"This one's new," observed Yeoman Rand, setting down the tray, "Does he have a name?"

Sulu glanced up, through flowers and leaves of every size and color. Rand was always observant when she stopped by the garden, to bring Sulu his meals. He often stayed there longer than she deemed healthy, without remembering to eat.

He stood to meet her, and tapped the leaves on the newest plant.

"She's been here awhile. This is the new arrival."

Rand did not notice that this display housed two plants. Sulu separated the leaves into layers, and showcased a selection of pale grey ovals.

"Mistletoe," he said, "Uhura asked for it."

"That's a horrible name for a plant," Rand decided, "Or for anything."

"You don't have to call her that."

Rand grinned, stole a cube of food from the tray, and sat down in front of the mistletoe.

"Where'd you find her?" she brushed her fingers gently over one branch, "Uhura said it's ancient."

"It is… had to have it replicated. It's not one-hundred-percent accurate," he admitted, "the leaves are the wrong color."

"I never would've guessed."

Sulu reached for a piece of the fruit just as Rand did. She smiled and chose a different one.

"What does Uhura want it for?" she asked, staring at the replicated leaves, and trying to construct Uhura's face in their veins.

"It's for the party, I think. The captain mentioned it, too. And Doctor McCoy."

"I didn't think it would be so popular… I've never heard of it."

Sulu shrugged.

"I don't know too much about it, either. There's some other plants I know more about…"

"Like what?"

He smiled.

"I'll show you."

Rand followed him to the table in the center of the room. He opened a drawer, revealing a case of neatly labelled plants.

"Holly," Rand read, "Now that's a nice name."

"Take a piece with you," proposed Sulu, "It matches your uniform much better than it matches mine."

She wove a piece into her hair, checking her reflection in a glass cabinet. Sulu held out another, which she took without looking. Once she finally exhaled, declaring the work done, Sulu had passed her exactly fourteen trimmings of holly. She reached for another.

"It's for a friend," she said.

Sulu handed her the entire case, playfully complaining that he would need to grow more in time for Christmas.

"But you'd love that, wouldn't you?"

He nodded, as she approached the door.

"I'll tell the captain not to expect you back any time soon."

"Perfect."

The Holly and the Ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The Holly bears the crown.