Beautiful Stranger

By: Lucy Kenward

Disclaimer: We all know the drill by now and I'm getting fed up of writing it, but oh well. Mr and Mrs Paramount I am *not* making any cash out of this story what so ever and I am merely borrowing your toys and freeing them from the anti-relationshipper world that is season five. The story is mine..(insert maniacal laughter here..) The title is taken from Madonna's song 'Beautiful Stranger' she owns that.... You may archive this if you wish but please mail me before you do (it's always nice to know the whereabouts of your stuff) anyone wishing to change or alter either the story or disclaimer will be met by a simulation of my own feeble attempt at impersonating an angry Klingon..*please* don't go away after reading this threat...at least read the story...who knows? You may not find it an irrelevant piece of fluff....But even if you do I'd still like to know..FEEDBACK IS WELCOMED WITH OPEN ARMS!!!! I love anyone who gives me any kind of feedback....(this is more commonly know as a HINT.)

Dedication: I'm still new at this strange world of fanfic but a huge thanks to Star Trek Voyager for inspiring me and to great fanfic authors like Lesa (who has been a huge help) Jan Monroe and Annette Welsh-Shinya- all whose work has made me green with envy (why can't we all write like that??)


The soothing sound of throbbing machinery drilled the into the back of his mind. He could vaguely make out the sound and slight inflections of a human voice. Pulling his mind from the subconscious and into reality he became familiar again with his surroundings. The flashing lights of nearby consoles, and the huge projection of star systems all equally unfamiliar and thousands of light years away from his home. Drawing all his attention to focusing his mind back to the task in hand he deftly drew up different information on his console. Scanning the page he realised that he was getting absolutely no where fast. His brain ached from the fatigue of the mere task of concentrating and every nerve in his body cried out for a break.

Sighing, he realised that working with a Borg, no matter how stunningly attractive, most definitely had it's downside. They had barely spoken. She just gave him this *look* every time he opened his mouth. This *look* was very similar to the much widely imitated look that the Captain gave to anyone who stepped out of line, mainly Tom Paris. With a wide grin plastered all over his face he recalled an excellent imitation of the Captain that Ensign Parsons was doing a couple of nights ago in Sandrines. *Too bad* he thought that Commander Chakotay had walked in to find this merry scene going on. The Indian had hit the roof and the party mood quickly subsided leaving a near-empty Sandrines and a very red faced Parsons. *Poor Parsons* he reflected. Todd was now working for two weeks, in his spare time for his favourite person, mainly Neelix in the mess hall, his main chore was preparation of the all important leola root. Todd, who now stank of the offending root, had figured that it only made it more blatantly obvious that the Commander and the Captain had a 'thing' going on. The betting pools were going wild.

*So was the rumour mill* he thought ruefully. It was quite shocking that the Doctor, the biggest damn gossip on the whole ship had seen him leaving Jennifer Delany's room at a time when they both should have been sleeping. Now it was all over the ship and most of the crew had been giving him these sly looks for days now. It wasn't like he didn't find her attractive, which male on board wouldn't? But it was all so totally innocent, *for the time being* he added, they had just been talking and it had gotten late. But the whole ship had been talking about it for days now and he was so fed up.

The rumours as with most suspected onboard romances ranged from they were dating to sex in the mess hall at midnight on lucky table five. These rumours didn't naturally discount the illustrious Captain and Commander's potential relationship from any of the exciting, if not sordid possibilities.

*Damn it!* He'd drifted off again and Seven was looking at him with this disconcerting scowl plastered across her features. He flushed bright red and cursed himself for having such easily embarrassed skin. Glancing back at his console he become suddenly aware of two things. The first was that his console was beeping quite loudly which probably explain the strange looks he was getting from Seven. The second was that he didn't really care because checking the chronometer he realised he didn't care his shift was over, if his replacement was on time in five......four...three....two....one.....

The door to Astrometrics swished open to reveal Seven of Nine wearing a scowl that Harry had come to recognise as the look of irritation caused by a lack of inefficiency. He turned to look over at her co-worker. Ensign White who looked like he was about to wilt from exhaustion. He grinned smugly at the young Ensign who looked more than pleased to see Harry. Seven, he noted didn't bother to look up.*Great* thought Harry, James White has put her in a foul mood which I will no doubt pay for in a drive for total efficiency. He dismissed White who looked overjoyed to be leaving and stepped into the room. *Thank God for Harry Kim* he thought leaving the tension-filled room. He, like many others hadn't failed to notice the potential relationship in them. Unlike others he'd also noticed the change in it too. Harry no longer blushed and stammered at Seven like an overly embarrassed teenager. In fact, he contemplated, heading straight for the mess hall to try and find Jenny or maybe tease Todd a little, it seemed like the attraction between them that was so blatantly clear had died out completely. *Shame* he figured heading into the empty turbolift, she could do a hell of a lot worse. *Like the Doctor* he silently added.

Harry stood quietly waiting for Seven to assign him to some kind of task and wondering exactly what is was to put her in this kind of mood. Actually, he reflected, if he didn't know better he say she was having serious mood swings. He cleared his throat audibly to provoke a response. He failed to get one. Seven was quietly tapping away at a console in her usual efficient manner. It was infuriating. He realised that over the past year there had been a significant change in their working relationship. He had changed and so had she. But he had considered themselves more like friends than co-workers. After all they helped each other out and he was able to talk and joke with her without himself feeling like a total blundering fool. He smiled in reflection at his past behaviour towards her. He had been really intimidated by her, on the other hand she'd really done a good job of intimidating him. He almost laughed out loud at a younger Seven's proposition of 'copulation in order to explore her humanity' it still made him blush as he could feel his face turn ever so slightly flushed. He summoned all the confidence he could muster and tried the direct approach.

"Seven have I done something to offend you?"

Seven of Nine's head turned at the irrationality of this statement. She looked at Ensign Harry Kim and shook her head. She felt bewilderment and confusion all her concentration from the task in hand now shattered.

"Well,"

Ensign Kim paused. Obviously he was waiting for a response. Seven felt she could not give a suitable truthful one without provoking further questioning, however, she would adapt.

"I am.."

She sought for the doctors teachings in a subject he called 'Etiquette' one which never particularly seemed relevant to herself.

"Sorry Ensign Kim I was concentrating to gain maximum efficiency in the plasma conduits."

She paused to read Ensign Kim's facial expression. In her short time on Voyager she had learned that a persons facial expression often gave away or concealed their emotions. She had found it to be an important lesson to be able to read them, allowing her to more easily understand someone. Ensign Kim was *predictable* she inwardly smiled as she remembered a conversation after she'd left Voyager shortly when the Borg contacted her onboard the Raven. He'd read her logs when they'd tried to discover her location. She remembered Ensign Kim telling her uncomfortably he'd found out she called him 'predictable' his facial expressions at the time were those of extreme embarrassment and discomfort so she had reassured him, in her own way and he had smiled and made a joke and generally became very nervous around her.

That particular lesson had always been useful when dealing with Ensign Kim. She could see now by his facial expression that he was believing her falsehood. Then his face changed suddenly and he raised an eyebrow at her previous statement.

"Why would you be checking an engineering problem in the Astrometrics lab?"

Harry stared at Seven and tried to figure out why she would lie. Did Seven lie? He couldn't remember a time when she had, possibly when the Borg Queen had tried to 'recruit' her back to the Borg, but never any other time. Seven was now looking flustered. Her cheeks were bright red. She was blushing. The thought occurred to him. She was blushing, a sign of her emerging humanity. That looked hopeful for her future. He decided not to make her feel any worse, he could remember just how uncomfortable it was blushing in front of her and feeling like an idiot so he smiled at her instead.

"It doesn't matter, I sure you have your reasons."

Her face seemed to ease in relief at this statement. His smile widened. the tension eariler seemed to have lifted. The room suddenly felt lighter.

"Umm, so give me a task to do then Seven, I'll help you if you like.."

She felt relieved that Harry had not pursued her falsehood and reminded herself not ever to try and create falsehoods unless it was relevant, it was far too unnerving.

"Help me to run a diagnostic on these star charts that the Captain recently purchased. We will proceed from this workstation." She gestured to the large workstation in the corner and they began their work.

Harry felt his stomach rumble and turned to see if Seven had heard it too. He really hoped she'd heard it and maybe she'd take a hint that they needed a break. Working for five hours straight running diagnostics even with the odd conversation, no matter who it was with was certainly not his idea of fun on night shift. Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of a blonde figure standing by the doors, looking back at his console he cleared his throat and spoke, "Seven do you want to take a break now? I really need to get some food from the mess hall and I know you don't really agree with Neelix's food but I've run out of credits and I'm really starving. We could use a little break and it might actually raise our efficiency levels"

Silence greeted him.

"Okay then maybe not, but it would shut me up."

Silence again. Seven really was in a strange mood tonight he decided. He turned slowly to face her.

"Seve-"

He stopped dead. Still. The room could have erupted into flames and clouds of billowing smoke and he'd still be standing there staring at her. That was definitely not Seven of Nine. She was probably Seven's complete opposite. Her slight figure lacked Seven's curves but it was still beautiful. Her soft blond hair that fell in waves framing her soft gentle features. Her elfin face and that beautiful smile that it always wore.

"Kes.."

The emotion in his voice in the words made him sound strangled. He stepped out slowly towards her, wanting to reach out and touch her arm to check she was real. Then the scientific segment of his mind kicked in. *This isn't real.* You're dreaming again Harry. Like so many dreams he'd had before he dutifully reminded himself. But Seven. The slight furtive shuffling of feet behind him made him realise she was still there. Refusing to turn his eyes away at the sight before him he called out for her.

"Seven.."

She replied with a panic in her voice that he instantly recognised. His spirit lifted in hope. She could see this vision of Kes too.

"Harry there appears to be a crew member who is no longer abroad Voyager standing by the exit."

He shook his head nervously in recognition.

"I see Kes, or what appears to be her, Seven."

The figure moved forwards and he could see she that the intensity of her smile had increased.

"Harry I am Kes, but a Kes in another alternate lifetime. One different to yours Harry. We have experienced phenomena similar to this before Harry, please, do not fear me, but listen to me I do not have much time here. Please."

Her eyes had this begging quality to them. There were endless possibilities for why she was here and why this could be some technology or hallucination. However her eyes, that look in her eyes that Kes would sometimes have, this intensely pleading look that begged you to listen to her. He became spellbound, and it appeared from the lack of questioning on Seven's part that she too was similarly affected.

"Harry, Seven, on our Voyager there has been a terrible incident, the information is all here in this pad for the Captain to read. But it was the last wish of two crew members aboard our Voyager that we give you a member of our crew. She is the only child on Voyager and she needs a second chance to live."

She stepped forward to Harry and he could almost taste her scent, that wonderful combination of mingled flower scents from the hydroponics bay. His heart was convinced as he saw the tears in her eyes, she handed a pad to Seven and then handed the bundle in her arms to Harry. He had now become acutely aware that this bundle was a small infant who looked humanoid and cannot have been over a month in age. It was sleeping contentedly. The exchange of the infant shed more tears for Kes and Harry felt his own eyes glisten as the reality of Kes hit him. She was here, in the flesh, and yet in a matter of minutes she would be gone for eternity.

He looked at her and reached out his hand to touch her face. He had never believed that after her departure those secret feelings he'd held for her would ever resurface. He had mourned her death quietly, privately not wanting to upset anyone by showing his true feelings towards her. The husky sound of her voice brought him back from his quiet reverie.

"Her name is Linnis, Harry.."

She leaned in so close that he felt her sweet breath on his cheek. She whispered gently into his ear,

"Love her for me Harry."

She placed a light kiss on his lips that only seemed to brush his senses. He shut his eyes, and a tingling sensation grew around him. His eyelids slowly lifted leaving him to face the harsh reality of her arrival and swift departure. He glanced down at Linnis, the small infant in his arms and wondered who her parents were. she had this strange familiar mixture of facial features. He looked up at Seven who had this interesting combination of shock and bewilderment playing across her features.

"Ensign Kim, I can offer absolutely no explanation for the events that have just occurred. I will inform the Captain and give her this padd. You will take the infant to sick bay."

She rushed out of the room leaving Harry holding the baby.
* * * * * *
Sickbay duty was always dull and today was no exception. Tom Paris scanned his bored blue eyes frustratedly over yet another page of text describing yet another dull fact about regeneration of tissue and bone. Sighing he prayed for some kind of medical emergency, not to serious, but anything to keep the doctor from sick bay for five minutes so he could sleep. His intense fatigue and need to see B'Elanna Torres was not helped by the Doctor who seemed to do everything in his power to keep him bored therefore keeping his mind firmly on his fatigue and the body of B'Elanna. His medical study didn't get a look in. It had been a week and a half since he had enjoyed company with B'Elanna *there's a unique way of putting it Tommy boy* he thought to himself. The total anguish of not being to spend five minutes alone with her had led to extreme frustration and then fatigue. The Doctor had been his usual pleasant self. Whoever programmed him should be shot or at least court-martialled. It wasn't his 'gritty' *a polite way of describing his character* bedside manner that got him. He liked the Doctors often blunt but always sarcastic nature, he could remember how the Doctor before the EMH had treated him *along with half the crew* and so he could always appreciate the Doc that extra bit more. But it was this slave driver, take no prisoners attitude to Tom's duties that really bugged him. The Doc failed to understand that Tom Paris was a PILOT not a nurse or medical assistant. Piloting was enjoyable to him. Treating other people's injuries was not. He didn't mind the people, in fact he liked comforting people, chatting, joking, reassuring them, it was the whole not piloting the ship part that he didn't enjoy.

The doctor was humming his favourite opera tune whilst checking his medical files on a terminal when the doors to sickbay swooshed open. Ensign Harry Kim stood in the door carrying a small infant, no older than a month by his initial diagnosis. He looked extremely concerned and was cradling the baby gently. Tom Paris had looked up from his studies as soon as he heard the doors open. He'd got out of his chair and approached the door when he saw a white, panicked Harry Kim holding a small child. He immediately rushed to his friends side. It looked like sickbay had got a hell of a lot more interesting, for the time being at least.
* * * * * *
Kathryn Janeway sat slouched in her comfortable chair inhaling the delicious aroma emanating from her favourite cup of coffee. Wrapping her fingers round the cup she took a small sip allowing the flavour to envelop her taste buds. She smiled as she looked out of the view port to the rushing stars. The ship hummed quietly with activity and healthy systems. *Always a good sign.* She thought happily. It had been a quiet morning and she was relaxing in her ready room letting Chakotay handle things quietly on the bridge. She thanked which ever Gods were looking out for them in the Delta Quadrant and most certainly they had something keeping them alive in the unfamiliar territory which they dived headfirst into every day. She tried to picture what the last five years would have been like if they'd captured the Maquis from the Badlands. The first time she'd thought about this she'd stopped. It was too painful trying to imagine herself back in Indiana, amongst those sunny, humid summers. Back in the fields where she spent a happy childhood playing. With Bear her dog and it's pups. Her mothers smiling face, warm embrace and caramel brownies and Phoebe that whirlwind of energy she'd come to love. And Mark, they'd be married by now. That thought always disturbed her, at first because she knew exactly how impossibly far away from him she was, but now, because he was married to someone else? Or maybe because she didn't love him anymore. That chain of thought always led her to the impossible situation she was in again. The possibility of falling in love with a man who might as well be thousands of light years away from her, but who she saw every day knowing all that time that she could never allow herself to love him. She sighed, that miserable chain of thought had left her with lukewarm coffee and a heavy heart. She swallowed remembering not to lose her composure and became unpleasantly aware that someone had now entered her ready room. She looked up and saw Seven of Nine staring at her gripping a padd in her Borg enhanced hand.

"Sit down Seven."

She said with some unconcealed irritation at Seven's sudden entrance. As the woman sat down Kathryn couldn't help but notice that Seven looked very pale with a large frown placed firmly on her features. Her original irritation melted into compassion for the woman, emotions were still quite new to her and it looked like she'd been experiencing several.

"Captain,"

"Seven what is it?"

Seven took a large breath, her composure faltered slightly.

"Myself and Ensign Kim were working in the Astrometrics lab on some diagnostics when at approximately fifteen minutes ago a manifestation of some kind appeared by the exit to Astrometrics."

" Manifestation?"

" At first the image was hazy, but as it became more focused the image formed into the person I immediately recognised as the Ocampon female who departed the ship a year ago, Kes."

The Captain visibly paled and took a sharp intake of breath. Seven paused as she drifted into her own thought for a minute or two she remembered the look on Ensign Kim's face when Kes appeared and the look of delight when Kes kissed him. She now wished that she could not so easily understand the Ensign's emotions through his facial expressions. The Captain also appeared to drift off into her own thoughts of Kes. Seven waited quietly and as the Captain nodded she began again,

" She told us that she was onboard a Voyager in an alternate timeline where they were experiencing some kind of problem. She implied that the whole crew was dying. She handed me this Padd of information and informed me that this was to go directly to the Captain. She gave Ensign Kim a small humanoid infant whose designation is 'Linnis' she then hugged Ensign Kim and disappeared. She had stated that the child was the only one onboard their Voyager and that the parents were concerned that it should live in whatever way was possible. Kes appeared extremely distressed in having to explain this situation to us."

As a afterthought she added in as neutral voice as she could manage,

"Ensign Kim also appeared extremely distressed at her appearance."

The Captain picked up the data padd and stared at it's blank screen for several long seconds.

"Thank you Seven."

She said somewhat uncertainly. Her mind felt bogged down with too much information and emotion. She lightly touched Sevens hand as a form of comfort to the woman.

"Seven, why don't you go down to sick bay and inform the Doctor that I'll be down right away."

Seven looked extremely puzzled by this request to spend her time at such an inefficient request. However she concurred with the Captain and quickly left the quiet room.

Kathryn sighed there was no such thing as a relaxing morning or a quiet day onboard Voyager and it now looked like it was going to be a very busy week. She slouched even further into her chair and switched on the data padd.
* * * * * *

Harry stepped back with a wide grin on his face to observe the scene. Tom Paris and the Doctor were have one of their usual arguments, they had been exchanging smart remarks for about two minutes now and for once they weren't arguing about Tom's duty shifts or his lack of enthusiasm.

"Mr Paris kindly allow me to hold the infant while you scan her."

"No way Doc you can scan her and I'll hold her, she's sleeping anyway."

Tom's smile intensified at he looked over the sleeping figure. The Doctor rolled his eyes and let out an overly dramatic sigh.

"Fine then Mr Paris. Just remember when it comes to cleaning up any kind of mess she makes in sick bay I'll know who to find to clear it up. Now keep her still for a minute."

Tom accompanied this with an equally dramatic groan of his own. The Doctor began patiently scanning the delicate child. Tom turned his attention away from the child and back to his friend Harry.

"So who do you think the parents are then Harry?"

Tom studied his friends face very carefully and looked back down at Linnis. He sighed quietly, the kid was beautiful. A heart shaped delicate face with these huge dark brown eyes that were currently obsurced by her pink eyelids. She had very pale skin with just a tint of yellow in it and very rosy cheeks. Her hair was just a slight blond fluff but it had some very dark strands in it. He'd always liked kids, Naomi Wildman was one of his favourite people on Voyager and he'd always hoped one day he'd have kids of his own, maybe with B'Elanna *but for now he was quite content with the practice in making them* that sent a large grin to his face as he could imagine B'Elanna's reaction to that. *Paris you pig* she'd come out with something like that accompanied by this wonderful hungry grin she'd give him and this sparkle in her eyes...

"Tom, are you listening?"

"Huh? Oh sorry Harry I was a million miles away."

Tom had now turned bright pink. Harry could only guess at what he'd been thinking about.

"Let me guess."

He paused and watched his friend go pinker by the nano second. Grinning smugly he stated.

"B'Elanna."

Tom nodded and swiftly changed the conversation,

"So how quickly do you reckon the rumour mill will discover our latest crewmember?"

"About as soon as the Doc finds out who the parents are. Good news always travels slower than juicy gossip."

The Doctor was busy inspecting a console tapping away. Harry spoke in a slightly hushed voice,

"When do you reckon the Doc will find out who Linnis' parents are?"

"About as soon as I've done a complete DNA match for every male and female humanoid crew member onboard, and that will go much faster without the chatter Ensign."

The sickbay doors opened and a rush of air escaped Seven of Nine stood hesitantly in the doorway. Tom noticed she was looking very pale and slightly guarded. She approached the Doctor and they began talking while he scanned her. Tom turned to speak to Harry but as he did he noted Harry was watching the Doctor and Seven very carefully, he then exited sickbay discreetly. Tom figured calling him or arranging to meet in the mess hall with Harry right now wasn't a good idea. He's probably got a lot to think about. So Tom left him to go and brood, which was undoubtedly what the young Ensign would be doing right now. *Poor Harry he never did quite get over Seven.*

But the thought occurred to Tom as he placed little Linnis in her cot was how her Asian looking her features were, if he wasn't mistaken then it looked hopeful that little Linnis'daddy was his friend Harry. Smiling and whistling a tune that his mother used to sing to him, he tucked the soft blankets over the child's tiny body, smoothing the fuzzy hair back from her eyelids.
* * * * * *

A brisk figure rushed down the corridors with one destination and more specifically one person on her mind. Destination: Sick Bay. Intention: Tom Paris. B'Elanna was nursing one hell of a headache, every muscle in her body was tense from fatigue and her stomachs growled more ferociously than an entrapped Targ. But she ignored the complaints and continued on her destination when she felt ready to drop. The sickbay doors shuffled open and B'Elanna stood open mouthed as the usually quiet sickbay was filled with the sounds of a distressed screaming. Her eyes darted round the round to see where the sound was emanating from. Curiosity got the better of her and she ventured towards the Doctor's office. The yelling got louder as she reached the room and peeking inside confirmed her suspicions. She winced at the intensity of the noise and secretly smiled as she watched an intensely occupied Tom Paris. He was holding the infant carefully in his arms and humming a soft melody to her, it seemed to be working as the child's original piercing wail had been reduced to small snuffling noises. Then it hit her. *Where the hell did this month old baby spring from???* Ignoring this question for the time being anyway, she softly crept up to Tom and as he placed the baby back in the cot with a small sigh, she wrapped her arms gently round his and purred gently in his ear.

Tom Paris sighed in relief. He'd know who that purr belonged to any time and he slowly turned to face B'Elanna smiling with all the intensity he could muster in his fatigued state. He moved his hands to stroke her hair. Leaning in he savoured her scent, this strange combination of the engine room and this really soft gentle fragrance that reminded him of rose petals. He leaned in and kissed her lips so softly that he heard her sigh with pleasure. The kiss grew in intensity and B'Elanna's arms were firmly wrapped around his waist while his traced her slightly protruding spine. He became aware amongst all the intensity of the passion he felt from their kiss that someone was tapping him on the shoulder. He broke off the kiss slowly and felt the blood rush to his face as the Doctor was stood to their left with a medical scanner, he was examining the tricorder with an intensely smug looked pasted onto his holographic features.

"Glad to have you amongst the living Ensign, Lieutenant. Although it's nice to see you are paying particular attention to the practical aspects of your study into interspecies reproductive systems." At this remark he could feel B'Elanna tense up and practically jump away from him, he turned to look at the Doctor whose smug look had now turned into a fully developed smirk.

"It's always nice to see you speechless Mr. Paris. May I suggest you clean Linnis up and head off for a break this evening. The Captain needs to come down to sickbay so make it quick."

Paris quickly headed over to Linnis' cot and began placing sheets, medical equipment and clothes in a small bag. B'Elanna was dying to know where this mysterious baby had sprung from but she knew Tom wouldn't tell her until they were somewhere private. So she stood in the Doctors office trying very hard not to feel too stupid and failing. Then Tom looked up at her with a relieved smile indicating they could leave the place that they both knew made B'Elanna's skin itch.

"I'll see you soon Doc, I'm off now."

"Certainly Mr.Paris but remember in here at the start of Delta shift, sharp. Have a nice night Ensign, Lieutenant."

He smiled again as they left arm in arm about as close to each other as they could be without sharing uniforms. He flicked on the terminal in his screen and stared at the data results in amazement. He sat contemplating the problems this would cause and awaited the arrival of the Captain.
* * * * * *

"So Kes just appeared? Out of thin air? With a child?"

"B'Elanna keep your voice down, no one knows so we wouldn't want the rumour mill to get hold of something like that would we?"

"Sorry Tom, so what happened? I mean with Kes and Harry.."

She'd leaned in now and as alluring as a simple act like that was to Tom he knew that until he told B'Elanna what was going on she wouldn't think or talk about anything else.

"Well Harry didn't say much. He just stood in sick bay for a while and left when Seven came in. Seven, however, gave a more accurate recount. She said that they talked, Kes gave the baby to Harry and told him to 'love her for me' she stated the child's designation was 'Linnis' and.."

B'Elanna looked infuriated.

"And..?"

She prompted.

"They kissed."

"They kissed????"

"Uh-huh."

"Tom!"

"What?"

"Harry and -her- kissed?!"

"Yes."

"Well.."

"Well what?"

"Was it...passionate..?"

Tom shrugged. B'Elanna sighed, a small growl almost escaped her lips. Containing her anger she prompted him again.

"Well, Seven didn't specify she probably figured it was 'irrelevant'.."

"I can't believe it. I didn't realise."

"Realise what?"

"That he liked her. I thought they were friends."

"I guess we didn't realise. I was too busy to notice."

"Why?"

"Ummm I was too busy trying to figure you out."

"Me?"

Her tone of voice had reached it's silky seductive tones, she gazed at him while he tried to respond.

"Tom?"

"Yes.."

"Your ears are going pink.."

"Uh huh.."

"Will you tell me later what exactly it was you were figuring out?"

"Sure B'Elanna, shall we go now?"

B'Elanna smiled like a wolf eyeing up it's prey.

*Damn Tom Paris.* He is one hell of a lucky man. Todd Parsons pulled his attention back to James and his outrageous flirtations with the Delany sisters. That interesting piece of gossip he'd just overheard Tom and B'Elanna discussing would prove very handy as an ice breaker with Megan Delany. He leaned forward towards her and she leaned in as he mentioned some gossip he'd overheard this morning.

"Harry Kim kissed Seven of Nine!"

Exclaimed Megan aghast. Todd looked smug.

"That's exactly what Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres said."

Todd cast a glance over at Jenny. She was staring moodily at her tray and her full lips were pouted slightly. He wondered what possible connection Jenny and Harry had. *The mind boggles at the infinite possibilites.*

"Where was it?"

Todd hadn't got a clue, but Meghan had never been this interested in anything he'd ever said before so he figured a little white lie or embellishment of the story wouldn't hurt. He looked at her face, intense with anticipation and wondered if a women more beautiful than her actually existed. He figured probably not and so he took a chance.

"....ah I think it was holodeck two."

Meghan then proceeded to question him for half an hour. He wondered how she could come up with so many questions for just one statement. Sighing he wondered what Lieutenant Torres would do to him if she ever found out he'd been listening to her private conversations with Paris. He remember the 'mess hall incident' with Seven of Nine when she discovered Seven had been charting their 'intimate relations sessions' he shuddered to think just how much pain Carey had been in when B'Elanna broke his nose all those years ago. He grimaced, *Not a pleasant thought Todd.*
* * * * * *

Kathryn Janeway's headache and intense urge for caffeine had not been help by seeing Voyager's newest crew member and it's pain had doubled when she'd discover little Linnis' parentage. She looked over to Chakotay his dark features held a frown. So far the walk from the Sick bay to the bridge, or more specifically her ready room had been made in silence. She looked over at him hoping he knew her well enough to understand her 'I need a coffee and a meal before we can talk' look. It seemed to have worked because he let out a throaty chuckle,

"Okay, I give in Kathryn, don't give me that look, we can go to my quarters for some food and then talk about the latest incident on Voyager." His grin matched hers and she replied,

"Now tell me Chakotay how did you guess? Was it really the 'look' or was it the sound of my grumbling stomach all the way through that meeting"

"Ahhh well that would be revealing my secrets."

She smiled again and they headed for his quarters.
* * * * * *
Well? Do we like it so far?? This is only part 1/? but if you really want to read part 2 then TELL ME!!! I love all feedback.....



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