Disclaimer: See Part 1

AUTHOR's NOTE: I am sooooooo sorry that I have not posted...just had way too much stuff going on. I am going to definitely post more now, so please Read and Review! Thanks again for being so patient!!

A Child's Lead
Part III
By Jaclyn Riker

A little child shall lead them.
--Bible, Isaiah II: 6

"I'm afraid that's just not possible, Captain Picard!" the Cartaron ambassador, Lucknor, protested to the men sitting around the long table.

"We won't settle for anything less than half and that is all I have to say," the Silvarian leader, Dharm, shot back and slammed his hand down onto the table to emphasize his words. Jean-Luc and Will, who sat next to him, exchanged a weary look with their fellow shipmates and they all inwardly sighed. They had been trying desperately to come up with some sort of peace agreement for a month now and every time it seemed like it was satisfactory to both races, one would abruptly change their mind. Outside the embassy walls the Cartaron and Silverian races protested the peace talk, their shouting getting louder by the minute. There had already been three bomb threats made to the embassy since the peace talks began, but thankfully they had all been false alarms.

"Gentlemen, please." Jean-Luc said, the exasperation he was feeling seeping into his voice a bit. "There must be something we can do to make this work."

"I can think of nothing, unless he gives us at least half of Rosano." Dharm said and like an angry child, glared at Lucknor. He glared right back and Jean-Luc felt like throwing his hands up in frustration.

"Say he does give you half of the land in Rosano..." Will started to say slowly, an idea forming in his mind. When Lucknor opened his mouth to protest, Will raised a hand to silence him. Returning his attention back to Dharm, he asked, "What will you give his people in return?"

"We have nothing they want or need." Dharm said and Will shook his head.

"You know that is not true. Your race has far more advanced medical and space travel technology." Will said and Dharm had to agree to that point. Nodding, Will turned his sights on a frowning Lucknor. "With all due respect Ambassador, you know you need that technology. I have read the statistics on your race and I know I can't be the only one who finds your death rate due to medical emergencies unsettling."

"Yes, it is true. I have lost many of my people because we don't have a way to treat them. Including my own wife and youngest son." Lucknor admitted and lowered his head in sadness.

"I am sorry about that." Dharm said softly and everyone felt the sincerity in his voice. "I can not imagine losing my wife or daughters."

"I am thankful that my eldest son is still with me, although he is often quite stubborn and impudent." Lucknor said, chuckling under his breath.

"My oldest daughter is the same way. In fact she is the one who persuaded me to come to these meetings." Dharm told him and Lucknor gave him a small smile.

"How old are your children?" Jean-Luc said, beginning to sense that there was some sort of parental bonding going on.

"105 years." Lucknor responded.

"100 years old." Dharm said at the same time. All eyes widened until Data spoke up.

"In human years they are equivalent to around 17 and 16 years of age, respectively." He said and both leaders stood proud.

"Maybe you should introduce them to each other." Will said jokingly, but the men looked each other in the eye and a grin spread on their faces.

"Maybe we won't have to divide up anything..." Lucknor said and Dharm nodded understanding and in complete agreement.

"Are you suggesting an arranged marriage?" Geordi asked incredulously and the men nodded.

"It is a custom in both of our cultures so I don't think Jemini will protest...much." Dharm said and gave a chuckle.

"My son, Hardor, is very much the stubborn young one and may also protest, but I think they will like each other fine." Lucknor told them and then it was set. They would have dinner here at the embassy on mutual ground. Lucknor would bring his son and Dharm would bring his eldest daughter. Jean-Luc threw a glance to Will who gave him one right back. They knew each other's thoughts. Please let this work!

Neither men had needed to worry, however, for although the two young people had been wary of each other at first, they had began to talk and gotten extremely close. By the end of the night they had made plans to see each other the following day. Within a week, the formal marriage proposition came up and both readily agreed. It was almost as if fate had decided it was time for them to be together. But the thing that made the crew of both the Legacy and The Enterprise happy beyond all thoughts was the fact that they could go home. Jean-Luc had contacted the Enterprise and the ship was headed for the planet. The day they were to leave, Jean-Luc met Will in his room because the two crews had decided to walk to the transport sight together.

"You know, this was not the most conventional idea you've had, Captain Riker." Jean-Luc said and Will gave a small shrug.

"It's not exactly what I had in mind either, Sir. But it worked, didn't it?" Will replied and Jean-Luc laughed.

"That it did." Jean-Luc said in return. Suddenly Lt. Mason came up behind Jean-Luc and smiled at them.

"The Enterprise is about an hour away, Sir." Lt. Mason reported and they nodded to him.

"Let's go home, Will." Jean-Luc said and Will grinned at him.

"Yes, sir!" He practically shouted and followed the two men to the lobby of the embassy where they met up with the rest of their crews.
Back on the Enterprise things were better, now that Lily was living with Deanna. They had formed a pattern as if they had been together all their lives. It was early on afternoon the officers were coming home when, as Lily and Deanna were finishing lunch, Deanna felt something scream inside her heart and head. She dropped her fork into her salad and clutched at her head trying to figure out what was wrong, feeling as if a part of her had just been ripped out. Suddenly Beverly came running into Deanna and Lily's quarters, having given the override command to the computer for the door. The look on her face made Lily sit up straight and Deanna's heart skip a beat. Suddenly it all made sense and Deanna gasped out loud.

"Will."

"Come with me," was all Beverly said, but Deanna couldn't move, having been frozen in her seat.

"What's wrong" Deanna asked fearfully. Beverly eyes flickered to Lily and then met Deanna's gaze again.

"There was an explosion in the embassy on Thor 9. We are only fifteen minutes away so they are going to beam aboard some of the injured.' Beverly said and after a pause Deanna invited her in to join them. She did, but they had all lost their appetites.

Lily came over and crawled into Deanna's lap, not understanding what was going on, but feeling the fear and was becoming scared as well. Beverly and Deanna discussed everything but the fear they felt inside for their significant others. Deanna was talking and listening, but meanwhile kept trying to feel Will inside her thoughts, only to come up with nothing.

"Dr. Picard to sick bay immediately. They have started beaming them aboard and it isn't good." Nurse Johnson's voice over the comm. badge and something in the woman's voice made Deanna and Beverly exchange a look.

In unison they stood and Deanna placed Lily on the floor. As they bolted for the door, Deanna gave Lily strict instructions not to leave the cabin. They both hurried to sickbay and upon arrival found the two teams from The Enterprise and The Legacy strewn about on sickbeds. Some were injured terribly and others were barely scratched, but no matter what the problem a nurse or medic was seeing each. One man in particular stood when he saw the two women enter the sickbay. His soot covered limbs and face betrayed the fact that he had been near the explosion, but the look in his eye gave away his identity.

"Jean-Luc.' Beverly cried and flew into her husband's arms. "Thank God."

Jean-Luc held Beverly close and buried his face in her hair, breathing in the scent of her. After a long moment, Jean-Luc looked up and saw Deanna standing nearby. His face showed pain and guilt and his eyes grew troubled.

"Where's Will?" Deanna asked softly, sure she did not want to hear the answer, but had to ask it anyway.

"Deanna..." Jean-Luc started and at the tone of his voice Deanna's blood ran cold.

"Please, Sir." She asked again and he sighed.

"We were leaving to go back to the transport site, when Will said he had left something behind. He said it was too important to leave and that he had to go back and get it, but that we shouldn't wait for him. The rest of crew and I decided to wait anyway and get something to eat at in a restaurant a bit away. He would have had to walk right by the restaurant window to get back to the ship, so we knew he would see us. Five minutes later, the embassy just...exploded." Jean-Luc told her the ugly story while Beverly held his hand. Deanna let out a gasp and her hand flew up to cover her mouth. She took a staggering step backwards, not able to see where she going through the sheen of tears. A cry behind her made her freeze in her tracks, silent tears flowing down her ivory face.

"Daddy!" Lissa yelled as she ran to hug her father. "You're home!"

Jean-Luc lifted Lissa up into his arms and nodded.

"Yes, Daddy's home." Jean-Luc said and she hugged him tightly.

"Uncle Jean-Luc?" Lily's voice spoke up behind them turned to see the child watching. She had obviously disobeyed Deanna's command to stay put when she had found out what was going on and come to sickbay along with Lissa. "Where's my daddy?"

Jean-Luc looked at Beverly with guilt-ridden eyes and she frowned, knowing what he wanted her to do. Walking over to crouch by Lily she placed a hand on the child's shoulder. Lily shrugged it off and her eyes flew around the room and then landed angrily on Jean-Luc.

"I don't see him. Did he go back home without me? I thought we were going to go back together." Lily said, placing her hands on hips.

"Lily, your daddy was very brave man. He helped a lot of people stop fighting and because of the things he did, no one will be hurt any more." Beverly tried to find the words to tell this five-year-old girl that her father was dead. "You know he loved you very much, but..." Beverly broke off and took a deep breath before continuing.

"Sweetheart, your daddy isn't coming home."

There was a moment of complete and utter silence throughout the entire sickbay as Lily's eyes widened in comprehension. She began to shake her head violently and tears formed in the eyes so much like her father's had been.

"No, you're lying! My daddy said he was coming home and he doesn't lie to me." Lily cried and looked to Jean-Luc as if he would tell Beverly that she was wrong.

"Honey, listen to me. You're daddy is gone. He died, Lily, a very brave death." Beverly tried again, but Lily continued to shake her head.

"No, you're lying. You are all liars and I hate you!" Lily yelled and all eyes flew to the enraged little girl. "Daddy promised me!"

"Sweetie, this was one promise he couldn't keep. He loved you so much, Lily, it's okay to hurt." Beverly tried to pull Lily into her arms to try and comfort her, but the child struggled heavily.

"No, lemme go! You're lying! I don't want you. Let me go! Where's my daddy? Let me go, I want my daddy!" She was now screaming and sobbing hysterically as Beverly tried desperately to keep her hold on the girl's arm. Deanna felt the anger, denial, grief, and pain that radiated from Lily and knew exactly how she felt. She couldn't just stand there anymore, seeing her imzadi's child hurting like this and doing nothing.

"Lily." Deana said softly and somehow the little girl heard her over her screaming. Lily froze in mid-struggle and turned to look Deanna in the eye, her small body shaking with anger and pain. The woman crouched down and opened her arms, not saying another word. Lily eye's widened and suddenly knew with all her heart that Deanna felt all the same emotions that she was feeling. After a moment's hesitation Lily flew to Deanna and wrapped her tiny arms around her neck, sobbing.

"I want my daddy to come home." Lily cried, softer now but with no less pain than when she had been screaming.

Deanna tightened her arms around the small body, her own tears falling. Standing up, she took Lily with her and rocked the child back and forth in her arms. Jean-Luc held Lissa closer to him and the child laid her head on his chest, knowing that she was a lucky little girl to have her father home. With his other arm Jean-Luc slid it around Beverly's waist and pulled her to his side.

"I want him home too." Deanna whispered into Lily's hair and they cried together at their loss.
A week went by slowly and although the pain didn't lessen, living got easier mainly because Deanna had Lily to think about. The little girl had withdrawn into herself; especially after the funeral that Federation had given Will. The fact that there had been no body to view or say good-bye to made it all the more difficult for all of them. Lily had gone back to living with the Picards because they were her godparents, but every night she would still creep into Deanna's bed. And every night Deanna would wait to comfort her when the nightmares began and the pain that would follow when Lily woke up to realize once again that her daddy was really gone. The morning two days after the funeral Deanna had just finished getting dressed, while Lily slept in the bed behind her, when the door chimed. Moving into the living room and towards the food replicator in the other room the chime rang again. She sighed knowing that she couldn't ignore who ever was on the other side forever.

"Come in." she said and looked up to see Jean-Luc and Beverly standing in the doorway. "Lily is in the bedroom. I just got her back to sleep around 0300 so I'd rather not wake her. My first appointment is in about an hour, then I can bring her up to the schoolroom after it is over."

"That's fine, Deanna, but it's not what we wanted to talk to you about." Beverly said and Deanna motioned them into her quarters further. Jean-Luc and Beverly nodded and walked over to the sofa, settling themselves down next to each other. Jean-Luc took Beverly's hand in his and Deanna felt a surge of jealousy and pain shoot through her at the loving gesture. Tears sprung to her eyes as she remembered how Will used to do the same thing whenever she had to say something important and needed support. Furious at herself for letting her emotions get the best of her, she turned abruptly to face the replicator again.

"Hot chocolate." She said and then taking the mug in her hand she walked over to the living room armchair and sat down, facing Beverly and Jean-Luc.

"Counselor...Deanna, we do want to talk to you about Lily...and about Will." Jean-Luc said slowly.

Deanna closed her eyes, her hands tightening around the hot mug. The heat made her palms sting, but she ignored it. It was easier to concentrate on physical pain than on the deep emotional pain inside her soul.

Jean-Luc looked at Beverly quickly with concern in his eyes then continued. "As much as we love Lily we can see that she would rather stay with you."

Deanna's eyes flew open and she opened her mouth to speak. Jean-Luc raised his hand to stop her, but it was Beverly who took over speaking.

"We think...we know that Will would have wanted you and Lily you be happy above all else. So we have taken the liberty of asking permission that you have legal guardianship of Lily. It was granted this morning and we wanted to tell you as soon as possible." Beverly leaned forward and placed her hand on Deanna's arm, meeting her stunned gaze. "That little girl needs you, Deanna, and you need her too. Help each other heal."

"I don't know what to say." Deanna admitted and then felt another presence in the room. Looking at the bedroom doorway, she saw Lily standing in her nightgown and bare feet. The little girl's eyes were wide and they all knew she had heard everything. Deanna cleared her throat and gave her a smile. "What are you doing up, Little One?"

"I am going to live with you now? For always?" Lily asked ignoring Deanna's question. Deanna hesitated, not knowing what to say.

"Only if you want to." Deanna answered her and Lily frowned.

"Would that make you my mom?" Lily asked quietly.

"Yes, in a way." Deanna replied, watching as Lily bit her lip.

"Can I call you 'Mommy'?" Lily asked her final question and Deanna knew that her answer had to be the right one. She thought about it for a moment with her head and then made a decision from her heart.

"I would love that, but it would be up to you." Deanna said and this time it was Lily who paused a moment. She stood in the doorway and made a hesitant step forward before running across the room to land in Deanna's open arms.

"Mommy." Lily sighed into Deanna's chest and the woman held the child close to her, kissing her soft hair. For the first time in the past, pain filled, two weeks since Will's death, Deanna felt their hearts begin to heal.