XXII.

For nearly four hours, Data remained alone in his room. He struggled to find anything and everything to distract him from the thoughts that kept invading his mind. Images of the captain and Heva kissing were the most disturbing of these. A couple of times he called the bridge and engineering to see if he was needed. Negative.

He sat for a long time on his bed holding spot, thinking about Heva. He thought of her smile, her touch, her very presence.

"Heva would not do this to me…" he concluded.

"Data to the captain. I wish to see you in my quarters."

He had barely finished his sentence when the door opened. Jean-Luc stood there looking weathered and unkempt. He stepped in and sat down in one of the chairs in front of Data's desk. Data sat on the other side, looking at him with a cautious curiosity.

"Data…I don't know where to begin." Picard said, twiddling his thumbs. Data only stared back, wanting very much to hear his excuse for what had happened.

"I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am."

"An apology would not exactly be sufficient, captain." Data snapped back. "I would much rather like to hear why it was you pursued Heva today in the science lab."

Jean-Luc nodded and looked away.

"I am not quite sure. For days I have…been feeling detest against you. I haven't ever let jealousy get in the way of my relationships with friends and coworkers until now. I can't be certain why I chose now to do such a horrible thing out of envy…but I did." He glanced up and then turned away from Data, sighing. "I have never seen a woman like Heva Brookes in my whole life. So full of drive, courage…and so like me…We were both assimilated. And though I was only a part of the Hive for a manner of days, I feel the things she feels toward the Borg. And when it turned out that we didn't need her knowledge on them after all…I had a mind to send her away, to get her away from both of us. But my commanding officer instructed me to keep her here with us. I suppose…I suppose that it was-"

"Fate." Data finished.

Jean-Luc turned back to him and nodded. "Yes. It was fate that brought her aboard this voyage and here with you, Data."

For a time, they could only look at each other. Data was unsure of what to say. He understood the captain's infatuation for Heva, but he still couldn't accept what he had done as an okay thing.

"Captain," he said curtly. "I am disappointed in your actions. I feel that you have betrayed me in a way that is not easy to set aside at this time. However, I would like to say that I was suspicious of these feelings. I am upset that you didn't speak with me about any of this. Heva is my girlfriend, and I am supposed to be your friend-"

"I am your friend, Data!"

"-And you trod in behind my back and tried to pursue her. You should have expressed your feelings to me. I would have taken it lighter than you expected. I would not leave her for you, but I would have appreciated a bit more honesty in you captain."

"Data, it is not that easy to-"

"That is all I have to say to you, for now."

"Data-"

"Good night, sir. I will report for duty at my scheduled time and speak to you on professional terms only."

Jean-Luc nodded and stood. He paused only to find that he was no longer allowed to speak. He left the room quickly and again, Data was left in an angry state. He turned to the window and stared out at the stars.

Humans were such complex things; always looking to the stars to find purpose, a meaning for their lives. Now, however, as Data looked out at the stars himself, he found that he was looking for something that he only needed to take a short walk to get to. He didn't want to be alone anymore, not when he was feeling so angry, so betrayed, so…

Lonely.

Heva lifted her face from the pillow and wiped away the excess tears from her eyes and cheeks. She wasn't sure if she had heard her door bell or not. She supposed it was more wishful thinking than anything and let out a small sob, pushing her face back into her bed.

Then there it was again. She sat up faster this time. She had heard right. She pulled her satin robe on and straightened her hair as best she could. She reached the door and wiped her face, attempting to make herself look happier than she really was. Finally, with a sigh, she opened the door.

Data had turned to leave when the door slip open. He rotated back to face Heva. She looked disheveled. Her hair was tangled and her ponytail was slacking, hanging to one side. Her eyes were swollen and a deep shade of scarlet from all of her tears and rubbing them away. Her mouth gaped open for breath, as her nose must have been very stuffed. And to top it off, there were tear stains on her beautiful lavender, satin nightgown.

The look of surprise and relief on both their faces was a comfort, knowing that they knew what the other was thinking.

Data sighed and shut his eyes for a moment. He wasn't sure what to say. He couldn't just tell her that he was upset about being betrayed, she knew that. He wasn't about to tell her that he felt like fainting from all of the stress in his system, she may take it the wrong way. At last, he knew the perfect thing to say and opened his eyes, looking at her.

"I need you." He breathed.

Heva smiled and sniffed, uttering a soft sob of happiness. She pulled him in by his pinky finger and let the door close, engulfing them in darkness.

All he could see was her silhouette in front of him, but he could feel her. She had wrapped her arms around his neck and was running her fingers up and down the back of his head. He closed his eyes, the tickling and yet soothing sensation of her light scratches was ecstatic and he craved…more.

He bent his head down and saw her eyes beaming up at him. He began to feel something…something not unlike the things he knew, but it was altogether different from anything else he had ever experienced. It caused him to, ever so slowly, draw nearer to her.

Their noses rubbed against each other and they stayed there for a few seconds before pursuing their prime target. Data felt Heva's top lip gently graze his bottom and he felt a light tremble run up his back; another new sensation that he wanted more of.

Their lips only gave each other a soft touch for a moment longer and at long last, they mingled together. Data brought Heva closer to him, as close as he could get her, and pushed her lips into his farther by grabbing the back of her head, gripping a handful of her hair for leverage.

Heva fell easily into him, feeling as though the both of them had been caught in world without gravity. The taste of Data's lips on hers was addicting, it was the most erotically sensual feeling she had ever had in her entire life. And she knew it wasn't over.

They parted, both of them hardly able to open their eyes as they savored their first kiss. Once Data's eyes were open gazing down into hers, he felt a rush; he needed more of her. He wanted her lips, her soul, her body; he wanted her everything for himself and to never let it go.

He cupped her face in his hands and brought her back into him, pressing his mouth into hers again. This time, the kiss began to turn into a passionate dance as they explored one another; more deeply than the last time. Data felt himself moving backward from the force of Heva's body against his. He didn't care, his whole system was buzzing with so many new sensations, feelings, and cravings he felt he would explode; but he couldn't stop.

He felt his back thump against the wall and released their connection. His breath was heavy, quick, and he couldn't catch up with it at all. He felt wild and excited, he could tell by the look on Heva's face in the darkness that she felt the same way.

He reached up and put his hands gently on her shoulders and slid them down to her arms, bringing the robe down with them. Heva let the robe fall to her feet and lifted her hands to the opening on Data's uniform. She brought the zipper down gradually, reaching up to briefly kiss Data while he slid the straps of her nightgown off of her shoulders. Data slipped his jacket off and tossed it to the floor, after which Heva pulled him by his turtleneck over to her bed. They only stood beside it for a moment, a soft light glowing against them from a lamp around the corner. Heva pressed her hand against Data's cheek and stroked her thumb against his skin. His eyes fluttered for a moment then fell steadily closed, he tilted his face toward her hand and kissed the inside of her palm, then looked back at her. She looked so unbelievably beautiful in the soft lamp light. Her hair had been taken out in their first fit of passion and was now hanging over her bare shoulders. The straps of her night gown lay lazily around her upper arm, the cut of the neck laying a view of her breasts; though keeping them hidden, as if they were teasing him like a mischievous child hiding around a corner.

His eyes snapped away, somehow shy about looking down at them and back at Heva. She returned his stare and somehow read his thoughts. She brought Data to her and softly let her lips caress his. She released him and was pleased at the look on his face. His eyes were shut and his mouth was gaping in a small, surprised smile.

She brought his hands up to her shoulders and dragged them down, letting his fingers hook onto her gown and pull it off of her body. It fell gracefully to the floor and he stared in awe.

Heva stepped forward, bringing herself into his chest and held him tightly to her. Data wrapped his arms around her and gripped her bare back. Her flesh was so soft, so tender to the touch that he couldn't help but flex his hands to rub against it time after time. Their lips met again and he felt her hands tug at his shirt, pulling it from the hold of his slacks. Understanding this, he lifted his arms and allowed her to pull the turtleneck over his head and toss it on the floor.

He scrambled with his belt buckle and tried to get it off as fast as he could, mumbling frustrated curses at the difficulty. Heva pressed a finger to his lifts and let a soft shush escape her.

"Data…" he raised his eyebrows at her as she kissed him again. He slowed down and she brought the uniform pants down. He kicked them from his ankles and stood there. Heva placed her hands on his back and pulled him to her, backing herself into the bed and they fell gracefully on top of one another. Data lifted himself up with one arm and peered down at her. He brought a hand toward her forehead and relaxed his fingers. Slowly, he grazed one finger lightly down from her hairline…over her nose…gently over her lips…under her chin…over her throat…between her collar bone…between her breast and all the way to her naval before he stopped, leaving his hand pressed against her lower belly.

Heva's eyes shut and she gasped, feeling his finger circle around her belly button. Data examined her expression and smiled. He looked down at his hand and watched as he trailed it backward in its original path. At her neck, he brought all of his fingers together and rested it on her cheek. She smiled and opened her eyes, Data was grinning down at her and she kissed him slowly, pulling him down with her lips and wrapping her arms around his neck and cupping the top, one hand over the other.

Data felt his hunger for her increase and he lifted slightly, looking downward and pressing himself into her. Heva gasped and he paused, watching her face for signs of pain. She gave him a look of reassurance, and pleading for him to continue. Holding her eyes within his own, he went farther and watched her arch her head back as she drew in a deep, trembling breath.

Data felt his body shiver with pleasure, his face relaxed and he held his breath. With his eyes shut, he let his lips fall into Heva's skin. He laid kisses onto her neck and she arched her back, lifting up, and he pressed his hands onto her shoulder blades as he lay more into her chest, on her collar bone, and onto the top of her breasts.

The feeling of her bare flesh against his was the most erotic thing he had ever known. The rose scent in her hair was like a strong narcotic, drawing him in and making him surrender to addiction. Her lips, the sweet taste of them like a sinful desert, made him hunger for bite after bite. Intoxication flowed through him like a wave as their hips grinded into one another in a rhythmic, sensual dance.

As they pressed into one another again and again, their lips hovered in front of one another, their breath kissing and flying onto their faces. Their hands explored different areas on their flesh, each new territory brought treasure in the discovery of one another.

Data sat up, maintaining their connection and she sat in his lap. Their arms wrapped around one another and their lips remained hesitant to touch, savoring their distance in anticipation for their next, precious meeting. Heva's hips swung into Data over and over again, her fingers swimming into the back of his head and up into his hair.

Heva pushed Data into the bed and straddled him, bowing to lay her mouth onto his and felt him grip onto her back. They rolled, their bodies intertwining one another in knots and again Data found himself above her. He paused and reached under Heva's thigh, bringing her leg to an angle and pushing into his side. Once he started again, Heva gripped the sheets and bent her head backward into the pillow, a soft moan of pleasure rushing through her lips.

The pace quickened as they felt themselves climbing into the highest peak of desire. Faster and faster they rushed in and out of one another, crying out at each other for more. A whirlwind of animalistic growls and moans attacked the silence and grew more and more intense until finally Heva's body flew from the bed and her hands grasped tightly into Data's shoulders to hold her up. She threw her head back in delectation and she let out a cry of passion before falling back into the sheets.

Data rolled slowly down and rubbed his nose in circles on her cheeks and she pecked his flesh softly. For a long time, they lay that way, catching their breath and rubbed one another smoothly from head to toe. Data rolled to her side and she curled herself up into him, laying her head upon his chest. He ran a hand from the top of her head down to her shoulder and she looked up.

Her face beamed with happiness at him and he found that all control had been lost. His voice staggered and his mouth trembled and he uttered "I love you…" under his breath.

Heva sat still for a moment, and then she leaned up and a gentle kiss on his lips. When she let go, she stayed in front of his face and whispered back.

"I love you too."