A/N – Warning! Serious fluff content ahead. Thanks to Kathy Rose who picked this thing apart and pulled me through the rough parts. My grammar sucks and she pulls it together for me. Thanks to PJ for detail. If there is a really great part in the story, it's probably her doing. Thanks to all who took the time to review. Those reviews kept the story going. NC-17 epilogue will be up tomorrow. For readers, please feel free to email me for the chapter. I'm taking a break.

Chapter Twenty – Manipulating Happily Ever After

--

She was beauty personified. Her embroidered gold dress contained her feminine curves with a gentle countenance Malcolm envied. Her hair was swept into place high on top of her head with the royal tiara curving around the ebony silk. Errant tendrils had escaped the style and were framing her face and falling onto her bare shoulders.

He had lost track of the time as it turned into days, then months. He had willed the gnawing need for her away. He had resigned as soon as they had returned. Only Archer knew the real reason for his resignation.

Jonathan Archer loved Hoshi too. It wasn't the passionate love Malcolm had shared with her. The captain loved her like he would a daughter. Archer had sacrificed everything to find Hoshi, exposing those responsible for the attack.

The Deputy Prime Minister had resigned in disgrace when his son was convicted of Hoshi's abduction.

Even though Tucker and Mayweather were behind bars, there was still the matter of protecting Hoshi. Like Jon, Malcolm had become too personally involved to be objective anymore. Unlike Jon, Malcolm had realized he would be unable to separate his personal feelings for her to do the job properly. So he had resigned.

He had convinced himself that there really wasn't any place for him in her life. Hoshi would find somebody else…someone equal in status, marry him and produce heirs. That had been the real reason he had left.

He had refused to be the catalyst who brought centuries of tradition ridden off into the sunset with him.

It had been the best plan he could come up with. At least that is what he thought until the Queen had shown up on his doorstep a few weeks ago.

"May I come in?" Queen Nora asked softly, her hood pulled securely around her face.

He was startled to see her unaccompanied and ushered her into the servant quarters with little regard to public scandal. The Macmillians' maid and cook looked at the newest addition of their staff with raised eyebrows as he escorted the hooded figure to his private quarters.

"Won't take too kindly to that, Mrs. Macmillian won't," the cook said so that Malcolm could hear her. "She doesn't approve of that type of activity beneath her roof, even if he is a hero."

"Well then. I suggest you bloody well go tell her what I'm up to," Malcolm shouted down the stairs. "Nosy hag," he finished underneath his breath.

Escorting the Queen into his room, he closed the door far enough for privacy but not all the way for he knew they would have visitors soon.

"I see you're getting along well here, Commander," Nora said with a smirk, removing her cloak.

Putting his hands behind his back and standing at parade rest, Malcolm agreed with her. "Yes, Your Majesty. Between the cook and the maid, my services are not really required."

"Why did you leave?" she asked quickly. "Surely you realized you could have any posting you desired. Yet you chose a private sector position. Why?"

Malcolm was unprepared for her questions and gaped at her.

"Let me be blunt, Malcolm."

Hearing his given name, he snapped to attention and looked straight ahead, wondering what he had done wrong.

"My daughter is in love with you. Do you not reciprocate her feelings?"

He made no reply.

"She's building her walls again. Hardly anyone knows what a warm and loving woman she is. She's even shutting me out this time."

Malcolm did not dare to speak.

"Perhaps I've misjudged you," the Queen said, gathering her cloak. "I had hoped you would admit your feelings and end this ridiculous row with my daughter. I had hoped that you could make my daughter whole. I had hoped –"

"I can't love her," Malcolm stated, his voice so low the Queen had barely heard him.

"What do you mean?" Nora questioned, walking up to him and looking him up and down.

"It's not my place," Malcolm continued. "She has her station and I have mine."

He was unprepared when the Queen started laughing. "My dear, thinking like that went out during the twentieth century. There are no restrictions or laws prohibiting you and Hoshi from being together. She and I serve the people by their will. There are no royal bloodlines. The monarchy is obsolete."

"But I – "he stammered.

"Thought wrong," Nora interrupted.

A throng of voices carried up the stairs and Malcolm watched as the Queen squared her shoulders and prepared to meet his employer.

"What is the meaning of this?" a shrill voice asked from the doorway. A sharp knock quickly followed.

Nora opened the door and Malcolm resisted the urge to rush to Mrs. Macmillian's side as his employer swayed, realizing the Queen was in her home and standing in front of her.

"Hello, Mrs. Macmillan," Nora said with a warm smile.

"Y-your Majesty," Mrs. Macmillan stammered.

"I've come to invite you and your family to my daughter's birthday celebration." Nora handed the stupefied woman an elegant invitation.

"Th-thank you," Mrs. Macmillian gasped.

Walking out the door, Nora paused. "I do hope to see you too, Commander Reed."

Judging by his lover's frown, she was not pleased to see him. "Your Highness," he greeted her with a slight nod of his head.

"Commander," she replied, her scowl becoming more pronounced.

Looking over his shoulder, Malcolm walked away and smirked. She was angry. He was going to take that as a good sign.

--

The music ended and he watched her bow to her partner and walk away. The evening was almost over and Malcolm had yet to make his move. Hoshi disappeared into the crowd again, dashing his hopes that she would come his way.

"You said you would dance with me, Commander," Stephanie said with a pout as she fidgeted next to him.

He barely heard her for he was too busy scanning the cavernous room for signs of Hoshi. His lover truly had disappeared this time around. "Yes, yes. I know what I said. Perhaps the next dance."

"I'll dance with you," a bemused voice announced.

Malcolm spun around to see Captain Archer standing behind them.

With a speed that would have made any stalking female proud, Stephanie grabbed the captain's hand and tugged him toward the dance floor. "He's taller than you are anyway," Stephanie teased with a smile as she and Jon walked past him.

"She's a little young for you, don't you think?" Hoshi asked Malcolm.

Turning around, Malcolm grinned. "She likes to fish," he retorted.

She chuckled mirthlessly. "Judging by the stars in her eyes, she's in love with the captain already."

His grin faded. Hoshi had referred to her surrogate father as "the captain." Her mother had been right. She was shutting herself off. Hopefully he wasn't too late.

--

Hoshi stared at the mismatched couple on the floor and smiled. Jon was letting Stephanie stand on his toes. She felt disconnected and numb, purposefully hiding any and all desirous emotions since she had seen Malcolm in the line. All eyes were on her but she felt his stare most of all.

Why was he here? What did he want? If her thoughts could pace they would have worn a hole in the floor.

Taking solace in her icy composure, she turned to him. "What are you doing here?" she asked softly so that no one but him could hear.

"I'm looking for someone," he replied, eyeing her warily.

"Oh really? Who? What does she look like? Perhaps I can help you find her?" And get on with my life, you heartless bastard, she thought wildly.

He smirked that infuriating smirk – the one where he knew something she didn't.

"She's petite, a little shorter than I am. She's wearing a gold, sleeveless gown, her hair the color of the darkest silk," he purred next to her ear

Feeling the familiar stab of desire pool in her stomach, she turned to leave. She didn't want this. She didn't need it. She wouldn't survive another round with him.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the dance floor and into an intimate embrace. "I'm not letting you go again."

A flash went off and Hoshi pushed against him. The newspapers had been speculating for months about their relationship. She didn't need a scandal now. "What do you want?" she asked, panting from the effort to escape his grasp.

"You," he murmured against her hair.

Closing her eyes, Hoshi allowed herself a moment to relax and regroup to get away from him. She inhaled, the scent of him driving a spear of lust through her soul. "You gave me up months ago," she stammered, willing her limbs to carrying out her orders and push him away.

"I was a fool. A daft fool," he explained, the warmth of his voice against the shell of her ear. "Your mother set me straight."

She knew it! Her mother was involved. Malcolm's hand rubbed concentric circles in the small of her back and she groaned.

"I let the supposed class division get in my way. I thought –"

Pressing her lips against his, she silenced him.

"You stupid git! You didn't even say goodbye," she accused. "You left me."

Maclolm rained kisses along her jaw. "Never again. I'll never leave you again."

"It was a cowardly thing to do, Malcolm," Hoshi continued, receiving his kisses and ignoring the flash bulbs that were going off around them.

"I'm a coward," he agreed, his desire for her growing as she melted against him.

"You'll need to be stronger if you are going to be my husband," she stated with a quivering smile.

He pulled away, a look of awe on his face. "Are you proposing?"

Another flash went off and Hoshi buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"Look at me, luv." Malcolm pulled away and titled her face up. "Tell me. Say the words."

Unspent tears shimmered in her eyes. "I love you, you daft idiot. You have to marry me. Think of the scandal. The –"

Malcolm claimed her lips in a passionate kiss, silencing her reasons and giving her the answer they both desired.

The sound of glass shattering broke them apart and stole the attention of the photographers. Hoshi saw her mother scurry past guests and make her way to the kitchens, closely trailed by Jon.

Hoshi and Malcolm followed him, a woman's shrill, screaming voice echoing down the hall.

"You let me go this instant!"

Hoshi gasped when she entered the kitchen. Her mother looked panicked. Jon looked furious and Elizabeth looked like death warmed over. She was face-down on a catering table, a guard pinning one of her arms behind her back. One royal guard was nursing what looked suspiciously like a bite mark while another was lying in glass.

"Oh dear!" Queen Nora muttered, wringing her hands. "It wasn't quite supposed to go like this. Let her go!"

Rushing to his former fiancé's side, Jon knocked the guard that had been holding Elizabeth to the ground. "What have you done, Nora?" Jon's tone barely contained his anger.

"Uh-oh. He used her given name. She's in trouble now," Hoshi whispered to Malcolm. It really was like a train wreck and she just couldn't stop watching.

The Queen threw her hands up in the air. "Well, what was I supposed to do? She refused the invitations."

Elizabeth buried her face in Jon's chest. "You kidnapped her?" Jon asked incredulously, already knowing the answer to his question.

"Well, what good is it being queen if you can't order a kidnapping once in a while?" Nora replied like an unrepentant child.

"Mother!" Hoshi chided her.

"At least you and Malcolm are back together," Nora grinned smugly. "When is the wedding?"

"Mother!" Hoshi repeated.

"Soon," Malcolm replied, indulging his soon-to-be mother-in-law.

"Malcolm!" Hoshi exclaimed.

"You said it yourself, Hoshi," he said mockingly. "Think of the scandal."

"You all are crazy," Jon muttered. He scooped Elizabeth into his arms and walked out. "I quit."

"Oh dear!" Nora wrung her hands.

Hoshi and Malcolm looked at one another and burst out laughing.

The End