kathryn.islonely.com

Who is Thomas Eugene Paris? A screw-up...a clown...a hero...a fool...?
Tom Paris was 'the brightest light which burned too soon in vain'. He had
everything and his future was bright. But he stumbled, he made a mistake
and then another...and another...and another...until his light had dimmed
and his future had withered. And he was alone.

Then he found himself on the Starship Voyager...he was given another
chance. And he has become everything he might have been. He still makes
mistakes...but he is no longer afraid of them. And he is no longer alone.

I like Tom Paris because he is flawed and yet he's still a hero. Unlike the
Golden Children of the Enterprise, Voyager gives us lost, angry misfits
and Tom Paris was the most lost, angriest misfit of them all...he was
thrown out of Starfleet. He was a Wonder Boy, full of potential who by all
rights should have been among the Golden Children of the Enterprise...but
he's flawed. He made a mistake, people died and he lied about it...he was
thrown out of Starfleet and then he wasn't even good enough to be a
Maquis. He was left with nothing, in prison! But despite all that...or perhaps
because of it...he became the hero. He was given another chance and he
made it happen. And he remains imperfect, he's still flawed, he still makes
mistakes. He's lost, he's angry, he's hiding...he's screw-up...a clown...a
hero. He's like me....broken...and strong.

"The world breaks everyone. Some are strong at the broken places."
-Ernest Hemingway

you can have my heart
but it isn't new
it's been used and broken and only comes in blue

it's been down a long raod
and it got dirty on the way
if i give it to you
will you make it clean?
wash the pain away...

"There might actually be one or two people who still have a good opinion of me"

you can have my heart if you don't mind these tears
but i heard that you make all things new
so i give these pieces all to you
if you want it you can have my heart

"I don't need anyone to choose my friends for me."
-Harry

"I overlooked his bravery because I was focusing on his brashness. I ignored his courage
bcause I saw it as arrogance. And I resented his friendliness because I mistook it for
licentiusness. So while this man was giving us his best, every minute of every day, I was
busy judging him."
-Neelix

"I love you."
-B'Elanna

so beyond repair
nothing i could do
tried to fix it myself but it was only worse when i got thru

"I didn't tell the truth. I made a mistake - which happens to people - but if I'd admitted
that mistake it would have been a lot better. But I lied about it. And it nearly ruined my life."

then you walk right into my darkness
and you speak words so sweet
you hold me like a child till my frozen tears fall at your feet

"I'm starting to realize that it's not other people's opinions I should be worried
about...it's mine."

you can have my heart if you don't mind these tears
but i heard that you make all things new
so i give these pieces all to you
if you want it you can have my heart

"All this running around you do...your 'mission'. You're so dedicated, you know?
Like you care about something more than just your own little life."
-Rain Robinson

...Broken Things...