Title: Rumors Abound

Author: Gen

E-Mail: Psychogirl2@juno.com

Date: 5/25/98

Size: 20K

Rating: PG

Category: A

Version: Final

Spoiler: A happy event takes on another meaning for Harry and B'Elanna.

Rumors Abound

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek Voyager, the ship, the characters, I'm only

borrowing them.

The story is part 3 in the Rumors Series..

The galley aboard the starship Voyager was nearly empty. It was late in the evening after

the dinner rush. Only a few people here and there sat at tables, either by themselves or

in triples or pairs. Most were drinking coffee or eating replicated desserts.

Nearly everyone had decided against Neelixs Leola Root Surprise.

In the farthest corner of the room sat Harry Kim and his wife BElanna Torres. They were

eating as they quietly discussed their day. BElanna was the only person in the room

eating the Leola Root Surprise, it was either bravery or sheer stupidity or something

else that Harry would soon learn about. Harry looked at her in amazement as he

watched her eating the foul smelling concoction. "How can you eat that?" He asked,

wrinkling his nose in disgust.

She looked up at Harry, then back down at the "surprise." "I dont know." She began. "I

just had this strange craving for Leola root." She put an emphasis on craving, hoping

Harry would notice the double meaning. But he didnt. "Harry, have you seen Jenny and

Freddys baby yet?"

Harry looked up from the report he was reading. "Huh? Uh, no I havent, not yet. Have

you?" He turned his attention back to the report.

"I saw her this morning before my duty shift. She looks like such a little angel. She has

light blue eyes, and curly hair." Her words fell on deaf ears. "Harry?" She snapped, trying

to get his attntion. Harry had been in a world of his own all day.

Harry didnt look up from the report this time. "Thats nice." He said finally.

BElanna pressed forth. "Harry, what do you think of us having a blessed event of our

own?"

That got Harrys attention. "You want to have a baby? Be serious BElanna, theres no

way that we could possibly have a baby."

"Whys that?" BElanna asked, trying to keep the anger out of her voice.

"One, neither of us have the time. Two, you still have the inhibitor. Three.."

BElanna cut him off before he had a chance to finish. "Three," She continued for him.

"the inhibitor is only ninety-eight percent effective. Four, were going to have to make the

time because Im pregnant."

There is no response from Harry, for he is unconscious on the floor. BElanna rushes to

his side. "Harry?" She pats the side of his face, trying to wake him from unconscious

state. "Harry, wake up." There is still no response from him. Now, the attention of the

entire room is on them.

Harry felt himself waking up from a deep sleep. When he came too, he saw images

dancing around him. Little bottles, pacifiers, and little, tiny babies. Why am I seeing that?

He asked himself. Then, he realized why he was seeing those images. BElanna was

having a baby. Whatever am I going to do? Harry asked of himself. Lucky for Harry, no

one answered.

"Hes awake." Rang out Kes sweet voice.

"Ill be right there." The doctors cranky voice called from the distance.

"Hes awake?" BElanna asked worriedly. "Can I see him?" Kes must have given her

permission, because the next thing Harry knew, she was standing by his side. "Harry

Kim! You had me worried sick. I was scared that something bad had happened to you."

Harry picked up her hand. "Nothing that bad happened to me. Only a little headache

now, but Im okay."

"Dont ever do that to me again, or Ill fucking kill you." She warned him.

"Ill try not too."

"Ahh, Mr. Kim, youre finally awake." The doctor greeted Harry in his own clipped tone.

"How are you feeling?"

"Other than a splitting headache, Im fine. Also, Im still a little in shock."

The doctor runs a tricorder over Harry. "Well, you seem to be ok. You may go, but if you

start to feel dizzy or faint again, come back to sickbay."

"All right." Harry got up off the biobed. And he and BElanna left Sickbay.

For the third time that morning Harry yawned. Tom looked at him with amusement and

concern. "Whats wrong Harry? Rough night?"

All night Harry had dreamt of children, and diapers, and bottles, and messes. "You could

say that."

"Okay Harry, spill it, I know youre hiding something. What is it?"

Harry knew that BElanna would get angry if he told Tom the big news, but he had to tell

someone. "Can you keep a secret?" Harry asked in a hushed voice.

"Can I keep a secret? Harry, Im your best friend, you can trust me."

Harry sighed. "Well, BElannas pregnant."

Tom looked at Harry in shock. "SHES WHAT?!" He shouted. All eyes turned towards

him.

"Shhhh. Keep your voice down."

Toms voice dropped about ten decibels. "Okay, tell me again."

"BElanna is going to have a baby." Harry repeated.

"Id congratulate you, but you look like you dont want to be congratulated."

"I dont think I want too."

"Have you told BElanna?" Tom asked before taking another drink from his coffee.

Harry sighed into his mug. "No. I dont see how. I cant just say to her that I dont want a

baby. Its kinda too late for that."

"Really too late." Tom added.

Before his duty shift was to start Tom was wandering the hallways. He still could not

believe that his two best friends were going to have a baby. "I still cant believe it. Shes

really having a baby." He mumbled numbly. Tom did not notice all the people in the

hallway, whispering, wondering what the significance of his words were.

Two ensigns stood in the corner talking. "Did you hear what Tom said?" The first one

asked.

"No. What did he say?" The second one replied.

"He said shes having a baby." The first one told the second one mysteriously.

"So?" The second one asked. He was truly confused.

"The only person on board that is having a baby is BElanna Torres. Im just wondering

why Tom is so shocked. Unless..." The first ensign trailed off, leaving the rest of it to

Ensign number twos imagination.

"No, BElanna would never cheat on Harry. Would she?" Though this young ensign

worked with BElanna every day in Engineering he was not sure. Though he should

know. "Anyway, how do you know shes pregnant?"

"I work in Sickbay, remember? And I was there the day the doctor told her." The first

ensign told the second ensign.

The two young ensigns did not realize how loud they had been talking, and how many

people had heard their conversation.

"Lieutenant, can I speak to you?" Lt. Carey asked BElanna.

"Of course." The two go into BElannas office. "What can I do for you?" She asked him

pleasantly.

"Chief, I thought they you need to be made aware of whats going on." He started.

BElanna looked at him worriedly. "Ive heard these rumors going around that youre

going to, well, that youre going to have a baby." BElanna paled. She did not think that

anyone knew. Carey continued. "I wanted to know if this is true?"

BElanna was speechless. She had no idea that anyone knew. She hadnt even told

Captain Janeway yet. BElanna swallowed hard. "Its true. Harry and I are going to be

having a baby." BElanna felt herself blush.

"Congratulations!" Carey offers warmly.

"Thanks. I just wish Harry was as enthusiastic about it as you are."

Carey tried to reassure her that everything would be fine. "Dont worry about it. I acted

the same way when my wife was pregnant with our first child. But I eventually warmed up

to the idea. Harry will too." He told her with a smile.

BElanna hoped that Carey was right, but deep in her mind, she was having second

thoughts.

When Harry got off his duty shift, he stormed into his quarters. He entered the bedroom,

where he found his wife lying down. "We need to talk BElanna." He told her.

BElanna sat up and looked at her husband. "Youre right, we do need to talk." BElanna

got up off the bed and stood in front of her husband. The looks on their faces were

confrontational. "Harry, I just want to know one thing, do you want to have this baby?"

Harry mulled over the possible answers he could have given her. He realized the answer

he gave was wrong when BElanna socked him in the face.

"Whatd you do that for?" Harry shouted. He couldnt believe that BElanna had down

that.

"Why do you think? Im three and a half months pregnant, and now youre telling me that

you dont want to have a baby." BElanna plopped herself down on the bed, and started

crying.

Harry knew that he should have been there to comfort her, but he couldnt bring himself

to doing it. "Im going to Toms."

BElanna sniffled. "Fine, I dont care." As Harry started towards the door BElanna said,

"Dont bother coming back until youre ready to have this baby."

Harry walked out the door. He didnt look back. Judging by the empty feeling inside her,

BElanna knew that the baby would be grown up before Harry came back.

*Five and a half months later*

"Harry, would you stop being such an assmunch and go home." Tom might as well have

ordered Harry to jump out an airlock without a environmental suit.

"I cant Tom." Harry replied.

"Why not?" Tom sighed, Harry was starting to be a great big pain in the ass. He and

BElanna hadnt talked in months. Except when they were on duty. Even then they

treated each other like they didnt even know one another. Harry just shrugged. Tom was

getting angry. "Okay Harry, either you tell me what is going on with you, or Im throwin

you out the first airlock I see."

Harry glared at Tom, but Tom remained unshaken. "Okay, Tom, its an incredibly long

and boring story. But if you want to hear it."

"I wasnt making an idle threat." Tom trailed off.

"Okay, I havent ever told anyone else this, I even had it erased from my personal

records."

Tom sat silent as Harry began his story.

"BElanna isnt my first wife, shes my second. I was married to Libby."

"Hi honey, how are you feeling?" Harry asked as he walked in the door. He found

Libby stretched out on the couch, her swollen feet propped up on an oversized pillow.

Harry leaned over the back of the couch and kissed the top of her head.

"Im feeling pretty good, except for my swollen feet, my back hurting, and the fact that

your son keeps kicking me." Libby replied.

"Its takes two to tango." Harry retorted. He walked to the replicator in the kitchen.

"Want anything Lib?"

"A glass of water will be fine." She called from the living room.

"One glass of water 45 degrees Celsius, and one glass of lemonade, extra sweet, a lot

of ice." Harry requested. The replicator whirled and produced Harrys request. Harry

picked up both glasses and headed back into the living room.

He set the two glasses down on the coffee table. He moved Libbys feet while he sat

down. As soon as he sat down Libby put her feet down on Harrys lap. Harry handed

her the glass of water, which she accepted. After taking a small sip she asked, "Harry,

have you thought about what we should name the baby?"

Harry stared at the wall thoughtfully as he pondered the question. "Not really, have

you?"

"I was thinking either John or Michael. Whadda you think?"

Harry thought about both possibilities. Finally he said "I like them both."

Libby threw her hands up in exasperation. "Harry, you are impossible." She told him.

"Sorry." Harry continued thinking about all the options. "What about Jason?" He

asked.

A smile spread across Libbys face. "I like that. Jason Michael Kim. I like that."

Harry leaned over and kissed Libby. "Its amazing, we came to an agreement."

"It is pretty amazing, isnt it?" Libby teased. "I love you Harry."

"I love you too Libby, always and forever."

That night it was a miracle when they had fallen asleep. Libby had indigestion and the

baby had kept kicking. When they were finally asleep, they both slept soundly, well at

least Harry did. Libby paced the floor of their bedroom.

She kept looking from the clock on the bedside table, down to her swollen stomach. It

had been five minutes. She walked to the side of the bed and shook Harrys

shoulders. "Harry wake up."

Harry rolled onto his back but didnt open his eyes.

"What is it?" He mumbled.

"Harry, listen to me, I dont have indigestion, Ive been having contractions, theyre five

minutes apart, we have to get to the hospital." She said hurriedly.

Harry bolted up. He jumped out of bed, trying to get dressed and get Libbys things,

and reassure her at the same time. "Its okay Lib, well get to the hospital soon, I just

need to get dressed, hold on. Dont worry about a thing." Harry tugged on his shirt and

nearly fell. Libby started laughing. But her laughter was abruptly stopped when

another contraction started. This one more intense and painful than any of the others.

"Augh." Libby groaned. She clutched her stomach and sank to the bed.

"Lib?" Harry asked. "Lib? Are you okay?" His face was creased with worry lines.

"It hurts. Really bad. Worse than the rest." Libby panted.

"Weve got to get you to the hospital." Harry announced.

Libby just stared at him. "Well, isnt that obvious?" She screamed in pain as another

contraction ravaged her body.

The doctors had chased him out of the delivery room. They told him that he was in the

way, and keeping them from helping Libby. Harry had known all along that when Libby

was in labor, she would be in pain, but he never imagined it would be like it actually

was.

All Harry could do know was pace the waiting room and pray that Libby and the baby

would be okay.

The hours passed slowly. Both his and Libbys parents had joined him in the waiting

room. After what seemed like days, the doctors entered the waiting room. Their looks

were very solemn.

Both families stood, not knowing what to expect. "How is she?" Tabitha Andrews asked

the doctors.

"What about the baby?" Jacquelyn Kim demanded.

The first doctor cleared his throat. "There were complications, extreme loss of blood."

"She was never really meant to have children." The second doctor cut in.

"What are you trying to say?" Robert Kim asked. Harry couldnt speak at all, he was

paralyzed with fear.

"She, Libby, didnt survive." The doctor said finally.

Harry sagged against his fathers body. He was deep shock. "Noo." He whispered.

"What about the baby?" Jacquelyn repeated.

"Were really sorry. There was nothing we could do." The doctors apologized. Rockford

and Tabitha Andrews sank down to the couch, Tabitha weeping on her husbands

shoulder. Jacquelyn and Robert held their son tight. Harry was devastated, he never

imagined his life without Libby, and his son, dead before he got the chance to live.

"Oh my god. I didnt know." Tom apologized. Tom looked down at his hands. He couldnt

imagine ever having the strength to survive a loss of that kind.

"Theres nothing anyone couldve done." Harry felt the tears welling up in his eyes for the

millionth time.

"Did you ever tell BElanna this?" Tom asked.

Harry looked down, ashamed. "No, youre the first person Ive ever told."

"Harry, I hate to say this to you, but you shouldve told her, she has every right to know."

"I know, but its so hard for me. I mean, the day she told me she was pregnant, was the

same day Libby and Jason" Harry couldnt bear to say the words.

Tom nodded. "I guess I can see why it would be so hard. But you should tell her." Harry

looked everywhere in the room, except at Tom. "Harry, what happened to Libby isnt

going to happen to BElanna, BElannas much to strong."

"What if it does?" Harry demanded.

"Harry I hope you like the idea of floating around in space" Tom threatened.

Harry stood outside the door to his quarters, he was trying to muster up enough courage

to go inside. Breathing deeply, he reached out at pressed the buzzer. "Come in." He

heard BElannas disembodied voice call out.

He stepped tentatively into his quarters and looked around. Everything looked different,

the furniture was rearranged, and there were things for a baby strewn around the room.

"BElanna? Where are you?" Harry called out nervously.

He heard BElanna groan. "Im in the bedroom." She replied. Harry stepped tentatively

into the bedroom that he used to spend his nights holding BElanna. He was greeted by

a familiar sight. BElanna was stretched out on the bed, her swollen feet propped up with

a large, overstuffed pillow. "What are you doing here?" BElanna asked hostily.

"I thought that we need to talk." Harry said, as he sat down on the edge of the bed,

careful not to disturb BElanna.

She sighed. "Okay, what do you think we need to talk about?"

"I think you need to know why I havent been too thrilled with the prospect of having

another baby." Harry explained.

*Another baby?* BElanna wondered.

Harry repeated the story he told Tom earlier. By the time he had finished the story,

BElanna was crying. "Harry, why didnt you tell me?" She cried.

"I was scared, I couldnt lose you."

"Youll never lose me Harry." She burrowed herself in Harrys arms, reveling in the

feeling she had missed so much. "Dont ever leave me like that again Harry."

"I never will." He promised.

Harry paced the waiting room again. He was nervous, and worried, and ready to jump

out of his skin. The entire senior crew, minus Kes and the Doctor and of course

BElanna had gathered to wait for the birth of Harry and BElannas baby. Janeway rose

from her seat and joined Harry. "Harry, calm down. BElannas going to be fine."

Janeway tried to reassure him.

Soon Tom and Chakotay joined Harry in his pacing. Tuvok tried to be the voice of

reason. "It is illogical to pace the room, it will not hurry the process of labor and delivery."

Tuvok received glares from the three men. Neelix just sat saying nothing. He seemed to

be just as nervous as Harry.

Relief came when Kes walked into the room. On her face she wore a huge grin. "Its a

girl." She informed them.

"Hows BElanna?" Harry asked.

"Shes doing just fine." Kes assured him. "Come on Harry, Ill take you to meet your

daughter."

Harry followed Kes numbly. When he saw BElanna, all his worries dissipated. She

looked tired, but relieved and happy. The Doctor handed Harry a squirming bundle.

He looked down at his daughter, tears forming in his eyes. She had the faintest Klingon

ridges, dark soulful eyes, and black hair, matted against her forehead. Her dark eyes

tried to focus on him, but couldnt. "Shes beautiful." He said.

Harry handed her to BElanna who had tears streaming down her face. She wiped them

away with the heel of her hand. "She is beautiful." BElanna had to agree with Harry.

"What are you going to name her?" Kes interrupted.

"We havent thought about.." Harry started, but BElanna interrupted.

"Were going to name her Elizabeth, Libby for short. In memory of your Libby." She told

Harry.

Somewhere an angel with curly, raven hair smiled down at them. She was the guardian

angel of the young baby with the faint ridges of her mother, and the soulful eyes of her

father. No harm would ever come to this child, for Libby and Jason would look over

her.

In my effort to make this story better, I need comments from those who read it. Send

comments to Gen