Doctor Beverly Crusher gently pushed the hypospray into her patients neck and heard the hiss as the required medications were administered. She looked to her left hand which was holding her medical tricorder and saw her patient's vital signs finally showing signs of improvement.
"Captain Picard...Jean Luc, can you open your eyes?" Beverly spoke as she gently carassed the side of his face trying to wake him.
Jean Luc had been in pain, it had been his companion ever since he pushed Ensign Wesley Crusher out of the way of a rock fall. Initially when he had regained consciousness he had identified that his right leg, left arm and his head were the main sources of that pain. Then pins and needles ensued. He tried to hold a conversation with Wesley, but found he just couldn't catch his breath. He did recall a discussion about this though, something about internal bleeding being the most likely cause and was really the biggest concern of all his injuries. That was until he had lost track of how many hours had passed and severe dehydration had now been taking its toll. There had been a few times when he felt himself fading away but each time Wesley had managed to pull him back. The last time this had occurred Jean Luc had felt cool water being trickled into his mouth, which gave him much warranted relief to his dry, raw throat.
This time however Jean Luc was being pulled back it was a different voice, albeit a familiar one. Something had been pushed against his neck several times too, then he felt a gentle caress to the side of his face. Definitely not Wesley Crusher then, at least he hoped not. Jean Luc tried to smile at the passing thought and realised the pain he had been in had begun to subside. It then dawned on him that the pressure he had felt on his neck must have been a hypospray and if he could just obey the request to open his eyes he could confirm for himself what he was thinking, unless he could find his voice to ask.
"Bev…Bev..ly?" he managed to rasped through his dry throat.
"Yes, Jean Luc, its me, try not to move. We are going to immobilise your leg and arm with a cast and transfer you to a stretcher, there may be some discomfort while we do this."
"Wesley?" Jean Luc asked, this time his voice seemed stronger as the medications seem to be taking effect.
"He is a sleep at the moment and I'm checking on him next, now let us take care of you Captain."
After a quick assessment Beverly helped her son Wesley to stand up, the relief she felt that he was alright albeit dehydrated was met with a wave of emotion that she was about to get caught up until she heard Jean Luc calling out from the stretcher he was on.
"Doctor?"
Leaning gently towards Jean Luc's ear she spoke reassuring to him.
"We're taking you back to the Enterprise. We've stabilised your vital signs. All right let's go now."
"One moment. Mister Crusher?" Jean Luc called out. He seem to have trouble focusing in what was around him but managed to see the shape of Wesley to his left as moved closer to the stretcher to "Yes Sir"
"What are you doing in such a filthy uniform?" Jean Luc asked jokingly.
"You don't look so ship shape yourself Sir" Wesley smiled back.
Jean Luc couldn't resist a smile back, as he held out his right hand up which Wesley took to form a handshake.
"Wesley you will be missed"
Beverly nodded to her two stretcher bearers who began walking slowly and carefully towards the opening of the cave.
Wesley could feel the extreme heat and bright sunlight once again as they neared the opening. He had lost track of how many hours they had spent walking through those conditions from the crashed shuttle site attempting to find the shelter. After discovering the cave and spending all night there his eyes were struggling to adapt to the brightness. Wesley gently let go of his Captains hand and shielded his eyes as they walked out into the open air. Beverly watched her son shielding his eyes and put her arm around his waist.
"Wesley, we are nearly at the beam out site and we'll be back aboard the Enterprise, lean on me and keep your eyes covered in the meantime."
Beverly then looked to Jean Luc, his right hand that had been holding Wesley's was down to the side of his face with his forearm covering his eyes with his head tilted to his left. Obviously attempting to shield his eyes too from the sun, Beverly thought.
~/\~
The transporter beam finished and Beverly immediately took control of her sickbay and issued orders.
"Computer, dim lights in sickbay by 15%"
The computer's familiar beep was then heard as the light reduction took place
"Wesley, can you uncover your eyes now, how does that feel?"
"Thanks Mom, yes that's much more comfortable."
"Good, now can you go with Dr Selar and we'll do a full work up on you."
Wesley smiled and nodded at his mom, he felt all he needed were several long cool drinks, a meal and perhaps a good sleep in his own bed and he would be back to his normal self once again, but he knew better than to argue and followed Dr Selar to a biobed.
The stretcher bearers gently placed Jean Luc onto the main biobed and with a click the stretcher disappeared from underneath him. Beverly walked over.
"Jean Luc, its alright now, the lights have been dimmed you can look now."
No movement came from the biobed.
"Jean Luc? Jean Luc can you hear me?"Beverly called out with urgency.
She took his right arm away from his face and could immediately feel how limp the limb was.
"Damn, he's unconscious, how did that happen so quickly? I want a full body scan and workup, lets move" Beverly ordered her nursing staff.
Beverly stood above the sensor cluster that was in place above Jean Luc on the biobed, watching as the results of the full medical body scan, the injury list was extensive. Dehydration, multiple cuts and bruises. Right leg fibula-tibula fractures and a left arm ulna fracture. Internal bleeding from both liver and kidney lacerations. A concussion and a skull fracture.
"The Captain never does anything by half does he?" Beverly spoke aloud and to no one in particular.
"Doctor, vital signs are now trending down." Nurse Alyssa Ogawa announced.
"Alright Alyssa prep the Captain for immediate surgery and see if Dr Selar is available now too we have a lot to do and I'll need an extra pair of hands, we need to prioritise the liver and kidney first, we have to get the internal bleeding under control."
~/\~
Beverly Crusher sat in her office rubbing the back of her neck as she looked at her desk console watching Jean Luc's vital signs. Her concentration broke from the console when she heard a tap coming from her office doorframe, looking up she saw the Enterprise's first officer William Riker.
"Doctor, How is the Captain?" The concern was clear in his voice.
"Stable but guarded. The damage to his liver and kidney were both difficult to repair, but the cellular micro-sutures are holding for now. The surgery was very long snd complicated. The osteoregenerator repaired the fractures to his arm and leg. I have decided to monitor his skull fracture and concussion at the moment, his body is basically in shock and I can't risk putting him through anymore at the moment."
"Can I see him?" Riker enquired
"Of course, he is still unconscious though so please keep it short."
Will shifted his feet uncomfortably before asking one further question.
"Any ideas how long his recovery will take Doctor?"
"No its far too early, I'll know more in the next twenty-four hours. Why Will, whats going on?"
"Starfleet Command were pressing me for a time frame, it's the dispute with the salenite miners, they still want the Captain to mediate."
"It was the damn shuttle crash going to Pentarus Five that caused all this and from what Wesley told me about the ships Captain, if Dirgo had listened he might still be alive and Jean Luc would not have had to put himself in harms way to protect Wesley." Beverly said angrily, but then sighed before continuing.
"I'm sorry Will, its been a very long and tough day. I think I need some rest too. I'll review in twenty-four hours and report back on how he is doing."
"I think I can hold off command for twenty-four hours and Beverly, the Captain would have done the same for any of us in that situation and I'm glad Wesley is safe. Now get some rest and do keep me informed on the Captains progress."
Riker then turned and walked towards the main biobed area where his Captain was laying.
~/\~
Jean Luc could feel a warm beam being applied to the right side of his head as he felt himself coming out of a very deep sleep. The warm beam then suddenly stopped and he a felt hand touching the right side of his head. Jean Luc had experienced sensations like this before quite recently, but he had been rescued, hadn't he? He felt the panic growing inside him, no, not again, he had to get away.
Beverly had been probing the laceration site of Jean Luc's head wound ensuring the auto suture had taken this time. The wound had initially been difficult to heal due to the scar tissue in that area from his previous injuries that had seen him require her administrations not so long ago. Beverly then noticed Jean Luc's eyes spring open, they were dark, hollow and full of panic, she had to act fast.
"Jean Luc, listen to me, its Beverly, you are safe and aboard the Enterprise, I need you to take a breath and focus on me?."
Beverly watched as Jean Luc's eyes darted around trying to focus, trying to understand where he was.
"No, they're here, listen to me, we have to escape now, before it's too late"
Jean Luc said with fright. He then attempted to lift his head from the biobed but Beverly noticed quickly and gently pushed her hands onto his shoulders to stop him. The cellular micro sutures that had been used to stop his internal bleeding needed protection and as little movement as possible to ensure healing could take place.Beverly called out.
"Alyssa 10ccs of Improvoline now, we need to calm him down."
Alyssa pushed the hypospray into Jean Luc's neck and Beverly felt his muscles relax almost immediately.
"Jean Luc, you are safe and in sickbay. You were caught in a rock slide and suffered a number of injuries that we are treating"
Jean Luc's eyes were less dark and hollow and he seemed to be acknowledging the words this time.
"The Borg?" He asked with a shaky voice. Suddenly Beverly knew what had happened and why the confusion.
"Jean Luc, no, the Borg aren't here. You suffered injuries to your head, the same side to the Borg implants. These injuries are different, do you understand?"
Jean Luc tried to take in the words and workout the timeline of events in his mind.
"This is the Enterprise?"
"Yes, your safe and we're trying to heal you. You were on a mission with Wesley.."
"Yes, I remember now, we were on our way to Pentarus Five when the shuttle crashed. We needed water." Jean Luc spoke slowly as he was piecing it all together.
"Yes that's it, you and Wesley are both back on the Enterprise now."
"I thought...my head...I was back with the Borg." Jean Luc sighed.
"Well it wasnt that long ago you were here in my sickbay for that. So no wonder you got confused. You know Jean Luc there are easier ways of asking to spend time with me" Beverly mused.
Jean Luc smiled for the briefest of seconds, before asking
"How bad are my injuries?"
"Your internal bleeding has finally stopped but the cellular auto sutures need a chance to work so I need you to keep still. I've repaired your arm and leg fractures but your leg will be stiff for sometime yet. You also have a concussion and skull fracture, which is what we are concentrating on healing now. How is the pain?"
Jean Luc tried to follow along and was surprised with the number of injuries he had sustained in the rock slide before he replied
"Umm, head feels pretty bad."
Beverly picked up a hypospray and loaded 0.5ccs Trianoline before administering it to Jean Luc.
"That will help with the headache, now get some rest and I'll check in with you later."
All Jean Luc could do was close his eyes which had been growing heavier with each passing moment.
~/\~
Forty-eight hours later, Jean Luc lay on his biobed having just finished reading a PADD containing the reports regarding the situation on Pentarus Five and Starfleet Commands latest orders for him when Beverly approached him.
"Beverly, I know you are not in favour of these orders, but we cannot let the situation with the miners deteriorate any further, if it does it could lead to the destabilisation of this whole sector and put many lives at risk."
Beverly had read her own orders from Starfleet Command following her objections about sending Jean Luc to mediate the dispute which had all been duly noted but ignored. The miners wanted the Captain and it was her job to ensure he was able to attend the talks.
"At this stage in your recovery, I just hope there isn't a cost to your health or even your life Jean Luc."
"Beverly, I'm well on the mend now thanks to your good work. I'm ready, and you Doctors would have us Captains in sickbay for weeks if we'd let you." Jean Luc smiled reassuringly.
Beverly hadn't overestimated his injuries, they were extensive and often mediations went on for days not hours with hardly any rest. Not ideal at all given what he had been through.
"Well we have a couple of hours before the mediation starts, we need to get you ready. Dr Selar mentioned you had managed a few steps with the lightweight splint to your right leg this morning how does the leg feel now?" Beverly enquired.
"Stiff but manageable, Riker has organised me to beam directly into the mediation chamber to reduce the need for me to walk too."
"Good, you'll need the cast for a couple more days yet I'm afraid, but we'll continue with the physical therapy where we can too."
Beverly picked up her medical tricorder and began scanning Jean Luc before continuing.
"The cellular micro sutures have repaired the lacerations to both your liver and kidney, there should be no short or long term damage there."
Beverly moved her tricoder wand to Jean Luc's head.
"However your skull fracture is what worries me the most especially with what you are about to do. These situations are always stressful and with a head injury like this, thats why I'm concerned Jean Luc."
"I know you were upset Starfleet Command overruled you in announcing me fit for duty, but I'll have Wesley with me, like we planned originally for his final mission. I won't be alone. I'll be fine Doctor."
"Well my objections have been noted so I'd better let you get dressed as Wesley will be here soon. I will see you when you beam back aboard the Enterprise for a check up Captain."
Jean Luc back nodded in acknowledgment. That had been the one stipulation the Doctor had fought for and won and he knew there would be no negotiation on that at all.
~/\~
Wesley waited for the transporter beam to finish and immediately looked over to his Captain. Jean Luc was notably leaning more to his left side trying to keep the weight off his right left which unless you looked very closely the lightweight splint that he worn on his right leg was hardly noticeable under his uniform. However Wesley suddenly noticed how pale and grey the Captain now looked.
"Captain? Are you alright?" Wesley walked closer to him as he asked.
"I'm...I'm fine Ensign...just a wave of nausea must have been the transporter beam, its beginning to pass now." Jean Luc tried to hide how weak his voice suddenly sounded.
"Sir, our seats are right here and I'll get you some water too."
"Yes, good, thank you Ensign." Jean Luc spoke as he gently limped towards his seat.
Wesley returned with two glasses of water and sat beside his Captain who has already laid out a couple of PADDs. Wesley had also read everything on the PADDs, mandatory reading from his Captain as he had been informed preparation was key to any mediation. Wesley still had ten days before he reported to Starfleet Academy and understood the importance of seeing first hand how difficult and rewarding mediations always were. However Wesley also couldn't help but think his Captain also needed him right now especially after recent events. They both seemed to have bonded closer than they had ever done before too.
Jean Luc watched as the east side doors to the chamber suddenly opened as one delegation of salenite miners walked in and then the west side door then opened to allow another group of miners to enter. The noise was almost deafening as the two groups stood shouting at each other before one miner pulled a weapon out. Jean Luc stood and watched before shouting.
"Enough, calm down. Stand where you. I will not tolerate violence in this chamber. Is that understood?"
The miners stopped there advances and looked round to Jean Luc.
"Take your seats now and let us begin. You asked me here, if you are not serious about ending this dispute I will take my leave now" Jean Luc shouted with authority.
The miners glared at each other and reluctantly took to their seats.
"Good, I'll take that as a sign we all want a resolution here after all. To confirm my name is Captain Jean Luc Picard from the United Federation of Planets. This is Ensign Wesley Crusher who will be assisting me during these sessions. The mediation will be completed in three stages. Step one will be communication, step two negotiation and lastly step three will bring us closure. This format will be followed.To clarify there are eight grievances. Each grievance will follow the steps just mentioned to find a resolution. Can we all agree to this process?"
A combination of nods and verbal yes' rung round the chamber.
"Good, we will start with the first grievance."
~/\~
Wesley watched Captain Picard during the mediation, admiring his patience and use of words to diffuse the heated conversations and frustrations that seem to be heading towards violent attacks between the miners, but each time they were pulled back. Wesley was witnessing quite simply a meditation masterclass from the Captain. Six of the eight grievances had been resolved but the two remaining by far were the most difficult ones. The mediation so far had entered its twelfth hour, the session needed to be brought to a close.
"Captain, I believe now would be a good time to bring today's mediation to a close?" Wesley whispered.
Jean Luc nodded in agreement and looked to the miners.
"Now would seem an ideal break in proceedings. We have advanced far indeed and that is testament to all of you sitting at this table. I purpose we reconvene in 24 hours are there any objections?" Jean Luc called out as he looked round the room to find no one had objected.
"This mediation session is hereby suspended for twenty-four hours." Jean Luc confirmed.
Wesley watched as the miners left the chamber and he noticed in a much less confrontational mood too. Wesley looked round to the chair next to him.
"Captain, are you ready for transport back to the Enterprise?"
"Yes, indeed Ensign."
Jean Luc took his time to stand, not trusting his balance and was relieved when he managed an upright position. Wesley hadn't seem to notice his difficultly in standing either as he gathered up the PADDs. Seconds later he felt the transporter beam and knew his next mediation would be with the good Doctor.
~/\~
Beverly watched as the transporter beam finished and immediately saw how grey and pale the Captain was. He seemed to be fighting to remain on his feet too. Reaching out she took him under his left arm and immediately felt him lean against her.
"Captain, lets get you up onto the biobed."
Slowly Jean Luc pulled himself on to the edge of the biobed.
"Feel..sick.." Jean Luc spoke slowly as he began to heave.
"Alyssa, antiemetic hypospray now, Captain just take a breath we were ready for this. Give it a few seconds. Thats it. Captain do you think you can you take a sip of this drink too, and I mean sip it slowly"
Beverly held a cup up to his lips and allowed him the drink.
"Ugh, tastes funny" Jean Luc grunted.
"It was my grandmother's recipe for improving the body's electrolytes, guess we never worked on the flavour but it does the trick." Beverly smiled.
"Let's see if we can get you laid back now on the biobed" Beverly spoke as she helped lift his legs up and then supported his head as he lay back.
"Alyssa, initiate full body scan please"
"Beverly I'm a bit tired and just need some sleep. I don't need all this."
Beverly smiled and raised her eyebrows slightly. He had seen that look many times before, it was the one that said you can't fool me.
Alyssa handed a PADD with the scan results to Beverly who scrolled through them.
"Alyssa 3.5ccs of Hydrocortilene stat and then prep 5ccs Kayolane"
"Beverly what's going on? I told you I feel fine. I don't need to be here"
Jean Luc pleaded as he felt the hypospray empty its contents into his neck and had to close his eyes for a moment as the wave of pain relief took him and he groaned slightly.
"You Captain are not fine. That hypo was for your head pain that you are suffering because you over did it, despite my warnings. The nausea you had earlier, are all side effects of your skull fracture, which needs time to heal and you simply cannot do that in twelve hour mediation sessions." Beverly spoke in a frustrated tone."So how long do I get to patch you up before the next mediation session?"
Jean Luc had been expecting some sort of confrontation with Beverly and was careful with his next choice of words.
"Beverly I do appreciate your medical opinion and what you have done for me, which has allowed great strides to be taken in the mediation talks. We covered a lot of ground and to that end I asked for the next session to take place in twenty four hours." Jean Luc calmly replied.
"In that case Captain, you will rest, eat and attend for physical therapy, in that order before the next session starts."
"Understood Doctor, now I'll go and have a rest in my quarters." Jean Luc spoke as he tried to get up.
"You'll rest here in sickbay Captain where I can monitor you and will give you something that will let you to sleep for several hours."
Beverly nodded to Alyssa before Jean Luc could argue further who administered the second hypospray of Kayolane into the Captains neck.
"Doctor, I don't need...umm...I mean..." and with that Jean Luc was asleep.
~/\~
Wesley had been sat with Captain Picard in his quarters for some time listening to how he was going to mediate the next session between the miners, playing out a number of scenarios dependent on possible counter arguments. The Captain had made sure he remembered each scenario too. Wesley wasnt entirely sure the Captains reasoning for this only that perhaps it might help him during his Starfleet career, whatever the reason he was grateful for the insight.
Wesley watched as Jean Luc finished his cup of Earl Grey tea, rubbed the right side of his head and then slowly stood still favouring the left leg more than the right.
"Well Mr Crusher, I believe its time we beamed down. Are you ready?"
Wesley picked up the couple of PADDs they had been working on before replying.
"Yes Captain. Are we beaming down from here Sir?"
"Yes, yes we are, the perks of being a Captain, Ensign." smiled Jean Luc as he tapped his comm badge.
"Captain to Transporter Chief two to beam down to the surface."
"O'Brien here, initiating transport now Sir."
Wesley had been following the mediation closely sat next to his Captain, but he couldn't help notice over the last several hours his Captain was looking paler and his speech was almost becoming slurred at times. He clearly wasn't well at all. The Captain had asked for a couple of reassess, but the miners wanted resolution as soon as possible. They seem to be nearly there too then something would be said and further long discussions would then ensue. Everyone was tired but determined not let it go into a third round of mediation, which the Captain had privately shared with him that this was a good sign that they were in fact working together even if they didn't realise it.
Another hour later Wesley was reading down his PADD and realised the current conversation in the chamber was one he and the Captain had discussed. Wesley picked up the PADD and whispered.
"Captain, this is your scenario?"
"Yes indeed Ensign. Now do you remember our conversation in my quarters earlier about it?"
"Yes Sir, of course."
"Good, then I need you to lead for me. Wesley the pain in my head is worsening and I'm struggling to keep up with the conversation. I need you to do what we discussed, do you understand?"
"Sir we'll get a recess and mom, I mean Doctor Crusher can..."
"Wesley we are so close now to ending the dispute we need to finish this now." Jean Luc whispered weakly.
"I understand Sir, just please stay with me, I need you?"
Jean Luc nodded and smiled he would try once again to stay with Wesley as he did in the cave after the rock fall.
Another hour later Wesley had suddenly become aware he had been addressing the chamber for well over ten minutes now. He gulped as he finished and looked round at all the eyes that where now focused on him. It felt like time had frozen and the silence seemed to be building up. Wesley could now feel panic building up inside him, had he not understood his Captains instructions and delivered them correctly.
Wesley watched as the lead miners from each side then stood and walked over to face each other. They both then raised an arm and tapped each other on the shoulder repeatedly nodding at each other, before turning their attention to both Wesley and then the Captain.
"Therefore, step three is reached and I hereby declare closure to this mediation." Jean Luc called out with all the strength he could find. The whole chamber then erupted with more miners tapping each other on the shoulder. Wesley watched this for several minutes as the chamber then began to empty out.
"Sir, you did it, congratulations, what an amazing feeling that was at the end." Wesley grinned before looking round to his Captain who was holding the right side of his head and was in clear pain.
"No Captain, Sir, I'm getting you back to the Enterprise now."
Wesley tapped his comm badge
"Enterprise, medical emergency two to beam directly to sickbay."
~/\~
Beverly was sitting in her office when she was alerted of the medical emergency transport that was coming in. It could only be one person, sickbay had been prepped the moment the mediation talks restarted. She pulled on her blue lab coat over her uniform and walked out of her office just in time to see her nursing team lift the Captain onto main biobed.
"Wesley, what happened?" Beverly asked
"I don't know mom, but honestly the Captain hasn't looked well now for a couple of hours. I had to take over the mediation and when it finished he was holding his head and looked like he was in pain, thats when we beamed back"
"Alright thanks Wesley, we've got it from here." Beverly smiled back reassuringly.
Beverly looked round to the biobed and saw her staff busily performing scans on the Captain. Alarms around the biobed then started going off and Beverly noticed jerky limb movements coming from her patient.
"Damn, he's having a seizure" Beverly called out.
"5ccs of Tricordrazine stat, but have another 3.5ccs on standby, incase that's not enough. Alyssa, what's the brain scan showing?"
"Doctor, there's a small bleed appeared within the frontal lobe."
Beverly felt like time had stopped waiting for the seizure to end.
"The seizure is now stopping, good. Checking scans...and he is stable enough, alright lets prep for neurosurgery to begin immediately." Beverly called out to her staff.
~/\~
Beverly sat in one of sickbays private rooms at the side of the biobed. She often found her self doing this for her most critical patients, this time it was the Captain. She read the PADD for the latest scan results, vital signs were stable and there had been no more seizures, but he hadn't yet woke from his neurosurgery.Will Riker then entered the room.
"Anything Doctor?"
"No, he still hasn't woken up, and to be honest it's beginning to worry me. I really don't want to have to give him a stimulant, I'd really perfer him to come too on his own. Its just a wait and see approach at the moment."
"Understood Doctor. Keep me informed. Just to let you know too we on our way to rendezvous with the USS Hornet in around eighteen hours, they'll be taking Wesley back to Starfleet Academy."
"Eighteen hours, understood. It's certainly been a busy last week for Wesley, thats for sure. Thanks Will, I know how excited he is to finally be accepted into the Academy." Beverly spoke proudly.
"They are lucky to have him and he'll certainly be missed around here thats for sure. We're going to give Wesley a send off in Ten Forward later, hope to see you there?" Will asked.
Beverly smiled before replying
"Oh I'm not sure Wesley would appreciate his mom being there Will. We've planned to have dinner though before the send off."
Will nodded and smiled before their gazes turned back to the Captain who had made no movement or sound whilst they had been talking.
"Well I'd better be heading back to the bridge then." Will turned and left Beverly alone with her patient once more.
/\=
Beverly walked into sickbay and headed towards the private biobed room where the Captain lay.
"Evening Alyssa"
"Doctor Crusher, thought you would still be with Wesley?"
"Oh we had a lovely dinner but he was also itching to get to Ten Forward to enjoy the rest of his evening too." Smiled Beverly
"So, how's our patient doing?"
"He's stable Doctor and we've also noticed some deliberate hand squeezes too on prompting."
"That is encouraging indeed. Thanks Alyssa I'll sit with him now."
Beverly sat next to the biobed and picked up Jean Luc's hand.
"Jean Luc, can you hear me? Squeeze my hand if you can hear me?
Beverly asked hopefully. For a several seconds no movement came, then a twitch of the fingers and then a very light grasp of her hand took place.
"Yes, good. Now can you open your eyes, open your eyes Jean Luc?"
Beverly watched Jean Luc looking for any sign of movement again, then she noticed his right eyebrow move and his eyelids seem to be fluttering.
"Jean Luc open your eyes." Beverly encouraged once more. All movement then seemed to stop and she wondered if she had lost him to sleep again. But then his hand grasp tightened and both eyes slowly opened.
"Hey there you are. It's alright, you're in sickbay." Beverly reassured him in a softer tone.She watched as he closed his eyes again, exhaled and sighed.
"Take your time, theres no rush."
After a couple of minutes Beverly watched as his eyes fluttered open again, this time they looked brighter than before.
"Jean Luc, do you know who I am?"
Jean Luc gently nodded his head.
"Good, can you say my name?"
She watched as his mouth twitched.
"B-Bev...erly" he rasped quietly.
"Yes, Jean Luc, good. Rest now and we'll speak again soon."
Beverly watched as he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
~/\~
Jean Luc came too and waited for his eyes to focus on his surroundings. It looked like sickbay, he rolled his eyes slightly not again. How many times had he found himself here in the past couple of months. This time though he wasn't entirely sure why he was here. He tried calling out.
"H-hello? Anyone th-th-there?"
He was surprised at hearing his own voice, so slow and weak.
Beverly seem to run into room.
"Jean Luc?"
"W-what am I d-doing here?" He stuttered out.
Beverly walked up and took his hand.
"Perhaps we can try and work it out together. What's the last thing you remember?"
Jean Luc looked to the ceiling, what was the last thing he remembered? Memories seem to then surface all at once and he closed his eyes trying not to let them overwhelm him and he fought just to breath.
Beverly noticed his heart and respiratory rates had suddenly increased from a monitor and picked up a hypospray, she wanted him awake but not so anxious. 2ccs Improvoline should be the right balance and administered the dose into his neck.
Jean Luc felt the hypospray push against his neck and then everything seem to slow down for him. He found he could focus his mind. Suddenly he found he had the answer to the question, but now he had to find the words and speak them.
"M-miners needed mediation. My h-head hurt. You were w-w-worried. Needed Wesley." Jean Luc spoke slowly, not quite finding the joining words for a full sentence and was out of breath by the end of the sentence.
"Yes Jean Luc, excellent. You managed to finish the mediation talks succesfully with Wesley's support, but you had a seizure from a small brain bleed, you've been unconsciousness for a couple of days. You've had us worried."
"S-sorry." Jean Luc acknowledged.
"A couple of days? W-Wesley leaving soon?"
"Yes, he'll be leaving soon. In fact we will rendezvous with the USS Hornet in four hours." Beverly confirmed.
"Beverly I want to see him, but c-can you get something from my c-cabin first?"
"Of course, tell me what it is and where to find it. While I'm doing that I want you to rest for awhile, don't over do it. You are just waking up from neurosurgery and its going to take a bit of time for your speech to normalise. I'll make sure you see Wesley.:
All Jean Luc could do was nod, it took everything for him to concentrate on forming words to talk at the moment. After a brief pause he explained to Beverly exactly what he needed from his cabin, using as fewer words as possible.
~/\~
Jean Luc woke to find a tricorder wand hovering above his forehead.
"Is there ever a time when that thing is not in your hand Doctor?"
Beverly smiled before replying.
"Yes, if you stop finding ways for me to use it on you. Well, you've just managed a whole sentence without a stutter, which all confirms my current tricorder findings that you Captain are clearly feeling better and your neurosurgery was a success."
"Well I could have told you that Doctor. I haven't missed Wesley have I?" Jean Luc urgently asked and somewhat changing the subject too.
"No, no we rendezvous in an hour. Let's see if we can get you sitting up a bit and before you ask, consider yourself under orders from me that you are not leaving this biobed for the next twenty-four hours and that is final Captain."
Jean Luc looked up at Beverly and could see how tired she looked, no doubt from all the medical assistance he had required recently and feeling that she may have lost her son in a crash, only to find he had survived that but was now leaving for Starfleet Academy.
"Twenty-four hours, Yes Ma'am." Jean Luc replied as the back the biobed was adjusted.
Jean looked to the door of his private sickbay room as Wesley entered and spoke.
"I request permission to disembark sir."
"Permission granted Ensign Crusher. Work hard and don't forget to keep in contact with your mother either or we'll both never hear the last of it." Jean Luc raised his eyebrows and smiled at the end of the sentence.
"Yes Sir I will and no I won't forget, I promise." Wesley smiled back.
"Sir, can I ask how you are feeling now? When you asked me to take over at the mediation, you had me really worried."
"I'm doing much better now Wesley, we've certainly had a very long and interesting final mission together. I would not have handed the mediation if I hadn't been confident in your abilities."
"Sir, I have to ask, I've been wondering, the last conversations that were taking place were exactly from the practice scenarios we were doing in your quarters. How did you know it would play out that way?"
"Wesley, mediation is in fact letting both parties find common ground and letting them work it out between them. I just help shape the conversation into that area for them, without directly letting them know. It's a slow process but certainly one that works." Jean Luc smiled back.
"There's just so much to learn." Wesley puffed his cheeks out.
"Speaking of which, I wanted to give you something, which might help with all the learning at the Academy. Over on the side there do you see a book called Cadet to Captain?"
"Yes Sir."Wesley picked up an old leather bound book and brought it back to his Captain.
"Its an old fashioned type of diary of Cadets experiences through the academy to Captaincy. I was given it when I started aboard the Stargazer, but I wished I'd had the opportunity to have had read this whilst at the academy. It would have perhaps made me think about situations in a different way. I've been hanging onto the diary as I hadn't found someone who perhaps would enjoy and benefit from its contents. However I've finally found that person, its you Wesley. Please take good care of it and there are still blank pages for you to write your own notes in and perhaps one day pass it on again."
Jean Luc watched as Wesley thumbed gently through the pages, stopping a couple of times to read some notes.
"Captain I don't know what to say, I mean, well only that I promise to read it and take care of it of course. Thank you Sir."
Jean Luc held his right hand up and Wesley willing took his handshake.
"One final time, Mr Crusher, you will be missed."