Title: Cliffs, Pizza and Rock 'n' Roll
Rating: NC-17
Author: Molly Jordan
E-mail: Mollyj@faberoonie.co.uk

Comments: Welcome. Constructive criticism also welcome. 
Archive: Anywhere! Just tell me. 

Disclaimer: Tom, Chakotay and all the other Starfleet characters and other things and peeps were created by Paramount. Smiles go to them for bringing Tom and Chakotay into the world. All other characters belong to me, as does the storyline, (lucky me, I get the mean characters- maybe Paramount would be willing to do a trade.)

Synopsis: Chak meets Tom’s dreams and has an overwhelming urge to protect the guy. But can Tom cope with it?

Note: This part of the story is NC-17. If you're under 18 or easily offended I have a PG-13 version, just e-mail. 
 
 

Chakotay had looked everywhere. Not just everywhere, EVERYWHERE. And he still couldn’t find Tom. He felt such an idiot for kissing him like that. He should have known Tom wasn’t ready. Didn’t Kathryn warn him? Did he listen? Chakotay made a mental note to listen to her more often. 

He didn’t want to alert the whole ship to Tom’s disappearance yet. But he was going to se Harry. Chakotay reached Harry’s quarters and pressed the electronic door bell. He heard a ‘come’ from inside and walked in.

"Commander." Harry practically stood to attention. "What can I do for you?"
"Relax Harry, it’s a personal matter." He didn’t noticed much of Harry relaxing, "Does Tom ever get mad with you and run off?"

"Tom? Yeah sometimes. He just runs and dumps his Comm badge."

"Do you find him again?"

"Yeah. He always goes to the same place."

"Where?"

Harry looked uncertain of betraying his best friend’s secret, "He told me not to tell…"

"I promise if he has a problem with me knowing, you can throw me in the brig."

Harry seemed to accept this, "Jeffries tube 32, section G. Where it widens up into a mini-room. He said he feels safe there."

"Thanks Harry." Chakotay tried to restrain himself from running to the nearest access port. 

Chakotay crawled through the long corridors of the Jeffries tubes, stopping every now and again to read the maps on panels. He figured he’d been going about half an hour when he came to 32, F. Taking a deep breath he stood up into section G, the biggest section in tube 32. He saw Tom sitting on the floor, crossed legged looking out of the small port-hole next to him. A discarded blue guitar lay on the floor next to him, "Tom?"

Tom turned his head towards Chakotay, "You found me."

"Yeah. After much running around and crawling through Jeffries Tubes." Chakotay sat down next to Tom.

"You mad at me?"

"No, just confused. Why’d you run off and leave no way of tracing you?"

"I got scared."

"Scared? Of me?" Chakotay asked nervously.

"No! I couldn’t be scared of you! It’s just, the kiss- it reminded me of the guys in prison. The way, oh, I don’t know. It just did." Tom looked up sadly, "I’m sorry."

Chakotay smiled, "It’s okay, hon. We’ll take it slower from now on, okay?" 

"Okay. I do love you Cha, it’s just…"

"I love you too Tommy, ‘kay?" Chakotay wrapped Tom up in a hug. Hoping he wouldn’t get punched for the Tommy. Either Tom hadn’t noticed or he didn’t mind.

Tom didn’t mind Chakotay calling him Tommy. It made it better in a way he couldn’t describe. Maybe it was because Chakotay was so nice, it made all the bad things about ‘Tommy’ go away. Whatever it was, Tom didn’t feel an urge to punch. 

After a while Chakotay let Tom go, "How’d you find this place anyway?" "I was working up here once, and it’s so deep into the tubes, it’s hard to find unless you know where you’re going."

"I noticed."

Tom laughed, "It’s so quiet. I can think up here y’know?"

Chakotay nodded. His eyes drifted to the guitar wired up to one of the panels in the wall, "I didn’t know you played guitar."

"Yeah. It helps me relax. It’s fun."

"You carry it all the way up here?"

"No. It’s be totally scratched by now if I did that. No, I use site-to-site."

"Tom! You know you’re not supposed to do that."

"Did you notice?"

Chakotay sighed, best to avoid the commander-lieutenant side of the relationship for the time being. "Want to go grab something to eat?"

"Yeah, okay. Computer- transport my guitar back to my quarters." 

The computer beeped a response and Tom’s guitar disappeared. Chakotay began to lead the way down the Jeffries’ tubes.

"Found someone else to spend our time on now have we fucker?" It was fuck-wit again. 

"What?"

"Word is you’ve been screwing around with that guy from the other cell. Y’know pretty hard to miss, considering he’s blue."

"You know I don’t screw guys, well not unless forced to of course."

"Then why is it the talk of the wing?"

"How the Hell am I supposed to know? But I wouldn’t touch the guy." Tom knew this was just an excuse for Fuck-wit to go into ‘punishment mode’. All he could do was savour the day times. Hell, he didn’t even know the blue guy. Probably didn’t exist. 

"Yeah, right. We all know Tom’s a little slut don’t we?" 

"I’m not the one force-fucking guys." Tom said.

"Come with me Tom." Fuck-wit dragged him up and towards his cell. Tom was thrown in and faced with four more guys. "Meet my friends."

"What? Only four this time? You’re never gonna beat that record of six." Inside Tom was scared as Hell. It murdered with just fuck-wit, but all of them? Shit. 

"Shut up and hold still you little shit." Fuck-wit slammed Tom into the wall, knocking the wind out of him. "You know what Tommy, this is really, really gonna hurt."

Tom struggled to punch Fuck-wit, but he couldn’t move under his vice-like grip. Fuck-wit forced his mouth on top of Tom’s biting his lips in several places so by the time he was done Tom’s mouth was covered in blood. 

Fuck-wit smiled, "Hey guys, get stuck in."

"Oh, shit." He’d had the dream again. But that was impossible, it never happened around Chakotay. He opened his eyes and found himself alone on the couch, Chakotay was nowhere to be seen, "Cha?" Tom got no response. "Computer: location of Commander Chakotay."

"Commander Chakotay is on the Bridge."

"Oh." Tom lay back on the couch and found himself falling asleep again.

After the third guy Tom was in so much pain he was struggling to stay conscious. He vaguely noticed a fourth person coming towards him and felt the incredible pain as he was entered again. Tom struggled to relax his muscles, but it didn’t work. He lost consciousness, only to be slapped awake by Fuck-wit. "Oh no you don’t Tommy. I want you to be awake for me."

Tom felt tears running down his cheeks and hated himself for it. Why the Hell was he showing them he cared? The fourth guy came inside Tom starting off a chain reaction where Tom couldn’t help exploding himself. 

Immediately the fourth guy was replaced with Fuck-wit. He was moving so hard and fast Tom figured his insides would be pretty much destroyed. Thankfully it didn’t take Fuck-wit long to come and the five exited. Leaving Tom sobbing in a pool of blood, cum and tears.

"Shit, fuck!" Tom woke up suddenly, finding his pulse racing and tears running down his face. "Oh God, fuck." He instinctively tapped his Comm badge, "Paris to Commander Chakotay." He couldn’t help his voice shaking.

"Chakotay here. Tom, I’m in a meeting, can it wait?" His voice was soft, but letting a little annoyance show through.

No it couldn’t fucking wait! He was upset and freaked out! "Yeah. Paris out."

Tom looked at the dark room around him and curled up into a ball, trying not to go to sleep.

Chakotay rubbed his eyes sleepily as he stood outside Tom’s quarters. He had rung the chime and was waiting for Tom to answer. The meeting had gone on for ages; it’d been ten hours! Ten fucking hours, since Tom had Commed him. God those people could talk. Chakotay hoped Tom wouldn’t mind too much. He wasn’t worried when he got no answer, Tom was probably sleeping. Chakotay decided to try a more direct approach and tapped his Comm badge, "Chakotay to Paris. Tom? I’m coming in." Chakotay still wasn’t very worried; Tom was a pretty deep sleeper. "Computer, override privacy lock on Lieutenant Paris’ quarters. Authorisation Chakotay gamma five." The door swished open and Chakotay saw a pitch-black room. "Computer, lights ten percent." In the dim light Chakotay could pick out a Tom-shaped figure on the couch. He walked over. "Tom? Hey, wake up hon." 

"Cha?" came the small, shaky voice. "Is that you?"

"Hi. Tom, are you okay?" 

Tom and Chakotay’s eyes locked and Chakotay was shocked at how sad and scared they were. Tom shook his head, "No. I-I…" Tom dissolved into tears.

Chakotay gathered Tom up to him, whispering words of comfort to the man. Tom settled down after a while and Chakotay whispered softly, "What’s wrong babe?"

"They came again. While I was asleep. You weren’t here. They kept coming and coming. They were scary. And just remembering it hurts so much." Tom said.

"The dreams?" Chakotay asked. Tom nodded in response. "How long have they been going on tonight?"

"Since I finished my shift." Tom said snuggling into Chakotay’s chest.

Chakotay added up the numbers in his head. It’d been nine hours since Tom finished his shift. But then that meant, "You had one when you Commed me didn’t you?"

"It depends upon whether you’re gonna blame yourself or not."

"Aw, Tom honey. I’m so, so sorry. I should…"

Tom cut him off, "Don’t start that again. Okay? It wasn’t your fault, or anybody’s. Except maybe the guys that did it. Please Cha, I don’t want to fight now. I’m too tired to convince you it wasn’t your responsibility."

"That doesn’t stop me from feeling guilty."

"Then, to make up for whatever the hell you did, you can help me sleep."

"Sure." Chakotay swiftly picked the pilot up and carried him to his bedroom, messy as usual. He put Tom down, kicked off his shoes and joined him. He wrapped his arms tightly around Tom who was already drifting off. "Night Tom." He whispered softly.

"Night Cha."

Chakotay lay back when he thought Tom was asleep. He sighed and whispered "I’m such an idiot." For his own benefit really, Tom couldn’t tell him off when he was asleep. Chakotay honestly did feel like shit for not looking after Tom properly again. He really wanted to make their relationship work, but how could it when Tom didn’t feel safe with him?

Tom cuddled Chakotay tightly, "Shut up Chakotay. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Chakotay laughed, "You know what? You’re not going anywhere now. I’m gonna keep you away from those guys, you’ll never have to think about them again. I’m gonna be with you every second of every day, I won’t let you down again."

Tom rolled his eyes and drunken-like sleepiness took over, "Don’t be silly Cha. You couldn’t cope with me 24/7."

"I’d enjoy every second." Chakotay said to a sleeping Tom.

"What the…?" Tom looked around. This hadn’t happened before. He didn’t usually know he was having the dreams until he woke up in a cold sweat after. Shit. How much worse was it going to be actually going through it again. He ignored the looks he was getting from other people in the work yard and started pinching himself, "If I know I’m here, maybe I can wake myself up." After a while of pinching, Tom was feeling sore and decided to stop. He sat down on the nearby grass, "Shit." He mused to himself, "Cha must have gone. I don’t have the dreams when he’s around." Tom sighed, "Nice while it lasted anyway. I always knew he’d get fed up of my weirdness."

"Talking to ourselves now are we Paris?"

Tom looked up to see fuck-wit, here it goes, "No. Just thinking. Not that it’s any of your business of course."

"I’ll give you none of my business"

Fuck-wit raised his arm to punch Tom squarely in the face. Tom shut his eyes ready for the impact, but it never came. Tom heard a scuffle and dared to open his eyes. What he saw shocked him, "Cha?" Chakotay had shoved fuck-wit on the floor; fuck-wit looked up at Chakotay with, what Tom thought could have been, fear in his eyes and fled. Tom raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing here? This hasn’t happened before."

Chakotay came and sat next to Tom, "I don’t know. Am I dreaming this?"

"No, it’s me. I’m the one dreaming."

"Could it be both of us? Are we having the same dream?"

Tom frowned, "I don’t know. This is weird."

Chakotay put his arm around Tom, "So this is the place you come to?" Tom nodded, "And that’s the guy that…"

"One of them." Tom laid his head on Chakotay’s shoulder, "You shouldn’t have dome that you know." He said softly.

"Why not?"

"They’ll be back."

"Well if they do come back, they’ll have to get through me before I let them get close to you okay?"

"Uh huh. Thanks Cha." Tom sighed, "I’ve been feeling so…so different lately. You know, insecure maybe, not how I used to be. Not as, outgoing or happy."

"This would take the happiness out of anyone’s life, but it’s going away now right? I won’t let you go through this anymore."

Tom didn’t say anything, just wrapped his arms around Chakotay’s waist tightly. 

"That’s him."

Tom looked up, "Oh shit."

Chakotay looked up to see fuck-wit and four of his friends, "Get lost."

"Big talk, but there are four of us now. You’d better leave little Tommy to us."

"Fuck you."

"Guys." Fuck-wit motioned to the guys behind him. Three of them moved towards Chakotay, and fuck-wit and another moved towards Tom. Chakotay managed to punch one of the guys advancing on him, but was pinned down by the other two. Struggling under the weight of the three guys holding his arms and legs down Chakotay turned to Tom, who was being dragged inside. "Bring him in too." Fuck-wit said to the three guys and Chakotay found himself being lifted up and taken inside. 

Tom was pressed up against the wall so he couldn’t move anything but his head. He looked up to see Chakotay being dragged into his cell with him, "Leave him out of this, he’s nothing to do with it."

"He’s got everything to do with it Tommy," Fuck-wit said shutting the door, "He got himself involved."

Tom glanced at Chakotay still struggling hopelessly against the three guys who were bigger and stronger than him, "I’m sorry Cha."

Chakotay looked up and straight into Tom’s blue eyes, "Tom this isn’t real. Okay? It’s in one of our heads. I need you to concentrate on getting out of here. Think of anything except what’s happening now. Think of getting out Tom. Ignore anything that happens."

"You sure picked a crazy one Paris." Fuck wit hit Chakotay clean across his face. 

"Cha!"

Chakotay looked back, mouth bleeding, "Ignore it Tom. Close your eyes and get us the Hell out of here."

"But…" Tom winced as Fuck-wit hit Chakotay again.

"Do it Tom."

Tom closed his eyes and concentrated. He could hear Fuck-wit hitting Chakotay and vowed he’d try his hardest and get them out of there. He felt tears running down his face at the thought of hurting Chakotay and still focused on not being there. He thought of Voyager, his quarters, Chakotay’s quarters, flying, anything he could think of that was from his new, better life. 

Tom opened his eyes to find himself lying on his lounge floor. "How did I get here?" He asked, then suddenly remembered what had happened. He sat up quickly and found Chakotay next to him. "Cha? Wake up Cha, come on snap out of it! Cha?" Tom shook Chakotay gently, and then harder as he didn’t come around.

"Tom?" Chakotay’s eyes flickered and he sat up. Tom threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly, and Chakotay sighed "You got us back."

"I’m sorry Cha. I didn’t mean to…"

"I know you didn’t hon, and it wasn’t your fault."

Tom pulled away a second and looked at Chakotay. He reached a hand out and stroked his cheek, cocking his head at Chakotay’s expression. Tom slowly moved towards Chakotay and let their lips meet. He kissed Chakotay lightly, letting his tongue map Chakotay’s welcoming mouth. The kiss ended softly and Tom moved down and butterfly kissed Chakotay’s neck, every now and again sucking harder. Chakotay moaned softly and struggled to get his words out, "Tom, what are you doing? I thought you didn’t want to…"

Tom stopped and looked at Chakotay, "I do now."

"In that case, bedroom." 

Tom got up, "Yes Sir" he said sarcastically and ran for his bedroom. 

Chakotay smiled at Tom’s sarcasm finally making an appearance. At least he was getting back to normal. He made his way to the bedroom and saw Tom sitting on the edge of the bed, knees drawn up to his bare chest, looked at Chakotay. Chakotay let his eyes roam over Tom. His long legs disguising, but not concealing, his muscular chest with randomly placed golden curls. His ever-present smile, now an alluring grin. His beautiful eyes full of innocent amazement. His hair, that changed to suit its situation without any help from Tom, was untidy. A stray hair trailed over his forehead which formed itself into a frown. "What? Cha, don’t you want to… What are you thinking?"

Chakotay took Tom’s shoulders and gently pushed Tom down onto his back, "Just how gorgeous you are."

"Oh. That’s okay then." Tom said quietly, but with a smile. 

Chakotay re-united theirs lips, not being able to get enough of the young pilot beneath him. Their tongues played with each other twirling and caressing. Tom tried to flip Chakotay over, but Chakotay held him down, "No you don’t flyboy. I’m treating you, it’s all me this time."

"In that case," Tom, eyes full of trust and desire, looked back up at Chakotay, "I’m all yours."

‘All yours’. Chakotay repeated that over and over in his head as he kissed his way down Tom’s chest. He found Tom’s nipples and gently moulded them into points. He let his hands roam freely over the young pilot’s body. Tom moaned and welcomed Chakotay’s every touch. His hand occasionally came up to caress Chakotay’s cheek, only to be batted away by the Commander. Chakotay licked a spot just about Tom’s navel, then dipped his tongue inside the navel, causing Tom to yell with pleasure. "Sensitive there, huh?" Chakotay said, enjoying charting the man’s body. 

Chakotay moved back up to Tom’s head and nipped at his ear lobe, then following the same pattern Tom had on his neck. The sounds Tom was emitting were now indefinable moans and panting breaths. Chakotay moved his mouth so it was close to Tom’s and spoke letting his breath flow onto Tom’s lips, "Are you still okay?"

"Okay?" Tom said breathlessly, "This is the best thing ever. I can’t fucking breath. Don’t stop Cha."

"Okay." Chakotay moved down Tom’s body once again, kissing a rough, varied and wide path. He reached Tom’s boxers and, all the time making sure Tom’s was okay, he slowly removed them. Chakotay idly moved his finger up and down the shaft of Tom’s erection. 

This gentle movement in a sensitive area caused Tom to just about buck Chakotay off the bed. "Shit! I didn’t know you were gonna do that." Tom panted.

"I’m not that predictable Paris." Chakotay carried on trailing his finger softly.

"Yeah…" Tom was rendered incapable of speech as Chakotay swallowed his cock whole.

Taking Tom deeply, Chakotay moved slowly around Tom’s cock. He occasionally grazed his teeth along the shaft, or paused to swirl his tongue around the tip. Chakotay could feel Tom was close to coming in that he was shaking, lunging and moaning uncontrollably. 

Chakotay relaxed his throat, allowing Tom to slide deeper inside him. He reached his hands around and cupped Tom’s sensitive balls. The double assault on Tom caused him to come inside Chakotay’s mouth beautifully. Chakotay could hear Tom screaming his name and various mixtures of cursing and declarations of his love. 

Swallowing every last drop Chakotay moved up to watch a panting Tom recover. Chakotay stroked Tom’s forehead fondly, while Tom came round from post-orgasm obliviousness. Chakotay kissed him, Tom still able to taste himself in Chakotay’s mouth. Placing a gentle kiss on the tip of Tom’s nose Chakotay said, "Hi."

Tom sighed happily, "Thank you Chakotay. That was amazing." Tom’s gaze drifted to Chakotay’s still-hard cock, "What about you?"

"Me? I’ll be okay." 

Tom frowned, "Chakotay, fuck me."

"What?"

Tom grinned, "Fuck. Me."

"Are you sure? I mean you just, I mean I…"

"Go ahead Cha." Chakotay kissed Tom ane headed for the replicator. Coming back he quickly slipped his boxers off and rolled Tom over onto his front. "Aw, Cha. I wanted to watch you."

Chakotay leant down and whispered in the pilot’s ear, "Tough." He kissed Tom’s neck, "Let’s just do it like this first time." He trailed down Tom’s back as he had done the front. But he soon got restless and his erection was screaming for attention, so he grabbed the lube he’d just replicated. He inserted one slippery finger gently inside Tom, then a second and a third. Chakotay removed his fingers, and Tom moaned with the loss. Chakotay then thrust his fore-finger back in and scraped it down Tom’s prostate. Tom screamed With Tom pushing back onto Chakotay’s fingers, Chakotay decided he was ready. He pulled his fingers out of Tom and began to coat his erection with lube. 

Tom felt himself being pulled up onto his knees and prepared himself to be entered. He wanted this, he needed this, he loved this. 

Chakotay pushed gently into Tom’s tight ass. He restrained himself from slamming into the Lieutenant as he pushed slowly inside. Tom moved back onto him until Chakotay was fully inside Tom. 

Tom savoured the feeling of being completely filled and at one with Chakotay before he felt Chakotay start to move back and forward. Tom adjusted to the rhythm with difficulty and struggled to keep himself balanced.

Chakotay moved inside Tom, gradually building up speed. He reached around to grab Tom, who was hard again. He pumped Tom’s erection in time to his own rhythm. Both men were yelling out various things. Curses, each other’s names and indescribable moans were surrounding the air and, not that either one of them cared, could probably heard across the whole ship. Desperate for relief Chakotay brought Tom over the edge first, feeling the pilot come into his hands and collapse with Chakotay who shot deep into Tom’s ass.

Tom heard Chakotay yelling his name as he came inside him. He lay on the bed panting for air. He felt Chakotay breathing on the back of his neck and loved the feeling of unity, until it was gone. Chakotay pulled out of Tom. Tom felt remote again, missing Chakotay. Chakotay must have read his thoughts because he gathered Tom up onto his chest. Tom listened to Chakotay’s heartbeat, suddenly aware that he was a part of that beating life. That he actually meant something to the person behind that pulse. That was a new feeling for Tom Paris.

Chakotay caught his breath and kissed Tom gently on his forehead. "Wow." He said simply.

"Yeah."

"Thanks Tom, that was amazing. It’s never been like that before."

"No." he agreed. Tom rolled over so he was resting his chin on Chakotay’s chest, "I love you."

Chakotay grinned, "Me too." Chakotay reached over and grabbed Tom’s watch off the bedside table, "We’ve got half an hour until shift time."

Tom groaned, "Do we have to?"

"Afraid so. I’m gonna go home and get changed, see you on the bridge okay?" Chakotay kissed Tom again and headed to the door.

"Chakotay, clothes."

"Right."

Chakotay sat in his Command chair, thinking. Tom was five minutes late for his shift. Chakotay had managed to get to his quarters and up to the Bridge in half an hour, why hadn’t Tom? Maybe there was something wrong with Tom. Maybe he had drifted off to those dreams again. Chakotay cursed silently, he promised he’d stay with Tom. He made a mental note to remember that promise. 

Chakotay was just about to get up and go find Tom when the doors opened and Tom walked in. Kathryn looked up from where she had been talking to Harry, "You’re late, Lieutenant."

"Sorry, but you wouldn’t believe what happened on the way up…"

"I’m sure I wouldn’t Lieutenant. Instead of telling me, could you please fly the ship."

"Yes ma’am." 

Chakotay breathed a sigh of relief.

Chakotay was amazed at Tom that shift. He was completely back to normal. Tom didn’t hesitate to make sarcastic comment or witty remark. He didn’t miss a beat in his teasing of Tuvok and he complemented his own ‘excellent flying ability’ as often as he could. Tom held long conversations with anyone who would listen to him, mainly Harry, about how many rations he’d won in the last month or how many he was going to win in the next month. 

He had turned back into the Tom Paris Chakotay used to hate. But now Chakotay found him completely adorable. 

Even Kathryn noticed the difference. She turned to Chakotay from her chair, "Looks like Tom’s finally recovered."

Chakotay tried to remain as neutral as he usually would, "Yes."

"I wonder what it was that helped him recover so quickly." She said without accusation.

"I wonder." Chakotay responded.

Tom turned around, flashed Chakotay a knowing smirk and winked. 

"Okay people, lunch break." Kathryn said heading for the turbo lift. "Tuvok you have the bridge. Commander, you coming? The rest of you wait for the beta shift people, then you’ve got your hour."

Chakotay followed Kathryn into the turbo lift and heard it close behind him. "Deck two." He said.

The turbo lift started moving and Kathryn turned to Chakotay, "What’s wrong?"

Chakotay frowned, "What do you mean?"

"You’ve been distracted all morning. I just thought there might be something on your mind."

Chakotay smiled, "Just tired, that’s all."

They walked out of the lift and into the Mess Hall, Kathryn headed for the replicator, "Have some coffee then. It always works for me."

Chakotay took the cup gratefully and grabbed a plate of Neelix’s concoctions. They both sat at a nearby table and Chakotay looked at his plate, "Looks virtually edible today. You think Kes helped him cook?"

Kathryn smiled, "Or maybe he’s just getting better at the chef thing?"

"Let’s not overdo the optimism."

Kathryn laughed softly and turned to where Harry and Tom had just walked in, she waved them over. "Don’t mind company do you?" she asked Chakotay.

"What?"

"Let’s face it. You and Tom aren’t exactly best friends. Even though you’ve spent a lot of time together the past few weeks, I can see you’ve gone back to dislike mode. I actually thought something might happen between you two after that spell in sick bay. But I suppose it was just Tom leading you on, and you decided it wasn’t right?"

Chakotay had to hold back a laugh, "You know me too well. No, I don’t mind them coming over."

Tom and Harry sat down and conversation commenced. Tom led the way some of the time with his jokes and view-points. Chakotay sometimes took over with his calm view of things. Kathryn would jump in with her Starfleet orientated views, and Harry occasionally inputted his own personal opinions. The senior officers enjoyed each others company. It took their minds off the food they were eating. 

After a while Tom looked at his watch and stood up, "Me and Harry had better get back up there." He gestured to Harry who began to finish up, and turned to Chakotay "See you later babe."

Tom froze, as did Chakotay. Harry and Kathryn looked at them with sudden interest. Kathryn glanced at Tom, "Sit." She said.

Tom sat, guiltily. Kathryn looked at the two men equally, "Anything you feel like telling us?" she felt a grin creeping across her face, "Cha?"

Tom looked up, "We’re together."

"Together? Chakotay you let me say all that about you two, and you’re together."

"I didn’t think Tom wanted anyone to know."

Tom shifted in his seat. Chakotay had noticed him doing that a lot that day. Maybe it was something to do with the earlier activity. Tom spoke up, "I didn’t. I’m not ready for the hassle." He turned to Chakotay, "You don’t mind do you?" Chakotay shook his head, "And you two won’t gossip?"

"Of course not." Kathryn said. Chakotay gave her a look that said, ‘as if you couldn’t resist.’ She persisted, "I won’t!"

Tom looked at Harry, who was looking a little shell-shocked, "Ha? Are you okay with this?"

Harry looked at his best friend, "Yeah, it’s just…unexpected. I mean, I thought you both were straight."

"So did we." Tom said smiling, "But this is what I want."

"Not a Tom Paris thing?"

"Not a Tom Paris thing." Tom laughed.

Harry digested this and then smiled, "Then congratulations, I guess."

Tom and Chakotay grinned with relief, "Thanks Ha." Tom patted his friend on the back. "Now we really do have to go." They both stood up and Tom turned back, "See you later Cha."

"Doc, I’m fine."

"That’s not what you were saying a few weeks ago."

"Quit living in the past."

The Doctor scanned Tom again with the tricorder, "Maybe I should run a different scan." 

"Or maybe you shouldn’t…Cha!"

Chakotay walked into sick bay and Tom took his chance to jump off the bio-bed and join Chakotay, "Cha, tell him I’m fine."

"I don’t know Tom, maybe…" Tom kissed Chakotay gently and suggestively, "Doc, he’s fine." Chakotay turned to Tom, "I thought you didn’t want anyone to know."

"He knows."

"How?"

"He had to run some scans that were less, um, private than the other ones." Tom smiled sheepishly. 

The Doctor continued without embarrassment, "What are you here for Commander?"

"I can answer that one," Tom said, "He’s come to check up on me."

"No I haven’t."

"Really?" Tom raised an eyebrow.

"No, I’ve come to, um, make sure you’re okay."

"It’s the same thing Cha. You’ve got to stop doing that. I’m fine." He sighed at the hurt look on Chakotay’s face, "But of course I appreciate the sentiment. Come on." He dragged Chakotay out of sick bay and towards his quarters. 

"Now do you want to start playing for rations?" Tom asked Harry.

"No."

"But Ha you’ve won the last three games."

"Yes, but you have a thing about you that automatically starts winning again when you start playing for rations." Harry said, then turned to the door, "He’s here again." He said quietly.

"I thought he was on shift." Tom did his best to duck down.

"He is."

"If he’s checking up on me again I swear I’ll…" Tom turned around, "Cha! What are you doing here? I thought you were on shift."

"I finished early."

"Why?" 

Tom could have guessed the next sentence, "To check up on you." 

Harry considerately invited another Ensign to play with him and Tom looked to his lover, "Cha, we need to talk."

"Okay." Chakotay followed Tom to a table and sat down, "What’s wrong?"

Tom took a deep breath, "Chakotay it’s about this whole watching me thing. It’s getting kind of, well, annoying."

Chakotay took it the wrong way, "Being with me is annoying?"

"No, that’s not what I said. It’s just, having you on my back 24/7 is, um, it’s kind of like, um, the academy." Tom said, kind of proud of his analogy. 

"Being with me is like school?"

Tom’s pride in his analogy flopped, "No. I just feel…like I’m under surveillance or something. Chakotay, that’s why I leave my Comm badge in my quarters sometimes. So I don’t have you following me. Don’t get me wrong…"

"So what you’re saying is that you don’t appreciate me caring about you?"

"No, I love the fact you care about me. It’ s just, too much sometimes."

"Got it. You don’t like being with me."

"That’s not what I…"

Chakotay stood up, turned around and looked to Tom, "And I cared about you." He stormed out.

Harry sat next to Tom and, ignoring the fact everyone in Sandrine’s was silent, spoke, "Could be stress, tiredness, maybe he’s on some sort of weird drug, or he could be drunk." He offered.

Tom looked at him, "Or maybe he’s just decided that was an easy way for him to break off the relationship." He looked at the whole of Sandrine’s, at least a quarter of the crew, all staring at him, "Whatever’s wrong, I think our secret’s out."

TBC