Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek TNG or any of its original characters.
To my readers: I am still loving the feedback! I know it is VERY short, but that is all for today. :)
Will sat in his favorite chair in his quarters in the dark, staring out at the stars out his window. He was lost in thoughts about Deanna. He just had to find a way to let her go. There was an ache in his chest that hurt so badly that under different circumstances would have sent him to sick bay for medical intervention, and even though he was exhausted, but he could not seem to rise and drag himself to bed.
It was very late when the chime rang on his door, so late that it startled him.
"Come in," he called without getting up.
The doors opened and he saw Deanna standing against the bright light of the corridor behind her. She walked in and without a word, dropped to her knees in front of him as the doors hissed closed. She looked tired, not at all the cheerful person that he had seen at her party. But as she looked at him, she smiled slightly, raising her hand and running it through the front of his hair tenderly.
"Thank you for the painting," she whispered quietly. Then she leaned towards him and kissed his cheek. Her touch was light, but lingered against his skin. Slowly she pulled away enough to look into his puzzled eyes.
He didn't speak. He didn't know what was happening. Somehow it seemed surreal.
Deanna's eyes remained locked with his, and for a moment Will thought he might have seen hope replace sadness. Then Deanna leaned in towards him again, this time pressing her lips to his. His mind began to spin as he felt her lips part and needingly press against his.
His hands came up behind her back and were ready to tangle in her hair, pull her to him, and return every move she made ten fold, but he could not quite let himself let go. This was not right. Something about this was, in fact, terribly wrong. Slowly he dropped his hands back down to his sides as she timidly pulled away from him. Again he looked into Deanna's large dark eyes. They glistened with tears, but unlike earlier that evening, they did not seem to be from overwhelming joy. Will noticed that they were both breathing hard as they sat staring at one another, neither of them saying a word. Then just as quickly as she had arrived, Deanna stood up and without another look, turned and walked out the door.