"So, have you heard?" Harry asked.
The unusually crowded mess hall was not helping the headache B'Elanna had brought with her from Engineering. Why had she come here instead of going straight to her quarters? B'Elanna didn't want to visit Sickbay because she had heard the Doctor was in one of his more garrulous moods. In all fairness to him when she was in pain she tended to snap at people for small offenses and he didn't deserve to be the object of her petty wrath.
Not noticing her disinterest he continued on. "Kes and Neelix broke up," his declaration caused her to forget about the pain for a few seconds. The alien couple had been a constant fixture on Voyager, ever since the early days of this weird journey home. Harry nodded in affirmation of his own words. "It's true. She broke it off."
"What happened? Did they have a fight?" She asked. Thinking back over the past two years B'Elanna couldn't remember a single harsh word between them. "Neelix gave her everything she wanted. He was willing to have a child with her…"
"I think, that might have been part of the problem. I mean she looks the same to us but, internally, she's growing up, and I don't think Neelix was ready for that. I suspect he wanted her to stay the innocent young woman we rescued on Ocampa. Maybe she found that to be a bit too much, but that's just my guess. I don't know anything.
"So how is Neelix taking it?" Even though it hurt her head to move she shifted around in her seat so she could see into the galley. Neelix was there, going about his usual routine.
"He's sad but seems to be holding up OK."
"So, I wonder how long it will be before Tom moves in on her," B'Elanna asked. She really wasn't expecting an answer, but the question did bring up an idea in her head. True, Tom was just a field medic, but he could dispense something for this headache. Surely he would understand her wanting to avoid the Doctor.
"I don't know," Harry said. His spoon was almost to his mouth but he stopped, replacing it on his dish as he pondered her question. "All he said when I mentioned it was 'oh that's too bad' or something. I was surprised that he didn't seem more interested. He really had a thing for her at one time."
"I know. Everybody knew." B'Elanna started to laugh but felt something twinge right above her right eyebrow. Damn it. Taking a moment to rub it she noted Kes enter the mess hall and walk over to the replicator, thus avoiding a visit the counter. Neelix saw her, stopped what he was doing, and just for a moment gave the impression that he was going to say something. His attention, however, was diverted by another crewman asking for a helping of today's special.
B'Elanna took a moment to watch Kes. The Ocampan was so pretty, her personality warm and open. It was little wonder that Tom had become enchanted with her. Maybe he was still carrying a torch for her and would make up for lost time now that she was free.
Neelix kept glancing over at his former partner. Things must still be awkward between them. Been there and done that! It won't be easy stuck on this ship together. Kes sat down alone on the far side of the room. "I always thought it was a good lesson in humility for Tom, that Kes preferred Neelix to him," B'Elanna said.
"It was," Harry said. This time, the spoon full of casserole made it to his mouth. He chewed for a moment and then swallowed great effort. "But in the end, it was his decision to back off. Not to try and create waves."
"Surprisingly grown up of him. Well, maybe good things will come to those who wait and all that."
"Eh, she may not want another relationship so soon. You know how it is." Harry struggled to chew and swallow another bite of whatever it was. B'Elanna contented herself with sipping her water wondering if she could trust herself to eat.
"I've had about all of this I can take. I still don't know what this. " His plate was still half full. She smiled through her pain. "I'll see you later." He said. He took his tray to the bin as he exited, leaving B'Elanna alone.
She had just about made up her mind to spend the rest of her break in her quarters when the door opened and there was Tom. For a long time now, B'Elanna had forced herself to look past Tom's looks and focus on his behavior but once in a while, she would catch herself admiring the man himself and wishing he was anyone else but the flirty, mostly annoying Tom Paris. Right now was one of those moments.
Did she imagine a tiny lull in the conversation, then whispers and furtive glances over in Kes' direction? Tom seemed oblivious to all this as he walked to the counter, gathered his food and said a few words to Neelix. His eyes went over the room, barely glancing over Kes until he saw B'Elanna. A smile went across his face as he came to join her, surprising her and judging by the shock on some of their faces, everyone else in the mess hall. She didn't know what they were thinking and at that moment didn't care. Her head hurt too much.
"So, how's it going?" he asked. He would be cheerful today, and she didn't want to admit it, but he did have a way of making a bad day better. She decided to get straight to the point.
"Not too good." She leaned forward so no one else would hear her. "I was wondering if you could help me." The smile stayed on his face. His eyelids tilted upwards and she could swear he was about to wink.
"Sure, what's the problem?" He leaned forward in return, still smiling but now he was wearing what she called his 'conspiratorial' look. That wide-eyed I'm about to do mischief expression.
"I have a throbbing headache and I am really not up to talking to the Doctor…."She rubbed her forehead for emphasis. The smile disappeared, replaced by instant concern. The swift change in his expression caught her off guard.
"That's understandable. I've been doing my best to avoid him myself."
"And I really don't want to bother Kes at the moment." She wasn't sure why she mentioned that. Did she want to see his reaction?
"That's also understandable and very considerate of you." Nothing in his face changed. His attention was fixed on her. That unnerved her a bit but she didn't know why.
"I was wondering if you could…" she began.
"Of course I can. I think the Doctor is deactivated at the moment. We'll go over to sickbay right now and I'll-"
"No, you eat first. I've put up with it for this long, I can put up with it a little while longer."
"There's no need for you to sit and suffer. Come on." She hesitated for a moment, but he actually stood up, waving his hand slightly indicating that she should get up from the table. He was so insistent that she gave in.
She took one last glance around the room, noting Kes was still alone at her table, lost in her own thoughts. The noise level had gone way down to almost nothing and she couldn't help but notice the perplexed looks on the faces of the rest of the crew as she followed Tom out of the room.
Walking with him to sickbay random thoughts about what just happened overwhelmed the hurt in her head. Tom might have moved on from what was simply an infatuation, or maybe he was allowing Kes time to emotionally recover from her first breakup. Tom Paris, finally making mature choices. About time. B'Elanna couldn't imagine any other reason for his behavior but one, and that one was so silly she allowed the pain to come back so she could push it away.