Christine leaned contentedly back in her seat, remembering just in time that she was perched on a bar stool and catching herself before she fell.
She was unexpectedly happy, considering how the last week had progressed. It was just proof that first impressions could often be entirely wrong.
Leila had been so gracious this evening, beginning with the drink and the surprisingly heartfelt apology. She was seeing the blond botanist in a whole new light now as the engaging intelligent individual that she was, despite her behaviour of the past week, and she couldn't help but like her.
Gradually Christine warmed up to her as their conversation continued. A comforting warmth spread throughout her and she rested her head on her arm, lulled into a tranquil state. She reached again for her glass and giggled when she realized how quickly it had emptied itself. She thought briefly about ordering another one, but she simply couldn't bring herself to raise her arm.
Leila was still going on about some scientist she'd known back on Earth, and Christine listened as best she could. But Leila's word seemed to be twisting themselves into knots as they moved through her ear canal and she couldn't make heads or tails of what she was saying. All she could make out from her tone of voice was that she had not liked whomever it was she was talking about.
Somebody sounds grouchy. Christine thought insanely, then giggled again at the thought. She could barely keep her eyes open now, but she dimly realized that she desperately needed to visit the ladies room.
Rousing herself from her relaxed stupor, she was startled to see how far away the floor seemed to have gotten in the last few hours. Surely it had been closer when she'd sat down. She gingerly lowered herself onto it and fought the wave of dizziness that washed over her as she did so. She had to grasp the stool with both hands to steady herself before moving off in what she thought was the general direction of the washroom, in a more or less straight line.
Colours and shapes danced before her eyes, fragmenting and then flying back together in a dizzying kaleidoscope around her, while the voices merged with the music to form on great pounding, throbbing assault on her ears.
Somewhere in the back of her mind, the sensible part of her was screaming that something was terribly wrong, but that solitary voice was drowned out by the static that filled her brain.
She felt oddly light and happy, in a way that she couldn't remember ever feeling before. So she swatted at the little devil perched on her shoulder and silenced the voice of reason once and for all.
Leila chewed on her cocktail sword, a little more nervous that she was comfortable admitting. The alcohol, sedative mix had worked almost too well. It had been shocking to see Christine go from frigid inaccessibility to drunken mess in such a short time.
And then she'd lost her.
She'd been sure that Christine was about to pass out, if she hadn't already, the way she had her head down on the bar. She'd turned away for just a minute to politley rebuff the advances of a slightly intoxicated Tellaraite several years her junior (one of the officers she'd beamed down with) and when she'd turned back, Christine was gone.
In the state she was in, she shouldn't even have been walking.
Leila glanced around, hoping to spot her quickly without a fuss, but the crowd had swallowed her up. The bar was still absolutely packed at this hour and Christine could have gone in any direction. She could have left for all she knew.
Leila puzzled over her predicament for a short time, wondering whether she should go looking for her, or just leave her to make her own way back to the ship once she sobered up.
Well, you see Captain, it was like this: I lost one of your officers after I drugged her, to make her more bearable.
Leila couldn't help but give a small snort of laughter at the thought of that scenario and she became painfully aware of just how much she herself had had to drink that night. Time to call it a night.
She'd just about made up her mind to swallow her pride and find the missing nurse when, like a miracle, Christine appeared out of the crowd. And she wasn't alone.
"I believe this is yours." The line was delivered through a lopsided grin directly beneath a pair of hazel eyes and a head of curly blond hair.
"Daniels". Leila said, recognizing him as one of the lab technician's they'd been working with the past week. Fairly new to the Enterprise, he'd secured samples for them, prepped their experiments and helped log results for the higher up officers. Right now he was supporting an almost unconscious Christine with one arm around her waist. Her head lolled against his shoulder, eyes barely open, and Leila briefly wished she could get a quick picture of her compromising position to casually show to Mr Spock, who seemed to hold her in such high regard. This was just too good.
She held her hands up in mock defence. "I barely know her". She said, goodnaturedly. This whole night had been fun, but now that she was sure Christine hadn't wandered out into the street or anything, she'd be damned if she was made responsible for getting her back to the ship.
"Is there anyone around here that does?" Daniels asked, shifting his grip of Christine as she started to slide to the floor.
Leila looked around desperately for Uhura, who seemed to have left already. "Maybe we could call somebody..." She trailed off, her mind already moving to other things. Spock would most certainly be in the labs right now. If she confronted him alone, no one else around...maybe...
"I could take her". Daniels broke into her thoughts, bringing her back to the present. Right. Getting unconscious Christine back to her cabin.
"I was going back soon anyways," He continued. "You can stay here, I'll make sure she's okay". He assured her smiling crookedly and somehow still managing to support the completely boneless Christine.
"Well..." She was still undecided wavering between wanting to put on a responsible front and wanting to stay and have one more drink before heading to the confrontation in the labs. "Maybe I should..." She almost didn't feel like finishing the thought.
"I got it." Daniels insisted. "We'll see you tomorrow". He refereed to himself and Christine.
Eventually, pretending to care became to much effort. "Alright." Leila agreed. "See you tomorrow". She gave a coy little wave at him, and he responded with his silly grin.
Just one more drink, she decided, turning back to the bar. And then she'd go find Spock and go for broke, once and for all. Make it clear what she wanted from him. No more of this robotic iceman treatment, pretending that she wasn't special. He could treat everyone else that way but her...
She took a calming sip of her Romulan Ale, feeling the liquid courage slowly spread from her stomach into her bones to envelope her whole body, reassuring her that everything was going to be just fine.
What was meant to be, would be. And she was confident that she and Spock were meant to be. And when Christine sobered up she'd be properly trimmed down to size.
Leila was surprised to feel just the slightest stab of guilt at her actions, but she rationalized that the tall blond had been asking to get cut down a little. Besides, she'd left her in the capable hands of a fellow officer.
What could possibly go wrong?
And that's chapter two. I feel accomplished, just getting this written. I may actually finish this story. Please review. I live off of your feedback.