Phantasms

*****

"T'Pol, Hoshi won't be here today. Phlox put her on medical leave. Get Ensign Oliver to take her place." All heads turned as Archer practically burst out of the lift onto the bridge. "You're with me."

Not waiting to see if she followed, Jon took out some of his frustration on the keypad for his ready room, striding into the small cabin to stand next to the windows, staring unseeing at the stars streaming by.

His confusion of how this could have happened and why it ended up being him Hoshi was convinced she loved was interrupted by a soft cough. Turning, he came to face a patient T'Pol.

"You wanted to see me, Captain?" Her even tone, so often annoying, was oil on his turbulent thoughts for once.

"Sit down," Jon said, waving to the couch as he sat heavily down in his chair. "Somehow a hallucinogen was—introduced to Ensign Sato's system, and she believes that's we're married," he stated baldly.

A feathered brow went up as T'Pol took in his words. "Why would the ensign believe that you and I are married?"

Jon just looked at her a moment before chuckling weakly. "No, not you and I. She and I. Ho—Ensign Sato thinks she and I are married." Jon stumbled over Hoshi's name, not used to thinking of her so formally. He'd have to get used to it though, if he wanted to keep the baser part of himself from reliving that earlier blowjob.

T'Pol's expression didn't change. "The question still remains. Why would the ensign believe that you and she are married?"

"I have no idea." Jon reached out absentmindedly to straighten a PADD on his desk. Lifting his eyes, he met T'Pol's neutral gaze. "There's no history between us that would make her think that. We've been friends a long time but it's been strictly platonic."

"On your end, perhaps," came the dry reply. "Perhaps the ensign has certain feelings for you she has kept hidden."

Jon blinked, trying to process this bombshell.

"I assume by Ensign Sato being on medical leave Dr. Phlox is aware of the situation?" T'Pol asked in the silence.

Jon nodded. "He says it's simple enough to counteract; he'll have a—antidote by tonight, and she should be back to normal by tomorrow morning. She's in my cabin now, working on something, the Shelian language I think. I want to keep her away from the rest of the crew. Apart from having to explain, it'd be awkward for Ensign Sato after this is all over."

"Of course. If that is all?" Jon nodded again and T'Pol rose, leaving him fiddling with his PADD.

Sighing, Jon thought of his standing biweekly lunch date with Cecelia. He should cancel it, but… the risk of Hoshi finding out, although slim to none, wasn't worth it. He'd have lunch with Hoshi, but beg off dinner with the excuse of a meeting with Trip and Malcolm. That should keep her happy.

He hoped.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So far, so good… Jon thought, watching Hoshi out of the corner of his eye as they ate in his cabin. She nattered along about the Shelian language, all of it going above his head. Once again a 'Yes, dear' or an 'Oh, really?' dropped in the conversation every so often kept his end up.

His mind wandered to what Cecelia was doing at that moment; she had been disappointed when he had called to cancel. Jon had signed off with a quip, and the memory of her laughter made him smile.

"It's not that funny." Hoshi's petulant voice cut through Jon's reminiscing, and he looked over to find her frowning at him.

"Sorry, I was thinking of something else, sweetheart," he added lamely. Smiling at her, Jon reached out and squeezed her hand. He held his breath as Hoshi smiled back, the frown disappearing for now.

"Got to go." Getting up from the couch, Jon leaned over and placed a quick peck on Hoshi's cheek, avoiding her mouth as she turned her head.

"Go?" She hopped up, coming after him as he made his way to the door. "I thought you could stay a little longer."

Pinned against the door, Jon stood still as she spread her hands over his chest. One arm came up to twine around his neck and pull him down for a kiss; the other slipped down to palm his groin. He responded, the barest he thought he could get away with before unwrapping her arms.

"I've got a busy day ahead of me. And I can't walk on the bridge smelling of sex, T'Pol would have a fit," he joked. Keying open the door, he stepped through. "Oh, and I won't be back for dinner, I have a meeting with Trip and Malcolm." The door slid shut on the storm gathering in her dark eyes, and Jon thankfully made his escape.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Unable to work, the trouble with Hoshi weighing heavy on his mind, Jon finally gave up and wandered the ship, eventually ending up outside of Sickbay. Walking in he found Phlox thoughtfully contemplating one of the display screens, tugging at his bottom lip.

"Captain." Something in Phlox's tone sent up warning flags for Jon.

"Doctor. Bad news?"

"No, no, just a minor setback. This hallucinogen is slightly more complex than I thought. I won't have the counteragent for you until tomorrow morning."

Jon just stood there, blindly watching the data scroll by. Tomorrow morning meant that Hoshi would spend that night in his bed. Jon had never thought of Hoshi in a romantic way before, but it had been a very long time since he had sex, and she was an attractive woman. He knew he'd respond and he'd have a devil of a time explaining why the body was willing but the spirit held back.

"As soon as you can, Doctor," was his only answer.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Any particular reason you wanted us to have dinner with you, Cap'n? 'Cause if it's scintillatin' conversation you wanted, I think we're fallin' flat."

"What?" Startled, Jon looked up to see Trip grinning at him. "Sorry. I've been distracted lately." He grimaced at the understatement. He hadn't gotten anything done that day, except to bother his crew and stare out of the window of his ready room.

"Thanks for eating with me." He looked over at Malcolm. "I know you two had dinner planned; I appreciate it."

"Quite alright, Captain," Malcolm answered, glancing over at Trip. "It can wait." The two shared a smile, which got Jon thinking about Hoshi again. He hoped that Phlox could come up with a counteragent fast, he was not looking forward to the upcoming night.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jon yawned as he paused outside his door. It was almost midnight; he had stayed in his ready room as long as he could, but finally gave up after almost falling asleep in his chair.

The door hissed open softly to show a dark cabin, lit only by the starlight coming in through the window. He slowly made his way to the bathroom, keeping an eye on the long, narrow lump in his bed. Closing the thin door but not turning on the light, Jon quickly brushed his teeth and stripped off his uniform. Back in his cabin, he slid between the sheets and sighed as Hoshi rolled toward him.

"What time is it?" she murmured against his shoulder.

"Late." Capturing a wandering hand in his own, Jon continued. "Very late." Turning Hoshi around, he spooned against her, hoping that it would only take this little bit.

"Ok," grumbled Hoshi, wriggling her backside a little, causing Jon to choke back a groan, then a curse as she took one of his hands and curved it around a breast.

Calculating flight vectors, Jon dropped into an uneasy sleep.

*****