FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS
Part Nine
By: Lauren Taylor

"It was you?" B'Elanna asked as she looked down at the phaser. The woman just
nodded.

"You would have figured it out sooner or later, B'Elanna. You're a smart
woman, it wouldn't have taken you too long." she answered. 

"But... why?" 

"Do I need a reason why? Oh, nothing really. You wouldn't understand it. After
all, it's about love, something you know nothing about since you're
boyfriend's been locked away the past few months." 

B'Elanna lunged at the woman, but the phaser was poked at her, so she decided
to stay still. The woman walked over to B'Elanna's desk, and picked up a
picture of Tom and Harry. She glanced at it, and then threw it on the ground.

"Stop hanging onto the past, B'Elanna." she told her. B'Elanna decided not to
let this go on any longer. Even if she died, she wanted the murderer to be
known, and Tom to be freed. She ran to escape, but the phaser beam hit her on
her shoulder. She fell to the floor in front of the door, but, before blacking
out, screamed as loud as she possibly could.

*

Joe Carey was walking towards engineering to work the dreaded night shift when
he heard a ear-piercing scream coming from B'Elanna's quarters. He ran a few
doors down from where he was, and demanded security take down the lock on her
quarters. He entered to trip over B'Elanna, and see someone trying to run out,
carrying a phaser. He tackled the woman to the ground, and took the phaser
from her. With his free hand, he hit his comm badge.

"Carey to the captain." he demanded.

"What is it?" Chakotay answered, sounding like he'd been woken up.

"Sir, B'Elanna's been shot." he told him. He could tell by the look in the
woman's eyes that she was also the murderer.

"Do you know who did it?" Chakotay asked.

"Yes, sir, I do." he answered as he looked at the woman who he'd seen as a
close friend all these years.

*

The room looked as though no one had lived there for months. Away in the
corner, however, someone was alive. The blonde, former pilot, sat in the
corner, knees to his chest, and head resting on his knees. He hadn't even
noticed that the door had opened.

"Tom?" Chakotay called out. Tom glanced over at the man, then turned away.

"What do you want?" he mumbled.

"I'm sorry for doubting you." Chakotay said after a few minutes as he bent
down in front of Tom. Tom looked up again to see if Chakotay was joking or
not.

"What?" he asked.

"B'Elanna was attacked in her quarters." Chakotay explained to him. Tom jumped
up, and looked down at Chakotay.

"Is she... is she alive?" Tom asked. Chakotay nodded.

"She's in sickbay." 

Tom ran towards his bedroom, but, before the door closed, Chakotay began
speaking again.

"You're free to go, Tom, and you can be the chief helmsman again. Once again,
I'm sorry I doubted you. I just hope you can forgive me." 

Tom walked towards him, and, Chakotay could now tell what the months of exile
in his quarters had done to the man. He was a great deal thinner, his face was
pale and he had the beginnings of a beard on his face.

"I thought you'd changed, Chakotay. I thought you trusted me. Instead, you
think that I murdered four people, and took away my life. Don't expect me to
forgive you for this."

*

Tom stopped in the doorway of sickbay, to soak in the surroundings. He hadn't
even thought to ask who the murderer was, all he cared about was getting out
and seeing B'Elanna.

B'Elanna was laying on the main biobed, wearing a medical gown. The Doctor was
in his office, he hadn't even noticed Tom enter.

Tom walked over to B'Elanna's bedside, and pulled over a stool to sit next to
her. He took her hand, and kissed her cheek. 

"Nice to see you again." the Doctor said from a few meters away. Tom smiled. 

"Nice to be back here. How's she doing?"

"Very well. She will make it, Tom." the Doctor said kindly, "As for you, I
order you to the mess hall for a meal, you've lost too much weight."

"I'll get there later, I want to be with B'Elanna right now." Tom told him.
For once, the Doctor didn't argue.

Tom squeezed B'Elanna's hand, and kissed her on the cheek. Just like in a
fairy tale, her eyes fluttered open right after the kiss. She turned her head
slightly to see Tom sitting beside her. 

"Did they catch her?" B'Elanna asked. Tom nodded, with a tear running down his
cheek. He kissed B'Elanna, on the lips this time, and held her close.

TO BE CONTINUED

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