M stuff - you were warned :) Actually, just go on reading even if you're not into M scenes, believe me, you'll know exactly when things start to heat up, and you have to quit. :)


After eating some energy bars and having a shot of L-Cordrazine, Emma walked out of the small shed rested and full of energy - if only she didn't have that slight trembling around her heart. She sighed trying to get rid of the uncomfortable sensation. Ah, she needed to get over this, for good or ill.

It was dark outside, only the two moons shone through the leaves of the huge trees around them faintly from behind thin clouds. She was all alone. Data was nowhere to be seen. She hugged herself feeling his uniform circling her as if it was his arms. The shed had a tiny porch with a railing made of wood - all pretty weathered of course. She walked up to one of the wooden columns holding the roof of the porch and the railing, and she leaned to it looking out over the woods. The space amongst the trees was pitch dark, the air was getting cold, and apart from the noises of the forest, it was silent and uncanny... Where was he?

She then heard it. It was faint and completely out of place. Somebody was... whistling? She walked off the porch with a slight frown turning her head around curiously. As she neared a tall tree, the whistling became louder, but she still couldn't see anybody. She stopped listening on - it was so familiar! The tune was sometimes slightly off cadence, and it made her involuntarily start to croon the playful melody.

"Mmmmm... HhhhMmmm... pop! goes the weasel..." she sang the last line she did remember, then chuckled shaking her head "Deadpan..."

In the next moment, he landed with a soft thud on the ground right in front of her.

"Ohmygod!" she breathed putting a hand to her chest and looking at him wide-eyed.

"I did not mean to scare you." he apologized with a deadpan expression.

She grimaced bemused - of course not - then turned her head around and upward "How did you climb up there?!" she asked looking at the trunk of the tree: it was barren, there were no handholds whatsoever, just the thick trunk at least five meters high before the branches started.

"Using my hands and feet of course." he replied as if it was obvious that he could climb such trees.

She turned her head back to him squinting "I suspected that much, thank you." she nodded with a mock-smile, then decided to let it go looking into his eyes. Her heart missed a beat: oh, this would be so much easier if he wasn't as cute as he was - even as deadpan as he was right now...

"You should be resting." he remarked still not showing any kind of emotions, just standing there in front of her with a straight face.

Her features hardened "I wanted to speak to you."

"We will have plenty of time for conversation once you are healthy again."

She let out an annoyed breath "I AM healthy! Don't treat me as if I was an invalid! You're not my mom!" she growled frowning.

"I am aware of the fact. However, Doctor Crusher was also very clear on her instructions." he replied and stepped around her starting to walk away from her.

She slouched watching his back as he walked up to the porch only a few meters from them. Wonderful start... Why can't I just shut up?! He was just worried! Why do I have to snap at him?

She hurried after him and stopped him, before he could open the door, by putting a hand on his where it was on the handle.

He looked into her eyes with a slight confusion in his, and she looked up at him pleading.

"I'm sorry." she told him on a low voice.

He let the handle go pulling his hand out from under hers, and looked at her with a slight frown "For what?"

Oh, why are you doing this? Wincing, she pulled up her shoulders feeling very embarrassed "I... I know you're worried and... I'm grateful for it." she told him wringing her hands nervously "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings by pushing your worry away like that." There it was out. One down, like a thousand more to go...

He shook his head seemingly a little taken aback "You have not hurt my feelings, I can assure you." he told her slowly.

She let out a long breath "But I know I did..." she shrugged again seemingly feeling guilty "Data, I know we've had some pretty nasty fights before coming to the planet - and ON the planet as well... I-I also know that... Ah..." she let out a long, frustrated breath and stepped away from his gaze still not really knowing how to go about this. She was just so lame at this.

He watched her with growing confusion. Why was she apologizing? Was there something she did not tell him earlier? But on the rooftop of the Resistance, she seemed to have been so completely honest with him. Or was this simply the effect of her fatigued and slightly distracted condition? - He considered turning his emotion-chip back on, because it seemed that without it, he lacked the empathy necessary for the interactions a relationship required. But were they safe enough? What if the answer was no, and he would be occupied by his emotions when his rationality was needed?

She stood there at one of the columns and turned back to him. In the faint light, his pale face shone with the moonlight coming through the many holes of the porch roof. He was exquisite. Do you deserve such a guy at all? she asked herself suddenly what she'd always been contemplating, ever since they'd been going out. Even if she didn't, she still needed to try to tell him how she felt, and at least try to straighten things between them.

"Look, I know, I haven't been the girlfriend all guys are dreaming about. I'm sarcastic, grumpy, demanding, too pushy, anti-social and-"

"You are also the woman I love." he cut in, and for a long moment, Emma could do nothing but stare in his eyes - still completely devoid of all emotions.

She opened her mouth, but it took her some time to formulate any words at all "You what..." she breathed.

"I am in love with you. Deeply." he then looked away seemingly pondering "Although, I do not know how my feelings can be compared to human emotions, but I believe that experiencing sensations akin to physical pain when being apart from you, for someone who is not programmed to feel pain at all might be a good indicator of just how deep that emotion goes." he looked into her eyes again pulling his lips into a small smile, he hoped would seem sincere.

She was still dumbstruck but felt her cheeks burning and suddenly noticed that she was trembling as her breathing quickened and her pulse spiked. She took a deep breath and turned away trying to get a hold on her emotions running wild. He stepped up behind her, but the moment, he touched her, she turned back to him seemingly upset.

"And you're telling me this as casually as if you were telling me about being over your daily diagnostics?! After acting as if you didn't even care about me or us or..." she trailed off feeling her throat closing.

"I am sorry, if the manner in which I have let you know about my feelings was not adequate to the content of my words. Without my emotion-chip, it is not always easy to emulate the correct behavioural pattern in a certain situation. However, it also allows me a greater space to be thoroughly honest with you, while not feeling scared of whether or not you requite my feelings. It also gives you the space to be honest without you being scared of hurting me. Currently it is not possible."

"Your emotion-chip..." she breathed seemingly growing pale.

He went on on a lower voice "The procedure was done, while you were unconscious. I pursued to go along with it, so it is done as soon as possible." he explained, and she grew visible scared and shocked.

"YOU pursued it?!"

He nodded with a determined expression "Yes." to her completely disbelieving face, he went on trying hard to explain how he felt while making that decision "I watched the woman I love die during a mission, where I was the commanding officer. While I was responsible for her well-being, for her very life." he glanced away remembering "I listened to her begging me, because she did not wish to leave, she wanted to stay. With me. I heard her breathing become shallow and then stop. I felt her pulse slipping away from underneath my fingertips." he looked back into her eyes "I will never allow anyone to come to any harm, because my emotions do not allow me enough free resources to live up to the responsibility I have over them. I rather go to the Daystrom Institute myself and have them put me on the shelf Lore is lying on in pieces." he told her on his silent, still very determined voice.

She felt all life, all emotions suddenly flowed out of her hearing that. One thing remained, her need to be close to him! Closer than it was possible! She threw her arms around his neck tightly and buried her face in his under-shirt with a muffled cry.

He gently slid his arms around her waist - a little more clumsily than he normally would and inhaled the fragrance of her hair as it touched his face at the nape of her neck. That numb craving that had been steadily growing ever since he lay her on the floor of the shed and went out on a nightwatch a few hours ago, finally lessened slightly. He felt her clinging to him so tightly, heard her crying softly into him and felt her hair underneath and between his fingers - it was a certain sensory input that he missed more than most others. But with a slight frown, he also acknowledged the fact that his resource utilization grew worse as he held on to her: as if his subprocessors were trying to serve his emotion-chip as they did when it was turned on, and they had to assist in processing strong emotions - it was peculiar, because they had nothing to work on. Nothing at all.

She sniffled and pulled away a little to look into his eyes. Having her face so close, feeling her breath on his lips was also a sensory input pattern especially missed - along with her taste. But he could tell she was overwhelmed with her emotions, and he wanted her to first calm down before he tried to appease his wish to kiss her.

She slid her hand from his neck to his cheek and traced his lips with her thumb "Oh, baby..." she whispered gasping and then took a long relieving breath "And I thought you were angry at me..." she mumbled a little embarrassed but also somewhat blaming "I thought I hurt you with something, I thought - I thought we broke up, I just don't remember it."

He frowned a little "You have gaps in your memory." he acknowledged, then after recalling the necessary information "A side effect of the coma. It should pass later on."

She nodded and chuckled tearfully "I know. In case you've forgotten, I'm a doctor."

After a moment, he cocked his head "You are teasing me. It certainly is a sign of your improving health." - it was also interesting that he could actually recognize this particular behavioural pattern of hers more easily without emotions, so he started a processing thread to analyse the phenomenon.

A chuckle blurted through her lips "Certainly." She wearily buried her face into his shoulder again, and he let her take the time to calm down.

After a few minutes of silent cuddling, she sighed "So... now your emotions are gone? Completely? All of them?" she asked not daring to look up at him.

"The chip is turned off." he answered with a slight shake of his head "Right at the moment, I have certain sensory input patterns that I miss and crave after. However, they cannot be called emotions. But rest assured, I do remember all that I am feeling for you. It is still there. Dormant for the time being. But stored safely in my emotion-chip."

She nodded thoughtfully trying to grasp what he'd told her, but it didn't seem easy. "Sensory input patterns?" she asked talking into his under-shirt "You're exceptionally poetic today, but you'll need to talk down to me, baby, cause right at the moment, my mind is so sluggish, the trees might understand your eloquence sooner than me." she told him cuddling more tightly to him.

Data took a few seconds to comprehend that what she said was intended humour, and he decided to at least make an attempt at equalling her teasing "I am certain, that is not the case. Trees lack the essential basics to comprehend speech, that you do possess: ears." he deadpanned. She chuckled feeling herself blushing like a teenage gal at the prom night, and finally looked up at him searching his gaze. But he didn't seem to finish "Sensory input patterns are sensations I can experience with the help of my sensors and processors. Human interaction tend to formulate patterns, often very characteristic of the indiv-" but he couldn't finish.

She pushed herself up to his body and pressed her lips to his. He blinked taken off-guard, and she released him after a moment "Like this?" she asked on a whisper close to his lips.

"Kissing you is a very particular pattern that has been missed, yes." he told her on an oddly colorless voice.

"What about... making love?" she asked stumbling over the words a little. It was unusual to talk about these things knowing how he felt - or more precisely how he did NOT feel at the moment! Boy, was it confusing!

He seemed to ponder for a moment before answering "I can perform the physical activity. I also miss the sensation of your body tightening around me. However, the emotions that the sensations would trigger would not be present."

Feeling his breath on her wet lips as he was talking with his body pressed so close to hers was tantalizing enough, but the thought of him being inside of her made her inner muscles clench involuntarily, and she couldn't stop herself from asking on a sultry whisper "How can you be sure if you never tried?"

"I have already told you that I have tried it on two occasions. With two ladies. Separately."

She shook her head "Not with me..." she breathed and pushed her lips against his again feeling oddly tempted by the challenge. He did love her! It was all there! How was it possible that he did not feel it when they were so close?!

This time, he expected the movement and feeling her lips on his own, tilted his head in anticipation and closed his eyes. She seemed to be eager about the challenge of trying to move the unmovable, and it was a curious sensation. He kissed her using all the memories of their hottest kisses moving one of his palms up her back - his fingers tangling slightly in her silky hair - and inviting her probing tongue in as she kissed him so deeply.

When she had enough, she released him out of breath, and he looked down at her, into her eyes through his lashes.

"Will you not be disappointed?" he asked silently, and as she gave him a slight frown, he explained "That you cannot make me feel anything."

"You can't blame a gal for trying." she sighed and kissed him again.

Kissing, he always found to be an intriguing activity. Even without emotions. It was one of the most intimate customs of humans, and he always thought that engaging in it brought him a step closer to what it was like to be human. Despite the fact that he felt no emotions triggered by the sensation of her lips on his, he suddenly mused about how different this kiss was compared to the ones he shared with the ladies he'd been intimate with before his chip. He wondered why it was. It couldn't have been because of his feelings for her - as he didn't feel them presently. It could be due to the fact that kissing her lips was definitely an activity he especially missed. Or simply because she was extremely skilled in the activity! She paid attention to the slightest of his reactions and constantly adapted her ministrations accordingly.

She again ran out of breath and let him go looking into his eyes.

He cocked his head always meaning to ask this: "Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

She laughed softly throwing her head back then smiled at him stroking his cheek "I used to sell kisses for the Milk Fund."

"Milk Fund?" he frowned, and she almost heard the cogwheels of his brain clicking, trying to find what she was implying at. He then looked at her enlightened after a moment "Oh! Some Like it Hot. 1959, starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, directed by Billy Wilder."

She giggled again "Don't you cite all the cast and crew!" she smiled tenderly at his surprised expression "Oh, I love it that you always know what I'm babbling about!" she told him and gave him a short closed-mouthed kiss on the lips.

He gave her a serene smile but then looked into her eyes seemingly very seriously "Emma. I am not Joe, who can be cured of his mind-block by being passionately kissed. My toes will not feel as if someone was barbecuing them over a slow flame. And I do not want you to project more into these kisses than they actually are. I am experienced with your body. With your needs. With your reactions. I know how to kiss you back when you kiss me in this fashion. However, I do not wish you to be disappointed finding that there are no feelings behind that."

She let out a long breath bowing her head, and he could tell she felt really hurt over what he just told her. He quickly calculated how to handle the situation, and figured she might want to be alone - or rather be away from him - after what he considered was a serious injury to her feelings. Therefore he was about to make up an excuse for her to go in, without her having to feel as if she abandoned him in some fashion. But she reacted completely unexpectedly. She cuddled up to him gently, her temple against his jawline, and she slid her arms around his waist. He reluctantly returned the embrace and held her close.

"This is no fair on you." she whispered "I'm the most egotistical bitch in the universe... I should never let you be abused this way just because my own feelings carry me away."

He frowned "You are not significantly more egotistical than any other humans I have encountered."

She snorted and smiled "Not significantly..." she mumbled "How lucky you are!"

"And you are certainly not a bitch." hearing her snorting again, he gently pushed her a little backwards to look into her eyes "You did not abuse me, Emma. I am unemotional but not without a sense of self-preservation. Both physically and morally. If I considered this an act of abuse on your part, I would have stopped you."

She gazed into his eyes suddenly pleading "Baby... I understand that you think that you can protect me better without your emotions. That you can concentrate better, react sooner or whatever, but... look around! We're in the middle of a forest, hidden by darkness and the leaves. If anyone knew where we were, we would already be sitting in a cell or worse... Please!" she whispered leaning her forehead to his jawline shutting her eyes "Please..."

Data took a few moments to consider what she'd said. She seemed to need to feel his presence emotionally as well as physically, and he felt a certain temptation that he wished to experience the overwhelming emotions he knew he would feel once he turned his chip on. She was there in his arms, but he wanted to FEEL as it always felt to hold her! He wanted more than just the satisfaction of the sensations he missed. They were like hollow reflections of his true emotions leaving him with an indescribable sense of absence. The realization then sank into his mind: turning the chip off really made him mutilated. This was what Emma tried to protect him from, when she'd objected to the procedure so vehemently.

He slowly pulled away locking his gaze with her longing one. He then gently took her hand in his from where it was on his back and slid it up his chest to his shoulder. She looked at him confused but felt her pulse quicken at how intensely he was looking at her. He brought her hand to the back of his neck.

"Brush your fingers one by one over there."

She just went on looking at him puzzled but did as he told her. She sucked in a surprised breath as she felt his skin disappear from underneath her fingertips as the small service slot opened up to her. He guided her fingers to his chip, and she felt her heart skipped a beat realizing just WHAT she felt.

"This is... your heart! Your very heart!" she told him on a breathless whisper. He guided her probing finger to the small switch, and she looked at him barely believing the kind of implicit trust he displayed "You're allowing me to touch it? To turn it on?"

He gave her a tiny smile "It is yours. Naturally, you are allowed access to it."

It took her a long moment to recover from the overwhelming amazement she felt hearing that. She then smiled a small, loving smile "Are you ready, baby?" she asked on a whisper.

He nodded, and in the next moment, several emotions flickered through his features before he shut his eyes seemingly in pain. Emma got scared that something was out of place, but then he pulled her to him tightly, burying his face into the nape of her neck and whispering "You're alive! You're alive!" endlessly, as if his mantra was the only thing keeping him from losing his mind as he cried into her, sobbing almost uncontrollably.

"Yes, baby, I'm here. And not going anywhere." she whispered and finally noticed that her cheeks were just as wet. She kept on stroking his back, and he turned his head into her hair planting an occasional kiss on her ear, or cheek in his agony.

He quieted after a few minutes, and she was about to ask how he was, when all of a sudden, he pulled away and holding her by the upper-arms looked into her eyes with desperation in his own "Why?! Why did you come back into that chamber?! You could see it was collapsing on top of us! You'd have been safe if you went to the surface with him! You knew I would have found you wherever he'd have taken you! Why? Why did you have to risk your life? Why did you have to be so irresponsible? So reckless? How did you think I would survive even a moment after having to watch you die?!" it all poured out of him in an unending flood of words and anguish, and she felt profoundly moved by his scolding. But this was all wrong: she didn't want to wallow in desperation or self-reproaching. She needed to distract him!

"Babe! Babe, stop it! Alright, stop!" she told him, and he looked at her still accusingly. She smiled at him a little wryly "First of all, take a long breath, that's it. Second of all. You realize that what you're telling me off for is something I have no clue about! I simply don't remember what insanity I was doing when we were down there. Third of all, you do remember what I told you about being sentimental, right? We'll die of diabetes in a moment, if you go on being so corny and sentimental! You did survive my death. Moreover, I survived it too! We both should be very happy about that I presume! I'm mortal, Data, and have no idea how to put up with the thought that you wouldn't be able to handle surviving me. But the point is that I'm not ready to talk about that at all! I haven't written my will yet and haven't chosen a nice enough plot - though this valley seems decent enough, keep the coordinates in mind, please!"

"This is not a laughing matter!" he cut in to stop her gallows humour.

"Baby, of course not, but having survived my own death makes me feel happy about it, and I don't want this to make you feel that you need to prepare for some disaster that could take me away from you. Rather be happy about the time we've got. In the here and now."

He shook his head "That is exactly the point." he told her on a low voice "The time is too short!" he ran his hand up her arm gently then cupped her cheek in his palm "I want more time." he confessed finally.

Her heart lurched hearing that, but she still refused to go down that unresolvable road! She forced herself to pull her lips into a smile as she took his hand from her cheek and squeezed it gently "Baby. I'm not the responsible person to talk to about it. But I'll let Chronos know that you're looking for him!"

He frowned slightly then shook his head not being able to stifle the smile that appeared on his lips "You're impossible!" he whispered.

She smiled back barely able to contain her overbrimming emotions "You're not the first to point it out. Lucky that you love me, and put up with me." His features seemed to cloud all of a sudden at this. Emma frowned suddenly unsure "Or now that you can actually feel your feelings, you realize you don't." she narrated what she thought she'd seen on his face.

He looked at her with a slight frown of resentment "You haven't told me."

"Told you. Told you what?" she asked confused.

He glanced away suddenly seeming very self-conscious "If you ...loved me back or not..." he whispered, and she got the impression he'd have blushed, if he had the ability.

Her lips broadened into a wide grin of amazement "Now, wait a minute there, Deadpan! I HAVE told you! Don't you Mister I-Store-Everything-In-My-Memory-Banks remember?! On our first night. And actually it was YOU who didn't tell me how you felt at the time!"

He suddenly seemed flabbergasted then a guilty expression appeared on his face "You're right... I'm sorry, I-I just-" he stuttered.

She cut in crossing her arms "Don't tell ME! Tell Bev! Whom you have given the awfully difficult job to comfort my little, inconsolable heart afterwards!"

He gaped at her feeling very guilty, and his words stumbled after one another as he tried hard to explain "I-I thought you were not serious. That you just said it because you were sleepy or-"

"Or clearly out of my mind? Hmm, well, no doubt there, baby!"

"No! I just didn't want you to take it back, if I replied and..." he trailed off looking at her suddenly with a deadpan expression "You're teasing me again."

She looked back at him with a bemused smirk "And it took a fairly long time for you to realize it! I take only four days off to at least once get a good four night's rest, and you're out of practice! I'm not happy, Deadpan! I'm not-"

Before she could finish, he wordlessly took her into his arms then and kissed her on the lips. It actually caught her completely off-guard - and swept her off her feet.

Oh, god, was he amazing! He held her so firmly and at the same time so lovingly, that all her sarcasm and dry humour left her at once. All that remained was his beautiful lips on hers and their tight embrace.

When he released her lips, she felt light-headed, and he looked into her eyes with THAT smile, she loved so much: confident, the smile of a mature man. The man he grew into beside her, from the confused teenager he used to be.

"No more teasing tonight, Lieutenant!" he ordered on a hushed voice the same way he did on their first night.

Her breath was caught "Yes, Sir."

He kissed her again the exact same way, and her legs felt wobbly underneath her as he again looked into her eyes.

"I need you to answer my confession now. Just as much as you needed to hear it. I need it too."

She smiled sighing and stroking his cheek "Oh, Deadpan... Have you given me even the slightest of chance at not falling for you?" she asked looking into his eyes letting him see her own devotion for him "I think I was doomed the very first time we danced - or even before that... I do love you, baby. Of course I do." she whispered, and he closed the distance to her lips again.

Before long, the kisses grew hotter and longer and feeling his arousal against her, she slid a leg up his thigh as he went on kissing her neck and ear. She gasped and her hands came up into fists on his back. He captured her lips again holding her tightly to his hips and again fighting with himself whether he should give all control over to his sexuality programming.

"Ah... I want you so much!" she moaned feeling his hand cupping her breast underneath his uniform top and thin gown.

He broke away for a moment to look at her "I want you too!" he whispered "But this is hardly the place that fits our needs."

She looked around and nodded toward the trees sliding her arms around his neck "A little challenge spices life, don't you think?" He looked at her questioningly, and she explained mischievously on a hushed voice "Against the tree you've climbed... Standing..." He gaped at her feeling himself helplessly turning on.

Despite the strong sensation, he shook his head "It would not be adequately comfortable for you."

She smiled and leaned to his ear. She playfully nibbled at his lobe and blew into his ear sending a shiver down his spine "Oh, come on. I know you've been wanting to try that out."

He looked at her stunned, gaping "How..."

She smiled conspiringly "I know you, baby."

He stroked her cheek and slid his fingers into her hair "I admit. I have spent a considerable amount of time fantasizing about it, however... I never really managed to find a scenario that would be as pleasurable for you as it would be for me."

She looked at him challengingly "I trust, you'll think of something in the process."

Oh, he just could NOT say no to her! It was impossible to deny her anything! He took her hand and pulled her after him - she followed with a satisfied and at the same time excited smile. When they stopped at the tree, and he slid his arms around her, she felt her heart almost jumped out of her chest. He leaned to her and kissed her first tenderly, then it deepened and his gentle embrace tightened around her waist as he slid his tongue into her mouth seeking out hers.

She responded enthusiastically as she felt his hand slid under her top, up to her breast, fondling it gently then a little more possessively. She moaned silently into the kiss feeling her body respond to his touch, and she slid a hand from his neck, down his side to his pants. She heard him grunt as she brushed her palm against his growing arousal - she wanted to kiss him there! It came as a sudden desire and knowing that he loved it, she set out to act upon it. She let him kiss her as deeply as he wanted, while she took her other hand from his back too and started to undo the fastenings of his trousers. Unsuspecting, he let her open the garment, while he slid his hands to her waistline to return the favour. She heard him grunt in pleasure as her fingers closed around his length. As she moved her hand slowly downward, he released her mouth to gasp.

His only warning was her mischievous smile that flickered over her features before she disappeared from view, and the next thing he knew was the exquisite sensation of her hot, wet mouth around his arousal. He groaned helplessly turning his face upward and opening his eyes wide - but not seeing the dark leaves or the sky, as all his mind, all his body was occupied by what she was doing to him. As the extremely intense sensations she was creating in him slowly reached their peak, he was shocked how out of control over his own body he felt. Vaguely he thought, he'd stop her, because this was definitely not his plan, but this thought as with the rest of his rationality dissipated under the pleasure of feeling her taking all of him inside her mouth circling him with her tongue.

She felt his hand coming up into a fist in her hair, and she could tell, he lost control completely as she moved up and down his length quickening the pace.

"Don't you stop..." he breathed and then groaned not being able to hold it back as he finally came.

Feeling his body relax, she released him with a final kiss, just to be pulled up against him: his mouth covering hers hungrily. He held her face in both of his palms kissing her deeply, almost as if he wanted to feel his own taste on her tongue. She smiled into the kiss: he always seemed so restrained, so in control of his reactions - she loved to feel that she was able to make him lose his mind this much.

His hand slid to her waist and undoing the fastenings of her trousers on an amazing speed, he pulled them down. He then released her mouth and crouching pulled all her garments below her waistline off of her, helping her out of them. Still crouching, he then returned the favour and kissed her hot, wet center making her feel suddenly light-headed at the sensation. She pressed her back against the tree gasping, shutting her eyes at the pleasure of his mouth on her.

"Oh, please..." she begged breathlessly "I need..." she gripped his shoulders sinking her nails into his under-shirt turning her head from side to side "I need to... need to feel you, please!" she moaned knowing herself enough that despite his skill, she would take too long a time to climax like this - and all she wanted was to feel him deep inside of her!

He seemed to obey, because he released her, driving a small cry of loss out of her, and an overwhelming need for more as he stood up and pulled her close. He then lifted her up holding her by her buttocks and letting her support her back by leaning to the tree. She held him by the shoulders looking down at him as he held her so firmly against him. And then he slowly lowered her, guiding her right onto his hot arousal spearing up so hard! She shut her eyes at the incredible sensation of him against her wetness, but then she heard his voice.

"No, look at me!" he commanded on a hushed but firm voice, stopping in mid motion. She cried out softly at this and felt her muscles clench trying to hold him - but their bodies barely touched, and it was the sweetest, most frustrating sensation she ever experienced. She looked at him through half-closed lids, gasping helplessly "Look right at me, Emma!" he told her, and she felt his gaze held hers so intensely, that even if she wanted to, she wouldn't have been able to break away.

He then lowered her onto him with maddening slowness. Once he was completely engulfed by her body, he savoured the feeling of unity as he had always done during their two previous nights for a long moment. The sensation sank into her mind too, because her muscles clenched involuntarily around him. And then he started to move.

He drove her against the tree, holding her up securely, and she put her legs around his thin waist holding him closer. He quickened the pace driving into her relentlessly, and she felt she just couldn't catch her breath. But he could tell it wasn't enough for her to finally reach her summit, and in a background thought process, he realized he was reluctant to pursue this particular fantasy of his exactly because of that. It was intensely pleasurable for him, but a little less so for her, and she needed some more encouragement to finally come - which he couldn't provide her, given that his hands were not free. The realization lessened his pleasure enough to think of just how to change positions.

He suddenly stopped, and she stared at him gasping but taken aback.

"It's not good for you?" she asked on a thin voice.

"Better than good." he replied on a trembling voice "But not good enough for you."

She smiled lovingly stroking his cheek "Ah, baby... Believe me, it's wonderful! And this is your fantasy, I want you to thoroughly enjoy it!"

He leaned close to her kissing her lips for an instant "That's not enough for me!"

"Oh... you're sweet..." she breathed feeling her heart melting under his words, and he kissed her again lovingly before releasing her lips and lowering her on the ground. She moaned in frustration as he left her body and looked at him begging. He smiled at her reassuringly and turned her around. He pulled her hips a little backwards to him, making her bend slightly, and she held onto the trunk of the tree as he entered her from behind, driving a cry of pleasure out of her. And the next moment, she felt his fingers on her center, making her legs buckle under her. He held her firmly up and started to move as he drew gentle circles over her pleasure. She shut her eyes resting her temple at the trunk before leaning her head backwards as he started to kiss her neck and ear. He slid his other hand under her clothes and stroked her breast fondling the nipple gently - and she moaned in pleasure feeling herself unexpectedly close.

"Oh, don't stop!" she begged.

"I won't!" he promised and moaned feeling ready to come again "Emma... Come! I need you to come with me!" he commanded.

"Please, more! More!" she begged him, and he drove into her wildly stroking her wet center in quick tiny circles.

She came violently against his fingers and feeling her tightening up around him, he came after her still helplessly driving into her.

They remained entangled like that for a few more minutes in their blissful afterglow. Data was not sure if he was able to let her go, and she was just as reluctant about it. She stood there locked to him, holding on to the tree trunk, gasping and let the realization sink in once again that ALL of their love making sessions would be like this. He'd always pay attention to her needs, even if she herself found it difficult to express them or just simply have them as they were. She was so used to deriving what little pleasure she could from her partner's pleasure and NOTHING more, that she got completely unused to having needs herself. It was almost impossible to grasp how different it was with Data.

She leaned her head back and to the side on his shoulder, and felt him cuddle up to her cheek, kissing her cheek and ear. "Thank you..." she whispered almost as if it was second nature to say those words.

He frowned and slowly releasing her, he turned her around to be able to look into her eyes "Please, never thank me, baby!"

She smiled a little embarrassed and stroked his cheek lovingly "It's not just that. I don't feel grateful just because you can give me pleasure. I'm grateful... for having you. For everything you're giving me. Everything. Not just pleasure."

He smiled back in wonder "Then it seems I should be thanking you too! For the exact same things." He took her hand gently in his and kissed it gently "Thank you. For being!"

She felt herself engulfed in euphoria she'd never experienced before with anybody else! She didn't even know what triggered it: their lovemaking, his nearness, his tenderness - or the fact that she knew he loved her! But she just threw her arms around his neck laughing an amazingly happy laugh giving him a series of short kisses on the lips before smiling mischievously at him "You know what I told you about being corny, ha? Deadpan. We should stop this silliness."

He held her close chuckling "Diabetes is a sickness already cured in the 24th century - not to mention the fact that no human sickness threaten me."

Oh, damn it, he was right! What did she have to lose? She then kissed him again allowing herself a long moment of bathing in the corny sweetness of this amazing night.

He let her lips go and looked at her caring "Will I need to carry you inside to make you have some rest?"

She giggled throwing her head back "No... I'm actually pretty tired."

With a small kiss, they released each other to adjust their quite weathered clothing, then he took her hand, and they started to walk back to the shed.

"Tell me one thing, Deadpan." she asked smiling up at him.

"One thing." he replied with a straight face, and she laughed out at his impossible humour.

"Oh, you!" she jabbed a finger at him "You're too good a student! Don't joke about it, my question will be a very important one!"

He cocked his head now really curious "Please, go ahead!"

"Alright, here you go: why on Earth were you whistling up in a tree?"


A/N: Feedback always welcome, please review, if you feel like! :)