Dvorovoi Part Two
By Karen Page
When she turned back she noticed that Beverly was motioning to Jean-Luc about something. With her back to Bailey, Beverly couldn't see that Bailey was watching her.
Jean-Luc glanced up at Bailey as she neared the table and Beverly immediately stopped what she was doing. She turned and smiled at Bailey as she re-joined them at the table. "Would you like to help out in Sickbay today?" she asked expectantly.
Bailey tried to hide her surprise. "What would I do?" she asked.
"Anything that I need doing," Beverly replied with a smile. "You can be my assistant for the day. I'll teach you a few things about sickbay. Would you like that?" Suddenly Beverly was excited at the prospect, it reminded her of Amanda the Q's visit several years ago.
Bailey nodded. "I'll do my best," she said with a big grin.
"You have to conduct yourself in an orderly manner," Jean-Luc added.
"Don't I always!" Bailey laughed; her laughter rang in the room alone. When she realised she alone was laughing she quickly stopped and turned her attention to her apple juice, feeling stupid.
"I'm not that bad you know," she whispered a few seconds later. "I don't know what you've heard about me, but it isn't fair to judge me on that. I have learnt by my mistakes."
"What exactly happened Bailey?" Beverly asked softly.
Bailey looked up at Beverly before speaking. "It wasn't me."
"What happened?" Beverly asked again.
"Someone shot the professor," Bailey said quietly. "It wasn't me," she added quickly.
"But why were you given the blame?" Jean-Luc asked. "The academy would have given you a disciplinary proceeding. They would have had strong evidence against you and would not have expelled you without good reasoning."
"They had evidence," Bailey said quietly. She didn't want to talk about this and hoped they would change the subject. But she knew that until they got all the facts, neither Beverly nor Jean-Luc would drop it.
Beverly watched Bailey shift uncomfortably in her seat. "What evidence?" she probed.
Bailey wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "I was in the exact place that the phaser was fired from. I also had the motive."
"What motive?" Beverly asked wishing that Bailey would just spit it out.
"I had a rather large disagreement with him just beforehand. I wanted to know why he was always picking on me and none of the others. If I did the slightest thing wrong, he would drag me into his office and yell at me. The others would do things wrong, sometimes even worse than I, but he never took any of them to his office. He just took them aside and had a few words in their ear," Bailey's face pained at the memory. It didn't matter whom she told this to, no one ever believed that she was telling the truth.
Bailey looked at Beverly then Jean-Luc in turn. "I don't know why I'm even bothering to tell you all this," she mumbled getting to her feet. "You don't believe me and why should you? You don't even know me! I'm just a stupid kid!"
With those last words she left Jean-Luc's quarters quickly, so that they wouldn't see her cry.
She ran all the way to her quarters and dashed inside, straight to her bed. She buried her face in the pillow and cried softly to herself as she had done for so many years.
Soon she felt soothing hands rubbing her back and smiled through her tears. "I thought you weren't here," she said softly turning over onto her back.
"I'd never leave you Bailey," a soft male voice whispered before pulling her into his arms and hugging her.
Bailey lost control of her emotions and cried even harder as she hugged him back. "I missed you," she said between heartbreaking sobs. "I'm sorry," she added a second later.
He didn't reply and just continued stroking her fine red hair.
"Don't leave me," she whispered.
He laughed, "I just told you my sweetheart, I could never leave you."
"Devon?" she asked softly.
"Yes my love?" he replied raining kisses on her cheeks to mop up her salty tears.
"I don't like it here," she whispered in a childlike voice.
"It will get better," Devon whispered back. "I promise."
Beverly stared hard at the doors to Bailey's quarters as she struggled to control her nerves and think of the right words to say to her.
Finally deciding that she had to go in now, she pushed the chime and waited for Bailey to call come before entering.
Bailey was sitting on her bed looking rather sheepish. "I'm sorry, I never meant to lose my temper like that," she said quickly before Beverly managed to get a word in.
"You don't even know me Bailey," Beverly said as she sat on the bed beside the young girl. "How can you be so sure that I wouldn't believe you?"
Bailey peered at Beverly questioningly. "I suppose it's because no body else did," she replied quietly.
"Like I said before," Beverly said softly as she dropped her arm around Bailey's shoulders. "I think once you get to know me, we'll get on well," Beverly smiled reassuringly at her. "I can see myself in you. I was just the same as you. I always spoke or rather shouted first and asked questions later. I learnt the hard way that I had to keep my big mouth shut. Eventually I taught myself to keep those thoughts to myself."
"How long did it take you?" Bailey asked.
"I think I was about twenty three. It was just after I met Jack, that I realised I could control my big mouth," Beverly smiled at the memory.
"How come?"
"I met Jean-Luc," Beverly laughed. "My first impressions of him were that he was a snob!"
"You've known him all this time?" Bailey asked.
Beverly smiled fondly. "Over thirty years," she said wistfully.
Bailey was giving Beverly that look again; Beverly knew what Bailey was thinking.
"Listen Bailey," Beverly began again. "I promise you that there is nothing other than a great friendship between the Captain and I. We are best friends and have been for fourteen years now."
"Okay, okay," Bailey said holding her hands up in defeat. "I get the picture," she laughed.
"Good," Beverly sighed in relief. "Just make sure you don't open that mouth of yours and get yourself and me in trouble. D'you think you can manage that?"
"If there is nothing going on," Bailey asked with a grin. "Why are you so worried that I would say something?"
"Just leave it," Beverly said getting to her feet. "Now are you coming to Sickbay with me today or are you gonna stay here and feel sorry for yourself?"
"Given the choices," Bailey pretended to ponder them for a moment. "I think I'll go to Sickbay and then come back here tonight and feel sorry for myself then."
Beverly laughed. "Come on then," she said holding out her hand. She was so glad that she was finally getting somewhere with Bailey. She felt her uneasiness fading away as she took Bailey to sickbay for the day.
Bailey sat on the bio bed playing about with a medical tricorder and scanning everything and anyone that caught her fancy. She thought the whole medical thing was amazing as she watched Beverly treat her patients during the day. Beverly showed so much care and nurturing as she spoke to her patients, so much so that even if they were in pain and crying, they would smile through their tears.
"Hey sweetheart," Devon whispered in her ear.
Bailey was so used to him sneaking up on her unawares that she never even flinched anymore. "Hey to you," she whispered back, her eyes glued to Beverly as she healed a cut on her latest patient.
"What are you doing here?" he asked as he took a seat beside her on the bio bed, leaning up against her. "Are you sick?"
"No, I'm doing work experience," she replied.
"Work experience," he snorted. "That's no fun!"
"What do you expect me to do?" she asked. "Sit in my quarters and stare at the four walls?"
"I would have kept you company," he replied as he ran his fingers over her thigh. "We could have had so much fun."
"Life isn't just about sex Devon," Bailey replied, pushing his hand away.
"It is to me," Devon laughed.
"That's obvious," Bailey snorted. "You need to get yourself a hobby."
"I already have," he said brushing his lips against hers softly.
"Well go and do it then," she replied adamantly. "I'll see you tonight won't I?"
"Of course you will my love," he kissed her forehead gently and moved away.
"How is the experiment coming along?" Beverly asked as she joined Bailey at a workstation in sickbay a few hours later.
"The same as it was the last time you asked," Bailey replied.
Beverly only had to raise a disapproving eyebrow to make Bailey apologise for snapping.
"Sorry," Bailey grumbled as she slid off the stool so that Beverly could see how much work she had done.
"Do you actually enjoy doing this?" Beverly asked. "Or are you just tolerating me?"
"I like it," Bailey replied. "Honestly I do," she added at Beverly's expression.
"Really?" Beverly smiled proudly. "Healers and Doctors have run in our family for decades. It's sort of a family tradition."
"My mum was a Doctor," Bailey said thoughtfully. "She had her own practice on the ground floor of our house. I don't think she ever thought about joining Starfleet though. I think she enjoyed knowing all the families in the small town where we lived. She delivered all the babies, including me! She woke up in labour in the middle of the night and I popped out twenty minutes later!"
Beverly laughed. "Where was your dad?"
Bailey smiled at the memory of her father. "He was there and went completely to pieces!" Bailey laughed. "He was a fine standing Starfleet Captain and he went completely to pieces!"
"It must have come as a shock to him," Beverly laughed. She was so pleased that Bailey was opening up to her at last.
"Yeah, although I remember him telling people what a hero he was, coming to mums rescue and saving the day!"
"Most men are like that," Beverly said as she scanned the experiment. It was running perfectly, she couldn't have done any better herself.
"I think it must have been the pain that caught him off guard," Bailey said distantly. "He can't have had time to raise his shields."
Now Beverly was confused. "Were you born on his ship?" she asked.
"No, at home," Bailey frowned. "Why?"
"What did you mean by him not having time to raise his shields?"
"He was half-Betazoid," Bailey replied thinking nothing of it. "I meant the ones in his head not on his ship!" she laughed.
Beverly turned and looked at her companion in amazement. "I thought you were Human," she said slowly.
"I am," Bailey replied defensively. "Well mostly anyway."
"What can you sense?" Beverly asked, now more than ever she wished Deanna were on board.
"Nothing really," Bailey shrugged. "I sometimes catch a little anger or frustration from people. Sometimes happiness and pleasure. But only if they are really high on the emotion. I can't sense anyone right now. But it's probably because I haven't ever had the training to use it."
Beverly stared at Bailey for a moment, she was unsure how to react. Bringing up someone else's child was one thing, but an empath with no training was something she hadn't even considered.
"Why isn't it on your records?" she asked leading Bailey into main sickbay.
"I don't know," Bailey shrugged. "I didn't write them did I?"
"I think it's time for a complete medical," Beverly said pointing to a bio bed nearby.
Bailey groaned. "You don't need to go to all that trouble," she whined pitifully.
"Oh I think I do," Beverly said. "Sit your butt down young lady. I don't think I want any more surprises from you."
"I haven't got any more surprises," Bailey assured her, not even attempting to get on the bed as ordered.
"Bailey," Beverly said evenly. "Get on the bed now."
Bailey rolled her eyes and headed over to the bed reluctantly. She turned and glanced back at Beverly, communicating her displeasure with a single look before climbing on the bed.
"Right," Beverly said pulling out a tricorder from her pocket. "First some questions. Are you experiencing anything you might want to tell me before we go on?"
"I'm annoyed," Bailey huffed.
"Apart from that," Beverly replied shortly. "Have you got a boyfriend?" Beverly asked looking at Bailey expectantly.
Bailey peered at her for a moment. "Not at the moment, no."
"Have you had one?" Beverly asked.
"If you are trying to ask me whether I'm sexually active, the answer is yes," Bailey grinned at Beverly's shocked expression. "I am almost twenty," she added quickly.
"Picard to Crusher," Jean-Luc's voice sounded in the empty room.
"Crusher here," Beverly replied.
"Can you come up here?" he asked.
"On my way," Beverly replied closing the channel.
Bailey was grinning wildly. "Saved!" she exclaimed falling back on the bed in exaggerated relief.
"This isn't over," Beverly wagged a finger at her cousin before heading to the bridge.
When Beverly arrived on the bridge, Jean-Luc was nowhere in site so she headed to his ready room and went straight in.
"You wanted to see me Captain," she said politely.
"Sit down," he said gesturing to the desktop next to him with a grin.
Beverly raised an eyebrow and did as she was told. She must have become predictable somewhere along the line. "Have you heard from your friend yet?" she asked guessing that was what he had called her to his ready room for.
"Yes," he replied slowly. "I think we have a problem."
"We?" she said smiling at him.
"Um… well… yes," he mumbled. Damned woman had him flustered yet again. He wanted to help Beverly with her guardianship and that did make him Bailey's father figure. An idea he was beginning to feel comfortable with and to some extent, enjoyable.
"What problems are we facing then?" she asked emphasizing the word we. It thrilled her to think Jean-Luc wanted to be Bailey's father figure and it endeared him to her even more.
"I spoke with Admiral Larter briefly just a few minutes ago," he began. "Apart from the shooting incident, the incident that got Bailey expelled. Bailey has been in the centre of a few mysterious incidents on the college campus. Carinô said that these incidents had nothing really to do with school, but they were on campus."
"What kind of incidents?" Beverly asked.
"Apartments were broken into and trashed, but nothing taken. Each of the four people this happened to had fallen out with Bailey on the same day the break-in's occurred."
"Why is it so mysterious?" Beverly asked in confusion.
"Although Bailey had no alibi for her whereabouts at the time of each break in, no DNA or finger prints of anyone were found in any of the apartments; so they couldn't convict her. They had no proof that Bailey had been or had ever been in the apartments."
Beverly frowned. "Well she can't have done it then," she stated adamantly. "Not unless she was coated head to toe in some kind of barrier. I have never heard of anyone doing that or even if it's possible."
"We can't dismiss the possibility Beverly," Jean-Luc said softly. "We have encountered many things during our time on this ship. Lots of them seemed impossible."
"But…" Beverly murmured.
Jean-Luc held up his hand and stopped her. "From what I was told just now, Bailey is extremely intelligent. She might just have thought up someway to enter the apartments and leave no traces."
Beverly wasn't happy, and Jean-Luc had no difficulty in recognising it. She remained tight-lipped as he went onto explain several other illegal occurrences that Bailey had somehow got herself mixed up in.
"I am pleased that you are trying to protect her Beverly," he said softly catching her attention.
"I'm not trying to protect her," Beverly retorted. "I just find all this hard to believe."
"I thought you were having trouble getting to know her," he replied. "You even wanted her to go back to Earth and study. I seem to recall that she put you on edge. That you didn't like her."
Beverly was looking at the ceiling during his speech. "I like her," she said turning to look directly at Jean-Luc. "She maybe cheeky and has a hell of a lot to say for herself, but I like her."
"That's good," Jean-Luc smiled genuinely. "Because I'm rather taken with the young lady too."
Beverly smiled at him. She was thrilled. "Shall I ask her to call you daddy?" she giggled at his shocked expression as he tugged on the bottom of his jumper.
"Dismissed," he said trying to suppress his smile unsuccessfully.
Beverly slid off his desk and saluted him before leaving. Jean-Luc leaned back in his chair, shaking his head at the incorrigible woman. He couldn't wait to meet her for dinner that evening.
"Jean-Luc?" Beverly called as the doors whooshed open suddenly. "I forgot to tell you something that maybe important."
"What's that?" he asked.
"Bailey is quarter Betazoid," Beverly replied. "I just found out. I'm going to perform a full medical examination on her so that we might not get anymore surprises from her."
Jean-Luc nodded. "I think that would be a wise move."
"I'll let you know if I find something," Beverly said with a nod before leaving once again.
Bailey had hurried out of Sickbay as soon as Beverly had gone to the bridge to meet with the Captain. She hated having any medical procedures carried out on her. It steamed from past encounters with Doctors. After her parents had died, Bailey had been hauled into see several Counsellors and Doctors during the weeks after her parents death.
They were not there to try and help her recover from her traumatic experience, but were insistent and intent on trying to find the murderer of her mother and more specifically to find out whether the legendary British Starfleet Captain was the culprit.
Out of all the various Doctors and Counsellors that came to visit her in her new home, only one of the Counsellors had ever truly tried to help her recover. Her name was Belinda Carlton, and she had taken Bailey under her wing for about three months. After her untimely death in an explosion at the hospital where she worked, Bailey had vowed that she would become a Counsellor and continue Belinda's work and care for the children like her.
Bailey sank down behind her computer terminal in her quarters and decided that she would look into continuing her training onboard like the Captain had suggested.
It was at that time when Devon arrived. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Researching my career options," Bailey replied without looking away from the screen.
"Now what do you want to do?" Devon asked with a sigh.
"The same," she replied. "I was also thinking about getting some training on what little empathic ability I have."
"I thought that little escapade at the academy might have put you off becoming a Counsellor."
"Well it didn't," Bailey snapped. "I'm as serious about this as I was when I first joined the academy."
"Are you finished?" he asked brushing his hand across the back of her neck and moving her hair out of the way.
"No," Bailey pushed his hand away. "I've only just started."
"Well suit yourself," Devon snapped. "I think I'll leave you to it and don't expect to see me tonight either. I have plans for tonight."
"Lucky you," Bailey snapped as he left her.
"More wine?" Jean-Luc asked with a smile as he gazed at the beautiful woman sitting on the couch beside him. Her hair glowed in the candlelight. She looked amazing.
"Yes please," Beverly smiled and held out her glass.
Jean-Luc filled her glass and replaced the bottle on the coffee table in front of them. "Okay," he breathed. "Is it okay to broach the forbidden topic?" he asked.
Beverly looked up at him in alarm. "What forbidden topic?" she dared herself to ask, hoping to God he didn't mean what she thought he meant.
"Bailey," Jean-Luc replied.
"Oh," Beverly almost heaved a sigh of relief. 'Right, I knew that' she thought to herself trying to suppress laugh. She had thought for a split second that he was talking about 'The Forbidden Topic', their relationship.
"I chose not to bring Bailey up because she's seems to be all that we have spoken about the past few days," he said with a smile.
"That's true," Beverly nodded.
"So, did you perform the medical on her?" he asked.
"No," Beverly sighed. "She escaped when you called me to the bridge. But I'll get to her tomorrow."
"Good," Jean-Luc smiled at her. "We have to give her something to do on board."
"Like what?" Beverly asked taking a sip of her wine.
Jean-Luc shrugged and shook his head. "Well if it's any consolation to her being expelled. Bailey actually passed with flying colours at Starfleet Academy."
"Did she!" Beverly sat up suddenly.
Jean-Luc nodded. "I thought Bailey had no more surprises for you?" he joked.
"At least it's a nice one this time," Beverly laughed. "How did you find that out?"
"I spoke to Carino again this afternoon," Jean-Luc replied, "Bailey stayed on to specialise in Psychology. She graduated as a full ranking Ensign almost two years ago. Top fifteen percent of her class."
"So she could serve on the ship," Beverly said slowly. "Somewhere anyway."
"But if she wanted to serve on the ship she would have already told us about her rank," Jean-Luc pointed out.
"I'll have a talk with her tomorrow morning and find out exactly what she's playing at."
"I think that would be wise," Jean-Luc agreed.
"I beginning to think my initial assessment of Bailey was correct," Beverly laughed. "She does seem to cause trouble. But I don't think that she means to actually do it. It just happens around her."
"I agree," he replied.
"So if Bailey wants to serve on board, which department would you have her stationed?" Beverly asked sweetly.
"I think I would have to have her on the bridge," he replied surprising his companion.
"Really?" Beverly asked wide-eyed.
"That way I can keep an eye on her myself," he replied with a grin.
Beverly laughed. "I knew there was an ulterior motive in there somewhere."
"Of course," he replied laughing with her.
The laughter died and Beverly caught Jean-Luc looking at her in that way again. Sometimes, at moments like this, Jean-Luc's usual stoic expression failed and he let down his guard and she could clearly see the love he held for her in his eyes. It was at these moments; Beverly felt scared and always called it a night before something happened. She was afraid she couldn't live up to his expectations of her. Jean-Luc had placed her on a pedal-stool so high, she was afraid he was going to see her fall.
"Well," Beverly said slowly, watching his face fall. He knew what was coming. "I think it's time I got off to bed," she said getting to her feet after draining her glass.
Jean-Luc wanted to do nothing more than tell her she couldn't leave. To take her into his arms and kiss her passionately and to tell her how much she meant to him. But he had thrown the ball in her court years ago and all he could do now was wait for her to throw it back. He knew she wasn't ready to begin a relationship with him, and didn't want to endanger their friendship by making the first move. Beverly already knew how he felt; he didn't need to tell her. Everything was up to Beverly now. She was the one who could choose, he just hoped that she wouldn't take his heaven away.
Slowly he climbed to his feet and showed her to the door like the true gentleman like he was.
"I'll see you for breakfast tomorrow," Beverly said planting a goodnight kiss on his clean-shaven cheek.
"Oh seven hundred hours," he echoed, not quite knowing what else to say.
"On the dot," she replied as she headed down the corridor towards bed. She was exhausted after waking so early that morning after her little encounter with an all too real dream.
She headed straight to bed when she got home, shedding her clothes along the way. She pulled a little pink silk shirt over her head and climbed in bed. "Computer lights off."
The room fell into darkness and she turned and snuggled up under the covers alone.
She was almost asleep when she felt the bedcovers suddenly lift away from her body. She sat up startled and called the computer for the lights. The room flooded with light, and she blinked furiously to get her eyes to adjust. "Who's there?" she demanded reaching for her comm. badge.
To her total surprise, her comm. badge whooshed from across the room just as her fingers were about to make contact. She gasped in shock as fear encompassed her whole being. That was not her imagination. Something had definitely moved it. "Who's there?" she demanded again.
Still no answer.
Beverly scrambled to her feet and made a dash for her comm. badge. Without warning, she was grabbed from behind and thrown bodily to the floor; she fell on her back and yelled out in pain. Although she could see nothing above her, Beverly could feel someone sitting on top of her. She could feel muscular thighs either side of her waist and two strong masculine hands pinning her arms above her head.
Her breath came in raging gasps as she struggled to get air into her lungs. Whatever had hold of her and was sitting on top of her was very heavy and made it hard for her to breath, let alone fight for her escape. Her mind whirled and she couldn't think straight.
"Beverly…"
Beverly gasped as she heard a male voice whisper her name softly. "Who are you?" she whimpered.
"Let me love you," he whispered back, releasing her hands.
"Get off me!" she yelled suddenly, trying in vain to push him off. Her hands simply went through his form. It seemed he could touch her, but she could not touch him. "Computer…" she yelled before his hand clasped over her mouth and nose. She couldn't breath and felt panic well up within her.
"Don't call for help," he said in a menacing voice. "Or I will have to kill you."
She struggled beneath him, fighting to breath. Finally, just before she passed out, he released her nose and she sucked in her life air. She couldn't ever remember being so scared in her life.
"Are you going to keep quiet?" he asked, his voice close to her ear.
Beverly shivered, but didn't answer.
"I asked you a question!" he yelled into her face. "If I let you go are you going to keep quiet!"
Beverly nodded once. Her eyes filled with tears as he yanked her to her feet and dragged her into her bedroom. She knew what was coming and tried desperately to get her immobilised-by-fear brain to formulate an escape plan. She didn't have her comm. badge and the computer could only open channels to other departments on the ship. The other problem was that even if she could call out to the computer, she had to wait for someone to respond before she could even ask for help, and by then, whatever or whoever this was might have silenced her forever.
Seconds later, she found herself back in bed once again and this time, the invisible body was laying atop her, holding her arms above her head with one hand.
Tears streamed down her face in an eerie silence, and her chest heaved in an effort to calm herself. She could hear her blood rushing through her system and her heart pounding along in rhythm.
"I have waited so long for this," he said in a low voice and he slid a hand between them and began to open her nightshirt buttons one by one. "I think it's going to be an enjoyable experience."
"Please don't," Beverly heard herself say somewhere in the distance. "Don't hurt me."
"I couldn't hurt you," he said running his fingertips across her face gently. "Not unless you give me no choice."
"Computer!" she yelled suddenly.
He wasted no time in producing a knife from thin air, and plunged it deep into the pillow beside her head. The blade nicked her ear and she screamed in horror, her heart pounding and her breath coming in short sharp gasps. "I'm sorry," she whimpered.
"I don't want to hurt you, but if you push me I will," he said in an anger filled voice. He saw her staring horrified at the knife embedded in the bed by her face. "As you can see, I am fully capable of doing so. I just hope there is no need."
Beverly believed him. "What are you?" she asked when her curiosity finally got the better of her.
"Someone you will grow to like," he replied. "I would have courted you, but I have no time."
Beverly tried hard to swallow her fear. She had kept a cool head in even more dangerous situations than this before, but she had usually had some knowledge of her captor and she always knew what they looked like.
She felt him sit up, still straddled across her hips and watched in amazement as she saw her nightshirt come undone as if by magic. The room fell silent for a moment and if it hadn't been for the weight she felt across her middle, she would have sworn she was alone.
She screamed suddenly when she felt a hand run across her skin. She found out where his other hand was when it suddenly clasped over her mouth again.
"What part of be quiet don't you understand?" he whispered, his mouth close to her ear.
Beverly whimpered again under his hand as she watched her skin contort under the invisible caress. He wasn't hurting her; she felt no pain; only a deep fear that almost consumed her.
As he rained kisses on her lips and her neck, his strange influence overcame her. She began kissing him back, thoroughly enjoying herself. It no longer mattered to her where he came from or that this wasn't right somehow. All she knew as he skilfully brought her over and over the edge, making her body tremble involuntarily, was that she had needed this, that she wanted this.
Slowly Beverly's world reappeared around her. She could make out the shape of her quarters through her tears and she reached over to tug the bed sheets to her naked body. She felt guilty and ashamed of herself for giving in so easily. He hadn't hurt her, or forced her after he had kissed her lips for the first time. In fact she could recall him even asking her whether she wanted him to stop, and could clearly remember her saying "no" to him over and over again.
She lay still for several minutes, not quite believing what had happened to her. But she knew it had happened. It was only then that she realised she had been tricked.
She also knew she wasn't alone yet. Whatever IT was was still in her quarters. She could hear his breathing as if it vibrated throughout her head. He was close, too damn close.
Suddenly she was grabbed again and he held her throat in a vice-like grip. He leaned over and spoke into her face through gritted teeth. "If you mention this to anyone," he said in a menacing low voice. "I will not only kill you, I will kill your precious Captain."
Beverly swallowed and nodded in assent. She didn't even want anyone to know, she didn't want anyone knowing how weak she was. How could she explain it? Who would believe her?
"Be a good girl and go to sleep," he ordered.
Beverly almost laughed. How on earth did he think she could sleep after that!
"See you later," he said as he released his tight hold on her.
She couldn't hear him anymore and so she slowly sat up. With jelly-legs she walked to the bathroom clutching the sheet around her. She turned to the mirror and stared at her reflection. She hardly recognised the person she saw, her eyes were puffy and her lips were swollen from his passionate kisses. She looked literally ravaged.
With a shudder and a sudden burst of anger she jumped into the shower and slammed the door shut, hoping it would block out the feelings. She turned on the water and looked up at its source before collapsing to the floor hugging her knees tightly to her chest.
She must have been crying in the shower for hours, because she heard her alarm clock sound in the room next door telling her it was time to get up.
Luckily for her, the ships supply of hot water never ran out otherwise she would have been sitting beneath an icy waterfall. With her usual air of determination, she rose to her feet holding her head high and climbed out of the shower, turning the water off as she went.
Beverly was determined not to let last night ruin her life. She was not going to dwell on what had happened. She was going to accept it and move on. She wasn't going to hide herself away and fear her attacker for the rest of her life, after all it was just sex and it wasn't like she hadn't had sex with someone she didn't love before. Whatever had attacked her last night might have molested her body, but she sure as hell wasn't going to let him molest her mind.
Beverly was a strong woman and had been through a hell of a lot of worse things in her past than this. Reflecting on her past, Beverly knew she would be able to pull herself together just as she had done after her parents and her husband's death. Just like she had done after Ronin had violated her.
Half an hour later she arrived at Jean-Luc's for breakfast. She was just about to ring the chime when Bailey appeared at her side and made her jump.
"A bit nervous aren't we?" Bailey joked. "You look so guilty!"
Beverly stared at her cousin for a moment, waiting for her heart to stop racing. "I'm not feeling guilty or nervous," she replied stonily.
Bailey shrugged. "You didn't forget the Captain of your heart's birthday present or something did you?"
Beverly's mind raced again, was it his birthday? Then Bailey's words sank in. "I'm warning you! Lay off our relationship. We are just best friends!"
Bailey giggled until she got a warning glare from Beverly to remind her of what she had just said. "I'm sorry," she said holding up her hands in defeat, but she couldn't keep the mischievous smile from her face.
"What do you want anyway?" Beverly asked.
"The Captain invited me over for a business breakfast," Bailey shrugged. "God knows what for! But all I know is that I wish he'd given me more time to get ready. He only asked me twenty minutes ago. Not everyone on this ship has to be up at six in the morning!"
They both went inside and found Jean-Luc already eating his breakfast. Evidentially he was hungry because he hadn't waited for his company to arrive.
Bailey smiled when she noticed the jug of apple juice on the table. She was pleased Jean-Luc had remembered she didn't drink tea or coffee.
"Good morning," he said smiling at them both.
Bailey smiled back and said "Good morning."
Jean-Luc looked to Beverly when she didn't reply. She seemed to be lost in her own thoughts as she took her seat beside him at the table. He wondered if she had another set-to with Bailey.
They ate breakfast in silence and Jean-Luc watched Beverly like a hawk. She barely ate a thing, just played with her croissant. "Are you okay Beverly?" he whispered when Bailey made a quick trip to the replicator.
Beverly jumped and looked at him. She had been lost in her own world of thoughts. "Pardon me?" she replied.
"Are you alright?" he asked again.
"Oh yeah," she replied with a fake smile. "I'm fine."
"Have you had another argument with Bailey again?" he asked, not entirely convinced that she was telling the truth.
"Bailey?" Beverly mumbled. "No," she noticed Bailey arriving back at the table and afforded her a big smile.
Bailey frowned and smiled back. She couldn't figure Beverly out at all. One minute she was snappy and it seemed like Beverly didn't want to be around her and the next she was all smiles.
Beverly decided to take the initiative. She didn't want Jean-Luc to ponder on her quiet distant mood for much longer. "You told me that you had no more surprises Bailey," she said slowly as Bailey took her seat.
Bailey looked from Beverly to Jean-Luc and back again. She swallowed hard, wondering what the hell had happened between her going to bed and getting up for breakfast. As far as she knew she never sleepwalked. "I haven't," she mumbled nervously.
"How come you never mentioned once to me that you were an Ensign?" Beverly asked as she poured her and Jean-Luc some more coffee.
"Oh!" Bailey exclaimed in relief; that she could answer. "I didn't really think about it to be honest. I don't want to be a Starfleet Ensign, but I needed to pass because of what I want to be. You see, if I'm going to be a Counsellor on board Starfleet ships, I needed to be a qualified Starfleet officer."
Beverly listened to Bailey's explanation before glancing at the Captain. "Well you do realise that you can serve on board this ship between studying."
"I thought you had to have experience. I haven't worked on board a ship before. Well not this size anyway," Bailey replied.
"It doesn't matter," Jean-Luc said speaking for the first time. "You can have on-the-job training. It will stand you in good stead for future assignments."
"The Enterprise is the cream-of-the-crop," Beverly added, noting Bailey's reluctance. "With that on your resume you'll be able to pick between assignments."
"But isn't that favouritism?" Bailey asked. "Just because you work here, I get the job?" she decided not to mention the fact that her colleagues would only think she got the job because Beverly had worked her feminine charms on the Captain.
"Of course not," Beverly replied frowning. "Everyone on board knows that you have had to come here because of me. You have to be on board this ship and as a Starfleet officer, why not serve on board too?"
"Will I be in charge of the flowers in the arboretum?" Bailey asked with a grin.
"No, you will be at navigation on the bridge," Jean-Luc replied.
Bailey looked amazed. "You want me on the bridge?" she asked. "Are you mad? You do remember who I am don't you?"
Jean-Luc chuckled. "That is the very reason I want you on the bridge."
"So he can keep his eye on you," Beverly added.
Bailey looked at the Captain for a moment, considering her answer. She liked piloting shuttles; in fact it had been one of her favourite subjects at the academy. "When do I start?" she asked smiling from ear to ear.
"There's no time like the present," Jean-Luc replied. "Report to the bridge at twelve hundred hours and don't be late."
"Yes sir," Bailey replied. "Can I go and get ready now?" she asked Beverly who had suddenly turned quiet again and was staring into her mug of coffee.
Beverly glanced up when she noticed the room had fallen silent. From the expectant expression on her cousin's face, she knew Bailey was waiting for an answer. "Pardon me?" Beverly asked.
"I asked if I could go," Bailey replied frowning.
"What for?" Beverly replied. "You haven't even started your breakfast yet."
"I can get something in my quarters," Bailey replied, realising Beverly had turned cold towards her yet again.
The last thing Beverly wanted was Bailey to leave her alone with Jean-Luc. She knew Jean-Luc was concerned about her just by his tender looks and she couldn't tell him what had happened the night before because she was sure the 'ghost' for want of a better word, would almost certainly kill them both.
"Just finish your breakfast here," Beverly replied. "It will be wasted otherwise. You'll still have over four hours to get ready then."
Bailey slumped back in her chair. She had a good mind to tell Beverly to shove her breakfast where the sun didn't shine. She had only asked to leave in the first place because it was the polite thing to do.
"So Beverly?" Jean-Luc said deciding that now was a good time to change the subject. "Did you read your grandmothers journal yet?"
Beverly glanced at him for a moment before answering. The whole idea of her reading her grandmothers journals was to find out more about the woman sitting at the table with them sulking. "I haven't had a chance yet," she replied in all honestly.
"Oh," he replied realising his error in asking. He gave her an apologetic smile when he realised Bailey was looking in the opposite direction.
Beverly and Jean-Luc sat silently watching Bailey stuff her breakfast down her neck as fast as she possibly could without throwing it back up again. She wiped her mouth clean and bid her farewells before almost running out of the Captain's quarters.
"She probably has someone on Earth she needs to tell her good news to," Jean-Luc said turning his attention back to his companion.
Beverly nodded. "I have to get to Sickbay," Beverly said climbing to her feet. "Let me know if she causes any trouble for you today."
"I will," he replied. "At dinner tonight?"
Beverly glanced at Jean-Luc, "Sure, why not?" she replied, thinking that it would be safer away from her quarters. She didn't want to be alone there, unless she had no choice. She wondered what Jean-Luc would say if she decided to sleep in his quarters for the night.
"Maybe you could bring your grandmothers journal along with you," Jean-Luc suggested.
'And my pyjamas,' Beverly thought to herself as she agreed and headed out the door towards sickbay.
Once in sickbay she went straight into the examination room and performed a level one physical on herself. Absolutely nothing was out of place, except for a few small bruises on her wrists where he had first held her the night before. The bruises were enough to finally convince her that what happened the night before had not been her imagination.
Her bottom lip trembled violently and she had to use all of her self-control in an effort to keep herself from crying there and then. It was sheer torture not being able to run to her friends for help, because she knew without a doubt either she or Jean-Luc would end up dead in the morgue as a result.
Taking a medical tricorder, she slipped unseen from Sickbay and headed back to the scene of the crime to do some investigating. If she couldn't ask for help, she was going to have to solve the crime herself.
She mentally prepared herself, and slowly entered her quarters with her tricorder running and recording everything. She would have done this first thing that morning and skipped breakfast with the Captain. But skipping breakfast might have alerted him, that something was wrong with her.
She spent ten minutes scanning everything in the room and found nothing. There were no energy traces or anything else that might be considered out of the norm to suggest that anything was or had been in her quarters with her the night before and that made her feel uneasy. If she couldn't detected the presence with her tricorder, she had no way of knowing that he was there with her in the room until he decided to let his presence become known to her.
She stood still and silent in the room, listening intently to see if she could hear anything. She heard nothing.
Looking about her bedroom, she began the task of clearing away the aftermath, straightening the furniture and throwing the bed sheets and night dress in the reclaimator for recycling.
It took her half an hour to clear up the broken glass and furniture. She was mildly pleased that she had managed to put up a good fight even though she had lost in the end. She had known at the time that fighting him was a futile attempt considering that she could only touch him when he wanted her to.
She was about to head back to work when a voice right behind her made her jump.
"Have you quite finished?" he asked, brushing her hair away from her neck.
Beverly pulled away violently, trying not to succumb to the overwhelming panic threatening to take over. "Leave me alone!" she screamed at him.
"I don't want to," he replied.
An idea suddenly came to her. "Are you Q?" she asked.
"Q?" he replied in confusion. "No I'm Devon."
"Devon?" Beverly asked. "Devon what?"
"Just Devon," he replied. "I never was blessed with a surname. People like me just don't need them."
"What are people like you?" Beverly's insatiable curiosity was coming ahead of her panic. She needed all the information she could get in order to formulate a plan to get rid of him.
"You know, I don't really know," Devon replied. "I've never met another of my kind."
"What is your kind?" Beverly demanded.
"I don't know!" he yelled back. "You are so stroppy!"
"I am not stroppy!" Beverly yelled back.
"Yes you are!" he snapped back.
"Well what the hell do you expect from me!" she yelled at him, wishing that there were something visible of him that she could punch. It was unbelievingly annoying not being able to see her tormenter.
"I want to be your friend," he replied in a soft voice.
"My friend!" Beverly spat. "My friends don't make me make love to them! I don't know how you got me to give in, but it's not going to happen again!"
"Who are you yelling at?" a voice sounded from the doorway.
Beverly span around to come face to face with Jean-Luc. "Yelling?" she said thinking quickly.
"Yes, I heard you in the corridor," Jean-Luc replied inspecting the room for any other occupants.
Beverly glanced around her, contemplating her response. She felt Devon place his hand in the small of her back, an obvious attempt at making his presence well known to her. "I was rehearsing for my play," Beverly lied expertly.
"When you are supposed to be on duty?" Jean-Luc asked, frowning at her. "I just went down to sickbay to get some advise from you on our upcoming mission and were told that no one had seen or heard from you all day. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Beverly bit her lip, realising that she had just put her foot in it. "I'm sorry Jean-Luc," she said softly. "I did go to work this morning, but I was in the examination room most of the time and I never saw any of my staff. Then I came here to do a bit of research in the peace and quiet. I realise I should have told someone."
As she spoke she watched Jean-Luc walk further into her quarters and through into the bedroom. She was very glad that she had tidied up the mess before his arrival. But was annoyed because he was obviously looking to see if Beverly was indeed alone.
Jean-Luc hadn't been into Beverly's bedroom many times before, and if he had ventured into her most private domain it had only been as a favour to Beverly by collecting something for her. It looked a little bare, as if some things were missing. He turned back to Beverly noticing that she eyed him guiltily as if she were waiting for him to notice something was wrong.
"Well I suggest you get back to sickbay and do some work," he said heading to the door.
"Yes Captain," Beverly replied grabbing her lab coat from the back of her chair.
"Oh and Doctor," Jean-Luc said turning back to her.
"Yes?" she asked.
"That play of yours better be good," he said with a soft but knowing smile.
Beverly surprised him by not smiling back at him. He watched her walk slowly past him heading towards sickbay her shoulders slumped.
"I'll see you tonight for dinner won't I?" he called after her.
"Yes," she replied without her usual enthusiasm.
Jean-Luc frowned as he walked off in the other direction and put her mood down to the fact that her research must not be going as well as she had planned.
Beverly continued to walk down the corridor away from Jean-Luc with Devon's hand still pressed firmly in the small of her back as he walked along beside her. "Leave me alone," she whispered, her voice filled with venom.
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't open that pretty mouth of yours," Devon replied. "We wouldn't want any unfortunate accidents to happen to your Captain would we?"
Although he said it in a light voice, there was no mistaking the obvious threat against Jean-Luc's life. "Why are you doing this to me?" she asked almost pitifully as they entered a turbo lift.
"For purely personal gain I assure you," he replied. "But I must take my leave of you now. But I'll be back soon. Will you miss me?"
Beverly's eyes widened in amazement and she answered with a series of expletives, but they fell on deaf ears because she realised that Devon had already departed her company.
With a huff she fell against the turbo lift wall. She felt totally exhausted after a sleepless night and her strenuous physical fight with Devon. There was no doubt in her mind that Devon would most surely return to her quarters that night. There was nothing she could do to stop him.
To her disgust Devon didn't seem that bad in the daylight. He was almost juvenile, as if he were a teenage boy. She wondered why he had picked her out of all the women on the ship he could have done.
End of part two