Bonded Hearts

Dinner

Leaving his quarters, I can feel my heart pounding. For some reason it feels like I've just done something wrong. Like when father caught me stealing a shuttlepod. No, this must just be nerves. I'm going to have dinner with Soren. He may have antagonized me when we were younger, but now we are grown. 

Entering the turbo-lift I type in my code for engineering. Other passengers come and go as I make my way down into the heart of the ship. Upon the doors opening the sound and smell of my favorite place greets me. 

"Aye, lassie it's good to see that you haven't forgotten us." Mr. Scott laid on his back scoots out from underneath a panel. 

"It runs in my blood, Mr. Scott. You won't be rid of me that easily." Laughing he points for me to run a diagnosis on the panel he's working on. 

"That it does, and I'd be lost without 'cha. So, don't ever think I want ya gone." He glides back under the panel, and I hear him mutter. "Just don mess with my hair lassie, or I'll turn your quarters into the artic." Laughing I open one of the vents hearing him swear in response. 

"It appears one of the vents clogged. My apologies it released without warning." It's painful to keep a stoic face as he glides out covered in grey dust. 

"I'm sure it was lassie. No worries it will take more than dust to do me in." Standing up he brushes himself off. 

"How about you check the Jeffries tubes behind? Make sure we got it all." Looking at him I lift a brow. This crafty man he plans to cover me from head to toe in dust. Well, he does owe me back for the green hair. 

"Yes, that will be best." Going over to the side of the panel I turn a valve opening the tube. Crawling inside I can imagine the grin on his face. Within the tube I can see the dust that he collected within a static mesh. 

"Running diagnostic." His voice comes through my communicator. Seeing the static mesh fluctuate I cover my face and turn my back. 

Pulling myself out of the tube I stand up covered from head to toe in dust. Mr. Scott rushes over to me brushing it off. His face like mine never cracks.

"Your right lassie. It really doesn't give you fair warning." Knowing that I am technically one up on him I let him laugh as he tries to dust me off. 

Finding that I'm way too caked in dust I use one of the sonic showers to rid myself of the rest and return to work. From that point on we work seamlessly together. Satisfied that she's running shipshape we call it a day handing engineering over to the night crew. 

"See you at tonight's game?" Mr. Scott grins at me as the turbo-lift begins moving. 

"Not tonight." He gives me a curious look stroking his chin. 

"What could possibly stop you from wringing us dry?" Leaning over he looks straight into my eyes, and I begin to feel my face warm. 

"Oh,ho,ho,ho. Do you have a date?" Using a glare, I've learned from observing Spock he closes his mouth leaning out of my face. 

"It is dinner with an old friend." Ignoring my cold eyes, he smiles at me. 

"I see, an old friend." His tone is bordering on mocking causing me to cross my arms over my chest. 

"Now, lassie don't get angry. Though you are cute when you're angry." His large hand pats the top of my head, and he quickly makes his escape out of the lift. "Relax and have fun with your friend." As the doors close, I can see him make a kissy face.

If only Juxana or Lady Uhura were with me they'd have a witty retort for him. This type of teasing is too new to me I'm used to our pranks and polite insults. Taking deep breaths, I close my eyes and meditate until the lift stops again. At the sound of the doors, I open my eyes recognizing the corridor. Children are rushing about shouting as they chase each other back and forth.