The nurse was back to check on Beverly's progress with the dermal regeneration, half an hour to go before they estimated the patches could come off. To give her some privacy, Jean-Luc let her hand go, getting up to go sit on his own biobed.
"Jean –" Beverly started, lunging out of the biobed after him as he collapsed, clinging to the side of the biobed. His head throbbed, his stomach somersaulted.
"Captain!" the nurse exclaimed, going to him, trying to aid him onto his biobed. No, Beverly, I must get closer to Beverly! He tried to speak, but his mouth wouldn't work. If he opened it he was certain he would be sick.
"No – bring him here!" Beverly gasped through gritted teeth. The nurse looked between them, then acquiesced, helping Jean-Luc over to Beverly's biobed. As he reached her, his head cleared and he could open his eyes.
"Beverly," he breathed. She was curled up tightly, her muscles clenched.
"Doctor!" the nurse summoned Dr Taylor to the room. Jean-Luc clung to the side of her biobed, swaying slightly.
What was that? Jean-Luc demanded.
Beverly didn't uncurl as they scanned her. "Dr Taylor," she spoke through gritted teeth. "Look in the file from Kesprytt. Do a level three neuro scan."
"Right away," Dr Taylor agreed after scanning Picard's head and Beverly's. The nurse moved the biobed over to be beside Beverly's, essentially turning it into a double bed. Jean-Luc didn't want to lie down, but with the aching in his head, it became inevitable. Laying down, he looked over at Beverly. She was still curled up as another few medical crew came in and bustled around them, running scans and things.
He didn't realise how much concern he was projecting when she spoke softly to him, "It hurts." Can't you have a hypospray for the pain? "Not until they work out what's happened."
"Why can't I sense your mind?" he asked aloud in the same level whisper.
"I'm blocking projecting it," she explained. "Or it would hurt you."
What? How could she – He focused his mind on hers. Already exhausted, her barriers faulted.
Bombarded with fire and pain, he fled and her barriers shot up after him, pursued by one thought, I didn't want to hurt you. It stayed with him as he pulled back into himself. Examining it deeper, he found something more. I didn't want you to sense my mind.
How long had you known? He wondered, opening his eyes to gaze at her face again. He could make out tears welling in the corners of her eyes.
Her mind in his was a whisper, I began to suspect when I could feel your emotions in your dreams before you woke.
Why do you have those barriers? Why is your voice so quiet?
Something Ronin taught me.
He was overcome with a flash of rage at the mention of the creature that had tried to steal her.
"It wasn't like that," she whispered.
He violated you, your choice, your free will. If I could've I would've wrung his throat.
She didn't say anything in reply, but her frown softened a little, the corners of her mouth tilting up.
The doctors were able to find what had happened and administer a painkiller for Beverly. They left to examine more closely the brain scans. "They'll be arguing about them for a week," Beverly exclaimed as the nurse came around to start removing her dermal regenerators. Jean-Luc turned his back to her to give her privacy. "How does it look?" Beverly inquired.
He was about to turn back around when the nurse said, "It is healing well." She wasn't talking to me, oops. He planted his head firmly on his pillow, staring intently at the wall. "There is some blistering..."
"I can look after that," Beverly said. She just wants to get out of here, Jean-Luc thought sadly. "How long until we're discharged?"
"I'm afraid that is up to Dr Taylor, or Dr Selar," the nurse informed them.
"What?" He could hear how her face fell from her voice. She sounded so crushed, it hurt.
"Sorry, Doctor," the nurse said. "Do you want me to get some bandages, or shall we let the skin try to heal itself?"
"I'd say perhaps give it a little time before we apply the bandages," Beverly suggested.
"Very well, I'll let you get dressed." The nurse left, carrying a tray of the dermal regenerators. Jean-Luc waited as he heard Beverly moving around for a few minutes. She paused.
"Jean-Luc, could you give me a hand?" she asked. He turned to find her sat on the side of the biobed, her back to him, covered in patches of welts and blisters focused on her right side. They stretched down her arm, to her hand which was now covered with a glove.
"Ouch," he murmured in sympathy. She looked at him over her shoulder, showing the uninjured side of her face.
"Is it really that bad?" she asked softly.
"No, no, Beverly!" he hurriedly backtracked. She let out a small sigh. "Hey, you're alive. We'll get through this. You'll get through this. You're the strongest person I know. It'll be healed up in no time, I bet!"
"I hope you're right," she whispered, raising her gloved right hand and stretching her fingers.
He gazed at her back, searching for a silver lining. "The welts and blisters are mainly in localised patches," he pointed out hopefully. "The skin between them is…"
What? The skin between them is what, Jean-Luc? Beverly bit her tongue and held her mental barriers.
"Perfect," he murmured. She looked over her shoulder again to find him averting his eyes, blushing. Seriously? Sensing his feelings, she was surprised. He was being serious.
"Just help me get my shirt on, please?" she beseeched him. He looked up to her pleading eyes. I can never say no to you. Also, this isn't the time or place for that, he reminded himself, shoving down his feelings to focus on helping his friend. He crawled forward on the bed, helping thread her arms through the sleeves. With the shirt on, she fumbled a moment, before settling on the clasp attachment. The shirt shut itself and she turned back around to face him, knees touching. "Thank you."
She kept her head down, her hair shadowing her face. "Hey, Beverly," he said, reaching out to caress the uninjured side of her face. I love you no matter what. Her could feel her smile, a tear running down her cheek. Gently he lifted it to look into her eyes, brushing the tear off with his thumb. Whatever you want, whenever you're ready.
A red welt stood out on her jawbone, but other than the fresh pink of newly regenerated skin, her face looked like it always had… many years before.
She broke the moment with a yawn. "Sorry," she murmured.
"It's fine," he assured her, glancing to the chronometer. "In fact…" He yawned himself. "I do believe it is time for bed." They shared a smile.
"At least this time we're more comfortable than on Kesprytt," Beverly joked as they lay down on their biobeds. She settled into the pillows, closing her eyes. Jean-Luc gazed at her as he believed she was drifting off to sleep. Exquisite, he marvelled. She was beautiful, like a painting, but awesome in the emotions he felt, being blessed with the honour of her presence. She had a beauty that lay beyond the reach of conventional understanding; she was Beverly.
Her mouth curled up in a smile as she reached out and took his hand.
She heard all of that, he thought with dread.
Yes, yes I did, she contemplated projecting back to him, but before she could she had drifted off to sleep.
A/N: Not as long as the last one, but I think the revelation counts for something! Tell me your thoughts in review! Thank you to sash queen of the jungle and DancingDR for the reviews so far! They now have their telepathy back; what will this mean for their relationship? Why does Beverly not want Jean-Luc to sense her mind? I hope you all have a marvellous day!