One more then... I couldn't resist.


Then somehow, it was a whole year after he'd taken that first bite on Jendoken IV. He was pretty much back to normal, still sleeping heavily for nine hours every night when given the chance, but then he supposed this might have something to do with some sort of catching up after years of light duty sleep as Captain… as well as the more recent interruptions to his sleeping patterns.

They'd finally decided on where to live. Ile de Ré was beautiful, their house was still a pitiful collection of boxes and the bare minimum of sparse furnishings decided on hastily. After lifetimes spent aboard starships, neither of them had amassed anything like the amount of belongings more common to the civilian population. But then, they'd also both been a little distracted of late…

"There you go young man," he said, snapping the final popper on the baby's onesie, "All decent once again."

He lifted the squirming baby and cradled him against his shoulder, the child instantly calming in his father's arms. He kissed the top of his son's head breathing in the uniquely calming and wonderful scent. The fluff of dark hair tickled his nose and the warmth and weight of the child in his arms tapped into some deep-rooted animal instinct: he loved this boy, he was the truest expression of the love he felt for the baby's mother.

He left the room, the baby secure in his arms, and carried his son downstairs. There were visitors to get ready for, and a house to tidy up. An explosion of baby paraphernalia had sprung out across every room of their home: tiny clothes, impossibly small socks, toys, cards, gifts, equipment he couldn't for the life of him work out the purpose of… and he loved it all.

"There's my guy," cooed Beverly as Jean-Luc and the baby arrived in the living room. She had a burping cloth slung over her shoulder and a basket of baby clothes in her hands. She moved toward her son kissing both the Picard men in her life in turn.

"You should be taking it easy… sit down, me and the boy here were just thinking about taking a stroll." He said, kissing her back.

"I think I'm too happy to take it easy… I'll come with you. A walk in the fresh air is a great idea – then we'll come back and get ready for the onslaught."

"Here then, you take this," he joked, passing the baby to her. "I'll grab our jackets and get the stroller ready for his royal highness."

Beverly held the baby up in front of her, gazing into his face and booping his tiny nose with her own. Each time she made contact, he opened his mouth as if another feed were coming his way.

"He's hungry today…" Jean-Luc called from the porch.

"Well, that's okay. You're going to grow up big and strong aren't you? Little pudding." She sang back in her baby voice.

He walked back into the living room, "Ready?" he asked, smiling.

"As we'll ever be." She replied, kissing the baby once more on his nose then passing him to his father.

They strolled leisurely along the promenade that bordered the beach. Jean-Luc pushed the stroller, and Beverly had linked her arm through his. The sun was shining weakly in the sky and there was not a cloud to be seen for miles. Though it was brisk given the winter month, the area they'd eventually chosen to live was beautiful: the beaches, the salt flats, small villages. They were deliriously happy.

"I can't wait to see everyone." She said breaking the peace.

"Neither can I… so much has changed in a year… it's uh… mind boggling really."

She pulled them to a stop, "Mind boggling?"

"Uh… yes?" he replied cautiously.

"Jean-Luc… I have never heard you use such a ridiculous phrase!" she laughed.

"Oh well, erm… my apologies Madam. Please forgive me?" he laughed, pulled her closer to him and started the walk once again. "How would you put it then?"

She thought about the chronology of events over the last year starting with the frightening period of his illness during what turned out to be their last adventure onboard the Enterprise. She kissed him on the cheek, "I guess, you're right… mind boggling just about covers it."

In the stroller, Theodore slept peacefully, completely unaware of the world around him. He wore a tiny hat on his head, a snowsuit, and a soft blanket tucked snugly around him. His long eyelashes rested against the soft round mounds of his cheeks and his tiny perfect mouth was open just the tiniest amount – oblivious, safe, content. He had everything he would ever need.


Deanna Troi was the first to arrive. The second the door opened, he could see her eyes darting around, looking for Beverly and or the baby. The smile on her face a clear reflection of the joy she felt, they'd been out in deep space for months, she'd missed the entirety of the he events that had occurred in her best friend's life over the last few months.

She kissed him hurriedly on each cheek, not for one second invested in his greeting.

"This way counsellor, I believe the people for whom you are looking are currently sitting on the sofa." he laughed.

She almost pushed past him in her haste, "Oh Beverly! My goodness, look at you!"

Beverly was mid-way through feeding Theodore, she had that relaxed and content look on her face and a glass of water close at hand.

"Deanna! It's so good to see you!" she exclaimed quietly not wishing to disturb the baby.

Deanna sat down next to Beverly and stared in awe at the baby as he fed.

"Oh, he's just beautiful… Beverly…" she was transfixed by the baby. "Admiral… oh just… I… congratulations – to both of you!" she finished, turning at last to Jean-Luc.

"He's wonderful isn't he." He replied, amazed himself at this moment of unbridled joy that he and Beverly were finally able to share with dear friends.

Soon enough, the rest of the Enterprise crew arrived, hugs, handshakes, coos and ahhs reverberated around the house. Theodore slept through each arrival, oblivious thanks to the somnolent powers of a good long feed. Deanna monopolised him for a good long while, Riker gazing tenderly as she held the baby.

Jean-Luc flitted about making sure everyone had a glass of champagne ready for the toast he and Beverly were about to make. He'd found her pouring more champagne into a collection of waiting flutes when the door chime rang unexpectedly.

"Were you expecting anyone else?" he asked Beverly cautiously.

"I don't think we know anyone else here yet, do we?"

"Well, there's only one way to find out. I'll be right back."

He headed for the door, wondering who he would find on the other side. As he reached the door, opening it slowly, he tried to quell the ember of hope he had in the pit of his belly. He had tried so hard to do this for her, he didn't think he would be able to hide his disappointment if his plan had failed.

He pulled the door open, "Guinan! You came!"

"I did, and I managed to find something you left behind." She said, stepping aside.

"Wesley! he said, pulling the young man into a tight hug. "Your mother is going to be so delighted you're here. There's someone we want you to meet."

"Captain… it's great to see you too." Said Wesley, suddenly overwhelmed for a minute to be reunited with the captain.

"Come on, come through… and can't wait for her to see you."

Jean-Luc guided the long-lost pair through to the living room hunting for Beverly who he eventually found trying to explain the intricacies of nappy changing to Data.

"Beverly…" he said.

She turned to the sound of his voice and froze.

"Wes!"

"Mom!"

She pulled her firstborn into her embrace, tears coursing down her face, "Oh, I'm just…" she paused, held him by both arms, studying the face of the grown man before her, "I'm so happy to see you. Wes…"

"You too Mom… where is he then? I want to get a good look at my little brother."

"How did you..?"

"I just kind of knew… out there I uh, guess I the important stuff has a way of making it through." He replied enigmatically.

Deanna appeared over his shoulder with Theodore in his arms, handing him over before kissing Wesley on the cheek.

"Wesley, I'd like you to meet Theodore, your brother." Wesley took the baby in his arms, cradling him as though he might break at any second. Beverly steered him toward the nearest armchair and helped her sons get comfortable, her heart bursting with emotions she couldn't control.

An hour later, Beverly tapped her champagne glass drawing the attention of the crowd they had gathered, "Hi everyone, Jean-Luc are so glad to have you all here today." She started, her tears getting the better of her almost instantly.

Jean-Luc pulled her into a hug next to him, wrapping his arm tightly around her shoulder as she cradled the baby to her chest. "We wanted to welcome you all, our dearest friends, our family, to our new home and to join us in celebrating the arrival of our son and our new life together. As you know, it's been just about a year since that fateful day on Jendoken IV when my life, and consequently Beverly's took a decidedly left-turn in a direction neither of us expected." He paused, an unbidden memory of a chaotic moment in sickbay suddenly arriving in full technicolour in his mind. He cleared his throat and turned to kiss Beverly's head before he continued. "It was a long tradition on the long destroyed planet, Kataan to welcome new babies into the community by celebrating their arrival with a naming day, and it is in this tradition, without further ado, that we ask you to raise a glass to our new arrival, Theodore Yves Thibault Howard-Picard. To Theodore!"

"To Theodore!" came the reply of the voices of their friends as they sipped at their champagne in toast.

Beverly waited as the cheers and glass clinking fell to hushed tones once again, "I wanted to add my own note if I may? I wanted us to celebrate all the ways that life can and has changed. If you had told me just a few short months ago that I would be living here in France, with Jean-Luc Picard and his baby…" everyone laughed, she waited before beginning again. "If you had told me how much my life was about to change, I never would have believed you. But I am so glad to be standing here with this man, this healthy man, and our beautiful boy, both my boys. Thank you all, for coming today… I…" and she couldn't go on. She turned to bury her face in Jean-Luc's embrace, overwhelmed by emotion, by love, by friendship, and by the plentiful hormones rushing around her freshly post-partum body.

"To Jean-Luc, to Beverly, to Theodore, and Wesley!" came the hearty voice of William Riker.

The party lasted hours more, Jean-Luc thrilled to actually be able to enjoy the company of his friends unlike the last time they had managed to gather together. He'd spent time talking with everyone, and had finally managed to get some lone time with his oldest friend, Guinan.

"So, you did it then?" she began.

"I'm sorry?" he replied, rearranging Theodore more comfortably.

"You finally have all the pieces of the puzzle."

"Oh… I'm not sure… for a long time I thought this was all for other people."

"For what it's worth, I always knew…"

"You did?"

"Of course, this was always the path you were supposed to follow. And for what it's worth, young Theodore has so much good ahead of him."

"He does?" he whispered, staring down at his son, content and awake in his father's arms for the minute at least.

"Oh, we talked… I listened. He has a long, healthy and happy life in store." she said running her hand over the baby's head lovingly.

"Well then, I'm glad you two had a chance to get to know each other." He replied, kissing the baby's head.

"I'll be going now, I have a transport arranged."

"Will I see you again soon?"

"Whenever you need me Picard, I'll be right here. But I don't think you will… your life here is a beautiful one. You picked a good one right there." She gestured toward Beverly and he followed her gaze.

When he turned back, Guinan had disappeared, lost to the crowd, lost to the mysteries so ingrained within her. He smiled wistfully, happy to have seen her, content that their friendship went beyond small talk at parties and long goodbyes.

He wondered over to Beverly, caught her alone for a moment watching as the party continued in front of her.

"Penny?" he whispered moving the baby upright against his chest. The heat of the boy warming him.

"Jean…"

He smiled at her, he loved her so much he didn't know where to begin. But this life, this moment, was perfect, and theirs, forever more.