When We Two Parted
Disclaimer: If only the rights belonged to me, then I would have gotten P/C together in the TV series. But as it is, I don't own them so please don't sue. I am only using for the enjoyment and not for the profit.
Summary: Beverly spends time with a man she thought dead and truths, deceit and broken promises are revealed.
Rating: PG-13
A/n: Many thanks to Jamie, my utterly wonderful beta and who is also a great sounding board for my ideas, whether they are good or are utter tripe.
When We Two Parted
Chapter Three: A Face From The Past.
"You're just going to turn up at his door without letting him know?" asked Beverly as she and Walker made their way out of one of the many transporter rooms on the Enterprise.
"The element of surprise," Walker said with a playful grin. "Jack and I always enjoyed unnerving Johnny when we could and this is an ideal opportunity."
"But this is different," said Beverly. "He didn't think that you and Jack were dead."
Walker stopped in his tracks and reached out for Beverly, his hand grabbed her and he pulled her to a stop. He turned her to look at him, reached out for her hand, and smiled softly. "You and I both know that he won't believe me if I simply contact him over subspace," he told her. "This way, he can see that I am real and I have all the proof of the mission and also medical records in these chips."
"Be gentle," she asked. "It's going to be a big shock."
"For you, I will be," he said as he dropped a kiss on her cheek and then continued on his way to Picard's rooms on his own.
Jean-Luc Picard sat staring out of one of the viewports in his room, a book of Shakespeare's sonnets sitting unopened on his lap, shortly after seeing Beverly wrapped around an unknown man, he'd returned to Enterprise. Then he had retreated to his quarters and placed himself in a self-imposed silence. Originally, he'd intended to do some reading, but the stars flying past his windows caught his attention and placed him in some type of trance.
The chime of his door broke into his thoughts and he sighed inwardly as he rose from the comfort and solitude of his chair. Perhaps it was Beverly wanting to be friends again; that she was going to forgive and forget all that had been said. The chime sounded again just as Jean-Luc reached the control panel. He pressed the button and door hissed open, unprepared for who he saw standing in the corridor.
"Hey there, Johnny," greeted the man who Jean-Luc had thought to be dead.
"Wa-Walker?" stammered Jean-Luc as he tried to process what he was seeing.
"Guilty as charged," Walker said as he held his hands up.
"You're dead," said Picard.
"Jean-Luc, let me explain before you call security," asked Walker as he entered the captain's quarters and handed over the small box that contained the chips. "And please look at these for confirmation."
Jean-Luc took the offered box, never taking his eyes off the man that stood in front of him. He looked like the Walker he'd seen six years ago, though a little greyer and older. He sounded like Walker and he even had the glint in his eye that Walker always seemed to have.
"Sit there and don't move," said Jean-Luc, pointing towards the couch and then making his way over to his personal computer.
Picard watched at Walker followed his orders and sat down on the couch. Jean-Luc sat down behind his desk and opened the box that contained three chips. An hour and half later, Jean-Luc received confirmation that Walker Keel was exactly who he had he was. The chips contained detailed medical files, the mission files, and the personal words of three Admirals. Despite all the evidence in front of him, he had still contacted Starfleet command for confirmation.
Jean-Luc stood up and tugged down his casual top before making his way over the replicator and ordering a cup of Earl Gray for himself and a mint tea for Walker. Walker was still sat on the couch and hadn't uttered a single word while Picard had been going through the chips. The atmosphere surrounding the two men had grown slightly uncomfortable as they stared at one another and wondered who was going to start off the conversation.
"Here," began Jean-Luc, handing Walker his drink. "I took the liberty of ordering you one of these."
"Thank you, Johnny," replied Walker as he took the cup from his friend. He brought the cup to his nose and smiled as the recognition hit him. "Felisa always made the most wonderful mint tea. I was over the moon when she let me in on her secret recipe. I haven't had this for a long time."
"Beverly programmed the recipe into my replicator memory," said Picard as he sat down. "Enough talk about tea. You're alive, Walker, alive."
"I didn't like deceiving you, but I had to do it," said Keel. "It was of paramount importance to the Federation that my death look real and truly affected those who knew me. My main concern was for Beverly and her reaction."
"She dealt with it well," said Jean-Luc. "She's stronger than you think."
"Oh, I know how strong she is," said Walker, looking up at him and straightening his shoulders.
The intense look Walker was shooting towards him made Jean-Luc shift uncomfortably in his seat. It had been six years since the two friends had seen each other, and before that, they hadn't seen one another since the night before Jack's funeral.
"We should have kept in contact," Picard said, breaking the awkward silence.
"I couldn't," answered Walker. "It could have disrupted the mission."
"I didn't mean then," said Picard before he coughed to clear his throat as he felt it beginning seize up. "I meant since Jack's funeral."
Walker drained his cup of tea and then placed it on the table in front him. He leaned forward, his hands interlocking with each other, and looked at the other man. "I believe I tried to," he finally said. "I sent you many communications, but I never got any back. Want to let me know what that was all about?"
"The Stargazer was being re-fitted. I needed to be there to oversee it," said Picard, now defensive. "Once she was back in working order, we were sent out straight away and the missions left me without much time to do much else but catch up on a bit of sleep."
"A ship getting a re-fit is your excuse for not attending your best friend's funeral?"
It had been over twenty years since Jack's death and yet it seemed like only yesterday that he had delivered the bad news to Beverly. The fact that his best friend had died under his command had never left Jean-Luc's mind. It was always with him. The guilt that he felt was punishment enough and he didn't need to listen to Walker's accusations as well. "I was needed," he said.
"Yes, you were needed," said Keel. "But not by that damn ship. Do you even remember what you told me the night before you bolted?"
Jean-Luc did remember. He was never likely to forget what had been said that night. He remembered them sitting on the couch in Jack and Beverly's house with a bottle of brandy in the early hours of the morning of Jack's funeral. They hadn't been to sleep yet because they had been up reminiscing about Jack and their adventures. The brandy had been flowing and Jean-Luc had let his mouth run away. He broke down and finally told someone what Jack's final words had been. As soon as he had spoken the words, he felt like he was betraying the memory.
'I always knew Jean-Luc,' Jack's words echoed through his mind. 'I can't be there for her anymore but you can. Show her that you love her.'
Jack's dying words had almost devastated Jean-Luc more than his actual death. Despite all that he'd done to hide his darkest secret, Jack still knew what his best friend felt for his wife. The night he had confessed to Walker about what Jack had said, Jean-Luc had felt the burden lift off his shoulders. He felt light and the constant headache he'd had vanished, only to return several hours later when the cold reality of daylight covered him. Not only had he felt guilty about Jack's death, about his feelings for Beverly, but also for involving Walker as well. He couldn't face either of them, especially on the day when they were burying Jack. The great, fearless Captain Jean-Luc Picard had fled the house like a frightened child, leaving Walker to pick up the pieces.
A hand on his shoulder broke into Jean-Luc's thoughts and he looked up to see Walker staring down at him. "Your silence tells me that you remember," Keel said, then pulled his hand from his friend's shoulder and returned to his seat.
"I will not talk about this," said Picard as he went to stand up. He needed to do something. He didn't want to talk about the past.
"You need to," replied Walker. "Or at the very least listen to what happened after you bailed out on us."
"Walker," warned Jean-Luc.
"Don't 'Walker' me," replied Keel. "You will do me the courtesy of listening to me."
Jean-Luc knew he was defeated. He had always known this day would come, when he would have to explain himself, his reasons, and his fears. Walker was right; he needed to know what had happened at the funeral.
"She looked for you," said Walker. "She spent the time she needed to get ready for her husband's funeral looking for you. She thought she had leaned on you too much and that you couldn't handle her grief as well as your own. She was more concerned about you that morning than about herself, Johnny."
"You could have told her something," said Jean-Luc.
"Oh, I lied for you," said Walker. "Nearly killed me, but I did. Of course, she didn't believe me, but she told me that my loyalty was to be commended. Little did she know that my loyalty was to her. Not to you."
Jean-Luc never imagined that she would have gone looking for him when she discovered he had left the house. He had presumed that she would be too busy dealing with Wesley and her own grief to notice that he wasn't there until the actual funeral. He hadn't bolted to hurt her. He'd left because he didn't want to hurt her. That's what he had told himself up until Walker's appearance two hours ago.
Suddenly, Walker spoke again. "Why didn't you stay? Why didn't you stay with her? Why didn't you marry her and have a bunch of kids?"
"I have tried to rectify some of my mistakes and we are friends again, the best of friends," Jean-Luc said, choosing to ignore the quick-fired questions from his friend.
"That's not what I asked."
Commander Riker's voice floated through the captain's quarters, "Bridge to Picard."
"Yes, Number One?" asked Jean-Luc, who would be eternally grateful to Will Riker for coming to his rescue.
"We are receiving a sub space communication from The Breeantic."
"Patch is through to my quarters."
"Of course, Sir, doing so now. Riker out."
"I'll leave you to it then," said Walker, getting up and making his way towards the door. "I'm staying on the starbase for a few more days. I'm open to seeing you again."
"I'll contact you," answered Picard. "It was nice to see you, despite some of your subject matter."
"If Beverly can forgive you," he said seriously, "I can. See you soon, my friend."
"Goodbye, Walker," Picard replied as his friend stepped out in the corridor and the doors hissed shut.
Jean-Luc fell back into his chair and groaned. That had been harder than he'd ever imagined. Walker's final questions were still going through his head, and if he were to be honest with himself, he didn't have the answers, he never had. Then his console beeped, reminding him of the reason why Walker had left his quarters, and he turned his attention to the incoming message from The Breenatic.
...to be continued...