Nurse Chapel's thoughts were a flurry after Mister Spock had left.

She was still jittery and unsettled. It was hardly a relaxed evening of two happy souls. However the more she thought about it, the better she believed it had gone.

They had discussed musical interests. He'd been interested in her opinions on human language. He had spoken more about himself than she'd ever been privy to before.

By the morning she had convinced herself that she'd had a delightful evening. All memories of awkwardness and flustered replies were firmly forgotten. After all, hadn't he invited her for a second date?

When she arrived in sickbay she was positively glowing.

Nyota was perched on her desk chatting with Doctor McCoy but she broke off to greet Christine.

"Well don't you look chipper this morning."

"And why shouldn't I?" Chapel replied teasingly. "It promises to be a wonderful day."

Nyota smiled in genuine pleasure.

"You're looking forward to the concert then?"

Christine's smile faltered.

"Oh. I…" she watched as Nyota's face fell in disappointment. Doctor McCoy felt compelled to try and cover her faux-pas.

"I'm sure it just slipped Christine's mind is all," he suggested. "She was saying to me only the other day how good she thought your performance would be."

"Of course." Nyota pulled herself together and smiled forgivingly at her friend.

"Yes. I'm sure you'll sing beautifully… as always…"

Christine hesitated. She had to tell her that she couldn't go… of course… and she had to give a reason. But Spock had suggested secrecy.

Although… surely he only meant from people in general? She'd always told Leonard and Nyota everything before… and they were discrete… they wouldn't gossip about it.

Spock would undoubtedly tell the captain after all…

"Christine?" Nyota could clearly see something was wrong.

"I'm sorry Nyota," she blurted. "I can't come tonight."

The lieutenant's eyes widened in surprise before she caught herself.

"Oh! Oh, I suppose you have other plans?"

Christine nodded, resolved now to tell them… sure that as her best friends they'd be pleased and would forgive her forgetfulness once they understood.

"Actually," she blushed slightly. "I have a date."

"A date!" Nyota seemed shocked, which Christine thought was slightly hurtful, but she was prepared to overlook that since she'd obviously hurt Nyota by forgetting her concert.

Leonard however was bouncing on the balls of his feet, clearly pleased for her.

"And about time too," he announced. "Who's the lucky fella?"

"Well," she blushed harder. "Actually… Mister Spock."

Leonard stopped bouncing.

"Spock?" he seemed stunned.

"Spock?" Nyota seemed more concerned. "Christine are you sure it's a 'date'? Mister Spock doesn't really do dating. It more likely a working-"

"I'll have you know," Christine interrupted with some annoyance. "It's a second date."

Beside them Doctor McCoy dropped down into the Nurses' station chair.

"A second date?" Nyota queried. "Christine, I'm your best friend. I'd have thought you'd have been eager to share that bit of news with me." The Communication Officer's voice betrayed her hurt over this second slight far more than the first.

"It only happened yesterday," the nurse snapped back. "Mister Spock joined me in my quarters and we talked over dinner for-"

This time Nyota interrupted.

"He joined you in your quarters? Christine, people join each other in their quarters all the time without it being a date!"

"Mister Spock doesn't," McCoy muttered from beside them. Both women ignored him.

"It was most certainly a date," Christine insisted. "Because Mister Spock specifically asked me for a date."

Nyota was silenced by that remark.

"He used the word 'date'?" Leonard clarified.

Christine nodded and McCoy fell silent again. The nurse looked between her two silent friends, not comprehending why they weren't pleased for her.

"I can't come tonight," she explained. "Because he's invited me for dinner in his quarters this evening."

Nyota looked pleadingly at her.

"Honey, are you sure you know what you're doing? I know you've had a crush on-"

"I am not some love struck teenager!" Christine flushed. "I am a grown woman and I can date whomsoever I please."

"Of course. I know." Nyota tried again. "I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Nurse Chapel drew herself up.

"I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself Nyota. And for your information Mister Spock and I had a delightful evening together."

That seemingly ended that conversation. Nyota glanced at Leonard to see if he had anything to add but he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Well, I guess you know best," she concluded sorrowfully. She headed towards the exit. "I'm sorry you won't be there this evening but I hope you have a lovely evening all the same."

"Thank you Nyota," Christine smiled at her friend. Nyota tried to smile back but couldn't hold it. She rushed out and away towards the bridge.

Christine turned her attention to her superior officer, slumped in her chair.

"Doctor?"

"Hhmm? Oh!" He jumped out of the chair and glanced quickly round the sickbay. "I best get on…" he trailed off.

Seconds later he shook his head briskly and headed stubbornly for his office. As the door swished shut behind him, Christine was left alone.

That had not gone as well as she had hoped it might.

Nyota was probably stung by her completely forgetting the lieutenant's concert. Christine had promised to be there to lend moral support. It was one thing singing casually in the rec room after all, and another to sing for a gathered crowd.

And after the debacle with Roger, it was perhaps understandable that they'd worry about her getting attached again.

But that was no reason to treat her like a child! Or to act as if a patient had died.

McCoy was probably worried about how this would affect his license to insult the First Officer. He was probably imagining having to watch his tongue and rein in his emotional outbursts.

Well she could at least reassure him about that.

Cautiously she knocked on his office door.

"Doctor McCoy?"

It swished open and he stared at her across the room.

"Yes, Nurse?"

She stepped up to the desk.

"I just want you to know, I would never want my relationship with Mister Spock to interfere with yours."

Doctor McCoy dropped his gaze down to his desk, refusing to meet her eyes. Not too surprising, she thought, as he rarely referenced his friendship with the Vulcan.

"I mean I won't insist you stop calling him a hobgoblin, or green blooded-"

"Thank you Nurse," he interrupted succinctly.

She considered saying something else but decided to leave him to adjust to the news in his own time.

Heading back into the main area, she found herself wishing she'd kept quiet about the whole thing.