Beverly Crusher stepped down off the transporter pad, avoiding eye contact with Jean Luc Picard. She was overjoyed that he and Data were safe and that they had defeated the Borg, but the fact that he had not told her of his plan to stay behind angered her tremendously. The fact that he had not said good bye, knowing that it would likely be the last time they would ever see one another, hurt her feelings very deeply. She walked past him into the hallway, fighting back emotions. Her intention was to go directly to sickbay where she would throw herself into her work until she calmed down and saw thing more rationally.

"Beverly." She heard his voice behind her.

She didn't respond or slow her pace.

"Beverly." He was following quickly, gaining on her. "Please speak to me." He over took her, stopping her with a hand on her shoulder. "Please."

When Beverly turned and looked at him, he was taken aback by what he saw. Instead of the anger he had been expecting, he saw barely controlled tears. "I'm not ready to talk to you." She replied, trying to step around him and continue on her way.

He took her hand. "I don't care." He replied as he pulled her through a nearby door, which led to an empty stellar cartography lab.

"I have to get to sickbay. I don't have time for this."

"I know." He held her gaze. "This won't take long."

"What…" she began to ask, then her body tensed as he kissed her. She didn't respond for as long as she could resist the deep desire trying to burst free. She tried to ignore his hands in her hair and the scent of his skin. She tried to convince herself that the taste of his tongue wasn't everything she had ever imagined it would be. She tried to convince her body not to flush hot with desire at the feel of him, pressed against her. She whimpered softly as her lips moved, seemingly of their own accord, returning his kiss, softly at first, but escalating until they were both weak in the knees.

When their lips parted, Beverly pressed her forehead against his and closed her eyes. "I am so angry at you, Jean Luc." She said breathlessly.

"Beverly," he wrapped his fingers in her hair tenderly. "I couldn't leave Data behind."

She opened her eyes and deep blue met stormy hazel. "Of course not. I should have expected it." A tear slipped down her cheek. "You let me get into that escape pod, without a good bye." Her voice was raspy with emotion. "If you hadn't succeeded…" She couldn't continue.

Jean Luc wrapped his arms around her. "Don't you see? I could face certain death at the hands of the Borg…" He pressed his lips to her ear and whispered, "But I could not bear to say good bye to you. It would have made it too real, the thought of never seeing you again." He kissed her desperately. "If I had seen the look of pain on your face, or if you had asked me to go with you… I could not have resisted you." He swallowed her sob with another kiss. "I could never resist you."

When the kiss was broken, Beverly wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.

"I know you have had reservations, and I respect that." Jean Luc said softly. "I need you to know that I have loved you for decades and will continue to do so until the day I die." When Beverly was silent for a long time, he added, "I can continue to be content with our friendship, if that is all you will allow. I just needed you to understand why I did what I did." He kissed her forehead tenderly as he released her from the hug. "I would never have hurt you intentionally."

Beverly's hand reached out to touch his cheek. "I can understand, but I'm still mad as hell."

Jean Luc smiled and covered her hand with his own, pressing his lips to her palm. "Will you find it in your heart to forgive me?" Eventually?" He continued to smile, knowing the answer.

"Eventually." She leaned in close to him, her lips almost touching his ear. "Because, when you love someone, you can forgive them almost anything." She brushed her lips against his skin and backed away, headed for the door.

Jean Luc watched her walk away, his heart pounding.

She turned at the doorway and looked back at him. "I'm expecting a really nice dinner tonight where we can continue this conversation."

"Your place or mine?" He asked in a husky whisper.

"Whichever has the least damage." She smiled and continued on her way to sickbay, smiling the whole way.