Near the End of the Third Trimester

"What is this?" The confusion in Wesley's voice was matched by the expression on his face, although he had a dawning suspicion as to what exactly was going on--a suspicion that was confirmed by Data's next words.

"This is what is commonly referred to as a baby shower, Wesley," the android explained. Exactly as Wes had feared when he arrived in Ten Forward at Captain Picard's request, only to be confronted by a roomful of his friends, balloons everywhere, a huge cake surrounded by a mountain of presents on a pair of pushed-together tables, and an equally impressive mountain of food and drinks on the bar. "It was Commander Riker's idea--"

"Hey, whoa, hold on now," the first officer protested. "Geordi had a hand in on this too, I'm not taking all the blame!"

"It is true that Geordi assisted in the planning," Data agreed, turning to Riker with a serious expression on his face. "However, you were the one who suggested that Ensign Leffler was not the only parent involved, and that Wesley deserved to receive some recognition as well."

Good-natured laughter erupted around Riker, who grinned and shrugged in a "how-can-I-possibly-refute-that" gesture before throwing a companionable arm around Wesley's shoulders and steering him in the general direction of the refreshments piled on the bar. "He's got me there; I cannot argue with my own words--especially when I make the mistake of speaking in front of someone with an infallible memory."

"However," Data interjected, "full credit must be given to Geordi for suggesting that we schedule your party at the same time your mother is conducting a similar party for Robin--"

"I told you we were late, Father! He's already here!" The aggrieved voice that interrupted Data's words belonged to Alexander Roshenkov, who was tugging impatiently at Worf's arm, practically dragging his father into Ten-Forward. The grim embarrassment on the Klingon's face almost made it worth his own discomfort, Wesley decided. Almost. Then he, like Riker, shrugged and grinned. What the heck.

"Come on in and join the festivities," he called, nodding his thanks as Commander Riker thrust a glass of something into his hand.

Alexander rushed up alone, giving up on pulling his father along faster, and handed Wesley a gaily wrapped package with a startling mass of what the younger Crusher somewhat doubtfully labeled ribbons tied around it. "It's a present for the baby," Alexander announced. "I wrapped it myself," he added unnecessarily as Wesley thanked him. "Can I have something to eat?"

"Sure, dig in," Riker replied, lifting the young Klingon up on a chair next to the sweets as his father approached Wesley.

"I wish to congratulate you," he said solemnly as he shook Wesley's hand. "Becoming a father is a great responsibility, and a great joy. At times," he added with a disapproving scowl at the way Alexander was shoveling food into his face. He turned back to Wesley. "If you wish to talk to me at any time, I will be available to discuss various aspects of being a parent." With that, he shook Wesley's hand again before Riker dragged him to the end of the bar where the liquid refreshments were waiting.

Wesley stifled a grin at the thought of going to a Klingon for advice about raising children, but the grin faded as he realized that Worf--and everyone in the room--were only hoping he would need that kind of advice. He realized he and Robin had settled the matter to their mutual satisfaction, but that didn't necessarily mean that anyone else knew he was back for the foreseeable future. And he was just beginning to realize that his friends had very carefully avoided asking--whether to keep him from feeling pressured, or because they were afraid of the answer, he wasn't sure.

Then again, he decided as he looked around, maybe he didn't have to make some sort of big announcement. Everyone seemed ready to accept whatever decision he made, just as Robin had. And all he had to do was talk to Picard about being allowed to continue working with Geordi to settle the matter. Once word was out that he wasn't just visiting, that would be all the answer anyone would need.

oOo

Two weeks later, Wesley's prediction had come true. He'd continued some of his studies with the Traveler, but not as often as he'd thought he would; the work he was doing with propulsion systems with Data and Geordi was just as fascinating as expanding his own limits had been. Many of the things the Traveler had already shown and taught him could be directly applied to Geordi's experiments; it was remarkably satisfying to see the excitement in the Chief Engineer's face whenever Wesley offered an unconventional solution to some particularly annoying problem.

The time he spent alone with Robin was equally satisfying. She was still afraid that he would leave, still worried that she'd taken him away from his life, but she did her best to keep those fears to herself, and Wesley wisely kept his own knowledge of those fears to himself. She would learn to accept that he wasn't being forced into a life he didn't want or expect, that the choice to stay was made because it was truly what he wanted to do. Just as his mother had finally accepted the fact that her son's abilities hadn't changed the person he was. He'd been born Wesley James Crusher and he was still that same person, with the same emotions and fears as anyone else.

Emotions and fears that culminated that very night…

"Wesley."

He muttered and rolled over.

"Wesley!"

His eyes snapped open. "Robin? What's wrong?" He didn't bother shielding, her sense of anticipation and a great deal of concern as clear in her voice and face as in her emotions.

"It's time."

"Time?" he repeated stupidly, then blinked. "Time?" He sat up. "Now?"

She nodded. "Now. I contacted your mother, she's meeting us in Sickbay."

"Sickbay," Wesley repeated. "Got it." He stood up, gathering Robin in his arms as a spasm of pain crossed her face. When she started to protest, he hushed her with a kiss. "What's the good of being able to translocate if I can't save us a few minutes?" he quipped as they vanished from the darkened quarters.

If Robin had any protests, she kept them to herself as they suddenly appeared in the middle of Sickbay. Nurse Ogawa gave a startled yelp, then moved to help Robin to a bed as she recognized the situation for what it was. Wesley hovered uncertainly in the background as his mother appeared a few minutes later. Nurse Ogawa had already set up the monitors and given Robin an injection for the pain as they measured the contractions and checked to make sure it wasn't false labor.

Six hours later, Wesley stood at Robin's side, clutching her hand as his mother turned to them with a small, squalling bundle in her arms.

"Congratulations, you two." Dr. Crusher's voice was filled with pride as she laid the baby on her mother's stomach. "Say hello to your daughter."

"Hello, there, little girl," Robin whispered, smiling down at the tiny, red-faced infant. "I'm your mommy." The newborn showed her opinion of this announcement by opening her mouth and emitting a yell worthy of a Klingon opera singer.

"If she's reacting like that to you, I think I'll wait and tell her the bad news about me being her father another time," Wesley said in a stage whisper, leaning down to plant a kiss on Robin's sweaty forehead. "I just hope she likes her name better than she likes being here right now."

"That name being--?" his mother prompted.

"Celeste, Celeste Leffler Crusher," Wesley proclaimed proudly.

Robin rolled her eyes and groaned weakly. "Went for the first one on the list, eh?"

"No, of course not," Wesley said hastily. "I just liked it the best. Have I congratulated you on a beautiful baby yet?"

"Hey, those congratulations belong to both of us," Robin protested, tired enough to let it drop. For now. "We did this together, remember?"

"Yeah, but who had the hard part?" Wesley countered. Crusher stifled a grin at the relief in his voice, but could tell by the look in Robin's eye that he wasn't going to live this down for a long time.

He was just grateful that he'd be around for her to tease for a long, long time. Because there was no way he'd be able to leave either of them, not now, not ever. Nothing could keep him away from them. One look at the noisy bundle in Robin's arms and he'd fallen hopelessly in love. I'm a father, he thought dazedly. Wow. It felt wonderful.

Crusher stripped the sterile gloves from her hand and the surgical cap from her head with a sigh, stepping away from the threesome to give them a little privacy before moving Robin to a private bed. Picard was standing by the door, a tentative smile on his face, and she moved to stand next to him. "Ensign Leffler is officially on maternity leave," she announced with a grin. "Mother and daughter are doing fine."

"And how is grandmother doing?" Picard asked, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Grandmother could use a cup of hot tea right about now," she replied. "Just as soon as she gets mother and child settled, and maybe shoos daddy out of the room so mother and child can get some sleep…"

Picard looked at Wesley. "Somehow I don't think you'll be able to chase him away any time soon," he murmured. Wesley stood next to Robin, stroking her hair with absent fingers while he gazed down, enraptured, at his tiny daughter. "He's asked permission to stay on board indefinitely, you know."

Crusher smiled. "I know. He seems happy."

"They both do," Picard agreed. "And so do you."

"Being a grandmother agrees with me, Jean-Luc, it agrees with me a great deal." Crusher stepped away as Nurse Ogawa approached them, spoke softly with the nurse, then walked over to kiss her son, squeeze Robin's hand, and drop a kiss on the baby's forehead. She said something to them, they smiled, and she turned back to Picard. "I'll take that cup of tea now."

He offered his arm, which she accepted, and they headed out of Sickbay. "Jean-Luc, I am a lucky woman," Crusher announced as the doors closed behind them.

He glanced back, then smiled at her. "We are all very lucky," he whispered. "I can hardly wait to see what the future brings."

THE END

A/N: OK, that's the story. There's always a chance for a sequel, but this is as far as I've thought for this one. Please tell me what you thought!