The familiar shapes of Earth's continents below swirls of white clouds drifted past the ready room window. It had been a year since he'd seen them and now he was not pleased to be doing so. He was losing his Chief Medical Officer and he was damned unhappy about it. Dr. Crusher was the most experienced and talented doctors he'd worked with in years, perhaps ever.

That wasn't all that bothered him, though, no matter how much he had tried to convince himself otherwise. He was losing a friend. After Jack had died, he had lost Beverly as well for a long time. Granted, that had been his fault, but he'd only just gotten her back and she was leaving again. Starfleet Medical was a wonderful opportunity for her, he told himself, and he should be happy for her. Truth be told, he was. That didn't change the fact, however, that he was losing the one person on the ship who was truly an equal. Beverly didn't treat him as her captain. She had known him far too long for that. It fascinated him that she wasn't afraid of him, didn't worship him or fear him as so many of his crew did. She spoke her mind to him.

He sighed heavily. This was going to be harder than he thought. She was scheduled to beam down shortly. It was time for him to meet her in the transporter room. Wearily, he moved from his window, uncrossing his hands from behind his back and balling them into fists as he walked.

His breath caught in his throat as he entered Transporter Room three. It had been ages since he'd seen her in anything but a uniform. She was gorgeous. He didn't know what he wanted to look at more: her hair, pulled partly back, a few wisps falling around her face, her legs, dancer's legs that seemed never to end, her collar bones, their curves visible in the neckline of the long cardigan she wore unbuttoned, her mouth, her eyes. He couldn't look away. He hardly noticed Chief O'Brien scoot past him and out the door, giving his captain a few moments of privacy.

"I wasn't sure you were going to make it in time to say goodbye."

"I wouldn't miss it for anything." She stepped towards him, smiling sadly.

"I am going to miss you, Jean-Luc. It's been quite a year." Jean-Luc's heart tightened. He wasn't at all prepared for this. Beverly had become such a part of his life: a friend, a confidant, a sounding-board. He wasn't ready to give that up. "Keep an eye on Wesley while he's still here for me?"

"Of course."

"And stay safe out there."

"Always. Commander Riker will see to that." They smiled. Will Riker was a mother hen and they both knew it.

"I suppose that's it, then, isn't it?" Jean-Luc had been dreading this. There was no more excuse for her to stay any longer. He would have to say goodbye. "Don't be a stranger. I expect to hear from you."

His heart raced as Beverly drew closer. Her hand moved to rest on his shoulder blade and she leaned towards him. Until the moment their lips met, he didn't truly believe it was going to happen. His eyes closed and his hand drifted to rest lightly on her waist. There was no movement in the kiss, just slight pressure, the warmth of her lips on his, the reality of the skin-to-skin contact. Their mouths interlocked and fit just as he'd always imagined they would, perhaps better, and he wished he could live out a lifetime in that one moment. Inevitably, however, she pulled back, but their lips clung slightly as she did so, prolonging the kiss ever so slightly.

He sighed and kept his eyes closed for a moment. Once he opened them, he found that Beverly had turned and stepped back up onto the transporter. She met his eyes and gave him a sad, almost apologetic smile, as though saying she wished she didn't have to go. But she did, and Chief O'Brien's entry reminded him of that. Sighing again, he quirked a questioning eyebrow at her and received a nod in return. Without turning to the Chief, he gave the order.

"Energize."