How To Save A Life- Chapter 5
Tom Paris kicked the side of the wall. He had tried to kill Dukat the second he transported on board. But that just ended up with Dukat eventually killing Tom and later Jadzia. Every time he tried, Tom just couldn't kill Dukat.
Then Tom decided to see if he could get the Medical team to Jadzia faster, it didn't work. Every time he tried, someone died. This of course did not go well with Tom. He was beginning to get very very angry and frustrated. He had been up for almost 40 hours now, and that wasn't working to his advantage.
"I'm going to need all of the reports of all of the aliens Voyager has met." Tom said to Q. "I want to go through every single species the Federation have come encounter with. Then I'm going to want to look through all of the species the Klingons and Romulans have also encountered."
"Okay." Q replied. He snapped his fingers and forty padds appeared next to Tom.
Together they were sitting in Jadzia and Worf's quarters looking at their computer. Tom grabbed one of the padds and began to read it. He was unbelievably tired, but that didn't matter, he had to save her.
"I know why you're doing this Paris." Q said to Tom. Always so mysterious…Tom thought.
"Doing what?" Tom asked.
"Trying so hard to save Jadzia." Q answered. He stood up and walked over towards where Tom was sitting.
"I would try this hard for anyone." Tom replied.
"No, I don't think you would." Q stated. "There's something different about Jadzia."
"There's something different about everyone, Q." Tom said and continued to read. "I would try this hard to save anyone. From the loneliest crewmember to Harry to the Captain to B'Elanna. Hell, maybe even Chakotay."
"No, there's something different about your relationship with Dax." Q added. "You love her don't you?"
Tom put the padd down on the table in front of him. "What?" Tom asked.
"That's why you're trying so hard!" Q said louder. He hit his hand against the table. "It's so obvious, you love her! You always have."
"I've known her since I was a teenager, she's a great friend." Tom replied squirming on the couch because he was beginning to get uncomfortable.
"No, there's definitely something more between you two." Q pushed the subject. "And I highly doubt you would be up for more than forty hours straight for some random crewmember. Harry and B'Elanna I would believe, but the Captain…you might, but that's all."
"See, those are all great friends, except B'Elanna is more than just a friend." Tom responded. "Now, drop the subject and help me."
"No, I'm not going to drop it!" Q said. "You love her, admit it!"
"Q you're wasting your time-" Tom started getting rather annoyed at Q.
"Admit it!" Q interrupted. He continued to yell at Tom and eventually he broke him.
"Fine!" Tom yelled. He stood up and was in Q's face. "I'm doing this because I loved her. I used to love her. But I don't anymore!"
"Then why are you trying so hard?" Q asked calmly knowing he would get the answer.
"Because every time I fall in love with someone, they die!" Tom answered. "And each time I have a chance to save them, but I can't! Do you understand, Q? I'm doing this because I want the trend to stop. Odile died at Cadlik Prime and now Jadzia's about to die because of Dukat. I could've save Odile, but I didn't. I have the chance to save Jadzia, but it's not working!" Tom's eyes began to water.
"I love B'Elanna." Tom continued. "I love her more than Jadzia and Odile put together, but every time I tell someone I love them, they die. I don't want her to die! We're on Voyager, we're in the middle of nowhere and the only person that can protect B'Elanna immediately is me. And I'm worried that I'll fail like I have with Odile and eventually with Jadzia. I don't want B'Elanna to die, Q. That's why I'm trying to save Jadzia. I'm doing it because I want Jadzia to live, to survive this stupid curse I have on me."
"As the Earthlings say, Paris, 'life isn't fair'." Q said.
"Yeah, well, no one told me it was going to be this cruel." Tom replied then sat down on the couch again. He picked up the padd he was reading earlier and began to read it again.