"No Body's Business But My Own"

Summary: During the shuttle scene in "Bliss" with Tom, Seven and Naomi, Tom tries to explain to the little girl why he is with B'EWlanna and not Naomi's favorite Borge, Seven of Nine. And before "Someone to Watch Over Me" though I just realized that. rated PG

Disclaimer:I donŐt own these characters Paramount does and I am not making any money off of them.

Note: I felt the need to try and explain his different feelings for B'Elanna and Seven. Plus I'm not sure Paris would have acted exactly the way he did in my first story "Little Yellow Smiley Faces," so I made him a little less open here so lets say it takes place before that story, and I'm not sure I have captured his personality here, but I hope I at least got my point across, I think he thinks the things I made him think at any rate. A teeny referense to "Extreem Risk" and therapy in "Juggernaught." and I changed the title. And one more thing I'm sorry to any Seven fan if I did not get her personality correct either.

Well this certainly hasn't been a typical away mission, for one the captain let the kid tag along and for another we haven't been shot at, wich is good because said kid's mother would probably kill me. And another odd thing Naomi asks the most unexpected thing I've heard come out of a five year old, not that I've known many five year olds, especialy ones as bright as her. Any way she asks me "Lt. uh I mean Tom... uh I was wondering why you"re with Lt. Torres I mean you and Seven get along so much better and Torres is so mean?"

Needless to say I was surprised. The question in my mind was Why was B'Elanna with me? Then B'Elanna's words from a few years ago came back to me, "it was just a feeling." And another thing they had disgust was that it was none of anybody's business how they felt about each other, and certainly not this little kids'. Still he felt he should explain his feelings about her freind Seven. And so he said "I just don't feel that way about Seven we are just freinds"

While Seven was a smart and sexy woman like B'Elanna, her emotional maturity was that of a two year old, any relationship other than freindship would just be physical anyway and he did not want that. God I am such a pig, what does B'Elanna see in me again? I suppose it is like Tuvok reminded me recently, love is definitly not logical.

"Lt. Paris is correct Naomi, we are freinds that is all, we have not cop..."

"We do not do the same things that he and Lt. Torres do." Seven reiterated. This was the conversation I was trying to avoid.

Then Naomi says "Exactly you two don't fight like he a B'Elanna do, I heard her in sick bay the other day, she is so mean."

"Naomi, B'Elanna wasn't being mean she was just angry and with good reason too." I'm not telling her what the reason was. No it wasn't a lovers quarel or even a fight about how I spend my time on the holodeck. Hell it wasn't even a fight really it was more of a disagreement about her treatments for her depression. Sure we've had our ups and downs, a few break ups and fights but we always get back together and make up. And that is definitly none of anybodies business.

But Seven felt the need to explain further, "I assure you Naomi they are not like that all the time I have observed..." a blush from Seven as I turned to give a questioning look, How did she now what we did, and how is it any of her business. "...many moments of compasion on both their parts and assure you that I beleive they have a strong bond that I would never interfire with. Like Lt.commander Tuvok once told me it is wise to look beyond logic when it comes to affairs of the heart."

"But Lt. Torres doesn't like you Seven, why?"

"If I recall stories I have heard, Lt. Torres was not to fond of Lt. Paris at first either, and I hear she had a right not to be too. As she has her own reasons for feeling the way she does about me."

"Don't worry Seven she may come around in time. She's a very guarded person and doesn't like people to get too close." Of course neither do I. "Not that she was wrong about me or Seven. I'm not saying she feels the same way about Seven that she did about me. B'Elanna has freinds that she gets along with better than me, most of them are men, but its' not like she loves me any less."

"Ok I think I get it, every personal relationship is different, I love my mom in a different way than I love Neelix. Just like you love B'Elanna in adifferent way than you love Seven."

Wow she actually got that from what he said, smart kid.

"Yeah I guess you're right I do care for Seven as a freind and my feelings for B'Elanna go much deeper, You know she did the cutest little thing the other day..."

"You know he does this just about any chance he gets."

Do I really? Then when I thought about it I did, with just about anybody I was working with. I guess I really am in love. And despite wheather he meant to or not he had let everyone on board including this little girl know how he felt about B'Elanna.

At that point I felt satisfied that Naomi understood and would not ask any more questions so I changed the subject, and even let Naomi fly the Delta Flyer.