Part 3
Heart palpitating wildly against her chest, Beverly sweats, anxious as she fidgets in her chair at the large casual restaurant on the station upon seeing a server lead Picard to her table at the back of the room.
Studying Beverly cautiously, Picard nods his appreciation to the server and walks over to Beverly, taking the seat at the small table opposite her.
"What can I get you to drink, sir?" the Andorian server inquires of Picard.
"Oh, uh…I'm fine, thank you," responds Picard dismissively, his eyes glued on Beverly.
Nodding, the server backs away, leaving the couple in awkward silence.
Appraising Beverly in her standard cadet uniform, Jean-Luc's eyes narrow. "What's wrong? What are you doing here?"
Bracing herself for the conversation she had been dreading, Beverly strings her hands together over the table. "I came to surprise Jack."
Skeptical, Jean-Luc furrows his brows. "What do you mean?" He had received a private message from Beverly not five minutes prior demanding his immediate presence at the station's restaurant, stating that she needed to see him urgently. Picard had been entirely alarmed, worried that something was wrong. Picard hadn't seen Beverly in six weeks since he had left Earth, and the two had hardly spoken in the interim. Picard had attempted to call her multiple times, but Beverly hadn't been overly chatty. She had told him that she needed some space to work through what had happened, and asked that he give her some time to reflect. Disgruntled, Picard had reluctantly obliged,unable to do anything else. So, a few minutes prior when Beverly had contacted him out of the blue to ask that she meet him at the restaurant on the station where the Stargazer is docked for a week undergoing maintenance, Picard had been shocked and quite concerned.
"I hitched a shuttle to come surprise Jack with a visit while you're docked," explains Beverly, her voice shaking as she attempts to meet Picard's eyes. "I…uh…I needed to talk with you first, before I go find Jack."
"You're ready to talk?" Leaning in, Picard drowns out the voices of the other patrons, focusing on Beverly. He's displeased to see dark lines under her eyes, and reaches for her trembling hand. "Have you thought about us?"
Retracting her hand, Beverly winces. "No, Jean-Luc. There's no 'us'."
Face falling, Jean-Luc appraises her face. "What?"
Finally meeting his gaze, Beverly's eyes well with hot tears. "I'm pregnant."
Jaw dropping, Picard gapes at her, dumbfounded.
Inhaling a shaky breath, Beverly withholds a sob. "I just wanted you to hear it from me first, and not Jack."
Lips set in a line, Picard tingles, so many emotions competing for expression. "It's mine?"
"Jean-Luc…" pleads Beverly, hanging her head.
Eyes flashing, Picard grows angry. "It's mine?"
Hot tears cascading down her cheeks, Beverly looks up to meet Jean-Luc's piercing gaze. "Yes."
Slamming his fist on the table, Picard averts his eyes, cursing. "Merde, Beverly."
Beverly jumps as patrons seated at the table beside them pause in their conversation to afford them a curious glance.
Palming his face, Picard sighs deeply. "I'm sorry."
"Please, Jean-Luc," whispers Beverly, leaning over the table. "You must keep your voice down."
Inhaling sharply, Picard studies her carefully. "You're ashamed of what we did, so you reckon you'll pass this baby off as Jack's and no one will be the wiser?"
Sniffling, Beverly shakes her head. "Look, I'm sorry, Jean-Luc. I…I care about you more than anything, but…"
"You do?" questions Picard, raising an eyebrow. "If you care, why won't you be honest?"
Swallowing the hard lump in her throat, Beverly swipes at the tear tracks on her cheek. "We can't carry on, Jean-Luc. I'm…I'm not just a student figuring out where my career is taking me. I'm going to be a mother now. My child needs the best life possible."
"And, you think that's with Jack?" surmises Picard, folding his arms crossly over his chest.
Swallowing a sob, Beverly gazes at him helplessly. "I'm sorry, Jean-Luc. But, I'm married!"
Taking in a long breath, Picard shakes his head. He leans in and grabs Beverly's hand on top of the table. "To hell with Jack. To hell with your marriage. Come with me. I want you, and I want this baby."
Her resolve crumbling, Beverly sobs, bowing her head.
The Andorian server reappears, looking at Beverly in concern. "Miss, can I get you anything?"
Quieting, Beverly regards the server grimly. "Yeah. A time machine."
Puzzled, the server looks to Picard.
Standing out of her chair, Beverly collects her travel case from the floor beside her chair, attempting to compose herself. "I have to go."
"Beverly," protests Picard, standing up to follow her as she begins to meander through the restaurant.
Picard chases her out the door and into the promenade, where he catches up and grabs her elbow. "Beverly, please."
Whipping around, Beverly grimaces. "Please, Jean-Luc. I know this isn't easy, but I think it's right. We were wrong. I need to make this right now."
Thoroughly riled, Picard shakes his head, running his hand up her arm. "No. We could be together. I'll make it work. I promise. We can tell Jack together."
Tears stinging in the back of her eyes, Beverly frowns ruefully. "No, Jean-Luc. I'm going to go…going to…going to surprise him with the good news."
Letting out a frustrated growl, Picard nearly cries as Beverly retracts her arm, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Dammit, Beverly…"
Laying her hand on his cheek, Beverly leans in to place a fleeting kiss to his lips, crushing his spirit and dreams. "Goodbye, Jean-Luc."
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"Well, I need to finish school first. Then get an internship." Beverly lays curled up in Jack's arms on the sofa in Jack's tiny quarters aboard the Stargazer. She had delivered the good news, and Jack had been over the moon, not only to see her, but to learn that he was going to be a father.
"We'll figure it all out," Jack assures her, brushing Beverly's hair away from her shoulders as she lays with her back against his chest. "It won't be long before there will be a whole line of ships where families can serve together. We can get posted together."
"Yeah, maybe," replies Beverly forlornly.
Kissing her hair, Jack lays a hand on her midsection. "Why aren't you excited, babe?"
Forcing a smile, Beverly rotates, splaying her hand on Jack's chest. "I'm sorry. I am. I guess I'm just a little tired. Long journey."
"That's okay." Jack kisses her cheek. "How about we go to bed? We've got a lot of catching up to do, and celebrating."
Closing her eyes, Beverly stifles a sigh. She had made her bed. Now it's time to lie in it.
PAGE BREAK
"I'm sorry I'm late." beams Jack, clapping Picard's back as he walks up behind him in the engine room.
Startled, Picard nearly jumps over the console he had been inspecting. "That's alright."
"Was up late last night. Ya know, catching up with Beverly," teases Jack, playfully nudging Picard with his elbow as he punches in a command code on the console next to Picard.
Face set in a tight line, Picard returns his attention to the monitor.
"And celebrating," Jack continues, pulling up the latest diagnostics on the display panel. "Guess what? We're having a baby! I'm going to be a dad!"
Face falling, Picard feels a chill reverberate down his spine,. Of course he had been prepared. He had not been able to stop thinking about it since Beverly had told him yesterday. But, to hear Jack say it aloud makes Beverly unilateral decision all the more real.
Looking at his best friend curiously, Jack abandons his inspection of the latest updates. "Jean-Luc?"
Mustering all his strength, Picard forces a smile, only hoping it looks genuine. "Congratulations. That's wonderful."
Satisfied, Jack grins. "Thanks. I'm a little surprised, but I'm excited.
"Congratulations." Picard swallows the hard lump in his throat threatening to rob his speech. "I'm certain…certain you will make a terrific father."
Beaming, Jack nods. "Thanks, man. Now, let's see where we're at this morning."
Picard can hardly concentrate on Jack's work. All he can he feel is the sharp, hot pain in his chest where Beverly's knife had struck him deep. This isn't right. This is his child. He should be celebrating with Beverly. He should be showing off. Jean-Luc has never been so broken in his life.