Little One (Will Riker Agere Story)

Ch 9

He had made up some excuse about having to meet with Dr. Lee so Worf would leave him alone. Worf offered to escort him. Will declined. Worf would see that Will didn't need to meet with Dr. Lee for another hour if he let Worf walk with him.

Will waited in silence outside of Dr. Lee's office. He almost wanted to ask if he could just come in early to rid himself of the boredom, but he wasn't the only one who had an appointment. And he had caused enough trouble by skipping out on his session the day before.

When the time finally came Dr. Lee smiled at him, just as he would any other day. Like they were in Ten-Forward and Will was asking him about his spouse and daughter again.

This time when he did, Dr. Lee didn't tell him about J.J. aceing her math test, or how Max was being stubborn and refusing leave again.

This time all Will got was a simple, "They're doing well." And then, "How are you feeling, Will?"

And it took everything in him not to curl up, pull his knees into his chest, and cry about how nothing was going right. He wanted to reach out for a hug and let everything melt away.

He almost told him something about how Mr. Worf hated him now. But he clamped his mouth shut. If he started now he wouldn't be able to stop. He wouldn't be able to stop the tears or feelings of humiliation.

Instead Will reiterated everything Dr. Lee already knew. How he was held in the hospital, how he tried to escape, how he narrowly escaped death thanks to Dr. Crusher arriving just in the nick of time. He couldn't tell him about Lanel. He couldn't tell him about the things he'd done in a desperate attempt to get back to the Enterprise.

And when Dr. Lee asked if there was anything more...

"No." It was like a sigh of relief, it was almost over, "That's all there is."

***

It was his job to be protect the crew. The feelings of protectiveness were only natural.

Commander Riker was part of his crew.

The urge to shield and protect him when he showed up at the holodeck, tired and worn were only natural. But somehow it was different.

When Will Riker made it to the holodeck he was like a lost child. A little boy who had been hurt and was afraid of more pain. And Worf wanted to protect him from it.

He should have never accepted the offer to meet. He should have never allowed Will to come to the holodeck. He should have never agreed to it. But he had.

The pain in his eyes when he crashed to the holodeck floor and the way he trembled when Worf approached him, it had been Worf's fault. He was the one who allowed Riker to come. The one who had not protected him.

But he also knew that Will was a grown man. A man who was more than capable of taking care of himself. Worf's brother in arms.

He stripped his brother of the right to fight a propper battle because of his own fears. He was the one who brought shame and humiliation to the commander, in an effort to protect. And still he failed.

He failed to keep his safe, to keep him from harm. And now he had to face the consequences of his actions.He had to face the pain he had caused his brother.

"Lieutenant, may I enquire about the Commander's physical state?" Data asked.

Worf growled, "Commander Riker is recovering."