Part 3
"This is a neural scanner," Beverly shows Isabel a small grey circular device as the girl sits upright on a biobed in sickbay. "It will show us images of your brain. I'd like to measure the electro-chemical activity. You won't feel anything."
Isabel glances sideways at her mother as Beverly fastens the device to Isabel's temple. Alyssa Ogawa stands at the biomonitor recording readings on a PADD and Deanna stands at the side of the bed beside Isabel.
"How much more of this?" Isabel inquires quietly.
Glancing up from her tricorder and down at her visibly uncomfortable daughter, Beverly resists the urge to sigh. "Last test. I promise."
"What are you looking for?" Isabel asks, looking at her mother's tricorder.
Sharing a look with Deanna, Beverly considers how to address the question. "I'd just like to run a comprehensive physical and compare it with your previous visits."
Bowing her head, Isabel laces her fingers together. "There's something wrong with me, isn't there?"
Beverly's heart aches at the sight of her fearful little girl. "We don't think there's anything wrong, sweetie. We're just…ruling out the possibility that…that this could be…"
Isabel looks Beverly directly in the eyes, her large blue eyes frightful. "You're scared, aren't you? You think I'm some sort of freak, don't you?"
Eyes wide, Beverly shakes her head. Enveloping Isabel in her arms, Beverly's chest constricts. "Of course not, honey."
"Then why are you doing this?" Isabel cries. "Why is everyone so afraid of me?"
Sighing, Beverly rubs her daughter's back in a circular pattern, at a loss for how to respond. "Oh, honey…"
"I'm not a freak," Isabel blubbers. "I didn't…I didn't mean to…I can't…"
"It's alright," Beverly whispers, holding Isabel's head against her shoulder.
Deanna leans over and touches Isabel's back lightly. "No one thinks you're a freak, sweetie. We just want to understand what's going on. Your father and Will are trained to be inquisitive. They want answers."
Pulling out of her mother's embrace, Isabel looks at Deanna in concern. "They think I'm some kind of threat to the ship?"
"No, no, of course not," replies Deanna quickly.
"I'd never hurt anyone," Isabel insists, looking at her mother desperately.
Beverly pushes a stray lock of Isabel's long red hair out of her face. "Of course not."
"But, then, why do they…" Isabel blubbers, confused.
Gently removing the neural scanner from Isabel's temple, Beverly lifts her shoulders. "I think we're done. Thank you, Alyssa. We don't need anymore tests. Are you hungry?"
Blinking rapidly, Isabel is bewildered by her mother's change in attitude. "Uh, not really."
Stepping backwards, Beverly sets the tricorder on the biobed with a smile. "Well, I am. Let's go get your brother and go to Ten Forward. I'm craving an ice cream float."
Furrowing her brows, Isabel swings her legs over the bed. "Ten Forward? Ice cream soda for dinner?"
Shrugging, Beverly grins. "Why not?"
Isabel glances at Deanna for validation.
"That sounds like a good idea," beams Deanna. "I think we'll join you."
"Dad won't be impressed," Isabel states, jumping off of the biobed.
"I don't care," shrugs Beverly with a playful grin.
"Is there something wrong?" Guinan inquires, hovering over the bar.
"Hmmm?" Beverly rotates her shoulders and head from her stool at the bar to address Guinan.
"The float. You haven't touched your ice cream. Is there something wrong? I can make it again or get you something else," Guinan offers, resting her hands on the counter.
"Oh, no, thank you," Beverly replies with a half-smile. "I'm just not hungry."
Deanna places her empty ice cream bowl on the counter. "Thank you, Guinan."
"Now there's a satisfied customer," Guinan responds in jest.
Smiling, Beverly returns her attention to the table where J.P, Isabel, Billy, Kestra and Audra are eating ice cream and playing a game involving flipping double-sided coloured playing cards.
"She's more at ease now," Deanna comments, turning in her seat beside Beverly to face outward to observe the children.
"I should never have put her through that physical," Beverly huffs bitterly.
Watching the kids laughing, Deanna nods. "You didn't have a choice."
"Like hell I didn't," responds Beverly, lifting her brows.
"Well, what did the tests show?" Deanna redirect the conversation, not wanting to bait Beverly into an argument between her and the captain.
Shrugging, Beverly smiles, leaning back to rest an elbow on the counter. "Nothing. My daughter is a normal human child."
Raising a brow in challenge, Deanna turns in her stool. "Normal?"
The doors to Ten Forward open and Picard enters. Straightening his jacket and glancing around, Picard appears thoroughly out of his comfort zone.
Squaring her shoulders, Beverly braces for a fight. "Normal."
Picard crosses the room to the bar where Beverly and Deanna are seated, a neutral expression on his face.
Smirking, Beverly raises a brow. "Did you hear we were eating ice cream for dinner and come to order me to stop my children from having fun?"
Agitated by her remark, Jean-Luc's face tightens. " Beverly…"
Leaning forward, Beverly narrows her eyes in a sharp stare. "Damn it, Jean-Luc! She's terrified. She thinks we think she's some monster. She's not an unknown entity we're here to investigate. She's our little girl, and she's scared. Stop being Captain for one damn minute and just be a father."
Exhaling audibly, Jean-Luc runs his hand over his mouth.
Deanna slides off of the stool. "I'm going to check on the kids."
Bowing her head, Beverly struggles to contain her frustration as Deanna strides over to the table where the children are playing.
Jean-Luc steps closer and takes her hands. "You're absolutely right. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Meeting his gaze, Beverly fights back her tears. "She needs us. I need you."
"I'm sorry," Jean-Luc whispers. "I was trying to manage it by taking command, making decisions, taking action."
"I just need you to be there for us," Beverly tells him, resisting the urge to reach out and stroke his jaw.
Smiling, Jean-Luc takes her forearm and pulls her out of the stool. "I am."
"You put that book away, young lady. It's time for bed!" Jean-Luc mock orders, smiling as he enters Isabel's room, Beverly a step behind him.
Smiling, Isabel sits up in her bed and sets the PADD on the night stand beside the bed. "What are you doing here, Dad? I thought you went back to the Bridge?"
"You don't want a kiss good night?" Jean-Luc teases, perching on the side of the bed.
"Sure. But, you're usually working," shrugs Isabel as Beverly comes to sit beside Jean-Luc.
"I wanted to say good night," Jean-Luc explains simply.
Bowing her head, Isabel frowns. "I'm sorry I caused so much trouble today. If I promise not to do anything weird can I still have shore leave tomorrow with the other kids?"
"You didn't create trouble," Jean-Luc assures her, shifting to wrap an arm around her shoulders. You were trying to help your friend. I was the one who created a whole ordeal out of it. I don't want to drag it on tonight. Tomorrow you can go back down to Gragor, so long as you and young Mr. Riker stay away from the Derelwood trees."
Grinning, Isabel laughs. "Okay."
Jean-Luc drops a kiss to the top of her crown. "Good night, love."
Lacing her hands together, Isabel looks at her father hesitantly. "Dad, do you think I'm…odd?"
"Odd?" Jean-Luc studies Isabel's face plagued with concern, evidently worried and maybe even slightly scared.
"J.P called me a freak. Kestra thinks I'm some kind of witch. Audra's scared of me!" Isabel admits, feeling helpless.
Jean-Luc's face falls. "Isabel, you are not a freak. Perhaps we ought to have a chat with the children, clear up this misunderstanding."
"Then, why are you worried? Why are you studying me like a lab experiment?" Isabel inquires.
Surprised and slightly chastised, Jean-Luc nods. "We shouldn't be. Sweetheart, you are a wonderful young woman. You're not a lab experiment or a monster."
Jean-Luc rubs his daughter's back. "We're just trying to better understand what's happening. I'm sorry if it's giving you the wrong impression. We're not upset. This isn't a negative thing."
"What do you think is happening?" Isabel asks, sitting up straight.
Taking a deep breath, Jean-Luc shares a brief look with Beverly. "It's possible you're telekinetic and can teleport. You seem to be able to move objects with your mind, and you can teleport from one location to another. We can't explain the healing. This is something rather unprecedented, although some species have healing properties."
Considering his words, Isabel looks to her mother. "Are other people tele…telekinetic or…can teleport like this?"
Shaking her head, Beverly inches closer to Isabel. "Humans aren't. Telekinesis can be found in other species. When your brother worked with the Traveler he would do this time dimensional shifting. It wasn't exactly teleporting the way you seem to do it, though. He can't…beam from one place to another without a transporter. I don't know humans that can do what you do."
Frowning, Isabel sighs lightly. "And how…I may have…helped Billy?"
"No. That's…unique," Beverly admits gently.
"So, I am different," Isabel muses. "I have…powers?"
Clearing his throat, Jean-Luc shares a brief glance with Beverly before returning his attention to his daughter waiting with an expectant expression. "Maybe that's not…You may have different abilities than most people. Let's just say for now that you have exceptional abilities."
Forcing a small smile, Beverly nods. "We'll try to find some more answers. Right now it's late and it's been a long day for everyone."
Nodding, Isabel lets out a long breath.
Beverly envelops her daughter in a tight embrace. "Have a good sleep, sweetie. I love you."
"Love you, too," Isabel replies quietly.
"Love, you, Isabel." Jean-Luc puts a hand on her head and kisses her temple.
"Love you, too," whispers Isabel, smiling lightly. She feels slightly comforted. Her parents seem to have relaxed. Maybe everything will be okay. She just hopes that everything will can continue as is. She does not want to disrupt the status quo. She likes her life the way it is. She simply wants to be a regular twelve year-old girl.
