| Released October 27th, 2008 Hungry Eyes by Missbevcrusher Rated [G] Standard disclaimer: Star Trek isn�t mine. Dirty Dancing isn�t mine. Nor is Dancing with the Stars. But tonight I thought I�d mix three of my favorite things and write this light P/C. No copyright infringement intended. I wrote this story in June while taking a break from reworking the ending to Abyss of Oblivion. It was a much needed rest from all the brain-racking needed to tie the odds and ends on that longer and darker story. So this one was purely for my own selfish enjoyment as a way to unwind. Writing is what I crave and need to relax after a long day. Anyway, very few people read this story for I was shy about posting it. It's sort of fluffy and silly. I was inspired while watching a clip from Dancing with the Stars� second season, where pros Cheryl Burke and Toni Dovolani beautifully reenacted the now famous Dirty Dancing final scene. I decided to make it part of my P/C song series once again. *sigh* I�m addicted to these kinds of stories LOL. And as you�ll see, there are two Dirty Dancing songs mentioned in this one. So here it is. Hope you enjoy it. Warning: This story has not been betaed. Captain Jean-Luc Picard walked down the corridor dressed handsomely. It wasn�t everyday that he paraded throughout the ship wearing a white shirt with slightly rolled up sleeves and black trousers. Beverly Crusher, his close friend and chief medical officer had coaxed him into taking dance lessons from her. It was her way of sharpening her own skills as a dancer as well as doing him a favor as he often found himself having to dance socially in diplomatic settings. They�d started this whole thing twice a week for the past month now. However hesitant he�d been at first, the captain now felt totally at ease learning various dances from his talented teacher. Besides, just getting to spend more time alone with the beautiful doctor was incentive enough. Their session would always start at 1900 sharp but tonight, he�d come off duty a bit early and thought he�d join her as she always started an hour prior to practice more difficult routines with holographic partners. When he reached the holodeck, he saw that indeed it was in use and that it was running, �Program Crusher 78� He tapped the console and the doors parted. Picard was somewhat taken aback at first for the setting wasn�t the usual dance studio they practiced in. Instead, he found himself standing at the back of a large amphitheater of some sort. As he stepped forward, the doors closed behind him. The room was packed. Every seat seemed to be taken. Unsure of what was going on he made his way along the wall in the back row until he reached the last isle directly next to the side wall. He took a few steps down as he looked for any sign of Beverly. Unable to locate her, he decided to wait and see what would happen. He leaned casually against the wall and observed the stage area below. At the very back was a long stage, which rounded outward in the middle. Along the whole front of it, were a series of three steps. Directly behind was a live band whose forms contrasted darkly against the gently lit colored back-round. And on each side of this elaborate setting were two semi-circular staircases that seemed to lead backstage. The scene did not end there however. For just before all of this was a large hardwood area, a dance floor no doubt with the soft glittering lights of a disco-ball dancing over it. Then all around positioned at regular intervals along the floor were spotlights that would shine on the show that would likely start any minute now. So this is what she does before I get here. Jean-Luc smiled to himself in his inconspicuous spot along the softly lit isle. �Ladies and gentlemen,� The announcer�s voice boomed over the sound of the spectator�s voices. Everything suddenly went really quiet in the room and the British sounding announcer continued, �Dancing freestyle, Beverly Crusher and her partner Toni Dovolani.� The captain�s heart almost stopped when he finally saw her. He�d never seen her looking as beautiful as she looked right at that moment. Her long red hair fell in loose fully defined vertical curls over her shoulders. And her attire� It was the sweetest light pink dress. Held up by two thin straps, the neckline fell in a beautiful heart shape. The waist was fitted but gradually flared outward in a soft flowing fabric that fell to just above the knee in the front and slightly below in the back. Her long dancer�s legs walked gracefully as she took her place at one end of the dance floor. The toned muscles in her calves were showcased perfectly with the delicate but very high-heeled sandals she wore. Directly across the dance-floor stood her partner, a tall handsome man with a tanned complexion and dark hair. He was dressed in a black short sleeved shirt that was undone slightly in the front as well as black pants with an equally black leather belt. But Beverly might as well have been alone out on that dance-floor for she was all the captain could focus on. Then from the staircase that stood to the right, came down a well dressed man with a microphone. When he lifted it up, he started to sing in a deep, resonating voice, �Now I�ve had the time of my life. No, I never felt like this before.� The doctor smiled and slowly approached her partner who also walked toward her to the rhythm of the music. As she reached him, Beverly elegantly brought her arms up as the hologram named Toni gently wrapped one arm around her waist in a loose hold and led her down a slow, circular dip. �Yes, I swear. It�s the truth.� Toni then circled her as he came to rest behind her back, one hand still holding on to her slender frame. With her gaze cast downward and slightly to the side, Beverly lifted her left arm up so that it wrapped behind her partner�s head which was now closely nestled next to hers. The hologram reached up with his left hand until it lightly brushed hers. Then slowly, with a feather light touch, he glided the back of his hand down the smooth skin of her arm until it reached the delicate fabric covering the side of her long torso. At the same time, a woman emerged from the left staircase and she joined in the song, ��Cause I�ve had the time of my life and I owe it all to you�� Toni�s hand continued its journey until it finally grasped Beverly�s right hand which was positioned carefully in front of her. The music�s rhythm suddenly increased dramatically as Crusher was twirled away and back again effortlessly. The skirt of the dress flared outward to reveal the entirety of her long legs beneath. Loud cheers emanated from the crowd and they started to clap in unison with the music as the dance finally got underway. Practically nose to nose, the couple started to dance locked in an unusual dance hold. While Toni had one arm around her waist and she had one arm around his shoulder, their free hand was pressed firmly palm against the others, raised up in the air. Beverly�s hips swiveled sideways as she stepped forward and back, the light fabric of her dress swaying along with the music. A few light twirls later, the two came to rest side by side with one arm behind the other. The man�s voice resounded again, �I�ve been waiting for so long. Now I�ve finally found someone to stand by me.� The steps that followed brought them forward as they remained standing closely next to one another. �We saw the writing on the wall, as we felt this magical fantasy.� This time, it was the woman who sang. Now back facing one another, Beverly looked into the hologram�s eyes and let him lead her in a sensual ballroom hold. The lines they were following were exquisite and her arm extensions were elegantly posed. When the two singers started to sing in unison, �Now with passion in our eyes, there�s no way we could disguise it secretly.� Beverly brought both of her arms up and swayed her upper body from side to side loosely, the result of which was her long curls flowing wildly. Jean-Luc was mesmerized by what he was seeing. He�d never seen her dancing so intricately before. Furthermore, Beverly had always been a talented actress. So for her, demonstrating sensuality and longing on cue wasn�t difficult to do. At that moment, the captain couldn�t help but feel slightly envious toward the hologram. How he wished she would look at him that way� or more precisely look at him that way and mean it. After another series of fast flowing steps, Toni locked his frame with hers and lifted her off the ground as he spun around precisely. �So we take each others hand �cause we seem to understand the urgency.� With her toes pointed, one of Beverly�s legs was bent back as she held the mid-air position. With one final twirl as she touched the ground, Beverly let Toni clasp both of her hands to her side and the gap between them was closed. When their noses touched, the two dancers smiled before pulling away again. The duet continued as the singers started to alternate at each line, the man going first. �Just remember,� �You�re the one thing,� �I can�t get enough of,� All the while, Beverly and Toni had parted and made their way rhythmically to either side of the stage. The whole time the holographic dancer had clapped to the beat, a charming smile plastered across his face. Beverly kept sizzling eye contact with her partner as she made her way toward the middle of the stage. Toni did the same. �So I�ll tell you something,� The dance resumed briefly until Toni stopped, kissed her hand and leaped off the stage. The song reached a high note as the singing duet started the chorus. This could be love because I�ve had the time of my life No I never felt this way before Yes I swear It�s the truth And I owe it all to you Toni then started to dance energetically on the hardwood floor. His steps and movements seemed to captivate the crowd who was now frenzied. Jean-Luc was all but oblivious to anything other than Beverly. She stood there looking very sweet as she smiled and danced subtly while keeping her eyes fixed on her partner. Toni made his way toward the very edge of the dance area. Once there, he was joined by several casually dressed dancers who took their places behind him in a V formation. When the song commenced its instrumental portion with a sexy saxophone solo, the dancers all bent slightly forward and snapped their fingers in rhythmic pulses. With quick, successive steps, they made their way forward in a way that seemed to suggest they were making a show for the benefit of the lovely doctor who watched them from afar. Suddenly, the music slowed down once more and all the dancers except Toni approached the stage. Two male dancers got to either side of Beverly and effortlessly lifted her up and carried her down the steps. �Now I�ve had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before.� �Never felt this way,� During that process, the doctor gently did a feigned a slow elegant walk in mid-air until finally her feet touched the ground again. �Yes, I swear,� Toni extended his arms in an inviting way. �It�s the truth,� The music�s tempo suddenly picked up again. �And I owe it all to you.� Beverly started running toward her partner and as the chorus started all over again, she was lifted up like a feather. The crowd went wild as they held the pose. Crusher�s arms were outstretched on either side as she lay horizontally held by Toni�s muscular arms. When she was finally brought down, she lingered in simulated longing. Nose to nose again, her head just slightly above his. The final act got underway as the couple started to dance amid all the other holographic dancers. Awe beyond words, Jean-Luc joined in the wild applause around him. The atmosphere was electrifying in the packed amphitheater. Once the music faded into nothingness, Beverly and Toni parted from their final embrace and turned toward the crowd, their hands joined but still at arm�s length. Beverly looked at the adoring crowd and gave a dazzling smile. She held the pose for a moment, her legs crossed in front of the other elegantly. It had been so long since she�d danced in front of a crowd. It didn�t matter to her that this was a fictional crowd. In fact, it took all the stage-fright from the experience. She�d had a blast. She�d combined her love of theatrics with her love of dancing for this moment of pure personal indulgence. Finally, she bowed gracefully and took on a more casual stance. But then she froze as she spotted her best friend who was clapping enthusiastically from the sidelines. Whether it was from her physical exertion or her embarrassment, she wasn�t sure. But Beverly didn�t doubt for a minute that her cheeks were now a vivid shade of red. He�s early� Aloud, she said, �Computer, remove all fictional characters.� In a whishing sound, Jean-Luc and Beverly found themselves truly alone inside the amphitheater. �I didn�t know you�d be here so early.� Picard descended the steps and approached. �I finished working earlier than expected so I thought I�d come down here to join you.� He seemed to sense her embarrassment. �I�m sorry if that was wrong of me. I didn�t mean to intrude�� �No,� Beverly interrupted, �don�t worry about it. I�m glad you�re here. I just didn�t know I�d get a real audience, is all.� �Well I must say� I was more than impressed just now. That performance was� jaw-dropping.� Crusher smiled shyly. �Thank you.� �I mean it. You�re a very, very talented dancer.� She blushed even more. �So I guess that makes me a lucky student.� �No, I�m the lucky one. You�re a very fast learner.� �Oh, I�m not too sure about that. There�s no way I could pull off a routine like that fictional partner of yours.� �Well I might not let you lift me up over your head just yet, but I�m sure you could catch the basics of it rather quickly.� Jean-Luc laughed quietly. �I�m serious.� Beverly started to make her way to the center of the dance floor. �Come on.� For a brief instant, the captain�s expression became blank. Then when it dawned on him that she was actually going to try to teach him that dance, he found he had a hard time swallowing. You and your big mouth� he chided himself. �So tell me, did you choreograph this yourself?� Beverly laughed. �I wish. No, this was nothing short of a cult phenomenon. The dance itself was created for a late twentieth century movie called �Dirty Dancing�. I hardly know a dancer from Earth who hasn�t heard of it.� She then gestured at their surroundings. �And this whole set is based on another popular hit in the early twenty-first century called Dancing with the Stars.� Jean-Luc looked even more impressed. �So you know your dance culture.� �A little bit. Now why don�t we get this started?� �I�m all ears.� Standing a few inches from him, Beverly looked into his eyes. �The count in this dance is a basic one, two, three, but it�s much quicker than what you would find in a waltz. Just listen to the tempo.� With a soft voice, she started. �One, two, three- one, two, three- one, two, three�� Jean-Luc listened closely and let the rhythm register fully in his mind. �Now look at my feet.� Beverly stepped back with her right foot on the one, put her weight back on her left foot on the two and finally brought her right foot back to its original position on the three. She then repeated the sequence starting with her left foot, but this time did it while going forward. And so it went, back and forth in precise counted steps. The captain focused on her slender legs and feet which were distractingly covered by the most elegant silver sandals that shone beneath the spotlights. �Okay, now you try it.� Slowly at first, Jean-Luc took a step forward and matched her routine. Then as he got the hang of it, Beverly upped the tempo slightly. �That�s it. You got it. Just follow me.� The doctor then took his hand and silently led him into a proper dance hold. When he was at ease with the basics, Picard stopped looking at his feet or at his hold and gazed in her eyes. She smiled. �I told you, you were a fast learner.� The two shared a small laugh as they continued dancing. �Now why don�t we put music to it?� She paused and pondered her song choice. �I think we should practice on a slower song. It would make it easier. Computer, play �Hungry Eyes� from the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.� The lighting around them subdued and the pattern from the disco-ball started dancing across the floor and their faces. The silence was broken by four echoing drum beats and the music finally got underway. The slow beat sizzled in a way which only served to enhance the always charged atmosphere between the captain and the doctor. �I�ll lead first so you�ll see how it goes.� With her hand around his waist, Beverly led him with the first few sets of steps. The whole time, she kept her gaze locked with his. Then when the first words to the song echoed through the amphitheater, she couldn�t help but feel a rush trough her. �I�ve been meaning to tell you�� God, how many times had she intended on telling him how she felt but had backed away or been interrupted at the last minute. Too many to count, She tried her best to revert to dance teacher mode. �Okay, now you lead.� Their hold reverted back to its intended lead and they focused on mastering that small sequence as a pair. Beverly smiled. �You�d make a good performer.� �Oh?� �Dancing is so much more than steps. If you don�t feel it through you, if you don�t show the emotions behind the dance, then it becomes an empty routine. But you� your eyes�� She tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach. �You�re really convincing.� �I am?� �You�re not just looking at me as though you�re trying to remember the steps. You�re looking at me like you�� The next words weren�t easy to say, but she managed to blurt them out anyway. ��want me. And in a dance such as this, that�s really important.� Jean-Luc wished he could credit her compliment to his acting abilities, but in fact it was a simple weakness. He wasn�t acting at all, for he�d wanted her for as long as he could remember. �Okay, now why don�t we get into the nitty-gritty of the routine? Computer, stop music,� Beverly pulled away and headed toward the edge of the dance-floor. She pointed across from her. �Take your place over there. And when the music starts, walk slowly toward me and we�ll meet halfway. Now don�t forget to show the emotions. That�s what an audience would connect with.� �Got it.� �Now when we meet, just get me into a casual dance hold and dip me down in a slow, circular motion.� He nodded once. �Computer, start music,� The two walked slowly toward one another, each secretly reveling in the fact that they could openly look at the other with longing. With sizzling intensity between them, Beverly and Jean-Luc finally reached one another where the captain did exactly as he was told and dipped her sensually. When he brought her back up, she was so close to him that her nose lightly touched his. �Now get up behind me and stay close.� Her breath brushed against his skin as she spoke. �Keep your hold on me with your right arm.� With shaky breaths, Jean-Luc followed her instructions and walked around her. When he brushed the side of her face with his, he lowered his head slightly and took in the inviting scent of her perfume. As Beverly slowly brought her arm up, she said, �Reach up for my hand and then lightly trail the length of my arm and continue down the side of my body.� The doctor�s knees almost buckled as his tender touch glided down slowly. �Good, now reach for my other hand and twirl me away.� Not without a hint of regret at the loss of contact, Picard did just that. �Good!� Beverly stopped the routine there for the time being. �Now let�s try it from the top and this time, don�t forget to look for my eyes during the twirl. The emotional connection has to stay in place no matter what the movement.� They took their places. �Computer, start music from the beginning,� This time, the routine fell into place quite nicely. I�ve been meaning to tell you I�ve got this feeling that won�t subside I look at you and I fantasize You�re mine tonight After they�d executed the first twirl, Beverly said, �Excellent, now let�s keep going with the basic steps I showed you in the beginning.� And so she counted, �One, two, three- One, two, three�� Beneath the hand that held her slender frame, Jean-Luc could feel as she swiveled her hips with each step. �Now instead of keeping a traditional hold, just press your palm against mine and lift it up� Good.� She smiled and he smiled back. Now I�ve got you in my sights With these hungry eyes One look at you and I can�t disguise I�ve got hungry eyes I feel the magic between you and I The lyrics ran true to what was happening between them with amazing accuracy. Beverly was quite impressed with how Jean-Luc was executing her instructions almost flawlessly for his level. She used her teacher�s instinct to come up with a simpler version of the dance so that it wouldn�t be too much. �Your lines are good.� Jean-Luc chuckled. �Thank you.� �You want to try that small spinning lift?� �Are you kidding me?� She laughed. �No, I�m not. I think you could pull it off.� �I wish I could share in your optimism.� �Come on, you�ve got to give yourself more credit than that. You can do it.� They stopped dancing but kept their hold. Beverly started her explanation. �Now what I want you to do is keep your frame locked. This is going to be the foundation for this lift. For the time being, we�ll just do it while standing in place, no spinning.� �Alright,� �On three, you lift me� just don�t drop me.� Jean-Luc could see the teasing in her eyes so he mocked, �We wouldn�t want that to happen, now would we?� �One, two, three.� The first attempt didn�t go all that well. Aside from lacking fluidity, it looked just plain awkward. The captain couldn�t stifle a laugh. �It�s alright, Jean-Luc. Let�s try again.� �Yes, Ma�am.� The second time around, it went much smoother and by the time their fifth try came up, the improvement was remarkable. �Okay, now let�s add the spin. Stay straight and try to keep your center of gravity from drifting.� Again, it was a bit awkward in the beginning, but soon he had her in a graceful lift. �You�re definitely better than you think.� As a teacher, Beverly couldn�t be any happier at her student�s progress. �Students are only as good as their teachers.� �Why do you have to be so humble all the time?� �And you�re not?� �Touch�.� Both Picard and Crusher had always been overachievers in whatever they set their minds to, but neither ever got a big head over it. Their session stretched on into the evening as both were truly enjoying themselves. By the time 2130 came around, the whole routine was established and they were now in the process of fine tuning it. �Ready to start the show?� Beverly�s eyes twinkled. Picard eyed her with a puzzled look. �Computer, give us an audience. Keep the same song and omit the fictional dance partners.� �Program ready,� As they took their places, the room was once again filled to capacity. �Ladies and gentlemen, dancing freestyle Jean-Luc Picard and his partner Beverly Crusher.� �Hungry Eyes� started playing once more and they started their routine. When that first dip came up, some members of the audience reacted by whistling loudly. Their close proximity and lack of emotional barriers between them was turning this session into a maddening whirlwind. The more they danced and looked at one another with desire, the more of an affect it had on them. This time, when she found herself nestled with her back against him, Beverly closed her eyes and sighed as he caressed her. Try to stay professional Beverly. Come on� The captain was fighting a similar fight within himself as he wanted nothing more than to pull her to him and kiss her fully. Don�t cross that line, old man� You�ll get a slap across the face if you do� Don�t think of her as Beverly, think of her as your dance teacher cause that�s what she is right now� If it was even possible, their eye contact revealed even more passion than it had before. God, I want him� I want her so much� The crowd cheered loudly when the small lift came up, but by that time the dancing couple was oblivious to anything but each other. �I look at you and I fantasize. You�re mine tonight.� Those words resonated loudly within them for that is exactly what they were doing, each secretly fantasizing that this was much more than a simple dance lesson. The distraction proved to be too much for the captain who all of a sudden forgot the routine. Lost just as he was, Beverly did not move away from his hold. Her heart was beating a mile a minute and it was all due to what he was doing to her with his eyes alone. �Hungry eyes�� That was a really great description of the look they now gave one another. With his voice hoarse, Picard fought to speak. �Computer� Remove audience.� The music kept playing but Beverly and Jean-Luc found themselves alone together once again, the spell between them stronger than ever. �I have a confession to make.� Jean-Luc started. �I would be lying if I said that I was acting just now.� Beverly swallowed with difficulty and looked at his lips. �As your dance teacher, can I give you one final instruction?� �Of course.� A small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth. �Kiss me like you really mean it.� With a look that matched hers, he replied, �Well that won�t be very hard to do.� The moment sizzled as their lips met passionately for the very first time. It was everything they could have hoped for and more. The captain felt her arms snake around his neck while he passed his hands through the long curls that cascaded down. Beverly sighed against him as she fully registered what was now happening between them. His lips were pressed firmly against hers but explored in the softest way. The magic of the night had finally caught up to them and had forced an unexpected surrender from both sides. It was a stalemate that was filled with every conceivable emotion one has when realizing they�ve found their way to the person they love. Beneath the spinning disco-ball, best friends had finally crossed a line they had been avoiding for over two decades now. The reason for that previous reluctance was now erased fully from memory. They were now free to enjoy the moment and look forward to what was to come. Later that night, when they left the holodeck, Jean-Luc and Beverly did not head in opposite directions like they usually did. Side by side, with barely concealed smiles, they made their way to his quarters. The next night, they might choose hers. But no matter where they ended up, they would now on be inseparable. No more lonely nights, no more secret longing. Just love� and on occasion shared dances filled with fireworks. The End library |