All or Nothing, a startrek: the next generation fanfic

Title: All or Nothing/At the Beginning Author: Nicole Capps cappsn Status: NEW 1/1 Series: TNG Coding: P/C, G

Archiving: Yes, please, if it is worth it, but let me know where.

Summary: This is in response to zoinky's P/C Valentine's Day Challenge for a sweet, old fashion love story based on a pre-1970 song. I took some liberates on the challenge, the music is all 90's, because I do believe today's music has soul. And this is my follow up to the movie. Details on the songs are at the end.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek, Atlantic Recording Corp. (Donna Lewis and Richard Marx) owns 'At the Beginning', Warner Music UK (Cher) owns 'All or Nothing'. I am just playing with the best of them all for the fun of it. Nothing more!

All or Nothing/At the Beginning

By Nicole Capps

January 1999

Captain Jean-Luc Picard was not happy. No matter how he looked at the situation he hated it, fought it, argued it, ignored it, and in general despised the entire thing. The senior staff knew it and had tried to ease the situation for him and it had not helped.

Why should he feel better, he thought, when he, the captain of the Enterprise-E, the flagship of the Federation, had to stoop to hauling entertainers around the galaxy? Deanna Troi had given him an excellent reason to not hate this mission. For six months, the Enterprise had gone from one mission to the next without a break and for the first time in those six months the crew was excited. The band had volunteered to perform three times while on board in return for helping them. The news had swept through the ship and the crew was clamoring to see one, if not all of the shows. It did not change his mind and his mood was getting worse.

The first concert had started, filling the holodeck with noise Picard laughed at when it dawned on him people called it music. He contented himself with studying the holodeck program and the crowd reactions. The holodeck was the only space large enough to hold the event and Troi had programed the room to look like a large bar on Risa, including the usual scantily-clad wait staff.

The senior staff had claimed one of the back corner risers where two love seats and a couple comfortable chairs circled a low table. The six members, five right at the moment because Beverly Crusher had not come in yet, could see the band and the crowd without standing and were isolated enough to talk among themselves.

Mid way through the song, the holodeck doors opened to allow in a couple of late arrivals, including Crusher, who looked around the room for the senior staff before easing through the crowd. For the first time that day, Picard felt his spirits rise. Will Riker and Deanna had claimed the love seat facing the band, while Data and Geordi La Forge had taken the chairs on either side. That left Picard sitting in the other love seat with his back to the stage, which was fine with him, and only one place for Beverly to sit - next to him.

She is going to hate this music as much as I do, Picard thought, which means we can enjoy each other's company while we ignore it. He watched her walk onto the riser, enjoying the view of her in a short civilian skirt and body-hugging blouse. Her hair was lose and eyes bright as she said hello and sat down next to him.

"What did I miss," she asked, leaning into him to be heard.

"Nothing. This is the first song, if you can call this music."

"Well, it's not Bach, but it can be fun if you let yourself get into it," she said smiling, before turning to look at the band. "Oh . . . my!"

"What?"

"It's Danny."

"Who the hell is Danny," Picard said, twisting around to follow Beverly's look of shock. She was staring at the lead singer of the band, who at the moment was pounding on his guitar and suggestively thrusting his hips to the beat of the music. About 6-feet tall, the singer was lean and strong, with clean features and jet black hair cut at his shoulders. Jean-Luc hated the situation even more.

"What is wrong with you two," Deanna said, directly behind Beverly and Jean-Luc.

"It's Danny. He was at the Academy my first year. He quit to start a band and I lost track of him several years later. I had no idea this was his band," Beverly gushed, exchanging smiles with Deanna, before turning back to the stage.

"You were good friends?"

"The best. I can't believe it's him. Just wait, I still owe him for the last practical joke he pulled on me."

Picard watched Beverly became enthralled with the singer. No, he did not like this situation, would not like the situation, would not get over this situation, and refused to enjoy the situation.

During the band's break, Danny hopped off the stage, stopping a ensign to ask a question. Picard saw the young man point toward the riser the senior officers sat on before the band leader moved toward them. Great, now I have actually talk to him, he thought.

Beverly had turned back around on the couch to talk to Deanna about going to meet the singer and apparently, the singer didn't know who she was because he stepped on the riser asking for Picard.

"I'm Captain Picard. Welcome to the Enterprise," Jean-Luc managed with no sign of his feelings.

"I wanted to personally thank you, sir, for letting us hitch a ride. I know this is not normal procedure and I promise you, we will do everything possible to not affect the ship's normal routine."

Beverly, who had turned to look at Danny in surprise, recovered to jump into the conversation with a vengeance. "Yeah, you staying out of our way will be like you staying out of Professor Curt's way too. Sooner or later, all hell will break loose," she said, smiling at her old friend.

"Beverly Howard. I don't believe it," he said, pulling her up and into a bear hug.

"You think I wasn't shocked to look up on stage and see you singing. How many times have I told you to stick to playing and leave the singing to talented people?"

"But then I've only found one person with a better voice then me and she refused to leave med school. Had this stupid dream of becoming a chief medical officer."

"And that is exactly what I did, thank you."

Deanna broke in, "Beverly sings? Now this I have got to see."

Beverly quickly made introductions before pulling Danny down on the arm of the couch, while she landed close to Jean-Luc. He hid a grimace at her nearness, but didn't consider leaving for fear of what Beverly would do next with her good friend.

Danny started telling stories of Beverly before she had met Walker Keel, Jack Crusher, and Jean-Luc Picard. He wove tales portraying Beverly as a goddess with a voice to match while she protested the quality of her voice.

Jean-Luc felt a spear of jealousy cut through him. The crew believed him in love with Anij of the Ba'ku. In reality, she was a substitute for Beverly and a place to hide in times like this. Fine, he thought, let her flirt with the singer, he would not be around long and Beverly would be left with nothing but Jean-Luc's comfort.

In the end, Deanna, Will, Geordi, and Data teased and dared Beverly about singing until she agreed to take the stage, but not before she whispered to Picard, "You could help you know." His express at the comment, as well as through the conversation, was of utter disinterest, while his eyes were cold.

"I know you can sing, Beverly, and it will be the best music we hear all night," he said with no expression in his tone.

Drawing back from his coldness, she made her decision. "Fine. Be that way, Jean-Luc, but pay close attention to the words. The message if for you."

On the way to the stage, Beverly resolved to make a point to her captain and friend. She knew he was thinking of Anij. Fine, let him, she thought, I'll put on a show he will never forget and let's see if Anij can keep up.

As the piano started a fast rock rhythm, Picard turned in his seat to gaze at the stage, where Bevelry stood, her hips swaying naturally to the beat as Danny stepped up to the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, a little something special. I just found out a former lead singer of mine is your chief medical officer. I feel it is only appropriate that she sings at least one song for us. Put your hands together for Beverly Howard Crusher!" The other members of the band joined in with a heavy beat while the crowd screamed.

She could not see the senior officers from the stage because of the bright spotlights, but she could feel Jean-Luc's eyes on her. She had shocked Danny when she requested this particular song because it was not her usual style, having performed jazz and blues numbers all those years ago at the Academy. The old rock song was faster in tempo, featuring a tell of love and issuing an ultimatum to a lover. When he had questioned her about it, she had told him she was proving a point.

"I've been standing out in the rain

I've been calling your name

Got that lonely feeling again

Calling out your name

Do you hear me? Do you want me?

(Chorus)

Baby, it's all or nothing now

I don't want to run

And I can't walk out

You're breaking my heart

If you leave me now

Don't wanna wait forever

Who do you think you're fooling

Baby it's all or nothing

Baby it's all or nothing now."

Jean-Luc couldn't believe his ears. Was she still waiting on him? By the gods, why couldn't she be the one to make a move instead of him? He watched her move to the music as the spotlights flashed, highlighting her moves and beauty, drawing all attention to her and away from the other band members.

"I've been trying to get to your heart

But I'm chasing shadows

We keep falling further apart

So near and you're so far

Do you care now? Do you know how?"

Of course he cared, Jean-Luc thought, how dare she think he didn't. He had cared for 25 years.

"Baby it's all or nothing now

I don't want to run and I can't walk out

Breaking my heart if you leave me now

Don't want to wait forever

Who do you think you're fooling

Baby it's all or nothing

Baby it's all or nothing now"

Her voice suddenly fell to a whisper as all but one spotlight blinked off capturing Beverly, making the words sound even more intimate and passionate. Jean-Luc looked around him to see everyone entranced by her voice and body, but he was the only one that truly understood the words.

"Sometimes when you touch me

I just can't help myself

Desire makes me weak

Do you care now? Do you know how?"

She fell back into the chorus twice more before the music ended and the crowd went wild. Jean-Luc knew she had made the next move and he had a choice of hiding behind Anij or taking what was being offered. Merde, how could he have been so stupid to think Danny meant anything. Suddenly, the mission wasn't so useless, he thought.

###

Later that night, after the concert was over and the crowd had left, the senior staff and the band were still in the holodeck enjoying a private jam session and talking. Jean-Luc had made his decision, but had taken his time in deciding how to make it clear. Now, with no one around but his closest friends and the musicians, he knew what he wanted most.

"I have a request."

Danny smiled at the older man that Beverly sat next to, "What's that, sir?"

"I want Beverly to sing again."

Beverly laughed along with the other crew members, a bit amazed that Jean-Luc had warmed up to the band members enough to stay with them after the concert. "Why? Did you sleep through the first song?"

"No. Heard ever word." His meaning was clear to Beverly as he looked directly into her eyes, her face relaxing into a more natural smile and her hands unclenching. "But I pick the song this time."

"Sure thing, Captain," Danny said, ignoring the tension between the two. "What song?"

"He doesn't know any rock songs, Danny," Beverly said, a bit frightened at what he was planning..

"Now, there you are wrong. Keep in mind, Jack and Walker were my best friends and they loved rock music."

Beverly laughed at his words. "Fine. Pick."

"At the Beginning."

"Okay. Danny?"

The musician nodded and the band members moved into place along with Riker and Data who decided to join in on the song. Beverly stood to join them on stage, but paused looking at Jean-Luc.

"I also have a condition."

"Which is?"

"You sing with me, after all, it is a duet," she said, holding her hand out to him.

Everyone in the room froze, the crew knowing the song would not happen if that was the condition, but to their surprise, their captain took Beverly's hand and allowed her to lead him on stage. The crew members held their breaths as the band struck up the opening cords of the old Earth song and Beverly started singing.

"We were strangers, starting out on a journey

Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through

Now here we are, I'm suddenly standing

At the beginning with you."

They released their breaths as Jean-Luc's deep voice joined hers, a little weak at first, but quickly strengthening as the song progressed. It was obvious he was uncomfortable, standing perfectly straight and facing the small audience, but he had something to prove to Beverly and to the crew so he sang.

"No one told me, I was going to find you

Unexpected, what you did to my heart

When I lost hope

You were there to remind me

This is the start."

Turning to look at Beverly to join her on time in the chorus, Jean-Luc found her smiling at him. All the discomfort he had felt at the start of the song disappeared in the warmth of her gaze and he knew everything would be okay. He relaxed his body and stance, put more emotion into the song, and enjoyed the chance to match talents with his amazing friend.

(Chorus: Both)

"And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'

Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'

Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turning

I'll be there when the storm is through

In the end I want to be standing

At the beginning with you."

(Beverly) "We were strangers, on a crazy adventure."

(Jean-Luc) "Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true."

(Both) "Now here we stand, unafraid of the future

At the beginning with you."

(Chorus: Both)

"And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'

Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'

Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey

I'll be there when the world stops turning

I'll be there when the storm is through

In the end I want to be standing

At the beginning with you

Knew there was somebody somewhere

I need love in the dark

Now I know my dream will live on

I've been waiting so long

Nothing is going to tear us apart."

As the couple repeated the chorus again, Danny finally understood the tension in the room and Beverly's choice of songs earlier. He was happy to know she had found someone to be happy with, he thought with a grin, even if she had to all but hit him up side the head to get his attention.

(Both) "Life is a road and I wanna keep goin'

Love is a river I wanna keep flowin' on

Starting out on a journey

Life is a road and I wanna keep goin'

Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'

In the end I want to be standing

At the beginning

With you."

###

At 0400 that morning, Jean-Luc and Beverly sat cuddled together on his couch, hidden from their friends finally.

"You surprised me. I never thought you would sing," Beverly said, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

"I never thought I would come this close to losing you because of my own stupidity," Jean-Luc replied, turning on the couch so Beverly lay between him and the back of the couch, with her head cradled on his shoulder. "I knew I had to do something drastic to prove I was listening.'

"Thank you for singing with me," she said smiling. "I enjoyed it."

'Thank you for staying." One of his rare smiles touched his lips. "And don't count on me doing it again."

"That's okay, Deanna recorded it," she said, laughing at his pained expression, loving him even more for his embarrassment. "I love you."

"I love you."

"And Anij?"

"Is a friend, who in no way can compare with you."

They drifted off to sleep on the couch with their duet playing quietly, their arms wrapped around each other, and everything right in their small world.

###