Kathryn was a bit apprehensive about going home. This had not been a good day.

Things were quiet at Tom's house when she arrived. The garage door was open, so she threaded her way over, giving Jake a quick scratch and Miral a kiss. Tom was sitting on the floor, tinkering with something from the Cloud Queen.

"Hi," she ventured.

"Hi," he replied quietly. "I assume you've heard."

"Yeah … I'm sorry."

"So much for Starfleet, unless I want to fly a ship." They both knew that wasn't an option, given that he was fighting to keep Miral on Earth. He threw a rag at the workbench. "Guess I don't meet their standards."

She sat down, never mind the uniform. "I talked with Bob Lloyd. He said the Reinstatement Committee recommended you for Flight Design, but Captain Duman maintains that he has no open spots. I've heard Duman is a Fed-Firster. So it could be that I'm the one who doesn't meet someone's standards … and they're taking it out on you."

The Federation-First movement … After the war, the Federation had essentially turned in on itself, led by a president with isolationist tendencies. Some of Firsters' support came from a cadre of Dominion War veterans with the attitude that only their generation was worthy of leading Starfleet and the Federation.

Their unofficial leader, Clint Bargun, had gone so far as to publicly suggest that Kathryn deliberately stranded Voyager to avoid the war — never mind that Voyager had been lost two years before the war started. "Apparently Mr. Bargun thinks I am clairvoyant," Kathryn quipped when asked about the statement.

Normally, such behavior wouldn't be tolerated, but with a shortage of personnel, the Firsters were quietly moving into the upper ranks.

Tom shook his head. "I don't think they can put this on you. It might be my record … or hell, even my name." He paused. "I notice Dad hasn't weighed in."

"He's probably just been released from Medical." Tom's head jerked up. "What?"

"I called his office. According to Ann, he took the call from Bob Lloyd, then put his fist through a wall. Broke a couple of bones in his hand."

Tom just winced. "Look," she continued, "are you still all right on credits? I can help."

He shook his head. "I'm fine. And I still need to do this on my own. But I appreciate you asking," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

XXX

Later that night, she stretched lazily against Tom, running her fingers through his beard.

"Guess I won't have to shave now," he quipped.

"Good. That mountain man look has grown on me. Very sexy."

He laughed. "This will never grow out enough to make me look like a mountain man."

She chuckled and laid her head on his chest. "You know, you do have options."

"Oh?"

"As well as being a talented pilot and shuttle designer … you have medical training; you're terrific at holoprogramming; and you're the most mechanically minded person I've ever met. I mean, rebuilding a classic hovercycle?"

"Sure you aren't disappointed that I won't be back in uniform?"

"I've told you that my feelings aren't contingent on you being in Starfleet, Thomas Eugene. I'll support you in whatever you do."

"Can you tell me how to look for a job? I've never really had to do that."

"Actually, me neither," she sighed.

XXX

"I've decided to sell the Zip King," he told her a couple of nights later.

She was a bit sorry to hear it — until he handed her the offer.

"Good heavens! Who wants to buy it? The Federation president?"

"And that's after the commission," he said. "Course, it's contingent on his seeing the bike and checking documentation. I think there are some other fees, too."

"But still ..."

"I asked Mori to look over the contract. She suggested that I register as a micro-business owner. Especially if I decide to take on more projects."

Kathryn raised an eyebrow and he shrugged. "If I have a business, then I'm considered to be employed, which is good for my case. And since being a business owner improves my social currency, it bumps up my credits. She tells me it's a win-win."

"Well, there you go, then," she said as she handed back the PADD. Tom Paris: businessman."

XXX

Apparently life wasn't finished handing them surprises. B'Elanna reappeared in June. Her new lawyer was petitioning for joint custody, plus a lifting of the no-contact order.

"I'm guessing the Boreth boyfriend didn't work out," Tom said to Kathryn. "But living in Arizona makes no sense."

"Yes it does," Kathryn remarked. "That's where Chakotay lives."

The change however, pushed them into new legal territory. "I suspect your ex-wife's lawyer is going to push for a quick settlement," Tom's lawyer, Beri, told him. "The judge turned down their request for a continuance. Family Court's docket is booked through the end of the year. And according to the petition, Ms. Torres has applied for reinstatement to Starfleet; a long custody battle wouldn't help her chances."

"I know about the reinstatement, and that's why I won't agree to joint custody," Tom said. "She's an engineer; she'll likely end up on a ship. Miral could be hauled off to another sector … or quadrant for months on end. To me, that's as bad as having her on Boreth.

"I mean, for God's sake, I turned down reinstatement because I want to raise Miral with her family … including B'Elanna's dad."

"Noted," Beri said with a smile, "and the judge will know that, too."

XXX

"Is that the vid?" Tom murmured sleepily into her ear.

"Hmm?" she murmured back, slowly becoming aware that the buzz was continuing. She'd heard it earlier, but they'd been too busy to care.

Then realization hit and her eyes popped open. "That is the vid," she said as she sat up. A bad thought: It could be Mom or Phoebe; an emergency? "I should check," she said, grabbing her robe.

She hustled downstairs to her office … they were at her house, since Miral was with John and Liz … Nothing from Mom or Phoebe, but an entire queue of messages from colleagues and former Voyager crew.

She opened Harry's message:

"Nice image, Admiral! Is there something you and Tom want to tell the Voyager family?"

Puzzled, she opened the attachment — and found an image of herself and Tom. They had attended the formal All-Services Gala last night. Tom obviously had said something funny; they were laughing, she had her hand on his chest, and they were looking at each other like … well, like two people who adored each other. They obviously didn't notice the Federation News Service photographer.

"Oops," Tom said behind her. "Kate, I think we've gone way beyond discreet," he said as he handed her a cup of coffee.

"Oh … I think we've announced it to the entire Federation," she replied as she took the cup. A quick look at some of the other messages … more copies of the image along with teasing or congratulatory messages.

"So, now the world knows," Tom said. "We aren't doing anything wrong." She didn't reply, but she hated the intrusion in that part of her life, not to mention any potential fallout. She could just imagine the reaction from Arizona.

"By the way," he whispered in her ear, "you are absolutely gorgeous in that gown."

"I could have sworn you preferred me out of it," she teased back.

"I very much enjoyed unwrapping you," he said, though his attempt to nuzzle her neck was interrupted when the vid went off. "Uh, oh, it's Mori," he said. "Better answer that."

Moira just grinned at their appearance. "So, you two had a good time last night. Nice image."

"Yes, it is," Tom said, giving her a slightly defiant grin.

"Not that this is news," she teased. "Mom, Kathleen and I figured it out ages ago. Dad is more obtuse, but that image got the message across. And I bet Phoebe ..."

"She's way ahead of you," Kathryn interrupted.

"Good, because I sent her a copy. Anyway, while we're all delighted for you, as your 'other' lawyer, I have to ask: Have you mentioned your relationship to Beri? …. Thought not," she said as Tom and Kathryn looked at each other. "You know, I really hate it when my clients don't tell me important things. Though actually, he may know. He has people to track these things. And so does B'Elanna's lawyer."

She waited a moment to let that sink in. "Look, that guy does have a reputation. He'll look for anything he can use to strong-arm you into his settlement terms. If he thinks you've been hiding a relationship, he's going to try to exploit that, especially since Kathryn has a large part in Miral's life.

"If Beri knows about your relationship, he can include that as a positive. And he can develop any counterarguments he might need." She raised an eyebrow. "Kathryn, I'm assuming you aren't breaking Fleet regulations, or Dad would have been at your front door this morning. At least I assume he hasn't been at your front door."

"Ah no, we're fine," Kathryn assured her. "I've just been worried that someone will decide I was the cause of the divorce."

"Well, not true."

"Of course not," Tom said. "That's easily proven."

"There you go. I'll stop with the scolding now. Just talk to Beri; he'll know how to frame this. And in the meantime, get a holo of that image … or better yet, spend the credits on an old-fashioned print. That one's a keeper."