Bold

Four

"So, are you gonna tell me what you and Irene Woods were talking about at lunch last week?" Max asked.

"What do you mean?" Eli replied, a little confused. She gave a little cough, feeling as if something was stuck in her throat.

"Come on, you've got to tell me. Best friends tell each other everything." Max insisted.

"Jeez, you tell me everything? That's not an awful lot of a life you have there." Eli joked, with a little chuckle.

"Hey! I meant they tell each other everything important. This is important, so tell me!" He reiterated.

"Gosh, you're quite the gossip queen, aren't you?" She teased, but finally caved. "Alright, then. I'll tell you. We literally just sat, ate and chatted about work. Ta da!"

"Come on! There has to be more than that. I'm your best friend!" Max whined.

"There isn't! I'm not kidding."

Max groaned and rolled his eyes. "Fine." He grumbled, pulling a sad face. "You like her more than me, don't you?"

"Aww, Max! Don't be silly."

"You do! You like her more than me, because you never spend any time with me anymore."

"Max, that's unfair. I spend all my time with you. Don't you think I ought to open myself up to new friendships?" Eli suggested.

"Yeah, I guess. Just so long as I stay your best friend and you don't go anywhere near that McCoy idiot. Alright?"

"I promise to stay your best friend, but I'm trying to be a bit nicer to Doctor McCoy. After all, he is our boss and it can't hurt to be in his good books, surely?" Eli said, letting out a huge sneeze.

"Bless you." Max said. He pursed his lips in what could've been thought or disapproval. "So long as you don't get yourself hurt, because that's what's going to happen. I'll let you do it, but I'll tell you this: Leonard McCoy and Irene Woods are bad news, Els. Really bad news."

~~~

Later that week, Eli could often be seen talking to and working with Doctor McCoy. He seemed a little confused as to why the woman was suddenly being so sociable, since she only really had Max and Irene as friends.

Eli, however, was growing to actually like this particular kind of coconut. She was starting to find his sarcastic comments rather funny, despite still thinking he was a bit of an arse. In fact, she was beginning to regret being quite so mean behind his back. But what exactly did Irene and Doctor McCoy actually do to warrant such a harsh reaction from Max? A difficult question to answer, indeed.

Irene was pleased that Eli was opening out a bit and giving the McCoy a chance to open up to her.

"So, Peach? How was that guy with the infected toe?" Eli asked. "I had him last week, same problem."

"He seemed better. Mister Sulu is quite lucky, in that his job requires him to be sat down for a long time rather than moving around often." Doctor McCoy said.

Eli let out a little sneeze. "I guess that is lucky."

"Bless you."

"Cheers." Eli said with a smile, wiping her nose with a tissue before throwing it in the bin and washing her hands.

"You ought to be careful." McCoy told her. "I don't want one of my best doctors coming down with something."

"It's just a cold. It'll pass soon enough." Eli brushed it off with little concern.

The two often had conversations like this - mundane, civil, mainly small-talk. It was the foundation of a harmonious working relationship, albeit a slightly fragile one for the time being.

~~~

Days went by and all was well within the Enterprise. Or so you'd think.

While Eli was the happiest she'd ever been on the ship, having found a near perfect balance between Max and Irene, Max wasn't so sure. He was beginning to feel left out more often than not.

Every time he saw the two women together, a horrible feeling would wash over him and he would start to feel sick to his stomach. Was Eli replacing him? No, he wouldn't allow it. He was her best friend!

Max decided that he wouldn't mention it to Eli, but the feelings inside him continued to fester and grow stronger with every passing hour.