Subj: DARK FRONTIER (DS/TOS Crossover), pt 20
Date: 5/25/01 9:21:50 PM Central Daylight Time
From: JM Lane

Christine spent the rest of the evening preparing for her date with Barnabas-—the first since the beginning of his re-conversion back to Human. She fixed his favorite foods and figured which bathing suit to wear, something she had not brought with her for obvious reasons and consequently never thought she would need. Fortunately she knew Uhura's personal comm code number, which would put her in direct contact with her friend. Nyota would know where to find
everything.

Calling Ny was the next-to-last thing she did before retiring (Barnabas had called about an hour ago and told her he was picking her up early; she was pleased to see that his comm was now in visual mode). She suspected that he wanted to make his first day in the sun in literally ages last as long as possible…and who could blame him?

She flipped her communicator open and said, "Frequency NU-1228," using her Bantu friend's initials and birthdate to reach her without having to go through the Gamma shift Communications Officer, who was as much a busybody as she was efficient, so it was best not to take any unnecessary chances.

"Nyota here. What do you need, Chris?" she asked.

Christine was stunned. "How'd you know it was me?"

The dark woman laughed. "You only call me on this frequency when you need something," Uhura reminded her. "Now what do you need?"

"I have a date to go swimming tomorrow and need a bathing suit. The sky-blue one-piece with the lace inset down the front should be fine, along with my white sandals and lacy coverup, then maybe some dark glasses and sunscreen. I'd really appreciate it if you'd get it all together for me and beam it down ASAP, since I'm leaving early in the morning."

"Isn't it rather late in the year to do such a thing, Chris? It's November now, you know."

"Perhaps, but my date says he's lived here all his life and can tell when the seasons change--or at least when it's going to be warmer than normal," Christine explained. "If nothing else, we'll just picnic on the beach and listen to the radio or something."

Uhura sighed. "Okay, give me half an hour to go through your things to find everything, then go to the Transporter Room and beam it down to you. Which reminds me, I'll need your coordinates, please."

An hour later Christine had all the requested items, including a recent holo-novel Nyota had included just in case she wanted to read. She doubted it, knowing how Barnabas usually was when they were alone, but one could never tell. The cooler would keep the food fresh and drinks hot or cold for up to 24 hours, so she set it out near her door, then prepared for bed.

**********

She was surprised to see Barnabas in navy blue Bermuda shorts, earthtone sandals with knee-high navy blue socks and a colorful royal blue and yellow Hawaiian shirt. "My cousin's," he explained. "We are about the same size. Now we must get going. Where is the cooler?" he asked after giving her a kiss in greeting.

He picked it up and carried it to the rented aircar waiting outside, then opened the door to assist her in boarding. "Your chariot, my lady," he remarked gallantly.

"Oh, you!" Christine laughed as he closed the door behind her, then went to put the cooler in the rear storage compartment. "Did you bring along some music so we could listen as we eat?"

"Music? Oh, yes. I brought Quentin's tape deck and some instrumental tapes," Barnabas explained. She knew he had a tape deck, but it was built into his stereo system and Quentin's wasn't. He named some classical composers from the 18th century as well as some current artists.

"Did you sleep well?" she inquired.

He smiled and squeezed her hand. "I even dreamed of you."

"I can imagine how long it's been since you've done that," Christine remarked.

"Too long," Barnabas agreed. "Just as I can imagine how long it has been since you have been on a beach," he finished.

"At least not since my last shore leave," she replied. "And that was three months ago, shortly before reporting to the ship for my new assignment."

"Did you go with Mr. Spock?" he wondered.

Christine's expression was a mixture of horror and astonishment. "Oh, no! Are you kidding? You have to practically shoot him out a photon tube to get him off the ship! Examining and cataloguing the flora of a given planet is more Spock's style. He's the original workaholic. Besides, he was on Vulcan at the time and I was on Earth."

"May I ask why?"

"Why what?"

"Why was Mr. Spock on Vulcan?"

"He was attempting to erase his emotions with *Kolinahr*, the Vulcan ritual which supposedly eliminates all emotion."

Barnabas shook his head in bewilderment at this, sensing that he didn't want to know the whole story as to why Spock had considered it necessary to go through *Kolinahr*, then said, "What does `workaholic' mean?"

"A person who's addicted to work," Christine explained.

"Who did you go on your leave with, then?" Barnabas asked.

"A girlfriend of mine, the senior Communications Officer aboard ship."

"Have you not tried to induce Mr. Spock to accompany you?"

"Of course, many times. He usually just says that Vulcans don't take shore leave and lets it go at that."

Barnabas sighed. "But he must do *something* to relax."

"Oh, yes-—he has a Vulcan lyre, which he plays and composes songs on," Christine answered.

"Have you ever heard him play?"

"Occasionally. He's very good…but Dr. McCoy says that Spock still doesn't relax nearly enough."

"Do you agree?"

"Of course, but getting Spock to relax is like pulling teeth— very difficult, even when he needs it most. Usually *especially* when he needs it most. So many times Dr. McCoy has sworn that he's going to tie Spock down and sit on him if he doesn't start relaxing more!"

Christine laughed and shook her head. "Of course, since he's stronger than either of us, he'd have to be sedated first." She then realized that her escort had fallen silent. "Sorry, Barnabas. Didn't mean to go on so much about Spock."

"It's not your fault. I was the one who asked about him," Barnabas pointed out. "But I would appreciate not hearing any more about him for the foreseeable future."

"Quite understandable," his companion returned, this time reaching to squeeze *his* hand. "We'll talk about other things now."

And they did—-each other's favorite musical pieces, places they'd been or wanted to go, things like that. Within half an hour, the couple arrived at the beach, laying out a black blanket with gold striping and placing the cooler on it. It was a calm, fairly warm day, one of the rarities in Maine this late in the year, but there was enough of a nip in the air that both Christine and Barnabas decided that it was best not to swim.

"The water is most likely cold," the latter said. "And after so many years of being cold, I much prefer to feel the warmth of the sun on my body and the sweet, warm softness of a beautiful woman beside me." He reached up to stroke her cheek.

Christine blushed and lowered her head. "Why don't you get the music started and I'll set up the food?"

Barnabas seemed disappointed but moved to comply. They then talked more about themselves and their lives, Christine carefully steering around the subject of Spock for her companion's sake.

Instead, she talked about virtually everything but, hoping he appreciated her efforts.

When he complimented her on her cooking, Christine again blushed and thanked him, unable to help thinking of when she had fixed food for Spock and how he had reacted upon calming down after his initial outburst of throwing the first bowl of soup she had brought out his door to crash against the Deck Five bulkhead. Later on in his quarters, he had been every bit as gentle and tender as Barnabas when he had brushed her tears away. In spite of herself, she couldn't help thinking of Spock and both his touch and his kiss.

It wasn't fair to Barnabas; he deserved her full attention-—yet Spock was all she could think about. Damn it! Why did he have to get interested in her at virtually the same time as Barnabas? She was brought back to reality by the latter's warm lips brushing her ear after moving her hair aside.

"What are you thinking about, Christine?"

For a long time Christine couldn't bring herself to answer, then replied quietly, "Something…or some*one*--I shouldn't be thinking about when I'm with you. You deserve my full attention."

"I understand," her companion assured her. "No need to apologize. It's understandable, given your feelings for him."

"If only it was just that," she lamented. "Now he's starting to feel for *me*."

"I see," Barnabas replied. "And you still feel for him."

"For many years," she confessed. "More years than I care to count… but only now has he seemed to notice me—-which bothers me, because of you. You've made me feel like more of a woman than I have in years, more cherished and desired…yet-—"

"Yet he is the one you love," Barnabas finished solemnly.

"Yes, God help me, he is. I'm sorry. I wish I didn't, especially now. If it wasn't for Spock, it would be frighteningly easy for me to fall in love with you." Her tone was apologetic.

Barnabas put a hand on her cheek; she covered it with her own. "Again, do not apologize. I understand. It is painful to me, but I understand. I ask only one thing…let me have this day with you, let me love you as if there were no tomorrow; give me some beautiful memories of you to cherish."

There was so much love and tenderness in Barnabas' voice that Christine could not refuse him. Shortly thereafter, he kissed her deeply, then lowered her to the blanket after moving the cooler and tape deck aside. She forced thoughts of Spock away temporarily and gave herself fully to Barnabas, the taped instrumental music becoming the soundtrack for their romantic yet most erotic interlude.

**********

Barnabas returned her to the Inn around 1600 hours, both of them slightly sunburned and pleasantly tired—-from both the outing and their lovemaking. He again took her to her door and kissed her hand in parting. "Thank you for a wonderful day, Christine. I will treasure it always."

"As will I," she confessed. "I hope you find someone worthy of you now that you're going to be a normal man again. She'll be a lucky lady…and I know that from personal experience." Christine smiled wickedly.

"I shall return this evening for Dr. McCoy to examine me," he told her. "Meanwhile, I am going home to get some sleep." Barnabas touched her cheek one last time after expressing one last wish. "I wish you every happiness, Christine." With that, he left even as his heart screamed at him to stay, but knowing he couldn't stand in her way, however painful it might be to let her go. He could only hope to find someone even half as good for himself at some undetermined point in the future.

She smiled after Barnabas and watched until he disappeared around the corner, then showered and dressed in preparation for the rest of the evening-—and the inevitable questions, particularly Spock's, should he sense something amiss.