AN: Okay, I've been trying to decide how to end this happy or sad, and I've been watching the first and second seasons and I've decided it is going to be happy. It will likely turn to AU, but you know what? That's okay because Rimmer is so sad and pathetic and he needs some loving (of the PG-13 variety). So…let me know what you think but be kind! Oh and about that endnote on Ch. 4…fluffiness shall abound!

Thank you so much to those who have reviewed! And thanks to my friend J, for the whole Timmy Trucker business!

Oh! And sorry for any colourful spelling mistakes and grammatical errors!

The officer's exam was only three days away and for the past week Arnold and Natasha had been studying every night. The day before she had ambushed him after his shift, sneaking up on him while he was trying to dislodge a rather stubborn hunk of chicken from a nozzle that didn't seem intent on cooperating.

"Come on—" Arnold muttered as she crept up behind him. "You stupid bloody—"

"All right Arnold!" Natasha clamped a hand on his shoulder. He let out an odd sort of shriek and nearly ripped the nozzle out of the machine. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." She rose her eyebrows, "tense are we?" She gave his shoulder a squeeze as he tried to reattach the nozzle—at least he'd got out that bit of chicken.

Now they were sitting in Arnold's quarters, across the table from each other. Natasha was tapping her pen against the table biting her lip in concentration. Arnold watched as ran her teeth over her bottom lip going over the astrometrics terms in her head, trying to set them into a mnemonic she could remember. So far all she had was Trucker Tim Reads Witty Rambunctious Sarcasm Terribly Celebrating

'What?' She thought, 'that doesn't make any sense.' She scribbled the sentence out furiously, then glanced up at Rimmer—who promptly looked down and started scribbling furiously in his notebook.

"Arnold?" Natasha set her pencil down.

"Yes?" He squeaked, his ears flaming.

"Why are you watching me?"

'Because you fancy her that's why. You want to snog her senseless,' declared the voice in the back of his head, 'come on and admit it, the only reason you've been holding these study sessions is because you want to get down her—'

"Well…uh, I, you—you've got pen on your face." 'Stupid git'.

Natasha rubbed her chin furiously, "gone?"

"Yeah," Rimmer muttered.

'All you have to do is ask, the least she'll do is laugh in your face."

Arnold didn't know if he could handle that. He could pretend he didn't care about everyone else, but not her, not Natasha.

"It's ten," Natasha declared, closing her book carefully. She looked at Arnold; he'd been acting off the last few days. "Arnold?" She stood slowly. "I haven't done something have I?"

"What?" He blinked, "no of course not, you've been great."

"Is Charles giving you a rough time again?"

"No more than usual."

"Well what is it?" She took his arm, "you've barely said two sentences to me these last two nights."

So she had noticed.

"You can tell me I won't get cross."

"Natasha," he kept his eyes fixed on his bunk, "I…I was just—I was just wondering—" All of a sudden with his deepening blush it dawned on her; smacked her right in the face. 'He's trying to ask you for a date,' and apparently having some difficulty.

Natasha blinked. She expected the disgust to wash over her, a loud cruel cackle to escape her lips. She knew that's what Rebecca would have done—what Rebecca would want to Natasha to do.

But Natasha didn't want to laugh at Arnold, didn't want to make him feel like a fool.

Sure he was different from Tom: tall and gangly, awkward—hadn't passed his officer's exam with flying colours but he was sweet, and funny, especially when he didn't mean to be.

Finally Arnold let out a disgruntled sigh; he hadn't managed to say anything besides nonsense. "Well," he said dejectedly, still staring at the floor "see you tomorrow?"

Natasha nodded, "yeah." She shoved her books into her shoulder bag and left Arnold's room.

Yay! *dances* Isn't it grand fun? It's a bit of an AU, but this is before the series started.

Anyway, let me know what you think—is everyone IC, OC? Everything tickety-boo?—

But no flames please!