Past Meets Future

Chapter 5

 "Come in," Deanna said as she heard someone at her door.

"Counselor," Data said, entering. "You understand emotions better than anyone I know. I believe I am feeling worried about Joelle."

Deanna looked at him surprised. "Data, are you saying you have feelings for Joelle?"

Data gave a chuckle. "Counselor Troi, I am incapable of feeling love and affection. But I do feel worried. And as of now, I am very worried about Ms. Carter."

Deanna patted the seat next to her. "Data, do you ever feel yourself thinking about Joelle a lot? Or has she come across your mind in little scenarios... romantically?"

"Counselor, what does this have to do with me worrying about her?" Data asked, unsure how to truly answer the question.

"I am feeling worry coming from you, yes," Deanna said. "I am also feeling something else. I'm just trying to help you open your mind up to the possibility that you may have feelings for Joelle."

Data stood up and paced back and forth, thinking hard about what she said. "I do not believe that to be likely."

Deanna smiled. "Whatever the case may be, Data, I'm sure you'll figure it out. But it is okay to worry. I'm worried about her too but I also feel her emotions. Right now she is frightened. Perhaps you should go and check on her."

Data nodded and made his way to sickbay, where Doctor Crusher was still examining Joelle. He stopped in the doorway, a strange feeling coming over him that he didn't know he could feel. Seeing her laying there helplessly made him sad.

"Data, what brings you here?" Doctor Crusher asked, noticing him standing there through a mirror on the wall.

"I was just coming to check on Ms. Carter," Data said, standing by Joelle's bedside.

"Well, she's stable now. I believe she's going to wake up soon," Crusher said with a smile.

"That is excellent news," Data said, sitting on a chair by Joelle's bed and grasping her hand.

Doctor Crusher watched, one eyebrow raised. She was thinking the same thing Deanna was thinking earlier; Data seemed to have feelings for this girl. The doctor watched on as Data began talking to her.

"Ms. Carter, I know you're afraid. I am here when you wake up," Data said, softly.

Joelle groaned suddenly, tightening her grip on Data's hand a little. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she made eye contact with him. Her eyes started tearing up and she shot up in her bed and wrapped her arms around his neck. This surprised both Data and Doctor Crusher.

"I think I know what happened to me," Joelle said, muffled. "Can you bring the captain here... I think he needs to hear this."

"Captain Picard, you're being requested to sickbay. Joelle is awake," Doctor Crusher said over the computer.

It wasn't too long after Crusher called for Picard, he showed up with Riker right behind him. As soon as they saw Joelle sitting up in bed drinking water, they both smiled from ear to ear.

"Joelle," Picard said, taking her hand in his. "I am so glad to see you're awake. How do you feel?"

"I think I know how I came to be here at this time," Joelle cut straight to the point. "When I was walking out of my house to go to a job interview, I heard something strange behind me and when I turned around I saw a very bright light. Next thing I knew, I came too inside a strange room with odd looking creatures surrounding me and talking in a high pitched tone. It was hard for me to check out my surroundings because the room was very bright. Next thing that happened was an alarm started going off..."