The next thing Jean-Luc knew, he was sitting on Deanna's couch... next to Riker. A few uncomfortable squirms get out, when he first sits down. His backside does not appreciate his sitting on it, not at all. But he clamps down on the reaction quickly. He might be in a twelve-year-old body, but he's got more self-control than one.

Deanna glances between the two of them. Jean-Luc knows she can sense they're both upset.

Riker doesn't seem inclined to start the conversation, and neither is Jean-Luc. In fact, he'd much rather not be here at all. There's nothing to discuss. Not really. Jean-Luc, now that he's had a chance to look back on it, acted most unbecomingly. He deserved punishment for such a display. But…he's not sure how to feel about the way Riker went around it.

"I can sense you're both unhappy," Deanna says finally. "Would either of you care to tell me why?"

Jean-Luc looks at anything, but her. This is ridiculous.

"I had to spank Jean-Luc," Riker says.

"You did not have to!" Jean-Luc retorts before he can stop himself. He stiffens. He's done it again. He's responded as a child might. Why? He can see no reason he should regress. It's as if the child's mind is somehow trying to overtake his adult mind, and winning.

That thought scares Jean-Luc more than he'd care to admit.

"Jean-Luc," Deanna leans forward in her chair. "I can sense you're afraid. Are you frightened by Will?"

Jean-Luc shakes his head hard. "No."

"Can you tell me why you were just afraid now?"

Jean-Luc clenches his hands into fists. If he doesn't, they might see how they're shaking. What is happening to him? Why can't he control himself anymore? He knows better than to fly into a rage over something as silly as a proposal. He should've accepted Will's promise to read it later, and gone on with their previous plans in the holodeck. Why hadn't he? Why did he overreact?

"Jean-Luc?" Riker asks. There's worry now tinting the man's tone.

Hurt and frustration flip-flop inside of Jean-Luc, and he's not even sure why.

"Jean-Luc," Deanna tries again. "Spankings are a common punishment used by many parental figures. You have nothing to be ashamed of."

He nods, the feeling of embarrassment welling up, made only worse by his knowledge that the empathic Councilor is picking up on all of it. Fear chokes him. He can't hide in here. All his deepest feelings are laid out for her to 'see'. Jean-Luc's never felt so vulnerable…no, he has felt this way before.

The Borg.

He couldn't hide anything from them either.

No! Jean-Luc shakes his head. Deanna is nothing like those cretins! How could he even, for a second, think of her that way? She would never breach his confidence like they did. She would never use his feelings against him. He's a wretch to even consider her on par with the Borg. How has he allowed himself to become so indecent, ungrateful –

"Jean-Luc," Deanna's gotten up sometime in his mental flagellation, and knelt before him. Her hand hovers over his left knee. "What's wrong? Talk to me. I can't help you, if you don't tell me why you're feeling this way."

"It's nothing," he whispers.

"It doesn't feel like nothing."

"It is." He clenches his fists harder. "It's nothing. I'm fine, Councilor."

"Jean-Luc…"

"I'm fine," he states firmly. "Really, Councilor, it was nothing."

She stares at him a long time, and Jean-Luc is struck by how glad he is, that she's not telepathic too. Which only causes guilt to grow, twisting his stomach in knots. At last, she sighs and goes back to her chair. Disappointment flows through her eyes, but she doesn't press him.

"Very well." She straightens. "So, Will, you spanked Jean-Luc. Why?"

"I wouldn't look at a proposal he'd just given me. He threw a tantrum. Despite me promising to read it, when I go over tonight's reports."

She nods. "I see. However…"

Jean-Luc looks up as she trails off.

"Will, did you ever actually warn Jean-Luc that you believed in spanking? Or that you would implement them?" Deanna's lips are pressed thin. "I don't recall it being in that contract I asked you two to write up going over the rules and expectations you two had for each other."

Riker blushes a bit. "I... never thought to add it. I didn't think I would have to punish him that way... obviously, I was wrong."

"Perhaps," Deanna taps a finger against her chair's arm. "But you can imagine the shock it was for Jean-Luc?"

Riker starts to reply, but Deanna stops him with a shake of her head.

"Think about it, Will. He suddenly got a spanking, when he had no idea that was an option. How did you feel about that, Jean-Luc?"

And there it is. The dreaded question Jean-Luc so desperately does not want to answer. How did he feel? Ashamed, hurt, scared, embarrassed. He wants to be left alone. Not to sulk, as Riker accused, but to regroup. So much has just happened, between Riker and himself. Their relationship has just changed to something more…permanent?

Yes, "permanent" is the right word. A spanking is personal, something only a parent would do. Jean-Luc's not sure he likes that. It frightens him, for some reason. And he'd like to figure out why. By himself. Not here.

"Jean-Luc?" Deanna asks. "How did that make you feel?"

"Embarrassed," he gives, because otherwise this could go on forever.

"Are you still embarrassed?"

"No…yes…I'm not sure."

"Do you hate Will?"

"What?" Jean-Luc looks up so fast his neck hurts. Genuinely shocked by such a question... that felt more like an accusation, to his pre-teen ears. "Of course not, Councilor! Why would I…? He was justified in…punishing me."

"So, you agree he's allowed to spank you?"

"I…" Jean-Luc looks down again. "I suppose so."

"That doesn't sound very confident to me."

Jean-Luc makes an involuntary gesture. Riker immediately chastised, "You know a shrug isn't an answer." Jean-Luc fidgets, and can't force himself to speak.

"What happened afterward?" she asks.

Jean-Luc opens his mouth to reply, but Riker gets there before he does.

"He started to sulk."

"I did not," Jean-Luc interrupts. "I-I wasn't, Councilor. I merely wanted to think."

"That's not an abnormal reaction, Will," Deanna says. "All children react differently to spankings, even if they do know they can get one. Some like to be held. They crave comfort and affection afterwards. Whereas, others need time to themselves to gather their thoughts privately. Both are perfectly normal reactions. More important, is the need to make sure the child understands that they are both forgiven and loved."

She pauses. "Jean-Luc appears to feel neither at the moment."

Riker looks down at Jean-Luc. His brow wrinkles as his eyebrows lower. Jean-Luc shifts, his collar feeling tight somehow. He knows Riker cares for him. The man wouldn't have taken Jean-Luc in if he didn't. But love? Obviously, Deanna's talking about the type of love between a parent and child. Still…it's a leap. Even if Riker does say he loves him like a son, Jean-Luc can't reciprocate.

He still considers Riker as one of his closest friends, his former subordinate, not as a parent. That concept is so far off Jean-Luc's radar it's awkward to even contemplate.

Deanna sighs – probably sensing how uncomfortable she's made both of them. "Let's go back to the holodeck. Will, maybe you could explain why the holodeck visit was so important to you."

Important? Jean-Luc blinks. Why would that be important to Riker?

"I figured it was something we could do together. Maybe help Jean-Luc realize being a kid isn't so bad."

Oh.

That's not something Jean-Luc had weighed in on. He didn't think that Riker would want to play with him – even if they do sometimes play game nights with Geordi, Worf, and Data. The idea both warms him, and makes him nervous. Yet, if Riker has spent so much time preparing this…Jean-Luc looks up at the (now) older man.

"I'm sorry I acted inappropriately. It wasn't my intention."

Riker nods. "Apology accepted."

Jean-Luc waits, but nothing else is said. His stomach churns again. He wasn't the only one to overblow things. Or so his child's mind claims. Right now, Jean-Luc's not sure if he trusts that side of him very much. It did, after all, get him a spanking.

"Will, in this situation, you were both in the wrong in some way." Deanna leans her elbow, on the arm of the chair. Her finger curled around her chin, as she pays closer attention to her sensory abilities. While her legs cross over each other.

Riker can't help but take her in, when she's lounging like that. Deanna's maroon one-piece only accentuates the sympathy warming her features. Will thinks it makes her seem approachable. Not like that awful light pink thing her mother sent, last month.

Riker does his best to shake his head, without actually moving a muscle. Forcing himself to stop admiring his Ex-Lover.

"I understand that you were eager to do something with Jean-Luc, but children often throw a wrench into a parent's plans for a perfect day. That doesn't mean you can't both turn it into something to enjoy."

Riker seems to think this over.

"Now, Jean Luc," Deanna turns back to him. "Maybe there was a little more to this proposal?"

Jean-Luc nods.

"More?" Riker asks.

"Jean-Luc, why did this suddenly occur to you today? Surely, you must have noticed the lack of things to do for older children, before this."

Will actually thinks about that too. The Enterprise really doesn't have facilities for teenagers. He blinks. Why has no one ever thought of this before? Shouldn't Captain Picard…oh…Will glances over just in time to see a guilty look flash across Jean-Luc's face.

While, Jean-Luc's conscience stabs at him. "Well yes..." It's just never affected him before a month ago.

"Yet you chose today to bring it up to Riker? During his first day as captain."

Will shifts beside Jean-Luc, and almost says something. There's a frown threatening to form on the man's brow. Why, Jean-Luc can't begin to guess.

Meanwhile, Will's tempted, very tempted... to tell Deanna to lighten up on the kid.

Will found out quick that Jean-Luc is sensitive to what other people think about him. The older version of him hid it well, but this pre-teen version? It's practically telegraphed for everyone to see. The knowledge churns something sour in Will's gut. Just what must Jean-Luc's previous childhood have been like, to make him so self-conscious?

Will stifles a sigh. He realizes Deanna's only doing her job, getting both parties to see their errors. So, with an effort, he reigns in the sudden burst of protectiveness.

"Jean-Luc?" Deanna presses.

"I didn't…" Jean-Luc starts.

And everything screeches to a blinding halt.

First day as captain.

First day…

He can't breathe.

First day as…

Suddenly, Jean-Luc freezes. Although, not in the 'he stiffens in surprise' kind of way. No, Jean-Luc literally stops breathing, blinking, moving, or doing anything that marks him as alive.

Will's hand jerks towards the boy. "Deanna?"

"He's in shock," Deanna answers, her eyebrow's coming together. Suddenly, she braces herself. "Will, he –"

Jean-Luc gasps…and gasps, and doesn't stop. His whole body is spasming like a Tarcalian bullbird. He's making horrible wheezing sounds as he curls in on himself. His eyes are blown wide open, staring at nothing. An awful whimper escapes Jean-Luc's paling lips.

A single realization enters Jean-Luc's mind. Something he realized only on a subconscious level, and was pretending wasn't true. but was now thrown in his face.

They've given up.

It takes no time at all for his adult mind to realize what's happened. He's been dismissed, formally removed from his position. Starfleet Command wouldn't do this if they were still working on things. That means they aren't.

They've given up.

Jean-Luc's stuck like this.

He won't be getting his adult body back for another ten years. He won't get his position back for another twenty, perhaps longer. He's lost everything in one fell swoop.

"Jean-Luc!" a voice yells from a great distance. The newly demoted child, can barely hear it. He ignores it. He has greater problems than it. No. No, he hasn't. He…he's got nothing. All his hard work. Gone. He'll have to do it over again. Fight for every medal, every advancement, every accommodation he's ever won. And there's no guarantee he'll even get back to where he was before.

Everyone else will move on in their careers, except him. He'll be stuck in this juvenile body, trying to overcome his teenage years again.

"Jean-Luc!" Will calls, grabbing one trembling arm.

Jean-Luc twitches, but does nothing else to acknowledge them. Instead, his breathing only gets worse, to the point where all color has drained from the boy's face. In fact, Jean-Luc starts to lean to one side. Will grabs both his arms now.

"Jean-Luc!" Will shakes him. Scared, and knowing that Deanna will catch that, he turns to his former lover. "Deanna, what's wrong? What's going on!"

Jean-Luc can't make out the voices anymore.

"I'm not sure," Deanna says, her voice strained. "He's panicking over something. Did anything else happen in the corridors?"

"No! Nothing!" Will snaps, and then grimaces. "Sorry. No, nothing happened. What could've triggered this, Deanna?"

"I'm not –" Deanna starts.

Suddenly, Jean-Luc starts crying.

Will panics himself. "That's it, I'm calling Sickbay!"

"No, Will, don't, they won't be able to help him," Deanna insists. "You're his caregiver, his safety net. He trusts you more than anyone else right now. Only you will truly be able to get through to him like this."

Jean-Luc can't blink, his vision is too blurred to blink. He tastes warm salt on his lips. He's crying, he realizes with a start. Like the child he is, he's crying. Which only makes him sob harder.

Stupid, childish emotions.

He'll never be rid of them now.

"Jean-Luc, talk to me," he hears Riker beg. "What's wrong?" The begging breaks through the panic.

"They gave up," Jean-Luc sobs out.

A strong arm wraps around his back and pulls him close. He can feel Riker's whiskers pressing against the top of his head. On instinct, though neither understand why, Riker starts rubbing circles on the Boy's back... Strangely, it helps. "Who gave up, Jean-Luc?"

"Starfleet Command." Jean-Luc chokes on seemingly nothing. For a moment, he's struggling to breathe. Will's chest tightens. Then, Jean-Luc coughs. That seems to force him to breathe. "Th-they're disbanding the research, aren't they? Th-that's wh-why you're ca-captain."

The arm around him hugs him tighter. the snake in Will's chest tightening around his heart again. This poor kid. Sometimes, Will wishes Jean-Luc wasn't as smart as he is. It'd spare him so much pain. "Yes," Riker tells him so much in that one word.

"I-It's not f-fair!"

"No," Riker whispers. "It's not."

Will hugs Jean-Luc to him as deep sobs wrack the small boy's frame. He tentatively rubs his shuddering back. It doesn't seem to help. In fact, Jean-Luc cries harder, clutching tight to Will's shirt. Desperate, Will looks towards Deanna.

He's never done this before. What does he do? Is he doing it right? Should he have done anything at all? He acted instinctively, hugging Jean-Luc to him. He'll never forget the shot of terror that raced through him when Jean-Luc seemed to stop breathing.

Will's never dealt with tears very well, ever.

"Deanna," Riker mouths to the Councilor

She waves him to continue, while she gets up and goes to the replicator. "Tea, Earl Grey, warm." As the boy's more sensitive mouth, can't handle his preferred "hot" beverages.

Jean-Luc's head is pressed against Will's arm. His shivers are lessening a bit, though hot tears still soak into Will's uniform sleeve. Will couldn't care less. Not when Jean-Luc needs support.

It's awkward, yes.

Downright scary.

But Will's never backed down from a challenge, and he's not about to start now.

"Jean-Luc," he says. "I'm sorry. It's not fair. But…I'm sorry."

"I-I don't wa-want this, Wi-Will," comes the whimpered reply.

Will tightens his hold, his heart tearing a little more at the plea. Both his arms are encircling Jean-Luc's small body by now, pulling him closer. "I know. I know, you don't."

"Wh-why?"

"Why what, Jean-Luc?"

"Wh-why did th-they gi-give up? Why?!" The boy pulls back a bit. Red shot eyes implore him. Although Jean-Luc immediately collapses against him again, crying harder.

Will sighs. "The simulations were all failures. 70% death rate or worse."

The gangly body pressed at his side stiffens. "…70%?"

"Yes. It's too great a risk, Jean-Luc."

Jean-Luc jerks away from him completely. Will's too surprised to stop him, and by the time he's thought to, Jean-Luc's already on the other side of the couch, his back ramrod stiff.

"Th-then what is to happen to-to me?" Jean-Luc asks, his hands curling into fists on his lap. "I'm n-now a-a child, permanently. I ca-can't…I ca-can't go back t-to Earth. I ca-can't. Ro-Robert… he… bu-but I…"

Will leans over and curls his hand around Jean-Luc's much smaller one. Wild, frightened eyes meet his own. He tries to convey calm and strength back.

"You don't have to go back to Earth, Jean-Luc."

"I-I do-don't?"

"No." Will gently squeezes the smaller hand in his. "Robert has agreed to let you stay on board the Enterprise, if that's what you want."

Jean-Luc's tight shoulders slump a little. He sniffs. "He…he agreed to that?"

"Yes. Although, he did stipulate weekly calls." Will offers a tentative smile. "Seems he's worried about you."

Jean-Luc's eyes narrow. Not taking the concern as Will predicted. "I see. That's… that's reasonable… but…" The boy fiddles with his shirt sleeve.

Will leans down a catches Jean-Luc's eye. "But?"

"Who will I stay with?" Jean-Luc's shoulder's slump. "It's…I…"

"If you're all right with it, I thought you might continue to stay with me."

Jean-Luc stiffens. "With you?"

Will pushes down the hurt, that surges forth at the immediate disbelief. He knows he's built himself a rather large playboy image. He's done so on purpose. After a childhood of complete control and iron handed command from his father, Will needed to test boundaries.

The Picard of old seemed to understand this, and never took him at face value, but this younger one… Well, Will's man enough to admit even he wouldn't pick him to look after a child.

He's already had Beverly visit him several times with veiled threats of violence, should he neglect Jean-Luc.

"I thought I'd have to drag you by your boots to get your annual checkup," Beverly says, jabbing Will's neck with her hypo-spray.

"Ow!" Will jerks, and sends her a puzzled glare. "What did I do?"

For the life of him, he can't think of anything. He's not had to send any injured crew members to her. Nor is he even late for his physical. A week early, in fact. So, what?

"Did I do something?" he asks, preparing to jump back should she choose to wield her hypo-spray at him again.

Beverly's back is turned to him. He watches as her shoulders slump down. She turns around, her eyes hard. "You can't just beam up whatever new girl catches your fancy, on away missions, Will."

Will blinks. "This is about Anyaa?"

"Of course."

"But her uncle insisted she inspect our engines, so she could upgrade them."

"And the supper after?"

Will's eyebrows pull down. "She asked to see the crew during their off hours. Ten Forward is the best place for that."

Beverly sighs, a little of fire softening in her eyes. "Will, you're not a single man anymore. You have to start acting like that."

Will mentally chews on this. After a few seconds, he gives. "How does me showing Anyaa the crew have anything to do with my marriage status?"

"Nothing."

"But you said – "

"It has everything to do with Jean-Luc." Beverly slaps her medical pad down on the table. "You have to think of him now, Will."

Will struggles not to gape at her. "And my eating with Anyaa endangered that somehow?"

"While you were whiling away the hours with pretty, young Anyaa," Beverly says calmly – too calmly. "Jean-Luc was forced to fend for himself for supper."

"He knows how to use the replicators, Beverly, he won't starve," Will says. Thank goodness this is all just an overreaction. Obviously, the doctor hasn't taken into consideration that Jean-Luc still has his adult mind. A mind that can reason when to feed himself.

"And did you tell Jean-Luc you wouldn't be eating with him?" Beverly asks, folding her arms across her chest.

Will freezes with his mouth open.

He didn't.

Will licks his lips. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Beverly says again. She glares at him. "Except Wesley found Jean-Luc alone in your quarters, worried that you were an hour late. He refused to call you, because, and I quote, 'he might be busy with Anyaa'. Busy, Will. Busy!"

Will takes a step back.

"Jean-Luc thinks you'd be willing to leave him alone, without any notice, because you're 'busy'. Not hurt, not in an emergency, just busy with a woman." Beverly takes in a deep breath. "You can't act this way, Will, not if you want to build a good relationship with Jean-Luc. He needs to know he can trust you to be a stable constant."

And, Beverly is more than right. So, Riker's done his level best to make sure Jean-Luc knows he's more than welcome in Will's life.

"Yes, Jean-Luc," Will says, and tries to keep his worries hidden. "If you want to, that is."

"It doesn't seem quite fair to you," Jean-Luc says, eyes tearing up again.

"Jean-Luc," Will hurries to reassure. "It's not as if you're rowdy or belligerent. You listen well. Half the time, I barely know you're in our quarters."

Which, now that Will stops to think about it, might not be a good sign. It can mean either one or two things, if not both.

First, Jean-Luc's been hiding himself. He's distraught about this change. But has it been more than Will's been allowed to see? Has Jean-Luc kept to himself, because he doesn't want Will to know just how scared and hurt he really is? This is the only time Will's ever seen Jean-Luc cry. But it can't be the first.

Or, in trying to make things easy for Will, has Jean-Luc been keeping to himself, trying to minimalize his presence. Will thinks about how there's never any mess, and how Jean-Luc's room. Despite the games, it doesn't look lived in.

Will's heart sinks. I's probably both then.

"Jean-Luc," Will begins. He stops and centers himself. "Jean-Luc, I know this has been hard on you. It's not fair. But maybe in a few years Starfleet will try again. Until then, where do you want to stay?"

There, that wasn't half bad.

And he's now let Jean-Luc have a choice in his future.

Jean-Luc's watery eyes lift to meet his again. "With you." It's a whisper, at best, and even Will doesn't need Deanna to hear the fear laden in that request.

"Then you're with me," Will says, grinning.

Deanna hands Jean-Luc the tea cup. She turns soft eyes on him. "Will, it's time you went back on shift."

Will straightens. Has that much time passed? Already? He doesn't want to leave Jean-Luc now, not when they've finally gotten him somewhat calmed. What's Deanna doing?

"Maybe I can call up and – "

"No, Number One," Jean-Luc interrupts. His knuckles are bone white around the cup. He doesn't look at Will. "You can't make exceptions like that, especially on your first day."

Will shoots Deanna a pleading look, but she shakes her head. No support in that section then.

Will sighs, but then smiles as an idea comes to him. "Why don't you use this time to get more feedback on your proposal?"

Jean-Luc frowns up at him. "My proposal?"

"Yes."

"You'll…you're considering it?"

"I said I would." Will leans closer. "Why not go out again, and get more ideas for it? I promise to look at it tonight, with my other reports."

"Tonight?" Jean-Luc asks, chewing on his lower lip.

Will hastens to reassure him. "To give you more time to gather data."

Jean-Luc nods. "It would be better organized that way."

"All right, why don't you prepare for that, while I go back on duty?" Will stands.

Jean-Luc offers him a timid smile. "Thank you, Will."

Will smiles at the warm feeling in his chest all the way to the bridge.

"Thank you, Counselor," Jean-Luc says as the door closes on Riker's exit. He sips the tea in his hands.

The lukewarm beverage helps to calm his nerves, as it always has in the past. The warmth of the liquid seems to fill the empty cavities in his chest. He inhales the rich aroma and loosens his grip on the fragile china cup.

Some might think it odd, to have the replicator make the cup from such outdated sources, but Jean-Luc has always found that the fragility helps remind him to control his emotions. Too much in either direction, and he could shatter the delicate balance of command, as one would a china tea cup.

"Have you decided how to go about asking the children for their input?" Deanna asks, sitting herself next to him on the couch. She's conscious enough to leave several arm's length's distance between them. He appreciates it.

"Not as of yet," he says, sipping more tea. He rolls it around his mouth, savoring the taste, before swallowing.

"Jean-Luc…" Deanna pauses, seemingly at a loss as to how to voice her concerns.

He stifles the frustration that builds suddenly in him. He's never liked counseling, no matter how much he can see the fruits of doing so. To talk about his most intimate fears and insecurities, is not something that comes easy to Jean-Luc. Not since…well, it doesn't matter, does it? Habits are habits, and Jean-Luc's are engrained deep into him.

"Jean-Luc, what did give you the urge to start this proposal?" Deanna finally asks, folding her hands together on her lap.

Jean-Luc looks at the drags on his tea. "I saw the lack of teenage activities, and thought to correct the discrepancy."

"I see." Deanna leans forward. "This is bothering you, Jean-Luc. More than a simple discrepancy warrants. Can you tell me why?"

Jean-Luc takes a deep breath. He can do this. He has to, really. As much as it hurts, to bare himself like this, the past has shown Counselor Troi to be more than trustworthy of his confidence. He lets out his breath. "I should have seen this before now."

"Back when you were an adult, you mean."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I am…" Jean-Luc swallows the tears that threaten to rise when he remembers he's no longer Captain. And he won't be for many, many years. "I was captain of this ship. It was my duty to oversee the care of all crew members."

"And you feel you failed in this regard?"

"Of course!" Jean-Luc snaps, coloring a second later at the uncalled-for retort. "I apologize, Counselor."

"It's all right." Deanna shifts her weight, recrossing her legs. "How do you feel you failed?"

Jean-Luc can't seem to vocalize his thoughts quite. How has he not failed these children? He let things slip so far, that these teenagers only have the holo-decks or novels to entertain themselves, unless they wish to play with the younger children.

"Did you know there's only two kinds of art class onboard?" he tells her.

She blinks, but otherwise remains unruffled by his apparent change of topic. "I do."

"And you don't think that a grave overlooking on our…on my part?" Jean-Luc straightens from his hunched position.

"Jean-Luc, you captained an entire ship. It's more than reasonable to think certain things went unnoticed."

"But, why did they?" Jean-Luc asks. "Why were the children deemed unimportant enough to ignore?"

"Jean-Luc," Deanna's tone hardens. "I know very well you never thought of the children as unimportant. You have separate protocols for many situations just for them. Including the off chance of enemies boarding. I wouldn't call that neglect."

"Do you know how the teenagers on this ship entertain themselves, Counselor?" He answers before she can. "Mostly, the holo-decks." He scowls at his tea cup. An irrational urge to throw it against the wall, flaring up. He manages to stifle it down. "It's a statistical fact that too much exposure can create an addiction."

"And you fear this has already happened?"

"No…not as of yet." Jean-Luc thanks the heavens for that small grace. "We…we seem to have caught it in time. The few I talked with this afternoon, were very interested in an area designated for teenagers only."

"Some place they can be themselves, and not have to watch the younger children," Deanna supplies.

"Exactly."

Deanna hesitates. "Do you dislike the idea of meeting with these other teenagers, because you think they might blame you?"

Jean-Luc never really answers her, but he certainly agrees with her hypothesis.

If he were a teenager, he'd blame himself.

And now, poor Riker has to correct his grave mistake.

If he can.