AN: Since my dear mother introduced my sister and I to Star Trek Voyager at the end of 2004, we have watched the whole series atleast twice, and seen some episodes many more times than that. Eventually, when she got sick of hearing me quote the funny bits from memorable episodes like Q and the Grey and Bride of Chaotica!, she went to the video store and brought home Season One of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Since the day we were introduced to Voyager, against our will, we have become self-pronounced Trekkies. Now that we are watching Next Gen, I find myself writing a TNG fic, even though I have only watched up to Season 3. My apologies if some things are outdated, but I have been needing to get this story off my mind since I started writing STV:TNG. Please r&r, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: No matter how many temper tantrums we throw, Star Trek never has and never will belong to the fans sobs, but fanfic exists so we can speculate what should happen after the series ends and Paramount see it as inefficient (to quote Seven of Nine) to produce more movies on the better series! (AKA Voyager and TNG)
AN: And yes, I am sorry if the time/speed ratio is out just a little bit, warp speed and time don't mix in my overloaded head!
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Love of her Life
Synopsis: Beverly Crusher had spent the whole three years after the events of Nemesis as head of Starfleet Medical without the love of her life - Jean-Luc Picard. Now that the Enterprise-E is back visiting Earth, Doctor Crusher tries as hard as she can to transfer back to the ship she loves and return to the Captain she loves even more...
Prologue
Starfleet Cemetary, Memorial Park, Paris, Earth
Doctor Beverly Picard stood at the top of the hill looking over Starfleet's most official, most private resting place for their finest officers. As she stood staring at the white headstones lined up on the rolling plains, she was not looking at them, she was looking over her life.
It had been atleast 15 years since her last visit to the sacred place. That time it was to visit Data, almost 5 years after his tragic death. Beverly silently reminisced her life after the episode with Shinzon, an event which had almost cost her beloved his life.
The rustling of leaves from behind pushed her deeper into her memories, leaving her in an almost trance-like state...
Chapter One
Doctor Beverly Crusher's office, Starfleet Medical, San Fransisco, Earth
Doctor Beverly Crusher looked directly at the screen of the console in front of her. On it, a subspace transmission from the Enterprise filled the screen, and her heart.
The subspace message, a visual one from Jean-Luc, read:
Dear Beverly
I know it has been three years since we last saw eachother, but that could not be avoided. In those three long years, I have thought about you everyday, almost every available minute. My senior staff, and indeed my ship, does not feel the same without you, without your imput. I would like to inform you that the Enterprise is scheduled for a routine overhaul at Utopia Planetia in approximately one months time. While she is docked, I will be visiting Earth, and I would like to come and see you. Also, my Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Kate Pulaski, will be retiring from space service at that time, so I would, in all sincerity, love you to return to your home on the Enterprise as CMO again.
Beverly, I love you with all my heart, and I know you do too, so please, do consider your return home carefully, as there will be a surprise waiting for you here.
Remember, dear Beverly, how much I love you, and that I never plan on us being separated ever again.
All my love,
Jean-Luc
With the end of the transmission, the screen in front of her eyes converted back to the Starfleet insignia, all traces of Jean-Luc's handsome face gone. Tears slowly appeared in her eyes, as she too had missed the love of her life while they had been apart.
The door chime rang, interrupting Beverly's homesick thoughts and forceing her to quickly wipe the tears from her eyes and straighten her auburn hair. "Come," she called, hiding all evidence of sadness from her vioce.
Admiral Kathryn Janeway walked through the door of the Doctor's office, her youngest daughter, Maggie, in tow.
"Hello, Beverly," she said, friend to friend, as any friend of Jean-Luc was a freind of her.
"Hello, Kathryn, hello Maggie, it's good to see you two again. What brings you to my office on a lovely spring day like this?" The adults looked out of Beverly's office window to see a severely overcast sky, evidence a storm was brewing.
"Beverly, I've come here on official business," a comforting look from the Admiral to the Doctor soothed any discomforts Beverly had previously had on her system. "Beverly, Jean-Luc contacted me a couple of days ago, saying that he was in need of a new Chief Medical Officer, and requested one specific doctor. I know he's had Kate Pulaski for three years now on the Enterprise, but he's asked for you to come back, to come home again."
Beverly looked her superior in the eyes, seeing the sincerity on the understanding gaze it gave her. "Kathryn, I know. I just received a transmission from him, asking me to take that position. He said he wanted me to come home."
As Beverly finished what she was saying, she let out a deep breath she didn't know she had been holding in. Doctor Beverly Crusher felt as if she had let a huge weight just fall off her shoulders. Kathryn looked from the distressed doctor to her young daughter and back again. Even she could tell Beverly was torn between the love of her life and her career.
"And, Kathryn," Beverly said to the Admiral. "Who would take over here, at Starfleet Medical, while I take back my old position on the Enterprise?" The look she was giving made her look even more distressed and torn.
The question was one that made Kathryn Janeway stop for a minute to think. "You know, my old CMO, an EMH-1, could possibly do the job," it was only a suggestion, but Janeway recieved a confised look from the distraught doctor. "Or not," she said, cancelling that though.
"Maybe Kate Pulaski would take the position. If she's transferring off the Enterprise, I'm sure she could take up head of Strafleet Medical for a year or two..." Beverly Crusher trailed off, traces of tears coming back into her voice.
As they sat in thought, young Margaret Kimberly Janeway squirmed in her chair, the anxious youngster obviously getting tired of sitting around watching her mummy talk with a doctor.
The two women sat in thought in the office for a long time, only interrupted my Maggie's squirming every now and again.
USS Enterprise NCC-1701-E, close to Pluto, Earth's solar system
Captain Jean-Luc Picard took one last walk down to Sickbay to see how his soon-to-be ex-Chief Medical Officer was holding up in her office. Not even he knew who would be her replacement, but in true Enterprise fashion, Jean-Luc knew the whole crew were hoping Beverly Crusher would return to her home and family aboard the ship.
As the doors to Sickbay opened, Doctor Selar looked up from her work at a station to silently greet him, then pointed towards the CMO's office where he knew Kate Pulaski was sitting, contemplating her transfer off the Enterprise.
Knocking ever so lightly on the door frame, Jean-Luc stared at the face of Kate Pulaski for some time, wondering when she would notice his presence in her office.
Strangley enough, the Doctor looked up on her own, to stare Picard in the face, sadness in her clear blue eyes.
"You know, Jean-Luc, I really enjoyed serving on this ship. But I can't help feeling this Sickbay has always belonged to Beverly Crusher, and any CMO after her has just been keeping the seat warm for her return."
Kate Pulaski saw the sad look in Jean-Luc Picard's eyes, and instantly realised he was in love with Beverly Crusher. Very deep, real, true love. And the separation anxiety was almost killing him.
"Jean-Luc, why don't you just call her?" Doctor Pulaski looked sympathetially at her commanding officer, a knowing, understanding look on the CMO's face.
Captain Picard squirmed and fidgeted in his position, stangin in front of the Doctor's desk in her office. He started pacing, the random eye movements he was displaying hinted he was at war with his feelings. He looked up at the woman behind the desk, whose lips were moving, and, instead of seeing the older, blonde-haired woman who had been 'keeping the seat warm' for the last three years, he saw the outlines of Beverly Crusher, the woman he wanted to be with at that precise moment.
"Captian?" Pulaski said. "Captain! Captain Picard!"
The last screech of his name brought Jean-Luc out of his thoughts and back to his Sickbay. The outlines of the woman he loves dissapeared with his daydreams.
"Yes, Doctor?" he asked, directing his attention to Katherine Pulaski, remembreing his reason or venturing to Sickbay in the first place.
"It's so nice of you to come and wish me off, this coming from a Captain is really... touching." The look on Kate's face was one of understanding, caring and copassion. Even she knew how much Jean-Luc missed Beverly. They all did, but probably not in the way he missed her.
"Yes, Doctor. I hope you have many successes at Starfleet Medical, in your new position. I also hope you make as many friends on Earth that you made here."
Even Doctors Alyssa Ogawa and Selar knew Picard's heart wasn't in his farewell, but was focussed on the one woman who truly made his life complete. Doctor Beverly Crusher.
Picard walked out of Sickbay and towards his quarters on deck eight, his mind lightyears away on Earth. He was counting down the days until they reached Command, and they were now only one day away. As he was travelling in the turbolift, he could almost smell her perfume, the scent of her hair, her lab coat, her uniform. Great, he thought, now I'm pining for her.
The chirp of his communicator brought Jean-Luc's attention from Earth to the Enterprise. Tapping the small badge on his chest, he answered the interruption, probably from his First Officer, Commander LaForge.
"Picard here," his voice echoed through the almost empty turbolift.
"Captain," Geordi's disembodied voice now echoed around him. "We have received a subspace message from an unknown Federation vessel. They are asking for you, sir."
Even Picard knew Geordi was lying, the tone of his voice gave it away almost imediately. "Patch it through to my quarters, Geordi. I'll answer it there. Picard out."
Jean-Luc wondered who the communique was really from. It wasn't like Will and Deanna Riker were close enough to call and visit, were they?
USS Titan, Utopia Planetia Space Station, Earth orbit
"Captain Riker, please report to Sickbay."
A shipwide hail caught the attention of the Titan's CO by surprise. A call to Sickbay in the middle of the Alpha shift was something that did not happen everyday.
Thoughts went running through the Captain's mind. His yearly physical wasn't for another six weeks, there had not been any major injuries reported with the last battle simulation and the away team had returned from Mars in good health. Since they had only just secured the starship at Utopia Planetia, no crew had been transferred, so only one thing could be wrong - Deanna.
"On my way," he said, answering the hail and heading for the turbolift at a quick pace. Any faster would unsettle his already-anxious crew. Deanna still had a month left to go with her pregnancy, barring any complications, but, as he knew, anything could happen with his half-Betazoid empathic wife.
The turbolift doors closed, barring any sympathetic thoughts from his Bridge crew. "Sickbay," he ordered the lift, his mind already with the CMO eight decks below.
When he reachedhis destination, Will Riker almost ran into the CMO's office, worried about his wife and her currently fragile state.
To his surprise, Deanna was sitting in the chair opposite Doctor Ashlee Ferguson, a huge smile on her face, her arms sitting instinctively on her swollen abdomen. She was facing a highly distraught Will, her eyes almost laughing at the terrified look on her husband's face.
Why are you so worried, Imzadi? she thought, projecting her question into his head.
I thought there was something wrong with you or the baby, he replied, thinking his thoughts into her head, exactly the way she taught him years ago.
Trust me, you would know instantly if anything was wrong.
"Captain," Doctor Ferguson called, bringing Will Rikers thoughts from his wife back to Sickbay. "I called you down here for a very special reason. Though we have only just docked here, someone is already visiting us, and she wants to see you two."
Ashlee's face was glowing, her eyes shining brightly. Deanna and Will shared a quick look, before turning back to look at their CMO. Before either of them could say anything to Ash, a figure jumped out from behind the bulkhead to scare Deanna, making her spring from her seat.
Deanna Troi-Riker turned to see her unofficial sister, Doctor Beverly Crusher. As they stared into eachothers eyes and screamed loudly, dancing around in eachothers grip as softly as tehy could, without disturbing the baby.
"Beverly," Will grinned. "I had no idea you were coming. What brings you to the Titan?"
Beverly and Deanna stopped bouncing and screaming, almost collapsing in eachothers arms, their faces showing the other's intense joy.
"Will, I had to visit and tell you. Since the Enterprise is coming in to drydock for a refit, I have gone to the trouble of organising a small get together for our old senior staff." Beverly looked awesomely happy as she announced her news. "Jean-Luc, Geordi, Worf and even Wesley are coming. The only two left to come are Captain and Commander Riker, who I believe are in drydock now."
Beverly had an almost evil grin on her face as she announced her news to the happily married couple. Since Data's 'death' almost three years ago, the Enterprise senior staff had not been in the same room for more than a couple of minutes. Deanna and Will were now only being blessed with their first child, and Geordi had just announced his engagement to Dr Leah Brahms, after over 10 years of chasing her.
"Well, Beverly," Deanna said cheerfully. "Make sure you include us on the list, we'll be there, as will my Little One."
The three other people looked at Deanna in concern. The grin on her face had very quickly turned to distress with her last comment. Beverly beat Ashlee to drawing out a medical tricorder and scanning the half-Betazoid counsellor. Obviously, Starfleet Medical couldn't draw the instinct out of the Doctor.
Beverly's face became even more concerned at the readings she was receiving.
"Deanna," she said. "You're going into labour. And the baby is in the breach position."
Ashlee, Will and Deanna all looked at Beverly Crusher in horror. Even Will knew a breach birth was dangerous.
Interlude
Starfleet Cemetary, Memorial Park, Paris, Earth
Beverly stood over Data's grave, remebering the day she had told Will and Deanna about the reunion. That was the day she went into premature labour with their daughter.
Beverly stepped over Data's grave to see the memorial dedicated to fallen comerades, ones who hadn't made it home.
It was the rustling leaves from behind her that had woken her up from the trace, but this time it was the singing birds which made her consciousness return to the trance...