Chapter One: Evasive Action

It was the middle of the night yet the senior officers of the Starship Voyager all stood at attention on the bridge. The red alert klaxons were going off bathing everyone in a hellish glow, faces were grim and postures tense. Though they were all exhausted and had been pulled from sleep none of the bridge crew showed it, right now they were once again fighting for their safety in the Delta Quadrant. Captain Janeway stood next to her chair demanding for a damage report as they were once again hit with weapons from a hostile alien ships. Damn those Kazons. She thought, they had been running into Kazon allies more frequently lately it was upsetting her more than she showed. Commander Chakotay stood next to here rigid, this fight was turning out to be to one sided for his liking.

"Shields at 65 percent Captain." Said Harry Kim from his station. "We can't take many more hits like that though." He added. The Captain swore, what kind of creatures opened fire without warning in the middle of the night. They had never met this species, and they obviously weren't interested in negotiating. Little more than space bounty hunters Chakotay had said as they'd rushed onto the bridge.

"Mr. Paris evasive action." Barked Janeway sitting back into her chair, her commanding officer waited a moment then sat beside her happy with her choice to get away from the alien vessel rather than fight. Seconds later they were hit again hard on the port side. Captain Janeway was nearly thrown out of her chair, luckily quick action from Chakotay kept her in place. Their eyes met for a moment a slight smile forming on his face, her skin hot under her uniform where his fingers met her arm. She chose to ignore this and smooth down the jacket of her uniform. "I thought I said evasive action Lieutenant." She yelled trying not to get flustered.

"I'm trying Ma'am. I was in the middle of updating the piloting controls not all of them have come back online yet, and I think one of those hits took out a power source the helm is barley functioning." Said Tom fingers flying across the board in front of him. "I think I can get us out of here but we're going to have to go warp."

Chakotay shook his head in his chair they were barely running on impulse, engineering had been one of the first places hit.

"Shields down to 40 percent Captain." Stated Harry.

Captain Janeway sighed this was definitely not an ideal situation it'd be a dangerous risk but she had to try. "Janeway to Torres we're preparing to go to warp." B'elanna began to interrupt but was silenced. "I know the risks but we need to do this." In a flash they disappeared from the section of dangerous space and traveled for a minute or two before dropping out of warp and using a small moon to orbit around and hide themselves. "Repairs are to began right away, I don't want to be in this part of space longer than necessary." Said the Captain over the comm link. "Chakotay you have the bridge. Lt. Paris a word please." She said sternly strolling off the bridge into her ready room.

By the time he appeared in the room she was sitting at the head of the table arms crossed her eyes a storm gray. At first he thought it best to immediately start in on his apology but seeing her face he quickly changed his tactic to staying silent. He noticed then how disheveled she appeared. Her hair that she'd been growing out had come out of its ponytail and now framed her face falling a little past her shoulders. He could also tell that she was tired, without her usual Captain's air she appeared delicate he noted not for the first time that she was a beautiful, untouchable woman.

"Would you like to explain why during a red alert situation my helm was unresponsive and not because of damage but because you as an operator had made it so?' Tom sighed he had expected this.

"Well Captain part of it was due to damage and the other part was me trying to improve the ship. We've needed to install those system updates for a long time now. Scanners had shown empty space, no threats I thought it'd be a good time to implement them." This is what I get for trying to go above and beyond he muttered under his breath yet Kathryn still heard him.

"And I appreciate that Tom." She replied dryly before continuing "but you haven't been yourself in weeks now. I'm relieving you of duty for 2 days."

Tom bristled at this statement not believing what he was hearing. "With all due respect, hell no. I'm fine, I don't need any time off." He had tried so hard to appear normal it was awkward at first and his concentration had lapsed but he thought they were past that. It was obvious that they were or else he wouldn't be alone with the Captain now. It was only the second time they'd been alone together since the Warp/threshold incident. In part it was because he was embarrassed and partly because Chakotay rarely let him near Kathryn now.

Her voice was soft eyes full of concern. She truly cared for Tom at first it was because he was Admiral Paris' son but now she found him quiet endearing and she knew from their time on the ship he was struggling. His attempt at normalcy was fooling no one. "You need to rest Tom, stop trying to put on a brave face and give yourself time really recover. Report back to me in 2 days if you need more time we'll accommodate it."

"I'm fit for duty now! What happened on that planet…" he stuttered for a moment a flush creeping to his face. "Its behind me now and is certainly not hindering me from working." The Captain raised a hand silencing him, there was no point talking she'd made her decision. "This is bullshit." Paris muttered not caring if she heard or not. Of course she did hear but sighed and ignored him.

"Dismissed Mr. Paris."

Two days later Tom was going crazy, he had spent his meals with Harry and all his free time in the holodeck. Unfortunately at the weekly betting ring meeting him and Chakotay had gotten into an argument over something trivial; the higher ranking man had gone to the Captain declaring that he still thought Lt. Paris was unfit for return to work in order to punish him.

"I'm going to go talk to her myself." He decided tired of pacing around the holodeck. He asked the computer for her location, happy t o see that she was in her quarters. Good I won't have to awkwardly pull her aside. There had been tension on the ship after the whole threshold incident with everyone speculating about why Tom had picked her to make lizard babies with. Ever since then people eyed the two of them together curiously though looks had gone from frequent to rare. Tom himself wondered the same thing, he also wondered why now he found her exceptionally attractive. There was no doubt that he had felt that way before but had always put her in the Don't think about it Paris category. Now once or twice he'd found himself fantasizing about her, it was disturbing. Oh well it was time to put those thoughts aside and go get cleared for work.

Kathryn Janeway was sitting on the couch in her room reading a report from engineering in a purple silky bathrobe with a cup of coffee steaming on the table beside her. The chime of her door startled her, she hadn't been expecting any visitors. Pulling her robe tighter she stood up and ran her fingers through her hair. Damn no time to put it up or try to look presentable. "Enter." She called someone calling this late must have important information she shouldn't make them wait till she was decent. Imagine her surprise when Tom Paris walked in, her eyes narrowed slightly. Mr. Paris had a mischievous look on his face, he wanted something and that was never good. She took in his civilian clothes a white t-shirt and jeans, old Earth clothes he must've been working in his garage holo-program before this, there was grease on his jeans.

In turn Tom took in her scantily clad form appreciating it quickly before remembering his place and raising his blue eyes to her gray ones. "And to what do I owe this pleasure Mr. Paris." Janeway resisted the urge to squirm in her robe as fleeting as his glance was she still noticed the way he took in her form. There was no doubt that Tom was incredibly handsome but he was her helmsman first of all, and second of all she was the Captain, Captains didn't fraternize with the crew in that way. She barely even talked to them at social functions must being to wary to be at ease around her even when she was just "Kathyrn" Since their adventures as lizards though Kathryn and the Captain found themselves thinking about Tom's athletic form more than what was acceptable.

"Just bored no work to do, you're known to keep late hours… thought I'd keep you company." He answered sitting nonchalantly on her sofa. Janeway rolled her eyes, so he was going to annoy her until she reinstated him. Two could play at that game, playing along with his charade she pretended to be pleased. Replicating some wine she sat beside him.

"How fortunate I was just thinking that I could use some distraction from work."

Tom smiled so she was going to play along with him. He decided to see how far he could push her. "I could distract you very easily." He said with a raised eyebrow and his trademark smirk on his face. She looked at him incredulously as he place a hand on her bare knee. He's just begging for trouble. "I'm sure." She purred "but how about we just sit an talk, observe the stars."

Two hours later they both found themselves having a good time laughing and joking with each other like old friends. The many glasses of wine easing the tension that had been between them since the kidnapping, Kathryn had missed Tom's light-hearted personality. "As much fun as this has been I think I should get to sleep. And yes I mean that sincerely, I did have fun. I'll see you on the bridge tomorrow Lieutenant"

"I've been waiting for you to say that all night!" he exclaimed only half kidding. I've also been waiting for you to say other things but I guess those are just reserved for my idle fantasies. "I had a good time too Captain, maybe we should do this again sometime."

He got up and started walking towards the door hearing her feet on the Starfleet regulation carpet padding behind him. What he didn't realize was how close behind him she was, turning to say one more goodnight she nearly ran into him. Instinctively his arms shot out, his hands wrapping around her arms to steady her. They were silent for a moment regarding each other warily. His gaze lowered to her mouth, plump and pink… inviting. She knew what was going to come and made no mood to stop it blaming the wine for her lapse in judgment.

Tom's lips met hers hesitantly at first waiting for her to pull away feeling no resistance his pace picked up. Something inside him ignited, how long had he been suppressing this whatever this was. Women that were out of his league had always been his weakness it was a surprise that he hadn't made a move on his elusive Captain before. Her hands wrapped around his neck moving up into his hair, he turned them both around until she was pressed against the bulkhead. She gasped slightly when his cool fingers met the warm flash of her abdomen, his mouth left hers and found purchase on her neck he nipped lightly at the skin.

"Tom." She breathed her voice barely under control, he didn't stop instead he moved his hands down gripping her ass firmly. "Lieutenant." He chuckled so she was trying to pull rank.

"Yes Captain?" Tom whispered in her ear, the feel of his breath making her weak in the knees.

"I can't. I can't do this." Captain Janeway pushed him back removing his hands from her body. Almost composing herself she made the mistake of looking at him. He was flushed, hair messy, eyes bright, sexy from head to toe. Damn him.

"You don't mean that now do you?" Pulling her close he led her into her own bedroom. They continued kissing more feverishly than before falling onto the bed stripping each other's clothes off. Tom took in her creamy skin, small waist, and long legs. "You're wonderful." He stated breathing in her floral scent.

Kathryn wriggled underneath him as his mouth found her nipple and his fingers found her center. He was teasing her mercilessly and she needed to end this before she chickened out. Already she was beginning to sober up and panic, but she wanted this… she thought. Grabbing his man hood in her right hand she began to stroke it slowly moving up and down its length causing Tom's breath to stop short.

Figuring out what she wanted he removed his fingers and took matters into his own hands guiding himself towards her warm moist entrance. Both moaned as he positioned himself deep inside her. "Tom." She gasped as he started moving his arms propping himself up above her his movements started slow at first and then picked up speed. Halfway through he rolled over pulling her on top of him.

Kathryn shivered as he hit new nerves, she rotated her hips in a circular motion while pumping up and down along his length, her head was down, abs sore trying to hold on. She bent down changing the angle and meeting his soft lips again, their tongues twirling around each other. Her hair was spilling around both of them in a wild curtain she pushed it out of her face and stopped kissing him long enough to deliver a few bites to his neck. Tom was gripping her hips pushing her down and pushing his hips up going as deep as he could, vaguely he thought that he was probably gripping hard enough to bruise but he didn't care. He too was starting to sober up and a wave of trepidation hit him in the stomach This is the fucking Captain, I'm fucking the fucking Captain. Jesus. Before he could think more she shifted her position slightly her walls tightening around him and he exploded into her without warning. She cried out as the sensation pushed her over the edge she shook as an intense wave of pleasure reverberated inside her.

There was a moment of awkwardness before she removed him from her core rolling away from him sitting on the edge of the bed. Sensing she needed a moment Tom walked into the bathroom to clean himself up. "What the fuck just happened?" he asked his reflection. Splashing his face with cold water he felt more and more ashamed. Walking back into her room he saw that she hadn't moved and that her shoulders were shaking slightly.

She's crying. Damn it Paris why can you never control yourself. When he went over and put his arms around her she made no move to push him off. "It'll be ok this was just, I don't know but don't worry nothing is going to happen. No one will find out.' He assured her.

"That should make me feel better but that's not what's wrong Tom. I'm mad at myself I don't want nothing to happen I want something to happen again… But then I don't know what I want." Said the Captain wiping her face and laying down on her back. "It's late Mr. Paris, stay we might as well enjoy this now because no matter what I personally feel this won't happen again."

The next morning when Kathryn woke up it took a few moments for the events of the night to come back to her. "Oh my god." She said rubbing her eyes. Rolling over she noticed Tom had already left, small favors she didn't think she could face him. "Fuck I told him he was cleared to be on the bridge." She'd only be away from him for at the most another hour.

Arriving on the bridge at 0800 she went straight into her ready room refusing to look at the helm. "Chakotay." She said surprised what in the world was he doing in her ready room without permission. "You aren't supposed to be here. What are you doing?' she asked warily not liking the look in his eyes it was icy, a deep anger almost hurt.

"Funny thing I'm not the only one that isn't where they're supposed to be lately. Last night the 3rd shift pilot fell ill around 0300 I was looking for Mr. Paris to come in as his replacement."

For a moment Kathryn felt her heart stop and stomach drop. No, this wasn't happening. "Imagine my surprise when I found him in your quarters at that hour. I was even more surprised when he stayed there until 0700 presumably to go get ready for his shift. " He paused trying to remain calm but really furious in the inside. "I've made my feelings for you pretty clear Kathryn you're my friend, I'm your first officer, out here I'm your closest equal but you always waved me away saying "You couldn't afford the luxury of a relationship." He got up heading towards the door shaking his head in disgust.

"Chakotay, I…"

"Save it, Captain." He spat out the last word like a curse. "I would've thought that you had better taste than a helmsmen… that helmsmen in particular." With that he walked out, the doors sliding closed with a woosh behind him leaving Kathryn Janeway uncharacteristically shaken.