CHAPTER 9

Cass spent the next day going from excited giggling behind her hands to feeling so nervous she thought she'd throw up. She had serious doubts about dating again. The only real relationship she'd ever had was with Dustin and that had gone so bad in the end. The worst part wasn't that he had been a mean drunk who'd nearly killed her; the worst part was it had started out so good. Cass knew deep down she was a hopeless romantic and she was terrified of love blinding her again to red flags.

She knew now she had stayed with Dustin longer than she should have. She knew now the first time the cops had come she shouldn't have backed down when it came to pressing charges. She knew now she wasn't worthless. Back then she had such high hopes for her marriage that she kept saying everything was fine, thinking that if she said it enough it might become true.

Even though she knew better now, she could still remember how it felt to be in love with Dustin; and what real fear felt like. The idea of starting a whole new relationship was terrifying. Part of her knew she needed to cancel the date. But also, part of her longed for nothing more than to be loved again. She felt so alone sometimes that she cried herself to sleep. She knew she had walls up and the lies about her true identity made it easier to keep others away; and she liked it that way.

Mostly.

After throwing up in the bathroom she walked out to find Scotty waiting for her. "Go home, Lassie."

"I'm fine really," she assured him, and tried to go around him.

"No," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Take the rest of the day off and get better."

"Lt. Scott, I'm really not ill, I promise."

"Then go out and have fun. Just get out of here," he gently ordered her. He turned her around and gave her a push, so Cass had no choice but to do as he said.

In her room she sat at her desk and made a list of pros and cons to dating again. Her cynical side had the cons list nearly filling the page. She looked at the pros. 1- I'll be less lonely. 2- Leonard seems really nice.

That was it. Two good things about dating again. Cass moaned loudly and stood up. She paced the room as a million thoughts raced through her head. She rubbed her hands down her hair and held the back of her neck.

She turned back to her desk and looked at the list. She walked forward and typed: 3- Hope.

Cass smiled.

Meanwhile, McCoy's day wasn't any less stressful. He spent all morning and most of the afternoon performing an emergency delivery for an alien woman where her newborn baby's tentacles tried to strangle him more than once. The alien doctor that was supposed to deliver the baby was too far to beam since the mother went into labor ahead of schedule, but he was able to talk McCoy through it over a communicator.

When it was all over McCoy was bruised, sweaty and had one hell of a sore throat. "I'm taking the rest of the night off," he told his nurses and disappeared to his apartment where he immediately fell onto his bed and took a nap.

McCoy woke up with a start. Through his blurry eyes he could see a flashing message on his computer on his bedroom wall. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and looked again.

Date with Cass in one hour, the message flashed.

"Shit!" he said and jumped up. Fifty minutes later McCoy was fastening his last buttons in the mirror. He was showered, clean shaven, teeth brushed, had taken medicine for his throat and bruises, and was dressed in black slacks and his dark gray double-breasted dress shirt. He hated it because of all the buttons, but it's also the shirt he got the most compliments while wearing.

With a satisfactory nod he threw on his leather jacket, checked his hair one last time and left the room. He made it about three steps and Kirk was bumping shoulders with him. "Hey there, McBeautiful!" Kirk grinned.

"Hello, Jim," McCoy sighed. "Shouldn't you be on the Bridge?"

"I haven't seen you all day so I thought I'd pop down to check on you." Kirk's grin widened. "Where you off to all dressed up?"

"Nowhere," McCoy said and stopped walking.

"Really? You're going nowhere looking like that?" he smirked.

McCoy dug his fingers into his palms as his scowl deepened.

"Because I heard a rumor that you had a date tonight. But of course you would have told me about that, right?"

McCoy pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jim, you're sounding like a jealous ex."

Kirk's grin fell away. "Am I? Bones, I'm not here to make you feel guilty. I'm here to support you and give you some advice."

"You are?" he asked, dropping his hand.

"Of course, buddy!" he said slapping Bones' chest. "I've been on more dates and hooked up with more girls than you even know."

The last thing McCoy wanted was to hear advice from Jim. He loved Jim like a little brother but the guy was a serial first-date-only kind of person, and Cass just didn't seem to be the kind of girl to fall for that.

"No offense, Jim, but I'm actually running late. I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?" McCoy said and slipped around him.

"Woah, woah, wait one sec," Kirk said, cutting him off again. "The first piece of advice is always be a little late. Women are never ready on time anyway, so that way you don't have to awkwardly wait around for them. Also, because you don't want to seem so eager."

"Jim," McCoy sighed.

"Alright, really quick then. Make sure you eat the same pace as her, share a dessert if you can, dancing always turns them on, and do not talk about your ex-wife. Got it?"

"Yes, yes," McCoy said, brushing Kirk away.

"Great, have fun Bones," Kirk said and slapped his hand into McCoy's for a handshake.

When he pulled away McCoy looked down to see a condom resting in his palm. He turned on Kirk but he was already down the hall. "Dammit, Jim!" he cursed him.

Kirk waved. "Tell Officer Orion I say hi!" and then he disappeared around the corner.

"Goddamn, good-for-nothing, Iowa rat," he cursed. He turned and pulled open a trash shoot and threw the condom inside. He slammed it shut and pressed his forehead up against the wall. Why did Jim have to say anything?

Doubts he had tried to suppress flooded through him. What the hell was he doing? He was going to mess this up. He didn't have any right to try and start a new relationship with someone after the way he'd failed at his marriage. He knew he had been a bad boyfriend, a worthless fiancé and terrible husband. He should go back to his room and just forget the whole thing. Cass would be better off not getting messed up with him.

McCoy turned and dragged his feet back to his room. He lifted his thumb but paused before he scanned himself in. He closed his eyes and sighed. He couldn't stand her up like this. He turned back around and went to her room deciding the best excuse would be to say he had to work.

McCoy rolled his shoulders and knocked. He heard some shuffling and a drawer shut. A moment later the door opened and McCoy's breath left him.

"Hi," Cass said fixing her sparkle stud earring. She straightened, pulling her dark blonde hair over one shoulder.

McCoy looked her up and down. She had curled her hair and the only bit of makeup he could see was a little line of brown eyeliner. She wore a blue dress with triangle straps over her shoulders and peek-a-boo black lace. Down her smooth legs she had slipped on some cute black shoes.

"Wow," McCoy said, breathless.

"Wow, indeed," Cass said admiring Leonard. She suddenly felt hot. A couple dirty thoughts flashed through her head and she felt herself blushing. She was glad she didn't put on any rouge because then she'd probably look like a tomato. She looked away, grabbed a light jacket from the hook on the wall and hit the button to lock her door as she stepped out.

McCoy offered his arm, all thoughts of canceling extinct. As they walked through the ship Cass asked about his day and McCoy relived the birth of the demon baby.

"How are they usually delivered?" Cass asked, horrified.

"Like I did it, but Gorvons are stronger than humans, so when a Gorvonian doctor delivers a baby and it chokes him it feels like a tickle, not death."

"Goodness," Cass replied, wide-eyed.

McCoy took Cass to a private meeting room where he had paid a kitchen worker to set up dinner for them. They ate and talked for hours. McCoy's favorite thing was when Cass laughed. He wanted to keep her giggling all night long.

When they made it back to her room it felt too soon. The ship was asleep and the lights were low as they stood in the hallway talking for another hour. Finally, Cass yawned and that made McCoy yawn.

"I guess we should call it a night," Cass said.

"I guess so," McCoy reluctantly agreed.

Cass hated to go. She had been hoping Leonard would kiss her, but it was getting late. "Thank you for asking me out, Leonard. This is the best date I've ever had." And she wasn't exaggerating.

"Me too," McCoy smiled. He looked over her beautiful body for the hundredth time that night. He couldn't believe someone so pretty and so intelligent could possibly be interested in him. But the way she looked up at him gave no doubt that she was completely enthralled.

McCoy took a breath and leaned in.

Cass's breath caught in her throat. She watched his lips not realizing she was leaning in to meet him.

The closer they got the slower they moved, both afraid their luck would ruin the moment. McCoy reached up and ran his fingers around a couple of Cass's curls before taking her face between his hands. Her soft skin made his lower stomach clench.

Cass closed her eyes as Leonard's soft breath on her lips made her feel faint. When he finally pressed his lips to hers, she reached up, taking the front of his jacket to hold him close and keep herself standing.

McCoy's heart echoed loudly in his ears. He adjusted the kiss and their lips met again with more hunger this time. He pressed closer to her and he could feel her arms trembling against his chest. He reached down and hooked one arm under hers and around her back, holding her up and closer all at once.

Cass opened her mouth slightly and sucked in air. She felt Leonard's tongue on her bottom lip, taking a quick taste. She breathed through her nose and kissed him harder.

McCoy matched her fierceness and soon their tongues were touching, tasting. He felt his arousal growing when he discovered she tasted as sweet as she looked.

Cass smiled as their tongues entangled, loving how his kisses were give and take, never dominating over her. And his taste satisfied a craving she didn't know she'd had until right then.

They finally pulled apart, both keeping their eyes closed as they breathed heavily.

"Wow," McCoy sighed.

Cass breathed a giggle.

They looked at each other, both grinning like fools.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" McCoy asked.

Cass had to take a minute to make her brain work. "Uh, I, uh, work until... Uh, six. Then I'm, uh, free the rest of the night."

"Can I meet you here and bring you dinner?" McCoy asked.

Cass smiled. She pushed up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. Her heart raced as she pulled away and her cheeks burned. "I'd like that."

McCoy kissed her again. Just as sweet and short as hers and utterly satisfying. "I'll see you then," he said.

She nodded as they both moved in again. This kiss brought their arms around each other to hold on as their tongues pressed together. McCoy gave her tongue a light nip and she sucked on his bottom lip before pulling away.

Cass felt on fire and knew she needed to put a barrier between them or she'd go crazy. "Goodnight," she said scanning her thumb.

"Goodnight," McCoy said knowing he needed to let her go or he'd find himself in trouble very quickly. He leaned down and kissed her once more. They parted and as she went in, he reached for the door and slid it shut after her.

Cass pushed the door closed with him and then turned around, pressing her back against it. She closed her eyes and licked her lips, tingles dancing all over her body. She smiled feeling more pure happiness then she could remember.

McCoy held the frame tightly and rested his hot forehead against the cool wall beside the door. He took a deep breath through his nose and meditated over Cass's scent before it was gone. He pushed himself away from the wall, smiled at her door and went back to his apartment. A warm feeling filled his chest, and he chuckled when he realized it was hope. He didn't remember feeling this way with his first marriage. He must have taken it all for granted. But he wouldn't do that this time. This time he'd step up and do right.