A/N: I know that it has been well over a month. I just haven't felt the passion for writing and when I do I don't have the time:(. Thanks for being patient! I hope to get more writing done in the next few days. As always reviews are welcome but please be nice!

The conference room was unusually packed for the afternoon briefing. Several of the Washington's senior officers had crammed into the room with Voyager's and much to Tom Paris' dismay, Andrew Benson was amongst them. It wasn't a surprise, Benson was after all the first officer on the Washington, but Tom had been worried about the look in Benson's eyes when he had asked Sarah Barrett to dinner. There was no mistake—Sarah and Benson had been an item at one point and Tom suddenly had a true competitor for her affections. Out of curiosity Tom had looked up Benson's personnel file. There wasn't a blemish on it. He was the perfect officer, smart, handsome, held a high position—Sarah could easily remember why she had been attracted to Benson and decide he was the one she wanted to be with.

Clenching his fists at the thought he made a move towards his chair. He'd just have to keep his eyes on Benson that was all. He wasn't about to let some guy from Sarah's past swoop in and tear away everything that he had crafted together for the past six months. Slumping down in his chair slightly he waited patiently for the rest of Voyager's senior staff to arrive and the meeting to begin. At least this meeting would keep his mind off of Sarah and Benson.

The doors to the conference room swished open and Tom watched as Sarah, Kathryn Janeway, and Chakotay walked in. Through the idle chatter of the officers Tom could see Benson gesture for Sarah to come stand next to him but she coldly pulled out her chair next to Tom and sat down. The pilot hid a smile at the sight of the Washington's first officer bristling. Leaning over he whispered in her ear, "I know you have dinner plans with Mister Personality over there, but do you think you could free some time up for a drink in Sandrine's tonight with me?"

Sarah's eyes shot towards Benson, still steaming from her blatant rejection. "I don't foresee dinner lasting that long."

"Oh, trouble in paradise?"

She shot him a glare that told him to not even pursue it. Tom pressed his lips together and decided to change the subject. "I was hoping that we'd get some time alone on the holodeck this week. I have nice little spot in Greece that I wanted to try out. "

"Broadening your horizons, Lieutenant?" she teased with that little smirk that made his heart flutter.

God, I love her. He loved her so much that just the thought of an old boyfriend of hers on Voyager made his heart clench with jealousy. As Janeway called the meeting to order he felt a hand slip underneath the table and grasp his, giving it a little reassuring squeeze. He squeezed her hand back and felt his confidence start to return. What did Benson have on him really, besides his service record and looks? Benson hadn't been the one to wipe her tears, comfort her during her recovery, or reassure her when she woke up in the middle of the night from horrible dreams that everything was going to be alright. Tom had spent countless hours doing just that, holding her and consoling her. That had to count for something.

Sarah's hand slipped out of his just as stealthy as it had entered and she began to address the group. Tom hadn't even been aware that Janeway had asked for her to give a report. "Captain Black has given me a list of his crew that has had the hardest adjustment to life in the Delta Quadrant. They lost their counselor in the first month out here and it hasn't been all roses since then," Sarah reported, glancing at a PADD in her hand. "I've freed up some time in my own schedule but the Cook children still are in the highest demand for my services. Mister Neelix has kindly offered to lend an ear to anyone on the Washington's crew that could use it."

"Wait a minute, children?" Black questioned raising an eyebrow. "You have children on board this ship?"

Janeway looked immediately uncomfortable. "Yes, four of them."

"Captain forgive me for sounding rude, but what the hell are children doing on this ship?" Black inquired. "I thought Voyager was sent to track down some Maquis. That's a pretty dangerous mission that you've brought children with you on."

Across the room Andrew Benson could immediately see Janeway's senior staff getting defensive. They adore her, he thought blandly. It was an odd conclusion seeing how it was Janeway that had destroyed the Caretaker's array that had stranded them all here.

"We rescued those children from a planet here in the Delta Quadrant," Sarah snapped. "And it has little bearing on this meeting Captain Black."

Black glared at her from across the table. When she didn't back down a broad grin spread across his face. "Just like your mother, you know that? She wasn't afraid to stare down authority either." He turned towards Janeway. "Forgive me, Captain, for getting off track. When you've been out in the Delta Quadrant as long as I have you tend to get a bit nostalgic."

Janeway nodded her head in understanding then smiled. "If all goes according to plan then we may not be out here in the Delta Quadrant much longer."

Tom stole a glance at Sarah as the surprised murmurs popped up around the table, all from the Voyager senior staff. It was apparent that the Washington's senior officers knew what Janeway was speaking of. Even Sarah had a surprised look on her face and she had spent almost three hours with Benson and then another two with Janeway afterwards. Whatever Janeway had to reveal now was a well kept secret. Tom on the other hand wasn't sure how he felt about getting home. After all he was still a felon back there and still had his sentence to finish up. That would certainly squash his relationship with Sarah. She'd definitely go back to Benson and forget about him rotting in prison.

"Captain Black has negotiated with a local species and obtained technology that will allow us to actually fold time and space," Janeway revealed.

"We do not believe that the technology can be adapted to fit the Washington, she's too old," Black continued, "however, we have reason to hope that Voyager will be a compatible match."

"Folding time and space is a dangerous thing," B'Elanna Torres said, anxiously. "We can't just strap the technology onto our engines."

"We understand that, Miss Torres," Black said calmly. "Captain Janeway has assigned Lieutenant Paris and Ensign Kim help you make a few holodeck runs."

Fabulous, Tom thought. Holodeck simulations, especially with Harry, would take all day. Who knew when he would see Sarah? It would be the perfect opportunity for Benson to wiggle his way in and snatch her away. His heart thundered with jealousy as he tried to find some rational excuse not to be apart of the simulations. However, there were none. Tom had never felt so defeated in his whole life. Just when he thought he had gotten his life back on track he was derailed yet again. He firmly looked at Janeway. "Captain, it could take hundreds of simulations for us to make a reliable prediction and it still wouldn't be one hundred percent accurate." Remember the failed transwarp drive?

She must have for she nodded her head at him. "I'm aware of that Mister Paris. And I believe that it's a risk we should at least explore."

"Yes ma'am."

"We've had several successful attempts on our holodeck, Lieutenant using Voyager's configurations," Black assured him.

Tom still wasn't entirely convinced but he would follow through with his orders anyways. He didn't have much hope that the technology was going to work, despite Black and his crew having successful runs on the holodeck. Torres was right, technology that folded time and space was not something that they should be playing around with lightly. Janeway had to have warned Black of this and told him the price that they paid for a failed transwarp drive. Jesus, I can't imagine going through that again, Tom thought with a shiver recalling the massive damage to the ship and the wounded. "Harry and I will start working with Lieutenant Torres on it right away, Captain."

"Good," Janeway said with a smile, "if that's all you're all dismissed. Commander Chakotay and I will be handing out assignments accordingly. We're going to have to start bringing the Washington's crew over to Voyager. Unfortunately only one ship can make the trip and by default it will be Voyager. We'll meet again tomorrow morning."

He didn't move right away with the rest of them. Leaning back in his seat he pondered the new development. Going home to the Alpha Quadrant didn't seem like a rosy idea to him. He had a cell waiting for him back at the penal colony and he wasn't the only one. Janeway wasn't going to be able to get Chakotay and the others pardoned just for good behavior for seven months on Voyager. Was going home really all that grand? He finally concluded that it wasn't and that he'd prefer to rough it a while longer in the Delta Quadrant. At least out here he wasn't sitting in a cell wishing his life away. Out here he had a life that was worth fighting for.

"Hello? Paris? Are you coming to lunch or not?" B'Elanna's voice cut through the fog.

Tom glanced up to see Harry and B'Elanna standing there looking at him pensively. "Where'd Sarah go?"

"She left with that hot shot commander," B'Elanna said throwing her thumb over her shoulder. "He said something about conferencing with her on the personnel needing her services. If you ask me it was an excuse to try and get her alone with him. It's obvious he has the hots for her."

"Well good for him," Tom grumbled getting to his feet.

B'Elanna shot him a funny look. "What do you care Paris? You're not dating her or anything."

Now see, if we were open about our relationship Sarah, I could tell her off right now. He sighed. It wasn't B'Elanna's fault that Benson was trying to wiggle his way back into Sarah's life and he shouldn't be taking his jealousy out on her. "He's a jerk. She could do better."

"Finally, something we agree on," B'Elanna said with a smirk. "Come on let's go eat before we run a thousand simulations."

Tom felt like groaning for more than one reason as the trio made their way to the turbo lift. Maybe after lunch he wouldn't feel as grumpy and then again there was no telling what Neelix's cooking was going to do to his mood. It was sour enough as it was. As they rounded the corner they interrupted what was an apparent tiff between Benson and Sarah. The Washington's first officer had her practically pinned to the wall and Tom could see her eyes dashing about for an escape route. Straightening his tunic he stepped up as close to Benson as he could without actually grabbing the guy and yanking him away. "Problem, Lieutenant?"

He was pretty sure he heard Benson growl low in his throat with annoyance. Tom kept his emotions in check but it was hard to resist the urge to grin. "I can call security if you'd like, ma'am," he antagonized.

Benson grumbled louder this time as he spun about on his heel. "That won't be necessary, Lieutenant Paris. I was just leaving." The commander stalked away in the opposite direction down the corridor, glaring once at Tom before he disappeared around the corner.

"Thank you," Sarah mumbled under her breath, trying desperately to avoid Tom's eyes. When she finally did manage to look up at him instantly her eyes filled with tears. "I left my PADD in the conference room," she absentmindedly said, pushing her way past Harry and B'Elanna and making a bee line for the now empty conference room.

Tom hastily followed her informing Harry and B'Elanna to go ahead to lunch without him. He'd catch up with them later on the holodeck. He found Sarah in the conference room, sitting in an empty chair with her head bowed. His heart constricted at the sight. She had just started to come to terms with the horrendous things that she had dealt with on Gerroa Prime and now an ex-lover had to show up. When it rains it pours, Tom thought as he took the chair next to her. Instinctively he reached out and pulled her close. She buried her face against his uniform and snaked her arms around his waist. "This isn't how I wanted our first few weeks as a couple to go," she mumbled into his chest.

"Hey, he's nothing but a thorn in our side," Tom soothed her. "Someday, we'll laugh at how absurd he was thinking he could weasel his way back into your life."

"You aren't afraid he could do just that?"

"I'd be lying if I said no."

She raised her head to look at him. "Would it make you feel better if I told you that he doesn't have a shot in hell?"

He smiled faintly. "Maybe."

Kissing his cheek she stood up to go. Tom stood with her and grabbed a hold of her hand. "Hey, come here." Pulling her towards him he engulfed her in his arms and leaned down to bring his mouth to hers, kissing her hungrily. When she tried to pull away he didn't let her go so easily. He felt her laugh against his lips.

"Tom we could get caught."

"So? What's Janeway going to do—throw us in the brig?"

"I really need to be going. I have a lot of personnel files to look over."

He kissed her again. "I could help you with those."

Sarah pulled away and smiled coyly at him. "No, you'll distract me from them. Besides you have all those fun holodeck simulations to run with Harry and B'Elanna. I wouldn't want to keep you from that."

Tom scowled. "Don't remind me."

Rubbing his cheek where she had kissed it a few moments ago, she whispered, "If all goes well we'll be home by this time tomorrow." A darkened look came over her face as if she wasn't sure how she felt about that. "I wonder what Starfleet will think when we show up. Maybe they're still looking for Voyager but I know they stopped searching for the Washington months before Voyager was even launched. What a hassle that's going to be—changing all of our statuses from presumed dead to found alive."

"To be honest with you—I'd rather stay out here."

Sarah didn't question him—she knew what he meant—his life wouldn't have much freedom if they made it home tomorrow. She tried to smile and joke. "I'll come visit you in prison."

"Gee thanks."

"If you behave yourself maybe you'll get out early."

"If I behave myself?" he repeated innocently.

"It's a pretty big if," she retorted playfully.

Tom mockingly glared at her as Janeway's voice filled the comline. "Lieutenant Barrett, can I see you in sickbay please?"

Sickbay? Sarah thought, confused. She pressed her combadge. "I'm on my way, ma'am. Barrett out." She scowled slightly. "Duty calls. Want to take any bets that this has something to do with Michael?"

"I'm not a betting man," Tom joked as they made their way out of the conference room.

"Right, I keep forgetting," Sarah said, calling for the turbo lift. She couldn't remember exactly why she had burst into tears after Tom had chased Andrew away. Perhaps the stress of the last few days was getting to her or perhaps all of the memories she had of Andrew were flooding her. Frustration was starting to settle in she realized as she stepped into the lift. Andrew wasn't going to accept that she had changed and moved on with her life so he was going to do whatever it took to win her back. The problem was she didn't feel for him that way—at least not anymore. At some point she must have loved him because she never would have gone out with him other wise.

She glanced at Tom. Would he stick around if things got anymore complicated? He'd once told her that he wasn't going to leave just because the going got tough but that had been before an old boyfriend had been involved. Perhaps things would just be too tough to handle this time.

"My stop," he said as the lift opened on deck two. "See you tonight at Sandrine's?"

"Sure," she said with a soft smile before the doors closed and the lift resumed.

With a sight she closed her eyes and began to listen to the hum of the lift and then the soft hiss as it came to a stop. Stepping out she made her way to sickbay where she ran through a list of various things that Janeway could have beckoned her for. When she stepped into the medical bay Janeway gruffly pointed her finger at the Doctor's office and she peered inside. Michael was sitting at the hologram's desk looking rather peeved. Wonderful, Sarah thought. What did he do now? "Captain, what's going on?"

"I have tried everything I can think of to get through to him," Janeway snapped. "Apparently I just don't pay enough attention."

"You don't!" a voice yelped from the office.

The Doctor glared at Sarah from behind his tools. "Captain I'd prefer it if you'd take this family dispute elsewhere and not my sickbay."

"It's my ship, Doctor. I can have my family disputes where ever I want," the Captain snapped. The hologram silenced Janeway looked at Sarah beseechingly. "I came back from the meeting today to find my toddler covered in a rash."

Sarah blinked wondered where this was all leading. "A rash?"

"Michael gave her cherries."

"Oh," Sarah sighed. The Doctor had recently diagnosed Ava with a cherry allergy after a rash had broken out over her body two weeks ago after sampling Neelix's attempt at cherry pie. "I'm assuming then that Michael knew that she was allergic or I wouldn't be here."

"You assume correctly, Lieutenant."

Sarah made her way into the Doctor's office and stood before the desk. "Did you think giving cherries to Ava would make your mother happy?" she asked the boy in a low tone. "Or were you just trying to get her attention?"

Michael scowled at her. "Everything is always about Ava."

"So you gave Ava the cherries because you were mad at your mother."

"Yes."

"Did you ever think to tell your mother that you're mad instead of crawling into power conduits, giving your sister food that she isn't suppose to eat?"

Sarah sat down in the chair across from him and leaned across the table. "I know it wasn't easy when your mother left you behind. But it wasn't easy for her either. She loves you Michael and she felt there was no other way to protect you. She didn't want you getting hurt. She came back for you didn't she?"

"Yeah," he grumbled.

"She didn't have to come back for you. There's no written law that says your parents have to return for you. They return because they want to and because they love you. Your mother has a dangerous job, Michael, and I know her leaving frightens you, but remember, I told you that you'd never be alone."

Michael wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Pinky swear?" he asked, holding out his baby finger.

She hadn't done a pinky swear since she was a child herself. Popping her pinky out she hooked it around Michael's. "I pinky swear—you'll never be alone."

"I guess I should go say I'm sorry to my mom, huh?" Michael said, unlatching their fingers.

"You guess right," Sarah replied getting up. She gestured for him to come with her and as he went to stand with her she put her arm around his shoulder and gave him a reassuring pat. Janeway was sitting on a biobed, Ava in her lap while the Doctor gave the fussy toddler one more thorough check up before sending her on her way.

Michael looked up at Sarah timidly for a moment before stepping forward. "Mama," he squeaked out. "I'm sorry I made you mad."

Kathryn Janeway's face softened as she shifted Ava about onto her hip and climb down off of the biobed. "I'm not mad, not anymore. I don't like when you purposely make your sister sick or put yourself in danger, do you understand?"

"I think so," Michael said. "Am I still grounded?"

"Yes," Janeway said firmly before reaching out and hugging him. "But maybe I can lessen the sentence if you can be on your best behavior."

Michael grumbled something inaudible against his mother that made her smile. Sarah grinned at the still scowling Doctor before turning about to leave. The doors opened to release her from sickbay and in a whirl of motion she felt her breath leave her and saw the Washington exploding into a brilliant ball of fire.