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jalicecookie · 2 months ago

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The Coconut Cake

Grace mostly keeps the Secret for her Coconut Cake to herself. Hoping no one is watching, as she stares dreamily at the Recipe and thinks of a pair of yellow eyes, that have their home in another Universe. There's nothing wrong with having a secret, and as a Robot, wasn't Grace allowed, to have something that was entirely hers?

"Mom? What are you doing? Are you okay?"

Diego and Klaus were standing in the Kitchen and were visibly disturbed, by the absent expression on Grace's face. The Robot was sitting at the Kitchen table, with an old crumpled sheet of paper in front of her.

She seemed oblivious to the presence of her two unofficial favorite Children.

The robotic lady's blue eyes, were fixed on each line of the Recipe and you'd think, that it was just a very simple coconut cake recipe.

But for Grace, however, there was so much more to it....than anyone could thing about.

It was her little Secret.

***

"Darling? I'm home"

A smile spread on Grace's face.

Being addressed by a nickname was wonderful - and sad at the same time.

The blonde haired Lady wanted to celebrate the events of the last few months - she wanted to enjoy the fact, that a man finally giving her the Attention and Affection, that she deserved.

But the horrible and painfully truth reality stopped her.

She should not be here - not in this timeline - not in this Universe and especially not living with this human Body.

And above all, she was not allowed to be in a relationship with an Android.

Because this Android quickly won her heart.

She didn't want to hurt or push him away - but the Reality was different. If she continued to exist in this Universe - the effects would be fatal and chaos would break out.

Besides, her 7th adopted children and Mr. Hargreeves were waiting for her in New York City.

The sound of her boyfriend's voice shook Grace's heart and she found it hard to smile - like she always did, when Reginald Hargreeves ordered her to do something.

"I brought you Flowers. Geordi said, Roses would be appropriate, but I know you love yellow tulips, Grace."

Data handed her a bouquet of flowers, in his very special way and Grace didn't even ask, how the hell he'd gotten a bouquet of fresh yellow flowers on a Spaceship.

There was still so much she didn't understand.

Starting with the fact, that her body was now human - however her mindset and action skills were at the level of a Robot.

And her love and affection for Data had manifested itself over the past 10 months. Even though the Android was unable to feel emotions and refused to let Geordi put the emotion chip back in, Grace felt, that he was trying hard and that he could love her in his own non-emotional way.

"That's so nice of you Data - thank you" - Grace stood up and took the flower bouquet carefully.

Data had pulled her into a hug and now his cold mechanical hand rested on her hip.

Grace didn't mind- because it was so completely different from the times, Mr. Hargreeves had performed that touch on her.

As a Robot, Grace had been able to feel emotions, bonding with other People, and get emotionally hurt—she'd just been damn good at hiding it from the kids, Pogo, and Reginald Hargeeves.

With Data, she didn't need to wear a mask.

It was like Grace had the freedom, that her boss had always denied her.

With Data, Grace felt so much happier, freer and more loved.

And yet, she shouldn't even exist in this Universe, wich is set so many years in the Future.

A future that wasn't hers. She had simply been drawn into this Timeline.

Originally, Reginald wanted to do a check of her system in his office , while the Kids were in bed and asleep.

Grace had arrived at the agreed time and the first steps towards system analysis had been initiated - then suddenly there was a bright glow and she was on board the USS. Enterprise E.

Data has helped her navigate in this strange Future and accept herself with her strange human body.

This friendship between the Android and the Robot had quickly turned into a dating thing and for a while, Grace had been living in Data's quarters and the two were happy.

At first, they had tried to find a way back to the right universe and the right year for Grace - but nothing had helped and she had tried to come to terms with the new life.

Nobody knew , if time had stood still on Earth as Grace knew it.

She never thought she could be happy with a man - as she was with Data.

"Are you alright Grace? You seem...worried?" - the Android inquired and his hand now wandered from her hip to her cheek and she could look into Datas yellow eyes.

The concern Data radiated was so real - and he can´t tell her again , that he was incapable of feeling emotions.

But was everything okay with her?

No - not really - her old life needed her... the Children needed her and her Existence in this Universe eventually put everyone at risk - Data included.

Also, there was something else, that Grace had noticed.

Because in the year 2371 there were still the old-fashioned pregnancy tests - with the two lines.

"To be honest Data...Riker said something about a supernatural being. Q has a way of sending me back to my timeline and universe - he says the disruptions in the space-time continuum, caused by my presence could... ..have serious consequences for the entire cosmos and...for....you....." - Grace got no further when a sharp pain run over her and something warm ran down her leg.

A painful scream escaped Grace and she looked down her leg.

Warm blood flowed down and again was the wave of pain that took Grace's breath away.

"Commander Data to Sickbay...."

That's all Grace could notice, because her eyes went black seconds after - while something else mixed with the blood - another liquid was added and if Grace had studied the books in Reginald's library properly, over the years, that was the induction of the birth - her water had broke and before she could think any further - her thoughts too - were taken over by complete darkness.

Fuck.

***

"She's coming back - Hi Grace, please don´t move okay? You've lost a lot of blood...but the twins are fine" - the voice of Beverly Crusher reached Grace's ears , as she instinctively tried to sit up. What? Twins? Now she opened her eyes and was greeted by the bright light of the infirmary.

What happened?

"Twins? The last thing I remember is....", Grace was cut off , when Beverly started to scan her and told her something about the fact that , they were a pair of twins, a girl and a boy, who a few hours ago saw the light of life.

She gave birth to twins?

But Grace remained silent and endured the Examination. Her thoughts whirled around in her head like a Thunderstorm - she couldn't have spoken a proper sentence now.

***

"Miss Hargreeves - how are you doing?" - First Officer William Riker stood by her bedside a few hours later, eyeing her with concern. Of course he had cause for concern - but for other reasons, more related to Grace's existence.

"Tired - Commander. I'm exhausted," Grace answered honestly.

"I don't want to destroy your joys of motherhood, but we've been able to contact Q and he's ready to send her back to your universe. Your presence in our universe is the fault of another Q - amazingly - who wanted to have fun. Q will show up here in two days", William Riker told her and Grace nodded exhausted.

Two days - 48 hours - to process and deal with, what had happened and spend time with Data and their Babies. Suddenly Grace felt like she had been hit by a stone - that was far too less time. She...she needed more time....somehow.

"I understand Grace - but I will miss you. You are and will be an important component of my internal storage space", Data said so formally that Grace laughed.

Even if the situation was anything but amusing. She was still waiting for the last check-up by Dr. Crusher and meeting her babies for the first time.

"I'll miss you too. But I don't belong in this Universe.....but we still have two full days Data and now I finally want to see our twins", Grace said softly and Data nodded before joining them a few minutes later, he came back holding two thickly wrapped babies.

Both were wrapped in blankets and appeared to be asleep.

Data carefully placed the two babies in Grace's arms and Grace's eyes automatically filled with tears.

The boy had black hair and the girl had blond hair.

When both opened their eyes, Grace was amazed.

The Boys eyes were blue and the Girls Eyes were yellow.

"Have you come up with names for them...my darling?", Data whispered not to scare the babies.

Grace nodded slowly and gently stroked the babies cheeks.

"Adrian & Zorina"

***

The 2 days went by far too quickly and the little family spent the last hours together, before Q's arrival in Data's quarters.

The twins slept cuddled together in their crib and seemed to enjoy each other's closeness.

Grace watched over the two - their babies - lovingly.

Dr. Crusher said they could grow up normally and that they couldn't cause disturbances in this universe.

But Grace would never see them again, she would miss everything important.

But that Adrian and Zorina were alive and would survive came at first Place.

With Data and all his friends by their side, the babies would be fine.

Data himself was in the kitchen, apparently trying to bake something.

They had bought a kitchen despite the food replicator, because after all, Grace was a great cook and Data, despite the lack of emotion when enjoying the meals, loved sharing it with Grace.

The blonde wondered, what exactly her boyfriend was cooking there - but she was strictly forbidden to come into the kitchen.

"You'll be fine - someday your father will show you the picture he drew of me. I will always carry you in my...well...in my heart", Grace whispered to the sleeping babies and she knew, that going back to her old universe was the right decision.

"They will find out who her mother was and what she did for everyone's safety. Now close your eyes and open your mouth - I have a surprise for you Grace", Data said in a mysterious tone and Grace followed the instruction.

When Data then gave her a small piece of cake to eat, it took the blonde a moment to define the taste.

"Is that Coconut Cake?", she asked, her eyes still closed.

A kiss on her cheek from Data was the answer and Grace opened her eyes.

In front of her, Data held the plate with the homemade cake in one hand - in the other hand an old handwritten recipe.

"I want you, to take the recipe with you - as a...Memory", Data spoke and Grace smiled - her heart crying and her soul begging her to stay , as the time to say goodbye drew near.

***

"Are you guys done - exchanging time-wasting affection? Some of us still have plans and things to do!" - Q seemed bored when Grace and Data hugged and exchanged one last kiss.

The almighty being still had important things to do.

Grace broke away from Data, walked over to Geordi who was holding the twins and kissed both Adrian and Zorina lovingly on the head.

"I'm ready", she said to Q - who snapped his fingers once and the two disappeared in a bright light.

The last thing Grace saw, was the look in Data's eyes - and exactly two tears, that ran down the Android's cheeks.

***

"Grace! Now finally get up, the system error has been fixed. Get back to your work!"

Reginald Hargreeves' cool voice made Grace open her eyes again.

She was in her boss's office, she felt, that she was a robot again and that she had arrived in her right universe at the right time.

The blonde nodded and left the office - her hand felt inside her jacket as she left - and she was relieved to feel, the recipe for the coconut cake was still hidden there.

She would keep it a Secret, like the story of her absence to the parallel universe for several months.

After all, this were things Reginald Hargreeves didn't need to know about.

The cake recipe would be one of those things.

***

"Coconut cake? Sounds weird" "So many things sound strange to you, Klaus" "Huh- does that mean you know if I like coconut cake or not Diego? I'm allergic to it" "You aren't Klaus. You don't have any allergies" "You don't know me at all - and you call yourself my brother?!" "I saved your ass just last week - remember?" "Hm - was I high then?"

Her sons' arguing voices brought Grace back to Reality.

She folded the prescription and put it into her jacket pocket.

Then she put on that happy motherly smile and turned her attention back to her Children.

"There's no Coconut Cake today - but I can bake you cookies Boys? With extra chocolate chips", Grace said to Diego and Klaus, before humming happily, she started preparing the Cookie dough.

However, she would be making the coconut cake for dessert next week.

Luther, Vanya, Allison and Five loved this Cake.

Surely Grace would be able to make them happy with it.

The secret recipe for the cake, would remain her secret, however - as would her brief time together in the other Universe with Data.

Having and keeping secrets wasn't evil or wrong.

And wasn't Grace as a robot, allowed to have something that was entirely hers?

THE END

AO3

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