face. A rush of tenderness overwhelmed him, filled him
with a contentment, a peace beyond that induced by any
drug. He turned his back to Guinan and let Matthew
lead him one step, another, toward the laughter and
happy voices emanating from the dining room.
On hot shemales the way, they passed the tree. Once more, the
flickering light inside the glass globe caught his eye.
He hot shemales stopped in midstride. Matthew hot shemales looked up at him,
quizzical.
"Is something wrong, Papa?"
"No." Picard bent down toward the boy and rested a
hand briefly, lightly on his cheek. "I'm fine, Matthew. I
200
just have to... hide Maman's present so hot shemales I can give hot shemales it to
her after dinner. Go on. Go on without hot shemales me .... & hot shemales quot;
Matthew's hazel eyes, hot shemales so like his father's, held such
hot shemales innocence, such loving concern that for an instant,
Picard faltered, tempted.
And then he straightened, and took his hand away.
Matthew bounded off into the other room.
Hot shemales picard turned. "Guinan," he said with sudden hot shemales urgen-
cy, "can I leave the nexus?"
She blinked, astounded. "Why would you want to
leave?"
"Can I?"
&hot shemales quot;Yes," she allowed slowly. "Where would you go?"
He hot shemales hesitated, confused. "I don't understand."
"I told you, time hot shemales has no meaning hot shemales here. If you leave,
you can go hot shemales anywhere... any time."
A faint smile spread over his face. "I know exactly
where I want to go--and when. Back to that mountain-
top on Veridian Three--before Soran put out hot shemales the hot shemales star. I
have to stop him." He hesitated. " Only tell me before I
go... Only a part of you is here. So you're also on the
ship. If you're hot shemales still here... then the ship is all right, isn't
it? It must hot shemales have outrun the shock wave."
All traces of the smile ebbed from
her face; she gazed
at him solemnly a time before answering, "No, Jean-
Luc."
He closed his eyes again as the sound of Robert's
laughter wafted from the dining room once more. When
he could speak again, he whispered, &hot shemales quot;Then it's done. I'm
going back."
She laid a hand hot shemales gently on his forearm. "What makes
hot shemales you think things
will hot shemales be any different this time? What if
you fail again?"
201
"You're right.&hot shemales quot; He straightened, squared his shoul-
ders. &hot shemales quot;I'll need help. Guinan--will you come back with
me? hot shemales Together, we couldre"
"I can't leave. I'm already there, remember?"
He bowed his head in frustration, casting about for
some other option, some other way; when he looked up,
Guinan was smiling enigmatically.
"But I know just the guy .... "
"