Horror Days- Chapter 18
Day 13 (Morning on Voyager)
Tom awoke in the morning with a start for the umpteenth time since he had arrived back on Voyager. He had been having nightmares. Of what, he did not want to discuss with anyone, not Harry, not B'Elanna. But B'Elanna was also awoken with Tom's sudden jolting up in bed every night. Every night she comforted him and stayed up with him until he fell back to sleep which she knew he pretended to do.
Tom was sitting up in bed with his face in his hands contemplating the dreams. B'Elanna sat up, too and put her arm around her husband. She had had enough. She had given Tom his space for the past few days, but if this was going to continue, she wanted to know what was going on.
"Tell me about the dreams." B'Elanna said to Tom.
"I don't want to tell." Tom replied.
"Tom, this has been going on since you came back." B'Elanna started. "I've seen the video, Tom. I can take it. Tell me."
"I don't want to tell you." Tom answered. He pulled his head up and turned to get off the bed. "I'm going for a walk."
"No!" B'Elanna hissed. "I want to know what's going on."
"And I don't feel like telling you." Tom replied getting somewhat angry. Though he tried to keep his voice down. Riken was a sound sleeper and hadn't woken up at all during the nights he spent with Tom and B'Elanna.
Tom got off the bed and put on a robe. He walked over to where Riken was sleeping to check to see if he was still asleep. Riken's small form was sound asleep, so Tom left his and B'Elanna's quarters. He walked rapidly to the turbolift and got in. Unbeknownst to him, B'Elanna had followed him and gotten into the turbolift with him. She too was in her robe and carried their comm. badges.
"I told you I didn't want to talk about it." Tom said to B'Elanna.
"I'm your wife; you're going to tell me." B'Elanna replied.
"Oh yeah?" Tom answered. "You didn't tell me about you hurting yourself for a month two years ago! Why should I tell you now?"
B'Elanna looked away for a moment remembering the risks she had taken two years ago. "Tom, I told you that I was sorry." B'Elanna responded. "But you know now, and I want to know what's going on with you. Don't keep me in the dark."
"Mess Hall." Tom called out to the turbolift. The lift started and they stood in silence until it arrived at its destination. They walked together towards the Mess Hall and went in. Tom and B'Elanna sat down opposite each other at a table.
"Tell me." B'Elanna said.
"I think the video cameras had messed up at one part." Tom started. "It was a day after I left Phil to die. I found this house that looked like a good place to stop and take a break. So I walked in and looked around to see if anyone was there. I went into each and every single room. I don't know why I did; I don't know why I didn't stop after searching the first floor."
"Tom…what did you see?" B'Elanna asked.
"A baby, two children, and three adults." Tom replied. "All of them were decomposing. It was…It was horrible. It was eight days after the storm…Why didn't anyone help them? Lerik had to know something about this. He didn't send people down there to help. Why didn't they help them?"
"I don't know." B'Elanna answered. She really didn't know. She had been wondering that herself since the beginning. And there had to be a reason.
Later that day…
Riken's parents had been located and were expecting his arrival. Phil was going with the two remaining ambassadors, including Nils Orin, and the young pilot, Rinkala Pinso. They were all leaving and Tom wanted to say goodbye to Phil and Riken. Phil's goodbye was somewhat forced since the man had lost Tom's trust. But Riken's goodbye was getting sort of tearful.
"I don't want to go, Tom." Riken said holding onto Tom's leg. Tom pulled Riken off of his leg and kneeled down to his level.
"Riken, you're going to be with your parents, now." Tom replied. "They've missed you and I'm sure you've missed them."
"But I want to be with you…" Riken responded starting to cry.
"Riken, I'm going to miss you, too." Tom started. "But you have to go back to your parents." It took some more convincing after that for Riken to go onto the shuttle to go back home. Eventually, Riken agreed to leave. But not after Tom gave Riken a stuffed bear he replicated to remember him by. Riken began to hug Tom, and then stopped soon after.
"You're my hero." Riken said. He waved goodbye and went with Phil onto the shuttle.
I'm his hero…, Tom thought. Me, a guy that killed seven people then helped murder another…me, a hero?
Tom turned around and walked out of the Shuttlebay. He was in somewhat of a daze, but saw a very angry Captain Janeway standing near the doors. She was more than unhappy, more than angry, and a little disappointment showed on her features.
"Mr. Paris, I need to talk to you in my Ready Room." Janeway said to him.
"About what?" Tom asked nonchalantly.
"We'll discuss that when we get there." Janeway replied angrily.
She knew. She knew that Tom helped Locke kill Shon Faber. Tom could tell she knew, but he had to keep it secret. It didn't matter if she knew; it mattered if she had evidence. If she didn't, then he wasn't going to indict himself. He wouldn't lie; he knew the consequences of lying. But he had to keep it a secret for his sake.