That evening, Picard shuffled anxiously, adjusting his wrist cuffs of a casual shirt. It was a washed out khaki, a favourite of his. When he pressed the doorbell it opened almost immediately, revealing Alex standing there in a ruby dress. "Hello," Picard said awkwardly. Alex stepped back from the doorway.
"Come in, Captain," Alex invited. He followed her inside, the door closing with a familiar hiss. "Would you like a seat, sir? A glass of water?" Alex asked politely.
"I'm fine, thank you," Picard assured her. Alex fell silent immediately. Dr Crusher strode into the room. "Dr Crusher," he turned and smiled to her.
"Jean-Luc, this is meant to be a casual dinner," she reminded him. He glanced down at Alex then back at her.
"Of course," he paused. "Beverly." She smiled welcomingly to him. "I just realised, all my years onboard, I've never actually been in your quarters." He looked around, trying to find something to start conversation.
"Yes, usually if we have dinner it's in your quarters," Dr Crusher agreed. "Actually, whenever we've had dinner it was in your quarters." Picard made a mental note of this fact for later pondering.
After dinner, Dr Crusher and Captain Picard had fallen into casual conversation, including the findings from the test on Jonathan Taylor's remains, both only vaguely aware of Alex's presence in the room as she sat on the sofa, staring out the window. It was five more days before they'd arrive at the nearest Starbase on full impulse for the repairs the warp core needed.
"Alex?" Dr Crusher looked over her shoulder at the sofa where Alex sat, ready to announce dessert. She didn't respond. Dr Crusher got up and went over to her with a smile. Picard watched with a confused expression as she returned. "She's fallen asleep," Dr Crusher said in a low voice.
"Are you going to wake her for dessert?" Picard asked, unsure of what was happening.
"No, Alex needs her rest," Dr Crusher said. "It takes her a while to get to sleep and can wake up disorientated and frightened." Picard looked over at the girl in a peaceful slumber on the couch.
"I find that hard to believe," Picard remarked as Alex slept on.
"There are many realities of parenting you're going to find hard to believe," Dr Crusher said with half a laugh back. He opened and closed his mouth once before words started to form.
"I'm not a parent, I'm... I'm..." he searched for the continuation of that thought but it had gone.
"I'll admit, this isn't how I pictured you starting a family," Dr Crusher teased then shrugged.
"Alex is many times my great aunt!" Picard exclaimed, but still kept his voice low enough not to wake Alex.
"Have you decided what you want her to call you?" Dr Crusher inquired.
"Call me?" Picard was perplexed.
"Yes," Dr Crusher nodded. "I don't think she'd go for dad, papa, father or anything like that," Dr Crusher bit the inside of her cheek in thought as Picard blushed. "I can't imagine you being comfortable with her calling you Jean-Luc. Captain is too formal and will make her feel isolated from you. How about uncle?"
"Really?" Picard said in disbelief. Dr Crusher nodded.
"Why not? That's what Rene calls you, isn't it?" Dr Crusher challenged.
"Yes, but Rene is actually my nephew," Picard objected.
"Fine, what do you want her to call you?" Dr Crusher asked him.
"I don't want her to call me anything," Picard said. The door to Alex's room abruptly hissed open then quickly shut. They had enough time to turn and see the door close. Dr Crusher slowly closed her eyes, biting her tongue. Picard put his head in his hands. "If this is what being a parent is like, I think she'd be better off with you." He admitted to Dr Crusher.
"Wait here, I'll go talk to her," Dr Crusher instructed him, standing up and going over to Alex's door. She pressed the bell, but of course there was no response so she keyed in the access code. Picard held his breath until the door closed behind her. A guilty feeling was taking root in his stomach.