Disclaimer: DS9, it's
crew, Tom Paris, and Harry Kim all belong to Paramount. What I choose to do
with them is my own.
Harry arrived on Deep Space Nine wondering if
he'd lost his mind. Coming all this way because of an unsigned message. Pulling
a now somewhat battered copy of that message, he checked the number of the
quarters he was supposed to go to.
He didn't notice the dark haired man watching
him from an upper level, as he read the message then looked on the map of the
station he'd found.
In a moment he figured out where he needed to
go. The quarters was in the area reserved for people who ran businesses on the
station. Grabbing his bag he headed down the right corridor. Again he didn't
notice the dark haired man, this time as he swiftly disappeared down another
corridor in a hurry.
Several minutes later Harry rang the door
chime on the quarters he'd been looking for. The door slid open and he stepped
in.
"You came." Said a soft voice as
the doors closed behind him.
That voice.
Harry turned towards the speaker. He gasped,
even though he'd been hopping, dreaming. "Tom." He breathed.
"Who else Harry?" Tom smiled,
reaching out to pull his stunned friend in to a hug. Harry wrapped his around
his friend and squeezed tight, trying to reassure himself he wasn't dreaming.
"Careful Harry I'll squish." Tom teased.
Harry loosened his grip and backed off a bit.
"How is this possible? I found you... you were dead."
"I'm sorry Harry. I knew it was going to
be you who found me. I wanted to tell you, but the Captain wouldn't let
me."
"The CAPTAIN? She knows... What..."
"I'll explain it all Harry." Tom
smiled. "Let's sit down this could take awhile."
After they were settled Tom started.
"Yes Janeway knows, so does B'Elanna. And the Doc did but we erased those
memories. You saw what they tried to do to the Maquis crew. Just imagine what
they would have done to me. I couldn't face that."
"I think I see what happened."
Harry said. "You, B'Ela, Janeway, and the Doc faked your death."
Tom nodded. "Yep. And then while you
were all in an uproar, Torres fixed the sensors so I could pass through the
worm hole with out anyone noticing."
"The shuttle Janeway sent through the
worm whole that was mysteriously missing when we came through?"
"Well they stuck me in a probe capsule
and the shuttle transporter had been programmed to pick it up." Tom looked
at Harry. "You're not going to remember any of this. Are you?"
"Probably not. Shock'll do that to
you." Harry shrugged. "Short details."
"Okay. I'm off the ship I've got the
shuttle I fly it to the nearest ship yard and trade it in for something less
identifiable. Come here, organize my affairs and I start a shipping business.
Tiny, rather pathetic. But it's getting better, I'm up to two ships now."
"Where did you get the money for all
this?"
"That I have my father to thank
for."
"Does he know..."
"He doesn't, unless he monitoring the
old account he set up for me when I joined the Maquis." Harry gave him a
questioning look. "He wanted to make sure I had a way out." Tom
explained. "He set up a whole second identity for me. Bank account, safety
deposit box with all my papers in it. I always had the key."
"So who are you now?"
"Thomas Paller."
Harry quirked an eyebrow at him.
"Hey my father never was all that
creative." Tom said defensively
"I don't know, he got Chakotay and the
others off." Harry told him.
"I heard that was you." His friend
said softly.
Harry wouldn't meet his eyes and for a long
time they were quiet.
"I also heard you resigned from the
fleet." Tom said.
The younger man nodded.
"You want a job?"
"What?" Harry gaped in surprise.
"Harry I'm still flying half the runs
myself, I can't keep up with this business on my own. I need a partner."
Tom paused caught his breath. "And..."
"I'd love to work with you Tom."
Harry interrupted him.
"Good I'd hate to think I rented a
double apartment for nothing." Tom grinned.
"You knew I'd agree." Harry
accused.
"Of course I did."
Harry laughed then suddenly his mind clued it
to something very obvious. "Tom your hair." He said hardly noticing
that his hand came up to touch the black curls.
"Well I had to look a little
different." His friend explained. "Come on we'd better go talk to the
Star Fleet types. They like to know when a new permanent resident moves
in."
"Just a second Tom." Harry said as
Tom rose. "You got to promise me something."
"What Harry?"
"Don't leave me again. I don't think I
could stand it." Harry said staring at the floor his voice rough.
"I'll never willingly leave you
Harry." Tom said hugging his friend again. "But that's the most I can
promise."
"It's enough." Harry said tears
rolling down his cheeks. But this time he knew it was the last time he'd cry
for Tom.