How one day begins (and ends) for Will and Deanna...
Deanna climbed silently out of bed, trying hard not to disturb Will. He's not going to like this, Deanna thought. She didn't think to tell him earlier that she would have to leave him like this. She showered quickly, then dressed in her uniform for duty. But before leaving, Deanna couldn't resist coming back to the bed to kiss her Imzadi good-bye. Her lips brushed his forehead and he stirred a little, but didn't wake. She touseled his hair away from his face, and then walked out of the room. So began another day in the life of ship's counselor Deanna Troi...
An hour afterwards, Riker slowly came out of his deep sleep. He immediately knew the bed was empty. Deanna?, he called to her. Will sat up and looked around the room. He noticed her uniform wasn't where she left it last night, draped across one of the chairs. He smiled and chuckled softly. Of course, he realized. She had already left for duty. He stretched for a moment, greeting the morning with a pleasant attitude. Things were going pretty well for him and Deanna thus far. They were definately spending more time together, time that he used to take forgranted, long ago. They was practically living together now. Breakfast and dinner were pretty much routine nowadays. Will thought he knew just about everything there was to know about Deanna...but obviously there was much he needed to catch up on.
For one thing, Deanna Troi wasn't the same cautious woman she once had been when it came to Will Riker. He found it almost astonishing that she was the one who actually re-instated their relationship by flirting with him in the library. It certainly wasn't the typical behavior of the studious counselor he once knew. Another aspect that surprised him about her was that she was more than comfortable expressing her feelings for him out in the open...in other words, public displays of affection. But it wasn't anything he would complain about, of course. And although he was still discovering minor quirks about his beloved every now and then, Will was loving every single moment of it. He'd finally found true happiness at last-and miraculously, that happiness wasn't from anything Starfleet could ever give him.
As he got out of bed, he walked into the living room and found a small note on the coffee table. It read, in Deanna's handwriting:
I'm sorry I left the bed cold. I had an early appointment this morning. I'll make it up to you tonight, I promise.
I love you.
Deanna
Will smiled. She always knew how to make his day. He made a mental note to himself to return the favor a little later. He set the note back on the coffee table and went back to the bedroom so he could get ready for duty.
Later in the day, when Deanna Troi returned to her office from bridge duty, she was surprised to find a beautiful bouquet of white roses-already in a vase-sitting on her desk. Along with the flowers was a note, not unlike the one she wrote this morning, and a small box. She unfolded the note first and read it:
You're forgiven. I'll see you tonight. Wear this.
In my thoughts,
Will
Deanna figured he was referring to whatever was in the box. She opened it and discovered a bottle inside. She took out its contents and then smiled. Gardenia perfume. Both her and Will's favorite frangrance. Deanna took off the top and inhaled. The smell was sweet and floral. Just how she liked it. Deanna's smile seemed to be highlighted by the gift. There was a radiant glow about her entire face. She always loved how her Imzadi could make her feel so happy in the smallest of ways.
That evening as Will made his way to their quarters (he still had to smile whenever he thought about that), he felt the fatigue and frustration of the day leave his mind and his body. Deanna Troi certainly had that kind of effect on him. He made his way to their cabin, opened the door, and walked in. "Deanna?" "I'm here, Will," came the reply from within the cabin. He went into the living room, and then started towards the bedroom. "Where are you?" I'm right here. He looked up, and there she was. On the bed. Without any clothes on. She was having an effect on him now...of a different kind. Deanna looked up at him with alluring eyes. He simply stood there staring in awe. "You wrote, 'Wear this,'" she said as she held up the bottle of Gardenia, "but you neglected to mention anything else."
He smirked. "Well, I never knew you'd take that literally. But I must say..." he said, carefully eye-ing her casual position, and noticing how her skin never looked so enticing, "I don't have any complaints." "Good," Deanna responded, none so matter-of-factly. Now come here, Imzadi. I've had a long, lonely day. All Will could do from there was let himself be sebdued by his sweet-smelling goddess, and melt into her passion.

END