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It was going to be Beverly Crusher’s first Valentine’s without Jack. Sure, he had been away on the Stargazer on several previous Valentine’s days, but he had always managed to have a surprise for her – flowers, her favourite chocolates or perfume, a bottle of wine from Jean-Luc’s family vineyard (Beverly had to admit, that one sounded like it was more from Jean-Luc than Jack), but this year...there would be nothing as Jack had died in an explosion ten months ago.
She hadn’t even realised it was coming up on Valentine’s day until Wesley had come home from school excited about the mailboxes they had made in class and asking if he could make “Balentimes” for his classmates. Naturally, Beverly agreed and the dining table was soon covered in hearts cut out of construction paper, glitter, glue, and felt. Beverly tried to put on a smile for Wesley, but all she was able to do was help him cut out the hearts for his cards before she wound up uncorking a bottle of wine – another gift from Jean-Luc – and deeply drank. She didn’t like that she was turning to alcohol...but it was the only thing she could control.
She and Wesley had moved back to Earth four months ago. She couldn’t handle life on the Starbase anymore, and she had even contemplated resigning from Starfleet all together and opening a private practice someplace out of the way. Everywhere she went, people talked about her or told her how sorry they were to hear about Jack’s passing, and she just no longer cared.
She wasn’t lacking for partners...no, it seemed every single man she met was interested in the young widow with the young son, and Wesley had received all sorts of presents from these men. But none of them interested Beverly. She would go out for drinks or dinner with them, but she never invited any of them back to her place, and never went to theirs. There was only one person Beverly was interested in being with.
She looked at Wesley and couldn’t help but laugh. The six-year-old had managed to get red glitter on the end of his nose, and it reminded Beverly of a clown. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”
“Mommy, I made a Balentime for Uncle Jawn-Loo, can I give it to him?”
“Wes, I don’t know when we’ll see Jean-Luc, but if you hang onto it, I’m sure he’ll love it whenever we do see him.” Beverly’ mind wandered to her best friend. Jean-Luc had been her rock after Jack had died. He had been Jack’s commanding officer, but more than that, he had been Jack’s best friend, and he was Wesley’s godfather. Jean-Luc had gone with her to see Jack’s body in the morgue when she just had to see for herself that he was really dead, and he had held her hand through the two services and burial. Since then, she had seen him a handful of times whenever the Stargazer had been docked with Starbase 32, but since her move to Earth, she had only seen him once. Likely because it was harder for him to get to Earth, and not because he didn’t want to see her and Wesley. In fact, they communicated regularly and Beverly had received a message from him the day before.
His message had been sweet. He had told her that he missed her and Wesley and hoped to take shore leave in April and wanted to know if he could take her and Wesley on a holiday. Beverly had blushed when she read his missive. They weren’t in a relationship with each other, but there was definitely something between them if Beverly was honest with herself. She wanted to be with Jean-Luc, and hoped she had conveyed her feelings to him when she had kissed him goodbye the last time. Usually, they exchanged a quick friendly kiss, but last time, Beverly had decided to deepen the kiss. Jean-Luc had been surprised, but he had returned the kiss and had wrapped his arms around her, so she had hope. But April was a long way away, and she hated thinking that she wouldn’t see him for the next two months.
A small tug on her sleeve brought her out of her daydreams. “Mommy, I thought I was having a bath?” Beverly smiled at her son.
“You sure are. Come on, let’s get that glitter off you.”
###
Jean-Luc was prepping his shuttle for launch and being provoked by his First Officer.
“Do you really think this is a good idea?”
“Probably not, Gilaad. But it’s been ten months, and it’s her first Valentine’s alone. I can’t sit here and do nothing.”
“Why don’t you just send her some flowers? I’m worried about you, Captain. I know how you feel about Beverly...”
“Gilaad...”
“I’m sorry, Sir. I know it’s not my place.”
“Damn right it’s not. Gilaad, I never acted on my feelings while she was married to Jack. I think I’ve waited an appropriate amount of time.” Commander Gilaad Ben Zoma sighed at his Captain. “Well, if you think this is the right thing to do. I’ll hold things down here for you.”
“Thank you. I’ll be back in two weeks.”
“Right.” Gilaad backed out of the Captain’s shuttle and headed for the controls for the shuttle bay.
Jean-Luc finished his preparations and double checked his bag. He had a book for Wesley he had picked up at Starbase 885 he hoped the budding astrophysisist would enjoy and he had a thin velvet box for Beverly with a delicate bracelet. He hoped it wasn’t too romantic, but figured if she was going to reject him as a lover, it was the type of bracelet he would give her as a friend, too. But she had kissed him the last time they had said goodbye and while their correspondence had danced around their feelings, he had noticed she had started signing her letters ‘with love’, and he found himself responding to hers with ‘yours’ and attaching an x or two to signify kisses.
He hadn’t told her he would be coming; instead choosing to mention his leave he was planning on taking in April. April would mark one year since Jack’s death and he didn’t want Beverly to be alone, so he got the idea that he would take Beverly and Wesley somewhere on holiday. He thought about several places on Earth they might enjoy as well as several planets. There was one planet with purple sand he thought they could all enjoy if Beverly was willing to go off-planet.
Of course, he knew how she currently felt about space and Starfleet, even though she still worked for Medical. Beverly might not want to travel off world ever again, and if that was the case, Jean-Luc had several plans up his sleeve, including a trip to his home in La Barre. But first, Valentine’s day.
Jean-Luc signalled to Gilaad that he was ready to depart, and Gilaad disabled the forcefield so he could ease his shuttle out. It would take him about 10 hours to reach Earth, and then he just would need to lay low at his apartment so he could surprise Beverly on Valentine’s day. He had even contacted a friend of his who had a son in Wesley’s class and made arrangements for Wesley to be invited for a sleepover on Valentine’s day so he and Beverly could be alone. He loved her, and he was ready to tell her.
###
“Mommy, Mommy, look I have an invitation to a party!” Beverly took the card from Wesley and looked over it. It was a sleepover party, surprisingly taking place on the 14th. Beverly sighed, but gave her permission. It wouldn’t be right to deny Wesley playing with his friends. It would just mean she would start drinking wine earlier in the evening.
The card from Antony’s parents said they would be picking the children up from school, so all Beverly had to do was send Wesley to school with his sleeping bag and pyjamas. Wesley was excited. It was only his second sleepover, and he got to give out his glittery hearts to all of his friends first.
After Beverly sent Wesley off to school in the morning, she went into her dining room to clean up from Breakfast and paused when she saw the glittery heart Wesley had left next to her cup of coffee. The heart read “I love you Mommy” in red glitter and it brought a tear to Beverly’s eye. She propped her card up against the mantle and finished getting ready for her shift at the hospital. She was not looking forward to the day. Valentine’s day decorations had started to sneak into the wards, and she knew nearly everyone would be receiving bouquets of flowers and boxes of candies...everyone, except for her.
###
Jean-Luc stood outside the hospital doors with a large bunch of flowers in his hand. He had paid a pretty penny for the flowers, and he only hoped Beverly liked them and they didn’t make her sad. He waylaid a Yeoman who noticed his Captain’s pips and accepted the job of delivering the flowers to Beverly. Jean-Luc had included a card reading Will you be my Valentine? Love, JL, and he was nervous. Gilaad was under orders that if Beverly called the ship to speak with him, he would re-route the call to Jean-Luc’s apartment in San Francisco.
When the Yeoman knocked on Beverly’s office door, her first thought was to dismiss him and tell him he had the wrong office, but when she saw her name scrawled on the envelope in Jean-Luc’s writing, she smiled and accepted the flowers. She opened the note and blushed when she read it and the Yeoman gave her a cheery wave as he left her office. She thought about calling Jean-Luc right then, but she had patients to see. She left the bouquet on the center of her desk and tucked the note into her pocket. Perhaps it would be a good day, after all.
Several hours later, another Yeoman stood outside Beverly’s office. “Are you Doctor Crusher?”
“Yes, but I’ve already had a delivery today,” Beverly pointed to the flowers.
“This box has your name on it, too. Look, if I don’t leave it here, I’ll be in trouble.”
“Er...thanks.” Beverly took the box and noticed another note. Sweets for my sweet? JL Beverly lifted the box lid and laughed. Inside the box was a dozen of her favourite truffles - expensive truffles from a little shop in Paris she and Jean-Luc had visited over ten years ago. Just what is Jean-Luc up to? Beverly thought as she popped a chocolate into her mouth and closed her eyes.
Beverly was gathering her belongings and presents to leave at the end of her shift when another Yeoman approached her. “Doctor Crusher? I’m sorry I’m late. I have a delivery for you.” Beverly laughed. “From Jean-Luc? I mean, from Captain Picard?”
“Yes, Sir.” Beverly smiled. “No need to sir me, Yeoman. But thank you.” Beverly took the small gift bag and glanced inside. It was a bottle of her favourite perfume with another note. I can’t help but think of you every time I smell these flowers. JL Beverly clutched the note to her chest and wondered just how he had managed to pull this off with handwritten notes from deep space. When she got home, she would be calling him, that was for sure.
###
When Beverly got home, she kicked off her shoes and took off her labcoat before sitting down in front of her console. “Computer: initiate shore to ship call to the USS Stargazer.”
“Working....connected.” First Officer Ben Zoma’s face filled the screen.
“Gilaad, so good to see you. I was wondering If you could put me through to Jean-Luc, please.”
“Let me see if he’s available, he was in meetings all day...” Gilaad’s face was replaced with the Starfleet logo as she was placed on hold.
Gilaad activated his comm unit. “Ben Zoma to Picard.”
“Picard here.”
“Sir, Beverly just called for you. What should I do?”
“Put her through to my badge. Tell her it’s audio only as I’m changing.”
“Of course, Sir. Ben Zoma out.”
“Hello, Beverly. I’m sorry it’s audio only, but I’m getting ready for an important dinner tonight and didn’t want to ignore you.” Beverly’s face fell. An important dinner? She hoped he wasn’t dining with another woman tonight...not after his presents to her....but were they from him? What if they were a prank. She stayed silent. “Beverly, are you there?”
“Yes, sorry Jean-Luc, there must be a lag. Are you very far away?” Jean-Luc chuckled. “Closer than you think, Bev.”
“Oh. Right. Well, I just wanted to call to tell you....I received your gifts today and I.....” she trailed off as there was a knock at her door. “Could you standby a minute? Someone is at my door.”
“Of course.”
Beverly headed to her door and slowly opened it. Standing there outside her door was Jean-Luc clad in casual clothing. Beverly couldn’t help but grin as she flung her arms around him and embraced him. “Jean-Luc!”
“Surprise!” His voice came out of his mouth and her speaker and Beverly laughed. “I hope you don’t mind if I disconnect the call?” Jean-Luc grinned. “No, go ahead.”
“Computer: End call. Oh, Jean-Luc, this really is a surprise!” Beverly still had her arms wrapped around Jean-Luc’s neck and he had his around her hips. “Can I come in?”
“Oh, how silly of me, of course you can. Come in, come in!” Beverly withdrew her hands from Jean-Luc’s neck, but he didn’t let go of her hips and she was forced to walk backwards into her house. Jean-Luc nudged the door shut with his foot and continued to gaze down at Beverly.
“So you...got my gifts?”
“Yes I did. Thank you. They were all very...thoughtful.”
“Well, I was hoping for romantic, but I’ll take thoughtful. I have two more for you.”
“Jean-Luc, you didn’t have to give me anything. I’m afraid I don’t have anything for you.” Jean-Luc grinned. “Oh, but you do. Depending on how you answer my question I asked in my first note.”
“A question?” He nodded.
“I don’t remember a question.” Jean-Luc continued to grasp her by her hips and she felt awkward with her arms hanging at her side, so she slid them around his shoulders. Jean-Luc looked down at her tenderly. “I asked you if you would be my Valentine.”
“I...Oh!” Beverly’s eyes went wide. “I thought...it was just a Valentine’s greeting. I....” she was nervous. If she said yes, her entire life would change. Was she ready? Jack had been dead now for ten months, wasn’t it time for her to move on? Beverly licked her lips.
“Yes. My answer is yes.” Jean-Luc wasted no time in lowering his lips to hers and pulling her flush against his body as he kissed her deeply. When they broke apart, he spoke softly. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Beverly.”