| Naufrages
by Missbevcrusher
Started August 19th 2006 This is the first story of my P/C song series. What is my P/C song series? Well, they�re stories which were inspired by a particular song. This one came to me a few weeks ago while on a road trip. The song �Far Away� by Nickelback kept playing on the radio and as I listened to it, the main plot to this story came to me. For the first half of the story, you might not get the connection to the lyrics, but as the whole picture is revealed near the end, it might start to make sense to you. Anyway, if you have that particular song, turn it up and read on. I hope you enjoy it. As always, feedback is welcome and appreciated. Later� Missbevcrusher This AU story is set sometimes before Nemesis. Standard Disclaimer: They don�t belong to me. I�m just having fun. So please don�t sue me. Captain Jean-Luc Picard stood in the corridor just outside holodeck 2 on the Enterprise-E. He must have looked a little out of place to the passing crew members, as he was wearing a full naval captain�s uniform that was true to 19th century Earth. He tapped the console next to the doors and stated his request, �Computer, activate program Picard eleven.� �Program activated, enter when ready.� The artificial female voice replied. �You were going to start without me?� Picard turned toward the familiar voice and smiled, �No, I was going to wait for you.� Dr. Beverly Crusher smiled in turn as she made her way up to him. She too was wearing the same historically accurate naval uniform, �Good.� Picard couldn�t help but look her over. She was so beautiful in her attire. She looked very much like a figure of authority with her officer�s hat and her red hair pulled back underneath. The decorated jacket, the tight fitting white pants and the black boots she wore made the look seem very authentic. �So we�re ready to go?� he asked. She gestured toward the doors, �Lead the way captain.� They stepped closer to the entrance and the doors parted to let them in. A crisp sea breeze welcomed them as they stepped aboard the maritime version of the U.S.S. Enterprise. The beautiful ship was a three-masted sailing frigate. This particular holodeck program was usually used for celebrating the promotions of fellow crew members, but the captain had taken a liking to it. He was a man fascinated by history. Especially when it came to the very profession he exercised. After all, his predecessors from centuries past served on vessels similar to this one. As they strode further, a voice called out, �Captain on the bridge!� The holographic crew then quickly snapped to attention. �At ease.� Picard stated. The usual hustle and bustle of the deck crew then resumed at its normal pace. The captain and the doctor briefly smiled at one another and then just admired the scenery that presented itself before them. The water was so calm it almost looked like a mirror. The orange glow of the sun shone across their faces as it was getting ready to hit the horizon in a glorious sunset. The pair then toured the deck and finally made their way to the helm. �It must�ve been something being on the sea for months on end.� Beverly said as she looked up at the sails. The captain nodded, �The conditions were rudimentary to say the least, but the people back then managed quite well considering the circumstances.� Beverly then shook her head and sighed, �It sure is beautiful out here isn�t it?� The captain nodded in agreement, �It is.� �You know, I�ve never been sailing before.� Beverly then quickly added, �Never out in the real world I mean.� �Well I have a friend who owns a replica of a 21st century sailboat. Next time we�re on Earth, I�m sure he�d be happy to take us out on it.� �I�d really love that.� They very rarely got the chance to spend time together off the Enterprise and she really looked forward to that possibility. Jean-Luc smiled at her. She was his closest friend and had been for many years now. And in all that time, he had been in love with her. It was a love that he felt he wasn�t free to express, but it was there nonetheless. There was also a tremendous amount of history between the two of them. One very significant aspect of it was that she had been married to his best friend, a man who had ultimately lost his life while serving under him on the Stargazer. �Do you mind if I take over the wheel captain?� Picard�s trail of thought was suddenly interrupted. Smiling, the captain answered, �Not at all number one.� Beverly laughed, �Number one? Since when did I get a promotion?� �Well, this ship needs a first officer does it not?� �I guess it does.� Beverly then paused, seeming to contemplate something, �Can you imagine what those sailors would think if they were to come back and see how things are now? Take women for example. There would have been no way that a woman would have been first officer on a ship like this.� The captain chuckled, �Well it was their loss if you ask me.� At that, the doctor smiled, �So where to captain?� She asked as the helmsman retreated and she settled behind the wheel. He looked up at the sky, �Well, it�ll be dark soon. We�ll let the stars guide us.� * * * * * Commander Riker sat in the captain�s chair on the bridge of the Enterprise-E. He was contemplating the starscape on the main view screen. Their mission was routine. They were on their way to Xujjav V to assist in trade negotiations. They wouldn�t arrive for another two weeks. So in the down time, he had instructed the crew to run routine diagnostics and perform regular maintenance on the ships systems. After a long while, Riker shifted slightly in his seat. He didn�t particularly like slow times like this. It wasn�t that he liked trouble, but he thrived on managing tough situations and just sitting here wasn�t his cup of tea. As he was about to get up to stretch his legs a bit, he heard the familiar hissing sound of the turbolift doors. To his delight, he saw counselor Deanna Troi exiting the lift. Upon seeing the first officer, the counselor�s face immediately lit up. She walked over to where he was and sat down next to him. �Hello Deanna.� Riker smiled at her, �Finished with your counseling sessions already?� Troi nodded, �Yes, things went faster than anticipated today.� �Well that�s nice.� �I came by to see if you�d like to grab a bite to eat.� The commander nodded, �I�d love to. I�m sure Data can take care of things over here for a little while.� As they both got up, Riker said, �You have the bridge mister Data.� �Aye sir.� Data promptly replied. As he was about to get up from his post, an alarm sounded from his console, �Commander�� Riker frowned and approached the conn, �What is it Data?� �Our sensors are picking up a subspace disturbance.� �The source?� �Unknown sir.� The android cocked his head to one side with a puzzled look on his features. Suddenly, the lights flickered and there was obvious power drainage from the bridges many workstations. Riker looked around, �What just happened?� The android frowned in turn and replied, �I am uncertain sir, but we are experiencing various systems malfunctions on all decks.� Jared Wright, a young lieutenant who wore the yellow uniform of the operations department sat at the engineering station. As he quickly went over the information that was displayed before him, he reported, �Commander, we�re losing propulsion, transporters as well as communications are down and I�m reading fluctuations in the standard fusion reaction chamber.� �Red alert.� The commander tapped his combadge, �Captain Picard to the bridge.� Riker exhaled sharply, Be careful what you wish for� * * * * * The stars were shining bright above them as the waves gently rocked the ship back and forth. Picard was analyzing their fictitious position using an old fashioned map and the starscape in the sky. Crusher was still at the wheel. She was enjoying herself very much. Her life on board was hectic to say the least and she found much needed respite in this fantasy role playing. Then all of the sudden, there was a momentary glitch with the program. Bright flashes of light momentarily appeared as well as brief interruptions in the holographic projection that revealed the hologrid beyond, �What was that?� Crusher said as she looked up. With a puzzled look in his eyes, the captain spoke, �Picard to bridge.� They waited a moment, but there was no answer. �Picard to bridge.� he repeated quickly. When there was still no answer, the captain and doctor looked at one another with concern. As they both started walking briskly toward where the exit was, Picard said, �Computer end program.� Again there was nothing. The captain seemed more than a little bit irritated, �Computer exit!� It didn�t come as a surprise to see nothing happening once more. �Well I guess we�re stuck here.� Dr. Crusher said as she put her hands on her hips. �What the hell happened?� The captain asked in a low voice with his lips pursed. The doctor sighed, �I wish I knew. Now hopefully someone will come and get us soon.� Picard remained silent and contemplated their situation. * * * * * Riker and Troi stood next to Data and watched over his shoulder as he scanned the area. The android tapped commands at an amazingly fast pace, �There is a lot of electromagnetic interference in this vicinity. However, it does not fully explain why we are experiencing system failures of such magnitude.� �Are you detecting anything that might be causing this interference?� �Not as of yet sir.� Riker looked at the turbolift doors, which to this point had not opened. Where is the captain? He tapped his combadge once more, �Riker to Picard.� Troi gave the commander a look of concern as there was no answer. Riker straightened, �Computer, location of captain Picard.� �Captain Picard is on holodeck 2.� �Deanna,� Will turned to face her, �have somebody go down there to check things out.� Turning his attention to Data once more he added, �Keep scanning the area mister Data. Let me know as soon as you know anything.� The android nodded, �I will sir.� �Commander LaForge to bridge.� �Go ahead commander.� �Sir, things are pretty bad down here. We�ve had to shut down most of our systems in order to prevent a massive overload. I hate to say it commander, but we�re not going anywhere anytime soon.� Though his expression remained calm, Will Riker felt uneasy. This won�t be a typical day after all. * * * * * Picard paced the bridge of the frigate in frustration. �I just wish I knew what is going on. Either this is simply a holodeck malfunction or the ship is having some major problems.� He stopped his pacing and looked up, �If only we could find a way to get out of here.� The doctor threw up her arms in the darkness, �Without having access to communications or the holodeck controls, I don�t see how we could.� She shook her head, �I think our only hope is for someone to come fix this problem from the outside and get us out.� The captain said nothing, but inwardly, he knew that she was right. Beverly then went over to the side of the boat and leaned on rail. The air was much cooler now. Also, the back and forth movement of the ship seemed to get more and more pronounced as the waves picked up. The doctor then felt strands of her hair tickle the side of her face as gust of wind blew past her, �There seems to be a lot of cloud cover. You don�t think there�s a storm coming?� Picard shrugged, �There shouldn�t be. I selected moderate winds and waves for this program. Now, hopefully whatever�s affected the holodeck hasn�t affected the actual content of the program nor the safety functions.� �I hope you�re right.� During the next few minutes, more glitches appeared. As the hologrid became visible in small contained areas in the night sky, Beverly wondered if the program would collapse by itself. If it did, they could gain access to the controls and perhaps be able to get out by themselves. If it didn�t however, they might have to deal with some very rough seas. It was a prospect that frightened her quite a bit. Especially since the weather seemed to be getting worse by the minute. I have a bad feeling about this. As she saw the swells go up and down, Beverly started to feel somewhat dizzy and nauseous. On the previous occasions that she�d used this program, she never felt seasick. However, she�d never been on a sea quite as rough as it was now. She couldn�t bare to look at the water anymore so she turned around and took a deep breath which she let out in a slow and controlled manner. Jean-Luc was shaking his head as he looked out over the horizon, �This program is clearly going in its own direction.� He cast a glance over at the doctor and found that she didn�t look too well, �Beverly? Are you alright?� She looked up as she heard the wind whipped voice of her friend, �I�ve never been on rough seas before, that�s all.� �Perhaps it would be a good idea if you went below deck for a while. I�ll stay out here to keep an eye on the situation.� The redhead nodded, �Alright.� She usually wasn�t one to cower behind when a serious situation came along, but she wasn�t feeling so good either. The strong movement of the boat was starting to make her very nauseous and the only thing she wanted to do was get away from the sight of the swelling waves. Just as she was about to reach the entrance that led below-deck, Beverly felt the first raindrops on her. She looked over her shoulder and gave a worried look to the captain before descending. As he lost sight of her, Picard silently prayed the situation wouldn�t worsen. * * * * * As Troi approached him, Riker could tell that the look she bore wasn�t a happy one. �The captain is trapped on the holodeck along with Beverly.� Deanna shook her head, �Monroe and Lee are working on the problem, but with all the systems going haywire, they don�t know how long it�ll take to get them out.� Will exhaled sharply and nodded. As much as he wanted the captain and doctor out of the holodeck safely, he knew that he needed to keep his focus on the rest of the ship and figure a way out of this mess. �Commander,� Lieutenant Wright spoke up from his post, �deck seven through nine are experiencing trouble with life support. I�m trying to reroute the power from all non-essential systems, but so far it�s not working.� �Alright, evacuate deck seven through nine.� He gave the most encouraging look he could muster and added, �Keep working on it.� �Commander,� Data called out, �We are experiencing difficulties with the sensor array. It would seem as though our long range sensors aren�t functioning at full capacity. I suggest we launch a probe in order to increase our range.� �Make it so Data.� Riker looked up at the viewscreen and saw the probe as it came into view. Its thrusters then fired and it went hurtling into space until they lost sight of it. As Data analyzed the readouts of his console, he frowned slightly, �I am detecting a foreign object about five-hundred-thousand kilometers away. It is emitting very strong electromagnetic signals. The configuration of the object does not match anything on record, nor does the exact nature of the signal. I believe this is what is causing the malfunctions.� Riker gave Data tap on the shoulder, �Nice going Data.� The commander then turned to lieutenant Wright, �Any word on propulsion?� The young man shook his head, �Engineering reports no change in our engine status.� �Riker to engineering.� �LaForge here.� �Geordie, any idea when we�ll get the engines back online?� �Not yet sir.� �We need them ASAP. We found what is causing the malfunctions, but we�re too far away from it to do anything.� �I�ll do my best sir.� * * * * * Beverly sat in a corner below deck with her head in her hands. The ship was now rocking violently and she felt like the whole world was spinning in every direction. The small lanterns that hung from the ceiling only seemed to make things worse as the shadows they cast danced back and forth on the deck boards. Dear God� �Beverly?� The doctor looked up and saw the captain come down the stairs. He no longer wore his hat and he was drenched, �I�m here.� She replied. �Are you alright?� Picard asked as worry came over him at the mere sight of her. He quickly walked over to where she was and knelt beside her. She pushed a stray strand of hair from her face, �I�ll be fine. It�s just regular seasickness. I gather things aren�t improving?� �The storm is getting pretty severe. Let�s just hope the boat holds out.� The wooden boards of the ship seemed to be creaking very loudly and that didn�t sit too well with the doctor. �This program is getting damned unpredictable.� Picard said with annoyance. Beverly bent her head forward once more, �It�d be nice if it would surprise us in a more pleasant way.� Though he wouldn�t say it aloud, the captain was afraid of what might happen next. As another strong wave of nausea came over her, Beverly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Jean-Luc hated seeing her like this, �I�m so sorry Beverly. I never should have chosen this program.� �You had no way of knowing the holodeck would go bananas on us. Don�t worry about it.� He gave her an apologetic smile and put a hand on her shoulder, �Well I�ll make it up to you. I promise.� �You better.� She was teasing him. Suddenly, the boat tilted dangerously on one side and rocked back violently. The captain lost his footing and the doctor lurched and fell forward with a loud thud. �Ouch!� Beverly exclaimed as she cradled her left shoulder with one hand. The captain, which now lay flat on his back, quickly got to his feet and came to the aid of his friend, �Beverly.� �I�ll be ok.� She said as she winced in pain, �So much for the safeties.� As he helped her to get back up, the ship was once again rocked by a large wave. This time, water came pouring down the stairway. �Dear God, what do we do now?� Beverly was doing her best not to panic as she looked down at the water that now came up to her ankles. Being on an old wooden ship during a heavy storm was proving to be one of the most terrifying experiences she�d ever had. For once in his life, the captain had no clue what to do. Being up on deck would surely be very dangerous, but as more and more water came pouring down, the captain decided that if this ship was to go down, he didn�t want to be inside of it. �Let�s get out of here.� Picard grabbed the doctor by her uninjured arm and led her up the stairs. Each step was proving to be quite difficult as wave after wave pushed them back and made the surface slippery. �Hold on!� Picard said as he held her against the rail of the stairway. As the rain and seawater pounded her, Beverly closed her eyes and held on for dear life. The only comfort she had was the strong feel of Jean-Luc against her. He had both arms on each side of her and was holding the rail with his hands. The cold water pummeled them as they finally made their way up the stairs. Quickly taking hold of her hand, Picard tried to lead Crusher toward one of the life preservers that hung nearby. It took every once of strength and balance he had not to fall down. Every ten seconds or so, a bolt of lightning would tear through the sky and light the horrifying torrent that was the sea. It seemed to take forever just to get to where the life preserver was. Once there, the captain quickly grabbed it and handed it to Crusher, �Here, try to secure yourself with it!� The wind was howling and it took everything she had to make out what he was saying, �What about you?� She asked with alarm. �You�re injured Beverly! If something happens, this could be your only chance!� She grabbed the rope that was tied to it and wrapped it a couple of times around her wrist and hand. There was still quite of bit of rope left attached to it and she handed the portion to Picard, �Here, there�s enough for the two of us!� Just as Picard was about to take hold of the rope, an enormous wave rolled over the side of the boat and swept both of them away. Beverly felt as though she had been thrust into the very worst nightmare possible. As she was swallowed by the sea, one thought came to her. I can�t believe I�m going to die like this� The doctor could hear the muffled sound of the surrounding water in her ears. She had no idea which way was up, which way was down. She was flailing helplessly in the dark, cold water and she was expecting death to claim her at any moment. It had seemed like she had been underwater for ages. Then, just as she was about to give up, her head broke the surface of the water. She tried her best to catch her breath and coughed out some of the water she had swallowed. The life preserver bobbed in the water right next to her and she grabbed hold of it with every once of strength she had. As the lightning struck, she could make out the hellish waves around her as well as the boat that was already quite a ways off. In a way, she was relieved that she wasn�t right next to it, because if it was going to go under, she didn�t want to be sucked down with it. Jean-Luc� She looked around frantically but could not see him, �Jean-Luc!� Dread and panic filled her soul, �Jean-Luc! Can you hear me?� She tried listening through the howling wind but she couldn�t hear him. She knew he didn�t have a life preserver and she became overwhelmed with a most dreadful feeling, �Jean-Luc!� She cried out. There�s no way he�ll survive this. The doctor was used to dealing with stressful situations, however the prospect of losing Jean-Luc overwhelmed her. They shared a bond that was very deep and special. For many years now, she had been in love with him. For a long time, she had secretly hoped she could be more to him than she was. But recently, she had realized that they would probably never go beyond friendship. Jean-Luc had found love with others from time to time, but never with her. She�d been disappointed, but had learned to live with it. Nonetheless, she couldn�t imagine her life without him. As she came to terms with the perilous nature of their current predicament, Beverly�s heart broke. She was going to lose him and there was nothing she could do about it. With her arms draped over the side of the floating device, the doctor lowered her head in despair. She closed her eyes and started sobbing. She felt like she was losing a part of herself and wished that she could just wake up from this nightmare. Every time a wave picked her up, a feeling of falling and weightlessness followed as it passed. And each time, the scenario would repeat immediately after. Suddenly, she heard the sound of what could only be described as discharging energy. Looking up, she saw that the program was acting up again. Then, to her sheer amazement, the wind died down and the water rapidly started to go calmer and calmer. The stars came out soon after and the full moon cast its glow on the water around her. �Beverly!� She gasped as she heard the faint sound of the captain�s voice. Looking around frantically, she called out to him, �Jean-Luc? I�m here!� �Beverly!� �I can�t see you!� She said as she turned in the direction of his voice. �I�m swimming over!� The quivering and panicky sounds of her breaths were soon replaced by nervous, relieved laughter. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the sight of movement in the distance. She could see his arms emerging from the surface as he swam toward her. The distance between the two seemed interminable. Although he was deathly tired, Jean-Luc knew that with each stroke, he was getting closer to her. With every once of strength he had left, he progressed forward until he could make out the features of her face in the dim light. He�d never been so happy to see anyone in his entire life. Even though his life had been in terrible danger, his thoughts never left Beverly. So when he called out her name and finally got an answer, the immense relief he felt almost consumed him. As he got closer to her, he could see that she too was making an effort to reach him. She was pushing the circular life preserver and kicking her legs rapidly in order to get to him. When he finally reached her, he grabbed the floating device and pulled himself closer to her. They smiled through their exhaustion and leaned their foreheads together. �You�re a sight�for�sore eyes�� Jean-Luc said in between labored breaths. �I didn�t think�� The smile that etched her features quickly faded as the emotion of the moment overwhelmed her, �I�d ever see you again�� her voice broke and she tried to overcome the tightening feeling in her throat. They closed their eyes and just remained as close as possible. It took a few minutes, but eventually, their breathing slowed down to near normal. Jean-Luc was the first to pull back slightly as he looked over the horizon, �The boat�s long gone.� Beverly looked around also, but said nothing. Jean-Luc adjusted his grip on the preserver and cursed inwardly at the holodeck. This malfunction had almost cost them their lives and he wasn�t sure what else lay ahead for them, �Computer end program.� He waited a few seconds but there was nothing yet again. As he felt Beverly�s gaze upon him, he added, �Just thought I�d give it another try.� Beverly sighed, �Something tells me we might be here a while.� Jean-Luc tried his best to give her an encouraging smile, but somehow knew he fell short. �Jean-Luc?� �Huh?� �About that sailing trip on Earth� I think I�m going to pass� Jean-Luc couldn�t help but chuckle slightly, �That�s quite alright. We�ll do something land-based. I promise.� �Thanks.� Beverly said with a soft smile. A heavy silence then settled between them and as they bobbed in the dark water, time seemed to stand still. Jean-Luc�s gaze then locked with hers for a moment. It amazed him that despite the darkness, the deep blue of her eyes dazzled still. After about another minute or so, Beverly shifted slightly, �This water isn�t too warm now is it?� Jean-Luc shook his head, �No, it isn�t.� �Pull your knees up and hold them with your free arm. It�ll help keep your body temperature elevated.� Jean-Luc nodded, �Good idea.� They each settled into the life saving position and waited. After a few minutes, Jean-Luc noticed that Beverly would sometime tilt her head to the side in an attempt to relieve the pain from her previous fall. �How�s your shoulder?� �It�s nothing I can�t handle.� She gave him a brave look and added, �I�ve been through a lot worse.� Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows, �I guess you have a point there.� In the years they had served together, they had survived many a perilous situations and in the process had suffered a few serious injuries. They were both tough, disciplined officers and they had kind of gotten used to handling difficult situations. During the next hour or so, Jean-Luc and Beverly did their best to remain in their fetal positions and conserve their energy. Despite their best efforts however, they were beginning to feel colder and colder. �I wonder what�s taking so long.� Beverly was now shivering and each breath she exhaled showed itself as a slight steam. �This water�s so damned cold.� A frightening though then came to her and her eyes widened, �Jean-Luc, what if nobody knows we�re trapped in here? I mean if the holodeck is the only thing malfunctioning, the crew might not notice the problem�� The captain interrupted her, �We can�t think like this Beverly. It�s not going to help anything.� Despite his brave face, a small part of him was afraid of that scenario. When he last checked, the holodeck wasn�t booked for the rest of the afternoon. So it was possible that no one would notice the malfunction. He wouldn�t say that aloud however. As a captain, he was used to hiding his fears and leading his crew with confidence and he was going to do just that. �You�re absolutely right.� Beverly replied. They spent the next few minutes in silence. Every now and then, they would look at one another and try their best to give the other an encouraging look. �What I wouldn�t give for a cup of hot cocoa right now.� Beverly finally said. Jean-Luc smiled. He too was now shivering, �I�d rather just get the hell out of here.� Beverly laughed softly, �I know and I agree, but still� cocoa would be nice.� Though their situation was quite serious and dangerous, the captain appreciated her attempt at easing the situation. �Well once we get out of here, I promise I�ll get you a large cup of the best cocoa the replicator can provide.� They shared a moment of laughter together and once it was over, the captain�s gaze remained entwined with the doctor�s. The intensity that filled their eyes was quite surprising to them both considering their current predicament. Here they were, best of friends in the throes of a very dangerous situation, giving their all just to stay positive and hang on. As the captain peered in depth of her ice blue eyes, the realization of what might have happened to her started to hit him. He could have easily lost her forever. It was a thought that filled him with horror. Beverly meant the world to him. With her, he could be an ordinary man. Not a distinguished captain or diplomat, just a normal human being who laughed and cried. They would often spend quiet times together. Whether it would be for breakfast, dinner or just off times when they would just sit and talk. Without ever crossing the line that led to something that went beyond platonic, she was the closest thing to a life partner he had. However hard he may have tried to get over the strong feelings he secretly harbored for her, Picard had never ever been able to. She was special. Her intelligence, strong will and extraordinary beauty had captivated him from the first day they�d met and he had long since come to terms with the fact that she would always be in his heart. Beverly too was losing herself in the hazel eyes of her friend. And in that moment, she felt extremely grateful to have him by her side. Whenever she needed it, she could always draw strength from him. He had been her rock for a very long time now. In an instant, Jean-Luc broke his gaze from hers and frowned at something behind her. Beverly turned around and asked, �What is it? Did you see anything?� �I�m not sure.� He continued to scan the horizon with a faint hint of worry in his features. Suddenly, something seemed to break the surface of the water a few meters away. In the darkness, they weren�t able to make out what it was and it was gone again before they knew it. Beverly swallowed hard and kept staring at the water before her. She then squeezed his arm with her hand and whispered, �Jean-Luc� you don�t think there could be sharks out here do you?� The prospect terrified her beyond reason. �With the way this program is acting, who knows.� He too was now whispering. Beverly�s heart was pounding in her chest. She felt as though she could hear the blood rushing in the vessels near her ears. Instinctively, she curled up further and tried to remain as still as possible. She felt so small and helpless. There was something around them and for now they had no way of knowing what it was. If ever it turned out to be a shark, the doctor was praying it wasn�t a man-eater. Even if it was only a hologram, with the safeties offline, it would behave like a real one in back on Earth. And that prospect scared the living daylights out of her. Jean-Luc was frightened also, but he would do his best to remain calm. Casting a glance at Beverly, he could tell that she was petrified. As the seconds ticked by, he could feel her grip tightening on his arm. Her eyes were frantically scanning the horizon and her breathing was quite rapid, �It�s going to be alright Beverly. Try to stay calm.� He put his hand on hers. They stayed like that for another few minutes and just waited. Then they heard the water break near them once more. Turning in the direction of the sound, they anxiously held their breaths. Suddenly they saw it. A fin and then- a slight spray of water as air from a blow-hole came rushing out. The captain and doctor each let out a relieved breath as they realized it was some kind of small whale. They looked at one another and smiled as each did their best to get their breathing to slow at a more normal pace. As Picard settled back , he got a concerned look on his face, �Is it just me, or is this water colder than it was before?� His lips were now noticeably purple. �I think it is colder.� Beverly sighed amidst the shivering, �Dear god, we have to get out of here and soon. Our bodies won�t be able to take this for much longer.� * * * * * They�d been in the water for almost 2 hours. For a little while now, Jean-Luc had noticed that Beverly seemed to be struggling. She looked exhausted and would often lose the controlled expression she had and wince in pain. �I can�t� take much more� of this.� Her teeth were clattering so much she was having trouble uttering the words. She felt as though her jaw muscles were cramped and her hands and feet had gone almost completely numb, �I�m so� tired.� She didn�t even have the strength to keep her knees up anymore. Jean-Luc was very worried about her. Beverly wasn�t a quitter, so for her to admit that she was reaching her limit was major, �Here,� He got as close to her as he could and positioned himself so that her arms wrapped around his neck. He slightly turned their bodies so that her back was toward the preserver which he held as securely as he could, �Just try to hang on Beverly. We�re going to get out of this.� As his body pressed against hers in an attempt to keep warm, he felt her head slump on his shoulder. Instinctively, he turned his head slightly so that his lips lightly touched the side of her head. Please hang on Beverly. �Thank you� Jean-Luc.� she said in a voice so low, that it was barely audible. * * * * * Lieutenant Jan Lee had gone over almost every single isolinear chip in the holodeck system, but she had yet to find the problem. Something was causing the hologenerator to bypass the original programming and just keep operating despite any attempt to shut it down. The doors were nonfunctional as well and with the transporters being off-line, it was impossible to get the two trapped officers out. �The safeties aren�t functional either.� Ensign Tyler Monroe said as he went over the readouts of the holodeck control console, �Hopefully they haven�t run into any trouble in there.� Lee breathed out in frustration as she started checking the remaining chips, �Whatever�s causing this, has sure made quite a mess of things. We have to find a solution and soon.� �I�m almost done with the level one diagnostic. Maybe that�ll help us find an answer.� * * * * * �Commander,� �What is it Data?� Riker approached the android. �The signal has inexplicably stopped transmitting.� �Did anything happen to the object?� After tapping a few more commands, Data answered, �It does not seem to be compromised. At this point, it is impossible to tell what exactly has happened.� Riker turned toward the engineering station, �Mr. Wright, any change with the ships systems.� Wright shook his head, �Not as of yet sir.� Troi, who had been silent for some time now, came up to the first officer, �Maybe now that the interference is gone, we�ll finally be able to reverse the damage that�s been done.� �It might ease things a bit. We�ll just have to wait and see.� * * * * * They�d now been in the cold water for close to three hours. Jean-Luc had done his best to keep her body as close to his as possible. However, as time passed, their bodies seemed to be losing the battle with the cold more and more. His extremities had gone numb and he was feeling more and more tired. Beverly�s arms were now just loosely hanging on and her head was resting on his shoulder. She was no longer shivering either. That in itself was not a very good sign in their present situation. Furthermore, it had also been a while since she�d said anything, �Beverly?� She stirred slightly but did not lift her head. �Come on Beverly, wake up.� Fighting the numbness, he gently shook her with one arm, �Beverly?� The voice that answered him was extremely weak, �I�m� so cold Jean-Luc.� �I know you are Beverly but we have to hang on.� He tried to speak encouragingly, �Help is on the way.� She opened her eyes and did her best to pull back slightly so that she could see him, �I don�t think I�ll be able to� hold on much longer.� She was deathly pale and her lips were purple. �I won�t let you give up Beverly. We�ve been through worse than this.� �We�re in� severe� hypothermia Jean-Luc. We don�t have� that long.� He looked at her pleading, �Just hang on Beverly. I�m with you on this one and I�m not� letting you go anytime soon.� He too was struggling to hang on. Beverly felt as though she was fading away. The stabbing cold, her injury and her exhaustion were fighting her every step of the way, �I�m sorry...� With every once of strength she had within her, Beverly tried to tighten the hold she had around his neck. This time however, her efforts fell short and she was now barely hanging on. She felt her body beginning to shut down. Her mind itself seemed to be in shambles. She was now putting a lot of effort just to stay lucid. Finally, she couldn�t hang on anymore. �Beverly?� As he felt her let go, the captain put one of his arm around her waist and did his best to hold her so her head remained above the water. Slowly, her head tilted back and he could see that her eyes were closed, �Beverly� Come on, wake up.� She was so limp in his arms and was no longer responding to his voice. Jean-Luc was horrified beyond comprehension. The only woman he ever truly loved was dying in his arms. Her breathing was now very shallow with only the slightest hint of each breath in the cold night air. He silently prayed for help to arrive in time. He too was feeling the debilitating effects of the cold and he wasn�t sure how long he would be able to hold her above the water, �Beverly? Wake up.� He shook her again. This time, she opened her eyes. �Beverly, look at me.� Their eyes locked once more. �I�m not� going to� make it Jean-Luc.� Her eyelids felt very heavy and she was having trouble keeping her eyes open. �You are going to make it Beverly.� He replied with a determined forcefulness, �I�m not letting you go this easily. You mean too much to me.� With every effort she could muster, she kept eye contact with him, �I�m so sorry�� �Beverly, listen to me.� His voice was somewhat calmer, �think about Wesley. He might be a grown man, but he still needs you� I still need you.� He heard her sob slightly as she closed her eyes. �My life means nothing without you Beverly. You�ve been my everything,� His voice faltered, �for so long now.� �Jean-Luc�� She almost didn�t have the strength to speak anymore. He leaned forward slightly so that their noses touched, �I�ve loved you since the first day we met Beverly. I know I haven�t always been straightforward about that.� He paused slightly, �It�s perhaps one of my biggest regrets. I just� can�t lose you Beverly. So please don�t leave me.� �I don�t want� to leave you Jean-Luc�� She fought to stay awake, �I love you�� As she started to feel herself slip away one thought came to her mind, I can�t believe this� I�m dying and he finally opens up to me. How utterly unfair... Her eyes then seemed to roll back in her head just as her eyelids slid down and her head fell forward. As he held her as tightly as he could, the captain started to break down. He was going to lose her. Therefore, he would lose a part of himself, �Bev�� Finally giving in to the tightening feeling he had in his throat, the captain started to cry. He kissed the side of her head and closed his eyes. Suddenly, the captain felt a strange sensation come over him. It was as if his body had suddenly become heavier and he felt the strong pull of gravity bring him down. As a whishing sound brought him back to reality, he found himself lying on the holodeck floor with Beverly�s unconscious form cradled in his arms. The doors to the holodeck opened behind him and he could hear the hurried footsteps of crew members coming closer. �Lieutenant Lee to sickbay. I have two injured crew members on holodeck two and I need a full medical team immediately.� �We�re on our way.� Came the prompt reply. �Sir?� Lee was leaning over them. Jean-Luc put his hand up, �Please� help Dr. Crusher.� Ensign Monroe started to assess Crusher�s vital signs, �She�s barely alive.� The transporters were still down, so it took about two minutes for the medical team to arrive. Their conditions were then quickly assessed and they were then both laid on respective gurneys. As he was being transported through the corridors, the captain looked at one of the medics and asked in a weak and raspy voice, �How is she?� �Don�t worry captain. We�ll take good care of her. Please try to remain still alright?� The medics were doing their best to keep him calm. He couldn�t see Beverly and it was driving him crazy with worry. As Picard started to faze in and out of consciousness, all he could see were the blurry form of the medics as well as the haze of red lights from the alert system that flashed on and off around them. It didn�t take long before the captain found himself in the bright surroundings of sickbay. Despite all the activity around him as the medical staff attempted to raise his body temperature, the only thing the captain could think about was Beverly�s condition. Had help arrived in time? Or was it already too late? As one of the doctors started to assess him, the captain�s body finally gave up and he lost consciousness. * * * * * �Captain?� Jean-Luc felt somewhat confused. What? It seemed his mind had been replaying the same scenario over and over, a horrific nightmare in which Beverly was dying in his arms. Her eyes were almost lifeless, her skin the color of a cold death. �Captain you�re in sickbay.� I�m in sickbay? He fought to open his eyes and emerge from the deep slumber that had claimed him. The lights were bright, too bright. Squinting slightly, he tried to focus. �Captain Picard.� Dr. Hernandez stood over him. As the realization of where he was began to sink in, so did the fact that the nightmare he�d just had wasn�t at all a figment of his imagination. �Beverly�� He tried to sit up and continued with a tone that could almost be considered borderline panic, �Is Beverly alright?� Dr. Hernandez put a hand on his shoulder and attempted to ease him back down, �She�s fine captain. Please try not to get up right away alright?� As Picard lay back down, he didn�t feel confident he�d heard correctly, �She�s alright?� Dr. Hernandez smiled, �Yes, you were both very lucky captain. If help hadn�t arrived when it did, I don�t know if either one of you would have made it.� The relief he felt was immense. Beverly was alive and that was all that mattered to him. �We�re going to keep you overnight for observation but you should be just fine.� Picard nodded. �Now get some rest. I�ll look in on you in a little while.� As the doctor retreated, Picard called out to him, �When can I see her?� Dr. Hernandez turned around, �Well not until tomorrow at least. She was in really bad shape when she got here. I don�t anticipate her being released for another two days at least.� The captain was anxious to see her. He had come so close to losing her that a part of him felt he needed to see her in person in order to believe she�d actually be alright. * * * * * After being told by his doctor that he was free to go, Picard asked if he could drop in to see Dr. Crusher. Dr. Hernandez nodded, �Alright, but try to keep it brief. She needs a lot of rest.� Picard soon changed out of his patient garment and put on a clean uniform. As he neared the door to Beverly�s treatment room, he couldn�t help but feel somewhat nervous. After all, in the emotion of those very tense moments, he had revealed some very personal things to her. Things that in all likelihood would have remained hidden if not for the situation they were put in. Their relationship had always been complicated and he was hoping that it wouldn�t get further so. Upon seeing her, the captain froze momentarily. Beverly was asleep. Although she would be just fine, her ordeal had left her extremely tired. He approached her bedside and sat on a nearby chair. She looked so peaceful and beautiful as she slept. He felt so grateful to still have her in his life. He had no idea what he would have done if he�d lost her. Suddenly, she started to stir slightly. It took a few seconds more, but she finally opened her eyes. When she did so, she turned and saw him. She was looking very weak, �Jean-Luc.� He leaned forward and took her hand in his, �I�m sorry, I didn�t mean to wake you.� �Don�t worry. You didn�t.� He smiled warmly at her and gently squeezed her hand, �I�m so happy you�re alright Beverly.� She swallowed and replied, �Well I wouldn�t be if it wasn�t for you.� He shook his head, �You give me too much credit.� �If you wouldn�t have been there, I wouldn�t have made it.� He lowered his gaze for a moment and exhaled. Beverly felt very lucky to be alive. As a doctor, she knew full well how close they had come to dying. And as she contemplated her friend, his words came back to her, �You�ve been my everything for so long now. I�ve loved you since the first day we met Beverly.� The desperation they�d felt had opened doors that had been sealed long ago. She herself had revealed the love she harbored for him. It was something she never thought she would actually do. There were just so many obstacles in their path. It had always seemed that the road that led to something more than mere friendship would never be one they would go down. Jean-Luc became lost in thought as he gazed at her. It seemed something was stirring deep within. He finally looked down and licked his lips which now seemed very dry, �It would seem we have a lot to talk about.� Beverly nodded but couldn�t bring herself to say anything just yet. It was all so overwhelming. Jean-Luc contined, �What happened between us when� we thought the end had come was�� Before he could say anymore, a voice interrupted. �There they are.� Commander Riker said as he entered the treatment room, �I was quite worried about you two.� �Commander.� Picard straightened in his chair. �Hello Will.� Beverly said. �I�m not interrupting anything am I?� �No,� Picard said as he got up. For the briefest of instants, he exchanged a disappointed look with Beverly, �not at all.� During the next few minutes, Riker explained to them how the alien device had incapacitated them and how they had been able to repair most of the problems when the object in question had shut itself down for reasons which were for now still unapparent. �So I heard you two went though quite an ordeal on the holodeck.� Picard nodded, �Well, let�s just say I won�t be using that particular program for quite some time.� Beverly added, �And I�m not going anywhere near water anytime soon.� �Excuse me captain, commander?� Dr. Hernandez interjected as he peered through the doorway, �Dr. Crusher should get some rest now.� �Of course.� Will answered, �I was just leaving.� He then went over to Beverly and gave her a friendly hug, �You take it easy now.� �I will.� Beverly said. As Riker left, Picard looked at Beverly apologetically, �I�ll see you later.� �Alright.� Once the captain had gone, Beverly stared at the door and sighed. She was exhausted and felt unable to deal with what had occurred between them. It was ironic that they only managed to be honest with one another when it seemed that it would be all over for them. The more she thought about it, the more she felt resentment and anger at the status of their relationship. They loved each other, very much so. Then why in all those years hadn�t they been able to figure things out between the two of them? She hoped that sleeping would help her find the answers that were hidden somewhere within her. She settled as comfortably as she could and closed her eyes. As she drifted off to sleep, thoughts of Jean-Luc filled her very being. * * * * * Even though Jean-Luc had been told to take it easy for a little while, he soon found himself back on duty. There was much to learn about the alien device that had crippled his ship and the engineers had been working feverishly to understand it. Despite the heavy workload he had decided to undertake, he found it was the only respite he had from the agonizing thoughts that filled him. He�d gone to see Beverly in sickbay soon before her release. He had intended on continuing their talk about what had happened between them on the holodeck but with the comings and goings of the medical staff and her other visitors, he hadn�t been able to. She had also seemed a bit distant toward him. That was two days earlier and he hadn�t seen her since. It worried him somewhat. He was hoping that it was only because she was busy and not because she was avoiding him. It was however a very real possibility. She might be uncomfortable around him now. Of course, he dreaded that thought, but he sort of understood if she felt that way. Considering everything, he still didn�t regret saying what he did. He wouldn�t have been able to live with himself if she�d died without being able to tell her the truth. But they hadn�t died and were now left with the remnants of their revelations. He just prayed that their friendship would survive. The thought of her withdrawing from his daily life scared him above everything else. The entire senior staff was to gather in the observation lounge for a routine meeting. Jean-Luc sat at the head of table and watched as each officer came in. Beverly was the last one to arrive and when she did, she only gave him a brief look of acknowledgment. He couldn�t help but wonder if she purposely tried to arrive later than the others in order to avoid time alone with him. The meeting went along without a hitch. Commander LaForge explained how they had been able to figure how the alien system worked. Therefore they had been able to shut it down indefinitely. They�d also discovered that it was at least three hundred years old. They still weren�t able tell who built it in the first place though. The only thing they were sure of was that it wouldn�t interfere with space travel in the area anymore. The meeting topic then turned toward how the many systems aboard were operating. The captain was pleased to see that his crew had been able to repair most of the damage that was inflicted. �Well then,� Picard raised his eyebrows, �if there isn�t anything else, this meeting is adjourned.� As each member of the senior staff got up to leave, the captain called out, �Doctor, may I have a word with you please?� Beverly was already halfway to the door when she turned around, �Yes, captain?� The formal use of his rank only emphasized his impression that she was attempting to put distance between them. Picard waited before everyone else had left and the doors had shut before addressing her, �I really think we need to talk.� She remained serious, but her features were softening, �Alright.� �It�s obvious you�re avoiding me Beverly.� Jean-Luc said with a sad smile etching at the corners of his mouth. Unable to meet his gaze, Beverly looked down at her hands which were now fidgeting, �Jean-Luc�� She paused and then exhaled sharply, �look, this is very difficult for me.� Jean-Luc frowned slightly, �Well, how do you think I feel? This whole situation has clearly created barriers between us.� He gestured back and forth between the two of them in emphasis. He looked down momentarily before continuing on a softer tone, �Beverly� we�ve been best friends for so long now. I don�t want to lose that friendship.� Beverly�s eyes seemed to be filling with tears, �I�m sorry Jean-Luc. I just don�t know how to deal with all of this.� �It�s pretty clear that ignoring it isn�t doing either of us any good Beverly.� Beverly threw up her arms, �Alright� but what do you want me to say? What was said was said and now I don�t know what to do about it.� �You�re right. What was said was said. And just so you know, I�m not taking it back.� He looked at her with a heartbreaking look, �Because I meant every word I said� Did you?� Beverly paused, a startled look plastered across her face, �Well� yes� but Jean-Luc�� She started to pace, �Look this isn�t all my fault.� He got a puzzled expression on his face, �I�m not following you on that one. What do you mean?� �Well Jean-Luc,� Her tone was angrier now, �if these feelings have been there for so long, why is it that we�ve never been able to take our relationship further?� At that, Jean-Luc wasn�t able to come up readily with an answer. Beverly sighed, �You were Jack�s friend, you�re my commanding officer, furthermore, you never� intended on revealing your feelings to me in the first place. It took an unwanted telepathic link between us on Kespryt for me to find out how you truly felt!� Beverly abruptly turned away from him. She felt like she was going to just outright cry and she really didn�t want him to see her doing so, �Then, when it seemed our lives were about to end, you finally opened up to me. That�s pretty damned unfair Jean-Luc.� Her voice faltered and she brought her hands up to her face to hide her sobs. �Beverly�� Jean-Luc had been totally unprepared for what he�d just heard. He�d always thought that the reason she�d turned him down back then was because she�d been afraid, �I didn�t think�� His throat seemed painfully dry and he tried to swallow. �So what do you want from me now Jean-Luc?� She turned back toward him, �You want me to tell you how I feel? Alright. I love you okay. I�ve been deeply in love with you for so many years now. And every time I saw you with another woman, whether it would be Vash, Nella or Anij, my heart would break into a thousand pieces and it took everything I had not to let it show.� Beverly crossed her arms in front of her and moved toward the observation widow where she contemplated the stars outside, �That night after Kespryt, when you asked me if I would like to explore our feelings further, you only reinforced the doubts I had when you let me go so easily. I waited in the corridor outside of your quarters to see if you would fight for us. You never did Jean-Luc and that really hurt me. So what do you want us to do?� She turned toward him once more, �We have two choices. Either we try to ignore what we said and attempt to resume our friendship as if nothing happened, or we try to move forward in our relationship. And to tell you the truth Jean-Luc, I don�t really feel like choosing either one right now. I�m really tired of this.� Jean-Luc just looked at her dumbfounded. He had no idea she�d felt that way and the shame that he felt toward himself for not seeing things as they were was overwhelming. Seeing Jean-Luc had nothing to say, Beverly abruptly shook her head, �I have to get out of here.� With that she stormed off and left. Jean-Luc hadn�t expected for the conversation to turn the way it did and it left him broken. He sat down in his customary chair and put his head in his hands. How could he have misread things so badly? What she said had in essence changed his perspective on practically every moment they had shared together. How could he have been so wrong? * * * * * The next night, Picard sat in his quarters by himself. He hadn�t spoken to Beverly since their talk in the observation lounge. He�d gone over every word she�d said to him it seemed a hundred times. He felt stupid for not having seen things as they truly were. She�d been so right. He hadn�t done nearly enough. Letting her go so easily and always expecting her to remain by his side no matter what. Then there had always been Jack. He never could come to terms with the fact that Beverly�s husband and Wesley�s father had died while serving under him. Despite all its futility, the captain had often wondered what he could have done differently so that Beverly wouldn�t have been widowed so young. He remembered the look on her face when he�d seen her for the first time after bringing Jack�s body home to her. He�d loved her then and the guilt he felt over his hidden feelings as well as the responsibility he carried for the loss of her husband had nearly destroyed him. When he�d looked at her last before leaving after the funeral, Picard had inwardly promised himself he would never again cause her pain. Therefore he would never see her again. He felt incapable of facing her, knowing how the happy life she�d had would forever remain shattered. If it hadn�t been for her requesting a transfer on his ship during the launch of the Enterprise-D, he probably never would have broken the promise he�d made to himself. As he wiped his eye before the tear that was threatening to fall did so, he realized something else. Beverly had requested her assignment. After everything she�d been through, she still wanted to see him again. Now knowing her true feelings toward him, it dawned on him. Beverly had made the effort to once again face him despite the attraction that she�d felt toward him when they had first met. She had always been a loving and devoted wife and knowing her, she must have felt considerable guilt over her feelings toward him. Still, she wanted to see him again regardless and that showed a lot of courage on her part. I�ve been a damned coward� Picard couldn�t take just sitting there. He abruptly got up and started pacing. In his blinded guilt, he had always assumed he should always keep his distance from her in order to spare her pain. He�d been wrong. In doing so, he had only hurt her further. He�d hurt the love of his life and was now unsure if things would ever be okay between them ever again. He wanted to make things right, whatever that meant. Summoning all the courage he could muster, he left his quarters and started to make his way down the corridor. He took the turbolift that led to the deck where Beverly�s quarters were located. When he finally got to her door, he paused momentarily and let out a nervous breath. After he had pressed the chime, he waited. It took a few seconds before the doors opened. Beverly stood just beyond them. It was rather late, so he was surprised to see she was still in uniform with her blue lab coat over it, �Jean-Luc. What are you doing here?� He looked ragged, �May I come in?� His voice was low, almost regretful. Beverly nodded and stepped aside to let him in. Once the doors had closed behind him, Jean-Luc felt slightly awkward. He�d come over here determined to fix things between them. Now that he was actually standing in front of her, he found he didn�t know exactly where to start. So, he first just asked the obvious, �Did you just come off duty?� �Yes,� Beverly said as she discarded her lab coat on a nearby chair, �things were pretty busy today.� She was lying. She did pull double a double shift, but it was only because she was trying to occupy her time. She hadn�t felt like hanging around her quarters all evening and feeling sorry for herself. That just wasn�t her style. Jean-Luc was looking at her with sadness etched all over his features, �I came by to apologize. I made assumptions about you� about us that were wrong. It was a huge mistake and I now realize that we should have put our cards on the table long ago.� Beverly looked down, but withheld saying anything for the time being. �You want to know the whole truth Beverly? Well here it is� When Jack died, as his commanding officer, I felt responsible. A part of me still does you know.� His eyes started to fill with tears, �When I brought his body home to you, I couldn�t help but feel as though I had ruined your life. You�d lost your husband and Wesley had lost his father� I couldn�t cope with that. The fact that I was in love with you back then only intensified the guilt I felt. At the funeral, I realized that every time I would look at you, I�d be reminded of what you lost and how it was my fault.� �Jean-Luc,� She looked at him pleading, �Jack�s death wasn�t your fault. I know how it all happened and there was nothing you could have done. And don�t think I don�t understand your guilt because I do� I had feelings for you back then as well. And for a long time I wasn�t comfortable with that. I loved Jack very much and would have never done anything to hurt him. It took me a long time to get over that.� She took a few steps closer to him, �When you left after the funeral and never came back, I was hurt. I knew that his death had caused you a substantial amount of pain and that you were having a hard time with it, but I wasn�t prepared to see you turn your back on us. We�d been so close before the accident. Then as the years went by, I found that I couldn�t get the closure I needed without facing you. That�s the main reason I requested the position as your chief medical officer. I needed to see you again, Jean-Luc. Then to my surprise, I soon realized that my attraction to you was still there. In fact, I fell head over heals for you quite quickly. At times, I was so sure you felt the same way. But nothing ever happened.� �Beverly, I didn�t feel as though I had the right to love you. After Kespryt, I desperately wanted to be with you but I felt as though I would lose you as a friend if I pushed too hard.� Beverly turned away from him and shook her head, �I don�t know what to do with all of this Jean-Luc.� Jean-Luc approached her and gently took hold of her arm. He turned her slowly so she could face him again. The look she saw in his eyes was full of regret. �I�m really sorry Beverly. I take full responsibility for making a decision about us without really knowing how you felt. I feel really stupid for doing so. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt you and yet that is exactly what I did.� Beverly tried her best to keep from crying but was unable to hold back her tears, �So what happens now?� �We try to make it right.� Jean-Luc tenderly wiped the tears from her cheeks. �And how do we do that?� She whispered with skepticism. Jean-Luc put his fingers under her chin and gently pulled her to him. As their lips finally met, he kissed her fully. After a few seconds, Beverly pulled back, �I�m sorry, I can�t.� Jean-Luc looked at her pleading, �Beverly, I know I didn�t try hard enough. I gave up too easily and I regret it. But I�m here now and I don�t want to let you go.� Beverly turned away from him. �Please, don�t say it�s too late for us.� �I honestly don�t know if it is Jean-Luc.� �Beverly�� He put a hand on her shoulder. �I think you should leave Jean-Luc�� She closed her eyes and bit her lip. Jean-Luc couldn�t believe that things were unraveling so. He thought he�d be able to fix things and he hadn�t. He was mad at himself. With reluctance, he turned away and left. Once the doors had closed behind him, Beverly really broke down. Why were things always so complicated when it came to Jean-Luc? Was she being unreasonable or was she justified in being so upset at him? She didn�t know anymore. What have I done? The terrifying prospect of him pulling away from her forever was crushing her. Suddenly, the chime sounded and Beverly gasped slightly. She found herself unable to answer right away. The chime sounded again and she took a few tentative steps toward the door. Hesitantly, she tapped the control panel and the door opened. Jean-Luc stood on the other side looking absolutely broken, �I gave up too easily once before and I won�t make the same mistake twice. Please give me another chance Beverly. I promise I�ll never do anything to hurt you ever again.� �Jean-Luc�� She shook her head. �If you really want me to leave, I�ll do so. Not because I want to, but because I love you enough to let you go if that�s what you really want. But know that I love you with all my heart and that will never change. � With tears streaming down her face, Beverly just looked at him. She felt as though her voice had gone and she couldn�t bring herself to say anything. With heartbreaking disappointment in his eyes, Jean-Luc lowered his gaze, �Alright� I understand.� He pushed himself off the side of the doorframe and started to walk away. He�d gone all the way up the corridor and had just entered the turbolift when he heard her calling out to him. �Jean-Luc wait!� He turned and saw her running toward him. As she reached the doorway, she stopped and shook her head, �If we really do this. If we finally let down the barriers that have always stood between us, I need to know� I need to know that you won�t wake up tomorrow with regrets. I couldn�t live with that.� Jean-Luc exhaled and spoke softly, �Never in a million years would I regret being with you. You�re the only woman for me� you�ve always been.� Taking a step closer to him, Beverly pulled him to her and kissed him passionately. In an instant every doubt or fear they�d had evaporated and all that was left was the realization that they could now love each other openly. No more guilt, no more secrets, only two people in love that had finally found their way to one another. And as the turbolift doors hissed shut behind them, they were well aware that a new chapter in their lives had begun. And in that instant, they both vowed to always put trust and honesty before anything else. The End Library |