Carpe Diem

Synopsis: Takes place following the events of "Tapestry" when Picard is injured and Q shows him what his life could have been had he made different decisions. Picard is recovering and reconsidering some of the choices he's made.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to CBS, its parents and affiliates. Just taking the characters out for a jaunt around the galaxy, I warrant they will be returned in the same condition I borrowed them.

Part 1

"Beverly!"

Beverly whips around , abandoning her scan of the patient in the biobed in the emergency ward of Sickbay at the bellicose bark from a disgruntled commanding officer lying on a biobed at the back of the room. Frowning apologetically to the lieutenant, Beverly pats her knee. "Looks good. But, drop in if you see any swelling or redness around the wound. Okay?"

Bobbing her head, the lieutenant shuffles off of the bed and Beverly walks down the aisle to where the captain is lying on top of a biobed, a blue blanket wrapped over his legs and chest.

As she approaches the bed, Beverly puts a hand on her hip, raising a brow. "You bellowed?"

"I'm sorry, Doctor," apologizes Alyssa Ozawa in distress, at the head of the bed. "I just offered the captain some water and crackers and he demanded to see you."

Pointing his finger at Beverly, Picard grumbles. "What kind of Sickbay are you running here? Your staff are pestering me. And then they want to give me water and saltines for dinner?"

Stepping up to the side of the bed, Beverly squares off with her commanding officer and friend, a little smirk in the corner of her lips. "Listen, Captain. This is my Sickbay. While you're here you're my patient, and you follow my orders. You rest, you take your medicine, and you eat whatever we put in front of you. Got it, Sir?"

Unable to keep the surprise and amusement from showing on his face, Picard grins. "Well, very well, then. I'm in no condition to argue with you, Doctor."

Smiling gently, Beverly folds her hands. "Good. Now, apologize to Alyssa. You were out of line."

Biting back a retort, Picard exhales, turning to the nurse beside him. "I'm sorry, Alyssa. I shouldn't have raised my voice to you. I suppose I'm a little frustrated being confined to Sickbay."

Smiling trepidatiously, Alyssa nods. "That's alright, Sir."

Turning to Alyssa, Beverly nods. "Alyssa, can you please get the captain some vegetable broth?"

Grateful for a chance to escape, Alyssa nods and takes off to the replicator.

"I am sorry," murmurs Picard sincerely. "I just want to get out of here."

Laughing, Beverly perches on the edge of the bed, commencing a scan with her tricorder. "Is it that bad?"

Watching Beverly scan him, Picard shakes his head. "Perhaps not all of it."

"Just rest. We'll get you out of here in no time." Satisfied, Beverly slips the tricorder into the pocket of her lab coat. "I need to keep you here tonight, but if you're up and about tomorrow perhaps I can release you."

"I don't want to stay here tonight," whines Jean-Luc, grimacing.

Putting a hand on his arm, Beverly smiles warmly. "Relax, Jean-Luc. I wouldn't dare leave you with anyone else. I'll stay here tonight and keep an eye on you."

Physically relaxing, Jean-Luc smiles easily. "Alright, then."

"Now, Alyssa's going to bring you some soup. If you can manage that I'll get you a bit of dinner later. Okay?" Beverly rises off of the bed, rubbing Jean-Luc's arm.

"Aye, Doctor," responds Picard teasingly.

"And don't terrorize my staff!" Wagging her finger, Beverly grins playfully before taking off to tend to another patient.

PAGE BREAK

"Once this has healed, I can use the dermal regenerator and it'll be like this never happened." Beverly tells Jean-Luc quietly.

Jean-Luc lies on the biobed at the back of the now empty emergency ward. His blue Sickbay robe open and blanket rolled down to his legs, Jean-Luc observes as Beverly removes the dressings from the large wound in his chest. "Oh, I'm not worried. You'll do a fine job."

Cleaning the wound, Beverly looks at Jean-Luc solemnly. "You're lucky, Jean-Luc. This could have been far worse."

Lips curling into a bittersweet smile, Jean-Luc exhales profoundly as Beverly applies a fresh dressing to the wound. "You're right."

Trembling slightly, Beverly scoops up her med-kit and tricorder and the old bandages to discard.

Jean-Luc watches her carefully as she puts her effects away, briefly retreating to wash her hands . She returns a few moments later, her lab coat abandoned, her eyes watery.

"What's wrong?" Jean-Luc inquires as Beverly walks toward his biobed.

Sniffling, Beverly rests her hands on her hips, waving him off. "Nothing. You feel like something to eat?"

His gaze following her as Beverly takes off to the replicator, Jean-Luc attempts to sit upright. "Sure."

After a moment, Beverly returns to the bed with a tray of toast and two steaming mugs of herbal tea. "Before you protest, this is all you can have tonight. We'll see how you are in the morning."

"Get yourself some dinner and sit with me," suggests Jean-Luc as Beverly adjusts the tray to balance on the bed over his lap.

Beverly adjusts a pillow behind Jean-Luc's back so he can sit comfortably. "I'm not really hungry."

Jean-Luc grabs her hand and her gaze. "Hey. What's the matter?"

Lowering herself onto the edge of the bed, Beverly lays a hand on Jean-Luc's cheek with a watery smile. "Nothing. I'm just…very glad you're alright. I couldn't stand to see anything happen to you, Jean-Luc."

Taking her hand, Jean-Luc kisses her knuckles. "You can't get rid of me that easily."

Chuckling, Beverly chokes back a tiny sob, trying to compose herself.

"Come," urges Jean-Luc, pulling her closer onto the biobed. "Have some dinner with me."

Beverly takes a mug of tea from the tray and raises it to her lips, the steam soothing her nerves. She had been shaken by Jean-Luc's injury, and she knows she shouldn't be. It's just a patient for her to tend to. But, this one had hit home.

PAGE BREAK

"You're in pain." Beverly checks the monitor above Jean-Luc's biobed as the sensors alert her to Jean-Luc's abnormal vitals. At two in the morning, Sickbay is empty save for a night-duty nurse and med tech. Jean-Luc is the only patient, and Beverly had chosen to crawl up on the biobed beside his biobed to rest for the night. She had been unceremoniously awoken by the chirping of the sensors over his bed.

"I'm fine," grunts Jean-Luc, shifting upright in the bed.

Easing his shoulders down, Beverly guides him back down onto his back. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I wasn't about to disturb you," mutters Jean-Luc, rolling his eyes.

Rolling her own eyes, Beverly rises off of the bed. "Let me get a hypo."

Closing his eyes, Jean-Luc huffs, trying to block out the pain radiating in his chest.

Feeling the weight of a blanket covering his legs a moment later, Jean-Luc opens his eyes, as Beverly lowers herself onto the edge of the bed, tucking a large cotton blanket around his chest.

"You were cold," offers Beverly simply, pressing a hypo to his neck.

Sighing, Jean-Luc relaxes into the pillow. "Thank you."

"See? It's not so bad here," teases Beverly.

Smiling lightly, Jean-Luc reaches for her hand. "It's not so bad having the Chief Medical Officer taking care of you. I should come here more often. "

Face falling, Beverly swallows hard. "Please, don't."

Righting himself, Jean-Luc leans over, laying a hand on her cheek. "Hey, Beverly. I was only joking."

Bowing her head, hot tears sting Beverly's eyes. "You think it's fine. You just come in here and I can patch you up like nothing. It doesn't always work like that, Jean-Luc. You know that. I've lost patients. And, I couldn't bear to lose you. It would…kill me."

"Beverly…" murmurs Jean-Luc helplessly.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Beverly composes herself. "You should sleep comfortably now." She slides off of the bed and smoothes a non-existent wrinkle in her uniform. "Call me if you need anything."

Beverly climbs onto the biobed next to Jean-Luc's bed and draws the blanket she had left there for herself over her legs.

Jean-Luc, exhausted and sore, is left confused and drowsy. Tomorrow, tomorrow he will talk to Beverly.