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Disclaimer:  Paramount did, does, and will always own these
characters. (Except for the ones I make up.)  I just play with them a
little.  :)

Daddy's Little Girl  (Voy, P/T, PG)
by JoAnna Walsvik 
part 4/?

        Katy Paris was very, very happy.  Her mommy and the doctor
had given her permission to visit her daddy all by herself!  She had seen
him once before, with Mommy, but he had been so tired that he had
fallen asleep right in the middle of their visit.  But now he was wide
awake and she got to see him alone!
        "Daddy!!"  she yelled joyfully, rushing madly into her father's
arms.
        "Katy!"  the still weak but conscious Tom Paris exclaimed in
delight, hugging her tightly.  "I'm sure glad to see my munchkin again!"
        "I miss you, Daddy,"  Katy told him, her blue eyes sparkling
with happiness that she was back with her daddy again.  "Are you
going to come home soon?"
        "The doctor wants me to stay here for a few more days yet," he
told her.  "But then I'll come home, I promise."
        "I want you to come home *now*,"  Katy pouted, her lower lip
protruding defiantly.  "Why do you have to stay here?"
        "Just so the doctor can make sure that I'm all better, Katy.  Just
to be safe."
        "But you've been here for the longest time already," the little
girl objected.  "One whole week!  Why can't you come home?"
        "I told you, Katy,"  Tom said patiently.  "The doctor wants to
keep me here for three more days so he can be sure that I'm all better. 
You don't want me to be sick again, do you?"
        "No,"  she said reluctantly.  
        "Well, then, I'll just stay here," he said cheerfully.  "It's only
for
three more days, angel, then I'll be back home with you and your
mommy."
        "Daddy, why did those bad men shoot you?"  she burst out.  It
was a question she had been pondering for days.  Katy had no
conception of anything evil.  She had never been exposed to any kind
of maliciousness or hatred on Voyager.  Everyone was so kind and nice
on the ship, it was hard for her to imagine it being different anywhere
else.
        Tom sighed, gathering his small daughter in his arms.  He knew
this question would be coming eventually, and he dreaded it.  But he
couldn't raise his daughter to think that the universe was all sunshine
and roses.  Sooner or later she'd have to learn the truth, and it might as
well be now.  
        "Well, Katy," he said slowly, "these men were very, very angry
because they didn't like what the government was doing to their planet. 
They were so mad that they took all of their anger out on the nearest
person, and that happened to be me."
        "But *why*, Daddy?" she persisted.  "Why you?  You didn't do
anything to them."
        "I know, sweetheart,"  Tom said gravely.  "But these men were
so angry that all they could think about was hurting someone else. 
They didn't care who it was or where they were from, as long as they
had someone they could take all of their anger out on.  Some people
are like that, Katy, so full of hatred that it twists their minds and
causes
them to do bad things.  But the important thing is that I'm all right and
the bad men have been caught and punished.  They can't hurt anyone
else ever again."
        "I'm glad,"  Katy declared.  "I love you, Daddy."
        "I love you too, munchkin," he agreed, hugging her tightly.
        "Is this a private hug or can anyone join in?"  B'Elanna Paris
asked from the doorway of sickbay, where she had been silently
watching and listening to her husband and daughter have their
discussion.  In a way, she was relieved that she didn't have to deal with
Katy's questions herself, and Tom had done a damn good job of
explaining it to her--better then she could have done.
        "There's always room for one more,"  Tom Paris grinned,
holding out his arms to his wife.
        Katy grimaced as her mommy and daddy kissed.  They were
always doing that icky mushy stuff--and right in front of her, too!  She
squirmed impatiently on her father's lap, wanting them to stop kissing
and pay attention to *her*.
        "We might as well tell her now,"  Tom whispered to B'Elanna,
who agreed.
        "Katy, honey, we have a surprise for you."
        "A surprise?!"  Katy asked excitedly.  She adored surprises,
especially when they were for her!
        "Something like that,"  Tom agreed, winking at B'Elanna. 
"Remember when Freddie and Melanie Bristow had their baby?"
        Katy nodded solemnly.  She had been allowed to take a peek at
the baby when the proud mama and papa displayed him in the Mess
Hall a few days ago.  She hadn't been able to understand what all the
fuss was about.  The baby did nothing but sleep and cry.  He wasn't
*fun*, like she was!  But Aunt Kathryn had fussed over little Philip
until Katy had become quite jealous.  It wasn't fair that Aunt Kathryn
should like the baby so much; why, he couldn't even do multiplication.
        "Well, Katy, in a few months, we're going to have a baby, too," 
B'Elanna said gently.
        "A baby?  We are?"  Katy asked, wide-eyed.  "Where is he?"
        "He or she is in your mommy's tummy,"  Tom said proudly. 
"Your little brother or sister won't be arriving for about eight months
yet, so we still have a while to wait."
        Katy considered this for a moment.  Eight months was a long,
long time.  She would be four whole years old before the baby came. 
"Why so long?"
        "You see, the baby has to grow in my tummy before he or she
can come out,"  B'Elanna explained.
        "How did the baby get in your tummy, Mommy?"  Katy asked
innocently.
        Both parents froze, looking at each other nervously.  This was
another question they had been hoping they wouldn't have to deal with
anytime soon.  "You tell her,"  B'Elanna whispered to Tom.
        "I told her about the terrorists, you can tell her about this," he
whispered back.
        With a tense gulp, B'Elanna realized he was right.  "Well,
Katy," she began uneasily, "it's like this..."

*********************************************************
END OF PART 4

        Hope you liked it!

Remember, send your feedback to pt4ever@yahoo.com!

Copyright 1997 by JoAnna Walsvik.  All rights reserved and most of the
lefts, too. :)  Archive, distribute, etc. to your heart's content, but
leave my name and the disclaimer attached.

                        Yours 'til the wedding rings,
                                =/\= JoAnna
                                Official Parisite
                                Star Trek: Voyager