A Commitment From the Universe
R/T
Rated: PG-13
enchantedmoons@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: Paramount owns TNG characters---I just use them now and
again for shorties.  :)

In a swirling wave of light, the Nexus swept towards the Enterprise,
engulfing her in sparkling hot layers of heat.  Will stood on the
bridge, gaping at the phenomona, turning his head to look at Deanna
sitting behind him.  "What the hell was that?"

Her eyes were filled with curiosity, even a tinge of fear, but she
smiled up at him gamely.  "Well, I haven't a clue.  Why don't we find
out?"  She stood up and walked towards him, taking his arm, then
stared out the viewscreen at the multi-colored lights that ribboned
around the ship.  "Gods...whatever it is, it's certainly gorgeous."

"I'll second that. But what does it want?"

A long silence fell between them, and then Deanna murmured, "I think
it wants us."

Blue eyes flickered over her face, wondering if she was joking.
"Us? Why would it want us?  We don't even know what that thing is."

"Well, apparently it knows what we are, Will.  And I think we're
going to get to know it equally as well."

Once more the bands of light came riding over the ship, and this
time, they pulled Deanna and Will off of the bridge and into an
entirely different world....

Lights and shadow playing over bare white walls.  Lamps glittered in
the semi-darkness, casting a glow over an elegant dining hall.  A
long black marble table set for four sat in the middle of the room,
and a dozen candles waved in the gentle breeze coming from the open
french doors.  Deanna gaped at the room then spun around to face
Will.  "Where are we?  What just happened?"

He smirked. "I thought you were the Betazoid. Didn't you say that
this, whatever this thing is, wanted to get know us?  Well, here we
are."

She was shivering but not with cold. The phenomena had gripped her,
carrying her far, far beyond the Enterprise and into something
unfamiliar.  She was terrified. "I...I don't understand."

"That makes two of us.  Come on, let's take a look around this joint
and see if we can find anyone to help us."

She nodded and took his hand, then moved into the room. In an
instant, the table was filled with food, the chairs with occupants.
Two of whom looked very familiar.

At the head of the table sat a tall, distinguished looking man with
gas-flame blue eyes and a goatee.  He was kissing the hand of the
woman who sat beside him; a petite brunette with a tumble of curls
and a tight burgandy formal dress.  The other two chairs were
occupied by two of the most beautiful children Deanna had ever seen.
Twin girls, each with jet hair and blue eyes, stared at their
handsome father.  She looked up at Will and felt her face bleed of
color. "Gods.  It's us.  These are our...our children."

A voice came to them from beyond the room then.  "Correction,
Counselor. They could have been your children. In another life."

Spinning around, Deanna furiously looked for the voice's owner.
"Who are you?  What is this place? What are we doing here?"

"I think you know. Come.  Come into this moment...live this
moment...if you dare."

Heart racing, Deanna looked up at Will and saw that he was blushing
furiously. "Well?"

"It may be our only chance. What the hell..."

Together they moved towards the table and the other Deanna and Will
immediately disappeared, leaving room for them to join the children.

Deanna found herself garbed in the same dress as the previous woman,
while Will found himself suddenly at the head of the table, staring
at the three beautiful girls around him.  He felt light-headed as
though he'd had too much ale.  But it felt good. Better than good. It
felt wonderful. 

Taking Deanna's hand, he kissed it, and then looked into her eyes.
"Deanna...Imzadi...I love you."

"I love you too Will.  Always."

They leaned in to kiss again and the children erupted into giggles.
"Mommy...Daddy...stop that!" 

Deanna turned to look at the twin faces and couldn't stop a grin of
her own from spreading across her face.  "My girls..." she whispered.

"Only if you decide to stay here."  The voice again. It interupted
what was becoming a lovely moment and Deanna was angry.

"Who are you?  What do you want?"

"It's only me, Deanna..." the voice came closer and then Guinan was
standing in front of her. The scene had frozen, only she and Will
were able to move. It took on the oddly beautiful quality of an
ancient victorian postcard, and she felt the strongest urge to grab
hold of the image with both hands.

"Why...?"

"Because you and the Commander needed a push from the universe,
Counselor. Don't you know that when the universe has a plan for you
and you refuse to accept it, it will find a way to bring it to you
anyway?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, but you do.  Because the two of you refused to have the
relationship that you were meant to have outside the Nexus, you will
now have it here, inside.  And it will always be here.  It will be
everlasting."

"What happens if we leave?"

"I think you know, Deanna.  This is your only opportunity.  If you
and Will stay here, you can have this life. But you cannot take it
with you. I think we all know what is going to happen if you both
come back to the Enterprise. Your relationship will fall into the
same old pattern it always has.  You will never be together
romantically. You will never have children.  In fact, Will will be
leaving the Enterprise in a few years for his own command, and on
that ship, he will meet his future wife."

Deanna's dark eyes widened. "What about me?"

"You will stay on the ship for another five years, at which time you
will go back to Betazed to nurse your sick Mother. At that time, you
will meet a physician and fall in love with him. You will spend the
rest of your life on Betazed and never see Will again."

"Gods! Is any of this true?"

"I'm afraid so, Counselor."

Dumbfounded, she looked at Will and grabbed his hand. His eyes were
filled with an intensity that nearly tore her apart.  She could see
love, terror, friendship, and desperation in them, and knew that they
mirrored her own.  "Will...if this is true...if any of this is true.."
She broke off, and looked to him to finish the sentence.

He cleared his throat and said, "If any of this is true, then we're
not going anywhere. I'm not losing you again, Deanna. Not ever again.
Will you stay here, with me?"

Shaking with fear and excitement, she nodded, then ran and jumped
into his lap. "I love you Will. I've never stopped. I can't believe
we are going to do this, but I can't lose you again either."

Guinan smiled a very self-satisfied smile at the two of them and then
said, "I'll tell Captain Picard when I get back to the ship. He will
understand."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Oh, let's just say I think our Captain is more familiar with this
phenomena than any of us know."

Suddenly, Guinan disappeared and they knew she'd gone back to the
Enterprise.  The scene began to come alive again, as though a
hologram springing to life, and Deanna moved to sit on Will's lap.
"Do you believe it? We finally made a commitment, Imzadi."
Will looked at his two children, precious little girls whom he had
yet to begin to know. "Yes we have.  Finally."