Disclaimer- I own nothing but Charlotte Hope. Plz r/r.

Charlotte swallowed nervously and checked her 21st century-style watch. The silly thing was unreliable and she had to keep changing the batteries, but she was pretty sure it was 1500 hours.

She tapped her foot. Inwardly she wondered why she was so nervous- after all, Data was only an android. Immediately she reproached herself. He was much more to her than that.

As a slight breeze stirred her hair, the holodeck doors opened and Data walked in. Charlotte tried to control the fluttering of her heart as she stepped out of the trees. "Hello, Data."

"Good afternoon, Charlotte," Data replied. "I am here as per your instructions."

"Data!" Charlotte laughed. "There were no instructions; I simply invited you to accompany me on the holodeck."

"Oh. Well, I am here."

Charlotte started walking down the gravel path and Data followed. After a few moments of admiring the scenery, Charlotte tentatively threaded her arm around his.

"Do you like it?" she asked, gesturing around them. "It's a park somewhere in America, I'm not sure where. It's replicated the exact details. Isn't it beautiful?"

Data was silent for a little while, and then looked at her. "You know that as I am an android, I am unable to express feelings such as yours on the subject. However, I do find the scene… pleasing."

Charlotte smiled. "I hoped you might."

They paused underneath an apple tree, and she picked a few. She offered one to her partner only out of politeness, for she knew he didn't eat. When he declined it, they walked a little further and finally stopped in a field of flowers.

Biting into an apple, Charlotte ran her hands through the flowers and picked a few. She stuck one behind her ear, one in her button hole and the rest she scattered through her hair.

"Query," began Data, watching her curiously. "Why have you adorned yourself with flowering plants?"

"It's something like an old Earth custom among women," she replied, chucking the apple core behind her. "Before jewellery, flowers were the only decoration. Now it's so natural that the proper place for a flower to be is behind your ear or in your hair."

"What about the one in your buttonhole?"

"Hmmm… that's usually practiced by the men." She took the flower from her shirt and tucked it into his collar. She studied him for a moment, then took it out and tucked behind his ear instead. She took one look and started to laugh.

"Is there something amusing?" Data asked, looking confused.

Charlotte took out the flower and put it behind her own ear. "Never mind." She ran her hands absent-mindedly through the carpet of flowers.

A voice cut through the perfect stillness. "LaForge to Commander Data. Sorry to interrupt, but I need your help in engineering."

Data tapped his badge. "One my way." Looking somewhat sorry, he stood up. "I must go."

Charlotte got up to. "I guess so. Let's do this again sometime. How does next week at the same time sound?"

"I will be here." Data turned to go.

"And Data?"

He turned back.

"Thank you."

He nodded and left. Charlotte took one of her flowers out and brought it to her nose, smiling.