How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place

Alexis hadn't mean to intrude. She hadn't been to see Tricia at all since they had arrived on the Nike. They had started up a friendship not long before the Carolina had been attacked. She hadn't even had a chance to hear how the attack had affected Tricia....well, aside from Stenn. She knew about Stenn.

Alexis paused at Tricia's door. The sound of lilting music was filtering through the closed doors. The tune was mesmerizing and beautiful.

She hoped Tricia wouldn't mind her unexpected arrival. She reached up and pressed the door chime.

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Alexis couldn't help but break into a smile as Tricia ushered her into her quarters.

"Hot chocolate would be wonderful!" She declared as she looked around the space. "It's been too long since I stopped by for a visit! I'm so glad I came." Alexis settled onto one of the comfortable chairs in the room. She found herself still enthralled by the music playing.

"Tricia, whatever are you listening to? This music is so...soothing and uplifting all at the same time." Alexis closed her eyes for a moment, her head swaying to the rhythm of the music.

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"What a beautiful message," Alexis responded as Tricia explained the words and the purpose of the song. Her hands cradled the warm cup of hot chocolate.

"Do you really think that all our friends..." Alexis looked up at Tricia, "people we loved and cared about, are in a better place somewhere?" It was hard for her to imagine what happened after death. It was something she preferred not to think about, yet the disaster on the Carolina threw the ideas into the forefront. Alexis fiddled with the cup, before bringing it up to her lips and taking a sip of the warm, sticky liquid.

As she lowered it, she lowered her eyes as well. "I'm so sorry about Stenn." Alexis didn't want to look at Tricia, didn't want to see the hurt she knew her friend must be feeling. It was one of the reasons she had thrown herself into her new assignment rather then spend time talking with any of her friends from the Carolina. But, her heart had pulled her to this place. She needed her friends, needed to be with others who understood and whom she cared about. Alexis had envied Tricia and Stenn their romance and the love they shared. Now, she couldn't help but feel badly about having envied her friend in the past. She had lost the love of her life. Alexis didn't know how Tricia managed to wake up each morning. She had only lost friends; Tricia had lost so much more.

Finally, looking up she spoke, "Remember those days when we were forced to share quarters as junior officers. Right now, I almost miss those days. It's nice to not be alone." She gave her friend a smile, thinking it would be fun to have a roommate, but still have the large quarters she had grown more accustomed to.

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Alexis was amazed at how well Tricia seemed to be handling things.

“I’m alright,” she said in answer to her friend’s question. “You are right you know, life goes on. It seems strange to think about the people we knew not being around the next corner anymore. Yet, I meet new people on the Nike each day.” Alexis paused, a smile forming on her lips and her eyes twinkling a bit at the thought of one particular person she had just met earlier today.

Trying to hide the slight flush she felt forming as she thought of her time in Ten-Forward with Nick, Alexis worked to think of something else to say. She didn’t want to bring up relationships. Not that she even had a relationship, for goodness sake. She had eaten one, yes one lunch with a really nice guy. That’s all. Nothing more. She worked hard to convince herself that she didn’t feel a small twinge of hope and excitement at the prospect of getting to know Nick better.

“I met a rather interesting Orion earlier. She’s going to be working with me in the science department. Here outlook on life is so very different than almost anyone else I’ve met before. I also met one of the Nike’s doctors. He seemed very nice.” There, that was good. She mentioned Nick, but didn’t go all off about her lunch and how he had made her feel so special and good in such a short time.

“Have you met many of the new crew yet?”

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Alexis listened as Tricia spoke of the happenings on the ship and whom she had met. Alexis hadn't met many of the same people that Tricia had. There were so many people on a Galaxy class vessel she wondered if she would ever get to know them all.

Leaning back further into the comfy chair, Alexis let out a sigh of contentment as Tricia headed into the other room. It felt good to be with friends, comfortable, relaxed, as though nothing at all had changed.

"So, how are your labs?"

A mix between an exasperated sigh and a chuckle escaped her lips. "You honestly don't want to know! They are a disaster. I've been working nearly non-stop for days trying to get some of them back in order. There are still a few that look like a bomb literally exploded inside. Most of them are better now, though. Just waiting on some new supplies and the rest of my science staff to arrive. Some of them aren't even expected until after the ship re-launches."

Alexis leaned her head back with a sigh, closed her eyes and felt as though she could drift off to sleep. She was more exhausted than she even realized. She really should stop working hours beyond her shift.

"How's your post going? What's the new security team like?" Alexis leaned forward and sipped her chocolate. Then, she pushed the cup onto the small table in front of her and relaxed back against the comfortable chair. Now, she thought, I could stay in this nice chair forever. It was much better than crawling around the science labs trying to clean them up.

"If I wasn't so exhausted I would say we should go do something fun and adventurous in the holodecks, but I'm afraid I'd fall asleep on you," Alexis said as she tried to suppress a yawn.

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The idea of taking a short nap was extremely appealing to Alexis. She vowed to head back to her quarters and try and get a good night's sleep for a change.

Alexis wasn't sure she would have felt exploring the weapons locker was fun, but she had to admit she was curious what kinds of things were stored in such a place. For the most part, though, Alexis was glad she didn't have to use weaponry very often. Though, after the encounter with the Borg, she thought perhaps it would be better to get more comfortable with having to shoot someone or something. Maybe she could ask Tricia to help her with that.

"Got dinner plans tonite yet?"

Alexis sat upright rather quickly as she asked, "Oh, what time is it? I'm supposed to meet someone for dinner." She looked over at Tricia, unable to hide the slight smile that was forming on her face. "That nice doctor I met earlier invited me to share dinner with him. How could I say no?" Her feigned innocent look was likely all Tricia needed to see to know that Alexis was rather excited by the prospect and felt an attractive to the medical officer.

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She couldn't help but giggle slightly, feeling like a school-girl with a crush.

"I mean, it's not like we even really know each other!" She said, shaking her head at her own foolishness. "I was in Ten Forward earlier today and had a chance to meet a few different people. It was nice, actually, as I have spent way to much time in the labs lately." Alexis paused, and then as though brushing her work aside with her hand, she continued, "Anyway, I happened to meet one of the doctor's on the ship. Nick. Nick Grant," she couldn't help but hide the slightly dreamy look.

"I feel like I'm acting like such a juvenile!" She declared, exasperated with herself. "We talked for a bit. He was just so very nice. I hardly know anything about him. We had one lunch together. One. That's it. But, I can't help thinking we connected somehow."

Then, leaning forward in her chair she gave a bit of a devilish grin, "It sure doesn't hurt that he is drop dead gorgeous!" With that, Alexis burst into a fit of girlish giggles. Being with her good friend gave her the comfortablity factor to let her act foolish and childish without worry that someone would take her the wrong way. She flopped back onto the cushioned chair and looked at Tricia with a 'help me' look on her face.

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