Disclaimer: All things Star Trek belong to CBS/Paramount. I only own my imagination.

Spoilers: Caretaker. If you haven't seen it, this won't make much sense.

Author's Note: I have the ambition to keep these coming, but I also have a real life which can mess with me. This scene takes place after the array was destroyed but before Tom Paris officially was reinstated as lieutenant and Voyager's conn officer.

Tom Paris sauntered in to the mess hall with his best I don't give a damn look on his face looking for Harry. Scanning the room he found him sitting with his back towards the room, close to one of the view ports. Tom got himself a mug of coffee before heading towards the miserable looking ensign.

"Hey there," Tom said quietly when he came up to the table. "Mind if I join you?" He slid down on a chair opposite Harry without waiting for an answer. "How are you doing?" he continued.

"I've been better. I'm alive though. I had my doubts for a while when we were in those tunnels." Harry answered.

"Yeah, that was a bit too close for comfort." Tom agreed and had some of the coffee.

"I don't know what to think about all this. We're stranded on the other side of the galaxy, we have a crew of Maquis we're supposed to get along with… Please tell me it's a bad dream!" Harry looked up at Tom who took another sip from his coffee. "I didn't expect this."

"No one did, Harry," Tom said.

"I can't believe I might never talk to my parents again. Or Libby." He paused for a moment. "Don't you have anyone you'll miss?" he asked.

"No, not really. I don't have a very good relationship with my family and I can't think of anyone I can count as friend either back home. The Maquis crew is the closest thing I have as friends and you've noticed how much they love me." Tom smiled slightly and looked up as the mess hall doors swooshed open. "Speaking of the devil," he muttered when he saw B'Elanna enter the room. Harry turned to look but quickly turned his attention back to Tom. B'Elanna was not in a good mood and she made sure everyone knew it.

"She sure is upset about this situation," Harry said quietly.

"Oh, she's just her usual sunny Klingon self, that's all," Tom answered lightly.

"You know her?"

"Well, we've met. Briefly." Tom looked down at the mug in front of him when he saw B'Elanna scan the room after getting something to drink. He winced when he heard her stomp towards them.

"Starfleet," she said to Harry and put down her beverage with a thump.

"Oh, hi," Harry nervously said and glanced up at her as she stood next to the table. B'Elanna ignored him and stared at Tom who looked up pretending to be pleasantly surprised. "B'Elanna!" he called out.

"Not only did captain Janeway destroy our only chance of getting home in this lifetime, but we're also stuck with you! PataQ!"

"Nice to see you too." Tom continued to smile amiably.

"Were you Janeway's spy too? I knew you were trouble when Chakotey brought you onboard!"

"I know you will find this hard to believe, but I've spent my time since we parted in Starfleet's penal settlement in New Zealand. Not usually the place for Starfleet spies."

"There's only one reason why you're here if that's the case. You were giving Starfleet information about us!"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I didn't have much information to begin with, as I'm sure you're aware of. Janeway knew that too. However, I've been in the Badlands before and that's the reason why I was brought along. Officially not to fly this thing though. Just to observe." Tom was clearly getting tired of the situation. "Look, I know you hate this. Believe me, I'm not too happy about all of this myself. I wanted out of jail, but I didn't wish for this to happen. I didn't plan on getting caught, thrown in jail, pulled out again and whisked off to the Delta quadrant. Especially not with you guys."

B'Elanna crossed her arms over her chest. "The feeling is mutual," she snapped and then she threw her hands in the air. "I don't know why I'm bothering to talk to you!" Harry and Tom exchanged looks.

"Because you would eventually have to since we're all one happy family?" Tom suggested. B'Elanna snorted.

"Yeah, one big happy family. That makes you the black sheep then I guess." She took a deep breath. "If not for this forced recruitment in to Starfleet I could be reasonably okay with all of this because I don't have a loving family back home, and the friends I have are here."

"You and me both," Tom mumbled under his breath. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "This is ridiculous B'Elanna. You can just ignore me if you want. I'm not going to go away though so you just have to get used to me hanging around."

B'Elanna glared at him but her shoulders were slumping slightly. The full extent of the situation had started to sink in and she had difficulties keeping the fire going. What was the use of being angry at Tom? He wasn't the reason they were where they were or why she now was part of a Starfleet crew. The truth was that by being thrown in to the Delta quadrant she would avoid the penal settlement Tom had spent his time in. Though she didn't want to admit it she was secretly relieved that she had escaped that fate.

"Why don't you sit down? You haven't touched the coffee yet and you look like you could use it." Tom pulled out a chair next to B'Elanna. She glanced at it, hesitated but decided to sit down.

"It's raktajino," she said.

"Well then. Even better," Tom answered and lifted his own mug to drink.

Harry cleared his throat. "What are you going to do now then?" he asked looking at Tom. "I mean, what assignment are you going to get?" he added when Tom didn't seem to understand what he was talking about.

"Well, I… don't know. The captain needs someone at the helm and I'm the best she can get. I hope she'll let me. Seems pretty dumb to not let me do what I'm doing best."

"Wouldn't that be drinking and getting in to trouble?" B'Elanna interjected with a smirk.

"Believe it or not, I'm not interested in either these days." Tom gave her a calm look before returning to nursing his coffee.

The corners of her mouth twitched. "Good. But you're still a pig." She took another sip of her raktajino.

He looked up and feigned surprise. "A pig? I'd say that's progress. Just now I was a petaQ. If this keeps up we'll be best friends within a week," he said teasingly.

"Don't hold your breath," she retorted. Tom gave her a genuine smile over the mug. She had calmed down and was talking to him. For now that was a victory as good as any.

"*Janeway to Mr. Paris.*" Tom hit his com. badge and answered, "Paris here."

"*Report to my ready room as soon as possible, Mr. Paris. We have a few things to discuss.*"

"On my way." He looked over at the other two by the table. "Well, let's hope the captain has good news. See you later."

B'Elanna watched him as he briskly walked out of the room with that usual Paris confidence she remembered from the time he was part of the Maquis crew. He's a pig, she reminded herself.