Continuation of Love Is Thicker Than Embarrassment

Sequel

Set: Continuation of Love is Thicker than Embarrassment, takes place right after.

Rating: I’m saying R just to be safe

Disclaimer: Other than the twisted idea, it all belongs to Paramount.

A half naked First Officer walking down the corridors of the Enterprise wasn’t an everyday occurrence but when Will Riker received several ogling stares from young female crew members he couldn’t help but feel a slight rejuvenation to his masculinity. The journey from Sickbay to his quarters wearing nothing but his boxers had only served to give his wavering self confidence the boost it needed. Granted it wasn’t standard behavior for someone in his position but at the time his attire had been the last of his worries. Now comfortable in the solitude of his own quarters the problems he knew nothing of days ago only seemed to be getting worse. He’d been embarrassed in front of some of his closest friends and his fear of losing Deanna appeared to be closer to reality than he’d ever anticipated.

Sitting down on the couch, a tired and frustrated sigh sounded out through the room as his weary body protested to the lack of rest. “What am I going to do for two days?” He asked himself out loud. His mind was spinning out of control so he knew getting to sleep wasn’t going to be an easy task even though he was exhausted. “Computer, jazz music, twentieth century, something soft.”

Before barely a note of music had been played the sound of the door chime startled Will out of his thoughts and he knew immediately it was Deanna on the other side. His first thought was that she hadn’t pressed the code in and just entered as she had done all the other times since they had renewed their relationship. Deanna pressed the chime again and Will seriously considered ignoring it, not wanting to have the conversation that was about to take place.

“Come in.” He finally said.

The door slid open to reveal a slightly worried looking ship’s Counselor, she slowly stepped into his quarters but stopped when the door closed behind her. “I just wanted to check that you were okay.” She spoke softly, her eyes trying to avoid his and when he didn’t answer her she continued. “I know you’re angry Will.” The uncomfortable silence continued and when she realized she wasn’t going to get through to him she turned and the door opened for her once again, her voice carrying out into the corridor “I’ll let you rest and maybe we can talk later.”

Will watched her go, his tired eyes and brain struggling to comprehend anything that she had just said or done. Deep down he’d wanted her to stay, as mad as he was with her he knew his sleep would be more restful if she had stayed. But as his hands ran over his face trying to erase any memory of the last twenty four hours he understood that he was now alone. Pushing himself to his feet Will walked into his bedroom and collapsed on his bed, the sheets were still rumpled from his earlier interlude with Deanna and he reached out for her pillow, placing it under his head and rolling onto his stomach. Without bothering to cover himself with the sheet he closed his eyes, within minutes his soft snores sounding throughout the room.

A short time later Will awoke to the sound of what he thought was moaning. Sitting up in bed he listened more intently, certain that he had imagined it. Just when he was about to dismiss the idea the familiar noise echoed through his quarters again, and this time he knew exactly who it was, Deanna.

Unsure as to what Deanna was doing here and why her moaning was now beginning to get louder and faster he jumped out of bed and walked towards the living room. He gasped as he turned the corner to see Deanna, her naked body on top of a man whose face was turned away from Will. The two of them lay on a black grand piano, the deep red carpet flooring on which the piano sat rotating slowly, while the rest of the room remained stationary. A spotlight shone from somewhere that Will couldn’t see bathing the couple in a glowing light against the darkness of the room. He could however make out the four piece band playing in the corner, so immersed in their playing that they hadn’t even seemed to notice what was happening right in front of them. “What the hell is going on?” he yelled at all of them.

The band continued on playing but Deanna lifted her head to look at him. “Will.” She managed on a sigh, her body continuing its rocking motions against the mysterious man who lay underneath her.

Will stood almost cemented to the floor, he wanted to see who it was Deanna would have the audacity to have sex with in his quarters but he couldn’t move. And why were the two of them still going even though he had walked in on them, not to mention with a band there? It was at that moment that the movement of the piano and Deanna’s body no longer blocked the man’s face making it visible to Will, instantly leaving the Enterprise’s First Officer speechless.

“Will,” Deanna breathed “I didn’t want to wake you and Thomas said I could call him whenever you were on duty or asleep.”

“Thomas, what are you doing here?” Will yelled trying to pull Deanna’s body off Thomas.

Tom gripped on to Deanna’s hips holding her in place, the tug of war the two men were having with her making Deanna stop her movements “Don’t you remember Will, it was your idea. I have one purpose here and that’s to keep our Imzadi satisfied when you can’t.”

Will finally succeeded in pulling Deanna off his duplicate and he moved her behind him, picking up her clothes and handing them to her. “Get out!” he yelled at Tom.

“Come on Will,” Tom tried to reason, moving to a sitting position. “She’s in phase, do you really think you can keep up with her? You’re not man enough to give her what she needs by yourself. Ask her…go on! Ask her who’s more in tune with her body and leaves her craving more.”

“I look after her needs just fine, stay away from her.” Will narrowed his eyes at Tom while he backed away from the piano, but his foot got caught in something causing him to fall to floor. The second he let go of Deanna she had moved away from him and back to Tom. Will struggled to get to his feet, his legs tangled in a mass of white material that he assumed were sheets. Kicking himself free he managed to stand, the white sheeting disappearing from the floor and his attention quickly moving to in front of him. Words such as impotent, loser, unable to satisfy, unexciting and worn-out flashed in front of him, written on giant placards in big black letters. The members of the band had ceased playing as they now thrust the signs in his face. Will tripped backwards again as they neared and he saw Deanna and Tom laughing at him as he once again fell to the ground, his head hitting it with a thump.

Startled out of his nightmare as his head collided with the floor Will sat up in bed, the sheets knotted around his legs and sweat running down the side of his face and beading on his chest. His deep breathing spurred on by the rapid beating of his heart and the way every muscle in his body suddenly felt as if it were clamped in place.

Dropping on to his back Will pushed the sheets off him and tried to calm his breathing. Looking over to the chrono beside the bed he saw it had only been two hours since he left Sickbay and yet he felt even more tired now than before. He needed to talk to Deanna, to find out if she was happy with him, if she was thinking of leaving him for Tom or anyone else, and if she had been comparing him to Tom in the bed department.

“Riker to Troi.” He wanted to get this over with, and then maybe he could get some sleep.

<Troi here,> came the soft reply.

There was silence for a moment as Will decided on whether to continue or not. “Deanna I need to talk to you, do you have a minute?”

<Are you still in your quarters?”> She asked sounding rushed.

“Yes.”

<I’ll be there soon.> She said severing the connection. Will thought she sounded very uncomfortable, he hoped she hadn’t been with a patient or the Captain. He thought now that maybe he should have asked for her whereabouts first but he had been so anxious to talk to her that it never crossed his mind she would be in the middle of something important, at least not important as this.

Deciding it was probably not a good idea that he meet Deanna in the state of undress he was in he headed for the shower to wash his sweat ridden body and put on some clean clothes.

Deanna arrived a short time later, pressing the door chime and entering at Will’s response. She found him sitting on his bed, drying his hair with a towel. He stopped when he saw her and she smiled briefly at the familiar way his hair always spiked up when it was wet.

“I thought you’d be asleep.” Deanna said sitting down next to him on the bed.

Will threw the wet towel on to the chair across from him and turned to face her. “I was, but I have a lot on my mind.” He paused and looked in to her eyes, certain that he knew all the answers to the questions he was about to ask.

“What did you want to talk about Will?” She prompted him.

His eyes turned from her to stare down at the bed. “Who’s better, me or Thomas?”

“Better?” She questioned, skeptical as to what he was meaning.

Will rolled his eyes, wondering why she was going to make him suffer even more by dragging this out. “Come on Deanna, you know what I mean, better in bed.”

“I’m not going to answer that, and I think you know why.” She answered sadly.

“So you’re saying Thomas is better?” He snapped at her.

Deanna stood up and moved away from him. “No I’m not, you are two different men Will. Have I ever asked you if I was better than any of the women you slept with?”

“No, but then you don’t need to.” Will got up and grabbed hold of Deanna’s arm and turned her to face him, his voice dropping. “You can’t tell me after all those years down there by himself Tom wasn’t ready to explode like a volcano.”

“I’m not having this conversation with you Will.” She shook herself free of him angrily and began to walk away.

“Don’t you think I deserve to know if you’re going to leave me for another man?” He called out after her.

Deanna almost laughed as she faced him but managed to contain it, her smile however did not go unnoticed by Will. “You think this is funny?” He asked shocked. “You’re killing me here Deanna.”

“You don’t need my help with that Imzadi, you’re doing that all by yourself.” She closed the distance between them, her hands reaching out for his and she clutched them over her chest. “You’re tired and over stressed Will and you’re seeing things that aren’t there. I love you, even though you have trouble seeing that right now, and I’m not going anywhere.”

Will looked down at her wanting to believe what she was saying. “But what if I can’t…you know?” He asked her nervously looking down towards his groin.

Deanna let go of his hands and ran her own up and down over the muscles of his chest. He looked like a worried little boy getting ready for a scolding, and Deanna immediately put his reaction down to the state his body and mind was in. Any remnants of Commander William Riker seemed to be disappearing more quickly by the minute. “I don’t want you worrying about that now.” She soothed, leading him over to the bed. “I want you to get some sleep, we’ll talk about this later.”

But Will was having none of it, his hands moved to her waist and he leaned down to kiss her. “I don’t want to sleep.” He answered seconds before his lips pressed persistently against hers and his hands sought out her skin.

“Will” Deanna mumbled in between his kisses and trying to push him away.

“Please Deanna,” he pleaded pulling her hips closer to him, his own beginning to move against her. “I need you.”

Deanna felt her self resolve melt away at his desperate entreaty to prove himself and the movements of his body. “If Beverly finds out she’ll have us permanently separated, you’re supposed to be resting.”

“I won’t be telling her anything.” His hands swiftly removed her uniform top, closely followed by her pants before she could make any further protests. Sitting down on the edge of the bed he pulled her on to his lap, her thighs settling either side of his waist.

She could feel the stirrings of his arousal through their link, enticing her to lift the casual shirt that he wore over his head so she could touch him. Covering his bare chest with kisses her hand reached down to the band of his pants as Will tried to rid her of her undershirt.

The instant Deanna felt Will slip his hands under her shirt and over her bra her contact with his chest was severed as her back arched and she thrust herself closer to him. She heard him groan at the effect he was having on her, satisfied that he could make her feel the things he had been doubting. There was no doubt in her mind that he could always make her feel desired, loved and wanted but if poof was what he needed then who was she to complain about his methods.

Sliding her hand in to his pants Deanna felt a slight hesitation from Will as she sought out the one thing the both of them wanted right now more than anything. “Will?” she questioned disappointed by the limp appendage she now held in her hand.

“Damn it!” she heard him mumble as he ground his teeth together.

“Relax,” she whispered softly into his ear realizing she was going to have to work a little harder this time. Beginning to gyrate her hips against him her hand continued its motions in his pants as she focused all her emotions on him. “I want you Will.” She took his earlobe in her mouth, her lips moving over his cheek and towards his mouth.

“It’s not working Deanna!” Will moaned frustrated as he lifted her off him, moving her hands away from him and placing her gently down on the bed. “I’m sorry.” Turning away from her he walked in to the bathroom, the door closing immediately after him.

“Will,” Deanna called out through the door “come out here. Don’t be upset, your body is just overworked.”

Will scoffed at her explanation as he leaned against the counter in the bathroom. “I’ve been overworked before and I’ve never had this trouble, especially not with you.”

Deanna fell silent for a moment, she didn’t know what to say to him. He’d been on such an emotional ride the past few hours and it was mostly her fault, things had gone from bad to worse. “If you’d just get some sleep Will, we could try again later.”

“I don’t want to try later,” he whined looking down at his crotch “why won’t it work?”

Deanna gathered up her clothing and began to get dressed. “Please come out Will, if you can’t sleep at least let me help you relax.”

“How are you going to help me relax?” He asked sarcastically pulling down his pants and boxers to study the source of his distress. “The one thing I want from you seems to be impossible.”

“I see, so I’m good for only one thing?” She snapped, temporarily losing her patience with him and beginning to get frustrated with his self centered attitude.

Riker ignored her question, his hands resting on the inside of his thighs. “I never thought I’d see the day when I, the First Officer of the Enterprise, would need to masturbate to bring this thing to life.”

Deanna pressed her ear up to the door trying to hear what he was doing but to her disappointment she heard nothing. “Will don’t touch anything, you might make it worse.”

“How can it get worse Deanna?” He almost shrieked “I thought you said it was just because I was tired.”

Troi sighed loudly and rested her forehead on the door. “It is, if you’re really worried about it let Beverly check you out. You can’t go on like this. Beverly can run some tests and put your mind at ease.”

He shook his head even though he knew Deanna couldn’t see, he wanted to completely avoid Beverly Crusher. Only when he was on his deathbed would he agree to let her touch any part of him and maybe not even then. “If it just perked up a little bit that would be a start, then eventually it would go back to normal right Deanna? Like two nights ago, it was normal then.”

“Yes, and it’s normal now. Please come out Will, just trust me.” She moved away from the door and sat back down on the bed, she had the distinct feeling he was going to stay in there for the next two days if he didn’t come out soon. She closed her eyes in exasperation at the thought of him sitting in the bathroom for the next forty eight hours only to have security unlock the door and find him with various parts of his body red and chafed.

“Trust you, I let my guard down for the briefest moment last night and ended up in Sickbay.”

Getting to her feet again Deanna walked over to the door and banged with her fist, she knew what she was about to say would upset him more but she realized she was out of options. “William Riker if you’re not out of that bathroom in the next thirty seconds you’ll leave me no choice but to call Thomas.”

Instantly the door opened and a disheartened First Officer stood staring at her, his pants still around his ankles. “I knew it! I didn’t want to believe it but I knew it.”

“You knew nothing of the sort.” She admonished him lightly handing him his robe and making sure every part of his body looked as it should.

“Why don’t you just tell me and put me out of my misery, god knows I’m half way there already.” He grumbled as he stepped out of his pants and Deanna put the robe on over his shoulders and tied the front closed.

It was then that Deanna noticed the hypo she had used on him earlier in the corner on the floor. She made Will sit down on the bed before walking over to pick it up. The fact that he was so absorbed in his own ramblings made it all the more easier for Deanna to pick it up without Will noticing. “What do I have to tell you to get you to believe that I only want you Will?” She went and sat beside him, trying to decide whether to use the hypo or not. It hadn’t hurt him the last time and Beverly had said it was the small amount of relaxant she’d used in it that left him unconscious.

He let her put her arm around his shoulders and rest her head on him, silently grateful for her nearness. “But what if you go in to the phase tomorrow? I can’t get it up once never mind the number of times you’ll need.”

“Then we’d find another way around it.” Showing him the hypo she held in her free hand she looked up at him her eyes pleading for him to listen to her. “You need restful sleep Will, I promise I won’t leave you…or contact Tom while you’re asleep.”

Will nodded slowly, his energy to keep going now almost completely depleted .Moving himself back on the bed to lay his head on a pillow he watched intently as Deanna drew up beside him and pressed the hypo to his arm.

“You’ll feel much better when you wake up.” She whispered as she snuggled up closer to him. “Then we can have a talk okay?”

“Mmm.” Will agreed halfheartedly, he paused and Deanna thought he had fallen asleep. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at his eyes as he tried to fight against them closing. “You still love me?” he asked groggily.

“Yes I still love you.” She answered, gently pressing her lips to his. By the time she had moved her face away his eyes were completely closed and she smiled contently at his deep breathing.

Ten hours later as Deanna sat at Will’s desk catching up on some of her work she heard him stir. Before he had chance to fully awake she called Beverly and asked her to meet them in Will’s quarters. Getting up she got Will some water from the replicator first and then went in to see him. She saw him smile as she walked in to the room, his eyes still heavy with sleep. “You’re still here?”

“Of course.” She smiled back at him as he sat up and took the water from her. Sitting down beside him she picked up his free hand and turned it over in her own, running her fingers over his palm and studying it like was the first time she’d touched him.

Will took several large mouthfuls of the water then wriggled nervously on the bed so he could face her. “Deanna, can I ask you something?”

The Betazoid returned his wary look, certain they were about to pick up the conversation exactly where they’d left off. “Will.” She cautioned.

“I need to know Deanna. Is there something you’re not telling me about the phase?” He swallowed the remaining water, as if hoping it was going to give him a magical surge of strength that would help him get through her answer.

Deanna was surprised by his question, she had thought it would’ve been concerning the state of his anatomy rather than the one he had actually asked. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”

He looked away anxiously. “Is there any conditions of Betazoid law that if I didn’t perform would leave me liable?”

She looked at him sympathetically, taking the empty glass from him and putting it on the bedside table so she could take hold of his other hand. “You’re reading far too much in to this Will, there’s nothing to be worried about.”

Their conversation was halted as the door chime rang, knowing it was Beverly Deanna ordered the door open and the Doctor approached them. Crusher stopped in the doorway when she saw the distressed look on both of their faces. “Is everything alright?”

Neither Will or Deanna answered and Beverly raised her eyebrows as if to say she wasn’t moving until she knew what was going on. “I know you told Will to get some rest…” Deanna trailed off.

“But?” Beverly encouraged.

“Deanna.” Will warned, not wanting her to continue.

She didn’t look at him, instead keeping her eyes on Beverly. “We tried to have sex, but Will’s body wasn’t quite up to it.” She continued guiltily, hearing Will groan beside her.

“Right then,” Crusher responded forcefully opening up her med kit, taking out a tricorder and walking over to Will. “I’ve had enough of this.” She said grabbing hold of both sides of his robe and spreading them apart. She was a little shocked at first when she found him not wearing anything underneath but when Will hit her hands out of the way she became more insistent on keeping the robe open. Hastily she ran the tricorder over him while trying to keep his hands away. Satisfied when she had all the information she needed she snapped the tricorder shut and looked up at Will. “Everything is fine Will. It’s just exhaustion, you’re old enough to know that and you’re old enough to know that everything is not going to work as well as it used to without a little help and, or a replacement.”

Will stared back at her dumbfounded waiting for her to continue and say that there was still time to save his life as long as his best asset was removed. Then he saw the corners of her mouth curve up in a grin. “It’s okay Will your secret is safe, just get some rest like I told you and you’ll be fine.”

Riker smiled back at her and nodded his head while pulling his robe closed.

“Can I have a word Deanna?” She asked getting to her feet and motioning Troi in to the living room.

Will watched the pair of them leave the room but when they’d moved so they couldn’t see him sitting on the bed he quietly crept up to the wall adjoining his room and the living room. He stood motionless as he listened to Deanna. “I don’t know what to do Beverly, if this keeps up I think he’s going to leave me. He’s so obsessed about his sexual stamina right now and has completely overlooked the fact that I love him and don’t care at the moment whether he gets an erection once an hour or once a year.”

Looking down at his feet Will started to feel guilty about his behavior. “You’ll both be fine Deanna, just give him a few days and he’ll be back to the old Will Riker.” He heard Beverly say.

“I hope so, but I’m still angry about his Thomas comment. How could he think I wouldn’t know the difference between the two of them? I’ve spent a big part of my life with Will and I don’t want anybody else.” Will heard her sniffle and could hide himself no longer. Walking around the corner he saw the stunned look on both their faces as he approached Deanna and put his arms around her.

“And here I was worried that you were going to leave me,” he smiled at Deanna tenderly, pulling her to his chest. “I’m sorry I’ve been so self absorbed, I just want you to be happy.”

“I am happy, and I’ll be even happier when you get some more sleep and relaxation.” Troi returned his embrace and winked at Beverly, a gesture that went completely unnoticed by Will.

Will nodded, although the thought of going back to bed so soon didn’t seem very appealing to him. “Since I just woke up how about some dinner first, followed by a slow walk through the arboretum with my favorite Counselor and then we can turn in for the night.”

“We?” Deanna questioned seductively.

Will grinned at her attempt to play naive with him. “Well you need to sleep too don’t you?”

“Yes,” Beverly interrupted “sleep, nothing else. Is it possible for you two to be within a meter of each other and do nothing but sleep?”

The couple looked at Crusher as if they had just suddenly been reminded she was in the room. “I think we can manage it just this once.” Will said sarcastically.

Three days later Will returned to duty feeling better than he had in a while, things with Deanna were as they had been prior to his ordeal with the hypospray and his stamina and desire where she was concerned had returned tenfold the night before. As he sat back in his chair on the Bridge and watched her talking to the Captain he let out a small sigh of relief that the past few days were now only a memory, albeit an embarrassing memory.

The sound of the Captain’s voice abruptly brought him out of his reverie. “Commander, I thought it might be an idea to inform you ahead of time that I received a message from Thomas.” Will’s eyes widened, and as Picard’s words sunk in he realized it had to be a joke. “Will?” The Captain prompted as he saw the smile that spread across his First Officer’s face.

“This is Beverly’s idea isn’t it?” he asked both Picard and Deanna. “I must say I’m surprised she managed to rope you in on it Captain.”

“Rope me in on what Will?” Picard questioned but continued on before Will could answer. “Thomas has asked to stay on the Enterprise for as short while so he can spend some time with you and Deanna.”

Riker gazed at Deanna first to gauge her reaction, and then his eyes drifted back to Picard. “So it’s not a joke then?”

“I’m afraid not Commander, is there a problem?”

“No.” Both Deanna and Will answered at the same time, then looked guiltily at each other and then smiled.

“Good,” Picard replied “then I believe your shift is over number one if there is nothing else.”

“Ah, no sir,” Will stuttered awkwardly. “Deanna can I see you for a moment?” He got to his feet and headed towards the turbolift with Troi following closely behind. They paused at the door to the lift and Will opened his mouth to speak. He wanted some reassurance from Deanna that the arrival of Tom was not going to be an issue, but before he could get the words out Deanna had pressed a finger to his lips and silenced him. “I can only cope with one Will Riker in my life and that is you Imzadi.”

A smile spread over Will’s face and he stepped back into the turbolift. “I’ll see you in my quarters at the end of your shift then?”

Deanna nodded her head and returned his lascivious grin. “Of course my Imzadi. In fact that should give you enough time to warm up those hands and work little Will into a frenzy for me, don't you think?”
The last thing she saw was the grin fade from his face as his jaw dropped and the turbolift doors closed.

The End...most definately :-)