Closed to Picard [Backdated to After Re-Arrival]
One thing that Data had been wanting ever since those last moments aboard the Scimitar was to finish what was a simple "good-bye". The words were far inadequate to describe what he felt for Picard. It wasn't exactly what a son felt for a father, or a crew member to their captain. The two of them had a real connection, one that had been solidified by the Borg Queen. He respected the captain above all other humans in wisdom and nature, and the man was everything he had ever strove to be.
Which made it very difficult to bring himself to knock on his door. Even if, according to the registry, that door was just next door to his own.
He even went so far as to stand in front of Picard's door, about to knock, and stalled his knuckles just millimeters from the door's surface. Then he went back into his own room and decided to rearrange the furniture again (much to Spot's displeasure).
Then he came out and tried it again, before going back inside and worrying over that power source for Orac, all the while donating what felt like 80% of his though processes over unraveling the mystery of why he had been so delighted to learn of the arrival of Picard, but yet encountering him seemed to be an incredible source of unrest. But that didn't change the fact that his captain, though perhaps not exactly from the same time frame, was available to him. He had at least one more chance to call upon that admirable wisdom and emotional consolation which not even the counselor could provide him.
This time when he wandered out, he actually managed to knock on the door.
Which made it very difficult to bring himself to knock on his door. Even if, according to the registry, that door was just next door to his own.
He even went so far as to stand in front of Picard's door, about to knock, and stalled his knuckles just millimeters from the door's surface. Then he went back into his own room and decided to rearrange the furniture again (much to Spot's displeasure).
Then he came out and tried it again, before going back inside and worrying over that power source for Orac, all the while donating what felt like 80% of his though processes over unraveling the mystery of why he had been so delighted to learn of the arrival of Picard, but yet encountering him seemed to be an incredible source of unrest. But that didn't change the fact that his captain, though perhaps not exactly from the same time frame, was available to him. He had at least one more chance to call upon that admirable wisdom and emotional consolation which not even the counselor could provide him.
This time when he wandered out, he actually managed to knock on the door.