OUTSIDE THE FIRE

 

faerie1701@hotmail.com

Disclaimer:  All rights to “Star Trek: The Next Generation”, it’s characters and worlds belong to Paramount.  The “new” characters-and the events they currently face- are the product of my overactive and slight demented imagination.

 

 

 

PROLOGUE

 

            Deanna Riker laced her fingers through those of her husband of twenty years. She smiled at the slight squeeze she felt. He was as excited as she.

Deanna found that thought amusing. William Riker, renowned Starship Captain, reformed ladies man, and daredevil extraordinaire, was vibrating with barely concealed excitement. First contact with an alien race? Tense negotiations between warring parties? Showdown with a fierce enemy? Nothing quite so mundane, Deanna thought with a laugh, as she stood by him in one of the many transporter rooms aboard the USS Titan.

Aware of her thoughts, Will looked down at her with a slight scowl. “I’m glad you find my emotions amusing, Deanna.”

Deanna gave him a brilliant smile. “I think it’s endearing. Really I do. Who would have ever guessed that the same man who faced down countless foes—from the Borg to the Kreptins—could be brought to his knees by a nineteen year…”

The transporter chief interrupted her merciless teasing. “Captain, the surface is signaling that they are ready for transport.”

Will nodded solemnly at the young man. “Splendid, Chief. Energize when ready.”

The transporter hummed as two forms appeared on the pad. Will gave up trying to keep up a poker face and grinned broadly, silently admitting that Deanna was right.

The two forms solidified and within seconds Will and Deanna felt like they were staring into a mirror to the past. The two people standing on the pad were almost exact replicas of them when they were much, much younger.

A whirlwind of vibrancy and youthful exuberance flew off the transporter and launched herself into Will’s outstretched arms, her ebony hair streaming behind her. Her more sedate, but equally joyful twin moved more slowly as he enveloped Deanna in a bear hug.

After a year away from the Titan, Jacen and Jaina had come home.

“Mom, you would not believe how much fun the Academy is,” Jaina enthused as she unpacked her suitcase. She looked around her quarters with fond remembrance. Her “home” had not changed a bit in the year she had been gone and was a welcome comfort.

She spun around and faced her mother, who was sitting cross-legged in the center of Jaina’s bed.

Deanna smiled with indulgence at her vibrant daughter. “Yes, I can.” She laughed. “I’ve been there. But, Jai, the Academy is not meant to be fun; it’s supposed to be hard work and dedication.”

Jaina waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, please! The stuff they teach to first year cadets is baby stuff, things we learned by the time we were ten years old. Jace and I breezed through all our classes with barely an effort. Uncle Geordi and Uncle Data taught us more about warp theory than those teachers ever dreamed of.”

“Oh the cross you must bear, being a genius. I hope the two of you weren’t too hard on your instructors.” Deanna’s voice was dry.

In truth, she was quite proud of her children. Through out the past year, she and Will had received many reports on their children’s progress, thanks to a few contacts at Starfleet Academy. Jaina was right; their classes presented no challenge to them. Will had feared that the lack of mental stimulation would have caused the twins to get bored with the academy, the way Wesley Crusher had. Fortunately, the twins had found other ways to challenge themselves, physically and mentally. They had spent their time on Earth engaging in various extracurricular activities and taking highly advanced elective classes. Deanna was immensely proud—and relieved—that they had found constructive ways to alleviate their boredom.

“Mom, you know us better than that! The instructors were so impressed, many of them began giving us the more advanced work.” Jaina spun around again, clutching the shirt she had been about to hang up. “Oh! Guess what?”

Deanna stretched out on her stomach across her daughter’s bed. “What?”

“Uncle Jean-Luc pulled some strings…”

Deanna rolled her eyes. “Again?”

Jaina went on as though she had not been interrupted. “…and arranged for Jace and me to take a special placement exam. If we pass, we will be able to skip straight to third year courses!”

Deanna jumped up and hugged her daughter exuberantly. “That’s wonderful, Jaina! I’m so proud of you.”

Jaina pulled out of her mother’s embrace and continued to unpack. “Just think, we’ll graduate a whole year earlier.”

“Now we have something else to celebrate at the party tonight. By the way, Jack is home from Le Barre. He will be with his parents when they beam up from San Francisco. Isn’t that great?”

Suddenly deflated, Jaina sat heavily on the bed. “Yeah, great.” Her voice held a note of sarcasm that Deanna found perplexing. Jacques Picard, Jean-Luc and Beverly’s son, had always been a playmate and friend. “I thought Jack was your friend.”

Jaina scowled. “Correction. He has always been Jacen’s friend. He was my tormentor.”

“Tormentor?”

“He has never been nice to me. He has always picked on me and treated me like an annoyance. When he and Jacen are together, Jacen acts just like him!”

Deanna laughed. “Oh, little one. He treated you like a little sister. That’s completely natural. You haven’t seen him since you were fifteen! I’m sure he has outgrown that by now.”

Jaina’s scowl deepened. “I doubt it. Jack Picard has always been, and will always be a royal pain in the neck.”

“Jaina!” From halfway across the lounge, Emily Picard squealed when she saw Jaina step into the room.

At the age of sixteen, Emily idolized the older girl. She wanted to be just like her.

Jaina grinned, thrilled to see her “little sister” again. She was also quite relieved to see that the younger girl’s brother appeared not to be present.

“Emmy!” The two girls hugged, laughing and talking all at once. “It is so good to see you again. I’ve really missed you.”

Emily’s face dimpled prettily. “I’ve missed you too! I have so much to tell you. You really should come to see me more often. I mean, we live in the same city for goodness sake.”

“We never have time, squirt.” A masculine voice said from behind her. Emily’s face colored slightly as she turned to shyly greet Jacen. “Hi, Jacen. How are you?”

“I’m perfect now that I’ve seen you. Goodness, Em, I swear you get prettier every time I see you.”

If possible, Emily’s face got even redder.

Jaina smiled at Emily’s obvious crush. ~Careful, brother dear. ~ She sent to her sibling. ~The poor girl is on the verge of hero worship already. ~

~Nonsense, Jai. Emily is just a kid. ~

~She’s sixteen. You remember sixteen don’t you, Jace? ~

Jaina nearly laughed at the horrified expression that quickly crossed her brother’s face. He looked like he was going to choke on his own tongue. She took her young friend by the arm. “Come on, Emmy. I haven’t had a chance to see your parents yet.”

Arm in arm the girls wandered off, leaving Jacen standing there speechless, his sister’s laughter echoing in his head.

“Close your mouth, Jace. You look like you just swallowed a goldfish.” A deep, amused voice sounded from behind.

Jacen turned, and smiled broadly. “Jack!” He held out his hand to his best friend. Jacen was not surprised when his friend used the proffered hand to pull him into a hearty embrace. Jacen returned the hug, patting Jack on shoulders, immensely glad to see him.

“Good to see you, Jacen. How’s the academy treating you?”

“Great! Boring, but great. How’s your grape farm?”

Jack laughed. “Don’t ever let my father hear you refer to the Chateau Picard Vineyards as a ‘grape farm’”

The old friends wandered around the room, greeting other friends and reliving old adventures. Jacen was so glad to be back aboard the Titan. He missed the excitement of living on a starship.

He leaned against the wall beside Jack and watched the party. He saw his parents dancing, holding each other embarrassing close. As Jacen watched, his father bent forward and whispered something in Deanna’s ear, causing her to throw back her head and laugh. Jacen shrugged. He supposed there were worse things in life than having parents who still enjoyed an obviously passionate relationship.

Jacen’s perusal of the room continued. He spotted his sister at the bar, deep in conversation with Emily. As he watched, she turned in his direction. Their eyes met for a moment and she greeted him warmly. Then her eyes drifted to the left and stopped. The emotions Jacen suddenly felt from his sister shocked him. He had never sensed anything like that from her before. Concerned, he turned his head to the left.

Jack Picard was staring across the room with the same expression on his face that Jacen saw on Jaina’s. Jacen now understood what he was feeling from his sister, and he was flabbergasted. It was awareness. Surprising Jacen even more, he saw the same awareness on the face of his oldest and dearest friend.

Jaina stole quietly from the party and walked quickly down the corridor. She did not understand the sudden urge to escape, but she knew she had to get out of that room.

She walked aimlessly through the halls of the Titan, the familiar sounds bringing comfort to her troubled mind. It was so good to be home. She hadn’t realized how homesick she had gotten until she had returned.

Jaina turned a corner and suddenly realized where she was unconsciously heading. With a small smile, she stopped in front of Holodeck 2. “Computer, load Riker-Troi Hotel-papa-four.”

“Completed. Enter when ready.”

Jaina stepped through the door and into space. Millions of stars surrounded her as she walked across the holodeck floor. She knew the floor was there, but it too was covered by celestial bodies, giving the impression that she was floating through space. Jaina had designed the program herself, with the help of Wesley Crusher. She could even give herself a place to sit. “Computer, one crescent moon chair, please”

Before her appeared what looked like a small waning moon. Jaina jumped and grabbed the edge, pulling herself into a sitting position. She settled back and relaxed. The chair floated above the ground, staying stationary as the holodeck simulated impulse flight through the vast regions of space. It was relaxing, and peaceful; and to Jaina, it was the best place to think.

Jaina had been feeling a bit restless as of late. She supposed part of it was her frustration with her classes, but there was more to it. In truth, she was used to being more advanced in her studies than her peers. It was not something that she dwelled upon, it was just there. She would probably always be bored in structured classes.

Her social life was normal, she supposed. She did not have anyone particularly special in her life at the moment, but she was not particularly looking for anyone either. There was plenty of time for that. She had decided a long time ago that she would not settle for less than what her parents had.

Jaina watched in wonder as a comet flashed by her, its tail twinkling in a million different colors. Tears gathered in her eyes at the beauty of her surroundings. Realization dawned. Jaina knew what was missing. She ached to be among the stars again. She craved the excitement of sailing through the universe, discovering new places and new peoples.

As much as she loved Earth, her heart longed for the heavens.

Lost in her musing, Jaina did not hear the holodeck door slide open.

“Nice night.” The unexpected voice had Jaina jumping, almost tumbling off her perch. The owner of the voice chuckled softly as he grabbed her leg to steady her.

Jaina felt the queerest jolt as a warm hand closed around her bare calf. She turned around, and then promptly jerked her foot free. “Go away.”

Jacque René Picard raised an eyebrow mockingly. “Now Jai-Jai, is that anyway to greet an old friend?” He admonished.

“You have never been my friend, and you are not permitted to call me Jai-Jai.”

Flustered more than she cared to admit not only by his intrusion on her privacy, but also by the wholly unexpected flash of something that had passed between them earlier, Jaina found herself resenting his very presence.

Not the least bit put off by her rudeness, Jack grinned. “That seat looks comfortable. Mind if I join you?”

Jaina’s moon chair was big enough for two, but she had no desire to be in such close proximity to him. “Yes, I mind. I really would prefer to be alone.”

Jack did not seem to hear her. With a quick leap, he settled into the seat beside her, leaving barely an inch between them.

“That’s better. I was right, this is comfortable.”

Jaina sighed. “Jack, what do you want?”

He shrugged. “Nothing really. Just thought I’d stop and see an old friend.”

“I repeat: We were never friends.”

Jack lay a hand over his heart. “Jai-Jai, I’m hurt. After all we have been through together, you don’t consider me a friend?”

“Stop calling me that!”

“Alright. What shall I call you?”

“How about not calling me at all?”

Jack narrowed his eyes. “What have I done to deserve this animosity?”

Jaina gave him an angry look. “You tortured me as a child.”

Jack rolled his eyes. “Kid stuff. I haven’t seen you in years. How can you possible still be mad at me for a few childish pranks?”

Jaina considered that for a moment. She supposed he was right. She should at least give him a chance. “Fine. I’ll give you that. I apologize for my rudeness, but I would prefer to be alone.”

“Why? What’s the matter?”

Jaina shook her head. “Nothing. I just don’t want any company right now.”

Jack said nothing for a moment. “Nice program.” He finally said. “Did you design it?”

Obviously he had no intention of leaving. “Yes. Your brother and I did.”

“Half-brother,” Jack said dryly.

Jack leaned closer, too close for Jaina’s taste. What was the matter with her? Jaina cleared her throat. “So, how was France?” She asked, trying to sound normal. Why did her voice crack?

“France is France. It never changes. How is the Academy?”

“Fine.” He was too close. Jaina could feel the heat from his body burning into her skin where their arms were touching. The pure masculine scent of him invaded her nostrils, playing havoc with her senses. When did she start thinking of him as a man? This was Jack, for heaven’s sake.

“Jack, I really am sorry I was rude to you before, but I would like you to leave now. I came here for solitude.”

Jack gave her a measured look. “Jaina, what’s the matter with you? You look like you are about ready to come out of your skin.” He touched her face gently.

Jaina jumped as though that simple contact burned. Agitated and unsure what was going on inside her, Jaina jumped off the chair. She “floated” through space. She began to feel a bit dizzy.

Jack floated beside her, gripping her arms lightly, forcing her to look at him. “I think I understand now. I make you nervous.”

Jaina forced out a laugh. “Nervous? Oh, please, why would you think that?”

“You felt it too.” He whispered in wonder, tilting her face up until their eyes met and held. Jack had a queer look in his eyes that Jaina found deeply disturbing for reasons she could not fathom.

“Felt what?” She questioned, trying to pull away from him.

“When our eyes met across that crowded lounge, there was a jolt of electricity. You felt it as strongly as I did.”

Jaina did pull away from him this time. She shook slightly as she put distance between them. “Electricity?” she scoffed. “You have got to be kidding. If anything passed between us, it was loathing.”

Jack stepped close to her again, too close. “Liar.”

Jaina’s eyes flashed angrily. “I’m not lying! Jack, I don’t even like you.”

Jack took her vehement words as a challenge. “Really? So if I were to kiss you right now, you would feel nothing?”

“I might feel repulsion.” She stated haughtily.

Jack pulled her into a tight embrace, pressing his lips against hers roughly.

Old memories surfaced, threatening to strangle Jaina as she pushed against his chest, trying to break free.

Sensing her fear, Jack gentled the pressure on her mouth. His kiss turned soft, coaxing, giving more than receiving.

Against her will, Jaina felt herself begin to melt against him, unconsciously kissing him back.

Jaina had been kissed before, but nothing like this. She felt dizzy and warm. She felt like she was soaring.

All too soon, Jack pulled away. He ran a finger down her face, the heat in his expression unsettling. “Still think there is nothing between us?” He whispered hoarsely.

Jack turned and left the room without a backwards glance.

Jaina stood in the center of the “universe”, speechless, her body trembling with a need she had never felt before and could not explain.

CHAPTER 1:

SIX MONTHS LATER:

The sun was just beginning to set as Jaina opened the door to the small apartment she shared with Jacen. She dragged herself over the threshold, allowing the door to slide closed behind her. Tired and immensely glad to be home after a long day of classes, she dropped her canvas bag on the floor. With a sigh, she flopped face first onto the couch.

Jaina could not remember the last time she had been so tired. Nine hours of classes, followed by two hours of ambo jitsu at the gymnasium. The worst part was that she had chosen to take on a heavier than average load. Gods, she thought, I must be insane.

She found it hard to believe that just six short months ago she had been complaining about being bored. She had actually looked forward to taking the placement exam that had allowed her to skip an entire semester of classes, as well as take highly advanced specializations in astrophysics and stellar cartography.

“Be careful what you wish for, you idiot.” She laughed wearily as she rolled onto her back.

A quick glance at her desk showed a flashing red light. Jaina groaned. She laid her forearm across her eyes, wincing slightly when she brushed the still tender bruise on her cheek. “Computer, list messages.”

“One message from Emily Picard, one message from Angelique Wassermann. Three messages from Ambassador Troi…”

Jaina smiled. “Only three from Grandmother? She must be busy today.”

“…one message from Deanna Riker…”

Jaina’s smile grew. Was it Friday already? She instantly felt better. The weekly communiqués from her mother was just what she needed after a grueling week.

“…one message from Jack Picard…”

Jaina sat up with a jolt, her smile fading. “Computer, halt. To who is the last message addressed?”

“Jaina Riker-Troi.”

Why would Jack be calling her? Jaina had not seen or heard from him since the party on the Titan six months earlier. The night he had kissed her on the holodeck. Unwittingly, the memory of his lips on hers brought a tingling heat to the pit of her stomach.

Jaina shook her head, forcefully blocking the image from her mind. She had no desire to think about the kiss they had shared. The kiss he had arrogantly forced upon her.

“Computer, delete last message.” She told herself that she did not care what he wanted.

She walked over to her desk and sat down. “Computer, play back message from Deanna Riker and store the rest for later.”

Jaina could feel the tension leaving her body as her mother’s cheerful, chatty message played. Normally she would send a recorded response; however, tonight she felt the need to talk “face to face” with her mother.

Jaina rolled her head on her shoulders, easing the last of her weariness away as she waited to be connected to the Titan.

Minutes later, Deanna’s much missed face appeared on her screen. “Hi, Mom!”

Deanna smiled. “Hello, Little One.”

Jaina rolled her eyes at the nickname. “Mom, please! I am not five anymore.”

Several light-years away, Deanna was slightly taken aback for a moment, and then she began to laugh. “Sorry, Jai. I guess I’m more like my mother than I realized.”

“Bite your tongue!” A masculine voice said in mock horror from somewhere behind Deanna, out of range of the viewscreen.

Jaina laughed. “Hi Daddy!” She called out to the unseen voice.

Will Riker came into view behind his wife. He lay his hands on her shoulders, massaging gently.

“Jaina, if your mother ever turns into her mother, I’m leaving her.”

“Yeah, right,” she responded, not believing him for a second.

“You look tired, sweetheart.” Deanna commented, giving her a typical worried mother once over. Her eyes widened slightly. “That’s a pretty nasty bruise on your cheek.”

Jaina shrugged off her mother’s concern. “It’s nothing. I sort of ran into an ambo jitsu stick.”

Will winced with sympathy. “Jacen still play a little rough?”

Jaina smirked. “Yeah, well as they say: You should see the other guy.”

Deanna laughed. “I hope you didn’t hurt him too badly. Seriously though, you do look tired. You’re not trying to do too much are you?”

“I’m fine; it’s just been a long week. My new classes are more difficult than I had anticipated. I finally have a challenge.”

“Just don’t push yourself too hard. The burn out ratio is high.” Will warned. “The Academy can be brutal, especially for those who have the most potential. The better you are, the harder they are on you.”

Deanna laughed. “Says the pot to the kettle. Jai, should I tell you about the number of hours your father spent trying to break the record for fastest atmospheric reentry?”

Jaina joined in her mother’s merriment. “Or the number of hours logged in the battle simulator? Or the obsessive need to break the record for youngest captain? What happened there anyway, Daddy?” Jaina teased, already knowing the answer. “I think you hold the record for longest time between Commander and Captain.”

Will’s face was the picture of innocence. “It’s not my fault. I would have taken the first commission offered if your mother had gone with me.”

The look Deanna shot over her shoulder had Jaina laughing and Will backing away hastily, a slight grin on his own face.

“So, what are you doing this weekend? Got a hot date?” Deanna teased lightly, once again facing the viewscreen.

An unsolicited image of Jack Picard pushed its way into Jaina’s mind, disturbing her more than she cared to admit. She did not like him, wanted nothing to do with him, so why was he suddenly encroaching on her thoughts?

“Jaina? Are you all right?”

Jaina forced the unwanted image from her mind and turned her attention back to her mother. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why?”

“I sensed a slight uneasiness in you.”

Jaina tried to shrug off her mother’s concern, grateful that Deanna was not close enough to get a more clear sense. “It’s nothing, Mama, really.”

Deanna opened her mouth as though to contradict her daughter, then judiciously opted to change the subject.

Jaina inwardly sighed in relief as her mother began talking about their latest mission and other happenings aboard the Titan.

The women talked for over an hour before Jaina ended the conversation

“I’m sorry, Mom, but I’m going to have to go. I promised Emily I would take her to a jazz club tonight, and I would like to take a short nap before hand.”

“Of course, darling. Have a good time. Make sure you give Jacen my love.”

“I will. Goodnight Mama, I love you.”

Deanna smiled mischievously. “I love you, too…Little One.”

Jaina laughed slightly as she turned off the viewscreen. With a yawn she flopped back on the couch, closing her eyes.

After what felt like mere seconds, but in reality was closer to an hour, Jaina was awoken by the sound of the door sliding open.

She rubbed her eyes tiredly and sat up. “Jacen, you need to contact Mom and Dad, they are beginning to wonder if they still have a son.”

The playful note in her voice died abruptly when she removed her hands from her eyes. She could feel the color drain from her face. Directly behind her twin brother, looking like he just stepped out of an old time romance novel, stood Jack Picard.

CHAPTER 2:

“Hello, Jaina.” Jack said quietly, inexplicably unable to take his eyes off his best friend’s twin sister.

He saw discomfort, anger and something slightly electric flare in her eyes. For the life of him, he could not explain why he had kissed her all those months ago, but he had not been able to get her off his mind since, and he knew in that instant that she hadn’t forgotten either. Incredibly, the mere idea that she had been thinking about him as much as his thoughts had been dwelling on her filled him with a sense of excitement that was almost frightening in its intensity.

“Jack. It’s nice to see you again. How have you been?” Jaina’s voice was impersonal, overly polite. It was the sort of voice one would use when addressing a business associate, someone seldom seen and barely known.

Jack raised an eyebrow at her tone. It irked him slightly that she so obviously wanted to ignore the attraction between them. Well, two could play at that game…

“I’ve been wonderful, Jai-Jai, just wonderful. I guess you could say I’ve been floating amongst the stars.” Jack grinned, thoroughly enjoying the crimson tinge staining her cheeks.

Jacen cleared his throat, “Jai, what were you saying about Mom?”

Jaina looked at her brother blankly. “Huh?” She shook her head, obviously trying to clear it. “Oh, ah, I said she would like to hear from you. Really, Jacen, you hardly ever send any communiqués.”

Jacen shrugged. “I’ve been busy. I’ll send one off later. Right now I have to get ready. Jack and I are going out.”

He walked toward his bedroom. “Jack, make yourself at home. I’ll just be a few minutes.” Turning his head in their direction, he gave his sister and friend one last speculative look before closing the door.

Jack stepped closer to Jaina, his smile widening when she took an unconscious step back. “What’s the matter, Jaina? Don’t tell me I still make you nervous?” Jack took another step forward. “Have you been thinking about me, Jai?”

Jack fully expected her to take another step back. He was surprised, and delighted, when she stood still, stubbornly refusing him the upper hand.

Jaina laughed shortly, her voice sounding forced and unnatural. “What makes you think I have spared you even the slightest thought?”

“How can you not, after what happened in the holodeck?”

Jaina rolled her eyes. “You really have a high opinion of yourself.”

“Deny it all you want, Jai-Jai, but when we kissed, sparks flew.” Jack stepped closer, bringing his body to within an inch of hers. Heat leapt between them. “Feel that?”

Jaina swallowed visibly. “I don’t know what you are talking about.” Despite her struggle to remain nonchalant, Jaina’s voice shook.

Jack leaned forward to whisper in her ear, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine. “Yes you do.” He placed a small kiss on her temple, before shifting slightly and pressing his lips against hers.

Jack kept the kiss gentle. He longed to gather her close and deepen the kiss to a level that would match the fire in his blood. He held the impulse in check, not wishing to spook her.

Calling upon a will power that he was unaware he possessed, Jack waited until the exact moment Jaina began to actively participate in the kiss, then took a step back. The loss of contact left him feeling slightly hollow.

Jaina stared at him, her ebony eyes alight with an emotion that almost had Jack pulling her fully into his arms. He forced himself to move out of temptation’s way. “You can lie to me if it makes you feel better, Jaina, but you can’t lie to yourself.”

Jaina was spared from having to answer by the opening of a door. Jacen came out of his bedroom. “Ready, Jack?”

Jack turned and proceeded Jacen toward the door. Swinging it open wide, he gestured to his friend. “After you.”

“See you later, Jaina.” Jacen said as he left the apartment.

Jack followed behind. Just before going through the door, he turned and winked at Jaina. “Goodbye, Jai-Jai. We will finish our ‘discussion’ later.”

“What’s going on between you and my sister?”

The question was so unexpected, Jack was slightly taken aback. His surprise caused him to hesitate just enough that denying the implication would be futile. Nevertheless, Jack hedged. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Jacen gave his friend a long measured look over their glasses of synthehol. “Don’t try to snow me, Jack. We’ve been friends for way too long. I know something is going on. One would have to be a complete idiot not to feel the tension between you. Besides, Jaina was blocking me mentally earlier, something that she has never done.”

Jack took a long drink of the blue concoction in front of him. He did not want to discuss this with anyone, least of all Jacen. “What do you want me to say, Jace? Yes, I’m attracted to your sister, and I know she feels the same way. What are you going to do now, ask me what my intentions are?”

“That would be a good start.”

Jack’s eyes flashed, something akin to a challenge in their depths. “I fully intend to explore this new feeling. I intend to have a relationship with Jaina.” When Jacen opened his mouth to speak, Jack held up his hand. “Before you start beating your chest and warning me that my life will not be worth much if I hurt her, remember that Jaina and I are both adults. Whatever happens between us will be just that: between us.”

Jacen smiled slightly. “Actually, I was going to wish you luck. My twin can be pretty stubborn sometimes.” Jacen’s attention was diverted to something across the room. His eyes widened slightly. He turned back to his friend with an amused grin. “Here’s your chance. Jaina and Emily just walked into the room.”

Jacen laughed at the expression on his best friend’s face. “Now who looks like he just swallowed a goldfish? Careful, Jack, Jaina is liable to have you for lunch.” Jacen’s smile faded slightly as a note of warning entered his voice. “Oh, and Jack? If you hurt her, I will make your life a living hell.”

Across the room, Jaina stopped walking abruptly, her stomach taking a dive. She turned to Emily, hoping the younger girl had not yet spotted Jacen and Jack. “Emily, this place is too crowded. Let’s go some place else.”

Emily tossed her head, causing her red hair to bounce lively on her shoulders. “Why? This is just the kind of atmosphere I have been looking for.” She pouted prettily and twirled herself around. “I never get to go anywhere like this. I want to dance.”

“I know, but Em, we haven’t seen each other in so long, I thought it would be nice to sit and talk for a while.”

Her young friend was not listening. To Jaina’s dismay, Emily had spotted the object of Jaina’s discomfort. “Look, Jai! There’s Jacen and Jack. Let’s go sit with them.” In a flash, she was off, leaving Jaina no choice but to follow.

By the time Jaina reached the table, Emily had pulled up two chairs and was talking animatedly to the guys.

Jaina took a seat, mumbling a hello to her brother and pointedly ignoring Jack. She could feel his eyes on her, burning a hole into her soul.

Oblivious to the tension around her, Emily was having a great time. Her shyness seemed to disappear completely as she laughed and flirted with Jacen and every other male in the vicinity.

Jaina spent the next hour in abject misery. Finally she could not stand anymore. She stood up and pulled Emily to her feet. “Come on, Emmy, let’s go dance.”

The minute the two girls hit the dance floor, they were surrounding by young men vying for their attention, trying to be the first to ask them to dance.

For the next few hours, Jaina gave a pretty good impression of someone having a great time. She danced every dance, constantly changing partners. She forced herself to laugh merrily, knowing that Jack had not taken his eyes off her. After a while, she actually began to enjoy herself, laughing with Emily and their various partners, and gyrating to the music. She went from one partner to another, completely caught up in the music.

One song ended and another one, a slow one, began. With a light kiss on the cheek and a thank you, Jaina twirled away from a rather nice young cadet and right into a pair of very strong arms. Jaina smiled up into her new partner’s face and stopped cold, her smile freezing.

“I believe this is my dance.” Jack whispered, pulling her closer.

Jaina tried to push away from him. He held on tight. “I’m tired, Jack, I don’t wish to dance anymore.”

“Too bad.” Jack pulled her body flush with his, swaying slowly to the soft music. “I have been waiting all night to dance with you.”

“Jack, I don’t want to dance with you.”

“Liar,” he whispered against her ear.

The slow music, the sensuous sway of his hips and the warmth of his body against hers were making Jaina weak. Delicious sensations coursed through her body, giving her a heady, almost intoxicated feeling. After a few moments of holding herself stiff, she lost the inner battle she was raging on herself. She melted against him with a sigh.

One song ended, blending seamlessly into another, as they swayed to the music. They were locked in a world of their own, oblivious to their surroundings.

“Jaina,” Jack whispered hoarsely, his voice filled with an emotion that Jaina had never felt before. “Do you have any idea had badly I want to kiss you right now?”

Jaina stared into his smoldering eyes. Her breath caught painfully in her throat. Of its own volition, her body arched forward, raising her up on her tiptoes. She pressed her lips gently against his, feather soft.

Jack groaned deep in his throat, deepening the light pressure into a full blown embrace. His tongue slipped seductively across her lips, demanding entry into the warm recesses of her mouth as his hands roamed her fevered body.

Jaina could not breathe. She could not think. She was obliviously to everything except the warm embrace that was rapidly becoming anything but comforting.

A familiar sensation nibbled at the back of her mind, pulling Jaina abruptly from sweet oblivion. Her brother’s gently probing was like a mental clearing of the throat, reminding Jaina that she was in a crowded room. She pulled herself out of Jack’s arms. She stood there for several seconds, breathing heavy.

The enormity of what had just transpired crashed around her, bring with it confusion, uncertainty and fear. Without a word, she turned and ran from the room, barely hearing Jack’s choking plea to stop.

 

CHAPTER 3:

Jaina placed the dish of eggs beside the pancakes on the table. Stepping back, she surveyed her handiwork. She, admittedly, was not as good in the kitchen as her brother and father, but still, she thought she had done a fairly good job. The table was covered with plates heaping with pancakes, sausage, and scrambled eggs. Coffee and juice waited in carafes beside the dishes.

“Jacen,” she yelled. “Come on! Our breakfast is getting cold.” She took her seat just as her brother emerged from his bedroom, rubbing his wet hair with a towel. “Cold would probably be an improvement.” He teased with a grin as he sat down.

Jaina threw her napkin at him. “Not all of us can be culinary greats, Jace. Some of us have useful talents.”

Jacen made a face at his sister as he helped himself to a generous helping of everything. Jaina actually was a good cook, not that Jacen had any intention of telling her that.

“So what do you have planned for the day?” He asked after several minutes of silent eating.

Being the weekend, the twins did not have any classes. Jaina planned to take full advantage of the break. “I intend to be completely frivolous. Aunt Beverly, Emily, and I are meeting Angelique in New Orleans. We are going shopping in the French Quarter. We’ll probably have lunch at Sisko’s. What do you have planned?”

“Jack and I are going sailing.” Jacen watched in amusement as his sister colored slightly at the mention of his best friend.

“Oh, that’s nice. Have a good time.”

Jacen looked at his sister in speculation. “Jaina, about last night…”

Jaina busied herself with clearing away the breakfast dishes. “What about it?” She asked brightly.

“What is happening between you and Jack?”

Jaina closed her eyes briefly. “What makes you think anything is happening?” she hedged.

Jacen snorted. “Jaina, I’m not blind. The two of you almost set off the fire suppressors.”

Jaina felt her face flame. “Jacen, it was not that bad. It was just a kiss.”

Jacen raised an eyebrow. “Really? From where I was sitting it looked, and felt, like a whole lot more.”

Jaina gaped at her brother. “You know, that is the biggest problem with being twins and having Betazoid blood. From now on, I would appreciate it if you would turn off your ‘radar’ when I am engaged in something personal.”

Jacen had the good grace to look sheepish. “Sorry. But I wasn’t expecting for something quite that personal to happen on the dance floor.”

Jaina sat down heavily and covered her burning cheeks with her hands. “Neither was I.”

Jacen reached out and pulled her hands away from her face. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Jaina shook her head vehemently. “No! I want to forget it happened. If I never see Jack Picard again it will be too soon.”

Jacen was taken aback by her adamancy. “Why? Jack is a great guy. There are obviously feelings between the two of you. I think you should pursue it.”

“There is nothing between us, Jacen.” She hotly denied.

Jacen just looked at her. “Jaina, are you forgetting to whom you are talking? You know you can’t lie to me.”

Jaina screamed in frustration, taking her anger out on her brother. “Jacen Riker, kindly get your mind out of mine! I hate it when you do that!”

Jacen held out a hand, palm out. “Hold on there, Jai. I did not mean to upset you.”

Before Jaina could utter another word, the doorbell chimed. With one last angry look at her twin, Jaina went to answer it. Her anger diffused immediately as the door slid open. With a happy, surprised smile, she jumped into the arms of the tall man standing just outside the door. “Uncle Tommy!”

Laughing, Thomas Riker twirled his niece around in a complete circle before setting her back on her feet. “Hello, Starshine.” He yanked her ponytail affectionately.

Jacen stood up. “Uncle Thomas, it’s good to see you. Please, come in.”

“I would if your brat sister would let go of me.”

Jaina grinned impishly and stepped back, allowing her adored “uncle” to enter the room. In truth, Thomas Riker was not technically her uncle. He was an exact biological duplicate of her father, created by a transporter accident many years prior. Jaina and Jacen had heard about the accident many times, as well as the years of animosity between the two Will Rikers. Over the years, the two had come to an understanding of sorts. They had stopped seeing each other as carbon copies and had developed a surprisingly strong brotherhood. Personally, Jaina was thrilled by the grudging affection between them. She adored Thomas Riker almost as much as she adored Will Riker.

“How are you, Uncle Tommy?” Jaina asked, pushing him toward a seat and offering him a cup of coffee.

Thomas winked at his niece. Jaina was the only one in the galaxy that could call him “Tommy” and get away with it. “Just fine, Starshine.” He answered, using the nickname he had bestowed on her when she was a toddler. The two of them had a very special relationship. To Thomas, Jaina was the daughter he never had. Deanna’s look-alike little girl.

Thomas gave up being jealous of Will’s marriage to Deanna years ago. He was genuinely happy for them. Even more so since his own marriage, ten years ago. He would not trade his wife, Abigail, or his two sons, for anything. But his recent happiness did not diminish the “might-have-beens” he felt from time to time. As a result, Deanna and Will’s beautiful little girl held a very special place in Thomas’ heart.

“So, what brings you by?” Jacen asked.

Thomas shrugged. “I was in town and thought I would pay a visit to my favorite niece and nephew.” Thomas gave Jacen a pointed look over Jaina’s head.

Oblivious to the undercurrents, Jaina rolled her eyes with a giggle. “We are your only niece and nephew.”

Thomas grinned. “That makes you second to none then, I guess.”

The three of them chatted amicably for a while, Thomas sharing news of his wife and sons.

After almost an hour, Jacen, recognizing the slightly anxious look in his uncle’s eyes, cleared his throat. “Jaina, don’t you have to meet Bev and Emily?”

Jaina looked disappointedly at her chronometer. “Yeah. I better get ready. Uncle Tommy, you have to promise to come back and visit when we have more time. And next time you have to bring Aunt Abby and the boys with you.”

Thomas laughed. “I will, I promise.”

Jaina hurried to her room to change her clothes.

Jacen looked at his uncle steadily. “What’s up?”

Thomas waved his hand dismissively. “We’ll talk about it after Jai leaves.”

Jacen nodded in agreement, already dreading the conversation. Thomas never had happy news to share when he had that look in his eyes.

Jacen waited for the door to close behind Jaina before turning a speculative eye on Thomas. “What do you need me to do this time?”

Thomas raised his left brow with a smirk. “You know you sound just like your father when you do that.”

Jacen smiled slightly. “I know. It drives Mom crazy.”

“How are your parents?”

Jacen looked at him pointedly. “They’re fine. Stop changing the subject.”

Thomas stopped smiling abruptly. “I need you to do a little search and rescue for me.”

Jacen nodded, expecting something like that. This was not the first time his uncle had come to him for help.

Thomas was the head security officer for a highly placed, and high profile, admiral. He often came to Jacen when he needed “assistance.”

“You know I will help you in any way I can. I always do. What do you need me to do?”

Thomas took a deep breath “Admiral Yeats’ daughter is missing. I need you to find her.”

Jacen was surprised. “That’s it? Just a simple search?” Thomas’ requests usually were more covert and dangerous than that.

“Well, it’s not quite that simple. Jasmine, the admiral’s daughter, crash landed on a planet and no one has heard from her since. We know that she is alive, she was able to contact her father after landing, but all communication has been lost. We believe that she may have wandered into a settlement, looking for help. We have scanned the planet, but cannot find her biosignature.”

Jacen did not quite understand. “So why can’t you just send some one down to look for her? Why do you need me?”

Thomas looked uncomfortable. “The planet is pre-warp. We would have to go down incognito, blend into their culture.”

Once again, Jacen shrugged. “So? Starfleet does that all the time. Alter someone to look like the inhabitants and search around.”

Thomas did not look at his nephew. “It’s not that cut and dry. You see, Starfleet cannot have any knowledge of this. We cannot officially send anyone. It has to be top secret.”

“Why?” Jacen demanded with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had a feeling he did not want to know.

“The planet is restricted from any Federation involvement.”

“Why?” He asked again, beginning to lose patience with his uncle.

Jacen was right. He really did not want to know. “About twenty five years ago, there was an incident. A small exploration craft crash landed in a rural area, and was discovered by some of the inhabitants. It was a disaster. Their government tried to cover it up, and put out false reports, but once the general population became aware of the possibility of extra-terrestrial life, pandemonium broke out. They were at a very early stage of space exploration, had not yet left their own atmosphere. The general population did not trust the government’s exploratory measures. They were frightened by the unknown. After our craft was found, wide-spread paranoia spread, setting their development back significantly. The Federation put a ban on the entire solar system for several generations. They hoped that after enough time, the tales of a “recovered alien vessel” would fade into folk lore and they would proceed to develop at a normal rate. The restriction is still in place for another fifty years. Starfleet cannot find out that the Admiral’s daughter violated their missive. I need you to find her and bring her back. And nobody can know where you are going.”

 

CHAPTER 4:

Jack opened the door to his parent’s house without ringing first to announce his presence. Although he no longer lived there, he knew there would always be an “open door” policy in his childhood home. He stood in the foyer for a moment, drinking in the familiar sounds and smells. The early French-style chateau was just the way he remembered it, right down to the smell of fresh baked croissants wafting in from the dining room.

With a smile on his handsome face, Jack followed the enticing scent down the hallway and into the small, quaintly furnished dining room, knowing he would find his parents and sister sitting around the table, lingering over breakfast.

He was not disappointed. He stood in the doorway, watching the peaceful scene with tenderness. His father, the incomparable Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, sat at the head of the table, clearly enjoying the animated voices of his wife and daughter with the quietly amused dignity he cultivated and had perfected to an art form. His still beautiful wife, Beverly Picard, current head of Starfleet Medical, reigned supreme in a chair to his left. She laughed merrily while her vibrant, vivacious daughter mercilessly teased her father.

Emily was the first to notice the young man lounging against the door jam. “Jack!” she cried happily, jumping out of her chair and launching herself into her brother’s arms. “I did not expect to see you today. I thought you were headed back to France.” Although she had just seen her brother the night before, Emily was overjoyed that he was still in town. His visits to San Francisco were seldom and usually very short.

Laughing, Jack hugged his sister close. “I could not pass up the chance to spend time with my favorite sister, Mon Cherie.”

Detangling himself from his sister’s embrace, Jack stepped forward to greet his parents. “Maman, you look radiant as usual.” He praised, kissing her lightly on the cheek.

Jack held his hand out to his father. “Papa.”

Jean-Luc gripped his son’s hand tightly. “Jacque, mon fils, wonderful to see you. How long can you stay?”

Jack took the empty seat beside his sister and reached for a croissant. “Actually, I can stay for quite a while this time. The vineyards are doing splendidly and I really am not needed there right now. The caretaker is doing a marvelous job.”

Jean-Luc nodded. “Excellent. It will be nice to have you around for a while.”

Jack agreed. “It will be nice to be home.”

Beverly poured her son a glass of juice. “How is Marie?” she asked, referring to Jean-Luc’s widowed sister-in-law.

Jack accepted the proffered glass. “Merci. Marie is doing well. She sends her love.” Jack pulled teasingly on his sister’s braid. “Cherie, I made plans to go sailing with Jacen this afternoon. Would you care to join us? Maybe we can get Jaina to come, too.”

Emily smirked at her brother, her eyes twinkling, not the least bit fooled by his casual invitation. “I’m sorry, Jack. Mom and I already have plans. We are going shopping in the French Quarter. Jaina is going with us. Actually, she should be here in a few minutes.”

Beverly watched her son closely, intrigued by the peculiar gleam in his eyes. Was that a note of interest she saw? She gave her daughter a questioning look. Emily just smiled, her eyes twinkling with teasing merriment. “Maybe we can meet up with you and Jacen later. We can go dancing again.”

Jean-Luc raised an eyebrow. “Dancing?”

“Yes, Papa, Jaina and I ran into Jack and Jacen at a small jazz club last night. It was a very interesting night.”

Jack nudged his sister under the table, shooting her a murderous glance, pleading with his eyes for her to be quiet. He was not ready for his parents to know anything about what was happening with Jaina. Especially considering that Jack was not entirely sure himself what was happening. The feelings he had when he was with her were too new, too raw to define yet.

As though the mere thought of her had the power to make her appear, Jaina stepped into the room, bringing sunshine in her wake. “Good morning, everybody!” She sang out merrily. Her radiant smile had Jack struggling to breathe. What was it about her that made everything seem sharper, more vibrant?

Jaina’s happy smile faded slightly when she spotted Jack. “Hello, Jack.” Her voice shook only slightly, barely noticeable.

Jack noticed. His heart turned over in his chest. Oh, yes, he definitely wanted to explore the heat that sprang up between them when ever they were in the same room. Her obvious nervousness only served to intrigue him more. Why was she so resistant to the undefined, yet undeniable, attraction they were both feeling?

“Bon Matin. Comment etes-vous ce matin? Vous avez dormi bien?” Jack could not help teasing her, thoroughly enjoying the flush that tinted her cheeks. For himself, he had not slept well at all. Every time he began to drift off, his thoughts wandered back to the mind blowing kiss they had shared.

Regaining her equilibrium, Jaina answered him in French. “Comme un bebe” She turned away from him deliberately, less he see the truth in her tired eyes. “Aunt Beverly, Emily, are you ready?” She asked, switching back to English. Normally, she would sit for a while, visiting with her Godfather, but she suddenly felt the urge to make a quick exit.

Emily stood up and stretched. “Sure, Jai, let’s go.” She bent over and pressed a light kiss on her brother’s forehead. “Vous voir plus tard, Jacque. S’amuser bien sur l’eau.” She leaned closer and whispered in his ear. “Don’t worry, I won’t let Jaina fall for any handsome Creoles while in the Quarter.” She laughed when he pulled her hair and scolded her with mock exasperation. “Incorrigible brat. I’ll make sure I return the favor with a certain guy I know.” He whispered, laughing when she turned red.

Jaina turned to leave the room, failing to notice the speculative look that passed between Beverly and Jean-Luc. Beverly made a mental note to interrogate her daughter at the first possible opportunity.

As the three women left the house, Jack’s eyes remained glued to Jaina’s rapidly retreating form. He continued to stare at the empty entryway long after they had departed.

“Hey, look at this one, Mom.” Emily enthused, holding a length of silky blue material against her body. “What do you think? Is this a good color for me?”

Beverly admired the periwinkle cloth. “Perfect. It is almost the exact color of your eyes.” Beverly turned to her other young companion. “Jai, what do you think? Can you see Emmy in a dress made from this?” Jaina did not seem to hear her. She was staring off into nothing, just as she had been for the past three hours. Beverly touched her arm in concern. “Jaina? Darling, what’s the matter?”

Jaina jumped, startled. “Huh?” She shook her head, trying to clear her jumbled thoughts. She looked at her companions sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I guess I am just a little distracted right now.” She did not want to admit where her mind had been. Against her will, her thoughts had been lingering on Jack all day. Why couldn’t she get his face out of her mind? Why did her wayward thoughts insist on dwelling on the feel of his lips against her own? Jaina did not understand why a few simple kisses had her tied up in knots. It wasn’t as though she had never been kissed before. OK, she admitted to herself, simple did not even begin to describe the feel of Jack’s kisses. Phrases such as “mind-blowing”, “earth-shattering”, “bone-melting”, and “explosive” came to mind. The problem was, Jaina did not want to have those kind of feelings in regards to Jack. How could she? She did not even like him.

Jaina looked up when Beverly cleared her throat, realizing she had drifted into reverie again. She noticed wryly that her Godmother and best friend were watching her with very interested—and amused—expressions.

Beverly looked at her in concern. “What is wrong with you, Jaina?”

Emily had a cat-that-ate-the-canary look in her devilish blue eyes. “I know what’s wrong,” She chirped in a sing-song voice.

Jaina shook her had frantically, pleading silently with her friend to remain quiet. Jaina could tell Beverly almost anything, but not this. Tell Beverly that she had been fantasizing about her son? Not likely.

Jaina grabbed Emily’s arm and pulled her forward. “Come on, Em. I’m starving. Let’s hit Sisko’s” Jaina dragged her younger friend down the street.

Emily laughed when she heard Jaina hiss in her ear. “Don’t you dare say anything to your mother about last night. The last thing I need is for her to start getting ideas.”

 

CHAPTER 5:

Jack hesitated, his finger hovering barely an inch from the door chime. From inside the apartment, he heard the distinctive sound of ancient Country music. He rolled his eyes with a laugh. What was it about the Riker family and their affinity for archaic musical forms?

He pressed the button and waited. No response. He pressed it again. He could faintly hear the chime echoing, practically indiscernible above the din of a surprisingly good guitar rift. He pressed the bell again, harder. Still no response. Giving up, Jack keyed in the access code Jacen had given him years ago.

The door slid open, blasting Jack with music. Jack stepped inside and stopped short. He stared at the sight before him, his mouth going dry. In the center of the room was Jaina, her back to him. She was bent in half at the waist, touching her toes; giving Jack a very interesting view of her scantily covered backside. Jack could not help himself, he whistled wolfishly.

Jaina yelped in surprise and spun around. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?” Jaina could feel her face burning. Embarrassment made her voice crack. “Computer, pause music.”

Jack grinned lecherously. “Anybody ever tell you that you have a nice butt?” His eyes roamed her body from head to feet and back again. The front was rather nice to, he thought. She was wearing the skimpiest, tightest workout suit he had ever seen.

Uncomfortably aware of his perusal, Jaina folded her arms across her chest self-consciously. “Stop leering.” She demanded crossly.

“I wasn’t leering, just being properly appreciative.” He took a step toward her. The fire in his eyes had Jaina taking a step backwards. Jack moved closer, Jaina moved away.

Jack chuckled. “Jaina, stand still. I’m not going to bite you.” He winked. “Unless you want me to, of course.”

His somewhat lewd remark snapped Jaina out of her nervousness. She gave him a cool look as she picked up her towel, slinging it across her neck, effectively blocking his view of her cleavage. “What do you want, Jack?”

Jack smirked. “Do you really want me to answer that, Jai-Jai?”

The look she gave him could have frozen fire. “Do not call me that. Only my friends are allowed to call me that.”

Jack nodded as though he agreed. “In that case, I’ll have to think of something else to call you. Something special, just between the two of us.”

Jaina frowned. “Why?”

“Because sooner or later, we are going to be a great deal more than friends.”

Jaina forced a laugh, not wanting to admit even to herself just how strongly she was affected by his words. “Have you always been this delusional?”

Jack shook his head mournfully. “Jaina, Jaina, Jaina,” he scolded teasingly. “Why do you continue to deny what is written so clearly on your face?” He took another step toward her, advancing until she was backed against a wall. Jack placed his hands on the wall, one on either side of her head, effectively trapping her. He leaned toward her, stopping barely a breath away. “Am I going to have to prove it to you again?”

He was too close. Jaina swallowed hard, her entire body infused with liquid fire. “No.” she whispered, hating the breathless quality of her voice. “Please move.”

“Why? Do I disturb you, Jaina?”

Jaina raised her chin defiantly. “Hardly. When are you going to get it through your thick skull that I do not like you?”

“Sorry, you asked for it.” Jack whispered just before their lips met. He kept the kiss light, gently coaxing. Her lips were so incredibly soft and warm, pushing his resolve to the limit, bringing fire to his veins. He drank in the sweetness that was unique only to Jaina.

Reluctantly, he stepped back, breaking the gentle contact. He closed his eyes, willing his body to calm down.

Jaina took advantage of his momentary inattention and slipped under his arm, moving away rapidly.

Jack collapsed languidly against the wall. He turned around slowly, leaning back with deceptive casualness, his legs crossed and his arms folded. He regarded her through hooded eyes as she paced, obviously agitated. “Do you still insist that you do not like me?” he asked quietly

“Yes!” Jaina practically shouted, bringing a hint of a smile to Jack’s lips. She faced him squarely, her eyes flashing icy daggers. “Don’t look at me like that!”

“Like what?”

“Like I am a piece of chocolate cake you can’t wait to devour.”

Jack quirked an eyebrow. “Interesting imagery.” He stepped away from the wall. “Jaina, why can’t you admit that there is something between us? Your body knows it, why can’t your mind accept it?”

Jaina flopped down on the couch with a screech of frustration. She covered her face with her hands, not answering him.

“Jaina?”

She moved her hands and faced him with equal parts anger and vulnerability. “Fine. I admit that I am attracted to you. But I do not intend to act on that attraction.”

“Why not?” he questioned gently, hope flickering to life in his chest.

“Because I don’t want to be attracted to you. I spent most of my life disliking you. Why would I want to get involved with someone I don’t like as a person?”

“Oh, is that all?” Jack laughed, completely unconcerned. “You keep going back to our childhood. Jaina, you haven’t seen me in years. We have both grown up a lot. In all honesty, you really do not know me at all. At least not who I am now.”

Jaina snorted rudely. “So? Your point?”

Jack rolled his eyes. “The point, my ebony eyed angel, is that you should at least give this thing between us a chance. Who knows? You might find that you like me after all.”

“Not likely.”

Jack smirked. “What’s the matter, midnight angel, are you afraid you might be wrong?”

“I’m not.” Jaina was not quite so sure of herself.

“Prove it.”

She gaped at him. “Excuse me?”

“Go out with me. On a real date; dinner, dancing, the works.”

“You have got to be kidding.”

“Chicken.” He accused, thoroughly enjoying the fire that danced in her ultra dark eyes.

“You are the most annoyingly arrogant person I have ever met.” Jaina fumed half-heartedly.

“Is that a ‘yes’?” He pushed.

Jaina could not resist the challenging look on his too handsome face. “On one condition.” She warned.

Jack bowed regally. “Votre souhait est mon ordre.”

“After I prove you wrong, you go back to France and leave me alone.”

Jack just grinned.

 

CHAPTER 6:

“Jacen, hurry up!” Jaina yelled, banging her fist against the bathroom door. How could one person spend so much time in the shower?

“I’ll be out in a minute!” She heard from the other side of the closed door.

Jaina clenched her fists. “That’s what you said twenty minutes ago!” She stomped angrily away. Jaina stalked into her bedroom, agitated. She glanced at the haphazard pile of clothes on her bed. She grunted in disgust. She had only an hour to get ready for her date with Jack. She was never going to make it. She still had not decided what to wear, and if her brother did not get out of the bathroom, she would never have time to take a shower.

Jaina threw open her closet door and stared at the sparse contents. Most of her wardrobe had already been rejected, as evidenced by the mountain on her bed.

What was wrong with her? She had never been so worked up about a simple date before. Why was she suddenly nervous? What was it about Jack that made her react like an anxious teenager on her first date?

~You are a teenager, Jaina, remember?~

Jaina whirled around to see her brother standing in the doorway, watching her with amusement. “Get out of my head!” She yelled, causing her twin to take a step back in surprise.

“What did I do?” He asked.

Jaina grabbed her towel and shoved past him. “Do you have any idea how annoying it is to always have another person hearing your every thought? Invading your privacy?”

“Invading your…” Jacen started. He frowned at her in confusion, genuinely surprised by her outburst. “Jaina, you know I never purposely read you. You were broadcasting quite loudly.”

“I was not!”

“Jaina, what is the matter with you? You have been jumpy and on edge all day.”

Jaina walked into the bathroom. “Leave me alone, Jacen. I have a date to get ready for.”

Understanding dawned on Jacen. “Is that why you have been so agitated? You’re nervous about your date with Jack?”

“Mind your own business.” Jaina slammed the bathroom door in his face.

“Fine! Be that way!” He yelled before entering his own bedroom to dress. ~If dating Jack is going to make you bitchy, maybe you shouldn’t go out with him.~

Jaina answered his thought cast by rudely suggesting he do something anatomically impossible. She then slammed a mental block in place.

Jacen was fully dressed and in the process of packing when Jaina emerged from the bathroom fifteen minutes later. He winced slightly when her bedroom door slammed shut behind her. Jacen shook his head and rolled his eyes at his sister’s bad mood. Under normal circumstances he hated fighting with his twin and would have made more of an attempt to draw her out, but at that moment he had more important things to worry about than his sister’s love life. He would be leaving soon to go on Thomas’ mission. A potentially dangerous mission. He could not afford to be distracted. Besides, despite her completely unwarranted burst of anger, Jacen really was not that worried about her. That was the wonderful thing about being as close as they were. They may drive each other crazy, and often fight like worst enemies, but they never stayed that way for long. He knew she would be in to apologize soon.

He looked up at the sound of a throat clearing. Thanks to her mental block, he had not sensed his sister’s approach. Jaina stood in the doorway, a contrite look on her face. “Jacen, I’m sorry I was so bitchy. I suppose I am a bit on edge about going out with Jack.”

Jacen continued to fold clothes into a duffle bag. He smiled briefly at his twin. She had appeared faster than he had anticipated.

“Don’t worry about it, Funny Face. I’m pretty used to your insanity by now.”

Jaina made a face at her brother as she entered his room. She finally noticed what he was doing. She looked at him in surprise. “Where are you going?”

Jacen hedged. He had promised Thomas not to tell anybody, but he had to tell her something. “I have to make a trip.” He evaded simply. “I won’t be gone long.”

Jaina looked at him reproachfully. “Jace, please tell me Uncle Thomas doesn’t have you running all over the galaxy for him again.”

“Now who’s invading whose privacy?” he asked lightly.

“Jacen, you can’t keep taking off like this. What about your classes?”

“Thomas has taken care of it. He arranged a deal with the administration. They think I am going to be helping out on the Titan for a while. I am even going to get class credit.”

Jaina’s eyes widened. “The Titan! Jacen, that’s impossible. Dad would never allow…”

Jacen grinned. “Dad will never know. The Admin will have no reason to contact him. Not when he has already spoken to them, and the Titan will be out of touch for a while.”

“Already spoken to them?” Jaina asked suspiciously. “Jacen, please tell me Uncle Tommy didn’t impersonate Dad again.”

“Alright, I won’t tell you. The less you know the better.”

“Jacen…” Jaina began, a hint of worry in her voice.

Jacen knelt in front of her, smiling persuasively. “Don’t worry, Jaina, everything is going to be fine. This is not the first time we have done this.”

“That’s what I am afraid of,” she responded dryly, looking into her brother’s twinkling eyes. “You and Thomas take way too many chances. If Dad finds out, you are not going to have to worry about what Starfleet thinks. Dad will kill you both.”

Jacen turned up the wattage on his most coaxing smile. “Dad is not going to find out, because you are not going to tell him. Are you, Funny Face?”

Jaina stared at him steadily, unmoved. “Don’t bother using Riker charm on me, Jace. I’m immune, remember? What does our dear uncle want you to do now?”

Jacen stood up and resumed his packing. “Don’t ask, you don’t want to know.”

“Yes, I do.” Jaina pouted prettily, using her own special brand of charm.

Jacen ignored it. “No.”

Jaina’s expression turned pleading, tears welling in her eyes. “Jacen, please. You can’t just take off on a potentially dangerous adventure without telling me anything. What if something happens? How can you keep me in the dark? Give me some idea of what is going on, for my own peace of mind. I won’t tell anybody. I just won’t be able to stand it if something happens to you.”

Jacen started clapping. “Beautiful performance, Jai. First class. I’m still not going to tell you.” He picked up his bag and carried it into the living room.

Jaina scowled at her brother, her tears drying as quickly as they had started. She followed him. “C’mon, Jacen…”

Jacen shook his head firmly. “No!”

Jaina sighed angrily. “You are so stubborn. What am I supposed to tell Mom and Dad if they call looking for you? Can’t you at least tell me how long you are going to be gone?”

“I don’t know how long I’m going to be gone. Don’t worry about Mom and Dad. Just tell them I’m out, or something. They don’t call that often.”

“I could just tell them what’s going on, then you won’t be able to do this anymore,” Jaina mused.

Jacen turned on her threateningly. “Don’t you dare! Jaina, you have to trust me. I have to do this, and you have to promise me not to tell anybody. Especially not Dad.”

Jaina tried again, her concern for her twin, making her voice caustic. “Why do you have to do this, Jacen? Why can’t Uncle Thomas find someone else? Doesn’t he know what these clandestine ‘missions’ can do to your career? Why would you even want to jeopardize your future like this?”

Jacen sighed. “Because he trusts me, and I’m bored. Do you have any idea how frustrating being here is for me? I need to be out there, Jaina, doing things that actually make a difference.”

Jaina did understand, she felt the same frustration at times, but… “Jacen, our time will come. After we graduate. We have our entire lives ahead of us.”

“I know, but doesn’t it ever bother you? Being here? We grew up out there amongst the stars. We have more practical experience than most of the graduates. Even with the strings Jean-Luc pulled, we still have to wait to get back out there. Then we have to start out where everybody else will be. At the beginning.”

Jaina shrugged. “So? Once we are there, we can prove ourselves.” Jaina stepped closer and placed her hand on his arm, soothingly. “It won’t take Starfleet long to see what we can do. They already see our potential, and have made a lot of allowances for us. How can you ask for more?”

“I know, Jai. But, we traveled back in time for Gods sake! We saved our mother and countless other lives. That should count for something!”

Jaina shuddered at the memory of their harrowing trip to the past. “Why? Why should it count? For one thing, our trip through the wormhole is not common knowledge. For another, we almost failed! Don’t you see, Jacen? Yes, we know a lot. Yes, we have hands on experience. But that does not mean we are ready for the kind of commitment Starfleet entails. We still have so much too learn. There is so much the Academy can teach us. Maybe we had it too easy. Maybe we are spoiled. We had the kind of childhood that most people can not even imagine. We had practically everything handed to us, by virtue of our last names and our IQ’s. But the Riker name, and our intelligence level did not stop us from royally screwing up in the past! We almost got ourselves and our parents killed, remember? Yes, what we did should count for something, but only on a personal level. We should use that as a reminder of where we want to go in our lives. We can use it as a learning experience. We had little more than determination and arrogance on our side. Yes, it turned out alright. But, look at all the mistakes we made. Look at what our lack of maturity and life experience almost did. That is something the academy can give us, outside of the knowledge and skills we are acquiring.” Jaina stopped and took a deep breath. “Jacen, think about it. What are you going to do if you blow your chances with the Academy? Do you really want to fail again, for the sake of adventure? Jace, it’s time to grow up. Let Thomas get someone else to do this.”

Jacen closed his eyes, considering his sister’s words. “Jaina, I understand what you are saying, but I need to do this.” He held his hand up, silencing her when she began to speak. “I promise to think about it, but I made a commitment and I will fulfill it. Promise me you will back me up on this, and don’t say anything.”

“Jacen…”

Jacen cut her off, somewhat harshly. “Promise me, Jaina.”

Jaina sighed again, giving in. “Fine. I promise. But…”

“No, no ‘buts’. Trust me.” Jacen changed tactics, his voice taking on a teasing quality. “Don’t you have a date to get ready for? You better hurry, you don’t want to keep Jack waiting.”

“All right, all right. I’ll let it go for now” Jaina wrapped her arms around her brother, hugging him tightly. “Just promise me you will be careful, OK? Don’t do anything stupid.”

Jacen returned her hug briefly, before shoving her playfully away. He smiled disarmingly. “When have I ever done anything stupid?”

With a laugh, Jaina entered her room, closing the door behind her. ~How long ya got? I have a very long list.~

 

CHAPTER 7:

Jaina stood in front of a full length mirror, perusing her reflection with a skeptical eye. The dress she had finally decided on was purple silk. The cool material clung to her frame, from one inch wide straps to waistline, then flared out over her hips to swirl around her legs softly, stopping just above her knees. She looked good, maybe too good. She nervously smoothed her hand over her stomach. The dress was too slinky, too low cut. She groaned. Why did she choose this dress? Maybe she should change.

From the other side of her closed door, Jaina heard the doorbell ring. A few seconds later, she heard her brother greeting Jack cheerfully. Too late to change now.

With one last glance in the mirror, Jaina took a deep breath and entered the living room. Her eyes met Jack’s from across the room. Appreciation darkened his blue eyes as he looked her over from head to toe. He swallowed, hard. “Wow. Jaina, you look…incredible.”

Shyly, Jaina stepped forward. “Hello, Jack. You look very nice yourself.” Understatement of the century, Jaina thought. Dressed all in black, his reddish brown hair combed back and his eyes smoky with unmistakable desire, he made Jaina’s breath catch painfully in her lungs. A small lock of his hair fell forward over his forehead, giving him a somewhat roguish appearance. Jaina had the strangest urge to run her fingers through his hair, to push the errant strands back into place.

“Jaina, are you ready to go?”

Jaina reddened in embarrassment, realizing she had been staring, as she looked up at Jack’s slightly amused expression.

She regained her composure quickly. “Yes, let’s go.” She stopped in front of her brother and hugged him. ~Stay safe, big brother. Hurry back.~

Jacen returned her hug. The very brief tightening of his arms around her was the only evidence of his own apprehension. His sister was the only person in the universe he allowed to see any vulnerability in his confident demeanor. ~You just have a great time, and don’t worry about me, Funny Face. I’ll be back before you know it.~

Jaina moved out of her brother’s arms and stepped to Jack’s side. With a smile, he offered her his arm. Jaina hesitantly placed her hand in the crook of his elbow, allowing him to lead her out the door.

Over her shoulder she gave her twin one last look before the door slid shut.

“So, where are we going?” She asked as they walked down the hallway toward the elevators.

“It’s a surprise.” Jack answered mysteriously.

They came to a stop before the elevator. Jaina reached out to depress the call button. Jack touched her hand, stilling the motion. “Wait.”

Jaina looked at him quizzically. “What? What’s wrong?”

In answer, Jack leaned down and kissed her, deeply. “There,” He said when they parted. “I just wanted to get that out of the way first.” He pressed the call button.

Jaina just stared at him. “Huh?”

The elevator door slid open with a ding. Jack held out his arm, indicating that she should precede him. He waiting until the elevator started to descend before answering her with a teasing smile. “Now you don’t have to worry all night about when I’m going to kiss you again.”

Jaina tried to glare at him, but found herself smiling instead. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “You are incorrigible.”

Jack looked at her thoughtfully. “Incorrigible, huh?” He mused. “I guess I’m going to have to work on that. I was aiming for irresistible.”

You nearly are, Jaina admitted silently.

“So, when Aunt Marie asked me to oversee the vineyards, I couldn’t say no. She is a remarkable woman, but she is getting too old to shoulder the responsibility on her own anymore.”

Jaina picked up her half empty glass of wine. She swirled the deep crimson liquid around in the glass absently. She listened with rapt attention as Jack talked about his family’s vineyard in France. The deep, husky timbre of his voice settled over her like a warm blanket.

Jaina was surprised to find that she was having a wonderful time. Jack was surprisingly good company. In the two hours that they had been sitting in the small dimly lit restaurant, they had talked about everything from her studies to his work to their respective families. She was pleasantly surprised to find Jack to be not only very intelligent—which she already knew—but also insightful, caring, and quite funny. Jaina could not remember when she had last laughed so easily, or so much.

The soft romantic glow of the candles, the beautifully unobtrusive music playing in the background, and Jack’s warm attentiveness, were going a long way toward breaking through the last of Jaina’s defenses.

As the night wore on, she gradually stopped seeing her childhood nemesis and began to see the man he had become. She liked him, truly liked him. “What does Jean-Luc think about you running the vineyards?”

Jack shrugged. “It’s difficult to tell with my father. Naturally, he is pleased that the yards will stay in the family, but I think there is part of him that is disappointed that I did not go to the Academy.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Follow in his footsteps, and all that.”

“I’m sure he is very proud of you, and doesn’t care if you don’t join Starfleet. Besides, it’s not like he will be the last of the Picards to go into space. Emily is already starting to study for her entrance exams.”

“And let’s not forget his protégé, Wesley the Wonder Captain.”

Jaina raised her eyebrow at his sarcastic tone. “You don’t like your brother much, do you?”

“Half-brother.” He corrected. “And I don’t have anything against Wes, other than the fact that in my parent’s eyes, he is the perfect everything. Bridge officer at the age of fourteen, boy genius, all powerful extra dimensional traveler, third youngest captain in Starfleet history, wonderful husband, wonderful father, etc. etc. etc.”

“Mental note to self.” Jaina intoned, trying to put the smile back on his face. “Discussions involving Wesley Crusher make Jack angry little boy.” She raised her glass to her lips, watching him over the rim.

It worked. Jack smiled at her sheepishly. “I’m sorry. I guess I am a bit touchy about Wesley. Do you have any idea how hard it is to live up to a legend?”

Jaina laughed, almost choking on her wine. “Jack, are you kidding me? Are you forgetting that my last name is Riker?”

Jack laughed, too. “Technically, your last name is Troi.”

Jaina rolled her eyes. “Well, if you want to get technical, it’s actually Riker-Troi, hyphenated. That just makes it worse. Try being compared to not only William Riker, but also Lwaxana Troi. I’m expected to be both a devil-may-care risk taker and a serene, aristocratic Daughter of the Fifth House of Betazed. Top that.”

Jacen raised his glass in mock salute. “ I humbly bow before your oxymoronic existence.” Jack shook his head in bemusement. “What a combination. How do your parents do it? Don’t they drive each other insane?”

Jaina’s eyes twinkling. “Of course. They just decided a long time ago that they would rather be crazy together than sane apart.”

“Would you say you and Jacen are more like your mother or your father?”

Jaina gave this serious thought. “I think we got the best of both of them. Jacen is a lot like Daddy. He takes too many risks, always has to be the best. Usually is the best. But there is a sensitivity in him that comes straight from Mom. Neither of us are Empathic per se, our Betazoid blood is too diluted, but Jacen has this extraordinary instinct that makes him more aware of everything.”

Jack nodded, agreeing with Jaina’s assessment of his best friend. “And you?”

Suddenly Jaina felt shy. Jack was watching her intently, as if he were trying to look into her soul. “Me? I don’t know. I guess that depends on who you ask.”

“In that case, I’ll ask myself.”

Jaina cocked her head to the side and looked at him questioningly. “What?”

Jack picked up her hand from where it lay on the table. He ran his thumb over her knuckles, sending shivers up her spine. “Let me tell you what I see when I look at you.” His eyes turned smoky. Jaina felt her pulse quicken. Jack smiled, aware of the reaction he was causing. “I see beauty, sweetness, gentle serenity, intelligence, a kind spirit, a reckless streak, and a devilish sense of humor. I see a girl who can humble me with a look, or brighten my day with a simple smile.”

Jaina felt warm all over. “Thank you.”

Their eyes locked and held. Jaina thought she just might drown in the naked desire she saw in his gaze. “What else do you see?” she whispered huskily.

“A see a question in your eyes. I see passion bursting to be let loose.”

Jaina could not deny his words. Rather than try, she pulled her hand out of his and changed the subject, bringing the conversation back to neutral ground.

The walk back to Jaina’s apartment was accompanied by a compatible silence. Jaina walked beside Jack, wondering what would happen when they reached their destination. Would Jack ask to come in? Should she invite him? Could she kiss him again and resist the flames? She openly admitted, at least to herself, that she wanted him. Wanted him with an intensity that frightened her. She had never felt anything like what she was feeling right then.

Before she knew it, they were in the elevator, going up to her floor. She stepped off the elevator and walked to her door with out being aware of what she was doing.

Jaina turned to Jack. She cleared her throat and looked him directly in the eye. “Well, Jack, thank you. I had a wonderful evening.”

“It isn’t over yet, Angel.” He whispered just before covering her mouth with his own.

Jaina snaked her arms around his neck, leaning into the kiss. She realized she had been waiting all night for this. She pressed against him, trying to deepen the kiss. She ran her tongue over his lips, trying to gain entry. However, Jack kept the kiss light, kept a tight reign on his desire.

He broke the kiss and stepped back. He looked at her silently for a moment, drinking in the sight of her wet lips and flushed face. He ran his finger down her cheek. “La bonne nuit, l'Ange. Rêves doux.”

With that he turned and walked away, leaving Jaina standing outside her apartment, staring at his retreating back in frustrated bemusement.

 

Chapter 8:

“So you think you can stop me and spit in my eye. So you think you can love me and leave me to die…”

Jaina tapped her foot in the air in time to the music. She lay flat on her back, holding her Astrophysics PADD above her head. She had a test to study for, had backed out of a date with Jack in order to do so, but was in reality paying more attention to the ancient rock and roll song playing loudly in the background.

She could not seem to concentrate on anything. She tossed her PADD on the table with a grunt. She had no interest in dry statistics and scientific theories at that moment. Her life had been a whirlwind for the past two weeks. Practically every waking moment that she wasn’t in class, she spent with Jack. The time they spent together was incredible. He was great company, and he made her feel so special. When she was with Jack, everything else seemed to vanish from her thoughts. Which is why she had cancelled their plans for the night, explaining that she had neglected her studies, and did not want to fail the upcoming test.

Jack, needless to say, had been disappointed, but he had understood. He had even offered to help her study. With a laugh and a light kiss, Jaina turned down his offer, knowing that she would get nothing accomplished if he were there.

“Not that you’re getting anything done anyway.” She reminded herself wryly. “You should have taken him up on his offer, at least then you would have an excuse for not studying.”

She picked up her PADD again as the opening notes to another song began.

“I had no choice but to hear you. You stated your case time and again…”

Jaina groaned. Why did so many songs from the Twentieth century remind her of Jack?

Over the husky female voice, Jaina faintly heard the ding of an incoming transmission.

Absurdly grateful for the interruption, Jaina practically ran to her desk. “Computer, halt playback.”

She queued the subspace message, smiling broadly when her mother’s face appeared. “Mom, hi.” Her surprise evident in her voice.

“Hello, Jaina.” Deanna’s melodic voice drifted across the open channel. “I’m not disturbing you am I?”

“No, not at all. I’m just surprised to hear from you on a Wednesday.” Jaina schooled her expression, hoping the unexpected communiqué did not have anything to do with her brother.

“We are hosting a delegation from Thelonia for the next few days. This is the only chance I’ll get to speak to you for at least a week.” Deanna smiled. “So how are things? Anything new and exciting happening in your life?”

Jaina rolled her eyes at her mother’s too innocent expression. “You’ve been talking to Aunt Beverly, haven’t you?”

Deanna’s smile broadened. “Just a little.” She admitted playfully. “She tells me that you have been seeing a lot of Jack lately.”

“And you just had to hear the gossip first hand, right?”

Deanna feigned shock. “Now, Jai, you know me better than that. I would never presume to meddle in my daughter’s love life. I’m calling out of motherly concern only.”

“Uh-huh.” Jaina intoned dryly.

Deanna looked at her expectantly. “So?”

“So, what?”

Deanna grinned again. “So spill. I want to hear all about it.”

“Mother!” Jaina exclaimed, exasperated. Jaina could not hold back her own grin. She relented. “Alright. Yes, I’ve been seeing Jack practically every night for the past two weeks.”

“And?” Deanna prompted.

Jaina thought for a moment. “And it’s been wonderful. I was wrong about Jack, Mom. He’s amazing. We have so much in common, we can talk about anything. I enjoy his company. I really like him.”

“Just like him?” Deanna prodded, watching her daughter carefully.

“I don’t know.” Jaina admitted, shyly. “I know that I look forward to seeing him. I know that I think about him constantly, and miss him when he’s not around. He makes me feel cherished and beautiful. When he kisses me, it feels like the world has stopped spinning.”

“But?”

Sometimes Jaina wished her mother wasn’t so empathic. “But,” she continued reluctantly, “I’m a little scared. I have never felt this way before, and I am terrified that it won’t—can’t—last.”

“Why?”

“Because, he is Earthbound and I need to be out in space.”

Deanna nodded her understanding. “And you are afraid to start something that could potentially fall apart when it comes time for you to fly again? Believe me, I’ve been there.”

“So what should I do?”

Deanna sighed. “Little One, I can’t tell you what to do. The only advice I can give, based on personal experience, is to let things progress as they will. Enjoy the time you do have together, let yourself be happy, and don’t worry so much about the future.”

“But what if…”

“Sweetheart, if things are meant to be, you will find a way. But you will never know if you give up. Don’t let fear consume you. Regardless of what happens, let it happen. Otherwise you will spend the rest of your life with ‘what if’s.”

Jaina was still pondering her mother’s words the next day when she stepped out of the Science building after her last class. She was so preoccupied with her thoughts, she did not notice Jack was there until he was standing right in front of her. “Hi.” He greeted, leaning down to give her a kiss that made her toes curl.

“Hi, yourself,” she returned breathlessly. “What are you doing here?”

With a heart melting smile he relieved her of the half dozen PADDs she was carrying. “I missed you last night, and I could not wait until later to see you.”

Jaina warmed pleasantly. How could she resist him when he was being so charming? I can’t, she admitted silently.

“I missed you, too.”

Jack placed his arm across her shoulders, hugging her to his side. “Are you done with your classes for the day?”

“Yes.”

“Good, come on, I have a surprise for you.”

Jaina’s interest peaked. “What is it?”

Jack grinned down at her as he led her to a waiting ground shuttle. “I told you: a surprise.”

Jaina looked at Jack curiously as they entered the nearly deserted holoclub. “Jack, what are you up to?”

Jack smiled enigmatically. “ I rented a holosuite for us for a few hours. I found a program that I thought you would really like.”

They stopped outside Holosuite 4. “Now close your eyes, and keep them closed until I tell you.”

Thoroughly enjoying his attempt to be mysterious, Jaina complied. She allowed Jack to take her by the hand and lead her into the holosuite. They walked about three meters before he stopped. “Computer, load program Picard one.”

Suddenly, Jaina felt the floor give way. She seemed to be floating.

“Open your eyes, Midnight Angel.”

Jaina opened her eyes and gasped in surprised pleasure. It was her program. Except that instead of her customary moonchair, what appeared to be a blanket floated in the center of the “universe”.

“Jack, this is wonderful.” She whispered. “How?”

Jack smiled, pleased by her reaction. “I conned Wesley into getting me a copy of it and making a few minor adjustments. Do you like it?”

Jaina smiled into his twinkling eyes. “You know I do.” She leaned up onto her toes to place a kiss gently against his smiling lips. “Thank you.” She looked at the “floating” blanket. “What’s this?”

Jack took her hand and guided her to the item in question. “Computer, lower carpet by one meter.” The computer complied and the carpet lowered to a level that was easily accessible. Lying on the “carpet” was several dishes. “I thought it would be a novel experience to have a picnic while floating through space.”

Jaina stared in amazement. “Jack, this is incredible.”

“Come on, mon ange, your magic carpet awaits.”

Jaina took a seat in the center of the carpet. “Magic Carpet, huh? That’s a bit whimsical for you, isn’t it?”

Jack placed himself at her side. “Not at all. I got the idea from that song that you were playing the other day. How did it go? ‘Won’t you come with me, little girl, on a magic carpet ride’?”

Jaina laughed. “So, what is in those wonderfully aromatic dishes?”

With great flourish, Jack uncovered the dishes, revealing mouth-watering treats from Earth and Betazed. He picked up a chocolate covered strawberry and placed it against her lips. Jaina placed her hand on his wrist, holding his arm steady as she bit into the delicious fruit. She wrapped her lips around his finger, gently sucking the juice it. She ran her tongue over his skin, pleased when she felt his pulse jump against her hand.

Jack gently extracted his finger from her mouth and laid his hand against her face, tangling her fingers in her hair and rubbing his thumb over her cheek. Cupping the back over her neck her pulled her to her knees in front of him. Their eyes locked, speaking volumes.

Without breaking the mesmerizing eye contact, Jaina picked up another strawberry, offering it in the same manner he had. Jack took a small bite, allowing the juice to drip onto his lips. Jaina leaned forward and licked the sweet liquid from his warm lips.

Jack groaned low in his throat. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her flush against him, capturing her teasing lips in a searing kiss.

Jaina tangled her hands into his hair, kissing him back eagerly. She pressed her body as close to his as possible, rubbing suggestively.

Needing no further encouragement, Jack twisted around so that she lay on her back, him above her. He cupped his hand over her breast, squeezing gently. Jaina moaned.

Breaking the kiss, Jack trailed his lips across her cheek to her ear. His hot breath sent shivers along Jaina’s spine as he whispered. “Do you want me, Jaina?”

“Yes,” she whispered huskily.

Jack unfastened the tunic of her cadet’s uniform, baring her breast. His hot wet mouth burned a path down her throat to her chest. He took one rosy nipple into his mouth, sucking gently at first then harder as Jaina whimpered and moved against him in pleasure.

“You’re sure?” he asked. “You won’t change your mind? Because if we go much further, I don’t think I can stop.”

Jaina forced him to meet her eyes. The smoky passion she saw cleared any doubts she may have had. She wanted this, wanted him, so bad it was a physical ache. “I won’t change my mind. Make love to me, Jack.”

Jack groaned again. “Mon bel ange,” he whispered. Their lips met again, hungrily, their tongues tangling together to taste and stroke. Jack ran his hands down her body, removing her uniform as he went.

He knelt above her, drinking in the radiant magnificence of her as he removed his own clothing.

Noticing his stare, Jaina tried to cover herself, suddenly shy. Jack grabbed her hands, pulling them away. “No, let me look. You are so incredibly beautiful.” Jack bent forward to place a kiss on her flat stomach, dipping his tongue into her navel. His hand moved between her legs, cupping gently, his thumb rubbing against her most sensitive spot.

Visions of an old nightmare flashed through Jaina’s mind for one brief horrifying second before she forcefully pushed it away. This was Jack. He would never hurt her. She wanted this. She focused her mind on that thought, months of therapy with her mother paying off as she fought down the panic.

Jack noticed the slight change in her body’s reaction. “Jaina? Angel, what is it?” The concern in his eyes calmed the fear she felt. His eyes were so gentle, so caring. Just as suddenly as it had come the panic subsided. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Tears in her eyes, Jaina nodded. “Yes.” She whispered hoarsely.

Their eyes still locked together, Jack watching for any sign of displeasure in her gaze. He slid his finger inside the warm recesses of her body, rubbing gently. He saw her eyes glaze over with desire, and he groaned. He hungrily captured her lips in a deep, passionate kiss. He made love to her mouth with his own as his fingers brought her body to a feverish pitch.

He moved over her, sliding into her wet center with one fluid thrust.

Jaina cried out in equal parts pleasure and pain as he filled her, breaking through her innocence.

Jack stilled for a moment, allowing the pain to subside. He began to move slowly, feeling her body close around him tightly as he moved in long gentle strokes.

Jaina felt a need growing inside her, spreading through her body. She could not verbalize what her body and soul was crying out for. She lifted her hips, pushing against him, meeting him thrust for thrust. She wrapped her legs around his hips, taking him deeper. Jaina cried out again as pleasure rocked through her.

Jack felt her entire body begin to convulse, heightening his own pleasure and bringing him to the brink. His slow, easy strokes became frenzied. With one last thrust, he held her tightly, kissing her deeply, as their souls shattered, and were reassembled into something new, something that would forever be interlinked.

 

CHAPTER 9:

Jaina watched in pleasure as a comet flashed overhead. She stretched, enjoying the feel of Jack’s strong arm across her bare midriff. She sighed in contentment. “Jack?”

“Hmm?” Jack inquired, distracted. He did not look up, continuing to place kisses along the column of her neck lazily.

“How long do we have this suite for?” She arched her neck, giving him better access, thoroughly enjoying the attention.

Jack did look up at that. “About two more hours. Why?” He cupped her breast, rubbing gently, smiling against her throat at her quick intake of breath.

Jaina pushed herself into a sitting position, dislodging him from his pleasurable pursuit. “Well, it would be quite embarrassing if someone were to walk in right now.”

Jack laughed quietly, propping himself up on one elbow. “It would be a bit difficult to explain. Although I doubt anyone would be too shocked.” He ran his hand up her inner thigh suggestively. “I can pretty much guarantee we are not the first ones to use a holosuite in this manner.”

Jaina moved away from his questing hand, suddenly shy. She reached for a leafy piece of her favorite Betazoid delicacy. “Where did you find Oskoid here on Earth?” She asked, feigning great interest in the edible plant, willing her heart to stop beating so erratically.

Jack sat up, wrapping his arms around her from behind. His arms crossed in front of her, one around her waist, the other cupping her breast. She melted against him as she felt his tongue dip into her ear. She turned her head until their lips met, her tongue darting out to taste him. They kissed with a slow liquid passion, just enjoying the feel of each other.

The arm around her waist shifted lower until he cupped her fully, rubbing his hand against her unhurriedly. Jaina froze.

Jack moved his hand away. He gripped her arms and turned her to face him. “Jaina?” he whispered questioningly, watching her bowed head in concern. Moving past the curtain of hair he lifted her chin with his forefinger, forcing her to meet his eyes. The unshed tears in her eyes startled him. “Why do you freeze when I touch you? That’s the second time you’ve done that.” Jaina did not answer him, she turned away, moving to the other side of the blanket. “Jaina? What’s wrong? Talk to me,” he demanded, his voice slightly pleading.

Jaina was silent for several minutes. Jack waited patiently while she wrestled with the demons haunting her. Finally, she began to speak in a low, weak voice. “Did Jacen ever tell you what we did two years ago?”

Jack knew what she was talking about, but he failed to see where it had any bearing on the conversation at hand. “Yes, he told me that you and he traveled through a temporal wormhole. He said you went back to save Deanna from someone who was trying to kill her.”

“Did he tell you that we almost failed? That I ended up getting kidnapped right along side Mom? Did he tell you what happened while we were being held captive?”

“No,” Jack said slowly, afraid he knew what she was going to say next.

Jaina took a deep, tremulous breath. She fought back the tears that threatened to fall. “Our captures beat my mother and me repeatedly while they dragged us across the Everglades. One of them, the female, had a personal vendetta against Mom and wanted to punish her. When she discovered that I was her daughter, she let her partner…” Jaina stopped speaking, the tears she fought choking her. “He tried…he tried…” She stopped again, crying in great gasping sobs.

Jack put his arms around her with extreme tenderness, rocking her against his chest like a small child. “Shh, it’s alright. You don’t have to say anymore, I understand.” He did not want to hear anymore. His heart ached for her as hatred for the unseen foe welled inside him.

Jaina cried out her lingering horror against his bare chest. “He did not succeed. His partner got tired of the game and shot me, leaving me for dead. My father and brother found me a few hours later.”

Jack rocked her as she cried, whispering words of comfort. Several minutes later, Jaina pulled away from him and wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

Jack cupped her cheek tenderly. “Why?”

Jaina’s voice shook with left over sorrow. “I went through months of therapy after we got back home. I thought I had come to terms with the entire horrible experience. But when faced with an intimacy, it all came flooding back. I’m sorry my past experience came between us, even for a minute.”

“I’m not.” Jaina looked at him with wide eyes. “I’m sorry for what happened to you, and I’m sorry that our lovemaking brought it back to the surface. But I’m not the least bit sorry that I am the first person you allowed to get that close.”

Jaina smiled through her tears, warmed by his words. “This whole thing is so new, so incredible. I don’t want an old nightmare to mar that. I don’t want to see his face when you touch me. I want to see only you.”

Jaina pulled his face toward hers, kissing him hard, and groaning deep in her throat when she felt him harden in response. With out conscious thought she wrapped her hand around him intimately. “Make love to me again, Jack. Make love to me until I can’t think about anything else but the feel of you.”

With a moan of pleasure, Jack pushed her gently onto her back, worshipping her body with his hands and mouth. He whispered her name repeatedly, incoherently, as his slow ministrations brought them both to the edge.

“Je t’aime,” he whispered against her throat as he entered her.

Jaina watched Jack as he slept, her mind troubled and clouded.

After leaving the holosuite, they had returned to her apartment, walking slowly. If Jack had noticed her preoccupation, he hadn’t commented.

They had made love again. This time slow and unhurried, taking the time to explore one another, to discover every sensitive spot. Where as their earlier joining had been frenzied, this one in contrast was slow, smooth, with no more urgency than a lazy summer stroll. They rode the tide together, their eyes locked, until they floated into a satisfied sleep, wrapped in each other’s arms.

Now hours later, Jack still slept peacefully while Jaina lay awake at his side, her mind in turmoil. Had she really made love to him not once, but three times? Everything had happened so fast, Jaina could not get a handle on the cacophony of emotions she was feeling. Just the night before she had been expressing her reservations concerning their relationship to her mother. She was still unsure of him, of herself, of them. The fears she had confessed to her mother still held true, she still had reservations. Yet now, the equation had changed, because now they were lovers. They had taken a step forward. A step that could not be taken back, and she was terrified.

Had he really whispered words of love? Jaina knew she was definitely not ready for that! She did not know what to think, what to feel. Was she in love with him? She knew that she liked him, and liked being with him. She knew she wanted him with an aching need that had only intensified now that she knew what it was like to have him. She knew that he was always on her mind and that she missed him terribly when he was not around. But did she love him? It was too soon. Everything was happening too fast, but she did not know how to slow it back down. She wasn’t sure that she even wanted to slow down. Part of her wanted to wrap herself in his love and cherish it, but another part wanted to run away. She was so scared. What if she allowed herself to love him?

Who are you kidding?, an inner voice chided scornfully. You are already in love with him, and you know it.

Silently, Jaina acknowledged the truth. She had fallen head over heels, irrevocably in love with Jack Picard. She knew it the moment their bodies and souls had come together in rapture. She knew it was the all consuming, forever after kind of love, and that terrified her. Jaina wondered how fate could be so cruel. She had found something more incredible than she had ever imagined, and it was with someone who was destined to remain planetside, while her future lay in the stars.

 

Chapter 10:

Jacen swore violently as yet another system began to fail. He was down to rudimentary communications, propulsion, life support, and some shields. His warp drive had been the first to give out. Just before his sensors had stopped responding, he had picked up the signs of an energy field surrounding the planet, right outside its atmosphere. He had not been able to identify the composition of the field, but it was obviously some sort of protective shield designed to drain energy from any vessel trying to enter Eliga’s upper atmosphere.

Jacen struggled to keep control of the small transport as he began to descend. He did not panic, but knew that he was going to go down. He now had a pretty good idea what had happened to Jasmine Yeats’ shuttle. She must have come too close to the energy field.

Jacen knew that anyone that came looking for him, if anyone knew where to find him, would experience the same fate. Unless he could send a warning.

But who could he warn? He could not contact his parents, that was out of the question. Likewise any body else in Starfleet. He could not contact Thomas. His uncle had specifically warned him against any communication until after the mission was complete. That left only one person. His uncle would have a fit, but there was no other way.

Making a quick decision, Jacen began punching codes into his computer, praying his communications system would hold long enough to get the message out. He transferred all his data on the mission, his sensor readings, and a short set of instructions into an encoded message that only two people alive could decipher, and sent it through subspace. He took a deep breath and braced for impact as he entered the atmosphere. Hull temperature raised to a dangerous level and the ship began to shake violently, but the shields held. He breathed a sigh of relief when he cleared the dangerous outer atmosphere. Approximately 1000 kilometers from the ground, Jacen engaged reverse thrusters, counterbalancing gravity and slowing his descent.

His small transport hit the ground with surprisingly minimal difficulty, sliding to a halt 500 meters from touchdown.

Jacen swore again as the last of his systems died. His only hope now was the encrypted message he had sent. He hoped his sister got it.

The first thing Jack noticed as he opened his eyes was the smell of fresh brewed coffee, the smell assaulting his senses pleasantly. The second thing he noticed was the distinctive sound of country music. He groaned, then smiled. Jaina never ceased to amaze him. She was a bundle of contradictions. He had teased her during their first date about having an oxymoronic life, but it was true. She was as high tech as anybody in Starfleet, doing things with astrophysics and engineering that he could barely understand, yet at the same time preferred old fashioned cooking to replicated food and listened to music that had been written four centuries ago.

Her eccentric nature was just one of the many things he loved about her.

Jack got out of the bed and pulled on his pants. He did not bother putting on a shirt. He ran his fingers through his sleep tousled hair as he stepped out of Jaina’s bedroom.

He paused in the doorway, watching her with tender amusement. She was dancing and singing loudly, in not-so-perfect harmony with the twangy male voice. He smirked. Obviously, singing was not one of her many talents.

Jaina grinded to an abrupt halt when she saw Jack lounging in the doorway. She grinned at him, only slightly embarrassed. “Good morning, Jack.”

Jack advanced on her, his eyes alight with suppressed laughter. “Good morning.” He kissed her lightly before moving to the counter to pour himself a cup of coffee. He leaned his hip against the counter.

“Who is your duet partner?” He teased, indicating the surprisingly talented male voice.

Jaina laughed. “I believe his name was Garth Brooks. My Ancient Earth Culture professor said that he was one of the most popular performers of that time period. Late twentieth Century, early twenty-first. He’s pretty good. So far I haven’t found a song of his that I don’t like, although I confess I don’t understand the context of some of them. Music of that time dealt a lot with contemporary social issues. Issues that no longer exist today.”

“So why do you like these songs? If they are dated and have no meaning in today’s society, why would you want to listen to them?” He asked, not really caring about the topic, but enjoying the animation on her beautiful face.

Jaina rolled her eyes and explained patiently, as though speaking to a small child. “Because they’re fun! Besides, not all of them are invalidated. Some of them are timeless, the sentiment behind them holding true for any age.”

“And this one?” he asked, calling her attention back to the song she has just been dancing to. “What universal, timeless, sentiment does it convey?”

“This one is called ‘Friends in Low Places.’ And I believe it conveys the same message now as it did then.”

“Which is?”

Jaina grinned impishly. “Kiss my ass.”

Jack choked on his coffee and sputtered. “What?”

Jaina laughed at his expression. “You heard me. Now sit down and eat your breakfast before it gets cold. I have to get ready for class.”

Jack just stared at her in amused wonder as she left the room. He laughed when he realized he had just been put in his place. He shook his head. His Angel was something else. No wonder he loved her so much.

Jaina was still in the shower when Jack finished eating. He placed his dishes in the reprocessor then wandered around the room looking at the many mementos of Jacen and Jaina’s life. Photos adorned every flat surface. Plants were shattered through out the room. Jack noticed that some of the plants were not from Earth. Along one wall was a shelf filled with miniature ships, all done to scale. Never particularly interested in Starships, Jack, nevertheless, did recognize two of the models. His father had the same models on his desk. The Enterprises D and E. Jack wasn’t sure, but he thought one of the other models was a replica of the USS Titan. He moved away from the display and saw a blinking red light on Jaina’s desk. Hearing the shower stop, he called out, “Jaina, sweetheart, you have 15 communiqués waiting.”

“Who from?”

“Five from your grandmother…”

“Why am I not surprised?” She called out dryly.

Jack chuckled. “One from my sister. One from Angelique. Seven from various instructors.”

“My exam results.” Jaina came out of the bathroom, wearing a robe and rubbing her hair with a towel. “I probably failed them all. I’ve been a little…uh…distracted lately. You are a bad influence.”

Jack gave her a lecherous wink. “You just let me know when you want to be influenced again. I’ll be more than happy to oblige.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you would.” She glanced at the view screen. “Was there anything else?”

“Yes, there is one more.” He looked closely at the screen. “That’s weird. I can’t tell who it’s from. It seems to be encrypted.”

Jaina’s heart stopped. She knew of only one reason she would be getting an encrypted message. “Encrypted, huh? Probably someone’s idea of a joke. There is a girl in my Warp Theory class who does stuff like this all the time.” She hoped her voice did not convey her fear. “I’ll look at them later. I really have to get to class.”

Jack dismissed the messages with a shrug. “I’m going to take a shower. I have to go to Le Barre for a few hours. I, too, have been neglecting my responsibilities for more pleasurable endeavors.”

Jaina moved into his arms, kissing him sweetly. “I’ll be leaving in about five minutes, so I’ll see you when you get back.” With one last kiss, she pulled reluctantly out of his arms. “Bring me back a bottle of your best vintage, OK?”

Jack laughed as he closed the bathroom door. “You got it.”

Jaina finished getting ready in record time. She wanted to decode the encrypted message before Jack finished his shower.

She pulled the message up and punched in the decryption code that was known only by her and Jacen. The encryption was something they had developed years before. On board the Titan, it had been their way to secretly communicate without teachers or their parents being able to decipher what they were doing. They had not used the code in years.

Within seconds the message was decoded. Jaina’s heart began to pound erratically as she read the details of his mission, the sensor logs, and lastly his personal message to her.

Her hands shaking uncontrollably, Jaina returned the logs to their encrypted state. With fear clogging her throat, she rushed out the door, all thoughts of Jack and her classes leaving her mind. Jacen was in trouble, and she had to find a way to help him.

 

CHAPTER 11:

Jaina pressed the button and listened to the chime echo through the interior. She tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for her presence to be acknowledged. Fear clogged her throat, making breathing difficult.

Damn her brother and her uncle both. She knew eventually their games would get Jacen in trouble.

Jaina had never heard of the planet Jacen had gone to. It was no wonder, considering the entire system had been deemed off limits. She prayed that he was alright, vowing that when she found him, she was going to kill him for putting her through this agony.

The door slid open. Thomas stood in the doorway, his face lined in surprise. “Jaina! Hi. Please come in.” He moved aside, allowing her to pass. “What brings you by?”

Jaina stepped past her uncle and entered the spacious living room. First, she thought darkly, she was going to kill her beloved uncle. “Uncle Thomas, is there some place we can talk privately? I don’t think you want Aunt Abby or the boys to overhear this conversation.”

Thomas looked at her warily, shocked by the anger in her voice. “T.J. and Peter are in school. They will not be back for hours. Abigail is at work. We are alone.” He studied her closely. “Jaina, what’s wrong? Did something happen? Are your parents OK?”

“My parents are fine,” she assured him harshly. “Although they might not be when they find out what you have done.”

Thomas’ eyes narrowed incredulously. “What I’ve done? Jaina, what are you talking about?” Studying her angry features, realization dawned. “Is this about Jacen?”

“Brilliant deduction, Thomas.” Jaina said sarcastically. “How dare you put my brother in danger! Who the hell do you think you are!”

Thomas was speechless. He had never heard Jaina quite so angry. “Jaina, what happened?” He repeated impatiently, not liking the way she was speaking to him.

“I received an encrypted message from Jacen this morning, detailing his ‘mission’.” Her voice began to shake, the anger draining away as quickly as it had come. “Uncle Thomas, he lost control of his ship and was going down while entering Eliga’s atmosphere.” Briefly, she filled Thomas in on what little she knew. When she finished, her voice was once again strong, she had regained her control.

Thomas shook his head. “Jaina, I’m sorry. I do not know what to say. I thought Jacen was a good enough pilot to land on the planet undetected. I never imagined there would be a defensive shield. The Eligans are not supposed to be advanced enough for that kind of technology.”

“Is that all you can say?” She demanded, once again angry. “Sorry, my mistake? You should have known better! Sorry is not going to get my brother off that planet.”

Thomas bit his tongue to keep himself from lashing out at her attitude. He knew she was right, but it irked him when she sounded like her father, as though she had the right to reprimand him. “Jaina, don’t worry. I will get him off. I’ll go after him myself. You said you have his sensor read outs for the shield?”

Jaina took a deep breath. “Yes, I have them. But you won’t need them, because I will be the one going.”

“Like hell you are!” Thomas shouted, surprised that she would even suggest such a thing. “Jaina, are you insane? You can’t go. What happens if you go down too?”

“I’m not going to. I know what to look for.” She assured him, self-confidently.

“Jaina, you are not going!”

Jaina’s eyes flared hotly. “Yes, I am! Jacen sent the message to me. Not to you. He trusts me. I’m going.”

“You are not!”

Jaina remained stubborn. “I am going. Now are you going to help me prepare?”

Thomas folded his arms across his chest. “And what if I refuse to help you?”

Jaina smiled sardonically. “Well, then I guess I’ll just have to call Daddy, and ask for his help. I’m sure he will be very interested in knowing what you and Jacen have been doing. How do you suppose he will react?”

Thomas just stared at her. He wasn’t sure whether to be angry at her impertinence or impressed by her ing