The challenge:

Write a short story that involves chewing gum or some kind of super
glue, a razor and a laughing Will Riker. And remember Will Riker
isn't the only person with a beard. Geordi and Worf and any visiting
dignitaries are fair play.

By IridescentFlame

Codes: R/T
Rating: G
Feedback: Please
Summary: The title says it all
Disclaimer: Paramount owns it all. I'm just taking a chance to make their
world a little better

The chewing gum follies

The away mission from hell lasted nearly three months. For the first
time in a long time, when Will Riker materialized on the transporter pad with
two fellow crewmates, he nearly dropped to his knees to kiss the glassy
surface. The Enterprise's chief engineer smiled at the weary, travel worn
commander, Data, and the chief medical officer. The humans looked ready to
collapse. Data looked the same as always.
"Eventful away mission, Commander?" Geordi asked as Commander Riker
stepped off the transporter pad.
"If anyone ever asks me to go on another away mission to Gendar IV, I
will personal punch them," Will said darkly. Something about Geordi caught
Will's eye. He squinted and asked, "Why is your jaw twitching?"
"Gum," Geordi answered, following the other three officers out of the
transporter room.
"What in the hell is gum?" Will snapped.
A chuckle came from behind him and he glared at their red headed doctor.
She composed herself and explained, "Gum is short for chewing gum, Will.
It's a substance you put in your mouth and chew on without swallowing.
Children adore it."
"And your experience with it comes from Wesley?"
Beverly nodded. "He discovered it in primary school. For awhile, we had
a devil of a time getting it out of his clothing, off his shoes, out of his
hair. It looks rather harmless, but it's as sticky as a Trellian fly
catcher."
Will directed his attention back to Geordi. "Where did you get it?"
A faint blush stained Geordi's cheeks. "One of the children gave it to
me. I was curious."
"Fascinating," Data murmured, filing away the conversation for later
study.
"I'll be in Sickbay if anyone needs me," Beverly said as they reached the
turbolift. She disappeared inside while Will, Geordi, and Data continued down
the corridor to a different turbolift.
"Captain Picard wants to debrief you at 0900 hours," Geordi informed them
as they stepped inside the turbolift. "Engineering," he ordered the
turbolift.
"Deck Eight." Will input his request. "Since the captain doesn't want to
see me until tomorrow morning, I will be asleep…in my quarters."
Geordi barely contained a laugh. Somehow, he doubt sleep was what Will
Riker had on his mind.
"Fine. Data, I need your help in Engineering. The warp field has been
fluctuating over the past several days. We can't find the source of the
fluctuations. Perhaps you can…"
The doors of the turbolift opened on Deck Eight, and Will stepped out
into the corridor. When the doors closed, Geordi and Date headed for
Engineering to discuss warp fields while Will made the short journey to his
quarters. He keyed in his entrance code, the doors opened, and he stepped
inside. Immediately, a squealing four-year-old boy tackled him at the knees.
With a broad smile, Will hefted the boy into his arms. Looking at the boy
was like looking at a picture of Will when he was four. The difference
between the boy and the father was only evident in their eye colors. Will's
eyes were a bright blue while the boy's eyes were an inky, velvety black like
his mother's. "Deanna?" Will called, walking into their bedroom. She was
nowhere to be found. Will looked at his son. "Ethan, where's your mother?"
His son grinned and pointed at the wall to their left. Behind that wall
was Ethan's room. Will sighed and carried his son into the next room. He
smiled at the sight that greeted him. Deanna was on her hands and knees
looking under Ethan's bed. "Ethan Riker, when I find where you hid my
communicator, I'm going to…" She stopped in mid-threat as a familiar tickle
touched her subconscious. Quickly, she looked over her shoulder. "Will!"
She breathed, scrambling to her feet. She walked directly to her husband and
kissed him.
"Yuck," their son muttered and they smiled when they separated.
"How was the mission?"
"Horrible. I don't want to think about it right now. I'm just glad to
be home."
"And, we're glad you're home, too." Deanna smiled at her husband, and
then glared at her son. "Perhaps, you can convince Ethan to tell you where
he's hid half of our Starfleet equipment."
"Ah, hiding things again." Will looked sternly at his son. "I thought we
talked about that before I left, young man."
Ethan looked thoughtful for a moment, and then a mischievous look came
over him. "Daddy, look what I got from Hannah."
The Hannah in question was the youngest daughter of Beverly Crusher's
chief nurse, Alyssa. "What did you get from Hannah?" Will asked warily.
Anything Hannah gave Ethan usually landed both of them in trouble.
With a broad smile, Ethan reached into his mouth and pulled out a small
wad of bubble gum. Deanna flinched and reached for it, but she was too late.
Ethan, intending to give it to his father to chew, missed his father's mouth
and smashed the gum on Will's chin. "Oh Ethan," Deanna sighed as Will
lowered their son to the floor. He reached to his chin and tried to remove
the sticky substance from his beard. His actions only made it worse.
Sensing trouble, Ethan darted out of his room and out of sight. Deanna
chuckled and ran her finger affectionately down one side of Will's beard.
"There's only one way of getting that out, you know."
"The razor's in the bathroom. Get a babysitter for Ethan and meet me in
there in ten minutes."
Deanna smiled lazily. "Just don't start without me," she called over her
shoulder as she walked out of his sight to find their son.
Will grinned broadly. Suddenly, sleep was the last thing on his mind.
And gum, would be the last thing on his beard.

END