed him at home. Malcolm rarely left the house anymore, so they snuck in, and got him while he was sleeping. They bundled him into a car, and set off, out of San Francisco, into the mountains. They had rented a cabin for Malcolm to dry out in. When Malcolm became coherent again, he raged against them. He even tried to escape, but they wouldn't let him go.

Eventually, he broke down. There was no alcohol, so Malcolm had to face the pain in full. But he was not alone. His friends supported him as he cried, and raged at God. They reminded him that Alex would have wanted him to move on. He couldn't throw away everything. Alex would have been disappointed. It was a catharsis of sorts. It didn't lessen the pain of losing Lexie. Nothing ever would. But at least he could function without alcohol. He could face the pain, and survive it.

Three months after the accident, a very subdued Malcolm Reed returned to active duty. Gone was the outgoing, laughing man. In his place was a somber man, one that gave the impression that he was fighting demons in his soul. He was a changed man.

All this flew through Malcolm's head in seconds as he lay in bed, next to Alex. Sensing his stress, Alex woke up, and rolled over to face him. He was white as a sheet, and covered in sweat.

"Malcolm. What's wrong?" she asked, worried.

"Forgive me! It was all my fault!"

"What?"

"Your accident. It was my fault!"

"What? How?"

"I pressured you into coming home that weekend. Me! If I hadn't you wouldn't have come home and you would have lived."

Alex was in shock. He felt responsible? For eight years, he thought that he had killed her! No wonder he had changed.

"Malcolm, listen to me." She told him, grabbed his chin and pulling him to face her. He wouldn't meet her eyes, so she shook him a little.

"Malcolm! Listen you did not kill me. I had booked passage home the first day I got to Jupiter Station. There was no way in hell that I was missing our anniversary."

Malcolm looked confused.

"But, you said..."

"I know what I said. I just wanted to hear how much you loved me. Childish, I know. But there you have it. Oh, honey. You didn't kill me. I'm here."

Tears began streaming down their faces, as sobs shook Malcolm's frame. He buried his face in Alex's shoulder, and cried eight years of guilt and pain out if his heart.

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The next day was a hectic one for Malcolm. He spent the day showing Nick Jenson the Armoury, though it was no longer his pride and joy. Alex was. Jenson knew his stuff, and asked all sorts of intelligent questions. He was tired when he let himself into his quarters later that day.

He found Alex sitting on his bed, surrounded by PADDS. A quick glance confirmed that she was studying engineering specs, and history data chips. She bounded off the bed when she saw him, and gave him a hug.

"Hiya. How was your day?"

"Tiring, but suddenly I feel quite refreshed." Malcolm grinned, pulling her into his arms for a kiss. "What did you do today?" he asked her.

It turns out that she spent the day in engineering, with Trip. She talked excitedly for about fifteen minutes about the engine and Trip, until Malcolm could take it no more.

"Ok. I get it. Trip is great. Bloody wonderful!"

Alex was surprised. Was he jealous? Surely he knew that there was never going to be anyone else for her, didn't he?

"Malcolm. Are you jealous?"

"What! No." But Malcolm wouldn't meet her eyes. Alex got a hold of his chin, and tilted his head up.

"Malcolm. Listen to me very carefully. Yes, Trip is kind, funny smart and I suppose you could call him good-looking if you like blond Americans. Personally, I prefer dark-haired Brits. Despite that, Trip is great. But, there is one thing that he never will be."

"What's that? A millionaire?" Malcolm grumbled, slightly put out by her praise of his friend.

"He will never be you!" Malcolm looked surprised at that. 'She really loves me! You know, if she wants to spend time with a fellow engineer, who am I to stop her' Malcolm thought as he pulled her into his arms for a long slow kiss.

'Now's the time' a voice in Alex's head screamed. 'Tell him now!! It's killing you keeping it to yourself.'

"Malcolm. I have something to tell you."

"What is it, love?" Malcolm asked.

"It's about why I was taken. You see..."

"Sickbay to Ensign Reed"

Alex almost screamed in frustration. Not now! Sighing, she got up and walked over to the comm.

"Reed here."

"If you could come to sickbay please. It's time for your physical."

"Now!?! But my name is Reed. That's way at the end of the alphabet."

She could hear the smile in the doctors' voice as he answered.

"I am aware of that Ensign. However, I felt that you would like to have your physical sooner rather than later, so you could get... reacquainted with the good Lieutenant."

Malcolm snorted in the background and mumbled something about 'bloody nosey doctors'

Alex smothered a laugh, and turned to him.

"Makes sense. I'll be there in a few minutes Doctor."

"Understood Ensign. It should take no more than a half an hour. Phlox out."

Malcolm stood. "I suppose I should go get some food."

"I agree. Keep your strength up" Alex answered with an exaggerated leer. Malcolm laughed and smiled, and kissed her goodbye before they parted at his door.

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Hoshi nervously knocked at the Captain's ready room door. The captain had asked her to translate Malcolm's wife's file next. What she found... She had to tell the Captain.

Jon bade her to enter, and she stepped inside the door. He was standing at the window, staring out at the stars.

"Ah, Hoshi. How are you?"

"I'm fine sir" she replied nervously.

"Amazing about Malcolm, isn't it?"

"Yes sir. I'm very happy for him." she replied with complete honesty. She had been discussing the amazing turn of events with Travis last night before they went to sleep, and they both agreed that Malcolm seemed... lighter all of a sudden, as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

"Anyway, what can I do for you Ensign?"

"Sir, I have the Barcarnian File on Ensign Reed." She handed him the PADD.

"Excellent" Jon said, taking the file, and beginning to read it.

When he got to the last part, he paled a little, and looked up sharply.

"Did you tell anyone this?"

"No sir."

"Do you think Malcolm knows?"

"I wouldn't think so sir." Jon seemed lost in thought.

"Don't tell anyone. She'll have to tell him in her own time." Hoshi nodded her agreement.

As she turned to go, she kept thinking what Malcolm would say when he found out.

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The mess hall was very crowded when Malcolm arrived. He hadn't seen most of the people here before, and assumed that they were from the Hope. He took a plate of food and got a cup of tea. There were no empty tables, so he walked over to the nearest one. Three people were sitting at it. One of them had a small child on her lap.

"May I sit here?" he asked them.

"Of course" one of them replied. She was very pretty with long black hair. "My name is Lisa Holt." She informed him. "This is Frank Bailey and Jessie Hollande and her son Mikey." Malcolm recognized the names. Alex had spoken of them as friends.

"I've heard of you. Alex mentioned you. My name is Malcolm. Malcolm Reed."

All three froze, and turned to look at him.

"You're Alex's husband?"

"I am indeed" he grinned, digging in to his food. He was starving. They still looked a little shocked at meting him, so he decided to break the ice.

(A/N I know breaking the ice isn't typical Malcolm behaviour, but the point I'm making is that Alex changes him, makes him more outgoing.)

"Alex has told me a lot about you. She spoke very warmly of all of you. She thinks you are all brilliant."

"She's fairly great herself." Jessie answered.

"I agree" chimed in Lisa. "I think of her as my sister. She's a lot of fun to be around."

Malcolm smiled at that. "That she is. And I want to thank you for becoming her friend. She's changed, she's a lot quieter. I'm glad she had you all."

"It was no problem" Lisa assured him. "When she joined us, she was so scared and tired; I couldn't help but befriend her."

"Wait. She joined you? I thought you were all woken up together."

"Well..." All three looked uncomfortable, and wouldn't meet his eye.

"What do you mean 'joined you'? Where was she?" Malcolm demanded.

Lisa sighed. He had to find out sooner or later.

"Malcolm, she was in the hospital for two months after she was woken up."

"Hospital! Why?"

"I can't tell you."

Malcolm quickly excused himself, and left the mess hall in a hurry, heading for the turbo lift.

Hospital?

What had happened?

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Alex sat on the bio-bed in sickbay, tapping her fingers impatiently. When could she get out of here? Phlox had taken her temp, done blood tests, a whole bunch of stuff. Now, he was humming tunelessly to himself as he scanned her with a handheld device.

The humming stopped suddenly, and he frowned at the scanner. Oh no! He knew! She felt the tears well up, and threaten to fall.

"Ensign" he began. "It seems... There is trauma here, the type associated with... There must be a mistake" Now the tears flowed freely down her cheeks.

"No mistake, Doctor. Your scanner is correct."

"Then, that means..."

"Yes. That means that I had a baby. Malcolm's baby.

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So, what do you think?

You know what to do.