Alternate Universe story. What if Kestra and Ian hadn't died? What
would they have to say about Will?

Year 2336

Kestra ran after the small dog. Lwaxana comforted the crying
baby. Ian looked up. "Kestra!" Lwaxana looked up as Ian got up and ran
to the lake, toward their drowning daughter. He quickly swam over to
where she was while Lwaxana watched in horror. Ian picked up the limp
girl and carried her to shore. He did mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and
after a few tries, Kestra started breathing again. Lwaxana breathed a
sigh of relief and her eyes filled with tears. Ian hugged Kestra.
"Kestra, are you all right?"
Kestra nodded and Lwaxana said, "Ian, we should get her to a
med center." Ian nodded his agreement and they packed up their things
and left.

Year 2343

"MOM!!!! Dee took my lipstick again!!!!" Kestra yelled down
the stairs.
"I did not!!!!" Deanna yelled at Kestra.
Lwaxana came up the stairs. "Girls, quiet down! Your father is
trying to sleep."
"Sorry, mom." the two girls said simultaneously.
"Now, what's the problem?"
Kestra glared at her little sister. "Deanna took my lipstick
and used it all up."
Deanna put an innocent look on her face. "I did not!"
Kestra looked at her with an annoyed don't-give-me-that look
and said, "Deanna, you're lying, I can sense it." Kestra put more
emphasis on the word "sense" as she knew that Deanna wanted her
empathic sense, but she hadn't developed it yet.
Deanna looked at her mother, her eyes wide with innocence.
"You believe me, don't you, Mommy?" Her eyes were bright with
will-power generated tears.
Lwaxana laughed. "I'm sorry, Little One, but Kestra is right.
You are lying." Deanna pouted, her lower lip sticking out just enough
to look funny.
"Birdie come poop on your lip." Kestra said, slightly annoyed.
Deanna didn't said anything, she just stuck he tongue out at
her older sister.

Year 2349

"Kestra, he already knows that I like him, and he hasn't
changed his attitude, so why bother?" Deanna asked.
"Dee, he's a guy." Kestra heard Deanna's words lace through
her consciousness ~Well, duh!~ and she glared at her. "And therefore,
he has an ego. He would rather see you change to attract him, not him
change, because you're already attracted to him."
"If you ask me, it sounds dumb."
"It is dumb, but so are most guys."
Deanna shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."
"Anyway, trust me, it'll work. Just look at me and Diaz."
Deanna rolled her eyes. "Kestra, you and Diaz are genetically
bonded. You'll get married some day."
Kestra shrugged. "Well, then look at Chandra and
what's-his-face."
Deanna smirked. "Chandra never changed."
"No, but he did. Trust me, Deanna."
"'Never trust some one who says trust me.'" Deanna quoted.
"Where did you hear that?"
"Daddy. I told him to trust me about something and that's what
he said."
"Fine." Kestra said nonchalantly. "You can get him yourself.
Without my help. After all, you are a Daughter of the Fifth House. You
can do it."
"Kestra!"

Year 2359

Deanna stepped off the transport. She looked around and saw
the immensely tall figure of Mr. Homn. She grinned and walked over to
him. When she got there her smile faded.
~Mr. Homn, where are mother, Kestra and father?~ she listened
for a moment. ~What?! I just get back from being away for a year, and
they don't bother to come greet me? They go farther away?~ Deanna
sighed. ~Well, let's go.~
Mr. Homn nodded and led Deanna over to her mother's transport.
The ride to the house at El-Nar was quiet, as was the norm when
Deanna's only companion was Mr. Homn. When they got there, Deanna
walked up to the house and opened the door. All was quiet. She reached
out with her senses but didn't sense anybody. Then she felt it. A
flicker of consciousness. The mental warning came a moment too late,
and Deanna jumped two feet off the ground when her family jumped out
and yelled, "Surprise!"
When Deanna landed and caught her breath, she grinned and
shook her head. "I can't believe you did this!"
Kestra grinned, holding her daughter on her hip. "And why not?
Guess who had the idea."
"You."
Kestra shook her head. "Nope. Joanna did. She looked up at me
and said, 'Momma, supwise Auntie Dee." Kestra grinned again.
Deanna smiled. "That's so sweet!" she held out her arms.
"Joanna, came to Auntie Dee?" Joanna stretched out her arms and Deanna
took her. After Jo was safely in Deanna's arms, she smuggled up and
stuck her thumb in her mouth, sucking contentedly. Deanna grinned.
"Thanks, everybody."
"So, Angel, what are you going to do now?" Ian asked, leading
her over to the couch.
Deanna smiled at Ian's nickname for her. "I don't know. Right
now I'm on Educational Leave. For advanced study in psychology. I
think that eventually I might be stationed on a starship."
"But Little One, that's dangerous!" Lwaxana exclaimed.
"Mother, daddy is stationed on a starship sometimes. What's
the difference?"
"You have a commitment to Wyatt."
Deanna looked annoyed. "Mother..." she trailed off
threateningly.
"Deanna," Kestra cut in to avoid the impending fight. "Diaz
says that he is very sorry he couldn't be here. He had a conference
with the Third Minister of the Conference of Judges from the planet
Kostolain. He really wished he could be here, though."
Deanna smiled. "Okay. I've have to bug him about avoiding me
when he gets back." Deanna immediately had a horrified look on her
beautiful face. ~Oh, Kestra, I'm so sorry!~
~Don't be. Just hope that this doesn't happen to you. And wipe
that look off your face. Mom's giving us weird looks.~
~Sorry.~ Deanna cleared her face of all emotions.

Later that night...

Deanna left Joanna's room. ~Why don't you want Mother to know
that you and Diaz have broken up?~
Kestra shrugged. ~Because it's just an experiment. He might
come back, and if he doesn't he'll be reported missing.~
~But, Kestra-~
~Don't 'But Kestra' me.~ Kestra cut in. ~Just don't let it
happen to you. I want you to be happy, Dee. And I'll do anything I can
to see that you are.~
Deanna smiled. ~Thanks, Kestra. Could you get Mother to break
my engagement to Wyatt?~
~Uh... um... I'll try...~
~Thanks.~
~Don't mention it.~
~Don't worry, I won't!~ Deanna joked.
~I bet.~
With that, Deanna left Kestra in her room and walked to her
own room.

Year 2361

Chandra's wedding…

Kestra looked across the aisle to the young Starfleet officer
that was staring at her sister. Kestra's mouth dropped open as she let
herself sense what he was thinking about. As image after image of her
sister entangled with this man in the throes of passion crossed her
mind, Kestra slowly became aware that she was broadcasting them.
Kestra looked around to see everybody staring at either her, Deanna or
the young man. As he realized this, he quickly guarded his thoughts.
Deanna was bright red, and her eyes had welled up. Kestra felt
horrible.

The reception…

Will Riker walked up to the young woman with long black hair
and deep, endless black eyes, and prepared his best pick-up line. He
approached her, standing behind her until she acknowledged him. Only
she didn't. He cleared his throat. She ignored him, looking over to
the new bride.
"Excuse me." Will said. The woman ignored him still. "You
know, you're being damned rude." 'Oh, *that's* a great pick-up line!'
The woman whirled around. She grabbed his hand and started to
lead him out of the room. Will grinned. 'She's got to be *really*
easy!' he thought triumphantly. The woman led him out to the terrace
of the building. Them she turned to face him.
"*I'm* damned rude?! What about you?! Sitting in a wedding
fantasizing about me! A wedding of telepaths no less! How low can you
get!" Will was taken aback by the verbal attack of this woman.
'Wow.' Will thought. He then inwardly groaned as he felt
himself starting to get aroused. Angry women always did this to him.
'Think about sports, locker rooms, naked guys in locker rooms… gods,
this erection *has* to go away before she notices!'
"Are you listening to me?!" She broke into his thoughts at the
worse possible moment, bringing his attention back to her and her
exotic beauty. Suddenly her eyes slid down his body, taking in his
aroused state. Will watched as her eyes widened and her tongue darted
out to lick her suddenly dry lips.
'Stop it, Deanna! Think about… think about… gods, think about
*anything* but this guy and his huge erection. And the ache inside
yourself. The tightening in your nipples… GODS!!! STOP IT!!!' Deanna
suddenly realized that she was still staring at this guy's crotch. She
dragged her eyes upward and focused on his grinning face. 'Why is he
grinning like that? How long was I staring?!'
Deanna got her answer as the man sidled up to press against
her and whispered in her ear, "See something you like?"
Deanna violently pulled away and soundly smacked the guy in
the face. "How dare you!!!" she yelled, then stormed away.
Will's hand came up to his face where she had smacked him.
'Damn. Killed my chance. I'll get her next time. She's gorgeous. No,
let me correct that, she's sexy!!'

At the Troi estate…

"And then he's just like, 'See something you like?' in this
really…I dunno what kind of voice! So I slapped him."
"So you like him." Kestra concluded.
Deanna looked at her, shocked. "What the hell gave you *that*
idea?!"
Kestra grinned, amused. "Dee, you were practically *panting*
inside!"
Deanna's mouth dropped open. "I was *not*!!" Kestra raised an
eyebrow. "I mean, yeah, he's gorgeous, but… Okay, so I'd love for him
to…" Deanna trailed off, entering her own private dreamland.
"Deanna, I think it'd be safer if I left, now." Kestra said as
she rose.
"Mmm…" was the only thing Deanna said.
Kestra took that as her cue and left the room, leaving Deanna
to dream.

Will's quarters, 0100 hours the next morning…

Their mouths were fused, but Will peeled himself away from
that pleasure, trading it for another. His mouth sealed over her the
peak of her full, ripe breast, teasing the over-sensitive nipple.
Her voice was soft, musical and passion-filled. "Will," she gasped
out, "Please! I can't stand it anymore!" He came up from her breast,
and positioned himself at her entrance. He slowly slid in to her wet
heat, amazed at her tightness. She groaned, the sound echoed by
himself. He pulled almost all the way out, then thrust back in. The
motion of her hips came to match his as he thrust faster and harder at
her request. And as they neared a mutual climax, he opened his eyes to
stare into the endless depths of her black eyes.
Then suddenly… there was nothing. No beautiful woman in his
bed, he was all alone with a raging hard on.

Across town, Deanna woke up with a start, a large wet spot on
the sheets of her bed, her body aroused. 'I'll kill him.' She thought.

0900 hours at the Troi estate…

"I'll kill him, so help me…" Deanna muttered as she paced her
room. "I'll kill him, I'll kill him, I'll kill him."
"You'll kill who?" Kestra asked as she wandered into the room.
"That bastard of a Starfleet officer."
"His name is Lieutenant William Riker. I asked dad. So, why do
you want to kill him?"
Deanna glared at her sister, plainly telling her to butt out.
"Dee? Why do you want to kill him?" Then, borrowing Deanna's
favorite line, she added, "You'd feel better if you talked about it."
"He was dreaming about me. Us. Having sex."
Kestra looked confused. "Deanna? You're only an empath. How do
you know that?"
"He was broadcasting."
"I never picked anything up." Kestra paused. "Neither did
mother."
Deanna was frustrated. "Well, then he was broadcasting to me!
All I know is that he was dreaming about me and it affected me."
Kestra sighed. "Deanna. How do you know that you we're
dreaming of him?"
Deanna's mouth dropped open. "Kes! I would never, ever dream
of a guy in that way! Especially him!"
Kestra shrugged. "What ever you say." And walked out of the
room.
'Really.' Deanna thought. 'Me think about him? I don't think
so.'

The Jalara Jungle, Janaran Falls…

Will looked down at Deanna as their climaxes neared, their
eyes met, and Will felt that Deanna was looked straight into his soul.
Hell, she probably was! Deanna's face faded into bright white light
and a shower of sparkles. An indefinite amount of time later, Will
regained his senses and rolled off Deanna then pulled her against his
side.
As they watched the water fall off the sharp cliffs, Will felt
compelled to say it again. "I love you, Deanna."
Deanna smiled and turned to face him. "I love you, too, Will."
She said softly, brushing her lips against his lightly. Deanna sighed.
"I want this moment to last forever. This feeling to last forever."
"It can." Will said quietly. Deanna looked at him, confused.
"Deanna, I want you to marry me. I want you to share my life."
Deanna's eyes misted up. "Oh, Will. I love you so much! I will
marry you. I will share your life."
Will smiled and kiss Deanna softly. "You've made me so happy."
He whispered.
"And you've made me happy." She whispered back.
"Deanna, we'd better get going. We're already two days late."
Deanna sighed. "All right."

Back at the Troi estate…

"Deanna, you can *not* be serious! He'll hurt you! He can't
give you what you need! He'll always be gone! You'll have no life!"
Lwaxana exclaimed.
"Is that how you view Daddy?" Deanna asked quietly. Lwaxana
was shocked.
"Don't ever say that to me again."
Deanna ignored her mother's last statement. "I really don't
care what you say, Mother, I am going to marry Will Riker. I've gone
through the Academy, I'm get a post on the same starship as Will."
"Deanna, I forbid it."
"Then I'll do it without your consent. Mother, Will and I are
Imzadi."
Lwaxana's eyes flew sharply to Deanna. "He made love to you?"
She asked, all the while thinking, 'I'll kill him, so help me…'
Deanna shook her head. "No."
"Then how…?"
"He made love *with* me. There's a difference. Mother, Will
and my relationship is no different than you and Daddy. Daddy is
Starfleet, and you are Imzadi with him. Will and I are Imzadi and we
are both Starfleet. So really, it's more ideal for us than you."
"Deanna, you're too young."
"Mother, you were my age when you married Daddy."
"But that's different!" Lwaxana exclaimed, know she was
fighting a losing battle. "I was more mature than you are."
Deanna raised an eyebrow. "Mother, I'm marrying Will. That's
all there is to it." Then Deanna left the room.

10 minutes later, across town…

"Will," Deanna wailed, "Mother won't let us get married!"
Will hugged Deanna close. "It's okay, Deanna, we'll get
through this. We can always just elope." Will said with a grin.
Deanna managed a watery smile. "Thank you, Imzadi."
"Deanna." Will was suddenly serious. "I won't let anything
keep me from you. Keep me from marrying you."
"I hope not."

0200 hours at the Troi estate…

"Where is she?!" Lwaxana exclaimed, pacing the room.
"Probably with Lieutenant Riker. After all, that's where she
said she'd be." Ian said reasonably.
"It's not like her to do this."
"Lwaxana, you just told her she couldn't marry her Imzadi.
What did you expect?"
"Well, I didn't expect this, that's for sure!"
Ian just shook his head.

Two days later…

Will Riker strode up the long driveway of the Troi estate.
After only two days without Deanna, he was dying to see her again. He
approached the door and knocked loudly. Almost immediately the door
was opened by Lwaxana. That in itself surprised Will, but the sight
that greeted him made him feel sick to his stomach. Deanna was
kneeling on the floor, crying her heart out.
"Imzadi!" Will exclaimed. Deanna ignored him, Lwaxana did not.
"Lieutenant Riker, I would appreciate it if you never came to
my house again. And never call my daughter that. You have no idea what
it means."
Will ignored her. "Deanna!" He called again. "Imzadi!"
Deanna looked up, her eyes red and swollen. "Will… don't… call
me that. I can't… see you. Ever. I'm… sorry."
Will felt his heart shatter. "Imzadi?" he asked despairingly.
"Lieutenant Riker, bother my daughter and I have asked you not
to call her that. If you do not leave my house, I will call Starfleet,
and let me assure you, the consequences will not be painless." Not
waiting for an answer, Lwaxana shut the door.
Will slowly walked down the driveway, leaving a piece of his
heart with ever step.

An hour later…

"Why did you do that, Mother? Why did you make *me* do that?"
Deanna yelled through her tears.
"Little One, I was only looking out for you. I was doing the
best for you."
"How can ripping out my heart and taking away my Imzadi and
putting out the light in my universe be good for me?!" Deanna wailed.
"Deanna, you exaggerate."
"No, Mother, I don't. I'll prove to you that Will loves me.
I'll prove that he's my Imzadi." With that, Deanna ran out the door.

Half an hour later…

"Mother!!!!" Deanna wailed as she came in the door. She was
immediately surrounded by Ian, Lwaxana and Kestra.
"Oh, what is it, Little One?" Lwaxana asked.
"He was with another woman!!!!" Deanna said through her tears.
~Oh, Little One! I'm so sorry.~
"That bastard son of a half eaten, worm infested targ!!"
Deanna was suddenly startled out of her misery at her sister's
venomous words. Then her tears started again.
"Excuse me, I think I'll go have a little… *chat* with our
dear Lieutenant Riker." Kestra said, leaving the house.
Lwaxana hugged her daughter. ~There, there, Little One. It'll
be all right. I told he was bad for you.~
Deanna stiffened. "Excuse me, Mother, I'd like to be alone."
"Of course, Little One."

Ten minutes later…

"Lieutenant William T. Riker, you open up this door right
now!!!!" Kestra yelled, pounding on the door with one hand, while the
other was placed over the announcer.
The door suddenly slid open. Will was standing there, looking
tired, sick, and annoyed. "Shut the fuck up, I have a hangover!" Will
moved aside to let Kestra enter, and she followed him in.
"Well, I'm glad I brought a stim." She said as she pressed a
hypospray against Will's neck. He staggered backwards as it hit his
brain. "Will, what where you doing with another woman?"
"Huh? Shit! Wendy Roper! Wait a minute, was Deanna here just a
little while ago?" Kestra nodded. " Damn! Shit! How the hell did I
fuck up like that?!" Will then proceeded to let loose a long string of
Terran, Betazoid, Klingon, and even the odd Vulcan profanities.
"Will Riker, shut the hell up!" Kestra yelled, disgusted with
Will's choice of words. Will shut up.
"Kestra, what do I do?"
"I think you should go to see Deanna and apologize your sorry
ass off and hope to hell that she forgives you and trusts you."
Will sighed. "Okay. This isn't going to be pretty."
"No, it's not, but who's fault is that?"
"Okay, okay." Will and Kestra left Will's quarters.

Ten minutes later, at the Troi estate…

Deanna watched from her window as Will walked up the long
driveway to just under her window, at the door. ~Will.~
Will jumped. "Deanna?"
~Will, look up.~
Will looked up. ~Deanna.~
~Will, why are you here?~
~To explain.~
~So talk.~
~When you told me that I couldn't see you, I was devastated.
So I did a typical human male thing. I got drunk. Wendy saw that and
decided that it would be a good time to go to bed with me. That was
what happened. I'm sorry, if I could take it back, I would. But I
can't.~
~Oh, Will. Imzadi. I forgive you.~
~You do?~
~Yes. RaBeem. I understand.~
~Thank you.~
Deanna left the window and ran downstairs to the door.
"Deanna, dear, are you feeling better?" Lwaxana asked as
Deanna came into the room.
Deanna didn't answer. She ran to the door and opened it,
flying into Will Riker's open arms. "Gods, Deanna, I missed you. I'm
so sorry."
"Will, *Imzadi*, I already forgave you. RaBeem."
"Deanna?!"
Deanna half turned in Will's arms to face her mother. "Mother,
Will explained to me what happened. And I forgave him. I love him."
"But, Deanna, he was with another woman! How do you know he
won't do it again?!"
Ian put her hand on Lwaxana's shoulder. ~Would I do that to
you? We are Imzadi. So are they. In time, they will understand just
what Imzadi means and how powerful it is. They cannot hide. They will
succeed.~
Lwaxana took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Little One." With
that, Lwaxana left the room.
"Thank you, Daddy."
Ian shrugged. "She needed to be reminded that you are Imzadi.
She knows what it means, but she thinks that she will lose you. She's
afraid, Deanna."
Deanna nodded. "I know." Ian smiled and felt the room.
Kestra walked over to Will and Deanna. "I'm happy for you. I
wish I had what you have, but I'm happy for you." Kestra leaned around
to look at something behind Will. When she stood up straight again,
she frowned at Will. "I thought I told you to apologize your ass off."
Deanna laughed and as she tried to cover it, it came out as a
snort, which Deanna covered with a cough. Will mock glared down at
her. "I didn't have to."
"I would have hated it if he did." Deanna added. "He has one
nice ass."
Will blushed and Kestra laughed. "Maybe, but I wish I could
know for sure." Kestra raised her eyebrows a couple times
suggestively.
"What is this, Pick On Riker Day?"
"No, but I have to make the next little while hard for you
just to see if you'll regret coming back to me."
"Never. But if you want to make it hard for me, and Betazoids
already have an advanced sex drive, how am I going to survive?"
"Um, guys, I think I'll leave you alone, now." Kestra quickly
left the room, but she heard Deanna's answer anyway.
"Well, you did pretty good in the jungle, so let's find out."

A few weeks later…

Deanna stared at Will as their hands were ritually tied
together. ~I love you, Imzadi.~
Will smiled at the thought. ~I love you, too, Imzadi.~
The Betazoid priest cut in, "You will now say your vows for
each other."
Will took a deep breath. "Deanna, you are my light. You are my
reason for living. You are my Imzadi. For a while I didn't know what
that meant, but now, after what we've been through, I know. The word
itself may have many meanings, but the feeling behind it is the same.
Love. Devotion. Trust. Everything that brings two people together. And
we are Imzadi. Now and forever. I love you."
Deanna smiled and reached up with her free hand to wipe a tear
away. "Will, I don't even really know what to say. I love you no
matter what ever happens. I would give my life for you, and I would
give my life for our baby. I love you."
Will's mouth dropped open and the crowd started murmuring,
both mentally and vocally, among themselves.
"Thank you," Will whispered.
Deanna shook her head slightly. "No, thank you."

End