The morning after Sam and Joe’s wedding, the ship was abuzz with the latest notice on the bulletin board.  The crew was split fairly evenly into two camps: one camp was upset with the command team for keeping their marriage a secret, while the other camp thought the command team should be congratulated on having kept the secret so long.  They all agreed it was good news and that a proper reception should be held to celebrate the wedding.  The only delay in the planning was that the chief party planner had not been seen since the notice had been posted.  That problem was remedied within 36 hours when Tom Paris finally surfaced in the mess hall for lunch. Caught off guard by three of the junior bridge officers, Tom had committed to organizing a surprise reception for the captain and first officer before he realized what was happening.  The other officers made good their escape before he could change his mind, leaving Tom wondering how he would convince the captain to approve another party without telling her why he wanted one.  He sighed knowing he would come up with something eventually.

Eight days later Tom steeled himself as the captain and first officer approached the table where he was just finishing lunch.  He had a feeling he wasn’t going to enjoy the upcoming conversation.  He had managed to put together a wedding reception for the captain and first officer but had neglected to get approval from either of them.  They had been well and truly surprised when a small cookout for a few of the senior officers had turned out to be a reception given by the entire crew.  Kathryn and Chakotay had taken the surprise graciously and had enjoyed the evening.  Tom wasn’t sure he wanted to know what the command team thought of the surprise.  B'Elanna also saw them approaching.  They had argued before breakfast and she was still snarling at him about every little thing he said.  He had avoided engineering all morning and that had prompted more comments about dragging their personal problems out in front of the entire crew.  The fact that he had been on duty in sick bay that morning only irritated her further.

“Good luck. You’re going to need it.”  B'Elanna was gone before Tom had realized she had even risen to her feet.  After bickering with him through the meal she was now leaving him to face the music alone.  Tom sighed and prepared himself for what was to come.

“Commander.”  Tom shrank into his seat at her tone, and then hastily rose to his feet.  When the captain mentioned your rank without your name, it was always a good idea to follow every detail of protocol.

“Captain, Commander, would you like to join me?”

“No, Commander, this won’t take that long.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Commander, you have become quite the expert at organizing parties.  I hadn’t realized you were so good at doing it behind the backs of your superior officers.”

“Yes, Captain.  Thank you, Captain.  It won’t happen again, Captain.”  Tom sounded like a machine as he acknowledged each component of the Captain’s statement.  Her voice was completely without emotion and her face gave no hints of things to come.  Chakotay spoke next.

“Are you really that good at planning and plotting, Commander, or did you have help from a few others in keeping those plans a secret, say, the entire crew?”  Chakotay’s voice sounded slightly ominous, as if he was contemplating how to discipline the entire crew compliment of Voyager.  Tom weighed his options:  take full responsibility or spread it around a bit.  He actually considered the latter before he spoke.

“No, sir.  Most of the crew knew I was planning something and may have chosen not to mention it to you, but I was behind it.  The few people who were more involved . . . well, I guess you could say I pulled rank on them.  They didn’t really have any choice but to help me.”

“Well, it seems you have learned something serving on Voyager all these years after all, Commander.”  The captain’s words surprised Tom – that sounded vaguely like a compliment.

“Ma’am?”

“You seem to have learned to accept responsibility for the actions of those under your command.”  The captain turned to Chakotay, “I guess he’s all yours to discipline, Commander.  I still like your first suggestion best, but it’s your call.  Gentlemen.”  The captain left and went to join the serving line.

“Aye, Captain.”  Chakotay’s words acknowledged her orders before he turned his attention back to Tom.  “Just in case you’re wondering, my first idea was to have you remove all traces of Voyager from the camp site and all the areas we’ve used – with a tweezers and no tricorder.  We both liked that idea.  You’re lucky the captain and I agree that delaying our departure for the weeks it would take you to accomplish that task is unacceptable.  I had to come up with something more appropriate for you so, from now on, you will be the official organizer for the ship.

“I’m not talking about just parties for the crew to celebrate, you will plan the sad occasions which will hopefully be few and very far between and also formal gatherings for alien dignitaries we might be required to entertain, and any number of official functions that might be appropriate from time to time.  You will also maintain a list of major holidays celebrated by various members of the crew, their birthdays, anniversaries and any thing else that we, or they, may want to celebrate.  You will gather all this information by talking to each and every person on Voyager; you will not use the ship’s database.  I suggest you start with the captain.  I checked the birthdays of the crew and noticed that there are six in the next two weeks.  You can start planning their parties when you finish your duty shift today.”  Chakotay started to turn away but paused for one more comment.  “Thanks, Tom.  We really enjoyed the party last night.  Don’t ever do it again.”

Tom was relieved that his punishment hadn’t been more ‘official’ or more severe, until he paused to contemplate its scope.  All that additional responsibility was in addition to his other duties.  Talk about long-term punishment!

Chakotay joined the serving line and selected his lunch before joining Kathryn at their usual table.  She smiled at him as he approached.  She had enjoyed watching Tom twitch while talking with her and then with Chakotay.

“What did Tom think of his punishment?”

“I think he was surprised he wasn’t officially reprimanded or given extra duties.  I don’t think it had quite sunk in just exactly how much is involved in his new off-duty duties.”  Kathryn was still watching Tom across the room.  She noticed a change in his posture as the full impact of Chakotay’s punishment finally registered.  She chuckled.

“I think he is starting to realize the full extent of his punishment.  How long are you going to make him suffer before you tell him it’s part of his regular duties and he can get help from others for at least part of it?”

“Probably a week or ten days.  There are six birthdays in the next two weeks, so I’ll let him handle all them before I let him off the hook.  It will give him a chance to decide how he wants to organize the information and how large a celebration might be appropriate for various holidays.  That all right with the captain?”  Kathryn smiled and nodded her head before changing the topic to the previous night’s party.

Harry stood to leave the group and return to the ship.  The sun was low in the sky but still had an hour or so before it set.   He had come with Tom to a favorite spot for the crew to unwind while off-duty.  The area had become popular primarily because it had a lot of flat rocks that could be used for sitting, picnics or sunbathing.  It was also near paths that led to the beach and hiking areas so many people passed by and quite a few would stay and talk for a while.  Tom and Harry had been the first out this evening when Tom had talked Harry into it because B'Elanna was on duty until later.  It hadn’t been long before other members of the crew had joined them.  Sam Wildman, now Carey, had been out for a while until Joe came looking for her.  The Delaney twins had both appeared along with a group of their friends including Aaron.  B'Elanna had joined them and a group that came off-duty at the same time bringing the total sitting around talking to about twenty.  Even the captain and commander had stopped to talk for a few minutes as they headed back toward the ship.

“I hate to leave but I have to go on duty for the last half of Gamma shift.  See you all tomorrow.”

“Ah, come on Harry, you can pull an all-nighter once in a while.  We’re on a planet.  What can happen during Gamma shift that you need to be wide awake?”  Tom was always willing to let the other guy lose a little sleep.

“Probably nothing, but I also have to cover Alpha shift.”

“Leave him alone, Tom.  You’d think a Lieutenant Commander would encourage responsibility.  Just ignore him, Starfleet.  He’s incorrigible and a hopeless pig!”  B'Elanna barely finished what she had to say before she broke up in a fit of giggles as Tom retaliated with a tickling attack to her ribs.

“Good night, all.”  Harry made good his escape as the others cheered on Tom’s efforts to tickle and B'Elanna’s efforts to escape.  They all knew that Tom would be the eventual loser but it was fun to watch the struggle.

Harry sighed as he returned to his cabin to catch some sleep.  He wondered if he would ever leave Libby far enough in his past so he could share his life with someone the way Tom and B'Elanna shared their lives.  It was getting more difficult to remember Libby’s face clearly and easier to think about finding someone else to take her place.  He didn’t realize that Jenny’s face had silently slipped into his thoughts as he entered his cabin and headed for bed.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!  The door chime woke Harry from a sound sleep.  He glanced at the chronometer – 00:30.  He didn’t have to get up for another two and a half hours.  If that was Tom, he was a dead man, Lieutenant Commander or not!  Harry grabbed his robe just in case B'Elanna was with him and headed for the door.

“What do you . . ..”? Harry’s voice halted in the middle of the sentence when he realized it wasn’t Tom at the door but Jenny.

“Jenny!  I wasn’t . . . I. . . What do you want?”  Harry stumbled to pull a coherent sentence out of his sleep hazed, surprised and confused mind.

“I’m sorry, Harry.  I know I shouldn’t wake you when you’re going on duty in only a few hours.  Megan took Aaron back to our cabin again and I have nowhere else to sleep.  Could I use your couch tonight?  Please?”  Jenny stood looking like a lost child.  Harry thought she would turn and run before she finished her question.

“Jenny.  Uh, come in.  You don’t have to stand in the corridor.”  Harry stepped back from the door and motioned Jenny into his living area.  “Now, what’s wrong again?”

“Megan took Aaron back to our quarters.  Aaron’s roommate and his girlfriend had another fight so they came to our room for the night.  Could I use your couch again?  I really don’t know who else to ask and it’s too cold outside tonight to sleep on the beach.”  During Jenny’s explanation, Harry’s mind finally started functioning.

“‘Of course, Jenny.  But I’ll take the couch.  I have to get up in an hour or so anyway and I’ll just wake you if you’re out here.  You can have the bed.”

“I can’t do that, Harry.  I don’t even care if I get any sleep.  I just need a place to stay.”

“No.  If you want to stay, you sleep in the bed.  Now, I still need to get some more sleep so no more arguing.  Let me grab a pillow and blanket and get back to sleep.”  For a minute Harry thought Jenny would take him literally and leave rather than sleep in his bed, but she finally yielded.

“All right, Harry.  I don’t know how to thank you.  You’re a real friend.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”  Harry quickly retrieved his pillow and a blanket, made sure Jenny was going to at least try to get some sleep and headed for the couch.  Not the best place to sleep, but he had to get up in a couple hours anyway.

“Computer, set wake up call to sound in living quarters only.”

“Acknowledged.”  Quiet settled and Harry rolled over to try to get some sleep.

Joe Carey looked up from his conversation with Sam as a group just off duty entered the mess hall.  Tom slammed out one door of the mess hall as B'Elanna left through the other.  Joe knew it was hard to slam the automatic doors, but Tom managed to convey the slam somehow as he exited.

“Wow!  Wonder what that was all about?”  Joe asked not really expecting an answer.

“Hmmmmmm.”

Sam’s answer, or lack of similar comment, roused his curiosity. “What do you know?”

 Sam looked surprised then tried to look innocent and failed miserably. “I can’t tell you.”

“Why not?”  Joe and Sam did not keep secrets from each other except when part of their jobs as officers required it.  “Ohhhhhhh, like that is it?”

“Like what?”

“You can’t tell me because it’s part of your job not to tell me, right?”

“Can’t tell you what?”

“What you know about the reason behind little display we just witnessed by the commander and chief engineer just now.”

“Joe,” Sam pleaded with him not to question her with her eyes.

“Ok, ok.  I won’t push it.  But when I can know, I expect all the details.”

“Thanks, honey.  Look, I have to run.  I’ll be late back on duty.  See you at dinner.”

"Of course and I doubt I should risk being late back to engineering given the mood of our chief engineer a few minutes ago." The couple parted and hurried back to their duty stations.

Harry and Jenny were walking back to her quarters after spending another quiet evening down at the beach talking.  As they approached Jenny’s door, Harry noticed that all too familiar signal that Megan had company for the night.  He stopped and turned Jenny back toward the turbolift.  Jenny hadn’t noticed the signal until Harry had stopped.  They were nearly back to Harry’s quarters before Jenny’s mind caught up with her feet.

“Harry, no.  I’ll just have to tell Megan that Aaron can’t just spend the night until I have confirmed that I have another place to stay.”

“You always have another place to stay.  Now come on inside and I’ll fix us some tea and we’ll talk about this -- again.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have this conversation in the corridor.”  Jenny reluctantly followed Harry inside and watched as he retrieved tea from the replicator and motioned for her to join him on the couch.

“You’re a good friend, Harry, but I need to have a place of my own.  You can’t keep giving up your bed because of my sister’s boyfriend.  He’s got his own bed; he doesn’t need to drive you from yours.”

“Jenny, it’s ok.  I don’t mind. That’s what friends are for.”  Jenny sipped slowly on her tea while Harry watched a range of emotions flicker across her face: anger at Megan and Aaron for their lack of consideration; frustration at her inability to control the situation; something Harry couldn’t quite define; relief that he was willing to help her; and finally determination to carry through with a decision she had made.

“I won’t do it, Harry.  I won’t stay here if it means you spend the night on your couch.”

“We’ve had this discussion before.  You get the bed and that’s final.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”

“I’ll won’t stay in your quarters, Harry, but I will stay with you.  Just to sleep, nothing more until you’re sure Libby is in your past.  I want more than what we have right now and I think in time you will, too.  When you’re ready to move forward, I want to be there waiting.”

“You won’t sleep in my bed unless I’m in it, too?”

“Right.”

“And you want to have sex, but not until I’m ready?”

“Not exactly.  I want to make love with you when you’re ready, not just have sex.”

“We haven’t even kissed yet and you’re ready to make love with me?”

“Harry, you keep repeating what I say and asking questions that I’ve already answered.  Listen again, ok?  I want more than we have right now but I know you need more time to let go of your past.  That’s ok ‘cause I am willing to wait.  I don’t want to rush you into anything because I think we have a long future together, but I also don’t want you to think I’m content with holding hands and talking for hours on the beach because I’m not.  Those times are precious to me and we may not have the chance to talk on a beach again for years, but I want us to have more someday and I don’t want to wait for another beach.”

Harry was stunned.  He had grown accustomed to their growing friendship and Jenny’s presence during their off-duty hours.  He hadn’t realized her feelings had deepened so far beyond that friendly companionship.  He thought about what she had just said and what he was feeling.  He realized that he had taken it for granted that Jenny would be around indefinitely but he hadn’t realized that somewhere in the back of his mind he expected their relationship to develop into something more. The question was whether he was ready to move forward. He finally responded to Jenny’s statements.

“I don’t know what to say. I’m not sure about anything right now. The only thing I know is that we both need to get some sleep.”

“Well, I’ll only sleep here if you and I share the bed.  No commitments and no promises.  OK?”

“Jenny, “ Harry started to argue but the look in her eyes told him this time she would leave, and something in Harry just wouldn’t let that happen.  “If you’re sure then I’ll try it your way.”

“Good!  I’m tired.  Let’s get some sleep.”  Jenny rose from the couch and took their empty cups to the recycler before turning to Harry.  “Can I borrow a tee-shirt?”

“Sure.”

Harry moved to find a tee shirt and handed it to Jenny.  Jenny quickly changed and crawled into bed while Harry changed in the bathroom.  Harry cautiously crawled into the other side of the bed.  They had at least half the bed between them.  Jenny faced away from Harry and smiled.  It was a start.

Sometime during the night, Harry awoke briefly to find Jenny snuggled next to him with her arms wrapped around one of his.  He decided he liked that feeling before he drifted back to sleep.  When the alarm went off in the morning, Jenny was gone and a note on the pillow said she had to be on duty early.  Harry smiled as he dressed for the day.

A few nights later, Tom waited in B'Elanna’s quarters for her to come back from a late duty shift in engineering.  He knew they had to talk but he’d be a lot more comfortable if he knew what it was that they actually had to talk about.  She had been snapping at him one minute, apologizing the next and avoiding him the next time he tried to find her.  He had no idea what he had done.  What he did know was that they had to get it sorted out soon.

B'Elanna entered her quarters expecting to find Tom either in bed or gone.  She was rather surprise to find him asleep sitting on the couch.  She paused to look at him.  In sleep he looked almost like a little boy – except for the stubble on his chin – and so innocent.  He was innocent, at least in terms of how she had been treating him lately.  Well, maybe not completely innocent, but he didn’t know what he had done.  Maybe it was time to talk to him about the problem.

“Tom?”

Tom roused and slowly moved to stretch muscles that had been in the wrong position too long.  B'Elanna’s voice brought his eyes to her face before he remembered why he had been sleeping on the couch.  She looked tired, emotionally and physically.

“Hi.”  His voice was so soft it would have surprised most of the crew.  B'Elanna was the only one who ever heard that tone.  Slowly she walked over to him.  He rose and pulled her close for a hug, reluctant to start the conversation he knew they had to have.

“I miss you.”

“I miss you, too.”

“We need to talk.”

“I know.  Is that why you were waiting out here for me?”

“Yes.  I don’t know what’s wrong lately but I do know we have to work it out.  If I did something, tell me what is was because I have no idea what is going on.”

“No, it isn’t what you did.  Well, that’s not quite true, but it isn’t anything we should be fighting about.  I’ve just been upset and taking it out on you.  I should have told you a couple days ago.”

“This has been going on longer than a couple of days.  It seems like all we’ve been doing is snapping at each other since Joe and Sam got married.”

“Actually, it’s been since Sam told us she was pregnant.”

“You’re upset because Sam is having a baby?  She didn’t plan the baby, B'Elanna, and she is certainly not sure it’s a good idea to raise a baby on a ship as small as Voyager, but she is happy about the baby.  Are you upset with Joe?”  Tom paused trying to figure out why a baby would upset B'Elanna.  “Do you want a baby now?  I thought we agreed that waiting would be better, at least until we get more settled into this journey back to the Alpha Quadrant.”

“No, I’m not upset that Sam is having a baby, or about Joe.  I agree with everything you just said about waiting and with Sam’s concerns about raising a baby on Voyager.  That’s the problem.”

“You lost me again.  If there is no problem, then what is the problem?”

“I’m pregnant.”  She spoke so softly Tom could barely hear her.

“What?  I thought you said you were pregnant.”

“I did.  I am.  I’m so sorry, Tom.”

“A baby?  We’re going to have a baby?”  Disbelief was changing into excitement as Tom accepted the truth of her statement.

“I’m sorry!  The doctor won’t do anything until we both talk to him.”

“This is wonderful!  A baby; I’m going to be a father!”  B'Elanna’s last words finally registered on Tom.  “What do you mean ‘do anything’?”

“He won’t do anything to terminate the pregnancy until we both talk to him.”

“You mean you don’t want the baby?  No, no we aren’t going to just terminate this baby without a lot of discussion, if then.  I want this baby.  Can you look me in the eyes and tell me honestly that you don’t?”

“I can’t, Tom, because I do want this baby.  But how can we?”

“I don’t know how but we’ll figure it out.  We have lots of friends here; they’ll help.  We’ll work it out, ok?

“I don’t deserve you.”

“You’re right; you deserve better, but I got lucky when you fell in love with me anyway.”

A week after Jenny shared a bed with Harry for the first time, he stopped her in the corridor outside stellar cartography.

“Here, you’ll need this.”  His words were accompanied by a record chip that he placed in her hand.  “I don’t get off duty until 02:00 tomorrow morning.

“What is this?”

“Your own access code to my place.  I won’t be there and you’ll need it to get in.”

“Harry?”  Jenny’s question stopped him from moving on down the corridor toward the turbolift.

“Yes?”

“You sure about this?”

“I’m positive.”

“I better tell you something first.  Hold this in case you change your mind, ok?”  Jenny handed the chip back to Harry.  “I need to tell you something.  Megan has been at Aaron’s the last three nights.  I really didn’t need a place to stay.  I just wanted to stay with you.”

Harry looked at the chip in his hand and thought about all his possible responses before handing it back to Jenny.

“I know.  I knew each night.  I’ll wake you when I get off duty.”  Jenny watched as Harry disappeared inside the turbolift then slowly her face lit up in a huge smile.