Disclaimer: If you see stuff you recognize, it doesn't belong to me.
This is my first Star Trek fic. Love it, hate it, please tell me what you think.
"Happy birthday, Captain," Chakotay says shyly as he sets a small box in front of me. I look up from my pad. We have only know each other for a short while. How does he remember my birthday?
"Thank you, Commander," I say, willing my voice not to crack, because really, his gift is more than just a birthday present.
Isolation. The one thing the great Kathryn Janeway secretly feared. Being alone, without friends or family.
That night in my quarters, I open the present. It's not personal, just a book, but it reminds me I am not all alone.
"Happy birthday, Kathryn," Chakotay murmurs as he sets a small package in front of me. This time, I smile, both at the gift and at the use of my first name. After weeks of having him call me Kathryn, the use of my rank when on the bridge sounds odd.
"Thank you," I say as I immediately unwrap the gift. Inside is a figurine of Voyager, carved from wood. I wonder where he got the wood, and then I remember. New Earth. I say nothing about the source of the gift; we have a silent pact to ignore that time.
I walk into my ready room, and gasp in astonishment as I see dozens of yellow peace roses scattered across the room. They litter the floor, the desk, the table. I don't need a note to know who they are from. Chakotay. Once more, he remembered my birthday when every year it seems to catch me by surprise.
As I sit at my desk, I notice a package disguised by the roses. I pick it up, and tears well in my eyes. Coffee beans, way better than the replicated stuff, though how he found any remains a mystery to me.
"I replicated this for you," Chakotay says as he hands me a watch.
I wonder why he is giving me this, and then I remember. It's my birthday. Normally, I would be thrilled with the beautiful present, but I refuse to take it. "Recycle it," I command. "We can't spare the energy." It breaks my heart to say that. In other circumstances, I would treasure the watch. But as the captain, I must give everything I can to allow the ship to survive. And I hope it does.
Turning my back, I walk away, not knowing he disobeyed my order.
"Come in," I call. The doors to my quarters slide open and Chakotay enters.
"Hi," he says.
I smile weakly. "Hi," I reply, not knowing what else to say. I am upset, confused by how I let my moral compass fail me when we encountered the Equinox crew.
"I brought you something," Chakotay says as he hands me a small box.
I open it, and gasp at the turquoise necklace inside. "I can't accept this," I mutter, trying to give the present back.
"It's yours," Chakotay assures me, "It belonged to my mother. I want you to have it now."
My hands clumsily open the small book, afraid of what's inside. When I see the pictures, I look on in wonder. There we are on the bridge, me standing upright and, despite my heels, still dwarfed by Chakotay who stands just behind me almost protectively. There we are on the holodeck for a luau, at Sandrine's, celebrating Prixin.
"How did you get these pictures?" I ask Chakotay, in awe of the old fashioned photo album.
Chakotay just smiles infuriatingly at me. "If I told you, I will ruin your present," he replies. On the inside, I know it is true.
I look forlornly out the window to my house, staring absently into the darkness. My house on Earth. Who knew returning would be bitter sweet. I glance towards the analog clock, a gift from Tom Paris. 11:59. Then 12:00. My birthday is over. This was the first year he forgot, and I can't help but be upset. It shouldn't upset me this much. After pushing him away for years, I don't blame him for starting a relationship with Seven. But still, it hurts that he forgot my birthday to be with the girl I view as a daughter.
"Bye, Phoebe," I say as I embrace my sister. This year, I celebrated my birthday with my family, but I can't help but miss my Voyager family. Its been over a year since we've returned, but Earth feels different somehow. Or maybe I have changed.
As I am transported back home, I refuse to let myself cry at the notable absence of my former best friend. I walk into my room, and am engulfed by the smell of roses.
Yellow peace roses, scattered across the room, and I recollect the same present from years ago. He still remembers me after all.
"I love you," Chakotay says confidently, his breath tickling my ear. I sigh in contentment, glad that he and Seven mutually agreed to stop seeing each other, and that without the constraints of command, Chakotay finally came to me, and this time, I didn't push him away.
"What did you get me this year?" I question. I become worried as he looks confused. He didn't forget my birthday again, did he?
Before I know what is happening, Chakotay kneels in front of me and I suddenly see a ring in his hand. "I know we haven't dated that long, but..."
"Don't look," my husband whispers from behind me, though even if I wanted to, his hands over my eyes would prevent me from peaking.
"What is it?" I ask curiously as he removes his hands.
I gasp in astonishment. Before us is Lake George. How he managed to transport us there without me finding out is a mystery, but I can't believe he remembered when I took him there in the holodeck all those years ago. And now we are here. Chakotay leads me towards a picnic basket by the shore of the clear lake. "Happy birthday, my dearest Kathryn."
"Happy birthday," Chakotay says as he hands me a book. I look at it. Dante's Inferno.
I laugh. "You can't give me something I lent to you," I reply.
Chakotay laughs beside me. "I didn't know what to get," he admits.
"That's okay. I have something for you," I say shyly, because in truth, I have never been more scared in my life. I know I shouldn't feel this way, but I still have doubts that he won't want it. Chakotay looks at me expectantly. "I'm pregnant."
He grins just before he kisses me, and I know everything is okay.
"Give it to her," Chakotay encourages a four-year old child.
I watch as the small girl approaches and boldly hands me a poorly wrapped package. "Happy birthday mommy," she says.
"Thank you, darling," I tell my daughter, Taya Gretchen Janeway, with a bright smile. I unwrap the present, and out comes a framed picture. I grin at what I see. My Family is scrawled across the top, and underneath there are three figures which I assume to be me, Chakotay, and Taya.
"Do you like it?" Taya asked nervously.
"I love it darling," I say as I hug her.