|
|
Imzadi: My Version
Chapters Eleven and Twelve
Chapter Eleven
They started walking away from Deanna's waking nightmere. Will still had an arm around her and Deanna leaned in to him as they walked. Deanna was glad to have him near. He made her feel safe, especially right now, after all she had been through.
Will contacted Tang to let him know he had Deanna. He told him she was safe and physically unharmed and that they were on their way back. However, Will knew, somewhere, down deep inside of her, she had to have been affected emotionally, but he did not voice this.
Maror had been right, though. The Federation Team had split up to cover more ground, but it had been Will who was fortunate enough to find Deanna, after several days of searching. He thanked God he had found her. Will wanted to be the one who found her, he prayed to that end and he did. He saw her with his own eyes and felt very relieved that she was alive.
The trip back would take them a few days to get there, but Will came prepared with plenty of supplies. Without any abnormal delays they would have enough to last them.
Will had concentrated on the mission that he had not paid any attention to the beauty of the jungle. The only thing he had concerned himself with, other than rescuing Deanna, were the pitfalls and obstructions of the jungle. His judacious use of his phaser to carve out a path in the jungle, which helped him find the way back easily.
Now, with the pressure off, he was able to appreciate the beauty of the Jalara Jungle. Deanna broke free of him to point out some of the plants that were there. At least the ones she recognized. The flowers had exotic colours of pink, purple, red, blue and more colours than he ever imagined. The greenery was vivid shades of green. The air was warm and steamy, but yet not uncomfortably humid. It was also filled with a scented mist, that smelled even
sweeter, now that Deanna was free from her terror.
He turned to Deanna, who had been extremely silent the past hour. He was getting very concerned about her, because she was starting to shiver in the warmth of the jungle. Her arms were wrapped around herself in a protective manner and her teeth started to chatter.
He knew instantly what was going on with her. All the pent up emotions, that she had apparently detached herself from during her ordeal, were starting to emerge. It was obvious she now felt safe and secure, thus all the emotions were pouring out of her. She had to deal with those feelings sometime or another. This made Will feel good that Deanna felt comfortable and save enough with him to allow all those pent up emotions out of her.
He went to her and help her sit down and put his arms around her."Shh, It's ok. Let it all out, Deanna."
She trembled even more violently, looking straight ahead as
though she expected something to jump out of the shrubs. She
clung tighter to Will, digging her nails into him so hard that Will had to keep himself from pushing her away. He did not want to let her know that it hurt like hell.
Instead, he continued to try and comfort her by stroking the side of her face, kissing the top of her head and talking softly to her. He reassured her it was alright and she was out of danger. She drew herself closer to him and tears were rolling down her face. She, then buried her face into his chest and cried softly.
Will rocked her in his arms gently and allowed just his presence alone to be a comfort to her. Then finally she started to stop trembling and she wiped her tears from her face with one hand, but she continued to hold on to him with the other.
Deanna was so glad he was there. She appreciated him for just holding her and comforting her, but now she wanted more. She wanted him even closer to her. To make reassuring love to her. She looked up and Will thought she was prepared to move on, so he asked, "Ready?"
She was so ready for him to take her in his arms and make sweet love to her. She said, "Yes, I am." Then she reached up, wrapped her hands around Will's neck and drew his face to hers.
The kiss was was long, sweet, and filled with promise. They
started to explore each others mouths with their tongues. Will was begining to think the night air was making him feel giddy. Their mouths finally parted and he looked at her.
"Deanna," he said softly. "This.. this isn't
right. It's not the time. You're not thinking straight and you've been through a lot."
She held his face in her hands and said, "Let me put this into words you'll understand." With her eyes wide open and her lips mere inches from his, she whispered, "Shut up and kiss me, Will Riker."
He did and they resumed their exploration of each other's mouths. Soon, all the perfectly logical reasons why this was wrong and inappropriate behaviour for a Starfleet officer just flew out of his mind. He started to move down to her neck with gentle kisses and he slowly removed her torn, ragged clothes.
They went back to exploring each other's mouths and Deanna
removed Will's jacket and unzipped the back of his shirt. Will assisted her in removing his shirt and then they explored each other upper bodies. Will moved from her neck to her breast and gently suckled one with his mouth and caressed the other with his hands. He took turns caressing and suckling each of her breasts.
Then Deanna gently pulled him to her face and kissed him. She returned the favour by slowly moving down to his chest and teased each of his nipples with her tongue. Will made a soft moan of pleasure as she did so. Deanna did not intellectualize or analyze any of their love making. She was completely engrossed in his mind and his pleasure. She moved further down his body with kisses and then she slowly removed his pants. Teasing his manhood with her tongue and mouth. She was completely into his mind, body and soul and Will was into hers. They enveloped each other's spirits with their love for each other and there was only one
word from her. Imzadi.
Deanna slowly moved upward again teasing and kissing Will all the way back up with her tongue and mouth. Once she was complete flesh to flesh and face to face again with Will they probed each others mouths again. Will rolled her over onto her back, continuing to give her sweet gentle kisses. He again moved slowly down to her neck with gentle kisses. He gave her gentle love bites and then progressed slowly back down to her breasts. Teasing them again with his tongue and mouth. He enveloped her with his love and again he heard her in his mind. Imzadi.
They complemented each other and filled each other's needs
completely and totally. Will continued to progress slowly down her body. Exploring every square inch of her. As he did, they also explored each other's soul, mind, and spirit. Neither of them left anything untouched.
Will kissed her stomach ever so gently and then he moved down and explored everything that made her a woman. The woman he loved so deeply. He probed her with his tongue and fingers. Stimulating her womanhood. Deanna moan with great pleasure and again he heard the word "Imzadi".
His tongue moved more
rapidly in and out of her as he sensed her pleasure mounting. Until she was almost screaming the word "Imzadi" in his mind from pure ecstasy.
Will started moving slowly and lovingly back up her body. He
continued to explore every square inch of her with his tongue and mouth. As he moved upward, he kept one hand below him, stimulating her pleasure point. Then when he reached her mouth again, they became one in body, mind and soul. They moved as one. In perfect rhythm. Filling each other's hunger. There was no one else in the universe, but the two of them. They moved as one with increased energy and speed until the pressure within them was beyond containment. Lovingly, Will spoke her name aloud and she
was in his mind with only one word. Imzadi.
They exploded in great rapture as one and then they clinged to each other as though they were trying to become one in body as they had their souls. Then somewhere deep within his mind, merged with his spirit, one word echoed. Imzadi.
They laid craddled in each other's arms. Deanna's head was on Will's shoulder. She ran her fingers acrossed his chest hairs. Both were content just enjoying each other's company in the after glow of their loving act.
Deanna finally spoke, asking "So, where do we go from
here?"
"To the rendezvous point, but I have a feeling we are going to be late."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know." He pulled a vine gently out of her hair and started to toss it aside, but she took it from him.
"I want to keep it as a souvenir." she said.
"A piece of vine?"
She shrugged.
"In answer to your question. I don't know." he said. "I know how you make me feel and I think I know how you feel, but I don't have any answers. You're the expert on feelings. What do you think?"
She sighed and drew herself closer to him. "I don't know. That's what I find appealing about you. When I'm with you I don't think. When I'm with you, when I think about you, all my training just goes flying out the window. I've never felt this way about anyone and I finally decided to give into it. To exprience it fully. How can I be a complete person if I don't go where my spirit wants to take me?"
Will kissed the top of her head and said, "I think your
spirit is very beautiful."
"Why thank you, Will. It's nice of you to notice. And so is yours." Then she turned and kissed him and then cuddled back against him.
"This is going to sound strange." he said. "But believe me when I say I also have never felt this way about anyone before. It's more than just the physical, which was wonderful, but there was.." he was tongue tied. "I can't find the words to explain it."
"Maybe there are no words." she replied.
"No, there was one word. You thought it to me when we
were.." he paused. "It was imzi, imza."
"Imzadi." she said softly. It sounded so musical and loving. Her tone of voice was such that he had never heard before.
"Yes! That's it!" he said. "What does it
mean?"
"It has several meanings." she replied. "The
surface meaning is beloved or dear one, but when used with
certain people it has a much deeper meaning. You would need to understand it's further nuances to understand it's deeper
meaning."
"So what is it's full meaning?"
She smiled shyly. "It means the first."
Will was surprised. He could not believe he heard right.
She continued. "From here on out, no matter what happens, we will be truly Imzadi. We will forever be each other's first."
Will got wide eyed and said with surprise in his voice, "You mean.. I am the first man that you have ever...
She nodded.
"Had sex with?" he finished.
"You find that hard to believe?"
"Well, your such an open society and your so incredibly
beautiful."
"Thank you." she said demurely.
"It never occurred to me that no man had ever.."
"Bagged me?"
Will cringed. "Well, that's one way of putting it, but not mine."
"Of course not you." she teased. "Never by
you."
"Ah.. Look, Deanna, I didn't mean to give you the impression that I have never been with other women. You're not... my first."
"No, you haven't." she insisted.
"Yes, I have. I know. I was there."
"Oh, I understand. You mean you've had sex before."
"Well, yeah." he said looking totally confused. "I thought that was what we were talking about."
"You still don't understand. You see the concept of Imzadi goes far deeper than the physical. You've had other women and even though I haven't had other men, that's incidental. Other women may have had your body, but I am the first to touch your soul and you are the first to touch mine."
With astonishment, he realized she was right. Even when he
thought he was in love it was just superficial. An excuse to add some excitement to the sexual gratification. Was he in love now? His thoughts were moving too fast for him to figure anything out. Even now, with Deanna here, he still was not sure if he was able, but for the first time in his life he was willing to do that.
"Imzadi." he said looking at her with a smile and
kissed her passionately. She returned his kiss with just as much passion.
Then they laid back, cuddled up together and watched the night sky. They finally fell asleep craddled in each others arms.
>
Chapter Twelve
The next morning Deanna was cleaning up and trying to make herself look as presentable as she could, given the circumstances. She felt safe with Will and he made her feel so good. She felt she could spend eternity with him. She had finished and returned to where Will was.
She saw Will starting to hurriedly put something into his supply belt. "What's that? Paper? Now that's something you don't see every day!" she exclaimed. "May I see it?"
"Oh, really it's nothing. It's just something I wrote down and I have no idea what I was thinking as I wrote it."
She took the paper from him and read it. "I really wish you wouldn't read that." Will said.
"I have no idea why your so embarrassed by this. It's beautiful!" Deanna sent the last part to his mind. She felt like her heart was singing as she read it. The feelings he stirred with in her were none that she had ever felt before. He gave her so much joy.
"Do you really like it." he thought back at her.
"You'd know if I were lying." she said aloud. Then she read the poem aloud.
"I hold you close to me.
I feel the warm breath of you,
and think of a time without you.
Deanna, Goddess of the moon.
The goddess who brings my heart joy and happiness.
I remember a time without you,
only as a dark and bleak nightmere.
You shudder against me in your sleep.
Do you share the memory with me of dark times past?
The goddess of the moon smiles and makes my heart sing.
Do you share the hope and promise of times to come?
The future holds such promise.
And just as I can not imagine how I survived the past without you.
I cannot imagine a future without you.
Deanna, Goddess of the moon and the goddess of my heart."
"I don't know." Will said, trying to keep the pride of authorship out of his voice. "I thought it was kind of syrupy."
"You thought no such thing!" she said. "You
thought it was a prefect statement of your feelings for me.
You're proud of it."
"I should have known better than to try false modesty with an empath." he said with a grin.
"You are absolutely right." she stated. "That will get you nothing but embarrassment."
"Speaking of embarrassment." Will began. "We are already late and that in itself is embarrassing. Sergeant Tang has called four times in two days wondering if we are alright."
"It's nice that's he's concerned for us." Deanna said tucking the poem into her bodice and Riker looked at her with surprise.
"Hey!" he said. "Aren't you going to give that back?"
"Please don't make me. I'd like to keep it."
"OK. You may keep it, only if you promise not to show it to anyone else."
"I promise with all my heart and love for you." she said with a smile. Truth was, Deanna loved the poem so much, that she wanted to keep it to read again and again when she could. It made her feel good that Will felt the same for her as she did for him. She could sense he did, but the poem just made it seem all that much more real.
Will gave her his jacket to wear, so she could cover her torn dress and look a little more presentable. This made Deanna smile as they walked back to their distination.
As they made the final trek of their trip back, they forced
themselves not to give into temptations of the flesh. However, they held each other's hand until they were close to the camp. They did not want to let go of each other ever, but given the circumstances, they felt had to let go.
Tang reported to Riker upon arrival, that the Betazoid artworks had all been recovered and returned to the museum. He had also arranged for the Sindareen bodies to be returned to their homeworld.
"Good work, Sergeant." Will was now all business. He then turned to Deanna and extended a hand. "This is Deanna Troi." Deanna had taken his hand in as neutral of an statement as possible, but she was pleased that he did offer his hand.
"Ma'am" Tang greeted.
Out of concern, Deanna asked, "How is Chandra?"
"I'm not sure who, oh, yes. You mean Xerx daughter?" Tang replied.
"Yes."
"She's in a local medical facility and should be recovering just fine." Tang told her. He did not find it necessary to tell her how hard of a blow to the head the young woman took, but he figured, being a Betazoid, she already knew that much.
"I'm glad." Deanna said with concerned sympathy and thankfulness that her friend was going to eventually be fine.
Tang turned back to Riker and asked, "Are you sure that the leader of the raiders has been attended to?"
"Yes, I am." Riker assured. "It was not the most pleasant thing to witness, but I assure you he has been attended to."
"Very well, shall we go?" Tang asked.
"By all means." Will replied.
The trip back to the city was short. Deanna and Will hardly said anything aloud. However, what Deanna sent to his mind and what he thought at her said volumes.
Deanna finally asked him telepathically, "Why don't you come over for dinner tonight?"
"Are you sure your mother won't mind? I mean, she doesn't exactly like me."
"Mind?" Deanna scoffed. "How could she mind? I would think she would like to thank you for rescuing me and I would like her to be more kindly disposed to you."
"That would be nice." Will thought, looking at Deanna with a smile.
Back at the house, Lwaxanna was livid. "You invited him to have dinner with us!" she almost shouted into Deanna's head. "You know how I feel about that man! He's not right for you either Deanna!"
Aloud, Deanna said, "Mother, it's just dinner."
"And look what he's done to you! You can't send your
thoughts to me? Has he really gotten you out of the habit in as many days?"
"No, Mother." Deanna sent dryly. "I can still thought cast."
"Well, I still don't want you near him. He's no good for you, Deanna. He has no respect for our ways."
"You don't know that, Mother."
"Yes, I do! And he has no idea about how our philosophy is lived out in our daily lives. On top of that he would never accept the fact that you are a Daughter of the Fifth House and you have responsibilites to this house and to Betazed."
"Mother, you should, in all due respect, thank him."
"Oh, I'll do that, but he will NOT be having dinner with us!" Lwaxana stated. "He's too barbaric and would never understand why we give thanks to the gods for our food the way we do. He just can not eat with us."
Deanna sighed. Her heart was broken, because her mother just did not understand and how could she explain to her mother that she loved the man. That he was her Imzadi.
"He is NOT!" Lwaxana had eaves dropped into
Deanna's personal thoughts. "You know nothing about
Imzadi! You have NO idea what it is! And you don't love
him!"
"Mother! You don't know how I feel!" Deanna shouted.
"Oh, yes, I do! I am a telepath. I know better how you feel, than you do!" Lwaxana said aloud.
"No you don't, Mother!" she cried.
"Well, no matter. I will thank him and you will tell him, that due to your duties here on Betazed, you can not see him anymore."
"Mother! No!" Deanna cried.
"Yes, you will." Lwaxana insisted firmly.
Deanna left the living room in tears. As she left she sent, "How could you, Mother! You don't care a thing about my feelings! Just stupid archaic Traditions!"
Riker was at the cafe' with Mark Roper. "I want
details." Roper insisted.
"On what?"
"On what? What do you think? How was she? And don't hold back." Roper demanded.
Will shrugged. "There's nothing to tell, really. It was a standard mission. I was fortunate enough to find her and then I brought her home safely. End of story."
"No, that's not what I meant." Roper said. "You and her out in the jungle. Romance. Our bet. You can't tell me she was not incredibly greatful that you saved her life."
"Alright, I won't." Will said without any suggestion of anything else. "But what I can tell you is that you have 200 credits coming to you."
Roper's mouth dropped. "Unbelievable! You have got to be kinding me!"
"Believe it, Mark. Not even first base." Will stated, refusing to give the old man any intimate details of their beautiful and loving experience in the jungle.
"I must admit, I'm a bit disappointed." Roper said. "I felt sure you and Deanna would make a good couple. I generally have good instincts about such things and I've learned to trust my instincts." he shakes his head in disappointment. "Unbelievable."
"It happens to the best of us, Mark." Will said with a smile. "We're both frustrated, but at least you're frustrated and have 200 credits."
However, on the inside, Will was thinking, "Not on your
life, Mark Roper, am I going to tell you any details about Deanna and me. It's worth 200 credits to keep all of the things that went on between us to myself."
"Is that suppose to make me feel better?"
"It should one of us." Will said with a smile.
"You know what I think?" Mark said without waiting for an answer. "I think you are the most self-satisfied looking loser I've ever seen."
Will just smiled from ear to ear and kept all his and Deanna's secrets to himself.