Author's Note: This was a little plot bunny that just would not leave me alone.
Unabashed DaForge fluff and angst.
Spoilers for Nemesis. I didn't intend for this to get this sappy, but here we are.
One shot.
This is an amateur work of imagination for the purpose of entertainment based on the universe and characters created Gene Roddenberry.
Playing a wee bit fast and loose with the canon. Although the opening scene actually occurs during the series one episode "Heart of Glory" you'll see references to later series episodes. This was the perfect lead in, but it made sense to place it after the other events. The episode itself is irrelevant to our story, but the opening was too perfect to skip.
There had been a report of a disturbance in the neutral zone. The Enterprise had responded, and the Captain had been eager to test out a new project Data and Geordi had been working on for some time. It was a visual acuity transmitter that allowed Geordi to transmit what his VISOR was reading back to the bridge.
They had boarded the damaged Talarian freighter on the edge of the neutral zone and everyone on the bridge sat in awe as they saw the world through Geordi's eyes for the first time.
Initially, Captain Picard had struggled to decipher all of the sensory input from the VISOR – temperature readings, structural analysis – it was so complex it was difficult to encode.
"Extraordinary," Captain Picard said as the image took his breath away.
The colour and movement of all the sensory information was so much more than Captain Picard could have imagined. Something moving caught his eye.
"Geordi, what was that? Over to the left?" Picard questioned.
"What?" Geordi said as he spun around.
They were searching through the remains of the wreckage of the Talarian freighter.
Everyone was on guard.
Geordi didn't read any additional life signs in their immediate area but he scanned back from left to right slowly.
"Yes, that! No, no, back," Captain Picard instructed as he tried to guide Geordi to direct his vision to the figure in the background. "Right there! Yes! That's it. What is that?"
Geordi smiled and laughed to himself.
"That's Commander Riker," Geordi explained as his vision settled on the First Officer.
"Ah! To me it's just an undefined form, standing in a visual frenzy. Can you filter out the extraneous information?" Picard questioned.
Geordi shook his head.
"No, sir. I get it all simultaneously," Geordi explained.
Geordi had always seen the world in this way. In as many years as he had his VISOR, it was way he was used to interpreting the visual cues around him. It was different than most of the other crew on the Enterprise. In some ways, Geordi felt Data was the only person that had some semblance of understanding as Data also had a different way of receiving and processing information.
"Look over at Data," Picard asked excitedly. "There's an aura around Data."
"Well, of course. He's an android!" Geordi said with a shrug.
"You say that as if you think that's what we all see!" Picard stated.
"Don't you?" Geordi questioned.
To Geordi, Data had always been surrounded by an aura of light.
The first time he'd met Data was shortly after transferring to the Enterprise. Geordi was on a tour of the new ship. As they passed main engineering there was a shout – there was a plasma fire that had broken out along one of the panels.
The crew working to extinguish it couldn't see that it had actually originated further back along the interior panel and it was working its way toward the warp core.
But Geordi could.
"Excuse me," he said to the Lieutenant assigned to show him around.
Turning into main engineering, Geordi located the Chief Engineer.
"It's moving toward the warp core," Geordi advised. "You need to get these people out of here!"
The Chief Engineer looked at him questioningly.
"Lieutenant?" he asked.
"La Forge," Geordi answered.
"Look, I'm sure you're keen to impress on a new ship but we've got this under control," the man said.
Geordi could see the fire was growing along the internal coils leading to the warp core. He had three, maybe four minutes before it would reach the cooling system.
Despite the Engineer's attitude, Geordi wasn't about to sit by and let this happen.
"Get out of here," Geordi ordered, contradicting the Chief Engineer.
He raced over to the console and began to remove the main panel to access the interior.
"Get away from the console," the Chief Engineer ordered.
"Sir, with all due respect I am trying to save this ship," Geordi said as he set to work removing the screws.
The Chief Engineer grabbed Geordi's arm and forced him to turn and look at him.
"Whoa," Geordi said.
Something had just stepped into main engineering and was making its way over to them. It was unlike anything Geordi had ever seen before.
It was a tall figure, human-like its appearance but bathed in an aura of cool, white light.
Like it was glowing.
"Chief Argyle, what has happened," the figure said.
It spoke.
The voice was human, masculine, commanding, yet polite.
Geordi took a risk.
"Sir, that fire is moving this direction toward the warp core. I need to reroute the coolant away from these coils," Geordi said desperately.
The figure glanced at the panels along the wall and assessed them.
"The Lieutenant is correct," the figure stated.
Chief Argyle let go of Geordi's arm and stepped back.
"I will assist you," the figure said simply as he ripped away the entirety of the panel in one fell swoop.
"I'll need to bypass the standard coolant coil and redirect the flow back to a secondary junction. If there's any way to increase the stability of the shield around the warp core-" Geordi started to say.
"We can buy additional time to disable the main flow therefore slowing the fire until the suppressant system can catch up," the figure said finishing his thought.
It took them two minutes and forty seconds to reroute the coolant. Geordi's plan had worked and had bought them an extra four minutes for the team to work to put the fire out before it reached a critical level.
All in all, it took an hour and forty minutes to fully extinguish the plasma fire, clean and repair the coils, and replace the console panels that had been removed in the process.
"Thank you for your help, Lieutenant," the figure said before turning and walking away.
Geordi raced out of main engineering after the glowing figure.
"Wait!" Geordi said as he rushed after him.
The entire time they had worked, they had been focused on the task at hand. Whoever this figure was, he sure knew his way around a warp core.
Geordi was impressed.
And intrigued.
The figure stopped and turned.
"Is there something I can help you with, Lieutenant?" the figure said as he cocked his head to the side.
"Who are you?" Geordi asked.
Data's metaphorical heart skipped a beat.
He asked him who he was – not what he was.
No one had ever asked him that before.
To Geordi's astonishment, the aura of light around the figure had seemed to pulsate. When Geordi had asked his name, the aura had flashed brighter for a brief moment before returning to its constant glow.
"Data," he replied. "Lieutenant Commander Data."
He extended his hand awkwardly.
"Geordi. Lieutenant Geordi La Forge fresh from the USS Hood," Geordi said with a warm smile as he clapped his hand against the Lieutenant Commander's. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."
The next time Geordi had noticed a change in the aura that surrounded Data was several months later at the weekly poker game. Geordi had known Commander Riker from their time together aboard the Hood. Riker had invited Geordi to a poker game and after some convincing, he'd agreed to allow Geordi to bring Commander Data along.
Over the last few months, the two had struck up a friendship. It was so easy to talk with Data. In many ways, Data was the first person he'd met that saw the world in a way Geordi did. Although the nature of their perception was different from one another, they both took in information in a way that was truly unique from their crewmates.
Data had spent his free hour during the afternoon reading the rules of the game in preparation for that evening.
After Worf had dealt the first hand, Geordi watched as Data had picked up his cards. He observed that the aura around his friend pulsated as he studied his hand.
Geordi knew then and there that Data must have gotten a good hand.
After the game, as they made their way to the turbolift, Geordi stopped Data.
"Data, we need to have a talk about your tell," Geordi.
"I have read thirty-eight separate books on the subject of the game and am familiar with what a 'tell' is. But I have no emotion and I intentionally repeated the exact same motions on each hand to ensure there was no giveaway," Data explained.
"About that," Geordi said as he guided his friend down the corridor.
Geordi had watched as Data's face had jerked several times as he described the aura he saw around him and how he had observed it flash.
"In fact, it's growing right now," Geordi said as he noticed Data's glow increasing.
"I cannot experience emotion, but this information is intriguing," Data said as his eyes grew wide.
He knew that he didn't share in human emotions, but he did experience sensations from time to time that he couldn't explain. Geordi's revelation had reaffirmed his experience was valid.
He couldn't rationalise it, but it felt wonderful.
The first time Geordi had seen Data's aura change was after Lore. The colour had shifted, it was darker, almost purple in a sense.
For three days after the incident with Lore, Data had studied everything he could about Doctor Soong and the Crystalline Entity.
If he didn't know better, Geordi would have said Data was both sad and angry.
He knew Data was looking for answers that he wouldn't find in Starfleet or historical records.
And Geordi felt powerless to help him.
Geordi's suspicion about the colour were confirmed a few months later. For nearly two weeks following their return from Vagra II Data had been struggling.
No one else could see it. To everyone else on the ship, Data appeared to be operating as normal. He worked his shifts on the bridge, attended the weekly poker games, was full of questions, and continued to practice with his string quartet.
Only Geordi could see he was sulking.
It took him twice as long as normal to reassemble the injector coil they had stripped to retrofit. It was still much faster than human capabilities, but for Data it was an exceptionally long time.
When they climbed into the Jefferies tube to run a routine maintenance scan, it was as if Data had lost his ability to concentrate. It took him a full ten seconds to respond to Geordi's request for a sonic driver when reattaching a panel.
And despite Geordi's attempts to get Data to join him on the holodeck for tennis or a hike, Data had politely declined.
Data was sulking and Geordi seemed to be the only person that had noticed.
He was on his way back to his quarters following Data's latest refusal to socialise when he stopped. Geordi turned on his heel and marched right back to Data's door.
"Data, talk to me. What's going on?" Geordi asked he stepped into his best friend's quarters.
He saw Data shut off a small holophoto projector instantly, as if he had been caught with something he shouldn't have.
Geordi didn't have to ask who was in the photo.
He stepped over to Data's workstation and flipped it back on.
Data looked down at the floor and then back to the image, staring at it silently.
"Do you want to talk about Tasha?" Geordi asked him.
As they sat in Ten Forward still in their period costumes, Geordi felt horrible.
He'd worked for weeks perfecting a Sherlock Holmes holodeck programme for Data that he knew Data would love.
Geordi couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so good as he had watched not just Data's eyes light up, but the aura around him grow, when he invited him to the holodeck for the Holmes' mystery.
Racing out of main Engineering, Data was like a child overcome with excitement.
"He can be reached at 221b Baker Street!" Data had called out as he rushed to grab his pipe and hunting cap.
When he'd stepped through arch and took in the surroundings of Victorian London, Data's aura seemed to crackle with energy.
It had dimmed slightly when Doctor Pulaski had made her bet with them several hours earlier and again following their encounter with the sentient hologram Moriarty.
And Geordi couldn't shake the feeling that it was all his fault.
One slip of the tongue when inputting the holodeck instructions and Geordi had a caused a horrible mess.
"You seem to be upset, Geordi. Please do not be. Although short-lived," Data explained, "that was the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."
Geordi could tell by his aura that Data meant every word of it.
The first time Geordi ever saw Data's aura turn red was when Commander Bruce Maddox had stepped onto the bridge of the Enterprise.
"How have you been, Data?" Commander Maddox asked as he came down the ramp.
Geordi turned in his seat at the helm and observed as Data's aura seemed to concentrate and faintly turn red.
"My condition does not alter with the passage of time, Commander," Data replied stiffly.
Geordi didn't need to know Data as well as he did to read the look Data was giving Maddox – everyone on the bridge could see there was bad blood between the two.
Two days later, Geordi couldn't help himself. A part of him was so grateful that Data was planning to escape Maddox by resigning his commission.
But that would mean losing Data and that thought left Geordi with a such a sense of loss that he hadn't been able to sleep.
So, although Data was unwrapping his gifts and attempting to spend time with his friends, Geordi sat in the corner in the dark.
"Is something wrong?" Data asked as he approached Geordi.
"Of course, there is. You're going away," Geordi said bluntly.
There were so many things he wanted to say.
"No one regrets that necessity more than myself," Data explained as Geordi observed the hue of his aura grow bluer in its colour value. "You do understand my reasons?"
Geordi looked at the wall.
Of course, he understood- Data could leave or face the likelihood of being permanently damaged by Maddox's research.
"Sure, I understand. I just don't like you being forced out. It's not fair," Geordi said, agitated.
He was furious at the injustice of it all.
And Geordi's fury only grew at the assertion that Data wasn't a person.
Geordi wasn't permitted to attend the hearing, but he had walked Data to the hearing and waited outside for the duration of it.
Data was frightened. He claimed he was fine. He had reminded Geordi on nine separate occasions that morning that he was incapable of emotion.
But Geordi knew better. Data was scared, and rightfully so.
"No matter what is decided in that room," Geordi started to say but trailed off.
In that moment, Geordi knew that he loved Data.
He loved him more than he could adequately describe with words.
Geordi took Data's hand in his own and gave it gentle squeeze.
"You're my best friend in the whole universe," Geordi said.
Data's breath hitched and it broke Geordi's heart to watch his aura grow brighter for a moment before dimming slightly as he stepped into the hearing.
The only time Geordi didn't see Data's aura was after he'd suffered his greatest loss.
Well, that wasn't entirely true.
The glow was there, but barely so.
A deep blue, it was so dark and dim that for a moment Geordi had thought it had disappeared altogether.
Geordi had been waiting outside Data's lab with Counsellor Troi and Wesley.
Admiral Haftel had stepped out of lab looking ghastly white.
"There was nothing anyone could have done," Haftel said as he described their efforts to save Lal from the systematic pathway failure of cascade failure. "His hands were moving faster than I could see, trying to stay ahead of each breakdown. He refused to give up. He was remarkable. It just wasn't meant to be."
The Admiral excused himself and Geordi took a step toward the door.
Counsellor Troi put her hand out to stop him, thinking it best that Data have the chance to say goodbye uninterrupted.
Geordi could feel the lump in his throat. He wanted to help. He needed to help.
He had never seen Data's aura glow brighter than after he'd created Lal.
She was his world.
He leaned against the door to the lab. He could hear Data on the other side of the door.
Geordi wanted to rush to him, to reassure him that he wasn't alone. He knew part of the reason Data had created her was a deeply rooted desire for a companionship that he couldn't get from humans.
And Geordi understood. Data was the only one of his kind left and he didn't want to be alone.
"I love you father," Lal stated.
She had been such sweet girl. Geordi had shared, privately, with Data that Lal's aura was a soft glow. Although similar to Data's, she was her own person. Her aura was lavender, and it seemed to dance and flit about her in an almost whimsical and childlike way.
She was radiant and Data had glowed with pride when Geordi had shared that observation with him.
And now she was dying.
No parent should have to lose a child like that, not when she was so young.
"I wish I could feel it with you," Data told her as he took hold of his daughter's hand.
It was a human act of reassurance that he had learned from Geordi.
Data hoped that it brought her comfort and that it was sufficient in relaying his feelings for her.
"I will feel it for both of us. Thank you for my life, father," Lal said.
Geordi couldn't hold back anymore. He balled his hands into fists as hot tears fell onto his cheeks.
"Flirting. Laughter. Painting," Lal said.
Geordi recognised she was replaying the events of her short life and he wondered if there truly was some sort of ascension or life after death. He said a silent prayer to the universe that if there was, that Lal be permitted a continued existence.
Because he was listening to her life flash before her eyes and he was so angry at the injustice of it all.
Her voice began to slow as the final stage of the collapse took hold.
"Family. Father. Human."
Geordi waited thirty seconds. He counted them, each one feeling like an eternity, before he stepped into the lab.
He was at Data in three paces. He threw his arms around him, crying and unsure of exactly what to say, repeating how sorry he was, how much he loved Lal, and assuring Data that he was not alone.
Data had been confused at first by Geordi's embrace. He stood there stiffly, with his arms at his side as Geordi held him.
After a moment, he relaxed and leaned into it, returning the hug.
Geordi wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but when he opened his eyes he saw through his VISOR that Data's glow was so dim it was nearly gone. It was such a dark shade that Geordi couldn't fathom the emptiness that his friend was experiencing.
"I thank you for your sympathy, but she is here," Data said as he broke the embrace and tapped his temple.
Geordi sniffled and shook his head. He didn't understand.
"Her presence so enriched my life that I could not allow her to pass into oblivion. So, I incorporated her programs back into my own. I have transferred her memories to me," Data explained.
Despite Data's reassuring words, Geordi could see from his aura that this was anything but the case.
He had suffered a terrible loss and no amount of android memory engram download was going to replace his child.
"Data," Geordi said as he shook his head sadly.
He wiped the tears from his cheeks, but they were replaced a moment later as a new batch fell.
Geordi looked down to the floor. The sight of Data with such a weak aura was too much to bear.
To Geordi's surprise, Data stepped forward. He took Geordi's chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted it up.
He placed a gentle kiss on his lips.
It was brief. But it had also been tender and warm.
And for a split second, it seemed like Data's aura had sparked when their lips made contact.
"Data, what was that for?" Geordi asked him, stunned.
"You looked like you needed it," Data said simply.
Per Data's request, he helped him clean up his lab. He'd watched as Data gently cupped her cheek before returning her to the dark of the safe storage, hopeful that maybe someday he would be capable of returning her memories and reactivating her.
When they stepped onto the bridge later, Captain Picard and the crew had given Data their deepest sympathies.
Data took his position at the operations console, insisting he was fine to return to duty.
From the back of the bridge at the engineering console, Geordi could see that Data's aura was still alarmingly dark blue and dim.
But there had been a noticeable change. It had grown ever so slightly since Lal's passing.
Geordi also knew that there was a change in the nature of their relationship.
And as the weeks went by, as Data's aura continued grow and brighten so did their relationship.
Gold.
It was a colour Geordi never could have imagined, yet at the same time it made sense.
Geordi had expected a blinding white or perhaps a deep, passionate red.
And yet, it had been gold.
Geordi's favourite colour was gold.
After all, everyone always said Data had golden eyes.
Not that Geordi had ever seen Data's golden eyes in that way. His VISOR interpreted Data's eyes as blue and black, in contrast to the soft alabaster glow of his bioplast skin.
The first time they had made love, Data had sought to catalogue to memory every reaction. He had studiously observed every one of Geordi's facial micro expressions. He'd monitored his heart rate and breathing. And he'd listened intently to each of Geordi's encouragements.
"Data, I'm not a textbook," Geordi had said as Data drove into him with slow, gentle strokes.
Data didn't stop but cocked his head to the side and awaited an explanation.
"Data stop studying me and let yourself enjoy this. Live in the moment," Geordi instructed.
A broad smile crept across Geordi's face as he watched Data's head fall back, eyes half-lidded, his lips parted as he allowed the sensation to overtake him.
Geordi had watched in wonder as a golden aura had erupted from Data at the apex of his climax.
Later that night they had laid together in Geordi's bed in a tangle of limbs.
Geordi draped in Data's arms.
Data encircled in a golden aura.
And both of them enveloped in the warm glow of tender love.
The first time Geordi had observed an orange glow was after they had rescued Timothy from the wreckage of the research vessel.
The wee lad had been alone and frightened. He was the sole survivor onboard.
And when they had returned to the Enterprise, he had quickly latched onto Data.
Over the course of the next few days, Data's aura had shifted strangely between orange and green.
Timothy had insisted on wearing his hair like Data's. He'd replicated similar attire and even practised a mechanical-like head movement to mimic his beloved android friend.
Data had taught him how to hold a violin, taken him to Ten Forward for a milkshake, accompanied the boy on school trip to the arboretum, and even taken him to the holodeck to kick around a football for a while.
All in all, he'd really taken the boy under his wing.
One night, Timothy had fallen asleep while painting. Data had picked him and carried him over to the sofa.
After seeing to it that he was tucked in and sufficiently warm for sleeping, Data had quietly slipped into his bedroom where Geordi was reading through a schematic on his PADD.
Data confessed privately to Geordi that he was slightly uncomfortable.
"Data, I've rarely ever seen you so happy," Geordi said.
He set his PADD down on the nightstand and turned to Data.
Data tried to explain it wasn't the child that made him feel that way – it was a strange sense of sadness surrounding Lal.
"I find pleasure in doing these things. It was very enjoyable to fulfil the parenting role on his school trip," Data said. "I cannot explain it, Geordi. But it feels wrong."
Geordi nodded slowly as realisation began to dawn on him.
"Data, I think you're feeling guilty because you like this but it's hard for you to enjoy it when you think about all the things you never got to do with Lal," Geordi explained. "You know, it doesn't mean you love her any less just because you're also fulfilling a parenthood role for Timothy."
Data tilted his head to the side as he pondered Geordi's words.
Geordi reached out and stroked his hand up and down Data's back.
"You know you're pretty good at this parenting thing," Geordi said to him.
Data looked back at him, eyes full of gratitude for Geordi's patience and concern.
"You know it's been some time. Have you ever considered trying to correct the synaptic issues that led to her failure?" Geordi asked.
Data turned his attention from Geordi to the painting of Lal that hung on the opposite wall.
"Someday," Data told him. "But not yet."
Geordi had thought he'd seen every colour possible, but then Data had surprised him yet again.
When Juliana Tainer had shown up on the Enterprise full of warmth and life, Data had given off a soft, pink aura.
Data had never before known that he had a mother. And Juliana had surprised him with her affection, praise, and ingenuity. He loved everything about her. For the first time in his life, he'd had a mother to show his paintings to, perform for, and share memories with.
Although Data had no memories of his time with the Soongs, Data did have memories of his own to share with her. He was a well decorated Starfleet officer and Juliana had taken delight in seeing how accomplished he was.
But more so, she had been overwhelmed with pride with the man he had become – kind, compassionate, and good.
As it turned out, Juliana had stories of her own about Data's early days.
When he'd fallen in love with Data, Geordi had never expected to one day listen to his mother share memories of Data's metaphorical "first steps."
There was something so incredibly human about it and Data had relished in the experience of it all – surrounded by a rosy, pink aura.
It had been a shock to discover Juliana's true android nature. But Data had taken it in stride, content in the knowledge that he was not alone.
Geordi hadn't asked him about it directly, but he'd caught several glimpses of Data's work on his PADD. He had learned some significant advancements based on Juliana's programming and it appeared he was reformulating a way to incorporate the stability of her neural net into Lal's programming.
"I will be right outside," Data advised as he planted a kiss on Geordi's hand.
Geordi stood up, rolled his shoulders back, and shook his hands.
"I know I shouldn't be nervous-" Geordi started to say but Data silenced him with a quick kiss.
"Doctor Crusher is a most capable medical officer," Data stated.
After much deliberation, numerous long talks with Doctor Crusher and Data, and months of anticipation, Geordi had finally made the decision to proceed with an ocular implant surgery.
Although ocular implants had existed for years, Geordi had always been hesitant about proceeding with the surgery. Many a Starfleet officer had offered, but there was something holding Geordi back.
But there had been significant advancements in recent years. Both Data and Geordi and had been part of a team that had worked to refine the prosthesis and Geordi had slowly grown more comfortable with the idea of it.
The device now had better visual range than his current VISOR and Geordi knew it was time.
The surgery had lasted six hours, and Data had waited patiently outside of the operating room in sickbay until Doctor Crusher had come out to inform him that it was a success.
Geordi had awoken forty-eight minutes and nineteen seconds later, Data having counted every second.
The first thing Geordi recognised when he came to was Data's hand holding his own. He could see Data standing next to him, but he was different.
He could make out his features in significantly greater detail than his VISOR had ever been able to provide.
He could see in light and in shadow.
He could see Data's eyes – a warm, welcoming gold blinking back at him with concern.
But his aura was gone.
Geordi's heart sank. He instantly regretted his decision.
And worst of all, he knew there was no going back.
A lump formed in his throat and he could feel his eyes start to well up with tears.
"Are you in pain?" Data asked, concerned.
He called out for Doctor Crusher but Geordi waved her away.
"It's nothing Doctor," Geordi insisted.
There was no physical pain, only a pain that he couldn't rationalise. A sense of loss.
He would never again see Data's aura flicker with excitement during a holodeck adventure.
He'd never see it pulsate and glow as he watched Data play with the passion and precision of a classically trained musician while playing his violin.
And he'd never again see the sweet, golden glow he had come to associate with their lovemaking.
Geordi sat up on the exam table and turned to Data.
"It's gone, Data," Geordi said as he tried to keep his voice steady.
"What is gone?" Data asked.
He had done extensive research on the differences between Geordi's VISOR and the new implants. He knew there would be a change in the way Geordi would perceive some of the thermal and density optical readings.
Data had also read there would be a strong emotional impact from such a drastic change in Geordi's life.
He was unable to deduce from Geordi's statement if the missing thing in question was a change in the physical perception or an emotional sense of loss.
"Your glow. Your aura. I can't see it anymore, Data. It's just," Geordi stopped and took a shaky breath. "It's just…gone."
Data pulled Geordi close against his chest and placed a soothing kiss on the top of his head.
"It is not gone Geordi," Data said.
He took hold of Geordi's hand and pulled it to his chest.
"It is always here. For you," Data explained.
If anyone ever told him androids were incapable of grasping the human equation, Geordi was ready to fight that assertion.
He knew first-hand that Data's ability for compassion and love were greater than anyone he had ever known.
"Besides, you have had an unfair advantage over me in poker for years," Data said simply.
"Data was that a joke?" Geordi said, still pressed against his chest.
Data pulled back quickly and looked at Geordi with alarm.
"It was an attempt at humour Geordi," Data said apologetically. "I am sorry if that was an inappropriate response. I can see now that this was, perhaps, a poor choice of time to-"
Geordi pulled Data down for a kiss. Data smiled against his lips, pleased with himself.
And Data had been right.
He had always been right.
His aura was never gone. Geordi could see it in the way he'd passionately fought for the rights of the Ba'ku people as he'd strolled onto the Captain's yacht, phaser rifle in hand, his commanding presence filling the room.
"Saddle up," he'd said with an air of determination as they formulated a plan to protect the village.
Geordi had also seen it in his smile as Data had delivered his performance as the iconic Seymour opposite of Doctor Crusher in a production of Little Shop of Horrors at Ten Forward. Beverly had directed the show and Data was eager to show his signing chops. Despite the fact that he had perfect memorisation and elocution, Geordi had become accustomed to Data rehearsing his lines in their quarters each night as he played with delivering his lines.
He'd also seen in the way Data had taken to the stage to croon the guests of Will and Deanna's wedding. Data had looked so dapper in his white suit and Geordi had been more than eager to tell him that.
"You do not look so bad yourself," Data had said in a low, teasing voice in his ear as he pulled him close on the dance floor.
After a few moments, Deanna had cut in. She was eager to get a dance in with Geordi before the end of the evening. She had looked radiant, and Geordi was more than happy to take his old friend for a spin on the dancefloor.
A short while later, Geordi had caught site of Data in the corner chatting politely with Miles and Keiko O'Brien.
Suddenly, Data looked down.
A small hand was tugging at the seam of his trousers. Knee-high Molly O'Brien looked up at him and then pointed out to the dancefloor.
Geordi watched as Data turned to Miles for what he assumed was permission.
Miles nodded and appeared to warn Molly to behave herself.
Data scooped her up in his arms and joined the various couples swinging to the music, twirling her around and making the little girl laugh and laugh.
They turned and Data met Geordi eyes.
He stopped.
From across the floor, he pointed to Geordi and whispered something to Molly.
A moment later, she waved enthusiastically to Geordi and Data smiled broadly back at the man that was both his lover and his best friend.
"He's really got a way with kids," Deanna said with a knowing smile.
"Yes, he does," Geordi agreed.
"Have you two ever considered?" Deanna trailed off as she looked at Geordi.
"We haven't talked about it. You know I've never told anyone this, but Lal is what brought us together," Geordi told her.
"I've always wondered why he never tried again," Deanna confessed.
"I don't think he could take the thought of ever losing another child," Geordi said. "He loved her so much."
But as Geordi watched Data spin little Molly around the dancefloor he wondered if maybe, just maybe, Data was ready to try again. Because this time he had Geordi with him - and they would face it together.
Geordi made a mental note to bring the subject up once they were back aboard the Enterprise.
They were planning dinner together in their quarters in a few days.
That would be the right time.
Geordi set the photograph of the two of them back on the surface of the workstation.
It had been taken at Will and Deanna's wedding. Will Riker's love for all things archaic had included ancient photography.
They were smiling, decked in out their crisp white dress uniforms with their arms around each.
Everything had felt so right in that moment.
Geordi put his face in his hands and rubbed his temples.
He had never imagined this.
He had once stood across from Data at this very workstation and Data had invited him to join him in studying poetic emptiness.
"You may experience the emptiness with me, if you wish," Data had asked him years earlier.
It wasn't supposed to happen like this.
Data was always supposed to outlive Geordi.
But now Data was gone.
He was struck by another memory.
"It is not gone Geordi," Data said. "It is always here. For you."
Geordi looked up at the photograph.
"Not gone, Data. Never. Always here," Geordi said aloud as he brought his hand up his chest. "Always here. For you."
The chime sounded, alerting him there was someone outside of his quarters.
Geordi cleared his throat and called for them to enter.
Reg Barclay stepped in nervously and handed Geordi a small case.
Geordi opened the case and delicately ran his fingers across the small positronic engram fragment contained inside.
"You think this will work?" Geordi asked.
Reg shifted nervously.
"In all of the simulations it appears to correct the overload problem," Reg said. "I…I can't promise you anything but I…I…I think it should work."
Geordi pulled the engram out and turned it over in his hand.
"Lal's cascade failure was due to an overload, but this engram was the missing piece that Data didn't have," Reg explained.
There was a moment of silence as Geordi placed it back in the case and closed the lid.
"Do…do you want to try it?" Reg asked anxiously as he rung his hands.
"Yeah. I'm gonna head over there now," Geordi said as he stood. "And hey, Reg. Thank you."
Geordi grabbed the case and the photograph and headed off for Data's lab.
It took them nearly three hours to repair the previous synaptic damage and fuse in the new engram. Geordi's hands had shook nearly as much as Reg's during the procedure.
After they were finished, Reg stepped outside to give Geordi some time and privacy.
He cleared his throat and paced back and forth for a few moments, attempting to work up the resolve to reactivate her.
Data's daughter.
Their daughter.
She had been his whole world.
Geordi steeled himself and activated her.
Lal raised her head and looked around, taking in her surroundings.
"Lal?" Geordi asked.
"Geordi La Forge," Lal said.
Geordi nodded. He opened the door to the storage rack. Taking hold of her hand, he helped her off the platform.
Lal looked around slowly before turning back to Geordi.
"Father? Where is my father?" she asked.
Geordi felt a familiar wave of pain grip his senses and settle in his heart.
Geordi took hold of her hand and she looked at him quizzically.
"Lal, your father was killed. He, he died saving all of us, including you," Geordi explained.
It was all still so raw, but he needed to state it aloud.
He could see she was confused and starting to cry.
Although she had been deactivated, because of her internal chronometer she knew that twelve years, eighty-eight days, nine hours, fourteen minutes, and twenty-five seconds had passed since her deactivation.
It didn't make sense to her.
Her father was an android.
Although it was possible that he may someday degrade and fail, it should not have occurred during that span of time.
"How?" Lal demanded.
"Lal, your father sacrificed himself to save everyone of us including you. He kept you safe here because he hoped that one day, he would be able to reactivate you," Geordi told her.
Lal stepped back and Geordi could see there was fear etched in her features.
He felt a mixture of sadness and excitement.
He couldn't begin to imagine what she was feeling. When he'd lost own mother, he had been a wreck.
There was emotion.
But her synaptic network was holding stable.
And for Geordi, that was a victory.
"I am alone," Lal said as her breathing increased rapidly.
"No, no, no," Geordi said as he stepped to her.
He pulled her in for an embrace.
"You are not alone," he said softly.
He had stood in this very room twelve years earlier, offering Data the same assurance.
Data may have physically been gone, unable to fulfil his dream of fatherhood.
But Geordi was determined to carry it on for him.
And with a little help from Data's years of careful research, some help from Juliana's scans, and a little elbow grease on behalf of Reg Barclay, he was about to start.
As if on cue, Reg burst into the lab. He'd been waiting eagerly outside, unable to contain himself any longer.
"Did it wo-" Reg stopped himself as soon as he saw the pair.
Understanding he had interrupted a private moment, he backed toward the door quietly.
Geordi mouthed 'thank you' and Reg gave him an exited grin as he quietly slipped back into the corridor.
"Well?" Guinan asked as she saw Reg's face.
"It worked," Reg said.
"C'mon, I'll buy you a warm milk," Guinan said as she guided Reg to Ten Forward.
Back in the lab, Geordi held Lal as she cried, rocking her back and forth.
"Geordi La Forge, it hurts," she sobbed.
"I know it does," he said. "I know it does."
They stayed like that for a while until her breathing seemed to regulate itself and her tears seemed to slow.
"I want to show you something, Lal," Geordi said as he brought her over to the table in the lab.
He picked up the picture from Will and Deanna's wedding and handed it to her.
Geordi and Data, arm in arm, dressed in their best and smiling.
She traced her fingers across Data's face.
"Father," she said softly. "Gone."
"Not gone, Lal," Geordi said as he took her hand and guided it to his chest. "Here."