This short story is an answer to the classic challenge for Star Trek TNG fan fiction writers - "what was it that Beverly was going to tell Picard but never managed to?"
This is my solution, a cliché I know but I hope with some new twists.
Disclaimer : Paramount own all the TNG characters, I'm just exercising them .
The place is Picard's cabin on the Enterprise.
The time is three weeks after Nemesis.
Beverly is about to leave the Enterprise for her new posting.
She and Jean-Luc are having breakfast together for the last time.
Picard poured her another coffee, but didn't speak. Neither of them had said anything for several minutes. It wasn't that they had nothing to say it was just they couldn't trust themselves not to become emotional. Data's recent death has caused tears enough.
"Have you heard from Wesley?" Picard asked, hoping this was a safe subject.
"Yes, he's going to join me on Earth for a while. He says he ought to 'learn more about his home planet'."
"Tell him to visit France." Picard quipped.
"I will." She smiled and and went silent again.
Another minute passed before she asked cautiously, "Jean-Luc ... does Wesley remind you of Jack?"
"He has the same honesty, the same generosity of spirit, but with regard to his looks? ...I think he reminds me more of your father than of Jack. You showed me some pictures once."
"I remember, and I think you're right. ... But then you see there's no reason for Wesley to resemble Jack ... you see Jack couldn't have children."
This revelation came as a complete shock. Picard stared at her open mouthed. Why was she telling him this now?
"We needed help, Jack and I ... so we used a donor - anonymous. Fortunately there are men who are willing ..."
Picard gave an embarrassed little cough. "I know, I once ...."
"Did you? I know I shouldn't ask but I'm curious...What made you decide to do so?"
"Well ..." Did he have to answer? He rubbed a hand over his head. "I think it was some time after you and Jack got married. I'd come to accept I was never going to get married myself, or have children so I volunteered ..... For all I know there maybe a son of mine out there. I hope he's happier than Shinzon."
"He is."
"What?" Picard was baffled.
"Your son, he went through a tough patch but now he's doing fine now."
"Beverly, don't joke about this, please!"
"I'm not joking Jean-Luc. Wesley's your son."
He turned white.
"I found out 14 years ago - by accident. I had nothing to do one afternoon and decided to list all the people on the Enterprise who had inherited some form of genetic defect. You can imagine my surprise when you came up and with the same rare hearing problem as Wesley. To start with I dismissed it as pure coincidence but later I couldn't resist the temptation to compare your DNA. ...
You're a match. There's no mistake."
"Oh God." Picard buried his face in his hands. A tight band was constricting his chest. "Why did you have to tell me?"
"Because I'm not the only one who knows. Dr Sellar does and so does Dr Pullaski and since this episode with Shinzon others amongst the medical staff know about your defective hearing gene. One of them might start matching medical records the way I did. I couldn't risk you finding out from someone else."
Picard got up in an effort to breathe more easily.
"14 years! I can't believe it. You've known for 14 years?"
"Since my first year on the Enterprise."
He froze. An idea occurred to him. "Your first year? Is THAT why you accepted a transfer off the ship!"
"Yes. And then Wesley went and asked to stay with you." She gave a little laugh and stood up next to him. "He picked the father figure he wanted and it was you."
She put her hands gently on his shoulders.
"No!" Picard shook her off. He was almost in tears.
"He's Jack's son! He's Jack's son! My friend died but he left a son."
"You think I don't know that! Jack IS his father. Wesley exists because Jack and I loved each other and we wanted a child. WE caused him to be created. Nothing can undo that. But I'm not sorry you're the donor. I was as shocked as you are when I found out. I was also scared stiff people would assume you and I had had an affair. But I've got over that now. Now I'm glad it's someone I know and love and not just an anonymous strange."
She risked touching him again, when he didn't resist and she wrapped her arms around him. "Is it so awful to find he's yours too?"
He lifted his face from her shoulder. "I don't know yet. I'm too stunned to feel anything. You know how much I care for him, it's just ...it's just ..."
"Come and visit us before your next mission will you? Wesley knows Jack isn't his biological father and why. But he doesn't know about you. He needs telling."
"It's going to hit him hard."
"Then I think you should be there to help him, don't you?"