| Released October 16th, 2008 The Road to There by Missbevcrusher Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. I'm making zip with this. Harmless fanfic folks. Chapter 2 The first time Beverly and Jean-Luc noticed each other was almost at the end of their first year at the Academy. It was a Saturday in early June. For the cadets, it was one of the most anticipated days of the year, the Academy marathon. It was always held during graduation week. For the fourth-class cadets, this meant that the restrictions they�d been under all year would be lifted. Finally, like the rest of the corps of cadets, they would be allowed to go off-campus. As Beverly stood near the finish line with some of her girlfriends, the young cadet squinted as she looked down the spectator-lined street. With her hand, she shielded her eyes from the blaring sun. From further down the street, Beverly could hear cheers getting louder and louder as the crowd started to roar in excitement in a wave. �They�re almost here.� Valerie Symes listened to the live broadcast covering the marathon over the earpiece she sported. �You won�t believe this. Derek Zimmerman is neck in neck with a freshman for first place.� �Wow.� What startled the young pre-med student even more was the fact that no freshman had ever won the Academy marathon. Derek Zimmerman was one of the best runners the Academy had ever seen. He was a first-class cadet, and since he�d won first place the previous year, the jock was defending his title. Valerie laughed, her blond hair pulled back beneath a white baseball cap. �I for one would love to see a freshman kick Derek�s ass. We�ve been picked on all year. It�s about time one of us had something to brag about.� She then lifted her fingers up to her lips and whistled loudly in enthusiasm as spotted the runners for the first time. Just as caught up in the excitement, Beverly matched if not surpassed Valerie�s loud whistling, and then lifted her hands up in the air as she started clapping. In the distance, the two runners gave their all to surpass the other. Derek was of a somewhat heavier build than the other fellow and most were betting he would win. His legs were all power and muscle as he pushed forth with all the energy he had left. Beside him, the freshman with the number 132 on his chest ran at a furious pace. His light brown hair, though damp, bounced each time his running shoes would make contact with the pavement. The closer he got, Beverly couldn�t help but admire his physique. Though not as broad as his competitor, number 132�s shoulders were just as impressive. His arms were chiseled, his legs muscular. Yeah, he�s hot, were the only words that came to mind. With her hand up against her earpiece, Valerie listened closely to the broadcast as her smile widened. �Jean-Luc Picard�� �What?� Beverly smiled but looked at her friend with a puzzled expression. �That�s his name, the guy who�s going to win it for all the freshmen at the Academy.� Valerie had always taken sports very seriously and when she rooted for someone, it was in an all-out kind of way. �Come on, Picard! Wooo!� Beverly laughed and turned her attention back to the race. As they neared the finish line, it seemed Zimmerman had a slight upper hand. But Picard didn�t seem to be at all deterred. He seemed to be even more determined as he sprinted with all the steam he could muster. The suspense and anticipation were almost palpable. Some of the spectators were almost holding their breaths. The two athletes were now tied as they neared the ribbon that was suspended over the finish line. Valerie closed her fists and got a super serious look on her face. Quietly, she muttered, �Come on.� At the last possible second, Picard�s last-ditch effort to surpass Zimmerman paid off as he broke through the white ribbon a fraction of a second before his competitor would have. All around, the crowd went ballistic. Some were just incredulous that �their man� Zimmerman hadn�t won, while others were elated at the fact that history had been made as a freshman had finally won the marathon. Physically spent, the two runners slowed their run to a walk as each tried to catch their breaths. Finally, they turned to one another and shared a handshake. Jean-Luc could hardly believe his own victory. With a broad smile, he received numerous pats on the back as well as congratulations. His whole life, the cadet had strived to be the best at everything he did. Few had believed he could pull off first place in this traditional race, but he had proved them wrong. As the first year cadet relished in the feeling of success, nothing could have deterred his focus from the moment�well, almost nothing. For just by the finish line stood a girl so beautiful that it caused him to do a double take. Her hair fell straight in the most gorgeous hues of red. She was tall and slender, her legs showcased as she wore white shorts. The grey t-shirt she sported wasn�t overly baggy as it fitted her form slightly in just the right way. Her smile was as dazzling as any he�d ever seen and her blue eyes� amazing� With her stare directed his way, she clapped enthusiastically. �Johnny!� That voice was unmistakable. Jean-Luc smiled and turned around just as he felt a particularly strong shove on his shoulder. �Corey.� �You pulled it off, man. Congrats.� �Thanks.� �There he is.� This time, the voice was feminine. �Hero of the day.� �Marty.� Jean-Luc smiled as he turned. Marta Batanides handed him a water bottle. �That was an awesome race, Johnny.� Picard graciously accepted several other �well done� and �congratulations� before once again looking toward the sidelines for the gorgeous redhead he�d seen earlier. Since she wasn�t there anymore, Jean-Luc looked around and over people to try and catch a glimpse of her. Alas, she was nowhere to be seen. �I hope you�re ready for some party tonight.� Corey broke through his friend�s distraction. With a laugh, Picard responded, �What do you think? Of course I�m ready.� * * * * Beverly sat on her bed, several study padds sprawled out around her. �You�re not studying again, are you?� Valerie emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her. Droplets of water threatened to fall from her drenched locks. Without looking up from what she was reading, the redhead responded, �Well, unlike you, I not only have to learn the basics of Starfleet training, but the basics of medicine as well. So yeah, I�m still studying.� Symes headed for her dresser. �I don�t know how you do it. Four years at the Academy is long enough for me, I can�t imagine an additional four at medical school. I know I wouldn�t last one minute as a med student.� �And I wouldn�t last one minute against you in combat training.� Beverly looked up from her padd and smiled. �Oh please,� said Valerie as she gave a dismissing wave. �I saw you training with Jeremy Quinn, you�re better than you think.� �Thanks, but I don�t have eight years of martial arts training under my belt like you do.� As she rummaged through her drawers to find the perfect outfit, Valerie found two tops and looked at her friend undecided. �What do you think, purple or blue?� �Hmm�� Beverly�s eyes narrowed as she pondered. �� purple.� Symes flung the top over her shoulder as she searched for the rest of her clothing. �You know Bev this is the first time we�ve been allowed out all year. And I know that you�ve not only caught up with your assignments but that you�re ahead too.� She then turned and contemplated her roommate with her head tilted to the side. �You�re not staying cooped up in this room tonight.� Beverly smiled at her friend�s �this is not a request� attitude. Besides, Valerie was right. They hadn�t seen the light of day, so to speak, all year and she�d be damned if she squandered this opportunity for a change of scenery. Furthermore, this would be the perfect opportunity to spend time with her friends before summer vacation came around. �What should I wear?� Valerie got a mischievous look on her face. �Something hot of course.� * * * * The line outside the Cosmo was long, but that was the norm on a Saturday night. Many of the patrons here were from the Academy. In fact, it was probably the most popular weekend hangout for the second to first-class cadets. Beverly, Valerie and the rest of the gang were now almost to the door. Less than fifteen people or so stood between them and their night of partying. When a small group of guys walked past, one of them whistled in lewd admiration. �Keep on walking, buddy.� Valerie gave him a �yeah right, as if I�m gonna give you the time of day� look. With her arms crossed in front of her, Danielle Grennan chuckled in amusement. �If their goal is to get laid, why do guys even do that?� �Because they don�t think with their brains.� Valerie snickered. As something caught her attention further back in the line, the young woman�s expression changed. �Now what do we have here?� The little group of friends leaned to get a better view of what Valerie was referring to. �Well, if it isn�t our star athlete extraordinaire.� Danielle didn�t seem too impressed as she said it. At the very back of the line stood a group of people that included none other than Jean-Luc Picard. �Hey,� remarked Valerie, �That guy kicked some major ass this afternoon. You should have seen him. Tell her, Bev.� The redhead was startled out of her daydream. At first, she stumbled on the words. �Uh, yes� he did.� �Uh-oh�� Valerie looked at Beverly with an amused expression. �I know that look.� �What look?� She tried to feign disinterest but failed. To the rest of the group, Symes smiled and clarified, �The �he�s hot� look.� �I have no idea what you�re talking about.� �Oh come on, admit it. You�re attracted to him.� �I don�t even know him.� Valerie smirked. �You don�t have to know the guy to think he�s hot.� Beverly rolled her eyes and relented. �Alright, you win. He�s good looking.� �I can�t argue with you there,� admitted Danielle, �but he�s been in a few of my classes this year and he�s probably the cockiest cadet on campus. If I were you Beverly, I�d steer clear. Rumor has it he�s a love �em and leave �em kind of guy.� Beverly was sort of disappointed by her friend�s remark. It wasn�t that she couldn�t make up her own mind when it came to guys, but still hearing that he was cocky was sort of a turn off. Bummer, cause he is rather easy on the eyes. She�d never been someone who put too much importance on appearances; therefore she quickly discarded that train of thought. Personality was what mattered most and if he was a show off then Danielle was right, she wouldn�t be interested. The line started moving again and soon enough, the girls found themselves inside the jam-packed club. Upbeat, blaring music filled the dimly lit building as people mingled and danced. The club served synthehol only so none of the under-aged cadets had trouble getting in. The girls soon met up with some of their other friends and their night of partying got underway. When Jean-Luc and his friends finally got in the club, a group of cadets standing by the bar near the entrance started clapping and whistling in praise. A few of the guys couldn�t help but throwing a few teasing jabs at the freshman�s expense. Picard smiled and dismissed them. �Yeah, yeah, alright.� �You guys go grab us a booth somewhere. I�ll go fetch us a nice cold pitcher,� Corey said before disappearing through the crowd. Jean-Luc and Marty made their way to the back of the club where they finally managed to locate an empty booth. As they sat down, the two surveyed the melee of people partying in the club. The atmosphere was electric, the music energetic as it boomed loudly throughout. The booth in question was situated on a raised section from which they could see the dance floor. Overhead, lights of various colors shone down the crowd in patterns. And to the right was a large screen onto which was displayed the videos for the songs that were playing. Picard did not usually shy away from bars and such, but clubs� that was a whole different story. As much as he enjoyed spending time with his friends, their choice of venue for this first night of partying all year fell out of his tastes. Dance clubs, he mused. I hate dancing. Aloud, he asked, �Tell me again why we came here?� Marty smiled and spoke over the music. �Because it�s fun!� �Right.� �Don�t look so glum, Johnny. We�re here to celebrate, remember?� �That�s right,� Corey said as he approached with a pitcher and three glasses. �First freshman ever to win the Academy marathon, now that�s something to drink to.� Marty grinned as she reached for her glass and pitcher and started to pour. �Here, here.� When all three had their glasses full, they lifted them up in the air. After he took the first satisfying sip, Corey looked around. �I must say, the girls are something to look at tonight.� �I tend to agree,� was all Jean-Luc said as he settled against the backrest even more. Batanides flashed them an annoyed look. �You guys are all the same. Can�t you think of anything else?� Picard and Zweller exchanged a look before answering in unison, �No.� And then, they started to laugh. �You two are beyond hopeless.� �And yet you choose to tag along.� That retort got Corey a good nudge on the shoulder. �Jerk.� Marty laughed and took another drink. Jean-Luc was about to say something else when someone caught his attention. There she is. It was the redhead he�d seen at the finish line, the one that had captured his attention from the moment his eyes had fallen on her. She was dancing with a group of friends looking even more beautiful than he remembered. Her long hair flowed in loose curls that fell away from her face. Her features were like a stunning snapshot of porcelain perfection. As she danced, Jean-Luc couldn�t help but look her up and down slowly. She wore a striped turquoise and white halter top with a white mini-skirt. When she lifted her elegant arms up in the air as she moved rhythmically to the upbeat music, the silver bangle she wore fell from her wrist down to mid forearm. And her legs� Picard�s throat felt suddenly dry as his eyes traveled down the length of them to her sandal covered feet. The fact that their friend was seemingly gone to la-la land as he fixated on the redhead did not go unnoticed by Marty and Corey. Zweller whistled softly as he too glanced over at the dance floor. �Yup, perfect ten.� �So Johnny.� Batanides chuckled from behind her drink. �You gonna go for it or what?� As if on cue, the song ended and the object of Jean-Luc�s fascination decided it was time she took a breather. As he watched her head over to the bar, Picard looked at his friends and lifted his eyebrows. �Wish me luck.� With each step that brought him closer, the cadet searched frantically within his mind for what to say. Each opening line he came up with was lamer than the previous one. Come on, man. The redhead was now leaning against the bar as she waited for the bartender to notice her amid the crowd. When he finally settled in the spot next to her, Jean-Luc tried to look as if he too was waiting for a drink and cleared his throat. �Pretty crowded in here tonight.� All he got in response was a quick sideways glance and a disinterested, �Yes, it is.� As brief as the eye contact had been, Picard marveled at the effect her blue eyes had had on him. When her attempt at flagging the bartender failed, the cadet tried a new tactic. It was the most obvious pick-up strategy but he had no choice, for right now he might as well have been invisible to her. He lifted his hand up and called out to the bartender, �Excuse me, could we get a couple of drinks here?� The redhead turned her gaze back toward him and when it was obvious the �we� he�d uttered included her she looked down at the counter in an attempt to hide her amused expression. At least he�d managed to get the bartender�s attention. �What can I get you?� asked the guy behind the counter. When Jean-Luc gestured for her to order first, she stumbled slightly on her words. �Oh, sex on the beach.� Picard tried to snap out of the thoughts those words elicited in him and said, �Just beer for me.� The bartender quickly went about preparing their drinks and while he did, the pre-med student decided she�d at least remember her manners. �Thank you.� �You�re welcome.� He too leaned on the counter and tried to look cool. Beneath his confident exterior, the young man was ridden by nerves. �So�� The redhead cast him a quick glance as she displayed a forced smile. Damn. Jean-Luc knew he wasn�t winning points with this one but did not want to give up just yet. �You were at the race earlier today.� Beverly fought to keep from laughing as she thought, he�s going to play the �I won the marathon� card. Danielle was right, he is cocky. �I was.� This isn�t going anywhere, is it? Desperate to at least get some dialogue going, he extended his hand. �The name�s Jean-Luc by the way, but everybody calls me Johnny.� �Jean-Luc Picard. Yeah, I know who you are.� Beautiful but not very friendly, is she? Picard didn�t care. There was something about her and he was determined to know more. �Here you go.� The bartender set their drinks down before them. Beverly went to pay, but Jean-Luc reached forward and extended his payment card. �That�s alright, I�ll get that.� �You really don�t have to.� Her refusal wasn�t meant solely as a polite one. �It�s my pleasure.� He spoke in a warm accent and smiled at her. As much as she was trying to pull off an �ice princess� performance, Beverly still couldn�t rid herself of the physical attraction she felt toward him, the one that had become apparent that afternoon as she first saw him at the finish line. Pull it together, Beverly. Relenting a bit, she eased on the cold factor but decided not to shy away from getting her point across. �Look uh, I don�t want you to get the wrong idea. I�m not one of those girls who melt like putty when a guy buys them a drink.� Picard was momentarily taken aback by her candid remark. �So thank you for the drink, but I�m afraid my friends are waiting for me.� She at least made the effort to smile before she started to walk away. �Wait. I don�t know your name.� Beverly heard him, but instead of replying simply looked over her shoulder with a satisfied smirk on her face. Sorry buddy. By the time Jean-Luc returned to his table, Corey and Marty were having trouble concealing their amusement. �She shot you down.� Batanides started to chuckle but soon forced it away. �That was quick.� That was all she could manage for she suddenly started laughing. Picard shot her an annoyed look as he sat down. �Oh don�t worry about it, Johnny.� Corey gave him an encouraging tap on the shoulder. �The night is young and there are plenty of girls here.� �Yeah.� His answer was less than enthusiastic. No, he was going to get to know the elusive redhead and it was a goal he was determined to attain. * * * * The rhythmic thumping of boots was as steady and precise as any clock. It was 0600 and, as was customary, fourth-class squads were on their daily jog around the academy. First in one of the two rows of six, Jean-Luc ran with as much focus as he always did. This was perhaps his favorite time of day. The early morning air felt cool against his skin while the rush of blood from the exertion warmed him on the inside. It was an exhilarating combination that served to jolt him fully awake every day. While some of the cadets found it to be an exhausting part of their day, the young Frenchman always felt exhilirated from it. The sun had just broken over the horizon, the bluish haze of night melting against the warm yellows and oranges of dawn. In the distance, squads wearing the habitual white sweatshirts and grey sweatpants contrasted sharply against the grass that still had this dark shade to it so early in the morning. The path they were running on was wide enough to accommodate two squads passing one another. With the large number of the fourth class cadets, squads passed one another often. Up ahead, twelve cadets were fast approaching from the opposite direction. Jean-Luc moved slightly to the right with the rest of his squad to make room for the coming joggers. And then he saw her. Strands of sweat soaked red hair clung to her face, cheeks flush from the exercise. As focused as he was, he couldn�t help but notice her. He might as well have been invisible, though, for she passed him by without noticing. Disciplined or not, Jean-Luc was a typical male and could not resist the temptation to look over his shoulder to catch one last glimpse. This did not go unnoticed by the cadets directly behind him and they snickered. He was going to pay for that slip up later. They would tease the hell out of him. With his gaze now fixed on the path before him, one last thought came to him. Damn, she�s gorgeous. * * * * Beverly strode through the grounds on her way to her next class in Glenn hall, just two days before the start of summer leave. Unbeknownst to her, she�d caught someone�s attention from afar. Jean-Luc was on his way to his leadership class with a classmate when he saw her. Even when she wore the standard maroon and black uniform, the mysterious redhead looked no less stunning. �Hey, Stephen, do you know that girl over there?� The other cadet squinted to get a better view. �I think her name�s Beverly Howard. She�s in the medical program if I remember correctly.� �Thanks.� With his focus now entirely on the beauty who now had a name, Jean-Luc left his puzzled classmate and headed toward the med student. Trying to act cool, he got into step next to her. �So we meet again.� When Beverly glanced at him, she fought the urge to smile in amusement. With her gaze now back to her intended destination, she added flatly, �What a coincidence.� Undeterred, Picard continued with a smile, �Are you always this difficult, Miss Howard?� She shot him a look that said, �how the hell do you know my name� but vocally only uttered, �Excuse me?� Oh yes, definitely difficult. �Well, if you�d bothered to at least give me your name the other night at the club, I wouldn�t have had to ask around for it.� �And you wanted to know my name because�� �To ask you out of course.� Beverly tried to stifle a laugh, but it came out anyway. �You know damned well that the answer is no, don�t you?� �For now perhaps, but you�ll come around one of these days.� �Will I?� �Of that I have no doubt.� �You�re either seriously delusional or you�ve got a severe case of being full of yourself.� Jean-Luc took her comment in stride and smiled. �A cup of coffee, that�s all I�m asking.� He doesn�t give up, does he? �What do you say?� Beverly stopped and looked at him feigning serious consideration. �Well in that case my answer will have to be� no.� She shot him a frosty smile and spun away again. Even after that harsh let down, Jean-Luc still found her irresistible and wanted nothing more than to get to know her. He was a Picard after all and Picards didn�t give up. * * * * Summer quickly came around and with it a much-deserved break for the fourth-class cadets. Unlike the rest of the Corps who would have mounting responsibilities each summer, the first year cadets were allowed home for the duration of the summer break. Beverly had been eager to get back to Caldos. The first person she�d spotted when she�d stepped off her transport shuttle to New Glasgow had been her grandmother. Beverly had seldom seen her looking as proud as she did at that moment. The two hugged as they were reunited. �Welcome home, Beverly.� The breeze was pleasant as it brought with it the scent of the rich green landscape and morning dew. As much as she�d loved her year at the Academy, Beverly was thrilled to be back on Caldos with her only living relative. When she got home, a large pot of home made vegetable soup waited for her. The two sat in the cozy kitchen and ate while they caught up. The women had exchanged correspondence this last year, but it wasn�t the same as sitting down to a warm meal and a cup of tea for good old fashioned chit chat. The fact that her bedroom was just as she�d left it had filled the young woman with such warmth. Despite having left the nest so to speak, this was her home and would always be. After all the heartaches of childhood and early adolescence, it was a comforting thought. The next several weeks passed by lazily as Beverly helped her grandmother around the house. As she often did before leaving for the Academy, the med student continued to help in the cultivation and drying of healing herbs. Some might have thought it to be an unnecessary craft, but despite all the medical advancements, Beverly would always have a profound respect for the traditional craft of her grandmother. It had served them a great deal once and had saved more than a few lives during the ordeal that had marked her forever. Arvada III� The young woman seldom spoke of that horrific time, but in some of the quiet moments spent with her Nana, the recollection often came forth. In Felicia�s green eyes, she could sometimes see that knowing look that conveyed that the older woman knew exactly what was plaguing her granddaughter�s thoughts. During those times, a small smile was enough to break through the dark clouds. For Felicia understood better than anyone what that ordeal had cost them. In the rare times they did openly speak about it, her grandmother would always point out that �whatever doesn�t kill you makes you stronger� and that rang more than true for the two Howard women. * * * * Summer break for Jean-Luc was much different than Beverly�s. Much to his mother�s disappointment, he hadn�t made the trip back home. Tensions between his father and himself were still very high and the young man didn�t particularly care to go down that road just yet. And Robert� he was even worse than his old man. Ever since childhood, his older brother had been nothing but a bully to him. No, he didn�t need that at the moment. Instead, he decided to indulge himself in taking a summer course in archeology at a local university. At first, what had compelled him to enroll had been simple intrigue but that soon evolved into full fledged passion for the field. Nevertheless, Starfleet was his first love and he was eager to go back to the Academy. He�d started off his first year with a bang. He�d finished at the very top of each of his classes. If there was one word that could describe him it would be �driven�. Jean-Luc wanted to climb the echelons of command as quickly as possible and longed for the day when he�d reach the rank of commander or perhaps even captain. Yes, a life of duty and command. A year into his training, the idea of it was now solidly ingrained in him. Three more years to go� continue to chapter 3 library |