A Q Carol

by 73stargazer

Using extraordinary literary license, Q gives Riker a unique gift in the form of parallels with a nineteenth century English classic. Takes place within the time of season 7, approximately 2371.

A Q Carol

Synopsis:

Using extraordinary literary license, Q gives Riker a unique gift in the form of parallels with a nineteenth century English classic. Takes place within the time of season 7, approximately 2371.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to CBS, its parents and affiliates. Just taking the characters out for a jaunt around the galaxy, I warrant they will be returned in the same condition I borrowed them.

Fast asleep, Riker does not notice the apparation of an intruder in his cabin, nor does he hear the quiet footfalls of the entity creeping towards his bed.

"Good evening, Commander," Q bellows gleefully, right hand perched purposefully on a walking cane.

Startled and disoriented, Riker calls "Lights!" and rouses shakily.

Chuckling, Q strides deliberately toward the bed with a satisfied smirk. "Did I wake you, Commander?"

Appraising Q in a nineteenth century Earth-style suit and top hat, Riker's surprise dissipates and is replaced by aggravation. "What the hell are you doing here, Q?" For a fraction of a second, Riker wishes his phaser was within reach; however, he recognizes the weapon would be a meaningless threat against the entity.

"Oh, come now, my dear Riker," Q feign pleads, perching on the end of the bed. "I'm here in friendship. I have no intention to cause any trouble. In fact, I feel I am in your debt for helping me get back in favour with the Continuum. And, it appears I've developed a….what would you pitiful humans call it? Ah….an affection for you. Yes. Despite everything, I have a sickening fondness for your pathetic little crew, and I'm here out of the generosity of my heart."

Raising a brow, Riker cannot contain a smile. " You have no feelings and certainly no heart, Q. I doubt what you've got up your sleeve is generous. Why don't you tell me what you want so we can get on with? I'm tired."

Quirking his brow, Q lifts the forefinger of his right hand. "Now, now. What is it your beloved captain is always telling me? You humans are capable of change, adaptability, growth? Don't be too quick to judge me. I may surprise you."

Rolling his eyes, Riker is growing irritated again. "Fine. What is your purpose here?"

Jumping off the bed in one fluid motion, Q grins. "Are you familiar with the works of the nineteenth century Earth author Charles Dickens?"

"No," Riker grumbles, crawling out of bed and fixing Q with a disbelieving stare. "How is it that you are?"

"Oh, your captain mentioned some of his favourite English authors on one of my previous visits," replies Q nonchalantly. "Well, that really is a shame."

"You're here for a literature lesson?" Riker smirks.

"No. I'm here to show you the error of your ways. In turn, you can choose whether to change and make a better future for yourself," Q advises Riker seriously, no hint of jovial attitude.

Folding his arms across his chest, Riker fixes Q with a a disbelieving glare. "The error of my ways?"

"Yes, you've gone horribly astray, dear boy," Q shakes his head sadly. "I'm here to help you by showing you what happened, where you are today, and giving you a glimpse of what could be if you don't change. What you choose to do next is your decision."

Laughing out loud, Riker moves his hands to his hips. "And what makes you think you know?"

"I don't," shrugs Q simply. "You do. It's your decision. I understand you humans value free will. How you react or do not act is entirely up to you. I'm merely the window through which you can view yourself. I'm simply the giver of the gift."

Sighing, Riker takes a step closer to Q. "And what does this Charles Dickens author have to do with this?"

Raising his hand, Q's face becomes animated. "Ah, of course. That is the gift. You see, in the novel, there is a curmudgeonly ,greedy old man named Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by the spirit of his old business partner, Jacob Marley. Scrooge is visited by the spirits of Christmases past, present and future to show him how he has sinned and erred in the conduct of his life."

"You're going to show me past, present and future Christmases because I've sinned and erred?" Riker chuckles.

Rolling his eyes, Q shakes his head. "I forget how difficult it is to deal with your ape-like minds. No, Riker. Not so literal. But, I believe the past is an ideal place to start. Shall we?"

When Riker deduces that Q intends for them to leave the cabin, Will jumps forward. "No! It's the middle of the night. I'm in my pyjamas!"

Grabbing Riker's arm, Q straightens his top hat. "No matter. No one will see you." In a blink, they disapparate off of the ship.

Riker, as solid as ever, lands next to Q in a tiny bright room in an incredibly old cabin. He instantly identifies it as the ancient, run-down cabin he had rented on Betazed when he was stationed there nearly ten years ago. There are only three rooms in the entire cabin: a small, open-concept kitchen and living area with a wood stove, a tiny washroom and little bedroom.

Smelling the burning wood heating the small cabin, Riker cannot help but grin. "We're on Betazed. This is my old…" He stops dead when he sees a much younger version of himself, just as solid and whole as he stands, sitting on a worn brown sofa next to a very real and young-looking Deanna Troi. These are not holographic images or facsimiles; these are practically the real people, only ten years prior.

"What the hell is going on?" Riker barks in Q's ear.

"Maybe if you read some nineteenth century English literature you'd be able to comprehend," mutters Q, observing the two people in deep conversation on the couch. " Now, shut up and watch."

"Can we…can they hear or see us?" inquires Riker of Q, watching as the younger version of himself appears to hang his head miserably.

"No, dear boy. This is the past." Rolling his eyes, Q fixes Riker with a look of pity. "With processing that slow, it is a wonder how your species ever survived this long."

Not bothering to dignify Q's remark with a response, Riker turns his attention to the past playing out in front of him. He deduces from Q's statement that he cannot interact in any way with this time sequence, and therefore not risk altering the sequence of events in the future.

"Deanna, I am so sorry," young Riker says softly, one hand holding Deanna's and the other resting on her thigh.

Closing her eyes, it appears that Deanna is struggling to hold back tears. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault." Swallowing hard, Deanna opens her eyes to look at Will. " How long?"

"I'm recalled in one week," Will tells her slowly, almost painfully.

Averting her eyes, Deanna bites her lip. "That's so…I thought we'd have more time."

"So did I," Will whispers ruefully.

Sighing, present-day Riker turns to Q. "This was when I was the ops officer on the Potemkin. I had been on secondment on Betazed for a diplomatic assignment. I got my papers recalling me to duty from Betazed to the Potemkin. By then, Deanna and I had already built a relationship."

Frowning mockingly, Q tilts his head. "Pity."

"I don't want to see this. Take me back to the Enterprise," requests Riker, his eyes wandering back to the solemn scene on the sofa.

"This isn't the end, Deanna," young Will tells her optimistically, guiding her head to his shoulder.

"You're going to be travelling all across the galaxy and I'll be working here," Deanna states pointedly. "We'll never see each other."

Running his hand through her curls, Will smiles hopefully. "You can come with me."

Rolling her eyes, Deanna chuckles dejectedly. "Somehow I don't think Starfleet will allow that. My work is here."

Running his tongue over his lips, Will inhales deeply. "Well, some of these new vessels are fit for families. The crew can bring their families with them while they serve. We could get married and you can eventually travel with me."

Deanna straightens out of Will's arms, locking gazes seriously. "That's your solution?"

"We…well…sure," Will stutters, heart beating profusely against his chest.

Gazing at Will intently, Deanna's lips purse uncertainly. "Will, you're all over the place right now. This…" Sighing, Deanna pushes off the sofa into a standing position with her back facing Will and her arms crossed over her chest. "This isn't a good time to be discussing a future."

"What do you mean?" Will asks tentatively, standing off of the sofa and stepping behind Deanna in front of the wood stove emitting a radiating heat.

Not able to contain a tiny smile, Deanna rotates around slowly and squeezes Will's bicep. "You're excited to go back to the ship, but you don't want to leave me behind. You thought you could propose to solve the problem, but you're terrified of that kind of commitment. You don't want to end what we've started, but you're not convinced you're ready to devote yourself when your career is literally skyrocketing."

Will imagines he can see the pain behind Deanna's eyes, but perhaps it is the empathetic connection she has taught him during their time on Betazed, or perhaps it is merely his imagination. "Deanna…"

"Maybe…maybe this was a bad idea. I think my initial misgivings were correct. I should have tried harder to resist you, Lieutenant," teases Deanna. Although she is playing with Will, her stomach is physically aching at the thought of what is to come next.

Smiling ruefully, Will envelopes Deanna into his arms, dropping a kiss to her temple. "Never say that. We're going to make this work."

Exhaling sharply, the significantly more grizzled Commander Riker turns to his companion with displeasure. "Alright, Q. I've watched a reenactment from my past. Will you tell me what this is about?"

"I'd like to see another excerpt. I think you need a refresher," Q tells Riker menacingly. A second later, they disapparate.

Seconds later, Q and Riker apparate to Lwaxana Troi's mansion on Betazed, where Deanna is sitting in a chair, hunched over a small computer on a long wooden desk in a brightly-lit, airy large office.

"Now what?" Riker grumbles to Q.

"Oh, wow. Will, that's… that's incredible. Congratulations," Deanna says softly to the monitor.

Riker's attention is drawn to the subspace communication the young Deanna from ten years-ago is engaging in through Lwaxana Troi's office in the house in Betazed.

"Thank you. I…I guess I'll be transferring in the next month to the Hood," the young Lieutenant Commander Riker on the monitor beams across at Deanna on the desk.

"Wow. I'm sure you're anxious to get started. Was the offer from your promotion and the mission on Nervala IV?" Deanna inquires conversationally, although the present-day Riker can see the tension in her face.

"Yes, although there are many factors," Will advises her casually. "It's a terrific opportunity, First Officer."

Swallowing hard, Deanna nods stoically.

"Hey, are you upset we couldn't meet on Risa last month?" Will inquires softly.

Averting her eyes, Deanna blinks rapidly. "Maybe a little. I understand why, though."

"We'll make another date," the fresh-faced new first officer of the Hood offers optimistically. "Once I'm settled in and…"

"Sure," Deanna replies, her voice catching in her throat. She had attempted to sound more positive, but the present-day Riker can see the doubt plaguing her features.

"Oh, sorry. I'm being hailed. I've got to go. We'll arrange another time to chat through subspace before I'm transferred," Will tells her distractedly as his eyes are averted off screen.

"Alright," Deanna whispers hoarsely, lacing her fingers together.

The communication is terminated and Deanna's computer screen is blank.

Riker rotates his head to Q with a frown. "The captain was calling me. I had to…"

"Shsh, watch," prompts Q, pointing in Deanna's direction.

Riker returns his attention to the young Deanna in the chair at the desk as her head falls into her hands, sobs racking her body. Freezing, Riker's face falls at the sight of Deanna's physical response to his words and actions. Momentarily, he is possessed with an urge to rush to her; almost simultaneously, he recalls that he cannot act. This is merely a reenactment of his past.

"She's…she's heartbroken," stutters Riker in astonishment. "I had…I had no idea that I had done this, that she felt this way."

Raising a brow, Q gives Riker a look to state he does not believe the statement. "Vraiment, mon Commandant?"

Rolling his eyes, Riker glances briefly back at Deanna, crying over top of the desk.

"And that's the day that it ended, mi Commandant," Q proclaims with an overly pronounced frown.

"I'm done. Take me back to the ship," demands Riker, straightening tall.

"Oui, Commandant, "grins Q.

Within a few seconds, Q and Riker have apparated onto the Enterprise, in what Riker recognizes as Worf's cabin.

Riker regains his bearings as Q straightens his top hat and leans against the walking cane. Glancing around, Riker's gaze is drawn to the kitchen table where Worf and Deanna are sitting in front of a large feast of Klingon delicacies. From their appearance, Riker immediately deduces that this is not a reenactment of his past but somehow part of their present timeline. Jaw clenched, Riker's heart begins to beat against his chest.

"You are not even going to try it?" Worf inquires of Deanna, lifting a forkful of worm-like brown insects to his mouth.

Giggling, Deanna shakes her head. "I'm sorry, Worf. I'm not sure I can eat my food…live."

"You must try new things," Worf suggests, setting down his fork. "Where is your adventuresome spirit?"

Smiling lightly, Deanna reaches across the table and rests her hand across Worf's massive brown hand. "I am trying new things. I have a very adventuresome spirit."

Leaning across the table, Worf leans down as if he is going to kiss Deanna and Riker turns abruptly to Q.

Red-faced, Riker rolls his fingers into a fist. "I've seen enough, Q. I'm not playing anymore. Tell me what this charade is about or get the hell out."

Grinning mischievously, Q pads forward slowly. "What's the matter, boy? Don't like seeing Micro-Brain with your precious counselor?"

"Q…"Riker grumbles between gritted teeth.

"Temper, temper, dear boy," sighs Q melodramatically. "Remember, I'm here out of the goodness of my heart to give you an invaluable gift. You could show a little gratitude."

"I could show you the door!" Riker points to the door of Worf's quarters unnecessarily. He recognizes he is powerless to stop this show of Q's; however, his frustration is mounting and he desperately wants the play to end.

"Alright, I can see patience isn't one of your virtues," sighs Q. " Perhaps we'll skip right to the closing act, the piece de resistance."

"Your future, mi Commandant," Q pronounces with an enormous grin.

Blinking rapidly after the brief apparation, Riker stares around the familiar scene of the bridge of the Enterprise. He appraises the scene thoroughly. There are some structural and technical differences; however, the overall command of the bridge remains similar to that of the present day. Riker finds an older, greying version of himself in command, wearing an entirely different uniform with an irritable look on his face. There is an unfamiliar young Vulcan to his right, a young female ensign at the helm and an older male Bajoran at operations.

"What's our ETA ,Ensign Wilson?" Captain Riker demands loudly from his seat.

"I'm captain of the Enterprise?" Riker inquires of Q with a half-smile, a wave of pride and pleasure at the thought, although feeling somewhat guilty. His second thought is what had happened to Picard to gain him the command.

"Seven hours, twelve minutes at warp five, sir," the young helmsman responds nervously.

Captain Riker rises out of his seat, smoothing the wrinkles in his grey uniform jacket. "You have the bridge, Commander." Riker nods to the Vulcan first officer and strides towards the turbo lift without a glance back.

There almost seems to be a perceptible sigh of relief on the bridge once Captain Riker enters the turbo lift.

"Three months you've been at the conn and he still calls you Wilson? The Bajoran ops officer raises a brow at the female helmsman.

"Would you like to correct him?" The helmsman asks pointedly.

Commander Riker's brows are furrowed. "Who are these people? Where's Data and Worf? What about Geordi?"

"Maybe this is a conversation better had over drinks," offers Q playfully. Snapping his fingers, he and Riker apparate to Ten Forward.

Growing dizzy, Riker has to right his balance. "Would you quit it? I'm getting nauseous."

"Something to settle your stomach, mi Capitan," suggest Q, gesturing in the direction of the bar.

Riker pads forward in the crowded room towards the bar, where he finds the Captain Riker on a stool hunched over the counter in quiet conversation with Guinan.

"Have you heard from the Admiral lately?" Guinan inquires causally, handing the captain a green drink.

Shaking his head, Riker's eyes darken. "No. Last I heard he was on some diplomatic mission for Vulcan and Romulus. Reunification talks."

"Did Beverly go with him?" asks Guinan, apparently trying to keep Riker talking.

Shrugging, Riker appears fixated with the counter top. "I assume so."

Guinan glances up as a large group chatting animatedly exits Ten Forward. "Must be poker night."

Perplexed, Captain Riker lifts his head up. "The officers like to play poker?"

Guinan smiles gently. "Yeah."

"I remember when….Well, I guess it was a long time ago. Before…before they left." Looking weary, Captain Riker runs his hand over his chin.

"Reassigned, Will," Guinan points out, observing the captain carefully. "They accepted new positions. Data and Geordi with the Yomato; Worf, O'Brien and Keiko at Deep Space 9. Picard's an ambassador, Dr. Crusher runs Starfleet Medical. And Deanna…."

"They left," retorts the captain bitterly.

A young ensign in a support uniform approaches the bar hesitantly, glancing nervously between Guinan and the older Riker. "Uh, excuse me, captain."

Rotating his neck, Riker glances briefly at the young man with no hint of recognition. "Yes, Ensign…"

With a friendly smile, Guinan places both hands on the counter. "What can I get for you, Tyler?"

"Uh…." The young man's face reddens, glancing anxiously at Riker on the stool.

"I've got it," Guinan tells him reassuringly. She reaches beneath the bar, retrieves a red bottle and pours a few ounces into a glass for the ensign. " The usual."

"Th..thank you," Tyler stutters, accepting the proffered drink.

"What's his problem?" Captain Riker inquires of Guinan, craning his neck to watch the ensign retreat back to his table.

Rolling her eyes, Guinan shakes her head. "Are you blind? He doesn't have a problem. It's you! You've got everybody wound so tight their nerves are on end."

"That's ridiculous," Riker proclaims, scoffing.

Raising a challenging brow, Guinan retrieves a clean glass. "Oh, yeah? Then how come that boy couldn't get out so much as a sentence? Do you even know his name?"

Riker looks at Guinan in disbelief. "Come on! There are a thousand people on this ship."

"You used to know everybody," Guinan counters pointedly.

Exhaling deeply, the captain brings his drink to his lips.

"That's Tyler Worrell. He was transferred here a year ago. He's an engineer and has four siblings, all of which are either Starfleet officers or cadets in training. He's passionate about music and can play nine instruments," Guinan advises the captain.

Captain Riker's eyes become preoccupied with the counter again.

"Maybe if you actually got to know your officers, instead of just yelling out orders, you would have known that," Guinan says simply, pouring an amber liquid into the glass.

"I don't yell out orders," counters Captain Riker meekly, although there is no conviction in his tone.

"You're right," Guinan sighs, bringing the glass to her lips.

"I don't yell?" Riker seeks clarification.

"They did leave," nods Guinan solemnly. "I'm your friend, Will, the only one you've got left around here. They did leave."

Present-day Riker watches as the older, wearier Riker hangs his head.

Clapping his hands wildly, Q grins from ear-to-ear. "End scene! Bravo! That was simply spectacular. Quite a show, don't you think?"

Nauseated, Riker turns to Q, no irritation or arrogance in his expression. "Take me home."

Snapping his fingers, Q makes them apparate back to Riker's bedroom where the ordeal had begun.

Shaking, Riker perches on the end of his bed, hands grasping his knees, breathing heavily.

"What's the matter, Riker?" Q saunters over to the bed, swinging the cane around carelessly. "I've given you a rare and invaluable look into your future. You're captain of the Enterprise. It's everything you've ever dreamed of. Shouldn't you be thrilled?"

Riker glares at Q through heavy eyes. " It wasn't at all like it should have been," muses Riker. "I…I was miserable. I didn't know my own crew. I was surly, exhausted, irritable, quick-tempered. All the officers were afraid to even talk to me."

Tilting his head, Q fixes Riker with a look of fake pity. "That doesn't sound like our Commander Riker."

Ignoring Q, Riker inhales sharply. "All my friends were gone. Geordi, Data, Miles, the captain, Beverly…Worf."

Lowering himself onto the bed to perch beside Riker, Q's typical jovial attitude has disappeared. "Do you know why?"

Nodding glacially, Riker begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. "Yes."

"Do you know why I came here, the purpose of my gift?" Q asks earnestly.

Rotating to look at the entity, Riker nods his head firmly. "Yes."

"Do you know what you have to do now?" Q prompts deliberately.

Jumping off the bed in a single swift motion, Riker grins. "Yes."

Following as Riker charges toward the entrance to his quarters, Q shakes his head. "Commander, I haven't been studying humans that long. There are many nuances that puzzle me. I am absolutely certain, however, that you don't want to do this in your pyjamas."

Whipping around, Riker beams. "You're right."

The chime at her door startles Deanna out of a deep sleep, and she is disoriented as she sits up in bed. The chronometer indicates that is only four in the morning and she is instantly concerned that there is an emergency. Tossing aside the blankets, Deanna jumps out of bed, grabs her robe and runs into the foyer, throwing her robe over her as she walks. She unlocks the door, brushing her hair out of her face as the door slides open, revealing Will bouncing impatiently on his toes.

Eyes widening, Deanna steps backwards as Will grins down at her wildly. "What's wrong?"

Beaming as the door closes behind him, Will grabs Deanna's forearms and draws her close. "Everything's going to be right." Leaning down, Will capture's Deanna's lips in a hard kiss.

Eyes dilating, Deanna reaches for Will's shoulders and draws back. "What's going on, Will?"

"I'm sorry to wake you," blurts Will as he squeezes her hands affectionately. He surveys the room rapidly, unable to keep still. "Is Worf here with you?"

Deanna's brows raise in surprise. "No, of course not. Why would he? What's going on?"

"Good," exhales Will with a relieved smile. He steps closer to bridge the gap between them, gazing down at Deanna intently. "I was worried about that. Not that it matters after…"

Appraising Will with suspicion, Deanna shakes her head. "What's gotten in to you?"

"Let's just say I've seen the error of my ways. I've made wrong choices when it came to us, our relationship," Will begins earnestly, trying to slow himself down, take a deep breath. He is brimming with anticipation, fuelled by adrenaline and he has so much he needs to get out.

Relaxing, Deanna smiles gently. "Alright. I think you've had a strange dream and it's stirred up some long-buried emotions. But, it's very early, and we both have a long day ahead of us. Why don't we discuss this when we're both fully awake and fully clothed?" Smiling, Deanna glances down at her bare feet.

Grinning playfully, Will shakes his head. "I can't wait."

Tilting her head, Deanna's smile fades. "You're serious. What happened?"

"I…I shouldn't have let us drift apart after I left Betazed to return to the Potemkin. I should have made the effort to make it work like I said I would when I was on the Hood. When I came onto the Enterprise, I should have rekindled what we had lost…" Will attempts to explain, wrapping his arms around Deanna's waist.

"Slow down, Deanna urges softly, locking gazes.

"I should never have let Worf…" Exhaling deeply, Will forces himself to focus on the mission at hand.

"Calm down," Deanna says lightly, running her hand along Will's forearm. "I'm not with Worf. Let it go."

Will releases the tension in his features, gazes deeply into Deanna's eyes. "I shouldn't have been so monomaniacally focused on my career. I should have made you, us, the priority."

Averting her eyes to Will's chest, Deanna's heart pounds against her chest. She splays her palms across Will's chest, closing her eyes. Her brain may be having difficulties rationalizing the meaning of the words just uttered by Will, but her empathic sense can not deny the feeling behind them. A decade she has waited, and she is thrilled, confused and terrified simultaneously.

Hand on Deanna's hips, Will leans down and kisses her slowly. "I love you."

Reaching for Will's hands, Deanna finds herself shaking and buzzing with the sensation of an electrical current pulsing through her. Overwhelmed, a grin escapes her lips. "I love you, too. I'm just…I'm so confused. Where is all this coming from? What's gotten into you tonight?" She is having trouble deciphering her own feelings from Will's and processing what led him here tonight. While she had never truly stopped loving him, she had also not wanted to re-establish a romantic relationship out of the fear of being hurt again. His actions had demonstrated to her that he would always put his career first, and not only did she not want to play second fiddle, she could also never prevent him from attaining his greatest dreams. Deanna recognized how ambitious and talented Will was, and she loved him far too much to stand in his way. After their relationship had ended, she had told herself they would remain friends. Once they joined the Enterprise, she vowed to herself they could be good friends and she would help him be the best officer he could be. He was always there to support her in her goals whenever she needed the extra confidence. They both felt most comfortable when they were supporting each other as friends and colleagues. Although they enjoyed flirting back and forth, in seven years they had not rekindled the relationship they started on Betazed.

Grinning," Will runs his hands along Deanna's arms. "Our good friend, Q, and Charles Dickens."

Brows raised in slight alarm, Deanna steps back. "Q?"

"It's…it's okay. In fact, I'm quite indebted to him," Will assures her, recapturing her hands.

"Who is this Charles Dickens?" inquires Deanna casually.

"Earth author from the nineteenth century," mumbles Will, wrapping an arm around Deanna's back to draw her closer.

"I'd like to hear more about him," requests Deanna with a light smile.

"I'll pull the entire library in the morning," offers Will distractedly. "My current mission is more pressing."

"What's that?" Deanna asks teasingly as Will lays a hand across her cheek.

Leaning down, Will envelopes Deanna in a heated embrace.