Part 2
Beloved B'Elanna, Part 2--Fair is the Day
by Cheile
Dedicated to Robbie McNeill and Roxann Dawson, 'cause they're so cool.
:)
A blinding white light flashed through the viewscreen and lit up
the bridge. Tom was hunched over the conn, clinging to the small side
rails. Control of the ship was now impossible; it was all he could do
to control his panic.
*I never got to tell B'Elanna I loved her*, was his final
thought before darkness overwhelmed him.
"Report!"
Janeway's command broke through Tom's unconsciousness. It took
him a minute to realize he was facefirst on the floor beneath the conn.
Disoriented, he rose up, smacking his head on the underside of the
console. He groaned, and crawled out backwards, pulling himself to his
feet, but unsure of which way to turn.
"No damage, no casualities," Harry reported. "Primary systems
are coming back on-line."
Janeway was helping Chakotay to his feet. Tuvok was already
back at his station. The two ensigns at mission ops were getting up.
Tom spun around in the direction of the engineering station and
the sight terrified him. B'Elanna was slumped over the console,
unmoving.
*God no, not B'Elanna!*
As if in answer to his prayer, she slowly raised her head and
pushed herself to her feet, the only injury evident a nasty bruise
swelling on her forehead.
"Harry, can you get the viewscreen operational?" Chakotay asked.
"I'm trying."
Static crackled as the viewscreen flared to life. A few minutes
later, the image cleared. What it revealed shocked everyone.
"It's Deep Space Nine," Harry said, his voice full of amazement.
"We're home."
At the conn, Tom let out a deep sigh. He had never thought that
he would lay eyes on Deep Space Nine again. After six years in the
Delta Quadrant, it was a wonderful sight.
"Neelix to bridge. What's happened?"
"We're home, Neelix. We're home," Janeway said, a smile
lighting up her face.
A minute later, Neelix, followed by Kes, stepped onto the
bridge. Neelix's eyes bugged out at the sight of Deep Space Nine
floating in its graceful slow turn. "What's that?"
"Deep Space Nine," Harry informed him. "A space station."
"It's beautiful," Kes said softly.
Vorik, over at the engineering station, raised one eyebrow in
Kes' direction.
Noticing Vorik's expression, Kes hurried to explain herself.
"Look at its form and how it slowly revolves."
"You're right, Kes," B'Elanna agreed. "It is beautiful."
"We're being hailed, Captain," Harry said suddenly.
"Onscreen," Janeway ordered.
Captain Sisko's face appeared on the screen. "You are flying an
Intrepid-class starship, yet I do not recognize you. Identify
yourself."
"Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager."
"That is impossible. Voyager was lost six years ago."
"It is not impossible. We have made it home."
Sisko's dark face lit up with a grin. "The Federation will be
happy to hear such news. Welcome home, Captain Janeway. You have
permission to dock and we are looking forward to your arrival."
Janeway smiled back as the transmission ended. "Tom, bring us
in."
"Aye, Captain."
*
Twenty minutes later, they were safely docked and Tom was in his
quarters, trying to pack. But it was nearly impossible to stuff six
years worth of possessions in that duffel bag. He began again and
finally succeeded, zipping the bag shut.
The intercom clicked on.
"We have docked at Deep Space Nine." Janeway's voice echoed
through the whole of the ship. "You may go into the station if you
wish. The former Maquis need to meet with me so that I may have the
necessary information to give Federation headquarters to grant your
pardons so that you may either continue here on Voyager, go to another
ship or go back to your homes. I do need to see all senior officers,
Neelix and Kes before you go. The rest of you, it has been a long six
years, but you are the best crew a captain could ever hope to have."
Janeway's voice was full of warmth. "Those who plan to leave, I will
truly miss you."
Click. The intercom shut off.
Tom shouldered his bag and was prepared to leave when the door
chime sounded.
"Come in," he said.
The doors opened and B'Elanna slowly walked in.
"Hi, B'Elanna."
"Hi," she began hesitantly.
For a minute, they both stood there in silence. Then B'Elanna
spoke.
"I was wondering where'd you go--after this."
Tom shrugged. "I don't know. Where are you going?"
"Hopefully, Starfleet Command will give me a pardon. Then I
guess--I'll either stay here or go to another ship. I might go to Earth
for a while. I've never seen it."
He nodded, his mind racing all the while.
*Say it.*
*No, I don't want to.*
*Damn it, Paris, don't be a fool! Tell her you love her!*
"I'm going to see the captain. I guess I'll see you later."
B'Elanna slowly turned to leave.
*Now, you idiot! Before you lose your chance!*
"B'Elanna?"
"Yeah?"
He had been prepared to say it, but now couldn't.
"Wait for me. I'll go with you."
*********
"I only wanted to say that you were the finest group of senior
officers that I've ever had or will ever have as captain." Kathryn
Janeway studied each of the group, those she had come to know so well in
these past six years.
Tuvok, her advisor and counselor. Harry Kim, so young when he'd
come
onboard--now six years older and more experienced. She hoped that he
might plan to stay with her.
Neelix. The funny little Talaxian had, to tell the truth,
partly kept her sane the past half decade. Kes, his beloved. The sweet
Ocampa girl had been her advisor along with Tuvok.
B'Elanna. At first, she had been rebellious and stubborn. But
then she had softened up quite a bit and they had become good friends.
Of course, her softening up might have had something to do with a
certain lieutenant.
Tom. He was desperately trying to avoid her gaze and not make
it obvious that he was looking at B'Elanna, but failing miserably. She
had pulled him out of prison originally to attain his help in tracking
down the Maquis. But he had proven to be, as he'd once said, "the best
pilot you could have".
Janeway's gaze shifted to her first officer. Chakotay's dark
eyes bored into hers, unnerving her for the slightest second. After
Cavit's death, Chakotay had taken Cavit's place. In her private
opinion, he was the better of the two.
"If you wish, you may request to stay with me. I plan on taking
a six-month leave before returning here to Voyager. She will not be
going anywhere until my return. Chakotay, B'Elanna, Starfleet Command
had just called before you got here. They have granted you your pardons
and are allowing you to keep your ranks."
Chakotay nodded. The look on B'Elanna's face clearly said that
she was relieved.
"I can tell you where to contact me for the next six months if
you need me before then. And of course, when I do get home, anyone is
welcome to visit."
She rose. "I'll let you all go now. Most of you probably want
to contact your families and tell them that you're still alive. Neelix,
Kes, when I leave, I was going to ask you two to come and stay with me
for a time. Get you used to things around here."
"We would love to, Captain," Neelix said, a little too
enthusiastically.
Janeway smiled at his eagerness. "You two get packed and I'll
meet you outside in about forty-five minutes."
Kes and Neelix got up and left to go pack. Tuvok, after bidding
Janeway farewell, also departed. Harry was next, followed by Chakotay
and B'Elanna. Tom was on his way out the door when Janeway called him
back.
"Yes, Captain?"
"Sit back down, Tom. I wanted to ask you something."
He shrugged and flopped into a chair. "Ask away."
"Something seems to be troubling you. What is it?"
"Nothing."
"Tom Paris, I know you better than that. It's B'Elanna, isn't
it?"
"How did you know?" he demanded.
Janeway shrugged. "It was only obvious."
Tom snorted. "Great. Now I'm transparent."
"You love her, don't you?"
Unable to lie with Janeway's ocean blue eyes boring into his, he
nodded.
"Then tell her."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"She doesn't love me back." With that, Tom got up and left.
********************
"Said I loved you, but I lied,
'Cause this is more than love
I feel inside.
Said I loved you but I was wrong,
'Cause love could never, ever feel so strong
Said I loved you--but I lied."
-- Michael Bolton, "Said I Loved You But I Lied"
********************
The Deep Space Nine promenade was noisy and busy, crowded with
all races of people. Shops and other businesses covered every inch of
available space that wasn't part of the walkways, Quark's bar being the
highlight of the promenade.
The group from Voyager took in the whole sight--the shops, the
twisting walkways, the people. So many different people, in the
strangest groups. A young black human, presumably Sisko's son, walking
with a small Ferengi cadet, who someone said was Quark's nephew Nog.
Worf from the Enterprise, holding the hand of a beautiful dark-haired
woman, a small, dark-haired, half-Klingon girl following them. As
B'Elanna watched, the woman, who Janeway had identified as Jadzia Dax,
scooped up the child in her arms, then handed her to Worf, who put the
child on his shoulders. A pain twisted her heart. Her parents had
never been that much in love, nor had they cared as much about her. She
could never remember her mother showing her any affection--and she
didn't remember a thing about her father.
Tom followed B'Elanna's line of sight to Worf, Dax and their
daughter, and instantly knew what she was thinking. He put a reassuring
hand on her shoulder. She turned in surprise to look at him and he gave
her a quiet smile.
The moment was interrupted when they were distracted by a crash.
Startled, Neelix jumped a mile. They all turned to see what the noise
was about.
It had come from Quark's. A huge hunk of twisted, contorted
metal lay sideways in the doorway. Quark himself came to the door,
grumbling, as he dragged the metal thing partially back inside and
righted it. After hollering at whoever had knocked it over, he began to
carefully dust it off.
The security guards had all turned, alerted by the crash, but
when they saw that it was only Quark's statue, they returned to their
rounds. One in particular, however, did not ignore the incident. The
guard, who Tom recognized as Odo, DS9's chief of security, was heading
toward Quark, his intent obvious. He was almost there when out of
nowhere came a slight Bajoran woman. She took Odo's arm, stopping him,
and spoke softly to him.
"I won't let him cause a scene," he heard Odo snap in response.
Tom couldn't hear her answer, but whatever she said seemed to
soften Odo. The cross look on his face faded and he sighed, shaking his
head. "Only for you, Narise."
She smiled. To Tom's amazement, Odo smiled in return, and
taking her hand, left with her, soon disappearing into the crowd.
"Now that's the first time I've seen Odo allow anyone to not let
him chew out Quark," Chakotay remarked.
"Love makes us do strange things," Janeway answered.
*Like hold back one's feelings because one is too afraid of his
stupid pride to say it*, a voice in Tom's mind mocked.
He glanced at B'Elanna. She glanced back, then returned to
watching people go by.
He loved her. And he had to tell her before they were separated
and he never saw her again.
B'Elanna glanced at Tom before turning her attention back to the
crowds.
She had been feeling so weird for the past two days--ever since
that holodeck incident. His hand had suddenly stopped--as if he
realized what he'd been doing--his fingertips resting on her cheek. She
remembered the feather-light touch of his fingertips, the pure longing
in his cerulean eyes. What did it mean?
*Does he love me? No, he couldn't possibly. Why would he want
me? No one ever has--why would Tom Paris be any different?*
B'Elanna shook her head, pushing the thoughts away. But her
first question still lingered at the back of her mind.
*
The group from Voyager split into two groups: the bigger group
including Neelix, Kes and Ensign Wildman, went to explore the shops, and
the smaller group, which included Janeway and Chakotay, went to see
Captain Sisko.
Tom decided to go with the bigger group. For one thing, he
didn't know Captain Sisko. For another, he wanted to stay near
B'Elanna. If he stayed close to her long enough, he might gain the
courage to tell her that he loved her.
An hour passed. As Tom followed Ensign Wildman, who was leading
the overexcited Neelix and the fascinated Kes, he eventually gained the
courage to talk to B'Elanna. But when he turned, she was no longer
there.
*
Four hours later.
Tom had checked at all the shops on the promenade, in the guest
officers' quarters, and couldn't find her anywhere. Where was she? He
had to tell her he loved her. This was his only chance.
He finally ran into Chakotay outside Quark's. "Where is she?"
he demanded breathlessly.
"Who, Tom?"
"B'Elanna! Who else?"
"You didn't know?"
"Know what?"
"She's going to Earth. Her shuttle's probably leaving right
now. Why?"
Without answering Chakotay, Tom dashed in the direction of the
shuttle bays, swearing silently to himself. If he missed her, it would
be his own fault.
Ten minutes later, winded and exhausted, Tom made it to the
shuttle bay area. Frantically, his eyes searched everywhere. There she
was! On the far end of the line, almost to the shuttle.
He had to stop her. He wouldn't let her go without telling her
that he loved her. He had almost made it to the middle when Odo stopped
him.
"Where do you think you're going?" Odo's amber eyes fixed on
Tom, recognizing him and at the same time, knowing his intent.
"I have to talk to someone. I can't let her leave before I do."
"You're not going past this point." Odo shook his head
vehemently. "No one who's not getting on the shuttle is getting past
this point."
"Let me talk to her, Odo. You can come with me if you want."
"No."
"B'Elanna!" he called, his voice echoing off the rafters, hoping
she would hear him. When she didn't turn around, his heart dropped.
She hadn't heard him. And now she would never know how much he loved
her.
*
B'Elanna let herself be caught in the flow of people heading for
the shuttle. She thought she heard someone call her name from afar, but
decided that she was mistaken. She had already given her good-byes to
Chakotay and Joe Carey, and she would visit the Captain, Neelix and Kes,
since she, too, would be in San Francisco, near Starfleet Headquarters
in case they needed her. As for the rest of the crew that she hadn't
known very well, like Ensign Wildman, she had said good-bye to on the
ship.
*But you forgot one person.*
She hadn't said good-bye to Tom. It was just too painful.
Though she hated to admit it, she cared for him more than she had ever
cared for anyone--even more than her brotherly affection for Chakotay.
*It's because you love him.*
She did love him. But he didn't love her back.
*
Tom watched as B'Elanna boarded the shuttle. His heart went
with her.
"B'Elanna," he cried, though it was too late for her to hear
him. "I love you," he whispered.
And as he watched, the shuttle departed from Deep Space Nine,
taking his beloved with it.
To be continued.......
Legal B.S. Paramount's characters, my story. Copyright 1997, by
Cheile. Rights and other nonsense apply. If you wanted to distribute
this, it's OK with me, but keep my name at the top. Comments go to
cheile@hotmail.com
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