12EPILOGUE
It had been a week since Harry's rescue. The doctor had given him 2 weeks off, so he could recuperate. When he had woken up in sickbay, B'Elanna had been sitting by his side for almost 24 hours without sleep. She had looked exhausted. Before he could say anything to her, the doctor had showed up, followed by the captain and the entire senior staff. When he looked around for her, she was gone. He had asked Tom to stay awhile and they had finally talked. It had felt good and when Tom finally left 4 hours later, they where friends again. It was like a burden had been lifted from both their souls. Now there was just one last thing he needed to do. He stopped before the door and rang the chime.
" Enter."
"B'Elanna, there is one thing I want to know, then I will be on my way. I love you, will you marry me?", Harry said as he stepped into her quarters.
B'Elanna looked in shock at Harry. This she had never expected. Tom had told her that Harry and he had talked and that Harry had forgiven him and that they were friends once again. She had been delighted to hear that; at least they had made up for something that wasn't Tom's fault in the first place, solely hers. She had taken strength from it, knowing that Harry would never forgive her. She knew she wouldn't forgive herself for what she had done. Yet, here he was asking her to marry him as if that fateful night had never happened. She searched his eyes and saw only love there, the same burning desire she had seen there the first time they had kissed in the caves on Draneck 2, being hunted by the Dranian firebeasts, thinking that they would never see Voyager again and deciding that they didn't want to die without letting the other one know how they felt for each other.
"Yes, Yes Harry, I love you too. But why do you still want to marry me after what I've done?", she answered his question, her voice quivering and not caring that it did.
"I know why you did it and I forgive you. It is partly my fault because I rushed you into it and I'm sorry for that. But be warned, if you ever do something like that again, Klingon or no Klingon blood, I'll take you down", he said with a small smile. She knew what had happened on the Holodeck. A smile, the first genuine smile in months lighted up her face.
"I am waiting, Lt. Torres. What is your answer?"
"YES, OH YES, I WILL, I WILL MARRY YOU, HARRY KIM!", she said as he wrapped his arms around her, marveling at how right she felt in his arms. She looked up at him, her hands on his chest, feeling like the happiest woman in the universe and then their lips met. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks, not of sadness but of joy. She knew that she would never let anything come between them again.
THE END