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The Enterprise had been in deep space for far longer than anyone had anticipated and emotions were running high. Couples were fighting, children were cranky, and the Cheif Medical Officer seemed to be in a permanent bad mood. Jean-Luc was used to long deep space missions as they harkened back to his early years on the Stargazer, so he was troubled to see Beverly so moody. He thought for sure she would have been used to it too.
He paused outside her office door and knocked on the doorway. She looked up and smiled at her old friend, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Jean-Luc, what can I do for you?"
He grinned. "Ah, it is what I can do for you, Beverly." She raised her eyebrows. "Oh?"
"Take the rest of the day off and meet me on holodeck four h in half an hour?"
"I think I can do that. Is there a dress code?" Beverly anticipated needing her 1940s suit for a play in Dixon Hill's world and was surprised when the response was "something comfortable and suitable for summer."
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Beverly chose a sundress, strappy sandals, and a wide-brimmed hat and was delighted to see her partner had chosen a pair of light linen trousers, a white top, and was sockless in a pair of loafers. "Very dapper. Where are you taking me?"
Jean-Luc's reached for her arm as the doors slid open to reveal a field of lavender planted alongside a meandering stream with a wooded area not far. In the distance, she could see a small thatched cottage and wondered where they were.
"La Barre. Not quite the vineyard, but I thought we might enjoy a walk in some sunshine, artificial as it might be." She smiled. "Sounds delightful."
The couple strolled along a footpath by the stream, chatting as they walked, and were just enjoying each other's company and time away from their duties until Beverly paused. "Jean-Luc, listen." He cocked his head to one side.
"I don't hear anything."
"Exactly. The birds have stopped chirping."
Suddenly, there was a loud clap of thunder and the sky opened up. Jean-Luc reached for her hand. "Come on, we'll go to the cottage."
They ran together through the rain, both forgetting they were on a holodeck and could have ordered the rain to stop. They laughed as they entered the cottage. Beverly kicked off her shoes and tossed her hat to one side. "So much for that." She shivered.
"Hmm." Jean-Luc looked around the familiar cottage and strode over to the fireplace where he managed to poke at the embers to get a glow of warmth. "Here, we can dry by the fire." He draped a blanket across Beverly’s shoulders and he was shocked when she slipped off her dress to hang it on the rail in front of the fireplace. "It'll dry quicker not on me. You should take off your wet clothes too."
Jean-Luc hid his blush as he removed his trousers and shirt and wrapped the blanket Beverly handed him around his shoulders.
"Tea?"
"Sure, if you can find some."
Jean-Luc headed into the small kitchen and rummaged around for the tea. He soon came back in. "Kettle's on. Might take a few minutes, the stove was stone cold." Beverly pursed her lips. "You sure seem to know where everything is."
"Mm. That's because this cottage used to belong to my Uncle Charles and Aunt Ann. When Uncle Charlie passed away I was twelve and I used to come over to help Aunt Ann....she left me the cottage in her will, so," Jean-Luc gestured with his arms and his blanket fell. "I own all of this."
"You never mentioned it before. Did Jack and Walker know?" Jean-Luc shook his head. "No, I never came back to the cottage. It's still standing though. I pay someone in the village to look after it for me. Maybe someday we'll..." he trailed off as the whistling kettle interrupted them. "Be right back. Please, make yourself at home." Beverly grinned.
She stood up when he brought their tea and after he set the tea down, she let her own blanket fall. Jean-Luc swallowed. She walked over to her long-time friend and gently ran her hand across his chest. Of course, she knew all the marks and unhealed scars from treating him in her sickbay, but never as a lover. She kissed him and whispered against his lips "is there a bed?"
Jean-Luc whispered back, "upstairs" and Beverly reached for his hand. Together, they climbed the steps.
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Beverly woke up with her head resting on Jean-Luc's shoulder and his hand idly stroking her breast. She listened. "Rain stopped."
"So it has. Did you want to leave?"
"No," she rolled onto her side and Jean-Luc spooned her. "I'm comfortable where I am." She toyed with his fingers and sighed. "I wish this was real."
"It is real. Beverly, I didn't make love to you just because we are in a holodeck fantasy. Turn around and look at me, please." Beverly rolled over and he deeply kissed her. "Beverly....I know we'll always have our ups and downs but I love you, and I want to be with you. And if you don't believe me because we're on the holodeck, then come have dinner with me tonight."
"I believe you, but I'll still have dinner with you. And maybe I'll spend the night?" Jean-Luc grinned back at his new lover. "I'd like that." He kissed her again.
###FIN###