Karissa awoke in her bed with the sensation of an arm around her naked waist. In her half-asleep mind, for a moment, she thought it was Ryan . . . almost willing herself to go back to sleep to keep that moment alive just a little longer. But her memories from the last 48 hours began filtering in to the forefront of her mind . . . The passion . . . The holodeck . . . Her quarters . . .
Her eyes opened. As she rolled over, trying to make as little movement as possible, she saw Will. She gazed at him. Her feelings conflicted. It felt good to have someone beside her as she woke up . . . someone she cared about. But she didn't love Will the way she loved Ryan and it pulled at her heart. She sighed, not knowing what to do, or how to feel. But she did sense that her actions were finally her own. The virus was gone . . . Her heat was over.
On impulse, she reached over to Will and brushed some of his hair away from his face. It was an act of intimacy . . . closeness . . . As her fingers brushed through is hair gently, his eyes opened. He looked at her as she pulled her hand away slowly. The sleep cleared from his brown eyes as his memories set in.
"Good morning," she said softly, her own brown eyes gazing at him.
Tenderly, he reached over and caressed her face. "You are so beautiful, Karissa . . ." He leaned toward her and kissed her.
She responded to him, as if it were completely natural. Had these last 48 hours bred that intimacy between them, she wondered? Or had it been there since the first night they had shared? Yet there was a pull at her heart. As the kiss ended, he looked into her eyes and he could see the conflict.
"Where do you and I stand in all of this?" he asked softly, running his hand through her hair.
She shook her head as she continued to gaze at him. "I don't know . . ." she looked away, tears misting her eyes. "I still love him . . . he's still with me . . ."
Gently, he touched her chin and turned her head to look into her eyes. "I'm not asking you not to love him, Karissa . . . But I am asking for you to start living again . . . And perhaps see if there is some place for me in your life . . ." he replied.
A tear trickled from her eyes. "You don't know what you're asking . . ."
He gently caressed the tear away. "I think I do . . . Remember, I saw your program . . . I know what you've done . . . But that isn't Ryan, Karissa. It's just a memory of him you've created . . ."
"I know," she said softly. "But when I'm there . . . I can forget for awhile . . I can forget what happened . . ." A sobbed wracked her body and he pulled her close.
"Give me a chance to make you look forward," he said, as he lifted her face to him. "Instead of looking back . . ." With that he kissed her tenderly. His fingers tangling in her hair.
She responded to him, as if needing his touch . . . convincing her that she was indeed alive. "You want to bring me to life?" she whispered as the kiss ended. The fear and uncertainty showed in her eyes.
"I want to try," he said, as he kissed her again, slowly moving his hand over her body. "Will you let me try, Karissa?" He asked.
"I can't make any promises . . ." She replied a she felt him caress her breast. She took a breath in. "You can't expect miracles . . ." She moaned again.
"I won't ," he assured her as he continued to make her moan. "But I do expect to ease your pain . . . and to bring you pleasure . . ." With that, he kissed her again as he rolled her onto her back.
She lost herself to his touch and his kiss . . . He was warm and alive . . . She could feel his love . . . She loved him . . . It wasn't the same as Ryan, but she knew she did . . . She would have to see what tomorrow would bring. Slowly, yet passionately, they made love . . . No heat, no virus . . Just them . . .