Title: Alienation of Affection

Disclaimers: Not Mine...No I haven't gone off the deep end. I told you this story was a dream.

Just watched "Stand By Me..." gosh Wil Wheaton was the cutest thing at 14! now...on to the story...

Chapter 2 - Regrets *********************************************************************************************************************
0115 hrs

Beverly Crusher found herself in ten forward staring at a glass of synthehol. She swirled the straw back and forth as she stared at the ice melting in the reddish pink liquid. She'd searched for her son in all of his usual hiding spaces, but without his communicator it was nearly impossible to find him. She hoped that he found a comfortable place to bed down for the night.

"It's way past your bedtime doctor..." A shadow looming over her remarked.

She dabbed at her eyes as she turned her head to stare out at the stars.

"Can't sleep...I have a lot on my mind."

"Wesley." Guinan asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Wesley."

"What about him?"

"Its written all over your face, you're disheartened, you feel angry."

"Guinan..." she began trying to dismiss the meddling woman, but Guinan was always right.

"Anger, that's unusual coming from you..."

"I hit my son Guinan...I slapped Wesley."

"Well, I'm sure he must have said or done something to set you off... although I didn't think he would ever rebel in any way." Guinan attempted to play devil's advocate.

"No, he didn't rebel, I just slapped him...I mean really hard Guinan, I really tried to hurt him..." she sighed massaging her palm. "my hand still stings..." she added in a whisper.

"Why would you try to hurt him?"

"I wouldn't! I mean I didn't...I didn't mean to...I have no idea why I did it."

"Have you done it before?"

"No. she said as tears filled her lids but did not fall. I've never hit Wesley...not in his life. I've never had a need, I would never...I thought I would never..."

"What were you talking about when you hit him?"

"I...I don't remember."

"And he didn't provoke you in any way?"

"No, he didn't...he wouldn't...we were talking...God Guinan...I don't know. I struck my son...and without reason...how can I ever expect him to forgive me? she said covering her face with her hands. Guinan patted her shoulders as she stood behind her.

"Well, you two have a lot of traits in common...stubborn, overly protective...brilliant and very forgiving."

Guinan offered leaving her to sit quietly.

**********************************************************************************************************
Time Unknown

Senior Officer Suite

Wesley walked up to his mother s quarters to offer an apology. He wasn't sure what he'd done wrong but he was sure he'd somehow been at fault if she had been made angry enough to hit him. He rang the door chime. There was no answer, he rang it again, and when there was no answer he entered his code and entered the cabin.

"Mom?" he shouted looking into his room first and then heading towards her room.

"Mom are you in here?" he asked again as he peered into her empty bedroom. He shrugged his shoulders and headed towards his darkened quarters. As he was about to call for the lights the breath was stolen from his lungs. He felt something sharp jab through his back and penetrate through the front of his stomach. As he looked down the glint of a serrated blade sticking out of his body horrified him as he shook from fear and pain. He felt blood welling up in his throat and he gagged as he struggled to catch his breath and could not. Wesley touched his stomach and his hands came away soaked with blood. As he turned to look at the person standing behind him, the person jabbed the blade in further and he sank to his knees with a pained groan. He fell completely to the floor as a face swam into view in front of his eyes...blue green eyes and red hair...and a smile of pure contempt.

"Mom!" he screamed.

Wesley awoke with a jolt covered with sweat. He had to blink several times to clear the images of the nightmare from his mind as he looked down at his stomach to make sure there were in fact no giant knife wounds there. Once he'd calmed himself he realized he wasn't in his quarters.

The usual smells and sounds of morning did not greet him this morning. He awoke in Holodeck 4, in Program W. Crusher 21, a model of his old room on planet Earth. Fortunately it had a bed and offered him the comfort he needed to escape the insanity of the previous night.

He was almost certain that his mother had lost her mind. His face still stung from the slap that felt more like an open handed punch and he was sure his mother's red hand print was permanently etched on the side of his face. Hopefully it would be gone before he had duty this evening. He thought about ditching school this morning but there was no telling what his mother would do to him if he didn't go to class.

First he would have to find a place to shower, and then he would try to convince Captain Picard that he needed a place to live which ought to be the sell of the century. A sixteen year old kid living alone on the Enterprise because his own mother suddenly realized she needs her privacy.

"Ha!" He laughed out loud as he walked down a corridor. A passing crewmember looked at him strangely but continued on. Everyone already thought he was more than a little strange, why deviate from the norm now?

Wesley reached a set of panels and got the time. He had an hour and 15 minutes before his classes started. He headed to his quarters to get a shower and get changed. He prayed his mother was already on duty.

0841 hrs

"Computer what is the location of Captain Picard?" Wesley announced exiting his quarters quickly barely finished drying his hair.

"Captain Picard is in his quarters." Wesley headed in that direction.

His quickened pace and unusual appearance startled passing personnel but Wesley continued on his way. only pausing briefly outside the captain door to smooth his hands through his hair and take a firm grip on his PADD before ringing the door chime.

"Come."

"Mr. Crusher, what can I do for you this morning, shouldn't you be in class?"

"Yes, sir. I am on my way there now."

Is there a problem?"

"Sir, I know this is an odd question to ask , and I have to tell you I've given this a lot of thought, "

"Ensign..."

"But... I think that would be the best option for both of us. I know this involvea a lot of responsib..."

"Ensign Crusher!"

"...ility...Yes sir?" he snapped to attention.

"You want to know if you could have your own quarters."

"Sir? Yes sir...how did you know?" He wiped the sweat from his temple with a quick swipe.

"I received the same communiqu from Dr. Crusher this morning."

"Oh. Yes sir." he said as his shoulders sank. A part of him had actually hoped his mother had changed her mind.

"Ensign Crusher is there something going on I should know about?"

"No sir, what did m-, I mean...Dr. Crusher say?"

"I'm more interested in your version. Do you feel its in your best interest to have your own quarters? Do you feel you are ready for that level of independence and responsibility?"

"Yes sir. I believe it will prepare me for the academy sir. It's about time I carve my own path anyway sir. My mother needs her privacy, and so do I sir." It wasn't a lie, Wesley thought.

He did think he could use the experience of being on his own, but he never expected his mother to kick him out of the only home he's known for three years. Picard noticed the changes in expression on Wesley's face each time he answered his questions. He knew Wesley would not intentionally lie to him, but he also knew there was more to the story than what Wes was telling him.

Beverly was usually overprotective of Wes to the point of hysteria, and suddenly here she was ready to push him from the nest without so much as a parachute. Wesley was an acting Ensign, an officer, but the timing of this request just seemed so unusual. He would have to get to the bottom of this.

As Picard pondered his decision he looked up at Wesley and noticed a vibrant bruise on the left side of his face. He stood and walked toward the young man who seemed to be more interested in the floor at the moment.

"Wesley?" he snapped out of his daze confused by the use of his first name.

"Yes, sir?" Picard reached towards Wesley's face but he put his hand up to cover and turned away from him.

"What happened to your face?"

"My face? Um, it's a long story sir..." he responded shuffling from one foot to the other.

"Mr. Crusher, I assure you I have the time to..."

"Riker to Captain Picard." Wesley exhaled incredibly grateful for the intrusion.

"Picard here..." he said still eyeing Wesley strangely.

"Sir we have received a urgent transmission from Admiral Knight should I transfer the message to your quarters?"

"Yes Number one...thank you. Picard out"

"Mr. Crusher, I don't know what is going on between the two of you but for the sake of family harmony I will temporarily grant that request."

"Thank you sir." Wesley said quietly as he nearly ran out of the room. He stood outside of the quarters and breathed deeply trying to calm himself, and then straightened his clothing before heading off to class.

Beverly Crusher sat in her office orally dictating her notes. She pulled her blue lab jacket snugly around her, rubbing her hands together desperately trying to warm herself. The exterior area of sickbay was entirely too cold. She had no idea when she'd become so sensitive to the temperature of the ship but lately it had been almost impossible to stay warm. She Had risen the temperature of her office to be significantly warmer (81 degrees Fahrenheit). As she finished her dictation she was startled by Nurse Ogawa behind her.

"Dr. Crusher, Lt. Commander LaForge is here for his weekly adjustment would you like me to get Dr. Selar to handle it?" Beverly took a sip of her bottled water from Denuvian springs, and smiled.

"No, of course not, I'll be right there." she gathered up her supplies and headed out into the main area.

Geordi looked up in time to see Dr. Crusher saunter towards him; he stared at her and noticed something about her was different.

"Hi Geordi...that time again eh?" she smiled broadly patting the bed encouraging him to sit. He continued to stare at her a smile plastered across her face, her biorhythms were different than usual. She was filled with warm reds and oranges; it was almost like she was a different person.

"Yeah, this visors' giving me fits. I've got a bad headache." he rubbed at the back of his head. Dr. Crusher removed the visor and gently massaged both of his temples.

Geordi closed his eyes and sighed and let out a satisfied moan.

"Ohhhh Doc...don't you at least want to buy me dinner first?" She moved her massage down his neck and worked the knots out of his shoulder.

Beverly smiled as she whispered in his ear. "Have to keep my favorite patients happy." Geordi shivered involuntarily at her words. The sultry sound to her voice was unmistakable. She made a minor adjustment to his visor with a computerized device and handed it back to him as he placed it back over his eyes.
Dr. Selar stood at the next bed with a female ensign watching the exchange between Dr. Crusher and LaForge and was amazed at her overly relaxed demeanor. She was usually very no-nonsense, it was interesting to see another side of her.

"How's that? Lieutenant?" Geordi smiled warmly and hopped down from the bed.

"Perfect Doc. Thank you. I owe you."

"Oh I intend to collect." she said smiling as he walked away.

"You're in a good mood..." Selar announced startling Crusher.

"I'm always in a good mood. Get back to work." she demanded as Dr. Crusher walked back into her office clutching her jacket tighter. ********************************************************************************************************************
White Stag Knight : OMG thank you for the stunning concise review...you made my year. You're the reason for the quick update.

Fluffy: I wouldn't say abandoned...she's going to give him a LOT of attention.
TNGlover - yeah I think Bev is a little bit off her rocker but I like it.
Jala: Your reviews of Final Mission were awesome...Thank you! You make me want to write all day! : ) P.S. You are sick and a little twisted. I like it! I like it a lot! =)
Jcat...curiosity killed the cat.
Mollybrr - No mystery just unabashed psychological/physical torture heh, heh, heh = )

Review + Review + Recommendations = Updates =)