The Glimpse

Written for the 2015 VAMB Secret Summer Exchange for Myu, who wanted anything J/C.

A great big thank you to PiOneOneZero for betaing and for her encouragement.

This story is based on the 2000 movie, The Family Man.

Kathryn hummed as she stepped out of her bubble bath and toweled off. It had been an absolutely wonderful day. Tomorrow was the first anniversary of Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant and the next few days were packed to the brim with a mix of celebratory events. Today, however, had been relaxed and unscheduled. Kathryn had wandered throughout the hotel with her mother, spending time with every former crewmember she found. Her promotion to the admiralty ten months ago had kept her too busy traveling throughout the quadrant to have much in the way of a social life and it had been so lovely to check up on her people and see for herself how well they were doing. The evening had ended with a raucous dinner in the hotel restaurant and now it was time to unwind.

She slipped a blue silk negligee over her head and gazed at her reflection with satisfaction. As busy as she was, she was able to carve out time for exercise and a little relaxation each day and the results were spectacular, not only physically, but also mentally. She had given up trying to get any exercise, or really any time to herself at all, on Voyager. Even something as simple as a bubble bath was liable to be interrupted by a red alert... or a certain omnipotent pest. But that was all behind her now. She left the bathroom thinking of getting into bed with her book and maybe calling room service for some wine.

"No need to call, Kathy dearest, I already anticipated your needs. Look, Jean-Luc's finest! Come and join me. This is a much nicer bed than the one you had on Voyager. These sheets won't be giving me a rash."

Kathryn froze and then sighed in exasperation. Q, dressed in a silk robe and with a wine bottle and glasses next to him, was spread out on her bed, stroking the empty spot next to him in what he must have thought was a seductive manner.

"I don't suppose my comm badge will work if I try to call for security."

"It won't. Oh, and don't bother yelling for your mother or any of your former crew. I've temporally displaced your room and there's no way for you to contact anyone. Now, don't dilly dally. There isn't anything you can do, so just give in and enjoy yourself. Let's have our own reunion."

He poured wine into a glass and held it out to her. Well, he had a point. She couldn't get away from him and maybe now that she didn't have the stress of Voyager hanging over her head, it might actually be interesting to spend time with him. She went back into the bathroom and pulled on her robe. Q scowled when she returned and he saw her quickly tying the robe shut.

"Why even bother wearing something like that if you're not going to let anyone see you in it?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but I like to feel like a woman every now and then."

She perched on the edge of the bed and took the glass of wine.

"A toast to you, Kathy. No one believed you would do it, but you got your ship home. "

Kathryn frowned.

"Oh no, not to me. Let's drink to Admiral Janeway. She's the one who really got us home."

"If you're going to split hairs like that, then you should drink to me. It was my padd that sent you to that nebula in the first place, you know."

"I actually suspected that, although a simple wormhole would have been even better. All right then, a toast to you."

Kathryn took a sip. It was very nice wine. She emptied the glass and watched in delight when it refilled itself.

"That's some trick. Let's see you do it again. "

The glass refilled itself several times and eventually, Kathryn sprawled out on the bed next to Q, relaxed and content as she listened to him talk about his son.

"It sounds like he's come a long way. Why doesn't he pop in, too? I'd like to see him again."

"Another time. Tonight is just for us. Now, tell me about you! Do you enjoy being an admiral or are you secretly pining away for Voyager?"

Kathryn frowned at her empty glass and smiled when it refilled. She was feeling so light and free now.

"Pine for Voyager? Ha! Let me tell you, being an admiral is so much better. I can do just about anything I want and no one tells me I'm being reckless or that my plan is all wrong. Everyone respects me and you know what?"

She waited for Q to respond. He raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I don't have to read any more reports about leola root shortages or leola root recipes or leola root growing cycles ever again. I care for Neelix, I really do, he contributed so much to Voyager, but his obsession with leola root was a little too much to handle." Kathryn shook her head and took a hearty swig of her wine. "Another good thing about being an admiral is that I don't get called to the bridge or astrometrics or wherever at three in the morning. I get so much more sleep now. It's really done wonders for my stress levels. And I have two aides who do my paperwork for me. One of them even grinds coffee beans for me every morning. That's the other great thing!" She jabbed Q's shoulder to emphasize her point. "No one nags me about how much coffee I'm drinking. I can drink as much as I want. Just like this lovely, lovely wine."

She watched the level of the wine in her glass rise.

"Well, I'm relieved you're doing so well, Kathy. Junior was of the opinion that you were too attached to your ship and crew and that I would find you alone and moping."

"Hardly."

"You are alone, though. It's strange, isn't it? I wonder…"

"You wonder what?"

She waved her empty glass at Q and it magically refilled itself.

"Whatever happened with that dull first officer of yours? Boring man, about as interesting as Riker—that wasn't a compliment, by the way—absolutely nothing remarkable about him, but you always seemed so inexplicably fond of him."

"Chakotay? He's around somewhere. In his room, I guess. He's just a few doors down the hall."

"But I don't understand. Why isn't he here with you?"

"Why would he be here with me? It's late and we've got a busy day tomorrow. There's a breakfast buffet first thing in the morning. Why are you even asking about him? You never liked him."

Kathryn tugged at her robe, feeling very warm and annoyed by Q's questions. Just as annoyed as she had been by Chakotay's behavior at dinner. He had also found the time to exercise over the past ten months—the evidence was hard to miss, not that she cared—and his black hair had shone under the restaurant's lights showing that he obviously took his hair pigmentation treatments seriously. Seven had watched Chakotay with interest. She had broken up their short romance during the debriefings, but Kathryn thought it was possible she was reconsidering that choice. The young and attractive server who kept bringing bottles of wine to the table had also given Chakotay admiring glances. Chakotay had preened, aware of all the female scrutiny and enjoying the attention. It had all been quite sickening.

"No reason. I was just curious. Here, have some more wine." Q watched her drink and gave her a speculative look. "I'm feeling very magnanimous tonight, Kathy. I think you deserve a present for getting Voyager home. What would you like?"

"A present? For doing my duty? I don't think so. Besides, this wine has been perfect. Nothing else is necessary."

"I insist! I want to give you a present. No one ever turns down a present from a Q. It simply isn't done."

"Well, I'm not anyone, in case you didn't notice."

"That's certainly true. I wouldn't grace you with my presence if you were. Now, I simply must insist on giving you a present. What will it be? What do you want? To travel across dimensions and times and see things no other mortal has ever even imagined? To live forever and never grow old? Think of everything you could accomplish with literally all the time in the universe. Perhaps a dog of your own. That's another strange thing. Why haven't you found yourself another mangy mutt to keep you company? "

"Pets are a huge responsibility and I just can't take that on right now. I've been too busy. I really don't want anything at all. I have everything I want. Voyager is back home and all of my people are doing well. I'm an admiral and I love it. What more could I possibly want?"

Q gave her a long, penetrating look. Kathryn shivered and gulped some more wine.

"Since you won't tell me, I'll choose for you. You've brought it on yourself. 'What more could I possibly want?'" he mimicked. "I'll show you exactly what."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

But he was gone, just as abruptly as he had arrived. Kathryn still held the wine glass in her hand, but it stayed empty when she drained it. She set it on her nightstand and stumbled her way to the bathroom. Afterward she climbed back into bed and thought about Q's visit. He was as incomprehensible as ever and gave her as many headaches as a mind meld with Tuvok—no use in trying to make sense of anything he said. She grabbed her book and settled into bed, enjoying the luxuriousness of the satin sheets. The hotel was definitely pulling out all the stops for the Voyager crew. She read until her eyes grew heavy and the book slipped from her hand.

Kathryn woke feeling refreshed, but kept her eyes closed, already thinking about the significance of the date. One year ago today Miral Paris had been born, a future version of Kathryn had sacrificed herself to the Borg, and Voyager had burst out of a Borg sphere and sailed triumphantly to Earth. It was going to be a busy day. Kathryn knew she should get out of bed and get ready for the breakfast buffet before her mother came searching for her, but she wanted to think about Admiral Janeway a little more. She stiffened when a heavy arm draped itself across her midsection. That rotten Q, I'll murder him. If he gets in my bed one more time... At the same time that she thought this, she felt the familiar sensation of Voyager dropping out of warp. She fought against the arm, struggling to sit up and opened her eyes to a dark room with an eerily familiar viewport showing pinpricks of stars.

"It's all right, sweetheart. Remember, B'Elanna was going to do some maintenance this morning and take the ship out of warp. Lie back down, it's early and we can still sleep a little longer."

It wasn't Q at all. It was Chakotay in her bed and he was attempting to pull her against him. Kathryn managed to get away from him and fell to the floor, hopelessly tangled in the sheets.

"Computer, lights!"

The sudden brightness forced her to squint, but she was easily able to recognize her bedroom on Voyager. Chakotay was still lying in her bed, bare chested, and with his eyes closed.

"Why'd you turn on the lights?" he mumbled. "We still have time. Come here."

One hand reached out to pat the spot where she had just been. Kathryn scrambled up, her heart beating wildly in her chest. That filthy rotten Q had sent her back to Voyager. She should have known he was up to something, but why the hell was Chakotay in her bed?

"Just what do you think you're doing here, Chakotay?" she demanded sharply.

"Trying to sleep and you're not helping."

He didn't move or open his eyes, remaining flat on his back, and Kathryn gave him a thorough visual examination. This was not the Chakotay who had been so smug at dinner the night before. The Chakotay in her bed was clad in boxers and she could clearly see that he had a gut. Not only that, but there were visible silver strands sprinkled throughout his black hair. No, this was not the vain Chakotay who had flirted with the young waitress and then checked to see both Kathryn's and Seven's reactions.

Kathryn glanced around her bedroom. It was definitely her Voyager bedroom, but just as with the Chakotay in her bed, there were visible differences. The room was smaller with the location of the interior walls having been changed for some reason. And it was messy. Chakotay's uniform was tossed on the floor. One of his boots was laid on its side next to the uniform, its mate nowhere to be found. Stacks of padds and books littered the nightstand and the surrounding floor. There was a pile of presumably dirty clothing near the clothing refresher. Just what was Q playing at, sending her to this altered version of her quarters with an altered Chakotay in her bed? She reached up to rub the bridge of her nose and noticed the wedding band on her ring finger. Chakotay was wearing a matching ring and Kathryn groaned.

"Really, Q? This is ridiculous. Send me back!"

"Shh."

With that, Chakotay rolled over onto his side and curled into the fetal position. Kathryn placed her hands on her hips, noticing that she was wearing an old shirt of Chakotay's and pajama pants, a far cry from the sexy blue silk negligee she'd worn last night. She tried to calm herself and think through the situation logically. Q had appeared in her hotel room and had offered her a present, which she had refused. Clearly, he had dumped her back on Voyager—a messy Voyager with a messy Chakotay who was presumably her husband. This was Q's present? The bedroom door slid open and Kathryn turned around, ready to let Q have it, but it wasn't Q at the door. A young girl with long black hair entered the room carefully leading a chubby baby in with her, the baby holding her finger tightly as it followed her into the room.

"Hi Mommy," the girl said with a smile. The baby gurgled happily, a grin and two dimples appearing.

"You woke the kids up," Chakotay mumbled. "I'm so tired."

Kathryn bit her lower lip to keep from screaming for Q. Instead, she headed for the closet. While she rummaged for a clean uniform, the girl climbed into the bed, hauling the baby up after her.

"I'm hungry! I want French toast for breakfast. Can I replicate it? I know how to do it. Neelix showed me."

Uniform in hand, Kathryn rushed for the dresser, grabbed a bra out of the top drawer and then ran into the bathroom where she found that Q had been quite thorough. Her hair, which she had been attempting to grow out, was once more a bob, and her slender frame was now filled out, especially the breasts. She dressed as quickly as she could and returned to the bedroom.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! I'm hungry! So is Teddy. We want French toast!"

Where the hell were her boots? There was one, partially under the bed.

"Don't be so loud, honey. And you know we'll eat whatever Neelix made for breakfast."

Chakotay sat up and rumpled the girl's hair, then pulled the baby into his arms. "Do you mind if I shower first, Kathryn? I've got an early meeting with Dalby and I've got to get to the gym. My physical is tomorrow and the Doctor's going to have a field day."

Chakotay sighed and poked at his gut. Kathryn had finally found socks and boots and in a moment she was ready.

"Did you hear me? Kathryn?"

She was already at the bedroom door and didn't bother to answer or to even look around the living room as she raced through it. She received only the general impression of changed dimensions and more clutter, but the hallway and turbolift looked as she remembered them.

"Bridge!" She paced around the turbolift. "Computer, what is the stardate?"

The computer responded with exactly the date it should be—the date of Voyager's first anniversary and also Miral's birthday.

"Computer, what is Voyager's current location?" It took a moment for the coordinates to sink in. She shook her head and swallowed hard. Maybe she hadn't heard right. "Computer, based on our current course, how many light years are we from Earth?"

"Approximately fifty thousand light years."

Kathryn leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Q had done this to her deliberately because she had told him how happy she was to be away from Voyager. This was what came of trying to hold a simple conversation with that sociopathic bastard. What had she ever done to deserve his bizarre obsession with her? The turbolift stopped and Kathryn instantly straightened and stepped onto her bridge. She had last been here ten months ago when she had officially been relieved of command and it looked just as she remembered. The night shift was still manning the bridge with Harry in command and sitting in her chair. Seven was at her own station, but there was a stranger next to her—a tall man with facial cybernetic implants and dressed in a skin tight suit similar to Seven's. She realized this was Axum, the Borg drone who had been Seven's first love within Unimatrix Zero. Kathryn stared at him until Harry caught her attention.

"Captain!" Harry began to rise, but she held up a hand.

"As you were. I'll be in my ready room."

Harry sat down and Kathryn entered her ready room—her sanctuary—in relief. She paused as the doors swished shut behind her and stared at the changes she hadn't been expecting. The furniture was the same, with the addition of a playpen near the desk, but most of Kathryn's decorative items were either gone or placed out of reach. Thankfully, it was at least neat here, not the cluttered mess her quarters were. She placed her hands on her hips.

"Q! Show yourself this instant! Q! Send me back now!"

Nothing happened and she began pacing the length of the room, shouting for Q every few minutes. She stopped to examine a picture on her desk—Chakotay with his arms around her bulging pregnant belly, both dressed in finery, rice in their hair—a wedding picture. She picked it up and tossed it into the playpen, then headed to request coffee from the replicator. The first sip made her wince. A year of having the real thing again had spoiled her.

"Not so good, is it Kathy? But you survived on it for seven years and you'll adapt to it again."

She whirled around to find Q sitting on the couch, feet propped on the coffee table, smiling at her impudently. Kathryn hurled the coffee cup into the replicator and rounded on Q. He remained unperturbed as she stood menacingly over him.

"Don't blame me. You brought this on yourself when you told me you didn't want anything."

"But I didn't want anything! I told you, I was happy being home and being an admiral. The very last thing I would ever want is to be in the Delta Quadrant again. Do you have any idea how repugnant it is for me to be here again? After everything I did, all the sacrifices I made, all the losses..." Kathryn cut herself off and bit her lip to keep from saying anything else. No, she would not let herself shed a single tear in front of Q. "Send me back to San Francisco immediately. They're going to discover I'm missing at any moment. I don't want anyone to worry, especially my mother."

"She won't. She knows exactly where you are—here on Voyager. And anyone else who would miss you is right here with you."

"What do you mean? Just what the hell do you mean?"

"This is your reality now. I've wiped out the time line Admiral Janeway created when she helped you bring Voyager home early. No one except for you is aware of the change. They'll think you're crazy if you try to tell them, so don't waste your breath." He smiled at her smugly. "One of the advantages of being a Q is that I can bend the space time continuum to see how differently events play out when people make seemingly insignificant choices. You're a family woman in this new reality. You made one little choice that opened entirely different pathways."

"You can't do that! That's incredibly selfish and—and unethical. We were home and you threw us back out here! You can't do this to us. You change everything back this instant."

"Well, I suppose it is slightly unethical," Q mused, examining his fingernails. Kathryn repressed the urge to kick him in the crotch. "So was giving you that padd. Funny how you didn't complain about ethics then. I'm certain, though, that what I've done is definitely about as ethical as you changing the timeline in order to get Voyager home early."

She was going to murder him, she truly was. The rage building within her was greater than it had been toward Ransom and she stood there, hands clenched into tight fists, trying to think of a way to force Q to do what she told him. He glanced up from his fingernails and raised his eyebrows.

"Your face is literally the same color as your uniform. That can't be healthy. Calm yourself, dearest Kathy. I'm giving you a glimpse. Not many people ever get this chance. Do you realize you're only the second human to ever receive one? Jean-Luc is the other person, so you can consider yourself to be in good company."

"A glimpse? So this is temporary then."

"I didn't say that, but who can say what will happen?"

"You can, since you're the only one in this room who can tamper with the space time continuum."

"You do have a point there. Yes, this is temporary, but for how long is entirely up to you. I'll restore your timeline once you've fully experienced this one. There's something I want you to learn. You helped me with my son and now I'm helping you. Trust me, you're going to thank me for this eventually. Well, I have to get back to the Continuum. That son of mine..." Q chuckled lightly and winked at her. "Parenthood is a constant adventure. Let me give you one word of advice. Don't ever turn your back on the little darlings."

With a flash of light, he was gone. Kathryn was still in the ready room. On Voyager. In the Delta Quadrant. Fifty thousand light years from home. She covered her mouth with her hand to keep herself from screaming and stared in horror at the playpen.

TBC