B'Elanna walked down the corridor to Tom's quarters. She had contacted Sharon, and told her that they were on their way to the ensign's quarters. She was almost at Tom's door when she saw Sharon coming toward her. She looked at the ensign strangely as they closed the gap.
"Ensign?" B'Elanna asked.
Sharon smiled, "I thought it better to do the spell in Paris' quarters. It should work better as well."
B'Elanna nodded and smiled. She then pressed the call button.
When there was no response, B'Elanna looked worriedly at Sharon. She pressed the button again, and still recieved no response.
"Tom," B'Elanna knocked on the door. She then put in her override code, and the door slid open.
The two cautiously stepped into the dimly lit room. B'Elanna called for the lights, and gasped when she saw the mess in the main room.
"Tom, where are you?" She called.
Sharon felt a chill in the air and she shivered. She sensed the evil in the room and its power. The ensign didn't think she could handle this kind of spirit, but she was going to try. She set her things on the floor since the coffee table was broken.
"Sharon, in here," B'Elanna whispered in the doorway to Tom's bedroom.
The botanist hurried over to her and peeked inside. On the bed was Tom. He was mumbling and swinging at the air. His eyes were closed and he was sweating. The pilot was having another nightmare.
B'Elanna went to the bed. She placed one hand on Tom's chest and the other on his forehead. She felt him trembling under her touch, but the mumbling and movements stopped. After awhile, Tom slowly opened his eyes.
"'Lanna?" Tom whispered as he reach out to touch her.
"Yes, Tom. I'm here," B'Elanna whispered as she grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.
Sharon watched the scene before her. She was touched by the intimacy between the pilot and engineer. She smiled softly as B'Elanna stroked Tom's hair to calm him. Tom comforted her as well as he whispered to her. Sharon couldn't hear what he said, but B'Elanna smiled and nodded. She then kissed his forehead. Sharon tensed when the half-Klingon turned to her.
"He's agreed to have the spell performed here. Where do you think it the best place?"
Sharon looked around the pilot's quarters. She then turned back toward B'Elanna and spoke, "For what I have in mind, it doesn't matter. I'll preform it in the main room."
B'Elanna nodded and went back to Tom as Sharon went to prepare. The engineer bent down to Tom. He looked so worn. She hoped that what Sharon was about to do would put an end to the nightmares and the ghost. If not, she was prepared to battle it herself.
"It should be an interesting experience," Tom said softly, trying not to yawn, "I hope it works."
"So do I," B'Elanna whispered as she stroked his hair. She kissed his forehead bringing a sigh from him. She smiled.
After a few minutes, Sharon walked back into the bedroom. She was touched again by the scene before her. The two were talking quietly as B'Elanna played with Tom's blonde hair. Tom was caressing her cheek and smiling. Sharon smiled as well and remembered what B'Elanna had told her earlier. She had to agree that B'Elanna was right. Tom had learned to live with his past even though one such event was trying to ruin what happiness he had found. Sharon was now more than ever determined to stop this spirit. Maybe then she could also stop her own inner demons.
Sharon cleared her throat and spoke, "Everything is ready."
The two nodded and Tom slowly got off the bed. He then followed B'Elanna and Sharon into the main room. His eyes widened at the display before him. On the floor was four white candles. There was a bowl in the middle of the candle square. Sharon sat down and picked up the bowl. She motioned for the two to sit beside her. When they sat down, Sharon closed her eyes and concentrated. She could feel the presence of evil in the room. She could also feel its fear. Fear of her, and of B'Elanna.
"It's here," Sharon spoke suddenly, "I can feel its fear, but it won't leave without a fight."
B'Elanna growled, but she was ignored. Sharon put her right hand in the bowl, and began to stir the herbs and powders that were in it. She concentrated on the ghost and the need to drive it away. She picked up some of the herbs and scattered them around the trio. She began to say strange words as she repeated this four times. She could feel the spirit grow angrier with each motion. She ignored its anger and concentrated more on getting rid of the ghost.
Suddenly, the ghost showed itself. It tried to attack them, but the field of white candles stopped it. Tom could hear it shout at them. He saw it shimmer in anger and point at him.
"You'll never get rid of me," it hissed at him. "I'll always be with you."
Tom ignored it and concentrated on getting rid of it. He could feel its fear growing and becoming weaker. He closed his eyes and continued to concentrate. He could feel B'Elanna doing the same, and a small smile spread across his lips. He reached over and grabbed her hand. He squeezed it and she squeezed back.
"It is weakening," Sharon spoke in a daze. She continued chanting the words to the spell. She could hear its angry words and its threats, but she ignored them. They all did as they spoke the words louder and with more force. Soon, the quarters were alive with their chanting.
The candles burned bright as the ghost grew dim. It tried again to attack them, but the candle field prevented it. It tried to enter Tom's mind. It was met with a wall there as well.
The figure then tried to attack B'Elanna's mind. It felt the engineer gasp as it found an entrance that was not protected. It wormed its way inside and it felt B'Elanna cry out in shock.
"NO!"
Sharon and Tom stared at B'Elanna in shock. She tried to leave the square, but the white candles stopped her, stopped the ghost. She stood up and began to shout in fear and anger.
"Let me out!" The voice of the ghost shouted, "Let me out!"
Tom stood up and stared into B'Elanna's eyes. The eyes were darker and full of hate, anger, and fear. Tom's eyes bore into them, forcing the figure to look at him.
"Can't find your way out?" Tom spoke in a deadly calm voice, "You got in, go out the way you came in."
B'Elanna growled, but it wasn't her. The figure stared at him. It reached up to touch him, but it stopped. It looked down at its hand then back up to Tom. It tried again, but its hand was stilled.
Tom smiled. B'Elanna was still in there. She was preventing the ghost from harming him. He gently grabbed B'Elanna's hand, and forced the dark eyes to look at him.
"B'Elanna. You can fight it. It's afraid of you. Remember. Use it to your advantage."
"Shut up," the figure hissed, using her vocal cords, "She can't fight me."
Tom stifled a laugh, "If that's true then why are you afraid of her?"
The figure jerked away from him, but it couldn't go far. Tom watched as B'Elanna fought to reclaim her body. She tried to keep the figure from touching Tom. Each time, Tom could tell that she was weakening. He urged her on, though until finally, B'Elanna collapsed in his arms.
Tom and Sharon heard the screams of defeat from the ghost as it tried to find its way out of the square of candles. They looked at each other and smiled.
"It'll never find its way out," Sharon explained, "It is trapped. You're safe."
"No more nightmares?" Tom asked, hopefully.
Sharon knew she had to be truthful, "No more of the kind you were having."
Tom nodded as he stroked B'Elanna's dark hair. That he could live with. He looked back to Sharon and spoke, "Thank you."
"No need. It was a day for both of us to face our fears. We both succeeded."
Tom smiled and Sharon couldn't help but smile back.
Chapter Twelve
Three days later, Tom walked into the Mess Hall for breakfast. He was still getting used to not seeing visions and ghosts, but he had never felt better. He didn't care if he ever saw another ghost in his life.
He nodded a greeting to Neelix as he let the Talaxian spoon the colorful glop onto his tray. The pilot stared at it, but smiled to the cook anyway. He headed for the far table and sat down.
Tom picked up his fork and stabbed at the food. He put some into his mouth just as B'Elanna sat down in front of him.
"So how is it?" She asked as she stared at her own glop.
Tom swallowed, made a face, and chased it down with coffee, "You don't want to know."
B'Elanna nodded and pushed the tray away. She then looked at Tom and smiled, "So how did you sleep?"
Tom returned the smile, "Like a baby. Not a nightmare all night."
"Glad to hear it, Tom."
When she was silent for awhile, Tom looked at her. She was staring at him with a wistful expression on her face.
"What?"
"I talked to the captain, yesterday. I wanted to know why the ghost was afraid of me. I thought it couldn't just be my temper. I had an idea, but I wanted to see what she thought."
"Why didn't you ask me? I had an idea as well."
B'Elanna blushed and looked at her food. She believed Tom had an idea as well. She didn't want to know what it was for fear it would be the same as hers. Then again, for fear that it might not.
"Do you want to know, Tom?" B'Elanna asked.
"Tell me. What does Captain Janeway think?"
B'Elanna took a deep breath and began, "The captain told me that she believed it was afraid of me, because of the love I held for you. She believed that our feelings for each other was so strong that the ghost was weakened by our strength when we were together. Do you remember when you were in that semi-coma and I talked to you?"
Tom nodded. He knew what she was getting at. He had thought about it before many times.
"She said that the Doctor scanned you while I was speaking to you. He said that the extra brain wave pattern grew smaller as I spoke until it disappeared. You woke up after that."
Tom nodded, "I had an idea that your nearness frightened it. Everytime you were around me it stayed away or went away. I was curious as to why. Then I realized the reason. I guess that old saying about love conquering all is true."
The two stared at each other for long minutes. Suddenly, the two smiled at each other, their sparkling eyes conveying everything they wanted to say.
~~
Later that night, Tom and B'Elanna lied on the ground wrapped in a blanket. They were staring up at the stars as they listened to the concert of night sounds. A lone wolf howl would join the owl and crickets every now and again. B'Elanna was idly running her right hand over his chest as he was playing with her hair. The two didn't speak for several moments. Finally, B'Elanna spoke.
"Do you think the ghost will be back, Tom?"
Tom didn't answer for a moment. He stared at the stars thoughtfully before he spoke, "No, but the nightmares might. I'll never be rid of them. This time, though I have you to be there for me."
B'Elanna kissed his cheek as she moved her body to lie on top of him. She stared into his blue eyes, knowing that the past week's torments would always be with him. She brushed a stray lock of hair off his forehead and kissed him.
Tom wrapped his arms around her and rolled over, pinning her underneath him. He ravished her with kisses as she growled her approval. He gently nipped her jawline as her nails carved their way down his back. He kissed her neck as she nipped his earlobes sending a shiver down his spine. He growled, sending a shiver down her spine.
"Tom," B'Elanna moaned, urging him on.
Tom raised up a little, loosening the bind they rolled themselves into. He looked deep into her eyes, so dark he thought he could drown in them. He bent down and kissed her, their tongues dancing. He ran his fingers through her hair, loving the silken feel of it.
B'Elanna moved her mouth to kiss his jaw, nibble on his earlobe then his neck. She licked his ear, sending another shiver down his spine. She growled then gapsed as he entered her.
They looked at each other, their eyes saying more than what their voices could. Tom moved slowly inside her as B'Elanna wrapped her legs around his waist, forcing him deeper inside her. She moaned softly loving the gentleness this second time was taking. She closed her eyes and gave herself over to the feeling.
Tom ran his hands into her hair as his thrusts came faster. He kissed her throat, and worked his way slowly up to her forehead, stopping to ravish her mouth. He heard her moans as his pace slowly increased.
"Tom," B'Elanna moaned as she dug her nails into his back, urging him to pick up his pace. The slowness was torture.
Tom heard her pleas and he thrust faster inside her. He growled in her ear nearly sending her over the edge. He took her mouth again as his thrusts came faster. He could feel her tightening around him. They both growled into the kiss, causing them both to moan. Tom felt himself losing control as his pace quickened. He was moaning B'Elanna's name with each thrust. He could hear her crying out his name with the wolf howling in the distance.
B'Elanna felt herself nearing the edge as Tom continued his frantic pace. They were both breathing heavily and sweating. Suddenly, B'Elanna cried out burying her nails in Tom's back. Tom thrust one last time, releasing into her.
After a moment, Tom rolled off B'Elanna; taking her in his arms. He kissed her on the forehead.
"I love you, B'Elanna," he whispered, looking sleepily into her eyes.
B'Elanna stroked his hair and smiled, "I love you, Tom. But we already knew that."
Tom smiled and drew her closer to him. The two fell asleep in each other's arms, no longer bothered by nightmares, but rather, content in the loving dreams they had now created for each other.
