Finally, chapter 12 is up! Sorry for the long wait everyone, I've had a bit of writers block. But hopefully I'll keep writing, and hopefully chapter 13 will be up soon.
Disclaimers apply.
Enjoy!
Weeks passed. Mondaran 3 was reached without any significant problems, and Pirel expressed his heartfelt thanks to Data and the Enterprise for their help and hospitality. On the way to pick up Captain Picard, Data and Geordie spent much time on the holodeck with a program no-one else was allowed to see, and in 10-Forward and even on the Bridge in deep conversation.
Charlotte was happy to receive a call from Deanna, but she wondered about the Betazoid's probing questions and deliberately casual manner. In fact, all her friends seemed to be acting strangely. They kept glancing at her when they thought she wasn't looking, and Geordie was always smiling for no reason and constantly looked like he was keeping a huge secret and was bursting to tell, but wasn't allowed to. She had asked them about it more than once and with growing impatience, but no-one ever told her anything. In fact, they tried to assure her that nothing was going on, even though something obviously- and frustratingly- was.
The day the Captain Picard came back was a completely ordinary one. Charlotte met him in the corridor, laden with luggage, on her way to engineering, and they shook hands and exchanged a few words before going their separate ways.
Geordie was more than a little bouncy, and Charlotte was a having a hard time trying to ignore him. she had to stop herself from snapping at him several time during the day and thought about asking him what was going on, but she figure it would be pointless. He was happy and excited, and he wouldn't tell her why. Maybe it was none of her business. At the same time, she had a feeling that it was. Something was going to happen. She would just have to wait and see.
Wait and see she did, and her patience was rewarded when at the end of her shift, Geordie presented her with a package and informed her that Data was waiting for her on the holodeck. She took it, looking at him questioningly.
"Don't ask, just put it on," was his reply.
She left engineering and nearly ran to her quarters…
Geordie was congratulating himself when he got the comm. "Hope to LaForge!" The voice sounded brittle, like it was about to break.
"Yeah?"
"You better get over here!"
"Why?"
"Just do it!"
Geordie raised his eyebrows and exited engineering. In a few moments he was at her door and pressing the doorbell.
"Come in."
He entered and found Charlotte desperately trying to stretch the skirt of her dress. It took him a moment to register that this was his best friend's girlfriend, and he desperately stopped himself from whistling just in time. "Wow, Charlotte, you look-"
"Geordie, I can't wear this!" she wailed, cutting him off. She plucked at the fabric of the red bandage dress, trying to make it cling less, and covered the deep v-neck protectively with her arms when she caught him staring. "It's… it's… it's…"
"It's beautiful."
"It's inappropriate!" she cried, running to the bedroom, where there was a full-length mirror. After a moment, Geordie followed, and she grabbed her dressing gown and threw it over herself for a little more privacy. She took another look in the mirror and groaned. "You don't understand, Geordie, I've never worn anything like this before."
"But it looks so good-"
She glared at him. "I'm not an escort!"
He backed away. "I n-never suggested you were…" he stammered, taken aback at her vehemence.
"I'm sorry, Geords, but I had a sheltered life and my grandfather was very old-fashioned. If he had seen me wearing something like this, all the fancy medicines in the world couldn't stop the heart-attack it would've given him. Thank you anyway."
Shoulders slumping, Geordie nodded. "I can't make you wear it, I guess. I just thought he would like it." Brightening, he headed for her closet. "But if I might suggest something else…" he rummaged around for a few minutes before making a satisfied sound and holding up a deep purple gown with wide shoulders. "I happen to know he likes this one… a lot."
She smiled and took it from him. "Thanks, this is much better. Now shoo. I have a date to prepare for."
Geordie grinned and all but skipped out of the room, earning a laugh from Charlotte as she secured the door and began to get ready.
Out of breath, Charlotte arrived at the holodeck to find Data waiting for her, just as he always had, and suddenly realised that this was the first date they'd had in a long time. She felt a fluttering of nervousness and smiled at him, trying to squash it.
Data was in civvies for once- not a uniform, not a holodeck costume, but real proper civilian clothes. Charlotte glanced approvingly over his black trousers, button-up cream shirt and dinner jacket and idly wondered if Geordie had had anything to do with that, too.
"Sorry I'm late," she said, wondering how much Geordie had influence this date. "Geordie gave me something absolutely terrible to wear and I had to tell him off for it. So, where are we going?"
Data simply gave what she had affectionately dubbed 'the Mona-Data smile' and offered his arm, and they walked through the doors together.
The lake shimmered in the dusky twilight, and the birds called to each sleepily as they settled down for the night. A soft breeze whispered through the trees and rustled the reeds by the lake.
Charlotte turned from the window to the candle-lit table set for two, where Data had pulled out her chair and was waiting for her to sit down, and shook her head in wonder. Without a word, she sat down and watched him do the same.
There was silence, a strange, unbreakable silence that was neither awkward nor comfortable; then a man appeared with two platters and set them in front of the couple and just as quickly disappeared. They took off the covers and began to eat.
"So," she began a little while later when the man came back to pour some wine for them, "How much of this date is Geordie's idea?"
"Much of it," Data admitted. "Geordie and I have spent a long time putting this program together."
"Oh." She took a sip of wine. "And what's the occasion?"
"We have not been on a date since the closing of the rift. Circumstances have been difficult for both of us, but now it is over, I believe it is time for us to put the past behind us." He paused. "Besides, you initiated the relationship, and you always created the dates for us. I believe it is my turn."
Charlotte sighed and smiled a little, picking at her food. "You know, we've been together for such a long time I can't even remember when it started. And yet you still continue to surprise me."
Data cocked his head. "Is that good?"
"Yes. Well, I think so, anyway." She took a bite of lamb. "Mm, this lamb is good. Great choice."
They ate in silence for a while, before Data spoke again. "B4 seems to be progressing in his comprehension skills."
"Really?" Charlotte frowned in disbelief. "And here I was almost losing my temper at him about a fortnight or two ago because he wouldn't focus on the card game. Honestly, he acts so daft sometimes that I almost believe that he is."
"If you do not mind me saying so, you have been particularly emotional of late. Perhaps your reaction was because of your intolerance."
"Maybe." She sighed. "I have been pretty cranky and teary, haven't I?"
"Yes."
"Well, not anymore. I'm determined to get a hold of my emotions."
"I am glad."
"I bet you are. I've been such a burden on everyone, I can't believe you and Geordie still put up with me."
"It is understandable."
Charlotte sighed again. "I know you understand, but it doesn't stop me from feeling a little ashamed. I've been so selfish, and imposed myself on everyone around me. You're not selfish- I love you for that."
Data paused, staring at her as she sipped her wine. "Charlotte?"
"Mm?"
"Unless my memory files are faulty, I believe that was the first time you have ever said that you... love me."
The glass stopped at her lips, and her eyes widened. "What? Really?"
"Really."
"Wow." Charlotte put down her glass and sat up straight, many thoughts running through her head. As far as she could remember, he was telling the truth. She couldn't recall having ever told Data that she loved him. When she was younger, she had always been very affectionate. But now, nothing. Does that make me a terrible person? Or has Data's emotionlessness influenced me?
"I think…" she began slowly, "I think… spending time with you has kind of… I don't know… influenced me. You didn't have emotions, so you never showed affection. I was fine with that… I expected it… but I think I became less affectionate because of it. I was too shy to say it when I was younger, and then I felt no need to say it. But I do."
"You do what?"
She smiled. "I do love you, Data. Very much."
Data smiled also. "I am not accustomed to showing affection, even to you, but I believe… I believe I love you too."
Happy but a little embarrassed, Charlotte picked up her fork again, hoping that Data wouldn't notice the heat in her cheeks, and they continued the meal.
Awwwwww, they're so cute together! I just love writing about them :)
