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Blind Chess	By : madradena Category: Star Trek > The Next Generation Views: 1334 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own ST:TNG, nor the characters. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Six hours after being captured by the police, Picard was dragged into a dark cell and pushed to the floor:
"We're not finished, traitor! Remember that!" one of his jailers spat, and the heavy door slammed in after them.
"You, animals!" he shouted defiantly and lunged to the door. He hit it with his fist, and the metal gave an unyielding thump "You won't get away with this! You'll be held accountable! The Federation will make you pay! Starfleet will make you pay!" he shouted in his impotent anger. Then with a final thump he slumped to the floor panting.
He'd been tortured a few times in his life, so it could be said that he was practised. The physical pain was almost nothing compared to what he endured in the Cardassian torture chamber. But to watch them hurting Beverly... Nothing could be worse! Nothing! He had no idea where they'd taken her after beating her up in front of his very eyes, and he feared the worst. And knew that there was even worse than the worst...
Then suddenly, he heard it. It was faint, but it was there at the far corner of the cell. A silent weeping of a frightened lady...
"Jean-Luc..." he heard her whisper, and despite the pain in his side and leg, he got up and rushed to her as if the devil was pursuing him.
"Beverly!" he knelt beside her where she was crouching in the corner "Beverly, where are you hurt? Tell me, what have they done to you?" he told her taking her by the shoulder and leaned close to her to see her face.
She sniffled "It's alright." she wiped her face "I'll live..." she stifled a small sob "They just... hit me a few times... It's just... I've never been tortured... I've never seen... people who enjoyed the suffering of others..." another sob came which she couldn't hide, and she buried her face in her palms. Picard felt a measure of relief hearing this, but she went on before he could reply "And they hurt you too... I wished I could tell them to hurt me instead of you, but I was just so afraid..." she sobbed again, and he took her into his arms on impulse.
She was talking nonsense, of course. It was because of the mental impact of such an ordeal, but he was moved by her words. It somehow gave him back the hope that she still held him precious in her heart.
"Hush, Beverly!" he told her on a low voice "Just try to calm down. We're safe for now."
She pulled away a little and looked at him confused "Why did they leave us alone? Why did they put us into the same cell?" she asked alarmed.
He frowned considering then turned his head around as a thought struck him "I'd say, they're watching us. They think we'll leak information inadvertently."
"But what do they want?" she asked on a breaking voice.
He stared at her surprised "They asked nothing from you?"
She shook her head. "They just... brought me into the room you were in, then... you saw the rest. After that, they just left me here." she sniffled once again and wiped her face.
He took a moment to think about this "From what we know, they consider women inferior. Maybe they think that the information they want can come only from me." at Beverly's questioning gaze, he went on "They think we're part of the Resistance. They want to know the hide-out of the leader."
"What did you tell them?" she asked honestly curious. Her voice now seemed stronger, and the Captain finally let her go.
"The truth, of course." he stood up and started to pace the cell "I told them we were Starfleet officers from the ship in orbit." when he reached the patch of light that was coming in through the tiny window three meters above them, he turned to her and spread his arms "They laughed into my face. For eight years, there was no ship in orbit around Epsilon Four. They've been told, Starfleet was banned from the planet - except for the mad wife of the now ruling Premiere." he added with a wry smile then shrugged "They're convinced we're part of the Resistance. And as such, we have to know where the leader is."
"What happened to that boy? Have you seen him since we've been captured?"
"No." he bowed his head "I don't suppose children are considered more highly than woman in this masculine society."
She sighed and shook her head after a long moment of silence "How are we ever gonna get out of here?" it sounded more like a theoretical question.
"Riker or the Admiral will get us out, of course." he answered with a belief, she wished she could share "I'd estimate it's already morning. We haven't reported to the Admiral for a few hours, I'm sure he already had the Enterprise looking for us."
"Of course..." she whispered, and Picard turned to her raising an eyebrow. She sounded rather doubtful compared to his liking.
"Why wouldn't they, Beverly?" he asked with an edge of impatience in his voice. What was the point in depressing herself with these negative thoughts?
"Jean-Luc..." she breathed and pushed herself up into a standing position with a grunt of pain. She then crossed to where he was standing in the small patch of light "Jones swore his life on the fact that the tortures stopped on his planet when he took over the Premiereship. Do you really think he'd admit to the fact that two Starfleet officers have been tortured during the negotiations with the Federation? He'd rather bury us alive!"
They locked gazes, and a long moment passed before Picard frowned "I refuse to give up hope! And I forbid you to give up hope either, Beverly! The most important thing during any confinement is to think positively..."
"...and not to give up hope..." she finished having heard the end of this sentence already once in her life.
"Right." he nodded surprised but studying her expression his heart sank. She gazed at him so listless. She really felt hopeless, he realized. He let out a long breath and gently put his hands on her upper arms "Beverly. Do you really think that Will, Deanna or Data would give up on us just like that? Just because Jones tells them so? Or your hot-headed friend. He knows Jones the best from among all of us. Do you think she'd believe him?"
She reluctantly shook her head. He did manage to light a candle in the night around her!
He gave a gently squeeze to her arms "They'll think of something."
They locked gazes again, and this time he let himself be lost in her beautiful eyes. He raised his hand and gently wiped a stray tear still lingering on her cheek with his thumb. She instinctively closed her eyes enjoying his tender touch. She was exquisite! Her hair was dishevelled, her clothes torn, her face tear-streaked and her eyes still had unshed tears in them, and yet... she was the most exquisite creature in the universe! Picard felt an overwhelming need to tell her the truth finally, to tell her how much she meant to him! And it took him all his strength to fight it off, because the need was more urging than ever before!
But here they were captive on a hostile planet, hurt and locked up in a dark cell without food or drink. And even if they actually got out of here, someone was waiting for her on the Enterprise. Because he did know about her special friend. No, this was all wrong...
He was about to clear his throat and excuse himself, when she opened her eyes and without any further ado, pressed herself firmly to him and kissed him on the lips.
He was so surprised, it took him a very long moment to close his eyes. He squeezed her arms to make her break away, but somehow the kiss deepened, and his hands slid down her back to her slender waist as she locked her arms around his neck. What ARE we doing?! he asked himself as he tilted his head to claim her mouth again after a moment's break. She held his head to her firmly, and their tongues fought a war, each too curious to explore the other's mouth to let the other fully in. Their breathing became ragged, and she moaned as he pressed her back to the wall with his body.
She ran her hand down his chest and pulled out his shirt from inside his pants. He dug his fingers into her hair while sliding his other hand to her thigh and pulling her leg up his own still claiming her mouth with his lips and tongue. This is impossible! We cannot do this! WE CANNOT! He suddenly broke away from her mouth and stared into her eyes trying hard to get a grip.
"I-I'm... sorry, I..." he mumbled and felt her hot breath on his lips still moist from their kisses. He pulled a little away to at least try to put some distance between the two of them "We're both very exhausted and ...and the situation's desperate, I admit..." he shook his head a little "I'm sorry..." he told her and finally let her go.
She still breathed heavily as she watched him disappear in the darkness. Almost as if he was ashamed. And somehow it boiled her blood! "Exhausted, you say, the situation is desperate." she repeated after him on a hard voice and saw in the dim light that he turned toward her, though she could not see his face as she went on "I did NOT kiss you because I'm fatigued or because I'm desperate. I did NOT kiss you for comfort either, Jean-Luc!" she spread her arms and finally, told him plainly "I kissed you because I love you."
He couldn't speak. He couldn't move. He couldn't even breath. He felt completely immobilized by her simple confession, and she didn't seem to be through.
"We've been doing this cat and mouse game for over ten years! And I'm tired of it! I want to say it out loud. I want to have the right to feel that way! Jean-Luc. Life is so short!" she told him on a begging voice "How long do you want to pretend? We're here... and whatever you say..." she raised her shoulders with a bitter expression on her face "You can never be sure that we ever get out alive. What can we lose, just tell me Jean-Luc!"
He tried to get a hold on the last fragments of his rationality "Beverly! Think of reality! Please! You... you have a boyfriend waiting for you on the Enterprise. And we're superior and subordinate. And-and we're friends! It'd confuse everything..."
She stepped up to him and stared into his eyes "These are just excuses!" she cut him off searching his gaze. He glanced away, and closing the distance, she cupped his cheek in her palm firmly to turn his face to her again "What are you so afraid of, Jean-Luc?" she asked with such a determination in her eyes - but on such a soft voice that he felt his insides melted.
"I'm not..." he told her but could only manage to get out a whisper with her body pressed so close to his again.
"Just tell me the truth! Just once in this life-time!" she implored "Please!" she whispered as they locked gazes again.
A heartbeat passed. And another. And he just couldn't deny her anything! "You." he uttered finally on a low voice.
"Wha..."
"Last time... last time, when we talked about our feelings... you were the one who told me... we should rather be afraid of our feelings."
"That was years ago!"
"So what changed?!" he asked and this time let her see the desperation behind his words "We're in the exact same situation we were then. What made you revise your opinion? What reassured you? How can I make sure that you don't reconsider again, and simply turn your back and walk out my door? How, Beverly?"
"You cannot..." she uttered on a breaking voice, and her tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks as she bowed her head. She stifled and looked back up at him - his features were hard as stone, and she knew he did his very best to conceal his emotions. "Jean-Luc... Life is about taking risks..." she told him on a low voice "I cannot give you any guaranties as you cannot give me any in return either! But that must NOT mean that we have to live out our lives unhappy and full of regrets! I'm tired of pretending... and tired of being unhappy and full of regrets... Are you not?"
"Beverly..."
But there was no time for him to give her an answer. The lock on the metal door clanked and several guards filed in through the entrance.
One of them clapped with a disgusting grin on his face that was visible even in the dark. Picard stepped in front of Beverly protectively as the guard snorted "Nice little show, traitors, though I was hoping for something more juicy. But you traitors, never fail to disappoint. Hmph... Never mind. We'll compensate for that ourselves. Take them out." he ordered, and as the guards walked up to the two prisoners leisurely, Picard silently made an oath: he rather would die in this very cell, but as long as he had a single breath in his body, he'd not let them touch Beverly! With that, he punched the nearest guard as hard as he could!
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Blind Chess