Beloved B'Elanna, part 12 - Whatever It Takes
by (I hate writer's block) Cheile

Dedicated to Robbie and Roxann (as if you didn't know this!)


      <I>"Tom!</I>
      B'Elanna's scream echoed off the canyon walls.  She fell next to 
him, frantically searching for a pulse, some sign that he was alive.
      "Tom, be all right!  Open your eyes!  Tom, please!"
      But Tom didn't open his eyes, didn't move.  His face was deathly 
pale.
      "Tom, no!" she sobbed.  <I>"No!</I>
      Throwing her head back, B'Elanna let out a keening scream, a wail 
that reverberated off the walls and sent a chill through everyone who 
could hear it, a cry that echoed on and on, cut off only by her choking 
sobs.
      A scream of mourning.

      Syria Brennan had been thinking of nothing but fleeing for her 
life.  But when a cry of <I>"Tom!</I> echoed from the canyon walls, 
followed by a spine-chilling scream, she knew something terrible had 
happened.
      She scrambled back down the rocky path and into the canyon.  The 
Cardassian was gone.  There was no sign of him.  And Lieutenant Paris 
lay on the ground, obviously injured, Lieutenant Torres hunched over 
him, sobbing uncontrollably.
      Cadet Brennan dashed to her side.  She didn't have to ask what 
happened.  One look at the scorch across Tom's chest and his white face 
gave her the answer.
      Her medical training immediately took over.  She felt for a pulse, 
and was momentarily filled with dread when she couldn't find one.
      A few minutes later, Cadet Bolen, followed by Cadet Amos, came 
hurrying down toward them.  They both stopped short at the sight.
      "Is he--gone, Syri?"
      "It doesn't look like he has a chance."
      Dropping to his knees beside her, Cadet Amos also felt for a 
pulse.  He shook his head and started to draw his hand away, but then a 
puzzled look crossed his face.  He felt again.  "I found a pulse.  
Lieutenant, he's still alive."
      "No," she whispered tearfully.  "He's gone."
      "He's still alive, but barely."
      "How are we--" Cadet Bolen began.
      "I'm not sure," Cadet Brennan put in.
      There was the sudden sound of voices coming from nearby.
      "They're coming back!"  Cadet Bolen paled.
      But it was not a hostile band of Cardassians that appeared, but a 
search party, led by Major Kira.  She immediately dashed to B'Elanna's 
side.  "Oh God, he's seriously injured.  Julian!"
      "How did you find us?" Cadet Brennan asked.
      "An automated distress signal was sent.  The Defiant picked it 
up," Kira answered as Doctor Bashir hurried to her side, medkit in hand. 
As Kira turned to talk quietly to B'Elanna, Bashir began to scan Tom.
      "Second and third-degree burns on the lungs, two broken ribs, 
massive heart trauma--Kira, I can't treat this here, and not even on the 
Defiant.  I can stabilize him for a short time, but if we don't get him 
to a hospital, he'll die."
      Kira tapped her commbadge.  "Kira to Defiant."
      "Go ahead."
      "Seven to beam up.  Beam Dr. Bashir and Lieutenant Paris to 
sickbay.  As soon as we're on the ship, set a course for Earth."
      "Earth?"
      "Do it!" Kira snapped.
      Seconds later, the transporter beam enveloped them and whisked 
them off of Miranda's surface.

*

      With the Defiant's warp capabilities, the flight back took less 
than twenty minutes.  Bashir was beamed down with the group so he could 
assist the other doctors.
      As Tom was rushed into the ICU, B'Elanna collapsed onto a couch.  
Embracing herself, she began to cry again.
      "B'Elanna."
      "Oh, Chakotay!"  She flung herself into Chakotay's arms.
      He wrapped her in his arms.  "Shh.  It's okay."
      "It's not," she sobbed.  "Tom's going to die, and it's all my 
fault!"
      "What are you talking about?"
      "I didn't run--when I could have.  I was a coward!  I stood there, 
frozen--and let Tom take the shot that should have hit me.  I should be 
the one in there--*I* should be the one to die!"
      Chakotay gently shook her by the shoulders.  "Now stop that," he 
ordered softly.  "Tom is not going to die.  He'll be fine."
      "No, he won't," she moaned.  "He's dying, and it's my fault."
      "B'Elanna, stop it.  He's not going to die."
      "Oh gods, why didn't I run when he told me to?  I'm a coward!"
      "B'Elanna, stop it--right now."
      The stern tone in Chakotay's voice made her look up at him.  He 
was giving her that look and even her tear-filled eyes didn't make him 
relent.
      "Now listen to me," he said quietly.  "Tom is not going to die.  
You and I both know he's risked his neck in worse situations and 
survived.  Trust in that damned stubborness of his--it's gotten him 
through a lot.  And if I'm wrong, which I hope I'm not, his death won't 
have been in vain.  He will have died a hero, saving you and the three 
cadets."
      "I can't be without him!" she choked.  "I love him!"
      Chakotay turned helpless eyes to Kathryn, who was by his side.  
She shook her head, not knowing what to say.
      Admiral Paris showed up ten minutes after Tom had been brought in.  
He talked to B'Elanna reassuringly, but at the same time, he had the 
same fear in his heart that B'Elanna did--that this time, Tom wouldn't 
pull through.
      *I can only hope that my fears are in vain.*

      Chakotay and Kathryn left at 8:30 that night.  The admiral, after 
demanding that they call him at the slightest change in Tom's condition, 
and hugging B'Elanna one last time, left at eleven.
      B'Elanna refused to move from her spot, even when the head nurse 
told her they could get her a cot.  Finally, she drifted to sleep on the 
couch, and the nurse, with a quiet, sympathetic smile, found an extra 
blanket and draped it over B'Elanna's sleeping form.

*

     B'Elanna's eyes snapped open suddenly.  The clock read 0630.  
Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she sat up.  Her first thought was of 
Tom.  Was he all right?  She wanted to ask, but was afraid to, dreading 
the fact that something might have happened during the night.  But 
surely they would have awoken her if that had been the case....
     "Miss Torres?"
     B'Elanna jerked her head up.  "Yes?"
     "Lieutenant Paris is awake and he's asking for you."
     B'Elanna dashed past the nurse and down the hall.  The door opened 
and she slowed open.
     Tom was lying on the bed, propped up with a pillow.  When he saw 
her, he grinned faintly.  "Hi, 'Lanna," he said weakly.
     "Don't *ever* do that to me again," she ordered, crossing the room 
to his side.  "Don't ever scare me like that again."
     "I almost lost you once," he whispered.  He reached up, cupping her 
face, drawing her head down so he could kiss her tenderly.  "I didn't 
want to lose you again."
     He traced a finger along her cheek.  "You are everything to me, 
B'Elanna.  Since the time on the Sakari homeworld, I realized that I 
couldn't live without you."
     Tears welled up in her eyes.  As she began to cry hard once more, 
she buried her face in Tom's chest.  "I was so scared....I almost lost 
you....it would have been my fault...."
     Tom wrapped his arms around her tightly, running a hand lightly 
along her spine.  "My B'Elanna, shh.  It wasn't your fault.  No one 
would have blamed you."
     Up until now, she had been terrified that she was going to lose the 
one person she loved more than anything else in the world.  But now, 
being held in his arms, his heartbeat against her cheek, she was no 
longer afraid.
     "I love you," she whispered.
     "And I love you," he murmured.
     The doors opened suddenly, interrupting the moment.  D'Lena walked 
in, Marc following, shaking his head with a smile.
     "....I absolutely don't get it.  You'd think they never saw a 
Klingon before."
     "Hello, Mother."
     "Hello, daughter."  D'Lena then fixed her gaze on Tom.  "I see you 
risked your neck again and nearly got yourself killed."
     "Mother!"
     D'Lena flipped her ebony hair over one shoulder.  "But that must be 
why my daughter loves you."
     "That's one of the reasons," Tom replied with a grin.
     D'Lena fixed him with a glare, then shook her head.  "Human males," 
she snorted softly.  "They think they know everything."
     "When will they release you?" Marc asked.
     "Why, so he can break his neck again?" D'Lena asked.
     "Two days," Tom said.
     "And I'm not leaving till they let you out," B'Elanna added.
     "'Lanna, they won't let you stay here all night."
     "I don't care," B'Elanna said stubbornly.  "I'm staying."
     Knowing there was no sense in arguing with her, Tom sighed, shaking 
his head.
     After her parents had left, Tom turned to B'Elanna.  "'Lanna, I 
only wanted you to know that I wasn't intending to be a hero when I 
threw myself in front of that shot.  But I couldn't let you die, even if 
I had to."
     "I know," she said softly.  "But you survived.  Thank the gods, you 
survived.  I didn't have to lose you."
     Tom gently caressed her cheek.  "'Lanna, I know it hasn't been 
easy, but somehow I have a feeling that we'll make it."
     "You're right, Tom.  We'll make it, whatever it takes."

***********

"Promises made to last
These are the hardest to find
Touch me now, let me know
Your love will always be mine
As the years go by
And the fire of my love surely grows
Baby, you know.

Whatever it takes, baby, I'm gonna be there
Whatever it takes, baby, you've got to know
Whatever it takes to be true to you,
I'll love you to the end.
Whatever it takes, baby, I'm gonna be there
Whatever it takes, baby, you've got to know
Whatever it takes to be true to you,
Baby, I'll do it somehow...."
     -- Amy Grant, "Whatever It Takes"

***********

      Tom was released two days later, though he would have to get 
checkups every other day for a week.  B'Elanna didn't care--she was just 
happy to have him safe.
      When they got to his father's house, they were met by a delighted 
Admiral Paris, a happy Jennifer, and an ecstatic Alyssa.  And they had 
received a message from Sisko.  Jadzia had safely delivered a baby girl.  
She was christened Kelzia B'Elanna Dax, daughter of Worf.

*

      *Three days later*
      Tom and Admiral Paris were at the Academy, helping with 
preparation for that year's graduation ceremony.  Robert was teaching 
his class; Alyssa was with him.  So Jennifer and B'Elanna were alone in 
the house.  Jennifer would soon be all alone, because Kes was coming 
over and she, B'Elanna, and Kathryn were going shopping, since Kathryn 
insisted they start planning B'Elanna's trousseau.  So to pass the time 
before Kes arrived, B'Elanna was spending it with Calvin.
      Calvin was a pure delight.  He had bright blue eyes like Jennifer, 
Nicholas' red-brown hair and he was very curious.  He loved to grab onto 
things, B'Elanna's hair being one of them.
      Jennifer stuck her head into the nursery.  "B'Elanna, are you 
busy?"
      "No, not really."  B'Elanna lifted Calvin in her arms and he 
squealed happily.  "Did you need my help for something?"
      "No, there's someone here to see you.  Here, I'll take Calvin."
      *It must be Kes*, she thought.  Handing Calvin to Jennifer, she 
glanced in the nursery mirror, pausing to smooth her hair after Calvin's 
small fingers had clutched it.  Then she headed downstairs.
      "Kes," she called while still in the hallway.  "I thought you'd 
never get here...."  Her voice trailed off when she saw an unfamiliar 
young woman in the room.
      "I'm sorry, I thought you were my friend Kes."  B'Elanna smiled at 
the girl.  "Jennifer said you wanted to see me."
      "You're B'Elanna Paris?"
      B'Elanna laughed.  "Tom and I haven't married yet.  "I'm still 
B'Elanna Torres.  And you are...."
      "Erica Delany."
      B'Elanna tried to place the girl.  A former Maquis?  An old 
acquaintance from Kessik?  A schoolmate from the Academy?  But she 
didn't remember her.  "I'm sorry, I don't know you."
      "You don't.  But your fiance does."
      "He does?  From where?"
      "We were--together for a while."
      B'Elanna narrowed.  "As you know, we're engaged now.  There isn't 
much you can do about it."
      "Yeah, well, there's one minor detail he forgot."
      "Oh?  And what's that?"
      "I have a child.  And he's the father."

To be continued....

Legal B.S.  Paramount's characters, my story.  Tom's sisters and Erica 
Delany are my creation and can't be taken by them!  (So there!)  
Copyright 1997, by Cheile.  Comments, questions?  E-mail me:  
cheile@hotmail.com