Title: No Easy Answers
Author: Ronda Sexton
Rating: T (PG13)
Summary: AU look at 30 Days.
Tom sat nervously on his cot in the brig. He tried to slow his breathing as he thought of spending the next 30 days confined in this tiny room. Unlike the two times he had spent in solitary confinement in Aukland, there would be no recreation breaks that Federation Penal colonies were required to give. Those one hour breaks during the two four day terms he had served in solitary had help to ease his claustraphobia. He didn't know if he could take thirty days in the tiny brig cell and still be sane...
He looked up as the forcefield deactivated and the Doctor stepped inside.
"Hey, Doc, what's up?" he asked.
"I have to give you a check up. As I will once a week until you are out of the brig, Tom," replied the Doctor softly.
He began scanning Tom, watching the readings carefully. "Hmm, your blood pressure seems to be slightly elavated, but considering the confrontation with the Captain, that is not to be unexpected. I will see you in a week."
The guard deactivated the forcefield and the Doctor strode out. He was concerned that Tom seemed to be very stressed. Much more so than would be expected. Time would tell...
Ayala watched in concern as Tom Paris beat the air with his hands, evidently caught up in the throes of a vivid nightmare.
"Daddy, I'm sorry, please let me out." Tom cried as his hands seemed to beat against something as he lie prone on his back. "Daddy, I will study. Please, I'm scared! Let me out!" Tom let out a terrified scream and sat bolt upright on the cot. He was breathing heavily and Ayala thought for a few minutes that he might have to summon the Doctor.
"You okay, Paris?" he asked softly. Orders were no non-essential conversation with the prisoner, but he needed to know.
Tom nodded shakily and walked to the semi-hidden cubicle to relieve himself and splash some cold water on his face. It had been a long time since he had that particular nightmare. He forced the horrible memory back down and returned to his cot.
Ayala logged the incident. He hoped that it was going to be an isolated occurance, but if it wasn't, it would documented.
Tom buried his face in his pillow. He was tired and wanted to sleep, but he also had no desire to relive that nightmarish experience again. Eventually exhuastion won out and he dozed off.
Ayala watched him carefully for signs of restlessness...
During the Gama shift, Ayala witnessed Tom appearantly going through the same nightmare two more times. He logged each incident and sent the report to Lt. Tuvok.
Tuvok read the report carefully. Tom's first night in the brig had been less than pleasant. He had to wonder if the event Tom was reliving had been real or just from the stress of the brig. He knew Admiral Paris had been very hard on his son, even more so after he had been rescued from the Cardassians. The Doctor's initial health assessment had shown a slightly elavated blood pressure and a significant elevation of Tom's stress levels.
Every night it was the same. Ayala had to watch helplessly as Tom suffered through more nightmarish episodes. He was now having them almost hourly. It had been a hellish week. Ayala had enjoyed Gama shift before this. He logged each nightmare and sent the end of shift report to Tuvok. The Doctor would examine Tom on Alpha shift. Perhaps there was some sort of medication the Doctor could give him. Ayala didn't think Tom could take much more. He was deathly pale and the dark circles under his eyes made him look as if he had been beaten. Something had to give.
Tom pushed the leola root around on his plate. He had gotten it for most of his meals. Basic nutritutional foods were what he was allowed. He longed for some pizza or tomato soup...anything but this cursed root. Deactivation of the force field made him look up. The Doctor stepped inside.
"Good morning, Mr. Paris," he said quietly. Tom's appearance concerned him greatly. He had read the reports that the security officers had submitted on each shift in regards to the prisoner's condition. He saw that they had not exegerated. Tom looked as if he had been seriously ill instead of having spent a week in the brig. He began scanning him. He had lost 2 kilos and his blood pressure was up much higher than it had been when he had first been tossed into the brig. Stress levels read much higher as well.
"Tom, I am going to give you some medication to lower your blood pressure it's too high." A soft hiss indicated that the Doctor had given him a shot. Tom shrugged. Deciding that perhaps his assistant might open up a bit, the Doctor asked, "Tom, reports indicate that you are having nightmares throughout the night. Can you tell me what you're dreaming about?"
Tom shrugged and said nothing. Talking about it would accomplish nothing...except to reveal things best kept secret. He did not want the Doctor or anyone else prying into his childhood.
"Tom, I can't help you if you don't talk to me." The Doctor waited a few minutes, however Tom continued to stare into space as if he had not heard him. "I'll order an anti-anxiety drug for you take at night. One of the medics will bring it by each night." Tom continued to sit on the cot and stare into space, seeming not to care one way or the other.
The Doctor signaled the guard who deactivated the forcefield. He proceeded to take the turbolift to the bridge. He walked purposefully over to the Captain and the Commander. "I need to speak with both of you in private," he said softly. They rose quickly.
"B'Elanna, you have the bridge," ordered Janeway as the trio walked to her Ready Room.
After they had seated themselves, the Doctor began his report. "Mr. Paris has lost 2 kilos. His blood pressure is significantly elavated. I adminstered Lisinopril to lower it."
"Did he tell you about the nightmares?" asked Chakotay.
"He would not answer any of my inquires about them. He just stared off into space as if I were not there. I've ordered an anti-anxiety drug to be given at night to see if that helps."
"I know Admiral Paris was hard on Tom, but I can't believe that he would shut Tom up in anything," mused Janeway. "But then, he changed so much after the Cardassian incident. What are your recommendations, Doctor?"
"If the medications don't improve his condition, I would say that confining him to his quarters for the remainder of his sentence may be a viable option."
Janeway aimlessly picked up a PADD. "How long will it be before we know if the medications will work?"
"I would like to give them a week. If they don't work, then my recommendations stand," replied the Doctor with a firmness that surprised Janeway.
"Very well, is that all, Doctor?"
He nodded.
"Dismissed."
The Doctor walked out, and Janeway turned to Chakotay.
"What do you think, Chakotay? I never expected anything like this to happen with Tom." She looked at him helplessly
"We know he has a lot of demons from his past that he won't discuss. I don't even know how much he's opened up to B'Elanna. I do have to agree with the Doctor though. We can't keep him in the brig if he doesn't improve."
"I know," she answered with a sigh. There were certainly no easy answers.
Back in the brig, Tom contemplated what the doctor had said. He was not certain that the anti-anxiety drugs would help. He remembered what happened when they gave them to him in Aukland. They had not worked then, and he doubted that now would be any different. The deactiavation of the force field stirred him from his musings.
Looking up, he saw Neelix there with his lunch. Laying a hand on Tom's shoulder, Neelix handed him the tray with an apologetic look that told Tom his meal was again going to be leola root. Giving him a gentle squeeze on the shoulder, he left the brig. He saw his concern mirrored in the eyes of Ensign Domberwicky.
Neelix was disturbed by Tom's appearance. He knew from the grapevine that after examining Tom earlier today, that the Doctor had gone straight to the bridge to speak with the Captain. He had thought that surely the Captain would have some sort of compassion and release Tom. He had heard whisperings that the Captain had been overly harsh with Tom in her punishment of him. Others had disobeyed direct orders with lesser consequences. The consenus had been that the Captain's "personal reclamation project" had embarrassed her and now had to suffer for it. Whatever the reason, Tom's condition frightened Neelix. He considered Tom his friend and did not wish to lose him.
Later, towards the end of the Beta shift, Samantha Wildman came to the brig to administer the anti-anxiety drug to Tom. Lt. Stiles deactivated the force field and she entered quietly. Tom was sitting on the edge of his bunk, staring off into space.
"Tom," she began softly. "I'm here to give you some medicine."
He looked up as she walked towards him. She scanned him and noted that his blood pressue was still very high. After making a quick adjustment on the hypospray to include more Lisinopril as well, Samantha placed it against his neck and gave him the prescribed medications.
"Tom, your blood pressure was still high, so I gave you medication for that as well. The minphredadrine should help you feel a less stressed out." With an encouraging pat on the shoulder, she left the cell feeling that she was fighting a losing battle. She had never seen Tom looking this bad. He had been in many scrapes and life threatening situtations, but this time the condition he was in was so senseless. Anger boiled up and she really resented the fact that the Captain was being so unfair.
Chakotay was sitting in his quarters sipping hot tea and considering what should be done about Tom Paris. He agreed with the majority of the crew that the Captain's discipline had been much too harsh. Though, due to his position, he could not let the crew know he agreed with them. He was trying to find some way to approach the Captain about it. His door buzzer sounded jolting him out of his thoughts. "Come," he called.
The door slid open and B'Elanna walked in. Chakotay stood up. "B'Elanna, have a seat." He had been expecting that she would come to talk to him.
B'Elanna sat down. "Chakotay, I know why the doctor talked to you and the Captain. What's wrong with Tom? Ayala only tells me Tom has been having some nightmares. I know there has to be more to it than that, otherwise, the Doctor would have just submitted a report. He won't tell me a thing." Her sharp angry tone did not surprise Chakotay.
"You know the Doctor can't discuss Tom's condition with you. Patient confidentality is there for a purpose," answered Chakotay calmly. "I can't tell you very much. The Doctor is treating Tom, and if he doesn't improve, he is recommending that Tom spend the rest of his sentence confined to his quarters."
"Sentence," spat B'Elanna. "You and I both know that the Captian was way too heavy-handed in his punishment. I don't think you'll find a single person on this ship that agrees with her. Tom has saved this ship and all of countless times!" B'Elanna trembled with pent up rage.
"She is the Captain, and sometimes her decisions are not going to be popular with the crew. She did what she thought was right," answered Chakotay.
"Do you think it was fair, Chakotay?" asked B'Elanna.
"You're putting me in a difficult situtation, B'Elanna," replied Chakotay uncomfortably.
"I'll take that as a yes," she spat back. "So why aren't you trying to help?"
"It's not that simple. I will promise you this: If the treatments the doctor is giving Tom don't improve his condition, then the Doctor and I WILL force the issue with the Captain."
He picked up the hot tea pot. "Here have a cup of the Chamoile tea. It will calm you down a bit."
She picked up a cup and let him pour some tea into it for her. She added some honey and they both sat in silence sipping their tea, each lost in their thoughts about the situtation with Tom.
Ayala watched as Tom stirred restlessly on the narrow cot. Suddenly, Tom got up and sat down on the floor. It took a few moments for Ayala to realize Tom was sleepwalking. He appeared to be playing with something. Judging by the movements, it was a ship of some sort. Suddenly Tom looked up and seemed to be frozen with fear.
"I...I...I was just taking a break, Daddy. I'll go back to studying," Tom's voice quivered with terror.
There was a pause as if someone was answering him.
"No, Daddy, Please! I'll study!" The panic in Tom's voice alarmed Ayala.
Suddenly, Tom bolted up as if he had been yanked to his feet. Resisting all the way, he went to the direction of the bed. He tumbled down on the bed. After a few seconds, he began beating the air screaming. "Let me out, Daddy, please! I'm scared of the dark! I'm scared, I'm scared! It's so dark and crowded in here. Please let me out!" Tom began screaming. Usually by now he had awakened.
Ayala could take no more. He quickly summoned the Doctor and Commander Chakotay. He did not trust Janeway on this one.
"Ayala to Commander Chakotay, report to the brig immediately. It's an emergency!"
B'Elanna gasped and they both hit the deck running. It seemed like forever to B'Elanna before they got to the brig. The Doctor arrived at the same time they did.
"How long has this been going on?" asked the Doctor and the forcefield deactivated?
"Not long, when I saw he wasn't waking up at the point he usually does, I called for help immediately," answered Ayala.
Chakotay held on to B'Elanna as the Doctor hurried to Tom's side. He could not wake him up. His blood pressure was at an alarming level. The Doctor slapped his com badge. "Transport Mr. Paris and myself directly to sickbay," he snapped.
As they disappeared in a shimmer, B'Elanna broke free from Chakotay and ran out of the brig, heading for sickbay. Chakotay followed her, calling the Captain as he ran to keep up.
When they rushed into sickbay, the doctor was still working over Tom. Captain Janeway was standing near the bio-bed. He was laying quiet and still on the bio-bed. B'Elanna raced over to his side. She was relieved to see that he was breathing normally and seemed to be resting peacefully.
"What happened?" she demanded.
"I gave him a strong sedative, then put the Neruo-sleep stimulator on him. It will cause him to sleep deeply, but it also blocks dreaming. It can't be used long-term. It is meant to help patients who are dealing with trauma rest without nightmares. It is not meant for more than 3 days at the most. I have also adminstered stronger medications to lower his blood pressure. At the level it was at when I examined him in the brig, he could have easily had a stroke."
B'Elanna picked up Tom's hand and held it between her own. He was so pale. Dark circles under his eyes bore mute testimony to his lack of sleep. She clung tightly to him, willing him to be well.
"I thougth the minphredadrine was supposed to help with his anxiety caused by the clasutrophobia," said Janeway looking at the Doctor.
"I had hoped it would. In Mr. Paris' case, it seems to have prevented him from being able to wake up from his nightmare. I need to see Mr. Ayala's report on what transpired as soon as possible. As of right now, Mr. Paris is not going back to the brig. I am keeping him here under observation." His looked dared the Captain to challenge him.
Captain Janeway could not hide the fear and concern for Tom from her face. "Agreed," she said softly. Guilt gnawed at her. Had she not made her decison in anger, and given the matter some thought...The thought of Tom being in danger of a stroke of too much to imagine. "Keep me posted of Ens...Mr. Paris' progress." She turned and walked out of sickbay.
B'Elanna glared at the departing Captain. It was her fault that Tom was here. There was no way in Gre'tho that she was leaving his side short of a warp core breach.
"B'Elanna," began the Doctor gently. "Using the Neruo-sleep stimulator will keep Tom asleep until I remove it. He is out of danger at the moment, and I will be here with him the entire time. There is no need for you to stay. You need your rest as well."
She glared firecely at him. "I am not leaving." Her expression challenged the Doctor or Chakotay to try to remove her.
"Doctor, I think we should let her stay," he said calmly.
The doctor saw beyond the anger and found true fear for Tom's well-being in her eyes. "Very well," he answered. I will have a chair brought in for you."
"Thank you, Chakotay, thank you doctor," she whispered as she held Tom's hand to her chest.
All though the night, B'Elanna maintained a vigil at Tom's side. She was terrified of losing him. The comment that the Doctor had made about his blood pressure having had been high enough to cause a stroke alarmed her. The Doctor kept a close watch on Tom through the night. The Neruo-sleep stimulator was highly reliable, but the good Doctor refused to take any chances. As long as the device did not fail, Tom would sleep peacefully through the night. His vital signs were remaining stable as well.
Around 0700, the Captain and Chakotay returned to sickbay. They walked over to where Tom lie sleeping on the bio-bed. B'Elanna's head was resting on the edge of the bed, Tom's hand still clasped between her own. The Doctor joined them, signalling them to remain silent. He checked the monitors and indicated that they should follow him. They walked to his office. Ordering the door to close, he began his report.
"When I was summoned to sick bay last night, Mr. Paris was in the midst of a nightmare from which I was unable to rouse him. His blood pressure was 200/110, which put him in danger of having a stroke. He was also in tacycardia. I immediately ordered both of us beamed to sickbay. I proceeded to treat him by administering drugs to lower his blood pressure and slow his heart rate. I then adminstered a strong sedative to calm him and stop the nightmare. Afterwards, I attached the Neruo-sleep stimulator to allow him to rest peacefully without dreams and nightmares for the remainder of the night. I am using my authority as Voyager's Chief Medical Officer to prevent him from being returned to the brig."
Janeway nodded. "He won't be returning to the brig. I will follow your recommendation that the remainder of his thirty days be served in his quarters."
"He will be in sickbay under my supervision until I deem he is well enough to go anywhere," said the Doctor firmly.
"Of course," replied Janeway. "The days he spends here will also count as time served, but he won't be allowed visitors." She glanced back at her engineer who was still sleeping."
"That is acceptable, though perhaps unduly harsh," said the Doctor rather coldly.
"When do you plan to wake Tom up?" asked Chakotay trying to steer them into more neutral terrority.
"We can do that now," began the Doctor. "I have also placed Tom on a restricted diet. The medications he was and will be given as needed along with the problems with his blood pressure require a rigid diet. I have authorized replicator rations for him so that appropiate foods for his condition can be served to him."
"He was being given basic nutritutional requirements," said Janeway in a challenging tone.
"They are basic for a 'healthy person.' Tom is far from the healthy individual he was at the beginning of his thirty day sentence. I have noted the orders in my log. If you choose to disregard those orders, I will log a formal protest." The Doctor affected his most serious and severe expression to press his point home.
"I did not say I was going to over rule your orders," answered the Captain quietly. Everyone seemed to be angry with her over Tom. Even Chakotay had been rather distant.
"Let's go, so I can wake my patient and examine him more thoroughly," said the Doctor rising to his feet.
They left the office and returned to the bio-bed where Tom was sleeping.
"Commander, if you would rouse Lt. Torres," said the Doctor. "Once she is awake, I can remove the Neruo-sleep stimulator and wake Mr. Paris." He simply refused to use Tom's new rank. He did not care what anyone said, he was not going to use Ensign, for that would imply his support for the Captain's punishments.
"You will wait to rouse Ensign Paris until after Lt. Torres has left sickbay. He is after all still under solitary confinement. Being here in sickbay has not changed that," said Janeway coldly.
"I would suggest we let her stay," said the Doctor firmly. "Waking up in sickbay when his last memory was being in the brig can adversely affect his health. He may be frightened and confused. That can cause a spike in his blood pressure again. Lt. Torres' presense may help to calm him."
Chakotay looked at the Captain. "I agree with the Doctor. Tom's health is the most important issue at the moment. If he thinks B'Elanna's presense will help to calm Tom, who are we to argue."
"Very well," Janeway relented. "She may stay until we are sure that Tom will be okay. Then she must leave."
Chakotay wondered if the Captain knew just how hard it would be to get B'Elanna away from Tom's side. He took her shoulder and gently shook her. "Hey, B'Elanna," he said softly. "Wake up, it's morning and the Doctor is going to take the Neruo-sleep stimulator off of Tom and wake him up."
B'Elanna snapped awake with a suddenness that surprised both the Captain and Chakotay who quickly stepped back just in case.
"How's Tom? Is he okay?" she blurted out in alarm.
"He is fine, Lt. Torres," answered the Doctor reassuringly. "I wanted you awake when I rouse him. I felt your presense might soothe him. He will undoubtedly be confused when he wakes up in sickbay. His last memory from the previous night is being in the brig. In fact, it may be best if you are the one to awaken him. Your voice is one he will recognize and associate with comfort."
B'Elanna nodded. "Just let me know when you're ready for me to wake him up."
"I'm going to remove the Neruo-sleep stimulator and check to make certain his vital signs remain stable. I will then instruct you to rouse him," answered the Doctor.
He reached down and removed the device. Tom grimanced slightly, then relaxed. The Doctor carefully watched the monitor panel over Tom's head for a full minute. "All right, B'Elanna, please wake Tom up."
B'Elanna let go of Tom's hand and gently stroked his forehead. "Hey, hotshot," she said softly as she stroked his forehead and cheeks. "Time to wake up."
Tom began to stir. He blinked a few times then stared up at B'Elanna in confusion. What are you doing in the br..." He looked around and realized he was no longer in the brig. He was in sickbay.
"You gave us quite a scare last night, Tom," said B'Elanna as she bent down to kiss him. To hell with what Janeway would say or do...Tom needed her unconditional support.
"B'Elanna, wait, I need to see what Tom remembers from last night," the Doctor said softly.
Tom looked at the Doctor. "Well..." he thought hard. "I know Samantha came in at the end of the Beta shift and gave me some medicine. Then I fell asleep. I had 'that dream' again. Having the dream is the last thing I remember."
"Before I begin to review my findings with you, do you object to Lt. Torres hearing them. The Captain and Commander Chakotay have already heard them. As your commanding officers, they are privy to such information. However due to privacy laws, I must have your consent to review your medical information with others present," said the Doctor, who was reasonably certain what Tom's answer would be.
"Doc, anything medical that pertains to me...B'Elanna will always be allowed to know. I am going on record with that right now." He turned and smiled weakly at B'Elanna. She lifted his hand she held in hers and kissed it.
"Very well, when I was summoned to the brig last night, your blood pressure was dangerously high...to the point that you could have easily had a stroke. You were in tacyacardia. I was unable to rouse you. I called for an emergency beam out to sickbay. Once in sickbay, I was able to stablize you. I then put the Neruo-sleep stimulator on you so that you could have peaceful sleep without dreams. As you know from your studies with me, that device can only be used on a very limited basis. I am going to examine you this morning to acertain no permanent damage was done by the high blood pressure."
"Just how high was it, Doc?" asked Tom.
"It was 200/110," replied the Doctor. "You are most fortunate that Lt. Ayala acted so quickly. I have also put you on a restricted diet. All of your food will be replicated and should also help control your blood pressure along with the medications as needed."
Tom grinned, "I guess that means no more leola root for now."
"Most assuredly, no more leola root. While it meets basic nutritutional requirements, it is high in sodium, therefore off limits," answered the Doctor with a smile. He had circumvented more of Janeway's punishment and it gave him great satisfaction.
"I knew that the anti-anxiety drugs were probably a waste of time and effort," stated Tom quietly. They didn't work in Aukland, so why would they work now?"
Janeway stared at Tom, "Why didn't you tell the Doctor about that?"
Tom shrugged and looked away.
"Now is not the time or place to discuss the anti-anxiety drugs," the Doctor said firmly. "Such a discussion can only agitate my patient." He looked up and saw Neelix bearing a tray with Tom's breakfast. When he had informed Neelix of the dietary changes for Tom. Neelix had requested that he still be able to bring the replicated meals to Tom. He had assured the Doctor that he would not alter the foods at all. He wanted Tom to be well, and by taking care of his meals, he could do his part.
"Ah, here is Mr. Neelix with Tom's meal. Now, the rest of you need to clear out of sickbay. After Tom has eaten, I am going to examine him thoroughly. I will inform you of the results when I am done," said the Doctor.
B'Elanna bent down and gently kissed Tom. "You get well, do you hear me?" she said affectionately. She hoped she would be able to visit Tom in sickbay, but somehow, she doubted that Janeway would permit it.
They walked out quietly. Chakotay turned to B'Elanna. "I know you were in sickbay all night with Tom. If you want to take the day off to rest, I'll take care of it."
"No, Chakotay, I'll do better keeping busy in Engineering. That way I won't have time to worry about Tom," she answered honestly.
Janeway walked on in a brooding silence. Chakotay looked at her for a moment. "Well, none of us has had breakfast yet. Why don't we brave the messhall and see what fare Neelix has to offer today?"
Janeway shook her head. "I have a lot of work to do. I'll see you later on the bridge." She walked off quickly leaving B'Elanna and Chakotay staring.
"She's taking this hard," murmured Chakotay.
"Well, it's her fault," snapped B'Elanna.
"Wait, just a second, she did not force Tom to disobey orders," answered Chakotay.
"Well, when she heard from the Doctor how badly Tom was doing she should have done something," insisted B'Elanna.
"We'll get no where playing the blame game. Tom is in good hands in sickbay. No one knew this would happen. Even the Doctor thought medicine would help him. Should Tom have informed the Doctor that anti-anxiety drugs had been tried with him unsuccessfully...yes, but then drugs change all the time...and Tom was not thinking clearly anyway," said Chakotay.
B'Elanna nodded. "Let's get some breakfast. I'm starving."