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BABIES, BABIES EVERYWHERE . . . BUT NARY A WIFE TO LAY

 Inside the captain's quarters, Jean-Luc Picard stood in the doorway of the dimly-lit nursery.  Softly humming a lullaby, Vash's movements were innately graceful as she finished changing Jeanette and tenderly tucked their infant daughter back into her bassinet.  Her dark hair fell in a cascade over her shoulder,  veiling her face from view as she bent down over the bassinet.  Her sapphire-blue negligee skimmed her curves to fall into sweeping folds around her legs.  Picard's gaze drank in the way the rich satin molded itself to her waist and the flare of her hips.  Walking over to stand behind her, he encircled her with his arms, nuzzled the back of her neck and quietly murmured, "all for the love of a maid."

 She instantly recognized the quote, "so, have I led you to your destruction?"

 "More like treasures beyond my wildest imagination," he answered looking down at Jeanette and her twin brother Maurice sleeping peacefully in their bassinets.  Turning Vash around to face him, he leaned in to brush several feathery kisses across her lips.  "The children are both asleep."

 "Shhhh! You'll jinx it," she whispered, placing her finger against his lips.  Slipping out of his arms, she left the nursery to go into the living room to straighten and arrange the myriad of paraphernalia that accompanied the care of two young infants.  She was just about to pick up a small collection of brightly colored infant toys when Jean-Luc stopped her.

 "I'll get these," he offered.  Setting about his task, he wondered aloud, "They're only six weeks old, how did they acquire this many toys already?"

 Vash couldn't help but smile at the sight of  Jean-Luc, still in his uniform, gesturing with a plush green and yellow polka-dotted inch worm, a baby gift from Geordi LaForge. "That would be a very interesting issue for you to raise at the next senior staff meeting."

 "Indeed," he noted, almost afraid to speculate about how the situation would develop once the children actually become old enough to play with toys.

 Standing in font of the couch, Vash began folding a freshly laundered pile of very small clothes placing them in a basket and gazing out the window at the stars.  She paused for a moment noticing her reflection in the glass.  Thinking back on the changes in her life, she chuckled, "once, in a different time and place, I was considered a sex goddess."

 "Vash."

 She turned toward Jean-Luc, caught off guard by the sensual heat in his voice and was immediately swept away by the intensity of his gaze.  His fingers sensuously tangled in her hair and his mouth claimed hers in an impassioned kiss that wreaked havoc with her senses.  Her breasts swelled and the peaks stiffened to attention.  Pressed up against the solid wall of his chest, her hardened nipples grazed the rough wool of his uniform through the flimsy fabric of her negligee, sending streaks of desire through her.  She let out a small gasp of surprise when he broke the kiss and swept her up in his powerful arms.  He effortlessly carried her to their bed, something he hadn't done since early in her pregnancy.

 Picard gently laid Vash on the bed and knelt over her.  His gaze slowly pored over the satin of her negligee, following the curves of her body to drape across the bed in a shimmery fan.  His attention was drawn back up to the features of her beautiful face with her blue eyes and rose-petal lips.  He lowered his face to hers.

 "Bridge to Captain Picard," Riker's voice sounded over the comm.

 "Dammit!" Picard grumbled pulling back slightly.  Amusement sparkled in Vash's eyes as she reached up and tapped the communicator on his chest.  "Picard here.  Go ahead, Number One."

 "We just received a communication from DS7 where the Interceptor is currently docked.  It seems her chief engineer had to jettison the new engine core they were testing.  The situation is contained and contamination crews have begun cleaning up but the station is asking all vessels to stay clear of the area for the time being."

 "Understood.  Have you plotted a new course?" he asked.

 "Yes, sir.  Course plotted and laid in; however, it will put us eight hours behind schedule," Riker answered.

 "It can't be helped; radio ahead and inform them of our delay.  Picard out."

 After tapping the communicator to close the channel, Vash deliberately trailed her fingertips down the front of his jacket.  "Do you remember the course you had plotted and were in the process of laying, Mon Capitaine?"

 "Oh, I remember exactly where I was going," he assured her in a rich, bedroom baritone once again lowering his face to hers.  Capturing her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss, he slipped his tongue past her lips to gently stroke and caress the warm, moist cavern.  Blood began pounding in his ears as her tongue responded, challenging his.  His mouth slid from hers, moving to explore the soft skin of her neck.  He nuzzled the delicate skin of her neck hearing her inhale sharply when his mouth found the pulse point just below her ear.  He flicked his tongue against the spot feeling her pulse quicken beneath his lips.  "Are you sure, chere?"

 Vash knew what Jean-Luc was asking.  This would be the first time they had made love since the birth of the twins.  She was more than ready; she wanted this.  She had missed being like this with him.  She rolled her head back, offering her throat to his gentle onslaught.  Her arms wound around his neck pulling him closer and she sighed softly, "I have been waiting for this for weeks and today Beverly gave her blessing on the resumption of our marital activities as well.  Incidentally, she also gave me a contraceptive injection so all systems are good to go."

 Taking advantage of her bared throat, he trailed heated kisses over the sensitive area.  He reached out with both hands to slide the straps of her negligee off her shoulders, caressing the smooth skin as he began to guide the scraps of satin down her arms.  When her arms dropped to her sides he first thought she was trying to assist him in his efforts, but then the sounds of Maurice stirring over the baby monitor registered.  Pulling back, he looked over at the monitor and then down at Vash.  "He's not actually crying."

 "Not yet, but he soon will be and then his sister will start.  You may not be an engineer, however, you are a starship captain, so I'm sure the term chain reaction means something to you," she quipped, raising up on one elbow in preparation to go tend to the baby.

 "You stay right there," Picard instructed placing his hand on her shoulder to stop her.  He leaned over and brushed her lips with his in a quick, romantic kiss. "Hold that thought."  Standing up, he added with feigned seriousness, "I'll handle this." He walked over to the door turning back to look at her a moment.  "Don't move."

 After watching him finally leave the room, Vash fell back on the bed a small giggle escaping her.

 In the nursery, Picard leaned over Maurice's bassinet.  He smiled at the seemingly inquisitive expression on his son's face as the baby looked up at him.  "I know, you expected to see your beautiful maman instead of me," he whispered softly picking up the child.  He carried the infant over to the changing table and laid him down on the table.  Setting about the task at hand, he continued, "speaking of your very lovely maman, I was wondering if you and your sister would consider allowing your father to spend a few uninterrupted moments with her this evening?"  Narrowly managing to put the diaper over his son before the little one sent a fountain toward him, the captain dryly commented, "I take that to mean that you are disinclined to acquiesce to my request."

 After settling Maurice into his bassinet, Picard walked back into his bedroom to see Vash laying on her side petting Charcoal, her small black cat, who had leapt up to join her on their bed.  He made his way over to the bed, gently picking up the cat and carefully depositing the small animal outside of the room.  In response to the plaintive meow he retorted, "You're not invited to this party."

 "I take it Charcoal is not the pussy you're interested in petting tonight," Vash noted with a coy smile.

 "That is a very astute observation." he replied openly admiring the feminine jewel stretched out on his bed.  Hearing Jeanette starting to fuss over the monitor, his shoulders dropped ever so slightly and he gave a weary sigh, "many people have more than one child without having twins, so I know having sex after having a child is possible."

 "Maybe it is time to avail ourselves of the plethora of baby-sitting offers we've received from our friends," Vash suggested.

 Maurice joined in a duet with his sister, just fussing not really crying but neither child seemed inclined to sleep either.  Picard made a command decision.  "Picard to Dr. Crusher."

 "Crusher here."

 "Beverly, if you're not busy I have a favor--" the captain began.

 Sounding amused, Beverly cut him off, "After Vash's appointment this morning, I  was expecting  this call.  Pack what the twins will need for overnight and I will be by to pick them up in ten minutes."

 "Thank you, Beverly.  Picard out."  He turned to see Vash rising from the bed.

 "I'm already on it," she announced.

 When the door opened for Vash, Charcoal used the opportunity to slip back into the bedroom.  The small cat wove around Picard's ankles before hopping back up onto the bed.  Watching the animal make itself comfortable on the bed, Picard tapped his communicator again, "Picard to Data."

 "Data here, sir," came the android's prompt response.

 "Could you stop by my quarters in ten minutes?"

 "Yes, sir."

 "Thank you, Commander.  Picard out."

 Ten minutes later, Vash set the packed diaperbag down on the floor in front of the couch.  She heard the door chime and tightened the sash on her negligee's matching robe.  "Come."

 "Never fear, Doctor Crusher is here," Crusher teased entering the quarters.  "That's a lovely peignoir," she commented, "but baby drool would not be good on it."  She made her way past Vash toward the couch and expertly slung the diaperbag over her shoulder.  Looking down at the twins strapped into in their baby carriers sitting on the couch and addressed her charges with mock seriousness, "Since Mommy is all dressed up with no where to go, you two are going to come with me."

 Crusher picked up both baby carriers and headed for the door.  She paused in front of Vash to allow her to kiss both children goodnight.

 "Be good for Aunt Beverly," Vash cooed.  She looked up at Crusher and added a heartfelt, "thank you."

 "You're welcome" Beverly replied.

 Data stepped up to the door of the Captain's quarters just as it opened for Dr. Crusher to leave.  "Dr. Crusher, Vash, the Captain asked me to come by."

 "So I did, Commander," Picard said entering the room carrying a small, disgruntled, feline.  He walked over to the door.  "They are going with her," the captain stated inclining his head toward the doctor.  He handed the tiny cat to his second officer while continuing, "and this is going with you."

 Data glanced over at Vash quickly taking note of her elegant night clothes.  He turned his attention back to the captain, "Spot will be pleased with the overnight company."

 After Data and Beverly left with their respective charges, Vash regarded her husband with open amusement.  "The cat, too?"

 Giving a quick tug on the waist of his uniform jacket, he asserted, "I am intent on having sex with you tonight."

 "For some odd reason, I'm finding that rather blunt statement surprisingly romantic," she bantered back playfully.  Untying the sash that held her robe closed, she rolled her shoulders allowing it to glide from her body to fall to her feet.  Wearing a come-hither expression, she beckoned to him with a finger while taking a step backward toward the bedroom.

 Closing the distance between them in several quick strides, Picard reached out pulling her into his arms.  His mouth found hers for a deep kiss, his tongue stealing between her parted lips to explore the warm depths.  Ending the kiss, he swept her up into his arms once again carrying her toward their bed.  "Shall we try this again?"

 Instinctively, her arms encircled his neck.  She swung her legs slightly to draw attention to her 'swept off her feet' condition and teased, "I think you're enjoying the fact that you can do this to me again."

 After gently placing her on their bed, he straightened up and gripped the upper edge of his uniform jacket, swiftly ripping it open and pulling it off.  He dropped the jacket to the floor while his eyes hungrily raked over the feminine curves enticingly wrapped in satin.  With a barely-there smile, he asserted roguishly, "that was just the first in a long list of things I'm going to enjoy being able to do to you again, chere."

 The devilish expression on his handsome chiseled features along with the salacious glint in his eyes sent shivers of anticipation coursing through Vash.  The sensation spread across her breasts causing the sensitive peaks to tingle against the thin material of her nightgown.  She watched him strip off his uniform tunic tantalized by the way his every movement revealed the tightly leashed strength contained in his sculpted muscles.  He sat on the edge of the bed to take off his boots and she found herself unable to resist temptation, reaching out with one hand to lingeringly caress the solid bulge of his bicep.  When he turned to face her, she stared brazenly into his smoldering grey eyes and inquired in her finest bedroom voice, "is the good captain beginning to feel a little deprived?"

 "Yes," he whispered hoarsely his mouth descending on hers in a ravenous kiss.  Every muscle in his body tightened and his hardness grew in fervent response to her fingers impatiently tugging at his T-shirt pulling it free of his waistband.  He broke the kiss to peel his T-shirt off and toss it to the floor.

 With Jean-Luc stripped to the waist, she ran her hands over the slope of his shoulders and past the muscular wall of his chest.  The play of the strong muscles awakened fluttering butterflies in her stomach.  Her hands stroked through the coarse chest hair before roving down along the tapering lines of his torso to  his stomach.  The muscles of his abdomen contracted beneath her fingertips as they trailed down toward the waistband of his trousers.

 "Vash," he captured her small hands at his waistband to stop her from going any farther.  His body  had leapt at her touch, however, he wanted to savor this and needed the physical barrier.  He brought his hands up to slip the straps of her negligee off of her shoulders.  "I've been looking forward to making love to you," he murmured leaning in to brush his lips against the creamy, ivory skin of her shoulder.  His hands gently glided over her smooth skin while sliding the negligee down her body to banish it to the floor.  He trailed his hands up the length of her nude body demanding access to every curve.  Hearing her softly moan his name, his caresses became increasingly more possessive.

 Vash closed her eyes her entire body flushing with excitement from the heat of his powerful hands sparking against her skin.  He cupped her breasts the pressure of his thumbs drawing slow circles around the aching peaks causing the fluttering in her stomach to harden into a tight knot of need.  Her eyes flew open at his muttered oath.  She tried to control her amusement at the sight of Jean-Luc Picard with breast milk dripping from his face and chest, but his expression was her undoing.  She laughed out loud, finally managing to gasp out, "Yes, they're functional and loaded now, mon capitaine."

 "So I see," he commented drily, the humor of the situation sinking in and he chuckled softly, his baritone mingling with her lilting giggles.  Leaning over the edge of the bed, he used his T-shirt to wipe his face and chest.  "Your weapons are ineffective, madame.  I will have you."

 "O' Captain of my heart," she began dramatically.  When his fingers began combing through the dark curls at the juncture of her hips, she forgot what she had been about to say.  With a sharp gasp, she shifted her legs and arched her hips in a tacit plea for the sweet pleasure she wanted so badly.  His fingers penetrated the damp folds, sending a rush of liquid heat flooding through her.  Moving against her, into her, he further stoked the flames and her hips started to move against his hand in a familiar rhythm.  He took her just to the edge and tethered her there, his fingers sliding in and out of her while his thumb stroked her to feverish delight.  The tantalizing pressure only served to taunt her throbbing need without giving her enough to climax.  She knew what he wanted from her, to see her consumed with passion, to watch her eyes as she abandoned herself to the pleasure she was experiencing at his hands.  With great effort, her eyes fluttered open and locked with his.  She clutched at the soft bedding beneath her and begged wantonly, "oh God . . . just a little more . . . God, yes . . . harder, please . . .  faster."  Obediently, the pressure of his thumb increased and he sped up the tempo of the fingers inside her.  Held captive by his intense gaze, the knot of urgency shattered and her orgasm rocked her whole body.

 "Magnifique," Picard marveled, watching those beautiful pools of liquid blue become luminescent with mindless bliss.  The very provocative sight never failed to drive him to insatiable need. The way the wet heat of her body tightly clenched against his fingers with each caress told him she was ready for more.  Quickly stripping off his trousers, he settled between her long shapely legs and braced himself with his arms against the bed on either side of her shoulders.  He lowered his face to hers, capturing her low moan in a deep passionate kiss as he buried himself inside her in a slow, deep stroke.  He began moving in and out of her trembling depths in a slow, steady rhythm, reveling in the waves of pleasure that washed over him with her movements falling into step with his.  Their bodies moved together as if no time at all had passed since the last time they were joined like this, her supple curves instinctively molding to his.

 Vash could feel the heat and fullness of each thrust inflaming the explosive force mounting inside her; however, the leisurely tempo was tormenting her.   She pushed her hips up in an effort to speed up their tempo.  Breaking off the kiss, she panted, "more . . . Oh God, more . . . Jean-Luc, I need more . . . I want more."

 "Don't want to hurt you . . . should go easy," he rasped, struggling for control against her uninhibited response.

 "Dammit, Jean-Luc," she hissed in pure frustration.  He was still seeing her as a porcelain doll in a delicate condition and that ginger treatment just wasn't going to scratch her current itch.  She splayed her small hands across his chest and pushed up, rolling them so that she was straddling his hips.  "I don't want coddled.  I want . . . Ohhh!" she broke off with a moan of pure pleasure and gound her hips down harder against his.  Her knees pushed into his sides as she came down on him over and over, faster and faster.  With her hands braced against the damp, muscles of his broad chest, she drove both of their bodies to a cadence of furious intensity.  She clenched her fists, curled among the coarse hair of his chest, feeling his body straining to bury itself deep inside hers, the forceful thrusts of his muscular hips countering her every downward stroke.   The overwhelming pressure building inside her finally detonated in wave after wave of pleasure.  She threw her head back and crying out his name.

Hearing his name on her lips in a sweet cry of ecstasy along with her body clamping spasmodically around him shattered his control.  He tightly gripped her hips, holding himself buried inside her, and allowed his own climax to consume him.

 Collapsing against his sweat-dampened chest, Vash purred contentedly, "damn, that was good.  I've missed doing that."

 "You're going to be sore, chere," he chided gently, his concern evident in his voice.

 "Most likely," she conceded an impish sparkle lighting her eyes.  "But, you know what they say about getting back in the saddle."

 "You have a habit of referring to me as a horse," he noted.

 "A prize stallion," she cooed salaciously.

 "Vash," he sighed with slight exasperation.

 Hearing his 'plasma leak' sigh, she was unable to help herself and baited him, "would you prefer bull by the horns or maybe tiger by the tail?"

***FINIS***