To The Journey

Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it's not mine. This is an AU story.

Chapter Fourteen: I Don't Follow You

"Tasha, are you all right?"

Tasha kissed Data. She was very glad to be back with him after a month apart. "I'm sorry, Data. It's just that for some reason I can't stop thinking about the Voyager crew. Especially Tom. I'm not entirely sure why, but I really miss him today."

"You are still grieving for your friends. It is natural that they would be in the front of your mind. And I know you feel guilty about missing the memorial service."

"I should have been there."

"You were on an assignment. I am certain that if they can see you, they understood."

"Thanks for understanding."

He gave her the grin she would never grow tired of. "That is what I am here for."

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"What have you done this time?"

When Tom had called her out of nowhere, Tasha had every reason to assume the worst. She knew he'd spent the months since getting out of prison lounging around in the bar in Marseilles. Sometimes she regretted that he'd never gotten the chance to go on the Voyager mission, that he'd gotten in that fight on the station and been arrested by Odo, but after what had happened to Tuvok and the others, gratitude outweighed regret.

"Why do you always assume the worst?"

"Damn it, Tom, don't take that attitude with me. I know you too well." She was sick of him using his tough persona with her. She knew what was underneath, so he had no reason to bury it. "What did you call me about, then, if not to ask me to get you out of another sticky spot?"

"Something strange happened to me. I want to talk to someone about it, and you are my go-to person when I want to talk."

"The way you're talking, it sounds like this is a conversation best had face-to-face."

"Probably. You want to meet me at -"

"Not that bar of yours, thank you very much. There's a cafe in Portland I frequent, not a Starfleet-type place." She gave him the name and location. "Think you could meet me there in an hour?"

"For this, I'll find a way."

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"Now, what's this all about?"

"Something strange happened to me," he said just as he had over the comm. "I was playing pool in Sandrine's and this kid came up to me. Starfleet. Works for Engineering Corps, right out of the Academy if you can believe it."

"Oh, I've heard of him. Kim, isn't it? Someone I know is also in Engineering Corps right out of the Academy. Apparently there's something of a connection - not like that, get your head out of the gutter, Paris!" she added before he could say what she knew he wanted to.

Tom laughed despite himself, a real laugh, and Tasha joined him.

"No one in Starfleet history and then two in one year?" he asked once he'd pulled himself together.

"I know. Starfleet works in mysterious ways. So what was it about this Ensign that made you call me at this hour?"

"Well, he told me an interesting story. Apparently, he's not supposed to be here. And niether am I."

"Well, where are you supposed to be, then?"

"That's the real question, isn't it? You see, according to him we're in an alternate reality."

"Oh. Those I know well. Go on."

"Well, according to him, in his reality I never got myself arrested on Deep Space Nine for fighting with a Ferengi for trying to sell me Lobi crystals."

"That's generally how alternate realities work, from what I understand. One event somewhere in the past is altered and everything is different because of it. But if you didn't get arrested, what did happen?"

"Apparently, the Ensign was there, and the Ferengi targeted him, and I stepped in, and we were both on Voyager when she left. He asked me to go to Starfleet headquarters with him and help him run a simulation to prove that what he said happened could have happened, and I thought it was an elaborate trick. Wouldn't be the first time Starfleet's tried something like that."

She felt a rush of sympathy for him. She usually agreed with Starfleet, but in Tom's case she still thought it wasn't fair of them to continue trying to use him after having so unceremoniously thrown him out.

"But it was more than that. Something else happened."

"It was what he said after that. There was something about it - well, two somethings. The first is that some of what he said is pretty much exactly the way I think, but it's not the kind of thing I tell just anyone. It's the kind of thing I tell you. And second - sad to say, but what he said is true, and he made me think."

"What did he say?"

"He said I told him that I used to treat life like one big game. Rules, players, winners, losers. I never took any of it seriously until I lost. And then he said I told him I was afraid of what would happen to me if I didn't take Janeway up on her offer - and I was, and this is why? What am I, Tasha? What good am I to anyone?"

"You will be," she assured him. "You'll find a place for yourself again."

"He said that I'm a loser and a drunk, and that in this reality that's all I'll ever be. "

"So now what? What crazy scheme are you cooking up in that mind of yours?"

"How did you know -"

"I know you." She smiled. "Now, the plan?"

"I've got a friend or two in Starfleet yet. I'll check up on him, see if he needs any help."

"Whatever you end up doing, count me in."

"Okay, but promise me that if we get into a confrontation with Starfleet you'll stay out of sight and let me deal with it. In case the timeline doesn't fix for whatever reason, I'm not wrecking your career over this."

"Deal."

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"Ow!" Tom exclaimed as he knocked out the security officer. "There goes my bank shot." He bent to pick up the man's phaser as Ensign Harry Kim watched him in shock.

"What are you doing here?"

"Helping out a friend. Let's go. Tasha, you there?"

"Right here." She popped out from behind the building she'd used as cover. "I second the motion to get going."

Tom's investigations had proven timely. Apparently, Harry was in serious trouble for supposedly forging access codes to hack a classified system. Tasha suspected it was actually a result of whatever time accident they'd gotten caught in the middle of. They'd arrived at his apartment in time to see him being chased down by Starfleet security for, as near as they could tell, tampering with a security anklet. That is, he had been being chased before Tom had knocked his pursuer unconscious.

"Who are you?"

"Don't worry. We can trust her."

"If you say so."

Harry's trust in Tom only reassured Tasha of what she already knew; he knew Tom. Knew the real Tom as only a few people did. Since Tom didn't remember him at all, it meant that the only plausible explanation was the one Harry had offered.

"So, how did you find me?" Harry asked once they'd found an out of the way place to regroup.

"I still have a few friends at Starfleet. They told me you were in some serious trouble."

"Yeah. Starfleet thinks I'm a Maquis spy."

Tasha couldn't help a soft laugh in sympathy, but it was Tom who voiced what they were both thinking. "I know the feeling. Those security anklets really chafe, don't they?"

"You're the last person I expected to help me."

"Let's just say it's been a long time since anybody gave a damn about my future, including me. I don't know if I'm supposed to be on Voyager like you've told me, but it sounds a whole lot better than the life I have here. I'm willing to take my chances, Ensign."

"Call me Harry. You always did. And what about -"

"My name's Tasha. Tom told me what's going on. I offered to help."

"Won't be long before they find us. We better keep moving."

"Wait. I found a way to get back to my reality. The problem is I'll need a ship to do it. I think I have access to a runabout, but I'm going to have to break it out of Spacedock."

"Sounds to me like you need a pilot." Tom grinned.

"Know anyone who's qualified?" Harry's smile made it clear he and Tom were on the same page.

"I know someone who used to be pretty good. And if I'm not mistaken, he still knows a few tricks."

"I can hold off Security for a few seconds without being caught." At Harry's look, she added, "Blame him. He's the one who made me swear not to get caught."

"I have an office at Starfleet Headquarters. I think we can access the runabout launch codes from there."

Tom pulled out a small device. "Site-to-site transporter. With friends like mine, you never know when it'll come in handy. Where's your office?"

"Main complex, level six, subsection forty seven."

"I can beam us in. But we'll only have a few minutes before Security starts kicking down the door. Even with Tasha, we'll have to move fast."

"Let's do it."

"Wait." Tasha put up her hand. "Tom, beam me over first. I'll try to disable or at least delay the security sensors. After ten seconds, you two follow."

"Okay. Energizing."

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It was all set. They had their plan. They also had maybe two minutes before Tasha's tampering with the security system would fail.

"Tasha, I'll send you to another deserted alley in San Francisco. We both know you can't come on the runabout with us. And - thank you."

"From both of us," Harry added.

Tasha took a step forward and hugged Tom. "Good luck."

He kissed her forehead. "I love you, Tasha."

"And I love you."

"Tasha, if something goes wrong, tell my mom and my sisters I love them. And tell my dad I forgive him."

"I will." Her eyes shone with tears as he activated the transporter.

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"Tell me something, Tom."

Harry had just finished filling the senior staff in on his strange alternate reality experience, but he'd left a tiny bit out of his report, making it seem that only Tom had helped him. Now that it was just the two of them, however, he intended to figure out the missing piece of the puzzle.

"What?"

"Who's Tasha?"

He stopped so suddenly Harry crashed into him. "What?"

"Who's Tasha?"'

"When did you meet her?"

"She helped you help me."

"Tasha going against Starfleet - I never thought I'd see the day." He laughed.

"So you do know her. You two seemed close."

"We are. Were. She must think I'm dead by now."

"You said you loved her. And she said she loved you."

"I do. And she does."

"You don't act like it."

"I - oh!" He laughed. "I'm afraid you've misunderstood. We're not involved."

"You're not?" Harry's eyebrows hit his hairline.

"She's my cousin, and I love her like my sister. That's all."

"You're sure?"

"Harry, even I wouldn't get involved with my cousin."

"No, I suppose you wouldn't."

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"Tasha?"

"I'm sorry, did I wake you? I just had this strange dream."

"What was it about?"

"I don't remember." She frowned. "Tom, I think. But it wasn't like the ones I usually have, where he's dying somehow. I wish I could remember more. I suppose it doesn't really matter."

"Well, as long as you are awake and I am awake -"

"I thought you'd never ask."

This entire chapter is based on the Voyager episode "Non Sequitur", and the title of the chapter is a play on that phrase, which translates to "it does not follow". Just to be clear about what's what - the first section and the last two sections are normal reality, everything in between is alternate.

The mention of missing the memorial service came from the part of said episode where a character says that the service was recently. Since I didn't have anything to write for the service, I decided to come up with a reason why she wasn't there.

Also, just realized I haven't actually mentioned this, so here goes: I'm also working on a long fanfic for the show M*A*S*H. I remember one reviewer awhile ago correctly guessing that said show was the answer to a challenge question I posted at the end of a chapter, so I'm putting this here in case that person or any other reader of this story wants to read it. It's called When You Need Me Most, is a sequel to my oneshot Operation Margaret, and can be found on my profile.

Please review.