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In reply to the reviews…I'm sorry I was nagging, but was in a really cranky mood. Sorry.

As for the length of the chapters; they're all one page long (give or take two or three lines)

As for the overstretching matter; I didn't want to focus solely on the process after Worf's disappearance, hence these chapters about the away mission ;)

And on the matter of the kids, I really don't have a 'scientific' reason for their disappearance, but I really can't write children and if they were still alive the entire story would get so complicated that I decided to take the easy way out *gulp* and simply have them disappear without reason (some things even Q can't explain ;))

I finished the story last night at 3 am; it counts 37 chapters, plus one side kick story (at the request of CrusherJaneway). I think I'll post two chapters a day from now on, but please even though it's finished, please keep reviewing J

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Chapt. 24

"Okay Data, put her down on the bed." Beverly ordered; intentionally keeping her gaze away from Troi's blooded legs until she was able to fully crawl into her doctor's persona. The Android complied and carefully laid the limp form of the Ship's Counselor on the biobed, making sure her legs didn't hit the bed until she was lying comfortably. For a reason he couldn't quite pinpoint, the blood that streamed over her shins, ankles and feet disturbed him.

"All right, Nurse please take her under." The man nodded and swiftly brought Troi under anesthetic. Crusher ran a tricorder along her body, comparing the results she found with those Data had obtained just five minutes prior. "Alyssa, will you take care of her trachea and lungs? Myself and Doctor Hammle will work on her legs."

It was tougher than any time before, Beverly realized with great annoyance. Never had she felt so personally attached to a person during surgery. Of course she had never had to operate on Jack...or perform any kind of serious treatment on Jean-Luc.

It hurt just to watch at Deanna's legs. The bulkhead that had fallen on top of her legs had hit her with a sharp side, scraping of flesh nearly to the bone. Together with Hammle she started on stopping the blood from flowing.

She never noticed the tall, bearded man entering behind her, keeping a safe distance and watching the scene in front of him with horror edged all over his handsome features.

He didn't know how long he'd been standing there, but eventually he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and suddenly he saw a very tired looking Beverly Crusher standing in front of him. "She'll be all right Will" she answered his unspoken question, "her legs will need a while to heal, but she will be all right."

He averted his eyes from her reddened face and looked at the sleeping figure in the room behind her. "We'll keep her under sedation for a couple more hours," Beverly explained quietly, "she doesn't react too well to painkillers, so we'll keep her asleep until the pain will have lessened."

Riker nodded as if he completely understood what the CMO was talking about, but all he was thinking was being able to see her beautiful face. She always looked so peaceful when she slept, he remembered that as well.

He walked past Crusher and reached for Deanna's temple the second he got within reach. His first instinct was to trail his finger from the bridge of her nose, over her forehead and down the side of her face, but he felt too self-conscious.

So much had happened between them that he didn't feel he had the right to make such an intimate gesture, so instead he lightly touched her temple. Her breathing seemed a little raspy to him, but he knew that was just his imagination playing tricks with him. He was grateful her legs had been covered; he wouldn't be able to bear seeing her graceful legs scarred and bruised.

In a couple of minutes he needed to get back to reports and evaluations, messages to Command, orders and officers, but for now he had these moments with her. Moments he had missed more than he was willing to admit. He took her slender hand in his; squeezing it gently and hoping the gesture would reach her wherever she was.

"Imzadi."

He felt he needed to apologize for not realizing what the tingling across his legs had meant; he felt he needed to apologize to her for everything that had happened to her, even though he knew he had nothing to do with it. It was a strange kind of magical web she had woven around him and now that she was lying there, soft, sleeping beauty to be admired by all who passed, he saw for the first time since he knew her what it truly meant to be caught in her web.

It was home.