6.

Scared.

The word resonated through Deanna's mind, the meaning of it trailing behind it as the tail of a comet.

Worf had been scared...unbelievable. Worf was always so stoic and trusting that his honor and heritage would pull him through everything that at times when she had been scared out of her wits, she'd pulled strength from just looking at him. In fact, in the eight years they'd worked together, she could think of only two times when he had been openly scared; when he'd nearly committed suicide to prevent himself from going insane and when Alexander had been trapped in a biolab during a fire.

But even so, it was impossible to imagine him being scared by her, of all people. Her job was to be amicable and approachable and she was aware that her empathy often intimidated people, including Worf during his first years aboard, but she couldn't remember anyone ever being scared of her before, not when she was in her right mind anyway. Why?

Had it not been for the circumstances, she would have teased him mercilessly about feeling so uncomfortable. "I loved KEhleyr, intensely. But we hardly spent time together. What I feel for you, it is the same, but different." Deanna found herself unable to react in any way; the emotions that rolled from him wrapped themselves around her and immobilized her. "It runs deeper than any feeling I have felt before."

She wanted to believe him; she wanted so desperately to believe him. "I understand that, really I do," after all, she'd felt exactly the same way which was the reason why he'd gone to the monastery and she to Betazed. "But why didn't you return once your assignment on DS Nine was over?"

* * *

Indeed, why hadn't he?

It was too easy to simply say that it was because hed been scared, yet that was what it came down to. He was not just scared of the depths of his feelings for her, but he'd also been afraid of hurting her; physically or emotionally.

To him Deanna had always been an enigma, even more than Guinan. In Guinan he had recognized the anger she felt for the Borg, the disgust for Q and her loyalty to Picard. In Deanna--That was just the thing. Knowing that she could sense the emotions around her made it all the more mysterious how she could remain so calm; centered as she called it. The only thing she allowed her emotions to control were her eyes.

It had taken him a long time to understand her. In fact, during their first year aboard he had not paid much attention to her. The entire idea of having a counselor on board was alien to him; for as far as he knew there weren't Klingon counselors at all. Warriors did not need psychiatric help.

But then the incident with the alien entity happened and for the first time she showed a strength he had not thought she was capable and it got him thinking. Until then, he had always perceived her calm as fear; fright to stand up. Looking in retrospect, he'd seen that it had not been fear but courage. She was willing to face everything life threw at her and refused to bend.

All the times she had come after him when he had been enraged with anger, never once had he seen her flinch or step back and when Captain Picard was furious for whatever reason she was the only one who dared to speak to him. He remembered the concerned looks of the crew when she would follow the Captain into his Ready Room during those times.

When she had joined his MokBara classes she had surprised him with her physical strength; she wasn't quite as strong as himself, but amazingly enough stronger than the average human. Later Deanna had explained that although Betazoids were a highly spiritual race who focused most of their energy on mental training and stability, they also prided themselves in training their bodies. After all, without a body a mind is practically useless.

But in spite of the physical and emotional strength she had often portrayed, he still feared he would hurt her, especially if things got more intimate, after all, Klingons were known for their roughness.

Then, unbidden, he remembered their first sexual encounter. To his surprise, Deanna had been the one to initiate it. What had surprised him even more had been his own gentleness, not because he was afraid to hurt her, but simply because he could not imagine treating her any different.

His passion flared as he recalled how responsive she had been. Quickly he tried to bury the feeling and focus on her question so that he would not upset her further. But if his passion had not reached her, then his attempted block certainly did.

* * *

While waiting for Worf's answer Deanna forced herself to push past her own emotions and focus instead on his. It amazed her how well she still knew his mind and the longer he remained silent, the better she understood the intense guilt and fear he felt.

Had felt.

The correction forced itself into her mind; the fear he -had- felt. The four years of separation had made him realize that his fear was insignificant to the love he felt for her. To her everlasting sadness; it had taken him those four years and a marriage to figure that out.

Just when she allowed herself to be happy rather than saddened she felt a sparkle of something familiar in him, and just as soon did she recognize the feeling she got when any of her friends tried to hide something from her. What bothered her, was that she had never felt it of him before. "Don't do that!" Damn! How had he managed to turn her into this uncertain, insecure woman? "Don't hide from me."

How were they going to get passed this awkwardness? An answer to a question only led to a new question, and the questions only led to doubts and resurfacing memories. The only thing she was certain of right now was that she loved him and that she was craving for his touch. But was that enough?

"I am sorry." His deep, rich voice alone sent shivers along her spine. How much longer would she be able to stand this, she wondered.

"No," Deanna finally responded after too long a silence, "it's all right. It's just that you never tried to hide anything from me before." For as long as she'd been onboard Worf had been the only one who accepted her empathy for what it was; a fact, an inconvenient fact, granted, but a fact nonetheless.

Perhaps that was where her failure lay. After Will Riker she had never allowed herself to open up to anyone; Worf included, even though she had been longer with him than anyone before or after for that matter.

Now that she knew, she might be able to set her mistakes straight. With new determination brightening her eyes she placed herself directly in front of him and aligned her hand along his jaw, not yet touching. After she'd locked her eyes with his she allowed her hand to make contact with his skin and had to bite back a gasp. She allowed everything she felt for him to show in her face and reached up until there were but a few millimeters separating them. "I love you."

* * *

When her hand touched his face Worf's hearts stopped beating. When he then felt her hot breath darting against his lips his hearts started to pound. When she said the words he thought he would never hear again he could no longer control himself and crushed her slender body against his. His mouth descended upon hers and when he encountered no objection he growled deep in his throat. Her sweet mouth felt so good and familiar against his, the taste of her exotic and intoxicating. For a brief moment his mind flashed to Jadzia, painfully reminding him that she had never aroused him so strongly as Deanna did at this moment.

His left hand slid to the small of her back and the other buried itself in her luxurious curls so he could deepen the kiss even more. The soft sigh she released caused him to probe deeper and her to respond to his growl with one of her own.

When they finally broke apart he roared loudly, admitting his passion for everyone to hear. Once finished he looked back at Troi and found her watching him with an amused little smile; exactly as he had expected.

"Where do we go from here?" She asked after long moments of silence.

"I do not care." Again Worf folded her into a tight embrace, almost as if making sure she wouldn't leave. "As long as I am with you and this time, I will allow nothing to come between us." He promised with heartfelt conviction. Letting her go the first time was the biggest mistake he had ever made and he would not make it again.

Finale in the Like a Moth to a Flame Epilogue...