AN: Hello all, I'm incredibly sorry for taking so long to pump out another chapter (and even then it is more of a small filler) school started out a bit hectic for me, and I have barely had any time to sit down and do anything for myself. When I did, this took second place.

Either way, here's another small chapter. I'd say I'm about halfway through the rehabilitation for Lore's character that I hope to achieve, so I pray that I'll actually be able to write the rest in a reasonable time period.

This chapter is yet again dedicated to Pattercake, as your reviews were really the only thing keeping me motivated to write. Anytime I thought about giving up, I'd reread your reviews and keep going. I'm sure I've practically got them memorized by now!

Thank you again to all of my readers and followers, you guys are the light of my life.

After seeing Lore cry, he and Deanna seemed to have a special sort of understanding. When days passed, and she had not told any of her crewmates of his vulnerability, she became the first human he truly trusted.

He and Data had not spoken since their last… discussion, and Lore had taken to avoiding him. It was quite tense between them, but not their normal, one-sided hatred tenseness. This was more of a changing relationship tenseness. They weren't necessarily on "good terms" yet- at least on Lore's part- but he didn't make an effort to be needlessly mean. He didn't make an effort to do anything, really, except slip out of a room anytime Data entered, making excuses to anyone he happened to be talking to.

He had started having more frequent sessions with Counselor Troi, which helped him cope with the fact that his father had not been as perfect as he had once thought. It had been a bit hard to wrap his head around at first, but after the fourth session or so, he had come to terms with it.

Lore was actually on his way to his ninth session with Troi at this very moment, and he felt as though he had a little more pep in his step than usual. It seemed the crew members around him noticed this as well, as some smiled pleasantly at him, the way you would at someone you recognized but couldn't stop to talk with. He did his best to smile back, but he suspected it came off as a pained grimace more than anything. Ah well.

He was coming up on two small groups of crewmembers on either side of the hall, leaving hardly a big enough gap for a person to squeeze through, when Lore saw him: Data. the one person on this entire ship that he had been actively avoiding. Lore calculated his options. Data hadn't spotted him yet, he could turn around now and take another route to the counselor's office- which would make him a little late, but he could live with it. Or he could try to blend in with either of the two groups blocking his way for long enough that his brother would leave. Unlikely, as he didn't know anyone in either group, and he wasn't that personable anyway. He could try walking quickly past Data and maybe he wouldn't even be interested in chatting? Doubtful, his brother was poor at picking up on social cues. After barely a few milliseconds of thinking, he made the spontaneous decision to duck into a random room next to him.

This turned out to be an even worse idea than the ones he had just rejected. The naked man in the room almost dropped the towel around his waist as he yelled at Lore to "get out!" and shoved him hard. The android stumbled out as the doors slid shut behind him. He had never understood why organic beings were so guarded about their genitals; they were just as natural as noses, or antennae.

Unfortunately, the man's shout ruined any chances he had of avoiding Data. Clearly, there was some sadistic force determined to make Lore's life even more difficult than it already was.

"Lore? What is going on?" Data questioned, breezing past the crew that had stopped talking when they heard the noise, instead turning to watch this exchange unfold.

"Data," Lore greeted cooly, regaining as much of his unflappable exterior as possible. He felt a tic coming on.

"What is going on?" Data repeated, stopping just shy of 3 feet from his brother.

"Nothing more than a minor mistake, I simply walked into the wrong room by accident," Lore lied easily. "I was just on my way to an appointment with Counselor Troi, which I should really be getting to."

He attempted to walk past Data, but the other android grasped his arm tightly.

"Let go of me," Lore snarled, immediately on the defensive, as he wildly tried to wrench his arm free from his brother's iron grip. The Lieutenant Commander was unfazed.

"I have noticed that you have been avoiding me," Data said in a neutral tone, tilting his head slightly. "Why?"

Lore snorted.

"Oh gee I wonder! It couldn't be because I didn't want to see you!"

Data looked even more confused.

"But why?"

Lore glanced at the eyes watching them and shook his head.

"Not here," he hissed, and wrenched his arm one final time, freeing it. What he would have really liked to say was "not ever," but that seemed somewhat impossible.

Data nodded.

"I was just about to go see Geordi, please accompany me," he said, and began walking, leaving no room for negotiation. Lore knew it was futile to argue, as there was nowhere he could hide on this Godforsaken ship, even if he did manage to slip away.

He took a deep breath before following his brother's retreating form.