Chapter 2 - Hope you like :)
"Captain Picard, you have an incoming message from Star Fleet Command."
Picard groaned and sat up in bed. "Put it through."
He staggered over to his desk and pulled on his shirt. He sat down and rubbed his hands over his face in a futile effort to wake himself up.
"Picard here."
The unsmiling face of Admiral Nechayev appeared in front of him on the screen. While his heart sank, Picard plastered on his best diplomatic smile.
"Captain," the admiral said stiffly.
"What can I do for you, Admiral?" he asked, making a feeble attempt to appear civil.
"No doubt you've been informed of the recent incarceration of your … of Thomas Riker."
He forced a smile. "Not directly, no. I read about it on the-"
"Nevertheless, Star Fleet Command needs to be absolutely sure that the situation does not repeat itself."
The captain nodded. "Of course, Admiral, but Tom is in prison on Lazon 2, I don't see how the situation could repeat itself, unless you are aware of a Maquis plot to break him out?"
If possible, her face grew even grimmer and Picard felt his heart sink.
"I'm not speaking about Thomas here, Captain, I'm talking about your first officer."
"Go on," he said after a moment's hesitation.
"Frankly, Captain, we're concerned. One William Riker has already defected, causing major trouble with the Cardassians. We want to make sure it doesn't happen again."
Riker reached for the bottle and filled the newly emptied glass once more. Slamming the bottle back onto the desk, he picked up the glass and stared into its contents.
"Things can't ever be as simple as they used to be," he mumbled, downing the glass in one shot. The door chimed.
"Will, it's me."
He closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead tiredly. "Come in."
The doors slid open obediently and Deanna stepped inside. She surveyed the scene in front of her with a carefully blank expression.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked at last.
He smiled as he reached for the bottle again. "Not in the slightest."
She crossed her arms and watched him drink another glass of that disgusting drink Human men seemed to love: Scotch. He paused before putting the glass back down.
"So who wants to interview me now?" he asked bitterly. "Another admiral? Someone from Intelligence?"
She smiled. "Me."
"You? What do you want to know, Counsellor?"
She sat down opposite him and looked straight into his eyes. "I wanted to know how you were coping, but I got my answer the second I stepped through that door and saw the empty bottle. Or should I say, bottles."
He started to laugh. Deanna watched, her wide brown eyes filled with concern, as he stood up and walked over to his desk, laughing without humour.
"Will-"
"Dammit, Deanna!" he yelled suddenly angry. In one sweep of hi arm, everything flew off his desk with a loud clatter. "I have been in Star Fleet for most of my life! Why the hell am I being treated like this!"
She didn't reply. Will leant forwards on the desk and tried to calm down, as the anger began to fade. "Sorry."
She folded her hands in her lap and regarded her friend carefully. "You're taking this very hard."
"Do you have to be an empath to know that?" he replied. "Of course I'm taking it hard. Tom... he isn't me, Deanna, and they can't understand that!" He sighed in frustration. "It just... it doesn't make sense!" Will started to pace up and down. "We're different people. Star Fleet doesn't expect the identical twin of a murderer to evenutally become one himself just because they look the same and share the same DNA."
"Will, you have to remember that your circumstances are unique. You and Tom aren't identical twins, you were basically the same person up until the accident," she replied. It was unlike Riker to let anything get to him this badly.
He sank back down onto the sofa and rubbed his eyes tiredly. Deanna seized the oppurtunity and leaned in closer to him.
"With all the political unrest in the quadrant, Star Fleet Intelligence is getting jumpy. It's nothing personal against you, Will, you know that. They'd do it to any officer."
He looked bleakly at her. "I know. But it's not any officer they're doing it to. It's me."
He looked up into her face. "Deanna, what happens if... if they find something? What happens if joining the Maquis is my destiny and I do end up just like Tom?"
She smiled slightly and took his hand. "Like you said... you're not the same person. And different people have different destinies."
Riker hugged her close. "Thank you."
Deanna squeezed him lightly. "Just returning the favour."
Sorry if this isn't as good as the first chapter, especially seeing as how it took me so long. As so often happens with my stories that are meant to be oneshots, I made them longer :P