Author's note: I don't know much about the outlay of DS9, as in if the promenade is above or below the habitat ring, so bear with the minor mistakes. And I'm behind on technobabble in reference to Cardassian systems. Bear with me on that, too. Also, I have looked for a reference to the gestation period of a Trill, and couldn't find it, so I made it seven months. If I'm wrong, oh well. So sue me. (And no, Paramount, you don't count.) Beloved B'Elanna, Part 8 - No Looking Back by Cheile (aka Cheile of Borg) Dedicated to Robbie and Roxann (no kidding) B'Elanna awoke out of a deep sleep. Climbing out of bed, she rubbed her eyes and wandered to the window, staring at the stars as they slowly passed by the window and an occasional ship as it departed the station. A sparkle caught her eye and she looked down. A bit of light had caught the surface of the diamond and it was now flashing tiny rainbows across the glass. A soft smile came to her face. It was hard to believe that her life had changed so much in the past week. It was only a week ago that she was convinced that Tom would never love her as she loved him. How wrong she had been. And now she was engaged to him. Her smile grew. What would her mother think of this? She turned away from the window and her eyes landed on the chronometer. "0830!" she yelped. "Gods, I'm running late!" She dashed to the bathroom, grabbing her uniform on the way. * Twenty minutes later, B'Elanna was dressed, her hair brushed and hurrying to the lift. She was supposed to have met Tom five minutes ago for breakfast. She was already late and she would be later if she didn't hurry. "In a rush, Lieutenant?" B'Elanna spun to face Major Kira. "Actually I'm late meeting someone." "I'll walk with you." "Major, I'd love to, but I can't." "Oh, don't worry about it," Kira said. "I'm late meeting Odo, and he's such a curmudgeon about punctuality. I'm sure that Lieutenant Paris won't mind as much. Besides," and Kira's dark eyes twinkled, "it'll give you a good excuse." They stepped into the lift. "Promenade," Kira said. The lift began to ascend. "Is it true what I've heard about Odo?" B'Elanna asked. "That depends on what you've heard." "That he's really one of those Founders." "He is," Kira answered. "Is it true what I've heard about Lieutenant Paris?" "That would also depend on what you've heard." Kira laughed. "Touché, as Captain Sisko is fond of saying. They say he broke Warp 10." "He did." The lift stopped at the promenade, letting the two out. Tom was outside Quark's, leaning against the wall and constantly glancing at the clock inside. When he saw B'Elanna, his face lit up. "I don't think he's *too* upset," Kira said in a low voice. "'Lanna, hi. I thought you'd never get here." "I thought the same thing." Kira turned to face Odo. His voice was stern, but there was a gentle warmth in his eyes and she knew he wasn't angry with her. "Let me guess--you two were engaged in--what does Captain Sisko call it--girl talk?" Kira and B'Elanna exchanged a glance, both smiling. Odo shook his head, then a sparkle caught his eye. "Isn't that the same ring that Ista Mirell has had in her store for months?" he asked Tom. "It was--until yesterday." "I didn't even notice," Kira exclaimed. "I knew the Prophets had decided you two should walk the same path." "That's her way of saying 'Congratulations'," Odo replied with a smile. "And may I say the same." "Thanks, Odo," Tom answered. "And you, too, Major Kira." "Are you going to get married here on the station?" Kira asked. "We haven't decided yet, but of course you and Odo are invited when the time comes." "We'll be there," Kira promised. "Nerys, we're late for the meeting." "Oh, Prophets, I knew I was forgetting something. We'll see you later." Tom and B'Elanna watched as the two headed back toward the turbolift, Odo taking Kira's hand in his. "C'mon, 'Lanna. I'm starving." They headed for the Replimat. * "Bloody Cardassian computer systems. Sometimes I wonder what I've gotten myself into." B'Elanna laughed at Miles O'Brien's remark as they crawled through one of the access tubes deep in the insides of DS9. O'Brien had run into her and Tom that morning and asked her if she wanted to spend part of the day on his routine schedule and if Tom minded. Tom, of course, hadn't, and B'Elanna went off with O'Brien. Three hours had passed and except for being with Tom, she wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. "After this, we'll go to your ship. You can teach *me* a few things." "I'm pretty sure one starship's engineering room is pretty much like another," B'Elanna remarked. "Except that Voyager needs an overhaul after all the abuse it's been through the past six years." "Most of the grunt work is done. But as for the finer points, we need the chief engineer's view." "You've got her." "Yeah, I know." O'Brien lightly tugged at her side braid with the affection of an older brother. Then he realigned the circuitry and scanned it. "There. That should take care of it." He tapped his comm badge. "O'Brien to Ops. It working now?" "Got it, Chief." "Good." O'Brien put away his scanner. "Now let's get to your ship." Voyager's engineering room looked pretty much the same, except that the plasma within the warp core was dormant. It was as if B'Elanna had never left. "Stubborn old ship," she said quietly, forgetting O'Brien was in the room. "Any other starship wouldn't have survived all that stress, transplanting, implants and Kazon kicking around. Only you." O'Brien chuckled softly. "What's so funny?" "I guess all us engineers are the same. No matter how many problems we have, we still love our work. Those damnable Cardassian computers give me hell, but the station's my girl. I wouldn't give her up for the galaxy." He paused. "Are you following me, 'Lanna lass?" B'Elanna threw back her head and laughed. "Completely." At 1300, back on the station, B'Elanna and O'Brien parted ways, O'Brien to visit Keiko briefly, B'Elanna to meet Tom for lunch. Stopping only to change, she headed to Quark's, where she knew he'd be waiting. And waiting he was, right outside the door. "Hi," she said breathlessly. "Hi, 'Lanna." He kissed her, then enfolded her in a gentle hug. "Lieutenant Paris, hello." It was Captain Sisko. "Hello, Captain." "Major Kira informed me of your engagement. I wanted to extend my congratulations." "Thank you, Captain." "Oh good, Dad, you caught up with them." Jake Sisko came hurrying to his father's side. "I wanted to ask them about announcing the engagement." "Of course, it's all right. Is it with you, 'Lanna?" B'Elanna nodded. Jake grinned. "Good. And congratulations." He dashed away. Captain Sisko shook his head. "Kids." After bidding the pair good-bye, he departed. "I suppose this is only the beginning," B'Elanna said to Tom. "I don't mind," he answered. "Just as long as everyone knows that you're mine." Slipping an arm around her waist, they entered Quark's. Quark turned from another customer to see the two enter. He clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "May I present the soon-to-be-married pair, Lieutenants Paris and Torres. For the next five minutes, in honor of their engagement, drinks are free!" A resounding cheer went up from the other customers. B'Elanna blushed. And Quark came out from behind the counter to seat them. "You were saying, B'Elanna?" Tom asked glibly with a grin. "I had no idea he was going to do that." Before Tom could answer, an excited little girl's voice cut through the noise. "Over here, Mommy." A small girl hurried toward them, dragging a pregnant Jadzia Dax by the hand. Worf followed Jadzia, amusement twinkling in his eyes. "See?" the child said triumphantly to Jadzia. "Hello, Worf," B'Elanna said with a quiet smile. "Hello, B'Elanna." "It appears that our daughter has found them, Worf," Jadzia said to him. Then she turned to Tom and B'Elanna. "May we sit with you?" "Of course, Commander Dax," Tom answered. Jadzia waved one slender hand in the air. "None of that formal stuff. Call me Jadzia." "See, Mommy?" the child said again. "She has the same ridges as me." "I know, Linzia." "They're gonna be joined, Mommy." Tom and B'Elanna looked at each other in surprise. How had she known? As if reading their minds, Linzia added, "See her ring? It's like the one Nog's daddy gave to Aunt Leeta. 'Cept they're already mates." "Perceptive, isn't she?" Jadzia remarked. Worf looked from B'Elanna to Tom and back, then nodded. "It is an honorable match." "Mommy, may I go see Uncle Quark?" "'Uncle Quark', gods, if Nerys heard this, she'd have a heart attack. Yes, you may." Linzia skipped in the direction of the bar. "You're expecting again," B'Elanna noted. She nodded and sat back. "Boy or girl?" Tom asked. Jadzia shook her long dark hair over one shoulder and looked fondly in Linzia's direction. "I think this one will be another girl." "I hope it will be a son," Worf said. "Worf, you don't have to worry." "Klingons do not worry," he interrupted. "Of course," she answered, rolling her eyes at B'Elanna, who had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing. "What I was going to say is that even if we don't have a son, you still have Alexander to carry on the family name." "Yes, I know. But I want a son with *you*, Jadzia." She smiled at him and leaned over to kiss him. "And I do, too." Linzia skipped back as lunch was brought on. An hour later, the five left Quark's, then parted ways. "Mommy, do we hafta?" Linzia pouted. "Yes. They have things to do and you have a nap to take." Linzia grumbled a little, but then followed her parents. "'Bye, Tom. 'Bye, 'Lanni." Tom chuckled. "'Lanni'?" B'Elanna shrugged. "I don't mind." "If you say so." "Thomas Eugene Paris, don't even *think* about it." "I can try, can't I?" Before B'Elanna could think up a good retort, they ran into Janeway. "Tom, it's good I ran into you. I have a message for you." "Really? From who?" "Your father. He wants to see you." To be continued...... What can I say? I love O'Brien! Guess all us Irish think alike. ;) Anyhow, legal B.S. Paramount's characters, ship and station, my story. However, I made up Linzia. Copyright 1997, by Cheile. Comments, mush, etc., to cheile@hotmail.com