The Birthday (Part 3)
by: ParisAngel
Rated: PG or PG-13
Summary: B'Elanna finds out (sorry it took so long)
Time: Takes place after "Drive, but before "Lineage"
Disclaimer: Paramount owns all of Star Trek, but I own the storyline.
The Birthday
B'Elanna Torres walked onto the bridge and looked around. It seemed unnaturally quiet. She caught Chakotay's eye and he gave her a small smile. He seems so sad, she thought as she stopped in front of the Captain's ready room. "Come in", came the Captain's voice. B'Elanna walked in, followed by Chakotay. "Please sit down B'Elanna", said the Captain. The three of them sat down and B'Elanna noticed that the Captain was looking more tired than she had that morning. There was a silence. B'Elanna still didn't know what this was about and, as of that moment, it looked as if no one was going to tell her. "Captain," she said, "is this about Tom's party tonight? Because I could always change the date, or the time, if there's a problem." The Captain sighed. "No B'Elanna. It's not about the party, but it is about Tom. Actually, it's about Seven and Neelix as well." B'Elanna looked shocked. "Did something happen to the shuttle", she asked, the panic evident in her voice. "We don't know exactly what happened to it, but we…", Chakotay started to say when B'Elanna interrupted him. "What do you mean you don't know what happened to it?!" she yelled. "There are a number of things that could have happened and we are looking into all of them," the Captain said, "but we have to be prepared for anything." B'Elanna's anger faded as quickly as it came. "Are you saying that Tom could be dead?" B'Elanna asked, her eyes filling with tears. "We don't know anything yet," Chakotay said, putting his hand on B'Elanna's, which was gripping the couch cushion so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. "We are doing everything we can to find out what happened", said the Captain, "and I promise you, we'll bring Tom home alive." Kathryn Janeway looked at her first officer and chief engineer and hoped that she would be able to keep her promise.
The first thing that Tom Paris saw when he woke up was a very worried looking Neelix peering over him. "What happened?" Tom asked, trying to sit up and finding it very hard to breathe. "We crashed on the planet," said Seven of Nine coming over to them, "do not move." It was then that Tom realized that his whole body hurt, especially his head. He also realized that he was till having problems breathing. "What's wrong with me?" he asked. "Don't try to talk Tom," said Neelix. "Neelix is right; the more you talk the harder it will be to breathe," said Seven. Tom layed back down and asked "What about Voyager?"
"We haven't been able to contact them," said Seven, "I have been trying to get communications back online."
"Don't worry Tom," Neelix said, "Seven should have the communications back online in no time." Tom wasn't listening; he was too busy thinking about B'Elanna.
B'Elanna was sitting in the mess hall, picking at her food. She didn't know why she had replicated the food in the first place; she wasn't hungry at all. After she had left the Captain and Chakotay, she had gone back to her and Tom's quarters, but she couldn't stay there. So she ended up in the mess hall. The Captain had given her time off. "Hey", said a voice. B'Elanna looked up and saw Harry standing there. "Hi," she said softly.
"How are you," Harry asked.
"I'm ok," she replied, but when he looked into her eyes, he knew that she was lying. "We don't even know what happened to them," she said, "but, I'm sure they're fine."
"Of course they are," Harry agreed, "We'll find them in no time." Both of them hoped that what he said was true.
To Be Continued