Chapter 5

An hour or so later, the doors to the holodeck opened and Riker, Troi, Crusher and Picard
entered. They walked over to the table where Julian and Vicki Ann were sitting.
"And then I said, 'Now that I know you liked it, I don't have to, do I?"
Julian said.

Vicki Ann laughed. "That sounds like Jadzia."

Julian looked down at the table. Vicki Ann thought that he almost looked nervous. "Vicki
Ann, there's something I want to tell you."

Vicki Ann heard someone come up behind them and looked up, obviously surprised to see
her sister standing over her.

The other two couples exchanged glances.

"Mind if we join you?" Deanna asked.

"Sure," Vicki Ann replied.

Picard and Crusher sat down at the table while Deanna and Riker went out onto the dance
floor.

Vicki Ann turned back to Julian. "What were you going to say, Julian?"

Julian shook his head. "Never mind. I'll tell you later."

Vicki Ann glanced at Deanna and Will. The two of them were completely wrapped up in
each other. Vicki Ann smiled and whispered to Julian, "I'll be right back." She got up and
walked over to her sister. "May I cut in?" she asked.

"Of course," Riker replied, stepping away.

Vicki Ann hit Riker's arm. "You're a real comedian. I don't want to dance with Deanna, I
want to dance with you."

Deanna smiled. "Don't keep him too long." She started to dance with a holodeck character.

As Deanna moved away, Vicki Ann turned to Riker. "So, how did you do it?"

"What?"

"Get Deanna back."

Riker smiled. "I assume Captain Picard briefed you on the situation with the Bak'u."

Vicki Ann nodded.

"Well, the planet had us feeling at least ten years younger and it made us reconsider the
choice we made fifteen years ago."

"Oh. And?"

"Victorianna Leonard Troi, I do not kiss and tell."

"Right. And Klingons wear frilly underwear."

"I never knew that."

"Come on, Will!" Vicki Ann said.

"No," Riker replied.

"It doesn't matter if you tell me. Deanna will tell me anyway."

"All right, all right. I'll tell you. It just went from there. I told her that permanent
relationships held interesting rewards unknown to be before."

"Oh, Will-the-Thrill-Riker is doesn't like playing the field anymore."

Riker was shocked. "How did you-?"

She grinned. "Deanna told me." Her face turned serious. "You know it's a lie."

Riker, feeling uneasy, asked, "What is?"

"That nickname. You're totally boring."

Riker smiled. "Oh really. I never heard any complaints."

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to bruise your precious ego."

"Really."

She nodded.

"Okay, if that's true, then I'm going to go warn Julian that you snore."

Vicki Ann laughed. "Okay. I'm kidding. You're the best. Is that what you want to hear?"

Riker nodded. "Much better."

"Good," she replied. Then, a look of confusion crossed over her face.

"What did you mean by warn Julian?"

"Well, you two are awfully close and-."

"Just friends."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure Julian feels that way?"

"Yeah," she replied hesitantly. "Why?"

"Well, I'm just guessing, but by the way he looks at you, it seems like he feels a little
more."

"Really," she replied, considering the thought.

"And while we're on the subject of looks, you're looking at him the same way."

"I am not!"

"Yes, you are. I've seen that look before. When we were together, you looked at me that
way."

"Oh, you're suddenly William T. Riker, expert on love."

"Ha-ha. Seriously, I think that both of you definitely have feelings for each other."

"And?"

"And you both could use a friend now and quite possibly more. Besides, I really don't think
Julian is going to abuse you, leave you for a higher existence or use you as a substitute.
So go ahead. Live a little. Take a risk."

"Me? Like I haven't? What do you call dating Q, an enemy of the Federation? What do you
call dating my sister's Imzadi? What do you call that speech I made at the Alien Relations
Symposium? If that speech wasn't a risk, I don't know what is."

Riker grew serious. "I'm not joking, Vicki Ann. Don't miss this chance. Don't make the same
mistake I did. Don't miss your chance with Julian."

Vicki Ann saw the determination in Riker's eyes. "Okay. I'll try. But I'm not promising
anything."

"That's better." He spun her around. "Now, let show these cats how to dance."

Beverly nudged Picard. "Look at Vicki Ann and Will." She pointed to the ex-couple who
were living it up on the dance floor. "Did you know that Vicki Ann took dance lessons when
she was little?"

"It's no wonder she's so good," Picard replied.

"I still can't believe he and Deanna got back together. Poor Vicki Ann,"
Beverly commented.

"It just wasn't meant to be," Picard replied.

Julian looked surprised. "Vicki Ann and Commander Riker were. . . involved?"

Beverly nodded. "Yes. They broke up just after her speech at the Alien Relations
Symposium."

Julian nodded and muttered, "Right before she came to DS9."

Beverly thought about it. "Right," she said.

"I wonder why she never mentioned it." Julian watched Vicki Ann and Riker. She was
laughing at something Riker said and her eyes were twinkling like a million stars. She
noticed Julian and her smile widened and she winked. Julian smiled back.

"I'm going to give you back to Deanna," Vicki Ann told Riker. "Deanna!"
she called.

"You can have him back now." Once Deanna reached them, Vicki Ann said,

"He was completely boring anyway."

Deanna laughed.

Vicki Ann left them and went back to the table. She sat down beside Julian. "Miss me?"
she teased.

"Can't live without you," Beverly replied.

"I wasn't talking to you, Beverly," Vicki Ann said. She turned to Julian. "Well?"

Julian smiled. "I think Dr. Crusher summed it up." She doesn't know how right she is.
Julian thought to himself.

Vicki Ann squeezed Julian's shoulders. "Oh, he's too sweet, isn't he?"

Vicki Ann and Bashir sat in Ten-Forward. They had decided to come here after the night
club for 'real drinks' instead of the holodeck ones. Nikki, the new bartender/waitress,
brought them their drinks. Vicki Ann took a sip and said, "Wow. I guess it's been a while
since I've had one of these because it seems awfully potent."

Bashir smiled. "You're just a wimp."

"Oh yeah?" Vicki Ann replied and then drank the entire glass in one swig.

"I take that back."

Vicki Ann put her hand to her head. "Whew. If I didn't know better, I'd say this wasn't
synthehol."

"But it is. That's what's wonderful about it."

A few hours later, Guinan came to Ten-Forward. She went behind the counter. She
glanced around and saw Vicki Ann with that doctor from Deep Space Nine. They both
looked as if they were a little drunk. Nikki had just come back from giving them their refills.
"Just out of curiosity, what did they order?"

"Who?"

"Vicki Ann and her doctor friend."

"Two Rakalien Frosts."

"And what did you use in them?"

Nikki pointed to a bottle behind the counter. "That. The syntheholic Brandy."

Guinan's eyes grew big. "Nikki, that's not synthehol, that's Saurian Brandy."

Nikki went pale.

Guinan shook her head. "I'd better go tell them." She walked over to the table where the
two doctors were laughing hysterically over absolutely nothing. "Vicki Ann."

Vicki Ann looked up. "Yes, Guinan?"

"There was a mix up and Nikki gave you two Saurian Brandy instead of synthehol."

Vicki Ann erupted into laughter. "No wonder it was so strong."

"Perhaps I should get someone to help you two to your quarters," Guinan replied.

"No, no. We'll be fine," Bashir said. He stood up. Barely. "Come on, Vicki Ann. Let's go."

She followed him and the two of them walked unsteadily out the door. "Goodbye, Guinan,"
Vicki Ann called after her, waving wildly.

Guinan shook her head and returned to the bar.

Bashir helped Vicki Ann into her quarters. Actually, they helped each other. Vicki Ann went
over to the replicator. "I believe I owe you a cup of coffee, doctor," she said to Julian.
"How do you want it?"

"I don't," he replied, collapsing onto the couch.

Vicki Ann collapsed beside him. "I never had so much fun in my life."

"You've got to do that more often. Cut loose. Have some fun. Do crazy things you don't
normally do."

"I did. I don't usually get drunk."

"You're not drunk."

"Yes, I am and so are you."

"No, I'm not."

Vicki Ann held up two fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

Bashir squinted at her. "Five?"

"No!" she replied laughing. "Twelve."

Bashir thought about that. "How can you hold up twelve? You only have ten."

"Oops. I miss-counted." Vicki Ann laid her head on Julian's shoulder. "That holodeck
program wasn't so bad."

"I told you so."

"I really had fun." She looked at him. "I really like you, Julian."

"I really like you too, Vicki Ann."

Their eyes met and all self-control broke down. They gave into all the temptation and
passion they felt. With the help of the Saurian Brandy, they became totally uninhibited.
They kissed each other hungrily and never gave it another thought.

Until the next morning.