Emotions Series 04 Rekindled Emotions Read online

  The engineer smiled as she took his hand. She suddenly felt warm and safe in his arms. It was like coming home to her. She sighed in contentment as Tom selected a romantic song from his favorite time in history. The music began to play and the two danced.

  "It worked," Harry breathed in amazement, "I don't believe it."

  Alera was not convinced, "It's just a start, Harry. They have a way to go before they are complete again. Tom needs to remember more."

  The couple watched their friends dance across the room as if nothing could bother them. After two songs, the couple moved back to the bar and sat down. Harry and Alera hoped that the two would talk now.

  "B'Elanna," Tom began as he looked at his hands, a sign of nervousness that was familiar to her, "I know that we haven't been talking to each other much. It came as a shock to me when I woke up to learn that I was married and had two sons. On top of that, I lost three years--three very important years."

  B'Elanna took his hands in hers and forced him to look into her eyes, "I understand, Tom. I'm just happy that you are starting to remember. I'm more than glad that you love our sons as much as they love you. I just need you to remember what we had."

  Tom looked at her, "I'm trying, B'Elanna. I'm recalling things, but they are gone just as fast as they appeared. Yesterday was the first time something actually stayed long enough for me to commit it to memory. I'm hoping that I'll remember more soon."

  B'Elanna turned to look at the mirror. It felt just like when they first rescued him from Daylia. He would remember something, but it was gone before he could actually recall it. They came to him like flashes of light and was gone just as fast. She also remembered how frustrating it had been for her. She sighed a little too loudly.

  "What?" Tom asked, on the defensive, "I'm not remembering fast enough for you? Is that it?"

  She turned to him to see a flash of fire in his blue eyes. She hadn't seen that in months. She was both glad and fearful to see it return. She tried to calm him.

  "No, Tom. I know how frustrating this is to you. It's frustrating for me as well. You remembered things more slowly when we first retrieved you from that planet. Now, you have a whole year of memories returned to you. You just need to remember the rest."

  "You're talking about three years, B'Elanna!" Tom snapped, "I can't remember three years in a short amount of time, so don't give me a deadline!"

  "I'm not giving you a deadline, Paris!" B'Elanna shouted, standing up, "I know that you can't remember three years in three days or even three weeks. All I'm saying is that I want you to remember what we had!"

  Tom stood up as well. He glared into her dark eyes as if daring her. He walked up to her and quietly said, "I don't know if I want to remember what we had, if all we did was argue like we're doing now."

  With that he left the holodeck. B'Elanna stared at the spot where he stood. She felt her world crashing around her as she heard the doors hiss shut.

  Chapter Eight

  The next few days Tom tried even harder to remember but was unsuccessful though he did develop one whale of a headache--and he also wore a path in the carpet from all of his pacing. Not wanting a repeat of what happened on the holodeck, he also tried to avoid B'Elanna, for which unfortunately he was very successful.

  Little did Tom know that one reason that he was so easy to avoid B'Elanna was that she was also trying very hard not to run into him. She accomplished this by burying herself in her work, and only taking time off to be with the boys and then not staying in her cabin.

  Their actions though did not go unnoticed by Voyager's resident matchmakers.

  Chakotay having visually inspected the Ops Station and the Engineering Station, walked casually up to the front of the helm. He ran his hand lazily along the edge of the console. Tom looked up at the Indian wondering what he had done this time.

  "Mr. Paris, you appeared to be a might bored?"

  "Um, no I'm not..."

  "I find that hard to believe we have been flying virtually in a straight line for over three days without even a asteroid in sight. It seems to me that your talents are not being expended to the best capacity here on the bridge. I think that you should report to Shuttlebay One and work on the repair of the Chamberlain."

  "But..."

  Chakotay leaned down over the conn and whispered. "Truth be known, Tom, the Captain is short on replicator credits and hasn't had her coffee this morning. I would really appreciate the opportunity to get as far away from her as possible. So if you wouldn't mind going to the shuttlebay for the rest of your shift so I can sit at the conn, I'd really appreciate it."

  Tom couldn't believe that Chakotay was actually asking him a favor, so what else could he say. "Sure...um...no problem, Commander, I'd be happy to."

  Paris relinquished his position at the helm to the First Officer and headed toward the shuttlebay, missing the conspiratorial wink that passed between the Commander and the Captain.

  Tom strode into Shuttlebay One and stopped when he spotted the Chamberlain in the repair bay. Several crewmembers were working on it, some were working under the shuttle and others were perched on the roof of the craft. Tom approached the repair team and one of them, a young lieutenant spoke up.

  "Lt. Paris, over here!" The lieutenant waved his hand indicating that they needed him to work on the far side of the shuttle. Tom nodded and walked around to the other side. Several people were working on the starboard side and moved aside when they saw Tom to allow him access to the redundant navigational sensors. Tom worked on the sensors for quite awhile and the other members of the crew went back to their jobs.

  Finally, the scent of plasma coolant drifted through the air becoming stronger all the time. He had questioned why he needed to go down here when Chakotay told him to report to the shuttlebay, but now the question was answered.

  "Tom, why are you here?" B'Elanna Torres growled approaching the pilot.

  "Because, I have a death wish?" he quipped.

  B'Elanna narrowed her eyes and glared at her husband. The other members of the repair crew retreated a discrete distance from the pair.

  "So they got you working on this shuttle too?" he tried hoping that he could divert her ire.

  "Apparently."

  Tom bent down and whispered in her ear. "I'd say they are trying to set us up again."

  "I know," B'Elanna replied softly her anger dissipated. "They are just trying to help."

  Tom laughed lightly and nodded. "They really care about us."

  "They're family."

  "A family we never had back in the Alpha Quadrant," Tom said his voice choked with emotion when he considered how much their friends cared about them.

  "Certainly not a family that would go to the trouble that the Voyager family does just to try and make us happy."

  "We are very fortunate, but I wish that they'd just let us go at our own pace," Tom admitted his lips gently tickled her ear.

  B'Elanna turned her head, her lips coming very close to her husband's, so close she could taste his scent. "I agree." the concurred huskily.

  B'Elanna then noticed that the shuttlebay had become very quiet, she looked around and observed that the repair crew were all paying careful attention to the two of them.

  The engineer cleared her throat, the moment passed, and a red- faced Tom returned to his job. The other crewmembers heaved a discouraged sigh.

  That night B'Elanna slept restlessly. In her dreams, she was lying with Tom, her nude body pressed against her husband's bare flesh. He intimately touched her and she him, until finally B'Elanna awoke flushed with excitement, longing for the reality of her imagination, of what they had experienced in the past.

  Down the hall, not far from B'Elanna's cabin, Tom Paris shared an equally erotic dream. In the dream, he could hear the half- Klingon's primal roar as she plummeted over the edge of sexual fulfillment and he could feel the elation of having brought her to the rim of oblivion and following her into the passionate climax. The pilot's azure eyes flew open at
the end of the dream. He took a deep cleansing breath and flinging the damp sheets away from his body, sprang from his bed and headed toward the bathroom. Tom filled the sink with clean, cold water, bent his head over the basin and splashed the water onto this face. Finally straightening up, he looked into the mirror and rubbed the wetness away from his eyes. Looking at his reflection he said simply: "I'm starting to remember. I remember the love."

  B'Elanna hurried down the corridor to the turbolift the next morning. To her surprise, the object of her dreams, her husband, was already in the lift.

  "Good morning, B'Elanna," Tom replied cheerfully.

  "Good morning, did you sleep well?"

  "Ah-huh," Tom replied with a low and sexy voice, he recalled the dream he had of her during the night. "B'Elanna?"

  "Yes?" B'Elanna noticed his heavy eyelids and the tone of his voice and took a step to bring her closer to him and she growled.

  Tom didn't need an engraved invitation and pulled his wife into his embrace and kissed her with a newly discovered passion--a delightful familiar passion that he had forgotten but had returned to his memory in a welcoming deluge during the night.

  B'Elanna opened her lips to allow their tongues to touch and she ran her hands hungrily up and down his back. "Oh, Tom," she breathed when they parted momentarily to breathe, "I've missed your touch so much and I've missed you."

  "And I you, my love." Tom replied, delighted that he could finally say those words and truly mean them. He cradled her face in his hands and reverently kissed her, first on her forehead, then her eyelids, her pert nose, and finally he tenderly kissed her mouth.

  It was Tom's turn to growl. He parted her sweet, swollen lips with his tongue in a desperate attempt to taste her. A starving man having finally found his sustenance, his reason to live.

  It was then the turbolift doors opened on the bridge level. Unbeknownst to the couple, the entire bridge crew observed their embrace just before the doors shut and the turbolift proceeded down to one of the lower levels.

  Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged self-satisfied smiles, and both looked over to the Communication Station to see an equally happy Harry Kim.

  "Captain, turbolift one appears to be experiencing difficulties," Tuvok announced with complete seriousness from his station. "It is my prediction that it will be off line for fifteen minutes."

  "Make that thirty minutes," Janeway suggested realizing that it was the Vulcan who initiated the turbolift 'difficulties.'

  "Aye, aye Captain," the Security Chief replied stoically.

  Chapter Nine

  The day finally arrived. Harry and Alera's wedding was held in the Resort. The couple stood before the Captain smiling happily. Alera was dressed in white lace, the skirt flowing down to her ankles. The raw silk veil covered her face, yet she could still see. Harry was dressed in a black tuxedo as was his Best Man, Tom Paris.

  B'Elanna was dressed in a flowing gown of a pale rose color. She kept her eyes on Tom as Janeway began the ceremony. Her grip tightened on the bouquet of flowers that she held in her hands when Tom's blue eyes caught her brown ones. She smiled shyly as she hoped he was remembering their wedding.

  Tom's gaze, though was far away. He kept seeing flashes of light appear before him. The flashes soon became images as he remembered a lush forest. He could hear voices almost like the ones he could faintly hear now. He had a sudden rush of happiness and fulfillment wash over him and he closed his eyes to take it all in. A ghost of a smile played on his lips as Janeway announced that Harry and Alera were married.

  Tom congratulated Harry and Alera as the happy couple moved toward the huge banquet table.

  "I bet you never thought you'd ever marry, huh, Harry?" The pilot asked as he took a champagne glass.

  Harry smiled at his friend, "You know, I had been thinking about that. I was more than surprised that you got married. I thought you'd always be the bachelor."

  Tom laughed, "So did I, Harry. But, I'm actually grateful. I have two wonderful boys. Twins no less."

  Harry could tell something was wrong. The pilot had a distant look about him. He has a strange feeling that Tom was remembering something.

  *Good* Kim thought, *if he's remembering something he should be closer to regaining all his memories. I hope.*

  Tom excused himself as more people began to gather around Harry to congratulate him. The pilot didn't want to be in the way. Besides, he had some thinking to do. He was getting that strange feeling he had a couple days ago. The feeling of being so lost and alone. He tried to shake it, but it continued to taunt him.

  *What is going on?* He asked. *Why am I feeling this way? What is it?*

  He sat down at a table away from the others. He stared at his champagne glass and suddenly the feeling poured over him like a tidal wave. Tom felt despair and heartache. He tried to catch his breath, but he only gasped. He closed his eyes and tried to force the feelings away, but they persisted.

  "Tom?" A voice broke the onslaught.

  The pilot opened his eyes to see Captain Janeway standing over him. He offered her a chair and she sat down. He could see the concern in her eyes and he wondered what was wrong. She provided the answer.

  "I saw that you left the group. Is there something wrong?"

  Tom stared into his glass. The captain had a sudden feeling of deja vu come over her as she saw the look on his face. She remembered seeing that same expression at another time. She shuddered as she pushed the horrible memories away.

  "I got this sudden feeling as I was standing there," Tom said softly, "It was like a tidal wave crashed down on me. I couldn't breathe for a moment. I had this feeling a couple days ago. I feel lost and alone. What is it?"

  He looked at her as he spoke his question. He searched her eyes, hoping that the answer was in them.

  "I believe I felt this before," Tom continued, "It seems familiar. It was more powerful today. Almost like deja vu."

  Janeway nodded. She knew what he was talking about. She believed he was remembering Harry and B'Elanna's engagement party. She didn't know what to tell him. She didn't know if she should tell him.

  "Do you know what happened?" Tom asked, "Did something happen to make me feel like that? So lost and alone."

  Janeway nodded and looked at her hands. She knew she had to tell him, but she hoped it wouldn't traumatize him.

  "There was a time not too long ago when you were depressed. The only thing that kept you going was your piloting. Though, even that didn't seem to help much."

  Tom looked at her when she didn't continue, "What happened?"

  Janeway stared at him. His blue eyes telling her that he wanted to remember. She took a deep breath and continued, "You thought that you had lost B'Elanna to another. You were afraid to tell her that you loved her. You have loved her for a long time, Tom."

  Tom stared at her in shock. He took a deep breath to calm himself. So that was why he felt so lost and alone. He nodded to himself as realization hit him.

  "It was a situation like this, wasn't it?" Tom asked, his eyes dark.

  Janeway nodded, "You were distraught for two months, Tom. A lot of us were afraid you would never come out of it. Eventually, you did. With B'Elanna's help."

  Tom smiled at that. B'Elanna. She had been there for him as he tried to regain his memory. Of course, she was frustrated with him at times, but she was there. He knew now that he wanted to be with her again.

  The pilot excused himself and went over to the chief engineer, who was talking to Alera. He smiled at them both when they noticed his arrival.

  "B'Elanna, Alera," he said, nodding to them both. He then turned his attention to the half-Klingon, "B'Elanna, care for a dance?"

  B'Elanna smiled brightly. She nodded and took his hand when he offered it. The two walked toward the other couples that were dancing. The couples parted for them as the two made their way to the center. As a slow song started to play, Tom put on hand on her waist and took her other hand in hi
s. They stared into each other's eyes as the music played.

  Janeway watched the two glide across the floor. They appeared to be dancing on air, she noticed. They were almost oblivious to the other dancers around them.

  *Maybe they are dancing on air,* Janeway thought as she smiled. She realized then that the two really didn't need any matchmakers. All they needed was time.

  *And a wedding,* the Captain added as she watched the couple's graceful movements.

  B'Elanna placed her head on Tom's chest as the two danced. She breathed in his scent and closed her eyes. How she missed him. She missed his touch, his caresses, everything. She couldn't remember ever feeling so happy in her life, except when she married him.

  *I just wish he could remember that,* she thought as her hand roamed unconsciously up and down his back. If he could remember that, then everything else would come.

  Suddenly, she felt a gentle kiss on her ear. She tensed, but quickly relaxed. She moved her head to stare into his eyes.

  "I was wondering if you're doing anything tomorrow night?" Tom asked, almost shyly. He hoped he wasn't rushing things.

  B'Elanna smiled. She felt as if she could float. Her eyes brightened as she spoke, "I'm not doing anything."

  Tom smiled as well. She obviously knew what he was up to. He spun her around and spoke softly, "It'll be just the two of us a nice romantic dinner, some dancing..."

  "It's a date, Tom," B'Elanna interrupted. He could get carried away at times and go on about every detail.

  The pilot smiled, "Great. See in Holodeck Three, 1800?"

  "I'm there, flyboy," she whispered in his ear. It sent a shiver down his spine and he moaned softly. B'Elanna giggled with delight.

  Janeway smiled as the couple whispered to each other. It looked like things were finally going their way.

  *I hope they finally find happiness,* she thought as she watched the two dance. *They deserve it. After all that's happened to them.*

  Tom and B'Elanna continued to dance as if they were the only ones in the room. Even after the music had stopped.

  Chapter Ten

  Tom and B'Elanna entered the holodeck, and stepped into another world. It was night and three full moons hung in the velvet sky. The moons' light was all the two needed to see the path as they walked down it through the forest.