Storybook Love
Lyrics by Willie DeVille

"Will!" The musical, but disembodied voice of Deanna Troi rang
through the captain's quarters aboard the USS Titan, reaching the
ears of the captain sitting in the living section.

"What?" He asked a little impatiently, Deanna and he had a dinner
date that should have started ten minutes ago.

"Story time" she clarified, apparently ignoring his mild irritation.

"How could I ever forget" he muttered under his breath, his
irritation already fading. A ripple of amusement from Deanna's side
touched his mind as he pushed himself to his feet and began to make
his way into the bedroom.

Once there he took a moment to appreciate his wife's beauty, as she
was standing with her back to the viewport. She had changed into a
shimmering blue gown, the one he had give her for her birthday two
weeks earlier. Of course it had been more of a present for himself,
but she seemed content with that.

***Come my love, I'll tell you a tale***
***of a boy and girl and their love story***

He couldn't believe it had been six years since their wedding.
Sensing his change in mood Deanna smiled brightly and stepped aside
to make room for him to reach the crib behind her. But instead of
shifting his attention he remained staring at her.

He still wasn't quite used to the new hair-cut she'd adopted. It
wasn't exactly straight, yet it didn't have the natural curl either.
Usually she swept it up and fastened it loosely with clips and pins,
allowing stray stresses to dangle down and although it looked
beautiful on her, he still preferred her natural hair. Of course the
current style was easier for the hectic life they lived.

A sparkle of amusement shining in her eyes reminded him of the
wonderful times they'd had together and as he did so her smile
softened, tugging at his heart.

***And how he loved her oh, so much,***
***and all the charms she did possess.***

"The story" she reminded him gently, arching an eyebrow to add a
little drama to her statement. More amusement trickled into his
mind. Will stepped to her, instead of past her and demanded a kiss,
gently nibbling on the skin of her jaw. "Will" she objected
reluctantly, tilting her head towards the crib.

"I think I'd rather tell you a story" he told her
mischievously "about how the toad and the princess fell in love." As
harmless as he made that sound, Deanna knew better and swatted his
arm in mock-annoyance.

"A prince, mister, and a *children's story*."

***My love is like a storybook story***
***But it's as real as the feelings I feel.***

He grinned happily and covered her mouth with his own, gently
exploring the sweet offering. "You're beautiful you know." He sighed
against her lips, searching her black eyes for the love he knew he'd
find.

"I know you think so, and that's what matters." He didn't like that
side of her, the one that thought she was no longer attractive. She
could still turn the heads of the men, and some of the women
onboard; a reason for him to feel just a touch of jealousy and a big
deal of satisfaction. The vision was his and no one else's, and no
matter what she'd look like, he'd always love her.

***Now this did happen once upon a time***
***hen things were not so complex.***

"Will" she chided when his thoughts turned to her body, her naked
body to be precise.

"Maybe we should call the 'sitter off." He opted aloud.

"Maybe you should tell your daughter her bedtime story." Troi
countered without mercy, shoving him to the edge of their four-year-
old daughter's crib. He turned and watched the sway of her hips as
she left the room, mesmerizing the ticking of her heels on the floor.

***And how he worshipped the ground she walked on.***
***When he looked in her eyes, he became obsessed.***

He studied his little girl with wonder. She bore a remarkable
resemblance to Deanna at that age --if Lwaxana's opinion was valid--
; curly dark hair, though not quite as dark as her mother's, her
skin a slightly more colored than Deanna's, but to Will's gratitude
Latheia --Betazin for 'precious treasure'-- had inherited her
mother's coal black eyes. "All right Little One, what bedtime story
do you want?"

"The pwince and pwincess!" She squealed happily and turned expectant
eyes on him. Eyes he couldn't deny anything.

***This love was stronger than the powers so dark,***
***A prince could have within his keeping;***

Engrossed in telling Latheia her story and keeping her attention to
him, Will didn't notice Deanna had returned from the nursery and now
stood --leaning against the doorframe-- admiring her husband with a
content little smile. She could tell that right now Will wasn't
aware of anything around him, other than his daughter's smiling face.

Liam Thomas, their year old son was sleeping peacefully in the
adherent room. As pleased as Will was that Latheia had Deanna's
eyes, so pleased was Deanna that Liam had inherited his father's
eyes, although they were a shade darker.

"--ly ever after" Will finished and tucked the sheets tightly around
his little girl. After placing a tender kiss on her forehead and
stood up and turned, freezing when his eyes fell on his wife.

***His spells to weave and steal a heart***
***Within her breast, but only sleeping.***

"You have to stop stealing my breath Dea" he told her sternly after
taking a couple of gulps of air "or I'll suffocate." She answered
with a tiny smile and beckoned him closer with her eyes. When he was
within reach she lifted her hand to trace the edges of his face,
closing her eyes as his hot breath raked across her forehead.

"I cancelled the 'sitter and our dinner." She admitted meekly while
pulling him into their bedroom. After all these years he still
managed to set her on fire with a simple look or touch.

"Hmm." He approved, nuzzling the column of her neck and working on
the one catch fastening of her dress.

***He said, "Don't you know I love you oh, so much,***
***And lay my heart at the foot of your dress?"***

With her hands Deanna forced her husband to lift his head and
reclaimed his lips with her own, determined not to let go until
stars were sparkling around them.

Will had in the mean time succeeded in loosening her dress and
carefully, but hastily pushed it down her body. She used his
shoulder for support as she, in turn, lifted each of her feet to
step out the dress and kick of her shoes. All the time watching with
lustful eyes as Will did away with the shirt he was wearing.

"I love you Imzadi" she murmured before crushing her naked body to
his, reclaiming what was hers.

***She said, "Don't you know that storybook loves***
***Always have a happy ending?"***

Deanna's fingers slid down over his chest, drawing a trail of
gooseflesh, to the fastener of his trousers, fueled by a passion
unlike she had ever felt before.

Not allowing his wife to have all the fun, Will bent to nibble on
her tender earlobe and simultaneous cupped one of her full breasts
in his hand, eliciting a sigh from deep within her.

As grin spread around his face as Deanna pulled his trousers and
shorts down in one swift motion and drew a hand up the inside of his
thigh to his chest, carefully avoiding his hardening desire.

~You're in the Phase, aren't you?~ he asked half coherently, already
drunk with lust. And by sliding her arms around his neck and
pressing herself closer to him Deanna gave her husband all the clues
he needed.

***Then he swooped her up, just like in the books,***
***And on his stallion they rode away.***

End