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By: The Bevster
Beverly Crusher is switched with her alternate in the universe depicted in Dark Mirror. Don't ask me how, I don't do technical, but she's there and the Dark Mirror alternate is on the Enterprise D we know and love. It's basically a companion piece to Sylvia's Beverly's Mirror which details the Beverly we know experiences in that dark universe. This one describes her dark alternate's experience in "our" universe as well as what happens after the good Beverly's return. It would help some to read her story first, but is not absolutely necessary I suppose.
NC-17 WARNING: EXPLICIT SEX IS INVOLVED IN THIS STORY. It's also a P/C story and there's nothing technical and no battles involved.
Standard Disclaimer: Paramount owns the zoo, I just shuffle the animals to different cages.
She looked out the door of her office trying to decide if anyone might have noticed her uncharacteristic nap. 'Better snap out of it Crusher! Serious damage could be done while you're snoozing away in your chair...AND with the door open!' She shook herself and decided it would be best to end her shift a few minutes early before someone noticed her confusion and disorientation and took advantage of the situation.
As she hurriedly walked down the corridor the doctor barely registered the lighter tones of the walls and carpet. She did, however, manage to notice that almost NONE of the crew she passed were carrying weapons, except people who looked like they were actually security, but who could tell? At least no weapons she could SEE. Their uniforms were different as well and several people had actually SMILED at her; some even greeting her in an openly friendly manner!
Beverly couldn't decide what to make of this odd behavior. Normally, most of the crew gave her a wide berth (with good reason!) and would go to extraordinary lengths to avoid both Dr. Crusher and sickbay. Something wasn't right here. Hell, NOTHING seemed to be right here!
It made her gut tighten trying to figure out what the punch line might be to this very bizarre joke. Could she have angered Picard enough to warrant a revenge this devious and odd? The disturbed red head didn't believe so, but one could never tell with him. He'd managed to become captain of the Empire's flag ship through his ability to prey on those weaker than himself and use those weaknesses to his greatest advantage. He'd managed to kill her husband, subjugate and terrify her son to the point of Wesley's reckless attempt to KILL Picard and made Beverly so dependent that she didn't stray far outside the bounds Picard set for her.
The CMO knew most of the crew despised and feared her as much as the captain, but she also knew that she was no match for him OR The Counselor when it came scare tactics and carrying out threats. Picard had spent too many years dodging assassins to be bested by Dr. Beverly Crusher. She, on the other hand, had spent years trying to stay one step ahead (or at least a step out of reach) without getting any closer to him than necessary. Beverly had stored up the bitterness, hatred and resentment but buryied it deep so it didn't overwhelm her when she was with him and cause her to respond too negatively to the pain and devastation with a reckless act.
Yes, the doctor loved Jean Luc Picard once. A very long time ago. So long ago she could barely remember what it felt like to actually care about him and WANT to be with him. Then, that horrible, vicious fight when she'd accused him of being unfaithful. Beverly had known it probably wasn't true, but he'd hurt her when he callously told her that being captain of the Stargazer was the most important thing in his life. The fight had escalated from a verbal battle to a physical one when he backhanded her, knocking Dr. Crusher to the floor. Jean Luc had stormed out after that, leaving her bleeding, angry, hurt and more than a little frightened. She hadn't seen him again until after she'd met and married Jack Crusher and was pregnant with Wesley.
When Beverly DID see him again, she hadn't been prepared for his reaction. Picard's menacingly quiet words frightened her more than the physical blow he dealt her after verbally assaulting Jack.
"You will NEVER belong to ANYONE but ME. Do you understand that, Beverly," was his threat.
"You are MINE, and Jack Crusher will wish he had never been born, never met you and NEVER married you by the time I'm finished. I will have you. You should never have interfered, Jack and you will pay dearly for this mistake!" With that statement made, Jean Luc Picard turned and left her, again.
Beverly hadn't told her husband about her relationship with Picard. She hadn't thought it necessary. But, when Picard threatened the father of her child the fear clenched her heart and she BEGGED Jack not to take the assignment to the Stargazer. His wife pleaded with him to resign, but Jack wouldn't listen. Lt. Commander Crusher was adamant and wouldn't even consider resigning. He knew Picard was ambitious and ruthless, Jack Crusher wasn't stupid and the captain's threat was taken seriously. Crusher was, however, confident of his own ability to look after himself. The younger man was sure he could fend off any threat from Jean Luc Picard and possibly even turn it to his own advantage if he played his cards right. Sailing the stars was Jack's life and he wasn't going to give it up because of some threat from Picard OR his wife's hysterical tears! One's reputation could be made by standing up to and fending off people like Captain Picard.
Beverly knew if Jack left with the Stargazer he would not come back to her alive. It had taken three more years before Picard made good his threat. It didn't diminish her pain because she had known it would happen eventually, but it did finally make her understand that no matter where she went or what she did, Beverly would NEVER get away from Jean Luc Picard. He'd sealed her fate and made sure she was dependent on him after Jack's death; financially, socially and emotionally. He had taken away everything she loved, including her son now.
Wesley had been a decent, loving child until Picard got hold of him. Her son had changed until even Beverly disliked him intensely. Dr. Crusher had been forced to pretend at first to despise her son in order to protect him, but somewhere along the way she stopped actually having to make herself not care about him. Feelings for her child were buried as deeply as the CMO's former feelings for Jean Luc. It was the only way for her to survive.
All these thoughts ran quickly through Beverly's mind as she made her way to their quarters. She was also still trying to find a reason Picard might want to punish her now. The only overt challenge she'd made lately was to tease him openly. It was not a new game between them and the doctor knew she would pay for it when he grew tired of sparring with her. The payment would not, however, be high. Captain Picard always punished her for tormenting him by being a bit rougher than normal or by humiliating her in front of the senior staff, or, if she'd gone too far, by threatening her with The Counselor. She usually didn't go far enough for him to involve anyone else and the bruises and minor injuries were quickly healed by her own skilled hands. It was Beverly's only way of having ANY control over their relationship and he knew it, allowing it to follow a prescribed course because he enjoyed the payback. The Captain always made sure she knew who truly had the upper hand in their relationship.
Beverly knew he had to enjoy the game at some level or he would not allow her to play it at all. She believed he felt exhilarated when he finally punished her for the transgression. She also knew, however, the punishment could be far worse if Picard were truly angry. She had not only seen what he did to others, but had been the recipient of several severe beatings herself. Those had been many years ago and they still frightened her. Her defiance of his 'orders' was instinctive and she could not completely control her animosity when confronted with his scowling, dark demands.
When she arrived at their quarters Dr. Crusher was seriously concerned when the door sensor didn't recognize her and open. Perhaps he had found some new way of humiliating her; or, worse thought, perhaps he'd actually decided she wasn't worth the effort any longer and followed through on his threat to abandon his CMO to her own protection. As much as she detested being 'the Captain's Woman,' she knew it kept many of the crew in their place and stopped quite a few plots against her. Surely he hadn't gone that far. The doctor was absolutely positive she hadn't pushed enough to warrant THAT!
Beverly decided it would be best to proceed cautiously, ringing the door chime just in case he was waiting for her inside. She was beginning to panic.
No answer. She rang again.
Nothing.
Finally deciding he probably wasn't inside, since there were no bodyguards anywhere around and he wouldn't keep them in his quarters if he was expecting her, she punched in her medical override and breathed a sigh of relief that at least her security codes hadn't been locked out. That was something positive.
Beverly walked inside cautiously, trying to prepare herself for any assault. She jumped slightly as the doors whooshed softly closed and mentally told herself to get a grip. Dr. Crusher looked around trying to discern any change or threat. There was nothing she could see that would imply anything was amiss. When her eyes reached the wall separating the living room from the bedrooms, however, her jaw dropped. 'What the HELL?' The only door in that bulkhead was HIS bedroom door. HER door was gone. Now she KNEW there was something SERIOUSLY wrong here and started trembling.
The CMO walked toward his bedroom, not really knowing what else to do. Her mind was racing at warp 9 trying to come up with ANYTHING that made sense. Nothing did. She KNEW this was the captain's cabin, she'd seen the sign on the door that SAID 'Captain Jean Luc Picard.'
Just as Beverly leaned her head through the doorway to his bedroom she heard the quiet whoosh of the cabin door. She turned quickly and strode defiantly back to the center of the room. She'd be damned if he'd catch her off guard. Beverly had to remain calm and show NO FEAR if she was to survive THIS one!
Jean Luc Picard looked up from the PADD he had been reading when he noticed movement in his peripheral vision. He was quite surprised to find Dr. Crusher standing in his quarters.
"Beverly?" He started to speak, then noticed the defiant and angry look on her face and said, "What's wrong?"
Dr. Crusher was brought up short by the question and the mild look of concern on his face. She had been ready for a confrontation. If the captain was acting, he was doing a damned good job! Beverly decided to bluff her way through for now, not really knowing what else to do yet. She couldn't defend herself against this kind of response and had no idea what he could be planning. If he was going to play 'kind and gentle' well, she'd go along for now and just keep her guard up at all times.
"Nothing's wrong," the doctor replied finally, challenging his question as if he'd been imaging things.
Now it was Jean Luc's turn to be confused. First he finds Beverly Crusher in his quarters, apparently angry, then she says there's nothing wrong and now he supposed she expected him to just GO with that answer. 'Well, okay Beverly, if we're going to play this game I'll go along for now.' Dr. Crusher been avoiding him since he'd returned from leave on Ba'ku and the captain wasn't sure yet how to get back into his CMO's good graces.
Jean Luc had not expected to miss the doctor so much. Anij was beautiful, intelligent, caring, talented, articulate and loving. Anij was also quite willful and stubborn. More stubborn than Beverly had EVER been which was no minor accomplishment! When Anij made up her mind, there was little room left for discussion. When she decided she wanted to do something, she did it and if Jean Luc did not wish to join her Anij went happily along without him. There wasn't much room for compromise with her. Anij had lived her life in this manner for over 300 years and Jean Luc had finally realized that she was VERY set in her ways. She enjoyed his company, told him she was happy he had decided to spend his leave with her, but he began to feel like a guest who'd seriously overstayed his welcome after a few weeks.
Anij had her own life to live and realized early on that Jean Luc wasn't likely to remain a permanent part of that life. As such, she didn't make an enormous effort to incorporate him into her daily routines further than "guest" status. She was never unkind or rude. None of the Ba'ku could EVER be described as unkind or rude. It was simply a matter of her needing to put him in the proper perspective as far as her own life was concerned. It just was not going to work unless he was willing to resign from Starfleet and move to Ba'ku permanently. Even then, Anij made it clear that Jean Luc would certainly have to find a life of his own apart from their relationship. She hadn't taken care of herself this long to suddenly have one starship captain completely rearrange her life style.
On top of Jean Luc's emotional turmoil, the environment of Ba'ku had wreaked havoc with his artificial heart. His body was trying to regenerate an organ that no longer existed. The Ba'ku had stabilized the condition for a while, but he had no choice other than to eventually leave for the affects to end. No one at Starfleet Medical had been able to give him any kind of hope that he would be able to live on Ba'ku without further problems. Captain Picard had come to the conclusion that it simply was not going to work. And he wasn't really sure he WANTED to make it work.
There was also the problem of his feelings towards Anij herself. Yes, he thought he had been falling in love with her, but when he had actually LIVED with her for those few weeks Jean Luc had to admit that they were not as compatible as he'd believed. Their taste in music was different. The Ressikan flute irritated her after a while. Anij thought he played admirably but it wasn't the kind of music she enjoyed. Their tastes in literature were different. Anij felt she had moved past Shakespeare and no longer saw any mystery or magic in the Bard's work. Archaeology did not interest her in the least. She had eventually stopped even feigning interest in his conversations about digs and artifacts and would just change the subject.
Jean Luc finally realized that they were a novelty to each other and that there could really be nothing more between them than that. Anij had taught him patience, how to hold the moment, and many other wonderful things as they shared their time together, but he knew it wasn't something that would sustain a life long friendship much less anything deeper.
Captain Picard also missed Beverly's quick wit and banter at breakfast. Anij didn't really enjoy conversation at during the morning meal and the silence was tangible. He missed the sparkle in his CMO's gorgeous blue eyes and the way Beverly teased and flirted playfully with him. He missed hearing her melodic voice telling him the latest ship's gossip over breakfast, lunch or dinner. Jean Luc missed that quirky half smile of hers. He missed HER.
When that realization actually forced its way into Picard's brain he knew it was definitely time to go home. He had parted with Anij amicably enough but knew he would probably never see her again. He didn't mind. Jean Luc chalked it up to another learning experience and went back to the Enterprise E rested, relaxed and ready to face Beverly and try to make her understand that he wanted to spend his life with her in whatever capacity she chose. Jean Luc hated that they weren't closer, but he would hate it more if Beverly were gone completely from his life. That was something his mind would not even contemplate.
The captain didn't really blame Beverly for avoiding him. He was fairly sure she was jealous of Anij and the thought that Dr. Crusher cared enough to BE jealous gave him hope. Jean Luc despised himself for having caused his best friend pain, but what was he supposed to do? Remain celibate for the rest of his life? No, that wasn't really the issue, was it?
The issue was Beverly's reluctance to take the next step forward in their relationship. So many vague promises of the possibility of something more sometime in the future. Well, he was past sixty now and the future was rapidly gaining on them. Jean Luc didn't want to spend the rest of his life alone. He also didn't want to push Beverly so hard that he lost her completely. This would take a delicate hand if he were to accomplish his goal of winning her over to his way of thinking. Their friendship meant more to Picard than anything else. He had been remiss in doing his share to keep it, but Jean Luc had finally learned that lesson now and was more than willing to do whatever it took to make the love of his life understand how he felt.
The captain realized suddenly that they had been standing there staring at each other for a few moments without speaking.
Finally he said, "Well, would you like to have dinner here?" Jean Luc had invited Beverly to dine with him this morning and she reluctantly agreed as long as they ate in Ten Forward. He had finally broken through to Dr. Crusher enough to get her to actually speak to him about non-official things and quickly acquiesced to her stipulation of a public meal.
"Fine," she replied crisply. This Beverly Crusher certainly did not want to eat in Ten Forward while she was so tense and confused! His solicitous attitude was also rather compelling. She liked it and hoped it would last for a while. Perhaps she could use it to her advantage if she watched carefully. The doctor could not hope for it to last TOO long so she needed to act quickly. This was a new tactic on his part and she was very weary of where it might lead.
"Good. Is there anything in particular you would like for dinner?" he asked, ignoring the snippy tone and proceding with the conversation as if she'd been quite cordial.
Now she was well and truly stunned! Was he actually implying that he CARED what she wanted?
"Ah, no, no. Whatever you'd like is fine," Beverly stammered. Jean Luc had NEVER asked her what she wanted and almost always brushed aside her personal opinions without thought. He certainly never SOLICITED them! The captain always made sure the CMO knew HIS opinion, especially when he wasn't pleased with something she had done. Dr. Crusher did not always hold her tongue either, but Jean Luc had never ASKED how she felt about ANYTHING.
"Pasta?" he asked. Beverly jumped slightly at the question, but regained her composure quickly and nodded, unable to speak at the moment. This was so bizarre!
While he was ordering their dinner Beverly glanced furtively toward him at the replicator. Once the meal was produced, the captain set it on the table and proceded to set out the dishes and utensils. At that moment Jean Luc looked up and caught the very surprised expression on his friend's face. He could not imagine what caused it and turned quickly to look behind him expecting perhaps to see Q or something equally distasteful.
Nothing. Picard then checked himself over and found nothing that would warrant her reaction. Looking up at his CMO again the captain saw she had regained her composure and he decided to let it slide for now. This evening was getting stranger by the minute and he needed to think so he finished setting the table and opened the wine while Beverly waited tentatively for him to finish.
Finally, when they sat down Jean Luc decided he couldn't let it go any longer. He had not come up with ANYTHING that could have made her look so shocked and he had to know what had caused it.
"Beverly, is something wrong," he finally asked softly.
"No, nothing's wrong," the doctor replied for the second time that night still daring him to find fault with that answer. "Thank you for dinner." Her gratitude was sincere as she did not want repercussions from something so trivial and hoped it would suffice. This was not her usual attitude, but since the game he was playing still confused her terribly the doctor thought it best to simply 'be nice' for a moment and see what happened.
"You're quite welcome, Doctor," he replied sincerely. "You've certainly done the same for me enough times. It's only fair that I reciprocate on occassion."
Now Beverly KNEW this wasn't Jean Luc Picard! He would NEVER have uttered those words and certainly NOT in such a calm, rational and slightly embarrassed manner.
Something half remembered started to push its way forward in the doctor's mind. Something she vaguely recalled about Picard being injured and extremely angry but not with anyone on their ship. While the CMO had repaired her captain's wounds she caught bits and pieces of a vitriolic diatribe about another Jean Luc Picard from another time line; from another universe as far as Beverly could tell. The captain's anger at how that Picard bested him and his own humiliation at being defeated by someone he considered infinitely weaker because of his trust of and loyalty to his crew and especially his fondness for Riker.
The other Picard had not only subdued her captain, but had apparently devastated The Counselor long enough to get away. Beverly also knew of her own ship's attempt to penetrate that other reality and if they had managed to stay there that universe's Enterprise would have been destroyed. Something about the space/time continuum. Dr. Crusher didn't really understand all of it and no one would elaborate. It was always difficult to get details out of the bridge crew as they knew it could be detrimental to their health to discuss mission specifics without the captain's express permission. Secrets were paramount in her world.
Suddenly she knew. SHE KNEW. She MUST be in that other universe now. This man MUST be that other Jean Luc Picard. How and why she got here the doctor could not even guess. And where was THIS world's Beverly Crusher? How were they supposed to return to their respective time lines? More importantly, did she WANT to return her own? This world certainly was an improvement over hers as far as she could see. Hell, almost ANY universe would be an improvement!
Jean Luc saw Beverly was struggling with something weighty. He did not press. Picard had no clue what was going through his CMO's mind right now but he could see she was trying to figure something out and did not want to anger her by attempting to find out what it was until she was ready to tell him. The captain let Beverly have the space to wrestle with whatever problem consumed her. Silently picking at his dinner, Jean Luc tried not to worry about what Dr. Crusher might say when she finally finished her internal battle.
His CMO distractedly moved her food around the plate while the mental circus was going on in her brain. Beverly didn't notice how intently her dinner companion was watching her. She did not raise her eyes to the captain. The doctor had actually forgotten he was there for a few minutes.
Finally Jean Luc had enough. He could not just SIT there and say nothing!!! What the hell was going on? 'Dammit! If she's going to come and have dinner with me unannounced she could at least PRETEND to be civil. If Beverly is going to ignore me she can do it on her own time!'
"Beverly, are you going to speak to me tonight or are we going to pretend we're both having dinner alone?"
Dr. Crusher was jolted out of her reverie by his words. Picard's tone was not harsh, more exasperated than angry. Beverly looked at her companion curiously. Could the gentleness and concern be real? Although she had no intention of dropping her guard, the CMO decided it was best not to antagonize Jean Luc Picard in ANY universe. At least not until she was more comfortable with her conclusion that she was not in her own realm.
"I'm sorry, Jean Luc. I was just thinking," Dr. Crusher finally answered softly, apologetically. It was such a strange sensation to be speaking with him like this. She would never have said those words to her own commanding officer.
"Would you like to tell me what you were contemplating so intensely," the captain asked gently. He certainly did not want to upset his friend any more than she already was and possibly have her leave. Beverly was actually here and not avoiding him any longer and Jean Luc did not want that to start again. He stood bringing the glasses and brandy to the coffee table and gestured for her to take a seat on the sofa. Beverly rose from her chair and complied with Picard's wish. She jumped slightly when he sat close to her and poured each of them a drink. Jean Luc then excused himself to remove the dinner dishes.
Dr. Crusher watched him closely as he cleared the table, too stunned again to do anything else. At least Beverly had kept her jaw from dropping this time! The domestic scene shook her profoundly. This was DEFINITELY NOT the Jean Luc Picard she had seen this morning. Now Beverly was absolutely positive she was not in her own universe.
When Picard returned to the sofa he noticed his companion's hand shaking slightly as she held her drink. The captain wondered what could possibly make his CMO this nervous and decided to get an answer from her. If he had to do that in a roundabout fashion, well, he was a diplomat.
"Beverly, we haven't really had a chance to speak since I came back from leave. There are some things I need to tell you and I want you to know that I have thought about them very carefully," he began. The captain figured he might as well plunge right in and see if he could elicit some sort of explanation for his best friend's behavior this evening via that route. He was not having any success with the direct approach.
Jean Luc glanced up from staring at his drink and noticed her hand was shaking more violently now. When he looked at Beverly's face he was surprised to find tears standing in her eyes barely held in check. The captain set his glass on the coffee table and gently took his companion's, setting it down as well. He chose to ignore the nevous jump she made as he took her glass. Then, slowly grasping the doctor's hand in his, Jean Luc edged closer and saw her stiffen. She did not, however, withdraw from his gentle grasp or back away from the marginal advance. She just looked surprised, shocked and very, very tense. He couldn't stand it any longer, he had to know what the hell was going on inside her mind.
"Beverly, please, tell me what is wrong. Don't say it's nothing. You're shaking and you......" he broke off as she leapt off the sofa away from his touch.
"Please," he begged, watching her eye him suspiciously from a few feet away, "tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if I don't know."
"I....I...I don't know how..." she stuttered. Beverly could not begin to tell him where she was from and that she had no clue how she got here. The doctor thought this man MIGHT understand since he was captain of the ship. Dr. Crusher also was not sure she wanted him to know. This man might send her back and the CMO hadn't decided if that was what she wanted. If Beverly told the man sitting before her, he would probably find a way to send her back whether she wanted to go or not. He would want his OWN Beverly Crusher here.
"Please, just give me a moment and I'll try to explain," was what she finally said to him. The distraught woman had to think and it was very difficult to do that with this man's concerned hazel eyes boring into her, the worry evident in his eyes and manner and his acquiescence to her request for time.P> "It's all right, Beverly. Take your time. I'm not going anywhere," as he spoke Jean Luc sat back, crossed his legs and waited patiently to let his best friend know he would pause as long as she needed.
'Oh, God, why can't I just stay here,' she thought. This was the Jean Luc Picard Beverly had known so many years ago. Or at least it was close. This man, however, was infinitely more tender and caring. Her Picard had his moments back then, but their world was apparently harsher and more exacting. COULD she stay? Should she? Dr. Crusher knew there might be serious repercussions if she tried. Repercussions that could ultimately end in her own or this man's death.
What if HIS Beverly came back here? What if she had never left this universe? If he had to choose between herself and his own world's Dr. Crusher she knew she would lose that game. What if, as was quite likely, HIS Beverly Crusher was in her world right now? Was that woman really equipped to deal with her Jean Luc Picard? That thought terrified her. She might not be happy in her own universe, but at least she knew what to expect (well, most of the time) and was prepared to handle the situations that arose. Her alternate might have no real defense against her world's Captain Picard, or worse still, her world's Deanna Troi! She was positive this universe's Beverly Crusher would have no resource to fight The Counselor if confronted by that powerful mind. The CMO avoided The Counselor at all costs herself and she KNEW what could happen!
And what about THIS world's Deanna Troi. Did she have that kind of mental acuity as well? At the very least, Beverly was sure this universe's Troi would be able to detect that she and her alternate were different. When that happened Troi would most likely tell her captain. If that happened and the man sitting in front of her found out she wasn't the Beverly Crusher he thought, she could be in deeper trouble than she was now. If he thought his own Beverly might be in danger he would more than likely be very angry with HER.
As much as she simply wanted to stay safely within this realm Dr. Crusher knew that was a rather foolish dream. He would find out she was not the right Beverly Crusher eventually. She did not know enough about this universe to fake it convincingly yet. The doctor also did not truly wish to condemn ANY Beverly Crusher to her world, especially if she might not have the resources to survive.
The dark, unhappy Beverly Crusher was not inherently cruel. She did what was necessary to survive in her own world. If that meant unethical experiments, well, so be it. If it meant implanting a virus into a crew member which would eventually kill him, well, better him than her. If one balked at the cutthroat nature of the work, one was dead very quickly. If one flinched at the slightest provocation one would regret it soon. If one did not anticipate the captain's wishes, one learned to very quickly.
Beverly used her power, skills and the fear as she needed. It was her survival instinct and if that hurt others in her own world then that was something she simply had to live with. She managed to balance the diametrically opposed ethics of being a doctor and actually participating in injuring other people for different purposes. It did not make her a friendly person. She hated herself for doing it but knew she would not survive long if she refused. There was no where to hide. If Beverly's medical brilliance kept her alive and kept her enemies fearing her then she used it to her advantage. It did not make her feel any better about it, but she was not going to regret what she could not change. Yes, it made her irritable, short tempered and screechy. Yes, her witnessing Picard's intimidation and subjugation of her son made her dislike being around ANY children, especially happy children, children who loved and were loved by their parents. Yes, she lashed out at these small beings because it was easy to frighten and harm them. Yes, she had turned into a monster somewhere along the road to her current life. But, to condemn another Beverly Crusher to that fate was not something for which she wished to be responsible. It was HER after all. Not exactly the same person, but still somehow the same. Strange as the thought was, she really DID care about that other woman and what might happen to her in her own world. Where that concern came from or how it managed to fight its way to the surface of her brain was incomprehensible right now.
Beverly had to tell him. She had to do it whether she wanted to or not. But when she finally looked up into those beautiful hazel eyes all she saw was love and concern. Her body responded to that look like a magnet to metal. She did not even realize she was moving towards him until her lips grazed his and she felt him hesitate. She pushed aside Jean Luc's hesitation and pressed her lips firmly to his as she slid her arms up his chest and over his shoulders to wrap around his neck.
Jean Luc was more than surprised by her actions. He was not, however, foolish enough to ignore them. The captain hesitated when he felt Beverly's lips on his, but she quickly forced him to abandon that reaction as the CMO embraced him and opened her mouth inviting him to explore its depths. It certainly was not what Picard expected, but he was not going to complain now. Jean Luc pulled her closer and answered the invitation. Moving his tongue slowly within the depths of her soft mouth but being careful not to demand anything she was not willing to give right now.
Beverly could feel his desire and love. She could also feel his full response being held in check. He was not ready to let go just yet and she knew it would have to end. When the kiss finally broke, the doctor was breathless and the tears were falling. She sighed heavily and rested her forehead against his, resigned to the fate that let her glimpse this wonderful world, but would not allow her to enjoy it.
Finally, the doctor moved back and looked at him again. Jean Luc's eyes held the question this woman knew SHE could not answer for him. Only her alternate could reply to that query. She trailed a finger down his cheek and gave him a sad smile then disengaged herself from his arms.
"Jean Luc, this is not going to be easy and I am not sure it will make any sense but I'm going to try to explain," she managed to get it out. Beverly could not look at him yet. She did not want to know what he was thinking right now.
He tensed considerably at what her words might mean. 'This does NOT sound good,' he thought, hoping it might get better if he just waited long enough. He remained quiet, letting her, no, willing her to continue and hoping for the best.
She began her explanation, "I think, somehow, and I don't know HOW, but SOMEHOW, I have come here from a different universe, a different time." It sounded too bizarre even to her! How the hell was she going to make HIM understand?
"WHAT?" was the stunned whisper that came out of Jean Luc's mouth without his compliance. He was still trying to process what she had said. It was not remotely what he had expected.
"I know it doesn't make any sense," she said a bit testily. It wasn't HER fault, dammit! She did not ASK to be brought here! He didn't have to look at her like she was some Ferengi with three heads! "But this is NOT the Enterprise that I know and you are CERTAINLY not the same Jean Luc Picard!" she tried to explain further, defiant now because he obviously didn't believe her.
He was still reeling. How??? Why??? Which universe was she from? Which time line? And if this was not HIS Beverly Crusher, then where the hell was she???? Was Q behind this? It would not surprise him in the least. If this was true, how could they find their own Beverly Crusher and if they DID find her how the hell would they get her back? And,..... and, why had this Beverly kissed him? Like THAT? That had been one toe-curling kiss and he had fervently hoped there would be more and soon, but now.... 'Okay, calm down CAPTAIN! Rational, logical thought is what's called for here. THINK!!!!'
He looked up at this woman who was an exact duplicate of his Beverly. But, no, not EXACT. Her eyes were darker, different, sadder, more world-weary than his Beverly's. She seemed to hold herself differently as well. More cautious, more....frightened? Definitely angrier. He suddenly jumped off the sofa at the realization that she was telling the truth. This was not HIS Beverly Crusher! He had to get a grip and think.
Beverly winced as he leapt up to get away from her. She desperately wanted his arms to be back around her again, but she knew it was not going to happen and knew she had been right to tell him. Her life had been a series of mishaps from the day Jean Luc Picard had hit her and walked out. A few random happy moments offset by the unhappy ones that followed. She wanted very much to make sure she did not hurt THIS man. He had done everything he possibly could to make her feel secure and loved and she could not bring herself to injure him by not helping to retrieve his own Beverly Crusher. She could not fathom where this sudden fit of conscience came from but she knew she would not be able to look herself in the mirror again if she didn't do it. Besides, what real choice did she have? None. They would figure it out whether she told them or not and if she did not help the man before her would probably make her regret it. She did not want that either. She HAD to do this. She looked up to see Jean Luc pacing and realized he had asked her a question she hadn't heard.
"I'm sorry, what did you say?" she asked sounding much calmer than she felt.
"Do you remember when you realized you were not in your own world any longer?" he asked again.
Beverly looked at her hands, trying to pinpoint the moment. She suddenly realized it must have been when she had woken in her office, but it was not much to go on. She told him her thoughts and waited for his next question.
"Can you tell me anything about your world that might help us?" He did not know what else to ask right now. Not knowing where HIS Beverly might be frightened him more than he cared to admit. The captain was not sure exactly when he had started referring to her as HIS Beverly in his thoughts, but he knew it had not been a recent occurrence. If Jean Luc thought about it he would have realized it had been several years since he had thought of Beverly Crusher that way. She had been HIS Beverly for a very long time and he did not want that to change now.
This Beverly was not sure she wanted to answer his question, but knew she must. It would not really make any difference because he would have to know to get them switched back, but she did not want to cause him any more pain. She knew now that this was probably the Jean Luc Picard that had bested her own captain and he knew how her universe worked. Slowly, she told him about the Empire, the forced removal of native inhabitants for Terran colonization, the war with and servitude of the Klingons, and finally the animosity between her Picard and Riker; that The Counselor was the true commander of her vessel and the fact that she was her captain's 'woman.'
Jean Luc had clenched his entire body with fear for Beverly's safety when he heard this woman say 'Empire.' He vividly recalled his encounter with that Enterprise AND its Captain and Counselor. When his worst nightmare was verified by her last statement he nearly broke down. It was by the thinnest margin that he managed to retain his composure. That and the thought that his Beverly needed every ounce of his strength and will power if she were to make it home safely. The thought that his beautiful, loving, intelligent, stubborn, friend was in the same world with that mad man was almost more than he could bear. But, if he had any hope of getting her back, he had to remain calm and in control. He prayed to every god he could name to keep her safe until he could return her to her friends and family. He also sent a silent prayer to keep her considerable temper in check and her substantial wits about her. She would not be likely to tolerate any untoward behavior from himself if she were where she belonged. But, he would also NEVER, EVER force her to submit either. His alternate had no such qualms about physical intimidation and how to use it. That Jean Luc Picard would readily do whatever he felt like to make Beverly bend to his will. This Jean Luc ground his teeth and clenched his fists tighter at the very thought of ANYONE doing that to HIS Beverly.
'Enough! This isn't helping and you are wasting time! Data. Will, and Deanna. They will be able to help.' Jean Luc tapped his communicator. "Picard to Senior Staff. Please report to the Observation Lounge immediately," and ended the transmission. Then looking at this woman who was Beverly Crusher he said, as gently as he could, "We have to find a way to get you both back where you belong. I'm sorry, I have no desire to see you returned to that world, but you both cannot stay in this universe."
Beverly stood, nodding her head at his statement. She knew she had to go back and would not make it more difficult by protesting the inevitable. "I understand. Believe me when I tell you that I do not have any desire to see her hurt either. I honestly had nothing to do with sending her there or my coming here. You MUST believe that." she pleaded for his understanding. The doctor desperately wanted this man to like her. She didn't really know why, but knew she desired his favor.
"I know, I am not blaming you," was his soft reply.
Jean Luc held out his hand, inviting her to take it and join him. Beverly rose slowly and took his offered hand as they headed out of his quarters to the Observation Lounge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Senior Staff of the USS Enterprise E were a bit confused. They were doing routine sensor sweeps and mapping in the Delarian System. There was nothing any of them knew of that could warrant an emergency meeting with the Captain. There had been no sub-space transmissions changing their current mission. And as far as Riker knew, his Captain was relaxing in his quarters until the call came to assemble here.
Will looked to Deanna Troi to see if she had any clue what this might be about, but she didn't have one either. She could only sense that the Captain was agitated, concerned and frightened and apparently it was all centered around Beverly Crusher. This did not surprise the Counselor, but she didn't see how it had ANYTHING to do with the rest of the senior staff. His emotions about Beverly were private and personal and that did not explain any of this. The emotional signature of Dr. Crusher was a bit more confusing to Deanna. It was different, not right somehow but she did not know how that could have any bearing on this meeting either. She could not give Will a plausible explanation and told him so.
The speculation was beginning to escalate when the Captain and CMO finally entered the Observation Lounge. Deanna's first reaction was surprise at how overwhelming Picard's emotions were and the fact that he was holding Beverly's hand so tightly caused her to miss the fact that Beverly's uniform was not quite right. She also missed the fact that her friend's eyes were darker, more guarded, a bit frightened. Deanna Troi did not, however, miss the wave of fear emanating from Beverly. That fear was directed at Will and, more bizarrely, at HERSELF. Deanna was stunned by this, but could not remotely explain it. The wave subsided quickly as she felt Beverly clamp down on it and push it as far down inside as possible.
Beverly knew better than to EVER allow Deanna Troi to feel her fear. Dr. Crusher was, however, grateful to acknowledge that this Deanna was not The Counselor in her world and this universe's Jean Luc had assured her that she had nothing to fear from his Deanna Troi. He had also assured her of Will Riker's friendship and concern for her welfare. It was hard to assimilate these attitudes when she was so used to living with something completely different, but she was going to manage it somehow. Both Deanna and Will were smiling at Beverly, concern prominent on their features. They had both noticed the captain's hand holding his friend's tightly. Beverly let go of his grasp and stepped next to the chair closest to the captain's.
After everyone was seated, Picard explained the situation as best he could. They all had different recollections of their encounter with the Empire's Enterprise and its Captain and crew. Deanna was now even more concerned for her friend especially since this woman was apparently not the Beverly Crusher she knew and loved dearly. If her friend was in THAT universe right now with Deanna's own alter-ego, the consequences could be devastating to her Beverly.
Deanna vividly recalled her counterpart and the struggle she had with The Counselor. It had taken every fiber of her being to push that woman's mind out and keep her there. The gentle Betazoid still had nightmares occasionally about her battle with The Counselor. The thought of Beverly on the same ship with that woman AND that Captain Picard made her stomach flip over. Beverly was quite resourceful and intelligent, but Deanna had doubts that her friend would be strong enough to withstand an assault from either of those two.
After discussing the situation, Picard dismissed his staff to find a solution. Deanna lingered to speak with the captain.
"Counselor, please, not now....." he tried to forestall her questions before she could even speak.
"Captain, I know this is not the time for us to talk. I just wanted to let you know that we all want Beverly back safely and we will do our best to achieve that end." Deanna squeezed his arm gently as she said it and smiled apologetically at this woman who looked so much like her friend she would not have guessed it wasn't really Dr. Crusher if she had not been told.
Beverly gave Deanna a small smile in return. She knew instinctively it was not herself that Deanna did not like. It was the situation and fear for her friend's safety. She still did not feel comfortable in Deanna's presence no matter what Jean Luc had told her. She looked too much like The Counselor to feel safe, but Beverly took a deep breath, put a hopeful look on her face and found her hand grasping the captain's for reassurance. It was odd, definitely odd to be doing that willingly, but it was not something she wanted to think about. This man radiated his essential goodness and she reacted to that instinctively.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It took a few hours, but Data found the anomaly that caused the switch to occur and came up with a viable solution for retrieving their own Beverly Crusher and returning the one they had to her own universe. Once the proper coordinates were laid in to return them to the position they held when the transfer had originally taken place, Beverly asked if she could speak with the captain alone.
They retired to his Ready Room and as the door shut he indicated the sofa and asked her to sit. She did and took his hand in hers as he joined her on the couch. Beverly turned his hand over in her own, studying it. There was no denying, at least to herself, that she wanted to stay here with this man. She also knew there was no denying the fact that she could not. She had several things she wanted to say to this Jean Luc, but was finding it difficult to start. Dr. Crusher wanted to thank him for his gentleness and kindness. She wanted to tell him that she knew she had to go back but would give anything short of her own life to stay here. She wanted to tell him how much hope he had given her that things could be better. Maybe not in her own world, but somewhere. She did not know the history between this Captain Picard and his own Beverly Crusher, but she was certain he would never willingly hurt her. She was also sure, from her conversation with Jean Luc while Data looked for the anomaly and the solution to the problem, that he and his own Beverly were not intimate with each other. He had given her every indication that he wanted to be closer to his Beverly, but the woman was keeping a wall between them. All this woman really knew was that the Beverly Crusher who belonged in this universe would have to be made of ice or stone NOT to be in love with this man. Jean Luc had to tell her how he felt in no uncertain terms and he had to do it NOW. She did not know how to convey these thoughts to him, or, really, why she felt she SHOULD, but Beverly knew she wanted him to understand.
Finally looking up, into those gorgeous hazel eyes, Beverly said, "Jean Luc, I.... it may not be my place to say this, but I feel I must. You and your Beverly...you have to....you MUST make her understand how you feel." She did not think she was making much sense but it was all too strange for her and she was groping. She was not sure why it was so important to her that this Jean Luc Picard and his Beverly Crusher get together, but she supposed it had to do with her own relationship. She wanted at least ONE Beverly Crusher to know the happiness she herself was not experiencing. And this man could do that for her.
"It's all right," he answered quietly patting her hand and smiling gently. He knew what she was trying to tell him and he had every intention of doing exactly what she just asked. "It's all right," he said again. "I understand."
Beverly reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. Slowly she leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on his lips. Keeping her eyes closed, she pulled back and whispered, "Thank you for showing me what might have been."
He gathered her in his arms and murmured, "I'm sorry it can't be like this for you. I wish I could make it easier." It was difficult for the captain to separate this woman from his own Beverly Crusher. Yes, the woman who sat on his sofa right now was the woman who had willing killed one of her own crew members, but she was so much like his own CMO physically. She was also trying hard to accept that she must return to her own world and that struggle saddened him. He could no more hate this woman than he could willingly hurt his own Beverly Crusher.
They broke their embrace and smiled sadly at each other but their reverie was soon broken by Data's hail, "Captain to the bridge."
Jean Luc did not reply to the request, but took Beverly's hand and led her onto the bridge.
Data initiated the sequence to return this Dr. Crusher to her own timeline and they waited. Picard let go of her hand and just smiled encouragingly at her as she disappeared.
Picard looked around but there was no sign of either Beverly Crusher. Riker's voice penetrated enough for him to realize his first officer was asking the computer for her location.
"Doctor Crusher is in the Captain's Quarters," the impersonal voice replied.
Jean Luc was moving toward the turbo lift before the computer was finished speaking. "You have the Bridge, Number One," and with that he was on his way to his cabin.
He hesitated outside his quarters before tripping the door sensor. Would she really be in there? Yes, of course, the computer would not say she was there if she wasn't. But was it HIS Beverly or the other one or a completely DIFFERENT one? Would she be all right? With the thought that she might be injured his hesitation vanished. He stepped into his quarters and scanned the living room for any sign of his friend.
Nothing. Just as he left it last night.
The bedroom. Jean Luc crossed the distance in three quick strides. There, on his bed, apparently asleep, was her familiar form. Increasing the light to be sure his love was not harmed in any way, the captain stepped to the side of the bed and knelt. Beverly was there, lying on her side, in uniform (but this one was not right either!), peacefully asleep. He would have to see her eyes to know if it was his Dr. Crusher.
"Beverly," he whispered. Brushing the hair back from her face, Jean Luc was unable to resist touching her, then softly caressing her cheek and smiling at the very sight of his beloved CMO. The captain desperately hoped this was HIS Beverly Crusher.
Slowly she opened her eyes and saw his clear hazel gaze and the grin that always reminded her of a little boy discovering new wonders. Beverly Crusher loved that smile and she had seriously missed it while she was in the other universe. Instinctively she reached for him while sitting up on the edge of the bed, murmuring his name as she drew him close. The doctor did not know how or why, but she was back on her own Enterprise with HER Jean Luc Picard.
She was not going to let this opportunity pass. Beverly shoved all her doubt and fear aside and clung to him as he did to her. Jean Luc was still kneeling on the floor, her arms wrapped around his head which lay on her breast. She was crying. He could feel the tears falling on his scalp and realized he was about to cry as well. His carefully controlled edifice almost collapsed at her touch and the realization that the woman he loved was safe, home and in his arms. The second he had seen those crystal blue eyes Jean Luce knew it was her. Different uniform or not, this was HIS Beverly.
The spell was broken by Riker's voice intruding into the room, "Riker to Captain Picard."
Jean Luc loosened his hold on Beverly's waist to lean back and tap his communicator , "Picard here. It's all right Will, Dr. Crusher is here and she is fine." Looking up for verification of this last statement, he was pleased to see her smile and nod as she took his face in her hands.
"Very well, Sir. Should we wait for you here?" Riker was not sure what else to ask. He and the rest of the senior officers were fairly desperate to see the doctor and verify her health and existence in the proper universe for themselves.
"Yes, Will. We will be there shortly. Picard out." and the transmission was cut.
Beverly stood bringing Jean Luc with her. She still had his face in her hands and was staring at him as if memorizing his features.
Jean Luc had fully intended to hold her for only a moment and then take Dr. Crusher to the bridge for everyone to greet, but his body was not responding to his mind's plans. The captain's arms wrapped tightly around his CMO bringing her closer. He was a bit surprised when he leaned forward and caught her lips with his own. Jean Luc was startled when Beverly responded to this move by wrapping her arms back around his neck and opening her mouth to his. The kiss he shared with the other Beverly Crusher was nothing compared to this one! This kiss not only curled his toes, it touched his soul and he prolonged it as far as possible until they both had to come up for air or suffocate. They leaned their heads on each others' shoulders and the captain buried his face in his love's hair wanting this moment to never end. All things were possible at this precise instant and he didn't want those possibilities to float away. He just had to convince Beverly to give those opportunities the chance to live.
Dr. Crusher finally pulled back so she could look at Jean Luc's handsome face again. She saw him smile and returned it with enthusiasm. The CMO was just so damned happy to be back here and out of that depressing world where she was feared and frightened at the same time. At this point Beverly could even push aside the pain of his affair with Anij and just bask in the glow of that smile.
"Come on, let's get you up to the bridge before Will sends out a search party. Then, if you would like, we can have lunch and you can get some rest," he offered. Jean Luc could not help himself from placing a warm kiss on her brow. Beverly nodded at his request, closed her eyes and leaned into his kiss. Dr. Crusher was not sure she could actually let go of this man right now, but knew she had to. Beverly also knew it would not be a very long separation.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deanna was out of her chair before the turbo lift doors completely opened. Will was right behind her and Geordi was on Riker's heals with Data following. After the hugging and welcomes were finished, the initial spate of questioning over, Captain Picard took matters back under his control.
"Well, Number One, if there is nothing that requires my immediate attention, I'll take the good doctor to lunch and see that she gets some rest." Without waiting for the inevitable 'Aye, Sir' from Riker OR the knowing smirk, the captain turned and escorted Beverly back to the turbo lift.
Although Jean Luc had not taken as much as two steps away from his love since she was returned, he stepped closer after the doors closed on the lift and discretely took her hand. Captain Picard wasn't going to let one opportunity pass to show this beautiful woman that he loved her and wanted her safe and close at all times.
Beverly felt his hand sneak into hers and bowed her head to smile at the gesture. This man could make her melt so easily. No wonder she was desperately in love with him! The doctor raised her head in time to see the light blush of pink recede from the tips of his ears. She didn't miss the smile that split his face from ear to ear either, but then that was not shrinking at all. Neither spoke. They both knew there was going to be a soul-searching, heart-to-heart talk in their near future but right now there was only the pleasure of being in each other's company.
At that happy thought a faint twinge of sadness crossed Beverly's mind about the woman whose place she had taken for a couple of days. The CMO hoped she had been able to make the angry Jean Luc Picard understand that he did not have to force his Beverly to be with him. Dr. Crusher hoped she had shown him what that other woman needed to let go of her anger and love him freely, in order to give herself to him without reservation. She would never know if she succeeded, but the doctor wanted to believe she had.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Once they got to Beverly's quarters, Jean Luc actually considered allowing her to go inside alone, for about half a second. He could not manage to actually release the red head's hand, however, so it was rather a moot point. It wouldn't have mattered if the captain had decided it best to withdraw. Beverly was having none of THAT nonsense. Not now. Not ever again if she could help it.
Once the door closed behind them they were in each others' arms again. Jean Luc finally had to ask the question he desperately wanted the answer to since he knew where she had gone.
"Beverly, please tell me he didn't hurt you," he whispered in his best friend's ear, his anguish at the possible answer clear in his tone.
Dr. Crusher leaned back enough to see her captain's face and lightly stroked his cheek as she smiled so he would know before she actually spoke that she was all right.
"No, Jean Luc, he didn't hurt me," was the reassuring reply. Captain Picard pulled her back to him again, grateful to be allowed this gesture of love. Jean Luc knew it might not last, but he was ever hopeful.
Before things could escalate out of control (not that he thought they actually would RIGHT NOW), Jean Luc knew he had to tell Beverly Crusher how he felt and get some answers.
"Beverly, we need to talk."
"I know, Jean Luc, I know," but neither hurried to disengage themselves. Slowly they separated and the doctor excused herself to get out of the odd uniform. When she returned Beverly brought two cups of tea to the sofa and curled up in the corner next to him.
Jean Luc took her hand and cleared his throat. This was not going to be easy and he was not entirely sure what to say or even how to start. Everything he had ever wanted was riding on this conversation and Captain Picard could easily blow it with the wrong words.
"Beverly," he began slowly. "I need to tell you some things...," it sounded lame even to HIM. This was not starting out well. Jean Luc Picard felt like a teenager asking a girl to the Prom! He was the captain of the Federation's flagship for God's sake, why was this so hard?? He cleared his throat again.
Beverly knew he was having difficulty beginning and tried to ease his apprehension. She reached up and lightly touched his cheek, looking into his eyes as he raised them to hers.
"It's all right, Jean Luc. Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."
The captain was a bit startled that she had spoken his words from earlier verbatim as he had said them to her double. It did, however, make him feel a bit more secure with what he had to say.
"Beverly, the most important thing I have to say is that I love you very much and have for a long time. That fact will never change. No matter where we go or what we do, you will always be the love of my life and I never want you to forget that." His eyes never wavered from hers as he spoke. Jean Luc could see the tears forming in his CMO's eyes and wondered if it was a good sign. He forged ahead regardless.
"I know I hurt you when I turned to Anij and went on leave to Ba'ku," he said softly, looking at their joined hands. Jean Luc could not look Beverly in the eye for fear of seeing the pain he had caused.
"I want you to know that it didn't work out with Anij, but I also want you to know why," he paused, "I could not stop comparing her to you. It's always the same with every relationship I've ever had. None of them measures up to your standard. They all pale in comparison. I thought perhaps it was time for me to move on since you had made it fairly clear that you did not want our relationship to move forward, but it didn't work. Anij and I were simply not compatible, we didn't share the same tastes, we couldn't even decide what to have for breakfast without it becoming a major ordeal." Jean Luc smiled at this last statement and finally raised his eyes again to see her reaction. She had a small triumphant grin on her face and he took that as a good omen.
"The simple fact, Beverly, is that I do not WANT anyone else but you. No matter how hard I try, no matter how many times I try, they aren't you and never will be. You are the person with whom I want to spend the rest of my life and I can try to substitute other women for you repeatedly, but it is pointless. I don't want to hurt you anymore." He paused to see if there was any reaction to this last statement and was pleased to see her smile again.
Beverly sat quietly while he poured out his heart. She cringed inwardly at the sound of Anij's name while the rush of jealousy and pain surged through her again. It was almost as devastating as it had been the first time she felt these emotions on Ba'ku when the captain was trapped with Anij in the cave; the comm link had caught his every word. It was all Beverly could do at that moment to remain professional and controlled.
When they finally reached Jean Luc and Anij, the doctor's CMO facade kicked in and had taken over completely. She was glad he hadn't been able to see her initial reaction to the loving words he had said to a woman other than herself. Beverly was ashamed at feeling this way knowing she really had no right. She had pushed Jean Luc away enough times that she had known it was only a matter of time before he turned to someone else. Beverly had seen him with Anij before that moment of pain and had managed to fight back the jealousy. In the rush to escape the So'na probes and find a safe place to hide in the hills, Dr. Crusher had not let the jealousy resurface again. Of course, blasting the hell out of those probes helped rechannel some of her negative energy, but it was only a momentary gratification. The facade almost crumbled completely at the sound of his voice speaking to Anij after the cave in.
The worst part was that Beverly genuinely liked Anij. The Ba'ku woman was intelligent, articulate, kind and caring. It was certainly something new for Dr. Crusher to experience with regard to one of Jean Luc's 'conquests.' Vash was certainly not worthy of the doctor's friendship or even her good opinion! Beverly basically thought of that woman as a scheming, vagrant piece of space-trash. She was not proud of the thought, but the doctor would not lie to herself about how she felt! Dr. Crusher had not liked Nella Darren either, but for completely different reasons. Nella had no sense of humor! She was entirely too serious and stuffy for Beverly's taste. To be honest again, Crusher had never really TRIED to warm to Nella and was seriously relieved when the stellar cartographer had transferred off the Enterprise.
These thoughts ran randomly through her head as Jean Luc spoke. Beverly realized rather abruptly that he had finished his little speech and was waiting for some kind of response. She heard every word he said and was a bit stunned by the fact that he was being completely unequivocal about his love for her this time. No, 'maybe we should explore,' or 'perhaps you might consider' this time. It was straight forward and plain. 'I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.' 'Guess you can't get much more explicit than that,' she thought. All she had to do was say yes. That familiar feeling of fear and trepidation raised its ugly head in the back of her mind but Beverly firmly pushed it back to its place under a rock. She had promised herself, not only while she was in that other universe, but after he left for Ba'ku, that if she ever got the chance to recover him from Anij, she was damned well going to do it and not be lonely and frightened any longer. Beverly's answering smile reflected her resolve.
Her encouraging expression was enough for him right now. He was not quite finished with what he had to say so forged ahead.
"Beverly, we've known each other for over twenty-five years. We have both had our reasons for keeping our friendship on a level that was not necessarily what either of us wanted. I know you have issues with our serving on the same ship and my being your CO and I have issues with your being under my command and having to send you into dangerous situations. I also know those aren't the only reasons we have remained 'just' friends. After Kes-Prytt I was frankly devastated that you would not even consider exploring our feelings for each other, but I understood your hesitation. After my last encounter with Q and the whole time shifting episode I thought we might try again, but I always reconsidered when I remembered that we ended up divorced in that alternate time line. The thought of losing you permanently kept me from taking any steps to get closer. But, I would also remember that we had still cared deeply for each other even after we divorced. Deeply enough that you were more than willing to jeopardize your ship and crew on the whim of a senile old man. That meant a great deal to me," he paused to let these words sink in as well but not long enough to give her the opportunity to formulate a reply just yet.
His gaze still locked with hers, he continued, "After the crash of the D and Robert's and Rene's deaths I was devastated. Your friendship helped me get through that time. I can't begin to tell you how much I needed your friendship. And after the encounter with the Borg last year I knew you were troubled by my behavior. I still don't understand why you did not relieve me of duty when I gave the order to stand and fight. Regardless of how I felt at the time, you knew we could not possibly win," he paused again. This was one of the things he needed an answer to. He was glad it had not come to Dr. Crusher's relieving him of duty, but he also knew beyond doubt that his behavior had been irrational and she SHOULD have relieved him. He trusted her implicitly but he had to make sure there was not some personal reason why she hadn't acted as she should have on the bridge that day.
Beverly had the answer and she gave it to her captain without hesitation. "Jean Luc, you are right. I was not only troubled by your decision, I was STUNNED. Stunned enough that for a few minutes I was only operating on auto pilot. I could not even fathom what you must have been thinking. Your behavior was so out of character I could not even THINK what else to do besides follow your orders. My brain finally kicked in about a second after Lily walked through the Observation Lounge doors to confront you. At that point, I decided to wait until she said her peace before I relieved you of command and ordered the destruction of the Enterprise. Fortunately, for you AND me, she convinced you of the error of your ways before I had to do that. I was grateful because I was not relishing the idea of relieving Captain Jean Luc Picard of command OR ordering the destruction of Starfleet's flagship and condemning her crew to live in the 21st century. I knew from the look on your face when you walked out those doors that you had changed your mind and it was a huge chip off my shoulder. Make no mistake about it, however, if you had not ordered the destruction of the Enterprise, I most certainly WOULD have relieved you of command and ordered it myself." Beverly had locked her eyes with his throughout this little speech and now waited to discern his reaction to it, but he lowered his head and she could no longer see his eyes. She waited. Patiently.
"I knew you would do the right thing, even if it meant countermanding my orders and relieving me of duty," he murmured to her finally. "Somewhere, deep down, I knew you would not let my desire for revenge kill everyone needlessly and I trusted that. I just needed to be sure that I was right."
Beverly was surprised a bit by his response. The CMO knew she would have done it as well, but it did not really make his behavior any clearer. The doctor knew her captain's overriding emotion at the time was his need to hurt the Borg as they hurt him. She understood that but had not been prepared for him to take it as far as he did before Lily Sloane stepped in to dissuade him. Beverly still felt guilty that it was not HER who had been the catalyst for his change of heart. She SHOULD have been and if her reaction to his uncharacteristic behavior had been more rapid, she would have been. In the end, however, he changed his mind and he and Data had saved the ship as well as Earth. Did it really matter that she was not the one to convince the captain he was wrong? No, it did not matter. Not now. Not anymore.
"Jean Luc," Beverly said as she reached to tilt his face to hers, "We have been through a lot together and I will always be there for you whether you need me or not. You were right when you said I was hurt by your affair with Anij. I was. I was devastated by it and seriously considered retiring from Starfleet because of it. But, the one thing I could not do was leave without telling you. I could not do that to you again. I also needed you to know that I will always be your friend even if you fall in love with someone else. It was a painful decision, but I know we have both hurt each other over the years by trying to bury the loneliness with other people. I can't do that anymore and I don't believe you want to either. I'm tired of running away from feelings that are not going away. I've ignored them, I've denied them, I've pushed them aside, covered them with feelings for someone else and none of it works. I finally realized how ridiculous it was to run away from something that could make both of us very happy if we just stopped making excuses for why it should not happen. I know I am the main perpetrator of this denial and I freely acknowledge that. You have been honest about your wish to take this relationship further and I have always pushed your feelings aside in favor of my own fear. I want you to know that I won't do that to you anymore. I love you. I have for a very long time and I want to start showing you how much." With these words she drew his face to hers and kissed him lightly on the lips. Pulling back Beverly looked into Jean Luc's eyes for the response the doctor was sure she would see. What she got was a rather goofy grin which made her smile even more.
"Beverly, I have waited more than twenty-five years to hear you say those words to me. I still think I might wake up from this dream and find out it isn't real." He really could not believe this had worked out so well. Before she could change her mind, he drew her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. This was no light tentative kiss. Jean Luc Picard put his heart and soul behind it to make sure Beverly Crusher knew what she was getting. She welcomed it with all the passion she had suppressed for this man for so many years.
Their kiss didn't waver as he lifted her off the sofa and carried her to the bed. When he gently set her down, Jean Luc looked once again for confirmation in Beverly's eyes and readily received it. The smile on her face was all the encouragement he needed. He leaned in for another searing kiss as his hands reached up to her blouse and slowly opened it. Beverly's hands mirrored his in removing the clothing barrier between them.
Once they were both naked, Jean Luc simply gazed at the intoxicating woman before him. He had waited so long for and dreamed of this moment so many times he had no intention of rushing and not savoring every single second. And thanks to Anij, every second could stretch into eternity.
Slowly he caressed her hips while placing soft kisses down her neck and shoulders. Working his way to her breasts his left hand on one mirroring his lips' actions on the other. While Jean Luc's hand gently massaged one rosy peak to its aroused fullness, his mouth was coaxing the other breast to the same state. His tongue flicked over the tiny round morsel while alternating with tender nibbles causing Beverly to moan and arch her back to press him closer as her hands pressed down on the back of his head. He smiled at her reaction and started a mental list of all the things that pleased her and the reactions they caused. While keeping the attention of his left hand and his mouth on her breasts, his right hand traced a slow path down her body to her hips and creamy dancers thighs. Beverly bent her knee enough to bring it next to his hip, as his hand slid down her leg to tickle the back of it. Jean Luc did not rest there, however, as he had far more interesting territory to discover. Slowly bringing his hand back up the front of her leg he shifted slightly to give himself a better angle for the intimate caress he intended.
While Jean Luc's hands were doing delicious things to her body, Beverly's were certainly far from idle. They roamed down his lean, muscled back to his firmly rounded behind. She had always ached to just stand behind him and plant both of her hands on it and squeeze. Better yet, she would have thoroughly relished wrapping her arms around him and doing the same but this time she would be able to see his reaction. The very thought of the surprised look she imagined him having always sent a thrill through her. Beverly liked to shock Jean Luc every once in a while. His reactions were always worth the effort. Of course, she never indulged her fantasy of grabbing his muscular backside because it would have been highly inappropriate behavior for a CMO to exhibit towards her commanding officer, but she certainly fantasized about it enough. Well, now she had her chance and she did not waste it. And it was even better than she imagined. His butt was nice and firm and it clenched slightly when she squeezed it. She chuckled at this (it was an added bonus she had not anticipated) and grasped it a few more times until she got an actual moan for her persistence. That made her laugh softly, but it was silenced by her gasp at his touch to her most sensitive spot.
Jean Luc's hand had made its way up her leg to Beverly's inner thigh. His left hand was still playing over her breasts, tenderly pinching the nipples and sending electric shocks through her body, but his mouth was now making its way towards his right hand as it massaged and lightly caressed her delicate folds. She knew what he intended and a wave of anticipation shuddered through her as she arched towards him again indicating her eagerness for him to arrive at his destination. Dipping a finger inside her he deftly stroked her inner walls finding the spot that made her writhe. She could feel Jean Luc's own desire throbbing against her other leg and she wanted very much to hold it and produce the same swells of delirious sensuality for him that were cascading through her. Beverly was practically panting when his lips finally reached their goal. Jean Luc kissed her soft auburn curls before resuming his quest to make her lose all control.
His left hand moved down to join his right under her firm bottom , imitating her earlier motions. Jean Luc squeezed as his tongue found its way inside her feminine recesses, tasting her for the first time. He had waited too long for this moment and savored every sense of it; her taste, her scent, the feel of her soft skin, the sound of her joyous responses and the sight of her grandeur before him. Jean Luc Picard grinned wickedly as Beverly moaned and gasped at almost the same moment. He wanted all of her right now, but he would not rush this. Jean Luc wanted Beverly to experience this interlude with every fiber of her being and he intended to make it last. He tasted her again and worked his tongue in and out while squeezing her backside in rhythm with his movements. She joined his motions with her hips while lightly stroking the top of his head completely unaware of the shock waves it sent through his being. As he sucked her sensitive nub in and out of his mouth, causing it to scrape lightly over his teeth, he was suddenly rewarded with her sharply arched back as she clutched the comforter with both hands and cried out his name. The gentle flow of her juices greeted his tongue a moment later and he beamed at having achieved this goal.
After one more kiss to her coppery curls he made his way back up her torso. Beverly was still breathing heavily and had not released the comforter from her grasp yet, her head still thrown back. The look on her face sent heat waves through his body. HE put that smile on her face and he fully intended to do it again, as often as he could possibly manage without having a heart attack. But then, she WAS a doctor. And, quite frankly, if he died like that, he would not really be sorry.
Jean Luc waited for his lover's breathing to calm a bit, tenderly stroking her arms and stomach, sending occasional shivers through her by passing his palm over the raised peaks of her breasts. She sighed at those touches and smiled. Finally opening her eyes, Beverly brought Jean Luc's face to hers for a soul burning kiss that told him he had indeed accomplished at least one of his goals (as if he needed further proof!). It crossed his mind that he should probably be concerned about meeting the expectations she implied with that kiss, but he did not care. He would do whatever it took to meet those expectations.
While kissing him again, Beverly rolled them over so that she was now on top. It was her turn to make HIM lose control. They looked into each others eyes and smiled. He knew what she was going to do, he could see it in the lustful grin she gave him. Jean Luc's breath caught in his throat and her leer intensified. One more kiss to those fabulous lips and Beverly's journey began. She stopped for a short detour to his nipples and teased them erect as he had done to her. Her nails raised the goosebumps on his arms and elicited a sigh. Beverly was making her own mental list of pleasurable sensations. This was definitely a mutual endeavor.
When Jean Luc began to stiffen Beverly knew he was very close and wanted to experience his release with him inside her. He wanted that as well and reached for her at the same moment she decided to move over him. She teased him a bit by rubbing her own throbbing wetness against him. Jean Luc smiled at her and reached up to coax her lips back to his. It seemed an eternity since he had kissed those soft bits of flesh and he desperately wanted them joined with his own. Jean Luc's tongue explored Beverly's mouth again, tangling itself with hers. He rolled her over and braced himself on his arms. He wanted to see her expression at the instant of their joining. Their eyes locked as he slowly entered her for the first time. It was exquisite and they remained motionless, united, bodies fitting perfectly into the lines and curves of each other. Jean Luc lowered his lips to Beverly's again before he started to move within her. Slowly he pulled back before sliding home again, gradually increasing the pace until she began to raise her hips to meet each of his thrusts. Their tempo increased and Beverly threw her head back as she tighten her legs around his thighs, contracting her internal muscles in rhythm with each stroke. He had known she was passionate but he never expected this. Jean Luc was enraptured by her moans and gasping encouragement. He added his own endearments to hers and the cadence increased beyond either of their fantasies. He continued to plunge into her welcoming interior repeatedly, aching for his own release as well as hers but also never wanting these sensations to end. Jean Luc reached one hand under her to give added force to Beverly's upward motions only to propel her back to the bed with his opposing urgency, squeezing her round posterior in tempo. Their horizontal dance continued for what seemed an eternity until he felt her inner muscles grip him tightly, her fingers digging into his back as she shattered, his name torn from her throat in ecstasy. Jean Luc made one final lunge before joining her in his own rapturous orgasm, dimly aware of his voice crying out her name.
Spent physically and emotionally, he collapsed on her as Beverly's arms gathered him in and she kissed his cheek. Neither could form a coherent enough thought to speak besides, "Oh, God," and their lovers' name. Jean Luc could feel her tears on his face and her muscles quivering and finally raised himself enough to look at her. He was concerned that he might have hurt her in his abandon. All he saw was her beautiful smile and those sapphire eyes shining at him with nothing but love. Still, he had to be sure.
"Beverly, my love, did I hurt you? Are you all right?" He could still feel her muscles trembling beneath him as well as her internal contractions rippling in residual waves. He moved to roll off her, frightened now that he could really be causing her physical pain. Jean Luc understood the feeling of her multiple orgasms but had no idea why the rest of her muscles were quaking so violently.
"No, Jean Luc, don't move. Not yet. Please. I'm all right. Really," she whispered breathlessly to him as she tightened her arms around his back and wrapped her legs around his calves to keep him right where he was.
He looked at her surprised by her response, but no longer frightened. He had to know what was happening to her. Jean Luc had never encountered this kind of reaction before and he didn't know quite what to do. He knew she did not want him to move, but he couldn't explain her still trembling this much. It was as if her muscles were spasming of their own accord.
Placing his hands on each side of her face, he finally just asked, "Beverly, what's happening to you? Why are you trembling like this?"
She chuckled quietly, her eyes closed savoring this feeling for as long as possible. "This is how my body reacts to complete and utter ecstasy. YOU made me tremble like this," and with that she kissed him again. This was a delicate, soft kiss of infinite tenderness conveying all her love and trust. Jean Luc answered in kind and wrapped his arms around her slowly rolling so that they were on their sides facing each other still joined. She was reluctant to let him go and did not loosen her hold on him. Beverly wanted him right where she had him and made sure Jean Luc Picard knew it. Jean Luc did not mind in the least since he was exactly where HE had wanted to be for 25 years. He simply buried his face in her hair and kept his arms wrapped around her as he ran his fingers lightly up and down her back causing her to shiver periodically. The muscle spasms had stopped and he finally realized his lover really was fine; Beverly's body had quite simply cried out with the exultation of her release by clenching every muscle within her. Jean Luc was mesmerized by this glorious woman and her response to their act of love. He couldn't help squeezing her tightly to him and murmuring her name over and over. How did he ever come to deserve the love of this splendid creature?
Beverly nudged her face under his and nuzzled his neck as she murmured to him, "I can't begin to tell you how very happy I am at this moment."
"I think I might have some idea," he whispered back, smiling at his own delight in finally having her in his arms.
"Can we just stay like this forever," was her next statement followed by another kiss to his neck.
"Deal."
Still wrapped tightly around each other and literally 'joined at the hip' they fell into blissful slumber. The energy they had expended needing to be replenished with sleep.
Sometime later Beverly awoke to find herself in Jean Luc's tender embrace and him still buried within her. She could seriously get used to THIS! She smiled and softly kissed his neck while allowing her hands to gently roam up and down his back with small side trips to his lovely behind. She still couldn't resist giving it the occasional squeeze. It was too fine an opportunity to pass up and she had fantasized about having it in her grasp for too long to deny the wish. While indulging herself in this manner Jean Luc opened his eyes and smiled at the incredible sight of Beverly Crusher's face only centimeters from his. He kissed her nose, eyes, mouth, exploring them all anew. While they caressed each other with hands and lips, Beverly began to contract her interior muscles. She wanted to know how effective it would be in arousing him again. It worked beautifully and she got a bonus when he looked at her in astonishment at this new discovery. She absolutely adored his face and was never tired of watching it. She wanted to see how many new and different expressions she could elicit. Beverly rotated her hips in another calculated move to make him harder and was delighted that it worked so well. Jean Luc was no less delighted at her actions AND his own response. This was wonderful, exciting, and he could not wait to see what Beverly might do next. She attempted to roll him onto his back but he held her in place deciding this was perfect for right now and whatever she intended could wait for another moment. He decided to continue this particular silent expedition first. Jean Luc started to move his hips to meet hers with slow tantalizing motions, examining her reactions. Beverly smiled and kissed him as her hand came up to lightly scrape her nail across his nipple. He gasped. She chuckled, adding it to her list, then bent her head to see what her mouth could bring out of him. Delicately sucking his nipple between her teeth she was rewarded with a moan this time. Another item for the list. Beverly decided she liked pleasing him in this manner and continued until she felt Jean Luc's hands kneading her behind and exerting enough pressure to marginally increase the pace of their hips. This was beyond exquisite! God, why had she been afraid of this? She thought it might be interesting to mirror his actions and quickly enacted her plan. This got her yet another moan and it was joined by her own sighing "Yes," whispered in his ear. Suddenly realizing she had horribly neglected his ears. Rectifying this error Beverly nibbled the lobe sucking it in and out between her teeth.
"Oh, Beverly," was the murmured gift she received for her efforts. Jean Luc edged the rhythm of their hips to a faster motion and turned his mouth's attention to her sensitive neck. He found that if he kissed just the right spot on either side of that glorious column of flesh he would be rewarded with a gasp of pure pleasure from her. It was a sound he would never tire of hearing.
Just when Jean Luc thought they might have to roll over one way or the other to reach completion, he was astounded by her bringing the knee of her top leg over his shoulder. God, her dancer's flexibility was definitely a prize to be savored! The result of this move was to push him deeper inside her. It was what Beverly intended and she felt him at the very core of her being. Head thrown back, moaning in delight, she thrust herself at him with renewed energy. He responded in kind not believing this dream could possibly be real. In this manner they both achieved another magnificent orgasm.
When their hearts returned to a more normal pace and their breathing allowed them to actually speak, they kissed again. Jean Luc could not stop himself from whispering her name over and over. He was in heaven and he never wanted to leave. Beverly brought her leg back down to a more comfortable position along his thigh and caressed his face as they simply stared into each others eyes.
She finally eased her hold on him and allowed him to withdraw, but only far enough to pull the covers over them and for Beverly to drape herself across him, resting her head on his shoulder, and entwining their legs. Jean Luc wrapped her in his embrace again as she lazily traced patterns on his chest with her fingers. He was so content he did not want to move from this spot for a long, long time. Beverly concurred and occasionally kissed his shoulder, neck or chest. She never wanted to be farther away from this man than she was right now. They could not get enough of each other and every few minutes one would raise their head just to look down at the other and verify their incredible good fortune in having the other enclosed in their arms.
It took several more sessions of physical proof of their love before either was prepared to let the other out of their clutches. At some point much later in the day their stomachs reminded them that breakfast, and lunch as well, had been forgotten. The growl emanating from Jean Luc's midsection prompted a giggle from Beverly and a groan from him. She patted his stomach, then kissed it and whispered to it that she would see if she could find something to satisfy it too. Seeing Beverly Crusher climb out of her bed naked was a sight Jean Luc Picard thoroughly enjoyed. Watching her pad across the room to get her robe from the back of the bathroom door was a joy and a pleasure he would relish for a long time. She couldn't resist the sheer indulgence of being able to go back to him and kiss him before heading out to the replicator. The silly grin on his face made her chuckle and she was sure the one on her own was no less goofy or pleased.
While she was waiting for the replicator to perform its task she felt his arms encircle her waist and the grin turned into a full blown smile as she turned in his arms to kiss him again. Jean Luc didn't have a robe in which to wrap himself since they were in her quarters. She was mildly surprised that he would wander around her cabin naked as the day he was born, but it gave her a great deal of satisfaction that he felt comfortable enough to do so.
"Mind if I take a shower," he asked softly as he gazed at her lovingly.
"Not at all," she replied. "Mind if join you?"
He was pleasantly surprised by this request and quickly gave his consent. Brunch would have to wait a bit longer.
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After they had showered, eaten and he had gone back to his quarters to discretely procure other clothing (and a robe) they lounged on the couch reveling in the simple enchantment of caressing , holding and talking softly to each other. It gave them both a peace of mind neither had every really known before.
Beverly asked him to read to her just so she could listen to his deep, melodic voice. Jean Luc complied. Beverly asked him if he would play his Ressikan flute for her some time and Jean Luc asked if she would like him to get it now. Beverly told him she could wait as she didn't have ANY desire to move from his lap or remove her head from his shoulder where his neck was within easy kissing distance. Instead Jean Luc hummed for her the simple tune he had composed for Batai's naming ceremony. She was enchanted with it and him. Beverly asked him to kiss her. Jean Luc did, repeatedly. Beverly asked him to speak to her in French because she loved hearing the words AND his voice. Jean Luc whispered to her, in French, all that was in his heart, his love for her and his need for her love. He could have read engineering reports to her and she would have listened intently as long as he read them in French, but what he DID say melted her heart. Beverly had learned to speak French while at Starfleet Medical. It was one of those non-required courses that her advisor said would 'round out the curriculum' and she reluctantly agreed to take the course. She was happy she had done so now. Jean Luc granted each of Beverly's wishes graciously and with pleasure. He didn't care if she asked him to stand on his head as long as he could reach out and touch or kiss her whenever he felt the urge.
Jean Luc wanted to hear her laugh so he told her some very silly jokes. Beverly laughed harder with each one until they were both giggling helplessly. Jean Luc wanted her to dance for him and Beverly did. He loved to see the graceful way her body moved and when he had watched for a while, he rose and asked if Beverly would dance with him. He hummed a different tune for their accompaniment. Jean Luc asked if he could brush Beverly's hair just to be able to feel its silkiness move through his hands and watch it shimmer in the soft light. Jean Luc hesitantly asked her to tell him again that she loved him. He wanted to hear the words again and again. Jean Luc asked Beverly just to say his name because he loved the way she said it over and over with different inflections. Beverly granted all his wishes as well, content simply to be in his presence.
Neither wanted this day to end. The Captain had the presence of mind, after their initial sessions of lovemaking, to send a message to Riker that he was attending to some overdue matters in his quarters and should not be disturbed unless there was an emergency. Captain Picard also conveyed to Sickbay that Doctor Crusher was resting today and should not be disturbed either. Jean Luc Picard was no fool. He realized his First Officer (and probably the rest of his senior staff) would be fully aware of his ruse, but he no longer cared. These people were his friends, his family and he knew they cared deeply about him and Beverly. He also knew they would gladly play along with this game. The Captain knew his senior officers well and was aware that they had all been subtly pressing their CO and CMO towards this conclusion for quite some time. The Captain would take some good natured ribbing from his second in command at some point but was more than willing to endure Riker's not so subtle innuendo because it was worth it just to have these few deliriously happy undisturbed moments with Beverly.
William T. Riker was quite sure what 'overdue matters' his Captain was attending to and was determined to make sure that nothing less than a full Cardassian/Borg/Romulan attack would disturb Jean Luc Picard. Hell, even then, he would do whatever it took to make sure even THAT would not interfere. Deanna Troi gave the First Officer as much assistance in this endeavor as was possible, as did Geordi La Forge and Data. Alyssa Powell made sure Sickbay hummed along efficiently and would only be coerced into calling her boss for a major disaster of epic proportions and would think twice about it even then. None of them wanted anything to remove their Captain and Chief Medical Officer from wherever they happened to be or whatever they happened to be doing. They had waited too long for this 'payoff' and they were going to enjoy it (not as much as the two people involved, but as much as they could nonetheless).
Deanna had almost had to excuse herself from the bridge when the overwhelming rapture of Jean Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher engulfed her senses. Normally she would not have kept her emotional receptors open like that, but she was still concerned about Beverly's well being and had wanted to make sure she was truly all right. Deanna knew how devastated Beverly had been when the Captain had taken up with Anij and then spent his leave on Ba'ku. The Counselor also knew Beverly had considered leaving Starfleet but was waiting to make the final decision until she could hash things out with Jean Luc. Deanna wanted to be sure the Captain did not hurt Beverly any more although she was fairly certain that wasn't likely to happen when she had seen his anguish at his best friend's disappearance and felt the intense joy he radiated at her return.
Now there was a glow of warm contentment emanating from both the Captain and CMO and Deanna shut herself off from their feelings to give them their privacy. She knew they would be all right now. She gave Riker a knowing smile and nodded her head to indicate everything was fine. Riker smiled back. His 'mother hen' sensibilities satisfied that these two little chicks were tucked away in their own little nest....TOGETHER....AT LAST!
The End.
