Alternative, Part Two

Jean shifted on the biobed, eyes closed; she murmured something incomprehensible. A male hand squeezed hers, and she opened her eyes. A concerned pair of eyes were looking down at her; instead of being the rich, dark brown of Chakotay, they were bright blue, youthful.
"Tom?" she said, uncertainly.
"Sweetheart, you're awake again... the Doc told me you woke up from the coma yesterday, and talked with the Captain. From what he had said before... your injuries were so serious, he thought that you might not..." His voice trailed off, and before she could react, he bent over and kissed her forehead. He pulled back, stroked her short dark hair, gazed at her intently. "It is so good to see those beautiful eyes again." Jean stared up at him, still startled.
"Tom," she tried again. "The Doctor told me that I had brain damage, memory loss. I... I don't remember us ever being this close. What's more, the memories I do seem to have involve somebody that nobody seems to know or remember!" Tom Paris frowned.
"He told me this too, while you were still asleep." He stroked her hand. "He said that I should try to just take it slowly with you, show you parts of your life here that might jog your memory." A hurt look crossed his face as she pulled her hand away.
"I... I'm sorry." Her eyes were very apologetic, but her face still showed a lot of confusion and discomfort. "It just... feels really weird to have you touch me like we've been in a relationship for a good while."
"Well, we have!" Tom shook his head, frustrated. "Ever since you came here, I couldn't stop thinking about you, and how you saved my life from so far away. I felt like what you had done changed my perspective on possibilities, and I wanted to get to know you better... and the more I found out about you, the more I wanted to be with you, Jean." His voice was pleading. "You are the most important person in my life." Jean studied him, and was touched by the sincerity she could sense in him.
"I can see that, Tom..." she said softly, "and I'm amazed that I could inspire that sort of feeling in you. I just... I just don't remember doing it." Tom's voice broke slightly.
"You really... you really don't remember falling in love with me? Not at all?" Jean slowly shook her head, and Tom turned away, his shoulders shaking slightly. Alarmed, she sat up and got off the biobed, walked over to him.
"Tom, please... please bear with me." She put her hand on his shoulder, and he turned quickly, wiping away a few tears.
"You shouldn't be up yet, Jean... the Doctor said you still needed time to heal." Cautiously, she squeezed his shoulder.
"I know I need time... but I don't want you to be hurting because of me. I never intended that, ever." Tom gave her a weak smile, nodded.
"That's just like you, Jean... always putting others before yourself." He took her hand off his shoulder, clasped both of her hands in his. "Let me help you remember how things went for you, after you arrived." She looked up at him, still uncertain, but moved by his devotion.
"Okay, Tom." She tried giving him a reassuring smile, and it only felt a little strange. "We'll work through this." He squeezed her hands, and she had another flash:
She was crying in her quarters, looking over the broken remains of the objects that had come through with her during her transport during the hull breach - bits of her meditation lamp, an intact shot glass, a broken picture frame with the photo still preserved - the photograph of herself and her best friend, Trip Tucker, after he had taught her how to scuba dive. She heard a chime behind her, and despondently told whoever it was to come in. She turned, and it was Tom Paris - his smile at seeing her melted away quickly, and he hurried to her, wordless. He wiped some of her tears away - she let him do so - and then pulled her into a strong, comforting hug. At that, it was like a floodgate opened in her, and she wept; all the while, Tom murmured to her softly, rubbed her back, and she could almost feel his own distress at her misery...
"Jean?" She was back in Sickbay, and Tom was staring at her, almost looking frantic. She closed her eyes, said softly,
"I remember how awful I felt after I transported to Voyager by mistake, about how I had left my old life behind, never to return. You came looking for me... you found me as a mess, and you held me, let me cry out all my sadness..." Tom nodded.
"You remember... that was a couple of days after you arrived. I was going to take you to the mess hall for dinner, but we just stayed there, and after you calmed down, you told me about your life on Enterprise. I replicated us some food, and we stayed up all night, talking." He chuckled softly. "I needed a lot of coffee for my duty shift the morning after... but it was worth every yawn, every cup." He stroked her cheek. "You've always been worth it." Jean opened her eyes, gazed up at him, and found she could not say a word. Tom smiled, as though he understood. "Let's go to the mess hall, all right? Maybe Neelix's food will help jog your memory a bit." Jean found herself wrinkling her nose and laughing.
"As long as it's not leola, I think I'll be fine." Tom laughed as well, and they walked out of Sickbay together.


Chakotay and Tuvok walked through the corridors together. The Vulcan's face was impassive, but he was not unreceptive to his superior officer's agitation.
"Tell me again what happened," Chakotay said, his face tense.
"Jean Pierce and I were on the planet, speaking with dignitaries in the marketplace. We were having a very logical conversation, and Jean Pierce was at apparent ease with the people. She is a competent ambassador."
"I understand that part," Chakotay snapped. "What happened while you were talking?" Tuvok raised an eyebrow at his temper.
"A man approached the dignitaries - he was in ill-fitting clothing, and his hygeine seemed lacking. He spoke to one of the dignitaries, who attempted to calm him and send him on other business. The man turned to me, stared into my eyes, and I felt an uncommon sensation of dizziness. Jean Pierce spoke to me, concerned, and the man unexpectedly grabbed her wrist and pulled her off the platform we were standing upon. She let out a yell, and struggled to free herself, but then collapsed. The man picked her up, but at that moment I had reached them both, having jumped off the platform myself. I acted with a nerve pinch, and took Jean Pierce from him as he lost consciousness and was subdued by authorities, but she was unresponsive. She did not seem to be injured." Chakotay nodded, looking frustrated.
"I will have to discuss this with these dignitaries... find out who this man was, what he did to her in such a short time."
"Commander," Tuvok pointed out, "You must not let your personal feelings hinder your investigation. I insist that I accompany you in this." Chakotay stopped and gave him a hard stare.
"Tuvok, my personal feelings will not hinder this. A member of our crew has been attacked, and rendered comatose. We need to find out why, and how, and figure out a way to wake her up. And yes - I want you to work with me on this. You said this man affected you as well - perhaps there is a connection between the fact that you and Jean both have telepathic abilities." Tuvok tilted his head.
"That is a logical path of investigation." They entered the transporter room together, went to the pad, and Chakotay signaled the ensign to beam them down to the surface. His face was still dark and troubled as he and Tuvok were surrounded by the familiar shimmers, and disappeared.


TO BE CONTINUED...

Alternative, Part One

I have spent a lot of time by myself, recently... getting away from the chatter and drama of the multiverse, and during that time, an idea popped into my head: What if Chakotay was completely out of the picture for Voyager? What would it be like without him, especially for me? I started jotting down ideas on a PADD, and slowly a story began to form... this is all I have so far, but I intend to see it through to the end.

Alternative

"Wake up, Miss Pierce." Jean's eyes opened, glanced around.
"Doc," she murmured. "Why am I in Sickbay?"
"You were in an accident, Ensign. Please lie still." Jean complied for a moment, then...
"Ensign?!" She sat up on the biobed, and a wave of dizziness hit her. She lay back down, rubbing her forehead. "Since when have I been an ensign?"
"Since you arrived on Voyager. Due to your credentials, the Captain gave you a field commission. I remember that you said you were quite honored..." Jean interrupted, looking very confused.
"Hold on, Doc, back up... I don't remember getting a field commission. I arrived, and I had my title as Counselor, but I was never in Starfleet, had no rank... and I inteded to keep it as such, due to the complications I wanted to avoid." The Doctor shook his head.
"The accident must have caused some temporary amnesia - but, considering your psychic abilities, I'm sure you'll retrieve those memories soon." Jean closed her eyes.
"Where is Chakotay?" she asked wearily.
"Who?" At that, Jean's eyes snapped open.
"Very funny, Doc. Now where is he?"
"Ensign," the Doctor said, a little testily, "I have no idea who this Chalky person is. You need to rest." Jean sat up in alarm.
"Computer, where is Commander Chakotay?"
"There is no one by that name on this vessel," the computer replied, sounding slightly disapproving.
"Well, then who's the first officer of this ship?"
"The ship's first officer is Commander Tuvok." Jean's mouth dropped open.
"Tuvok?!"
"Yes," said the Doctor. "Tuvok has been Captain Janeway's first officer since we entered the Delta Quadrant, after the crews of Voyager and the Val Jean combined." Jean's eyes were wide and stricken.
"Who was the Captain of the Val Jean?"
"Tuvok was - he was very successful as an infiltrator for the Federation." Jean swung her legs over the biobed, and she realized she was wearing a blue science division uniform. She turned her head, and then put her hand to her hair, startled.
"My hair... it's short again!" There was deep shock in her eyes.
"It's always been short, you kept it that way. Jean, you need to lie back down immediately." Jean ignored the Doctor's instruction and stood up, tapped her comm badge.
"Pierce to Captain Janeway."
"Janeway here. Are you all right, Counselor? Are you still in Sickbay?"
"Yes, Captain, I'm still in Sickbay, but something is very wrong. I need to talk with you immediately."


"Let me get this straight - you say that my first officer was supposed to be one of the leaders of the Maquis?" Janeway sipped her coffee, an incredulous look on her face.
"Not just that, Captain." The liquid in Jean's cup was one of Neelix's herbal teas. She sipped it carefully, her green eyes haunted by her memories. "Chakotay was the main connection between Starfleet and the Maquis. He was your strong, loyal right arm, and someone who was unafraid to give you an opposing opinion. He was your best friend, Captain."
"He sounds like he would be, if he ever existed." Captain Janeway spoke firmly, but with a kind tone. "Jean, you started talking with me through the Twitter network, back when you were in the 22nd century. When Commander Tuvok and Lieutenant Paris were trapped on Arturis' ship, you established a psychic link with both of them to help us find them quickly. I was very grateful for your help.
"Not long after that, your original ship, Enterprise, came under attack. Your living quarters suffered a hull breach, and you almost were lost, but you managed to teleport yourself out of harm's way. But you somehow ended up on Voyager's brdige, instead of Enterprise's, as you had planned. I let your former Captain know that you were safe, and you spent a few days recovering in Sickbay." Jean shook her head.
"That's not what I remember... when I came to Voyager, it was my own choice. It took me a while to decided, but when I did, you already had quarters and an office prepared for me. Chakotay even left a personal gift in my office, and I transported myself specifically to him, to make sure that I would arrive safely."
"He seems very important to you." Jean glanced up, her eyes almost defiant.
"We loved each other. He was the most important man in the universe to me." Janeway sighed.
"You had better not mention that to Lieutenant Paris." Jean looked confused.
"Why? Why would Tom care so much about my personal life? He has B'Elanna." Janeway frowned, and sipped her coffee.
"Lieutenant Torres? He's dated her a few times, I believe, but it never went anywhere. But you, Jean... when you established your psychic contact with him, he said it changed his life. When you teleported here, he made excuses to be in Sickbay to look after you. I remember you were flattered by his attention, but uncertain - but he was very persistent." Jean was shocked, trying to reconcile things in her mind. Janeway studied her, worry lines appearing on her brow.
"You really don't remember, do you?" Jean shook her head, almost tearful.
"I pride myself on my memory, Captain... this sort of mental discrepancy... it scares me." Janeway stood up and patted Jean's shoulder.
"Ensign, you were in an accident, and suffered a head injury. You just need to take some time to recover. I know that the Doctor and Tom will do all they can to help you get your memories back. Now... I want you to go back to Sickbay - the Doctor wants to keep you there for observation." Jean nodded quietly.
"Yes, Captain." Jean rose, straightened, and almost fell over. Janeway steadied her, and suddenly Jean had a flash of... something. She recalled being in the Captain's Ready Room, in front of the senior staff, in a new blue science division uniform, and the Captain gently pinning a single pip to her collar. The senior staff clapped, and Tom Paris let out an appreciative whistle. She felt her mouth turn up in a fond smile as she looked at him...
Then she was back, and Captain Janeway had her by both shoulders. "Jean," she said urgently, "are you all right?" Jean gazed at her in confused wonder.
"I don't know..."
"I'll walk you back to Sickbay." Her tone brooked no argument, so Jean nodded and walked with her back down to Deck Five, to Sickbay. The Doctor turned to them as they entered.
"So, my wayward patient has returned. Are you going to stay in Sickbay now, or shall I ask the Cpatain to have Security guard the door?"
"I doubt that'll be necessary, Doctor," Janeway said dryly.
"I'll be good, Doc." Jean's mouth twitched into a half-smile.
"Good to know. Now, back to bed, Ensign." He indicated the biobed, and Jean sat on it with a sigh, put her legs up. As the Captain left, she leaned back and closed her eyes. The Doctor turned away...
He turned back, with a medical tricorder in his hand. He glanced up as the doors to Sickbay opened, and Commander Chakotay walked in, worry on his handsome face.
"Has there been any change in her condition, Doctor?" The Doctor shook his head.
"No change, Commander." Chakotay approached the biobed.
"Jean... please come back to me," he murmured as he reached out his hand and stroked Jean's hair - her long hair. She lay on the biobed, a small monitoring device on her temple, wearing a deep green civilian outfit, comatose.

TO BE CONTINUED...