Tom sighed as he made his way into his dark quarters. His shift just ended, and he really wanted to be home with his family. B'Elanna was on Earth with Miral. Out of the two of them he was the first to get a commission. Starfleet decided that B'Elanna didn't need to go on a mission until Miral was a year old, but it wasn't the same for Tom. Miral's first birthday was coming up and Tom didn't know where B'Elanna was going or if they could get a commission together so he could be close to his family.

Tom went to his desk and turned on his computer. He was going to call B'Elanna soon to talk to her and Miral for a bit. He told the computer what he wanted and didn't take long for B'Elanna's face to appear on the screen with Miral sitting in her lap. Tom wanted to reach out and touch them. There was a big smile on Miral's face. She was showing her teeth and there was a light in her eyes that only a happy baby would have. B'Elanna was smiling down at their daughter while she held a toy for Miral to take. Tom's heart broke a little because he couldn't be there for them.

B'Elanna looked up at him with a smile on her face. "Hi, Tom." B'Elanna said. "How was your day?"

Tom moaned. "Boring, nothing was happening."

"I'm sorry," B'Elanna frowned. "It's not as exciting as Voyager," B'Elanna tried to get him to laugh.

Tom gave his half smile. "Nothing is as exciting as Voyager. How are you and Miral doing?" He asked.

Miral decided to drop the toy that she was holding on the floor. B'Elanna leaned down, picked it up, and gave it back to Miral. Miral didn't like it and was ready to throw it when B'Elanna took it from her. "Miral, say hi to Daddy," B'Elanna pointed to the screen where Tom's face was.

"Dadda," Miral still couldn't say daddy, but her face brightened when she saw Tom. Her face was always like that when she could see him. She tried to reach for him through the screen. She didn't like that she couldn't touch her father. She looked back at B'Elanna with tears in her eyes.

"Hey, Miral," Tom said. Miral looked back at the screen. "Daddy loves you and can't wait to see you again. Are you being good for Mommy?"

Miral looked back at B'Elanna. "Momma," Miral touched B'Elanna face where she almost took out one of B'Elanna's eyes. Tom chuckled as he saw B'Elanna's face. She didn't like being touched in the face by their daughter.

B'Elanna took Miral's hand in her hand. "She found out where your mother keeps the pot and pans and decided to start a band." Tom laughed. He could see his mom's face when Miral pulled out her pots and pans. "I think that someone is Grandpa's favorite," B'Elanna looked down at Miral and kissed her cheek. The little girl laughed. Tom could only smile because it would be true that Miral was his father's favorite right now.

"How are my parents doing?" Tom asked. B'Elanna was staying with them. Starfleet could have found them a place, but they would have to give it up as soon as B'Elanna found a spot on a ship. Tom and B'Elanna thought that it would be better to stay with his parents until they could figure things out.

"Your parents are good, and they said hi," B'Elanna smiled. Tom nodded. He missed his parents even those he hadn't seen them for seven years.

Tom watched as Miral let out a yawn. B'Elanna moved her until she was sitting sideways on B'Elanna. Miral placed her head on B'Elanna chest. Tom knew that it was Miral's bedtime soon. Tom hated that he was missing bedtime. "How are you?" Tom asked.

"I will start taking classes in January to finish my degree. The academy said they will work with my position so I can get this degree done," B'Elanna started to rock back and forth.

Tom was happy for her. "That's great."

"I know," B'Elanna sighed. "Sometimes, it doesn't seem real."

"It's real," Tom smiled. "We can't see each other every day in the corridor or our quarters."

B'Elanna looked down at Miral to see that she was asleep. "I know this suck. I miss having your body next to me at night." With one hand that held Miral, B'Elanna reached out and touched the screen. Tom did the same. "I miss you," Tom wanted to reach in the screen so he could kiss his wife and daughter.

"I love you, too," Tom said. "I can't wait until this mission is over so I can hold you both again."

B'Elanna closed her eyes. "I know, Tom," Her voice was barely a whispered. "We didn't know how life was going to be when we got back. I thought that I live the rest of my life with you by my side."

"I will always be by your side even we are a thousand light years apart," Tom voice quavered.

"Don't say things like that or you are going to make me cry," There was brokenness to her voice.

Tom let out a shaky laugh. "I have never made you cry," They both knew that was lie.

B'Elanna gave a weak laugh. "We both know that is a lie. I hate this."

"Me too. I will see you in," Tom glanced at the countdown calendar he had in his quarters. He still had fifty-two days. "Fifty-two days."

"That is still so far away," B'Elanna looked down at Miral as she started to fuss.

"I know," Tom said. "Just remember that I am holding you in your dreams and I'm by your side every moment."

B'Elanna closed her eyes because she wanted to feel her husband by her side. She wanted him here so he could help put their little girl to bed. This is the longest that she has been away from him since they were married. "I'll see you soon," B'Elanna tried to smile. "Please make sure nothing happens to you."

Tom smiled. "I don't think nothing is going happen to me because I need to be there for you and Miral."

"That is right," B'Elanna let out a little laugh. B'Elanna didn't want to hang up on Tom and it seemed that he didn't want to do the same. "You have to work in the morning, and I need to get this little girl to bed."

Tom sighed. "I don't want to say goodbye to you or Miral," Tom looked down at his daughter.

"This is not goodbye only a moment that we won't see each other," B'Elanna whispered. "I will see you tomorrow when you call."

Tom nodded. "I love you, B'Elanna. See you soon."

"I love you, too, Tom," B'Elanna moved her hand to the off button. "Miral's loves her daddy."

Tom reached for the off button too. "I love her, too." They pressed the button together and the screen went off.

Tom sat there for a moment before getting up and heading to bed. The bed seemed big without B'Elanna laying next to him. He couldn't remember a time that he slept alone before he and B'Elanna were together. Maybe a time or two when they had different shifts, but they always found each other when the other shift was over.

Tom took a sigh before climbing into bed. He looked at the picture he had taken of Miral before he left. There was one with her in his father's arms, laughing. There was another one of Miral sleeping in his arms. Tom knew that B'Elanna had taken that picture. There was the newborn picture of Miral, where B'Elanna had just given birth to Miral. B'Elanna was tired but she was happy about being done giving birth. Tom continued to look at the pictures of his family as he fell asleep. Soon enough he will be with his family again.