Author's Notes: Thanks again to Lucy for being an awesome beta.

Commander's Personal Log: Stardate 2276.05

I would like to think if I fell in love with Captain Bennet, it's because we were forced by circumstances to know each other better.

But I'm also aware that that is probably not true.

However, so much close contact more than likely accelerated that process. We ate the majority of meals together, discussed our childhoods and family, and worked in close quarters for many months. My reticent nature prevents me from forming friendships easily, but that did not deter the captain. Although our first meeting with the express purpose of learning about each other better did not go smoothly, that did not stop Captain Bennet's inquisition.

U.S.S. Longbourn, Captain's Quarters: Stardate 2275.207 at 1658 hours

Lizzie glanced at the clock, cursing at the bright red numbers while she struggled with her blouse. Her second-in-command had a penchant for showing up on the dot, and she regretted the nap she took after her shift. Accidentally sleeping in seems like something the Vulcan would scoff at, inwardly of course, and she didn't need another reason for him to judge her. She slipped on a boot, and focused on it even when she heard the door bell ring. "I'm coming!" she yelled while heading towards the mirror. Her hair was a mess, with frizzy brown wisps forming a halo around her head. Sighing, Lizzie picked up a simple clip before putting it back down. No use trying to tame it when she was already late.

The door opened with a push of a button, and she politely greeted Darcy. He wore a simple black tunic and slacks, his expression neutral as usual. Lizzie began to regret her decision to force him to spend time with her. Although she thought it was necessary to the safety of the crew, she didn't want to give him more reasons to think less of her.

"Captain," the commander nodded in response, and before she could say anything else he moved to give her the data PADDs he had been holding. "I composed a series of questions for you and saved my answers to the exact questions on the second PADD. They cover every aspect of what I believe will be necessary information, including personal information like romantic relationships and early childhood memories. You can, of course, choose not to answer but-"

"Command, I'm going to stop you right there," Lizzie stated firmly while setting the data PADDs on a side table and putting her other hand on her hip. "While I should've expected nothing less than for you to attack this problem with your usual logical vigor, I think we misunderstood each other."

Darcy stared at the data PADDs almost longingly before turning towards Lizzie again. "I can assure you the questionnaire is very thorough. After reviewing several options, I concluded this was the most effective course of action."

"Commander Darcy- can I just call you Darcy?" Lizzie continued after he nodded in acquiescence, "Darcy, who's the first person I would go to on this ship if I need to confide in someone?"

"Given her occupation and familial status, I would conclude Counselor Bennet," Darcy answered, secretly wondering where the captain was going with her questioning.

The captain clasped her hands in front of her chin and lowered her head thoughtfully. "And what I just wanted to vent about something? If I didn't want advice or anything, I just wanted to complain, who would I go to then?"

Lizzie almost crowed in victory at the furrow that appeared between Darcy's eyebrows. "I do not understand. Would you not still go to Counselor Bennet?"

"No, because she offers advice and likes to think the best of everyone. Don't get me wrong, it's very useful for her position, but sometimes it's easier for a human to just rant about something that angers them. It's like talking to yourself, but with another person to nod along." When Darcy continued to stare at her, Lizzie stepped to the side of her door and gestured to her living room. "Why don't you have a seat? I'd like to explain it better."

Darcy stiffly marched to the sofa and perched himself on the edge of the seat to the far left, leaving the remainder of the couch for Lizzie. She turned to rest her back on the sofa arm and swung her legs so she was sitting on them. She started out slowly, trying to articulate her thoughts in a way Darcy would understand. " I have been doing some research and I've seen cases where memories were 'stolen' or where people were researched so thoroughly that the impostors were able to do whatever they wanted with little notice. Or where there wasn't an impostor at all, but somebody was infected with something that... altered their behavior in some way. Human behavior is so nuanced and- and so complicated that I don't just want us to know each other well, I want us to be able to predict the other's behavior. What are your thoughts?"

Darcy tilted his head down by a fraction, paused, and looked up several seconds later. Lizzie was starting to think she could learn to read his emotions someday. "Your logic is sound. How would you prefer to proceed?"

"I think we should start by learning the other's habits. Where's your favorite place to go on the ship? We could go there and chat," Lizzie suggested with some trepidation. Although it was her idea, she had a feeling conversing with Darcy about personal matters would be akin to pulling out teeth.

The commander hesitated just for a moment, something she had never seen him do before. It wasn't as if he was thinking of an answer, but instead deciding on whether or not to answer. Her curiosity was piqued, so she was disappointed when he answered with a neutral, "I have no preference."

The captain smirked a little in response. "Sure you don't, Darcy. We can go to my favorite spot then. Or should I say one of my favorites." Lizzie stood up to walk out of her quarters, Darcy following close behind. Once they were in the hallway, walking towards the turbolift, Lizzie casually asked a question that had been on her mind since they first met. "So, tell me commander, why did you decide to join Starfleet?"

His reply sounded like he was reading straight out of a Starfleet pamphlet. "I chose Starfleet because of the superb career and academic opportunities."

Lizzie turned to look at him, and when he offered no other information she tried prompting him a little bit. "There weren't any good opportunities on Vulcan?"

If Lizzie didn't think that Darcy could be any more physically tense than he usually was then he just proved her wrong. His shoulders hunched infinitesimally and he folded his hands in front of his body. "No."

The word hung heavily in the air, and Lizzie, who didn't have steady verbal control on a good day, blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. "I only joined Starfleet to piss off my mother. She has ancient views on gender roles and thought I should find a husband and settle down in the small town I grew up in. I can't even say I had noble intentions; I didn't think about helping people or the benefits of joining Starfleet, I did it because I'm stubborn and feel the need to prove myself to her." Some of the words jumbled together, given how fast they came out of her mouth, and she closed her eyes and grimaced to herself. Great, this guy isn't even capable of small talk and I just unloaded several years of insecurity on him.

Beside her, Darcy started speaking again softly and Lizzie opened her eyes in shock. "While the opportunities in Starfleet did induce me to eventually join, I made the choice to move off Vulcan because of my personal circumstances. My father died when I was eighteen, and I decided to move with my sister to Earth as I believed she would thrive more in that type of atmosphere."

The turbolift stopped and the doors opened. As they continued down the hallway at a rather brisk pace, Lizzie asked tentatively, "Why did you think she would like Earth more? Isn't it overwhelming to Vulcans? Or even half-Vulcans?"

Darcy seemed to pause again, as if deciding how much he wanted to reveal. Lizzie couldn't blame him; they were hardly friends, and Darcy wasn't the type of person who got touchy-feely with anybody, much less a coworker. "Although my sister has many of the traits associated with Vulcans, she is human. The majority of the studies I reviewed when considering the move indicated that adolescent humans needed proper emotional care in order to grow up to be mentally healthy adults, even if that emotional care is from peers. Therefore, it was logical to conclude Earth would be a better environment for her."

Lizzie stopped at the doors to the holodeck and pressed a button on the panel. "Please begin program 'E Bennet #3," she prompted the computer. While they waited for the program to load she considered Darcy's statement. He must really like his sister to move to Earth and live with a bunch of us humans. And how sad is it that he isn't able to show affection to even a close family member?

The computer interrupted her morose thoughts by pronouncing that the program was ready. The commander and the captain stepped in at the same time. The holodeck had transformed into a beach shore with white sand and sparkling blue water. A colorful sunset covered the wall on the opposite side of the doors, and a picnic blanket laid near the water. As Lizzie sat on the blanket she began to question her choice of environment, but decided that anywhere she chose would make Darcy uncomfortable so she might as well be relaxed. Darcy sat rigidly across from her, and Lizzie considered what she knew about her companion. He was a half-Vulcan who completely changed his life just for the chance to improve his sister's life, he did in fact have facial cues (they were just more subtle than any other person's), and he... well, that's basically all she knew. But we're here to rectify that. "So, what other family do you have?"

"I have three cousins and an aunt on the maternal side of my family. I have no other living relatives."

When Darcy offered no other information she tried again. "Who's your favorite? Other than your sister, of course."

His lips turned down minutely. "I have no favorite relative, as that would be illogical."

The captain realized that would probably be a common answer from him, but that didn't deter her. Maybe framing her questions where the answer is quantifiable would be more useful when talking to a Vulcan. "Who do you spend the most time with then? Who do you talk to the most?"

For the first time since she met him, Darcy looked at her in bewilderment. "With James, of course."

"Uh, alright... why is that 'of course'?" Lizzie asked tentatively. She had a suspicion he was going to make her feel like a complete idiot.

Darcy tilted his head to the side ever so slightly. "We're on the same assignment. Naturally I would see him more than any of my other relatives."

Lizzie's eyes widened and she coughed in surprise. "You have a relative on the ship? That's a coinci- oh. Ohhhhh James Fitzwilliam is your cousin. The brash, loud guy who likes yelling 'Ba-dam tss!' after giving terrible puns is genetically related to you. That's- that's... why can't I think of any words? It's like I'm having an aneurysm."

Darcy pressed the communicator on his chest in alarm. "Dr. Bennet, please have a medical team rep-", he began urgently. He stopped speaking at Lizzie's abrupt giggles. "Captain Bennet, I believe I should escort you to the medical bay."

Breathless from laughter, Lizzie told her sister she was fine before shutting off her communicator and turning back to her confused companion. Even when he was freaking out his facial expressions were kept at a minimum. "Darcy, that was hyperbole. Don't worry, you'll understand me someday." She waited until he sat back down to try to start the conversation again. "Why don't you tell me more about your sister?"