Title: THE THINKING PLACE
Author: A. Kite (Akite68163@aol.com)
Series: Star Trek: Voyager
Code: P/K, Preslash
Rating: PG
Summary: Harry goes to his favorite thinking spot on the ship after the events in Non-Sequitur.
Disclaimer: Paramount/Viacom owns all. No copyright infringement intended, no money being made.
Archiving: Permission given to PKElite, ASC/EM, Slashville and to my own website www.oocities.org/tlin_s/a_kite
Author's note: This little ditty was inspired by a photograph of Garrett Wang as Harry Kim
copyrighted 1995 that I recently purchased. I've since found out that the still was taken during seeing it, it's at www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881.gwe.jpg. Thanks again to Leigh for having it on her website.
the filming of the episode Emanations, but Non-Sequitur fit better, so I'm taking literary
license.
Comments and constructive criticism, publicly or privately, are welcome and always answered.
THE THINKING PLACE
A. Kite (August 2000)
It's been a while, Harry thought as he pulled over a cargo container and sat down at his favorite
thinking spot. So much had been happening that he hadn't had time to come to this place. Not
that there was anything to see here, and the lighting was dim. That was the point. No
distractions so that his thoughts could take over. That's what made it his special place.
Harry pushed the hair back from his forehead. He probably should have gotten cleaned up first.
No, if he'd gone to his quarters when he got out of Sickbay he wouldn't be here now. Alpha shift
would be off soon, and he needed time to think before the questions started. There would be questions,
no doubt about that.
Harry leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. The problem was that he didn't have any
answers. Tom would come to find him when he found Harry wasn't in his quarters. Then what
would he say?
The whole incident was taking on the surreal feeling of a dream. Had he really been on Earth?
Had he really been with Libby again? Been able to touch her and talk to her, and walked away
from it all? Hell, walked nothing, he had ran. Ran away from all that life could have been; back
to Voyager and the Delta Quadrant with its Kazon, Viidians and unknown dangers. Why?
In his heart of hearts, Harry knew why. Because despite all the hardships, there was also a
beautiful, blond best friend that could be counted on. It was the reason he had gone to
Marseilles. A sob hitched in his chest, but Harry suppressed it. The other Tom had died getting
him back to where he belonged. He really did owe him. Harry came to the conclusion that in
this universe and any other, he was destined to have a Tom Paris in his life, no matter how
briefly. Whether or not he ever got the courage to tell Tom that he loved him wasn't important
as long as they could be friends. Something eased inside of Harry. It was a good thing too as
just then he heard footsteps coming his way.
When Tom found Harry tucked away in the corner of the vast cargo bay, something in his
expression stopped Tom dead in his tracks. One shaft of light illuminated his face. Tom had
never seen anyone looking as vulnerable as Harry did at that moment. His hair was falling over
his forehead in disarray. His face and eyes looked slightly puffy, as if he might have been
crying. His lips were full, almost pouty. The look in his eyes, oh my goodness, the look. It was
all Tom could do not to gather Harry in his arms and kiss that sad look off of his face.
Tom controlled himself. Instead, he took the usual Paris route and groused at his friend, "Har?
What are you doing in here? I had hell trying to find you."
Harry turned to him and smiled. "I guess my secret hiding place isn't secret anymore."
Tom looked at Harry with surprise, "Nobody will hear it from me." A thought crossed Tom's
mind and his face fell. "If I'm intruding, I can leave."
"No, Tom, it's alright, I'm starved anyway. Let's go to the mess hall, huh?" Harry held out a
hand, and Tom took it and helped his friend to his feet. It was natural to follow through that
help by putting his arm around Harry's shoulders.
As they walked to the door Tom asked, "Harry, what did you mean? Up there on the bridge, you
said you owe me one?"
The End? I think not.
The picture that inspired this is probably available all over the net, but if anyone is interested in
