Riker in wonderland

=A=

Will Riker knew something wasn’t right. And it wasn’t just the
vibration of his ship beneath his feet. His senior crew had been acting
strangely. So strangely that he’d already quietly had a word to the doc
about airborne contaminates.

Dr Ree had grinned sublimely and announced the Titan free of
mind-altering bodies, and cosmic anomalies, soon shooing the Captain
out of sickbay and back into a vaguely empty corridor.

That had been only 10 minutes ago, and still the Captain of the Titan
was standing outside the shut doors to sickbay stunned at the brusque
way Ree had pushed him out of a place that normally would have had to
offer topless dancing to get him to hang around in.

“Strange” he muttered to himself, dragging a tired hand through his
hair and moving on. Even stranger had been the fact that no one had
passed him in those short few minutes. Where was everyone? Why had he
been drawn to sickbay?

Even Deanna had made herself scarce first thing that morning. He’d
woken to a half cool spot that had once coveted his wife. Cracking open
his eyes, he’d seen her booted ankle just before she’d slipped out of
their quarters and promptly fallen back asleep.

“What the hell is going on?” he’d noted the night before that they both
had a free day. And that it had been arranged by his first officer.
“Vale. She’s up to something.” He mused, mumbling his way along the
corridor of deck 6 on his way to the nearest turbo lift. “Bet she bent
something out of shape docking the ship this morning.” He mused.

Grumbling and mumbling he didn’t see the young ensign till too late,
crashing into the small petit astrophysicist, landing in a crumpled
heap.

“I’m so sorry sir” Ensign Whiten apologised, hands pushing against his
chest as she struggled to untangle herself and stand upright. Will
wincing as she pressed on a bruise her elbow had created. “I’m sorry, I
really am.” She repeated over and over as Will tiredly crawled to his
feet holding up a hand to quieten the terrified girl.

“My fault ensign. Blame it on old age. It’ll teach me to look where I’m
going in future.” Flashing her a knee-melting grin he moved on before
she could start all over again with the apologies. Arriving at the
turbo lift, Will waited for his lift, and rubbed a tired knee. “Getting
old Billy-boy”

“Just how I like them.” A teasing voice whispered into his ear.

Turning he encircled his taunter with his arms and chuckled. “How you
managed to sneak up on me I’ll never know.”

“Well after seeing how many people you nearly collected with from
sickbay I’m not surprised you managed to mangle one of your own crew,
eventually. “ Deanna smirked. “So old man, feel like tagging along for
a nice cool drink with a young girl?”

“hmmmm well I doubt Ensign Whiten would want to crowd us out, how about
just you and me?” he winked, earning another jab to his already sore
ribs, as the lift arrived empty.

Allowing the doors to close, Will clasped one of Deanna’s hands in his
own.

“Deanna have you noticed anything bizarre?” He asked, a seriousness
slamming down over his once teasing features.

“Bizarre? Like what? Captains molesting ensigns in corridors” An
elf-like grin on her lips.

“It was an accident Deanna. Besides, she has bony elbows. “ He grimaced
rubbing the same spot earlier that was sure to be purple by now.

“I know Imzadi. If I had been closer I could have warned you both, but
that stride of yours was just too fast for me.” A light red glow to her
cheeks indicated that she'd been in a hurry.

“You ok?” he queried. Deanna was a fit physical person, why she should
still be flushed from a brief jog down a corridor had him worried.

“I am now that you stopped striding.” Deanna tried allying his fears.
“Maybe we should give the computer a destination?” She hinted at the
motionless lift.

“Bridge” Captain Riker commanded, until Deanna counteracted it.
“Computer change destination to Deck 20.” The lift complied, suddenly
altering from up to down in a smooth transition.

“Deck 20?” Will’s eyebrows rose. “What the hell’s down there?”

“Are you implying that the captain of the Titan hasn’t been to deck 20
yet?” Deanna wound her arms around his torso and rested her left ear to
his chest, listening to the great thump thump of his majestic heart.

“Well I didn’t exactly have time, Donatra came knocking for help.” He
sheepishly confessed. One hand rubbing against his beard, for a
breathing space. A habit he was well known for now as a ‘tell” that he
was out of his comfort zone, one that he’d had to be careful not to
make during poker tournaments.

“I know I was there.” She replied taking his hand in hers, relishing in
the small shivers her hand rubbing against his beard gave her. The
familiar feel and texture intruding into her thoughts at the wrong
time.

“I want to show you something.” She winked as the turbo lift came to a
halt and the doors opened into a vast observation dome. The floor was a
myriad of stars as the dome sat at the very underneath of Titan’s hull.
A floor of transparent aluminium that gently sloped down to a central
concave well.

It was here that Deanna led her Imzadi, and husband, to a soft blanket,
complete with two glasses and champagne. “Chateau Picard, must be a
special day.” Will mused as Deanna followed him down to sit upon the
star field below them.

Deanna smiled as she emersed herself into Will’s emotions. His love for
her, his curiosity at their chosen location and his fear of falling
through space. “It won’t break imzadi. This floor is as resilient to
damage as our quarters windows are.” She assured him with a comforting
hug before pouring him a glass of champagne.

He sighed heavily, trying to let the anxiety out. “Well I’m just glad
the bottle was already opened. Hate to go space walking without the
proper underwear.” He winked nervously.

“Relax Will. Nothing unusual is going on.” Deanna purred, turning round
to lean against his warm broad chest. Dragging his arms around her
waist she relished in the way Will gently kissed the tip of her right
ear. His breathe tickling her cheek.

“Keep that up and we’ll need curtains imzadi.” She teased. Leaning back
further and burrowing into his embrace further. And that’s when he
realised something missing.

“My communicator!” Will exclaimed, gently pushing Deanna forward to
feel his own uniform bereft of its jewel. “Where the…” He looked at
Deanna’s smirk and paused.

Deanna’s disappearing act. Christine Vales’ insistence that he take a
day off. Ree’s urgency to push him out of his own sickbay, and the now
noticeable communicator scam. “You ordered Ensign Whiten to run into
me.”

Deanna played the innocent till she could hold it in no more. “Well I
didn’t order, just asked nicely.”

“She’s got my communicator?” he pushed.

“Well Christine does now. I told her to give it back to the first
officer when she took her post at Navigation later today.” The captain
wife explained, topping up her husband’s champagne.

Will sat perplexed. His mind ticking over. “And?” He waited but Deanna
just smiled at the waves of curiosity and irritation wash over her. The
Bond acting like a long corridor to everything he felt. But ti was a
two way street in some ways. Will swore there were times he could
almost feel as much as she could. And then it dawned on him. “Just what
are we celebrating here Deanna?” His intrigue reaching out to embrace
her contained excitement.

“Its August 19, Will.” Moving forward to take his glass from his
fingers.

With wide blue eyes of understanding Will muttered, “It’s my birthday?”

“Christine knew you’d forget.” Moist lips met his as she whispered
‘happy birthday Imazdi’ throughout his mind. Eyes closed Will Riker
embraced her sending like a drug to the system. Inhaling her uniquely
Jasmine fragrance as she moved into his arms.

Deanna watched as his heavily eye lashed eyes fluttered closed “So why
did Ree want me out of sickbay?” His sudden direct line of questioning
making her jump, until she noticed the wide 'all-knowing' grin. “The
only reason for you being up so early and in Ree’s care leads me to
some well known side effects of married life.” His one hand rubbing
against her belly in hope.

Deanna nodded to his silent question, her own hand reaching down to
grasp Will’s. Steadying it over his flat tum. “Who’s the empath here?”
Deanna teased aloud

“Happy birthday my husband and soon to be father…” she spoke. And at
the same time…‘I’m pregnant Imzadi.’ Floated across the bond.

::::::::::

“So did the rouse work?” Vale asked quietly as Deanna sat across from
the Captains chair. Unaware of the tall shadow approaching the command
well from the upper deck.

“Mutiny between officers is an offence Christine, but treacherous
plotting with my wife will get you into even more trouble.” Captain
William T Riker stated.

“Graveyard shift.” Vale sighed.

Will Riker grinned, taking his seat between the two women on his
bridge. “Nah, I can think of worse. How are you at baby sitting
Christine?” laughing as he witnessed Vale’s paling features.

And the good ship Titan warped on….

::::::::::::::::

The end for now... :-)

Sjayne 26/8/06