DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Star Trek contents.
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AFTER THIRTY DAYS– by YANNIK
Chapter Three – NEELIX
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"What would you have…" Neelix hesitated "…Mister Paris?" Well it was better than 'Ensign', wasn't it?. "I'd propose…" Neelix hesitated again, as he looked around. He had leola root stew, leola root soup… Pretty much everything leola root, and he knew – he was absolutely certain – it was not a bad thing to eat. But Tom didn't like it, and after last few weeks Neelix kinda' believed that. "What could I propose?" Neelix mused. "No leola root, oh no! I'll just… I'll put it here. O! That's better, see? No leola root. I'm sorry for all that. I had to, Captain said, you needed nutrition, and… well she actually said to give you leola root, really she did. Well not so straight on, but still… She agreed for that, y'know, it's as if she herself…"
"Look Neelix" Tom Paris interrupted cook's ranting. Well, the Mess Hall was still empty, since alpha shift wasn't over yet, and Neelix just couldn't stop himself from talking to the man he missed dearly. Not that he haven't seen the pilot in the brig – basically he was the only one to kind of 'visit' him – but it was not like the usual talk, and all. "Look, Neelix" Tom said. "Couldn't you just give me something to eat?"
"Oh, but yes, of course! Something to eat, and make it not leola root" Neelix smiled. "How about?… uh… bolian green rigder soup, and…"
"I'll take it."
"Sure."
Neelix poured a bowl, and handed it to the pilot. Tom thanked him with a smile so reassuring, that Talaxian felt ashamed all over again. He remembered his visits to the brig with dread. Poor Tommy! And he also remembered that he basically did nothing to ease the ordeal up on the Lieutenant. Neelix watched him now, as the young man sat in the middle of the Mess Hall and started eating the soup.
He seemed good actually, he seemed to deal with it. After all he was OUT of the brig now, that made a difference, didn't it?
Ensign!
Not Lieutenant.
Ah, whatever! It was Tommy. His dear friend Tom Paris.
Jim Carrey came in from his alpha shift on the bridge and eyed Paris cautiously. He quickly took his plate, not exchanging much of a word with the cook and joined the pilot. Tom smiled a wide welcoming smile that made Neelix's heart that much warmer. The two men started talking, and Neelix thought that this gentle, laughable man was invincible. He was all back, and it was oh-so-comforting to see him in the Mess Hall again. The days without Tom Paris' joking were quite sad, Neelix pondered, but now he was all back.
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t.b.c.
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