Intolerance {Star Trek Enterprise Fan Fiction}

You Know I'm No Good

It was early.

Phlox checked again. This was not good. The entire Immunology text was wiped. He called the Bridge.

T'Pol answered, “What is the trouble?"

"I have – it's probably nothing – but the entire Immunology unit has been erased."

"Perhaps you can get a replacement from Dr. Keating-Fong."

"Good idea. And, sorry to trouble you. Phlox out,” He muttered to himself a little. What was the cause of the erasure? He kept coming up with only one reason, and it was not a pleasant prospect.

=/\=

Malcolm watched Pamela sleeping. He cleared his throat a little as he could tell she was waking up. Good. Before the alarm. He touched her head, entangling his fingers in golden waves. She woke and smiled at him, that same, slight smile that she gave everyone, “'Morning,” she said.

"How are you feeling, Darling?" he asked.

"Y'know, I've never been called pet names before. And here you go with Sweetheart and Darling all the time,” she said.

"Is that, is that a bad thing?"

"No. Just unexpected. Wouldn't have thought you'd be the type. But I don't do it in return, Malcolm."

"I know. That's all right. I meant to ask you, are you – has it – have things improved since, since our first time together? I know it was, I know it was fast. And I apologize for that. It had been so, so very long."

"S'okay,” she yawned, then grabbed at him a bit.

"Pamela," he managed to squeak out, "can we talk just a little bit?"

"Sure,” she said, but didn't take her hand away.

He fought to concentrate, “I, uh, I have another sonnet for you."

"Oh? Should I check my PADD?"

"Uh, no. I wanted to, to deliver it in person."

"Oh, a live performance!"

"Y-yes. And, uh, it's difficult for me to, to concentrate while you're, you're doing that."

"Oh,” she said, moving her hand away. Then she whispered in his ear, "Be right back."

"All right,” he swallowed hard, and then recited: 

"The Golden Lady chose the knave
and shared and lit his darkest night
A gen'rous soul, a heart to save
She filled his spirit with her light

A burning ember, burst to flame
as kindred souls entwine and merge
the knave, he could not be the same
falling, ever falling over precipice and verge

Her face was fair, her mind was keen
her body offered untold pleasure
And yet her heart remained unseen –
could the knave unlock this treasure?

The Queen, she came down from above
She changed the knave, who did it all for love"

He paused.

She got up and immediately started rummaging around, on the bed and then on the floor next to it.

"What are, what are you doing?" he asked, getting up.

"I told you, Reed! I warned you. I told you not to get involved."

"What? Wait! Wait!"

"No,” she stopped what she was doing for a second and looked him in the eye, “I hate this part."