Based on "Descent" Parts 1 and 2. Lyrics by the Foo Fighters "Times Like These" I own nothing except for Melina and the other OC's.

"Lore."

Melina heard her husbands voice. She was still stunned beyond relief at what had happened just moments before. Data had gone against everything, EVERYTHING, to not kill his wife.

It felt amazing.

"We don't need anyone else." She heard Lore say. "We're brothers!"

Melina took the opportunity to try and figure out how she could tell the difference between the two, just by voice.

"You're wrong." Data growled. Melina peeked around the corner.

Data swooned. Melina rushed out and zapped Lore back with her arm.

"You won't hurt him again." She gulped, voice heavy with emotion. Data touched her human arm, and she reached with her positronic one to hold his hand. She watched the final interaction between the brothers, before Lore was shut off for good.

Melina sat beside Data, who looked his usual emotionless self.

"I'm sorry." She said after a fashion.

"It was not your fault." Data replied.

"I told you I hated you."

"You were just...angry."

Melina looked away.

"It's okay to be angry with me. I know I do not always do things right, or live up to your expectations of me."

"You try Data, and that is all I have ever asked." Melina rubbed his arm. "I should have been more understanding."

"I should not have avoided you like I did." Data replied. Melina smiled.

"We both stuffed up."

"We did."

The pair stood up. Melina kissed the android gently.

"I love you." She whispered gently against his lips.

"Thank you." Data replied.

–

"You're a LOT bouncier than you have been recently Melina. Keep going and you'll bounce us out of warp." Geordi smiled as Melina walked with him back to the quarters she shared with Data.

"Aah, my dear Geordi. One day you will understand, but by then it will be too late!" Melina giggled beside him.

"You're scaring me." Geordi chuckled, entering the quarters, where they found Data examining the chip. Melina discreetely picked up an old book (Her favourite, a book entitled "Little Women" from the 19th century) and pretended she wasn't listening to the friends talk. She even began singing to herself, a piece from the 21st century that she thought was quite ironic.

"It's times like these you learn to live again.
It's times like these you give and give again.
It's times like these you learn to love again.
It's times like these time and time again."

"I wouldn't be very much of a friend if I let you give up on a life-long dream now, would I? Maybe some day, when you're ready." Geordi stopped his friend from destroying the broken emotion chip. Melina couldn't hold back anymore, as Counsellor Troi walked in.

"I don't think he needs it." She chuckled.

"Needs what?" Troi asked.

"The emotion chip." Geordi looked at Melina funnily. "And you think he doesn't need it...why?"

"Data, please tell me why you were unable to kill me." Melina finally asked the question. He'd been expecting it, and had prepared the answer well beforehand.

"It was a logical decision. You were able to help me access a wider range of emotions once I aquired the chip." He recited.

"Now hang on!" Geordi cried. "Deanna, you must have sensed something!"

"Nothing." Troi could barely keep a grin off her face.

"Thank you Counsellor. Now if you will excuse me." Data left the room. He knew he had lied. But he had to figure it out within himself before he risked breaking her heart. Of course, what he DIDN'T realise...

Geordi looked throughly confused. The two women laughing didn't exactly help matters either.

–

"I think it's time." Melina said one day. Data was painting, and Melina was studying new discoveries that other ships had made."

"Time for what?" He asked.

"Time to assemble our child." Melina told him. "His organic organs are ready, cloned from mine to satisfy the Starfleet demand that my child has my DNA. His body is ready, all we have to do is give him a look and finish off his programming."

"His? My dear, usually it is the male that determines the gender of the child. Also, we are to chose his appearance?" Data inquired.

"Data, I didn't get to chose my gender or appearance, and neither did you. A lot less stress for the both of us. " Melina stood up, using her warning tone.

"My dear-,"

"Data, if it concerns you that much, we'll do this randomly." Melina grabbed a die from her top drawer. "Evens I win, odd you win. Deal?"

"Why do you get to roll the die?" Data asked.

"Because it's more likely to be random if I do it. You'd be too busy calculating the weight and such of the die to get the outcome you want." Melina frowned at him.

"I would not!" Data said.

"Too late. Die rolled...and...evens!" Melina cheered. "I win!"

"Hang on a second Doctor-,"

"Data, I win." Melina glared at him.

Data sighed.

"Let us just hope you know what you're doing."

"Mothers intiution." Melina smiled. She kissed him. The pair had grown closer since the encounter with Lore, which as Sarah said, had been the ultimate test of their relationship.

"Come on then. Let us go and finish off our son." Data said softly.

"I think there is a small ritual that parents usually do...admittedly it's done nine months before the birth of the child-,"

"I know Doctor."