===Clarification: there's really no scientific reason behind the disappearance of the kids…I just had to find a way to make them go away *blushes*===

Chapt. 7

Riker stood across from her, his arms crossed and leaning against the wall behind him. His mere presence only made the turmoil she felt inside of her. Her mind and heart were so confused, so empty. The miss of the familiar presence of her husband tore at heart and the missing presence of her children...she swallowed, and again, and again. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't cry.

~Eric? Shan? Where are you?~

Silence. As expected.

~Worf? Answer me!~

Why did this have to happen to her? After all the difficulties they'd faced? All the dangerous away missions, wars, uncertainties, cultural differences; they had conquered them all. All of them, except a Worf from another reality. Her family had just disappeared...went as if they'd never existed. No bodies to say good bye to, to bury, no funeral to be held. Nothing left but her memories.

In utter despair she turned to the view ports behind her. ~Where are you? Please come back?~ Why did they have to leave? Why wasn't she allowed to be happy? Her mind was going in circles looking for her lost family; she felt it, but wouldn't stop it. Perhaps they were still out there, they had to be! Worf would find his way back to her. He would be back, he had to.

"Deanna?" She closed her eyes and tried to block him out. She didn't want his pity or compassion and she sure as hell didn't want to feel the hope and love he harbored.

"Please leave Will." Deanna surprised even herself by how normal her voice sounded despite the feelings raging inside her.

"You can't ignore this Deanna. You have to grieve." How *dare* he?!

"Don't you think *I* know that?! I will grieve *captain*, as soon as I have said my good-byes, which won't happen until *you* figure out *what* mistake you made and GET THEM BACK!" The force and venom in her voice literally made him step back. "Now, I want you to LEAVE and figure out when and where your solution became a mistake!" Angrily she turned her back to him; her hands clenched into fists at her side and her eyes squeezed shut to keep the tears back.

Riker's emotions swirled from pity and compassion to guilt and --amazingly-- desire, which only served to anger her more. She had just lost her husband and children! How could he even *think* about that now?!

Will stared at her shoulder for what felt like five minutes, but was probably lot shorter. What was he to do? He didn't want to leave her, certainly not now, in fact he wanted to pull her into his arms and as he thought that he saw her shoulders tense even more.

He watched her a little while longer, hoping fiercely she would turn around or something like that. When she didn't he sighed resigned and began to head for the door; straightening his uniform jacket in the progress.

"All right, I'll leave. But you can't hide forever Deanna."

She didn't react, at least not in a way he could detect. Her question earlier had been valid; where had the solution become a mistake? All the knowledge they had about quantum physics dictated that 'her' Worf should've come back and nothing could ever explain why the children had disappeared as well. It just didn't make sense!

Anger boiled within him, slamming against his chest for release as he stepped close enough to the computer sensors for them to open the door.

"Don't keep it inside Deanna" he stressed and then left.