***************
Plunged Into Darkness
Part 5
Author: Mac
Disclaimers in Part 1
****************
"Just where are you taking me, Tom?" B'Elanna asked. "This is getting really unnerving."
"One last stop before you go to bed. While you were talking with Joe Carey, I set something up for you," Tom replied, leading her a chair.
"Where are we?"
"Just sit down and be quiet."
B'Elanna did so and realized she was at table. They must be in the mess hall. She could only imagine what Tom had in store for her.
Tom rushed over to Neelix. "Is it ready?"
"Almost, Tom," the Talaxian replied, putting the finishing touches on B'Elanna's meal. He then handed it to Tom. "Well?"
"Looks good, Neelix. She should be able to tell what it is before she even tastes it. Thanks."
Neelix smiled. "Anytime. I'll just leave the two of you alone."
When Neelix had gone, Tom carried over the two plates of banana pancakes, setting one in front of B'Elanna. When the smell reached her senses, she smiled. "You remembered."
"Of course I did. You've always loved banana pancakes."
"Thank you," she replied.
"You're welcome. Now eat up before they get cold."
*************
"What's this all about, Doctor?" B'Elanna asked. She could feel Tom's hand in hers as she sat on the biobed.
"I've been working on a way to restore your sight. I've been looking more closely at Klingon physiology and found a way it could be done. However, with your human physiology, it could be a little difficult. You could remain blind permanently."
B'Elanna nodded slowly. "And the chances of regaining my sight on my own?"
"Not very high," the Doctor told her. "It's been a week already and there are signs of deterioration."
She took a deep breath as she thought it through. "Lets do this!"
"Are you sure, B'Elanna?" Tom asked.
"I am."
************
Captain Janeway found Tom pacing in front of the sickbay doors. "Mr. Paris, please don't wear out the floor."
He stopped and looked up. "Captain," he replied with a nod. "I'm sorry, I'm nervous."
"That's understandable. Why are you pacing out here?"
"Because Doc was annoyed by my pacing in there," he said.
Janeway smiled. "How about we take a little walk? I'm pretty certain they'll be in there for a while."
"I guess..." Tom said, glancing back at the door. In a few hours they'd know if B'Elanna's condition was going to be permanent. He silently prayed for the best. *She'll be fine! She has to be!*
"Tom!"
"Huh? Oh, sorry Captain. I was lost in thought."
She nodded. "Lets go."
An hour later, they were seated in the mess hall. Neelix had just brought the Captain a second cup of coffee when the Doctor called for Tom.
"I've never seen him move faster," Neelix commented as he watched his friend run from the room.
************
"Doctor?"
The Doctor moved away from the biobed so Tom could take his place. "You'll be happy to know, Mr. Paris, that the surgery went extremely well. When she wakes up we'll know if it worked."
"Can't you just wake her up now?"
"I'd rather she wake up on her own," the hologram replied, putting his equipment away.
Tom walked over to him. "Doc."
"Yes, Mr. Paris?"
"I have a really good feeling about this. Thanks."
Plunged Into Darkness
Part 5
Author: Mac
Disclaimers in Part 1
****************
"Just where are you taking me, Tom?" B'Elanna asked. "This is getting really unnerving."
"One last stop before you go to bed. While you were talking with Joe Carey, I set something up for you," Tom replied, leading her a chair.
"Where are we?"
"Just sit down and be quiet."
B'Elanna did so and realized she was at table. They must be in the mess hall. She could only imagine what Tom had in store for her.
Tom rushed over to Neelix. "Is it ready?"
"Almost, Tom," the Talaxian replied, putting the finishing touches on B'Elanna's meal. He then handed it to Tom. "Well?"
"Looks good, Neelix. She should be able to tell what it is before she even tastes it. Thanks."
Neelix smiled. "Anytime. I'll just leave the two of you alone."
When Neelix had gone, Tom carried over the two plates of banana pancakes, setting one in front of B'Elanna. When the smell reached her senses, she smiled. "You remembered."
"Of course I did. You've always loved banana pancakes."
"Thank you," she replied.
"You're welcome. Now eat up before they get cold."
*************
"What's this all about, Doctor?" B'Elanna asked. She could feel Tom's hand in hers as she sat on the biobed.
"I've been working on a way to restore your sight. I've been looking more closely at Klingon physiology and found a way it could be done. However, with your human physiology, it could be a little difficult. You could remain blind permanently."
B'Elanna nodded slowly. "And the chances of regaining my sight on my own?"
"Not very high," the Doctor told her. "It's been a week already and there are signs of deterioration."
She took a deep breath as she thought it through. "Lets do this!"
"Are you sure, B'Elanna?" Tom asked.
"I am."
************
Captain Janeway found Tom pacing in front of the sickbay doors. "Mr. Paris, please don't wear out the floor."
He stopped and looked up. "Captain," he replied with a nod. "I'm sorry, I'm nervous."
"That's understandable. Why are you pacing out here?"
"Because Doc was annoyed by my pacing in there," he said.
Janeway smiled. "How about we take a little walk? I'm pretty certain they'll be in there for a while."
"I guess..." Tom said, glancing back at the door. In a few hours they'd know if B'Elanna's condition was going to be permanent. He silently prayed for the best. *She'll be fine! She has to be!*
"Tom!"
"Huh? Oh, sorry Captain. I was lost in thought."
She nodded. "Lets go."
An hour later, they were seated in the mess hall. Neelix had just brought the Captain a second cup of coffee when the Doctor called for Tom.
"I've never seen him move faster," Neelix commented as he watched his friend run from the room.
************
"Doctor?"
The Doctor moved away from the biobed so Tom could take his place. "You'll be happy to know, Mr. Paris, that the surgery went extremely well. When she wakes up we'll know if it worked."
"Can't you just wake her up now?"
"I'd rather she wake up on her own," the hologram replied, putting his equipment away.
Tom walked over to him. "Doc."
"Yes, Mr. Paris?"
"I have a really good feeling about this. Thanks."
