Lee lay awake, staring at the top of his bunk. Something was wrong, and it frustrated him that no one would tell him what it was…

He knew something was wrong because Chip was with him all the time; and when Chip wasn't hanging around like some overprotective mother hen, someone else was watching over him. He had asked Chip point blank only last night as they ate in the wardroom what was going on, but Chip had just smiled a smile that didn't touch his eyes and changed the subject.

Which meant it had to be something that Admiral Nelson had ordered. But why? Was it because of Nash? Nelson had asked about the crewman only a couple of days ago, which showed that he was concerned about Nash's increasingly strange behavior. And the COB had warned Lee that Nash seemed to be completely convinced that Lee was out to get him. Yesterday, Chip had relieved Nash of duty and ordered him to make daily visits to Will McKenzie. When Lee had been able to escape the XO's constant vigilance, he'd made a visit to Sick Bay, trailed by Crowe, trying to look nonchalant and failing miserably. Will had said carefully that Nash was exhibiting symptoms that heralded the onset of paranoid schizophrenia, and had warned Lee away from him.

Was that it? Did they think that Nash was dangerous to him? Were they afraid the crewman would lash out? Lee sighed and sat up; clearly sleep was out of the question tonight…

He had asked Will if medication would allow Nash to continue on the boat, but Will had seemed to think that was impossible. He had suggested a shore post, something that Chip, too, had thought the best option. Lee was willing to sign off on it, if it allowed Nash to continue to work for them. The man had a wife suffering from cancer, and a widowed sister who had come home to live with him. He needed the generous salary the admiral paid his employees, and the illness he appeared to be suffering from was hardly his fault. But if Nash pulled something before they reached port, no one would be able to help him…

Which explained a lot of things actually. Chip certainly exhibited all the signs of protectiveness, but he was probably trying to keep the two of them apart long enough that Nash could be settled down and the boat could reach port without incident.

Which meant he probably wasn't sleeping either. Lee smiled a fiendish smile; if Chip was sleeping, he deserved to be waked up, after his behavior the last couple of days. Lee rose, pulled on his robe, and padded to his cabin door in his slippers.

No one was in the hall. Lee slipped out of his cabin and went down the hall to Chip's. Naturally there was a light under the door. The paperwork hadn't vanished after all; it had just gone underground and was now swallowing up the XO's nights, while shepherding Lee around watchfully ate his days. What did a captain do with that?

At least Nelson hadn't insisted on a yeoman immediately. He had given in to Lee's persistent arguments that no one in the crew was ready, but had warned both Lee and Chip that he wouldn't wait forever. That he had waited at all was a good thing; it was allowing Chip to realize that he desperately needed help, like it or not. Lee had faith that very soon now, he would admit that fact to one or both of them, and then the admiral could go ahead with a clear conscience…

He tested the doorknob, and shook his head when he found it unlocked. A habit of five years in the making hadn't been changed successfully. The admiral would not be pleased, if he ever found out. Lee walked into the cabin, startling his XO. Chip came to his feet quickly, but relaxed when he saw it was the captain. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Lee glared at him. "Shouldn't you?"

Chip sighed, glanced down at the reports that littered his desk, and sank down into his chair again. "Too much to do."

Lee moved to sit in the other chair across the desk from his friend. "I've heard that sleep is highly overrated." There was an undertone of sarcasm to the words that wasn't lost on Chip.

The XO rubbed the bridge of his nose, signaling a headache; it was one of his unconscious tells that the whole crew understood and watched for. "I can't keep up anymore. I've tried…" His voice trailed off, and he closed his eyes, leaning his head on his hand.

A rare moment. He never admitted to failure; instead he generally just redoubled his efforts. Lee regarded him for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "The admiral has tried to convince you that you need help…"

"After what happened to the last one?"

Wendy Allbright… Whose death had been a painful lesson to all of them. It had sparked a great many changes, most of them uncomfortable, no matter how necessary they may have been. Chip had worked even harder after she'd been murdered; if he was now admitting that he still couldn't keep up with the paperwork required of him, then it was time for action. "You know that wasn't your fault. And you don't have to try to keep up with it all on your own. We keep telling you that." He allowed a teasing note to creep into his voice, hoping to lighten the atmosphere.. "Not our fault that you're too pig-headed to listen."

Chip smiled wearily at that, protesting the comment. "I'm pig-headed? What about you?"

"The difference is that I'm willing to admit I'm pig-headed. But you? You're too pig-headed…" He laughed at the look on Chip's face, and changed the subject. "So… What's up?"

His XO settled back in his chair, trying to look innocent. He actually did a very good job of it. Lee often envied Chip his perfect poker face. "What do you mean?"

"You never let me go anywhere on this boat alone. What's with that? Are you afraid I'll have an accident?"

Chip considered that thoughtfully. "Well… You are accident-prone…"

Okay, he'd left himself open for that one. Lee shifted in his chair, his mood sobering. "It has something to do with Nash, doesn't it? What do you expect him to do?"

Chip sat up a little straighter. "I don't know… But the admiral's worried, the COB's worried, and frankly, having heard what Nash has to say about you, I'm worried, too."

Lee contemplated that; a whole lot of people worried, if what Chip said was true, and none of them except Sharkey were worriers by nature. "Level with me. Is Nash going to be able to continue even in a shore post?"

Chip considered the question carefully, as he always did when asked about the men. "Will thinks that with the proper medication he can function normally as long as he remains on shore. The problem is that Will doesn't have the proper medication in his supplies."

"Hence the reason Nash has been relieved and you have people following me around everywhere I go." Answers made Lee more resigned to the precautions, though he hated the fact that no one had told him anything. "You might have told me what you were doing."

Chip grimaced. "The admiral…"

Of course… The admiral – for whatever reason – didn't think Lee should be told. Probably he just didn't want Lee worrying about it. He hadn't seemed to grasp yet that Lee was more likely to worry if he didn't know what was going on. "He wanted me left out of the loop." He crossed his arms over his chest, targeting the XO with a glare that should have been directed at Nelson.

"Not exactly…" But whatever it was exactly, Chip wasn't forthcoming. Lee didn't blame him. The admiral could get sticky when his orders were disobeyed. It wasn't fair to put Chip in that position. With a sigh, Lee rose from his chair.

"Try to get some sleep, okay? And don't forget to lock your door."

Chip rolled his eyes, but got up as well and walked Lee to the door. "I hate this policy."

Lee knew that the men approved of it, however. They had enjoyed having the freedom to speak to the XO whenever they needed to, but after the incident with Dr. Kelly, most of them were willing to make sacrifices for the safety of the command team. Lee stepped into the hallway and said pointedly. "Just lock the door." He didn't wait for an answer, but padded away to his own room, and hopefully some sleep.