The Gift
There are some spoilers for Over a Torrent Sea.
Rating: All but one paragraph about half-way through is rated Teen
Disclaimers: none of the characters are mine and I'm not getting any money for this story.
Enjoy
The Gift
Deanna Troi smiled when she stepped out the bedroom. On the table was a vase with 10 red roses in it. Today was her birthday and Will had made her breakfast in bed and gave her 2 of the roses - one from him and one from their 8 month old daughter, Tasha. Will took Tasha to T'Pel's quarters then headed to the Bridge. She had a couple of appointments in the morning and then had the rest of the day off. She and Will were going to spend the afternoon in the holodeck before dinner with Tasha and an evening in the holodeck. She smiled again. At least that's what Will said. He said he wasn't planning a surprise party but wasn't so sure he was telling the truth.
When she reached her office, Deanna found flowers and a box of chocolate. She looked at the card. They were from Huilan and Haaj, her fellow counselors.
When Will reached the Bridge, First Officer, Christine Vale greeted him with a smile. "Does she suspect anything?"
"Probably."
"Did she buy the dinner in the holodeck?"
"Yes. Haaj and Huilan are trying to throw her off by giving her their gifts this morning."
"Good idea. She can't read them."
"Nope."
Deanna's first patient was Lt. Lavena who had started counseling shortly after the Droplet mission. Deanna was a bit surprised when Lavena asked to see her especially given Lavena's and Will's past and what happened on the planet. Lavena's reasoning was that she thought another mother might be able to help her cope with her guilt over neglecting her children.
"Happy Birthday, Counselor." Lavena said as she came in the office and handed Deanna a box of chocolate.
"Thanks." Deanna placed the box on the table next to the other box.
"Did someone else give you chocolate?"
"Yes, but that's OK. Everyone on the ship knows I'm a chocoholic; a trait that Tasha has inherited."
"Really?"
"Will gave me breakfast in bed this morning and Tasha picked the chocolate chips out of the pancakes. I used to do that when I was a child."
"Has Tasha said `mama' yet?"
"No but she has `dada' down. She is such a `daddy's girl'. When she started crawling, the first person she crawled to was her daddy. She smiled at him first. She'll probably walk to him first."
"I noticed that you don't sound jealous."
"According to my mother, I was the same way."
Both ladies laughed before turning serious and continuing with the counseling session.
After her final appointment for the day, Deanna returned to her quarters where she found Will making a picnic lunch for their afternoon in the holodeck. He had already changed into casual slacks and his favorite blue shirt.
"How was your morning?" Will asked.
"OK" She held up the 2 boxes of chocolate. "Haaj and Huilan gave me flowers and a box of chocolate and Aili gave me a box of chocolate."
"Everyone on the ship knows you too well." He went over to her and pulled her into an embrace and then kissed her. "Why don't you change and then we'll head to the holodeck for a picnic, some swimming, and who knows what else." He said suggestively.
"OK."
After Deanna changed, she and Will headed to the holodeck. They were stopped by several crewmembers who wished Deanna a happy birthday.
After Will programmed the holodeck for a recreation of Janaran Falls, they entered.
"So do you want to eat or swim first?" Will asked.
"Let's swim. I need some exercise after that breakfast."
They pulled off their outer clothes and swam stopping every now and then for quick kisses. After swimming for an hour, they got out of the water and dried off before putting their clothes back on. Deanna opened the picnic basket and smiled when she saw what Will prepared. After eating lunch, they relaxed before swimming again. This time the kisses turned more passionate which eventually caused them to return to shallower water where they made love.
Several hours later, Will and Deanna picked Tasha up from T'Pel and returned to their quarters where they got ready for dinner.
"So is my surprise party in the holodeck or somewhere else?"
"What surprise party?"
Deanna shook her head. She hated when Will hid things from her.
After everyone was ready to go to dinner, Will took 2 brightly wrapped boxes from one of the drawers and they left for the holodeck. Will programmed the holodeck to a recreation of his and Deanna's favorite San Francisco restaurant. Deanna looked surprised when they stepped into the holodeck and no one jumped out.
"I guess I was wrong." She admitted.
"I guess you were."
Will pulled out Deanna's chair and she sat down then he put Tasha in a high chair before sitting down. Deanna picked up her menu to decide what she wanted for dinner.
After dinner, Will and Deanna headed toward Christine's quarters. Will tapped his com badge. "Riker to Vale."
<<Vale here.>>
"Just making sure you're home."
<<I am.>>
"We'll be there in a couple of minutes."
<<See you in a few.>>
When they reached Christine's quarters, Will rang the chime. Christine opened the door. Deanna looked surprised again. Once again, she expected a surprise party. After the door closed, Vale signaled and the invited guests jumped out from the bedroom and yelled "Surprise."
Will and Christine exchanged high fives when they saw that Deanna looked genuinely surprised. Keru and Tuvok carried a table with gifts on it while Alyssa carried the cake.
Deanna turned to Will. "Thanks." She reached up and kissed him.
All the attendees came over and hugged Deanna except Tuvok and T'Pel. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Deanna and then she blew out the candles and cut the cake which was chocolate with chocolate icing. Will gave Tasha a small piece of cake which she didn't take long to smear on the tray of her high chair and her face. Alyssa took a picture of Tasha.
"For her first birthday, perhaps we should consider a white cake." T'Pel suggested. Everyone laughed.
T'Pel cleaned Tasha up while Deanna started opening her gifts which included chocolate, some off-duty outfits, and a teddy from Christine. After the gifts from the other attendees were opened, Will took Tasha from T'Pel and sat down next to Deanna. He handed her the first of the 2 boxes. Deanna opened the box and found a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet with her birthstone - aquamarine.
"Thank you." She said and kissed Will.
Will handed her the second box. "This is from Tasha."
Deanna opened it and found a mother's ring with her birthstone, Will's birthstone, and Tasha's birthstone. "It's beautiful. Thank you sweetheart." Deanna took Tasha from Will's arms and hugged her.
Tasha looked up at her mother and said "Mama" Deanna looked at her and then at Will.
"Did you teach her?"
"I tried but couldn't get her to do it." Will said. He looked over at T'Pel who shook her head.
"I also tried to teach her to say `mama' but was unsuccessful."
Deanna hugged Tasha again. "Sweetie, that's the best birthday gift I could ever ask for having my daughter say `mama'.
The End