It was just your typical day on the Enterprise bridge. The crew was heading to investigate an M class planet for possible colonization. Dr. Crusher had joined the bridge crew to ask Deanna if she wanted to go to lunch together. She was visiting with the crew while she waited for Deanna to be ready to go to lunch. Suddenly, she dematerialized with no warning. Chaos ensued, the ship was stopped, red alert was called, a search was conducted on the ship and in the surrounding areas. No trace of the doctor could be found. The ship circled the surrounding star system for nearly two weeks searching but she couldn't be found. The captain had to be ordered by Starfleet to continue on to the class M planet and resume their mission. There was no evidence that she would be found in that area of space or any other particular area, there was no reason to keep searching when she could be in another quadrant of the galaxy. Reluctantly, the Enterprise crew tried to get back to normal operations. If she had died it would have been easier, they would have known what happened. The hollowness created by not knowing was eating at them. Was she still alive? Where was she? Who had her? Was she being treated well? Why was she taken? Those questions plagued the crew, most especially the captain.
The doctor had been gone for two months and no sign of had ever been found. Captain Picard had done the terrible task of sending a communication to her son at the academy detailing what had happened and how no trace could be found. He did impart to his former Ensign that the search was not ended. He would always look for her but there was no logical place to look any more. This disappearance had seemed to be the most hard on the captain. The senior crew knew of the close friendship between the captain and the doctor. He always took the loss or injury of his crew hard but with the doctor it was worse, much worse. He was looking quite haggard of late and he was short with his crew. They thought they understood what he was going through, they kept things very professional and quiet on the bridge to help things run smoothly without causing the captain more stress. They were currently on their way to Star Base 475 for shore leave and crew rotation. Everyone wanted to forgo their shore leave and search for the doctor but they knew they must move on with their lives.
As suddenly as before, the Traveller phased into existence on the bridge and he was supporting a very frail and abused Beverly Crusher. The captain was out of his chair before anyone else could comprehend what had happened. "Beverly!" he exclaimed as he quickly moved to support her weight.
Weakly, she turned her battered face towards him. "Jean-Luc?" she asked with confusion. As recognition registered she managed enough strength to put her arms around his neck as she muttered, "I love you." Then she slipped into unconsciousness.
Quick on the uptake the captain scooped her up into his arms. "You're safe, my love." he said quietly but the crew heard him. They were surprised and not surprised at the same time. They had been waiting for those two to finally admit their love and begin a relationship together but they were surprised to find that it seemed to have already happened before her abduction. No wonder he had been so much more affected by her absence. "Number One you have the comm." he said and then turned to the Traveller. "Can you come with us to sick bay?" and then they headed towards the turbo-lift.
Dr. Selar was as surprised as a Vulcan can get when the captain came into sick bay carrying Dr. Crusher. She even raised an eyebrow at the sight. The captain lay her gently on a bio-bed and then took ahold of one of her hands. Things quickly got busy, Dr. Selar scanning Beverly with her tricorder and calling out instructions to the nurses buzzing around, "Bring two dehydration kits, a dermal regenerator, an osteo regenerator, a hypo-spray for pain and..." she stopped as she reached midway through her scanning of the doctor.
"What? What's wrong?" the captain asked worriedly. Why was she focusing to intently on Beverly's abdomen? He was worried she had some kind of alien being or implant inside her.
"She's pregnant." the doctor replied evenly as she continued to scan the fetus. She grabbed a different type of scanner and resumed scanning. Then she put that scanner back and calmly resumed her scanning with the tricorder.
"Pregnant with what?!" he demanded.
Too quietly for the nurses to hear she said, "It is ok, captain. She is nearly three months pregnant with a fully human fetus. She was pregnant when she was abducted. The fetus is suffering from moderate malnutrition and severe dehydration but she should recover fully with treatment."
The captain looked like he was in shock. Dr. Selar logically surmised that he did not know she was pregnant and his reaction suggested he was the father. She kept an eye on the captain while she ministered to her patient. She was watching to see if he was going to faint and become another patient. After a moment he composed himself and whispered, "Three months pregnant?"
"Yes, captain." she had completed her scan and was administering one of the dehydration packs to relieve her patient's most immediate need. "She has been repeatedly beaten, she has three broken ribs, a broken wrist, second degree burns in various stages of healing in several locations, numerous bruises and lacerations and a moderate concussion that is several days old." Seeing the illogical, emotional reaction on the captain's face from her statement of the patient's condition the doctor reiterated, "They will recover fully."
Dehydration reversed, broken bones mended, burned and lacerated skin regenerated and throughout it all the captain never once released his hold on her hand. The nurses had noted his reactions but discretely ignored his presence, their relationship was none of the nurses business, their job was to attend to her medical needs. But, being very fond of their CMO, they were happy to see her relationship with the captain was finally progressing. Captain Picard turned to the Traveller standing quietly in a corner, "What happened?"
The Traveller stepped forward, "Wesley contacted me to ask for help in locating his mother. She was abducted by some disturbed individuals in a star system several light years away. The race is generally known to have grown to be a peaceful society after millennia of fighting amongst themselves. Some still exhibit those tendencies. Several of those had formed a group and abducted individuals at random to satisfy their need to torture, inflict terror and pain and have power over someone." The captain's look was thunderous at the explanation. "The group is now in the hands of the proper officials, Captain Picard. They will not have an opportunity to repeat these actions again. Two other beings were found alive with Dr. Crusher, they will be returned to their homes after being treated. Several others were also found dead. They torture and abuse their captives until they die."
Gesturing to Beverly, Jean-Luc said, "I owe you everything. How can I thank you?"
The Traveller smiled gently, "It is thanks enough to be able to stop this from happening but I would appreciate it if you would send a message to young Wesley for me."
"The message?" he asked.
"Just tell him, 'You're welcome.' and that I will visit him in a few years after his graduation, he needs to concentrate on his studies right now."
"Consider it done." he said and turned back to Beverly to stroke her hair and try to untangle the mess with his free hand. He didn't notice the Traveller phase off the ship.
He continued to hold her hand and placed his other hand on her abdomen, as if holding the child within as well. He remained at her side as the nurses discretely cleaned her up and got her fresh clothing. Jean-Luc insisted that Mr. Mot come to tend to her hair. In short order, her hair was clean and flowing if not as glossy as usual. Dr. Selar decided it would be best if the numerous bruises were left to heal for themselves but she did accommodate the captain's insistence that her swollen black eye be healed enough that she would be able to see with both eyes when she awoke. A chair was brought to the captain for his comfort while remaining by her side and after that they were left alone as much as possible. Dr. Selar kept an eye on her patient, of course, and also kept her acute hearing attuned to that area of sick bay.
Jean-Luc gazed lovingly at Beverly. He lay his hand over her abdomen where his child was fighting for survival. His child, the thought was immense and included so many varied emotions; fear he wouldn't be a good father, elation at being a father as he had thought the possibility of fatherhood had passed him by, happy daydreams of a future teaching his son or daughter to fence, ride horse, fly a starship, fear for his child's health at the moment, ... He was amazed by this beautiful woman who carried his child. Was she happy about the pregnancy? Wesley was nearly full grown, perhaps she wasn't prepared to begin again with a newborn. Survival must have been utmost in her mind the past two months, she had much healing to do physically and mentally. Hours later he was jolted from his musings when her whole body twitched. She awoke with a jerk and looked terrified. He gripped her hand harder and lay his other hand on her face. "It's ok, Beverly. I'm here with you. You're home. You're safe."
She stared at him for a moment, processing the information. "Jean-Luc?" she asked confused.
"Yes, Love, I'm right here. You're going to be fine." he soothed.
Her hand tried weakly to grip his tighter but only managed a tiny squeeze, "Don't leave me." she begged.
Stroking her hair gently he replied, "Never." and with that assurance she fell back to sleep.
Dr. Selar, having heard her talking, came to check her vital signs. She assured the captain that she was no longer unconscious and unable to wake, she was merely sleeping. She warned him that Beverly would most likely sleep almost continuously for several days but asked if he please encourage her to eat something, no matter how little, the next time she awoke. He asked that when she awoke again that someone bring a bowl of 'Nana Howard's vegetable soup' from the replicator.
Jean-Luc settled back down into his chair, holding her hand, rubbing her arm, stroking her face and hair. Continually but gently letting her know he was there and she was safe and could continue to sleep and heal. When she was asleep he contacted the bridge and requested a subspace message be sent to Wesley, letting him know his mother was back aboard and recovering. He would let him know later that the Traveller had rescued her and send the Traveller's message for Wesley as well. For several hours Beverly slept deeply without movement, then she began small movements. She shifted her leg or turned her head. It was when she began to groan that Jean-Luc asked a nurse to bring the soup and started to talk to her very softly. He wanted to let her awakening senses know that she was no longer being held prisoner, hoping to spare her the fear of thinking she was about to be beaten by her captors again. "I'm here, my love. You are safe and well." he whispered.
Her eyes opened slowly this time and looked around briefly before focusing on Jean-Luc. "Jean-Luc? I'm in sick bay?"
"Yes, mon coeur, you're on the Enterprise." he assured her. "Dr. Selar would like you to eat something." he informed her as the nurse brought him a steaming bowl of soup. "Do you think you can eat just a bite or two?" he asked. The nurse elevated the head of the bio-bed into a nearly sitting position.
"Oh, my head is throbbing and spinning." she moaned. Dr. Selar appeared and gave her a hypo-spray for pain. With a sigh she said, "Much better. Do I smell Nana's soup?" she asked Jean-Luc.
"Yes, dear, can you eat some?" he asked as he spooned up some soup and blew on it.
"If I can stay awake long enough I could eat all of it, I'm starving." she admitted.
He managed to feed her half the bowl before she turned to him to say, "I'm sorry, Jean-Luc, I'm too tired for more."
"Understandable, Beverly, you rest. Don't worry, I'm right here and I'm not going any where." he assured her. He set down the bowl and adjusted the bed back down to a sleeping position. Then he picked up her hand again. She gave a tiny smile and closed her eyes.
Dr. Selar was instantly there to check how much her patient had eaten. The captain suspected she was monitoring them from afar and giving them as much privacy as she could, he was grateful for her discretion. "Very good." she said as she took the bowl away. She returned several minutes later to run the tricorder over Beverly. "She's coming along nicely. You, however, need to rest and eat also. You've been here all evening and night without rest or food."
"I'm fine, doctor." he asserted.
Knowing a thing or two about human psychology, Dr. Selar put that knowledge into effect, "Captain, Dr. Crusher is going to need your support and care for many days to come. You will need to be well and rested to see to her needs."
Realizing she was right he asked her to stay for a moment while he used the facilities and collected a meal from the replicator before taking up his seat next to her bed. Once he was settled she reminded him that he needed sleep as well. "Yes, doctor, I promise to get some sleep when I'm finished eating." It was about 20 minutes later when Dr. Selar noticed that the captain was now on the bio-bed with the doctor, cradling her in his arms as they both slept. Even the Vulcan couldn't help but smile at the sight.