"Thundery Rain" (Voy, all crew)

[Lxe]

now that's a good vote

[Voy_Girl]

I'm going away for a whole week! Thus I may not be able to update this during that time.

[Voy_Girl]

Okay... Now I'm back again! I'll get up as much of the typed up piece of the story in the morning.

[Voy_Girl]

Roughly three hours later, Harry Kim awoke with a start. If he had felt a little worried for Tessa when he’d gone to bed, it was nothing compared to what he would hav to face during the rest of that night.

Worry and thoughtfullness often appears two and two, hand-in-hand. Like a pair of best friends who plays the neighborhood innocent pranks, which can be seen through gentle eyes.
Though in many cases, these two can disappear for a while only to return a moment later with a third party. One that by no means is the fifth wheel among the three. Fear.

This is what gripped Harry in the middle of one of the small hours that rainy night. Fear. Tuvok was still not there, his bed untouched.
Though that was not what had awakened the Ensign. There was someone
outside who banged furiously at the thick door. And it was definitely no Vulcan.

*

[Voy_Girl]

The young man stumbled out of bed and unlocked the door by simply pulling a peg out from some sort of keyhole. He had to step back to avoid getting a nice mark of the door alongside his cheek, when it flew up from the outside.

It revealed Kathryn Janeway in slovenly uniform and let-out hair. Her turtleneck was not included, thus she wore only her red and black uniform jacket and the black pants. Harry didn’t notice if she wore shoes or not; his gaze was firmly riveted to the brave little one who stood
by Kathryn’s side, rubbing his eyes and yawning drowsily.

”I know,” Janewya muttered as she passed a surprised Harry in the doorway, entering his room. ”The boy’s calmer than I am.”

She sat down on the untouched bed to the left of Kim’s rumpled covers. ”Tessa left the hotel around midnight.”

Harry’s heart skipped a beat.

”But she returned mere minutes ago.”

”That’s good to hear,” he let out a small sigh or relief. ”She probably took a night walk.”

”Not at all. She snuck out to find her sister on her own.”

”I took for granted that she want to bed when I did.” Harry sat down on the other bed -his bed- and waved half-heartily to Agi, who still stood in the doorway, to join him.

”As you probably noticed, Tuvok wasn’t here when you came back. Nor has he been here since then. That was simply because he and I had a little talk abour old times, Starfleet, life in general. Our conversation took more time than I thought, so I didn’t return to the room I shared with Tessa and Agi until half-an-hour ago.”

Harry listened carefully, didn’t take his eyes off his Captain’s tired features during her explanation. He could almost see how she concentrated, trying to turn the words to her favor.

”In case you wonder why I’m looking like this, the reason is that I had just taken off my jacket when a low, effete knock grazed the door. I went to open, tired and full of suspicion. And when I opened, I... got a shock.”

”Who was it?”

”It was Tessa. All dressed in black, livid and bleeding profusely from a gash on her forehead. She almost fell into the room, but I caught her and led her to the empty bed which I had assumed she already was sleeping in. There was blood all over my turtleneck, and though this
is hard to admit... I froze for a moment. The whole thing was so unreal. Luckily, Tuvok was still in the library where we’d been talking. I found him there and had him patch up Tessa’s wound.”

[Chakotays Angel]

Wow want more.....

[Voy_Girl]

I have sooo much to type now!

[Voy_Girl]

Harry felt giddy and sick. ”When did this happen to her?”

”Have you seen something suspicious, Harry?”

”I did see... A figure in black sneak around a corner around midnight,” he admitted after making a pause to catch his breath.

”Do you think this figure can have something to do with Tessa’s injury?”

”I don’t,” Agi interrupted, boring his big, innocent eyes first into Harry, and then Kathryn.

”You don’t what?” The Captain leaned forward until there were mere inches separating her nose from the boy’s.

”I don’t think that figure was my Tessa.” He chewed thoughtfully on one of the sleeves of his light green pajama top. ”Because it was she.”

****


”He’s only five! Should we really let him see this?”

”Harry! I appreciate that you’re thinking about Agi. But he is a very mature little man. And if he’s not that strong physically, he definitely is mentally. And, out there in the corner of the corridor he only suffers more.”

The Ensign nodded at Janeway, but he wasn’t convinced.

”Can you open the door?”

”I’d rather not. I already have one too many of his pained expressions on my mind.”

”I will let the boy in, if you take over here, ensign.” Tuvok rose from the side of an occupied bed and handed Harry a wet cloth. ”Take this and bathe her forehead. And Captain, I suggest you get some rest.”

”Yeah, rest for a while. We’ll let you know if she comes to.” Harry put in at the same time as Tuvok left the three bed room.

[Lxe]

hey girl keep going stop leaving me hanging.
come on now can't keep the fans waiting.
oh I was so busy demanding more I forgot to tell you I love the story girl.

[Voy_Girl]

[Voy_Girl]

NB!

If anyone is willing to Beta read the story to this point, feel free to do so.
I have a hunch there might be a few defects in the grammar...

[-_-VoyagerFanatic-_-]

hey, sorry haven't checked on the fic for a while... nice chaps... it cured my cold... but it came back again, so hopefully the rest of the chaps would help in other words... great fic, just in case i'm confusing u, cause i've been confusing people lately

[Voy_Girl]

It's okay, VF! I'm not that confused... Yet!

[Voy_Girl]

Tessa was lying on the bed in the middle. She was dressed in black pants and sweater, probably something she’d replicated while on board. Her mystic outfit was complete with a long cloak, which was buttoned at the base of her throat.
The dark hair floated like a veil over its contrast; the milk white pillow which she was propped up with. She was very pale.

The wound itself wasn’t so big when the blood had been wiped away.

Harry sat down at the edge of the bed, as soon as he’d dipped the cloth in a vessel on the floor beside him. The vessel was filled with a mix of water and something that emitted a rank, though at the same time sticky, sweet scent.

Then, he brought it to her pale forehead, carefully wiping the pinkish blood away as it continuously trickled out.

***

[Voy_Girl]

I've got more, but I'm currently waiting to get the first part Beta read, thus there might be some changes.

[Voy_Girl]

***
He spilled a few drops before the cup was over her mouth, but they were quickly absorbed by
her sweater. After this mistake, Agi carefully tilted the cup a little so that a little part of the
liquid fell down and moisturized her dry lips.

Tuvok had come for him when he was waiting outside, crouching far down where the corridor
made a soft turn. Agi wished to see his aunt immediately, but Tuvok wouldn’t let him go in
until he’d promised not to cry openly, ‘for the sake of the humans.’

The boy had kept his promise, but the little hand wouldn’t stop shivering. When it got too bad,
he placed the cup on the floor, and went in for stroking Tessa over the cheek instead.

”This is an awful lot to ask from a little boy,” Janeway shook her head, her eyes meeting
Harry’s.

She and Harry were seated on the bed to the right of Tessa’s sickbed, while Tuvok stood next
to it. The three had agreed on letting Agi tend to his relative by himself for a while, since
Tuvok had placed a provisional compress on her forehead. The wound appeared to have
stopped bleeding.

”I hope he doesn’t become traumatized for life,” Harry sighed.

Tuvok turned to him, raised the usual eyebrow and spoke. ”He has an admirable intellect for
being merely five years old. I will prove this to you.”

”Tuvok...” Janeway began feebly, but he’d already taken a few steps towards the boy, who
looked up from his guardian’s pale face.

”How does Miss Tessa’s condition affect you?”

Agi frowned. ”Affect?”

Tuvok quickly reformulated his question, ”What do you feel when you see her like this?”

”I feel... sad. And proud.”

”Proud? Why?” Harry repeated forcefully, forcing the Captain to lash out and place a firm
hand on his shoulder. He went quiet as fast as he’d talked.

The boy looked up at him, puzzled but calm. ”Because I know she did this for me. So that I
can meet the rest of my real family.”

”That is what you want most of all, isn’t it?” Kathryn smiled, while unconsciously patting Harry
on the shoulder.

”It can only be real if Tessa’s there too. So she must become better.”

***

[Lxe]

I love it your a great writer keep it going girl

[Voy_Girl]

I will! Sorry for the delay.

[Voy_Girl]

***

”Riana!” Tessa shouted and bolted upright in bed. Within the blink of an eye, four pairs of, more or less concerned, eyes rested steadily upon her burning cheeks.

Kathryn opened her mouth, meaning to ask Tessa how she felt, but Agi was in advance of her.
”Are you all right? Tessa?”

She tried to moisten her lips, but her action didn’t suffice much. Her entire oral cavity was dry; her reply came, but it was slow and quiet.

”I’m... okay. You have to... ask in a couple of... minutes.”

Janeway was the first to take her eyes off the pale countenance, and as well first outside the familiar circle to find a couple of words she could put in her mouth. ”’Hours’ would be a more correct term. The only way you’re going to get better is through rest.”

”I must say...” Tessa coughed a little, whereupon she thankfully took the cup the Captain handed her. She emptied it in quick, little enjoyable draughts. ”More sleep would suit me just fine.”

[Voy_Girl]

”Time for the patient’s breakfast!” Harry announced from the floor, busy rumbling around in the basket Neelix had sent with the team. ”Let’s see, there is a wholemeal bread that our chef has baked, cheese, leola root stew, fruit--”

”What she needs is plenty of fluids,” Tuvok interrupted, and then resumed to indifferently scrutinize a sole painting on the wall.

Harry continued, a little nonplused. ”Well, there is plenty of that ice tea you liked, Tessa. Will that do?”

She chuckled, throaty. ”Only if you heat if first. I’ve had enough of it cold in my days.”

”Neelix sent cress from the Hydroponics Bay, too,” he said triumphant, while holding up the green aromatic plant. ”And some sort of roasted chestnut,” he added after one last tussle with the basket.

The patient smiled weakly from her bed. ”I’ll have the tea, cold since there is nothing to heat it on, the green thing and the nut. Thank you very much.”

Harry dished out a shiny cup in stainless steel with the Starfleet logotype, and a plate of the same kind from the inside of the surprisingly roomy basket. He poured the light-brown tea from a cylindrical container into the cup. Then, he dished up all the roasted nuts and at last half of the cress on the plate.
After arranging the meager supplies as tasteful as he could, Harry let Agi bring Tessa the cup, the plate and a fork he’d found half-way into something suspiciously like leola pie.

*

Agi stared with dissatisfaction at the breakfast plate. ”This is awfully little.”

”It’s enough. I shouldn’t be able to eat that much now. Wouldn’t be wise.” She pointed at the bandage above her right eye.

”Does it hurt much?”

Se lowered her voice to a whisper, and Agi leaned close to her, practised. ”So much I think I’m going to throw up if I as much as smell the food.” Giving her sister-son an ingenious smile, Agi quickly placed the plate on the floor next to the bed.

”Since it must be morning now, I suggest the rest of us go to the dining room and have our breakfast.” Harry stifled a yawn, silently wishing himself a pitcher full of Neelix’ ‘you can’t believe it’s not coffee!’- brew.

”You do that,” said Tessa politely from her elevated position. ”I’ll be able have mine in peace, and maybe take a nap afterwards.”

”You do look tired,” Janeway stated while bending down to put on the boots she’d discarded at the door. ‘And that’s not all’, she thought to herself. There were a handful of other frames
of mind carved into Tessa’s features. Pain. Pride. Nervousness. And the one which worried Janeway the most; impatience. ‘As long as she’d not planning something foolhardy.’

*

When the little group left, Tessa rested against the pillows stacked under her neck. Her eyes were closed, and the breakfast still untouched.

Janeway, Tuvok and Harry were already out in the corridor, when Agi stopped in the doorway. He gave the fragile form that was his aunt a long look, took a step into the room, hesitated, and spun around to join the three adults waiting for him.

***

[Ensign Harry Kim ()]

Dammit, post the rest of the damn good story, I'm need the rest of it!!! Please, post the rest already, I'm dying here.....

[Voy_Girl]

All right, I'm working on it... You must believe me! No need to use profanity,

[Voy_Girl]

Dropped in favor of the Calendar. 12/6 2003