Disclaimer:
I obviously don't own Beverly or Jean-Luc or Deanna (etc.), I'm not usin' this for money, yatsa, yatsa, and yatsa.
Claimer:
I own Quinn Charlotte Altson, Dr. Marie Lynna Altson, and Dr. Fitzpatrick L'Angley.
Also:
I am not a French student at school – I take Spanish. I found a French dictionary online, which I am using, though if anyone knows French and can help me with my usage of the words, the help is gladly accepted!
This takes place toward the end of season Two.
And just so everyone knows, this is roughly based on my real-life friend Quinn. She is deaf, signs, knows French, and reads lips. That's why the people can talk about Quinn around her without signing.
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Dedicated to the real Quinn Charlotte Altson and to Guinevere Grace Anna Jacobsen.
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Maman
Part One
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Captain Jean-Luc Picard watched his best friend, Dr. Fitzpatrick L'Angley hug his daughter. At four, Quinn Charlotte Altson had just lost her mother to an unknown alien disease – with Fitzpatrick soon to follow from extensive injuries sustained getting both his self and Marie off the planet. However, Quinn didn't understand what was happening as her papa's breathing slowed. The little blonde-haired girl was deaf and all attempts to make her understand were cut short by another question.
~ Mon ange, je t'aimerai toujours. ~ Fitz signed to Quinn, in French. He raised his hand to Quinn, his thumb, pinky, and index finger, and then the man's breathing stopped.
Quinn looked at her father, ~ Papa. ~ The little girl shook her father, and looked up at her uncle. ~ Papa. Mon papa. ~
~ Come, Quinn. ~ He signed, before picking up the child from the biobed. He began to rock the child in his arms, knowing that she was crying, even if no one could hear her. Quinn was soon asleep, her hands clenching Jean-Luc's uniform, and tears soaking into the fabric.
Beverly walked over, her eyes were wet and red – she had known Fitz for quite some time, and to know he was gone and left behind his daughter, yanked at her heart. She, in fact, was the one who'd pushed Dr. Marie Lynna Altson to go on a blind date, while Jean-Luc pushed Fitz into the date. The two had married six years before, after dating for a year, and thanking the two who'd put them together every chance they got.
"Beverly." Jean-Luc said, bringing the woman back into reality.
"He's really gone. It's strange." She said, looking at Quinn. She brushed her hand against the child's face and reached for her.
He tried to hand off Quinn to Beverly, but she wouldn't let go of his uniform, "She's got a hold of my shirt. I'm going to go back to my quarters." He said, hoping Quinn would sleep in a bed and not attached to him – though the feel of the small child comforted him.
"Okay." Beverly whispered, and walked off.
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Jean-Luc pulled Quinn's hands off his uniform and laid her down on the bed carefully. He wrapped the sheet around her small form and sighed. 'Four. God, she's only four. How could Marie and Fitz both be gone? Of all the people, why did they die and why did Quinn have to be left behind?' He thought sadly, walking out of the room and into the living room. He sighed again, walked to the door, opened it, and stepped into the hall. He engaged the lock, and headed toward the turbolift.
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"Captain!" Commander Deanna Troi said, surprised.
Jean-Luc looked over the woman, "Yes, counselor?" He asked.
Deanna shook her head, "Sorry, sir. We all have heard about Dr. L'Angley and Dr. Altson. I thought you'd have gone back to your quarters."
"I already have. My goddaughter is sleeping in my bed." He said, simply. Jean-Luc sat down in his chair, and looked out the viewport. Stars covered the screen, zipping by at a tremendous rate. As they passed a green and red planet, Jean-Luc silently cursed the name Udos IV.
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Deanna watched Jean-Luc, as they watched Udos IV fly past. His face was a mask of hatred and sadness, but once they passed, his expression returned to normal. His thoughts, having been curses moments before, turned to Quinn.
"Captain, the child. What will you do with her?" She asked, curious.
Jean-Luc sighed, "She has no other family. The person that Marie and Fitz chose to take her if anything happened to them, died early this year. I'm not sure who she should go to now."
Deanna nodded, "May I see her?" She asked. Ian had died months before, and she knew what Will would say if she wanted Quinn, but the thoughts and stories she'd heard from her captain intrigued her to at least see the little girl.
"Sure." He stood up, and walked to the turbolift once again. He and Deanna got on, and he ordered it to go deck nine.
"I'm sorry about them. I know they were your friends."
Jean-Luc smiled, "Fitz was the little boy down the street that enjoyed being with me. He was always at the house – he was just another sibling to me. I never did enjoy children, but he was the one I truly loved being around. Marie lived nearby, but she moved to Luna after her parents were transferred when she was fifteen. Apparently, Marie met Beverly at a school or something and they became friends. After some time, Beverly and I pushed the two into a blind date, and they got married a year later. Quinn's their only child." He said, explaining the beginnings of Marie and Fitz.
Deanna nodded. She knew what Jean-Luc was thinking of – family. Aside from Robert and Rene, Marie, Fitz, and Quinn were his family, and he had loved them dearly.
The turbolift jolted to a stop and the two officers disembarked. They walked to quarters number thirty-six-oh-one. He unlocked the door, and entered, followed by the betazoid. He motioned for her to follow and she did, sheepishly, into his bedroom.
Quinn was laying on the bed, her hands in fists, eyes red. She was on her back, wrapped in the sheet, though it was now only on her legs because she had kicked the fabric off. The small child was in a pair of white-footed pajamas, with her golden hair in two pigtails. A small amount of light seemed to give her a halo.
Deanna immediately looked at Jean-Luc, after taking in the look of the child.
He recognized the expression Deanna wore, and smiled, "She does look angelic. It's why Fitz called her Ange."
"Ange?" She asked.
"It means Angel. She always looks like that when she sleeps." He sighed.
"Sir, are you sure she has no other family that would want her?" She asked.
Jean-Luc eyed Deanna for a second, and then answered, "Yes. Why?"
"If I said that I'd adopt her, would that be considered wrong?" She asked. If she wanted Quinn to be her daughter, she wanted his approval.
"No, Deanna. I think it's wonderful, but are you sure?"
"I know what you're thinking, captain. This isn't anything relating to Ian."
He shook his head, "I know to trust you, Deanna. I would just like you to understand that Quinn isn't going to be like any other child. She's not only deaf, but signs in French and English. She needs attention from her mother especially, because of that. You'd have to learn sign language and French. Not to mention that Quinn's never met you. She knows nothing about you, and you know nothing about what she's truly like. I can't just give her to someone. She needs people who can love her and take care of her. I owe it to her parents."
"I can do that." Deanna promised.
Jean-Luc grinned, "We'll see. I'll see to it that Starfleet knows about Quinn and about you, and then we'll try having her stay with you for a few days after you've acquired enough to communicate with her. I'll tell her what's going to happen. Deal?"
Deanna shook her head, happily.
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I know it's kind of a bad beginning, but I've been struggling to come up with a better beginning – I didn't come up with one.
Sorry if it's stupid to you.
Cassie Jamie
Please review!
A big thank you to Misty_Bay. Thank you for your help!!!