Apples
Synopsis:
Picard has learnt that when it comes to his girls, the apples never fall far from the tree.
Rating: T
"Do it again!" The five year-old red-head girl with big blue eyes giggles at Data blowing bubbles through a straw in his ice-cream soda.
Rolling his eyes, Picard shakes his head in amusement at his twin five year-old daughters delighting in the antics of the android.
Deanna Troi approaches the table at the front of Ten Forward, finding Data performing a silly trick with his dessert for the captain's twin five year-olds, both of whom are howling in laughter. Deanna is pleased to note that the captain looks relaxed and comfortable, enjoying a rare evening out at the ship's tavern.
"Hi, Counselor Troi!" Lucie Picard greets enthusiastically, turning her attention to Deanna.
"Hi, sweetie," replies Deanna warmly, hovering over the table. "You guys having a fun night in Ten Forward?"
""We went horseback riding in the holodeck and then we got to come here and have pizza and ice-cream for dinner!" exclaims Lucie animatedly.
Grinning, Troi looks to the captain in surprise. "Wow! Sounds like a fun day."
"We didn't clean our room or do our spelling words," remarks five year-old Manon, Lucie's identical twin, in obvious consternation.
"We will clean up tomorrow, cherie," Picard assures his daughter, pulling Manon from her chair into his lap. "Before you mother comes home and sees the mess!"
Deanna smiles as the captain tickles Manon and smothers her in kisses, eliciting a chorus of giggles from both girls. "Could you use any help, sir? Do you need me to watch the girls tomorrow?"
Looking to Data, Picard nods knowingly. "You see this, Data? My wife doesn't trust me. She doesn't think I'm capable of caring for my children for a week in her absence."
Shaking her head, Deanna smiles, waving him off. "Of course not, sir. I.."
Smiling at his counselor and friend, Picard puts up a hand. "It's alright, Deanna. Beverly asked you to keep an eye on me while she was away. I appreciate your concern. However, I have the day off tomorrow. We'll be fine."
Deanna watches Lucie digging into her ice-cream with vigour and nods. "Of course, sir."
"I do not understand, sir. The doctor does not have confidence in you to care for your children?" Puzzled, Data looks between the twin girls, absorbed in eating their ice-cream, and the captain.
Grinning, Picard shakes his head, resting one arm on the table. "No, Data. Beverly thinks I just spoil them." Jean-Luc ruffles the shoulder-length strawberry blonde hair on Manon's head.
Beverly had needed to make a quick trip back to Earth to collaborate on a research initiative with various partners at Medical. She had been reluctant to leave, the journey necessitating her being away from Jean-Luc and their identical twin five year-olds for a week. However, she had had little choice and Jean-Luc had reiterated that he would manage perfectly fine in her absence.
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""My tummy hurts. I want Mama!" Lucie whines, clutching at Jean-Luc's uniform around his chest.
Letting out a long exhale, Jean-Luc gently guides her back to lie on her back in her small bed in the girl's bedroom. "Shsh, it's okay, cherie. You're just over tired, had too much sugar and excitement."
"No," cries Lucie, throwing her tiny arms around Jean-Luc neck. "My tummy really hurts, Papa."
Manon lies in her bed in the opposite side of the room, already tucked in and perfectly quiet.
"Shsh. Just close your eyes, my love. You'll be asleep soon." Jean-Luc kisses Lucie's forehead and turns off the light, hoping to forestall a fight.
His daughters may be identical twins, but they could not have more different personalities. Lucie is one hundred percent Beverly, assertive, intelligent and precocious. On the other hand, Manon is more like Picard was as a child, reserved, unassuming, but clever. Lucie does the talking for both of the girls, and Manon is always happy to play along with her sister. Picard finds them to be like the poles of a magnet, and it leaves him in awe. Both girls inherited their mother's look and her ability to charm him into whatever they want, so Jean-Luc finds it entirely difficult to scold them or decline them. Beverly is the one that reminds him the girls need discipline and boundaries. And, of course he agrees with her. But, he finds it difficult. And, maybe because he's older and he's tired. But, more likely it's because he waited so damn long to have these little angels in his life that he hates to ever disappoint them. After he and Beverly were married, they tried for two years to have children before the twins were conceived. So, when Beverly put the two pink bundles into his arms the day the twins were born, he was a goner. They entirely owned his heart. Well, perhaps they shared it along with their mother.
"Goodnight, my loves. Sweet dreams." Jean-Luc rises and quietly crosses the room, grateful that he has made it through the day.
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"Lucie is sick, Papa," Manon points out unnecessarily, climbing into the master bed as Jean-Luc lowers a quietly sobbing Lucie into his bed.
"Yes, cherie. Here, help your sister put on some clean pyjamas. I'm going to clean up the mess in the bathroom and find your mother's med kit." Jean-Luc puts a clean nightgown on the bed and brushes the strawberry blonde hair from Lucie's face , sighing heavily. "It's alright, cherie. You don't need your mother. Papa's going to get you fixed up in no time. Just relax and I'll be back in a moment."
Exhausted, Jean-Luc strips the linen from Lucie's bed and drags himself to the bathroom to wipe up the mess Lucie had left around the toilet when she hadn't quite made her target. Jean-Luc had thought Lucie's upset stomach had been attributable to too much activity last night, but perhaps the girl is actually ill. Dumping the linen and wash cloths in the recycler, Jean-Luc wishes his wife were actually here to deal with his sick child.
"It looks like you could use a doctor," whispers a familiar voice behind him, followed by a set of familiar hands on his shoulders.
Relaxing against his wife's touch, Jean-Luc turns around to face Beverly. "Oh, my love. What are you doing back?"
Laughing lightly, Beverly shakes her head. "I thought I'd surprise you. I guess it's good that I did. Lucie said she was sick."
Beverly had just snuck into their cabin in the middle of the night after her shuttle had docked, and she had hoped to slip into bed to properly greet her husband after a week apart. She had been surprised to find her twin daughters awake in their bedroom, Lucie complaining of an upset stomach.
Grimacing, Jean-Luc puts his arms around her waist. "Well, welcome home. Yes. One of our little angels is ill. I was just cleaning the bathroom. I was going to go get your med kit and see what I could do."
Leaning in, Beverly pecks his lips reassuringly. "Go get the girls settled down. I'll be right there."
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Jean-Luc sits propped against his pillow, Manon lying in his arms as Beverly tends to Lucie.
"I'm happy you're home, Mama. I don't want any other doctors if I'm sick," remarks Lucie as Beverly hands her a glass of water.
Smiling gently, Beverly presses a hypospray to the girl's neck as Lucie takes a sip of water. "Oh, you're not sick, sweetheart. You had a few too many sweets last night. I'm willing to bet Papa took you to Ten Forward." Beverly takes the glass from Lucie and sets on the night table.
Somewhat chastised, Jean-Luc runs his tongue over his bottom lip. "It was Data's fault. Data was eating an ice-cream float. So, naturally the girls wanted that, too."
Raising a brow at her husband, Beverly smirks. "You know, there's a powerful little word called 'No'. Try it some time."
Grinning, Jean-Luc reaches for Beverly's arm, tugging her onto her knees on the bed. He proceeds to tickle her ribs, eliciting giggles from the girls. Tears welling in her eyes, Beverly chortles, wiggling free from Jean-Luc's tickling.
"Okay, okay, honey. That's enough. It's still nighttime. You girlies need to sleep." Beverly scoops Lucie into her arms.
"I wanna sleep here with you," protests Lucie. "Oh, please, Papa!"
Smirking, Jean-Luc shakes his head, lifting Manon into his arms. "I'm going to heed your mother's advice. That's a 'No'!"
Beverly carries Lucie out of the master bedroom and over into the girl's bedroom, Jean-Luc following her with Manon in his arms.
""But, I missed you, Mama," protests Lucie as Beverly lays her in her freshly made bed.
Tucking the bed sheets around the girl's chest, Beverly kisses Lucie's cheek. "I missed you, too, sweetie. I promise we'll play tomorrow. For now, it's late and you need rest. Goodnight, my honies."
After Jean-Luc has tucked Manon into bed, they switch, crossing the room to give the other daughter a kiss goodnight.
"Goodnight, baby. I love you." Beverly kisses Manon's forehead as Jean-Luc kisses Lucie and turns off the light.
When they join hands at the doorway of the girl's bedroom, Jean-Luc laughs, guiding Beverly out and toward their own bedroom. "Welcome home, cherie. We missed you."
Sighing in exhaustion, Beverly collapses onto the bed. "It's good to be home."
Jean-Luc kneels on the bed, removing Beverly's socks. "You thought I wouldn't be able to take care of the girls without you. See, we made out perfectly fine." Jean-Luc draws Beverly upright, reaching around for the zipper of her uniform.
Smirking, Beverly raises a brow. "Jean-Luc, why does my living room look like some kind of camp site?"
Chuckling, Jean-Luc looks impish as he slides her uniform down her shoulders. "Oh, yes. The forts we made with the cushions and blankets between the sofa and tables. That was a very important Away Mission."
Beverly laughs heartily as Jean-Luc tosses her uniform to the floor.
"I'm sorry, love." Jean-Luc drops a kiss to Beverly's stomach, reaching around her back to unhook her bra. "I promise I'll clean the entire cabin in the morning." Jean-Luc throws her bra carelessly on the floor.
Taking his head between her hands, Beverly captures his lips in a sweet kiss. "Thank you for being such a fantastic father, Jean-Luc. I like to tease you, but I couldn't ask for anything better for our girls. I didn't worry for one second while I was away, because I knew you would just dote on the twins while I was gone."
Smiling into her lips, Jean-Luc brushes a lock of hair behind her ear. "So, you don't think I'm too soft on them?"
"Ha!" Beverly chuckles, stroking his cheek. "They've got you wrapped around their little fingers."
"Well, the apples never fall far from the tree, love of my life," teases Jean-Luc, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb.
Beverly slips her leg around his waist and slides his robe from his shoulders. "Oh, I've missed you."
Jean-Luc discards his robe over the side of the bed before easing Beverly onto her back, lowering himself on top of her. "I love you."
"I love you, dear." Sighing contentedly, Beverly wraps her arms around his shoulders as he slips her panties down her legs, kissing her chest. Closing her eyes, Beverly relaxes her head between the pillows, just thrilled to be back home.