NEW HORIZONS
By: Lauren Taylor

        Damn Vorick. He was the cause of all of this nonsense. Ever since
all that happened three weeks ago, B'Elanna hadn't spoken to Tom. She
even switched around the duty roster so that she had the night shift, the
exact opposite of Tom's. 
        She was on duty, at about two in the morning. Her stomach was
doing somersaults as she tried to work. It was beginning to get hard to
concentrate, but she didn't want to miss work just for her little
stomachache. Finally, it was getting to hard to just ignore. 
"Walsvik!" she called the young woman working near her.
"What is it, chief?" Walsvik asked.
"Look, I'm not feeling too well, I'm gonna go to sickbay. You're in
charge for now." she explained.
************************************************
        B'Elanna walked slowly into sickbay. The pains had gotten even
worse on her way to deck six, and now she was barely able to stand up. 
        Kes was sitting in the office, and the EMH was nowhere to be
seen. Kes looked up from the padds spread out all over the desk, and
walked out to B'Elanna.
"B'Elanna, is something wrong?" she asked, concerned.
"I don't know. I've felt nauseous all day."
"Lay down on the bed while I get my tricorder." Kes told her.
        Kes walked back over, and began running a tricorder over
B'Elanna's body while she asked questions.
"When's the last time you ate?"
"About two days ago, I had some lunch. I haven't felt like eating
lately." B'Elanna told her quietly.
        Kes stared at the tricorder for a moment, amazed.
"What? What is it?" B'Elanna sat up.
"B'Elanna, you're...you're pregnant. Three weeks." Kes told her.
"Tom" she whispered to herself as she layed back down.
"Would you like me to call him in here?" Kes asked.
"No, that's alright. I'd better tell him myself." she said, still more to
herself. She sat up, and slowly got off the bed. Kes ran across sickbay,
and grabbed a hypospray.
"Wait, before you leave, let me give you this. It should help the nausea.
And try to eat something. I'm putting you on sick leave for the next two
days also." Kes told her.
*****************************************************
        B'Elanna leaned up against the wall outside Tom's quarters. God,
this was hard. She hadn't spoken to the man in three weeks, and now she
had to tell him that she was having his child. She took a few deep
breaths, and pressed the bell.
        Inside, Tom straggled out of bed, and threw on a bathrobe. He
walked blindly to the door, wondering who could be coming to him at this
hour. 
"B'Elanna?" Tom asked, still half-asleep when he saw her on the other
side of the door.
"Tom. I'm sorry I woke you. I'll come back tomorrow." she said quietly,
seeming to be on the verge of tears. She turned to walk away, but Tom
grabbed her by the arm.
"B'Elanna, whatever's going on with you seems important. You need to
talk. Come on in." he told her, concern filling his tired voice.
        He walked her into his quarters, and sat her on the couch. He
walked over to the replicator to get something to wake him up, because he
could tell that this would be a long night.
"B'Elanna, do you want a drink or anything?" he asked.
"No thanks. Tom, I have something to tell you." she told him.
        Tom replicated himself a cup of coffee, and walked back over to
her. He sat down beside her, and placed his arm around her shoulder.
"Now, what's all this about?" he asked.
She relaxed more, now that he was so caring with her, and she laid down
in his lap and looked up at him.
"Tom, I'm pregnant." she managed to say. He stared down at her, almost
not sure if he understood her.
"Three weeks." she explained to him.
"Oh, god." he whispered to himself, looking to his ceiling. "When did you
find this out?" he asked.
"Just a few minutes ago, I was in sickbay. Kes told me." she told him,
quietly. Her voice sounded tired and groggy, which Tom didn't think was
that unusual. He leaned down to her and brushed the hair out from her
face. He then stood up slowly, and let her head rest down on the couch.
"Here, I'll get you a blanket and a pillow. Why don't you get some sleep?
We'll talk about this in the morning." he whispered to her.
        He walked into his bedroom and grabbed a blanket and pillow from
his own bed, and placed them on the couch for her. As he walked back into
his room, he turned to look at her. This was all so strange for him. A
month ago, he would have killed to have B'Elanna spend the night in his
quarters. Now, he wasn't sure what to think about it. The one thought
that kept racing through his mind was the fact that he was going to be a
father. What he'd wanted his whole life. What bothered him was that he
was becoming a father by accident, because of some chemical imbalance,
and not because of love.
"Tom." B'Elanna called out from under the blanket.
"What is it?" 
"I'm sorry. For everything." she said.
"Hold it!" he yelled, and walked over to her. He kneeled down on the
floor, so that he was at her eye level. "B'Elanna, you've got nothing to
apologize for. None of this was your fault. This wasn't anyone's fault.
It just happened, that's all. And I want you to promise me that you'll
never forget that."
***************************************************
"Captain, could we speak with you in your ready room?" B'Elanna asked
when her and Tom walked onto the bridge the next morning.
"Of course." Janeway answered, worried for what this news could be.
B'Elanna seemed very shaken up, and Tom did too.
***************************************************
"Pregnant?" the captain asked, not sure if she'd heard them right.
"That's right, pregnant. Three weeks." Tom told her. The captain stared
at them, speechless. This was surely not what she expected to hear from
them. Janeway was amazed, though, at how this had changed their
relationship 360 degrees. One day ago, B'Elanna and Tom felt completly
uncomfortable being in the same room as each other, and now, B'Elanna
didn't seem to want to be apart from him. The news was obviously hitting
her hard.
"Tom, you can take the helm now. I'd like to speak with B'Elanna for
awhile." the captain told them. As Tom stood up, B'Elanna grabbed his
hand, not wanting him to leave. He leaned down and whispered something to
her, something along the lines of "I'll see you when I'm done. Just get
some rest." and then walked out.
"B'Elanna, how are you doing?" Janeway asked her.
"I'm not exactly sure, captain. I mean, I'm going to be a mother, but I'm
not sure if I want to be one. I never saw myself as the mother type. This
has all come as a pretty big shock to me." B'Elanna explained, still
acting the way that she'd been hours before in Tom's quarters.
"I'm going to put you on a light duty schedule until the baby's born. I
took a Klingon physiology class, so I know how this will be. I want you
to get some rest. Dismissed." the captain told her.
        B'Elanna stood up, and turned to leave.
"And, B'Elanna?" the captain called out after her.
"Yes, captain?"
"You'll make a great mother." Janeway smiled.
**************************************************************
        Three months later, it had been confirmed. B'Elanna was going to
have a daughter. Her and Tom were thrilled with the news. She knew all
along that Tom had wanted a girl, and was happy that he'd gotten his
wish. Her and Tom's relationship had changed drastically over the past
few months. He'd quit with the flirting, because he knew how emotional
she'd become since the pregnancy, and would most likely kill him if he
made one more wry comment to her. Their relationship had turned to more
of a deep friendship, but no love, not yet at least. 
        She'd become excited about having a child. It was that one
comment that the captain had made to her, about being a great mother,
that had raised her confidence drastically. She was now looking forward
to having a baby, looking forward to it more than anything. Now, she
needed to pick a name out for her daughter. Daughter. Those words
repeated themselves in her head. She was going to be a mother. It was
hard to believe. Everyone had been shocked when they heard the news.
B'Elanna laughed everytime she remembered Harry's reaction. He'd found
out by accident, mistakingly overhearing a conversation between her and
Tom. Tom. Where was he? He should have been here by now, to help decide
on a name. 
<ding dong>
*There he is, and only ten minutes late!* she thought to herself as she
got up and opened the door.
"Sorry I'm late. I've got a few good suggestions for names, though." he
grinned.
"Great, sit down." she grinned back. 
**********************************************************
"So, it's settled. Serena Kirsten Torres." B'Elanna announced. That was
the name they'd decided on after two hours of bickering, plus a dinner
break where Harry and Kes also gave their ideas. Serena was actually
Harry's idea, it was the name of a friend of his back home. Tom had
suggested Kirsten, after his favorite aunt. 
**********************************************************
        Three months until Serena was due, and B'Elanna couldn't wait.
She had already stopped working, due to the fact that she got back pains
so much, she could barely walk. Today, she didn't even want to leave her
quarters.
"Torres to Paris." she hit her comm badge as she fell back onto her
couch.
"Paris here. Where are you?" he asked, worried. 
*Oh, I forgot!* she yelled to herself  *I was supposed to meet Tom for
lunch ten minutes ago!*
"In my quarters. I'm not exactly up for going anywhere today. My back's
really hurting. I wouldn't mind one of your famous back massages,
though." she told him mischeiviously.
********************************************************
"Thank you so much for coming." she told him as he rubbed her back.
"Hey, anything for my daughter." he said.
*And anything for the woman I love* he added, just to himself.
*Tom, it's time to say how you feel. She's having your baby for
chrissakes* he argued with himself.
"B'Elanna?" he started.
"What is it?"
"What's it going to be like? When Serena's born, and her parents are just
friends?" he asked, hesitantly.
"She'll be fine. Lot's of kids are raised by only one parent. Like me."
she explained.
"But, B'Elanna, do you ever? I mean, do you think there could be more to
us than just friends?" he asked.
"Tom, we've been over this. You're a great friend, and I trust you more
than anything. I just...don't see anything romantic between us." she
tried to say.
"B'Elanna, how can you not? You and I are going to have a baby, don't you
think that's enough romance?" he yelled.
"No, Tom, I don't. It's just an accident about this whole baby thing." 
"Do you want this kid to grow up with her parents being just friends and
being just some accident? I really think that you and I should consider
some romance and possibly get married." he screamed to her. There, he'd
said it. But why did he feel so horrible?
"No, Tom!" she looked him straight in the face,"But I don't want my
daughter growing up with parents who aren't in love, either."
"But, B'Elanna, we love each other, right?" he asked, scared.
"I'm sorry, Tom." she said in a hoarse whisper.
Tom gave her one last look, and walked out. B'Elanna sank down to the
couch as the tears began flowing.
********************************************************
        Harry threw the duffel bag over his shoulder, and strode out of
his quarters. He was moving in with B'Elanna for however long it was
until the baby came. She was worried that the baby would come during the
night, and wanted someone there if that occured, and Harry was her
closest friend at this point. He hadn't told Tom about staying in her
quarter's yet, and hoped he wouldn't have to. Ever since Tom and B'Elanna
had that fight three months ago about god knows what, they hadn't spoken,
except to yell at each other, and Harry was caught in the middle. He was
always having to chose between the both of them, and hated when the two
of them were in the same room together, because of the shouting matches
they would have. He refused to take sides in this stupid arguement, not
wanting to lose either of them as friends, but was worried that this
might get Tom a bit mad at him.
"Harry!" Tom called out from behind the young ensign.
Harry sighed, and turned around to see his friend coming towards him,
with a confused look on his face.
"What's with the bag?" he asked Harry.
"Oh, nothing." Harry brushed it off, as he realized that they were
standing in front of B'Elanna's quarters.
"Why are we stopping here?" Tom asked cautiously.
"I'm moving in with B'Elanna. Just until the baby comes." Harry told his
friend. Tom sighed, and looked down at the ground as Harry pressed the
door chime. The doors whooshed open, and Harry stepped in.
"B'Elanna?" he called out, unaware that Tom had followed him in.
"In here. I'll be out in a second." she answered from her bedroom.
Harry threw his bag down on the couch, and noticed Tom's reflection in
the window.
"Tom, she's not going to like this." he explained.
"I don't care. You're staying here now, and I'm here to see you." Tom
said glumly.
B'Elanna stepped out from her bedroom, and grinned at Harry. She then
noticed Tom standing right beside him.
"What's he doing here?" she asked Harry, angrily.
"He followed me in." Harry shrugged.
B'Elanna glared at Tom, and then looked back at Harry. 
"I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch. And thanks so much for
doing this. You've got no idea how much this means to me. Now, I hate to
leave so soon, but I've got a sickbay appointment. You can come if you
want to." she told him as she turned around to leave.
"Might as well come." he said, as he walked over beside her. He turned
back to Tom, and gave him a look that basically said 'You'd better
leave.'
"You don't have to ignore me, B'Elanna." Tom called out.
She turned around, and scowled at him.
"Tom, I don't have time for this. I'm tired, I just want to get this
check-up over with, and come back here to sleep. Now, would you please
leave my quarters before I call security?" she said to him, getting more
angry with each word.
Harry stared at the two of them, annoyed at the way his friends were
acting. Neither of them probably even remembered what their fight was
about, and now they were going to sit here and have another arguement
about nothing. 
"Will you two quit this fighting?" Harry yelled. Tom and B'Elanna stared
at him, all shouting aside. It wasn't like Harry to get into their fight
like this. He usually just ignored it.
"This has been going on for three months now! I doubt either of you even
remember what this fight was even about! You two-"
"I remember what it was about!" B'Elanna cut him off, "Tom just wanted
romance out of me, and he even proposed to me!"
Harry looked at them, and sighed.
"Who cares? You two had something, something special. And now you're just
going to throw it away because of some little arguement three months ago?
I don't care if you guys never work this out anymore, just as long as
you're civil around each other, and not threatening to call security on
each other." Harry pleaded to them, glaring at B'Elanna on the last line.

"Fine." B'Elanna said cooly.
"Alright. We won't scream at each other anymore. Now you guys can go to
the appointment." Tom told them, and walked out of her quarters. 
*********************************************************
B'Elanna was sitting in the mess hall, alone. It had been three days
since Harry had moved in, and things were working out great. She was
afraid that the two of them would start arguing, after being together so
much, but that hadn't happened. Her and Harry were getting along great,
better than she'd imagined. He helped her through everything, and didn't
mind the sleepless night last night, or having to get up and get her some
food in the middle of the night, even when he had to go to the mess to
get it. Now, Harry was on duty, and B'Elanna was getting some lunch in
the mess hall. She was having lunch at an odd hour, though, so she was
the only one there. Neelix may have been in the kitchen, but she wasn't
sure. She started to take a sip of her tea, when a jolt rocked the ship,
and almost threw her out of her seat.
"Red alert. All hands to battle stations." the captain's voice rang out.
>From the kitchen, she heard crashing, and then saw Tom run out.
"Paris to transporter room. Beam Neelix directly to sickbay!" he ordered,
completely ignoring B'Elanna.
"Transporter's are off-line." the officer told him. Tom ran to the door,
and realized that it didn't open when he ran straight into it. B'Elanna
stood up, realizing that she may actually have to get along with Tom this
time, or else.
"What happened to Neelix?" she asked. Tom turned around, and noticed her.
He ignored all harsh feelings he had for her, and told her that some
shelves had fallen on him when the ship got hit.
B'Elanna felt a sharp pain in her stomach, and sat down abruptly.
"Is something wrong?" he ran to her side.
"No, I just need to rest. We can't get out of here, can we?" she asked,
too afraid she knew the answer.
"Not unless you want to use the Jeffries Tubes, which I'm not going to
let you do." 
Concern. Tom was showing concern for her. It was like they hadn't ever
had an arguement. She knew that this behaivior was just because he was
paniced, though. Another pain shot through her again, this time much
worse.
"Tom. I think Ser-Ow!" she yelled, and fell to the floor with the last
pain. Tom ran to her side, and helped her sit up.
"What are you trying to say? Serena's coming now?" he asked, scared.
B'Elanna only nodded, and flinched at the pain still lingering in her
stomach.
"Paris to sickbay." he hit his comm badge. 
"Sickbay here. What is it, lieutenant? We're rather busy here at the
moment." the doctor answered.
"I'm in the mess hall. B'Elanna's in labor." Tom told the doc.
"Bring her down here." 
"It's not exactly that simple."
*********************************************************
The sounds of a baby crying echoed throughout the almost-empty mess hall.
Tom took off his jacket, and wrapped Serena in it. B'Elanna layed back,
breathing a sigh of relief. Tom walked over to B'Elanna, and handed her
the baby, tears streaming down his face. B'Elanna sat up, and looked at
Tom with a smile, tears streaming down her face, too. The proud parents
looked down on their tiny daughter, not saying a word, too happy to say
anything. 
"Tom?" B'Elanna said through her tears.
"What is it?" he asked quietly.
"I'm sorry. For everything." she apologized, echoing the words she'd
spoken to him nine months ago.
"Truce?" he asked with a grin on his face.
"Truce." she smiled back. 
"Paris to the bridge." he stood up and hit his comm badge.
"Tom!" the captain exclaimed, obviously having worried about him during
the attack, "Where are you?"
"I'm in the mess hall with B'Elanna and my daughter." he laughed.
"B'Elanna, how are you doing?" the captain asked.
"I'm doing fine. So is Serena Kirsten Paris." 
"Paris?" Tom asked, confused.
"Yes, Paris. And, Tom?" she asked.
"Yeah?"
"I will marry you." she grinned. Serena cried when she said that, and the
two parents laughed.
"It's alright, sweetie. He isn't that bad of a guy!" B'Elanna giggled.
"Guess this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship for you and me,
huh?" he asked.
"Guess so." she smiled.

THE END

Paramount owns all characters, except Serena Kirsten Paris. Serena and
Kirsten own those names, tee hee :-)