Title: Parterre, Season four, Chapter One: "Family"
Author: Psycha (psycha underscore fairy at yahoo dot co dot uk)
Series: TNG
Rating: PG-13, for some naughty words
Codes: C, T

Summary: A wise man once said; "Nothing worthwhile is easy" and Doctor Beverly Crusher is just about to find out how right he was, especially in matters of friendship and love.

Disclaimer: They're not mine, no profits are being made from this story. General plotline and any additional characters are mine and copyrighted as such. You're welcome to use anything you come across, but please remember to give credit where due ;)

General A/N: This romance series is going to explore an evolving relationship between the two female Senior Staff officers onboard the Enterprise D. We start in TNG's fourth season and each chapter will be tied into a specific episode (at least during this season) and will be titled after each respective episode. I will skip around a bit and not use every episode. Since this will be an ongoing series (hopefully anyway ;)) the number of chapters will be subject to change at any given moment.

Feedback: Any type is welcome, even flames. Criticism is especially appreciated though. You can leave feedback by sending a direct e-mail to psychafairy at yahoo dot co dot uk or just use the wonderful review option available here.

Hope you'll enjoy :)

-Psycha

Long lashed eyelids slid closed, covering the coal-black eyes of the Enterprise's counselor. Full red lips parted on a sigh and enveloped a silver spoon, drawing the cool, soft ice-cream deep in a mouth where it melted on a warm and agile tongue. Full, inviting breasts heaved against the purple material of a dress and a soft moan traveled outward with the spoon.

Beverly Crusher shook her head and looked to her side, intently watching the young male lieutenant sitting a few tables away. He was masculine, his yellow and black uniform nicely fitted against his broad chest and when he stood up she was treated to a nice view of his ass. A small smile tweaked her lips when he bent over.

"He's engaged." The soft, alluring voice broke her concentration and Beverly reluctantly turned her head back to look at Deanna Troi. "To one of your nurses actually." Her companion added while she brought another spoonful of chocolate ice-cream to her mouth.

Glancing back at the man, Beverly now recognized his face and blushed. "I, I was just—"

"Enjoying the goods?" Deanna finished gamely. "I suppose he's nice, for a human male."

Beverly arched her eyebrow, relaxing a little now that her mind was back on safe territory. "You 'suppose'? Not your type then, is he?"

The counselor chuckled and carefully collected the remaining bits of ice-cream on her spoon. "I've never really figured out what my 'type' is. But I don't think he's very appealing, physically or emotionally."

"Well, he's no Will Riker, I'll grant you that." Crusher teased her friend, then felt guilty when she saw the expression on Troi's face turn wistful, but before she had a chance to apologize the counselor responded.

"Good old Will," she sighed, "is not really who I'm looking for either."

Surprised, Beverly looked into her friend's black eyes. Why, did she wonder, did this admission come as a surprise to her? She had discussed the First Officer many a time with Deanna, and Troi had never truly hinted at desiring to rekindle with him. For some reason she had just assumed.

Especially with all the changes their lives had undergone in the aftermath of Picard's assimilation, and the Enterprise's first visit to Earth in over three years, she had somehow expected her friend to re-evaluate her life, just as she herself had been doing. And, she had expected the counselor to realize her love for Riker, just as the grapevine had been predicting for years. Now that Deanna explicitly stated that she didn't feel that way for him anymore Beverly was surprised, and maybe a little relieved as well.

"Really?" She gazed past Deanna's shoulder, staring at a group of ensigns while she settled into girl talk mode. Occasionally shifting her eyes back to Troi's face. "You two seemed very cozy after your return from Angel Falls." The surface of the table suddenly became very interesting as Beverly detected a hint of jealousy in her own voice. Hopefully Deanna had missed it, she seemed occupied enough with her chocolate sundae.

The counselor chuckled and the mischievous glint in her eyes captivated Beverly, a part of her dreading what caused it, but the larger part of it curious as a cat. "Well, I'm not going to say we didn't enjoyed each other," Deanna winked and slowly licked her lips, making Beverly shift nervously in her chair, "but at the same time it wasn't a rekindling, or a promise for more."

Crusher sputtered, a multitude of images cluttering her brain. "How? How do you separate between love and sex so clearly, I mean." She clarified when Deanna carefully arched her eyebrow. "Especially with the history you share with him."

"It's complicated. Will and I have become close friends over the years, I know that whatever I do or say he won't judge me. I can also tell that he isn't interested in pursuing an actual relationship. With all the stress we've been under recently it just felt…right. Comforting, relaxing, enjoyable, fun."

Beverly nodded, tearing her eyes away from Deanna's sensuous lips when they stopped moving. "So what was he like, compared to, you know, the past." She found herself actually leaning closer in anticipation of the answer, the images in her mind becoming more defined..

"Beverly!"

"Well," she complained, "it's not like I'm getting any."

Silence prevailed and Crusher nervously downed the remainder of her wine, momentarily forgetting that Guinan had given her the real stuff for a change. "Fine." Deanna said suddenly, the glint in her eyes growing in intensity. "What do you want to know?"

Beverly coughed, choking on her wine. She felt warm blush rise to her cheeks and looked away, trying to hide her surprise at Troi's forwardness. It took too many embarrassing seconds before she'd calmed down. Unceremoniously swiping her sleeve across her mouth she met Troi's eyes. "What?"

Deanna smiled sweetly at her, providing a new visual to go with the 'wolf in sheep's clothing' expression. "Anything you want to know, just ask."

Now it was Crusher's turn to smile. Her friend was expecting her to back off, she could tell. She wouldn't back down that easily though. "Anything?"

"Anything." The raven haired counselor confirmed.

Rising to the unspoken challenge Beverly licked her lips and leaned in a little closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Where did you…?"

"Fuck?" Deanna finished helpfully, whispering the word she herself had swallowed. "There was an amazing place at the foot of the falls, secluded enough and with the sun warming the water that streamed over huge, smooth rocks."

"Sounds lovely. So tell me about Will." She winked at her friend. As a doctor she'd seen Riker nude several times yet she found herself curious to hear how Deanna would describe him.

"He's…strong." She could almost see Troi's eyes darken with the memories, the softly accented voice taking on a husky tone that sent a thrill through her own body. "And broad. And he has a hairy chest."

Beverly guffawed when Deanna wrinkled her nose in what only could be described as distaste. "You don't like that?" she questioned, trying to hold back a chuckle.

Troi ducked her head and smiled, amused with herself it seemed. "I do actually, it feels nice and coarse. Just when I think about it it seems so…"

"Disgusting?"

"Alien," the counselor corrected, "Betazoids just don't have hair on their bodies, only on their heads. In spite of being half human it's the same for me." A curious expression crossed her face. "Some times I wonder what it would be to have pubic hair. Will's is so cute and curly."

Startled, Beverly stared at her friend, suddenly wondering what she'd gotten herself into. Deanna hadn't told her anything new, and yet the way she'd said it, with that voice, created very different images than medical texts and examinations. Self-consciously Crusher crossed her legs and fought to keep from blushing. "Be glad," she blurted before she could catch herself, "it's hell to trim. But we were talking about Will, what does he do to you?"

Their eyes locked. She could see Deanna's black irises move as if she was literally reading her. Quickly she thought of Ferengi. Ferengi in the shower, singing. Two singing Ferengi in the shower. Her mind recoiled from the thought and to her relief Deanna looked away.

"He likes to nibble." Troi confessed. "On my ears, my lips, my neck and he's good at it too." Beverly tried to get the Ferengi out of the shower, enjoying the expression that was settling on her companion's lovely face. "Especially my breasts." Deanna chuckled. "He's such a breast man." And the Ferengi were out, replaced by someone far more familiar.

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me." Unbidden her eyes fell down to the slanted neckline of Troi's dress.

"Hmmm, he does like to ogle. Not that I mind, it's flattering. He has amazing hands, rough and tender at the same time. And very skilled. He knows just how to caress and tease. I love it when he kisses me while putting his hands to good use."

Inhaling deeply Beverly smiled back at her friend, drinking in the glow that settled on her face. "I know what you mean. Jack was never good at multitasking, except in the bedroom." She surprised herself by bringing up her deceased husband so easily.

Deanna reached out to her and put a hand on top of hers, squeezing in support and withdrew almost instantly. Beverly let her gaze linger on her hand, the warmth of Troi's touch still burning her skin when Deanna picked up their conversation. "Will likes to tickle my stomach when he's on his way down."

"Are you ticklish?"

"Not at all," Troi denied sarcastically, "are you?"

"Only in some places."

"Where?"

Beverly hesitated, not sure if she liked the intent in the counselor's eyes. "You know, the usual; my armpits, the undersides of my feet." She waited for Deanna to reply, but the Betazoid seemed quite happy to let the silence between them drag on. "The underside of my breasts and the inside of my thighs too." She added nervously, just to break the silence.

Deanna stood up, for a second looking down at her, her black eyes alight with laughter. "I'll remember that. I have an appointment in a few minutes, I'll see you tomorrow to go through the reports."

"Goodnight." Numbly she watched Troi walk out of Ten Forward, unsure if she'd heard her friend correctly and wondering if Deanna's walk had always been that alluring.