The BLTS Archive - Assumptions
by Liz Griffin

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Disclaimers: Paramount/Viacom owns all things Trek. I own only this
story.

Archive - Rrain okay, everybody else ask first; BLTS, ASCEML

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"Tuvok, you have the bridge. I'll be in Main Engineering."

"Aye, Captain," came the customary response as she entered the
turbolift.

Thank all gods for Vulcan discretion, she thought. I'm sure he's
noticed this is the third night this week. Of course, there was no
reason for anyone to suspect the Captain's going to Engineering.
Everyone knew Janeway liked to keep tabs on everything about Voyager.

What they didn't know was that she wasn't really going to Engineering.
She was going to the Engineer.

She couldn't remember when it had started. Perhaps it was when she had
first gotten to know B'Elanna - at Chakotay's insistence - and had
decided to put her trust in a young but brilliant upstart. B'Elanna
Torres had surprised her with her quick thinking, her ability to
extrapolate complex temporal theory from limited data, her undeniable
talent for making things work, even when things seemed impossible -
and her vulnerability. Kathryn had seen through the defenses she had
erected, had finally broken through to her in a shuttlecraft on a
nearly-suicide mission... and she had liked what she had seen. It was
then that she realized that, although B'Elanna Torres did have just a
touch more attitude than she generally cared for, she was going to
become a major part of Kathryn's life. And that perhaps this was not
such a bad thing.

Perhaps it was when B'Elanna had begun to relax into her role as Chief
Engineer, becoming less nervous around Kathryn, letting her see who
she really was. At first, B'Elanna had seemed convinced that Kathryn
was "out to get her," that she was setting up her Engineer to fail.
Nothing could have been further from the truth. Kathryn desperately
wanted B'Elanna to succeed - to somehow assuage the heartache she had
sensed in the young woman, the product of years of hearing and
believing that she was somehow lesser... inferior... that she was
destined to fail at everything she set out to do, simply because of
her genetic structure.

It was painfully obvious to Kathryn - the way Torres worked long
hours, burying herself in work that could as easily have been
delegated to others; the way she held herself at a distance from
others emotionally, refusing to become too attached to anyone; her
constant defensiveness whenever Kathryn walked into Engineering, even
on her morning stroll, Torres seeking her out and explaining why
anything that wasn't running smoothly was doing so, and how soon it
would be repaired...

Kathryn usually responded with a less-than-interested "Carry on,
Lieutenant," and made her way to the Mess hall - but even though Main
Engineering was a 10-deck detour, she went there every morning.

And now, every night.

Kathryn couldn't put her finger on any specific moment, any blinding
revelation. But one thing was certain - she wanted to be near B'Elanna
Torres. She wanted to feel the woman's strength. Hear her low, clear
voice. Trade ideas and theories and enjoy her exceptional mind. She
wanted to smell the unique scent of her hair - sweet, subtle,
ineffably clean... To touch her shoulder in the offhand way she had
developed, acutely aware of the deceptively slim musculature B'Elanna
carried. She wanted to be in the woman's presence - feel the reality
of B'Elanna Torres wash over her, that presence nearly tangible, as if
it could wrap itself around her, like a blanket...

She and B'Elanna had slowly developed a close working relationship
over the months and years of their exile - a relationship that was not
uncommon between captain and engineer. If Voyager was Kathryn's baby,
then B'Elanna was Voyager's nanny - training her to move faster, excel
in her flight, coddling her when need be, and making sure all bumps
and bruises were cared for. If there was one person Janeway knew loved
this ship as much as she, it was B'Elanna Torres.

And it was more than that, their relationship. There was an easy
camaraderie, a mutual respect - a friendship the Captain could
ill-afford with other members of her crew. When Kathryn was alone with
B'Elanna, she could let her guard down just a bit - let go of some of
the authority and distance she had by necessity maintained over the
years. Of course, she knew it could never be more. B'Elanna had never
displayed interest beyond the parameters of their current relationship
- and Kathryn had looked for it. But being near her, stealing
moments... it was enough.

It would have to be enough.

The lift stopped and she walked into Engineering.

She was here. B'Elanna Torres knew it without even looking. Every time
the woman came through the doors of any room she was in, B'Elanna knew
it. Sometimes, even if her face was on a viewscreen in the room she
was in. She had a presence, an aura about her that made people take
notice. Beauty, strength, poise, grace, and an undeniable essence of
command - all of it combined made her undeniably attractive. And it
made people notice her. Especially a certain half-Klingon engineer.

B'Elanna looked up from her console to see Kathryn Janeway strolling
through Engineering. Her stomach sank pleasurably to her knees. As it
did every time she saw the Captain. She studied the red-and-black-clad
figure. She was constructed of tension, a constant quiet energy that
infused everything and everyone around her. And yet she was calm,
imparting a sense of comfort and safety.

B'Elanna watched as she leaned over a crewhand, commenting on his
work, passing a few words. Janeway always passed a few words, with
anyone she met, as long as time permitted. The Captain, she knew, had
just come off her watch on the bridge - she was here be seen. To boost
morale.

She certainly boosted B'Elanna's.

Torres turned back to her console. It wouldn't do to be caught staring
at the Captain. At her strong-yet-delicate shoulders. At her
remarkable blue-gray eyes. At that thick mane of red hair. At the way
her body was perfectly complimented by the "sexless" Starfleet uniform
that hinted teasingly at the feminine curves...

B'Elanna sighed. If Kathryn Janeway had remained in the sciences,
B'Elanna would have taken her for a lover years ago. Assuming, of
course, that Kathryn would have her. As far as B'Elanna knew,
Janeway's lovers had been male - not that the Captain was prone to
discussion of her sex life. B'Elanna sighed again. It was a moot
point. Janeway was the captain - and had made it clear she had no
interest in a ship-board relationship. But if only...

"Lieutenant." The throaty, patrician voice caressed her. B'Elanna spun
her chair around and felt her knees go slightly weak from that lovely
smile.

"Anything I can help out with here?" Janeway laid a hand on her
shoulder in habitual gesture. B'Elanna felt her skin go warm in that
spot.

"Well," she began, then pretended to look at the duty roster until she
trusted her voice. "Seven of Nine is performing repairs on the forward
EPS conduit. Maybe you could see how she's doing." She turned. "Aren't
you off-duty?" she gave her a friendly smile. "If you'd like to get
some dinner..."

"No thank you, Lieutenant," Janeway smiled back. B'Elanna's heart
sank. "I just wanted to feel useful," she quipped. "I'll be in tube
three-seven-Kappa-one if anyone needs me." She strolled off to the
access panel.

"Aye, Captain," B'Elanna whispered, watching her back.

---

"How's it coming, Seven?" Kathryn Janeway crawled gracefully through
the Jefferies tube to where the blonde woman was performing repairs.

"Repairs are proceeding within estimated time parameters," Seven
replied coolly, not looking away.

"Could you use a hand?"

Seven turned to her then, a look of confusion on her face. "I already
have two hands, Captain..."

Janeway laughed quietly. "No, Seven - I was asking if you require
assistance."

Seven processed the information for a second. "Assistance is not
necessary, Captain. I am capable of performing this task."

Janeway nodded and remembered to use Borg speech patterns. "In your
opinion, would my assistance accelerate completion time for this
task?"

Seven turned back to her work. "Possibly." She glanced at the Captain.
"I hesitate to relegate you to the position of Junior Crewhand..."

"I don't mind," Janeway smiled. She shifted around to the other side
of Seven's lanky frame. "I could use a break from command duty," she
grunted as she squeezed past.

"Very well then," Seven murmured. "Hand me the mark-three spanner."

Janeway reached for it, turning to hand it over. As she turned, she
lost her balance, sprawling into the former Borg's lap as Seven caught
her easily.

After a moment of surprise, Janeway grinned up at her. "Your spanner,"
she smirked wryly, holding the tool up. She was amazed at the young
woman's strength - all her weight was resting in Seven's arms, and she
wasn't even straining.

Seven looked down at her. "Your lack of coordination suggests you
require rest, Captain," she observed. "Perhaps you should take a break
from command duty in a more restful environment."

Janeway looked into the clear blue eyes for a long moment, then
conceded defeat. "You're right," she sighed. "I should be in my
quarters, not here. Help me up."

Seven lifted her effortlessly. As their faces nearly touched, they
heard a loud clatter.

"Mother of Fek'lhr!"

They both jumped, Janeway scrambling off Seven's lap and twisting to
see the source of the sound. Halfway through the floor access panel
was B'Elanna Torres. Her face was frozen in shock, her toolkit open
and tools scattered over the grating. B'Elanna stared at Janeway.
Janeway stared at Seven. Seven seemed divided over whom to stare at,
but both Janeway and Torres got their fair share.

B'Elanna was the first to drop her eyes. "Sorry," she mumbled,
gathering up her tools as quickly as possible. "I... uhhh... I didn't
mean to..."

"B'Elanna..." Janeway began. She waited for the half-Klingon to meet
her gaze, then smirked wryly. "It's not what you think."

"I was assisting the Captain. She wants to go to bed," Seven added
calmly. Janeway rolled her eyes.

"I see," Torres managed. She took a deep breath, then looked away
again, completely flustered. "I... I'll be back later, Seven. I didn't
mean to intrude... " She was already on her way down the ladder, at a
speed that could probably have gotten her cited for reckless behavior,
Janeway noted. The hatch hissed shut over her retreating head.

After an uncomfortable silence, Janeway sighed. "Well," she noted
sardonically. "That went smoothly."

"I do not understand Lieutenant Torres' response," Seven noted with
maddening calm. "She seemed inordinately agitated."

"That's putting it mildly," Janeway observed. She sighed again, a
short exhalation in preparation of what was about to transpire, and
faced Seven. The only way to handle this was with the truth.

"Lieutenant Torres believes you and I were in the beginning stages
of..." she hesitated over the word, "copulation."

Seven raised her eyebrows in her classic gesture of intrigued
confusion. "What evidence do you have of that thought? Are you
telepathic, Captain?"

"No." Janeway thought for a moment. "At the moment she saw us, our
physical positions would indicate that we were engaging in Human
foreplay. Her - agitation, as you call it - indicates that she
believed something was happening that shouldn't. And knowing
Lieutenant Torres, I think she would believe the evidence of her
eyes."

"But we are both female - and you have not previously displayed
evidence of attraction to your own gender," Seven countered. "And I...
I have never..."

"Seven, I really don't want to get into this right now," Janeway cut
her off. The younger woman looked at her with a bemused expression.
"Sorry," Janeway murmured. "But I think it best that I go and explain
the situation to Lieutenant Torres, and then get some sleep."

"That would appear to be a prudent course of action, Captain," Seven
agreed. She paused as Janeway turned to leave. "I would be interested
in speaking with you more about this assumption - about Human mating
behavior..."

"Not tonight, Seven," Janeway demurred, then grinned, crawling away
from her. "I have a headache."

---

The Captain emerged from the access panel in Main Engineering and
looked around. B'Elanna was nowhere in sight.

"Ensign Vorik," she caught the young Vulcan as he walked past. "Where
is Lieutenant Torres?"

"The Lieutenant left approximately four minutes ago," he answered
dispassionately.

Janeway nodded, then tapped her commbadge as the engineer continued
on. "Janeway to Torres."

There was a slight pause. "Torres here," came a dismal voice.

"Lieutenant, I'd like to speak with you, if possible."

Another pause. "I'm in my quarters, Captain," she answered in a
resigned tone.

"I'll be right there." She headed immediately for the turbolift.

As the doors sighed shut behind her, Janeway sagged against the back
wall, pinching the bridge of her nose. I honestly *do* have a
headache, she thought. How to explain to B'Elanna Torres what I was
doing in the arms of Seven of Nine in a Jefferies tube of all places...
The lift stopped. As the doors slid open, Janeway squared her
shoulders and strode out into the corridor.

In her quarters, B'Elanna Torres sat in abject misery. Janeway and
Seven.... Kahless and all the gods! It was wrong! Absolutely,
completely, utterly wrong! That half-automaton, that... that...
B'Elanna couldn't think of a more insulting word - BORG! How could
Kathryn Janeway ever be happy with her? Seven of Nine would never
appreciate what she had - could never cherish the smoothness of
Janeway's porcelain skin, the thickness of her hair, the fluid
strength and grace of her lithe body. Seven of Nine would never savor
the sweetness of her lover's kiss, the softness of her lips, the
slow-building passion of hours and hours of kissing, simply holding
that exquisite body in her arms, feeling the refined strength move
against her... She would never relish Kathryn's scent, her arousal,
never be able to take Kathryn's essence, savor it fully, roll it on
her tongue and describe the vintage... Seven would never be able to
provide the passion B'Elanna knew Kathryn Janeway needed - enough to
break through that iron-clad discipline and make her crazy with
wanting...

Seven couldn't love her.

She looked up reflexively as the doorchime sounded. "Come in,"
B'Elanna sighed. She knew what the Captain wanted. She was here to
deliver a gag order. As if only Command Staff had the good sense to
keep their mouths shut...

Janeway walked in slowly and scanned the room. B'Elanna managed a weak
smile as they held one another's eyes for a long moment. Janeway stood
perfectly calm, arms crossed casually in her familiar habit, her face
unreadable. B'Elanna forced herself to keep looking at her
expressionless face, disciplining herself severely not to allow her
gaze to drift downward, over the line of her throat, the perfect set
of her shoulders, the swell of her breasts...

"I don't suppose you would believe me if I told you I was handing her
a spanner," Janeway said dryly, pulling her from her mental
explorations.

B'Elanna chuckled. "I would if it were the truth, Captain." She
continued on before Janeway could answer, determined to get this over
with as soon as possible. "Look, Captain - what you do is your
business. You're the Captain. Whoever you date is no concern of mine.
And no one will hear about this from me, I promise you," she added
quickly. Suddenly needing to move, she heaved herself out of her chair
and walked toward the far wall, away from Janeway.

"I admit it surprised the hell out of me," she continued, still unable
to look the Captain in the eye, "...you and Seven - I never figured
her for your type. But then I never figured you for the Jefferies type,
either. But that doesn't mean I'm going to tell the whole ship. You
have as much right to a relationship as anyone - more maybe. I just...
If I had known..." she paused finally, then shrugged, her voice
quieting. "I wish it had been me, that's all. But if it's with Seven,
then that's fine. Really." Oh yeah. Just fine. Never mind that every
time I see her now, I'm going to know what you're doing with her, and
that she's not satisfying you... Because she can't... And I know I
could...

"I'm so glad you approve." B'Elanna turned to find the Captain
standing with her arms still crossed and a smile tugging at her lips.
"However - if you're done with your little speech - I think it's only
fair I should tell you..." She lowered her head for the briefest
instant, then looked up at B'Elanna through her lashes. "I was handing
her a spanner."

B'Elanna felt her jaw drop.

"I slipped and literally fell right into her lap," Janeway continued,
uncrossing her arms to gesture gracefully. "What you saw was her
helping me get up so I could go to quarters and get some sleep."

B'Elanna stood dumbfounded for at least three seconds. "That's it?"

"That's it," came the matter-of-fact response.

"So you don't... you're not..." B'Elanna faltered. The realization of
what she had revealed hit her, as if someone - a very heavy someone -
had just kicked her in the stomach. "Oh, Kahless and all the gods,"
B'Elanna groaned, sinking into a chair and lowering her face to her
hands.

Janeway considered her silently for a moment, then crossed the room to
sit on the sofa facing her, fingers knit loosely between her knees,
waiting patiently. After a long silence, B'Elanna finally looked up at
her. Janeway's eyes were a deep gray-blue, and gentle, as if she had
something very painful to say.

"We need to talk," Janeway said softly.

Rolling her eyes, B'Elanna groaned again. Janeway raised her eyebrows.
"No good conversation ever started with the words `we need to talk',"
B'Elanna stated, burying her face again.

Janeway chuckled quietly. "All right," she murmured. She tilted her
head to see B'Elanna's eyes. "How about I talk and you listen?"
B'Elanna nodded, steeling herself for the worst.

Janeway stole a calming breath, releasing it in a sigh. "You know I
haven't had any... personal... relationships on board." She paused,
staring at her hands, still loosely knit, and B'Elanna nodded in
acknowledgement. Janeway sighed again, and continued, her eyes
distant. "At first, I was being faithful to Mark. I felt it was unfair
of me to begin a new life if there were the slightest chance that he
was waiting." She looked down at her hands again, then drew a deep
breath. "Then, I began to let him go. It was slow, but I did. And I
accepted the fact that I would be alone."

There was a silence as they both contemplated the consequences of that
decision. Alone... without love or compassion, without someone to
hold, without someone to tell her secrets to, snuggled warm and safe
under the covers... B'Elanna began to understand the bleakness of her
captain's days and nights. To live alone... with no one as an equal,
no one to make love with... eat dinner with... argue with... no one to
share her life's joys and sorrows, help her shoulder the burden of
being Captain - and leader, and Starfleet Command, and mother, and
Counselor, and everything else everyone on board ever needed...

But who takes care of the caretaker? B'Elanna thought dismally.

She watched as Janeway took a deep breath, as of the weight of that
decision had suddenly come crashing in on her again. "It came as
little surprise when I got his message. I knew he had let go of me - I
think part of me hoped he had, after all these years..." She turned to
look at B'Elanna. "Not that knowing made it any easier," she said
wryly. She turned away again, as if this revelation were too intimate
to be accomplished eye-to-eye. "In essence, I received a `Dear John'
letter, and dealing with that was not pleasant." Her voice wavered
only slightly. Janeway drew another lungful of air, straightening her
spine in the imperious posture she used when a momentous decision was
necessary.

"As I began to let go fully," she continued, her voice steady again,
"and I began to look around me, I also began to realize that there was
someone with whom I already had a relationship - and with whom I
wanted more. I came to a personal decision - for the first time since
I made Captain." She turned to face B'Elanna again, her eyes and voice
softening. "Only to realize, that person had not the slightest
interest in me."

"Chakotay," B'Elanna said softly.

Kathryn's eyebrows raised dramatically, and she smiled broadly. Then
laughed. "Chakotay!" she expelled. "Oh, Heavens no!" She waved a hand
dismissively. "We settled that long ago. Yes, I was aware of his
feelings - I'm fairly certain the whole ship was aware of his
feelings," she added somewhat mischievously, "but no, it isn't him."

"Then who?" B'Elanna asked incredulously as she wracked her brain.
"Who could possibly not be interested in you?"

Kathryn smiled at her indulgently.

B'Elanna felt her insides turn to ice-water. "Me?" she squeaked.

Kathryn smiled. "I was convinced that - if given a choice between me
and a plasma flow regulator coupling - the coupling would win hands
down."

"You can't be serious."

Kathryn gave her best commanding glare. "Do I look like I'm not
serious," she intoned gravely.

"I thought you weren't interested in me," B'Elanna said in surprise.
"At least, no more than you are in the rest of the crew." Their eyes
held for a long, somewhat awkward moment. After a silence, B'Elanna
sighed. "So," she said glumly, "what do we do now?"

Janeway sighed in sympathy. "I don't know," she said. "Since I didn't
see this as a possibility, I really haven't given it much thought."

I have. If you only knew how much thought I've given it...

"I certainly don't think anything like this will stay a secret for
long," Janeway continued. "But I'd prefer to keep it private for as
long as we can." She looked at B'Elanna. "That was another part of my
being alone," she smiled wryly. "How would it effect the command
structure if word got out the Captain was having a relationship with a
member of the crew..."

Wait a minute. B'Elanna stared at her. Are we reading the same padd
here? She looked at Kathryn pointedly and swallowed. "Relationship?"

Kathryn's eyes came to hers and held them. "Yes," she said.
"Relationship." She blinked. "Isn't that what we're talking about?"

B'Elanna was silent as she turned the word over in her mind.

"I suppose not," Janeway murmured, standing again and walking away - a
sure sign she was angry and didn't want to show it. By B'Elanna's
estimate, she counted ten about four times. Then she turned. Her eyes
told B'Elanna that her attempt to control her temper had failed.

B'Elanna's stomach sank. Unpleasantly.

"I really don't know what you had in mind, B'Elanna," Kathryn began,
her voice a glacial monotone, "but I think I can safely assume it
wasn't what I had in mind."

"That's not true..." B'Elanna began.

"You thought I was going to sleep with you," Kathryn stated flatly.

I..." B'Elanna faltered. "I thought that's what you were talking
about..."

Janeway nodded, her jaw clenched. "I knew it." She stood in silence as
B'Elanna felt every dream that had come true in the last few minutes
evaporate into nothingness. "If that's what you think this is about,
B'Elanna," Janeway said in a glacial monotone, her eyes icy daggers,
"then you haven't the slightest idea what I want." She crossed her
arms. "And if that's all you want from me, then you never will." She
turned and walked toward the door.

"Kathryn!" B'Elanna cried softly. She couldn't let her leave. She just
couldn't.

Janeway paused.

"Kathryn," B'Elanna said again, more softly, and rose from her chair
to cross the room. She could almost hear what Janeway was thinking,
could feel her steeling herself to pull away from whatever B'Elanna
had to offer. In the one second it took to reach her side, B'Elanna
realized it was now or never. She had to lay it all out, right here,
or Kathryn would be out the door and out of her life again. Back to
being The Captain. Back to being alone. And B'Elanna couldn't allow
that.

Searching for a way to calm Janeway's temper, her stubborn pride,
B'Elanna stepped as close as she dared and gingerly placed a hand on
her shoulder. Janeway did not move. She swallowed and took a deep
breath. "It isn't that I don't want anything more," she said quietly,
using gentle pressure on the shoulder to urge Kathryn to face her.
Feeling as if her soul had been laid bare, she took a leap of faith.
"It's that I didn't think more was possible."

Kathryn's eyebrows raised and her eyes softened. "What... how can
you..."

"I thought you wouldn't want anything more from me," B'Elanna
murmured, her hand coming to stroke Kathryn's hair, tears nearly
coming to her eyes as she felt the softness of it under her hand.
"You've been so distant, so restrained - I thought all I could hope to
be was a... diversion."

"B'Elanna..." Kathryn whispered, reaching up to stroke her cheek with
the softest touch B'Elanna could ever have imagined.

"And it would have been enough," B'Elanna said with conviction, still
running her fingers through that silky red mane. "Just to spend time
with you... be close to you... it would have been enough."

"No," Kathryn breathed, shaking her head slowly, her eyes and face
stricken. "No... you deserve so much more than that..."

"I don't deserve you..."

She was cut off by Kathryn's finger resting against her lips - and
then by Kathryn's lips brushing over her own as Kathryn bent to her
slowly. Kathryn's hand cupped her chin as she kissed her lingeringly,
repeatedly. Kathryn's lips were soft - so very soft - and gentle on
B'Elanna's, caressing her own lips delicately, exploring them.

"You deserve..." Kathryn breathed across B'Elanna's lips as she kissed
her, "...so much more..." Her lips parted on B'Elanna's, moving more
forcefully, still carefully, now consuming her as B'Elanna opened to
her instantly... and their kiss deepened, drawing both of them in,
causing them to share a deep intake of breath as passion rose between
them.

B'Elanna wrapped her arms about Kathryn's neck, hearing the small
sound of pleasure in her partner's throat as Kathryn slid her arms
around her body, gathering her close. Reeling from the unreality of
the situation, B'Elanna yielded to the sweetness of Kathryn. Soft lips
caressed her own, Kathryn's tongue slid slowly past her own lips and
stroked even more slowly within her. B'Elanna touched Kathryn's tongue
with her own, then sucked it gently, hearing with pleasure the low
moan that escaped Kathryn's throat.

Endlessly they kissed, devouring one another with slow hunger, hands
running over one another slowly. B'Elanna drank in the sensation of
Kathryn - the slim body under her hands, the warmth of her breath on
B'Elanna's cheek as she sighed through her nose, the sweet sounds of
hunger, of pleasure... Kathryn pressed herself against B'Elanna, hands
tangling in her hair as Kathryn's lips possessed hers in increasing
urgency.

As Kathryn's hands came to the front of her uniform, B'Elanna pulled
away with effort. "Kathryn..." B'Elanna panted as Kathryn removed her
jacket. "You don't have to... don't do anything you don't want..."

"I want," Kathryn interrupted, her eyes darkened to a deep gray-blue,
her voice lowered to a velvet huskiness as she silenced B'Elanna with
a thumb sliding firmly across her lips. Sliding her hands over
B'Elanna's shoulders, she cupped the back of B'Elanna's head and
captured her mouth again, kissing her with a passion B'Elanna would
never have imagined her captain possessed. B'Elanna moaned and
unfastened Kathryn's jacket.

Sliding her hands up and down Kathryn's sides, running firmly over the
smooth curves of her body, B'Elanna pulled away from her mouth. "Have
you any idea," she whispered, "what you do to me?"

Kathryn leaned her head back as B'Elanna's hands slid over her
breasts. "Ohhhh...yes..." she moaned breathily. "Yes... I think I
have..." She bit her lower lip as B'Elanna teased her nipples with her
fingertips. "You..." Kathryn whispered, her own hands sliding under
B'Elanna's shirt, "You don't know... how I've wanted..."

"I know," B'Elanna answered her, shuddering as Kathryn cupped her
breasts. "Believe me, I know... oh..." Kathryn's slim fingers traced
circles around her nipples, creating fire all through B'Elanna's body.
Unable to hold back any longer, B'Elanna took her hand and led her to
bed.

They came together again, Kathryn immediately removing B'Elanna's
shirt. "B'Elanna," she whispered, unfastening B'Elanna's bra.

"Mmmmm?" B'Elanna divested Kathryn of her shirt and bra in one motion.

"It may not seem the time to ask," Kathryn murmured as B'Elanna pulled
her close, kissing her throat hungrily, "but are you... do you always
need..." she trailed off, searching for the words.

"Violence?" B'Elanna supplied, kissing along the exquisite line of the
Captain's collarbone.

"Mmm... yes..." whether she was responding to B'Elanna's hands
stroking over her breasts or answering the question, neither of them
knew.

B'Elanna drew Kathryn's remaining clothing down as the Captain stepped
out of her boots. "Not always," she whispered as the black fabric fell
in a pool at their feet, Kathryn removing her socks by stepping on the
toes and yanking her feet free. Kathryn's hands slid into her
waistband and pushed her trousers and underwear down. "And not always
to the point of injury..."

"That comes as a relief," Kathryn smiled, holding her hands to balance
her as B'Elanna extracted her feet from her own boots and socks.

"But," B'Elanna continued, running her hands up and down Kathryn's
arms, "as Humans would say, I do like it rough."

"That can be arranged," Kathryn smiled.

"What about you," B'Elanna asked, tracing her fingertips across
Kathryn's brow. "Any limitations?"

"I can't have any marks that will show when I'm in uniform," Kathryn
noted. "And I need to be able to go on duty in the morning. But other
than that, no." Her eyes slid downward over B'Elanna's nude body. She
drew in a deep breath, releasing it in a breathy sigh. "Ohhhh...
B'Elanna..."

B'Elanna did not answer, captivated by sight of Kathryn nude.
Kathryn's uniform had only hinted at the beauty it concealed: smooth
ivory skin; long, slim muscles only hinting at the strength they
carried; soft breasts, perfectly formed, the nipples firming even as
B'Elanna looked at them; thick, soft hair at the juncture of her
thighs, not at all curly, and the most lovely shade of auburn...

B'Elanna reached forward and pulled Kathryn into her embrace, gasping
at the silken softness of Kathryn's skin against her own body, at the
sweetness of Kathryn's lips brushing so very lightly over the ridges
of her brow.

"Kathryn," she whispered, unable to fathom that anyone would find that
part of her attractive... want to caress her there...

"Beautiful..." Kathryn murmured, finding her lips again and kissing
her deeply. "B'Elanna... so beautiful..." she murmured between kisses.

B'Elanna moaned as Kathryn's firm tongue slid into her mouth, as
Kathryn's hands slid over her back. "Kathryn..." she whispered
urgently between burning kisses, not releasing Kathryn as she backed
toward the bed. "I want you..." Her knees hit the bed and she tumbled
down, pulling Kathryn with her.

Kathryn laughed, a low, pleased sound. "I always knew you'd throw me
into bed eventually," she smiled, propping her head up on one hand.

"Oh?" B'Elanna ran her hands roughly over the other woman's body,
savoring the arching response as Kathryn leaned into her caresses.
"And when were you planning to let me know about that?"

"When I was sure," Kathryn answered matter-of-factly, leaning down to
bite her shoulder gently, then using her knee between B'Elanna's to
lever herself on top.

"Sure of what?"

Kathryn's finger on her lips stopped her. "Don't talk," Kathryn
whispered, and kissed her with nearly painful intensity.

No problem, B'Elanna thought, pulling Kathryn to her and running her
hands through that exquisite hair. They kissed deeply, passionately,
Kathryn pressing her body fully into B'Elanna as she devoured her
mouth with surprising agility. Her tongue was everywhere at once,
pressing deeper, sliding over her teeth, tangling with her own in
delicious circling stroking rhythms...

B'Elanna felt waves of pleasure move through her powerfully at
Kathryn's sounds, throaty murmurs of hunger, of pleasure, almost
growls, the sounds consuming her in red-hot desire. B'Elanna became
acutely aware of the weight of the woman on top of her, the sounds of
their breathing, their moans, their sighs, their motions against one
another as they tried to meld their bodies in every way... the
pressure of Kathryn's hip against her mons, the thigh pressing between
her own, opening her... With a growl of passion, B'Elanna flipped them
over and took up the assault on that lovely soft mouth.

Kathryn's hands - those slim, soft, undeniably powerful hands began to
stroke her, smoothing over the muscles of her back in languorous
strokes even as she responded to B'Elanna's kisses with feverish
ardor. Over and over hot skin the hands stroked... kneaded...
encouraged... Kathryn pulled her closer, her arms an almost painful
tightness as she tried to regain control of their kiss, make it
hers... but B'Elanna pressed into her more forcefully, thrusting her
tongue into the satin heat of her, taking her...

Kathryn's hands roamed over her back again, coming to rest on the scar
on B'Elanna's left shoulder blade. "What's this," she asked
breathlessly, pulling away only slightly.

"My first," B'Elanna answered roughly, moving downward to kiss the
juncture of her neck and shoulder with passionate intent.

"Scar?" Kathryn raised a dubious eyebrow.

"Lover." B'Elanna bit her shoulder lightly.

"Ah." Kathryn drew a sharp breath as she traced the mark with a
fingernail - as B'Elanna nipped up the side of her neck. "And you've
never... mmmh... had it removed."

"Tradition," B'Elanna clarified, suddenly captivated by the line of
Kathryn's jaw, kissing and nipping it from chin to ear.

"I see." Kathryn rolled her head back, sighing as B'Elanna bit gently
just under her ear. "Did she... mm... break your clavicle, too?"

"Kathryn..." B'Elanna raised her head and looked into the older
woman's eyes. "Don't talk." She kissed her passionately, eliciting a
tiny cry of pain - but Kathryn did nothing to stop her, only digging
her fingernails into B'Elanna's back lightly. B'Elanna could taste
Human blood, just a hint, enticing her. She ran her tongue over
Kathryn's lips, searching for the source, then bit down on the woman's
lower lip to release more.

"Ah... B'Elanna..." Kathryn whispered.

"Don't talk," B'Elanna instructed, lowering her head to nip and suck
at Kathryn's throat.

Kathryn groaned as her body responded to the near-pain of B'Elanna's
ministrations by arching her breasts upward wantonly. "Can I... can I
at least moan?"

Panting now in her need, B'Elanna brought her hands to Kathryn's
shoulders as she kissed downward, over her breasts. "Be careful..."
she mumbled through her pleasure. Kathryn's nipples were swollen hard
before her mouth even touched them - Kathryn arched gracefully beneath
her, sliding slightly down the bed as she kissed and nipped the creamy
smooth flesh. "Inadequate soundproofing..."

"Inadequate soundproofing be damned," Kathryn growled, rearing up to
bite her clavicle.

B'Elanna cried out, her head jerking back involuntarily. Kathryn
kissed the mark she had made, tiny kisses that followed the line of
her collarbone, back and forth, as B'Elanna pried her fingers from
their death-grip on the Captain's elegant shoulders. "Gods!" she
whispered when she finally regained control, looking down to Kathryn's
smiling face.

"Don't like it?" Kathryn grinned.

"Did I say I didn't like it?" B'Elanna growled.

Kathryn gave her a smile that could only be described as "wolfish" and
raised her eyebrows in a "Well?" gesture, running her tongue slowly
along the edge of her upper teeth.

B'Elanna growled low in her throat. "Be careful, Captain..."

"Kathryn," she corrected, trailing her fingertips over B'Elanna's
shoulders. "And what if I don't want to be careful?" She suddenly
raked her nails down B'Elanna's back, leaving burning trails from
shoulder to hip.

B'Elanna roared, latching onto Kathryn's clavicle and drawing blood as
Kathryn arched beneath her, crying out and digging her nails into the
back of her neck, pulling her closer, wanting it, welcoming it...
B'Elanna growled again, lost now in her passion, and slid her hands
under Kathryn to clasp the rich flesh of her hips, savoring the moans
of mixed pain and pleasure as her teeth punctured that satin skin more
deeply...

"B'Elanna... yes..." Kathryn breathed, clawing at her shoulders in
unconscious response. "Show me... show me what you want..."

"I will," B'Elanna vowed, moving downward to kiss Kathryn's breasts
once more. "Ohhhh, I will..." She assaulted the soft mounds, cupping
them in her hands and kneading strongly as her mouth took a nipple.
She stroked, bit, swirled her tongue around it in glorious satin
circles, flicked it against her teeth roughly - Kathryn groaned and
pressed up into her. "So good," B'Elanna panted, kissing across her
chest to the other breast. "So good..."

"Good," Kathryn answered, her hips undulant, her voice betraying the
effort it was to speak. Her hands smoothed over B'Elanna's back, her
shoulders, through her hair as B'Elanna pressed her full weight into
her, countering the growing fierceness of Kathryn's motions with arms
tight around that slim body. B'Elanna felt wild, fearless - yet
totally in control, the sound of Kathryn's voice - that rich, smooth,
commanding voice so heavy with arousal, so wanton, so mindless in her
pleasure, so monosyllabic, so completely, totally, utterly hot - all
of it together incited her to an even deeper passion.

"I want you," she mumbled, unable to express it any other way, unable
even to think as she kissed downward, over the hardness of sternum and
the slight swelling softness of belly, feeling Kathryn move against
her in trembling need.

"Yes..." Kathryn whispered, her thighs parting, knees rising from the
bed, her hands in B'Elanna's hair guiding her, encouraging her...
"Please, B'Elanna..." She was nearly insane with wanting.

B'Elanna could smell her desire, could feel the wet heat against her
skin as she slid downward to lie between Kathryn's thighs. She kissed
over the inside of Kathryn's thigh, damp with her wetness - B'Elanna
nipped her there, eliciting another gasp. She contemplated the small
drop of blood that welled up there, then licked it away, inflamed by
the taste of Kathryn's nectar and blood combined. Without prelude,
inflamed beyond all forbearance, she hooked Kathryn's legs over her
shoulders and plunged into her sex.

"B'Elanna!" Kathryn moaned. "Dear God..."

B'Elanna groaned in response, enthralled by the sweet Human taste of
her, the delicate flesh yielding under her tongue as she opened her
quickly, greedily. B'Elanna lapped at her, stroked her, devoured her
endlessly... She drank deeply of sweet/salt tangy nectar, Kathryn's
essence, her desire... Kathryn moaned and arched under the assault,
her hands tangling in her hair, stroking the back of her neck. Good...
Kathryn was so good... So beautiful, so responsive, so incredibly
wet... B'Elanna could have happily drowned in her, in the sweetness of
Kathryn, in the lovely complex taste of  her... But there were other
hungers now, other needs - suddenly overcome with the irresistible
desire to feel Kathryn's climax, B'Elanna moved her lips upward,
stroking and caressing. Finding her swollen clitoris, B'Elanna
caressed it gently, stroking over it until she heard Kathryn's gasp -
she concentrated on that one spot, stroking in unfailing rhythm.

Kathryn cried out again, a choked-off sound of pure pleasure, and her
hands tightened at the back of B'Elanna's head as she undulated
beneath her slowly, then with increasing urgency, B'Elanna stroking
her, faster and faster... Kathryn whispered her name again and again
as B'Elanna took her, giving as much pleasure as she knew how, took
her and claimed her and consumed her utterly as Kathryn's motions
evened out, slowed, hips alternately rising upward and grinding into
the bed. In a short time, Kathryn's hands took her own, her nails
digging into B'Elanna's palms as she squeezed tightly, her body
tensing... With a wordless cry, she bucked up off the bed, arching
again and again in the exquisite contractions of her climax.

B'Elanna stayed with her, stroking her through it, forcing every last
bit of pleasure from her that Kathryn could give as Kathryn cried out
sharply, again and again. Finally, Kathryn collapsed onto the bed, her
hands in B'Elanna's hair pulling her away gently.

"You... are..." Kathryn panted, swallowing deep in her throat, "so
incredible..."

"So are you," B'Elanna purred, slithering up to hold her. She looked
down at Kathryn's flushed face for a long moment, watching as she
caught her breath, Kathryn more beautiful in this moment than she had
ever seen her... Leaning down to her gently, B'Elanna kissed her
tenderly.

"Mmmm..." Kathryn moaned quietly into B'Elanna's mouth, wrapping her
arms about B'Elanna's neck and deepening their kiss, devouring her now
in slow hunger, then pulling back slightly to suck and nip gently at
her lower lip. She ran her tongue lightly over B'Elanna's lips,
teasing, tasting her own essence.

"Like that?" B'Elanna smiled.

"Mmm-hmmm," Kathryn answered, turning them to their sides and kissing
downward to suck her own taste from B'Elanna's chin, her body warm
against B'Elanna's, still undulant, sinuous...

B'Elanna closed her eyes and arched into her. "You're driving me
crazy..."

"Good." Kathryn drew away to look into her eyes. "That's half the
fun," she smiled. Before B'Elanna could react, Kathryn kissed her
again, painfully hard, teeth clashing and tongue thrusting deep and
deeper. Instinctively, B'Elanna growled and attempted to flip Kathryn
onto her back.

"Ah-ah-ah," Kathryn purred, pinning her far more easily than B'Elanna
would have imagined. She held B'Elanna's gaze with confident strength.
"You're not going to deprive me of my turn, are you?"

"You want your turn," B'Elanna snarled, "take it!"

Kathryn grinned. "How about if I take you?" Before B'Elanna could
react, she swooped down and attacked her breast, still pinning her
wrists to the bed. B'Elanna roared. Never mind the soundproofing -
Kathryn's mouth was driving her mad. Kathryn bit and sucked her nipple
mercilessly, moaning softly as the flesh hardened even more under her
capable tongue. In a very short time, B'Elanna was purring and
growling under the assault, finally working her hands free to tangle
them in Kathryn's hair.

"How long I've waited...how long I've wanted..." Kathryn mumbled,
moving from one breast to the other, biting harder as B'Elanna pulled
her closer. She released the nipple and bit into the sensitive flesh
just below B'Elanna's breast, moaning louder. B'Elanna moved her hands
to Kathryn's shoulders, pushing her down. Kathryn shrugged B'Elanna's
hands away, still biting, and moved her hand down to caress B'Elanna's
sex roughly, opening her quickly. B'Elanna arched. Then bucked as two
fingers thrust into her and Kathryn bit down even harder.

"Kathryn...yes..." B'Elanna moaned, hips meeting every thrust. "Take
me..."

"I am," Kathryn panted, releasing her to leave tiny bite-marks all
over her body. "I am..."

"Yes... you are..." B'Elanna panted. "You are... take me... make me
yours..."

Kathryn moaned her assent as her fingers possessed B'Elanna, curling
and twisting and thrusting deeply within her. The two fingers were
joined by another, filling her as Kathryn raised her head to stare
into B'Elanna's eyes.

"Mine," Kathryn growled, her entire arm slamming her fingers into
B'Elanna.

"Yes," B'Elanna cried out as Kathryn's thumb swiped over her clitoris.

"All mine," Kathryn growled again as she repeated the caress.

"All yours..."

"No one else's."

"No one..." B'Elanna was beside herself in pleasure. Dimly, she
wondered where Kathryn had learned about Klingon pillow-talk... and
how she had known that in bed was perhaps the only place where
B'Elanna was primarily Klingon... Then all thought dissolved as
Kathryn began to stroke her clitoris rhythmically with her thumb.

"Whose?" Kathryn purred, lessening the force of the attack, but not
its intensity, stroking all of B'Elanna's secret places.

"Yours... only... yours..."

Kathryn smiled. "Only mine... You look so wonderful, B'Elanna," she
whispered. "So beautiful..." She shifted to lean on her elbow,
clasping and kneading B'Elanna's breast roughly with her free hand.
"You're so good... I want you to come for me, B'Elanna. I want to see
you come..."

"You will..." B'Elanna whimpered, bucking uncontrollably under the
unstoppable hand. "Now... now..."

"Now," Kathryn encouraged, pinching and rolling her nipple painfully.
"Tell me again - whose are you?"

"Yours... yours... YOURS... Kathryn!" she yelled, hips bouncing up off
the bed, her back arched violently as she tumbled over the edge
suddenly. Kathryn never let up, continuing to stroke, her fingers
driving in and out, coaxing the last few contractions from her until
B'Elanna lay limp and panting, absolutely drained. She was dimly aware
of Kathryn's hand withdrawing, Kathryn uncurling to hold her...
trembling, B'Elanna turned blindly into Kathryn's embrace, Kathryn
stroking her and murmuring wordlessly into her hair.


An unknown time later, Kathryn finally spoke, her voice a husky
half-whisper. "B'Elanna?"

"Mmmmm?" They lay spent and fulfilled, warm and comfortable,
B'Elanna's head on Kathryn's shoulder as Kathryn stroked her hair.

"Were you holding back?"

B'Elanna shifted to look at her lover. "You think that was holding
back?" she asked incredulously.

Kathryn laughed softly. "Well," she said, raising one eyebrow,
"Neither of us has any broken bones..."

"I didn't want us to," B'Elanna smiled. "Like I said, I don't always
need that kind of violence." She lay back down, drawing lazy circles
on Kathryn's chest with a fingertip. "And it's really a question of
socialization," she added. "With a Klingon lover, I act more like a
full Klingon. I did when I was younger, too - it has a lot to do with
what's expected and what my lover wants, you know?"

"Mmmm, yes," Kathryn answered, kissing the top of her head. "I've
certainly never been this rough with a Human lover." She considered
for a moment. "I really don't know if I ever would be, come to think
of it."

They lay in companionable silence for a time.

"Just out of curiosity," B'Elanna smiled, tracing the wound that
adorned her lover's clavicle, "what would you have done if I were a
full Klingon in bed?"

Kathryn laughed softly. "I suppose I would have screamed, beaten you
senseless, thrown furniture - whatever it took," she smiled. "Although
- I'm glad you're not." She kissed B'Elanna lightly. "I think we're -
shall we say, energetic - enough as it is."

"Energetic?" B'Elanna laughed.

"It's more polite than saying `exhausting', don't you think?" Kathryn
said wryly.

B'Elanna smiled. "How about `enthusiastic'?"

"Oh, definitely that," Kathryn grinned. She held B'Elanna's eyes for a
long moment. "And possessive, I think," she mused quietly, her eyes
searching.

"Yes," B'Elanna whispered, closing her eyes and nuzzling Kathryn's
shoulder. "And I like you possessive." She opened her eyes as Kathryn
shifted in her arms.

"Be right back," Kathryn smiled, leaning down to kiss her breast
before leaving the bed. B'Elanna watched her in pleasure as she walked
with not a hint of self-consciousness to the bath. B'Elanna stretched
luxuriously. And sighed. It was even better than she had dared
imagine.

A few minutes later, Kathryn emerged, carrying the dermal regenerator.

"Want me to do your marks?" B'Elanna asked, sitting up.

"No," Kathryn smiled. Without any change in posture or expression, she
somehow transformed into the commanding presence that drove B'Elanna
wild. "I want you on your stomach," she ordered quietly. "Now."

B'Elanna complied quickly.

Kathryn moved to straddle her hips gracefully, her thighs the
smoothest silk against B'Elanna's as she traced B'Elanna's scar with a
fingernail. "You wear the mark of another woman," she observed
quietly, her voice a low purr. "I find that... distracting. May I?"

B'Elanna nodded, completely in awe of her lover.

Kathryn switched on the regenerator, applying it to the mark. "I don't
need anything so crude as a physical mark to remind you whose you are,
do I?" she purred.

"No," B'Elanna breathed.

Kathryn ran her hand over the newly regenerated skin, then lay down
beside B'Elanna, turning her and looking into her eyes. "You've given
yourself freely..." she breathed.

"Yes," B'Elanna answered, bringing her fingertips to Kathryn's cheek.

Kathryn smiled. "And so have I." She reached to B'Elanna's forehead
delicately, lying back a lock of hair from her face. "Say it to me,
B'Elanna," she whispered. "Tell me - who do you belong to now?"

"I belong to you, Kathryn," B'Elanna answered gravely, meaning it with
her entire heart.

Kathryn nodded slowly, her eyes bright in the starlight. "Yes," she
whispered, turning her head to kiss B'Elanna's fingertips. "Yes, you
do." She pressed B'Elanna's hand to her cheek. "And I," she kissed her
own fingertip and laid it against B'Elanna's lips, "to you." She
traced B'Elanna's lips with feather-light touch. "For as long as you
want me."

Overcome with an emotion she could not quite identify, B'Elanna buried
her face in the crook of Kathryn's shoulder, pressing her body into
her lover as strong arms held her close. "I never thought this would
even be possible," she whispered.

"I know," Kathryn replied warmly, stroking her back in long, lazy
strokes. "Neither did I." B'Elanna yawned and Kathryn tilted her head
to look at her. "Sleepy?"

"MMmmmnh," B'Elanna nodded. She tightened her arms, nuzzling against
the elegant throat. "But I don't want you to go just yet."

Kathryn chuckled, a low, pleased sound. "Ohhh... I'm not going
anywhere," she crooned, shifting to a comfortable position. "If it's
all right with you, I was planning to hold you all night," she smiled.

B'Elanna nuzzled her face against Kathryn's chest, kissing her
collarbone. "More than all right," she whispered, settling in. She
felt Kathryn's lips trace her brow ridges, then kiss the crest of her
head gently.

"Rest well, BangwI'," Kathryn whispered.

B'Elanna felt tears form in her eyes. So there was more... "Rest well,
my love," she repeated, and drifted into sleep, Kathryn's arms holding
her close.

---

The End