"Just let me give you something to relax you."
"No." Deanna moved past Worf and into the Ready room.
"It won't do anything-."
"No." Will rubbed his face with his hand as his wife slipped onto the couch beside him. He took her hand in his.
"Right now your pulse is 198. Your blood pressure is sky high. You should be in Sickbay."
"He'll be fine in a few minutes Beverly."
"Deanna," Beverly shook her head, her mouth slipping open in irritated amazement. "The pain may be gone in a few minutes but judging by the amount of morphodexiren he injected he's not fine."
"Beverly.." Will whispered, his eyes still studying the floor.
"I don't understand why you'd keep a medical problem from me. Or why Dr. Ree would give you this type of medication without my knowledge. This is not for mild discomfort!"
"Beverly." Will repeated a little louder.
"My scans don't show anything that could possibly be the cause of any-."
"Dr. Picard!" Will's head yanked back up as he shouted out her title. Her frantic rambling stopped instantly.
"I'm the cause." Deanna told her softly. "He's taking the morphodexiren because I can't."
"I don't-." Her features stilled as it fell into place. "Telepathic anesthesia?"
The Riker's exchanged glances before Will met his CMO's fiery gaze.
"That's why you wouldn't take the cortical depressants… they would weaken the link." She turned her chin towards Deanna. "Do you know what a risk this is?"
The Counselor's gaze faltered slightly.
"This could cause damage to his heart, his brain…" Beverly shook her head frantically and Deanna swiped at a tear that made it's way down her cheek. "This drug is extremely addictive! Especially when it isn't being used correctly!"
"We knew the risks." Will's voice rasped. "We were willing to accept them."
"Well I'm not!" Beverly all but yelled. "I'm not willing to risk the Enterprise because her Captain has a drug problem!"
"That was out of line Dr." Will shouted back.
"Somehow I don't think Star Fleet would agree with that Captain!"
"Beverly!" Deanna gasped. "You wouldn't!"
"It puts the entire crew at risk." The red head whorled around to face her friend.
"This ship and it's crew were never at risk!" Will hissed. "I resent the implication that it was."
"It's not your call to make!" She shook her head. "It's mine."
"And mine." Came another voice.
The three occupants of the ready room turned towards the still open door. Sam Gibson moved past Worf and took a few steps in.
"Sam.." Beverly shook her head. "This is a medical issue-."
"It is." The first officer looked at his Captain for a moment before turning his eyes towards the Chief of Security. "It's also a security issue and a command issue."
"Commander.." Will began.
"Captain let me finish, please?" He asked, Riker nodded in response. "I don't see how it's any different than Captain Picard continuing his command while showing signs of a serious neurological disorder."
"Sam," Beverly's head shook indignantly.
"Several members of the Sr. staff have inquired to me about the Captain's health and in each case I asked if the suspected problem had in any way effected his ability to complete the tasks required of him. Not one person answered yes." He looked at Riker. "At that time I let them know that I believed the Captain would inform us of any relevant problems and until then his medical information was as confidential as our own."
"You're satisfied with this?" She looked at Worf.
"Yes Doctor." The Klingon reported stiffly.
"Well then." She shook her head. "I guess no one gives a damn what I think."
She gathered her supplies and tossed them back in the case and started towards the door.
"Beverly, please." Deanna's impassioned whisper stopped her in her tracks. "I just wanted a baby." She nearly sobbed. "A healthy child. We'd tried everything else! This was all we had left." Picard pressed her lips together as Gibson and Worf backed up and let the door hiss shut between the Riker's and Picard. "The risk for the baby if I continue with this pregnancy without Will's help is much greater than the risk to him."
"I can't condone this." Beverly implored her, her green eyes tight with remorse.
"We don't expect you too." Will said softly. "We accept that this is against medical advice-"
"Apparently not against the advice of whomever gave you the morphodexiren! "
"That's not fair." Will whispered harshly.
"I'm pretty sure that Dinosapian's take an oath to do no harm." She snapped back.
"You weren't there!" Deanna pressed her lips together. "You didn't have to go through six losses. Each one just a little bit closer.." Tears slipped down the Betazoid's cheeks. "I tried Beverly. I really did. Each time Dr. Ree would have another idea. Something to get us a little further. Meditation, hypnosis, bed rest, but each time the pain would be too much. I'd go into shock, or have seizures.." Will lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it. "Six babies. I was already starting down the same path with this one. Then Will broke his ankle on an away mission."
"I was trying to assure her that I was alright. The second they gave me the hypo.." He shook his head. "I could feel her whole body relax.."
"That was four months ago." Deanna finished. " We promised the doctor that this would be our last attempt, if he'd let us try telepathic anesthesia. He consulted with physician's on Betazed and on Vulcan and finally he agreed."
"We never imagined that we would end up on the Enterprise." Riker promised.
"I should have been informed." Beverly shook her head.
"He told Selar." Will dropped his eyes from her. The three of them sat there for a moment in silence before Beverly stood and addressed her Captain.
"Unless you intend to make changes Captain, I am still Chief Medical Officer on the Enterprise." She told him stiffly. "I should have been informed."
Will met her eyes.
"If you're feeling better I'd like to return to my quarters and consider my future on this ship. I think it may be time for you to do the same Captain."
"Beverly!" Will listened to the doors hiss shut as he called out after her.
Deanna's eyes seemed glued to the floor.
"We should have told her."
"No. We were right not to."
"Deanna she just threatened to leave the Enterprise!" He huffed.
"Maybe that's for the best." She whispered lifting her eyes to him.
"Deanna!" He shook his head.
"She'll never feel comfortable with the decisions we make with Lizzie." The Counselor folded her hands in her lap. "She'll never feel comfortable with-."
"Enough." He whispered harshly. "What ever personal problems you have to work out with Beverly are just that. Personal. They don't have anything to do with the Enterprise or what's best for it."
"You could sense her!" Deanna yelled back. "You could feel the resentment and insolence-."
"Yes and below that I could feel the hurt that she was using those to cover up." He added. "Why are you choosing to ignore that Counselor?"
"Why do you keep siding with her?"
"I'm not siding with anyon-." He dropped is chin to his chest. "Deanna I don't want to fight with you about this."
He waited for a moment as she focused on her shoes.
Deanna..
Why can't she just understand, Will?
He slipped back onto the couch beside his wife who immediately dropped her head on his shoulder. He linked his fingers with hers and waited.
She's my best friend. Why can't she just understand?
"Maybe if you'd talk to her?"
"Will."
"Deanna you have to do something or the Enterprise is going to loose it's CMO and you're going to loose Beverly." He leaned in to her and waited for the soft touch of her lips on his.
"I'll think about it." She caressed his face with her finger tips. "Are you alright?"
"Don't worry about me." He wrinkled his face at her, stretching his hand out with hers as she made her way to the door.
"Should I send Commander Gibson in?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Please do." He watched his wife leave with a sigh before muttering to himself. "At least I have one easy decision today."
Sam Gibson had the sinking suspicion he was about to get fired.
He watched as the Captain's wife smiled at him with sad eyes as he made his way back towards the Ready Room.
"Sir." He nodded at Riker. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm alright Commander." He assured. "No worse for ware."
"From what I've read telepathic anesthesia is quite taxing." He stated.
"It can be." Will agreed, exhaling slowly. "I want to thank you, for what you did."
"I told the truth, Sir."
"I still appreciate it." Riker rubbed his hand over his face. "Rumor has it that you're being considered for the Northwestern."
"Considered maybe, but chosen?" He grinned a little. "No, Sir. I don't think that Captain Hansen is anywhere near as ready to turn her over as he seems. And if he was, I'd say Anderson would be his first choice."
"Anderson's young.."
"But he's the guy." Gibson finished. "Besides Sir. I'd like to stay if you'll have me."
"You mind if I ask why?" Will asked softly.
"I'd like my five years, Sir." Gibson watched the look of confusion cross his commanding officers face. "Something Dr. Picard said. About your time under Picard and how she was sorry I wasn't going to get five more years."
A sad smile tugged at the Captain's lips.
"I'd like to serve them.." He swallowed hard. "under you, Sir."
"I trust you'll resolve things with Laforge?"
"We've made an appointment with Counselor McKenna." He smirked.
"Then I'll inform Starfleet that I will not be needing a new first officer."
"Thank you, Sir." He nodded, making his way back to the bridge.
"Your welcome, Number one." He whispered to himself.