#melted Beverly Crusher

[landfilloftrash]

Sometimes you just gotta accept that ur husband’s current form just melted your friends. You just gotta roll with it man.

[warpfive]

HOW THEY APOLOGIZE

arguments and ways the tng crew apologize for it

CW: gn!reader

CREW: jean-luc picard, will riker, beverly crusher, data, geordi la forge, deanna troi, worf

JEAN-LUC - stubborn as a bull and somehow always right, having an argument with jean-luc is like navigating the ocean in a canoe. he knows he’s not the best at expressing his feelings, more likely to shrug off personal matters and hope they resolve themselves than be seen as too vulnerable. and that’s really what pushes you away the most, and how he knows to apologize. for jean-luc, an apology is only good if you really mean it, and so he takes a day or so to think over the argument, its causes, and how he felt afterwards. and only when he’s considered all angles does he approach you. he’s so honest and genuine and remorseful in his words, it’s almost hard to stay mad at him. but jean-luc manages to say all the right things, along with the most important ones - that he loves you, cares about you, and never again wants to push you away. and he’s a man of his word, jean-luc does make an effort to be more open in order to prevent more fighting. of course, he can still be set in his ways, and you may need to remind him of his promise now and again. but rest assured that your feelings will never be ignored and always valued.

WILL - this man tends to say what’s on his mind, as well as let his temper boil to the surface more than he’d like, so this usually culminates in will saying something hurtful that he really doesn’t mean. it’s never anything that goes too far - he just isn’t the kind of person to hit low. but it’s the way he says things that usually hurt more than the words themselves, and he knows this. he’s usually able to stuff it down when it involves his work, but someone he’s intimate with? someone he’s vulnerable around and knows him better than most? well, let’s say that will instantly knows when he’s messed up and he goes the extra ten miles to make it up to you. a benefit to you knowing him so well is that he knows you, too. your favorite food, holodeck program, music, weather, even the shirt you love seeing him in. he does these grand gestures not to butter you up (though, that is a factor), but so he can prove how much he cares about you. he’ll apologize profusely, telling you he crossed a line and it wouldn’t happen again. and if his promise isn’t enough, then…well, he does look really good in that shirt and the food is exactly how you like it. you might as well keep will around for a while.

BEVERLY - she wouldn’t want to keep an argument unresolved for too long. it’s the doctor in her - beverly can’t just let something go without healing the thing that damaged it at the core. she’s usually good about being objective and keeping a lid on her emotions, but they do spill over sometimes. when they do, beverly has definitely got a mouth and an attitude on her and you’ll have trouble keeping up when she’s so easily able to fling hurtful words. and she always feels guilty once she’s cooled off - beverly might be worried about approaching you afterward. she’ll ask your friends how you’re doing, if you’re still angry, if she even has a chance at making things right. and when she finally approaches you, she tries to keep it light. smiling softly, telling small jokes, showing you a lot of affection before just coming out and apologizing. beverly does nothing with half-measures - she knows what she said and did was wrong. she’s lost a lot in her life, and she couldn’t bear to lose you, too. so her apology is genuine, kinda sad, and when you hug her afterwards, beverly simply melts into your arms - now knowing how close she was to losing you.

DATA - of course, he hadn’t meant to hurt your feelings. data still very often struggles with the complexity of emotions and is constantly surprised at how easy it is to say, or even imply, the wrong thing. of course, he isn’t very equipped to handle you after a long, hard, emotional day - all it takes is a few poorly-chosen words and you’re crying, huffing at him, leaving his quarters with barely a word and leaving data to ponder over what he said. he goes to geordi the next day, only to learn that yes, he did say the exact opposite thing he should’ve said. there’s no taking it back, data knows that - so he tries his best to rectify the situation. he’s learned all the things that make you happy, whether its a hot bath, a delicious treat, or a type of music. data really pulls out all the stops because he knows, generally, that a bunch of favorable things often cancels out negative emotions. though, your reaction to everything doesn’t clear anything up for data - you’re laughing, smiling at him instead of everything he prepared for you. data tries to apologize and tell you he had no intention of hurting you. but after learning that it was simply a very bad day, he has a new tactic whenever you’re feeling bad again - instead of talking, just replicate something sweet and let you take the lead. 

GEORDI - for as much as data seems to rely on geordi for emotional advice, he does tend to be a little oblivious when he hurts your feelings. it’s never a conscious dismissal, though. when it comes to personal issues, i think geordi tends to get caught up in things that aren’t very important and fails to look at the big picture. this side of him works wonders for an engineer thinking outside the box, but not so much in a relationship. of course, once the problem finally hits him like a brick, he would feel super bad about not noticing sooner. and you’ll learn that geordi is really good at making up for his mistakes - he owns up to them, never ignoring them, always trying to fix what he broke. sometimes, he isn’t too great with his words - he might stumble and his apology would come out wrong. but geordi is deeply empathetic and he’d do just about anything to make it up to you. from then on, his hugs are just a little tighter, his words a little sweeter, his kisses a little longer. geordi learns from his mistakes, and while he can still be a little oblivious from time to time, all it takes is a soft mumble of his name and he’ll come around.

DEANNA - it’s not often when deanna is in a position of needing to apologize. obviously, her empathic abilities, wisdom, and patience keep her from crossing any sort of line or doing something that hurts you. but when it happens, i can’t imagine deanna would give any half-ass apology or shrug off the incident. at first, she might back off and give you space - let things cool down because she knows how volatile an argument can get and she doesn’t want either of you saying anything you’d regret. deanna is a very understanding and empathetic woman, it isn’t hard for her to put herself in your shoes and feel bad for how she handled the situation. after the cooldown period, she talks with you - really talks and discusses your feelings and it kinda makes her feel even worse about the argument but she does learn a lot. and i think after that, she’ll be very inclined to offer physical comfort. a nice, long hug, kissing your cheeks in this loving and playful way. reestablishing that connection and helping soothe any lasting wounds. also, it just makes her feel a lot better being able to just hold you and give lots of love.

WORF - i don’t have to tell you that getting into an argument with a Klingon is an uphill battle straight from the start. granted, worf isn’t usually as aggressive, but he’s still got that hot temper his species are known for and once an argument starts, it won’t stop until he’s shouting and you’re leaving the room. Klingon fights are usually resolved by throwing things or fighting, but that’s not exactly how humans typically deal with their negative emotions. it’s definitely a challenge for worf to push his temper aside long enough to be told how much he messed up - he needs his flaws to be put into perspective by someone he trusts and that’s usually when he feels bad and starts thinking of ways to apologize. to worf’s credit, he’s better with his words than he thinks. what he believes to be a silly and foolish-sounding apology really comes across as genuine and regretful - which it is, of course. worf’s got a bigger heart than he lets on and the thought of having hurt you during a stupid argument doesn’t sit well with him. he actively tries to atone through simple acts, like bringing you tea or making you laugh.

[deepspacedukat]

The Defector (And His Doctor) - Part Two

MOAR SOUP FOR THE POINTY SOUL. I was a lil too verbose in this chapter (it's WAY longer than the first one), so there will be an epilogue, and FEAR YE NOT A LONG WAIT, FOR I HAVE ALREADY WRITTEN IT AND IT SHALL BE POSTED MERE MOMENTS (probably less than an hour) AFTER THIS. *ahem* Enjoy! 😇

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

Part 1 here.

~*~

Beverly Crusher (ST:TNG) x Alidar Jarok (ST:TNG)

[A/N: This chapter has smut/is smut adjacent, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Spoilers for ST:TNG S3E10 "The Defector", interspecies sex, Human/Romulan sex, implied Human/Romulan sex, non-explicit interspecies sex, innuendo, flirting, romance, angst, guilt, mentions of poison, if you've seen the episode then you know the ending gets a little dark, suicidal ideation, but there's a happy ending, Jarok needs therapy, and Bev is gonna make sure he gets it, confused/well-intentioned/trying-his-best Data, smug Tomalak.

~*~

**Day Two**

A day in the Reman mines would be less infuriating than this. Admiral Jarok, under the alias of Sub-lieutenant Setal, had battled back and forth with Commander Riker and Counselor Troi all morning with neither side making any headway.

"You're forcing yourself to hold back," the Betazoid counselor had stated with near-maddening calmness, and she hadn't been wrong.

"I have told you everything relevant about Nelvana Three," he'd fired back, but neither of the Starfleet officers had been convinced. The two had teamed up and pressed him on and on, until finally he'd snapped at them, shouting about how irrelevant their inquiries were to their current situation. "What a fool I've been to come looking for courage in a den of cowards..."

The interrogation had ended shortly after his biting remark. Jarok shouldn't have been surprised, but he really had thought that Starfleet would show a modicum of bravery in the face of impending war. Thus far, the only true fortitude he'd seen had come from the beautiful Doctor Crusher.

Ah, the doctor. Her smiles coupled with that fiery red mane made him wish that he'd had a reason to remain in the medical bay for much longer.

Just thinking of her as he strode back inside his quarters made the scowl melt off his features. Since he had effectively exiled himself from Romulus, he would have to make a new life. Maybe, if she was willing...?

No. No, he needed to temper his thoughts, at least until the dust had settled from this situation. But...he supposed it wouldn't hurt if he made his interest known. Nobody ever complained about a few extra compliments, so he could allow himself to flirt harmlessly with her.

He didn't even know if she had a mate. He really ought to check, first. If she had a partner, he would keep his flirtations to a minimum. After all, Jarok was here to stop a war, not disturb a family's peace. His own sham of an arranged marriage was not an excuse for him to cause unnecessary problems for others.

Pulling up the limited biographical profile that the computer allowed him access to, the Admiral sipped his replicated water and skimmed the information before him. Her age, rank, qualifications, and commendations were included, as well as a note that she had a son who was an acting officer onboard the Enterprise. When he reached her marital status, guilt wound its way through Alidar's heart.

She had been married, but her husband had died when her son was very young. She'd been forced to raise her child alone while also maintaining her career? He could tell from the moment he met her that she was a strong woman, but that particular revelation was one he hadn't expected.

Had he crossed a line when he flirted with her before? Jarok was aware that some people never pursued relationships after losing a spouse, either out of guilt or a preference not to risk their hearts again. Perhaps he should take a slightly more cautious approach to this...

Walking to the control panel that Riker had showed him how to use the day before, he opened a communication channel with the ship's first officer.

"What can I do for you, Setal?" He sounded purely professional. After the questioning session earlier, he was surprised that the Human sounded that unaffected. Reluctantly, Jarok admitted to himself that he was impressed.

"Commander, that medical officer who examined me yesterday - Doctor Crusher, I believe her name was - I need to see her, if you don't mind," he said trying to sound as casual as possible. "I feel as though I might be coming down with something."

"I'll ask her to come by your quarters at her earliest convenience." When the channel closed, the Admiral smiled to himself. Now, he would find out whether there was a chance of experiencing some small amount of joy in his exile.

--

After her discussion with the Captain the previous night, the request from Commander Riker to visit Setal's quarters made Beverly wish that she'd stayed in bed. The Romulan had seemed so charming when he was in sickbay, but as Jean-Luc had correctly pointed out, it was entirely possible that he could've given himself those burns and lied about everything.

Grabbing a medkit from their storage shelf, the Doctor straightened her blue lab coat and made her way down the corridors.

What could she say to him after yesterday's conversation that wouldn't make her feel conflicted? She knew it was her duty as a Starfleet officer to question his motives, but...after all, he had asked for their help. Would he really give up his home for a mere ruse?

Unfortunately, she didn't know enough about Setal or his people to answer that question with any sort of confidence.

Within moments she found herself outside his door, staring at the panel beside it as if it might bite her.

"Don't be ridiculous. He's just another patient," she murmured under her breath. Before she could second-guess the action, she activated the door chime and stood a little straighter.

When the door slid open at his behest, she stepped inside and found her one and only Romulan patient staring out at the stars with a glass of water in his hand. He turned to face her, and when their eyes met, a swarm of butterflies seemed to alight in her abdomen.

No. She couldn't do this now. He asked for a medical officer, not a schoolgirl with a crush.

"Commander Riker said you needed a house call," Beverly stated as she looked Sub-lieutenant Setal up and down. Whatever was wrong with him wasn't immediately evident, but maybe his injuries from earlier ached more than she'd anticipated. The Federation still knew so little about Romulan physiology that sight-only diagnosis was nearly impossible. "What are your symptoms, Sub-lieutenant?"

A smile filled with mischief stretched his lips.

"Loneliness, Doctor. One of the most painful afflictions known to sentient species across the universe," the Romulan answered as he took a few slow steps toward her. "I had hoped that the most charming Terran I've ever had the fortune to meet would give me the honor of a few moments' conversation."

Beverly's cheeks burned. She'd found Setal attractive from the moment he walked into her Sickbay, but she really couldn't afford such a distraction, especially with the threat of war looming over them.

"My, what kind words for someone whom you barely know. Do you speak to all Human women like that?"

"Truthfully, I have never spoken to a Human woman before you, and if I do in the future, it certainly won't be like this," he said gesturing to the couch.

Beverly hesitated. She really shouldn't allow a patient to speak to her in such a familiar manner, but...there was something about him she just couldn't resist. Eventually, she let out a quiet sigh and took a seat on the sofa, setting her kit and medical tricorder aside. The Sub-lieutenant sat a comfortable margin away, and despite her knowing better, she found herself wondering what it would feel like to run her fingers through his hair. The smattering of gray in his sideburns made him look quite distinguished. Whatever his age was, Setal wore it well.

"Your curiosity is practically tangible, Doctor. May I ask what's on your mind?" Her eyes flicked up to his, and the sparkle she found there drew an involuntary smile to her lips. She certainly couldn't tell him what she was really thinking about, so she settled for the next best thing.

"May I ask why you wanted to talk to me in particular if you wanted appealing company? There are undoubtedly much prettier Ensigns and Lieutenants aboard–"

"That is quite a subjective statement, and frankly, I find it inaccurate," he murmured, and she looked at him curiously. Beverly knew she was a decently attractive woman, but...really, why had he chosen her? "Speaking candidly, Doctor, I found it...refreshing that you were not intimidated by me while you were treating my injuries. You dared to request that I, a Romulan officer with three times the strength of a Human, remain still after making a joke about how I got those burns in the first place. And you did so without flinching."

She raised an eyebrow and tried very hard to ignore the little stab of fear in her gut.

"Are you telling me you got them some other way?" She hoped her probing question had sounded like she was teasing him rather than trying to discover whether Jean-Luc was right. A slow, appreciative smile stretched his lips, and he took a slow sip of his water before setting the glass aside.

"I didn't take a plasma torch to myself, if that's what you are implying, Doctor, though, I do thank you for assuming that I would have the strength of will to intentionally mutilate myself in pursuit of the Empire's interests," Setal said as he turned to face her more fully, draping his arm along the back of the sofa. His knee just barely brushed hers. "I would die for my people, yes, but I must admit that I am rather allergic to pain."

A huff of laughter bubbled up through her relief and slipped past her lips before she could stop it.

"It was an accident," he clarified. "I was attempting to complete multiple tasks at once - fly the ship, dodge phaser fire from the warbird, and repair systems before they could go down... There came a point where I neglected repairs long enough for the conduit next to my station to explode. Regrettable, but I considered that a small price to pay to save my life...and the lives of countless others, assuming that your people believe me in time to avert a war, of course."

She searched his face as he spoke, but he was either a very good actor, or he was telling the truth. Her intuition told her it was the latter.

"For what it's worth, I believe you." Beverly knew she shouldn't be admitting that, but she was inclined to tell him the truth. After all, whether she bought his story or not, it was ultimately up to the Captain to decide whether to pursue his leaked information.

Setal looked at her with a lopsided grin.

"Now, that is a pleasant surprise," the Sub-lieutenant began, "but I wonder, will your honesty still be present when we dine together?"

Beverly's heart beat an alarming rhythm in her chest at the presumptuous question, and she raised her eyebrows inquisitively.

"I don't recall receiving any such invitation, Sub-lieutenant," she murmured, and she was proud of how steady her voice sounded despite the excitement pooling within her. She really shouldn't be excited about dining with a Romulan, defector or not, she supposed, but then...he was extremely charming.

"Ah, my apologies for getting ahead of myself–" he didn't look sorry in the least "–but would you allow me to share a meal with you?"

"I'm on duty," Beverly pointed out, but Setal was not deterred.

"Surely, you are permitted to break for sustenance at some point? Or are all Starfleet Doctors required to starve themselves? How do your Vulcan friends put it, 'the needs of the many,' I believe...?" She contemplated refusing - surely there was a conflict on interest somewhere in accepting? The Sub-lieutenant's expression was hopeful and a bit playful, and mentally, Beverly acknowledged that she really shouldn't want to know him as much as she did. "If it makes you feel better, you may of course choose where we eat. I'm quite comfortable to bend to your whims. We can remain here if you are ashamed to be seen with a Romulan, if you are wary of being alone with one of my kind we can eat in your ship's mess hall, or if there is another place you'd prefer...?"

"The brig it is, then," she teased, but realizing how that might've come across, she winced. Damn her sharp tongue–

A low, rich laugh shook her out of her thoughts.

"If that is what you desire, I swear to be the most willing prisoner that you have ever had, Doctor." His good humor was infectious, and Beverly found herself smiling even as her combadge chirped.

"Crusher here."

"Sorry to disturb your appointment, Doctor, but I wanted to let you know that the patient requiring shoulder surgery is being prepped and should be ready for you in a few minutes." Nurse Ogawa was professional as always, and Beverly acknowledged the message before turning back to Setal. To her surprise, he was watching her with undisguised interest.

"Forgive me for keeping you here for so long, Doctor," he murmured in a softer voice than she'd heard from him before. "I am truly grateful for the company."

She knew it was wrong, but she smiled as she picked up her medkit.

"It's alright. You can make it up to me at lunch. Twelve-hundred hours," she said as she got to her feet. A look of delighted surprise crossed his features, and as she turned to leave his quarters, she smirked. "Come to Ten-Forward, though. Not the brig."

"I will, Doctor," he called, and without looking back, she made her way back to Sickbay.

--

Jarok couldn't wipe the smile off his lips after the Doctor's visit that morning. He was in a better mood when he strode off to Ten-Forward than he had been since he made the decision to leave Romulus.

Upon entering the recreational area, the Admiral was struck first and foremost by the view. Across the entirety of the far wall were viewports. Stars whizzed by as the Enterprise traveled through space, and he had to admit that he understood why this spot was apparently so popular.

"Hi. Sub-lieutenant Setal, right?" A cheerful voice sounded at his side, and Jarok turned to find a young man looking at him with typical Human curiosity. There was something familiar about him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what.

"I am. And you are?"

"Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher," the boy answered, and Jarok's eyes went wide.

"You're the Doctor's son."

"Yes, sir." No wonder the young man wasn't looking at him with suspicion like the rest of the crew - he had his mother's courage.

"And what is your specialty? Are you going to command a starship one day, or perhaps become a medical officer like your mother?"

"Oh, neither. Wes is bound to be an engineer," another voice called out, and striding over was an officer wearing a metallic visor. He clapped Wesley genially on the shoulder and offered the Admiral his hand in greeting. "Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge. Pleasure to meet you Sub-lieutenant."

Jarok shook the hand that La Forge offered him.

"Well, this future engineer obviously has a dash of bravery in him if he's not afraid to approach a terrifying Romulan," Jarok snarked, and the boy just laughed.

"Would you like to join us for lunch, sir?" Wesley asked, but before he could answer, a hand grasped Jarok's arm.

"Sorry, Wes. This gentleman already has an appointment." The Admiral's heart thudded in his side at the sound of his Doctor's lovely voice.

"Thank you for the offer, but perhaps another time," Jarok said before turning his attention to the woman at his side. "I'm all yours, Doctor."

The smile she gave him filled him with enough joy that he could have powered a thousand warp cores with energy to spare. A willing victim to the currents of her whims, Alidar followed her to a table for two near one of the viewports, ignoring the looks they were receiving. If the crew wished to witness their Doctor - the most beautiful of their number - choosing to spend time with him of all people, then they could do so. He just puffed up his chest slightly and basked in the warmth of her gaze as they took their seats.

Someone called Guinan came over and took their orders, tossing Beverly a wink. Jarok hoped that was a good sign.

The rest of Ten-Forward seemed to fall away as the pair talked. Even their food lay untouched for large chunks of their conversation. At one point, they both were so caught up in each others' company that they didn't even notice the removal of their empty trays.

This was so easy, so natural, that the Admiral knew she had worked her way permanently into his heart. Perhaps it was too soon to call this feeling 'love' but he knew it would end up that way eventually.

When the time came for Doctor Crusher to return to duty, Jarok managed to convince her that dinner together was just as good of an idea as lunch had been. She even went so far as to suggest that they eat in her quarters. She stood to take her leave, and the Admiral gave her a respectful bow and a flirtatious wink that drew a pretty pink blush to her cheeks.

Resuming his seat once she'd gone, Alidar looked up and found a golden-eyed man staring at him.

"I take it you have never seen a Romulan before?" He asked with a smirk.

"That would be an incorrect assumption," the oddly-pale officer replied.

"Then why do you invade my privacy?" A hint of irritation leaked into his tone, but Jarok didn't particularly care. The only Human's opinion he cared about was the Doctor's and she wasn't here. All he wanted to do was sink into the afterglow of the time he'd just spent with Beverly, but this person insisted on interfering.

"I was attempting to ascertain what my guts tell me about you," the officer said, and the wording was so strange that the man's identity struck the Admiral all at once.

"You're the android," he murmured. "I know some Romulan cyberneticists who would love to be this close to you."

After a second's consideration, the android tilted his head slightly and replied.

"I do not find that concept particularly appealing."

"Nor should you," Jarok muttered ominously. The android made some inane remark about this viewport being a favorite amongst various members of the crew, but all he could muster was a non-committal hum. He missed his own stars - he hadn't meant to actually say that out loud, but all of a sudden he found himself trailing after the android officer who'd said something about bringing Romulus to him.

After typing specifications into a computer panel against a wall, Data ordered the computer to run a program and gestured for him to enter a pair of doors first. Skeptical, Jarok forced his expression to remain neutral as he did so.

For all his mental preparation, nothing could have dulled the shock of the landscape laid before him.

"The Valley of Chula. I know it well!" He marveled, but something about being in such a familiar place, even if it was just a simulation, felt sour after what he'd done.

"You may stay here as long as you wish," Data offered, rather magnanimously for an android, but after allowing himself one last look at the world he'd left behind, Alidar shook his head.

"I no longer live here," he rasped. "Turn it off."

Once the harsh, cold lines of the hologrid were visible, Jarok forced himself to look hard at his surroundings.

"This. This is my home now. My future. I have sacrificed everything. It must not be in vain." Taking a deep, fortifying breath of recycled air, he turned to Lieutenant Commander Data. "Arrange a meeting between myself and Captain Picard. Tell him Admiral Jarok wants to see him."

--

"Ensign, will you wait outside?" Picard asked, and once the officer was gone, his eyes fell upon Alidar once more. He'd been delivered to the Captain's ready room with more haste than he'd anticipated. He assumed he was only delayed long enough for the Captain to confirm his identity. "Have a seat Admiral Jarok."

"Captain, there is no more time," he protested.

"Admiral, have a seat," Picard said a bit more forcefully, and because Jarok knew the man wouldn't get down to business until he'd complied, he finally sat in the chair across from him. The Captain seemed more stoic than he had before, more serious...harsher somehow. Jarok knew he would be. This was precisely the reaction he'd wanted to avoid. "You see, I'm just not convinced that you are telling the truth."

Oh, Elements! This again?

"What must I do?" The Admiral was beyond frustration, now. Could this Terran not see that their very worlds hung in the balance?

"You must convince me," Picard answered, and that unshakable calm was almost worse than harsh words and shouting. Was the man half-Vulcan? "If I had irrefutable evidence...but you did not bring irrefutable evidence. You brought no evidence at all. Now, here, you are not the man you claimed to be. Admiral, your credibility is stretched beyond belief. A Romulan defector is almost a contradiction in terms, but Admiral Jarok crossing the lines?"

"I explained my motivations to your interrogators," he rebutted, but the Captain brushed that aside.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. 'Peace in our galaxy.' Except, Admiral, you are not a man of peace. Your military record - what we know of it - is clear."

"Which is precisely why I chose an alternate identity here." Jarok would've thought that particular point would've been obvious, but...

"The massacres in the Norkan outposts, for example." Anger was finally edging into Picard's tone at that, but this was one argument for which Alidar was prepared. He explained briefly about semantics - massacres versus campaigns, butchers versus heroes - something the Federation should understand well given their own history with warfare.

Picard got to his feet, asked him some half-baked question about how he was to believe him when no evidence was available. He prodded him about classified information on Romulan tactical positions, fortifications, cloaking technology. The Captain rambled on about unbelievable circumstances and the difficulty of accepting his word on faith, and when the Admiral had the gall to tell him that he would not betray his people, that was when Picard chose to raise his voice.

"You've already betrayed your people, Admiral! You've made your choices, sir! You're a traitor! Now, if the bitter taste of that is unpalatable to you, I am truly sorry. But I will not risk the lives of my crew, because you think you can dance on the edge of the Neutral Zone." The Captain gradually lowered his voice to something calm again - something somber that felt like a vice closing around Jarok's throat. "You've crossed over, Admiral. You make yourself comfortable with that."

That little tirade cut deeper than Jarok had anticipated. The cold, harsh reality of the sacrifices he'd made were being forced before him yet again in startling clarity, yet...he knew that despite his own pain, he had begun the necessary tasks. Now all he must do was follow through on them.

Admiral Jarok took a brief moment, a steadying breath and played his last remaining card, his one vulnerability.

"Do you have any children, Captain Picard? A family?" The man in question looked exasperated and a bit uncomfortable as he answered negatively - so he'd struck a nerve, then. "Then you have sacrificed too much for your career."

"Yes, this is all very interesting–" The Romulan held up a hand to stop him, and to his relief, the Captain listened.

Impatient though he was, he did at least listen as Jarok explained about how his daughter, her future, and the futures of all children, were his motivation. He told Picard everything - how he attempted to persuade those in command that another war would destroy the Empire, his censure when they grew tired of his arguments, his reassignment to a distant sector, and how this was his final recourse.

By the time he finished, he was on the verge of pleading, because surely the Captain would see that acting on his information was necessary to save both their peoples. Just as he thought he'd succeeded, Picard's gaze hardened once more.

"I will not act. Not unless I have unequivocal cooperation."

Damn the man. One appraising look later, Jarok sat with a data PADD in his hand, inputting all the information he believed was relevant to their mission. When he was finished, Picard nodded his head and thanked him for the assistance. Taking that as the dismissal it was, Admiral Jarok strode from the Captain's ready room and found himself instantly flanked by two security officers.

"How kind of you to escort me back to my quarters, gentlemen," he teased as the three of them stepped into the turbolift. He was finally free to turn his attention to the much more pleasant task of preparing for his evening with the beautiful Doctor.

--

Beverly didn't believe it at first when the rumors began flying through the corridors and into Sickbay. Setal, a Romulan Admiral? She scoffed the first few times she heard it, but when Will Riker popped into Sickbay to retrieve a copy of the medical scans they'd taken of Setal and called him Jarok instead, a lump formed in her throat.

What a fool she'd been! As she handed over the records with a fake smile plastered on her face, she berated herself for falling for Seta– Jarok's charms. She really felt something for him, but obviously he'd been using her.

Practically falling into the chair in her office, she covered her face with her hands and took a steadying breath. She'd made it all too easy for him to get under her skin. A few sweet words, a few mischievous smiles, and she'd become putty in his hands. Maybe so many years without Jack had made her more gullible.

"Doctor? Are you alright?" Nurse Ogawa lingered in the doorway, catching the expression on Beverly's face before she had a chance to hide it.

"I'm fine, Alyssa."

"Respectfully, ma'am, you're not a very good liar," her friend said with a sympathetic smile. "If you want or need to talk, I'm here, okay?"

An announcement rang out over the Comm System for all Senior officers to report to the briefing room, and before she walked out, Beverly drew her friend into a tight hug. She'd take the support, but for now, she had duties to attend to.

The journey across decks was almost automatic for her, at that point, so she allowed herself to become lost in thought while the turbolift hummed along. Was it his real identity that she hated, or did she simply hate that he'd deceived her?

She didn't particularly care who he really was, and she wasn't exactly thrilled that he'd lied to her, but he'd done that to the whole crew, so...what was it that was really bothering her?

She walked into the briefing room and took her seat. As she settled in, a few of the assembled officers, Will, Deanna, and Geordi, looked at her with concern before the Captain strode in.

Oh. That's what it was. This felt like school. Beverly was always the last to find things out because she was always teased as a child. She was the last to find out about Alidar, despite the fact that he'd had lunch with her, complimented her, flirted with her... He'd treated her as though she was special - as though she actually meant something to him - but she was still the last to know the truth.

That was why she was so hurt.

But, what did it say about her that she didn't care whether he was a Sub-lieutenant trying to avert a war or an Admiral trying to trick them into starting one?

She sat up straighter in her chair, listened intently to Jean-Luc's briefing, and contemplated how she'd handle seeing him tonight. She had a few hours to think of what she could possibly say to him that wouldn't sound as though she was just some whiny, lovelorn teenager. 'I thought you cared about me' sounded far and away too desperate for a person she'd known for less than two full days.

When the briefing ended and the room began to empty out, Deanna moved to walk alongside the Doctor.

"Will and Geordi mentioned what happened. Are you–?"

"I'm fine." Her clipped tone betrayed exactly how not fine she was, but at that moment she didn't care.

"You know where my office is."

She did indeed, and when she was ready she'd talk to the Counselor about all of this. But, at that moment, all she wanted to do was prepare herself for what could be an extremely unpleasant evening.

--

The Captain had seen fit to lower the number of guards following the Admiral from two to one - much more tolerable than before, even if the one currently beside him was constantly scowling. He hadn't been stopped when he visited the Arboretum to obtain flowers for his lady, nor had he been deterred when the officer in question had chosen to stand uncomfortably close to him as he activated Beverly's door chime.

"Come in," she called, and as the door slid open, he was greeted with the sight of his Doctor out of uniform. A soft, green, knit sweater draped artfully off one shoulder to reveal a tantalizing bit of skin. She couldn't possibly know that Romulans used to mark their mates and be teasing him about that...could she?

He honestly wouldn't put it past her. She was clever and utterly devious, he was convinced of it.

A pair of dark lounge pants made her look elegant in her comfort - more formal than such an outfit had any right to be - and the Admiral suddenly felt decidedly underdressed despite the presence of his own uniform.

"Good evening, Admiral." Her voice was quiet and calm, but there was an underlying coolness that nearly stopped his heart. His smile drooped a fraction. He should've known that she'd find out before he had a chance to tell her. Looking over his shoulder, she addressed his guard. "Wait outside, please, Ensign."

The hiss of the door closing behind him sounded more foreboding that he'd expected. Neither spoke for a long moment. She looked at him expectantly, and he dared to take a few tentative steps forward to present the flowers he'd brought her.

"I visited the ship's Arboretum. I had not encountered these flowers before, but their exotic beauty reminded me instantly of you," he said offering the bouquet he'd put together for her. "I believe they are called roses."

She said nothing. She made no move to take them from his hand. The silence stretched long enough to make him wonder if he'd ruined everything.

"Were you even going to tell me?" Beverly's question was so quiet that had he not been Romulan, he would've been in danger of missing it.

"Of course I was. I simply... The moment never felt...correct for such an admission."

"What moment would have been better?" She asked, and for a split second, Alidar wondered whether all Starfleet officers, save Riker, had taken the same course of expressing anger with Vulcan-like calm. "Would it have been more appropriate in your eyes to wait until we were in bed together?"

He sighed. What else could he do?

"What you have to understand is–"

"Jarok? Admiral? What am I to call you now?" She asked, and she began to muse aloud. "'Jarok' conveys the wrong tone altogether, 'Admiral' seems too formal, and I assume 'Alidar' is off the table as it's too casual for a man with your reputation."

He took a deep breath and laid the flowers aside on the side table by her sofa.

"I cannot change what I have done in the past, nor shall I apologize for doing my duty as an Admiral in the Romulan military. This is precisely why I dreaded telling you," he muttered looking away. "Since my past obviously offends you–"

"Your past? I don't give a damn about your past," she exclaimed, stunning the Admiral into silence as he gaped at her. "I'm hurt, Admiral, not because of who you are, but because I was the last person on this entire ship to find out!"

They both looked at each other, quietly assessing the situation.

"The looks of...of pity that were sent my way just because everyone else knew and I didn't... Do you have any idea how that felt? Did you think I was an easy mark? That I was so blinded by my attraction to you that I'd never find out?" Her questions stung, but not because they were accusatory. They kicked him right in the chest because of the underlying assumption: that he would manipulate her in such a cruel manner because of how little he thought of her.

The opposite was true. He thought the world of her, and it was an injustice that he'd behaved in such a manner that the thought had even crossed her mind. Jarok took a single, careful step toward her.

"E'lev...I didn't tell you, because I was afraid that I would lose you if you knew who I was," he explained looking into her eyes. "You are the only bright spot in this entire ordeal, and I was certain that if you knew all the grisly things I've done for my people, all the terrible orders I've given, all the lives I've been forced to take, you would despise me or worse...fear me."

Looking up at him with those big, blue eyes of hers, the Doctor surprised him yet again by closing the distance between them, cupping his cheeks, and gently skimming her thumbs across his skin.

"Admiral, over the past day and a half, you've shown me exactly who you are. I don't hate you for the choices you've made, and I'm not afraid of you," she murmured. "I trust you...or at least, I hope that I can trust you."

Such an admission from a woman who really shouldn't be associating with him at all made him crumble. All he could think to do when he was this vulnerable was to close his eyes and lean into her touch as he nodded his head.

"You can. I will do all that I can to justify that trust." His voice came out as little more than a rough whisper. What had he done to deserve such mercy and understanding from her? What right did he have to even be in the presence of a lady of such mercy?

"Would you stay and talk with me, Admiral?"

"Only if you'll call me Alidar, Doctor," he stipulated as he opened his eyes once more. Truthfully, he'd have stayed even if she only ever wanted to call him 'Setal' from now on. He would gladly be anything that she wanted him to be. "I don't ever want to hear my title from you."

"I think I can do that, but I'll expect you to call me Beverly in return." The way her eyes sparkled up at him was utterly irresistible.

"As you wish...beautiful Beverly," he murmured, savoring the syllables as they flowed over his tongue. Willingly, he allowed her to grasp his hands and lead him over to the couch - he'd have done anything for her. This, of all things, was no trouble.

"Now, I want to know about you - the real you," she said, and Jarok smiled.

The pair talked for several hours. He answered every question she had, even going so far as to explain about Romulan customs regarding officers of his previous position and their marriages being arranged for political gain. At the first whiff of his dissatisfaction with the Romulan government's aggressive policies, his wife had seen no further advantage to remaining with him and filed for an annulment. His daughter and some distant relatives were the only people he'd left behind on Romulus.

"Speaking of children...your son, Wesley," he began, and Beverly's lips stretched into the sort of proud smile only a parent could manage. "He takes after his mother quite a bit, from what I can tell. I believe his father would be proud of the man you have raised him to be."

"Hardly any of that is down to me," she demurred leaning more fully against him. "He's more like Jack than he realizes - all duty and responsibility. You know, Wesley tried so hard to fill the void that I had to remind him he was a kid more than once just so he'd go have a little fun."

"Well, he certainly has your courage, e'lev," he mused, and she let out a quiet laugh, settling her head on his shoulder. The sensation felt wonderful, especially when paired with the knowledge that she was at ease enough to touch him so casually.

After a moment's comfortable silence, he looked down into Beverly's eyes, allowing himself to get lost in her gaze yet again.

"Alright, I'll bite. What's on your mind, handsome?" Jarok preened at her praise.

"The view. Even the heavens are different here on this side of the Neutral Zone. The stars are wrong," he murmured, "but perhaps..."

She tilted her head curiously when he trailed off, raising her eyebrows in askance.

"Perhaps your eyes can be my new stars." Gently, Alidar cupped her cheek, running the tips of his fingers down the softness of her skin. "Only if you're willing, of course."

He noted only a short moment of hesitation as she processed his words before smiling up at him.

"Why, Alidar, I'd be honored," she said just above a whisper, and he felt his heart speed up in his side. Before he could do anything about it, though, gentle lips met his.

This gesture was so open, so intimate, so...Human. Jarok melted against her, following her lead until they were both breathless and clinging desperately to each other. Somewhere in their haze, the Doctor had ended up wrapping her arms around his neck and straddling his lap. His hands had taken up residence on her hips, keeping her steady above him as they explored each other.

He knew that she could tell how hard he was. She wasn't some inexperienced virgin, she was a woman who'd had a child. As her fingertips skimmed through his hair and coaxed him into another kiss, Jarok couldn't help but marvel at her. She as such a force of nature! He couldn't deny her anything, even if he wanted to. He'd crumble after an instant if only to receive more of this wonderful, exquisite intimacy from her.

How had he fallen so far so quickly? He'd defected from the Empire, lost his home, his daughter – all in a single day. Now, less than a day later, he found himself hoping to make love to a Human and cover her in the evidence of his affection. If his people could see the way he hummed hungrily into Beverly's mouth, they'd sneer at him for allowing a mere hevam to affect him so.

They wouldn't understand her magnetism or her beauty, because they'd be too blinded by their prejudice. He'd always been different in that respect. Jarok had never seen Humans as lesser than Romulans. They were different, yes, but he'd always wanted to satiate his curiosity rather than scoff at their existence. He was beginning to believe that it was an impossible task, though, because every time he learned more about Humans from Beverly, he found that instead of being less curious, he was even more so.

Alidar wanted to know everything about her - what made her happy or sad, what made her moan with pleasure, what her beautiful red hair looked like when it was mussed after a good night's sleep... He'd never been so ravenous for answers before in his life!

He managed to pry his lips from hers and began kissing down that lovely long neck of hers. The whimpers she gave him were precious gifts to be treasured and savored on the tip of his tongue for as long as he lived.

And were those her pheromones? Intoxicating woman... Was nothing about her flawed?

She leaned away from him just long enough to tug her sweater over her head and toss it away. His mouth met the dip in her collarbones, and she said his name like a prayer.

But if anyone was the worshiper in that situation, it was Alidar. Every millimeter of her was precious and sacred to him, and he vowed to himself as she tugged at his uniform tunic that he would never treat her as anything but the blessing from the Elements that she was.

And, oh, they had crafted her perfectly. Fire ran though her veins and gave itself away in her beautiful hair...her passion...her devotion. He'd always enjoyed a fire's heat. Even when he got burned, his respect for it only grew.

She was his favorite flame.

Beverly's forehead met his when both their torsos were nude. Their chests pressed against one another as they fought a battle between breath and pleasure. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, her fingers buried in his hair, and her quiet breaths mingling against his lips with his own.

Neither spoke - what could they say that was adequate in the midst of such affection? But, after a long moment, a small gurgling sound filled the air.

They'd completely forgotten about dinner, hadn't they? Their eyes met and both dissolved into a fit of giggles. Lifting her with ease, Alidar kissed Beverly's cheek and laid her on the sofa, taking a moment to admire the sight of her all flushed and vulnerable beneath him before walking to the replicator to get them both something to eat.

He'd save her for dessert.

--

The ship dropped to impulse a few hours later, and the pair of lovers who'd drifted off together after sharing a meal and a few more kisses finally got dressed once more.

Beverly reported to Sickbay, and Jarok was summoned to the Bridge not long after the ship reduced its speed.

It was time. Nelvana Three required his attention. Smoothing his hair in the turbolift and pointedly ignoring the disapproving glare his guard gave him, the Romulan reported as ordered only to find the Bridge crew in a state of agitation.

"Perhaps you'd care to explain why we're here, Admiral," Picard called out almost as soon as the turbolift door opened.

"There doesn't appear to be a base," Riker added sounding more than a little frustrated.

"I don't understand." Jarok said as he looked at the barren planet on their viewscreen.

"Nelvana Three, Admiral! No base, no weapons, no signs of any life at all!" The Captain exclaimed.

"But...I saw the tactical communiques...the records...timetables for completion," he said as he walked closer to the screen. "An entire legion was assigned to this sector."

"Is it possible they could have been feeding you disinformation? You said that you'd been censured, reassigned four months ago," Picard pointed out, and a buzzing began in Jarok's ears. "They knew of your dissatisfaction. Could all this have been to test your loyalty?"

"No. No, it's impossible," he protested, but a small, horror-struck part of his brain recognized that the Captain could be correct. Oh, Elements, if he'd been tricked–

"They let you escape with an arsenal of worthless secrets," Picard bit out. "What other explanation is there?"

The buzzing in his ears grew louder, and he gripped the wooden railing that surrounded the middle section of the Bridge as Picard's First Officer ordered them out of the Neutral Zone. His own people had deceived him.

Before the ship could run, though, two Romulan warbirds decloaked and fired on them. This couldn't be happening! Was Jarok trapped in some sort of nightmare?

The Romulan Commander eventually hailed them, and Picard engaged in a minor battle of wits with him.

Alidar barely heard a word until Tomalak's jab about Enterprise's broken hull being displayed as a warning to all other traitors who would dare defy the Empire. At that, he snapped.

"All the communiques...all the timetables, all the records. They were all fiction written for my benefit," the Admiral raged, but the smug Commander on the viewscreen merely looked smug as he continued. "A test... A test of my loyalty. And you used me to lure the Enterprise into the Neutral Zone."

Ignoring the accusations completely, Tomalak returned his attention to Picard.

"First, Captain, you will return the traitor Jarok, then you will surrender as prisoners of war."

The men went back and forth, trading threats, and with all the confidence of a man with an ace up his sleeve, Picard summoned two Klingon battle cruisers seemingly from nowhere.

But Jarok could not celebrate the fact that they were still alive. He could not find it within himself to be glad that he'd lived after being so thoroughly used and humiliated.

"I did it for nothing," he murmured, "my home, my family... For nothing."

In disgrace, with nothing left of his dignity, Former Admiral Alidar Jarok left the Bridge. Shame surrounded him like a haze. So caught up in his grief was he that he didn't notice the way Captain Picard's eyes followed his path to the turbolift.

--

In the middle of treating a few small injuries from the conflict with the Romulan warbirds, Beverly's combadge chirped.

"Doctor Crusher, I think it would be wise for you to visit Admiral Jarok's quarters, and...my instinct could be wrong, but you may wish to prepare for a medical emergency of some sort."

The Doctor paused as she set aside a dermal regenerator.

"Acknowledged, Captain, thank you," she replied. Picking up a medkit, she turned to Alyssa, but she was already waving her out the door.

"Go, we can handle ourselves. We'll cover for you as long as you need." With a grateful smile, she hurried out of sickbay toward her lover's quarters. 'Her lover'... What an odd sounding phrase after so long as a single woman.

But, what sort of injury could he possibly have that would drive him to his quarters rather than Sickbay? He would've known she'd be on duty, so why not simply come find her so she could help?

Activating his door chime, he shouted for whoever it was to go away. She hadn't expected to hear such anguish in his voice. She activated the chime again and this time she announced herself.

"Alidar? It's me, Beverly," she called. "Please, may I come in?"

A long, charged paused passed before he called for her to enter. When she did, she nearly fainted at the sight that greeted her. Tear tracks stained his cheeks as he stood by the viewport. He looked deflated, somehow...defeated.

"Please, let me see my stars one last time..." An orange felodesine chip was clutched desperately between his fingers. Beverly's heart sank. He wouldn't...he couldn't, not after all they'd been through in the last couple of days.

"Alidar...wait, please," she adopted the most soothing tone she could as she kept her eyes locked with his. Taking slow, small steps toward him, she tried to figure a way out of this. Setting the medkit aside as she walked, she tried her hardest not to spook him into anything rash like ingesting the chip. There was no reversing that. There was no antidote.

"Beverly...e'lev, I can't. It was all for nothing. My own people used me to get to the Enterprise. I nearly caused all of your deaths and started the war I was trying to stop, all because I couldn't tell the difference between fiction and fact." A tear rolled down the Admiral's cheek and his hand shook. "I will never see my baby girl grow up. I will not be there when she welcomes a child of her own into the world. I will never see Romulus again! I cannot face this alone."

"You aren't alone, I promise." She was almost close enough to touch him, now. "Alidar, for as long as you will permit me, I will stay by your side. I will help you through this to the best of my ability, but you have to be willing to give me a chance."

He started to shake his head, but she was close enough to caress his face and look deep into his eyes.

"Try...for me..." she begged feeling tears burning in the corners of her own eyes as she spoke. "Please."

After a long moment, there was a quiet 'clack' as the chip fell from his grip and landed on the floor. Almost before she could process that he'd moved, the Admiral grasped the Doctor's waist and caught her lips in a desperate, damp kiss which she returned just as fervently.

Relief cascaded through her. She wasn't going to lose him today.

Any remaining shreds of the decorum the two had maintained over the course of their two-day journey faded rapidly into nothing, shattered by the overwhelming need for both to hold and be held, to love and be loved.

Their aborted intimacy from before was not to be stopped this time. Clothing fell in crumpled piles, removed by desperate hands and delicate fingers, each on a quest to reassure themselves and each other that they were not alone.

With their uniforms stripped away, their duties cast aside, they were no longer Romulan and Human. They were merely lovers partaking of each other, filling the room with the sounds of their joining.

~*~

Taglist:

@akamitrani @android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes

@emilie786 @groovyqueer @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @rookietrek

@slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee

[jesternene]

Unexpected Circumstances

Hey guys! here is the story that has swirled in my head for a while. I remember Gates saying in an interview how she wished they wrote her pregnancy in the show and I thought "I wonder how that would have gone". This takes place during S3-S4 and starts from the episode Allegiance. What if Beverly didn't leave that night?

It is very TNG-esque. I wanted to keep it traditional in that manner. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

____________________________________________

CHAPTER 1

It wasn’t out of the ordinary for Jean-Luc Picard to ask Beverly Crusher out for dinner. However, Beverly had noticed the change in Jean-Luc’s demeanor. He was charming, a little flirtatious, and he said all the right things that made her heart skip a little. Of course, her curiosity got the best of her as she accepted his invitation to have a 'more intimate' dinner in his quarters.

Dinner was lovely, romantic, something she was not expecting from her commanding officer. When she pressed him on it, he began to talk about growing closer and how their positions stood in the way. She was afraid of where this was going but didn’t know if it was because it is what she always wanted or was afraid of disappointment if it turns out it wasn’t. He asks her to dance and she happily accepts, which leads to a very slow, intimate kiss. She is taken aback, unsure of who is standing before her.

“Jean-Luc, if I didn’t know any better, I think you were playing games with me” she said in a nervous tone.

“Are you sorry you came tonight?” he asks in almost a whisper.

“I didn’t say that” she responds, with a small smile that crept up in the corner of her mouth.

“Good. Because I’m delighted you did” he smiled and placed his hand on her cheek. She stared into those fiery hazel eyes of his, the ones that melts her heart every time she sees him. She swallowed hard due to the anticipation of what was going to happen next.

What surprised her next was that it wasn’t Jean-Luc leaning in for a kiss, but she was. The kiss was light and sweet but deepened as the seconds passed. She should have realized something was going on with him, but her desire for him from all these years took over and all her inhibition faded.

As the night turned into the morning, she woke up alone in his bed. Her heart dropped in her stomach, unsure if Jean-Luc was playing games with her or if there was something seriously wrong. She quickly dressed and snuck out like a teenager hiding from their parents. Hoping no one, especially her staff, saw her leaving.

The surprise she had days later was that the man she was with that night was not Jean-Luc Picard but an imposter who wanted to learn about the human species. This doppelgänger got more than they bargained for in the arts of romance and lovemaking, which made Beverly sick to her stomach.

How could I be so foolish? she thought, angry at herself for falling for such a horrible deception. When the captain returned to the Enterprise, she avoided him at first until she couldn’t no longer. She put on that winning smile and made him think everything was fine. The oblivious Captain never pressed her on what had happened while he was gone; he didn’t have any reason to. He trusted her and usually trusted her word more so than everyone else. Beverly made a promise to herself that she would take this secret to her grave. No one needed to know what happened with that imposter, especially the Captain, and the more she denied it the more it would just go away. Unfortunately for Beverly, 3 1/2 months later, her secret would be exposed.

____________________________________________

A lot happened on the Enterprise over the last few months. The captain’s assimilation was the hardest to handle. Seeing someone she loved in such a horrific state was almost too much for Beverly to handle. Her determination in saving Jean-Luc is the only thing that kept her going, and to be strong for Wesley, who took the Borg attack and Wolf 359 the hardest.

It wasn’t until Wesley left for Starfleet Academy that Beverly began to not feel herself. Maybe the stress of Wesley and Jean-Luc’s disappearance took more of a toll than she thought. Even though everyone was safe, Beverly couldn’t shake this nauseous feeling in the pit of her stomach. She self-medicated just to get through the day but it was far worse at night. This particular night, she couldn’t sleep and the nausea was getting worse. When she felt she couldn’t handle the dinner she had hours earlier, she knew something was wrong.

Maybe I picked up some viral infection on the moon? She thought to herself.

After her urgent visit to the bathroom, she replicated some cold water and sat down with her tricorder. She hovered the instrument from her head and moved slowly down her body, keeping a close eye on her tricorder for anything that might pop up. After a few seconds of no sign of any problems, she notices the red lights flashing on her tricorder once she goes over her stomach. Beverly slowly looked away, letting the information sink in.

"This can't be right" She said to no one but herself. She began to pace in her quarters, letting the anxiety take over as the minutes began to pass by. As her eyes stung with the tears that wanted to fall, she knew she needed answers, and fast.

“Computer, time?” she asked with a shaky voice.

“It is 0400 hours” the computer complied.

Without thinking of how early it was, she grabbed her combadge and activated it. “Dr. Crusher to Dr. Selar”

Dr. Selar didn't respond right away. Beverly knew she was probably asleep as she was off duty this particular day. Beverly closed her eyes and prayed to anyone that would listen, that Selar would answer. She trusted a lot of people on her staff but no more than Dr. Selar. After a few moments passed, she heard her voice.

“Selar here” The Vulcan doctor responded in a sleepy yet professional manner.

“I'm sorry to wake you Doctor, but can you meet me in sickbay in room 3” Beverly asked with concern, something Selar picked up quickly.

“Of course, doctor. I will see you soon. Selar Out” The Vulcan ended the transmission quickly. Beverly dropped the tricorder on the coffee table before quickly grabbing a robe and slipping on some shoes and rushing out to sickbay. Her walk is usually a few minutes from her quarters but this felt like an eternity. She slipped through the back entrance that was closest to the private room and met the stone-faced Vulcan there.

“Dr. Crusher. What is the nature of this emergency?” Selar didn’t wait to beat around the bush or even noticed the blood that drained from Beverly’s face.

“I need a second opinion” Beverly said with a lump in her throat. Selar raised a brow, noticing her anxiety and how Beverly was gripping her robe tightly around her stomach.

“of what, Doctor?” Selar asked curiously.

“To see if I’m pregnant”

____________________________________________

To read Chapter 2, please go here

If anyone is interested in this story, I will continue. Any comments (or tweets) are appreciated.

J

[wcrpbubble]

𝙿𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙴𝚃𝙰𝚁𝚈 𝙰𝙴𝚂𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚃𝙸𝙲𝚂. (beverly crusher)

SUN . egotistical. melted wax wings and fingers. stretching sunburnt skin. the most generous soul. blood in the fruit. halos. anger on fire. high vitality. thunderous laughter. is pride really a sin? halogenic aura.

MERCURY. expansion of the mind. silver-tongued. an everlasting wanderer. polyglot. high dexterity. handwritten letters. innately critical. en vogue. eyes in the trees. hidden libraries. there’s always room for improvement.

VENUS. in love with strangers. iridescent waters. love potions for your mirror. selfless devotion. shattering crystal. seafoam upon sand. the golden ratio. drowning in your own passion. material value and high principles. luring. plush lips.

EARTH. fresh springs. tree hugger. we can start again tomorrow. a blazing rainforest. respects survival of the fittest. nature’s adversity. lazy bones. constantly evolving. flowers sprouting from wounds. a granite altar. fossilized remains.

MOON. illusory. silver shimmer off the ocean. secrets and gossip. cycles of reincarnation. a crybaby. physically ethereal. shared glances with a stranger. cat eyes. mistrusting their intuition. fear is a prison. ornate magic wands.

MARS. healthy competition. attraction and repulsion. magma and rubies. a blade being forged. wrath, wrath, wrath. malefic. intense eye contact. cannon fodder and fireworks. blood floods. copper taste on your tongue.

JUPITER. red robes and a suit of armor. beacon of stability. leader from birth. thunderbolts and lightning. guilty but can’t stop. secret rich kid. golden touch, golden tears. innate optimist. failure isn’t an option. constantly reaching for more. unfinished symphonies.

SATURN. traditional. overbearing energy. a sculptor of reality. this existence is a karmic one. has a heart; it’s just way down deep. law, order and justice. avoid all necessary risk. the sound of shackles clanging. sisyphus’ struggle. grappling with the reality of time. self-governing.

URANUS. psychedelic funk music. overflowing cups. a rebellion with skin. looking good in photo id. oblivious but caring. middle fingers in the air. double rainbows. icy diamond exterior. holographic. afraid of their own mediocrity. pearlescent smoke.

NEPTUNE. an elegy for the lost. dissolving boundaries. white horses. the burden of mystical conditions. deceptive. escapism is their reality. a polarising entity. artist’s soul. paranoia. searching for the unseen. a siren’s swan song.

PLUTO. angel statues over graves. power. the cycle of necrosis. transformative. unfathomable depth. an ivory tower toppling over. screaming at the sky. violets and irises. eclipsed darkness. speaks with their shadow. sex, death, rebirth.

tagged by: @haiiling tagging: you!

[divinemissem13]

The blue of your eyes, the gold in your smile

@femslashfeb week 1! Beverly Crusher/ Kathryn Janeway, of course AO3 link

The package contained only three things: a strip of black silk, an umbrella, and an envelope. Kathryn felt excitement pooling in her stomach as she opened the envelope, careful not to tear the deep red lipstick mark imprinted across the seal. She loved a mystery - almost as much as she loved a surprise (but not nearly as much as she loved Beverly).

The envelope gave way to an elegant black note card emblazoned with gold ink.

Dahlias come in many colors, but they don’t often match your eyes. When you find the ones that do, sit on the bench, put on the blindfold, and wait for further instructions.

xoxo

P.S. - Looks like rain.

Kathryn glanced out the window and saw nothing but blue skies. She resisted the impulse to check the weather forecast, trusting that her “secret” admirer had something planned for the umbrella. She tucked the blindfold and the note into one pocket of her trench coat and the umbrella into the other before she giddily headed out the door.

Kathryn paid attention whenever Beverly spoke, so her destination wasn’t much of a mystery. Although she could imagine that, given the same clues, Jack might have ended up wandering the city for hours. A smug grin danced across Kathryn’s face as she pictured it. This is just one of the reasons Beverly was too good for him… and thank heavens she had finally realized it.

As she made her way towards the park, the warm spring breeze swept her long tresses to and fro and it made her feel utterly gorgeous, even though in her excitement, she hadn’t taken the time to put on makeup or fix her hair. Truthfully, Kathryn never felt like she needed any of that when she was with Beverly. Not when Beverly said things that made her melt like “These are the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever seen. They match your eyes.”

Those same deep blue flowers were coming into view, a wooden bench sitting off to one side under a flowering magnolia tree. It was an idyllic setting and Kathryn wondered why the cloak and dagger tactics were necessary to get her here - she would gladly meet Beverly in this beautiful place without an ounce of coercion.

But she reminded herself to trust the process as she approached the bench. A full magnolia blossom sat on the bench, almost as if it had been placed there in contrast to the lone petals randomly scattered beneath the tree. She decided to tuck the blossom behind her ear before dutifully tying on the blindfold. The silk felt cool against her cheeks, warm from excitement and the sun.

Another gust of wind blew across the garden and Kathryn laughed as she felt the loose petals falling into her lap. This must be the “rain” she was warned about. Still blindfolded, she fumbled to open the umbrella and rest it across her shoulder.

Then, with an untamed smile on her face, she waited.

* * *

Beverly waited at the coffee shop for a full 30 minutes after she had the package delivered. She was eager to see her plan through, but she wanted to give Kathryn plenty of time to figure out her clue and get to the bench.

Finally, a to-go coffee in each hand and her reusable insulated tote dangling from one shoulder, she walked the one and a half blocks from the coffee shop to the garden.

The field of deep blue flowers came into view but Beverly barely noticed. She was mesmerized by the vision of Kathryn sitting on the bench, the wind whipping through her long auburn hair, and a beatific expression on her face. The sun shone in such a way that it seemed to put a spotlight on that bench and that tree, but Beverly sometimes thought that Kathryn drew the light to her like a magnet - even the sun and stars wanted to be near her.

The bottom of her cherry red trench coat flapped around her bare legs in the breeze and the lapel was pushed back just enough that Beverly could see Kathryn was wearing her navy blue strapless sundress, almost as if she had dressed knowing where the day would lead.

The piece de resistance, of course, was the black silk against her ivory skin and the black and gold umbrella framing her like a halo. Beverly wondered if this whole scene was really for Kathryn’s sake or for hers.

Shaking herself out of her daze, Beverly approached the bench silently. But Kathryn’s clever nose twitched when she smelled the coffee, and she immediately husked Beverly’s name and reached for her blindfold.

“Ah, ah, ah,” Beverly scolded teasingly, swatting Kathryn’s hand away from her face. “Patience is a virtue, my dear.”

Kathryn grumbled in protest, but it was clear she was enjoying this from the smile she couldn’t quite manage to wipe off of her face.

Beverly resumed her task of laying out the small picnic - very small, actually, as it consisted only of two coffees, two forks, and one decadent slice of cake. The finishing touch was a single candle sticking up out of the the garrish red icing flowers. She guided Kathryn’s hand so that the umbrella protected the candle from the wind before she lit it and then finally, she moved behind Kathryn to untie the blindfold.

Beverly softly kissed the top of Kathryn’s head and then released her from the darkness, allowing the silk to glide across her cheek as she removed it. “Surprise,” she whispered in her ear and then took her seat on the bench opposite a stunned Kathryn. “Happy birthday,” she added with a wide grin.

* * *

Kathryn was momentarily speechless, possibly for the first time in her life.

“But…” she sputtered, her gaze flickering back and forth between the cake and Beverly’s shining cerulean eyes. “My birthday isn’t… It’s not until next week. And… it’s not even a big one… You didn’t have to do this!” Kathryn was not used to people making a fuss over her birthday. As a kid, school was usually out already and everyone had left for vacation by the time May 20th rolled around. She had become used to treating it like just another day to the degree that now even the small gesture of a slice of cake and a candle had shaken her to her core.

“Of course I didn’t have to,” Beverly smiled at her. “I wanted to. Now blow out your candle and make a wish before the wind gets there first!”

Kathryn did as she was told — almost. When she leaned in to blow out the candle, she couldn’t think of a single thing to wish for.

She already had everything she wanted.

[theodorebasmanov]

I’ve rewatched “Sarek” (Star Trek: The Next Generation, season 3, episode 23). As you could have understood from the title – it’s about Sarek. He came on Enterprise as an Ambassador, for some difficult diplomatic mission. It was very good to see him again; however, it was very sad to know that he’s not with Amanda anymore (is she dead?), funny to see that his second wife is a human too. (Spoilers!) Not everything goes well and Sarek seems a bit too emotional for a Vulcan and the crew behaves weird – they start fighting (both literally and not) and insubordinate. Noticing this, Doctor Crusher finds out that the ambassador is most probably suffering from some kind of Vulcan dementia – he can’t hold his emotions and being a strong telepath, he affects some crew members. Captain Picard persuades Sarek, that he himself can’t keep a diplomatic meeting, so they mind-melt – Sarek becomes as he was – logical and disciplined and Picard stays with Beverly and cries saying how much he loved Amanda and Spock, and his new wife (Perrin). The meeting goes well, Sarek leaves the ship satisfied. This episode also includes a very funny scene:

Commander Riker: Is it my imagination, or have tempers become a little frayed on this ship lately?

Lieutenant Worf: I hadn't noticed.

[Ten Forward]

(And they walk straight into an old-fashioned bar brawl)

Lieutenant Worf: I see what you mean.

[mccoymccoymccoy]

TNG Headcanons - Holodeck Dates

It was no news to anyone that Captain Picard was a man of fine tastes. He’d love to take you to classical operas, strolling through the art museums of Paris, and occasionally, into his Dixon Hill stories; but his favourite thing to do with you was take you to a point in history he thought was fascinating and watch it play out with you.

Will was a smooth man, but playful at heart. As much as he’d love to serenade you in a bar every night, he also loved to bring out a beach and just walk hand in hand with you along the waterside. On that same note, swimming with him? The cutest. He could not get enough of swimming with you. He’d splash a little water at your face, you’d splash back, and suddenly he’d be sending a whole wave at you!

Geordi knew you (almost) better than he knew his engines, so when it came to picking a fun date to go on, he knew just what to do. He had a couple ideas, actually- children’s science centers where they’d have neat games to play and simple ideas to take your mind off the complexity of the 24th century, sci-fi movie nights, or- and this ended up being your favourite- into movies to either observe or participate.

Initially, Data had invited you to join him and Geordi in his Sherlock simulations, but Geordi seemed to have said something to him to take that back and choose something more suited for a date. (You thought that would’ve made a wonderful date, however, Geordi absolutely insisted you would regret it)

Ultimately, he ended up taking you to art galleries from all over the galaxy every week and giving you detailed histories of anything you seemed vaguely interested in.

Deanna had no problem picking what to do for dates. She always knew exactly how to melt your stresses away, and if you weren’t stressed? She knew just how to make sure you still had the time of your life. Sometimes she’d get Geordi’s help to program a stunning display of colours while you sat in the middle of a void, or other times she’d simply bring you to a room full of puppies.

Worf would sulk around his quarters in solitude for hours before admitting he needed help coming up with something. He went to Deanna, who told him he already knew what was best, but he thought there was no way you’d enjoy one of his training programs!

But you did. You’d been wanting to join in for months, but never asked because you knew he’d say no. It took a lot for Riker to convince him, why would he let you? When he asked if you’d want to come, you got changed immediately.

You loved her dearly, but Beverly Crusher wasn’t much fun when it came to holodeck dates. She struggled to think of things to make up for the two of you, even though she knew you like the back of her hand. She’d go to Picard to ask for advice, and end up with something far too sophisticated for your tastes- ultimately, you usually ended up on her couch, just cuddling up and watching a movie or both reading.

Welsey would take you from one end of the galaxy to the other. He loved to teach you about the subtleties and intricacies of anything he could, which sometimes had you sitting on the edge of a cliff watching three suns set, or floating in space watching an asteroid belt. 

[discotreque]

Picard 1.02: Maps and Legends

Apparently the big Hollywood Picard premiere a few weeks ago showed the first three episodes seamlessly edited together into one long mega-episode. Having now seen the first two individually edited, I'd love to see the feature-length version of all three; this one very much feels like the middle of something bigger.

Spoilers under the cut:

In case we didn't have enough reasons to be disappointed in the decisions of post-Nemesis Starfleet, it looks like TNG and VOY's lesson that "AI slavery is wrong" has gone out the window. F-8 and friends look like the exact thing Picard and Guinan were afraid of in "Measure of a Man."

I am loving almost everything else about the production design for this show, but the on-screen graphics (which I will forever think of as "Okudagrams" even though I don't think the Okudas are working on this show) leave something to be desired.

Last week I suspected there was something fishy about the security feeds only showing Picard on the roof. So far I'm pleased at the rate this show is chewing through mysteries. Too many TV writers think the only way to maintain interest is by withholding information from the audience.

Not sure how I feel about the Zhad Vash as a concept. They're the Tal Shiar of the Tal Shiar, they keep a terrible mind-melting secret, and they hate artificial life. And they've infiltrated what appears to be the highest levels of Starfleet. I'm willing to let this play out, but so far it all sounds kind of... stupid.

Laris is my favourite new character so far. She's the Irish Romulan MILF we deserve. Never thought I'd hear someone say "cheeky feckers" on Star Trek.

Speaking of Laris, her device for viewing past events reminded me a little bit of the video game Tacoma and a lot of another sci-fi story that's been on the tip of my brain for hours.

Let's talk about Dr. Benayoun. He is conspicuously not Dr. Beverly Crusher, and at first I thought that was bullshit. But here's the thing: Jean-Luc can convince his old buddy Moritz to clear him for space travel. I don't think he could have convinced Beverly.

I loved the scene with Picard getting chewed out by Admiral Clancy. What did he think was going to happen? In seven seasons and four movies, did he ever have one (1) good interaction with an admiral? He was always too idealistic for them. Frankly, I'm astonished he was ever promoted past Captain in the first place.

Bless Zhaban for confirming that Worf and Geordi are a) still alive, and b) still on good terms with Picard. We already knew about Riker and Troi from the trailers. Still holding my breath re: Bevvers...

I have to assume Narek is part of this vehemently anti-AI Romulan faction. He hates artificial beings so much he... has sex with one. And tenderly kisses its forehead after. Okay there, buddy.

As for what's happening on this Borg cube, it almost seems inevitable, doesn't it? Star Trek has brought back, and then blown up, the Borg so many times at this point that the quadrant has got to be littered with Borg debris. Valuable, unprotected(?), highly technologically advanced debris. Someone was bound to start exploiting that.

The fact that they're also freeing and rehabilitating drones is an unexpectedly compassionate touch. Probably also explains how Hugh (and maybe Seven of Nine?) fits into this.

A friend of mine is waiting to watch this show until she can binge a bunch of them at once, and after this episode, that's starting to feel like a valid approach. They said it was conceived and written as a 10-part movie, which sounded cool at first, but this "movie" is turning out to be compelling enough that I don't want to watch it in 10 separate sittings, each a week apart.

[musikat18]

MusiKat’s Winter Wonderland Birthday Challenge!

Welcome to my 2018 birthday challenge! It may not be snowing for me this year, but as a winter baby, I thought it would be fun to make this year’s theme Winter Wonderland!

Check below the cut for rules, deadlines, and prompts!

Rules:

1. Select a prompt and a character to write a reader insert of any length you’d like. You can choose up to three prompts to use within a fic. There are both Winter Word and Winter Scene prompts, but limit yourself to three in total in combination from either of the lists.

2. More than one person can write the same character, but there will not be doubling up on prompts.

3. If your fic is going to be more than 300 words, please insert a read more, just as a common courtesy.

4. When you finish and post your fic, tag it with “winter wonderland birthday 2018″, make sure to tag me in it, and message me your fic as well. Tumblr can be quite janky on the letting-people-know-about-tags front, and I want to make sure I can see it!

5. All fics are due Tuesday, December 11th...my birthday! If you need an extension, please shoot me a message at least the day before.

6. Try to avoid smut or heavy angst. This is a lighthearted birthday challenge, so try to give it a happy ending. :)

Character List:

Star Trek 

Jim Kirk (TOS/AOS)

Spock (TOS/AOS)

Leonard McCoy (TOS/AOS)

Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (TOS/AOS)

Nyota Uhura (TOS/AOS)

Pavel Chekov (TOS/AOS)

Hikaru Sulu (TOS/AOS)

Christine Chapel (TOS/AOS b/c listen there’s no reason for Chapel not to have an AOS counterpart just write her wherever the fuck you want she’s a queen)

Data (TNG)

Geordi LaForge (TNG)

Deanna Troi (TNG)

Beverly Crusher (TNG)

Worf (TNG)

Julian Bashir (DS9)

Garak (DS9)

Benjamin Sisko (DS9)

Jadzia Dax (DS9)

Kira Nerys (DS9)

Y’all like almost everyone is fair game. Everyone. Every Trek is fair game. Just. Save me the word count and know everyone is fair game.

Marvel Cinematic Universe

Tony Stark

Steve Rogers

Thor Odinson

Bruce Banner

Clint Barton

Natasha Romanoff

James Rhodes

Sam Wilson

Wanda Maximoff

Pietro Maximoff

Stephen Strange

Peter Parker

Peter Quill

Gamora

Drax

Scott Lang

Hope Van Dyne

Loki Laufeyson

T’Challa

Shuri

Okoye

Brunnhilde (Valkyrie)

Nakia

M’Baku

Vision

Logan/Wolverine

Jean Grey

Ororo Munroe/Storm

Scott Summers/Cyclops

Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler

Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver

Raven/Mystique

Professor Charles Xavier

Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto

Wade Wilson/Deadpool

Y’all get it

DC Extended Universe

Clark Kent/Superman

Bruce Wayne/Batman

Diana Prince/Wonder Woman

Arthur Curry/Aquaman

Barry Allen/The Flash (stick to Ezra Miller, maybe? I...I kind of like him more than Grant Gustin….)

Victor Stone/Cyborg

Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn

DCTV

Sara Lance/White Canary

Ray Palmer/The Atom

Mick Rory/Heatwave

Zari Tomaz

Amaya Jiwe/Vixen

Leonard Snart/Captain Cold/Citizen Cold

John Constantine

Ava Sharpe

Nate Heywood

Kara Danvers/Supergirl

Alex Danvers

Lena Luthor

James Olsen

Winn Schott

Anissa Pierce

Jennifer Pierce

Grace Choi

Star Wars

Luke Skywalker

Han Solo

Leia Organa

Lando Calrissian

Anakin Skywalker

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Padme Amidala

Ahsoka Tano

Jyn Erso

Cassian Andor

Bodhi Rook

Rey

Finn

Poe Dameron

Kylo Ren

General Hux

Captain Phasma

Rose Tico

Urban Boys

Danny Gallagher

John Kennex

John “Reaper” Grimm

Eomer

Gavin Magary

Black Hat/Vascar

Siberius Vaako

Vincent Stevens

Harry Ballard

Cupid

William Cooper

Skurge (I put him here and not under Marvel even though Bones is under Star Trek b/c let’s be real Marvel did about shit for his character in the movies)

Pine Boys

Nicholas Deveraux

Jake Hardin

Will Colson

Franklin “FDR” Foster

Jack Frost (because fuck why not voice acting counts)

Jack Ryan

Cinderella’s Prince

Toby Howard

Steve Trevor (it’s a two-pic deal my dudes I’m not counting on him coming back after 84 so let’s put him here)

Dr. Alexander Murry

Rex Hanson

CONGRATULATIONS YOU SURVIVED THE CHARACTERS LIST

Good god was that long...

Anyway.

Prompts:

Winter Word

Blanket

Blizzard-- @queenmismatched

Boots

Coat

Cough-- @bookcaseninja

Dogsled

Draft

Earmuffs-- @musicmandy1991

Evergreen

Flannel

Frostbite

Gingerbread

Gloves

Heater

Hypothermia

Ice Skates

Icicle-- @yallneedtrek

Jacket

Log-- @hellomissmabel

Melt

Mittens

Pine Cone

Polar

Quilt-- @bookcaseninja

Reindeer

Scarf-- @sebastianstanfavpita

Snow

Thermometer-- @outside-the-government

Wind Chill

Wool

Winter Scene

Holiday Party

Gift Exchange-- @kjs-s

Family Dinner-- @skosmo

Ice Rink-- @the-goddamn-queen

Shopping Plaza

Café

Airport-- @sebastianstanfavpita

Walk in the Park-- @musicmandy1991

Hotel

Parent’s/Friend’s Home--- @sebastianstanfavpita

Gift Shop

Kitchen

Concert Hall

Neighborhood Street

Cabin-- @outside-the-government

Train-- @hellomissmabel

Snowy Hill

Ski Lodge-- @queenmismatched

Snowy Woods-- @starshiphufflebadger

Sleigh Ride

[crueltyfreefashionandmakeup]

Very Casual Work Makeup

Face: Urban Decay Stay Naked Weightless Foundation Color: 10WY. Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit. Melt Cosmetics Cream Blushlight Color: Color: Sandy Cheeks.

Eyes: Makeup Geek Eyeshadows: Frappe, Magic Act, and Vanilla Bean. NYX Epic Ink Liner. CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara.

[sugarspicesavage]

THE BEST MAKE UP OF ALL TIME

Here's a list of my favorite make up products by category! These are all tried and true after years of experimentation

💋 FACE

- Moisturizer: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. Get the gel instead of the lotion if you have oily skin

- Primer: Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm for Men. Don't question, just try it

- Foundation: Too Faced Born This Way or Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24Hr. Honestly can't choose between them. Apply both with a damp beauty blender

- Concealer: Tarte Shape Tape. If you're on a budget, Maybelliene Fit Me is actually worth while

- Cream contour: Clinique Chubby Sticks. Blend out beautifully

- Powder (extra coverage): MAC's Mineralized Skin Finish Natural

- Powder (no coverage/for baking): Laura Mercier's Translucent Setting Powder. NOT the secret brightener be careful

- Bronzer: Buxom's Hot Escapes Bronzers if you want shimmer and Benefit's Hoola if you don't

- Contour: NARS Contour Duos. Color to get depends on your skin tone!

- Blush: NARS Blushes cannot be beat. Orgasm is an all time classic and looks amazing on everyone. I also LOVE the Lorac Unzipped Cheek Palette but it's gone so you'd have to find it on eBay or something

- Highlight: Best highlight of all time is Becca Cosmetics x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop

- Setting Spray: Urban Decay All Nighter

EYES

- Eyeshadow primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion

- Eyeshadow: best brand for eyeshadow IMO is Anastasia Beverly Hills or Lorac. Great first palette is the Lorac pro

- Eyeliner: Stila Liquid Eyeliner NO DEBATE THE END

- Mascara: Maybelliene Clump Crusher (get water resistant to hold your curl)

- Eyelash curler: best eyelash curler of all time is from Shu Uemura which they stopped selling at Sephora but you can order it online

- Fake eyelashes: Absolutely love the Kiss brand's Blooming line because they're multilayered and have such a thin band and so many different styles

EYEBROWS

- Filling in: Anastasia Brow Wiz no debate

- Setting: Anastasia Brow Gel and if you're really gonna rub them off, NYX waterproofing gel on top of that

- Maintenance: Tweezerman. Spend the money. No other tweezers are worth your time

LIPS

- Balm: only chapstick I truly believe works (and doesn't make them worse in the long run) is Burts Bees

- Lipliner: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On

- Lipstick: Too Faced's La Crème line and Melted line

- Lipgloss: BUXOM!!!!! They are so unreal amazing perfect everything I've ever wanted. Also love the Urban Decay Naked glosses

Hope this helps anyone who's looking for some new bomb ass make up products that won't waste your time or your $$$!

[seethelovelyintheworld]

It was a long time ago, but I still can't believe that in the "Attached" episode of Star Trek TNG, Beverly Crusher turned down Jean Luc after learning he had been in love with her and wants to try to have a relationship with her. The man is hot and smart and has a voice that instantly melts butter. What's not to like? Who else are you holding out for, sweetcheeks? Captain America?

[crueltyfreefashionandmakeup]

Casual Glam Work Makeup

Face: Urban Decay Stay Naked Weightless Foundation Color: 10WY. Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer. HUDA BEAUTY Easy Bake Loose Powder in Pound Cake. Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit. Melt Cosmetics Cream Blushlight Color: Color: Honey Thief.

Eyes: Naked Heat Palette Shades: Sauced and He Devil. Ofra Cosmetics Verified Liquid Liner. CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara.

Lips: Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Matte Naked.

[crueltyfreefashionandmakeup]

Trendy Summer Outfit & Makeup

Outfit: American Eagle AE Striped Wide-Strap Crop Cami in Green. Hollister Vintage Stretch High-Rise Denim Short 3” in Light Wash Effect. White Converse. Forever 21 Beaded Choker Necklace.

Face: Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez: Mini Always An Optimist Illuminating Primer. Senna Lasting Illusion Satin Matte Foundation. Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer. Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer in Baked. Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit. Anastasia Beverly Hills x Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit and inner corners and under brow bones. Melt Cosmetics Cream Blushlight Color: Color: Honey Thief.

Eyes: Makep Geek Eyeshadows Shades: Americano, Corrupt, and Sidekick. NYX Epic Ink Liner. CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara.

Lips: Milani Keep It Sweet Sugar Lip Scrub & Exfoliator. Milani Color Statement Lipstick in Matte Naked.