anneinchicago
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Disclaimer: Everything Trek belongs to Paramount. This story belongs to me.

Archive: Trekiverse, PKSP, BLTS. May be printed out for personal use only.

Dedicated to the people of the Paris/Kim Slash Party mailing list, for keeping the flame alive.

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"Star light, star bright. . ."

"What are you doing?" Tom asked, crossing the room to stand behind Harry.

Harry leaned back into Tom's embrace, smiling as he felt Tom's arms tighten automatically around his waist. "Making a wish." He nodded at the stars outside their quarter's viewport.

"That the ship wasn't grey?"

"Always." Harry smiled. "But not this time."

"That you were home?"

"I am home." Brown eyes turned to meet blue. "We all are."

"We are, aren't we?" Tom said, kissing the tip of Harry's nose. He then said, "That B'Elanna were less of taskmaster?"

"She's mellowed a lot since she and Seven. . ." Harry smiled again. "Besides which, she wouldn't be B'Ela if she weren't."

"True," Tom agreed. There were a few minutes of contented silence, then Tom said, "I know. You were wishing for a handsome prince to come and take you away from all this. That he would be slavishly devoted to you and completely dedicated to making your every dream come true."

Harry elbowed Tom lightly in the ribs. "No. I already have my prince, even if he isn't as handsome as he thinks he is."

Tom laughed, his cheek pressed against the ebon of Harry's hair. "Then what?"

"That everyone we know- used to know-" Harry corrected himself, "is as happy as we are right now. That they've somehow come to terms with what's happened and have finally gone on to make new lives for themselves. And, in doing so, not only found peace, but some small measure of contentment and comfort, in doing so."

"That's a big wish," Tom said, tightening his hold on Harry.

"Not if you help," said Harry.

"All right," Tom said. "What should I do? There's so many to choose from. . ."

"Close your eyes," Harry said. "Then open them. The very first star you see is the one."

Tom did as he was told, then, beginning slowly, said, "Star
light. . ."

"Star bright," Harry's low baritone joined Tom's tenor.

"First star we've seen tonight. . ."

The deck thrummed beneath their feet and, for a moment, it was as if Voyager herself had taken up the age-old chant.

"We wish we may, we wish we might. . ."

Tom thought of his father, of how he would sit at his desk in Starfleet Headquarters, rubbing his nose and frowning at the stack of PADDS that always seemed to be before him; Harry of Libby and of his parents, of his obaa in her house in Old Kyoto with its ancient shrine in the side-yard.

"Have the wish we wish tonight. . ."

Tom imagined his mother coming in and laughing. . . taking the PADDS away from his father and then drawing him to his feet and out the door. . . Brought back together by shared grief and, in doing so, finding themselves again. . .

Harry pictured Libby with both her new husbands and their new daughter. . . How she would smile at them. . . Its breath-taking beauty saved for those she loved, the smile that had captured Harry's heart the very first time he had been privilieged to see it.

In their mind's eye, each star they could see became the face of someone dear to each and every one of Voyager's crew: Tom's two sisters, Harry's obaa, Geron's two mothers Meru and Tika, Ayala's sons, the Captain's mother and her sister, Phoebe, Chakotay's aunt, Naomi's father and Samantha Wildman's husband, B'Elanna's father Jose. . .

Harry turned and Tom kissed him.

"Do you think it worked?" Harry said wistfully.

"Of course," said Tom.

"You sound so sure. . ."

"I am sure. After all, it worked for us, didn't it?" Tom said.

Harry gave a happy sigh. "It did, didn't it?"

Tom glanced once more at the faces and people he thought he could still faintly see out there in the darkness, each busy with their new lives and their new happinesses. "Yes," he said. "It did."

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End