Paramount Pictures who owns all rights to the Star Trek universe, its characters and background. The story is not to be reprinted or reproduced without permission of the author or published for profit.

Within the Bonds

by Zlanna@AOL.com

Riker leaned back against the turbolift wall collecting his thoughts. He had just emerged from a very tense meeting with Lt. Callahan and Captain Picard, in which Lt Callahan had been informed that his performance was not up to the standards expected on the Enterprise. Callahan had argued every point and in the end had announced that the reason the First Officer wanted him off the Enterprise was because the Lieutenant had confided a case of mild depression to Counselor Troi. Callahan went on to insist that since the Couselor and Riker were lovers that naturally Riker had been aware of the confidential conversation. Riker didn't know if he were more upset over the accusation of improprietary or the charge that Deanna would betray a patient/client conversation. Sighing deeply, Will wished at the very least if he were going to be accused of sleeping with Deanna that it were true! Picard had never asked Riker if the two were lovers, although the Commander was certain that most people had caught on years ago that they had once been involved.

Will for his part hadn't stated that they weren't lovers, instead he had immediately defended Deanna against the charge that she had told him a priviledged conversation. Now, in the aftermath of the meeting, Will kicked himself for not first stating categorically that there was no intimate relationship between him and the Counselor. Not that it would have done any good. Callahan had asked point blank if it wasn't true that the Counselor and the First Officer were Imzadi. Will hadn't wanted to lie to Picard, so he had stated it wasn't the Lieutenant's business what Riker's relationship was to Deanna Troi. In hindsight, Riker realized, it may well have sounded to the Captain like an admission of guilt. Somehow, Will doubted this would be the last he would hear of the conversation. He should probably warn Deanna in case Picard discussed Lieutenant Callahan's case with her. Scratching his beard, Riker tried to figure out how Callahan would know about the link that he and Deanna Troi shared. He knew he had never told anyone of the bond and he doubted Deanna had.

The turbolift doors opened just across the hall from his quarters. Standing in front of the door next to his was Deanna with another woman. Turning Troi greeted him warmly, "Will! You remember Chandra, don't you?"

Chandra laughed as she read Riker's first thought, "Its hard to recognize her with her clothes on."

"Yes, of course! Chandra, I had forgotten you were arriving on the Enterprise." Will offered his hand.

"Deanna - he is still as sexy as ever!" Chandra projected. "Commander, it is so nice to see you again." she said out loud. "He is crazy about you? Why aren't you two married yet?"

Troi smiled. "Chandra will be with us for a few days, she is meeting her husband on Starbase 578."

Riker nodded absently. "Well, I hope we get time to talk later then."

Chandra laughed, "Yes, at the reception this evening I hope. You are going to be there, aren't you?"

"Certainly." Riker replied with a grin trying to hide the fact that he had totally forgotten about the affair.

"Good. I would like to spend more time with the TWO of you." Chandra insisted.

Riker cocked his head wondering what had happened to the shy bride he had met nearly twenty years ago.

"After raising two teenagers I had to get a little more forceful to ever get a word in!" Chandra laughed easily.

"Teenagers! Your children can't be teenagers!" Will protested, remembering the picture of the small boy and girl that sat on Deanna's desk.

In her mind Deanna heard her friend, "His first thought was that if he had met you on Risa that your children would be teenagers too."

Riker noted Deanna's blush but had no idea what Chandra must have said to produce the reaction. Chandra continued out loud. "Of course, we will give you time to change. How about we come over in about an hour?"

"Fine. An hour then." Will's eyes twinkled as he watched Deanna fidget uncomfortably.

As soon as they were inside Deanna quarters, Chandra started, "Deanna, you two are Imzadi - you can't go on like this!"

Chandra watched Deanna dress for the evening."You aren't going to put your hair up like THAT are you?" Chandra exclaimed.

"What's wrong with it?" Deanna asked innocently.

"Come, Deanna, you know he prefers it down - he always has!" Chandra chided.

"Chandra lets get one thing straight - I am not out to seduce Will Riker tonight!" Deanna stood in the middle of her bedroom, her hands on her hips and her jaw stuck forward in defiance.

"Well, why not? Do you have some better night in mind?" Chandra petitely sat down on the bed daring Deanna to protest further.

"Look Chandra, Will and I both agree that it is better not to have a relationship while we are serving on the same ship." Deanna slipped a shoe on.

"Why?" Chandra asked out loud.

Sighing with impatience Deanna replied, "Because if something goes wrong then it would be very difficult to continue to serve together that's why!"

"I see." Chandra got up. As she left the bedroom for the living room she spoke over her shoulder. "That is the stupidest reason I have ever heard. Since when were Imzadi not able to work things out?"

Deanna slipped on the other shoe and wondered why she had been looking forward so much to her friend's visit. "Are you in conspiracy with my mother?" She yelled out. Receiving no answer, Deanna followed her friend out to the living room to find Chandra and Will sitting on the couch waiting for her. Will was as uncomfortable as usual in the "dress" uniform, as the male officers referred to the formal attire. He was leaning forward, nodding his head as if in a deep discussion. Deanna could feel his intense interest in whatever Chandra was confiding to him telepathically. In fact so fascinated was he in whatever Chandra relating that he didn't even notice when Deanna entered.

Glancing up Chandra smiled at Deanna's entrance. "Well, are we all ready, then?"

Deanna picked up on Will's nervousness in the turbolift and assumed it had something to do with Chandra's earlier conversation with him. "Chandra, what did say to Will to make him so nervous?"

"I told him about my husband's work on Vulcan last year. Don't worry. I didn't tell him anything about you, dear!"

Deanna glanced at her friend. She had never known Chandra to lie and there was no reason for her to start now. Still, something had made Riker on edge. "Will." she began, "are you okay?"

Riker smiled slightly, "Yes, but we do need to talk about Lt. Callahan." he began. He didn't want to repeat his earlier conversation with Picard and Callahan in front of Chandra so he simply added, "perhaps after the reception, we could take a few minutes to discuss his situation."

"Certainly, Commander." Deanna replied. Lt. Callahan had never worked out since the day he had set foot on the Enterprise. Will had cut him quite a bit of slack in the beginning of Callahan's tour, more than he usually did for new personnel, but instead of recognizing the fact that Will was trying to help him, Callahan had developed an intense jealousy towards the Commander. Deanna had worried for some time that things would escalate to the point that official action would need to be taken to reassign Callahan to a less demanding position on another ship or even planetside. She was grateful she had advised Will from the outset to keep careful notes on his meetings with Callahan.

Arriving at the reception, Riker escorted Deanna and Chandra to an empty table. "Drinks, ladies?" he asked.

Deanna turned to Chandra, "Auvian wine." the Betazoid replied. Deanna nodded. "Two." The two women watched Riker make his way to the bar. While he was waiting to place his order, a tall, slender red-head snuggled up to his side. Deanna turned her head away in disgust.

"What's wrong?" Chandra asked.

"Nothing!" Troi replied, then turning back to watch she continued, "Well look at him. Every time we come to these functions he ends up with some woman dignitary for the evening! And you were trying to get me interested in him again."

Chandra watched her friend for a moment. "You are already interested. I was trying to get you to act on those interests. What do you think he is thinking right now?"

"I KNOW what he is thinking. He's wondering what line of his will work best on her." Deanna turned her head away again.

"He's thinking that Deanna's going to be mad at him again, so he might as well ask this woman to dance with him."

Deanna snorted and gritted her teeth. "Deanna, go act on your interests. Go claim your Imzadi." Chandra encouraged. "Go on. Go ask him to dance and see who he ends of spending the evening with."

Deanna stood up. She watched the woman who was reaching up to brush the lock of hair off of Will's forehead. Squaring her shoulders, Deanna Troi walked over to the bar.

Strolling over to the bar, Deanna caught Will's eye as she approached. She could sense his defenses go up immediately. A disturbing insight came to her as she would have recognized his embarrassment from his body language even if she wasn't an empath. He involuntarily shrunk back against the bar, leaning as far away from her as he could. His reaction was not unlike Deanna's own reaction to her mother whenever she would chastice Deanna for some indiscretion. The red-head didn't give an inch, but pretending to not notice Deanna as she approached.

Deanna put on her best smile to put Will at ease, "So, how are those drinks, coming, Will?"

"Try it yourself." he offered, relaxing a bit. Deanna took the drink, meeting his eye while suggestively taking a sip.

"Say, I wouldn't mind one myself." the red-head volunteered.

"Sorry," Deanna retorted, linking her arm in Will's, "everything is spoken for." It was the first time in a long time Riker's smirk didn't make Deanna angry. Maybe it was because this time she had picked up on the pride he was feeling that she had, in some small way, defended her territory.

"Nicely done, Deanna!" Chandra congratulated Deanna upon their return to the table. "Now, Commander Riker, tell me all about your plans!"

Riker shot a quick look at Deanna and took a swig at his own beverage, trying to buy time. "My plans, Chandra?"

"Yes, what do you plan to do with your life?" the Betazoid insisted. "Have you achieved all your objectives?"

Riker grinned. "Do you mean am I still after Kirk's record? I missed that several years ago. It doesn't seem so important now. Plans? I don't know. To tell you the truth, I've been so busy here on the Enterprise, I haven't spent a lot of time, trying to plot out the rest of my life."

"Well, maybe you should before time plots it out for you." Chandra's face revealed nothing as to her meaning behind her words. "Okay, he wants to dance - ask him." she projected to Deanna.

Will could tell Deanna and Chandra were communicating, but his mind was still on the question of what were his plans. Funny, he routinely counseled the crew on career strategies, but he hadn't given much thoughts to his own. He wasn't really sure why, except maybe it was because he had no plans for his personal life to drive any career ambitions anymore. There had been a time when he had wanted nothing more than to captain a ship. Originally because he hoped it would please his father, and then later, because he hoped it would afford the possibility of providing an environment in which Deanna would want to join him on a starship as his wife. When that prospect dimmed, he had clung on to the original dream just because it had been the only dream he had allowed himself. He had hoped upon finding Deanna on the Enterprise, that he might be able to win her back, but that was before Thomas Riker and then Worf. Deanna was certainly looking around but she wasn't looking in his direction.

Except that this night she was. Deanna listened to Chandra berate her for Deanna's inaction as she watched Will lost in thought. He was confused and undecided about something. Probably to do with work. He had become such a work a holic, she doubted he gave much thought to trying to reach any balace on the personal side. Gradually she realized she was staring at him and he was staring back. Both seemed to realize their mutual admiration at the same, awkward time. On impulse, Will asked, "Deanna would you like to dance?"

Deanna rose wishing she could wipe the triumphant look off of Chandra's face. "Coward!" Chandra's laughter echoed in Troi's thoughts. "Good move, Will. Tonight you should claim your Imzadi! Your future won't wait forever you know."

Riker turned with a shocked expression at Chandra.

"Well go ahead. Make this a night to remember."Chandra urged.

"Is something wrong, Will?" Deanna asked.

"No, nothing. Nothing at all." Will replied, but he still shot a questioning look back at Chandra.

"Will Riker, you are the densest commander in Starfleet! If Deanna Troi wants something she goes after it. If she wanted Thomas Riker since he was released from that Cardassian prison, she would have been on the first transport ship out of here. She's stayed for a reason. Now give her a reason to be glad she did."

Smiling as if he had just been given permission, Will placed his hand on Deanna's back and guided her to the dance floor.

A strange looking woman sat down opposite Chandra and joined her in watching the couple that had just departed. Chandra waited patiently then asked, "Is there something I can do for you?"

"No," Guinan answered, "but there is something I can do for you."

To be con't.

Copyright 1997 by Zlanna.

I only do this for the pleasure of Imzadi fans. If you enjoyed the story or if you have suggestions, please send your comments to Zlanna@AOL.com.