After rereading this recently, I noticed a lot of things that I would like to change or redo now that I have a bit more experience as a writer. But since this was my first attempt at writing I decided to leave it as it is and call it a learning experience... the other stories will show what I've learned. :O)

    All rights reserved

Part I

"One hand reaches out and pulls a lost soul from harm"

                    The Change--Garth Brooks

It had been a slow day. Too slow. Captain Jean-Luc Picard was beginning to wish something would happen. Anything to remove the stifling boredom. He shifted in his chair in the center of the bridge and continued to stare out at the stars.

Worf broke the silence, " Captain, a temporal disturbance has occurred on the ship. Deck eight sir. Your quarters."

Careful what you wish for, Picard thought to himself. "Take a team and see what you can find Mr. Worf."

********************

The security chief stood in the Captain's quarters staring as dumbly as the large Klingon could.

"Mr. Worf, report," the Captain said sounding only vaguely worried.

"Sir, it's... it's a child." Worf said the last word as if it had a bad taste to it.

"A what?"

"Perhaps you should come down here."

"Yes Mr. Worf, perhaps I should."

********************

The child sat in a corner of the darkened room, her knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped tightly around them, as she stared back at the Klingon and three other security officers.

The door slid open and the men parted to make way as the Captain walked in. He looked to Worf who pointed to the corner and there, just as Worf had claimed, was a child. Picard glanced around at the men nervously, unsure of what to do. Finally he knelt down in front of the child. She stared up at him the terror clear in her eyes and pushed herself harder against the wall, her tiny body beginning to shake uncontrollably.

The Captain smiled warmly and began speaking in a soothing voice, "It's all right. There's no need to be frightened. I'm not going to hurt you." He edged a little closer and the child shrunk back even harder against the wall. "Computer, increase lighting."

Now that he could see better he examined the child carefully. She couldn't be more than six years old and seemed very small for her age. She was filthy. Streaks of dirt were smeared across the tightly stretched skin of her thin frame. Dried blood was caked to her forehead... her arms... her legs. She wore a tattered piece of cloth that only vaguely resembled a dress and it too was covered in blood and filth. He noticed an alarming number of cuts and bruises over almost every inch of her tiny body. In short, she was a complete mess.

Picard taped his communicator, "Picard to Crusher."

"Crusher here," came the reply of his CMO.

"Report to my quarters at once Doctor."

"On my way," she called as she hurried out of sickbay, her medkit in tow.

Picard looked over his shoulder at the four men who still stood holding their phasers not knowing what to do with themselves. "I think you can put those away now." They did so and looked to Worf who signaled for them to leave.

The Captain turned back to the child and spoke again, this time trying a more authoritative voice, "Come on now, there's nothing to be frightened of. Why don't you come sit over here on the sofa?" He slowly reached his hand out towards her arm. The little girl flinched, jerking her arm sharply away from him and clenching her eyes shut. He quickly withdrew his hand. To his relief the door chime sounded. "Come," he said looking over his shoulder at the door.

Beverly Crusher stepped into the room and glanced around. "What seems to be the problem?" she asked spying the Captain kneeling on the floor.

"We have an intruder who requires your skills Doctor," he said gesturing to the corner.

Beverly took a step forward noticing the tiny figure huddled against the wall for the first time and gasped at the sight of the battered child. Her doctors instincts, as well as her maternal instincts, kicked into full gear. She rushed towards the child, who flinched again, but was stopped by Jean-Luc's arm which he had stuck out in front of her.

"Be careful Beverly."

She kneeled down next to him, pulled out her tricorder, and ran it over the child's body. "My god..." she breathed and reached her hand out towards the little girl. She got the same reaction Jean-Luc had.

The child was confused. She had no idea where she was or who these people were. Past experience told her to be afraid. Very afraid. A large part of her mind told her to fear these people... to fear all people, but another part, albeit small, was telling her something else... something completely different. There was something about this man, this woman... something... if only she could clear her head...

"It's all right. I'm a doctor. I just want to take care of those cuts for you. I'm not going to hurt you," Crusher said softly.

The little girl was getting tired of hearing that, but the woman's sweet soothing voice was causing that small part of her mind to grow slightly louder, although nowhere near as loud as the other part that screamed out causing her to jerk away as the Doctor reached out for her again.

"I can't treat her if I can't get near her Captain. I'm going to have to sedate her." With that Beverly opened her medkit and took out a hypospray.

The child's eyes widened and darted nervously around the room. She was near panic. The doctor moving towards her was all it took to push her over the edge. She sprang forward suddenly, trying to escape through the small gap between the Captain and the Doctor, but the Captain's quick reflexes allowed him to catch hold of her easily. For a moment she struggled weakly in his strong arms before she slipped into unconsciousness not even needing the aid of the hypospray.

                    Pulling Teeth -- Green Day

Part II

                    Hey Jealously--Gin Blossoms

During the two hours Dr. Crusher and her staff spent treating the child's many injuries Captain Picard had remained in sickbay. He didn't know why but he felt the need to be sure the little girl was all right. He paced back and forth in Beverly's office trying to understand the strange feelings he was having.

"You're going to wear a hole in my carpet Jean-Luc," Beverly said walking into her office.

"How is she?"

Beverly walked around her desk and sat down heavily in the chair. She motioned for Jean-Luc to take the seat across from her but he shook his head.

"How is she?" he asked again.

"She's stable for now, but she's still not out of the woods. She was in pretty bad shape. She had several broken ribs, a broken arm, leg, and wrist, severe lacerations, and a concussion. Not to mention the scrapes and bruises," she stated somewhat calmly.

The Captain furrowed his brow.

"Is something wrong Jean-Luc? It's not like you to take such a strong interest in these things."

"Beverly I... I don't know what it is, but I have the strangest feeling. It is almost as if..."

"As if she's familiar somehow," she finished for him. She got up, walked around to the front of her desk, and leaned against it folding her arms across her chest.

"Yes... Yes that's it exactly. It's as if I know her," he said, his voice distant as he tried to remember if he had ever seen the girl before.

"I have the same feeling Jean-Luc."

Their eyes met and they each felt something tugging at the back of their minds.

                    Allison Road--Gin Blossoms

Part III 

                    Until I Fall Away--Gin Blossoms

Beverly Crusher hurried into the Observation Lounge ten minutes late for the staff meeting and took her seat next to the Captain. They both looked tired and worn having spent most of the night talking while keeping watch over the little girl. "Sorry I'm late," she said rubbing her eyes.

"That's all right Doctor, I understand, but in the future try and be on time," the Captain replied. "Now Mr. Data about that temporal disturbance... Do we know what caused it?"

"No sir," the android answered, "It appeared out of nowhere and then it simply... vanished."

"The child..." Picard said, more to himself than to his senior staff. "She must have something to do with it. It's the only answer."

"That is reasonable to believe sir. The child's appearance did coincide with the appearance of the disturbance," Data responded.

"Are you saying that the kid was somehow transported here through the anomaly?" Will Riker asked dubiously.

"It would seem to be the only explanation sir."

"But how is that possible?"

They all looked at Data expecting a long complicated explanation, but "I do not know," was all they got.

"Is there a possibility of this happening again?" the Captain wanted to know.

"It did happen once sir. However, I believe the chances of it happening again are very slim," Data answered, deciding against giving the actual estimation his posatronic brain had calculated.

"Try and find out all you can about it Mr. Data."

Deanna Troi, who had been silent until now, spoke up, "What's to be done with the little girl?"

Jean-Luc and Beverly looked at each other. Neither had been able to shake the feeling they had about the child, who was now in a coma in sickbay.

"Let's not worry about that right now," Picard said flatly. "Dismissed."

Deanna could feel the mixture of strong emotions from the Captain and Doctor, but didn't know what to make of them. She waited while everyone but Jean-Luc and Beverly filed out of the room and watched as Beverly placed her hand on the Captain's shoulder. There was something going on and she was going to find out what.

"Is there anything you would like to talk about?" she asked startling them.

They both looked at Deanna then at each other and then back at Deanna. "It's the child," they said in unison.

                     Hey Jealousy--Gin Blossoms

Part IV 

                    The Heart Won't Lie--Vince Gill and Reba McEntire

"Beverly you need to take a rest."

"What I need to do is figure out why she isn't coming out of this coma. I don't understand it Jean-Luc, none of the conventional methods have worked," Beverly said. She stopped pacing her office and gave Jean-Luc a pleading look as if she expected him to somehow make it all better. She was feeling rather helpless about the entire situation.

Jean-Luc walked over to her and took her hands in his. "Maybe you're too close to the problem. Take a step back from it so you can get a clearer picture."

She smiled wearily at him and sighed. "Maybe you're right Jean-Luc. Maybe I should take a break."

"Then come have dinner with me."

"Now?" she asked, a worried expression appearing on her face.

"I'm sure she'll be all right without you for a couple hours," he said, noticing her hesitation.

"I'd love to," she gave in.

He offered her his arm and she slipped her hand through it. They walked in silence to his quarters.

********************

                    Days gone By--James House

When dinner was over Beverly plopped herself down on the couch while Jean-Luc poured after dinner drinks. He handed her a glass and sat down next to her. After a few moments of silence Beverly said, "What do you think it is? I mean why does she seem so familiar?"

Picard sipped his wine to buy a little time in which to think up a meaningful answer. "I just don't know," was all he managed to come up with.

Beverly didn't seem to notice his lame response, she was lost in thought. "There must be something..." she mumbled to herself.

"Beverly it will come. Just give it time." He placed his hand over hers.

She looked into his warm hazel eyes and felt the sudden urge to kiss him. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to be in his arms. Beverly stood abruptly, nearly leaping off the couch.

"Is something wrong?" Jean-Luc asked standing as well.

She avoided his eyes as she said, "Oh no, nothing's wrong." I was only about to pounce on you and kiss you like there was no yesterday. Nope nothing's wrong at all, she thought as she began edging towards the door. "I better get back to sickbay and check on my patient." She turned and rushed out the door calling, "Goodnight Jean-Luc and thanks for dinner," over her shoulder leaving a very confused Jean-Luc Picard in her wake.

As soon as she was out the door, Beverly fell back against the corridor wall and covered her face with her hands. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Why was it so hard? Why hadn't she kissed him? Would it really be that terrible to move their relationship to another level? She sighed heavily and headed for sickbay.

                    Little Rock--Collin Raye

Part V 

                    Days Gone By--James House

The room was small, only about four feet by four feet and it was pitch black. The silence in the room was broken when the heavy metal door slid open. A large man stepped in and grabbed the child, who was lying on the floor, by the arm and drug her out into the corridor. The child squeezed her eyes shut. Even the dim light hurt her eyes after being in the dark room. She knew better then to struggle for it would only bring on a beating and so she hung limply as the man drug her over the rough floor.

He pulled her into a large room and dropped her onto the floor in front of a desk with a chair behind it, the only furniture in the room. The tiny child opened her eyes cautiously and then shut them again quickly. The four bright lights above the desk had sent sharp stabbing pains through her head.

PartVI 

                    Like There Ain't No Yesterday--Blackhawk

Beverly walked into sickbay and went directly to the child's biobed. It was empty.

"Alyssa!"

Beverly's nurse poked her head around the corner. "Yes Doctor?"

"Where is she? Where's the little girl?" Beverly said pointing at the empty biobed.

Alyssa looked confused. "She was just there a minute ago."

The two women began a search of sickbay.

"Doctor..." Alyssa's voice was low and shaky. The sight of the tiny child trembling in the corner had struck her hard. She had never seen such terror in a child's eyes.

Beverly hurried over and once again knelt before the little girl. "I'll take it from here Alyssa," she said dismissing the nurse, who was more than happy to go.

The child pressed herself against the wall as she stared with wide frightened eyes at the red haired woman in front of her. The nightmare, which had somehow been enough to jolt her out of the coma, had consternated her further.

"It's all right. I'm not going to hurt you." The Doctor's voice was low and gentle and, just as before, caused a part of the child's mind to reach out for her. What the girl felt startled her. Beverly held out her hand offering it to the little girl. She wanted to take hold of the woman's hand, but a gripping fear prevented her.

"That's okay. We can stay here if you like," Beverly said sitting down on the floor in front the child.

They sat silently for a long while. The feeling Beverly had had was growing as she studied the girl. If only she knew what it was. If she could just put her finger on it...

"What's your name?" she asked.

The child stared saying nothing.

Beverly decided to try a different approach. Smiling she said, "Are you hungry?"

The child licked her lips but other than that showed no sign that Beverly was getting through to her.

Beverly held out her hand again. "Come on and I'll get you something to eat."

When the child didn't move she slowly reached for the little girl's hand. This caused the child to flinch and press herself harder against the wall. Beverly's heart went out to the small child. She could almost feel the girl's terror herself. She dropped her hands to her lap feeling helpless. She desperately wanted to help this little girl.

They sat in silence for a very long time while the good doctor tried to think of some way to gain the child's trust. Frustrated, she stood up. Once again the child flinched, and once again Beverly said, "I'm not going to hurt you." She began pacing.

The girl relaxed the tiniest little bit. That part of her mind was telling her that this woman really wouldn't hurt her. She began thinking of what she had felt earlier. She knew this woman... or at least that's the feeling she got from her. She could feel things from this woman, could feel that the woman felt the same thing she did. But how was that possible? How could she feel what someone else felt? She couldn't understand it. She decided to take a chance. Looking up at the woman she said in a voice that was barely a whisper, "I feel it too."

Beverly dropped to her knee in front of the child, a startled expression on her face. "What did you say?"

"I feel it too," the child repeated, shifting uneasily.

"Feel what?" Beverly goaded gently.

"Feel what you feel." She answered, but seeing the confusion on the woman's face she continued, "You feel like you know me. I feel like I know you. You and that man I saw before."

"How did you know that?"

"I felt it from you," the girl replied simply.

"Felt it? Are you empathic?"

"I don't think so. I never felt things from people before I came here."

"Where did you come from?"

The child's face clouded. "I don't know."

"You don't know the name of the planet or the ship?"

The little girl shook her head. "It wasn't like here though."

"What was it like?"

The little girl shook her head again as if she were trying to get the words to fall into place. "It was dark mostly... and cold." She continued to shake her head. "The people there were different. They didn't look like me."

"Can you tell me what they looked like?" Beverly continued to goad.

"They had black hair and wore black suits, and they had ridges on their faces and necks, and they were kinda pale. They reminded me of snakes." The little girl shuddered and hugged her knees tighter to her chest. She looked at Beverly who had gone a few shades lighter.

"What about your parents?" Beverly asked finding her voice again a few minutes later.

"I haven't any." The child noticed the distant look in the woman's eyes and could tell she was lost in thought.

After a while Beverly seemed to suddenly remember where she was. "Will you come over here and sit on the bed so I can make sure your all right?" she asked as she stood and gestured to the biobed.

The child stood slowly, still pressed against the wall and gave Beverly a uncertain look. "They were mean there. It's not like that here is it?"

Smiling, Beverly said, "No one here will ever hurt you."

The girl still hesitated, but finally followed the doctor to the bed.

Dr. Crusher ran a tricorder over the child, who pulled away from her. "Do you do experiments too?" she asked in a shaky voice.

"No I don't. Did they do experiments on you?"

The girl nodded closing her eyes tightly trying to shut out the memories.

Beverly decided it would be a good idea to change the subject. "What's your name?"

"I haven't got one. The man said I didn't. He said I was nothing and didn't deserve a name," the girl replied looking away.

Beverly didn't know what to say. She gently laid a hand on the child's arm. The girl jerked sharply away from her. "I'm sorry," was all the Doctor could manage to say.

Part VII 

                    I Want to Come Over--Melissa Ethridge

The staff meeting had been long and tedious and not as helpful as Picard had hoped it would be. There was nothing new on the temporal disturbance or what had caused it, and the only hypothesis they could come up with as to where the child had come from was that she was somehow transported there through it. Beverly had told them all the child had said which had only given them more to worry about. Picard dismissed everyone and walked to the window where he stood looking out at the stars. Beverly came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. They hadn't spoken since dinner the night before.

"I'm sorry about last night Jean-Luc."

He placed his hand over hers. "Care to talk about it?"

She bit her lip uneasily. "I just had a lot on my mind," she replied hoping it would be enough.

"Has Deanna spoken to the child yet?"

"Yes, earlier this morning," Beverly answered.

"How did it go?"

"Not very well. The child is unwilling to speak to anyone but me."

"Do you really think it was Cardassians?"

"From what she's told me, yes, I do."

"What would they want with a human child?" Jean-Luc was speaking more to himself than to her.

Beverly dropped her hands to her sides. "Everything about this child is so confusing. It just doesn't make any sense."

They stood silently looking out the window as if they would find the answers written somewhere among the stars.

Part VIII 

                    Let 'Em Whirl--Blackhawk

"Are you going to be able to release her from sickbay soon?" Jean-Luc asked between sips of coffee.

Beverly stopped poking at her croissant and came back to reality. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I was just wondering when you are going to release the little girl from sickbay."

"She's still a little weak, but I should be able to release her tomorrow."

There was a touch of hope in his voice as he asked, "Who's going to take her until we get to the starbase?"

"I am."

He wasn't too surprised. "Oh," he said sounding a little disappointed.

"Jean-Luc you weren't...."

He looked into his coffee avoiding her all too perceptive eyes.

"Oh my god. You were weren't you? You were going to take that little girl yourself." She sounded rather amused.

He continued avoiding her eyes. "Well I just thought that maybe... Well I mean if... that is if no one else..." he stammered as a bright shade of pink began to creep up his neck.

"Why Jean-Luc I had no idea," she said becoming more serious.

"Well I just wanted to make sure she got the proper care."

"That is very sweet of you. You know if you really wanted to..."

"That's quite all right. I'm sure she'll be better off with you." Then trying to change the subject, "Have you thought of a name for her yet?"

"No, not yet. Nothing seems to fit her."

They were quiet for a bit. Each was off in their own little world.

Beverly was the first to come back. "Why don't you come over tomorrow?" she asked, trying to keep the hope out of her voice.

Jean-Luc raised an eyebrow at her over the rim of his coffee cup.

"To my quarters I mean," she continued. "Just to help get her settled in. She does, after all, seem to like you."

"If that's what you call like I'd hate to see your idea of fear." But when he saw the disappointment in her eyes he added, "I'll be glad to come."

Beverly smiled happily, "Great, I'll see you then." With that she left her breakfast companion, all thoughts of leaving the little girl at the next starbase fading from her mind.

Part IX 

                    All the Way to Heaven--Melissa Ethridge

The doors to Beverly's quarters slid open and she stepped in. When she realized no one had followed her in she turned to see what the hold up was. The little girl was standing in the doorway staring wide eyed into the room. Jean-Luc stood behind her politely waiting until the girl entered, always the gentleman.

"What's wrong?" Beverly asked.

"I'm going to stay here?" the girl asked poking her head in and looking around.

"What's the matter? Don't you like it?"

"Oh it's very nice. I just never been allowed anyplace so nice."

"Well your very welcome here. Come in."

The girl hesitated but finally went in followed by Jean-Luc who was looking on with a concerned expression.

"Will I have a bed too?"

"You certainly will. Come here and I'll show you."

They went into the bedroom and Beverly pointed to a small bed that had been set up near her own.

"Mine?" the child asked in disbelief.

"All yours. Now would you like something to eat or a bath first?"

The girl looked down at herself. Though she had been cleaned up earlier she was still a little grimy, and looking at the spotless Captain and Doctor made her feel slightly embarrassed. "A bath please."

Beverly led the child to the bathroom and turned the water in the tub on. "Jean-Luc could you..." Glancing about she realized he wasn't there. She went back to the bedroom where Picard was still standing with an uncertain look on his face. "Aren't you going to help?" she asked.

"I'm sure you'll do just fine on your own Doctor."

Beverly realized, with quite a bit of amusement, that her Captain was embarrassed. Laughing she said, "Honestly Jean-Luc. She's a five year old little girl. There's nothing to be embarrassed about."

"I am not embarrassed," he paltered. "I just thought I'd be in the way."

"Uuuh hu." She took hold of his arm and pulled him into the bathroom. "You know Jean-Luc you need to get over these things. What if we were to have children? Would you still act like this?" Uh Oh. How the hell did I let that slip?

"If we were to have children Doctor?"

"Umm well I just meant in general. You know, a what if." She turned away from him to the little girl who now stood naked by the large tub. "All right, hop in." I really gotta be more careful, she thought to herself.

The child climbed into the tub and practically disappeared into the bubbles Beverly had added causing Jean-Luc and Beverly to laugh heartily. Beverly rolled up the sleeves to her civilian shirt and brushed the bubbles away reveling the far too thin child who did not look at all amused. Beverly began to scrub, surprised that the child allowed her to, and after a moment Jean-Luc joined in.

When the child was scrubbed from head to toe Jean-Luc sat himself down on the wet floor. "I remember my mother doing this to me when I was a little boy."

"You were a little boy?" Beverly asked in mock surprise.

Jean-Luc made a face at her, to which Beverly scooped up a large amount of bubbles and blew them into his face.

"Doctor, such inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated."

"Oh? And what are you gonna do about it?"

"This," he said, and smacked his hand across the water sending it and a large heap of bubbles in Beverly's direction. She squealed and sent a volley of water at him. They were soon in the midst of a full-blown water war. There was so much screaming and laughing that even the little girl sent a splash now and then unable to resist joining the fun.

Ten minutes later when it finally ended Beverly got a towel for each of them and sent Jean-Luc and the child into the main living area. Jean-Luc sat on the couch and the girl sat next to him on the floor warped in a towel while Beverly remained in the bedroom.

"You know we still need to find you a name," Jean-Luc said to the child. "Are there any that you like?"

The child looked thoughtful for a moment then said, "I think you ought to pick one."

"Me?"

"Mm hm", she replied looking hopefully at him.

"Maybe you had better let the Doctor do that. I'm sure she would do a better job than I could."

"But I want you to do it."

She had him then. He was getting wrapped around her little finger. "All right. I'll think of something," he said.

Beverly came in then holding a piece of deep purple cloth in her hand. She held it up and it unfolded into a small, very pretty, dress.

"For me?" the child gasped.

"Well we can try it on the Captain, but I think it will fit you better. Come here and try it on."

The child stood and followed Beverly into the bedroom.

A few minutes later Beverly came out and stood in the doorway smiling. "Come on and let the Captain see."

The little girl walked shyly out into the room staring down at her feet clad in the purple dress, her long blondish brown hair neatly brushed. Picard couldn't help but smile broadly. The girl looked up at him and he could have sworn that she smiled back. It was then that he saw it. Those eyes, they were the same fierce blue eyes he had looked into a million times, over countless breakfasts and dinners. They were the same eyes as Beverly's.

Part X 

                    I Sure Can Smell the Rain --Blackhawk

Jean-Luc had said nothing to Beverly about it yet, but every time he looked into the little girl's face he saw the face of his best friend looking back at him.

Elizabeth (as he had finally named her) had the same bright blue eyes, the same nose, and the same soft, full lips that his eyes had lingered over so many times. He couldn't understand it and he couldn't explain it, but that little girl wasn't just any little girl. Somehow, no matter how impossible it seemed, that little girl was Beverly's own little girl. He could see it every time he looked at them, and even more than that he could feel it. He had to do what he had been avoiding. He had to talk to Elizabeth and find out all he could about where she had come from and how she had gotten there. He couldn't help but think that she held all the answers he was looking for.

********************

"Come in," Beverly called.

The door slid open and Jean-Luc strode into Beverly's quarters. He wore a loose fitting low cut shirt, a pair of tall black boots, and breeches, that Beverly couldn't help but notice, hugged all the right spots.

"Hello Jean-Luc," she said trying not to stare.

"Hello Beverly. Is Elizabeth ready?" he was completely oblivious to his friend's lingering gaze.

She took a deep breath. "She should be out in a second." As she said it the little girl came out of the bedroom dressed similar to Picard.

"Ah there she is. Are you ready for your first riding lesson?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Well then let's get going." He turned to go with Elizabeth close at his heels.

"Jean-Luc wait. Maybe this isn't such a good idea. I mean she hasn't been out of sickbay that long." She wrung her hands nervously.

He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked reassuringly into her eyes. "Beverly she's going to be fine. I'll take good care of her."

She smiled feeling more at ease. "I know you will." She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you Jean-Luc."

********************

                    Shriner's Park--Melissa Ethridge

They walked in silence to the Holodeck, Picard trying to ignore the surprised looks on the faces of the crewmembers they passed. When they reached the Holodeck the doors swished open to disclose a small lush green meadow edged with numerous trees. Tied to a hitching post near the doors was a grey Arabian and a black Highland pony each saddled and ready to go.

"Oh Mr. Jean-Luc he's beautiful," Elizabeth said as she stroked the pony's nose.

"I thought you'd like him. Come here and I'll show you how to..." But the little girl needed no help. Just as though she had been doing it all he life she swung up onto the pony's back with perfect grace. "Are you sure you've never done this before?"

The girl looked at him, ignorant as to why he had asked, and shook her head. "Nope, never."

Picard swung up onto his own mount and they were soon loping easily across the meadow. Riding came perfectly natural to Elizabeth and she had no trouble controlling the quiet pony. After several rounds in the meadow Picard led the way to a wide trail through the woods. They rode side by side in silence as he tried to think of a way to bring up the subject he had brought her here to discuss without frightening the child. She had come far from when she had first been found in his quarters. He and Beverly were gaining her trust a little more everyday and he didn't want this to set them back. Might as well just plunge right in. No use in putting it off any longer, he thought before saying, "Lizzie (he had taken to calling her by this shortened version of her name) where is it that you came from?"

She avoided looking at him and instead glued her eyes to the piece of the pony's mane she was twisting in her fingers. "I already talked about this with Dr. Beverly. I don't know. I can't remember."

"I think you can."

"I can't! I can't remember and I don't want to!" Anger flashed in her eyes, and he was reminded of Beverly and her infamous Howard temper.

Picard reached over and took hold of the pony's reigns pulling it to a stop. They had reached a small pond so he dismounted and tied the horses to a nearby tree. Elizabeth dismounted as well and followed Jean-Luc to the edge of the pond where they stood quietly for a long while looking out over the still water. Picard finally spoke, "Lizzie, I know it hurts to remember, but I need you to tell me. I need to know."

She looked up at him with wide frightened blue eyes that were filling with tears. "Do I have to?"

"I need to know," he repeated.

"All right." She sat down on the sandy ground and Picard did the same. "I don't know the name of the planet, but I'll tell you anything else you wanna know."

"The people there, do you know what kind they were? Do you know what they were called?"

She squinted as if the answers were there but, she just couldn't see it.

"If I name some do you think you would know which one it is?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Were they Romulan?"

She shook her head.

"Were they Klingon?"

Again she shook her head.

Picard closed his eyes dreading the answer to his next question. "Lizzie, were they... were they Cardassians?" He opened his eyes and looked down at her.

Slowly, she nodded.

Picard could feel the anger growing inside of him as could Elizabeth. He dreaded this next question even more than the last. "Do you remember any of their names?"

She hesitated. Repressed memories were bubbling up and the anger welling up inside the Captain was frightening her. "You already know his name," she said quietly.

"Tell me. Tell me his name."

"Gul Madred." Her voice was low and when she said it she shrunk away from Jean-Luc. She could sense his struggle to control his anger. He had his eyes closed and was taking slow deep breaths. Several minutes later he was able to control his anger enough to speak again. "What did he do to you?"

The memories she had been shoving away washed over her now and she began to tremble. "I was in a cell most of the time. It was small and dark and there was heavy metal door. Sometimes I was taken to another room. It was big and there was a desk and a chair and..."

"And four bright lights above the desk," he finished for her. He too was now trembling, but mostly with anger.

Elizabeth was not surprised that he knew. She had been able to feel it from him. "There was a lab too. I went there a lot. They did tests and experiments. That doctor was mean, not like Dr. Beverly."

"He hurt you didn't he? He beat you. They all did."

She nodded gravely.

Picard leapt up and slammed his fist into the nearest tree. Elizabeth sat motionless. The rage she felt from him was paralyzing. There was a distinct loud crack as the bones in his hand snapped. He leaned his head against the tree and clung to it as if it were the only thing keeping him standing. It was a long time before he regained his composure. Then he had he ended the program and they headed for sickbay so Beverly could heal his broken hand.

******************** 

"Take it easy with that hand for a few days. It'll be sore for a while." Beverly released Jean-Luc's hand and looked him square in the eye. "Now would you like to tell me what caused you to slug a tree?"

Jean-Luc told her the all that Elizabeth had told him. When he finished Beverly's face was ashen. She then flew into a rage. "I can't believe they would do that! She's just a little girl. Where the hell did they get the idea that they could treat children like that! How dare they take a little child and do experiments on her!"

Jean-Luc grabbed her by the arms. She was near tears. "Beverly, calm down."

"Don't you tell me to calm down." She tried to break away from him, but he held tight.

"There's nothing you can do about it now. You need to calm down you're scaring her."

Beverly looked at the little girl who was trembling, she could feel her fear. She collapsed into Jean-Luc's arms and began sobbing. He held her tightly until she calmed down.

Jean-Luc decided it was time to tell her. "Beverly... Beverly I think she's your daughter."

"What? That's impossible."

"When you really stop and think about it, it almost makes sense." He began to explain. "The temporal disturbance. It is possible that it opened a hole in time and that Elizabeth was transported through that hole from some time in the future. She said the Cardassians were performing experiments. Well perhaps one of them had to do with, with time and she was somehow thrown back in time during one of those experiments."

"But how does that make her mine? Are you saying that sometime in the future I'll give birth to a daughter who will be taken from me by Cardassians? That's crazy Jean-Luc."

"It may be, but it's the best explanation anyone has been able to come up with yet."

Beverly stood dumbfounded trying to take it all in. She looked at the little girl and for the first time noticed the resemblance. Elizabeth looked exactly the same as she had at that age only without the red hair. As crazy as it sounded it was beginning to make sense to her too. "And the experiments would explain why she can sense things too."

Jean-Luc nodded. "I wonder who the lucky man is that got to be her father."

Revelation showed on Beverly's face as she said, "You. It's you Jean-Luc. You're her father."

"Now lets not get carried away Beverly."

"I'm serious. Look at her. She acts just like you sometimes. She even has some of the same habits. And her hair. You had that same color hair. And you felt the same thing I did, like she was familiar somehow. She can sense things from you and me, but not from anyone else. It's like she is connected to us. It would also explain why he took her. He wanted to hurt you... to get back at you."

He was silent for a long time as it sunk into his brain. He ran a hand over his smooth head. "Well if she inherited my hair color let's just hope she didn't inherit my hairline as well."

They all laughed, even little Elizabeth.

********************

They left sickbay without any real destination. Jean-Luc and Beverly walked side by side down the corridor in contemplative silence not knowing what to say. They were each trying to figure out the next move, which somehow seemed to escape them. Elizabeth, who had been trailing along behind them, couldn't understand why they didn't see what was so obvious to her (and just about everyone else). Feeling rather bold she marched up and pushed herself between the two adults. Then, ever so cautiously, She reached up and took hold of their hands. Beverly and Jean-Luc looked down at the little girl. If she no longer felt the need to be afraid then why should they? Their eyes met over her head and they smiled. Suddenly there they were standing in the middle of the corridor kissing with the little girl standing between them holding their hands, and they knew.

Epilogue

                    I Want to Come Over--Melissa Ethridge

3 months later

With the help of Deanna Troi and her parents (Beverly and Jean-Luc as the tests had confirmed) Elizabeth Beverly Picard's nightmares were beginning to subside and she was getting over what had happened in her past. The memories would still haunt her now and then, as they always would, but one look at her newlywed parents was all it took to make her smile again.

********************

Jean-Luc Picard walked into his quarters and looked around for his wife who was nowhere to be seen. "Beverly?" Then all he could see was a blur of red and blue as Beverly pounced on him knocking him to the floor. She kissed him passionately and began tugging at his uniform. "Beverly do you really think it's wise to do this with a child around?" he said when they stopped for air.

"Deanna took her to the Holodeck and then to dinner. They won't be back for a while."

Beverly smiled at her husband and pulled him to his feet. He followed her to the bedroom with a dazed look and lecherous grin on his face. He had a wife who loved him and a daughter who had come to absolutely adore him. Life couldn't be better.

The End (or just the beginning)

Part 2 - Silencing The Past