"Ya know, it's a shame Ah don't git all the the goodies that come with bein' Captain."

Malcolm looked up from the PADD he was reading. "What do you mean? You've eaten in the Captain's Mess, played in the Ready Room, and successfully played the man to a Vulcan. I'd say you've covered all the bases."

Trip stood up from his bed and walked over to Malcolm, taking the PADD out of his hand and kissing him slowly. "Just thinkin' how nice it'd be ta have that bed."

"The bed?"

"Big ole double bed that we could stretch out on like a coupla big cats. It'd just be nice."

"You have a problem with our beds?"

"Only that ya knock me out every once in a while."

Malcolm looked abashed. It was true. "It's not as if I'm aiming for you, you know."

"Ah know." Trip kissed him again. "It'd just be nice is all Ah'm sayin'. Much as Ah like cuddlin' with ya, and don't doubt that Ah do, a double would just be nice fer a night or two. We'd have a little more room to maneuver." He waggled his eyebrows.

Malcolm smiled up at him. "That does sound nice." The comm chirped and Malcolm reached behind his head to answer it. "Yes?"

"Lieutenant Reed, it's Doctor Phlox. I'm looking for Commander Tucker."

"Ah'm here, Doc."

"You need to be in Sickbay. It's time for your inoculation."

"On mah way." Trip kissed Malcolm and stood up to leave. He paused at the door. "Ah'll see ya tonight, right?"

"Yes." Malcolm watched him leave, waited a minute to be sure Trip had had enough time to get on a lift, and then stood up. He had a plan.

***

Trip walked down the hall hours later feeling the effects of a day being in charge. ~Can't believe Ah waited to okay everyone gettin' their shots. Feel like an idiot. Ah knew it had ta be done when Phlox first said it, why'd Ah try ta avoid it? Ah'm a bad Captain.~ Sighing, he tapped in the code that let him into Malcolm's quarters. Malcolm was sitting at his desk, going over a PADD. There were blankets in the floor. "What are those?"

Malcolm looked over. "You'll see." He stood up and looked Trip over. "You look like hell."

"Well, thanks."

The sarcasm was ignored. "What's the matter?"

"Just feelin' a little stupid, Ah guess." Trip sat on the bed and rubbed his face. The bed dipped as Malcolm sat beside him. "Can't figure out quite why Ah almost let everyone get infected with that virus. I knew when Phlox said it Ah had ta make sure everyone got their inoculation. Don't know why Ah tried to put it off." He looked at Malcolm. "Don't know why Ah tried ta put off yer thing, either. Ah heard ya tell the Cap'n it was gettin' done, and he'd already okayed it."

Malcolm rubbed Trip's back. "You had a moment of confusion is all. All the other times you've been in charge, we've been running from people or shooting at people and the Captain and T'Pol have been indisposed because they're injured or off the ship because they're trying to halt the attack from the other side or playing around on a killer space station. The everyday activities have never been your job, and it just threw you off balance for a moment."

"Ya think so?"

"Of course. You're a very intelligent person, Trip. You wouldn't be a Commander if you weren't."

"Hey, mah good looks coulda gotten me here."

"You're not that attractive." Malcolm grinned as Trip made a face. He leaned against him. "I have a surprise."

"Oh, yeah?" Trip looked at the blankets on the floor. "Have anythin' ta do with yer quarters bein' dirty?"

"It does." Malcolm stood up and walked over to the blankets. He straightened them until they were lying neatly in a large rectangle. "We have some double camping mattresses on board for times when it's cold and people need to huddle up when they're on planet. I took the liberty of getting one from storage and bringing it up here. I thought if you couldn't have the Captain's bed, at least you'd get to use one while you're Captain."

Trip smiled and stood up, standing in front of Malcolm and hugging him tightly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Ah mean that fer everything."

"I know." Malcolm kissed him. "Want to break in the bed?"

"O' course." Trip pulled Malcolm down with him to the mattress. "Just a quick question. Did ya sign the mattress out?"

Malcolm's brow creased in minor confusion. "No."

"Hmmm..That's against regs. As actin' Captain it's mah duty ta make sure the regs are followed precisely. Ah'm afraid yer gonna have ta be punished."

Malcolm saw the smile in Trip's eyes. "What do you suggest, sir?"

Trip reached for the zipper to Malcolm's uniform. "Forty licks oughta do it."