The BLTS Archive - Treading Down the Road
Fourth in the Road series
by Kerri Bush (Blondiee17@aol.com)

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Disclaimer:  The journey down this road is long and tiring, but not
profitable, because Paramount owns it.

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He knocked on the door of the small apartment again, and as before,
there was no answer.   Trying the knob, he discovered the door was
unlocked, but questioned how wise it would be to venture through the
door.  She needed to be warned, but this was not a good time for her
to be upset.

With a sigh, Walker Keel pushed open the door to his friends'
apartment. "Beverly?" he called.  "Are you home?"

"I'm in the back, Walker."  Her voiced sounded a bit weak, but it had
sounded that way for the past six months.  Walker knocked on the
doorframe before entering the bedroom.  "Hello there, lass.  How are
you feeling today?"

A very pregnant Beverly Crusher, with much effort, sat up on the bed
and smiled.  "A little tired.  Thankful this will be over soon."

He laughed and sat next to her on the bed, patting her stomach.  "Aye,
I see. Only five more weeks, yes?"

"Thank God.  If my feet swell any more, I think they'll explode."

He laughed at her comment.  "That wouldn't be a pretty sight, lass."
He took a deep breath.  "I'm afraid I've got some news for you."

She didn't like the look on his face.  "Walker, is something wrong?"

"Oh no, nothing wrong, exactly.  In fact, it's quite an honor.  I've
been selected for a special Starfleet assignment."

"Walker, that's wonderful!"  She reached over and hugged him.  "I'm so
proud of you.  When do you leave?  What will you be doing?"

He laughed.  "I'm leaving in three days, but the answer to your other
question is top secret."  She chuckled at his small joke, and he
returned her hug.

"How long will you be gone?"

Walker ran a hand through her hair.  "About six weeks, maybe eight."

The smile on Beverly's face fell.  "Walker, you won't be here when the
baby's born!"

"I know lass."

Beverly didn't speak and played with her wedding ring.  Walker
could've beaten his head against the wall.  He'd gone and upset her,
and the worst news was yet to come.  He contemplated the best way to
break it to her, but Beverly noticed he wasn't speaking.

"Penny for your thoughts."

He smiled a bit and patted her stomach, looking for a way out.  "Just
thinking about the great event."

She smiled back at him, realizing there was a touch of sadness in his
voice. "I'm sorry, Walker.  I didn't mean to upset you.  I know you
wanted to be there just as much as I wanted you to be there."

They sat in silence for a bit, each going over their own thoughts.
Walker took a breath, ready to bite the bullet and deliver the rest of
his news, but Beverly suddenly squealed and planted a kiss on his
cheek.

Bewildered, Walker couldn't help but smile.  She had the biggest grin
on her face.  "What was that for?"

"For being the absolute most unselfish person in the galaxy."

"Oh really?  And how do you figure that I am the most absolute
unselfish person in the galaxy?"

Beverly rolled her eyes.  "Walker, you're so transparent.  You took
that assignment so Jack wouldn't.  You're going off to the Notison
sector so Jack wouldn't.  You're missing the birth of this baby so
Jack wouldn't."  She hugged him close.  "You're a wonderful friend."

Walker sighed.  "I wish I was as wonderful as you think, lass."

There was something about Walker's demeanor that set off a red light
in Beverly's mind.  "Why wouldn't you be, Walker?"

He couldn't stall any longer.  "The news about me going on the mission
wasn't all I had come to tell you."

Beverly could feel a knot growing in the pit of her stomach.  "What
else was there?"

Walker reached up and scratched an eyebrow, a sign of his nervousness.
"It's about Jack."

The realization hit her, and Beverly *knew* what Walker was going to
tell her. She took a deep breath.  "He's been selected for the
mission, hasn't he?"

Walker couldn't stand to meet her eyes..  "Yes, lass."

"He took it, didn't he?"

He swallowed.  "Aye, lass.  He did."

The tears were forming, but Beverly refused to let them fall.  "And he
sent you, one of my closest friends, to tell me, because he didn't
have the balls to do it himself!  That selfish bastard!"

Walker fished for words.  "Lass, please, calm down.  It's not good for
the baby."

"You mean the baby Jack doesn't care to see born?"

She had lost her battle with her tears.  He saw them now, and it tore
him apart.  There was no way Jack would be back in time, and he'd
known that when he accepted the post.  That selfish bastard.

Beverly's voice rasped with the sobs.   "How did I get myself into
this, Walker?  Where did I screw up?  How did I end up with a husband
that only married me to advance his career?  Why was I stupid enough
to get pregnant with his child?"  She laid her head on his shoulder,
the tears flowing freely. "What did I do Walker?"

He knew he couldn't comfort her, knew there were no words to rid this
torment off her soul.  He just held her as she cried, just as he had
done long before on a world now lost.

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The End