A Full Home

Synopsis: Sequel to "Expanding the Home." Post- Nemesis. Their home is complete. Pure fluff.

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.

Walking through the cabin door, Beverly motions for her friends to enter, calling up the lights.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Deanna Troi asks tentatively, following Beverly into the cabin, hand resting on her overtly protruding belly.

"Of course not!" Beverly gushes as Riker and Picard file through the door, closely followed by Wesley. "We haven't seen you in ages!"

"You're not tired from the travel?" Picard inquires of Deanna, turning to appraise her cautiously.

Smiling placatingly, Deanna shakes her head. "No, sir. I'm happy to be back. It was nice to see everyone again."

Putting a hand on Jean-Luc's shoulder, Beverly cannot help but smile, absolutely thrilled that their mission has them orbiting with the Titan, giving themthree days to catch up with the old Enterprise crew that are serving on the Titan. Beverly had been eagerly anticipating her reunion with Wesley for weeks. "Honey, can you get some drinks for our guests?"

"Sure," smiles Picard lightly before backing toward the kitchen area.

"I'll give you a hand," offers Wes, moving to the replicator with Picard.

As a small orange kitten encircles her feet, Deanna giggles, slowly lowering herself to the floor. "Awe. Hello, sweetie."

Smiling, Beverly watches the cat nuzzle Deanna's leg, purring animatedly, inviting attention. "I'm sorry. I forgot. You're okay with the cats?"

"Oh, definitely. But, Will isn't," smirks Deanna, scooping the kitten into her arms.

Raising a hand defensively, Riker stiffens. "They don't like me! They attack me!"

"My cats aren't aggressive," Beverly assures him. "They won't hurt you."

"I'm not scared of them," retorts Will hesitantly, throwing the cat a look of daggers.

"What's wrong, Captain Riker?" taunts Picard, walking over with two glasses in his hand. "Afraid of a kitten?"

"I'm not scared," reiterates Riker, his doubtful look belying his words.

Unable to contain her giggles, Beverly bursts into laughter simultaneously with Deanna, and within seconds the two of them have tears rolling down their cheeks and their shaking with uncontrolled laughter.

"It's not funny!" insists Riker. "That stupid cat of Data's attacked me."

Smirking, Jean-Luc hands a glass to Deanna and one to Riker as the other feline weaves between his feet.

"Which one is this? Astra or Cosmos?" Deanna asks Beverly, gesturing to the cat in her arms as she recomposes herself.

Wesley rejoins the group from the kitchen, handing a glass to his mother before turning to offer a glass to Picard.

"You've got Astra," Beverly answers with a proud smile.

"This one here is Cosmos," adds Jean-Luc, bending to lift the kitten at his feet into his arms. "Cosmos is Astra's kitten. She had a litter of three. The other two were adopted by two other crew on the Enterprise."

"You have…multiple cats, Captain?" Riker asks jestingly, a devilish grin etching his features.

"Not only does he have two cats," Wes interjects. "But, he talks to them, and shares his food with them, and they sleep in his bed."

Jaw dropping, Riker's blue eyes widen with jovial pleasure. "Is that so?" Beaming conspiratorially, Riker turns to Wes. "Tell me more about the captain and his kittens, Mr. Crusher!"

"That's enough, Mr. Crusher," grumbles Picard, tossing Wesley a warning look.

Throwing his hands up in defence, Wes grins. "Hey, you brought this on yourself. You're the crazy couple with two cats."

"Hey! Watch it, Mister!" teases Beverly good-naturedly, wagging her finger at her son in mock offence.

Giggling, Deanna pets the feline in her arm. "Awe, come on. How can you not love them?"

"Because they are evil. Pure evil, Deanna," states Will firmly.

"I certainly hope you don't feel that way about babies," Deanna deadpans, dropping her hand to her protruding belly.

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"It doesn't take them long, does it?" Beverly remarks, handing Deanna a mug of tea and lowering herself onto the sofa next to her friend.

Smiling warmly, Deanna accepts the proffered drink. "Oh, Will's been looking forward to coming back and seeing the Enterprise, visiting the old crew."

"Jean-Luc did not have to cart him all through Engineering to show him the upgrades," argues Beverly.

The men had hardly been in the cabin five minutes and Picard had invited Riker and Wesley to tour some of recent renovations on the ship,anxious to show his former First Officer the improvements they had made. Now, the three have been absent for over an hour, likely engaged in an in-depth tour of the new refit as Deanna sits with Beverly in the Picard's cabin.

"He's thoroughly enjoying it, I promise you," Deanna assures her, laughing lightly. "Will's been eager to give the captain a tour of the Titan, as well. I think he said you guys had time tomorrow morning?"

"Yes," confirms Beverly, bobbing her head animatedly. "I'm looking forward to it, too. It'll be nice to see where you all live. You know, I feel okay having Wes so far away knowing that you and Will are there looking out for him."

"Always," Deanna reiterates, reaching for Beverly's hand as Astra jumps up onto the sofa to nestle in her lap.

""And, I'm so excited for you, you're own little one on the way," gushes Beverly as Deanna leans forward to set her mug on the coffee table.

"Speaking of which," Deanna starts, stroking the cat's back. "Any plans to have any more babies? I mean, ones that aren't furry?"

Beverly glances down at her prized feline stretching, the animal making herself perfectly comfortable in Deanna's lap. "We'd love to. Unfortunately, we can't have any more children."

"You never told me that," Deanna says quietly, swallowing hard.

"I know," exhales Beverly deeply. "We hardly get the chance to talk anymore. It never seems right…I…I don't know."

The younger male kitten, Cosmos, golden orange with striking green eyes like his mother, approaches the sofa, staring expectantly up at Beverly.

"Beverly, I'm so sorry," murmurs Deanna, watching as the other cat hops onto the sofa between them.

""That's alright," sighs Beverly, scooping Cosmos into her arms. Drawing the kitten into her chest, she forces a smile, dropping a kiss to his head. Usually the younger male cat is quite quiet and reserved, more anti-social, whereas Astra is needier, desiring attention and affectionate. It's rare for Cosmos to jump up onto the sofa, particularly with a guest. In fact, Picard prefers Cosmos because the kitten is less needy and attention-seeking than Astra, who has, from the first day, always been Beverly's baby. In that regard, Beverly had ceremoniously proclaimed that Cosmos was Picard's cat, and he had never really protested, growing attached to the simple, content creature (not that he would ever publicly admit it). In this moment, Beverly's just happy to have the kitten close. "We tried, but it wasn't meant to be."

Trying her best to look positive, Deanna nods. "Perhaps you can adopt?"

Letting out a long breath, Beverly looks at her friend with a watery smile. "You know, we recognized that we're pretty blessed. We've got one amazing son who's making a great life for himself. And, who knows, maybe one day Wes will have kids of his own? We're happy just to have Wes and each other."

"And your fur babies?" jests Deanna playfully.

"And our fur babies," chuckles Beverly, glancing between the animals in their arms. At the end of the day, Beverly counts her blessings. Her home is truly full, brimming with pride, affectionate, intimacy and love, and she couldn't be happier.