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The briefing for the away mission had just ended. To Beverly’s surprise, Jean-Luc was insisting on going along, despite Will’s protests that he should stay on the ship. It had shocked Beverly further when Jean-Luc had revealed to the group that he needed to go on the away mission because Guinan told him he needed to. Beverly, not satisfied with Jean-Luc’s reason, decided to seek out her friend herself to see what she had to say for himself. She strode into Ten Forward with a determined look on her face and approached the bar.
“Guinan, can I ask you a question?” The tall redhead asked as she took a seat at the bar. Guinan smiled at her friend. “You already did.” Beverly chuckled.
“You’ve known the Captain for a long time, haven’t you?” Guinan pulled out from under the bar a short bottle with a glass stopper and two small glasses. She poured even measures into both and passed one to Beverly before replying. “You could say that. I’ve known the Captain far longer than he’s known me.”
“Is that why he has to go on this mission?”
“Yes.”
Beverly tossed back her drink and slammed the glass onto the counter. “He loves you.” It came out more as an accusation than a statement or a question. Guinan eyed her friend serenely before answering.
“He does. In his own way. Not in the way he loves you, though.”
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Jean-Luc glared at Beverly as he sat clad in his shorts on a biobed in a private examination room in Sickbay. “Are we done yet?”
“Jean-Luc, I needed to be sure the triolic wave didn’t do anything to you.” Jean-Luc frowned. “You said the rest of the away team were fine.” She nodded.
“They don’t have an artificial heart. You do. Now let me do my job.”
“Yes, dear.” Beverly smirked and ran the tricorder over his chest. “Tell me, Is Guinan alright?” Jean-Luc cocked his head to one side and thought for a moment before replying. “I would say so. All my memories of her are intact.”
“You’ve known Guinan longer than anyone else, haven’t you?” Jean-Luc nodded. “I met her on my first mission as Captain of the Stargazer. And now I understand why she always would tell me we had known each other for a long time, because to her, we had been friends for nearly 500 years. Explains her comment about liking me better bald, too.” He grinned. Beverly pursed her lips.
“I see. Do you love her?”
“Guinan is a dear, close friend...Beverly,” Jean-Luc reached for her hand that wasn’t running a tricorder over him and pressed it against his chest. “You’re not jealous, are you?”
“Noo...I’m not...jealous...just...curious. Did you ever sleep with her?”
“Yes.”
“When?” Beverly could feel Jean-Luc’s heart begin to beat faster under her hand.
“Just after you told me you were marrying Jack.”
“Oh.”
“Guinan...offered me comfort.” Beverly raised her eyebrows. “I see.” Beverly flicked the tricorder shut with one hand and laid it down next to Jean-Luc, leaving her hand on his chest toying with his chest hair. “We’re done. Everything checks out as normal.”
“Good.” Jean-Luc reached his hands out and grasped Beverly’s hips. He could tell she was out of sorts and the examination had only been an excuse for her to physically see that he was fine. “Come here,” he said as he pulled her close to wrap his arms around her. Her hands moved to circle his neck and she rested her head against his shoulder. She let out a sniff.
“I thought I...I thought we had lost you to the past...to Guinan....I....” Jean-Luc dropped a kiss to her head. “For a few minutes, I thought I would never see you again, either.”
“But you’re here now. You’re here, and you’re safe.” Beverly’s fingers played with the small hairs on the back of his neck and he shivered, despite the ambient temperature in Sickbay being quite warm.
“I’m here, I’m safe. And I’m with you.” He gently lifted her chin and kissed her. “Now, can I please put back on my uniform? Not that I don’t enjoy being half naked around you...just maybe not in Sickbay.”
“You’ll only take it off again.”
“True, but I can’t walk through the corridors in my shorts,” he paused and traced a line down her jaw with his fingertips. “Unless,” he kissed her neck. “You’d like me too,” his hand found the concealed zipper on her duty uniform and he tugged it down a few inches and kissed her exposed skin. “Make love to you right here in Sickbay.” She snorted.
“Wouldn’t be the first time.” Jean-Luc smirked.
“True, but it’s not usually in the middle of the day...” his mind recalled a very interesting night the last time they both had sat nighshift together. Sickbay had been empty, save for the duty nurse, and he and Beverly had discovered some very interesting positions using her desk....he stopped his mind wandering when he felt Beverly’s delicate hand slip into the front of his shorts and give him a squeeze. “Umm...what was I saying?”
“Your quarters? Twenty minutes?” He nodded. Beverly pecked his lips. “Great! I’m starving!” He groaned. Sitting through dinner was going to be exquisite torture.