More Than a Lifetime #3: Graduation

Chapter 9: Party Time

                   

That had been yesterday. Just like that, four years had been washed down the drain. Dani wanted to cry, but she didn't want to give Will the satisfaction of seeing that he had made her cry.

Everyone listened to Rear Admiral Camden as he spoke.

"And now, I'd like to present to you a group of cadets who have more than excelled in the areas of leadership, scholarship, and command. These students have proven that they have what it takes to lead others successfully. These Academy graduates are not only at the top of their class, but also Command School graduates. Cadets - as I call your name, please step forward." And he started announcing the names of the command school graduates. It didn't take him long to call out the names. Out of the class of 300, only fifty had applied to command school. Out of fifty applicants, only 23 were accepted. Out of 23, only 10 completed the program successfully.

The admiral made it to Dani's name, which was number five on the list.

"...Cadet Danielle Janeway..." Camden announced.

Will had been watching Dani even before she stepped forward to take her place with the other command school graduates. He couldn't believe that she'd walked out on him just the night before. He'd wanted to cry then, and he wanted to cry now, but he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing him cry. He had always been close to Dani, even before Voyager had been stranded in the Delta Quadrant. But they'd grown even closer over the past four years. Joined at the hip almost...

Xxx

"Dani, where are my boots?" Will asked. He was running around his quarters frantically searching for his uniform boots. He was to attend a diplomatic function in twenty minutes, and he couldn't find his boots.

Dani, who had dressed at Will's, was attending as Will's date. Right now, she was putting her earrings in. From the bathroom, she yelled, "They're in the closet."

Will searched the closet frantically but didn't see them anywhere. "Where?" he yelled. "I don't see them? Are you sure they're here?"

Dani put her second earring in. "I put them there myself," she said. He is so clueless, she thought. "Check the floor, the right side."

Will looked on the floor of the right side of the closet and, surely enough, found his boots neatly waiting to be worn. He picked them up and then sat down on his bed. It was only when he went to pull his boots on that he realized he wasn't wearing any socks. He looked over the bed. They weren't lying out anywhere.

"Dani-" Before he could even ask, she was out of the bathroom - and she had socks with her. She walked over to him.

"Here," she said, handing him one of the socks. The other in hand, she bent down and socked his bare foot. She picked up the corresponding boot and slid his foot into it. Standing up, she said, "There."

Will stood, now completely dressed.

"Are you ready?" Dani asked, inspecting Will's dress uniform. She absently straightened the jacket and brushed imaginary dust from his shoulders.

"Do I look alright?" Will asked.

"You look fine," Dani said.

Will looked at Dani. Instead of a dress uniform, which she wasn't obligated to wear because she was not yet an officer, wore a long, sleeveless, royal blue gown. "And you look gorgeous."

"Thank you."

"Maybe we should just blow off this party and stay in tonight," Will suggested, moving in on Dani. She stopped his advance with her hand.