"You know it's happening, but at the same time you keep thinking.." Picard shook his head slowly before turning to his former number one. "Maybe I'm over reacting."

"I think Beverly waited as long as she could." Will sighed. "And it took us three days to get here."

"How's Deanna?" He asked suddenly, seeming aware of their situation for the first time.

"She's amazing." He smiled. "I never thought she'd get this far."

"Far from what?" Will swallowed hard at the confused look on Picard's face. It had happened a few times in the hour or so he'd been sitting here with him, the other man seemingly loosing track of the conversation mid thought.

"In her pregnancy." Riker prompted softly.

"Yes.." Picard looked past him, as if the clarity was on the bulkhead behind his former first officer.

"Boys?" Beverly took that moment to move out of the bedroom doorway, her medical case clutched in her hand. "It's getting late. I'm sure Will needs to get back to Deanna."

"My wife wants to pump me with hyposprays now Will and she thinks it may hurt my fragile ego if she does it in front of you." He whispered conspiratorially .

"It may hurt my ego to watch." Will's blue eyes twinkled as he rose. "Deanna is probably waiting."

"Captain Riker?" Will froze at the formality, turning on his toes to face his senior officer with a straight back. "I know you'll take good care of her. " For an insane moment he thought he meant Deanna, until Picard's eyes drifted slowly around the cabin. "She's still the best ship in the fleet Will. She deserves the best captain."

The sadness of the moment returned to him and Riker swallowed back his budding excitement. Picard suddenly looked feeble, with Beverly's hands skimming down the base of his skull. He nodded firmly before pivoting again and leaving their quarters.

His hands were trembling as he walked back through the halls, people nodding to him, quiet whispers of Captain came from the unaware crew. He swallowed hard, his thoughts turning away from their destination.

Deanna?

Go we're fine.

Will steeled his confidence, feeling Deanna's own belief in him radiate through his mind. He slipped in to the turbo lift.

"Bridge." His voice boomed through out the lift. He clung to Deanna's thoughts.

He's expecting you Will. He's made peace with it.

I've been in his place Deanna you accept it. You never make piece with it.

He understands.

I still feel like I'm walking around like it's my birth right.

Isn't it?

She teased.

Will tried to stifle his grin as the lift opened and he strode onto the bridge.

"Captain." She was right, Sam Gibson seemed resolute.

"Commander Gibson." He tried to smile at the man. "Hope you don't mind. I just wanted to see if everything was where I left it."

"I think I held down the fort for you Sir." Gibson's voice was honest, with out a touch of jealousy. Riker inhaled slowly, wishing his wife was on the bridge so he could eavesdrop on the first officers emotions.

"I'd like a moment." Will raised his eyes at the ready room door, Gibson gestured for him to lead.

"How did it go?" Sam Gibson asked as the doors slid shut.

"Alright." Riker nodded his eyes zooming in almost longingly on the chair behind the desk. Sam slipped onto the small lounge chair. "He'd been waiting for it I think."

"So when will he?"

Even in her head it was a sigh. Back in their guest quarters she couldn't help but smile.

"I don't know." Will grumbled. "We don't know anything yet Sam."

"We know they're not giving the Enterprise to me." Sam chuckled. "I don't know why Picard even kept me."

"He must have known you were the man for the job." Will told him sternly.

"You can ask LaForge, I clearly was not." Sam shook his head.

"I don't have to ask LaForge, I know Picard. He requires the best for this ship so you must be the best." Will's forceful voice made any argument seem ridiculous.

"B-4 to Captain Riker." The android's call bit back any reply Gibson may have had.

"Riker."

"Priority one message for you Sir. From Star Fleet Command."

"Aknowledged." He glanced at Sam questioningly, Gibson rolled his eyes and gestured to the terminal. "I'll take it in here.'

"Yes Sir."

"So much for tomorrow." Sam teased.

"It's probably about the Titian." Will snapped almost worriedly. It couldn't possibly be about Picard.

"If you say so Captain" Sam sighed, making his way out of the ready room. His feet had barely cleared the threshold when his communicator beeped.

"Picard to Gibson." Sam almost jumped at his Captain's voice. He hadn't heard it in four days.

"Gibson here, Sir."

"May I see you in my quarters, Commander?"

"Yes Sir." Gibson looked at B-4 who nodded back as he charged up the deck and into the turbolift.

"Sam." Beverly greeted him at the door, with her usual wilting smile, waving him towards the couch before disappearing.

"Commander." Picard called him softly. "I hear you have been informed of my… situation."

"Yes Sir." He didn't know what to say after that.

"I'm sure it came as quiet a shock. Will says you were angry."

"Sir I-."

"I understand that Sam." Picard didn't seem to noticed he'd interrupted. "I would have been concerned if you weren't." His captain smiled wistfully. "I resigned my commission an hour ago Sam. I'm officially retired."

Gibson hung his head.

"I don't know when they'll be assigning-."

"Riker just received a communiqué before I left, Sir." Picard's face lifted in surprise. A proud smile stretching across his face before he caught himself.

"Could have been about the Titian." Picard recovered.

"That's what he said, Sir." Gibson smiled. "It isn't."

"He's a worthy Captain, Sam." Jean-Luc's pride was tempered only slightly by his hard to shake star fleet detachment. "The Enterprise would be lucky to have him."

Captain Will Riker leaned back in the ready room chair, still staring at the blank screen in front of him. A few quick words from an Admiral he didn't know and now he was Captain of the Enterprise.

Picard had wasted no time. The brass hadn't given him any clues if there had been discusion. If anyone had taken offense at Star Fleet that Will Riker seemed to have been circling the Enterprise before Picard's chair had gotten warm, no one had tipped that fact to him. It had been a stark flat announcement.

"You'll take command of the Enterprise effective immediately."

He'd stupidly sputtered for a second and asked for how long. The stoic admiral had finally cracked a smile, even if only briefly.

"As long as you'll have her I suppose." His face had gone stony again and he had added in all seriousness, "don't crash this one Captain."

And that was that.