Part 4
"How many times have you done this?" Picard observes Beverly placing tiny sensors on Adele's little form on the biobed in the emergency ward in Sickbay.
Beverly steals a glance at Alyssa Ogawa, who is entering figures onto the overhead monitors. Beverly secures one last sensor on Adele's forehead and wraps the baby's blanket around her body, bare but for a diaper. "This won't take long, Jean-Luc. I promise I'll come get you as soon as we're done."
Swallowing the lump in his throat, Jean-Luc watches Beverly put Adele's pacifier in her mouth. "Thank you, Doctor."
"We're all set. Do you want me to take her to the OR?" Nurse Ogawa asks Beverly, PADD in her hand.
Nodding, Beverly takes a step away from the bed to Jean-Luc. "Perhaps you'd like to go to the holodeck and unwind for a bit? Or, go to your quarters and have something to eat?"
Shaking his head, Picard strings his hands together nervously. "No. I'd prefer to stay here and wait."
Casting a glance to Deanna Troi standing off to the side, Beverly bobs her head. "Alright. Try to relax."
Picard watches Alyssa transfer Adele off of the bio bed and into a mobile infant's basinet. "Beverly….please, be careful."
Squeezing his shoulder, Beverly smiles warmly. "She'll be fine, Jean-Luc. I promise."
Turning to Beverly, Jean-Luc exhales audibly, forcing himself to relax. "Yes."
Troi comes up behind Picard, her face sympathetic. "Why don't we go sit in the lounge, sir? I'll go get some coffee?"
Beverly gestures to Alyssa to proceed and offers Jean-Luc a fleeting smile. "We'll see you soon."
"Good luck, Doctor," calls Picard softly as Beverly follows Alyssa with the baby toward the operating room.
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"She's so frail," remarks Jean-Luc, a hard lump in his throat and hot tears stinging the backs of his eyes.
Laying a hand on his back, Beverly smiles as Jean-Luc stares at Adele sleeping in the tiny basinet in a small private room in Sickbay, now recovering from her heart surgery. "She's going to grow healthy and strong now, Jean-Luc."
Rotating to face her, Jean-Luc gazes at Beverly openly, sighing in relief. "I absolutely cannot thank you enough. You are a life saver."
Brushing him off, Beverly laughs lightly. "Just here to serve, my captain."
Earnest, Jean-Luc gazes into her eyes intently, grasping her arms. "I don't know where I'd be without you."
Caught off guard, Beverly is momentarily stunned by the intensity in his eyes.
They're interrupted by the chirping sound of an alarm on the sensor cluster on the wall behind the basinet, and it startles Beverly to attention.
"What's wrong?" demands Picard, whipping around.
"Nothing, it's alright," Beverly answers, jumping over to the monitor above the bed. "She's just gaining consciousness. She's completely fine."
Taking a steadying breath, Jean-Luc traces Beverly's steps.
"Would you like to hold her?" offers Beverly, trying to calm her own nerves.
Smiling broadly, Jean-Luc bobs his head. "Certainly."
"Have a seat," urges Beverly, pointing to the chair next to the basinet.
Not understanding why he would need to sit down, Picard decides to defer to the doctor and perches in the chair as the doctor carefully picks up the baby amid her sensors and brings her over to him.
Adjusting the blanket around the sensors, Beverly bends and lays Adele in Jean-Luc's arms. "She made out beautifully. She should recover quite quickly."
"Thank you, Beverly," murmurs Jean-Luc, his eyes glued on the pale pink bundle in his arms.
"I need to keep her here tonight to monitor, but we should be able to get her back home soon," Beverly explains, kneeling on the ground beside Picard's chair. She fusses with the baby's blanket, tucking it in neatly.
Jean-Luc slips a hand out from underneath the baby and reaches for Beverly's hand. "Seems we are home."
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Jean-Luc awakens in the dimly-lit, unfamiliar room, blinking groggily. Instantly righting himself, he orients himself, recalling that he had fallen asleep on a cot in the small private room in Sickbay. Taking in his surroundings, he discovers Beverly, still in her uniform and lab coat, leaned back in the chair beside the basinet, feeding Adele a small bottle.
At the sound of his footfalls, Beverly turns to find Jean-Luc walking towards her and smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry. I woke you."
Shaking his head, Jean-Luc keeps his voice low. "Not at all. How's our little patient?"
"Great," whispers Beverly, grinning at the baby nestled in her arms. "I thought I'd see if she'd take a little formula. She's doing well."
"I'm sorry. Seems I fell asleep on the job," jests Picard, leaning over to stroke his daughter's head. Finally last night, after days, Picard had been able to relax, not worrying so much about Adele and the pending surgery. Everything had went as planned. His daughter would recover and be able to live a normal life. And, knowing Beverly was just down the hall in her office, he had been comfortable and finally succumbed to sleep while he had watched over Adele.
Putting him at ease, Beverly laughs good-naturedly. "No. I'm just being a mother hen."
"Well, I'm not protesting. You're a rather marvellous one," remarks Jean-Luc, watching Beverly cradle the baby in her arms and feed her.
Cheeks flushed, Beverly averts her eyes to Adele, running her thumb over the baby's cheek.
"We're very lucky to have you," admits Jean-Luc, kneeling down on the ground.
"She's absolutely wonderful, Jean-Luc," murmurs Beverly, setting the bottle on the chair between her leg and the side of the chair. "Truth be told, I miss this. Wesley's so big now, he hardly needs me for anything. I miss…Well…" Cutting herself short, Beverly smiles self-deprecatingly.
"You could have it again." Jean-Luc puts a hand on her knee, smiling at her warmly. "You're a wonderful mother. Any man would be lucky to have you as the heart and soul of his family."
Surprised by the raw honesty in his tone, Beverly attempts to absorb the weight of his words, his intense, heated stare. "Is that what you want, Jean-Luc?"
"I want you," whispers Jean-Luc hoarsely, moving his hand from her knee to entwine their fingers as their gazes lock.
Briefly glancing down at Adele, Beverly sighs. "This has been a very stressful time for you, taking command of the Enterprise, becoming a new father, Adele's heart trouble. I can understand that I'm familiar, and I'm available and…"
Shaking his head, Jean-Luc reaches a hand up to graze Beverly's cheek. "I don't want you because you're my friend, or because I'm looking for a mother for my child. I don't want you to solve my problems. I want you because I've been madly in love with you for over fifteen years."
Eyes dilating in the dimly-lit room, Beverly's lips part. "Jean-Luc…"
"I know this…" smiling coyly, Jean-Luc bows his head. "This is very forward. I don't expect you to say anything, do anything. I…I just…I guess I finally couldn't keep it in any longer."
Hands trembling, Beverly's heart beats profusely against her chest, her face flush. "Jean-Luc, I…"
Jean-Luc's attention is diverted when Adele begins whimpering, stretching within the blanket.
Frowning, Beverly gently transitions the girl onto her shoulder, rubbing circular patterns on her back.
"What's wrong?" Picard asks in alarm, jumping to his feet.
"She just ate. She needs to burp," explains Beverly simply.
Relief washes over Picard's face. "She's okay?"
"Just have to be careful. She's healing," adds Beverly, gently rubbing the baby's back over her shoulder. "Can you please hand me her pacifier?"
Jean-Luc walks over to the basinet and retrieves the tiny pacifier and gives it to Beverly.
"Thank you," whispers Beverly, placing the pacifier in the baby's mouth.
Adele's eyes flutter closed and she rests her head in the crook between Beverly's shoulder and neck.
Beverly closes her eyes. She could get used to this. She could get very used to this.