Disclaimer: It all belongs to Paramount

This is my first Voyager story and was a response to Ronda's challenge to write something with the first line: "Well, that's something you don't see everyday."

The Visitor

"Well, that's something you don't see every day," Ensign Lewis said. Chakotay just stared in astonishment at the transporter pad. He had been the nearest senior officer to the transporter room when the hail had come from Admiral Paris to immediately escort a VIP guest to see Captain Janeway. Voyager had been in quarantine for three days now with no one allowed to come aboard or leave, not even Admiral Paris to meet his new grandbaby, so this had been exciting news indeed; the first visitor to Voyager since their arrival in the Alpha Quadrant. Chakotay had wildly speculated about who it could be and was chagrined to discover he was nervous. This person would no doubt be influential and he had to make a good impression for the sake of the Maquis. He had been prepared for anyone from the Federation President to Starfleet Security coming to drag him away in restraints. He had not been prepared for the dog with long red fur who looked just as surprised as he felt.

The dog jumped down from the pad and came straight at him. It began sniffing his shoe and leg.

"Have they all gone crazy while we've been gone? Why would they beam up a dog?" Lewis asked in a bewildered tone of voice. He gasped. "Maybe it was a transporter malfunction! Remember Tuvix?" Chakotay bent down and held out his hand to the dog. He was pretty sure he knew who this dog was, but he had better test his theory first.

"Molly," he said and the dog looked at him, tilting its head and seeming to grin.

"You know that dog?" Lewis asked incredulously.

"No, but I've heard a lot about her. This is the Captain's dog." Chakotay tapped his comm. badge. "Commander Chakotay to Admiral Paris. We've received our visitor. Are there any instructions?"

"Paris to Commander Chakotay. Good. Hopefully, she will help make the remaining quarantine pass more quickly. I only wish we could allow you all to see your families. It'll be over soon. Please escort her to Captain Janeway at once. I would also be interested in hearing about the Captain's reaction once we can meet in person. Paris out."

"Aye, Admiral." Molly had placed her paw on Chakotay's foot and was now licking his shoe contentedly. Chakotay looked over at Lewis.

"Do me a favor and don't tell anyone on the bridge. I want to surprise her." Lewis nodded his head in agreement. Chakotay could feel a foolish grin appearing on his face. Kathryn was going to be so delighted to see Molly. He couldn't wait to see the reunion between Kathryn and the beloved dog she had missed so much and had long given up hope of ever seeing again.

"All right, let's go, girl. Let's go see Kathryn." Chakotay walked close enough to trigger the doors and Molly followed along. This had been a very thoughtful gesture and he wondered what kind of wrangling had occurred down below on Earth to allow it to happen. Starfleet Command was being exceedingly serious about the quarantine and communications lock-out while the logs were being examined, the Doctor was conducting medical exams, and final orders prepared. Despite Kathryn's pleas, no one was allowed to speak to family or friends. The only communications were from Starfleet Command and they mainly consisted of orders for this or that report or log. The waiting was getting to Kathryn, and to him, if he was honest. He had tried to talk to her about it, but she was being strangely standoffish with him. Maybe Molly would help break the ice that had inexplicably formed between them.

It took Chakotay a while to get Molly to the turbolift. She had been sent without a leash and was determined to sniff every inch of carpet on the way to the turbolift. When he reached down and barely grasped her collar, she yelped sharply and loudly, as if he had been beating her and he let go quickly. In the end, he had to herd her to the turbolift by blocking her way when she tried to bolt past him. Once he was on the turbolift, he asked for the bridge and wondered how he could get the dog out unobtrusively so that he could surprise Kathryn. He reached down and grasped the collar once more. Molly yelped, but he soothed and petted her until she calmed. The doors opened and Chakotay cautiously stepped out onto the bridge.

It was clear everyone on the bridge had been awaiting the mysterious visitor anxiously. All heads had quickly turned to the turbolift doors when they opened. Kathryn was standing and he could see the anxiety on her face as she looked toward him in puzzlement, then down to where his hand was holding Molly's collar. Chakotay watched her face carefully as he said, "Here is our special visitor. Captain Janeway, may I present Molly? I believe you are acquainted." Kathryn's face showed disbelief, and then a huge smile. Kathryn's beautiful, special smile. Her heartbreaking smile.

"Molly! My baby girl. Come here, baby. How in the world did you end up here?" The dignified Captain Janeway actually ran across her bridge to her dog, falling to her knees, and throwing her arms around the dog. Everyone on the bridge was grinning at the scene. Kathryn sat back on her heels to get a better look at the dog and held out her hand.

"Look at how beautiful you are. Did you miss me?" Molly politely sniffed at her hand and then turned to continue licking Chakotay's shoe.

"Hey, silly girl, I'm sure that's a yummy shoe, but let me pet you," Kathryn laughed. She began rubbing Molly's ears. Molly shook her head and ran out from under Kathryn's hand to sniff at Tom's feet. He began rubbing her ears just as Kathryn had been doing and Molly allowed it, even emitting a pleasured grunt. Kathryn followed and knelt at Molly's side once more.

"Is Tom your new friend? I missed you so much," she said and reached out to Molly once more. Once more, Molly eluded Kathryn's grasp, this time choosing to go sniff Chakotay's chair. Kathryn followed her, but Molly continued ignoring all of Kathryn's attempts to interact with her as she explored the bridge. Chakotay was watching Kathryn and saw the exact moment her heart broke as the truth came to her.

"She doesn't remember me," she whispered and she seemed to cave in, her shoulders slumping as they had never done once in seven years in the Delta Quadrant and Chakotay truly hated Admiral Paris at that moment for causing Kathryn this pain, well-intentioned though his surprise had been.

"She didn't forget you; it'll just take a little time. That's always how it was with my dogs," Tom said quickly. He was looking at her worriedly and the rest of the bridge crew were looking uncomfortable. No one knew how quite to react and perhaps some were reflecting with trepidation about how their own reunions would be turning out.

"Let's get her into your ready room. There will be less distractions there," Chakotay said and went over to grab her collar. Molly once more yelped in agony as if he had kicked her in the ribs.

"Chakotay, be careful with her!" Kathryn snapped. Chakotay was annoyed at the implied suggestion that he had hurt her as he had barely even touched the dog, but he was glad to hear some animation coming back into Kathryn's voice.

"Molly, come." Her sharp tone of voice was enough to make everyone, even Tuvok, snap to attention. Molly looked up at Kathryn and immediately obeyed her as she snapped her fingers and walked to her ready room. Molly trotted briskly behind her and Chakotay hurried along too.

"What do you need?" Kathryn asked when she turned around and saw that he had followed Molly into the ready room. She went over to the replicator and began keying in instructions while Molly sniffed around the room. Chakotay was a bit miffed by her brusque tone of voice and the question itself. Since when did he need a reason to come into the ready room?

"Nothing, I just wanted to make sure you were all right. I know this has been a little upsetting for you," and he gestured to Molly, but Kathryn didn't see the gesture. She was setting bowls of food and water on the floor and then sitting on the floor next to them. She hugged her knees to her chest, never taking her eyes off Molly.

"Well, I'm fine, so you can get back to work. You need to do something about the scheduling. Tom should be on paternity leave, I don't know what you were thinking when you made the duty schedules. Dismissed." Chakotay opened his mouth to snap back a retort. Tom hadn't been scheduled for duty at all, he had merely been on the bridge collecting data for his final reports and to see who the mystery visitor was, but she looked very vulnerable sitting there on the floor. He sat down next to her.

"How does it feel to see her again?" he asked gently.

"I thought I just dismissed you." She still wasn't looking at him. Molly came over and started drinking out of the bowl of water.

"I thought it was time for me to begin disobeying orders. If I'm going to go to prison anyway, what's the point in following orders anymore?" Kathryn reached out a hand and slowly began to stroke Molly's head.

"You're not going to prison. I just received word before you came to the bridge. They are upholding the Maquis' commissions and the time in the Delta Quadrant is going to be considered as time served." Molly stopped drinking water and plopped down on the floor. She tilted her head in response to the ear rubbing Kathryn was giving her.

"Are you serious? That's great news! Everyone's been so worried. What about the Equinox crew?"

"No word yet. That's going to be a great deal more complicated, but I think they'll avoid criminal charges anyway. The quarantine is going to be over as soon as the Doctor finishes his exams."

"What has you so upset, Kathryn?"

"Nothing. Why the hell is Molly here? She's supposed to be at Mark's house."

"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but Admiral Paris set it up. He wanted to give you a happy surprise for our welcome home." Kathryn scowled and began picking up Molly's paws and examining the pads.

"Hmmmph. She's not his to give. He shouldn't have done that. She's Mark's dog now, his little girl loves her, Molly's happy there with them. This is just going to make me feel worse when I have to give her back." Kathryn's hair had fallen forward and hidden her face, but Chakotay could still hear the tears in her voice and he didn't know how to make this better.

"It's better to see her, though, isn't it? Maybe you won't get to take her home with you, but you can still spend time with her." Chakotay slowly extended a hand and cautiously placed it on her arm. Kathryn immediately jerked away and Chakotay was reminded of Molly's skittish reactions to Kathryn's overtures.

"It's better to never have seen her at all; it's just easier that way. Then it wouldn't hurt so much to know she forgot me. Now, please obey my orders and go."

"Kathryn, there's nothing to do. We're in space dock. Come on, we haven't spent any time at all together since we docked and it's going to get worse once the quarantine is over and the debriefings begin. I've missed you and I would like to spend time with you now while we still can." Kathryn stood up and stalked off to the viewport. She looked out at Earth, but her body language was defensive as she wrapped her arms around herself, not the triumphant posture he had always imagined she would have when looking at that view.

"It's just better this way, it's just easier, then it won't hurt so much, Commander. Now please go and leave me alone." Chakotay looked at her uncertainly. Molly stood up and went over to Kathryn. She began sniffing Kathryn's foot, but Kathryn sat on the couch and pulled her feet up and away from Molly, hugging her knees to her chest. He didn't understand it. He might have put it down to Kathryn not wanting to lose the crew that meant so much to her, but her behavior toward the crew hadn't changed, it was just him. It was just him. Chakotay froze as the pieces came together in his mind. His entire scalp tingled and he gasped. He walked to stand behind her, looking down at the shining auburn bob and he could suddenly hear his breathing.

"Oh Kathryn," was all he could think to say and then he had gathered her into his arms and was kissing her. She protested at first, but then responded enthusiastically. Finally, she wrenched herself free and she was crying.

"Don't do this to me. You're making it harder; you're making it hurt more. Just go and be with Seven and be happy. Just be happy, that's all I want for you both." Chakotay hadn't expected that and he found himself laughing in astonishment.

"How did you know about Seven? That's over, that was hardly anything. You make me happy, Kathryn. I love you, don't you know that? I already know you love me." This time Kathryn didn't struggle at all when he pulled her into his arms and when he lowered her to the couch. He didn't know how much time had passed, but eventually he became aware of Molly sitting with her tail wrapped neatly around her legs watching them.

"Come here girl," Kathryn called and Molly came over and allowed her to rub her ears.

"Chakotay, as soon as the quarantine is over, let's adopt a dog." Chakotay ran his fingers through Kathryn's soft hair and began sprinkling little kisses along her jaw.

"I would love to, but first I'll need to talk to Admiral Paris and tell him about how you liked your surprise visitor," he whispered and she settled against his chest as they both looked out at Earth.

-end-