Title: Changes

Author: Lady Bard

Archive: if you'd like: just let me know where.

pairings Chakotay/Tom Paris others

type: humor/Angst

summary: Tom, Chak, and the gang try to help true love along not realizing that things will happen as they must or that their interference might do more harm than good.

Author's notes: please excuse my spelling. If you all like this I'll be glad to continue it. I just had to start writing it down before it drove me nuts. If anyone would like to take the time to beta this I'd be forever grateful. This is growing and I think the Angst is starting to overrun the humor. I meant for this to be a little fluff peace and it decided to grow and is continuing to grow you all tell me if it should be continued or if I should try some of the other plot bunnies running around my head.

Disclaimers: These folks with an exception here and there, belong to the people at paramount studios. I intend only to entertain. Please dont try and take me to court. I'm just a poor little old student with very little to my name.

comments and constructive crit very welcome but be gentle this is my first voyfic. Suggestions would also be very welcome. I have a vague idea where this is going but if you guys would like to suggest ideas I'll be more than happy to think about them.

By Lady Bard

Tom Paris grumbled at the computer, Then rolled over and went back to sleep.

"Tom babe come on you're going to be late."

He grumbled something but did not rise. Chakotay, who had been suffering these mornings for over a year now, grinned.

He leaned over and started to kiss his way along tom's spine, throwing in a lick every couple of kisses. Tom's mumbles turned to moans.

"mmm cha so good."

"up, or no sex for you." Tom leapt out of bed as if he'd been shocked.

The routine started... Tom through clothing everywhere flung himself in the shower, quickly washed dried and through his uniform on. The small

bathroom looked like a hurricane had gone through it. within ten minutes he was completely dressed and awake.

"Did last night really happen?" The question came out of nowhere.

"I think. Have you been getting into the doc's experiments again? Or letting Neelix talk you into trying his creations?"

"No. Please humor me, ok? tell me what I did last night."

"Ok sweetheart." He new that if he smiled he'd have to deal with a *pist* off Tom and though he sometimes liked to tease his lover he felt today was not one of those days.

"Weelll, I had to work late and you went to spend some time with Harry. Then you came home and we--"

"Ok... ok..." Tom interrupted. "So I did go to see Har."

"uhhuh."

Tom silently groaned. What was he supposed to do! He needed help... lots of help... He knew just the people to ask, but he'd have to be careful, very careful.

***

In another crew Cabin...

Harry Kim opened his eyes feeling as miserable now as he had last night while spilling his guts out to his best friend.

/Time to work old boy and no mooning over what you can't have./ He made the same pledge he'd been making over the last few months knowing as he made it that it was futile.

He dressed quickly and made his way to the mess hall to see what Neelix had prepared hoping it would be slightly edible. As he walked through the ship he noticed B'elana and the captain strolling arm-and-arm and hurried to catch up to them.

"Hey Starfleet!" B'elanna said cheerfully.

Her relationship with Cathrine had been a blessing. She'd realized early on Tom was not for her and ended their relationship before their friendship could be harmed. She'd known in some deep part of her that she hadn't loved him, but she'd wanted so badly to belong. She'd known about Chakotay's attraction to Tom from their days before the DQ. She'd also known he was too stubborn to admit it.

She watched Harry wondering what was wrong with him. She new that he had bouts of home sickness and hoped he wasn't having one now.

Cathrine Janeway also watched Harry wondering the same thing. She caught her lover's eye for an instant seeing the same concern. Just then she spotted Tom and Chakotay and felt a helpless grin tugging at her mouth. Those two looked as in love as ever. She was truly happy for them. Over the last 5 years she'd gotten to know them both well and new that they both deserved all the happiness they could find and if that happiness had turned out to be found in one another's arms? She'd bless them. She wondered vaguely when they would marry.

***

Tom spotted Harry walking with the Captain and B'elanna and nudged his lover. Chakotay took a good look at Harry and grinned, starting to figure things out. He new Tom had just nudged him to get his attention, but he'd noticed Harry's distracted state and and started putting things together. The problem was getting Tom to talk.

"All right Sweetheart, give! Who has gotten Harry?"

"Oh no. No no no no no. What makes you think anyone's gotten Harry?" They kept their voices low so as to not attract attention.

"That look. He's got it bad for someone."

Just then they reached their friends and Tom shot Chakotay a wicked grin.

Chacotay responded with a look that said later.. The five of them met up with 7 of 9 and Mark Karston one of the science officers. Seven greeted everyone with a nod while Mark smiled a bit shyly.

"The captain doesn't bight, much." B'elanna grinned as she spoke.

That made everyone laugh and the tension was broken.

"Welcome to the eleat Mr. Karston." The captain said, a slight smile touching her lips.

"Thanks, I think." He said his smile turning to a grin.

Just then they entered the mess hall and hurried through the breakfast line grabbing up items that didn't look too bad. They all crowded around a table and ate talking about whatever came to mind. Harry followed the conversation as best he could but found it difficult.

"Harry! anyone in there??"

"What? Oh, I'm sorry b'el, what were you saying?"

"I was asking you if you had sometime later so you could help me with a problem?"

"Oh, sure."

His friends all exchanged looks, minus Tom who avoided all eyes at the table. The minute that fact was noticed all eyes flickered to Tom.

Tom glared around the table at everyone captain and life partner included.

The two just grinned each plotting how to get information out of tom.

later...

The bridge was quiet. The usual banter between Tom and Harry was absent.

Cathrine wondered when her bridge staff had lost the comfortable atmosphere they had developed.

When lunch time arrived Tom Chacotay and Harry left to eat pretending everything was fine.

"So har how about a game of pool at Sandrine's?" Tom asked on the way to the lift.

"Harry stared at his friend intently for several seconds before answering. "2000?"

"That's good."

The 3 arrived at the mess hall and looked over the selection of food not really hungry but knowing they needed to eat.

"Is that Pizza?" Tom started salivating at the sight before him.

"Careful Tom it might bight or something." Harry quipt.

"Oh the wisdom of my nearest and dearest friends."

"Sarcasm becomes you oh wise one."

"eh-hem! Would you three please move along?" Neelix pointedly looked at them then turned his head to the line gathering behind them."

"Of course, we'll just be going now. we're sorry for the hold up." Chakotay said, glaring at Tom who wore a grin.

Their lunch time flew buy in a flurry of meaningless conversation. Throughout the meal Both Tom and Chakotay took turns staring at Harry who in turn kept watching his best friend. The layer of normalcy lasted until the rest of the bridge crew came in for their lunch. Harry leapt out of his chair, dumped his tray of food and flung himself out the door.

Chakotay stared open-mouthed at the usually calm young man's back. Tom was also staring looking shocked and a little afraid.

"All right Tom," Chakotay asked anxiously, "what's going on?"

Tom licked his lips nervously and took a deep breath. "Pleas Cha can we talk about this tonight... In private?

The look on Tom's face part anguish,, part fear, part worry convinced him to agree though a big part of him wanted to drag Tom to his office and demand answers.

"all right sweetheart." With those words they rose to return to their duties.

The rest of the day went by uneventfully. As soon as Alfashift ended everyone hurried off in different directions.

Tom and Chakotay went to their quarters their lunch time conversation hanging over them. They showered and replicated dinner Tomato soup and grilled cheese for Tom and a pasta salad for Chakotay. They forcefully kept the conversation light. Tom because he wanted to put off the inevitable and Chakotay because he was afraid to learn what was going on with their ops officer.

The last few years had put Tom and Harry in some pretty bad spots both together and separately and they had always pulled through. What worried Chakotay was the fear Tom " was showing. Finally, they could no longer postpone their talk and Chakotay spoke.

Alright sweetheart let's have it."

Tom started trembling knowing he had to talk to someone, preferably all their close friends, but Chakotay would have to do, for now. He just wished he didn't feel like a traitor.

Chakotay immediately wrapped Tom in his arms soothing him as best he could.

"Take your time sweetheart. I'll be right here."

Tom slowly got himself under control and spoke.

"Harry's in love with Tuvok and Tuvok's in love with him they've formed some sort of bond but have not acknowledged their feelings in any other way. I'm frightened for him... for both of them. Harry's so lost and scared and Tuvok can't cope. I'm afraid that soon bridge efficiency will start to drop but more important, Cha I'm afraid of loosing Harry. He's not eating, sleeping, socializing, playing his clarinet... As for Tuvok, he's quieter than usual won't even nod unless you practically get in his face."

Oh spirits! What a disaster. You're sure Harry's feelings are returned?" A simple nod was his answer.

"All right then. We'll have to figure out how to help them and for that we'll need help and we'll have to convince Catharine to keep this out of the logs and... Don't worry sweetheart I'll help you and together we'll help them. Now you have to get ready to meet Harry."

Tom held on to Chakotay for a moment longer leaning over to cover his lover's mouth with his own trying to express how grateful he was to have found him through that kiss. Chakotay was shaken to his core by the love and trust this beautiful creature had given him. He once more vowed to never harm him and gently broke the kiss.

"Off you go my heart."

"Thanks Big man, I new I could count on you." He slid out of his lovers arms and out of the room and hoped he could hold Harry together for a little while longer.

END PART 1