Faith

Ch. 2 - Soul Surgery

Soul Surgery transpires as serenity replaces anxiety.

-Charles Swindoll

-one year later-

She stepped through the old fashioned swing doors and went to sit at the mahogany bar. She'd found this small bar a month or so ago and had been eating lunch here every day. It was relatively quiet and smelled of liquor instead of the synthetic stuff most the other restaurants smell like.

"The usual Commander?" John said, as he ran a white cloth across the bar and under the taps. John was Bolian around 52 or so with a husky build and quick laugh. He was owner and bartender of the place.

"Yes but how many times do I have to tell you- it's Beverly," she replied and he slid her a red concoction fondly known by Beverly as a Shirley Temple. She'd had to teach John how to make it; it was an old Earth drink from the early 20th century. With it he handed her a glass mug of maraschino cherries. She picked at the cherries and tied the stems in knots with her tongue. She placed an order for a grilled chicken salad with ranch dressing. While she was waiting she watched the final moves of a pool game at the other end of the establishment. A small group of spectators yelled out their praise as a human male with dark brown hair and a medium build shot the eight ball in one of the corner pockets. John brought out her salad and she began to pour the dressing over it when the winning pool player strolled over to the seat next to her and sat down.

"That was a pretty good game Torias, what'll you have?" John said as he set a mug in the overhead cabinet.

"Scotch on the rocks." He replied.

He gave her a friendly smile and she could almost see his mind working on an opening sentence. Before he could open his mouth she got John's attention:

"I've got to run John, new research project, I'll see you tomorrow."

With that she got up and walked out of the bar leaving her salad untouched. She felt guilty for leaving in such a hurry but she really did have a new research project and she was in no mood to make small talk with anyone today. She was back to the old Beverly in many ways but she had yet to recapture her social life and she doubted she ever would.

Back at the bar John and the pool player, Torias, watched her leave.

"What's eatin' her?" Torias asked.

"You mean you don't know who she is?"

"I know she's pretty."

"That woman is head of Starfleet medical. She used to be the Enterprise's CMO. Beverly Crusher normally associated with Jean-luc Picard. Any of this ringing a bell?"

"Oh... is she available?"

John laughed, "Well Technically but I wouldn't pursue her she's out of your league."

Torias sighed, "You're probably right but it never hurts to try."

Back at Starfleet medical Beverly was staring blankly at some of her research her mind a million miles away when Reittan, her Betazoid research assistant, walked into her office.

"When are you going to stop moping around, Beverly?" He asked as he accessed her current mental focus. He knew how much Jean-luc meant to her but he also knew that she needed to rejoin the rest of the universe. She had isolated herself to much and he'd be a rigellian toad before he let such a unique woman withdraw herself because of some selfish, unfeeling human.

Beverly just sighed loudly, "I'm going down to the mess hall for a salad. I'll see you later."

Feedback still welcome nudge