*********
Morning of the Magicians
Seven
**********
Beverly opened her eyes, only to meet those of several concerned faces gazing back. "Jean-Luc?" She was extremely disoriented. The reality of her dream was persistent. She glanced around furiously. "Where is the Captain? Is he all right?"
"Yes Doctor." Beverly's blue eyes met his dark hazel, and each felt a certain peace fall over them.
"What's happened?" She closed her eyes and blinked several times, trying to ward off the headache that was throbbing in her temples.
Deanna appeared. "Beverly, do you remember your blackouts?" Troi took her hand to reassure the confused physician.
Crusher nodded slightly.
"We were right. Your mind was manipulated. But we were able to stop you before you carried out the command." Troi stepped aside as Lwaxana subtly pushed in.
"My dear Doctor. You're quite the stubborn one, aren't you?" Mrs. Troi brushed at Beverly's hair and waved off Selar, who was quietly trying to take readings of the recovered Doctor. It was all a bit much for Crusher.
With as much Howard attitude as she could muster, she spoke. "Enough." The group started back. "I owe each of you a personal thanks. But now is not the time. Everyone out except Selar."
Properly chastised, the group slinked off to hover over Htepar, who was recovering on a nearby bed. The procedure had been more than taxing, and he was in a deep state of healing meditation. He was expected to regain consciousness in the next few hours.
Lwaxana moved off to speak with Deanna, while Picard pulled Romak aside.
"I need to thank you Governor." The normally verbose Picard found himself at a loss for words.
The Vulcan accepted with typical aplomb. While not a creature of emotion, it was easy to read in others. "You are most welcome, Captain."
"I am afraid, however, that we are no closer to discovering who is behind this entire conspiracy." Picard shook his head. "But the Federation will not take an assault on a senior officer lightly. The investigation will continue."
"Thank you, Captain. The Vulcan government will cooperate in any way we can." Romak offered his hand in salutation, and Picard returned the gesture. Each nodded at the other, and Romak departed.
Jean-Luc returned his attention to the Doctor, who had banished him along with the rest of the 'rescue team.' He was tempted to be put out, but instead just smiled, glad to have the feisty woman back to giving orders.
Lwaxana noticed Picard hovering in the shadows and glided over to him. "You're welcome Jean-Luc."
Picard smiled and shook his head. "Thank you, Mrs. Troi." He took her hand and held it gently, while turning to Deanna. "Counselor, I'm sure that you and your mother have much catching up to do." Troi smiled at his not so subtle hint.
"Mother, I know that Will has been excited to see you. Would you like to meet him on the bridge?" Troi's tone was solicitous.
"It's not nice to lie to your mother, Little One. But I would love to see what that boy has been up to." Mrs. Troi waved to Picard as she and Deanna walked out.
Picard hoped that he had stalled long enough to allow Beverly to cool down. He knew that her flare-up had been more of a result of anxiety and fatigue than actual anger. Perhaps she would be prepared for company now. Selar had finished and given Picard a surreptitious nod before moving off to check on Htepar.
Jean-Luc strode over purposely and stood at Crusher's side. She appeared to be sleeping. It was eerily reminiscent of her earlier state, but somehow there was an indistinguishable air of presence about her that soothed him. Again, he let his eyes wander unabashedly over the beautiful landscape of her features.
Unexpectedly, she opened one eye and trained it on Picard. "You're hovering, Jean-Luc." An impish grin pulled at her mouth as she opened the other eye and favored Picard with a warm expression.
"Do you mind?" His voice was full of the smile on his face.
"Not at all." She now looked sad, her eyes burning with intensity, tears beginning to form. "I'm so sorry, Jean-Luc." She reached out and took his hand firmly in hers. Still, she averted her eyes.
He took her chin in his hand gently and turned her back toward him. "There is no need to apologize, Doctor. You were not in your right mind."
"Hypnosis or no, I can't believe I would ever hurt you. Under any circumstances." There was more to what she was saying than she articulated, and Picard read it all in her eyes and face. He would be horrified to discover that he had ever harmed Beverly. He could imagine her distress.
"Think of it no more, Doctor. You can repay me by concentrating on getting well." He leaned in and spoke softly. "I'd still like to finish that bottle of wine we started."
"Oh Jean-Luc." Tears flowed freely down Beverly's face. It was not the response that Picard had been going for, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. She laughed despite herself as he shifted tensely on his feet, gazing around the empty sickbay.
Beverly composed herself and her features were again serious. "Jean-Luc, who could have done this?"
His eyes darkened and his frame grew rigid. "We don't know, Beverly. As soon as you're well, Counselor Troi will debrief you and try to gather as much data as possible to aid the investigation. But for now, it appears that we are at a proverbial dead end."
Her eyes fired with passion. "I want to know who did this to me. To you." She set her jaw and a blush rose in her cheeks. In that moment, Picard knew his old Beverly had been returned to him. She caught the change in his demeanor. "What the hell are you smiling at?"
A deep chuckle rose in his chest. "You, Doctor. When we do find the perpetrator, I would loathe to be in his or her shoes."
The blush remained but her features softened. "You remember that, Jean-Luc Picard."
They both descended into laughter, and finally a comfortable silence. Picard took her hand in his and squeezed gently. "It is time for me to be going. You need your rest, and I need to return to duty."
Crusher met his gaze, and they exchanged sad glances. Neither wanted to part, and they remained stationary for a few moments before Picard exhaled and let go of the Doctor's hand. "Until tomorrow, then."
"Yes." Beverly spoke primly, a grin alight on her features. "Tomorrow." She reveled in the chance to see her old friend again. Those moments when she believed him dead by her hand had been dark. Her life had seemed to be closing in on her. Now that she knew she would wake another day to see him, the possibilities seemed endless. She retreated into a peaceful slumber, her eyes closed before the sickbay doors had even shut behind Picard.
*********
END.................................?
*********
I thought I recognized your face
Amongst all of those strangers -
But I am the stranger now
Amongst all of the recognized
What is this?? Are you some kind of hypnotist??
Waving your powers around - the sun eclipse behind the cloud
The Flaming Lips – Are You a Hypnotist? - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots – www.flaminglips.com
*********
Morning of the Magicians
Seven
**********
Beverly opened her eyes, only to meet those of several concerned faces gazing back. "Jean-Luc?" She was extremely disoriented. The reality of her dream was persistent. She glanced around furiously. "Where is the Captain? Is he all right?"
"Yes Doctor." Beverly's blue eyes met his dark hazel, and each felt a certain peace fall over them.
"What's happened?" She closed her eyes and blinked several times, trying to ward off the headache that was throbbing in her temples.
Deanna appeared. "Beverly, do you remember your blackouts?" Troi took her hand to reassure the confused physician.
Crusher nodded slightly.
"We were right. Your mind was manipulated. But we were able to stop you before you carried out the command." Troi stepped aside as Lwaxana subtly pushed in.
"My dear Doctor. You're quite the stubborn one, aren't you?" Mrs. Troi brushed at Beverly's hair and waved off Selar, who was quietly trying to take readings of the recovered Doctor. It was all a bit much for Crusher.
With as much Howard attitude as she could muster, she spoke. "Enough." The group started back. "I owe each of you a personal thanks. But now is not the time. Everyone out except Selar."
Properly chastised, the group slinked off to hover over Htepar, who was recovering on a nearby bed. The procedure had been more than taxing, and he was in a deep state of healing meditation. He was expected to regain consciousness in the next few hours.
Lwaxana moved off to speak with Deanna, while Picard pulled Romak aside.
"I need to thank you Governor." The normally verbose Picard found himself at a loss for words.
The Vulcan accepted with typical aplomb. While not a creature of emotion, it was easy to read in others. "You are most welcome, Captain."
"I am afraid, however, that we are no closer to discovering who is behind this entire conspiracy." Picard shook his head. "But the Federation will not take an assault on a senior officer lightly. The investigation will continue."
"Thank you, Captain. The Vulcan government will cooperate in any way we can." Romak offered his hand in salutation, and Picard returned the gesture. Each nodded at the other, and Romak departed.
Jean-Luc returned his attention to the Doctor, who had banished him along with the rest of the 'rescue team.' He was tempted to be put out, but instead just smiled, glad to have the feisty woman back to giving orders.
Lwaxana noticed Picard hovering in the shadows and glided over to him. "You're welcome Jean-Luc."
Picard smiled and shook his head. "Thank you, Mrs. Troi." He took her hand and held it gently, while turning to Deanna. "Counselor, I'm sure that you and your mother have much catching up to do." Troi smiled at his not so subtle hint.
"Mother, I know that Will has been excited to see you. Would you like to meet him on the bridge?" Troi's tone was solicitous.
"It's not nice to lie to your mother, Little One. But I would love to see what that boy has been up to." Mrs. Troi waved to Picard as she and Deanna walked out.
Picard hoped that he had stalled long enough to allow Beverly to cool down. He knew that her flare-up had been more of a result of anxiety and fatigue than actual anger. Perhaps she would be prepared for company now. Selar had finished and given Picard a surreptitious nod before moving off to check on Htepar.
Jean-Luc strode over purposely and stood at Crusher's side. She appeared to be sleeping. It was eerily reminiscent of her earlier state, but somehow there was an indistinguishable air of presence about her that soothed him. Again, he let his eyes wander unabashedly over the beautiful landscape of her features.
Unexpectedly, she opened one eye and trained it on Picard. "You're hovering, Jean-Luc." An impish grin pulled at her mouth as she opened the other eye and favored Picard with a warm expression.
"Do you mind?" His voice was full of the smile on his face.
"Not at all." She now looked sad, her eyes burning with intensity, tears beginning to form. "I'm so sorry, Jean-Luc." She reached out and took his hand firmly in hers. Still, she averted her eyes.
He took her chin in his hand gently and turned her back toward him. "There is no need to apologize, Doctor. You were not in your right mind."
"Hypnosis or no, I can't believe I would ever hurt you. Under any circumstances." There was more to what she was saying than she articulated, and Picard read it all in her eyes and face. He would be horrified to discover that he had ever harmed Beverly. He could imagine her distress.
"Think of it no more, Doctor. You can repay me by concentrating on getting well." He leaned in and spoke softly. "I'd still like to finish that bottle of wine we started."
"Oh Jean-Luc." Tears flowed freely down Beverly's face. It was not the response that Picard had been going for, and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. She laughed despite herself as he shifted tensely on his feet, gazing around the empty sickbay.
Beverly composed herself and her features were again serious. "Jean-Luc, who could have done this?"
His eyes darkened and his frame grew rigid. "We don't know, Beverly. As soon as you're well, Counselor Troi will debrief you and try to gather as much data as possible to aid the investigation. But for now, it appears that we are at a proverbial dead end."
Her eyes fired with passion. "I want to know who did this to me. To you." She set her jaw and a blush rose in her cheeks. In that moment, Picard knew his old Beverly had been returned to him. She caught the change in his demeanor. "What the hell are you smiling at?"
A deep chuckle rose in his chest. "You, Doctor. When we do find the perpetrator, I would loathe to be in his or her shoes."
The blush remained but her features softened. "You remember that, Jean-Luc Picard."
They both descended into laughter, and finally a comfortable silence. Picard took her hand in his and squeezed gently. "It is time for me to be going. You need your rest, and I need to return to duty."
Crusher met his gaze, and they exchanged sad glances. Neither wanted to part, and they remained stationary for a few moments before Picard exhaled and let go of the Doctor's hand. "Until tomorrow, then."
"Yes." Beverly spoke primly, a grin alight on her features. "Tomorrow." She reveled in the chance to see her old friend again. Those moments when she believed him dead by her hand had been dark. Her life had seemed to be closing in on her. Now that she knew she would wake another day to see him, the possibilities seemed endless. She retreated into a peaceful slumber, her eyes closed before the sickbay doors had even shut behind Picard.
*********
END.................................?
*********
I thought I recognized your face
Amongst all of those strangers -
But I am the stranger now
Amongst all of the recognized
What is this?? Are you some kind of hypnotist??
Waving your powers around - the sun eclipse behind the cloud
The Flaming Lips – Are You a Hypnotist? - Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots – www.flaminglips.com
*********