2325

She cradled her coffee cup as she stood at the edge of the turbo lift; she slowly took a moment and glanced out at her bridge. Her bridge--she let a smile sneak across her face at the thought. Being back on active duty and out of the academy teaching life fit her. Elizabeth Cohen was broken from the trance by the young ensign that called it out. "At ease." She graced her way down to the command chair. "I'm assuming that we're all systems a go."

"Yes Sir." Her chief of operations responded. "We should be at Star base 989 in about 4 hours."

"Beautiful." She began to read over the morning reports. "Notify them when we're an hour out." She had taken the deep space assignment as an escape. The grief dominated her life at home; all Cohen wanted to be was an officer. She could give the allusion that everything was running smoothly when she sat on her bridge. When she was planet side; Cohen just didn't have the energy to fight. The defeats were there in front of her, the grieving widow trying to raise the two teenagers she had within three years of her commission.

The young lieutenant was given instructions that she was running her daily laps on Deck 11, and that he should think twice about disrupting her laps. However, he wanted to make a good impression; quickly on the legend. He had been lucky to avoid her tactical training classes at the Academy; however he had grown to regret that fact.

She gave the order as she came around the bend. "Why don't you join me in my last lap Lieutenant." He even impressed himself with his ability to keep up with her. "Impressive running Lieutenant . . ."

"Picard, Captain." He spoke his name proudly. "Jean-Luc Picard; and must I say that it is an honor to be serving with you."

"Ah, Mr. Picard. I expected no less of your running ability." She smiled at him warmly. "It takes a lot to keep up with me. I'm assuming Lieutenant Kelch directed you to your quarters."

"Yes, Ma'am." He found her more approachable than he imagined. "I plan on doing whatever you need of me between surveys."

"Good to hear. I can always use another officer on this ship." She sighed. "You know you were selected for this mission so I can evaluate your tactical training skills."

"Yes. And I would like to thank-you in advance for the opportunity Captain."

"Don't thank me just yet," Cohen snapped "there's no guarantee that I will actually pass you Mr. Picard."

2326

"I've totally fallen for you Bet." The diplomatic liaison smiled at the Captain over their dinner. "There's something about you that just drew me in."

Cohen sighed. "The timing sure sucks. I'm no where near ready for a relationship; Matt's been gone less than a year. For the first time in my life, I'm not attached as a wife, and the kids are old enough that I don't have the mommy title. You've fallen for the image I project, not the real me. I'm a weak and vulnerable mess."

"I've fallen for you, teenagers, and anything else that might cause a disaster." He reached for her hand. "Give me a chance to prove it. You don't need to be the in control bitch 24-7."

"Ok, but I'm warning you." She smiled. "I'm an extremely difficult person Kyle Riker."

"I know." He gripped her hand. "I like a challenge, and I also know that deep down inside you're nothing but a big romantic mush. Plus, it's about time you allow yourself to be a woman again, you've spent the last 14 years as an officer and a mom."

2334

"What's the real reason for you summoning us?" Her eldest daughter, the Starfleet Lieutenant spoke. "There's a reason for this mom."

"Two pieces of news." Cohen leaned back and sipped her tea. "Piece one, they've offered me the vice-commandment post at the Academy. I've decided to accept it. Second piece of news has to do with Kyle."

"You're finally going to marry him?" The daughter finishing up her PhD raised an eyebrow at her mother. "I mean you've had him hanging for 8 years."

"I have not left him hanging for 8 years Erin." Cohen rolled her eyes. "Dad and I got married the weekend after graduation, I wasn't ready to be married right away the second time."

"Whatever you say Mom." The Lieutenant stared back at her. "We're happy for you on both accounts. You buying a house in San Fran?"

"No. I'll be settling up in Anchorage with him." They had never seen her smile so warmly. "An easy commute, but I won't be married to the Academy like I was last time."

2336

Her husband chuckled as he stood in the doorway of their living room. "I told you that deep down inside you were a big romantic mush." Riker walked over to his wife and son. "Look at you dancing around with him on your hip."

"He wouldn't stop crying, I needed to do something to calm him down. And this used to work." Cohen burst out into giggles. "Explain to me how I can calm down a room of Andorians, but can't calm down my own son."

"Will has your DNA, that's why." He placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "You can't reason with Carly or Erin either, which means we're going to have hell when he goes through puberty."

"Not necessarily. I didn't drive my parents too insane as a teenager and somehow I didn't kill any of the girls." She smiled at him coyly. "They just spent rotating time out on ships."

"You miss it don't you?" Riker raised an eyebrow at his wife. "As much as you like teaching, you want to be back out. After ten years I know you better than you think Bet."

"Not yet, maybe in a year or two." She leaned in to her husband. "I waited almost 45 years to do this right. He can come before Starfleet for a while. That's the only regret I ever had the first time around, that Matt and I put our careers first, and our children on the back burner, I want to be home for Will."

2338

He paced back and forth nervously awaiting the news. She couldn't possibly be missing, it was a simple mission; his wife had done them countless times. He had left his two year old with his step-daughter as he made the trip out. "Anything yet Jean-Luc?" He looked nervously at the Stargazer Captain. "We must have at least something."

"Nothing." Picard approached the husband of his mentor. "I'm so sorry Kyle, but another day or two and we'll have to presume."

"I understand." Riker sighed. "Bet always knew the risks; she just had cut back on them after having Will. I guess I had gotten used to the stability of having her teaching at the Academy again."

"As had a lot of people, there's still a chance." Picard looked out into the abyss of space. "If anyone could survive, it would be Bet; she's a model officer who trained a generation of model officers."

"I just can't see myself raising Will single handedly." Riker bit back tears. "How on earth do you tell a two year old that his Mommy is gone?"

2364

Picard looked over the biographies of possible Executive Officer candidates in front of him. It was going to be an impossible task to select one; he was commanding the flag ship, no some unknown frigit. The most impressive biography stood out in front of him, a young officer quickly raised through the ranks, top of his class at the academy. The name looked utterly familiar.

His lunch companion arrived. The head of Starfleet Personnel smiled as she sat down across from him. "Have you narrowed it down yet Jean-Luc? I sent you only the best of the best."

"Is there a reason William Riker's biography has his mother listed simply as Betty C. Riker?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "It's your doing isn't it Carly?"

"Do you really think the fleet could survive with both of us?" The Admiral tried to stifle a laugh. "I got Kyle to agree it was the right choice. Especially with Erin and Mom both going missing, I figured there might be some sort of Cohen curse. You seriously considering him Jean-Luc? Will is my baby brother, but he's only 27."

"His record is impeccable." Picard raised an eyebrow. "I didn't even see the name and I knew I wanted him. He's my only choice at the moment."

"He's more difficult than my mother ever was." The Admiral shook her head. "I figured I best give you the warning. Asking you to change your mind won't happen."

2366

"He inherited Bet's command skills." Picard sat with the elder Riker in 10-Forward. "It's déjà vu some days."

"He also inherited her stubbornness." Riker laughed. "Why do you think we've been at each others throats for the last 15 years?"

"You know I never mentioned it." Picard paused. "I figured he didn't know the details as to how she died."

"It was Carly's doing. She thought it would protect Will better." Riker let a smirk escape. "She felt she owed Bet the chance not to have all the pressure on Will. I think it's guilt, with Erin gone she didn't want Will to face the same pressure."

"Will excels." Picard sighed. "I guess felt the obligation to take the son who never new her under my wings."

"Part of me still believes she's out there alive Jean-Luc." Riker looked out into the stars. "I just wish I had the chance to grieve properly. It's the curse of the men who adored her; we could never cope with her being gone."

"That was half of Starfleet for over a decade." Picard took a swig of his whiskey. "Hell I still find myself in disbelief sometimes."