The commissary at Starfleet headquarters in San Francisco, Earth is a bustling place. Tables are filled with cadets talking animatedly with steaming mugs of coffee in front of them. Professors fill many of the other tables, catching a quick bite to eat between classes. Many are human but a great number of Federation planets are represented as well. In spite of the chaos, she sits alone, completely absorbed in the article she is reading.

Without taking her eyes from her tablet, she reaches for her mug. Her tea has long gone cold, she wrinkles her nose and sighs before setting it back on the table in front of her. She pulls her fingers through her shoulder length auburn hair, trying to decide if it's worth it to go get more hot water or not. It will probably just go cold again and she refocuses on her tablet. She barely notices the figure who slides into the vacant chair at the table.

The new woman is about her same age, early 40's. In contrast, her hair is tightly wound into a bun on top of her head. Her Starfleet uniform is red, not blue and she wears 4 pips on her collar, the rank of a captain. She's a bit put out that she did not immediately receive the acknowledgement she expects and deserves. She clears her throat, trying to get the other woman's attention.

The red head holds her finger up without lifting her eyes from her reading. The captain raises an eyebrow. She hasn't been treated in this manner since she was an ensign and she's more than a little put off by it. She squirms impatiently, trying to decide if she should announce herself and her rank or wait it out.

After several minutes, the red head finally drops her PADD to the table and looks up. Again, the captain expects recognition but, if the red head notices she wears a higher rank, she chooses not to acknowledge it, forcing the captain to open the conversation.

"Dr. Crusher."

The red head looks amused. "Yes?"

Again the captain is slightly flustered. The doctor has had a long career in Starfleet yet she refuses to submit to someone who obviously outranks her. The captain can't decide if she likes that or not.

"You don't remember me." It's a statement, not a question.

"Should I?" The doctor is amused with the game now. It's not often she is in a position to needle a strange captain and she's enjoying herself, and the look on the other woman's face.

"Kathryn Janeway. Captain Janeway." She emphasizes the 'captain', letting the other woman know that she still holds rank. "We met on the Enterprise several years ago."

The Doctor shrugs. "I meet a great many people. I'm sorry Kathryn. I don't remember." She gives the woman an amused smile. She heard the stress on the word captain but she chooses not to use it. The woman did interrupt her after all.

Captain Janeway narrows her eyes. She's not used to being treated in such a manner and, if she didn't need Dr. Crusher, she would tell her exactly what she thinks about her insolence.

"Three years ago. In The Badlands. I was the captain of Voyager."

The lightbulb goes on in Beverly's head. "Oh yes. I remember now. You were the one who got lost. How are you?"

Kathryn bristles again. Most people consider her a hero, bringing the Voyager and her crew back from the Delta Quadrant in one piece. Few dare to mention that it was her who took them into the wormhole in the first place. Her voice is tight when she answers.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

Beverly just smiles and waits. This meeting is not going at all like Kathryn expected and she's not sure if she should continue to try to make small talk or jump straight into her reason for the meeting.

A young woman in a server's uniform comes to their table.

"Captain. Can I get you something?"

Kathryn nods. "Two coffees please. Black."

Beverly interrupts her. "Thanks but I'm drinking tea." She gestures to the half-filled cup in front her.

"No one said it was for you." Kathryn snaps then turns back to the server. "Two coffees. One in a go cup. Bring that in about 15 minutes. And a go cup of tea for the doctor."

The young woman scurries off. Beverly raises an eyebrow and gives Kathryn an amused look. "Are we going somewhere?"

"We are. I need your help." She doesn't offer any more and Beverly doesn't ask.

When her second cup of coffee arrives, Kathryn takes it and stands. Beverly still hasn't decided whether or not she's going to follow as she has been offered absolutely no information as to why the Captain needs her. She makes up her mind as Kathryn turns to walk away, greatly favoring her left leg. Beverly grabs her cup of tea and catches her, offering her arm for Kathryn to lean on.

"Where's we going?"

"Your office?" Kathryn asks.

They walk in silence across the StarFleet campus to Beverly's office. She sinks gratefully into a chair. Beverly doesn't move.

"Are you ready to tell me what's going on?"

"Nothing is –going on-. I hurt my ankle. I want you to fix it."

Beverly isn't buying it. "There is a perfectly good medical facility here. I know because I am currently running it. Go there."

"I don't want to. I want you to do it."

"Tell me why?"

"No."

Beverly's eyes narrow. "Then I'll be going. Stay as long as you need."

Kathryn's hand grabs her wrist. "Please don't." Beverly looks into her eyes and sees a small crack in the armor Kathryn surrounds herself with. She nods.

"Fine. I'll stay. Sit up on the edge of the desk. Take your boot off."

"Thank you." Kathryn whispers.

Beverly gets a chair and gently pulls Kathryn's foot into her lap. The skin is colored a deep purple down the outside of her ankle and across the entire surface of the foot. She gently squeezes the joint and hears Kathryn hiss in pain.

"It looks like it's broken," she says. "I'll have to run a scan to be sure. This didn't happen today did it?"

"No. It's been a couple of days."

"It must have been incredibly painful. Why didn't you have it fixed? A ten year old with a Medi-Kit could have done it for you. How in the world did you walk on it for so long?"

"Sturdy boots," Kathryn tells her sarcast ically as Beverly begins to run a bone knitter along the damaged tissue.

"You haven't answered my question," Beverly scolds her. "There's more to this story. I need to hear it before we go any further. How did you hurt your ankle?"

"I fell OK? I wasn't paying attention and I tripped. I thought it was just a sprain, it would heal itself. When it didn't, I didn't want to go to the medical facility, have to explain what an idiot I am. I recognized you in the dining hall. I figured you'd understand."

Beverly drops the newly mended ankle and considers Kathryn's story. She opens her mouth to ask another question when her communicator chirps to life.

*Dr. Crusher. Dr. Tennant is waiting for you in his office*

She sighs. *I'll be right there*

She pats Kathryn's knee as she stands. "I've got a meeting. You can tell me the rest of the story over dinner."

Kathryn slides into the booth across from Beverly. "I detest sushi!"

Beverly just smiles and pours hot green tea into Kathryn's cup. "They serve the best ahi outside of Tokyo here."

"I'm not eating raw fish."

"The tako is excellent too. Still wriggling. Kind of like a good fresh Gagh."

Kathryn swallows hard. "There's no such thing."

"I'm glad you came Katie. Can I call you Katie?"

"No."

"Good," Beverly ignores her protest and pours herself another cup of tea. She offers to pour for Kathryn too. She declines."

"I hate tea too."

"So, Katie," she says sweetly, ignoring Kathryn's cringe at the nickname, "tell me how long your hand has been shaking."

Kathryn looks shocked and quickly squeezes both hands into a fist.

"I never said my hands were shaking."

"You didn't have to. I saw it when you sat down this afternoon. I want to know about the ataxia too."

"I never said anything about…"

"You fell," Beverly interrupts her.

"I tripped."

"You fell. And you had a hell of a time walking in a straight line in spite of me holding you."

"My ankle was broken."

"Any intern could have diagnosed and fixed your ankle. You sought me out because you wanted me to treat something that you don't want StarFleet to know about. You have only been here on Earth for one day which means that you heard I was here and you came specifically looking for me. That means that the fall and the broken ankle happened on board Voyager, at least three days ago. It also means you have a pretty good idea what's wrong. So either you're going to tell me the whole story or I'm going to leave."

"Does this mean you're going to help me?"

"I haven't decided."

"And my eating raw fish will help you decide?"

Beverly pushes the plate that the server just brought across the table.

"Octopus too."

"I think I'm feeling better already."

"Pick up your chopsticks."

"I don't want to."

"Don't want to or can't?"

Kathryn takes a deep breath. Her eyes are closed. Her voice is almost a whisper. "I can't." Beverly doesn't answer her. After a few seconds, she feels the doctor's warm hand on top of hers. She opens her eyes to see Beverly watching her closely. She's sure the woman can see through her now, her pain and her fear.

"I'll help you Katie. We'll fix this. I promise."

Ni-pan sake kudasai.