CHAPTER THREE

Beverly had gone back to her quarters in a wreck. She wasn't sure how she was suppose to feel right now. Her body felt weak and sick. Her mind felt overwhelmed and her nerves made her feel as if everything would fall apart at any second. She knew what she needed now was Jean-Luc, but she didn't know how he'd feel about any of her secrets. Beverly sat on the sofa, arms wrapped around a fluffy throw pillow her chin rested on the top. She had already changed into her silky pale blue nightgown. Her hair was let down and rather disheveled.

The door chirped and after a second she gave the command and Jean-Luc walked in. He stood still and stared at her a second before she seemed to notice that he was there then she looked up at him. And he immediately came over and sat next to her on the sofa. He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her close to him. She rested her head on his chest.

"What's bothering you, love?" he asked quietly

She wrapped an arm around his waist suddenly afraid of letting him go.
She sighed heavily.

"Jean-Luc there is something that we need to discuss."

Jean-Luc stroked her hair in a comforting fashion.

"Alright." he said

"We have known each other for a very long time. We've been in love for years and now we are going to spend the rest of our lives together, so there are some things that I need to share with you." she said.

As she sat up she could feel her nerves at work and that big ugly lump in her throat that tried to block the words that she had kept hidden for so long now. Jean-Luc was silent allowing Beverly time to gather her words and emotions. Although he didn't make it known to her Beverly's sudden action of wanting to make confessions scared the daylights out of him. What had she kept from him that could cause her this much turmoil?

"Okay, The secret that I've got to share with you is 16 years old. I never told you before because I didn't know how you would feel, but now… Well, Do you remember when I left the Enterprise D for an assignment at Star Fleet Medical?"

Jean-Luc nodded

"There was more to leaving the Enterprise that year than a career choice…" she was silent for what seemed like, at least to Jean-Luc, an eternity. Then she looked into his eyes, and the fear of his reaction set in and tried to over power her but the immense love that they shared presided this emotion and made her sure that the truth was best to be held between them instead of alone.

"I had a child." She whispered.

After a long moment of saying nothing but staring in each others eyes he said

"Ah, I see."

"Jean-Luc, you are her father."

His mind began to swirl with memories of that year and there first and supposedly only night of passion. At first he was concerned with the fact that hehad beena father all these years and was unaware of it, but then he came to understand Beverly's choice in not telling him.

"Jean-Luc?" Beverly asked as he said nothing in return.

"Are you mad?" she added quietly.

"I don't know. No. I understand I just.. I feel kind of guilty that I don't know my own child." He said with a bit of a shaky voice.

"Well, part of the reason I'm telling you now is because her 16 birthday is during our shore leave and she asked for only one thing, no party, no cake, but to meet you." Beverly smiled hoping that Jean-Luc would agree.

He looked at her with a lopsided grin. "Really?" He asked.

Beverly nodded "Yes. I think you'd really like her too Jean-Luc. Felicity, is very smart and clever too. She loves history and reading and she wants to join Star Fleet."

Jean-Luc nodded "Oh yes, I'd love to meet her." he said.

At first he had been shocked and he expected himself to be angry, he was a bit hurt that she had kept this from him for so long and that he hadn't raised his daughter but then he decided that he might as well start here. Mostly likely Beverly had explained the circumstances to their kid already. Then a thought occurred to him.

"If you don't take care of Felicity, then who does?" he asked

"Oh, She lives with Melissa Keel. Melissa has a girl about her age so when I asked her to be Feli's guardian she said yes." Beverly explained.

Jean-Luc nodded, "Well, do you feel any better? Now that you told me about her. Is that why you have been sick? Or is there something else?" he asked.

Beverly thought for a minute. Maybe he had had enough for the day so she should wait until tomorrow to tell him the other thing. Or maybe she could just wait a few more days and tell him during shore leave. That was what she would do.

"Well I feel better about that, but I think that my headache is just from the amount of sleep that I've been getting for a while. I stay awake all night talking to you and then go to work for 17 hours on maybe an hour of sleep."

Jean-Luc smiled "Well, then maybe I should go so that you can sleep tonight." He said making a move to stand, but Beverly grabbed his arm.

"Jean-Luc… Why don't you sleep next to me tonight?" She said.

He looked at her "Can't you sleep alone?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes Captain." she said sarcastically.

"But, I want to feel you next to me, we're going to have to get use to it right?"

His lips parted to say something but Beverly stopped him with a kiss.