He made love to her slowly, tenderly, perfectly. He gently removed her clothes, making sure to leave no part of her untouched by his hands, and lips. Her long, delicate sighs encouraging him, and her soft, warm hands urging him on to banish the hold his malevolent twin had on her. She held his face between the soft, warm hands, he loved so much, the entire time he'd been inside her, keeping their eyes locked, and expressing her gratitude with the marvelous glow that lit up her large, blue irises as he brought her to climax. When he finished, she shed tears of happiness this time, and told him she finally felt cleansed of the stain Lore had left on her soul. Then he brushed her hair for her, and held her close to him while they lay on her bed, their breathing synchronizing, her heart illuminated once again, and the dark hole deep within her filled by his light.

By the time late morning came, her old self had returned. Lore was gone, and her footsteps seemed lighter now that his weight was no longer dragging her down. She had gotten herself a cup of coffee from the replicator, and even though he declined her offer for one of his own, he sat with her on the sofa while they examined the results of the barrage of diagnostics from the day before.

"Geordi was not exaggerating. These results are pretty astounding. Your brain really is behaving more the way an organic one would," she commented, her voice sounded relaxed, and cheerful again.

"I have you to thank for that," he replied, smiling at her before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Oh yes, well I have always prided myself on my ability to get sweet, innocent androids drunk, and then put them to sleep," she joked.

He laughed gently, and gave her a sideways look. "That is not what I meant," he said, and his face then turned more serious. "You have been able to give me things I have dreamed of being able to experience all my life. I know now what it is to finally get the punchline of a joke, to truly enjoy the company of friends, to know what it is to feel love, to have an intimate connection with another...to feel pleasure at anothers touch." He suddenly dropped his gaze shyly for a second, and glanced up at her. "I am not so innocent anymore," he said with a small smile.

She returned his smile, and ran her fingers through his hair delicately.

"Before you, intimacy was just another program, something I engaged in to attempt to better fit in with humans, but you have made me crave it. Now, when I am with you, I want to put my hands all over you, I want to feel what it is to be inside you, to feel your touch on my skin, and your lips on mine. To feel your body pressed against me, your soft moan in my ear, and the wonderful fire that engulfs you when I bring you to climax." He inched closer to her. "You have unlocked the door to the mystery our human companions have always made such a fuss over. Now I understand why they enjoy sex so much...because I enjoy it as well."

She laughed softly, and leaned towards him. "Mmmm, well in that case, I think you should come over here, and show me how much you enjoy it," she purred.

He rolled his eyes back, and sighed. He brought his hand up to bury his fingers in her hair, and moved in to kiss her.

Then the indicator rang.

She cursed quietly under her breath, and he whispered in her ear, "Ignore it. If it is Geordi, he will take the hint and go away." He caressed her cheek, and let his hand drag along her neck, across her shoulder, and down against her breast, moving in a little closer still.

She closed her eyes, and let a soft sound escape her lips. "Oh, I want to," she moaned, and he smiled, sure he was going to win out over the doorbell, but then a voice came from the other side.

"Naseema, it's Jean-Luc, please open the door."

She pushed Data back, and looked at him with regretful eyes. "I am sorry, I cannot ignore the captain. I am sure he is here because he is concerned for me. He rarely uses his given name," she said with disappointment in her voice.

Data leaned back on the sofa, and sighed again. "I know," he replied, reflecting the same disappointment.

"Come in, sir," she called at the door.

It slid open, and Picard stepped inside. He looked towards the sofa, and the pair saw an uncomfortable look quickly cross his face.

Data suddenly realized his arm was still across Naseema's shoulder, and his fingers were still buried in her hair. He quickly snatched his hand back, and folded it with his other in his lap, avoiding the captain's eyes, an embarrassed expression on his face.

Naseema jumped in to avoid any further awkwardness.

"Good morning, Captain, may I get you anything?" she asked brightly.

Picard was a little confounded by her cheerful demeanor.

She had been so devastatingly upset yesterday, and now it was as if yesterday had never happened. He had known the reason for her distress, and he hardly blamed her. His memory of the last conversation he and Naseema had, that featured Lore's name, was a dark one but nevertheless, he recalled it clearly. Counselor Troi had been convinced that something terrible had happened to Naseema during their captivity on the Borg planet, and refused to let the issue drop until he'd agreed to speak with the Feeonix, and determine the truth. Naseema had resisted his overture at first but he finally coaxed the truth from her, and it broke his heart when she confessed her rape to him. He was not too proud to admit that he had shed tears with her as he attempted to comfort her. He'd struggled for a long time with his anger about what had happened to her, knowing that she'd been cowed with threats to his life, with threats to rape Deanna instead. Naseema hadn't needed to say it aloud for him to know that if it had been his counselor to suffer the violent and vicious attack, she would not have survived. He'd kept his promise to Naseema never to reveal any of their conversation to anyone. She had feared that Data would be unable to properly process the truth without blaming himself, and he knew she was probably correct but still, it had been difficult for him not to blame Data even though deep down he knew his second officer was just as much, if not more so, a victim of Lore's hatred as any of them, and he knew all too well the humiliation, and the feelings of powerlessness that went along with being a victim. He'd been there himself, and he remembered just as clearly how Naseema had been there for him following his transformation into Locutus, and subsequent rescue. The nights she'd spent with him, distracting him from his nightmares with work, and chatter, listening to him talk about his fears, and his failures. He would never forget her response when his guilt compelled him to tell her that it wasn't her duty to be at his beck and call at all hours of the day. She was shocked, and told him that nothing of their relationship felt like duty, that he was her friend, her family, her champion, and that she would do anything for him. She had also been there for him when he'd lost what little family he had left on Earth. She had shed tears with him that time, and reiterated her feelings that she was still his family. When he'd decided to come to her quarters this morning, he was determined to be the champion she believed him to be, and he'd been ready to tell the admiral that he was not going to risk Naseema's well-being for some potential mineral deposits, and that the survey mission was off. Now, it seemed as if his worry was for not, and he was elated by that fact. He had not been looking forward to being chewed out by Starfleet command but more importantly, there was no longer a lingering sadness in Naseema's eyes. She had been miraculously unburdened. He glanced at his second officer, and he knew she must have finally given the android the unvarnished truth, and Data had responded perfectly, driving the dark spectre of Lore from her life. He already had a deep respect, and admiration for Lt. Commander Data, and that respect had deepened exponentially in the last ninety seconds.

"Certainly Naseema, thank you. I would love an-" he began.

"Earl Grey, hot?" she finished for him, and he smiled, and nodded as he claimed a chair near the sofa.

She brought him the steaming mug, and returned to sit beside Data on the sofa. "Captain," she said. "I would like to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I should have been able to handle myself with a higher degree of professionalism, and I am sorry I did not. Thank you for being so patient with me. I know I can be a very silly girl sometimes."

Picard looked at her with shock. "Naseema, my dear, you have nothing to apologize for. You were upset for very good reason and I-" he started to reply, but stopped himself, and glanced over at Data again. He strongly suspected that Naseema had told Data what Lore had done to her, but he'd also almost tragically erred recently by making assumptions regarding her. He greatly wanted to avoid a similar mistake now so he needed to be sure before he put his foot in his mouth.

Naseema knew her captain well enough to instantly read his concern. "It is alright. I told Data everything last night, and he was very kind and patient with me," she told him.

He released a small sigh of relief, and nodding at his second officer, he continued, "As I was going to say, you had very good reason to be upset. What happened to you during that terrible time was a violation of an unspeakable nature, and to have your colleagues...your friends, so thoughtlessly remind you of it in such a casual manner, and directly following another extremely emotionally stressful event at that...well, I thought you handled yourself quite professionally. I came here this morning to tell you that I am going to tell Starfleet command that we will not be engaging the Goltons in talks right now, and if they don't like it, then they can find someone else to take on the task."

Naseema gave Picard a wonderful look of gratitude. "I greatly appreciate your concern, and I am overwhelmed by your kindness, Captain, but it is not necessary to cancel our plans. We have put a great deal of work into this, and I am confident that I am able to handle the requirements of this mission," she replied. Then she took a deep breath, and added, "I have let what happened to me during our captivity on the Borg planet go, and I do not intend to let that experience interfere with my life anymore."

Picard noticed Data subtly drop his hand from his lap, take a hold of hers, and squeeze it. He was reminded of how fortunate he was to have the android as an integral member of his crew. Data had once again, performed a last minute miracle, and saved the day.

"So long as you are sure, Naseema," he said.

She nodded, "I am sure, Captain, we will commence with the survey talks tomorrow as planned."

Picard returned her nod in confirmation.

Then she patted Data on the knee, and rose from her seat. "Now, if you do not mind, gentlemen, I have a sparring date with a handsome Klingon in the gymnasium," she smiled. She bent down, kissed her android on the cheek, and left the two men alone in her living room.

Picard placed his cup down on the low table in front of him, and leaned forward, resting his arms along his thighs.

"I don't know what you said to her last night Mr. Data, but thank you. You are very special to her, and I know your company gives her great comfort," he told the android with a grateful smile.

Data nodded, "Thank you for saying so, sir, but I did not tell her anything she did not deserve to hear. I only wish for her to be happy, and I do not want what my brother did to her, to have a hold of her any longer."

"Well, if you don't mind my saying so, it gives me a great deal of joy to know that you both have found happiness with each other," the captain said.

Data smiled, and looked down at his hands, folded in his lap once again.

"It brings me a great deal of joy as well, sir." He looked up at his captain, prepared to make his admission. "So much so that I wish to marry her."

Picard's eyes widened. "Data, that's wonderful!" he softly exclaimed in his reserved English manner, and returning the android's smile. "Have you decided when the event will take place?" Then he paused, and leaned back slightly. "You have asked her, correct?"

Data smiled, and let out a gentle laugh. "Yes, sir, I have asked her, and while she has agreed to become my wife, she does not wish for there to be an...event," he said, and Picard furrowed his brow in response.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Data, I'm confused. She wants to marry you, but she...doesn't want to marry you?"

Data laughed gently again. "She finds that a wedding brings a level of attention that is too overwhelming for her. I suggested that we elope, but she is concerned that you would be upset if we did not allow you to perform the rite yourself," he explained.

"Ah, I see," Picard replied with an understanding tilt of his head. "I will keep this conversation of ours to myself then, and when you have decided how you would like to proceed, I would, of course, be honored to perform the ceremony even if it is done quietly in my ready room."

"Thank you, sir. Your discretion is appreciated," Data said.

"You're welcome, Mr. Data, and as much as I would like to stay, and continue our chat, I really should be getting back to the bridge," the captain said, a hint of regret in his voice. He really did wish he could stay. For the most part, he enjoyed his talks with his second officer, but there were details he need to finalize before they went planet side the following day. He tapped his hands on his knees, and moved to stand, but the android caught him before he'd totally straightened himself up.

"Captain, may I ask you something before you go?" he queried, and Picard caught the nervousness in his tone.

The captain gave the android a smirk, and said, "Don't worry, I won't mention any of this to Commander Riker."

Data arched an eyebrow, and laughed a little.

"Yes, thank you, sir, I do appreciate that, but that is not what I was going to ask," he replied.

Picard furrowed his brow in curiosity. "Oh?"

Data twitched his mouth a little, slightly anxious about what he wanted to ask.

"I require advice, sir. Naseema has had a very difficult time these past several days, and I would like to give her something, a gift," he began, and Picard nodded, but continued to frown.

"Alright, and you need my advice because..." he trailed off, leaving an opening for Data to elaborate.

"I would like this gift to be something that expresses my affection for her, something...intimate," the android continued.

Picard's expression relaxed as he began to understand what Data was getting at.

"I have never-" Data cleared his throat nervously. "I have never been in the position to give such a gift before and I do not-"

Picard gently finished his thought for him, "And you do not know what would be appropriate."

The android breathed a sigh of relief as the captain smiled at him.

"I believe I can help you, Mr. Data," Picard said, his smile turning sly, and a twinkle appearing behind his eyes. "I think I know exactly what you need."

The sparring match between Naseema and Worf proved extraordinarily entertaining for the crew members that attended. They were closely equaled in skill so their battles rarely failed to draw a crowd, and more often than not, fairly substantial bets were placed. Worf had size, and strength on her, but Naseema was quick, and agile. In this particular instance, Worf had managed to best her, but barely. The cheers of victory, and groans of defeat, of the twenty or so crewmen in the gym, created a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere for the two warriors, and they enjoyed entertaining their shipmates with their clever tactics, and witty banter.

After a nose to nose fight, Naseema had tried to fake the burly Klingon out by taking a dramatic swing at him with her weapon, a traditional Klingon battle-axe, and then slipping between his legs to come up behind him, but Worf was wise to her trick. He kicked his foot up just as she moved to straighten out, catching her under the ribs, flipping her over, and pinning her on her back.

Even after she'd been pinned, she tried to swing her weapon up to catch him in the shoulder, and throw his balance off, but he snagged it with one hand just before she connected, and looked down at her with a grin, and an arched eyebrow.

"Ah ah ah," he teased as he jerked the weapon from her grip. "I would recommend you stay where you are, Ambassador. I do not wish to embarrass you further."

She smirked at the triumphant Klingon, and eyed him for a few seconds before holding her hands up in defeat, and accepting his offer to pull her to her feet by taking a hold of his outstretched hand.

"You put up an excellent fight, Ambassador, and you may have nearly bested me at the end there, if you had not used that trick before." Worf smiled at her, once she was on her feet. "I rarely forget a move so clever."

She nodded, and met his smile. "Yes, I thought perhaps you would be ready for that, but I will admit, I was running out of options," she confessed. "You are a very formidable opponent."

"And now a very rich one," Lt. Barclay broke in, giving the Klingon a congratulatory thump on the back.

Worf turned his arched eyebrow on the shy Reginald Barclay, and the quiet engineer's eyes widened with fear as he quickly withdrew his hand, and took a nervous step back.

Naseema stifled a laugh as Worf suddenly smiled at him, and Barclay realized the Klingon was messing with him.

Barclay let out a sudden high-pitched laugh as he often did when he was uncomfortable, which was always, and handed Worf his winnings.

The Klingon grinned broadly, and looked over at Naseema who smiled back at him before turning to Barclay.

"I hope you found our sparring to be enjoyable, Reggie," she said.

Barclay blushed, and stammered his reply, "I-I did, yes, very much so, Am-Ambassador."

"We have has this talk, Reggie, please call me Naseema. Ambassador is much to formal for a friend," she said, and Barclay blushed again.

"S-Sorry, Naseema," he smiled. As nervous as she made him, being so ridiculously attractive, he did enjoy the fact that she considered him her friend, and he liked that she called him Reggie.

Worf shook his head gently at Barclay's discomfort, and said to Naseema, "I hope you did not lose to badly," giving her a sly smirk.

She laughed, and shook her head. "I never place wagers when I am involved in the contest," she replied, and then gave him a teasingly haughty arch of her eyebrow. "It is undignified."

Worf's eyes widened with amused surprise at her jab.

"A Klingon is always dignified, especially when he wins," he retorted, holding his head up regally.

She smiled at him again. "Of that, I have no doubt."

"That was an excellent display of skill, and cunning, Naseema," Data broke in as he approached the trio. "You very nearly had the commander beat. I hope he did not hurt you." He smoothed her hair out, and gently tilted her head, inspecting her for injuries.

Worf arched his eyebrow again, and exchanged at look of intrigue with Barclay who cocked his brow in amusement before quietly backing away to continue handing out the stack of winning billets in his hand.

The Klingon looked between the Feeonix, and the android quickly before boldly commenting, "What is this now? Commander, you are not usually so...free with your hands."

Naseema was the one who blushed this time, and ducked her head before glancing up at Data with a look so obviously affectionate that Worf knew exactly what had occurred.

Data simply smiled, and said nothing.

"I see," Worf smirked. "Well, it is about time, Ambassador. After all those years of listening to you...gush about him, I was beginning to think you would never be bold enough to show him your true feelings."

Naseema's eyes widened as Data looked at her with an interested expression. "Gush?" he asked, and she let out a nervous laugh.

"Perhaps I used to talk about you some while Mr. Worf, and I sparred," she replied with a shy smile.

"Some?" Worf added, his amused grin still plastered on his face.

"Really?!" Data said, now arching his eyebrow at her.

She gave Worf an exasperated look. "Well, as much fun as I am sure this conversation would be, are we going to go get drunk or not?" she asked the Klingon with a tone that urged him to shut up.

Worf laughed heartily, and motioned towards the exit with his hand. "After you, Ambassador," he said, still chuckling to himself.

Data took her hand as they left the holodeck.

They spent the next few hours in Ten Forward, laughing, and drinking with their crew mates, as well as enjoying the company of both Worf, and Miles O'Brien who had joined them from Deep Space Nine, specifically for the survey mission taking place the following day.

Picard had decided, at the last minute, to clear the schedules of the crew members who would comprise the away team, as he wanted them well rested, and alert for when they reached the planet's surface. He still harbored reservations as to how they would be received by the Goltons despite Jagger's assurances that most of the rumors about their way of life were either exaggerated or completely untrue.

Worf had nearly stopped both his Klingon hearts, laughing as Naseema regaled him with the respectfully edited tale of the android's holodeck inebriation.

"That is wonderful. Thank you, Naseema. As if I do not have enough trouble gaining respect from the crew," Data told her, even though he'd been laughing himself at her colorful re-telling of the events.

"Nonsense," she replied. "Everybody respects you. It is a good thing for the crew to know that you are capable of having a good time."

Data and Naseema left the ship's tavern at a reasonable hour, and the android had been sure to keep a careful count of how many drinks he'd consumed.

As they walked back to Naseema's quarters, after stopping off at Data's for an hour or so in order for him to feed Spot, and pay some attention to her, Naseema suggested that he bring the cat along to her quarters. He thanked her for the gesture, but expressed concern that Spot may not handle the sudden change in scenery, and he did not want her to damage Naseema's quarters as the sensitive feline had done to Geordi's, when he'd borrowed Spot for a week to see if perhaps he'd like a cat of his own. The engineer had quickly decided that he didn't, and had even gone so far as to suggest that the android stun his cat with a phaser. Data had been horrified even though Geordi had insisted he was joking.

Changing the subject from Spot, Naseema said, "I am very interested to meet these Goltons. Jagger told me that their lifestyle is almost medieval in nature, and their planet is very beautiful. He said it reminded him of the Pacific Northwest on Earth's North American continent, before it was largely occupied by humans"

"I am unfamiliar with that time frame. What was it like then?" Data asked, intrigued. He always liked listening to her talk about her time on Earth, especially so long ago.

She stared off dreamily for a moment before responding. "Everything seemed so big then. Big trees, big sky, big wildlife. The rivers cut huge, roiling swaths through the mountains and the forests went on forever. Everything seemed so pure and the air, oh the air, Data. You have never breathed air so fresh and clean," she told him.

"Earth has fresh, clean air now," he replied, a little confused by her descriptions.

"Not like this. The humans have fixed their air now, but then, the place had never known their touch. I have not seen landscape like that in a very long time, and Jagger says the Golton planet is almost exactly the same," she insisted, and she gave a little shiver of anticipation. "I am very excited."

They entered her quarters, and she went into the bedroom to let her hair out, and brush it. He followed her, and stood in the doorway, leaning against the arch.

She moved into the bathroom, took the pins out of her hair, and picked up her hairbrush, coming back into the bedroom as she combed her fingers through it with one hand, holding the brush in the other. "Would you care to brush it for-" she started to say to him, but then she noticed the box resting on top of the bed. It was moderately sized, and flat with a white ribbon wrapped around it, tied in a bow at the top. She looked over at him quizzically. "What is that?" she asked, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Why do you not open it and find out?" he replied, answering her question with another, already smiling broadly.

She frowned at him in curiosity, and went over to the bed, putting the hairbrush down, and tugging at the ribbon, releasing it from it's knot. She glanced over at him once more before she lifted the lid, and then her eyes widened, and she let out a small gasp. "Oh, Data, it is beautiful! This is for me?" she softly exclaimed as she ran her hand along the garment before taking a hold of the top of it, and holding it up in front of her.

It was a nightgown, long, and sleeveless, with a low, v-shaped neckline in a soft black satin fabric with a bodice of the most delicate, and intricate lace she had ever seen. She was clearly overwhelmed by his gesture, and her eyes shone with delight as she stared at it.

"Of course it is for you. Do you like it?" he asked, moving from the doorway towards her.

"I love it!" she whispered.

He stood next to her, and brought his hand up to caress her hair. "I thought perhaps you would like something to wear during your hibernation," he said.

She looked up at him, and her brow furrowed slightly. "I would very much like that, but what if I alight while I am asleep? I would hate to damage it, it is so lovely," she replied.

He smiled at her. "It it fire-proof. I made sure of that. You will not damage it, even if you alight."

She smiled again, and her eyes were dancing now.

"Thank you," she said, and stroked his face.

"I wanted to give you something that would effectively express my affection for you. I am glad you like it," he told her.

"Shall I try it on for you?" she asked, her eyebrow arching.

This time, his eyes lit up with delight. "Please," he replied, sitting down on the bed.

She disappeared into the bathroom for a moment, and when she returned, he was awestruck by how beautiful she looked in his gift.

"How does it look?" she asked, raising her arms up slightly, and resting her hands on either side of the archway.

He couldn't say anything. He just sat there, and stared at her with his mouth open. He'd chosen perfectly. The nightgown fit her flawlessly, flowing over every curve, down to ripple around her feet like black water. The neckline, and the delicate lace bodice accentuated her breasts, and was exactly the right transparency to leave just enough to the imagination. The color complimented her milky skin, and soft, blonde hair, and the android found himself suddenly feeling very amorous.

"Data?" she asked again. "Are you alright?" She was beginning to frown worriedly.

"Incredible," he finally managed to whisper.

"You chose very well, Commander. It feels wonderful against my skin," she said, coming towards him. She stood in front of him, and let him run his hands and eyes over her body. "Thank you," she said again, very quietly, and leaned in to kiss him.

"I cannot take all the credit," he admitted. "the captain gave me the idea."

"Then I shall have to thank him as well," she replied, climbing on the bed, forcing him to lean back, and finally lie down as she straddled his hips. "Perhaps just not in the same way that I will show you my appreciation." She began unbuttoning his trousers, and he let out a deep sigh as she slid her hand inside them before finally removing them altogether, and then proceeding to enthusiastically express her gratitude.

The next morning, Data sat on the foot of Naseema's bed again, and quietly watched her dress for their mission. She put on the familiar black fitted shirt she usually wore, and a pair of similar black trousers, but these ones tapered in as they moved down her legs, fitting more snugly than normal in order to accommodate the tall, heavy boots she pulled on with protective armored plates across her knees. She also slid on a sleeveless, armored vest that fit loosely across her chest, and hung down just past her hips. She fastened it with a wide belt at her waist. She fixed her hair into a casual up do, and when she finished, she turned to face him.

"I believe I am ready, shall we go?" she asked with a light sigh.

He furrowed his brow as he looked her up and down. "Is all that necessary?" he asked with concern. "It makes me nervous that you are wearing such heavy gear. It as if you are dressed for battle. Is that what you anticipate?"

She shrugged. "I am not sure what to anticipate, but I wish to be prepared for whatever may happen," she replied, and came over to touch his cheek affectionately. "Do not be concerned. I am confident that I will be able to handle whatever Morlong chooses to throw at me."

He gave her a weak smile, and cupped her face in his hands. "I cannot help, but feel concern for your well-being. I do not know what I would do if anything were to happen to you," he said, searching her eyes with his own.

She slid her arm around his neck, and pulled him close to her. She held his chin with her other hand, and kissed him deeply.

"With you there to protect me, I have no doubt that I will be fine," she told him, smiling, "Come on, let us go to the transporter bay, the captain is waiting for us."

He nodded, and allowed her to take his hand, and lead him out of her quarters. They made the journey to join their comrades in the transporter room in relative silence, and the silence continued as they met the rest of the away team. Apparently Data was not the only one who harbored concerns about what would happen on the planet.

Picard and Naseema looked at each other, each giving the other a small reassuring nod as Chief O'Brien engaged the transporter, and they were surrounded by shimmering light.