The Ties That Bind
This story and all themes and ideas contained in said story are the sole ownership of J.L. Scott. Any copyright infringements can be prosecuted in a court of law.
To borrow a phrase: Star Trek: The Next Generation no mine...no money, no sue, please?
"Will!" she jumped off the transport pad into his arms, and he spun her around, squeezing tightly.
"Have you grown?" he asked when he released her.
"Only an inch"
It had taken her a year to recover. Will had spent most of it in her quarters, cradling her through nightmares, forcing her to eat, to paint, to read, to live. She cried a lot, got angry a lot, but she'd made it through with his help. Everybody, of course, contributed, especially Guinan and Data. Finally, when she had started making smart alleck remarks and giving sarcastic answers again, Deanna had suggested a trip to Betazed. She'd been gone for three months, a guest of Lwaxana's. Back now, she had a nice tan and a healthy smile.
"So how was it?" he asked, throwing an arm around her shoulders. He remembered a time when she would have punched him in the stomach for touching her. All that was behind them. They still fought, sometimes ferociously and mostly about going to school, but they were able to get over it now.
"Oh, it was great!" she started babbling through the corridors, "Lwaxana took me to a bunch of museums and I studied with this weird old guy, and we didn't talk the whole time! Well, I mean we talked, but telepathically you know? And..." She went on for hours, then started over again when the rest of the crew came to see her that evening.
"Mother said you were thinking of attending the University of Betazed" Deanna commented. Miranda's blue eyes twinkled and she flipped a strand of long dark hair over her purple shoulder.
"Well, maybe. I got a tour from this guy I met that goes there"
"Guy?" Will's head snapped around and his eyebrows went up.
"Uh-Oh, Commander" Geordi chuckled, "Better keep an eye on her"
"Mmm. All that Riker charm is liable to draw attention" Jean-Luc agreed with a smile of his own.
"Oh, stop it you two. It's perfectly normal for an 18 year old to have a crush" Beverly admonished, "Especially if he's cute"
"Wesley will be 18 soon" Will reminded her. Wesley laughed at the look on his mother's face.
"The University of Betazed has a great Engineering department" he said in order to change of the subject.
"And I'll be sure to stay far away from it" Miranda joked. She never used to joke, that was more of Will's influence. She was getting to be more and more like him everyday. She had shed the bonds of her desolate childhood, holding on only to the lessons it had taught her. Out of ashes, she was growing into a magnificent person.
And Q was waiting.