"*What* is that?" Malcolm tried to hold back a snicker but couldn't quite manage it.

"It's a perfectly fine costume." Trip smiled down at the three-year-old holding his hand. "Innit, Taylor?"

"Yes." The three-year-old beamed.

Malcolm composed himself and squatted down in front of the small child. "What are you supposed to be, Taylor?"

"Dog." He looked more like a combination between a few spare Engineering parts and some extra carpet from down in the storage area.

"Don't bother him, Malcolm. He picked out all the pieces himself." Trip grinned. "Thinka him as a space dog."

Malcolm looked up at Trip. "Need I remind you of space squirrels?"

Trip finally gave in and laughed. "Aw, come on, Malcolm, it's Halloween accordin' to mah calender, and that means that lil' boys go out trick or treatin'."

"Trick or treat, smell mah feet, gimmie somethin' good to eat!" Taylor waved his arms around. "If ya don't, I don't care, I'll pull—"

"Taylor!" Admonishments came from both men, and Malcolm looked accusingly at Trip. "Sounds like he learned that from his Daddy."

"What? 'Cause he cut off the gs? Not fair, Malcolm he slipped inta proper English in the middle there. If I gotta place blame, it's either Hoshi or Travis. They'd do it in a second."

"They would."

Trip leaned over and kissed the resigned look off of Malcolm's face. "C'mon. Sooner we git him 'round the ship and git his candy, the sooner we can curl up on the couch with a bowl of caramel a couple o' ideas."

Malcolm reached down and took Taylor's other hand, easily getting the pillowcase away from his son. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes!" Taylor jumped up and down a few times.

"An' this is him off sugar."

"You're the one who says he must."

Trip looked amused and opened the door, leading Taylor into the hallway. "Sure, but ya're the one who's lettin' him."

Malcolm ignored him. "Where do we start, Taylor?"

"Porthos!"

Both men laughed. One of these days they were going to have to teach Taylor that the quarters actually belonged to the Captain. As of yet, the kid was convinced Porthos owned the place.

They let Taylor lead them around the ship, stopping first at "Porthos'" quarters to recieve candy from both man and beast, and then down the hall and up another one, the look on T'Pol's face, a raised eyebrow and slightly widened eyes, as Taylor announced his rhyme causing them both to hold in laughter.

She stared down at the little boy. "I would not reccomned that. Vulcans do not like to be touched." She did, however, put candy in his bag.

Hoshi and Travis both saw fit to bestow Taylor with large bags full of different kinds of candy, completely ignoring the warnings from both Trip and Malcolm, should Taylor be bouncing off the walls all night because of it.

When they finally finished up, Taylor led the way home, pillowcase dragging behind him.

Trip pulled Malcolm close and nuzzled behind his ear. "He gits one piece o' candy, one story, and then he goes to bed. Ah got Halloween plans fer you, tonight, too."

Malcolm leaned over and kissed him. "I would hope so. It's Halloween, and I think big boys should get to play trick or treat, too."

"And what, exactly, are ya plannin' to trick o' treat for?"

"I think you mentioned something about a bowl of caramel and the couch."

Trip grinned wickedly. "Think Ah'll pick the kid up and git him movin' a little faster. Meet ya on the couch in an hour." With that, Trip picked up his pace and grabbed Taylor around the waist, swinging him over his shoulder. Taylor shrieked with delight, and then yelped as his pillowcase fell out of his hand and hit the deck.

Malcolm scooped it up without missing a beat. He watched Trip tickle Taylor and dangle him by his ankles as he punched in the door code. ~And sometimes big boys are just little boys on certain holidays.~ He smiled. ~And that just makes it more fun.~ He walked in and closed the door, watching as Trip got Taylor out of his costume, and then led him over to the little boy's sleeping area.

"I want candy."

"Ya git one piece fer tonight." Trip tapped Taylor on the nose. "Don't argue." Malcolm walked over, pillowcase open. "Pick whatever you like." Taylor looked over the selection carefully, then pulled out a small candy bar. Malcolm took the rest of the candy and placed it next to the bed he shared with Trip. He then reached over to the nightstand and picked up a book. He walked back over, sat on the edge of the bed, and opened it.

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary/Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore…" Malcolm smiled as Trip cuddled against him and Taylor's eyelids drooped. He read the entire poem through, keeping his tone soft and one eye on Taylor to know when he'd fallen asleep.

He was just reading, "Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken.." when he was certain the little boy was asleep. He turned to point it out to Trip and found the man asleep on his shoulder.

~And sometimes big boys who want to be little boys on Halloween don't have the energy they used to.~ Malcolm kissed Taylor on the forehead, then woke Trip up and tucked the both of them into bed. He curled up next to him and smiled. It had been a nice Halloween.