by Marleena
caught his attention "Torres" and "Pregnant." Before he could
read any further though, the Doctor's hand plucked the device
from his hands. It took all of his experience with donning
protective masks and erecting walls around himself not to let the
EMH know that he had accidently read the previous prognosis.
surprised.>
* * * * * * *
After finishing up her shift in Engineering, B'Elanna immediately
returned to her quarters, but not after bringing her favorite
extension wrench with her. If she tilted her hand back in just
the right direction, the wrench served as a fairly good
backscratcher. Of course she knew what she had to do, but it
didn't make it any easier. She knew the honorable thing to do
would be to tell Tom of her condition and that he was going to be
a father. Of course, B'Elanna thought, if she had been honorable
to begin with she wouldn't be in this position now, but she knew
that was no excuse for continuing along that course. She had
already made one mistake. 'But which mistake might that be?' she
conscious asked. Was the mistake sleeping with Tom Paris or
telling Harry that she loved him and would marry him?
Chakotay told her once that certain things were fated in life,
whether they seemed that way at the time or not. He said that
you had no choice but to follow that predestined path but you had
to follow it with honesty. Honesty not only to yourself but to
others around you. It was with that old advice still resounding
in her head that she send a message to Tom Paris to meet her in
Holodeck Two at 1800 hours.
Chapter 11
Tom sat in his room the rest of the afternoon after coming back
from Sickbay. The Doctor told him with the oddest grin on his
face that he was in much better health and that whatever he was
doing to keep it up it was good for him.
If the Doctor only knew what he had been doing. He had been
having the best sex in his life with the woman of his dreams.
The woman that was not only still engaged to his best friend but
today he had learned that she was pregnant. He had made love to
his best friend's pregnant fiance. What if Chakotay knew that?
Then he'd really have something to talk to him about.
He was still thinking about what he had learned when his message
console beeped. He went over to look at it and noticed that
B'Elanna had asked to meet him at Holodeck Two in a couple of
hours with a request that he call up the program they had been
using last time.
and she's going to have to stay with Harry to raise their child,>
he thought two hours later as the pensively walked the corridor's
of Voyager en route to the holodecks.
up. You can get through this. Then later you can drink yourself
into a stupor. If anyone knew what you had been going through no
one would blame you.>
Tom was sitting near the mist of the waterfall feeling the
coolness of the air, when he felt a hand upon his shoulder.
Looking up, he saw B'Elanna had finally joined him. He had been
thinking about what to say all the while he waited for her but
the words were now lost as he looked into her dark eyes.
"Tom, I need . . . we need to . . . "
hard. How come my life has turned so upside down in such a short
period of time?>
Seeing the anxiety written on her face, he felt compelled to help
her with this difficult discussion. "Sit down, B'Elanna, relax.
I know. You don't have to tell me," he started to explain, his
eyes reflected his sadness.
"You know. How? The Doctor. I knew I should have . . ."
"No, B'Elanna, it wasn't the Doctor, I inadvertently glanced at
the medical tricorder he used on you. He grabbed it away from me
pretty quickly, but not before I found out about your condition,"
he explained looking at the waterfall, not able to look at her.
He could pull this off he figured if he just didn't look at her.
Tom took a deep breath before he could continue. "I suppose
congratulations are in order. You and Harry will make wonderful
parents," he blurted out as he turned away from her to leave the
program. After she left, he would delete this program permanently
from the files.
"Me? Harry?" B'Elanna sputtered as she quickly intercepted him
before he left. "No Tom, you're wrong. Harry's not the father.
It's you. You're the father."
"Me?" he asked pointing at himself. "Me? That's impossible,
I've had my booster. I can't be a father," he argued.
"Yes, you can." B'Elanna explained all that the Doctor had told
her about how his birth control had been rendered ineffective
during the Warp 10 experiments.
"So it's *my* baby?" he asked as he clutched her by her upper
arms. "Really it's mine?"
"Yes, Tom, it's yours and I plan on keeping it."
"But you? Harry? Oh, damn, B'Elanna, I am sorry," he replied
realizing what hell she must be going through.
"I'll take care of Harry, it's obvious that I can't marry . .
.him . . . now. Damn," B'Elanna muttered and she leaned
against his chest, tilted her head up towards his neck and
inhaled his scent. "Tom could you scratch my back please?"
"Ah sure. Of course I'll scratch your back. What's the problem?
Allergies?"
"No, it's more like hormones," she explained, finally feeling
some relief from the itching. "Specifically Klingon hormones -- Oh
that's good Tom don't stop -- Klingon women's backs become very
itchy during their pregnancy.
"Can't the Doctor give you something to relieve the
itching?" he asked as he continued to scratch and she continued
to breathe in his aroma.
"Well if we were on the Klingon homeworld I could get a herb
that might help unfortunately it doesn't replicate well -- kind
of like your tomato soup." Tom nodded that he understood. "The
Doc did give some cream to help when I was in Engineering, but .
. oh Tom I don't know how to tell you this."
Tom's hand stilled on her back. "Well we've been through a lot
lately 'Lanna. Just tell me."
"Scratch Tom, scratch!" she ordered. "Well you asked, remember
that. It's like this . . . um it's like . . ." Finally she
pulled his head down to her mouth and whispered what the solution
to the Klingon pregnancy itches was.
Tom's eyes got as big around as saucers and pulled her away from
his ear so that he could look into her face. "You're not
serious. That's the only solution?"
"That's what the Doctor says. But it's okay. I can understand if
you don't want . . ."
"Don't want to? B'Elanna you can't be serious. You're the most
exciting and enticing woman I've ever been with.
I love you like there is no tomorrow.> Believe me it is no
hardship."
B'Elanna smiled widely. "I was hoping you would say that, but
&n
bsp; there has to be some ground rules set up," she warned.
"I don't care you make up the rules and I'll follow them," he
replied holding up one hand. "Scout's honor."
"You were a scout?" she questioned.
"I was a little Boy Scout for all of two weeks before I got
kicked out . . . but don't ask it still brings up bad memories,"
he said solemnly with a little evil grin.
"O--kay. The rules are this. No one is to know about us. And I
mean no one, not even the Captain. Okay we may have to tell the
Doctor, but absolutely no one else. You can come to my quarters
say a couple hours after Beta shift starts and leave well before
Gamma shift ends, and no one had better see you. Do I make
myself clear?"
"Like crystal, B'Elanna. Like crystal. So tonight, say 2100
hours?
She just smiled. She'd was sure she'd look forward to the
evening.
"Now all I have to do is tell Harry."
"Not without me you don't," he answered all of a sudden feeling
very protective of the little mother.
* * * * * * * *
Harry Kim sat in the Mess Hall, staring off into space. It had
been three days since he had the argument with B'Elanna in
Engineering. He still couldn't understand why she had slept with
Tom. One thought had been that she felt sorry for him, but he had
dismissed that thought at once.
*B'Elanna wouldn't lie to me,* Kim thought, taking a sip of his
drink, *It was the Klingon urges that caused her to sleep with my
best friend. I just wish she told me about these urges sooner. I
would have helped.*
Kim shook his head at that. He knew he wouldn't be able to help
her. She needed to vent her sexually aggressive urges, and he just
couldn't do that.
The ensign jumped when he heard his name. He looked up to see Tom
Paris standing over him. Beside him was B'Elanna. He looked from
one to the other then asked, "What is it?"
Tom looked at B'Elanna, who nodded. He then looked back at Harry,
and answered, "We need to talk. In private."
Harry stared at B'Elanna, who nodded, "It's important."
"Alright. My quarters?"
The two agreed and they left the Mess Hall.
* * * * * *
Harry led them into his quarters. He sat down on the couch as Tom
took a seat in the chair. B'Elanna stood in the middle of the
room, a bit uneasy. She didn't know how Kim would take the news, but
she knew he wouldn't like it.
Kim looked at B'Elanna then to Tom. He looked back at B'Elanna,
who was staring at him.
"What's this about, B'Elanna?" He asked.
B'Elanna looked at Tom, who nodded. She took a deep breath and
spoke, "Harry, I'm pregnant."
Kim's eyes lit up and he smiled. He stood up and went over to
B'Elanna.
He hugged her close as he spoke, "That's wonderful, B'Elanna.
We're going to be parents, and before our wedding!"
B'Elanna broke the embrace and shook her head. She backed away,
staring at him.
"I'm only one week pregnant, Harry," B'Elanna said, "The baby is
Tom's."
Harry glared at her then at Tom, "How could you, Tom! You were
just waiting for a chance to be alone with her, weren't you!? I
thought you were my friend. I was actually concerned about you!"
B'Elanna put her hands on Kim's shoulders to get his attention.
Kim glared at her, and shook out of her grasp.
"That's not fair, Harry!" She growled, "Tom would never betray
you like that. I wanted to sleep with him. I caught his scent and
I couldn't stop the urges that kept building."
"I would never do anything like that, B'Elanna. I would never
betray your trust."
B'Elanna smiled mischievously, "What about that little scene in
the shuttle where you had your hair in a mess and your uniform on
backwards? Rumors are running rampant."
Harry blushed deeply. He looked at Tom, who was trying to stifle
a laugh. The ensign smiled as he remembered how he ended up in
that situation. He had urges of his own that needed to be
satisfied. He looked back at B'Elanna and nodded.
"Touche, B'Elanna," Kim said, "So I guess you are keeping the
baby?"
B'Elanna nodded, "I'm also going to need Tom's help, Harry. We
obviously can't marry. It wouldn't be right to any of us."
Kim nodded and embraced her for one last time. In a sense he was
relieved. Now, he could pursue Alera. He was also relieved that
Tom would be back to normal.
*Alera was right,* Kim mused, *Tom will be all right. He needs
B'Elanna more than I do. Besides, he knows her better than I do,
and can give her what she needs.*
Kim released B'Elanna and smiled. He then went to Tom, who had
sat quietly the whole time. He looked into the blue eyes that
were brighter and more full of life than they were a week ago.
"Take care of her, Tom," Kim said, "I know she'll take care of
you."
Tom smiled and stood up. He gave the ensign a brotherly hug.
"I will, Harry," Tom whispered. *I will, because I love her.*
Chapter 12
Two days later, Tom Paris walked out of his quarters with his
duffle bag over one shoulder. He walked briskly toward the nearest
turbolift. He had never felt more wanted and needed in all his
life. He felt like he could fly all the way to B'Elanna's quarters.
As he turned the corner to the turbolift, he caught a crewman's
attention. She gave him an odd look as she noticed his duffle
bag. He smiled at her, and continued on his way. She continued to
watch him curiously until she ran into a wall.
Tom tapped the call button for the lift and waited. He looked
over to his left, and saw Ensign Mark Terre coming toward him.
The middle-aged Maquis gave him a weird look as he walked up to the
pilot.
"Moving, Paris?" He asked, pointing at the bag.
Tom looked at the bag and smiled, "You could say that."
Terre gave his a smug grin, "Who is it this time?"
Tom chuckled as the door opened, "I'm not telling, Ensign."
The doors closed on the Maquis' surprised expression. Tom
softly laughed at the ensign's expense.
*Oh, this is going to be interesting.*
Tom rang the door chime to B'Elanna's quarters. The door slid
open and he quickly stepped in.
"Finally, you're here," B'Elanna said from the couch, "Scratch my
back. Now."
"You're not even going to let me unpack, first?" Tom asked,
smiling.
B'Elanna smiled back and stood up. She went to him, grabbed his
right hand, and placed it on the small of her back. She growled
deeply then sighed when he began to scratch her back.
"Feel better?" He asked, kissing her forehead.
She purred her answer as she wrapped her arms around him. She
ran her hands through his hair, and brought his face down for a
kiss. Their tongues danced as the pilot continued to scratch her
back.
B'Elanna then broke the kiss and purred in his ear, "Let's go to
bed, Tom. You can unpack tomorrow."
Tom growled
his approval, and followed her into her bedroom.
The next day, he remembered a feeling of adolescent giddiness the
first clandestine night they spent together. It was a giddiness
that had been accompanied with a previously unknown feeling of
utter contentment and happiness. To him, he wasn't just having
sex with B'Elanna, he was making love to her and it was just
incredible. He wasn't sure if she would call it making love, but
that was how he felt.
* * * * * * * * * *
Over the next few days, Harry and B'Elanna announced that they
had broken off the engagement. The rumor mill had a field day with
that news. Crew members wondered why they had broken up. Some
believed Torres had enough of Kim's greenness; while others
believed that Kim realized he did not like her Klingon side after
all. Still others believed that one of them fell in love with
someone else.
Most of the crew noticed that they both took the break up well.
If anything, they were much happier. B'Elanna seemed to glow
whenever she entered the Mess Hall or Engineering. She was even
calmer around her staff, except when demanding that they scratch
her back.
What surprised most people was the demeanor of one Tom Paris. He