A New Year
By: Amy Michelle BitterDisclaimer: ‘Star Trek: Voyager’ and its characters are owned by Paramount,
Inc. No infringements on any copyrights are intended. The story is mine!Notes: It’s a New Year’s story!
Dedication: This story is dedicated to my best friends in the galaxy! The
Parisites! This one’s for you guys! Happy New Year and best wishes for 1998!**************
‘Another year,’ Captain Kathryn Janeway thought. Another year and Voyager
still wasn’t home. She looked around her ready room and her eyes landed on
a picture. A happy picture of herself and Mark. As the years passed,
Kathryn found herself looking at the picture less and less. She used to
sleep with it under her pillow. In a way, it comforted her. It made her
feel like Mark was still with her.
However, she was going to keep her New Year’s resolution. She walked over
to the picture and picked it up. Giving it one last look, she opened her
desk drawer and placed the picture on the very bottom of the drawer.
Kathryn was moving on with her life. No more thinking about Mark. The
truth was, she wasn’t really in love with him anymore. Sure, she still
cared about him. They’d known each other since they were children. From
this point on, Kathryn was going to accept the fact that Voyager may never
get home. Wiping a tear from her eye, she left her ready room and headed
for her quarters to get ready for the New Year’s party that Neelix was
throwing.**************
“Damnit!” B’Elanna Torres swore under her breath.
“Is everything all right, Lieutenant?” Joe Carey asked noticing the chief
looked frustrated.
“I just wish these repairs would take a holiday and quit giving me so much
trouble,” B’Elanna said.
“Aren’t you off duty?” Carey asked.
“Yes, and so are you,” B’Elanna answered.
“I can handle things here tonight,” Joe said.
“Oh no, Carey,” B’Elanna said. “You are going to the party. And, so am
I. These repairs can wait.”
Joe was shocked. This was not like B’Elanna Torres to say repairs could
wait.
“Lieutenant?” he asked.
“It’s my New Year’s resolution,” Torres explained. “Tom is always telling
me I need to stop working so hard and he’s right. Now, get out of here.
I’ll see you at the party.”
“Yes ma’am,” Joe responded smiling. He exited main engineering and headed
for the turbolift. The turbolift doors parted and Joe saw two passengers
were already occupying it.
“Hello Samantha,” Joe said to Ensign Wildman as he entered the lift.
“Hi Joe,” She replied.
“Hi Joe!” Naomi said happily. “Are you going to the party?”
“Yes, I am,” he said to the girl.
“Me and mommy are going, too,” Naomi smiled. “And, I get to stay up until
2400 hours and tell everyone ‘Happy New Year!’”
Joe smiled at the girl’s eagerness. He noticed her eyes lit up just like
Samantha’s did when she talked.
“Well, I’ll see you ladies at the party,” Joe said as the lift stopped.
He exited and headed towards his quarters.**************
“Come on, B’Elanna, let’s go,” Tom called from the living room.
“I’m almost ready,” she called back.
“You said that five minutes ago,” he reminded her. “You know, I think
your New Year’s resolution should have been to quit taking so long to get
ready for our dates.”
“Very funny, Paris!” she said from the doorway. Tom turned to face
B’Elanna ready to make a sarcastic remark but upon seeing her, he was
speechless. She was wearing a black velvet dress that fell just above the
knee.
“Is Tom Paris speechless?” B’Elanna asked teasingly.
Tom walked over and put his arms around B’Elanna’s waist pulling her close
to him. “B’Elanna,” he said. “If I ever hassle you about taking too long
to get ready again, just remind me that it’s worth the wait. You look
beautiful.”
“Thank you, Tom,” she smiled and kissed him. “Now, let’s go.”**************
Harry smiled as he looked around the mess hall. Neelix did a great job
with the decorations, as usual.
“Hello Ensign,” a voice from behind him said.
“Seven,” he smiled. “Happy New Year.”
Seven looked puzzled for a moment and then replied, “And to you.”
“Come on, let’s go talk with some people,” Harry suggested.
Seven looked uncomfortable and Harry noticed it. “Is something wrong?”
“I am not good at....” she thought for the right word, “making small talk.”
“It’s easy,” Harry assured her. “Just stick with me, I’ll help you.”
Harry took her hand and Seven reluctantly followed him over to where
Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay were standing.
“Happy New Year,” Chakotay greeted both of them.
“Seven, how do you like New Year’s so far?” Janeway asked.
“I am uncertain about some of the customs,” Seven replied.
“Well, maybe I can help, what are you confused about?” Janeway asked.
“I do not understand ‘New Year’s resolutions’,” Seven said.
“People promise to do something in the new year that they hadn’t done in
the past year,” the Captain explained.
“Interesting,” Seven replied.**************
The hours passed and it came closer to midnight. There was only 10
minutes left. Seven found herself standing alone in the corner once more.
“There you are,” Harry said making his way over to her. “I’ve been
looking for you.”
“Why?” She inquired.
“I wanted to know if you’d like to dance,” he smiled.
“Dance?” she furrowed her brow.
“Like that,” Harry motioned to the couples dancing.
“I do not know how to dance,” Seven said.
“It’s easy,” Harry assured her. “Just follow my lead.”
He took her hand and lead her to the dance floor.
“Now what?” She asked.
“We have to get a little closer,” he said and placed his hand on her hip.
She returned the gesture.
“No,” Harry laughed. “You put your hand here.” He placed her hand on his
shoulder. He took her other hand in his.
“Now what?” she inquired.
“Now, we dance,” he said.Naomi Wildman was still awake and bursting with excitement. She was
standing with Neelix, her mother and Joe Carey. However, she found the
conversation boring. She preferred to watch the couples dance. She saw
Tom and B’Elanna holding each other close. Captain Janeway and Chakotay
dancing and talking. Even Harry and Seven.
“Neelix?” She asked.
“Yes, Naomi?” he asked.
“Do you know how to dance?” She asked.
“Well, yes, but I’m not very good at it,” he admitted.
“Teach me!” she demanded. “Please.”
“Don’t I get a dance?” Joe Carey asked pretending to be hurt.
“You dance with mommy,” Naomi instructed.
“I’d love to,” Joe smiled and held his hand out to Samantha.
She smiled back and accepted his hand and they moved to the dance floor.
Neelix took his goddaughter’s hand and twirled her around. Her blond hair
flying as she moved.
“Dancing is fun!” she exclaimed.
“It’s almost time,” Neelix said to her.
“It’s midnight!” she said.
“In a few seconds it will be,” he replied.
The music stopped and Neelix began to count down.
“Ten...nine...eight..seven...six five...four...three...two...one! Happy New
Year!”THE END!
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