Story: A family begins.
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: Once and again, Paramount owns them as half my life with them.

Author: Faith

CHAPTER 1

Life was peaceful aboard the Titan, the work Captain Riker had to do with the Romulans went perfectly and the peace negotiations were working.

It was kind of hard for him at the beginning, get used to the new ship was a little bit harder than he thought, after all, he was onboard the Enterprise for more than a simple year, his life turned out into what it was now on that ship and all his family was there, well, almost all his family.

The must important part of it was with him on his new home, Deanna. She was having less problems than him with the new ship, she said all the time that she missed her friends but that she was happy of being there with him, her counseling job was more that needed on the crew of the Titan and she had earned the crews trust.

But then again, things always change and being aboard the Titan for a year and a half was no guarantee that they were not going to change once more.

"Captain Riker, you have an urgent message from Admiral Jeaneway."

His first officer's voice sounded loudly on his quarters interrupting him from his reading on the padd he hold.

"Transfer it to my quarters Number One."

It was fun for him to use the title Picard used on him for so many years on her trusted First Officer. Commander Joanne Corr proved to be a trustable and wiser help for him and he really appreciated her.

"Aye sir." Was her quick response.

Will turned his chair in front oh the monitor that after a few seconds showed Admiral's Jeaneway face.

"Admiral, how nice to hear from you. What can I do for you?" Riker smile fainted quickly after he saw her face.

"William, I wish this transmition was just a gentle hello, but I'm afraid we have to reserve us the pleasure for another moment. The reason I'm calling you is Captain's Picard disappearance." She finally managed to say.

"What?!" He rose from his chair and walked in front of his desk to finally sit down again. "When, how?"

"We certainly don't know, but we trust in you enough to let the investigation in your hands, Captain Brown will be assigned to your ship as long as you stay on the Enterprise to finish the investigations. We want all your attention on the job and we trust you of all people can do it. We know you appreciate Captain Picard and that's the main reason we are letting this job in your hands." She finished.

"When is Captain Brown arriving to my ship?"

"We expect him to be there in an hour, we know that doesn't gave you and your wife too much time to pack but alacrity is very important."

"Deanna is coming too?"

"Of course, we think her emphatic abilities would be helpful on this case."

"We'll be ready in an hour then, I suppose the Enterprise is near here."

"That's correct, they'll be in transporter range in 45 minutes."

"We'll do our best Admiral, you can count on that."

"I know Captain, I know. Jeaneway out."

The screen turned black and then he felt her presence in the room, he didn't know how, well, he did and he appreciated her gift of being there for him when he needed her.

"So, they missed their Captain?" She said faking a smile to comfort him.

"Yes they did, I suppose you heard everything she said." He said walking towards her.

"I did, just when I thought things would be fine now." She reached out for him and held him close to her.

"I know."

The Enterprise send the transmition signal after Captain Brown had arrived. Will filled him on the details of what he should do while he was there and then on the transporter room of the Enterprise, two blue beams transformed in two humans that all the senior officers expected anxiously.

Deanna was the first one to get down the platform followed by her husband, she saw the faces of her friends, they were all a mess, specially Geordi, ho though he was not good enough as First Officer of the ship after he missed the ship's Captain, she sensed his guilt and pain and she comforted him with a hug and she felt his sorrow walked away, at least for that moment.

After a few minutes in Deanna's arms he was ready to get on business.

"Captain, a pleasure to have you here."

"Thank you Geordi, it's good to see you all again and also B4, I though he was not as advanced as his brother, but for what I have heard he is also good." He looked at the android ho stared at him with his usual serious expression.

"Well, I have to admit that without Commander LaForge's help I would not be as good as I am in tactics and information, he has done an excellent job on me and I aspire to be more than I am sir."

Riker smiled at his final sentence, he sounded just as Data and he knew someday he would reach his brother.

"I know you do and I'm sure you will." He smiled at the android and then turned to face Geordi. "Now tell me Commander, what exactly happened here?"

"Well, I suggest you go to your room to settle down and meet us in an hour in the conference room. Does that sound good to you?" Geordi asked.

"That sounds just perfect, we see you in an hour then Commander." Riker answered him and lead Deanna out of the transporter room.

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

"So, you are saying that in one moment the Captain was in his chair on the bridge and the next he was gone?" Riker asked surprised at Worf and LaForge.

"That's correct sir." Answered the mighty klingon. "We traced for any unusual energy on the bridge but we got nothing, Commander LaForge traced the surroundings and he got nothing, we finally gave up by thinking that a perfectly cloaked ship took him away." He finished.

"That makes sense, you have no reason to have your shields up and well, they just knew it, but ho are them?" Riker moved his hand to stroke his beard and looked at his wife who looked as puzzled as him.

They were all staring at him, all thinking about the situation and the possible enemy when the door hissed opened and a woman they knew came inside.

"Where is he?! Why you didn't looked after him good enough to keep him safe here! I want to know, I deserve to know!" She shouted to the crew looking especially at Gerodi and Worf.

Deanna got to his feet as soon as she saw her best friend in that mood, she felt all the anger and fear and sadness and she knew she was just about to loose her mind. A few weeks before all this happened, she received a message from Beverly, in that message she told her that the Captain asked her to came back to the ship, that he needed her, that he loved her and that if she though it was too much to ask for her he was going to give up his seat on the Enterprise just to be with her.

"Beverly, calm down, I think we should talk about what happened here somewhere else, please?" Deanna looked straight to her friend's eyes and felt Beverly's response at her loving tone.

"Okay." Was all she said and Deanna didn't needed more.

"We'll be at sickbay in her old office." She informed Will and he glanced acknowledging her.

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

Picard could feel the taste of blood on his mouth and his heart rhythm on his head, it hurted, it really hurted.

He couldn't see a thing, he was in pain and lost, he missed his ship, his friends and must of all he missed her, he just wanted to be with her and hold her tight, he just wanted to kiss her and be with her, he just wanted to survive.

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

"Beverly, calm down, everything is going to be all right. You have to trust us and we promise you, I promise you that Will and I are going to do everything to find him." Deanna said while she was holding her friend.

"I know you will, is just that we just made it right, I was here to tell him that I was going to be back to the ship and I found out that he has disappeared and I don't know what to do… I'm just so desperate!" Beverly said crying at Deanna's shoulder.

"I know, and he will be back, he will." Deanna said holding her tighter.

"Deanna?"

Deanna could feel her friends nervousness and hesitation about saying what she wanted to so she held her softly but lovingly and that was all Beverly needed to make her feel safe.

"You know Jean-Luc went to Starfleet Medical two months ago to see Admiral Rubio on a business matter?"

"I've heard that yes. Why?" Deanna asked puzzled.

"I found out a week ago that I'm pregnant. That's the reason I came here. I wanted Jean-Luc to know about it. I'm going to have Jean-Luc's baby." Bev smiled at her friend and Deanna sensed all the feelings of love and happiness emanating from her friend.

"Oh Beverly that's great! I'm so happy for you both; I can't wait to see his face when you tell him. And I promise, now more than ever that we are going to have him back, he has two lives to take care from now." Deanna smiled and Beverly nodded.

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

"Who the hell are you?!"

"Captain Picard, always so fluffy and trusted on yourself. How does it feel to be here, alone with your friends far away from us and with no escaping plans?" The tall man asked from the door where he was standing just before he entered the room.

"What am I doing here?!" Picard demanded maybe more forcefully than he had wanted to.

"I should knew that you weren't going to answer me. You Starfleet Officers, always thinking that you are so great and that you can do everything you want to. Well, I'm going to show you all that the federation time is over and I'm going to start with you. Make yourself comfortable, I'm not going to be far for long." The man said and left smiling at Jean-Luc.

All Jean-Luc could do was wait for his enemy to come back and accept that this time probably there was no going to be a escaping plan and his friends would not be here to save him.

CHAPTER 2

Will was sitting on his chair in front of his monitor, he was trying to find something, a trace of strange particles that lead them to his friend and mentor, a trace of… something, even when he knew that they were none as Geordi said earlier this morning.

"Will, as ship's Counselor I recommend you get some sleep." Deanna said walking from their room.

"I still remember the first time you said those words to me." Will smiled and walked towards her.

"I remember it too, I just wish we could do the same we tried to do that time, but I think unfortunately we are not going to have that chance today either." Deanna held him close and rested her head on his chest.

"I guess so." He said letting out a breath he didn't knew was holding.

"But this time I mean it, you have to rest, you have been like this all day and I can assure you that you are not going to get any if you continue like this." She now looked at him straight to his eyes and he smiled shyly.

"You probably are right, god is just that I want to have him back, he's my best friend and my guide from years and now that he's gone I feel kind of… weak." He finally managed to say.

"And you are not the only one, Beverly is a mess right now, she's so scared and so sad. As I told you the captain and her just talked about their feelings and she came back to the Enterprise just to be with her and with…" Deanna cut off the sentence before letting all out, she was feeling the pain emanating from her friend even when she was not in the room that was killing Deanna from inside.
"What's the matter Deanna? Is something wrong?" Will asked worried.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. No there is nothing wrong, I was just going to say that she came back to be with her love and their baby." Deanna smiled at Will when she said that.

"Beverly is pregnant? Look at our serious and reserved Captain, he just needed a week there to…" He was cut at mid sentence.

"William T. Riker, stop right there and don't say what you just were saying." Deanna pretended to be angry t him and then when he looked at her with his puppy eyes she smiled.

"Don't you think we should follow their example?" Now Will's grin went wider.

"Probably. We have been married for a year and a half and we should think about make the family bigger." She smiled at him.

"Probably." Was all he said and smiled. "But you can understand that this is not an easy time for me and thinking about family is right now not my priority. We have to get him back."

Even when she felt sad about his answer, she knew how he felt and all she had to do now was help him trough this.

"I know Will, I know." Was all she said and kissed him gently on his cheek and lead him to their room.

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

Morning came fast but Jean-Luc thought they were hours, even years from the last time he saw his friends and all his hopes were fading away.

He was thinking about making something to escape, something to be safe, when he came back in.

"Sorry, I though I would be back sooner but I just have a lot of work to do planning the way I'm going to finish your life." The man said smiling and making himself comfortable on a chair in front of Picard.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Picard asked him once again.

"I can see your questions haven't changed since last night. Okay, I guess I have no option and you are probably right, you are going to find out soon." The man smiled widely at Picard.

"Stop talking nonsense things and say what you have to say." Picard demanded.

"Okay Captain, don't get so hard on me. My name is Chazzan Lestar, as you can see I'm a human, but not a common human. I know everything about you, I know where you were born, where you spend your childhood and all about your Starfleet career, but more than that, I know all about your family, about your René's death and about your brother's death, about your friend Anij and must of all, I know about your true love Beverly Crusher…" He stopped when he saw Picard's reaction to the mention of his love and decided to give him the last torture hit. "And I know about the baby she's going to give you." Lestar smiled devilishly.

Picard couldn't hide his surprise but wanted to know more about his enemy so he pretended to be stronger than he was.

"Well, I know what you know about me, but I do not know why you want to harm me or as you say, kill me." Picard said seriously.

"Well, that's a long story; we have to travel back in time, does the name Caesar Picard sounds to you?" Chazzan asked.

"No, it doesn't but I suppose he's a relative to me, why?"

"You are correct; Caesar Picard lived on earth on 1500. He knew my Great, great grand father and they were very close to each other but there was a fight, some new land owners decided to take some lands that they didn't deserve and the little town where they lived got into a revolution, but your ancestor betrayed mine and killed him, well, not actually killed him, he send some men to do his job and they killed him, since then my family lost everything they had until my father was born, he fought a lot to earn a land for his family and now we are as good as anyone, but loads of members of my family died of hunger because of your family and I'm going to make you pay for your ancestor's mistakes and I'm going to do it by myself, I'm not as coward as he was, I'm not going to send someone to kill you.

Picard was upset, this was not the first time someone blamed him for his family's mistakes and he didn't enjoyed that, but this man looked so angry that it actually scared him.

"But if you say your family is okay now, why do you want to kill me, certainly you don't need to." Picard asked trying to make him reconsider.

"Well, actually I need to, because you'll see, my father worked a lot to find a place for us to live and grow and be happy, but he couldn't get it until my mother, my brother and my baby sister died of hunger, and I'm going to claim for justice in their names. But for now you have not to worry, I promise I would wait until the right moment to kill you and make your family suffer as much as mine did." And with that he left.

Picard had no doubt, he was talking about Beverly and their baby, he was coming after them and there was nothing he could do to stop him.

CHAPTER 3

The search of Captain Picard was driving all the crew insane, including Deanna, ho tried to remain calmed.

Beverly was trying to stay calm also because of the baby and Will was definitely the must preoccupied one trying to lead an investigation with no clues.

Beverly was at Ten-Forward and was trying to take her mind away from the troubles and was then when she felt herself different, as if she were being…

"Transported, Doctor Crusher is being transported!" Shouted a woman from the table right next to Beverly's but it was too late, she was vanished.

Data was at Ten-Forward just in time to see her go and immediately reacted.

"Worf, shields up! I'll be on the bridge immediately."

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

"I've got something Captain, right here, can you see that radiation there, it's Radiamenti, a component often used to cloak ships, it's not common and it's not used since a long time, but it's definitely radiamenti, we couldn't see it before because it's not used since a long time ago and it's not in our track system because of that, but we read it now and it's completely clear." Geordi said smiling.

"Do you think we can trace them now if we make a scan all over the quadrant?" Will asked.

"That is very possible sir, we probably would find them if we do." Data answered.

"Then let's get to work here people! I want a complete scan and I want it fast." Riker ordered and the crew started to tap at the same time as faster s they could. "Counselor Troi to the bridge." He finished.

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

"Where are we?" Beverly asked preoccupied and with fear all over her body.

"I don't know, but it's not a safe place…" Picard interrupted and let go of her to look fully at her. "Beverly, I know about the baby."

Beverly's surprise was obvious on her face and then she regained composure.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want it to happen but you came to SM without warning and then it all happened so fast that I…"

She couldn't finish because he was holding her and kissing her tenderly and she knew he wasn't mad at all.

"This is such a tender moment!" Chazzan said from the door.

Picard held Beverly closer and turned to face the man in front of them.

"I hate to interrupt but I have to take this lovely lady and you to another place, it's time for payback." He said and his men took them apart and walked them to another room, there they got separated for a glass so they could face each other.

"This is rather simple Jean-Luc, I watched my family die and now you are going to see yours, then you are going to dye slowly and then… I will be happy and have a nice rest."
Chazzan smiled and Jean-Luc tried to hit him but his guards stop him throwing him to the floor injured.

"Jean-Luc!" Beverly screamed from the other side of the glass.

"I'll give you 20 minutes to say your farewells and then…" And he left them with his guards following him.

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

"We've got them sir, they are cloaked but with a shot to their power engines we could get them off it and dead on the water." Geordi said.

"How long till we are on shutting range?" Deanna asked.

"5 minutes." Answered Data.

"Then let's do it." Will said firmly and Data and Geordi nodded. "All hands, battle stations!" Was his final order.

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

"Commander Lestar, the Enterprise is here!" A man said but Lestar couldn't react.

"What are you…!"

Lestar and all his crew fall to the floor and when they regained their sites Lestar asked.

"What the hell happened?"

"They hit us sir, right at the power engines and our cloak is off, we can't do anything but fire back with the reserve energy, but it's not much and we can't harm them with their shields at a 100%." The man informed him.

"Fine then, if we can't survive Picard and Crusher are certainly not either. Star both gas cameras!" Lestar ordered.

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

"What's going on out there?" Beverly asked recovering from the fall she just had.

"I do not know, but that sounded like a photon torpedo, I guess we are not alone anymore."

"I guess so, I told you that they would find us, now I guess is just a matter of time and then…" She stopped and looked at a tube that was appearing from the floor and a gas started to flow from inside it. "Jean-Luc, what is that?" She asked frightened.

"Beverly, move to that corner and cover your mouth with something, I thin we are going to have to take some air, guess its poison." Jean-Luc ordered and she moved as he said so.

Picard tried to break the window with a chair that was on his side of the room when he noticed a tube coming from his side also, time was now not an option and he moved now to open the door to get out and open Beverly's door.

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

"Captain, we are reading Captain Picard's and Doctor Crusher's life signs from inside the ship."

"Can we beam them aboard? Are their shields down?" Asked Deanna to Data.

"Down a 100%, transportation is completely available." Data answered.

"Transport them directly to sickbay." Ordered Riker.

"Transporters on line." Answered Geordi.

"Energize." Was his final order.

Within seconds Beverly and Jean-Luc were at sickbay and was then when Riker knew they had to finish their job.

"Mr. Data, fire at will." He ordered and the android obeyed.

They all watched as the ship blew up in the space and all their fears with it. When he had recovered from the impression of having a unknown enemy Deanna and Will went directly to sickbay.

CHAPTER 4

"So he tried to kill you because of an incident that happened centuries ago on earth?" Riker asked absolutely surprised.

"Yes, apparently a member of my family betrayed a member of his family, I have been looking on my ancestors files and I have no idea of what he was talking about, I don't know if this Caesar Picard existed or if it was just a plain excuse to kill me." Picard looked at Beverly and then at Will.

"Well, it's over now and we are glad that you are back where you belong Captain." Deanna smiled at him.

"Thank you Deanna, I'm glad I'm back too." He smiled tenderly at her, after all, she was like a daughter to him.

"What I don't understand is how did he knew I was pregnant, only two people in the entire galaxy knew it, Deanna and Doctor Selar and I trust both completely." Beverly pointed.

"I don't know either, perhaps it was just a coincidence." Deanna said.

"I don't think that's a coincidence." Will said firmly.

"I don't think that either. As I see it, we have a enemy on the fleet, I just wanted to know who." Picard said looking at Beverly ho just squared her shoulders.

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

A year passed and all the crew of the Enterprise was extremely happy, they had no signs of troubles or dangerous missions, just exploration ones and that made the Captain of the federation's flagship happy. But that was not his major reason of happiness, that one was his son Pierre, he was a smart 5 month old baby who drive him crazy and was his principal pride.

"Can you believe this, we have our own baby, we are married and our life is as perfect as it should have been since a long time ago and." Beverly said looking at his soon sleeping on his cradle.

"But the point is that we finally made it, and he's here to prove us that we love each other enough to defeat time." Jean-Luc said and gently kissed her forehead.

They were looking at his sleeping son ho had her father's eyes and her mother's hair and a smile that made them feel both blessed when they heard a sound on the screen that indicated a communiqué.

Jean-Luc moved to sit in front of it and Beverly was standing behind him.

"Captain Riker, what a pleasant surprise!" Picard said smiling.
"Captain Picard, it's good to see you again after all this time. How's my godson?" Riker asked smiling.

"He's sleeping and growing and missing his godparents a lot." Beverly moved right next to Jean-Luc to be on view range and smiled at her friend.

"Well, we can say the same, after all we are still waiting for your visit to the Titan." Deanna appeared and pretended to be angry but smiled after a second and her friends returned her smile.

"And tell us Captain, why are you calling us?" Picard asked not wanting to wait more.

"Well, actually we wanted to show you something." Riker said and a few moves of the screen after Jean-Luc and Beverly saw Deanna's tummy, it was still little but they were certain that a little Riker was inside.

"Oh Deanna, you are pregnant, that's wonderful!" Exclaimed Beverly and now Will and Deanna's faces were on view again.

"Will, congratulations! And if you let me tell you, it's about time, two years and nothing?" Picard joked and Will smiled.

"Yes, I know, it took us some time but we are ready and happy with our little girl." He said.

"So, you know it's a girl." Bev asked, "Have you seen her?"

"No, but I know it's a girl, she talked to me last week and I'm sure." Deanna answered.

"Well then, I think you should come as soon as you can, we invite you to join us to have a celebration party for your girl." Picard said.

"That's would be perfect. We would be there in two days, the Titan needs to have some arraignments and I've heard you are going to arrive tomorrow at DS9 so we can meet there." Will said.

"Perfect, till then." Beverly said.

"Riker out."

"I don't know you Jean-Luc, but I think that this is the beginning of an even longer friendship." Beverly said looking at her son's room.

"Indeed." Was his final answer.

THE END…