"Come on, Porthos, let's take a walk to Sickbay, I gotta look in on T'Pol."

Jonathan sounds agitated and I don't know why. These are the first words he has spoken to me since he's come back from the away mission.

The change in his mood to the better I have noticed a few days ago when he had finally opened up to Malcolm a little bit has gone, now he's totally tense and closed up.

I stay by his side on our short way, I have the feeling that he needs something familiar to hold on to.

The door slides away and I hear an awful noise. It takes some time for me to realize that it's T'Pol. She's sobbing and yelling.

I poise my head to one side. This isn't the Vulcan I've come to know. What has happened to her?

"How is she doing, Doc? How long will this go on?"

My master steps next to the biobed and looks down at the subcommander while Phlox injects her with a hypo spray. The sobbing and yelling stops and her breathing becomes more regular.

"She's making progress but she's suffering from nightmares which still override her capability of restraining her emotions. It will be at least another 48 hours until she gets back to normal."

Jonathan places one hand on the Denobulan's shoulder. "Thanks, Doc, make sure she's as comfortable as possible, okay?"

The alien physician nods as we leave the room.

My master stops a few meters outside the door and turns towards one of the metal panels on the corridor walls to look at his reflection.

His fingers carefully trace the wounds on his cheek. They look like somebody has clawed at him, like his face has been slashed open.

I yelp compassionately. I want to know what's going on but he doesn't talk to me.

"Are you alright, Sir?"

Jonathan starts. Even I haven't noticed Lieutenant Malcolm Reed entering the corridor.

My master doesn't turn around to face him, he just nods absentmindedly.

"What about her?" I see Malcolm nodding in direction of the sickbay.

"Phlox says she will be fine in a few days."

The Brit takes one step closer towards Jonathan.

"I was really afraid that she was going to shoot you." His voice is very quiet.

This would be the perfect time to hold my breath but dogs don't do things like that. This is the closest the armory officer has ever come to admitting his love and concern for my master.

"I know, Malcolm, so did I." Jonathan whispers.

The armory officer reaches out and places one hand reassuringly on my masters shoulder, squeezing it tightly, copying the gesture that the captain uses so often.

"But she didn't."

Jonathan slowly turns around and looks into the bright gray eyes of the serene Brit.

"And I'm so grateful for that, Captain."

My gaze wanders from one man to the other. Malcolm's hand is still resting on Jonathan's shoulder and they just stand their, lost in their eyes.

For my opinion this is all going way to slow but I know that Humans are effected by so many little things.

The Expanse is taking it's toll from all of them and I guess this is one further step in the right direction for my master and the man he's in love with.