Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek TNG or its characters. I only use them for fun :D

A/N: Story written for a challange on "The P/C Fanfic Archive Forum".

HOW EVER IT COMES

Silence surrounded them.

Lying down on two green deck chairs, on the sand, at midnight. Everything was perfect for them.

They wanted to enjoy this last hours together. Tomorrow, they'd be back to be the Captain and the Chief Medical Officer; coworkers, best friends. Today they were only Jean-Luc and Beverly, lovers.

"I don't want to go back." Beverly sighed.

"It's peaceful here. No Starfleet, no enemies, no ships … just us."

Beverly turned to her right to look at Jean-Luc and laid her head on her hand.

"You know I'm didn't mean this Jean-Luc."

"I know."

Silence surrounded them again.

Beverly sat on her deck chair before standing up and going to sit next to Jean-Luc on his chair, looking at him. She took his hand and caressed it with her thumb.

"Jean-Luc…"

"Beverly, not tonight. I want to enjoy our last night together. I don't want to have this argument again."

"Aren't you tired of lying? Aren't you tired of sneaking around the ship?"

"Beverly …"

"We've been lying to our friends for almost a year. We lied to them when we explained that we weren't taking this shore leave together. We've been acting like teenagers and I'm tired."

Instead of responding, Jean-Luc closed his eyes and sighed. He opened them again when he felt Beverly nudging him.

"What are you doing?"

"Make me some room. I wanna lie down."

"Beverly, I don't think …"

"Shut up and move."

Jean-Luc moved and Beverly laid down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Look at this sight, it's wonderful, it's peaceful." Beverly whispered to him. "Wouldn't you like to feel like this every night?"

"We don't have a sea at the Enterprise."

"Well, we have holodecks. Don't be dense Jean-Luc."

"Beverly, we talked about this."

"We could tell them when we get back. I'm not asking to make out on Ten Forward or to have sex in your Ready Room! I only want to be able to spend a whole night with you in your cabin or in mine! I want to be able to be with you without sneaking around, without tricking the sensors, without having to hide. Am I asking too much? We aren't doing anything wrong Jean-Luc. We're two consenting adults who are in love with each other."

"I know that we aren't doing anything wrong and you know that I don't like putting my life at display."

"I'm not asking you to do that. I only wanna explain it to our closest friends not to announce it to the whole ship."

"Beverly, let's have a peaceful night and we'll talk about it tomorrow."

"But …"

"Beverly, please."

"Ok, you win."

Jean-Luc turned to lay face to face with Beverly. He lifted her chin with his hand and kissed her.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Jean-Luc."

And together they saw the sun rise.

THE END