"That's my sister Elaine when she married my best friend Tony." There was a catch in his voice when he said that. Rosemary knew why; she had "seen" him at the graves of Elaine, Anthony, and Baby Girl Antonelli. To change the mood, she wandered over to the bookshelf while he carried the bags of groceries into the spotless (naturally) kitchen. The videos pleasantly surprised her. There were a number of Star Trek videos, most of which were also her favorite episodes. Most surprising were three Disney videos: Fantasia, Alice in Wonderland, and Sleeping Beauty. Among the law books were some Star Trek paperbacks and a few hardcover Star Trek novels. Her favorite, Imzadi, was there. Another shelf held CD's, mostly classical, but a few others: Sinatra, Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles.

"So you're a Trekker?" she asked. "I love Star Trek."

"I got into it when I was in college. I liked the fact that it showed the human race actually improving and becoming more tolerant and accepting. I did rather think that Picard was something of an arrogant jerk, though. I kept hoping that he'd do something to lose the Enterprise & Riker would take over. But, as you know, it never happened."

"Riker was your favorite?" He nodded. "Mine was Deanna Troi." The significance of that hit both of them and they both blushed just a little. "We'd better get started on dinner now."

"Just what do you mean – we?" he joked, as he headed for the kitchen. He went right to work, washing the lettuce and tomatoes. She heated the broiler and prepared to trim some fat from the steaks before cooking them.

"Be sure to tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces. I hate big chunks of lettuce in a salad!"

"Don't worry, I do too!" He started humming Once Upon a Dream again while he worked on the lettuce. She picked up a steak knife and, suddenly, dropped it with a clatter. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" He put down the lettuce and took her hand. "Did you cut yourself?"

"I'm all right," she lied. She wasn't all right, but she hadn't cut herself. Rosemary had suddenly "seen" herself in this kitchen cutting Lindsey's steak into bite-sized pieces before she brought it out to him in the dining room. She was cutting it for him because. . .she shook her head to make the vision dissipate: Lindsey, a look of hurt and humiliation on his face, watching her cut his meat for him because he couldn't hold both a knife and a fork at the same time any more. His right hand. . .she quickly turned away and tried to compose herself.

A realization came over her. No matter what, she would never let anyone hurt him if she could possibly help it. And anyone who did had better watch out for her!!! Raging through her were strong maternal feelings, like a mother bear for her cubs. She shook her head and turned back to the steak.

Dinner was delicious, but neither of them ate much. They were too busy talking and looking into each other's eyes. Words poured out of him like water out of the floodgates of a dam. All of the pain, the humiliation, and the anger of his childhood came spilling out of his soul. My God, Rosemary thought, he has been so very badly hurt. However, the worst of it stayed inside, but she, with her "sight," knew. The deaths of the twins to flu, as he held little Guinevere in his arms while Elaine cradled Lancelot, their mother on her sickbed weeping unconsolably . Two days later, Mary Margaret Lindsey McDonald gave up the ghost. He was 10, Elaine just 9.

Ten years later, his beautiful, sweet, deeply religious sister Elaine died in childbirth, having produced a stillborn daughter. Tony, her grieving husband, smashed his car into a tree just a week later; Lindsey wasn't sure if it had been deliberate or if Tony were just so blinded by tears that he lost control. Tony had been not only his best friend but his only real friend. Placing her hand on top of his, Rosemary found that she was weeping. How much she loved him!

Standing, Lindsey walked over to the other side of the table & raised her gently to her feet. He stroked her cheek with his finger, brushing her tears away. Again he placed a soft, gentle kiss on her lips, one so soft she could scarcely feel it, but one that lingered. He kissed her again and again. She found herself responding. They stood just kissing for a very long time.

"Rosemary?" he asked so very quietly she could barely hear him. Her heart was in her throat.

"Of course, Imzadi." Her reply was as soft as his. Lifting her as carefully as if she were made of Waterford crystal, he carried her into the bedroom. For the first time in his life, Lindsey McDonald made love; every time before, it had been just having sex.

As the two of them became one, the significance of her words struck him. He knew from the novel that both of them had read and enjoyed, Imzadi has two meanings. One is "Beloved;" the other is "The First." "You're a virgin!"

Rosemary smiled. "I think ‘were' is the operative word now. I told you I was waiting for you."

"I wish I had waited for you, too."

Gently, she laid her finger on his lips. "Don't you remember? Deanna told Riker that she was his Imzadi too because she was the first he really loved."

"Promise me something? Please?"

"Anything."

"Promise me you'll never leave me, no matter what. No matter what!" He suddenly remembered his new client, Russell Winters. Rosemary would never be able to understand how he could represent someone –some creature—like that. He could tell just by looking at her and the gold crucifix she wore on a chain around her neck. She couldn't know about Wolfram & Hart. He couldn't let her find out and take the chance of losing her.

Laying her hand on his cheek, she kissed him. "I'll be with you forever. Even death can't part us. We are Imzadi."   Softly she began humming a melody that he recognized as "One Hand, One Heart" from West Side Story. He began to kiss her again; again she kissed him back.

"When I was in college, the guys all called me The Tin Man because they said I had no heart. To be honest, I thought they were right. I lost part of it when Mom & the twins died and the rest when Elaine and Tony died. I thought I'd never love anyone again, that I wasn't capable of loving. But I was wrong. I love you, Rosemary. I'll always love you, my Imzadi." He held her close to him, feeling her heart beat against his chest. Then the embers of their previous passion began to blaze into flame again.

Finally, as they lay in each others arms, feeling the first true happiness either of them had ever known, the room started to grow light. Giving her one of his shirts to wear, he pulled on a robe. Their arms around each other's waists, the two lovers went out onto his small balcony to watch the sun rise.