AN: Here we are, another piece!

I hope you enjoy! If you do, please do let me know!

111

"Please be careful…" Beverly said.

"We've got it," Will said. "Nice and easy." His tone of voice matched the words he said, and Beverly instinctively realized he was speaking that way to calm her. She also realized that she was worked up—not just because Laris was her patient, but because she'd come to care about her in a way that she hadn't seen coming at all. "Jean-Luc…"

"I've got the board," Jean-Luc said, easing the transport board out from under Laris's body as Will did his best to support the woman and ease her down onto the mattress that was, for the time being, cleared of everything except the fitted sheet. "There—see? Vitals are still registering normal."

"Within acceptable parameters," Beverly corrected. Deanna had carried in the portable monitor, keeping close enough to Will that it would still reach and register Laris's vitals.

"Now—if we can just get you breathing again," Will said, leaning over Laris. "You're still. I'm not moving you anymore. I'm just moving my hands—nice and easy. You can breathe."

Laris did breathe. She laughed, quietly, too. Beverly didn't know how long she'd been holding her breath, but it had been a while. She hadn't complained about the pain that she probably felt from being moved, but she'd accomplished that mostly by closing her eyes, gritting her teeth, and holding her breath as much as possible.

"Thank you," she breathed out, now.

"Don't mention it," Will said, laughing quietly as he stepped away, letting Beverly get near Laris.

"What do you want me to do?" Deanna asked.

"Her vitals are coming back to normal," Beverly said. "Faster recovery than before…that's a good sign. I have to go ahead and heal these bones. Deanna…"

"Whatever you need me to do," Deanna said, as a way of confirming her presence and involvement.

"Jean-Luc…if she crashes…I'll need an extra set of hands."

"We're all here for whatever you need," he confirmed.

Beverly leaned over Laris a moment and smoothed her hair back. She picked up one and then the other of the hyposprays she prepared from the supplies Mirah had sent for her. Laris's face was sweaty. Beverly held her eyes.

"I'm sorry. This is going to hurt."

"I realize," Laris said, laughing quietly.

"This is for pain, and it's safe for the baby. This is going to help you relax. I need you to stay with me, OK? Don't go anywhere…please?"

"Just—take care of my baby. I can handle the rest."

"Your baby will be fine," Beverly said. "Once this is healed, you'll rest so well…and the baby will rest, too. You'll both be fine. Just—try to relax. And stay with me. Keep talking to me, OK?"

Deanna moved to the other side of the bed and, without any instruction, took Laris's good hand in hers. She held it, affectionately, and stroked the inside of Laris's arm in a soothing manner.

"Tell me about your baby," Deanna said.

Beverly noticed Laris relaxing, despite the fact that the work with the osteo-regenerator was unpleasant even when the break wasn't too bad and the person was in a much heartier condition.

"I'm twenty-five weeks," Laris said.

"Tell her how long Romulans gestate," Beverly said.

"Twelve months," Laris said.

"And I thought the ten months for Betazoids was unfair, once I heard that human gestation is only nine," Deanna said, working Laris's hand in hers. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"I don't know," Laris said.

"Do you know which you would prefer?" Deanna asked. The vitals monitor sounded and Beverly backed off her work for a moment. She made eye contact with Deanna. Sometimes, she almost didn't believe that Deanna wasn't at least a touch telepathic, even with non-telepathic beings like herself. Deanna gave her a quick smile and turned back to Laris. She repeated the same question again.

"I don't know…" Laris said, clearly struggling to get it out. "I just want…"

"It's OK," Deanna said softly. "Take your time. Take a breath. I'll breathe with you. Slow and easy."

The vitals monitor stopped its alarm and returned to registering vitals that were much less abnormal than they had been. They eased slowly back into safe parameters. Beverly wondered how many other people in the room weren't breathing regularly—and how many of them, like herself, had somewhat absentmindedly started breathing with Deanna's lead.

"I just want my baby to live," Laris said, sincerely, marking the moment that she clearly felt in control enough to speak. Beverly whispered an apology and returned to her work.

"You're in wonderful hands," Deanna said. "There's nobody that I would trust more with my babies."

"You have children?" Laris asked.

"Not yet," Deanna said. "But—very soon, we hope."

"Do you want a boy or a girl?" Laris asked.

Deanna smiled at her.

"Oh—like you, I wouldn't mind either way, as long as they're healthy. But—as long as we've got some time…which do you think you would prefer? Of course, I know you would be happy, either way."

Laris made a sound. It was the first sound of discomfort and, really, it gave Beverly some idea of the pain tolerance the woman must have—something probably required for survival with her life's experience. Beverly backed off a moment, watching Laris. When she relaxed again, clearly able to handle the pain better, Beverly returned to her work.

"I think…a girl," Laris said.

"Really?" Beverly asked.

Laris instinctively started to turn her head that way, against the way that Beverly had it positioned, but Deanna caught it before she could move it. Placing her fingertips gently on Laris's face, she held her head in the position that Beverly needed it to be in.

"Sorry," Laris apologized.

"Everything is fine," Deanna said softly. "You're almost done. When she's finished…I'm sure we can find an ice cream or…something. Isn't that what humans do?"

"Or lollipops," Beverly said with a laugh. "Would you really like a girl best?"

"I think so," Laris said.

"Well…you're in luck," Beverly said, smiling even as she said it. "And I have something better than a lollipop for you. You told me to tell you when I thought the time was right, and…congratulations, Laris. She's a girl."

Beverly saw Deanna wipe at her eyes, and she knew that she was reacting to the emotions in the room as much as to her own feelings.

"Hey—she's going to be alright," Deanna offered. Her fingers still held Laris's face, so Beverly couldn't really see her expression, but she could imagine that there were likely some tears there—tears more for the baby than for her own pain.

"She is going to be just fine," Beverly said. "She's strong, just like her mother. And her mother is incredibly strong. Jean-Luc—can you hand me that muscular-regenerator?" Beverly thanked him when he placed the tool in her hand. "I need the deep-tissue one, too…that was next to it. That one." She thanked him when he passed her the other, and he moved next to her and looked over her shoulder as though he might offer her some assistance.

"Will she be able to use it?" He asked.

Beverly gave him a look. He backed up a step.

"She'll be able to use it," Beverly said. "It'll be as good as new. I can repair this. It looks worse than it is, really. It will still need to rest in a sling. Laris will need to rest."

"You all need to rest," Deanna said.

"And rest you shall," Jean-Luc said quickly. "You'll stay right where you are. There's plenty of room. There's plenty of everything you need to make a full recovery—with Beverly's care, of course."

Beverly's stomach fluttered.

Only now, as she was seeing the light at the end of this repair, and she was finally feeling like she could breathe as easily as she hoped Laris would, was it finally starting to sink in for Beverly that they were in their safe haven—and their safe haven was Jean-Luc's home.

"Almost finished," Beverly said. "Will—would you replicate a standard adjustable sling? When I'm done here, we'll need some privacy. I'd like a chance to check on the baby."

Everyone seemed more than willing to cooperate as much as possible. When Beverly felt like she had finally done everything she could to heal Laris's broken bones and the damaged shoulder, she asked Will to help her put the sling in place, gently maneuvering Laris who still needed to rest and recover from what she'd undergone.

She was thankful when he treated her as gently as Beverly would have done if she'd been able to move her around as effortlessly as he could.

When they left them alone, Beverly sat for a moment on the side of the bed and simply stroked Laris's face and hair, allowing her fingers to trail gently over her ear.

"When we're done, you'll rest a little. A nap, OK? And when you wake up, you'll take a shower."

"I've never taken a shower. You may have to help me. On Romulus—we're only allowed buckets for bathing."

Beverly made a face at her and Laris laughed, unable to keep her joke going. Beverly laughed and playfully pulled her hair.

"You are…terrible!" Beverly said.

"I'm sorry," Laris said.

"You are not," Beverly countered.

"I'm not," Laris agreed.

Beverly sighed, simply happy that Laris was doing as well as she was, and that she would simply continue to improve—much more rapidly, hopefully, now that the source of significant pain had been removed.

Beverly leaned, before she let herself talk herself out of it, and kissed Laris. Laris returned the kiss, and a smile lingered on her lips when they pulled apart. Her eyes were tired. She was exhausted.

"Let's—get the baby's vitals," Beverly said. "Then, you'll rest a little, and I'll help you take a shower—even though you've taken one before."

"You're going to shower with me?" Laris asked. Beverly hummed and nodded. Laris hummed. "I shall have sweet dreams in anticipation."

Beverly laughed. Her face ran warm, and her body followed suit. Still, she didn't mention her own sense of anticipation to Laris—not yet.

"You're hardly in any condition to do anything," Beverly said.

"But my eyes are quite healthy," Laris offered. "Or—they will be after a nap."

"Good," Beverly said. "Sleep, then."

She started to get up, but Laris caught her hand. She stayed.

"Beverly—I'd like to see the baby," Laris said.

"Vitals for now," Beverly said. "I'm not great with the more complex equipment. Give me a chance to refresh my memory while you sleep. I'd like to have a snack and something to drink."

Laris frowned at her.

"You have to take care of yourself. You have to take care of…"

"Shhh…" Beverly said softly.

"You have to take care of yourself," Laris amended. "Please, Beverly."

"I will," Beverly said. "Just as soon as…we check her vitals, and you agree to take a nap so that I don't have to worry."

Laris smiled. She closed her eyes.

"Well—I'll just…go ahead and get a start on things," she teased. "I'll leave the hard work to you."

Beverly got the tricorder and scanned Laris.

"Do I need to open my eyes?" Laris asked softly.

"Fetal heartbeat is strong," Beverly said.

"You wouldn't lie to me," Laris said.

"Never," Beverly said. "That's my promise to you…as long as you promise it in return. Absolute truth."

Laris opened her eyes.

"It's a promise," she said. "She looks good?"

"And she's only going to get stronger," Beverly said. "Especially if you'll close your eyes and get a little rest. I'm going to leave the room for a while, but I'm close if you need me."

Laris simply smiled at her and nodded. Beverly leaned and kissed Laris's forehead. When she pulled away, she saw the look in Laris's eyes, and she responded by gently pressing a kiss to Laris's lips, which she softly returned.

Beverly got up, unfolded the blanket that Deanna had placed at the foot of the bed, and used it to cover Laris—not offering her a pillow, for the moment, because she wanted her body to stay in the position in which she was currently resting.

She lingered, moving things quietly around the room, until she was confident that Laris was sleeping. Then, she steeled herself and slipped out of the room—preparing herself to face Jean-Luc and thank him for the safe haven he was offering them. She only hoped that, somehow, she would know what to say to the questions that she was sure he would ask her—questions she wasn't certain that she could answer.