AN: I am sorry that this story is done-- it has been a powerful experience for me as a writer. Some stories just take hold and don't let go, and this was one of those. As requested, the crew's reactions. Let's hear it for reviewer input! Yay! Thank you a thousand times to reviewers who took the time to make comments during the story-- those midstream reviews have incredible value to the process. The last chapter--onward.

"Computer, end program."

Vorik eyed her hazily, his eyes bright but unfocused. "Is it time for shift to begin?" She smiled softly, and reached up to tuck his raven-black hair behind his tapered ear.

"No. Not for a while. I wanted to share something with you." She turned her head slightly from where she lay against his heavily muscled chest and spoke upwards to the now blank ceiling. "Computer, begin Torres Ocean B. Dusk. Depth begin at zero, angle outward at fifteen degrees. Flora and fauna." Vorik raised an eyebrow at her, and then gazed at their nakedness with gentle amusement.

"Remember to delete the jellyfish, B'Elanna."

She grinned and slid a hand across his ribs. "Computer, delete all jellyfish." The rushing sound of waves filled the room around them, and the floor beneath them became soft white sand instead of hard clay. Warm water licked at B'Elanna's feet, and a purr escaped her throat. "Vorik, it's my absolute pleasure to introduce you to the ancient Earth custom of skinny dipping."

She got both eyebrows this time, and a curious sparkle in the fading glow of a magnificent sunset. "Skinny dipping?" He pronounced the words with care, and she laughed, delighted at his dubious expression, and then rose in one fluid motion and took his wrist in both hands.

"Come on while the tide is still in!" He came up with her, no less graceful for a few minor cuts and bites and bruises, not that she was any better off. Without any ceremony, they plunged into the ocean water like charging bulls, the cool salt water stinging clean the cuts and filling them with exhilaration. Vorik had been working on holding his breath underwater, and although he didn't have the redundant lungs that B'Elanna did, he was near her match for time. Like everything else between them now, it was a game without winners, a contest for pleasure and challenge. And now he crashed into her and threw them both down under the surface, his mouth over hers, sharing a breath, twining in the deep cool darkness. Long before her lung capacity gave out, B'Elanna was breathless, and when they surfaced, all introductions to ancient Earth customs were momentarily forgotten. They found an island of washed sand almost by chance, and this time B'Elanna allowed her human side the luxury to thoroughly explore every sensual detail of her Vulcan lover that her Klingon passion had rushed through the first time.

Vorik felt the wash of the surf carve out the sand underneath him, and the delicate touch of the woman above him as she teased out sighs and moans from the very depths of his being—places within him that he didn't even know existed until now, on this foreign shore with her. If he had thought that his superior strength was the only advantage he needed to buffer against her passions, he was greatly at a loss. For a terrifying moment, tears gathered again at the corners of his eyes, even as his strong hands found the sloping curve of her hips for the second time in his life and guided them into the joining, a near- unbelievable sensation of physical resonance. But her lips came softly down against his cheek and kissed his tears away, and her low, husky voice murmured something wordless and soft, and he knew he was meant to recognize that this was love. He was not certain that he fully understood. But for now, this was enough.

Tom Paris ate, but the food was uninteresting. Across from him, Harry was telling him what was probably a really funny story about Tuvok and the pool table in the holodeck, but he wasn't really listening. Ensign Vorik was standing at attention in front of a seated Chakotay, looking very uncomfortable, and Tom Paris wanted to know why. Rumors had been rampant since, two days before, Vorik had worked the Gamma shift in Engineering and B'Elanna had scared the hell out of everyone the morning after during Alpha shift. Both of them had missed shift the next morning, and Carey wouldn't answer any of his questions. B'Elanna had come in for her watch-shift on the Bridge, though, looking perfectly unconcerned, and the captain had pulled her into the ready room for a five minute conversation that Tom would have given his entire weeks replicator rations to be able to hear.

But the two women had come out with closed faces, and nothing more was said on the matter. And when Tom had tried to question her about it, she had just lifted an eyebrow at him. Too much time with that damn Vulcan, was what it was. She just needed some time with a real man, so she could remember how to loosen up.

"Ensign, I see you put in a request for a permanent move to the Gamma shift?" Chakotay's voice didn't exactly carry, but Tom held a finger at Harry, motioning for quiet just for a moment. Harry shook his head, not wanting to encourage his best friend to take a turn at the rumor mill, but obligingly fell silent.

"Yes, sir." Vorik stood with the annoyingly perfect balance of someone who never had any fun, hands clasped behind his back. Tom saw that he was sporting a fresh injury of some kind or another just under his sleeve cuff. It was slightly rounded, and if he hadn't known better, he would almost have thought it was… huh.

Chakotay frowned. "I assume you have a good reason?"

Vorik nodded once. "I did,sir. The difficulty has now been resolved." His voice was curiously calm, not stilted and awkward as Tom remembered him. His eyes lingered on that damning vivid green bite mark on Vorik's wrist, and the blood began to heat up his cheeks. No. It wasn't possible. He was imagining things. B'Elanna and Vorik were sparring partners. Accidents happened.

Chakotay nodded. "Then I assume you no longer want to transfer?"

"Not unless you believe my abilities would be better utilized on Gamma shift, sir." But the exec shook his head.

"I think you and Lieutenant Torres make a good team, Ensign. I would prefer to keep you together, if that is alright with you."

"That is my choice, as well." Tom flushed at the hint of warmth on Vorik's voice. Chakotay just smiled, and nodded, dismissing him, and Vorik went to pick up a tray of food. Tom turned in his seat, seething. Harry just watched him, feeling helpless but knowing that anything he said would only make the situation worse. He knew that Tom had a thing for B'Elanna, especially after the nastiness with the pon farr, but if Vorik and B'Elanna had worked it out, he was happy for them. For Tom, there was an entire ship full of women. How many were there for a lonely, brilliant Vulcan?

With that thought, B'Elanna came through the door and caught Harry's eye, and smiled. Harry grinned back, but inwardly wondered how her timing could be worse. She sat down at the table and thumped Tom on the back. "Hey, navigator. Hi, Starfleet!" Tom looked up at her, and smiled lamely, and then looked down at his plate. Harry watched as she gazed up at Vorik, and he saw her eyes soften in a way that suddenly filled him with longing for his girlfriend Libby. He could remember when she looked at him like that, and he knew exactly what it meant. B'Elanna flicked her eyes at Tom and then tilted an eyebrow very slightly. Vorik chose another table. Harry was extremely impressed. B'Elanna was not known for her subtlety.

"So, Tom. You wanted to know what was going on. I'm here, now." Harry grinned. Check that. B'Elanna would not soon be widely known for her subtlety, either. Tom flushed again, and she raised both eyebrows at him. "You've asked Carey, you've asked the bridge crew… is there anyone you haven't asked?" She paused for a moment to let it sink in, and then she followed up with, "Oh, yeah. That would be me." Crushing. Harry decided to intercede.

"We're all curious. You missed your shift yesterday, and we were concerned. Is everything okay, B'Elanna?"

For a moment, her eyes narrowed, and he could tell that she was debating on whether or not she was going to answer him. But then Tom surprised them both, and spoke.

"I'm sorry, B'Elanna. I thought there was something between us." His blue eyes flashed with regret and displeasure. "It hurts to get rejected. But you've obviously made your choice, and since your friendship means a great deal more to me than getting killed in a dark hallway by an angry, jealous Vulcan, I'm going to be gallant and wish you both all the best." It all came out in a rush, but by the time he finished, his voice and expression had regained some of his trademark wry cheer. Harry's eyebrows had vanished into his hairline, and Tom could feel Vorik's eyes on him, even though Tom didn't dare look in his direction. B'Elanna blinked and nodded, and then stood.

"Thanks, Tom. I really do appreciate it. Although next time, you don't have to tell the entire mess hall, okay?" She shook her head at him, genuine affection warring with irritation in her expression. But true to herself, she could never be angry with him for long. He tossed her a smile, and she grinned back, and their war was over as quickly as it was begun. She walked over to the table Vorik was sitting at and sat down opposite him, and they launched into a quiet conversation about plasma vent spanners, or something equally stimulating to two high-level engineers. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, and turned back to his soup. Tom scowled at the table, and wondered if it was too late to ask the petite blonde from astrophysics to a holofilm after shift.

And in a quiet, unobtrusive corner, Captain Janeway and Lieutenant Tuvok met each other's eyes quietly. "Is this going to work, Tuvok?"

He was silent for a moment, his dark eyes fixed on the starfield moving past them at high warp. "I do not know, Captain. I have no experience with this sort of bond. Although I know of cases where an inter-species bond has been successful, Vorik has chosen a highly volatile companion."

Janeway tossed him a grin. "Also the most brilliant engineer we have to offer. To get even close, he would have had to bond with Lieutenant Carey." Tuvok didn't dignify this with a verbal response, but just raised a single eyebrow at her. Her grin broadened. "You have to admit that she has been good for him so far."

Tuvok frowned. "I have seen a great deal more evidence that he has improved her social skills than the opposite, Captain. On the whole, Vorik has been more emotional and less focused in the past four months than I have ever seen him."

"Must be love." Janeway's voice was low and soft, and Tuvok caught the change almost viscerally. He turned to face her more fully, examining her wistful expression carefully.

"Captain, what humans see as a positive change, Vulcans see only as a disruption in function. You laud what we seek to eliminate. I will never understand this compulsion for the destruction of peace in your lives."

Janeway leaned toward him, her light eyes intent. "Tuvok, if humans lived solely to reach a state of peace, we never would have left Earth. And don't tell me that Vulcans do it either. We could have chosen any number of planets to settle on by now, but we still forge ahead." She touched the cuff of his uniform gently. "I think you understand it better than you let on. You just aren't ready to admit it yet."

Tuvok blinked slowly, studying her eyes, and then he turned to watch the two lovers chat comfortably over soup and bread. What the captain said had a certain logic to it. There was much to consider. He simply nodded, and his captain smiled. For now, it was enough.

Across the room, B'Elanna laughed like a bell. Within Vorik's eyes was captured the reflection of her joy.

::fin::