*Disclaimer: Star Trek in its entirety belongs to Paramount, but they have no idea as to what to do with it.

By: K. Crusher ([email protected])

September, 1998

"Now that we know that there are feelings between us, maybe we shouldn’t be afraid to explore these feelings," Jean-Luc said softly. Beverly nodded and leaned in towards him and let her lips brush his. As she pulled away, she felt strong arms pull her close again, and a more heated kiss placed on her lips. She allowed him full access of her mouth, and she opened up to him, trusting him implicitly. Their tongues gently met for the first time and searched each other’s mouths, loving the intimate act in which they were engaging. His hands lightly rubbed her back, pulling her close enough for her breasts to be touching his chest. Sparks flew through her body, overwhelming her with the sensation. She suddenly pulled away from Jean-Luc as though he were on fire.

"We...really shouldn’t be doing this, Jean-Luc...not if we’re going to ‘explore our feelings,’ I’m just not ready for this... I’m sorry," she whispered just before she ran out of his room. Damn! He thought angrily. Why does this always seem to happen to us? Why does she always pull away!? He had had enough, there was only so much a man could take! He was so damn tired of her rejection, and he wasn’t about to put up with it anymore. He was washing his hands of her for the last time... that was it, no more, ever. He felt kicked in the stomach; he felt as though he wasn’t worth her love, that he didn’t deserve it. From now on, she was simply the CMO, another crewmember.

Jean-Luc’s change in behavior was not lost on Beverly. She felt so torn as to what to do. She had no problem sorting through their feelings, but last night she had gotten the feeling that it would have gone much farther than she had planned on. She understood his hurt and frustration, she just hoped that someday she could make it up to him.

Captain Picard threw himself into his command. Every minute of every
day was spent either on the bridge or sleeping. Constant activity was
the only thing guaranteed to keep his mind off of his beautiful redhead.

He avoided Beverly at all costs and breakfasts and dinners had ceased, with him citing a heavy workload. For the first week, Beverly accepted his excuses, but halfway through week two, she knew something was definitely wrong. He wasn’t lying to her; he was working, and too hard at that. She secretly monitored everything he did, and wondered how he could function normally, with barely four hours of sleep. He was purposefully overworking himself to avoid her, and that she did not like. She didn’t like it at all.

Beverly walked into a darkened Ten Forward to spot the man she loved sitting by the viewport. He looked tired, worn, and haggard and she
desperately wished that she could order a rest for him. She saw her only choice as to consult Counselor Troi and Commander Riker so she left the bar quickly before he could notice her studying him.

"So what do you think, Will?" Beverly asked worriedly.

"I definitely notice a change in him, and it is not positive. He’s annoying the bridge crew with his constant presence, and he’s not being effective in the least. He needs a good week’s rest or so, and I would be more than willing to assist you in ordering a rest, Beverly."

"Me too," Deanna added. "I have spent a significant deal of time on the bridge this past week so that I could monitor him, and I sense a deep depression in him, one that’s not about to go away on its own."

"Thanks guys, I really appreciate this." It was decided that Riker and Troi would confront Jean-Luc of the situation at hand. Needless to say,he was not happy that his crew was going over his head. After losing an angry battle against his First Officer and the counselor, he stormed back to his quarters, knowing that Beverly Crusher was behind it all.

They were right of course, but he wasn’t about to admit it to them. He
was exhausted, and as soon as he reached the confines of his quarters, he forced himself down for some restless sleep. Once Troi and Riker reported back to Beverly, she decided to put her plan into action. If she was the reason for his excessive work schedule, then she was determined to make everything all right between them.

"Damnit, where the heck is it!?" Beverly cursed as she cleaned out her closet looking for the key item for her scheme. She finally found it in
one of her storage bins and dusted it off. The antique medical bag that her Nana had given her once she had completed medical school. This is perfect, she thought with a smile. Now that everything was ready, she could hardly contain her excitement of the night to come. She packed the bag with everything she needed, and headed towards his quarters with a determined look on her face.

His chime rang. Without even bothering to ask who it was, he called out, "Come."

In walked the good doctor with her medical bag and a shy smile on her face. "What do you want?" He asked accusingly.

"I thought I’d come here and check you out. I know how beat tired

you’ve been, and I know that it’s not healthy."

"Fine, fine, but wouldn’t you rather check me out in Sickbay?" He asked sarcastically.

"No, actually it would be much better for me to do my treatments here. May I sit down?"

"Sure whatever," he replied nonchalantly. She took a seat next to him and began to run her tricorder over him.

"Hmmm...." she mumbled with concern.

"What?" He inquired with a tinge of worry.

"Very interesting..."

"Beverly! What!?" He demanded.

"You’re body is very tense and very stressed."

"Tell me something I don’t know," he said angrily. "What do you plan to do about it?"

"You need to relax."

"How do you suppose I do that?"

"Open that bag," she said as she pointed to the bag she had brought with her. He complied, not happy with her game, if this was indeed a game. The bag was packed in several layers and he lifted the first layer out and unwrapped it. They were candles. Four little ones and two big ones accompanied by a lighter. He set them on the coffee table and proceeded to unwrap the next layer.

"No," she stopped him. "We need to light these first." She rose from the couch and strategically placed the candles around the room and lit them. "Computer, turn off lights," she demanded. "Go ahead," she prompted. He removed the next layer and found a small disk. He took it to his computer and soft classical piano music began to play. He returned to the next layer to find a bottle of chilled wine, and a very good bottle at that, accompanied by two wineglasses. He produced a corkscrew and swiftly popped the cork and poured the two glasses and handed her one. He then turned his attention back to the bag. The next layer he unwrapped was a bottle of lotion that had a light woodsy smell.

"What did you plan on doing with this?"

"You’ll see later...it’s a very old medical technique." He was beginning to get the proverbial butterflies in his stomach. This was getting quite romantic very quickly and he wondered exactly what Beverly had in store for him. He lifted the last layer to find some kind of clothing on the bottom of the bag. He couldn’t discern what type of clothing it was, and he looked at her quizzically. As if she sensed his question, all she said was, "You’ll have to take them out." He did, and he soon saw that they were a pair of silky pajamas. His stomach tightened.

"Ar- are these for me?" He asked dumbly.

"No...they’re for me," she said huskily. She couldn’t make eye contact with him, and she prayed that after that night of her walking out on him, that he wouldn’t reject her now. He became severely choked up as he realized the meaning of the pajamas, and he held their softness to his face. She had finally come to terms with her feelings and she did have feelings for him. He lowered his head and cried. Cried because he was exhausted and cried because he finally had the love of the person who was his life. She heard his tears and went over to hold him.

"It’s all right, Jean-Luc, I’m here now...I’ll never leave you." He held on to her as though it would be his last time, and as she comforted him, his tears ceased.

"I-I thought that I...that you..." He couldn’t finish.

"No sweetheart, I love you...love you so much, " she said with tears lacing her own voice. I was just so surprised that night by how I felt. By the effect you had on me; I was so overwhelmed. I...I didn’t think that I was ready for what I thought our kiss would bring." She turned to him for a kiss, a promise that she would finish what she had wanted to continue that dreadful night. He kissed her gently, sweetly, until his desire took over and his hot mouth ravaged hers. They both gasped for air when the kiss was broken and smiled at one another.

"You are so beautiful..." he breathed.

"I needed you so much that night," she whispered.

"Well we can make up for that, can’t we?" He asked softly with a wicked smile.

"Oh, we certainly can Captain, but first I need to administer my treatment to you." They finished their glasses of wine and held each other as they finished the bottle. Jean-Luc couldn’t remember the last time he felt so relaxed, and Beverly would be happy to know that her treatments so far were working. The wine, candles, and music had all achieved their effect on him, and he was ready to go to sleep. "Feeling sleepy?" She asked softly. He nodded his head. "Well don’t get too tired, I’m not done with you yet," she said seductively. She took his glass from him and set them down on the table, picked up the lotion, and led him to the bedroom.

"Please lay down," she softly ordered. He obeyed and she disappeared to retrieve the candles to light the dark room. "Oh yes, could you also remove your shirt, so I can rub you with this lotion?"

"Why don’t you remove it for me?" He challenged. "You could probably do a better job." He sat up so that she could access the buttons and she moved towards him to release that magnificent chest to her touch. She slowly undid the buttons and pushed the white shirt off of his broad, muscled shoulders.

"Beautiful...so beautiful..." she whispered. She met his hungry gaze, and tried to focus on the task at hand. "You can lay down now." He lay back down on his stomach, and she got on his back and straddled his sides with her knees. She applied a light covering of lotion to his back, and began to rub the muscles in the shoulders, hoping that she could relieve the tension he held there.

"Ohh...Beverly....that feels really good." She smiled and continued to knead the knots out of his back. She enjoyed making him feel good, erasing all of the stress and strain she had caused him to inflict upon himself. After 20 minutes of easing his pain, she eased herself down so that she was covering the length of his body with hers. He sighed loudly, all the stress having fled his muscles. Beverly began kissing his neck and shoulders, then got off of him to stand by the bed. Heturned around so that he lay on his back, looking up at her, with dreamy, relaxed eyes. "Thank you doctor, I needed that," he said lazily. She smiled at her gorgeous man feeling relieved that there would never be a time when she would have to be alone again.

"I’m not even close to being finished, Jean-Luc," she said seductively.

She began to slowly undress herself in front of her Captain, and he watched, wide-eyed, wishing he could take over. He moved to sit up, but she moved away. "You’re supposed to be resting now Mister, you’ll get your chance later." He scowled and lay back down ready to enjoy the little strip tease she was giving him. She took care to keep him in suspense for as long as she could, but her own anticipation was getting the better of her. When her crystal blue eyes weren’t boring his soft hazel ones, she was looking at the growing need under his pants. Once her uniform top was discarded on the floor, she kicked off her boots and sat on the bed and slowly pulled off her socks, Jean-Luc’s eyes, memorizing every movement, his eyes hungrily drinking in every square inch of bare flesh. She rose again and let her fingers linger on the snap of her pants before undoing them and lowering the zipper to reveal her lacy, black panties to the heat of his stare. The way he was appraising her was making her hot. She felt as though she was blushing all over, especially when she could hear small moans coming from his hungry lips. She slid her pants down past her hips, but stopped when he softly called out to her.

"Gods...Beverly, you’re so incredible."

"Thank you..." she whispered, her face as red as her hair. She was so nervous, she practically felt like fleeing, but she owed it to both of them to stay. Her pants came off gradually, finally meeting the floor, leaving her clad in only her spare undergarments. "Now its your turn, Jean-Luc, ‘cause I’m feeling a bit underdressed," Beverly huskily joked.

He complied, and unlike her agonizing, languid undressing, he had his pants off in mere seconds, his hard flesh severely pronounced under the tight cotton of his briefs. "Come here," she commanded with a crooked finger. He sat up and covered the feet between them in seconds. He wrapped his arms around her, going for the clasp of her bra at the back.

"Jean-Luc," she warned. He pulled back and gave her one of his big smiles, but went back to his task anyway. He stepped back once he had removed the offending garment, to admire what had been shielded from him for so long. She had the most beautiful breasts he had ever seen, so pale and perfect, her nipples a light peach color, just waiting for him to suck on. He moved forward again to take one in his warm palm, the sensation sending the familiar shocks through her body. This was it. She was about to make Jean-Luc her lover. She grabbed the back of his neck, forcing her lips to bruise his until their tongues tangled in hot, insistent need. Her hands then moved to the waistline of his briefs, and she dipped one hand in stroking lightly, her hands covering his hardness.

"Ohhhh...Beverlyyy...You’re going to...I’m going to...if you don’t stoppp..." She reluctantly released her hand from the briefs and quickly pulled them down his thighs until they reached their proper place on the floor. He surprised her by doing the same, and once she had stepped out of them, she found herself on her back on the bed, Jean-Luc looking like he was stalking his prey. She tried not to be scared, but the raw animal passion that was emanating from him was practically tangible. He could see a tinge of fear in her eyes, and he softened his expression. "Oh darling, don’t be scared...I would never hurt you, never. Tonight I am going to love you so slowly, so gently, you will have nothing but pleasure," he softly assured her. She relaxed a bit, but the anticipation was too high. She wanted him so badly she ached inside, her center, wet with arousal. No one had ever wanted or needed her so much, and that fact made her feel sexy, desirable, and just as needy for him.

He lay beside her, slowly stroking the lithe planes of her body. The sensation that had made her fearful just two weeks ago, was now the most comforting, and exciting feeling she had ever known. He was going to take his time with her, and make it last all night...if she wanted it to. He paid the most attention to her breast, drawing lazy circles around her nipples, causing the taut peaks to become harder. She let out small sighs and finally, a whimper when he took one into his mouth.

"Jean-Luc..." she murmured. He slowly brought his head up to look into her electric blue eyes.

"Yes, darling?" He asked lazily. When she refused a response, he turned to the other nipple, bathing it in his heat. His tongue flicked the nipple, his teeth grazed it, and his lips gently pulled. Her hands were rubbing his scalp encouraging the kisses he was administering. She continued to moan, and he felt himself get harder, knowing that he was pleasuring her, knowing that he was getting his chance to live his dreams. His hands wandered farther down her body until one had reached her thick, red curls. He brought his head up from her breasts to ask her permission. "C-can I touch you, my love?" He whispered. Tears sprang to her eyes, as she nodded her consent, and his fingers inched lower to her thighs. She opened them to his searching touch, the heat, shocking his fingers. She arched her hips upward in attempt to control his touches, and he indulged her. This loving was for her, as if to prove that she had made the right decision in giving herself to him. He slowly penetrated her with the tips of his fingers, getting them soaked with her desire. He then shifted to the tiny nub where her orgasm lay, and slowly, lovingly rubbed her until she came with a cry.

"Jean-Luc....please, darling, I need you, and I know you need me..."

"Are you sure?" He asked softly, his accent thick.

"I want to feel you inside me, loving me, please..." she begged. "I love you so much, Jean-Luc...show me how much you love me." He placed himself between her thighs and leaned his mouth forwards to kiss hers before he joined them.

"I do Beverly, I love you with my entire being, with my soul...forever," he whispered as they became one entity. Her body was still tingling from her orgasm, and his size seemed to touch every nerve of her body, she was on fire and he was stoking the flames. With the preparation he had given her, she came quickly, her body releasing, the wave building for the orgasms to come.

"Uhhh! Oh gods Beverly...so good, so tight..." he moaned. The heady feeling was still with her as she listened to him moan her name over and over. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around his backside, forcing him to thrust deeper, and forbidding him from pulling out too far.

"Jeaaaannnn-Luuuccc, ahhhhh, my love, myyy loveeee...." she continued to have her tiny orgasms as he came in one large thrust. He cried out her name, as his mantra, flooding her with his pleasure. He cried into her hair, keeping them joined for as long as possible. He never wanted to share this with anyone ever again, if he couldn’t share it with her, and couldn’t believe that there could have been anyone before her. Her heart surged with love, devotion, respect, tenderness, and passion for her man, her best friend, and lover. When he pulled back to look at her, he knew everything was all right. He knew that he had never needed to prove anything to her, that she trusted him, and she had finally trusted in her love for him. As he removed his weight from her, he lay beside her, holding her tightly, desperate to be sure of her presence.

"I’m not going anywhere Jean-Luc, I will never leave your side, I am yours forever, my love." He loosened his grip as he was reassured.

"Thank you, sweetheart...my love...my Beverly. Feels so good to say it...so good to tell you." She nodded, as she turned to touch his face.

"Promise me one thing Jean-Luc...you’ll never overwork yourself on my account again," she said with a laugh. "I promise that I’ll relax you any time you want, whether you’re stressed or not." Jean-Luc chuckled, and kissed her forehead.

"You’ve got a deal doctor," he said quietly as they drifted off to

sleep.

THE END