Author: Jeanette Kofoed.
Codes: Voy/DS9 P/B, B/? A/U
Series: Part 3/4
Rating: PG-13. A little graphic sex, but not much.
Archive: Paris Nights, TPD. Anywhere else, you've got to be kidding, who'd want to??? ^_^
Summary: This starts as Tom is attending the Academy, Julian and Tom are lovers, but a fling separates the two.
Disclaimer: The wonderful Characters within this story belongs to Paramount. The plot and the idea however belongs to me.

Dedicated: To Meg for inspiring me with "Broken Images" and to Tom, Bashir, Mel and Elli. Especially to Holly Ilex for betaing this for me, you're great.

Special note: This is a AU story, and in this Tom is way younger than on the show. He is also gay and not the major flirt that TPTB made him. Julian on the other hand isn't as shy as on the show and, well... the rest you'll notice throughout the story. Kill me if you want.


The Forbidden Kiss

Julian stopped dead in his tracks as he passed Tom sleeping in a biobed. Julian kept a close watch on Tom as he slept. It had been a close call - a few seconds later and Tom would have been dead.

A panel had blown up and caused the ceiling to fall on Tom and as if that wasn't bad enough Voyager had been thrown into the Delta Quadrant. 70.000 light years away from home, where they found the Maquis ship they had been hunting.

During a fight with some of the natives here, the Maquis ship had been blown up and the Maquis crew were forced to come onboard Voyager. Julian had already treated - on several occasions -the result of the anger between the two groups. Broken noses, arms, bruises, black eyes on and on the list went.

Julian gently stroked a stray hair out of Tom's eyes and stroked his still pale cheeks. He had hurt Tom Tom had known, found out and that was why he left. Thinking back Julian couldn't even remember why he slept with those others in the first place. He must have been stupid when he had everything and especially that someone people would search for their entire lives and never find. He had been right in front of him. With the others it had been about sex. Quick, fast and good. No talks, no cuddling and comfort, only sex. But with Tom it had been different - granted, the first time Julian looked at him all he could think about was the sex. But as the two spent more and more time together Tom grew on him, with his smiles, charm and good humor.

What a fool I've been' Julian thought bitterly to himself.

"Do you know him?" a quiet voice suddenly asked from behind.

Julian almost jumped ten feet off the ground but quickly got his act together and turned around, looking at the Ensign who had come onboard with Tom.

"No, I do not, Ensign and you shouldn't be in here. The patients need bed rest."

Harry eyed the doctor suspiciously. He could have sworn that the man had been worried to death as Tom had been beamed in. Harry had seen it when he was helping an jured crewman onto a biobed nearby. He had seen the despair, pain and the even love but maybe this doctor was just a bit too caring. Who knew.

Harry shrugged his shoulders and dismissed the suspicious feeling. He looked one last time at Tom before heading out of the sickbay doors.

Tom awoke with a severe headache. He wasn't sure if it was because he had been hurt or because of the woman swearing so damn loud in Klingon on the bed right next to him. He opened his eyes afraid that Julian would be there but he wasn't. Tom was filled with a strange sense of relief but he was also disappointed - he wanted to know if Julian at least cared about him, but maybe he hadn't at all. It had probably been a big game to him.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement and knew instinctively that it was Julian, he'd know his walk anywhere, his touch... Tom stopped his train of thought and quickly started thinking of something else. Suddenly he felt the familiar presence standing just beside him. He didn't dare look up, afraid that his eyes would betray the emotions lying just beneath the anger. He didn't want Julian to see the love that he still harbored for him, he didn't want the man's pity nor did he feel like being used. He flinched a bit as the medical tricorder moved over him, then it stopped.

"You are well enough to leave now, Ensign."

Tom felt himself flinch at the coldness in Julian's voice. He quickly scrambled off the biobed and almost ran out of the door. Had he looked back at the young man standing at the now empty bed, he would have seen his eyes showing love and compassion, but he didn't.

Tom walked quickly down the corridors, intent on getting as far away from Julian as possible. Rounding a corner he suddenly collided with a solid chest.

"Oops, sorry," Tom mumbled not looking up.

He expected to hear anger in the answering voice but instead he heard amusement.

"Someone hunting you, kid?"

Tom couldn't keep his gaze down any longer and looked up into the amused face of the Maquis Captain.

"No, Sir, just needed to get away."

Tom looked at the stoic face carefully - the tattoo seemed to draw him in and he suddenly found himself staring very obviously.

"Sorry sir," he muttered, realizing what he had done.

He felt a hand close around his shoulder and was suddenly guided further down the halls with the words, "I already like you, kid, tell me what's wrong and maybe I can help."

End Part Three

Continued in Part Four

June 2000 Jeanette Kofoed