Title: Similarities
Author: KayTrek (
KayTrek@Yahoo.com)
Part: 1/1
Rating: PG-13
Codes: J/P
Archive: ATPS, Jupiter Station, anyone else please ask first

Disclaimer: Star Trek and everything related is owned by Paramount/Viacom, this is just a not-for-profit fun fic.

Dedicated to: the ATPS listmom and Catheights for her quick beta

SPOILER ALERT: MAJOR SPOILERS FOR FAIRHAVEN AND SPIRIT FOLK

Summary: This story is losely based on a Jupiter Station challenge:
Write a coda or sequel to "Fair Haven" where Janeway slowly realizes that Paris is much more like Michael than she thought. Afterall, he showed how much he cared for her by coming to her to warn her first hand he and Harry will be rewriting Fair Haven so she can save Michael. Tom knew
about her and Michael so he gave the silent warning. Story can be romantic or platonic, AU or fit to canon.

Similarities

Tom came into the messhall rather late, hoping to find a piece of Neelix's latest pie creation left.

It wasn't the best, but when you couldn't sleep, it was better than nothing at all.

To his surprise, he found the Captain sitting at one of the tables, staring out at the starlight, with her continual companion, a cup of coffee, in her hand.

"Hello, Captain, I hope I am not disturbing you," Tom said softly, coming to stand at the silent woman's side and stare out at the starlight as well, hoping to see whatever was captivating the woman.

"No, not at all, Tom," the Captain finally responded in a low voice. "I just couldn't sleep -- I was thinking about a great many things."

"I couldn't sleep either -- would you like some pie? I thought it might help."

"Pie helps you sleep?" Kathryn responded, quirking an eyebrow at her pilot.

"Well, no, but it helps make the middle of the night easier, I've found," Tom responded with a sheepish grin.

"Well, considering it is the middle of the night, I ll bite -- get me some as well," she responded with a low, throaty chuckle.

Tom simply grinned wider, and proceeded to raid Neelix's kitchen, returning with two pieces of pie, and a pot of coffee and another cup.

"Drinking coffee will never get either one of us to sleep, Tom," Kathryn responded as he sat down across from her and spread the bounty of his raid out between them.

"Ah, but it makes my Captain happy," Tom responded, and looked closely at the woman before him.

"Do you think you know me that well, Tom?" Kathryn asked as she took the first bite of her pie.

"Perhaps."

"Whatever do you mean?" Kathryn responded, suddenly realizing the conversation was taking a more serious turn, and that she had been lost at the last crossroad.

"Do you like Michael?" Tom took a bite of pie, and then returned to studying her face.

"Of course I do, he is a charming Irish rogue -- a type I've always had a fondness for," Kathryn said, trying to lighten the moment.

"As I said, I know what makes my Captain happy," Tom replied obliquely, and took another bite of pie.

"You've made that much of a study of me, have you?" Kathryn said, realizing Tom was headed somewhere with the conversation, and that he would not let her derail it.

"I've had few years to do so, ma'am, and to see what lightens your load," Tom said in a low voice, and looked down at his fork like it was the most fasinating thing he had seen for lightyears.

"I appreciate that, Tom, but you should be thinking about what makes you happy."

"And what if it is making you happy?" Tom immediately said, and looked up at her through long blond lashes.

"I'm beginning to think you are flirting with me, Mr. Paris," Kathryn said in a mock command tone, and smiled. She was very confused by the conversation, and still hoped to derail it.

Tom shifted in his seat, and glanced back up at her again through the lashes. "Oh, no, Captain, I would never do that," he said softly. "You need someone, but not an ex-con knock-about flyboy like me. But I admit, there may be a bit of me in Michael -- I've always thought I could make you laugh, at least."

"You can, Tom, you always have -- are you saying you made Michael Sullivan for me?" Kathryn suddenly said, finally realizing which road the conversation was headed down.

"I hoped you'd like him -- there's a lot of me in him," Tom said, ducking his head to stare at his plate again.

"I can see that -- and I do like my charming rogues, Tom," Kathryn said, and brushed a hand across the blond head bent before her. "That's why you warned me about rebuilding Fairhaven, and saving him, after the storm, wasn't it?" she continued.

"Of course -- after you just got him, and adjusted him to suit you perfectly, do you think I would have let anything happen to him?" Tom said, finally looking up at her again.

"But I would still have the real thing," Kathryn said, wondering what in the starlight was making her so daring this late at night.

"I told you, the real thing isn't good enough for you. But Michael, welll, he has a lot of improvements, some you installed yourself."

"I never meant to tamper with your creation, Tom, I didn't know how much he meant to you. And who said you aren't good enough for me," Kathryn said softly, upset at Tom's self-deprecation.

"I want you to be happy with him -- he may only be a hologram, but at least he is someone for you to spend time with -- especially since you keep pushing Chakotay away --" Tom continued in a rush, clearly refusing to respond to her comment about him.

"Tom --"

"Sleep well, Captain," Tom said, and suddenly jumped up and left the messhall.

Kathryn sat, shocked, in her seat, and began to study the starlight again. Where did Michael Sullivan stop and Tom begin? Or rather, she asked herself, where does Tom stop and the hologram begin? Kathryn shook her head, and knew she would get no sleep tonight, glad she had at least the starlight for company.

THE END