Deanna Troi paces nervously in front of the Los Angeles police station. She needs this job. Badly. This is her chance, probably her only chance, and failure is not an option. She checks her watch again. Still early. Too early. She closes her eyes and tries to center herself.
She reflects on the events that have brought her here. Born on a small island in the Mediterranean, her early years were carefree. She was the last in line to a throne that hadn't existed in hundreds of years, but that didn't stop her mother from spoiling her rotten. Most of her memories involve hillsides covered in white houses and warm sandy beach. Then, suddenly, everything changed.
Her father died young, leaving her and her mother with a dusty title and little else. Desperate to support her daughter, Lwaxana Troi married a wealthy American from a small town in West Texas. Rich in oil and not much else, he adored Lwaxana but barely tolerated Deanna.
Lwaxana brought her flamboyant style to the dusty little town, hosting book clubs and dinner parties. She quickly became popular and was well liked. She even ran for city council and won the seat easily. She loved her new life and couldn't understand why her 'Princess' couldn't fit in.
Deanna was shyer than her mother. With her exotic looks and funny accent, the kids in school didn't take to her. She retreated into her own world of detective and true crime novels, another interest that the others didn't share. It came as a surprise to her when Will Riker took a liking to her.
If Deanna was a Princess, Will was a Prince. His family had oil. Lots of oil. And money. He was tall and handsome, funny and kind. He was popular with the girls and boys alike. He was the 'All American' teen, captain of both the high school football and basketball teams. He loved to party, grades not being as important as fun. He would one day inherit the family business and was content in his life.
Deanna never understood what he saw in a quiet little misfit like, her but he loved her. And she loved him back. They married right out of high school. Will went to work for his dad and Deanna tried to settle into her new life. She desperately wanted to be the wife he deserved but it just wasn't in her to be the socialite and mother that he needed her to be. After several childless years, she became depressed and retreated back into her book world.
Deanna wasn't much into television but she often watched just to spend some time with her husband. One night Will put on a new show and she was immediately fascinated. Criminal Minds wasn't the normal formulaic crime show she found tedious. Instead, it focused on the psychology of the criminals and the team of profilers that chased them. It was everything she loved about the true crime novels she read obsessively.
Will had been encouraging her for years to take some classes at the local college. He worried about her, wandering around their estate with no purpose to her life. He knew she needed direction but couldn't get her to focus on anything she really wanted. After listening to her dissect each episode of Criminal Minds for weeks, he stopped by the school and picked up a brochure for their psychology program. That night, he took her out to dinner and presented her with the information and a class schedule. He knew in his heart that this path would lead her out of his life but he loved her enough that her happiness was more important.
Deanna graduated with a psychology degree in 3 years and immediately went on to graduate school. She still loved Will and always planned to return home. But Will wouldn't allow it. He saw her happy for the first time in a long time and encouraged her to continue her studies. For her doctoral dissertation, she studied the minds of serial rapists in Texas prisons. She graduated with honors and Will was in the front row applauding. That night, he told her that she needed to leave. She was never meant for a small town in West Texas or to be the wife of an oilman. She had more important things to do in the world and he wasn't going to let her waste her talents. Two weeks later, he presented her with an application for a job in Los Angeles, a psychologist with the major crimes division of the police department. He made sure that she would always have what she needed financially and then he filed for divorce. She cried for days but in her heart she knew he was right.
Despite her unhappiness in Texas, Deanna found it difficult to leave. She still loved Will and missed her mother terribly. But she didn't miss her old life. She was on a new adventure and was eager to get started. First, she has to get this job.
She checks her watch again. How is it possible that time is moving so slowly? With a frustrated sigh, she turns to pace again. And runs smack into someone. She doesn't even notice the woman she hits, all she can see is the spreading coffee stain across the woman's pink silk blouse. Mumbling apologies, she uses the sleeve of her jacket to try to mop up the dark liquid. The woman grabs at her hand and it's at that moment that Deanna realizes she is rubbing her arm up and down the woman's bosom. She looks up into the woman's laughing blue eyes and quickly pulls her hand back.
"Oh my God. I am so sorry!" she stammers. "Can I pay for that or…"
"It's OK" the woman laughs. "I have another in my office. Please don't worry."
Deanna smiles shyly. "Can I at least buy you a new coffee?"
The woman smiles back. "Sure. Later. I'm late for an appointment right now." She digs in her purse and produces a business card. "Call me."
Deanna nods and shoves the card in her pocket without looking at it. As the woman hurries into the building, Deanna sinks onto the brick planter and drops her head into her hands, desperately hoping the rest of her day goes better.
Deanna enters the building, trying to find her confidence. It's not the job she's worried about but the interview. She's never been terribly good with people, well not honest ones anyway. Criminals she understands. She can easily get inside their heads, figure out what makes them tick. Relating to 'real people' has always eluded her. She quiets her shaking hands and enters the door to the office of the chief of police. The receptionist waves her to a chair against the wall and she sits nervously, rehearsing her pitch in her head.
She is lost again in her thoughts when she senses a presence standing in front of her. She looks up into the face of an older gentleman. He is of about average height, handsome and almost completely bald. His stern expression is belayed by his sparkling hazel eyes. Her first impression is of a kind and caring man but not one to be trifled with. He introduces himself as Chief Picard and holds out his hand.
Deanna jumps to her feet, embarrassed to be caught once again not paying attention. She takes his hand with confidence she doesn't feel, concentrating on her firm handshake and eye contact. He returns her smile and invites her to his office. Finally feeling like she might actually get through the interview with some success, she follows him in.
All of her new found confidence disappears as she glances around the room. As offices go, it's nothing special. A large desk, flags in the corner, pictures of Picard shaking hands with celebrities and holding golf trophies adorn the walls. And sitting in the chair next to the desk is a woman with an amused smile on her face. Deanna's face pales as she realizes it's the woman she met, or rather, ran into, on the front steps.
The woman stands and holds out her hand. She introduces herself as Dr. Beverly Crusher, Chief Medical Examiner. Deanna takes her hand but can't find any words. Dr. Crusher is tall and wildly beautiful with bright red hair and porcelain skin. She looks to be about the same age as Deanna, early 30s, young to hold such a prestigious position. She is well dressed though her blouse is now blue instead of pink. She gently takes Deanna's hand in hers with a soft smile while Picard looks on, wondering if there might be some sort of history between the women.
"Deanna is it? It's nice to meet you. Again. Please, have a seat. The chief will be conducting the interview. I'm just here as an advisor seeing as you will be a part of my team. I've read your file and I have to say I am very impressed with your work. I may have a few questions for you. But I'm sure you will do great. "
Deanna returns her smile gratefully. The woman's kindess and Picard's gentle eyes do a great deal to relax her and she sits in her chair feeling more optimistic than she has in days.
Picard opens her file and walks her through her resume, asking standard questions about her education and graduate work. He's very impressed with her work with the prisoners and mentions that he has actually read her dissertation. Dr. Crusher nods along. She had read it too and was fascinated by some of the conclusions that Deanna reached about how serial rapists think about women. She and Picard were also impressed that someone, so small in stature was so comfortable around such dangerous men. Deanna shrugs it off. She was too curious about the criminal's thoughts to worry about her physical safety. 'Besides' she told them, 'her husband had been concerned about her safety and insisted that she take self defense classes and she was an expert in Krav Maga.'
"Really?" Dr Crusher asks. "I've read about that. I would love to learn some moves
. "
Deanna smiles. "I would love to teach you some basic defenses. I imagine your job can get a bit hairy sometimes."
Dr. Crusher laughs. "Actually I'm not too afraid of my patients but I do occasionally go out in the field. Perhaps we can talk about it when you buy me that coffee you owe me?"
Picard glances between the two women, noticing the obvious chemistry they seem to have. It's the last bit of information he needs, to be sure that they will be able to work together. Satisfied that he has found his new profiler, he stands and takes Deanna's hand.
"If you don't mind, Dr. Crusher will talk it over and we will get back to you soon."
Deanna nods. She's gotten nothing but good vibes from the two and feels fairly confident that she'll at least be considered for the position. She holds her hand out to Dr. Crusher as well.
"It was lovely to meet you both. I look forward to hearing from you. Have a great rest of the day."
As she turns to leave, she's startled to see the Doctor mouth, "call me."
Deanna spends the rest of the week looking for a place to live and trying not to worry about whether or not she will get a phone call from Chief Picard. She finds a nice little house on the beach just north of Malibu. It will be a longish commute into downtown LA, should she get the job, but she's been dreaming of living on the coast again. A sweet little black convertible will make that commute just a little bit easier. She finds furniture and local artists' work to decorate and helps to support several small bookstores to fill her new shelves. Finally satisfied, she relaxes on the patio of her new home and calls Will.