Epilogue
Picard gazed out into cold space and thought about his log entries detailing why all the counterparts were still required aboard the Enterprise. Future investigations and so forth. He'd also steered their minds to investigating Section 31 over concerns of another mirror universe invasion as a readiness exercise. Hopefully…..
'We don't make a habit of this.' He knew he was right when an image of those two lovely Betazoid counsellors popped into his mind. As in, confronting him with very sudsy bars of soap.
Picard swallowed convulsively.
He was in his old position studying the aquarium when Guinan entered. "How are your fish today, Captain?" Picard gave her a small smile and moved to the replicator. He waited a beat.
"Yes, please." She sat without being told to.
"Two teas. Earl Grey; hot." He gave her one and sat. "And the answer to your question is yes. I forgive you, and still trust you implicitly. My sanity will just have to cope with it."
Guinan smiled warmly. "As Worf would say, you have honoured me. You are the best, Jean-Luc. Thank you for trusting your deadliest lionfish."
They had spent a long time catching up in Ten-Forward. Now they were in a turbolift heading for Riker's quarters. Riker's mouth was too busy kissing Deanna to speak. He decided on mind-touch instead, knowing it would be received. 'Welcome home, Imzadi.'
"Mmmm." She didn't stop the kissing. 'I've missed this so, so much, my Imzadi.' She finally broke away as they reached his quarters. They entered, each thinking their separate thoughts of what would come next.
Riker stopped short. "Excuse me?'"
"Will, have I ever told you the best thing about being twins?" She grinned mischievously. "They share ….. everything."
"Amen to that, Little Sister."
"My, goodness! It actually moves." She looked at the young Q hovering before her. "What could possibly happen to bring you out of your room?" As if she didn't already have a pretty good idea. "Come on, 'fess up." Her tone and stance indicated good-natured teasing.
Q'ute had spent the better part of the last few days sulking in her own space since being released from Detention. "In one universe," She began: "I'm supposed to bring back the dead. And then I'm supposed to return those others to their own universe." Her tone was pleading. "First I'm penalized by the Continuum for reality-meddling, and then I'm told to meddle some more. Barclay has moved on, and the others want to stay where they are. I do not understand any of this."
"Sounds like a pretty tall order to me." She spoke noncommittally. and waited patiently.
Q'ute tried to bring some kind of confrontation back into it. "And what about everything else that's messed up in those two universes?" She asked belligerently. "Am I suppose get all the gory details and change that for them as well? It doesn't seem very fair or even moral!"
"Well, since all possible combinations already exist somewhere, it's just possible you already have. Why don't we just leave it at that, for now." She glanced around shiftily and then gave Q'ute a conspiratorial look. "I won't tell if you don't."
'Lesson…..learned,' she thought with satisfaction.
The End