Archer bolted upright, heart hammering, and turned on the light.  Beside him, Trip, also awake, was shaking violently.  It was Trip's scream that had woken Archer.

Trip sat up, swung his legs over the side of the bed and then simply crouched there, still shivering.

Archer came around and sat beside him.  "Jesus, Trip.  Are you all right?"

Trip ran a trembling hand through his hair, but did not reply.  Archer put his arm around him, noting unhappily as he did so that Trip's shoulders were wooden with tension.  "Must have been one hell of a bad dream."

Trip glanced at him.  "The worst I've had yet."

And that's saying something, Archer thought.  Aloud, he said carefully, "About being punished?"

Trip nodded.  His worst nightmares always circled back to that dreadful event.  He often dreamed of being aboard Enterprise, of entering the Bridge or the Mess, only to find that stage and frame, along with the crew as an avid audience, waiting for him.

Or sometimes, he dreamed of the punishment itself, but instead of the Tasumi audience in front of him, it was taking place in front of one of the book club meetings.  T'Pol, presiding, would ignore his struggles.  When he cried out, begging her for help, she would pause in her discussion, fix him with that cool stare, and tell him he was off-topic.

He shivered.  "What else do I dream about?"

Trip is bound to the frame.  Again.  And again, he looks out over the audience.  There is no help to be found there; only laughter and applause for his pain and abasement.  He hears footsteps and knows what is about to happen next.  He struggles, trying to escape, but to no avail.  He feels the hot, greedy hands on his hips, and is savagely taken.  The audience cheers, and when his attacker begins to roughly manhandle him, they roar their approval.

He closes his eyes, trying to endure the pain and humiliation, and the room suddenly falls silent.  He opens his eyes again to discover he is now facing a room full of the dead, all rotting, their blank, lifeless eyes staring at him in mute reproach.

His rapist falls against him, and he looks down in disgust and dismay to see that the hands clutching him now belong to a dead man.  Looking over his shoulder, he sees the vacant stare of a decaying corpse meeting his own terrified gaze.

He cries out in fear and disgust, and tries to shake the loathsome burden off of him.  Its jaw falls open, and he hears its croaking voice tell him, "You stay with us, beautiful".  It leans forward to kiss him, and he screams in horror and despair.

"And then I woke up."

"That's it," Archer said crisply.  "You're off-duty until further notice."

"What?!"

"You heard me."

To Archer's astonishment, Trip's eyes darkened with fury, and he leaped to his feet.  "You son of a bitch!"

Archer was bewildered.  "Trip?  What the hell?"

"You know damned well!  You bastard!"

Archer rose to his feet.  "What is wrong with you?"  And ducked, as Trip advanced and swung on him.  Quickly, he grabbed the younger man by the wrists, and held him fast.  Trip cursed and struggled frantically, but Archer's grip was unyielding.  He waited until Trip's struggles ceased and the engineer stood, head bowed, sides heaving.

"Finished?" Archer asked quietly.

Panting, Trip raised his head, glowered at him.

"Well?  I can stand here all night if I have to.  You want to do that?"

Angrily, Trip shook his head.  Slowly, Archer released him.  "Now – do you want to tell me why I shouldn't toss you in the brig?"

"Why not – you're already punishing me!"

Archer was dumbfounded.  "Whoa, whoa, whoa – wait a minute.  Punishing you?  How am I punishing you?"

"What do you call relieving me of duty?  A goddamned prize?"

"Trip – that's not what I'm doing.  It's not a punishment."  He gave the younger man a long, appraising stare.  "And you know it, too.  So what's this really all about?"

Trip looked away.

"Trip?  I think I deserve an answer."

"You want an answer?  All right!  Sometimes I feel like I'm suffocating!  Between you and Phlox, I can't make a move without one of you breathing down my neck!  It's like I'm a goddamned prisoner!  Always checking up on me, always looking over my shoulder, always second-guessing me!   You set Phlox on me today, didn't you?  Hell, he must have ran all the way to Engineering, because he was waiting for me when I got off the lift!  I'm sick of it!  I'm not a kid anymore, but the way you treat me, you'd never know it!"

Even though you throw temper tantrums like one, Archer thought irritably.  "You think I'm doing this because I like it?  You think it's fun, following you around the ship?  Believe me, it would be a damned relief not to!  Then I could concentrate on running this ship instead of holding your hand all the time!"

Trip blanched.

Oh, damn it! Archer thought.  Aloud, he said, "Trip.  I'm sorry.  I didn't mean it."

Trip, his anger gone as suddenly as it had appeared, sighed.  His shoulders slumped.  "So am I, Jon.  I don't know what got into me."

Archer took his hand.  "I think we need to talk, okay?"  He led Trip over to the couch, and they sat down.  He put an arm around the engineer's shoulders.  "You may not know what's gotten into you, but I think I do."

Trip quirked a brow at him.  "You do?"

Archer nodded.  "You're an independent cuss, and it must be hard, having to put up with me.  Frustrating.  And I don't make it easy, do I?"  Trip looked at him, and Archer smiled.  "You've called me a bossy son of a bitch, and you're right.  I am."

"You're not that bad," Trip said quietly.

Archer laughed.  "Don't start lying to me, Trip.  You know I am.  And I know I am, too.  I'm used to being in charge, and I guess I put too much of that into our off-duty relationship.  God knows why you put up with it."

Trip managed a faint smile.  "There are some benefits, you know."

Archer gave his shoulder a squeeze.  "Thanks."  He added, very seriously, "You do know that I would never want you to feel that I'm forcing you to do anything against your will, right?"

Trip nodded.  Archer sighed.  "I'm way too over-protective.  I know that.  But Trip – when you went missing, and I realized how much you meant to me ... " He shook his head.  "I never want to go through that again.  Ever.  So now I tend to over-react.  And I know that frustrates you.  I don't want to take your freedom away.  But I'm afraid of losing you again."  He smiled ruefully.  "I hate to admit this, but there have been times when I've wanted to lock you into our quarters, and keep you here.  That way, I'll know where you are, and know that you're safe.  Protected."

Trip looked at his hands.  "Do I really mean that much to you?"

"You know you do, you idiot.  But that's no excuse for my behavior.  I'll try and dial it back."

Trip nodded.  "I'd appreciate it.  Thanks."

"And you'll take things easy?"

Trip sighed.  "I'll try."  He looked at Archer.  "Does this mean that I'm still off-duty?"

"Trip – " Archer began.

"- Jon, please.  If I sit here staring at the walls, I swear I'll go right out of my mind."

"Trip, you already work far too hard as is.  And considering everything you've been through ..."

"Tell me about it," Trip said with heavy irony.  He scrubbed his face with a hand.  "But Jon – I'm so sick and tired of all of this.  The whole thing – it's like a goddamned ball and chain attached to my ankle.  I can't seem to get away, no matter what I try to do.  And God – I would give just about anything if I could."

Archer drew him close.  "I know."

"Yeah, I know you do."

"But you've come a long way.  You realize that, right?"

"Have I?  Can't say as I feel like it."

"You have.  Trip – when I brought you home from Tasumi, don't you remember how you were?  I do.  You were a basket case.  Wouldn't talk, wouldn't eat, slept 18 hours a day, had nightmares two, three times a night.  Now look at you.  You're mad because you can't work.  I don't know about you, but I'd call that progress."

"Well," Trip said grudgingly, "when you put it that way ..."

"I do."  Archer gave him a hug.  "How about a compromise?"

"Which would be?"

"Light duty for the next few days."

Trip sighed.  "Light duty," he repeated.

"You can get some rest.  Give you a chance to catch up on all your paperwork.  All those reports.  Maybe," Archer coaxed, "you can even give me a synopsis of one of them?  Maybe two?"  He waggled his brows suggestively, and despite himself, Trip laughed.

"Maybe," he said.

Archer laughed as well.  "Agreed?"

Trip exhaled.  "Agreed."  He laid his head on Archer's shoulder.  "I'm sorry," he repeated.

"So am I," Archer told him, lightly stroking the side of his neck.  "Just do me a favor, okay?"

"Sure.  What?"

"The next time I piss you off, will you tell me right away?  Instead of brooding about it and waiting and then blowing your stack?"

"Noted," Trip said ruefully.  "Okay, that's a deal."  He looked at Archer.  "Does this mean we've kissed and made up?"

"Well, we've made up, I guess."

"Don't you want to do things right?  I mean, you are a stickler for details, you know."

"I didn't think you'd be in the mood."

"Well," Trip drawled, "I'm willing to be persuaded.  If you think you can, that is," he added mischievously. 

"Are you challenging me, Mister?"

"Why?  You not up to it?"

"Well, now you've done it," Archer told him.  He took Trip's chin in his hand, leaned forward and kissed him thoroughly.  Trip shifted slightly, and Archer broke off the kiss.  "How's that?"

Trip pretended to think.  "Oh, I don't know."  He shook his head.  "Nope.  I don't think that's going to do it.  Sorry."

"Hmmm," Archer said.  "You are a stubborn S.O.B. tonight, aren't you?"

"So?  What're you going to do about it?"

"Guess I'll have to try harder."

Trip grinned.  "I was hoping you'd say that."  He put his arms around Archer and kissed him.

"Now who's convincing who?"

"Shut up."

Archer complied, kissing Trip hard and deep.  Trip made a faint noise, and broke off the kiss.  "Wow," he said, somewhat breathlessly.

"Changed your mind, have you?"

"Chalk it up to your powers of persuasion, you silver-tongued devil, you."

Archer laughed, kissed him again.  Trip moaned, deep in his throat, and shifted again.

God, he is so sensual, Archer thought abstractedly.  He wondered sometimes what it would be like when Trip fully recuperated, and whether he would be able to keep up with him when he did.  Trip was returning his kiss with the usual enthusiasm he put into everything he did, and Archer's head was starting to spin as a result.

Archer broke off the kiss, began to undo Trip's pajama top.  Quickly, he pulled it off, pushed the younger man down onto the couch, and followed him down.  He bent his head, began sucking greedily on Trip's nipples; first one, then the other. 

Trip removed Jon's top, ran his hands up and down his Captain's back.  He arched his back as Jon continued his attentions, tonguing him, lightly running his hands along Trip's sides in the way Jon knew he liked.  He lifted his hips, and Jon, taking the cue, removed his pajama bottoms, then slipped his hand under the waistband of Trip's briefs and began doing things to him, things that made Trip groan in response.

"Think you're in the mood now?" Jon asked, teasing him.

For an answer he reached, pulled Jon to him and kissed him.  But Jon was intent on extracting a gentle revenge for Trip's earlier teasing.  His hand continued to move, and Trip wriggled in response.  "You didn't answer me," his lover told him with mock severity.

"If I answer, are you going to take your hand away?"

"I will if you don't, how's that?"

"I don't think I'd like that one damn bit."

"So.  Answer my question, then."

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I want verbal confirmation, Mr. Tucker."

Trip kissed him again.  "Consider it confirmed, Mr. Archer."

"Good," Archer said softly.  He removed Trip's briefs, then allowed Trip to return the favor.  They stretched out on the couch, belly to belly, and arms and legs entwined in a happy, highly-charged tangle.

Trip closed his eyes, reveling in the sensation of Jon so close to him, the touch of Jon's hands as they explored him, the feeling of Jon's lips travelling over him, leaving trails of pleasure in their wake.  Jon began stroking his back below the waist, making small circles with just his fingertips.  His lover was in the process of seeking out and cataloguing all of Trip's "hot spots" as he referred to them, and then to use that knowledge to drive Trip wild.  It was working.  Trip moaned, deep in his throat.  Wanting more contact, he pressed himself up against Jon, kissed him passionately.  His lover groaned in delight.

"You really do," he told Trip huskily.

Trip was puzzled.  "Jon?"

"Sweet," Jon added.

Still not understanding, Trip raised his brows.  "Want to run that by me again?"

"You.  You really do taste sweet."  He kissed Trip again, who broke off the kiss to ask, somewhat breathlessly, "I do?"

For an answer, he was kissed again, while Jon's hands ran lightly up and down him.  He moaned again.

Jon abruptly stopped.  What the hell?  "Jon?" Trip asked. 

Jon stood, and pulled Trip to his feet as well.  "Come on," he said.  "I want you somewhere more comfortable.  That way, I can really go to work on you."

"That was just a warm-up?" Trip panted.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," Jon promised.

He led Trip back to their bed, then gently pushed him onto the mattress.  Archer knelt beside the bed, leaned over and kissed Trip.  Then slowly and with great deliberation, he began to nibble on Trip's neck, then his shoulders, and then his nipples.  He kept his attentions slow, very slow.  Trip moaned, shifted.

"Lie still," Archer ordered.

Trip groaned.  "Jon ... "

"You heard me," Archer said.  "Lie still.  Or," he added, "I'll stop."

"I thought you promised not to be so damn bossy."

"Want to stop and discuss it?"  And he ran a light hand down Trip's belly.

Trip groaned.  "Maybe later," he managed.

Archer smiled.  Trip was right.  He was a bossy son of a bitch.  If he were to be honest with himself, he had to admit that he enjoyed taking charge like this.  He realized, with a touch of rue, that his comments to Lady Vala weren't the lies he initially thought they were.  He did enjoy playing with Trip, drawing out his pleasure, making the younger man wait, forcing patience upon him.

Using just his fingertips, he trailed his hand down Trip's stomach, then across his groin, lightly touching his lover's erect sex, then down his thighs.  Trip whimpered, deep in his throat.

Archer leaned forward, kissed Trip, while his hands continued to wander over the slim form that lay under his hands, shivering with delight.

"Feels good?" Archer whispered.

"Yes," Trip whispered back.

He kissed Trip again.  "Good."  Another kiss.  "I want to take care of you."  And another kiss.  "Make you feel good."  He ran his hands down Trip's sides.  "Make you happy."

At this, Trip arched his back and cried out softly.  As always, the sound of his lover's cries set the blood pounding in Archer's head.

He climbed onto the bed, lay beside Trip, began to caress him again, and was rewarded with more of those wonderful sounds.  Trip wrapped himself around his lover, kissed him and ran his hands along the older man's back.  Now it was Archer's turn to moan.

"How's that?"  Trip asked with an impudent grin.  He wriggled against Archer, causing him to groan.

"Brat," Archer said hoarsely.

Trip continued those maddening movements.  "Tell me something I don't already know."

"You're playing with dynamite," Archer warned him.

Trip ran his hands along Jon's back and heard his lover's sharp intake of breath.  "Oh," he said mischievously, "I already knew that."  He blew in Jon's ear, then began to nuzzle his neck.  Now it was Jon's turn to shiver.  "Matter of fact, I do believe I lit that fuse about five minutes ago."  And he ran his tongue along Jon's neck, along his chest, and then began to work on Jon's nipples.

Jon growled, deep in his throat and pounced, pushing Trip deep into the mattress.  He kissed him, hard.  "I warned you," he growled again, pinning the younger man under him.

Trip smiled up at him.  "I'm willing to take my chances."

He closed his eyes as Jon ran his hands along him.  His lover's touch was no longer light and teasing; it was passionate, urgent.

Then Jon's weight atop him was gone.  He opened his eyes, saw Jon was preparing himself with the lube.  His lover looked at him, his gaze feral and intense. 

With one smooth movement, Jon took him by the hips, lifted him.  Trip wrapped his legs around Jon's waist, arched himself upwards, and waited, heart beating rapidly.

Archer entered Trip, then paused for a moment to enjoy the sensation of Trip – all of Trip – wrapped about him.

"Jon," his lover moaned.  "Please."  Trip wriggled his hips, causing both of them to moan.  "Don't tease me, Jon."

Archer smiled.  He couldn't resist Trip when he asked for anything, could he?  And this was no exception.  He began to thrust into the younger man, starting with a slow, even rhythm. 

Trip groaned as he was being pleasured internally.  His groans turned into cries when Jon took his sex in hand, began pumping him in time to his thrusts.

Trip's hands clenched the sheets, and he began to make frantic sounds, deep in his throat, while his head turned helplessly from side to side.

Seeing Trip like this, caught fast in the grip of the pleasure he was giving him only increased Archer's own excitement, and his thrusts became harder and faster as a result.

"Jon," Trip cried out helplessly, "Jon – "

"More?" Archer panted.

"Oh, God – Jon ..."

Archer decided to take that as a "yes", and he happily obliged.  Trip whined and closed his eyes.  A moment later, he climaxed noisily.  Archer's own orgasm hit a moment later, and he joined Trip in crying out. 

Slowly, reluctantly, he withdrew, and collapsed beside Trip, his heart hammering.

He heard a rustle, opened his eyes, and saw Trip reaching for the tissues they kept by the bed.

"Let me," He whispered, took them out of the younger man's hand and gently wiped his lover off, then took him in his arms.

Trip sighed in contentment, wrapped his arms around Archer and kissed him.  "Now that," he said drowsily, nuzzling Archer's neck, "is what I call making up."

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