Sorry for the short chapter, but that's the way the story crumbles.

Chapter 11

Malcolm dragged his fingers through his dark hair and waited outside Michael's cabin. He was just about to press the button to ring the chime when the door opened. What the opened door revealed was his brother clad in just a white towel around his waist, and Ensign Jennifer O'Malley. At over two meters tall, she towered over the reporter. The beautiful, buxom woman with waist-length auburn hair was dressed in her uniform. She was attempting to pull up her zipper, while Michael was making a game of trying to pull it back down.

Upon seeing his brother, Michael stopped. Jennifer took note of the reporter's gaze on something other than her. She spun around to see the Armory Officer standing in the corridor, his arms crossed in disapproval over his chest.

"Ah, Malcolm," Michael said with a huge grin. "Didn't expect to see you here, but now that you are here, maybe we could convince Jenn to make it a threesome?"

"That is completely out of the question, brother."

Michael sputtered, rolled his eyes, and cast his glance away from Malcolm. "And you want to know why you are no fun, Malcolm? I keep telling you to live a little! Try new things!"

"I believe Ensign O'Malley is already late for her duty shift," Malcolm said, not diverting his eyes from his twin. "If she doesn't hurry, Commander Tucker will likely put her on report."

Jennifer took that moment to extract herself from Michael's attention and make a quick exit, avoiding eye contact with the Armory Officer.

Malcolm stepped into Michael's cabin and let the door slide shut behind him, his eyes never leaving Michael's face. "So I should live a little?" Malcolm asked.

Michael nodded and tried to move away from his brother, but found his back was already pressed up against the wall effectively cutting off any escape route. "So tell me, brother, why have you come to visit me?"

"Lyn."

"Who?" Michael said, cocking his head to one side.

"Well, more precisely, Kyle...as in Kyle Malcolm Reed, soon to be Kyle Malcolm Eldridge, if I have any say about it."

"What do you know about Kyle?" Michael spat.

"I know enough to know that you haven't been returning the solicitor's posts. And I know you well enough to know you'll never be the father that Kyle needs."

"She contacted you, didn't she!" Michael said accusingly. "She damn well called you up on Enterprise and begged you to have me sign the paperwork!"

"Believe me, brother, she didn't have to beg. By the way, when was the last time you saw your son?"

Michael ran a hand over his face, mumbled something, and slipped passed his brother. Malcolm backed up towards the door, making sure his twin couldn't escape.

"Would you care to repeat that?" Malcolm asked.

Michael glared.

"Okay, so process of elimination," Malcolm continued. "Have you seen him since...oh...Christmas?"

There was no response.

"I'll take that as a no, and as such would mean you would have neglected to see your son on his birthday.

Michael shot him a lethal look.

"Did you perhaps visit him over the Christmas holidays?"

The look intensified.

"Have you seen him at all? Even at the birth?" Malcolm persisted.

"She can't prove anything. Get the fuck out of here!" Michael roared and advanced on his sibling.

"Or you'll what?" Malcolm countered, never flinching. "Tell me, Michael, do you even know what your son looks like? If you did, you'd know there was no question who was the father. He looks like a Reed, there's no doubt about it. " There was a long silence. "Hoshi should have received a transmission from Lyn's solicitor's today. I will have them forwarded to you, and then I suggest you sign them. For once in your life, brother, do the right thing. If you want to save some face, not only will you sign the paperwork, but you will also see that you set up some sort of trust fund for the boy's education."

"A trust fund! It's Eldridge who wants to adopt the boy!"

They stared at each other, both of them looked ready to do bodily harm to the other.

Then the klazon blared.

:Lieutenant Reed, report to the Armory. Lieutenant Reed, report to the Armory.:

Malcolm took a step towards the door and keyed it open. "Think about what I said, Michael. If you haven't been a father for the boy before now, at least let the man who has shouldered the task have the honour of legally calling Kyle his son."

Michael glared at his brother a final time as he departed.

End Chapter 11