The Nightmare.
*thinking about what he has to tell _melusine_ in the morning* *mentally*It hardly seems fair, especially on top of everything else she has had to deal with lately.
*to himself, quietly* I had better try to get some sleep, I didn't realize it's become so late. *heads for bed*
*finds himself in a hazy, seemingly empty gray void, wearing an old-fashioned dress uniform*
Picard: *to himself, wonderingly* Where am I?
Beverly: *in an ornate, low-cut dress, smiling* We're so glad you agreed to do this, Jean-Luc. It means so much to the both of us. Will I get a dance tonight out of this too?
Picard: *surprised, turns around to face her at the sound of her voice* Beverly? You look lovely. What exactly did I agree to again?
Beverly: Jean-Luc, don't be ridiculous. You aren't getting cold feet on us, are you? That's supposed to be the bride's job.
Picard: Bride...your wedding. To Jack.
Beverly: That's right. When Jack told me you agreed to be his best man, we thought that meant you understood about how it is between us all now. We know about your feelings for the both of us, Jean-Luc, and we return them. We both love you. But you spend so much time trying to bury things away, we couldn't wait any longer. So we decided we'd have each other, at least.
Picard: My--my feelings? But I thought I'd been so careful to keep them to myself...
Beverly: Yes, your feelings. And ours. Let's dance, shall we?
Picard:We'd better not.
Beverly: Nonsense. Jack won't mind.
Jack: *standing a short distance away, in the shadows suddenly surrounding them* Not at all. As long as I get the next dance.
Beverly: *pulling Picard into an embrace, pressing close against him* You see? We don't mind sharing you. *rests her face against his cheek for a moment, starts to move to the far-off strains of music* Are you frightened, Jean-Luc?
Picard: N-no, not at all. *places his hand on the small of her back, feeling warm, bare skin, realizing that her dress is backless to her waist*
Beverly: Good. Though you should be. *runs her fingers through his slightly thinning hair, smiles eerily, scratching his temple with long red nails*
Picard: *winces a little in pain, jerking back slightly, as beads of blood well up from the cut*
Beverly: *purring suggestively, yet with a hard, menacing edge* Life's just full of pain, isn't it, my dear captain. I know it too well. Pain you caused me. First you took Jack from me, and then you left me all alone. Tell me, just how long am I supposed to wait around, Jean-Luc?
Picard: I--I never meant to hurt you. Beverly, please believe me...
Jack: *from behind Picard* It's all right, my sweet. I've forgiven Johnny. It was only a terrible, terrible accident. Mind if I cut in?
Picard: *hastily backing away* Of course not.
Jack: *coming around to the front, pulling Picard against him* You knew I meant you--right, my friend? I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to dance with my wife--won't I, Johnny?
Picard:*uneasy, looks up at Jack slowly, then quietly gasps*
Jack: *half his face is in ruins, the throat torn apart, one eye completely damaged, clear fluid dripping down from it on to his ravaged cheek, blood glistening on the open wounds* Don't like what you see? You ought to recognize it. You've seen it before. *harsh laugh*
Picard: Jack...
Jack: What's wrong, don't you fancy me any more? *grins
grotesquely*
Picard: *shocked, frozen in place, emotional, intense voice* I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
Jack: Not the pretty face you want to remember, of course. But a man's more than a pretty face. How's about a kiss? Show me you still care.
Picard: *horrified* What?
Jack: *still standing pressed against Picard in a forced embrace, leans in and kisses Picard hard*
Picard: *tries to push away, to no effect*
Jack: What's the matter? Didn't enjoy that as much as I did?
Picard: *shaken, tries to reach up to touch his face, covered in blood and various other body fluids*
Beverly: *voice breaks in, she stands there next to them, holding a large bouquet* Time to throw the bouquet...
Jack: All right. *steps back from Picard, grinning*
Beverly: Is everyone ready?
Picard: Everyone? *turns around, a hand pressed to his cheek, just in time to see...*
Guinan:*catches the bouquet* How nice. You get to be lucky number twenty-eight, Jean-Luc.
Picard: *on a surprised, shaky exhale* Guinan. What--are you...*breaks off, looking around for Beverly and Jack, who have disappeared* Where... *starts scrubbing furiously at his face, trying to clean it off*
Guinan: *with an odd, wide, menacing grin* Here, Captain, why don't you take these. *hands him the flowers* Perhaps they will help you take your mind off your face. *her eyes flicked to his futile actions, his hands smeared with gore*
Picard: *takes the flowers automatically, then stares down at them* What? *the flowers are moving, then suddenly slugs pour out of the bouquet, crawling over Picard's hands and down the sides* Ah! *drops the flowers and brushes off the slugs quickly*
Guinan: What's the matter? Don't you like them?
Q: *appears next to them, both he and Guinan are standing very close on either side of Picard* I gave him flowers once. He didn't seem to appreciate the gesture properly.
Picard: *stops what he's doing and looks up at Q's appearance, still jumpy from everything that's happened*
Q: Oh, tsk, tsk. Such a mess, mon capitaine. *reaches out with one hand and caresses Picard's face, making it clean, the grasp's both of Picard's hands, rubbing them lightly, cleansing them also* A little cleaning service I'm only too happy to provide. *smirks*
Picard: *shudders as the words create an echo in his mind of a different situation where Q said the same thing*
Guinan: *harshly, pressing in even closer* Apparently you've used other 'services' of Q's in the past. Did you find them enjoyable too?
Picard: *turns toward her, angry* What is that supposed to mean?
Q: *to Guinan* Jealous?
Guinan: I think he'll begin to realize soon enough the folly of sleeping with the enemy. Especially considering the consequences.
Q: You're trying to mislead him.
Guinan: No, that's your job. I'm trying to help him.
Q: Enough of her nonsense. *an old-fashioned pocket watch appears in his upraised hand, ticking loudly* Your running out of time, Jean-Luc.
Guinan: Get rid of her before she destroys you.
Q: Do you care about her at all, Jean-Luc? Where's that vaunted human compassion of yours?
Guinan: She's tainted, corrupted, and she'll end up killing us all.
Q: There's still time to save her. But you have to act fast.
Guinan: You're letting this 'creature' and your emotions guide you. Only trouble will come of this.
Q: Trouble is that witch's department. She's your child, Jean-Luc. Your failure will only hurt her. The clock is still ticking.
Guinan: Remember what happened to Kirk and Gary Mitchell, Picard. Don't make the same mistake.
Q: You still haven't figured it out, have you, Jean-Luc. You disappoint me.
Guinan: It's so obvious. Yet if you're not careful, you'll destroy us all.
Picard: No. Please, that's not what I want.
Q: I don't think you're taking this seriously enough. Do you want to fail?
Picard: No! I am trying. I am. Please, can't either of you help me?
Guinan: Can't do it on your own?
Q: Obtuse little human.
Guinan: *holding Picard's chin, keeping their faces almost touching one another* Get rid of them both. Now.
Q: *speaking directly into Picard's ear* Time is running out. The danger is very real, mon capitaine.
Picard: But which is the right choice? The stakes are so high.
Guinan: They always are. But you've dealt with things like this before. Make the right decision now, or it will be too late.
Q: Time's up, Johnny. *lets the watch fall in slow motion, then deliberately steps on it, smashing it*
Guinan: *at the same time* Our blood will be on your hands.
Picard: *feels his hands become sticky and wet again, looks down to see blood sweating up out of the palms of his hands* No! *jerks awake to the sound of his alarm*
*remembers his words to Robert in the vineyard after the borg assimilated him* Not good enough. *unaware, tears start to course down his face* *quietly, shivering* I need a shower.
*to himself, quietly* I had better try to get some sleep, I didn't realize it's become so late. *heads for bed*
*finds himself in a hazy, seemingly empty gray void, wearing an old-fashioned dress uniform*
Picard: *to himself, wonderingly* Where am I?
Beverly: *in an ornate, low-cut dress, smiling* We're so glad you agreed to do this, Jean-Luc. It means so much to the both of us. Will I get a dance tonight out of this too?
Picard: *surprised, turns around to face her at the sound of her voice* Beverly? You look lovely. What exactly did I agree to again?
Beverly: Jean-Luc, don't be ridiculous. You aren't getting cold feet on us, are you? That's supposed to be the bride's job.
Picard: Bride...your wedding. To Jack.
Beverly: That's right. When Jack told me you agreed to be his best man, we thought that meant you understood about how it is between us all now. We know about your feelings for the both of us, Jean-Luc, and we return them. We both love you. But you spend so much time trying to bury things away, we couldn't wait any longer. So we decided we'd have each other, at least.
Picard: My--my feelings? But I thought I'd been so careful to keep them to myself...
Beverly: Yes, your feelings. And ours. Let's dance, shall we?
Picard:We'd better not.
Beverly: Nonsense. Jack won't mind.
Jack: *standing a short distance away, in the shadows suddenly surrounding them* Not at all. As long as I get the next dance.
Beverly: *pulling Picard into an embrace, pressing close against him* You see? We don't mind sharing you. *rests her face against his cheek for a moment, starts to move to the far-off strains of music* Are you frightened, Jean-Luc?
Picard: N-no, not at all. *places his hand on the small of her back, feeling warm, bare skin, realizing that her dress is backless to her waist*
Beverly: Good. Though you should be. *runs her fingers through his slightly thinning hair, smiles eerily, scratching his temple with long red nails*
Picard: *winces a little in pain, jerking back slightly, as beads of blood well up from the cut*
Beverly: *purring suggestively, yet with a hard, menacing edge* Life's just full of pain, isn't it, my dear captain. I know it too well. Pain you caused me. First you took Jack from me, and then you left me all alone. Tell me, just how long am I supposed to wait around, Jean-Luc?
Picard: I--I never meant to hurt you. Beverly, please believe me...
Jack: *from behind Picard* It's all right, my sweet. I've forgiven Johnny. It was only a terrible, terrible accident. Mind if I cut in?
Picard: *hastily backing away* Of course not.
Jack: *coming around to the front, pulling Picard against him* You knew I meant you--right, my friend? I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to dance with my wife--won't I, Johnny?
Picard:*uneasy, looks up at Jack slowly, then quietly gasps*
Jack: *half his face is in ruins, the throat torn apart, one eye completely damaged, clear fluid dripping down from it on to his ravaged cheek, blood glistening on the open wounds* Don't like what you see? You ought to recognize it. You've seen it before. *harsh laugh*
Picard: Jack...
Jack: What's wrong, don't you fancy me any more? *grins
grotesquely*
Picard: *shocked, frozen in place, emotional, intense voice* I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
Jack: Not the pretty face you want to remember, of course. But a man's more than a pretty face. How's about a kiss? Show me you still care.
Picard: *horrified* What?
Jack: *still standing pressed against Picard in a forced embrace, leans in and kisses Picard hard*
Picard: *tries to push away, to no effect*
Jack: What's the matter? Didn't enjoy that as much as I did?
Picard: *shaken, tries to reach up to touch his face, covered in blood and various other body fluids*
Beverly: *voice breaks in, she stands there next to them, holding a large bouquet* Time to throw the bouquet...
Jack: All right. *steps back from Picard, grinning*
Beverly: Is everyone ready?
Picard: Everyone? *turns around, a hand pressed to his cheek, just in time to see...*
Guinan:*catches the bouquet* How nice. You get to be lucky number twenty-eight, Jean-Luc.
Picard: *on a surprised, shaky exhale* Guinan. What--are you...*breaks off, looking around for Beverly and Jack, who have disappeared* Where... *starts scrubbing furiously at his face, trying to clean it off*
Guinan: *with an odd, wide, menacing grin* Here, Captain, why don't you take these. *hands him the flowers* Perhaps they will help you take your mind off your face. *her eyes flicked to his futile actions, his hands smeared with gore*
Picard: *takes the flowers automatically, then stares down at them* What? *the flowers are moving, then suddenly slugs pour out of the bouquet, crawling over Picard's hands and down the sides* Ah! *drops the flowers and brushes off the slugs quickly*
Guinan: What's the matter? Don't you like them?
Q: *appears next to them, both he and Guinan are standing very close on either side of Picard* I gave him flowers once. He didn't seem to appreciate the gesture properly.
Picard: *stops what he's doing and looks up at Q's appearance, still jumpy from everything that's happened*
Q: Oh, tsk, tsk. Such a mess, mon capitaine. *reaches out with one hand and caresses Picard's face, making it clean, the grasp's both of Picard's hands, rubbing them lightly, cleansing them also* A little cleaning service I'm only too happy to provide. *smirks*
Picard: *shudders as the words create an echo in his mind of a different situation where Q said the same thing*
Guinan: *harshly, pressing in even closer* Apparently you've used other 'services' of Q's in the past. Did you find them enjoyable too?
Picard: *turns toward her, angry* What is that supposed to mean?
Q: *to Guinan* Jealous?
Guinan: I think he'll begin to realize soon enough the folly of sleeping with the enemy. Especially considering the consequences.
Q: You're trying to mislead him.
Guinan: No, that's your job. I'm trying to help him.
Q: Enough of her nonsense. *an old-fashioned pocket watch appears in his upraised hand, ticking loudly* Your running out of time, Jean-Luc.
Guinan: Get rid of her before she destroys you.
Q: Do you care about her at all, Jean-Luc? Where's that vaunted human compassion of yours?
Guinan: She's tainted, corrupted, and she'll end up killing us all.
Q: There's still time to save her. But you have to act fast.
Guinan: You're letting this 'creature' and your emotions guide you. Only trouble will come of this.
Q: Trouble is that witch's department. She's your child, Jean-Luc. Your failure will only hurt her. The clock is still ticking.
Guinan: Remember what happened to Kirk and Gary Mitchell, Picard. Don't make the same mistake.
Q: You still haven't figured it out, have you, Jean-Luc. You disappoint me.
Guinan: It's so obvious. Yet if you're not careful, you'll destroy us all.
Picard: No. Please, that's not what I want.
Q: I don't think you're taking this seriously enough. Do you want to fail?
Picard: No! I am trying. I am. Please, can't either of you help me?
Guinan: Can't do it on your own?
Q: Obtuse little human.
Guinan: *holding Picard's chin, keeping their faces almost touching one another* Get rid of them both. Now.
Q: *speaking directly into Picard's ear* Time is running out. The danger is very real, mon capitaine.
Picard: But which is the right choice? The stakes are so high.
Guinan: They always are. But you've dealt with things like this before. Make the right decision now, or it will be too late.
Q: Time's up, Johnny. *lets the watch fall in slow motion, then deliberately steps on it, smashing it*
Guinan: *at the same time* Our blood will be on your hands.
Picard: *feels his hands become sticky and wet again, looks down to see blood sweating up out of the palms of his hands* No! *jerks awake to the sound of his alarm*
*remembers his words to Robert in the vineyard after the borg assimilated him* Not good enough. *unaware, tears start to course down his face* *quietly, shivering* I need a shower.