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Beverly lit the small oil lamp on the side table (after carefully making sure it was in fact, an oil lamp and not a lamp containing an anaphasic ghost) and stoked the fire. She had forgotten how cold and dark her Nana’s cabin actually was in the winter. Despite the colony having access to modern amenities like electricity, Felisia Howard had chosen to live her life mostly off the grid, and many parts of the house did not have any electricity in them. The study where there was a communications console, the kitchen, and the bathroom were the only places that had electricity. The rest of the house relied on oil lamps and fireplaces for light and warmth.
When Beverly was younger and living with her Nana, she had been used to the way Felisia lived, but now after over 30 years of being gone, Beverly had become more dependent on modern amenities. But she thought she and Jean-Luc would still have an enjoyable Christmas and New Year’s holed away just the two of them.
Jean-Luc should be arriving soon. Beverly picked up the PADD containing her latest letter from Jean-Luc and re-read it for the umpteenth time. While he did his best to maintain a professional detachment in his letter, Beverly could read between the lines . Jean-Luc missed her and wanted her to return to the Enterprise. Beverly missed the ship, Jean-Luc, and her other shipmates and friends, but she had needed this break after their last mission, so she had taken a leave of absence. It wasn’t unusual for Senior officers to take leave ever so often, but what she hadn’t told Jean-Luc was that she was still sitting on the offer to become the head of Starfleet Medical once again. The position had been offered to her months ago, and it was being kept open until she made her decision. She knew it would be a good move career-wise, but she wasn’t sure if it would be a good move for her personal life....
And that was where Jean-Luc fit in. She and Jean-Luc had finally admitted their feelings to each other several years ago when they had been captured on a planet and given what can only be described as telepathic mind probes. Due to their proximity to each other, the probes served as a telepathic link between her and Jean-Luc. She had somehow managed to hide the bulk of her feelings, but Jean-Luc had broadcasted his loud and clear. When they had finally returned to the Enterprise, Jean-Luc had asked her if they could have a relationship, and she had told him she was afraid. He had left their relationship in her hands and never asked her again...but she wanted him to on more than one occasion.
Beverly glanced outside the window and noticed it had started to snow. That would be a shock for Jean-Luc, used to the sterile environment of a starship or his own home in the South of France. Even San Francisco rarely had snow. She took a sip of wine from the glass she had poured for herself and eyed the empty glass opposite waiting for Jean-Luc’s arrival. The fire slowly crackled as the smoke rose up the chimney and warmed the house. She glanced in the corner where a traditional Christmas tree was propped up – undecorated – waiting for Jean-Luc to decorate it with her .
Beverly sighed. If she was honest with herself, she was lonely. She had been on Caldos for three months now, and she had only seen the mayor once and that was when she had arrived. She yearned for companionship, but not just any companionship. No, she wanted the companionship of one Captain Jean-Luc Picard. She only hoped he wanted to be with her, too. She remembered he had told her once that being the Captain of a starship was lonely because you didn’t get to form the same kinds of relationships with you crew that everyone else did – and he had been serving as a Captain since he was 28. He was now...well, Beverly didn’t like to think about how old she and Jean-Luc were getting, but her son was nearing his 30th birthday and Jean-Luc was 19 years older than her. She had Wesley when she was young, but that still put her over 50. She and Jean-Luc had known each other longer than her son had been alive, having met when she was dating his best friend, her late husband Jack Crusher. Jack had died over 25 years ago, when Wesley was just a small boy. Jean-Luc had been there for her and Wesley to help pick up the pieces, but she had always shied away from starting a relationship with the man she had come to see as her best friend. But, it was never too late for love, right?
Had that ship sailed? She had watched as Jean-Luc became involved with another woman on another planet and she had been jealous. She didn’t count her encounter with Ronin, as she hadn’t had any control over herself in that situation, and so she had been celibate and lonely now for almost ten years. She read Jean-Luc’s last missive. The ship isn’t the same without you (I miss you). I don’t have anyone to share my meals with (I’m lonely). I don’t like being apart from you (I love you).
Beverly was brought out of her daydreaming with a start as a chill ran through her. She glanced at the fire and noticed it was down to glowing embers, and her lamp was almost out of oil. It didn’t matter, since dawn was streaking across the sky. She wondered where Jean-Luc had got to and wondered if she should have brought a communicator into the room with her or stayed in the room with the console. She hoped he was ok and only delayed slightly. She slowly got up and gathered her long cardigan around herself. She tied the belt tight and shoved her feet into a pair of worn slippers. She moved into the kitchen to put the kettle on as she had drank enough wine while waiting for Jean-Luc If he did arrive she didn’t think he would want wine first thing in the morning. She padded into the study and checked her console. No new messages, but she pocketed her communications badge just in case. She sighed and made her way back into the kitchen.
She was just pouring the boiling water over the tea leaves – Earl Grey, naturally – in the teapot when the front door opened and a swirl of snow accompanied a tall figure wrapped in many layers against the snow and cold. Beverly hurried into the front room with the tray containing her teapot and two cups and watched as the snow covered figure began to unwrap itself.
A wooly cap was pulled off a shiny bald head and tossed onto an arm of the hat rack. A long, blue scarf was slowly unwound from around a neck, but not before thick, lined gloves were plucked off of long, nimble fingers. Next was the downfilled parka, carefully hung up on a hook. And finally, her visitor removed his snow boots. He padded over to her in his socks and before he took the cup of tea she was holding out to him, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.
Beverly placed the cup carefully down on the table and her arms circled Jean-Luc and her warm, sweet lips met his cold, rough ones. They stood there for what felt like hours with their lips locked together. Their tongues explored each other’s mouths not for the first time as they had kissed before as friends, but it was their first kiss as lovers. And lovers was what they would become. Jean-Luc untied Beverly’s cardigan and slid his hands around her back while she worked her hands into the back of his jumper to touch his bare back as they kissed. They broke apart when they were startled by a log in the fireplace making a loud popping sound. Jean-Luc rested his forehead against Beverly’s.
“Hello, my love.”
If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two
I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this Winter’s night with you