StarDate: 43616.2

We will be entering an orbit around the planet Earth soon and will be visiting the city of Roswell, NM. Dr. Pickerd has just made a surprising discovery that she is in fact related to the young woman who disappeared at such a young age and who indisputably wrote the journal that we have in our possession. I personally have some news for the new doctor that might give her another good shock.

Alexis was in her quarters finishing up getting ready for her "Welcome Aboard Party". She made a few finishing touches to her make up, headed out the door, and bumped right into Captain Picard.

"Am I that late that you had to come get me," Alexis laughed.

Jean-Luc gave a shy smile and a soft chuckle himself. "No, actually I just wanted to talk with you for a minute before you came. May we sit down?" he asked.

Alexis saw how nervous the Captain looked and immediately was concerned. Had she done something wrong? Was there something wrong with the Captain? What in the world could he have to say that he wanted to talk alone, now? However, Alexis knew Captain Picard's type. He would be upset even more if she drew attention to his nervousness so she decided to play it cool.

"Of course, Captain. Please come inside my quarters and make yourself comfortable," she said smiling warmly.

Jean-Luc took a seat in a chair and Alexis sat on the couch opposite him, waiting for him to begin. Her heart went out to him as he cleared his throat several times and situated himself in his seat.

"What I have to tell you is going to give you quite a shock. I guess I should start from the beginning. Almost thirty years ago, I was serving on a star ship that had seen a lot of action. I needed a vacation and so I took a much-needed shore leave to the planet Loren III," he began.

"That's my home planet, Captain; you made a nice choice, Loren III is a very beautiful planet," Alexis interrupted.

"Yes, so I understand. Well, while I was there, I met someone. She was beautiful and sweet and I . . . well I fell in love with her. My two week shore leave turned into two months and then into three months. I never take time off so I had it all saved up but when I met this woman I almost requested a transfer to the base there at Loren III. I asked her to marry me for I knew that she loved me too," Jean-Luc continued. He got up and stared out the window at the beautiful star-filled blackness in front of him. "However, she turned me down. She told me that she loved me but that my heart was in the stars and she would not ask me to give that up. She knew me better than I knew myself because I thought that I could give that up and I probably could have but I would have regretted it from time to time. I left her there and went on in my career in Starfleet."

The Captain came back to his chair and looked intently into Alexis's face, into her eyes to watch for a reaction for what he was about to tell her. "Alexis, I just found out recently that she had a child, a daughter by me. I would never have left her if I had known about this child but maybe that's why this woman never told me about her, my daughter that is. Even when I went back to see her a couple of years later, she didn't mention any of it to me."

Alexis looked a little confused for a moment but then the realization started to sink in. No! It could NOT be! Her father was dead, killed by Romulans. She turned pale and asked the Captain to go on.

"This woman was beautiful. She had dark brown hair and warm dancing brown eyes that could look right into your soul. She was very quiet and thoughtful and I loved her a great deal. Alexis, you are my daughter," he finished.

The energy of the moment was suddenly drained from him and he let out a huge sigh. He finally started to breathe again. Then he noticed that Alexis Pickerd wasn't moving or saying anything. She had turned a ghastly white pasty color and he was afraid that at any moment she might hit the floor.

When Alexis finally spoke, it was in a whisper so low that Jean-Luc had to strain to hear her. "You are my father? How can that be?" She seemed to come to herself and some of her coloring returned. "You are my father! Mother told me that my last name came from you but I couldn't find any records of a Starfleet captain named Pickerd. She didn't tell me so that I couldn't find you too soon. My last name should be Picard! She's told me since I was little that she loved you so much that she had to let you go back to your dreams in the stars and that you never knew about me. There were so many clues and I missed them all some how!"

Alexis was so excited by now that she couldn't help but jumping up and throwing her arms around the Captain's neck. It took Jean-Luc by surprise but he found himself putting his arms around her too. This was his daughter!

* * * * * * * * * * *

Later that night as Alexis got ready to go to bed, she thought about all of the things she had learned during her short time on the Enterprise. She had found several big pieces in the puzzle of her ancestors, she had found a father, discovered a possible change in the history of Earth, and had scored a date with the first officer, Will Riker. She had enjoyed herself at the party given in her honor but she couldn't really concentrate. She couldn't wait to get back into her quarters and pick up the journal.

The Captain had announced to his crew the discovery of his daughter earlier at the party and they had cancelled the session with Deanna. They would talk on their own first and then talk with the Counselor. Alexis looked forward to getting to know her father and the Captain seemed just as happy to have found her.

Now she pulled out the journal and before she opened it she closed her eyes, trying to remember as much about what she had already read as she could. So many images flashed through her mind, a short curly blond headed girl, a dark haired girl that looked much like herself, a dark haired, quiet boy with telling eyes. She saw so many others, all of them familiar to her and yet she knew them not at all! How did she know that Max was so quiet? This wasn't just her imagination; these were someone's memories yet they couldn't be her own.

Alexis woke up the next morning with the journal still clutched in her hands. She got up and got ready to go to work. Today she would be helping Dr. Crusher in Sick Bay with a few check ups. Alexis couldn't wait to get to Roswell. They would be arriving in orbit to Earth in approximately 4 hours. She had to see this place.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"I still don't understand why I should get a check up today!" Captain Picard protested as Alexis pulled out her hand scanner.

"Do not argue with me on this, Captain Picard," she told him authoritatively, "I have your stubbornness in me and I will prevail on this matter. You are a member of this crew and as such, you will get a yearly check up. Now hold still." Alexis looked at her father defiantly and he realized she was right, she had gotten his stubbornness. He gave in.

Just as Alexis finished up with Jean-Luc, there was a flash of light and suddenly standing before them both in a Starfleet uniform was a man Alexis didn't recognize and Captain Picard groaned in recognition. This man had an unusual gleam in his eyes. His smile seemed to be full of mischief and Alexis was immediately on guard.

"Q! What are you doing here?" Picard asked obviously upset.

"What a welcome Jean-Luc! I would have thought after everything we've been through together that you might be a little more hospitable. By the way, who's this gorgeous young creature," the creature named Q retorted. As he asked about Alexis, he took her hand and kissed it.

"I'm Dr. Alexis Picard, and you are?" she asked him, suddenly amused by this creature.

"Oh, no! You aren't related to this boring human are you? Well no matter, I can see that you aren't near as boring as Jean-Luc," Q said, his voice oozing with charm.

"Q, what do you want?" Jean-Luc asked impatiently. He didn't like this enemy of his drooling all over his daughter; who knows what he would do if she didn't like him!

"I came, dear Jean-Luc, to meet the newest member of your crew and to tell you that your mission is going to take you a very long time without my help. I am offering my services."

"We don't need your services, Q, and what do you know about our mission anyway," the Captain snapped.

Alexis's ears perked up at Q's words, however. How could this creature who appeared out of nowhere help her find out about her people? She was interested in knowing the answer to this but it was clear that her father had had previous dealings with this creature and they must not have been good.

"Temper, temper, Jean-Luc. I have been following you ever since I found out there was a new member on the Enterprise. Your ship's affairs so interest me, you know. Besides, Healers have an interesting history with Earth and in general," Q continued dramatically, "What you have already learned has changed Earth's history in that you must know by now that the first contact was not with Vulcans after the third world war. What you will eventually learn will also change the history of Starfleet."

Alexis was definitely interested now. Q had just confirmed that everything she had learned so far about Roswell, NM and Liz Parker was true. She waited for this creature to continue.

Seeing the interest in his daughter's eyes, Jean-Luc Picard decided to put an end to this right now. He answered Q calmly, "We will learn it on our own, then, Q. Thank you for your offer but we would much rather discover all of this on our own. Now I would thank you to leave my ship."

Q narrowed his eyes at the Captain and answered, "As you wish, Captain," and he was gone as quickly as he came.

Alexis looked disappointed but not too very and the Captain said that he had to get back to the bridge. They would soon enter an orbit around Earth. As soon as he had left and Alexis started to straighten things up, the creature suddenly reappeared.

"I know that you were interested, Dr. Picard. Would you like to learn more? I can show you so much more than you'd ever be able to see on this star ship," he told Alexis. "I've been watching you and you interest me. I know what you've already learned from that journal that you found. Do you want my help to learn more?"

Alexis bit her lip in concentration. She was so tempted, she wanted to learn about her people so badly. However, she knew that accepting Q's help would be undermining her superior's authority, not to mention her father's. She made up her mind.

"I'm sorry, Q. I really would like to accept your generous offer, but if I did I would be going against my superior officer and my father. I can't accept right now," she told him.

"You said that so nicely that I'm going to give you that opportunity in the future. Any time you change your mind, you call my name, Q, and I'll be right there with you to show you all about your ancestors. Fascinating creatures, Healers are and you are definitely fascinating too," he told her, and with that he disappeared again.

Alexis marveled again at the wondrous things she was learning on the Enterprise and the people she was meeting. She made a mental note to be sure and transmit a thank you to Admiral Tauk for putting her here. She would do that after she got back from Roswell.