Baby Come Back
Chapters Seven through Nine
Song is "Strong Enough" By Cher
Chapter Seven
The next day Beverly and Jean-Luc did not say a word to each other before the left their cabin for work. Wesley did not even say a word for that matter.
Wesley could feel the tension between the two of them and he was worried about what had happened the night before. He had heard the yelling, but he could not quite make out what they were saying through the closed door of his room. All he knew was his mother had left their quarters for a while and did not come back before he went to sleep.
Later, Jean-Luc had gone to bed, so Wesley did not see his step-father for the rest of the night either. So, Wesley was puzzled by what was happening, but was afraid to ask what had happened the night before.
They all ate breakfast in silence. The silence was almost deafening. At least to Wesley. Then, to Wesley's relief, Beverly finally broke the silence.
"Well, I have to be on duty in ten minutes. I'll see you after I get off tonight, Wesley."
"OK Mom. I'll see you later."
Beverly did not say one word to Jean-Luc as Wesley watched her exit their quarters. Wesley thought this was very odd, because she had always said goodbye to Jean-Luc too before she left for work. Wesley could not help but notice the out of the ordinary between his mother and step-father today.
"Shouldn't you be head off to school?" Jean-Luc asked Wesley.
"Yes, I probably should."
Wesley rose from the breakfast table to gather his materials for school. As he did so, he continued to think about his mom and Captain Picard. They had been married just less than a year and the once-happy couple had turned into the not so happy couple. Wesley knew that they had been having problems for quite some time now, but he was not sure just how bad it was.
However, Wesley was curious, but he was not sure if he should ask; especially not his step-dad. His step-dad did not really want to talk to him. Wesley just knew his step-dad hated him. The boy decided his desire to know what was happening was stronger than his feelings that Jean-Luc did not want anything to do with him. So, when Wesley returned and was on his way for the door, he paused to speak to Jean-Luc.
"You and mom aren't getting a divorce are you?"
Jean-Luc was shocked out of his thoughts by Wesley's question. "Humm?"
"You and Mom?" Wesley began to ask again. "You're not getting a divorce are you?"
Now Jean-Luc was begining to soften a little towards Wesley. "Oh, no Wesley. Your mother and I are just having a disagreement."
Wesley was not sure if he believed his step-father. Even Wesley's face had a look of doubt, but he did not question any further. He just headed out the door for school instead.
Beverly arrived in Sickbay and prepared for her once a week meeting with Deanna. They met once a week to discuss people who were seeing Deanna for therapy and also taking medication. They would share notes during this time and give their opinions on how they thought the medication was working for the individual. In each case, they considered whether they should stick with the same medication or change the person's medication.
Like clockwork, Deanna arrived at Beverly's office. Beverly was sitting at her desk going over her notes. Beverly's office door was opened so Deanna just spoke rather than knocked.
"You ready?"
"Oh, Deanna. Come on in. I was just going over my notes."
"So, anything interesting to report?"
"Well, I was just going over McKenny's blood work." Beverly informed Deanna. "His white blood cell count seems to be a little high. I'm debating whether we should watch his white blood count or switch his meds."
"How high is it."
Beverly gave Deanna the number of the patient's white blood cell count and explained to her that it was not high enough to be of concern just yet, but something to be watched. Beverly indicated to Deanna the preferable range for the white blood cell count.
"So, I would like to keep an eye on his white blood count for a while." Beverly concluded.
"I see no reason not to just watch it." Deanna stated as she noticed that Beverly's mind was not completely on her work. "He seems to be doing very well on the medication."
"That's good. As for Carlos, I think we need to change his medication."
"That's what I was thinking. He's still showing signs of depression."
"I'm just not sure what to try him on next." Beverly stared at her computer screen and bit her lower lip. It was obvious she was istracted.
"Beverly."
"Yes?"
"Are you alright?"
Beverly shook her head as though she were trying to get cobwebs out of her head. "I'm fine."
Deanna looked at Beverly as though she were saying, "Don't try to fool an empath."
"Oh, alright." Beverly gave in and begun to tell Deanna what had happen between her and Jean-Luc last night. "It's Jean-Luc. He asked me to leave."
"What?"
"Well, actually he wants a separation, but he wants Wesley and me to leave."
"Why?"
"He can't stand my son."
"There has to be more reason than that."
"Not that he gave me. He's a real ass, especially when it comes to children."
"That's a little strong to say about the captain, isn't it?"
"He's my husband and I'll call him any damn thing I want to call him and right now the first word that comes to mind is ass."
Beverly did not hold back anything as she released her anger concerning Jean-Luc to Deanna. Beverly's facial expressions and her hand gestures were would have even told a non-empath that she was very irate with her husband.
"Did you tell him how you feel?" Deanna finally asked.
"I told him he was making an ass of himself."
Deanna pondered the situation for a while before she spoke again. She was not sure what to say at this moment or if Beverly wanted advice. Since Beverly had not asked for her opinion Deanna decided to ask Beverly a few questions.
"Do you want to leave?"
"Yes. No!" Beverly looked as though she could cry, but she did not. "I don't know what I want to do."
"Do you love him?"
"I don't know. Right now, I know I still love him, but I don't feel like I am in love with him anymore. At the same time, I know I am too angry with him to really know how I feel about him anymore."
Deanna could sympathize with Beverly. She remembered when Will had hurt her badly by leaving her years ago and still she did not know if she trusted him anymore. She knew she did not trust him not to leave her again, but she was not sure just how much of that trust had been lost. She did know she had begun to trust Will with her life otherwise she would not have signed up to be on the same ship with him. She was sure of that much.
"Beverly, I wish I could help you."
There was a brief pause in their conversation. One which seemed almost deafening compared to the emotions that were vocally expressed earlier.
"Maybe you can help me." Beverly finally said. "Starfleet Medical has been trying to get me to go back to Earth and become head of Starfleet Medical for quite some time. I have been seriously thinking about it ever since last night."
"Would you like to take the postion?"
"I believe I do. Oh, I didn't before all of this happened, but now I think I do."
"Then what is stopping you?"
Beverly pondered Deanna's question for a moment. "Nothing really."
"Well then, I think you have made a decision." Deanna informed her.
After Deanna's final statement they finished going over the patients they shared. Once that was done and Deanna had left, Beverly called Starfleet Medical.
"Doctor Marcus here."
"Hello Doctor Marcus. Beverly Crusher here."
"Ah! Doctor Crusher! Can I take this call to mean that you will becoming to see us?"
"I'll do more than that." Beverly informed him. "If that position for Head of Starfleet Medical is still open that is."
"You're going to take the position?" He asked with a smile.
"If you'll still have me."
"The position is your's. No one else has taken it yet."
"That's great!" Beverly exclaimed. "Give me two weeks to pack and to turn in my resignation here on the Enterprise. Then I'll be there to fill the position."
"Wonderful!"
"Crusher out."
The screen went blank and Beverly was smiling again. "If he wants a separation, a separation he will get."
Chapter Eight
Picard was on the Bridge thinking about what he had said to Beverly last night. He asked himself if it was what he really wanted. He did not want to loose Beverly, but he could not stand children, especially disrespectful children or what he considered disrespectful children.
No, he had to have Wesley out before he made a complete ass of himself. Not that he had not done so already. He knew he had, but he was not about to back down now. Even if it meant loosing Beverly.
He decided it was a risk he was going to have to take whether he liked it or not. He just could not live with children in his quarters. Yet, at the same time he would have to come up with some sort of time limit for Beverly if she asked how long he wanted to stay separated.
Just as he was thinking about the time limit, Worf interrupted his thoughts. “Sir, incoming message from Starfleet Headquarters. Priority one.”
“I’ll take it in my Ready Room.” Picard informed Worf.
Picard rose from his seat and headed for the Ready Room. Almost instinctively, Will took the command chair just as Picard reached his Ready Room.
Once inside his Ready Room, Picard took his seat at his desk and turned on the computer. The computer immediately brought Admiral Paris on the screen.
“Jean-Luc.”
“Admiral.”
“I am delivering orders to you for your eyes and ears only. Are we speaking privately?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Alright, I’ll give it to you straight then. You are to go to the nearest outpost to the Neutral Zone and deliver a message to Ambassador Spock.”
“Will he know to meet us there?” Picard asked.
“Yes, he will be there. You are to pick up more people involved in the resistance. While there, you, and you alone, are to meet with Spock and deliver to him a top-secret message. It is important that you get this message to him.”
“What is the message I am suppose to deliver?”
"The Romulan Government has gained information on the resistance.” The Admiral informed Picard of the details he was to deliver to Spock.
Picard listened, but in the back of his mind he was thinking, “Great! Beverly is going to really love hearing that I am going on another away mission. One that may mean my life if I’m not careful.”
“It is imperative that Spock receives this message.”
“I understand Admiral.”
“You may tell your crew that they are to pick up resistance members and you may say that you want to speak with Spock privately once you are there, but beyond that you can not tell them anything else. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“And Jean-Luc, be careful.”
“I will.”
“Admiral Paris out.” The screen went blank and Picard sat at his desk for a few minutes before returning to the Bridge.
“Of all the timing.” He thought. “If I am not careful I could get hurt or God forbid, Beverly’s worse nightmare. The Romulans could be out there somewhere and detect activity on the out post or we could get away scott-free with no problems. Either way Beverly is going to be upset. Not that she isn’t already.”
Picard let out a heavy sigh, then stood and readjusted his shirt before going back to the Bridge. “Well, guess I need to get back to the Bridge.”
He walked through the doors of his Ready Room and onto the Bridge. Then he headed over to the command chair, just as Will gave the chair back to him.
“Ensign Ro, set course for the closest Starbase to the Neutral Zone. Warp 5.”
“Aye, Sir.”
Ro punched the coordinates to the starbase and they were on their way to the Starbase. “Coordinates laid in, Sir.”
“Engage.”
“So, why are we heading back to the Neutral Zone?” Will asked.
“The only thing I can tell you is that we are to pick up some Resistance members.”
“What’s so top-secret about that?”
“Nothing.”
“There’s something you’re not telling me.” Will insisted.
“I will inform you on a need to know basis and nothing more.” Picard informed Will.
“I understand.” Will replied.
The Bridge was then quiet from that point on until Picard left for his lunch break. This left Picard alone with his thoughts as everyone silently watched the stars fly by on the view screen or manned their post.
During lunch Jean-Luc decided that he wanted to eat with Beverly in their quarters. He knew she had taken to having lunch there most days lately. So, he was hoping she was there today.
Beverly was indeed in their quarters, when he walked through the doors. She had begun packing her things earlier and was still packing when Jean-Luc walked into their room.
“You found the quarters I was talking about?” Jean-Luc asked.
“No, I have decided to take the position as head medical officer at Starfleet Medical.”
“What?” Picard was shocked.
“You heard me.”
“Beverly, when I said I wanted a separation I meant for you to find quarters here on the Enterprise.”
“I know, but I decided to do you one better.”
“Beverly, I didn’t mean for you to leave this ship.”
“I known, but I have been thinking about this position for a long time.”
“I would like you to stay on as my CMO. I really don’t want you to leave just because I asked you to move into different quarters.”
“Jean-Luc, you asked me for a separation and I’m giving it to you.” She told him as she continued to pack. “I’m not going to stay here and wait for you to decide you want to be married.”
“Beverly.”
“You’ll have my resignation on your desk in the morning.”
“Beverly!” Jean-Luc grabbed her by the arm as she walked past him to get more of her things to pack. “Let go of my arm!” Jean-Luc released her arm. “You don’t have to go clear to Earth. You can stay on this ship. Just not in these quarters as long as Wesley is here.”
“Problem solved. He won’t be here and I’ll be at Starfleet Medical.”
“Beverly, please. I really wish you would stay aboard this ship.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re a good doctor and I need good doctors.”
“Oh, so we can put you back together when you get hurt on away missions?”
“No. You know very well what I meant.”
Beverly stopped her packing. “I have to get back to Sickbay. I’ll be here for another week. Then I’m heading to Earth.”
“Beverly, before you go, there is something I wanted to tell you.”
Beverly stopped long enough to listen to Jean-Luc. She was not sure if she really wanted to hear anymore from him.
“Starfleet Head Quarters has asked me to go on an away mission.” Jean-Luc began to explain to her.
“What? You can’t go on any Away mission!” She exclaimed. “You don’t have doctor’s permission to leave your quarters yet! You‘re suppose to be resting.”
“I know, but they have assigned me to a top-secret mission. I can’t give you any details, but I have to take the assignment myself. No one else can do it, except me.”
“You are going against medical advice!”
“I’m sorry, Beverly.”
“What if you get hurt again?”
“I won’t.”
“Yes, well when you get back from your mission, I won’t be here to patch you back together.” Beverly informed him. “So, you had better hope you don’t end up getting hurt again.”
Beverly then stormed out of their quarters to go back to her office, leaving a saddened Picard behind.
Whoops! How did Mini Picard get here?
Chapter Nine
It was a week later and Picard had been gone on the away mission the whole week. Beverly made use of the time by packing her things. Wesley packed his belongings also.
"Mom, Captain Picard told me you two were not getting a divorce." Wesley said to his mother.
"We're not. At least not yet."
"What does that mean?" Wesley was puzzled.
"I don't know, Wesley. Right now, I am too upset to talk about it."
"Mom?"
"What Wesley?" Beverly snapped as she packed the last of her personal belongings.
"I don't really want to see you two split up."
"No one does, dear." She told her son sadly. "I didn't plan this. He asked us to leave so I'm giving him what he asked for."
"It just doesn't seem right. Can't he learn to deal with children?" Wesley asked. "I mean, can't he take parenting classes, talk to Counselor Troi, or something?"
"I don't know. Maybe." Beverly thought better than to tell her son what was really on her mind concerning her husband. "Maybe he thinks this is the best way to work things out between us."
"Well, I think it is a stupid way!" Wesley told his mom. "Why can't you talk to him or something?"
"Wesley, I have." Beverly replied with irratation.
"I'm just a kid!"
"Oh, now we're a kid." Beverly was now being sarcastic.
"Whatever, mom." Wesley rolled his eyes. "I just think that as a Starfleet captain of a galaxy class starship with families on it, he needs to learn how to deal with kids better. Starting with me."
"Well, I guess he doesn't want to, Wesley." Beverly said with irratation. "I really don't want to talk about this right now."
"He hates me!" Wesley pouted. "Why did you have to marry a man who hates children?"
Beverly did not answer her son. She had begun thinking about what she had been avoiding telling Jean-Luc for almost three months now. She had not told anyone of her suspecions about herself. Yet she knew she was pregnant with Jean-Luc's child and she could not bring herself tell him.
"The Long Island Ice Tea!" She thought to herself with panic. Then she put her hand on her stomach. She was so angry at the time that she did not care. She did not even think about her possible unborn child at the time. Now she was concerned about what that one drink might have done.
"Mom?" Wesley drew his mother out of her thoughts. He was getting a little concern about her because he thought she was behaving oddly.
"Wesley, I'm going to go say goodbye to Deanna."
"Oh, can I come?" Wesley began to brighten and loose his concern about his mother.
"Not right now. You can say goodbye to her later."
"Mom?" He pleaded.
"Wesley." She said more firmly. "I really would like some time alone to talk to Deanna. I promise you before we leave today, that you can say goodbye to everyone."
Wesley realized that his mother wanted to talk someone other than a teenager. He knew better than to push his mother. "OK. I'll wait."
"Thanks Wes." Beverly left their quarters in a hurry.
"I do hope things work out for you and Captain Picard." Wesley said softly as he watched his mother leave.
A few minutes later, Beverly was in Deanna's office talking to her. Beverly paced the floor as she spoke.
"I just don't know what to do." Beverly cried. "I can't get him to accept that I have a child and that my child is part of the package."
"Give him time, Beverly." Suddenly Deanna sensed something about Beverly. It was not just the fact that Deanna sensed Beverly was upset and worried. It was more what Beverly was worried about. Suddenly, Deanna realized what she was concerned about and gasped.
"What's wrong?" Beverly queried and suddenly stopped pacing.
"Have you told him?"
"Told him what?" Beverly looked at Deanna directly now. She was not sure what Deanna was sensing, but she had a feeling Deanna was sensing something.
"That you're pregnant."
"How could you?" Beverly stopped before she finished her question. She realized that Deanna could probably sense her worry or something.
"I can sense another lifeform within you."
"I should have guessed." Beverly stated as she rolled her eyes.
"Have you told him?" Deanna asked again.
"I ran the test myself." Beverly informed Deanna. "But I haven't told anyone that I am pregnant, not even my staff."
"You need to tell your husband."
"Why should I? He doesn't accept Wesley, so what makes you think that he will accept our child?" Beverly shouted.
"You need to tell him." Deanna restated as calmly as she could.
"I can't!" Beverly again shouted as she fought the urge to cry.
"Would it help if I talked to him?"
"Deanna, no! I'm not going to tell him!" Tears were begining to roll down Beverly's face. She began to inch backwards towards the door as she continued speaking. "He didn't want children! He doesn't want Wesley around even! What makes you think he's going to accept our child?"
Suddenly, Beverly turned and rushed out of Deanna office. Then she ran back to her quarters.
Deanna did not follow her, but she felt very bad for Beverly. She had no idea at the moment what to do to help the situation even. She only knew that she had to do something.
Beverly rushed back into their quarters. "Are you almost finished packing, Wesley?"
"Yes, Ma'am." He replied. Then he noticed that his mother had been crying. "What's wrong, Mom?"
"Nothing!" She sobbed as she sat down on the couch. "Why don't you go ahead and say goodbye to everyone now."
"You sure?" He asked as he looked at his mother with concern.
"I'm fine. Just meet me back here in thirty minutes."
"OK." Wesley replied still concerned about what was wrong with his mother. Then, as his mother requested, he left their quarters to say goodbye to everyone.
Once she was alone the tears that she had been holding back were released like a damn that had broken.
"I don't know what I'm going to do!" She said to herself as she cried and laid her face into one of the throw pillows. "He doesn't want children and now this! I can't tell him! I just can't!"
Finally, after several minutes of crying, she had regained control of herself. She reached for a tissue and blew her nose. Then she went to the bathroom to wash her teared stained face.