DISCLAIMER: Star Trek is the property of Paramount, this story depicts a loving/sexual relationship between women.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.

Trust
By alastria7

"Lieutenant!"

"Captain?"

"Follow me, please."

"OK. Carey, you're in charge. (Anything goes wrong here, I'll be in the brig, by the looks of it.)"

"Stop whispering and follow me. Now, Lieutnant."

"Yes ma'am."


"You going to stay silent all the way to your Ready Room?"

"It's a possibility."

"You look mad. I upset you?"

"I prefer not to discuss this until we reach our destination, Lieutenant."

"Uh, OK."


"At ease, Commander. You still have the Bridge."

"Yes ma'am."

"B'Elanna, follow me please."


"Now. Tell me. You look to be a reasonable sort of woman to me. How could you BE so insensitive?"

"I'm sorry - you're going to have to help me out a little here. What did I do?"

"Don't come the innocent with me, B'Elanna. It doesn't suit you."

"What? What's this about?"

"Billy Stracken? Jogging your memory, am I?"

"Billy Stracken?"

"Oh, I see. We're going to play games now, are we?"

"If you'd tell me why you're yelling 'Billy Stracken' at me, perhaps I could..."

"I'm not yelling."

"What's Billy got to do with anything? And hold up on the pacing, will you? You're making me dizzy."

"It was most humiliating. I met him in a corridor. He didn't even observe ship's protocols and acknowledge me, he just leered at me and winked suggestively..."

"Why?"

"... and then he said, 'That B'Elanna, wow!' and clicked his teeth. He must have known, damn it. What have you got to say for yourself?"

"I'm thinking."

"That's original. You told him, didn't you? About us?"

"I told him squat. I've got it now. Billy was at the Lu-al we held, you know? The one you didn't want to attend?"

"And that's where you told him? Honestly, B'Elanna. I thought I could trust you."

"Oh, I see. So I suppose now you can't. For your information, lady, Billy had seen me in a bikini and had made a pass at me. I told him he should go away, until he was a little older... like thirty years should do it... and he begged me for a kiss while he was waiting. It was good-natured banter and I gave him a quick peck on the lips. You must have caught him outside the holodeck?"

"Oh. I, er... I was near the holodeck."

"Run out of steam?"

"I guess I'm just trying to find the words to tell you that I'm an old fool and I'm sorry."

"I can't believe you didn't trust me to keep quiet!"

"B'Elanna, I said I was sorry. What else was I supposed to think, when he said that to me and winked, huh? What would you have thought if you'd shared one kiss with me the night before and someone had come up to you and pulled the nudge-nudge, wink-wink about me the next day?"

"Yeah. OK. I see your point. But I wish you hadn't jumped to conclusions, is all. It means there's room for doubt, about my integrity, somewhere in your mind. I don't know if I can go forward knowing that."

<sniff>

"Well, say something, damn it."

"It seems you're saying it for me, Lieutenant."

"Oh, God. Look, I didn't mean..."

"I'm captain of this vessel, B'Elanna. That means I have to hold my head up and be prepared to be judged by all those I command. I can't have them

leering at me. At least, I thought he was leering at me. I was upset, that's all. I misread the situation and I was upset. Forgive me?"

"Forgive you or lose you, huh? Tough call. You promise never to think the worst about me in any future situation? Because if you can't decide, here and now, that you can trust me, then we go no further."

"I guess suspicion comes with the job, but I can learn. I'm not too old for that, you know?"

"So?"

"All right. From this minute on, I vow to trust you implicitly. No matter HOW bad it looks!"

"Thanks! I think? Well, at least you're smiling again."

"You too. I didn't like that look you gave me. It hurts me to see you hurting. And to know it was my stupidity that..."

"Shhhh."

"Not here. We can't do this in the Ready Room!"

"Why ever not? Liven the old place up a bit. I'm only asking for a second kiss... something else to tell Billy about, huh?"

"You rat."

"C'mere."

"How can I deny you anything? I'd give you the world except I can't find it!"

"My world's right here, Kathryn. I don't need to look anywhere else."

"Mmm."

"Hey, I found it."

"Found what?"

"That little 'love handle' you were telling me about. The reason why you refused to put on a bikini and come to the Lu-al. It's not so bad."

"That does it. I'm going to have to have a long talk with you, Lieutenant, about showing the proper respect to your commanding officer. How about over dinner, tonight?"

"You like me, huh?"

"I'm beginning to love you, if that's all right with you?"

"Oh, boy. Wait 'til Billy hears about this!"

"Leave, rat. While you can still walk!"

"Yes ma'am. You know, you shouldn't really be grinning like that when you're yelling at someone. It isn't good for the 'leadership' thing. Know what I mean?"

"Get out of here."

"Going."

"Tonight, 19.00? My quarters?"

"I suppose. If I'm ordered t..."

"That's an order! Now get out!"

"Your wish is my co..."

"Out!"

"Yes, Captain."

The End

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