Listen To Your Heart

Setting is between Insurrection and Nemesis.

Listen To Your Heart

“Come in,” Deanna sadly answered the door to her quarters. “Oh, hi Beverly.”

“Did you forget we were to have lunch…” She hesitated when she noticed Deanna’s eyes were red, as though she had been crying. “Are you alright?”

Deanna attempted to smile as she replied, “I’m fine.”

“Deanna, I’ve known you long enough to know when there’s something wrong,” Beverly insisted as she entered Deanna’s quarters and the doors closed behind her. “You want to talk about it?”

Deanna observed Beverly and sensed that she was not going to let the matter go, “It’s Will.”

“What’s wrong with Will?”

“Nothing really,” she told her. “He finally did it though. He’s leaving the Enterprise and taking command of his own ship. Beverly, I’m afraid I’m going to lose him, just when we decide to pursue our relationship.”

“Have you told him how you feel?”

“Why should I? I mean, if this is what will make Will happy, I don’t want to interfere with that,” Deanna stated as tears began to well in her eyes again. “I want to see Will happy, but I don’t want to lose him again either. I couldn’t say good-bye to him the first time and I don’t want to say good-bye to him now.”

“You don’t have to tell him good-bye,” Beverly insisted.

“My head says if I don’t let him go, then he won’t be happy.”

“What does your heart say?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It does to Will!”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“You don’t really believe that,” Beverly persisted. “You’ve known him long enough to know that he cares about you and your feelings. Deanna, tell him how you feel, tell him what you want!”

“It’s not worth ruining his happiness,” Deanna insisted as she shook her head.

“You two have fought your feelings for a long time and then when you decide to pursue them you give up all because of a promotion?” Beverly was incredulous. “Deanna, don’t give up! Listen to your heart and talk to him!”

“I felt like I was in Heaven when we went with our feelings, now it feels like there is nothing by emptiness,” Deanna said helplessly.

“It doesn’t have to be that way,” Beverly insisted. “Oh, will you listen to me! I’m about to pursue a new career at Starfleet Medical, while a part of me feels like I’m leaving something very important to me behind on the Enterprise.”

“Captain Picard?”

“Yes,” she nodded sadly. “Am I fooling myself with wanting a future with Jean-Luc?”

“Seems like a foolish dream doesn’t it?” Deanna turned to walk over to the couch to sit.

“Yes, but I want him so much,” Beverly stated as she followed Deanna.

“Well, I guess it’s time we both took your advice and listen to our hearts,” Deanna replied with a slight smile.”

“But Deanna, I told him a few years ago that I wasn’t ready.”

“You are now?”

“I think I am,” Beverly replied softly with a hint of sadness in her voice.

“But you’re scared to tell him,” Deanna probed.

“Very scared,” she told Deanna. “I’m not sure about his feelings anymore.”

“I am and I know he cares about you very deeply.”

“Only because you are empathic,” Beverly accused sarcastically.

“That and how he reacts when he sees you,” she told her. “I’ll make a deal with you. You tell Captain Picard how you feel and I’ll do the same with Will. Fair enough?”

Beverly grinned at Deanna, “It’s a deal.”

There was a pause in their conversation as the two nervously stared at the floor wondering if what they were about to do was a mistake.

“Well, I guess we better go talk to them,” Deanna finally said.

“Yes, we should,” Beverly replied nervously. “Good luck.”

“You too,” Deanna told her. “We’ll need it with these two.”

Beverly laughed, “I agree!”

************************

“Jean-Luc,” Beverly addressed him in his Ready Room, “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you.”

“What’s that, Beverly,” he replied not looking up from the PADD he was holding.

“Jean-Luc, I’m wanting to talk to you and you just continue to stare at your reports!”

“I’m sorry, Beverly,” he said as he tossed the PADD aside. “What is it you want to talk to me about?”

“As you know, in a few days I’m leaving for Starfleet Medical,” she paused as she felt a lump grow in her throat. She was not sure if she could do this.

“Yes, go on,” Jean-Luc replied wanting to know where she going in the conversation.

“Remember when I said I wasn’t ready to pursue our feelings?”

“Yes.”

“Well, I am now,” she suddenly stated. “Jean-Luc, accept that promotion and come with me.”

“What?”

“Oh, I know we wouldn’t be in the same building, but we’d be on Earth together and we could…”

She paused, unsure of what she wanted to say next. If she said another word, she was afraid he would reject her proposal.

“I’ll do you one better than that, Beverly,” Jean-Luc informed her.

“What?” She asked with confusion.

“You know all the breakfasts and dinners we’ve shared that past few years?” Jean-Luc asked as he rose from his desk and walked around it to stand in front of her.

“Yes,” she nodded.

“The long nights we’ve sat up talking and enjoying each other’s company until the wee hours of the morning?” He continued as he wrapped his arms around her. “The brief kisses we’ve shared when no one was looking, although some were longer than others of course, and then there were the hugs.”

“Yes,” she was very puzzled now.

“I don’t know which ones I appreciated more, the hugs or the kisses, but it’s my guess that we’ve already, but unknowingly explored those feelings,” he stated as he looked her directly in the eyes and smiled. “I know I have.”

“Jean-Luc, but none of it was really romantic,” she insisted. “Two friends keeping each other company, yes, but we’ve never really…”

“Who said a relationship between two people who care very deeply for each other, has to be more than wining, dining, and long late night talks?”

“Well, no one really,” Beverly answered, still very confused as to where he was going with this. “But…”

“Marry me, Beverly.”

“But Jean-Luc, I’ll be leaving the Enterprise…”

“So will I, if you’ll marry me.”

“I…”

“You don’t have to answer right now, if you don’t want to,” he interrupted her, and then he pulled away from her to return to his desk. “We can have dinner tonight, my quarters, and you can answer me then if you’d like.”

As he started to pick up his PADD again, Beverly walked around his desk to stand beside him, “Jean-Luc?”

“Yes?” He asked as he looked up at her.

She hesitated for a moment, and then leaned down to brush his lips with hers.

Jean-Luc wanted to embrace her, wishing her kiss could last forever, but then thought better of it.

Afterwards, she smiled and said, “You have no idea how hard it was for me to discuss this with you and you’ve just made it easy for me.” Then she headed for the door, but before she left she paused, turned around, leaned slightly toward one side of the door, and said, “I’m looking forward to dinner, Jean-Luc.”

Jean-Luc looked up and smiled at her, “As am I.”

With a smile, Beverly departed from his Ready Room.

*************************

Deanna had just gotten off duty when she spotted Will walking down the adjoining corridor and hurried to catch up to him. “Will, we need to talk,” Deanna insisted.

‘What did I do now?’ Will thought, then answered Deanna, “OK, what about?”

“Us.”

“I guessed that,” Will replied as they arrived at his quarters. Then he moved his hand towards the door to gesture for her to enter, “Ladies first.”

“Thank you.”

“What I mean is; what is it about us you want to talk about?”

“Marry me, Will,” Deanna suddenly asked as the doors closed behind them, surprising herself, and Will.

“What?” Will asked with the shock of Deanna’s request.

“I realize that it is more customary for the male on your planet to ask the woman…”

“No, Deanna,” Will began, “That’s not it. You just caught me by surprise. To be honest, I was going to ask you.”

“You were?” It was Deanna’s turn to be surprised.

“Yes,” Will replied. “Hold on a minute.”

Will entered his sleeping area, opened one of his drawers, and pulled out a small box. As he walked back toward Deanna he opened the box to show her the ring inside and continued, “It’s nothing fancy, but it’s a real diamond.”

“Will!” Deanna’s face beamed and her heart jumped with excitement, but suddenly her joy turned to sorrow and the joy in her face disappeared. “But you’ll be leaving in a few days.”

“That’s the beauty of it,” Will grinned. “As my wife you can come with me. I want you to be my ship’s counselor too, that is, if you want the position.”

“Oh yes, Will!” Deanna exclaimed. “And here I was afraid it would be just as we had left it when you left Betazed all those years ago.”

“Deanna, I can’t do that again. I don’t want to be without you ever again. That’s why I rejected all those other positions I was offered. I knew you weren’t ready for marriage, hell I wasn’t ready if I were to be honest, but I couldn’t leave you either. Now, it just seems so right to ask you to marry me and take this position.”

Deanna took a deep breath to calm herself, then with a mischievous grin she said, “You still haven’t answered my question.”

Will laughed, “Yes Deanna, I will marry you!”

“Oh Will!” She exclaimed excitedly as he put the ring on her finger. Afterwards she threw her arms around him.

“But you haven’t answered my question,” he stated as he gently pushed her away slightly. “Will you take the position?”

“If Starfleet approves, yes,” she smiled and then kissed him. When she broke the kiss she pulled him close and whispered in his ear, “Gods I love you Imzadi!”

Then she teased his ear with her tongue, sending shivers down Will’s spine.

“Why do I get the impression you want more than just the promise marriage this afternoon?”

“Oh I don’t know,” she said removing his shirt and then she attacked one of his nipples with her mouth; suckling it hungrily.

“Mmmm, Deanna, that feels so nice.”

“I certainly hope so,” she said as made her way to his other nipple to tease it with her tongue.

Will reached down to remove her shirt and began caressing her creamy mocha breasts with his hands as she continued to tease him.

With her hunger growing for more of him, she slid out of his grasp and down his chest with gentle kisses. Her hands took pleasure in the feel of his washboard stomach, until they found the clasp of his pants. She undid his pants; releasing his burgeoning erection. Pausing briefly with her intensions, she took pride in the fact that she could excite her Imzadi after all these years and then she enveloped his manhood with her mouth.

“Oh, Imzadi!” Will moaned with pleasure as she worked her mouth up and down his long, hard staff.

When she began to caress his testicles with her one of her hands and tantalize the tip of his penis with her tongue, Will groaned and shook from the sensation as tried hard to contain himself.

“Wait!” He said as he suddenly stopped her and pulled her up to him. “I have a better idea.”

Will pulled her down to the floor and as he laid her down gently, he began to tease and caress her breasts.

“What’s that?” Deanna asked as she started to think the roles had suddenly reversed.

“Mmm,” he hummed as he made his way down her silky-warm body. Then he removed her boots and pants. Then he laid beside her with his head toward her feet and pulled her on top of him.

“Oh!” She moaned as she realized what he wanted and then groaned once more when she felt his warm tongue invading her womanhood.

Soon she regained her senses and began to tease Will’s still engorged flesh with her tongue, but the sensations he sent through her body was too much for her as she let out another erotic cry of pleasure. Her sensuous moans sent enticing vibrations through Will’s groin, encouraging him to continue his arousing ministrations to her.

Will massaged her hips with his hands as his hot tongue continued to work her fiery core. Eventually, he brought one hand around to insert one of his fingers into her moist depths and then he worked in two as he teased her unrelentingly.

As Deanna tried to return the favour, the feel of his fingers and tongue working her moist depths caused her groan once more. She wanted him to fill her entirely with his hard warmth, so she rose up on her hands and knees, inviting him to take her from behind, as she brushed his mind with, “Please Will.”

Without further words, Will knew exactly what she wanted, Will slid out from under her, and then kneeling behind her, his hard staff slid into her hot moist core. When he began slowly grinding against her, Deanna met his movements as though they were one. Will brought a hand around to massage her hot nub with his fingers and with each thrust their bodies met harder against each other.

Pumping her harder and harder, Will soon brought his hand back to her hips to help her keep up with him.

Pulsating waves of pleasure flooded through Deanna as she cried out in his mind, “Yes!” repeated. Each time her breathy pleas became louder until she reached an explosive climax.

With the sense of Deanna’s pleasure and the spastic feel of her body, he arched his back, as he slammed deeper into her. Soon he released a primal cry of fulfilment as he spilled his hot seed into her.

Deanna collapsed onto the floor; her breathing was ragged as she let out a satisfied sigh, “Oh Will that was wonderful!”

“Yes,” he panted breathlessly as he rolled to one side to keep from falling on top of her.

Deanna snuggled up next to his wet body with a smile, “So, can I expect more of that now that we’re getting married.”

Will chuckled and kissed the top of her head, “I certainly hope so, especially if you accept the position I offered you.”

Still grinning, she wrapped an arm around his body, and teased, “Humm, I don’t know. The benefits sound nice.”

Will could not help but to laugh, “Oh yeah?”

“Yes,” she said as she kissed him. “I’d love to be your ship’s counselor, but right now, I think we’d better get back to work before they start to miss us.”

Will gave an exhausted sighed, hugged her, and then got up off the floor asking, “How about we share a sonic shower first?”

Deanna also rose from the floor as she replied with a smile, “Gladly!”

*****************************

“Well, what did he say?” Deanna inquired when she saw Beverly heading back to Sickbay later that day.

“I feel like a school girl,” Beverly smiled with controlled excitement. She was trying hard not to just tell her friend, preferring to make her ask questions.

“Humm… Sounds like it went well and judging by your smile, I’d say it did.”

“We’re having dinner tonight and I’m suppose to give him an answer then.”

“To what?”

“If I’ll marry him,” she informed her nonchalantly.

“Oh, Beverly!” Deanna exclaimed with excitement. Then with a smile and a slight tilt of her head, “I’m glad I took your advice also.”

“What happened?”

“I asked him to marry me.”

“Oh Deanna, you didn’t…”

“I did. It was the first thing I did when I spoke to him.”

They entered Sickbay and Beverly grabbed Deanna’s hand as she hurried her to her office, “I want you to tell me all about it.”

“Only if you tell me everything that happened when you talked to the captain,” Deanna insisted as they walked through the door of Beverly’s office.

“Alright, but you first.”

****************************

That evening, Beverly walked down the corridor to Jean-Luc’s quarters. She was wearing a velvety green dress, which flattered every curve of her body. The sides of her hair were pulled back while the rest of her hair hung down her back.

Somehow she felt tonight was going to be a very special night. She knew what she wanted, or rather who she wanted, for the rest of her life. There was no way she was going leave Jean-Luc behind again.

He was the reason she wanted to serve on the Enterprise, the reason she regretted leaving, and the reason she returned to the Enterprise a second time. The senior staff was wonderful and they were very dear friends, but Jean-Luc had always held a special place in her heart.

Now she was sure of what she wanted and there was no fear of it this time. She wanted Jean-Luc with her for the rest of her life and given the conversation they had earlier, she knew he wanted the same, but would he accept the promotion to admiral just to be with her on Earth more often then he would if he stayed the captain of the Enterprise?

‘It’s wrong of me to ask him to do that,’ she thought as she rang the chime to his quarters. ‘He loves being a captain and to request he accept the promotion to admiral so he can be with me, is wrong. Maybe this whole thing is wrong?’

“Beverly, come in,” Jean-Luc greeted with a smile.

“Jean-Luc, maybe I was wrong,” she said as she entered his quarters.

“What?”

“I shouldn’t ask you to leave the Enterprise just to be with me on Earth.”

“What the devil are you talking about?”

“Remember I asked you to accept the promotion so you could be with me on Earth?”

“Yes, but…”

“I shouldn’t have asked you to do that.”

“Beverly, it’s alright. I had already decided on that,” he informed her. “You’re not insisting on anything I hadn’t already agreed to.”

“I’m not?”

“No, of course not,” he replied. “I had already given it a lot of thought before you brought it up, but what made me decide to take was that Will accepted his own ship; Worf is at Deep Space Nine; Geordi mentioned some plans as well as Data…” he paused briefly to reflect for a moment. “Well, it just won’t be the same and I’d like to have at least one familiar face around me. What better person to have around than the woman I love?”

“Jean-Luc,” she gasped. “I do believe that is the first time I’ve heard you say that in a long time.”

“Oh?”

“Yes, the last time was when we were mentally attached and we could read each other’s thoughts,” she reflected. “Then you in a round about way took it back, by saying…”

“Yes, I remember. Don’t remind me,” he insisted. “I regretted I said that afterwards.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Why else would you have offered to explore our feelings for each other?”

“Oh, so you can still read my mind,” he smiled and then kissed her.

Beverly threw her arms around him as she returned his affection.

The kiss started to become intoxicating when Jean-Luc suddenly pulled away, “Dinner is getting cold.”

“I’m not exactly hungry for food,” Beverly stated as she pulled him back to continue what he had started. Her tongue began to explore his mouth as her hands caressed his body.

Jean-Luc held her in his arms as his hands explored the curves of her body. Slowly he slid her dress off her body, allowing it to fall to the floor, as his lips travelled down her neck.

“Jean-Luc, you don’t know how long I’ve waited for this,” she suddenly gasped.

“To make love to me?”

“No,” she laughed, “To hear you say you love me.”

“So, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she said happily and then kissed him again.

“You’re right,” he said as he picked her up and carried her to his bed. “Dinner can wait.”

After he laid her on his bed, he admired her ivory skin as he sat on the bed beside her, and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. “Are you sure…”

“Jean-Luc,” she began to scold as she suddenly sat up, “You have a practically naked woman on your bed, who’s not complaining, and you have to ask if she’s sure?”

“Mmmm, you’re right. I must be out of my mind,” he replied and then leaned over and kissed her.

Beverly wrapped her arms around him and pulled him down onto the bed. She took pleasure in the feel of his strong muscular body on top of hers, but wanted to feel his warm skin against hers. She worked her hands under his shirt and caressed his supple muscles, then raised his shirt to remove it.

Jean-Luc pulled back just enough to allow her to remove it and then returned his attention to her moist lips, gently parting them with his tongue. As he began exploring her mouth, his hands worked the snaps of her bra, slowly removing it.

Their warm flesh, now unencumbered by clothing, touched and increased their desire for each other.

Feeling his hard muscles and the heat of his lips moving down to her neck, Beverly started to wish that this night would never end. Sliding her hands down the contours of his of his body, she made her way to his pants and slid them off him.

Picard adjusted his body to assist her, and then returned his attention to her supple neck, which was now flushed with arousal. His hand caressed one of her breasts as he journeyed down to the other hardening breast.

As he captured the rosy tip of the creamy mound with his warm moist mouth, Beverly arched her upper back and purred, “Oh, Jean-Luc.”

His tongue circled her nipple, then slid across to the other one and enveloped it.

Her chest heaved as she gasped from the sensation of his moist tongue sliding across. As his hardened manhood rubbed against her womanhood, she had a throbbing need to have more of him, so she slid one of her hands between their bodies and reached down to caress his engorged flesh.

“Oh no, not yet,” he softly moaned then slid his tongue down her inflamed skin to the apex between her legs. He teased her swollen bud unmercifully before sliding his tongue up one thigh and then the other.

“Oh,” she gasped as her lower body rose and fell to his ministrations.

Then he returned his attention once more to her molten need. Bracing her legs open with his hands, his tongue moved rapidly in and out of her hot wet sheath as he hungrily savoured her essence.

“Please, Jean-Luc,” Beverly begged breathlessly.

With a sweep of his tongue up her body, he made his way back up to her mouth and reclaimed it as his firm hard flesh teased her pulsating core.

Reaching down, he caressed her passion-moist depths with his fingers, and then eased himself deep within her heated core.

“Oh yes,” she groaned as he finally claimed her with gentle thrusts. Her body rose in unison to his movements.

Soon their rhythm increased to an erotic frenzy and suddenly Beverly released an uninhibited cry of satisfaction followed by Jean-Luc’s groan of masculine pleasure as he exploded deep inside her.

“Oh Beverly,” he said has sweaty body relaxed above her.

“Maybe we should have done this a long time ago,” Beverly replied breathlessly and wrapping her arms around him.

Jean-Luc rolled off her and then pulled her close to him as he engulfed her in his arms, “I don’t know, I think waiting made it better.”

“Maybe.”

They laid quietly for a few moments until Beverly started to doze off in the comfort of his arms.

“Are you too tired for dinner?”

“Humm?” She asked dozily.

Jean-Luc smiled with the knowledge that Beverly still felt comfortable with him. He kissed her head, pulled her closer to him, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

***************************

“So?” Deanna asked as she rushed to catch up with Beverly the next morning.

“So, what?”

“So, how was it with Captain Picard? I mean, aside from the obvious.”

“Deanna, just because I came out of HIS quarters this morning doesn’t mean anything happened,” Beverly tried to cover. “You know that.”

“Beverly,” Deanna pressed, “you don’t usually have a glow about you either, when you come out of HIS quarters.”

“I’m not glowing,” Beverly insisted. “I’m just feeling very well rested this morning.”

“You’re glowing. There was only one other time I’ve seen you glow, but that was just a fling and this isn’t,” Deanna reminded her. “You’re glowing even more now than you did then.”

Beverly suddenly stopped in her tracks as she looked at Deanna and had a blushing smile, “Alright, you’re right, but I don’t kiss and tell.”

“I knew it! You have to tell me what happened, Beverly! Did you accept?”

Unable to contain herself, Beverly informed her excitedly, “We’re getting married!”

“Now I know this wasn’t your usual all night talks with the captain!” Deanna exclaimed as she fell back into step with Beverly.

“It certainly wasn’t,” she smiled mischievously. “It certainly wasn’t.”

“Well, maybe you should take your advice more often,” Deanna grinned stopping in front of her office. “Now it’s your turn to go first and tell me everything.”

“Alright, let’s do lunch,” Beverly surrendered. “My office again?”

“You’re on!” Deanna agreed as she entered her own office.