Title: Glad Tidings
Author: DianeB
Rating: PG
Pairing: Picard/Crusher
Summary: This is a mushy P/C Christmas story. Darned if I can remember exactly when I wrote it. Let's say early '90's.
A/N: Caution to canon P/C 'shippers: This story assumes Picard and Crusher are already together "that way." POV jumps around a bit, too. Just so ya know.
Disclaimer: Paramount, er, CBS owns it all. I accept this.
oOo oOo oOo
It was relatively quiet in sickbay that afternoon. Crusher sat on the edge of her chair in her office, staring at the computer screen, trying to digest the information staring back at her. When her eyes started to burn, she realized she hadn't moved or blinked for quite some time. She fell back against the chair and sighed, taking a corner of her bottom lip in her teeth.
oOo oOo oOo
Sally Marks scampered down the corridor, nervous excitement flushing her ten year-old cheeks. She had been given permission by her mother to speak to Dr. Crusher about putting on a Christmas play for the upcoming holiday. Because of the diversity among the Enterprise crew, there were celebrations of one kind or another going on fairly regularly. Invitations to these celebrations were extended ship wide, but rarely was there any direct contact with senior staff about them. This time, however, Sally's mother was feeling homesick, given it was their first full year away from Earth. Since Jennifer Marks had already participated in one of Dr. Crusher's productions, she felt comfortable in sending her daughter right to Crusher to ask about a Christmas production. Sally could barely contain herself, so much so that she suddenly felt the urge to pee and decided she'd better find a potty first, instead of wetting the doctor's carpet.
Her toilette completed, she rounded the last corner by sickbay but stopped outside the line of the sensor. She loved these doors, and especially loved sneaking up on them. She had a sort of reputation on the family deck where she lived regarding this talent. She was tiny enough to slip past the sensor by moving tightly along the wall and ending up smack against whatever door she wanted through. In the ship's resident areas, a door by then would have automatically sent out its usual chime to the interior, announcing that someone wished to enter. Sally would tumble in laughing as soon as the person gave the open command. It was always big fun.
She had underestimated the sickbay sensors. Her child's mind just figured a door was a door, and she commenced to sneaking. At about four sideways slides against the wall towards the door, an alarm of great decibels started clanging and a red light dropped from the ceiling above the door and began to whirl. She froze. The door hissed open and Crusher herself came barreling out. Crusher stopped. Her brows creased in puzzlement at the sight of a vaguely familiar, apparently perfectly healthy child squashed flat against the corridor wall. Sally was a complete internal mess and suddenly mighty glad she had peed, but she remembered what her mother always told her: Don't be afraid to look 'em in the eye, and always accept responsibility for your own actions. So she did, speaking as loudly and clearly as she could above the din and looking directly at Crusher.
"Hello, Dr. Crusher. I was trying to sneak past the sensor like I do on my deck, but it didn't work. I'm sorry."
"Computer, cease alarm." The bell stopped in mid clang and the light went out, the red dome sliding silently back into the ceiling. Crusher paused, fighting to keep mirth out of the disciplinary action she wanted to take with this child. No good. Sally Marks (whose name Crusher finally remembered) was still flat against the wall. Crusher gave in to the humor of the situation and began to laugh. Sally was greatly relieved at the doctor's reaction and relaxed herself. She began to smile and then to laugh in the infectious style that accompanied her "sneaking" reputation. They laughed together for some time, there by themselves in the corridor.
"Sally?" Crusher ventured, catching her breath. "Your mother's Jennifer? She was Helena for me in A Midsummer Night's Dream this past summer, right?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Thought so. What's on your mind today, aside from sending me into cardiac arrest?" She smiled down at the child.
"I want to put on a Christmas play, and Mom said I could ask you about it."
The idea immediately appealed to Crusher. It had been a long time since she'd had any involvement in a Christmas production. Perhaps this was just what she needed. And – she suspected – what quite a few others aboard could use, too. "C'mon inside, Sally. Let's talk."
The door slid open quietly this time. Sally personally never wanted to see or hear that racket again. She was even considering stopping her sneaking.
Nah.
Crusher pulled up a chair beside her desk and motioned for Sally to sit. She asked if she'd like some iced tea, and Sally said she would. Crusher excused herself. Sally occupied herself by looking around the office. She saw the doctor's diplomas neatly hung on the wall behind her desk. She reached out and turned a framed photo on Crusher's desk. It was Wesley, and Sally smiled. She liked Wesley. All the kids did. Whenever he was in one of the children's rec rooms, he could always be counted on to lead a game or tell a story. He could even sneak if he were smaller.
She replaced the photo and looked around again. Her eyes fell on the computer screen, still lit with the information that had Crusher sighing. She read the two lines of type and her eyes widened. She might be only ten, but she was old enough to know that the doctor would be upset if she knew Sally had seen it, and Sally wasn't about to let on. So she stretched over the desk and swiveled the screen to face away from her just enough so it couldn't be easily seen from her chair, but not too far that Crusher would be suspicious that it had been adjusted. Satisfied, she sat back down and swung her legs.
Crusher returned at that moment and apologized for taking so long. She had been stopped several times by her nurses. She gave Sally her tea, and went to sit behind her desk, noticing the computer at the same time. As she dropped into the chair, she cleared the screen. She glanced at Sally, who was totally focused on her tea, and dismissed the worry that the little girl had seen it. She would have plenty of worries soon enough. Right now, she had a Christmas play to put on.
"So, Sally, what did you have in mind?"
"Mom said she would like to see the Nativity, Dr. Crusher."
"And what would you like?"
"Mom reads me the story from her old Bible every year. I like it. I want to be an angel. I want to bring the news to the shepherds. Can Wesley be a shepherd?"
"Well, we'll have to ask him. That's one of the first things we'll need to do. List all the characters, decide who we think could play the part, and then start asking. We might also want to put out a casting call for, say, next Saturday at 1300 and see who shows up. In the meantime, we can talk it up. How's that sound?"
Sally was thrilled that the doctor was treating her so much like an adult, particularly after her goof-up with the door. She would definitely live up to this. "That sounds really great, Dr. Crusher!"
They spent the next hour discussing details about set production, lighting, animals. Crusher was amazed at the maturity of the little girl. She had an incredible creative sense and seemed to have a natural ability to see how things should come together. Crusher decided they had had enough when she caught Sally trying to hide a yawn.
"Sally, I think we'd better call it a day. We've gotten an awful lot accomplished here, but I think we have time to take a rest. What say I put out the casting call and we meet again Saturday in the theater?"
"Okay." Sally jumped off the chair and trotted to the door. She turned back and looked at Crusher.
"Thanks, Dr. Crusher. And I'm sorry about the door."
Crusher grinned at Sally. "It's all right, Sally. In fact, it's been far too long since I've laughed like that. Say hi to your mother for me."
Sally left sickbay anxious to tell her mom of the plans she and Dr. Crusher had begun. She would omit the "sneaking" part, but decided she would share the information she'd read off the computer screen.
oOo oOo oOo
On Saturday, Sally and Crusher met in the theater a few minutes before the 1300 hour.
"A lot of people are talking about this production, Sally," Crusher began. "I believe we'll have a good turnout and no problems filling the parts."
"My mom would like to be an angel, too. Would that be okay?"
"Why, sure."
About that time, people started entering the theater. Sally was surprised to see so many senior staff. She thought the doctor probably had something to do with it. Riker and Troi, as well as Worf, La Forge, and Data had come in. Alexander Rozhenko was with his father, as well. This would be wonderful!
Three very intense hours later, almost all the parts were cast and they had managed to have a rehearsal of sorts. Riker was going to narrate most of the story using Jennifer Marks' ancient KJV Bible. Worf, LaForge, and Data were cast as the Magi. Data began immediately to barrage LaForge with questions about the Wise Men. LaForge just kept shaking his head, patiently trying to answer his friend. Shepherds, the innkeeper, and the multitude of angels were all set. Troi consented to being one of the multitude, along with Jennifer Marks, and several other crewmembers from stellar cartography. Sally would be the first angel to appear to the shepherds. Wesley gladly agreed to be a shepherd, and even volunteered to carry a live lamb. Alexander would also be a shepherd. A young couple from the hydroponics lab offered their newborn daughter (who's to know?) to star as the holy infant. Only the parts of Mary and Joseph had yet to be cast. It was strange the way that worked out, as if the story itself were waiting for just the right two people.
oOo oOo oOo
Although Sally and Jennifer invited Dr. Crusher to join them for dinner and a video that evening, Crusher declined. She was glad Wesley was studying with friends tonight and would be home late. She was tired and she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. She entered her quarters and fell onto the couch. Well, Christmas was almost here again. She had picked up the few gifts she wanted from the last starbase the Enterprise had stopped at and now she considered setting up the tree. An old fashioned activity, it always comforted her to do this. She rose to go to the closet where the tree was stored, passing the computer on the way. She stopped, spoke a few commands, and looked again at the information she had seen a week ago. She blinked back tears, surprised at this reaction, for she was not really unhappy.
She cleared the screen and continued towards the closet. She spent the evening listening to holiday music, thinking about the Nativity pageant, and decorating the little tree. She held other thoughts at bay. She was asleep before Wesley returned. Her dreams took her to an odd place. A barn? No, a stable.
oOo oOo oOo
The following Saturday, a dress rehearsal was gearing up for the pageant, even without Joseph and Mary. Backstage, Dr. Crusher decided they would get through this rehearsal and then she would talk in earnest to several people she had in mind to play the parts but who had not shown any interest in being involved. She made a few notes on her electronic clipboard.
"Dr. Crusher, how do we look?" a small voice asked. Crusher looked up and gasped. Sally and her mother, dressed in flowing white gowns shot through with strands of golden threads, holo halos, and gossamer wings, were backlit by stage lights that enveloped them in a hazy, bright aura. To say they looked beautiful was an understatement. They did, in fact, look angelic.
"Oh, my," Crusher breathed.
"So we look okay?"
Crusher nodded and looked above the little girl, who was bouncing on the toes of her golden slippers, into the piercing green eyes of Jennifer Marks. Jennifer smiled and gently placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, effectively ceasing her bouncing.
"She's pretty excited about this whole thing, Beverly. She's memorized her lines and couldn't wait to show you the costumes. Now, if I could only get this latest idea out of her tiny little brain!"
"What idea's that?"
"She thinks you should be Mary."
"What? Oh, I don't think so!"
"But, Dr. Crusher," Sally piped up. "You'd be perfect for the part, and," she dropped her big bombshell, "Captain Picard can be Joseph!"
Crusher's jaw literally dropped. Except for ship's business, Crusher had not seen Picard for over a month and not at all in the past two weeks. The idea of she and he as Mary and Joseph seemed ludicrous at best. He would never consent to it. But her mind flickered onto an image of a stable and suddenly her vague dream of a week ago came back to her with striking clarity. She was Mary in that dream, and the man kneeling over her in the manger was Picard. And now, here was this angel, this little girl, who only two weeks ago had impressed Crusher with her natural ability to put things together, telling her she and Picard should be the leads in a play the finer details of which would become quite a bit more real than symbolic as the future played itself out to the rest of the crew. It was a future Crusher wanted.
"I'll ask him, Sally. No guarantees, but I'll ask."
"Yippee!" Sally bounced off. Jennifer watched her go, and when she was sure no one else was within earshot. She spoke to Crusher, touching her arm in the same gentle way she had touched her daughter's shoulders.
"Beverly I don't mean to pry, but you should know that my daughter unintentionally read some personal information off your computer screen a few weeks ago. I think that's why she wants you and the captain to play the parts of Mary and Joseph."
Crusher went cold and then hot, her face flushing. Her stomach heaved and she swayed. Jennifer gripped her more firmly and held on until she was steady again.
"I'm sorry, Beverly. I didn't mean to blurt it out like that, but I couldn't think of any other way to say it."
This was exactly the kick in the pants Beverly Crusher needed. "That's okay, Jenn," she confessed, "I needed that. I've been avoiding the facts for the past two weeks, but I've got to face them now. I remember noticing the computer when Sally was in my office, but I thought she hadn't seen it. She's a clever one, I'll say that, especially with that sneaking routine of hers." Crusher grinned.
Jennifer eyed her suspiciously. "You know about her sneaking?"
Crusher immediately realized Sally had not told her mother about that first encounter in sickbay. She backpedaled to protect her. "Wesley told me. He was very impressed with the maneuver."
Jennifer looked skeptical but let it go. "Are you okay now?"
"Yes, thank you. But I think it's time I spoke to the captain." She raised her voice to call attention to the group. "Let's finish up this rehearsal. We'll meet again here in two days. By that time, I promise you. I'll have a Mary and a Joseph and we can see how it's all going to look."
oOo oOo oOo
She entered her quarters after several hours in sickbay, deep in thought, and nearly tripped over a tiny, bleating beast that had zipped in front of her.
"Mom!"
"Wesley!" She saved herself only by grabbing bold of the door, which threatened to hiss shut on her. Since the lamb was still on the move, she was able to gain her balance and enter the room unobstructed and still on her feet. "What thee hell is going on?"
"I'm sorry, Mom. I can explain. Dr. Gary decanted some animals for the play, and I asked if I could bring this little fellow home for a few hours, just to get him used to being held. He's not cooperating very well, though. Dr. G. said we could give him a mild sedative on the night of the pageant. I objected when he suggested it, but now I'm beginning to think it might not be such a bad idea."
"Wesley, for heaven's sakes, take the lamb back to the veterinary clinic and tell Steve Gary I'll sedate him if he ever releases farm animals onto family decks again!"
Wesley, looking properly chastised, picked up the small lamb, who was by now standing in the corner, and tucked him under his arm. The lamb stayed quietly. Wesley looked down at the lamb and then back up at his mother. "Mmm…looks like all he needed was a good scare, Mom."
She took a step toward him. Wesley and lamb beat a hasty retreat.
Left abruptly quite alone, with thoughts she could no longer dismiss, she huffed softly and tapped her commbadge. "Dr. Crusher to Captain Picard."
"Picard here," was the immediate reply.
"Captain, do you have a few moments for your CMO?"
"Yes, I do, Doctor. Is there a problem?"
"No, sir. I just have a couple items I need to discuss with you. Would you care to meet me in Observation Lounge Two?"
"I'm on my way."
An unwelcome shudder passed through her. This was not going to be easy. She decided she would start with the question about Joseph. She left her quarters and headed to the observation lounge.
oOo oOo oOo
When they were seated across from one another at one of the small tables in the empty room, she looked up and directly into his hazel eyes. He matched her look, concern clouding his features.
"Beverly, is something wrong?"
"Uh, no. Jean Luc…" Pause. "I just have something to ask. I'm not sure how you're going to take it."
"Well, all you can do is ask."
"You know we're putting on a Christmas pageant? The Nativity?"
"Yes."
She took a deep breath and surged on. "I'm going to be Mary. I'd like you to be Joseph."
Picard blinked. Blinked again. Smiled. "Beverly, why on earth would you ask this of me?" He asked in well-modulated tones. "You know I can recite Shakespeare for hours, and I always enjoy a good production, but the Nativity? Joseph? I'm not sure I'm quite up to the role."
It was less of a rejection than she had anticipated. In fact, he left plenty of room for arguing him into it. She remembered to breathe when she felt a protesting stab in her lungs.
"Jean Luc, there's a little girl who has her heart set on us doing this together. She's the one who wanted to put on this production in the first place. All the ideas she's come up with so far have been perfect. I don't want to spoil her record. She's only ten."
Picard thought back to the Enterprise's disaster, when he was injured and trapped in the turbolift with Marissa, Jay Gordon, and Patterson. He had learned then how easily children's feelings were hurt. He had learned quite a lot about children during their time together, including the fact that he liked them. He was much surprised by these thoughts, intending as he was to voice a heartier objection to playing the part. Instead, he heard himself softly agreeing.
Crusher was nowhere near prepared. "Excuse me?" She swallowed hard. Surely she had misheard.
"I said yes."
Tears leaped to her eyes, rolled down her cheeks. Abruptly she was weeping without control. Picard was immediately on his feet and over to her chair, kneeling in front of her. It was clear her tears upset him. He placed his warm hands over her ice-cold ones and began to massage them gently. "Beverly, what's the matter? I thought that's what you wanted."
"Yes, Jean Luc." She choked on her words, coughed, and continued to cry. She pulled her hands away from his. She could not be comforted until she had said what she really came to say. His acceptance of the part had shattered the careful control she had maintained up to this point. She hadn't expected him to say yes at all, never mind so quickly. She thought she would have more time. But there was no more time. She spoke thickly and without preamble.
"Jean-Luc. I'm pregnant."
Picard made no sound, but stood and brought her up with him. He put his arms around her and enfolded her tightly to him. He stroked her russet hair and rocked her, feeling her tears dampen his uniform front. There was no sound for a long while, except for Crusher's gradually ebbing sobs. When Picard finally spoke, it was hushed and it was the most blessed thing Crusher had ever heard.
"Beverly." Picard took her chin in his hand and lifted her face to gaze into her tear clouded blue eyes. "I love you so very much. You have given me news I thought I would never hear. I can think of no better way to celebrate this news than to be Joseph to your Mary in this pageant." Moving closer, he touched his lips to hers and for a sweet moment there was nothing else in the universe but the three of them.
oOo oOo oOo
Sally's small voice, amazingly amplified without any kind of enhancement, reached every ear in the overcrowded theater, even those standing in the back and spilling out into the corridor: "Fear not; for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people…"
End