Chapt. 13

The first thing Deanna did upon re-entering her quarters was grab the glass plate encrypted with Betazoid chants Riker had given her for her last birthday and hurling it against the view port on the other end of the room.

And she hadn't even noticed Beverly, who now sat frozen in her chair, unsure whether it was safe to move. The anger that radiated from Deanna stretched throughout the room, leaping out her eyes as flames from a fire. Even from this distance Beverly could feel the tension in Troi's muscles and the fury within her.

Whatever Will had done, it had made her angrier than Beverly had ever seen her. "Dea?" She tried cautiously, keeping distance for her own safety. When the empath didn't move the doctor tried again, raising her voice slightly "Deanna?"

Troi went rigid instantly and then the wall around her emotions broke. Beverly recognized three of the languages in which the empath yelled and cursed and doomed Riker. A padd flew through the air, shortly followed by a vase, complete with water and flowers. "THAT BASTARD!!!" She stormed into the bedroom and re-emerged a couple of minutes later in a simple, dark-blue dress. Her hair falling loosely around her face.

She halted in surprise when her eyes fell upon her friend. Crusher was relieved to see the anger had left Troi's face and finally dared to breath. "Hello Dea" she said cheerily, but with a hint of caution and fear in her voice. The Counselor's stance reminded her of the feline panther that used to live on Earth. Sleek and agile, muscles rippling beneath the black, silken skin.

"I think it would be best if you'd leave Beverly" she stated calmly without moving a muscle more than necessary. But the Doctor would not be dismissed that easily. Though she made it appear so by circling Deanna and heading for the exit.

"I hated myself Deanna, when I fell in love for the first time after Jack's death. Had I accepted those feelings Wes might have grown up with a father and I would've another partner. Instead of a titanium wall to talk to." She remained watching the Betazoid's back for a few more moments, noticing the tensing and relaxing of her hands, and then left her alone with her demons.

She knew, first hand, how hard is was to overcome the death of a husband, and no love would ever be similar, even though it might be more profound.

It would serve Riker and Troi right to get together, she was sure. The chemistry between the two had always existed and as Will had once explained it to her --albeit in a drunken state-- Deanna might have married Worf and given the Klingon her heart, Will Riker still held her soul in his hands, just like Deanna did his.

But the eternal question remain unanswered for now; when would *they* finally realize that?

No, the doctor revised, they did know. Both of them were aware of the mutual love between them, painfully so. Yet neither of them dared to act upon that love.

Riker out respect of Deanna, Deanna out of respect of her late husband and so the bond remained unsealed.

Frustrated with the entire situation Beverly flopped onto her bed. If she could just bang their heads together! How satisfying that would be, regardless the outcome.

In many respects, she now realized, was Deanna's situation similar to hers after Jack's dead. Save --thank the Heavens-- for the fact that she hadn't lost her son. She hadn't dared to take the step with Jean-Luc, had denied her attraction to him fervently, but god she hoped Deanna wouldn't make the same mistake.