By: Alicia (J0J0_77@hotmail.com)

Originally written Sept. 1999, redone April 2000

(VOY, P/T, Rated G)

Summary: Tom and B'Elanna have yet to confront each other about their feelings. How will they finally do so?

Spoiler Warning: None

Disclaimer:Not mine, Paramount's. I didn't mean any infringement or anything else. So please don't sue.

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To read the original story, go here. But please be gentle :)

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The conference table had always been long, but lately it was longer and longer. B'Elanna Torres darted her eyes across the long stretch of wood at Tom Paris. He was studying his PADD with a scrutiny so intense that it had to be false. He must have felt her eyes on him, for instead of his unruly mop of blond hair, she saw his pale blue eyes.

She smiled nervously, her eyes darting quickly down to the schematics on her PADD. Suddenly it beeped discreetly, and she looked up to see if anyone had noticed. They hadn't so she brought up the message. It was from Tom.

Torres ~ If you stare any harder, your eyes are going to pop out of your head. Don't get mad, I'm just kidding. Do you want to meet me in the Mess Hall after the briefing? ~ Tom

She looked up at him, but his eyes were on the captain. Quickly, she typed a response and sent it off before she had a chance to change her mind. He looked up at her again, this time giving her a small smile and a nod.

Drifting off into her own little dream world, B'Elanna thought back to exactly when this had started. No specific time came to her mind, but she did know it was changing her life. Her work had started to suffer slightly, she had been zoning out on briefings, and her free time was always spent thinking about him.

She'd never admit that to anyone, though. She'd never admit just how much of an affect he'd had upon her. Everytime he laughed, the twinkle in his blue eyes was enough to stop her heart dead in its tracks. When he was serious, the way the pink of his soft lips played against the carefree flip of his hair was enough to drive her insane.

Finally snapping herself out of it, she forced herself to pay attention to the lecture the Doctor was giving on epidermal regeneration sequencing.

~*~

While the Doctor droned on about some skin replacement process, Tom let his thoughts wander. He'd asked B'Elanna out several times, and she'd turned him down flat. So why had this time been any different? She'd been staring at him now every time he turned around. But he hadn't expected her to actually take him up on his offer.

She had always been out of his league. Smart, sexy, funny, pretty . . . the kind of girl he was looking for. Someone who might actually see him for who he really was, and not for a womanizing pig. He had to admit, so far he hadn't exactly been generous in showing his true side. But she was attracted anyhow. At least, that's what he chose to believe.

He looked over at her; she was watching the Doctor with unmasked boredom written all over her face. Just the sight of her lovely brown eyes and full red lips set him off into his own world of thoughts. Any expression that crossed her face was enough to capture his imagination and keep his attention.

After what seemed like an eternity, the briefing was officially adjourned, and Tom held back waiting for B'Elanna.

~*~

For the first time in her life, she was speechless. She had never felt like this before, and she wasn't so sure she liked the way it felt. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her palms were moist with sweat. She had always been the one in charge of her emotions; no one had ever taken that control from her. Except Chakotay . . . but even that hadn't felt like this. The smell of his cologne, the faint wisp of aftershave, the way he licked his lips in a small nervous gesture . . . it was all combining and making her light-headed.

"If you breathe any heavier, there, you could take over for the Environmental Controls," Tom joked, a playful smile crossing his face.

"Pig."

"Ah! You *can* still talk. I was beginning to wonder."

"You're still a pig," she said, smiling this time.

"You wanna dance?" he asked suddenly.

"What?"

"Dance."

"You want to dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he said. Tom pulled her to her feet, laughing at the confused expression on her face.

"But there are people in here," she protested lamely, looking around the room.

"So? They won't mind," he said. He shot a quick look across the room and nodded his head. B'Elanna turned her head in time to see Harry give her a quick smile, then put his clarinet to his lips.

B'Elanna looked back to Tom as the music began. "This is the part where we put our arms around each other and move to the music," he joked. Flushing, she brought her arms up nervously to his neck, vainly trying to stop the shaking in her hands and knees. Tom's arms found her waist, and he lowered his mouth to her ear. "Don't worry. I'm nervous too."

There was a small laugh in his voice that seemed to prove his words true, and she visibly relaxed. She stepped in closer towards him and rested her head against his chest. They continued to move to the slow beat, their feet moving as if on autopilot.

Tom's hands moved to her hair, and she heard his heart beat noticeably faster against his chest. She looked up at him, surprised. Was it possible that she had the same effect on him as he did on her?

The look that lay in his pale blue eyes gave her all the answers she needed. "Tom," she whispered, hearing the shake in her voice.

"Hmm?"

"Come here," she said, crooking her finger and beckoning for him to come down to her height. Before she could lose her nerve, she stood on her toes and pulled his neck down. In one swift motion, she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his. His arms slid higher up her back, pushing her body as close to his as he could. Almost fearfully, they explored each other's mouths, ignoring the whistles and cat-calls coming from every direction of the room.

They finally pulled apart and fell back into each other's arms. "Oh that was worth the wait," Tom whispered.

And it was. It certainly was.

END