Title: Worried About You

Author: Pretzelduck

Fandom: Star Trek: Enterprise

Pairing: Reed/Hayes

Rating: PG

Spoilers: Harbinger, The Forgotten

Summary: A little missing scene ficlet for The Forgotten.  Hayes attempts to give Malcolm a little TLC.

 

***

 

"Ahhh...Major Hayes, what can I do for you?"

 

Almost a year out here and I still can't get used to the sight of our resident Denobulan physician.  That smile of his is just a little too wide for my tastes.  But a good doctor is a good doctor.  Even if he is blocking my view of the rest of sickbay.  I give up on trying to look around and decide to ask him flat out.

 

"I was wondering how Lieutenant Reed was doing."

 

Phlox looks a bit surprised at my reply and I don't blame him.  There isn't a single person on this ship that knows Malcolm and I are lovers.  Combine our shared natural tendency for discretion, our knowledge of tactics, and the fact that no one would ever guess and you have a well-kept secret. 

 

"While the exposure to the high temperatures was more than his body could tolerate, he should make a full recovery.  We've managed to lower his body temperature to a relatively normal state and I was about to release him to his quarters.  The lieutenant needs rest more than anything else at this point and I need the bed."

 

So basically, he's going to be okay and he needs some sleep which is in short supply around here.  I'm not usually this antsy.  I've been involved with people I serve with before.  But this need I have...to see him, alive and breathing...is new.  Of course, I've never declared my interest in someone by detaching their retina before either.  Be that as it may, somehow I know this weird feeling I have in my stomach won't go away until I see Malcolm.

 

A hazard of getting together with a fleeter, I guess.  Or from eating their idea of ration packs.  I thought ours were bad.

 

I'm about to ask Phlox a few more questions about Malcolm's health when the lieutenant himself comes out from behind a curtain, dressed in the typical sickbay attire of shirt, sweats, and flip-flops.

 

He looks puzzled by my presence for a moment.  Only for a moment though and then he smiles at me.  A little weak but a smile all the same.  It's gone by the time Phlox turns around to face him, though.

 

"I see you're all dressed and ready to go, Lieutenant.  I'll just get a nurse to make sure you get back to your quarters."

 

This is too good of an opening to pass up.  "No need.  I'll go with him."

 

Phlox does the Denobulan version of the double-take while Malcolm apparently feels well enough to attempt one of his glares.  I give it an 8.7.

 

"I would appreciate that, Major."  Phlox turns his back to us and walks over to the other side of sickbay.  I guess he must have already given Malcolm instructions or else Phlox knows that he probably won't follow them anyway, so why waste the energy.

 

"Lieutenant?"

 

It's hard being formal with him right now.  I'm attempting to fight the urge to brush a piece of damp hair off his forehead and if we stand here much longer, I'll probably lose.

 

All Malcolm does is nod in my general direction before walking out of sickbay.  He doesn't even check to see if I'm following him.  But I am.

 

A few quick strides and I've caught up with him so I'm walking by his side in silence.  A part of me wants to reach out and put my arm around him...help support him.  He's walking slower than normal and I can hear his breathing because it's a little labored.  But Malcolm would probably attempt to murder me if I did anything of the sort and since his body isn't up for that much exertion, I keep my arm at my side.

 

It isn't far to the nearest lift and from there, his cabin isn't much further.  By the time we reach it, though, Malcolm looks beat, like he barely has the energy to stand.  He keys in the code for the door and I follow him in.

 

This is a good thing because the minute the door closes behind us, Malcolm starts to sway.  Without stopping to think, I grab him, wrapping my arms around him and holding him close. 

 

We're definitely not the most touchy-feely pair of people and this sort of cuddling and embracing stuff is something I think we've done twice, maybe three times.  But this is different.  He's hurt.  So he'd better not mind.  I don't think he does because his head is bowed and his body is slumped against mine.  I'm pretty much the only reason he's still standing.

 

Picking him up and carrying him over to the bed probably wouldn't be a good idea, no matter what kind of state Malcolm is in.  I move so I'm more to one side of him than right behind him, shifting my hands so they're on his upper arms.  Steering Malcolm to his bunk takes a little bit of work but we finally make it and I lower him down onto the mattress.

 

I can hear him sigh as he slumps against the bulkhead and looks up at me through heavy-lidded eyes.  I'm not sure what to say to him or even if words could make it past the lump that's formed in my throat from seeing him like this.  Malcolm looks so pale and tiny against the blue fabric. 

 

He could have died out there on the hull.

 

And that would have been it.  No more nights with Malcolm.  No more arguments over control of security.  No more great sex.  I wonder if I would ever be able to explain how much I would miss him.

 

More than I probably should.

 

I don't how to tell him that so I crouch down next to the bunk and lean over so I can finally brush the hair off his forehead.  His skin still feels hotter than it should be.  I wonder if I should be concerned about that.

 

"Is there anything I can do for you?"  I keep my voice quiet.  I'm not sure why.

 

Malcolm slowly shakes his head back and forth once.  It could either there's nothing I can do for him or there's nothing he wants me to do for him.

 

Reaching out, I caress the side of his face.  He's alive.  Because I seem to have lost control over my actions, I capture his lips in a careful kiss.  I'm not accustomed to an emotion overwhelming me like this.  The relief that rushes through me at the feeling of Malcolm's lips moving against mine is almost staggering.  I didn't lose him.

 

I break our kiss in hopes of keeping that feeling to myself.  I'm not supposed to be this attached.  But Malcolm knows.  I can read it in his weary eyes as I pull away.

 

"I was worried about you."

 

He gives me a soft half-smile that I can't help but return as it turns into a yawn.  Without asking, I gather him up in my arms and slide him down the bed a bit so his head is resting on the pillow, instead of him sitting on it.  I stand up and walk over to the nearby cabinet, pulling out a thin blanket.  Unfolding it, I return to Malcolm's bed and lay the blanket over him.  It's almost like I'm tucking him in.  Malcolm murmurs something about being needed on the bridge but it's half-hearted and he's asleep before he even finishes his sentence.

 

I turn to leave when a part of my mind remembers the small couch up against the opposite wall.  My eyes dart from it and back to Malcolm.  He looks like he's in a deep sleep already.  Maybe he won't notice then if I...

 

Sitting down on the couch as quietly as I can, I keep my eyes on Malcolm the whole time.  I don't want to disturb him.  But I should be here if he does decide he needs something.

 

Just in case.

 

-fin-