Heeeey! So there's only one more chapter left after this one! I have such mixed feelings. On one hand, I'm excited to finally give you guys the last of this story, the last of Carmen. On the other hand, I'm incredibly sad that it's going to be over. But at least we have the new Picard series starting this week! Who's looking forward to that?

Also, you guys have been so kind and amazing with the reviews. I love them all, and reread them often for encouragement. I'm going to try to get that last chapter out tomorrow, so be on the lookout. :-)

The food hall was packed. T'argon's crew feasted and brawled in a drunken uproar, flinging the occasional piece of food or entire Klingon across the room. Carmen soaked it all up, looking right at home with a cup of bloodwine in her hand. Sheppard had barely stopped talking since they sat down, which seemed to make Kyle happy, despite being crammed between Lwaxanna and a rowdy Klingon.

"And after we get back, the Enterprise is going to dock at Earth for two whole weeks," Sheppard informed the young woman. "Captain Picard has to clear some stuff up with the council, and then he's going to stay with his brother in France. Did you know he had a brother?"

Carmen shook her head. "No. Did you know that, mom?" She looked up at the counselor, who sat beside her.

"You mean Robert? Yes, he's talked about him before." She picked up a napkin and wiped a spot of food from the corner of her daughter's mouth. "They don't always see eye-to-eye, but I think it will be good for the captain. He should be around family right now."

"And what are we going to do for two weeks?" Carmen asked. "I told nana I'd teach her to fish next time we're in Alaska. What about our cabin at Curtis Creek?"

Riker cleared his throat, picking at something that tried to crawl off his plate. "I don't know, I feel like going somewhere warm. Somewhere with a beach and palm trees. And edible dinner options."

"Wait a minute," Kyle interjected. He gripped the table as a nearby brawl threatened to spill into him. "I was thinking of taking the kids to that new Starfleet Memorial in the Cascades. Allan would love to see their gardens."

"Who are you calling kids?" Carmen growled.

"What kind of gardens?" Sheppard asked.

Riker ignored them both. "Well, how about you guys head to the Cascades, Deanna and I will find a beach somewhere, and then after a few days we'll meet up at the family cabin. Sound like a plan?"

Sheppard lit up, delighted to be a part of their plans, but Carmen seemed to waver. "Is there fishing in the Cascades?"

"There's fishing, camping, hiking...the mountains and rivers go on for miles," Kyle assured her. "I'll teach you and Lwaxana how to fish."

"Thanks, but my dad already taught me," Carmen retorted.

"And who do you think taught him? You're talking to the master here."

Lwaxana looked down at the baby boy cradled in the crook of her arm. "Human men," she sighed. "Am I right, Billy?" Billy giggled in reply.

"Well do you know how to make my dad's trout soup?" Carmen continued. "It's tradition. We make it every time we go camping."

Kyle rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. "No, I don't know that one," he admitted. "But how about this: I'll teach you how to fish like a pro, and you teach me how to make trout soup. Deal?"

A grin made its way across Carmen's face. As Kyle extended a hand, she reached out and gave it a hearty shake. "Deal."

"Oh, William!" Lwaxana piped up. "Did Deanna tell you the news about Jadyra? From the Fourth House?"

Troi nudged him with her elbow. "And by 'news' she means gossip."

"Don't tell me she's trying to start another business," Riker groaned. Lwaxana scooted closer to the table, eager to fill him in.

"Can you believe her? It all started when she hit it off with this diplomat from Altair…"

Carmen rolled her eyes as Riker listened intently to the latest gossip from Betazed. "They'll be at this all day," she advised Kyle and Sheppard. "It'll be like this at the family cabin, too."

"That's alright. More fishing for us." Kyle lifted his drink and Sheppard followed suit with a grin. Carmen joined the toast, but paused with her drink still at her lips.

"By the way, whatever happened to Leyton?" she asked.

Sheppard guzzled his entire drink and then wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve. His eyes glazed over with a dull, drunken shine. "You should have seen it!" he exclaimed. "Your mom threatened to slit his throat!"

Carmen sprayed her sip of bloodwine across the entire table. "No she didn't! Are you kidding me?"

"And your dad punched him!"

Kyle smiled fondly at the memory. "The last time we saw him, Will was handing him off to one of the commanders in T'argon's fleet. I'm sure the Klingons gave him a very comfortable ride back to Earth."

"I'll toast to that," Carmen said, and drank until a little red stream ran down her chin.

"Hey look!" Sheppard lodged two pipius claws under his lip so that they hung from his mouth like enormous fangs. Carmen burst out laughing. She slapped the table repeatedly until only a wheezing sound would come out, her face nearly as red as the drink.

Kyle, however, was much less amused. "He's wasted again," he grumbled, prying the cup from Sheppard's hand. "You both are!"

"We're just celebrating properly, Mister Riker." Sheppard beamed at the young woman, thoroughly pleased with himself.

Her laughter had drawn the attention of her parents. Riker frowned, pulling his brows together with an air of disapproval. "I tried to warn them."

"But look at how much fun they're having!" Lwaxana insisted. "Madak, fill up their glasses again!"

"Mother, no!"

"Oh and Kyle, did William ever tell you about that time we were engaged?"

"MOTHER, NO!"

Their rendezvous with the Enterprise was met with more celebration (minus the bloodwine). Even Picard joined everyone in Ten Forward for some cake and small talk, though Carmen noticed that his demeanor was strangely subdued. Once the ship was underway again, and a fairly normal schedule set in place until they could reach Earth, she found herself standing in front of the door to his ready room.

"Come," she heard the captain beckon, and the door opened. He looked up from his desk, a look of mild surprise flitting across his face. "Miss Riker?"

"Hey," she greeted. "I mean...hello, sir."

A smile softened his countenance. "You may speak freely," he said, and leaned away from his desk. Carmen took a seat in the chair across from him. She wasn't entirely sure why she had sought out the captain, or what she was going to say. All she knew was that she had felt drawn there for some reason.

"I just wanted to see if you were feeling alright, I guess. After...you know...everything."

He nodded slowly. "You're becoming a lot more like your mother lately," he said, a hint of wryness pulling at the corner of his mouth. "Thank god."

Carmen laughed, unable to argue with his observation. "I don't know; I'd still rather be a commander than a counselor."

"An ambitious goal. Especially with a track record like yours."

Though he flashed her a wink, she couldn't help but sulk lower in her chair. "Speaking of which...I'm sorry about the whole shuttle bay incident. And meeting with Leyton in secret and all that."

Chuckling, Picard rose from his chair and wandered over to the replicator. After ordering himself an earl gray, he turned to stare out the window with a sigh. "Desperate times call for desperate measures. I understand why you did it."

His thoughts grew heavy, like a fog sinking to the ground. Carmen's heart sank as well. She thought back to Alidar and Beverly, carrying on Picard's plan somewhere beyond the wormhole. Her captain's face drifted into view, and she saw that last glimmer of hope before he died. "Sir?"

"Hmm?" The fog broke apart as she pulled him from his thoughts.

"I just wanted to tell you...well, it's something you told me once."

His forehead wrinkled with curiosity. "What's that?"

"You said...and to tell you the truth, I don't remember it exactly...but it was something about how all the darkness in the world could never extinguish a single flame. And in turn, all it takes is one flame to light a hundred other candles." She tilted her head to the side. "Actually, I think you were talking to my dad, not me. Anyway, the Federation was making some pretty terrible decisions back then, but you never gave up. Even after...after you were killed...you kept lighting the way for others. Beverly and Alidar, they're going through with the alliance you always dreamed of."

He smiled at the young woman behind a sip of tea. "Thank you, but, that was a different Picard. Not me."

"Your light is the same." She stood from her chair, drumming her fingers at her sides. "I just hope you know that not even the Borg can extinguish that flame. Or all the other flames you've lit along the way. I uh, I should be getting back to my post now, or I'll get another mark for being late." She nodded and saw herself to the door.

"Carmen?"

Slowly, nervously, she turned back around. "Yes, sir?"

"You should reconsider what you said."

Cringing, Carmen bit on the corner of her lip. She may have been her mother's daughter, but she was not the captain's counselor, and perhaps she had spoken a little too freely. "I'm sorry, sir. I-"

"About being a commander, I mean. Because I think you'd make a great counselor one day."

She brightened, beaming in the wake of his praise. "Really?"

"Really. Now go on-if you're late again, don't expect an official pardon from me."