B’Elanna felt a shiver run through her body as she took her first step into the darkened room, suddenly overwhelmed with déjà vu. “So…these are my quarters?” She asked the Doctor quietly, who stood unobtrusively just behind her.
“Yes…” The Doctor confirmed carefully, “Yours and Tom’s.”
B’Elanna ran a hand quickly through her wavy dark hair and exhaled through clenched teeth. “Me and Tom, who would’ve thought it?”
The Doctor laughed softly, “None of your fellow crewmembers…at least not at first.” He followed her gaze around the darkened room, then focused again on her shaking form, “He loves you B’Elanna, so much.”
B’Elanna found herself gulping hard and had to squeeze her burning eyes shut for a moment. Taking a breath, she shook the uncalled for emotions off. “Computer, lights!” she ordered abruptly. The lights flickered on to reveal a surprisingly large room, there were many things that could have caught her attention, the batlef on one wall, photographs on another, but one strange item, a large box of some sort in front of the couch, inexplicably caught her eye. Shakily, she pointed it out to the Doctor, “What’s that Doctor?”
The Doctor chuckled, “That’s a device from Earth’s 20th and 21st Centuries called a television. You bought it for Tom as a gift…”
“So that he could watch all those cartoons and B movies he likes…” B’Elanna continued for him in a wistful tone, “We’d sit here with popcorn all night sometimes…” Her voice cracked painfully; “Oh Kahless, how could I have forgotten about him?” she choked out, barely aware of the tears now streaming down her face. “He…He was still so protective of me, of...of our baby…” A full fledged sob burst from her throat as she felt her, their, daughter kick her. She twisted round as the Doctor squeezed her shoulder, his eyes sympathetic and sorrowful.
“You can’t blame yourself for this B’Elanna; you never asked for this, none of the crew did.” He relaxed as she quietened, soothed by his firm, implacable tone. “I think that’s enough for you, we don’t want your memory centres to get overwhelmed…”
B’Elanna snorted as she freed herself from his arm and stalked determinedly towards the doorway. “I’d rather get to work on how we’re going to get them all out of there Doctor.”
B’Elanna pulled herself out from underneath Sickbay’s console with difficulty, the weight of the baby made even the simplest of manoeuvres difficult, and addressed the impatient looking Doctor, “I think I’ve done all I can for the comm. line from this end, we’ll just have to wait until they call.”
“And what do we do if they can’t call?” The Doctor pointed out anxiously, “The longer they’re left untreated, the less likely it is that they’ll get their full memories back.”
B’Elanna bit down hard on her lip, thinking of Tom. “I wish you hadn’t just told me that Doctor…” She admitted in a near whisper.
“I’m sorry Lieutenant…” The Doctor began earnestly, guilt overruling his programming, but was interrupted by the insistent beep of the comm. line opening.
“Doctor?” A deep male voice that B’Elanna somehow found instantly reassuring echoed around Sickbay.
The Doctor beamed and leaned so hard on the comm. button B’Elanna fretted for a moment that it would break, “Commander! You wouldn’t believe how glad I am to hear your voice!” he enthused in potent relief.
“We’re glad to hear from you too Doctor, believe me.” The man replied before pausing uncertainly for a moment, “Is B’Elanna there? Tom wants to speak to her.”
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Star Trek Voyager: Fragments
FanfictionWhat if, during "Workforce", not only Tuvok but also Seven and Chakotay, retained fragmented memories of their real lives? C/7 and a little Janeway/Jaffen and P/T in later chapters.
