A NEW LEASE ON LOVE

Crusher sighed and shut off the computer monitor. Most of the plans for the wedding were in place, it was the last few details that she couldn't seem to make a decision on. After dealing with the Klingons, Romulans and Cardassians not to mention their encounter with the quantum filament, heading back to the Sol system was a welcome respite for everyone. The Enterprise had received temporary repairs at Starbase Two and would undergo a more thorough diagnostic and repair at Utopia Planitia. That would provide everyone an opportunity to take leave on Earth and, for Odan and her, a wedding. With Wesley and Picard's family all on Earth, the chance to have their ceremony there was a unexpected treat. Of course for Odan it would mark the first time Jean-Luc had seen his family in person since the joining.

Checking the time, she got up and set the table for dinner. She had moved into the captain's quarters shortly after he accepted her proposal and they had quickly settled into a comfortable routine. Picard was in the gym fencing. It was one of Jean-Luc's interests that both Jean-Luc and Odan enjoyed. Odan had developed a fondness for swashbuckling over the more refined fencing that Jean-Luc favored; at least that's what he said. Having known Jean-Luc for as long and as well as she had, she was certain that he'd been a swashbuckler at heart all along, Odan just gave him an excuse to indulge a bit more. At the moment he was giving Guinan some fencing lessons and she suspected that Guinan had expressed an interest in that only as an excuse to give Picard someone real to fence with. The crew was slowly warming up to him, he'd certainly proven himself many times over in recent events. Picard was still trying to find the right balance between Odan's social nature and Jean-Luc's more reserved nature. Guinan was one of the few people that both of them could relax with.

The door slid open and Picard entered exhaling loudly. "Ah, my Doctor Beverly, you are truly a treasure to come home to."

The corners of her mouth quirked upward. On duty, at senior staff meetings or when they were conducting ship's business, he was the old Jean-Luc for the most part, proper and refined. Off duty he was more ebullient; not quite as playful and mischievous as the old Odan, but openly demonstrative in his affection. "From the sound of that sigh, I take it that you had a good workout."

Putting his fencing foil in its place, he nodded. "Guinan certainly put me through my paces. As old as she is, it's hard to believe there's anything she hasn't done before and can do with such energy now. I strongly suspect that she only asked for these lessons as an excuse to give me someone to fence with."

"I had that same thought," Crusher replied. "She's a very good friend."

"Indeed, whatever her reason, I appreciate the outlet for all of this nervous energy."

She followed him into the bedroom and settled herself in the overstuffed chair in the corner, watching him undress. "You're not getting cold feet about the wedding, are you?"

Picard stopped abruptly. Bare-chested, with his trousers unfastened, he walked over to stand in front of her. Reaching out, he toyed with a strand of her hair. "Joined Trill have cold hands, not cold feet and this particular joined Human has no doubts of any kind."

"So the nerves are anticipation?" More relieved than she wanted to admit, she caressed the taut skin of his abdomen as they spoke.

"I am nervous," he admitted. "Just not about the wedding. Neither Jean-Luc nor myself know what to expect from Robert, Marie, Rene' or Wesley for that matter. This is the first time I'll be meeting family members who don't know my symbiont independent of the host. Normally it would be a celebration, a welcome into their family; I don't see Robert welcoming me to the family with open arms."

"You have talked to him since . . . "

He took her hand and pulled her up to stand in front of him. Beginning to open her uniform jacket, he answered. "Mostly I've communicated with Marie and Rene'. The one conversation I had with Robert, he was concerned with my welfare-Jean-Luc's welfare. He seemed to equate a Trill symbiont with Borg assimilation. I just don't know what to expect when we're face to face."

Wriggling to help him strip off her shirt, she unhooked her bra and dropped it on the floor. Both of them still had their uniform trousers on for the moment, but she knew where this was heading. This comfortable, casual intimacy had taken some time as well as trust and communication. If she had stayed in the main room, he would have showered and changed quickly. By following him into the bedroom and getting comfortable, he still had the choice of just showering and dressing but he also had the option of more amorous pursuits. "I can warn you to expect about a hundred questions from Wesley if that helps."

He wrapped his arms around her, their bare torsos crushing together pleasurably. "This right here helps more than anything," he said softly.

...

Crusher was sitting on a bench on the grounds of Starfleet Academy waiting for Wesley to get out of class. They had decided to meet Wesley first and then the three of them would go on to France together. Odan had gone to find Boothby for a brief chat so she was on her own, enjoying the beautifully landscaped surroundings and reminiscing about her own time at the Academy.

"Hey, mom."

It was almost instinctual, any time she heard the word 'mom' she immediately responded by looking for the source. In this instance, the source was loping toward her with a big grin on his face. The mother in her couldn't help but note some weight loss and wonder if he was remembering to eat regularly. He looked so much like his father in his cadet uniform; for a second she saw Jack coming toward her. In the next instant she saw a five year old Wesley running toward her to show her whatever exciting thing he'd just discovered. Shaking off the wave of nostalgia, she smiled back at him and stood up to greet him. "Wesley, it's so good to see you."

When he got to her, he paused briefly to glance around before giving her a quick hug. "It's great to see you, too. So where is he? Is he here with you?"

"He is right here."

The voice from right beside her startled both Wesley and her. "Did you find Boothby?" she asked.

"I did," Picard said. "Otherwise I'd be risking life and limb to do this." With that he pulled a large, red rose from behind his back and presented it to her.

"Oh, Odan, thank you; it's beautiful."

Tugging on his uniform jacket, Picard regarded Wesley who was carefully scrutinizing him. "I acquired an additional mind, not a second head, Mr. Crusher."

"No, sir . . . I mean yes, sir. Of course not, Captain . . . "

"Picard," Odan finished for the obviously flustered young man. "I'm still Captain Picard."

Wesley took a deep breath. "Yes, Captain Picard, sir."

Picard extended his arm to Beverly. "I-Odan-would be happy to answer any and all of your questions over lunch, Mr. Crusher. Shall we?"

...

So far, so good; she was walking hand in hand with Odan along a quiet, country road on their way to the Picard family home. At the moment Wesley was carrying on an animated conversation with Picard about some of his classes and instructors at the Academy. Most of the conversation over lunch had been about Trill history and culture. Even she had learned more about the differences between Odan's people and the mainland Trill. Surprisingly, Wesley didn't seem to have any problems with their imminent nuptials; he was more concerned with the joining of Odan and Jean-Luc than the joining of Odan/Jean-Luc and her. Now, with the addition of Wesley's support, they were heading toward their next hurdle. She gripped his hand a bit tighter, hoping he could feel her love through that connection.

"Hello there, Uncle," Picard called out. "Aren't you going to come down and greet your nephew?"

Standing partially obscured by a tree was a very uncertain Rene'. "I haven't decided yet."

"I see," Picard commented with a non-committal tone.

Wesley stepped forward with his hand extended. "Hey, you must be Rene'. Captain Picard told me about you. I'm Wesley Crusher and this is my mom, Doctor Beverly Crusher. It's nice to meet you."

"Young Wesley here is a cadet at the Academy," Picard offered.

With that Rene' scrambled down to the road. "Really? Is it exciting? Is it hard? Are there a lot of other Federation races there or is it mostly humans?"

Casting a glance back toward Picard, Wesley turned and began walking alongside Rene'. "Well, a lot of the other Federation races are humanoid and there are a lot of humans who were born in colonies on other planets so it's not always easy to tell by looking where someone is from-unless you're looking at a Bolian or Tellarite, then it's kind of obvious."

Rene' stopped and looked closely at Picard. "Are you still human? I mean you were born here but that other thing, the alien. . . "

"Yes," Picard said. "I am still very much human, I just have a non-human friend living inside me and sharing my body."

Rene' thought about that for a moment. "Does it hurt?"

"No."

"Is it weird?"

Picard chuckled. "Yes."

"You're still my uncle?" Rene' asked.

Picard shrugged. "Only if you still want me to be?"

The boy pursed his lips, thinking. "I guess so."

...

"Hello."

Crusher flinched in sympathy when Robert's response to Picard's greeting was a grunt and a curt nod. Marie tsked at him before bustling over to greet them.

"Jean-Luc, it's so good to see you," she said warmly. "And this must be Beverly, welcome."

If her smile and tone were a bit forced, Crusher still saw the effort as genuine. "Thank you, Marie; I've heard nothing but good things about you. I'm glad to finally meet you in person. This is my son, Wesley."

"I see you've already met Rene'," Marie noted. "Perhaps Rene' can show Wesley to the room I prepared for him and the boys can drop your bags in your room."

Rene' reached for the bag she was carrying, shouldering it before grabbing Picard's bag. "Sure, mom. This way, Wes."

With the boys gone, the awkwardness became almost oppressive. Out of the corner of her eye, Crusher saw Picard's hands adjusting the waistband of his trousers and re-tucking his shirt. It was Jean-Luc's nervous habit; Odan had an entire community of family back on Trill but Robert, Marie and Rene' were all that Jean-Luc had. Every nanosecond of silence felt like the tick of a clock counting down to an explosion. She exchanged a look of desperation with Marie; both women wanted to forestall the encounter between the two men, but neither knew what to say.

"How do the grapes look this year, Robert?" Picard asked, breaking the silence echoing in the room.

After a long silence and a stern glare from Marie, Robert answered somewhat grudgingly. "Fine, just fine."

"You know, Odan has never seen wine made. He's quite intrigued by the concept."

While Picard's voice sounded calm as he named the proverbial elephant in the room, Crusher saw his fingers stretching toward her very subtly. She moved closer and slipped her hand into his, feeling him squeeze her fingers in gratitude. It was probably better to get the subject out in the open and yet she still held her breath, waiting for Robert and Marie's response.

Robert snorted. "Don't those things have wine on their planet?"

Marie sighed. "Robert."

Picard actually smiled and then he chuckled. "Odan's people make something like a cross between beer and whiskey. He's never really liked it-he says that's one reason he became a diplomat because other planets produce such delightful spirits. I've been introducing him to Chateau Picard and he's got quite a few questions for you."

"Have you forgotten everything you learned about the family business then, Jean-Luc?" Robert asked.

"No, but you're the master vintner, Robert. Odan would prefer to hear your thoughts on the subject. He hears my every thought on every subject all of the time."

"Now you're making me feel sorry for that thing," Robert said.

Picard broke up laughing and the ladies quickly joined in. The tension was broken and the merriment was as much a release of that anxiety as it was the brotherly banter between the two men. "Well then, Robert, perhaps you'll take pity on my symbiont friend and give him a tour of the best vineyard in France."

Crusher watched the two men head for the door. There was still some awkwardness between them, that would take some time. The important thing was that they were talking. She looked over at Marie. "Speaking of wine, I could really use a glass right about now."

"A really big glass," Marie agreed. "I was just thinking the same thing. We can discuss the wedding details over a bottle."

...

"Uniforms?" Troi asked as she entered the bedroom where Crusher was getting ready.

"Dress uniforms," Crusher corrected her absently. She was sitting in front of an old dressing table mirror putting the final touches on her hair and make-up. Studying her reflection, she wondered how many women had looked into that very mirror before her.

Troi sat down on the edge of the bed and sat silently.

Sometimes Crusher thought Troi had telepathic abilities. Now, for example, and how it seemed like she was asking a question without saying a word. "Odan didn't care what he wore at the wedding. Jean-Luc feels more comfortable in his uniform, his Starfleet connection is the one thing that most clearly differentiates him from Odan. If we went with formal attire, it would almost exclude Jean-Luc from the ceremony. If Jean-Luc is wearing his uniform, as a fellow Starfleet officer it would only be appropriate for me to also wear my uniform; so, a small ceremony with only close family and friends in our dress uniforms is the ideal way to ensure everyone is included in this union." She chuckled softly, "you have no idea how complicated the planning for this simple ceremony actually was."

"Is it what you want?"

Crusher gave her friend a big smile full of excitement and joy. "He is what I want. I haven't been this happy since Jack died. I would have been fine with a ceremony in the ready room with acting Captain Riker officiating. Being able to include Wesley and Jean-Luc's family is just a bonus. Odan and I have both been married before, this ceremony is mostly for Jean-Luc. I know he wanted his brother's approval and having Robert as his best man has made this a perfect day for him."

"I know," Troi said. "He introduced us to Robert when we beamed down from the Enterprise. I could feel how happy and proud he was."

A slight pause was the only outward sign that she hesitated to ask her next question. Troi would feel her trepidation, but maintaining her composure was such an ingrained behavior that she didn't even think about it. "Did everyone come?"

"Yes," Troi answered. "The entire senior staff; Will, Geordi, Data, even Worf and, of course, Guinan."

"I appreciate your standing up with me," Crusher said. "It means a lot to me, especially since Nana wasn't able to make it."

A knock on the door was followed by Marie poking her head in. "We're just about ready for you downstairs."

"We'll be right there," Crusher replied.

Troi stood and checked her own reflection in the mirror. "I'm sorry your grandmother wasn't able to make the trip, but I'm honored to be your maid of honor. I wish both Captain Picard and you all the best in your life together."

Embracing her friend with a heartfelt hug, Crusher fought back tears. "Let's go get that life started."

...

The ceremony was being held overlooking the Picard vineyards. Looking at the people seated and waiting, Crusher noted that the senior staff were all sitting on the bride's side of the aisle along with Wesley. Alyssa and Dr. Selar, along with a few of her close friends from Starfleet Medical were also seated on her side of the aisle. Marie and Rene' were in the front row of the groom's side, of course. There were a few local people, friends of the Picard family from Jean-Luc's childhood sitting on his side as well. Guinan was on the groom's side of the aisle sitting next to Kareel Adar. Kareel and Adar had been joined recently and were on Earth for Kareel to complete testing for admission to Starfleet Academy. As soon as the official conducting the ceremony noticed Troi and her arrive, he gestured to the waiting guests. Everyone stood and looked to her but all she saw was Odan, resplendent in his dress uniform and all of his medals glistening in the sun. He looked the same as he always had and yet he had become so much more to her eyes over the past months. The emotions of the moment threatened to overwhelm her. When she snuck a quick glance at Troi, she saw tears sparkling in the empath's eyes; her emotions were spilling over to affect Troi. Nodding, she followed Deanna up the aisle toward her best friend and love.

THE END

Author's note: I'm marking this complete as it stands now. Real life has made it difficult to find time for writing. This saga could easily weave through the rest of the series, subtly changing everything that happened in the last two seasons and the movies. I just don't know that I'll have any time to play with it more and I hate incomplete stories. I wanted to give the story some semblance of closure and letting Picard face his brother seemed like a good, final chapter in the unification of Odan and Jean-Luc. The wedding just gave me the setting for it.

Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to comment on this somewhat unusual flight of fancy on my part. Thank you also to all of you who tagged this story as a favorite of yours and those who have tagged it to be notified when I update it. Knowing that people were enjoying this story has been a delight to me.