Forwarded by the ASC-VSO Posted: 18 Jan 2004 18:15:50 -0800 In: alt.startrek.creative From: louiseell@aol.com (louise ellis) Title: "Still There" Author: Louise Ellis Series: TNG Rating: PG Code: P/C Part: 7/? Archive: yes Summary: An alternate universe story that picks up ten years after Disclaimer: no infringement meant, and comments welcomed. "Still There" (7/?) By: Louise Ellis That evening, Beverly was standing in front of the mirror in her bedroom, staring at her reflection when a movement caught her eye. "Hello there." "I just came in, do you mind?" Jean-Luc stood in the doorway. "No." She smiled slightly at his reflection. "I will give you a bit of warning however. You might not want to quietly walk up behind either of us until we get used to not being where we were." He nodded, then continued forward to stand behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. "I stand warned." "It wouldn't be intentional." She tilted her head slightly as he nudged her hair aside and kissed her neck. "I'm sorry I've been gone all afternoon and evening." He sighed and looked back at their reflection in the mirror. "I understand." Beverly managed a smile. "We used the time to get settled, get some clothes, and become acclimated. Felisa is still in a bit of shock." "We all are." He smiled. "You are so beautiful." "In the eye of the beholder." She sighed. "I look so old..." "Old?" He let out a soft snort. "Hardly." "Look at me Jean-Luc." She turned to face him. "I've..." "I'm looking at the woman I love." He gazed at her. "The mother of our child. The mother who protected our child as she raised her in extreme circumstances. The woman who survived to live to bring my life back to me. The lover I care for more than I ever thought I would care for someone." "You make her sound like a deity." Beverly whispered, a tear falling out of the corner of her eye. "She's only human." "You're only nothing." He drew her closer. "You are human. You are my wife, my lover, the half that makes me whole. You are Beverly." She managed a smile. "Thank you." Leaning forward, she kissed him lightly. "Have you eaten?" "I'm fine." He began, only to have her shake her head at him. "Have you eaten?" She repeated softly, her hand rising to caress his cheek. He sighed. "No." "Come then." Turning, she led him to the living area. "Fix yourself something, I'll check on Felisa, then be right back." He nodded and continued on to the replicator as she crossed to the other bedroom and looked in. When Felisa turned over, she continued into the bedroom. "Felisa, cherie? You're not asleep?" "No." She waited as Beverly moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "Aren't you tired?" She gently stroked her daughter's cheek. "It's been quite a day." "They really won't come after us?" Felisa whispered. "I'll be honest with you Felisa." Beverly sighed. "They may try. But your father won't let them get us. I won't let them. We're going to be safe now, we always have been as long as we were together, right?" Felisa nodded. "And now your father is here with us. We're going to be fine. That much I promise." "Maman?" Felisa hesitated. "Papa won't mind the clothes we got? Or anything else?" "No." Beverly smiled. "Papa will like seeing you in your new clothes. But that should be tomorrow, you need to get some sleep, now. It's been a long day." "Will you sing?" Felisa waited for Beverly's nod, then closed her eyes and turned on her side, curling into the covers as Beverly softly sang one of the songs she'd occasionally used to comfort Felisa when neither mother nor daughter could sleep. When Beverly finally emerged from the bedroom, Picard was standing outside the door, waiting. "I'd forgotten about your voice. So beautiful." He whispered, catching her hand and leading her to the couch. "Is she asleep?" "Yes." Beverly took the mug he handed her and sipped. "Oh...Adele's steamed milk...I'd almost forgotten..." She smiled up at him. "I thought you'd like that instead of tea." He sank down next to her, picking up the bowl he'd set on the table in front of the couch. "You sang to her in French, she occasionally lapses into French..." "The forbidden language." Beverly drew her legs up and curled into him. "Madred couldn't understand it, the translators wouldn't work with it for some reason, and so he forbade me to speak it around him or the guards. I taught it to Felisa at night, when we were alone. It was something of you that I could give her. Her father's legacy, so to speak. You'd taught me, I taught her." "And your quiet rebellion." He smiled faintly. "Something like that." She smiled and took another long swallow. "This is perfect." "Good." He smiled. "Eat." She nudged him with her elbow. "I am." He retorted with a chuckle, then fell silent for a few minutes as he finished the bowl of soup he held then put the bowl back on the table. "So, we're going to Earth?" Satisfied that he'd eaten something, Beverly glanced up at him, her slender hands wrapped around the mug she held. "LaBarre?" "Eventually. Marie will have the house ready for us if we wish to stay there." He smiled slightly. "She remarried." "She did?" Beverly thought for a moment. "Louis?" "They finally came to an understanding." He chuckled. "They married five years ago." "Good." She nodded. "I like them both. So who's running the vineyard?" "One of Louis' sons." Relaxing, he tightened his arm around her. "Since the estates are adjoining, it works out for the best. But, the house has been maintained for whenever I need it, and I stay there when I'm on Earth." "I'm happy for her. For both of them." Beverly smiled and rested her head against his shoulder. "They're doing well." Picard nodded. After sitting in silence for a few minutes, Beverly leaned forward to set her empty mug down, then looked up at him. "So. What did Starfleet have to say? Are you an Ensign now?" He chuckled. "No. I'm still an Admiral. A reprimanded one, but I am still an Admiral. It's you they're all excited about." He sobered. "We will need to go to San Francisco before we return to LaBarre." "They want to debrief me. Completely, right?" She stared across the room, then sat up and turned to face him, horrified. "Felisa!" "They want to speak with her, not an official debriefing, but, she did grow up there." He hesitated, knowing how she'd feel about the next part. "They want to speak with her without you there." "No." She shook her head definitively. "Absolutely not. Starfleet is not getting their hands on my daughter to paw through her thoughts, her mind, dissecting every single thing she says, thinks, does...She's a child, not a pawn for them to use as they see fit!" "Beverly." He caught her hands, interrupting her tirade. "Beverly, look at me." "She's a child...I know what they'll do." Desperately, she stared at him. "They'll..." "Beverly. They do need to speak with her. With both of you." He gazed at her, waiting for her to regain control of her emotions. "But, they will not speak with Felisa alone. I will be with her, as will Deanna. We won't let them do anything that you wouldn't let them do. I promise you that." "But..." She caught her breath and gazed at him. "She's my daughter as well. I won't let them do anything to her. Or they'll have to deal with both of us. And judging from Will and Deanna's opinions, both of them as well." He managed a weak smile. "You have current knowledge and information Starfleet needs. They need you, not the other way around. You control the situation. Understand?" Beverly nodded slowly. "Yes. When do they..." "We'll arrive on Earth in a week. Until then, they can't do a thing." Picard nodded slowly. "A single thing. Not with you on this particular ship, not with Will in command." "But when we get there." Slowly she relaxed back against him, her mind racing. "What do they want?" "Due to the…precarious position you could still be in with the Cardassians, there will not be a general announcement that you have returned, you will instead retain all levels of privacy you may wish. However, they want to get all the possible information you can give them." He stroked her back gently, trying to soothe her. "And in return?" She sighed. "They'd given up on me. It was ten years, Jean-Luc." "Ten years, and some rather conclusive information that you were dead." He grimaced. "Deanna told me of the search, and how you accepted the Admiral's posting to continue to search on other levels." She nestled against him. "I don't owe Starfleet anything, Jean." "No you don't." He hesitated. "But, what of all the others Madred and those like him could incarcerate? What if the information you could provide would prevent that?" "And they'll leave me alone. Leave us alone after that?" Beverly sighed. "If that's what you want. Or if you want to resume your rank..." He bent and pressed a kiss on her head. "It's up to you. I'm posted at Headquarters, but go out on the occasional mission. Whatever you want to do, we'll talk about it, we can decide together." "Right now?" She looked up and kissed him lightly. "I don't know. My first instinct is to just go somewhere and hide away." Still looking up at his face, she thought for a moment. "I'd like to open a small practice in LaBarre, work with the doctors there. A private practice, not a Starfleet one. With Starfleet, we'll always be pulled...I want to be able to focus on living again. With you." "And I wish the same with you both." He smiled slightly. "You'll have options, we can take time, as I've quite a bit of leave due me. The first priority is to make sure Felisa feels safe enough with Deanna and myself, so we can protect her." "And her mother?" Beverly raised an eyebrow. "You'd let her go in by herself?" "Her mother." He chuckled. "I've a personal interest in her mother. Perhaps I'll help her prepare by myself." "Rather selfish of you, Admiral." She sighed and dropped her head, pressing up against him again as he tightened his arms around her. "I've a reputation for being a bit headstrong, and selfish." He smiled. "And overly protective." "Sounds absolutely perfect." Beverly yawned. "Sorry." "Don't be. You need your rest." He regretfully released her and stood, drawing her up with him. "I'm not accustomed to sleeping alone in such a large bed." Reaching up she cupped his cheek, her thumb tracing his lower lip. "Felisa and I have shared, we only had one bed." "Her bed might be a bit small for both of you." He stared at her. "I wasn't thinking of her bed." She smiled. "I was thinking of my bed. And perhaps you would share. You did promise to take care of me." (end part 7) -- Stephen Ratliff ASC Stories Only Forwarding In the Pattern Buffer at: http//trekiverse.crosswinds.net/feed/ Yahoo! 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