Chapter 2

Over the next week, an oppressive malaise spread through the Enterprise. Though not openly hostile toward one another, the strain between the Captain and the Doctor was keenly felt by everyone. Sickbay and the bridge were places to be avoided whenever possible.

Deanna, having been rebuffed at every turn by both parties, decided things had gone far enough when the situation took a disturbing new twist. She entered Beverly's office without a greeting and sat down without an invitation.

"What can I do for you, Deanna?" Beverly asked with a polite smile, though she had a good idea what was coming. She'd known a visit from the counselor was inevitable from the moment she sent in the request. Of course, that didn't make it any easier to face.

"You can tell me why you're requesting a transfer and why the hell I had to hear it from Will, not you."

Beverly opted for a selective response. "There's a research project on Starbase 972 that's gone a bit astray, and Starfleet needs someone to get it back on track. They approached me, it sounded interesting -"

"More interesting than the dozen others you've turned down in the past, claiming you'd be bored in less than a month?" Deanna scoffed. "Try again."

"It's the fastest, easiest way off the Enterprise."

Starkly phrased, it was a bit of absolute honesty that Deanna never expected. It was the last she would get. She felt her friend shut down, closing off the pain.

Beverly scooped up a stack of padds and rose. "If you're free, why don't we go to Ten Forward for some lunch? We could finish up these crew evaluations. I need to get them out of the way before I leave." Deanna followed silently in her wake, wondering where she'd lost control of the conversation.

oxo

She was leaving.

In his Ready Room, Picard paced. He glanced again at the padd in his hand then tossed it on the desk when he realized he had been carrying it around for the last hour.

His anger surfaced practically every time he saw her, but he had never considered the possibility of not seeing her.

There was no reason not to grant the request. Besides, it would help him get his life back on track. Maybe, once she was gone, he'd even start having breakfast again. Going to the bridge on an empty stomach did not put him in the best of moods, but he simply hadn't been able to face a morning meal alone these last few days.

oxo

5 days later

Beverly sat at her computer console, unsure of how to begin. As if things weren't chaotic enough, life had just thrown her another curve. 'Life,' she thought wryly, 'how appropriate.'

Two days away from leaving for Starbase 279, and here she was, about to ask to stay in a situation that was becoming more intolerable every minute. She was so looking forward to being the main topic of gossip for the next several months. Granted, she had been part of a major branch of the ship's grapevine for years, but this time there would be visible evidence to support the whispers.

Provided he even agreed to let her stay.

oxo

He could hardly believe his eyes. First, a withdrawal of her request for transfer, and now a personal note. They hadn't really spoken since the argument, were barely even able to be civil about ship's business, now she wanted to stay? He couldn't imagine what would have changed her mind.

To: Captain Jean-Luc Picard

From: Dr. Beverly Crusher

Subject: Personal and Confidential

Jean-Luc,

'I let my temper get the better of me, and I'm sorry for that. Perhaps one day we can sort everything out and at least be friends again.

Right now, there is something - someone - else for both of us to consider -'

"Friends? She wants to be friends? How much more torture does she expect me to put up with?" Anger surged through him again as he stabbed at the delete key without reading the rest of the message.

oxo

Deanna was stunned when Will showed her Beverly's request to remain aboard the Enterprise.

"Don't you have any idea what's going on?" He had asked the question twice already and gotten the same answer he was about to get again.

"No, I told you before neither of them is talking, not to me or anyone else. I can't imagine what could have happened. They've never let an argument drag on this long." Deanna crossed her arms tightly. The situation between the captain and CMO was affecting the entire crew, and it was becoming difficult to shield herself.

Will wrapped his arms around her, letting her rest her head on his chest. "Maybe they worked everything out, and that's why she wants to stay," he offered hopefully. He hated seeing two of his best friends hurting each other this way.

She shook her head. "In that case, she wouldn't be asking, he would just be telling."

Will's computer beeped. He reached out one hand to swing the screen around then quickly accessed the message he found there. "Damn."

"What?"

"He just turned her down. 'Transfer to proceed as scheduled'. What the hell are they doing to each other?"

oxo

Deanna tried again to talk with Beverly. A chat that was uninformative to say the least. The doctor would only say that she believed she'd had a valid reason to stay but was apparently mistaken.

The captain was even less forthcoming. The subject warranted no further discussion and was therefore closed.

oxo

Beverly checked her case one last time. Most of her things had been sent to the transport ship over an hour ago. Glancing around, she sighed. She was going to miss this place. Almost as much as the people.

She had specifically requested that there be no farewell party. She didn't feel like celebrating this particular career change, and judging by the visitors she had received over the last few days, neither did anyone else. At least most of them didn't know she'd asked to stay and been rejected. That really would have made the good-byes excruciating.

Tears welled in her eyes. How could Jean-Luc do this? She knew what family meant to him. She'd helped him mourn the loss of his brother and nephew. Why was he still sending her away? It hurt to realize that after all these years she hadn't really known him.

Picard had even left the ship to avoid having to play the proper captain and say good bye. His ploy would have been less obvious if he'd simply taken a shuttle and disappeared. He'd complained too often in the past to make his willingness to attend the annual Admirals' dinner seem plausible now.

The only bright spot was the fact that Alyssa Ogawa was going, too. It would be nice to have a familiar face on her new team. She always offered only a sympathetic ear and no advice. Besides, Alyssa was the only other person who knew the whole story.

A fresh wave of guilt swept over her. She didn't like keeping Deanna, Will and the others in the dark, but their pity was something she just couldn't handle right now.

tbc