Part 12

When the door slides open to the captain's ready room revealing Crusher with her hands crossed behind her back, Picard immediately rises out of the chair behind his desk. "Are you busy?"

Striding across the room, Beverly has to grin when she notices the entirely unprofessional look of eager anticipation on Jean-Luc's face as he circles the desk to meet her. "Yes. The captain just ordered me to his ready room."

Smiling faintly, Jean-Luc closes the gap between them, grabbing her hands. "Give me a proper answer."

Holding his shoulders as he releases her hands to grab her hips, Beverly's smile fades. "I'm not expecting any patients right now. What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know," Jean-Luc admits, cupping her cheek. "I truly don't care. I just needed to see you." Pressing his lips to hers, Jean-Luc uses one hand to peel the lab coat from her shoulders.

Stepping back to shrug the smock off, Beverly smiles. "This is a nice treat. Where do you want to go?"

Pulling her back into his arms, Jean-Luc peppers kisses to her neck. "Doesn't matter. Here, your quarters, my quarters, the holodeck, your office. I don't care. Just decide quickly."

Beaming, Beverly tilts her head back, revelling in the attention. "Let's just stay here. I don't want to waste this precious time."

Thoroughly concurring with her plan, Jean-Luc captures her lips in a slow, heated kiss. As she melts into his tight embrace, the door chimes, causing Jean-Luc to groan into her lips as he reluctantly ceases.

Running her tongue over her swollen lips, Beverly tries to regulate her breathing as Picard barks his permission to enter.

Riker enters the room from the bridge, standing past the threshold. "Sir, we've detected an anomalous reading in the…" Pausing, a mischievous smile flashes in the corner of Will's lips as he registers the scene in the ready room. The doctor's cheeks are flush and her lab coat lies abandoned on the floor next to where she and the captain are standing exceptionally close together.

Clearing his throat, Picard tugs on his jacket, smoothing the non-existent wrinkles. "Sorry, Number One. Anomalous readings?"

"Uh, never mind, sir. I'll investigate and inform you if there's anything concerning," Will smirks.

"Uh, no, no. That's alright, Number One. I'll be right there," Picard stutters, putting his hands on his hips, trying to regain some semblance of professionalism.

"Yes, sir," Riker nods, backing toward the door.

Once the door closes behind the first officer, Picard rotates to face Beverly. "I'm sorry."

Grimacing, she reaches for his hands. "Jean-Luc, this isn't working. There isn't one place on this damned ship we can be alone."

Sighing, Jean-Luc wraps his hands around the small of her back. "I don't know what you want me to do, Beverly. This isn't exactly conducive to privacy."

Pecking his lips, Beverly pulls back. "Go on. You've got work to do."

"I am sorry," Jean-Luc whispers as she slips from his hold.

"So am I," sighs Beverly ruefully.

"If you're tired we didn't need to do this today," Wesley remarks, pausing to allow the captain to catch up.

Glancing up at Wesley in the harness climbing the cliff above him, Picard shakes his head. "Not at all. I'm enjoying it." Gripping the sandy rock, Picard moves upward, shifting his weight. "I tried this with Adele once, an easier program, a much flatter and more inclined hill. She injured her shoulder. Aside from that she was terrified the whole time. She's just too young."

Moving onward, Wesley leads them up the faux cliff in the holodeck. "Mom's scared of heights, too. Sometimes she'll do this with me for training, but she doesn't really like it."

"She doesn't have many phobias," Picard notes, following Wesley's path along the expansive hill they are traversing in the holodeck program. "She's very strong, and strong-willed."

"I know. I've butt heads with her on more than one occasion. Speaking of which…" Wes rotates his head to look at the captain. "Can you talk to her about issuing me a phaser?"

Rolling his eyes, a small smiles escapes Picard's lips as he sets his foot in a crevasse. "You're not a commissioned officer yet, Mr. Crusher."

Smiling, Wesley reaches for a flat ledge above him to grip. "What was my dad like when you were on the Stargazer? Did you do stuff like this together?"

Smiling at the memory of his friend, Picard recalls fondly Wesley's father when they served together aboard Picard's ship. "Actually, your father was quite a fencer. Very talented with an epee. Always an exceptional opponent, kept me on my toes."

Laughing lightly, Wesley tries to imagine his father and a younger Captain Picard duelling on the old Stargazer. "Really? Mom never mentioned that. Did the three of you spend a lot of time together?"

As a natural curve in the hill comes into his view with a flat surface, Picard becomes pensive. "Uh, I suppose so. Your mother was transferred to the Stargazer a few months after they were married. We spent some time together after she was transferred, and we got to know one another, but once you were born she had her hands full."

Wesley directs them to the flat clearing for a break, pulling himself over the ledge. They had arrived at their destination. "And then Mom was transferred again?"

As Wesley climbs over the ledge and pulls himself upright, Picard swallows the lump forming in his throat. "Yes. We didn't have families on the Stargazer."

Extending his hand to his commanding officer to help him, Wes examines the haunted look in the captain's eyes as he pulls himself over the edge of the cliff. "What's wrong?"

Climbing to his feet, Jean-Luc meets the boy's eyes. "Wesley, those were some of the greatest and most difficult times of my life. Your father was one of my best friends, and I cared for him greatly."

Nodding, Wesley regards the captain curiously. "I know."

"But," Jean-Luc almost smiles in self-deprecation. "I loved your mother more than I had ever loved anyone, more than I had ever thought possible. I would never have wanted to hurt her or hurt your father in way. I was happy for them, that they were happy together, with you. I would never have wanted to interfere. So, I never told her, or anyone. And, every day I felt guilty that I felt the way I did."

Entirely floored by the captain's confession, Wesley is speechless.

Swallowing hard, Jean-Luc stares into Wesley's widened eyes. "And, when your father died, the guilt consumed me. I felt like if I ever told her, if I ever acted on my feelings, I would be betraying my friend. I vowed I would keep my feelings hidden."

Clearing his throat, Wesley tries to process the revelation. "Then, why now?"

Shaking his head with a smile, Jean-Luc cannot formulate words to express an answer for the boy. "Because I need her. I want her more than anything. I know what my life is like without her, and I don't want to imagine another day without her in it."

Smiling, Wesley absently dusts the sand from his elbows. "Have you told her that?"

"No," Jean-Luc admits with a half-smile. "I don't suppose I have."

"You should probably tell her that," Wesley tells him with a teasing smirk, removing the backpack from around his shoulders.

"Thank you for your sage advice, Mr. Crusher," Jean-Luc ribs, detaching his harness.

"Anytime, Captain," Wesley replies, retrieving a bottle of water from the bag and handing it to Picard.

"I'm sure this is difficult for you," Jean-Luc notes, accepting the proffered water.

Sitting on the sandy ground with a bottle of water, Wesley shrugs. "It's alright. Maybe a little awkward, but it's okay. Mom's taken care of me for my whole life. She should be able to do what makes her happy now."

Lowering himself to the ground beside the teenager, Picard gazes out over the artificial expanse of wilderness created by the holodeck. "That's a very mature attitude. I appreciate that you're not…making this difficult."

Sighing, Wesley sets his bottle of water down. "You've always been good to us. I'm sure you'll be good for Mom."

Taking a sip of his water, Jean-Luc reflects on how well they all seemingly fit together. "I also appreciate how good you are with Adele. I'm sure it's not fun for you to have a five year-old girl tagging along, pestering you. I want you to know that it means a lot to me that you always…indulge her."

Chuckling lightly, Wesley gives a shrug. "It's okay. I don't mind. She's like the little sister I never had."

"Thank you, Wesley," Jean-Luc remarks easily.

"I know you and Mom don't get much time together," Wesley comments, picking his water bottle off the ground. "But, I can watch Adele if you want to go out on a date or whatever."

Practically laughing, Picard can hardly believe he is having this conversation. A few months ago he would not have believed it would be possible, but he relishes the opportunity now. "Actually, I'll take you up on that offer. Do you have plans Saturday evening?"

Smiling, Wesley shakes his head. "Saturday's fine, sir."