Disclaimer: paramount owns all of these wonderful characters and I‘m just borrowing them. Since this is purely for enjoyment and not profit I ask that you take pity and don‘t sue (besides , I‘m 14 and don‘t have anything to sue for.)This is my first story and feedback is welcome and can be E-mailed to me at pamela.iloverobbie@pt4ever.zzn.com This story is rated pg (probably more like g but I like to be on the safe side.)...ENJOY!!! Summary: This is a p/t story based mainly on the relationship between Tom Paris and B‘Elanna Torres. Tom is injured in a terrible accident on an away mission. The crew is faced with a great fear that they may loose one of their own and B‘Elanna is devastated...
HOPES AND FEARS
Chapter #1-
There was a cool afternoon breeze softly caressing the faces of the away team on Clarice - 4. The four officers on the small, delta quadrant planet included chief engineer B‘Elanna Torres, Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, Ensign Harry Kim and lieutenant Tom Paris.
"Over hear!" exclaimed B‘Elanna. She couldn‘t keep the excitement out of her voice. They had been searching the planet for dilithium crystals for more than four hours and were about to give up hope.
"Finally!" said a relieved Harry. He ran over to her side to study her findings. The others hastened to her side as well. Apparently B‘Elanna had moved a few rocks around and discovered a large cave with a few light destines of dilithium in the entrance.
"Come on," she said "there‘s probably more inside."
"That coarse of action is not advisable lieutenant," recommended Tuvok. " The wall could be highly unstable. I suggest only two of us go in and the other two of us will stay out here and keep looking.B‘Elanna thought for a moment. "Agreed, you and Harry keep looking and Tom and I will go inside."
"Acknowledged,"replied Tuvok, "we‘ll meet back here in forty minutes ." While Harry Kim and Tuvok remained outside , Tom and B‘Elanna began to crawl cautiously into the deep , dark crevice. It didn‘t take long before they came to a fork in the cave.
Chapter #2- Tragedy
"So," said Tom,"Do we split up or stick together ?" Suddenly it seemed they weren‘t just talking about the cave anymore. There relationship had come from hate to love in a matter of weeks and sometimes they weren‘t sure what they were really talking about, the matter at hand or something deeper.
She stared into his eyes. "I say we stay together," she finally said. He met her gaze and kept it for a moment.
"I say your right,"he answered , "let‘s go this way ." He pointed to the right . They started in that direction until they found what they were the looking for.
" Here‘s something B‘Elanna !" exclaimed Tom.
B‘Elanna smiled , "Great , start digging." They had only been digging for about ten minutes when the ground began to shake.
"What the hell was that?" demanded B‘Elanna .
"I think it was an earthquake," said Tom , "let‘s get out of here!" They ran but the nearest exit was over six-hundred feet away. Would they be able to make it on time? A large piece of the cave‘s ceiling collapsed . It was about a meter long and pretty wide. B‘Elanna turned to make sure Tom was right behind her. He wasn‘t. A piece of rock had fallen and hit his head. He lied about twenty feet away from her, unconscious . The whole cave was beginning to fall in. It was up to B‘Elanna now. They would probably both die anyway but if B‘Elanna ran quickly she may be able to save herself. But no , she couldn‘t leave Tom. There‘s no way she‘d ever leave him here. She ran over to him. It didn‘t take him long to come to. He looked up into her eyes and begged her to get out of the cave."Run," he said "save yourself !"
"No," she answered, "I can‘t leave you ! Now common , we have to work together."
Tom struggled but couldn‘t move.
"It‘s no use!" he said. His eyes began to close.
Chapter #3
"Ensign Kim," Tuvok sounded calm despite his worries. "That tremor may have caused some damage to the cave. Lieutenants Paris and Torres may be in trouble."
"Should we go in?" asked Harry concerned.
"I suggest we contact the Captain." With that the vulcan pressed his comm badge. "Tuvok to Captain Janeway."The Captain answered, "Janeway here, what is it Tuvok?"
"While searching for the dilithium crystals, Lieutenants Paris and Torres went to check a large cave. While they were still inside there was a small tremor. I think they may be in need of assistance."
"Well," answered Captain Janeway, "don‘t go in after them. I will send a search party down as soon as possible. For now I would like you and Harry to beam up. If this was an earthquake the aftershock may not be quite so gentle."
"Understood," replied Tuvok ," Ensign Kim and I are ready to return to Voyager."
Chapter #4 - Hopeless Tears
"Tom? Tom!?No!!!" B‘Elanna began to panic as Tom‘s breathing slowed and a peaceful look came over him. Despite her nerves she had to try and help her friend . She bent down and began CPR Just as she was about to give up she felt Tom‘s hand squeeze her‘s. Though his eyes never opened , this gave her a small hope to cling on to. A hope that he‘d be alright. She continued the CPR for a moment until Tom‘s eyes finally opened. B‘Elanna didn‘t know what to say . But then again she didn‘t have to , her face said it all. Tom stared deep into her beautiful brown eyes with his equally gorgeous blue ones and told her that he loved her. B‘Elanna felt wonderful. He‘d never actually told her that before and she never really knew what it was like to be loved. But that wonderful moment faded quickly because almost immediately after finishing his sentence Tom‘s hand which had been tightly holding on to B‘Elanna‘s fell limp to the cave floor. At first a single tear fell from her eye to Tom‘s face but then she cried harder than ever before , barely uttering Tom‘s name through a sob.
Chapter #5 -
Ensign Kim and Tuvok disappeared from the planet and became visible in a small transporter bay on‘ Voyager. Captain Janeway was waiting for them.
"Report, " she requested.
Surprisingly enough Ensign Kim was the first to answer. His voice sounded uneasy. "Tom and B‘Elanna are still down there. They may just be trapped but if that cave were to collapse on them , I can‘t see either one of them surviving. I‘m really worried."Janeway turned to her chief of security . "Tuvok , accompany an away team of four security officers to the planet. Voyager will remain in orbit until Tom and B‘Elanna are safely back on the ship."
"Aye , Captain," responded the Vulcan. As Tuvok turned and left the room the Captain turned to her operations officer.
"Don‘t worry Harry , I‘m sure Tom and B‘Elanna will be alright."
"Sure," said Harry not meaning for it to sound sarcastic. "Um , is there anything I can do?""Actually there is ," replied Janeway understandingly, "They‘ll probably need some help in main engineering until B‘Elanna returns."
Harry nodded and left the room.
Chapter #6 - High Hopes
B‘Elanna had stopped crying and was trying to fallasleep. While trying to save her friends life she to had been severely wounded and had suffered a great loss of blood. There was no way out now. She was trapped and feeling very dizzy. It was just a matter of time before the whole cave collapsed or until she lost consciousness. Which ever happened first. Just then B‘Elanna heard a small noise like footsteps. At first she just ignored it but then the sound became louder and seemed closer. She heard some rocks being moved and then saw the familiar face of Tuvok along with four other security officers from Voyager. Tuvok looked first at B‘Elanna then at Tom then back to B‘Elanna again where he lifted an eyebrow.
"What happened to Mr. Paris ?" he questioned logically.
B‘Elanna‘s voice was shaky. "We were trying to get out but...but," she had trouble finishing her sentence. She swallowed hard. "we didn‘t make it." She paused for a minute. "He‘s dead." She finished with a grave look on her face and a penetrating sadness in her eyes.
"He may not be," answered Tuvok in an attempt to reassure B‘Elanna, "let‘s get both of you to sickbay and see what the doctor thinks." This sparked a little bit of hope within B‘Elanna. After all , Tuvok would probably right. They carefully exited the cave without any more casualties. After all were safely away from the dangerous crevice B‘Elanna knelt by Tom and rested his head on her lap. She glanced at Tuvok.
"Ready," she said hesitantly. Tuvok nodded in acnowledgement.
He tapped his comm badge softly."Lieutenant Tuvok to Voyager. Seven to beam up. Beam lieutenants Paris and Torres directly to sickbay.
Chapter #7 -
B‘Elanna glanced around at the familiar surroundings of sickbay. She saw the doctor waiting and gave him a brief overview of what happened. After finishing her short but accurate account of the terrifying moments leading up to the devastating accident she looked at Tom.
"So?" she asked."So what", countered the doctor. B‘Elanna shot him a glare.
"So," she responded , "can you tell me if he‘s going to be alright?"
"I don‘t know ," answered the hologram flatly.
"What do you mean you don‘t know!?" shouted B‘Elanna, anger flaring up in her dark brown eyes."What I mean ," answered the hologram slightly annoyed but remaining calm, "is that I can‘t say whether or not Mr. Paris will be alright until he has been properly examined!" There was silence for a minute. the doctor was the first to break it. "Now , help me get him on to a bed and then go lay on one yourself. I would like to look you over as well." B‘Elanna was calm when she spoke.
"No , I ah want to stay here...with him. She stood by him. He looked so pale and sickly. She prayed to God he would be alright.
"The doctor‘s right , B‘Elanna." She spun around to see that the Captain had entered sickbay. To check on her two injured officers , no doubt.
"Yes , Captain," answered B‘Elanna. She took one last look at Tom before reluctantly walking over to another bed and laying down. the Captain turned her attention to the Doctor.
"Report ," she said , secretly awaiting the worst.
"Well," replied the Doctor , "I wish I had better news. Mr. Paris is in a terrible condition. there are still a few living brain cells but that‘s it. With 7‘s help I may be able to bring him back but I won‘t lie to you Captain , there is a high possibility of severe brain injury. Even under the best circumstances... we will probably never see the Tom Paris we once knew and respected again."The Captain stared at the lifeless body of her senior crew member and friend. "I see," she managed to spit out , "Well , this isn‘t a decision for me to make alone." She tapped her comm badge. "All senior staff members meet me in the briefing room immediately." She turned to B‘Elanna , "Have the Doctor make sure you‘re alright then come to the meeting. I promise not to start without you." B‘Elanna only nodded for fear that she would cry if she attempted to speak.
Chapter #8 - Making Decisions
B‘Elanna had entered the meeting and and glancing at the empty seat across from her, her heart sank. It was the seat that Tom would normally be sitting in. She then, like everyone else, turned her attention to the Captain and waited for her to speak. When she did, it was with great seriousness that she told them what the Doctor had told her. After she finished explaining the risks and benefits she looked at each member of her senior crew. 7 and Tuvok‘s faces were void of emotion but Janeway detected a hint of concern in their eyes. Chakotay and Neelix were badly shaken up about the recent turn of events but were both looking extremely thoughtful as they closely examined the options. Harry Kim‘s expression was one of a deep sadness. His best friend couldn‘t die. And B‘Elanna. Her expression was hard to read, but not impossible. She was obviously disturbed by what had happened to Tom and though she tried to hide it, the Captain could tell she really cared about him. then the Captain saw something that surprised her. Was that fear she saw in her chief engineers‘ eyes ?B‘Elanna had never seemed to be afraid of anything. *maybe B‘Elanna cares more about Tom than I thought,*she mused. Chakotay was the first to break the long silence.
"This seems a little too risky to me,"he said ,"chances are he‘d be better off without the operation."
"But he‘ll die!" B‘Elanna intercepted. Chakotay was still calm when he spoke.
"Yes , but with the operation he will not be the same. He won‘t even be able to feed himself. Wouldn‘t you rather die then live like that?"
"We don‘t know that for a fact!" said B‘Elanna, trying her hardest to control her temper in front of the Captain.
"I‘m afraid I must agree with Commander Chakotay," said Tuvok who had been silent up until now. "The operation is entirely to risky."
"Well , I think B‘Elanna‘s right ," chimed in Ensign Kim "We can‘t just sit around and do nothing!" Neelix too agreed that they should go through with the operation. The Captain turned to 7.
"So 7 , what do you think?" Like Janeway , 7 was apparently undecided , so the Captain decided to go with the majority.
"Okay ," she said "Tom will have the operation. Dismissed." Then without drawing too much attention she softly said , "Lieutenant Torres, would you remain for a minute please." B‘Elanna turned around. The Captain motioned for her to sit down. B‘Elanna was worried. She assumed she would get chewed out for nearly shouting at Chakotay but the Captain knew her better then that and knew she had meant no disrespect. The Captain forced a sad smile and stood up. Finally she stood up. "B‘Elanna , I know how you and Tom feel about each other and I also know when a member of my crew needs my support. Whether they need somewhat of a pep talk or just someone they know they can talk to. Well , I want you to know I‘m here if you need me."
B‘Elanna had been holding back tears through the whole meeting and now it seemed harder than ever.
"Thank you Captain," she managed to say. She was about to lie and say that she would be fine but didn‘t have the strength. A single tear escaped her eye. Embarrassed , she quickly brushed it away, hoping that the Captain hadn‘t seen. She had. Janeway spoke again.
"Tom is a very strong person ," she said ,"and if anyone can get through this , he can." B‘Elanna knew the Captain was right . She tried as hard as she could to look happy but it was no use. After that one tear fell it sent an army of them streaming down her face. Janeway stopped being a Captain for a minute and became a friend as she comforted a very upset B‘Elanna Torres.
Chapter #9 - The Operation
The crew sat at their work stations trying to concentrate but their efforts were in vain. All they could think about was Tom. 7 and the Doctor were operating on him right now. They had been in sickbays operating room for over three hours but for the people nervously waiting for results it seemed like an eternity. It seemed especially long for B‘Elanna who had been steadily working in engineering trying to stay focused. She was startled when she heard the Captain‘s voice over her commbadge.
"Janeway to Lieutenant Torres."
"Torres here. Any news yet Captain?""They have finished the operation but Lieutenant Paris is still in a coma. The doctor says we won‘t know for a few more days whether or not the operation was a success." B‘Elanna couldn‘t stand it anymore. All this waiting was unbearable. If Tom died she would never forgive herself. She had been the one who wanted to go in the cave and even though no one else thought it was in any way her fault , he blamed herself whole heartedly for the accident.
"will I be able to see him?" she asked.
Janeway was very understanding and new she‘d feel the same way if it were Chakotay laying in sickbay. "I asked the Doctor about that and he said you could but only for a moment.""Thank you , Captain ," said B‘Elanna ,"I‘ll go as soon as soon as my shift is over."
"Oh, that‘s not necessary," answered Janeway , "you can go visit Tom now, there‘s not much going on here anyway."
"Thank you very much Captain!" replied the chief engineer, cheering up slightly.
"Your more than welcome , Lieutenant. Janeway out."
B‘Elanna asked Carey to finish what she had been working on and left for sickbay. When she got there the doctor seemed to have been expecting her."Right this way , Lieutenant ," he said , leading her to a small excluded part of sickbay that B‘Elanna hadn‘t noticed before. Tom was still pale but breathing on his own now. She glanced at the doctor. He took the hint and began to walk away but not without reminding her that she could only stay for a minute. She pulled over a chair ad sat beside the bed taking Tom‘s hand in her‘s. She spoke softly to him but her voice was to chokey to form proper sentences.
"Tom , I know you can‘t hear me but you just have to be okay. You can‘t die because....because I love you Tom. The rest of her words were cut off by the hot tears fighting to escape her eyes but she never let in. "I‘ve done enough crying for one day," she told herself. When she realized that she had been there for over ten minutes she quietly replaced the chair and left sickbay , but not before stealing one last look at Tom and planting a gentle kiss on his forehead.
Chapter #10 -
B‘Elanna sat alone at the small somewhat excluded table usually occupied by herself and Tom. The spot was in a corner of the mess hall by a window. B‘Elanna turned her attention away from the yellow glop that Neelix had served her for supper and to the stars rushing by at warp six. She was so caught up in her thoughts she didn‘t even notice Chakotay come up to her.
"Not hungry Lieutenant?"he asked. B‘Elanna started but relaxed after she recognized her friends voice.
"Not really. Are you?" she asked , regarding Neelix‘s latest food experiment.
"I was but I think I just lost my apatite, "he said, looking at her plate. "Any news on Paris yet?" Apparently he hadn‘t heard.
B‘Elanna sighed , "Not yet ," she said , "he‘s still in a coma."
She looked away.*We‘ll probably never see the Tom Paris we once knew and respected again ,*the doctor‘s terrifying words kept repeating themselves over and over again in her mind."Never again ," she sighed accidentally loud enough to be heard.
"what?" asked Chakotay.
"Oh , it‘s nothing ," she lied. "Well I‘d better get going." with that B‘Elanna got up and walked out of the mess. She didn‘t like leaving Chakotay like that ; after all he had been a good friend to her for a very long time , But she just had to be alone for a while. She went to her quarters and changed into something a little more comfortable before climbing into bed. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. She tossed and turned before finally drifting off. She was awaken with a start when she heard the chime on her door. She opened her eyes and sat up. "Computer , time," she requested."Two hundred hours ," the feminine voice of Voyager informed her. B‘ELANNA wondered who would be waking her this time of night. She quickly put on her house coat and walked to the door. It opened to the familiar face of Captain Janeway.
"Sorry to disturb you but I knew you‘d want to know if there was any news on Tom‘s condition."
B‘Elanna perked up at the mention of Tom‘s name. " Yes, thank you , Captain ," she said ,"is there anything wrong?"
"Oh , no. Not at all ," Janeway reassured her. "He just woke up. He‘s still really groggy but he‘s been asking for you." B‘Elanna told the Captain she‘d be right there and hurried to change into a uniform.
Chapter #11 - Relief
B‘Elanna entered sickbay and ran to the side of Tom‘s biobed. Captain Janeway , Chakotay and the Doctor were already there. "Will he be okay ?" she asked without looking away from Tom‘s pale face.
"If his condition remains the same overnight then chances are he will survive. But if he slips into another coma then he will probably die before the end of the week. the next twelve hours are critical ," said the doctor and then the hologram sighed and added that even if Mr. Paris were to survive he may have severe brain injury. Just then Tom‘s eyes blinked open and a slight smile came over his face.
"B‘Elanna ," he said looking up."Yes , Tom it‘s me ," she said , her voice overcome with relief.
"The Captain and Chakotay are here too."
"Welcome back Mr. Paris ," exclaimed the doctor. He then turned
to the Captain and proudly added that he thought from the height ofTom‘s awareness that the operation was probably a success
"Well , I‘m certainly glad to hear that!" said Captain Janeway. Then she turned to Tom and thanked God that he was alright. "Keep me posted ," she ordered before exiting sickbay along with her first officer. The doctor turned to B‘Elanna.
"I‘ll leave you two alone now. Inform me immediately if there is any change in his condition and remember to reactivate him before you leave." B‘Elanna nodded as the E.M.H. was deactivated. She pulled a chair over to Tom‘s bedside and suddenly realized how tiered she was. She ordered the computer to dim the lights and rested her head near his, making a pillow of her hands. Tom had already drifted back off to sleep.
B‘ELANNA‘s eyes closed and didn‘t openuntil the next morning.
"B‘Elanna ? B‘Elanna wake up." Tom‘s voice was weak but the colour had returned to his cheeks and his cerulean eyes were as blue as ever. B‘Elanna opened her eyes momentarily forgetting where she was and saw Tom starring down at her smiling."Good morning ," she said while yawning. "Computer activate E.M.H." The doctor appeared and walked over to Tom‘s bed.
"Ah , Mr. Paris ," he said , "it seems the operation was successful. You may leave sickbay as soon as I run a few more diagnostics but I am putting you on sick leave for at least another seven days. Report here for a daily check-up until further notice. Right now you may rest and I‘ll contact the Captain.
"B‘Elanna , you came ," Tom said , surprised but still kind of groggy.
"Well of coarse I did silly!" B‘Elanna said trying not to show the relief she felt."Tom," she said as her face became more serious, "I‘m giving you the same chance you gave me. I realize you thought you were dying and completely understand if you didn‘t exactly mean it when you said that you were in love with me."
"B‘Elanna , of coarse I meant it and I still do! I didn‘t say it because I was dying. I said it because it‘s the truth! I love you B‘Elanna Torres!!!" Tom‘s eyes were filled with sincerity at his last sentence. B‘Elanna was embarrassed when she realized her mouth was opened and quickly snapped out of it.
"I‘m sorry. It‘s just that no ones ever told me that before.
I guess I‘m not used to fielding compliments ," she quickly recovered."Well," said Tom feeling sympathetic for B‘Elanna , "that‘s about to change right now. From now on I‘m going to compliment you every day. I‘ll compliment you on your looks , your personality , your hair , your eyes , I could go on forever. Before you know it , you‘ll be sick of me!" B‘Elanna smiled.
"Impossible! Tom Paris , I don‘t know how anyone could get sick of you." Tom cleared his throat and silently regarded the person standing behind B‘Elanna. B‘Elanna turned around and saw Captain Janeway looking somewhat amused. She wondered just how much of her and Tom‘s flirting the Captain had heard. "Good morning Captain ," she sad feeling damned uncomfortable . "I hope you don‘t mind. I was just leaving. G...goodbye."After B‘Elanna was out of sight Janeway and Tom exchanged amused glances at the Chief Engineer‘s expense.
"How are you feeling today , Mr. Paris?" she asked with a friendly smile.
"Not bad. Thank you Captain."
"He should be out of sickbay within the hour ; as soon as I run a few more tests but he will not be returning to duty immediately. I am putting him on sick leave for one week, give or take a day or day or two," said the holographic doctor."Well, I‘m just glad your going to be alright. Now, don‘t scare us like that again or I kill you myself! Understood?"the Captain said jokingly with a relieved smile.
"I‘ll try not to Captain." Tom answered grinning.
Chapter #12 - Peggy‘s Cove
B‘Elanna was sitting on the couch in her quarters reading an ancient romance novel (probably not all that romantic by human standards) when the chime went off on her door.
"Come in," she said sitting up and putting the pad down on the table. Nothing happened. "Enter," she said a little louder. After nothing happened for the second time she got up and opened the door. She looked both ways but nobody was there. She was about to go back inside when she glanced down and saw a medium size box with a note on it. She carried the box into her quarters and picked up the note. She read it out loud.
*B‘Elanna,Meet me at holodeck two in forty-five minutes. Wear this.
Love, your obvious admirer...Tom.P.S. I love you*
B‘Elanna smiled as she opened the gift. She had only been on one or two dates with Tom but it never failed to amaze her how every trip to the holodeck was so different yet so uniquely him. B‘Elanna could hardly wait to see what he had planned this time! The box now opened revealed a purple bathing suit with a black zipper going down part way in the front and a pair of denim shorts to go on top. It also came with two hair combs , the same purple as the bathing suit, a pair of fashionable black sandals and a large beach towel. She changed into the bathing suit and shorts , and pulled her hair back in the purple combs. She slipped her feet into the sandals and happily realized that everything Tom had ever given her had fit perfectly. By the time she was all ready there was only ten minutes left before she had to meet Tom in holodeck 2. She decided to leave a few minutes early. After making sure none of the ships major gossips were in the corridor she walked out of her quarters with the towel draped over her arm. She walked on to the turbolift to see 7 standing there. B‘Elanna ans 7 had a new respect for each other and were , in a way becoming good friends. B‘Elanna had finally excepted 7 as more than just a deactivated borg but as a human trying to fit in. 7 saw B‘Elanna as someone who was helping her as hard as she could to do just that.
"Hi 7 , how ya doin‘?" B‘Elanna asked , stepping into the turbolift.
"I‘m doing well... thank you , Lieutenant," answered 7 a little awkwardly. There was little more conversation before the turbolift stopped and B‘Elanna walked out.
"See ya later ," she called as the turbolift doors quietly shut behind her. Then she hurried to the holodeck. She walked in and saw Tom waiting for her. He was wearing a black bathing suit and a blue T-shirt that brought out his cerulean gaze. He too was carrying a towel. "So,"said B‘Elanna , "where are we going today?"
"You‘ll find out in a minute ," answered Tom. "Now , close your eyes." B‘Elanna complied as Tom spoke again. This time to the computer, "Run program Paris N.S. Peggy ," he ordered. B‘Elanna slowly opened her eyes and gasped.
"Tom , it‘s so beautiful. Where exactly are we?" she asked.
"It‘s a place on Earth in a country just above the United States called Canada. We‘re in a province called Nova Scotia and this..." he said with a proud gesture of his hand , "is Peggy‘s Cove."B‘Elanna was all but speechless when she said , "Tom , you‘ve really outdone yourself. I love it!"
"I‘m glad ," he said gazing into her eyes. "Now , let me give you a proper tour of this place."They spent the better part of an hour walking on the rocks and watching the powerful waves crashing up against them ; most of the afternoon admiring everything else in the area. There was a gift shop and a few other small stores each selling something a little different. Even the houses were lovely to look at. They weren‘t regular 21rst century houses but were painted in beautiful shades of blue , green ,red , purple , aqua and almost every colour in the rainbow. There was even one house almost as cerulean as Tom‘s eyes. B‘Elanna made Tom blush by pointing it out. After walking around for a bit and grabbing a quick bite to eat (the food consisting of some delicious Atlantic lobster and shrimp) Tom stopped and pointed to an old vehicle on the side of the road. It was a 1983 BMW and the license plate read T-O-R-R-E-S. Tom led B‘Elanna to the right hand side of the car and opened the door for her. She gave him a funny look but climbed into the seat anyway. Tom shut the door behind her , walked to the other side of the car and sat down behind the steering wheel. B‘Elanna looked concerned.
"Tom , um . . .no offense but are you sure you know how to drive this thing?"
"Don‘t worry ," he reassured her , "I‘ve been practicing in the holodeck these last couple of months." With that he turned the key in the ignition and they were off. After a while B‘Elanna began to relax. She realized Tom was a natural and she was really quite impressed. She told him so.
"Oh , it‘s really nothing ," he replied modestly but with a grin on his face. After about 15 minutes they reached their destination. They were at a huge sandy beach that seemed to stretch for miles. Tom parked the Beamer and he and B‘Elanna got out. The white sand beach was vacant except for a blue and white checkered picnic basket. The two of them walked hand in hand , carrying their shoes until they came to the blanket. After talking for a while Tom suggested they take a swim. B‘Elanna agreed and after Tom took his shirt off and B‘Elanna slipped out of the shorts they headed out towards the softly rolling waves. The water was chilly but not freezing. *The perfect temperature for swimming* thought B‘Elanna. They were both into about their knees when Tom tripped on a rock and fell in. He came up laughing and B‘Elanna was laughing uncontrollably. Tom decided on a bitter revenge. He walked up behind B‘Elanna and fell again ; this time purposely bringing B‘Elanna down with him. Now it was he unable to contain his laughter. This started a huge water fight between them and pretty soon they were both tired out from all the pushing and splashing. They walked out of the water and collapsed on to the sand. They just laid there starring at the clear blue sky. Every once in a while a wave would wash up to their feet and silently flow back into the ocean. The setting was so beautiful , romantic and unpredictable. B‘Elanna loved it. Peggy‘s Cove had really turned out to be great! She reached out and squeezed Tom‘s hand.
"Thank you ,"she said , "for everything." the emotion in her voice surprised even herself. "Tom ," B‘Elanna said turning serious all of a sudden.
"What is it B‘Elanna?"
"I‘m really sorry...for everything that happened to you. It‘s all my fault. B‘Elanna still felt terrible. This had been a scare she‘d never forget and she wouldn‘t be forgiving herself any time soon either.
"Wait a minute , B‘Elanna ,"Tom‘s voice was filled with compassion , "you think this was your fault?"
"Well , of course it was my fault. If I hadn‘t wanted to go into that stupid cave in the first place none of this would have ever happened! Tom , I can‘t stop thinking about how I would have been able to cope if you had had any major brain injuries or worse . . . Tom , I can‘t imagine living life without you! Especially knowing I‘m the reason you‘re gone.
"Listen to me , B‘Elanna ," Tom was leaning over her forcing her to look into his piercing blue eyes. His voice was comforting but extremely firm. "This is this is not your fault! It‘s nobody‘s fault. It was just an unfortunate accident. Besides , you saved my life."
"What do you mean I saved your life ?" B‘Elanna asked sitting up.
"Well ," said Tom "I heard you talking to me when I was in a coma and you forced me to keep fighting. You said that you loved me and needed me. That‘s when I realized I needed you too." B‘Elanna‘s eyes were filled with unshed tears. She hugged Tom as hard as she could. They laid back in the sand and their lips met in a passionate kiss.Chapter #13- A Compromising Position
Harry , Chakotay and Katherine were standing outside holodeck 2."So ," said Janeway , "what do you want to do?"
"Well there‘s a program already running ," said Harry , "why don‘t we check it out?""Good idea , Harry ," answered the Captain , "What do you say Chakotay?"
Chakotay nodded his approval and 7 walked up. "The Doctor told me that now that I have regained some more of my humanity I should begin some more human activities. He suggested the holodeck."
"Well we were just going there ," said Katherine , "Why don‘t you join us?"
She looked thoughtful for a moment and minute and then answered , "yes , Captain , I think I will." The four of them entered the holodeck and found themselves in a parking lot of a large beach. It went on as far as the eye could see. They noticed a picnic blanket and began to walk toward it. The four of them were busy talking to each other and at first didn‘t even notice that they were not alone. They assumed that the program had just been left open by a crew member who had to go to an emergency and just forgot about it. As for the couple down by the water , Tom and B‘Elanna were completely oblivious to everything but each other. Chakotay accidently glanced in their direction and gasped. His three companions followed his gaze until their eyes , too , met the couple.
Chakotay glanced at Katherine. "What do you propose we do about this one?" he asked. Fortunately Harry Kim was way ahead of them. He motioned for all to continue walking toward the blanket and pretended to loudly clear his throat . Tom and B‘Elanna and looked at each other.
"Did you hear something?" asked B‘Elanna. Tom nodded and they both jumped to their feet and wiped the sound off their bathing suits. They saw the small group in the distance. "How long have they been here?" B‘Elanna asked blushing , "Do you suppose they saw anything?!!"
"Probably ," Tom sighed , "last time I heard Harry clear his throat like that was when we accidentally walked in on Carey and Wildman." Tom silently cursed himself for forgetting the security lock on the holodeck.
"So ,what do we do now?" asked B‘Elanna turning an even deeper shade of red.
"Well ," said Tom , "we could wait here until they leave or try and sneak back to the car."
"What about our clothes?" asked B‘Elanna , "we left them on the blanket."
"We can come back and get those later if you want ," said Tom , "now let‘s go."
"Wait ," said B‘Elanna , "why don‘t we just go over and talk to them? I mean , we don‘t have anything to lose and our so called "private life" is going to be all over the ship by tomorrow anyway."
"I guess you‘re right ," said Tom , he too blushing from his embarassement. They slowly walked up to the blanket avoiding any and all eye contact with and were eventually able to start up a fluent conversation with their fellow and superior officers. Lucky for Tom and B‘Elanna , the subject of they being an "item" didn‘t come up , though they did receive a few odd glances from the Captain and Chakotay.
Chapter #14 - Misunderstandings
"B‘Elanna can take care of herself Chakotay ," saidCaptain Janeway. She and Chakotay were in the mess having lunch together and the ever so popular subject of Tom and B‘Elanna had come up. It was really no great surprise. Tom and B‘Elanna were the latest and hottest gossip topic onboard right now and like they had predicted their private lives were all over the ship. As for the opinions of the two commanding officers , Janeway fully supported the relationship while Chakotay was entirely against it.
"He just can‘t be trusted!" said the first officer , "and after the way B‘Elanna used to be treated I couldn‘t stand seeing hurt again."
"B‘Elanna‘s a big girl Chakotay! In fact if anyone should be worried here you‘d think it would be Tom!" The Captain was only joking , of coarse , but Chakotay didn‘t find it very funny and chose not to pursue the subject any farther for fear it would turn into a fight.
"If you‘ll excuse me , Captain , I have some work to do." With that he left leaving Janeway feeling a little put out and understandably so.
Tom heard the chime go off on his door. "Come on in ," he said in his usual easy going manner. He was expecting either Harry or B‘Elanna and was surprised to see Chakotay walk in. "Good afternoon , Commander. What can I do for you ?" he asked , trying hard but failing miserably to conceal his curiosity. This was the first time Chakotay had visited Tom‘s quarters. Usually when he needed something done by his head helmsman he would meet him in his own quarters or in the mess hall. He was surprised to find the quarters generally neat and tidy. He had never thought of Tom as an organized person.
"Um . . . I think we need to talk ," he said , a little unsure of what he had come to say.
"Sure , " said Tom , more curious than ever , "please , have a seat." he gestured to the couch and after Chakotay complied he sat down next to him.
"Well , Paris. There‘s no easy way to say this so I‘ll just get right to the point ," began Chakotay. "I‘ve noticed you and B‘Elanna have sort of become more than just friends lately and , well , it‘s not really that I don‘t trust you it‘s just that . . ." he paused for a moment.
"It‘s just what?!" pursued Tom , beginning to get a little bit annoyed. He didn‘t like the sound of this.
"Well ," said Chakotay , "B‘Elanna had a terrible life growing up. No matter where she was she was always "different". She experienced lots of pain and suffering that she shouldn‘t have and I don‘t want to see her hurt again! I mean , face it , Paris , you don‘t exactly have the greatest reputation!" He brought his face close to Tom‘s , "I just want to know , truthfully , what your real motives are before I risk B‘Elanna‘s happiness!"
Tom stood up and when he spoke couldn‘t help raising his voice. "You don‘t think I know my own past Chakotay!?" he yelled. "Well , for your information I do and I hate it more than anyone , even my father!! I finally have a chance to prove to you and everyone else that I‘ve changed! To prove it to myself Chakotay. And as for my motives . . ." he gave Chakotay the coldest gaze he could muster , "You make it sound like I have some sort of bet going on here! But I don‘t. I love B‘Elanna Torres and that‘s all there is to it!!"
"Oh , I see ,"sighed Chakotay suddenly regretting all the terrible things he had said and feeling badly for hurting Tom‘s feelings , " I‘m sorry , Tom. It‘s just that I‘ve always felt a certain responsibility for B‘Elanna and just had to know. Do you think you can find it in your heart to forgive me? I should never have yelled at you like that , I don‘t have the right to make such awful accusations and I truly am sorry!"
Tom looked at Chakotay‘s face as if studying his sincerity and smiled , "Of coarse you‘re forgiven. Any friend of B‘Elanna‘s is a friend of mine." He held out his hand for a hand shake and Chakotay accepted the gesture. "Thanks , Paris , you‘re a good kid." Chakotay left the room feeling a bit more confident about this relationship.
Chapter #15 - Easter Sunday on Voyager
B‘Elanna Torres was awaken by the computer alarm. She had set it the night before to wake her up at 6:45 am. Her shift didn‘t start for over an hour yet so she had enough time to get up , have a shower and maybe even get a bite to eat before she had to be in engineering. It was a pretty regular day actually. There had been talk of some old , Christian , Earth holiday coming up but everything had been so busy lately that she hadn‘t really thought about it. She ordered the lights on and stretched realizing that there was a small but definite lump under her pillow. She lifted it up and found a small brightly coloured box. She opened it up and to her surprise there was a tiny bunny rabbit made of white chocolate with a red bow tied around it‘s neck. She smiled to herself and got up to get ready for work. When she went into the bathroom she saw three small chocolate eggs lying on the floor of her sonic shower. By the time she was ready to leave for the mess hall she had found thirty-six of the small eggs in total. Her shift in engineering went really well. There were only small repairs to be made and everyone was in high spirits because of Easter. On the way back to her quarters that evening B‘Elanna almost ran into an object in the middle of the floor. It was an Easter basket with her name on it and a note which asked that if someone other then B‘Elanna found it not to touch. She picked it up and followed a long trail of chocolate eggs picking them up and putting them in her basket on her way. The trail went all the way to her quarters and resumed again once inside until finally coming to a stop at her closet. She hesitated for only a moment before opening the closet door. She took a surprised gasp and then giggled. There stood Tom Paris with a bouquet of red roses in his hand. B‘Elanna stood on tip-toe to kiss his cheek and then stepped back. "Tom , how did you get into my quarters?"her smiled remained but turned suspicious.
"It was easy ,"he said , "The Captain and I have been planning this for a while now. She let me in with her access code."he had a smirk on his face. "Oh , these are for you ," he said handing her the roses. "Would you do me the honour of dinner tonight?" he asked.
"Of coarse ," answered B‘Elanna hugging him."Pick you up at eight?" he asked.
"It‘s a date ," she replied and then pulled his head down so that she could whisper in his ear , "I‘ll be looking forward to it.""Me to ," he whispered back. He gave her one last kiss before he left.
Chapter #16
Tom paced nervously outside Chakotay‘s quarters. He knew exactly what he what he had come to ask but had never been more unsure of an answer in his life. Finally , he worked up enough courage to go in. With effort he pressed the door chime. He heard a soft voice inside tell him to come in and reluctantly followed the request. Tom walked on and nodded I respect to his senior officer.
"Is there anything I can do for you , Tom?" asked the Commander.
"Actually , Commander , I was wondering if I could talk to you about some ah . . . personal matters.""Certainly , have a seat." Tom complied but began to get up and pace again as he was talking.
"Well , sir ," he began. He swallowed deeply before continuing. "Sir , you see , B‘Elanna has told me more than once that you are like a father to her and I know you know you care about her a great deal." Chakotay only nodded he could guess where this conversation was leading.
"Anyway , sir . . ."
Chakotay cut him off. "Chakotay‘s fine Tom. Please don‘t call me Sir (it makes me feel old!)
Tom nodded. "Chakotay. I‘ve been seriously considering my and B‘Elanna‘s relationship and have decided to ask her to be my wife. "Tom let that sink in for a minute carrying on. The look on his face was priceless and though Chakotay remained composed he was thoroughly enjoying this. "Now I‘m not saying I‘ll call the whole thing off if you say no but I definitely would love to have your approval if not your blessing. I didn‘t come for permission exactly , more like for your support."
"And you have it Mr. Paris." Chakotay stood up and looked her in the eye. "I can think of nobody I would rather have B‘Elanna spend the rest of her life with. You have proved to me that you love her and I trust you to be a good , caring husband and treat her with the respect that she deserves. not only do you have my approval and support but all my blessings as well. I wish absolutely nothing but the best for the two of you and your lives together!"
Tom was thrilled that Chakotay had accepted him but couldn‘t help teasing him a little. "Don‘t you think you‘re getting a little ahead of yourself Chakotay? I haven‘t even asked B‘Elanna yet!"
Chakotay smiled , "Common Tom ," he said , "What do you think she‘s going to say?" The two talked a while longer and then Tom left to get ready for the most important date of his life.
Chapter #17-
"What to wear?" B‘Elanna chided to herself. She knew Tom well enough to know that unless stated otherwise his dinner dates were almost always formal but he had replicated so many beautiful things for her that it was hard to chose. She narrowed it down to either an off-the- shoulder white dress that went down to her ankles with a high slit , or a black spaghetti strap dress that cut of just above her knees. She stood in front of her mirror holding the dresses up in front of her and finally decided on the black one. It had a low V cut and went in at her waist , flaring in again at her hips. It showed off her slim waist and was the only dress that she thought she looked good in. Besides , although she knew that Tom would compliment her looks no matter what she wore , she had a feeling he liked this dress best. He chose a pair of simple black shoes with low heels and a thin strap. She looked beautiful but something was missing.
Although she would never think of herself as beautiful she did notice that something wasn‘t quite right. "Computer , how many replicator rations do I have left?" she requested.
"You currently have eighty-two personal replicator rations," confirmed the computer.
"Good ," smiled B‘Elanna , "I‘d like one set of baby blue pearl earrings and a silver heart necklace." The jewelry appeared in the replicator and B‘Elanna put them on. "Perfect ," she said. Now there was nothing to do but wait. She sat down and began to daydream about how the night would go. A few minutes later the chime on her door rang snapping her out of her reverie and back into reality. She took a deep breath and walked towards her door. The door opened before B‘Elanna even had a chance to reach it and in walked a hot Tom Paris , charming as ever. He was wearing a navy blue suit that brought out the colour of his eyes and he looked great! They kept walking until they met each other in a kiss.
"You look gorgeous ," exclaimed Tom. "The jewelry‘s a nice touch.
"Thanks ," answered B‘Elanna , mildly blushing. She still wasn‘t really used to getting compliments. "You‘re not to bad yourself.""Shall we go?" Tom asked , holding out his arm. B‘Elanna smiled and the two walked arm in arm to the holodeck. Like the time spent at Peggy‘s Cove , Tom began this special date by getting B‘Elanna to close her eyes while he turned on the program. "Computer , run program P/T special ," requested Tom.
"Where did you come up with a name like that?" inquired B‘Elanna , "and what does P/T stand for?"Her eyes remained shut.
"I‘ll tell you later ," he answered beginning to feel a bit nervous. "Now , open your eyes." B‘Elanna slowly opened her eyes and looked around. They were in a small dimly lit diner. There was soft music playing in the backround.
"Tom , I don‘t know what to say. Everything is just so intricate and detailed. You must have worked forever on this! I love it.
Tom smiled , "I‘m glad you like it , B‘Elanna , but as much as I‘d love to take all the credit I did have a little help from a few good friends."
"Really?" smiled B‘Elanna , "who?"
"Well ," began Tom , "Harry , the Doctor , Captain Janeway and the Commander helped me perfect this place and 7 , Tuvok , Neelix and the Delaney‘s donated tonnes of there replicator rations.
"But why?" asked a puzzled B‘Elanna , "What is it that makes tonight any better than all he other fantastic dates we‘ve had?"
"I‘ll tell you about all that a little later , B‘Elanna, now let‘s eat." The supper was delicious. B‘Elanna couldn‘t remember the last time she had eaten so much or been so happy for that matter. They talked for a while and then Tom stood up and walked over to B‘Elanna‘s side of the table. He offered her his hand and she allowed him to pull her up.
"Where to now?" she asked , straitening imaginary wrinkles out of her dress.
"I thought we might enjoy a walk outside ," he suggested.
"Sounds perfect ," answered B‘Elanna who hadn‘t stopped smiling. They walked out of the diner to find themselves at the beginning of a wide path with forest on either side. It was a clear night and the stars were shining overhead. Tom told her that it was a place somewhere in the United States and even pointed out a few Alpha Quadrent constellations. If a person didn‘t know any better they could easily have mistaken this for the real thing. B‘Elanna had to keep reminding herself that it was only a holodeck simulation. They came to a stop at a tiny lille waterfall and Tom got B‘Elanna to sit down on a rock."Now for the special part ," said Tom , more nervous than ever. "Close your eyes." B‘Elanna gave him a suspicious look but closed her eyes anyway. Tom pulled a small velvet box out of his suit pocket and knelt on one knee in front of her. If he was going to do this right it would be the traditional way. He took a deep breath and sloely let it out. This was it!
"Okay ," he told her , "you can open your eyes." As she obeyed his request he slowly opened the box to reveal a gold ring with a heart shaped diomond. "B‘Elanna Torres , will you marry me?"
B‘Elanna had never seen Tom so nervous. She stared at him speechless. Despite the fact that she would trust this man with her life she never thought he would be willing to make this big a commitment. Especially after only a few months. Finally she was able to stutter out her answer being careful to control her unshed tears threatening to fall from her eyes.
"Yes . . . I love you Tom!" she exclaimed beaming. Tom placed the perfect size ring on to her finger. They stayed that way for a while , neither of them wishing to break the loving silence: both of them admirering the beautiful ring and what it meant to them. Tom was the first to interupt their shared thoughts.
"Well Lieutenant ," he said in a teasing voice , "We had better call it a night , we both have early shifts tomorrow." B‘Elanna gave him a sad smile.
"Not so fast helm boy ," she whispered playing along with the subtle teasing. She pulled him close for a friendly embrace and finally let her tears of both joy and saddeness flow free. She hadn‘t had the easiest life but finally everything was going her way; the right way.
Chapter #18- Great News and Big Preperations
Tom and B‘Elanna waited eagerly outside Captain Janeway‘s quarters until they heard the familliar voice inside.
"Come in ," Commanded Captain Janeway. They walked in and stood in front of Janeway‘s desk where their Captain was taking a sip of her coffee. "What can I do for you two?" she asked smiling at them fondly.
"Well , Captain ," began Tom , carefully trying to chose the right words.
B‘Elanna had never felt so impatient in her life and could no longer contain her excitement , "Tom and I are getting married!!"she bursted out. Janeway‘s smile braodened into a wide grin.
"Why , that‘s wonderful news!" she exclaimed , jumping up to hug both of them. "Oh , B‘elanna , this is beautiful!" She stopped to admier B‘Elanna‘s ring.
"Captain ," Tom said , stepping forward. "We were wondering if we could ask you a few favours.
"Of coarse ," said Katherine , "anything."
"We were wondering if you could invite the off duty crew members to attened a party on the holodeck tomorrow night. We want to make the announcement then and we were afraid that if we did the inviting it wouldn‘t be much of a surprise."Captain Janeway nodded happily "Of coarse! Consider it done." she said , never wiping the sincere sile off her face. "Anything else?" B‘Elanna stepped forward.
Actually there is one more thing. Tom and I were wondering if you would perform our marriage cerimony. We both feel it would be an honor to have you marry us." B‘Elanna looked extreamly hopeful and was practically holding her breath for Janeway‘s answer. Janeway was more enthusiastic than either Tom or B‘Elanna had expected.
I thought you‘d never ask! she exclaimed beaming. She gave them one last look and they made their exit.
It was 24:13 and almost all the off duty crew were in the holodeck waiting for the Captain‘s "special announcement." The Captain stood on the small stage that had bee added to the Sandrines program and waited until she had everyones attenton. She motioned for Tom and B‘Elanna to come stand by her and finally made the announcement all had been waiting for.
"You are probably wondering why I summoned you here this evening.
I think I will let lieutenants Paris and Torres do the honors." B‘Elanna would have loved to burst out their marriage plans like she had to the Captain had Tom not stopped her with his own rather, pathetic version of the Janeway look. Instead he stepped up , cleared his throat and looked over the rather large group that had gathered."Well , um , B‘Elanna and I have decided to get married in about three weeks and we just wanted to invite all of you to our wedding." The croud went up in loud chears and for a few more minutes the young couple was bombarded with congratulations and best wishes in almost every language imaginable. From the vulcan‘s with their "live long and prosper" to the bolians , everyone was sincerily in favour of the couple joining in marriage. After the noise lowered the Captain stepped forward again. She held up her glass and to get evryone‘s attention she quietly cleared her throat.
"I would like to propose a toast to Tom and B‘Elanna. To them and whatever their future holds in store." The croud echoed "to Tom and B‘Elanna" and tiped their glasses to the Captain.
The large croud dispersed around the room to talk to friends about the latest news and a few stayed to add their personal blessings.
"Congratulations!" shouted a beaming Harry, patting his two best friends on the back.
"Thanks , Harry ," they said giving him a big hug. Tom looked at B‘Elanna and she nodded. Confused , Harry asked them what their silent gesture had meant.
"B‘Elanna and I were just wondering if you would be my best man. After all , you ar our best friend ," said Tom.
"Of coarse I will Tom !" replied Harry , "I was wondering when you‘d ask!" Tom and Harry began to talk and B‘Elanna snuck off to find her maid of honor to be. 7 was standing alone near a wall going over some warp drive calculations.
"There you are!" said B‘Elanna walking quickly toward her , "common , 7 , join the party!"
"Lieutenant Torres , do you require my assistance?"
"Well , uh , 7. . . yes , I guess I do. I was just wondering if you wouldn‘t mind being a part of mine and Tom‘s wedding party."
"Wedding party ," repeated 7 slightly lowering an eyebrow.
"Yes ," confirmed B‘Elanna , "I would like you to be my maid of honor. Are you familliar with the term?"
"Yes ," answered 7 , "I do.""and . . .?" prompted B‘Elanna.
"and ," replied 7 , "I will be your Maid of Honor."
"Great!" smiled B‘Elanna , "and thanks. You don‘t know how much this means to me." 7 nodded and B‘Elanna turned to leave.
"Lieutenant Torres!"called 7. B‘Elanna turned around."Yes?"she asked without erasing the small smile off her face.
"You are . . . welcome."
Chapter #19- The Big Day
"Are you sure I look alright?" B‘Elanna asked looking up at her mentor.
"You look perfect , B‘Elanna ," answered Chakotay. She was wearing a long , white wedding dress with high healed , white sandals. The dress was low cut and had intricate lace and designs all the way down. It had a vail and a train that trailed fivefeet behind her but , all in all , it was a fairly simple look. B‘Elanna had requested it that way. Chakotay was right B‘Elanna did look perfect. The bridesmaids and the ushers were waiting for their turn to walk down the ile. Jenny Delaney was paired up with Tuvok , Megan Delaney with the Doctor and Samantha Wildman walked beside Neelix. Nearer to the front were Harry and 7 and in the very front was young Naiomi Wildman , the flower girl. B‘Elanna folded her arms accross her chest nervously as she tried to peak outside from the back of the line. Tom was standing casually at the front of the programmed wedding chapel but deep inside he was so nervous he could hardly breath. Captain Janeway was standing next to him not at all nervous but as happy as a lark. Finally the music began to play snapping Tom and B‘Elanna out of their reverie. Little Naiomi walked preciously down the long ile , flowers in hand , spreading them gracefully on either side of her. After she was about halfway Harry and 7 came out arm in arm. 7 surprised people by doing unexpectedly well. Next came Jenny and Tuvok , followed by the Doctor , Megan , Samantha and Neelix until everyone was in their respective places up front except for B‘Elanna and Chakotay. The music changed and the audiance stood up. Slowly B‘Elanna made her way up to the front , being lead by her father-like friend , Chakotay. Tom‘s jaw dropped for a second when he cought sight of his wife to be looking absulutly stunning. The large croud of about eighty-five crew members took their seats and those of them who had two work listened intently to the ships open comm link. After about a minute of collecting her thoughts Captain Janeway began.
Tom and B‘Elanna exchanged some beautiful vows in both English and Klingon as the rings were presented and were finally pronounced husband and wife.
"You may now kiss the bride ," Janeway ended with the millenium old phrase and a grin from ear to ear. Needless to sat this was one order neither Tom nor B‘Elanna would care to disobey.
END