Freezing our love
Chapter 3
The Talk
The Captain was still talking to me in his softly spoken voice when Data came back. He took one look at my face and knew he had hurt me with his actions. "Elisha, I am so sorry, I wasn't going to leave you, I would never walk out on you." I gave him a filthy look but the frown faded as I saw the hurt and the loss he felt. "Data, the thing is we can beat this. I have an idea, I want to slow this thing down, this disease can be destroyed." He sat down and took my hand again and smiled widely. "You are being so strong and positive about this and I walk out like a petulant child."
"Have a little faith in me, Data, we can do this, I promise, you won't lose me, not just yet anyway"
"But how?" Data asked in distress "Captain Picard, Have you ever heard of Cryogenic chambers. They freeze the body in these chambers and then the illness is destroyed while the body is in stasis." I said with a serious look on my face
"But we haven't had to freeze anybody since warp drive was invented. That technology is ancient"
"Not necessarily Captain" Data finally got it "Cryogenic chambers were still being used in the twenty-third century, it saved the life of Captain James T. Kirk when he died of radiation poisoning. It is possible, sir" Picard rubbed his chin as he thought heavily. "You know, I think this might just work" Picard turned to his first officer and smiled
"Data, contact star-fleet and ask the USS Pasteur to rendezvous with us, you can help with the technology of a cryogenic chamber, we can use a torpedo as the chamber. Make it so"
"Yes sir!" Data said in delight then he helped me to my feet. "Captain, can I have a private audience with you later?"
"Of course, meet me back here at 1500 hours before your night shift on the bridge." We left his ready room hand in hand. "Can you meet me for breakfast tomorrow?" Data held my eyes lovingly "Of course, I shall expect to be surprised" I said and he kissed my hand again. Shivers of delight ran through my body again. He started towards his quarters again and I couldn't let him go before he heard those three little words from me. "Data, I love you" Data turned back to me with a frozen shocked look "I am sorry, it was too quick" I said as my shoulders slumped.
"No, it was not too quick, your timing is perfect" He grabbed me into his arms and his lips descended on mine.
As our lips mashed together, I felt a joyful feeling rise up through my body and his kisses left me on fire. Our breathing returned to normal as his forehead rested against mine. "One day at a time, Elisha but know this, my heart is yours!"
Our fingers laced as he trailed kisses down my neck. "I have to go otherwise we won't stop, it's too soon" I put his soft face between my hands. "I know, I know, go, I will see you tomorrow at breakfast."
His smile widened and he kept looking back as he walked towards his quarters.
As my door slid to a close, I span around on my toes and shouted "Mom, he is amazing and I love him!" I squealed as I landed on my bed. I heard a whisper in the dark "I am watching over you little one" the voice said.
I fell asleep feeling lighter and the hope and joy that filled me was enough to make me want to cry and laugh at the same time. "Is this what Data feels?"
My heart knew the answer already now it wasn't a case of taking things one day at a time, now I had to grab life by the balls and I had to make sure that death never had the upper-hand over me.