Riker brought his hand up to knock on the door but before he could, the door opened and a smiling Betazoid greeted him.

"Your good mood gave you away," she said.

"I'm that obvious?" he replied, a huge grin exploding across his face. She didn't say anything, just moved out of the doorway. He followed her into the small room. For a missile complex in Montana, it was doing pretty well in the accommodations department.

"Deanna, I've been thinking," Riker said, his tone soft. She stood next to the bed, close enough for him to reach out and pull her to him. He kept his arms at his sides though.

"About what?" she asked, her raven eyes gazing deep into his baby blue ones.

"About us. Being here in person, standing side by side with Dr. Zephram Cochran has made me realize how important tomorrow's flight really is. Not just for humanity, but for you and me. If it weren't for Cochran, I'd still be in Alaska probably goofing around with any woman that came my way. You'd be on Betazed, probably married by now. But because of tomorrow's flight, I'm here with you. And I've never been happier."

She was silent for a moment, deep in thought. She looked down, smiled, and then looked up at him again. Before she knew it, she had wrapped her arms around him tightly. This was where she belonged. This is where she's happiest.

"Will, why do we do this to ourselves?" she mumbled into his chest.

He lifted her chin with his finger and said, "I'm not sure, Imzadi, but it's never going to happen again." Riker ran a hand through her hair, then leaned down and kissed her. He was unsure of how she'd react. He was scared that she'd push him away. He hoped that she had come to the same conclusion he had: They were meant to be together. Over the past 8 years, they had both pushed their feelings away; in denial of what was so obvious to everyone else aboard the Enterprise.

Troi responded with as much passion and love as she could muster. She wanted him to know that there was nothing else in the world that she wanted than to be with him. After years of telling herself that he was just another man to get over, another hurdle to jump, the realization hit her like a brick wall. He was the man she was meant to be with.

END