"Oh, this is just ridiculous, Tom" B'ellana glared at the
lieutenant as they floated out in space. Just moments before the newly
rebuilt Delta Flyer had blown up. Lt. Torres and Lt. Paris barely had enough
time to put on their environmental suits and beam out.
" Why are you glaring at me"? Tom said looking as innocent as
possible. " I love spending time with you B'elanna but I wouldn't choose
the middle of space as the spot to do it! "
"Tom, I'm never going to fly alone with you again. Every time I do, I end up
floating in the middle of nowhere"
"At least our Oxygen isn't leaking, " Paris joked
Bite your tongue, Torres thought. She just couldn't believe they were
stuck out here again. What are the chances? It was suppose to be a friendly
race between shuttles from different cultures. When Tom had asked her to be
his Co-Pilot she had thought it would be fun. However, something had gone
wrong with the ship. It had slowed to a stop as the rest of the shuttles
passed them by. Then without anyone touching the controls Auto Destruct came
on. Almost as if someone were controlling the Delta Flyer.
"Paris to B'elanna. Are you there? "
"Yeah Tom.I was just wondering how this could have happened? "
B'elanna snapped out of her trance. She was always in another world when she
was in deep thought. It was easy for her to forget that anyone else was
present.
B'elanna looked at Tom and remembered where being stuck in outer space had
led to the last time. She smiled sweetly at the thought.
"Lt. Paris would you like to access my controls? " Her voice
implied a double meaning that only Tom would understand.
"Hmmm.I thought you would never ask. " The Chief Engineer all of a
sudden turned Tom on. He had to admit that as of late their love life had
been getting pretty routine. Maybe this flash back was just the thing to get
it jump started again.
Tom pulled B'elanna against him, her back leaning on his chest. He ran his
hand down her arm to the control panels.
" I think I'll wait a moment to call Voyage"r Tom's hand left her
arm and explored her body. The environment suits were hardly sexy but mixed
in with his imagination B'elanna might as well have been in a skimpy
nightgown.
" I have a confession, B'elanna," Tom whispered.
"What's that" She rubbed up against him the best she could. The
lack of gravity wasn't on her side though.
"I Love you. Even since before you told me first. I've been to scared
to say it out loud but I've thought it a thousand times over. "
The mood had suddenly changed from erotic to something unexplainable. A tear
ran down B'elanna's cheek. She had known that he loved her but to finally
hear him say it was so moving. For the first time in her life Lt. Torres's
heart felt full.
" You picked a great time to tell me Paris<" was all she could
respond.
Tom smiled to himself. Somehow, this mess had turned into a second chance.
He had been so shocked and oxygen deprived that he couldn't get the words 'I
love you, too' out the first time. He turned B'elanna around so she was
facing him.
"Will you marry me? " he asked. Seeing Lt. Torres's mouth drop was
incentive enough to ask the question.
" Are you serious" B'elanna was stunned. What should she say?
Yes! Of course, Yes.
"Tom.I." Then with sudden decisiveness and strength, "Yes!
"
He wanted to kiss her so badly but their Damn helmets were in the way.
"I'll Access those controls now, Torres"
"Aye, Aye flyboy"
Paris sent a message to Voyager and they were almost immediately beamed
aboard. B'elanna explained her theory on why the Delta Flyer blew up, to Tom,
as they hurried to the turbo lift.
"Bridge" Tom commanded the computer.
"Ummm.I just wanted you to know that I had an engagement ring but its
probably in pieces with the Delta Flyer! " Tom smiled
B'elanna punched him. "You planned to ask me all along. I thought you
were being spontaneous. "
" I love you"! was all he said before he took her in his arms and
kissed her.
The turbo lift opened and the whole bridge was subjected to the amorous
actions of their Chief Engineer and Pilot. If two of her most valued
crewmembers hadn't just been in an explosion, Captain Janeway might have been
amused. Chakotay, seeing the look in her eye, cleared his voice. Tom and
B'elanna realized where they were and blushed a deep shade of red. They
quickly recovered and it was back to work.
" What happened? " asked Captain Janeway as they both stepped off
the lift.
" Someone rigged the Flyer to explode! " Lt. Torres responded.....