I do not own Star Trek: TNG (at least not on paper or in the eyes of the law, but in my heart...)
Kirkian Legacy
Instantly, Lieutenant Kirk returned Picard's kiss, savoring the feel of his lips and the feel of their bodies pressed together. As they kissed she wondered why he was doing this, he didn't have feelings like this for her, realizing this she pulled away, placing her hands on his chest pushing him away.
As the kiss ended, Kirk looked at him, her sadness replaced with ire, "I don't want your pity!" her voice trembling.
Picard again closed the distance between them, his voice deep with emotion and said, "There is no pity here and if you'd take one moment to use your God given gift you'd know that." Upon hearing that Lieutenant Kirk started to speak again, but Captain Picard silenced her with a second kiss as he wordlessly invited her into his mind. That's when Picard understood just how inadequate words were for a telepath to express hope, fear and love.
When Picard released their kiss, Kirk was unable to find her breath or thoughts. Though the kiss had ended, he had not loosened his hold upon Lieutenant Kirk. In a voice as soft as a caress, Picard confessed gently into her ear, "I have been falling in love with you since the first moment I saw you. I never believed you would actually feel the same. I didn't want to accept my own feelings...I've never really learned how to be in a relationship, but the thought of you leaving now, both terrifies and angers me."
Tears began to roll from Kirk's eyes anew, as she replied, "Don't...don't say these things to me, if you don't mean them."
Gently Picard placed his hand on her chin and tipped her face up until he was looking in her eyes. "You know what I'm saying is true and if you can put up with an old fool who doesn't know a good thing when he finds it, I want you to stay."
Lieutenant managing a weak smile, said, "Hey, I'm older than you," then she leaned in and kissed the man of her dreams.
Stardate 42567.7
They spent the morning lost in making out like teenagers, something Picard never saw himself doing – throwing aside caution and following his emotions. Somehow the two managed to separate themselves in time to prepare for the signing of the coalition agreement that afternoon. With their shared task completed, all parties had exited the hall to make preparations to return to their respective vessels.
Having vacated the suite and thanked Mal Kappet for his exceptional service, Captain Picard and Lieutenant Kirk boarded the Galileo and began the seventeen hour journey back to the Enterprise. As they arrived at the first band, Lieutenant Kirk found that they had just missed an access window, the next window would emerge in four hours. Lieutenant Kirk initiated autopilot and left the cockpit to join the captain.
"Sir, we will have to wait another four hours, the delays with Mal Kappet made us miss the last window," Kirk informed Captain Picard as she entered the aft section.
Picard looked up from his communique and smiled at the lovely lieutenant and said, "You know when we are alone, you can call me Jean-Luc." Then he motioned for her to join him and he handed her a bottle of water.
Lieutenant Kirk chose a seat on the bench across from him. With a shy smile, she replied, "Okay...thank you Jean-Luc."
As she settled in, Picard broached the subject of their new relationship, "Shawnay...is it okay that I call you by your first name?"
At the lieutenant's nod, Picard continued, a smile creeping onto his face, "Shawnay, I know that this is your first relationship, I do not want to pressure you or go too fast. I need you to tell me how you feel comfortable proceeding."
"I really don't know, I keep thinking, I'll wake up and find this to be a dream, but there is on thing I would like to...um...um...," she started but could not finish.
Intrigued, Picard waited silently. Since learning how to build mental barriers, he was no longer loose in her mind, but he could feel her trepidation about something. Using his best negotiator skills, he lifted one eyebrow as a way to spur her on.
"Can I sit next to you?" Lieutenant Kirk finally blurted out.
Picard relaxed, leaned back and patted the cushion besides him. "I'd like that very much."
She rose and crossed over, taking the seat on Picard's left. As she settled in she turned her back to him then leaned on his shoulder. Taking her cue, Picard lifted his left arm and wrapped it gently around her, his fingers finding her hand, then gently caressing her fingertips.
Feeling the warmth and comfort of the captain, Kirk snuggled back against his chest, resting her head below his neck.
Lifting her head the smallest amount so that he would hear her words she asked, "Do you mind, I just want to be near you."
Picard's only response was wrap his right arm around her also, completing his embrace and pressing a kiss into the top of her head.
After a few minutes of sitting in silence growing used to the feel of their bodies pressed together, Lieutenant Kirk restarted the conversation about their relationship.
"Jean-Luc, I'd like to keep this private for a while to give us a chance to get to know each other. Just us, is that okay?"
"Yes, I'd like some time with you also. I want you to feel confident in everything that concerns us." He brushed his fingertips gently along the side of her arm then, breathing in deep her scent and the smell of her hair. The scent of vanilla and spice brought back the memory of the first time he saw her in Ten Forward, as Picard smiled into the silky tresses. Bringing his hand up to the side of her face, he felt their link slide open, feeling her warmth and contentment.
"Mmm," she purred responding to his touch both mental and physical. "Sooner or later, we'll be back in the real world, thank you for this moment," she said softly.
"You say that like this is a dream," answered Picard.
"Not a dream, but we still have to talk about the link." She sat up and faced Picard, and began speaking quickly afraid her words would fail her, "I think we should close the link. You had no choice when it started, if this grows into something...and you can consciously decide that you want this level of closeness." She stopped speaking her voice torn from her.
"Shh," Picard comforted, "I know, it's okay." Pulling her close, he kissed her, supping deeply from her full lips.
As they waited between the first and second bands, Picard and Kirk were able to close the link, both left with a feeling of emptiness after growing use to the feel of the other's mind and emotions. Navigating through the second band, Picard sat in the cockpit and read aloud to the lovely officer.
Stardate 42574.8
After returning to the Enterprise, having successfully completed their mission, Picard and Kirk were quickly pulled back into their respective roles, reality having indeed set in. The first week, both focused on catching up on their responsibilities, Picard reviewing ship operations and upcoming mission plans, Kirk completing her scheduled duties in engineering. The task of catching up was so commanding that they did not cross paths once.
Lieutenant Kirk handled her frustration during her off duty time by channeling her energy into workouts, anything to keep her mind off why they had not seen each other: karate, belly dancing, kick boxing and hisu-catsu. Ironically, two of her classes, hisu-catsu and kick boxing, had a surge in attendance which meant that she was less and less able to get a good workout, too many watching eyes and too many propositions for unwanted company. She'd been forced to drop everything except belly dancing, no guy signed up for that class.
On her sixth day back, Shawnay finished her shift on the bridge, went to her cabin and changed her clothes and headed to her belly dancing class. Today they would be working on figure eights and the Egyptian walk. The small class consisted of four students and a virtual instructor, when warm-ups were finished they reviewed hip raises and drops then moved into new material. Shawnay was just beginning to work up a sweat, when the red alert sounded.
Heading to the bridge, a little miffed that she wouldn't be able to change clothes before reporting to duty, but a signal for a red alert meant get to posts ASAP or sooner, vanity be damned.
As she walked across the bridge and slid into her seat at the helm, she forced herself to focus on the job at hand and block out the delicious sound of Picard's voice behind her.
Picard had been behind her in the corridor, just before boarding the lift to the bridge, the first time he'd seen her in six days. He had watched her fluid movements as she sashayed to her post. The bright plum color of her outfit making a scrumptious contrast the the creamy white of her skin. The low rise of her skirt that showing off her waist and hips. The halter top was edged in gold with dangling coins that clinked as she moved. Pulling his eyes away from her cleavage in the lift was torture.
It had been a very long and stressful week for Picard, going from one mediation mission right into another. The new mission was negotiating a short term agreement with the Romulans to trade the Idesis vaccine, for the release of long term detainees. Idesis vaccine was the the only treatment for the rare but deadly Jadian Fever that was plaguing Romulus prime.
It had taken most of the week to reach the rendezvous point, but for all of that time Picard had been trapped in meetings and planning sessions to optimize the encounter in case of Romulan treachery. Sad how when he found someone he wanted to let into his private world he couldn't find time to enjoy her company. Taking his seat at command, he watched as she slid into the helm, showing a healthy amount of leg, reminding him almost painfully that six days that had passed since tasted her sweet kiss and felt the warmth of her curves presses against his body, it may as well have been an eternity.
The sound of the claxon blaring the red alert helped clear his thoughts, so Picard could forge forward with the task at hand: initiating contact with the Romulan representative. Clearing his throat, he gave the order, "Mr. Data open communications..."
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