Bad Dreams
By Diane Klepper
(Author's Note: Before the Voyager crew leaves the ship for the last time, Tom has a
nightmare. Sequel to "Another Nightmare." This story is for the people who liked
"Another Nightmare" and wanted some more. Thanks for the nice feedback. If you like
this or any other of my stories, please send feedback. I like to know that people are
reading them..
B'Elanna Torres woke up and quietly walked to the bassinet that held her three
day old daughter Miral. She saw that Miral was starting to stir so she picked her up and
started rocking her daughter in her arms. She smiled at her and said, "Miral lets be quiet
and let Daddy sleep…. You kept him up most of the night."
B'Elanna walked over to the replicator carrying her daughter. "Miral formula
one." She watched as a bottle of formula appeared on the replicator padd. B'Elanna
walked over to a nearby chair and started feeding Miral. B'Elanna glanced over to the
bed and saw that Tom was still sleeping. B'Elanna smiled, "Sweetheart today we have a
very big day…Today we are leaving Voyager and you get to meet your Grandma
Maggie…We are going to stay with her and your Grandpa Owen for a little while until
we find a place of our own…You know I thought your Daddy and I were going to raise
you on Voyager…but you are going to grow up on Earth…"
Just then B'Elanna heard a voice yell, "No…no."
B'Elanna looked up and saw that Tom was thrashing on their bed. His eyes were
still closed but from his movements B'Elanna could tell he was having another
nightmare. B'Elanna stood up still cradling Miral and walked over to the bassinet. She
placed Miral in the bassinet and walked over to the bed. She gently shook Tom and said,
'Tom …Wake up."
Tom eyes flew open and he sat up quickly. He turned to B'Elanna and said,
"Damn it…not again."
B'Elanna gave him a slight frown, "You okay."
Tom slid off the bed. "I guess." He started pacing open and down their sleep area
in their cabin. "I just thought my nightmares were finally over…I haven't had one for
months….My last one was after Joe Carey died."
B'Elanna frowned. "Tom that wasn't you fault. You had no idea that Vermin
would kill him."
"B'Elanna I was the senior member of the away team…I should of sensed that
something was wrong….His wife and two sons should be celebrating his return…Not
mourning his death."
"Tom you helped those people…You saved that woman's baby…Voyager gave
them a chance of a better life even after they killed Joe… Damn it I cared about Joe
Carey…he was my second in command…He was one of the few people I trusted my
engines with…would it of been better if I lost you and Miral had to grow up without a
father."
Tom walked over to B'Elanna and hugged her. "Of course not…maybe I'm just a
little tense from the last few days."
B'Elanna smiled. "Let's see the last 72 hours you've flown Voyager through a
Borg transwarp conduit, became a father and reunited with a father you haven't spoken to
in eight years…I say the last few days have been tense."
Tom smirked, "I guess you're right…It's kind of funny…For the last seven years
I've been flying Voyager towards Earth…I should be happy…We've made it…But why
do I feel like I'm losing my home."
B'Elanna sat down on the bed next to Tom and squeezed her husband's right hand
gently. "I feel the same way….For the last seven years Voyager has been home…I
thought we would raise Miral here…The crew is like our family….I'm going to miss the
people more than anything."
"I can't believe we won't see Harry everyday…He was my first friend on
Voyager….Even after Commander Cavit and the Doctor told him to stay away from me
he still wanted to my friend."
B'Elanna smiled, "That's our Harry ….He becomes friends with people who
don't have any friends…When I woke up in the Ocampa medical center I was so
angry…I just wanted to hit something…but Harry helped me calm down."
Tom smirked, "I've spent the last seven years telling Harry not to get his hopes up
to high about seeing Earth anytime soon and now part of me is excited and part is me is
so scared…You know they could still send my back to Auckland and make me finish out
my sentence?"
"Hey I'm a member of the Maquis…I could be sent to a penal colony as well."
Smirking Tom said, "Maybe we could get adjoining prison cells."
'Tom that's not going to happen…Captain Janeway is going to doing everything
in her power to make sure no one will go to prison…Reg Barclay says the whole Voyager
crew are coming home as conquering heroes who survived the dreaded Delta Quadrant."
Tom laughed, "B'Elanna you sound like a really bad holo-novel…."
B'Elanna hugged him. "Tom everything will be okay…Want to tell me about
your dream?"
"I don't remember it."
Angrily B'Elanna said, "Tom you promised not to shut me out anymore." She
stood up and started pacing angrily clenching her fists."Damn it Tom…I tell you
everything…why do you insist on hiding so much of yourself from me."
Tom stood up and grabbed his wife by both of her shoulders. "I'm sorry
B'Elanna…I was always told that nightmares shouldn't scare me…but I'm afraid to
admit that they still do."
B'Elanna looked into Tom's eyes and saw honesty in them. "Tom will you please
tell me what your nightmare was about…when I tried to hurt myself after I found out so
many of the Maquis were killed I kept everything so bottled up it almost destroyed me…I
know you like to keep your emotions hidden but Tom I love you…I just want to their for
you."
Tom sat down next to B'Elanna and took her right hand in his and squeezed it
gently. "I dreamt to the last seven years were all a dream….I was still in the Auckland
Penal colony…I never set foot on Voyager….we never got married or had Miral."
"Tom it was just a dream."
"I know that….but it seemed so real….I often thought of what my life would have
been like if I never been on Voyager…I was cashiered out of Starfleet….I was arrested
for being a Maquis…"
B'Elanna gave Tom a play slap on the arm. "Hey watch it Helmboy I was part of
the Maquis."
Tom gave B'Elanna a little smirk, "You know what I mean…You joined to help
out a cause you believed in…I joined to pay my bar tab and to fly again."
"Tom you are not the same person you were back then…being on Voyager has
changed you…us for the better…When I left Starfleet Academy I never dreamt I would
ever be the chief engineer of a Federation starship…"
Tom lovingly caressed B'Elanna cheek. "I never thought I would ever be allowed
to fly a Federation starship after I was cashiered out a Starfleet."
"Maybe we're both dreaming this?" Tom leaned towards B'Elanna and kissed
her passionately on the lips.
"Wah…Wah….Wah.."
B'Elanna and Tom broke the kiss and laughed. "With our little warrior I doubt we
will be doing a lot of dreaming for the next few months…Tom can you change her…I
want to take a quick shower and check the engines once last time before we leave this
afternoon "
"B'Elanna they are probably going to put the ship in drydock and study her for
the next six months."
B'Elanna smiled, "I know that…but they will be doing it with the ship with its
engines fully operational."
Tom smiled at is wife and gave her a soft peck on the cheek. "Yes, ma'am."
B'Elanna smiled at Tom and headed for the bathroom.
"Wah…Wah…Wah."
Tom smiled at turned to his daughter in the bassinet. He picked up the screaming
baby and said, "I see you are going to be one bossy little lady…but you know what
Miral…if this life is a dream I never want to wake up."
By Diane Klepper
(Author's Note: Before the Voyager crew leaves the ship for the last time, Tom has a
nightmare. Sequel to "Another Nightmare." This story is for the people who liked
"Another Nightmare" and wanted some more. Thanks for the nice feedback. If you like
this or any other of my stories, please send feedback. I like to know that people are
reading them..
B'Elanna Torres woke up and quietly walked to the bassinet that held her three
day old daughter Miral. She saw that Miral was starting to stir so she picked her up and
started rocking her daughter in her arms. She smiled at her and said, "Miral lets be quiet
and let Daddy sleep…. You kept him up most of the night."
B'Elanna walked over to the replicator carrying her daughter. "Miral formula
one." She watched as a bottle of formula appeared on the replicator padd. B'Elanna
walked over to a nearby chair and started feeding Miral. B'Elanna glanced over to the
bed and saw that Tom was still sleeping. B'Elanna smiled, "Sweetheart today we have a
very big day…Today we are leaving Voyager and you get to meet your Grandma
Maggie…We are going to stay with her and your Grandpa Owen for a little while until
we find a place of our own…You know I thought your Daddy and I were going to raise
you on Voyager…but you are going to grow up on Earth…"
Just then B'Elanna heard a voice yell, "No…no."
B'Elanna looked up and saw that Tom was thrashing on their bed. His eyes were
still closed but from his movements B'Elanna could tell he was having another
nightmare. B'Elanna stood up still cradling Miral and walked over to the bassinet. She
placed Miral in the bassinet and walked over to the bed. She gently shook Tom and said,
'Tom …Wake up."
Tom eyes flew open and he sat up quickly. He turned to B'Elanna and said,
"Damn it…not again."
B'Elanna gave him a slight frown, "You okay."
Tom slid off the bed. "I guess." He started pacing open and down their sleep area
in their cabin. "I just thought my nightmares were finally over…I haven't had one for
months….My last one was after Joe Carey died."
B'Elanna frowned. "Tom that wasn't you fault. You had no idea that Vermin
would kill him."
"B'Elanna I was the senior member of the away team…I should of sensed that
something was wrong….His wife and two sons should be celebrating his return…Not
mourning his death."
"Tom you helped those people…You saved that woman's baby…Voyager gave
them a chance of a better life even after they killed Joe… Damn it I cared about Joe
Carey…he was my second in command…He was one of the few people I trusted my
engines with…would it of been better if I lost you and Miral had to grow up without a
father."
Tom walked over to B'Elanna and hugged her. "Of course not…maybe I'm just a
little tense from the last few days."
B'Elanna smiled. "Let's see the last 72 hours you've flown Voyager through a
Borg transwarp conduit, became a father and reunited with a father you haven't spoken to
in eight years…I say the last few days have been tense."
Tom smirked, "I guess you're right…It's kind of funny…For the last seven years
I've been flying Voyager towards Earth…I should be happy…We've made it…But why
do I feel like I'm losing my home."
B'Elanna sat down on the bed next to Tom and squeezed her husband's right hand
gently. "I feel the same way….For the last seven years Voyager has been home…I
thought we would raise Miral here…The crew is like our family….I'm going to miss the
people more than anything."
"I can't believe we won't see Harry everyday…He was my first friend on
Voyager….Even after Commander Cavit and the Doctor told him to stay away from me
he still wanted to my friend."
B'Elanna smiled, "That's our Harry ….He becomes friends with people who
don't have any friends…When I woke up in the Ocampa medical center I was so
angry…I just wanted to hit something…but Harry helped me calm down."
Tom smirked, "I've spent the last seven years telling Harry not to get his hopes up
to high about seeing Earth anytime soon and now part of me is excited and part is me is
so scared…You know they could still send my back to Auckland and make me finish out
my sentence?"
"Hey I'm a member of the Maquis…I could be sent to a penal colony as well."
Smirking Tom said, "Maybe we could get adjoining prison cells."
'Tom that's not going to happen…Captain Janeway is going to doing everything
in her power to make sure no one will go to prison…Reg Barclay says the whole Voyager
crew are coming home as conquering heroes who survived the dreaded Delta Quadrant."
Tom laughed, "B'Elanna you sound like a really bad holo-novel…."
B'Elanna hugged him. "Tom everything will be okay…Want to tell me about
your dream?"
"I don't remember it."
Angrily B'Elanna said, "Tom you promised not to shut me out anymore." She
stood up and started pacing angrily clenching her fists."Damn it Tom…I tell you
everything…why do you insist on hiding so much of yourself from me."
Tom stood up and grabbed his wife by both of her shoulders. "I'm sorry
B'Elanna…I was always told that nightmares shouldn't scare me…but I'm afraid to
admit that they still do."
B'Elanna looked into Tom's eyes and saw honesty in them. "Tom will you please
tell me what your nightmare was about…when I tried to hurt myself after I found out so
many of the Maquis were killed I kept everything so bottled up it almost destroyed me…I
know you like to keep your emotions hidden but Tom I love you…I just want to their for
you."
Tom sat down next to B'Elanna and took her right hand in his and squeezed it
gently. "I dreamt to the last seven years were all a dream….I was still in the Auckland
Penal colony…I never set foot on Voyager….we never got married or had Miral."
"Tom it was just a dream."
"I know that….but it seemed so real….I often thought of what my life would have
been like if I never been on Voyager…I was cashiered out of Starfleet….I was arrested
for being a Maquis…"
B'Elanna gave Tom a play slap on the arm. "Hey watch it Helmboy I was part of
the Maquis."
Tom gave B'Elanna a little smirk, "You know what I mean…You joined to help
out a cause you believed in…I joined to pay my bar tab and to fly again."
"Tom you are not the same person you were back then…being on Voyager has
changed you…us for the better…When I left Starfleet Academy I never dreamt I would
ever be the chief engineer of a Federation starship…"
Tom lovingly caressed B'Elanna cheek. "I never thought I would ever be allowed
to fly a Federation starship after I was cashiered out a Starfleet."
"Maybe we're both dreaming this?" Tom leaned towards B'Elanna and kissed
her passionately on the lips.
"Wah…Wah….Wah.."
B'Elanna and Tom broke the kiss and laughed. "With our little warrior I doubt we
will be doing a lot of dreaming for the next few months…Tom can you change her…I
want to take a quick shower and check the engines once last time before we leave this
afternoon "
"B'Elanna they are probably going to put the ship in drydock and study her for
the next six months."
B'Elanna smiled, "I know that…but they will be doing it with the ship with its
engines fully operational."
Tom smiled at is wife and gave her a soft peck on the cheek. "Yes, ma'am."
B'Elanna smiled at Tom and headed for the bathroom.
"Wah…Wah…Wah."
Tom smiled at turned to his daughter in the bassinet. He picked up the screaming
baby and said, "I see you are going to be one bossy little lady…but you know what
Miral…if this life is a dream I never want to wake up."