Commander Torres, Commander Paris to the classrooms," The voice of the teacher came over the comms. B'Elanna looked at Tom across the table. They were in a meeting with the senior staff. They glanced at the captain.
"Go," She said to them.
Tom and B'Elanna jumped up. "Excuse us," Tm said to the others. They almost ran out of the conference room to turbolift. B'Elanna took a breath after she entered.
"What happened?" B'Elanna asked. She was worried about her children. She hoped that none of their children needed medical help or in major trouble.
"I don't know," Tom said. She could hear the worry in his voice, too.
They stepped off the turbolift and made their way to the classrooms where Miral's teacher was waiting for them. They didn't like the look on her face when they approached. She had a worry look etched on her face. They saw her take a breath before they stepped up. "I don't want to tell you this, but Miral is gone," She told them.
"How is she gone?" B'Elanna wanted to shake the woman, but Tom was holding her back.
"As a class, we headed to the holodeck where Miral was taken along the way. Two of Miral's friends didn't tell me until we got back to the classrooms," The teacher hated giving this bed news.
B'Elanna had a feeling about this. She had a feeling she knew who took Miral. She took a breath before asking. "Did the girls describe who took her?"
The teacher nodded and told them what the person looked like. B'Elanna was right. She didn't know why Vaaso would take her daughter. They didn't get into how different their cultures were.
"Thank you," Tom said. "We can take it from here. You can get back to your duties," The teacher nodded and went back in the classroom.
B'Elanna turned to Tom. "What are we going to do?"
"First we are going to talk to the captain," Tom stirred B'Elanna towards the lifts. "I know his ship is gone. It left the ship two hours ago," They got on the turbolift. "Deck One," Tom said.
B'Elanna took a breath, her daughter could be anywhere. They didn't know where Vaaso went. "What if we don't find her?" B'Elanna said the worse possible outcome.
Tom wrapped his arms around B'Elanna. "We'll get her back," Tom was worried too.
Miral was their first. They did everything first with her. He watched her take her first steps. He heard her first word. He remembered being nervous about holding her for the first time. The doctor and B'Elanna had to help him hold her. Tom remembered walking around their quarters trying to get her to sleep the first month they had her. Tom couldn't lose his daughter, his firstborn.
The turbolift stopped and they were on Deck One. Tom and B'Elanna took a breath before stepping off. They rang the chime to the captain's ready room, hoping the captain was in her office. "Enter," Janeway said from the other side. Tom and B'Elanna went in. "Is everything okay?" Janeway asked when she saw their faces, knowing something was wrong.
Tom and B'Elanna take a seat in one of the chairs in front of Janeway's desk. "Vaaso took Miral," B'Elanna said.
"How?" Janeway asked.
Tom told Janeway what happened, and she didn't like it at all.
"We have to get our daughter back," B'Elanna said in a worried voice.
Janeway frowned. B'Elanna didn't like that at all. "I cannot spare the manpower to go and get Miral," B'Elanna's heart fell. She opened her mouth to say something. "But I didn't say that you couldn't go and get her back. I think it would be better if you two went."
"Yes, captain," Tom grinned. B'Elanna could see the wheels turning in Tom's head. He was coming up with a plan. Tom grabbed B'Elanna's hand and headed for the door.
"Make sure you find a babysitter for your other three children," Janeway yelled after them.
Tom and B'Elanna entered the turbolift before Tom asked. "What does she mean by that?"
B'Elanna threw Tom a look that he could be that clueless. "She knows that we are going after Miral together."
"I was thinking of taking Harry," Tom started.
"No, I'm going with you," B'Elanna stated.
"What if something happens to the both of us?" Tom asked. "We would leave three children orphan."
B'Elanna knew that Tom was right, but she felt that this was her fault. She was the one that told Vaaso about Miral. "I understand, but maybe you can stay with our other three," It was in a quiet voice.
Tom looked at his wife. He knew something was up with her. "What is going on, B'Elanna?"
"I felt that this is my fault. I had told him about Miral, because yesterday was her birthday."
Tom took her in his arms. "This is not your fault, but the man who took her. You didn't think that telling him about Miral would lead to this."
"I know, but…" B'Elanna started.
"She's still gone," Tom finished.
"Yeah," B'Elanna mumbled.
"Alright," Tom sighed. "After this we need to talk," Tom hugged B'Elanna before the door to the turbolift opened.
They exited the turbolift and went to the shuttle bay. They got the Delta Flyer ready and were ready to leave when they heard Neelix's voice over the comm.
"Commanders Torres, Paris to your quarters."
Tom and B'Elanna traded a look. They were so wrapped up into getting Miral back that they forgot they had three other three children. Tom and B'Elanna left the shuttle bay and got in the turbolift. B'Elanna hung her head.
"I'm a bad mother," B'Elanna moaned. "How could I forget our other children."
Tom tried to smile. "If you're a bad mother then I'm a bad father," B'Elanna moaned. Tom wrapped an arms around B'Elanna.
"I think that we got so caught up getting Miral back to have our family together that we forgot about our other three children."
The turbolift opened to their floor. Tom and B'Elanna got off and made their way to their quarters. They stepped into their quarters. Dexter and Gabby ran into them. "Are you going to get Miral back?" Gabby asked.
Tom and B'Elanna knew that nothing could be a secret on the ship and were not surprised to know that Gabby and Dexter knew what happened to their sister. Tom and B'Elanna hugged Dexter as Neelix came up with James in his arms. James held out his arms for B'Elanna to take. B'Elanna took her youngest and held him close. She knew that she need to bring her family together again. B'Elanna headed James to Tom before turning to the other two. She didn't want to give them bad news, but they needed to know.
"Your dad and I are going to do everything to get your sister back."
The children understood what their mother was saying. Tom handed James to Neelix. "Be good for Neelix," Tom kissed each of the children. B'Elanna kissed them, too.
After they left, B'Elanna let out a breath as they headed back to the turbolift. Tom didn't say anything until they got on the turbolift. "One of us has to make it." B'Elanna only nodded. She knew that Tom was right.
They got to the Delta Flyer and finished their pre-check flight. Soon they left Voyager. They followed the wrap signature and didn't say a lot to each other.
"There," B'Elanna pointed out the ship carrying their daughter.
Tom stopped the ship. "How do we want to do this?"
"I don't know," B'Elanna didn't know what to do. She wasn't in Command. "You are the one on the bridge more than me."
As B'Elanna said the last words the Flyer shook. "Damn," Tom swore before firing on the ship. Vaaso shot at them again. Tom fired back. "I'm going to transport you on the ship to get Miral," Tom shouted.
B'Elanna stood and went to the transport spot. Tom nodded at her before transporting. B'Elanna took a breath as she looked at Tom for maybe the last time. She had her phaser ready because she didn't know what was waiting for her on the other side.
B'Elanna laned in a room that was in the back of the ship. She had the phaser ready as she made her way around the ship. She hoped that she would find Miral quickly and get off the ship before Vaaso saw her.
She was almost at the bridge and still didn't see Miral. There was only place that Miral could be. She was on the bridge with Vaaso. B'Elanna took a breath, she had to save her daughter. B'Elanna went on the bridge and Miral saw her right away. Miral opened her mouth to say something, but B'Elanna shook her head.
B'Elanna looked from Miral to Vaaso to see that he was still trying to take out the Flyer. B'Elanna looked back at Miral and put her finger to her mouth and waved Miral over to her. Miral walked quietly over to her. B'Elanna touched her comm badge and whispered. "Two to transport," She hoped that Tom heard.
"Your parents are going to die," Vaaso turned to where Miral was sitting and saw that she was gone. He started looking for Miral and found her next to B'Elanna. "No!" He shouted as the transportation happened. B'Elanna watched as he reached for a phaser to shoot them, but it never reached them.
B'Elanna took a breath as she was on the Delta Flyer again. She saw that Vaaso was still shooting at them. "Sit," B'Elanna pointed to an empty chair as she took her seat.
Tom looked back at them. "Everyone here," Tom smiled at Miral. Miral returned his smile.
"Tom, get us out of here," B'Elanna shouted at her husband.
Tom didn't need to be told twice. He shot them out of there with Vaaso shooting at them. Tom was several lightyears away and wondering if Vaaso was going to follow them. "Do you think he is going to follow us?" Tom asked.
"I don't think so. He knows what is waiting for him. It is a bigger ship," B'Elanna glanced back at Miral to see that she was worried. "Come here," B'Elanna held out her arms for Miral.
Miral came quickly and B'Elanna wrapped her arms around her. Tears started falling from Miral's face. B'Elanna glanced up and saw that Tom had put the shuttle on autopilot and was making his way over to them. He kneeled and placed a hand on Miral's back like he used to do when she was a baby. B'Elanna kissed Miral on the head. "Your dad and I are here," B'Elanna whispered.
"I know," Miral looked up at them with red eyes. "He kept telling me that you wouldn't come for me. That I would make a good match for his son."
"We will always come and get you," Tom mumbled.
Miral nodded. "He said that you had more than enough children and you wouldn't miss me."
B'Elanna traded a look with Tom before turning back to Miral. "We would have missed you. There would have been something missing from our family and that would have been you. I know your brothers and sister would have missed you. Can you think what your room would look like if Gabby had the run of it?"
Miral laughed. "It would be bad," Miral hugged her parents. "I would have missed you too," She looked at each of her parents. "And maybe I would have missed my brothers and sister."
Tom and B'Elanna laughed. B'Elanna pulled Miral close. She didn't want to let her go the same way she didn't when Miral was a baby.
"Commander Torres and Paris, this is Voyager," They heard Harry's voice through the comms. "If you can hear this, we are close and wondering if you would like a pick up."
Tom laughed and kissed Miral on the top of the head before going to respond to Harry's call. Tom and Harry arranged a time and place to meet.
The doctor met them in the shuttle bay. "I want to look over Miral," He pulled out his tricorder. The doctor asked Miral about her experience over on Vaaso's ship. Miral answered his questions as best she could. B'Elanna and Tom stood by Miral's side as they spoke. B'Elanna had a hand on Miral's shoulder. The doctor looked at Tom and B'Elanna after he was done. "She is good to go home," The family thanked the doctor and headed out pf the shuttle bay.
The family made their way back to their quarters. The doors open and they heard shouts. "Miral, you're back," Dexter and Gabby hugged their sister.
As the kids started asking Miral what happened. Tom and B'Elanna thanked Neelix for watching the younger three children. Neelix smiled at Miral before leaving the family to reconnect. Tom and B'Elanna just watched their children before it was time for bed.
Tom looked over at B'Elanna to see she was sitting on the couch in their room when he entered. The children were sleeping in their own beds. There was something Tom wanted to talk to B'Elanna about. Tom made his way over to her. B'Elanna looked up at him and smiled. Tom took a seat next to her. B'Elanna leaned into him.
"We need to talk," Tom said.
B'Elanna looked at Tom. "About what?"
Tom reached over and took the PADD out of B'Elanna's hand and set it down on the coffee table in front of them. Tom sighed. He didn't want to bring up the subject, but it needed to be said. "If something happens to one of the children, we both can't run off and get them. We have three other children to think of." He waited to see how B'Elanna was going to react.
"You're right. Normally I would have you go and get them, or I would go, but I felt responsible for what happened to Miral because I talked to Vaaso about our children."
"I understand I don't want anything to happened to either one of us, but we can't leave our children orphans."
"I don't want that to happen either. We are just going to have to make sure neither one of comes back in a box. I don't think Janeway or Chakotay want custody of our children," Tom laughed before leaning down and kissing B'Elanna. Tom took a moment to savior his wife kiss before they heard their bedroom door open, and Miral stepped in.
"I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes, I'm on that ship thinking about you not coming for me."
Tom and B'Elanna traded a look. "You can sleep with us tonight," B'Elanna said. Miral nodded and crawled into their bed.
Tom and B'Elanna sighed. They knew it was time for bed. They followed their ten-year-old daughter to bed.