A/N: Hello! I'm not dead! Work threw me a curveball, several curveballs in in the shape of a learning curve in fact, and all my brainpower has been spent on web development. Now my dad's got this health problem, and anyways, I finally found breathing room to write the last scene in this chapter and spell check it. I don't know how well I did but never mind. Today you get this! And if my brain holds out long enough, I may be able to have another short chapter for you tomorrow on our regular posting day. Gotta get back to routine, ya know. Okay. Anyway. Also Happy Nanowrimo, those of you who are participating this year!

It was weird, not having Wesley around. On the plus side, she was spending more time with the twins and Satel and Tyler. On the not-so-plus side, Dr. Crusher's full motherly instincts were promptly transferred to Elle.

"If Dr. Crusher asks me if I've eaten a vegetable today again I'm going to scream," Elle announced, dropping into the seat next to Captain Picard.

He looked up from his archaeology journal. "Good evening, Elle, how are you?" he asked, scathingly polite.

"See, this is why people think you're British," Elle said. "Every other French person isn't nearly so passive-aggressive."

"You are disowned," he retorted.

She gasped. "Captain! My own captain! Betrayal"

He set his PADD down and gave her his full attention. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I have eaten balanced meals every single day in the future," Elle said. "It's replicator food. I can't eat junk food even if I wanted to." She sprawled dramatically. "Of course I eat vegetables!"

Picard sighed. "I am not responsible for Beverly's actions."

"Yes you are. You're the captain. And her boyfriend."

He wrinkled his nose. "Don't you think we're a little too old for such juvenile terms?"

"Fine, your significant other, then."

He sighed. "Look, Elle, you know that she's missing Wesley. They were apart for a year and now they're going to be separated for at least four years-"

"Three," Elle corrected absently.

"-And you just so happen to be Beverly's second-favorite child," Picard said.

Elle sighed. "I know. I just wanted to complain." She straightened up in her chair. "Whatcha readin'?"

He stared at her, seemingly stunned by the rapid mood change. "This is why I don't have children," his expression seemed to say. He shook his head and held out the PADD. "I'm reading Dr. Galen's latest findings about the Preserver theory. Everything's he's finding matches up with what you were telling me about the common ancestor of humanoids in this galaxy."

"I know," Elle said smugly.

"The question is, where did they go?"

"They ascended, like the Ancients in Stargate," Elle said. "Like the Organians. Like the Metrons. Like every other incorporeal species we seem to run into out here. Like even the Q, I bet, though they're too snobbish to admit it." This she addressed, loudly, to the ceiling, in hopes that Q would pop up and refute it with concrete evidence. He did not.

"Please stop talking to him," Picard said, with a wince. "You summon him and then I really will disown you."

"Yes, dad," Elle said demurely.

He didn't even react to the title.

Elle grinned.

-/\-

"Elle to Sickbay," the comm said. "Elle Wilcott, report to Sickbay."

"Skipping your quarterly evals?" Jetta teased.

"I would never," Elle said. She tossed her PADD to Satel. "Can you hang onto that for later?"

"I can indeed hang onto it," Satel confirmed.

"Cool thanks, bye, sorry Mrs. Rowan!" Elle booked it.

She made it to sickbay in record time. Picard and Crusher were standing outside a private room. Dr. Crusher waved her over. "Take a look at our newest patient," Crusher said.

Elle looked into the private room. It was a humanoid male (?), good bone structure in the face, features slack in sleep. "What happened?"

"We found him on the planet," Dr. Crusher said. "Honestly I never thought he'd make it this far. There was major trauma to his head and chest cavity, massive plasma loss, and severe damage to most of his organs."

"What are his chances?" Picard asked.

"I believe he's going to live. I'm afraid I can't take the credit for it, though. His body seems to have amazing recuperative powers. The damaged tissue seems to be repairing itself at a phenomenal rate. There's one thing that troubles me though. Take a look at this." She pulled up a macro scan of skin tissue.

"Cell regeneration?" the captain asked.

"Yes. The thing is, it has nothing to do with the injuries. These are undamaged cells that seem to be mutating."

"Do you have a theory as to the cause?" Picard asked.

The CMO shook her head. "No. I've never seen anything like it in my life. There is a possibility that it's part of his natural healing process. I hope it is, because there's nothing I can do to stop it."

Elle started to grin. "It's not technically natural, but that's okay. I know what it is."

"What is it?"

"He's turning into an Ancient!"

"He doesn't look very old," Dr. Crusher said, frowning.

Elle stifled a hysterical giggle. "Captain, you know how Tuesday we were talking about species evolving into energy beings?"

"Don't tell me," Picard deadpanned. "He's going to turn into a Q."

"Well, not a Q," Elle said. "They are an omnipotent subset of energy beings. But yes, this guy's people are going to go to the energy-squid stage. The rapid cell turnover and mutations are part of it. He's going to unlock a whole new host of capabilities, healing, telepathy, empathy, all that kind of stuff, and then bam! Energy squid."

The two adults stared at her.

"Ooh, ooh, and I bet," Elle said, really getting into it, "that if you looked at his brainwaves, they're going up a lot. Stargate says that once you get to 97% you can ascend, and obviously that's a fictional throwaway number, but it would make sense, especially if a person's physical structure is changing so rapidly. Right?"

"Maybe, but we don't even know what the brain wave baseline is for a member of their species," Dr. Crusher said. "You really think he's going to turn into an energy being?"

"Yup!" Elle said cheerfully. "That's why he's here in the first place! The rest of his people don't want to go so they're trying to get rid of the ones like him." She frowned. "I wonder if he's going to have amnesia like in the episode."

"Can you start from the beginning, please?" Picard asked.

"That's it," Elle said. "We help him heal up, find his home planet, he glows up in the literal sense, we leave their space because they're mean." She didn't find it relevant to expound on the semi-romantic subplot.

"Well all right then," Crusher said.

"But no seriously," Elle said. "Brain scans."

-/\-

When their guest woke up, it was rather anticlimactic. He did have amnesia, he was kind, earnest, a quick learner... and Elle was prohibited from bothering him. He was stuck in sickbay anyway, working on physical therapy and regathering his strength.

That was fine. Perfectly fine. Elle didn't even want to go to sickbay anyway. And Counselor Troi was much better at telling people they were about to be transfigured into energy squids anyways.

"You are sulking."

"I am not sulking," Elle refuted, sulkily.

"Yes, you are," Satel replied.

"How do you know?"

"Vulcans argue, and they sulk," Satel said. "Logic cannot rid us of those traits."

"They also brood," Elle pointed out.

"What is brooding but sulking with an objective?" Satel philosophized.

"Good point."

He jumped on the verbal concession. "So you admit you are sulking."

"No," Elle retorted. "I just want to meet him."

"Perhaps after he is released from sickbay," Satel said. "Besides, you promised to help Nicole study for her entrance exams."

Elle sighed again. "Oh yeah."

"You do not wish to help her study?" Satel asked.

She folded her arms on the table and stared down into her cup of Vulcan spiced tea. It was the real stuff, not the replicated kind, that Satel's mom had shipped from their homeworld. She breathed in the scent of not-quite-cinnamon and asked, "Aren't you looking at colleges, too?"

"I will go to the ShiKahr Academy of the Arts next year," Satel said. "It is already decided."

Elle gaped at him. "Seriously?"

"Seriously. I will be at the standard entry age." Satel regarded her with an open gaze. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know," Elle realized. "I haven't actually thought about it."

"You will not apply to Star Fleet Academy?" Satel asked.

"No," Elle said slowly. "I don't want to actually join Star Fleet. I'm better outside of it."

"Then another university," Satel said.

"I don't know," Elle said. "We haven't really talked about it."

"I see," said Satel. "Pass me the scones?"

-/\-

Elle stared at the revolving logo of the Vulcan embassy, her mind somewhere on Deck 6 with a man who was relearning how to walk.

"Hello," said a bemused Spock, raising an eyebrow at her as she startled and blushed.

"Spock! Hi." She smiled at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, eyes crinkling in gentle concern.

Elle sighed. "Wesley's gone to Star Fleet Academy."

"I know," Spock said, looking incredibly amused. "Scotty called me to tell me that he's found his newest protege. I fear for the continued existence of the San Francisco Bay."

Elle sniggered. "I know right?" She sobered. "And Nicole and Jetta are probably going to get accepted to Harvard. Or Columbia State. Second choice."

"Ah," Spock said. "You are the youngest in your peer group at a critical time, and you do not wish to leave the Enterprise. You fear they are leaving you behind."

Elle winced. "Your logic hurts, a'nirih." She sighed. "I mean obviously we'll keep in touch, like me and Wesley do, but, what am I gonna do when I finish high school? I stand by not going to the Academy-"

"You would be a terrible officer," Spock agreed, incredibly fond.

"-but I can't exactly take time off to get a degree," Elle said. "What would I even get? I'm not a scientist, I'm not an engineer, I'm not going into business or communications... should I get a liberal arts degree? Am I gonna be that person?"

Spock was smiling at her.

"What?" Elle asked defensively.

"You are only sixteen," Spock said. "You are not on a timer, or a schedule. You don't have to decide now, and you don't have to follow anyone's footsteps except your own."

"And what if I never get past high school and I stay on the Enterprise forever?" Elle asked.

"We would be proud of you regardless," Spock said.

Elle sighed. "I'm being ridiculous, aren't I?"

"Not even a little bit," he promised her. "Simply young, and uncertain. It happens to all of us."

"Thanks, Spock."

He inclined his head. "Was there anything else?"

"Not really." She smiled at him. "Thanks, Spock."

"You are very welcome, Elle. See you soon."

She waved, and they closed the connection. Worries eased, she went to help Nicole study for her test.

-/\-

"Someone's looking for you," Guinan said, nodding towards the door.

Elle turned to look at their John Doe. "Ooh. He's out of sickbay."

"Be nice," Guinan warned.

"I'm always nice," Elle protested. She went up to him. "Hello there. Welcome to Ten-Forward."

"Er, hello," he said, letting Elle lead him to a table in the back. "Counselor Troi told me that you know what's happening to me."

"Yes, sorry," Elle said. "Have you remembered anything about your past? Your name?"

"No." He looked hopeful. "Do you know my name?"

Elle grimaced. "No, I'm sorry. My knowledge isn't that specific, and I don't think you were actually named... you, ah, transfigured, before you really introduced yourself."

"Oh." He propped his chin on his hand. "How do you know? Can you see the future? Are you, are you like me? And my people?"

"Uhh, no," Elle said. "I am very far from the level of advancement that you're reaching. But you don't have to worry. You won't be alone."

"That is very good to know," he said. "I guess, technically, I'm John." He held out a hand.

"Nice to meet you," Elle said, shaking his hand. As they shook, a golden glow flashed from his hand to hers. She yanked her hand back, startled. "That's interesting," she said, inspecting her hand. "Felt like a static electricity. You been doing that to everyone you meet?"

"No," he said, staring at his own hands in fascination. "I feel like, maybe I might have done that to erm, the engineer? And someone strained their shoulder. A man with red hair."

"Miles," Elle said, and realized. "Oh! It's your healing powers. Thye've started coming in." She grinned. "Well, I'm from the 21st century, I've got all kinds of things wrong with me."

He gave her an uncertain smile.

Elle introduced him to banana fudge ice cream shakes. "You have to have a milkshake before you turn into a glowy squid and all your food becomes imaginary," she said, thinking of a metaphysical diner.

"You're very strange," he said, and sipped at his milkshake. "You may be right though," he said, staring down at the swirled shake as though it held the secrets of the universe. "This is very good."

He got tired and went back to sickbay once he finished his milkshake.

Elle went back to sit at the bar with Guinan. "Have you ever encountered someone like that?" she asked. "Right on the cusp of turning into an ascended being?"

"The galaxy is too large for me to be that lucky," Guinan said.

"Have you ever given a straight answer?" Elle asked, honestly curious.

"It depends on the listener," Guinan replied, giving her a smile.

Elle sighed. "Does it, though?"

"Yes."

-/\-

Elle finished up her day, took a shower, got into her comfy pajamas, and on whim, started watching the Stargate SG1 episodes with the Ancients in them. She preferred the actors from her own universe, but these ones weren't too dissimilar.

Simba the Third cooed, and a moment later, John Doe stood in front of her, glowing like he'd swallowed a Christmas tree.

Elle stood up. "You ascended!"

"I did," he said, smiling gently. "I need to leave now, keep the rest of my people from bothering the Enterprise, but I wanted to say goodbye to you. And thank you for giving me much-needed reassurance."

"You're welcome," Elle said. "What's it like?"

"Amazing," he said. "Worth all the drama."

Elle grinned. "Have fun."

"I think I will," he said. He inclined his head in farewell, and vanished.

Elle stood there, blinking the afterimage away from her retinas. "Talk about a glow-up," she told Simba.

The comm chimed. "Picard to Elle."

"Elle here."

"Just wanted to inform you that our guest is gone," Picard said.

"I know," Elle said. "He came to say goodbye. And his non-ascended people?"

"They are returning to their home planet." Picard paused for a second. "Join me for a hot cocoa, Elle?"

"On my way," Elle said, grinning. She tucked Simba into her pajama pocket and they went along.

Picard and Elle sat on opposite sides of the couch and drank their hot cocoa. It was the good kind, non-replicated. Elle highly suspected that Guinan had a Chocolate Dealer from Earth. Lucrative business, cocoa. "So," Elle said, since the captain seemed content to sit in silence and stare at Simba. "How's your philosophy of life?"

"Turned on its head," Picard said. "I've already contacted Dr. Galen, and he's going to make a case study of these people as soon as he can wrap up his other business. Beverly is going to write at least three new papers on this, and possibly never sleep again. Something about the rate of cell regeneration and energy consumption, etc."

Elle snickered. "Good for her. Hopefully more people come around to John's way of embracing the change and they don't turn into the kind of people who trap lower species and make fun of them."

"It wouldn't be good if we had to cordon off this whole sector," Picard agreed. "That does raise the question. Is ascension an actual evolutionary step, or is it a voluntary choice?"

"Good question," Elle said.

"Any spoilers?" he asked, giving her a sideways glance.

"Well," Elle said. "From my point of view, it's both, isn't it? If you don't want to ascend, you can just straight up die, it's not that hard. But from all accounts, if you get to that accelerated point, you know what to do. It becomes instinctive. As long as you get to that point. Dr. Crusher confirmed your brain activity has to reach 97% and stay there for a sustained period of time to allow the sort of, melting off of the physical to happen. But once you hit that threshold you can go forward into glowy squidness. It can't be forced, though. The mental aspect has to come into play as well. The skeptics," Elle shook her head. "You have to accept it, or your body physically, literally, will not be able to conceive of it happening."

"More mindality," Picard said.

"Exactly. The universe is the way it is because I say it is. At least from my point of view. If I don't believe that turning into a glowy squid is possible, then it's not."

"Do you believe it's possible?"

Elle gave him a Look, one worthy of Spock.

"For humans," he clarified, before she could raise the second eyebrow.

"It has to be," Elle said, "or Q really would've erased us all from existence during your first little trial."

"Fascinating," Picard said.

"I wonder if, on a person by person basis, people can do that," Elle said. "Force ghost themselves into the ether upon death. Do you think that's why sometimes bodies are never found?"

"That's too far, surely," Picard said.

"Well considering Surak's katra is still wandering around Mt. Seleya, it's not that far," Elle said.

"Vulcans are also a completely different species."

"True." Elle sipped at her hot cocoa. "Just once, I'd like to meet an ascended glow-squid who actually answers questions."

"Amen," Picard said, and they tapped hot cocoa mugs in philosophical solidarity. "We're still star-charting for the next two weeks. Would you like to go horseback riding in the holodeck?"