Love Lessons
by Sapphire

---

Disclaimer: The following is a P/K/T Star Trek Voyager story. The characters
belong to Paramount. I have just borrowed them to take them on this wild ride.

The idea for this story was inspired by "In His Mind's Eye", Margaret Berger and
is being posted here with her permission. Except for providing the inspiration
for this story, it should in no way be linked with "In His Mind's Eye" as
hopefully the author will be doing her own sequel. I just used the Tom Paris
background established in the above mentioned story to create my own little
version of P/K/T. This story will not be archived anywhere at this time except
my hard drive. Please do not archive, distribute, or copy without the author's
permission.

Warning: This story contains scenes of a sexual nature between f/m, m/m, and a
combination of the two. If any of these offend you, please read no further. This
is not a story for those individuals under 18 years of age.

Note: I just let my pen loose on this one and went along for the ride. It's not
meant to be taken seriously as this is not how I realistically view these
characters; however, I couldn't resist the premise and playing around with them
a bit. Forgive my mad wanderings. I'll soon be returning to MY realistic world
of Tom Paris.

---

Tom awoke in a sweat drenched panic. He bolted upright and was shocked to feel a
pair of arms encircle him. His mind still trapped back in the nightmare, he
fought the hold but it was not to be broken. He stilled as the calm voice
speaking softly to him began to register.

"It's all right. It's all right, Tom. Come on, wake up. It was just a dream."

B'Elanna? That was B'Elanna's voice. What was she doing in his quarters?

As he opened his eyes, Tom remembered. He wasn't in his quarters. He, B'Elanna
and Harry had gone on shore leave together. Harry and B'Elanna had talked him
into it. Despite his better judgment, even though he suspected his two friends
were up to something, Paris had agreed to go along. He looked around their
sleeping quarters before allowing his eyes to settle on B'Elanna, who still held
him in her embrace.

Tom felt a hand on his shoulder, then heard Harry's voice from behind him. "You
okay?"

"Fine." He pulled out of B'Elanna's embrace, but her hand on his arm prevented
him from leaving the bed. Tom saw her look over his shoulder and knew that she
and Harry were participating in some nonverbal communication and it was about
him.

B'Elanna's concerned gaze returned to his. Ever since she and Harry had become
privy to the secrets of Tom's past: The beatings his father had inflicted on a
young Tom, beatings bad enough that not only had they left emotional scars but
physical ones as well; the rapes by other inmates while in prison, his first and
only sexual experiences; the nightmares he had suffered from for years as a
result, nightmares that had recently been worsened by the duo aftereffects of
the Akritirian clamp and the engrams implanted in his mind by the Baneans --
ever since that time, she and Harry had kept a close eye on Tom. She had
listened with disbelief when Tom had confessed that he had never been intimate
with a woman and that his close sexual encounters with men had not been by his
choice, but forced upon him.

Looking at him now, she could see that the nightmares were still as bad as ever.
"Tom, Harry and I think we can help you sleep better. Will you let us try?"

"I'm sleeping better than I was. The doc's meds are helping a little." Tom
shrugged. "I don't know what you think you can do that the Doc can't."

"We can be your friends," said Harry. "Someone you trust." Harry paused, then
said, "Trust us to keep the nightmares away, Tom."

Moving over to make room for him, B'Elanna said, "Lay down."

Having no idea what they intended but deciding to go along with them for now,
Tom did as she bade. He trusted Harry and B'Elanna as much as he was able to
trust anyone. Laying on his back, he stared up at them expectantly. Before he
was quite aware it was happening, B'Elanna had climbed into the bed with him and
pulled him over to her, holding him, cradling him against her.

Tom stiffened. "Let me go." He tried to keep his voice calm, but was sure she
could feel the panicked hammering of his heart.

"Relax, Tom," she said softly. The hand that wasn't wrapped about his shoulders
moved to gently run over his face and smooth his hair down. She continued to
touch him soothingly, murmuring gentle words much as a mother does to a child.

Tom tried another protest, this one weaker than the original. "I don't--"

"Tom, we're not going to do anything but sleep together. No sex. No touching in
awkward places. I just want to hold you so you'll feel safe when you're
sleeping." She felt him beginning to relax and gave Harry, who stood watching
them, a small smile.

Tom, despite his trepidation, gradually relaxed against her. She did feel good.
Warm. Safe. And he was so tired. The past month of trying to balance the horror
of his personal life with his professional life had not been easy. He had needed
this shore leave more than he cared to admit.

Something moved against his back. For a moment Tom wasn't clear what was
happening. When it became clear, he struggled. His voice angry, he said, "Let me
go. Both of you."

Harry had moved onto the bed, drawing himself up against Tom's backside,
effectively sandwiching the pilot in between himself and B'Elanna. Tom's dismay
at this didn't surprise Harry. In fact, he had been expecting it. B'Elanna held
onto Tom, refusing to let him go. Harry wrapped himself about Tom and did much
the same as B'Elanna had done only minutes before. He ran gentle hands over
Tom's face, hair and shoulders and made soothing noises, trying to reassure him.
Gradually, Tom began to settle down and stopped struggling. However, the
stiffness remained. He made it clear with his resisting body that he was not
happy with the situation.

"Tom," Harry's voice was soft. "B'Elanna and I discussed this. We really think
this might help you. Please, give us a chance."

Harry's voice was so earnest that Tom couldn't doubt his sincerity, but it still
didn't make his own apprehension lessen.

"Let us help you," whispered B'Elanna.

Tom looked at her. Dark eyes gazed back at his.

"Close your eyes," she encouraged. "Just relax into my arms."

Hesitantly, Tom closed his eyes.

Harry, still feeling the tenseness in Tom's body, said, "Relax, Tom. B'Elanna's
in front of you. I'm behind you. We'll keep the nightmares away. We won't let
any get past us. You're safe with us."

Ever so slowly Harry could feel the tenseness begin to fade from Tom's body.
"Sleep, Tom," continued Harry. "Sleep and dream sweet dreams."

With surprise, Tom felt himself drifting off. This wasn't right, he thought.
Sleeping together with Harry and B'Elanna. But he could trust them, couldn't he?
Or could he? Could he trust anyone? Trust was such a hard thing; it frequently
turned its back on you.

Harry heard Tom sigh, then nothing. He peeked past Tom's shoulder to B'Elanna.
"He's asleep," she said in a feathery whisper.

Harry reached out a hand which B'Elanna grasped in one of her own. Maybe this
would work after all.

Harry and B'Elanna stayed awake, keeping watch over Tom. Whenever he began to
stir with a nightmare, they soothed it away. Somewhere near dawn, they finally
fell asleep, feeling it was safe at that point when the sleeping Tom hadn't
stirred for over an hour.

---

Tom had an urge to stretch. One of those stretches in bed first thing in the
morning that felt so good, but something kept him from doing so. It felt good
where he was at and he wasn't quite ready to disturb that yet. Instead, he
drowsily let his eyes open, then they widened. It hadn't been a dream. B'Elanna
was here, and he could feel Harry's breath on the back of his neck. Both were
still asleep, and they had him firmly encased between them. Tom recalled softly
spoken words throughout the night. They had kept the trust, he thought with
wonder. They had kept the nightmares away.

He gently disengaged himself from them. Leaving the bed, he watched as they
rolled toward one another, seeking warmth and finding it as they wrapped
themselves around each other. Tom stood there for a long moment watching them.
He knew they hoped to help him with more than the nightmares. He was very aware
they eventually hoped to become intimate with him. Tom wasn't sure he would ever
be ready for that. He knew it was something he should be able to overcome but he
just couldn't find it within himself to deal with it. He didn't know if he would
ever be ready.

B'Elanna came awake abruptly, not sure what had wakened her. Lazily stretching,
she became aware that there was a body missing from the bed. She looked at
Harry, who was still dead to the world. Tom. Where had he gotten to? Sitting up,
she swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood. There he was. He stood at
the large picture window looking out. B'Elanna swallowed down the urge to take
him in her arms and lavish him with kisses as she took in his form, bathed in
the morning sunlight. Gods, but he was beautiful. Silently approaching him, she
wrapped her arms about him from behind. He stiffened momentarily but then she
felt him relax when he realized it was her. It was, however, a forced
relaxation. He still was not at ease with this kind of closeness, but B'Elanna
felt buoyed by the fact that he was trying and not pushing her away.

"Morning," he greeted softly.

"Morning," she returned. Resting her cheek against his back, she asked with a
slightly impish tone to her voice, "Sleep well?"

He sighed, then surprised her when he turned to face her. "Yes, I did," he
finally admitted. He reached out a tentative hand toward her face but aborted
the move halfway there. B'Elanna, however, was having none of that. Before he
could drop the hand, she grabbed it and put the back of his hand to her cheek,
holding it there.

Tom stared at her pensively for a moment, then said, "You both can't sleep with
me every night, B'Elanna. Once you're gone, the nightmares will be back."

She shook her head. "You're such a pessimist. What makes you think we're going
anywhere?"

"You've got your own lives to lead. You've got each other."

"But we're missing something," Harry said from behind B'Elanna. Neither Tom nor
B'Elanna had heard him approach. "We need you, Tom. We want you." Harry
carefully watched Tom's reaction. When he had awakened and seen Tom and B'Elanna
together he had been surprised at the lack of jealousy he felt. Rather, it had
excited him and it had felt right. The three of them together felt right.

Tom's eyes widened a bit at the "we." He eyed them both before shaking his head.
"You know how I feel about that."

"Tom, if it was such a bad thing," B'Elanna said reasonably, "Harry and I
wouldn't engage in it so often nor would we enjoy it as much as we do."

"We just want to share that with you," added Harry. "We want you to see that it
can be more than just sex when you do it with someone you care about." Harry's
arms wrapped around B'Elanna but one hand reached out to run a finger down Tom's
face. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" he asked the pilot.

Tom stiffened and found himself totally unprepared for Harry's next words. "Oh,
you're not bad looking," Harry teased, "but when I say beautiful, I'm talking
about your soul. About the shine in your eyes when you're happy, which doesn't
happen often enough. We want to make your eyes shine more often."

Tom didn't know what to say. It was obvious just looking at the two of them that
they cared a great deal for him and that, yes, they were attracted to him
physically, but there was more to it than that. He could see it in their eyes.
His hand reached out to clasp Harry's shoulder. B'Elanna squirmed between them
and Tom suddenly became aware of her all too feminine body pressed up close to
his and the involuntary responses it was causing in his own body.

Clearing his throat in embarrassment and discomfort, Tom moved away from them.
Both wore disappointed but understanding expressions.

---

The rest of that day was spent with Tom avoiding close contact with the two of
them. It was difficult, but somehow he managed it. That evening at bedtime,
Harry and B'Elanna looked at him expectantly. Tom shook his head. "I'm going to
bed," he told them. "Alone," he added firmly. He crawled into bed, ignoring
their disappointed looks. Tom discreetly watched Harry and B'Elanna as they
crawled into one bed together and snuggled down for the night. He could hear
them softly murmuring to each other, could practically feel the soft caresses
they shared. He watched enviously.

Would it be so bad? he thought to himself. They could just sleep together.
Nothing more. Last night proved he could trust them and although he hated to
admit it, Tom missed the warmth and comfort of having them nearby. Quietly
slipping from his bed before his nerve gave out, he approached their bed.

Harry looked up when he heard a throat clear. B'Elanna's eyes widened. Tom stood
there, red-faced but resolute. "Got room for me?" he asked.

Harry rolled away from B'Elanna, took Tom's hand and pulled him down between
them. In his exuberance, he pulled Tom's face to his and gently kissed his lips.
For a brief moment, Tom kissed him back before he remembered himself. He jerked
back, ending up against B'Elanna. Determined to get her share, B'Elanna kissed
his temple and nibbled an ear as she pulled him back toward her. Nobody said a
word. All three settled in for the night, the only difference from the night
before being a different bed and that this time B'Elanna was at his back and
Harry his front.

Tom sighed, letting his eyes close. He drifted off to sleep almost immediately.

"That was almost too easy," whispered B'Elanna.

"Maybe," agreed Harry cautiously, "but it's a good sign, B'Elanna. He trusts
us."

---

Tom slept through the night, only stirring slightly a couple of times but
quickly quieting back down when Harry's and B'Elanna's comforting murmurings
reached his subconscious.

Tom awoke from the dream with a start. Not a nightmare this time. But an
unsettling dream all the same. It had been about Harry and B'Elanna. They had
been making love to him. Opening his eyes, Tom sighed blissfully, enjoying the
feel of hands running over his body, touching him in places that he never
allowed anyone to touch him, and was startled to discover he hadn't been
dreaming.

Harry tilted Tom's head up and gently but passionately kissed his lips.
B'Elanna's hands had slipped inside his shirt to roam over his chest and
stomach, and all the while she nibbled at an ear. Tom wasn't sure what to do. It
felt good. But sex isn't supposed to feel good, his traitorous mind disputed. It
was only a tool to get what you wanted or to hurt others. That's all it had ever
been for him. He gasped as B'Elanna's hand moved lower and brushed lightly over
his penis through his lightweight trousers. Tom jerked away from her touch only
to have Harry pull him forward, claiming his mouth once more. Harry's tongue
invaded his mouth. Oh Gods, thought Tom, he tastes so sweet. He couldn't stop
the involuntary movement of his tongue as it tangled with Harry's. They both
groaned.

B'Elanna's hand slid under the waistband of his trousers and slipped beneath his
underwear. Taking his penis in her hand, she lavished it with attention,
bringing it to hardness.

Tom cried out, half in fear, half in ecstasy. He jerked his mouth from Harry's
and gasped out, "No! Stop!"

Everyone's hands stilled but they didn't remove themselves. Tom felt his
hardness pulsing in B'Elanna's hand, and Harry's hand remained cupping Tom's
cheek, the thumb sensually brushing Tom's jawline.

Tom took a shaky breath. "Please, don't touch me." He had to admit, even to his
own ears, he didn't sound very adamant.

"You're not enjoying it?" asked Harry.

"Doesn't it feel good?" asked B'Elanna.

"I--" Tom stuttered to a stop. He gulped loudly, his nervousness evident.

"Tom, if it feels good and we don't mind and you don't mind," said B'Elanna
reasonably, "what can be bad about it?"

"We're not using you," Harry reassured him. "We care for you, Tom. We want to
see you happy."

Tom, to his embarrassment, felt the sting of tears in his eyes. "I can't--I
don't--" He blushed furiously.

Harry smiled gently. "We'll teach you."

Tom's wide eyes met Harry's gentle ones.

"I want you to make love to me, Tom," came B'Elanna's voice from over his
shoulder. "I want to be your first, and I want you to know how wonderful it can
be." She moved her hand, caressing his hardness.

Harry saw Tom's eyes close, saw the other man swallow convulsively before biting
his lip to hold back the cry. "Don't fight it, Tom. Let it out. B'Elanna wants
to be with you. I can leave if that would be easier for you."

Tom's hand reached out, clinging to Harry's shoulder. "Don't leave," he pleaded,
then gasped once again as B'Elanna's hand stroked him.

Giving him a deep, lingering kiss on the lips, Harry then turned Tom so he was
facing B'Elanna and Harry was at Tom's back.

Tom was afraid to open his eyes. Afraid to look at B'Elanna. Afraid of what he
might see in her eyes. He felt Harry take his hand and move it over B'Elanna's
breasts, the erect nipples, then down B'Elanna's flat stomach to the patch of
curly hair that nestled between her legs. Tom tried to pull away, but Harry
wouldn't allow it. Harry guided Tom's fingers in between the folds there to find
a warm moistness. Now it was B'Elanna who gasped.

"Feel that?" asked Harry as he guided Tom's hand to B'Elanna's clitoris. "That's
the female version of a male penis. It's a bit smaller," Tom heard the humor in
Harry's voice, "but the sensation for them is a bit like when B'Elanna strokes
your penis." Which B'Elanna promptly did, eliciting another startled gasp from
Tom.

Harry guided Tom's hand further down. Down to the open and inviting lips. He
slipped one of Tom's fingers inside the inviting lips, then pulled it out part
way, then in again.

"Oh Gods," B'Elanna breathed.

Tom's eyes flew open to look at her. She had such a look of ecstasy on her face
that Tom couldn't doubt that she was enjoying this. "I think she's ready for
you, Tom," encouraged Harry.

"I'm ready!" gasped B'Elanna. "Please, Tom. Now. Please." She opened her eyes to
look at him.

Tom felt Harry pulling his trousers down. His erect penis sprung loose. B'Elanna
retained her hold on it, placing it at the entrance to her vagina. Her eyes
pleaded with him. "Please, Tom."

Shocked and overwhelmed by what he was feeling, all Tom could do was nod.
B'Elanna led his hardness into her moistness and as her muscles contracted
around him, Tom's male instincts took over and he plunged into her. They moved
together frantically. Tom, moving by instinct, lifted part way out of her, then
plunged in again. It wasn't long before they had achieved a rhythm and within
moments, Tom felt her shudder and cry out. Then he felt the most amazing
sensation as his seed shot into her and a pain too exquisite to describe ran
through his body. He heard himself cry out. Crying out for B'Elanna. For Harry.

Then it was over and Harry was stroking Tom's back. Tom lay collapsed atop
B'Elanna, both of them breathing heavily. Harry leaned past Tom's shoulder to
kiss her. "You okay?"

"I'm . . . wonderful." She smiled before turning her attention to Tom. "Tom?"

He stirred slightly but didn't reply.

"Tom?" she tried again.

His head lifted and when she saw his eyes, a smile lit up her face the likes of
which Harry had never before seen. Harry watched with wonder as Tom reached out
a hand to gently cup B'Elanna's chin then the other man slowly bent down and
touched his lips to hers, almost shyly. But their kiss was anything but shy.
They finally pulled apart, both breathless.

"I guess it was pretty good for both of you, huh?" said Harry, amusement, and a
little envy, evident in his voice.

Tom's voice was hesitant, bashful. "Is it always like that? So overwhelming,
feeling like--like. . ." He trailed off, not having the words for it.

"If you find the right person, Tom," B'Elanna told him, "yes, it can be."

"Forgive us for springing this on you?" asked Harry.

He felt Tom stiffen for a moment, then the pilot rolled off B'Elanna, to lay by
her side. He stared at Harry. "You were right. Both of you. Thank you." His eyes
clouded over.

"What?" asked Harry.

Tom blushed. He shook his head, refusing to ask the question.

"Come on, Tom," encouraged B'Elanna. "No secrets."

He gazed at B'Elanna, thinking about what they had just shared, what she had
given him. Swallowing, he looked back at Harry. "You know that my experience has
been only with men--"

"--until now," B'Elanna quickly inserted.

Tom smiled slightly at that. "Until now," he amended. Then his nervousness
reappeared. "I, well, it was never anything like that. It always hurt. It was
humiliating. I--" He gulped.

Harry reached out and took Tom's hand in his. "Tom, until just a few moments
ago, you had never made love with anyone. What happened to you before wasn't
love. It wasn't even pleasurable sex. You were being used. That isn't the way it
is between lovers. Lovers share everything and give each other pleasure. It can
be that way between men too."

Tom stared at Harry long and hard. "Between you and me?"

Harry's face lit up. "I'd like that," he admitted. "I'd like that a lot, Tom."
He leaned across B'Elanna and kissed Tom, letting his hand move downward to
brush Tom's penis, which quivered at his touch. Harry cupped Tom's testicles.
Against Tom's mouth, he said, "I want you to make love to me, Tom."

"TO you? You mean--"

"Yes. I want you inside me." He felt Tom's hesitation and thought he understood.
Pulling back slightly so he could peer into Tom's face, he said, "You've never
been with a man in that way, have you?"

Tom wordlessly shook his head.

As Harry stroked Tom's penis, B'Elanna wriggled out from between them and moved
behind Tom. She would guide him through this much as Harry had just guided Tom.
"You like it when we touch you, don't you, Tom?"

He nodded.

"We like to be touched too." She led his hand to Harry's chest and together they
explored Harry's body. His chest. Shoulders. Back. Nipples. And then lower.
Finally, B'Elanna moved Tom's hand to Harry's backside. Parting his buttocks,
she took Tom's fingers in her mouth, coating them with saliva, then she led
first one finger, then two, then three into Harry's anus and proceeded to use
much the same motions as Tom and Harry had used on her. Harry bucked against
them. "Tom!" he gasped.

Alarmed, Tom drew back, his body stiffening. Harry's eyes popped open. "No!' he
gasped. "I meant *Tom!*" and he pulled the other man to him, latching his mouth
onto Tom's. Their erections rubbed together, causing both men to gasp. At
B'Elanna's urging, Tom kept moving his fingers in and out of Harry's anus,
stretching him. Harry whimpered. "Please, Tom. I'm ready. Do it now."

B'Elanna pulled Tom from Harry, allowing Harry to roll over on his stomach and
to place a rolled up pillow beneath his hips.

Tom, suddenly unsure, positioned himself over Harry, but his hesitation was
obvious. B'Elanna leaned over Tom's back. Her arms came around him, one hand
resting aside his face, the other stroking lubricant onto his penis with sensual
movements. "Harry WANTS you inside him, Tom. It's all right." She gently pushed
him forward until the tip of his penis rested against Harry's anus. Harry,
unable to stand it, reared back and impaled himself on Tom's rigid shaft. Harry
stilled for a moment, near orgasmic shudders running through his body, then he
began moving and soon Tom was moving with him in an ages old rhythm. They
climaxed together, both yelling loudly.

Tom collapsed atop Harry's back, still inside him. He made a feeble attempt to
withdraw, but Harry reached around, stopping him. "Stay there for a moment," he
whispered. "I want to savor this."

Tom felt the tears coming then. It was just too much. Alarmed, Harry felt Tom's
body begin to shake with his silent sobs and he felt a wetness on his back that
was Tom's tears.

"Oh, Tom," he heard B'Elanna say heartbreakingly. She pulled him back, gathering
him in her arms. Tom curled up against B'Elanna, seeking a safe haven. Harry sat
up, watching wordlessly, until B'Elanna motioned for him to join them. They held
Tom. Held him as he cried. Let him release all the years of misery foisted upon
him. Let him cry tears of happiness over the good years yet to come. Finally, he
dropped off to sleep as they lay with him cradled between them.

"You think he'll be all right?" Harry asked.

"I think it was all just a bit overwhelming," B'Elanna said. "I just hope he
doesn't now decide that we deserve better than him. It's him I want." She
reached out to Harry. "And you."

"Me too," admitted Harry. "I love him, B'Elanna. I love you both."

"Me too," she said softly.

They cradled the precious life between them, hoping against all hope that he
could love them back, until at last they also drifted off to sleep.

---

Tom slowly floated to wakefulness, reveling in the cocoon he seemed to be
submerged in. Opening his eyes, he saw that B'Elanna lay on one side of him.
Harry on the other. Both had arms and legs protectively over him. Amazingly
enough, Tom didn't feel suffocated by it. It felt good. He felt cared for.
Loved. Oh God yes, he felt loved. His heart poured over at that moment for these
two precious souls who had cared enough to show him the way. Did he love them?
He knew he cared deeply for them. He knew he didn't want to lose them, and at
that moment, not losing them seemed even more important than keeping the
closeness they had achieved in the past several hours. Sudden fear caused a
tightening of his heartstrings as it occurred to him that this may have been a
one-time shot. Perhaps now they would go back to being a couple -- to being
Harry and B'Elanna. They certainly didn't need a third wheel, and much as he had
enjoyed what had passed between them, Tom didn't think he could do this with
anyone other than Harry and B'Elanna. Maybe it would be better if he were to
leave now, before they were put in the uncomfortable position of telling him to
get lost.

Mind made up, Tom gently detached himself from their hold and eased himself off
the bed. Without hesitation, he quickly gathered up his clothes and other
belongings and left their quarters. Once outside, he requested to be beamed back
up to the ship.

---

Harry stretched as he awoke. He felt good. Smile on his face, he opened his
eyes. B'Elanna was still asleep. Tom was nowhere to be seen. Thinking Tom might
be in the outer room, Harry started for the door only to notice that all of
Tom's belongings were gone. With a sinking feeling of dread, Harry located his
combadge. "Kim to Voyager."

"Voyager," came Lt. Tuvok's voice. "Yes, Mr. Kim?"

"Can you tell me if Tom has beamed back aboard yet?"

"I believe Mr. Paris beamed aboard approximately forty minutes ago."

"Thank you. Kim out."

"Harry? What's going on?"

Harry turned to look at B'Elanna, who was sitting up in bed. "Tom's gone. He
beamed back up to the ship."

"What? Why?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know, but I plan to find out." He started stuffing his
belongings haphazardly into a carryall.

"I'm coming with you," B'Elanna said. "If he thinks he's getting away that
easily--"

"--he's got another thing coming," Harry finished for her.

---

Tom sat in his darkened quarters wondering what he was going to do with himself
for the next two days. He was supposed to be on shore leave -- on shore leave
with B'Elanna and Harry. His heart gave a twist at the thought of them. He would
miss them. More than he cared to admit. They had given him a glimpse of how full
life could be. Tom wished he thought he would find that elsewhere but in his
heart, he knew he belonged to Harry and B'Elanna. Strangest of all, he didn't
feel like he belonged with one more than the other. He treasured both of them
equally.

The sound of his door chime in the quiet caused him to jump in surprise. Without
thinking, he called out, "Come in."

And in walked the objects of his thoughts. Harry and B'Elanna. They didn't look
happy.

Crossing her arms, B'Elanna said, "What do you think you're doing here? We've
still got two days of shore leave left."

"I thought I'd let the two of you enjoy a little privacy. You hardly need me--"

"Don't tell us what we need," snapped Harry.

It was then that Tom saw how truly angry they were. Why? He thought they would
be pleased to have some time to themselves.

"Dammit, Tom," continued Harry, "what do we have to do to convince you that we
want you with us. Not just the one night, but for always."

Always.

The word hung in the air between them. Startled, Tom looked at them both. Even
Harry and B'Elanna looked startled. They exchanged a look that was full of
sudden comprehension and both looked back at Tom. "We love you," B'Elanna said
simply.

"Why?" blurted out Tom, unable to believe he was worth it.

"Why?" Harry looked disbelieving. It seemed so obvious to him. "There is no why,
how or reason, Tom. We just do. We're happier when we're with you. More complete
when it's the three of us than one or two." He shrugged. "You just feel it and you
know. Don't you feel it?"

If love was what Harry had just described then Tom knew very well he was in love
with these two. They made his heart sing. And they didn't even have to be in the
same room with him. Just the thought of them . . .

B'Elanna and Harry watched a wide palette of emotions flit across Tom's face.
Hearts breaking, they realized he wouldn't know love. Nobody had ever loved him.
He'd been bruised, battered, and used but never loved. They both knelt in front
of his chair, each placing a hand on a knee. "Come back down to the planet with
us," encouraged B'Elanna. "Let us spend the next two days showing you how much
we love you and why we don't want to live without you."

To say he was astounded was putting it mildly. Nobody had ever needed him in
this way. It was simply too much to comprehend.

Before he could utter a word, Harry and B'Elanna each grabbed one of his hands
and pulled him to his feet. "Come on," said B'Elanna. "Shore leave's not over
yet."

They started pulling him toward the door. "Wait," protested Tom. "Let me at
least get my pack. My clothes--"

"You won't need any clothes," Harry said wickedly.

Tom blushed furiously but followed them willingly. Harry and B'Elanna were
thrilled. He hadn't even protested returning with them.

The trio returned to their quarters on the planet and didn't leave them for the
next two days. By the time they returned to the ship, Tom was well versed in the
ways of love but both promised that they still had much more to teach him.

---

The End