Troi/Pulaski - Tarot Card Challenge - #10 - #15
Title: Taking Chances
Prompt: #10 The Wheel of Fortune
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 111
'Will invited me to poker tonight,' Kate mentioned, as they compared patient notes in Deanna's office one afternoon.
'That's nice! He's decided you're one of us now, then.'
'I wonder if he'd feel the same way if he knew we were sleeping together?'
Deanna shrugged. 'It doesn't matter. Will and I... well, I love him, but it's not as though he has a claim on me. You don't have to get his permission or anything.'
'He won't slug me?'
'You won't know until you try...'
So when Kate cleaned up at poker that night, she gave Deanna a celebratory kiss. Will didn't say anything. Kate didn't breathe a sigh of relief, but it was a close thing.
Title: Borrowing Strength
Prompt: #11 Strength
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 94
Mostly it wasn't exactly a deep relationship. Not to say that it was superficial - but it was easy. Uncomplicated. They liked one another a lot, they saw one another all the time, but they made no demands, expected no professions of affection.
But just occasionally, at the end of a long day - when the news to impart had been bad, or a patient had made no progress - it was good to have someone there to hold as they sighed out their woes. It was nice to borrow someone's strength for a while.
Title: Letting Go of Control
Prompt: #12 The Hanged Man
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: M
Word count: 107
Not for the first time, Kate had been raging about Starfleet bureacracy, the ship's missions getting in the way of her research, emergencies disrupting the care in her sickbay.
'What you need,' said Deanna, when there came a pause, 'is to realise that you can't control every situation.'
'Why the hell not?'
Deanna smiled calmly. 'Kate Pulaski does not run the universe. Sometimes it's better for other people to be in charge.'
'Like who?'
'Like Deanna Troi.'
'Ohhhh.'
Kate hadn't quite figured Deanna for that sort of woman, but ten minutes later, tied to the bedposts with silk scarves, she had to admit that she felt a lot better about not being in control.
Title: Approaching the End
Prompt: #13 Death
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 118
'I was so sure I was going to die,' Kate said, over coffee in Ten Forward the day after they had left Darwin Station. 'I mean, not even sure like you are when you get shot - sure like I could feel everything slowing down. Ending. There was nothing left.'
Deanna squeezed her hand. 'That's a scary feeling. But you're all right now. You beat it. You're not slowing down.'
'I will, though, one day.'
'But not today,' Deanna smiled. 'Everything ends, Kate. It's the part before the ending that's important. Now that you know what's coming, you can make the most of what you have.'
Kate grinned then, and raised her glass. 'Here's to making the most of what we have.'
Title: Joining Forces
Prompt: #14 Temperance
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 195
A quiet day, the travelling phase of a long-range mission. Deanna and Kate sat on the bridge, on either side of the captain.
‘Sunshine is good for you, captain,’ Kate offered. ‘It’s scientifically proven.’
He harrumphed. ‘It’s not real sunshine, it’s holographic.’
Deanna jumped in. ‘Several studies have concluded that things experienced on the holodeck are processed by the brain as though they were real. So holographic sunshine is good for you too.’
‘Then I will go and sit in some holographic sunshine by myself, at a time of my own choosing.’
‘Don’t you like beach parties, captain?’ Kate asked teasingly.
‘Will’s going to barbecue,’ added Deanna. ‘He’d be very disappointed if you didn’t at least try something.’
‘He’ll get over it.’
Deanna looked seriously at him. ‘Captain, it’s very important for the crew to see the captain around the ship. It gives them confidence that all is well.’
‘And relaxing in social settings is good for your heart rate,’ said Kate.
‘My heart is artificial.’
‘So is the sunshine,’ said Deanna. ‘We’ll see you there, then, captain?’
And, as one, she and Kate got up and left the bridge, leaving no room for argument. Captain Picard sighed. When they worked together there was no stopping them.
Title: Temptation and Vice
Prompt: #15 The Devil
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 122
Deanna was sensible. She loved chocolate - oh, did she love chocolate - but she knew that it was only an occasional, comforting treat. It wasn't as though she ate it all day.
Still, sometimes her job was stressful, demanding, and she couldn't quite manage to wait until the day was over. So, while she checked over her notes between patients, she would order a small hot chocolate, or a little slice of cake, and make it the centre of her universe for just long enough to give her a kick for the rest of the day.
Which was fine, really, except for the times when the chocolate was not chocolate, but a hurried liaison with Kate. That was probably a bit less sensible.
Prompt: #10 The Wheel of Fortune
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 111
'Will invited me to poker tonight,' Kate mentioned, as they compared patient notes in Deanna's office one afternoon.
'That's nice! He's decided you're one of us now, then.'
'I wonder if he'd feel the same way if he knew we were sleeping together?'
Deanna shrugged. 'It doesn't matter. Will and I... well, I love him, but it's not as though he has a claim on me. You don't have to get his permission or anything.'
'He won't slug me?'
'You won't know until you try...'
So when Kate cleaned up at poker that night, she gave Deanna a celebratory kiss. Will didn't say anything. Kate didn't breathe a sigh of relief, but it was a close thing.
Title: Borrowing Strength
Prompt: #11 Strength
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 94
Mostly it wasn't exactly a deep relationship. Not to say that it was superficial - but it was easy. Uncomplicated. They liked one another a lot, they saw one another all the time, but they made no demands, expected no professions of affection.
But just occasionally, at the end of a long day - when the news to impart had been bad, or a patient had made no progress - it was good to have someone there to hold as they sighed out their woes. It was nice to borrow someone's strength for a while.
Title: Letting Go of Control
Prompt: #12 The Hanged Man
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: M
Word count: 107
Not for the first time, Kate had been raging about Starfleet bureacracy, the ship's missions getting in the way of her research, emergencies disrupting the care in her sickbay.
'What you need,' said Deanna, when there came a pause, 'is to realise that you can't control every situation.'
'Why the hell not?'
Deanna smiled calmly. 'Kate Pulaski does not run the universe. Sometimes it's better for other people to be in charge.'
'Like who?'
'Like Deanna Troi.'
'Ohhhh.'
Kate hadn't quite figured Deanna for that sort of woman, but ten minutes later, tied to the bedposts with silk scarves, she had to admit that she felt a lot better about not being in control.
Title: Approaching the End
Prompt: #13 Death
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 118
'I was so sure I was going to die,' Kate said, over coffee in Ten Forward the day after they had left Darwin Station. 'I mean, not even sure like you are when you get shot - sure like I could feel everything slowing down. Ending. There was nothing left.'
Deanna squeezed her hand. 'That's a scary feeling. But you're all right now. You beat it. You're not slowing down.'
'I will, though, one day.'
'But not today,' Deanna smiled. 'Everything ends, Kate. It's the part before the ending that's important. Now that you know what's coming, you can make the most of what you have.'
Kate grinned then, and raised her glass. 'Here's to making the most of what we have.'
Title: Joining Forces
Prompt: #14 Temperance
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 195
A quiet day, the travelling phase of a long-range mission. Deanna and Kate sat on the bridge, on either side of the captain.
‘Sunshine is good for you, captain,’ Kate offered. ‘It’s scientifically proven.’
He harrumphed. ‘It’s not real sunshine, it’s holographic.’
Deanna jumped in. ‘Several studies have concluded that things experienced on the holodeck are processed by the brain as though they were real. So holographic sunshine is good for you too.’
‘Then I will go and sit in some holographic sunshine by myself, at a time of my own choosing.’
‘Don’t you like beach parties, captain?’ Kate asked teasingly.
‘Will’s going to barbecue,’ added Deanna. ‘He’d be very disappointed if you didn’t at least try something.’
‘He’ll get over it.’
Deanna looked seriously at him. ‘Captain, it’s very important for the crew to see the captain around the ship. It gives them confidence that all is well.’
‘And relaxing in social settings is good for your heart rate,’ said Kate.
‘My heart is artificial.’
‘So is the sunshine,’ said Deanna. ‘We’ll see you there, then, captain?’
And, as one, she and Kate got up and left the bridge, leaving no room for argument. Captain Picard sighed. When they worked together there was no stopping them.
Title: Temptation and Vice
Prompt: #15 The Devil
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Character(s)/pairing(s): Deanna Troi/Kate Pulaski
Rating: G
Word count: 122
Deanna was sensible. She loved chocolate - oh, did she love chocolate - but she knew that it was only an occasional, comforting treat. It wasn't as though she ate it all day.
Still, sometimes her job was stressful, demanding, and she couldn't quite manage to wait until the day was over. So, while she checked over her notes between patients, she would order a small hot chocolate, or a little slice of cake, and make it the centre of her universe for just long enough to give her a kick for the rest of the day.
Which was fine, really, except for the times when the chocolate was not chocolate, but a hurried liaison with Kate. That was probably a bit less sensible.