Jean-Luc put two cups of tea on the low table in front of the couch before
settling down next to her, then he passed her a cup. He sat close to her, touching
lightly at arms and hips. She could not help a smile. It was rare for them to cross
the invisible line between them.
They sat quietly, comfortably. She noticed he had not asked her if she wanted
tea, an unusual deviation from his impeccable manners. He had, rather, simply
called up her chammomile when he replicated his Earl Grey.
"How are repairs coming?" Beverly asked idly. She found herself remarkably
peaceful, and not nearly as anxious to get back to work as she would expected. She
sipped at her tea, grateful to have her hands occupied.
"Coming along fine." The Captain replied. "And as of Beta shift, we're back
above 80% regular crew staffing.
"Who is on the bridge?" She cursed herself after voicing her thought-she didn't
want him to worry about that, she didn't want him to leave. "Will was back for
Alpha shift today, and Data will take over for Beta and Gamma shifts. Everyone
else is rotating through half-shifts as able, so it's a bit of a mishmash,
depending."
Beverly wondered how Selar was holding up and who was manning sickbay. The
Captain had distracted her easily from checking reports. She had enough
confidence in her excellent staff to know they could function indefinitely
without her leadership, what she felt badly about was them being short a body.
One set of hands or one more diagnostician could make a life and death
difference. Her sigh was wistful for the first time.
Reading her perfectly, Jean-Luc draped his arm casually across the back of the
couch, a comforting soft caress of her hair. "You'll be back. I expect not on
Duty tomorrow, but you'll be able to check on them and catch up tomorrow."
She did not answer. She wasn't vain enough to think they needed her presence,
but she hoped they at least missed her a bit.
She felt his fingers idly sliding through her hair. She had never realized how
obsessed he was with it. That information was tucked away for future use. For
now, the comfort in the warmth and touch of his hand was evolving into something
more. A light tingle tickled down her spine. She was loathe to move, to speak,
lest it break the contact and the spell.
Reality, however, insisted on intruding, in the form of the door chime.
"That will be Nurse Powell again, I imagine." The Captain said, standing.
"Come." Again Beverly smiled at his proprietary manner in *her* quarters.
"Hi Captain, Boss." The cheerful nurse greeted them. "Just a half-hour this
afternoon, Doc." Beverly could hear the smile in her voice.
"How are things in my sickbay?" Beverly asked.
"Good!" She could hear Alyssa gathering the regenerator units. The couch would
be fine for the short session. "Almost everyone is discharged from Barclay
Bedlam Syndrome, and staff is almost back to full capacity." The Captain
chuckled at Alyssa's name for the de-evolution virus.
Beverly groaned then laughed. "Barclay IS Bedlam!"
"Doctor," the Captain asked, "May I use your computer."
"Of course." She said simply, a little taken aback that he felt he had to ask.
Alyssa had just started the regen units, and Beverly sat in the gentle hum when
the Yellow Alert sounded. The soft dual chimes accompanied the yellow lights
that flashed along the top of the wall, where it met the ceiling. Beverly found
herself picturing each corridor and compartment with the slowly pulsing yellow
lights.
"Picard to Bridge, status?" He hadn't even logged all the way in from her
computer.
"Just procedure, Sir." Will's voice was calm in reply. "An ionic energy storm
is gathering. Engineering believes we should have full impulse in just a few
minutes and be able to move out of the area."
The Captain paused a moment. "Keep me posted, Number One."
"Aye, Sir." The reply was easy, unruffled. A small chirp indicated the
communications channel closed.
"Jean-Luc.' Beverly's voice held a smile, but also that tone which he knew was
her most persuasive. "Go. See for yourself. Alyssa's here and I'll be fine if
you're not back by the time she leaves."
Silence met her words. If she could have seen, she would have melted at the
expressions openly crossing his features. Concern for her warred with concern for
his ship, but there was also longing and tenderness. She knew him so well that
she would offer, before he even had to struggle with himself to ask.
"Jean-Luc." Beverly repeated when he did not reply.
He looked to Alyssa, but she just smiled. "I think she really will be fine,
Sir." She said, treading the fine line between her Boss and her Captain.
"All right." He muttered. He then shocked everyone, including himself, when he
strode over to her, lifted her hand, and pressed a kiss. He covered it with his
other hand. "I shall be back shortly. You WILL call if you need anything." It
was clearly not a question. With a quick tightening of his hands around hers,
he then released her and left her quarters.
"Oh... wow." Alyssa said softly, her eyes huge, staring at the door the Captain
had just exited.
"Yeah." the Doctor agreed.
A few moments of easy silence, then the nurse just repeated, "Wow."
And the Doctor replied, "yeah."
Then as if cued, they both giggled. "If you tell a SOUL Alyssa Ogawa, I will
hunt you down and kill you and THEN assign you to bedpans for the rest of your
tour." Beverly was lightly tracing her fingers against the back of her other
hand, where his lips had been.
"It's Powell now. Well, Ogawa-Powell." Beverly could hear the smirk in
Alyssa's voice as she sat on the chair opposite the couch. "And I would never,
ever utter a syllable that might jeopardize you two finally finding each other."
The words were said with simple sincerity.
"What do you mean, 'finally.'" Beverly asked, softly.
"You're the only two in the Universe that don't see how perfect you are for each
other and how much you belong together... " Alyssa broke off, afraid she had
said too much.
"He's just... we're... " Beverly shook her head with a frustrated sigh. "It's
complicated."
Alyssa saw the sadness and longing and need on her Boss' face. "Don't worry
Boss," she said quietly, seriously, "Not a word from me."
"I know Lyss." Beverly smiled, a bright, genuine smile. "How did I ever got so
lucky to have such a fabulous head nurse?"
A sudden jolt to the ship cut off their laughs.
