~x~ Icing on the Cake ~x~

The woman standing several feet away from them was beautiful. She had a tall willowy figure and the dark-blue pantsuit she wore hugged her curves tightly, showing them off. Reddish brown hair framed her lightly tanned features and striking green eyes.

Deanna watched her from the corner of her eyes, careful not to be as blatantly obvious as her date of the evening. Across of her the first officer of the Enterprise had a hard time taking his appreciative blue eyes off the woman.

All too familiar with a Riker-woo in progress Troi hid behind a wall of mirth, smiling at his attempts of securing eye-contact with the tall woman. Her instincts told her there was something unusual about this new individual, but she refused to lower her shields and find out, knowing that she didn't pose any thread. Well, not to anyone's health anyway. Besides, this evening would be tiresome enough without having to expose herself to the emotions of Will's latest interest.

Dropping her guard for just too long she wasn't in time to look away to avoid the bright green eyes of her Imzadi's new admirer. The slight confusion and curiosity in the woman eyes was clear and Deanna knew from experience what she wanted to ask; no empathy needed. "Excuse me Will, but I think the Captain could do with my help." To illustrate her reason she nodded at Picard who was standing over with the Starbase's to commanding officers.

"Sure Dea, I'll see you later," Will answered without moving his eyes to face her. Just as well. Standing up and squaring her shoulders in a pathetic display of female pride Deanna passed the woman, forcing herself to smile at her. As she stopped to exchange greetings with the resident doctor, she could see the green-eyed woman slipping into the seat she had just vacated and her low voice carried to her ears. "Your wife?"

"No," Riker laughed, "she's not. Miss...?"

"Krista, just Krista. Your girlfriend then?"

Again Will chuckled and Deanna didn't need to hear his answer. Again she excused herself and wrestled her way through the crowd to her captain. Jean-Luc turned when she stepped next to him, a warm smile telling her silently of his gratitude. "Counselor! How good of you to join us. I'm sure you've met Captain Grijsta earlier."

"Actually Sir, I haven't," she confessed, "there was a patient that required my help."

"Of course Counselor, of course." Deanna wondered what had gotten Picard in such a jovial mood. Boredom, she suspected, but it was still good to see him unwind a little. "Then, let me do the introductions." She smiled, trying not to be too obvious in her enjoyment of his good mood but unable to stop herself from glancing back the table she had left just minutes ago. As she had suspected, Will had made his move and he now seemed completely immersed in conversation with the woman who'd been watching them. "Captain Grijsta, this is my Ship's Counselor, Deanna Troi, who's just as over-worked as you and me." Erik Grijsta; a sympathic, blonde haired, sixty year-old, chuckled with Picard over the semi-joke while extending his hand to her.

Deanna accepted it and matched the strength of his shake, smiling demurely at the man's appreciative look. With a simple question she started the conversation and kept it on a relatively simple level, so that all of them could relax a little. Picard briefly touched her elbow, another smile of pride alight in his eyes.

Yet, in spite of being happy with the respect she felt from her captain, Deanna couldn't help but look back again at her Imzadi. People around them came and went, shifting company and emotions like a shapeshifter changed his looks. The conversation slowed and shifted as well, until it no longer held even the barest of interests for her. Her feet were starting to ache from the continuing standing and she was beginning to feel more and more irritated with the cozy couple sitting across the lounge. Why? Deanna couldn't tell, but there was something about that woman, Krista. "Captains, Commanders; if you would excuse me."

"Of course Counselor."

"Thank you." With a last smile she took her leave of the group, making her way back through the, much thinner, crowd. The body language of Riker's companion seemed a little odd. Deanna got the impression that she wasn't really 'into' the commander, yet she kept up a lively and obviously slightly intimate conversation. "Can I join you?" She asked once she'd gotten within reach.

"Counselor!" Krista looked up and smiled brightly, a hint of relief in her green eyes. "Please, take a seat."

Deanna did and asked a waiter to bring her a cup of Neha-tea. "Krista, isn't it?"

"Yes, yes, Krista Galadri. I'm a civil architect."

"A civil architect?" Now those were people you didn't see often on Starbases like this one.

Picking up on her surprise, Riker answered. "Krista is on her way to Talea I."

"Hasn't Talea I been terraformed recently?" She turned back to Krista and felt a shiver run along her spine as she caught the woman's intense green gaze on her.

"Yes Deanna, it has." How does she know my name? Troi wondered, then realized that Will must've told her. Was she getting paranoid? Or just tired? "The first settlers will be moving in in approximately a year and their council has asked me to design one of their cities. How come your eyes are so dark? They're amazing."

"I'm Betazoid; my species always have black eyes." Deanna replied automatically, only half realizing the question.

"They're very expressive. So, you can read my thoughts?" Unlike the usual alarm Troi could see on peoples faces when her heritage was revealed, she saw an almost lecherous smile now. As if the woman -wanted- her to pick up on her thoughts.

"Deanna is half-human," Riker cut in, "an empath." He was still very much taken by the beautiful architect, the twinkle in his blue eyes all too clear to Deanna. He was welcome to her. In fact, she'd seen all she needed to see.

With little effort Troi faked a yawn. "Oh, excuse me. I'm exhausted, I think I'd better retire for the night."

Will smiled his best-friend-smile and put a hand on top of hers. "Captain Picard told me to give you the day off tomorrow. You've been working constantly the past week; you earned some rest."

"And I could really do with some." Deanna admitted, smiling back at him.

"I'm in good company," Riker assured her, once again picking up on her slight hesitation.

"Actually," Krista spoke up, "I should probably retire myself. I'd like to get to know you better though; would you like to join me?"

And the Riker-charm strikes again. She just knew the same thought would be going through his mind at this same moment. His blue eyes turned even bluer with anticipation of taking yet another beautiful woman to his bed. Deanna suppressed a sigh. "I would love to, Miss Galadri."

"Ahhh, actually, Commander," Krista's unexpected hesitation now had both officers' full attention. Was the woman taking back her offer? That would be a first for Will The Thrill Riker. "I meant the Counselor."

Deanna glanced from the woman to her best friend and back again, as the answer slowly sank in. So the woman hadn't been interested in Will at all; she'd just used him to get to her. She bit back a chuckle when she saw Riker's baffled expression. He really thought Krista liked him. Well tough luck for him. "Will, close your mouth."

Obeying, his jaw snapped shut. "In that case ladies, excuse me." Deanna countered his angry stare with a soft smile and watched as he took his bruised ego under his arm and walked away.

"I hope I haven't hurt him," Krista said softly, now unsure of the situation.

"Oh, he'll get over it, eventually."

"You're amused," the architect observed.

"How couldn't I be?" Deanna laughed and shook her head. What a perfect, unintentional revenge.

"You're very beautiful when you laugh."

"Thank you." She forced herself to keep smiling, wondering what to do next.

~x~

"Deanna, good morning."

"Will."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Fine, thank you."

"Did you have fun last night?"

"Will, it was a Starfleet gathering."

"I meant...with Krista."

"Ahhh, well, how shall I put it? It's really none of your business Will."

"Oh, come on. Did you?"

"Did I what?"

"Never mind."

"All right. I'll see you later then."

"No, wait! I have to know, did you sleep with her?"

"Will!"

"What?"

"Does it matter if I slept with her or not, or do you just want to know what you missed out on?"

"No! Yes!...I'm just curios."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"I'm not a cat."

"No, more a dog with its tail between its legs."

"Deanna!"

"What?"

"You're my best friend, you can tell me. Did you sleep with her?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out, Imzadi." She smiled sweetly up at him and walked away with an extra bounce in her step. Maybe this would finally make him realize that if he wasn't going to sit around and wait for her, then she certainly wouldn't wait for him either. That this was going to plague him for some time to come, was just the icing on the cake.

===End---

Like/hate? Believable/unbelievable--let me know please! I aim to please, most of the time :p