A Tale of Two Q  or
How To Kill A Week On AOL
by: The Avid AOL P&C Posters

Disclaimer: The following is a group effort by the posters of the
Picard and Crusher bulletin board on AOL. It began as a sentence
and is now what you see before you. They acknowledge Paramount owns
the Star Trek concept and characters. Said posters have no
intention of selling or profit-making from the story. It was done
in fun and as a way to drive the next poster absolutely insane. It
has been edited for grammar, spelling and some sense of continuity.
Hey, it was 15 different writing styles!! 

***"Tap dance anyone?" she said sheepishly.***

A Tale of Two Q

     It had been a long time since he felt like this. There was
something about this place that made him feel fresh, reborn. His
present company only increased his good spirits. There was also
something magical about coming home, even if it was for such a sad
reason. But he did not feel alone, because,  when he looked at her,
he still felt as though he had family.
     He didn't know why, but his companion made his perfectly
trained Starfleet mind go totally out of control, thinking thoughts
that got him more than just a look from Troi.
     Beverly seemed totally unaware of what was going through his
mind, or was she? Every time he turned around, she was glancing at
him, her blue eyes intent. He looked away quickly as if he'd been
a cadet caught staring at a classmate. He cleared his throat and
pointed toward a distant, tree covered hill. "Let's go up there."
It was quite a walk, but he wouldn't mind walking all day. Being
with Beverly made him so happy that he felt as if he had eternal
strength.
     As Beverly looked at him and then to the serene pasture
directly over the hill, she couldn't help but feel the strong urge
to tell Jean-Luc what had been on her mind all these years. The
only question still plaguing her was did she dare? She knew she
would never feel complete if she didn't but if she did and got
laughed at, she would feel humiliated for the rest of her life. And
that life would probably end soon.
     She felt so comfortable and reassured with him, like nothing
bad could ever happen. And if something bad did happen to her,
there wasn't another person alive with whom she'd rather be. And
here, now, in such seemingly peaceful surroundings, she couldn't
get that nagging thought out of her mind...
     She decided she was finally going to do it. This was the
moment. Nothing could encumber it from happening. She looked
intently into his eyes. "Jean-Luc, there's something I've been
meaning to tell you."
     He had heard these words from her before.  And each time, he
was filled with a mix of curiosity and trepidation.  But each time,
something had precluded Beverly from finishing her thoughts out
loud.  This time, there seemed to be nothing to interrupt them. 
And Jean-Luc wasn't sure if he liked that...
     Beverly stared at him intently with those beautiful blue eyes
of hers, wondering if he was ready to hear the truth. "Jean-Luc,
this is hard to say, and you don't know how long I've been keeping
this a secret, but.." She breathed deeply, realizing, no matter the
outcome, this moment would change her life forever.  "Jean-Luc I
love you.  I am not sure what that means to you, but know always
that you will have someone who cares for you."  
     Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Jean-Luc spoke
those three words that he had wanted to say to her since they had
first met. Her eyes were filled with fearful anticipation as he
started to speak. "I love you". Slowly the fear in her eyes turned
to a smile and relief. He drew closer to her while reaching for her
hands he whispered.. .."I have loved you since the day we met." He
paused. "But I'm afraid it's too late for us."
     Beverly felt her heart freeze in her chest. What could he
mean? He was standing there, love in his eyes, his powerful hands
grasping hers --too late? "Jean-Luc--after all the time we've
waited to be together -- why would you say such a thing? It can't
be too late!" She stopped to catch her breath, remembering the
times she had turned him away. ŒIf I have ruined this', she
thought, Œif I have destroyed this depthless love that stood by me
all these years, I will never forgive myself.' "It can't be --" she
whispered.
      He sighed and looked up at the sky, pain etched deeply into
the lines of his face. "You see, Beverly -- there's something I've
been wanting to tell *you*. Maybe I've waited too long to do this.
But I know I've got to tell you now. Beverly, I've accepted
promotion to ambassador. I could never ask you to leave Starfleet.
You've worked too hard to quit now." He truly felt as though he was
saying good-bye. The lump in his throat was proof.
     Beverly shook her head, laughing slightly. "I know about the
promotion. I've requested a sabbatical." 
     His eyes lit up. "You'll go with me?"   
     "Well, I have to go somewhere, " she said, laughing. "I figure
if you are going to take a place down here, I might just tag
along."
      For one moment Jean-Luc had forgotten. Now he remembered. His
face fell. "Beverly, nothing would give me greater joy than to have
you with me, but... I cannot ask you to do that. You see, my post
as ambassador will not be forever, and there's a reason I've taken
it. I am a burden I will not ask you to bear."
     "Jean-Luc, what do you mean?"
     He felt another lump in his throat, a lump of fear that she
would find out what he had been hiding for so long.
     "Beverly -- I've only taken this promotion because I --
frankly, I'm going to need all the help I can get." He sighed and
turned away from her. The words he was about to speak would wound
her to the core -- and perhaps destroy this love he had waited a
lifetime to win. 
     "Help? What do you mean?" Beverly reached out and touched his
shoulder -- although he would not turn and face her, Picard did put
his hand over her own. 
     "Beverly -- there's so much I haven't told you." 
     "About *what*, Jean-Luc?" 
     He took a deep breath. "About Jack's death."
     Beverly's face had grown paler than usual. He couldn't mean
what she thought he meant...could he? As if reading her mind,
Jean-Luc smiled slightly, and put his hand on her shoulder. "No, I
don't mean I killed him, " he said, and Beverly felt all the
tension in her body relax. "However,  it's been hard convincing
myself of that over the years." 
     Beverly stepped away from him in an attempt to collect her
racing thoughts. "Jean-Luc, you told me, all those years ago, that
you made a decision. You sacrificed Jack to save other crew
members. As much as I was hurting, I understood what Starfleet
sometimes asks of us. Are you telling me that, after all these
years, someone in command is questioning your decision?" 
     "No, Beverly. The story I told you when I brought Jack's body
home to you is a lie. A lie Starfleet Command ordered me to tell
you. That cover up may cost me my commission now -- and more. The
truth about Jack's death is a far darker story than you know. I'm
not responsible for Jack's death, Beverly -- but you'll never
believe who is..."
     Normally stoic, Beverly felt an inner trembling which she
could not hide. Her knees went weak and Jean-Luc grasped her
shoulders as she began to crumble to the ground. He eased her down
and stared into her now faraway eyes as they sat in the
once-peaceful meadow. What had she begun? Why had she begun it?
Jack. She had folded up his death and her ensuing loneliness and
neatly tucked it away into a dark corner of her mind. She had
convinced herself to get on with her life. Her self control was
vital to her; she prided herself on it. But at Jean-Luc's words,
that strength suddenly shattered.
     "Jack asked to be put on the away team. It was because --
Believe me when I say I did everything to stop them from making
this decision, but Starfleet had made up their mind." Picard
sighed. "Jack knew what he was getting into. We had a mission to
do. He volunteered. I tried to do it myself, but he and Zoma got
together to prevent that."
     Beverly looked confused. "Why Jean-Luc? What happened?"
     Jean-Luc lowered his eyes, unable to meet hers. "Beverly it's
because--"
A burst of light interrupted his thought. "Spit it out, Mon
Capitaine. We're dying to hear this one." Q stood before the both
of them.
     Jean-Luc was exasperated. "Q!" . He couldn't believe it. But
what he had to say would not wait. He pulled Beverly away from Q,
as if they could lose him. "As I said, I tried to do it, but
Starfleet wouldn't even think about it.  So he and Zoma          
"Jean-Luc, who's this Zoma?" Q had followed along with them in
their attempt to lose him.
     "Zoma?  I'll get to that later, " he answered distractedly.
Then he realized it was Q's question. "Q, could you excuse us?"
     "Why?  I'm just dying to hear." Q grinned.
     "Q. . . . " 
     "Oh very well."  And he was gone .Jean-Luc took a deep breath
and said the words that he knew would crush the person he loved so
deeply.  " Beverly, Jack died because--" How could he get the words
past his lips.  "He took my place on the mission because he
discovered that I was in love with you, and he felt guilty because
he knew that you were attracted to me as well." 
     "Why the hell would he think that?" asked Beverly, the famous
Howard temper in full blaze.
     "Beverly, you told me the exact same thing yourself, on
Kes-Prytt, remember?"  
     Beverly blushed."But *I* didn't even know, not then, how did
he know?"
     Q reappeared.  "Maybe I can help with that........."
     "Can't you leave us alone, Q ?!" snapped Beverly angrily. 
"Jean-Luc, please, please-GET TO THE POINT !"  The stress on her
face was starting to show, and her blue eyes blazed sparks at the
two of them.  MEN !, she thought, contemptuously.
     "My dear Doctor Crusher, may I point out that I am Q, not a
mere mortal man, like your beloved captain."  Q's calm
condescension snapped something in Beverly.
       "Jack felt guilty keeping us apart because -- Beverly --
Jack was not what he appeared to be."
     "That's ONE way of putting it, Jean-Luc -- though you're still
being maddeningly indirect in your annoying human fashion."  Q
stepped between the two of them, enraging Picard still further --
but he knew that, considering what had to be said, it might be best
for Q to finally tell the truth.
     "Do you mean -- he was lying to me -- cheating on me?" Beverly
was trembling now, unable to control herself.
     "How banal.  Such trivial, commonplace little miseries -- my
dear, his transgression was for more complete and devastating.  You
can only think of these same few scenarios -- how typically human. 
How like you -- and how UNLIKE Jack.  After all, he was one of us."
      It took a moment for that to sink in.  When it finally did,
her first reaction was to laugh.  "You are actually trying to tell
me that Jack was a MEMBER OF THE Q CONTINUUM?"
     The hysteria in her voice didn't shake Q for a second. 
"Jean-Luc didn't realize the particulars at the time, of course --
just knew that Jack was something OTHER than human.  Something far
more powerful and dangerous.  Jack, as you call him, was a renegade
-- he abandoned our group for far subtler and darker experiments. 
In a fit of conscience he came clean to your captain here, and made
plans to abandon his human persona.  But it didn't go so simply,
did it, Jean-Luc?"
     Jean-Luc looked at his devastated friend, and felt as though
his heart was being torn into a thousand pieces.  "Beverly, he did
love you in his own way.  I know he did."  
     "Wesley," she croaked, " is he.."  
     "No, No, thank the omnipotents, wonder boy is not Q," Q
announced.  "He has special gifts, but he's not worthy of the
continuum.  But now lets get back to Jean-Luc's dirty little
secret."  Q focused on Picard, who looked as though he would
explode with guilt.
     Picard glowered at Q. "Go away. You are making this no
easier."
     "But I don't want to make it easier Jean-Luc. There's no fun
in that. Go on, tell her what he did. You tell it so much better
than I. Tell her how he nearly destroyed your entire, precious
Federation."
     Picard glanced at Beverly. She looked positively dangerous,
standing there so controlled, staring at Q. He had never seen her
look at any being with such hatred. She turned to him. "Tell me
Jean-Luc. What happened? What did he do?"
     "Beverly, Jack's death was my fault, because I reported to
Starfleet command that Jack wasn't human.  They feared what they
could not understand, and knowing that I would never intentionally
hurt my best friend.  They went over my head and ordered Zoma to
kill Jack.  That is why they were on the away mission together,
that is why Jack, or at least the 'human' Jack Crusher is dead." 
Picard lowered his head in shame, for he could not look at Beverly,
who trembled with a mixture of shock and rage.  
     Beverly was trying very hard to assimilate what Jean-Luc and
Q had been telling her; the rage within her grew with each moment. 
Something Q had said raced to the for front of her mind.  Turning
to Q Beverly said "Q, you said that the 'human' part of Jack died,
what does--" 
     Before she could finish there was a flash of light.  Q
muttered to himself,  "Not now Q!" 
      Picard and Crusher turned and in total disbelief, looked into
the eyes of  Jack Crusher.  But this wasn't Jack.  Beverly had to
remind herself.  This was a model of Jack.  Power seemed to ooze
out of his pores. 
     "Jack?  Jack what's going on?" Beverly asked in confusion.  "Q
says the human part of you died."
     "Beverly, I'm ready to be human again.  All I need is a new
identity and a new look.  You'll have to leave the Enterprise
though."  Beverly looked from Jack to Jean-Luc.  She was being
given a choice.  One way or another, she had to leave the most
important person in/from her life.
     "Wait one damn minute!" Beverly wheeled away from Q and
Picard, and stepped toe to toe with the being she had called her
husband.  "It's not as easy as waltzing back in here after all this
time and reclaiming me!"
     "All this time?" Jack seemed puzzled.  From behind her Beverly
heard Q chuckle.
     "You've become unaccustomed to mortal time again, Jack.  For
them 20 years seems like an eternity, instead of a minuscule eye
blink of the cosmos."
     "Beverly -- I knew you and Jean-Luc cared about each other. 
If I had been human, I would have been insanely jealous -- as it
was, it merely seemed like the time to make an opportune exit.  Ben
Zoma couldn't have hurt me, with my powers -- I *allowed*
Jean-Luc's little execution to take place.  Thought it would give
you two the chance to get together -- not that you HAVE," Jack
pointed out.  "Twenty years and you're still not together.  That
says something powerful to me -- either you didn't love each other
enough, or you *still* love me.  Either way, I think it's time for
me to come home."
     "You think WRONG, Jack," Beverly growled.  "Out of loyalty and
respect for you, we waited SO long.  TOO long.  But that was ending
here and now.  Today."  She reached out and took Picard's arm as
she had earlier in the day, and looked at him with a shadow of her
earlier smile.  Beverly still had profound questions about his role
in this whole affair -- but she knew nothing could destroy her love
for him.  "Jack, we're  together now.  None of what I have learned
here today changes that."
     "Oh, really." Jack's face grew dark -- darker than the face of
a mere mortal could ever appear.  Next to him, Q seemed to grow
anxious.
     "Now, now, Q -- I mean, Jack -- it's really not worth worrying
over.  You know mortals -- they'll probably break up soon over some
banal disagreement about the bed covers."
     "You love him, do you?  And he loves you?" Jack's human form
seemed to be evaporating into a dark, surrounding mist -- Picard
reached out and took Beverly protectively into his arms.  "Well,
then, mortal fools -- if you truly love each other, let's see you
PROVE it!"Their world vanished in a flash of bright light.....
     And reappeared as if nothing had happened.  As far as they
knew, nothing HAD happened.  Their memory had been totally erased
of the previous events.  All they knew was that something was
different.  Beverly leaned forward to see Jean-Luc eyes.  The kiss
was long and tender.  Jean-Luc moved in for another.  
     "RED ALERT!"  
     Beverly sighed.  It seemed like every time they had started
moving in the right direction, there was a red alert.  "Jean-Luc,
we have to talk tonight."  Beverly's voice was so firm, that for
the first time since they had met, Jean-Luc wanted anything but to
have dinner that night.  He'd have to come up with an excuse. 
     "Be at my quarters at 20:00." was all he said.  Real smooth,
he thought.  Real smooth.
     On the bridge, Jean-Luc was lost in thought.  So lost that he
didn't notice when Will talked to his face.  "Sir?"  Will asked. 
     He was very confused.  "I'm sorry Number One.  What were you
saying?"
     "I was saying that there's a Romulan ship approaching."
     "Open a hailing channel."
     "Open."
     "This is captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship
Enterprise.  Identify yourself."
     "This is Q of the Q Continuum."
     "Q!!!"
     "Not That Q.  I have a decision for you to make.  Perhaps we
could talk in your ready room."
     "Okay.  Just stroll over." Picard said.  He knew full well
that the entity was probably strolling through space right now.  He
walked into his ready room, and his jaw dropped to some where in
the deck below.   "Jack?  I knew you could still be alive, but what
do you want?"
     "As I said I have a proposal.  All in good time Mon
Capitaine."  Jean-Luc rolled his eyes.  Jack even sounded like Q. 
     "Alright.  What is it?"
     "Your Federation is crumbling.  It's going to be gone in just
over a month.  There's only one thing you can do to stop it. 
There's only one person responsible for the Federations crumbling. 
Once the Federation is gone, there will be wars everywhere.  People
will die for no reason."  Jack moved in and whispered into Jean-Luc
ear.  "You can stop it.  You can put an end to it before it
starts."
     "How?  How can I stop it?"  Jean-Luc would do almost anything
to stop it.  
     "Kill Beverly."
       Picard simply stared at the image of the man he'd once
called his friend.  "Jack -- in what possible way could Beverly's
death prevent intergalactic war?"
     Q appeared in a flash of light beside his fellow god.  "Jack,
dear boy, you forget that our dry and solemn captain will always be
imprisoned by reason."Picard rolled his eyes.  Two Q -- he'd
realized something was odd about this day.  However, for the moment
they seemed to be ignoring him.
      "Hmm.  I believe you're right, Q.  I simply wanted to give
him this horrible quandary and watch him squirm -- but it's got to
be something a little more subtle.  He can't realize what's
happening until it's MUCH too late."
     Q sighed.  "Personally, I think you ought to just drop this. 
She's part of your past, and so is he.  If you're going to look up
anyone from your miserable mortal existence, you might try dropping
in on that pathetic son of yours.  Even OUR powers couldn't make
him bearable, but you might give it a try."
     Jack laughed, a foreboding sound.  "You're trying to distract
me from my prey, Q.  Just because you're fond of these people --
and I thought better of you.  But no -- another puzzle, more
mysterious than the last one --" 
     Picard, by now thoroughly worried, opened his mouth to cut in
-- but was overtaken by a flash of light.  When it cleared, he
realized he was on a planet's surface -- not Earth, or any world he
was familiar with.  Beverly stood about 10 feet away, as confused
as he was.  "How on earth did we get here?" she called.
     Picard tried to remember -- and couldn't.  The last moments in
his memory were images of the two of them on a pleasant spring day,
walking hand in hand.  "I have no idea," he admitted, looking up
into the night sky's unfamiliar constellations, and 3 moons.
     Though he didn't realize it, the night sky was looking back. 
In planes of experience Picard couldn't perceive, Q was,
metaphorically speaking, shaking his head.  "Jack, I *really* don't
see where you're going with this."
      Jack smiled smugly.  "If they do love each other so truly --
then it won't matter that they're separated from everything else
they've ever known.  That they have no shelter or food and few ways
to obtain them.  I want to see how much they'll love each other
when they must actually be the entire world to one another.  It
won't hold up -- I guarantee it."
      Q shrugged.  "Guess this *will* be worth watching..."
     "Um, where is the ship?"  Beverly asked. 
      Jean-Luc merely shrugged his shoulders.  "I guess we'll just
have to wait and see." They did so for one day.  Then another. 
Then another, till finally they had been on that planet for a
month.  They had plenty of food.  The very planet seemed to be a
jungle of fruit.  Finally, after a couple of months, all hope was
given up.  If they ever wanted to see another human, they needed
children.  Neither of them was against the idea.  In fact they were
both for the procedure.  
     One day Jean-Luc couldn't stand it anymore.  He wasn't in
great health, and Beverly always seemed so far away.  "Beverly, I
need to talk to you.  We can't live forever, and I may not get
another chance.  So. . . "  Jean-Luc took a deep breath.  Then it
hit him.  He couldn't just tell her anywhere.  It had to be a
special place.  And he knew just where.  "Come on!!!"  He yelled.
      He had found it a few days before.  A copse, nearly blanketed
in flowers and vines, with a small rushing stream nearby.  It was
beautiful, peaceful, and perfect.            "Jean-Luc, it's
wonderful !"  Her eyes were alight as she looked about, and on a
sudden impulse, those things that having and obeying were starting
to come naturally to the once stoic captain of the Enterprise, he
plucked a flower resembling an orchid, and placed in her hair.  It
had grown longer and wavier, suited to her so much more. 
     "Not as wonderful as you, my love."  The words had been said,
and Beverly's smile seemed to light the sky as she glided into his
arms and their lips and souls met in a passion-filled kiss.
     Jean-Luc pulled away gently. "That stuff you said before, it's
true?"
     Beverly was obviously savoring their kiss. "Of course it is.
These twenty years have been wonderful, especially the last few."
She leaned into his arms. "You are my life. I'm just sorry it took
so long to get to this point."
     He smiled as he held her tightly. He was just settling in to
the joy of the moment when something caught his eye.
     And when he saw what that something was, he wasn't thrilled. 
Behind them, Jack Crusher had popped into existence.  His face was
red, his eyes were dark, and his face was covered with rage.  Rage
because he had been proven wrong, they *did* love each other.  
     "Well-Jean-Luc-I must say you surprised me.  Now, you have a
choice, both of you.  You can be returned to the Enterprise.  Give
whatever explanation you see fit, and go on together as Starfleet
officers.  Or you can stay here together-as human beings.  Well? 
What'll it be?"
     "We'll go back to the Enterprise."  They said in unison. 

      Captain Will Riker was very confused.  The Enterprise was
being pulled away to some newly discovered planet to bring to
Federation officers that had been there for one year.  He had been
told that the Enterprise was being ordered there because ŒThe crew
will definitely like these passengers.'  After the message, Will
was left with four days till he reached these guests, and what
seemed like an eternity to think about who they could be.  He
didn't get any answers.
     When they reached the planet and assumed orbit, Data assembled
his away team. They materialized on a grassy knoll and looked
around. In the distance two figures walked hand in hand toward
them. As they drew nearer they took on very familiar shapes.
     Picard stopped and pointed to the hill. "Beverly, look."
     Beverly glanced up briefly and took off running. "Data!" she
cried.
     "Dr. Crusher?" Data was decidedly confused. "Is it you?"
     "Data how did you come to be here?"
     "Doctor!" Data threw his arms around the doctor. He had not
quite learned to control strong emotion yet. "We thought you were
dead." He turned to Picard. "Captain, what is going on?"
     "Q, of course. We'll explain it all later. Data, take us
home." He turned to smile at Beverly as Data gave the order to beam
up.
     As the Enterprise prepared to beam the guests on board,
everything, everyone froze. Except Riker. Before he could assess
the situation, Q appeared, dressed in full Starfleet Captain's
regalia.  "Your transport  has been delayed, mon capitaine." Q
paused.  "Hmmm, that title doesn't seem to fit you as well, Riker. 
Anyway, my brother on the planet has some unfinished business."

     Jack couldn't contain his jealousy any longer.  Although he
initially decided to accept losing Beverly, each moment he looked
at her his longing for her grew and he knew, even as Q, his heart
would ache for all eternity.  At the snap of his fingers, a
hangman's platform emerged, and Jean-Luc stood atop it, a noose
dangling around his neck and his hands tied behind his back.  Jack,
of course, had a black hood over his head and stood with his hand
on the lever which would dispatch his old friend to his doom.  One
quick pull, and Jack would not have to worry about Beverly being
with another.  But then, Jack looked at her.
     It wasn't the rage.  It wasn't the fear.  It wasn't the love. 
Jack saw all of these things in his bride's eyes, but none of them
affected him so much as, THE PAIN.  In an instant, he knew that
what he was about to do in the name of love for Beverly would
devastate her more than even his "death."  Jack's humanity flooded
back upon him and he began to tremble.  He removed the noose from
his old friend's neck, and slowly moved off of the platform to
Beverly's side.  "My God..."  he gasped.  "I love you so, Beverly. 
I've tried to convince myself that I was above such trivial
emotions, but I've never been happier than when I was with you. I'm
so, so sorry, my love."  Jack collapsed to his knees and wept
uncontrollably.  Beverly held him to her, stroked his hair, and
blinked back tears and she looked up into the eyes of the only
other man she ever loved...
     Q shook his head at the sobbing omnipotent being.  To throw
oneself at the feet of a human, nauseating!
     Beverly looked down at Jack with pity.  Being marooned with
Jean-Luc all this time had allowed her to work through all her
emotions.  She had come to the simple conclusion that the love she
felt for Jack was the passion of a young and headstrong woman,
which burned bright and white hot, but yet would have surely burnt
itself out with time.  Her love for Jean-Luc, however, was forever. 
It was the result of years of friendship, trust and mutual respect. 
Beverly was now a mature woman, seasoned by time and circumstance,
and altogether more circumspect.  Her love for Jean-Luc smoldered
with a depth and texture she had never known with Jack.
     She spoke finally.  "Jack, the love we had was very real and
most precious to me, but it is over now.  We have gone our separate
ways, please don't ruin what we once had by destroying what I have
now found."
     Jack was moved by her words, and realized she was forever lost
to him.  He did not wish to be remembered in anger by her, that
would leave him with nothing at all, so he bowed his head, in
understanding, and disappeared.
     Jean-Luc simply stared at Beverly, as did Data and the rest of
the away team.  Not surprisingly, Q broke the silence.  "Where is
my hanky when I need it?" he quipped.  Before anyone could get tell
him to shut up, Q announced that he was bored and leaving the
party.
     Jean-Luc barely noticed his departure, his thoughts could
focus on only one thing.  He knew that Beverly loved him, and their
time together in this little Eden had drawn him as close as he had
ever been to any human being.  But, to hear her words, made him
feel even more closely connected to his 'better half'.  He only
wished that he could never make her regret loving him.
     Beverly reached out her slightly trembling hand to him.  When
they touched, the magic calmed her.  She smiled, and spoke quietly. 
"Data could you please take us home now.  I would like to begin my
life anew.  Together," she said never removing her eyes from the
captain.

     "Forever," he mouthed to her with a smile, as they suddenly
felt the familiar shimmer of the transporter beam.
     Cpt.Riker had become a sullen man.  When the search for
captain Picard and Beverly had been given up, he felt part of him
die.  These were the people who had taught him how to be a captain,
how not to make emotional decisions, and to still be a friend. 
When he heard the transporter start to wine, he had to play
'happy'.  No matter what happened, he had to pretend he was
overjoyed.  Will had his back turned trying to compose himself when
he heard two voices.  Those voices sounded familiar, but he
couldn't put his finger on them. 
      "Are you still the poker champ?" the male asked. 
      That's when it hit him.  He didn't have to pretend to be
happy - he was gushing.  He turned around and there stood the two
pefleet officer, he remembered how to be a friend.  He went up to
both of them and hugged them, even the captain.  To his surprise,
the captain hugged back.  
     In her quarters Deanna Troi felt the onslaught of emotion she
had missed for so long. It was close, as if outside her door.
Deanna told herself it was wishful thinking.  The captain and
Beverly hadn't been with them for more then a year, yet she could
feel them.  Perhaps it was someone who was thinking about them. 
The chime rang.  "Come in." she said.  
     Commander Riker stood on the other side of the door.  Perhaps
he had been thinking about them.  "I have a delivery for a Miss
Deanna Troi."
     "What?"  Deanna asked, her curiosity peaked.
     "One has lost all the fur and the other is red headed."  He
opened the door and there, looking as if they had been gone less
then a week, were Jean-Luc and Beverly.  Deanna felt something come
alive in her.  She knew her friends were safe.

     Epilogue (gotta love 'em):
     
     Alyssa Ogawa and Selar gazed at the now sleeping forms of
mother and daughter.  One redhead, and one brunette, but both
blessed with blue eyes the likes of which were rarely seen.  Alyssa
walked out into the regular part of sickbay, and watched the
nervous father pacing.  He was never that nervous on the bridge,
she thought with a smile.
     "Captain Picard.  I'm pleased to tell you the good news.  A
baby girl."
     "Not another female."  His mock groan was hilarious.  "Has
Beverly named her, yet ?"
     "Yes.  She said you'd suggested the name -- Alexandra
Elizabeth."
     "May I see her?"
     "Beverly's resting.  But you can begin to get acquainted with
little Alexandra."  Selar stepped out and handed the baby to
Picard, who settled it in his arms with a little help from  Ogawa. 
The two women stepped away, leaving the captain of the Starship
Enterprise with his firstborn.
     "Alexandra...can you say Papa...."