Rated: R (for strong sexual content)

Date: November 2001

Synopsis:  Set during the episode “Endgame.”  Admiral Kathryn Janeway has gone back in time to bring Voyager back to earth.  This is the first of many chapters exploring the effects her actions had on those closest to her.

Disclaimer:  All things Voyager belong to Paramount…cuz if I owned ‘em I wouldn’t be sitting here writing this stuff.
 

Thank you to Brigid and Stell for continuing to read and reread chapter after chapter of what feels like a never-ending saga.   

Chapter 1:  Welcome Home 
 

They sat on their sofa, Tom leaning with his back against the armrest, his left leg laying comfortably across the cushions of the couch, and the right, planted firmly on the floor.  Between his legs snuggled his wife of over 25 years, B'Elanna wearing a loose, forest green tunic and matching pants.  Her shoes were on the floor and her bare toes were running up and down Tom's legs causing him to lose his concentration on the new holo-novel he was working on for his publisher.

"B'Elanna," he said in an accusing tone, "You really need to stop doing that."

"Doing what?"  She asked.

He looked at her foot which was now slowly making its way down his pant leg and said 'as if you didn't know' with his expression and raised eyebrows instead of his words.

"Oh.  You mean this?"  She said as she ran her foot back up his leg.  B'Elanna was thoroughly getting into this game they were playing.  She had missed this closeness between them since Miral's leaving six months ago and welcomed it back whole-heartedly.

It had started earlier this evening when Tom had offered to make some of his infamous chili and suggested that B'Elanna join him.  They chopped onions and tomatoes that Tom had grown in their garden and mixed them with an assortment of spices and meats.  The aroma coming from the different seasonings mixed with the fresh produce and choice beef cuts brought a homelike quality to their house that had been missing for some time now.

Playing chef had been one of Miral's favorite things to do with her father.  They would disappear into the kitchen for hours and lose themselves amongst the clatter and chaos.  The combination of noises coming from within the kitchen would consist of laughter, clanking pots and pans or on occasion…breaking glass.  Many times B'Elanna would go in and scold them for causing such a riot and would remind them to clean up their mess, but no matter how much of a wreck the room would be, when all was said and done, there would always be plenty of fun, a clean kitchen and a spectacular culinary delight awaiting them.

Now standing by the counter waiting for the cornbread to finish, B'Elanna and Tom felt the absence of their daughter's presence deeply.  They ate their meal, reminiscing about Miral's reaction to the first time she and Tom had made chili together sharing a laugh at the effects the dinner had on Tom afterwards.  They were happy memories that brought their loneliness to the surface causing a lapse in conversation between the two.  

B'Elanna insisted that Tom go relax in their family room while she finished taking care of the kitchen and adamantly declined his offer to help. She needed to be alone in order to face the concern that had set in since Miral's departure and more so since speaking with Admiral Janeway at the reunion.  She sought solace in putting the abundance of leftover food away, while silently praying to the Gods to return their only daughter back to them quickly, but most of all, safely.

Tom watched her from the archway of the kitchen door with his arms crossed over his chest and a slight smile on his face, appreciating her beauty.  Over the years he noticed so many resemblances, so many similarities between B'Elanna and Miral.  Not just their looks but personality traits that both mother and daughter possessed, including their need for discretion when it came to letting their more vulnerable human side show.  He was aware of B'Elanna's need for solitude and understood it all to well.  There were many times he would rather lose himself in drafting a holo-novel than to stand up and face the reality of their daughter risking her life for their former captain. Tom and B'Elanna would have gone on this mission themselves if Admiral Janeway had asked it of them.  After all, they did owe her a great deal of debt.  But instead she had asked it of their daughter and that was a price they hated to pay.

Walking up behind B’Elanna, Tom placed his hands on the back of her shoulders and whispered, "Don't worry.  She'll be home soon."

"I know.  I know," she sighed as she laid her head back against his chest and closed her eyes taking comfort in his embrace.

"Why don't we finish up in here together, and maybe take a stroll on that little path in the park she liked so much?  It might be good for us to take a walk down memory lane.  Don't you think?" he asked as he gently turned her around by her shoulders.

"That sounds nice," said B'Elanna preferring his companionship instead of the solitude she thought she had needed.  Leaning up to place a kiss on the tip of his nose she replied, "but you get to do the dishes."

They had been sitting on their sofa relaxing together for a little over an hour, after their brisk walk through the park.  B’Elanna had been reading a steamy romance novel that had been recommended to her by an old friend many years ago.  Tom was trying to focus on the revisions to his holo-novel however, B’Elanna’s actions while reading her book was making it a bit complicated.

Tom could feel her squirming slightly between his thighs and asked, "What're you reading?"

" 'Morning Glory',” she mumbled.

" 'Morning Glory’?  That's a somewhat tame name for a Klingon romance, isn't it?"

"It's not Klingon," she said and went back to her book.

"Well, what's it about?" Tom asked.  Fairly persistent in finding out the cause of her wiggling. 

“Hmmmmm?”

"I asked what it was about.  Anything interesting that you might want to share?"

Together Tom and B'Elanna had read many romance novels when they were on board Voyager that had led to some of the most passionate nights of their lives.  It had started with 'Women Warriors on the River of Blood' and progressed from there.  However, since their arrival back on earth, the tradition of taking turns reading to each other had been moved to the back burner.

Wanting to ignite a fire that had dwindled down, Tom suggested that they start again.  "You know...it's been a while since we've read a romance together.  Why don't you read me a chapter?"

"Tom, I'm more than halfway through this book and I'm just getting to the good part.  Surely you don't expect me to start all over again?"

"Why don't you just fill me in on what's happened so far, and read me the 'good parts’?"

"Because I don't want to waste any time explaining all of this to you,” 

"Awwww.  Come on, B'Elanna?  It could be fun, and as I recall, you always seemed to like it when I read to you," he said, nudging her neck with his nose.

"Look, Tom.  If you want to read this so badly, I'll let you have it after I'm through with it, okay?" and continued reading the next chapter, to herself.  She started squirming her bottom up against Tom's upper thighs and pressed her buttocks firmly back against the V of his legs.

Tom knew she was reading the "good parts" now, and was desperate to find out what was going on that could make B'Elanna fidget this much.

B'Elanna, well aware of this fact, continued to lightly grind herself into him.

Tom gripped his padd pretending to make notes on his newest holo-novel creation, when he started to feel her toes make their way up his leg.  Oh.  So that's how we're playing it, he thought.  Well two could play this game.

"Mmmmmmmm.  B'Elanna?" he said, in a sultry voice.

"Yes," she purred.

"Could you not press up against my stomach like that?  I'm still full from dinner."

"I'm sorry," she said too sweetly while pressing her buttocks back and down into the sofa towards his growing erection.

"That's okay," he grunted.

She continued reading the same passage she had been trying to get through for the past 10 minutes when she started working her toes up and down his leg again--much more interested in what was going on between the legs of her husband, than the pages of the book.

Yet again he asked her to stop, but this just egged her on all the more, and he knew it.  Just like he knew what her reaction to his last few comments would be and that the next move would be hers.

Playing innocent, she asked, "Is all this page turning bothering you, Tom?   I know how easily distracted you can be.  Maybe I should stop reading?"

Tom--the master of this game--had simply said "No.  You don't have to do that.  You're not in the least bit distracting."

Too bad, she thought.  I guess I'll have to try harder.  "My eyes are getting tired anyway." Closing her book she leaned over his right leg in order to place it on the floor and to give him a view of her ass.  B'Elanna wasn't going to let him get the upper hand in this dance...yet.

He knew what she wanted, he wanted it too, but he also knew that half the fun was getting there.  No matter who won the battle, they would both win the war.  He kept on making illegible notations on his padd and tried not to look down at her when she bent over his leg.

"Damn!"  One look. One little glance and that was it.  He knew he had lost...this time.  But he was looking forward to B'Elanna claiming her prize.

"B'Elanna," he said in an accusing tone.  "You really need to stop doing that."

"Doing what?"  She asked.

He looked down at her foot and raised his eyebrows.

"Oh.  You mean this?"  She said as she ran her toes back up his leg.

"Yes that.  Aaand the squirming and the sultry voice.  The soft moans."

B'Elanna slowly turned over as Tom slipped downward--padd forgotten--and pulled her onto his chest.  Now he was flat on the sofa with B'Elanna lying on top of him.  Her eyes boring into his, her lips mere inches away from his own.

"Do you want me to stop?" She asked as she ran her finger down his cheek.

"No.  Don't stop.  I've missed this," he said breathlessly.

"I have too," she returned and slowly nipped her way across his chin.  "Oh, Tom.  I've really missed this."

Tom placed his hands on her hips and held her still while he ground himself upwards.

"What else did you miss?"  He whispered huskily.

"You.  I've missed you."

Their lips met as their hands started to roam.  His: under her shirt releasing her breasts from their confines.  Hers: running along his sides until she placed the tips of her fingers under the waistband of his pants, lightly grazing them across his straining member.

She could feel him growing harder, and felt herself swell with desire followed by a liquid rush.  She wanted nothing more than to feel him buried within her.  Lately some things had become a little lackluster.  Between Tom working on his new holo-novel and publicizing his last one, Chakotay’s funeral, Miral’s departure and B’Elanna helping their former captain out, it had been months since they had an opportunity, let alone the desire to make love like this and she wanted to relish every moment. Feeling the heat of his member radiate against the tips of her fingers she thought, then again...

Tom felt his way up her back and slowly traced a path back down her spine.  Grateful for the loose fitting outfit she chose to wear, he placed his left hand over her breast gently kneading it, as his right hand leisurely slid down her back, finally cupping her buttocks and pulling her firmly against him.

She shivered making a guttural sound of gratification, deep within her throat.  She had waited so long for him to touch her this way again. To reassure and comfort her like only he could.  Another kiss - deep, a passionate mating of tongues, lips and teeth.  She felt his hands leave her body and cradle her face in a familiar gesture.  

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

They had said the words too many times to count over the years.  Neither one knew who said it first and neither one cared.  All they knew was that it was just as true now as it was almost three decades ago - as it always will be.  The wave of emotion was so strong, so intense.  They looked at each other for what seemed like an hour when he felt a possessiveness like none other come over him. 

"Mine.  You're mine."

Gripping her face with both hands, he sucked her bottom lip in, roughly flicking his tongue across the base of it as she suckled his upper lip, running her tongue across the top.  Their tongues delving into the other's mouth with fervor, doing a mating dance that had been gone for too long.  His hands made their way into her hair and pulled her head gently back enabling him to watch her face as he placed his knee between her legs.  Grinding her down on his upraised leg, her dampness seeping through their clothes he said, “I want you so badly.”  He thought he would explode then and there and reminded himself to take it slow.  

She threw her head back, exposing her neck, and growled into the air as she felt the first wave of pleasure hit her.  

Just a few more seconds of this and he would have her right where he wanted her, proving once again that she was in fact his and always would be.  He leaned up and grabbed the back of her hair forcefully with his left hand, while plunging his right hand down the waistband of her pants, touching the one spot that would send her reeling.  He nipped at her neck while working his fingers magically over her nub, determined to show her and give her everything she wanted.  Her moans were getting louder and his ministrations stronger.  He knew he almost had her. He dragged her head down, to meet his mouth in a wild frenzy of moving tongues and lips.  One more thrust of the knee.  One more flick of the tongue.  A little more pressure from his fingers and…her cries lost in his mouth. Tom wrapped his fingers in her hair and gently tugged, causing her to look at him.  He whispered, "Always B'Elanna."  

She wasn't prepared for the shock that hit her system--wave after wave of pleasure.  Tom looked deeply into her eyes as he brought her over the edge again.  God how she loved him.  She loved the way he looked at her, the way he made her feel--wanted, beautiful, invigorated.  She knew he wanted to take his time with her, but she could wait no more, she had to have him.  Now!  More than eager to take him over the edge with her, she moaned his name and slowly started to lick at his ear lobe whispering, "I've wanted this for so long.  Just let it happen,” knowing what hearing those words would mean to him.

That did it.  He couldn't take it any more.  His burgeoning erection was painfully trying to escape the restraints of his pants.  He knew their lovemaking would b fast and furious.  She would want it that way.  In one swift move, he removed his hand from between them and ripped off B'Elanna's tunic to kiss what he could reach of her breasts.  

B'Elanna unbuttoned Tom's shirt taking pleasure in running her fingers through the hair on his chest while pushing her breast deeper into his warm mouth. "Yes," she growled.

He needed to feel the heat of her flesh up against his body.  To feel her hardened nipples against his own.  He lifted his moist, swollen lips up to meet her kiss.  His arms wrapping around her back crushing her chest to his, he thought, Oh, God.  I can't wait anymore.  Their kiss deepened, as a familiar voice filled the air.

“Get a room, you two."