Title: The Right Decision

Authors: Mel (Katrina Green Eyes) and Nee (Lady Evenstar)

Disclaimer: If I owned these characters do you really think I would sitting at home writing stories about them? Of course not! Paramount owns everything except the plot.

Warning: This fic contains spoilers for the following: Star Trek: The Next Generation; Star Trek: Insurrection; Star Trek: Nemesis

There are some major plot spoilers within...Read at your own risk.

Author's Note: Hi! This is Mel and I was given the wretched job of writing the first chapter. Now that this is FINALLY done, Nee can stop nagging me since the ball is now in her court and I get the rare pleasure of nagging her! Yeah! (Now watch she will crank out her chapter immediately just to spite me :( She never lets me have any fun!) Well now on to the fluff!

Chapter 1

By: Mel

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Jean-Luc paid no attention to Geordi as he presented at the senior staff meeting. He was mesmerized by her closeness. Much to Jean-Luc's dismay they had drifted apart after the personal disaster that was Ba'ku. The events on that planet had rattled their relationship even more than Kes-Prytt had, and this time Jean-Luc felt twice as guilty. They had even stopped having breakfast together; a warning to Jean-Luc that this was the beginning of the end. He couldn't even begin to explain what had happened with Anij because he didn't understand it himself. He only knew that it had been a mistake. Since he had been the one to move their relationship backwards, Jean-Luc felt he had no right to approach Beverly and ask her to move forward. This time he had hurt her, not vice-versa.
The distance between them had not stopped Jean-Luc from loving her, no, it had only made it worse, and it was driving him to distraction. He had taken to avoiding her, for when she was in the room, that was all he could think about. It had gotten to the point that before each senior staff meeting he asked whoever was presenting to brief him beforehand because he knew he wouldn't hear a thing they said once she walked in the room. Deanna had tried to talk to him on several occasions about his preoccupation, but he had brushed her aside.
Then there was the mission to Romulus. One thing had become painfully clear. He no longer had the presence of mind to safely lead his crew while Beverly was his CMO. Perhaps Data's death could have been prevented had Jean-Luc been thinking clearly. While the past months had been personal torture he was capable of enduring it. Now, however, he was a liability and a danger to his crew. He had plenty of shore leave built up, but Jean-Luc felt that going on vacation was a luxury he didn't deserve. Why should he take a nice relaxing trip someplace just because he couldn't control his desires? He didn't feel like retirement was the answer either. He didn't see how sitting in France moping for the next ten or twenty years would be much fun or solve the problem. And so he had been stuck. That is, until yesterday, when he had received mail from an old friend who was now head of the Command and Tactical Department at Starfleet Academy. They were short one tactics professor this year and he had written to Jean-Luc only out of desperation, expecting an immediate, but courteous "no." Under ordinary circumstances, Jean-Luc would never have considered any other answer, but now it seemed like the perfect way to get off the Enterprise. Will and Deanna had stayed on board even after the repairs had been made. Will wanted to try his wings as captain of his own ship and the crew of the Enterprise knew and trusted him. Jean-Luc had always been interested in teaching, and his own days at the Academy had been some of the best of his life.
Jean-Luc was startled out of his reverie as the senior staff looked at him expectantly. Geordi had finished presenting and they were waiting to be dismissed.
"Does anyone have anything else of importance?" When no one spoke up he continued, "Then you all may go." As everyone filed out Deanna lagged behind so that she might have a word with the captain.
"Sir, are you sure you're all right? Your mind was not at all focused on Geordi's talk this morning. You seemed troubled." Jean-Luc smiled, the first genuine smile in what seemed like ages.
"I appreciate your concern Deanna, and yes, I was troubled, but I have made a decision and I am feeling much better. Now if you will excuse me, I have a message that needs to be answered." Jean-Luc then strolled out of the observation lounge leaving a puzzled Deanna Riker to wonder what her captain was up to.

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Beverly sat in her quarters nursing a cup of herbal tea. She was thinking of Data and how much the entire crew missed his presence. Today's senior staff meeting had made the android's absence more apparent and Geordi's talk had nearly reduced them all to tears. All of them except the captain that is. He had seemed strangely detached recently, even before the encounter with the Remans. Her thoughts did not linger on Jean-Luc's strange behavior. The captain's actions were his own business. It was easier to mask her own hurt if she only ever referred to him as the captain, even in her thoughts.
She missed Data's well-meaning attempts to be more human. His eagerness to learn to dance or sing or even tell jokes. This crew was her family and one of its most treasured members was gone. If Will and Deanna had also left, Beverly's world would have fallen apart.

She finished her tea, and headed to bed, knowing that in just a few hours to would be on duty, yet again.
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Jean-Luc spent several hours after the senior staff meeting sending messages to various Starfleet officials. He had arranged for a shuttle to San Francisco in a weeks time and the only thing that remained was to inform Will of his new orders. Jean-Luc had asked if he might tell his crew of the change in plans himself. He knew that Will and Deanna would not let him go easily, and it would only be worse if they heard about this from the brass. None of the admirals had been pleased with Jean-Luc's decision, but since there was no legitimate reason to deny Picard a one year sabbatical they had grudgingly agreed.
Jean-Luc began packing his things that evening. There had been no questions that at the end of the year Jean-Luc would be returning to the Enterprise so they had allowed him to keep his quarters. At 2300 hours Jean-Luc turned out the lights and settled down for the best night's sleep he'd had in years.
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While on the bridge the next morning, Jean-Luc made plans to have lunch with his first officer and his wife. He had no idea how this meeting would go, and venturing into the unknown always made Jean-Luc Picard nervous. He honestly had no idea whether the Rikers would be happy that Will would have the Enterprise or if they would be upset that he had made such a drastic decision without discussing it with anyone. It would greatly affect them too; shouldn't they have a say in it?
Jean-Luc made sure he was the first to arrive in Ten Forward that afternoon; he wanted them to sit at a secluded table in case there were any outbursts. He settled into his chair nervously, glancing to the door frequently, waiting for the Rikers to enter.
When they did arrive, Jean-Luc beckoned them over, and they all ordered lunch. While they waited for their food Picard fiddled nervously with his napkin. How should he tell them this? Finally he decided that the blunt, straightforward was preferable to his usual diplomatic wheeling and dealing. These were his friends, not some alien race. He decided to dive in head first.
"Will, Deanna,... there's something I need to tell you. I have decided to take a yearlong sabbatical and teach at Starfleet Academy." The two sat there openmouthed. Regaining some composure Deanna quickly scanned his mind and found that he was telling the complete truth. That scared her even more.
"Are you sure you are feeling all right, Captain?" She asked, concerned for his mental health. He smiled reassuringly at her, guessing the direction of her thoughts.
"Actually Deanna, I am feeling better than I have in a long time. I received this offer from a good friend more out of desperation on his part than any belief that I'd say yes. I was planning my polite refusal when I realized that this might be exactly what I need right now. So I contacted Starfleet and made some negotiations for the coming year. I know that you felt obligated to stay, Will, after the events with the Remans," the captain paused, remembering Data and his tragic loss, "But I also understand you desire for your own ship. I am short a first officer who would most likely stand-in as acting captain while I am gone. People in high places still owed me a few favors. With a little tweaking I managed to get you command of the Enterprise for a year. After which you will get your own ship. The crew knows you and you know the Enterprise." When neither Will nor Deanna replied, Jean-Luc felt compelled to continue. "I hope you don't mind my intervention on your behalf." That seemed to bring them out of their shocked state and Will smiled.
"Mind? Most captains would kill for a ship like the Enterprise." Will held out his hand and Jean-Luc shook it firmly.
Now that that was settled Jean-Luc was unsure how to tell the rest of his crew, or more specifically a certain doctor, that he was leaving. The safest route would be to announce it at a senior staff meeting. Ship-wide gossip would do the rest for him.

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Will lay awake that night wondering what had driven Jean-Luc to this decision. Deanna sensed his discomfort and turned over, knowing that until his mind was set at ease there would be no rest for either of them. Half sitting up she prepared herself for a long night.
"Will?" she asked turning his face towards her. Their eyes met and he gave in knowing that she wouldn't let it go until he told her everything.
"I just can't help wondering who pressured him into this so-called 'sabbatical.' Did the brass finally break him down or did he give into his guilt and decide he needed to be closer to France?"
"He's at peace. I know it seems ridiculous, but his mental state is more stable than it has been in, well, a long time."
"When did our crew fall apart Deanna? Beverly and Jean-Luc can't stand to even be in the same room as each other, Data's dead and Worf's gone on. We are the only two who actually seem happy. What changed?"
"I don't know, Will. Maybe this change is what we all need. And no matter how bad things get we have each other, Will." Their foreheads met and as they cried they both learned that any pain is easier to bear when you are not alone.

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Beverly returned from the next senior staff meeting shocked and baffled. She had attempted to distance herself from Jean-Luc as a measure to protect her own mental well-being, but this was a slap in the face. Jean-Luc was leaving. At one time she might have thought that this would solve their problems, that once they were miles apart they would discover that they only saw each other as good friends. But distancing themselves from each other even while on the same ship hadn't helped. Jean-Luc had sunk back into his shell of person and Beverly had become both a workaholic and an insomniac. Could the pain she felt now be any worse than if their relationship had failed after taking it to another level? She had not wanted to become involved because she was afraid of losing his friendship, but she had lost it anyway. The pain at their separation had only festered, fueled by her loneliness. She knew she could not live without him and she must find the courage to make the first step.

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Jean-Luc Picard chose to beam to his shuttle privately, instead of in front of a crowd. He had said his good-byes earlier that week and there was nothing left to be said. He strolled down the hall to the transport room with long easy strides carrying only a duffel. For once in his life he was absolutely positive that he had made the right decision.

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Note from Nee: Yuppo- I'm the author of the upcoming, still non-existant chapter 2 of this marvelous fic which I just know you all will review. Right? RIGHT?

Come on, people. I'm up late editing and posting fics for Mel tonight...be nice and review.