More Than a Lifetime #4: A Love Less Ordinary

Chapter 9

                   

Six months later on Deep Space Nine...

"Computer, time," Dani requested. She was comfortably buried in her bed, under the covers.

"The time is 0830 hours," the computer replied.

"I guess I could go in early for a change," Dani said. She considered it for a moment and then decided against it. "Nah." She rolled back over, pulling the covers over her head more.

The door chimed. Dani groaned. 'Maybe if I just ignore it, they'll go away.' So, Dani lay there, silently willing her visitor away. She realized it wasn't going to happen when the door chimed again.

'Who is this?' Dani thought throwing the sheets back and drudgingly rolling out of bed. She padded through the living room to the door on bare feet, wearing running shorts and a tank. She was already at the door when she realized that maybe she should've put on a robe or something, but the door chimed again, and Dani decided to just forget the robe. She was wearing shorts and a tank. That was enough. Besides, she wasn't trying to impress anybody.

Dani deactivated the lock and opened the doors. The last person she would expect to see was standing in the corridor.

"Will," Dani said.

Will had been surprised at Dani's attire. He knew it was a little early, but he'd expected her to at least be dressed. It'd been so long since he'd seen her, he'd almost forgotten how good she looked.

"Hello, Dani," he said. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," Dani said. "Come in." Will walked into Dani's quarters and the doors shut behind him. "Actually, I was just thinking about getting up."

"You were in bed?" Will asked.

"Well, I wasn't asleep. I was contemplating going to my shift early, but I couldn't think of enough reasons to do it, so that option lost."

Dani didn't know what to say or do next. She walked over to the couch and sat down. Then, she changed her mind and stood up again.

"What are you doing here?" she finally asked Will.

"I was just passing through," Will said casually.

"You're lying," Dani accused teasingly.

Will smiled and shook his head. "Same old Dani."

"Have a seat," Dani said. She retreated to the bedroom and returned sporting a navy bathrobe. She sat down again on the couch, as he sat in the chair across from her. The ice was broken now, and Dani was feeling a little more at ease.

"I'm on leave," Will explained. "I came by to check up on you."

"Oh," Dani said.

The two stared at each other uncomfortably for a few moments. So, maybe the ice wasn't that broken.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm sorry about what happened to Dukat," Will said, breaking the silence.

"No, you're not," Dani said, "and neither is anyone else who never knew him." Dani knew an empty sentiment when she heard one. "You're only saying that because it's the polite thing to say."

"That's not true-" Will started to say, but Dani stopped him.

"I don't like being patronized, Will," Dani said sternly. "You should know that, as long as you've known me. You ask any Starfleet officer about Marac Dukat, and they'll tell you he was a horrible man. He was a conniving snake, he was this and that. And they may be right. He might've been all those things at some point, but when he was with me, he was different. He loved me, and no one understands how I could've loved him back."