Title: No! - Response to Speed Challenge
	Author: rita (mommacita1@juno.com)
	Rating: R? for Masturbation
	Codes: P/K
	Disclaimer: I don't own 'em, I just like to borrow 'em.

	Summary: Kes has to get through Harry's sleep and lust befuddled mind to
	save Tom's life.

	'No, no, no! No, no, no!' Kes screamed silently. Tom refused to hear her.
	Refused to look around as he usually did. Just kept fingering the poisonous
	plants, as though choosing among fabrics at the market. 'I've got to do
	something,' Kes thought furiously. 'And it's got to be fast.'

	***

	"Tom, yes, Tom, more, please," Harry moaned in his sleep as Kes coalesced
	at his side. With great effort she slapped his hand away from his straining
	organ. "Huh, wha?"

	"Good. You're awake. You have no idea the amount of energy that took."

	"Kes? I'm awake? No way, you're gone. I'm dreaming," Harry decided.

	With a resigned sigh, Kes solidified her hand and slapped him again. "Still
	think you're dreaming?" she demanded.

	"Kes? You're real? You're real! You're back! Oh, my - oh, my God, excuse
	me!" Harry interrupted his rejoicing when he realized where the slap
	landed and why. Hurriedly, he covered himself.

	"I have no time for this," Kes snapped. "Listen, Harry, you want Tom,
	right?" When Harry started to demur, she brushed his words away with a
	gesture. "Look at what you were doing. You want Tom, right?"

	"Well, yeah, sure, but he wants Belanna. And even if he didn't, he doesn't
	want me."

	"And you know this how? Never mind. He thinks he wants Belanna, but Belanna
	just made it abundantly clear she doesn't want him. If you want him to live
	long enough to find out whether he wants you, you'd better get yourself
	down to the Hydroponics Bay in a hurry."

	"Why?"

	Kes rolled her eyes. "Tom just got dumped. He's been demoted. He isn't
	having a very good season - I mean year. Who does Tom blame for his
	problems?"

	"I don't know - Chakotay?"

	"Jeez, Harry, do you read your scripts or not? He blames *himself* of
	course. Mr. Low-Self-Esteem, remember? Now, back to the problem at hand -
	or not at hand if you don't pay attention. He's feeling unloved, unwanted,
	and unworthy. What's he gonna do?"

	"Umm, something stupid. In the Hydroponics Bay?" Harry thought for a
	minute, then jumped up and ran for the door. "He's going to poison himself,
	isn't he! Oh, my God!"

	Kes sighed and dissolved. Humans were *so* difficult sometimes.

	***

	"Tom, stop!" Harry raced into the Bay at full steam.

	"Harry? What are you doing here?" Tom dropped the hand holding the leaf he
	was about to put into his mouth. "Umm, Harry, tell me you didn't just run
	through the ship like that."

	Harry looked down at himself. He wore Teddy Bear pajama shorts and nothing
	else. He turned red. "Kes said - and I had to hurry," he explained
	incoherently.

	"Harry, go back to bed," Tom said patiently, pushing him towards the door
	with his empty hand. He kept the other one behind his back. "Kes isn't
	here. She didn't say anything. You had a dream."

	"Yes, yes I had a dream." Harry blushed again. "But Kes wasn't in my dream.
	At least I don't think she was." Harry sounded uncertain and Tom took
	advantage of it.

	"But she must have been. Some dreams seem very real," Tom assured him,
	turning him towards the door. "Go back to your quarters. And hope you don't
	meet anyone on the way there."

	"OK, Tom, you're probably right." Head down, Harry started shuffling toward
	the door. Tom turned away and raised the leaf to his mouth again. "Wait a
	second!" Harry turned back and Tom hastily stuffed the leaf into his
	pocket.

	"What now?"

	"If Kes didn't tell me, how'd I know you'd be here?"

	"All part of your dream, Harry," Tom responded easily. "You associate Kes
	with the Hydroponics Bay, so that's where you looked for her."

	"No, Tom. I was looking for you."

	"Harry, you're half-asleep and fully confused. Go back to bed now." Tom put
	the crack of authority into his voice and Harry obeyed.

	He was halfway through the doors when Kes screamed "Harry! Look!" in his
	mind.

	Harry turned to see Tom putting something green in his mouth. "No!" he
	yelled, bowling Tom over as he raced back to him. The leaf went flying and
	Kes blew it out of reach. Harry landed on top of Tom and impulsively kissed
	him on the lips.

	"Harry?" Tom was too shocked to try to roll Harry off him. "What are you
	doing?"

	Harry moved his face a few inches back, but otherwise kept Tom immobilized.
	"Kes said Belanna dumped you and you were going to kill yourself," he
	explained, "because you feel unloved and unwanted. So I just showed you
	you're not."

	"Right. Now get off me," Tom growled.

	"No."

	"No?"

	"You can beat me up later, or report me, or whatever, but I meant that
	kiss."

	Tom felt something hard and damp poke him in the thigh. Something of his
	own poked back.

	"I can tell you understand," Harry said. "Now, do you still want me to get
	off you?"

	"Only long enough for me to get out of my clothes."

	Kes rolled her eyes. Men! She let her essence spread out and away.

	End