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Jean-Luc settled into his desk chair in his quarters with a cup of tea and let out a long sigh. For once, the large quarters occupied by the Picard family sat empty of children. Wesley was serving the afternoon shift on the bridge, Beverly was still working in Sickbay, and the other children were at school. It was blissfully quiet and it was the perfect time for Jean-Luc to finally tackle the stack of PADDs that had been building up with various department head reports. If he stayed in his ready room, no doubt Commander Riker or Mister Data would have reason to disturb him.
He pulled the first PADD towards him when he heard the door slide open. “Hey, Dad.”
“Wes, shouldn’t you be on the bridge? Or in your own quarters.” Wesley shook his head. “Shift’s over. But I was wondering, Dad, could you explain to me the mistake Ensign Marsers made? I’ve been puzzling over it, and I don’t want to make the same one.” Jean-Luc nodded and indicated for Wesley to take a seat in front of his desk.
Twenty minutes later, Wesley was thanking his step-father and left to meet his friends for dinner and Jean-Luc raised his cup to his lips and grimaced. Cold. He got up and went back to the replicator and ordered a new cup.
“Worf to Captain Picard. You have a transmission from La Barre.”
“Put it through to my quarters, Mister Worf.” Jean-Luc wasn’t sure who it was, there were now several Picards and various relations living in La Barre and he smiled when the screen lit up with the face of his adopted adult daughter. “Annisyn, what a lovely surprise!”
“Hi Papa. Are you busy?” Jean-Luc shook his head. “Never for you. How are you?”
“I’m alright. But I wanted to talk to you about me possibly coming back to Starfleet?” Jean-Luc grinned. “Miss sharing quarters with your old man?”
“Something like that. I’m enjoying helping Uncle Robert with the vineyard, and I’ve liked attending university, but...I kind of miss the stars.”
“Happens to us all. Well, your commission was only put on hold, never rescinded, so if you came back you would still be Lieutenant Junior Grade. Did you want to be placed on the Enterprise with us? I was teasing about sharing quarters. Naturally, you’d have your own quarters. Wesley’s moved out as well. Something about not having any privacy.” Annisyn laughed.
“If I could...I miss you, Papa.”
“Miss you too. We all do.” Jean-Luc enjoyed talking with his daughter as he walked her through what she would need to do to be reinstated with a promise to speak to Admiral Quinn personally to get her assigned to the Enterprise. After Annisyn was finished, Rene insisted on speaking with his uncle. He finally ended the call from La Barre and didn’t even bother taking a sip of his tea. Instead he rose with a sigh and swapped his cup for a fresh one.
He hadn’t lifted the cup to his lips when the door opened once more, revealing his wife. “I’m only here to change before I pick up Michel and Clara. I’m taking them to a birthday party on the holodeck for one of their friends.”
“And Katie?”
“I’m not sure. You know, she keeps a lot of secrets from me now. Sometimes, I don’t even feel as though I’m her mother anymore.” Jean-Luc rose and encircled Beverly’s waist with his arms. “That’s not true. She’s just...almost a teenager. I’m sure it will pass and she’ll realise she needs her mother.” She turned in his arms and gave him a slow kiss.
“I hope so. How has your day gone?” He grinned “Annisyn wants to come back to Starfleet and serve on the Enterprise with us.”
“Do you think that’s wise? With Katie, I mean.” Jean-Luc frowned. “I hadn’t thought about that. But Katie hasn’t been bothered with the fact that Annisyn is her birth mother for years. You know you’re her mother.” He kissed her back. “Go change. You don’t want the children to be late.”
Jean-Luc once again picked up his cup of tea, only to find it had cooled off yet again. He grumbled, but he was glad to have seen his wife. He ordered yet another new cup, and wondered if he would be able to drink that one.
His tea cooled to the perfect temperature and as he was lifting it to his lips, Katie entered their quarters. “Papa, can you help me with my homework?”
“Of course I can, sweetheart. “ Katie grinned. “Great! I’ll go get it.”
“Why don’t we work in your room?” Katie nodded, and Jean-Luc followed his daughter into her bedroom, his tea forgotten.
Hours later, after helping Katie with her homework, and eating dinner with the rest of the family, giving Michel his bath and reading a bedtime story to Clara, Jean-Luc finally settled into bed next to his wife with a cup of tea in his hands. He wouldn’t have his life any other way.