The BLTS Archive- He Stopped Loving Him Today by Joanne Collins (luchenbackoutlaw@gmail.com) --- Disclaimer: Everything you recognise belongs to Paramount/Viacom (they keep refusing to let me have the boys ). The song He Stopped Loving Her Today belongs to George Jones and his writers, but I have changed it slightly. Especially the obvious . Yes you read the rating right. I am actually writing a story that is not NC-17 or R. Now that you have gotten over that shock , this is a death story, inspired by the George Jones song, He Stopped Loving Her Today (and I'm not actually a big George Jones fan, but I have this song on a multi-artist CD, and I *love* it. Lots of angst). I was also vaguely inspired by Debra Fran Baker's story, Fire And Rain, available on R'Rain's Trekslash archive. In this universe, Voyager has not returned to Earth within seventy years, or however long it is now, and Kes lived her life out on Voyager. ASC archive: Yes. BLTS: Yes. R'Rain's archive: Yes. Anywhere else (except personal use, sharing with friends, etc): Ask first! I'll probably say yes. This story is dedicated to everyone who's ever sent me feedback. You keep me writing, you know! --- About twenty years into the future of Voyager... --- It was over, at last. Harry Kim emerged from Sickbay, looking sad. "It's over?" asked B'Elanna, obviously on the verge of breaking down. "Yes," Harry said to the group waiting. Kathryn Janeway, Tuvok, B'Elanna, Neelix, and The Doctor reacted with varying degrees of emotion. The past few months had *not* been easy on Voyager's crew. Ever since The Doctor had discovered the cancer, the crew had been steeling themselves for the inevitable. He had left it too long for treatment, and the crew knew why. "They're together. I can feel it," Harry whispered. "I can too," B'Elanna said, leaning on her husband. "I think we all can," said Neelix, "and Kes is there, too." The group smiled, thinking of the first loss they had all endured...and the second. Now the third had happened. Oh, other crewmembers had been lost, all deeply felt, but this was the third in their "family", and it *hurt*. "He stopped loving him today," said The Doctor. "I'm sorry?" said Kathryn. "It reminds me of a song, in the twentieth-century database. It's called He Stopped Loving Her Today. But of course, in this case..." "Of course," said Harry, agreeing. "Tom..." Neelix said. "Yes, Tom," agreed B'Elanna. "I remember when Lieutenant Paris was killed," Tuvok began, "So soon after their wedding." "They only had six months," Harry said, sadly, "If I thought it would have made a difference, I would have tried harder to make Tom not take that flight." "Hindsight is always 20/20," Kathryn said. "Yes, that is true," Tuvok replied, "But I have a point to make. Almost five years after Lieutenant Paris was killed, one night, Commander Chakotay told me that those six months were worth the pain of loss." "The good times outweighed the bad?" The Doctor asked. "Precisely," replied Tuvok. "This is all very well," The Doctor began, "But we have...arrangements to make." "You have Commander Chakotay's will on file?" Kathryn asked. "Yes. He wished a ceremony on the holodeck. Instructions for the program are included in the will." "Make the arrangements, then, Doctor. Unless you would like someone else to do it?" "I can manage, thank you, Captain. Probably more easily than anyone else." "If you need *any* help..." B'Elanna said. "Thank you, Lieutenant Commander Torres. I think I would like to do this one myself. It's not just a duty...not that any of the others were that way...but..." "We know, Doctor. Thank you." Later that day, the crew gathered to farewell the gentle First Officer. B'Elanna, Harry, Tuvok and Kathryn made emotional speeches, then The Doctor stepped up. "I'm not going to speak of the Commander, and his great love for Lieutenant Paris. I'm going to sing about it," and music began to play, cued by his words. He said I'll love him till I die, We told him you'll forget in time, As the years went slowly by, He still preyed upon his mind, He kept his picture on his wall, Went half-crazy now and then, But he still loved him through it all, Knowing he wouldn't come back again. Kept some letters by his bed, dated 2372, He had underlined in red, every single I love you, I went to see him just today, Oh, but I didn't see no tears, All dressed up to go away, First time I'd seen him smile in years, He stopped loving him today, They placed a wreath upon his door, And soon they'll carry him away, He stopped loving him today. "Of course, Commander Chakotay didn't stop loving Lieutenant Paris today. Their love is as real and alive as it shall always be in our hearts," The Doctor said. --- The End