A/N This is unbeta'ed, so any concrit is appreciated. Standard disclaimers apply.

Geordi had known that Data wasn't himself the moment the android had returned from Graves's planet. There was something…off. Data certainly acted strangely when he was trying to be human, but one thing that always stayed the same was that if someone - a human or humanoid - told him that his attempt was unsuccessful, he stopped. Like just recently, with the beard.

So when Troi told Geordi and the captain that there was another personality imposing itself over Data's, Geordi wasn't surprised. What she'd said had actually given him hope, because she'd said that Data was still in there.

Geordi punched the panel in Engineering with more force than necessary. But Data was slowly slipping away and nobody had any idea what to do! Graves-as-Data was just confined to quarters!

Wait…

Data - no, not Data - swaggered into Engineering.

"You're not supposed to be here," Geordi said.

Data - Graves - ignored him, and walked towards one of the lifts on the sides of the warp core.

Geordi moved to intercept and managed to hop onto the lift as it started going up. "You're supposed to be confined to quarters."

Data - Graves! - stepped off, shaking his head. "Do you really think I'm going to listen to you?"

Geordi followed him off, considering that. "No, I guess not. But tor what it's worth - give Data his body back. You were old and dying, Data's got his whole life to live!"

"Some life," Graves snorted, and Geordi winced at such contempt coming out of Data's mouth. "You really care, don't you?

"Yeah, he's - " Geordi paused. "*You're* my best friend." Troi said Data was still in there, and Geordi was going to try to coax him out.

"Are you talking about *him*?" Graves said incredulously.

"Data, you're in there. I know you are. Show yourself!" Geordi said, ignoring Graves but staring directly into the android's eyes.

"You are talking about him!" Graves exclaimed. "I wouldn't expect an engineer to have such an erroneous view of a machine. Or perhaps it is to be expected. Especially with an engineer who's already part mechanical."

Geordi bit back a retort and focused on talking to Data. "Data, I don't want to lose you. You're my friend. Data, do you hear me? I care about you!" A part of Geordi's mind realized he probably sounded insane, but dammit, he wasn't going to talk to anyone but Data in Data's body!

Graves made a frustrated noise and turned.

"No, Data," Geordi said, grabbing the android's wrist. "I'm going to stand here and risk injury until you show yourself."

"What a pathetic excuse for a human being - attached to an android! People like you are the reason I don't like people!" Graves ripped Data's arm out of Geordi's grip easily and then pushed him backwards.

Geordi heard Graves snort in derision before he hit the wall and blacked out.

...

Geordi recovered in time to see Data recover. He helped Data up from the floor, reveling in a touch that was gentle and strong, like Data himself and unlike Graves's dismissal of Geordi's feelings.

When they saw each other again - properly, in a non-work setting - it was lunch in Ten-Forward. Data didn't eat, but he didn't mind talking while Geordi did. They talked of inconsequential things while Geordi ate - or rather, Data talked while Geordi listened, just glad to hear his friend's voice sounding like his friend's.

Data waited until Geordi was done eating and was just finishing his drink to ask his question.

"Geordi, what happened while Graves was controlling my body?"

"Do you remember anything?" Geordi asked. He'd claimed not to, but that didn't mean Geordi didn't hope.

"I do not. However, Commander Riker mentioned wrestling a Klingon targ. I suppose Graves wished to test his newfound strength."

Geordi had, unfortunately, just taken a sip of his drink, and he choked. "Data!" He coughed. "As far as I know," he gasped out. "That didn't happen." He coughed again, finally clearing his throat enough to breathe properly. "He was messing with you, Data."

"He lied?"

"Yeah, and he knew you'd believe it." Geordi shook his head. "I'm going to have some words with him."

"Oh. What…did happen?"

"You started acting strange. Not too strange, though. Just a little more emotional than usual. We were all willing to assume that you had those emotions."

"An incorrect assumption," Data said.

Geordi lifted an eyebrow but decided not to comment. "Then you gave this really horrible speech at Graves's funeral, and that's when we started to suspect something."

"What sort of speech was it?" Data asked.

"Well, Graves was an arrogant man, and he was speaking at his own funeral," Geordi said. "Something about 'to know him is to love him' and 'those who didn't know him loved him from afar'. Really…" He grimaced.

"Ah, that is what Ensign Crusher was referring to. I apologize."

He looked truly apologetic, and Geordi patted his shoulder. "It wasn't you."

Data nodded. "Is there anything else of note?"

Geordi sighed. 'Are you sure you don't remember?"

"I am quite certain," Data said, and his eyebrows drew together. "You have already confirmed that fact."

"It's just that…" Geordi sighed again. "Troi did a psychological test on you while Graves was possessing you, and she detected two personalities - like you were in there. I tried to talk to you, get you to assert yourself over Graves."

"I do not remember," Data said. "What did you say?"

"I said that you're my friend and that I didn't want to lose you." Geordi exhaled softly. "I said that I cared about you."

Data nodded solemnly. "Thank you. I am certain that had I been capable, you would have convinced me to resurface. I care about you as well."

Geordi smiled. "I'm glad."