Author's Notes: Don't worry! I am still working on The Rescue. I just wanted to dive deeper into Nicole's life on the Newton. This will be more of a behind the scenes of Fix You. So Tucker will be in this. It will be mainly based on Nicole's recovery. This Chapter is based after the episode Night Terrors. There are a small amount of spoilers.
Chapter 1
Lieutenant Nicole Riker walked onto the Bridge. She immediately went to the Engineering station to bring it up and running. She can control the engines from up here. And Geordi gave her the access codes (with the Captain's permission) in case she needed to eject the core.
The Bridge was quiet. Hopefully everyone was getting much needed sleep.
"What are you doing here?" Commander Data asked her.
"I am essential personnel." Nicole said. Despite how tired she was, she smiled.
"What about Geordi?" Data asked.
"I sent him to sleep along with most of the Engineers." Nicole said.
"You need to sleep too, Nikki."
"I am alright, Data. I had Dr. Crusher give me something to help fight the urge to fall asleep."
As an Android, Data did not have feelings. However, he cared a lot for the young Lieutenant. She was his best friend.
"I do not wish for you to be here." Data said.
Baby blues met yellow eyes. The same yellow eyes that Nicole could get lost in. The same ones she fell in love with all those years ago.
"I know you don't, but Starfleet regulation states that one other officer should be at the ready in case the Captain or acting Captain is incanpacitated." Nicole explained.
Data gave her one of his lopsided smiles. "You are correct." He said.
"I know I am." Nicole chuckled.
"Take your station, Lieutenant." Data ordered after a few moments of silence.
"Aye Commander." Nicole said, nodding her head.
Data nodded his head as well. He then turned around and went back to the Captain's chair.
A good while later Data and Nicole were talking over one of the aft stations when the other senior officers and bridge crew walked out of the turbolift. Nicole stifled a yawn as Data gave his report to the Captain.
"Was it just you two the whole time up here?" Captain Picard asked, looking around the Bridge.
Data nodded his head. "Yes sir."
"I see." Was all that Captain Picard said.
"Go ahead and get some sleep. I got Engineering." Geordi said to Nicole.
Nicole was so exhausted that she didn't notice she rested her head against Data's shoulder.
"I suggest you go as well, Mister Data. You can escort Lieutenant Riker to her quarters." Captain Picard said, smiling a little.
"Yes Captain." Data said, helping Nicole to the turbolift.
"Nikki, we need to think of something quickly. We won't have sufficient energy to get us back to Federation Space." A male figure said.
Nicole closed her eyes as she sighed. Her enhancements caused her to be able to sense those crewmembers stuck on the lower decks. The decks that they were unable to get to. They didn't even have transporters.
Nicole decided it was best to not worry about the transporters. She took the power from the transporters and replicators to power the weapons and shields. The only key system that was running was life support.
"Go ahead and take it from life support. Keep only the bridge and ready room running." Nicole ordered as she looked at the viewscreen.
Nicole woke up in bed. It took her a moment to figure out where she was. She was in her quarters on the Enterprise. Her boyfriend, Tucker, was looking at her sleepily.
"Are you okay, babygirl?" Tucker asked, yawning.
"Yes I am. It was just a nightmare." Nicole said, laying back down. She tried not to cringe at the pet name.
Tucker held her close as he was able to fall back asleep. Nicole laid there wide awake. She couldn't easily fall asleep. For as long as she could remember she's been having nightmares about her time on the Newton. They get worse like this when she gets asked to advance in her career. She made a decision that cost the lives of a good chunk of the crew.
Once she knew Tucker was fully back asleep, Nicole gently and slowly moved out of Tucker's grasp so she could get out of bed. She tipped toed to the living space. She then grabbed her datapad off the coffee table and laid on the couch to read it.
Nicole found herself slowly starting to fall asleep. She was curled up in the soft dark blue throw blanket that Data gave her for her birthday last week. He remembered how much she liked it. She always would comment on how soft and comfortable it was. He also gave her a pair of black leggings with a little cut outs at the ankles. The same leggings she wore tonight to bed.
"Hey Riker, the Captain wanted to see us." Geordi said.
Nicole was sitting at the console with a cup of coffee in her hand when Geordi called to her from across Engineering. She sighed as she stood up. An Ensign took her coffee from her to be recycled in the replicator.
"Do you know why he wanted to see us?" Nicole asked, walking with Geordi to the turbolift. She tried her best not to keel over. Lack of sleep can do that to a person.
Geordi just shrugged. "No idea."
Nicole's telepathic abilities weren't as strong as her mother's but she had a feeling that Geordi was hiding something from her. And she was right! Instead of going to the bridge, they went to the Observation Lounge where the rest of the senior staff were waiting for them.
"Lieutenant Riker, the senior staff and I were thinking you could take the Bridge Officers test. That way you can take over the Engineering Station when needed." Captain Picard said.
"I took the test already, Captain. When the Newton crew was rescued." Nicole explained.
"Yes." Captain Picard nodded his head. "I have the results. I just want to see it for myself."
Nicole shook her head. She tried her best to keep herself from bursting into tears.
"I can't Captain. I can't go through that again. I'm sorry." Nicole said.
She then bolted out of the Observation Lounge, to the nearest turbolift.
"That went better than I thought." Commander Riker said.
"She's still hurting, Captain. I suggest we don't push her further. Give her time to come around." Troi said.
"What do you two think?" Captain Picard asked Geordi and Data.
"I wanted to make her the assistant because I know she can do it. Plus she has experience of being an assistant." Geordi explained.
"Yes. I agree with Geordi. Nicole has shown nothing but exemplary work. She has shown that she can lead a team." Data said.
"But." Captain Picard said, knowing there might be more.
Geordi looked at his best friend and nodded his head. Data nodded his head back.
"Counselor Troi is right. She is hurting. She's always nervous about helping me sort the teams for repairs. I think she is only okay with doing it because I am always right there to help reassure her." Geordi explained.
"She didn't have that on The Newton. She had her crew to rely on, but she was the one who made the tough decisions." Captain Picard said.
"You aren't going to tell us what happened. Are you?" Commander Riker said.
Captain Picard shook his head. "I'm sorry, Number 1. I actually don't know what happened."
Captain Picard disliked lying to his crew. He actually knew what happened. It was required when she transferred to the Enterprise to protect her from the families of the victims. Nicole just had him promise to not tell anyone. Counselor Troi knew the Captain was lying. However, she chose not to address it. He only lied for a reason.