"You're sure?" Beverly Picard looked worriedly at the baby then back at Geordi.
"I don't want to go back to my quarters tonight." He answered. "How hard could it be? We feed him every four hours." He shrugged at the baby. "Will needs this." He watched Beverly scowl and start to speak before raising his eyebrows. "I need this."
"You'll call me if you change your mind?" She watched him set Luc into the bassinet.
"You'll be the first to know." Geordi looked across the room as the doors hissed open and B4 carried in a sleeping Lizzie Riker.
"I want to check her before you settle her in." Beverly whispered following after them.
"She is operating with in normal parameters doctor." B4 said stiffly laying the girl on the bed and preparing her medical equipment.
"You make it sound like she's an android B." The woman mused.
"I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable Doctor but Elizabeth and I do have many things in common." She watched him as he dialed up an increase of oxygen saturation before carefully removing the thin tubing that connected the girl's human parts to her mechanical ones. Stripping open a new attachment to the wall unit and inserting it perfectly. "We both share unique mechanical adjustments that are seldom seen in the known universe." He watched the readings, giving her another burst of oxygenation before nodding with satisfaction.
Beverly had not ever considered Lizzie's similarities to the android. She'd always thought of the child's seamless implants more in the mindset of the Borg. Maybe because that was the technology she herself had used to construct the elaborate systems that kept her alive.
"Computer enact force field."
"Why the force field?" La Forge said softly from the door way.
"If she were to turn or sit up without being fully awake and fall off of the bed…" Beverly bit her lip.
"She'd disconnect." He nodded. "We don't want that."
"The computer would alert us immediately and reattachment should only be a momentary adjustment." The android explained, before carefully studying his counterparts faces. "But.. We wouldn't want that..?" His voice was guessing and it made him smile.
"No. We wouldn't." Geordi looked towards the door as Luc Riker started to fuss.
"You're sure?" Beverly followed him into the main room and watched Geordi scoop the baby back up.
"Good Night Doc." He said softly. Beverly gave him a kiss on the cheek before making her way back to her own children. LaForge looked at the baby. "You just don't want to be alone tonight do you?" He sighed. "Well that's okay. Neither do I."
She felt him looking at her before she opened her eyes. The blurriness that had clouded the connection between them was gone. His mind was as open to her now as her own was. She wondered when the last time it had been like that.
"Probably before Lizzie was born." His voice whispered into her head.
"That long?" She whispered, letting her eyelids slip open.
"I don't really know." He moved his arms, rustling the blanket until his hands reached his hair.
"Will she's ten."
"Almost." His voice rumbled. She watched his eyebrow quirk up for a second. "I can't belive you let Beverly drug me."
"Yes because the whole 'cold turkey' was working so well for you." Her voice held an edge her mind didn't.
"It's not your fault." He told her, rolling onto his side and looking at her.
"Sure." She sighed.
"Deanna.." His hand dropped against her cheek, rustling the blankets
"We share a mind Will you'd have thought I'd have noticed."
"I didn't want you to."
"All the more reason I should have noticed." She raised her brow this time, making his dry lips break into a smile. She cupped her hand against his turning her face into his palm and kissing it. "And I think we need to work on your shields. You really made a mess up there."
He pulled his hand away and rubbed his face again.
"I know. I'm still a bit dizzy from your 'house cleaning' Lwaxana."
"Ouch." She feigned annoyance and he was glad for the first time in a long time that it was fake.
"We should check on the kids." He sighed.
"Beverly has it." Deanna said a little too quickly.
"Honey.." Will rubbed his eyes. "I know you want to check on Luc."
"You need me right now." She breathed. "He doesn't."
"I'll be okay long enough for you to check on the baby." His voice was soft. She could feel the open door between them start to narrow.
"Will don't you dare." She sat up looming over him, swatting his hands away from his eyes. "Don't."
"Sorry." He whispered, moving his grip to her arms.
"Get dressed. I'm sure Beverly's waiting in sick bay with a hypo in her hand starring at the door."
"Ug.' He moaned as she slid off the bed and into the bathroom.
"How's Geordi?" Will aked softly as Beverly ran her scanner over him again.
"He's alright." She sighed. "He and B4 spent the night in your quarters with Luc and Lizzie."
"He did?" Will looked confused. Beverly nodded, injecting him with another spray of something before seeming satisfied with the results.
"Yes. Babies are good therapy."
"He's probably held him more than I have." Will sighed.
"We have plenty of time to remedy that Imzadi." Her voice flooded him as his eyes slipped over to where she swept through the doors with Judith in tow.
"Uh Oh. Round two." He whispered wearily pointing at the ships counselor.
"Nice to see you too Captain." McKenna whispered, moving past Picard who left the room in a blur of blue and red making a Bline towards Deanna.
"I'll trade back." Deanna's voice was almost frightened.
"No way."
"Deanna." The smaller woman braced herself.
"I didn't know." She held her hands up in defense. "Beverly I swear I-."
"His cerebral cortex was.."
'It'll get better." Deanna said quickly. "I'm worried about the drugs."
"He definatly cut down dramatically after Luc was born.'
"It was just too hard for him Beverly." She pressed her lips together. "He couldn't do it alone and I really wasn't.." Beverly looked at the floor. "You knew?"
"I suspected." Picard informed her friend. "He was just so numb."
"I.. You knew he was falling apart and I didn't." She exhaled slowly.
"Deanna it was pretty complicated."
"I'd like to say I'm not usually so selfish Beverly" She looked at the wall. "But for the better part of ten years I have been."
"Deanna know one's blaming you."
"Except myself." She wiped her eyes. "I blame myself."
"We have plenty of time to remedy that Imzadi." Will shot back. She couldn't help but laugh at that before she whispered back.
"Pay attention to Judith." She scolded..
"Yes ma'am."
"Deanna, Will is going to be fine. You are going to be fine. Enjoy that."
Deanna smiled softly.
"I have to go." Beverly said calmly, looking back into Sick Bay.
"Wait.' The Betazoid laid her hand on her friends arm for a second. "I have a question."
"Anything."
"Sex." Deanna leaned in as she spoke, watching her friends eyes widen.
"Sex?"
"Yes." She rolled her eyes at Picard's confused expression. "As in 'can we have sex'." She leaned in to her again. "It's been a VERY long time."
"It's.. Oh.." Beverly shook her head clear. "Yeah.. Um..' She swept the tricorder over Deanna quickly. "Sure. All systems.." She leaned into Mrs. Riker's shoulder. "Go for it."