Please hit the back button to return to the Index. February 14 Deanna arrived in her office early after her usual visit to Dr. Crusher's sick bay. On her desk she found a single red rose with a card handwritten in the ancient Betazed script, "You are in my thoughts always." She couldn't believe that Worf would do such a sweet thing. The phrase was the Betazed equivalent of 'I love you'. Despite his constant need to pretend that such sentimental things were beyond him, he did indeed have his tender moments, she realized. At lunch, she hurried to meet Worf in ten-forward. She wanted to tell him how much she appreciated the rose and hoped now he would agree to accompany her to the Valentine's Dance that evening. When she arrived at the lounge she saw Worf seated at a table with a Vulcan officer. His booming voice carried through the lounge. "I totally agree, Siluk, this human need for sentimentality only serves to weaken the race. Take this custom of giving flowers with thorns to each other." He turned and saw Deanna approaching the table, "Deanna, join us." Deanna stood for a moment registering the conversation she had just overhead. At that moment, she heard Will Riker's voice come over the com badge, "Counselor Troi, you are needed in sick bay." "Acknowledged. Sorry, Worf. I have to go." Deanna turned and left, grateful for an excuse to get away. Dr. Crusher met Deanna as she entered the sick bay. "Its Lt. Kurdinis, she lost the baby Deanna. I had tried to warn her and her husband that a successful birth would be a miracle with two such diverse species, but she tried genetic engineering anyway." Deanna nodded and went to where Lt. Kurdinis was staring at a viewscreen. "This isn't going to help Demari." "I know. I just keep thinking that she would have been so beautiful." Deanna saw the image the computer had generated of the Benzite/Orion mixed child. It was a simple program. It took the DNA of a potential mother and father and created a computer generated image of the offspring according to the mix of probable genetic code. "Come. Let's talk." Deanna took Demari Kurdinis's hand and led her into a private office. Beverly Crusher had been chasing Will Riker for two days to get him to set up a routine physical. He decided to stop by quickly during his break to book the date and get her off his back. Her tenacity was unnerving. She had left him a message every half hour for the past three hours. "Hi. Finally got the hint,?" Beverly smiled to see the Commander outside her office. "Yes. Can we make this quick? I have to report back shortly and I haven't had anything to eat yet." "Sure. Let me finish up one thing." She motioned for Riker to wait a second. He sat down next to a view screen. Absently he looked at the genetics program on the viewscreen and began to punch a few keys. He was busy studying the screen when Crusher emerged. "How does Thursday at 1040 hours sound?" "Fine. ..." Beverly was interrupted by a page through Riker's com badge: "Commander we have a distress call from the USS Remington, please report at once to the Bridge." Will was out the door before the announcement was finished. Deanna spent five hours with Lt. Kurdinis in counseling. When she emerged she was exhausted. Beverly was busy giving out shift orders to the incoming crew members, so Deanna sat down in front of the viewscreen that Lt. Kurdinis had been using hours earlier. When Dr. Crusher finally joined her, Deanna turned to her and asked, "Beverly, who was using this terminal last?" "I don't know. Let me think. Isn't that the one you and Lt. Kurdinis were using?" "Yes, but someone else must have been here." "No, I don't think so." Deanna frowned, "Was Worf here earlier?" "No, but Will was." "I see." Deanna was quiet. "How is Lt. Kurdinis?" Beverly asked. "She's grieving, but she is a survivor. You know Beverly someone left me a rose today." "Worf?" "I don't think so." "Must have been Will." "Yes, it must have been." "Are you and Worf going to the dance tonight?" "Klingons don't dance." "Betazoids do." Beverly reminded her. "I don't think so. It wouldn't be right." "Would Worf really mind?" "Probably not." The real reason though Deanna didn't want to go though was she didn't want to see Commander Riker sweeping every girl in the room off her feet. She also didn't want him to know how much it bothered her watching him charm them. It wasn't until the next morning when she reported for duty to the bridge that she learned that the First Officer had pulled the evening shift to avoid the dance himself. After Deanna's departure from sickbay, Beverly's curiosity got the better of her. She sat down at the viewscreen. There on the screen were two handsome boys and two pretty girls with dark hair. One boy had blue eyes and the other three had dark eyes. She hit the 'Review parental parameters" button. Mother: Deanna Troi, Father: Will Riker, Desired Sex: both, combinations: all. ***************** Five months later: Only two people were in the ten-forward lounge during the middle of the day shift: Deanna Troi and Beverly Crusher. Beverly watched her friend sit quietly across from her, moodily twisting a glass around in her fingers. "Tough night?" Deanna glanced up. Then shook her head. "No, not really. I'd better get back. I have an appointment in an hour." Without waiting for an answer Troi got up and started to leave. Turning, she ran directly into Commander Riker as she fled the lounge. "Will you get out of the way?" "Sorry." Will raised his eyebrow, flipped the chair around that Deanna had just left, straddled it as he sat and looked at the doctor. " What did I do this time?" "You didn't. She's rather short tempered these days." Beverly motioned for another drink. "Synthenol?" Will eyed the glass of dark liquid. "No, and it's not alcohol either." "Commander, excuse me." Will turned to see Worf standing next to him looking down. "Could I talk to you a moment, Sir?" "Worf, I wouldn't come to me for romantic advice if I were you." "Excuse me, Sir?" "What can I do for you Lieutenant?" "I need to make a trip to the Klingon homeworld and I need your approval for the leave." Worf eyed the doctor with suspicion. He would rather not have to go into a long explanation in front of her. "How long would you be gone?" "Ten days." "You plan to meet us at Starbase 442 then I presume?" "Yes, Sir." "Worf, shore leave doesn't start for another six days when we dock at the station." "I understand that Sir, but I need to leave early." Riker tried to keep the panic out of his voice. A trip to the Klingon homeworld for a marriage and a honeymoon would take about ten days. "Am I going to be getting any other early leave requests, Worf?" "Sir?" "Is Deanna going with you?" "No, Sir. I do not believe so." "I see. Fine, Worf," Will replied with a wide smile, "your request is approved." Even the pain from the sharp kick Beverly gave him under the table couldn't dull the anticipation of having Worf out of the way during a seven day shore leave with Deanna. Worf decided the most honorable course of action would be to ignore the Commander's smirk. Worf had arranged a visit to Qo'noS precisely to provide the opportunity for Will and Deanna to get together if that is what they wanted. It eased his conscience to think that if he returned and they were not together, then his relationship with Deanna was not what was keeping them apart. It was a risk, but one he felt honor bound to take. During the next week Will carefully avoided any confrontations with Deanna, but did convince Beverly, Data and Geordi to go with him from Starbase 442 to Henalli 4. Henalli 4 was technically a class M planet although the lack of water made it a borderline classification. Riker decided that in this case going with a crowd would tempt Deanna to consider the excursion a safe one.  "Okay, Beverly, I'm counting on you to convince her to come with us." Will announced as he and Beverly were cleaning up after the poker game. "Will, although Deanna has on numerous occasions accused me of trying to get you two back together, I do not want to be a party to anything that would make her unhappy." Beverly felt like Will was beginning to take advantage of the shoulder to cry on she had provided upon occasion. "Beverly, I'm not asking you to do anything underhanded, but you've seen her lately. She is moody, short-tempered, irritable. She is a Counselor, she is supposed to be in better control of her emotions. She needs a break and you know it. I'm telling you she gets like this when she has had to deal with too many minds for too long. She will be absolutely miserable in a confined place like the Starbase with ten times the number of people than on the Enterprise. Not only that, but on the station, there are many civilians and the aggressions and tensions are much harder on her than here on the ship. It will be good for her to get away. Henalli 4 is sparsely populated by a few colonists. It is a great place to go. In fact, you may find she is already planning on going there herself." Doctor Crusher shook her head. "It may be that you are right, but I can't help but notice Commander, that you think Henalli 4 is going to be a great place for you too." "Doctor, I promise, I will not do anything to make her unhappy. I've taken your advice to heart. I even rented a cabin so I won't be in the same building with her! I've got to report to the bridge. Call me as soon as you get her to say yes. I've already made her reservation on our transport ship." "You did what?" "I'm counting on you doctor!" The old smile was back, the old twinkle in the eyes. Beverly noted she had not seen Riker this enthusiastic in the last six months. She hoped this didn't blow up in his face or the return trip back from Henalli 4 would be a very uncomfortable one for everyone. Over dinner in ten-forward Deanna watched her friend suspiciously, "So, Beverly, who is going on this 'excursion'?" "Data, Geordi, me and Will. Is that a problem?" "A problem? Why would it be a problem? You don't think I could go on shore leave with Will without there being a problem? We are friends, you know." "Yes, I know." Deanna continued as though talking to herself, "there is no problem in going with Will, with all of you, it's just, I thought I would perhaps have a different sort of shore leave." "I see." Beverly waited a few minutes. "I thought that Worf might not like it if he found out you had gone with us." "That's not a problem." Deanna said quietly. Then seeing Beverly's quizzical look she replied, "there is no problem with Worf and I, we just have some disagreements regarding how to raise Alexander, that's all." "I didn't ask." "I appreciate that." Deanna smiled. "And where is the Captain going for his shore leave?" "Well, he did mention some unusual archeological digs on the moon surrounding Henalli 4, I believe, but honestly I haven't ask." Beverly's smile was contagious and even Deanna felt her mood improving. "So, I know Data goes wherever Geordi goes, but how did he convince you and Geordi to go to Henalli 4?"  "The Captain? He doesn't know we are going, yet." "No, I was referring to his First Officer." "Oh. Will told us the station was loud and overcrowded and that Henallit 4 was warm, sparsely populated with abundant wildlife and enough of a shuttle trip from the station that we wouldn't get called back to the ship for nuisance chores. He also told us if we could convince you to go you would get more rest on a sparsely populated planet than on the space station." "I see." "Was he right?" "Yes, he has an irritating way of being that upon occasion." Deanna had planned to spend the leave in her cabin reading. Getting off the ship onto a thinly populated planet did sound much more relaxing. It was also true that when senior officers stayed on a space station, inevitably someone got called back to the Enterprise for some trivial job that some junior officer thought just had to be completed. Usually it turned out to be nothing of great importance. Arrival and docking was uneventful and within a few hours most of the senior staff of the USS Enterprise-D found themselves in a transport ship bound for Henalli 4. Henalli 4 was an arid planet, but quite beautiful in its own way. Hardly any vegetation was evident. Instead the planet was covered with red rocky plains and mountains. The late day sun cast long shadows in various yellow hues along the rocky slopes as the companions departed from the shuttle. True to his word, Will had arranged hotel arrangements for everyone except himself. His cabin was a short distance away from where the others were staying. Beverly thought it was nice gesture. Deanna was sure he was up to something. The first two days went well, although no one saw Will. He seemed to prefer to stay off by himself. The Captain had grown bored with the moon. The ruins were overrated by local residents anxious for some tourist trade. Beside a few souvenir shops Picard found nothing of interest so he had rejoined the rest of his offices on the planet. Picard had moved into the hotel and was a regular on the daily hikes the group took. Beverly checked on Riker a couple of times, but he assured her he was fine, just catching up on his sleep and reading. Deanna seemed to revel in staying in her compartment reading as well. Since they both seemed happy, Crusher settled into enjoying her time with the Captain. Deanna lasted two days in her room reading before she became bored, exactly the amount of time Will Riker would have predicted. Venturing outside her room she found Beverly and Picard gathering up a portable replicator and tourPADDs. "Off hiking again?" Deanna asked. "Yes, the Kliplk is going through its three year mating ritual now. We are hoping to catch sight of them." Picard answered. "The Kliplk?" Troi looked at Crusher who laughed. "A rare species of bird." "Can we persuade you to join us Counselor?" Picard's smile was genuine, but the empath could sense the doctor's disappointment as soon as the Captain made the offer. "No, thank you." Troi said. "Do you know what Geordi and Data are up to?" "Data and Geordi had been up half the night debating a new way of reprogramming the WPS software." Bev said. "Right now Geordi is sleeping in while Data debugs the new programming." "Maybe I'll go visit Will then." Deanna mused out loud. "That would be a good idea!" Troi laughed at the doctor's enthusiasm. "We'll see." Troi said. Deanna ventured outside the hotel for the first time and waundered down the path to Will's cabin. When she arrived, he was sitting on the porch, a book in his hand, but asleep in a deep set chair. She watched him sleep for a few moments trying to ignore the fact that he was barefoot and shirtless. After a few minutes, she heard his voice. "Are you coming in or just admiring the view?" "What makes you think there is a view to admire?" she challenged. "Imzadi. You forget the bond is a two way link." Will rose slowly and started to the door. "Come on in. The hot chocolate is waiting." "How did you get hot chocolate? They said there are no replicators here." "I didn't use a replicator, I made it the old fashion way. Come on in." Against her better judgment Deanna obediently followed. The stone cabin was practically empty with a huge fireplace that dominated one wall. A couch that turned into a bed was seated in front of the fireplace and there was a dining table and chairs. The kitchen was fully equipped except for the fact there was no replicator. Will had stocked plenty of food. As she sipped the hot chocolate Deanna surveyed the stack of PADDs Will had brought. There were a number of texts on the latest tactical strategies for various types of star ships and there was one of 'The Complete Works of Emily Dickinson's Poetry' and there was a book - a novel of some sort. "When did you start reading poetry?" "Oh - right after I came aboard the Hood, I believe. Have you heard of that author?" "No." Deanna felt she had fallen into a trap carefully laid by the First Officer. "You would like her." It turned out to be a very pleasant afternoon. Will caught her up on the latest antics of his nieces and nephews as well as his father's most recent escapades. Deanna related the latest news from Betazed. It came as a surprise to her that they could share such a conversation after all that had happened over the last six months. Finally they grew silent. "Will?" "Hmmm?" "Would you read me the poetry?" "Out loud?" "Yes. I just want to listen to your voice." Will smiled. He picked up a collection of poems by Zlanna, flipped to a page and read: The Mind Alone Feels Not The tender waking Of the Heart. But where the two combined There does love bloom - Heart of the Mind. (copyright 1997 by Zlanna Freyermuth) She stared at her cup. "I do like it.." "Do you want to hear another?" "No, I'm not ready yet. I will have to think about this for a while. What is the novel?" "The Odyssey, by Homer." "My father had a copy in his library, but I never read it. It is Greek, right?" "Yes. Do you want me to read that to you too?" Will was only half joking, but Deanna smiled, closed her eyes and answered, "Yes, please." No one had read to her since her grandfather. He would often sit her in front of the fire at home in the Troi mansion and read to her. She vaguely wondered if she had told Will of that. This reminded her of those times. She settled back against pillow on one side of the couch and laid her feet on Will's lap. Will picked up the paper book and began to read, "Book 1 What Went On in the House of Odysseus "This is the story of a man, one who was never at a loss. He had traveled far in the world, after the sack of Troy, the virgin fortress; he saw many cities of men, and learnt their mind; he endured many troubles and hardships in the struggle to save his own life and to bring back his men safe to their homes. He did his best, but he could not save his companions. For they perished by their own madness, because they killed and ate the cattle of Hyperion the Sun-god, and the god took care that they should never see home again. At the time when I begin, all the others who had not been killed in the war were at home, safe from their perils of battle and sea: but he was alone, longing to get home to his wife..." Will read through the afternoon and late into the evening. Finally he stopped, putting the book down. "Well, we don't have to read the whole thing tonight. Would you like something to eat?" "Yes, that would be nice. Let me give you a hand." As they prepared the meal she kept expecting him to make some comment about her and Worf, but none came. They talked about the ship, the upcoming personnel reviews until finally as they finished eating, Deanna volunteered, "I'll clean up. Will you read some more?" Will smiled, knowing she was already caught up in the story. "Let's see: Book IX How Odysseus Visited the Lotus-eaters and the Cyclops. Then Odysseus began his tale: "What a pleasure it is, my lord," he said, "to hear a singer like this, with a divine voice!" After several hours, Will put down the book once again. "Deanna, I'll have no voice left if I read anymore. Let's call it a night. Odysseus will keep until tomorrow." Will got up and offered to walk her back to the hotel. It had been a perfect day. As she climbed up the steps to the hotel Deanna half expected Riker to kiss her goodnight. She wasn't sure how she would react. She was trying to decide when he stopped and simply said "Goodnight". In amazement she watched him trace his steps down the hill. Deanna marched to her room, furious that Will Riker could still make her feel like an insecure school girl. She nearly collided into the Captain and Beverly. If she hadn't been so preoccupied, she might have noticed how embarrassed they were. Instead, she punched in her access code, went inside. Aloud noise came from Deanna's compartment as if a heavy object had struck the wall. "You know, one of these nights, she is not going to come home." Picard smiled at Beverly." "So where were we?" Picard asked as Beverly pushed him through the door into her room. The next day passed the same way. Deanna rose early and made her way down to Riker's cabin and the two talked for a while, then went on a walk. Finally after lunch she asked, "Will, what is the next chapter?" Will pulled out the book again. "Book XIV Odysseus and the Swineherd". Deanna sat back with her eyes closed and listen to the to him read, thoroughly at peace with herself and her surroundings. Will read until late in the evening. Each day was spent in a similar manner. On the last night, Will lit a fire in the huge fireplace and brought out her hot chocolate. He sat quietly watching the fire, content to share the moment without talking. Deanna watched him and wondered when he was going to try and escalate the relationship to a physical one. At last as the fire died down he spoke for the first time in hours. "Should I add another log?" "That's a good idea and would you finish the book?" Will picked up the novel once again. "You read for a while and then I'll finish." Deanna preferred listening to Will, but he had read almost the entire tale, so she obediently took the book. "Book XXIII, Odysseus Found His Wife Again. So Odysseus was left in the hall, brooding over his vengeance with Athena in his thoughts." Deanna read through the 22d chapter describing how Penelopeia comes to recognize her husband through the sharing of a secret only they know and how they came to be reunited after so many hardships, only to have Odysseus rise in the morning to leave yet again. Finally, she put the book down. She watched Will in the firelight, remembering the longing she felt each time he stood on the transporter pad. Standing up, she stretched and tried to regain her equilibrium, "I'm hungry." she announced, "Do you want anything?" "No, thanks." Will took up the book. "We still have time to finish the last two chapters." After an another hour Will concluded the story, "Odysseus obeyed gladly with his heart. After this Pallas Athenaia, daughter of Zeus Almighty, in the likeness of Mentor and with Mentor's voice, made peace between both parties and ended the strife for ever." Will shut the book. He smiled and said, "It's late Deanna. We need to leave early tomorrow to catch the transport ship back to Starbase 442. Maybe I should walk you back now." Deanna sat up on the couch. She hadn't expected him to end the evening like this. She had expected him to beg her to stay. She had expected him to try and seduce her. She did not want to go back, but she didn't know how to stay, so she shook her head in agreement. They walked in silence. At the foot of the steps of the hotel, she turned and studied him in the pale light of the twin moons. "Goodnight." she offered, suddenly completely unsure of how to end the evening that she did not want to end. "Goodnight, Deanna." He was not looking at her but up at the sky where he always looked when his feet were on a planet. "Its very pleasant out here isn't it?" "Hmmm. Yes it is." he agreed. Deanna realized the setting was perfect. The cool dry air was refreshing and the moonlight made the evening very romantic. "Want to go on a walk?" She knew she was trying to postpone leaving him and what they had shared. "Not really. I'm tired, but we can if you want." he offered. "No. Maybe its not such a good idea. We do have to get up early tomorrow." "Yes. Well, see you in the morning. Goodnight, Deanna." Deanna walked part way up the stairs and turned to watch Riker's back as he made his way in the direction of the cabin. She realized how much she wanted to follow him. How much she wanted his arms around her. Perhaps she had waited too long. Perhaps he no longer wanted her. He stopped just before he was out of view and turned and looked at her. In that instant she felt dizzy as she felt the full intensity of the emotions he poured into her mind. His love, his need, his desire for her. "Never doubt that I want you Imzadi," she heard in her head. So strong was the sensation that her knees buckled and she nearly lost her balance. He had not sent to her in years and even then only a single word at a time. How was it now possible that he could send so well? Not only had he managed to impart a physical sensation to her which was very difficult, but had also projected an entire thought. "Damn him!" she thought as she realized with shock that he had used their closeness and the tranquillity of the past week to strengthened their link way beyond what the bond had been before. It was a master stroke by a master tactician and Deanna could not help but marvel at the depth of Will's understanding of the Imzadi relationship to have pulled it off. She also knew that the sensation she was now feeling was something that no one else in the universe could ever duplicate for her. Water was scarce on Henalli 4 and there was no temperature setting for a sonic shower. Confused. upset and dominated by feelings she would rather ignore, Deanna found sleep impossible the rest of the night. Will Riker on the other hand slept better than he had for months. ****************** To be Continued.