Title: Meeting Miral
Rating: K
Characters: Kathryn Janeway, Tom Paris - Not a pairing
Disclaimer: Space, the final frontier… a frontier that is owned by such as Junior Roddenburry and Paramount Pictures (At least I think paramount still owns it…) Regardless of who actually claims rights, it isn't me ;)
Summery: A short ficlet telling of Janeway's first meeting with Tom and B'Elanna's newborn.

Kathryn Janeway poked her head into the Mess Hall quietly observing the crew welcoming tiny Miral Paris. She watched as the precious bundle was passed from one pair of hands to the next, the baby's gaze firmly fixed on whoever held her. She suddenly felt out of place with her own crew. They had spent the past two weeks together as well as off visiting with their friends and family while they adjust to being home. Many had moved off the ship already, but most were taking their time, reacquainting themselves before making that decision. While they were having the time of their lives, she had been whisked away to Starfleet Headquarters to be debriefed by admirals, councils, ambassadors, doctors, Borg specialist and God knows who else. She had ached for home and family for seven years, but the information she had accumulated seemed more important than she was to them. They probed for every detail from why she had three cups of coffee when the replicator rations were dwindling to why she reprimanded or accommodated certain members of the crew. They dug for answers about decisions to change from warp 3 to warp 4. She felt like she was under an interrogation lamp for two weeks straight and now she stared at people who felt like they were strangers now.

"Go in, Captain." Tom's voice startled her and she spun around to see him standing there, expecting her to do as he suggested.

"No." She whispered and shook her head as she walked away.

Hours later, the chime sounded in her quarters and she looked up from the dozen PADDs scattered about and the cups of coffee she'd replaced without recycling the first. "Come!"

Tom appeared in the now open doorway, Miral in his arms sucking her knuckles. "Am I disturbing you?"

"No, I'm wide awake." She rolled her eyes. "What time is it?

"0300 give or take." He shifted Miral in his arms. "I don't know why you didn't stay this evening, but I chose not to take it personally."

She smiled and rubbed her eyes, downing the rest of the cold liquid in her latest mug. "You shouldn't, it's not you. It's… this." She swept her arm over the PADDs, indicating the coming days of work and probable sleepless nights. "If I had known I was coming home to this, I would have thrown myself at the Borg Queen."

Tom didn't respond to her highly emphasized and even slightly dramatic statement. Instead, he eased onto the floor facing her, the PADDs between them.

She was surprised he was so silent and studied him for a moment, eye brow raised. Finally, she explained her reaction from earlier. "We're all pretty close, that's what happens when you spend seven years straight with the same crew."

He nodded again, waiting for her to proceed.

She pursed her lips and swallowed hard to stay composed. Kathryn Janeway didn't cry. "We get home and I'm told I have ten minutes to get my things and beam to San Francisco where they pull every bit of information I have out as quickly as possible. Using Bridge Crew logs to fact check every detail as I spoke."

He looked at her sympathetically, letting her continue.

She took a slow deep breath, feeling a lump in her throat and her eyes stinging.

Tom watched her still, staring at her with the purpose of getting her to break down. She needed to, her emotions had been pent up inside and with no one to talk to about it. The people she answered to wouldn't even give her the time to adjust.

"Well, I guess it just hurt. It was far from what I was expecting to hit me the moment we finally got home. Everyone else has been off the ship, seeing their families. Not me. My mother has been calling Headquarters every day waiting for them to let her talk to me. My sister is staying in San Francisco hoping to see me as soon as they let me free. I can't talk to them, let alone see them." Now she was crying. He fingers idly played across a stain on the carpet, no doubt from a free-flying coffee mug during an ion storm or from an attack of some sort.

Tom leaned forward now, balancing Miral easily in one arm and he pulled at Kathryn's arm until she loosened her muscles enough for him to slide his fingers down to grasp hers. "And you wonder why I was happier in a penal colony?"

That made her smile and she wiped her tears with the sleeve of her free arm. "Thank you, Tom." She stretched her arms out pulling her hand out of his as she did. "May I?"

Tom smiled. "Kathryn Janeway… meet Miral Paris."

She took the soft bundle from him, the baby's eyes instantly locking with her own. "Tom - oh she's beautiful!"

"Yeah, I know. She's so her Mommy." His smile was as big as she'd ever seen it. "Shall we wander the ship? She won't sleep and I could use the company."

Kathryn pressed her lips against Miral's soft cheek and nodded ever so slightly. Abandoning her work, she stood, very carefully while cradling Miral against her. "To Hell with Starfleet." She whispered, earning her a hug from Tom.

"I'm quite proud of you." He teased as they walked out into the empty corridor.