Enjoy this ultra long chapter! -Becca

"But," I cut in. "How is Data going to help us?"

Wesley shrugs, "I don't know, Mom. But maybe he can help us figure out what is going on, who these people are, who's working for them… I don't know. But we can't just hide out in Hope's house forever!"

Jean Luc continues for him, "We have to somehow expose this operation and we can't do it alone." He grabs my hand, "Data can help and maybe other previous members of our crew. Maybe they, too, know something that we don't…"

I nod, "Alri-"

"Wesley," Hope reenters the room. "Let me see that arm."

Bringing towels and warm water, Hope kneels in front of the couch and gently washes the bloody and the scant cuts. "Owch, Hope!"

She swats him on the leg, "Stop it, Wes. Don't be such a baby, it's just disinfectant. Now, would you care to explain to me how you three fugitives made a break for it?"

I don't even know the answer to that question; I've been wanting to ask it myself practically since we escaped. I look to my left, "Jean Luc?"

"Well," he begins. "As you know," he gestures to Hope. "We left Yakima in a bit of a hurry. Right after we spoke with you, we got a call from Wesley."

Wesley picks up, "Savet and Vera, the two people who were holding me-"

"Wait, wait, wait a minute!" Hope puts looks up from the dermal regenerator. "Start at the beginning, Wes. What made you leave Yakima and the kids in such a hurry?"

He tries to sit back, but Hope pulls him back to finish her treatment. "Well, for a little over a year now, this Vulcan named Savet has been contacting me, trying to entice me with offers to come and work at the Daystrom Institute, a presti-"

"I know what the Daystrom Institute is – keep going," she smiles.

"Well they've been wanting me to come work with them. They said they were interested in the work that I'd been doing with Dr. Gerhardt and that they felt that my talents could be better put to use if I were there." He sighs and looks to his right, directing his gaze at the two of us. "But I didn't want to leave my parents. I'm happy here in Yakima and for the first time, I have a real family." He blushes, "I know eventually that I'll have to move out – I can't live with you two forever. And," He redirects his gaze to Hope, "I really liked working with Dr. Gerhardt at the University. I liked spending time with Jean Luc, helping him with papers and grading. I'm just really content here, so I kept turning them down…"

His voice takes on a more melancholy tone. "Then, a few weeks ago, Ron Gerhardt said that he had to leave. It was so sudden. He dropped everything and said that he was going to take some time with his family and then the next day he was gone. I tried to think nothing of it, but it was so suspicious. When we," he gestures to us, "were in France, I sort of forgot all about it. I just assumed that Ron would be there when I got back and everything would be back to normal. But…" He sighs again and lets silence penetrate. "When we got back, you two left for Caldos. The first day that you were gone, everything was normal." He smiles at the memory, "I took Saoirse and Aaron into town, we got Saoirse's favourite ice cream at Swirly's, bought a few things for dinner, and then we came home… nothing out of the ordinary; it was just a really nice day. But then the next morning I woke up to the sound of my communicator. I answered, and it was Savet. He said that he had Ron and that he was going to kill him if I didn't come. He then said that after he killed Ron he was going to come for me and take Aaron and Saoirse…"

I reach over Jean Luc to put my hand on Wes' arm, "Oh Wes, I'm so, sorry. You should never have been put in that situation."

He looks to me with a tiny smile, "Well, so I thought of Saoirse and Aaron – who I would leave them with, and I just immediately thought of Hope. So, I put them in the car and drove over here," He looks again at Hope. "Thanks, Hope, for taking them. I know that I must have scared you, but I was terrified myself. I had no idea what was going on and all I could think of was getting to Ron."

Hope looks at him and tousles his hair before leaning up to plant a kiss on his sallow cheek, "I'd do anything for your guys, Wesley. You just scared me. But, I'm so happy you're safe." She gently rubs his healed arm. "All set."

He slightly bows his head in return, "thank you."

Hope settles herself in the chair opposite the couch. "Well, go on…"

"Well, then I transported to San Francisco and made my way to the Daystrom Institute. I had never been there before, so I got a taxi. Umm," He starts to fumble. "Then I just sort of walked in the front door."

Jean Luc laughs, "Just like we did."

Wes smiles back, but then the seriousness in his countenance resumes. "Well, uh, then Savet met me at the door. We were all alone. At first, he was nice... welcoming, even. But then things started to change. He wanted to know things about my research. Of course, I was happy to explain what I could. But, then he put me in a room and said he wanted to test my 'other abilities'. At first, I had no idea what he was talking about… but then," he snaps his fingers. "I knew he was talking about when I was 15 and I manipulated the warp field on the Enterprise. But, at first I had no idea what he was talking about…"

"But Wes," Jean Luc puts his hand on his newly healed arm. "You have demonstrated some remarkable abilities. Maybe not to that degree, but the things I've seen have far superseded normal human abilities."

Wesley shrugs his shoulders, "I guess, but I never thought it was anything exceptional and beyond that experience with the Traveler and one brief experience on Dorvan V, nothing supernatural, so to speak, has happened to me."

"Maybe you just haven't been trying." I reckon. "With the Traveler, you had been encouraged and guided."

He again shrugs, "Really I don't know. But Savet, he was convinced that I had some superhuman abilities. And, in the dark room he must have gotten what he wanted. I heard him talking to someone outside the doors. He said he wanted to know the 'why'. He was hell-bent on it. There were some other things that he said, but I can't remember. And then, after that, I just remember someone grabbing me from behind and shoving a needle into my arm." He looks up and scans our faces. "Then, once they had drugged me, a whole new world was open to me. I could manipulate graphs and charts and small phenomena with my mind. But, I was in pain. I could feel them still digging in my arm, talking in hushed voices, laughing. I heard Jack's voice; he was angry, but fascinated – manic, even. He directed the whole thing…"

"I'm so sorry, Wesley." Jean Luc bows his head and moves a little closer on the couch. "That's not the way that you should remember your father…"

"No," I shake my head, my cheeks burning in anger at Jack's betrayal. "I'm sorry, Wesley."

I see him smile at the both of us as he reaches to take my hand. "You guys have nothing to be sorry for. I love both of you and none of what happened is your fault." He looks at Jean Luc, "You've been a wonderful father to me. And, whatever happened with Jack Crusher, well, I'm just glad that I've had you. So, thank you."

Moisture coats Jean Luc's cheeks and I reach up and gently wipe it away. "I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you, Wesley. That's all I ever wanted to do."

Wesley nods, "I know. But… it is what it is. Anyhow, the next thing I remember is waking up with the two of you." He laughs, "I think I passed out after being in the dark room. Whatever they gave me made me so tired!"

What can you do other than laugh? To really analyse the morbidity of what happened would be too traumatic. I laugh with him, "It certainly did. I think I could have slept for days if the EMH hadn't woken me up!"

Jean Luc draws me close to him, "I'm sorry that happened to you, Beverly." He kisses my hair. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you as well."

I pull back from him and smile, "You did. You saved me, Jean Luc. You saved me," I repeat with emphasis as I cradle his face and draw him near.

Hope chimes in, "So? How did you make an escape? I'm assuming based on your charges that Vera, Savet, and Jack didn't make it out alive?"

Jean Luc shakes his head, "No." He takes a breath before continuing the saga. "So, eh, we made it to the Daystrom Institute and there we were greeted by Savet. He had been expecting us, he said." He looks to his left with question.

"They made me call you." Wesley confesses. "I don't remember it, but I'm assuming that since you came I was coherent enough, even in a drugged state to speak cogently…"

"Well," He resumes. "We were met by Savet who led us into the room where they were holding Wes. He was unconscious and Beverly and I could immediately tell that he had been drugged. We got him to wake up and then Vera came in a took Beverly."

"So," I cut in, this question irking: "How were you two able to get the phaser and get out of the room?"

"Seven and the EMH," Wes responds. "I don't know how they did it, but they rushed in, amid the caucophony, and basically rescued us. From then on it was a firefight."

"Vera came after us in the corridor and before she could fire, I shot her. We approached the door to the room where you were being held and Savet came to intercept us. There was a bit of a firefight, but he fell too. And then, well – you know the rest…. We transported to County, decided against it, and then ended up at 'Mercy. Then while we were being treated the young physician that was attending to us told us that we were all over FedNews, and wanted for murder."

Hope loves a good story. "Then what happened?!"

"Then she took pity on us and," Jean Luc chuckles. "She gave us her car and told us to 'return it whenever'."

"Wow. The fates are certainly looking out for you guys! So, what are you going to do now? You can't hide out here for the rest of your lives!"

Wesley looks to the other room, "That why we need to use your console. We need to contact an old friend. He might be able to help us."

"How?" She asks.

"Well," Wesley smiles at us. "I have a few ideas."

So what do you guys think? Who's behind all of this? Will Data help? Will the rest of the Enterprise crew? Let me know!