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"Old Flame"
By Lal Soong
(Six days after "All Good Things. . .")
Captain's log, Stardate 47994.8.
The Enterprise is en route to Starbase 212, where we will be meeting with
leaders from the planet Cromebia to discuss their petition for membership into
the Federation. Having made first contact with them nearly a year ago, it is our
honored duty to oversee the contract negotiations. If all goes well, we shall
arrive in three days.
Commander Will Riker was not scheduled for Bridge duty until the next morning. While off-duty, he wanted to relax and enjoy a glass of Romulan ale. He chose to do so in the ambiance of Ten-Forward.
He noticed Deanna sitting at the bar. With Worf.
Will couldn't feel more tense.
He downed the Romulan ale. "Guinan, I'd like another," he said, raising his glass. The bartender nodded and brought over a refill.
Watching the Klingon, Will wished he knew what the security chief was saying to Deanna. She smiled broadly, laughing at Worf's words. The Enterprise was climactically controlled, but Will nonetheless began perspiring. He pressed his hands firmly against the table, reminding himself of last week's poker game when he and Worf had vowed that nothing would place a rift in their long-time friendship.
"Is this seat taken?" Beverly asked. Will hadn't seen her enter, but gestured for her to sit. "I thought you'd like to know that the captain still has no symptoms of eromadic syndrome. It seems that--"
Unable to look away from Deanna and Worf, Riker could not concentrate on Beverly's words. The Klingon placed his hand on the counselor's hand, squeezing it gently. Deanna let out a melodious laugh that carried throughout Ten-Forward. Riker wanted to walk up to them, to break up their coziness. If only he had an excuse. . .
"You haven't heard a word I've said!" Beverly exclaimed.
"No, I'm afraid I haven't," Will replied, guiltily looking at the doctor.
"You want to talk about it?"
"Talk about what?" Without consciously thinking about it, Will returned his gaze to the couple at the bar.
"Come on, I see you staring at them. You're really jealous."
"Don't be silly. It won't last for long," Will insisted. He began rubbing nervously at his beard. "They're just friends. They'll have a good time for a while, but nothing will ever come of it."
"You could be right," Beverly said slowly, dubiously, as she eyed the couple in question.
****
"Thank you for another wonderful evening, Worf," Deanna said as she and her Klingon escort reached her door.
"I must say that I enjoyed your company equally as well," Worf replied. He smiled, something Deanna noticed he had been doing more often as of late. "I look forward to our picnic tomorrow evening."
Deanna beamed. "As do I," she agreed. She had invited Worf and his son, Alexander, on a picnic inside one of the holodecks.
When Deanna had first realized that she was attracted to Worf, she questioned whether she was truly falling in love with the Klingon or if she found him so appealing, because she enjoyed helping him and Alexander work out their conflicts. For a long time, she did not allow her relationship with Worf to evolve beyond professional for that reason. She now realized that events in both hers and Worf's lives had managed to change them in ways that brought them closer together. When she had unexpectantly had a taste of bridge command during a disaster, a latent desire to take control had been awakened inside her.
And Worf was not the stringent Klingon warrior he had been when he first came aboard the Enterprise. Although the warrior was still an integral part of him, indeed, always would be, he had allowed himself to grow into something more. He had once proclaimed that no human female could handle a relationship with a Klingon warrior. His experiences with not only K'ehleyr, who had been half-human, as well as other females such as Ba'el, but also the arrival of Alexander three years ago, had mellowed his ethnocentric views on any relationship. Only weeks after the ship disaster, Worf found himself raising his son and desperately in need of guidance.
At one time, the Klingon would never have agreed to something as domestic as a picnic.
Worf took Deanna into his arms and kissed her. Deanna closed her eyes, allowing herself to experience the kiss fully. Her emotions mingled with his until they seemed inseparable. They parted, and Worf started toward his own quarters.
"Worf, would you like to come inside for some hot chocolate?"
The Klingon turned around, staring at Deanna as though trying to determine if she was serious. "I would--like that very much."
Deanna laughed at Worf's lingering discomfort toward courting her, an attempt to ease his tension. She led him into her quarters and ordered hot chocolates from the food dispenser. After the replicator produced the sweet drinks, they sat on the sofa.
For a long moment, they remained quiet. Deanna wanted to feel Worf's arms around her again, to feel secure in his strong, but gentle embrace. She didn't want to seem too forward, though, so she sipped at her hot chocolate. Never before had she found it so difficult to begin an intimate relationship. She was an empath, after all, and could usually sense when someone's feelings were sincere. Worf was falling in love with her. However, she and Worf had been friends for a long time before taking an interest in one another. Worf's insecurity around Will didn't help matters.
"Worf," she said just as he called out her name. They laughed at their own awkwardness, then Deanna took his glass and set both on the end table. Before she was fully turned back around, Worf was kissing her neck, nibbling on her chin until finally he'd reached her lips. "Oh Worf!" With ease, he lifted her off the sofa and carried her to her bed. As they slipped out of their clothes, they explored each other, kissing and caressing one another until neither could wait any longer. They made love, finally allowing the passion they had suppressed for so long to burst.
Afterward, Worf said, "When a Klingon takes a new mate, he then must quote poetry to her."
"Then by all means," Deanna replied, wrapping her arms around Worf's neck.
"I'm all ears."
Deanna woke up first and showered and slipped on a clean uniform before Worf stirred. She brought a tray with scrambled eggs, rolls, and fruit and climbed back into bed with him. Playfully, they fed each other breakfast, neither experiencing any of the awkwardness they had felt the night before.
"I have an exercise date with Beverly," she explained, leaning over to kiss Worf before getting up and sauntering out of her quarters.
"I must rise as well," Worf said although now alone. "Time to return to duty."
As they began their stretching exercises, Beverly asked, "So, how did your date with Worf go last night?"
"Wonderfully," Deanna replied. "Thanks for asking."
"Oh. How wonderfully?"
Neither of them could keep from grinning. They knew each other well, and when one of them entered a new relationship, the other always seemed to know about it without being told.
"You know, Commander Riker thinks that you and Worf are just friends, that nothing will develop between the two of you."
Deanna paused in her stretching. "Really? My old Imzadi will just have to learn to accept that what we once shared is over, and that Worf and I have discovered something new, something wond--"
Suddenly, the Enterprise shifted violently and came to a stop. Both women grabbed onto the exercise barre. When the shaking stopped, Deanna received a page from the captain.
"Troi here," she replied, tapping her commbadge.
"You're needed on the Bridge."
"I'm on my way." She and Beverly stood. "Short session today. Same time tomorrow?"
"You bet," Beverly replied. "I better get to sickbay. I'm sure I'll have a few
