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Well, even though hardly anyone seems to be reading this anymore, I'll continue anyway for the few that do ;)

I can promise though that there are at least ten more chapters, and I'm warning you that I might still decide to stop, if I'm in crappy mood. (who would've guessed the D stood for Devil ha?) :p

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Chapt. 23

The smoke was now so dense Deanna couldn't stop coughing and sneezing, the pain that spread through her body was no almost constant, her legs felt as if they were on fire and her lungs started to burn as well.

What the hell was keeping Will to send someone over? She couldn't tell how long she'd been lying there, but it felt like way too long. Damn, she couldn't even sigh!

She was getting exhausted, the coughing and the pain eating her energy almost too quickly. Damn it Riker, where are you?! Deanna closed her eyes and tried again to achieve a meditation trance, hoping it would block out the pain as well as the need to cough. As usual in such a stressful situation the only thing that allowed her to forget her surroundings was focusing on the Imzadi-bond she and Will Riker shared.

She recalled their first joining in detail, remembering the hopeful spark in his eyes, quickly replaced by a smoldering fire of passion. He had been so cocky back then, so convinced he could win her over with just a look of those clear blue eyes and she had, being the proud young woman she was, refused to be an easy catch.

Despite her predicament the corners of her mouth turned upward as she recalled the not so innocent game the two had played, both aware and yet unaware, willingly and yet not and for both it had ended in heartbreak.

Looking back on her years on board the Enterprise though, she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. For if she had stayed together with Will when both were so young she probably never would have married Worf...or having to say good-bye to him.

This wasn't going anywhere, all she managed to do was making herself sad.

Deanna shook her head as if throwing her thoughts out, but then her attention was caught by a quite sound at her left. Turning her head towards its direction she could see nothing but smoke, but then she heard him and her heart soared with relief. "Counselor?"

"Data! Over here." She was about to laugh of joy, but the coughing started again and all she could do was smile between coughs and breaths at the yellow Android whom appeared from between the clouds of smoke.

"Counselor," he acknowledged, assessing her situation with a couple of quick scans. "I will transport Lieutenant Davies' body back first."

Deanna had had enough medical training to realize that his silence about her condition meant that it was worse than she expected, but she was confident everything would be alright and listened to him as he freed Frank. Less than a minute later she heard the familiar sound of the transporter and was left alone once again.

She wondered if Data was informing Doctor Crusher about her condition, but banned the thought and waited.

Data returned quickly and after telling her to lay as still as she could he lifted up the bulkhead from across her legs and moved it off her body. The pain in her legs intensified instantly and made her cry out. The sudden increase caused an overload in her pain receptors and she blissfully slid into blackness, barely aware of Data lifting her up.

"Data to Enterprise, two to beam directly to Sickbay."