Around Every Corner
By Voyager Queen
*History*
Set during Three Sisters: First Encounter right after Tom's return from his summer aboard Mirage's ship.
* * * *
Tom really didn't know where to look. So he went back to the dance club. He thought maybe there was a reason Kida was so tense while they were dancing and that was the place she had told Susie she was going.
This time he didn't waste conversation on the bartender but headed straight to the back and up the old stairs. It was a restricted area, only for the use of the tenants renting the apartment above but that would never deter Tom Paris.
As he crept up the last step he heard voices.
"Do you even know who this is, Braddak!" an angry voice yelled. "An undercover Starfleet agent and you brought her here!"
Tom knew that voice.
"I'm sorry, I thought she was a cadet!" Braddak yelled back. "Do you want me to get rid of her?"
"No, I'll take care of it, I need you to get in touch with the Boss. I need to see him, can you get him to come here?"
"Right away," Braddak answered. The door opened and Nancy rushed out and then, Tom's heart stopped.
The person standing in the doorway… with the familiar voice…
It was Captain Kathryn Janeway.
He couldn't think for a moment, he knew Kathryn well, the only conclusion he could come to was that she was also undercover.
He breathed a sigh of relief when Braddak took the elevator and walked down the corridor.
Boldly pushing the chime on the door at the end of the hall.
The door opened and Kathryn's jaw dropped, behind her the now conscious Kida's eyes widened.
Tom smiled, "Hello, ladies, surprised to see me?"
Kathryn grabbed his arm and pulled him in and Tom fleetingly thought how often woman were doing that to him.
"I knew Kida didn't tell me everything," Tom said to Janeway. "For you to be involved this has got to be bigger than Nancy Braddak."
"How did you get yourself involved in this, Tom?" Janeway asked with an exasperated sigh.
"I can get myself involved in anything, it's a gift."
"More like a curse," Kida said as she walked over to join them.
"So what's the deal?" Tom asked. "Are you trying to get one of the leaders of Section 31?"
Kathryn tried not to be surprised by just how much Tom knew. "Yes, actually and you need to go."
"I'm not leaving."
"Well you can't very well stay," Kathryn pointed out. "You'd ruin everything."
"Or I could make everything run a lot smoother. I'm sure you've got the room under surveillance so you've already nailed Braddak but this guy isn't going to be so stupid as to openly confess anything. Having Section 31's main objective tied and bound might give him some extra incentive to gloat."
Kida picked up a piece of rope and smiled playfully, "Are you telling us to tie you up, Tom?"
Kathryn sensed something between Tom and the older woman and didn't like it at all, she grabbed the rope from Kida. "Your father won't like this."
"He doesn't like much."
* * * *
Kathryn paced, Kida and Tom were tied and bound -as planned- on the floor and Nancy and the mystery man were due any minute. The door chimed and all three looked up.
Kathryn answered it and Nancy walked in, followed by a tall dark and handsome betazoid.
He looked at Tom with his dark black eyes as though he had expected him to be there. No surprise evident in his expression… he was very good.
"Agent Janeway," he acknowledged her. 'You wanted to see me and now I know why."
Braddak wasn't as reserved as the betazoid and gaped at Tom, "That's Tom Paris!" she shouted.
"Yes, I don't deserve much credit, though. He some how managed to track down Kida and came right to me."
The betazoid nodded, not giving away anything. Tom toyed with his ropes, Kathryn had tied them tight for appearances' sake but he had no intention of staying put.
He saw Kida give him a warning look but ignored her. She was tied up, how would she stop him?
"That was very… convenient," the betazoid said and Tom tensed. He didn't like that tone. The betazoid was a Section leader and he was too well trained not to notice something was amiss.
The boss pulled out a phaser and aimed it at Janeway. Tom renewed his efforts to get free. The betazoid reaimed the phaser to a light fixture on the wall. It vaporized to reveal the surveillance system.
Nancy secured Janeway, pulling her arms behind her back and the betazoid walked to the wall and ripped the camera off, smashing it on the floor.
Tom knew help wouldn't be coming. The betazoid had known where that system was before he'd gotten here, Starfleet Command was probably receiving a picture of Janeway asleep on the couch.
Tom discreetly scooted closer to Kida. His ropes were now hanging loosely around his wrists. He knew Kida had a phaser in her ankle holster. If he could only reach it. Kida noticed what he was doing and slide her leg closer to him. The betazoid was still occupied with his dealing with Janeway to notice the two other prisoners.
"No one will be coming for you," he told her. "You know you've really accomplished a lot for me. We've been trying to get Tom Paris for a long while."
"I won't let you hurt him."
"You won't be able to stop me."
"I'll stop you," It wasn't Janeway's voice that responded.
The betazoid felt the cold of a phaser against his neck. The voice belonged to Tom Paris.
"Release Janeway, Nancy or say goodbye to your boss."
Braddak reluctantly did as she was told and Janeway grabbed her phaser. Janeway pushed Braddak towards Kida, telling her to untie her. Nancy again did as she was told and Kida stood, she told Nancy 'thanks' then sucker punched her sending her passed out to the floor.
Kida shook out her hand and Janeway let out an exasperated sigh, "Kida, contact Starfleet Command and try not to kill anyone."
Kida nodded and headed to a console. "All outgoing communication has been cut."
Janeway fought back the urge to curse. There was no way she'd be able to get the agents through the night club below.
"Then go get help," Janeway ordered.
Kida nodded and with a reluctant glance at Tom she bolted out the door.
"So," Janeway said to the betazoid. "Do you have a name?"
The betazoid was standing in the corner of the room now, with both Janeway and Tom in front of him and both of them armed. Tom was also keeping an eye on Nancy. She wasn't too smart but she could do a lot of damage if she were to wake up unexpectedly.
"Don't feel talkative?" Janeway said. "Well, that's fine, we'll find out soon enou--" Janeway cut off as the lights went out.
All of the power went out… all through San Francisco.
Tom went immediately to an end table where he'd seen Kida's wrist light. He snapped it on and switched the light on.
The first thing the light hit was the betazoid holding Kathryn as a human shield with her phaser in his hand. He raised his own phaser and noticed that Nancy was no longer where she'd been knocked to the floor.
He backed against the wall but he knew she was gone, she'd went to stop Kida.
"I've heard you were clever," the betazoid said to Tom. "It appears the rumors are true, Mirage trained you well. We've wasted a lot of time and resources trying to get to you. You've been a thorn in my side for many years."
Tom's grip on the phaser tightened, "Really? We're you one of idiots who kidnapped me when I was eight?"
The betazoid smiled but didn't answer, he held Janeway tighter, "If you come with me, no one has to die."
"You think I'm so naive as to believe if I give myself up you'll let her go? Not a chance."
"You won't win this, Tom Paris. You're good and you'd make a better agent than most of my men but you have a downfall."
"Really? And what is that?"
"Compassion."
Tom laughed, "Only a heartless bastard such as yourself would see compassion as a downfall."
"You let it cloud your mind, hinder your judgment," he continued. "If you kill Janeway I will have no leverage, we both know I can't kill you."
"If I allowed you to kill Janeway, I'd not be able to live with myself,"
"Sure you would, you'd become like me."
"I'll kill myself before I would let myself become even remotely like you."
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
"I'll just bet you are. Starfleet will be here any minute."
"Kida will not reach Starfleet."
Tom laughed again, "We both know Braddak is no match for Kida."
"She's better than you think, she's been playing the dumb blonde."
The lights in the city flashed back on.
"I know how good Nancy really is, just as you do and It's as I said, she's no match for Kida. Kida let herself get captured before. Now I suggest you release Janeway. You don't want to add murder of a Captain to your list of offenses, do you? Starfleet really frowns on that."
He saw sweat beginning to form on the betazoids brow, he nervously adjusted the grip on the phaser. Even his unbreakable cool was turning into desperation.
"You've got nowhere to go," Tom taunted. "You give yourself up, leak a few names and you just might not spend the rest of your life in jail. You kill her, there'll be no deals, if I don't kill you before you even reach the courtroom."
"You'd kill me?"
"Temporary insanity."
"You're more like me than you would admit."
Tom was getting impatient. The betazoid was getting to the point where he just might pull the trigger and kill Janeway. He took a deep breath. There was only one thing to do.
Tom's phaser blast rang out. Wizzing very closely by Kathryn's head but hitting it's mark. The betazoid's hand, the one that was clutching the phaser.
The weapon flew from his grip with a yelp of pain. Kathryn elbowed him and threw him face forward to the floor, straddling him, she pulled his arms behind him.
The door burst open and an armada of Starfleet officers burst through. Followed by Kida who was keeping a barely conscious Braddak on her feet, Admiral Paris, and Susie. The officers took the betazoid and Braddak away and Susie ran to Tom, throwing her arms around him.
"Dammit, Tom," she whispered. "Can't you ever just stay out of trouble? Have some semblance of a normal life?"
It was Tom's father who answered, "Sorry, Susie but I've never known a Paris to lead a normal life and Tom has more Paris in him than any of the rest of us."
Tom looked at his father. He seemed proud. He'd expected him to be angry. "I guess I'm in trouble, again?" Tom said.
The Admiral nodded, "I'd expect nothing less from you, Thomas."
To Tom's utter surprise and confusion his father smiled. "Now let's get you two kids home, shall we?"
* * * *
Tom walked into his grandfathers office. His grandfather was a handsome, distinguished man with gray hair and he looked much younger than his actual years. His father was standing beside the desk. Tom braced himself and sat in the chair across from them both.
He could face down the barrel of a phaser but put him into the same room as both his father and his grandfather and he was a nervous wreck. At least on the inside, outside he was a calm and collected as always.
"You wanted to see me?" he hadn't been alone with either of them yet, and he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the punishment for his latest misadventure.
He'd spent all yesterday being presented a metal and had been given a commendations by numerous Admirals. He had a feeling though, that they hadn't
brought him here to commentate him.
"Your father and I have come to a decision about your future, Thomas." Oh god, this can't be good. "We've decided we can't protect you every second of every day."
"But more importantly," his father added. "We've realized that we don't need to."
"What?" Tom blurted, his control slipping.
"We aren't giving you free range, you are still a minor," his grandfather continued. "You'll still be monitored but you aren't a child anymore, you've proven that time and again."
Tom nodded, too shocked to speak. Tom had been speechless few times in his life but he was at a loss as to what to say.
"You're dismissed," his father said playfully and Tom scrambled from the room.
* * * *
Tom was just about to reach his dorm when a hand reached out and grabbed his wrist, "We need to talk, Tom."
He turned around, coming face to face with Susie, "What about?"
"Just come with me," Susie led him to her dorm and they both sat down. "We can't be a couple anymore."
Tom almost laughed they had been through this so many times but he saw a tear slip down her cheek and grew serious.
He wiped the tear away and looked into her kelly green eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I love you, Tom," she whispered.
"I love you, too, so what's the point to all this?"
"We can't go on like this, Tom." She said jumping from her chair. "I love you but it's too much… too much."
"Too much? Susie what are you talking about?"
"You complete me Tom and I can't stand by while you continuously put yourself in danger. You're going to get yourself killed and I'm terrified you'll take a piece of me with you. Something I'll never get back. I couldn't handle that, Tom. I just can't…"
Tom nodded, "Then it's over, for good?"
Susie nodded, unable to speak and Tom silently left, feeling very much as though he were incomplete.
* * * *
"I don't believe it!" Steven raged. "You take off like Rambo without even getting clearance and end up being commendated by every Admiral in the fleet! Not to mention the Captain of the flagship awarding you a metal… personally! Hell, Picard probably requested he be the one to award it to you."
Tom nodded, "He did, it's been awhile since we'd seen each other and he wanted to know how I was doing."
Steven gaped at him. He supposed it shouldn't surprise him that Tom was chummy with the Captain of the Enterprise.
"How do you do it?" Steven shouted but Tom didn't answer. He was uncharacteristically quiet and Steven was beginning to worry. He stopped his tirade and sat down next to his friend, "Tom, what's wrong?"
"Susie broke up with me."
"It's not the first time."
"No, but it's the last, it's over."
"What's the problem? I thought you didn't even like her."
"That was only half true. I hate her but I love her."
"Why did she end it?"
"She feels the same way and she says she's terrified I'll get myself killed and take a piece of her with me."
"It's really over?" Steven asked. Only now beginning to understand Tom was dead serious.
"Yea, it's really over… and I was going to marry her."
* * * *
At first Susie and Tom avoided each other but considering they lived across the hall from each other it didn't last long. Soon they were close again but this time only as friends. Tom had fallen hard for her and it took him quite awhile to get over it but with both Steven and Susie's help, he did.
He decided he was completely over Susie when he met her new roommate, she was a twin and a senor…
Her name was Megan Delaney.
The End…
I'm going to start another prequel after I finish Countermand about Tom's first assignment. He gets put on an elite ship called The Flawless under Kida's command.
By Voyager Queen
*History*
Set during Three Sisters: First Encounter right after Tom's return from his summer aboard Mirage's ship.
* * * *
Tom really didn't know where to look. So he went back to the dance club. He thought maybe there was a reason Kida was so tense while they were dancing and that was the place she had told Susie she was going.
This time he didn't waste conversation on the bartender but headed straight to the back and up the old stairs. It was a restricted area, only for the use of the tenants renting the apartment above but that would never deter Tom Paris.
As he crept up the last step he heard voices.
"Do you even know who this is, Braddak!" an angry voice yelled. "An undercover Starfleet agent and you brought her here!"
Tom knew that voice.
"I'm sorry, I thought she was a cadet!" Braddak yelled back. "Do you want me to get rid of her?"
"No, I'll take care of it, I need you to get in touch with the Boss. I need to see him, can you get him to come here?"
"Right away," Braddak answered. The door opened and Nancy rushed out and then, Tom's heart stopped.
The person standing in the doorway… with the familiar voice…
It was Captain Kathryn Janeway.
He couldn't think for a moment, he knew Kathryn well, the only conclusion he could come to was that she was also undercover.
He breathed a sigh of relief when Braddak took the elevator and walked down the corridor.
Boldly pushing the chime on the door at the end of the hall.
The door opened and Kathryn's jaw dropped, behind her the now conscious Kida's eyes widened.
Tom smiled, "Hello, ladies, surprised to see me?"
Kathryn grabbed his arm and pulled him in and Tom fleetingly thought how often woman were doing that to him.
"I knew Kida didn't tell me everything," Tom said to Janeway. "For you to be involved this has got to be bigger than Nancy Braddak."
"How did you get yourself involved in this, Tom?" Janeway asked with an exasperated sigh.
"I can get myself involved in anything, it's a gift."
"More like a curse," Kida said as she walked over to join them.
"So what's the deal?" Tom asked. "Are you trying to get one of the leaders of Section 31?"
Kathryn tried not to be surprised by just how much Tom knew. "Yes, actually and you need to go."
"I'm not leaving."
"Well you can't very well stay," Kathryn pointed out. "You'd ruin everything."
"Or I could make everything run a lot smoother. I'm sure you've got the room under surveillance so you've already nailed Braddak but this guy isn't going to be so stupid as to openly confess anything. Having Section 31's main objective tied and bound might give him some extra incentive to gloat."
Kida picked up a piece of rope and smiled playfully, "Are you telling us to tie you up, Tom?"
Kathryn sensed something between Tom and the older woman and didn't like it at all, she grabbed the rope from Kida. "Your father won't like this."
"He doesn't like much."
* * * *
Kathryn paced, Kida and Tom were tied and bound -as planned- on the floor and Nancy and the mystery man were due any minute. The door chimed and all three looked up.
Kathryn answered it and Nancy walked in, followed by a tall dark and handsome betazoid.
He looked at Tom with his dark black eyes as though he had expected him to be there. No surprise evident in his expression… he was very good.
"Agent Janeway," he acknowledged her. 'You wanted to see me and now I know why."
Braddak wasn't as reserved as the betazoid and gaped at Tom, "That's Tom Paris!" she shouted.
"Yes, I don't deserve much credit, though. He some how managed to track down Kida and came right to me."
The betazoid nodded, not giving away anything. Tom toyed with his ropes, Kathryn had tied them tight for appearances' sake but he had no intention of staying put.
He saw Kida give him a warning look but ignored her. She was tied up, how would she stop him?
"That was very… convenient," the betazoid said and Tom tensed. He didn't like that tone. The betazoid was a Section leader and he was too well trained not to notice something was amiss.
The boss pulled out a phaser and aimed it at Janeway. Tom renewed his efforts to get free. The betazoid reaimed the phaser to a light fixture on the wall. It vaporized to reveal the surveillance system.
Nancy secured Janeway, pulling her arms behind her back and the betazoid walked to the wall and ripped the camera off, smashing it on the floor.
Tom knew help wouldn't be coming. The betazoid had known where that system was before he'd gotten here, Starfleet Command was probably receiving a picture of Janeway asleep on the couch.
Tom discreetly scooted closer to Kida. His ropes were now hanging loosely around his wrists. He knew Kida had a phaser in her ankle holster. If he could only reach it. Kida noticed what he was doing and slide her leg closer to him. The betazoid was still occupied with his dealing with Janeway to notice the two other prisoners.
"No one will be coming for you," he told her. "You know you've really accomplished a lot for me. We've been trying to get Tom Paris for a long while."
"I won't let you hurt him."
"You won't be able to stop me."
"I'll stop you," It wasn't Janeway's voice that responded.
The betazoid felt the cold of a phaser against his neck. The voice belonged to Tom Paris.
"Release Janeway, Nancy or say goodbye to your boss."
Braddak reluctantly did as she was told and Janeway grabbed her phaser. Janeway pushed Braddak towards Kida, telling her to untie her. Nancy again did as she was told and Kida stood, she told Nancy 'thanks' then sucker punched her sending her passed out to the floor.
Kida shook out her hand and Janeway let out an exasperated sigh, "Kida, contact Starfleet Command and try not to kill anyone."
Kida nodded and headed to a console. "All outgoing communication has been cut."
Janeway fought back the urge to curse. There was no way she'd be able to get the agents through the night club below.
"Then go get help," Janeway ordered.
Kida nodded and with a reluctant glance at Tom she bolted out the door.
"So," Janeway said to the betazoid. "Do you have a name?"
The betazoid was standing in the corner of the room now, with both Janeway and Tom in front of him and both of them armed. Tom was also keeping an eye on Nancy. She wasn't too smart but she could do a lot of damage if she were to wake up unexpectedly.
"Don't feel talkative?" Janeway said. "Well, that's fine, we'll find out soon enou--" Janeway cut off as the lights went out.
All of the power went out… all through San Francisco.
Tom went immediately to an end table where he'd seen Kida's wrist light. He snapped it on and switched the light on.
The first thing the light hit was the betazoid holding Kathryn as a human shield with her phaser in his hand. He raised his own phaser and noticed that Nancy was no longer where she'd been knocked to the floor.
He backed against the wall but he knew she was gone, she'd went to stop Kida.
"I've heard you were clever," the betazoid said to Tom. "It appears the rumors are true, Mirage trained you well. We've wasted a lot of time and resources trying to get to you. You've been a thorn in my side for many years."
Tom's grip on the phaser tightened, "Really? We're you one of idiots who kidnapped me when I was eight?"
The betazoid smiled but didn't answer, he held Janeway tighter, "If you come with me, no one has to die."
"You think I'm so naive as to believe if I give myself up you'll let her go? Not a chance."
"You won't win this, Tom Paris. You're good and you'd make a better agent than most of my men but you have a downfall."
"Really? And what is that?"
"Compassion."
Tom laughed, "Only a heartless bastard such as yourself would see compassion as a downfall."
"You let it cloud your mind, hinder your judgment," he continued. "If you kill Janeway I will have no leverage, we both know I can't kill you."
"If I allowed you to kill Janeway, I'd not be able to live with myself,"
"Sure you would, you'd become like me."
"I'll kill myself before I would let myself become even remotely like you."
"I'm sorry you feel that way."
"I'll just bet you are. Starfleet will be here any minute."
"Kida will not reach Starfleet."
Tom laughed again, "We both know Braddak is no match for Kida."
"She's better than you think, she's been playing the dumb blonde."
The lights in the city flashed back on.
"I know how good Nancy really is, just as you do and It's as I said, she's no match for Kida. Kida let herself get captured before. Now I suggest you release Janeway. You don't want to add murder of a Captain to your list of offenses, do you? Starfleet really frowns on that."
He saw sweat beginning to form on the betazoids brow, he nervously adjusted the grip on the phaser. Even his unbreakable cool was turning into desperation.
"You've got nowhere to go," Tom taunted. "You give yourself up, leak a few names and you just might not spend the rest of your life in jail. You kill her, there'll be no deals, if I don't kill you before you even reach the courtroom."
"You'd kill me?"
"Temporary insanity."
"You're more like me than you would admit."
Tom was getting impatient. The betazoid was getting to the point where he just might pull the trigger and kill Janeway. He took a deep breath. There was only one thing to do.
Tom's phaser blast rang out. Wizzing very closely by Kathryn's head but hitting it's mark. The betazoid's hand, the one that was clutching the phaser.
The weapon flew from his grip with a yelp of pain. Kathryn elbowed him and threw him face forward to the floor, straddling him, she pulled his arms behind him.
The door burst open and an armada of Starfleet officers burst through. Followed by Kida who was keeping a barely conscious Braddak on her feet, Admiral Paris, and Susie. The officers took the betazoid and Braddak away and Susie ran to Tom, throwing her arms around him.
"Dammit, Tom," she whispered. "Can't you ever just stay out of trouble? Have some semblance of a normal life?"
It was Tom's father who answered, "Sorry, Susie but I've never known a Paris to lead a normal life and Tom has more Paris in him than any of the rest of us."
Tom looked at his father. He seemed proud. He'd expected him to be angry. "I guess I'm in trouble, again?" Tom said.
The Admiral nodded, "I'd expect nothing less from you, Thomas."
To Tom's utter surprise and confusion his father smiled. "Now let's get you two kids home, shall we?"
* * * *
Tom walked into his grandfathers office. His grandfather was a handsome, distinguished man with gray hair and he looked much younger than his actual years. His father was standing beside the desk. Tom braced himself and sat in the chair across from them both.
He could face down the barrel of a phaser but put him into the same room as both his father and his grandfather and he was a nervous wreck. At least on the inside, outside he was a calm and collected as always.
"You wanted to see me?" he hadn't been alone with either of them yet, and he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the punishment for his latest misadventure.
He'd spent all yesterday being presented a metal and had been given a commendations by numerous Admirals. He had a feeling though, that they hadn't
brought him here to commentate him.
"Your father and I have come to a decision about your future, Thomas." Oh god, this can't be good. "We've decided we can't protect you every second of every day."
"But more importantly," his father added. "We've realized that we don't need to."
"What?" Tom blurted, his control slipping.
"We aren't giving you free range, you are still a minor," his grandfather continued. "You'll still be monitored but you aren't a child anymore, you've proven that time and again."
Tom nodded, too shocked to speak. Tom had been speechless few times in his life but he was at a loss as to what to say.
"You're dismissed," his father said playfully and Tom scrambled from the room.
* * * *
Tom was just about to reach his dorm when a hand reached out and grabbed his wrist, "We need to talk, Tom."
He turned around, coming face to face with Susie, "What about?"
"Just come with me," Susie led him to her dorm and they both sat down. "We can't be a couple anymore."
Tom almost laughed they had been through this so many times but he saw a tear slip down her cheek and grew serious.
He wiped the tear away and looked into her kelly green eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I love you, Tom," she whispered.
"I love you, too, so what's the point to all this?"
"We can't go on like this, Tom." She said jumping from her chair. "I love you but it's too much… too much."
"Too much? Susie what are you talking about?"
"You complete me Tom and I can't stand by while you continuously put yourself in danger. You're going to get yourself killed and I'm terrified you'll take a piece of me with you. Something I'll never get back. I couldn't handle that, Tom. I just can't…"
Tom nodded, "Then it's over, for good?"
Susie nodded, unable to speak and Tom silently left, feeling very much as though he were incomplete.
* * * *
"I don't believe it!" Steven raged. "You take off like Rambo without even getting clearance and end up being commendated by every Admiral in the fleet! Not to mention the Captain of the flagship awarding you a metal… personally! Hell, Picard probably requested he be the one to award it to you."
Tom nodded, "He did, it's been awhile since we'd seen each other and he wanted to know how I was doing."
Steven gaped at him. He supposed it shouldn't surprise him that Tom was chummy with the Captain of the Enterprise.
"How do you do it?" Steven shouted but Tom didn't answer. He was uncharacteristically quiet and Steven was beginning to worry. He stopped his tirade and sat down next to his friend, "Tom, what's wrong?"
"Susie broke up with me."
"It's not the first time."
"No, but it's the last, it's over."
"What's the problem? I thought you didn't even like her."
"That was only half true. I hate her but I love her."
"Why did she end it?"
"She feels the same way and she says she's terrified I'll get myself killed and take a piece of her with me."
"It's really over?" Steven asked. Only now beginning to understand Tom was dead serious.
"Yea, it's really over… and I was going to marry her."
* * * *
At first Susie and Tom avoided each other but considering they lived across the hall from each other it didn't last long. Soon they were close again but this time only as friends. Tom had fallen hard for her and it took him quite awhile to get over it but with both Steven and Susie's help, he did.
He decided he was completely over Susie when he met her new roommate, she was a twin and a senor…
Her name was Megan Delaney.
The End…
I'm going to start another prequel after I finish Countermand about Tom's first assignment. He gets put on an elite ship called The Flawless under Kida's command.