Something

"Jean-Luc…no." Her laugh was contagious as she glared at him from across her desk.

"Beverly, it would be fun."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Maybe for you! What would I do? Be the damsel in distress?" She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"You could be the stunning, rich socialite with a sharp tongue. No one says you have to be a damsel in distress." He took another sip of tea, placing the glass mug back on the desk as he settled back into his chair. "I'd like to remind you this was your idea."

"My idea?" She scoffed at him, rolling her eyes. "Oh, my dear Captain, I did not suggest jumping into a Dixon Hill adventure." She leaned on her desk and looked him in the eye. "I suggested you take the time to do something fun to unwind."

He leaned forward, mirroring her movement. "Yes, and I think it would be fun if the both of us took the time to unwind in the holodeck."

"Then it seems you need to find a program that we will both enjoy." She held his gaze for a moment as she sat back in her chair, smiling knowingly at him.

"Hmm, a challenge." The wicked gleam in his eye made her laugh, and she threw an empty hypospray vial in his direction. Catching it, he laughed along with her then relaxed into his chair, playing with the vial between his fingers as he took a few moments to contemplate his task. After a few moments he looked at her once again. "Do you trust me?"

"In general? Yes. To pick a holodeck program we'll both enjoy…" She shrugged.

"Will you trust me?" He had leaned forward again. This time, however, he was staring at her with a seriousness she had never seen from him before. His intensity triggered a strange sensation in her chest. She was finding it hard to breathe as she matched his gaze.

"Yes."

"That's all I ask, Doctor." Smiling, he relaxed into his chair as well.

"So now we're back to Doctor?" She smirked at him, enjoying the new friendship they had established.

He laughed but didn't respond, knowing that a response wasn't necessary. After their night together trapped in the cave on Velara a few weeks ago, their relationship had shifted. They had confided in one another and a bond had formed between them. Since returning, they made it a point to have lunch together every day – either in his ready room or her office. They found they both had been missing the presence of a close friend in their lives and a day hadn't gone by where they didn't seek out one another for some sort of advice or comfort.

Jean-Luc knew he had to be careful. He knew his feelings for Beverly ran deep – deeper than that of a close friend, but no matter how hard he tried…he wasn't able to ignore the pull he felt. At first, he told himself he was going to try and talk to her a little less every day, but every day he failed. As soon as she smiled at him, he would be gone. Lost in a full on, headfirst, dive into the deep end of those beautiful blue eyes.

Blue eyes that were now looking at him expectedly.

"Earth to Jean-Luc!" She waved her hand in front of his face. He was miles away, even though he was staring right at her.

"Sorry, I missed what you said." He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He really did need to learn how to control his wandering mind when he was with her. "What was the question?"

"It wasn't a question. I was telling you about –"

"Riker to Doctor Crusher."

She gave Jean-Luc an exasperated look as she answered. "Go ahead, Will."

"There's someone on the bridge who, I think, you'll want to retrieve."

Her eyes went wide, immediately understanding. Sighing, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Thanks, Will. We'll be right there."

She ended the communication and looked up apologetically at Jean-Luc, who was smiling widely. "What?"

"We'll be right there?"

She felt the blood drain from her face as she realized the mistake she had made. "Oh, Jean-Luc, I'm sorry." She sighed as she stood. "So much for our private lunches…being private."

He stood and faced her, bringing his hands up to rest on her shoulders. "Wesley's on the bridge, isn't he?"

Laughing, she nodded. "Let's go before he talks Will into letting him fly the ship."

"You're sleeping with him, aren't you?" Jack paced around their quarters, infuriated at the revelation his wife had been spending a lot more time with the Captain than he thought.

Apparently, everyone on the bridge had overheard her comment – We'll be right there. – and almost instantly the rumors had started when she and Jean-Luc arrived on the bridge together. Obviously, she blamed herself. If she had only taken a second to think before responding to Will…but she hadn't, and now both her and Jean-Luc were dealing with the repercussions.

"Jack…" She stayed rooted in her spot on the couch, not wanting to dignify his outburst with any sort of matched response. "I'm not going to have this conversation with you. Yes, the Captain and I have lunch together. No, I'm not sleeping with him."

The look he gave her sent shivers down her spine. He didn't believe her.

"If there isn't anything going on between the two of you, then why didn't you tell me you have lunch with him every day? Every. Single. Day." He made his way to the cabinet where they kept the real alcohol and poured himself some of the thirty-year old scotch they saved for special occasions.

"Honestly…I don't know. It didn't seem like it was worth mentioning. It's just lunch." She took a sip of her wine. Wishing it was from a bottle rather than the replicator. Her body craved something stronger that would allow her to better deal with this moment.

"Something happened between you two on that planet. Something you aren't telling me about. I can tell when you're lying, Bev, and you are most certainly lying." He tipped his head back, finishing the glass. Reaching for the bottle he started to pour glass number two.

"You know what, Jack, you're right. Something did happen. Jean-Luc and I became friends. It was just the two of us in that cave and we became friends."

"So now it's Jean-Luc?" His voice started rising, and she instantly looked towards Wesley's bedroom. The last thing she needed was for her son to overhear this conversation.

"Keep your voice down! You're going to wake Wesley." She hissed at him from across the room, gesturing towards the door to her right.

He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he held the glass with his fingertips. "What do you talk about during your lunches?"

How ridiculous you've been since we came aboard the Enterprise, she thought to herself.

"Work, mostly." That was a lie. "Today we talked about holodeck programs." That was the truth.

He shook his head vehemently, casting another icy glare her way. "God, that is such BULLSHIT!" Quickly finishing his second drink, he launched the empty glass across the room, laughing as it shattered into a million pieces against the wall.

And. That. Was. It. Her patience had run out. Standing, she quickly moved to where her husband was fuming. Not trusting herself, she kept her hands tightly balled into fists by her sides.

"Get out. I don't care where you go, but you aren't staying here tonight."

"Bev…"

"No, Jack. I've had enough. I'm done with this conversation and I'm done with you for tonight. Why don't you go find one of your Gamma buddies to bunk with for the night? You can complain to them how horrible your wife is because she has lunch with a coworker. Now get out!"

She pushed him back towards the door to their quarters. As they neared, it opened and she forcefully shoved him out into the hallway, no longer able to restrain herself. "You can come home once you've calmed down."

Heart racing, she stepped back into the room and watched the doors hiss shut in his face. "Computer, lock doors and have them only open on my command." Hearing the door lock, she finally allowed herself to relax. After quickly checking on Wes, who was somehow still asleep, she sank back into the couch cushions.

Oh boy was she in trouble.

She hadn't lied to Jack. She wasn't sleeping with Jean-Luc, but she also knew they weren't just friends. Whatever was going on between them was clearly turning into something a lot more than friendship. The question was, did she want something more than just friendship with Jean-Luc?

The little flip in her heart at the thought was all the answer she needed.

Something, written by George Harrison, performed by The Beatles