The baby was now just over five weeks old and she still did not have a name. Deanna of course had taken to calling her Little One, but she would also call her Hirlara, the Betezoid word for 'baby girl.' She was a very good-natured baby, but like all newborns she was very aware of the moods of those around her, especially Deanna. Whenever the Counselor was stressed or agitated, the baby would pick up on that and begin to fuss, successfully escalating the tension. This was one of those nights.
Deanna was scheduled to return back to light duty the next day and she was worried about being separated for the first time. Though the child would only be a few decks away in primary care, this would be the first time the two would be apart for a significant amount of time.
She was at the end of her rope. It was past midnight and she had her first appointment at 0800 hours. Sleep had been but a distant memory for the past two days and she couldn't get the baby to calm down. Her nerves were frayed and the child new it.
Setting her daughter down into her play set, Deanna futilely hoped that the
shiny toys would distract her enough to make her forget her mother's distress.
When that didn't work she called out, "Computer, location of Dr. Crusher?"
"Dr. Crusher is in Captain Picard's quarters."
Deanna's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "My my, I will need to have a little talk with her tomorrow." Her heart sank. "Damn! She would kill me if I interrupt." She began pacing the room. "Data and Geordi are on shift and Guinan would still be working in Ten Forward. That leaves one person, and I know he's still up."
Turning to her daughter who's cries still has not ceased, "Looks like we get to pay a visit to daddy so that I can get some sleep and keep my sanity." She gently scooped up the fussing child and headed next door.
Will Riker was sitting comfortably on his couch reviewing the last of the day's reports from their survey mission. As soon as he got through the final data PADD from astrophysics he was going to call it a night. He felt his plan being pushed out into the vacuum of space when his door chime sounded.
"This had better be important," he said with a yawn. "Come."
His door obediently slid open to reveal a very frazzled Deanna Troi desperately trying to calm her extremely unhappy baby girl.
Riker opened his mouth to speak, but before he could form any words Deanna entered his quarters and placed the fussing infant on his lap. "Will, please. I am desperate. I just need a couple hours of sleep and I know you don't have bridge duty until 0200 tomorrow. Please." The last word was said with such quiet desperation that when combined with the pleading look in her large, luminous, tear-filled eyes, he could do nothing to resist. Before he could stop himself, he nodded mutely.
"Thank you!" Deanna kissed him quickly, but firmly on the lips. Placing the small bag she had also been carrying on the table, she quickly exited his quarters.
Riker looked down at the squirming bundle in his lap whose ear-piercing screams had died down to frustrated whimpers.
"Hello there, well I guess you don't have a name yet do you?" At the sound of his voice she stopped fussing and stared at him intently. He positioned her so that she was facing him directly, cradling her small head in his large hand. "Well, if you are anything like your mother then I am sure 'Princess' would be appropriate."
The pair continued to stare at each other. "You really do look just like your mom." He gently ran a finger down her tiny, perfect nose and over her O-shaped mouth, an exact miniature of Deanna's. She had definitely inherited her chin from Riker though. Large blue eyes regarded Will with curiosity. Although her eye color was almost identical to her father's, the size and shape reflected her partial Betazoid heritage.
"You are being an angel now Princess. Why were you giving your mom such a hard time?"
He spoke too soon. The big blue eyes shut tightly, and she let out a yell that would have made a Klingon proud.
"Whoa, hey I'm sorry. Whatever I said I take it back." Riker was on his feet. Holding the baby close, he began walking the confined space bouncing the screaming child slightly with each step in the hopes of calming her down. When that didn't work he switched tactics. Repositioning the baby so that he was able to cradle her with one arm, he used his free hand to open up the small bag on the table. Reaching inside, he pulled out the first object he came in contact with, a bottle. "Are you hungry? I hope so because that is something I can easily fix." To Riker's delight she immediately ceased her fussing and greedily took to the bottle. Will breathed a sigh of relief. "OK, maybe I can get the hang of this after all."
Riker sat down on the couch making the two of them comfortable. "I'm not sure if you know this Princess, but I'm your father." She hiccupped in reply. "I know I haven't really been around the past weeks, but that's because things are kind of complicated between your mom and me right now." He let out a heavy sigh.
"Don't tell anybody that I told you this, but I am afraid. I'm scared shitless about how much I love your mother, about doing something stupid and hurting her again, about becoming my father and screwing up your life." He placed a finger in her palm and the tiny fingers immediately wrapped around it. "Funny how such a little thing like you can scare a big guy like me so completely."
"The time is 0700. The time is 0700." Soft beeps accompanied the computer's announcement.
Deanna Troi rolled over and hit the panel next to her bed effectively silencing the offending announcement. She stretched slowly, not yet willing to raise. Something was different, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.
The baby! She hadn't been woken up by the baby. Leaping out of bed, she threw her robe on. When she reached the empty bassinet it hit her. "Riker! Oh damn, I left her there all night." She dashed out the door.
When there was no answer to her chime she deftly keyed in the access code and the door slid silently open.
Deanna couldn't help but smile at the sight before her. The two were sound asleep on the couch, Riker on his back snoring softly with an arm protectively around the infant on top of his broad chest.
Sitting on the low table in front of them, Deanna leaned over and placed a kiss on her daughter's head. Brushing a stray lock of hair from his forehead, she called out his name softly so as to not startle him. "Will, wake up." He didn't even stir so she tried again a little bit louder. "Wake up Will." Once again there was no response. She decided to try a different approach. He looked so sexy lying there that she couldn't resist. Leaning forward she placed a light, lingering kiss on his lips. She was rewarded with a slight stirring and a low moan. Emboldened by his response, Deanna pressed another, firmer kiss against his lips. Another low moan sounded in his throat and he was soon kissing her back. The couple separated, breathless.
"Good morning." Deanna broke the silence that followed.
"Morning? What time is it?"
"Just after 0700. I'm sorry will. I didn't mean to sleep through the night." She moved to take the sleeping infant from him, but he stopped her. Sitting up, he repositioned the baby to rest in the crook of his arm. She stretched and opened one eye at the intrusion into her slumber, but then quickly fell back asleep. Deanna marveled at how Riker's large frame seemed to dwarf the infant even more.
"It's all right." He smiled down at the sleeping baby. "We came to an understanding, a small agreement, if you will." Deanna raised a questioning eyebrow causing Will to let out a low chuckle. "She is going to stop driving her mom nuts, and I," he cleared his throat, "I am going to start being a better father."
Deanna couldn't stop the tears brimming in her eyes. "Are you sure? I don't think I could take it if..."
Riker took her hand in his. "Dea, I know that I, that we still have a lot of things to work through, but I do want to work through them."
A sharp cry filled the cabin as the baby made it clear that she was now awake.
"She's hungry." The two said in unison.
Deanna settled onto the couch and when she had the top of her nightgown unbuttoned Will handed her the baby. The screams stopped abruptly when the child began nursing. Pulling Deanna to him, Will propped his feet up on the table and settled back. He ran a hand over the teeny head of dark curls. "She has my ears," he stated quietly. Deanna merely nodded in response.
Another long silence passed. "Dea, what exactly am I supposed to call her? Beautiful would be fitting, but that might get confusing because I know her mother could answer to that too." Riker smiled when he felt her silent chuckle.
"Always the sweat-talker." She gave him a playful elbow in the ribs before growing serious.
"There is an ancient Betazoid myth about a goddess who would watch over loved ones while they were apart and she would ensure a safe reunion." She paused to gather her thoughts. "When you were gone, I had a dream one night. It was the image of our daughter trying to let me know that you would return to me, that she would bring you home. I didn't want to believe in and false hope so I just dismissed it."
Will pulled her closer. "I had a similar dream right before I woke up in sickbay. A little girl led me to you."
Deanna shifted until she was able to look into his eyes. "For some reason the story of this goddess came into my mind a few days ago. I hadn't thought about it in over twenty years." She looked down at her daughter in her arms. "I realized that the story was a lot like my dream so I have decided to name her after that goddess. Eiralond Elizabeth Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House of Betazed."
"Eiralond Elizabeth?" Riker raised a questioning eyebrow and Deanna nodded.
"Elizabeth in honor of her human side and her paternal grandmother."
"Eiralond Elizabeth Troi." He tested it out. "That's a very regal name. If she turns out to be anything like her mother, it will suit her well." Riker let out a yelp as Deanna's elbow found his ribs once again.
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The End