Chapter 9 – Never Leaving You

B'Elanna followed the triage team as they rushed her critically injured husband through the corridors to sickbay. She didn't know how her legs could carry her after the horror she'd witnessed in the transporter room. The girl Nanishia, her throat savagely torn open, had died instantly from her injury. She never had a chance.

But Tom…

When the team reached sickbay, one of the medical assistants told B'Elanna to remain outside. She did as she was told and the doors slid together, closing her off completely from the only man she had ever truly loved.

Everything had happened much too quickly, and now that she was alone in the corridor, she felt isolated and her heart ached with every beat. Through a small view port in the doors, she could see the medical team working to save their captain, but was it already too late? He'd gone into shock so fast. She watched B-4 move with calm precision.

"Please save him," she murmured.

Solek walked up behind her. "The commodore is in good hands, Dr. Torres."

B'Elanna searched for truth in his eyes, and struggled to find words. "Solek, you weren't there…you didn't see…" she put a hand over her eyes to dispel the image, but it was blazoned into her memory. She would never forget. "It's bad, Solek, so bad." she said. Her heart raced in an effort to control her rising fear. "His—" her voice caught, and she drew a shuttering breath. "His arm was—completely ripped away, and he—"

Solek went up to the doors and peered fixedly through the glass. Having just arrived from the bridge, he apparently had not realized the extent of the commodore's injuries. His brows drew together and his jaw clenched tight. B'Elanna could have sworn she saw cold fury behind the Vulcan's eyes.

"B-4 will pull him through," Solek said, his voice was rough with emotion. He dropped his hand back down to his side and turned away. His head was bowed, as if he were coming to terms with what he'd just seen.

After a moment, he cleared his throat and straightened, clasping his hands behind his back. By the time he faced B'Elanna again, he had regained his usual Vulcan composure. "B-4 has seen crises like this," he offered as if nothing had happened. "He's young for a doctor, but his skills are exemplary."

B'Elanna could only stare at him. After working with Solek for months on Onari, only now did she realize he was not a true Vulcan. His emotional reaction made that perfectly clear, but he sure as hell had put up a good imitation until now. Why the charade? The question rose in her mind, but before she could ask it, he spoke.

"It may be a couple of hours until we hear the doctor's prognosis. Until then, may I suggest that you try to get some rest?"

"I can't do that," B'Elanna said, her throat tightening. "I have to stay by my husband."

"The meditation room is down the hall. The seating there is quite comfortable, and you won't be far from his side."

She nodded in acquiescence. She had been up for nearly two days without sleep, and she really should sit down before she collapsed outright on the deck.

Solek accompanied her to the small room. She paused at the door. "Have you found Crevlin?" Saying that vile man's name turned her stomach, but she had to know.

"He escaped Onari on a warp-driven ship, he has left the system."

"Do you now where he went?"

"We're tracking the warp trail, but they have thrown up a smokescreen, disrupting the trail with frequent plasma bursts. Desperate measures by desperate people," he said. "But this I promise you, Ambassador." There was a keen and determined look in his eyes. "I will find him. He will be brought to justice."


"B'Elanna."

The voice came out of the darkness, but she only imagined it.

"Wake up."

A hand gently shook her shoulder. She opened her eyes.

B-4 had joined her in the meditation room. He sat beside her and smiled in the benign way that only an android could, his eyes remained emotionless. "B'Elanna, you fell asleep."

She sat up, groggy at first. "I can't believe it, I—" Then she clutched his arm. "Is my husband alright?"

"We have stabilized Thomas' condition. I am quite sure now that he will recover."

"I have to see him," she said, and moved to get up.

B-4 reached out and took her hand, stopping her. "There are some things you must know before you go in there."

She slowly settled back down, not sure if she could take any more bad news. She clasped her hands in her lap, in an attempt to remain calm, and gazed at him attentively.

"We have stabilized him as I said, but the damage to his shoulder was severe— the joint was completely disintegrated. We could not save it."

A cold feeling swept over her, and she began to tremble. "What about…what about his arm?"

"We have it carefully preserved in stasis. We were able to save seventy-five percent of the humerus and the surrounding tissue, but to reattach the arm will mean several surgeries and an entire shoulder joint replacement. Of course, it will take approximately two to three days to regenerate some of the lost tissues. Add to that the time it will take to reconstruct the skeletal—"

B'Elanna moaned. The room started to spin, and she felt as if she might throw up. She turned away from him and put a hand to her stomach.

"Breathe, B'Elanna," B-4 said, patting her other hand, "It might be beneficial for you to put your head between your knees."

"Just—Just wait a minute, okay?" She took several deep breaths. "Oh, god."

"Really, there is no need to worry. I have experience with these kinds of procedures. I assure you, I can repair him."

She whirled on the doctor. "He's not a machine, B-4. He's a man! He's my husband!"

"I understand your trepidation, and I will review the procedures with you before we begin. And you will see. When we are done, he will be as right as rain." B-4 stood. "But now, I believe you would like to see him."

"You'd better believe I would." She got up, a little shakily, and followed B-4 out into the corridor.


Tom was surrounded by monitors and other devices B'Elanna had never seen before. She sucked in her breath when she saw how lifeless he looked.

"Do not let appearances deceive you, B'Elanna," said B-4. "I assure you he is quite well."

She glared at the android. "You are out of your positronic mind! He most certainly is not well!"

"The term 'well' is relative in this case," said B-4. "He is well in the sense that there is a clear and steady path to his recovery."

B'Elanna closed her eyes and drew in a steady breath. "Can I be alone with him for a minute?"

"Certainly. I need to place some calls to make sure the lab work is going smoothly. Again, you must not worry. We will have Thomas up and running in no time."

The doctor definitely needed to hone his interpersonal skills, but his confidence did make B'Elanna feel better.

She quietly walked over to the biobed where Tom lay. She had never seen him in such fragile condition, and it broke her heart. His face was pale, revealing in stark contrast the contusions and abrasions that marred his skin.

When she carefully leaned over and pressed her lips to his forehead, the warmth of his skin reassured her that he was still with her. The scent of the desert lingered in his hair, and overwhelming anger filled her heart when she imagined the terrible ordeal he had gone through.

The bulky padding of the bandage over his right side gave the false appearance of the shoulder they must rebuild. Out of impulse, she reached out to touch it, but she stopped, and her hands curled into fists.

Kahless! When she caught up with Crevlin, she would smash that bastard's sternum and rip the beating heart right out of his chest—and take such divine pleasure in it too!

She saw movement, someone coming toward her, and she let out a low growl.

A concession worker had entered sickbay and stood a few feet away with a trembling tray of food. "Dr. Torres, I brought some…uh…" seeing her angry glare, he stepped back. "I'll just leave it here?" His voice had gone up an octave in pitch, and his Adam's apple quavered. He eased the tray over and dropped it onto a standing cart. The tray clattered and spilled when it slipped from his nervous fingers.

"Get out." B'Elanna ordered, but he was already retreating through the door.

The commotion brought B-4 out of his office. "I apologize, B'Elanna. Perhaps I should have told you that I ordered your food."

"I'm not hungry," she retorted.

He straightened the tray and placed the sandwich back on the plate. "Now, what do you suppose the commodore would do, if he awakened to find his wife on the biobed next to him, unconscious from starvation? He would never allow me to practice medicine on a starship again."

"I'll get to it when I'm good and ready."

This answer seemed to satisfy B-4. He gave her that emotionless android smile and returned to his office.


B'Elanna sat at Tom's bedside most of the night, her half eaten sandwich cast aside long ago. She watched the news from Onari on a small monitor she'd set up at the foot of the bed, the volume barely audible. She leaned forward to hear the reports, and rubbed her thumb over the back of Tom's good hand.

The news was all the same. More fighting. More threats. The violent cycle was endless. She heaved a heavy sigh.

"…can we watch something else?" said a quiet voice beside her.

Had she imagined his voice? B'Elanna grasped Tom's hand and looked at him. His eyes were opened a little. A lump formed in her throat. She hadn't expected to see those blue eyes again. "Tom…" she began, but didn't know what she should say. He looked so tired.

"You want to watch something else?" she asked, matching the tone of her voice to his.

A faint smile, barely perceptive, formed on his lips. "Buck Rogers…" he said in a whisper.

"Buck Rogers," she murmured. He would ask for that. Buck was one of his favorite old B-movie heroes, always saving the universe. She let out a gentle laugh, thankful that at least Tom's spirit hadn't been destroyed on that dreadful planet. He was still putting up a fight. She leaned over and kissed him softly. "Whatever you want, Flyboy," she said, and she moved to program his request into the small monitor.

"B'Elanna…" His hand twitched slightly in hers, and the smile vanished. "Don't go."

"Shh…I'm here. I'm not leaving you," she told him. "I'm never leaving you."

His eyes slowly closed, and she prayed he would sleep.