Midnight Feeding

He woke suddenly, at the end of a dream, and lay unmoving for several seconds trying to orient himself. It wasn't "morning", he could tell that without even looking at the chronometer. It wasn't a problem with the ship. He could feel the subtle hum of the engines. That left only one thing. Feeding time.

He glanced over at Beverly's side of the bed, smiling at the straightened covers. She always smoothed them down so he wouldn't get cold.

Sliding into his favorite slippers and robe he padded out to the living area, pausing just a moment to enjoy the sight of her, tousled from sleep and absolutely gorgeous.

"Eating again?"

She looked up and smiled. "Whose fault is that?" she countered. Making love to Jean-Luc always left her ravenous.

"Guilty as charged." he answered, leaning down to give her a kiss. "So what's on the menu tonight?"

"The usual, fruit for me and milk for the little one." Jean-Luc knelt beside her and kissed the tiny head nestled in the crook of Beverly's arm.

"Leave any energy in the replicator for me or do I have to divert power from main engineering to get a cup of tea?"

"There might be enough for a small cup, but why take a chance? By all means roust Geordi and the rest of the senior staff. Why should they be sleeping while their captain goes without?"

"Earl Grey, hot." he commanded the replicator, then carried his beverage to the table where he sat beside her, watching as she nursed their baby."You're in a fine mood tonight. Is this little one disobeying orders again?"

"Yes. She's as incorrigable as her CO." At that moment Jacqui made loud greedy snuffling noises, making both her parents laugh.

"Perhaps we shouldn't have read her Alice in Wonderland?" Jean-Luc offered. "At least not the part about the pig."

Beverly lifted Jacqui away from her breast, shifting her to one shoulder and rubbing her back. The infant's head bobbed as she rooted, looking for more food, then finally lowered to lean heavily on Beverly's shoulder. "Little piggy," Beverly laughed when Jacqui finally rewarded her with an enormous burp.

"More like big piggy." Jean-Luc muttered, still somewhat appalled by the noises and other things this tiny creature produced.

"Uh-oh Jacqui, your father needs the cute treatment." She cuddled the little girl for a moment, then handed her to Jean-Luc who took her gladly. She gave him a little baby smile and burped again.

"That," he informed his daughter solemnly, "Was not cute." After a moment he relented, "But you are. Almost as adorable as your mother." Beverly made a face around the spoonful of fruit she was eating. "Now I believe we were in the middle of a story when you fell asleep earlier. Shall we continue?" Jacqui waved a hand at him and he took that for a yes.

Beside him, Beverly settled back in her chair with a contented sigh. She loved story time as much as Jacqui. Sometime later Jean-Luc gently shook her awake.

"Come to bed, sleepy."

"Jacqui," she asked bleerily.

"Is in bed. Come on." He helped her up, pulling her against his body, delighting in her softness and warmth. She woke up fast, putting her arms around him and pressing her lips to his. Breaking apart at last she let him lead her to the bedroom.

Off came robes and slippers and pajamas until there was nothing between them but inches. As they sank to the bed together, even that vanished and they merged into one. They made love slowly, lingering over caresses and kisses until the final urgency claimed them. Afterwards, panting and breathless they lay tangled together in sweat dampened sheets.

Curled against him, Beverly drifted off to sleep almost immediately. Jean-Luc lay there watching her, running his fingers lightly up and down her silky back. At long last he lay back with a sigh and tried to go to sleep only to realize one more way the women in his life were influencing him.

He was hungry.

:::end:::

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