1. PrologueStardate 3161249

AN: This story will be set up into sections. To make it easier to follow Each section will be based on the stardate that part of the story takes place in.

Disclaimer: The characters within are the design of the tale we knew to be Star Trek TNG. I just happen to enjoy letting the old doctor and his best friend take a walk in my playground once in a while.

_Captain's Log_

_Stardate 31612.49_

_The Stargazer is orbiting a previously uncharted Class L planet. The planet, now labeled L-147, has an overly abundance of liquid oxygen. Chief Science Officer Lt. Commander Jack Crusher advises it might be possible to beam down with collection units and gather enough of the liquid oxygen to replenish the supply consumed by our engines and life support. However, the safe retrieval of the liquid oxygen is hampered by an unusual concentration of asteroids. Which were quite possibly are the remnants of another planet exploding and its debris being caught in the gravitation of L-147._

Once the log was complete and he had his team selected for this duty he rose from his desk. His First Officer was not going to be happy, but he was the best qualified pilot to navigate through the debris and land safely on the serve of the planet. Jean-Luc stepped out of his Ready Room and on to the Bridge. His eyes trained on his First Officer Commander Staci Moorland, "You have the ship Number One." He said as he straightened his maroon Jacket and securing the flap, "Crusher, Joseph you're both with me."

"Sir?" The thick Austrian accent of his First Officer rang through the Bridge as she rose from the center seat. "Regulation 12 specifically states…"

"Stow it, Number One, I will not risk a shuttle craft or the cargo we have to retrieve to someone who has never logged hours navigating a debris field."

"Captain Picard has logged 250 hours piloting through debris field, Commander," Crusher added, reiterating a fact the First Officer should already know. Jack more than anyone knew exactly what his Captain and friend could do.

Before Moorland could utter another protest, Picard entered the lift, "Crusher, Joseph let's go now!"

For the most part their navigation through the field was simple. Most of the asteroids were inconsequential and widely dispersed, so navigating them was a simple feet, especially for an experienced shuttle pilot like Picard was. Jean-Luc was more than accustomed to hair pin curves and tight spots.

"Hard to Port," Jack said as he pointed to a rather large chunk of space rock almost directly in their path.

"Hang tight!" Captain Picard forced the shuttle to take a violent 90 degree roll to the left in order to avoid a collision with an asteroid that was twice the length of the shuttle. The lights flickered as the engines strained against the maneuver.

As the vessel rolled, the locking mechanism that secured Lt. Commander's safety harness came unlatched. Crusher was sent flying against the bulkhead. The horrific sound of cracking bone and a scream of pain filled the silence of the cabin. "Jack!" Jean-Luc called out as he caught the action from the corner of his eye. He couldn't help at the moment, nor could his security chief. All they could do was to try to navigate through the field. "Jack come on talk to me, tell me about that boat you and Beverly just bought." Jean-Luc knew he had to keep the man talking till he could safely check him.


	2. A Few Risks  Stardate 5762379

**AN**: This story was originally intended to be about awaking from a dream, however, my muse decided it needed to go in a completely different direction. And what good is a Picard/Crusher story without three little words being spoken. As always I do not own the character's I just let them out of their boxes every once in a while.

**Treatment**** Center**** of the Rhae- Stardate 57623.79**

After a sonic shower that swept her body of any contaminants, Dr. Crusher retrieved a sterile uniform and put it on. Unlike the surgical garments she used on the Enterprise, this uniform came complete with a head piece, foot and hand covers, and a uniform that completely covered her body. She could be in no rush to complete her task, someone she cared about both professionally and personally was on the other side, in a specialized chamber within the isolation ward on Treatment Center of the Rhae. By the time she had it completely on, there was no part of her tall slender form that was not covered. The sterilization field of the cellar regeneration chamber required it. Not outside pathogens, could be allowed to enter the area, less they be a counter agent to the neurolytic pathogens required to promote healing. She moved to the access panel and keyed in the authorization code, which would allow her entry. When the outer doors opened she stepped into the inter chamber and waited as the doors closed again. Beverly hated this part on multiple levels, mostly because it proved how truly defenseless the patient laying in stasis truly was. Before she could proceed further, her body would be bombarded with low level gamma rays, a last precaution, before she would be allowed to enter the isolation ward.

Once she made her way to the area where the patient was, Beverly stared at the cellar regeneration chamber. She had arrived almost twelve hours ahead of him since his ship had limped in battered and broken. Dr. Crusher used the time wisely and took a crash course on the treatment that could potentially save the life of the man who now lay helpless within. In concept, she understood the principals of the mechanics of the chamber, but to know how to operate its more advanced capabilities was beyond her. The readout was understandable enough; the patient had third degree dermal dysplasia, due to high radiation levels. Still, she refused to leave his side, not as long as he was in it. The only times she did leave, was when Dr. Thryac literally booted her out, sighting Starfleet rules and regulations. Fortunately, the only times he did so was when she clearly needed rest or food. In the past two weeks she had logged 273.7 hours in here.

Her own body was drained from the long hours and lack of sleep. However, she couldn't go through this again. It had been nearly twenty-two years, since the last time the effects of radiation poisoning had cut so close to home. Sadly, back when Jack died, there was no treatment for advance radiation poisoning. Now, this patient's life could be saved by this new form of treatment. Until the point he could be retrieved from the chamber, she would spend as much time with him as she was allowed, even if it meant she simply talked to him about her life on Earth and her job as Head of Starfleet Medical.

"It won't be much longer…" Unable to say his name, she touched the view port that allowed her to see into the enclosed chamber, his face was eliminated with varies colors as the healing spectro-chrome waves alternated over his entire body. His body was already looking more human. This was a far cry for the ghastly burns that had scarred his features, from the accident on the icy world of _Akuma._ Those, thankfully, were all but gone. Beverly didn't know the finer details of what had happen. In fact, she found at the time she didn't care, all she cared about was getting him help. Though he would have to have his ears and part of his nose regenerated, he appeared close to the man she cared for. When the door again opened to reveal Dr. Thryac, Beverly didn't hear him come in. Instead she was lost in telling him the latest communication she had gotten from his former First Officer, who was en route to the planet. "…about two months..."

Her words were cut off by the sound of Dr. Thryac's deep voice. "I thought you agreed to get some sleep, Commander?" The tall Andorian Doctor watched her almost amused, his long antae wiggled to display this emotion.

"I was asleep, I managed a few hours." She informed him, as she watched his actions.

Swiftly, he moved to the hypospray and vial-loader on the nearby wall and loaded several vials with for a series of hypos that would have to be given within seconds of his patient being released from the chamber. Two cardiac vials were loaded with twenty milligrams of lectrazine and the other fifteen milligrams of inaprovaline, these drugs would jump start the heart. A neuro vial was loaded with morathial would reactivate the autonomic system. Once he had what he needed he moved to Beverly and the chamber where he began to key in the sequence, to releasing his patient, on the control padd. The Andorian doctor had a slight smile on his face. It didn't take a Betazoid to tell his colleague had unspoken feelings for this man. Then again, she knew today he would begin the process of reviving the formidable Starfleet Captain. Dr. Thyrac discontinued the in flux of the neurolytic pathogens that were being introduced. "I figured you wouldn't stay away, not now."

Slowly, Dr. Thryac incorporated a normal compression and breathable atmosphere for his human patient. Typically, it had to be done slowly, or the patient ran the risk of cardiac infarction. However, Captain Jean-Luc Picard's artificial heart, deflated that particular risk, and added one completely untried in practical application. Though in the holodeck simulations he and Dr. Crusher had run, the prospect of recovery ran a 94.7% chance that death could occur despite their efforts. Because of such, they agreed the best course of action would be to simply forgo the 24 hour period of acclimation and use cardiac stimulators once the autonomic system was revived and took over his functioning.

Beverly had been willing to take the chance, and use the power of her position to override any ethical issues that arose. There were, after all, in her eyes some things that surpassed rules and regulations. If there was one thing she learned from an old country doctor, from Georgia on Earth, was that you had to be willing to risk the dangers to achieve your goal. Right now, her only goal was to bring Jean-Luc Picard back to the world of the living. After all without the treatment he would be dead…and she would _not_ go through that again, if she had the power to stop it. Then there was the fact, she had long since learned that with Jean-Luc even the slimmest chance was a chance. He was a fighter. Because of the severities of his injuries Captain Picard had been placed in a cryogenic stasis, until they could make arrangements with the Treatment Center of the Rhae for transfer. The facility was the Federation's leading radiation treatment facility on Andora.

Her blue eyes met with Dr. Thryac's and she let out a sigh. It wasn't easy for her to admit her feelings. Feelings she she had only recently, and thanks to Jean-Luc's accident, she allowed herself to acknowledge. She was in love with him and would do anything to spare her self and him, Jack's fate. More so, Jean-Luc was a very private man, and she knew she had to keep this on a profession level, so she carefully gave her answer." Even though she knew the other doctor had unfortunately been witness to her confessions of love to the man that was lying helplessly in the chamber. In fact, he had encouraged her to tell him, and often. "I had to be here, I know he is your patient at the moment, but _he is_ the _Captain_ of the Enterprise."

Dr. Thryac's hands moved over the controls, as a bell chimed signaling the readiness of the system to be opened. As the seal broke and the vapor lock that secured the chamber from the outside air released, a faint hiss sounded. He lifted the face of the chamber up to fully reveal the form of Jean-Luc Picard. "Talk to him, give him a reason to come back."

Beverly nodded and took hold of his hand, which still felt like the chill of death. Carefully she cupped it between her own hands and massaged warmth into it. Beverly held in an uneasy breath as Dr. Thryac administered the hypos. An old Earth fairy tale struck her mind and she leaned in and carefully kissed his cold lips. Jean-Luc was no more Snow White then she was Prince Charming, but the setting seemed so parallel, and she was willing to try anything.

Silently, she watched and waited for some sign that he was alive and would have a chance at recovery. A bright smile crept upon her face after a minute when under closed eyelids there was movement, "Jean-Luc Picard, can you hear me? It's time to wake up! You've been sleeping long enough…I love you, I need you, please wake up." Her words were rewarded with a pair of hazel eyes searching her blue eyes.

"Beverly…I love you," he painfully mouthed with the faintest hint of his voice trying to function. Pain was clearly displayed on his face, as he locked his gaze with hers. Seeing this, a single tear dropped from her eye and onto his naked chest.

Before Beverly could say anything else Dr. Thryac moved closer so his patient could see him. "Well, I believe we can rule out any long term vocalization complications. It should be just a matter of getting stronger." With Jean-Luc's gavze broken from Beverly's to the other voice, Dr. Thryac ran a tricorder over his patient. "Captain Picard...I'm Dr. Thryac and you have just undergone treatment for sever radiation burns and poisoning." He didn't believe in 'beating around the bush' as humans termed it, and he had been advised Captain Picard didn't either.

Her smile radiated across her face, over taking her tired features and breathing new life into them. Soon, with a little luck and continued medical intervention, she considered he would make a recovery. At least she hoped he would be able to make a recovery.

**AN: **The next few chapters slowly begin to outline how JLP came to have this injury, while neatly tying in the story's theme of a certain promise forgotten and exactly why it was forgotten, so please bare with me.


	3. Something to say Stardate Stardate 57634

"Jack!" The sound of the painfully raw scream broke the near dead silence of the night.

Upon hearing even the faintest sound of his voice, her head rose from the edge of the bed were she had laid it. As her head rose, the blanket that had been drapped over her shoulders slide off and pooled on the seat of the chair she had fallen asleep in. It had, in effect, been her bed since his awakening from the chamber. Now she never left his side other than to go to the refresher was needed. The room was in near blackness withe the exception of the dim running lights that lined the lower walls near the floor. Other then that the only glow was the monitor that rested over his biobed. After stretching out a painfully sore back from the position in which she slept, she called out, "Lights…15%". The monitor showed elevated resperation and heart rate, typically associated with night terrors. From it she glanced to the biobed Jean-Luc laid in, he was dripping with sweat. She had choosen to ignore the particular name he screamed out, instead she focused on offering comfort to the man she now freely admitted to love. "Jean-Luc, you're alright. Do you know where you are?"

Rich hazel eyes has nearly disappeared into pools of black. His pupils had taken up most of the coloration of the orbs' surface. Jean-Luc used them to scan his surroundings, "the hospital on Andora." His voice was still hoarse and healing.

She smiled at him with a clarifying nod, "Good, and you know the current stardate right?"

"Stardate…" he was clearly trying to think as his brows furrowed together, in frustration, "no."

Her face gave the hint playfulness to her features. However, she kept her tones soothing and relaxing. "It's alright Jean-Luc. To be honest, I have been in here so much lately, I'm not sure I could accurately tell you the stardate either. But it is pretty close to 57634. Don't even ask me to give you the decimal point." She couldn't even calculate that off the top of her head anyways. With the computer, she never really had any great need to.

As he awoke more from the dream he gave her an all too familiar look. It was the cool stare of unamusement. However, as quickly as it emerged on his features it was over shadowed by an obvious outward display of concern, when she twisted slight and tried to work out the knots in her back. "Beverly, you really need to sleep in a bed."

"I know, but if I did I would have to leave, and I don't ever want to have to leave your side again Jean-Luc Picard." She told him with a soft smile and her hand on her hips in a definite pose. "Sorry, Captain you're stuck with me."

A smiled played at his own lips as he looked into her blue eyes, "I never wanted you to go in the first place. Even I knew I had to let you go. If I loved you the way I said I did, I had to let you go."

"Beverly, there is something I have to tell you."

She gave him an odd look, how many times had she started that to only have the chance ripped from her grasp. Now though, because of the name he cried out in his sleep, she feared she knew there basic idea of his statement. As much as she didn't want to bring up something about Jack, she knew, she would listen, "Alright, Jean-Luc."

"It's about Jack," he told her as he tried to reach for some water.

She took the glass he wanted and the pitcher, and filled it with water. Carefully, she supported his head and brought the refreshing liquid to his mouth. When he tired to drink too fast and start to choke she gently chided him, "Drink slowly, Jean-Luc."

Once he took his fill, for now he pushed her hand away, "enough. Now listen."

Now, she was not so sure she wanted to hear. Beverly Crusher had put the past to rest. She had to; it had been the only way she was going to be able to move on with her life. "Please, let's not talk about Jack right now." Her eyes pleaded with him to let his memory rest in piece.

"He made me promise I would tell you," he started only to be interrupted when Dr. Thryac entered the room.

"Sorry to disturb you, I had been alerted you had awoken. I have your treatment," he told him holding a hypo.

"Jack wanted me to…" Jean-Luc grumbled slightly, as the hypo was pressed against his arm. Once it took effect his words became nonsense ramblings.

Beverly couldn't help but to laugh at the irony of it. How many times had something stopped her?


End file.
