Note: So, having just finished up Famille, I promise this is not the same plot. I have a different direction here. It will become more obvious as it progresses.

Part 1

Letting out a long breath, Picard stretches as he strides along the corridor toward his quarters. It had been a particularly exhausting shift and he is still getting into a routine with his new bridge crew. The Federation's new flagship had only just been launched, and they were coming off their first mission at Farpoint Station.

In the distance, he can hear a high-pitched scream, and Picard immediately dashes in the direction. Within a few seconds, he hears muffled crying coming from the vertical Jefferies tube and is curious and concerned. He runs to the access point and finds not a crew member performing maintenance, but a small child clinging tightly to the ladder one deck above.

Looking up, Picard quickly assesses the situation, his feet planted on the ladder. "Are you alright?"

The girl with long red hair who looks to be eight or nine years-old briefly looks down at Picard and then immediately turns her head back to face forward, shaking.

"Hey, it's okay," Picard states, taking in her frightened appearance. "Just step back down the rungs. I'm standing right here. I'll help you back onto the deck."

"I…I can't…" stammers the girl, tears dripping down her cheek.

"Sure you can," Picard encourages. "One foot at a time. Come now."

Lips trembling, the red-headed girl shakes her head. "I'm scared."

Exhaling in slightly exasperation, Picard looks up at her in resignation. It may have been easier to exit and retrieve her from the deck above, but he is worried about leaving her alone on the ladder. He views his only option as climbing up to her. "Hang on. I'm coming up there."

Biting her lip, the girl affords a quick look down where Picard is swiftly climbing the rungs.

"What are you doing in the Jefferies tube?" Picard inquires, steadily climbing up to meet the frightened child. "Last I checked we didn't have any children on the duty roster."

"My cat got away," the girl confesses quietly, her teary eyes darting to the pure white kitten sandwiched between her arm and the ladder. "She ran in here and jumped up."

Picard pauses on the rung below the girl, noticing the cat for the first time. "That's quite impressive. Alright, let's get you back down, shall we?"

Looking over her shoulder, the girl's blue eyes look at Picard hesitantly. "I don't think I can."

"Sure you can," Picard says confidently, forming a smile. He appraises her freckles, strawberry hair and blue eyes and cannot help but smile. "You must be the Crusher girl."

Bobbing her head, the girl studies Picard cautiously. "Yes, sir. How did you know?"

"You look like your mother," Picard explains with a half-smile. "You're Felisa."

Nodding, the girl seems to relax, at least enough that her tears have subsided.

"Felisa, I'm Captain Picard," Picard introduces himself, trying to put the child at ease. "I'm sorry I haven't been around to introduce myself yet."

Looking nervous, Felisa's eyes drift to the pips on Picard's collar. "I'm sorry, Captain. I shouldn't have got myself stuck here."

"That's alright," Picard states easily. "Next time don't blindly follow your cat. Perhaps enlist the help of an adult if your cat gets lost."

"Yes, sir," replies Felisa quietly. "It won't happen again."

"I'm confident it won't," Picard nods. "Now, I don't want to spend all evening in here. I'm quite hungry. Shall we make our way down?"

Glancing tentatively down at the ladder, Felisa relents. "Yes, sir."

"Give me your cat," Picard directs, freeing one hand to take the feline.

Pursing her lips, Felisa extends her arm, handing the cat to the captain. "Her name is Nala."

Quirking his lips dismissively, Picard secures the kitten between his chest and arm. "Very well. Let's make our way, one step at a time. I'll go down one rung and you follow."

Apprehensive, Felisa sticks one foot out, preparing to lower herself.

"That's it. One step at a time. I'm right here." Picard descends the ladder and Felisa slowly, cautiously follows him, looking over her shoulder along the way.

"You're doing fine. Almost there," Picard tells her as they approach the deck.

With a shaky breath, Felisa finishes the decent behind Picard.

Picard plants himself on the deck and reaches one arm to help Felisa out of the Jefferies tube.

Handing her the cat, Picard offers a smile. "Well done, Felisa."

Gripping his shoulder, Felisa appears queasy. "Thank you, Captain. I'm sorry I bothered you. I promise it will never happen again."

Patting her arm, Picard nods. "That's alright. No harm done. I do think we should pay your mother a visit."

"I'm okay," Felisa tells him as Picard directs her down the corridor.

"That may be, but I would be remiss if I didn't take you to sickbay. Your mother would never forgive me if you were hurt," Picard tells the girl as they walk side-by-side.

"My mom's talked about you, and my brother, too," Felisa says as the enter the turbolift. "You commanded the Stargazer."

"That's right," replies Picard as the lift doors close behind them.

Felisa strokes the kitten's fur, trying to calm it down after the stressful experience in the Jefferies tube. "You knew my father."

"Yes," Picard lets out a long breath, looking at her tentatively. "We were good friends."

Seemingly satisfied, Felisa bobs her head as the turbolift doors open.

"Felisa," Picard exhales deeply, wanting to say more. He can tell from her expression that she had wanted to add something or ask him a question, but decided against it.

"I hope my mom won't be angry," Felisa says quietly as they exit the lift.

Leading them down the corridor, Picard shakes his head. "No. She's very understanding."

Felisa glances around, taking in the sight of the deck. "I haven't found my way around yet. The ship is so big."

Smiling as they approach sickbay, Picard watches her drinking everything in. "What do you think of the Enterprise?"

"I don't know," shrugs Felisa. "I've never lived on a ship before. It could be interesting. Wes is really excited. He knows the ship like the back of his hand."

Half-smiling, Picard guides the girl into sickbay. He finds the emergency ward sparse save for one patient to which the Chief Medical Officer is tending.

"Hi, Mom," Felisa greets merrily, skipping over to Beverly Crusher examining the biomonitors above the biobed.

Glancing up, Crusher offers her daughter a fleeting smile, intending to return her attention to her patient. "Hi, hon…"In her peripheral vision she catches a glimpse of the captain approaching the biobed and turns around to address him. "Hello, Captain."

"Hello, Doctor," Picard greets cordially as Felisa slides up next to her mother. "I'm sorry to interrupt."

Shooing Felisa away from examining the officer in curiosity, Crusher offers the Andorian woman an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. She's into medicine and would spend the whole day here studying your injuries if I let her. Just give me a minute and I'll be right back."

"I met Captain Picard," Felisa tells her mother as Crusher nudges her away from the patient.

"I see that," Crusher replies, gazing at Picard with a light smile. "What's going on?"

"Your daughter got stuck in the Jefferies tube while trying to retrieve her cat," Picard informs her, trying to keep the amusement out of his tone. "She was a little frightened so we climbed down together."

"What?" Crusher's eyes widen, grabbing Felisa's arm. "What were you doing in the Jefferies tube?"

Sighing in exasperation, Felisa holds up the kitten. "Chasing Nala! She escaped from our quarters."

Rolling her eyes, Crusher shakes her head. "Felisa, you should have asked for help instead of crawling into the Jefferies tube. You could have gotten seriously hurt. You made the captain crawl through the tube to help you."

Grimacing, Felisa hangs her head. "I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again."

Sighing, Crusher turns to Picard with an apologetic expression. "I am so sorry, Captain. I promise this kind of incident will not happen again."

Nodding, Picard waves her off. "That's alright, Doctor. No harm done. I'm glad your daughter wasn't injured. I thought you should examine her as a precaution."

Looking down at her daughter, Crusher puts a hand on the girl's red head. "Yes, I will. Thank you, Captain."

"It was no trouble," Picard assures her, noticing how upset Crusher is becoming.

"Go sit down on the bed beside the ensign and I'll be there in a minute. I think you owe Captain Picard a huge thank you for helping you," Ruffling the girl's hair, Crusher reminds herself that Felisa is a nine year-old fresh on her first trip in deep space. Her daughter is not only getting her sea legs, but both Felisa and her son, Wesley, will have to learn their boundaries in this new environment.

Felisa skips forward and throws her arm around the captain's waist, hugging him warmly. "Thank you, Captain."

Flustered, Picard pats her head, his lips curling in an awkward smile. "Uh…you're…you're welcome, Felisa."

Reddening, Crusher wants to turn away. And hugging the captain was definitely crossing the boundaries. Covering her lips, Crusher shakes her head in disbelief. "Come on, sweetie. Let's let the captain get back to his post."

Pulling out of her hug, Felisa grins. "Actually, I think he was going to have dinner."

Smirking, Picard is impressed with the girl's precociousness and frankness. Little Felisa seems to be a mini clone of her mother.