Title:A Beat In My Heart

Author's note: I am desperately trying to work on my ER & Sliders story but I can't get this story out of my brain so I have to finish it in the next two days so I can move on. So bonus...another chapter...Yay. Please review, I live for feedback!

Chapter 6 - Fantasies Fulfilled
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Beverly Crusher nibbled on a gathering of grapes in her hand to squelch the dizziness that overwhelmed her. She'd missed more than a few meals over the last few days. She was on her way back from sick bay with more of Wesley's test results. Her brow furrowed in deep thought as even more bad news stared back at her. New symptoms. Every measure of progress she made felt like one step forward and two backwards.

Wesley had only managed to intake fluids and nourishment intravenously and she'd seen no trace of her son in days. As she stopped in the corridor and stared into nothingness she realized she was feeling a loss she hadn't yet suffered. She was snatched from her musings by a soft grip on her elbow and the sound of her name.

"...Beverly!" she called for the third time. Dr. Crusher turned to face Counselor Troi.

"Beverly, you look exhausted..."

"Oh...hi...Deanna Thanks...I'm okay..."

"How is Wesley?"

"I have him in our quarters. This virus is just been so rough on him. Well, you know about all of his sleepwalking. He's hallucinating, and no amount of antipyretics seems to bring his fever down. I've sedated him but he just doesn't sleep. He can't talk, horrible nightmares keep him awake, anything he eats or drinks comes right back up. Poor thing, he's miserable." She bit at her lip nervously as she spoke still staring at the PADD in her hands. Counselor Troi pulled the PADD from her grasp and stared at her shocked face.

"I've had the virus, I'll come and sit with him, while you get a bit of rest. You can't be of much use to him if you go on this way."

"Deanna..." She pulled the PADD back into hr hand and clutched it to her bosom.

"Beverly." she grasped her hand. " I insist. I'm off duty for a day or two...please let me help. You are my friend and so is Wes, besides you took care of me, let me return the favor."

As Deanna entered the quarters she was astonished to find the living area untouched, not a glass out of place and if there was any indication from Beverly's thin face, she'd spent all her time taking care of her son, and non attending to her own needs.

"Deanna, I can't..."

"You know...I can have you sedated and order you to Beverly."

"I'm not on duty...and you wouldn't dare...not when Wes' life is at stake." she said a bit more forcefully than she meant to.

"Beverly, please...just a few hours...catch your breath...I'm not taking no for an answer, and I'm not leaving." Deana sat on a chair and crossed her legs.

"Now, I can sense that he can hear us...so I suggest you stop arguing with me, because you know that I am right."
Beverly let out an exasperated sigh. She couldn't believe she was about to say the words forming on her lips. "I just gave him a alcohol bath and changed the sheets, I couldn't rouse him to drink, so if you can..."

"Beverly, just go to my quarters, eat, rest, help yourself to anything, and please take a sedative to sleep. I promise you if anything happens I'll come get you...I will take care of him as if he were my own."

Beverly was about to interrupt but as tears sprang to her eyes but did not fall, she could only whisper "Thanks."

She took a few things, quickly kissed her resting son on the top of his head, and left the quarters.

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Beverly emerged from the sonic shower cleaned and refreshed, but her soul still ached for her son, and therefore she still felt pain. While drrying her auburn tresses she heard a chime at the door. For a moment she faltered, she didn't want to see anyone, and no one but Troi knew she was here...unless something happened. Her heart began to pound in her chest. She tied her pink robe tightly and found her voice.

"Come in..."

When the door slid open, the apprehension fell from her face as a set of warm hazel eyes greeted her. Surprise formed a brief smile on her lips as the visitor walked in as the door closed and locked behind him.

"Jean Luc? How did you know I was here?"

"Counselor Troi told me she finally convinced you to let her stay with Wesley. She mentioned that you may need someone to talk to."

"The jury is still out on that idea..."

"Besides, she wanted to make sure you got some rest .

So she sent you ? she smiled incredulously.

"My intentions are purely noble madam." his hand flew to his chest as though wounded by her accusation.

"Beverly I m worried about, you; we all are." He reached out and grabbed both of her hands.

She looked up at him with her eyes big and full as a pool of tears began to form. Jean Luc pulled her in to his chest...

"Shhhh...it s okay." He held her for a few moments rubbing a warm hand in circles on her back. Once her sobs had subsided some, he sat her down on the sofa. Picard walked towards the replicator to create the tea that Counselor Troi had concocted especially for her .

"Chamomile tea # 28. 35 degrees Celsius, Earl Grey tea hot." He sat down beside her placing the warm tea in her hands.

She drank a few sips and snuggled back into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her stroking the hair behind her ear.

"You look exhausted my dear...please close your eyes.

"Jean Luc...he...he's..."

"Sweetheart, I'm worried about Wesley too. I'd be lying to you if I didn't tell you that I haven't had a few sleepless nights since this nightmare with his health began." He paused to look into her eyes as he wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. "But I know he'll be okay, and as soon as you can get some rest...I think you'll see that yourself..." he kissed her forehead.

She laid her head on his chest entranced by his warmth. "I can't lose him..."she whispered. Jean Luc held her tightly in his arms inhaling her scent. He hoped the doctored tea would force her to rest. It was hard seeing her like this. Truth be told, after seeing Wesley mere minutes before his arrival, he too was worried that they would lose the young man he'd come to revere as his son.

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Deanna could sense Wesley instantly. He was in utter distress. She could feel his pain and misery and her heart felt for him. As she actually laid eyes on him she thought she might cry. He was lying on his stomach in the middle of Beverly's bed, his head turned towards her, his eyes open. They were glassy and rimmed red from nights of missed sleep. He wasn't looking at her as he was racked with deep wet coughs. He was tangled in his sheets and had multiple fluids running in and out of his body. She placed a gentle hand at the back of his head.

"Hello Wesley..."
His eyes glanced in her direction briefly a small spark of recognition registered before they darted back to the blank space on the wall he'd been staring at.

"Wes, you need to drink something for me. I know you feel awful and you're not in the mood to talk but if you just think it you can tell me what s wrong so I can at least help you or tell your mother."

Wesley could hear her and tried to formulate the thoughts in his mind to tell her that his throat was raw, his lungs and chest were on fire and his head and neck ached terribly. Every part of his body ached. The lights hurt his eyes and if she was an angel of mercy she should just kill him now.

Troi smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "If you promise to try a few sips of my special soup, I have something that will make you feel better."

Wesley had been in love with Counselor Troi since the first day he laid eyes on her, there was nothing in the universe he wouldn't do for her. With her empathic abilities he knew she had to have known those feelings by now but she never made him feel bad if she did.

She went to the replicator and made two separate things. She pulled Wesley up against her and cradled him against her chest holding the mug to his trembling frame. After a few sips the shaking subsided and she could hear the fluid going into his very empty stomach. He drank a few more sips and couldn't stand anymore.

"Good job Wes...now, I've got a surprise for you..." she whispered in his ear as he lay back on his stomach spent from the effort of just sitting up.

Wesley prayed it was a phaser blast to his skull but he didn't think Counselor Troi was capable of murder.

Suddenly a new scent wafted into his nose. It smelled like warm mint. It was a complete surprise when Deanna straddled him and began kneading the heated oil into his shoulders. After a few moments of her warm hands tenderizing his skin he couldn't help the low rolling moan that escaped his lips.

Deanna smiled knowingly as she relieved the tension in his neck and massaged his head as she noticed his eyes growing heavy, the scent of eucalyptus mint and lavender calming his senses to sleep. She continued to massage his back until his deep wet cough eased and he rested easier and then moved to his aching arms, thighs, and legs. Turning him on his side, she rubbed a final thin coating across his chest and abdomen. When she heard a soft congested snore she knew he was asleep. Deanna smiled and tenderly kissed his cheek.

"Sweet dreams..."
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3 hours later

Dr Hill came in and Deanna excused herself as the doctor administered more medications to Wesley.

"Did he have any more nightmares?"

"Nightmares? No...he's been sleeping soundly. His cough is pretty awful, but I used some mint oil on his back and chest and it seemed to soothe him."

"Nothing like a little old fashioned medicine sometimes. Thank you for volunteering. We have begged Dr. Crusher for three days to bring him to sickbay so she could get some rest but she refused. He just seems to keep getting worse; I just pray that he turns the corner soon."

She ran the tricorder over him storing the readings for Dr. Crusher and noting his temperature was still close to 39C (102.5F) despite the medicines he'd been given.

"Wes is like a little brother to me...I can't stand to see him suffer like this."

She covered him with a sheet, dimmed the lights and left him to sleep. Deanna continued to read patient notes from a PADD in a nearby chair.

"I'll be back a little later to check on him." Deanna nodded. She tucked a blanket around her as she looked over at Wes. He was still sleeping soundly, dark lashes lay on pale cheek bones, his ribs peering against taut skin on his back. She closed her tired eyes just for a few minutes, a few minutes and she would check on Wesley again.

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Will Beverly find the cure in time to save her son...? Will Jean Luc be there to pick up the pieces if she can't? Well...this is a tragedy...: ) Want more then please review!