Monsieur Mere
Synopsis: Sequel to " Contentment". Next instalment in the "Attached" series. Jean-Luc is left with his twins while Beverly is away.
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.
She had been away a week, and to Picard, it had felt like a month. Beverly had been attending a medical conference, and between the conference itself and the travel, it had meant she would be away from the ship for a full seven days. Now, on the last evening with Beverly's return imminent, Jean-Luc sits in a rocking chair in his twin's bedroom, heavy with exhaustion.
Wanting Beverly to seize the opportunity to get away from the ship and experience the conference, Picard and encouraged her to attend, assuring her that he could manage their two seven month-old twins in her absence. He had even tried to re-arrange his schedule so he would be home as much as possible to care for the babies, convincing her that it would be no trouble for him watch them in her absence. However, after seven days, Picard is ready to pull out the remainder of the little hair left on his head.
Glancing over at the two cribs side-by-side, Jean-Luc's lips curl around the Ressikan flute in his hands as he begins to play a familiar tune of "Frère Jacques", his mind recalls all of the events of the past week, marvelling at how he had somehow managed with two seven month-old babies on his own. Resting the flute in his lap, Jean-Luc sings softly, his gaze on the slumbering infants in their cribs.
Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines
Ding ding dong, ding ding dong
Standing out of the rocking chair, Jean-Luc pads silently across the room to the cribs. He leans over his son's crib, finding Jean-Paul still tucked snuggly in his blanket and sound asleep, contentedly sucking his pacifier. Smiling in satisfaction, Jean-Luc continues his quiet singing as he shuffles to the next crib.
Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?
Isabel? Isabel?
Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing
Ding ding dong, ding ding dong
With a light smile in the corner of his lips, Jean-Luc relaxes at the sight of his peacefully slumbering daughter. Adjusting the blanket around her chest, Jean-Luc sighs in relief. Both babies are finally down for the night. Now, his job is finished for the day. Completely spent, he hardly has the energy to drag himself to his own room, silently wondering where Beverly gets the strength and energy to do this, day in and day out. Now, he knows he would be entirely lost without her.
PAGE BREAK
Slipping between the sheets, Beverly sighs in utter contentment, thrilled to be back home, and thrilled to be off the shuttle after a gruelling commute. Curling up to a heavily sleeping Jean-Luc, Beverly lays her arm across his chest, tucking her face into the crook of his shoulder and neck and pressing her lips to his warm flesh. Sliding her leg over top of his, Beverly closes her eyes, revelling in his familiar feel after a long week apart.
Rousing at the familiar feel of Beverly's naked body pressed to his, Jean-Luc stirs, his arm immediately encircling her lower back. "Hey…"
Smiling against his neck, Beverly lazily rubs circular patterns across his chest. "Hey, stranger."
Tilting up slightly, Jean-Luc draws her closer. "Hey. Your shuttle wasn't due to arrive until six hundred. I had an alert. I was going to meet you in the shuttle bay."
Kissing his shoulder, Beverly trails her hand down his stomach. "I lied. I wanted to surprise you. I missed you."
Grinning, Jean-Luc slips his hands around her waste and pulls her on top of him, capturing her lips in a long kiss. "I missed you. We missed you."
Slipping her hands around his neck, Beverly smiles against his mouth. "I just checked on Belle and J-P. They're sound asleep. I was half-temped to wake them up so I could smother them in kisses."
Chuckling lightly, Jean-Luc shakes his head. "I'm grateful you didn't. It took me a half an hour to get them to sleep."
"I missed my babies," Beverly half-whines, half-giggles. "How were they? How'd you make out?"
Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Jean-Luc aimlessly caresses her back. "Oh, well, you know. I was a regular Monsieur Mere this week. Absolutely phenomenal. You should be proud of me. "
Giggling, Beverly feathers kisses along his cheek. "Awe, what a perfect papa. Thank you, Jean-Luc."
Weaving a hand through her hair, Jean-Luc trails the hand on her back lower. "Welcome home, cherie."
Pecking his lips, Beverly rubs her hips against his. "Thank you for being such a good father and watching the twins while I was away. I brought you back a little gift from my trip."
Smirking, Jean-Luc's hand grazes her backside as his hand tangles in her hair. "Hhm? What's that?"
"Oh, sorry," Beverly snickers playfully, glancing over the side of the bed. "I already threw them on the floor. I was too anxious to see you. I couldn't wait."
Chuckling, Jean-Luc grips her hip, cupping the side of her face with his other hand. "I'm just glad you don't go away often."
Smiling warmly, Beverly kisses him in response, just grateful to be back home, reunited with her family.