I started this fic a while back and still work on it in my head. I thought it was time to share. In the end, it is an Imzadi story. If Worf is your favorite character, you make not like this one. Please enjoy and follow so that you can get the chapter updates. Also, this is a newer account. Most of my fic is written under BeautifulInversion17. Let me know what you think. - AOH

Will Riker sighed, stretching out his legs, and tearing down at the computer pad he'd been staring at way too long. It had been an exhausting week and the conversation he needed to have with Deanna wasn't going to make it any easier … or better. He looked across the table at the ship's counselor. She was beautiful. She was always beautiful. Being the skilled onlooker he was, he could tell that she was tired. He wasn't quite sure what she was tired of - tired of crew evals? tired of difficult patients? Tired from a personal life he happened to know was more complicated than it used to be? He reached over and placed his hand on hers.

"Dea?" He was surprised when she jumped slightly. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm fine." She said standing to stretch. I think I'll just get some coffee. Would you like me to get you a cup?" Will held his mug up from the table and smiled.

"I'm sorry. I guess I really have been staring at that screen too long." She smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"You're drinking coffee? I've never seen you drink coffee, Deanna."

"If it helps, I'm putting a lot of cream in it. It's almost not like coffee at all." She pulled the sweater she was wearing closer around her and turned to get the mug from the replicator. "I remember my father only drank his coffee black. I tried it when I was a little girl once, accidently. I never wanted to taste coffee again." She looked away, seeming to be lost in thought for a moment and then shook her head. "It was a long time ago."

Was she missing her Dad? Was she missing having someone to watch over her? Was she cold? Why the hell was she wearing a sweater when she could just change the climate controls in her quarters?

"Deanna we need to talk about Lt. Monroe."

She shook her head. "Thus the coffee. I was up most of the night researching the best facility to place him in."

"You met with the captain and Beverly yesterday?"

She nodded wearily. "Yes, there's a private room set up for him in Sickbay. He'll commit himself voluntarily at 1800 hours and there will be a transport waiting for him when we stop at Starbase 286 in two days."

"What happens if he doesn't show?"

"That's now going to happen, Will. He does want help." They had been on opposite sides last month over Lt. Sebastian Monroe. Riker had finally relieved him of duty completely after they'd found him intoxicated and consorting with some local women on an overnight away mission a week ago. She'd been working with him since he came on board six months ago. His wife had left him, requesting no visitation with their three year old daughter and he'd recently found out she was remarrying. The alcoholism he'd been battling during their marriage was at an all time high, and it was counteracting the depression medication Dr. Crusher had prescribed. He was a functioning alcoholic, but lately he'd been slipping. He had already been taken down to partial duty - for which Deanna had fought. She just couldn't see him getting better when he had not one thing to keep him going, and he was the best shuttle mechanic they had. He was also an excellent pilot which was why Will Riker relented and let him go on the mission to retrieve a shuttle that had crashed during a first contact mission on Lazzaron 5.

"He is a danger to himself and he's unreliable." He said, anger evident in his voice, but then he took a breath, softening his demeanor as he walked over to her. "And sometimes, I worry, he could be a danger to you."

"Will, it was one time." She looked down at his shoes. He was so close and she was so weary, but she stayed still. She chose Worf, and she wouldn't reach out to Will for comfort. It wasn't fair to him.

There was already no doubt he had some strong feelings of his own concerning how fair it was for her to have a relationship with another senior staff member when they were serving aboard the same ship. Wasn't that why they hadn't pursued their own relationship fully the past 7 years? He was right though.

Bastian had become filled with rage during a session not long ago. It was his anger issues coupled with the increase in his drinking that had convinced her that he needed more help than she could give him aboard the Enterprise. He'd pushed over a large vase in her office when the subject of his wife's impending wedding came up, breaking the glass and causing a superficial cut on Deanna's knee. She'd instinctively contacted Will instead of the security team, but he had not questioned her decision.

"Was it, Dea?" She began to distance herself, walking toward the window.

"Will …" She wouldn't face him. "That wasn't dangerous." She whispered.

"He came onto you, Deanna. I was in Ten Forward that night, and I heard the commotion from across the room."

"He was drunk, Will. He focused on me because he is used to coming to me for help. I'm safe."

"Were you safe?" Riker said, sitting down in front of her on the couch. She didn't meet his eyes. "Hey, were you okay?"

Deanna remembered that night. Will had been on a date with Mariah Slade. One of Beverly's new nurses. She wasn't sure if he'd heard what Monroe had been saying, but she did know that he didn't rush over to save her.

"I handled it."

"Dammit, Deanna, He was all over you. Geordi had to pull him away from your table. What did Worf say?" The concern was evident in his voice, but she was still hurt that he hadn't come to her.

"That's none of your business, Commander."

"Ah." He nodded. "Right. It is his business though, Dea? Isn't it? Did you tell him?"

"He was … informed. Listen, Will. Can we just wrap up the last few evaluations? I really do need to get some rest. The Captain should be informing Bastian of his choices now, and in two days he'll be in the best facility Starfleet has to offer where he will hopefully get the help. He needs to be able to see his child again."

It was Will who had suggested to the Captain that it be he who told Monroe of the exec's final decision and not Dr. Crusher or Counselor Troi considering the lieutenant's volatile behavior as of late.

"Imzadi," he whispered, unsure of whether she would be accepting of the endearment. Deanna wiped at her eyes and looked up at him. Tearful or tired, he couldn't be sure, but he met her dark eyes with his own. "You did the right thing. I know we've been in conflict over this guy, but I do want what's best for him, for you, and for the crew. I hope you're right. I hope he makes the right choice and commits to his recovery. I'm sorry, I snapped. I'm actually really sorry that things have been tense between us the past few weeks."

Few months, she thought. Their friendship had been tense since he found out she'd been seeing Worf. She shouldn't have let him be caught off guard. She should've been upfront with him when they started dating. "I'm sorry, too." Hoping the deeper meaning of the statement would be palpable. She didn't have the energy or the courage to delve much deeper at the moment.

And that's when he made the choice to shelf the talk he wanted to have with her about Worf. Lieutenant Worf, whose professional performance had slipped over the past few weeks. He wasn't the only one who had noticed.

"Hey, let's just get some dinner and go over the last of these in the morning," he took her hand and bent over to put an innocent kiss there when he saw her quickly pull the sleeve of her sweater over her left wrist. "Please, let me see."

"It's nothing, Will. Just a bruise." She went to retrieve her coffee mug and let it go a little harder than she meant to on the shelf of the replicator. "Bev and I started a new class a few days ago, and I sprained my wrist. I lost my balance. It's really more embarrassing

than anything."

"Did Beverly look at it?"

"She was there when it happened." Deanna told him in a tone of voice that was meant to let him know she wanted to leave the subject alone.

"Okay." He decided not to push the subject any further. The last thing he needed today was to discover it was some kind of sex injury from Klingon foreplay with Worf.

"So, dinner? Geordi, Data, and I are going to play a few rounds of Poker tonight, but I still have some time …"

She smiled at him warmly, sat down next to him on the couch, and placed a hand gingerly on his leg. Just for a moment the air in her office became too thick to breathe. In truth, she had hoped he would want to resume their tradition of dinner after working on the dreaded monthly crew evals. She needed a big dessert. The more chocolate the better, but the past few days had been hard on her. Her head was pounding. She just wanted to lay down in a dark room and go to sleep.

"Can we take a rain check? Please? I have a bad headache, and I really needed to have a little time alone."

He smiled. "I completely understand. Breakfast tomorrow?"

"I look forward to it." He hugged her for a second and then got up to leave. "Things will be better tomorrow, Deanna. I really am here if you ever need to talk."

"Thank you," she mouthed and pushed herself up to take a hot shower. A little relaxation and an early bedtime was just what she thought she needed. Maybe Will was right, everything would be easier tomorrow.

The Enterprise's next mission would be fairly easy and many of the executive staff were taking some time to themselves as the junior officers mapped the star system. They would arrive at starbase in 2 days. He was tired, but Deanna had canceled on dinner - good company, poker, and a glass of scotch was superseding the ache in his muscles and the fight to keep his eyes open for a few more hours. Will Riker grinned at Geordi LaForge as Data shuffled the cards and took another sip of his drink.

"Are you telling me you're scared, Commander?"

Riker stroked his beard.

"I've known her a long time, Geordi. Deanna doesn't get angry often, but when she does - she's a force. Yeah -" he said, finishing off his drink. "Sebastian today. The "Worf talk" is for another day."

Geordi smiled.

"A long time indeed, Commander, but I do agree with you. Personal relationships aside, Worf's behavior has been concerning. He's been a bit off the past couple of months. The last few weeks especially - moody, irritable, quick to anger, and I have noticed that he's isolated himself recently from the senior staff. Quiet on duty except for an acknowledgement or occasional outburst and nonsocial of duty."

"Accept when it comes to Deanna," Riker said as he cut the deck.

"Actually commander," Data commented as he began to deal the cards. "I have noticed a slight change in their relationship as well. Statistically speaking."

Riker raised an eyebrow exchanging a side glance with Geordi.

"See not just the Enterprise rumor mill, Commander. There's science …" He finished his drink and sighed as he glanced at his cards.

"What were you saying about statistics, Data?" Riker tried to seem only mildly interested as he placed his bet in the center of the table.

Data opened his mouth to respond, but Geordi interjected. "You haven't noticed Commander? Normally I'd run into them together during their off hours once or twice a week … Ten Forward, coming out of the Holodeck, concerts, Beverly's play a couple of weeks ago … lately, they aren't even sitting next to each other in the conference room."

"I try not to make note when I see them together."

Geordi tried to suppress a slight chuckle. "Right." He glanced down at his cards, before throwing a few chips in the pile. His hand was average at best. "Your bet, commander … commander ... Will?"

"Yeah." Riker said, shaking his head.

"Are you okay?"
Geordi lay his cards face down on the table. Nodding his head, "Yeah. There's a reason for that. I told him."

"What?" Riker shook his head.

Data looked back and forth between the two men intrigued by the social interaction, by the commander's concern for their ship's counselor.

"I pulled Sebastian off of her that night and ordered him to his quarters. I bent down next to her and … are you sure you want to hear this, Commander?"

"Go ahead, Geordi."

"She seemed to be a bit shaken and somewhat embarrassed, which was understandable. She just staring over at you. She had a sad look on her face, but quickly covered it. I asked her if she wanted me to ask you to come over. If she needed to talk to you … She pulled her gaze away and finally gave me her full focus. She said that it wouldn't be necessary. She was fine and you seemed … she said you were busy. Guinan slid her a small glass of something to calm her nerves and she accepted it. Then, I walked her back to her quarters. I knew she could manage on her own, but people were watching, and I thought she could use the support. She was tired and it was weird to me that she didn't want to contact Worf. I mean, someone, gets that far into your personal space and you're close to the head of security … She didn't want him there. She said she just wanted to go to bed. She thanked me, and I left her to rest. But on my way to engineering I contacted him and told him he might want to keep an eye on Lt. Monroe for personal and professional reasons. He seemed frustrated but distracted. At first he just said, Deanna is strong enough to handle such things if need be … Then, he quickly added, 'I'm watching him.' Then, he "hung up" so to say. It's sort of when I realized something wasn't quite right between them. Maybe it never was, Commander. Hard to say. So …" he drew out before taking a long sip of his synthehol beer. "I need four, Data."

They'd mostly forgotten about the poker game by then, but Data silently slid his friend four cards.

"I'll take two," Riker said, still distracted. "And another drink."

Deanna had needed him and not only had he not been there for her … she felt like she couldn't ask for him if she felt afraid. Dammit. It was completely the opposite of what he'd hoped to achieve by giving her space. She wanted to be with Worf, and he didn't want her to think he was, unfairly, trying to stand in her way. After all, he had his share of relations over the years while they served together. To be honest, his date with Commander Slade from medical was just company to keep his mind off of things. Off of her. Worf. He needed to move on for both of their sakes. Hadn't she?

"Crusher to Riker."

"Riker here." He replied, just as he reached the replicator. "Yes, doctor?"

"I just wanted to let you know that Lt. Monroe reported to Sickbay on time. He will be in a private room here until arriving at starbase."

"Good. And doctor, I'd like a security officer posted outside his door at all times."

"If you think it's necessary … You're actually not the only one who has suggested …"

He heard the amusement in her voice, but he interrupted her before she could finish. "Worf?" So he was paying attention.

"Hey, Will," she said a bit of seriousness back in her voice. He stepped into his bedroom for some privacy.

"Yeah, doc …"

"He seemed a bit inebriated when he surrendered himself for treatment. Nothing harmful, just a bit tipsy. But he said something … I'm not quite sure if I can take his word on it because he was overly chatty as I was putting him through some general medical tests to check him in. He told me he'd stopped by Deanna's quarters before coming here .. to-to thank her?"

Riker sat down on his bed.

"Shit."