Star Trek is somebody else's, probably Paramount's, and I freely admit that whoever's it is, I'm borrowing their show and they retain all rights, etc

Author's Note: Spoilers for Star Trek Picard. Pairings: Will/Deanna, bittersweet Jean-Luc/Beverly. Content warning for some potty language and reference to character deaths.

Written for a Fluff Bingo challenge, square; Terms of Endearment.

I've tried to make the summary as non-spoiler-y as possible but will probably revise it once people have had time to see the episode.

Number One

"So that happened," Will stated dryly staring through the kitchen window at the empty space where Jean-Luc Picard and his android damsel-in-distress had been stood when they had transported.

Deanna sent him a chiding look.

"I'm going to go hunt!" Kestra shouted through the house and ran off in a clatter of steps before either of them could say anything. Her tendency to retreat to physical exercise when she was upset was something she'd learned from him, Will thought sadly.

"She liked Soji a lot," Deanna murmured. "She liked having company and companionship."

Will felt his heart ache. There was always a particular pain a parent felt at seeing their child hurt which Will had never got used to – not with his late son, Thad, and not with his Wild Girl.

"You should make the call," Deanna said.

Will sighed. "I'm not his First Officer anymore."

"But you never stopped being his Number One, even if he shared his term of endearment for you with his dog," Deanna teased.

There was a note of shared amusement, but it dissipated as they looked at each other, their expressions sobering.

Will's calm blue eyes met her dark gaze. "If I do this…"

Deanna pressed her lips together, her gaze drifting to the woods following her link to her daughter. "Perhaps, it is time to brave again."

He slid his arm around her. The loss of their son had shaken them both. He was only grateful that they'd leaned on each other and hadn't pulled apart.

Imzadi.

The word whispered through his mind; love and benediction. He'd been her imzadi before he'd ever been christened Number One by a crotchety Starfleet captain by the name of Picard.

Will gently kissed the top of his wife's head. "I love you too."

Deanna smiled at him, her eyes shining with tears. "Go, make the call." She made her way out of the kitchen and Will knew she was heading to Thad's room.

Will turned and headed for the small study hidden at the back of the house. He sat down at the desk and activated the computer terminal. "Computer, open a secure link to Starfleet Command."

It took him more time than he had wanted to spend, almost the full morning, but less than he had estimated to get to Fleet Admiral Clancy.

"Let me guess, you want to go running at windmills too," Clancy snapped out as a greeting.

Will repressed the urge to smirk. "Admiral Picard has provided his report then."

Clancy looked back at him sourly. She was a hard woman to like; stern, officious, political – and with a reputation for having a potty mouth. Will respected her position, her authority, but he had never warmed to her as the Fleet Admiral of Starfleet. It had been one of the reasons why he hadn't chafed against moving to the reserves when Thad's condition had necessitated a change of life plan.

"Let me save you the trouble of persuading me into helping him, Riker," Clancy said, leaning forward and peering down the comms channel at him. "I've assembled a taskforce to deal with the Romulan threat. They're rendezvousing at Deep Space 12 with Picard."

"Permission to head to Deep Space 12," Will immediately requested.

Clancy sat back and stared at him. "You want me to appoint you to the taskforce?"

"That's right, sir," Will responded evenly.

"You've been in the woods and out of the 'Fleet for five years, Riker," Clancy pointed out bluntly.

"I'm in the reserves," Will shot back. "My qualifications are up to date and I've logged the required training simulations and in duty time."

"And what is it that you think you can bring to the taskforce that others don't?" Clancy asked sharply.

"I know Jean-Luc Picard," Will replied simply. "I served as his side for more years than anyone else in the 'Fleet. You need someone on that taskforce that knows him, knows the way he thinks."

"What is it about him which inspires such fucking loyalty?" asked Clancy, exasperation in every word.

He couldn't help himself, he blinked. "You really need to ask?"

Clancy sighed. "No," she conceded, "I really don't." She gazed at him thoughtfully. "Why do I get the impression if I refuse, you'd find your way there regardless?"

Will allowed a small smile to drift over his lips. "Because you didn't get to be Fleet Admiral by being a fool?"

Clancy's gaze darkened.

And, oops. His tone had probably held too much sarcasm and not enough charm.

"You're as much of a pain in the ass as he is," Clancy declared.

Will nodded and let himself grin, feeling like he had nothing left to lose. "He taught me well."

Clancy grimaced. "The U.S.S. Pasteur is near to your location. They'll rendezvous and pick you up in three standard hours."

"With your permission, my wife and daughter will need transport along with me," Will hurried out, hearing the note of dismissal in her voice. He sensed Deanna's presence in the doorway but could not turn to greet her.

Clancy raised an eyebrow. "Is Commander Troi also requesting a return to duty?"

"Not at this time, sir," Deanna moved to his side and placed a hand on Will's shoulder. "However, I would be grateful for your permission for us to travel together as far as Deep Space 12."

"Of course, Commander," Clancy's entire person softened, her face creasing into a smile. "It is good to see you again, Deanna."

"It is good to be seen, sir," Deanna replied.

"I also owe you an apology," Clancy said, surprising Will. "You warned me that Commodore Oh was being duplicitous and I ignored you because I thought she was Vulcan and even full Betazoids have difficulty reading them due to their mental control."

"You've discovered her duplicity," Deanna stated.

Clancy pulled a face which belonged on a petulant toddler rather than a seasoned leader. "She's a Romulan spy."

Will let his eyebrows rise. That was going to rock Starfleet to its core.

"We're investigating her and her past actions thoroughly," Clancy confirmed. "She's no longer on Earth. We believe she may have re-joined the Romulans and is likely part of the attack force headed to Ghulion IV."

Deanna breathed in sharply.

"Understood," Will said crisply.

Clancy nodded. "Your orders will be transmitted en route, Acting Captain Riker." She cast a glance towards Deanna. "Safe travels, Commander. Clancy out."

Will sat back, almost collapsing into the chair.

Deanna's hand tightened on his shoulder. "He's in a lot of trouble, isn't he?"

"Ass-deep in Romulans, imzadi," said Will, reaching up to clasp her hand "ass-deep in Romulans…"

o-O-o

Will stepped into the ready room, ducking his head a touch to avoid the low doorway. He smiled broadly at the sight of the Captain of the U.S.S. Pasteur.

Beverly was still a very beautiful woman. Wide streaks of grey bisected the once fully red hair which was caught up in a chignon. Beverly's face showed the signs of age as did Will's; a map of lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth. But her eyes were sharp as they landed on him.

"Reporting as ordered, Captain Picard," Will stated, a mischievous tone despite the standard words.

Will had no real idea about why it hadn't worked out between Beverly and Jean-Luc; he knew they still loved each other very much for all their lives had drifted since their break-up. Will and Deanna had ensured they remained friends with both of them.

"My comms officer picked up an SOS," Beverly informed him dryly, rolling her eyes at him. "I thought you might want to hear it."

Will sobered immediately. He listened as she played it.

Jean-Luc.

"They're diverting the taskforce to Ghulion IV," Beverly said. "We're rendezvousing with the Zheng He to transfer a specialised battle trauma medical team."

But not Will.

He wasn't being kept out of the fight, Will considered. Not after that message. "I need to borrow your terminal."

Beverly's lips twitched. "Still pulling him out of trouble." Her tone was teasing but her eyes belied her worry and concern.

"Someone has to," Will pointed out.

Beverly patted his shoulder as she made way for Will to take her seat. "I'm glad," she said. "I'm glad you're still watching his back."

"You'll take care of Deanna and Kestra," stated Will, because he knew he didn't have to ask.

Beverly was Kestra's godmother and it had been Beverly who had been with them during Thad's last weeks; he'd never forget her care and compassion for them.

She nodded even so and left him to make his plea to Clancy in private.

o-O-o

"Will!" Jean-Luc called out to him joyfully.

Will turned in the right direction to greet his old friend and had just enough time to brace himself for the hug. He gave an exaggerated wince at the strength of the embrace. "Easy there, Jean-Luc!"

Jean-Luc gave an apologetic grimace as he stepped away, but his eyes were smiling. "Sorry, I'm not quite used to this yet."

This being his new body. Which was just weird, although Will had spent enough time exploring the universe to roll with it. Jean-Luc was still Jean-Luc.

"I don't have any super-strength, but I am feeling stronger than I was," Jean-Luc concluded. He looked at Will. "You're leading the first contact team then?"

"I am," agreed Will cheerfully. He'd been surprised at Clancy's orders, but he had gratefully returned to Ghulion IV after seeing the Romulans out of Federation space.

It had been a close thing ensuring the taskforce had made it to Ghulion IV to save Picard and the synths from the Romulans. But they had made it and the Romulans had retreated thanks to Soji's decision to destroy the antennae calling for help to destroy all organic life and a certain Treaty which enabled the Federation to protect the planet.

"Ignored your First Officer?" teased Jean-Luc.

"I may have taken the advice of an old commanding officer of mine and done exactly that," Will teased back.

Jean-Luc patted his shoulder and glanced at the waiting team behind Will, their expressions a mix of professionalism and repressed awe. "Come, I'll introduce you."

It was much, much later that Will found himself stood outside the compound, looking out at the view as the sunset. It was spectacular. He breathed in, enjoying the fresh air after a day spent inside negotiating. He hadn't missed that part of his Starfleet career; stuck indoors in endless meetings.

He smiled as Jean-Luc joined him. "Doctor Po finally let you out of his sight."

"I left him with Soong."

Will grinned. "An appropriate punishment."

Jean-Luc huffed but didn't disagree. "Did you get through to Deanna?"

"I did," Will confirmed, "she and Kestra send their love."

"You have a lovely family, Will," Jean-Luc said wistfully.

Will reached for the faint connection in his mind. Imzadi. He could feel her; her presence as real as if she were standing beside him. The reassurance that she was fine; Kestra was fine. His heart ached again for their missing piece; for Thad.

"I'm a very lucky man."

"As am I," Jean-Luc said strongly.

Will looked over at him.

Jean-Luc smiled. "I have good friends who love me, and I have…I have my life." He looked out into the distance. "That's more than I thought had at the beginning of this."

"You forgot," Will corrected. "You just had to get back to being yourself to remember."

Jean-Luc gave a short laugh. "It doesn't worry you that I'm a synth now?"

"Does it worry you?" asked Will bluntly.

"No," Jean-Luc replied, honesty ringing in the single word. "I thought it would after…after everything with the Borg, but no. I'm me."

"Yes, you are," Will agreed.

"If I'd known you were going to return so soon, I would have waited for you to attend the goodbye to Data."

"I said my goodbyes a long time ago, Jean-Luc," Will said sombrely. "Data deserved not to wait any longer." The idea of Data's consciousness held in a loop, with the knowledge that he was dead but not…it was slightly horrifying to Will.

They watched the sun setting in silence.

"What now?" asked Will. "What's next for Jean-Luc Picard?"

They'd concluded opening negotiations with the synths on Coppelius, the renamed Ghulion IV. The ban on their presence in the Federation was rescinded with the evidence of the Romulan involvement in the Mars attack.

"I don't quite know," Jean-Luc confessed. "My mission is over. Data's daughter is safely home and we saved them."

"That we did," Will agreed. "But do you really think your mission is over?"

Jean-Luc arched an eyebrow. "I'm not the one they're calling Captain again."

Will laughed at that. "Clancy only reinstated me to full duty so I could represent the Federation during the first contact negotiations with Coppelius." He smiled. "I'm OK with it, at least for now."

"And Deanna?" asked Jean-Luc carefully.

"She'll return in her own time," Will said. "Just like you did."

Jean-Luc hummed and looked away towards the horizon and the warm glow of the sunset across the valley.

"They're a good crew," Will commented.

"They're motley," Jean-Luc said, repeating what he'd called them when Will had asked about them on Nepenthe.

"According to Clancy, you're a pain in her ass," Will retorted cheerfully. Of course, she'd said the same thing about Will. "I'd say you fit right in."

"Elnor is so very young…"

"…and you are so very old."

"Doctor Jurati killed Maddox," Jean-Luc said.

"She saved your life," Will replied, "and thanks to you, she's been given a pardon since her actions were driven by a vision implanted in her head by a Romulan spy. She was under incredible duress."

"Raffi is an addict," Jean-Luc said.

"She's a damned good officer," Will said. "Starfleet should have never let her go."

"Rios?" asked Jean-Luc.

"Testy," Will threw back, grinning as he reminded Jean-Luc of his own description of the man. "But he was another damned good officer. We should have taken better care of him."

"Seven," Jean-Luc held up a hand, "no, don't tell me…a damned good officer."

"She'd hit me if I ever suggested such a thing," quipped Will.

Jean-Luc laughed at that. He gave a small sigh as his laughter petered out. "What would we even do?"

"Oh, I don't know," Will teased, "maybe explore new worlds? Seek out new life and new civilisations? Boldly go where no-one has gone before?"

"That easy?" wondered Jean-Luc out loud.

"Never easy," Will countered, "but what is?"

"I'd have to leave here," Jean-Luc said, looking around as though trying to take in the world in one look. "I'd have to leave Soji."

"I think you'd be surprised at her response if you invited her along," Will said. "She is Data's daughter, after all."

Jean-Luc's eyes widened. "They're not you."

Not the Enterprise crew, Will supplied in his head.

"No," Will agreed, "but they love you just the same."

"You trust them…" realised Jean-Luc.

"I do," Will said; he trusted them because they'd all fought for Jean-Luc; they'd saved him. "And more importantly, so do you."

"I do," admitted Jean-Luc, in an easy way that he would never have done as Captain of the Enterprise.

"So maybe you ought to get on with asking them if they want to go explore the galaxy with you," Will said pointedly.

Jean-Luc made a low noise. Will knew that noise; knew Jean-Luc was already planning how and when he'd ask each person; the order of it; the detail of it.

Will gave a satisfied nod to the darkening sky. Jean-Luc was alive, and he was safe, and he was Jean-Luc Picard, with a new crew who would serve him well. It was time for Will to go home, to leave behind his Captain and to return to his imzadi.

"Of course, I'm going to tell them not to let you go on away missions," Will joked.

"I can tell them to ignore you," Jean-Luc muttered.

"Well, I'm not your First Officer anymore," Will agreed cheerfully.

"No, you're not," Jean-Luc sighed with a note of regret that made Will preen inwardly. His gaze caught Will's and held it firmly. "You may not be my Number One anymore, Will, but you are my very good friend, and I'm grateful for it."

Will grinned, wide and happy. "So, you won't be going on away missions?"

Jean-Luc looked back at him, seemingly poker-faced and expressionless. But Will had known him too long not to catch the twinkle in his eyes.

Will's laughter rang out, and across space he felt Deanna's answering joy.

The End.