Author's Note: You folks are simply the best community. All of your likes, kudos, comments, and support is overwhelming. Thank you!
I removed the mention of 'sad eyes' from the Neil Gaiman quote that Data cites. While the quote, as a whole, I believe captures the mood in that moment. I didn't feel the concept of 'sad eyes' really fit for the situation. The quote is from Stardust .
"Woolly combinations" are essentially a "union suit." (Basically a Victorian version of footie-pyjamas without the feet. Most commonly, you've probably seen them in old western films).
The poems referenced are Robert Frost's Stopping By the Woods On a Snowy Evening, Shakespeare's Blow Blow Thou Winter Wind, and Christina Rossetti's In the Bleak Midwinter.
Now - full steam ahead with the fluff!
During their trek into town, Data had been the object of more than a few strange looks. Tasha had tightened her grip on his hand as the headed for the library.
Shopkeepers and townsfolk weren't the only ones giving them strange looks. The children they had seen earlier had followed them into town – ducking behind carts and around corners and thinking they were far stealthier than they truly were.
The library proved to be a new experience for Data.
Data had spent hours in libraries before. Literature had been such a critical part of his development. He adored learning through the written word.
However, this library confronted Data with an interesting conundrum.
One that he had never faced before.
Because of the delicate nature of these physical books, Data could not whip through them at his normal reading speed. While he was capable of comprehending thousands of words per minute, these books required gentle hands lest they be damaged.
This meant there was a limit to the number of books Data would be able to read in this format.
It made him treasure the titles he had selected to read by hand.
Before leaving, Data made a scan of the complete collection in the library and made a reading list to save for later. He would be able to pursue the titles once he was back on the Enterprise .
Data was enamoured.
He wanted to learn everything he could about the era to share the same knowledge that would have been available in Holmes's time.
The library also featured a working gramophone with wax discs available for playback. They were not original wax discs – the material degraded far too quickly with playback to be preserved for long. Rather, there was a pair of researchers that produced them as part of their work in the village.
There was also a historical cartographer that maintained an office at the library. As part of her research, she was producing a series of handmade historical maps of Earth from various eras. Data and the cartographer chatted for a time. She explained that all of the changes during that time offered her plenty of material to work with.
To Data's delight, she allowed him to peruse her collection and was happy to answer questions about the various areas she had already completed.
As Data unrolled the next map, he paused.
"This is France," he said, recognising the layout of the land from his own research into the region.
"Yes, it's from the French Third Republic after the collapse of the Second Empire," she explained. "1870. This is from the early days of the Franco-Prussian war before Alsace-Lorraine was annexed by a reunified Germany."
Data was fascinated by the piece. It was hand-painted on canvas. It was technically a map of most of the historical region of western Europe, but France was the highlight of the map.
"Do you ever sell any of your maps?" Data inquired.
The cartographer nodded.
"Sometimes," she shrugged. "Historians and enthusiasts will occasionally purchase or commission them."
"May I purchase this from you?" Data asked.
"Sure," she replied.
The cartographer explained she would fetch a storage tube and get it packed for him. In the meantime, he would need to see Oswalt to exchange his Federation credits for schillings.
"Would you consider adding one thing?" Data questioned.
"Sure!" she replied. "What did you have in mind?"
It took Data 1.12 seconds to identify the correction location on the map.
"Château Picard," he said as he tapped the spot near La Barre with his finger. "Right here."
After a quick trip across to the postal office to exchange currency, Data returned to the library to pick up his map. He knew that it would be a fitting present for Captain Picard. The man had done so much for him – both as a friend and through the hearing. Data wanted to show his appreciation for all his efforts.
Once his business with the cartographer was complete, Data set out in search of Tasha.
Data had to stop himself from instinctively reaching for his combadge. Back home, they were used to merely hailing one another or the computer to determine the location of someone.
But here there was no such luxury.
And being inside a library also meant Data couldn't simply call out for her.
Upon entry, Tasha had made a beeline for the fictional books. But when Data searched that section, he found it was empty. Next, he tried the section on local history before moving on to nonfictional works.
But she wasn't there either.
He came up empty handed on the second level as well.
Data climbed the narrow iron staircase to the final level. There wasn't much up there. In fact, it looked as if this section of the library was rarely used. The third floor was deserted other than a few sparsely used bookshelves coated with a thick layer of dust.
Data glanced upwards toward the domed ceiling.
There was one last place he hadn't checked.
At the top of a small ladder that led to the dome, Data found her curled up in one of the alcoves, tucked away from the world in a high corner with her nose in a book.
Data was about to ask if she was ready to leave when he spied the title of the book.
He paused.
She peered over the edge of her book as he approached her.
"Data?" Tasha asked.
He blinked and refocused his attention.
"It will be dark soon," Data said.
Tasha's eyes narrowed.
"What's eating you?" Tasha questioned.
She could see there was something weighing on his mind.
Data shook his head, feigning ignorance.
Tasha frowned and set her book down.
"Nothing, are you ready to return to the farm?" Data asked.
"Alright, keep your secrets," Tasha replied.
She crawled out of the alcove and retrieved the stack of books she'd selected for the week.
"I was thinking we could start with this one," Tasha said as she held up the book that had made Data pause.
It was Shelly's Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus.
"Would you be disappointed if I were to request that we read something else?" Data asked cautiously.
They were part way down the staircase and Tasha stopped.
She turned back to Data, her eyes full of concern.
"What's wrong?" she demanded to know.
Before Data could respond, there was a flurry of footfalls as the children scurried behind one of the nearby bookcases.
"She's got the book!" a hushed voice said.
"Maybe he really is the creature?" another child whispered frantically.
Data's eyes shifted to the floor.
Tasha glanced down at the book in her hand and back to Data as she pieced two and two together.
She wasn't sure what to say to console him. Tasha let her head fall against his chest as she clutched the back of his waistcoat with her free hand.
"Children can be so very cruel," she said softly.
"I am not offended," Data answered honestly.
No, he wasn't offended. But he was hurt.
"Frankenstein's Creature was intelligent and articulate," Data said, attempting to reassure himself.
"And a gentle soul," Tasha added.
"Until he gave up all hope of being accepted by humans and became enraged," Data went on. "Because of the way humanity rejected him."
Tasha held him a little tighter.
"As I said, I am not offended," Data repeated. "But I do not know if I will be able to accept that people are frightened by my appearance."
Tasha looked up at him, resting her chin on his chest.
"I think you're the most beautiful person I've ever known," Tasha confessed.
"Yuuuuucckk," one of the kids gagged.
"Shove up. I can't see," a second one ordered.
"What's happening?" another child questioned.
There was some scuffling behind the bookcase.
"Ewww! They're kissing," the second child whispered.
Data and Tasha didn't care.
After they pulled apart, they grinned at one another.
"Maybe they'll be so put off they won't bother us again?" Tasha teased.
"Better do one more, just in case," Data replied before planting another kiss on her.
After they signed out their books, Data and Tasha loaded them into a satchel she'd brought along and then stepped out into the evening air.
The cobblestone street was still crowded albeit the shoppes and stands were closed down and most of the villagers were mingling about. There was a lamplighter making his rounds as the sun began to set in the distance.
Tasha looped her arm around Data's as they strolled toward the edge of town.
The village was situated on a hill and the main road ran up to the top where the parish office building and constabulary were situated.
On their way down the hill, they passed Oswalt. With the help of another large shire horse, he was hauling a cartful of coal up to the parish building.
"Settling in?" he asked.
"Aye, the farm's lovely," Tasha replied as they passed one another.
He bid them goodnight and then continued on his way.
As they reached the bottom of the hill, Data asked if they could come back tomorrow. He wanted to explore the architecture of some of the buildings in town.
"Of course," Tasha assured him.
All of a sudden, someone behind them was shouting.
"Runaway cart! Move!" Oswalt shouted.
The pull on his cart had snapped under the weight. It sent the cart full of coal barrelling down the hill.
Data calculated that based on the angle of descent, the cart was going to smash into the bakery at the bottom of the hill.
Without a second thought, Data tossed Tasha into a nearby space between the milliners and the fishmongers.
He braced himself and caught the cart, stopping it dead in its tracks before it could collide with the bakery.
Oswalt and a dozen villagers came running down the hill. They began to secure the brakes on the cart to stop it from rolling further and to take the weight off Data.
"Are you alright?" Oswalt asked. "We'll have her locked up in a moment."
"Yes," Data replied. "I can hold this as long as is required to secure the cart."
"Data," Tasha called out as she came running out from between the buildings.
She threw her arms around him.
"Here," one of the villagers said as people began to emerge with stones.
Using the stones, Oswalt was able to secure the cart.
"Whoa," Henry said as he and the other children emerged from behind the fruit stand.
They had been hiding there since the cart had gotten loose and had seen Data stop it.
"Told ya he was strong," Henry said as he playfully hit one of the other children on the arm.
"Thank you," Oswalt said sincerely as he shook Data's hand.
"You are most welcome," Data replied.
Data adjusted his waistcoat and turned to Tasha.
"Thank you!" another one of the villagers called out.
"Yes! Thank you," a third one said.
"You saved our bakery," a woman said as she approached him. "I don't know what to say."
"It was nothing, really," Data assured her.
He was uncomfortable with all the attention. Such feats of strength weren't out of the ordinary on the Enterprise . The crew were used to Data's reflexes and strength saving them during all sorts of away mission mishaps.
But for these people, it was an incredible sight.
More than that, the bakery was an essential part of their village's operations. If it were to be damaged, the devastation could take weeks to repair.
"Goodnight," Data said.
He wanted to get out of the spotlight as quickly as possible.
A few minutes outside of town, Data and Tasha spied a number of figures standing just opposite the bridge that crossed a small stream.
"It seems you have a fanbase," she commented as they drew closer.
There were six small figures waiting along the road.
"And it seems by the count of it, it's growing," Tasha teased.
On their way back to the farm, the children had an endless stream of questions.
"How strong are you?" one of the children asked.
"Could you lift an elephant? I saw one last summer on holiday," another said.
"What about two elephants?" a third child asked.
Data and Tasha grinned at one another.
"What's your name?" a small voice asked as Data felt a small hand tugging at the seam of his trousers.
Data stopped and looked down. This child was much younger than the rest of them. It was the same child that hadn't been afraid of him in the library during their first encounter.
"My name is Data," he informed him. "And you are George?"
The little boy's eyes went wide as he nodded, shocked that Data knew his name, completely oblivious to the fact that Data had overheard it in the library earlier that day.
"It's getting late, shouldn't you lot be heading home?" Tasha asked.
It was nearly dark, and she surmised their parents weren't keen for the kids to be out this late on the road outside of the village.
"I'm nine!" Henry protested.
"My bedtime isn't until eight," one of the girls said definitely.
"We're all old enough. Except Georgie. He's only six and he isn't supposed to follow us," one of the boys grumbled as he shot George a glare.
He turned to look at the other older boy who hadn't been with the group earlier.
"And nobody invited you , Rupert," he snarled.
"Hey," Tasha said, stepping to the child's defence. "That wasn't necessary. Be kind or I'm going to ask you to leave."
"But he's weird," the boy argued.
"I am weird," Data said nonchalantly.
"Give it a rest, Bertie," Henry called out.
Data stopped.
"Henry," he said as indicated to the boy that had shown them to the farm.
He turned the little boy at his side.
"And George," Data went on.
Georgie smiled shyly and ran back toward the older boy named Bertie.
"Rupert," Data nodded to the tall boy with spectacles. "And Bertie."
He indicated to the boy that George was hiding behind.
He turned to the two girls.
"Lucy," the blonde one said.
"Frankie," a little girl with a ginger braid waved.
In the distance, they could hear Oswalt calling out for the children.
"We should go," Henry said to the others.
"Mrs Data," Frankie said.
Tasha snorted.
"Tasha," she corrected.
"Mrs Tasha-" Frankie started to say.
"Just Tasha," Tasha assured her.
"Tasha, can we come see you tomorrow?" Frankie asked.
Tasha considered this for a moment as she mentally ran through her schedule. She had a few surprises planned for Data in the morning.
"How about tomorrow you can come out to the farm at 15:00 hours, eh?" Tasha said.
Data cocked his head to the side. He realised this meant she likely had something planned for earlier in the day.
"May I ask you about starships tomorrow?" Rupert asked Data politely.
"Of course," Data promised.
With a plan in place, the children raced off back to town and Data and Tasha made their way to the farm as twilight settled across the landscape.
When they stepped through the door to the farmhouse, Data olfactory receptors were greeted by an unfamiliar, but not unpleasant, scent. Notes of garlic and thyme filled the room along with the scent of simmering onions, parsnips, celery, and tomatoes.
Tasha set the satchel of books down on a bench along the wall. After pouring some fresh water into a bowl, she washed her hands and checked on the bread she had set out earlier to rise.
The house was quite chilly, so it had taken a long time for the dough to rise. But it was now the perfect size.
Tasha added some additional coal to the firebox on the range. It would take some time to heat, but it would likely be ready at the same time as the stew.
"May I help?" Data inquired.
"Sure," Tasha said as she filled a copper kettle with water.
She instructed him to grab the tea from the basket and set up the teapot.
"There's milk in the icebox," she informed him.
She grabbed a few pieces of firewood and threw them onto the hearth to get the fire going stronger.
While she hung the kettle over the hearth, Data set to work putting out the teapot and some saucers. He reached into the oak ice box and pulled out a glass bottle of milk.
"I know, I know. Holmes preferred coffee," Tasha said over her shoulder. "We can make coffee if you'd rather have that."
"Tea is acceptable," Data assured her.
He knew that she drank it regularly – almost religiously – in the evening. Peppermint tea calmed her nerves, and it was rare for Tasha to go a night without it.
"What did you pick up at the library?" Tasha inquired.
She'd seen him emerge with something in a tube but hadn't had the chance to ask him.
"It is a map," Data said excitedly. "For Captain Picard."
While they waited for the kettle, Data unrolled the map to show her what he had purchased and explained the history of the period and significance of the time at which it had been made.
"Do you believe he will like it?" Data asked.
"I think he's going to love it," Tasha replied.
The kettle began to whistle. Tasha gave him a quick peck on the cheek and then went to pull it off the fire. Data opened the lid of the teapot, and she poured the hot water in to steep with the tea she'd purchased that morning.
They had tea while they waited for the oven to heat.
"There's a lot to do here," she explained.
She got up from the table and grabbed an old-fashioned journal from her satchel.
"Now I've arranged for a few erm-" her brow furrowed as she searched for the correct word before settling on ' experiences .'
Tasha laid out the timetable for him. Most of the next few days they were free to do whatever they wanted, whenever they pleased. However, tomorrow morning there were two appointments that they couldn't miss.
She wouldn't tell him what these 'experiences' were – only to say that she figured he would find them entertaining. Their next, and final pre-arranged excursion was not until their fourth day.
"There's a number of hiking trails, rivers, a nearby pond, and plenty of caving," Tasha said excitedly. "Some interesting geological studies have been conducted in the area."
She had made a list of nearby attractions that included various limestone pavements, caves, and underground waterfalls.
"And I thought that hill to the north might be nice for stargazing," Tasha grinned before adding. "If you want to, that is."
Data took hold of her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing it with a tender kiss.
"She says nothing at all, but simply stares upward into the dark sky and watches the slow dance of the infinite stars," Data said, reciting a line from one of his favourite novels.
He was suddenly struck by an idea.
"How do you say star in Turkanan?" Data inquired.
"Rionnag ," Tasha answered.
"Rionnag ," Data repeated.
Tasha nodded as she blew on her tea to cool it.
"What about the moon?" Data asked.
"Ileaud is the moon and iluca galad means moonlight," Tasha said.
Data repeated the words back as he added them to his informational databank on Turkana.
"And the sun?" Data pressed.
Tasha folded her hands and looked away for a moment.
"Do you remember me telling you about Azura?" Tasha inquired.
Data nodded.
It had been months earlier during their last encounter with the Q before their hearing. When they had found a deceased child at the mining colony, Data had been heavily impacted by her death. Unsure of how to comfort him, Tasha had fallen back on Turkanan tradition – leaving the child under the light of the moon with a prayer to the ancient Turkanan deity that was supposed to protect the lives of those who died too young.
Data knew there were a series of deities that Tasha referred to as the 'old gods.' It was an ancient Turkanan religion that the two main Turkanan factions engaged in the civil war had sought to stamp out.
"According to Turkana tradition, Seridia is the goddess of the sun. She is Azura's sister," Tasha explained. "We call the sun seren. And while Azura protects her people, Seridia is vengeful to those who would do them harm."
Data listened intently, recording each new tidbit of information eagerly. It was so rare for Tasha to feel comfortable opening up about her culture.
"And Seridia has two children. Rorik, her son, who brings the storms and thunder," Tasha continued. "And a daughter that brings the sun and warm air."
She took a sip from her tea and then set the saucer back down.
"It was my grandmother's name," Tasha said strangely.
She was lost in her own memories.
"What was?" Data inquired.
"Sela," Tasha shared. "It means sunshine."
"What is it?" Data asked as he looked down at the contents of his bowl.
He picked it up and sniffed the contents.
There was a mixture of flavours and scents emanating from the dish.
She'd let him help with the final stages of preparing their meal, but Data still didn't have a clue what it was exactly.
It was certainly a stew or soup of some kind.
"I know it doesn't look like much tonight," Tasha said. "But I was thinking we could catch something tomorrow to add to it."
"Catch something?" Data inquired.
Tasha nodded eagerly.
Data had to stop himself from grinning at the sight of her as she looked up at him over her bowl, cheeks full as she drank from the bowl.
She swallowed and set her bowl down in front of her.
"Sorry," she said, feeling slightly embarrassed with herself.
"Do not be," Data assured her.
Tasha grinned.
"It's just nice to eat real food again," Tasha confessed.
She was watching him intently as Data copied her, bringing the bowl to his lips to sip the liquid.
"Can you…erm…taste the difference?" she asked.
Data nodded.
"Yes," he answered simply.
He truly could taste a difference in the quality of the meal in comparison to the replicated foods he had grown accustomed to eating on the Enterprise . It wasn't the first time he'd eaten real food. But real food was a rare treat, and something he'd only had a handful of times since developing his newly acquired sense of taste.
Data looked down at the bowl and then back up to Tasha as realisation struck.
"We will be eating real food all week," Data said in awe.
"Yeah," Tasha replied.
She motioned to the pot behind her on the range.
"This is pottage. It's like a sort of stew that you just keep adding to," Tasha explained. "I thought we could try and catch something tomorrow or the next day."
"As in an animal?" Data asked.
He was confused.
"As in a fish," Tasha explained.
Data nodded in understanding.
Tasha had serious reservations about eating most forms of meat – it was a fear from her childhood that had carried over into adulthood. On Turkana, insect was the most common form of protein. Meat wasn't commonly available. And for those that could afford it, the most common sources were cats, rodents, snakes, or people.
Tasha and her sister had survived the unforgiving wilderness by fishing. It was far safer than attempting to trap anything larger.
"Oswalt said we'd be welcome to the medlars," Tasha informed him.
Data accessed his informational databank to determine these were a small fruit that were acidic and needed to essentially be rotten before consuming. While visually off-putting, they apparently had a softened texture that was edible on the inside.
"Pears too," Tasha added. "We can get them right from the tree."
She ripped a piece of crusty bread and dipped it into the bowl to sop up the liquid.
Data followed her lead and was pleased he had decided to try it, the savoury flavour of the pottage soaking into the bread and blending into a delicious, soggy mess.
"Tasha?" Data asked.
"Hmm?" she asked.
"Thank you for making me dinner," Data said.
Tasha smiled.
"Of course," she assured him.
As they ate, Data felt comfortable enough to share something he'd been thinking about since their trip to the library.
"I have been thinking," Data began. "About the incident at the library and Frankenstein's Creature-"
"Oh honey, don't worry about what they said," Tasha said, cutting him off.
Data shook his head.
"I am the creature," Data said.
A pained look fell on Tasha's face.
"Rather, I am someone's creature," Data clarified.
Tasha blinked as she tried to comprehend what he was saying.
"Someone, whether an individual or a civilisation, created me," Data said.
He knew he was found on Omicron Theta. But he knew little else.
Data couldn't explain it, but it felt like there were memories he couldn't access. It was as if the information he needed was sitting under the surface of some frozen lake - just out of reach.
"After we complete our mission to make contact with the Jarada, our next mission is going to take us near the Omicron Theta system," Data informed her.
"Where you were found," Tasha said.
Data swallowed hard as he searched for the right words.
"I would like to ask Captain Picard if we may stop on the planet where I was located," Data explained.
Tasha nodded slowly as she considered the idea.
"Tasha, I cannot explain how or why this feeling is so strong," Data confessed. "But I firmly believe that there are more of my kind out there. Somewhere."
His eyes lit up with enthusiasm and Tasha could see just how passionate he was in this conviction.
While information about the Omicron Theta Federation Colony existed in Starfleet records, Data had always steered clear of digging into it. There wasn't much available about androids or robotics research and a part of him had always been afraid of what he may find.
"And I need know what happened to them," Data stated.
Tasha flashed him a broad smile, but on the inside she felt an inexplicable sense of trepidation.
Someone had created him. That was a fact without question.
But somehow, someway, he'd wound up alone and deactivated.
Was it possible that like Doctor Frankenstein, his creator had grown to resent their creation? Tasha thought.
She was worried he may find answers that would be unwelcome.
"Data, what if," she trailed off and frowned. "What if you don't get the answers you want to find?"
It was difficult question, but she didn't want him to get hurt.
"You mean what if I was left deactivated because my creator was afraid of me?" Data clarified.
Tasha looked back at him, her expression belied just how painful it was to voice such a concern.
"I do not know how I will feel," Data admitted honestly. "But I cannot image it feels any worse than not knowing."
An hour later they had cleaned up the kitchen and were settled in on the sofa in the sitting room under a large quilt.
The room was fairly dark save for one oil lamp and a sliver of light that came from behind the grate on the coal stove. Despite the amount of coal they'd shovelled in, it wasn't kicking out much heat.
Data had noted the temperature had dropped significantly as the night wore on. It was a mere three degrees and nearly freezing.
Data was quite comfortable in the pyjamas and Holmesian style smoking jacket she had packed for him. Tasha herself was sporting a pair of woolly combinations in a dark, muted red and an obnoxiously thick pair of socks.
When she had first come downstairs, Data had to suppress a smile.
"What?" she had demanded.
Data had said nothing, opting instead to brush a kiss on the top of her head.
Now, snuggled up in a nestle of blankets fighting to keep out the chill of the night air, Data understood precisely why she'd been dressed in such a manner.
While they spent more nights than most next to one another with a book or their PADDs in each other's quarters, there was something special about doing it here.
It was a sense of a peace that they would never find on the Enterprise , despite the fact that the ship was their home.
There was no risk of a red alert or an unknown space anomaly calling them into action.
They couldn't be called away to the Bridge.
And there was no one to disturb them by dropping by to get a report authorised or requisition approved.
"I bet it's beautiful here when it snows," Tasha commented. "I wish we could come back then and see it."
According to Oswalt, it would be at least another month or so before they'd see snow.
"I would like that as well," Data replied.
Tasha sighed as she laid her head back against his chest.
"We can come back. Someday," Data suggested.
Tasha closed her eyes and groaned.
"I know," she said in a resigned voice. "But when was the last time you were on Earth before this?"
Before Data could answer, she cut him off.
"When we launched the Enterprise-D, right?" Tasha finished for him.
Although the Flagship certainly got back to Earth more often that most Starfleet vessels, trips were still a rarity.
"It's going to be two or three years before we can get back here," Tasha grumbled. "And we won't likely have five days like this again for a long time."
Tasha loved the snow. Her holodeck workouts with Worf often involved winter sports. But most of all, she liked how quiet it was whenever she experienced a fresh snowfall programme on the holodeck.
"Close your eyes," Data instructed.
He accessed his internal informational bank on poetry and began to recite, from memory, some of his favourite poems.
"In the bleak midwinter frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone," Data said.
Tasha snuggled back against him as she let her mind wander to thoughts of quiet woods, branches covered in hoarfrost, and large, soft flakes of snow falling quietly.
"Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky that dost not bite so nigh," Data went on. "As benefits forgot. Though thou the waters warp, they sting is not so sharp as friend remembered not."
Tasha turned over so she could wrap her arms around him.
She yawned and then nuzzled against his shoulder.
"Tell me another one?" she asked. "Please?"
Data nodded.
"Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village, though. He will not see me stopping here to watch his woods fill up with snow," Data began. "My little horse must think it queer to stop without a farmhouse near."
Tasha shivered against him.
"Between the woods and frozen lake, the darkest evening of the year," Data went on.
A quiet, hazy sound of response escaped from her lips as Data pulled the quilt up over her shoulder. Her breathing had changed, and Data knew she'd fallen asleep.
He put out the oil lamp on the table next to the sofa. Keeping the quilt wrapped firmly around her, Data scooped her up.
"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep," he continued as he carried her to the stairs.
Data delicately placed her over his shoulder and climbed the ladder to the loft.
"But I have promises to keep," he recited.
He pulled back the quilt on the bed and gently set her down.
Data stepped over to the coal stove and threw in a few lumps to help fight back against the chill.
Then, he carefully climbed in next to her and pulled her close.
"And miles to go before I sleep," he whispered.
Holding her close, he inhaled deeply, relishing in the scent of lavender that came from her hair product. He brushed the top of her head with a kiss and then set a timer to activate his sleep programme.
"And miles to go before I sleep," he concluded.