Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Star Trek or any of its characters. No copyright infringement is intended.

She ran.

Through the cemetery and around the church.

She ran.

The cool air of the night grazed her face as she moved, chilling the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. Her bare feet becoming numb with every step she took.

Still, she ran.

Tripping over a root coiling up from the soft dirt, she cursed softly under her breath and regained her footing.

She continued to run.

The small cottage was finally in sight. The soft glow of the firelight through the windows acting as her beacon in the dark night.

She was almost there.

Quickly making her way up the cobblestone path, she reached for the metal latch on the old wooden door and pushed, hearing the familiar creak as it opened.

She was finally there.

Warm air engulfed her as she stepped into the house, welcoming her home. Taking a moment to stop and breath, she urgently scanned the room as her eyes adjusted to the light.

Suddenly, she saw him.

Releasing the breath she didn't realize she was holding, she rushed over to where he was sitting on the staircase. Head in his hands, elbows resting on his knees, he looked up as she came near. His eyes were somber, and she could swear she felt intense sadness radiating off of him as she approached.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered softly to him as she knelt in front of him, gently caressing his face with her fingertips. Searching for any trace of injury or just wanting to make contact with his skin, she wasn't entirely sure. All she knew was that she needed to touch him. She looked deeply into his eyes as she held his face in her hands, sliding them down to the warmth of his neck, feeling his pulse as she did so.

Reaching up, he covered her hands with his own, smiling warmly at her as he stared back into her eyes. "There you are." She sighed as he reached out to graze his right thumb along her cheekbone. "Your eyes are blue again."

"It's over. I'm sorry." Again, she whispered to him, wishing she could erase the hurt she had caused him.

He shook his head. "There's nothing to apologize for. It's alright – you're alright. That's all that matters."

Tears filled her eyes as she continued to stare into his. His gorgeous hazel eyes. He was alive. He was safe, as was she. Licking her lips, she lightly bit her lower lip as she thought about what she wanted to tell him. What she needed to tell him. She noticed his eyes shift slightly, focusing on the path her tongue had just taken across her lips. The movement only lasted a second, but when he returned his eyes to hers there was a new look in them. A look of desire, of need.

Heart racing, she knew words would not be enough. It was not a time for talking.

Leaning forward, she closed the space between them and pressed her lips to his.

At first, neither of them moved. Whether it was the shock from the unexpected kiss, or the thrill of their lips finally meeting and melding together, she didn't know. The sudden heat radiating through her body was exhilarating and she pulled back to look into his eyes, gauging his response.

"Beverly." Steadying himself with his hands on the stairs, his breath hitched as she placed her hands on his thighs and slid them slowly up towards his groin.

Breathing heavily, she looked at him intently. The air between them was charged and she felt it flow through her with every beat of her heart. It pulsated through her body as she stared at him, taking in every angle of his face. Imagining what it would be like to touch her lips to his once again. To feel the heat of his hands sear through the sheer nightgown she wore. After several moments she spoke, her voice uneven and filled with a yearning she didn't realized she possessed. "What do you want, Jean-Luc?"

Reaching up, he tangled his fingers in her thick, red locks. She closed her eyes and leaned into his embrace as his hands found their way to her neck, gently bringing her face closer to his. Opening her eyes, she swallowed nervously as he paused just shy of their lips meeting. His breath tickled her face. "You. I've only ever wanted you."

Suddenly he was kissing her again, this time with an urgent passion she had only let herself dream of. Pulling her into his chest, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he moved his hands slowly down her back. As he dragged his fingertips up the sensitive skin of her sides, her knees gave out and she sunk into him. She heard him chuckle lightly as he stood and swooped her up into his arms. He remained still for a second, looking down at her. She smiled up at him and bit her lip again, teasing him, as her hands toyed with the collar of his uniform.

Before she realized it, he had placed her in the armchair she had been sitting in when he arrived earlier that evening. She sank into the cushion, longing for his touch again as he separated himself from her. Leaning over her in the chair, he bent to capture her lips with his own as he kneeled between her knees. Breaking away, he straightened and looked down at her. "Beverly…"

Understanding what he was asking, she smiled sweetly at him. "I want you too, Jean-Luc."

She watched a weight lift off of his shoulders as he moved to smooth his palms across her taut stomach and up to her breasts. As he fondled her tender flesh, she writhed in the chair, throwing her head back as she savored each fiery touch his hands created on her body. Unlike before, Jean-Luc was real and he was with her. Really with her. Kneeling before her in the warm glow of the firelight, showing her what true love could feel like.

"You were right." His calm voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she looked at him curiously. "About being jealous. When I walked in and saw you here…" He swallowed hard and stared at her, hands still exploring every corner of her body. "It took everything I had to stop myself." He paused as he gently pushed her robe aside and toyed with the thin straps of her nightgown. "It was incredibly erotic. You don't know what you do to me, Beverly." He shook his head. "Not just tonight. Every time we are together. The sound of your voice is enough to make me hard. And when you touch me?" He leaned over and placed a hot kiss on the skin of her now-exposed shoulder, leading a trail of light kisses to her neck. "Every time you touch me…I want to take you in my arms and ravish you on the spot."

Groaning at his touch and admission, she freed her arms from the robe and reached out to him, making contact with his muscular chest. Feeling her way down his body, she palmed his erection, squeezing lightly. Looking up at him innocently, she whispered to him. "Prove it."

Growling softly, his eyes filled with utter determination. Reaching down, he grabbed the hem of her nightgown and swiftly pulled it over her head, tossing it across the room. His mouth quickly found its way to her chest and she arched into him as his touch sent waves of ecstasy through her body.

Moaning, she ran her hands up his shoulders, then to the zipper on his jacket. "I want to feel you, too."

Not needing to be told twice, he slipped his jacket off, the thin shirt underneath quickly followed, and in seconds he was once again leaning into her. Hot skin met hot skin. Sighing, she felt the heat flow between them as he kissed her deeply. Squeezing his biceps, he gradually began kissing his way down her neck, her chest, then slowly down her stomach. Hooking his fingers in the silky fabric of her panties, he leisurely pulled them down her long legs and threw them in the same direction of her nightgown. She chuckled at the care-free action, earning her a wide grin in return.

Sinking down before her once again, he pulled her to the edge of the chair. "You're beautiful." She barely registered his words before she cried out in pleasure as his tongue made contact with her. Lights exploded behind her eyes as she sunk her fingers into his shoulders, urging him to continue.

"Oh, my God, Jean-Luc!" Had she ever known pleasure like this before? Every lick, every nip, every caress was indescribable. Every touch of his tongue set fire to her core. He knew exactly what he was doing, and before she could pull him back up to her, he slid two fingers inside of her curling them upward, instantly causing the entire world to crash down around her. Calling out his name as she rode the waves of her orgasm, she opened her eyes to find him staring at down her.

"You're breathtaking."

"You have too many clothes on."

Smirking, she sat up and pushed him back until he sat on the ground, then lowered herself to the floor in front of him. Tugging on the zipper of his pants, she quickly pulled them off along with the shorts underneath, noticing at some point he had already toed off his boots and socks. Smiling at the site of him fully naked before her, she licked her lips and moved to straddle his lap. His hands instantly found her waist, kneading her flesh in anticipation as he held her close to him. Feeling the hardness of him against her, she ground her hips into his, watching as his resolve threatened to crumble under her actions.

"You keep doing that…and this isn't going to last much longer."

She paused. "Well, we can't have that, now can we? Lay back."

Settling onto his back on the rug in front of the fireplace, she took her time kissing her way up his chest to his neck, where she spent her time nipping and licking his salty, hot skin. His instant disappointment as she rose above him elicited a laugh. "Don't worry, Jean-Luc. I'm not going anywhere."

Bending down to kiss him, she reached back to position herself over him. As their kiss deepened, she sank back onto him, slowly taking him in inch by inch. After a few moments they found their rhythm and, as his fingers intertwined with hers, they watched each other intently as the light from the fire danced across their joined bodies.

"Mmm, Jean-Luc, you feel amazing." Smiling, he sat up and grabbed her hips, taking control of each movement as he held her in his lap. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she pressed her chest to his, relishing the friction of his chest hair against her nipples with each deep thrust.

The glorious tension, once again, started to build within her. Moaning lightly, she leaned back slightly and reached her hands up to caress the sides of his face. His eyes, which had been closed, opened at her touch and met her gaze. She stared at him intently, while trying to control all of the emotions that were flowing through her. She couldn't believe only a few hours ago she had been willing to walk away from him, from her life.

The thought of losing him, of leaving him, tore at her heart and she was no longer able to keep her emotions hidden. Tears welled up in her eyes and, at his look of confusion, she pulled him close and kissed him vehemently, trying to be as close to him as she possible could. If she could have merged her body – her soul – with his, she would have.

Pulling back, she looked into his eyes once again. "I love you, Jean-Luc."

She looked at the pools of hazel before her. Pools, which suddenly reflected his mutual love for her. Smiling broadly, he captured her lips with his and kissed her. A kiss, which transcended all she thought she knew about love. Knew about want and need. Never had she felt so completely connected to someone. Never had she felt love like this before.

He held her waist and began slamming into her, reaching places within her she never knew existed. After a few deep thrusts, she screamed his name as her orgasm hit. Starting in her core, it emanated through her chest, down her arms and into her fingers. Her entire body tingled. If there was any moment in her life she thought she could fly, this would have been it.

Burying his head in her neck, he shuddered as he released into her. Collapsing into his embrace, he rubbed her back and kissed her shoulder as they both enjoyed the moment next to the crackling fire.

Gently pushing errant strands of hair from her face, he placed a soft kiss on her lips. "I love you, too. I have for quite some time, as you know."

Smiling, she returned the kiss. "Well, I'm glad we finally got all of that straightened out."

Stretching an arm out behind her, she grabbed the blanket that had fallen on the floor and wrapped it around them as they untangled themselves from each other and moved to hold one another in front of the fire.

Toying with her fingers, Jean-Luc pulled her close to him, kissing her temple. "I had thought I'd lost you, you know."

She squeezed his hand. "Thank you for saving me."

"Always."

"And I promise to never leave you again." She smiled wickedly at him. "You're stuck with me, my dear Captain."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Running his fingers through her hair, he angled her chin and closed the small distance between them. Their lips met softly, moving together as one as they both imagined what tomorrow would bring.


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