"Doctor report!"
Captain Picard entered sickbay and found Beverly Crusher behind her desk. "He lost a lot of blood and has sustained a lot of brain damage."
Picard's was calm but she could see his eyes were filled with worry, "Will he be alright?"
"I was able to repair most of the injured tissue, but I'm afraid he has some loss of memory"
Picard frowned, "Is it permanent?"
Beverly just nodded. "Did you inform her already?"
That instant the doors of sickbay opened with a hiss and counselar Deanna Troi hurried in "Where is he?!" she yelled
"Calm down Dee!" Beverly placed both hands on her shoulders "he's going to be fine!"
Deanna stared at Beverly trying to pick up her emotions "There's something you're not telling me!"
"Come" Beverly spoke softly and pulled Deanna into her office.
"You mean he can't remember?" she asked, unbelieving.
"The past few years are blank to him, like they didn't happen." Beverly tried to explain the best she could
"He doesn't remember anything?" she asked despairingly "can I see him?"
Beverly nodded but added, "Try to stay as calm as you can, physically he's well, but I don't know about his mental state"
Together they entered sickbay. "I'm fine, you can let me go now! Hey, what are you doing with that hypospray!?"
"It's good to see you alive and kicking Commander, you gave us a big scare" Beverly tried to sound as normal as usual
"Yeah I'm fine Beverly, will you call these bloodhounds back!?
Dr. Crusher told the nurse that she could go off duty and took over the hypospray. "Don't be such a baby, Will, hypospray's don't hurt!" she said with a smile and ejected him with the hypospray.
"How do you feel, Will?" Deanna asked him softly.
"Like I have a humongous hangover, but why the gloomy face, what's up?"
"Nothing really, you just gave us a big scare, that's all!" Beverly tried to explain to Will what had happened to him. Will shook his head in disbelief "You mean I just lost 3 years of my life, I lived them, but I can't remember them? That's too weird!"
"What's the last thing you can remember?" Beverly asked.
Will was silent for a second, "The last thing I remember is leaving for Aquarius3, right after..." He stopped for a second and took a glance at Deanna "right after I took some shore leave."
That's three years ago Will, a lot has happened since then" Beverly said, "I suggest you take some rest Will, you can go to your quarters but only if you promise to take it easy and if anything is the matter you call me immediately, doctors orders."
"I will. " he promised her softly.
"Deanna, will you escort him?" Beverly asked.
Together they left sickbay, they quietly walked through the corridors "What's on your mind Will?" she asked softly.
He took her hand and asked, "Dee, I have to ask you, did you got married?"
She gave him a long look, "I did" she finally whispered.
"Damn" Will swore "I wasn't on time after all."
"What do you mean?" she asked and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I left for Aquarius3 because you were about to marry Worf. I left so full of anger I couldn't watch you throw your life away. It took me three days to come to my senses and I went back to stop your wedding, but I can't remember what happened after that!"
Deanna felt his despair and frustrations and stopped walking. Will stopped too and looked at her, "I hope Worf is a good husband to you?"
"Stop Will" she spoke kindly and placed both hands on his face, "Imzadi, you stopped the wedding, I did marry, but Worf is not my husband, you are!"
Will felt his heart skip a beat "You're my wife?!" he asked perplexed.
She nodded "William T. Riker. you're a wonderful husband and a very loving father!"
"A father, me?! You mean to tell me that I'm a husband and a father but I can't remember?" Will placed both hands against the nearest wall, a sudden wave of nausea came over him and he became very pale. Deanna grasped his arm and supported him to their cabin. The doors hissed open and lieutenant Data sat on the couch. "Commander, are you alright?" Data asked but Deanna hushed him and supported Will to the bedroom and placed him on the bed.
"I'm just gonna thank Data, I'll be right back"
Will let himself fall back onto the bed, today had been the weirdest day of his life. He looked around and saw pictures hanging on the wall, pictures of him, Deanna and a baby boy. He had her hair and nose, but his blue eyes. He couldn't focus his thoughts and he tried with all his mind to remember something, but it all was blank and it frustrated him more than words could say.
"Try to get some sleep Imzadi" Deanna said with a hoarse voice and as she went to sit beside him on the bed her hand went through his hair.
"Dee..I."
She placed her hand on his mouth, "Shhh, come on, lay back" She took of his shoes one by one and started to unbutton his shirt, Will trembled at her touch. "It's okay Will, I'm gonna take a sonic shower, and you'd better be asleep when I get back!"
He gave her a small smile as he watched her go into the bathroom and heard her turn on the sonic shower. He was exhausted and his head was spinning, he simply couldn't keep his eyes open anymore and he fell into a long restless sleep.
When Deanna came out of the bedroom she found him fast a sleep on the bed, "Sleep well Imzadi" she whispered and gave him a small kiss on his head. She was tired, she didn't sleep anymore after she heard that Will hadn't returned after the away-mission, that was three days ago, she could sleep now she knew he was safe.
Will couldn't have been more surprised than when he found Deanna in his arms that morning, he smelled her hair and perfume and inhaled deeply, he had been sure that it all had been a dream. It startled him when he heard a noise in their cabin.
Very quietly, trying very hard not to wake Deanna, he slipped out of bed and walked into the living room, but no one was there and again he heard the noise. It seemed to come out of the other room. He slowly entered and he found a toddler standing in his crib.
"Daddy" he cheerfully cried when he saw Will enter. He spread both hands out to him and reached for his father.
Will had no choice but to pick the boy up, "Shhh little man, don't wake your momma, she looks very tired and needs some more sleep"
"No she doesn't, she would feel a lot better when her husband would get back into bed and get some more sleep."
Will turned around and saw her standing in the doorway wearing her night-gown. He swallowed hard, he had forgotten how beautiful she was and he smiled at her, "He looks at lot like you, doesn't t he?"
She walked over to them and took the boy in her arms "People do say that, but I personally see a lot of you in him, he has your eyes!" she answered.
"What name did we gave him?" he wondered.
"Ethan" Deanna answered "Ethan James Riker" he smiled and looked at his son
"Dada play!" Ethan screamed.
"Not now sweetie, daddy's going back to bed and you' re gonna get a drink"
"Okay" he said with a happy voice.
She took Ethan back to the living room and placed him on the couch and replicated a bottle with warm milk for him. Will watched them and couldn't believe he couldn't remember what ought to have been the happiest period in his life.
The doorchimes rang and Deanna opened the door "Beverly, what brings you here so early in the morning?" ""My duty begins in 20 minutes, but I thought I might check on Will first, how are you? You look very pale" Deanna shook her head "I'm alright Beverly, I'll call Will"
"Doc! What's up?" Will asked
"Don't give me that Riker! I'm here to give you your checkup and give you your hypospray" Will grimaced at her, "Don' t give me that sad little puppy look, you're gonna get them anyhow!"

END