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awoke, a firm, cool hand was on my forehead. I opened my eyes and saw the calm, smiling eyes of the medic. "Welcome back."
    "Where am I?" I asked groggily, looking around.
    "You're in the medical bay of the Exteris ," he said. "That blaster hole went all the way through your leg, but we're regrowing the bone. Unfortunately, we have to mend your leg from the inside out, so it's still going to take a couple of weeks. You should stay off it for the next few days until we're just mending soft tissue."
    I tried to sit up. "I've got to get back and report for duty."
    He stilled me with a firm hand on my arm. "Hold your horses, Simmons. You've got as long as you need to recover, captain's orders."
    My eyebrows shot up. "He's been here?"
    "Yes, he carried you in here from the bay himself. He seemed very concerned. I think he likes you." He winked at me.
    My heart caught and then I realized the medic wasn't speaking about him liking me.
    "I'm a good translator ," I said simply.
    "I'm sure you are , Simmons," he replied, looking like he wanted to say something more. But just then the door opened and the captain walked in. He looked refreshed, and more handsome than ever. My heart began to pound again and I tried to control my racing pulse.
    "Simmons, you're awake ." His face held a genuine smile. "Good to see you back."
    "Good to be back, sir." I said, trying not to blush. This was getting ridiculous. I was seriously going to have to learn to control my reactions to him.
    He looked at the medic. "Is he ready to go?"
    "Sure. He just has to stay off his feet for at least three days and then use crutches until it's fully healed."
    "Sounds good ." He walked over to the bed and looked at me. "Ready to head back to your quarters?"
    "Yes, sir. Umm, do you have a wheelchair or something?"
    "Coming right up." The medic disappeared through a door on the right and came back rolling a chair in front of him.
    The captain put one arm behind my back and one under my legs. He gently picked me up in his arms, and I hesitated a second before putting one arm around his broad shoulders. I was just torturing myself, I knew, but I couldn't resist the chance to touch him. He placed me carefully in the chair and adjusted the feet to support my leg brace.
    "Thanks for everything, Derek." The captain grinned and then turned to open the door.
    He turned away too quickly, but I caught the medic's troubled gaze over his shoulder as he watched the captain wheel me out.
    Looking down at my changed clothing, I knew that the medic had discovered my secret. And as the captain pushed me back to my quarters, I prayed to every god I had heard of that he would keep it.
     
    When we arrived, the captain lifted me from the chair and placed me on the bed.
    "This is probably a new experience for you ." He grinned, gesturing to my blankets on the floor.
    "Yep ." I grinned back. It felt good to have an inside joke.
    Then he frowned, looking around. "Simmons, what are you going to do in here for three days? You still don't have any personal belongings? You have been receiving your pay, right?"
    "Yes, sir." I was at a loss for what to say. How could I explain that I had been hiding out in my room every time we docked? "I'm not big on shopping, sir." I finally managed.
    He barked a laugh , "No man is, Simmons." But then he strode over to the closet.
    "Sir, don't..." I started, but he swiftly opened the doors anyway. He saw my uniforms hanging neatly in the corner, but otherwise it was bare except for my pack. He picked it up.
    "Is this all you brought on board?"
    "Yes, sir," I replied weakly. "I'm a minimalist."
    He paused for a moment, and then his green eyes bore into me again. "Simmons, I'm all for minimalism, but this is ridiculous." He shook his head and turned back to the closet, bending slightly to replace my pack. I thought I heard him mutter, " The kid needs parents."
    I felt my eyes burn with tears of embarrassment, and not a little anger. Who was he to come in and inspect