Good Morning...
Lao-ma

"Mmm..." she smiled as she slept. Deanna turned onto her side. Sweet dreams came easily to Ms. Troi, especially since the previous night's venture.
Will had taken her on a romantic evening stroll under the moonlight on the beach. It was the usual holodeck program...no. He'd actually arranged for them to beam directly to their secluded locale in the Bahamas. The atmosphere of peace and serenity only added to her contentment as they walked together, holding hands with their fingers interlaced, on the soft, white sandy beach. A light breeze would blow past her dress every now and then, and Deanna'd smile, looking up at Will, still handsome as ever.
They talked, about all times-past, present, and even future. The good, the bad...happy and sad...all the lonely nights they had thought about the other, the mutual decision to stay 'just friends.' Both admitted that most times, their situation had been pure hell. "Deanna," Will confessed, "I can't even count all the times when I'd go crazy worrying about you while you were gone on an away mission. Even if it was routine."
She squeezed his hand reasurredly in hers. "I know. I felt the same way about you." Deanna bowed her head self-consciously, "This is probably...a little extreme...but after our first encounter with the Borg, I used to have nightmares that you'd come back to the ship as a drone."
He kissed her, and laughed gently. "It's okay." They stopped walking. Will took both her hands in his and said, "I was really scared that time you went into a coma...For the briefest moment, I almost thought you wouldn't make it." "What kept you from losing hope?" Deanna asked.
"You..." he replied, searching her gorgeous eyes, "Imzadi...and everything that word means to us. It gave me faith." She took his hand and began walking again. The tide came in and out rythymically, washing over their naked feet everytime. Will continued, "I finally understand what Imzadi means...in its entiredly."
"RaBeem," Deanna replied.
"Yes. RaBeem, Imzadi." This time he stopped them from going any further down the beach, "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything."
"Have you ever been in love?" She grinned. "Since you? No."
He returned her smile, "Are you now?"
"Yes." The joy was radiating from her face, even in the dim light.
"Me too." Will lovingly kissed her again. Deanna brought her arms around Will's neck and held on tightly as he began to spin, with their lips still locked.
The last thing she remembered was her head touching the sand as Will laid her down, and bathed Deanna in the warmth of his love. She could recall the water washing over their bodies, cleansing them both of all the pain of the past. It was definately a night either would ever forget.
In the midst of Deanna's recollections, she could feel a draft at her feet. Someone was trying to disturb her sleep. She laughed as she realized who it was. Will Riker snuggled close to Deanna as he laid his head against her bosom, and wrapped his arms around her middle. Deanna immediately enclosed herself around him, interlocking her slender legs with his muscular ones. She rested her chin on top of Will's head and grinned. She inhaled his scent with fond familiarity. Her mind kept taking her back to their time on the beach...
He broke the silence with his laughter, "I can't stop thinking about that either."
Deanna almost forgot that since last night, Will would be more sensitive to her emotions than usual. She chuckled, "You know, we can't just stay here in bed all day...The captain gets irritable when we show up late for a meeting." "And everyone can pretty much conclude why we're always the last ones to come in..." he pointed out. Then, Deanna grinned down at Will, and Will grinned back at Deanna...
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" he asked with mischief in his baby blue eyes. She giggled in response, and pulled the comforter over their heads.
What a morning...

END