Chapter 4: A Mother's Touch

The Next Day Stardate 43244.12
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Geordi watched asActing Ensign Crusher sat at an engineering comm panel running a level three diagnostics test on the central core processors. He gave Wesley a mundane task to keep his mind occupied as they were spending several days traveling in space before they would rendezvous with another starship to retrieve Commander Riker and Counselor Troi. As Wesley continued to run through the sequence of tests he absently rubbed at his head and neck closing his eyes to block out the pain. Geordi stared at him warily.

"Wes?" He was trying desperately to concentrate on his task as his head pounded and a loud rushing noise was thundering through his head. He continued working, skimming through the computer results unaware of the scrutiny he was under. Everyone in the section had turned when the repeated calls of his name did not elicit a response from him.

"Wes?" Geordi shouted as he reached him and shook his shoulder.

"Yeah...? What? What's wrong?" He was surprised to see the entire complement of Engineering staring at him.

"You need to get your head checked out."

"I'm fine Geordi."

"You and fine are not even in the same dimension. That's the second time I've called you and you have spaced out on me."

"I have a lot on my mind."

"You always do. But Wes, I can tell you are in pain, and not just that, that cut behind your ear, looks like someone hit you in the head with a 4x4. I'm surprised your mother hasn't wrapped your head up like a mummy."

"What's a 4x4?"

"Nevermind that...stop trying to change the subject, let me have a look."

"Geordi you can't see! It isn't that bad...it'll heal on its own."

"Ok wise guy. Things like that stand out really well, especially when they emit the kind of heat that that is right now. Well at least go and get something for the pain."

"I'm okay." he smiled his characteristic Crusher smile and continued working.

Wesley lay on the floor and began replacing isolinear chips. Lines of pain were permanently etched into his temple. Geordi knelt down beside him on the floor.

"Wes, is there something I should know?"

"What? Other than you should let this go, you mean?"

"You have been acting very strangely the last few days. I've heard that you've moved out of your mother's quarters. Your conversation of late is choppy and involves yes/no answers and has none of the teenage drama I am accustomed to. You have this nasty cut on your head that looks painful and definitely looks like Dr. Crusher would not let you out of her sight unless it was sutured let alone at least bandaged, and you're telling me everything is fine."

"You're getting worked up over nothing."

"How'd you hurt your head?"

"I fell in my quarters."

"How?"

"Huh? I just fell. I'm a klutz. Happy?"

"You are no klutz. And no, not happy. Report to Sick Bay. That's an order Mr. Crusher."

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Wesley sighed angrily and slowly began heading down the corridor. He found a comm panel and activated it.

"Computer what is the location of Dr. Beverly Crusher?"

"Dr. Beverly Crusher is on the bridge." Wesley quickened his pace to sickbay. With any luck he could get in and out before his mother returned.

When he arrived Dr. Selar greeted him warmly and gave him a quick hug.

"Hi Wes, your mom's not here, but she should be back soon."

"I ummmm...have you noticed my mom has been acting differently lately."

"Different. Different how?" Dr. Selar questioned. Wesley was asking a loaded question and she was afraid to divulge too much information to the CMO's son.

"Just any changes to her behavior, does she seem a bit strange?"

"I'm not sure what you mean Wesley. She seems more tired than usual, but that's about all. Was there something that I could do for you?"

"Uh...yes. I hurt my head and Commander LaForge...said...well he made me come get it checked." Dr. Selar put on a pair of gloves and moved his hair and saw the long open wound behind his ear that disappeared into his hair. Wesley heard her sharp intake of breath and felt a chill go down his body as the throbbing intensified with her poking around the area.

"Holy ... Wes, when did this happen this is an open wound?"

"Yesterday..."

"And you're just coming in now...surely this is very painful, and it needs stitches too. If it gets infected you could get very sick." She prodded a little further as he winced in pain. "Oh my Gooodness. Has your mother seen this?"

"Well she caused it." Wes thought to himself but answered "No...my mom..." he didn't get to finish that sentence.

The doors to sickbay swooshed open as the color drained from Wesley's face and he thought that his legs would buckle beneath him, as his mother's eyes suddenly locked with his. A look of initial concern in those eyes were quickly replaced with an almost snarl of contempt.

She quickly placed a smile on her face as she approached her son.

"Wesley, what are you doing here?"

"I'm glad you're back Dr. Crusher. He has an open head laceration that will need sutures...would you like to do it or shall I?"

"Poor thing...c'mon we'll get you all fixed up Ensign Crusher." Beverly Crusher put on a pair of gloves and looked at her son's head and led him away from Dr. Selar.

Wesley looked up into Dr. Selar's eyes as he was being led away into the private room. Dr. Selar did not miss the look of sheer terror in his eyes but was confused by it. She gave him a sympathetic smile and returned to her work.

Dr. Crusher motioned for Wesley to lie on the bed face down.

"You should be more careful, people are going to start asking questions if you don't stop being so clumsy."

Wesley did not reply he just stared straight ahead. She grabbed a hold of his face and squeezed tightly.

"Did you hear me?"

"Yes mother, I'll be more careful."

He nervously climbed on the bed and started to put his head down. She pushed his head down onto the pillow. Beverly gathered her supplies and placed them on the table next to the bed. She poured alcohol over the wound which brought with it a searing pain. Wesley screamed into the pillow and panted trying desperately to gain control of his breathing. She gave him a hyper shot of succinycholine into his neck instantly paralyzing him and started sewing butterfly stitches without the use of any anesthetic. His facial muscles had been paralyzed and he was unable to close or open his mouth to scream any longer.

After the first few stitches he blessedly lost consciousness as his body shut down, unwilling to suffer through anymore pain. As she finished she applied a metorapan treatment and placed a dressing on the wound.

She left the room and returned to duty.
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Anybody remember "metorapan" from First Duty? = ) I am going to have to write a "First Duty" story, the untold crash version...what'd you think?

Sadie: Bev has lost her mind a little...she's just gotta find it before she kills someone or is killed ...heh...heh...
Fluffmeister: The drink...it's just water = )
TNGlover: "Hey mom it's Data...I hear you know how to turn him on." - from Datalore

Jala: Yeah...just a head injury...and a broken heart...the only family he has is trying to hurt him. ; (
Mollybrr: Why don't you guys just get a gmail account and sign up its free then you wouldn't have to use the guest logins. Google email

Dolphingirl: well here you go...great song by the way.

Thanks for the reviews. Chapters 5 & 6 are the climax of the story ...only 8 chapters Enjoy.