Of Vines and Skies

Synopsis:

Many years post the events of "Nemesis", Picard visits La Barre with his family, and reflects on how he'd like to spend his time.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to CBS, its parents and affiliates. Just taking the characters out for a jaunt around the galaxy, I warrant they will be returned in the same condition I borrowed them.

"You know, she followed me around out here all day. She played in the dirt, ran around. This fresh air is good for her." Picard slips his wife's arm through his, meandering through the winding path between the vines in the vineyard in La Barre as they make their way lazily back to the house.

Laying her free hand on top of Jean-Luc's bicep as they walk arm-in-arm, Beverly watches her four year-old daughter skipping along the path ahead of them, the strawberry-haired girl's shorts and t-shirt stained in dirt and grass. "It's good for all of us."

"I got a lot accomplished," Picard tells her, silently observing the way the setting sun dances off of his wife's red hair as they walk. "Got a lot of vines trimmed back."

Chuckling, Beverly rotates her head, swiping at the dirt on Jean-Luc's slightly burnt nose with her thumb. "I can see. You're awfully dirty. And sweaty."

"I thought you enjoyed that?" teases Jean-Luc, raising a brow playfully at his wife.

Laughing throatily, Beverly slows to lay a hand on his damp neck and lean in and peck his lips. "Let's discuss it later."

Briefly raking his eyes over her, casually dressed in a simple peach-coloured sun dress, Jean-Luc smirks. "Very well. You were calling us for dinner."

With a relaxed smile, Beverly savours the warmth of his hand on the small of her back as they continue down the path to the house, watching their daughter merrily skipping along in front of them. "Yes. Marie and I worked very hard. We were cleaning and cooking all day."

At his pointed brow,, Beverly giggles. "Okay, fine. I was helping Marie cook."

Rubbing her back, Jean-Luc exhales in contentment, watching his four year-old ascend the porch. He had had an utterly wonderful day out working the vineyard. His small daughter had been at his side, playing while he worked. He had probably been out eight hours tending the vines and the girl had been thrilled to run around outside under her father's eye. They had paused when Beverly brought them lunch and extra water mid-day.

Big blue eyes widening in delight, the red-headed girl spots a large homemade pie on the kitchen counter as they file into the kitchen in the newly renovated home. "Blueberry pie!"

Mock scolding her little niece, Marie Picard wags her finger at the little girl, shooing her away from the pie. "Nice try, Miss Picard! No pie before dinner!"

Smiling gently, Beverly puts a hand on her little girl's back. "Go on to the bathroom and start washing your hands. I'm going to get you some clean clothes to change into before dinner."

Bending over the selection of pots and casserole dishes along the counter, Jean-Luc inhales, savouring the aromas of freshly prepared cuisine. "Is that a roast?"

Chortling, Beverly wags her own finger playfully at Picard. "Hands off that roast, Mister! You're going to march upstairs and take a shower and change before you sit down for this lovely dinner your sister-in-law made for you."

Grinning, Marie nods to Picard. "Listen to your wife, Picard. You're not coming to my table looking like that."

Shaking his head in resignation. Picard smiles. "Owned by these Picard women."

"I think just the wee lass," Marie teases, gesturing to the girl heading down the corridor to the washroom.

Smiling to himself, Picard nods. His sister-in-law is probably right. There's one little girl that completely owns his heart.

PAGE BREAK

"One more story. Please, Papa?" pleads the four year-old with wide, begging blue eyes.

"No, Cheryl. You've already had two stories. Time to sleep," Beverly answers, perched on the side of the bed in the small guest room on the second floor of the Picard's family home. Following the fire that had tragically taken Jean-Luc's brother and young nephew, Marie had had some of the home renovated and updated with more modern furnishings and appliances.

Pouting, the girl wraps her little arms around Jean-Luc's shoulder. "I don't wanna sleep here. Can I sleep in your room, Papa?"

Enveloping his daughter in his arms, Picard sighs. In four years, he had yet to learn how to say 'No' to his daughter. It was always something Beverly admonished him for, but Jean-Luc couldn't seem to resist the girl's innocent smile and big blue eyes (the spitting image of her mother, the one he loves most in this world). Perhaps he's grown old and weary and he doesn't have the energy or desire to struggle with his child. But, Jean-Luc has found his daughter to be a perfect replica of his wife, and he never could say 'no' to his wife, either. So, every time he caves to the girl's desire, because all he every wants to do is make his family happy.

"Cherie, you're perfectly fine here. Close your eyes and you'll be asleep in no time." Jean-Luc presses a kiss to her crown and lays her back down between the sheets.

As Cheryl quietly begins sobbing, Beverly interjects, pulling the blankets up to her chest and stroking the girl's cheek. "There's no need for that, Cheryl. You're just over tired. You've have a very busy day outside with Papa. Now, close your eyes and I know you'll be in Dreamland in an instant."

Quieting, Cheryl calms, sinking into her pillow, her eyes drifting closed.

Beverly feathers a kiss to her temple and rises off of the bed. "Goodnight, sweetheart."

Jean-Luc follows suit, kissing his daughter's forehead before rising to his feet. "Goodnight, cherie. Sweet dreams."

"Marie was right," remarks Beverly, taking her husband's hand as they quietly shuffle out of the room.

"What's that?" asks Jean-Luc, closing the bedroom door behind them as they enter the second floor corridor.

"She does own you," teases Beverly with a pronounced grin.

Chuckling, Jean-Luc wraps his arms around his wife's waist. "My heart belongs to both of you."

Leaning in, Beverly drops a kiss to his lips. "You're such a sucker, Picard."

Grinning, Jean-Luc caresses her waist. "Well, with such charming ladies as you and Miss Cheryl, how am I to deny you?"

Chortling, Beverly shakes her head. "Oh, honey. You're in big trouble."

PAGE BREAK

"Mmm…Maybe you're not so crazy. It's absolutely beautiful out here." Beverly takes a sip of her vintage wine and places the glass on the blanket beside her.

With a low rumbling laugh, Jean-Luc kisses Beverly's ear, his arms wrapped around her knees as she lies between his legs with her back against his chest on top of a light wool blanket they had spread over the dirt path between the vines. "You see now why I wanted to come out here and look at the stars?"

After they had tucked Cheryl into bed, Jean-Luc had retrieved a very old, very special vintage Chateau Picard and asked Beverly to sit outside and have a drink. Thrilled to take full advantage of their shore leave in La Barre, Beverly had agreed, and Marie had volunteered to stay in and ensure Cheryl stayed sleeping.

Picard had brought a blanket, the bottle of cabernet sauvignon and two glasses and led Beverly out to the vineyard. After carefully selecting an appropriate location, Jean-Luc had set them up in the vineyard with a fantastic view of the night sky overhead to view the constellations.

"This is what you did here when you were a boy? Come out at night and look up at the stars?" Beverly rests her head back against his shoulder as he takes a sip of his wine.

"I used to dream of reaching those stars," admits Jean-Luc with a pensive smile. "I wanted to join Starfleet and explore the galaxy."

Beverly covers his hand resting on her knee. "We'll bring Cheryl out here and she can see the constellations in the sky. Maybe some day she'll dream of exploring the galaxy, like her father."

Swallowing hard, Jean-Luc bows his head. "Beverly, we're not exploring the galaxy anymore."

Tilting her head to view his face in the pale starlight from the dark sky overhead, Beverly's eyes narrow. "What do you mean?"

"We're policing the galaxy," corrects Picard, resignation in his tone. "Since the war, all we've done is defend. The sky that we're looking at up there isn't the same one I viewed as a boy. I'm not sure I want my daughter aspiring to reach for the stars."

Rotating to look directly in his eyes, Beverly infers his words as he abandons his glass of wine.

With a heavy sigh, Jean-Luc takes her hands. "I'm done, Beverly. I think I've had enough. I'm tired and I've had enough of this war and I've put in my time and I'm done."

Running her tongue over her lips, Beverly nods slowly. "Okay."

"Beverly, Cheryl was ecstatic today because she got to spend the day rolling around outside. She's cooped up in that ship every day, all day. I…I feel terrible. Beverly, she's four years-old. She's should be in school. She should be with children her own age, learning and playing and…carefree." Almost stunned with himself, Jean-Luc blinks rapidly. He wonders what he's been doing for six years, commanding the Federation flag ship in the middle of this bloody war. He has a family. A family that needs him.

Right from the beginning, it had been a problem. The Enterprise E is not a ship for families, and Picard had wanted a family in a very dark and precarious time for the Federation. As soon as he and Beverly had married, Jean-Luc had asked if they could have a child. Beverly had wanted to have another child and have a family with Jean-Luc, but she was concerned about how they'd make it work with their roles on the Enterprise. Every day it seemed their missions grew more dangerous, Starfleet putting them on the frontlines. Beverly hadn't been eager to bring a baby into the situation, but Picard had assured her they'd make it work. Jean-Luc had even suggested they take desk jobs in San Francisco, give up their commissions on the Enterprise. Starfleet Command had strong-armed Picard into staying on as CO of the Enterprise, insisting they needed his leadership. They weren't thrilled that Picard had his family aboard the flagship, but they made a concession for him. So, for four years he had trudged on, leading Starfleet's efforts in a seemingly endless war. And he's finally ready to throw in the towel.

"We've made sacrifices," Beverly reminds him.

Shaking his head, Jean-Luc grows earnest. "No. I'm done making sacrifices, excuses. There can't be anything more important than you and that little girl."

Beverly leans in, rubbing his chest with one hand. "Honey, if you want to resign your commission, I am totally with you."

Jean-Luc slips his hands around her waist to the small of her back, his face set in concentration. "It's time. I should have retired four years ago."

Frowning in sympathy, Beverly shakes her head. "We made decisions together that were right for all of us. If you want to retire now, I'm one hundred percent behind that. Tell me what you'd like to do if you're not…defending the galaxy?"

Unable to contain a small smile at Beverly's provoking smile, Jean-Luc relaxes. "I thought we could get a nice house. Some land I could work . I'd like to help Marie with the vineyard. Of course teaching Cheryl French will be a full time job."

Chuckling, Beverly leans in and pecks his lips. "It sounds lovely, dear."

"What would you like to do?" Jean-Luc asks, caressing her lower back. "Just because I'm retiring, doesn't mean you have to, if you don't want."

Letting out a light laugh, Beverly bobs her head. "No, I'm ready to pack it in. Jean-Luc, I've put in my service. I've raised a son, and now I'm trying to raise a daughter on the frontlines. I'm…exhausted. I'm not thirty anymore."

"Well, you could have fooled me," teases Jean-Luc, feathering a kiss to her nose.

Smiling into his lips, Beverly exhales deeply. "I'm with you. Let's retire. Let's get a house up here. Cheryl can go to school with kids her own age. You can work the vineyard. And maybe I'll learn how to bake a blueberry pie."

Chortling, Jean-Luc draws Beverly into his lap. "That sounds perfect."

Beverly wraps her arms around his shoulders and gently urges Jean-Luc onto his back on the blanket. "When we retire, we're going to have a lot of free time on our hands. What do you think we should do to fill our time?"

Softly sighing, Jean-Luc, weaves his hands through Beverly's hair as she straddles his hips. "Oh, I think we can use our imaginations, cherie."

Bracing her hands on his chest, Beverly leans down to capture Jean-Luc's lips in a slow, languorous kiss.

Jean-Luc drops his hands to her waist, slipping her sun dress slowly up her abdomen.

Beverly disengages to toss her dress to the side. Returning her attention to Jean-Luc, she blazes a hot trail of wet kisses along his neck and collar bones.

Letting out a low groan, Jean-Luc gazes up at the stars overhead, his hands toying in Beverly's hair as she untucks his tunic from his pants, her hand ghosting over his already growing erection. "Cherie, shall we move this inside?"

Slipping her hand down his briefs, Beverly slides her tongue over his nipple. "Mmmm…Or we could stay right where we are?"

With a rumbling laugh, Jean-Luc briefly closes his eyes. "Oui. Oui."