Title: Tequila Few More Brain Cells
Summary: For Vic's Remix challenge - I remixed Sara's lovely Drowning in a Strawberry Daiquiri.
Disclaimer: SO not mine.
Thanks to: Jen, Pete, Melissa, Dot, and Vic, as always.
The glass was placed on the table before Troi. The smell made her shudder. She looked up, startled, into the full force of Lieutenant Derwent's dazzling smile.
[Tequila. Oh, Gods. Not another bloody tequila. Does he think he's funny? Did Will put him up to this?] Troi opened herself to his emotions and let his nervousness, concern - well, she had been staring into space, she supposed - and vague, wistful hope wash over her.
[Oh, dear.] She smiled at him gently. "Thank you, that's very kind of you." She didn't tell him that she hadn't touched tequila since that horrible time with Cochrane back before she was born. It had worked; he'd unbent in front of her more than he ever had when she was sober, but she'd paid for it the next day.
Of course, she'd paid for it ever since with her shipmates. They weren't ones to let a joke go.
She sighed, and noticed with some surprise that she was holding the stylus for the padd in front of her. [I really should get to work on the evaluations.]
But first - she looked up at Derwent again. He nodded and a tinge of disappointment washed over her. He said, "I'll leave you to get on with your work, Counselor."
"Thank you, Peter."
He walked away, back to his friends at a table on the other side of the bar.
Troi took a sip of her tequila and nearly gagged, but she couldn't just abandon it. That would be cruel. She tried to concentrate again, calling up the records of the junior science staff. There were two who had good chances for the promotion; a third who would probably be an excellent lieutenant but needed more experience, and one more who was going through some personal problems. She put a note next to his name to remind herself to make an appointment within the next week.
"Rough day, Counselor?"
Guinan. Polishing a glass with a pristine white cloth.
"One of those days, Guinan," Troi said, smiling gamely. "Will kept after me with some bizarre joke of his-"
Guinan's brow creased. "The one about the tiny instrumentalist?"
"Yes! I still don't get it and I don't want to. Then my mother called."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"So was I." Troi was silent for a moment, staring through the vast clearsteel windows into space. "Nothing much. Just wanted to tell me that my third cousin is getting married."
"Yes?"
"My third cousin, who's ten years younger than I am. And already has two children."
Guinan's cool hand closed briefly on Troi's shoulder. "Oh. I'd better get back to the bar."
And that was why, Troi realised, she'd come to Ten Forward. Company. She didn't want to talk but she needed company. She took another sip from the glass in her hand and spluttered.
Then the best part happened. Geordi La Forge placed a huge glass dish in front of her, filled with chocolate. Luscious chocolate cake, topped with chocolate ice cream, with swirls of fudge, then whipped cream, nuts, and hot fudge sauce on top of that. "I thought I'd bring you something you'd enjoy while you stare into space."
Eyes wide, Troi pushed her glass aside and pulled the magnificent creation in front of her. "Thank you. Oh, it looks gorgeous." Relishing the moment, she dipped the long-handled spoon into the top, scooped up an unwieldy mass of chocolate, and popped it into her mouth. She groaned in appreciation.
La Forge smiled. "I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'll leave you to it, and the stars."
He turned to go. She swallowed and said thickly, "The tequila wasn't my idea, in case you're wondering. One of the new lieutenants brought it over for me. While I tried to let him down easy, I didn't want to make him feel too bad by refusing the drink."
Troi basked in the easy affection and understanding that radiated from Geordi. One of the things she loved most about him - no pressure to be anything other than who she was. He accepted everything about her.
He nodded. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Geordi."
He looked back at her. She had a spoonful of chocolate on course to her mouth.
"Thank you. I probably could have drowned in the tequila, but I'd still be here. Chocolate, though, has endless possibilities for escapism."
