Title: Future Effects

Pairing: Tom Paris/Kes, Past Kes/Neelix

Tags: Eventual Romance, Angst, Friends to Lovers

Summary: Tom likes Kes. Kes likes Tom. It's odd, but they are finding out it just might work.

Notes: In my story, Kes has long hair (because I think she's prettier that way).

BETA: TheSupernova

The doctor had taken Kes as his assistant in sickbay, so Tom couldn't understand why he had to continue his medical training.

"It's just precaution, Tom. Deal with it," Janeway had told him.

She thought it might have been a good idea to have a 'field medic' since the doctor couldn't leave sickbay and Kes wasn't a trained Starfleet officer. God, Neelix hated it, which Tom found all the more amusing.

Elsewhere, Tom's attempt to court B'Elanna wasn't going well. Every date they made, something went wrong. It was as if fate wanted something different for him.

At the moment, Tom was supposed to be studying some medical texts in sickbay, but Kes' constant presence was a distraction. Sure, the doctor was there too, but he wasn't nearly as attractive. Even if Tom were gay, the doctor would still not be on his radar.

But Kes? He had liked her the moment she stepped on board. Innocent, at first. Even now, Tom still flirted with her. After all, he wasn't going to wait on a relationship that hadn't started yet. B'Elanna had eventually warmed up to him, yes, but they just couldn't get even one date scheduled. They had tried for weeks and every single time, something would stop it.

When it came down to it, B'Elanna put her work first. She didn't have to go into work today, she could have delegated the work as Chief Engineer, but for some reason, the woman couldn't let it go. It was the same excuse every time.

Just last week, their date had barely started when Voyager had been attacked. They made it out quickly enough, but B'Elanna had refused to leave engineering.

"Are you okay?" Kes asked softly.

She placed a gentle hand on Tom's shoulder. He looked up from his padd.

"Huh? Oh, Kes. It's you," Tom smiled. "Sorry, I guess I'm just distracted. It's not like these things are very riveting."

He held up the padd he had been reading. It was something about viruses, but he hadn't gotten past the first page.

"Maybe you need a break," she suggested. Her hand slid down to his, and she took the padd from him and placed in on a nearby console.

Tom quickly glanced around sickbay for the doctor, but he found the hologram still working on some culture samples in the other room.

"Well, I wouldn't be averse to a short break," Tom said with a grin.

"I heard that B'Elanna stood you up again," Kes said cautiously.

News travels fast in a small ship, but Tom hadn't been aware that his date-that-didn't-happen was a ship wide announcement.

Kes interrupted Tom before he could ask.

"It's just, you're not scheduled to be here, and um," Kes motioned towards a bed across the room, where a patient was resting, "apparently there was a minor accident in engineering. She had some interesting information to share."

Had the woman always been here? Tom hadn't noticed. He had just planted himself against a wall and begun reading from a stack of padds the doctor kept out for him.

Tom acquiesced.

"B'Elanna said it 'couldn't wait' and I'm sure it was important, but I'm getting tired being stood up. I guess I just…" Tom shrugged, "wanted to be alone."

Which wasn't entirely true, and they both knew it. The doctor was always roaming about sickbay. You didn't come here to be alone. Kes just stared at him, eyebrow raised.

"Okay, so maybe I just wanted to see you."

Her smile always made him feel better. Sure, she may give that smile to all her friends, but it was warm and loving and Tom needed that right now. Kes smiled knowingly.

"Well, Tom, I'm off duty in 10 minutes. Didn't you once promise to teach me how to play pool?" Kes asked.

She wrapped her hands around his and looked up at him expectantly. Dammit. Kes knew exactly how to play him. Whenever she gave him that look Tom could never deny her anything.

Tom stood up, and reached out to stroke Kes' cheek gently. She leaned into his touch unconsciously.

"Your wish is my command," he said playfully. "Let me go change and I'll meet you in the holodeck in 10."

"I'll see you then," Kes replied.

He took a moment, sliding his hands through Kes' long hair, before letting go. Since he wasn't supposed to be here in the first place, the doctor wasn't about to argue with him leaving. He kept eye contact with Kes, walking backwards towards the hall until the door finally slid shut between them.

Tom's day was looking up.

Neelix had taken an exception to Tom working with the doctor in sickbay. Logically, there was no reason for him to be angry, but nothing Kes said seemed to get through to him. What made matters worse was Tom's casual flirting with herF. Whether it was because he was a womanizer or simply doing it to make Neelix jealous (or both, as Neelix warned her many times) Kes couldn't help but fall for it.

At first, it had been a game between them. Tom would flirt with her whenever Neelix would visit sickbay, and she would accept it as a compliment and continue on with her duties.

Eventually though, Kes began to notice a slight shift in Tom's behavior. He began complimenting her when they were alone, and he was beginning to open himself up to her. Such as admitting his frustration over B'Elanna, and how unhappy their non-relationship was making him.

As much as Kes loved Neelix, in her short life, he had been the only person outside of her home whom she had felt any sort of attraction to. Her 'first love' as it were. It started out exciting and new. Neelix was a traveler, and they had so many great adventures together that there was always something to keep her occupied.

Now, Neelix would say Tom was just being an incurable flirt, and maybe he was right, but her emotional attachment to Neelix had been waning ever since they decided to make their home on Voyager. They were still travelers, but Voyager was a thriving community and it felt like she was back home on Ocampa.

More and more, she felt her feelings for Tom begin to overtake the ones she had once felt for Neelix. Was this something new, a crush that would fade? Or was this thing with Tom something deeper, more substantial?

Kes didn't know at first, and it had taken weeks of soul searching before she found her answer. It was simple: she'd follow her heart. And her heart was telling her that Tom Paris was the man she liked. That Neelix was the past, was a crush that was beginning to lose its luster.

So it was decided—the next time she met with Tom, she would ask him out on a date. She couldn't see the future, but her instincts told her that there was something special about Tom. Something that called out to her very soul.

Tom had once offered to teach Kes how to play pool. Kes had brushed him off then, but now? That sounded like the perfect first date.

End Notes: This was inspired by the season 2 episode "Before and After".