"Daddy," a five-year-old tornado launched herself at Tom's legs to moment he walked into the classroom. Taking the turbolift to deck 4, Lt. Commander Paris knew he really didn't have the time. Yet, after the revelations of this morning, he just had to feel those tiny arms encircling his neck. Bending down, he picked his daughter up, cuddling her effortlessly.
"Sorry," Tom offered the teacher with a shrug of his shoulders and a sad smile. Obviously, this contact between father and daughter was necessary for both.
Waving at the rest of the children, it seemed the class had stopped for lunch. They sat at the long table, a plate before each child, Martin 'Marty' Swift allowed a chuckle to escape. "We have fifteen minutes left, before we turn this back into a class room," informed the teacher, a smile erupting at the picture before him.
"Lizzy," Tom whispered into her ear, turning away from the multitude of eyes watching them, "I don't have a lot of time, Kido. Captain Howard has invited me to share lunch with him."
"Why are you sad, Daddy," the little girl asked, looking into blue eyes that resembled her own. She'd been able to do that from the time she could talk. Elizabeth Paris knew what her father felt, sometimes before Tom could figure it out.
"My little emotional barometer. Well, Kido, Daddy's not going to get much time with you over the next few days," Tom confessed. "Voyager has an important mission that will need all of Daddy's attention. I'm going to miss you so much, especially if you have to stay with Aunty Rachael."
"You'll still tuck me in?" Lizzy demanded after a moment's thought. She didn't feel upset. In fact, the little girl loved Aunty Rachael, but more especially spending time with Patrick and Sean.
"I'll try, Kido," Tom frowned, "but I can't promise. I'm not sure about anything right now. I'm hoping you'll be sleeping in your own bed in our quarter's tonight."
"Daddy," about to launch into an explanation about how he'd promised, Tom's comm badge chirped.
"Go ahead," the Lt. Commander answered, holding back a sigh.
"Five minutes," Rue demanded, without actually stating his reason for the call.
"I'll be there, Sir. Just finishing up now," Tom explained.
"Very good, Commander. Howard out," the Captain stated. While Rue understood there would have to be allowances for his crew with children and spouses, it shouldn't interfere with how he ran his ship.
"I gotta go, Sweetheart," Tom very deliberately placed the child on the floor. "We spoke about this, before Daddy took a promotion and we came to live on Voyager. There are going to be times we're forced to be apart and our routine's upset. Now is one of those times. Understand?"
"Yes, Daddy," Lizzy's lips quivered and her blue eye filled with tears.
"I know," Tom once again hugged the little girl tight. "It's not ideal. I wanted at least a week of tucking you into your own bed and getting use to your new routine. I'll try, no, Lizzy, this is how it has to be. I'll try to get to Aunty Rachael's before bedtime, if you have to stay there tonight. Oh, sweetheart," the little tears that overflowed made her emotional turmoil worse by the silent sobs, "it's okay to be sad and cry. It just makes Daddy's heart break too."
"I love you, Daddy," Lizzy gave one final hug, straightened herself up and marched back to her seat at the table.
"That's one tough little girl," Marty stated.
Nodding, Tom couldn't say a word, or his tears would start. Sometimes Elizabeth Paris reminded him of Kate, especially in disposition. This would possibly be the first night he wouldn't be with his daughter at bed time. Although Voyager and Starfleet had to come first, he was learning to resent his new post. Maybe I should have remained on DS9 as a lowly shuttle pilot. At least I was home every night to tuck my daughter into bed.
Eight years earlier: Stardate 40139.8 (21st February 2363)
"Starfleet has assigned you to Captain Gresham at Starbase 245," Commander Kathryn Janeway delivered the much-anticipated orders the moment she walked into her quarters.
It took the entire month of their so-called honeymoon, and more than a little convincing for Captain Paul Gresham to grant to Kate's personal request. It seemed Admiral Owen Paris wanted his son back within Earth's sphere of influence. Thankfully, Janeway's sudden marriage worked in their favour on that count. However, Tom's most recent commanding officer opinion of him was abysmal, and she'd placed several reprimands in his permeant record. Anyone with any sense would see them for the farce there were.
Of course, Kathryn sighed internally, anything I've put in his personnel file has been undone by our marriage. If Tom ever finds out Paul's taking him on as a favour to me, our relationship will be over.
"I don't need favours, Kate," Paris hissed, understanding the expression in his wife's glance. Rising from the couch, this was not the reception he'd planed. The bubbly had lost its effervescence hours ago, the chocolate covered strawberry melted and he'd been forced to get dressed when the door chimed. Commander Janeway seemed to put in more hours on Billings than she'd ever done on Deception. Lt. Tom Paris had been lucky to see his new wife for eight hours at a stretch, and that was usually so she could sleep. "I've told you before, want to do this myself, without your help."
"I want to see my husband," the tired woman glared while removing her uniform. Heading for her bathroom, she declared over her shoulder, "at least once a month."
"And we're arguing about my next posting at 0100 in the morning?" Tom followed behind, collecting discarded uniform and placing it in the fresher. "Can't it wait?"
"No!" Short, sharp and determined. The sonic shower started and Kathryn had to raise her voice. "Billings is due to dock in three days and your leave is up!"
"So," Tom stood against the wall, arms and legs folded over in defiance while a look of anger crossed his face, "you thought you'd ensure I got orders to your liking by asking favours on my behalf."
Silence. It spoke louder than words. Kate had never lied to him, she just clamed up when she didn't want to say anything.
Truly enraged, he asked, "why the hell did you agree to marry me, Kate?"
Silence.
Fear suddenly entered the mix as Tom's mind wondered if she regrated the sudden decision. "I guess that explains the hours you're working on our honeymoon," Tom stated acidly. "You really can't stand to be around me any more than the crew of Billings. All those hilarious stories you told, well that certainly did a lot for my reputation. I haven't seen any of the crew knocking down the door to invite me out while my wife works sixteen hours a day, just so she can avoid contact."
"I am not talking about this now," Commander Kathryn Janeway bit out though her clenched teeth. Each word spoken in a gravely tone.
"Bad luck," Tom fired back, "because it's long past time we did." Fighting his emotions, Paris asked the question the moment it popped into his mind, "do you want a dissolution, Kate? Do you think we made a mistake, jumping into this?"
"No!" Succinct, the answer held a world of meaning.
"Alright," Tom growled, about to leave the bathroom, before common sense intruded. The one aspect of their life that always proved euphoric ended up with them in bed, followed by quiet, heartfelt discussion while spooned together. Making a snap decision, Paris striped and stepped into the shower stall. If Kate rejected his advanced, he knew their short marriage was over.
"Want me to wash your back?" Tom whispered in her ear. A part of his anatomy happily bumping into Kate's well-rounded rear, while his hands moved to caress his wife's erogenous zones. The slight gasp from Kate urging Tom to continue.
Rolling her eyes, Kate could only manage a breathless apology. "I really didn't mean to be this late."
"Them make it up to me," Tom demanded. A flick of his hand and the shower turned off. Picking up his wife, he headed for their temporary bed. "Please tell me," he added between kisses, "you have tomorrow off."
"Yes," Kathryn managed, before her husband silenced her with his lips.
Present
"Commander?" Rue's tone brought Tom out of his introspections.
"Sorry, Sir," Tom sighed as he played with his pizza while sitting in the Captain's mess.
"Is this about the reports?" Howard asked.
"Partly," Paris sat forward in his chair, leaning towards his captain. "Kate and what's left of her crew have been out here a long time. They know the territory, the obstacles, the Cardassian methods. When we get to the plasma storms, if we can find them, it's going to take more than a little effort to capture Intrepid. Kate's not going to make it easy for us. Added to that, Lt. Tuvok didn't include reports on any damage to the ships systems. Almost two years out here, without a Starbase to call into for repairs and supplies? There have to be weakness in that ship. If we had an advantage, that information wasn't passed along. You have to ask yourself why?"
"I see your thought's mirror my own. What are you thinking?" The Captain could almost see the wheels turning in this XO's mind.
"We'll be on the outskirts of the plasma storms at about 1800 ships time tomorrow. If they still have their Starfleet pilot, the woman's good, almost a match for me," Tom was still trying to figure out what confounded him. Pulling up Mr. Uri's report, and using the computer terminal to display their location, Paris bit his lower lip. "We need to enter here."
"That's the worst area for plasma discharges," Rue borked.
"And the best cover we'll have," Tom responded with a careless shrug of his shoulders. "Lt. Stadi seems competent enough, but I want to see how she really flies. This needs someone with innate skill and intuition. I'm not sure Veronica's up to the level we need. Then, there's something I just can understand in all of this. Kate's known Tuvok for ten years, maybe more. They met before I knew her and served together on Billing's. I'm not sure why Starfleet sent someone she knows….."
"You don't think she's turned traitor?" Howard interrupted, his brow creased, trying to take in this new information.
"Honestly," Lt. Commander Paris turned those crystal blue eyes on his captain, "at this point in time, I'm not sure what to think. I know we can't trust Lt. Tuvok's intelligence, yet, being a Vulcan." Throwing his hands in the air, Tom stood and started to pace. "He shouldn't be able to lie, but it's been my experience that they can obscure the truth with logic when they want too. Is Tuvok protecting Kate? Are they working together for Starfleet? Have they both gone over to the Maquis? There are just too many unexplained variables. Somehow, I don't think Starfleet is telling us everything either. Something stinks."
"Sit down, Mr. Paris," Rue sighed. When his XO did as ordered, the Captain offered, "I agree with you. I was hoping the reason for Admiral Paris's visit to DS9 was to give us a real debrief as to the situation out here. I also have to confess, part of the reason for selecting you as my Number One was your relationship to Janeway and our mission."
Smirking, Tom's expression stated, I thought as much.
"I have sources," Howard offered, "that tell me there are at least five Vulcan Starfleet officers who are currently part of the Maquis. Of course, the High Command would never admit that fact. We know Intrepid's XO was a Maquis sympathiser."
"P'ai?" Tom asked, more than a little astonished.
Nodding, Rue agreed. "I can tell you the man Megan Delany described, the one with the tattoo is former Lt. Commander Chakotay."
"I've heard of him. He taught advanced tactics at the academy on Fergus IV while I was stationed there," Tom stated, starting to see a picture. "Which means Kate might have known him for several years prior to their current working arrangement."
"Chakotay resigned when his home colony was all but wiped out by the Cardassian's," the Captain reported.
"More than enough reason to join the Maquis," Tom sighed. "Oh, what a tangled web we weave."
"When first be practice to deceive," Rue completed. "Thought provoking, isn't it?" he demanded.
"I guess we have to take Voyager into the plasma storms and look for any signs Intrepid has recently been in the area," Tom concluded. "If we find her, we have to outsmart Kate, Chakotay and Tuvok, all of whom may not what to be found. After that, I guess we can ask if they're part of the Maquis, or just gathering data for Starfleet. Six days, in this environment, it's a very long time. That data from Lt. Tuvok is well and truly expired."
"Agreed," the Captain frowned. "If we do manage to complete our mission, you're going to have to Captain Intrepid home, Tom."
Nodding his understanding, Tom grimaced and considered the irony.
Five years earlier: Stardate 43815.0 (25th October 2366 1700)
"Captain," Tom greeted his wife as she walked out of the Admirals office. When Kathryn Janeway's sudden promotion came through, it surprised them both. "You've impressed someone. Intrepid, I hear and after only three and a half years on Billings."
"We need to talk," Kathryn whispered in his ear, allowing herself to be swept up in his arms for a moment.
Pulling back, Tom noticed the smile lighting his wife's eyes. It had nothing to do with her advancement. At least, the one pertaining to the extra pip on her collar. "Don't tell me," he wanted to guess, "I finally get a promotion too. Husband to father."
"I have to go," Kate couldn't hold back her delight, "official reception."
"Lowly Lieutenants not invited," Tom scowled. It was yet another reminder that his career was tied to Kate's.
"Significant others are." Watching her husband's reaction, Kathryn knew they had a long way to go before Tom's deeply rooted insecurities were truly buried. "I need you with me, Mr. Paris."
"Yes, Ma'am," he responded. "In any capacity, as always."
"Tom," Kathryn stopped, turned and faced her husband. Nervous, she needed come clean now. Mrs. Paris had wanted to drop her bombshell in the privacy of their quarters and enjoy the resulting celebration. "Intrepid will be stationed out of DS6. Lt. Commander T'ant has requested you join her transport team, at least until you become a full-time carer of twins."
Tom allowed the happiness he felt to show. "Come on, let's get through this boring stuff so we can go home and celebrate."
"You have a deal, Mister," Kathryn smiled, grabbing and holding his hand.
Three years earlier:
"Meet me on the concourse," Tom pleaded into his Comm badge, "by your favourite Vulcan restaurant. ASAP."
Hearing the panic in his tone, Kathryn didn't hesitate. Only one thing could unnerve this particular Paris, one, or both of their children. Running, she found him, William tugging at his hand, Lizzy looking like death warmed over. Her blue eyes were dull, almost lifeless and seemed too large in her pale skin. Kathryn didn't need words to know her husband was about to take their daughter to DS9's Sickbay.
"Julian knows were coming," Tom stated, attempting to hand the male child, and his rapidly packed bag to his mother. William didn't go as easily as hoped. Clinging to his father's pant leg, Kathryn had to pry her son away.
"Come on," she coxed in a bright tone, kneeling to ensure he understood. "Mommy will take you to her ready room. Won't that be a treat while Lizzy is in Sick bay with Daddy!"
A string of childish words erupted from the two-year-old. The most notable was "Promise". Both Lizzy and Will knew they weren't allowed on Intrepid without their father to look after them. By the time she stood, Tom and Lizzy were nowhere to be seen.
The call came when she had William in her arms and was half way to her ship. Mrs. Kathryn Paris didn't have time to comm her husband and get him to change his plans. Lizzy could be just as easily managed on Intrepid by their CMO as Dr. Bashier. Captain Janeway required a full-time carer on board to look after their children, and the only person she trusted for that was Tom.
Of all the times, she shook her head in desperation, for Lizzy to get an infection and need sick bay, it had to be at the same time Chakotay gives me the signal. I can't miss this chance. The Maquis might not offer it again. I know Intrepid isn't designed for kids, but it wouldn't be the first time I've used my authority as Captain to bring my family on board. God, I wish Tom where here. It would make what I need to do so much easier and I'd know the kids were well taken care of.
"Captain," the Lieutenant at the con called the moment Kate stepped onto her bridge. P'ai was as efficient as ever, having Intrepid ready to depart on a moment's notice. "Operations have clear us, navigation is nominal."
Nodding to her first officer, the Captain held onto the child in her lap. William sat quietly and watched everything occurring around him, facinated. Lt. Commander P'ai was more than capable of leading the firing sequence, even if the woman's Vulcan logic wanted to quote regulations concerning children onboard. As the captain, Janeway only needed to give the order to engage. When Intrepid was underway, Kathryn stood, placing William on her hip and informed the bridge crew she'd be in her ready room.
"Now, let's see if we can call your daddy," she informed the two-year-old currently playing with one of Tom's models. It was a testament to her husband's level of panic over Lizzy's health. Usually the kids weren't allowed anywhere near Tom's prize positions. "I want to know what's happening to your sister and if I can transport you back to DS9 before we get out of range. I'm afraid this mission isn't suitable for children."
"Don't you dare," Tom's tone was deadly. Kate had hardly gotten her idea out before he slammed it. "Lizzy's critical. Her immune systems not coping with the virus or medications. Julian's had to locate an old treatment from a colony world because it can't be replicated. If William were here, I couldn't stay around the clock with our daughter. Besides, Julian thinks Will would be just a susceptible because of their shared genetics. I can hardly cope with the thought that Lizzy might….without endangering Will as well."
"Understood," Kathryn sighed. Only after she'd signed off, promising to call again, did she fall into her seat and allow the tears to flow. "I've never lied to you before Tom. I didn't want to make this decision, but circumstance has forced me. I'm going to have to take William with me. If Lizzy dies, you're going to lose all of us. I'm sorry."