Beauty and the Baldie

Posted on 07 Jul 2016 @ 5:32am by Commander Terry Walsh & Lieutenant JG Daniella Blake

11,642 words; about a 58 minute read

Mission: Risky Business
Location: Various
Timeline: MD 3 || 2100 Hours

As promised, Dani sat in front of the terminal in her quarters in an attempt to locate Terry. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to say to him yet, but maybe it'd be best to leave that as an in the moment kind of thing. There was no sense in over-thinking things and making a situation awkward. She could go in search of him the old fashioned way, but that would be incredibly time consuming, so making things easier was what she planned to do. Taking a deep and calming breath, she closed her eyes and finally spoke. "Computer... what is the location of Lieutenant Commander Terry Walsh?" Now all she had to do was wait for a reply.

The computer responded, "Lieutenant Commander Terry Walsh is currently located in his quarters, Deck Four, Room zero-four-zero-five."

Getting to her feet, Dani made her way out of her quarters and to the nearest turbolift. She only needed to go up on deck, which wasn't so bad. Once she was inside and the door closed, she gave the computer her destination. There were so many different things coursing through her at the moment, but the last thing she wanted to do was panic. The possibility was there, however.

The turbolift door opened on deck four, and she stepped out. He'd likely be really surprised to see her standing there. Hell, she was pretty surprised she was doing this. Her journey to his door was a short one, and without hesitation, Dani reached out to press the chime. She was dressed comfortably in a pair of jeans, a blue t-shirt that made her eyes pop and a pair of camel colored boots. Now all she had to do was wait for him to answer.

Terry was just about ready to go out for his evening stroll around the ship. It had become somewhat of a habit as of late, but not a bad one. It gave him some time to de-escalate from the day and think about simpler things. Like what he wanted for dinner and where he might end up on his stroll. He had already put on his jeans and grey running shoes and was headed to the back of the couch where he had put the white v-neck tee-shirt earlier. Terry was putting it on when he heard the door chime. "It's open," he called, pulling the shirt down.

Taking a calming breath, Dani walked through the door with a smile, stepping out of the way so it would close behind her. "Hi, Pilot Terry. Busy?"

Caught off guard by the voice he heard, not to mention the nickname, he turned around. Sure enough, there was the little blonde from the pool. "Well, Nurse Dani. Bit of a surprise to see you so soon again. And no, I'm not busy at all. What can I do for you?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to hang out for a bit... maybe get to know one another some," She answered, hanging close to the door in case he chose not to.

Terry smiled. This was also a bit of a surprise, but maybe not necessarily a bad one. Hanging out was something he liked to do. And doing it with Dani could be fun. Plus, getting to know her some. "Yeah, I'd like that. Did you have anything specific in mind?"

"Well," Dani began, feeling a bit sheepish. "not exactly. I still don't know my way around that well. I guess I was kind of hoping you'd have a suggestion. Or, we could go to Talon's."

"Talon's is always an option," said Terry. "Especially if you haven't had anything to eat yet. I was actually getting ready to go on my evening stroll around the ship. I never really know where I'll end up, though. So, if you're hungry, we go to Talon's. If you're up for a walk with a surprise ending, we take a stroll."

"Food is always good, but I can wait a bit. How about we take a walk?" Of course, at the mention of a surprise ending, her thoughts went to the conversation she'd had with Kelly earlier in the day. Dani definitely wasn't up for that kind of surprise just yet, so hopefully, there was something else to greet them at the end of the evening.

"A walk it is then," said Terry. He made his way over to the door where Dani was still standing. "After you," he said, smiling.

Dani stepped out into the hallway and looked back at him with a smile of her own. "So... where do you normally end up when you take these walks? And, if you don't mind me asking, why do you take them?"

Terry stepped out and let the doors close. "That's the surprising part. One day, I ended up in the gym and decided to have a quick workout. Another, I ended up in the holodeck. And on another, I ended up in Talon's and a steak. That's where I normally end up, Talon's. Sometimes I'll have dinner and sometimes just a glass of wine." They began walking down the corridor. "As for why I take them, I've been doing it since I got better from the virus." He paused a moment. "It was originally to just get out and about. To try to forget about it all. Then I started actually enjoying it."

"In a way, I wish I could have been here to help out with the virus, but on the flip side... I'm likely another person that would have gotten sick. I'm really glad you got better, though. I'm glad everyone did. On my last ship, we dealt with a virus, too. It took the lives of so many, but thankfully, none of our crew perished. We got lucky." She walked next to him, taking note that he was nearly a full foot taller than she was. For some reason, that comforted her, then she couldn't help but giggle as she pictured herself climbing up onto him to grab something that happened to be out of her reach.

"I'm sure you would've been okay. And any help they could've had in Sickbay...well, everyone was on cots. But I'm glad to hear that neither you nor any of the other crew died on that ship. You were lucky." He turned and looked down at her when she giggled. Terry smiled. It was nice to hear laughter, even if it was a giggle. "What are you giggling about, Nurse Dani?"

Dani laughed again. "I pictured myself climbing you to get to something I couldn't reach."

"Ohh, okay," said Terry. "Well, it would be the first time I'd ever been used as a ladder." Then he laughed. "Oh man, I just pictured, too..." And he laughed even harder, leaning against the bulkhead.

Dani laughed a bit harder. "I would do it, too. No one is safe from me."

He looked at her and grinned. "Spider monkey, right? Yeah, I believe you would do it." He stood back up and started walking. "So how did you come by your spider monkey powers?" He grinned again, almost wondering if this would set off another round of laughter. He wouldn't mind if it did, though.

"Exactly," The petite woman said with a grin. "Like I told you last night, I'm the shortest person in my family. My twin brother, who is six feet tall, used to pick on me, so I'd do whatever I could to make him stop. A lot of the time, it resulted in me jumping on his back and putting him into a headlock. Once I got my grip on him, I wouldn't let go no matter how much he thrashed around. Kind of reminded me of riding a bull."

Terry chuckled. "That reminds me of my younger brother and younger sister. We were a rough bunch of kids. I was always the one in your brother's position, being older and bigger. But none of us are twins, though. What was that like, having such a tall twin brother?"

"Annoying," Dani answered honestly. "Don't get me wrong. I adore my brother... love him to bits... but he was definitely annoying. I'm older than he is by three minutes, and he'd always rub it in my face that he was taller."

"Oh," he said. "Well, if he ever comes to visit you, contact me. You stand on my shoulders and rub back in face." He looked at her and grinned as they came around another bend. "I don't suppose a spider monkey would have much trouble climbing this."

"That sounds like a good idea, though, I'm not sure how long it will be before I get the chance to see him again. It's already been three years." A frown formed at the thought of her family. She missed them a lot. "As for climbing you, no, I've mastered that skill over the years."

"That's quite a while," said Terry, toning it down a bit. "Unfortunately, Starfleet keeps us out here much more than they do back home, in the Sol System." He knew what it was like to miss family. And he knew that the years tended to add up quickly, which made the emotions stronger. He wanted to pat her on the shoulder, to let her know that it'll be okay and that she'll be alright. Instead, he continued, "But you get a chance to add to that family with every ship you're on. There's a lot of great people here, Dani. Some, yeah, ya gotta watch out for. But you find that everywhere. Just keep on looking, Nurse Dani."

"You're right, and I have. I just don't get the chance to talk to the people I've met along the way much. It's not that I don't want to, though. A lot of them are in different quadrants now," She said. "My best friend in the entire world is still in the Alpha Quadrant. He and I used to work in sickbay together. If it wasn't for him, I would have gone crazy."

"See, that's what I'm talking about. It's people like him that make all this more bearable," said Terry. They continued around a corner into a different part of the deck they were on. "So, last night you said that if the mood ever hits you, you'll dance. What kind of dancing do you do?"

"Any kind, really, but I took ballet when I was younger. I don't get to do it much anymore, but that's okay. It's like riding a bike. You never forget how to do it. What about you? Do you know how to dance?"

"Oh wow, I hear ballet takes a lot of ankle and leg strength. But me, nope. I have no idea how to dance...anything or any kind," said Terry. "My two big feet get in the way of each other too much."

"It does, and it takes incredible balance, too," Dani said, looking up at him with a smile. "You've got two left feet, huh?"

He looked down at her and returned the smile. "Yep. They work well enough for walking and running and everything in between. But when it comes to dancing, I've got two left feet. Oh, they also work well for kicking the occasional idiot out the door of my office."

A grin formed on her lips. "If people tend to be a lot bigger than me, I might just come get you to do the kicking for me."

Terry looked over at Dani with his trade-mark, open mouthed grin and winked. "It's a plan! Anybody a lot bigger than you that gives you problems, you come get ole Terry and I'll kick them all they way back to their quarters!"

Dani laughed. "I like the way that sounds. I'm only able to go spider monkey on people so much before I start to get tired. It'd be nice to have someone to help out with that."

"I'm more than happy to help out with it," said Terry. He looked down at the blonde and smiled. The next corner they came 'round had a turbolift at the end. "Well, it looks like we get to move up a couple of levels. What do you say to Deck Six?" They were on Deck Four where his quarters were located, so it would be just a short trip up.

"That sounds like a good idea to me. I'm still trying to get used to where everything is, and I think it's going to take me some time to do," She said, smiling up at him. "Where's your all time favorite place on the ship, and it can't have anything to do with being a pilot."

As they continued walking down the corridor to the turbolift, Terry responded. "Nothing to do with being a pilot...man, that's hard to do. I've a few favorite places, but an all time favorite...I really don't have one of those. At least not yet. But maybe we can find one on our walk about the ship."

"Maybe so," She said with a smile. "But, I'll include things that have to do with being a pilot."

He smiled back at her. She really is a sweet woman, he thought to himself. Taking a walk with me, asking about my all time favorite place...she's awesome. "Now that you've included pilot stuff, I'd have to say...inside a Valkyrie. It's quiet, unless of course we're in a battle." He paused and thought about it for a second. "Well, if that's my reasoning, then I guess I do have an all time favorite place...but it's a holodeck program. Does that count?"

Her smile was still ever present on her face as she nodded. "It does count. I don't spend too much time in the holodeck, though I'm not entirely sure why that is. What's your favorite program?"

"It's a cabin in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado," said Terry. "My dad had it when we were growing up. We spent a lot of time up there as a family. I tried to recreate it as best as I could. But it's my all time favorite place to go outside of pilot things."

"Oh, that sounds pretty amazing. Maybe some day I can see it," Dani said, smiling up at him. She couldn't believe just how sweet Terry actually was, but Kelly had told her so, and now she was seeing it for herself. "You know... Kelly came to see me earlier, and you came up."

"Maybe someday you will," he said. "Kelly Khan? The Flight Control Cadet? And I came up?" He wasn't upset or anything, just surprised. In an attempt to reassure Dani, he looked down at her and winked again. "Well, I really hope it was good, whatever she had to say and whatever you talked about. But...I come up?" They had gotten to the turbolift and the doors opened. Terry stepped to the side and held his arm out. "After you," he said, still wondering, but smiling.

Dani took the offered arm and stepped into the turbolift. Kelly's right, he is super sweet. She thought to herself. "Yes, Kelly Khan. I mentioned that I met you while I was supposed to be watching a movie with her and some others, then it went from there. She thinks you're pretty hot, too."

Terry smiled as Dani took his arm and entered the lift. The doors closed and he manually input their destination, Deck Six. "That must have been our swim last night, then." Then he chuckled. "She's a good...uh, wait a second...she thinks I'm pretty hot, too?" He looked down at the petite blonde and smiled. "Too?"

Oh, she didn't think she'd be able to blush anymore after her earlier conversation with her new fun-sized best friend, but she was wrong. "I... um... you see..." Now she was tongue-tied on top of it? "Yes, too. I agree with her. You have to know you're pretty gorgeous. Women love men with bald heads." If that hole could just open up right now so she'd fall through it.

Terry watched as her cheeks began to blush. Being framed by her blonde hair made it even prettier. "Yeah, I realize that I'm attractive...or hot, or gorgeous, or however you want to put it." Then he ran his free hand over his bald head. "Never thought about that, though. It's just me. All of it's just...me. That's it." He smiled down at her and, leaning over, lowered his voice to a whisper as the turbolift began to slow. "Ya know, you're pretty hot, too. And gorgeous." The car slowed to a stop and the doors slid open.

Dani's blush brightened. She wasn't uncomfortable with him like she'd been with Kelly, though. He wasn't talking about the things her new friend was, which she was grateful for. That was a conversation she would not be bringing up any time soon, either. "Thank you, Terry, though I consider myself to be about average."

Terry grinned she brightened, but he wouldn't try to cause it anymore, for now. He allowed Dani to step out first. "You're welcome, Dani," he said. "You're not average. You're far above average. Keep that chin up, girl. After all, you have spider monkey powers. That is so not average."

"Well, thank you, Terry," She said, stepping out into the hall. "I suppose my spider monkey powers could be pretty amazing, too, huh?" There were so many things rolling through her mind presently, but she was fairly certain he wasn't a mind reader, so it was best to vocalize. "I was told you just recently ended a relationship. That actually caused a bit of internal turmoil within me."

"Yep, they can be," he said. As they continued their stroll through the ship, Dani brought up something that Terry hadn't talked about with Camila or with anyone else for that matter. But he couldn't understand her last statement. "Yeah, I did. But why does that bother you?"

"Because I didn't want you to think I was trying to get you while you were still in the rebound stage, I suppose. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to go on a date with you... if you want to someday, but not until you're ready," Dani answered.

He stopped, realizing that they hadn't released arms since getting into the turbolift. "I'd never think that. Honestly, I'm enjoying this, Dani...a lot. It's nice for a change...nice to not have, well, maybe later on that one. But it's nice." He paused and smiled down at her. "And like to go on a date with you, Daniella. And I appreciate you saying you'd wait until I was ready. Not a lot of that around anymore." He winked and began walking again.

"It certainly is a nice change," She agreed with a smile. Thankfully, her cheeks started to return to their normal color, but she had a suspicion that wasn't going to last long. "I'd like that, too, Terry, but I don't want you to feel forced into it."

"Thanks Dani," he said. Forced into it. A date. She doesn't want me to feel forced into date, he thought. A kind smile crept across his lips. "I don't think I'd feel forced into anything by you. But thanks for your consideration."

"You're welcome," The petite woman said, smiling up at him. "So, what do you think? Do you think you might want to go on a date with me in the future?"

"Oh I don't think there would be any 'might' to it, Dani. Yes, I'd want to go on a date with you in the future." He thought it might feel good to actually go on a date. Might help his progress towards opening up more, too. "Yep. No doubt about it," he said smiling. "What did you have in mind? For this future date."

"I'm not sure, really. Being on a starship, possibilities are pretty limited unless we went to the holodeck," Dani said. "Do you have any ideas?"

"That's true," said Terry, as they continued strolling through the corridors of Deck Six. "I overheard some of the botanists from the Science Department talking about an Arboretum. If you don't mind a bunch of trees and plants and flowers around. It could be kind of like a park or something. I've never been. Of course there is always dinner at Talon's. They cook up a mean steak." Terry looked down. They were still locked arm-in-arm. She hadn't let go since they had entered the turbolift...and neither had he. This must be what it feels like to change a little bit, he thought. The old Terry, the Terry before the virus and hallucinations, probably wouldn't have done that. Or let it continue. But the new Terry, the one that had started actually dealing with things instead of bottling them up, was different. And he was liking this new, post-Yolvanda Terry. Smiling, he continued. "And like you said, the holodeck gives an endless supply of things we could do."

"The Arboretum actually sounds like it might be a nice place to visit. I love flowers," The little blonde woman said, looking up at him with a smile. She was enjoying their walk together, which didn't come as much of a surprise simply because Terry proved incredibly easy to get along with. In her mind, she heard a very distinctive squeak and found herself looking behind them, but there wasn't anyone there. Perhaps, it was just her imagining Kelly was there rooting them on, and her mind was choosing to put the necessary happy sounds where they deserved to be. "We could always have dinner, then visit the Arboretum, or hit a beach somewhere in the holodeck." Without even realizing she was doing it, she laid her head against his arm while they continued on their journey.

Terry looked down as he felt her head rest against his arm. He didn't say anything, only smiled. "Well, we are on Deck Six already. I'm sure Talon's isn't too far from us. And the Arboretum, I think, is somewhere here, too. Dinner and a visit to the Arboretum, it is then. Uh, if that's okay with you, Dani?" She was so easy to talk to, which is what he really needed right now. Someone to talk to and enjoy simply being with.

"So, are we going to turn this into a date?" She asked, and her tone of voice said she didn't exactly mind if that's what happened. "It's definitely okay with me. I want to get to know you more."

"You did say 'future' date. And, technically, this point in time is the future from when you said it. So...." He chuckled a bit before he went on. "Then let's get to know one another more. To Talon's, Nurse Dani?"

His logic was inarguable. "Talon's it is, then, Pilot Terry." She wasn't even a little nervous compared to how she'd been before she originally chose to track him down earlier. He was so easy to get along with, and she found herself wondering what kind of idiot would willingly let a good guy like him go without wanting to fight.

Terry redirected their steps toward Talon's. "So, what sounds good for a dinner date menu to you? I already have an idea in mind of what I'll have." Where had she been for last few months?

"Steak, of course." Dani did recall his fondness for it the evening before. "And maybe a glass or two of wine? I'd suggest beer, but you're a wine guy, and there's nothing wrong with that."

Terry smiled. A thought crept in and he decided it would be alright to not keep to himself. "You're a thoughtful one, Dani. And maybe on our next date we could have the beer and something that's a favorite of yours."

"I'll eat anything that won't eat me first," She said with a laugh. "As for being thoughtful, it's all part of the full Nurse Dani package."

He started laughing. "Oh man, you're something else...the full Nurse Dani package." They came around the bend to the entrance to Talon's. "Now let's introduce you to some wine, shall we?" They entered Talon's arm in arm and her head resting on his arm.

Dani joined in the laughter. "Yep. It's either all or nothing, as they say." She only raised her head when they walked inside to look around a bit. It still looked the same as it did when she was there the day before, only there weren't as many people. "I'll let you pick. And I'll warn you. I don't drink that often."

"All or nothing, huh." He smiled and then saw a table that wasn't occupied and next to a window. He led Dani over and got the attention of a passing waiter. He held up his hand, indicating that he would be over in a minute. "Then I'll only order two glasses as opposed to the whole bottle. And if that gets you wobbly, I'll make sure you get back to your room safely. Even if I have to carry you." He took his free hand and pulled out a chair. "As much as I've enjoyed our interlocked arms, I don't think it would be too easy to cut steak like that," he said, gesturing to the chair.

She found herself blushing again as she removed her arm from his. "You're right, sorry about that." Though, she was still smiling as she settled down and got situated. "As for making sure I get back safely, that would be greatly appreciated. It wouldn't be a good thing if I ended up spending the night in a Jeffries tube." Now, she started laughing as that visual hit her.

Terry scooted her chair in a bit. "Never apologize for being sweet, Dani. Uhh...um, yeah." It was on his tongue and on the way out before he could stop it. She seemed to have that relaxing effect on him. "Oh well, it's out there." Then he started laughing along with her as he took his seat. Actually, he pulled it from the other side of the table so that he could sit next to her instead of opposite her. "Yeah, we can't have that happening, you spending the night in a Jeffries tube." I can't let that happen, he thought to himself.

"Okay, okay. I'll try not to do that anymore," She said with a smile. It still amazed her how easy it was to get along with him. "I should be okay, though, but I wouldn't complain about you walking me home when the time comes." She heard the squeak again and found herself looking toward the door, only to see that no one was there. Her tiny friend made quite the impression. "Or, I could walk you home."

He looked at her grinned. "I'm glad you wouldn't complain about it. Because even if you weren't wobbly, I'd still walk you home. And I'm fairly certain I can hold a glass of wine. But thanks for the offer of walking me home. Maybe someday, Dani." He looked over at her and smiled.

The waiter came over. "What will we be having tonight?" he asked.

Terry nudged Dani. "What kind of steak do you want? I'm going to have the New York Strip. I've had it before and it's delicious."

"That sounds good. Medium rare, please," Dani said, looking toward the waiter.

Terry looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Well, you keep right on surprising me." He turned his attention to the waiter. "I'll have mine on the medium side of medium well and a baked sweet potato. Oh, and bring us two glasses of Tolaini Valdisanti wine to drink please." Terry watched the waiter the leave and then gave his full attention to Dani. "So, tell me some things about yourself, Dani. Anything. Everything. We're here to get to know one another. So I want to know all about you, Daniella." He smiled at her.

"Well, I have a twin brother, but I already told you that. I also have a younger sister. They're both married, but neither of them has any kids yet. I've never been married, and have only ever been in one serious relationship in my life. That didn't work out, though, because I found out he was sleeping with my now former best friend," She said. "The reason behind that is actually a rather funny one, but I'm not so sure you want me to go into detail with that one." And now, the blush was back.

Terry enjoyed listening to her talk about her family. It made him think about his. Then the account of her personal life and then her one serious relationship didn't work out because of her former best friend. Then the blush returned to her face as she talked about there being a funny reason. "Dani, I'm sorry you had to go through that. I can't imagine how that must have made you feel. But a funny reason behind it? One that makes you blush, even. Well, now you've got me curious. I do wonder...but only if you want to share."

"I decided I finally want to..." Dani wished she had that glass of wine right about now, but she was a big girl, and he'd have to find out at some point. Why not get it out of the way now so he could figure out if it was actually worth getting to know her further? "I thought I was ready to sleep with him, but found out he'd been doing that with someone else entirely. So... that means that I'm still a... you know." Now she waited for him to call the waiter over and cancel their order before he decided to flee. She wouldn't blame him if that's what he wanted to do, either.

Terry was caught off guard by what Dani had just told him. It was personal, more so than talking about family and interests. He picked up on the hesitation in her last statement. So he put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a little hug. "Nothing wrong with that," he said. "One day you'll find the right person." He hugged her again and then removed his arm, smiling. He was glad she felt comfortable enough around him to share something so personal.

The petite woman smiled when he hugged her. "I'm know you're thinking I probably just shared way too much information, but it's best to get that kind of thing out of the way. At least... for me." She wasn't going to let it make her uncomfortable, though. They were both here to get to know each other better, and that's what she planned to do. "You know, I'm actually glad you picked this table. One of my favorite things to do is to watch the stars. I think that could be a big part of why I decided to join Starfleet. Living among them... there's no better way to see them."

"I'll admit, Dani, you caught me off guard with it, but it's okay," said Terry. "It doesn't bother me one bit." He smiled at her and continued. "You're right about living among them. When I take my Valkyrie out for training, sometimes I just sit there after I'm done and stare at them. It's one of my thinking places; there and the mountain cabin. But out there in a Valkyrie, it's just you and them and space." He paused and turned to her. "Can I share something personal with you? I mean, it won't be quite like yours, but still...getting to know one another and all."

"You can," Dani answered, turning to give him her full attention. "What's on your mind?"

Terry chuckled. "You know, with everything that has happened during this last mission, that's a loaded question. But let me preface it with thanks for all of this...the swim yesterday, the walk and dinner tonight, and the arboretum later. Thanks for taking the time to get to know...what I mean is..." Terry paused a second to collect his thoughts. "This last mission has forced me to re-think a lot of things in my life. One of them is talking and opening up to people, which is why this is so hard and scatter-brained." He ran his hand over his bald head. "You said earlier that you didn't want me to think that you were trying to catch me on the rebound. I'll never think that, Dani. But what I'm rebounding from has left me a little confused and I'm still trying to figure a few things out regarding it. But all of this that we've done these past two days, I like it. I've not felt this relaxed since coming aboard the Black Hawk. And I don't feel any confusion or...expectations."

She listened as he spoke. Sadly, she'd only heard stories of the last mission, and had even made mention of wishing she'd been around to help out with it, but she was a little too late to be of any use. Though, perhaps she might be able to help Terry now. "You're welcome, Terry, and I know the last mission was hard on you and the entire crew. I've only heard stories, and I can imagine living it was a total nightmare. If you ever want to talk about it, or anything, I'm pretty good at listening." She turned her blue eyes up to him and smiled. "I'm glad you don't feel any confusion. It's been nice, and I like it, too."

He returned her smile, followed by a deep breath. "Thanks. I may take you up on that offer sometime. I've been told it's not a good thing to keep it all bottled up inside like I used to do." Terry looked up at the sound of footfalls. One waiter put the plates down on the table while another set down the glasses. Terry nodded to them and picked up his glass, "To getting to know one another," and winked.

Dani raised her glass with a smile and touched it to his. "To getting to know one another," She said before taking a sip. "And whoever told you it isn't good to keep things bottled up is a very wise individual. You should definitely listen to them."

"Oh, I most certainly will listen to them. It's been good so far." Terry swirled the wine in his glass and sniffed it. The fruity aroma of the red wine filled his nostrils. Then he took a sip and rolled it over his entire tongue, getting all of the flavors. After swallowing, he noticed the aftertaste, or finish, lingered on his palate for several seconds and reflected the flavor of the wine. "Ahhh, a good wine," he said. "And it pairs well with steak." He looked around the room, realizing that he may have garnered more attention than Dani's. But seeing none, he turned to her and smirked. "Eh, it's just part of the real me."

"Hey, I like the real you, so you won't hear any complaints from me," She said, setting her glass down. "So, what's it like being a pilot? Have you ever been in a situation where you thought you weren't going to come out of it?"

Terry picked up his knife and fork and cut three pieces of steak. "Being a pilot is pretty intense. It's a lot different than flying a starship, too. Cadet Khan found that out in our training session. Fighters are more sensitive to their controls than starships since they're more maneuverable. As far as a situation, oh yeah. My fighter and I got captured once by Orion pirates. I didn't think I was going to make it out, but the guy in the cell next to me was a big help. That was some fight."

"I don't think I'd ever made a good pilot, especially with situations like you just described. I can be a spider monkey in some situations, but that... they'd hurt me," Dani said as she began to follow suit and cut a few pieces of her steak up. "I'm more suited for helping people."

"It's not for everyone," he said, after he swallowed a bite of steak. "But you helping people...I can already get a feel for that. So what's your next step after Head Nurse? Is there any kind of positional promotion?" He cut a piece of his baked sweet potato and put it in his mouth.

"You know... I'm not entirely sure what the next step is, but my plan is to continue being a nurse until I can't any longer. I mean... I suppose I could take on an Assistant Chief Medical Officer's position down the line, but it's no secret that nurses are where it's at," The blonde answered. "I love my job, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it works out for me here on Black Hawk."

"Nurses are where it's at, huh," he said. "Blonde haired, blue-eyed, petite, spider monkey nurses." He chuckled, "Spider monkey...I'm never getting over that. But I'm sure you'll work out fine here, especially if you love your job." He took another drink of wine, but without the swirling. Terry usually only did that on the first drink. "So, what do you sing, Dani?"

"Whatever fits my mood, really, and it's mostly in the shower," She replied with a smile. "It's rare that I sing in front of other people, but that's because I'm not that great at it. What about you? Are you much of a singer?"

"Me? Oh no. I don't sing, not even in the shower," said Terry. "I wouldn't even know where to start." He looked at her grinned. "You know, I was wondering, if you sing whatever fits your mood, what would you sing now?"

Dani looked thoughtful as she took a sip of her wine. "Something happy and upbeat, I think. What would you want me to sing?"

"Huh. Well, uh, something happy and upbeat," he replied. "I really hadn't given it much thought. When it comes to music, I usually listen to classical piano after a mission for calming. I guess music is another area in which I need to broaden my horizons." He turned to her and smiled. "Maybe you could help me with that sometime. But I do want to hear you sing."

"I'll sing for you sometime. Maybe even play the piano for you, too. I was taught to play when I was little. I could even teach you if you wanted me to," Dani offered.

"Sounds like a plan," he said. "Well, the singing and piano." He held up his hands and wiggled his fingers. "I often refer to these as my gorilla mitts. Somehow, I don't see them playing a piano too well. But, if you think I can do it, I'm willing to try and learn."

The blonde smiled over at him. "I think you could. We'll try and see what happens. If it's not something you see yourself wanting to continue, then we can move on to something else. Like yoga." Now her smile turned into a grin.

Stopping the fork at his mouth, he turned and saw her grinning. "Yoga." Then he started grinning. "You do yoga? Oh wait, you teach yoga?" Him, doing yoga, would be interesting. But watching and learning from Dani...

"I've never actually taught anyone how to do it, but it couldn't be that hard. It's pretty relaxing, though, and a lot harder than you might think it is," She answered. Teaching him how to do it would be pretty fun. In fact, she imagined him doing downward dog and couldn't help but giggle at that.

"Anything relaxing at this point would be nice," he said. Terry sat back and took another drink. "Wine getting to you already, Dani? Or was it something else that made you giggle?"

Dani shook her head and took another sip of her wine, but her ever present smile was still on her face. "I pictured you doing downward dog."

"I'm sorry, the downward what?" he said. "Um, I think you're gonna have to explain that one to me. Is it a move in yoga?"

"It is. It's best to demonstrate what it is, and I'll do that after we've finished dinner if you want," She offered.

"Okay, after dinner then, you can demonstrate," he said. "I'd imagine that we'll wait until we get to the arboretum, though? I have a gut feeling you wouldn't want to do it here or in the corridor. Oh, speaking of dinner, how was yours?"

"The Arboretum might be a bit safer, not that it's really a bad thing unless someone is offended by backsides in the air." As a nurse, she was used to keeping things to a PG level. "As for dinner... amazing. I think I'm going to come here every night. It beats the replicator."

Terry swallowed his last bit of steak and baked potato just in time. Had he not, he might have choked on it. "Backsides in the air? Well now, I'm even more curious as to this downward dog that made you start giggling when you pictured me doing it. And yeah, this place really does beat a replicator any day." Still sitting next to her, Terry leaned back and put his arm on the back of her chair. He picked up his glass with the other took another drink.

"It's definitely an interesting form of exercise, that's for sure, and it's a lot harder than some people might think it is," Dani said, taking another sip of her wine just as she finished eating. She just had a feeling he'd be able to hang with it, though, if he was willing to give it a shot. The young woman noticed he'd put his arm on the back of her chair and found herself wondering if said arm would make it around her shoulders at some point.

"Hmm, I guess I never thought of yoga as being an exercise," said Terry. "It always seemed more like a relaxation type of thing to me. But since it's more of an exercise than I thought, maybe I could add it to my gym regimen. Well, once I learn it." He took another drink of his wine and moved his hand up to her shoulder, resting it there and giving a slight squeeze. Smaller steps was another change he had determined to make in his life. "So, for someone who has a taste for beer, how do you like the wine?"

"It's actually pretty good," She answered, smiling when she felt his hand go to her shoulder. "I'll still have to drink it in moderation until I can get used to it without stumbling all over the place. Given my size, though, it wouldn't take much before that would happen. What turned you into a wine person?"

"Heh, that's actually a fairly long story, but I'll condense it for you. In 2369, my dad got orders to Burgundy in western Europe on Earth. I was a teenager back then and one of my new friend's dad got us a personal tour of where he worked...the wine vineyards surrounding the village of Vosne-Romanée and the Domaine. The whole working of it all really stuck with me. I started collecting information about different wines, how wines were made, and all things associated with the subject. It was a hobby to start off with and then became more...well, more of a part of me. I also have some bottles stored in my quarters, including a few of the most exquisite kind, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. I save those for very special occasions. As of yet, I haven't opened the Romanée-Conti." He noticed how she hadn't pulled away when he put his arm on the back of her chair or his hand on her shoulder. And he liked that.

Dani smiled. "Sounds like you had a pretty interesting upbringing. Did you get to travel much?"

"Oh yeah," Terry said, "we traveled a lot, growing up in a Marine household. We were on planets and starships for the most part." He took a sip of his wine, trying to make it last as long as possible. He was thoroughly enjoying this time with Dani. "How about you? Did you travel a lot or did you grow up in one area?" he asked, moving his entire arm up to place it completely around her shoulders.

She shook her head and smiled when he slipped his arm around her shoulders. The fact she felt comfortable with him was a good sign, but they were still in the 'getting to know you' stage of things, so Dani didn't plan to read too much into that. "We didn't travel at all really, as sad as that is. I spent most of my life in Vegas up until it was time for me to go to the academy. That was the first time I'd ever been lucky enough to leave the state of Nevada."

A mental sigh of relief left Terry's mind when Dani didn't wiggle away from his arm. But he didn't want to push anything or give the wrong idea...not anymore. "Vegas, huh. That had to be a fun place to grow up. What did you think when you got your first assignment out of the Academy? Presuming it was on ship or starbase."

"It was a starship, and quite possibly one of the most intimidating things I've ever done in my life. Of course, the longer I stayed with it, the easier it got... but I was really homesick for a long time. I hated that part, but I'm sure all Starfleet officers go through that," The petite woman answered before she looked up at him. "What about you? What was your first assignment like?"

He looked down at her and smiled. "It was on a ship, flying Tyhoon class fighters for the Starfleet Marine Corps. We worked hard and trained hard, but didn't see that much combat. It was mostly patrols and escort duty. To be honest, it was pretty boring. I found myself hoping that the rest of my career wasn't going to be like that." He paused a second, realizing that four years and one more ship later, it wouldn't be so boring. And that his life would change. He turned away for a moment, thinking about his old wingman and buddy. Then he remembered his conversation with Camila. It was good, dealing with things. "Then he turned back to Dani. "But you made it through just fine and here you are...way out in the Gamma Quadrant. And yeah, I think everyone goes through a bit of homesickness once in a while."

"It's nice to have people around that can help coping with it, too," She said, taking a sip of her wine. "Now that I'm here, I hope to be able to find a person or three that would be willing to do that. I'm pretty sure I'm going to put you on the top of that list if you don't mind being there."

"Top of the list, eh? I don't mind at all, Dani," replied Terry. "You go ahead and put me there. And remember, I'll only be a commbadge away if you ever need me." He paused for a second. "And if you don't mind, I'll put you at the top of my list of people I can talk to instead of bottling things up inside."

Dani smiled and laid her head against him again. "I don't mind at all. As a matter of fact, it would be an honor to be put there. And I'm a combadge away for you, too. No matter the time. Or... you can always just show up to my place if you need to." She could picture Kelly now, grinning from ear to ear while demanding to know when the wedding was. Of course, they were a long way off from anything like that, but that wouldn't stop her fun-sized friend.

Terry grinned and relaxed as he felt her head against him. "Thanks. I really appreciate it." He patted her shoulder. "And the same goes for me too as far as the time. Just...if I'm asleep, give me a couple minutes to clear the cobwebs from my head so I know what's going on." He laughed before continuing. "And you can just stop in if you need to, as well. No need for a communique or anything like that; my door is always open."

"Thanks, Terry. I really do appreciate that." The smile was likely never going to leave her face, and she found herself grateful Kelly gave that little push she needed. Granted, she'd likely have done it on her own in time. "I think you and I could have a lot of fun together."

"You're welcome, Dani. And I think you're right, we're gonna have a lot of fun together. Speaking of, if you're ready, we can hit the Arboretum." Terry finished his last little bit of wine and set the glass on the table.

Dani finished off the rest of her wine. "I'm ready. I promised to show you downward dog."

"Backsides in the air...," he said and then started chuckling. "I can't wait to see this." He stood up and pulled her chair out for her, allowing her the needed space. "If I'm not mistaken, it's also on this deck. So hopefully it'll be a short walk." Then he caught what he said. "Uh, not that I would mind a long walk. I'm enjoying this."

The petite blonde woman rose to her feet and gave a stretch. "I think I noticed it was when I was going over the deck listings, and I wouldn't mind a long walk, either. The company has been pretty amazing, and like you, I'm enjoying it, too."

"You know, my company has been pretty amazing, too." He looked down at her and winked. "I'm already looking forward to our next date, Dani."

"So am I," She said with a smile. "Maybe we'll have to plan something on the holodeck next time. I'm just not so sure what, though. The possibilities are pretty endless."

"That they are," said Terry. "We could have dinner on any planet you wanted. Or do something else...swimming, grilling, or whatever." As the two neared the door, Terry stepped back. "After you."

Dani walked through the door and stepped just out of the way so he could join her. "Why not do all of the above, then?"

"Oooh, you are an adventurous one, aren't you?" he said stepping outside. "Dinner on any planet of your choice, some grilling, and some swimming it is then." He moved just out of the way enough so that the doors would close. "Before we go on," he said, holding out his arm, "we walked most of the way down here like this...care to continue?"

Smiling, she took his arm. "Sweet and a gentleman. A lady could get used to this." She still didn't quite understand why he was single, but the previous women in his life... their loss was definitely her gain. "I am adventurous, too. I'm up for just about anything as long as it isn't going to kill me. And since I get to pick, what do you think about someplace tropical like the Bahamas or Jamaica?"

He looked back at her and smiled, taking her arm. "I'm...changing, or rather, trying to change, Dani. Talking is just one of the things. So it does me good to hear you say that. Really. Now, to our next date, I like either of those places. Heh, I like the beach, period. Which is your favorite?"

"It will take time, but you'll get there, Terry," Dani said, smiling up at him as they began to walk toward their next destination. "As far as the beach goes, though... as long as there's sun, sand and water as far as the eye can see... I'll love it. And let's not forget good company. That's the most important part."

"Thanks, Dani," he said, "With some help. And you're right, good company is the best part...the most important part." He gave her arm a bit of a squeeze as he said so. "And so far, you've been the best company. Anyway, what do you say we try the Bahamas? Can you imagine grilling pineapple? I bet that tastes so good."

"You're welcome." She offered a smile up to him. The longer they were together, the more at ease she felt. "I've actually had grilled pineapple before. It's absolutely amazing, and I think you'd like it. The natural sugars caramelize and enhance the flavor."

"Ohh, that does sound good. I'm looking forward to having some," said Terry. "Tell me, where does a girl that hadn't been out of Nevada until she joined the Academy, get grilled pineapple?

"Mostly replicated, but occasionally my parents would get real ones from farmers," She replied. "Even the replicated pineapple is good, but it's nothing like the real thing."

"I'd like to have the real thing, then. Let's add it to the menu," said Terry. "What else do you want, Dani?" He was really having fun. They had just finished a dinner date after walking around the ship for a while and now they were on their way to the Arboretum. All the while, planning their next date on the holodeck; a Bahama beach with grilled food and a swim.

"How do you feel about shish-kabobs?" The little woman asked as the continued to move toward their destination. "You get a little bit of everything with those."

Terry looked down at the petite blonde with a surprised look on his face. "How did you know I love shish-kabobs. Only, I tend to call them meat-kabobs. I don't usually put that many vegetables on them. But I'm willing to try it. What kind of meat were you thinking about?"

"I'm going to say it was a lucky guess," She answered with a smile. "As for what kind, how about beef, chicken... both?" She had a feeling he's be on board with that.

"Both sound good to me. It's been a while since I've had some chicken," he said. "I mostly have beef of some kind. So it's probably a good thing to have some chicken." He paused for a second, thinking. "Hey, is there anything I can bring to the beach?"

"I'd say just yourself. Anything else we should be able to replicate from there," Dani replied. "Maybe a bathing suit, though. Unless you have plans on skinny dipping, but that can be replicated there, too."

"Well alright then, myself it is and a pair of swim trunks." Then he looked down to Dani. "Unless of course you have any plans for skinny dipping. Then I could leave the trunks in my quarters and just bring myself." Terry couldn't help but grin as looked at Dani, wondering if she would blush again.

The blonde couldn't help but laugh. "Depends on how many real beers I get into me, but I'm not so sure that's going to happen this go around."

Terry followed her laugh with one of his own. "You know, that's okay with me, Dani. I'm just fine right here for now. Besides, if we were to ever go, I'd rather it be a conscious, sober, decision. Not something influenced by the beer. We could always save that for a later time."

"That sounds like a good idea to me. Who knows what could happen after we get to know one another even better?" She found herself asking.

Terry honestly didn't care if they went round the deck again, but he knew they were coming to the Arboretum. "Yeah, who knows," he said, still holding her arm. "I like that, by the way...getting to know one another better. Because it means there's going to be more than just another date." He looked down at her and smiled.

Dani smiled back up at him and purposely passed the Arboretum when it came up. She was enjoying walking and talking, and didn't really want it to stop just yet. "You're right, and I'm looking forward to it. So, tell me a bit more about yourself. Where's your favorite place in the entire galaxy? You said you bounced around a lot, so there's got to be one or two places that stand out."

He watched as they passed the Arboretum and smiled. No doubt about it, she was definitely awesome. "My favorite place was Betazed. We spent about three years there. It was after the France assignment, by the way. At any rate, that had to be my favorite. It's a beautiful planet with some of the best and clearest oceans I've ever seen...and swam in. I actually got to snorkel several times. It was great." Wow, he thought, she's really interested.

Dani listened as he spoke. The more of himself he revealed, the more interested he became. She was going to have to bring Kelly brownies for her part in everything. "I've never gotten to go there before. Maybe some day. I've never been snorkeling, either. Well... in my swimming pool back home, but that hardly counts. There was nothing to look at. What about your least favorite place?"

"My least favorite place," he said, "had to be Vulcan. We were only there for about six months as dad was just doing some desert planet training. But I absolutely hated it. The dry, arid atmosphere..." Terry shuddered. "I spent most of my time in the house where it was cool." He thought for second. "Hey, why don't we go snorkeling on our next date? Since you've never done it in the ocean before."

"That's a good idea!" Now she was beaming, but it quickly faded.. "I've got a feeling things are going to be getting pretty scary once we reach the nebula, though, so we're going to have to hold off until it's all over. You're going to have to go out, aren't you?"

Terry grinned widely at her immediate acceptance of his idea. Then he noticed the change on her face. "I understand that. And, yeah, we may have to hold off until afterwards." He paused and took a deep breath. "Yes, I'll be going out there, leading the squadron into the nebula. Will you...be okay?"

Dani nodded. "I will be, yes. You need to stay safe while you're out there, though. All of you do."

"We'll be safe; our pilots are the best." Then he paused. "I will be safe, Dani. Don't worry, I've got a hot date with a gorgeous blonde I have to make it back for." He looked down into her blue eyes and winked.

That made her feel a lot better. She returned his smile with one of her own. "That makes me feel better." She stopped and gestured for him to bend down since he was nearly a foot taller than she was.

"Hey, I'm glad. I can't have you feeling anything but better. Wouldn't be right." When they stopped, he turned to face her and saw her gesture. Terry leaned down, closer to her. "Yes?"

When he leaned down, she smiled and leaned in to press a kiss to his cheek. "That was all."

Without bending back up, he looked into her blue eyes. At this distance, they looked even brighter. Or was that the kiss that she just placed on his cheek. He smiled and moved to her cheek, placing a kiss there. Then before he completely stood up, he gently pressed his lips to her forehead. Standing up, he looked down at her and smiled.

Dani returned the smile. As a matter of fact, she had to wonder if she'd ever really stopped. "You are such a sweet guy, Terry, and I can't wait to see what date number two has in store for us."

"I'm trying," he said. "It's hard when I've been nothing but a huge flirt most of my life." He sighed, as if that was hard or embarrassing to admit. "Date number two...me neither, I can't wait for it." In reality, his second date with her would be motivation for him to make it back alive.

"There's not much else to do when you're on a starship all the time, and there's time between missions," Dani said in understanding as far as his flirting went. "I don't hold that against you."

He kinda tugged or hugged on her arm. "Thanks, Dani. That really means a lot. I didn't want put a damper on anything, but, in the interest of getting to know one another better, I thought I should tell you. Anyway, you're a really sweet girl. And understanding, too."

She smiled. "That's why I'm one of the best nurses you'll ever come across. Not to mention, it's in my nature to be like that."

"Well if need to go to Sickbay for any reason after this mission, I'll request you for my nurse, then," he said. "Might be kinda nice to see you in action." He grinned down at her. "Now that you know the favorite and least favorite places I've been, it's your turn. Since you've been out of the Academy, where is your most favorite place that you've been?"

"To be honest... the only place I've ever been is Risa." When she put it like that, things sounded pretty boring. "It's absolutely beautiful there, though. Every other place I've been has either involved a starship or a starbase. My life hasn't been nearly as exciting as yours has been. I can guarantee that."

They continued making the trip around the deck, arm in arm. "Hey, everybody's life is exciting in it's own way. Just because you haven't traveled a lot doesn't mean you haven't led an exciting life. Risa is pretty exciting from what I hear. I've never been, so you've got one-up on me. What was it like? Tell me some stories."

"They don't call it the pleasure planet for nothing. I was given a Horga'hn, and carried it around for a while until I found out what it actually was. It's a fertility statue." Dani shuddered at the thought. "Not to knock their practices or anything, but when displaying one publicly indicated one was possibly seeking jamaharon." She prayed he didn't want to know what that was. "Needless to say, I put it away the second I could."

"Heh, well I don't blame you, it being a fertility statue and all," said Terry. "Sounds almost like they hand them out as soon as you beam down. But...what's that jama thing you mentioned?"

Dani blushed. "It's a mysterious and pleasurable practice native to Risa. Now you know why I was quick to put it away."

He watched her blush and then he smiled. "I don't blame you one bit for putting it away, then." He paused a second, wondering if he should go on with his thoughts...yeah. "You know, not too many people blush anymore, Dani. At least not the ones I know. It looks good on you. Accents your platinum blonde hair nicely."

"I try not to blush, but some things... they bring it out in me," She said, trying not to smile, but it broke through anyway. "I'm really having fun with you, Terry. Thank you."

"You have a pretty smile, too," he said. "And you're welcome, Dani. This is a lot of fun. I'm glad you came by my quarters tonight. Oh, you still haven't shown me this downward dog thing. And I think we're coming up on the Arboretum again."

"I probably shouldn't keep you out too much later, though. We're going to be encountering the nebula tomorrow, and you're going to need to get all the rest you need to. How about I make you a promise? When you come back safe and sound, I'll show you all the yoga positions you want?" And she wanted him to come back safely.

Terry looked down at her quizzically. "You haven't kept me out late. And yeah, that sounds good to me. I will most definitely make it back safely." He shook his head and then remembered something from earlier. "Oh, it doesn't matter whether the wine has made you wobbly or not, I'll still walk you back to your quarters, if you'll let me, Daniella."

"Of course I will. A little more time with you isn't a bad thing," Dani said, giving his arm a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you," he said. "Um, I don't know where you live. If I'm going to walk you home, so to speak, I need to know where you live."

"I'm on deck five... zero-five-zero-one-zero," She stated, feeling a little bad for not mentioned that sooner. "Remember what I said, too. My door is always open if you ever need to talk or anything. No matter what time it is."

"Alright," said Terry, adjusting their direction to the nearest turbolift. "I'll remember that, really. I appreciate it, too, Dani. It's nice to have someone to talk to like this. It helps a lot."

Dani smiled as she strolled along with him. "It does help, and I'm really glad I met you, Terry. Thank you."

"I'm really glad I met you, too...Daniella." Terry had really enjoyed his walk this evening. It may have been longer than normal, but he had company...the best company. Tomorrow evening's walk, if he even had the time to take one, would be less happy. They came up to the turbolift and entered. The doors closed and Terry announced their destination. He looked down at Dani and smiled. "So, has this evening been everything you thought it would be when you first came to my door?"

Continuing to hold his arm, Dani shook her head. She had to be honest with him as well as herself. "No, it hasn't been what I thought it would be," She answered honestly. Of course, the petite blonde knew he was going to think that worst, and in a way, that's exactly what she planned it to be. "It was even better than that."

Terry drew in a quick breath of air, unsure of what he'd said or done wrong. He was ready to kick himself. Then she continued and his thoughts relaxed. "That makes me...happy, yeah, happy to hear that. I'm glad it turned out better than that." Curiosity crept in and he asked, "What did you like best? The walk? The dinner? The wine?" He wanted to know more for future reference than anything.

"The company." Her answer was a simple one, but it was the truth.

The turbolift slowed and the doors opened. "The company, yeah, me too," he said. "Let's see, zero-five-zero-one-zero, would be...this direction?" he asked, unsure.

"You're right," Dani said with a smile. "Now you know where I live, though, you could have always asked the computer like I did."

"Yeah, I know," said Terry smiling. "But I would rather have heard you say it, than that stuffy ole computer." He looked into her blue eyes and smiled.

She returned his smile. The evening really did turn out a lot better than she thought it would, and she was actually a little disappointed it was ending already. Sadly, things were about to get tense, which meant the entire crew would need to be well rested... especially Terry and the rest of the pilots. They were going to have their hands full. "Hopefully, you decide to use it some time in the future," She said as the came to a stop in front of her door. "This is me. I doubt I'll get to see you again until all of this is over, so, try to be careful, okay?"

He sighed, visibly. This had been great, really great. "I might just do that, use it sometime in the future," he said. "And I will be careful. I've got a second date with you after this is all done." He took a breath and put one hand on her shoulder and pushed a few strands of hair out of the way with the other. Hoping this would turn out perfect and not get him slapped, he leaned down and kissed her forehead...then her lips.

Dani had not been expecting her to kiss him, but she definitely didn't mind it. In fact, she leaned in to return it. After a few seconds, she pulled back and smiled at him. "I wasn't expecting that, but it has me looking forward to the next one."

He stood back up and looked down at her. "I was unsure, to tell you the truth. I'm just glad you didn't slap me silly," he said, chuckling. "See you when all this is over?"

She shook her head, still smiling. "I wouldn't slap you, and yes, I will see you when this is over. Sweet dreams, Terry."

"That's good to know," he said. "Sweet dreams to you, too, Dani."

Dani stood there for another minute, then finally went inside. When the door closed, she smiled.

Terry watched the door close behind Dani and turned to head back to the turbolift. It had been a wonderful evening and she was a wonderful woman. He couldn't wipe that smile off his face if wanted to.

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