Chapter 20

Enterprise was fast closing in on its destination. All the while, the aliens were getting accustomed to the ship and their hosts, and likewise the crew was becoming more comfortable with their guests. But through it all, Malcolm remained in sickbay, deep in a coma.

"How's it going, Hoshi?" Travis asked as he sat across the table from his friend.

Hoshi gave him a half smile and sipped at her cup of green tea. "Just taking a bit of a break. I thought maybe Tytri and her mother who are sharing my cabin might want some time alone. I can't imagine how it must be for them to lose a husband and father." She choked on a sob and took another sip of tea to try to camouflage her emotion.

Travis reached across the table and gave Hoshi's forearm a comforting squeeze. "I'm sure Malcolm will be fine. He couldn't be in better hands. Phlox is the best."

With a sniff, Hoshi nodded. "It's just I feel that I've wasted so much time, Travis."

"You love him, don't you?" he asked, his voice dropping to a whisper while his eyes remained focused on her.

"Yeah." She sighed heavily. "Head over heels. What's worse is I never told him, and now it may be too late." Hoshi wiped her eyes, lifted her head and looked at her friend. "There's an old quotation that I can't get out of my mind. Actually it is very old. It was attributed to Augustine of Hippo back in late fourth century."

i'Too late have I loved you, o beauty so ancient and young; too late have I loved you! And behold you were inside of me, and I was outside of myself, and that was where I was looking for you./i

"It amazes me how what the ancient civilizations had to say are still relevant today," Hoshi reflected. "I don't think I knew exactly what it meant before, but I do now."

"That's beautiful. Thank you for sharing it with me," Travis said. He gave her a wisp of a smile which expressed his faith in her and how he valued her friendship. "I'm just sorry if I made you sad. You've said you never told Malcolm how you feel, but sometimes you don't need to speak the words for your heart to be understood. My granddad always used to say, um, back in late 2140s: 'If you show me, you don't need to tell me.'"

Hoshi, despite her melancholy, chuckled and Travis joined in.

"I wish I could stay longer, Hoshi, but I only stopped in for a cup of coffee. I'm due on the bridge in five minutes."

"It's okay, Travis. I understand," Hoshi said, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "You better get going, or you'll be late."

"Don't worry, Travis, I'll keep an eye on her."

Hoshi turned and looked up to see Michael standing behind her. "Where are Ilini and Dyini?" she asked, referring to the reporter's young alien charges.

Michael ran a hand through his hair and slumped down in a chair next to her. He couldn't help but notice how tired she looked. "They're over there," he answered, motioning with the tilt of his head towards the far end of the mess hall where several of the Viteni children had gathered to play with Porthos. They had never seen a canine before and took great pleasure in patting the beagle and rubbing his ears. Porthos, like most dogs, seemed to instinctively know they were children, and was patient and enjoyed the attention immensely.

The look of exasperation on Michael's face made Hoshi laugh lightly. "They're running you ragged?"

"You could say that." He looked over to Ilini and Dyini and waved. The children returned the wave happily.

"They are up all times of night. Just when I think they've settled down, they're up again, jumping on my bed and wanting me to play with them. This morning they wanted me to pretend to be some type of animal with big ears and a wagging tail. I spent over an hour walking around my cabin with my hands cupping my ears and my butt wiggling back and forth." Try as he might, he couldn't stop a small grin spreading across his face.

Hoshi's jaw dropped. "You like them," she accused slapping his shoulder. "All that grumbling and complaining you gave us when you found out you had to share your cabin, and now you like them!"

"Ssshhh!" he warned. "Will you keep it down. I have a reputation to protect."

"What's the matter? Afraid someone will find out you're just a big softy?"

He grumbled. "Hoshi, actually I came over here because I need a favor. I need to contact someone on Earth, and I'd like to do it as soon as possible."

"He's waking up!" Hoshi called out excitedly to Phlox and Michael. She had been seated next to Malcolm ever since Phlox had called her to Sickbay three hours ago with news that his patient was showing signs of finally coming out of his coma. "Come on, Malcolm," she urged, "open your eyes."

Michael joined Hoshi, and standing behind her spoke to his twin. "Malcolm, it's time to wake up, or do you want me to whisk Hoshi away from this tin can for a Risan holiday?"

Malcolm's eyes slitted open and his brilliant blue eyes peered through his eyelashes at the pair. "Over my dead body," he said, his voice low and husky from non-use.

Hoshi launched herself from the chair in which she'd been sitting and enveloped Malcolm in her arms.

"Easy there, luv," Michael chided with a smile. "Remember he's been bed-ridden for a while. Give the man some time to recover before he's 'bed ridden'."

Embarrassed, Hoshi placed a quick kiss on Malcolm's cheek before she stepped back.

Reaching across, Michael grasped his twin's hand in his own and squeezed. "Good to have you back, brother. I was kidding about Risa."

Malcolm gave his sibling a nod and a small grin.

"It's my turn now," Phlox said. "You'll have a lot of time to talk to the Lieutenant later. I need to examine him first. Hoshi and Michael, if you would be so kind to inform the Captain and the senior staff, I'd appreciate it."

"Of course, Doctor. Malcolm, we'll be back in a bit."

Michael reached out and gave his twin's shoulder a squeeze before he followed Hoshi out of Sickbay.

A tired, pale Malcolm Reed stood at parade rest in his Captain's cabin a few days later as he read Michael's latest report on Archer's computer screen.

"It's a good article," Jonathan Archer said.

"It is an improvement over the previous one," Malcolm admitted.

"Enterprise and her crew are getting good press over our actions with regard to the Viteni. Fortunately, Michael took our warnings to heart and didn't mention the alien race by name. There has even been some activity to secure increased funding for the Starfleet program."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"I think he's coming around, Malcolm."

Reed nodded grimly.

"Malcolm, I do owe you an apology."

"Sir-."

Archer put up a hand to curb the Armory Officer's response. "I should have paid more heed to your recommendations concerning Michael. I can just hope that this," he indicated the report on the screen, "means that he's capable of some positive change."

"I do as well, sir. I need to thank you for placing those two alien children in Michael's care."

Archer quirked an eyebrow.

"It did more that you realize. Without going into detail, let me say that he's finally taking some responsibility for some of his past actions." Reed's voice choked with emotion. "I can only hope he continues to shoulder his obligations."

"And I hope you may have learned something from your brother."

"Sir?"

"Take time to enjoy life, Malcolm." Archer explained kindly, clasping the younger man's shoulder with a firm grip. "Perform your duty to the ship, but don't neglect the good times. Don't turn away from happiness. I don't have to tell you that time is short. Like the Viteni, before you know it, life and all you've known can change. Don't think back on the past with regret."