Home 
Rated PG
By Katie Davidson

Summary: The thoughts of both Tom and Owen Paris after Pathfinder.

Disclaimer: Paramount is God. I'm just borrowing the toys and promise 
to put them back when I am finished.


Home 
By Katie Davidson


	B'Elanna Torres found Tom Paris in the mess hall three hours 
after the party ended. He was sitting on one of the couches by the 
window. He didn't notice her approaching.
	"Tom, what are you still doing here? I'd thought you'd be in bed 
by now."
	"I couldn't sleep." He made a little snort. "That's funny coming 
from me. You're usually the one who never sleeps."
	"What's bothering you? Is it the message from your dad?"
	"Yeah, that's it. You were right about him."
	"What?"
	"Two years ago, when the crew got their messages via the alien 
communications array. You said to think that his letter said that he 
misses me and that he's proud of me. Thank you, B'Elanna Torres."
	"For what?"
	"For being you. For loving me. Before you came up, I was actually 
thinking about the future. I was thinking of how much I love you and 
want to spend the rest of my life with you."
	"Tom, do you know what you are saying? Are you ready for this 
step?"
	"Yes, I know what I am saying. I am asking you to marry me. I've 
been ready to take this step since I first met you. Please, B'Elanna, 
say yes."
	"Of course I'll marry you. I love you." They sealed the 
engagement with a kiss. A passionate kiss.
	"All of a sudden I'm feeling very tired. Would you keep me 
company for the night, Lanna?"
	"For forever, Tom." The two left for Tom's quarters.


	In the Alpha Quadrant, unknown to the newly engaged couple, Owen 
Paris was also suffering from a sleepless night. He was in the study of 
his house, going over his son's logs and a letter wrote while spending 
30 days in the brig.
	Owen looked over the official logs while at the office. Now, he 
was just trying to catch up with what Tom was doing on Voyager. 
Apparently, a lot. The very first entry he read was on the ocean world 
incident.

	Personal Log: Tom Paris reporting.
	I just finished my thirty days in the brig. I am now an ensign. 
The reason for the above is my love of the ocean. Voyager came across a 
world that was an ocean, literally. The containment field keeping the 
ocean in place was weakening by the species that lived there and their 
mining processes. The leaders wouldn't listen. That left one course of 
action: make them refine their technology so it wouldn't poison the 
ocean. An alien scientist, Rega, and I stole the Delta Flyer. Before we 
could do any damage, Janeway fired a depth-charge. She had to 
discipline me somehow. It wouldn't look good if I got special 
treatment, being her personal reclamation project. My punishment: a 
demotion and thirty days in the brig.
	This was the first time I felt I was fighting for something I 
believed in: the ocean.
	My dear, sweet B'Elanna. I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for 
her. Right at this very moment I am watching her sleep. She is so 
beautiful when she sleeps. She looks vulnerable, fragile. Even though 
we have only been together for a year, I can't remember a time when I 
didn't know her. I don't know what I'd do if she died. She means too 
much to me. I love her too much to live without her.
	End log.

"Computer, list all logs that contain the name B'Elanna Torres." His 
computer terminal beeped for a few seconds and showed every log entry 
his son made that contained the name of B'Elanna Torres. He paled. 
There were over 150 entries. He selected the most recent one. It was 
about a shuttle that took over his mind. Lieutenant Torres brought him 
back to Voyager. Owen selected the next entry to read. Somewhere along 
the line, he fell asleep and for the first time in a long time, his 
dreams were happy and not nightmares. The last thoughts on the aging 
Admiral's mind before giving over to sleep was that he couldn't wait to 
talk to his son again.

The End.