Jonathan is pacing through our quarters. He doesn't look right and he doesn't smell right, but I know it's him.

Everyone has been worried about him and Malcolm and Hoshi and T'Pol. Nobody has told me anything but I've got my ways to find out what's going on.

He's sniffing at his water polo ball again and his head keeps twitching. He's never done that before…must be the aftermath of almost having become another species. Imagine that…being something else than you really are!

I know the doctor has told him that his body will absorb the rest of the virus during the next two days, I have to get used to these little peculiarities till then. I've gotten used to the sound of the ball hitting the wall, so this will be a piece of cake.

"I hit him, Porthos! Because of some maggots! I hurt him because of some creepy-crawlies!"

He's talking about Malcolm again. He's done that all night long.

"The way he huddled against me when I let him have some of the food…He was so close to me, pal! I could still feel that, no matter how much of me or him had already changed into a Loqueque. Must be in my blood."

He snickers.

"I sniffed at T'Pol, Porthos!"

My head shoots up. He has sniffed at the Vulcan?

"I can still remember how Malcolm looked at me when I did that or when I touched her. He seemed so…jealous."

"Of course he was jealous, he loves you!" I yelp impatiently. Why can't he see that?!

He can be so stubborn. All this 'I can't let him get close to me, I might hurt him!' business…it's a load of crap! He needs a common spirit, especially now!

"He was so submissive. Me…the leader of the pack, him…the subordinate male. It was crazy!"

I pitch my head to one side and look at him. "Really?" I bark.

He blushes. "Okay, maybe it wasn't that crazy…it's not that different in real life, is it?"

I walk over to him and rub my nose against his leg. He bends down to stroke my head and he winces.

"What's up?" I wail inquiringly.

Jon rubs his stomach. "Boy, Chef's food doesn't sit very well with me yet. I gotta see Phlox again. Wanna come?"

When we arrive at Sickbay, Dr Phlox has another visitor—Malcolm. I can immediately feel Jonathan's level of stress rising.

"Ah, Captain! What can I do for you? " The alien sports his usual smile.

"I'm still having trouble with the food." Jon looks at the Denobulan but his attention is directed at the lieutenant.

"Well, you're not the only one, Sir. I've already treated Ensign Sato and I was just about to do the same for Mr Reed. Why don't you have a seat while I synthesize something for the both of you."

The doctor beckons Jon to sit down on the biobed next to the Brit. I can sense his reluctance and I can also sense Malcolm's immediate emotional withdrawal.

I run over to the armory officer to greet him and he scratches my fur. Absentmindedly he picks at a flea and puts it into his mouth.

"YUCK!" The Englishman sounds disgusted but his face tells me something else. I put my feet onto his thigh and look at him.

Jonathan's head snaps around and he stares at Malcolm who blushes immediately. The corners of my master's mouth start to twitch and then I hear something I haven't heard in ages…he laughs.

"Was it good, Mr Reed?" he almost giggles.

The Brit starts to grin. A lot of the tension in the room desolves. "Better than the steak I've had earlier, Sir!"

"I can relate to that, Malcolm! I don't know what that virus did to our digestive system…but I can't help fantasizing about some nice juicy bugs."

I can't believe it, they are actually smiling at each other. Because of one of my fleas! They haven't done that since the attack on Earth!

The lieutenant bends towards Jonathan. "You know, the doctor did offer me some moth larvae earlier."

They grin conspiratorially.

I don't have to sleep on my pillow tonight, Jon has allowed me to sleep in his bed. He still looks and smells different than usual but he's getting there.

I look at him. He's sound asleep, for the first time in weeks. He doesn't even talk or yell out Malcolm's name—he just growls from time to time.

The ball hasn't been touched that night. He was a lot more relaxed after his…dinner with Malcolm.

I have to admit it was a little unusual to see them feast on some of Phlox's insects. And when they actually picked some more of my fleas for dessert…that was almost too much for me.

But well…a dog's gotta do what a dog's gotta do…especially when this dog wants the two of them to get together.

I rest my head on his stomach and drift of into sleep.