Paramount owns them; we just give them a life that Paramount never thought of giving them.

This story is rated k

The Lonely Soldier by Kristie

As Kathryn and Chakotay stood side by side in the Ready Room looking out the window watching as Voyager approached Earth, he put his arm around her and drew her close. Kissing her on the head, he smiled.

"You did it, Kathryn. You got the crew home."

"No, Chakotay. We did it, we did it together."

She turned into his arms, and they kissed a very passionate kiss.

"The best thing is that none of us will be prosecuted for any wrong doing. All of us have been asked to stay in Starfleet with promotions all around. Finally, Harry won't be the oldest Ensign in Starfleet!" They laughed together at her words.

"I'm thankful the Marquis aren't going to be seeing the inside of a New Zealand prison, or worse yet, a Cardassian one! Once in a Cardassian prison was enough for me!"

"Me too. Even though Admiral Paris and I were only there a short while, the memory still haunts me at times." Her whole body shook as he held her closer.

"I'm here now to protect you. I've been here for years beside you. And, now we're going to start a new life together."

They continued standing there for some minutes each lost in thought as to what the future would bring for them. They both knew that what ever path they took, they would take it together. Long ago on a planet they named New Earth, they had made promises to each other. Over the years they often renewed those promises.

Finally reaching Earth, the crew was kept quite busy with packing up their personal belongings and moving to apartments provide by Starfleet. They would live in the apartments during debriefings which they were told wouldn't last long.

Starfleet scientists wanted to begin their work on Voyager as soon as possible. Its data banks contained information that would take them years to go through. A good part of the ship contained vast amounts of Delta Quadrant materials unknown in the Alpha Quadrant.

Kathryn and Chakotay found that their apartments were next door to each other. They were thankful for that. During debriefings they were able to spend their off times together. Chakotay's debriefings ended before Kathryn's did. Gretchen Janeway had invited him to stay with her until Kathryn was finished. He reluctantly left for Indiana leaving Kathryn behind.

Two weeks later Kathryn was finished with her debriefings as well. Glad to finally go home and begin a six month vacation with Chakotay, she packed her things and took off for Indiana as soon as possible. The transporter pad was still in the Janeway den; she was able to transport directly there from headquarters avoiding the mass of reporters that waited outside headquarters for her.

As she materialized at home, she saw Chakotay standing there waiting for her. She hurried into his arms. It felt so good to be free of duties and in his arms. That's what she had missed the past two weeks, the security of his arms.

"Your mom has lunch ready and after lunch, I have something to show you!" She could see the excitement in his eyes. He was like a small child wanting to show her his latest treasure. She smiled as she watched him. She loved this man more than anything and knew she always would.

Sitting at the table eating lunch, the three discussed their future. Kathryn, who had been promoted to an Admiral, would take a desk job. She didn't feel any overwhelming need to return to space. Chakotay, now a Captain, had taken a job teaching part time at the Academy. He hoped to write a book or two and had even started on one.

"We just need a place to live," Kathryn said.

"Well, you two can stay with me as long as you like. This house is certainly big enough. And, with Phoebe now living on Mars, I'm often gone. Someone has to watch that brood of hers. They have scared off nearly every sitter they have ever had."

"I have an idea about that." Chakotay said quietly. "Are you about ready to go, Kathryn?"

"Yes, might as well." She watched as he filled a thermo with coffee and another with tea. As she rose, he took her hand and led her into the den as he called over his shoulder to Gretchen that they would be home in time for dinner.

After entering coordinates, he took her hand and they stood on the transporter pad. Minutes later they rematerialized at a transporter station. The sign hanging above the attendant's desk read 'Welcome to Makanda'. This gave her no clue at all. Looking around she could see a massive forest off in the distance.

As they got off the pad, she asked, "Where are we?"

"We are in Makanda, Illinois which is surrounded by the Shawnee National Forest."

"Is there a particular reason we are here?"

"Yes."

"And, that would be?"

"You'll see soon enough." He left her standing there as he went over and rented a hover car. Opening the door for her, he motioned for her to hop in. Soon they were moving in and out among the traffic which soon began to thin out.

Suddenly he turned onto a little gravel road which wound between the trees in snakelike fashion. Coming around a sharp curve, he slowed. Before them stood an old farmhouse. Kathryn guessed from the looks of it, that it had to be at least five or six hundred years old and was in need of repair.

Chakotay stopped the hover car and got out. Going around to the other side, he opened the door for her and helped her out. "It's a beauty, don't you think?'

She stood still unable to answer as her eyes scanned the house and the outbuildings. The outside of the home had at one time been breathtaking. Long in disuse it was now dilapidated and weeds had taken over the yard.

"Needs a little work."

"Little? It needs to be torn down and replaced."

"No, Kathryn. This house has history. It's a wonderful house to raise children in." He looked into her eyes and she melted. She knew right then this would be their home.

Taking a breath "I guess we should take a look inside."

"Right. Come on. You'll love it."

Going up the steps to the wide front porch, Kathryn took hold of the railing which she soon discovered was very loose. He cautioned her as they crossed the porch to not fall in the hole that was there. Once they were inside, she sighed in relief.

Looking around the entry, she was impressed with not only its size but the staircase that curved elegantly upward. She could vision herself coming down it to greet guests. To the right were double doors that had been painted a gaudy yellow which when opened led to a dramatic living room. The focus of the room was a magnificent fireplace along the outer wall flanked on either side by floor to ceiling book shelves. The wall overlooking the front porch was nothing but windows. Kathryn envisioned what the room would look like once the peeling wallpaper was removed and the room painted. The well worn carpet had to be replaced. She was unsure of the color as well as the pattern of the carpet as it was filthy.

The next room they entered was the dining room. It too contained a fireplace. The room was also huge. A large dining table with matching chairs would look wonderful there. The floor was wood, she guessed it was oak. French doors that led to the side porch needed replacing. There was a butler's pantry at the end of the room leading to the kitchen.

Kitchens never had much appeal to Kathryn , but she found this one to be amazing. Not only huge, it had wonderful oak cabinets and a glassed in breakfast nook. She could tell that the room had been remodeled within the last twenty years or so. The walls and flooring, which was ceramic were both in good shape. Off to the side in the kitchen was another stairway that led upstairs as well as a door that apparently went to the basement.

There was a small den as well as a family room downstairs. Each had a fireplace as well. She marveled at the size of the family room with its French doors leading out onto a patio surrounded by overgrown bushes and shrubs. The den would hold a transporter pad and if need be, two desks, and it would still have room to spare.

Chakotay stood back and smiled as Kathryn looked into every nook and cranny. He could tell she was falling in love with the house. Although it needed a lot of work, it was a solid built house. Much of the work he could do himself, and he knew Mike Ayala would be willing to help with some of it.

"Shall we go up stairs, Kathryn?"

"Yes, but from the entry stairs. I want to see what it looks like coming up that grand staircase!"

As they headed up the stairs, she stopped half way up and looked down at the entry. "It's lovely! Absolutely lovely!" She said softly.

Chakotay couldn't wait for her to see the master bedroom suite. Soon as she got to the top of the stairs, she saw the double doors that led into the suite. Opening them both wide, she walked in. She held her breath at the beauty of the room which was huge like the other rooms. A massive fireplace dominated one wall. One of the outside walls was nearly all windows. The wall that was at the front of the house had a wonderful window with a built in love seat. There was plenty of room for all the furniture including an alcove which would be perfect to put either a desk or comfortable chairs for reading.

A small hallway with huge walk in closets on either side let to an enormous bathroom which contained not only a whirlpool tub big enough for four people but a separate shower as well. A counter with two sinks was along one wall with plenty of drawer space and a huge mirror above . Her eyes widened as she took in the bathroom. It was beautiful and had apparently been remodeled since the kitchen. She fell in love with its warm colors and the enormous space.

Taking her arm, he said, "Let's look at the other rooms."

There were four other bedrooms and two more bathrooms. The room across from theirs was the perfect room for a nursery. There were not only built in shelves along one wall but a built in desk as well. The closet was huge and had built in drawers along one of its walls. Walking back into the main room, Kathryn closed her eyes and imagined a crib and other baby furnishings in the room. It was so easy to imagine as she wanted a child, Chakotay's child, so very much.

Turning to him she put her arms around him and kissed him passionately.

"It's perfect. Why is it empty? I think anyone would love to live in a house like this."

"Well, thing is that people believe it's haunted!"

"Haunted? Don't they know there are no such things as ghosts?"

They laughed together at that.

"So, what do you think? Want to make an offer on it? There are fifty acres of land that goes with it. Some fixing here and there; it will be perfect."

"Not just perfect but it could be ours! Yes, let's make an offer."

They left the house arm in arm making plans for their home. Chakotay was certain that the seller would take their offer as he was most interested in selling.

The next day they made a bid and it was immediately accepted. It didn't take long for them to become homeowners. The next step was a little more complicated. They decided to get married. They decided on a wedding in the back yard of the Janeway farm in Indiana. Wanting as many of the crew to attend as possible, they immediately sent out the invitations.

The day was beautiful as only late spring days in Indiana can be. The sun shown brightly with few clouds in the sky. Still there was a slight breeze so that the day wasn't so hot. Nearly the entire crew came with their families. Tuvok and T'Pel came a few days early as Tuvok was giving away the bride, a duty that he was happy to perform for his friend, Kathryn Janeway.

As Owen Paris performed the ceremony, most of the attendees held their breaths that nothing would go wrong. They had been waiting for this moment for over seven years. Finally their hopes for this couple were coming true.

The reception was a wonderful affair that Gretchen had catered by a group that did an excellent job. The band that played later was also perfect. Kathryn and Chakotay couldn't have asked for a better wedding day. They spent their time talking with every crew member there. The main topic of conversation besides the honeymoon was their new home. The couple hoped the home would be ready to receive the crew for their first anniversary back in the Alpha Quadrant. While talking with the crew, many asked if they could help with the home remodeling. Both Kathryn and Chakotay were pleased that the crew thought enough of them to offer their help.

But, first off was the honeymoon which they took in Hawaii. For two weeks, they rented a beach house on the island of Maui. Maui had been preserved and hadn't changed much in nearly four hundred years. It was still considered quite a paradise, and that was exactly how the couple felt about it.

Arriving back home, they still had several months before they needed to return to work. Staying with Gretchen, they went to their home daily and worked. Usually there were anywhere from fifteen to twenty former crew members there helping. The house took shape quickly as Chakotay had spent much time scheduling the jobs to fall into place one after the other. All those who helped were impressed with the home and felt that it was going to be a home filled with much love and happiness.

Upon returning from the honeymoon, the couple found out that they were expecting a child. Naturally, the remodeling included a nursery for the new baby.

Finally they were able to move into their home. Chakotay carried his beloved over the threshold and up the stairs. Laying her on the bed, they made love in their own home for the first time. Over the next couple of weeks the couple managed to make love in every room of the home.

They spent their days working on the home and their evenings sometimes entertaining friends, but often in their family room making plans for their future and the future of their child.

Since the house itself was nearly finished, Chakotay began working on the yard. He trimmed bushes and shrubs as well as trees. He put in a new sidewalk, planted trees and grass where there was bare spots. Soon the outside of the house looked very inviting to all those who passed.

His next big job was to put the additional acreage into shape. All the land had been neglected for way too long. He enjoyed his time outside and his skin grew even darker from working in the sun. His muscles were getting a good workout each day, and he felt at peace with the world.

Kathryn sit in the middle of the nursery room floor sorting out the gifts that she had received at the baby shower B'Elanna had given her. She was sure that there weren't too many babies who would start out with as much as their son would. Son! She smiled at the thought of a little Chakotay running around the house. Closing her eyes she could imagine Chakotay playing with the boy on the floor, the screeches and squeals of delight coming from the child.

Feeling a presence in the room, she turned her head and looked around. No one was there. This had happened often. She laughed at the idea that she was letting her imagination carry her away. There had to be some reasonable explanation. She certainly didn't believe in the ghost idea.

She heard Chakotay calling to her from downstairs.

"I'll be right there!" She called to him. To herself she said, "Sure, only it takes me an hour just to stand up!" Finally she managed to get off the floor and headed downstairs.

Her husband waited at the bottom of the stairs watching as she descended. He loved watching her. As soon as she got close enough he leaned in and kissed her placing a gentle hand on her stomach.

"How's my son this morning?"

"He's been very busy helping mommy with his room. What brings you back in before lunch?"

"I have something to show you. Want to take a ride to the back acreage?"

"Sure. But, no going over a hundred bumps like last time." They both laughed at that.

Soon they were both riding across the land on an old ATV that Chakotay had acquired from a farmer who lived down the road. Stopping before a group of trees and overgrown vines, he helped her off the vehicle.

Eying the mess, she wondered what he wanted to show her, surly not this tangled overgrown mess.

Taking her hand he led her to an opening that he had made. They walked about ten feet inside and suddenly he stopped. Looking around she saw nothing but more vines and overgrowth. She looked at him with a question in her eyes.

"There" he said as he pointed to the ground ahead of them. As she looked, her eyes widened in amazement. On the ground stood an old tombstone which he had cleaned off.

Bending down as best she could, she began to read: Austin M. Lawerence, Pvt. Co. F, 128th Illinois Infantry, Jan. 24, 1863. She looked up at Chakotay with tears in her eyes.

"I have a feeling that he was little more than a boy! That would be the United States' Civil War when the North fought the South. The whole country was divided. Are there any other graves?"

"As far as I can tell, his is the only one."

"A lonely soldier!" She bent down and brushed her hand across the name. "I wonder what his story is and why he ended up here all alone."

"I doubt if we will ever know. So much recorded information of that era was lost during World War 3. When I go into the county courthouse, I will see what they have in the way of records, but don't be surprised if there is nothing there."

"I won't. But, I would like for you to clean this area up. We could plant some decent bushes and flowers around here. Put some flowers on the grave. He won't seem so lonely anymore."

Chakotay nodded as he was just as choked up about this as she was. He hoped they would be able to get information on the Lawerence family at least.

Over the next few weeks, Chakotay and Mike Ayala cleaned out the area around the gravesite. They found no other graves. Kathryn picked out what she wanted planted in the area and was pleased to see what they had done. Often she would take a ride out to visit the grave. Something about it seemed to draw her there.

She looked up as much information that she could about that period of time. It was a very sad period in the United States' history. It was not just a fight between the North and South; often families were divided as well. The war began over slavery in the Southern States. She cringed at that thought; no man had a right to own another. Some slave owners were very brutal. She read about the underground railroads that dotted farms on their way to the North and freedom. Often a group of runaway slaves would be led by a 'conductor'. They would travel by night and sleep in barns, or they were hidden in cellars belonging to families sympathetic to their cause. Finally, if they were lucky enough not to be caught, they would reach freedom in the North.

Chakotay checked all the records that he found at the county court house. There were few that survived. Nothing told him anything about the Lawrence family. Records weren't kept that closely back in those days to begin with, and the War had destroyed most of what was left.

They often sat around the dining room table and talked about the lonely soldier. Chakotay made up several scenarios of why he came to be buried there. Visitors, after hearing of the grave, ventured out to it to pay their respects. Not often did you see a single grave sitting on someone's land. They too wondered about the story behind the grave.

Near the end of Kathryn's pregnancy, Chakotay began to spend more time closer to the house. He didn't want to be far away when the time came. Because of Kathryn's status in Starfleet, they had a transporter pad put into their den. Chakotay felt better knowing that the EMH was only a short transport away.

One morning, Kathryn was trying to put some items on the top shelf of the babies' closet. She didn't like the way the shelf sat which was crooked. She called for Chakotay to help her with it. He took the shelf down and looked behind it. There appeared to be something bumpy in the wall. While he was pressing along the wall, that area gave way. Reaching inside the wall he pulled out a piece of tattered cloth discolored with age. It was rapped around something heavy. Unwrapping it, they saw a piece of glass. Chakotay held it in his hands turning it over and over.

"It appears to be two pieces of glass with a paper stuck in between to preserve it. Stay here and I will wash it off so we can see what it actually is." He took it and walked out of the room. Soon she could hear running water. In just a few minutes, he returned to the nursery and handed it to her.

Taking the glass, she sat in the rocking chair Chakotay had made for her. Turning it over in her hands, she realized that it was a letter. Her heart skipped a beat when she read the date at the top: May 15, 1866.

Turning it back over, she saw at the bottom of the second page, which had been placed back to back against the first, the signature Abigail Austin Lawrence.

"Chakotay come here."

He hurried over to her as she showed him the letter.

"Read it aloud." He said as he sat on the floor beside her.

(I To Whoever Finds This Letter:

I am Abigail Austin Lawrence. My husband, David, and I moved here from New York many years ago and built this home. We hoped to someday fill it with the laughter and happiness of many children. We were finally blessed with two sons, Joshua and Austin who were only a year apart. We were a happy family and tried to raise our children with understanding and high moral values. As they grew, we trusted them to do the right thing in life.

A terrible thing happened to this country several years ago. Our nation split into over the right to own slaves. My personal belief is that no man has the right to own another. The South doesn't consider the blacks as human and therefore it's all right to own them. This fight is probably the bloodiest our country will ever know as it's American fighting American, the North (the Union) against the South (the Confederacy).

The war destroyed our family. Joshua, who was 17 and Austin, who was barely 16, finally decided to join the fighting. Joshua, who was in love with a Southern girl whose family owned slaves, decided to fight on the side of the South. Austin wanted to fight on the North's side. I think Austin's decision was more to prove he was a man than anything else. He had always been a gentle soul.

One day they set out together walking south toward the Ohio River. It would take them most of two days to reach the River. There Joshua would find a boat to take him across the river to join up with the Confederate forces. Austin would turn eastward and make his way to where he had heard the 128th Illinois Infantry was encamped.

As our boys left, we both prayed for their safe return. Six weeks later, we got a message from Austin; a soldier was passing through on his way home and dropped it by. In the letter, he said that they had made it to the Ohio where they had a final meal together. Shaking hands and wishing each other luck, our boys each went their own ways. Austin said that he walked about two hundred feet and turned to look back. He saw Joshua boarding a boat to carry him across the River. That was the last he saw of his brother. Austin told us he was doing well. Several of the neighbor boys were also in the 128th. As of yet they had seen little fighting. Their Captain told them he doubted the war would last much longer and they hopefully would be home by Christmas. David and I prayed this was true.

We never got a letter from Joshua, but we assumed he was well also. He knew how to use a gun and to hunt. Hopefully, he would use common sense to keep himself safe.

Often I looked up the road from the window seat in our bedroom hoping to see our boys returning. I had faith in our Lord that he would send them home to us safely.

January 30th of '63, I was working in our bedroom when I heard horses coming up the road. I looked out and saw two soldiers riding up to the house. A third horse carried their load. I ran down the stairs and out of the house. When I got outside, David was already talking to them. I could tell they were Union soldiers, and one looked like Paul Randolph who lived on the other side of the Big Muddy. David told me to go back into the house.

Later when David came in, I could tell he was shook up. They had brought Austin home; his body was the load the third horse carried. Paul said that they were in heavy fighting, he saw Austin go down. He ran to Austin and held him in his arms. Austin's last words were, "Take me home, Paul. Take me home!"

Paul and the other guy were going on up to his folks and then returning to their regiment in a couple of days. David and I buried Austin with the help of a couple of neighbors. Thankfully, the winter had been unusually warm and the earth was easier to dig. He was just a boy, my baby. Now he would never marry and have children which were something he wanted. He will never become the true man he was meant to be.

David took me to town where we had the tombstone made. Once it was up, my husband never visited the grave nor mentioned Austin again. I visited every day that I could. I couldn't understand David but I never questioned him.

As the seasons changed, I continued looking up the road hoping for the return of Joshua. Our President was assassinated and the war finally ended in 1865; yet our Joshua never returned. We never learned what happened to him. I fear the worst that somewhere he is buried in an unmarked grave at the edge of some battlefield.

Last week David told me he was selling this house, and we are moving to California. He feels he can no longer farm here, and we don't have anyone to take over. Land is going for a lot of money now. We can live out our days in California. I don't want to go. I don't want to leave Austin here alone.

The grave in the back of our acreage is Austin's. I hope you can find it in your heart to look after him. Think of him as a wonderful son, almost a man, who loved life and was dearly loved by his family. Don't think of him as just some lonely soldier.

Thank you,

Abigail Austin Lawrence /I)

By the time she finished reading the letter, tears were streaming down Kathryn's cheeks. Looking at Chakotay, she saw that his eyes were filled with tears as well.

"So sad! It's strange that the first time I saw his grave, I mentioned he was a lonely soldier. Well, I will never think of him that way again. From now on, he's a part of our family. We'll take care of his grave as long as we can."

Chakotay stood and pulled her into his arms.

"I agree. He will never be lonely again!" As they held each other, Kathryn thought she felt a presence in the room, but looking around she saw nothing.

Weeks passed as the two kept busy with getting the house finished. Chakotay managed to find time to finish his first book which was an instant success. He declined a book tour as it was too close to the delivery date of their son, an event they both looked forward to with great anticipation.

She shook him gently, "Chakotay, wake up!" He turned away from her and wrapped himself more tightly in the covers. "Honey, you need to get up and get dressed."

"It's the middle of the night. Go back to sleep."

"It's time to go. The doctor is waiting for us. I've already called him."

"Sure, it's okay. Go without me."

"Chakotay, get your REAR out of bed! I'm not having this baby alone!"

He bolted upright in the bed. "Baby? What baby?" Looking at Kathryn with sudden panic, he said, "Our baby? Now? Oh…my….why didn't you say something? Why didn't you wake me?" Throwing back the covers, he grabbed for his pants and tried to put them on.

"It works better if you turn the pants around. Yes, that's right. See!" She grabbed for her stomach and let out a soft moan as another contraction hit her.

"We've got to get there. Call the doctor. No, don't do it, I will!"

"I've already called him."

"Okay, let's go." With that he headed out the door leaving her behind. She smiled as she picked up his shirt, shoes and socks and left the room. As she was half way down the stairs, he passed her going back up.

"Where are you going?"

"Oh, there you are. I thought I had lost you." Grabbing her by the arm, he hurried her down the stairs. They walked into the den. He looked around frantic. "Where's the bag?" He looked at her wide-eyed. "The bag, Kathryn. The bag! Where is it?"

"There on the desk. Here get your shoes and socks on and your shirt while I get the hospital bag." She shoved the items into his arms and walked over to the desk. She took her time while he finished dressing.

As soon as he was finished, he climbed onto the transporter pad.

"Did you forget something?"

He looked down at himself. He was fully dressed although none to neatly.

"No, I have everything."

"How about me?"

"Oh…yes…you need to go to." Hopping down off the transporter pad her hurried over to her.

"Calm down. We have plenty of time." Just as she said it, she felt a wetness gush down her legs. Looking down, "I amend that. We need to go." She punched in the coordinates as together they climbed on the transporter pad. Within minutes they materialized at Starfleet Medical where the doctor was waiting for them.

As they stepped off the transporter padd. The doctor couldn't resist, "Admiral, I have a bed for you and a hypospray for the Captain." They both grinned at the look on Chakotay's face.

"No, I want to be awake for the birth."

Kathryn rolled her eyes, "To calm you down, honey. Just to calm you down."

Less than three hours later their first child arrived into the world healthy and weighing in at 7lbs. 6ozs. Chakotay immediately declared him the perfect baby. He was so proud of his little family. As Kathryn held the baby, Chakotay marveled as to how lucky he was. This angry warrior had found the peace he had been looking for with this woman and now a child.

"What are you going to name him?"

"We will have a naming ceremony in two weeks from Sunday. Plan on being there, doc."

"I wouldn't miss it."

Later in the day, Chakotay took his little family home. He carried the baby as they slowly climbed the stairs and walked into the nursery. Chakotay placed a kiss on the baby's forehead as he gently laid him in the crib. Kathryn then leaned over and kissed the baby's cheek. Quietly they left the room and went into their bedroom. She was very tired, and the doc wanted her to rest.

Two weeks later the Janeway family plus about twenty of the old crew and their families gathered in the flower garden of the home in rural Makanda. The naming ceremony was beautiful with B'Elanna, Tom, Mike and the doc all sharing the honor of godparents. To many, the baby's name came as no surprise. Chakotay gently raised his son into the air. "I would like to introduce our son, Austin Michael Janeway. May he live a full and peaceful life." He slowly handed the baby to Kathryn who then handed the baby to B'Elanna. The baby was passed around until everyone had a chance to hold him. Austin slept through the entire ceremony for which Kathryn was grateful.

Austin proved to be a good baby. He slept a lot and when he was awake, he enjoyed looking around at things and trying to grab the carousel that hung above his crib. Chakotay had made not only the furniture for the nursery but a cradle that they kept in the family room. Kathryn liked to have Austin nearby as she worked.

Several times when he began to fuss, she thought she heard faint humming which seemed to quiet him. Looking around she never saw anyone or anything that could explain the sound. Often she wondered if indeed the house was haunted. If so, the ghost was certainly a gentle one. No banging doors and screeching for their ghost. She had to laugh at the absurdity of that.

Austin grew fast and in no time at all was crawling all over the place trying to pull himself up. Kathryn had gone back to work but was working mainly from home. She and Chakotay shared the den and had another desk, her father's old one, put into the room.

One day Chakotay had taken the transporter to New York City where he was in negotiations with his publisher for a second book. Kathryn laid Austin in his crib for a nap as he had fallen asleep on the floor. She decided to take a quick shower. Hurrying with her shower, she stepped out of the stall and wrapped a towel around her. For a moment she thought she heard Austin fussing, but after listening carefully, she decided it was her imagination. She dressed fast and went to check on him.

She had left his door open. Stepping quietly into the room, she saw him standing in the crib with a ghostly figure of a woman in old fashioned dress standing next to the crib humming to him. As soon as Austin saw her, he called out, "Mama". The figure turned around. As soon as Kathryn saw her, she knew somehow this was Abigail. The ghost started to fade before her eyes.

Reaching out her hand, Kathryn said, "No, don't go. Please." The ghostly figure stood quietly making no move. "I want to thank you.. You have looked after him well. His name is Austin, but I bet you knew that. You're Abigail aren't you? How did you get here? You were supposed to have gone to California? We take care of your son's grave." She was trying to get everything out before the ghost disappeared. However, as soon as she said that, the ghostly figure smiled slightly as it faded away.

Later:

"I know it was her, Chakotay. I'm sure of it. I just had that feeling. And, she's been here all along."

"I thought you didn't believe in ghosts. Apparently you have changed your mind."

"Yes, I saw her. I am not making it up. I saw her with my own eyes. Austin wasn't afraid of her. He's seen her before. I'm sure of it. But, don't ghosts haunt places where they die? How did she get here?"

"I believe strongly in ghosts. But, as far as I know from what I have read, you are right. They do haunt the places where they die."

"Probably another mystery we will never know. I'm not afraid of having her around. She seems quite taken with Austin. I don't believe she would ever hurt him. We need to let her be."

"I agree. And, I think as long as we don't try to get rid of her, she will remain harmless."

Over the next several months, Kathryn didn't see their ghost again, but she heard her a few times humming to Austin. She tried to see Abigail but she never materialized for Kathryn, until one night when Chakotay had spent the night in San Francisco.

After dinner Kathryn bathed Austin and put him into his crib.

"Almost time to get you a big boy bed, sweetie. You are growing so much." She adored their son who looked exactly like his father, dimples and all. "You're very handsome, just like daddy! Mommy loves you both so much." As she laid him down, she kissed him on the cheek. She stood watching him as he went to sleep.

Suddenly she felt something cold standing next to her. Slowly she turned toward the presence. She didn't say anything. She just waited. Abigail said nothing. Instead Kathryn began having images flash through her head. She saw Abigail visiting Austin's grave for the last time, crying because she had to leave. She saw the neighbors helping to load the wagon for the trip west. She saw the Lawrence's saying goodbye to the neighbors. Next was the Lawrence's taking off down the road in the wagon. Just out of site of the house, Mr. Lawrence stopped the wagon. Kathryn could hear him say, "I forgot some money I hid in the house. We have to go back."

She saw them back at the house. They both went in. Suddenly, she saw a knife flash as he stabbed Abigail.

"What are you doing?" Abigail cried out as she clutched her chest, her eyes wide with horror.

"I have to get them out of my memories. But, you keep reminding me of them every minute of everyday. I have to kill you. You have to understand. Please forgive me!"

She was already dying but for good measure, he slit her throat. When she quit moving, he carried her down into the basement and sealed her into the wall.

As soon as that image disappeared, Abigail disappeared as well. Kathryn barely got any sleep that night. She needed to tell Chakotay of what she had seen.

As soon as he walked in the house the next day, she told him what had happened.

"He killed her, Chakotay. He had planned it. All the stuff was in the basement to seal her into the wall. We have to open the wall and bury her next to Austin. That is what she would want. She needs to rest." Kathryn was in tears.

Chakotay called Mike Ayala who soon transported over with Susan Nicoletti with whom he was sharing a home. Susan played with Austin and kept him busy while the three went to the basement.

Looking around, Kathryn pointed to the wall that she had seen in the images. Soon, the guys were tearing down the wall. They found a skeleton with bits of cloth still clinging to it. Removing the skeleton, they laid it on a table. They also found a huge knife which had something dried on the blade. Chakotay and Mike got busy and made a wooden coffin for it. Kathryn went to her bedroom and found a comforter . After putting the comforter inside the coffin, they gently placed the skeleton on the comforter and wrapped the comforter around the skeleton.

That afternoon they buried Abigail's remains next to her son where she belonged. As Chakotay said a prayer, Kathryn felt a brief breeze touch her cheek and a whisper of thanks. They would put up a tombstone for her as well.

Abigail's ghost never appeared again although often Kathryn would stop what she was doing and listen for her.

Ten year old Austin and eight year old Abigail hurried to where their mother knelt beside the graves. Trailing behind was seven year old Susan Ayala and eight year old Megan Kim.

"Mom, Susan and Megan wants to hear the story about our namesakes and to see the graves. Can you tell them the story?"

Kathryn turned and smiled, "As many times as you have heard the story, Austin, you know it as well as I do. Why don't you tell them?"

"Yes, I do know the story. Okay, I'll tell it." He stood leaning against Austin Lawerence's tombstone. The others sat quietly on the grass. Kathryn paused in her work of planting more flowers on Abigail's grave to listen to the story.

"Once there was a lonely soldier who is lonely no more….."

July 11, 2013 A bit about the real Lawrence family, the tombstone and out Civil War

Austin's tombstone lies on land that my aunt and uncle owned . It does not stand alone as written in the story, but there are only five other graves there, all belonging to Lawrence family members, two of which were tiny babies. When my aunt and uncle moved there, they cleaned off the graves and tried to keep them up. I hope the new family that bought their property keeps them up as well.

In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States. Before the election, several Southern states threatened to cede from the Union if he was elected. They knew that he would abolish slavery, which was something the Southern states depended on. In all eleven states ceded from the Union naming Jefferson Davis as their President. Those eleven states had nine million inhabitants including almost four million black slaves.

Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation stating that all men were free. Slavery was abolished just as the Southerners predicted. The war had begun.

Many Southern whites who sympathized with the blacks helped many to escape. They set up an underground railroad. It wasn't a true railroad as we would think it to be. Slaves that had escaped were led by people called 'conductors' who helped them to get to the North and true freedom. They traveled at night to escape detection and slept during the days. Many people would hide the slaves in their barns and cellars and would give them food. If they were caught, they were hung along with the salves and their homes were torched.

The North placed roughly 2.2 million men in uniform (180,000 were free black men). Of those, over 640,000 were either killed, wounded or died of disease.

The South was sadly outnumbered with 750,000 to 850,000 in uniform. More than 250,000 of them were either killed, wounded or died of disease.

Dysentery, diarrhea, measles, malaria and typhoid caused many of the deaths on both sides.

The war continued until the morning of April 9th, 1865 when the head of the Confederate army, General Robert E. Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court House.

A few days later on April 14th, Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, a crazed actor and defender of the Confederacy.

It took many years to rebuild the damage that was done to the properties. Still today in many of the Southern states, the Confederate flag flies as a reminder of the war that divided families. Many brothers, such as Austin and Joshua in this story, fought on opposite sides.

Austin has been dead over 150 years. The date of his birth isn't on the tombstone, but I think of him as being just a boy, a boy whose life was over way too soon.