Title: Collateral Damage
Author: Mareel
Author's email: Mareel@earthlink.net
Author's URL: http://www.geocities.com/bdebpr
Date: 10/16/03
Archer's Enterprise
Archive: Permission to archive granted to EntSTCommunity, Archer's Enterprise, Reed's Armory, Others welcome, please let me know.
Fandom: Star Trek Enterprise
Category: Slash (m/m)
Rating: PG-13
Status: Complete
Characters/Pairing: Archer/Reed
Series: Refuge
Previous: Refuge
Next: Respite
Number in series: 2
Spoilers: The Xindi
Summary: Malcolm tries to get past "Captain Archer" to reach Jonathan.
Disclaimer: They all still belong to Paramount. But most days I care more about what happens to them.
Author's Notes: Written in response to the haunted look on Malcolm's face in the wake of Archer's harsh words about his excessive caution (first scene of The Xindi).
Jonathan, I know I'll only manage to say this once: I'm sure you didn't mean your words to sound the way they did on the bridge today.
Your strength doesn't derive from making others look weaker. It's integral to the man you are. Look in your heart, love, you'll find it there…with your compassion, your humanity, your sense of justice. You'll find our love as well.
I understand the need to keep the private men who love each other somehow apart from the starship captain and the armoury officer.
But when you lash out at one, the other bleeds.