Chapt. 36

Hand in hand Deanna Troi and her husband of ten minutes, William Thomas Riker-Troi, walked into the Jalara jungle, in search of the exact spot where they had forged the Imzadi-bond between them in a moment of senseless passion and pure love. It would be at that place where their bond would be completed. Of course a public ceremony would be held after they returned, but the actual event would take place with only themselves and the birds as witnesses.

When they reached the place that had been edged in their memories since their twenties, Will knowingly let go of her hand and watched her with utter love as she crossed the last couple of yards. This too they had discussed before. Will was the most important man in her life and nothing would change that, yet her love for him would always be second to her love for her children and he accepted and understood that.

It was however now, only seconds before their sacred bond would be completed, that she felt she had to say her final goodbyes to her previous husband. Sergey and Helena Rozhenko had come for her wedding and given her their blessing. She on her part had promised them to include them in her new life, for she considered them her family.

Having said her goodbyes she turned to her Imzadi. Will recognized the love and longing in her black eyes and made his way to her, grasping her hands in his as soon as he was in reach. "I love you so Imzadi" she whispered quietly, removing one of the onyx Rings from her middle finger to place it on one of her husband's finger. She then took his hand, making sure the two Rings were touching each other, and waited for him to rest his head against hers.

Will watched the features of his Imzadi closely; grateful to see the hint of sadness being swiped away by a love so deep it nearly brought tears to his eyes. Deanna's elegant hands trembled as she removed the Ring from her finger and placed it on his. He buried his face in her long, black curls –grateful she'd allowed them to reappear, even if it was his condition if she wanted to shave his beard off-- then lowered his head further until it rested against her forehead.

The ever-existent telepathic link between them opened with all its power as Deanna slowly wrapped her spirit around his. He could feel her love for him, burning brightly at the core of her soul, as he'd never felt it before. It was so intense it nearly overwhelmed him; he felt as if he was drowning in a thick, glowing substance and he didn't care, all he cared about was making that one moment last a thousand more.

~Imzadi~ he sent to her, growing worried when she didn't seem to respond.

Deanna was too overwhelmed by what she felt, too caught up in the moment to be aware of anything but the sparkling in her mind. She literally lived in that single moment in time, her spirit soaring between the stars, free of heartbreak and memories of the past, free of everything but the love and devotion of her Imzadi.

Free and yet caught in perfect love.

In this single moment, that lasted less than the blink of an eye all her dreams came through. All her childhood fantasies she had ever had about her true love, all the dreams she had had as an adult, waiting for true love to light her life and all the passion she could possible feel were all tangled in that one single moment as the bond that had been a part of her for as long as she could remember grew and strengthened; intertwining her soul forever with that of Will Riker.

Her husband

Her Imzadi

Her life.