Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek.

(This takes place during and after the TNG episode The Naked Now)

Chapter One

"Jean-Luc," Beverly Crusher said, standing seductively in Picard's office doorway. His eyes widened as she started closing the distance between them. He knew he should move out of the way, to push her back and leave - to do something to stop her. But he couldn't. He was frozen in place.

"Beverly," He gasped as she reached out and touched his face with her hands. Guilt was starting to assail him. This situation reminded him a lot of the ancient work Hamlet. Perhaps he was the evil uncle, only he had unknowingly let Jack Crusher die, and now he would take his wife for his own…

"Sshh," Beverly said, pushing herself up against him. His eyes flickered down to meet hers, and they locked. She smiled as she leaned up, not breaking eye contact, and kissed him gently on the lips. "I love you, Jean-Luc Picard."

Jean-Luc stood their, still unsure of what to do. But when she kissed him again, he knew that he loved her. And suddenly, before he knew what was happening, they were running for his bedroom like Romeo and Juliet. They were love struck, and there was nothing that was going to stop them.

Nothing.

(Later that day, after the virus affecting the crew had been eliminated, Beverly began doing checks on everyone's health).

"All right, Deanna," Beverly said, lending a hand to the counselor as she slid off the bio-bed. "You've got a great bill of health."

"Let's hope it stays that way," Deanna replied with a smile. Beverly returned it, her smile seeming a little brighter than usual. Honing her sense, Deanna felt waves of euphoria coming off of the doctor. How odd. "Doctor, have you done a diagnostic on your own health yet?"

"No," Beverly said as she sprayed the bio-bed with disinfectant. She glanced up at the counselor with an eyebrow raised. "Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason." Deanna said, shaking her head. "I was just curious was all. I am the ship's counselor, after all - the health of the crew is something I need to know."

"Well, in that case -" Beverly hoisted herself up onto the examination table, and waved over one of the nurses. "One Medical Examination, please." The nurse nodded, smiling at Beverly's little joke.

As she scanned the doctor, Deanna noticed a slight shift in the nurse's emotions. Something on the medical scanner confused her. Glancing back at Beverly, she handed the results to her, and went to attend another examination.

Deanna gasped as she felt Beverly's utter disbelief and shock at what she was reading. Going to the doctor's side, the worry plain on her face, she put reassuring hands on Beverly's shoulders.

"What's wrong, Beverly," Deanna asked. Beverly just shook her head, feeling all the more worried and shocked. After what seemed like forever, Deanne just took the tricorder from Beverly's grasp and looked at the readings.

She didn't understand most of the technical evaluation - but one part of information did stand out on the tricorder. It read as follows:

Estrogen levels 75% over normal amount.

Anomaly in abdomen also detected. Based on scans, a new life form is detected within Beverly Crusher.

Diagnosis: Pregnancy.

"I'm pregnant…" Beverly said, breaking Deanna's eyes away from the tricorder. The counselor handed the device back and nodded her head slowly. She put a hand back on Beverly's shoulder and slowly drew her into a side hug.

"Are you going to tell the father?" Deanna asked. At the mention, Beverly went into a bit of a panic. Apparently she didn't want to think about that right now. Letting go of the doctor, Deanna decided then and there that she needed to hold a consolation session with Beverly and the father of the child.

"Deanna - I don't know if I can tell him." Beverly stated, feeling a rage of emotions swirling inside of her. "And Wesley - what am I going to tell him?"

"Beverly. Calm down." Deanna said, trying to calm Beverly down. "Things can't be as bad as you think."

In response, Beverly laughed, and then took Deanna by the arm and dragged her to the empty doctor's office. Shaking her head, she began to pace. Patiently, Deanna stood by and watched, making sure to take in every emotion that Beverly was feeling.

"You think things aren't so bad," Beverly said, her voice sounding stressed. "Well, let me tell you why they are bad -" Beverly stopped and made sure the door was locked, and then she typed in a security code to be sure that no one picked up on this conversation. "The father of my child is none other than Captain Jean-Luc Picard."

"Oh," Deanna said, somewhat surprised. However, she didn't feel too surprised by this revelation. She had felt the attraction between the two various times before, and knew it was only a matter of time before something like this happened. "Well...considering the circumstances, I think you and the captain should come to a counseling session to discuss this matter."

"Deanna," Beverly said, stopping her pacing to look at the dark-haired woman. "I can't. Do you know what this could do to our work relationship?"

"It can do a lot more damage if it is not addressed." Deanna responded. She had seen first hand how relationships had been torn apart by secrets. "If you don't tell him, he'll discover it somewhere down the line. And then you'll have to face him and explain why you chose to keep such a big secret from him."

Beverly blinked and put a hand to her forehead. She was not expecting something so huge to happen so soon after meeting with Jean-Luc. In fact, she had been working up the courage to ask him on a date!

But now…

"Oh, gosh…" Beverly went over to the chair behind her desk and sank into it. "I don't know if I can tell him."

"I'll make it a little easier for you," Deanna said, sitting down on the seat in front of the desk. She reached out to hold both of Beverly's hands in her own. "I'll schedule us a meeting, and ask the captain to come over. But I won't tell him why, or that you have a meeting with me. How's that sound?"

"Okay," Beverly consented. When she looked up into Deanna's eyes, it was obvious that she was a little scared at the notion of telling Picard he was to become a father. After all, he had made it abundantly clear that he did not like children.

Beverly then wondered how he would react to having a child of his own...And found the image it conjured to be quite a delightful one.

Thanks for reading! I know this chapter is kind of short, and is a little rough around the edges - but I promise the next few chapters to come will flow a little more smoothly.