Jean-Luc's hands went numb as flashes of the future Q had thrust on him tumbled across his vision. She'd been Beverly Picard then. Captain Beverly Picard.

And somehow he'd lost her.

He shook his head to clear the thoughts. The snippets Q had shown him couldn't possibly come to pass. Beverly had resigned from Starfleet and he was officially dead – there was no way the future where he'd loved and lost her could come true.

He hoped.

Beverly Picard.

The words sent a thrill down his spine and he tried not to gape. He gave himself a mental shake and leaned in closer, eyes glittering, ready to keep playing this game.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss...? Er, Mrs…? Picard."

Beverly bit her lip and smiled. He marvelled at her acting. If he hadn't known her for decades, he would have sworn she was a somewhat shy woman considering whether or not to accept a stranger's advances. Her eyes, however, told him a different story. Her eyes were telling him, begging him, to give her a chance to explain. She was definitely anxious about his reaction to her use of his name.

Former name.

He smiled more deeply, broadcasting his attraction and desire for her with his eyes and his body language.

"Have you eaten?" he asked, his voice low.

A light blush raced up her neck and behind her ears.

Atta' boy, Johnny, he thought, pleased.

Beverly cleared her throat before replying, "Actually, it's Doctor, and no, I haven't eaten."

"As you've only just arrived in Tikana, Doctor Picard, perhaps you'd allow me to recommend a few of the more appealing establishments?"

She arched an eyebrow and his pulse skittered in response.

"I don't know, Johnny," she said, her eyes glittering. "Who's to say you know what I might find appealing?"

He loved it when she teased.

"I have been told I have impeccable taste," he replied. He sipped his drink as he allowed his eyes to roam up and down her body. "I know what I like. And right now there are some… things in Tikana I find very appealing."

"Such as?" she asked.

"Let me take you to dinner and I'll show you," he replied.

"Won't your friends be disappointed if you leave them?" she asked, making a point of looking over her shoulder at the group of people avidly watching their conversation from across the room.

He never took his eyes off her. "I'm certain they will get by just fine without me."

She sipped her drink and seemed to consider his offer. He smiled to himself even as a worm of anxiety worked its way through his gut. He felt reasonably certain she'd want to be alone with him as much as he wanted to be alone with her, but he still feared the slim chance of rejection.

She arched an eyebrow and licked her lips, sending jolts of electricity throughout his body.

"Well then, Mr. Stratford," she said, her lips quirking in a devilish smile. "I can't wait to see what you find most appealing about Tikana."

He grinned and drained his glass. "Allow me a moment to say my farewells to my friends and then we can be on our way."

Beverly sipped her drink and nodded. "I'll be here."

He smiled again before turning and walking toward his companions. He tried to wipe the smile from his lips, but he was so damn happy to see her again he couldn't get his muscles to obey. His grin widened when he noticed all his friends chuckling and smiling back at him.

Well, almost all.

T'Shira seemed nonplussed.

A little of his happiness faded as she stared at him. She held herself perfectly rigid, as tense as the rest of the group was relaxed. He tried to ignore the hurt in her eyes, knowing he was the cause, and gave her a look that he hoped expressed his sorrow for the situation he'd put her in.

"I take it you won't be spending the rest of the evening with us," Maxx said as Jean-Luc reached the table.

He shook his head. "I hope you'll forgive me."

Maxx chuckled. "There's nothing to forgive, Johnny. If you hadn't gotten to her first, it might well have been me on the way out the door, leaving you and the rest of these reprobates behind."

Jean-Luc tamped down the twinge of jealousy as he pictured Maxx trying to charm Beverly. Ten years his junior, Maxx was tanned, rugged, and wickedly intelligent. As the lead archaeologist on the cathedral excavation, Maxx had far more to offer than he did – a first-year archaeology student.

But, he grinned to himself, this wasn't—and would never be—a fair competition. Even if Maxx had spotted her first.

"Are you still hiking the hills tomorrow?" T'Shira asked. Her voice was measured, but his decades as a diplomat allowed him to pick up the tension underlying her seemingly casual words.

His cheeks warmed and he knew his ears were turning pink. "I, uh, I'm not sure," he replied. He tried to pull his mind away from thoughts of spending the next two days in bed with Beverly, but the images were so strong he could barely think straight.

"Leave him be," Maxx said, and the others laughed. "I'm going to assume you're not joining us, Johnny, but if things don't work out as you hope, give me a shout and we'll wait for you at the trailhead."

Jean-Luc nodded. "Thank you."

He turned to leave but Maxx called out, "Oh, and Johnny?"

"Yes?" he said, glancing over his shoulder.

"Don't let her make you late for class on Lunarday."

He caught Maxx's wink and grinned. He'd never been one to put pleasure before duty, but if anyone could make him rethink his priorities, it would be the gorgeous redhead sitting at the bar.

"Never fear, Doctor Felltrie," he replied, "I have no intention of missing your lecture on Tikavian hieratic stone carving."

Maxx nodded and turned his attention to the others sitting at the table. "All right, folks. It looks like we're down one for the evening. What do we want to do?"

Jean-Luc made his way back to Beverly's side and was pleased to note she'd finished her drink and appeared just as eager as he was to leave.

"Ready, Doctor Picard?" he asked, gallantly holding out his arm.

She smiled and took his arm, sending a thousand volts of electricity through him. "Please, call me Beverly," she said as she tucked herself into the crook of his arm.