~THE FIGHT~

written by little tigger

Deanna strode up to his quarters. The fury building inside of her the closer she got. She had never felt such anger. Anger mixed with a touch of agony. But for the moment all that she could feel was the anger and tension.

She stood outside his quarters and waited. She told him to expect her. *Was he there? Will he let me in?* She thought, *Of coarse he's inside! He's doing this to spite me!*

She crossed her arms, letting the anger take over every single movement. She huffed and turned her back starting to walk off, when the door opened.

He burst out in a thunderous chorus of laughter at what he saw. Never had he seen Deanna in such a state. Her hair flustered and matted from her sleepless night. She had no make-up on from being in such a hurry and she was wearing her night clothes as she wanted to get to him before anyone else could.

'Sorry Deanna' He started to laugh again, cleared his throat and started again, 'Sorry Deanna, I was in the shower, I didn't realise it was that urgent.'

She turned around. Her face a mixture of hatred, passion and confusion.

'Cut the small talk! Why did you do it??' His laughter was burning her innards.

'Do what?' He asked so innocently.

The tension built between them, she was ready to go off like a rocket. Her voice was uncontrollably still. 'You know what you did.'

'I think perhaps if you come inside, so we can work this whole thing out. Also so no one has to see you like this!' He broke out into a cackle now.

She was burning inside, everything was just ash now. 'Thank-you Commander, for your wonderful display.' She said as she walked inside. Her voice was cold and hostile.

*Commander? Yikes! What have I done?* He asked himself. He walked from the corridor and straight into the room. He'd have to act strong, he said to himself. Striking up all the courage he could, he asked in the most disturbed voice he could, 'Why are upsetting my perfectly good day?'

'So it's okay for you to ruin my day, but not for me to ruin yours?'

His blue eyes searched her dark brown ones and she couldn't help feeling a little stupid, she should have put some make up on. She had no evidence that he had started the rumour, but it was too big a coincidence just to be Geordie playing a stupid trick. She shifted uncomfortably from her left foot onto her right.

'Deanna take a seat.' She sat down opposite him.

He grasped her left hand and leaned forward so that their eyes were parallel. They sat staring into each other's eyes for a few minutes. Finally she snatched her hand back and fiddled with her nails.

'Deanna, you were saying?'

'How could you go and spread rumours like that Will?'

He sat thinking about whether he had started any rumours lately. When she interrupted his thoughts.

'Will, please don't hide it. I'd prefer you to come out with it, say that you did it'

'Which rumour? There's tons going on about us at the moment.'

'How many?' He opened his mouth, but she continued, 'The one about Saturday night, that was private, then when you made that rude follow up comment, I was disgusted!'

'Oh yeah, that one was pretty funny, did you hear the one about us in Betazed?'

'Will?!'

'Sorry,' He paused for a minute, 'Deanna, we live on a starship, we are confined to a starship, so a lot of the time, people are gonna know about us!'

They sat and watched each other. She searched through his emotions, finding it very hard, because her own emotions were so strong at this particular point in time.

He knew that she was searching and he let her. She wanted to say that he had done it, but there were no traces of guilt. She finally broke eye contact and went over to the view port.

'Did you find any-thing?' He asked in a mocking tone.

She huffed, she didn't need him dumping on her. She traced the bottom sill with her finger. She blushed from head to foot. 'It hurt Will, it really really hurt!'

'I can understand, but it wasn't me!'

'I know Will, I just sometimes think I can't trust you.'

He put his hands reassuringly on her shoulders, giving her a little squeeze. 'Deanna you will always be able to trust me.'

She turned to face him. Her face unchanged. She stood there looking at this person. This guilty man who would not admit his crime, not to her face anyway. Finally she said, 'Will I? Will I be able to trust you?'

His face fell. His heart sank and missed a beat.

She let off a childish giggle, 'Had you there!'

He grasped her and held her close, 'Promise me something Deanna.'

'What is it Will?' She looked at him confused.

'Never use my poker face trick again.'

She laughed and did a sarcastic salute. He pulled her close and held her in his grasp. He fiddled with her hair. 'I love you,' he whispered into the mass of curls, 'and I'll never do it again.'

She playfully broke from his grasp. She ran around the table once, he followed and she dived onto the bed, tapping the empty space beside her.

He pressed his communicator. 'Riker to Piccard, Deanna and me unable to attend the Bridge for 2 or 3 hours.'

End