Katherine’s smile brightened when she saw his playful one, and she was delighted that he accepted her invitation because she hadn't really believed he would.  He looked so handsome and charming standing there gesturing for her to lead the way, she couldn’t help but feel a tremor of anticipation, that wonderful little sensation that holds the promise of something new, something exciting.  “Great, and yes you do owe me a coffee Captain…I had high hopes you wouldn’t forget that earlier oversight,” she said teasingly, then walked into the corridor.<br/><br/>When they entered the cafeteria, it was empty, since it was long past lunch but still too early for dinner. Looking around she put her hands on her hips and gently bit her lower lip, an unconscious habit she had when uncertain about something. “Hmmm…I guess we’re on our own,” she said absently.  She hadn’t expected they would be alone for some reason, and even though it shouldn’t matter, she was just so very<em>aware</em>of him, that it made her feel a bit nervous, yet exhilarated at the same time.  Her heart beat a little bit faster, and a soft fluttering in her stomach made her feel a bit self-conscious, to the point she was careful not to look at him, afraid of betraying her feelings which were clearly inappropriate.<br/><br/>Admonishing herself for overreacting<em>again</em>, she mentally slipped back behind the wall of casual joviality, and pointed to the tables.  “Why don’t you grab a seat?" Her voice was cheerful. "Since I invited you, I will be a good hostess and prepare dinner.  However, I’ll expect<em>you</em>to make the coffee afterwards.”  Smiling impishly, she turned towards the kitchen, but glanced over her shoulder and said, “I’ll only be a few minutes.”<br/><br/>She walked to the supplies, and began rummaging through the pre-packaged foods until she found what she wanted.<em>Ah, here we go. Not haute cuisine, but it’ll have to do.</em>Pulling out two pasta meals, she heated them up, then carefully tore open the steaming packages and placed the contents on two plates, thinking it actually smelled quite good.  After grabbing the dishes, along with some utensils, she walked back to Captain Hunter and put everything on the table before sitting down across from him. “There…unfortunately, until we get more fresh food, this is the best I can do.”  She flashed him a friendly smile before taking a bite of pasta, pleasantly surprised by the taste. “Mmm…actually, this isn’t bad, not bad at all.  Either that or I’m just<em>really</em>hungry.” She laughed; feeling truly relaxed for the first time in days, and leaned forward a little bit with her fork poised above her plate.  “So what’s the verdict?  Is it delicious or merely edible?”  She asked humorously, meeting his gaze, her eyes twinkling with laughter.<br/><br/>******************************************************************************************************************<br/><br/><em><strong>Dr. Davis &amp; Dr. Pike - Infirmary</strong></em><br/><br/><br/>The two doctors watched their leader coldly turn and leave the infirmary, and Nicholas let out an exasperated breath. “Jesus, she’s quite…umm…something isn’t she?” He asked, looking at Carole who wore an expression of discontent.<br/><br/>“No, I’ll tell you what she is…a total bitch,” she said heatedly.  “How in the Hell did she get this assignment anyway?”  She asked incredulously.<br/><br/>Nicholas chuckled at that, but shrugged.  “No idea, but she’s in charge and we’ll have to find a way to co-exist, preferably amicably, but I’d settle for simply staying under her radar,” he said with a sigh.  “She’s right though in a way, as much as I hate to admit it.  We NEVER should have opened that vial outside of total quarantine, and I<em>knew</em>that!  It was a mistake that I’d have fired an intern for instantly…go directly to unemployment, do not pass GO and do not collect $200,” he said it like a joke, but his voice was thick with self-recrimination.<br/><br/>Carole looked down at the floor, feeling uneasy. “It’s my fault entirely, I should have asked you before doing anything, I was just so excited about the discovery,” she said dejectedly.  “So what do we do now, besides wait and see?”<br/><br/>“First off, there’s no point in playing the blame game, we’re both at fault, but I take full responsibility since this is my sandbox and area of expertise.”  He held up his hands to silence her protest at what he just said. “So, now that’s settled, we need to set up a proper quarantine, and begin testing the new strain’s resistance to the medications we have,” he said firmly.<br/><br/>Their conversation was interrupted by Lt. Peters.  “Hi Dr. Pike, sorry to bother you, but I have a bit of a headache and was wondering if you had an aspirin or something.”<br/><br/>Nicholas and Carole looked at each other in alarm, and both had a sinking feeling, but quickly recovered.  He smiled and gestured to an empty chair. “Of course Lieutenant, but first would you mind if I take a blood sample?  I need one from every member of the crew, routine check-up and all that, but seeing as you’re here, you can be the first,” he lied, but smiled in that persuasive way doctors often do when something is non-negotiable.<br/><br/>Lt. Peters shrugged. “Sure, whatever.  I understand.”<br/>