Survivors 2

Danielle Taylor spent the first week or so of her stay on Caldos familiarizing herself with her mother’s house and replicating necessities for herself and her daughter, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was young and precocious and didn’t seem to mind the recent upheaval in her life. However, this new lifestyle was beginning to wear on Danielle. She had voluntarily ‘confined’ herself and her daughter to Caldos to avoid the possibility of being taken into custody by Starfleet since she had ‘deserted’ her position and duties. Each time Danielle began to question this decision, she merely looked at her daughter and reminded herself that she had done what was best for the both of them. She would do anything in her power to keep herself and her daughter together.

Danielle spent most of her days puttering around the house, playing with Elizabeth and exploring the Caldos colony. She took Elizabeth with her on these explorations, of course. Danielle marveled at the quaint homes and intricate stone structures around the colony while Elizabeth enjoyed pointing out the people and wildlife she saw on each trip. The other colonists were aware that Danielle was staying in the former residence of Felisa Howard and that her presence was Starfleet related. Danielle was careful not to divulge many details of her presence in the colony and consequently kept mainly to herself. Most of her contact on Caldos was with Governor Marturin who made good on his promise to keep an eye on Danielle and Elizabeth.

For Danielle, the high point of each day was the never-failing contact from one or both of her parents, Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Doctor Beverly Crusher. As the weeks passed, Danielle anxiously awaited contact from them every day. Conversations with her father centered mainly on updates on her situation with Starfleet while those with her mother were dominated by plans for the upcoming wedding of Beverly and Jean-Luc. Of course both her parents also wanted updates on their granddaughter as well. Danielle made sure to record as many ‘cute’ moments of Elizabeth as possible and transmit the images to her parents.

This day began much the same as the rest. Danielle had woken, showered and dressed, replicated breakfast and then took Elizabeth out to play around the house, followed by a short trip into town. Once she and Elizabeth returned to the house, Danielle kept herself busy with some household chores while Elizabeth played quietly on the floor. Danielle had just finished her self-appointed duties when the familiar chime of an incoming communiqué sounded at the computer terminal. Danielle rushed to the terminal and switched it on. She felt a surge of happiness when her mother’s face appeared on the screen.

"Mom!"

"Hi sweetie! How are you?" Beverly asked.

"I’m fine. How are you? And Dad?"

"We’re both fine. And how is my sweet granddaughter?"

"Adorable as ever," Danielle replied and turned from the screen toward Elizabeth. "Beth, come here, sweetheart, and say hello to you grandmother."

Elizabeth toddled over to her mother and Danielle gently lifted her daughter into her lap, turning the little girl toward the screen. "Nana!" Beth cried excitedly, reaching for the screen.

"Hello Beth!" Beverly said, holding a hand toward the screen as Elizabeth tried in vain to touch her grandmother. Danielle tightened her grip on Elizabeth, as the little girl tried to crawl through the screen, and pulled the child back into her lap.

"So, what did you do today?" Beverly asked.

"Same old, same old. We did make a quick trip into town though."

"Oh? Any special reason?"

"No. Mainly just to relieve the monotony. Besides, Beth likes to watch the other colonists going about their business."

"Are they treating you okay?"

"Yes. Mainly they leave us alone, but we do get a fair share of curious stares." Danielle hesitated for a moment, "There is one man who stands out. Whenever I go to town, he’s there and I’ve caught him watching me on more than one occasion."

Beverly gave her a sly smile, "Sounds as if some young man has a crush on my beautiful daughter. But then, who can blame him?"

Danielle groaned, "Mo-om, please. He makes me uncomfortable. What if he’s from Starfleet? Besides, even if he does have a crush, I’m not interested. It’s too soon..."

"I know, baby. I’m sorry. I was just teasing. And I seriously doubt he’s a Starfleet spy. Jean-Luc would have known if you were being spied on."

"Are you sure?" Danielle asked.

"Positive," Beverly replied.

"Okay. If you’re sure, I am. So, how go the wedding plans?"

Beverly’s face lit up causing Danielle to giggle. "What?" Beverly asked.

"You, Mom. Every time I mention the wedding, you glow."

Beverly blushed, "I can’t help it. I’m so happy."

Danielle smiled brightly, "I know, Mom, and I’m happy for you. So, have you found a dress yet?"

"Actually I did narrow it down to two choices. I’m sending images of both to you. I want your opinion. Oh, and I found a darling little dress for Beth. I’ll send an image of that to you too."

"Sounds good. Mom, how’s Dad doing on the ‘situation’?" Danielle tried to keep the anxiety out of her voice. Beverly saw through her efforts. "Try not to worry honey. Jean-Luc’s been working overtime on it and I have every faith in him that he’ll have it cleared up soon. You and Beth will be back in no time."

Danielle smiled sadly and touched the screen. "I miss you, Mom. Dad too."

Beverly touched the screen on her end. "We both miss you and Beth very much. It’ll all be over soon, honey, I promise. Just hang in there a little longer, ok?"

Danielle smiled again, her eyes bright with tears, "Ok."

"I hate to end this now, Dani, but I have to head back to Sickbay soon. I’m sure Jean-Luc will be contacting you again later to check on you though," Beverly said.

"Ok. I’ll talk to you later, Mom. I love you."

Beverly smiled and drew her hand back from the screen, kissed her fingers, and returned them to the screen. "I love you too, baby. Take care of yourself, and Beth. And be sure to let me know if that man does anything to bother you, ok?"

"I will. Bye, Mom."

"Bye, sweetie."

Beverly switched off the screen just as Jean-Luc entered her quarters. She stood and stretched with her back to him as he quietly walked up behind her. Beverly jumped when his arms came around her waist. "Jean-Luc! You scared the hell out of me!" she scolded.

He chuckled, "Hello to you too, my love."

Beverly relaxed in his arms and covered his hands with her own. "Hello," she replied, biting back a moan when he began nibbling at her neck. "Jean-Luc, stop that. I have to report to Sickbay soon."

Jean-Luc reluctantly stopped his ministrations as Beverly turned in his arms. Seizing the opportunity, Jean-Luc drew her into a passionate kiss, his tongue gently invading her mouth. Beverly initially returned his kiss with equal hunger. When she felt his hands making a quest to turn that kiss into something more, she pulled away from him. "Jean-Luc, please," she gasped, trying to catch her breath.

"Alright, alright, I’m sorry," he said, not bothering to conceal the amusement in his voice.

"No, you’re not," she replied with a scowl.

"No, I’m not," he agreed. "Were you talking to Danielle?" he asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yes. She seems to be doing all right, but I think she’s going stir crazy. Although, she did tell me she seems to have attracted the attention of some young man." Beverly laughed at Jean-Luc’s stricken expression, "Don’t worry, Jean-Luc, she’s not interested. She’s just lost her husband, remember?"

"Didn’t seem to stop us," he muttered.

Beverly’s scowl returned. "Our situation was different, Jean-Luc, and you know it." She put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

He put his hands up in surrender, "I know, I know, my love. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just concerned about our daughter." He put on his most innocent expression and pouted. Beverly’s anger dissolved quickly and she shook her head, smiling.

"I hate it when you do that."

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Make it impossible for me to stay angry at you! You put on your innocent face, you pout, and you bring up our daughter to clinch the deal and I just can’t stay mad at you."

"Of course not. It’s just one of my many brilliant strategies, my love."

"I know," she replied, moving forward to embrace him. "By the way, did I thank you for the brilliant strategy you used on me last night?" she asked in a seductive voice.

"It was my pleasure."

She giggled at his response, hugging him tighter. She suddenly straightened and looked at him. "Jean-Luc, how’s Dani’s situation coming along?"

He sighed, "I think I’ve finally worked it out."

"Really?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes. I’ve had to call in every favor owed to me and I’m pretty sure Starfleet now owns my soul, but they aren’t pressing any charges against Danielle. She’s free to return whenever she’s ready."

Beverly squealed in excitement. "Oh, I can’t wait to tell her!"

"There are a few conditions she’ll have to agree to however," he said seriously.

"Like what?"

"I think I’ll wait and tell you when Dani returns. Then we can all sit down and discuss what we need to do. Is that acceptable?"

"Yes. I’m just so happy for Dani," she said and hugged him again. "When can we retrieve her?"

"Actually, that was one of my conditions. We’ve been diverted from our present mission and are en route to Caldos as we speak. We should be there in about two days."

Beverly cried out and leaped into his arms. "Thank you, Jean-Luc! You have no idea how happy you’ve made me. Oh, I can’t wait to tell Danielle!"

He chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Shall we contact her now?"

"Definitely," she replied. "Just let me contact Sickbay and leave instructions."

Jean-Luc released her from his embrace and went to the communications terminal to contact Danielle while Beverly rescheduled her appointments and left instructions for her staff. Beverly closed the commlink and joined Jean-Luc at the computer terminal just as Danielle appeared on the screen.

"Dad! How are you?"

"I’m fine, sweetheart, and I have wonderful news for you. You may return to us if you’re ready. Starfleet Command has dropped the charges against you."

Danielle squealed in delight, and then suddenly clamped a hand over her mouth.

"What’s the matter?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Nothing. I just put Beth down for a nap and I didn’t want to wake her. Will the Enterprise be returning to pick me up?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"We’re on our way now and should arrive there in two days. We may be arriving a little late at night, so we’ll establish orbit and beam down to you in the morning."

"Are you kidding? Do you think I’ll actually be sleeping between now and then? Please, please, please beam down as soon as you get here," she pleaded.

Jean-Luc laughed, "Alright, we’ll beam down immediately after arrival."

"Promise?"

"You have my word."

"Great. So, how did you get them to drop the charges? Am I really in the clear?" she asked.

"We’ll talk about it when you come aboard," Jean-Luc replied.

"Alright, then I guess I’ll see you when you get here. I can hardly wait!"

"Neither can we. We’ll see you in two days, sweetheart. Take care of yourself and kiss Beth for me."

"Alright. Thank you so much, Dad! I love you! Bye!"

"Good-bye," Jean-Luc said and shut down the computer. He turned his chair and stood, taking Beverly into his arms.

"Are you due on the bridge anytime soon?" Beverly asked.

"No, I’m finished for the day," he replied.

"Well, in that case, I think we should find some way to celebrate," she said in a low voice.

"Oh? And what exactly did you have in mind?" he asked, his voice barely masking his desire.

"Well," Beverly said seductively, "I could tell you, but I’d rather show you." Beverly kissed him hard, effectively stopping his response, and maneuvered him toward the bedroom.

His kissed her back just as hungrily, his tongue mercilessly ravaging her mouth. They made quick work of their uniforms and collapsed on the bed. Jean-Luc rolled onto his back, pulling Beverly on top of him, never breaking their kiss. She moaned into his mouth when his hands began tracing a light path down her back. He suddenly grasped her rear and thrust his hips up against her. Beverly broke the kiss and gasped, delighting in the feel of his erection pressed firmly against her center. Catching his gaze, she was surprised at the amused grin he was wearing. *Two can play at that game, Jean-Luc* she thought. Beverly sat up, running her hands down his chest, stroking the firm muscle. She suddenly shifted, reached down and grasped his erection firmly in hand. She quickly poised him at her entrance and drove herself down hard, taking in the complete length.

"Beverly!" he cried out. He squeezed his eyes shut using every ounce of will power he had trying not to climax at her surprise maneuver. Beverly threw her head back and moaned at the feel of him filling her so completely. Finally regaining control of himself, he opened his eyes and immediately looked into a pair of very amused blue eyes. He smiled at her and thrust up into her.

"Oh, yes, Jean-Luc," she gasped. Focusing on the feeling of sliding in and out of her silky wetness, he thrust his hips again, urging her to set a pace. She slowly began rocking her hips, drawing a deep moan from him in response. As the desire grew, the pace began to increase. Soon, they were moving against each other with wild abandon. Beverly threw her head back and screamed his name as her orgasm hit. Her internal muscles clamped down fiercely on him and catapulted him over the edge. He grasped her hips and called out her name in response as he emptied himself into her. Beverly collapsed on top of him, completely drained. He hugged her against his chest and within moments they were both fast asleep.

Danielle floated on air for the next two days, busily packing her meager belongings and shutting the house down. The day of the Enterprise’s return finally arrived and Danielle could barely contain her excitement. As she had predicted, she’d slept very little in the previous two days. As night fell, she still didn’t feel sleepy, but did manage to put Elizabeth to bed before returning to the bedroom to attend to the last of her packing.

Danielle hummed softly to herself, ecstatic that her parents would be there in just under an hour. She tucked the last piece of clothing into her travel case and stepped back to admire her work, when a large hand suddenly closed over her mouth and another wrapped around her arms and waist. She tried to let out a scream, but it only caused the arms to squeeze her tighter.

"Shut up!" a male voice hissed.

The strong arms swung her around, giving her the opportunity to glance in the mirror. It was the same man that had been watching her in town! She whimpered when his hand began moving up her body.

"Quiet! If you scream, I’ll kill you and I’ll kill your daughter."

*No!* her mind screamed. *Not Beth!*

The man maneuvered her to the door and shut it before tossing Danielle on the bed and roughly covering her body with his. "Don’t fight it, honey, you just may enjoy it...maybe that little girl of yours will too!" He laughed a wicked and deranged laugh.

Danielle let out a scream at that last comment. He was not going to touch her daughter! She began struggling against him with all her strength, desperate to protect her daughter. She managed to free an arm, which she promptly used to claw his face, leaving blood red scratches in the wake. Her attacker howled in pain and drew his hand back, backhanding her across her face again and again. Danielle whimpered as blow after blow sent agonizing pain through her face. She stopped her struggle when he drove her head against the headboard. As blackness began to close in, she could hear Elizabeth crying out for her. Her attacker finally stopped his savage beating of her and began to tear her clothes off, freeing him self in the process. She tried once again to push him away, but she couldn’t move...he was too strong.

*Oh god, no! Please make him stop! Somebody help me!* her mind screamed.

Danielle cried out in pain as he mercilessly drove himself into her. That was the last thing she remembered, finally giving into the pain and letting the darkness envelope her. Her attacker continued his cruel movements until he found his release and collapsed on her unconscious form.

It was at that moment that Jean-Luc and Beverly arrived via transport directly into Danielle’s bedroom as planned. The scene that greeted them was more horrifying than they could ever imagine. Their precious daughter lying unconscious, bruised and bleeding upon the bed with a man standing over her, tucking himself back into his pants.

"Security team, beam directly to my position. Now!" Jean-Luc yelled into his communicator.

"Danielle!" Beverly screamed and covered her mouth as a wave of nausea overtook her.

Jean-Luc saw only red as his self-control snapped. With an animalistic scream, he lunged at Danielle’s attacker, driving him against the wall. "Bastard!" he screamed, "How could you? I’ll kill you!"

Ignoring Starfleet protocol and training, Jean-Luc landed punch after punch into the man’s face and abdomen, until the security team finally arrived and pulled them apart. Jean-Luc struggled against them, determined to cause this man, this animal, the kind of pain he had caused Danielle. He finally relaxed his struggle, ordering the team back to the ship and the attacker thrown in the brig.

Meanwhile, Beverly had rushed to Danielle’s side and perched next to her on the bed. Her body shook with sobs as she gently pulled Danielle into her arms. "Dani, oh god, baby, what did he do to you?" Beverly looked down Danielle’s body, her eyes stopping at thigh level where a copious amount of blood was visible.

Beverly gasped in horror. "Noooo!" she wailed. "Dear god, no! Oh, Dani, I’m so sorry, baby, I’m so sorry," she sobbed and rocked Danielle’s body against her own. She could hear Elizabeth crying from the other room and turned quickly as Jean-Luc approached her. "Jean-Luc! Go get Beth! If that bastard touched one hair on her..." Beverly’s comment was cut off when she felt Danielle begin to stir in her arms as Jean-Luc rushed out of the room to fetch Elizabeth.

"Mom?" Danielle whispered, fighting to open her eyes.

"I’m here, sweetie. It’s okay now. Everything’s okay, he’s gone. You’re going to be all right."

"Beth," she whispered.

Jean-Luc appeared at that moment with an apparently unharmed Elizabeth in his arms. He remained in the doorway so that Elizabeth couldn’t see her mother in that condition. Beverly turned back to Danielle. "Beth’s here and she’s fine."

Danielle remained conscious long enough to hear that Elizabeth was safe before slipping back into unconsciousness.

"Crusher to Transporter Room 3. Four to beam directly to Sickbay."

Seconds later they materialized in Sickbay’s receiving area where they were met by a med team who immediately moved Danielle to a biobed. Blinking back her tears, Beverly pushed her emotions aside and set to work treating Danielle’s many injuries.

Jean-Luc watched Beverly tending to Danielle for a moment before removing himself and his wailing granddaughter from Sickbay. He took Elizabeth directly to his quarters where he gently rocked her back to sleep. He tucked the little girl into his own bed, making sure to stack pillows around her to keep her from rolling off. He watched her for a moment, looking like a little angel, sucking her thumb, before he moved back into the living area. From there he first called the bridge, ordering Commander Riker to take the ship to the nearest Starbase, where they would leave their ‘guest’ with Starfleet authorities. He then placed a call to Counselor Troi asking her to report to Sickbay. He wanted her there when Danielle awoke. Those tasks complete, he collapsed into his desk chair and buried his head in his hands. Finally overcome by anger and despair, he allowed his tears to fall.

In Sickbay, Beverly finally straightened up, stepped away from Danielle and dropped her instruments on a tray. She nodded at the rest of the med team who promptly set to work cleaning up the area and dropping dirty linens into the reclamator.

Beverly kept her eyes on Danielle, "Move her to Recovery Room 2 and activate privacy lock, command and medical access only."

She watched as they carefully transferred Danielle to recovery, tears blurring her vision as her emotions began to overwhelm her once again. Beverly watched the door close on Danielle and turned away, breaking into a dead run to the nearest washroom. Tears slid down her cheeks as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She jumped when a towel and a glass of water appeared out of nowhere. Looking up she saw Deanna kneeling beside her, rubbing her back. Beverly made quick use of the towel and washed her mouth out with the water. She set the implements aside, taking deep breaths to settle her nerves and calm her stomach.

Beverly looked back at Deanna who had been watching her closely, concern marring her exotic features. "Beverly?" Deanna prodded.

Beverly closed her eyes against her tears, "Oh, Deanna," she managed to choke out as her sobs began to overtake her again.

"Shhh," Deanna replied, pulling Beverly into her arms, bringing them into a sitting positions against the wall. "It’s okay to let it out."

Beverly buried her head in Deanna’s shoulder, giving free reign to her emotions. Deanna tightened her embrace around Beverly, her heart aching as she listened to Beverly’s gut wrenching sobs. Deanna cried with Beverly, unable to block the overwhelming emotions pouring off of her friend. She continued to hold Beverly, rocking her back and forth until Beverly finally grew quiet.

"Oh, Deanna," Beverly gasped, "Why did this have to happen? She’s already experienced so much pain. Why?"

Deanna sighed, "I don’t know, Beverly. I wish I could give you some answer, some reason for this tragedy, but I can’t."

"Deanna, I’ve treated more rape cases and beatings than I care to remember," her breathing became labored as her tears began again, "I just never dreamed I would ever have to treat my own child!" She lost her battle against her sobs. "Oh god, Deanna, there was so much damage there...so much blood."

Beverly experienced a moment of panic. "Deanna, where’s Beth?"

"The captain took her to his quarters. I think she was already asleep when he called me."

"Is she okay?"

"I’m sure she’s fine. If she wasn’t, the captain would not have removed her from Sickbay." She paused and studied her friend’s concerned expression. "He didn’t touch her, Beverly. You and the captain made it there in time."

Beverly’s eyes flashed with anger. "We didn’t make it in time, Deanna. We were too late to keep him from hurting Dani. That bastard raped my daughter!" she screamed. The agony in her voice tore at Deanna’s heart. She hugged Beverly against her body, wishing she could stop the pain.

"It’s my fault," Beverly suddenly blurted out. "I wanted to make sure Dani’s temporary quarters were ready. I wanted to add a few more personal touches. If I hadn’t insisted we stop there once more, we could have beamed down earlier. We might have been there in time to prevent this from ever happening!"

"Don’t say that, Beverly. How could you have known?"

Beverly sighed, "Oh, but I think I did know, Deanna. Danielle told me about some man that had been watching her whenever she went to town. I teased her about this man having a crush, but she told me how uncomfortable she felt." She focused her eyes on Deanna, "I’d bet anything he’s the one that did this. I should have known."

"Stop it, Beverly! None of this is your fault! Leave the blame with that man in the brig where it belongs."

Beverly felt her anger rising again but kept her mouth shut and let her head drop to Deanna’s shoulder. "From what I understand, he may need some medical attention. I hear the captain really did a number on him," Deanna said with a touch of amusement in her voice.

Beverly was not amused. "Jean-Luc really wanted to kill him. And I had no intention of stopping him. If security hadn’t shown up, he might have succeeded." Beverly took a deep breath and willed herself to calm down. "I suppose I should head to the brig and treat his injuries."

Deanna stood and helped Beverly to her feet. "Beverly, are you sure? Maybe you should send another doctor."

Beverly shook her head. "Unfortunately, I have to go. I’m the only one with the security clearance." She sighed, "I just hope I don’t end up inflicting more injuries."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Deanna asked.

Beverly’s reply was interrupted by the captain’s voice over the commlink.

"Picard to Troi."

"Troi here, captain."

"Please report to my quarters."

"On my way. Troi out." She looked back at Beverly, "I’m sorry."

"It’s okay. I’m going to look in on Dani before I go."

"Alright. I’ll check on both of you later."

Beverly smiled sadly, "Thank you. I’m sure she’ll need to talk."

Deanna hugged Beverly and then hurried out of Sickbay to meet the captain. Beverly watched her disappear out the door and then made her way to the recovery room. She punched in her access code and moved next to Danielle’s bed, looking down on her sleeping form. Beverly had managed to heal most of the physical wounds. The many cuts and bruises Danielle had received were gone, but she was still very pale. Beverly brushed a strand of light brown hair out of Danielle’s face and gently took her hand in her own.

Suddenly Danielle’s eyes shot open and she struggled against an unseen foe, trying to sit up on the biobed.

"Mama!" she screamed, her eyes filled with terror. She turned and curled into a fetal position. Her eyes were still open but unfocused. Tears were streaming down her pale cheeks as her body shook uncontrollably. "Mama, mama, mama," she moaned over and over again.

Beverly quickly released Danielle’s hand, slipping one arm under her body and pulling the girl tightly against her chest. "Dani, honey, I’m here. Mama’s here. It’s okay, baby, you’re safe. You’re safe, I promise." Beverly cried softly and continued her soothing words, rocking Danielle against her body. Danielle buried her face in her mother’s chest and continued sobbing until, finally overcome with exhaustion, she fell into a restless sleep. Beverly lay Danielle back onto the biobed and administered a mild sedative hoping it would help her get the rest she needed. When she was sure Danielle was settled, she walked out of the recovery room and activated the privacy lock. Grabbing a nearby medkit, she stormed out of Sickbay.

Deanna arrived at the captain’s quarters and rang the door chime. She entered the dimly lit quarters at the captain’s request and found him sitting on the sofa, nursing a drink. She knew he only resorted to hard liquor when very upset.

"Captain?" she prompted softly.

He looked up at her. She could barely make out his red-rimmed eyes in the semi-darkness. "Counselor," he replied with an edge in is voice. "I need a favor. I’d like you to watch Beth for a short time while I visit the brig."

Deanna studied him for a moment. "Sir, are you sure you want to see him? It might be better to wait, or even avoid him, if possible. Commander Riker can handle..."

"No!" he snapped. "I need to see him...to look him in the eyes." He opened his mouth to continue his tirade, but quickly closed it again and stood, setting his drink on the coffee table. "Will you watch Beth? I could find someone else, but I’d be more comfortable with you here."

Deanna sighed in resignation, "Of course, sir. I’d be happy to watch her. Is she sleeping?"

"Yes. I’m not sure how long that will last though. I think she senses that something is wrong." He glanced toward the bedroom and then back to Deanna before offering her a stiff nod and walking toward the exit. He stopped just before tripping the sensor mechanism and turned slightly toward her, his eyes unfocused. "I almost killed him, you know...I would have..." his voice trailed off into silence. He closed his eyes and shook his head before turning back to the exit and disappearing through the doors. Deanna watched him leave realizing that a thin force field was the only thing protecting Danielle’s attacker now.

Jean-Luc walked into the brig and dismissed the security officer on duty. He faced the only occupied cell and slowly approached, stopping a few feet in front of the force field. The man lay beaten and bloodied on the bunk in the holding cell. At first he thought the man was asleep or unconscious, until a pair of cold, black, uncaring eyes snapped open and met his gaze. Jean-Luc suppressed a shudder as he stared intently into the man’s soulless eyes.

"Get up," Jean-Luc growled, only half-heartedly attempting to control his temper.

Without breaking eye contact, the man shifted and slowly sat up, in obvious pain from the injuries he had sustained. He stood up unsteadily and moved to the center of the cell, facing off with the captain.

"Come to finish the job?" he sneered.

Jean-Luc remained silent and glared at the man, his stomach turning at the sight of him. He stood outside the cell, clenching his fists, all the while contemplating deactivating the force field and indeed finishing what he had started. He called on every ounce of discipline he had to remain in control of his emotions.

"Why?" Jean-Luc struggled to keep his voice calm.

"Why what?" the man asked without a trace of concern in his voice.

"Why did you attack my daughter, you bastard?!" Jean-Luc trembled at the strength of his own anger.

The man looked momentarily stunned. "Your daughter? She’s your daughter?" A look of fear briefly flickered across his face before his features settled into a sickeningly deranged smile. "Well, captain, you should be very proud," his voice dropped low, " your daughter is very sweet." He finished his statement and licked his lips. White-hot anger flashed through Jean-Luc’s body, so intense he could feel his blood boil.

"You son of a bitch!" he roared as he dashed to the control panel, deactivated the force field, turned and rushed toward the cell. All control and rational thought fled as the sight of Danielle, immediately after the attack, played over and over in his head. He grabbed the man by the collar and hauled back, intent on landing a powerful punch to this man’s face.

"Jean-Luc!" Beverly’s scream cut through Jean-Luc’s rage and his arm froze in mid-air.

"Beverly, what are you doing here?"

Beverly rolled her eyes, "I’m a doctor, Jean-Luc, and it’s my job to heal his injuries." She opened her tricorder and began scanning the man as Jean-Luc released his death grip on the man’s collar. Beverly’s eyes were glued to the tricorder, refusing to look at the man’s face, burying her contempt deep down.

Jean-Luc watched in disbelief as she scanned the man’s injuries. "I don’t believe this! After what he did, you’re actually going to help him? Or do you even care?" Jean-Luc snarled, instantly regretting his words.

Beverly whirled around on him, her eyes blazing with anger. "How dare you!" she hissed. "How dare you accuse me of not caring! She’s my daughter too, Jean-Luc, and I love her very much!"

Jean-Luc put his hands up in surrender, the anger draining from his voice, "I know, Beverly, I know. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said." The words sounded weak even to him.

Beverly glared at him for a few minutes and then turned back to her ‘patient’. She took the dermal regenerator from her medkit and ran it over the scratches on the man’s face. Jean-Luc watched her work, wanting desperately to apologize properly to her, but he just couldn’t demean himself in front of this man. Danielle’s attacker had watched their exchange with glee and now gazed lustily at Beverly. She ignored his look and finished healing his injuries. When she was done she began replacing her instruments within her medkit while he inspected her work.

"Great job, doc. Thanks for taking such good care of me." His sleazy grin turned Beverly’s stomach. She swallowed hard as she stepped toward him, giving him an icy glare. "Let’s get one thing straight," she hissed, "I didn’t heal you because I wanted to. I did it because it’s my sworn duty. I may have taken an oath to heal, but I don’t have to like it. Nothing would please me more than to see you burn in hell for the pain you caused my daughter!"

His deranged smile grew. "You wound me, Doctor."

"Don’t tempt me," she snarled. She picked up her medkit and turned to leave his cell when his hand suddenly shot out and grabbed her arm. "Let go of me!" she screamed as Jean-Luc rushed forward to defend her. The man quickly released her arm and stepped back, his arms raised in defense. "I was just wondering if you’re as soft and sweet as your daughter," he leaned forward and whispered, "and your daughter was very sweet."

Beverly recoiled in horror at his statement. "You son of a bitch!" she yelled, echoing Jean-Luc’s previous remark. An image of Danielle flashed through her mind, making her tremble with rage. Without another thought Beverly drew back her hand and backhanded her ‘patient’ across the jaw, which cracked audibly. He stumbled backward onto the bunk, holding his jaw and whimpering in pain. Jean-Luc grabbed Beverly by the arm and pulled her out of the cell. He quickly reactivated the force field and led Beverly out of the brig, sending the security officer back to his post.

Jean-Luc didn’t let go of her arm until they were in her quarters. He took her medkit and dropped it on a chair while gently pushing her down on the sofa. She still looked stunned and slightly pale. Jean-Luc sat next to her on the sofa and took her hand in his.

"Beverly, are you okay?" he asked softly. When she didn’t answer him, he tried another approach. "Beverly listen to me," he began, cupping her chin in his hand to turn her face toward him. "Beverly, I’m so sorry about what I said to you in the brig. I know you love Dani very much and that you would do anything for her. I also respect your devotion to your oath and your duty. The things he said about Dani, indeed what he did to her, made me angrier than I’ve ever been in my life...and tragically, I tried to take it out on the woman I love more than life. I was terribly, horribly wrong and I’m so very sorry. Please forgive me."

Beverly closed her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks, "I forgive you, Jean-Luc."

Concern lingered in his expression. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Beverly opened her eyes and looked at him angrily, "No, Jean-Luc, I’m not okay! For god’s sake, that bastard raped my daughter, our daughter! Who knows what else he would have done to Dani, or Beth, if we had not shown up." Jean-Luc let her continue her tirade, knowing she needed to release her rage. "Then, as Chief Medical Officer, it was my duty to heal his injuries when instinctively, I just wanted to wrap my hands around his throat and choke the living shit out of him!"

Beverly collapsed against him, suddenly exhausted by the exertion. Jean-Luc wrapped his arms around her as her body began to shake with sobs. "Jean-Luc," she cried, "he hurt my baby! He tore her apart and I had to put her back together again. Every time I close my eyes, I see her, unconscious and bleeding, and it tears my heart out! She woke up screaming for me and all I could do was hold her until she cried herself back to sleep."

Beverly buried her face into his shoulder. Jean-Luc tightened his embrace around her, crying silent tears as he listened to her words. Beverly drew in deep breaths struggling to hold back her tears. "She’s such a beautiful, wonderful young woman, Jean-Luc. We’re so lucky to have her in our life. I just don’t understand why she had to experience all this...Starfleet, Jeremy, then this...I’m just so afraid for her...for us. I’m so afraid she won’t recover from this and I can’t lose her!" she wailed, finally giving into her sobs. She cried with Jean-Luc for what seemed like hours, until she couldn’t keep her eyes open any longer. Recognizing that she had fallen asleep, Jean-Luc maneuvered himself into a reclining position on the sofa and pulled Beverly on top of him. He stroked her hair as she snuggled up against his body, breathing in her scent until finally, overcome by his own exhaustion, he fell asleep.

Beverly awoke a couple of hours later, momentarily confused by her surroundings. Finally realizing she was lying on top of Jean-Luc on the sofa in her quarters, she lifted her head from his chest and looked down at him. He was not sleeping peacefully. He features bore a frown and he looked uncomfortable. Beverly watched him for a moment then laid her head back on his chest. Focusing on his heartbeat and breathing, she closed her eyes, attempting to shut out the rest of the universe. Her eyes reopened seconds later as another image of Danielle’s injuries flashed into her mind. She sighed dejectedly and slowly lifted herself off Jean-Luc’s body, placing a soft kiss to his forehead in the process. Straightening up, she watched him shift in his sleep and then headed for the exit.

"Leaving so soon?" She froze at the sound of his voice. Sighing, she turned back to the sofa where Jean-Luc was stretching his sore muscles.

"And just how long have you been awake?" she asked.

"Since just after you awoke. Where are you headed?"

"To your quarters to retrieve Beth and then back to Sickbay to check on Dani."

"So, you thought you’d sneak out on me," he mused.

"I thought nothing of the sort, Jean-Luc. I thought you were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you. I figured one of us should be getting some sleep."

"Hmm," he murmured and stood. He walked over to her and slid his arms around her waist, pulling her body against his. Beverly gladly returned his embrace, nuzzling her face in his neck and breathing in his scent as he buried his face in her hair. "Beverly, are we going to be okay?" he asked softly.

She pulled back and looked at him, smiling at the warmth and love reflected in his eyes. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, leaning her forehead against his. "Yes, we will. We all just need some time to heal...especially Dani. I’m sorry for my outburst earlier."

"Hey," he whispered, "there’s no need to apologize. You needed to release your anger just as I did. I was a willing target."

Beverly snorted, "Yes, well, be glad you weren’t in Sickbay earlier. After I sent Dani off to recovery I had to dash to the nearest bathroom to be sick and then I completely fell apart. Thank goodness Deanna was there to pick up the pieces." She pressed herself against him again, relishing the security of being in his arms. "I do feel better now, my love, and besides, I have to be strong for Dani. She’s going to need us now more than ever."

Jean-Luc gave her a small smile. "I agree," he said and pulled away from her, taking her hand in his. "Now, let’s go fetch our granddaughter."

Beverly gave him a stiff smile and squeezing his hand, followed him out of her quarters. As they approached the doors to his quarters, they could hear Elizabeth’s wails. They glanced at each other and then hurried into his quarters. As the doors swished open, they found Deanna walking back and forth with Elizabeth in her arms, trying desperately to calm the little girl. She gratefully handed Elizabeth over to Beverly. "She awoke about an hour after you left, captain, and she’s been crying for her mother ever since." She spoke loudly over Elizabeth’s shrieks, "Nothing I do seems to help and I’m out of ideas."

"Mama!" Elizabeth screamed. "I want Mama!"

"It’s okay, Beth. We’re going to see your mama now," Beverly said into Elizabeth’s ear. Beverly’s voice and words seemed to calm Elizabeth. Her wails soon quieted and she laid her head on Beverly’s shoulder, whimpering softly.

"Beverly, are you sure it’s a good idea for her to see Dani now?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Jean-Luc, she knows something is wrong and she’s scared. She needs to see her mother and once Dani wakes up, which should be very soon, she’ll need to see Beth." Beverly gently rubbed and patted Elizabeth’s back. "Nana," Elizabeth murmured between sobs, prompting a smile and kiss on the forehead from Beverly.

Jean-Luc reached over and stroked Elizabeth’s hair. "Very well. Will you accompany us, Counselor?" he asked, looking at Deanna.

"Of course," she replied.

The group quickly made their way to Sickbay and to Danielle’s private recovery room where Beverly handed Elizabeth over to Jean-Luc and punched in the access code. Once admitted to the room, they found Danielle still asleep on the biobed. Beverly walked to the bed, grabbed a hypospray and pressed it into Danielle’s neck.

"What was that?" Jean-Luc asked, shifting his sniffling granddaughter to his other shoulder.

"A mild stimulant to help bring her around," Beverly replied.

On the bed, Danielle began to stir. Slowly opening her eyes, she blinked several times against the light before focusing on Beverly. "Mom?" she whispered.

"Hi, sweetheart. How are you feeling?" Beverly brushed her hand against Danielle’s forehead.

"Thirsty. And my head hurts," Danielle replied.

Deanna appeared at Beverly’s side with a glass of water as Beverly prepped a hypospray with a painkiller. Danielle gratefully accepted the water as Beverly pressed the hypospray against her neck.

"Better?" Beverly asked.

"Yes."

"Good. Because there are some others that wanted to see you." Beverly stepped aside as Jean-Luc approached the bed.

"Hello, sweetheart," Jean-Luc said.

Danielle smiled, "Hi Dad." Her eyes landed on her daughter. "Beth!" she exclaimed, her smile growing brighter.

Elizabeth wearily lifted her head from Jean-Luc’s shoulder. "Mama!" she cried and practically leaped into her mother’s arms. "Oh, Beth," Danielle said softly as she hugged her daughter to her chest, "I love you so much, baby."

Danielle suddenly looked up at Beverly in alarm, "She’s okay, isn’t she? He didn’t..."

"No. No, she’s fine," Beverly interrupted.

Danielle closed her eyes and nuzzled her head against Elizabeth’s. "Oh, thank god," she whispered.

"Let’s give them a few minutes," Jean-Luc said to Beverly and Deanna. They nodded in agreement and stepped out of the room.

Beverly looked to Deanna, "What do you think?"

Deanna sighed, "I think we’re going to have our hands full. I’m having trouble sensing her emotions. It’s like she’s constructed mental barriers against her fear and pain. The only thing I could sense clearly was her joy and relief at seeing Beth. She’s going to have to face these negative emotions in order to heal properly or she may end up closing herself off from everything and everyone."

Beverly expelled the breath she’d been holding. "Alright, so what should we do?"

"Well, I want to meet with her regularly, and hopefully, with your help, we’ll convince her to open up and talk about what happened."

"Agreed. Shall we check on them?" Jean-Luc asked, motioning to Danielle’s room.

Beverly nodded in agreement and they walked back into the room, stopping short when they found Elizabeth fast asleep, cuddled against her sleeping mother. Beverly smiled at the tender scene and walked to the biobed, activating a restraining field to prevent Elizabeth from falling off.

"I guess this will all have to wait until tomorrow," Beverly said, turning back to Deanna and Jean-Luc. "They’re both exhausted and Dani needs as much rest as she can get at this point."

They left the recovery room once again and discussed possible forms of treatment for Danielle. Jean-Luc finally excused himself to report to the bridge, leaving Beverly and Deanna in Beverly’s office still discussing Danielle. Jean-Luc stepped out onto the bridge nodding to Will who quickly stood and relinquished the big chair.

"Captain," Will greeted.

Jean-Luc descended the ramp, scanning the bridge on the way. "Will," he replied, "Report."

"We’ll be arriving at Starbase 42 in approximately three hours where we will drop off our ‘guest’. We’ve already been in contact with the base commander. He’s expecting us, sir."

"Very well," Jean-Luc replied, "Once we’re finished with our business on Starbase, set course for Earth, warp two."

"Yes, sir."

Data sat at ops listening to their conversation, patiently waiting for a break to voice his inquiry. Detecting a lengthy pause, he turned his swivel chair toward the command chair. "Captain, a question, if I may?" Data asked.

"Of course. Go ahead Data."

"I would like to inquire into the health of your daughter," Data tilted his head, "and Elizabeth of course."

Jean-Luc sighed, "Danielle is fine, physically, and Beth is doing very well now that she’s back with her mother. I truly appreciate your concern Data."

Data nodded at the captain and turned back to his console. Jean-Luc sat back in his chair quietly contemplating Danielle’s emotional well-being, not to mention her still somewhat precarious situation with Starfleet. *How is Danielle supposed to deal with Starfleet after everything that’s happened?* he thought. Standing, he moved toward his ready room. "You have the bridge, Number One," he called over his shoulder before disappearing through the doors.

Jean-Luc sat down at his desk and spent the next couple of hours in communication with various members of Starfleet Command, trying to postpone Danielle’s required return to duty as long as possible, due to her present unfortunate circumstances. With everything finally in order, he shut down his computer and breathed a sigh of relief. Danielle would not have to report to Starfleet until cleared for duty by both her physician and her counselor. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on the desk with his head in his hands. He rubbed his temples trying to forestall the tension headache he could feel coming on. Dealing with Starfleet Brass always made him tense. He wondered why he didn’t take retirement years ago. Lately it seemed that a majority of his superiors were out to strengthen their own positions and power instead of working for the greater good. He considered calling Beverly to get something for his headache. *Maybe I could talk her into a massage as well* he thought, brightening at the prospect of Beverly’s magic touch all over his body. The chime of the computer and the voice of his first officer interrupted his thoughts.

"Riker to Picard."

"Picard here."

"We’re approaching Starbase 42 now, sir."

"On my way, Number One." Jean-Luc stood, mentally willing the tension away as he walked out from behind his desk and re-entered the bridge.

"The base commander is hailing us, captain," Will said.

"Onscreen." The forward viewscreen immediately switched over from an exterior view of the Starbase to the base commander.

"Captain Picard," the commander greeted.

Jean-Luc nodded in acknowledgement, "Captain Welles." Jean-Luc had met Captain Alexander Welles on a few previous occasions, mainly at Starfleet functions and they had maintained cordial relations, sending the occasional friendly communiqué. However, Jean-Luc was not in the mood for friendly conversation and Captain Welles understood, having been briefed on the situation.

"We’re ready to receive the prisoner at your convenience, Jean-Luc."

"Thank you, Alex. We’ll transport him down immediately."

"Acknowledged. Welles out." The Starbase replaced the image on the viewscreen once again.

Jean-Luc turned back to his first officer, "You have the bridge, Will. I’ll be in transporter room three. Have security meet me there with the prisoner."

Although concerned about Picard having contact with the prisoner again, Will knew better than to argue with his captain over this issue. "Aye, sir," he replied.

The captain entered the turbolift and stated his destination. He paced the lift anxiously as it slowly made its way to the transporter corridor. His desire to expedite this process drove him through the corridor at a faster pace than usual. His instincts still told him to grab the nearest phaser and vaporize Danielle’s attacker out of existence, but, as captain, he was required to turn this man over to the proper authorities. He entered the transporter room and, nodding at the transporter operator, waited impatiently for the prisoner and security escort. The sooner he turned this man over to Starfleet, the better, both for his own professional well being and the prisoner’s safety.

The security detail finally arrived escorting their prisoner, whose wrists were restrained in binders. Jean-Luc smiled inwardly when he noticed the man’s jaw bore horrible bruising and swelling where Beverly had struck him.

"Did you come down to bid me farewell, captain?" The prisoner gave him a deranged smile and then winced in pain from his jaw.

Jean-Luc ignored him and stepped onto the transporter pad with his security officers right behind him, pushing the prisoner onto the pad. Jean-Luc waited for everyone to take their place and nodded to the transporter officer, "Energize."

The next moment the group appeared in a secured area of the base. Captain Welles met them with his own security detail and the base doctor. The doctor stepped up to assess the prisoner and began scanning his jaw. "This man’s jaw is broken!" the doctor said in surprise and anger. "Take care of it, doctor," Jean-Luc said flatly, then turned his attention to Captain Welles as the doctor followed the security officers and their prisoner.

"Good-bye, Captain!" the prisoner called cheerfully as he was led away.

Jean-Luc grimaced and turned back to Captain Welles who spoke seriously to him. "Jean-Luc I was surprised and saddened to hear about your situation. I’m very sorry for what happened to your daughter. I must admit I was surprised to hear of her existence, though I am happy you were able to reunite with her." He lowered his voice, "You have my word, Jean-Luc, that her attacker will face justice. He will pay for this abominable crime."

Jean-Luc nodded grimly, "Thank you, Alex, for everything. I appreciate your cooperation."

"No thanks necessary, my friend. I would ask you to stay for a short visit, but I expect you’re anxious to return to your ship...and your daughter."

Jean-Luc nodded once again, "I am. Perhaps we can get together sometime in the near future."

"Of course. Take care of yourself, Jean-Luc. And your family."

"Thank you, Alex. You do the same."

The captains shook hands as Jean-Luc’s security officers returned. Jean-Luc stepped back and called to the Enterprise for transport. Within seconds he and his team were back on the Enterprise. Dismissing his officers, Jean-Luc left the transporter room on a direct route for Sickbay. He headed immediately to Beverly’s office and was not surprised to find it empty. He turned and headed for Danielle’s room next and punched in his command access code to unlock the door. Stepping into the room he found Beverly sitting against Danielle’s bed, her head in her arms, fast asleep. He allowed himself a brief smile as he took in the scene; the love of his life, his daughter and granddaughter curled up together.

He moved quietly to the biobed and leaned over, placing kisses to the tops of Elizabeth and Danielle’s heads. He then placed a kiss to Beverly’s cheek, while giving her shoulders a soft shake. "Beverly," he whispered in her ear, "wake up, my love."

"Jean-Luc," she murmured, still half-asleep. She opened her eyes wide and sat up suddenly. "Jean-Luc?" She looked quickly to Danielle, "Is something wrong?"

"No," he answered quickly. "No, nothing’s wrong, but I do think it’s time you got a descent amount of sleep, preferably in a bed." Hooking his hands under her arms, he gently pulled her into a standing position.

"What about Dani and Beth?" she asked.

"Activate the restraining field to keep Beth on the bed." She still hesitated at the idea of leaving them alone for so long.

"Come, Beverly, they’ll be fine, and besides, I’m sure your staff will keep an eye on them." He wrapped an arm around Beverly’s waist and led her out of Sickbay.

Taking her back to his quarters, he watched her struggle to keep her eyes open, her exhaustion finally taking its toll on her. Helping her change into a delicate nightgown, throwing on a pair of comfortable shorts in the process. He slid into bed with her and spooned up behind her, smiling as she fell asleep immediately in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and nuzzled his face into her hair, breathing in her scent as he too quickly succumbed to exhaustion.

Over the next week, Deanna and Beverly used every approach they could think of to try to get Danielle to talk about what had happened, to no avail. It seemed the harder they tried, the more she pulled away and closed herself off. She either quickly changed the topic or ignored them completely, spending more and more time in her quarters alone with Elizabeth. Meanwhile Jean-Luc ordered the Enterprise to approach Earth at a crawl, trying to buy as much time for Deanna and Beverly to reach Danielle as possible.

"I’m so worried about her," Beverly said as she and Deanna left Danielle’s quarters after another failed attempt at getting her to talk.

"I know, Beverly, I am too. We have to find some way to get through to her soon or I’m afraid she may close her off completely, from us, and possibly even Beth. I think, subconsciously, she’s closing herself off to try and avoid feeling the pain. And I don’t think this is just due to the rape." Beverly winced at the word, hating the fact that it applied to her child. "I think this has been building up since Jeremy’s death, possibly before," Deanna continued, "If she doesn’t open up soon, I’m going to try a different therapy."

Beverly nodded absently, only half-listening to Deanna. He thoughts were consumed with concern for Danielle. Deanna noticed the frown creasing her friend’s brow. Reaching over, she took Beverly’s hand, "Try not to worry too much, Beverly. We’ll reach her, I promise." Beverly gave Deanna a small smile as they continued down the corridor.

Danielle walked slowly into her bedroom, stopping briefly at Elizabeth’s crib to check on her sleeping daughter. She reached into the crib to smooth the covers down around the little girl. At least her daughter was able to sleep peacefully. Danielle sighed and retreated to her bed, not bothering to change out of the clothes she was wearing. What was the point? Nothing really seemed to matter all that much lately. She just wanted to be left alone, with her daughter. All she ever felt like doing lately was sleeping...and she wasn’t even all that tired. Flopping down on the bed, she closed her eyes, listening to the silence before finally surrendering to sleep.

On the bridge, Jean-Luc stood as the turbolift doors opened, revealing Deanna and Beverly. With hopeful eyes, he watched as the two women descended the ramp. Beverly met his gaze and shook her head slightly, indicating to him that their latest attempt to help Danielle had failed once again. With a heavy heart he took his seat again as Deanna sat to his left and Beverly sat next to her. All eyes were eventually drawn to the forward viewscreen, watching the stars go by, each lost in their own thoughts.

Danielle awoke from her troubled slumber quite suddenly with a feeling of dread. She glanced at the chronometer, which indicated she had only been asleep for about an hour. She sighed and turned over to look at Elizabeth’s crib. She froze and her heart leapt into her throat. There was a man standing next to her daughter’s crib! She sat up quickly with a scream, startling the intruder. "Security! Deck eight, Section twelve!" she yelled into the commlink. Determined to protect herself and her daughter this time, she grabbed the phaser she had secretly stashed in the bedside table and leapt off the bed.

Jean-Luc bolted out of his chair when Danielle’s call for help came over the comm system. He dashed to the turbolift behind his security chief with Beverly hot on his heels. Jean-Luc paced the turbolift like a caged lion, wishing he had thought to use site-to-site transport. The turbolift finally came to a stop and its occupants practically dove through the doors, taking off down the corridors at a dead run.

Taking a stance opposite the intruder, Danielle pointed the phaser at him, still screaming at him.

"Get away from my daughter!"

The intruder put his hands up in a defensive gesture and quickly stepped away from the crib. The sound of her mother’s screams had woken Elizabeth, who sat up in her crib, wailing at the top of her lungs. Danielle kept the phaser trained on him as he moved away. "You don’t understand," he began.

"Shut up!" Danielle screeched, trembling with anger and fear. She wouldn’t let this happen again. "I won’t let you hurt me or my daughter!" Danielle pointed the phaser at his chest.

"No, wait!" he yelled.

But it was too late. Danielle pressed the trigger and the intruder took the shot to the chest, flying backward at its intensity. At the same moment, the security team rushed in followed closely by Jean-Luc and Beverly. Jean-Luc dashed across the room and took the phaser from Danielle, pulling her into his arms.

"It’s okay, sweetie. You’re okay," he whispered to her over and over again.

Beverly took up a position over the fallen intruder and turned his body over to ascertain his condition. He was still breathing. Apparently Danielle had the phaser set to heavy stun instead of kill. Beverly’s eyes moved up his body and settled on his face. She gasped in shock.

"Oh, my god!" Beverly cried.

Jean-Luc and Danielle turned to Beverly. "What is it?" Jean-Luc asked.

"It’s Wesley!" Beverly exclaimed.

"What?" Jean-Luc and Danielle asked in unison.

"It’s Wesley," Beverly repeated. "It’s my son." She looked up at the security officers. "Get him to Sickbay," she ordered. The team gently hoisted Wesley and headed to Sickbay, passing Deanna as they exited the quarters.

"What’s going on?" she asked.

"It was Wesley," Beverly replied. "Dani managed to stun him with a phaser. He’s on his way to Sickbay now."

Danielle began backing toward the bedroom, shaking her head in disbelief. "Oh god, Mom. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it was Wesley. I thought ‘he’ had come back. I didn’t know. I’m sorry." Danielle’s eyes filled with tears.

Beverly quickly moved to Danielle. "No, sweetie, it’s okay. It’s not your fault. It was an accident. No one is blaming you." Beverly hugged her daughter to her chest while Danielle kept murmuring to no one in particular. "I thought it was ‘him’...I thought ‘he’ had come back."

Jean-Luc stepped over to Elizabeth’s crib, taking his still hysterical granddaughter into his arms. Hugging his shoulder, she soon settled down as he spoke softly to her. Beverly continued to try to reassure Danielle, but it fell on deaf ears. She hugged Danielle tighter but quickly loosened her grip as she felt Danielle’s body begin shaking uncontrollably. Danielle’s legs gave out from under her and she sank to the floor. Beverly crouched down next to her.

"What’s the matter with her?" Beverly asked in alarm.

"She’s going into emotional shock, something akin to post traumatic stress disorder," Deanna replied. She looked at Jean-Luc, "Take Beth out of here." He nodded and quickly exited the quarters as Deanna quickly moved to Danielle’s side.

"Let’s move her to the bed," Deanna ordered and helped Beverly lift Danielle off the floor and maneuver her onto the bed. Danielle began to shake harder and immediately curled into a fetal position. Beverly looked down to Danielle and then back toward the door. Part of her wanted to rush down to sickbay to check on her son, but the other part wanted to stay and make sure Danielle was okay. Beverly pushed her worries about Wesley aside, reassuring herself that her staff would take care of him and climbed onto the bed with Danielle. Her body was still shaking violently and tears were running down her cheeks. Her eyes were open but unfocused.

Beverly moved next to Danielle and gently to her daughter into her arms. "Shouldn’t I give her something to stop the shaking?" she asked Deanna.

"No," Deanna replied, "Her body is reacting physically to her emotions. Theoretically it will pass soon."

"Then what?" Beverly asked as she began rocking back and forth with Danielle, her own eyes bright with unshed tears.

"Then, hopefully she’ll be ready to talk." Deanna watched as tears began slipping down Beverly’s cheeks. "Don’t worry Beverly, the worst is almost over. With some time to heal, she’ll be fine. I promise," she said and took Beverly’s hand squeezing it gently.

Beverly nodded at Deanna and then bent her head down to Danielle’s, releasing Danielle’s hand and bringing her other arm around Danielle’s body. The minutes dragged on and Beverly continued her rocking motion, occasionally speaking softly to Danielle as she finally began to calm down. Beverly held Danielle close for a few more minutes until her body gave only an occasional shudder. Beverly finally pulled back and cupped Danielle’s chin, bringing her face up to her own. She took some comfort from the fact that Danielle’s eyes were now focused on her.

"Dani?" Beverly said softly. "Please talk to me sweetie."

"I’m gonna be sick," Danielle choked. She leaped off the bed and rushed to the lavatory with Beverly right behind her. Beverly crouched behind her daughter’s heaving, trembling body, rubbing her back and softly reassuring her. When Danielle was finished Beverly helped her clean up. Putting her arm around Danielle’s shoulders, Beverly led her back into the bedroom and onto the bed where Deanna was waiting anxiously for them. Once again Beverly turned Danielle’s face toward her own. "Please, talk to me, Dani," she pleaded.

"Mom," she whispered in a shaky voice and closed her eyes. She fought to hold back her tears and failed. Leaning against Beverly, tears streaming down her face, she began to talk, between sobs. "I tried to stop him, Mom...I had to protect Beth...I fought him...but I couldn’t stop him...I was too weak...my fault..."

Beverly interrupted her, "You were not too weak, Danielle. None of this was your fault."

"I should have been able to stop him...to protect Beth, but I couldn’t," she sobbed, her voice rising with each word. "If you and Dad hadn’t shown up, he might have hurt her too. Don’t you understand? I failed my daughter! As her mother, it’s my job to protect her and I failed her!"

Beverly brought Danielle’s face up to her own. "Listen to me Danielle. You didn’t fail your daughter. You fought for her and you fought hard. I saw the extent of injuries you inflicted on that man, and I saw the injuries he caused you, but you kept fighting him. For that, I’m proud of you, and Beth would be too."

Danielle nodded slightly but kept her tight grip around Beverly’s waist. "Tell us about you, Danielle. Tell us how you feel," Deanna said.

Danielle closed her eyes and buried her face against Beverly’s chest. "Please, Dani, don’t shut me out," Beverly pleaded.

"I feel so dirty," she whispered, "and violated. He took my trust. I’m always looking over my shoulder now, afraid of what may be behind me. I don’t feel safe anymore and I’m having a hard time trusting anyone. He took something from me that I’m afraid I’ll never get back. Every time I close my eyes I can see him, feel him touch me, forcing himself on me. I can’t sleep and I don’t really want to. When I do, I have nightmares." She closed her eyes again. "I just want it all to go away."

"Believe it or not, Danielle, that’s how most rape victims feel," Deanna said softly.

"How do I make it stop?" Danielle asked, sniffling.

Deanna sighed, "Well, talking about it is a good start in the healing process. I’m afraid it’s going to take time before you feel completely safe and secure again, even longer before you engage in any romantic relationships. But I promise you, your parents and I will be here for you every step of the way."

Danielle nodded slightly, then frowned and looked up to Beverly, "Mom, where is he?"

Beverly immediately knew the ‘he’ her daughter was referring to. "We left him in the custody of Starfleet officials at Starbase 42."

Danielle nodded again, a brief flash of relief crossing her face. "Sometimes at night, I feel like I’m being watched, like he’s still out to get me," she whispered.

Beverly hugged her tight. "He won’t hurt you again, baby. Jean-Luc promised that man would pay for what he did to you and he’s never broken a promise. You’re safe now, Dani, you’re safe."

Danielle returned her mother’s embrace, refusing to let go for some time, savoring the warmth and security for as long as possible. The sweet, silent moment was finally broken by Deanna’s voice. "Danielle," she said softly, "Would you consent to meeting with me regularly for counseling?"

Danielle looked up and vigorously shook her head. "No. I don’t want to relive it all over again. I don’t think I can handle that. Not yet."

Deanna took Danielle’s hand in her own. "I really think it would help."

"I know, Deanna. I honestly appreciate your concern, but I’m not ready to talk about it yet. I don’t want to experience those moments over and over again. I don’t want to allow my fear to control my life." Danielle sniffled and leaned back against Beverly. She closed her eyes, relaxing in her mother’s embrace, and then suddenly sat up, her eyes wide with panic.

"Oh god, Wesley!" she gasped and looked at Beverly. "Mom, I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was him. I mean, you’ve shown me his pictures and everything, but he looked different, and it was dark, and he was next to Beth’s crib, and I was so scared, and..."

"Danielle!" Beverly grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently to stop her babbling. She watched Danielle take a deep breath and finally meet her gaze. "Dani, we all know it was an accident. No one is blaming you for what happened."

"I’m sure Wesley will," Danielle said glumly. "I finally meet my brother and I end up nearly killing him. He is going to be okay, isn’t he?"

"I’m sure he’s fine," Beverly replied. "You had the phaser on the highest stun setting, not kill. And I’m sure he’ll understand as soon as we explain everything."

"Are we going to Sickbay to check on him?" Danielle asked meekly.

Beverly smiled, "Absolutely. It’s time you two met properly anyway." Beverly moved to the edge of the bed and stood, holding her hand out to Danielle and motioning for her to follow. Deanna climbed off the bed on the other side and joined Beverly and Danielle as they made their way out of the bedroom.

"Before you go, Danielle, will you at least stop by my office later?" Danielle recognized the determined look on the counselor’s face and resigned herself to her fate, realizing that Deanna would pursue her relentlessly. Danielle finally agreed to meet Deanna later and then she and Beverly parted Deanna’s company and headed to Sickbay while Deanna headed for the bridge.

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