Sorry about these past couple of chapters being short, given the nature of them they were probably bound to be short. I didn't realise when I wrote this chapter how much I could relate to it - my parents divorced a long time ago and both re-partnered. From both unions I got a sister. So I have two sisters who are not related to each other at all. It's hard to manage. Enjoy this chapter anyway.

Melina walked down the rather ritzy street in the well-to-do suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. She'd finally had enough of 0's interference, and this time when she ran a DNA scan on herself she'd used her shields to stop him from scrambling the database.

She was the daughter of a Doctor James Drowse. Melina had heard of him before, he'd been one of the people who backed Maddox when he tried to block the Soong androids out of Starfleet. His wife Darline was a very famous actress. She had a sister named Darlina. She had been born in Australia.

Melina knew she should report what she'd found to the authorities and make sure Dr. Drowse paid for his crime of genetic engineering. But she wanted to meet her family, and find out why 0 hated them so much.

Her husband had gone to France with Rex to be with his family. Relations between the two had strained to breaking-point – Picard said, Melina obeyed unquestioningly, Picard became unnerved and irate, Melina started crying. It was like her backbone had completely disappeared.

Guinan had tried to sit the two down and get them talking, but neither was having it. Melina was too dispondant and Picard was too agitated by his experience with the Borg for it to be of any use.

She walked up the steps to the front door and pressed the doorbell. She was greeted by a service android.

"Um, I'm here to see Dr. Drowse." Melina stammered.

"Who is calling?" The android asked.

"Melina. Melina Picard." Melina replied, nervous.

"One moment please." The android closed the door.

"You should not be doing this."

"Go away 0." Melina growled. "I want to know and you've kept it from me for too long. I have a RIGHT to know who my parents are!"

"Melina, there is no need for you to know." 0 replied.

"There is no need for you to be here, yet you are!" Melina fired. 0 sighed, and disappeared as the android returned.

"This way please." The android led her through to a beautiful loungeroom. There sat her parents.

"Hi." Melina said, not sure what to do. Dr. Drowse stood up and walked towards her.

"So you're our daughter." He sighed. "We wondered what became of you after 0 took you."

"Picard...that's the name of the man who Captains the Enterprise isn't it? Did he have son?" Darline asked.

"Uh, yes. Issac was born about a year ago." Melina said. "He's a really cute little boy."

"A year ago? No other children?" Darline looked at her strangly. "Were you given to the Picards then?"

Melina looked confused.

"N-no, I was given to the Soong family...I married Jean-Luc a few years ago." Melina explained. Her parents looked shocked.

"You're married...to the Captain of the Enterprise! He's so old!" Darline gasped.

"Now dear, there's a bit of an age difference between us if you remember." Dr. Drowse tried to calm his wife. Just then, a young woman walked in.

"Mum, what's going on?" She asked. "Who's this?"

"Darlina, this is your older sister who was taken from us before you were born." Dr. Drowse told his daugther. "Melina, this is your younger sister Darlina. From what I know of Soong, she's your only sibling."

"Um, I have two older brothers and a twin." Melina pointed out. Darline blinked.

"I think I would have remembered giving birth to two babies." She said.

"You didn't. Soong's youngest son Data was born five minutes before me, so we call ourselves twins." Melina explained.

"Data is a strange name for a boy." Darlina said.

"Data isn't a boy, it's an android." Dr. Drowse shook his head.

"He's still my brother." Melina was insulted.

"Don't be absurd." Dr. Drowse fought back.

"You're just like Maddox aren't you?" Melina was upset.

"What does that matter?" Darline looked affronted. Melina scowled.

"B-4, my oldest brother, saved my life. My twin was the one who taught me everything I know. Lore was the one I confided in. I don't care if they're Humans, Androids, Klingons or Ferengi!" Melina snapped.

"This is what we feared." Dr. Drowse sighed. Melina glared at him.

"Is that why you stole an Augment embryo and took it's DNA and meshed it with mine?" She asked.

"Yes. An autisic child would have just been an inconvenience to us." Dr. Drowse replied. Darline and Darlina were shocked.

"You did WHAT?! Darling, that's ILLEGAL!" Darline cried.

"I wanted us to have the perfect child. So I chose the perfect Augment." Dr. Drowse smirked.

"Does your wife know she gave birth to another Khan Noonien Singh?" Melina shot back. Darline screamed.

"You know then." The Dr. frowned.

"My sister is a tyrant?!" Darlina freaked out.

"And married to an old fool it seems too." Dr. Drowse looked his daughter down.

"No." Melinas back was well and truly up by now, and her old spunk returned. She was used to having her brothers insulted, but calling her beloved Jean-Luc a fool was taking it too far! "You don't have a sister. I'm not a Drowse, I'm a Soong and a Picard. I'm also not a tyrant."

With that, Melina left. She stood in the cul-de-sac and looked back briefly before adding with a smirk:

"I'm just annoying."

–

Picard groaned and reached for the blankets next to him. Then he remembered his wife wasn't with him and groaned again. His hangover from the previous night drinking with his older brother Robert made things a hundred times worse.

He was lonely without Melina. He felt awful he'd pushed her away – she alone knew what being one of the Borg meant. He also wished he hadn't confided so much in Guinan, although well-meaning she'd caused more trouble than she'd solved.

He needed to apologise to her.

He fell out of bed and crawled to the dresser, where he pulled himself upright. "Captain of the Enterprise. Can't even get out of bed." He stumbled to the door where the smell of Earl Grey Tea made his stomach calm down. But while Marie made very nice tea, it wasn't the same as Melina making his tea just the way he loved it.

He walked down the stairs, wondering when he'd see his wife again, when he heard a voice that cured his sick heart.

"My Jean-Luc!"

Yes, they were creating a scene. Yes, René was rolling his eyes, Marie was smiling fondly and Robert was clearing his throat at the display. But he didn't care. His beloved Melina was kissing his face, his son was squealing in delight, and all was well in his world.

"I missed you." He whispered.

"I missed you too." Their noses touched.

"Well, now that the excitement is over, can we please have breakfast now?" Robert said gruffly. Melina couldn't help but giggle. She thought Robert was wonderful, and he was begrudgingly fond of her. She kissed her brother-in-law on the cheek and sat down next to her husband, who was drinking the tea she'd made for him.

Later the three went walking through the vines.

"How were your family?" Picard asked.

"Pig-headed, arrogant, stubborn. Just what you expected." Melina teased. "They seem to think androids are beneath them, and argued when I insisted that B-4, Lore and Data were my brothers."

"Yes, well, Dr. Drowse was quite vocal in his opposition of them joining Starfleet. I'll have to show you the interview he did for the Starfleet Times one day." Picard told her. "If only you'd have known he was your father!"

"No. He's not my father. My father is Noonien Soong." Melina said defiantly. Picard laughed.

"I missed you so much. I didn't know what to think when you went quiet on me." He sighed. "When Guinan told me what happened, I felt so guilty..."

"You shouldn't have." Melina replied. "She was right in a way. You let me get away with far too much."

"Nothing that I couldn't handle. To be honest, I quite enjoy having a little spitfire I can set on anyone from Starfleet."

Melina bristled.

"Spitfire?! I'll have you know that I could rule the Universe if I so desired thank you very much!" She teased again.

"Of course your Majesty, how foolish of me!" Picard mock-bowed. The pair laughed, both happy with their lot in life.

"Pa pa!" Rex squealed. "Ma ma!"

Melina stooped down to pick her son up from the pram. The three held each other close amongst the vines of the Picard estate.

"I heard them." Melina told him. "I heard you too."

"I could hear you as well." Picard replied. "As long as I could hear your voice I remembered myself."

-Can you hear me now?- Melina closed her eyes. Picard tensed up beneath her touch. "I'm sorry, I won't do it again if it upsets you."

Picard touched her face. -No. It's okay. It makes me feel safe.- He looked to the sky. -They were right you know. About Guinan lying. I love you more deeply and completely than I do her.-

-Really?-

-You could open the hearts of your unit and read them but not mine?-

-I would never do that to you!-

-Do it now. Open my heart and read it. It's yours and you can do as you wish with it.- Picard gazed into her eyes. She put Rex back into the pram as Picard opened his mind and heart to her. In return, she opened her heart and mind to him. Her implants rushed through her system into Picard, turning both of them into androids.

–

The three Picards sat in their quarters back on the Enterprise as she raced through the galaxy. Dr. Crusher and Counsellor Troi were with them.

"Again?!" Picard yelped. "Issac is barely a year old and you're pregnant AGAIN?"

"I'm sure the good Doctor can explain it to you Jean-Luc." Melina said dryly.

"I know how it happened Lieutenant!"

"Lieutenant?!"

"You haven't had your promotion yet!"

"It's only a matter of days!"

"I have half a mind to bust you back down to Ensign!"

"Because you can't keep it in your pants?!"

"I am sensing a lot of love." Troi smiled.

"You sure?" Dr. Crusher asked as the pair continued their argument.