"Hey Bro." Will Riker's spine stiffened at the sound of his own voice. It was hard for him handle, even after all these years. He took a slow deep breath and plastered a fake grin on his face.
"Thomas." He pushed the words out from between grit teeth. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I'm with Chakotay's delegation." He told his double proudly, puffing out his chest when he did. Will winced, he hated seeing how stupid he looked when he did that. Like an overconfident pigeon.
"Oh that's right." Will let his voice go soft at the end. "The Marquis delegation that Star Fleet trots out at diplomatic events and special occasions to make ourselves feel inclusive. They told me they were sending me some of those." He tilted his head to the left. "I guess you were all they could find? I'm insulted."
Thomas kept a straight face, but Will noticed with pleasure that his chest deflated.
"Yeah well, it's not my idea of a good time either." He quipped, yanking at his collar.
"Too many stuffed suits." Will mumbled.
"Too many people expecting a greeting." Thomas countered.
"Pissed off if you don't get to them." They were both grinning now.
"But the booze is good." Tom held his glass up towards his brother.
"Only the best for the great Jean Luc Picard." Will nodded. Thomas took a minute to look at his by proxy sibling, his eyes crinkling.
"How come I'm the one who spent two years on Lazon II but you're the one who looks like shit?" Thomas asked bluntly.
Will pretended to look insulted.
"I'm sorry I have a newborn at home. I haven't slept in weeks."
"A newborn?" Thomas' eyes softened. "Deanna had another baby?"
"Yeah. A boy." Will gave his double a genuine look for the first time since seeing him.
"I thought she couldn't-?" Will shook his head and Thomas stopped talking.
"It wasn't easy."
"By the looks of you I'd say it wasn't." He snorted. "Deanna's okay?"
"She's fine." His voice was tight, the idea of Thomas and Deanna was still a little too much for him.
"How's Elizabeth?" This time Will met his twin's eyes.
"She's good, Tom." He grinned. "Still looks just like mom."
"And the baby?"
"Luc." Will provided. "He's good too. He has Luxanna's temper and Deanna's eyes."
"You're sunk." Thomas chuckled.
"Tell me about it." Will agreed before pausing to literally swallow his pride. "You should stop by before we leave orbit, see them."
"Really?" Thomas looked at him cautiously.
"Really." Will nodded. "They're your.. niece and nephew? I guess? Or whatever."
"I mean yeah." He nodded back, before leaning against the wall. "I mean if that beam had gone like a foot in the other direction I'd have been their dad."
"Whatever." Will snorted. "That's enough of that."
"I'm just saying-."
"Well stop saying it." Will moaned.
"Truth hurts, Huh Big Bro?"
"Stop."
"I'm just say-."
"I said stop."
"Boys." They both froze at the melodic voice. "No fighting at the party."
"Deanna." Thomas crooned smoothly. "This man is a liar, he tried to tell me that you just had a baby."
"Thomas. Same old Riker Charm." She leaned in and let him kiss her on the cheek before leaning back until she was pressed against her husband. Will grinned smugly, lifting his hand to her hip, until a sudden feeling of melancholy shrouded over him. He wrinkled his eyes in confusion before he realized it wasn't his. It was a side effect of their completed bond, Deanna's empathetic senses of others would bleed through the link.
He blinked his eyes against the echo. He'd never sensed his own feelings through her before, and while sensing Thomas' emotions were different, they had a deep familiarity that left him feeling confused and slightly dizzy.
"Right Will?" Deanna asked, her head tossed back mid laugh to look at him.
"What?" He asked, blinking his eyes into hers. She slid her hand to the one he held on her hip and gave him a questioning look.
I can feel him. Will told her, watching her face soften in understanding.
He felt a roll of his own jealousy emanate from his double's form and lifted his eyes to meet his. Thomas' expression was a half frozen smile. His cheeks glowing against his beardless face. He didn't look how he felt.
"Man that baby must really be keeping you up at night." Thomas teased.
"The baby, the ship, Lizzie." Deanna sang, entwining her fingers with her husband's. "It's a miracle he gets any sleep at all."
"I invited Thomas to see the kids before we leave." Will felt the words rush out of him. He felt Deanna's surprise.
"If that's okay with you." Thomas' voice was flat, but Will felt the spike of concern, his hope at seeing the children. The children that could have been his, and Deanna's.
"Of course." Deanna smiled. "It will be fun to see what Luc does at seeing the two of you together. "He's totally in love with Will right now."
Riker edged his consciousness towards his Wife's perception of Tom. He felt her quick intake of breath before she slowed her breathing. He'd done this before, taken control of the empathy, for tactical reasons, for diplomatic reasons, but never before for personal reasons. Suddenly Will Riker felt compelled to feel what Thomas felt.
Jealousy. Love for Deanna. He recognized it as a less mature version of his own, that thought produced a sense of pride.
"All little boys adore their fathers." Will muttered without thinking, until he felt the stab of hate slice though him. He pulled back quickly, only to advance again seconds later. "Well." He corrected. "Most boys." The feelings about Kyle were right up close now and Will inspected them. Each question shot into his head as if he had spoken them. The words were out of his mouth before he could think about it. "He did love us. He didn't know what he was doing to us and yes he had regrets."
Thomas' mind slammed shut almost as quickly as Deanna's head bobbed back.
"What was that?" He looked at Will with wide eyes.
"Sorry." Will mumbled running his hand over his face.
"Did he just-?" He looked at Deanna, who winced. "You just let him?"
"Thomas."
"She can't really let me or not let me." Will said quickly. "I can pretty much sense what she can. I shouldn't have-. I'm sorry it was just-." He grunted uncomfortably. "I'm sorry." He looked down at Deanna who looked up at him sympathetically. "I should go talk to- anyone else." He pressed a kiss to her forehead and hurried off with one final apology. "I really am sorry."
Deanna and the other Riker stood there in silence for a few minutes.
"He's been through a lot Tom." She whispered looking down at the floor.
"Yeah, Captain of the flag ship married to the love of his life with two beautiful kids. Must be hard for him." He quipped.
"You more than anyone should know that he's not unbeatable at poker because of his good luck." Deanna spit back, Thomas' disposition softened. "You aren't the only Riker with unresolved issues you know." She softened her tone. "I think he just needed to see that in certain areas, he's made progress."
She reached out her hand and cusped his wrist softly.
"Come by and see the kids tomorrow." She grinned. "Bring Lauren. Then we can all feel jealous and uncomfortable together."
Thomas held her hand in his as she walked away, letting her finger tips slip out of his grasp just as he felt a hand clap down firmly on his back.
"How's Princess Deanna?" Ro Lauren smirked wildly at him.
"We've been invited to my brother's tomorrow." He said bluntly.
"We?" The Bajoran woman balked.
"Yes. My sister-in-law, the Princess, invited you by name." He grinned wickedly at her.
"Seriously?"
"Dead Serious."
…
"Do you think we could get out of here earlier if I appeared to be confused and doddering?"
"Jean Luc." Beverly sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder during one of the brief seconds they had alone.
"I mean, surly no one would want to tell me about their latest venture or try and recruit me for their project if they knew I had mush for brains."
"Jean Luc!" She moaned, rolling her nose into his neck.
"I swear Beverly if I have to listen to why I should back Vulcan Thermo-design uniforms or Haltonian Engine Mechanics-."
"Oh Jean Luc! There you are! I've been looking for you all night." Both Picard's eyes landed on the waving, feathered bodice wearing mass of purple that was moving towards them.
"Oh Holy God." He muttered through clenched teeth, Beverly's laugh hummed at her throat. "Luaxanna, you look marvelous!"
"Of course I do." She muttered, swatting away the complement. "Dr. Crusher shouldn't you be in bed making sure you get a good night sleep before my granddaughter's surgery? It's in three days."
"I promise to be well rested between now and then Ambassador." Beverly smiled, her body still dangerously close to her husbands. It did not stop Mrs. Troi from laying her hand on Picard's free arm.
"Very good then." She sighed loudly. "Jean-Luc I've been meaning to speak with you about a little project I've been working on."
Beverly Picard stifled a laugh against the arm of her husband's jacket.