Disclaimer: Please don't sue, I have no money and I am just using Beverly and Jean-Luc like they should have been used.

Rating:

Summary: The gauntlet has been set. Will Beverly sit back and enjoy the show at the expense of her friend or will she offer her assistance and reap in the rewards?

A/n: I should be working on my P/C chapter fic which isn't posted yet but this plot bunny popped up and bit me on the bottom so I had to write it before my muse ran away with it and hid it for centuries. So really this is the first P/C story I have written and posted. Many thanks to my wonderful beta, Jamie.

Unimportant

Chief Medical Officer's Personal Log:

After a successful visit with the LerAns, a humanoid species with bird-like wings, they have decided that they would like to apply for membership to the Federation. Tonight, they are holding a ball in our honour and as usual in these types of events, I will be on the arm of Jean-Luc. I know he is approaching tonight cautiously, as he is not one for dancing, mingling and all those other requirements we are meant to meet tonight. I, on the other hand, enjoy playing dress up, dancing and even a small amount of mingling.

Beverly Crusher watched the scene unravel before her eyes and did little to fight the smile that was forming on her lips. She was watching her date for the LerAns ball monopolized by the planet's Ambassador's daughter. For most of the evening, Icis had been following Jean-Luc Picard around the banquet hall like a cat in heat. At every given moment, Icis made sure she touched the Enterprise's captain. She would press herself up against him when people were trying to get by. She would make sure that her arm was always lopped through his when they were talking and continued to smile adoringly, even when Jean-Luc shook her off. So far the captain had managed to ward off a trip to the dance floor, but Icis wasn't giving up. Beverly had to hand it to her; she was a very determined woman.

"If I didn't know you better, Beverly Crusher," came an amused voice from behind the doctor, "I would say you relished in the captain's discomfort."

Beverly turned and smiled at the Enterprise's first officer. He was dressed smartly in his dress uniform but looked far from comfortable in it.

"Will," she greeted. "Then aren't you glad you know me better?"

Will Riker grinned and shook his head slightly. "That I am."

They both chuckled and turned their attention back to the captain, who was once again resisting Icis and her insistent charms. It seemed that this time however, she was not going to take no for an answer and she promptly pulled him out on to the dance floor. Jean-Luc looked mortified while Icis looked like the cat that had got the cream as she took the lead and led him around the dance floor. With a keen eye, Beverly observed the stiffness in his steps and how he tried on many occasion to take the lead and then end the dance.

"William Riker and Beverly Crusher," came the voice of Deanna Troi behind them. "I am ashamed of you both. There is not hilarity to be found at his expense."

Will and Beverly turned abruptly and looked anything but innocent as they tried to feign innocence. Deanna Troi stood in front of them, with her arms crossed and the slight sound of her shoe tapping against the marble floor could be heard. They relaxed as they saw the smile adorning the Betazoid's face; she, too, was amused by the situation that the usually unflappable Captain Picard found himself in.

"Would you like a drink, ladies?" asked Will. "I've always found refreshment necessary when enjoying a show."

"Will," warned Deanna softly. "Behave."

"I'll have a LerAn punch," said Beverly as she thrust her empty glass into Will's hand.

"I'll be right back, ladies, and then we dance," he said before turning and making his way over the crowded refreshment table on the other side of the hall.

"Will seems attentive tonight," observed Beverly as she looked over at her best female friend.

"He's been very keen to dance tonight," replied Deanna with a smile. "I adore his enthusiasm but my feet are beginning to hurt."

"At least you're spending time with your date," sighed Beverly. "I haven't had one dance with my 'date' or even spent more than a minute alone in his company."

Deanna shot Beverly a sympathetic smile and touched her arm lightly. She above anyone else knew of the unspoken and unresolved feelings between the captain and the doctor of Starfleet's flagship. She knew that the captain secretly enjoyed attending events like this because he usually got the chance to have Beverly on his arm. She also knew that Beverly would spend days preparing the outfit she was going to wear, and that she never did it for herself, always for him.

"You know, he keeps looking over at you," Deanna revealed.

"Only because he wants rescuing," answered Beverly with a smile.

Beverly was partly right but what she was unaware of was that the captain desperately wanted to dance with her, spend the evening with her, alone was preferable. She didn't know he had spent the last hour trying to get away from Icis but it was like getting a Ferengi to part with his stock for free.

"Maybe you should rescue him," suggested Deanna, giving her friend a gentle push in the right direction.

"Not much chance he would stay rescued if that leech has anything to do it," replied Beverly, bitter. "He should have told her that he had a date."

"He did."

"What?"

"He did tell her," repeated Deanna.

"And she just ignored him?" asked Beverly, her voice pitching up a notch slightly.

"She said that she hadn't seen you stake your claim so you weren't important."

Beverly's eyes darkened as she looked over at the woman who was dancing with Jean-Luc. Deanna could sense annoyance, anger as well as a few other things coming from her friend.

"Well, we'll see about that," Beverly stated as she smoothed down the emerald green silk of her fitted dress.

"What are you going to do?" asked Deanna uneasily; she couldn't make too much sense out of Beverly's thoughts.

"Not important," fumed Beverly.

"Beverly!"

Will had finally returned with their drinks and he was about to open his mouth when he noticed that the atmosphere around the two women had changed. Beverly looked like she was about to pounce on something and Deanna looked slightly nervous. Will cleared his throat, thinking it would be the best way to approach them both and he quickly gained their attention. Beverly reached out for one of the glasses and smiled in thanks before raising the glass to her lips, she downed it in one and then handed Will the empty glass. She ran her long healer's finger through her red locks and looked at Deanna.

"How do I look?" she asked.

"Stunning," replied Deanna.

"Good," answered Beverly. "Unimportant. She won't know what hits her."

Will and Deanna watched Beverly stalk off into the crowd and head towards where the captain was dancing with Icis. Will looked at Deanna with bewilderment.

"What went on while I was getting drinks?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, but what I do know is that Beverly is about to stake her claim," Deanna replied. She wasn't even looking at Will because she wanted to keep an eye on Beverly.

Beverly glided towards the dancing couple; she could hear Icis droning on about something and heard Jean-Luc give an uninterested murmur. She stood for a moment, observing his movement; it was still as stiff as it had been when the dance started. All the steps were there but he was holding back, he wasn't relaxed and he wasn't enjoying himself. One of Icis's hands kept dropping down to rest upon his bottom but as soon as it fell there, he quickly moved her hand back up. His resistance was making him more of a challenge and from what Beverly could see in Icis eyes, she liked a challenge. So did Beverly and the red headed doctor was out to prove a point.

The band finally stopped playing and Beverly quickly made her move, she wrapped an arm around Jean-Luc waist. He jumped slightly as her hand made contact with his hip. She knew he hadn't realised who had invaded his personal space because his captain's mask was firmly in place until he looked over her. His frown softened and a small smile appeared on his lips.

"Hello," she said with a playfully smile as she pulled him to her.

Beverly was aware that Icis was shooting daggers at her but she ignored them, she was too busy looking into the hazel eyes of her best friend. Without even thinking, her hand came up and cupped his cheek, her thumb brushing against his cheekbone. As she savoured he touch of his skin under her hand, the reason why she had gone up to him flew out of the window and it became about something else.

"Will I get a chance to dance with you?" she asked softly, never tearing her eyes from his. Her heart fluttered as she felt him lean into her hand and smiled at her, it was one of his smiles that she was sure he only reserved for her.

"Of course," he answered as the band started to play again.

"I believe we were dancing Jean-Luc," said Icis clearly as she stepped forward. "It would be impolite of you not to do your duty."

Icis smiled over at Beverly and then offered her hand to Jean-Luc, expecting him to take it. As Starfleet officers, both Beverly and Jean-Luc knew it was wise not to upset their alien hosts. Jean-Luc offered Beverly an apologetic smile as he took a step back from her and was about to keep relations between the LerAns and the federation amicable.

"Please excuse me then," said Beverly, forcing a smile on to her face as she spoke to Icis. She took a step towards Jean-Luc and looked him in the eye before leaning forward and brushing her lips against his. She applied more pressure that usual so he would know that it wasn't like the chaste friendly kisses they sometimes shared. Beverly smiled inwardly as she felt him respond to her kiss, she felt his hand wrap around her waist. It was a gentle kiss, soft and light and it only lasted a few moments but to Beverly if felt as though time had stood still. She pulled away from him; she couldn't help but smile at the slight blush that appeared on his cheeks. "I'll see you at home then, Jean-Luc."

Beverly nodded at Icis before taking her leave; she shot a look over her shoulder at Jean-Luc as she walked back towards Will and Deanna.

"Goodnight," she told them as she passed the bemused Commander and Counsellor and made her way out of the banquet hall.

"I am glad I got us those drinks now," commented Will, referring to his earlier comment about having refreshments while watching a show.

Moments later, a flash of burgundy and black came past Deanna and Will and it was easy to conclude that it had been the captain making a fast exit because Icis was standing in the middle of the dance floor looking annoyed.

"Damage limitation, Will," said Deanna as she pushed Will on to the dance floor. "Go and dance with her."

Out in the corridor, Beverly Crusher stood leaning against one of the many doorframes that adorned the corridor. She saw the doors to the banquet hall open and she wasn't disappointed by who she saw coming out of them. Jean-Luc looked down the corridor before his eyes finally settled on her.

"Beverly?" he said as he made his way towards her.

"Yes, Jean-Luc?" she asked as he came to stop just inches away from her.

"What just happened in there?" he enquired.

"We were attending a banquet held in our honour, Captain," she answered, giving nothing away. She knew what he meant, but she couldn't help but tease him a little. It was rare that she got these moments, so she wanted to take advantage of it.

"You know what I mean," he said as he straightened his dress uniform top.

Beverly cocked her head to side and regarded him for a moment, his cheeks were still slightly blushed and his hazel eyes were darker then they had been in the hall.

"Damn it, Beverly," he said with a frustrated sigh. "The kiss."

"Deanna said you needed rescuing," she finally replied.

"I did not," he said as he stood up tall and puffed out his chest slightly.

"And I wanted to kiss you," she also revealed.

She had almost whispered the words; she hadn't known she had spoken them until she saw him looking at her.

"What did you just say?" he asked as he stepped closer to her, his hand reaching up and cupping her chin.

"I wanted to kiss you," she repeated, she had no idea where this sudden strength to tell him such a thing has appeared from but she decided to throw caution to the wind and go with the flow.

"I believe I need to thank you," he said as his free hand found its way to her waist.

"For what?" she whispered.

"For rescuing me in the most appropriate of ways," he said as he pulled her towards him and kissed her bottom lip tenderly.

Beverly felt her eyes close, she stomach fluttered as she felt his lips against hers. She sighed into his mouth and he took the chance and deepened the kiss. Her hands slid up his chest and over his shoulders where she looped her arms around his neck. Their bodies fit together like pieces of a jigsaw. Beverly felt her knees begin to buckle but was relieved when she felt Jean-Luc's grip on her tighten.

"Hmmmm," she heard him mumble, a deep sound coming from his chest.

He pulled away from her and looked straight into her soul, she shuddered at the loss of contact but also because of the look he was giving her.

"Beverly," he coaxed softly as he reached up and caressed her cheek.

"Yes?"

"Why now?" he asked as his hand moved from caressing her cheek to tucking a stray piece of red hair behind her ear.

"It started off when Deanna said Icis viewed me as unimportant," she admitted softly. "No, I think it started before that. I was fed up with that leech drinking off you."

"A leech?" he asked.

"Icis," confirmed Beverly. "I was jealous, though I laughed it off. But when Deanna said she had heard Icis regard me in that way, I wanted to prove a point, but as I got towards you, the only point I wanted to make was that I wanted to kiss you. Oh gods, I'm not making this sound very good, am I?"

"Truthfully, no." he answered. "However, I would like to say something. You are not unimportant Beverly, quite the opposite in fact. You are very important to me."

"I am?" she questioned.

"Didn't you know?" he asked.

"I guess part of me always knew that there was something more to our friendship," she admitted softly. "I think I put it down to wishful thinking on my part, though."

"Let me tell you what I think," he suggested. "I love and adore you, Beverly. I have for a long, long time but there has never been the right moment to tell you."

"Until now," she interrupted.

"Until now," he repeated with a smile. "You know it's rude to interrupt your commanding officer."

"I stand corrected, sir," she replied. "But may I speak freely?"

She felt his eyes on her and her whole body felt like it was on fire. What he could do to her without even doing anything.

"You may."

"I love you, too."

She stepped forward into his arms and wound her arms around his waist as his hands encircled her. She sighed as his lips captured hers again and his tongue softly requesting admittance into her mouth. She pulled his body more tightly against hers as she opened her mouth willingly to him. He deepened the kiss instantly, his tongue battling hers from supremacy. She battled for several moments but then let him win and allowed his tongue to explore her mouth. His hands moved down her back and cupped her bottom as he pressed himself against her.

"Jean-Luc," she whispered breathlessly as they pulled apart.

"Let's go home, ma cherie," he said as he touched his comm. badge. "Two to beam directly to the captain's quarters."

the end