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You Can't Fight a Tidal Wave	By : madradena Category: Star Trek > The Next Generation Views: 1693 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own ST:TNG nor Dreamland, nor the characters from either. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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"So how in heaven's name did she get him to dance with her?" Geordi wondered as he and Data joined the others at their table and watched Emma and the Captain dance virtuously just a couple of meters from them. He brought a chair from a nearby table to sit on while Data remained standing.
"Oh, I bet she has used her witch-craft." Will sneered.
Beverly gave him a bemused frown "No, Will, probably she just threatened him with that fire that you mentioned she could spit... For god's sake, how? She probably asked him." she shook her head now frustrated.
He held his hands up in defence "Alright, alright! I was just joking. It's not like I do it behind her back, she knows my opinion full well."
Deanna chuckled "Don't we all." she taunted. He looked into her eyes expectantly, waiting for her to go on, and she did just that with a small sneer "You know, Will, there's a certain chapter in the Developmental Psychology textbook that we had to learn by heart from first letter to the last at Starfleet Academy. One of the more descriptive examples depicted how little boys at around the age of 4 to 6 tend to pull the ponytails of little girls indicative of their actual interest in them. Your constant scoffing of Ms. Jones makes me wonder..." by this time all eyes were fixed on her - was she really going to end that sentence?! What was Data's reaction going to be if she does? He just stood there deadpan as ever. - she finished with as kind a smile as she could give him "...how old you actually are."
They chuckled and suddenly heard the voice of the Captain from their side "How old is who?" he asked. Then pulled out the chair he'd sat on.
"Captain!" Data and Beverly called in union almost jumping on him with overbrimming worry, and he held his hands up in defence as he sat down.
"Please, please!" and as they tried to impose some self-control on their emotions, he clasped his hands together on the table in front of him and looked at both of them reassuringly "Be at ease. Your friend is hereby absolved of her sins... As a matter of fact, there weren't that many a sin to be absolved her of in the first place, apart from the very fact that her manners leave much to be desired."
"Thank you, Jean-Luc." Beverly told him with a grateful smile, and he returned it almost shyly.
All of them smiled and chuckled relieved that the Captain's anger was finally appeased. The only exception was Data who stood there with an unreadable expression gazing at the dancing couples. Emma was nowhere to be seen. As the others started to chit-chat again, he started for the closest exit to leave. Beverly stood up and caught up with him brushing his arm to get his attention.
"Don't, Data." she said simply. He looked at her confused, and she smiled at him for a moment longer then wordlessly motioned for him to follow her to the dance-floor.
He obeyed, and they started to dance to the slow rhythm of the music.
She looked into his sad and confused eyes and smiled at him comfortingly "Leave her be for a little while, Data." she told him.
"Doctor Crusher. Why did she leave? If Captain Picard really forgave her. Shouldn't she be relieved by that? Shouldn't she be happy? Shouldn't she be... here with me?"
Beverly smiled patting his shoulder with her thumb gently "You see? In the morning, you were convinced I was wrong about telling you that sooner or later you would need advice with her. And here we are." He gazed away stunned, remembering how he tried to convince even Counsellor Troi about how well he knew Emma - and here he was completely baffled as to what to do.
"I concede that you were right, Doctor." he told her silently.
She smiled gazing away thoughtfully "Maybe..." then looked at him sympathetically "I know it's hard to accept. But sometimes she needs some time alone. Believe me. I know her. I shared a room with her at the Academy. At such times, there's nobody in the whole universe that she can bear to be with. The best you can do is to leave her alone."
"Why would she want that, Doctor?" he shook his head "I do not understand."
"Data, remember, not so long ago, you yourself told me about how much you wanted to be left alone. She has always been like this. You will have to accept that. That's all." she tried to explain, but then suddenly, Data stopped dancing. He looked at her with childlike wonder on his face as if he found the solution for something impossible to unravel. She smiled with a surprised frown "What is it?"
He looked into her eyes "Thank you for your valuable advice, Doctor! I know now what to do!" he told her then turned and marched out of Ten Forward seemingly very determined. Beverly only could gaze after him - well, if he needed to have a proof of her words, he would soon get it...
Data went to Emma's quarters and pressed the door chime. When no answer came, he had the Computer locate her, and was surprised to hear that she was on the holodeck.
He found her on the stage in the settings of Dreamland. She just stood there gazing out of the window of the hotel room of the protagonist. He slowly walked up to the stage and opened the hotel room door.
"Can I come in?" he asked with a tentative smile quoting her line from the play.
Emma smiled wistfully and glanced sideways toward him "Well... I did not sing 'Come back to me' to you, but what the hell..."
He walked up to her and stood behind her. 'Outside' the sun was setting and the street was busy with cars and the crowd of the rush-hour. Emma just stared at the swarm leaning against the window-frame. Her arms were around herself as if she was feeling cold, and her posture was slouching - she seemed awfully tired.
Data watched her for a moment longer then started on his usual silent tone "Doctor Crusher told me you wanted to be alone."
Emma chuckled softly at this "So then why are you here, Deadpan?"
He put two gentle hands on her shoulders and slowly turned her to him. She gazed at him expectantly, and he looked deep into her eyes "I once wanted to be left alone myself. You were stubborn enough not to let me be alone. So I will not let you either."
She sighed and closed her eyes. She was just too tired to be able to feel anything. She shook her head and turned back to the view. He let her. Waited for her. And after a long minute, she replied on a faint voice "I just want peace. And quiet."
"Then if this is what you want... I will stand here in silence. For as long as you need peace and quiet." he told her faithfully.
"Hmm... Data... Tell me... have you ever felt ... too tired, to overwhelmed by all that has happened, or... just too inept... to be able to feel anything? ...I feel sometimes ...empty. Lacking all emotions, everything. As if I was only a shell for my thoughts and nothing more... nothing human. Even almost... worthless."
He stood there petrified. She just described what it was like for him living among humans without emotions for the first 35 years of his life. He never even dreamed that a human would understand or even begin to comprehend that - but to share that helpless state... It was beyond believable.
He opened his mouth, but it took a while to find any kind of reply to that. Finally, he blurted out the one thing that popped into his mind as the most logical question "Are you sure you do not happen to be a Soong-type android?"
Emma's eyes widened in surprise and then a laugh stumbled out of her lips. She turned back to him and leaned to the wall with her back looking at him almost unsure "Would that be possible that I don't know about it?" she chuckled incredulously.
Data's face became really serious "As a matter of fact, yes." he then smiled a little sad "However, I would have noticed it, if it was so. So you can safely believe me, if I tell you, you are a flesh and blood human." he told her then looked at her confused "I thought my unemotional state before my emotion-chip was thoroughly unique to me, thanks to the fact that I am an android. How is it possible that as a human, you experience the state of mind I did before utilizing my chip?"
She shrugged a little, puzzled "I don't know. My therapist told me, my psyche works in a way that it simply shuts down everything, when it is overpowered by emotions..." she shook her head frustrated "The play, the last few weeks, the dance with Captain Picard... I feel I just wish I could jump out of this window." she pointed behind herself with her thumb "It's all too much to handle." she said on a thin voice, frustrated that she wasn't able to explain any better.
However it was enough for Data. He nodded "I understand. Tell me, how may I help, Emma?" he cocked his head curiously "Is there a way to... to restore your emotions? Or your ability to feel them?"
Emma gave him a small grateful smile "You are helping even now, Deadpan. But actually, I was told that at such times I just need some rest... It usually works. The morning is always better."
He looked at her confused "But then why are you here? Why are you not at home? Resting!"
She sighed: "I was thinking about going home. And I realized" she spread her arms "this is home! Those quarters have always been only a place to catch some sleep. This place! It was in here that you and I met for the first time! That you and I danced for the first time! That... you and I kissed for the first time! This is the place I'm home, Data! Dreamland is my home. Where I could imagine even for a short moment... that this is all true." before she could bow her head and let the tears, that came to her eyes so suddenly, fall, he hugged her tightly.
She tentatively clasped her arms around his broad shoulders and buried her face into the nape of his neck. After a minute, he started to speak on hushed voice against her hair "It IS all true, Emma." he smiled and kissed her ear "You do not need to imagine it. You just need to start to believe that it is all true." he pulled away just enough to give her a soft kiss on the lips.
When he let her lips go, he smiled at her encouragingly, and she finally smiled back. "Let us put you into bed." he told her almost commandingly.
She searched his eyes "Are you going to sleep with me, Handsome?"
He shook his head "I cannot sleep, Emma. I do not have that ability."
"But you can dream! You told me once you can! ...And I know you haven't tried it for a long time now..." It was him who bowed his head suddenly feeling his heart sinking. It was true. The last time he dreamt, the Queen appeared in his room afterwards, telling him, she would never ever leave. And never ever did he dare to try it again since. This was the one thing he never managed to claim back from his life before the Borg invasion. He was just too scared to try.
"Emma, I just got my life back." he told her on a shaken voice "If I dream... and SHE appears... I have to be honest to Counsellor Troi. I will have to tell her! She would have no choice but to relieve me once again... And then my carrier is over. My life on the Enterprise is over."
Emma put the tips of her fingers under his chin and had him look at her "That will not happen, Data." she told him on a low but firm voice.
"How can you be so sure?" he asked on a fearful whisper.
"I know, because if we are there to hold on to one another, no danger, no fear, no evil can come close. I know, because ever since you've been sleeping with me, you've chased my nightmares away. I'll chase away yours. I promise! ... Sleep with me! Dream... with me, Data!" she whispered.
He pulled her close and inhaled her fragrance. He felt he had no choice. He had to believe her, he trusted her now with his very life! And then finally he nodded his consent.
They pulled away and hand-in-hand left the holodeck.
"From what you have told me about your own quarters, may I assume we will sleep in mine tonight?" Data asked as they stepped through the door.
She nodded "Mhhmmm! Remember, I still need to make friends with Spot!"
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You Can't Fight a Tidal Wave