Sisterly Love
By Diane Klepper
Tom Paris sat on the couch in his parents' living room reading a padd. He was exhausted from taking care of Miral all day. He finally got her down for the night but he put the baby monitor on the coffee table in case Miral woke up. Tom laughed at the idea that they needed a baby monitor for Miral.his daughter tended to be very loud when she wanted attention. He thought it was from her Klingon side but he wouldn't dare tell B'Elanna that. Even though B'Elanna was more accepting of her Klingon heritage, there were times that so was overly sensitive about her Klingon side and that she passed on some of those traits to their daughter. But since it was a gift from his mother .how could he not use it. He also kind of liked the idea that he could hear his daughter breathing through the monitor.
Tom was alone with Miral for the first time since her birth ten days ago. B'Elanna was away visiting her father and Tom's parents were at a dinner party for a retiring Admiral. Tom smirked at the memory of his father telling him before they left that he was thinking about retiring so he could spend more time with his wife and grandchildren. Tom didn't believe his father was serious, but he hoped that Owen would start working shorter days so he could spend more time with his Mom.
The words on the padd started to look bleary so he shut down the padd. He walked into the kitchen and ordered a cup of coffee from the replicator and took a sip and smiled. For the first time in seven years he didn't have to ration his replicator credits and he was planning on replicating B'Elanna breakfast in bed as a surprise tomorrow. He was about to go upstairs to his and B'Elanna's room to watch some television when he heard a female voice call out, "Tommy.where are you?"
Tom smiled. There were only two people in the world who got to call him Tommy without him wanting to hit them. He walked into the living room expecting to see to either his sister Kathleen or his sister Moira and he was surprised to see both of them. "Kathleen.Moira.what are you doing here?"
Kathleen hugged Tom. "Mom told us that you would be alone with Miral tonight. so we thought you could use some company."
Tom smirked, "Translation.Mom doesn't trust me alone with the baby.what she thinks I'll flush her down the toilet."
Moira laughed, "You did try to flush my doll down the toilet."
Tom frowned at the memory. "I was four and I got restricted to the house for the whole weekend."
Kathleen smiled. "We came by because we wanted to catch up.At your welcome home dinner Mom and Dad were hovering around you so much we barely got a chance to talk."
Moira took Tom's right hand and squeezed it tight. "We missed you little brother."
Tom hugged Moira. With tears in his eyes he said, "I missed you both so much.I was happy on Voyager but I never stopped thinking about you two."
Moira grabbed Tom's right hand and pulled him to the couch. Moira sat on his right side and Kathleen sat on his left. Kathleen smiled at said, "So tell us about about B'Elanna.was it love at first sight."
Tom smirked, "To tell the truth.it was hate at first sight.We originally met when I joined the Maquis."
Kathleen frowned, "Tommy I still don't understand why you joined the Maquis.you never believed in their cause."
"I know.I just did it so I could fly again.After I got cashiered out of Starfleet I tried to get a civilian piloting job but nobody would hire me.as soon as the interviewer asked me why I left Starfleet and the words Caldik Prime came out the job was always filled."
Moira gave him a faint smile, "I always said you should have been born with wings.you were never happy when you were on land."
Kathleen smiled, "I remember the first time Dad took you flying. You came home so excited."
Sixteen - year old Kathleen Paris sat in the living room studying a padd when she heard a voice call "Kat.I did it. I did it."
Kathleen looked up from her padd and saw her eight year old brother Tommy standing in front of her. She saw the look of total joy on her little brother's face, ''Did what?"
"I flew.I really flew. Dad gave me the controls of the shuttle and I really flew it."
Annoyed at her little brother for making up another story Kathleen frowned. "Tommy I have an important test tomorrow.I don't have time for your fantasies."
"But I really did fly.ask Dad.".
Just then Owen Paris entered the room and smiled. "I see Tom is telling you about his flight today."
Kathleen frowned, "Dad don't you think Tommy is a little young to fly.the simulators are one thing but.he is only eight."
Owen Paris smiled. Kathleen was so much like her mother Maggie. She was always very cautious.Tom and Moira were more like him.always willing to take a risk. "Kathleen I was with him all the time. He was perfectly safe.Besides he has been doing the simulators since he was five."
Tom smiled, "Dad said I fly really well.didn't you."
Owen frowned, "I said you did well for the first time.But you have to work on keeping the ship straight.."
With an earnest expression on his face Tom asked, "Dad you will take me out flying again won't you?"
"Thomas remember the deal we made.You have to keep your grades up and then you can take flying lessons."
"Yes, sir."
He patted Tom on the head. "Good boy.I have some reports to read in my study. Thomas why don't you go upstairs and study."
"Yes, sir."
Kathleen and Tommy watched their father go to the study. Kathleen looked at her little brother who seemed to have lost some of the excitement he had when he first came home. Their father had a way of turning Tommy's little boy enthusiasm into something more somber. Kathleen knew that her father loved all his children equally but from the time Tom was old enough to say he wanted to be a pilot Owen had seemed to be pushing him toward a career in Starfleet. Their mother Maggie kept telling Owen that she shouldn't push Tom so much but when Owen Paris made up his mind about something it was hard to get him to change it.and he was determined that Tom would the next Paris in Starfleet.
Kathleen noticed that Tom was staring at the path their father had taken out of the room. Kathleen smiled at her brother and said, "So Tommy what was it like to really fly?"
At that comment Tom's eyes lit up again, "Oh Kat.it was great.at first I had trouble keeping the shuttle straight but then all of a sudden the clouds opened up and I was really flying.For the first time in my life I felt I was really good at something."
Kathleen frowned at her brother, "Tommy your good at a lot of things." Tommy Paris sighed, "Not according to Dad. He says I waste too much time doing unimportant things.."
"Tommy."
"I'd better go upstairs and study.I have a big test tomorrow."
Kathleen watched Tommy run up the steps and frowned, "Oh Tommy.you have such good qualities.I wish Dad would remind you of them sometimes."
Moira voice brought Kathleen back to the present. "Dad told us about the letter that you sent him when you were in the brig after the Monean incident.that must have been hard on you being their for thirty days."
Tom frowned, "Yeah.I never liked being locked up.At least in prison I was able to be outside during the day for my work assignment.It was only the nights that were really bad."
Kathleen interrupted, "Do you still have those nightmares.the ones you had after you were locked in that supply closet when you were five."
Tom frowned, "Kat.that was a long time ago."
Kathleen growled, "You doing it again.you hiding behind the tough Paris mask like Dad always did."
Angrily Tom said, "No I'm not.."
Moira interrupted, "Yes.you are.You always either pretended nothing ever bothered you or you tried to run away. Remember that time when you were sixteen and I came by unexpectedly."
Moira Paris opened the front door of her parents' house and noticed a suitcase by the front door. Knowing that her father was at work and her mother was at a committee meeting Moira knew exactly whom the suitcase belonged to. She quietly walked up the stairs and noticed that the door to master bedroom was silently opened. She walked in and noticed a padd was on the neatly made bed. She picked up the padd and turned it on. All that was on the padd was a worded message which said:
Dear Mom and Dad:
I'm leaving home. I have to live my own live.
Don't look for me. I'll be fine. I love you both but I have to do this. I'll contact you as soon as I'm settled. Tell Kathleen and Moira that I will miss them. Please don't worry.
Love Tom
Moira took the padd and just opened the door to her brother's room. Tom was packing a knapsack. Surprised he said, "Moira.what are you doing here?" Angrily she threw the padd on the bed. "What the hell does this mean?"
Tom smirked, "I think its pretty much self explanatory."
"So you were just planning on sneaking out when Mom and Dad were out of the house. You weren't even going to say goodbye to me or Kathleen?"
Frowning Tom said, "Moira it's better this way.I don't want to hurt you or the rest of the family..but I can't take it anymore."
"Take what?"
"Dad."
"I don't believe it.you had another fight with Dad and you're running away.Damn it Tommy your only sixteen.you haven't even graduated from high school yet.how are you ever going to support yourself."
"I'll get a piloting job."
"Tommy nobody is going to hire a sixteen year old pilot."
"I'll get fake I.D..I already fly better that the average Academy pilot.even Dad says that.Moira I just have to get away from home.".
"Tommy why.I thought you were going to the Academy after you graduate next year. Then you can leave home."
"Moira I can't wait that long.Dad is always around now. You know every night he checks my homework and if I get one problem wrong he makes me redo the whole assignment."
Moira frowned, "Tommy I know Dad can be demanding."
"Demanding.He wants perfection.he always wanted me to do well in school and follow in his footsteps and join Starfleet.but since the Cardissians captured him nothing I ever do is good enough for him."
Moira sighed, "Tommy.They tortured him."
"I know that. Mom is trying to convince him to go to counseling but he refuses."
Surprised Moira asked, "She is.how do you know about that?"
"I listened by Dad's study?"
Angrily Moira said, "Your spying on your own parents?"
"That's the only way I find out anything around here. As soon as they have any sort of important discussion Dad always says, 'Thomas go to your room.' This might as well be a prison cell with as much freedom as I get here."
Moira just watched here brother as he zippered the knapsack and put the straps on his back. Moira looked at Tom 's blues eyes and saw hurt and pain there. Tom gave here a hug. "I'll see you around Sis."
Tom was about to exit his room when Moira said in a calm voice, "Thomas Eugene Paris if you leave this house I'll call Dad and he'll have Starfleet security dragging you back before you make if off the block "
Tom smirked at her, "Your bluffing?"
Moira smirked back, "Try me little brother." She walked over to Tom and but her hands on his shoulders. "I'm not letting you wreck you life even if that means I have to sit on you until Dad gets home."
Tom turned away from his sister's intense gaze. "Moira you don't understand."
Moira grabbed Tom's chin and turned it making sure he looking at her. "Tommy I do understand.If things gets too tough with Dad you can always call me any time of day or night.Hey maybe you can sleepover one night and well get a pizza and watch some of those old horror vids you like so much."
"You mean that?"
Moira hugged Tom and said, "Hey.you're my little brother and I'll always be there for you..Kathleen too.you know that we may tease you a lot but we Paris's always stick together."
Moira returned to the present when she heard Tom say. "I guess you were both right. But being in the Delta Quadrant taught me a lot of stuff. After Caldik Prime and so many people turned their backs on me I stopped trusting people. I thought if I didn't get close to anyone I couldn't get hurt.But being so far from home on Voyager it is hard not to get close to people.Harry Kim was the first person who I let in.He knew about my past but he didn't care."
Kathleen smiled, "He sounds like a very smart man."
Tom laughed, "He is.On Voyager he was stuck as an Ensign because there were only a certain amount of officers you could have at each rank but if I know my ambitious young friend, I won't surprised if he becomes Captain one of these days."
Moira smiled, "What about you? .What do you want to do now?"
Tom smirked, "Well Voyager's E.M.H. sort of blackmailed me to continue my medical training."
Kathleen smiled. "Mom told us.she so excited about you becoming a doctor.but you are going to continue piloting right."
Tom smirked, "Of course.I don't think I would ever be happy if I couldn't fly at all.If been offered a part time teaching job at the Academy where I'll teach the more advanced piloting students.Besides B'Elanna and I decided we wanted to stay on Earth until Miral is a little older." Tom smirked, "She has grandparents and aunts she has to get to know."
Kathleen smiled and hugged her brother, "Tommy we're glad you will be staying on Earth for a while.You have nieces and nephews who have heard so many stories about you over the years they were starting to think you were a fictional character."
Tom smirked, "We can't have that can we?"
Moira laughed, "No we can't."
Just then they all heard a crying sound coming very loudly over the baby monitor. Tom smiled, "Miral wants her bottle.I'll be right back.You will both be here for a while."
Kathleen smiled, "You're not getting rid of us that easily little brother."
Tom frowned, "Don't you two think I'm a little too old to be called little brother."
Moira laughed, "Not in this lifetime little brother."
Tom laughed, "I can't win can I."
Kathleen and Moira both simultaneously said, "No."
Tom smiled. "Good.I wouldn't want it any other way."
By Diane Klepper
Tom Paris sat on the couch in his parents' living room reading a padd. He was exhausted from taking care of Miral all day. He finally got her down for the night but he put the baby monitor on the coffee table in case Miral woke up. Tom laughed at the idea that they needed a baby monitor for Miral.his daughter tended to be very loud when she wanted attention. He thought it was from her Klingon side but he wouldn't dare tell B'Elanna that. Even though B'Elanna was more accepting of her Klingon heritage, there were times that so was overly sensitive about her Klingon side and that she passed on some of those traits to their daughter. But since it was a gift from his mother .how could he not use it. He also kind of liked the idea that he could hear his daughter breathing through the monitor.
Tom was alone with Miral for the first time since her birth ten days ago. B'Elanna was away visiting her father and Tom's parents were at a dinner party for a retiring Admiral. Tom smirked at the memory of his father telling him before they left that he was thinking about retiring so he could spend more time with his wife and grandchildren. Tom didn't believe his father was serious, but he hoped that Owen would start working shorter days so he could spend more time with his Mom.
The words on the padd started to look bleary so he shut down the padd. He walked into the kitchen and ordered a cup of coffee from the replicator and took a sip and smiled. For the first time in seven years he didn't have to ration his replicator credits and he was planning on replicating B'Elanna breakfast in bed as a surprise tomorrow. He was about to go upstairs to his and B'Elanna's room to watch some television when he heard a female voice call out, "Tommy.where are you?"
Tom smiled. There were only two people in the world who got to call him Tommy without him wanting to hit them. He walked into the living room expecting to see to either his sister Kathleen or his sister Moira and he was surprised to see both of them. "Kathleen.Moira.what are you doing here?"
Kathleen hugged Tom. "Mom told us that you would be alone with Miral tonight. so we thought you could use some company."
Tom smirked, "Translation.Mom doesn't trust me alone with the baby.what she thinks I'll flush her down the toilet."
Moira laughed, "You did try to flush my doll down the toilet."
Tom frowned at the memory. "I was four and I got restricted to the house for the whole weekend."
Kathleen smiled. "We came by because we wanted to catch up.At your welcome home dinner Mom and Dad were hovering around you so much we barely got a chance to talk."
Moira took Tom's right hand and squeezed it tight. "We missed you little brother."
Tom hugged Moira. With tears in his eyes he said, "I missed you both so much.I was happy on Voyager but I never stopped thinking about you two."
Moira grabbed Tom's right hand and pulled him to the couch. Moira sat on his right side and Kathleen sat on his left. Kathleen smiled at said, "So tell us about about B'Elanna.was it love at first sight."
Tom smirked, "To tell the truth.it was hate at first sight.We originally met when I joined the Maquis."
Kathleen frowned, "Tommy I still don't understand why you joined the Maquis.you never believed in their cause."
"I know.I just did it so I could fly again.After I got cashiered out of Starfleet I tried to get a civilian piloting job but nobody would hire me.as soon as the interviewer asked me why I left Starfleet and the words Caldik Prime came out the job was always filled."
Moira gave him a faint smile, "I always said you should have been born with wings.you were never happy when you were on land."
Kathleen smiled, "I remember the first time Dad took you flying. You came home so excited."
Sixteen - year old Kathleen Paris sat in the living room studying a padd when she heard a voice call "Kat.I did it. I did it."
Kathleen looked up from her padd and saw her eight year old brother Tommy standing in front of her. She saw the look of total joy on her little brother's face, ''Did what?"
"I flew.I really flew. Dad gave me the controls of the shuttle and I really flew it."
Annoyed at her little brother for making up another story Kathleen frowned. "Tommy I have an important test tomorrow.I don't have time for your fantasies."
"But I really did fly.ask Dad.".
Just then Owen Paris entered the room and smiled. "I see Tom is telling you about his flight today."
Kathleen frowned, "Dad don't you think Tommy is a little young to fly.the simulators are one thing but.he is only eight."
Owen Paris smiled. Kathleen was so much like her mother Maggie. She was always very cautious.Tom and Moira were more like him.always willing to take a risk. "Kathleen I was with him all the time. He was perfectly safe.Besides he has been doing the simulators since he was five."
Tom smiled, "Dad said I fly really well.didn't you."
Owen frowned, "I said you did well for the first time.But you have to work on keeping the ship straight.."
With an earnest expression on his face Tom asked, "Dad you will take me out flying again won't you?"
"Thomas remember the deal we made.You have to keep your grades up and then you can take flying lessons."
"Yes, sir."
He patted Tom on the head. "Good boy.I have some reports to read in my study. Thomas why don't you go upstairs and study."
"Yes, sir."
Kathleen and Tommy watched their father go to the study. Kathleen looked at her little brother who seemed to have lost some of the excitement he had when he first came home. Their father had a way of turning Tommy's little boy enthusiasm into something more somber. Kathleen knew that her father loved all his children equally but from the time Tom was old enough to say he wanted to be a pilot Owen had seemed to be pushing him toward a career in Starfleet. Their mother Maggie kept telling Owen that she shouldn't push Tom so much but when Owen Paris made up his mind about something it was hard to get him to change it.and he was determined that Tom would the next Paris in Starfleet.
Kathleen noticed that Tom was staring at the path their father had taken out of the room. Kathleen smiled at her brother and said, "So Tommy what was it like to really fly?"
At that comment Tom's eyes lit up again, "Oh Kat.it was great.at first I had trouble keeping the shuttle straight but then all of a sudden the clouds opened up and I was really flying.For the first time in my life I felt I was really good at something."
Kathleen frowned at her brother, "Tommy your good at a lot of things." Tommy Paris sighed, "Not according to Dad. He says I waste too much time doing unimportant things.."
"Tommy."
"I'd better go upstairs and study.I have a big test tomorrow."
Kathleen watched Tommy run up the steps and frowned, "Oh Tommy.you have such good qualities.I wish Dad would remind you of them sometimes."
Moira voice brought Kathleen back to the present. "Dad told us about the letter that you sent him when you were in the brig after the Monean incident.that must have been hard on you being their for thirty days."
Tom frowned, "Yeah.I never liked being locked up.At least in prison I was able to be outside during the day for my work assignment.It was only the nights that were really bad."
Kathleen interrupted, "Do you still have those nightmares.the ones you had after you were locked in that supply closet when you were five."
Tom frowned, "Kat.that was a long time ago."
Kathleen growled, "You doing it again.you hiding behind the tough Paris mask like Dad always did."
Angrily Tom said, "No I'm not.."
Moira interrupted, "Yes.you are.You always either pretended nothing ever bothered you or you tried to run away. Remember that time when you were sixteen and I came by unexpectedly."
Moira Paris opened the front door of her parents' house and noticed a suitcase by the front door. Knowing that her father was at work and her mother was at a committee meeting Moira knew exactly whom the suitcase belonged to. She quietly walked up the stairs and noticed that the door to master bedroom was silently opened. She walked in and noticed a padd was on the neatly made bed. She picked up the padd and turned it on. All that was on the padd was a worded message which said:
Dear Mom and Dad:
I'm leaving home. I have to live my own live.
Don't look for me. I'll be fine. I love you both but I have to do this. I'll contact you as soon as I'm settled. Tell Kathleen and Moira that I will miss them. Please don't worry.
Love Tom
Moira took the padd and just opened the door to her brother's room. Tom was packing a knapsack. Surprised he said, "Moira.what are you doing here?" Angrily she threw the padd on the bed. "What the hell does this mean?"
Tom smirked, "I think its pretty much self explanatory."
"So you were just planning on sneaking out when Mom and Dad were out of the house. You weren't even going to say goodbye to me or Kathleen?"
Frowning Tom said, "Moira it's better this way.I don't want to hurt you or the rest of the family..but I can't take it anymore."
"Take what?"
"Dad."
"I don't believe it.you had another fight with Dad and you're running away.Damn it Tommy your only sixteen.you haven't even graduated from high school yet.how are you ever going to support yourself."
"I'll get a piloting job."
"Tommy nobody is going to hire a sixteen year old pilot."
"I'll get fake I.D..I already fly better that the average Academy pilot.even Dad says that.Moira I just have to get away from home.".
"Tommy why.I thought you were going to the Academy after you graduate next year. Then you can leave home."
"Moira I can't wait that long.Dad is always around now. You know every night he checks my homework and if I get one problem wrong he makes me redo the whole assignment."
Moira frowned, "Tommy I know Dad can be demanding."
"Demanding.He wants perfection.he always wanted me to do well in school and follow in his footsteps and join Starfleet.but since the Cardissians captured him nothing I ever do is good enough for him."
Moira sighed, "Tommy.They tortured him."
"I know that. Mom is trying to convince him to go to counseling but he refuses."
Surprised Moira asked, "She is.how do you know about that?"
"I listened by Dad's study?"
Angrily Moira said, "Your spying on your own parents?"
"That's the only way I find out anything around here. As soon as they have any sort of important discussion Dad always says, 'Thomas go to your room.' This might as well be a prison cell with as much freedom as I get here."
Moira just watched here brother as he zippered the knapsack and put the straps on his back. Moira looked at Tom 's blues eyes and saw hurt and pain there. Tom gave here a hug. "I'll see you around Sis."
Tom was about to exit his room when Moira said in a calm voice, "Thomas Eugene Paris if you leave this house I'll call Dad and he'll have Starfleet security dragging you back before you make if off the block "
Tom smirked at her, "Your bluffing?"
Moira smirked back, "Try me little brother." She walked over to Tom and but her hands on his shoulders. "I'm not letting you wreck you life even if that means I have to sit on you until Dad gets home."
Tom turned away from his sister's intense gaze. "Moira you don't understand."
Moira grabbed Tom's chin and turned it making sure he looking at her. "Tommy I do understand.If things gets too tough with Dad you can always call me any time of day or night.Hey maybe you can sleepover one night and well get a pizza and watch some of those old horror vids you like so much."
"You mean that?"
Moira hugged Tom and said, "Hey.you're my little brother and I'll always be there for you..Kathleen too.you know that we may tease you a lot but we Paris's always stick together."
Moira returned to the present when she heard Tom say. "I guess you were both right. But being in the Delta Quadrant taught me a lot of stuff. After Caldik Prime and so many people turned their backs on me I stopped trusting people. I thought if I didn't get close to anyone I couldn't get hurt.But being so far from home on Voyager it is hard not to get close to people.Harry Kim was the first person who I let in.He knew about my past but he didn't care."
Kathleen smiled, "He sounds like a very smart man."
Tom laughed, "He is.On Voyager he was stuck as an Ensign because there were only a certain amount of officers you could have at each rank but if I know my ambitious young friend, I won't surprised if he becomes Captain one of these days."
Moira smiled, "What about you? .What do you want to do now?"
Tom smirked, "Well Voyager's E.M.H. sort of blackmailed me to continue my medical training."
Kathleen smiled. "Mom told us.she so excited about you becoming a doctor.but you are going to continue piloting right."
Tom smirked, "Of course.I don't think I would ever be happy if I couldn't fly at all.If been offered a part time teaching job at the Academy where I'll teach the more advanced piloting students.Besides B'Elanna and I decided we wanted to stay on Earth until Miral is a little older." Tom smirked, "She has grandparents and aunts she has to get to know."
Kathleen smiled and hugged her brother, "Tommy we're glad you will be staying on Earth for a while.You have nieces and nephews who have heard so many stories about you over the years they were starting to think you were a fictional character."
Tom smirked, "We can't have that can we?"
Moira laughed, "No we can't."
Just then they all heard a crying sound coming very loudly over the baby monitor. Tom smiled, "Miral wants her bottle.I'll be right back.You will both be here for a while."
Kathleen smiled, "You're not getting rid of us that easily little brother."
Tom frowned, "Don't you two think I'm a little too old to be called little brother."
Moira laughed, "Not in this lifetime little brother."
Tom laughed, "I can't win can I."
Kathleen and Moira both simultaneously said, "No."
Tom smiled. "Good.I wouldn't want it any other way."