Snippet 5b

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(Valentine's Day Special! Let's see how long she goes.)

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"BONES!!"

Kirk's voice rang through Sick Bay before it had even approached the doctor's office. But it traveled quite quickly in that direction, and McCoy barely had time to look up before his door was unceremoniously flung open.

"Bones!!" Kirk gasped, hurrying into the room and up to McCoy's desk, planting his hands down on the surface of it and looking the doctor right in the face. "Do you realize what today is?!"

"Another day you enter my office shouting about some catastrophe." McCoy grouched, looking up from his PADD. "Who's dead now?"

"Bones, this is serious!" Kirk said, still giving him an intent, wide-eyed look. "Today is two days away from Valentine's Day!"

"What of it?" McCoy asked, standing up to continue his work.

Kirk stared at him as if he'd gone insane. "Bones. This is our first Valentine's Day. We've got to have plans! Haven't you ever celebrated a first Valentine's Day before?"

"Of course I have," McCoy said, going and punching a few things into a wall panel.

"Well, then you know we've got to do something special," Kirk said, grinning at him. "It's just the way things are."

"He does have make a valid point, Doctor," Lesh'ar's easy, calm voice suddenly appeared when he walked into the office, neatly placing a pile of papers on McCoy's desk. "It is a very significant day in Earthen culture that is expected to be treated with a great deal of romanticism. And great consequences often befall the man who neglects it."

"Like what?" McCoy asked, giving him a look. "He'll stop talking to me?"

"It varies, depending on the couple," Lesh'ar said calmly, walking over to help McCoy with entering some of the data, while Kirk listened in approvingly. "I find it was often deemed to be...a custom that was wise to uphold whenever the month of February came about."

"I doubt wisdom had anything to do with it."

"Come ON, Bones," Kirk suddenly interjected. "We've got to do something. Really, I'm not asking for anything sappy - if anything I just want you to promise that you'll sit down and have dinner with me. Please? No paperwork excuses?"

"I don't have any tonight," McCoy said, turning around and walking back toward his desk. "No one's filing because they're getting ready for the day. We might as well."

Kirk watched him for a moment. Then, finally, he nodded, and smiled. "Great," he said, turning to head for the door then. "See you tonight, then, Bones. Don't work too hard in here, now."

McCoy didn't respond and just continued his work.

*

"So, Meester Spock," Chekov glanced over his shoulder in the cargo bay with a cheerful smile at the Vulcan. "Vhat are you going to do for Walentine's Day 'zis year?"

"I am not certain," Spock replied, his eyes on his work. "Why do you ask?"

"Vell, it is a special day," Chekov said, smiling cheerfully as he walked over to another crate to catalog the contents. "Wulcans know what to do on Walentine's Day, don't zey?"

Spock raised an eyebrow as he kept an eye on his work. "I am fully aware, Chekov. My mother was human, after all."

"Oh, of course!" Chekov said, then suddenly looked very interested. "Did she make your papa celebrate Walentine's Day vith her?"

"She did." Spock replied.

"So?" Chekov said, now having completely forgotten about his work in favor of eagerly watching the Vulcan. "Are you going to celebrate Walentine's Day with Dr. Lesh'ar?"

"Is there a reason you are so interested, Chekov?" Spock asked coolly.

"Eet is a harmless question, Meester Spock," Chekov said innocently. "I am just curious. Do you find it offensive?"

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