Beloved B'Elanna, Part 9 - Prejudice
by (me--the one and only Gaelic Parisite--duh) Cheile

Dedicated to (guess who?) Robbie and Roxann


        "My father?  How did he know I was back?" Tom demanded.
        "That's partly my fault, Tom.  I contacted him to let him know you were 
safe."
        Tom's first reaction was to be furious with her, but he realized that 
she had only tried to do something nice for his father, since she had 
been one of the admiral's favorites.
        *As if Dad ever cared about me anyway.*
        "You do have a right to yell at me, Tom," Janeway said quietly.  "I 
would understand, considering I contacted him without your consent.  I 
should have asked you first."
        "It's all right, Captain.  I understand why you did it."
        "Also, your sisters contacted me.  They're eager to see you as well."
        That changed Tom's mood a little.  He couldn't stand his father, but 
his sisters were a different story.
        "Are you going?" Janeway asked.
        "I'll go," Tom told her.  *But only for my sisters, not my father.*
        "Should I tell them?"
        "No, I want to surprise my sisters."
        She nodded.  Deep inside, she was glad that Tom wasn't upset with her.  
But the look of relief on the admiral's face when she had told him that 
Tom was all right helped to push away the guilt.
        "We'll be seeing you, Captain."  He turned to B'Elanna.  "Well, we 
might as well go get packed and catch the first shuttle out of here...."
        His voice trailed off as they headed for the lift.
        Kathryn started to continue the way she'd been headed, then stopped 
dead in her tracks.
        She hadn't told the admiral about B'Elanna.

*

        Later the next afternoon, Tom and B'Elanna were heading up Taylor 
Court, toward his father's house.
        "You're nervous, aren't you?" B'Elanna said softly.
        "No," he lied.
        As they rounded the curve, a tall, two-story beige house came into 
view.  It was much like the others on Taylor Court, like the houses on 
either side of it.  There were rosebushes under the front window, a 
small balcony on the second floor and even a nebula-design suncatcher 
hanging in the window.
        "Tom?"
        "What?"
        "You're crushing my fingers."  She sounded almost amused.
        Tom looked down and saw that he was, indeed, squeezing her hand hard.  
He immediately let go.  "Sorry."
        "You're nervous."
        "No, I--," he began, but she had that look.  "Hell yes, I'm nervous.  
I've never been more nervous in my life."
        "I'm sure your father will be happy to see you.  He'll have forgiven 
you by now."
        *The hell with Dad.  It's my sisters I care about.*  But what he said 
was, "I don't know, 'Lanna."  Anxiously, he raked a hand through his 
hair.  "I don't know."
        "I'm here with you, though.  You won't face him alone."
        Tom looked down at her, at the love that shone in her chocolate eyes.  
It was at that moment he knew that he could face anything, even his 
father, with B'Elanna at his side.
        He took her hand again.  "All right, 'Lanna.  Let's go."

        When they reached the house, she rang the door chime.
        A young man with brown hair and hazel eyes answered the door.  His face 
brightened when he saw Tom.  "You must be Tom.  Come in, come in.  
Lissie's anxiously awaiting you."
        "Lissie?"
        "I guess Captain Janeway didn't mention me.  I'm Robert Carson, 
Alyssa's husband, and your brother-in-law."
        "Alyssa, married?  What about Jennifer?"
        "Married as well.  She and Lissie are waiting in the den."
        As Robert said this, they stepped into the den--and were welcomed by an 
ecstatic shriek.
        "Tommy!"
        Alyssa Paris-Carson came barrelling across the room, blond tresses 
flying, and threw herself at Tom, engulfing him in a hug.  "I'm so glad 
to see you!" she shrieked.
        "Whoa, girl, down," Tom teased.
        "Stop hogging him, 'Lyssa.  I want to see him, too."  Jennifer DeLancie 
crossed the den to welcome her younger brother.  She gave him a hard 
hug.  "I'm also glad to see you."
        "You can't imagine how worried we were when Daddy found out that 
Voyager had disappeared--and you were on it," Alyssa put in.  "Daddy 
gave up after three years.  He figured you were either prisoners of the 
Maquis, or hostile Cardassians--or the ship did get destroyed in the 
Badlands.  So who's your friend?"
        "Sorry we've been ignoring you," said Jennifer.  "We're excited to see 
Tom is all."
        "Well, she's more than just a friend."
        "Your girlfriend?" Alyssa guessed.
        "More than that.  'Lanna, these are my wacky sisters, Alyssa and 
Jennifer.  'Lyss, Jen, meet B'Elanna Torres, my fiancée."
        Jennifer's eyes widened.  Alyssa's eyes grew huge.
        "Fiancée?" Jennifer repeated.
        "Wow," Alyssa exclaimed.  "You're getting married--this is so great!"  
She smiled at B'Elanna.  "You've captured my brother's impossible 
heart--I never thought anyone would."
        "Well, it was a challenge at first," B'Elanna laughed, going along with 
Alyssa's banter, "but I think I have him under control."
        "Thanks, 'Lanna," Tom said, pretending to pout.
        She shook her head with a smile.  "You know I'm kidding."
        "Yes, I know."  He took her into his arms and kissed her.
        "I knew you couldn't stay single forever, Tommy," Jennifer put in.  
"Congratulations."
        "When's the wedding?" Alyssa asked.
        "We haven't set a date yet, but we're looking at four months from now," 
Tom answered.
        "Tom, Father wants to see you.  He's in his office."  Jennifer looked 
slightly nervous.
        B'Elanna saw his eyes darken slightly, but he nodded.  "Will you two 
entertain 'Lanna while I--talk--to Dad?"
        "Of course."

*

        The last person Tom wanted to see was his father, but he wasn't going 
to let himself be intimidated.  He had his own respect back, and he had 
B'Elanna.
        Reaching the door, he touched the chime button.
        "Come in," he heard his father call.
        Tom let himself in.  His father was sitting behind his desk, looking at 
a data padd.  When he heard the footsteps, he set the padd down and 
looked up.
        Admiral Owen Paris stood approximately six feet, one inch tall and made 
an imposing figure in a Starfleet uniform.  His once-golden hair had 
faded to gray with scattered white.  His eyes, still a brilliant 
cerulean, had no emotion in them as they settled on his son.
        "Hello, Tom."
        "Hello, Dad."
        An uncomfortable silence stretched between them for several seconds.  
Then Admiral Paris sighed.
        "You have no idea how relieved I was when Kathryn contacted me from 
Deep Space Nine and told me that you were safe.  Whether or not you wish 
to believe me, I was concerned about you.  You are, after all, my only 
son."
        Tom remained silent, not knowing what to say.
        "So, Kathryn tells me she granted you a field commission of lieutenant 
and now Starfleet Headquarters has made that permanent.  You've brought 
yourself up."
        "You could say that."
        "I am proud of you.  Most in your case wouldn't get a second chance.  
But it appears that Fate has decided differently."
        "That's one way of looking at it," Tom answered.
        Admiral Paris sat back in his chair.  "Jennifer tells me you brought a 
friend with you."
        Deciding to drop the bomb, Tom smiled and said, "She's more than just a 
friend, she's my fiancée."
        Admiral Paris raised an eyebrow.  "Oh, really?"
        "Really."
        "Well, well.  This is quite a surprise.  Did you meet her onVoyager?"
        "She was chief engineer."
        "Interesting.  What race is she?"
        "She's human."
        Admiral Paris nodded approvingly.
        "That's not all."
        "Oh?"
        "She's only half human," Tom said.
        Admiral Paris raised his eyebrows again.  "And the other half?"
        "Klingon."
        Admiral Paris scrutinized his son for several seconds, then picked up 
another data padd and began to scan it.  "Forget it."
        "Forget what?" Tom demanded.
        "Forget it, Tom.  You're not marrying her."
        "And who are you to tell me who I can marry?!" he snapped.
        "Because I'm your father, that's why."
        "You may be my father, but that doesn't give you the right to control 
my life.  I'm not a kid anymore.  I'm thirty-one.  I can take care of 
myself and be with whoever I wish.  You don't even *know*  her."
        "That doesn't matter."
        "You're wrong, it does matter," Tom snapped.
        "Maybe you're an adult now, but I still have some control over you."
         "Well, you know what, Dad?  I don't care what you think, and this 
time, I'm not going to listen to you.  She's sweet, intelligent, 
beautiful, I love her, and I am going to marry her, whether you like it 
or not!"
        Admiral Paris half-rose out of his chair.  "I will *not*  have my son 
marrying some half-breed Klingon!"
        Tom stepped forward, placed his hands on the desk and leaned over so 
that his face was inches from his father's.  "Don't you ever say that 
again," he said, a deadly tone in his voice.  "*Ever*."
        The door slid open suddenly and Alyssa came storming in.
        "How dare you!" she snapped at her father.
        "Alyssa, get out of here.  Your brother and I are talking."
        "No, I will not leave."  Alyssa crossed the room, coming to stand next 
to Tom.  "You have got a lot of nerve, Father!"
        "What are you talking about?"
        "I heard what you said!  How dare you talk about her that way!  How 
*dare* you!"
        "Watch it, girl.  I don't care for your tone of voice."
        "For once, Father, I don't care.  You haven't even *met*  her yet, so 
what right do you have calling her such a thing?!"
        Admiral Paris blinked in surprise that his daughter would speak to him 
in such a manner.  "What does it matter?  She didn't hear me anyway."
        A sudden wailing sound echoed from the next room.
        "Jennifer, shut the baby up!" Admiral Paris snapped.  "I can't hear 
myself think!"
        Alyssa smirked.  "That's not the baby, that's B'Elanna."
        Tom paused only to shoot his father a murderous glare before rushing 
into the den.
        Little Calvin was in the bassinet, sound asleep, oblivious to what was 
going on.  Jennifer was on the floor, kneeling next to B'Elanna, who was 
crying, her face buried in her hands.
        Tom ran to her, fell to his knees, and pulled B'Elanna into his arms.  
"B'Elanna, it's all right."
        "Everything's ruined," she cried.
        "No, no, nothing's ruined.  It will all go as planned."
        "We can't now.  Your father won't let us."
        "It doesn't matter," Tom said.
        "It does, it does," she cried.
        Alyssa turned to the doorway, where her father was standing.  "Now see 
what you've done," she said icily.
        Tom pulled her hands away from her face, and tilted her chin up, 
forcing her to look into his eyes.  "B'Elanna, I don't care what the 
bastard says.  I'm marrying you, whether he likes it or not."  Leaning 
forward, he began to kiss her tears away.  "Nothing else matters, 
'Lanna, except that I love you."
        Looking from Tom and B'Elanna to his father-in-law to his wife, Robert 
blinked, stunned.  He wasn't quite sure exactly what had happened.  Tom 
had gone in to talk to the admiral, then they had heard Calvin crying.  
Jennifer had jumped up, ready to go get him, when B'Elanna asked if she 
could.  Jennifer had given her permission.  She had disappeared, coming 
back a few minutes later with a stricken look on her face.  Without a 
word, she handed Calvin to Jennifer, then retreated to the far side of 
the room.  Concerned, Jennifer had handed the baby to Alyssa and went to 
B'Elanna, asking her what was wrong.  She had startled him by letting 
out a keening wail, then falling to her knees, bursting into tears.  
When Jennifer tried to get her to talk, she did, but Robert had only 
understood two words, "Tom's father" and "half-breed Klingon".  It was 
at that point that he realized Alyssa was no longer in the room.
        And now Alyssa was snapping at her father and both she and Jennifer 
were sending him hostile glares.
        "You can go up to your old room, Tommy," Jennifer was saying.  "That 
way, you can calm her down away from other people."
        After the two left the room, Alyssa once more turned on her father.  
"Now what do you have to say for yourself?"
        The admiral didn't say anything, only kept his gaze locked with his 
daughter's.
        "That's what I thought," Alyssa snorted.
        Turning, the admiral left.
        "I can't believe his nerve," Jennifer said with disgust, scooping up 
Calvin.  "How could he say such a thing about B'Elanna?!"
        "Prejudiced jerk," Alyssa grumbled.
        "Lissie!"
        "Well, it's true!  He's ruined B'Elanna's happiness!"
        Jennifer raised her eyes upward.  "I hope Tommy can convince her 
otherwise."

*

        Once they were alone, Tom drew B'Elanna close again.  "As I told you 
before, I don't care what he says.  He can't push me around, he can't 
make me do anything, and he can't stop me from loving you."  He took her 
left hand in his.  "I gave you the ring and no one, not even my bastard 
of a father, can take it from you."  He brought her hand to his lips, 
tenderly kissing her fingertips, then wrapped his arms around her and 
cradled her close.
        B'Elanna was silent, listening to his heartbeat, her arms wrapped 
tightly around him.  After a while, she reached up a hand to his wet 
cheek  He was crying silently, holding her.
        She looked up, saw the anguish on his face, the tears in his eyes, and 
it broke her heart.  Reaching up again, but with both hands this time, 
she cupped his face so that he had to look into her eyes.  Then she 
brushed her lips across his cheek, tenderly kissing his tears away.
        When she backed away a minute later, the love in his eyes was so 
intense that it almost frightened her.  But all he did was lay her down.  
"Rest for a while.  I'll be back later," he said softly.
        B'Elanna longed to stay with him, but she knew that there was no sense 
in arguing.  Reluctantly, she rested her head against the pillow.  He 
covered her with a light blanket, then after touching a kiss to her brow 
ridges, left, making sure the door closed behind him.

*

        Owen was at work when the door opened and Tom walked in.
        "Just as I figured," Tom snorted.  "Acting as if nothing happened.  
Isn't that so like you?  Shatter someone's hopes and then go on not even 
caring?!"
        Owen's temper began to rise.  "Don't you even...."
        But Tom cut him off.  "You know, when I was little, I used to look up 
to you.  I was proud to be your son.  I used to brag what a great father 
I had, even if you never did anything with me like other fathers did 
with their kids.
        "When the accident happened, I felt terrible for disappointing you.  
But now I don't care.
        "You reject B'Elanna when you don't even know her.  Do you even realize 
what her life has been like?!  Her childhood was terrible.  She didn't 
have parents like I had you and Mom.  Her father ran out on her mother 
when she was five.  The kids at her school called her a freak.  When she 
came home crying because she'd been made fun of, her mother criticized 
her weak human side and beat her.  At least, when you punished one of 
us, it was because we had actually done something wrong.
        "When she was older, she started to fight back when made fun of.  She 
would get in trouble at school, and when her mother heard about it, 
she'd beat her again.
        "She tried going to the Academy, but no one accepted her there, either.  
She never finished.  They kicked her out and she was living on the 
streets before Chakotay found her and took care of her.
        "And when she finally got on Voyager, hardly anyone accepted her there.  
They eventually did, but it took her a long time to believe that.  We 
became friends--and then we grew closer.
        "She's been through hell and back in her life.  She finally had what 
she wanted--to be accepted, her position in Starfleet, my love.  And now 
it's been ruined--by a know-it-all, biased, egotistical bastard like 
you."
        Tom's eyes were full of anger.  "I hope you're happy, Dad."
        With that, he turned and left.

To be continued......

Legal B.S.  Paramount's characters, my story, with the exceptions of 
Tom's sisters, Alyssa's husband Robert and baby Calvin.  Copyright 1997 
by Cheile.  Comments, complaints (!) and nice criticism to 
cheile@hotmail.com