AN: Here we are, the final piece to this story!
I hope you enjoy! Please don't forget to let me know what you think!
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Jean-Luc had no idea if the following trials for his family lasted hours or days. There were times in his life that were simply marked by the progression of one event to another. There were times when things weren't planned so that they flowed together neatly. Instead, he moved forward, spontaneously taking up each new task as it appeared necessary.
Beverly had always wanted the baby to be named after Jean-Luc, and for that reason she had delicately rejected all of his suggestions. He had dreamed of naming the child after everyone that had a great influence in his life. Beverly had convinced him that he was the creation of all those influences and, because she was sure he would be a wonderful father, and the greatest influence in his son's life, he should see things her way and give their son his name.
As she normally was, Jean-Luc had accepted that Beverly was right in this situation, and he'd been blessed to witness how pleased she looked, delicately running her fingertip around the face of their son as she taught him to nurse, whispering "Luc" to him, even though he lived, temporarily, in a blissful state of peace from the agony that actually hearing sound could cause him.
Beverly had remained, with Luc, in sickbay for observation without even so much as the slightest protest. She had seemed content to relax, and even nap a little, nursing the baby when he wanted it and simply enjoying the quiet stillness of a relatively empty sickbay. A curtain around their little area gave them the appearance of privacy, and, out of respect for their privacy, the only person that had visited them was Wesley—who needed to verify the health of his new sibling but, Jean-Luc suspected, needed to see his mother and verify her good health more than anything. During the first hours of Luc's life Jean-Luc had even napped a little with Beverly—only slightly amazed that sickbay, in such a situation, seemed to be a place that existed entirely out of time.
They had somewhat planned to wait a few days for the two surgeries that Luc needed to correct the Shalaft's Syndrome, but things didn't seem to be going according to plans for them. Doctor Moran, who had been studying the surgeries since just after a blood test, early in Beverly's pregnancy, had confirmed that Luc was both a male and that he had inherited Shalaft's Syndrome—as every male in the Picard line had done and would do—came to them and informed them that everything told her that their nearly-seven-pound newborn could withstand the surgeries now, and she was confident in her abilities to perform them. She had left Beverly with all of the data she'd gathered, and her projections, so that Beverly could make the best-informed decision possible regarding Luc's surgeries.
Beverly had not really planned to hand over her newborn for surgery. Or, if she had planned it, the reality of doing it was an entirely different thing. Doctor Moran had left them alone to think about it, and Jean-Luc had done his best to soothe her.
"We didn't plan a single thing to go this way," Jean-Luc said. "From the moment we left our quarters, what seemed like a lifetime ago, until right now, each moment has been a surprise—but everything has worked out as it should, Beverly, and we have to trust that our luck will continue to hold, and fate will be on our side, as it always has been."
She had, somehow, believed him, and he'd hoped that he hadn't lied to her.
He'd discovered the oddest thing about himself, as he'd kissed his brand-new son, and then he'd held his wife while she'd nuzzled the baby until the drugs took effect and she was forced to hand him over to Doctor Moran. Jean-Luc had discovered that, though he loved his son, and he was sure that their bond would grow a great deal more in the days to come, it was Beverly who he worried about most. He had the instinctive belief that, if he could care for her—truly care for her—then she would take care of everything else. Everything would be right in his world, and in his life, as she always seemed to make it, if he only cared for her to the best of his abilities.
So, that's what he did. Doctor Moran called in medical assistance from their staff, though Beverly specifically asked that Doctor Finley not be allowed anywhere near their son, and offered her own services in surgery, should they be required, before he was allowed to assist in any way. Doctor Moran declared that it was best for Beverly and Jean-Luc not to be present, and she'd assigned T'Marr—the Caitian nurse—to help with Beverly's care and recovery.
Jean-Luc quickly discovered that he liked T'Marr, and he was happy to have her suggestions and insights as to what she had learned was expected of Terran males following birth.
Jean-Luc helped Beverly shower in their quarters. He washed her, despite her objections that she could care for herself and, once she was dried and dressed in something comfortable, he'd convinced her to simply let him hold her while he praised her for the wonderful job she'd done bringing Luc into the world—in every single step of the process from the moment she'd first realized that he might exist until this very moment, where she worried about him, as a mother should, when she couldn't be with him. Together, they looked at the small collection of holo-images that had already been captured of Luc, and somehow Jean-Luc had convinced Beverly to sleep, so he'd slept with her—though he'd had the distinct feeling that, for just a bit, she might not have been convinced to let him go too far, anyway.
Will assured Jean-Luc that all was well in the few moments when—as all the time blurred together—Jean-Luc left his sleeping wife, only long enough to check on the status of his ship. He had been placed on temporary paternity leave. As captain, his leave was flexible. He would take control of the ship again as soon as Beverly was comfortable and settled with Luc. He could offer her what support she needed, but they both knew that his participation in the constant, daily care of Luc would be somewhat limited.
The old saying was that it takes a village to raise a child, and Beverly would have the whole of the Enterprise to count on when she was ready to accept their help in raising and caring for Luc.
When Luc's surgeries were complete, Beverly stayed with him in sickbay until they were certain that he could be released and that he was as healthy as any baby could be. Jean-Luc visited them, starting to slowly return to his duties with nothing more taxing, to start, than some bleary-eyed reading of reports and a few meetings where various people brought problems to his attention.
Deanna came to him and told him what he already knew—people wanted a chance to see Luc for themselves and, though the general population of the ship was happy with the holo-images he'd released for them to see, senior officers felt a deeper connection to the Picard family and wanted to see the baby as soon as he was well enough to tolerate their attention. She also told him that Data, ever in his quest to understand everything that it meant to be human, was trying out an emotion chip and, thanks to that, was somewhat distraught over the whole situation. He would benefit from the chance to see Beverly and Luc—and the chance to seek the forgiveness that he believed himself to need.
Jean-Luc knew that Beverly was probably not ready to relinquish her son to anyone—not after the ordeal—and he was absolutely not going to force her to do so. With Luc back in her arms, and her focus well and truly honed in on mothering him, Jean-Luc felt absolute peace. Everything was right in his world, and he would do nothing to upset that balance that seemed to happen naturally when Beverly was at peace.
Therefore, after he knew that she was settled and ready for visitors, he gathered together the anxious senior officers and gave them a private briefing.
"Luc Picard is a healthy baby boy," Jean-Luc offered to those gathered around the table—almost all of them smiling. "His weight is down from the time of his birth, but now that his mother is in charge of everything, that's sure to change. Following his surgery two days ago, he can hear, and all of his tests are returning normal. His hobbies include occupying all of his mother's attention, nursing almost constantly, sleeping when he isn't nursing, and soiling enough nappies that the replicators in our quarters may need the attention of our Chief Engineer very soon."
Nearly everyone laughed—and everyone that Jean-Luc expected to laugh, did so. He didn't try to hide his happiness, either. He felt like he could truly feel it, now. He could enjoy it. He was practically buzzing with it. At that moment, even as he projected a few of their captured images for everyone to see, he knew that Beverly—though she was tired and declared that she was starving no matter how much she ate—was happy and that Luc was thriving in her constant care.
Jean-Luc smiled at the pictures of his own little family—a family he'd never imagined having.
"Big brother, Wesley, is still feeling Luc out, but young Luc is likewise unsure of his older brother," Jean-Luc said with a laugh, as he showed them a picture of Wesley holding Luc in a visibly trepidatious manner—followed by a picture in which Luc was crying and Wesley looked like he might be considering doing the same thing, if Beverly didn't relieve him of his charge quickly enough. "Mother is happy and healthy—and extremely smitten with Luc."
"And Luc's father?" Deanna prompted.
Jean-Luc smiled at her, and she smiled back. Of anyone in that room, she knew the answer to her question. She could feel his affection the same that he could, and that was visible on her face.
"Luc's papa is…in love. In every possible sense of the word." Jean-Luc accepted the congratulations and the well-wishes—the private ones that were only his—and then he continued. "I am anxious for you to meet Luc, and so is Beverly. I invite you to come now, while Beta shift is at work, to meet him. Beverly is prepared for your visit. I ask, only, that you understand that Beverly may be a little reluctant to let Luc go for too long."
"We know how to be respectful," Deanna offered. "And if we don't, Captain, I'll be sure to offer everyone a little nudge if I sense that Doctor Picard is growing anxious or tired."
In his quarters, Jean-Luc stood near the couch where Beverly rested with his hand on her shoulder. He watched as Luc met one member of his extended family, and then another. Pictures were captured and, for the most part, Luc tolerated the attention well. He only fussed a few times, and he was easily contented when returned to his mother's arms. Jean-Luc was thankful when, mindful of Luc's love of sleeping, eating, and soiling diapers, and when pushed along a little with the nudging of Deanna, who could read both Beverly and Luc's emotions, everyone kept their visit short.
Deanna and Data were the last to leave, per Beverly's request, and Jean-Luc entertained them while Beverly excused herself to their bedroom for a few moments to change Luc and to nurse him so that he would be tolerant of guests for a little while longer. The quiet time, Jean-Luc imagined, was good for refreshing her a bit, too, so he was happy to entertain the guests she wished to return to momentarily.
When Beverly came back from her short, private retreat with Luc, the baby was sleeping. Beverly approached Data.
"You haven't held him," she said.
"I do not feel I should," Data said, shaking his head.
Beverly gingerly sat beside him, and Deanna made room for them by moving to the seat that Beverly had earlier occupied.
"Is it because you're afraid of him?" Beverly asked.
"He is very small," Data offered. "I have nothing to fear from a child so small. There is nothing he can do to me."
"But there's plenty that you could do to him, Data," Beverly offered gently, "and sometimes that's what we're afraid of…isn't it?"
Data frowned sincerely. Jean-Luc had told Beverly about the emotion chip, but it was clear to see that it was working.
"Doctor—I do not understand fear entirely. At least, not yet. However, I look at him, and I know that my misunderstanding of human emotions and the possible consequences of some of my actions have caused a great deal of suffering that I never meant to cause. I do not wish to cause further damage to you or to Luc."
"Hold out your arms," Beverly said. "Like this, Data," she said, when Data clearly misunderstood the command. "Now—support his head and neck. Be gentle. Don't squeeze him…you're much stronger than he is." Beverly eased Luc into Data's arms, and she patted the baby to soothe him when he and the android both tensed up at the transfer. As Luc settled, so did Data. "It's customary, Data, to praise someone's newborn when she allows you to hold him. Otherwise, she might be offended that you don't find her child as perfect and precious as she does—whether or not she and the baby both smell like soured milk."
Data looked at Beverly and smiled. She'd been somewhat controlling her smile, but she'd let most of it come through so that, upon looking at her, Data would learn how to read emotions—something he would have to become accustomed to, almost like an infant himself.
"You are making a joke, Doctor," Data said. "It is humorous."
Beverly laughed.
"I am making a joke," Beverly said. "But—I also mean it…at least to some degree."
Data nodded his head and looked at the baby that had somewhat balled himself up and gone back to sleep with Data's arms supporting him and Beverly's hands offering him comfort and added security.
"He appears to be an ideal specimen of a human infant," Data offered. "Though—I do have a lot of questions about his experiences, and about your experiences."
"We'll have time to answer them all, I'm sure," Beverly said. "But—maybe not all today, Data. We're both easily tired right now."
"Certainly, Doctor," Data said. "But—am I to understand that…you're no longer angry with me?"
"I was never truly angry, Data," Beverly said. "I was frightened, more than anything. You'll learn about those emotions, if you should keep your chip. Luc already had Shalaft's Syndrome, Data, and Doctor Moran confirmed that—he would have come in a day or two on his own. You didn't do anything but—give us a little surprise. And sometimes surprises are frightening, Data, but I think this one turned out alright."
"I think Luc turned out better than alright, Doctor," Data offered, smiling now at the sleeping baby. "I believe he is quite possibly as close to perfection as any human may ever come."
Beverly smiled warmly at him. She was already leaning across him, patting Luc so that he stayed calm should Data tense or move in a disagreeable way.
"Now you're learning the way to a mother's heart," Beverly teased. "And you're learning how to be a good godfather. Luc's going to need that."
Beverly looked at Jean-Luc and winked at him. They had decided, together, to ask Deanna to be the baby's godmother. The decision to make Data the godfather was a spontaneous one, however. Jean-Luc approved, and let Beverly know with nothing more than a smile and reassuring nod of his head. She smiled back at him, and Jean-Luc felt a flood of warmth in his chest for the vision of his wife and child—a sensation to which he was becoming quite accustomed.
"Godfather?" Data asked.
"It's a very important job, Data," Jean-Luc offered.
"I know that, Sir," Data said. "I am aware of the responsibilities and expectations of such a role. But—do you really wish for me to be the baby's godfather?"
"If you don't think you can handle it," Beverly offered, letting the words trail off for a second. "It's a very…emotional job, Data. You'll have to promise to love Luc as though he were your own child."
"I will never have a child of my own," Data mused. "I am moved and thankful for the opportunity to learn to nurture Luc in such a way." He smiled, and his excitement was evident. He must have tensed with it, because Luc started to fuss. Beverly quickly took the baby back and hushed him, nuzzling him and reassuring him that everything in his life was just as it should be. "I am not sure that he approves of me, entirely," Data offered, visible sadness returning to his features.
"Nonsense, Data," Jean-Luc offered with a laugh. "Luc approves of you as much as he approves of any of us. You are simply learning your first lesson as a godfather. Like a father, you have to learn that, to Luc, there is nobody who will compare—for a very long time—to his mother. And that's entirely as it should be."
Everything, in that moment, and in Jean-Luc's opinion, was just as it should be.
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AN: Thank you for reading my little story. If you liked it and want to read more, I'm currently also working on "A Minor Indiscretion" and "His Father's Son." I invite you to check those out, if you're interested!
I hope you enjoyed this little short story. Thank you for reading, and please don't forget to let me know what you think!
