...December 25th..

..2267...Planet Colo...12:30 PM...

Whatever happened to Sexton J. Shuttey? Good question, go ask John-Luc that. I know nothing of what happened to that young man. Picard told me a lot about Shuttey and his action-giddy partner George Karter. I still remember most of the men Picard had told me about who he had known aboard the original Enterprise and those alien beings he has squared off against. He has enough stories to fulfill a lifetime wish of never having a boring life. Many good stories to tell a child.

Picard decided to go: alone.

Probably because he had seen the rubble that had housed a great and despicable evil taken upon beings that should never had been encountered in the first place. A race with a name I preferably wouldn't use in broad day. Today starts the extinction of the tech puppies on the planet Colo. I believe the Kolosters wouldn't want to mess with us for a few decades until they are certain the infestation has been wiped. I feel like I want to be part of this reconstruction era for Colo. Help them. Where is this coming from? Perhaps I have been around human beings for too long.

Screw that, I am one of them!

It is a nice change to transition from war to peace that I will admit to.

I had a sip of apple juice from a cup then place it on the table. I had created a system of holo-emitters to make a Christmas scenery in the empty room with plants taking over the rafters, not a dead body lay, but there were plenty of cleanness to it. I had installed these emitters after getting rid of the dirt and restoring the building to its original beauty but the plants were hopeless. I wanted to make my return rather privately than have Picard standing there stunned speechless and unable to do anything surrounded by people he trusted. Why yes I do give a crap about humiliating him.

I knew John-Luc too well.

"Quarty?" I heard Picard.

He probably just made his way past the door that had a holoprogram picture of Worf with a Santa Hat on his head appearing to be stoic as usual. He probably looked down at the very real brown 'welcome' matt. He probably let himself into this otherwise public place where there once had been a garden behind it. I liked to visit here two years ago to get my thoughts together on issues I was having with work or class assignments. It was one of the helpful ways that kept me going and together. Never-mind how Karen taught me to control my anger. Never-mind how Stronghurst showed me even the lanky boys with long arms can squeeze their way into the smallest spaces to retrieve something. Never-mind the Kolosters. It was this place I could stare at the window and place the excuse on the birds that often were funny.

But Karen and Stronghurst knew why I visited.

"Hello,hello,helloooo!" I said.

Picard stepped into the room where the light is dimmed and the shine coming from lightbulbs almost makes this a little cozy in a christmas kind of way. I had a artifact in my hands that is a miniture version of a stargate that is operable (even though humans have yet to figure that out) with a DHD aka the Dial Home Device is about the size of a hand fashioned to appear like a token when really it is not. It works for small items. This Stargate is designed to appear as though it is a enlarged bracelet. It was once used to smuggle items to different planets by the ones who created the gates when visiting a planet seemed unwise. Picard froze at first speechless to see me with a smile.

The hand Gate can be adjusted to the size of a small box.

Furniture and animals can go through but not humans.

That is the one rule that can be not broken.

"Quarty?" Picard asked, at first unsure.

"Merry Christmas, John-Luc," I decided to say.

"I'll judge that for myself," Picard said. "When was the first time I ever met you?"

"2265," I said, as Picard approached me.

Picard raised his right brow.

"What was the first thing you said?" Picard asked.

"Jean-Luc," I said. "And you corrected me..." Picard came closer lowering his eyebrow. "After insisting I call you 'Picard'."

The next I find myself in a rather warm hug.

Now, before I would have been very uncomfortable with hugs since I wasn't the kind as a Q to get them nor tolerate them. But I am not a Q any longer. I embrace these rare hugs as a gift that brighten my year. I heard Picard say, "Quarty, I've missed you." For once I didn't fell awkward. I felt joy, a rush of happy feelings coming from my heart. Hugs were once used to hide feelings that the other person has and there are people who do not like hugs because of that. I wrap my arms around Picard's back and replied back with, "Me too."

We heard a slow steady clap from across.

That must have been ten minutes into our hug.

What are you staring at me for? I have really missed Picard.

I slide my arms off his back and we broke the hug turning toward the direction of the clapping. I should have known it would be the infamous Trelane. I stopped Picard short from going after him by grabbing Picard's arm. Oh the mean look Trelane got from the Vulcan was probably the best one I seen from Picard.

"Brilliant," Trelane said. "Now I should do the last thing to tidy things up."

"Leave. us. alone." Picard said.

Trelane's face did not falter but it only brightened.

"I now declare you as husband and husband!" Trelane said.

In a white flash on my wedding finger was a ring and the same happened to Picard.

"Trelane, we are not married!" I shouted at him.

"Close enough," Trelane said. "And you can never ever take these rings off. Father, I have just wed you to John-Luc's very existence and you two are bound by the power of the Q together spiritually."

"Bound together," Picard said.

"Spiritually?" I added. "I don't believe in ghosts."

"You have forever together," Trelane said, with a smirk. "Round three was supposed to teach you that whatever happens; you will come back for each other no matter the circumstance and you are never going to be alone."

"Trelane," Picard said.

"Yes?" Trelane asked.

"Long as I am alive," Picard said. "You are not going to be tearing us apart again."

"But that wasn't my fault!" Trelane insisted.

"Enough with the lies," Picard said.

"But--It was the universes whole doing," Trelane said. "I really had no part in whatever happened."

"An elaborate scheme," I said. "To prove how much I neglect q for the Enterprise. That is cruel..."

"But he makes a good point," Picard said. "We do get together...No matter what happens. At the end...We work together." Picard appeared to be confused. "I should not know this!" He glared at Trelane. "Take it away."

"You are a team," Trelane said. "Partners forever. Round four will begin...2285. That is one of the last lessons I have. Round five...It will be in 2340."

"So specific," Picard said.

I frowned.

"Trelane..." I started.

"I will not be the creator of these events," Trelane said. "I swear by it." He held up his right hand onto his chest. "Squires honor!"

"You mean 'Scouts' honor," Picard said.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Trelane said. "See you in a 2340, Father!"

Trelane vanished in a white flash.

Picard turned toward me.

"We are a team," Picard said. "That he is right on."

"Indeed," I said.

Picard lowered himself down to my level.

"In fact, you are my Teal'c and I am your O'Niel," Picard said.

I had a smile.

O'Neil and Teal'c were perhaps well known in the continuum and the universe for their actions along with SG-1 to save the various planets they encountered and mapped many worlds. It had been an honor to come across these two three thousand long years ago on a site referred to in another universe as the Betazed site. I shook hands with the great and late O'Neil. They didn't know at the time who I was. I pretended to be a village person. But Teal'c knew what I was; the Jaffa had some little conflict with me regarding figure of speech. It did not really turn out pretty at the end.

"Yes," I said. "You are right."

Picard picked me up into his arms.

"I never expected you to be so light," Picard joked.

Mind you I don't have a goatee.

I had a smile.

"Hahaha," I laughed. "I have always been light for you, Mon capitaine."

Just like that we ended up into a very passionate and real kiss that melted me. Well, you get the drift of course. There is a private room built into the building. Cozed up in his arms made me feel so homely and happy. I felt content with my life. My heart was racing. My palms felt like they could sweat a real tidal wave over the California shore. California's water source now is replaced by a synthetic water source made to seem real. It can grow fruit, grass, and have the same moister. But it is not naturally made.

"Quarty," Picard asked, after the kiss had ended.

Picard was heading toward the bedroom with me in his arms.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Promise me you'll never leave me again like that," Picard said.

"I promise," I said. "In fact I swear! I will never leave the man I love."