Author's Note: Jean-luc, Beverly, Q, Riker, Troi, and anything else Trek do not belong to me, i'm just playing with them. They belong to Gene Roddenberry. And I can't speak french very well, so if any words here are wrong, don't blame me.
-+ c/\כ +-
To most people on the USS Enterprise-D, Doctor Beverly Crusher was nothing more than the acting Chief Medical Officer, a compassionate and caring mother to her son Wesley Crusher, and a great author of many wonderful stage plays.
But to one of her best friends and fellow colleague, Captain Jean-luc Picard, she was much more than that. She was one of his closest friends, someone he confided in, someone who could give him sound advice when he needed it, someone who shared sympathy when he was in need of that too. And secretly, someone who he was in love with.
It all started when he was introduced to her by one of his best friends, Jack Crusher. They had just started dating. At first, he was little more than just attracted to her. The beautiful Beverly Cheryl Howard, with her gorgeous orange hair that just fell to her shoulders and her sparkling bright blue eyes, could make any man fall to his knees.
But as time went by, and they got to know each other better, things changed. They all started to spend more time together, such as going on double dates (if he could find one that is), or inviting him for dinner. He found often that he wished that he was the one to be her date, or the one to sit next to her at the dinner table. But he really started to feel something more for her after witnessing the birth of her son. Her and Jack were married by then of course, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to witness something like that just yet. So while he waited outside, Jean-luc stayed with Beverly inside the hospital room. He didn't- or rather, she didn't let go of his hand, squeezing it until his knuckles turned white. He somehow felt a special connection to her then, like he was a part of her. Suddenly simple attraction turned into a passionate love for her that would last many years. But although he loved her, he also felt terribly guilty. He shouldn't have those feelings for a woman who was with his best friend, let alone married to him. It just wasn't right. But his love for her was stronger than his guilt.
Although he had conflicting feelings for her, Jean-luc and Beverly were good friends for many years. While he was acting captain of the USS Stargazer, she would often contact him to see how he was doing. Or sometime he would go out of his way to send her a message. Jack was also a member of the ship and was also contacted by Beverly on a regular basis. Their friendship suddenly ended though, when Jack was killed in the destruction of the Stargazer. They stopped spending time with each other, and she never returned his calls. Originally Jean-luc thought that it was because she had the idea that he killed her husband. Jack and another crew member were trapped, and he could only save one of them as the door to the room they were in had to be opened manually and could only stay open for a short time. He chose the other man as he was in a less dangerous spot and was closer to the exit, leaving Jack to die. But Beverly constantly assured him that she didn't think that.
He thought that because she wouldn't speak or see him meant that their friendship was lost forever. That he would never see her again, and spend the rest of his life pining away for her company. But then he saw her on the bridge of the Enterprise, which he was assigned to command. He hadn't often seen her in a Starfleet uniform before then, and damn did she look good in it. She was going to be his new CMO, and he felt slightly proud of her for reaching to such a rank over the years. Though he also was excited to have her on his ship, he was also afraid. How would he deal with his feelings while she was there?
As it turned out, things went on better than he expected. After she and her son were settled in, Beverly and Jean-luc began their intimate friendship again. They had breakfasts and dinners together, had drinks in Ten Forward, and even spent time on the Holodeck. For a moment he thought that maybe there was hope for them. But she told him otherwise.
Like two months ago.
They were kidnapped by rebel forces on a planet, and had to run around like fugitives while their minds were connected by little devices in the back of their necks. They could hear each other's thoughts, and one night Beverly found him out. He had to write his heart out, in one answer after another. From start to end, he had to explain how he felt about her. It felt good somehow, letting all these things he wanted to tell her out. And she seemed to accept it. But when they returned to the Enterprise and he asked her if they wanted to explore the feelings they felt for each other, she politely turned him down. He, of course, was disappointed. But as long as she was happy, he wasn't concerned for his own wants. Beverly Crusher would always be there. In his dreams, in his mind, in his heart.
"...or maybe we should be afraid."
-+ c/\כ +-
"That was a wonderful breakfast, Jean-luc." Beverly complimented, licking the last of the Croissant crumbs off of her plate. "Wonderfully replicated too."
"Oh, I didn't replicate them." Jean-luc answered. He willingly cleaned up the dishes and placed them in the replicator for disposal.
"No wonder they taste so good."
"Will I see you for lunch?" He joined her by the door.
"I'll be in Ten Forward before you can say 'Andorian Merlot'!" They both shared a chuckle at her comment, and passed through the door-
-but instead of landing onto the Enterprise bridge, they found themselves in the throne room of a large, Victorian castle. Their attire had also changed; Jean-luc was wearing a ruby-red army jacket with various medals on the right breast, and Beverly was wearing a royal purple dress that squeezed her cheast uncomfortably.
"Where the hell are we?" Beverly grabbed onto his arm and looked around the room in distress. The illusion looked quite real, but Jean-luc knew better than to believe in it.
"Q! Show yourself!" He bellowed. Without warning, music started to play throughout the room and a man dressed in fancy robes with a large multi-coloured hat on his head appeared on one of the thrones.
"Ah! Bonjour, mon Capitain! Or should I say, mon general?" Q laughed loudly and continued to play his lyre.
"Q, why have you brought us here?" Beverly snapped. Turning to face her, Q let out a small smile and knelt in front of her.
"My Queen, I have brought you here to thank your wonderful captain for letting me play with you and the rest of his crew. I learned a lot about you pitiful humans and your odd culture. Strange creatures you are." He then took her hand and kissed it, making Jean-luc turn green with jealousy. Q stood up abruptly and grimaced, his face twisting into a disgusted frown. "Oh, ew. Your hands taste horrible. You should never kiss a sugeon's hands. Take that into consideration, Jean-luc dear."
"But why us?" Jean-luc cut in. "You could have chosen anyone. Even the whole crew!" Q stood up and turned back to him, a sly smile painting his face.
"Au contraire, Jean-luc. Some things are best left unanswered." And with a snap of his fingers, he was gone.
-+ c/\כ +-
"Damn him!" Jean-luc exclaimed, pacing back and forth in the throne room. He was extremely frustrated, and wasn't afraid of showing it. Q had been nothing but a childish nuisance for them, and he wasn't about to deal with him again. "Why can't he just leave us alone?"
As any woman would,Beverlytried to look on the bright side. Even if she was also angered by Q's sudden reappearance.
"Oh, he's not all bad. Didn't he get you a date with that one woman?"
"Yes, while you all ran around looking like a circus performer just vomited all over you." At least he laughed a little along with her. She took a seat on one of the thrones as he began to pace furiously again.
"I just don't think I can deal with him after our last run in. He hurt me so badly, and now he's back! He's caused us enough grief. Why can't he just learn from his actions and go bother someone else!"
"I know, Jean-luc." Her voice was compassionate, as she stood up and put a hand on his shoulder in friendship. "But moping around won't solve anything. Why don't we go look around the castle?" He released the tension in his shoulders under her soft touch. Her soothing side always calmed him down, her voice sounding like sweet syrup.
"Your right, Beverly. Let see if Q used his powers to their full potential."