Title: In Flagrante Delicto

Author: skadoo

Series: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Disclaimer: I don't own them and I make no profit from them. These characters are wholly owned by Paramount, CBS, etc.

Rating: T just to be safe. No details given but subject is alluded to in the text.

Summary: Jean-Luc and Beverly are celebrating at a vacation resort when they are interrupted by Wesley. Post-Nemesis

Feedback: Is always appreciated, please read and review each story you read on this site.

Author's Note: Thank you to Mrs. Singing Violin for her duties as Beta. If you find mistakes they're entirely my fault since I sometimes make changes after she does her magic.

As they dragged their bags into the suite, Jean-Luc resolved to act. I need to do this now before I do something stupid… like lose my nerve.

"This, er... business with Shinzon made me realize something."

Beverly put her small suitcase down and turned to look at him questioningly. "What's that?" Maybe I won't have to coax anything out of him during this holiday. We both desperately need to recharge after that ordeal. And after losing Data…

"He made me realize that I've been a coward."

"A coward?" She reached out, alarmed for a moment, and took both his hands in hers. They're cold. She gave his hands a brief squeeze, hoping to give him encouragement to continue. "Jean-Luc… that is not a word I would use to describe you at all."

"You have a much more forgiving heart than I do." He tried to tug his hands out of her grasp and realized she wasn't going to let go. I've alarmed her unnecessarily. I should have done this long ago... Jean-Luc smiled, turned his head, and took a deep breath before continuing. He pulled her firmly into his arms as he turned to look into her eyes and said, "Marry me, Beverly."

She didn't say anything, but he could read her answer all over her face. Before she kissed him, she mused aloud, "I was planning on asking you."

It took them a moment before they came up for air.

He chortled in relief and scrambled to search his trousers. "The ring is in my pocket."

She smiled playfully, "And here I thought you were just glad to see me."

"Oh yes, that too," he affirmed.

-o/\o-

A gasp alerted them to his entirely unexpected presence in the bedroom doorway. Time seemed to stand still for a painfully awkward moment as they all stared at each other in shocked silence.

"Mom… Captain… ugh!" He turned and attempted to hightail it out of the suite.

She managed to don her blue silk robe and have it cinched firmly around her waist before she grabbed his shoulder. "Wesley, wait!" Beverly managed to spin him around and pull him back into their rooms.

"Ah, I don't… maybe I should just…" He couldn't quite look her in the eye. What you have just seen, you cannot un-see. If you were suddenly struck blind, you would still be unable to scrub those images from your mind. Maybe this will be funny… tomorrow?

He looked quite green about the gills, and it was only partly to do with the fact that he was still just a little bit drunk. He and his friends had indulged in a bottle of Andorian ale; lucky for him he had not had his fair share.

She reverted to doctor-mom mode in an attempt to gloss over what he'd just seen. "Wesley, sit down and put your head between your knees. You look like you're about to faint."

He dropped into the chair like a lead balloon, cradling his aching head in his hands. "Yeah, well. I never thought…" From now on I stick to synthehol. "Let's just say that the next time I think of the phrase 'riding astride', I'll have a whole different mental image."

Beverly winced as she propped herself up against the wall, the wind taken out of her sails. Then she walked over to the replicator.

"You can be sure: I will never use your security codes again.

She smiled ruefully and called over her shoulder, "I'll make sure I change them from now on."

"I'm sorry." I'm sorry I saw… that. He fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve trying to figure out what the heck to say next. "It's just… you're my mom and he was my captain and… well, anyway… no one ever really wants to think of their parents doing that with each other, let alone with someone else. And they definitely don't want to see it!" He finally looked up at her when she handed him a glass of orange juice.

She sat opposite him on the sofa. "I didn't expect you to join us until next week." Beverly started twirling her hair around her finger, "We were, ah… celebrating."

Maybe I wasn't the only one unnerved? His face paled for a moment before he blurted out, "You're not pregnant are you?"

She looked at him, confused. "No, er… maybe. It's not, um, inconceivable." She groaned and slapped her forehead when she realized what she'd said. Her shoulders slumped and she ducked her head, Inconceivable? Now that was a dumb thing to say. I thought I had this mom thing down pat. I just never thought we'd ever discuss my sex life! Oh good lord.

Wesley gazed over at his mother in her discomfort. This is silly. Well, I'm sure I'm not the only one having trouble with this right now. Maybe I can have a grown-up relationship with my mom... once we get past the awkwardness. What would the counselor make of us now? The mental picture of him, his mother and the captain talking it over with Deana made him clamp his hand over his mouth to muffle a snort that quickly became hysterical laughter.

"I was picturing us discussing this with Troi…" His reaction and brief explanation was the watershed moment and they both dissolved into fits of giggles, tears rolling down their faces. I guess it was funny today, after all.

Jean-Luc strode out into the living room after taking the time to dress slowly. This is not the time to try to maintain appearances; that's just not possible now that he's seen… Hope the laughter means they've come to some kind of… understanding. I'm going to have to learn how to be a step-parent, even if he is an adult. But I think I'd rather face an irate Nauscicaan. At least I can predict their reactions with a relative degree of certainty and there's no degree of embarrassment involved.

He sat down next to Beverly and put his arm around her. He patiently waited for their amused reactions to dissipate, but he couldn't quite wipe the goofy grin off his own face. "We were celebrating our engagement, Wesley."

"Oh! Congratulations!" He finally noticed the engagement ring on her finger. "Nice rock, Mom."