Part 3
"The doctor tells me that you've been sleeping here all night,"
she said as she reached the side of the bed.
"Yeah. I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep in our own bed.
Hell, I couldn't *relax* in our quarters. I came down here to talk
to Chakotay, and Doc insisted that I needed rest, so." Tom's
voice trailed off.
"So you stayed here," Janeway finished for him.
Tom shrugged. "Yeah, well, at least down here I was able to get
some rest. I've been unable to sleep, even in here. I *have* been
resting, though, which is what the doc ordered me to do."
Captain Janeway nodded, then hesitated, apparently considering
something. Reaching a decision, she drew a breath before she
spoke.
"Tom, I came down here last night, intending to find out how
Chakotay was doing. When I came through the doors, I noticed
you sitting beside his bed, holding his hand. You didn't see me
and seemed completely unaware of my presence. I was about to
say something to let you know I was here, when you started to
talk to Chakotay. You sounded so unhappy that I felt I was in-
truding just by being here, so I left," Captain Janeway's voice
was soft and her eyes were gentle as she continued. "He means a
lot to you, doesn't he." It was more of a statement than a ques-
tion.
Tom stared at Janeway for a moment before answering. "He
means more to me than anything else. Even flying isn't as im-
portant as he is."
The Captain's eyes widened in surprise at that last statement.
After recovering her composure, she asked quietly, "How long
have the two of you been lovers?"
Tom laughed softly. "I'm not sure you would even believe me.
We became lovers less than two weeks after I joined the Ma-
quis. On our six month anniversary, Chakotay surprised the hell
out of me. He'd arranged a very romantic evening for us, starting
with a candlelit dinner and the promise of a special surprise.
After dinner, he made me sit on the couch and he sat on the cof-
fee table in front of me. He talked about our time together, tell-
ing me how wonderful it had been, and how he never wanted it
to end. *Ever*. Then he knelt down before me, told me how
much he loved me, and asked me to marry him. I was speech-
less. I hadn't seen that one coming. I knew he loved me, he told
me often enough, and still does. I *never* expected him to pro-
pose to me. Once I'd recovered from the shock, of course I said
yes." Tom smiled softly at the memory.
"I have trouble imagining *you* speechless," the Captain teased,
making Tom laugh. "So, how long have you been married?"
"It'll be five years next week," Tom answered.
"That long? How did you manage to keep it a secret from every-
one on Voyager?"
"Well, we didn't keep it a secret from *everybody*. The former
Maquis knows, and B'Elanna told Harry after they got married.
She asked us if she could, and we said that of course she could
tell Harry. As to how we kept it a secret from everyone else? I
don't know. Luck, maybe," Tom said.
"It has to be more than luck. Normally you can't keep
*anything* a secret for that long on a ship the size of Voyager.
And it must've been harder with the ex-Maquis knowing," Jane-
way said thoughtfully.
"Actually we didn't plan on keeping it a secret. We just don't
talk about it. The Maquis knows because they were present at
the ceremony, but I don't know why they didn't tell anyone.
They don't even mention it to *us*," Tom explained.
"Maybe they just don't want to invade your privacy," the Cap-
tain suggested.
"Maybe. They wouldn't invade our privacy by talking about it.
Unless, of course, they asked about our sex-life or something
like that. If anyone asked about *that*, we'd tell them that it's
private," Tom smiled mischievously.
"Of course," Janeway said. "I wonder about something, though.
If you were married almost five years ago, why is there no rec-
ord of it?"
"Oh, there is. On Darrbakh, my mother's home-planet. That's
where we held the wedding. Or rather, that's where the cere-
mony took place," Tom answered.
"The ceremony?"
"Yeah. We had a darrbakhian marriage ceremony. Nothing
else," Tom said.
Tuvok's voice over the Captain's comm interrupted their conver-
sation.
"Captain, you are needed on the bridge."
"On my way. Janeway out," she answered. Then she turned back
to Tom. "Maybe you could tell me more about it at another time.
If you don't mind."
"No Captain, I don't mind at all," Tom said.
Captain Janeway nodded, then she turned and left sickbay,
heading for the bridge.
Tom watched as the Captain left sickbay and the doors closed
behind her. He returned to Chakotay's side and sat in the chair,
once again holding the hand of his spouse.