3.
"Deanna," he breathed her name on reflex when she entered their quarters. She looked, on all accounts, terrible. Her hair hung dully around her face. The softness and darkness of her curls had since disappeared. Her eyes stood huge and anguished in her pale features, red and swollen from long hours of crying and underlined by dark rings that testified to a lack of sleep. her cheeks hollowed by a lack of food. The traditional dress she wore hung carelessly on her shoulders, nearly exposing her left breast and accentuating her unhealthy loss of weight.
.::.I thought you had to be on the bridge.::. Will couldn't make out if she was merely surprised, or if she had hoped he wouldn't be there. It had been hours since he'd left her in the holodeck and he had hoped that by the time she got back she would be ready to share her sorrow with him, but it didn't seem that his wish had been granted.
"I put Deringer in command until we reach Betazed." Watching her face closely for any sign of emotion he saw her eyes squeeze shut and open again, revealing a thin thread of hope.
.::.Thank you.::.
Surprised he reminded her that she had wished to be alone, almost as if defending himself. Thankfully she didn't seem to take notice of his tone. .::.I don't know what I want anymore.::. She admitted quietly. .::.I want things to be the way they were…I want my family back Imzadi.::. Troi threw herself into his arms. Her mental touch was familiar and welcomed, treasured like it had been since they'd met, yet it was different. It felt salty like her tears, bitter like her hopes and anguished like her heart, but there was an urgency that drove her deeper and deeper into his mind, until he felt as if she'd crawled entirely into his head with him.
When her body went limp in his arms panic shot through him. She couldn't die! Not her too, not on top of the loss he was already suffering! Just as he was about to call medical her voice drifted into his mind again. .::.I'm all right Imzadi…it's just a trance.::.
.::.Damn it Dea! You scared the hell out of me! Why did you do that?!.::.
.::.I'm sorry!.::. Her remorse palpable in his mind .::.I just couldn't stand the loneliness. Goddess, Will the loneliness.::. Although her body didn't move, he could almost see her close her eyes as tears escaped them. Her mind seemed to snuggle closer against his and he tried to send her the sensation of a hug, long forgotten the uneasiness he'd felt only moments earlier.
.::.Shhh, everything will be all right Dea.::. He thought to her with as much as conviction he could muster.
A mental sob escaped her, startling him with the rush of emotions that travelled along. In his mind's eye he saw a scene of the last morning they'd spend with their family before their world turned into a living nightmare. .::.No,.::. she thought sadly, .::.nothing will ever be all right again.::.
And in silence he agreed.
Tbc...
Okay, hope you like so far :) 8 more
chapters to go *g*
Also, please check out my brand new website site Yay –nope, I still can't
believe I have one, funny ain't it? There's no Imzadi-stories up there yet, but
there are a few others you might enjoy. Also, for those of you who have been
wondering about the epilogue of "Doctor's Orders" I put a link up, but ff.net
edited it out, so, keep an eye on my website, it'll be up there eventually :)
