Hello!!  I'd like to tell you now, I'm not on Earth.  I am on
Voyager in the year 2376.  We've found/built a spatial
anomaly to my computer in 1998.  (not asking how Pauline did
it, just taking it for granted.)  My brother has been kind
enough to send our e-mails to all of you out.  Thank you,
Donald!!!  (you're welcome)

Well people, After being kidnapped, and rescued, by the same
group of people, the four of us decided to write it down so
that you all know the real story.  We don't get STV here, we
just live it!!!  But, of course, things are a little bit
different than what we're used to.  B'Elanna is a little
darker in complexion, Tom's hair is about a shade and a half
lighter, and his eyes are bluer, if we thought that was
possible.  But then, it all gets distorted on camera, and
hurtling through space and time, I'm sure.  Our only question
is, where are the Paramount Cameras????

Oh, I'd like to point out that Captain Janeway is, and I
don't want to get her in trouble for this, she's often times
a little less... severe than Paramount makes her out to be.
I realize we go into some boring minute details once in a
while, but we want you to get the full effect of everything
that went on.

Legal B.S.:  You're probably thinking, 'this proves she's
joking!', right?  WRONG!! I just wanted to say that no one is
making money off the truth.  Paramount still owns the cameras
that we still haven't found, Yet, and the actors they use so
that none of the actual people are seen.  Hey, have any of
you seen us on TV yet?

Now, on with the dramatic story, as it actually happened!!
(oh, BTW.  We haven't figured out why yet, but some things
are going back to 1998 earlier than others. You might see
fanfic with us in it that's already out, as my brother says
is happening.)

Message written by Heather Jean.  Send comments to:
stvbratpack2002@hotmail.com
My brother will get them to us.

And now for the story...

Ca:  Chief?

B:  Yes, carey?

Ca:  Um, it's 1900 hours.

B: And?

Ca:  The concert...

B: SH**!! the Concert!!!

A yelp of pain escapes her lips as she sits up too fast and
hits her head on the under-side of the console.  Taking
Carey’s offered hand, she stands up.

B: You're in charge.  Have fun.  And finish that console!

He shakes his head, chuckling, as she rushes to change before
her performance in an hour.

B'Elanna is sitting backstage, planning her performance.  Tom
comes back to talk to her.

P:  Hey, ‘Lanna.  Are you okay?  You look a little pale.

B:  I'm fine.  Just remembering when I heard the song I'm
singing first.  It describes something that happened...

She blushes pure red, and stops.

P:  But that's over now.  Were here now.  I'M here now.

B:  I know.  And I love you.  Now go announce me.

P: Yes Ma'am!!

He walks out onto the stage, smiling.

P: I'd like to present to you... B'Elanna Torres!!

The crowd, all crew of the ship, cheer loudly for their chief
engineer, now resident head musical artist.  She steps out, and
everyone's jaw drops at her dress.  It is a shiny, silky
dress, ankle length, with a slit to the mid thigh.  The
neckline dips just low enough to show some of her cleavage.
And the bite marks from the night before.

B:  The first song I find describes part of my life quite
clearly.  It's titled “Strawberry Wine”, from our new
friends’ music collection.  Deana Carter's “Strawberry Wine”.

The music starts.  It has a twangy, slightly country sound to
it.  So does her voice, as she starts with the words.

He was workin’ through college on my grandpas’ farm
I was thirstin’ for knowledge and he had a car
Yeah, I was caught somewhere between a woman and a child
When one restless summer we found love growin’ wild
On the banks of the river on a well beaten path
It's funny how those memories they last

Like strawberry wine, and seventeen
The hot July moon saw everything
My first taste of love, oh, bittersweet
Green on the vine
Like strawberry wine

Well I still remember when thirty was old
And my biggest fear was September when he had to go
A few cards and letters and one long-distance call
We drifted away like the leaves in the fall
But year after year I come back to this place
Just to remember the taste

Of strawberry wine, and seventeen
The hot July moon saw everything
My first taste of love oh, bittersweet
Green on the vine
Like strawberry wine

Well the fields have grown over now
Years since they've seen the plow
There's nothin’ time hasn't touched
Is it really him or the loss of my innocence
I've been missin’ so much, yeahhh

*Bridge*

Like strawberry wine, and seventeen
the hot July moon saw everything
My first taste of love, oh, bittersweet
Green on the vine
Like strawberry wine, and seventeen
the hot July moon saw everything
My first taste of love, oh, bittersweet
Green on the vine
Like strawberry wine

*fade*

As the music fades, memories flash before her eyes.  Painful,
and happy memories at the same time.
=/\=*=/\=*=/\=
 “Mother, I'm 17!!  You treat me like a child, then
accuse me of BEING one!!  I'm bored.  How am I supposed to do
anything around here if you won't let me out of the house?!”

 “Fine, you want out?  I'll let you out.  Pack a bag.
You're staying at your grandfather's for the rest of the
summer.”

 “Which one?”

 “Torres”

 “On Earth?!”

 “YOU wanted out.  You may as well be all the way out!”

 “Fine, mother.  I'll go.  I'm leaving on the next
transport.”

 “It leaves in 10 minutes.”

 “The one after, then!”

A young teenage girl exits the transport ship from the Kessik
IV colony to Earth.  Following her instructions, she catches
a bus to the suburbs, where she is picked up by an older man
in a shuttle.

 “B'Elanna?”

 “Grandfather?!”

 “Oh, I've missed you!”  the old man gathers her into a
hug, one which she hesitantly returns.

 “Well, let's get you settled, then.  Your grandmother is
waiting.”

=/\=*=/\=

 “COME TO DINNER!!”

 The call echoes through the barn walls where B'Elanna is
staring at the horses.  She'd never seen a real, live horse
before.

 “Coming!” she calls back.  One last look at the awe-
inspiring horses, and she turns away, bumping roughly into a
tall, older boy, causing them both to stumble.

 “Hi.  I didn't know if you heard your grandma or not, so
I came to come get you.”

 “I heard her, thank you.  Good-bye.”  It's only when
she's walked into the house that she realizes he's behind
her.  Ignoring him, she sits at the table, about to eat.

 “Ah, ah, ah.  We haven't said grace yet, B'Elanna.
Let's all bow our heads.”  The boy sits at the table, grasps
her hand and her grandmother's hand, and bows his head.

 @mind you, I don't believe this, I'm not Catholic or
whatever, but it works for what I have in  mind.  And even
though I don't agree with this kind of grace, you'll see that
I'm not so naive that I don't know how to say a simple
Catholic grace!@

 “Our Lord God, Father, we thank you for the food on our
table, the friends by our side, and most of all for getting
our grand-daughter here safe and sound.  In the name of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

 “Amen.”

 “Let's eat!”

 “WAIT!”  Everyone stops as B'Elanna's grandfather puts
his hand up for frozen silence.  “Before we start, I'd like
to introduce you two.  B'Elanna, this is D'Artangnan Paris.
He's working here over the summers while he's at Starfleet
Academy, since he can't go back to his parents’ house.
D'Artangnan, this is my grand-daughter, B'Elanna Torres.
She's visiting from Kessik IV this summer.”

 “It's nice to meet you B'Elanna.”

 “Sure.  Whatever.  Can we eat now?  I haven't eaten a
thing since yesterday.”

 “Oh, I'm so sorry, dear,” her grandmother says. “We
should have waited for dinner to be over.”

 “Not a problem, Grandmother.  It smells delicious.”

=/\=*=/\=

 After dinner, B'Elanna sits on the couch in the family
room, exhausted.

 “Grandmother, where am I sleeping?” she asks.

 “Oh, up stairs.  Come with me.”

 She gets set up in her room, and, setting her alarm for
0630 hours, she lays her head on the soft pillow, and falls
asleep...

=/\=*=/\=

Morning, a few weeks later:

Her alarm goes off, and she wakes up immediately, as she's
done for the past few weeks.  She's found that she loves the
mornings around her grandfather's farm.  Getting dressed, she
decides to go swimming.

=/\=

Making her way out to the swimming pool, she hears a sound
behind her.  “Who's there?”  No one answers.  “Who are you?”
Still no answer.  “You're paranoid, B'Elanna,”  she says to
herself.

 *Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not
actually following you* a voice says in her ear.  Whipping
around, she punches D'Artangnan in the stomach.

 “Oh, D'Artangnan!  I'm sorry.  I didn't know it was you.
Are you okay?”

 “Yeah.  I'm fine,” he says, standing up.  He's wearing
his swim shorts and carrying a towel.

 “Are you sure?”

 “Yeah.  Come on.  I'm going to the pool, too.”

 “I noticed.”  She smiles at him, and follows him to the
pool.  They swim for a while, and lay out in the sun on their
towels to dry off.

 “So, D'Artangnan, why are you here?”

 “Please, call me Art.  Everyone does.”

 “All right, Art, why are you here?"

 “I'm going to Starfleet Academy, but I'm not going
anywhere this summer.  Well, my grandparents were friends
with yours, and like your grandfather said, I can't go back
to my parents’ house.”

 “Why not?”

 “Long story.  Let's suffice it to say that I don't
approve of the way my father treats my little brother and
sisters, so I left about five years ago.”

 “Your last name is Paris, right?  Any relation to the
Admiral?”

 “Yep.  He's my father, technically.  I, uh, long story.
I don't really want to explain, right now.”

 “Okay.”

 “So, why are you here?”

 “I was getting bored on Kessik IV.  I decided to take up
my mother's offer to come here.  Actually, it wasn't an
offer.  It was more of a verbal shove.”

 “Oh.  I see we have a little more in common than I
thought.”

 “I guess so.”

 “Hey, would you like to have a picnic tonight, when it's
a little cooler?”

 “But, it'll be a little dark, won't it?”

 “I've got my own mini shuttle we can use to get out here
and back.”

 “I'd like to.”  She smiles at him, and he smiles back.

 “Hey, stand up for a minute.”

 “Why?”

 “You'll see.”  She does.  She shrieks as he picks her up
and throws her into the cool water.

 “HEY!!!”  he yells, as she jumps out and pulls him in
with her.  He lands on top of her, forcing her under water.
Looking into her face, he pushes his lips against hers,
kissing her hard.  She pushes them back up.

 “Art, ...”

 “Yes?”

 “I...”  *I what?  I don't want this?  You do, and you
know it.  So go along with it.* Later! when it's not so hot!*
 “Art, how about after our picnic.  I don't want too much
of a sunburn.”

 “Fine.  We need to get back for lunch, anyways.”

 “True.”

=/\=*=/\=

B'Elanna spends the afternoon reading, and playing cards
while the sun is hot.  At 1900, Art comes to her, saying,
“Your grandparents say it's okay.”

 “Great!  Let me just grab something first, and I'll be
ready.”

 “Okay.”

 A couple minutes later, she comes back down wearing
jeans and a T-shirt, and carrying a sweatshirt.

 “Let's go!”

=/\=*=/\=

 “Art, these are delicious!  Did you make them?”

 “Yes.  I've always been a good cook, and cuisine has
always been a dream.”

 “Keep at it.  It's good.”

 “It's also gone.”

 “Darn.  I guess there's only one thing to do, then.”

 “I guess.  But here?  Someone might come looking for us--”

 His warning is cut off when she tackles him, devouring
every inch of him, on the path to the woods.

=/\=*=/\=

The Next Morning:

D'Artangnan wakes up on a blanket, cuddling up to his new-
found love.  “B'Elanna?”

 “Hmmm?”

 “We have to go back for breakfast.”

 “Okay.”

 Standing up, he helps her get dressed, and she helps
him.  They pack up the picnic from the night before, and head
back to the house.

=/\=*=/\=

 Later that month:

 “Happy Birthday to you.  Happy birthday to you.  Happy
birthday, D'Artangnan.  Happy birthday to you.  Make a
wish!!”

 D'Art blows out the candles on his birthday cake, earning
him a kiss from his lover.

 “So, Art, how old are you now?”  one of his friends
asks.

 “Thirty,” he replies.

 “Aren't you a little old to be at Starfleet Academy?”
they ask.

 “Well, I went to Glasgow University first, but Starfleet
finally accepted me.”

 “D'Art?”

 “Yes, B'Ela?”

 “When do you graduate?”
 “Oh, Art!  You didn't tell her?!”

 “As if I cared before this!!!”  she exclaims back.  “So,
anyways, when do you graduate?”

 “This year.  I've got one more class to take because I
came in mid-year.  Not even a full class load.”

 “Oh.  Well, then, I guess we'd better get your presents,
huh?”

 “Sounds good!  Hey, do we need anything else out here?
Punch?  Munchies?”  Everyone shakes their heads.  “Then I
guess I'll help you carry them, B'Ela.”

 “Nonsense!  Arty, it's your party!  SIT!!”

 He does, and B'Elanna picks up a few presents from the
other room.  Carrying them, she returns to the party...

=/\=*=/\=

 “B'Ela?”

 “Yes, D'Art?”

 “What did you want to talk about?”

 “D'Art, when do you leave for SFA?”

 “A couple weeks.  Summer's almost over, you know.”

 “Then, I guess we'll have to do as much as we can in two
weeks, won't we?”

 Smiling, he nods, knowing what she means...

=/\=*=/\=

Two years later, on B'Elanna's yearly visit to her
grandparents, summers at SFA:

 “Grandfather!!”

 “B'Elanna!  It's so good to see you!”

 “Yeah, you too.  Hey, where did the corn go?”

 “We gave up.  Were too old.  Besides, once we lost
D'Artangnan, it didn't really look very good.”

 “Oh.”

 “You lost quite a bit when you lost him, too, didn't
you, dear?”  her grandmother asks gently.

 *Yeah.  My virginity* she thinks

 “Yeah, I guess so,”  she replies instead.

"Did you ever talk to him again, after that year?" her grandfather asks.

"No.  We kind of lost touch.  We wrote some, and talked once, but then...
I don't know.  The last I heard, he'd joined the Maquis."

=/\=*=/\=*=/\=

 The applause wake the still young half-Klingon girl out
of her reverie.  Her new lover beams highly at her, yelling,
“Bravo, Bravo!”  proving there are good things to life.

 “Thank you!” she yells at them.  “and now for my next
song...”

~the end... for now~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey, e-mail us at:
stvbratpack2002@hotmail.com