Prologue

A war had broken out on Nebaran. A terrible war. Over the course of five months, 1,000,000 lives had been lost, and disease and famine were slowly wiping out the rest.

Then, the Central Government finally relented, the officials seeing their lives as short if they refused, allowing the Revolutionists to create a government where the people would be considered people, and not workhorses for the benefit of the upper class.

"And still they can’t sort it all out."

Dr. Loren Heislo of the Scientific Institute shook his head at the ignorance on his planet, now growing smaller, more distant as his small shuttle left the Gerus System. He flopped into the copilot’s seat and stared out.

"It’s not as if they didn’t try... It’s just not meant to be, not within our, or Gabrielle’s, lifetime."

Loren smiled, for what seemed like the first time in ages. "Gabrielle. She deserves so much more than to be kept away from her own kind. She can learn so much from them that we could never teach her."

"Yes." Prime Minister Gecul Duran turned toward the back of the shuttle. "How is she?"

"Happy. She was staring out at the stars when I left her - she’s always wanted to come out here. She’s been so lonely ever since Joshua died. Who wouldn’t be? She lost her best friend. But now that she’s going home, to her own planet and people... even the possibility of meeting her biological parents--"

"We don’t know if that will happen. For all we know, they died a long time ago. And even if we did find them, there’s no guarantee they would accept her. This is a risk, Loren. No one may accept her."

"Someone will. Someone has to."

The Journey Home
By: Alyssa Powell
cmdrbevc@aol.com

"Jean-Luc, slow down!! I can’t climb that fast!!"

Beverly Crusher looked up at the figure of the Captain, roughly three meters above her, climbing faster by the minute.

Jean-Luc Picard balanced himself against the sheer rock wall, then looked down at Beverly.

"Come on. Carefully, slowly. You’re doing just fine."

Eventually, Beverly managed to catch up with him, then stayed within a close proximity for the rest of the climb.

"I was thinking, Jean-Luc. Why is it I always let you pick the program?"

Saying those words had been a mistake, as the lack of concentration on her footing made her left foot slip away from the rock. She let out a yell as she slipped down the cliff...

Then, suddenly, she stopped. Amazed, she looked up.

Jean-Luc had closed his hand about one of her wrists and was trying to haul her up. "It’s okay, Beverly. I have you."

They reached a ledge, where Beverly leaned against the rock face and took slow, measured breaths. How she hated heights.

"Thank you, Jean-Luc."

He smiled at her, then reached out to brush a stray lock of hair out of her face. "My good deed for the day."

She was aware of his hand on her shoulder, felt it move closer to her neck, saw his face coming closer to her own. And as he kissed her, heard the sound of her stomach tying in knots.

She pulled back, afraid to let it continue.

"Jean-Luc... I--"

"Bridge to Captain Picard."

Beverly sighed with relief as Picard responded. "Go ahead."

"Sir, there is an unknown ship approaching at Warp 1. They want to talk to a Federation Starship. Shall I open communications?"

"Yes, Number One. I’ll be there shortly. Picard out." He stood and, reluctantly, left the Holodeck.

Beverly leaned back against the wall and surrendered herself to the torture of feuding emotions.

Will Riker paced the bridge. This was very unusual. It wasn’t every day you run into an unknown race asking to speak to a Federation Starship. Most first contact situations like this end with one or both ships destroyed.

The whoosh of the turbolift doors signaled the arrival of Captain Picard.

"Report, Number One."

Will took his normal seat as he spoke. "The ship, approaching at Warp 1.3, is still, as of yet, unidentified. They are asking to... well, maybe you should listen.

Riker signaled for the communications channel to be opened.

"This is a neutral transport vessel from Nebaran. We are unarmed and not in search of a fight. It is imperative that we speak with a Federation Starship. Can anyone read us?"

"Open communications, Mr. Keenan." Picard stood.

"I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation Starship Enterprise. How may we assist you?"

Seconds later, the viewscreen showed the first Nebaran a Starfleet officer had ever laid eyes on. He was humanoid, with a thick, leathery shin. The top of his head was covered by an armor plate, stretching back to a rounded point at the back of his.

His brown eyes, however, shone with obvious relief that he could see the crew. For a second, he almost looked Terran.

"Captain Picard, it is a relief to finally find a Federation Starship. Thank you for answering our hail. I am Gecul Duran, Prime Minister of Nebaran."

Picard nodded cordially. "A pleasure to meet you. Why, if I may ask, was it important to find us?"

Gecul shifted a moment, then answered. "Because of our passenger, Captain. She is Terran." He looked almost guilty for a moment, then continued. "We felt the need to return her to her own kind, so we journey to Earth. We hoped to find a starship and explain our plight so we would not find trouble as we entered the Sol system."

"How is it that you came across a Terran female?" Picard asked this.

Again, Gecul felt uneasy. "Perhaps I could explain this on your ship?"

Picard looked over to Lieutenant Keenan, who gave an affirmative nod. "Very well, Prime Minister. You and your party will be welcome here, but I’m sure our Chief Medical Officer will insist on seeing your passenger."

The Nebaran smiled. "This is as we had hoped, but our ship appears too big to fit in your shuttlebay. What would you suggest?"

"We will tow you with our tractor beam and transport you aboard. Is this acceptable?"

Gecul actually smiled. "Yes, Captain. Thank you."

And then the screen went blank.

"Did they tell you HOW they found a Terran?" Beverly Crusher’s temper sparked up as Picard told her what had happened in the last few minutes. Standing in the transporter room, waiting for the Nebarans to beam aboard, he had decided it better to let her know what she was going to see.

This created an immediate problem.

Beverly Crusher held high standards for herself and others. She also had a value system that she followed religiously. Stealing away a member of ANY race was absolutely horrendous behavior for anyone claiming to be civilized, but since the stolen was Terran...

The transporter sparkled, and soon showed three forms. The two on the outside were at least two and a half feet taller than the center form. As the figures materialized, the face of the Terran focused.

She was, Picard guessed, about his height, with reddish-brown hair that went about two inches past her shoulders. Her eyes were pale green, sparkling with excitement. Picard was taken by this young girl immediately. She possessed a grace rarely seen, and he knew she had a sharp mind just by observing the way she took in her surroundings. He would like to get to know this child better before... whatever happens... happens.

"Welcome aboard, Prime Minister. May I present my senior officers." Picard started with Will, on the far side, then worked his way back, ending his introductions with Beverly.

"A pleasure to meet you all. This is Dr. Loren Heislo, and our young friend is Gabrielle."

Picard smiled at the name. Child after my own heart. He looked around.

"Dr. Crusher will escort Gabrielle to sickbay. I will escort you and Dr. Heislo to a place where we can talk.

"That would be, acceptable."

"So, Gabrielle," Beverly just couldn’t wait. She HAD to know what had happened to this child. "How is it that you were found so far away from Federation space?"

Gabrielle regarded the doctor, she seemed so easy to talk to, yet so determined. She was after something, and this was familiar, actually. She had found it easiest to use this subtle technique around the doctors and Josh, and had noted that Josh did the same. "I know you’re after something more, please, do not feel embarrassed or afraid to ask."

The bluntness of her statement took Beverly by surprise. This kid was sharp.

"I," She sighed, then looked into Gabrielle’s determined eyes and continued. "Were you treated well? Did they ever harm you in any way? And just how is it that they found you?"

Gabrielle chuckled lightly. "Doctor, you make them sound like such villains! No, in answer to your question, they never mistreated me. We were, actually, their pride and joy. A miracle of their modern science."

"We?"

"Yes, doctor, there were 20 of us in the beginning. We were the results of various genetic testing. Out of hundreds of samples, they found those genetically perfect matches. Or so they thought. Only ten survived past infancy, and then, only two past the age of five."

Beverly’s gut twisted around, looping within itself a hundred times. Nausea fought its way to the surface as she thought of even more children being kept away from their own kind. And genetically engineered, to add to the increasing horror! "Why did they perform the experiments in the first place?! Where did they get the DNA?! And where is the other survivor?"

Gabrielle looked sympathetically to the doctor. "Somehow, I doubted anyone would understand, Doctor Crusher, I don’t know why they did it. All I know is that they did, and if they thought they’d made a mistake, they would have corrected it. And I am the last one. My partner, Joshua, was killed in an accident a few months ago."

Beverly didn’t need to be an empath to see the girl’s pain. The term "partner" implied a very deep affection for him, whoever he was. But, then again, she didn’t need logic. One look in Gabrielle’s eyes was enough. She wore the same pained expression that she had worn a few months after her beloved Jack had died. "I’m sorry. I truly am. I lost someone very dear to me similarly, and I know what it feels like."

Gabrielle, in her true strength, smiled at her. "Then I pity you, because I know how you felt. But I’m fine. It’s an accepted part of life." Beverly’s next words were swallowed as they stepped through the doors in sickbay. She led Gabrielle to a biobed and asked her to take a seat.

"I’ll be right back," she said, walking toward another woman and a separate room.

Gabrielle knew enough about technology to know that all this machinery was highly advanced. Her eyes began a sweep of the room and an observation of its occupants. She stopped at a man in a yellow version of Beverly’s blue uniform, holding his arm out to another woman in blue. As she noticed the tear in his skin and the blood oozing out, she grimaced, but was then in awe as the woman in blue ran a small, blinking device over the gushing wound and healed the gash in moments. Eyes stared in shock as the man flexed his arm once again, having no trace of his earlier injury. What a miracle. If only this technology had been on Nebaran four months ago. She shook the thoughts out of her head as Dr. Crusher came back with the woman she had talked to and a cart full of equipment.

"I’m sorry that took so long," Beverly said. "This is the breakdown. We’ll take some blood and tissue samples and store them for matching later. Then, we’ll give you a physical to see that you’re showing normal human development." Gabrielle nodded absently, thinking back on the past as Beverly and her friend did their jobs.

"Captain, I realize you must be rather, curious as to how we came across a Terran child. If you will allow us to explain everything."

Picard, being the eternally diplomatic man that he is, nodded his head. "Of course, Prime Minister."

Dr. Heislo picked up the explanation. "Twenty years ago, one of our ships came across many of yours, but you never knew. It was a camouflaged vessel, unnoticeable in either readings or sight. It was very well concealed. A wonder of astronomical science. The purpose was to collect data, and they, being part of a radical medical group, took it a step further and collected DNA as well, using a technology we call biomolecular teleportation to retrieve their samples.

"Over the course of two years of study, the team covertly retrieved over 10,000 DNA samples from various life forms, then took them home at the end of their tour. There, they studied the samples, looking for genetic matches among literally hundreds of different species. Most of the non-Terran samples were contaminated, and others were simply incompatible. Still others were stable, but the pairing did not survive. Humans proved to be the most successful.

"Out of 689 different samples, 20 genetically compatible matches were found, and out of that, 16 survived gestation. But we experienced problems in their early lives, and the elder 14 died before the Earth equivalent of five years old. The youngest ones, however, seemed to be our strongest matches. They not only exceeded all the others, but grew to adulthood."

"There is another child?" Picard was shocked by what had been said, but knew it would accomplish nothing now.

"Was, Captain. Joshua was killed in a terrible accident four of your months ago."

Picard sat, digesting all that had been said.

It was then that Prime Minister Duran spoke again. "I hope you can forgive my people for all their atrocities. We are here now to try and make amends. We wish to find Gabrielle’s parents, and pray they will accept her."

Picard stood, nodding. "I cannot hold the two of you at fault. You did nothing. But I cannot guarantee that Gabrielle’s parents will accept her. They could be mortal enemies, have never heard of each other, or they very well could be dead."

"We know, Captain, but we had to try. This girl is very important to us both, and we only wish her happiness."

Picard smiled. "My crew is at your disposal in this endeavor."

It was later that night, and Gabrielle found herself in a rather, jubilant atmosphere. She was seated at an internally lit table near a very large window. A band was playing music with some very shiny mouthpieces, and still others were covering their ears in pain. She had read "Ten-Forward" on a sign in front of the glassed doors. But, wasn’t she on deck 8? She was staring out at the streaking stars as a very exotic-looking woman and another with dark skin and a big hat walked over to her.

"Hello," they both said simultaneously. The shorter, paler woman indicated a seat across from her. "Is this taken?"

"Oh, no. Please sit. Both of you."

The paler woman did, but the other shook her head. "I came to ask what you wanted to drink. My name is Guinan. I run this establishment. This is Deanna Troi, the ship’s counselor."

Gabrielle thought a moment. "Do you know how to make a Nebaran Twist?"

Guinan smiled at the young woman and nodded. "I think I do." She started to walk away, but stopped a few feet off. She turned back around to look at the young woman again. So familiar.

Deanna smiled at Gabrielle. "Do you like it here?" she asked.

"Oh, yes," Gabrielle responded enthusiastically. "I’ve always wanted to be in space."

Deanna smiled. "Are you excited over the prospect of being with other humans?"

Gabrielle’s eyes never detoured. "Yes, I am. I mean, I love Nebaran. It’s my home, but, I just want to be where I truly belong."

Deanna noted the girl’s sorrow, but observed how it wasn’t necessary to discuss it. Instead, she quietly sipped her screwdriver and watched as the girl stared in awe at the sight of warping stars.

"So, what do you think of our guest, Beverly?"

Beverly looked from her untouched plate of food to her dinner companion. "Gabrielle is wonderful, Jean-Luc. She’s polite, pleasant, intelligent, all the things I find delightful in a person. She’s curious beyond the level of a cat, too. My kind of person right there."

Jean-Luc took another forkful of food before responding. "Then if you’re not bothered by Gabrielle, why haven’t you touched your food?"

It was only then that Beverly realized he was right. "I guess I’m just not hungry," she said smiling sheepishly.

Jean-Luc stood and walked around the table, taking her hands and lifting her out of her chair. He led her to the couch and sat her down, still holding her hands. "I know better than that. Something is bothering you, Beverly. Please tell me."

How well he knew her. She smiled inwardly at that. "I’m bothered about the way they obtained Gabrielle. It was wrong of them to perform such experiments. Jean-Luc, it’s a Frankensteinian subject, how could they engineer a human being like that?"

Jean-Luc sighed. "Beverly, I’m not saying what they did was condonable, but what was done is done, and Gabrielle is the sixteen year old result."

"But why?"

She needed to be held. He knew she needed to be held. Tenderly, he slipped his strong arms around her and held her against his chest.

Quietly, she sighed, loving the feel of his muscled chest against her back, loving his arms about her, loving his tender kisses on her head.

He bent to kiss her cheek as she turned to face him, and their lips locked in a tender, gentle kiss. The kiss slowly grew in intensity, and it changed. Its tenderness gave way to passion, it’s gentleness to an expression of deep love. After an eternity, but all too soon, they drew back in shock, realizing exactly what had just happened.

"Jean-Luc?" Beverly gasped, flushed and catching her breath.

Jean-Luc, for his part, stared at the ravished face of his best friend and would-be lover. He would have run away--felt like running away, but her loving eyes stopped him before he moved, and he uttered words he never though he would. "I love you, Beverly. I have for a very long time."

She closed her eyes and leaned into his chest. She rested her head on his shoulder and let tears roll down her face, noticing that all the fear she had been feeling was now gone.

Her combadge went off, "Sickbay to Dr. Crusher."

She answered, "Crusher here. Go ahead, Alyssa."

She registered slight shock in Alyssa’s voice as she continued to speak. "Doctor, we have the results of the DNA tests already."

Well, no wonder she was in shock. That meant that Gabrielle’s parents were both Starfleet officers and both still alive. "Acknowledged. I’ll get the Captain and Gabrielle, and meet you there in five minutes." Then, to Jean-Luc: "This is good news, you know."

"Yes, very."

Smiling, she grasped his hand and bolted out the door, anxious to get to Gabrielle and, then, sickbay.

As she gazed at the padd, her smile fell, replaced by absolute shock. How could this be, she thought, reading it over again and again. Then, feeling the waiting eyes of Gabrielle and Jean-Luc on her back, she turned slowly to face them.

"Gabrielle," she started. Gods, how would she say this? Alyssa had been kind enough to run the tests again, there was no doubt. "Your parents are Starfleet officers, and are both still very much alive," She swallowed as she looked her straight in the eye, taking her hand in support. "Your father is Jean-Luc Picard." She tuned away as shock registered on both their faces, turning to each other to give their new-found family member a good, scrutinizing look. Indeed, she did have some of his features. Her shoulder-length brown hair was basically his color, streaked with a few blondish-red highlights. Her chin held his trademark dimple, and her brilliant smile was his.

"Doctor Crusher, who is my mother?"

Tears sprang to her eyes as she took a seat on the bed next to Gabrielle. Clutching the padd to her chest, she answered her question in a quiet whisper. "I am."

(Oh, come on, like no one expected it,)

Elsewhere,

"General, we have located the stolen shuttle, but it is moving away from us at an impossible speed. Nothing that we have will catch them."

"Can we notify any of our ships?"

"Yes, sir. The Nep'chack is close enough to intercept."

"Nep'chack, Captain Remlu's ship. There's hope, Commander. If anyone can retrieve the human child, it's him. Notify him immediately."

Gabrielle sat alone in her assigned quarters, mulling over what she had discovered today. "My parents are here. Together." She couldn't shake a feeling, though. Her presence was unexpected, and her "parents" seemed as shocked as she was. She wondered about that. Did either of them care to have a child? The Captain doesn't even seem to like me. The door chimed in that instant, and she already knew who it was. "Come in."

Somehow, it didn't seem unusual for Counselor Troi to step in just then.

"Hello, Counselor. What may I do for you?"

She seemed so brave about it all. Deanna knew it had to be a mask. How would she feel if she had just discovered her parents after sixteen years? Hopeful, she deduced. Hopeful, but somehow unenthusiastic because of the looming possibility that they wouldn't accept her. Maybe some disappointment in their identities.

"Gabrielle?" Deanna reached out to touch her shoulder, and was relieved to see that she didn't shy away. "Gabrielle, I know you probably don't want company right now, but--"

"No, it's okay, Counselor. It's probably better that I have someone to talk to, anyway." Gabrielle smiled, then turned serious again. "Can you, can you tell me about my parents? What do they think of me? What do they think of each other? Anything, just talk."

Deanna hardly knew where to start. "I count your parents among my best friends. Beverly--" She corrected herself. "Your mother is my best friend. She's dedicated, kind, gentle, intelligent - no, brilliant. She'll accept you if you are related to her, no matter your origin. She likes you anyway, so she'll adjust for your sake. You are lucky to have her as your mother."

"And my father? He seems distant. Incapable of love. Always the Captain. Is a man like that capable of love? And what does he think of Dr. Crusher?"

"Your father, it's so difficult to describe him accurately. He's gentle, noble, and selfless. He is very capable of love, but he has his outer shell. It's there to guard against emotional interference during a tense situation. A good analogy would be a crab and it's shell, protecting the soft tissue beneath. Do you understand?"

Gabrielle nodded.

"The relationship between your father and mother is a popular topic of conversation within Starfleet. People have thought that they were romantically involved for years. That's just a rumor, but I can tell you this: they love each other, whether they acknowledge it or not. They have a very long history - so long that not even I could tell you everything. Their friendship has grown strong - so strong that I don't know of any relationship that is stronger, married or otherwise."

Gabrielle processed what she had been given, then asked one last question. "Will they accept me? Individually, maybe, but as a family? Can their friendship survive the added tension of me, if they have been through so much already?"

"Gabrielle," Deanna said with certainty, "If their relationship has survived everything it's already been through, I have no doubt that they can accept you - and I sincerely doubt that you would be a tension. I think you'd be a blessing in disguise."

For the first time that night, Gabrielle smiled genuinely.

Picard slowly entered the darkened quarters of Beverly Crusher, becoming alarmed after she didn't answer his repeated hails. "Beverly?" he called tentatively. She had been rather distraught in sickbay (so was he, for that matter), and he knew she would need to talk to someone. Soon. He heard soft sobbing coming from her bedroom, and followed blindly. He stopped as he reached the doorway, nearly gaping. There she was, curled on her bed, facing the window behind it. Her red hair shimmered in the faint starlight, and her snow-white nightgown glowed serenely. She looked very much like a helpless, wounded angel.

"Beverly."

"Go away, Jean-Luc." Her reply was a half-hearted whisper, and he'd almost missed it.

He shook his head. "No, Beverly. I came here to help you."

"There's nothing you can do, Jean-Luc. Please, just leave. I--"

He placed himself beside her, stretching out, pulling her into his embrace. He placed a tender kiss on her lips before daring to speak again. "What is it you were saying?"

She loved the way they fit together so well. She would be so content to lie in his arms for all of eternity. "I love you," she whispered into the dark.

He slowly ran his fingers through her hair, coaxing her to tell him what was wrong. She relaxed, finally relenting. "I feel so guilty, Jean-Luc. I feel as if I have committed a crime against her. She must have felt so lonely, she only had one other of her kind to talk to."

"You sound as if it were your fault. Beverly, it wasn't. You had no way of knowing she even existed. Beverly..."

He trailed off as she began to cry again, shaking her head the whole while. "Jean-Luc, legitimate daughter or no, she's been through the hell I had always hoped my children would never know. I feel as if, along with her, something was taken from me. Some freedom of decision and creating the ideal life for my child..."

"Beverly, enough. I know that you would have been a wonderful mother to Gabrielle, and I know you will be. And I know I will at least try, even though it comes as a shock to me. We will try."

Slowly, Beverly nodded decisively, but then stopped when she felt his lips pick a trail along her slender, creamy neck, mimicking the path hers took earlier that night, reaching around her jawbone, then finally finding her soft lips...

...and were roughly torn apart as the ship jolted.

Picard found himself across the room, about three feet from the door to the cabin. Shaking himself, he stood and looked around, trying to find Beverly. His badge decided to chirp then.

"Captain Picard to the Bridge!"

He had to find Beverly first. Carefully, he found his way back into the room, wincing as, yet again, the ship rocked, and he hit an obviously injured arm against the doorframe. Shattered remnants of a table were strewn about the room. He dove over the bed, looking for Beverly, finding her struggling to stand. She sank back to her knees as a wave of dizziness washed over her, putting her hand up to a large gash on her forehead. He put a hand on her shoulder, concern evident, but she took his hand and smiled.

"Go, Jean-Luc. It's not a bad cut. It's easily fixed in sickbay, and you're needed on the bridge."

"You're sure? You'll be all right?"

Through a sudden and painful wave of dizziness, she managed to kiss him softly on the lips. "Yes, Jean-Luc, now go."

He was reluctant, but he obeyed, and dove out the door.

Prime Minister Duran and Dr. Heislo were sitting in their quarters, talking tiredly. Their day had been long, and after discovering that Gabrielle had parents, their night had become longer. They could not sleep and did not eat, opting to discuss Gabrielle.

"The doctor is an honorable, agreeable woman. She seemed to like Gabrielle even before. I think we were lucky in that."

Duran responded. "Yes, but Picard is very closed off. Will he accept her in the same way? Will he accept her at all?"

"This," said the doctor, "like all other things, must be given time. Time for adjustment and time for education. There is hope, Gecul."

Then they sat in silence, turning to look out the windows of their cabin. Minister Duran gazed out at these unfamiliar stars. They were so far from home. Could he find his home planet? Yes. There, between the Great Guardian and the Star God.

But wait, "Heislo, is that star moving?"

The doctor turned to his pointed hand and gawked in surprise. Yes, it's moving closer!"

And seconds later, they realized what it was, "That's no star."

The last thing they felt was the coldness of space, and then, nothing.

"Sir, a photon blast sliced through our hull on deck 6, section 39 Alpha. I'm afraid that Dr. Heislo and Minister Duran are missing, sir. They were believed to have been in their quarters at the time of the blast."

Picard nodded sadly. "Containment fields?"

"Stable, sir. And defensive shields are up."

"Where did the blast originate?"

Data, who had supplied the bulk of information, supplied yet again. "It appears to be coming from a ship of a similar configuration and signature to the Nebaran shuttle." A moment. "Sir, they are hailing."

"On screen."

There before them was a rather menacing greenish-hued Nebaran, standing directly in the middle of a battle-ready bridge. "I am Captain Remlu of the Nep'chack. You have something that belongs to us. We want it back."

Picard's 'Captain's mask' dimmed a bit. The shot had hurt Beverly. The shot had ripped up his ship. And now this pompous ass was demanding something they didn't have. "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise. Why did you attack us?"

"You have aboard your ship a child. That child is ours. We made her. We want her back."

Picard was appalled. To treat a Terran as property?! He now wondered if Beverly's arguments had been dead-on accurate. "You had no right to make her, and she is NOT yours. You cannot treat people as property."

Remlu laughed evilly, a sound that caused him to grimace in pain. "You are an idiot, Captain. The child was made in our laboratory. We raised her. She is ours, and we will use whatever force deemed necessary to get her back."

Picard turned toward Lieutenant Keenan, a silent plea for good news. Grimly, the young Lieutenant indicated that it could be a very long fight. He turned back to the screen. "This child is the genetic mix of two humans. She is their child, but her own person. She is individual, and NOT property, and this ship will defend her."

Remlu sneered. "And how is it that you know her parents are still alive, Captain? How do you know they will accept her? We are not done with our experiments, and we will care for her. What makes you think the genetic donors would be so gracious?"

The invisible mask crumbled into dust on the floor before him. Experiments were out of the question. No one would perform such tests on any member of his family, whether or NOT she was produced in a test tube. He was no more than a genetic donor, true, but he was ready to accept responsibility, despite the fact that he had no way of knowing what had happened. He seethed at the very suggestion that he would turn away his own daughter, and the calm that was in his voice before fled as quickly as the dust in the artificial winds.

"I know they are ready to accept her for who she is, Remlu. Her mother is a very dear friend of mine. She wouldn't turn you away if you were in Gabriele's position."

"And what of the father, Picard?" the green thing sneered.

Father. Not an entirely accurate word, he thought. Father implies a relationship with the mother and a presence at the child's birth. Father implies more than simply genetic donor. But father also meant the man that would guide her. The man that she could look up to for her entire life. The man that would give her his name and leave his heritage to her care after he was no more. In an admission to himself as much as the rest of the world, Picard stood up to the man that stood to separate his family once again. "The father accepts this strange twist of fate with open arms, Remlu, and since I am the father, you can be sure that's the truth."

Smiles cropped up all over the bridge, a stark contrast to the shock and anger in the enemy command central.

"ANY attempt to capture the child known as Gabrielle will be met with a suitable reaction."

The screen cut off.

There was a tense moment of silence. They knew that, for a single human, they may have just doomed a ship. But then, they were sworn to the values that had just caused the entire skirmish, and required to uphold them no matter what.

Lieutenant Keenan watched the display before him intently, then let go of a sigh. "Nep'chack is moving away at Warp 1, sir. They're headed for home."

A collective sigh of relief rose from the bridge, and many who had been standing collapsed to their respective seats. Picard, however, just stood, vulnerable to the shock of the last few hours without his shield.

Slowly, Deanna reached out to him. "Captain--"

"Sickbay to bridge."

It was Will Riker that acknowledged. "Go ahead."

There was a slight pause before the voice - NOT Beverly's, which surprised everyone there - continued. "There's, been an accident. The young woman known as Gabrielle and Dr. Crusher have both been admitted as patients. Gabrielle was too close to the blast point on deck 6, and Dr. Crusher collapsed on arrival due to a missed head injury. They, along with roughly one-third of the crew, were injured, but it seems that the only fatalities were that of Dr. Heislo and Minister Duran.

Picard was halfway to the turbolift before Will ever spoke again.

He sat a silent vigil between Beverly and Gabrielle. He was furious now at that damned, Captain Remlu. Not that he hadn't been before. But he could no longer dupe his mind into believing that the only ill from the attack had been the loss of two lives. It had the potential now to become a bloodbath. Nearly any of the injured patients had a critical injury, but while many were expected to make it, some had a smaller chance. Beverly and Gabrielle were just two of the one-hundred fifty three still in critical condition.

Beverly had been admitted with a shard of glass skewered into her skull and a massive concussion, but she was one with a better chance of recovery. In fact, her chances were pretty good. But Gabrielle, gods, she'd been admitted with second and third degree burns all over her body. She'd been tossed across an entire cabin by the force of the explosion, and aside from a concussion, she'd sustained broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Picard sighed as he took Beverly's hand in one of his own and Gabrielle's in the other. He whispered softly, as much to himself as he did to them, a small reassurance. "We'll all get through this. We'll be together. We'll be a family. Nothing is here to stop us anymore."

She awoke to the chirping sounds of the bio-monitor. She heard the rhythmic beeping of the ECG, listened to the faint hum of her brain waves, and the soft snoring of the man asleep beside her bed. She turned her head to face him, smiling at his drawn features. He's concerned, she thought. And she was right. He was so close, she couldn't resist. She reached a shaky hand out to his face, caressing it until he woke.

"Hello," she whispered.

"Beverly, you're all right."

She smiled slightly, then furrowed her brow. "Aside from a massive headache, I seem fine. What happened?"

"A massive concussion from your fall," His voice trailed off for a moment, emotion clearly heard in his gravelly voice. "I could have lost you, and it might have been partially my fault for not staying with you after--"

"No. You didn't know. And besides, I'm here, right?"

Slowly, gravely, Picard nodded, and over his shoulder, she could see...

"Jean-Luc..."

He didn't need to turn his head to know what she'd seen. His head bowed as he attempted to explain. "She was in quarters very close to where the blast impacted. She has some serious injuries," Seeing her eyes mist over, he took her face in his hand. "Hey, they've said there's a good chance that she'll pull out. Don't give up."

Beverly put on her best brave face, and failed miserably. Picard gathered her up as she started sobbing.

Beverly discharged herself a few days later on the condition that she take at least five days off. She agreed, but never went to her quarters. Instead, she faded slowly to Gabrielle's side, watching the treatments, sitting with her when there was no activity. She stood guard during the days, and was joined at night by Jean-Luc. They were both cared for, it seemed, by Deanna, who made sure they got fed, having to literally drag them both out to at least one decent meal a day. She'd stop in at night before she settled in for bed, draping blankets over their sleeping bodies.

They're both exhausted, she thought one night. Carefully, she tucked the quilt around Beverly's shoulders, then brushed some hair out of her face. Picard had some time to deal with this, and was half-relieved of his odd emotional burden now that Beverly had recovered. Then Deanna thought of Beverly...

Beverly was passionate. She probably had some of the strongest feelings she'd ever felt. If she were in a room filled with emotional people, she could probably pick out Beverly's very quickly. But she was odd that way. Deanna had trouble reading her when she was anguished like this. It wasn't until everything collapsed in, and Beverly realized what the whole situation was that she became readable, and when that happened, Deanna preferred, for her own sanity, to be as far away as possible.

Deanna finished placing the blanket over the Captain's shoulders and began to walk away when she hard a low moan. Quickly, she turned. She eyed the still form on the bed carefully, yes, it is! Deanna stood silently over Gabrielle as, slowly, she began to come around.

Should I wake the Captain and Beverly? No, she decided. They needed their rest, and besides, they had something wonderful to wake up to now.

"Counselor? What, what happened?"

"You were in an explosion, Gabrielle, it killed Dr. Heislo and Minister Duran. I'm sorry."

Her eyes misted over, but she wiped the tears away. "They came after me, didn't they?"

"Yes, but it's over. You're alive, and they'll never come after you again."

Gabrielle smiled a little. It was then that, for the first time, she noticed the sleeping Starfleet officers on either side of her. She looked questioningly toward Deanna.

"They were both very worried. They thought that their support might help you through this."

She looked to the sheets that covered her, then smiled the best she could. "I think it did, Counselor. I really think it did."

"Good." Deanna noted how the younger woman's eyes were drooping. "I'll leave you now. You seem to need some sleep."

"Thank you, Deanna, for everything."

Deanna gave a reassuring smile, then turned to the doors and disappeared into the corridor.

Mists swirled around him as he fought back to the conscious world. He felt like he had a hangover even though he hadn't had one since his youth. Had he simply been THAT tired? Mists parted, then dissipated altogether as he looked up to meet a very familiar pair of eyes. For a moment, he thought they were Beverly's, but as mists finally dissipated, he noted their lighter color, the darker hair and the younger features.

"Gabrielle!"

He shot up, grasping her hands as they lay on the bed. She smiled at his concern, and he smiled at her smile.

"Are you all right?" he demanded. "We were worried you wouldn't make it."

"Yes, I'm fine," She looked over to the still sleeping doctor, then back over to the Captain. Then she smiled. "You, you were worried?"

"Of course we were." She knew why she had asked, and he found the utterance of his next sentences to be a most difficult task for him to perform. "Gabrielle, I know that you're not quite sure about us. I can't, in all good conscience, blame you. But Beverly and I have talked through this, and we could care less about how. All we need to know is that you exist, and that you are here now. Whether or not you were born of Beverly's own womb doesn't matter in the least to her, nor does it to me."

He took a resolving breath, then finished. "We know it will take some adjustment, for all of us,. but we are both willing to try, if you are."

Gabrielle looked from the Captain's sincere eyes to the still form of her sleeping mother. "I find it ironic that I hear this from you and not her. I'd assumed her to be the passionate one."

"Let her rest, Gabrielle. She's been right here with you the whole time. She needed the rest as much as I apparently did."

She smiled, then turned back to Picard. "I'm willing to try, but I wonder what kind of strain this will be on your relationship. Please don't let me be a burden,"

"You are our daughter, and no matter what, you will never be a burden."

Gabrielle was in awe over the emotion of this man, whom she had once thought to possess a heart of stone. She knew the warmth of his feelings now, and was happy to know it. Father and daughter embraced tightly. They were a family now.

The late-to-rise Beverly had arisen at just the right moment, her first sight back among the walking and talking being that of a tender embrace between the generations. Smiling, she said her own piece, and the family hugged as one.

"She'll be discharged tomorrow. I think I'll spend the day doing something with her. Maybe I'll pick a Holodeck program that's not too rigorous. What do you think?"

"I think I'll join you. I want to take a day or two off to spend with her."

Beverly nearly dropped her wineglass. "You what?" She laughed outright. "Jean-Luc Picard, you are positively infatuated with this girl!"

He smiled a small smile. "Maybe. She is, after all, my daughter."

"Yes," Beverly's amusement faded into quiet contemplation.

"Beverly?" She was completely quiet, lost in her own world of thoughts.

"Beverly..."

Still she did not respond. He used one of her own tricks against her. "Beverly, penny for your thoughts?"

Slowly, she smiled. "I was wondering when your mask would go back up. I haven't seen it since I woke up in sickbay."

"I don't know," he said. "You may not see it quite as much anymore."

They sat in a companionable silence for what seemed like an eternity, before Beverly set her wineglass down and spoke again. "And what happens to the parents?"

Jean-Luc smiled. "Hopefully, they get along, in the best interests of their child. They're supposed to be the best of friends."

"What if they were more?"

The words shocked him, and he sat with his mouth open for a very long time. And then his mind kicked his ass into gear, and he smiled as wickedly as he knew how. "Well, I think that would be a very fortunate thing, for both the child and the parents."

She smiled, then turned her head to face him. "Jean-Luc Picard, I love you."

And his response, "Beverly Howard Crusher, I love you, too."

And their lips locked in eternal passion, fueling a flame that would burn eternally bright. Much as that night always would.

Admiral Alynna Necheyev frowned. How she hated these things. Sometimes, I think he does this to me on purpose. She hit the Comm button. "Ensign Bordeaux, send in Cadet Picard, please."

A moment later, Gabrielle Picard entered. "You wanted to see me, sir?"

"Yes, Cadet. I have a message from your father. Here." She handed her the pad.

Gabrielle took it and started reading.

"My dear Gabrielle,

We wanted you to be the first to know of this, so we wrote you this immediately. After a year and a half of trolling around the subject, we've finally decided to get married. We've decided to hold it in La Barre, a place that you could very easily get away to, and we have set the date for none other than Christmas Eve. And before you ask, no. This has nothing to do with your impending little brother. Take care of yourself at the academy, sweetheart. We'll see you soon. Oh! Before Alynna blows a gasket over this, invite her. Whether or not she shows it, she'll be glad you did.

Love,

Mom, Dad & The Impetuous One"

 

She smiled, then turned back to the very impatient, apt-to-perform-percussive- maintenance-on-Gabrielle's-head admiral. "Sir," she started, "what are your plans for Christmas Eve?"