The BLTS Archive- My Wild Irish Rose
#2: Dimming of the Day
by Reanne Moreau (reannem1@att.net)

---

There's not much plot, a fair amount of mush, and a lot of sex, so if
you aren't old enough to read this, get lost. This is a quiet evening
with my favorite couple about 2 months into their relationship.

Star Trek Voyager and the characters are the property of paramount. No
infringement of their copyright is intended.  Please feel free to
archive.

---
When all my will is gone
You hold me sway
I need you at the dimming of the day

You pulled me like the moon pulls on the tide
You know just where I keep my better side

Come the night you're the only one I want
Come the night you could be my confidant
Why don't you come and ease your mind with me


I need you at the dimming of the day
I need you at the dimming of the day

Bonnie Rait
----

The warm scent of rainwater and dust lingered on the air from the
summer storm that had just blown through.  A full moon shone overhead
illuminating the closed shops of the historic district.  Kathryn
Janeway surreptitiously blinked the moisture from her eyes as she
walked down the cobblestone street. She was determined not to give in
to sentiment.  Tom Paris walked beside her, casually elegant in jeans
and a white shirt.

"This isn't what I expected when you invited me to Sandrine's tonight.
No-one ever wrote a song for me before."

She had been surprised when he'd invited her to dinner at the bar.
They had agreed when their relationship began, almost two months ago,
to keep it secret until they were sure it had a chance.  The last
thing they needed was to have the eyes of the entire crew following
their every move.  The captain thought with a smile that it was
becoming harder and harder to hide their affection for one another.

As a consequence, they spent a lot of time in each others' quarters or
on the holodeck, where it didn't matter if their fingers entwined of
their own volition or their eyes caressed one another from across the
room.  She had introduced Tom to her favorite program and they spent
many quiet evenings in Master DaVinci's studio.  Tom had been helping
her and Leonardo build a glider from period materials.  He had taken
to joining her in the studio in the evenings after she'd finished
working on her painting. Then there were the times Tom simply strode
into the room, took the paintbrush out of her hand and carried her off
to make love in front of the fireplace.

To Kathryn's delight, Tom had run his own private version of
Sandrine's tonight, just for the two of them.  A piano stood in place
of the usual pool tables and Tom had surprised her by playing and
singing, conjuring up a blues band for accompaniment.  At the end of
the evening he played something of his own invention.

"It's not finished yet.  I've only got the piano part worked out and
I've never been able to write lyrics."  He had his arm around
Kathryn's waist as they meandered down the street.  He still glowed
with happiness at her reaction to his composition.

"I never even knew you played.  Or sang.  You've been keeping secrets
from me, mister."  She came to a halt and wound her arms around Tom's
neck.  "What other talents have you been hiding?"

Tom kissed her briefly.  "I guess you'll just have to stick around and
find out."  He took a moment to admire her beauty by moonlight.  The
simple indigo cotton dress highlighted her fair skin as it skimmed the
curves he had come to know so well.  Soft strands of hair framed her
delicate angular face.  There was a genuine warmth about her that
touched his heart.

"Seriously, Tom, you have a beautiful voice.  You should let more
people hear it."  They continued down the street, arms linked.  There
was a wistful, far-away look on Tom's face.  He replied indirectly.

"My mother was a musician, you know.  She played and sang with a jazz
band."

"I know.  I didn't meet your father until years later, but I heard
that she died in a shuttle accident on tour.  You must have been very
young."

"I was seven.  She'd already taught me to play a little.  After she
died, Dad wouldn't let me practice in the house, but I managed to talk
the school music teacher into giving me private lessons."

"He never spoke of her."

"I know.  He didn't like talking about Mom at home, either.  They were
having one of their epic fights when she left on tour.  She'd filed
for divorce again.  They were always leaving each other.  Then when
she died he acted like she'd never even existed."

Kathryn shook her head in consternation.  "I've always respected his
ability as an officer, but the more I know about your father the less
respect I have for him as a man."  It disturbed her when they
accidentally stumbled onto these painful subjects, but she wanted to
know everything about the man she loved and was glad he felt
comfortable talking to her about his family.

Tom stopped again and pulled her back into his arms.  He didn't like
the melancholy turn their conversation had taken.  This evening was
too special to let old sorrows intrude.  "I promise our relationship
will be nothing like my parents' was.  And I don't want you to hate my
father."

"On the contrary, I'm grateful to both your parents."  She grinned,
pulling him closer.  "For having created their wonderful son."  She
breathed the last words against his lips before claiming them for a
long languid kiss.

They parted reluctantly and Tom called for the arch, knowing that
their reserved time was almost up. Kathryn stopped him with a hand on
his arm, her eyes shining.  "Tom, I want you to know how much this
evening meant to me.  Your composition was beautiful."

He stepped out into the corridor before he gave in to the temptation
to kiss her again.  "I'm glad you liked it.  Give me a couple weeks to
finish it and we'll go back to Sandrine's."  They were walking toward
the lift, careful to maintain a proper distance between them, although
there was no-one else in sight.

Kathryn checked that all of her buttons were done up.  Her clothing
had a tendency to come undone when they were alone together.  "Have
you thought of a title yet?"

"I've been thinking of calling it _Blues for my Kat_."

He barely missed the swat aimed at his backside and ducked into the
lift before the doors were even completely open.  The occupants
indulged in some silent speculation as to why their captain and helm
officer kept glancing at each other with barely suppressed grins.

They managed not to get into any more trouble until they were back in
Kathryn's quarters, and it took very little persuasion to talk Tom
into joining her for a long soak in the tub. The captain's one
concession to luxury upon being assigned to command Voyager was to
install a large sunken bathtub. It was the perfect size for two
people.

Kathryn knelt behind Tom massaging the knots out of his shoulders.  He
really had been anxious about playing for her tonight and all the
tension ended up in his back. She felt him relax under her touch until
he was sighing contentedly.  Sharply defined muscles flexed under the
fair skin.  Moving her hands down his back she admired the lean
elegance of his body.  He had a graceful masculinity that she never
failed to find arousing.

Tom leaned forward against his upraised knees and groaned as her
fingers dug into the small of his back.  "Mmmmm, that's wonderful.  I
could stay here all night."

In reply, Kathryn kissed his shoulder and slipped her arms around his
torso for a brief hug before finishing the massage.  Tom was
discovering how much he loved to be touched. He wasn't used to being
shown so much affection; he reveled in the soft caresses and embraces
that Kathryn enjoyed so much.

She moved to the opposite end of the tub and they both reclined in the
hot soapy water.  Kathryn was humming the tune Tom had written for
her.  After a while, she rubbed her foot up his shin to get his
attention.  "I think it's time we told people about us."

"I know.  One of these days I'm going to forget myself and kiss you in
the middle of the mess hall or something.  And Harry and B'Elanna are
still feeling guilty about being together.  It's time to set things
straight."  His foot traced the inside of her leg from ankle to thigh.
"I've enjoyed having you to myself, though."

"Me, too, but it'll feel good not to have to sneak around.  The weekly
staff meeting is coming up in a couple days.  We can start with the
senior officers and see what kind of a reaction we get."

"What about Chakotay?"

"I'll talk to him alone before the meeting."  She looked away,
frowning.  "I owe him that much."

Tom slid forward until he could reach out and touch Kathryn's
shoulder. "You've been up front with him about your feelings since New
Earth.  Not that I can blame him for wanting you - you're addictive."
He traced her jawline with his forefinger.  Tom felt sorry for
Chakotay.  He knew how painful it would be to love Kathryn and not be
able to touch her like this, or see the love in her eyes when she
looked at him.

Kathryn took hold of his hand, bringing it to her lips and placing a
kiss on the palm.  "I don't even think it's me he wants; it's some
image of me that I can't possibly live up to."  She regarded him from
under lowered lashes.  "That's one of the things I love about you. You
take me as I am."

"And as often as possible."

That earned him a splash of water in the face.  A brief battle ensued,
water and bubbles flying freely. Lt. Paris had the advantage, as his
opponent was backed into one end of the tub.  In a brilliant tactical
move, the captain straddled his legs and kissed him soundly, sliding
her water-slick body down his torso until she was seated on his lap. A
truce was declared as his lips moved across her jaw and down her neck,
sucking at the pulse throbbing just beneath the skin.  He enfolded her
in his arms, holding her close against his body.  "I love you,
Kathryn.  Don't ever forget that."

Kathryn remembered the first time she had heard those words.  They had
just lost Kes and neither had had time to deal with their grief. That,
and the stress of trying to repair the damage the Borg had done to
Voyager, had their nerves on edge.  As a result, their disagreement
about whether 7 of 9 should be forced to become human had escalated
into a full-blown fight.  Tom was making his case that there wasn't
enough humanity in the Borg to salvage when the expression on
Kathryn's face stopped him.

She was absolutely exhausted and knew that loss and fatigue had etched
deep lines around her eyes. She realized, too, that they were in
danger of losing each other amid the chaos of events surrounding them.
Tom had simply taken her in his arms and told her he loved her, and
gone on telling her that until he was sure she believed him.

Her fingertips lightly caressing his face, Kathryn lost herself in
sapphire blue eyes.  "I keep trying to figure out when I began falling
in love with you.  I'm almost tempted to thank the Borg for involving
us in their war."  One corner of her mouth quirked up in a smile.  "If
they hadn't turned our lives upside down, we might never have found
each other."

"In that case, I'm grateful to the Borg for nearly getting us all
killed ..." Tom slowly outlined Kathryn's lips with his tongue.  "...
and to Chakotay for being such a jerk to you ..."  He kissed each
corner of her mouth.  "... and to B'Elanna for dumping me for my best
friend." He parted her lips with his own.

She responded warmly, winding her arms around his neck and pressing
her body as close as possible to his.  They kissed and caressed until
the water began to cool, then stood toweling each other dry, unable to
stop touching.  Finally, Tom begged for mercy, laughing and taking the
towel from Kathryn's hand.

"If you don't stop that I'll ravish you right here in the bathroom,"
he threatened with a mock growl, pulling her against him and nibbling
on her neck.

"Been there, done that."  She gave him a peck on the nose and slipped
her arms around his waist. "You're turning me into a sex maniac."

"It didn't take much persuasion."

Kathryn chased him into the bedroom, snapping a towel at his
retreating backside.  Tackling her onto the bed, Tom rolled them over
and over until they ended up in a tangle in the middle.  Kathryn sat
up and began removing the pins from her hair.

"Let me do that."  Tom settled her comfortably against his shoulder
and continued unpinning her hair, combing his fingers through the long
strands, loving the silken feel of it on his hands.  He continued long
after her hair was freed of its bonds, stroking her back and
shoulders.

Kathryn sighed happily.  This was almost as intimate as letting him
undress her.  She shivered as he drew a finger slowly down her spine.
"I've wanted your hands on me all day," she whispered, the hunger
plain in her smokey voice.  She'd been watching his hands, the way
they danced over the helm controls and piano keyboard with fluid
grace.  The sight evoked warm memories of the heavenly things they did
to her body.

"You must have been reading my mind.  I think I spent every spare
minute today imagining how good it would feel to touch you, what you
taste like when you sweat, the way your lips feel on my bare skin."

She let Tom lower her to the pillows, the blood singing in her veins,
her entire body aching for him. The heat between them never failed to
astonish her, and it showed no signs of diminishing.  Kathryn loved
this beautiful young man with a passion she had thought existed only
in the holonovels she'd once been addicted to.

Tom whispered in Kathryn's ear everything he wanted to do to her,
telling her the things he had been imagining all evening.  He attacked
her lips hungrily, groaning as her peremptory tongue invaded his
mouth.  His hands were never still on her skin, wanting to know every
part of her at once.  She arched like a cat into his touch.  He broke
off their kiss, laughing for pure joy. "My wild Irish rose.  No matter
how many times we make love it'll never be enough."

"That sounds like a challenge.  Are you sure you're up to it?"  He
silenced her laughter with another kiss.

Tom let his eyes wander caressingly over his lover's body.  She was
heartbreakingly lovely.  Luminous gray eyes shone with love and
desire.  Her fair skin was flushed a delicate pink, shading to dusky
rose at her hard, erect nipples.  Auburn hair spilled over the pillow,
gleaming in the low light.  He wanted to savor her beauty, to linger
over every exquisite detail.

Drawing him into her arms, Kathryn brushed light kisses over Tom's
eyelids and cheeks before returning to his mouth.  His lips lingered
briefly over hers before moving lower.  For the moment she was content
to let him take the lead.

She wound her fingers in his hair, sighing as his mouth mapped the
velvet-soft skin of her neck and shoulders, exploring the finely
sculpted hollows at the base of her throat. Moving lower, he licked
slow spirals around each breast, bathing her with his tongue, while
his hand massaged its twin.  He waited until her nerves were strung
tight before leaving off his assault to return to her mouth.  One hand
wandered lower to caress her stomach.  The heat of his palm sank into
her belly, at once comforting and arousing.  Finally, Tom retraced his
path to the firm swell of her breasts.  Her sighs turned to gasps.

By the time he sucked one hard nipple into his mouth, they were almost
painfully sensitized.  His hot tongue sent lightning bolts from those
two aching points to the pulse at her center.  Kathryn rasped his
name, feeling as if she were going to implode from the intensity.  He
was ruthless in the pursuit of her pleasure, knowing just what it took
to make her quiver and moan.

After what seemed like an eternity, he grazed one tip with his teeth,
biting down softly.  Kathryn threw her head back, crying out as flames
lapped at her flesh.  It left her absolutely ravenous.  She knew how
much he loved doing this to her, exploiting this sensitivity to drive
her half mad with need.  "Please, Tom ... please."

He contemplated all the myriad delectable ways of satisfying Kathryn,
savoring the slow burn of his own arousal.  Tom loved seeing her like
this; it was the most erotic thing he could imagine.  He knew from
experience that when she was in this incendiary mood she would come
long and hard.  And that it would only wet her appetite for him.

"Tell me what you need, love."

In reply, she raised one of his hands to her lips, sucking a long
elegant finger into her mouth.  She smiled at his sharply indrawn
breath and returned the hand to where her heart raced beneath her
breast. "Take the helm, Lieutenant."

The captain gasped her appreciation as his hands took a slow,
circuitous route over her body.  They stroked and tickled until every
inch of her skin felt warm and alive. One hand finally come to rest
between her legs.  She pulled him closer as Tom parted her lips with
his tongue, matching the movement of his probing fingers below. 
Kathryn responded enthusiastically, welcoming the slow plunder of her
mouth, the warm silk of his lips.  She melted into their kiss. Even
that pleasure couldn't distract her from the way his fingers caressed
her swollen folds, exploring her slowly and with loving tenderness. 
Her sex was dripping wet.  He spread the moisture with his fingers,
massaging her labia and clit with firm strokes, drawing soft whimpers
from the woman in his arms.  Tongue and lips added fuel to the fire,
descending on her flushed breasts.  He teased her sensitive opening
mercilessly. She was desperate to be penetrated, to feel those long
fingers inside her.

A sound between a gasp and a sob escaped Kathryn's throat as he
slipped first one, then two fingers deep inside and began stroking her
slowly to oblivion.  Tom caressed her delicate walls gently, feeling
her tremble with every stroke.  He found her sweet spot, torturing it
until she writhed in his arms. Breath came in ragged gasps as her hips
moved urgently in rhythm with his thrusting fingers.  Tom watched his
lover's face, thinking he had never seen anything so beautiful. Eyes
closed, she caught her lower lip between her teeth, face a study in
ecstasy.  She was balanced on the razor's edge, savoring every moment.

He licked a trail up to her neck, enjoying the salty taste of her hot
skin; the way her body fairly hummed with tension.  "Sweet Kathryn, is
that good?" he whispered.

Kathryn would have laughed if she could have spared the breath.  Good?
He was stroking her so skillfully, keeping her so close for so long,
that the fury of release would tear her apart.  It was so good she
wanted to cry.  She couldn't imagine wanting anyone else like this.
Her nails raked his back.  "It's never ... unhh ... never been like
this ... with anyone... *ohhhhhh*." Tom rubbed her clit all too
briefly. It was almost enough.  Almost. If he didn't let her come soon
she would go mad.  She was on the verge of begging when Tom ground the
heel of his hand against that throbbing button.

Kathryn's body exploded into white-hot flame.  His touch sent pulse
after pulse of unbearable pleasure searing through her veins.  She
ground her pelvis against his hand, drenching it in a warm flood of
her juices, needing more of this glorious feeling.  Face buried in
Tom's neck, her frantic cries gave evidence of the intensity of her
pleasure.  It went on forever, her body finally finding the release it
had clamored for all day.  Tom was relentless, taking her higher and
higher, until it was just too much. Throwing her head back she gave
voice to a full-throated howl of ecstasy and collapsed limp and
exhausted against the pillows.

He held Kathryn close, stroking her face.  She finally opened her eyes
and smiled dreamily.

"You see what happens when I go around thinking dirty thoughts all
day."  Her voice was a warm throaty purr as she melted into a puddle
of contentment in his arms.

"I think they heard you on the bridge that time."  Despite his
teasing, Tom loved her complete lack of inhibition, her wildly sensual
nature.  "I take it you enjoyed that."

A wicked grin on her face, Kathryn told him exactly how much she had
enjoyed it, describing every sensation in meticulous detail.  By the
time she finished Tom's breathing had quickened and the evidence of
his arousal pressed into her stomach.  She trapped his erection
between them and moved sensually against him.

"That's what I like, Lieutenant, a nice crisp salute."

"For you Captain, I could stand at attention all night."

They lay contentedly in each other's arms for a moment, tenderly
kissing and caressing one another. Kathryn slipped a hand between them
to cup Tom's balls, massaging them briefly. She wanted to take him
slowly, to make him feel the intense pleasure she had felt during her
own climax.  She let hands and lips roam freely over his body.

Murmuring appreciatively, Tom tilted his head back, giving her warm
lips greater access to his throat.  Winding a hand in Kathryn's long
hair, he pulled her mouth back to his for a long hot kiss, pressing
her full length against him.

She broke away to scatter little butterfly kisses along his jawline
before turning her attention to the sensitive spot behind his ear. Her
warm hand ran slowly in a continuous circuit from the young pilot's
hips, over the firmly muscled stomach to tangle in golden chest hair
before moving up to caress his face.  Tom sighed under her touch,
nearly purring his delight.

Kathryn lapped at his flushed skin, enjoying the warm clean taste of
him.  She marveled at how responsive he was to a gentle touch.  He had
told her that one of the reasons he broke up with Megan Delaney was
that she had developed a fascination with games involving the use of
various instruments of pain.  That sort of thing wasn't any fun at all
if both people weren't into it.

Poor Megan.  Kathryn almost pitied her and the other women Tom had
left behind. They had never had him like this.  He made love to her
with his entire being, giving himself completely.  This special gift
was only for her.

Tom felt her smile against his neck.  "What are you thinking about?"

"Megan Delaney.  You'll have to tell her I've finally found the right
instrument to use on your skin." She proceeded to trace elaborate
patterns on his chest with her tongue, ending with the slow torture of
his nipples.

His breathing was fast and shallow by the time she straddled his body
on hands and knees and looked down into blue eyes burning with desire.
Tom wrapped his arms around her, not wanting to lose contact for even
a moment.  He devoured her mouth with mounting intensity.

With a laugh Kathryn pulled away and began kissing her way down the
sleekly muscled body beneath her.  Tom was awash in sensation.  First
there was the soft hardness of her nipples grazing his heated flesh,
followed by her hot mouth and lightly nipping teeth.  Finally, the
cool curtain of her hair.  She worked her way down slowly, biting
teasingly at his navel before probing its depths thoroughly with her
tongue.  He moaned, running his fingers through her hair, rubbing his
erection between her breasts.

"God, every time you touch me..."  His words ended in a gasp as she
slid farther down and turned her attention to his inner thighs.

She smiled and kissed his leg, nuzzling the wiry thatch of pubic hair.
"I know, Tom.  Me, too."  She gave his balls a thorough bath before
rolling them in her palm, letting the heavy sacs rest in her hand as
she looked up at Tom's face, drinking in his pleasure.  He was very
vocal in expressing how much he loved what she was doing and his
sounds were making her wet all over again. She kissed and nibbled the
length of the pulsating shaft before running her tongue over the head,
contemplating taking his velvety hardness into her mouth.  She loved
sucking him, the feel of the long thick organ in her mouth, the way he
always lost control watching her do it.

"Is this what you want, my love?"

Tom regarded her with hot eyes.  It was all he could do not to thrust
into her waiting mouth, abandoning himself to the fast release to be
found in its wet hot depths.  With difficulty he got control of
himself.  This felt too good to end quickly.

"You know I can't last when you do that."

Kathryn laughed and slid herself up his body for another kiss.  "It's
too bad we don't have any soap," she teased, reminding the pilot of a
recent morning ambush in the shower with a handful of suds.  His knees
had still been wobbly when he left for the Bridge.

"You are a wicked woman, Kathryn Janeway."  He hissed as her nimble
fingers began running lightly over his shaft, barely touching its
heated length.

"I guess we'll just have to improvise."

Propped on one elbow, Kathryn placed the foot of her upper leg on the
bed, making sure Tom had a good view of her labia that this revealed.
She stroked his length before bringing her hand between her own legs
and parting her nether-lips.  Dipping her fingers into the glistening
pink folds, she coated them with the abundant moisture.

A groan from Tom captured her attention.  He was watching her with
rapt concentration as she touched herself, so she lingered for a
moment, letting him enjoy the sight. Removing her hand, she coated his
cock, spreading the moisture with long light strokes.

Before she could go any further, Tom seized her hand and brought it to
his lips.  Their eyes locked, he licked her fingers clean.  Kathryn
bit back a moan.  This was going to explode like a supernova.  It was
only a question of how long they could control themselves.

She returned her hand to his cock and began stroking him slowly,
gliding easily over the slickness of her own juices, the other hand
gently cradling his scrotum.  Her fingers danced over his length,
varying her touch, knowing what would give him the most pleasure.  He
throbbed and twitched under her care, provoking answering sensations
deep within her own body.  He began thrusting into her hand, moaning
repeatedly.

Tom marveled at how hot it could be with just her hand on him.
"Yes...yesss...Ohhh, that's it."  Eyes still locked on hers, he was
twisting the sheet with both hands as the pressure began to build.  He
was almost there and it was going to be so damn good.

Kathryn chose that moment to change tactics.  Draping herself lazily
over one of his legs, she alternated between mouthing his balls and
flicking her tongue over the rock-hard shaft, backing him away from
the edge.  He growled his frustration as she showed no sign of letting
him come any time soon.

Tom couldn't take it any more.  He grasped her shoulders, stopping the
blissful torture.  The look on his face sent a shiver down her spine.
Pulling her up alongside him, he ravished her mouth until she nearly
swooned and came up gasping for breath.

"I need to be inside you...now...*please*," he begged.

Without a word she straddled his hips, guiding his cock inside her,
holding his gaze.  She sank slowly down on him.  That big head felt so
good as it pushed inside, stretching her to the limit, the shaft
filling her with his heat.  He was so *hard*.  She shuddered and
moaned. Watching his arousal was incredibly erotic.  It always left
her wet and ready to come.

"I love you, Tom."  She had to tell him that while she was still
capable of coherent speech.  Another moment and all that would matter
was that rigid heat plunging into her, the need to take him deeper,
harder, faster.

Tom wasn't capable of doing more than gasping her name as he thrust
urgently into her welcoming body.  Somehow he managed to convey in
those two intense syllables both his love and the need that threatened
to overwhelm him.  Her body drove him wild.  He couldn't get enough of
touching her. That he loved her more than his life made their joining
all the more powerful. He ran his hands over her perfect bottom as
they began to move, stroking upward along her elegantly muscled back
and around to palm the breasts that seemed to have been created to fit
in his hands.

They moved together in perfect unison, forgetting where one began and
the other ended, forgetting everything except the fire blazing in
their joined bodies.  Sweat glistened on undulating flesh.  Lips and
fingers caressed feverishly.  Cries of mounting desperation came from
both lovers.

Tom was on fire, surrounded by her heat - and half out of his mind
with pleasure.  This was so good, her sweet body taking him in deep
and gripping tightly, giving him what he needed so badly.  She was
riding him hard, fighting to hold back her own orgasm to prolong his
pleasure. They both know he would explode the minute she came.  It was
the most exquisite torture, but his body demanded release. He knew
what he needed - and what it would do to Kathryn.

Kathryn suddenly found herself rolled on her back with Tom leaning
over her. He withdrew until only the head of his swollen cock was
still inside her.  The look of raw hunger on his face told her that
his control was gone.  He draped her long legs over his shoulders and
looked at her for a blazing moment, making sure she wanted this as
badly as he did.  She fairly quivered with need.

"Oh, god, yes," she whispered.

With a wild cry, he rammed hard and deep into her center.  Kathryn
felt herself shattering into a thousand pieces.  Her body craved this,
screamed for it.  His tender ferocity sent her rocketing over the
edge, coming so hard it almost hurt.  She clutched the headboard of
the bed with one hand, arching and screaming and dissolving into the
inferno.

Nothing in the universe felt as good as being buried deep inside
Kathryn as she came; Tom was right there with her, shouting his
release in sharp staccato cries as he pounded into her again and
again. After holding back for so long his climax was volcanic.  Stars
swam in front of his eyes and it felt as if his aching cock would
burst from the floods of hot fluid spurting from it.  The orgasm
seemed to be ripped from his body, her powerful spasms milking him of
the last drop.

With a final moan of blissful relief, he collapsed next to Kathryn,
one arm draped possessively across her stomach.  It was a long time
before either of them gathered enough energy to move.  Finally Kathryn
snuggled against his chest.

"If we get any better at this, we're going to hurt ourselves."

Tom started snickering, which proved contagious.  It wasn't long
before they were both giggling like a couple of teenagers over a dirty
joke.

"I can just see myself walking into sickbay. _Doc, I just fucked the
captain bow-legged.  Can you straighten them out again?_"

Kathryn wrapped her arms around his neck, gazing up into those
beautiful laughing eyes.  "You're a bad influence on me, flyboy - and
I love it."  She caressed his cheek tenderly. "And I love you."  She
held his gaze to make sure he believed her and was gratified to see
the certainty in his eyes.

He kissed her forehead and cuddled her close again.  "I love you, too,
my wild Irish rose."

Drowsily, Kathryn unwound herself from her lover and stretched
overworked muscles.  Their skin clung stickily.

"Damn, we need a bath again."

---

The sunlight was being terribly uncooperative.  Kathryn sat at the
window of Leonardo's studio painting the street scene below.  It was
one of the exercises he had given her to improve her technique.
Somehow she just couldn't capture the effect of the afternoon sun
spilling across the fronts of the buildings opposite.  The nice thing
about painting on the holodeck was that you could ask the computer to
erase your mistakes.  She did so once again and started over.

Pushing an errant strand of hair off her face, the captain left a
streak of vivid green across one cheekbone.  There was very little of
her person that wasn't covered in paint. The jeans and old denim shirt
she wore were thoroughly splattered with pigment of various vintages.
Most of it was real, not the conveniently erasable holographic
variety.  The first time Tom had seen her in her  painting clothes' he
had suggested that she simply frame the shirt and declare it an
abstract work.

Kathryn smiled to herself.  She would love to do a portrait of the
handsome pilot if he ever sat still long enough.  Her smile turned
into a broad grin.  A picture flashed across her mind of Lt. Paris
captured on canvas as a grown-up Tom Sawyer, silver-tongued
adventurer, still getting into one scrape after another.

Her distraction led to another mistake and another resetting of the
program. Of course, it could be nerves that made the paint brush feel
so clumsy in her hand.  She and Tom were going to announce their
relationship at the staff meeting tomorrow.  It was probably a good
thing he was playing volleyball tonight.  She would have spent the
entire evening obsessing if he had been around.

Tom had promised to stop in after the game and she would probably
sneak into his quarters after giving up the battle of the brush.  They
spent more nights together than apart now, even when they weren't
making love, and all the sneaking around was getting to both of them.
Keeping a secret on a ship this size was almost impossible.  At least
after tomorrow their friends would know.  She wanted their secret out
in the open as soon as possible.

Kathryn was so intent on her own thoughts and the painting that she
didn't hear the footsteps entering the studio from downstairs.  She
massaged her neck with one hand, stiff from hunching over the canvas
for so long.  Suddenly strong hands were massaging her shoulders.  She
stretched and sighed.

"Mmm, that's heaven.  If you make that a full-body massage I might
even let you ..."  The hands on her shoulders froze at the same time
that she realized there was something unfamiliar about their touch.
She swung around to face the man behind her.

"Chakotay."

He stood there in his uniform, a look of astonished embarrassment on
his face. "Kathryn, I'm sorry, I just stopped by to see if you wanted
to join me for dinner.  Obviously you were expecting someone else."
There was anger in his deep voice.  "I'll leave you alone to wait for
your ... masseur."

His temper ignited her own.  She stepped in front of him before he
could head for the door.  "You're right, I was waiting for someone. We
have to talk about this, Chakotay.  Now."

"I knew there was something different about you lately; I was just
afraid to admit what I was seeing." He had seen the signs clearly,
although it wouldn't have been obvious to someone who didn't know the
captain so well.  There was a warm contentment in her eyes that hadn't
been there before; and he had caught her daydreaming more than once
when things were slow.  She would flush and smile to herself and snap
her attention back to the matter at hand when caught, offering no
explanation.  Worst of all was the indefinable air of sensuality about
her.  It was nothing overt or improper, just something in the way she
moved that had been driving him crazy.  These were all the symptoms of
a woman in love, but he hadn't wanted to acknowledge that fact.

Kathryn rested a hand on her friend's arm.  Her flash of temper
cooled. She hated having to hurt him like this.  "I'm sorry, Chakotay.
You know it would never have worked out between us."  She smiled her
wry, lopsided smile.  "We would only have ended up hurting each other.
Besides, it's your job to play devil's advocate, to argue with me when
you think I'm making a bad decision.  A new relationship can't stand
that kind of pressure."

"It might, if the people involved loved each other enough."  She
couldn't meet his eyes.  Chakotay knew her answer.

"Are you in love with him?"

"Yes."  It had terrified her at the beginning to discover how much of
her heart belonged to Tom.  He had become essential to her existence
and she hadn't allowed herself to recognize it until that night in his
quarters.  "It happened so slowly and over such a long period of time
we almost didn't realize it was happening."  They might never have
realized the truth until it was too late if it hadn't been for the
incident with the Borg.  They could both have easily ended up
miserable in relationships with other people.

"Who is it, Kathryn?"  He had a suspicion; her choices, after all,
were limited, but he wanted her to say it.

"I thought you had it figured out.  It's Tom."

It added fuel to his anger when she looked at him with surprise, as if
astonished that he would think she could love anyone else.  Chakotay
knew he wasn't being particularly rational, but at the moment he
didn't care.

"I would have thought you had better sense than to end up as one of
Paris' conquests.  You know what the man is like."

"Yes, I know.  And I know he loves me."  She raised her chin and
looked him defiantly in the eyes. "We plan to tell the senior staff
tomorrow."

"And if they think you're making fools of yourselves?"

He had seen that same determined look on her face when she announced
her intentions to negotiate with the Borg despite his objections. "I'm
not looking for permission, Chakotay.  My private life is my own
business.  I know there are a few people who will have a problem with
this.  They'll accuse me of giving Tom preferential treatment, give
him a hard time about it. But I think most of the crew will be happy
for us."

A shadow passed over her face.  She hadn't expected Chakotay to fight
her choice.  "You're the only one who could cause us real trouble.
I've heard the rumors.  Most people expect us to get together
eventually.  If you play the jilted suitor the Maquis crew members
will take your side.  I won't do anything to reopen the rift between
Starfleet and Maquis.  There are too many old resentments still
simmering as it is."  There was genuine fear in her eyes.  "Please
don't take this away from me, Chakotay."

The sound of whistling and sandals slapping on the stone floor cut off
any reply he was about to make. Paris strolled into the studio wearing
cut-offs and one of his awful Hawaiian shirts.  He stopped short on
seeing Chakotay standing there.  Laser-sharp blue eyes flickered
between the first officer's face and Kathryn's, taking note of her
expression.  The captain hoped fervently that she wouldn't have to
pull rank and get between the two men.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Kathryn tried to smile.  "I'm afraid I let the cat out of the bag,
Tom. Chakotay knows about us."

"Is that right?"  Tom moved closer to Kathryn, his face wary.  He
didn't like the fear lurking in her eyes or the way Chakotay glowered
at her.  Tom and the commander had learned to respect one another,
even become friends over time, but *nobody* put that look on Kathryn's
face and got away with it.

Tom's arm encircled her waist protectively.  Protecting her from him,
Chakotay realized with a shock. Kathryn turned to look up at Paris and
he smiled fondly at her, brushing at the streak of paint on her cheek.
They communed in whispers, shutting out the rest of the world. In that
brief moment, Chakotay saw a flash of what the future might hold.

Kathryn wouldn't risk getting the Starfleet-Maquis feud going again
over her private life.  If he didn't promise not to oppose them, they
would go on meeting in secret. Eventually the need for secrecy would
tear their relationship apart.  One day, when she could no longer
stand the loneliness, she might even come to Chakotay.  And every time
she looked at him it would be with the knowledge of what he had taken
away from her.

Chakotay's anger turned to despair.  He had been so patient, not
rushing her, trying to build on their friendship.  He had thought she
was beginning to respond, that he had a right to expect they would be
together one day.  At the back of his mind he had always been aware of
the spark between Kathryn and Tom, but he'd thought that it had
resolved itself into friendship. Apparently that spark had ignited a
genuine fire instead.  He knew it must have been shortly after their
argument about negotiating with the Borg.  They had patched up the
quarrel, but things had never been the same afterward.

What hurt most was knowing that she was already Tom's lover.  It was
obvious from their body language.  Chakotay couldn't help a flash of
amusement.  When Kathryn made her mind up about something she never
hesitated.  If she had decided she wanted Tom, she would have simply
given herself to him, flinging herself whole-heartedly into the
relationship. The look on the pilot's face left no doubt that he fully
returned her feelings.

In the time it took for Kathryn to explain to Paris what had happened
in the studio, Chakotay had assessed the situation, decided it was
hopeless and made a decision. Years of command training kicked in,
although he doubted his instructors had intended that their lessons be
applied to this sort of situation.

Chakotay crossed the short distance to where the lovers stood.  He
looked Paris straight in the eyes, standing a little closer than was
absolutely necessary.  Kathryn hoped she didn't have to demonstrate
that she could wipe up the floor with either or both of them if
necessary.

"Whatever debt I owe you for saving my life has been paid."  He turned
his intense gaze on his commanding officer, letting her see everything
that was in his heart. "Kathryn, I could never deny you anything you
truly need."  With that he turned and strode out of the room without a
backward glance.

The sound of the holodeck doors closing reached them in the studio and
Paris let out the breath he had been holding.  Kathryn leaned her head
on his shoulder, drained by the encounter, and was glad when Tom
enveloped her in his arms.

"Why do I get the feeling he's going to be hanging around waiting for
us to fall apart so he can step in and pick up the pieces?"

Kathryn nodded.  They would have to give Chakotay time to accept the
situation. She snuggled a little deeper into Tom's arms.  "Stay with
me tonight."

He smiled and called for the computer to end the program.  "Try to
keep me away."

They didn't care who saw them walking down the corridor toward the
captain's quarters arm-in-arm, in companionable silence.  The moment
the door closed behind them they were in each other's arms, kissing
and slowly undressing each other, needing the intimacy of bare skin.
They lay in bed, watching the stars flying by in the big slanting
windows and speaking quietly of their plans for the future until they
fell asleep still wound in one another's arms.

---

The End