A Pledge of Allegiance

"Dammit, Jean-Luc, you have no more excuses."

"Beverly, I’m not making excuses. I’m merely stating the facts."

"Do you really want to tell our daughter you might not be at her very first performance? Because I can tell you right now, Jean-Luc, it will break her heart. She’s counting on you being there."

"I realize that, Beverly, and I have every intention of being there. I’m just saying that as the captain of the Federation flagship, it’s possible that a situation could arise that would require my personal attention, in which case I may be late or, heaven forbid, miss the performance. However, I can assure you, I plan on being at Adele’s performance, on time. Now, what exactly is her role again?"

Beverly’s eyes narrowed, "She’s performing a ballet with the rest of her class. I swear, Jean-Luc. If you paid half as much attention to your child as you do your precious ship..." her voice trailed off briefly, "Sometimes I think you care more about the Enterprise than you do your wife and daughter." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Jean-Luc heard her loud and clear.

His irritation grew. "Don’t start with me Beverly. You know that you and Adele mean more to me than this ship. But while we are stationed here, we both have responsibilities," his eyes narrowed, "or need I remind you how you almost missed her first birthday party so you could perform minor surgery."

Beverly’s eyes flashed with anger, "It was surgery, Jean-Luc! There’s a difference!"

Jean-Luc glared back at her, "It was a routine operation that any one of the doctors on your staff could have performed, Beverly."

Beverly took a step back in shock, "How dare you question my judgment! I have never questioned your orders and I’ll thank you not to question me about my patients!"

"Dammit Beverly, I’m not questioning your judgment! I’m just trying to make you see things from my perspective! Both of our careers require a certain amount of sacrifice!"

Beverly lowered her voice slightly, but the anger in her tone remained. "I realize that, Jean-Luc, but I didn’t want our daughter to be one of your sacrifices."

"I’m not sacrificing Adele! I think I’ve done a pretty good job with her, considering she’s not really my daughter!" The moment the words left his mouth, Jean-Luc regretted them. So did his cheek, which stung fiercely as Beverly's hand struck it.

"Mama?"

The soft, trembling voice broke through Beverly’s anger. She looked to the doorway of the second bedroom where her daughter was peeking out. "Yes, baby?"

"Are you and Papa mad at each other again?" Her bright blue eyes were filled with concern.

"No, sweetie."

Adele’s eyes filled with tears, "Are you and Papa mad at me?"

Beverly’s heart broke at her daughter’s question. With an angry glance at Jean-Luc, she moved to Adele and knelt down in front of her. Brushing the little girl’s tears away, she said, "Oh, baby, of course we’re not mad at you. You’re our little angel. Why would you think we’re mad at you?"

"’Cause I heard my name and you and Papa were talking loud again. You do that when you’re mad."

Beverly hugged her daughter and hazarded another glance at her husband. Jean-Luc’s expression changed from anger to guilt. To Beverly’s indignation, he turned and wordlessly walked out of their quarters. Swallowing her ire, she hugged Adele tighter, whispering words of comfort for the little girl’s quiet sobs. She and Jean-Luc would pick up where they left off later, Beverly promised herself.

***

Jean-Luc paced the turbolift, lost in thought. When the lift stopped, he stepped onto the bridge and paused, unaware that he had ordered the bridge as his destination. Shaking off his confusion, he proceeded down the ramp, directly to his ready room. He completely ignored his bridge staff.

Riker and Troi exchanged bewildered looks and shrugs. Deanna considered going to the captain to find out what was troubling him, but the emotions she sensed from him made it clear to her he wanted to be alone. Whispering her empathic observations to Will, they took their respective seats, both consumed with thoughts over what could be worrying their commanding officer.

In his ready room, Jean-Luc stood at the window, silently gazing out at the stars. With a sigh, he turned to his desk, letting his eyes drift to the picture displayed next to his computer. He dropped heavily into his chair and picked up the frame. In the picture, Beverly was smiling and holding Adele in her lap. Jean-Luc remembered how difficult the picture had been to take. Adele had been in no mood to sit still that day. She had fought and squirmed, making clear her inheritance of the Howard temper before finally settling down and allowing her picture to be taken. All it had taken was a few whispered words from her mother for Adele to flash him one of her sweetest smiles. As he examined the picture further, Jean-Luc wondered what Beverly had said to make her daughter…their daughter…smile.

Cursing himself, Jean-Luc set the picture back on the desk. Why was he acting like this? She was HIS child. His daughter. His sweet Adele. His heart knew this, but why couldn’t his brain accept it?

Closing his eyes, he let his thoughts drift to the day Beverly had told him of her pregnancy.

Looking up from the computer in his ready room, Jean-Luc bade entrance to the caller and was pleasantly surprised when Beverly walked in. His surprise changed to apprehension when he noticed how nervous she was acting. They had been walking on eggshells around each other ever since he had been abducted from the Enterprise and replaced by a marginally convincing doppelganger. Jean-Luc had instantly noticed a change in Beverly’s behavior toward him upon his return, but she had been less than forthcoming with her reasons and he had not pushed her for an explanation

Jean-Luc waited patiently now for Beverly to speak. He watched her nervously shift her weight from one foot to the other while chewing on her bottom lip.

Taking a few deep breaths and gathering her courage, Beverly finally looked him in the eyes and spoke. "Jean-Luc, can I talk to you for a moment?"

"Of course, Doctor. What’s on your mind?" he asked, motioning her to take a seat.

Beverly gingerly sat in the chair and said, "Please Jean-Luc, at a time like this, I’d appreciate it if you’d use my first name."

Slightly concerned, he replied, "Alright, Beverly, what can I do for you?"

Oh, Jean-Luc, where do I begin? I guess the beginning is as good a place as any. "Jean-Luc, do you remember the events we told you occurred aboard ship during your abduction?" He nodded. Taking a deep breath, she continued. "Well, there were a few details that I left out."

Settling back in his chair, Jean-Luc listened with rapt attention as Beverly filled him in on the dinner she had shared with his doppelganger. To his surprise, he felt himself experiencing a pang of jealousy that his double had shared such an intimate evening with Beverly. Jean-Luc found himself wishing he himself had had the courage to extend a similar invitation to the beautiful doctor. If Beverly had accepted his double’s invitation, perhaps…

Jean-Luc shook off the thought and focused back on Beverly’s description of the evening.

"…and he asked me to dance. I accepted and before I knew it, I was in his arms and..." Beverly looked away from Jean-Luc and down at her lap, whispering, "then we kissed." Without pausing, she quickly added, "I asked him if he was playing games with me, and the next thing I knew I was being shown the door. He offered no explanation, so I left and returned to my quarters."

Jean-Luc expelled the breath he’d been holding, relieved that the evening had not progressed further. Clearing his throat, he began, "Well, Beverly…"

"I’m not finished, Jean-Luc," she interrupted. "About an hour later, he turned up outside my door and asked if he could come in…and, reluctantly, I let him in."

Jean-Luc sat up straight, suddenly very anxious about her next statement.

Beverly’s nervousness returned in full when she observed Jean-Luc’s reaction to her revelation. Her voice trembling, she continued, "He wanted me to forgive him for his irrational behavior, claiming that he’d been under a great deal of stress and the last thing he’d wanted to do was alienate me…his best friend. I told him that I understood and that if he wanted to talk, to share his feelings, I was there for him, and I always had been. When I said that, his expression became very pensive, almost sad. Something was bothering him a great deal, and, I felt sorry for you…him. So, I took his hand in mine and begged him to talk to me."

Beverly took a shuddering breath before continuing with her tale, "When I took your— his hand, he looked me in the eyes. His gaze was so intense, so full of emotion. God, Jean-Luc, I could barely breathe. You— he told me that he’d been in love with me since shortly after we’d met and that he’d been hiding his feelings for me ever since, afraid I didn’t return those feelings."

Jean-Luc groaned and ran his hands over his head, mortified. Thanks to his doppelganger, he didn’t think he’d ever be able to face Beverly again.

Beverly’s eyes filled with tears as she continued with her story. "Oh, Jean-Luc, I swear I didn’t know it wasn’t you. Please don’t be angry. I…I just thought you’d finally found the courage to admit the very thing I couldn’t bring myself to say to you."

Jean-Luc looked up at her in surprise. Did she really feel the same about him? "What happened?" he finally whispered.

Beverly looked away from him, giving free reign to her tears. "We made love," she whispered.

Jean-Luc stared at her in shock, unable to speak. Had she just said what he thought she had? Had his double actually made love to her? This beautiful woman, whom he’d loved since the moment he’d laid eyes on her had finally made love to him, and it had been his bloody double! Fate has a very sick sense of humor, he decided.

"Please say something, Jean-Luc," Beverly pleaded.

A million questions ran through his mind at that moment. Was he dreaming? Did this mean she was in love with him, the real Jean-Luc Picard? Did they have a future together? Of course his brain settled on the most absurd question.

"How was it?" he asked dumbly.

Beverly sat back in surprise. She certainly hadn’t expected that question. "It was…wonderful."

"Oh," he said, mentally kicking himself.

"I thought it was you," Beverly whispered again. Her body trembled with the force of her tears. "I can’t tell you how horrible I felt when we discovered that you had been abducted and replaced by a double. I felt as if I’d betrayed you, and yet you had no idea what we had shared. I didn’t know how you’d react if I told you what had happened. I assumed your double would have the same memories and emotions as you, but I couldn’t be sure. I didn’t know if the real Jean-Luc Picard ever loved me."

"Beverly…" Jean-Luc began.

She continued as though he’d not spoken. "I felt like such a fool, Jean-Luc. I tried avoiding you hoping that maybe this whole situation would just fade and become a distant memory. I promised myself I would never tell you what had really happened. I really tried to keep this to myself, but I can’t anymore."

"Beverly!" Jean-Luc interjected, silencing her. He sighed then spoke. "I don’t blame you, Beverly. My doppelganger managed to fool the entire crew, for the most part."

"Jean-Luc, the entire crew didn’t sleep with your doppelganger!" she cried in exasperation.

"Well I should certainly hope not," he replied.

"Jean-Luc, this isn’t funny!"

His expression hardened, "I agree, Beverly, it’s not."

"And?"

"And what?" he asked, his own voice filled with exasperation. "What do you want me to say?"

"I don’t know. Just say something. What are your feelings on this? Where are we supposed to go from here?"

"We? You slept with my doppelganger, Beverly, not me."

"But I thought it was you," she countered.

"Well, it wasn’t," he snapped.

"But I thought…" Beverly broke off and looked closely at Jean-Luc. He tried to look away before she could read his expression. "You’re jealous," she said in surprise.

His head snapped back to her. "Excuse me?"

"You’re jealous," she repeated.

"Jealous of whom? Myself?" he asked defiantly.

"Aha! Then you do admit that you are involved if not somewhat responsible for what happened!"

"No, I do not! I refuse to take the blame for my doppelganger’s actions while I was being held hostage! Now, if there’s nothing else, Doctor, you may return to your duties."

"But, Jean-Luc…"

"You are dismissed, Doctor!" His tone brooked no argument.

Beverly stood and walked to the door, pausing just before tripping the sensor. Without turning to look at him, she said softly, "I’m pregnant, Jean-Luc," then walked out, giving him no opportunity to reply.

Jean-Luc dropped back into his chair, completely stunned at Beverly’s news. Beverly was pregnant. What was he supposed to do now? The child was obviously the product of her liaison with his doppelganger, but did that make this child his? Was this child his responsibility? Burying his face in his hands he decided that fate really was cruel. When Beverly had been pregnant with Wesley, he had secretly entertained thoughts of what it would be like to have a child with Beverly. Now, here she was, pregnant, seemingly with his child, and yet she wasn’t. Glancing at the door she had just walked through, another thought occurred to him. What if she decided not to keep this baby? And if she did, what role did she expect him to play? Did she even want him to be involved? He made up his mind; he had to talk to Beverly, and the sooner the better.

***

Beverly sat in her office, staring off into space. Her conversation with Jean-Luc had been a complete disaster. She had hoped beyond hope that he would understand her situation and sympathize. She had prayed that he might even want to make her a part of his life. She had even fantasized that he would be overjoyed about the baby…his baby. Who was she kidding? His reaction had made it more than clear that he wanted nothing to do with her or the baby. She had lost the man she loved and her best friend in a matter of minutes. And now she had a new baby on the way. For the first time in a long time, Beverly was scared. What am I going to do?

Beverly was so lost in her thoughts that she did not notice the figure standing in the doorway to her office, watching her. She jumped at the sound of someone clearing his throat and turned toward the door. Fear and anger both surged forth, when her eyes fell on Jean-Luc Picard. Unable to maintain prolonged eye contact, she picked up a PADD and stared at its contents, saying, "Is there something I can do for you, Captain?"

Jean-Luc stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "We need to talk, Beverly."

"I think you made yourself abundantly clear already, Captain," she replied without looking at him.

"Beverly…"

"At least you’re back on a first name basis," her eyes still glued to the PADD.

"Dammit, Beverly, will you let me speak!" he snapped.

She finally focused her gaze on him, her eyes blazing. "Why should I, Jean-Luc? You all but threw me out of your ready room!"

Jean-Luc took a deep, calming breath and seated himself in a chair across from Beverly. Speaking softly, he said, "Please, Beverly, listen to me."

Beverly shook her head. "No, you listen to me, Jean-Luc. I came to you because I needed help and you’re my closest friend. I value your opinion and your advice because I care so much about you. I also came to you because, whether you like it or not, you most certainly are involved in this situation."

"Beverly…"

She held up a hand to silence him and picked up a PADD with her other hand. "Let me show you something. These are the tests I’ve done on the baby. Beside the date of conception and routine medical tests to determine whether the baby is developing normally, several DNA tests were run to detect possible genetic abnormalities. These tests also are used to determine paternity by comparing the child’s DNA to that of the father’s."

Jean-Luc skimmed the information as it scrolled across the screen. When his own genetic readout appeared, he paused and looked at Beverly. Glancing at the PADD, she said, "During your imprisonment, your double insisted I perform your monthly physical." Jean-Luc raised an eyebrow, "Insisted?"

Beverly shrugged. "I know. That alone should have made me more suspicious. In any case, the results that came back matched the results from your previous physical, right down to the genetic level." Beverly reached over and tapped the PADD to bring up more information. "Don’t you see, Jean-Luc? The tests show that Jean-Luc Picard is the baby’s father. Your DNA is an exact match to that of the doppelganger, which genetically speaking, makes you one in the same, regardless of the differences in your behavior."

Jean-Luc continued to stare wordlessly at the PADD. Beverly sighed and gently pulled the device from his grip, forcing his eyes to meet hers. "I know this all comes as a shock to you, Jean-Luc, and I’m sorry for the situation I’ve put you in. I never meant for any of this to happen, but it has and we need to decide what to do."

He was silent for a moment, then finally voiced the question he’d been dreading. "Are you going to keep the baby?"

Beverly sat back, her blue eyes blazing. "What kind of question is that?" she rasped. "Of course I’m keeping the baby. I won’t punish this child for my mistakes. What you need to decide, Jean-Luc is whether you want to be involved in your child’s life."

"My child…" he whispered.

"Yes, your child, Jean-Luc. To me, this will always be your child. It was *you* I made love to whether it was really you or not."

Jean-Luc looked to the PADD lying on Beverly’s desk. He sat for several minutes just staring, lost in thought. My child? Would I even be a good father?

"Jean-Luc." Beverly’s gentle prodding brought him out of his reverie. "Look," she began, "I’ve just dropped a bombshell on you today, so I do understand if you need more time to think." She picked up the PADD and stood, bringing him to his feet. "Take this and look over it some more. Let me know when your ready to make a decision."

He nodded wordlessly and moved toward the door. Just before it opened, he turned and looked at Beverly again. "What’s the sex of the baby?" he asked suddenly.

Beverly gave him a small smile. "A girl."

"A girl. A little girl," he whispered in wonder. Returning her small smile, he turned and left her office. Releasing a shuddering breath, Beverly watched him disappear out of Sickbay before returning to work. Swallowing her fears, she said a silent prayer that he would make the right decision.

***

Jean-Luc sat in his quarters reading over the contents of the PADD for the umpteenth time. Finally setting it down, he picked up his tea and sipped. He winced at the stone-cold liquid, realizing just how long he’d been staring at the PADD. He stood, returned the cup to the reclamator and made his way to the viewport. Staring at the stars, he let his mind drift from the baby to Beverly. Closing his eyes, he pictured her the day they had met.

She was a young, vibrant medical student with a fiery temper and hair to match. The moment he met her, he’d been captivated by her; so much so, that he’d almost forgotten to breathe when she’d grasped his hand in greeting. His heart had plummeted when he learned of her engagement to Jack Crusher, but he had no intention of standing in the way of her happiness and stepped aside, keeping his love for her secret.

In the years that followed, he love for her continued and looking at it now, he realized he’d spent a third of his life loving her. And now, maybe just maybe, he finally had the chance to pursue an intimate relationship with her. So what was holding him back? Her intimacies with his double indicated her readiness for a relationship. The thought was supposed to be comforting, but instead brought a stab of jealousy. Beverly was pregnant. As far as she was concerned, this was his child. So, why couldn’t he accept it? Because all you’ve ever been is her friend, came the answer. Well, he decided with a sudden flash of determination, it was time to change that. He marched out of his quarters and set a direct course for Beverly’s.

***

Propped up against the arm of the sofa she was lying on, Beverly shifted her position, letting her hand drift to her stomach. She closed her eyes against the wave of emotions that had been threatening to overwhelm her since her talk with Jean-Luc. She was overjoyed at the prospect of having another child, especially a little girl. She had always wanted a daughter. The fact that it was Jean-Luc’s child made it all the more special. But these feelings were tempered by her anger and frustration with Jean-Luc. She desperately wanted him to be a part of her life and the life of their child. If only he would accept this child as his own.

The door chime sounded, interrupting Beverly’s thoughts. "Come in," she called, bringing herself to a sitting position. Her breath caught in her throat when Jean-Luc stepped over the threshold. He stood silently for a few moments, watching her. She tried to read his expression, but he had carefully schooled his features into his "captain’s mask."

"Jean-Luc," she whispered finally. "Please come in and sit down."

Her words broke the spell that had captured him the moment he had laid eyes on her in a satin dressing gown. Grasping for the determination that had brought him to where he now stood, he began moving toward her. She gestured to the armchair, but he disregarded the suggestion, choosing instead to sit next to her on the sofa. Momentarily surprised by his choice, Beverly pulled her robe closer.

"Well? Have you made a decision?" she asked nervously. Please, she prayed, Please make the right decision.

Hesitating momentarily, he began, "Beverly, before I give you my decision about the baby, there are some things I want to tell you. You said my doppelganger told you that he fell in love with you not long after we met. That’s not entirely true…"

Beverly was crestfallen at his words, but only briefly so, as he quickly added, "I fell in love with you the moment we met." Her eyes filled with tears of joy and relief when the meaning of his words washed over her. He continued, "Over the years, we’ve become close friends, but my love for you has never diminished. If anything it has grown. I just never could seem to tell you how I felt, though apparently my doppelganger had no trouble with that. I guess I never really believed there was a chance that you might return my affections."

"Oh, Jean-Luc," Beverly whispered, tears streaming down her face, "I’ve loved you for so very long now."

Jean-Luc closed his eyes and leaned toward her. "Thank god," he breathed, resting his forehead against hers. "Beverly, I don’t know if I’ll make a good father, but I want to try. I want us to raise this child together…as husband and wife." Jean-Luc held his breath, waiting for a response from Beverly. Drawing back he looked into her eyes, wide with shock. Did he just ask me to marry him? she wondered.

"Please, Beverly. Please say you’ll marry me. I’m not doing this just for the baby. I love you, Beverly Howard Crusher. I want you with me, always."

It was Beverly’s turn to close her eyes, though tears were still streaming down her cheeks. She had waited so long to hear those words from Jean-Luc she feared she was dreaming. He had caught her completely by surprise. She assumed he would either refuse to take responsibility for the child, or that he would grudgingly agree to be a part of their child’s life. Opening her eyes, she looked at Jean-Luc. A look of concern marred his regal features. Beverly smiled as his eyes began to look panicked from her prolonged silence. Reaching up, she laid a hand against his cheek, caressing him with her thumb. Jean-Luc covered her hand with one of his own and brought it down to his mouth, kissing it gently. He looked at her expectantly.

"Dear Jean-Luc, of course I’ll marry you," she whispered. Her response had barely left her mouth before Jean-Luc’s mouth was on hers, kissing her hungrily. Beverly’s gasp of surprise quickly changed to a moan as he explored every inch of her mouth.

Reluctantly tearing himself out of the kiss, he rasped, "Gods, Beverly, do you have any idea how happy you’ve made me?"

Beverly smiled wickedly, "Ask me that question again when you’re dealing with midnight feedings and dirty diapers."

Jean-Luc grimaced playfully, "Indeed." His expression turned thoughtful. "Beverly, are you sure about this? I’ve never been very comfortable around children. I don’t know how good a father I’ll be to your…our child."

Beverly reached over and laid a hand against his cheek once again. She gently tugged until he finally met her gaze. "Jean-Luc, I happen to know that you will be an excellent father. Whether you know it or not, you’ve been one to Wesley, and you’ve done a good job with him. I know you’ll be a wonderful with our daughter as well."

Smiling, Jean-Luc captured her lips in another sweet kiss, anxious to be married to this wonderful creature…

Sighing, Jean-Luc shook off the remainders of his walk down memory lane and glanced back at the picture of his wife and daughter. "Wonderful father," he muttered. "What a joke. A wonderful father loves and accepts his child unconditionally. I’ve been a first-rate ass to both my wife and my child. How could I have said that to Beverly? I didn’t mean a word of it, but I managed to hurt her and scare Adele in the process. Adele is my child. I’ve loved her since before her birth and I’ve watched her grow for the last four years. She’s become dearer to me than my own life. It’s time to show my wife and my child just how much they mean to me."

Jean-Luc glanced at the chronometer and nearly leaped from his chair, alarmed at the late hour. Beverly would have already gone to bed, most likely under the assumption that her husband would not be home that night. Moving quickly, he shut down his computer and exited the ready room. Nodding stiffly at Data, who was in command of night shift, Jean-Luc made his way to the turbolift, calling out his quarters as the destination.

Jean-Luc entered his quarters quietly, noting that the lights had been dimmed for the night. Glancing toward his own bedroom, he decided to check on Adele first. Stepping into her bedroom, he moved to the side of her bed and spent several moments just watching his daughter sleep. He marveled at how much she looked like Beverly. Soft, red curls framed her aquiline features, and though closed in sleep, her eyes were bright blue and full of fire, same as Beverly’s. Smiling, Jean-Luc reached down and gently brushed a lock of hair from Adele’s forehead. Those lustrous eyes he adored slowly opened and gazed up into his eyes.

"Papa?" she whispered dreamily.

Jean-Luc knelt next to her bed, letting his hand trail from her face down to one of her small hands. "Hello, sweetheart."

"Are you still mad at me, Papa?" Adele asked, her eyes filling with tears.

Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, Jean-Luc replied, "No, sweetheart, I’m not mad at you. I never was. It’s just like Mama said, you’re my little angel."

Adele gave him a small smile, but her eyes were still filled with concern. "Then are you mad at Mama?"

Jean-Luc shook his head, "No. Mama and I had a disagreement, but I’m not angry with her."

"She was awful sad when you left, Papa. I even saw her cry when she thought I wasn’t looking. Can you make her happy again, Papa?"

Jean-Luc thought his heart would break at his daughter’s words. How could he have hurt the two women he loved most in the universe? Leaning over he brushed a gentle kiss to Adele’s cheek. "Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll speak with Mama. I’ll do my best to make her happy again. But I think the thing that would make her very happy would be for you to give her one of your biggest hugs and brightest smiles in the morning. Do you think you can do that?"

"Oh yes, Papa!"

Jean-Luc smiled, "That’s my girl. Now, it’s very late, so go back to sleep, young lady, and have sweet dreams. That’s an order, Miss Picard."

"Yes, sir! I love you, Papa."

"And I love you." Jean-Luc placed a kiss to her forehead before standing and moving to the door. Just before exiting the bedroom, Adele’s voice called out to him.

"Papa, are you coming to my recital?"

Without hesitation, he replied, "Of course. Angry Klingons couldn’t keep me away."

Adele giggled, "Thank you, Papa. Good night."

"Good night, Angel," he replied and slipped out of her bedroom.

Looking over toward his bedroom, he took a deep breath and slowly made his way toward the door. He would do and say whatever it would take to make Beverly forgive him, though he wasn’t quite sure he deserved her forgiveness after the hurtful things he had said to her. He crept into the darkened bedroom and gently sat on his side of the bed. Beverly was sleeping on her side, facing away from him. She shifted slightly when he sat on the bed, but did not turn to him. "Beverly," he said softly. "Oh, my love, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you, or Adele. I love you both so much. You mean everything to me, my love. You and our little girl. I want you to know, that though the circumstances surrounding her conception were out of the ordinary, I will always accept Adele as my child. Both in my head and in my heart. She’s part of you, of us, and that makes her dearer to me than my own life. I hope that someday you will find some way to forgive me, though I fear the damage has already been done. I understand if you feel the need to put some distance between us for a while. I will do whatever makes you happy. All I’ve ever wanted is for you to be happy, even if it means giving you your space. Please, love, just don’t stay away too long. I don’t think I could bear a life without you and Adele in it." He leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I love you, my Beverly."

He placed a gentle kiss next to her ear and moved to exit the bed when a soft voice stopped him. "I love you too, Jean-Luc."

"Beverly?" he whispered in surprise. "You’re awake?"

Beverly turned over and looked at him, her eyes filled with tears. "Yes, my love. I heard you and I forgive you. I don’t want you to distance yourself from us. I need my husband and Adele needs her father. I know you love Adele very much and I know the things you said were spoken in the heat of the moment. I also know you and I will have our disagreements, but no matter how angry you get with me, please don’t ever walk out on her again."

Jean-Luc’s own eyes filled with tears. "Never, my love," he promised. Leaning forward he caressed her cheek and kissed her softly. Reluctantly he ended the kiss and voiced the question that had been bothering him since he had first retreated to his ready room.

"Beverly, remember that picture of you and Adele on my desk?"

"Mm-hmm," she replied and lay back down on the bed. "What was it you whispered to Adele to make her smile?"

Jean-Luc could barely make out his wife’s smile in the semi-darkness. "I told her that her Papa loved her very much and wanted to see her prettiest smile. So, of course, she smiled for you. Face it, Jean-Luc, she’s a daddy’s girl." Placing another gentle kiss on his lips, Beverly turned away and settled back against the pillow. "We’ll just have to pray this next one is a boy."

Several seconds passed before Jean-Luc was able to able to process what his wife had just told him. "Beverly?" Her name came out as a stunned whisper.

Beverly turned her head to look at him, her features tinged with amusement. "And let me assure you, Jean-Luc Picard, this child is definitely, absolutely, without question, your child."

Jean-Luc smiled wickedly, "I never doubted it for a moment, my love."

Knowing she probably had a caustic remark on the tip of her tongue, he silenced her reply with a kiss. It was the first of many.

The End

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