Authors Note: I don't own the characters, the ship, the crew, or anything at all.
Chapter 16 - RapistAfter the Captain and Elizabeth left, Tom and B'Elanna carried on with their dinner. B'Elanna's curiosity soon got the better of her and she broke the comfortable silence they had been sat in.
Looking up at Tom who appeared to be deep in thought, she said "Tom, why will no-one tell Elizabeth who her father is?"
He looked up shocked, "She told you", he whispered.
"Yes, she did, and she's pretty cut up about it too", B'Elanna whispered back.
"She doesn't need to know, it was a long time ago, and it would only upset her," he said, hoping that that would be the end of the conversation, but knowing B'Elanna he expected her to carry on, and she did.
"What did he do? She has a right to know, he is her dad", she argued.
Tom looked away, and got up going to the replicator he ordered a synthehol. Returning to the table he sat down and faced B'Elanna, hoping she would not ask any more questions.
"So, what did he do?" B'Elanna asked, as soon as he had sat down.
Tom sighed, "He was a rapist, a stalker, and a general asshole. He didn't deserve to gain someone like Elizabeth from his dealings." Tom kept his tone even and his eyes on the glass in front of him.
B'Elanna gasped, "He raped her mother, oh, Tom."
"She lost everything because of him, even her little girl. You can't tell anyone any of this, okay?" Tom said in a quiet, but regretful tone of voice.
"Of course I wont. Did he kill her mother? How's the captain related to her?" she asked, desperate for the full story.
Tom looked at her before shaking his head, "Suffice it to say, he suffocated her mother, but he didn't kill her." Deciding to ignore the last question, he sat perfectly still.
"Oh" B'Elanna said. Well it was certainly clear now, why Elizabeth wasn't told about her father, why people ignored her questions, they were just trying to protect her.
"Is he still alive? Are you ever going to tell Elizabeth?" she questioned.
"B'Elanna", he whispered angrily. Tom stood and stormed out of the mess hall. B'Elanna sat open-mouthed starring after him. God, that must have been a touchy subject, usually it was her storming out, not Tom. She decided to give Tom some space; looking around her she saw that many of the crewmembers in the mess hall were watching her. Not just any old crewmembers were watching her though, Commander Chakotay was watching. Chakotay got up and headed over to her table, sliding into the seat Tom had just vacated.
"What was all that about?" he asked.
Avoiding his gaze, she look out the window behind him, and replied "Oh nothing."
"I haven't seen Tom storm out like that before, especially not when the four of you were laughing and joking only ten minutes ago", he said, concerned.
"It's nothing. You should have come and joined us, the captain did", B'Elanna tried to change the subject.
"I've only just come in, but Neelix told me about it. He was pleased to see the captain up and about again; he said she seemed genuinely happy. B'Elanna don't change the subject. If something's upsetting you two, I'd like to help", he said quietly, unobtrusively.
"Its nothing big, we'll sort it, I promise", she lied.
"The captains coming back to work tomorrow, that must be a weight off your shoulders", B'Elanna said hastily carrying on, lest she be interrupted.
Chakotays face instantly darkened, "The doctor said she wouldn't be back for at least four days. It's only been two", he said. He cared about her and he wasn't going to let her put her health in jeopardy, not this time. She was his friend, even though they had barley spoken to one another recently. He didn't blame her, he knew she had a lot on her plate, he just wished she'd tell him why, why she's responsible for Tom's god damn sister. Although he had noted that Elizabeth bared a remarkable resemblance to the captain, and had begun to wonder if they were related in any way.
"She seems a lot better, thanks to Elizabeth", B'Elanna said, quietly.
Chakoaty nodded, B'Elanna appeared to be as much in the dark as the rest of them. Getting up he left, heading for the bridge.
B'Elanna left not long after for her quarters.
The captain woke up, slightly disorientated at first. It wasn't long before the events of the previous night came flooding back to her. She looked around the room wondering were Tom was, his bed didn't look as though it had been slept in. Then she saw the padd lying on the table in front of her, it was addressed to Elizabeth but she didn't think she would mind her reading it. It said that Tom had gone to sleep at Harry's as he deemed it inappropriate to sleep in the same room as his captain. The captain was somewhat amused by this, but approved of his decision.
Elizabeth's eyes flickered open, and she sat up and moved off the captain's lap and out of her arms, to the other end of the sofa. The captain smiled, "Good morning. How are you feeling this morning?" her voice held a hint of concern.
"Me, I'm fine. Look, I'm sorry about last night, I shouldn't have got all upset on you", she said apologetically.
The captain smiled and patted Elizabeth's hand, "It's okay. I told you last night that I enjoy spending time with you. I want to help you, you know where I am if you need me, okay", she said.
"I know, Thanks", Elizabeth said wrapping her arms around the captain. What would it take to make her understand she was alright, she just needed space, that's all. The captain held her back, seemingly unwilling to break the bond. Elizabeth broke the hug, and stood up heading to the replicator, "Coffee, right?" she called over her shoulder.
"Yes, thank you" the captain replied.
Elizabeth sighed, looking at the chronometer she was expected to go and see Lieutenant Commander Tuvok and Commander Chakotay in half an hour. Apparently they intended on carrying on her academy training, and lessons. She wondered how hard it would be; she knew Tuvok had been an instructor at the academy for a long time before voyager.
"Here you go", Elizabeth said handing the captain a cup of steaming coffee.
The captain took it from her, and looked up at her, "What are you going to have?"
"Nothing, I don't have time. I have to see Commander Chakotay and Lieutenant Commander Tuvok, about continuing my academy training", she said.
"I see, why wasn't I told about this?" the captain said, annoyed no one had told her. Elizabeth decided to ignore the question, unsure what the right answer was.
"Well, we'll go for dinner together then, okay?" the captain asked, still worried about Elizabeth's eating habits, or lack of them. Elizabeth sighed, "Okay."
The captain smiled, stood up and left. Elizabeth shook her head as the doors closed, the captain hardly ever ate, why should she. Never mind, maybe it would help them both.
Elizabeth headed to the bathroom to get changed, before heading for the bridge, and the briefing room.
Elizabeth strode onto the bridge, after quickly glancing at each crewmember she passed through to the briefing room. She entered the room to find the Captain, Commander, and Lieutenant Commander already seated. Elizabeth felt rather uncomfortable under the gaze of the three most senior officers on the ship.
The Captain was the first to speak, "Have a seat", she said indicating at the seat next to Tuvok. Elizabeth groaned inwardly - Vulcan's always made her feel uncomfortable and self-aware. As she sat down the captain smiled reassuringly, obviously seeing that she was somewhat nervous.
The meeting was over pretty quickly, she was given a timetable and informed she would be studying from were she left off at the academy – half way through the first year. It was also confirmed that amongst here tutors, Lieutenant Commander Tuvok would be the most prominent.
Elizabeth sighed as she left the briefing room, almost walking straight into Tom.
"Hi, how did it go?" he asked, grinning.
"Just great" Elizabeth replied unenthusiastically.
Tom laughed, "I have to go. See you in the shuttle bay, for your first flying lesson."
Elizabeth groaned, "Yeah, I guess you will."
After her last time flying a shuttle she wasn't overly keen to get back behind the controls, but it was better to face it sooner rather than later.
-Fin-
Please review. The next chapter reveals the Liz/Janeway relationship, however before I post it I would love to know your theories on how I reveal it, what it is, etc. So please review.
P.S. If you think I'm dragging it out and don't get the subtle hints in every chapter, and the reason I wrote them, then why the hell are you still reading this story.
