Disclaimer: If I
owned Janeway and Chakotay (etc…) I would – a- be rolling in money
–b- be happy with the "relationships" and –c- make Chakotay have more screen
time. He's so cute… Yeah well… their Paramount's so sue me; I took some liberties
J (Evil laugh)
Rate: PG
He stared at the padd and frowned. "This is impossible" he muttered
"utterly impossible". On the screen a face stared back at him and he knew it,
he recognized the face. Another voice pulled him from his thoughts.
"Hey, Chakotay, this isn't social hour. The captain will have our butts if the
crew reports aren't done on time. She's been exceptionally pissy lately"
"Watch it Tom…" B'Elanna prodded him in the side
Chakotay wasn't paying attention; he was transfixed on the face in front of
him.
"Kayla" he muttered
"What?" Tom asked a little annoyed
" This face, I stumbled upon it when I did crew evaluations, just know."
"And…" Tom replied sarcastically
" It's my sister"
*****
"Are you sure Commander? I mean I don't think that you can just go up to
someone and say ' hey you don't know me, but I'm your CO and umm, your
BROTHER!" Tom was rather astonished at the prospect, and didn't really believe
what he had just heard.
"Yes, I'm sure, that is most definitely Kayla. She never met me, I left for
Starfleet when she was born."
"Convien-oww" B'Elanna jabbed Tom again and whispered:
"Just shut up will you?" she turned to Chakotay " I think we should tell the
Captain, just to be sure."
The doors to the mess hall swished open and just as if on cue, the captain
walked in.
"Hello everyone" she walked over to join Tom, B'Elanna and Chakotay. She
noticed that the commander looked a little forlorn. As she walked over to sit
in her usual spot beside him, she placed a hand on his shoulder. Her cold hands
warmed instantly as she touched him. She wished that she could do more than
just put her hand on his shoulder. Her hand seared from his subtle response, as
he raised his shoulder ever so slightly at her touch, she gripped his muscle a
little tighter and caught her breath. She leaned over to him and asked: " Is
everything alright Chakotay?"
His pulse quickened at her touch and he responded to her voice.
" No, there seems to be a member of the crew, that well… Captain would you mind
if I spoke to you privately?" The mess hall had begun to fill with people, and
Chakotay felt the sudden urge to talk to Kathryn, not the Captain.
" That seems alright, will you excuse us? Tom, B'Elanna, have a pleasant
evening" she acknowledged the two members of her senior staff and exited with
Chakotay.
*******
They arrived at her quarters, her territory, it was safer for them to meet
there, rather than in his quarters. Much safer, and she was more comfortable
there anyway.
"So, what's the problem?" she inquired as she walked over to the replicator and
ordered a cup of coffee and a cup of tea for Chakotay.
"Kathryn"
"Hmm?" she answered a bit preoccupied
"Better make mine coffee, we have a lot to discuss" She felt a knot in her
stomach. Discuss? About what? Certainly not about their relationship? They
didn't have one. They were just friends… weren't they? She sat down on the
couch next to him and tucked her legs underneath her, gingerly sipping her
coffee.
They sat in silence for a few moments and then he began talking.
" Well, the reason I wanted to talk to you was because I found some rather
disturbing, but rather pleasant news while I was doing crew evaluations."
She glanced up at him and slid a little closer. His arm went around the back of
the sofa, and over her shoulders.
"Uh huh…" she replied, urging him to continue.
" I found my sister" Her eyes widened. She knew that Chakotay had always pinned
for his younger sister, he loved her and he thought the worst when he found out
that the Cardassians had murdered his family.
"Kayla?" she asked, knowing that Kayla was the only one who ever had a remote
chance of survival.
"Yes, her name is listed as…" he pulled out the padd " Elizabeth Johnson"
A look of recognition crossed Kathryn's face. "Yes, she's our youngest crew
member, she works down in engineering, she just handed me a warp core
diagnostic yesterday!" Her voice rose as she realized the importance this
little Ensign held in the life of her first officer. She rose and walked over
to her desk. " I need to access these medical files. That way I can compare her
DNA with yours…" She punched the keys, and Chakotay smiled at her
enthusiasm.
" Johansen, Johns, Johnson, here it is." She hit a few more keys and stared at
the screen.
"Computer, compare Ensign Johnson's DNA with that of Commander Chakotay"
They waited his hand on her shoulder, gripping tighter as the seconds passed.
" There is no correlation between the specified samples"
His hand loosened and she looked up at him and saw a tear in his eye.
"Thank you Kathryn, I'll be turning in for the night" before she could respond
the door hissed shut.
*****
For the next few days he was quiet, doing his duty, but not smiling, not
laughing. At the end of every duty shift he retreated to his quarters, and
Kathryn knew that he was hurt, deeply. As they sat on the bridge she looked at
him, and spoke. "Commander, I'd like to see you in my ready room, now." He
slowly got up and followed her in.
"Have a seat, Chakotay" she walked over to the replicator. "Computer, tea, hot"
She walked back to the couch and handed him the tea and looked at him. She put
her hand on his chest. "Come on Chakotay, you've been acting worse than Tuvok,
what's the matter?"
"God Kathryn, if I could only explain. I wanted Elizabeth to be my sister, she
looked so much like her, I guess my brain wanted me to think that it really was
her. I miss Kayla more than anyone else." She moved toward him and put her arm
around him. " I never got to see my baby sister grow up. There was always that
tiny hope in me, though, that my parents had gotten her out of Devron V before
they were attacked. That little hope that I had, it resurfaced when I saw
Elizabeth." A lone tear fell from his eye. " But now, Kathryn," his voice
wavered as he said her name "now that hope is gone."
She embraced him as his tears fell, as he cried for his family. When his tears
stopped, he lifted Kathryn's face and traced the outline of the side of her
face. His fingers tickled her chin and she smiled tears in her eyes too. Upon
seeing her crooked grin he smiled, dimples and all and they both laughed.
"What would I do without you Kathryn?" he asked taking her hands in his.
She smiled as she replied: "You'd be busy cleaning the Jeffries tubes."
He laughed and captured her lips as she smirked. They kissed gently at first,
but the kiss intensified. They broke apart, starving for air.
"You know something Chakotay"
"Hmm" he replied as he planted small kisses in her hair.
" Were quite a pair…"
"Damn right Captain"
"You know what else Chakotay?
"No…"
" I love you". His eyes danced at her confession.
" You know how I feel."
" I do?"
" Yes"
" Care to tell me?"
" I'm afraid I can't do that captain…"
"Why not?" she smirked again as he teased her.
"Temporal Prime Directive."
" You bastard" He laughed and kissed her as Voyager sailed toward home.
