13

Sickbay, E Deck, 1420 hours, August 17 2151

When Commander Tucker entered Sickbay he headed straight to Jean's bed, which was still surrounded by the hanging curtains, without stopping to greet Phlox or ask for his permission. He anxiously pulled back the hanging curtains which separated her bed from the rest of Sickbay and the first thing he saw in the small make-shift room was Reed dozing in a chair next to Jean's bedside.

Trip took a step forward and called the man's name quietly. "Malcolm?"

No reaction. Twelve hours ago he and the Captain had left Sickbay. Since then each of them had bathed, slept, changed into clean uniforms and eaten, but it was obvious that Reed hadn't done any of those things. Stubble was beginning to show on his normally clean-shaven face, his clothes looked just as they had the night before, except now they were rumpled from being slept in. There was a dark red stain on Reed's shirt from when he'd been carrying Jean and holding her so closely to himself that she'd bled onto his clothing. After so many hours, though, the red had turned brownish and started to give off a faint smell of dried blood.

But the only real difference between Reed's appearance now and the previous night was that now he seemed much more obviously disheveled and upset. Even asleep he looked worried.

Trip stepped outside of the curtains and went over to Phlox. The doctor was reading something but put it down when he noticed the younger man. "I'm sorry, commander, but there's been no change in her condition since last night."

The small hope which had been shoved to the back of his mind sputtered, but that wasn't what he wanted to talk about just then. "How long has Lieutenant Reed been here?"

Thinking about it, Phlox pursed his lips in disapproval. "Since last night. He hasn't left since the away team came in. I've asked him to leave but he refuses. Finally I agreed to let him stay if he got some sleep on a biobed."

"Thanks, doc. I figured as much." Trip shook his head. "Well he's sleepin' pretty soundly now in that chair of his. This'll be interestin'."

He went back through the curtains and approached the sleeping man. Reed really looked like he needed the rest but Trip knew he'd sleep much better in his own bunk, so after a brief moment of hesitation he reached out and lightly shook Reed's arm.

"Malcolm, wake up."

"Uhgn?"

That's something, anyway. "C'mon Malcolm. You need to wake up."

A few seconds later Reed was sitting upright in the chair and rubbing his eyes, trying to blink away his nightmare. It was something about having to give a speech at a funeral... He shook his head to clear it and then, almost automatically, he looked over at the biobed. The monitors were all beeping and showing the same displays as they had been earlier. He still couldn't make heads or tails of any of them, but he assumed it meant that her condition hadn't changed. Gradually he realized that someone had woken him up and looked over to see who it was.

He stood up hastily, almost knocking over his chair in the process. "Commander... I... "

Trip waved his hand to put the man at ease. "Phlox told me you've been here since last night. Look, Malcolm, right now there isn't anything any of us can do to help her. All we can do is give her time to heal and do the same for ourselves."

Reed nodded but looked away from his superior. Not out of disrespect, but because he needed to see if Jean's condition had changed in the past minute or so. Some part of him knew that this was utterly ridiculous, but he still couldn't help doing it.

After waiting for Reed to turn back to him Trip softened and shook his head, looking frustrated, sympathetic, and concerned all at once.

"Malcolm, you're not the only one who's worried about her. D'you think this is any easier on me or the Cap'n? Usually when something on the ship gets broken, no matter what it is, you or me can just fix it. But using a hypo spanner or re-aligning somethin' won't help this time. Right now, the best thing we can do is let Phlox do his job, and that means following his advice about going to quarters and sleeping. Or eat somethin' first. Whatever you need to do, but don't go on the bridge or into the Armory 'til you've gotten some sleep. Is that clear?"

"Sir, I..."

"I don't want to make that an order, Malcolm, but I'll do it if I have to." The stern look on Trip's face showed how serious he was, so reluctantly Reed nodded again. He knew the commander was right, but...

Before Reed could voice his one protest Trip put a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take a shift watching her for a few hours and then there'll be someone else to relieve me. I've already got a few volunteers. She won't be alone, and whoever's shift it is when she comes to'll call you right away. But regardless I don't want you to set foot in Sickbay for the next eighteen hours. Understood?"

For the first time in what felt like months, Reed smiled. "Understood, sir, and request permission to have the shift which starts in nineteen hours."

Trip's smile matched Reed's tooth for tooth. "Granted. You have your orders, Lieutenant."

Reed left the curtained room and nodded to Phlox on his way out. "Goodnight, doctor" he managed around a yawn before he left Sickbay, making a bee line for his quarters. Trip settled into Reed's warm but now vacant chair and began his turn at the watch.

To everyone who has stuck with this story so far, THANK YOU!