Hmm...okay, so I've learned since, from several ppl, that although Katara was/is well-written it's untrue to both Will's and Deanna's characters. Which is never nice to realize after fifty-four pages, but having reread the entire thing again and again I have to agree.

Ah well...mistakes are human, are they not? ;) So, here's the epilogue, after that I'm done and you can forget about it ;) Reviews & critism still welcome, I strive to better myself (wasn't that the slogan of the 24th century? ;))

Katara Trilogy Epilogue

"I now pronounce you husband and wife by Betazed's Daughter's -and- human tradition, you may kiss the bride." She watched him with wide, dark eyes as he leaned into her. They were married now, was the only thought that crossed her mind. She couldn't remember anything about the ceremony; it was as if the blanket of love and adoration that had wrapped itself around her was too thick for her to see through. Not that she minded really, there had been so much planning involved that she knew exactly what the Admiral had said.

But none of that mattered now, all that mattered were the two strong hands that had moved itself into the masses of curls and the face of her husband, only an inch away. Their lips met and the love and bliss, both her own and her soulmate's, soared through her veins and seemed to lift her of the ground. His happiness was palpable to her, as hers was to his. The guests around them started clapping, but the sound barely penetrated her conscious mind. She wanted to stay in this moment forever, but the kiss ended and when the couple broke way from each others eyes she was yanked back into reality.

Admiral Picard stepped from behind them and kissed the bride three times on her cheeks before whispering "Congratulations Mrs. Troi, this had been coming for a long time." She smiled gratefully and then locked her eyes on the groom. He nodded slowly and send a wave of strength and compassion to her senses. Picking up the hem of her dress --because most of the attendants were human they had opted to wears clothes during the ceremony-- she turned towards the house. Her eyes registered Lwaxana's tears, but she forced herself to ignore them for the moment being and made her way up to the patio and into the Fifth House.

A long, majestic hallway led to a high door of glass. The symbol of the Fifth House had been etched into the glass. The hallway itself was fifteen foot high, the ceiling white, the walls purple with a silver hue. Huge mirrors hung on of the walls and the floor was made of a Betazoid jewel that looked a lot like silver. It caught the light within the stones were it danced until it found a way out. Three huge, chandeliers, made of diamond hung from the ceiling and tall, deep purple candles were placed on statues every few meters.

Whenever she walked through this hall she felt like a queen, yet at the same time it made her feel very small and insignificant. The heels of her white shoes tic-tacked on the floor as she made her way to the doors. A tiny button was hidden behind the last statue and when she pushed it the huge doors swung open and the lighting in the room behind them was turned on. Troi kneeled on the threshold, as was common among her people, before entering the Troi-mausoleum. The colours of the mausoleum were much the same as those used in the hallway; candles of all colours were placed around each resting place. She walked straight to the coffin of glass in the middle of the room and knelt down at the head-end.

The woman that was resting inside looked no older than fifty human years. Long, coal black curls framed her delicate features. A golden, regal neckband around her neck and she was dressed in a midnight blue gown; her favourite's. Her hands were crossed across her chest in Betazoid meditation fashion; each hand resting on the opposite shoulder and a single white rose had been placed across her stomach.

As always happened when Kyleigh visited her mother's resting place a lump in her throat prevented her from speaking ad tears were blurring her vision. It had been fifteen years since they had said their good bye's and every year since she had done everything in her power to return to the mansion on this day, but no matter what she wanted to say; no words would leave her mouth. And in a way that was how it always had been. Words had never been necessary between her and her mother. Despite the differences in their personalities they had understood each other.

For the thousandths Kyleigh read the memorial stone. "*Deanna Troi, beloved Daughter and Mother. A Daughter of the Fifth House Betazed has been blessed to know*" but the words still seemed shallow to her. No one had really known her mother, she herself included, but even so her mother had been more than a mother, or a daughter and the Fifth House title she had respected, but never cared for.

'I miss you Mom,' Kyleigh placed her hand against the glass, next to her mother's head, 'I wish you were still here, that you could've been here.' Her muscles seemed reluctant to hold up her hand any longer and slowly it slid down the wall of glass until it fell in her lap.

The sound of the doors opening drew Kyleigh's attention to the man who walked in. Will Riker walked up to her and remained standing at Deanna's feet. Even know Kyleigh could sense the regret and love emanating from him. There had been a time when she hated him for what he'd done to Deanna, but in the letter from her mother she'd found the day after they had said their good bye's Deanna had asked her to try and forgive him and to get to know him. And she had; instead of requesting a posting on the Enterprise as she had intended, she had instead applied for a posting on the USS Titan.

Riker's eyes remained fixed on Deanna's face, even a he spoke. "She's still missed a great deal by everyone, isn't she?" Kyleigh didn't reply, fully aware that there was no need and let the silence between them lengthen. "It's amazing how little she had changed since the first time I met her. Physically" he added in a wry tone. "Ian is lucky with you Kyleigh, and he'd better remember it." The famous Riker grin made itself known, albeit a little less cheerful than normal.

She accepted her father's held out hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She put her wedding bouquet on the glass and then turned to leave. ~Good bye mom~

~I'm proud of you Little One, I love you and will always be with you~ Her heart skipped a beat, the mental hug, the voice; they were her mother's, but how? ~Don't question and go enjoy your wedding!~ And for the rest of the day she wore a smile wider than anyone had ever seen.

~*+*~

Will Riker slipped his arm around his wife's waist as he watched his son take his beautiful bride to the table on which a huge cake was displayed. "Do you ever regret us?" She asked, her green eyes on the newly wed couple.

"Every day" he replied truthfully, knowing she would understand him. He loved his wife, he did. But their marriage had been an agreement from the beginning. Never would he love someone the way he loved Deanna Troi. Serah was a woman he could've loved, had he not met Deanna. His relationship with Serah was strange, by any definition.

They loved each other, they loved their children, but both of them had had someone they loved more. And perhaps that was what drew them together in the first place. Serah had lost her husband, was pregnant and vulnerable. And he? He'd lost the only person he had ever allowed himself to love unconditionally by his own actions.

Perhaps it was natural that two people who were hurting and desperately wanted a family were drawn to each other.

His eyes focussed on Kyleigh Felisia Troi. His daughter. He had been angry at Deanna for a long time, and at Beverly and at Jean-Luc. The chips he'd found the after Deanna's death, which contained video-images of every important day in Kyleigh's life --first steps, first words, birthdays, graduation days-- it had made him feel a little better, but it hurt that it had taken Kyleigh months before she'd arrived at the point where she was no longer angry with him.

What had gone wrong? It wasn't just his mistake, he knew that. For some reason everything had gone completely wrong. He'd given up too soon, under the mom of not hurting her more and Deanna should've come to him sooner and never, ever should've kept her illness from him!

Not that it mattered anymore, but each night he would think about her, about the life they could've had together, the children. Faith, so it had seemed, did not quite wish the Imzadi-couple a life together.

He looked up on the past decades with regret and remorse regarding Deanna Troi, but even so, he was happy with his wife and his children. And he knew that Deanna had been happy to, to some extend. Lwaxana still blamed him, but that didn't matter to him as much as it would have if Deanna hadn't written him a long letter about her thoughts, reasoning and feelings. He understood her now better than ever and knew that she really didn't blame him. At least, not to the extend she'd shown him when on his ship.

Whatever had kept him from contacting her all those years ago had fallen away and now he had his special log in which he talked to Deanna every night, telling her about missions, family life, decisions and desires. He would visit Betazed at every chance he got, a picture of her had found its way back into his quarters and into his ready room. Her name no longer a conversation-starver.

In fact, during the past fifteen year he'd come to love her all over again.