"All the Way"

By Noelle Morrow

This just a short vignette written directly after I saw "Image in the Sand," (which was amazing!) and is based on the song sung by Vic Fontaine.

Standard disclaimers and all that jazz. Paramount owns Star Trek, I own "All the Way." (The story, not the song.)

~~~~

Worf left the Defiant's engine room and headed home. It was all he could do not to "bounce" when he walked. When he and Jadzia married, they promised never to take one another for granted, and to cherish every moment together. They'd celebrated every monthly anniversary as if it were a year. Today, marking six months of marriage, Worf agreed to let her choose what they would do to celebrate. Jadzia, of course, decided that it would be a surprise.

"Dax…" Worf said as he entered their quarters. It was dark, but not totally dark. Candle light danced across the walls, "Jadzia…"

"Shhh," her heard a soft voice, but he didn't know where it was coming from.

"Where are you?" Worf stepped away from the door and it closed behind him.

Jadzia stepped out of the bedroom, "Didn't I tell you to be quiet?"

Worf squinted his eyes. The candles barely gave enough light for him to really see her. She wasn't in her uniform, instead she wore a long flowing gown, white with thin straps. It ca

me all the way to her ankles, and her slender feet were bare.

"I thought we'd so something different this evening, something besides a holosuite or dinner on the promenade.

He was hesitant to speak, Dax had taken his breath away, "What did you have in mind?"

Jadzia moved towards the center of the room, where she'd arranged several large pillows. She sat, "Come sit with me." Worf obeyed. Once he'd sat, Jadzia took off his uniform jacket. Her hands stroked his large, strong arms, "I just want to spend time with you, that's all. It isn't often that we get to share moments like this… I do realize that candlelight and romance may not be very Klingon, but--"

"Ah, now that shows you do not know as much about my people as you like to think. Klingons can be very romantic."

"In a bone- breaking sort of way."

Worf laughed, "Which reminds me, I haven't sent you to the infirmary in quite some time. I think I'm becoming too tame."

She laughed with him, "I think I like you tame."

Worf hesitated, then stood, "I have something for you…"

"What is it?"

He disappeared into their bedroom, and returned with a padd. Slowly, almost nervously, the tall Klingon returned to the floor with her, "A few nights ago, as you slept, I stayed awake watching you. That is something I do quite often actually, but, that particular night I picked up a padd and just started writing. I thought about giving it to you, but I could not."

"Why?" she whispered.

Worf shook his head and lowered his eyes in embarrassment, "You know that it is not, easy for me to show my innermost feelings."

"Not even to me?"

"Of course to you, you are my wife. That is why I am giving you this now. It seems like an appropriate time."

Worf handed her the padd, but she pushed it back, "Read it to me."

"Oh no, no, I cannot. You read it. To yourself, not aloud."

Jadzia smiled, "I can't believe you're being shy!"

"I am not shy!" Worf exclaimed, "I would just feel more comfortable if you read it to yourself."

"You know, Worf, I don't get to see the Klingon passion that I know is in there as much as I would like. Please, it would mean so much to me if I could hear your words coming from you."

Klingon passion. Worf liked that phrase, "Very well, I will show you my Klingon passion; my passion for you."

Jadzia was blushing already, and he hadn't even begun to read.

Worf's voice was a deep low rumble, like an earthquake brimming under the ground, or a volcano about to erupt, "As I watch you peacefully sleep, I marvel at your splendor. You are the embodiment of beauty, my lovely Jadzia. I will never grow tired of gazing into your crystal blue eyes; eyes as deep and enchanting as an endless ocean. They stare into my soul and unlock my love for you. I am mesmerized by the unending trail of your markings; I have memorized every one of the dark mottled spots against your ivory skin. Yet describing your beauty alone does not due you justice,"

Worf paused and looked up at her. She was spellbound. A look of adoration filled her face as she gazed at him. He continued, "Your power and your strength, physical and mental, are what drew me to you, and are what will keep me loving you forever. You have a charm that makes every man love you and every woman envy you. How fortunate am I to be the one to share your love! I could spend eternity describing you, my parmachai, but all I will say is this. You are the embodiment of beauty, my lovely Jadzia."

She was speechless. Jadzia said nothing, but her face was still awestruck.

"What did you think?"

"What did I think!!! I don't know what to say, Worf. I have always known you love me, that has never been in question. But to know you think so highly of me, I don't know if I deserve it…"

"You deserve more than these meager words. You deserve everything. You and no one else. We may have out differences at times, but, there is no one else who I would want at my side. No one."

She kissed him, "I have something for you too. I must say, it isn't nearly as impressive as what you wrote, nothing could compare to that. I heard it when I was in the holosuite the other day, and I instantly thought of you. I had Vic sing it over and over until I'd memorized it and was singing it with him. I know it isn't Klingon Opera--"

"That does not matter. I wish to hear."

That made her smile, "Computer, play selection form Vic Fontaine holosuite program, "All the Way."

The music began to play, and she took his hand, "Dance with me."

Though he was more of a "swayer" than a dancer, Worf did not object. They stood and as Worf took her in his arms, Vic's velvet voice filled room:

When somebody loves you, it's not good unless he loves you,
All the Way.
Happy to be near you, when you need someone to cheer you,
All the Way.
Taller than the tallest tree is, that's how it's got to feel.
Deeper than the deep blue see is, that's how deep it goes, if it's real.
When somebody needs you, it's no good unless he needs you,
All the Way.
Through the good or lean years, and for all the in- between years,
Come what may.
Who knows where the road will lead us, only a fool would say.
But if you'll let me love you, it's for sure I'm gonna love you,
All the Way.

The music faded away, and the couple held one another's gaze, "I love you, Jadzia, never forget that, never doubt that. Never." Worf said to her quietly.

"I love you too, Worf. All the way."

He smiled, "Computer, replay selection."

~finis

(October 9, 1998) 1