Survivors

Captain's Log: Stardate 48961.2

The Enterprise is currently on a mapping mission within the Khoda system, which has not been explored in several decades. Once the mapping is completed we will proceed to Starbase 169 for supplies and some much deserved shore leave for the crew.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard quickly encoded his log entry and shut off his computer. Leaning back in his chair he glanced around his ready room as he contemplated the upcoming shore leave. He had made tentative plans to spend some time with Dr. Beverly Crusher while on the Starbase. He still considered Beverly to be his best friend and confidant, but he had noticed a distance developing between them since the crash of the Enterprise-D a few years earlier. While he had always fantasized about a more intimate relationship with Beverly Crusher, he hoped that spending time together during this brief shore leave would, at the very least, mend their friendship.

The captain was shaken out of his reverie by the computer commlink and the voice of his first officer.

"Captain Picard to the bridge."

"On my way, Number One."

Once his captain entered the bridge, Commander William Riker quickly vacated the captain's chair.

"Captain, we've intercepted a distress call from a Federation transport ship."

Picard glanced at his tactical officer, "On screen."

"Sir we cannot establish visual with the ship. They're transmitting audio only."

"Enterprise.... (static)..we've encountered....sort of time-space distortion...electromagnetic discharges...compromising hull integrity and commun....ship wide system failure...several passen...crew wounded....can't hold out much---." The transmission went dead.

Picard turned to the helm, "Are we within transporter range, Mr. Data?"

"We will be in 20 seconds sir."

"Once in range, lock onto all life forms and have them beamed directly to Sickbay."

"Aye, sir."

"Picard to Dr. Crusher."

"Crusher here, captain."

"Doctor, we have several wounded transporting into Sickbay."

"Acknowledged. We'll be ready. Crusher out."

Picard turned back to Lieutenant Commander Data, "Have they been transported onboard yet, Mr. Data?"

"Sir, ship's transporters are having difficulty locking on due to interference from the temporal distortion as well as the electromagnetic discharges enveloping the transport ship. I am working to boost the pattern lock."

Picard turned back to his tactical officer, "Put the transport ship onscreen."

All eyes on the bridge turned to the view screen and watched helplessly as the ship finally succumbed and was engulfed in a large explosion.

"How many people were retrieved Mr. Data?"

"Twelve survivors were beamed to Sickbay, captain."

"And what was the ship's complement."

"Sensors originally detected approximately 24 people onboard, sir."

Commander Riker stood and approached the front of the bridge, "What happened, Data?"

"Sensors have detected several distortions in this area. A particularly large distortion may have weakened the shields of the transport ship and compromised the integrity of the hull."

"Are we in any danger?" Riker asked.

"No, sir. I have transferred all available power to the shields. They should withstand the electromagnetic discharges."

Picard tugged on his jacket and turned to ascend the ramp toward the turbolift, "Very well. Number One, you have the

Bridge. I'll be in Sickbay."

Upon entering Sickbay, Picard was surprised at the somewhat calm atmosphere he encountered. Not wanting to get in the way, he was content to stand back and watch his Chief Medical Officer at work. Glancing up, Doctor Crusher noticed the captain's presence and acknowledged him with a nod and a stiff smile. She turned to her nurse and ordered the final survivors sent to recovery. Pocketing her tricorder, she gestured for Picard to join her in her office. She sat down behind her desk as Picard took a chair in front of her desk. As he met her gaze, Picard noticed a concerned look cross her face.

"How are the survivors, Doctor?"

"Most of them escaped serious injury. We've treated several burns and lacerations and those patients have been moved to recovery. One young woman is still unconscious, but she won't awaken for several hours."

She hesitated before continuing with her report. Realizing that Beverly needed a friend rather than a commanding officer at the moment, he lowered his captain's mask and reached across the desk to lay his hand upon hers.

"Beverly, what's wrong?"

Beverly was surprised by the sudden shift in the captain's demeanor, especially considering the recent difficulties they had been having in their friendship. Savoring the warmth of his hand, she continued with her report.

"Jean-Luc, there's a little girl among the survivors. She's approximately a year and a half and at the moment I have no idea if her parents are among the survivors or if they were lost on the transport ship."

Knowing how Beverly loved children and how much this was affecting her, Jean-Luc tightened his hold on her hand and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Have you run tests to match her DNA with any of the survivors?"

"Yes, but I'm still waiting for the results. Oh, Jean-Luc, she's such a beautiful little girl. She's already charmed half my staff."

"Where is the child now?"

"Deanna's taking care of her for the moment. Jean-Luc, what will happen to her if her parents were lost aboard the transport ship? We can't just drop her off at a Starbase."

She looked deep into his hazel eyes, silently pleading with him to understand how she felt. Beverly realized she was asking a lot of her captain and friend, knowing how awkward Jean-Luc felt around children as well as the fact that children were not allowed to live on this ship. As he considered her request, weighing his choices, he watched Beverly nervously chewing on her bottom lip, waiting for his response. He knew he could deny her nothing, but he secretly enjoyed watching her, loving that nervous expression.

"Beverly, I give you my word, we'll keep the child onboard the Enterprise until her family can be located."

"And if she has no surviving family?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Beverly smiled, visibly relieved, "Thank you, Jean-Luc."

He returned her smile and released her hand as they both stood. Beverly walked around the desk and took Jean-Luc by the arm as she led him out of her office and into Sickbay. As they walked into the main ward, a nurse approached them and handed a computer padd to Dr. Crusher. As she scanned the padd, her expression brightened considerably.

"Jean-Luc, the little girl's DNA matches the unconscious woman. She's her mother! There is no match to the male survivors, which means the father was either not aboard the ship or he did not make it off the transport ship."

She handed the padd back to the nurse and turned back to Jean-Luc.

"How long until the woman regains consciousness?" he asked.

"At least another two hours."

"Have any of the other survivors been able to confirm her identity?"

"No. Apparently the passengers on this transport kept mainly to themselves. Only a few of them actually remember seeing her. I'm running a full comparison of her DNA to Federation records, the results of which should provide us with her identity and family history so we can get in touch with her family."

"When will the results be ready?"

"They should have been routed to the computer terminal in my office by now, if you'd care to see them."

Motioning her ahead of himself, Jean-Luc replied, "By all means."

They entered her office, Beverly taking her seat behind her desk while Jean-Luc walked around the desk behind her, leaning slightly over her for a better view of the computer terminal. His close proximity sent shivers up her spine. She quickly buried her feelings and regained her composure as she activated the computer.

As the data appeared on the screen, Beverly scrolled down the screen, reading important details aloud.

"Her name is Danielle Taylor...Taylor is her married name. Her husband's name is Jeremy and her daughter's name is Elizabeth. Elizabeth is 18 months old, Jeremy is 25 and Danielle is 24."

Scrolling further down the screen they were able to view copies of Danielle's marriage certificate, her daughter's birth certificate, and stopped at a certificate of adoption.

"Here's something interesting," Beverly said, "Danielle's adopted."

"Maybe we'll be able to contact her adoptive parents." Jean-Luc suggested.

Beverly looked further down the screen, "We can't. Her adoptive parents are deceased. We'll have to try and find other relatives. Maybe I can access her birth certificate. According to this data, it's sealed for confidentiality, but I think I can access it."

"How?" Jean-Luc asked.

Beverly smirked, "Medical rank in Starfleet does have its privileges."

Jean-Luc shifted and straightened up momentarily to relieve the slight pain in his back from leaning over for too long. At that moment, Beverly accessed Danielle's birth certificate.

She froze.

"Oh, god," she whispered.

"Oh, no!" It came out louder than she realized.

"What's wrong?" Jean-Luc bent over again to look at the screen, but Beverly shut the computer down before he could read it.

"Beverly, what is it?" he asked, his concern rising.

Suddenly, she stood and moved toward the exit of her office, but Jean-Luc caught her arm before she could make her escape.

"Beverly, please talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. Is there something wrong with Danielle or her daughter?"

Tears filling her eyes and threatening to spill over, Beverly looked away, "Please let me go, Jean-Luc, please!"

As the tears began to fall, she managed to pull away from him and dashed out of her office and out of Sickbay. She had to get away from him. From them.

For a moment, Jean-Luc just stood there, overwhelmed by curiosity and concern.

*What the hell is going on?* he thought.

He wondered whether he should go after Beverly or if he should call up the file she was looking at to see what had upset her. Realizing it would be better to confront Beverly than to try and go behind her back, he decided to go after her.

"Computer, location of Dr. Crusher?"

"Dr. Crusher is in her quarters."

He left Sickbay and headed toward her quarters.

He stood in front of her quarters and rang the chime for the second time, not really expecting her to allow him entrance. He finally used his command override to gain entrance to her quarters.

Her quarters were dark and it took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust. He looked around the living area when a soft sobbing drew him to her bedroom. He found her lying on her bed, her back to him. He walked around the bed, knelt down, and moved to take her hand. Startled, she pulled away and opened her eyes. In her eyes, he could see her sadness and her rising panic at his presence.

"Jean-Luc, please go away. Please...leave me alone," she managed between sobs.

"No, Beverly. I'm not leaving before you tell me what's wrong." He moved closer to her and gently took her hand, as she offered no resistance this time.

"Beverly, please talk to me. Tell me what's upsetting you so that I can help."

Still she made no attempt to explain her behavior. He sighed and grasped her hand firmly within his hands.

"Beverly, listen to me. I'm worried about you and I want to help you, but you have to talk to me. Whatever is wrong, we'll get through it, together, like we always have."

Beverly took a shuddering breath and looked into his eyes, "I don't know if we can get through this, Jean-Luc," her voice shaking as she spoke. "I don't know if you'll ever be able to forgive me for what I've done."

"Why don't you let me be the judge of that."

"Jean-Luc, did you read any more of Danielle's information after I left my office?" When he shook his head, she continued. "Well, you might as well take a seat and get comfortable because it's a long story."

He moved to sit in a chair across from her bed, but she grasped his hand tightly and urged him to sit on the bed next to her. "I promise not to bite, Jean-Luc. I want you close to me for as long as possible, since you many never want to see or speak to me again after you hear what I have to say."

He settled down on the bed next to her as she took a deep breath and began...

"Jean-Luc, remember when you brought Jack's body home to me?" He nodded and she continued. "You stayed in San Francisco for the funeral and wanted to make sure Wesley and I would be okay. Do you remember the night you stayed with me? We talked, and cried, for most of the night. We shared our feelings of guilt and grief that night." She took another deep breath and forged ahead, "Then we made love, Jean-Luc, remember?" She paused for a moment, her expression reflective. "Have you forgotten what we shared that night?" She sighed, "But afterward, you were so overcome with guilt about betraying Jack that you wanted to forget it ever happened. Tell me Jean-Luc, were you able to forget that night?"

Jean-Luc dropped his gaze from Beverly to his lap as he shook his head. "No, Beverly. I could never forget what happened between us. But I was too weak and too guilt ridden to acknowledge and hold on to what we shared, so I decided to put some distance between us, hoping to stop the guilt and pain."

Beverly closed her eyes and forced herself to speak her next words. "Jean-Luc, something else happened that night. Our child was conceived that night. That young woman lying unconscious in Sickbay is your daughter...our daughter."

She held her breath and waited for the onslaught of Jean-Luc's anger, tears running down her cheeks. Minutes passed with absolutely no reaction from him. She began to wonder if he had survived the shock and resisted the urge to check his pulse.

"Jean-Luc, say something, please."

Slowly he looked up into her eyes. She noticed his eyes had lost the warmth they usually held when he looked at her. They had argued many times over the years, but she could not remember him ever giving her such a cold stare.

"What do you want me to say, Beverly? You have been lying to me for the last 25 years!" The volume of his voice was steadily rising. "Here I though I would never experience fatherhood, when in fact, I do have a child. I have a daughter and yet I am still not a father because of you!" He stood up and began pacing, his own eyes filling with tears. "Why, Beverly?! Why did you keep her from me?! Why didn't you tell me about her?!"

"You left me." She said it so quietly that he didn't hear her.

"What?"

She lifted her head and looked directly into his eyes, "You left me. We spent the night together, made love, and then you left me. You took the Stargazer and were halfway across the galaxy before I had even found out that I was pregnant. You left me with an unexpected pregnancy and a note telling me that our joining should not have happened so soon after Jack's death. I understood how you felt, Jean-Luc. You felt as if you had betrayed Jack. I did too, at first. But later on I realized that that night was not just about sex, Jean-Luc. I needed to be with you."

She paused in her explanation to take in his reaction and noticed his facial expression had softened some as he listened to her. She wiped at the tears in her eyes and continued.

"After I found out I was pregnant I was an emotional wreck. I had lost Jack to an accident and you to your guilt and I was facing raising a young son by myself. I briefly considered ending the pregnancy, but I couldn't go through with it. So, eventually I left Wesley with Jack's parents and went to Caldos to stay with my grandmother. No one knew that I was pregnant when I left. I was on Caldos when I gave birth to our daughter. After a great deal of soul searching, I decided to give her up for adoption. It was the most difficult decision I've ever made in my life. I didn't want to give her up, Jean-Luc, but I didn't feel strong enough to raise Wesley and a newborn baby alone. I did what I thought was best for our daughter. I gave her up; hoping she would have a better chance at a normal, stable childhood. After that, I went back home to Wesley and tried to get on with my life. I didn't see you again until Wesley and I arrived on the Enterprise."

He moved to the chair across from her bed and sat down, running his hands over his head. "Beverly, we've been together on the same ship for several years now and we've developed a very close friendship. You've had ample opportunity to tell me about this. Why didn't you?"

"I tried to tell you several times Jean-Luc, but something always seemed to interrupt me. As the years went by and we grew closer, I was too afraid to tell you."

"Afraid? Why?"

" I knew that once you found out what I'd done and that I'd lied to you for so long, that you would be angry and I assumed you wouldn't want to have anything to do with me. I couldn't lose you, Jean-Luc. I couldn't lose our friendship, so I did everything I could to preserve it, which included pushing you away if you got too close."

"Is that why you left me after Kespritt?" he asked.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she tried to control the sobs, which were threatening to overcome her. She looked away from him and down to her lap.

"I never meant to hurt you, Jean-Luc. I'm so sorry for everything I've done. I don't know if you'll ever forgive me, and I wouldn't blame you if you didn't, but I want you to know how very sorry I am."

Jean-Luc studied Beverly for a few minutes before making a reply. Try as he might, he could never truly stay angry with the woman sitting across from him. He cared too much for her. She had made some mistakes, but they were in the past and he needed to focus on the present. Besides, she had punished herself far worse than he ever could. He stood up and walked over to the bed, taking Beverly's hand as he sat next to her on the bed. He lifted her chin and looked into her eyes as he spoke.

"Beverly, I'm not entirely sure what to say right now. I think we both need some time to get used to this situation." He paused and gripped her hand tighter before continuing. "I want you to know that I do forgive you for the choices you made. You had your reasons for making them and I have no right to judge you for them. I do feel that I should apologize to you."

A look of surprise and then confusion crossed her face. "Apologize to me? Why?"

"I shouldn't have left you that night. I didn't give us a chance to discuss what happened and I deeply regret that decision. This situation is as much my fault as it is your and it was wrong of me to try and place all the blame on you."

Beverly's eyes once again filled with tears as she moved to embrace him. "Thank you, Jean-Luc. You have no idea how much I needed to have your forgiveness."

"I do have another question for you, Beverly. When you described that night you said that we had 'made love'." He took a deep breath as he plunged ahead with his question. "Does this mean that you loved me?"

She pulled back and looked deep into his eyes, the words tumbling out before she could stop them. "Jean-Luc, I fell in love with you the moment I met you."

"What?" he whispered, dumbfounded by her answer.

She raised a hand to caress his cheek, her eyes never leaving his as she confessed the emotions she had kept from him for so many years. "I initially thought it was just physical attraction, but it didn't take long to realize what I felt for you went much deeper than that."

Jean-Luc couldn't hide his surprise. "What about Jack?"

"I loved Jack dearly, Jean-Luc, but what I felt for him paled in comparison to the feelings I had for you. I never dreamed you felt the same for me...you were so focused on your career...so I buried my feelings."

His own eyes filled with tears as he listened to Beverly finally admitting her feelings for him. His voice took on a quiet, contemplative tone. "You loved me..."

"I still do," she whispered, "So much it hurts."

Almost too stunned to speak, he lifted her face toward his and gently brushed his lips against hers as he whispered, "And I love you, Beverly."

Tears of joy and relief overtook them both as they hugged, never wanting to let the other go again. Unfortunately, a chirp from the computer interrupted the tender moment.

"Sickbay to Dr. Crusher."

Sighing, she moved out of Jean-Luc's embrace, "Crusher here".

"You wanted to be informed if there was in the female patient's status. She is now regaining consciousness."

"Thank you. I'm on my way. Crusher out."

As the frequency closed she turned back to Jean-Luc, concern flooding her expression. "Jean-Luc, what are we going to tell Danielle?"

"When the time is right, we'll tell her the truth."

Her expression changed from one of concern, to fear. "You know she's going to hate me. She probably already thinks that she was abandoned by her natural mother."

"Beverly, the fact that her reaction to meeting us may be negative is a risk we are going to have to take. Hopefully, with time, she'll accept us as her parents. We do have to face the possibility that she won't accept us. If that situation does arise, then we'll have to take comfort in each other and in knowing that we tried. We will have to keep in touch with her and try to maintain a friendship with her, making it clear that we are here for her, if she needs us. Agreed?"

"Agreed. Jean-Luc, how is it that you've known about your daughter for less than an hour and you're already a wonderful father?"

He grinned, "It's my natural charm."

She matched his grin as he pulled her to her feet. "Come on, we'd better get to Sickbay."

As they walked in silence to Sickbay, Beverly's growing trepidation at facing her daughter after 25 years was tempered only by the strong grip Jean-Luc had on her hand. She silently thanked the gods for the wonderful man walking next to her. She had caused this man an unbelievable amount of pain, and yet he had found it in his heart to forgive her. Not only had he forgiven her, he was now giving her the love and support she needed to deal with this situation. Pushing her remaining fears aside, she realized this man deserved her unconditional love.

As they approached the entrance to Sickbay, Beverly paused and took a deep breath, smiling at Jean-Luc when he gently squeezed her hand. Upon entering Sickbay, Beverly was immediately approached by a nurse who handed her a padd containing the stats she needed on her patient. Beverly quickly scanned the information, handed the padd back to the nurse and turned to Jean-Luc.

"She's regained consciousness and besides a headache and slight disorientation, doesn't seem to be suffering any major side effects of the concussion. We should be able to talk to her for a few minutes and then I want her to rest for awhile."

Jean-Luc nodded and they approached the biobed where their daughter was resting. When she turned to look at them, Jean-Luc took a moment to study her. She most definitely had her mother's blue eyes and her high cheekbones. He realized she had inherited her light brown hair color from him, as that had been his hair color once upon a time.

Danielle tried to sit up, but immediately regretted her decision when she was hit by a wave of dizziness and sharp pains. Lying back down she closed her eyes and massaged her temples, trying to dull the pain. Finally she opened her eyes and addressed the woman standing next to her.

"What happened? Where am I?"

"I'm Doctor Beverly Crusher, this is Captain Jean-Luc Picard and you're aboard the Federation Starship Enterprise. We rescued you and several others when your transport ship was destroyed."

Recognition immediately crossed Danielle's face as she tried to sit up again, Beverly immediately moving in to restrain her.

"Elizabeth! Oh god, where's my baby?! Let me go, I have to find my baby!" She was displaying an amazing amount of strength in her struggle. It took both Jean-Luc and Beverly to hold her down as Beverly tried to calm her.

"Your daughter is just fine. I've already checked her over. She escaped serious injury and is currently being well cared for."

Danielle relaxed a bit after hearing Beverly's words, but still struggled against them, determined to get off the biobed.

"What about my husband? Where's Jeremy?"

Beverly felt a sudden sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Was your husband with you on the transport?" she asked.

"Yes. Is he with the other survivors?"

Beverly exchanged a look with Jean-Luc as the same thought crossed their minds. *Oh no*. Beverly grasped Danielle by the hand as she delivered the news. "I'm afraid no one of that name is among the survivors. He didn't make it off the transport Danielle." Her voice dropped to just above a whisper, "I'm so sorry."

Danielle sat in a stunned silence for a moment before the devastation finally hit.

"Nooo!" she screamed, "Oh god, no!" She struggled against them more than ever. "No! Jeremy! Please, God don't let it be true! Let me go! I have to find my husband!"

Jean-Luc was beginning to lose his grip as Danielle fought against them, her body racked with sobs. Beverly finally grabbed for a hypospray and administered a sedative to Danielle. Her body immediately went limp and they lay her back on the biobed. Beverly kept hold of Danielle's hand.

"She'll be out for a couple of hours," Beverly's voice shook as she fought to keep sobs from escaping. Jean-Luc recognized her struggle, his own eyes bright with unshed years, and moved around the biobed to guide Beverly to her office. Once there, Beverly gave fee reign to her tears. Jean-Luc gathered her into his arms and held her tight as her body shook with her sobs.

Once her tears had subsided, Jean-Luc released Beverly from his tight embrace. He pulled back and gently brushed the remaining tears from Beverly's cheeks with his thumbs. She closed her eyes and grasped his hands, trying to find her center from their warmth. Without releasing her hands, Jean-Luc moved to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk and pulled her down into the chair next to him. Before he could say anything, Beverly began talking.

"Oh God, Jean-Luc, she shouldn't have to experience this kind of pain. She's so young...to have lost her husband and face raising her baby alone."

"I know, love, and I can't imagine the pain she's in." He paused, "You know, you weren't much older than her when you lost Jack. Beverly, she'll survive this and we will be there for her every step of the way." He gave her a small smile, "I mean, we are her parents, after all."

Beverly's brow creased in concern, "We can't tell her that yet, Jean-Luc."

"I know. She's already in a great deal of pain and I certainly don't want to contribute to it. But as soon as we feel she's ready, I want her to know who we are and that we're here for her."

Beverly squeezed his hands and gave him a small smile. "Agreed."

She stood up, pulling Jean-Luc with her and drawing him into her embrace. "Oh God, how I love you, Jean-Luc." The words were becoming easier to say each time she said them.

"And I you, my love."

Beverly and Jean-Luc spent the next couple of hours filling a very surprised Counselor Deanna Troi in on everything they had learned about Danielle. Once she had been brought up to speed, they proceeded to Sickbay where they found Danielle just beginning to awaken. The trio approached her bed as she shook off the remnants of sleep and took in her surroundings, struggling to remember where she was.

The crushing weight of recognition hit her, causing her to sink back onto the bed. As she lay there, crying quietly and occasionally whimpering her husband's name, she was only vaguely aware that someone was holding tightly to her hand. Though tears blurred her vision, she could make out the redheaded doctor who had delivered the devastating news. Danielle didn't know why, but she felt a connection to this woman, whom she'd never met before today, and instinctively, squeezed her hand. That simple gesture was enough to renew Beverly's own tears.

As Danielle's tears subsided, she released Beverly's hand as she slowly sat up on the biobed. She noticed the captain standing several feet away, flanked by an exotic-looking woman who had yet to be introduced. The captain stepped forward and gestured to the woman, "Danielle, this is Deanna Troi, ship's counselor. I'd like you to talk to her when you're feeling better."

Danielle nodded slightly at the captain and then turned back toward the doctor.

"I want to see my daughter. Where is she?"

Beverly put a hand on Danielle's shoulder and gave her a slight smile. She turned and nodded at Deanna who wordlessly left Sickbay. Beverly turned back to Danielle and gently squeezed her shoulder.

"Deanna's going to retrieve her, she should be here in a few minutes." Seeing the concern in Danielle's face, she continued, "And don't worry, she's fine, physically. She escaped serious injury and seems to be perfect in every way, shape and form. She's a beautiful little girl and an absolute angel, Danielle."

Beverly's praise of her beloved daughter managed to bring out a smile on Danielle's face. "She definitely has her moments."

Her brief smile was replaced by a more serious look as she turned toward the captain. "Captain, what's going to happen to us?"

"We are currently enroute to Starbase 169, where we will leave the survivors. Starfleet Command will ensure safe transport to their desired destinations."

At the mention of Starfleet, Jean-Luc noticed a brief moment of panic cross Danielle's face.

"Is something wrong, Danielle?" he asked.

"No. Nothing."

Not really believing her, he continued, "For now, you and your daughter are being assigned temporary quarters."

Hearing the doors to Sickbay open, they each looked up to see Deanna enter, carrying Elizabeth. Elizabeth's little face lit up as soon as she saw her mother.

"Mama!" she cried.

Danielle practically leaped off the biobed, was across Sickbay and next to Deanna within seconds. She gently lifted Elizabeth from Deanna's arms and hugged the little girl tightly, tears streaming down her face. Elizabeth, for her part, oblivious to the drama unfolding around her, innocently popped her thumb into her mouth and snuggled against her mother as she took in her surroundings. Moments later, Elizabeth lifted her head and looked into her mother's eyes, "Dada?"

Danielle's heart broke as she hugged her daughter tighter and whispered, "Oh, my baby, I love you so much. I don't know how I'm ever going to explain everything that's happened, but I promise I won't ever leave you."

After a few moments, Danielle opened her eyes and looked at the doctor. "Am I allowed to leave Sickbay yet? I'd like to have some time alone with my daughter."

Beverly nodded, "I'm releasing you, but I'd like you to take it easy and let me know if you experience any more side effects of the concussion."

Danielle nodded silently in agreement as the captain approached her.

"If you're ready, I'd be happy to show you to your quarters," he said.

Danielle was a little surprised that the captain of the Federation flagship was offering to escort her to her quarters. "Thank you. I'd appreciate that, sir."

Beverly exchanged a look with Deanna and then turned to Danielle, "Mind if we tag along?"

Again Danielle nodded in agreement and turned to follow them out of Sickbay. As they made their way to Danielle's temporary quarters, Deanna fell into step beside Danielle, speaking softly to her. Beverly and Jean-Luc followed a few feet behind them, both silently contemplating how and when to approach Danielle about her true parentage. Once they had reached Danielle's quarters, Deanna quickly showed her around the quarters and then made herself scarce, leaving Danielle and her daughter alone with the captain and doctor.

Danielle rubbed her sleepy daughter's back and turned expectantly toward the captain and doctor, eying them suspiciously. The awkward moments seemed to drag on as Danielle watched Doctor Crusher shift uncomfortably and the captain *nervously? * clearing his throat. Danielle, finally deciding to momentarily let them off the hook, spoke first.

"Will you excuse me for a moment? I want to put my daughter to bed. It's past her bedtime...and mine as well, actually."

Beverly finally spoke up, "Of course. With everything you've been through today, we should let you get some rest."

"Counselor Troi said you both wanted to talk to me about something," Danielle said as she shifted Elizabeth to her other shoulder. "And I must admit, I am curious at your interest in my welfare." She looked at Beverly, "I mean, I understand your concern as a doctor, but why is the captain of the ship concerned about the welfare and comfort of an unknown passenger?"

Jean-Luc cleared his throat and spoke for the first time since he had arrived at Danielle's quarters. "I think we should let you and your daughter rest and we can talk in the morning." He took a deep breath, lowered his captain's mask and met Danielle's gaze. "Please understand that we both care about what happens to you and your daughter."

Jean-Luc smiled at Danielle and touched her shoulder, then turned and took Beverly's hand. They both bid her goodnight and left her quarters. Danielle stared at the closed doors for a few minutes; feeling more confused than ever, and then turned to the bedroom to put her daughter down for the night. She laid Elizabeth in the crib that had been set up in the bedroom and gently rubbed her back, watching as she quickly fell asleep. Not bothering to change her clothes, Danielle lay down in her own bed, letting her gaze fall on the empty space next to her. She surrendered to the inevitable and allowed her tears to again overtake her until she finally fell into an exhausted slumber.

Outside Danielle's quarters, Beverly lingered, fighting the urge to go back in and hold her daughter. She was surprised at the strength of her motherly instinct toward the child she hadn't seen in almost 25 years. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Jean-Luc's arm encircle her waist as he brought his other hand up to turn her face toward his. She could see the amusement in his eyes and the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Alright Jean-Luc, what's so funny?"

"You are, my love. Am I going to be able to tear you away from these quarters, or should we have a bed and replicator installed in this corridor for you?"

Beverly smiled and moved closer to Jean-Luc, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"I'm sure I could be tempted to leave this spot, if the right offer came along. Any suggestions, captain?" She moved her body closer and rolled her hips against his for emphasis.

Jean-Luc stifled a moan and asked, "Are you sure about this Beverly? I don't want to rush you into something you're not ready for." His voice was slightly strained as he tried to control his desire.

Beverly smiled seductively, "I wouldn't exactly call 25 years a rush, but yes, my love, this his what I want. More than that, this is what I need."

"In that case, I suggest we retire to my quarters before we make a spectacle of ourselves in this corridor," Jean-Luc said as he released his hold on Beverly and began leading her to the turbolift.

They entered the captain's quarters and as the doors closed behind them, Jean-Luc turned away to engage the lock. Door secured, he turned back only to find himself pinned against the wall with Beverly's mouth on his, her body pressed against him. Shaking off his momentary surprise, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, thrilled at their perfect fit. Beverly moaned softly into his mouth, feeling his desire pressing against her center. Several heated moments later; Beverly pulled from Jean-Luc's embrace and met his desire-filled gaze. She slowly brought her hand up to caress his cheek, speaking softly.

"Make love to me, Jean-Luc."

His desire increased dramatically and he quickly closed the gap between them, capturing Beverly's mouth in a searing kiss. The amount of passion and love Jean-Luc put into the kiss made Beverly go weak in the knees. She was grateful when Jean-Luc suddenly leaned in, swept her up into his arms and carried her into his bedroom without breaking the kiss.

After gently laying her on his bed, Jean-Luc pulled out of the embrace and took a moment to gaze at her. He laid his hands on her lower thighs and slowly moved them down her legs before setting about removing her shoes and socks, divesting himself of his own in the process. Beverly sat up and assisted him in removing his uniform jacket and undershirt. Once he was bared to the waist, Beverly began running her hands over his chest, enjoying the feel of the soft chest hair against the firm muscle beneath.

Jean-Luc allowed himself to be momentarily distracted, savoring Beverly's caresses before resuming his task of removing her uniform. Beverly's hands stopped their exploration of his body long enough to allow him to pull her uniform off. She watched her lover's eyes darken as they roamed her body, clothed only in her bra and panties now. Beverly took advantage of his distraction and brought her hands to his waist, quickly undoing his pants and pulling them down his well-muscled legs. Eying the very pronounced bulge directly in front of her face, she leaned forward and released a hot breath against it, causing Jean-Luc to moan. Realizing he was quickly losing control over his body, he gently pushed Beverly back on the bed, removing first her bra and then her panties. Now lying completely exposed, Beverly shivered slightly as she observed looks of desire and finally, love, cross Jean-Luc's face. His eyes moved down her body, taking in her perfect skin and curves.

"Belle," he rasped, "You are absolutely exquisite."

Beverly's heart swelled at his words and she raised her hand to him, smiling, "Come, my love."

Jean-Luc quickly rid himself of his final article of clothing and grasped her hand, moving toward her. With that last barrier removed, Beverly was able to see her lover in all his glory. Her eyes automatically drawn to his manhood, she was unable to suppress a gasp as she took in his size. She had almost forgotten how large he was since they had last made love so many years ago.

Jean-Luc smiled as he slowly covered Beverly's body with his, "Don't worry love, I will be gentle."

Beverly returned his smile and closed her eyes as he covered her mouth with his. He gently sucked at her bottom lip and then her top lip before pressing his tongue against both lips, entreating entrance into her mouth. She opened her mouth to his and he plunged his tongue inside, lavishing the inside of her mouth with gentle caresses.

He reluctantly pulled away from Beverly's mouth and began trailing kisses down her throat to her collarbone. Beverly gasped when she felt the heat of his mouth envelope her breast. Her hands circled his neck and pulled his head closer as his tongue gently swirled around her nipple. His mouth moved to kiss the valley between her breasts as he moved to tend the other breast. He suckled the rosy peak, smiling as she moaned and arched beneath him.

Missing the taste of his kisses, Beverly pulled Jean-Luc's head back up to hers and claimed his mouth in a passionate kiss, stealing his breath and leaving both of them dizzy with desire. Without breaking the kiss, Jean-Luc moved his arm down Beverly's body, slowing as he reached the patch of soft auburn curls. Beverly gasped and broke the kiss when she felt his fingers gently stroke her moist folds. Inspired by the growing wetness between Beverly's thighs, he inserted a finger into her and began to move his thumb over the pearl of her desire. Beverly's moans grew louder as he began to stroke her more forcefully, causing her to thrust her hips against his hand. As she felt her climax build, she pulled Jean-Luc's head toward her.

Not wanting to reach the precipice alone, she gasped, "Please Jean-Luc, I need you."

Jean-Luc carefully removed his hand from her and moved between her legs. Beverly reached down, grasping him and stroking his length, enjoying the feel of his hardness between her fingers. She increased the pace of her strokes causing Jean-Luc to moan and finally whisper her name, indicating to her that he had reached his limit. Beverly stopped her strokes and guided him to her entrance. Their gazes met and they whispered simultaneously, "I love you."

Beverly groaned and fought her climax as he entered her slowly, giving her body time to adjust to his size. Jean-Luc closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her silky softness surrounding him. Beverly's eyes filled with tears as she was almost overcome with the feeling of completion from their joining. Anxious to experience the joining of their souls, Beverly rolled her hips to indicate her desire for Jean-Luc to begin moving within her.

Brushing feather-light kisses over her eyelids and lips, he slowly withdrew from her until only the tip remained ensconced within her. Meeting Beverly's gaze he drove himself back into her, leaving them both breathless and wanting more. Beverly reached up and pulled Jean-Luc's mouth to hers for another kiss. She sucked his tongue into her mouth, matching the rhythm he set below, as he gradually increased his pace. Beverly broke the kiss, gasping as she began thrusting her hips up to meet his. Straining to reach her peak, she wrapped her long legs around Jean-Luc's waist bringing his thrusts even deeper. Arching up beneath him, she screamed his name as overwhelming pleasure spread waves of ecstasy through her body. Her interior muscles contracted around him driving him over the edge, crying out for her as he filled her with his passion. Exhausted and spent, he collapsed on her and rolled over, bringing her trembling form to rest on his chest. Jean-Luc kissed the top of Beverly's head and caressed her back as aftershocks continued to move through her body.

They lay in silence for several minutes as their heart rates and breathing returned to normal. Beverly finally broke the silence as she snuggled closer within his embrace.

"Jean-Luc, that was magnificent."

He chuckled and hugged her tightly, "Indeed."

"Tell me again why we waited so long."

"I don't know, my love. But I can promise you that I plan to make up for lost time."

Beverly lifted her head and looked into his eyes, flashing him a mischievous grin, "Oh, really? Care to make good on that offer now, captain?"

Jean-Luc raised his hand to stroke her silky hair, laughing softly at his lover's eagerness.

"Under normal circumstances, nothing would give me greater pleasure. However, my dear, we do have a rather important day tomorrow. Telling Danielle that we are her biological parents will be a daunting task...one that we will be better prepared to face with a good night's sleep."

Beverly's amused expression faded as she contemplated the confrontation with her daughter. *Dear God, please let her forgive me for what I've done*.

"Do you really think she'll accept us, Jean-Luc? Maybe we're doing this too soon. She's just lost her husband and I don't want to hurt her even more."

"She already suspects that we are hiding something from her Beverly. She deserves to know the truth, no matter how ill timed it may be. She needs to know that we're here to support her, especially now that she's lost someone she loves."

Beverly sighed and lay her head back down on Jean-Luc's chest, absentmindedly stroking his chest hair, "I only hope she's inherited your forgiving nature, Jean-Luc, instead of my temper."

Jean-Luc only moaned in response as he began to doze off under Beverly's ministrations. Beverly smiled as she realized he had fallen asleep. She closed her eyes, taking comfort in his heartbeat and quiet breathing. As warm and secure as Beverly felt within the arms of her lover, she could not get herself to relax and fall asleep. She continually found her thoughts drifting to her daughter. She had always been curious about the whereabouts of her child and was relieved that she had finally found her daughter. She was both excited and nervous at the prospect of getting to know Danielle. She prayed that Danielle would be as forgiving as her beloved Jean-Luc and open to the possibility of establishing a relationship.

Beverly was also very eager to spend time with her granddaughter. Though she had spent only a few fleeting moments with the child, Beverly already adored her. Elizabeth was an adorable little girl and an absolute joy to be around. The more Beverly thought about Danielle and Elizabeth, the more she yearned to provide a family for them, knowing they would soon face some difficult times.

Not entirely sure what possessed her, Beverly quietly slipped out of Jean-Luc's embrace, donned a long shirt and robe of Jean-Luc's and made her way out of his darkened quarters. She soon found herself in front of Danielle's quarters and used her medical override to gain entrance.

Beverly stood in the doorway of the bedroom, leaning on the frame as she observed the sleeping occupants. She noticed that Elizabeth appeared to be sleeping soundly in her crib, unlike her mother. Apparently Danielle had not bothered to change out of her clothes before retiring. She also appeared to be having one hell of a nightmare. She was tossing back and forth, tears streaming down her face, whimpering softly in her sleep.

Beverly moved toward the bed fighting the urge to take Danielle in her arms and comfort her. Beverly realized Danielle was a grown woman, but at the moment, she seemed so young and vulnerable. As Beverly stood at the foot of the bed, contemplating her next move, Danielle suddenly sat up, eyes wide with panic, her arms reaching out.

"Nooooo!" she cried out, still in the grip of her nightmare. Beverly instinctly moved onto the bed and wrapped her arms around Danielle's trembling body. Danielle collapsed against her, burying her head into Beverly's chest, her body shaking with sobs. Beverly hugged Danielle tightly and began rocking back and forth, whispering words of comfort to her.

"I'm here, baby. I'm here. Everything will be okay, I promise. It was a nightmare. You're safe here."

Danielle began to relax, though her tears continued.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" Beverly asked.

Danielle took a shuddering breath and began to talk, her voice shaking as she related the story.

"We were on the transport ship when it suddenly lurched and the emergency alerts sounded...I grabbed Beth and ran into the corridor...Jeremy was right behind me..." she sobbed. "There were panels exploding all around us...the ship kept shaking...I could hardly stay upright...another explosion happened right behind us...something hit me from behind and I fell with Beth...just before I blacked out and awoke in Sickbay, I could hear Jeremy calling to me and Beth," her sobs threatened to overtake her again, "I can still hear him calling to me," she choked out.

Beverly's own eyes were bright with tears as she pulled Danielle against her body and began rocking her again. She continued whispering comforting words, telling Danielle that everything would be all right and to let her grief out. Eventually Danielle's tears began to subside and her grip around Beverly's waist relaxed. Her slowed, even breathing indicated to Beverly that she had mercifully fallen back to sleep.

Beverly slipped out of Danielle's arms and laid her back on the bed, maneuvering the covers over her. She brushed a few stray strands of hair from Danielle's face and placed a soft kiss to her forehead before straightening up and moving away from the bed. Beverly stopped at the crib, kissing her index finger and gently pressing it to Elizabeth's forehead. Wishing then both sweet dreams, Beverly quietly left Danielle's quarters to head back to Jean-Luc's quarters.

As Beverly exited Danielle's quarters, she let out a yelp as she ran into Deanna Troi, who was standing on the other side of the door.

"Deanna!" she gasped, trying to regain her composure, "You scared the life out of me!"

Deanna smiled, "I'm sorry, Beverly."

"What are you doing here?" Beverly asked.

"I couldn't sleep. I was having trouble blocking the overwhelming emotions I sensed from you and Danielle. Is there anything I can do to help?"

Beverly sighted, concern etched in her features, "She's sleeping right now. I think she needed to release some of her grief, but I would like you to talk to her tomorrow. She'll probably need some counseling, especially after Jean-Luc and I have our little talk with her tomorrow. For now, I hope she's able to get the sleep she needs."

"I'll be happy to meet with her tomorrow, if she's up for it."

"Great. Well, I guess I'll head back to bed. I could use some sleep. Goodnight Deanna," Beverly said as she turned and began walking down the corridor.

"Oh, Bev, by the way, isn't that the captain's robe?" Deanna asked as a sly smile spread across her face.

"Goodnight Deanna," Beverly emphasized, but this time she couldn't resist throwing a wink and a grin at the counselor.

When Beverly entered Jean-Luc's quarters, intending to crawl back into bed with him, she was surprised to find him sitting on the sofa, sipping tea.

"Jean-Luc, what are you doing up?" she asked as she took a seat next to him on the sofa, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"The bed felt lonely without you." He leaned forward to set his teacup on the coffee table and then turned to Beverly wrapping an arm around her and pulling her into his embrace. "How is she?"

Beverly bit back her question, realizing he probably ascertained her location from the computer. She took a deep breath and began filling him in on what had happened. Once she finished, they both sat in silence for several minutes.

Beverly sighed, "Oh, Jean-Luc, I didn't know what to do for her. She just looked so helpless, all I could do was hold her and tell her everything would be okay."

Jean-Luc turned and kissed the top of her head, "It sounds to me like you gave her exactly what she needed."

Beverly smiled, "I think I needed to hold her just as much as she needed me to. God, Jean-Luc, it was heartbreaking seeing her in such pain, but it felt so wonderful to hold her and nurture her. I haven't been able to hold her like that since just after she was born."

"Perhaps, my love, you've taken the first step to building a relationship with our daughter. You may have inadvertently made tomorrow's task easier."

"I don't know, Jean-Luc. You should have seen the state she was in. She didn't even bother to question my presence in her room. I wouldn't be surprised if she just assumed it was a dream."

"Regardless, she needs family right now. We're going to make it clear to her tomorrow that we are here for her and Elizabeth whether she accepts us or not."

"Yes, sir."

Jean-Luc grinned, "Well now that I have you obeying orders, Doctor, come to bed."

Beverly laughed, "Yes, sir."

They stood and Jean-Luc grasped Beverly's hand as he led her to the bedroom. She shed her robe and crawled into bed with him, laying her head on his chest.

"Beverly?" Jean-Luc asked as he gently stroked her hair.

"Hmmm," she murmured.

"Tell me about her."

"Who?"

"Danielle."

"Jean-Luc, I've just met her."

"I know. Tell me about your pregnancy, about her birth, the first time you held her, what she looked like...Please Beverly, I want to know."

Beverly took a deep breath and turned to look into his pleading eyes. Even if she could say no to him, she wouldn't. He had a right to know more about his daughter and Beverly knew that he wanted to get close to Danielle. She turned her head to lie back down on his chest and closed her eyes, trying to recall as many details as she could.

"Well, like I said, I went to Caldos shortly after I found out I was pregnant. Nana was wonderful, after she got over the initial shock, of course. She tried to talk me into keeping the baby...she even said she would raise her, but I knew she was getting too old to keep up with a child on her own. Eventually we both agreed that the baby would have a better, more stable life if a loving couple adopted her. Please understand, Jean-Luc, I didn't come to this decision lightly. It was hard enough trying to raise Wesley while moving around with Starfleet orders, and I had Jack then. I realized that trying to raise Wesley and the new baby by myself was more than I was prepared to handle, so I arranged for her to be adopted shortly after her birth."

Beverly paused, taking comfort from Jean-Luc's heartbeat and the gentle strokes of his hand through her hair.

"As the pregnancy progressed I stopped myself from sending messages to you every time I made a new discovery. I desperately wanted to tell you when I first began showing, heard her heartbeat and especially when I felt her first kick. I talked to her everyday, not caring that she couldn't hear me. I told her how much I loved her, about her father, and I apologized everyday for the decision I had made. As her birth date neared, I used to fantasize that you would appear out of the blue and we would raise her and Wesley like a family."

"The day of her birth finally arrived. She was born in the house on Caldos...Nana delivered her. The details of her birth are a little blurry for me since I opted for a natural birth and was in a great deal of pain, but according to Nana, I called out for you several times while I was in labor. After she was born, I begged Nana to let me hold her before she was sent to the adoptive parents. She was beautiful, Jean-Luc. She had your hair color and my blue eyes, not to mention quite a set of lungs. She quieted down once I nestled her to my breast and she began nursing. I fell asleep shortly after that, and when I awoke, Nana told me that she had been sent to her adoptive parents.... I don't think I cried as hard when Jack died. Nana held me all night and reassured me that I had made the right decision for the baby. After I recovered, I returned to Wesley and did my best to get on with my life."

Beverly was silent for several moments, indicating to Jean-Luc that she had finished. He propped his head up and placed a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"Thank you, Beverly. Thank you for telling me. I know how difficult it was for you."

"I wanted to tell you Jean-Luc. I admit that it was a very difficult time for me, but I want you to know that carrying your child also gave me some of the happiest moments of my life. Every time I talked to her or felt her kick, I felt closer to you. Having this little child growing inside me that had been created out of our love somehow made it all seem worthwhile...even though I knew I couldn't give her the kind of life I wanted to give her...the life she deserved."

Jean-Luc gently reached down under her chin and pulled Beverly's face to his, looking directly into her eyes.

"Beverly, I cannot possibly tell you how sorry I am that I left you that night."

"Jean-Luc, you don't..." He moved his thumb over her mouth before she could finish.

"Please, Beverly, hear me out. I want you to understand my reason for leaving. Yes, guilt toward Jack was a large part of it. I did feel I had betrayed Jack. He was my friend. He put his trust in me and not only did he lose his life while under my command, but I made love to his widow only weeks after his death!"

Beverly pulled away from Jean-Luc in fascination, as his voice grew louder with each word. She had rarely seen Jean-Luc lose control, with the exception of his mind-meld with Sarek, but she did nothing to stop him, realizing he needed to vent. She knew he had been holding back his negative emotions ever since she told him of Danielle's conception.

Jean-Luc took a deep breath to calm him and looked back at Beverly. He took her hands in his and continued his confession in a quiet voice.

"My beautiful Beverly...that night I was sure that I had taken advantage of you." He smiled and caressed her cheek. "You were so beautiful and I was so completely in love with you...I couldn't help myself. Once I tasted your sweet kisses, I knew I had to experience the rest of you." His hand dropped from her face as his expression grew more serious.

"Afterward, I was disgusted with myself for being so weak, giving in to my desires and taking advantage of you during a time when you were so vulnerable. I didn't know how you felt about me, Beverly, and I was sure you would end up regretting our lovemaking. I couldn't bear the thought of you despising me for what I had done, so I made the worst mistake of my life and took the coward's way out. For some reason I decided that putting enough distance between us would help heal the pain I had caused, so I left. I'm so very sorry, Beverly. I should never have left you the way I did...you at least deserved an explanation...you deserved so much more, my love."

Beverly smile, tears shining in her eyes, as she took his hands in hers.

"Jean-Luc, I love you and I have loved you since the moment I met you. I never regretted making love to you. I will admit to being angry with you for leaving so suddenly, but I eventually came to terms with my anger and I realized your reasons for leaving. I want you to know that I never thought that you took advantage of me. I knew that you loved me and I knew what I was doing."

"Jean-Luc, I think we should agree that although we shared something special that night, we both made some bad choices in the aftermath and leave it at that. We've both apologized for our mistakes and forgiven each other. We need to focus our attentions on Danielle now and finding a way to explain everything to her."

"Of course, you're right," he said, stifling a yawn. "We should get some sleep."

He stretched and lay back down on his back with his arms across his chest and eyes closed.

"What, no goodnights kiss?" Beverly asked.

Jean-Luc chuckled and answered without opening his eyes, "Well, I would, but I know the effect my kisses have on you and we really do need to get some sleep. I know how cranky you can be in the morning when you haven't had enough sleep and I'd rather not subject Danielle to your dark side just yet."

"Jean-Luc!" Beverly exclaimed, her mouth open in shock. "I cannot believe you said that!"

He laughed even harder when she hit him with a pillow. His laugh changed to a moan when her mouth covered his in a sensuous kiss, her tongue slowly invading and inflaming his senses. Then, as suddenly as the kiss began, it was over as Beverly quickly pulled away and whispered a husky goodnight in his ear before snuggling up against his chest and closing her eyes.

Jean-Luc managed to choke out, "Touché, my love" as he struggled to get his body under control, all the while enduring her soft laughter. He reached down to draw the blankets over their bodies and placed a kiss to the top of her head as they both drifted off to sleep.

Danielle opened her eyes and was momentarily confused by the unfamiliar surroundings, until her eyes fell on the crib and her wailing daughter. She moved to the crib and picked up Elizabeth, taking a few minutes to bounce the little girl on her hip to try and calm her down.

"Hungry, Beth?" she asked as her own stomach growled. She called out to the computer for the time and was surprised to find it was past 1000 hours. No wonder Beth was so cranky. She quickly showered and changed, then cleaned Beth up and set about replicating a late breakfast. Appetites satisfied, she cleaned up the mess...Beth was notorious for playing with whatever food she didn't eat. Danielle was playing with her daughter on the floor when the door chimed. She was not surprised when Dr. Crusher and Captain Picard stepped into the room.

"I trust we're not interrupting?" asked the captain.

"No, we just finished our breakfast," Danielle answered.

"Is this a good time to talk? If not, we can come back later," Dr. Crusher shifted her weight nervously from one foot to the other.

Danielle smiled to herself, sensing the doctor's nervousness. *This should be interesting* she thought.

"No, now is fine. Do you want to talk here?"

"Actually," the captain cleared his throat; "we could take a walk, if you like."

"Ok. Is there someone I could leave Beth with?"

Dr. Crusher spoke up, "We could drop her off at Sickbay. My staff adores her and they could keep her entertained there...plenty of instruments to play with."

Danielle nodded absently, watching Beth toddle toward the captain. The captain, oblivious to the little girl making a beeline for him, turned to the doctor,

"Well, now that that's settled, shall we...?"

He stopped abruptly when he noticed Beverly trying to smother giggles and Danielle smiling brightly at him. Then he felt a small tug on his pants and looked down, only to find Elizabeth looking up at him, holding her arms out, obviously wanting to be picked up...by him. Momentarily at a loss for what to do, he just stood there, looking warily at the toddler.

"She wants you to pick her up, Captain. It's ok, she doesn't usually bite," Danielle said, doing her best to keep from laughing at his expression.

Glancing helplessly at both women, he sighed, surrendering to the inevitable and lifted his granddaughter into his arms. *My granddaughter*. He smiled at that thought, realizing he was holding his grandchild for the first time. Elizabeth caught his smile and lit up, making a grab for his prominent nose. She giggled as soon as she latched on and Jean-Luc instantly fell in love, gently smoothing down her brown curls. Elizabeth released his nose, popped her thumb in her mouth and laid her head on his shoulder, quite content to remain in his arms for the time being. Beverly watched the whole scene in amusement, knowing the two of them would be inseparable from then on.

Danielle gathered up a few replicated items for Elizabeth and the unsuspecting family made their way to Sickbay. Once they had dropped Elizabeth off, practically prying her out of Jean-Luc's arms, the trio made their way around the ship, giving Danielle a brief tour. They stopped at a Holodeck where the captain punched in codes to initiate a program. Stepping through the doors, Danielle found herself in a gorgeous country vineyard.

"What is this place?" she asked.

"It's my home in France. The vineyard has been in my family for many years," Jean-Luc said.

"It's beautiful...so peaceful. Do you come here often? I mean, to the real vineyard?"

"Not as often as I'd like. That's why I created this program...not quite as good as the real vineyard, but a close approximation."

"I see," Danielle took a final look around and turned back to the captain and doctor, "So, before we get to the real reason you brought me here, may I ask how the other survivors of the transport are doing?"

Beverly stepped closer to Danielle, "The others are doing fine, physically. Most of them had minor injuries...you had the worst of it with your concussion," her voice softened, "How are you holding up, Danielle?"

Danielle met her gaze, mildly surprised at the amount of warmth and caring she saw in the doctor's eyes. *Why do I feel so connected to this woman? I've only just met her*

"I feel fine physically...", her eyes took on a far away look, which she quickly shook off, blinking back tears as she looked back to Beverly, "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?"

Jean-Luc stepped closer, "No, there's something else we need to discuss. First, why don't we go into the house and sit down...there are some questions we need to ask you."

Jean-Luc watched as a look of panic crossed Danielle's face, but it was quickly replaced by curiosity. She nodded slightly and followed them into the house. Danielle spent a few minutes taking in her surroundings, before taking a seat on the couch, facing the captain and doctor. After everyone was settled, Jean-Luc glanced at Beverly then Danielle, and lowered her captain's mask, letting his features soften as he spoke.

"Danielle, there are some things that Beverly and I need to tell you, but before we do, we'd like to get to know you a little better, if that's alright? You don't have to answer the questions if you don't want to, but we would greatly appreciate it if you would."

Danielle's brow creased in confusion as well as suspicion, "Ok. I'll do my best."

Jean-Luc smiled, "Thank you. Now, can you tell me about your family, specifically your parents?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Indulge me."

Danielle shrugged, "They were wonderful people. They loved me very much and I cared a great deal for them."

Beverly broke in, "Did you love them?"

Danielle shifted uncomfortably, unsure of where this conversation was headed. "Like I said, I really did care for them, but they made no secret of the fact that I was adopted, and for some reason I could not get as close to them as they wanted."

Danielle gazed at Beverly for a moment. Suddenly overcome with the desire to tell her everything, wanting to be close to someone again, her story began to spill out:

"My parents did tell me that my natural parents were alive and had been forced to give me up for some reason or another. After learning this, I used to lie in bed at night imagining what my natural parents were like. I tried to picture what they looked like and wondered if I resembled them. I decided that when I got older, I would try to find them. After my adoptive parents died, I entered Starfleet and tried to obtain my original birth certificate, but it had been sealed and I didn't have the rank or connections to get a hold of it, so I postponed my search for awhile."

When she made no indication of continuing, Beverly asked in a soft voice, "If it's not too painful, may I ask when your husband came into the picture?"

A visible wave of sadness swept over Danielle, but she managed a small smile.

"Jeremy was my best friend before he was my husband." Beverly exchanged a knowing glance with Jean-Luc. "We practically grew up together and he was a great comfort to me when my adoptive parents died. We both decided to enter Starfleet and then ended up getting married a few years later...it seemed like the next most natural step for us to take. A year later Elizabeth came along and we'd never been happier, until..." she stopped and looked down to her lap.

Jean-Luc decided to change the subject.

"What branch of Starfleet did you enter?" he asked.

"Medical."

Beverly brightened. "Medical? Really?"

Danielle smiled, "Yes. I finished my training but I'm..." she paused, "on leave...so that I can be with my family. I know you worked as Head of Medical one year. Too bad you didn't stay on. Medical is barely organized chaos under the current head."

Beverly grinned, "So I've heard. But I can sympathize with the current head...it's a thankless job."

Jean-Luc cleared his throat and Danielle and Beverly both focused their attention on him, rolling their eyes at each other.

"Danielle, did you ever continue your search for your natural parents?"

She sighed, "Jeremy pushed me to continue after we married, but Elizabeth came along, so I postponed the search again."

Jean-Luc nodded his understanding. "Tell me, what will you do when you find your parents?"

Danielle thought for a moment, then shrugged, "I guess I never really thought about that. I suppose it would be rather awkward if I did finally meet them, especially if they had no intention of ever meeting me. I guess I always imagined a happy reunion, almost as if we had never been separated." She sighed, "I think, in the end, I'd like to at least meet them, even if they want nothing to do with me, then at least I would know and I could stop searching for them and close that chapter of my life."

Danielle seemed to stare off into space for a few moments and then smile to herself. Beverly noticed the dreamy look on her face and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Danielle focused her eyes on Beverly. "Nothing. I was just remembering a dream I had last night."

Beverly raised her eyebrows. "Oh? What was the dream about?"

Danielle hesitated momentarily, "Well, I was having a nightmare about losing Jeremy on the transport ship, when suddenly my mother, my real mother, appeared out of nowhere. She held me, comforted me, told me that everything would be okay, and I couldn't help but believe her. It felt so real...she felt so real. I even dreamed I fell asleep in her arms. I've never had such a vivid dream about my mother. I don't know if it was my subconscious trying to cope with losing Jeremy, but it definitely helped."

Beverly shot Jean-Luc a knowing glance, as if to say 'I told you so'.

Danielle was starting to grow weary of all the questions and was anxious to find out what these questions were leading to.

"I'm sorry, captain, doctor, but why are you asking me all of these questions? Do you know where my natural parents are?" she asked, her eyes filled with hope.

Jean-Luc looked at Beverly and then at Danielle. "Yes, I do know where your natural parents are." He looked down at his hands as Danielle leaned forward expectantly. "Danielle, we..." he paused and looked at Beverly.

Beverly sighed and looked at Danielle, "We are your natural parents Danielle."

Danielle's eyes went wide and she froze, completely blown away by what the doctor had told her. After several minutes, Beverly's expression changed from concern to fear, wondering if the news had sent Danielle into shock.

"Danielle? Are you okay? Say something, please!"

Danielle's eyes gradually regained focus and she turned to the doctor, trying to find her voice.

"I'm sorry, I thought I heard you tell me that the captain of the Enterprise is my father and the CMO, my mother."

Beverly smiled slightly, still worried about her daughter's reaction to the news. "Umm, that's what I said. I can show you your original birth certificate, if you want."

"No, no, it's okay. I mean...I believe you. I'm just a little stunned at the moment."

Jean-Luc spoke up, "That's completely understandable Danielle. We can give you some time alone if you need to think about all of this."

"Not so fast! You got to ask me all kinds of questions, now it's my turn. First of all, are you okay with this? You won't regret telling me, will you?" Danielle asked, a little worried about their answer.

Jean-Luc looked at Beverly and nodded. Beverly stood and went to Danielle, sitting next to her on the couch. "Danielle, we will never regret this." She took Danielle's hand in hers, "You are our daughter and we could not possibly be happier to finally be meeting you."

Danielle brightened considerably, "Really?"

"Really," Beverly said softly.

Danielle looked down nervously, "So, I know it sounds corny, but can I hug you? I've dreamed of hugging my mother for a long time."

Beverly laughed softly, "Of course you can, and this had better be the first of many!"

Danielle smiled ecstatically and practically leaped into Beverly's arms, tears running down her face. She clung to Beverly for several minutes, enjoying the feel of her mother holding her and realizing why she had previously felt such a connection to Beverly. Beverly, for her part felt such relief at finally having the truth out and having her daughter safely in her arms. Although she was still a little worried about how Danielle would react when she learned the circumstances of her birth and adoption, Beverly knew she would cherish this moment for the rest of her life.

Danielle finally pulled away from Beverly when she felt a hand lightly touch her shoulder. Danielle wiped the tears from her eyes as she turned to Jean-Luc who had joined them on the couch.

A bright smile adorned his feature, "I hope you will save a few of those for me."

Danielle giggled, "I suppose I could spare a few for you," she said as she wrapped her arms around her father. When she pulled away, she was mildly surprised to see tears coming from his eyes.

"I don't think I've ever seen a captain cry."

Jean-Luc blushed slightly as Beverly and Danielle laughed at his expense. "I can see the women in my life are going to keep me on my toes," his comments making them laugh even harder.

Once they had calmed down, Beverly picked up their conversation again. "Danielle, before you start bombarding us with questions, I have one more for you...Are you angry with me, with us, for not being there when you were growing up?"

Danielle thought for a moment. "A few years ago, I probably would have been, but Jeremy was always telling me to live for the present and not the past. And although I am curious as to the circumstances surrounding my birth, the past is the past and if you can accept me now, I can forgive you for you're past mistakes and decisions."

Beverly looked over at Jean-Luc and smiled, "She most definitely inherited your forgiving nature instead of my temper."

Danielle threw Beverly a sly grin, "Oh no, I definitely have a temper, I've just trained myself to control it. But it's nice to know where I got it from."

"So," Danielle said as she sat back on the couch and crossed her arms, "now it's my turn to ask you guys some questions...and I have several."

Beverly made herself comfortable and looked up, "Okay, fire away."

"First, I want to know...my dream last night, did that really happen?"

Beverly smiled and took Danielle's hand, "No, that wasn't a dream, it really happened." Beverly's eyes brightened with tears, "I wanted to see you again, and when I saw my child hurting...I had to hold you."

Danielle leaned into Beverly, wrapping her arms around her and resting her head on Beverly's shoulder. "Thank you," Danielle whispered. Beverly hugged her tightly, "Anytime, and I mean that."

Danielle pulled back again to move to her next question. "Ok, I'm dying to know what's going on between you two now. I'm assuming you're not married since you don't share a last name. You were obviously intimate once upon a time...are you still together now?"

"Well," Beverly began, "Jean-Luc and I have a very complicated relationship. We didn't see each other for years after your conception. We gradually became friends again when I joined him on the Enterprise, but it was actually your recent appearance which helped take the next step in our relationship."

"Which is..." Danielle prompted.

Beverly sighed, "Okay, yes, we're romantically involved now."

Danielle grinned, "That's great! Am I invited to the wedding?"

Beverly gasped, then smiled, "Well, don't look at me, it's up to him to pop the question!"

Jean-Luc's jaw dropped and he stared horror-stricken at the two women smiling sweetly at him. *Definitely keeping me on my toes. * Unable to resist them, he chuckled, "I'm sure you'll make a beautiful bridesmaid Danielle, and Elizabeth would be an adorable flower girl."

Beverly shot Jean-Luc a wicked smile, "Only if I accept, Jean-Luc."

He matched her smile, "I'm not worried, how could you resist?" Beverly and Danielle collapsed in laughter.

Once they had calmed down, Danielle voiced the question Beverly had been waiting for, almost dreading.

"If it's alright, I'd like to hear the events leading up to my birth and adoption."

Beverly sighed and prepared herself to answer Danielle's question. "I guess I should start by telling you a little bit about my past before we address that subject."

Danielle sat back and listened attentively as Beverly began her story. She told Danielle about her childhood, the tragedy on Arvada III, losing her parents, being raised by her grandmother, and then eventually entering Starfleet Academy. Beverly's voice became almost wistful as she described meeting Jack Crusher and his best friend Jean-Luc Picard.

"I never thought it was possible to love two such different men so much," Beverly said.

Beverly went on to tell Danielle of her marriage to Jack and then the birth of her son, Wesley.

"I have a brother?!" Danielle exclaimed.

Beverly smiled, "Yes, but I'll have to explain his whereabouts later."

Beverly went back to her story, which became more detailed as she approached Danielle's entrance into her life. Her voice grew softer as she explained how Jack had died and Jean-Luc had brought his body home to her. Danielle noticed the pain that passed through both her parents' eyes. Beverly finally reached the night that Danielle was conceived.

"Jean-Luc stayed with me that night to make sure I was coping after Jack's death. We ended up talking late into the night and eventually we found a different way to console each other. You were conceived that night."

Danielle frowned, "So let me get this straight. I'm the product of self-pity."

Beverly jumped in, "No, no, no, you don't understand. I was very much in love with Jean-Luc, as was he with me. We just didn't know how the other felt at the time."

This time Jean-Luc interrupted, "I can assure you Danielle, that although you may have been ill-timed, you were very much so created out of love."

Danielle relaxed some at his statement. "So what happened next?" she asked.

Beverly tensed as she answered, "Well, when I awoke the next morning, I found that Jean-Luc had disappeared."

Danielle's jaw dropped as she turned to her father, "You left her?!"

Jean-Luc grimaced as he tried to find a way to word his explanation. "I know it's difficult to understand what I was feeling at the time, but I want you to know that I truly loved your mother. I was so ashamed of myself for betraying my best friend's memory only weeks after his death and I was sure I had hurt Beverly in the process. I wasn't sure how she felt about me, but I was certain that I had exploited her vulnerabilities and taken advantage of her. I couldn't face her, knowing what I'd done to her, and I was so sure she would regret what had happened, that I decided to leave and spare her the pain of having to confront me. It ended up being the absolute, worst mistake of my life."

Danielle's anger faded and her heart went out to her father when she heard the pain and anguish in his voice as he poured his heart out to her and her mother. Jean-Luc took Danielle's hands in his own and looked deep into her eyes, "Beverly has found it in her heart to forgive me and I hope that someday you will too."

Danielle gently brushed the tears from under his eyes and then squeezed his hands, "I think you've punished yourself more than I ever could. I'll forgive you as long as you promise to never willingly leave her again."

Jean-Luc smiled and brought their hands up, brushing a light kiss over her knuckles, "Agreed."

Danielle returned his smile and then turned back to Beverly, anxious to hear her side of the story. "So what happened after he left?"

"Well, I was very hurt by his sudden departure even though I knew he had his reasons. He was long gone on the Stargazer by the time I found out I was pregnant. I arranged to leave Wesley with Jack's family and I went to stay with my grandmother on Caldos. While I was there I realized that traveling with Starfleet while trying to raise a young son was going to be difficult, but adding a newborn baby to the picture was overwhelming. After a great deal of soul-searching, I decided to give you up, hoping you would be raised by a loving couple who could provide you with the upbringing you deserved." Now, it was Beverly's turn to take Danielle's hands and beg forgiveness.

"Danielle, the decision to give you up was the most difficult thing I've ever had to do. The day you were born was the happiest and saddest day of my life." Beverly smiled through tears and caressed Danielle's cheek, "You were such a beautiful baby. I wanted to hold you in my arms and never let go. I prayed Jean-Luc would appear and take us away to be a family, but I knew that would not happen. I never told him I was pregnant and you were much better off in a stable, loving home. I made some bad decisions during a time when I was an emotional mess and I hope someday you'll be able to forgive me too."

Danielle sat quietly for a moment, "I do have one quick question. You told me that he never knew you were pregnant." She turned to Jean-Luc, "When did she finally tell you about me?"

Jean-Luc shifted uncomfortably and cleared his throat, "Well, she apparently tried to tell me several times over the years, but I only found out about you shortly after you were brought aboard the Enterprise."

Danielle's eyes widened as she regarded both her parents. She shook her head and said, "Like I said, I think you two have punished yourselves and each other more than I ever could." She then turned to Beverly, "And yes, I do forgive you. You did what you thought was best at the time, and knowing how hard it is to raise a child, I probably would have made the same decision under those conditions. Besides, this happened a long time ago and we should focus on the present, not on the past."

Beverly grinned and leaned forward, resting her forehead against Danielle's, "I don't know how you got so smart, kiddo, but I love you for it. In fact I just love you."

Danielle smiled and blushed, "I love you, too." She turned to Jean-Luc, "Both of you."

Jean-Luc returned her smile, "And I love you both."

Danielle spoke up suddenly, "So now that we've bonded, what do I call you guys?"

Beverly grinned, "Well, I guess we'll leave that up to you. I suppose you could start with our first names...it all depends on what you feel most comfortable with."

Danielle grinned at Beverly, "Works for me, Mom," turning to Jean-Luc, "Dad."

Jean-Luc chuckled and looked at Beverly, "She definitely inherited the wicked sense of humor from you."

Beverly looked shocked, "Who me? Jean-Luc are you implying that I am a wicked woman?" she asked with amusement in her voice.

"I would never imply that, Beverly...I'm flat out saying it."

She reached out to playfully slap him, but he caught her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing gentle kisses over her knuckles, "And I wouldn't have you any other way."

The playful moment was interrupted by Danielle's stomach growling, followed closely by Beverly's. Jean-Luc chuckled, unable to hide his amusement. "Identical appetites as well. I wonder where the resemblances between you two will end?"

"Ha, ha, Jean-Luc. I've seen the amount of food you take in. You and your European upbringing just make it look good," Beverly retorted.

Danielle finally stood up, "Well, as much as I'd love to listen to you two flirt for hours on end, I think I'll pick up my daughter and take her to lunch. Which brings up another point, you both realize you're not only stuck with a daughter, but also a granddaughter? I think it's time she was properly introduced to her grandparents. What do you think?"

Jean-Luc stood up, pulling Beverly to her feet, "Well, let's not keep her waiting. If she's anything like her mother and grandmother, she's probably starving as well." That comment earned him a playful slap from both of 'his girls'.

Danielle, giggled, "You're partially right. Beth does have an appetite, but she usually ends up wearing more than she eats. Although, she seemed pretty taken with you, Dad. Maybe you could help me clean her up after lunch. She loves taking baths."

Jean-Luc grinned at his daughter. "I think I'd enjoy that."

Danielle turned toward the door, grabbing Beverly's hand on the way, "Great! Oh, by the way, you'll want to wear something waterproof!" She walked out of the holodeck, dragging a hysterical Beverly with her. Jean-Luc stood there for a moment shaking his head, then shut down the program and followed the ladies to Sickbay.

As Danielle walked through the Sickbay doors, a staff nurse who was holding Elizabeth met her. The little girl saw her mother, squealed and practically leaped into Danielle's arms. "There's my girl!" Danielle said as she planted a kiss on Elizabeth's cheek. She shifted Elizabeth to her hip and looked at the nurse, "I hope she wasn't too much trouble."

The nurse smiled, "She was a bit of a handful, but we enjoyed having her here. Feel free to bring her by again anytime."

"Be careful what you say, I might have to take you up on that offer!" Danielle said laughing, "Thanks again!"

Elizabeth grew impatient in her mother's arms and began trying to squirm out of them. Danielle tightened her grip and brought the little girl over to Jean-Luc and Beverly. Danielle did her best to explain to the toddler that these were her grandparents, but Elizabeth paid little attention to her mother. She squirmed even more in her mother's arms, reaching for Beverly, eyes fastened on her red hair.

"May I?" Beverly asked, holding out her arms.

"Be my guest," Danielle relinquished the child to Beverly. Elizabeth immediately grabbed a handful of the doctor's hair and began chewing on it. Beverly couldn't help smiling at her granddaughter, but gently elbowed Jean-Luc, who had been standing behind her laughing softly, in the ribs.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, "At least you have hair for her to chew on. Come on, let's get her some real food to eat."

They left Sickbay and headed for a quiet lounge to enjoy lunch. They spent some time actually enjoying their meal and a great deal more time cleaning up after Elizabeth. Beverly and Jean-Luc then accompanied Danielle and Elizabeth back to their quarters where Jean-Luc, true to his word, set about bathing his granddaughter. Beverly and Danielle sneaked a peek into the bathroom several times and came out howling with laughter each time as they witnessed Beth apparently trying to bathe poor Jean-Luc.

Beverly and Danielle eventually settled down on the couch to spend some quality time together. Danielle rested comfortably against her mother, her head on Beverly's shoulder. Beverly wrapped an arm around Danielle and the two sat in silence for a while before Beverly finally spoke up.

"Danielle, sweetie, how are you doing...really?"

Danielle sighed and closed her eyes, "I'm alright, I guess. Part of me still wonders if this has all been a dream and any moment now I'll wake up in Jeremy's arms."

"I know how you feel. I felt the same way just after Jack died. I was sure there was some mistake and he would come walking through the door at any moment."

Danielle's voice dropped to a whisper, "Oh god, mom, I miss him so much. I feel like I've lost the other half of my soul." Silent tears began to slip down her cheeks.

Beverly drew Danielle tighter into her embrace. "I know it hurts, baby, and your heart will ache for him for a long time, but I promise you it will get better. And you have family surrounding you who will be with you every step of the way. You have a beautiful little daughter who adores you and will be a constant source of unconditional love. Deanna is always around to talk to as a friend or a counselor, and of course, you have your father and I. We both love you very much and we will be here for you from now on, whenever you need us, no matter what the circumstances. Even if you just want to talk, cry, or just need someone to listen anytime, day or night, ok? I promise you will never be alone."

Danielle managed a small smile through her tears. "Thank you. I am grateful that out of this horrible experience I was blessed with finding you, and dad. I don't know how I would get through this without you."

Beverly smiled, "Jean-Luc and I are the ones that were blessed with you for our daughter. And, romantic feelings aside, I was so grateful to have Jean-Luc there to help me grieve when I lost Jack. He was a great source of comfort and support during a very dark time in my life."

Beverly gently pulled Danielle's chin up to look in her eyes. "Promise me you'll come to me, or to Jean-Luc, whenever you need anything, even if you're just hurting and want to be held. Please?"

Danielle moved closer to Beverly, hugging her tightly, "Ok, ok, I promise. I love you, mom."

"I love you too, honey." Beverly pulled away from Danielle, wiping at her tears. "Well, Jean-Luc should be finished bathing Beth soon, and if I'm not mistaken, he'll need to dry off and change clothes as well."

Danielle giggled, "Probably. Beth should be ready to take a nap now anyway."

"Well, I need to go to Sickbay for a while and Jean-Luc needs to get to the bridge." Beverly hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Danielle, would you do me a favor? Would you talk to Deanna while Beth is napping?"

Danielle frowned slightly, "Do I have to?"

"No you don't have to, but Deanna is a trained counselor and empathic and she can help you deal with your emotions. I know that if you're anything like your father, and me, you don't like discussing your feelings with outsiders, but Deanna's concerned about you and she wants to help you."

"I don't know..." Danielle said slowly.

"Honey, please try talking to her, for me, please? I'm just going to keep worrying about you if you don't at least try talking to a professional counselor."

"Are you going to use these guilt tactics on me a lot?"

"Umm...yes."

Danielle groaned, "Fine, I'll try talking to her."

Danielle's brow creased as Beverly started giggling at her, "What?" she asked.

"I'm sorry," Beverly choked out, "but you looked so much like your father right at that moment. He gets that same stubborn look when he has to do something he doesn't want to do."

They both jumped when they heard Jean-Luc's voice behind them. "Yes, but you're always telling me how irresistible that look is."

Both women dissolved into giggles when they took in his appearance. Elizabeth was clean and dry, wrapped in a towel in Jean-Luc's arms. However Jean-Luc was drenched from head to toe. Jean-Luc gave then each a stern look, prompting them to laugh harder. Danielle finally got a hold of herself and stood, pulling Beverly up with her. Danielle walked to her father, placed a quick kiss on his cheek and relieved him of his towel-wrapped burden.

"Thank you for bathing her," Danielle said.

"It was my pleasure, and hers as well, apparently," Jean-Luc said, as he looked down at his sopping wet uniform.

Beverly stifled another giggle, "C'mon, love, let's get you into a dry uniform, and then I'll accompany you to the bridge," her voice rose in volume and she looked to Danielle, "where I'll send Deanna down to you."

Danielle rolled her eyes as she took Elizabeth back into the bedroom.

Jean-Luc nudged Beverly, "Is it okay to ask her to join us for dinner tonight? I want to talk to her about Starfleet. Have you noticed she gets a panicked look on her face every time I mention it? I want to find out what she's holding back."

"Dinner is fine with me. Just don't pressure her into talking about it, if she doesn't want to," Beverly warned.

"I know. I just want to help her, if I can." He turned toward the bedroom, "Danielle, will you join your mother and I for dinner tonight? We'd like to talk to you."

Her muffled voice came from the bedroom, "That's fine, I'll see you then."

"Great." Jean-Luc took Beverly's arm, brushed a light kiss on her lips and escorted her out of Danielle's quarters.

Go to Next Part of "Survivors"