Chapter 44

Dr. Crusher had forbidden Wesley and Melanie to see each other outside class – again. I thought the topic was over, but apparently Dr. Crusher really didn't want her son to have contact with Melanie. The trouble for me now was that Melanie had asked me to talk to Dr. Crusher and try to convince her to change her mind. Deja-vu! Last time Data had been very persuasive, but I didn't think we needed to warm up the topic of Romeo and Juliet.

Therefore, I decided to pay sickbay a visit and Data insisted on helping me – of course. There is something all men in the entire universe have in common: they'd do anything to help their women. Even androids apply to that.

"Dr. Crusher, can I talk to you for a moment?" I asked her and she looked at me quite puzzled.

"Of course you can. What's the matter?" Instead of me Data took over the explaining.

"It is about Wesley and Melanie." Dr. Crusher's mood obviously dropped.

"Before you say something, I forbade Wesley and Melanie to meet because she's cocky and undisciplined and certainly not the right company for my son."

"I have supervised your son's studies over the last year and I have noticed that they are going on well even though he has contact to Melanie." Dr. Crusher frowned, but said nothing. After a few moments she let out an angry growl and glared at both of us.

"Fine, I let them meet, but only a few hours a day. To be honest, I'm under the impression that they'd meet anyway." I didn't say anything and even Data was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.

Anyway, once we had left sickbay, I let out a relieved sigh. "That was easier than I expected."

"Agreed. I, too, expected her to be much more resistant. Melanie will be very happy to hear that."

We entered our room to see Melli sitting on the sofa. "How did it go?" she asked almost jumping up and down.

I took a deep breath. "You are allowed to see him, but," I added at her wide grin, "I would advise you to be less cocky and to behave yourself in the future. I'm not willing to iron out things for you again. You're almost 18 years old. I really shouldn't need to babysit you anymore."

"Yes, Kathi," she said and left. I think I have already told you what that means in teenage language.

"What do you think how high is the probability that she will get herself into trouble again?" I asked Data.

Data opened his mouth to respond, but closed it as soon as he saw me smirking at him. "That was a rhetorical question, was it not?"

"You're getting it faster every time," I giggled.

"Thank you. I do my best."

I laughed and kissed him before pulling him over to the sofa and cuddling up to him. Data put his arms around me and stroked my hair. I sighed with contentment. "Data, do you want to celebrate your birthday?"

"I do not believe 'birthday' to be the proper term."

I rolled my eyes. "You know what I mean."

"If you are referring to the 28th anniversary of the date of my first activation, I must say that I honestly do not know."

I looked up at him. "You do not know?"

"You do not celebrate your birthday if I remember correctly."

I gave a lopsided grin. "Touché."

He returned it with a soft smile of his own. "But I do not believe there is anything wrong with having a pleasant day with my family."

I smiled at the word 'family' and leaned even closer. "Then we'll do that."


On Data's birthday – I know it's not the proper term – I woke up next to him as always. I put my head on his shoulder. "Happy day of activation," I whispered into his ear with an amused grin.

"Thank you and good morning," he responded and kissed me gently.

I would have loved to stay in bed and do …certain things with him, but we needed to join Melli and Data's gift in the dining area.

I got up and dressed in navy blue jeans, black flat boots and a light grey hooded sweater – it was February after all. After applying my make-up and combing and pinning up my hair, with which Data helped me, we joined Melli, who was actually sitting at the table in front of a huge birthday cake with sugar icing on it.

"Happy birthday, Data," she said and leaped up from her chair. I suppressed the chuckle when she said 'birthday'. Instead I looked a bit closer at the cake. It was actually very pretty and obviously hand made by Melli.

"Data, Kathi and I have a present for you. Stay here, I will get it." She disappeared in her room and I took the time to give Data another well-deserved birthday kiss. Moments later Melli came back, holding the adorable kitten in her arms. "Data, this is Spot." He carefully took the kitten and patted its head.

"We have someone for you as well," I said and watched the excitement in her eyes rise. "He should come any minute." I had something planned with Data and having Melli with us would have been a little weird. We all sat down at the table and Melli cut herself a giant piece of cake. Data took a piece as well, but only out of courtesy. Soon later the door chimed and I called the visitor in.

"Wesley," Melli screamed and jumped up from the table to tightly hug her boyfriend. The closeness of the two reminded he of my own plans.

"We will leave you two alone now and please behave yourselves. I don't wanna have to get you out of trouble again." This was mainly meant for Melli and she also realized that.

I took Data's hand and pulled him with me out of the door. On the way to the holodeck I stopped to give him another major hug and kiss. "Any special plans?" I whispered into his ear.

Data kissed my temple. "Yes. Last night while restructuring my memory engrams, I noticed that I have never showed you one of my favorite holodeck programs. I would like to do so now."

I smiled. "You mean the forest with that stream where you met Commander Riker for the first time?" Will had shared that story with me during a night out.

"Yes. Do you find that agreeable?"

He cocked his head in confusion when I started laughing, but I quickly got serious. "Agreeable? Data, first of all, this is your birth…activation day, so you decide what we do. And secondly, I would very much like to see that program. It's a beautiful idea."

"I am glad that you like it. Shall we enter?" he asked as we stood in front of the doors and held out his arm. Instead of answering verbally, I hooked my arm through his and smiled.

The doors slid open, revealing large green trees and a small stream, a couple of rocks leading across it.

"Be careful," Data warned me. "The last stone is loose."

I grinned at the mental image of a very wet Wesley Crusher. "I know. Don't worry. I'll watch my step." With that I made my way across the stream, avoiding the last stone altogether. I turned around and saw Data gracefully jumping from stone to stone, until he too stood on the other side.

I hooked my arm through his again and we went deeper into the woods. Data pointed at a tree as we passed it. "This is the tree I was sitting in when I met Commander Riker for the first time."

I giggled. "He saw you there trying to whistle and he helped you out when you couldn't get the tune right." I looked at him curiously. "Can you do it know?"

He looked at me doubtfully. "I have to admit that my skills in that area are still in need of much improvement."

I laughed. "Sorry. It's just too funny. You can do pretty amazing things in there," I gently tapped his temple, "but you have trouble with such a simple thing as whistling." My eyes took on a mischievous glint. "Don't worry. Your skills in other areas are way off the scale."

"Thank you," he said with a small smile as he understood my meaning.

He liked being complimented on his sexual prowess? If that didn't prove that he was a man, then what did?

"Can you try again? For me?"

Data concentrated for a moment then started whistling. Okay, it really needed improvement, but with more practice and a little help I was certain that he would master it someday.

"Can you whistle? I have never heard you doing it. You are more inclined to hum or sing."

I blushed. "Not quite. It sounds alright when I start, but then gets pretty bad at the end. But I can do this." I put the index finger and thumb of my right hand between my lips and let out a shrill and loud whistle. "It comes in handy if you're the captain of your school's soccer team."

He looked at me in amazement. "Once I have learned how to do the former form of whistling, would you be willing to teach me how to do that?"

I laughed softly. "It would be a pleasure."

He nodded in thanks, took my hand and led me further into the forest. After a while walking in comfortable silence and occasionally stopping to sneak a kiss onto each other's lips, I heard …water, but I was certain the sound did not come from the stream.

We reached a clearing and I could see the source of the sound. In front of us was a giant waterfall, the water pouring into a large basin with floor and walls made of brown stone.

"It's beautiful," I breathed in awe.

"I hoped you would say that. I would like to ask you a favor."

I smiled. "Of course, hon. It's your day. What do you want me to do?"

Data didn't respond verbally. Instead he pulled me into him and kissed me with a passion I wasn't used to from him. My eyes went wide when I felt him tugging at the hem of my sweater, running his hands underneath and over my back, only covered by a thin undershirt.

I pulled away and looked at him with an embarrassed smile. "Here? Wouldn't our quarters be more appropriate for this? I mean… not that I object to being intimate with you, but on the holodeck? When did you become so adventurous…" the rest was muffled when Data managed to pull my sweater over my head.

He took me back into his arms. "You do not have to worry. The door is locked. No one will disturb us. I know you are uncomfortable with me seeing you that exposed without at least dimmed lights. Your body is nothing to be self-conscious about. I promise you a very enjoyable experience, but you need to relax and trust me."

I lowered my lashes, ashamed. Even after having been in a relationship and having lived with him for quite some time, I couldn't help feeling self-conscious about my small frame that in my opinion lacked the necessary female curves men appreciated and the number of scars that covered my back. Not to mention my sometimes very noticeable reactions to his actions, the giggling fits I just couldn't suppress when he touched certain areas of my skin, even though I was quite sure he did that on purpose.

As if to give an answer to my thoughts, Data freed the hem of my undershirt from my waist band and ran his fingertips gently over my sides while lightly nibbling on my right ear and the right side of my neck. Sometimes I really much regretted telling him exactly how sensitive and especially how ticklish I was there. I squirmed and giggled, trying to get away and failing miserably.

He put his arms around my waist and whispered into my ear, making me shiver. "It is alright, Rina. Do not hold back. Please relax."

I took a deep breath and nodded against his shoulder, then ran my hands up his back to the closure of his uniform jacket, divesting him of it. His undershirt followed soon as did mine. Once we were naked he stroked over my hair, releasing it from its messy updo. He took me by the shoulders and leaned forward so that our foreheads touched. "Thank you. And no matter what people have told you to make you so shy, please remember that for me you are the most aesthetically pleasing woman in this universe."

I blushed again, but smiled at the compliment. "Thank you. So… what was your plan exactly?"

As an answer he took my hand and led me into the water towards the waterfall.


Hey, sorry for the long wait. The M-rated part is coming up soon. I hope you enjoyed it!