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For some reason I never manage to keep Riker in character in longer stories…

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Chapt. 31

Riker had to swallow harshly to recover from his surprise at seeing Deanna Troi hovering in the middle of the room, hands on her hips and black eyes glittering with anger. "I'm surprised you still remember my name." Her cold words stripped him of the ability to speak, which only served to anger her more. "Is there anything else you remember? Like that we're supposed to be friends?" Despite the anger she so intentionally laced through her voice, Riker knew she was hurting more than that she was angry.

"Imzadi" he pleaded and reached out to her.

A short, hysteric laugh coming from her throat startle him, "Imzadi?" she questioned incredulously "You ignore me for weeks and now you call me Imzadi?!" Will hung his head in shame, unsure of how to respond. Right now all he wanted was to pulled her into his arms and assure her, without words that he still loved her, but he knew that would be a bad thing to do under the circumstances.

When she remained silent he thought she might be waiting for him to say something. "Deanna, I—" He didn't really know why he'd expected her to let him finish, when she was this angry she wouldn't allow him to speak until she'd vented her every thought.

"What were you thinking Will?! First you tell me you love me and then you shut me out! Just how much do you love me?!" The sarcasm in her voice hurt him, but that hurt was quickly overridden when he saw tears beginning to form in her eyes. He'd never been able to hold his ground against a woman in tears. "You said you'd give me time! Did you simply moved up the deadline or did another opportunity present *her*self?"

How dare she accusing him like that! "Hey! *You're* the one who married someone else!" He didn't know where that'd come from, but he regretted the words the second they left his throat.

As furious as she was Deanna didn't give him a chance to apologize. "At least *I* didn't break my promises to you!" He always hated it when she used that against him, even though he thought she had every reason to.

"Imzadi" Will so desperately wanted her to calm down, but all he seemed to be doing was making it worse

"Oh fuck you!!!"

Openmouthed he watched her as she flew the AGC out his quarters, stunned by her use of the ancient Terran profanity. And again, he hated it when she came to confront him and then ran out before he had a chance to defend himself. Not really thinking about where he was going Riker left his quarters, following his Imzadi.

Sure enough he found her in the arboretum, just like he expected. She stood in front of the memorial plate for Worf, Eric and Shannara, her shoulders slightly shaking from crying and her AGC standing at her left.

"I love them" Deanna whispered quietly as she turned "I always will."

"I know." They faced each other now, their eyes locked and both determined to solve their problems. Will knew her body language well enough to see that her anger had faded and been replaced by a need for physical contact. He could practically see her swaying back and forth; on the verge of giving in, yet unwilling to surrender.

"Then why?"

Why indeed.