I see loads of fanfics on Beverly having a romance with Jean Luc, but rarely see any fanfics on how she on her own really dealt with her beloved husband Jack's death, so I decided to add one here…

Just a disclaimer adding that the characters are not mine and the storyline of Jack's death is not mine; if it were, I'd be rich.

Also, a side note that I've dallied with the idea of the United States changing into separate regions in four hundred years, so none of you are startled by the new country names here.

But I've always been fascinated with Beverly's interesting storyline, just Beverly on her own after Jack, no "love triangle," no having her jump into another guys' arms too fast, so here's mine…

Through An Autumn

By: CNJ

PG-13

1

Beverly:

I woke up before dawn that second Saturday in November, but that's not unusual. I am an early riser by nature, a "morning lark" as my grandmother, Nana always told me. My husband, Jack jokes that I was probably a rooster in another life.

So was another morning for me as I opened my dark blue eyes and turned on my bedside lamp, filling the dark room with a soft bluish glow. It was around five.

I sat up and read for a while, then climbed out of bed and got dressed. I knew my five-year-old son, Wesley, would be asleep for another hour or two.

Jack is now on an away mission which is almost over. I hope he'll be able to be back in time for Thanksgiving, an Earth holiday primarily celebrated in the North American provinces of New England, Midatlantia, and The Midprairie States of America, MSA for short. It's in two weeks.

Nana, my friend Claire, my sister, Enid, Jack's mother, Wendy, and several others will be there. Jack's hoping he can have his shipmate and friend, Jean Luc Picard over also.

Sitting at my desk and organizing patient files at the terminal, I listened to the wind outside. It reminded me of so many November nights back on Caldos.

I'm a doctor at Starfleet and work here on Earth at a small hospital not too far from our home, which is not too far north of New York City in New England.

It was becoming light with a bluish-gray dawn when I closed down the terminal and headed into the kitchen to make myself some tea. The trees, which had been a kaleidoscope of all kinds of colors two weeks ago, are now fading and most of the leaves are gone.

I was almost finished my tea when I heard a soft patter of socked feet making their way to the kitchen. By now the sky was light and the sun was getting ready to rise. It looked like it was going to be a clear, cold, but lovely day.

"Mommy…" Wesley's voice called.

"In here, darling," I called back.

My son tottered into the kitchen and into my arms.

"Good morning, sweetheart…sleep well?" I kissed my son's dark brown, soft hair and lifted him onto my lap.

He nodded, still a bit sleepy. His rather rumpled jeans, mismatched socks, and his favorite green shirt on backward brought a soft smile to my face

"It's Saturday…no school for me…no work for you…" Wes chirped.

"That's right..." I put him down and ruffled his hair. "Hungry for breakfast?"

"Yes…can we have orange rolls?"

"Sure…if you promise to have milk and wheat toast with it."

My dear, dear son…a sharp boy, so sweet also. Nana says that in many ways, he is a lot like I was at that age, only I was a bit quieter. Nana tells me that I often was like a little adult even at age five.

When I look at him, I do see some of my mannerisms and that he has my large nose and large eyes. I've even noticed that his brows rise slightly when he's curious or questioning like my brows do.

He also has brown hair and dark green eyes like Jack's while I have straight red hair and dark blue eyes, so I guess he's an even mix of both of us. I feel very fortunate…my sweet son, my wonderful, loving husband, a career as a doctor that I love, to name a few things.

Jack:

My feet hit the ground as Captain Jean Luc Picard and I rounded up the second set of Alleys, the holodeck game we often played on Saturdays. We were off duty for now and nothing unusual was happening on the Stargazer, so Jean Luc and I fit a few rounds in.

"Got this one!" I crowed with a laugh.

"You win this time," Jean Luc laughed ruefully as we lowered our helmets and sat down to catch our breaths and let the sweat dry.

Much as I've enjoyed this mission, I'm glad it's almost over. I miss my wife and son and hope to be home in time for Thanksgiving.

"Beverly tells me that Wesley is learning to read very quickly," I told Jean Luc.

"Wesley…?" Jean Luc looked puzzled a minute and I remembered that although he has met Beverly, he has never met Wesley.

"Our son…he started kindergarten this year…so much of his mother in him." I smiled softly at the memory of his sweet, small face. Sometimes it's bubbly and cheerful; other times, it's so serious like his mom's.

"Opposites attracting…" Jean Luc leaned back. "We're…you're outgoing and bubbly and talkative and Beverly always struck me as so quiet…reserved."

"True…one of the main things that attracted me to her is her heart…it's made of pure gold."

Softly sighing, Jean Luc ran his hand thru his light brown thin hair. "Wasn't it somebody named Walter or other that introduced you two?"

"Walker Keel…" I supplied. "We actually were introduced in an unusual way…we did this house exchange for one winter holiday…Beverly came to Earth where I'd been living and I headed to Delos where she was living…turned out that Walker had recently moved down the street from Beverly and I met him then. Beverly had met him briefly before she left.

"He and I also met and he told me a little about Beverly. Beverly's sister, Enid then came to town the day before Beverly came back right before Hanukkah started…Enid and Walker knocked on my door and Enid had actually forgotten that Beverly had gone out of town and I was there.

"When Beverly returned, she invited me to stay for a while longer and we had a Hanukkah gathering and Walker formally introduced us." I smiled softly as I remembered that holiday and seeing Beverly's serious, lovely face for the first time.

Jean Luc nodded. Just then the comm on the wall chirped. "Incoming message for Captain Picard…"

The comm's awakening call snapped Jean Luc and me from lounging to duty mode and Jean Luc went over. "Picard here…"

"We've arrived at the gas planet…the ship is slowing rapidly," Lieutenant Grevan told us.

"I'm on my way," Jean Luc responded. We'd arrived sooner than expected.

Beverly:

"So little Marcy is growing fast…she's already crawling all over," my friend Claire Voy updated me after breakfast over the transmission.

Claire lives on Yula Three and we see each other every so often. She's a doctor like me, only she's not in Starfleet.

She was my roommate at the Academy for our first year there, but she left after the first year and went to another medical school. She had a baby girl in May, so she's very excited about motherhood…just as I was when I first had Wesley. Sometimes I still am excited about being a mom five years later.

Claire is still today one of my closest friends and sometimes joins our group…Enid, Jack, and I whenever we get together. Sometimes Jean Luc joins us also, so it's about five of us when we're all together.

And once in a great while, two older friends of ours, Tryla Scott and Walker sometimes join us, making our total number seven. All of us have busy schedules, however, so often, it's just some of us.

"Mom…is it Aunt Claire?" Wesley asked from the other room where he was occupied with his electro-magnetic set.

"Yes, dear…" I told him.

"Hello, Wesley…" Claire called.

"Wes…do you want to say hello to Claire?" I called back.

"Sure…" Wesley darted over and waved to Claire. "Hiii, Claire!"

"Hi, Wesley," Claire smiled at my son. "How's kindergarten?"

"Good…I like my teacher, Ms. Levin and I have this friend named Todd Harriman. His mommy's in Starfleet like my mommy and dad…and I'm also learning big words to read."

"That's great." Claire adores my son and Wes sees her as an aunt. They chatted a little longer, and then Claire and I did some more catching up. I told her how much Wesley and I were looking forward to Jack's return.

After Claire and I disconnected, I sat for a little while, thinking about away missions…in the past fifty or so years, most large starships now allow entire families on board, which makes things easier, especially for long missions.

Jack and I have toyed with the idea of taking on one of the larger starships and taking positions on board so we could be together and have Wes with us. But for right now, my career here is going well and Jack and I decided that Wes would start school here on Earth and Jack would take short missions on smaller ships like the Stargazer, so he could be home most of the time.

This past year Wes has liked playing with toy starships and asked if one day, we could all go "to the stars." So last summer, before Jack left for the Stargazer, we discussed the possibility of taking on the longer missions when Wesley grew older. I've told Jack that I'd be willing to take a position on a starship then as medical officer while Jack would continue and extend his science officer career.

The way Starfleet has progressed in recent years, it looks like this is a real possibility and good opportunity for all of us.

A/N: More to come; Jack's death and Beverly getting the news is in the next chapter hope you all enjoyed this beginning; don't hesitate to review!