A/N: Ok. It's been a long time since I've seen First Contact with the Borg, but I'm making the Borg queen my own now so get over it. Of course, you know how they finally defeat the Borg- Picard communicates to Data, telling him to make everyone sleep, ect.
The entire Bridge was silent as the Borg Queen moved toward where Locutus stood unmoving. She stared hard at Beverly's weak figure, as if sizing her up. Will, Worf, and Data had all taken a protective stance in front of her. Even Wesley had moved in concern for his mother.
"Who are you?" Demanded Captain Riker, drawing himself to his fullest potential.
"I am the Borg." She continued to study Beverly, enthralled by the woman's presence in the Borg's mind. "My question is who are you? Your human name is Beverly Crusher. And yet, my Locutus has taken an interest in you."
"Your Locutus?" asked Riker, still not moving from his spot between Beverly and the Queen.
"Yes. Locutus is mine. Therefore, so is the human, Picard. I want to know what power you think you hold over him." There was still a mild curiosity in her expression, but Locutus had returned dutifully to her side.
"Power?" spoke Beverly softly. "What does power have to do with it? He is my best friend...I've known him for over half my life." And possibly loved him for the last number of years. She did not feel the Borg should be privy to this information.
"There is something lingering in the human's brain. If that is not power, what is it?" It was a simple question, but the strings that were attached were pulling thin. Fortunately, Deanna covered for her.
"The emotion you are presently feeling is love. Affection, devotion, to care for someone so much that it consumes your life. It is a human emotion, but Captain Picard is a part of your collective and so are his feelings. Most of them you have been able to override, but in a sense, the power of love is stronger than what you think." The definition seemed so heartless when it was said like that. To explain love...to explain their love was beyond words; beyond what the Borg were capable of understanding about human emotion.
"Love is irrelevant."
"No it's not!" Beverly pushed herself away from Data and stumbled forward, but Riker and Worf stopped her from continuing.
"Locutus is mine."
"Captain Picard is ours," said Will with as much authority as he could muster. The Queen's eyes flashed in anger.
"He is one man. Locutus is a part of me; a part of the collective." She placed a metal hand on his shoulder. If the crew of the Enterprise did not know any better, it could have been considered an intimate move. She was completely possessive of the conversation and of the man standing next to her.
"Jean-Luc," started Beverly without paying any attention to her competition. Deanna nodded for Will and Worf to let her go. "I know you're in there fighting to get out and I want you to know that we will save you. Trust me, Jean-Luc."
"You are irrelevant," spat the Queen. Locutus on the other hand, moved involuntarily towards her.
"Trust me." She reached out her hand to the man she had completely given her heart to. "I trust you, will all of my heart, Jean-Luc." He took another step, leaving the distance minimal between them. Then, with a quickness that made Worf proud, sprung forward and injected the hypospray that had been in her pocket into his neck. Locutus dropped to the floor and the Borg Queen cried out in protest. She struck Beverly in the back, sending her crashing to the floor, unconscious.
Beverly stirred soundlessly in her biobed, taking in the sounds of her sickbay. Just as suddenly as she had awoke, the events that led to her comatose came flooding back to her. She sat up much too fast, throwing her legs over the side of the bed, only slowing down to steady her spinning mind. The nurse on duty was telling her to get back in bed but she was already on her feet and asking questions.
"Where is he? What happened?" Alyssa Ogawa crossed sickbay to put her boss back into bed.
"Dr. Crusher, please remain in bed. You have several painful injuries that we are still treating." Slowly and with much protesting, Alyssa and a few of her colleagues managed to get her back into a reclined position.
"I just need to see him, Alyssa. Please tell me he is still on this ship." The head nurse almost cried at the desperation and heartbreaking tone of the Chief Medical Officer's voice.
"Tell her to lay back down." The voice was hushed and gruff, but it was unmistakably his.
"Jean-Luc," she breathed, letting all of her emotions sweep over her. The damn medicine was making her weepy. She whirled around at the sound of his voice, finally finding him one bed to her left. There were still wires and pieces of metal attached to his body, but he was there. Safe in her Sickbay.
"Beverly, lay back down." He was tired, she could tell by the tone of his voice. Dr. Crusher could tell that her team had been working to remove the Borg devices from him, but it would take some time.
"You're..." Alive? No, he had always been alive. "You're you again."
"Present and accounted for. Now, don't make me order you to bed rest, Doctor." The sarcasm was hinted at, but all effort to put humor in his voice was lost. Beverly almost asked him how they were able to get him back, but she knew someone would be able to answer that question in time, but at the moment, she did not really care. He was hers again. Captain Jean-Luc Picard was back. She turned her attention to her staff.
"Please, may I just see him? I promise to be a good patient. Just let me see him." Alyssa smiled slightly, giving her permission with a single nod. She even helped the doctor over to the Captain's bed.
"Beverly, I thought they told you to go back to bed." Jean-Luc's voice was so thin, so weak; it broke her heart to see him so shattered and lifeless.
"I'm right where I need to be, Jean-Luc." Beverly sat on the edge of the bed near his hip, laying her head down on his chest. She could feel his heart beat- constant and strong. His one good hand ran through her red hair as she began to shake. All the tears that had been building up finally came loose and he let her cry- they all did. Beverly lay there on his iron chest, sobbing for the man she loved and he held her as best he could, the machine still getting in the way of the man.
"I love you, Beverly." It was a whisper. Barely a sound. But she heard it in her heart. And in her tears she cried her reply.
"And I you, my love."
