Post 271: Where the Boys Are

Stardate:70701.1445
Title: Where The Boys Are
Author: February Grace
Scene: Holodeck Four/T'Ana beach house program #118
Time: Four hours after "By the Sea, By the Sea," by Lily T'Ana
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February entered the holodeck and removed her shoes. If there was one thing she really hated, it was getting sand in her Converse.

She walked along the path that led to the huge house on the hill, overlooking the ocean. Along the way she saw various members of the crew enjoying themselves on the shore. Among them, Salvek and Kellyn and their daughter. The two engineers sat watching as the girl and Sunshine the dog frolicked at the water's edge, chasing the tide as it came in and out.

Micah Samson was paddling out into the water on his surfboard. Fox Margolis was wearing a bikini and laying on a brightly colored towel, basking in the sun. TC Blane sat beneath the shade of a large umbrella, staring out at the waves.

February caught a glimpse of Lily waving to her from the deck that spanned the whole length of the back of the house. She climbed the steep steps upward slowly, carrying her shoes in one hand and her guitar case in the other.

"February Grace, look at you," Lily clucked her tongue. "What did you do, dear? You look like an extra from Revenge of the Mummy."

She indicated February's all white clothing, which consisted of a long sleeved shirt, long leggings and big, dark sunglasses. Lily took the fresh dish towel she held in her hands and wiped the streak of zinc oxide paste from the bridge of the Trill's nose.

"You know I burn instantaneously." February grumbled. "Even on the holodeck."

"I do know that. So I turned down the UV concentration of the artificial sunlight, just for you. It may slow up progress on Fox's tan, but you won't burn today, I promise." Lily smiled.

She began humming that same song as she had earlier on the bridge. February shook her head, her friend was definitely not acting like herself today.

"What is that song? It's been driving me crazy."

"Oh, that old thing? It's called Where the Boys Are. My sisters and I used to sing it all the time. We sang into our hairbrushes like they were microphones. When mother and father were not home, of course." Lily looked very sad for a moment, but then returned to humming, and smiling.

"Lily, are you sure that you're feeling all right?"

"I feel. . .wonderful. Everything is so bright and intense. Everything feels. . .amazing."

"Hmm." February pursed her lips into a frown. "Did you ever go to Sickbay? Maybe that poke was higher in voltage than we thought."

"Or maybe I'm just happy!" Lily's hands flew to her hips, her mood instantly changing from total bliss to utter aggravation. "Can't you be happy for me February? That I've found someone who makes me feel good? Can't you be glad for me even though," Lily stopped, but it was too late. February looked like she'd been slapped across the face.

*Even though you're miserable right now?* February finished Lily's sentence in her mind.

"Of course I can," Bru began. "I,"

For a moment, the idyllic scenery around them seemed to wink and flicker. February could've sworn that for a second, she saw the yellow and black grid of the holodeck floor beneath her feet. She cocked her head to the side.

"What's up with that?"

"With what?" Lily shrugged, oblivious.

February decided that her eyes must be playing tricks on her, struggling with the brightness of the light here. She took her sunglasses off, put them back on, and looked all around. Everything seemed fine now. She shook her head, then took her glasses off once more and tucked them into the hair piled at the top of her head.

She followed Lily as she moved into the house and toward the kitchen. There she saw that Angus was chopping vegetables, and Trick was loading a cooler with bottles of various types of spirited beverages.

Lily moved over to the dashing Scot and whispered something into his ear. Angus whistled, then laughed. He tossed his shoulder length, sand colored hair back out of his eyes. "Promises, promises." He shook his head as he picked up a tray of food and put it into the refrigeration unit.

February glared at him, then at Lily, then back at him. Trick just kept stacking bottles of beer, sensing the Trill's turmoil but unsure of its origin just yet.

"Slip for your thoughts, love." he asked as he started dumping ice from a large bag into the cooler.

"My thoughts don't come so cheap, Trick."

"Lily is in quite high spirits these days," he ventured. "Seems she's taken quite a fancy to our chef."

"I just hope he's taken an equally sincere fancy to her." February growled.

Lily flittered past, picking up odds and ends to run out to her guests on the deck. "February, go into the Lilac Room. It's the first bedroom at the top of the stairs. There's a surprise for you!" she called as she disappeared through the sliding doors and back outside. Angus followed her out, taking the cooler that Trick had just filled with him.

Angus returned a minute later, and he felt Grace's disapproval of him settle down and chill him through like the morning fog on the moors. "Something I can do for you, MIss Grace?" He asked, turning on the full charm of his heavy brogue.

"Yeah, there's something you can do for me," February moved closer and lowered her voice. "You can give me your word that you're not going to take advantage of my friend in her vulnerable condition."

"What condition might that be?" Angus said with a laugh, "being female in gender?"

February had had enough. She grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked tight.

"Listen. I have known Lily T'Ana in two lifetimes now. I know that something is going on here. More than meets the eye. Maybe it's that shock she took at work yesterday or maybe she really is misguided enough to think that you might actually have genuine interest in her. But I want to remind you one more time, lover boy, that I used to be you. There was no one better at taking a woman, using her and then casting her aside than my old friend Deveral Grace. So if you think there's a trick in the book you could use on her that I won't recognize? Forget about it."

"So, what would you have me do then, February?" Angus snapped. "Pass up the chance to get to know her, and maybe show her a broader view of the world than she's had? Between her parents and Starfleet, you know that romance has never been a priority for her. Doesn't everyone deserve to have that in their life? She's a grown woman. Step off."

"You just consider this fair warning, Mr. MacDougal. If you break her heart, I will kick your a**."

February looked about as threatening as a bunny rabbit on most occasions, Angus thought, but in this moment? Something in her eyes told him that not only was she serious about doing it, but she was capable of doing it. She released her grasp on his shirt and the chest hair beneath, and he straightened up.

He exchanged a look at Trick, who just shook his head as he filled another cooler with ice. "Beware the wrath," London laughed. "Lover boy."

February stomped up the spiral staircase, toward the first bedroom to see what this surprise of Lily's was. The room was indeed adorned with lilac covered curtains and bedding, living up to its name.

On the bed were three boxes, all tied with pink ribbons. February opened them in turn, finding a clingy and low cut white halter dress in the first, strappy sandals in the second, and a huge, white sun hat with a brim that went on for miles in the third.

"Lilyyyyyy." February groaned. But she knew it was no use. She might as well just shut up and put on the dress because if she returned to the kitchen dressed as she was, Lily would march her back up here and dress her, herself if need be.

February began to undress, continuing to wonder about Lily's odd behavior. For just an instant, a thought occurred to her. *Lily was one quarter Vulcan, on her father's side. What if?* She dismissed the thought. It was silly.

*Nah. couldn't be.*

February wriggled into the dress and snapped the halter together beneath the hair at the nape of her neck. She was having a bit of trouble with the zipper, it didn't seem to want to go up the last two inches. She tugged and tugged, and then she heard the door open behind her and swung around.

"Oh, thank goodness. Lily, a little help here? The things I . . .do. . .for. . .you." February stopped, and her face instantly turned scarlet.

It was not Lily T'Ana who stood behind her.

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Lt. February Grace
Helm/Flight Controller
USS Independence NCC-90791