Fever
Disclaimer: all characters and copyright do not belong to me although I have enjoyed the journey!
A/N-I would just like to give a big THANK YOU to my AWESOME beta on this story SCIFIROMANCE who has given me so much helpful advice and encouragement! I couldn't have done it without her. Thanks honey! Nikki
Chapter 1
B'Elanna carried her tray of unappetising replicator rations toward the only spare table in the mess hall. She had blatantly refused to try Neelix's latest concoction; the smell alone was enough to make her feel sick. Looking around the other occupants of the room she could see quite a few disgusted faces, although Kes was eagerly spooning the green liquid into her mouth while she listened avidly to Tom Paris boasting about his latest away mission. A sliver of jealousy ran through B'Elanna as she observed them both, did Kes have to lean so close to Tom? The girl wasn't deaf and had perfectly good hearing. Her gaze then rested on Tom, why was he sitting so close to Kes?
Without realising she had even moved, B'Elanna changed direction and strode purposefully over to their table. She dumped her tray down and wedged her way between them, a smile of satisfaction crossing her face when they had to separate.
"Well you two looked like you were having an animated discussion. Care to share?" B'Elanna asked in the politest tone she could muster.
Kes gave her a benevolent smile which set B'Elanna's teeth on edge. Was their nothing that ever annoyed the girl? She was always so polite and understanding, even now when she had been really rude, squeezing herself in-between them.
"Tom was just filling me in on how his last mission went. His flying skills are incredible. "Kes replied, admiration clear in her voice.
B'Elanna snorted with laughter. She raised an eyebrow and turned to her other companion. "Bragging again are we Tom? Modesty still escapes you I see?"
Tom gazed at B'Elanna, a smirk playing about his lips. His ruse was working. As soon as he saw B'Elanna enter the mess hall he had shifted closer to Kes and began to focus solely on her. He knew that B'Elanna had a jealous streak, enhanced by her Klingon blood. She tried to hide it, but it was clear in her tone and the way she was acting now confirmed his suspicions. B'Elanna Torres was jealous because he was paying attention to another female. He sat back in a relaxed pose and just smirked at her.
"Well I am only stating fact, right Kes?"
Kes reached across B'Elanna and patted Tom's hand. "Definitely, Captain Janeway was so impressed and if your father could have seen it, he would have been too." She praised him.
B'Elanna shoved Kes' arm out of the way."Excuse me. I am trying to eat here." She said abruptly, annoyed that Kes was touching Tom's arm.
Tom laughed. "As you can see Kes, B'Elanna is not as impressed by my skills as you and our Captain."
"I am sure she is really Tom..." Kes said sweetly, trying to smooth things over between them unnecessarily.
"I can speak for myself, Kes. Tom has a big head and needs taking down a..."B'Elanna was stopped in her tirade by the voice of Ensign Vorik. They had all been so caught up in their conversation that no one had noticed his approach.
"May I join you?" The Vulcan asked smoothly.
This time it was Tom who seemed irritated as he glared at the Vulcan. "No, our table is full."
Kes looked alarmed at his rudeness. She got up from her seat and motioned for Vorik to sit down. "You can take my seat next to B'Elanna. I have to return to sickbay anyway." She gave them all another one of her kind smiles and left.
Now there was a new unwanted triangle sitting at the table. An uncomfortable silence reigned for a few moments as they all ate their respective meals. Ensign Vorik was eagerly slurping at the green soup and the noise he was making was beginning to annoy both Tom and B'Elanna. They exchanged a look of understanding.
"Ensign Vorik, would you very much mind eating the soup a bit more quietly. I have had a long shift and the noise is disturbing my peace. " B'Elanna gave the Vulcan what she thought was a sweet smile, but really looked like a snarl.
Tom tried to hide his amusement. He hid his laughter by pretending to cough. B'Elanna knew exactly what he was doing and she gave him a sharp slap on the back, making him cough even harder. Vorik looked at them both, a stoic expression on his face. He did not appear to be in the least offended by B'Elanna's words, Vulcans were good at hiding any sort of emotion to the point of coldness.
"I apologise if the noise of my eating disturbed your peace Lieutenant Torres. It is logical that you would feel that way after such a long shift. I will now attempt to consume my soup in a more silent manner." He said stiffly.
B'Elanna tried not to roll her eyes at him and went back to eating her own food, ignoring both of her male companions.
XXXXXX
The engineering bay was B'Elanna's castle, she loved it here. Everything was where it should be, orderly and in place. She strolled along, padd in hand, checking that each of her colleagues was carrying out the proper checks. She smiled, everything was running smoothly, just the way she liked it. Catching a brief glimpse of her reflection in one of the mirrored consoles, B'Elanna fluffed her hair and winked at her reflection playfully while she thought no one was looking. Her hair was thick and luxurious and she always made sure it was well groomed.
Suddenly a reflection of Tom Paris appearing behind her made her jump. She grimaced as she saw the smug smile crossing his face.
"You look as lovely as ever B'Elanna, don't let me interrupt you admiring yourself." he teased her.
"I was doing nothing of the sort. What are you doing down here Tom. Has everyone got tired of your bragging and sent you down here as punishment?" She muttered in embarrassment.
Tom walked beside her as she began to patrol the engineering bay again, her eyes fixed firmly on her padd so that she would not have to look at him. They strolled slowly along, neither of them speaking as they both tried to think of something to break the tension that had suddenly built up between them.
Eventually Tom cleared his throat and gently took hold of B'Elanna's arm to stop her moving. Her head shot up in surprise, her brown hair framing her face. They both stared at each other for a few seconds before Tom finally broke the silence.
"I came down here for a reason, B'Elanna. I really like you; I know that you keep saying that you don't feel attracted to me in that way but if you would just come on a date with me I think that..."
"Lieutenant Torres, may I speak with you."Ensign Vorik interjected before Tom could finish.
"Can't you see that we are in the middle of a conversation here?" Tom shot him a sour look.
B'Elanna felt rather flustered, she hated losing her cool. Tom had taken her completely by surprise with his declaration and a part of her was glad that Vorik had interrupted them. It gave her time to think things over. She placed a hand on Tom's arm and gave him a sympathetic smile. "I promise we will talk later Tom, maybe after my shift has ended." She said softly, very unlike her usual tone.
Tom gazed at her for a moment before conceding defeat. He could wait a few more hours to talk things through with her. At least she was willing to hear what he had to say. "Okay, I will be waiting."
B'Elanna nodded at him and she watched as he gave Ensign Vorik another irritated glance before leaving the engineering bay. The Vulcan seemed unperturbed by Tom's reaction to him as he was staring intently at B'Elanna. She frowned as she wondered why he was looking at her in that way.
"Well Ensign, what is it?" She asked abruptly.
"There is something I need to speak to you about B'Elanna..." he began.
"Lieutenant Torres, remember my rank Ensign." She reprimanded him.
"Once again I apologise, but once we are mated I think we would be on enough equal footing for me to address you by your first name." Vorik replied, his tone expressionless.
B'Elanna stared at him, completely stunned. Did he really just say when they were mated? Was the Vulcan delusional? "What are you talking about Ensign?"
"I am not coming across very well Lieutenant Torres, for that I once again must say that I am sorry. I would like to propose the Vulcan ritual of kunat so'lik. I have to let you know that I have an intended mate back on my home world, but as we are not likely to return there for a very long time I have chosen you to become my mate. You possess many attributes that I find attractive in a female and I assume that you would have the same requirements that I possess when you are looking for a mate. I know that this must come as a complete surprise to you, but I would very much like to proceed with the courtship immediately." Vorik began to speak faster as he watched B'Elanna's horrified expression. For the first time in his life, the young Vulcan felt out of control of his emotions.
"Ensign what you are suggesting is ludicrous. I have no attraction to you whatsoever. I refuse your proposal, if that is what it is supposed to be. Now I have to work." B'Elanna began to turn away from Vorik, but she gasped as he caught hold of her arm and spun her back to face him.
"I must protest, " Vorik said, his breathing quickening as his unruly emotions got the better of him. "I have chosen you to be my mate and you will succumb."
"GET OFF OF ME," B'Elanna yelled as his grip on her arm became painful. She began to pull away from him, but Vorik was not letting go. They began to wrestle against each other, before Vorik managed to get a hold on her face.
"You will succumb," he said again as he held on tightly, forcing B'Elanna to look into his maddened eyes.
"NO," she shouted before she clenched her fist and punched him the face.
XXXXXX
The doctor examined B'Elanna thoroughly before declaring her fit to leave sickbay. Before she left she stomped over to Ensign Vorik, who was being looked over by Kes. "Do not ever come near me again, or I might do more than dislocate your jaw." She seethed.
Vorik could not reply as his jaw was still displaced. Kes pursed her lips and shook her head at B'Elanna. "Please B'Elanna, I am sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for what Ensign Vorik did."
"Oh shut up Kes," B'Elanna shot back at her, anger running through her veins. She turned and left sickbay before she said anything more she might regret.
Tom had heard about the encounter between the Vulcan and B'Elanna, at the first opportunity he had managed to excuse himself from duty and he rushed to sickbay to check on her. He found her, just as she was leaving. Her head was bowed, her hair hiding her face.
"B'Elanna, are you alright?" he asked her gently.
"I don't know." B'Elanna mumbled. She was not used to feeling weak, but Tom's kind tone had softened her defences. She felt him place his arm gently around her shoulder.
"Come on; let me take you to get something hot to drink. I think you have been through quite an ordeal, you need a rest."He suggested.
B'Elanna gave him a grateful smile; she let him leave his arm around her as he led her back toward the mess hall. For once she admitted to herself it was nice to have someone else to lean on.
A/N-Chapter 2 coming soon, I hope you enjoyed!