No, that’s not what I mean.

"It Takes Two"

By Joseph Manno

Parihn employed a new tactic.

"Please, Cicero? For me?"

Fortunate she wasn't asking me to kill myself... because I'm not sure I can deny her anything.

I sighed—which was the closest I came to an outright refusal—and then said, "All right."

She actually jumped and clapped with girlish delight... then grabbed my hand and dragged me along before I could reconsider.

Smart woman.

Summoning courage, I asked, "What are we doing?"

Her smile was rife with a nearly sexual fervor; and, at once, I knew—too late.

We reached the holodeck.

"Ballroom dancing."

I'd have preferred killing myself.