Chapter 11

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By the time the new year rolled around, Dani had finally established a daily routine that didn't involve pet-sitting or a Q or being stranded on a hostile planet. During the day, Dani would go to the bridge, for her shift, usually breaking to have lunch with Will or Rane. After the end of her shift, she'd go work out in the gym or on the holodeck, depending on what kind of a mood she was in. She'd go back to her quarters, shower, and then dine with Will. After that, activities might include a variety of things, from poker with the senior staff to a quiet evening reading.

Dani was content with the leisurely pace at which life was moving for her right now. Something in the back of her mind, though, told her that this leisurely pace wouldn't remain so leisurely for very long. She was, after all, on the Enterprise. Leisurely wasn't exactly what it was best-known for being.

This day, however, it was, and having ended her shift, Dani was on her way to Will's office. Once there, she chimed and entered when he beckoned.

Will looked up from his monitor as Dani was walking in. "Hello," he said, watching her walk around his desk to greet him.

"Hi," she said, kissing him and taking a seat on one of his knees. "What are you up to?"

"I was just looking over some of these venues for the reception," Will said, indicating the computer monitor.

"Find anything good?" Dani asked, looking on with Will.

He sighed. "No. I'm beginning to think every acceptable place on the planet is booked up for the next year." Will and Dani were shooting for a June wedding date on Earth, but reaching that day was proving to be more and more difficult. They were having trouble booking a place, they couldn't find a caterer, and about a million other problems plagued their planning.

Dani brought both of her legs up and rested them across Will's other leg. She placed both her arms around Will's neck. "Why don't we just elope?" Dani asked half-jokingly. Part of her was serious. It would be so much easier than going through all this mess.

Will looked up into Dani's face, and she continued. "Maybe we could find a nice beach somewhere. We could trim the guest list down to close family and friends. We could just have a nice, intimate little ceremony right on the surf." She ran her finger through Will's beard.

"You know I would love nothing more," Will said, "But your mother would never have it."

"How stupid of me to think that I would be allowed to do what I want at my own wedding," Dani said sarcastically.

"You know, the ceremony is for the mother just as much as it is for the bride," Will pointed out, as if repeating a sacred mantra from the universal wedding manual. "You want to make your mother happy, don't you? She did get you back to the Alpha Quadrant." Dani rose and walked over to the viewport. "And besides, the invitations have already gone out," Will said, rising and walking over to join Dani.

That was true, Dani thought. They'd been sent out the week before. The entire crew of the Enterprise had received invites, as well as Voyager's former crew, half of Starfleet Headquarters, half of the Academy, and various friends and relatives who weren't affiliated with Starfleet. Close friends and family had received real paper invitations, while everyone else received electronic invites. All in all, close to 4,000 people had been invited. It was truly supposed to be the Starfleet wedding of the year. And Dani and Will were stuck with the overwhelming task of planning it all, with the help of the prospective bride's mother, best friend, and the Enterprise's CMO and counselor. It all gave Dani a big headache.

Will turned Dani around so that she was facing him. "Imzadi," he said softly. She looked up at him. There was that word again. He hadn't used it often, but when he had, it'd never sat right with her. "It'll all be over soon," he continued. "And before you know it, you will be Mrs. Will Riker." Dani pushed the Imzadi thought from her mind once again as Will leaned down to kiss her.

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