Brothers, Love and Jealousy

This is a story of Will and Tom before the wedding in Nemisis. Deanna will make an appearance or two, but most of it's Will and Tom.

Tom sat in the visitors quarters fuming. He was always second and never first. Oh, at one time he may have been first, but that was before the incident that made two William T. Rikers.

Will was first to be Lieutenant Commander, first to be Commander and first officer and now, first to be captain. He was even first to get married.

Tom paced back and forth in his quarters. He felt it was not fair Will got Deanna he did not. After all, who was her true Imzadi. Him or Will.

The years past and after the split, it was obvious Tom was not. The years past and he had lost. Lost his Imzadi, lost at love, lost at command. Lost at everything.

His anger and jealousy rose when he looked at the time. Will was suppose to meet him to play a game of Fareeses Squares, but he was now thirty minutes late.

"Computer!" Tom commanded it's attention. "Location of Commander, Captain William T. Riker?"

~Captain William T. Riker is in Ten-Forward.~ The computer replied.

"Figures!"

Tom stormed out of his quarters and went to Ten-Forward. When he arrived he saw what he had guessed. He was with her. Chatting happily away and not giving a care to the time or anything else for that matter.

"Figures you'd be here." Tom growled out. "You're always with her! Every single day, the same thing!"

"Tom, I'm not sure what this is all about, but if you came here to pick an argument, I'm really not in the mood for one." Will stated.

"Will." Deanna said. "I really think you should talk with him."

"What?" Tom said angrily. "Your finely tuned Betazoid sense tell you that or your years in counseling?"

"Actually," Deanna began. "Your body language and tone of voice, but if you want to know what I sense."

"No, I don't!" Tom interrupted. "I already know how I feel. I don't need you to tell me."

Deanna touched Will's arm lovingly. "Will, maybe you should take some time to work out what's going on between you and your brother."

"I had promised him I would play him a game of Faresees Squares." Will conceeded.

"And you're late!"

"We can go now if you like." Will suggested. "That is."

"No, it's fine." Deanna stated. "Go."

"Too late." Tom said. "I'd rather play you a game of anbo-jytsu, now."

Will got the message. It was a game all Riker men played when they had a beef to work out. "I'll be dressed and there in thirty minutes."

"No!" Said Tom. "Fifteen minutes!"

Will was taken aback a bit, but agreed. Tom departed to get ready for the battle.

"Will, I really hate it when you Riker men play that game."

"Well, I wouldn't call it play as I would working out some differences."

Deanna nodded. "I know, but still."

Will kissed Deanna as he prepared to leave. "I'll be back."

"If you're not in SickBay first."

"I'll be fine." Will insisted. "Tom just needs to work some things out."

"Yes, he does, but I'm not sure..."

"Deanna." He interrupted gently. "We'll work it out."

Will left to prepare for the match, leaving Deanna behind worrying about the two of them. She knew they had their differences, but now she especially worried. Not just because of the fact they were playing anbo-jytsu, but because Tom felt left out and alone. He just could not move on with his life and find someone he could call Imzadi, but that was the problem. At one time when they were not separated, there was no question, but now, jealously raged in one of the William Thomas Rikers.

Tom paced back and forth in the gym waiting for Will to arrive. Will did, as planned.

As he walked through the doors, Tom verbally attacked him. "You always win and come out first, don't you?"

"What?"

"You're first at everything!" Tom accused. "Well, not this time!"

"Tom." Will sighed out.

"Get ready to get your ass kicked!"

As Tom assumed position to begin, Will pulled down his visor and ready his jytsu staff. Tom flung his at Will and Will blocked it.

They fought for a few minutes, then took a brief pause. Tom raised his visor. "You're first born, according to Star Fleet, You're first son to dad, First at command, You're first at everything."

"So you say, but you were first to go over to the Marquis."

"One score for Thomas Riker." Tom said sarcastically and then pulled his sheild down, again.

They battled it out some more in the gym. Clubs hitting together and bodies falling to the floor only to roll away from an eventual blow.

Another pause in the game as Will raised his visor. "So, you're jealous because I'm always first?"

"Yes and no." Tom stated flatly. "I haven't seen much of you since I came here to attend your wedding. All you do is spend all your off duty hours with her. You said you were going to play a game of Faresees Squares with your brother, but I guess, like everything else you forgot."

"Deanna is my fiancee." Will defended. "We like to spend time together."

"Yes, but to the point you forget about everyone else?"

"Oh, so you're upset because I have been late to take time out for my brother?"

"Again, yes and no."

"Tom, will you just come out and say it."

Tom's reply was to flip his visor back down over his face. Will quickly did the same and quickly blocked Tom's blow to his body. They continued to fight it out for quite a while. Tom seemed unrelenting with his blows and Will continued to dodge them with only a few making contact.

Meanwhile, Beverly entered Ten-Forward and spied Deanna in the corner looking forelornly. She ordered her drinked at the bar, then approached Deanna's table.

"May I have a seat?"

"Yes, I need some company right now."

Beverly heard a note of sadness in Deanna's voice. "OK. Tell me what's going on."

"It seems Tom is jealous that Will is getting married and he's not."

"Maybe he just needs someone in his life." Beverly suggested.

Deanna shook her head. "It's more than that."

"What more could it be?"

"They're twins." Deanna said. "Well, sort of, but how they became twins doesn't make any difference. The fact is, ever since Tom was found he's taken second chair to Will just like any other twin who is the youngest. Almost to the point he doesn't exist."

Beverly nodded. "I can see your point. Two different people, but they are treated as the same person."

Deanna nodded. "And do you know what they are doing right now?"

Beverly shook her head no.

"Be ready for some Riker casualities." Deanna informed. "They're in the gym playing anbo-jytsu."

Beverly gasped. Then she gathered her thoughts and reassured Deanna. "Well, Will's been in combat before, he should be OK."

"That's not what I'm worried about."

Beverly raised an eyebrow. "Then what is it?"

"I want them to get along and not fight, just because I'm marrying Will." Deanna said. "I don't want our marriage to cause conflict between them."

Beverly sighed. "Maybe all Tom needs is a little time to spend with his brother. Maybe he's feeling like the person who knows him best is completely abandoning him also."

"Beverly, I think you're right." Deanna said, as if a light went off in her head. "Maybe that's all that's needed. Maybe all Tom needs is for Will to set a specific time for him. It's worth suggesting to Will."

Beverly shrugged one shoulder. "Couldn't hurt." Then she took a sip of her drink.

Back in the gym, the two men continued to duke it out. Until finally, Tom whipped the jytsu staff under Will's legs and caused him to go falling to the floor.

Will raised his shield from his face. "That was a violation!"

"Oh, what?" Tom asked angrily. "You never saw Dad do that?"

"Yes, and I got upset with him for doing it, too." Will said. "I just never thought you'd stoop so low."

"Well, I was a Marquis." Tom replied dryly. "Marquis will try anything to win a battle."

Will stood. "This is has nothing to do with the Marquis or Dad. It's because you can't handle the fact someone is in my life and not your's, isn't it?"

"As I said, you are always first to do things." Tom said. "But it's more than that."

"Yes, I know." Will affirmed. "This is Deanna. It's always more than that."

"You got the girl." Tom said curtly. "I didn't."

"Why do I feel there's more."

"Because you're the only family member who's still speaking to me." Tom said. "Dad is always away somewhere and hasn't spoken to me since I did time for joining the Marquis."

Will readjusted his stance, then grimanced with pain. He felt his ankle had been injuried by the last blow. He placed his weight back on his other ankle again.

"So, you're feeling left out of the loop." Will said. "Angry because the family member you're closest to is too busy to even talk to you."

"Something like that."

Will threw his anbo-jytsu staff down to the floor. "Admit it, Tom. You're feeling left behind and lonely right now."

"OK, I admit it! You happy now!"

"No."

Tom looked at him questioningly.

"My ankle is hurt and I need a little help walking to Sickbay."

Tom almost laughed, but then stopped himself. "I'm sorry. Let me help you."

Will allowed Tom to assist him to Sickbay. As they walked to Sickbay, Will said, "Well, you wanted to spend quality time with your brother. Is this quality time enough for you?"

"More than enough."

As luck would have it, Beverly and Deanna were both now in Sickbay. The doors slid openned and the guys looked up and saw them. Both had a look of worried-surprise on their faces.

"I thought you were off duty?" Will asked as though he knew he was in trouble.

"Will Riker!" Deanna scolded. "You said you would be alright!"

"She sensed you getting hurt."

"Thanks, Beverly for the information." Will said sarcastically.

"You bet I did." Deanna informed with frustration in her voice.

"Get on the exam table and let me check you out. I'll see what I can do for you, Will." Beverly said tiredly. "I do hope us doctors don't have to keep repairing the injuries you Riker men inflict on each other."

"What? We can't have a little fun?" Tom joked.

"You call a broken ankle fun?" Will replied.

"It's not broken." Beverly informed. "Just well bruised. I'll get the regenerator and you'll be as good as new."

"You, Tom Riker!" Deanna now began to scold him. "You need to talk things out more instead of banging sticks around with family members!"

"Um, Deanna." Tom said.

"What?"

"They're not called sticks."

"Well, they look like it. Sticks with cushioning on each end or is it padding?"

Tom gently touched her shoulder as he held back a laugh. "Call them what you want. I think I'll go back to my quarters now."

Tom left without hearing another word from Deanna.

Deanna crossed her arms and looked at Will. "Hey, I told you I'd be alright. Even the doctor said it's just bruising."

"I know." Deanna said. "I was just talking to Beverly about Tom. Have you thought about setting aside some time specifically for him. It could help."

"I was thinking about that." Will said. "That and we need to help Tom find someone. Any ideas who?"

Deanna looked at Will briefly. "That is an idea, but I don't know if we should be playing match maker."

"It can't hurt." Will said as Beverly approached him with the regenerator. "Ouch! Can you squeeze my ankle a little harder?"

"Sorry, Will."

"It's OK." Then he turned back to Deanna. "Any ideas?"

"Well, there's my cousin on Betazed." Deanna informed. "But, if he's not interested in full telepaths, there's always my human cousins."

"Well, figure something out." Will said.

"Deanna." Beverly addressed as she finished with Will's ankle. "Is your mother still in the Phase?"

"OH, NO!" Deanna and Will exclaimed at the same time. Deanna backed out of Sickbay, just as Will jumped off the exam table. They both made a quick exit, leaving Beverly alone in Sickbay.

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