When I found her, Feria was curled up on one of the couches watching a movie. She spotted me and smiled, reaching out to pause the movie. "Hey, how was your night?"

"Good. I spent it with Bones." I said, and she giggled.

"I actually spent mine with Pavel. Just as friends, of course." I smiled, and took a seat at her feet.

"Hey, about the guy from Security..." Her face paled immediately, but she held her composure extremely well.

"Thanks for that! You're a lifesaver." She said brightly.

"Feria." I said, my tone changing, and she sighed.

"Is it that obvious?"

"What happened to you?" I questioned.

"My dad liked to get drunk and beat me and my sisters." She said it as though it were nothing; like she was talking about a plate of food. Shrugged off her past as though it wasn't painful.

"You never told anyone? Feria, they could put him in jail for the rest of his life." I said, trying to keep my voice down. There weren't many crew members around but I'm sure she didn't want it common knowledge.

"Good luck with that." She said with a chuckle, then looked up at my confusion and continued. "He's dead. My mum decided she didn't like what he was doing to us, and she put a butcher's knife through his skull."

Nausea rose in my stomach at the image, and I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not. Ava, it's the past. I've moved on. I still have trouble with certain men; as you saw. But Vic knows, and he helps me. You don't need to worry about me."

"Still. It can't have been easy."

"Look, I was a kid. The parts I do remember...it just feels like a different life now. I don't care to let that burden drag me down, and you shouldn't worry about it." She paused, her eyes widening. "You aren't going to tell people, are you? I hate looking like the poor little victim."

"Of course not. If I thought you weren't coping I would, but you seem well-adjusted to me. If you need anything, though, you can come to me. I'll keep your secrets, Feria."

"Thanks, that really does mean a lot to me."

"So, what's on?" I asked, turning to the screen. She explained the premise of the movie, and stretched out with her feet across my lap.

-ENSIGN FERIA PORTER-

I looked across at Ava through the movie. She seemed to genuinely care about me, but dredging up the past was something I wasn't prepared to do. I was glad she knew, but more relieved that she had left it alone where she had.

"So how long have you liked Pavel for?" She asked, her eyes not leaving the screen. I sighed and she looked over at me.

"Three years."

"And you've never made a move?"

"I was too nervous"

"Feria, if you like him, you need to be ready to take a chance. That's a huge part of loving someone; being willing to take chances in a relationship. It's trusting the other person enough to catch you when you fall - or in this case throw yourself -over the edge." I raised an eyebrow at her, and sat forward.

"Do you love the doctor?"

"I really do." She replied, blushing.

"You two are such a cute couple. He's so gruff, and you're so sweet. You even each other out."

"Well, I'm glad you approve." She said with a smile.

"Ava?" I asked, fumbling with my hands nervously.

"What?"

"Have you ever...had sex?" She raised an eyebrow, and an amused smile came over her face.

"Why do you ask?"

"I-I just can't imagine ever doing it. Especially not with Pavel, and he's the only guy I'd ever consider doing it with."

"I have, yeah. I...I was in love, once. But it was a long time ago, and since then I haven't found anyone who makes me feel like that. I've been waiting for the right guy."

"Do you think Bones is the right guy?"

"Yeah, I do. But the subject hasn't come up yet, I think he's being a gentleman. Maybe I'll just have to turn up my seduction one day and give the poor guy a heart attack."

"I can't see anyone ever turning you down for sex." She looked over at me once again and I stuttered. "I didn't mean that how it sounded...you know, um, I-"

"Thankyou. For the record, you're pretty sexy yourself. Maybe you need to sex yourself up a bit. Give Pavel an idea of what he's missing out on."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you may not be brave enough to tell him, but I think us girls need a nice makeover, courtesy of a replicator, some new attire, and a new look. You up for the challenge?"

"But isn't that pretending to be someone we aren't?"

"Think of it as recreational fun." She said, and I smiled.

"Alright, fine. But don't make me look like a hooker, please!"

"I'll do my very best to avoid making you look like someone the Captain would drool over."

"What do you plan to do? Turn me into a man?!" I said, and she burst out laughing.

"Come on." We headed through the halls to her dorm, and she ordered me to sit while we scanned through what the replicator could offer us. "Alright, since I'm doing this too, I'm getting some new lingerie. If Pavel ever gets to see yours, you need some too. What's his favourite colour?"

"Blue." I stuttered, and she hit a few buttons on the replicator before throwing some VERY skimpy lingerie at me.

"No complaining. You'll look hot in it." She ordered, and pulled out a pair of red and black lingerie for herself. "Now, clothes. Uniforms will have to stay the same. They're already pretty short, so there isn't much we can do to enhance that. But for times when we don't have to be wearing them, we get to have some fun." She hit a few more buttons and threw me a pair of short shorts and a tiny white tank top. A few more outfits followed, and she smirked.

"Do I really have to wear this stuff?"

"Yes. Go try some of it on." I headed into the bathroom and pulled on the lingerie and the shorts and tank top. A quick glance in the mirror and I had to do a double take. I'd never worn anything like this, but it made me look...hot. For a second, I felt very much like a teenage girl; doing the best to show off my assets while they're at their peak. I headed out and swiveled to show Avaira, who had pulled on a similar outfit, but with red satin shorts and a black tank top. She chuckled.

"You love it, don't you?" I nodded my response, and sat down. "Alright, hair. How do you feel about hair colour?"

"That depends on the intended colour!" I replied.

"I think you'd look great with blue black hair, and some lighter blue streaks." She quickly pulled out three bottles of hair dye and looked at me with a twinkle in her eye. "As for me, I'm thinking black and red streaks."

"Isn't this against regulation?"

"Don't worry, it won't be THAT crazy. It'll only be really obvious under bright lights." She explained, as she applied the hair dye. I did the same for her and she looked at me. "I think we'll leave the makeup. You are gorgeous without it."

"Thanks." I beamed. "This was fun."

"Well, I rarely get time to be a girl these days, so I agree. Thanks for being so obliging."

Later, when we'd washed out the dye and I'd allowed her to style my hair, I looked in the mirror and gasped. She'd pulled my hair back and fastened it so that there was a fan of dark hair splayed out from the back of my head, and a small pouf on the top of my head that ran with ebony and blue, shimmering under the light.

"Now you just need to get your groove on, and Pavel will fall at your feet. And so will every other guy on this ship. You are confident, Feria, and you can do anything you want."

"I want to go see Pavel." I said, turning to her.

"Then go. Throw on a Starfleet sweater, and go get the guy."

"On one condition."

"And what condition is that?"

"That you go get your own groove on with Bones. I may be sexy, but you are way sexier, and he doesn't know what he's missing out on."

"I'm quite tempted to accept that condition." She threw me a black zip-up sweater, which I pulled on over the shorts and tank top. Avaira pulled on an identical one, and shot me a mischievous smile. "Go get em, girl."

--

I would like to point out that this chapter makes them seem kind of...superficial. But please, try not to take it too superficially, all in the name of fun. Plus it's lining them both up for the next chapter, which I will involve half-naked Bones, and we ALL love that.