Chapter Text
Jean-Luc held his adopted daughter against his chest in a tight hug. “H-How?”
“It’s a long story, Papa. I’ll tell you and Beverly together.” He nodded as Robert caught up to them and swept Annisyn up into a hug. “Anna!”
“Oncle Robert, put me down.” Robert kissed her cheek. “I’m just so happy to see you. Oh my word, Jean-Luc. Beverly will be so pleased.” Jean-Luc nodded. “And Wesley and Katie.” At Katie’s name, Jean-Luc detected a slight frown on Annisyn’s face. He put his arm through hers. “Come on, let’s go surprise the pregnant women.”
“Women?”
“Marie is pregnant too,” Robert proudly said. “Wow, congratulations, Oncle Robert.”
They made their way to the house, and the front door opened and a blur named Wesley came shooting out of the house and threw himself at Annisyn. “Annie! Annie! I knew you would come back! I knew it! I missed you!!” Annisyn laughed at her brother and tried to pick him up, but she was fairly week after so many weeks in her escape pod. Jean-Luc bent down and whispered at Wesley, who ran back into the house shouting, “Mommy! Tante Marie! Uncle Wally! Abby!” There was a sound of thunder on the stairs as Wesley ran upstairs to tell his mother to come downstairs right away for a surprise.
Beverly came downstairs, with Katie on her hip and gasped. “Annisyn?”
“Hi, Mom.” Beverly was speechless. She passed Katie over to Robert and embraced the younger woman with tears streaming down her face. “Oh, Annisyn! We thought...I mean we got your message that said you were...but you’re not...and you’re here! Oh my god!!” Beverly took Katie back and passed the baby over to Annisyn. Annisyn awkwardly held her daughter. “Pup pup?”
“Yes, sweetheart?” Jean-Luc reached for the toddler and took her outstretched arms to mean she wanted him to hold her. “Who dis?” There were awkward glances around the room. Katie hadn’t seen Annisyn in ten weeks, and Annisyn was considerably thinner than she had been before. Her long hair hung limply on either side of her face, and her cheeks were hollow with weeks of eating meal replacement bars.
Marie clapped her hands. “Come now, Ann. Let’s get you fed. You’re positively skin and bones!” Marie led Annisyn into the kitchen and Beverly exchanged a glance with Jean-Luc. “Katie didn’t recognize her mother.”
“Jean-Luc, it’s to be expected. Annisyn looks very different right now and it has been ten weeks.” She sighed. “Look, I’ll put Katie to bed and then come back down. I’m sure Annisyn has a story to share.” Jean-Luc kissed his wife, and then kissed Katie on the top of her head. “Alright.”
A loud shriek came out of the kitchen. “I think Abigail’s just discovered Annisyn.” Jean-Luc chuckled and wrapped an arm around Beverly. “I’d say so. Why don’t I help you put Katie down? Let the girls have a few minutes together.”
###
“Annisyn...you’re....you’re...HERE!!!!” Abigail held Annisyn’s hands in hers and jumped up and down. Annisyn noticed the ring. “Uhm...got something to tell me?”
“Walker asked me to marry him! And now I can get married and you can be my maid of honour because you’re not dead you’re here and oh my god I have to tell mom!” Annisyn laughed at her best friend. “One, Congratulations. Two, yes I’ll be your maid of honour. Three, breathe?”
“Sorry.”
“Go get Mom though. I really don’t want to tell this story a second time...and I see Beverly is brandishing her medical tricorder at me.” Beverly sheepishly grinned. “I suppose you’ve already been poked and prodded by Starfleet?” Annisyn nodded. “Doctor Wheeler...and then Doctor Q’Lor....Doctor Chasewick....and uhm,” Annisyn wracked her brain to try to remember the name of the fourth doctor she had seen. “Doctor Farg.” Beverly nodded. “I recognize some of those names. But....I need to...please? For Jean-Luc’s sake? I need to make sure...”
“That I’m really me? Go ahead and DNA scan me.” Beverly grinned and activated her tricorder. “Yep. One hundred percent you. Oh, I can’t tell you how happy I am you’re here!” Beverly hugged her again and Annisyn’s eyes dropped to Beverly’s baby bump. “It’s a girl. We’re going to call her Clara Ann.”
“Ann?” Beverly nodded . “We love you Annisyn,” Beverly wiped her tears and picked up one of the trays of snack food Marie had put together in record time . “Come on, let’s take this into the living room.”
As soon as Annisyn sat down, Wesley was weaselling his way next to her. “Wesley, I know you missed Annisyn as much as we did, but we need to have some adult talk right now. Why don’t you go play in your room for now?”
“Awww, Mommy...I wanna stay.”
“I know, sweetheart, but it’s going to be really boring for you.”
“Oh. Can I take a cookie and a drink upstairs?” Beverly nodded. “You may have a cookie, and you may take a cup with juice upstairs if you put a lid on it.” Wesley looked at the floor sheepishly and Annisyn laughed. “There’s a story behind that, isn’t there?” Beverly grinned. “Oh, he’s only spilled a few cups of juice...forgot to tell us the one time and he had a row of ants marching across the floor.”
“They were my ant army!” Beverly rolled her eyes. “Lidded cups only.” Wesley scowled. “Fine.” Beverly raised her eyebrows. “Is that what we say?” Wesley sighed. “Thank you, Mommy.” As Wesley left the room, Beverly leaned over to Annisyn and whispered, “Eight going on sixteen, I’m sure of it.”
Jean-Luc carried in a tray with a large tea pot and a coffee urn on it. “Marie will be in shortly. Who’s for tea?”
Everyone was soon settled with cups of tea when Suzanne and Abigail entered the room. Annisyn stood up and Suzanne enveloped her in a bear hug. “I’m so glad you aren’t dead,” Suzanne said as she kissed Annisyn’s cheek and settled into a chair. “Louis thought it was best if he didn’t come over right now...but he sends his regards.” Annisyn nodded and was secretly happy. She hadn’t warmed up to Louis as much as she should have and she would have felt strange telling her story to a stranger.
Jean-Luc cleared his throat and reached for Annisyn’s hand. “In your own time...tell us what happened?”
“You...ah....got my personal log, right?” He nodded. “We all listened to it. We let Wesley and Katie listen to the parts that were only for them, but the rest of us listened to the whole thing.”
“Ok. So, I went back to get Mister Wiggles...which reminds me, he’s still in my bag,” Beverly grinned. “You can give him back to Wes later.”
“Before I got to our quarters I found Mady....she was crying and got separated from you, Ab.”
“I still don’t know how, I mean, we had everyone holding hands. But it was good you found her. If she had died....well, I shudder to think. Bad enough we thought you were dead.”
“I know. But anyway, I shoved her in an escape pod. Then, I couldn’t find a pod and I must have passed out when I finally got into one.” Walker spoke up then. “I jettisoned all pods before I boarded the yacht.”
“Wally, I think you saved my life.” Walker grinned. “Well, you and the pink people.”
“The pink people?” Annisyn took a sip of her tea. “Yeah, I’ll get to them.” Annisyn continued her story, and got as far as telling them about taking what she thought were her last breaths before she woke up on a slab.
“Sweetheart, can you describe these people in detail?” Suzanne grabbed some paper and a pencil. “Let me see if I can draw them based on your description.”
“Uh...Ok. They were really tall, like twice as tall as me at least, though some were shorter, but I think those were children. They were pink and scaly. Three legs. Two large eyes. They had a lot of teeth, at least three rows. Antennae sticking out of their ears. Uhm...really thin noses?” Suzanne nodded and sketched, then passed her drawing over to Annisyn. “Yeah, kinda. They had two arms, and really long fingers and fingernails...almost like claw nails?” Suzanne took the drawing back and continued to scribble. “Any clothing?”
“No. They were all naked.”
“Visible genitals?” Annisyn blushed. “Well, I didn’t look!” The group chuckled. “No, there was nothing visible. Not like a penis or a vagina or anything. They were...smooth? But maybe it was hidden or something. I mean, they have to reproduce somehow, right?” Beverly nodded. “Though with scales, perhaps they are reptilian and lay eggs.”
“I didn’t see any eggs or anything like a nest, but yeah, maybe.”
“Did they tell you their name?” Jean-Luc patted her hand. “I know you probably got asked all this already multiple times. I’m sorry.”
“Well, actually...people kept telling me that since they weren’t my superior officer, they couldn’t force me to report. Then I saw Admiral Quinn, but he sent me here immediately and told me to give you my report.” Jean-Luc chuckled. “Ah, Greg. He’s an old friend. Alright then, I’ll consider this your official report and then I’ll file it with Starfleet. Continue.”
“Ok, so they didn’t really speak a lot of Standard. I guess a few of them learned one of the languages the communicator knew because I could only talk to about a dozen of them, and even then they sometimes spoke to each other in clicks, whistles, clacks...it was weird.”
“And they just...helped you?” Annisyn nodded. “I guess I was with them for two weeks? I got back into Federation space about a week ago.”
“How long did it take to get back to Federation space?”
“The pod’s computer said it took ten days.” Jean-Luc nodded. “Then, two weeks sounds about right. Maybe two and a half.”
“They fixed my escape pod’s navigation and communication systems, somehow refilled my oxygen tanks, and they even had a standard food slot I was able to replicate water and meal bars from.” Suzanne passed back her drawing. “Yeah, they kinda looked like that.” She passed the picture to Jean-Luc. “Hmm. They don’t look familiar to me. Wal? Bev?” He passed the picture around. Walker scratched his head and Beverly tried to think if anything that looked like this was in her exobiology texts.
“I got nothing, Johnny. I’ve been involved with countless first contact scenarios, many with you, and I don’t recall giant pink reptiles.”
“Me neither. I’m sorry, I don’t think I’ve seen them in my exobiology texts, either.” Jean-Luc frowned then grinned at Annisyn. “Congratulations. You’ve done your first first contact!” Annisyn blushed.
“Really, Papa?”
“Yes, really. It’s a shame they wouldn’t tell you their name in Standard. Do you remember anything else?”
“Their computers didn’t have Latin characters on them. It was like different kinds of squiggle lines.” Jean-Luc nodded. “Yes, that would follow with a language that was only made of clicks and whistles. Can you remember any of the letters to write them down?”
Annisyn nodded. “I started writing them down when I was in the pod and they’re on my PADD. Do you want to see?”
“Show me later, but I’ll need it for your report. Suz, can I have your drawing for the report?” Suzanne nodded. “Thanks.” He wrapped an arm around Annisyn. “It is so good to have you home,” he kissed the top of her head. “We missed you. We love you...I love you.”
“I love you too, Papa.” Jean-Luc cleared his throat. “I suppose we need to discuss legal things...you named Beverly and I Katie’s guardians and we formally adopted her. We’ll have to file paperwork to give her back to you.” Annisyn shook her head. “No. Katie should stay with you. Papa....Mom,” she said, looking over at Beverly. “I know it’s a lot to ask of you, especially with a baby on the way, but after being away from Katie for so many weeks I realised that I’m just...not ready to be a mother. I don’t know if I ever will be ready to be Katie’s mother. She represents....” Annisyn trailed off and sighed. “With the exception of being brought into your family, she represents a part of my past I don’t want to think about...and I know she’ll be better off with you. I need to....I need to really find who I am, you know?”
“Sweetheart, don’t make any rash decisions,” Beverly patted her shoulder. “Right now, I think you’re just emotionally exhausted. Why don’t you go up to your room and get a good night’s sleep? We can talk in the morning.”
“Isn’t Katie sleeping in there?” Beverly shook her head. “No. She has her own room upstairs with us. Marie and I couldn’t...well, we couldn’t bear to pack up any of your things so everything you left should still be there, but if you need anything.....”
“Admiral Quinn let me use his replicator for some basic clothing and toiletries. He muttered something about me using it there before I returned to the eighteenth century.” Jean-Luc chuckled. “Greg was here once. He enjoyed the wine, but not the...rustic setting.”
“We have a replicator upstairs that works now. It will come in handy when we have two babies in diapers around here.” Robert grumbled. “Next you and Marie are going to ask for one in the kitchen.”
“Well....with two babies...we’ll all have our hands pretty full between the babies and Wes and Katie...” Robert threw up his arms. “Women! I’m going to bed. Goodnight my little Anna, I’m glad you’re home.” He kissed Annisyn’s cheek before departing the room. Marie stood to follow. “I had better get these cups washed before bed.”
“I’ll do them.”
“Thanks, Walker. That’s kind of you.” Marie bid goodnight to the group and followed her husband. Beverly put an arm around Annisyn’s shoulder again. “How about a nice, hot bath for you before bed?” Annisyn nodded. “Come on. I’ll get it ready for you and I’ll grab Jean-Luc’s fluffy bathrobe for you to borrow. It’s quite cosy.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
###
Beverly peeked in Wesley’s bedroom to find the boy sound asleep in his clothing. She laughed and called for Jean-Luc. “Look at him. We never ate any dinner, and he fell asleep waiting for us to call him back downstairs.” Jean-Luc grinned. “Should we wake him?”
“Why bother? Just change him into his pyjamas. He’ll stay asleep. I’m going to lend Annisyn your bathrobe.”
“Why mine?”
“It’s comforting. Trust me.” Jean-Luc grinned at his wife. “Then what do I wear after my shower?”
“Nothing!” Beverly cheekily responded with. She gently sat Wesley up and tugged off his t-shirt while Jean-Luc worked on his shoes. Jean-Luc wiggled his eyebrows. “Will my wife be joining me in being naked after my shower?”
“Hmm. Maybe.” Beverly slid pyjama bottom onto Wesley and tugged a shirt over his head. Jean-Luc lifted Wesley into his arms while Beverly turned down the covers. They gently tucked him in and kissed his forehead and his only movement was to roll over and grab onto the bear Beverly had replicated on the yacht.
###
Beverly raised her and Jean-Luc’s joined fingers to her lips and gently kissed them. “Jean-Luc, what are we going to do?”
“About Annisyn and Katie?” Beverly nodded. Jean-Luc rolled onto his back and let Beverly rest her head on his chest. “I don’t know. I....this is new territory for me.”
“Me too. I never thought I would have a daughter not much younger than me.” Jean-Luc smiled. “She called you ‘Mom’.” Beverly grinned back. “Yeah, she did. And It’s not that I mind raising Katie as our daughter and not granddaughter, but...I don’t want Annisyn to regret giving her up.”
“Well...over the past two years though....who’s taken care of Katie more? Us or Annisyn?” Beverly frowned. “Probably us. Was that wrong? Should we have pushed her to look after her more? But she was so depressed after her birth and Jack had really messed her up.....and then she nearly committed suicide and....” Beverly sniffed and Jean-Luc squeezed her hand. “It’s a lot for a twenty-four year old to deal with.”
“I had a lot to deal with when I was twenty-four. I had just had Wesley, I was trying to do my final years of medical school, my husband was away....and I didn’t have Wesley’ grandparents – not even Jack’s parents – to help me out when it became too much.”
“What did you do?”
“I...ah...well, I called you.” Jean-Luc grinned, remember those late night conversations. Beverly would always say she didn’t want to bother Jack, or she had already spoken to him before she called him. They would spend hours on the comms, sometimes they would even converse audio-only while one or the other or both were laying in bed. “You probably didn’t realise how much your conversations meant to me. We had real, adult, conversations. I came to rely on our conversations.”
“I had no idea they meant so much to you.” Beverly nodded and sat up to kiss him on the lips. “But enough about me and how I slowly fell in love with my best friend.” Jean-Luc kissed her back. “So that’s how it happened.”
“Yep.”
“I love you, Beverly.” Jean-Luc placed a kiss on Beverly’s bare shoulder. She laughed. “I love you too, but no distracting. We need to be a united front with Annisyn, don’t you think?”
He nodded. “Would it be so bad for us to keep Katie and raise her as our own daughter?” Beverly shook her head. “No, of course not. I do worry when Katie is older though. I don’t want her to carry any resentment towards Annisyn, and I don’t want Annisyn to feel like she can’t be part of our family.”
“No. Annisyn will always be part of the family. Katie’s young though...could she just think Annisyn is her sister?”
“I suppose that’s possible. But we still would have to tell her the truth when she’s older.” Beverly sighed. “And we don’t know what kind of person Katie will grow up to be. Wesley was five when you adopted him, but he wanted you to be his father. He knew perfectly well you weren’t his biological father. Katie...she’s young.”
“Young enough that she can transition from calling us Pup pup and Maw maw to Papa and Mommy with no trouble?” Beverly smiled. “Yeah. Let’s be honest, both are pretty darn close to it already. She only calls you Pup pup because she hears Wesley call you Papa. Maw maw is really just like Momma.” Jean-Luc grinned. “So...are we going to do this? Are we going to tell Annisyn that it’s ok for her to leave Katie with us?”
Beverly nodded. “But I think we’ll need some stipulations in there.”
“Like what?”
“For one, I don’t want Annisyn coming back in three, five, even one year and deciding she wants to be Katie’s mother again. I think if she does it, it’s permanent. “ Jean-Luc nodded. “That’s fair enough. We wouldn’t want to confuse Katie, after all. What about Annisyn’s involvement?”
“Well, I don’t think you want to kick her out of the family, do you?” Jean-Luc shook his head. “I would say, as much or as little as she wants to be in Katie’s life, as a big sister. Same as she is to Wesley. It might be hard, all of us living together, but I’m sure we can figure it out . Katie not recognizing Annisyn might actually work in our favour in this instance.”
“So, we have another daughter?” Jean-Luc said, grinning at his wife. “Yeah, we have another daughter.”