"Oh come on! Don't you see? That girl has a total crush on you!" Geordi said in Ten-Forward.
He had not noticed. Could it be? Could Rina Meunier be in love with him?
"Of course she is! She is my twin sister. I know what this look in her eyes means."
He needed advice. The first was Cmdr. Riker. He had experience with women.
After he had described Rina's behavior towards him, Riker smiled knowingly.
"I think there is nothing wrong in trying. She is a very beautiful woman. She likes you and you care for her. Talk to her."
At the moment he sat in Counselor Troi's office.
"The way you describe it, it his highly likely that she has feelings for you. Be careful. It would be the best if you wait for her to take the next step."
Data made his way to Rina's quarters. They wanted to go to another place of her life. He had brought a bouquet of light-pink-colored roses. He rang the chime.
The doors hissed open and revealed Rina, wearing a black waistcoat over a white-blue-striped, long-sleeved shirt, black jeans, flat pumps and a beret. Her hair, streaked with blue strands, he wondered how she managed it that they fitted her clothes or why she did it, was tied into the usual braid.
He handed her the flowers and she took them.
After a while she smiled. "You have a talent to make me speechless. Thank you." She hugged and kissed him as always.
She put the roses into a vase which she put down in the middle of the table in the kitchen-area. She took his hand and they left for the holodeck.
"You know I never was up here. I was always afraid of heights," she said as they looked down at the roofs of Paris from the top floor of the Eiffel tower.
"Do you enjoy it now?"
"Yes. I have wings. There is no reason to be scared anymore."
He watched her closely. Had she really romantic feelings for him?
Data found the possibility of a romantic relationship with her very appealing.
She was intelligent, caring, sensitive and most importantly unprejudiced.
He recalled all the times she had called him amazing, sweet or kind.
"You're amazing, you know that?"
"Thanks for walking me home. You're really sweet."
"I know I'm repeating myself but that's so very sweet of you."
"Neither do I care what you are. You are too sweet and caring to be just a computer."
"Thanks. For not having emotions you say the sweetest things."
When she had defended him against her aunt.
*Data is an android not a robot. And he would be a better husband than this nobleman you have in mind.*
"Why not? You are kind, sweet, trustworthy and honest. Good qualities in a marriage."
"You sell yourself short. I believe somewhere out there is the right partner for everyone. Even for us."
How long did she have these feelings?
"I would never leave you alone like this. You mean too much to me."
"But you can choose your friends. I think I made a good choice."
"You're right. I'm glad to have someone like you as my friend too."
She hugged him, she kissed him, held his hand or arm, even with others watching, seeming not to care. Not even about their differences.
"I, if you will excuse my choice of words for a moment, give a shit about what people think or say."
"It would appear that we have something in common."
She shivered. He carefully put one arm around her, warming her with his own body heat.
"Thanks."
"You are welcome."
He decided to wait until she told him about her true feelings.
Ready for the last chapter?