B'ellanna was storming through the corridors to her and Tom's joint quarters, or could be joint quarters. She had had the worst day possible, the plasma conduits needed to be realigned, a console I engineering had exploded and Neelix was fussing about the replicators in the Mess Hall, again. She just wanted to get back to her 'quarters', have a shower, get changed and go to see Tom, she was so excited about seeing him. The doors to her quarters hissed open and the man stood in the room terrified her, she jumped back in shock, but realised it was Tom and settled down. She stood awkwardly near the doorway, not sure how to react, what if he didn't remember anything? She was absolutely terrified, B'ellanna couldn't remember the last time she was this scared.
"Hi Tom" she said nervously, hoping for the best.
"Be, I've missed you so much" he said, walking towards her.
B'ellanna's heart flooded with joy as she ran to him, jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, straddling him. She kissed him passionately until eventually she stopped to look in his eyes. She saw the love sparkling in his eyes and knew, for once, something great had happened for her.
"Oh Be, I missed you so much, I'm so sorry about what happened, I shouldn't never have go-" He was cut off by the fact that she kissed him again, more passionately, unwilling to let go. When she eventually did, she looked at him in an angry-teasing kind of way.
"Don't you dare, EVER do that to me again Flyboy, understand" she said, unbuttoning his shirt.
"I'm the only one who gets to break your bones, not the Kazon..." she said teasingly
"I promise" He said, lowering the two of them onto their, new bed….
=/\=
"Be?" Tom asked into the quiet darkness, hoping she was still awake.
"Yeah babe?" Came the reply, from somewhere across the dark room.
"I need to talk to you"
B'ellanna's guts churned, in her experience, those were never good words.
"Lights to 30%" she spoke into the computer moving across the room to sit down next to Tom, who was rustling about in his uniform pocket.
"I found you something while I was down on that planet, and I brought it for you, good thing I put it in my pocket not my bag" he chuckled, while she looked contentedly. "After what happened, I want you to know how much I love you, and I was going to save this for a later time, but I think now suits. He spoke softly. He took B'ellanna's hand in his a crouched down on the floor, B'ellanna's heart was pounding in her chest, was Tom Paris really proposing to her? She couldn't marry him though, which brought tears to her eyes.
"B'ellanna, I love you more than words can describe. And I want to always be with you, to love you for eternity and further, from the Delta Quadrant all the way to the Alpha, to every inch of this galaxy, because you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and I don't ever want to let you go." Tom looked into B'ellanna's eyes, which were filled with tears.
"Oh Tom, I'd love to, but I can't" Her words were spoken softly, but it hit him like a punch to stomach. His eyes flooded with tears and all he could choke out was "Why?"
"B'ellanna hugged him sadly and replied "Because you're amazing Tom, your handsome, well-built, funny, patient, kind, loving, intelligent, and so much more, but I'm just a Klingon, and thanks to Vorik, I'm going to have a ponn far every seven years, break almost every bone in your body, I'm moody, angry, a disappointment and I can't offload that onto you, it wouldn't be fair. Believe me Tom, I would marry you in a heartbeat if I was a decent part of humanity, but I'm just me, what kind of life would you be living with me as a wife? She choked on her sadness and walked to the bed, crying. She sat down on the edge of the chair and looked at him, who was now standing over her. He looked more angry than upset.
"What kind of life would I have?!" He raised his voice, "I would have a dream life, my dream life, I have been in a relationship with you for almost 3 years now B'ellanna, if I didn't want to be with you I wouldn't be, I'm in love with you B'ellanna, I have been since the first year here on Voyager, you are all I have ever wanted, and all I ever will, and you're not just some Klingon, your my Klingon, and I love you, who cares about your mood-swings or the ponn far, I get mood swings and as far as I can recall, you should be ready to have another ponn far anytime now, and I'm ready for it, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, you're funny, kind, unbelievable pretty, passionate, kind and I don't want to let you go and I won't, so don't let me go?" Tom looked into her eyes, pleadingly, tears poured down his face.
"You really think you can handle it, I don't want to hurt you, I don't even deserve you Tom. I'm giving you a chance to back out now if you want to, and I won't hold anything against you, like you did for me after we ejected from the shuttle and we spoke after Tuvok's promotion party" B'ellanna said, wiping her eyes, just for more tears to leave her eyes.
"You could never hurt me Be, and I want to continue into our relationship, just like you did on that night remember?" Tom said pulling her in to a strong kiss. "And Be, you deserve someone much better than me, I'm the one that doesn't deserve you, don't ever think differently."
"Okay" she spoke softly into his shoulder, pulling him into a hug, lying down on the bed in his arms.
"Tom Paris, I would love to marry you."
The two lay, happily in each other's arms, discussing how they would tell the Captain and crew…
Kathryn and Chakotay were still in each other's arms in Kathryn's bed when Tuvok arrived at her ready room doors, Chakotay quickly ducked down under the covers, while she walked through into her ready room, to greet Tuvok.
"Tuvok, what can I do for you?" She asked, nonchalantly.
"Well Captain, you were late to the Bridge this morning, you were supposed to be there by 0800 hours, it is 1031hours, you are 0231 hours late an-" Tuvok was cut off by a hand wave from the Captain, who was on her way over to the replicator for her morning coffee.
"Also Captain, we are missing quite a few crew members, Lieutenant Paris is on Bedrest in his quarters until Tuesday, as authorized by the Doctor, Lieutenant Torres didn't report to Engineering, but did report in that she wouldn't be coming and Commander Chakotay has not arrived for his shift on the Bridge either, I visited his room but he was not there, would you like me to locate him on the computer?" Tuvok finished reading from his PADD, noticing the Captain glancing into her bedroom, probably oblivious to most of what he just said.
"Captain, is something wrong" Tuvok acquired sternly.
"No, nothing's wrong Tuvok, thank you for your report, I will go and find Commander Chakotay myself, and I authorized Lieutenants Torres' day off last night, she is off with Mr. Paris until Tuesday and send the report to my computer" the Captain spoke quickly.
Tuvok nodded and left. She waited for the doors to her ready room to hiss shut quietly, turning to the doors of her bedroom to notice Chakotay still under the covers. She gently placed her coffee down on the table near her computer and sneaked up to the bed quietly and jumped onto the lump underneath the covers, to find them flatten underneath her. She pulled back the duvet to find it full of pillows, just before she felt warm arms wrap around her waist and pull her up into the air, to which Mark had never done. In fact, Mark had never played any little games like this with her, or just lay awake at night listening to her problems, made her coffee in the middle of the night for no reason, or just sat rubbing her shoulders and neck to make her feel better after a rough day, in just one night he had done all this, and in all her time with Mark he didn't do any. Still flying through the air, in the arms of her new partner she couldn't help but speak some of her thoughts aloud.
"Oh god, Chakotay, I love you so much" Kathryn laughed as she flew. She immediately felt him swing her down over the bed, he leaned over her and moved in so close she could feel his breath against her lips as he spoke.
"Do really mean that, or is it just an outburst?" He looked deep into Kathryn's eyes as she looked at him, confused as to where this had suddenly come from.
"Oh Chakotay, of course I mean it, in just one night you have made me happier being with you then I ever was with Mark. I love you Chakotay, I love you so much" She pulled him down into a long, deep kiss, and when he broke off he looked into her eyes he let one small tear run down his face.
"I love you too" he replied gently, wrapping his hands back around her waist, causing laughter to erupt from her straight away. After a little more spinning, they lay together on the bed.
"Computer, what time is it?" Kathryn asked quietly, waiting for its response.
"Time is; 1049 hours"
"I'd better go and 'find out' where you are then?" Kathryn said, make Chakotay laugh for a minute. "Site to site transport, and I'll come by your quarters?"
"Sounds good, but what excuse is good enough to fool Tuvok? He already knows I wasn't there this morning." Chakotay said while rummaging around to help Kathryn get ready.
"How about…..you were visiting Tom and B'ellanna to check up on him?" Kathryn replied while brushing her hair through.
"Sounds great" Chakotay replied while tapping inn his security access codes into the console. "Site-to-site transport ready" He shouted through to Kathryn, to his surprise came through with a new uniform on over her legs, unzipped carrying a new grey-vest top. As she pulled it on he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her onto his lap, fastening her pins onto the neckline of her vest-top. Before he reached around and zipped up her jump suit. She turned her head around and kissed him, slowly and lovingly.
"Ill beep Tom and B'ellanna and tell them to go along with it, do you want be to tell them about us or-?" Chakotay faded out, giving her space.
"Yes, we can trust them, I don't want to tell the whole crew yet though." Kathryn replied, kissing him again. She stood up and watched as the man sat in front of her faded away, molecule by molecule, until he was gone.
"Chakotay to Torres, Torres reply." He listened carefully, and retried until she answered.
"What Chakotay, I'm kind of bust right now." B'ellanna said hurriedly, fidgeting around.
"I'm so sorry for….interrupting you guys, I just need you to go along with a plan for me and Kathr-The Captain. Me and The Captain" Chakotay left the Comm line online but stood in silence.
"What is the plan Chakotay, as I said I'm kinda busy with Tom" B'ellanna said, immediately returning to kissing Tom which made Chakotay feel awkward and just wanted to get it over with.
"I spent the night with the Captain last night, and we aren't ready to tell anyone but you two, so the plan is, I was visiting you two this morning, that is why I wasn't at my quarters, or at the Bridge on time, oh and B'ellanna?" Chakotay said quickly and awkwardly.
"Yes Chakotay?" She said through gritted teeth.
"The Captain says you can have until Tuesday off with Tom." He said as he heard Kathryn's footsteps coming down the corridor towards his quarters.
"Great thanks, is that it?" She asked desperately, moaning in the background.
"Yes, Chakotay out." He felt extremely awkward to have interrupted them at this time, but if they had until Tuesday all day to be doing these activities hopefully they would be refreshed for when they return to duty. He couldn't help but chuckle away to himself. The Captain entered straight away, without asking permission to enter and ran straight into Chakotay's arms.
"This is going to be harder than I thought." She looked up at Chakotay and leaned into his kiss.
"Let's get to the bridge. Did you explain everything to Tom and B'ellanna, how are they by the way." Kathryn said as they walked.
"Oh they were more than unhappy to hear from me, they had other…concerns."