Forwarded by the ASC-VSO 
Posted: 14 Apr 2004 14:37:31 -0700  
In: alt.startrek.creative 
From: whoa_nellie40@hotmail.com (whoa nellie) 
 

Title: Double Entendre 
Author: Whoa Nellie (whoa_nellie40@hotmail.com)
Series: TNG 
Repost: 6/10
Rating: NC-17 
Codes: P/Vash, W/T, D/f
Synopsis: During the Enterprise E's final fittings, Vash comes onboard
as the ship's Chief Archaeologist. The evil Alternate Picard from the
mirror universe appears to steal the new ship's schematics when he
spots Vash and decides to take her with him. Can Picard stop his
counterpart, saving his ship and the woman he loves?

As always: Paramount owns all the marbles.  We just have a lot more
fun playing with them.
Feedback is always appreciated - posted or e-mail. 

Whoa Nellie's Picard/Vash Romance Fanfiction website: 
http://www.geocities.com/TimesSquare/Galaxy/7926/ 

Whoa Nellie's Sci-Fi Romance Fan Fiction website is at:
http://www.geocities.com/whoa_nellies2000/

CONTINUED FROM PART 5

	"White wine spritzer, chilled."

	Vash took her wine and settled into a hot, soothing bubble bath.  She
had thrown herself into her work to try to forget everything.  It
hadn't worked.   Maybe the bath would help her calm down.  Vash stayed
in the tub for what felt like hours. When she felt as relaxed as she
would probably get for the evening, she got out of the tub and began
to dry herself off.  For evening wear, she had decided on her favorite
white satin negligee with matching satin cover-up.  Just as she
slipped the negligee on, the door chime rang.

	"Who is it?" she asked as she hurriedly slipped the cover-up on.

	"It's me, Jean-Luc, may I please come in?" came the inquiry from
outside the door.

	"I didn't think you ever wanted to see me again, Jean-Luc."

	"Please Vash," she could barely hear the quiet response.

	"Come in."

	Jean-Luc stepped hesitantly into her quarters.  He had a great deal
to repair between them.  He loved Vash, he knew that now.  He hoped
that she cared enough for him to forgive his stupidity.

	"Before you say anything, Jean-Luc.  I want you to know that I
honestly believed it was *you* I was giving myself to last night.  I
wish with all my heart that it had been you.  I think it would be best
if I transferred back to the Academy or to another ship.  Until then,
we should just avoid seeing each other."  Vash could barely see
through the tears stinging her eyes.  Her voice shook as she spoke and
she could only hope that Jean-Luc didn't hear the catch in her voice. 
Turning to walk into the bedroom, she whispered, "Please go now,
Jean-Luc."

	Picard's heart dropped as he heard the pain in her voice. He had been
a real bastard to hurt her the way he had.  He couldn't let his
irrational jealousy ruin the best thing that had ever happened to him.
 She didn't even know about the alternate universe.  How could he
expect her to identify a man who was physically exactly like himself,
right down to genetic make-up, as a fraud.  He couldn't let things end
this way.  Guinan had been right.  Suddenly, she was right here.  He
had to try to win her back.  He walked to the doorway of the bedroom,
he called softly, "Vash."

	Vash was standing at the far side of her bedroom with her back to
him, taking deep shuddering breaths, trying to bring her turbulent
emotions under control.  Picard glanced around her bedroom, it was not
quite what he expected.  The bed was made with a white eyelet lace
comforter with overstuffed pillows and shams scattered at the head of
the bed.  On the pillows lay a well-worn, plush yellow Winnie the Pooh
bear.  Picard wagered that if he searched the room long enough, he
would find the accompanying children's classic by A.A. Milne.  The
bedside table held a copy of *Gone With the Wind*.  On her dresser
stood a beautiful antique porcelain doll.  The doll had dark cornsilk
hair and was dressed in a Victorian wedding gown.

	Picard walked over to stand just behind her, his voice a rich, gentle
baritone, "Of course you believed it was me.  You had absolutely no
reason to think otherwise and had I not allowed myself to be so
completely blinded by jealousy, I would have realized that.  I know I
have no right to ask you to stay, but please don't leave the
Enterprise."

	When Vash didn't answer, he turned her toward him, but her eyes were
still downcast.  Cupping her cheek in his palm, he slipped a thumb
under her chin to bring her gaze up to his.  He was chagrined to see
there were streaks there left by tears.  Picard tenderly wiped a tear
from her cheek. "You've been crying."

	"Jean-Luc," Vash's voice faltered as she took a deep shuddering
breath and leaned her face into his hand.

	Picard's eyes flooded with regret as they met hers.  His voice was
choked with emotion as he began, "S`il vous plait, petite amie . . ."

	"Hush."  Placing a finger softly against his lips to silence him,
Vash gently shook her head.  Jean-Luc's anguish was evident in voice
as he lapsed into his native French.  She didn't need to hear the
words.  All she needed was him.  She moved her finger from his lips to
splay her hand across the back of his head, bringing his mouth to hers
in an impassioned kiss.

	Blood roared in Picard's ears as he felt the lush, fullness of her
lips crushed against his own.  Instinctively, he wrapped his arms
around Vash pulling her lithe form tightly to him as his lips answered
the demands of hers. Overjoyed to have her in his arms, he relished
the sweet scent of her perfume.  He delighted in the feel of her body
pressed into his at every point, from the softness of her breasts
against his chest to the intertwining of their legs.  Reluctantly, he
pulled back, breaking the kiss.  He stepped back and took a deep
breath to try to rein in his increasing desires.  He searched her
lovely face for reassurance, "Vash, are you sure this is what you
want?"

	Jean-Luc's passionate response to her kiss had left Vash weak in the
knees.  The emotions this man ignited in her were unlike anything she
had ever known.  Her only defense was her own bravado.  Untying her
cover-up, her appreciative gaze boldly traveled over the handsome
officer in front of her.  Her voice was low and sultry, "What I want 
. . . is you."

	Picard's breath caught in his throat as Vash emphasized her words by
rolling her shoulders and allowing the satin robe to glide from her
body to fall to her feet.  His body tensed in an ardent response to
the way the white satin negligee she wore revealed more of her sexy
silhouette than it concealed.  The thin straps and low scoop neckline
gave a breathtaking view of her lush cleavage.  The delicate satin
clung to the curves of her breasts, her slim waist and the feminine
flair of her hips.  The negligee ended at mid thigh, setting off her
long, shapely legs.  As she took a step to close the distance between
them, her blue eyes sparkled with that impish glint that slightly
unnerved him.

	"Captain, am I safe in assuming you're off duty?" Vash cooed,
reaching up to leisurely trace one finger around the rank pips on the
collar of his uniform.  Seeing him nod wordlessly, she added, "Then
perhaps you'd be more comfortable out of uniform?"

	"Definitely . . . most definitely," Picard muttered hoarsely under
his breath as she began undoing the fasteners to his uniform jacket. 
His senses stirred from the feel of her small hands slipping inside
his jacket and sliding up to his shoulders.

	Vash pushed the jacket off the masculine slope of his shoulders,
peeling it from his firm torso to drop on the floor.  After succeeding
in stripping him to the waist, her hands traveled upward along his
bare arms, lingering on the solid, bulging biceps.  Reaching his
shoulders, she thrilled at the breadth of them compared to her tiny
palms.  Her hands glided down his chest to explore the rippling
pectorals and coarse chest hair.  She marveled at the power contained
in his lean, well-defined muscular body.  She raised her gaze to his. 
She found herself mesmerized by the way his handsome chiseled features
framed his intense grey eyes and the firm set of his mouth.  The
thought of those lips on hers sent a shiver of desire through her.  As
the sensation spread across her breasts, the peaks hardened pushing
against the thin satin of her negligee.  All at once, his lips
captured hers in a deep, passionate kiss.  She clenched her hands,
curling her fingers into his chest hair as he slipped his tongue past
her parted lips to gently stroke and caress the warm, moist cavern of
her mouth.

	As his mouth laid claim to hers, Picard could feel the muscles of his
body tighten and his hardness grow with each passing moment.  He
wrapped his arms around her.  Slipping his hands beneath the hem of
her negligee, he slid his hands up the back of her thighs until he
found the roundness of her derriere.  What he discovered drove his
need up another notch.  He cupped the supple flesh and pulled her
tighter against him.  Breaking the kiss, he rasped in surprise,
"You're wearing nothing under this."

	"I was getting ready for bed.  And unless I'm in the field, I rarely
wear panties to bed," Vash informed him in a seductive whisper.  The
warmth of his strong, capable hands on her bare skin was driving her
to distraction.

	"You are outrageous!" he gasped in amazement.

	"So you've said," Vash purred.  The last time he said that to her was
on Risa just before he made love to her for the first time.  Splaying
her hands across his chest, she gently pushed herself back slightly. 
Her hands drifted down over the taut muscles of his stomach to the
waistband of his trousers.  Running her hands over his strong thighs,
Vash found and caressed the evidence of his desire for her.  Even
through the fabric of his trousers, she could feel his body's hard
arousal throbbing under her touch.  Once again her hands found the
waistband of his uniform trousers.  Swiftly, she opened his trousers
and grasped him expertly.  She heard a groan from the back of his
throat as her hand took up a teasing rhythm.  Leaning in to nibble on
the sensitive spot just below his ear, she murmured, "And Johnny, you
haven't seen anything yet."

	An alarm went off in Picard's head at that last statement, especially
since Vash followed it by slowly sinking to her knees looking up at
him with an expression of sly mischief.  He thought he might actually
lose his mind as the moist heat of her mouth enveloped him.  Unbidden,
his eyes looked down at the enchanting siren tormenting him and
immediately regretted that as he saw the sight that met his eyes.  She
paused briefly and looked up through her lashes to coyly meet his
gaze. Deliberately, she swirled her delicate pink tongue around him,
making sure he could see her every movement. Arching an eyebrow up at
him, she redoubled her efforts.  Overwhelmed by the sensations, he
wound his hands into her silky hair.  Closing his eyes, Picard threw
his head back and groaned, "Mon Dieu, Vash!"

	Vash was thoroughly enjoying herself as she took him just to the
edge, keeping him there as she listened to his ragged breathing. Her
mouth kept up the tempo as she reached up to gently rake the tips of
her fingernails down the tense muscles of his abdomen.  He drew in a
deep ragged breath and began muttering incoherently in English,
French, and of all things, Klingonese; she didn't even know that he
spoke Klingonese.  Every nerve in her own body tingled with
anticipation.  The sight of his lean, powerful body stretched out in
front of her with the hard, sweat-dampened muscles straining as he
fought to keep control was extremely erotic.

	"S`il vous plait Vash . . .Please Vash . . .. S`il vous plait,"
Picard gasped, half-pleading, half-warning.  With each passing moment,
her tantalizing ministrations pushed at the very limits of his
self-control.

	Knowing she had found his limit, Vash finally let up.  She moved back
up his body, using her lips, tongue and hands to explore every
muscular inch of him.  Vash let her mouth drift to the center of his
chest, swirling her tongue through the coarse hair as she went. She
gently took one of his nipples between her lips and rolled her tongue
over it savoring the taste of his skin.

	As Vash's mouth reached his neck, Picard centered himself with deep
breaths.  It was high time he took command of the situation.  Aching
to claim the alluring vixen, one hand moved to cup her head and pull
her mouth up to his in a fiercely passionate kiss.  His tongue plunged
past her parted lips, boldly taking possession of everything in its
path.  Sliding his other arm to encircle her waist, he crushed the
supple curves of her body tightly against him.  His mouth left her
soft lips almost reluctantly, moving down to nuzzle the sensitive spot
under her earlobe. Picard's voice took on a smooth, honeyed baritone
timbre.  "Last night at the reception, you were right.  Just watching
you from across the lounge I wanted to grab you, claim you in front of
everyone and carry you off to my quarters."

	As if to add emphasis to his words, Jean-Luc swept Vash up into his
arms and carried her to the bed.  A small sigh escaped her lips when
she felt herself being lifted effortlessly by his powerful arms. 
Encircling his neck with her arms, she let her head fall to rest on
his shoulder and relished in the strength and security of his embrace.
 Whisking the covers back with one arm, he gently laid her on the bed.
 The desire in his steel grey eyes pinned her in place as he quickly
stripped off his boots and trousers.  Vash's breath caught in her
throat at the sight of his rippling, hard body.

	As Jean-Luc knelt next to her on the bed, Vash's hands tentatively
slid up the corded muscles of his abdomen to entwine her fingers in
the hair on his chest.  He lowered his face to brush a kiss on the
hollow of her throat.  She arched her head back to bare herself to the
trail of feather-light kisses he laid from the base of her throat
across her shoulder.  He teased her, brushing his lips over her skin
ever-so-softly as he slipped the straps of her negligee off the
feminine slope of her shoulders.  Her entire body flushed with
excitement as his hands gently glided over her, sliding the satin
negligee down from her body to banish it to the floor.

	Dropping one last kiss on her luscious lips, Picard pulled his face
from hers.  As he knelt next to Vash, his gaze slowly pored over the
full length of her nude body to memorize every detail.  He noted how
her hair, strewn over her pillow, framed the delicate features of her
face, her vivid blue eyes and her lush lips.  His eyes trailed over
the graceful arch of her neck and the full curves of her breasts with
their creamy skin tipped by rosy peaks.   As his heated gaze traveled
down her slim waist, the feminine curve of her hips, and those long
legs, he breathed, "You're an absolutely beautiful woman."

	Jean-Luc covered her body with his own as he captured her lips in a
deep, gentle kiss.  She moved restlessly beneath him as the weight of
his body pressed hers into the bed.  Heated waves of arousal caused a
tight knot of desire in her stomach by the time his mouth released
hers.  She looked up to see he had raised up slightly and was studying
her face.  She slid her arms up to encircle his neck and arched toward
him, as she pleaded breathlessly, "Please Jean-Luc, I want to feel you
inside me."

	"Such impatience, mademoiselle, the night is young," Picard teased
with a soft, masculine chuckle.  Leaning in, he placed an open mouth
kiss on the hollow of her throat, flicking his tongue very rapidly
against the pulse point.  She closed her eyes and rolled her head back
on the pillow, softly moaning as Picard's mouth made its way down the
silken expanse of her skin to the full curves of her breasts.  His
lips imprisoning the stiff nipple of one of her breasts, he leisurely
swirled his tongue over the stiff peak.  Vash moaned his name as she
held his head with both hands, pulling him even closer.  Savoring her
impassioned reactions, he nipped at the hardened crest slightly before
suckling strongly.  He ravenously tormented first one breast and then
the other.

	Streaks of fire raced through Vash's body as Jean-Luc pulled and
teased the taut nipples.  As she whimpered, his mouth left her breasts
to slowly journey down the smooth skin of her flat stomach with a
trail of hot, moist kisses.  He placed kisses around her navel before
erotically exploring it with his tongue.  Every touch felt like a
lighting strike to her sensitive skin as his mouth traversed even
lower to find her birthmark.  When his warm, wet mouth settled over
the mark, his tongue traced the outline before extensively canvassing
the sensitive area.  Her entire body felt as if it were made of liquid
flames and her arms fell heavily to her sides, her hands clutching at
the sheets.  Her mind reeled from the sensations of his mouth and
tongue possessing her.  His tongue, dear God, the things his tongue
was doing to her!  Vash writhed helplessly under his carnal onslaught.
 Sliding his hands to grasp the gentle flare of her hips to hold her
still, his lips finally moved on to their final destination. Vash
closed her eyes and moaned softly as she felt him lick and softly kiss
the very core of her desire. With the skill of a virtuoso, he used his
lips and tongue to take her to the peak of ecstasy.  As the urgency
blossomed, her body rocked with overwhelming ecstasy and she threw her
head back, crying out, "Jean-Luc!"

	As Picard felt her tremors subside, his mouth began to travel back up
her body tasting every dip and curve along the way.  As much as he
wanted to continue his exploration of this lovely vision, his burning
need for her was now almost overwhelming.  With his arms braced on
either side of her shoulders, he placed himself between her long
shapely legs.

	"Now, mademoiselle," Picard rasped hoarsely as he slowly eased his
hard length into her heated depths.  When he had completely buried
himself in her softness, he paused to savor the extraordinary
sensations engulfing him.  Her body seized his and he took deep
breaths as he struggled for control.

	Vash sighed sensuously as she felt Jean-Luc join their bodies.  When
he went no further, she whimpered helplessly in her throat at the
frustration.  The heat and fullness left her languishing just beyond
the peak of ecstasy.  As her hands glided up the tightly sculpted
muscles of his arms, she panted, "Just take me!"

	Deciding that they had both waited long enough, Picard buried himself
deep inside her with long, hard strokes, pulling himself almost
completely out before driving back into her softness.  He fought to
keep his motions methodical, suppressing the urge to speed up, in
order to take Vash to the very edge of sexual insanity.

	Vash relinquished all control to Jean-Luc.  She gave herself up to
the strength and sheer virility of his masculine presence,
surrendering herself to him completely.  An overpowering pressure was
building inside her and every sensation was magnified.  The forceful
thrusts of his muscular hips took her to even higher heights of
desire.  His steady, measured tempo was driving her mad with wanting. 
As her entire body shuddered in another release, her hands tightly
clutched his broad shoulders.  Instead of sating her, her release only
added to her raging need and she begged him wantonly,  "More . . .Oh
Jean-Luc . . .more!"

	Picard's eyes never left Vash as his body took complete possession of
hers.  With her eyes closed, she wore a look of total ecstasy on her
delicate features.  Each of her sweet cries of passion sent an intense
surge of arousal through his own body.  Her body began to tighten
around his and her leg muscles began to quiver.  He unleashed the
tight rein he had held on his own needs. Gradually, he increased the
tempo thrusting into her with an ever increasing urgency.

	"Yes, Jean-Luc!  Oh God, yes!" Vash cried out as she felt him
increasing the pace.  With each swift movement of his hips, Jean-Luc's
body completely filled her own.  The tension that had he had been
building in her finally reached a crescendo.  Her overwhelming release
came in wave after wave of pleasure crashing over her.  With a primal
scream, Vash's head fell back and her entire body arched upward.

	Not breaking stride, Picard watched with wonder as her body arched
toward him with completion.  He continued to drive into her
relentlessly, giving himself up to the burning pleasure of his body
moving in and out of hers.  With one, last, powerful thrust, he held
himself deep inside her as his own explosive release ripped through
him.  Collapsing onto Vash, Picard's body was damp and his breathing
labored from the physical exertion.  He let out a satisfied sigh as he
felt her small hands traveling over the muscles of his back.

	"Oh my, that was extraordinary!" Vash cooed, sounding blissfully
content. "And by the way, you're forgiven."

	"So I gathered," Picard chuckled into the soft skin of her shoulder.
Suddenly, he remembered something she had said earlier.  Raising
himself up one one elbow,  he looked down at her with a wry smile,
"Johnny?"

	"Well, it is your given name," Vash answered, making huge doe eyes at
him.

	"It's just been a long time since anyone has used that particular
diminutive for me," he replied, sounding almost wistful.

	"So, who was she?"  Vash quipped, letting her hands wander over the
muscular wall of his chest.

	"Nothing like that.  It was my nickname at the Academy," he assured
her with a chuckle. "It hasn't been used in years, probably because
it's not very captain-like."

	"Don't be so sure," she looked down and tangled her fingers in his
chest hair. "You know Commodore Harding?"

	Picard nodded, "He teaches at the Academy, military history and
tactics, I believe."

	"Uh-huh.  He does an entire lecture on 'Captain's of the Enterprise.'
 So much of it is devoted to the careers of yourself and James Kirk
that in the staff lounge he calls it,"  Vash glanced up at him coyly
through her lashes, "the Jimmy-Johnny lecture."

	"Mon Dieu," Picard groaned.

	His reaction delighted Vash. "Now I've never had a chance to actually
sit in on it, but Alynna has, and said it was quite interesting."

	"Alynna?" His eyes went wide, "Admiral Alynna Nechayev?"

	"Oh that's right, you have to call her admiral.  And if I'm not
mistaken she is your CO," Vash teased impishly.  "I'm a civilian, I
get to call her Alynna.  We have lunch together all the time."

	"Lunch?"

	"Yes.  In fact, it was over lunch that she suggested I should head up
the Enterprise's Archaeology department.  She pointed out that this
offers me the chance to do field work again.  She also told me that
for the last month or so you had been quietly making inquires about
what measures had been taken to provide for my security.  Alynna
thought you might prefer to have me . . ."  Vash trailed off as she
glanced down at where their bodies were still joined.  Looking back up
at him, she raised her eyebrow meaningfully, "under your personal
protection."

	"I doubt this is what she had in mind," Picard replied dryly.

	"Maybe not.  But it's definitely what I had in mind," Vash giggled. 
He shook his head with gentle exasperation as he started to move
himself off of her.  She wrapped her arms around him and tightened her
legs so his body couldn't leave hers.  Her voice was suddenly pleading
as she whispered, "Don't go, Jean-Luc.  Not yet."

	"Shhh, I'm not going anywhere," he soothed, tender concern flooding
his features.  He leaned in to claim her lips with his, calming her
fears with a gentle kiss.  Breaking the kiss, he pulled his face from
hers.  "What's wrong, chere?"

	"It's just the first time in about a year that I have actually felt
safe.  Since the Bajor incident, I have been constantly looking over
my shoulder, even on Earth."  He was the only person she would ever
have admitted that to.

	'What the hell had happened to her?' Picard wondered.  Vash was not a
woman who frightened easily.  If anything she was too daring for her
own good.  The reports that he had seen about the kidnapping attempt
on Bajor had been very sketchy.  Something must have been left out.

	"Vash, the reports on that incident weren't very detailed. Do you
want to tell me what happened exactly?"

	"No, but I will,"  she said quietly. "But first, I want you to
promise me that you won't do anything stupid."

	"Stupid?  What do you mean by that?" he sounded slightly indignant as
she finally allowed him to sit up.

	"Take a guess," she smiled at him.  Sitting up herself, she ran a
hand through her hair and added, "Robin Hood."

	He smiled.  That little maneuver was not one of his better moves.  "I
promise no storming castles single-handedly.  Just tell me what
happened."

	Vash grabbed her Pooh bear from where it had fallen to the floor, and
clutched it to her protectively.  "Several other archaeologists and
myself at the conference decided to go to one of the newer sites
closer to the Neutral Zone, but still well inside Federation
territory.  Our runabout came under attack by a small, but heavily
armed Cardassian ship.  We were easily overtaken and boarded.  After
all, we were unarmed.  My three companions were murdered instantly by
the Cardassian soldiers.  I was taken prisoner and led to the Gul's
private chamber.  I guess he wanted a private lecture on the Gamma
quadrant before handing me over to his superiors.  I quickly learned
that a one hundred and fifteen pound human female cannot physically
overcome the unwanted sexual advances of a two hundred and fifty pound
Cardassian male in full armor.  He had half my clothes ripped off and
I was pinned beneath him when an explosion shook the ship."  She
stopped and took a moment to calm herself before continuing.  She
absently pulled at Pooh's ear

	"The next thing I knew, the Gul was dragged off me and thrown against
the bulkhead.  Then a man, who looked like your first officer, covered
me with his jacket and we beamed to a Maquis ship.  He said his name
was Tom Riker.  He made sure that I had safe transportation back to
Earth.  I had decided that I was way out of my league when it came to
the Cardassians and the Romulans.  I'll tell you what I told Starfleet
Command.  I asked that the Maquis not allow me to know anything about
themselves;  I can't tell what I don't know.  While I was in their
care I stayed in one room with no windows.  I owe them my life."

	Picard turned to face her.  Insanely, he wanted to protect her from
something that had already happened.  He spoke to her gently.  "I
won't ask about the Maquis.  I doubt that they would have let you find
out anything useful about them, anyway.  However, do you know which
Gul it was who lead the attack?"  He was not a fan of the Maquis, but
he felt immensely grateful to Tom Riker.

	Vash would never be able to forget the Gul's face or his name.  "Gul
Madred."

	Picard felt his blood run cold at the name.  She had been a very
lucky lady to escape.  Maybe someday he would tell her just how lucky.
 He drew the poor Pooh bear out of her twisting grasp and placed it
back on the floor beside the bed.  "Darling, you're hurting Pooh."  He
then pulled Vash into a protective embrace and kissed the top of her
head as he laid them both back down.  "So that's why you decided to
come onto the Enterprise.  You know full well that I would never let
anyone hurt you."

	Vash sighed sleepily and snuggled up against him. "Yes, I do know
that."

	"Good, I'm glad," he whispered to her.  "Now go to sleep."

	The next morning, Picard sat at the table in Vash's quarters waiting
for her to join him for breakfast.  She walked out of the bedroom
making some final adjustments to her hair.  Picard smiled.  Somewhere,
there has to be a cosmic law that women must take longer then men to
get ready.  She was wearing a very tailored royal blue coat dress. 
The dress had gold buttons down its entire length and gold piping trim
which gave it a mock military look.  It showed off her two best
features; her eyes and her legs

	"Sorry it took me so long, Jean-Luc," she smiled back as she sat down
across from him.

	Before he could respond, the door chime rang. "Expecting someone?" 
he inquired.

	As she shook her head no, she stood back up and called out, "Come
in."

	Will Riker stepped into the room.  He smiled warmly, if a little
flirtatiously.  "Good morning, Vash."  Then he noticed his commanding
officer seated at the table.  Inwardly he crowed, ' Yes! '  He
addressed Picard, "Good morning, Captain. I hope I'm not interrupting
anything"

	"Not at all, Number One.  Did you need to see me?" Picard raised an
eyebrow at his first officer, secretly amused by Riker's reaction to
Vash.  Will was a hopeless flirt.

	"Actually, Sir, I needed to see Vash," he said.

	This piqued Vash's curiosity.  "What is it, Will?"

	Riker shifted his weight a little uncomfortably, "It's the impostor,
Vash.  He's asked to see you.  Whether or not you see him is totally
up to you.  We haven't been able to get anything out of him, but..."

	"But maybe I can," she finished for him. "Maybe with me, he'll let
something slip.  Is that what you were thinking?"

	Riker read the stoic expression on his captain's face  "I'm sorry,
Captain."  He turned back to Vash, "Yes, Vash, that was what Worf and
I were hoping."

	Vash took a deep breath.  "I don't know.  I need to think this over."

	"Of course, Vash, it's totally up to you," Riker repeated. He nodded
to Picard and then left her quarters.

	"Well, the other shoe has finally dropped," Vash thought out loud.

	Picard rose and paced over to the window to stare out into the
blackness of space.

	"Do you want to see him?" he finally asked, quietly.

	"I don't know if want is the right word.  I think I need to see him. 
He's the only one who can answer certain questions I have.  I just
need to know why he deceived me like that," her voice was barely a
whisper.

	"Why?  Oh, I can tell you why!" Picard thundered as he turned from
the window to face her.  Remembering how she had looked in that red
gown, he knew exactly what his impostor had in mind.  "Lust.  Lust to
possess a beautiful woman.  I know he wants you.  Remember, he's a
twisted, sinister mirror image of myself.  Genetically, we're both
Jean-Luc Picard.  He wants you.  He will probably stop at nothing to
have you.  And I delivered you to him, gift-wrapped!"

	Vash could hear the pain and self-reproach in his voice.  Gently, she
assured him, "There was nothing you could have done, Jean-Luc.  It
wasn't your fault."

	He still felt that somehow he was responsible for letting this
happen, but that wasn't what was important right now.  There was
something he needed to know.  Reining in his own anger, he tempered
his tone, "How do you feel about him?"

	Vash walked over and gently laid her hands on his chest. Her voice
was soft.  "Jean-Luc, from the moment we met on Risa, I was physically
attracted to you." She blushed, looked down, and then with a shy smile
looked up at him through her lashes. "Okay, very physically attracted
to you.  Since he's identical to you, it stands to reason that I would
find him physically attractive.   But that's all the further it goes. 
He is not the one I want.  He is not the man I went to see that night.
 You are."

	"It should've been me.  It should have been me doing those things to
you that night," Picard insisted quietly.

	"Yes, it should've been you!  That's my point."  She decided it was
now or never and she might as well tell him everything. "You are the
one I'm in love with!"

	"You love me?"  Picard could barely breathe, his heart felt as if it
would burst through his chest at any moment.  Had he really heard her
right?

	Vash sighed in frustration "Jean-Luc, how can a man reputed to be the
most brilliant military strategist Starfleet has ever had be so
incredibly dense?  Do you have the slightest idea why I went to your
quarters that night?"  When he shook his head no she started to laugh.
 "I went there to seduce you!  Hell, the lingerie I was wearing was
worth more than the gown.  A woman doesn't dress that way unless she
means business."

	Picard was now grinning shamelessly, "Indeed, I'll have to keep that
in mind."   He wrapped his arms around her slim form and drew her into
his embrace. "I love you, Vash.  I admit I have reservations about you
seeing him, but it's your decision.  Whatever you decide about seeing
the impostor will be fine with me."  He leaned down to capture her
lips in a very passionate kiss.

	Finally, Vash broke the kiss and whispered. "Do you really want to do
those things to me?"

	"Believe it or not, yes," he answered, impressed with how well she
had read him.  From one vague statement, she had read his most secret
desire.  A desire he had only barely admitted to himself.  Part of his
jealousy came from the fact that he really did want to claim her for
himself in the feral, 'no holds barred' manner the alternate had.  He
watched as she stepped back a few paces and leaned back against the
wall.  He could not control the look of open lust on his face as she
seductively undid the first button of her dress giving him a silent
invitation.

	"So, Jean-Luc, just what is stopping you?  Besides the fact that we
are both going to be late for work," she gently challenged him in a
low sensual voice, as she reached for, and took, his hands to pull him
to her.

	"Probably very late," he corrected her in a husky whisper.  He
quickly began undoing the buttons of her dress.

END PART 6
.......................................

--
Stephen Ratliff
ASC Awards Tech Support

http://www.trekiverse.us/ASCAwards/commenting/

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