"There he is, there he is!" Both adults smiled at the enthusiasm of the child who was pointing at the man behind the window. Kyleigh ran over to Beverly and grabbed her hand, trying to pull the bride along to the door that would lead her to Ten-Forward.
"Not yet, Lishia." Pouting, the girl let go of the slender hand of her 'aunt'. Deanna's chuckle abruptly stopped, as her eyes fell on the second man to step onto the platform on which the ceremony would be held. Her breath halted in her throat and her eyes remained fixed on the tall man.
He was still very handsome, his eyes perhaps even bluer than they were six years ago. His hair and beard began to get grayish and perhaps a bit thinner. The tuxedo he was wearing enhanced his authoritative charisma and strong features. Only now, for the first time in six years that she actually saw him again, she realized how much she had missed him. It took her every bit of discipline not to break down in tears. Deanna's heartbeat accelerated suddenly as Will Riker turned around and seemed to stare right at her. 'Don't be ridiculous Deanna, he can't know you're here, he can't even see you.'
Noticing her friend's struggle to keep her composure, Beverly placed an encouraging hand on the smaller woman's shoulder. "Are you sure you're up to this?"
For a few seconds the Betozoid remained silent, but then her musical voice clearly rang through the room. "Yes. Yes I can handle it." She managed a weak smile and returned her gaze to the people already in Ten-Forward. She let their joy and happiness wash over her senses, readying herself to face her doom.
~Deanna, it's time.~ Lwaxana's voice announced it was time for them to come out of their hiding place. Troi took a deep breath and nodded in response to Beverly's questioning eyes. "Okay Lishia, time to go."
"Yes! Finally!" Excited to no end the little girl ran to the doors, impatiently waiting for them to open. Just before she ran out she remembered she was supposed to walk. With her nose up in the air she began her way to the aisle, not once looking back to see if the two adults were following, too caught up in her moment of glory as a flower girl.
Beverly swallowed as she set the first step outside the 'brides-room'. The look of anxiety on her face was soon replaced by a genuine smile as she saw Jean-Luc Picard's reaction to her looks. She wore a traditional white gown, the bodice tightly fitting her upper body, was low cut and decorated with dozens of little diamonds and pearls. The skirt was wide and free floating, consisting of several layers of lace and silk. Around her neck hung the necklace she had inherited from her grandmother, an ancient and handcrafted golden band, set with green emeralds. Her auburn hair hung loose around her face and shoulders, accentuating her sharp features and bright eyes.
Behind the dumbfounded Captain, there stood another, equally dumbfounded, captain. Only the latter's attention was fixed, not on the bride, but on the beauty walking behind her. After his eyes had slid from, to him, the unknown girl, to the bride behind her, (and Beverly *did* look radiant he noticed), his eyes fell on the woman behind the bride. He barely managed to contain a gasp. Deanna looked...gorgeous. A simple floor length lilac gown hugged her small but sensual body in all the right places, accentuating her natural grace. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail fastened high on the back of her head. A dozen or so tendrils framed her face and caressed her shoulders. A solid silver necklace sparkled around her slender neck. It seemed to him she hadn't aged at all.
Their eyes locked across the distance that separated them, but almost immediately Deanna lowered her black gaze to the floor. She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes, afraid for the memories and pain they'd evoke.
Her unwillingness to look at him called back the guilt he had felt over betraying her in three-fold. The intensity of the love he still felt for her surprised him. He tore his eyes away from her, noticing her discomfort under his staring gaze.
As he glanced around the Lounge his eyes met the green ones of Serah Justman, his CMO and wife since six years. Her lively eyes conveyed strength and love to him and grateful he smiled at her. She knew practically everything about Deanna, about their history together. He had told her nearly everything in the first couple of months that he knew her.
Serah had lost her husband three months before he'd become Captain of the U.S.S Titan. Having both lost their loved ones they had found solace in each other's company, and he realized that opening up to her was almost as easy as talking to Deanna. Serah's always understanding eyes and the air of tranquility around her reminded him of Deanna, and she'd told him his boyish smile reminded her of her late husband Raya.
In appearance, Deanna and Serah were quite different. Where Deanna's features were delicate and soft, Serah's were sharp and rather stern. Serah's green and small eyes were almost the opposite of Deanna's large black ones. His wife was slender, like Deanna, but she was also tall, about 5"9', and she had shoulder length blond hair. He loved Serah with all his heart, but both knew he was still in love with Troi.
A small waving hand besides his wife caught his attention and he saw Ian Raya waving enthusiastically at him. He smiled back, resisting the urge to wave back to his six year old son. The boy was undoubtedly his mother's son with bright green eyes and dark blond hair. He was tall and already broad-shouldered for his age and extremely bright. Will, on his turn, was very proud and enjoyed fatherhood very much.
He turned is attention back on the bride, for she had nearly reached the aisle. His eyes fell again on the little girl throwing around purple petals. She would definitely become a very beautiful woman one day. He studied her for a while, coming to the conclusion she'd be perhaps one or two years younger than his own son. Her eyes were black as coal and long dark brown curls spun down over her back. 'Deanna must have looked like that as a child,' he thought wistfully. As the thought repeated itself in his mind, he felt as if he'd been struck by lightening. 'Could she be Deanna's daughter?' He questioned himself.
It wouldn't be unbelievable for her to try and build a new life, but for the sake of his male ego he hadn't been willing to even *consider* the possibility that she'd found happiness with someone else, even though he had. He couldn't bare the thought of his Imzadi lying in the arms of another man. Making love to her husband, someone else than himself. But the longer he looked at the little girl preceding Beverly and the longer he compared her with Deanna, the more obvious it became that she really was her daughter.
What would her husband look like? What kind of job would he have? Was he a Starfleet Officer as well? Was he Betazoid, like Deanna, or perhaps human like him? Or another species? Would he love her the way he himself loved her? How would he comfort her when she'd had a bad dream? How would he help her relax after a tough day? Would they make love the way he and Deanna once had? All those questions spun around in Riker's mind as he became more and more convinced of the little girls heritage. However, before he could think of more questions Deanna's musical and still so familiar voice broke his strain of thoughts. She had taken a position between Jean-Luc and Beverly and behind her stood a matured Wesley Crusher, holding a white satin pillow on which a golden ring sparkled in the light that fell upon it. Undoubtedly, that ring was an exact replica of the one he was carrying in his pocket.
"I welcome everyone today, for this special and -long- over due marriage," He barely heard the chuckles behind them, his gaze fixed on Deanna. Deanna, on her turn, was very much aware of his gaze, but for the sake of herself and her friends she ignored him best she could. "...between two officers, well respected and well known throughout the Federation and beyond. I've had the pleasure-" Again people throughout the lounge chuckled as Deanna's facial expression contradicted her words and he noticed the look of mock confusion that the bride and groom exchanged. "...to watch Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Doctor Beverly Crusher dance around their feelings and each other for nearly two decades."
Riker grinned and shook his head at Deanna's words, but when he saw her loving smile directed towards the couple next to her, his heart ached. "Following an ancient Earth tradition, the bride and groom have each made their own vows." Will suddenly found it impossible to tear his gaze away from her face. The words she spoke became more and more distant as his eyes traced every line and curve of her face. His mind drifted away on memories of another lifetime and he became oblivious to the happenings around him.
"Today I will seal my love for you in the sacred bonding of marriage and give you this ring as a symbol for the continuity of my love." Jean-Luc turned towards Riker, with that movement bringing the younger man out of his reverie just in time for him to hand the groom the wedding ring he'd been holding. He glanced back up to Deanna, only to find her black eyes turn way the second they met his. Inwardly sighing, he refocussed his attention on Beverly Crusher, who was just about to make her vow.
"I pledge my life to you from now onward and am confident that our mutual love will guide us through times of anger, fear and hurt. I promise today never to leave you and to support you where I can. Together, I hope we'll become older and wiser than we already are. Life is a continuous learning progress and I can't think who else I'd rather be learning with than you. I too will today seal my love for you in the sacred bonding of marriage and give you this ring as a symbol for the continuity of my love."
Wesley stepped forward on cue and held out the pillow on which the golden band was laying. Beverly carefully picked it up and slid it around Jean-Luc's ring finger. Will couldn't help but notice how both their hands were quivering. A huge smile spread across Deanna Troi's face, as she witnessed how the couple being joined in marriage looked at one another. It was a look that could only be described as fear. As the only empath in the room, she was the only one totally aware of the strong love flowing beneath that fear.
"I now, with the powers granted to me by all planets joined in the Federation, pronounce you wife and husband." Beverly shot her friend a curious glare as she noticed the changed order in the last three words, surprised that Deanna had actually remembered it. "You may now kiss the groom." She had to stifle a laugh, she couldn't believe Troi had actually kept her promise! A promise made in not an entirely sober mood even, but she more than gladly obliged.
The bride bent forward, bringing her face closer to that of her husband. A feeling of joy so intense, it nearly knocked her off her feet. It spread throughout her veins as they drew their kiss deeper and it grew more passionately. The applause of the guests behind them faintly rang through their minds, for both were too occupied in their first kiss as husband and wife.
That was until a small, but surprisingly clear voice uttered one single word, "YUCK". Deanna mouth fell open in horror, hearing the word coming out of her daughter's mouth. The crowd seated across from her found it obviously adoring and chuckled delightedly at the young girl's boldness. Kyleigh, on her turn, was obviously pleased as Jean-Luc and Beverly broke their kiss and turned their attention to their goddaughter. Deciding to put an end to the official ceremony before something more disastrous could happen. She went to stand between her two friends and made them turn to face the crowd.
"I hereby introduce all of you to Mr. Jean-Luc Picard and his lovely wife Mrs. Beverly Picard." For the ceremony, Beverly had opted for just the use of her first and last name, rather then her full name, Beverly Felicia Howard-Crusher-Picard. Dutifully the couple bowed and then stepped down from the platform to receive the congratulations from their guests.
Pleased, Deanna watched the couple mingle amongst the guests, this was the very first wedding ceremony she had ever conducted and she had to admit it felt wonderful. It didn't hurt that the couple were two of her best friends either, of course. She smiled to herself and grabbed Kyleigh's little hand. ~Come Flower Girl, let's dance.~ Her daughter's eyes lit up with expectation and they began their way to the dance floor where the newlyweds had just finished their first dance. All the while, Deanna tried her utmost to ignore the piercing eyes of Captain William T. Riker that seemed to follow her everywhere.