AUTHOR'S NOTE: I've finished it! I've finished it! Rejoice and be glad!
I've finally finished it. Thanks for all the constructive feedback that I
got! Anyway, here it is!

Hi! Before you read this story, you should know one thing.
There is a fictional character I made up who plays a mojor part in it so
please, bear with me! Three reasons why I created her:

#1) I thought B'Elanna needed a best friend other than a man (ya know, Tom,
Harry, and Chakotay) (no offense, or anything)

#2) Since Kes is leaving Voyager (waa!!! I guess it is: na na, na na na
na,m hey, hey, goodbye! to Kes!) and I'm not feeling too sure about Seven
of Nine (no offense to anyone who likes her, for I can sum it up into three
words: She's an EX-BORG!) I decided to create another woman on the senior
staff

#3) I have full control over her, as in name, gender, species, tastes,
looks, rank, status, ect. ect. ect :-)

You get the point!

DISCLAIMER: Paramount owns the characters (except Lt. Whitney) and the
ship, I just fiddle with their computer, beam in without setting off any
alarms, and fool around in the holodecks! (it's fun, too :-)

On with the story!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

    The four friends walked into the Mess Hall, got some of Neelix's latest
creation, and sat down talking and laughing. Then Heather brought out the
PADD.
    "I downloaded the shuttle's flight records earlier, and I think I might
have found a suitible explanation." she said, turning the PADD on and
laying it in the middle of the table, taking a bite of some yellow glop on
her plate. She ignored the taste and went on, "There seems to be a slight
quantum flux the nano-second you switched. If we could reproduce the
quantum flux and reverse it, we may be able to get you two back to your own
reality. However, you might be several days before or after it happened.
Say, you could still be bargaining for the milnicide, or you could be at
your posts a week after you supposivley returned to Voyager. And we may be
able to use the plasma particle cloud as a catch." she explained.
    "What you're saying is that we fly the shuttle into the plasma particle
cloud again, and  -" Tom was cut off by B'Elanna, "and you could get
Voyager to reproduce the quantum flux using some of the plasma particles!"
she nearly shouted excitedly, at the exact moment Captain Janeway and
Commander Chakotay walked in, but the only part they heard was "...plasma
particles!" They looked at each other, "I didn't know she was that sick of
Neelix's food." Chakotay joked. Kathryn just frowned and walked over to
their table, a smile replacing the frown on her face. Chakotay followed.
    "Mind if we join you?" Kathryn asked. The four looked up, startled.
Kathryn noticed that Heather immediatly shoved the PADD into Harry's lap.
He quickly hid it.
    "Sure!" Tom said, and the two pulled up chairs and sat down.
    "What was Tuvok really asking you about?" Kathryn asked, after the
pleasantries were over.
    Tom and B'Elanna looked at each other, frowns replacing their smiles.
B'Elanna looked down and then looked directly at the Captain, "This will
sound strange, but Tom and I aren't from this time." she explained. That
just brought extremely puzzled looks from the Captain and Commander so she
continued, "It happened yesterday. We were in a shuttle returning to
Voyager after collecting some milnicide for the warp core when we flew
straight into a plasma particle cloud which just appeared on the screen all
of a sudden. Then we found ourselves a 1,000 lightyears ahead of hour
current position and Voyager was hailing us." she continued.
    "That away mission happened a year ago." Chakotay commented.
    "Exactly. We come from a year into the past." Tom said.
    Heather snatched the PADD from under the table, "But we think we might
be able to get them back to their time by using Voyager's deflector grid
and the plasma particle cloud." she said. Harry started to explain it. In
the end, Kathryn nodded, "Start on the remodifications immediately. But,
why didn't you tell us sooner?" she asked.
    Tom and B'Elanna looked at each other, " 'Cause we realized that right
then and there was not the best time to tell you two that we were
imposters." B'Elanna explained, a small smile on her face.
 Captain Janeway nodded, "I understand."
 The six officers grew silent. Then Tuvok's voice came over the comm.
system, "Senior officers to the bridge." Everyone got up and left the Mess
Hall, Heather busily tapping away at her PADD. B'Elanna looked over her
shoulder, reviewing what she was typing in. They reached the turbolift and
got off at the bridge, just as a jolt rocked the ship. Kathryn fell to her
knees but Chakotay helped her up. Harry ran to his station, "The cloud is
sending out random gravitational flows. Voyager won't be able to stand much
more of this." he said.
 "Tuvok, what are the shield's status?" Captain Janeway asked. Tuvok
quickly told her, "Shield's are at 62% and falling. I doubt Voyager will be
able to withstand these flows much longer."
 "B'Elanna, can we outrun them?" Chakotay asked.
 B'Elanna quickly got up the results on her console, "If we timed it
specially, we could surf our way with the waves out until they disapate but
I don't know how long a static warp field would hold."
 Chakotay frowned, then he remembered what he had learned in the Mess Hall,
"Heather, how much time do you need to create a plan for Torres and Paris?"
he asked. Heather's eyes widened in comprehension, "I'd say ten hours at
the most. If Voyager could withstand it that long, we could use the
gravitational flows to our advantage and have Tom and B'Elanna fly a
shuttle directly into the cloud. Voyager would then use the deflector grid
- it would have to be completely remodified - to send out a burst of
tachion particles to disrupt the cloud, sending them back to their time."
Heather replied, while tapping at her console. She nodded as if to confirm
her hypothesis, "Give me nine and a half hours and everything'll be all
right." she said.
 B'Elanna called from her console, "Heather, it sounds like a good plan, it
really does, but I don't know if we have nine and a half hours. The plasma
particle cloud..." another jolt sent her flying off her chair. Tom was
halfway out of his chair and about to dash across the bridge but she got
up. All of a sudden, Voyager stopped shaking.
 "What happened?" Chakotay asked.
 Harry looked at the sensor scans, "To tell you the truth, Commander, I
don't know. The plasma particle cloud stopped sending out the gravitational
flows. They just disapated." he explained.
 Tom turned, "What about the plasma particle cloud?" he asked. Heather
shook her head, "From the sensor readings, I'd say we could still get you
two back to your time, but I still don't know about those flows." she said.
 Captain Janeway sat back in her chair, "My suggestion is that we all get a
good night's sleep. Heather and B'Elanna, you two start on the plan first
thing in the morning. We'll do the remodifications in the morning." she
suggested.
 "But..." B'Elanna started to protest and Tom, Harry, and Heather their
mouths open. Captain Janeway just glared at them and they quieted, but she
could tell that they all wanted desperately to start on the plan right
away. She sighed as they all walked to the turbolift.
* * * * *
 Tom and B'Elanna entered 'their' quarters and looked at each other. Tom
just shrugged. B'Elanna sat down on the couch and lay back, closing her
eyes. She was exhausted. Tom was tired, too, but not as tired as her. He
went over to the replicator and got a glass of warm milk. He handed it to
B'Elanna. B'Elanna took it without opening her eyes and took a sip. When
she opened her eyes, Tom was in the other room. She yawned as Tom came out
of the room. He was already dressed in his pajamas. "Your turn." he said,
giving her his hand. She took it and he helped her up. She walked slowly
into the bedroom and got on her pajamas. She looked at the bed. It was at
least twice the size of her regular bed on her Voyager. She rubbed her neck
abesntmindedly and winced. Sleeping on the couch hurt! She got dressed into
her pajamas and went back to the living room. Tom was sitting on the couch,
reading a PADD.
 "Goin' to bed?" he asked, looking up from the PADD. He had been busy
looking over his personal logs again. He had gotten to the most recent
ones, the ones downloaded from the shuttle's memory from shore leave.
 She sat down on the couch next to him, "Okay, don't take this the wrong
way, but  I think the bed's big enough for the both of us..."  she said,
her voice trailing off and she stared at her hands, examining them closely
*Why oh why did I have to say that?* she asked herself. She was tired, and
she really did think there was room enough for both of them, for it was a
really big bed, and if they kept their distance everything would be okay.
And sleeping on the couch wasn't exactly comfortable. Tom's blue eyes
narrowed as he watched her. "But don't you dare try anything, Paris." she
added, her voice harder with a warning tone. Tom didn't say anything. Then
he got up, "Okay, 'Lanna." he said. B'Elanna got up as well and they both
got into bed, each lieutenant to one side. B'Elanna curled up in a tight
ball and shut her eyes. She immediatly fell asleep.
* * * * *
 Tom woke up at 0730 hours. He sat up and was startled to find B'Elanna
curled up next to him. Her breathing was steady and she looked so peaceful
and innocent asleep. He longed to kiss her, but his concience was strongly
against it, * She might take it the wrong way, Thomas. * it said. He sighed
and just sat there for a minute, waking up. He got out of bed, got his
uniform, and went into the bathroom to change. When he came out, B'Elanna
was still sound asleep. He made a spur-of-the-moment discisoin and quickly
leaned down and kissed B'Elanna on her forehead. She slowly opened her eyes
and sat up. Tom sat next to her. She smiled, "I'd better go get changed."
she whispered, and she kissed him quickly before she went to get changed in
the bathroom. When she came out they went to the Mess Hall to meet Heather
and Harry.
* * * * *
 Ten hours later, everything was ready. Now they just had to set the plan
in motion. Tom and B'Elanna walked into the shuttle bay, donned in their
uniforms. Captain Janeway, Chakotay, Harry, Heather, Neelix, and Kes were
all there. Everyone said goodbye, and as Heather and B'Elanna hugged,
Heather slipped a PADD into her hands. B'Elanna looked questionally at her
and Heather just smiled, "Keep it." Heather told her. B'Elanna nodded and
finished saying her goodbyes. Everyone else headed for the bridge and the
two lieutenants boarded the shuttle and flew out of the cargo bay.
 "Paris to Voyager. We have successfully cleared the cargo bay." Tom said
through the comm. system. On the bridge, Captain Janeway nodded, "All
right, then, go ahead. Good luck to both of you." she said. Beside her,
Chakotay sat nervously. Neither one of them knew what to expect.
 On Keiko, B'Elanna smiled, "Good luck to you two as well." she said,
referring to the engaged couple. On the bridge everyone smiled and Chakotay
reached over and took Kathryn's hand and squeezed it. "Setting a course for
the center of the plasma particle cloud." Tom informed them, and Keiko flew
into the middle of the plasma particle cloud. Tom and B'Elanna were both
knocked unconcious as the shuttle was hit by a stream of plasma particles
outputted by the deflector grid. Blackness...
* * * * *
 Tom opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor of the shuttle, his arms
wrapped around B'Elanna. B'Elanna awoke as well. She pulled herself into a
sitting position. Tom got up and helped her up as well. They went over to
their seats and sat down. They were being hailed by Voyager. "Opening a
channel." B'Elanna said, and the Captain's face appeared on the view
screen, "Lieutenants! Good job on getting the milnicide. You can both have
the next 24 hours off. You can dock in Shuttle Bay 1. Janeway out." Captain
Janeway said. Tom and B'Elanna looked at each other. Tom glanced down and
saw to his relief that the stardate was 5937.2. "It worked." he said,
although that was un-nessacary, for B'Elanna's face had lightened up with a
grin. "We're home." she repeated, turning to smile at TOm. He smiled, and
they docked the shuttle in the shuttle bay.
 As they got out, B'Elanna grabbed the PADD Heather had given her. "What's
that?" Tom asked. B'Elanna smiled, "To tell you the truth, I don't know.
Heather gave it to me." she explained. They exited the shuttle bay and
headed for the turbolift. It stopped at B'Elanna's deck and they both got
out. B'Elanna looked at Tom, "This isn't the deck your quarters are located
on, Lieutenant." she said. Tom just grinned playfully, "I'm just going to
see if your quarters are yours. Then I'll know this is really where we
belong." he said. B'Elanna guessed that he had a hidden agenda but didn't
say anything. She halted at her door and tapped in the command codes. The
doors opened with a whoosh. "Well, that's a start." B'Elanna said, walking
cautiously inside. She half expected flying monkies to attack her but none
did. Everything was in its place, just the way she had left it. Tom stood
next to her as she surveyed her quarters. B'Elanna finished looking around
and turned to Tom. "This is where we belong." she said, and Tom kissed her.
The kiss was long. When they drew away, both were gasping for air. Tom
smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips again, "I'll see you later." he
said, and he exited her quarters. B'Elanna smiled and sat back on the
couch. She picked up the PADD Heather had given her and started to read it:

* Lt. Torres's Personal Log, Stardate 6019.4 . Today I had dinner with Tom
in his quarters. Our relationship is... Well there isn't really a word to
describe it. Incredible would be a close one. I'm wondering why I ever even
tried to prolong, as Captain Janeway would say, the inevitable. Anyway,
it's really wonderful. Almost every day for the past month we've gotten
together and either gone to the holodeck or had dinner together.I haee to
say this, but I think I'm in love!*.....

T
H
END :-)

Yeah, yeah, I know, Paramount owns 'em, except for Lt. Heather Whitney, an'
I just borrowed them. Comments are welcome at tgreenle@gwi.net

Copyright October 1997 by Jane Griffen