Chapter 4
"What do you mean leaving?" shouted Tom Paris as his wife stuffed some of her clothes into a duffle bag.
"You heard me Tom, I'm sick of this job. I want out!"
"I understand but don't you have to wait for some reply from Starfleet. You can't just up and leave like this!"
B'Elanna continued to cram her clothes into the duffle bag. She was furious and was resisting the urge to break everything in their quarters.
"Just watch me." replied B'Elanna as she zipped her bag shut.
Tom Paris massaged his temples gently. He was getting another one of his "Argument Headaches". Tom managed to receive a headache every time his wife was being unreasonable. This was one of those moments. B'Elanna scooped up some knickknacks off their dresser and threw them into a plastic case. Tom could hear a few of the sentimental objects break from B'Elanna's strong force that she casually called "packing". Damn her Klingon temper, scowled Tom, it will be the death of me.
"B'Elanna, will you stop packing for second, PLEASE?!"
B'Elanna came to a sudden halt. She had not expected Tom to shout like that. B'Elanna glared at Tom as she held the plastic case filled with breakable objects. A wave of relief came over Tom. Maybe she's calmed down, he thought. Suddenly, B'Elanna let go of the case letting it drop to the floor. The plastic case smashed to the hard floor and the sound of glass breaking echoed through the quarters. Tom smacked himself in the forehead which only managed to intensify his headache. B'Elanna did that on purpose, he thought, she knows those were gifts from Admiral Janeway. Both Tom and B'Elanna stared at the case that had hit the floor. Tom could see a few glass shards scattered about the floor. Anger and disgust filled the young lieutenant.
"Are you happy now? Christ B'Elanna, what does breaking our things accomplish anyway?"
"Well, I feel a little better now. You know how I am about breaking things."
"Yeah, my chess set and I are fully aware! I'm just surprised you haven't woken the baby."
Suddenly, the cry of a little baby girl sounded from the nearby room. Tom winced in anger. His headache had managed to consume his entire head and it felt like drums pounding away on his temples. Tom was having trouble thinking.
"Well, that is just great!" he cried.
Tom Paris stormed off into the other room. Tom and B'Elanna's daughter Miral, was crying uncontrollably. Tom approached her crib and tried to quiet her. Miral only continued to cry. Tom sighed as he slowly weaseled his arms under his daughter's tiny frame. He picked her up and began to rock her slowly in a cradled position. Miral proceeded to cry as Tom rocked her back and forth in his arms. Tom's headache had intensified more and the sound of the baby's bellowing only made it worse. However, Tom was persistent with his daughter. He kept rocking her gently and began to sing the classic lullaby "Rock a Bye Baby". The sound of her father's voice caught the attention of Miral. The baby suddenly stopped crying. Her loud cries turned to a quiet coo. Tom was not known for his singing ability but surprisingly, the gentle sound of his voice and his steady rocking motion lulled Miral back to sleep. Tom smiled as he gently lowered his daughter into the crib. He continued to sing but grew quieter by each passing second. Tom gingerly placed Miral back into the crib. He looked down at the peaceful baby and began to admire her beautiful features. Miral looked so lovely when she slept. Tom suddenly realized his headache had disappeared. He felt as though the headache had never occurred. She always makes me feel good, thought Tom. Tom crept out of Miral's room and quietly shut her bedroom door. He hoped she would not wake again until morning. She usually only woke no more than twice a night. Tom turned from Miral's door and searched for his wife. B'Elanna was sitting on their sofa and tapping her forehead with her index finger. She always does that when she's thinking, laughed Tom. "Honey, what's going on? I know that Martok was being a real jerk today but something else has to be bothering you. You seem unusually stressed out. What else happened today?" Tom asked.
B'Elanna sighed deeply as she motioned for him to sit next to her on the sofa. Tom nodded in acknowledgement and walked across the living room to his wife. He smiled, then snuggled in next to her on the comfortable sofa. Tom put his arm around B'Elanna as she gently laid her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating. The sound of the continuous beat was some how soothing to the Starfleet Liaison. B'Elanna cuddled up against Tom's warm body.
"Something did happen today." she stated.
"What is it? Why are you so upset?" asked Tom as he slowly messaged B'Elanna's shoulder.
There was a moment of silence. Neither Tom nor B'Elanna spoke. An eerie feeling came over Tom but he remained still. He patiently waited for his wife to reply and suddenly, she began to speak.
"Two Borg Cubes are heading toward Federation Space. A Borg attack is imminent. The Federation is under Red Alert and they're trying to gather their allies. They contacted me so that I could inform the Klingons of Starfleet's predicament. The Federation is seeking the Klingon's help but I'm not sure if they're going to do anything. There is too much friction between the Federation and the Klingons. Martok made me leave his chamber without giving me an answer. I don't know what to tell Starfleet."
Tom remained still as B'Elanna's words penetrated his brain. His first thought was the safety of his wife and child. Tom had to make sure they were safe. If the Borg broke through Starfleet's defenses, it would only be a matter of time before they came after the Klingons, Tom thought, something must be done. Suddenly, Tom's frame of thought was broken by the sound of crying. It was not coming from the baby's room but from B'Elanna. Tom quickly wrapped his wife in his arms. B'Elanna hardly ever cried. Tom had only heard B'Elanna cry maybe twice the entire time he had known her. She sobbed loudly as her tears soaked Tom's shirt. Tom did not know what to do. He had no experience on dealing with his wife while she cried, so he acted on instinct. Tom gently scooped her up into his arms and lifted her from the sofa. He was surprised on how light she felt. B'Elanna quickly wrapped her arms around his neck but kept her face buried into Tom's shirt. Tom looked down at his wife with loving eyes. Even though B'Elanna portrayed herself to be fierce and strong, she sometimes revealed her inner weakness to her husband. He was the only man who had ever seen her act this way. Tom smiled at B'Elanna and then started to rock her gently. He steadily rocked her in his arms until she stopped crying. After a few minutes, B'Elanna's tears halted and she looked up at Tom. Their eyes met and both of them smiled. Suddenly, B'Elanna began to laugh. This caused Tom to feel a little embarrassed.
"What?" he asked in embarrassment.
"You're rocking me like you rock Miral." she laughed.
"Well, I didn't know what to do. You caught me off guard."
B'Elanna continued to laugh as Tom held her in the cradled position. She could not stop. Tom's cheeks had turned into a bright shade of red. He felt like a fool.
"Well, you don't have to laugh at me. I'll just put you down."
"No, don't! I want you to hold me. I wasn't laughing at you. I just think the whole scene is kind of funny. But I also think you have good instincts."
B'Elanna lifted her head and closed her eyes, waiting to be kissed. Tom smiled and gave into his wife's wishes. Still keeping her in his arms, Tom pressed his lips against B'Elanna's. They remained that way for several seconds, then finally parted. Tom loved B'Elanna so much and she him. He looked into her eyes and it was apparent they had the same intent in mind. For a moment they forgot about the world outside and the terror that approached. This moment was theirs and they were going to seize it. Tom slowly laid B'Elanna on the sofa and squeezed in next to her. Their lips connected again as their bodies melded together.
"What do you mean leaving?" shouted Tom Paris as his wife stuffed some of her clothes into a duffle bag.
"You heard me Tom, I'm sick of this job. I want out!"
"I understand but don't you have to wait for some reply from Starfleet. You can't just up and leave like this!"
B'Elanna continued to cram her clothes into the duffle bag. She was furious and was resisting the urge to break everything in their quarters.
"Just watch me." replied B'Elanna as she zipped her bag shut.
Tom Paris massaged his temples gently. He was getting another one of his "Argument Headaches". Tom managed to receive a headache every time his wife was being unreasonable. This was one of those moments. B'Elanna scooped up some knickknacks off their dresser and threw them into a plastic case. Tom could hear a few of the sentimental objects break from B'Elanna's strong force that she casually called "packing". Damn her Klingon temper, scowled Tom, it will be the death of me.
"B'Elanna, will you stop packing for second, PLEASE?!"
B'Elanna came to a sudden halt. She had not expected Tom to shout like that. B'Elanna glared at Tom as she held the plastic case filled with breakable objects. A wave of relief came over Tom. Maybe she's calmed down, he thought. Suddenly, B'Elanna let go of the case letting it drop to the floor. The plastic case smashed to the hard floor and the sound of glass breaking echoed through the quarters. Tom smacked himself in the forehead which only managed to intensify his headache. B'Elanna did that on purpose, he thought, she knows those were gifts from Admiral Janeway. Both Tom and B'Elanna stared at the case that had hit the floor. Tom could see a few glass shards scattered about the floor. Anger and disgust filled the young lieutenant.
"Are you happy now? Christ B'Elanna, what does breaking our things accomplish anyway?"
"Well, I feel a little better now. You know how I am about breaking things."
"Yeah, my chess set and I are fully aware! I'm just surprised you haven't woken the baby."
Suddenly, the cry of a little baby girl sounded from the nearby room. Tom winced in anger. His headache had managed to consume his entire head and it felt like drums pounding away on his temples. Tom was having trouble thinking.
"Well, that is just great!" he cried.
Tom Paris stormed off into the other room. Tom and B'Elanna's daughter Miral, was crying uncontrollably. Tom approached her crib and tried to quiet her. Miral only continued to cry. Tom sighed as he slowly weaseled his arms under his daughter's tiny frame. He picked her up and began to rock her slowly in a cradled position. Miral proceeded to cry as Tom rocked her back and forth in his arms. Tom's headache had intensified more and the sound of the baby's bellowing only made it worse. However, Tom was persistent with his daughter. He kept rocking her gently and began to sing the classic lullaby "Rock a Bye Baby". The sound of her father's voice caught the attention of Miral. The baby suddenly stopped crying. Her loud cries turned to a quiet coo. Tom was not known for his singing ability but surprisingly, the gentle sound of his voice and his steady rocking motion lulled Miral back to sleep. Tom smiled as he gently lowered his daughter into the crib. He continued to sing but grew quieter by each passing second. Tom gingerly placed Miral back into the crib. He looked down at the peaceful baby and began to admire her beautiful features. Miral looked so lovely when she slept. Tom suddenly realized his headache had disappeared. He felt as though the headache had never occurred. She always makes me feel good, thought Tom. Tom crept out of Miral's room and quietly shut her bedroom door. He hoped she would not wake again until morning. She usually only woke no more than twice a night. Tom turned from Miral's door and searched for his wife. B'Elanna was sitting on their sofa and tapping her forehead with her index finger. She always does that when she's thinking, laughed Tom. "Honey, what's going on? I know that Martok was being a real jerk today but something else has to be bothering you. You seem unusually stressed out. What else happened today?" Tom asked.
B'Elanna sighed deeply as she motioned for him to sit next to her on the sofa. Tom nodded in acknowledgement and walked across the living room to his wife. He smiled, then snuggled in next to her on the comfortable sofa. Tom put his arm around B'Elanna as she gently laid her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating. The sound of the continuous beat was some how soothing to the Starfleet Liaison. B'Elanna cuddled up against Tom's warm body.
"Something did happen today." she stated.
"What is it? Why are you so upset?" asked Tom as he slowly messaged B'Elanna's shoulder.
There was a moment of silence. Neither Tom nor B'Elanna spoke. An eerie feeling came over Tom but he remained still. He patiently waited for his wife to reply and suddenly, she began to speak.
"Two Borg Cubes are heading toward Federation Space. A Borg attack is imminent. The Federation is under Red Alert and they're trying to gather their allies. They contacted me so that I could inform the Klingons of Starfleet's predicament. The Federation is seeking the Klingon's help but I'm not sure if they're going to do anything. There is too much friction between the Federation and the Klingons. Martok made me leave his chamber without giving me an answer. I don't know what to tell Starfleet."
Tom remained still as B'Elanna's words penetrated his brain. His first thought was the safety of his wife and child. Tom had to make sure they were safe. If the Borg broke through Starfleet's defenses, it would only be a matter of time before they came after the Klingons, Tom thought, something must be done. Suddenly, Tom's frame of thought was broken by the sound of crying. It was not coming from the baby's room but from B'Elanna. Tom quickly wrapped his wife in his arms. B'Elanna hardly ever cried. Tom had only heard B'Elanna cry maybe twice the entire time he had known her. She sobbed loudly as her tears soaked Tom's shirt. Tom did not know what to do. He had no experience on dealing with his wife while she cried, so he acted on instinct. Tom gently scooped her up into his arms and lifted her from the sofa. He was surprised on how light she felt. B'Elanna quickly wrapped her arms around his neck but kept her face buried into Tom's shirt. Tom looked down at his wife with loving eyes. Even though B'Elanna portrayed herself to be fierce and strong, she sometimes revealed her inner weakness to her husband. He was the only man who had ever seen her act this way. Tom smiled at B'Elanna and then started to rock her gently. He steadily rocked her in his arms until she stopped crying. After a few minutes, B'Elanna's tears halted and she looked up at Tom. Their eyes met and both of them smiled. Suddenly, B'Elanna began to laugh. This caused Tom to feel a little embarrassed.
"What?" he asked in embarrassment.
"You're rocking me like you rock Miral." she laughed.
"Well, I didn't know what to do. You caught me off guard."
B'Elanna continued to laugh as Tom held her in the cradled position. She could not stop. Tom's cheeks had turned into a bright shade of red. He felt like a fool.
"Well, you don't have to laugh at me. I'll just put you down."
"No, don't! I want you to hold me. I wasn't laughing at you. I just think the whole scene is kind of funny. But I also think you have good instincts."
B'Elanna lifted her head and closed her eyes, waiting to be kissed. Tom smiled and gave into his wife's wishes. Still keeping her in his arms, Tom pressed his lips against B'Elanna's. They remained that way for several seconds, then finally parted. Tom loved B'Elanna so much and she him. He looked into her eyes and it was apparent they had the same intent in mind. For a moment they forgot about the world outside and the terror that approached. This moment was theirs and they were going to seize it. Tom slowly laid B'Elanna on the sofa and squeezed in next to her. Their lips connected again as their bodies melded together.