Just as they start to get down to business, something gets in the way. Can someone save them?
In a room of filled with pleasant candlelight, the couple was lounged on the sofa in her cabin, talking softly. "You know what?" Deanna Troi said as she rested against her Imzadi's chest, "I've missed this."
Will Riker gently tightened his hold on her waist and silently breathed in the scent of Deanna's hair. "So have I...but I would think with all the talking you do throughout the day, you'd get tired of it."
Deanna turned around in his arms to face him, and wrapped her arms around his neck. She smiled mishcieviously, knowing all to well where the conversation was going. "With you, never."
"Well," he offered with a tease in his gorgeous eyes, "then why don't we experiment in a little conversation without words?"
"Oh?" Deanna said, "Exactly how would that work?"
Will brought his lips closer to hers to begin the demonstration, and whispered, "You have to stop talking first...like this," and Deanna's mouth was rewarded with a soft, but sensual kiss.
But no more than a minute into the demo, the door chime interrupted their progress. Slowly-but reluctantly-the counselor's lips parted from Will's. They tried to somehow sustain the moment by remaining perfectly still, taking pleasure in the heat and passion that was radiating from their mouths. But the door-upon receiving no answer from its owner-inevitably rang again.
Will sighed irritably, "Why is it every time we start to get intimate, something-or someone-always distracts us?" His mind easily recalled their last attempt... They were just getting comfortable in the bubble bath, the champagne and their bodies tempting them to continue further, when he'd been paged by Worf. Duty sure had a way of spoiling the mood.
As she got up to answer the call, Deanna sent, 'I'm not distracted yet, Imzadi. I plan to follow through with my intentions.' the seductive look she gave him, and the lustful tone in her voice made it clear to him that Deanna was not kidding. She released the lock and before them appeared Lwaxana Troi, her own luggage in hand.
Deanna's mind was so focused on Will that she'd been unable to sense her mother's presence. Her shock was evident, "Mother?! What are you doing here?"
Lwaxana merely smiled and said, "Now Deanna, is that any way to greet your own mother? Surely I deserve more respect than that."
"Of course. It's good to see you, Mother." They embraced briefly, and then Deanna continued, "I just wasn't expecting you, that's all.
Mrs. Troi stepped into the room and immediately, her eyes locked onto Will Riker, her daughter's long-time Imzadi. "Obviously. No matter. How are you, Commander?"
He now stood before her, completely composed. "Fine, Mrs. Troi. It's been a long time."
"An even longer time that Deanna's been with you." Ignoring his questionable look, she turned to her daughter, "Just when were you going to tell me about this renewed relationship with your Imzadi?"
Instead of waiting for a verbal reply, she sent, 'And anyway, just what were your prior intentions?'
Deanna lifted an eyebrow and sent back, 'You're the telepath. You tell me, Mother.'
The elder Troi huffed, 'It's too explicit for even me to repeat.'
Deanna smiled pleasingly and went over to her slightly befuddled love. She almost forgot that it had been awhile since he had been around those that were used to communicating telepathically. He figured out what was going on as he watched Deanna's facial expressions change.
She went into Will's arms and hugged his body close. now that her mother was aware of their current status, there was not point in avoiding open displays of affection. "Lwaxana," Will said, "I can't help but notice you're without Mr. Homn.
As Mrs. Troi lugged her baggage into the living room, she remarked, "Gee, how did you *grunt*...guess?" Laughing, Deanna asked, "Mother, why didn't the captain assign you your own quarters?"
She could be heard from the bedroom now, "He did, but I told Jean-Luc I wanted to spend some quality time with my daughter."
'Yeah, I bet she did', Will thought to Deanna.
"I heard that!" Lwaxana retorted. While she heard them giggling softly, she let her eyes wander around the more intimate room of Deanna's cabin.
After a moment, the two went back to the couch, returning to their previous posture before Lwaxana arrived. Putting a delicate hand to Will's face, stroking his trimmed beard, Deanna knew instantly why her suspicious mother was detaining herself in the next room. "Mother, there's nothing in there you need to see that you haven't already."
Will smiled beneath her hair, and could easily imagine the older Betazoid snooping around.
'Don't lie to me, Little One. There's got to be something in here that belongs to him'.
'I'm sorry, but much to your disappointment and my own, there isn't any evidence of any kind of romantic encounter between us. Why do you think I brought him here tonight? Certainly you don't think that we were just intending on talking our way through the evening? It's been too long for that.'
'How long, Little One?'
Deanna sighed, 'The last time was in the jungle.'
'Good Gods, woman!! Lwaxana telepathically shouted though Deanna's mind.
'I know. I almost considered ignoring the door so that we could...'
Her mother's laughter rang in her thoughts, 'Well, after eleven years, I can't say I would blame you, my dear.'
The aged woman decided to assist in solving her child's dilema, "Will," she finally spoke, and returned to the room, "why don't you and Deanna spend sometime alone on the holodeck? The Jalara Jungle is especially beautiful this time of year."
He looked playfully at Deanna, and she returned his gaze with an intense-and extremely alluring-stare. 'Just think, Imzadi. No more interruptions. We can secure the holodeck for the time we need, and finally get some privacy. It's the perfect opportunity.'
He could not refuse her, of course. Not with his celibacy reaching an all-time record, and her mind fondling his already-stimulated pleasure centers.
"That sounds like a good idea," Will managed to get out. Taking Deanna's hand, he said to Lwaxana, "You know where to find us if you need us."
Chuckling, she said, "I don't think I'd be able to even if I wanted to, Commander."
The couple began to step out the door, but Lwaxana stopped Deanna halfway out, 'Take this with you.' She slipped a simple, satin lingerie that she'd been hiding into her daughter's hands. Deanna smiled appreciatively and took it. Her mother patted her on the cheek and pushed her out the door. "Have fun."

END