Will sat at the head of the conference table listening to Sam Abruzzi. His team had been on the planet for almost a week, and, instead of finding answers, they'd only found more questions.

"The ruins are at least a hundred Earth years old, possibly more. Very similar to dwellings that might have been found on Earth in the early 1700s. Very simple stone and mortar buildings. We've found remains of what appear to be farming implements, so it was more than likely an agricultural society."

"But you've found no human remains?" Will asked, somewhat impatiently.

"No, sir," the young lieutenant answered.

"And no clue as to why, after fifty years, these ruins suddenly showed up?"

"No sir," he answered again.

"What is your hypothesis on this Data?" Will turned towards the lieutenant commander sitting to the right of him.

"My assumption is that these ruins have not always been there, since they have gone undetected for so long."

"Are you suggesting that someone sort of set them down there?" Will inquired.

"A possibility," Data responded. "We have been unable to find any scientific reason as to why they have not been detected before now. The planet has no natural shielding, no gravitational anomalies."

Will mulled Data's words over in his mind. "Why?" he finally asked.

"Sir?" Data looked at him blankly.

"Suppose someone did set those ruins down. Why?"

"Unknown, Commander," Data answered.

Will glanced toward Sam Abruzzi and Janod Markham on the other side of the table.

"I couldn't begin to speculate, sir," Sam responded.

"Well, maybe we'd all better start trying," Will said dryly, more outdone with himself than the two scientists sitting next to him. After all, he'd studied the data and drawn a blank as well.

"We're branching out from the village," Janod informed. The slight blonde was the ship's top geologist. "Hoping to find some more evidence, other clues. So far, geologically, we've come up with nothing out of the ordinary. The planet is very Earth like."

Will nodded. "Starfleet has allotted three weeks for this expedition." He groaned mentally. Sure, there was a mystery here, but the sooner they were away from Taureb Prime, the better off he'd feel. "Will that allow you enough time?"

Sam and Janod exchanged a look, and then Sam answered. "Sufficient enough time to investigate fully, barring any surprises. Whether it'll be enough time to come up with any answers... Well, we'll do our best."

Will smiled tiredly. "I'm sure you will."

~vVv~

It was his first officer's idea. Wholeheartedly approved of by his ship's counselor and Chief Medical Officer. Three against one, and there was no beating the odds.

"You'll enjoy it, Jean-Luc," Beverly said as she pushed him along the corridors to the gymnasium.

"It's something I seldom enjoyed when I wasn't ill. Why do you think I'm suddenly going to be enthralled by it now?"

"No one said you were going to be enthralled."

"Damn," he muttered. "I haven't been enthralled in ages."

She laughed, and brushed her hand lightly against his shoulder. They were friends again, his experience on the holodeck two days behind them. She'd given him some time alone, and then some time with her, and he'd recovered. He tilted his head back and smiled up at her. He couldn't hate this woman for long.

"I don't look forward to embarrassing myself," he grumped.

He felt her swat him playfully on the back of the head, and he grinned in spite of himself. A month ago, Beverly wouldn't have done that. Wouldn't have touched him in so familiar a manner. But over the past weeks, and in and out of their days together, if there was one thing they were, it was familiar. Jean-Luc had ceased to count how many times she'd seen him undressed, how often she'd poked and prodded him in places he'd rather she not. They had deep, intimate conversations about life, and philosophy, and bodily functions. Indeed, Beverly Crusher knew him well.

"There's no need to feel embarrassed, Jean-Luc. Besides, it'll only be you, and me, and Will."

"Only?" he queried.

"The pool is closed for the afternoon," she answered. "Captain's swim."

"Beverly..."

"Don't worry. The sign on the door says closed for repairs."

He sighed. There was no getting around this.

The sign on the door did indeed say closed for repairs. When Beverly wheeled him inside, the huge room seemed eerily silent. But calming in a way. The water lapped gently at the side of the pool, the light shining on it creating shimmering patterns against the pale grey walls.

"Captain!" Will Riker called, his deep voice echoing, breaking the stillness. "Doctor!"

He stood at the opposite end of the pool, dressed in baggy white swim trunks, his hands on his hips. Beverly started to push Jean-Luc in his direction.

"I'll come down there." Will dove, slicing into the surface, hands cupping the water, powerful strokes carrying him towards them. Beverly pushed the wheelchair almost to the edge of the pool. Within seconds, Will reached them, surfaced, shook his head, slinging wet hair off his forehead. Beads of water glistened and dropped from his beard.

"Captain, glad you could make it," he said as he hauled himself to a sitting position on the side.

"I didn't have much choice, Number One." He glared up at Beverly.

"Stop complaining," she chided.

Will smiled to himself. Even he'd noticed the new slant to the captain and doctor's relationship.

"You'll like it. The water's not too hot, not too cold. It's just right."

"Thank you, Goldilocks," Jean-Luc replied.

Will laughed and pushed himself to his feet. He walked over to the wall, reached down, picked up a life preserver, brought it back.

Beverly untied Jean-Luc's robe, pushed it off his shoulders, drew his arms out of the sleeves. He was wearing a light blue swimsuit underneath, and he felt absolutely ridiculous. But he swallowed his pride, did his best to fend off the embarrassment rising inside him, and allowed Will to push his arms through the life jacket, secure it around him, fasten it across his chest.

His first officer stood back.

"Ready, sir?"

Jean-Luc cast one last look up at Beverly.

"He's ready," she answered for him.

"My doctor says I'm ready," Jean-Luc sighed.

"All right." Will leaned over, placed his strong hands under the captain's arms, held him firmly, lifted him out of the wheelchair. Lowering him to the side of the pool, his legs slipped into the water. Beverly held his shoulders, kept him steady, as Will slid into the pool and stood in front of him. The water wasn't deep here, just to the middle of Will's stomach.

Jean-Luc shivered slightly.

"Too cold, sir?" Will asked.

"A little," he replied, although he knew his reaction was not caused by the temperature.

"We'll do this slow then," Will suggested, as he cupped the water in his hands and let it dribble softly over Jean-Luc's knees and thighs, slowly acclimating him.

Beverly still held his shoulders, massaging them, loosening the tense muscles. She leaned down, put her mouth to his ear. "Relax, Jean," she whispered, her breath warm on his neck.

She straightened back up. He craned his head around and stared at her. "Why aren't you dressed for swimming?" he inquired, his eyes travelling over her uniformed, lab-jacketed body.

"Because I'm just here to observe," she answered, with that self-important doctor look she sometimes got.

"Coward," he humphed.

She only smiled.

"Ready, sir?" Will asked again.

He turned back around and looked at his first officer. He nodded. Will placed his hands around Jean-Luc's waist and scooted him forward. Beverly's hands drifted from his shoulders to under his arms. Together, the two of them lowered him into the water.

The life jacket caught him, held him afloat. His arms rose of their own accord, floating out beside him, resting on the surface. Will's hands were still securely around his waist, and he kept them there for several seconds until he felt the tension in the captain's body ease. And then he let him go. Will saw a look of panic flash in Jean-Luc's eyes.

"You're doing just fine, sir," he assured him.

"Thank you, Number One, but I'm not doing anything." His tone was a little sharper, edged with fear.

"Try moving your arms," Will suggested.

"I can't," he answered without trying.

"You can move them a little bit, Jean-Luc," Beverly said. "And you can move your shoulders." She knelt at the side of the pool. "It'll be even easier for you in the water."

"I'll help," Will offered, reaching out and taking hold of his hands. "Keep your head back, sir."

Jean-Luc tilted his head until the back of his neck was resting on the life-jacket. Will brought his arms out in front of him. The movement offset Jean-Luc's precarious balance and his head started to fall forward. He tilted it further back.

"That's it, Captain," Will smiled. He started to walk backwards slowly, pulling Jean-Luc along with him.

After several minutes, Jean-Luc felt himself begin to relax. The water flowed around him, rippling over his arms and shoulder. Will noticed the lines on the captain's face begin to soften.

"Not bad, is it, sir?"

"Relaxing," Jean-Luc murmured.

"Ready to try it on your own?"

He sighed. "I suppose."

Will stopped and let go of his hands. Jean-Luc flexed his shoulders, pulled his arms back slightly. The movement propelled him forward, not much, but a little.

"That's it, sir," Will encouraged, taking a step back.

Jean-Luc tried it again. He floated towards his first officer. A smile spread across his face. For the first time in weeks, he felt as if he had some control over his own body.

"You're doing great, Jean-Luc," Beverly called.

His smile broadened. Will moved farther away from him.

"Too far, Number One," Jean-Luc warned.

"No, it's not. You can make it."

Jean-Luc pulled his arms back again, his hands cupping the water, short, abbreviated strokes that carried him slowly towards Will. He was breathing heavily when he reached him.

"That was good, Captain." Will took hold of his upper arms, supporting him.

"Let me go, Number One."

"As soon as you get your breath back."

He breathed in deeply. "It's back."

Will let go of him, and they continued around the shallow end of the pool. Will moving out in front; Jean-Luc swimming to him.

"Can I do this on my own?" Jean-Luc asked after a while.

"On your own?" Will questioned hesitantly.

"As in by myself, without you," he said clearly.

"Captain-"

"Will." He fixed him with a firm gaze. "Go swim around."

"Aye-aye, sir."

Will swam away from him, towards the deep end.

"Jean-Luc?"

"I'm all right, Beverly." He started to turn and look at her, but he moved his upper body too quickly, and lost his equilibrium. His face fell forward, his arms thrashed weakly, helplessly against the water.

Surprised, he breathed in sharply. Water rushed into his mouth. He coughed, gagged, panicked. He couldn't breathe, couldn't raise his head above the surface. He shut his eyes tightly.

Forever passed before strong hands grabbed him, pulled him up. Will's hand pushed against his forehead, raising his face out of the water. He coughed, sputtered, gasped. Will's arm went around his shoulders. He was swimming, carrying him swiftly to the side of the pool. Beverly was there, reaching down, helping him out. Moments later, he was lying, shivering, on the deck. He gulped in air, struggling to fill his lungs with oxygen. Beverly leaned over him, comforting, rubbing her hand over his forehead and face.

"Easy, Jean-Luc." She rolled him over on his side, facilitating his breathing.

Will knelt beside him, unfastened the life jacket, pulled it off. He covered him with towels. Finally, Jean-Luc started to breathe easier, regularly. Beverly's hand was still pressed firmly against his forehead. He swallowed, looked up at her.

"Take me back...to Sickbay," he whispered, haltingly.

"You're all right, Jean," she soothed.

"Take me back. Now." There were tears in his eyes.

Beverly nodded at Will. He stood, leaned down, and picked Jean-Luc up in his arms. The captain's head sagged heavily against his shoulder. Carefully, he placed him in the wheelchair. Beverly wrapped his robe around him, tucked the towels over his lap and knees. Jean-Luc kept his head down, concentrated on each breath, fought the trembling panic he still felt. The embarrassment, at having lost his nerve in front of Will, Beverly. The fear of having lost himself.

~vVv~