Back to regular time line.
"Keep your chin up." Will Riker commented helping his young opponent remove his battle gear. He hadn't had the chance to do this in a long time. He hadn't even realized how much he'd missed it until young Jack Picard knocked him on his butt. "You're much better then the last time we played."
"I've practiced." The boy countered raising his eyebrow at the older man. "Next time I'll beat you."
"Jack. I hate to break it to you., but I am an old man." He took slow breath. "You almost beat me this time."
"Liar!" The boy scoffed, a small hint of his fathers Earthly accent tapping the word.
"Seriously." Will scrubbed his hand over the boys hair watching as he tugged at his Tunic with a grin.
"What?" Jack asked.
"Nothing." Will sat on the bench,." You just look more and more like your father every time I see you."
Jack smiled before dropping his head to his chest
"Are we going to talk about it?" Jack asked slowly. "I mean that's why we're hanging out today right? To talk about my father?"
"Hey," Will called lightly, cupping his fingers under the boys chin. "We're here because we haven't done this in a while." The boy's eyes shone back at him. "If you want to talk about your Dad, we can."
"I don't really know what to say." Will nodded slowly as Jack spoke. "He's mostly the same. I mean, him not being Captain anymore? That's weird. Otherwise, he's the same."
"But?" Will whispered, sensing they boy's hesitation.
"He gets confused. It's no big deal.. But Mom.." Jack left it there and Riker understood.
"She' going through a lot." He agreed.
"She doesn't tease him anymore." The child's shoulders shrugged. "You know.. How she does that all the time?" Will nodded. "Well now she doesn't. He tries to bate her.. Gives her the most perfect openings!" Jack grinned. "Mom just smiles real fake or pretends like she's listening when she's not."
Riker pulled a chair from the side of the room and sat in front of his God son.
"I'm not sure us being here helps."
"It helps me." Jack raised an eyebrow. "And it helps Father. It would help even more if you'd stop by now and again, Number One."
"Well then Admiral.." Will tried to keep the humor from his voice. "I'll have to be sure I do."
"Computer: time?" Will watched Jack listen to the reply, tilting his head to the side. So much like his father. "I told Lizzie we'd go for ice cream after her treatment." Will nodded pressing his lips together and smoothing the boy's damp hair.
"I'll see you later." He whispered as the boy called for the arch and started off towards Sickbay. Riker sighed. "Computer end program."
He made his way back towards his quarters and into the shower. His mind drifted to Beverly and the lines around her fierce green eyes.
Should I be upset that you're thinking about Beverly in the shower?
No. The smile stretched across his lips. Wanna join me?
Sure. I've always liked her long legs myself.
"Deanna!" Riker shouted, pushing back the door to the shower.
"Jack looked like he had a good time." He looked at her teasing smile. "He could barely contain himself when he told Lizzie he nearly beat you."
"Nearly." He reminded, closing the door and finishing his shower.
"Beverly smiled." Deanna whispered, as Will wrapped a towel around himself. She felt the sting of her husbands guilt. "Don't you start! She's guilty enough for all of us!"
His mouth screwed into a sad smile before he pressed his lips to the bare skin near her clavicle.
"You look beautiful." He told her, leaning against the sink.
She ran her hand slowly over the curve of her stomach.
"Someone's giving me a break."
"Sleeping?"
"Dreaming. Listen.." She ran her fingers across his cheek, watching Will's eyes squint just a little. She smiled as the look of awe came to them.
"It's really going to happen this time.." He breathed, letting his hand glide gently over her uniform top. "Soon."
Deanna let the grin fall off her face when her husbands emotions turned surprisingly carnal. She felt the heat rise to her cheeks.
"Sorry." He whispered huskily.
"It's been a long time." She agreed, taking a step back as his hand slipped away.
"Deanna I'm sorry.." He sighed as she made her way out of the bathroom.
"Don't be sorry. I want my husband to want me."
He frowned following her into the living room.
"I thought we were leaving the guilt to Beverly?" He reminded, running his hand softly through her hair. "I can hold out a little longer you know."
If he hadn't spent the last ten years filtering the rational from the irrational of his wife's emotions he might have been offended by her burst of fear that he'd take his desire somewhere else. He knew the next wave of emotions from her would be her implicit trust and she didn't disappoint.
He joined her on the sofa, waiting for the intensity of their emotions to subside.
"Jack's worried about his mom." Will whispered.
"I am too." Deanna said flatly.
"Maybe you should pay her a visit?"
"I just did." She evaded.
"A personal visit."
"Will.."
"Deanna you can't avoid her forever."
"I'm not avoiding her." She argued weakly.
"I'm not saying I don't understand." He continued, ignoring her protest. "I'm just saying that she needs a friend."
"I.." She took a slow breath. "you know how many times I have tried to tell Beverly that she's not to blame.."
"So skip that."
"I make her uncomfortable." Deanna shook her head. "Will I really don't think it's a good idea. Maybe after the baby.."
They both fell silently back into thought until Will's face lit up.
"Then do the next best thing." He raised an eyebrow, as Deanna mirrored his smile.
…
"Good Lord Deanna you got so fat." Jean Luc Picard grinned widely.
"Flatterer." Deanna grinned lowering herself carefully into the empty chair at his table. Guinan wordlessly lowered a glass of ice
water in front of her.
"You look ravishing." He whispered.
"Thank you."
"You're here to talk about my wife?"
"Captain I was unaware that you had developed telepathic abilities while I was gone."
"What I have developed while you were gone, is a pretty intuitive child."
"So I hear."
"He told me that he'd talked to Will, about his mother." Picard rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I was hoping that she'd talk to you."
"No." Deanna looked down for a second, then lifted the glass of water to her lips. "Beverly and I have done very well through subspace. But I'm afraid face to face.." She looked down again, stroking her hands across her bump. "Maybe in eight weeks?"
"So you've come to ask me?"
"I was hoping she was talking to you." Deanna answered.
"She talks to me almost constantly and almost entirely free of actual content." He sighed.
"I'm sorry."
"Not nearly as sorry as I am." He sighed. "Deanna I've done this before." He rubbed his head. "Or at least I've had a glimpse of what it was like when this was done before."
Explaining events experienced during time travel was always a tricky conversation.
"She was the same before?"
"Yes."
"What did you do before?"
"I divorced her." His eyebrow rose as Deanna's mouth slipped open. He took a long gulp of his drink. "I thought it would spare her."
"Captain.." Deanna whispered, Picard leaned forward and put his hand ever so gently on top of hers.
"Don't worry Counselor, it didn't work out well the last time and I don't intend to do it again." He lifted his fingers, looking up as the current ships counselor made her way towards them.
"Am I interrupting?" She sighed.
"Judith, No of course not." Deanna whispered, pointing to the chair beside her.
"How are you doing Deanna?"
"I'm hanging on." She answered honestly.
"I spoke with Captain Vale today. She's looking forward to my arrival. Apparently your temporary replacement isn't working out."
"That's what I hear." Deanna shook her head. "I just don't think she was able to adapt to the crew."
"Well I've been reading up on several of the species, I can see how it would be a challenging environment."
"You know I'd love to talk to you about it."
"That would be wonderful." Judith watched the other woman shift slightly. "Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yes, thank you. I'll be fine." Deanna nodded, taking a deep breath.
"When would you like to meet?"
"I'm free now." Deanna smiled. "I could go check on Lizzie and meet you in your office?"
"That works." She smiled softly, looking at Picard. "It was good to see you."
"You as well." He looked at Deanna. "I'll talk to her Deanna. I told Will I would."
"Good luck." She said softly, pulling herself to her feet. Pausing for a few seconds to regain her composer. Judith and Picard pretended not to notice and she was grateful.
In their quarters Will Riker's hands shook as he opened the case, pressing the hypo into the injector and then into his neck sighing at the hiss.
The doors and his eyes slipped open at the same time. He looked at his wife. Their gazes locked.
"Better?" He sighed. She nodded crossing the room and pressing her hand into his chest. His chin dropped to her head and he pressed his lips to her hairline. "Go meet with Judith. I'm just going to rest a while before my meeting with Worf."
She lifted her head and he smiled weakly wiping the tears from her eyes.
"I love you." Deanna mumbled.
"I know." He said softly, pulling away and lowering himself to the bed with a groan. She pressed her lips together tightly and he winced. "Sweetheart, please try to relax."
"I'm sorry." She kissed his forehead before gathering her things and leaving him to sleep.
"Jean Luc?" Beverly shot through the door like Worf had shot her out of the torpedo bay. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." He told her with a sigh, setting down the plate he was holding.
"Nothing?" She fumbled with her tricorder until he pulled it from her hands and dropped it on the sofa. He titled up her chin and pressed his lips to hers. She looked stunned when they pulled apart. He watched the worry and confusion slip back onto her face. "Alyssa said you needed me to come home.."
"For dinner." Jean Luc gestured to the table.
"Dinner?" She shook her head as he pulled on the sleeve of her lab coat until it slipped off. He set it on the back of a chair.
"Beverly, tell me about the medication I'm on."
"Is there a problem with-?"
"What do they do?" He asked, leading her to the table and pulling out her seat as she dropped into it.
"They help lessen the symptoms of-." She shook her red head, her long fingers sliding down the side of his cheeks.
"Lessen. So I'm not fit to say, refit the warp coil." He pulled away, settling across from her.
"You couldn't do that before." She raised an eyebrow.
"Details." He told her quickly, pouring her a glass of wine. "What about watching Sienna? Is that still something I can do?"
"Jean Luc you know that -."
"Giving Will advice? Because I did that earlier and now I'm worried that it was beyond my capabilities." His voice was calm and soothing despite the content. Her eyes narrowed over her nose in confusion. "What about my wife?"
"What about her?" Beverly continued to stare at him.
"Lets say she was going through a difficult time and needed me to help her talk through it." He swallowed, lifting his eyebrows. "Using your medical judgment, would you think that's something I could still do, Doctor?"
"Jean Luc." Her lips parted, her eyes dropping to the table. He slid his hand across the table and covered hers.
"Your son misses our banter and so do I." He pressed his hand firmer against hers. "Beverly?"
"I'm driving you crazy." The tears were flowing freely now. He gathered her fingers up and pressed them to his mouth as he stood.
"I haven't lost it yet." He smiled pulling her to her feet. "If the past view of the future is any indication, I can remain relatively intact for quite a while longer."
"I'm so sorry, my darling." She sniffed, dropping her face to his shoulder. He kissed her cheek, slowly swaying her body back and fourth. "So sorry."
"No more guilt." He whispered.