Disclaimer – Paramount owns Star Trek and the characters... I just borrowed them for some fun. I own the story ideas.
Why Seven?
Belanna was still in sickbay after giving birth to her daughter and Voyager had been in orbit for an hour when Kathryn decided to visit. In that time Belanna was amazed at how her captain, friend and mentor looked so natural holding her goddaughter with a smile on her face.
"Captain you would make a wonderful mother one day" Belanna spoke watching her.
"Maybe but that time has passed for me. I will settle for spoiling this adorable little one and my niece" Kathryn replied softly with a touch of sadness in her voice.
"Captain Can you please call me Lanna. It is what my mother used to call me and the time I went to the barge of the dead the image of you called me it too and I like it." Lanna asked.
"Lanna only if you call me Kathryn when were not at Starfleet functions" she said sounding a little choked up from the emotions.
Belanna had witnessed the sadness, regret from observing her friend and captain and knew something or someone had hurt her deep down. The crew had been hoping that the command team would get together once they got back and she knew that Chakotay was in love with her. Kathryn gently placed her goddaughter Miral Kathryn in her mother's arms and excused herself back to the bridge before Chakotay could crash the ship into Starfleet command making them both laugh.
"Report" she asked as she entered the bridge.
"Everything is in working order Captain" Chakotay replied.
She nodded as she walked around and sat in her command chair as the orders to land had finally come through and the coordinates sent to the helm where Tom was now sitting. She gave the order for blue alert and for tom to start the landing procedure while this was happening Chakotay was observing in his chair could sense there was something troubling his best friends and Captain.
Twenty minutes later Voyager had landed at the coordinates that were sent to them and the crew were finally able to cheer, cry, hug and dropped the ranks except Tuvok. Kathryn was in her quarters packing as the door opened; she had been concentrating on packing and recalling the ancient legend that she never heard the door chime.
"Kathryn" Chakotay said with a husky voice.
"Chakotay what can I do for you?" she asked sounding unsettled
"On the bridge you were putting on a brave face for the crew but I could sense that there was something bothering you" he said with concern.
"I'm fine" she replied with a little hint of anger.
"I don't believe you" he replied not moving from where he was standing.
"I'm fine Commander" she commended sounding angrier then before.
"Please Kathryn. I know something has been bothering you since the Admiral was here and I'm not leaving until I get an answer" Chakotay replied stepping closer to her.
Taking a deep breath she turned around and looked at her first officer giving him one her glares but when she saw the concern in the eyes of the man she had been in love with since New Earth she relaxed. Giving her the space and time to build up the courage to tell him what was bothering her, or why she was upset with him, he went to get himself a drink from the replicator for the both of them.
'Why Seven?" she spoke softly turning her head towards the window as he put their drinks on the table.
"What about Seven?" he asks looking confused.
"The Admiral she told me Chakotay...that Seven gets injured on an away mission three years from now and makes it back, only to die in the arms of her husband"
"Her husband?" he asked looking stunned.
"Yes her husband...you Chakotay" she replied turning away from him and sinking to her knees on the floor.
"Kathryn that might be true in her time line but in ours I can't see that happening. " Chakotay replied sounding shocked as sat down beside her and placed his arms around her with care.
Kathryn gently placed her head on his chest as he gently stroked her back reassuring her that it would be alright as he listened to her breath through the sobs.
"Why Chakotay, do you love her more then me?" she sobbed.
"No. I love you Kathryn and only you don't ever doubt it" he whispered kissing the top of her head.
"Then why were you dating her Chakotay?" she asked looking up into the deep brown eyes of his.
"I wasn't actually dating her, I was helping her with her social lessons with the doctor supervising. He wanted to show her how someone could go about courting...The art of dating he called it." he replied with a small chuckle.
"Then you don't-" she trailed off.
"I love you not Seven, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, grow old together, have a family together" he added kissing her on the forehead.
Smiling Kathryn looked in to his eyes and whispered "I love you and I have been since you told me that wonderful ancient legend of yours."
Ten minutes later the senior crew walked into the transporter room to find their captain telling Chakotay what was the first thing she was going to do when she got home to Bloomington, Indiana. The command team hadn't noticed the others arrive and they cheered when they noticed Chakotay wrapping his arms around the captain before kissing her once more.
"About time" they all said in unison with grins on their faces.