NEW Secret Logs: Postscript - Quality Time [VOY, NC-17, P/K]
novad115
it looks wonky, it'll be up on the web page in a little while.
http://www.novad.org/MJaneway/index.html
<http://www.novad.org/MJaneway/index.html>
The Secret Logs of Mistress Janeway: Postscript - Quality Time
By NovaD aka D.L. Warner[http://dlwarner.com;
http://dlwarner.blogspot.com <http://dlwarner.blogspot.com> ]
VOY, NC-17, P/K
http://www.novad.org/MJaneway/index.html
<http://www.novad.org/MJaneway/index.html>
Summary: Happily ever after is complicated.
Quality Time
Greetings Admiral,
I apologize for writing you about this. I know you have a lot on your
plate, and this will seem like a crazy thing to complain about. Who
complains about too much sex? It sounds crazy even to me.
I put the padd down to rub my temples with my fingers. It had been quite
some time since the drama of my Circle came crashing through my door. I
wondered what could be so bad that he sent it under the Mistress'
encryption. Still, the throbbing in my head was very familiar. This
time, I would not have the satisfaction of tanning their hides for the
aggravation I was about to endure. My Circle would always be my Circle.
I sighed, and then picked up the padd.
Please forgive my rambling, Admiral. I know you'd like to beam me to
your office and beat me until I made sense. It's not my fault that
none of this makes sense, but I'll try to explain.
I put the padd down to pour a glass of wine. It was the real thing from
the Picard Vineyard, a gift from the Captain for my office. After a
healthy swig, I moved to the comfy office couch and got comfy. As the
warm red wine went down, velvety smooth, I felt more patient instantly.
Everything was great during my first few shore leaves from the Thaddeus
Venture. Tom and B'Elanna had Miral stay with Admiral Paris to keep
the bedlam at a minimum. They wined me and dined me. I'm sure they
had the food catered. I'm the only one of the three of us who cooks.
Still, the meals were great, the house looked great—impeccably clean
and romantically decorated.
Okay, that's odd. How can a house be impeccably clean with a three
year old? I knew darling Miral. She had a cyclonic effect on a huge
hotel banquet hall. I shuddered to think what she could do to a house
every day. I wondered just how long they were sending the poor girl away
to get ready for Harry's stay.
And Tom and B'Elanna always looked amazing. I mean, they were always
attractive, but they looked really hot when I came home. I started
getting haircuts and manicures before I'd get home just to keep up.
That made even less sense than the immaculate house. An inexperienced
mother with a husband wouldn't have tons of energy to look amazingly
hot. I'd just spent time with Miral and thus couldn't fathom how
a person stayed clean—forget being well groomed. Something was very
peculiar indeed.
And that brings me to the sex. Don't get me wrong—it's
fan-fucking-tastic. The Circle's activities made me appreciate
variety and quantity. I was into the inventive and sometimes the extreme
when we were all together. It's mind-blowing once in a while. But
that level of sexual activity is tiring when it's constant. Remember
when Seven and B'Elanna were competing with each other?
Did I ever. Poor Tom and Harry had limps from their strenuous exertions.
Even I was a bit raw from the oral attentions of the two women. Not that
I didn't enjoy the near frenzied activities. However, once I
discovered that the escapades weren't a part of a mutually agreed
upon sport between the women, I put an end to it. Seven hadn't even
been aware of the competition. She thought the escalation in frequency
and intensity was a natural part of being in the Circle. I never told my
beautiful Borg that B'Elanna had become deeply insecure in the wake
of Seven's inclusion among my pets. If there was a contest between
Tom and his wife over Harry, then one of her two stone heads had done
something to shake her confidence. Since Harry, wasn't home for long
enough often enough to have more than an inkling of what was happening
at home, it wasn't likely that he was the source of the problem.
This last visit was the most intense and unnerving. B'Elanna had a
crack for every compliment I gave to Tom about the meal or how he even
looked even though I always made sure to pay attention to her. It was as
if she resented everything Tom did to prepare for my visit. When Tom
ignored the comments, it seemed like B'Elanna decided that she was
going to make me come first and come harder than Tom. Begging your
pardon, Admiral, but she offered me her ass. Tom has to work really hard
to get back door access and I almost never had that from her. She
practically pushed me in there. I mean, sure, I came and really hard,
but I thought Tom's head was going to explode—and not in the fun
way. Then he went after me like a wild man. There wasn't even time
for me to recover from B'Elanna. I came, but it took me a while. To
make it work, I had to make myself relax and just think about his hands
and his mouth on me. There was no way I could not come. It seemed really
important to Tom.
That last leave left me feeling really lonely for some reason. I
don't think I was really with either of them, and that bugs me.
I've racked my brains for what I've done wrong, and I just
don't see anything. Is there any way you can advise me on this?
Wow, I thought, pouring another glass of wine. Though it wasn't an
irreparable problem, there were some potentially serious issues with the
happy trio. I owed it to them and Miral to set things on the right path.
They had to do the work, but I believed they could find their way back
to what was really important.
My first stop after digesting Harry's letter was Tuvok's office.
Our stoic Security Officer thrived in his new setting. The data Voyager
gathered over our extended adventure was highly valuable to Starfleet
Intelligence. The methods we used to collect it and how we used the
information to survive had become core curriculum in officer training.
Tuvok had a full schedule between teaching and interpreting data. Beyond
his work, my Vulcan was pleased that he was stationary so his family
could visit. He'd never admit it, Tuvok was one happy Vulcan.
Though, when I poked my head in the office, he looked positively
annoyed.
He motioned for me to enter the office as he finished his call.
"Yes, I shall you when I see you...I do not think that designation
is appropriate...very well. Goodbye," he said tightly.
I fought a smile. "You'll see you who when you see him?"
"My son," Tuvok replied. "He is living on my sofa."
"Ah...couch surfing," I said. "It's a tradition amongst
musicians."
"Apparently," Tuvok said. "A most inexplicable occupation. I
fail to comprehend how he can always need credits when everything is
provided for him...or why he calls me Pops."
I swallowed the laughter threatening to burst from me. Tuvok's
expression was priceless.
"I'm afraid that being broke and irreverent is the mark of
musical artistry," I replied. "It's good that you are here
to lend support while he explores his talent."
Tuvok paused. He relaxed. "It's good for him to have some
stability. And he is talented. My apologies, what can I do for you,
Admiral?"
"I have a couple of questions," I replied. "Hypothetically
speaking, would you say that a certain Klingon you counsel has been on
edge in recent months? Perhaps, she has been more on edge then
you've seen in some time?"
Tuvok was very alert then. "I would say that would be
correct...hypothetically speaking."
"And what if I were to ask if that tension was related to the triad
and that she feels guilty over her feelings?" I asked.
"Is that a hypothetical question?"
"Of course?"
"Correct again."
"And, hypothetically, these feelings have caused old insecurities to
surface," I started. "Don't answer that. And don't be
alarmed. This situation arose from very good intentions and a gross lack
of communication. It can be remedied easily."
"Indeed? That would be most fortunate," Tuvok said. "The
progress made should not be squandered."
"I agree," I said. "Now, I have a remedy to affect and you
have a roommate to tend to."
Tuvok grimaced in his Vulcan way. "Yes...I do."
I was sure I knew what was going on, but I needed to ascertain how the
problem manifested itself and how bad the situation had become before I
contacted Harry with a plan of action. This required a personal visit. I
didn't really mind. Miral was always fun to see. She knew more and could
do more every time I saw her. It was like meeting someone new each time.
And though they no longer served me, I enjoyed being around my beautiful
engineer and my irrepressible pilot.
The mayhem was barely under control when I approached. I could hear
Miral loudly objecting over some thing that B'Elanna wasn't allowing her
to do. There were small toys scattered about the front yard in a trail
that lead to their door. I had to ring the bell a few times before Tom
finally answered. He looked wonderfully disheveled and initially
irritated at the interruption, but his expression softened when he saw
me on his doorstep.
"Admiral?" He asked. It seemed that he literally could not believe his
own eyes. "What brings you here?"
"An errand of mercy," I quipped in reply. "May I come in?"
He blushed then. "Sure. Sorry. And sorry about the state of the house.
We weren't expecting anyone."
"I know, Tom," I replied easily. "I'm not here for an inspection."
He smirked as I walked pass. My former pilot also gave me an
appreciative once over as well. I had to give him points for that. The
din grew louder once I was well inside the house. I headed for the
noise, knowing that B'Elanna would be there.
"Can I get you something?" Tom asked. "I have fresh coffee."
"No, thanks," I replied. "I don't want to put you out. I'm just here for
a little chat."
"That's great, Admiral, and I'm glad to see you," Tom began to sputter
in that way that told me he had to tell me something but he really
didn't want to.
"What is it?" I asked, pausing in the entry hall.
He looked sheepish. "I'm kinda on a big deadline with the next
holonovel, and I'm a little behind..."
I waved him off. "Go, do your work. I'll speak to you after I've had a
visit with B'Elanna and Miral."
"Thanks," he replied with a relieved sigh. "See you later."
Tom went in the opposite direction towards a closed door. I continued
toward Miral's loud voice. The livingroom was an explosion of toys mixed
in with piles of clothes. B'Elanna was in the middle of the clutter
trying to sort through laundry while her daughter tried to add as much
to the mess as possible. As I came in, I believe she was hiding behind
the sofa.
"Tom, who was at the door?" B'Elanna asked as she turned my way.
"Admiral? My God, we weren't expecting company."
As you were, Mrs. Paris," I said before she could leap from the floor.
"As I told your husband, this isn't an inspection. It's a social call."
I found a clear spot on the edge of the sofa and had a seat.
"What's the occasion?" B'Elanna asked as she tried to neaten her hair.
"A friend asked me to stop by and see how you're both doing," I replied.
"The reunions aren't that often."
"Yeah," she replied wistfully. "As you can see, things are hectic, but
nothing like an impending warp core explosion while under fire."
I smiled at her. "You look good, if a little tired."
"You're kidding, right?" She quipped. "I haven't had time for looking
good since Harry was last home—whenever that was."
"Nonsense," I assured her. "You will always be a very tasty morsel. Just
why are you so tired? You have that little one outnumbered."
"You think so?" B'Elanna asked with a rueful smile. "I think it would
take six of us some days. Having Tom work from home is great, but he's
on a deadline."
"There are a lot of deadlines, I gather."
She nodded with a sigh. "His holonovels are very popular, and that's
been good for him."
"But it's almost like he weren't here," I continued.
"Yeah," she replied, looking a bit guilty. "When Harry's here, it's
great. But even then...well, Harry's here. Gods, I sound awful."
"You sound normal," I replied. "We were living under constant threat of
death on Voyager. Every moment had to count for us. Now that we are on
Earth, it seems like there is always tomorrow to do something special."
Miral ran around the sofa then to hurl her little self onto my lap. She
gave me a big giggly hug.
"Aunt Katie," she exclaimed. I still needed to throttle Tom over that.
But that was for later. I hugged her close in return.
"You're growing so fast," I said with a smile.
"Grandpa says you're going to hell," she replied.
B'Elanna gasped, but I smiled.
"Your grandpa is a knothead," I said in a happy voice. "Can you say
knothead?"
"Knothead!" She exclaimed in a peel of laughter.
"Admiral!" B'Elanna exclaimed. Then she smiled at Miral. "Why don't
you go make a nice picture for the Admiral?"
"That would be wonderful," I said.
The little girl trundled off then, leaving her mother to glare at me in
exasperation.
"She needs depth to her vocabulary," I said.
"Believe me, she has enough of that," she replied ruefully. "So how do I
make more hours in the day?"
I chuckled. "We can't have any more temporal displacement. The time
police have us on a watch list now. I think the answer is far simpler
than it appears."
"But what do I do short of becoming a prize nag?"
"Be patient just a little longer," I said. "My visit was to let you know
that no one is wrong here, and that the situation will right itself
soon."
She gaped at me, thoroughly confused.
"You've always trusted me," I said.
"Of course."
"Trust me now," I replied. "Now, I'll have a word or two with your
hubby, then pick up my masterpiece."
Tom was frowning at a tableau of holocharacters as I slipped into his
study. They were dressed in costumes from post Renaissance Europe. Tom
looked up at me with a wry smile.
"Thirteenth Night - Malvolio's Revenge," he explained. "My
agent, Morty, says the classics are big right now."
"Classics, of course," I replied. "How many will this one
make?"
"I think its number 15," Tom replied.
I whistled at that, "That's about five per year, Tom."
He looked at me sharply. "I know it seems like a lot. But Morty says
that holonovelists have short life spans. I should strike while
there's still interest in Voyager's crew. I'm hoping to get
well enough established that I have a good long run."
"It must eat up a lot of time to give each one any kind of
quality," I reasoned.
"Yeah, it does," Tom admitted. "But B'Elanna is
understanding...mostly understanding. She used to spend twenty hours at
a clip in Engineering on Voyager."
"Yes, but we were often about to explode, or we were outrunning an
entire fleet," I countered ironically. "Even when we weren't
in crisis, we didn't have enough staff for all that maintenance the
ship's systems required. You know that."
"Yeah... But I'm not working on my hobby. We don't have a
pension from Starfleet," Tom rebutted. "I have to support my
family."
"Yes, you do, but are ways to find balance."
"This would be easier with Harry around," Tom muttered.
"Everything ran much more smoothly with him. He knew just how to
take care of B'Elanna, and Miral adores him. And I miss him."
"I suppose then that the next time he comes home, you will allow him
to be that stabilizing influence?" I asked quietly.
The light dawned in Tom's beautiful blue eyes. "As always, the
Mistress brings clarity."
I smirked at him. "You are lucky that I didn't bring my paddle,
pet."
Tom blushed becomingly. "I wouldn't call it lucky. My thanks,
Admiral."
"I'll get out of your hair now," I replied, leaning in to
kiss his forehead. "Take care."
"I will, I promise."
I had my assistant, Feldspar, place the call to the USS Thaddeus
Venture. All Lt. Kim knew was that he had an urgent call from Starfleet
Headquarters for his eyes only. My former First One looked appropriately
nervous as I blinked onto the screen.
"Greetings Lieutenant. Thank you for your kind note. I'm fine,
so are Chakotay, Seven and Molly," I began archly. "Thanks for
asking."
Lt. Kim had sense enough to blush. "Forgive my rudeness, Admiral.
I've been tied up in knots over this problem."
"I understand. The matter requires immediate attention," I
replied. "But there are some questions you need to answer before I
can give my opinion and advice."
"Okay," Kim replied nervously.
"When was the last time you did laundry at home?"
Kim frowned. "I don't think I have since I got this assignment.
I haven't cooked more than making a cup of coffee. How'd that
get past me?"
"Tom can be very distracting," I replied dryly.
"And I let him distract me," Harry admitted. "I haven't
spent much time with Miral either."
"An active toddler can put a crimp in plans for romance."
"True, but I go home to see my whole family," Harry sighed.
"He means well, and I don't want him to feel bad about all his
efforts for me, but this can't go on."
"When is your next leave?"
We're waiting for word on an upgrade to our sensors," Kim
replied. "I should know before the end of my shift, but I'm too
far out to make it home and back."
"How many days would you have and where is the upgrade?"
"Five days at Starbase 47."
"Contact my office when you are sure about the leave," I said.
"Do not tell Tom and B'Elanna that you're coming home. I can
get you on a fast ship and have you back on Earth in one solar day. With
travel, you'd have three days at home."
"Are you sure I shouldn't give them a heads up?"
"Absolutely sure. You must trust me on this."
"I do, Admiral. I don't know how to thank you."
Oh, how I missed those days when my First One would spend hours showing
me his gratitude. Alas, that time had passed.
"You know how I enjoy full accountings, Lieutenant," I replied
with a smile.
Kim blushed once more. "It would be my pleasure, Admiral. I'll
be in contact."
Lt. Kim's Personal Log:
I had my doubts, but I should have known better. When the Admiral or the
Mistress says she will do something, it is a done deal. Within hours of
reporting the date and location for the sensor upgrade, the captain
received orders for my transport back to Earth. This didn't raise
any eyebrows. The Admiralty was known for demanding debriefings from
Voyager's crew on occasion. The Captain knew that this was likely
when he accepted me as a member of his crew. My shipmates appeared to
feel sorry for me having to go all the back to Earth. I let them. Better
they thought I was about to be grilled by the Admiralty than warping my
way to a booty call.
Sleeping on the transport was out of the question. A nagging question
about the kind of welcome awaiting me robbed me of my appetite and the
ability to sleep. At least the trip to Earth didn't seem as long as
estimated. The time flew past as my dread grew. Before I knew it, I was
walking up to the duplex and keying in my code for entry while juggling
luggage and a sack of groceries. It was early evening when I arrived.
B'Elanna was calling for Tom to make up his mind about dinner
options. She was undoubtedly talking to a closed door.
"Why don't you let me handle dinner?" I said as I set my
overnight bag and groceries on the floor.
B'Elanna whipped around to gape at me.
"Harry?"
"That's me," I replied, crossing the room to embrace her.
She was still gaping at me when I kissed her, but that brought he to
life. She responded for a long moment before pulling away.
"What are you doing here?"
"The Thaddeus Venture is in dock for an upgrade," I replied,
hugging her close. "I hitched a ride."
That was essentially the truth. She pulled away to look at me.
"Why didn't you call? You always call."
"I wanted to surprise you," I replied simply. "Now, let me
see about dinner."
"You shopped on the way home," she said, bewildered.
"I'm an unexpected extra mouth," I replied with some heat to
the double entendre. "Can't come empty handed."
I made my way to the kitchen with the bag. My befuddled wife was at my
heels.
"Harry, I'm so sorry. The house is a wreck," she sputtered.
"I'm a wreck."
I put down the bag and gave her another long hug. She felt so good to
me.
"The house is fine. I can take care of the kitchen while the meat is
marinating," I said. "In fact, I think you should use the time
to have a nice relaxing soak. I have a great bottle of wine—in fact
a few—I'll pour you a glass. Where's Miral?"
For a second she stared at me like I was speaking Ferengi or something.
"I-I sent her to annoy Tom out of the study," she replied a
little sheepishly. "He didn't even come out for lunch."
I kissed her on the cheek. "Don't worry, then. He'll come
out when he smells dinner. Go, run your bath. I'll pour you some
wine."
After blinking at me several times, B'Elanna left. I pulled out the
wine, opened one of the bottles and poured a glass. My wife was already
in her robe in the bathroom with steamy, hot water running.
"I'm so glad you're home, Harry," she said softly.
"Me, too."
I placed the glass on the wide rim of the tub then quickly lit the
candles placed about the room. I then helped her out of the bathrobe and
into the hot, fragrant water without groping. My wife was sighing in
contentment when I left her.
I was well into meal prep when Miral came barreling across the
livingroom.
"Daddy told me to help," she was bellowing.
"Hiya sweetie," I said with a grin. She was cuter than ever with
those huge dark eyes and that sweet smile.
"Unca Harry!" Miral exclaimed before flinging herself at me for
a giggly, wiggly hug.
"I need a helper for supper," I said after setting her on her
feet. "Will you be my helper?"
"Yes!"
As I finished steaming the veggies, Miral took the napkins than the
plates and cups to arrange on the table as best she could. The placement
was erratic, but there were four settings. I didn't give her
flatware, of course. Still, she was pleased with her handiwork.
"Now, my little helper," I said. "I need you to make sure
these little carrots and broccoli taste good. This is really
important."
"Okay!"
Miral settled onto her boosted chair to munch on a carrot. Tom found us
while I was searing the meat-like patties.
"Harry?" He squeaked. "What are you doing here? Why is Miral
eating vegetables?"
"I'm helping," Miral replied.
"The Thaddeus Venture is getting a sensor upgrade," I replied
softly. "I've got three days."
Tom's eyes darkened as he stepped closer. "Where's
B'Elanna?"
"Having a soak," I replied with a hard swallow. My body was
already aching for him to touch me.
Tom grabbed me by the biceps, pulled me close then kissed me hungrily. I
let myself go for only a moment before pulling away. My knees were about
to buckle. God, his eyes were so intense as his gaze raked over my face.
"Belay that, Paris," I managed. "We're having
supper."
"This is good!" Miral exclaimed.
"Thank you, sweetie," I replied a little more steadily. "You
are such a good helper. Will you go get Momma from the bathroom?"
Miral didn't pause to answer. She was out of her chair and out of
the room an instant later.
"Is a half an hour long enough for a relaxing bath?" I fretted.
Tom chuckled. "That's three times longer than my best effort,
love. God, I could eat you alive."
"You will," I promised. "For now, pour the wine while I dish
the food."
"Alright," Tom replied but his eyes remained dangerous. "But
soon and until you can't take anymore."
I swallowed hard. "I expect nothing less."
Dinner was a boisterous but leisurely experience. Between the lengthy
details of Miral's surprisingly busy life, I managed to answer
questions about the Thaddeus Venture's upgrades and general details
about my tour onboard. I realized that despite my spouses obvious
interest in ships and their functions, we rarely discussed my life with
this commission. We ate slowly, drank wine, talked and laughed. Tom
filled me in on the latest holonovel and B'Elanna talked about the
choice of schools available for Miral. Our wife looked relaxed and very
happy. Miral and Tom cleared the dishes while I put away my clothes. The
evening wasn't over. Our little lady needed to be settled for the
night. I saw an opportunity to give B'Elanna another break.
The kitchen was in order when I returned. This would be simple.
"Tom, why don't you give B'Elanna one of your patented foot
rubs," I suggested. "Miral can show me how she has a bath and
does story time."
B'Elanna looked like she might burst into tears. Tom looked relieved
that I didn't say the word B-E-D. Oh, I knew better than that. That
ear-piercing shriek is a hard thing to forget.
"I can show Unca Harry!" Miral responded with glee.
She grabbed me by the hand and pulled me from the kitchen. Later, I
determined that only an hour actually passed during this routine nightly
ritual. It started off well. Miral showed me where her nightclothes were
kept and what her favorite bath bubbles were. The bath went very well. I
gained even more intelligence about my little one's life then helped
her make sculptures out of the suds. It was after she was dry and in her
fresh nightie that the insanity began. I think we did about twelve laps
around the apartment as Miral yelled the word NO in two minute,
uninterrupted bursts. All the while, I caught glimpses of B'Elanna
in bliss enjoying her foot rub. Somehow, I caught her and there was a
dance of sorts to her bedroom. There, she settled down with a favorite
book whose stories were told in sing songy rhymes. One moment, Miral was
saying the rhymes with me, the next she was sound asleep. I smiled at
her as I pulled up the covers. Asleep, she was a beautiful angel. I was
exhausted.
I'm not sure how much time passed while I lay across the bed staring
at the ceiling. I wasn't really aware of much until I realized Tom
was reclining beside me. He was smiling while stroking my hair.
"I'm sorry I'm so bad at bedtime," I croaked.
"I'm a little out of practice."
"You did better then me," Tom said quietly. "My record time
is an hour and a half. Our wife's is only a little better.
You've got a shiner."
"Hmmm? I thought she connected kinda hard at one point," I
replied. "Forgot she's stronger than a typical little girl.
Doesn't hurt much."
"I can fix it," Tom replied.
I felt the bed dip and then dip once again. My eyes closed as I heard
the hum of the skin regenerator.
"There," Tom murmured. "Can't have your crewmates
thinking we beat you."
I opened my eyes to glare at him, but there was too much humor in his
expression. He was looking at my lips.
"Where's B'Elanna?"
"Asleep on the sofa," Tom replied. "She sent me in to have
you. Are you too tired? We have two more days."
"Please," I murmured.
Tom smiled at me. The heat in his eyes had returned. "There's my
slut."
Then, I got what I needed. He was pressing me down and kissing me like
that was all he'd ever wanted. I let myself get lost in that hot,
hungry kiss. It was fortunate that I didn't need my brain anymore.
I loved the way Tom held me down when he wanted to have me. The Mistress
was right. I loved sex in any way imaginable, but nothing got me off the
way being owned did. And there was no better at making me owned than Tom
when he was hungry and possessive. Part of me wanted to put up at least
a token struggle for the sake of my pride, but that wasn't possible.
Tom's kiss managed to be somehow tender and carnal and irresistible.
I'd never admit that out loud, but I was certain all the moaning
gave me away.
"Sorry, babe," Tom murmured in my ear. "This is going to be
a fast ride."
"Please," I gasped as he bit me along my throat. I wasn't
interested in an endurance record. A real connection was all that I
craved.
My plea got through. Tom started stripping me as soon as he finished
marking my neck. I couldn't help him with my clothes, but that
didn't seem to matter. Tom's determined, almost urgent manner
was flattering and damned sexy. Soon, I was naked and on my side being
prepped with practiced ease. Tom chuckled at my contented sigh.
"You just live for this, don't you?"
"Your point?" I moaned.
Tom couldn't answer. He was pushing inside me.
"Gods...Harry...fucking amazing."
And it was. I was filled and taken and used and loved all at the same
time. Tom grasped my straining, neglected erection. I tilted my head
back against his shoulder.
"That's it, love...let go."
I always was good at following orders. I came hard. The way Tom held me,
grasped tightly against him and the sounds he made told me his climax
was intense. The rest was a blur. I remember Tom kissing my temple and
telling me he loved me. I fell asleep before he withdrew. My sleep was
deep and mostly undisturbed. It seemed like Tom carried B'Elanna to
bed a short time after covering us with a blanket. Then everything was
blissful, deep sleep. The next thing I was aware of was my left eyelid
being pried open. A big dark eye was peering at me.
"Time for cereal!" Miral whispered loudly. I suppose that was as
quiet as she got.
I raised my head so that the little sweetie would release my eye. As I
sat up, it dawned on me that I was wearing pajama bottoms. That made me
smile. Tom is a thoughtful daddy.
"Okay, sweetie," I murmured, pulling on my PJ top. "Lead the
way."
Miral took my hand firmly, then pulled me along to the kitchen. There we
each got a bowl of hot, old fashioned oatmeal and a glass of juice. I
was more interested in a strong cup of coffee, but the little one had
firm ideas of what was what for breakfast.
We sat in the livingroom in front of a view screen. Miral told me to
look for disks labeled Sesame Street. Tom had told me of the vintage
forbidden videos he was having her watch. `The real bareback
nasty,' he had stressed. Miral settled in my lap, ate her oatmeal
and intently watched the odd, colorful hand puppets. I was confused
immediately. Tom told me why the series was labeled adults only. It had
a hand puppet pretending to eat cookies. I didn't get it. The skits
went on endlessly, it seemed. The oatmeal was gone with most of my mind
when Tom and B'Elanna ambled into the room.
"Hey, Harry," B'Elanna said gently. "How are you?"
I covered Miral's ears. "I hate the letter H and I'm not
sure about the number 4."
My spouses laughed at that. B'Elanna kissed my forehead.
"Come on, sweetheart," she said. "Let's get
dressed."
Miral kissed my cheeks before running ahead of her mother. Tom held his
hand out. "Come on, babe. Time for coffee."
"Oh...yeah..."
It must be a Paris thing. He pulled me from my seat towards the bedroom.
I was very confused my then.
"Tom, the coffee's in the master bathroom?"
"Now, Harry, everyone knows that coffee is a code word for sex,"
he replied affably while stripping me naked.
Tom had been wearing a robe, so he was naked and under the spray with me
a short while later.
"We don't have much time," Tom murmured before kissing me.
I barely had time to savor the heat of his kiss when Tom was kissing
down my chest to my abdomen. He gave me a glance before taking me in his
mouth to the root. He worked me to climax quickly. My brain did not
start functioning until Tom was helping me dry off.
"What hit me?" I mumbled.
"Speed orgasm," Tom replied with a smile. "You never know
when Miral may want to hide from her monsters in our room."
"Oh...wow," I chuckled. "Not something you'd think of as
a parenting skill."
"It's a constant learning experience," Tom replied with a
shrug. "You'll get the hang of it. You've survived B-E-D
without running out into the night. You're doing great."
The rest of my leave went by in a blink. Tom and I didn't have any
more intimate encounters, and I never got any time with B'Elanna.
Somehow, what we did instead made me feel closer to them. The highlight
was some incomprehensible board game with Miral that ended with her
declaring victory at some arbitrary point while laughing he head off.
My shipmates were very sympathetic upon my return to the Thaddeus
Venture. I looked and felt like I'd run a marathon carrying lead
weights. My condition shored up the story that I'd spent my leave
being grilled by the Admiralty. I let the notion stand. The Captain
didn't hesitate to have my call to Admiral Janeway through.
I was surprised to hear from Lieutenant Kim so shortly after his return
to his ship. His condition really surprised me. He looked like hell.
"What happened to you? More acrobatics?"
"Not exactly," he replied with a rueful smile. "Three year
olds do not go easily to bed."
I laughed at that. He smiled as well.
"It was the right call, Admiral," he said quietly. "It
wasn't very restful, but it was everything we needed. Thank
you."
"You're my third thank you today," I replied. "Tom's
came with flowers. What did you all do?"
"Cooked, cleaned the house, did laundry," I said with a shrug.
"Miral certainly spent a lot of time with me. It was great. I'll
send you a bit with Tom and me. I can't tell you how grateful I
am."
"No need. I got my latest masterpiece from your little girl and the
bit about you from Tom," I said. "Advice comes with my various
roles in your lives. Just take care of each other."
"We will, Admiral. And we want you and yours to come for dinner when
I'm next home," he said.
"We'd love that. Chakotay doesn't get to use his boxing
moves," I laughed. "Janeway out."
I picked up the report I'd been working on, but the flowers
distracted me. Tom told me that Harry was going to make sure he spent
more leaves at home. That made my former pilot call his agent about
decreasing the number of titles he wrote for next year. Sometimes, it
takes a little upheaval to reset priorities. The pile of work in my
inbox looked very unappealing. I realized that Seven would love to have
the flowers for her dinner table arrangement. I hadn't sat down to
dinner with them in a couple of weeks. I put down the report and picked
up the vase. Time to take my own advice.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
ASCEM messages are copied to a mailing list. Most recent messages
can be found at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ASCEML.