"My Dad's been offered a promotion, 'Leena," Lucas said quietly. "We're leaving the ship. Your Dad's going to be the Captain."
"Leaving?" was all she could say, the words lodged in her throat. K'Leena just stared at him, tears gathering in her eyes, then she turned and ran from the holodeck.
*****
"Hey."
"Hey."
"How come you aren't at the party?"
She shrugged, "Didn't feel like celebrating, I guess."
"Yeah, me neither."
They sat in silence for a few minutes, just staring at the stars.
"Nothing is going to be the same," she said sadly.
"I'm going to miss you," he told her and she started to cry.
Lucas put his arms around her awkwardly, not really knowing how to handle this. All he wanted to do was cry himself, but he was a man now and he couldn't.
"It's okay, 'Leena, we'll still see each other and the academy is only two years away."
"But it won't ever be like this again. No more Captain Proton or watching T.V. all night long. I won't be able to talk to you everyday...." and we won't have this.
We'll always have this.
She looked up at him with her tear-streaked face, her blue eyes watery sapphires.
"Lucas?"
"Yeah?"
"Could you kiss me again before you go? For real, this time, not pretend."
He stood up and pulled her with him. His arms slid around her waist and she decided she liked how it felt to be held by him like this. Looking up, she realized how tall he'd gotten over the last year. He towered over her, the top of her head barely reached his chin now. His eyes were so dark and he was so very serious. Lucas cupped her cheek with his hand and she shivered. Then he bent his head and lightly brushed his lips across hers. Once. Then again. And again. Each time it lasted a little longer, and he pressed a little harder. K'Leena found herself meeting his kisses, entwining her hands in his hair and pulling him to her. He met her gaze after a few moments and then he captured her mouth. There was no other word for it. One hand held the back of her neck and the other pulled her tighter against him. She opened her mouth under his and he invaded it with his tongue. It was wonderful. Then he abruptly broke it off.
"What's wrong?" she asked, confused. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No, K'Leena, you didn't do anything wrong. You did it too right."
"Huh?"
"Look, do me a favor, okay?" he paused to take a deep breath trying to control his annoyance. "Don't go kissing any boys unless you know what you're getting into."
"I'm sorry it was so unpleasant for you!" she was getting angry now.
"Dammit, 'Leena! You don't understand!"
"What don't I understand?! Aren't I pretty enough for you? I'm not all blond and soft like Aria, so you don't want to kiss me. What's there to understand?"
"You want the truth?" Lucas ground out. "I do want to kiss you. I want to do more than kiss you. I want to hold you. I want touch you. I want to do a -whole- lot of things to you...most of which would shock the hell out of you."
Her eyes were impossibly wide. "You want to...to...with me?"
"Gods, yes," he exclaimed.
"Why?"
He looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "You're kidding, right?"
"You think I'm pretty?"
Lucas shook his head in amazement. She had no idea how beautiful she was. Pretty didn't even begin to describe it.
"Yeah, I think you're pretty," he told her softly. "And smart and funny and the best friend a guy could ever have. And I'm going to miss you more than you know."
"I can't do what you want, you know," she sounded almost sorry. "We're not mated."
"I know."
*****
Misconception
He was here, she could feel him. K'Leena smiled broadly. Kahless, she'd missed this feeling. That had been the hardest part of their separation. The utter and complete emptiness that resided when they weren't together. It was coming closer, getting stronger. The girls in front of her stopped talking and were staring at something behind her.
"Wow," Nedri said. "Get a look at that."
"Not bad...not bad at all," Kendra replied and K'Leena bit back the laughter.
It didn't take Lucas long to locate her, he could feel her presence and it drew him like a magnet. He strode purposely through the crowd of cadets. They hadn't seen each other in eighteen months, he'd missed her. He approached from behind, she was talking with a group of female cadets. He reached forward to tug her hair....
"Don't even think about it, Captain Proton," she said in amusement, not turning to look at him.
She was in his arms a second later.
"Damn, 'Leena, I've missed you," he said hoarsely and she couldn't stop the tears.
"Oh, Lucas!" she sobbed and her mouth was caught by his.
He didn't care how many people were watching, Lucas kissed her fiercely and passionately, pulling her tight against him.
"Hey...what are the tears for?" he asked when they finally broke apart, wiping the moisture from her face with his fingers.
"I just missed you so much, I didn't think this day was -ever- going to get here."
"Yeah, I know the feeling."
"Ummm...are you going to introduce us, Paris?"
"Oh, sorry," she apologized. "Kendra Wyatt and Lias Nedri, meet Lucas Riker."
"Riker? As in Admiral Riker?" Nedri asked.
"Yeah," Lucas pulled a face, he hated to be reminded he was a 'Riker'. "The Admiral is my father."
The Bajoran practically smacked her lips in anticipation. K'Leena felt a flare of anger and Lucas raised an eyebrow at her.
Jealous, 'Leena?
No.
"Well, if you ladies will excuse us. K'Leena and I haven't seen each other in more than a year. We have a lot of catching up to do," Lucas said smoothly and he put his arm around her waist and led her away.
"Where are we going?" K'Leena stopped him after a couple of steps to kiss him again.
"Back to my apartment." Lucas nuzzled her neck.
"You don't live on campus?"
"No, they were short rooms because of the damage done in the power grid attack. Some of us are off campus this year. Being an admiral's son has some advantages."
"I guess."
"Come on," he groaned. "I don't want to waste time here."
"So, what did you have in mind for the rest of the evening?"
"I was planning on making love to you until you screamed my name and couldn't remember what it's like to be apart from me. Interested?"
"Prophets!" Nedri exclaimed. "If she's not, I sure am."
"Is that a joke?" K'Leena asked, ignoring their little eavesdropper.
"No...I thought this is what you wanted too."
Lucas, I won't have sex until I'm mated, you know that.
You still believe in that?!
Yes, I do.
Lucas looked at her for a long moment. To say he was disappointed was an understatement, but she was -here- and he guessed that's all that really mattered. Smiling broadly he dropped a kiss on her lips.
"Come on, we still have a lot of catching up to do."
K'Leena relaxed and smiled back.
You're okay with this?
Yeah, I don't want to do anything you're not ready for. I won't push you.
*****
"Lucas, I think we should see other people," K'Leena began gently.
"What?" he turned around, stunned.
"This isn't working and you know it. You want a physical relationship and I can't give you one."
"We've been through this before, 'Leena," he sighed. "I can wait."
"For how long? And it's not just a matter of waiting, either. Are you going to take the oath with me?"
It was something he didn't like to talk about. Lucas knew that she expected to be mated for life. It scared the hell out of him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he always thought he could convince her to sleep with him
and not have to commit to her like that. Over the last three years, however, he'd slowly began to realize how much it meant to her. She wanted what her parents had and would settle for nothing less. He couldn't see himself mating with her, but he also couldn't see his life without her in it.
"I just don't want to lose you," he told her honestly.
"Lose me?" She smiled softly at him. "Never...Captain Proton can't battle the forces of evil without Blaze."
"Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked.
"It's what we -both- want, Lucas. We make great friends, but we're terrible at this romance thing."
*****
Separation
They finished their final year at the academy as friends. Slowly pulling away from each other, not relying on the other anymore. By the time they received their first postings, the separation was little more than an occasional twinge of loneliness. They made new friends, dated different people, grew further apart. Saw each other only when their families got together for the odd holiday or the chance meeting when their ships met.
It continued like that for their three-year ship postings. When they discovered they were both stationed on Earth again, they hadn't seen each other in more than a year.
They'd both changed....
"Did you see the new flight instructor over at the Academy, Lucas?" Mike asked him.
"No, why?" Lucas wasn't really that interested. He was so damn tired. The specialized training they were receiving was intensive.
"Gods, is she hot!"
"Really?" that caught his attention. Lucas was always game for a new challenge.
"I saw her first," Mike claimed with a laugh.
"Like that's ever stopped either of us before," Lucas snorted. They often played the 'who could get her first' game. It was the thrill of the chase that they enjoyed... sometimes more than the conquest. "So, what does the newest trophy look like?"
"Incredible...you wouldn't believe it. Red hair and a temper to match, blue eyes, great body, a little smaller than I like, but her race makes up for that."
"Her race?"
"Yeah...that's the best thing of all. She's part Klingon, Lucas. Gods, what a perfect combination."
"Klingon?" Lucas asked sharply.
"Yep, why? what's wrong?"
"Let me get this straight--the new pilot is a red-headed, blue-eyed, hot-tempered, little Klingon?"
Mike nodded, a little leery of Lucas's sudden change in mood.
"Stay away from her, Mike," Lucas pinned him with a hard stare. "I mean it."
"Why?" What the hell was this?
"Because, unless you're willing to marry her, she's not for you."
"Marry her?!"
"Yeah, she's not for sport, understand?"
Mike had been Lucas' friend for three years now. He knew exactly when not to cross him.
"Okay, I leave her to you," he conceded.
Lucas laughed out loud. "She's not for me either, my friend, but I won't see her hurt."
"How do you know her?"
"K'Leena and I grew up together on the Enterprise. Her father was my Dad's XO before he made Captain."
"Were you close?" Mike asked, already guessing the answer.
"Yeah, we used to be." Lucas was surprised at the sharp pain in the center of his chest when he answered.
*****
"Someone told me the new pilot was a red-headed witch and I knew it had to be you," Lucas said with a grin, leaning against the door of her office.
"Lucas!" she squealed and leapt into his arms. He hugged her fiercely.
"It's good to see you, Blaze."
"Kahless, I didn't know you were on Earth, or I would have contacted you."
"I've been busy, new assignment, lots of new training."
"What type of training?"
"Tactical, mostly, pretty boring really. What about you? -Lieutenant- Paris. Flight Instructor, very impressive."
"I'm not the only one sporting a new solid pip," she reached up and touched his collar.
"Yeah, well, you know how it is, new assignment, new promotion."
"What are you doing for dinner?" she asked.
"Taking you out," he replied with a smile.
And so it went for the next two years. Lucas' job tended to keep him away for long periods, but whenever he was on Earth, they spent time together.
A comfortable friendship....
*****
Realization
"Lucas, you're drunk!" K'Leena giggled as they walked down the sidewalk, supporting each other.
"Yep, so are you."
"Yep," she replied. "You're going to have to stay in my apartment, you can't walk home alone."
"Okay, but I'm not sleeping on that tiny couch of yours again."
"Where do you think you're sleeping?"
"In your bed."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm too drunk to be a threat to your virtue, Ms. Paris. Have a heart, the last time I slept on your couch I couldn't stand straight for a week."
"Oh, all right, you can sleep in the bed," she gave in. "Just don't try anything."
"Scout's honor."
"Lucas, you were -never- a scout."
"Hmmm...I think you're right."
Turning down the last street they paused in front of her building.
"Finally...I thought we'd never get here. Kahless, I'm tired."
"Me too," Lucas admitted.
They made their way up to her home, stumbling and giggling the whole way.
"Shhhh! My neighbors are going to complain."
"Suhry."
"I'm going to use the bathroom first."
"How come you get it first?"
"My place."
"Do you still have that old sweat suit of mine?"
"Yeah, it's in my bottom dresser drawer, throw me my blue nightgown, would ya? It's in the one above it."
Lucas pulled a blue flannel gown from the drawer.
"Ugh! This thing is hideous!"
"What's wrong with it?"
"Not exactly geared to seduction, 'Leena."
"In case you hadn't noticed, Lucas, I'm not trying to seduce you."
"Why not? I'm a pretty good lover, or so I've been told." This conversation was treading on some very dangerous ground.
"I bet you have," she laughed. "By -lots- of women."
"Just because you don't like sex, doesn't mean -I- have to abstain."
"Captain Proton, you wouldn't know -how- to say no."
"Why would I want to?"
"Don't you ever think that maybe there's more to it than just casual sex? Maybe that bubble headed blond who's been sharing your bed isn't all there is?"
"Like what?"
"What about Imzadi?"
"I don't believe in that mythical nonsense."
"Lucas! Your own -parents- are Imzadi! How can you not believe in it?"
"It's just an empathic link," he dismissed their bond. "My mother is an empath, of course she would be able to link with him."
"What about my parents? They aren't empaths and they're bonded."
"Who knows," he shrugged. "Could be anything. They encountered a lot of unknown things in the Delta Quadrant, maybe they picked up some type of telepathic abilities."
"You are such a cynic," she shook her head. "Not a romantic bone in your body."
"Oh, believe me...I have -one- romantic bone," he said lewdly.
K'Leena rolled her eyes and laughed as she walked into the bathroom, "And you wonder why you don't turn me on."
*****
Lucas was making love to her. Slowly, sweetly he moved in and out, delicious friction sent waves of ecstasy from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. K'Leena shuddered beneath him, gasping in pleasure as his mouth found hers again. There was a feeling of pressure that built so strongly, she didn't think she could take it. Her head thrashed back and forth on the pillow. He moved against her and his fingers found her center, stirring her, taking her higher.
Klingon Hearts 07 Blaze - Sudden Insight Page 2
