He felt Deanna walk into the medical center before he glanced up to see her with her son on her hip, smiling at the receptionist who stopped to talk to Luc before making her way into the open quad where Tom Riker was on Lizzie duty.

It was still a bit troubling to him, how easily he sensed her now, it was almost like she had announced herself. He sat facing her daughter legs crossed, their knees touching as he showed her how to tie the stems of flowers together to make a chain.

"Your mom brought you a visitor." He told her, dropping his circle of flowers over her head like a crown. The little girls head whipped around and she squealed in delight at the sight of her brother.

"Luckie!" She called, her hands waving madly. The little boys eyes widened at the sound of his sister's call and Tom found it remarkable that even the baby startled at Lizzie's new voice. Deanna lowered her son into her daughters waiting arms. "Uncle Tom made me a crown. Do you want me to make you a crown Luc?"

"It's remarkable how much more grown up she seems with that voice." Tom shook his head wistfully and Deanna beamed.

"It's amazing, I'm still not used to it." She turned and looked at him. "Thank you for being here. I had so much to catch up on in my office but leaving her alone is still hard."

"No, my pleasure. I hardly ever get to hang out with my favorite niece." He held up a chain of flowers. "And I hardly ever get to make flower chains. I don't think they're Lauren's style."

He could feel the twinge of jealousy, despite the fact her face never faltered.

"Sorry." She whispered.

"It's okay." He swallowed. "It makes me happy, in a way that it makes you feel like that." He gestured towards a bench. "That sounds awful, happy's not the right word. I feel-."

"I know how you feel Tom." Deanna hummed, he felt her understanding make its way to him. The clarity was unbelievable. "I understand."

"It's amazing, what you and Will have done with it." He kept his voice low, still reveling in the traces of her emotions that were sprinkled through his mind.. "That little spark we started all those decades ago."

"I'm glad it's given you and Will some peace.." She hummed, looking at her children. "He needs peace."

"He keeps expecting me to be glad." Thomas swallowed. "That he's suffering. Smug even."

"You might have been once." He shot her a wounded look. "You've matured a lot."

"It's such a familiar feeling, his inadequacy." He winced as Deanna gulped.

"He thinks he's hiding it from me." She breathed, she shook her head. "He's not." She swiped the moisture from her eyes and he let his hand drop between her shoulder blades. "You're being here has helped him more than you know."

"Says you." Tom chuckled.

"No." Deanna turned to him, her eyebrow raised. "Really." Tom watied, glancing over her head to check on Luc and Lizzie. "He's borrowing your Riker ego right now."

"Borrowing?"

"He's sensing his self confidence in you, and it's helping him." She turned towards the children, a soft smile gracing her lips.

"Well it's a good thing we're both so full of ourselves I have enough to share.."

"He mentioned to me, your conversation in the holodeck." She leaned slightly into his hand and he moved his fingers in a circle. "He said he couldn't imagine, putting himself in your shoes, that you're 'obviously stronger than him'."

Tom felt a weird satisfaction in that, then the inevitable feeling of loss he had come to understand so well. It was so painstakingly obvious to him why he was 'stronger'. He wondered how Deanna couldn't see it.

"See what?" She whispered, making him wonder if he'd spoken out loud. She shook her head.

"We didn't have enough time together I think." He said softly. She looked up at him, her eyes wide and startled. "We fell in love, our souls merged.." He nodded. "But it wasn't enough time for me to become.." He didn't know how to explain it. "I don't want to sound like it's not-."

"It's alright." She looked at him pleadingly.

"He doesn't think hecouldn't have survived a Cardassian Prison, Deanna." He squinted at her. "He doesn't think he could have survived being without you. He hasn't been, for decades. He finds the mere idea of it horrific." Tom chuckled. "I love you Imzadi but I could clearly beam off to parts unknown and never look back."

"Flatterer." Her dead panned voice made him chuckle.

"I'm not some stronger version of him." Thomas continued. "I'm just not him."

"You really have matured Tom."

"Even Riker's grow up eventually." He chuckled, he looked at her for the first time maybe, as his sister in law, he saw the side of her mouth quirk up in surprise at his realization before sighing. "That's enough of that." He lowered his shields around his emotions and she sniffed out a laugh, her cheeks reddening just a little. Her eyes were dark and swollen with exhaustion as she shifted her mental attention towards the kids. Tom Riker was surprised at how quickly the decision in his mind was made.

…

"Are you insane?" Ro Lauren hissed, tossing her hands down at her side.

"That's debatable." He smiled at her that charming Riker smile that made her want to both smack him and kiss him at the same time.

"I cannot think of one good reason-."

"My brother needs me." Tom interrupted.

"He's not your brother!" She yelled.

"No. He's not, he's me. I need me." He swung his giant hands up as if in surrender at the ridiculousness of it. "He's my family. Like it or not, they are my family. We share DNA we share about as common of a family history as two people can." She tipped her head in agreement at the wild statement before turning to look at her husband. "For how long?"

"A month?" His mouth scrunched up in consideration.

"A month!" She yelled again. He rubbed his face, she didn't know why she was bothering, it wasn't like she could change his mind. "And what am I supposed to do for a month?"

"I'm sure they could use you here."

"No way! I served my last shift on the Enterprise over 15 years ago." She flopped onto the couch.

"Then go with Chakotay to Marlon 5. I'll meet up with you both afterward."He sat beside her cupping the back of her head before leaning in and pressing a kiss against her temple in a uncharacteristically loving gesture, she swallowed in surrender and he grinned.

"Is this about Deanna?" She hated how lost and pathetic her voice sounded.

"No." His own was hoarse with concern. "It's not about Deanna."

"Then-."

"I'm in a unique position to help someone out." He breathed.

"You sound like Will." She leaned against his arm, ignoring the self satisfied grin that her husband tried to wipe off his face.

"I was Will once." He smirked.

"Once." She quipped.

"Once." He chuckled.

"One month Tom." Ro turned her face to him, narrowing her eyes against the ridges of her nose. "That's all you get to play supportive sibling."

"Deal."

…

Jean Luc Picard could tell he had lost track of reality by the looks on the faces of his family. Sienna had an amused expression, her face screwed up in confusion. Jack was looking at his hands. His stepson's expression was one of dutiful patience, but Beverly's face was nothing short of terror.

"I'm sorry." He cleared his throat. "What were we talking about?"

Jack's eyes shot to his with a look of relief. He examined his father's expression for a moment before apparently finding what he was looking for.

"Wes was telling us about Thalon 6." Jack supplied in a calm tone. "The birds there."

"It wasn't my best story." Wes smiled politely. "I don't think you missed too much."

"Tell me more about there tree houses!" His little sister begged, kneeling on her chair, her small arms wrapping around Wesley's neck. "Tell me about the colors."

"The Gormachi birds love color." Wes reminded pulling her onto his lap. "They scour the coastline looking for the brightest twigs and twine to weave into their nests. And they add shiney pebbles and glass like jewelry.

Jean Luc looked away from them and back at Beverly; her lip caught tight in her teeth. She gave him an attempt at an encouraging smile that didn't reach her half teary eyes. He reached across the table and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently. Her other hand swiped quickly at the moisture before she refocused herself on her oldest son, lacing her hand with his.

He waited to have Wesley alone before asking.

"So did I say anything nonsensical? Order a Red Alert or did I just sit there drooling this time?" He asked his step son sharply.

"You just drifted off." Wes answered softly. "No one noticed."

"Everyone noticed." He raised his eyebrow. Wes smiled at him sadly. "Your mother noticed. She notices every time I blink." The young man chuckled as Picard sighed.. "I just had her all calmed down and here I go again looking like a helpless old coot."

"You looked like you were thinking about something confusing." Wes shook his head. "Not like you needed to be jettisoned out the torpedo bay. If you weren't the ever stoic Jean Luc Picard no one would have thought a thing about it."

Picard watched his stepson gather their cups from the table and set them back onto the replicator.

"Unfortunately I am." He muttered.

"Does she get used to it?" Wes asked cautiously, wary of too big of a look into the future despite his abilities.

"You know she does." Picard told him solemnly. "You were there."

"I try not to reflect too deeply on my years spent timebending." Wesley arched his own eyebrows at his father figure. Picard could almost hear the word 'wasted' in his sentence.

"She gets used to it, but that doesn't mean that look leaves her eyes." Picard hummed. The right side of Wes' mouth rose in understanding. "You think I'm being foolish too?"

Wesley walked slowly back to the table, keeping his face neutral. Picard would have smiled at the effort if the situation wasn't so serious.

"I wouldn't say that." He told him evenly.

"I'm asking you what you would say, Wesley."

"I would say.." He stopped, his exhaling slowly as his eyes flickered around the room. "That I consider myself very lucky to have had you parenting me when I was a teenager." He finally settled on Picard's face. "A boy needs a father." He swallowed hard. "Jack needs his father." He sat there for a minute, dropping his head and examining his folded hands before shrugging. "I need my father."

…

"You want to stay?" Will looked at him like he was insane.

"Just for awhile. It's something to do."

"What about your wife?"

"That's part of it. She's going to be off on some thing with Chakotay." He swung his arm up and pointed his finger, watching his brother's eyes narrow trying to use the link. Thomas snorted. "I thought we weren't going to do that all the damn time?"

"I'm trying to figure out what you're angle is." Will countered.

"I'm trying not to be hurt." Thomas returned the barb quickly before stealing his brother with a look and letting down his shields just enough. "I think I can be useful here while you get things settled. I can help with the kids." He shrugged. "We can get your Cross Creek program perfect."

"It's already perfect." The captain of the Enterprise reminded him.

"You forgot the Alaskan Jade in the riverbank by the Quaking Aspen." Thomas shook his finger at him again. Will looked off for a second with a squint.

"I did, didn't I?" He asked arily.

"See. You need me." Thomas smirked as his twin snorted. "And you can tell me about Dad." He dropped his voice. "How you seemed to make peace."

Will grew serious for a second before tossing his head back.

"Fine." He sighed. "You're hired. Now get out of my Ready Room."

"Really?" Thomas asked him, pulling himself out of the chair.

"I'll tell Sam he can pull that job off his list." He called out to his double as the doors slid open. "Don't drink all my stock!"

"Ha." The Enterprise's newest bartender snorted back.

…

Jean Luc Picard did not have the same problem transporting into homes than his wife did, at least not this home. He followed the pull of her down the staircase and into what could only be called her pseudo cube.

"Seven of Nine." He called sharply. She turned around crisply, not at all surprised of course to find him standing there.

"Picard." She regarded him with her expected flat affect, despite the slight arch of her eyebrow that was clearly not Borg.

"Tell me more." He ordered, his voice losing some of the harshness it had held. She held his eyes for a beat before nodding solemnly.