The choices we make

It's been a year since voyager came home. But change is on the horizon.

Kathryn threw a pillow across the room attempting to hit the alarm clock. The first time she missed. She growled as she attempted her second shot. This time she hit the alarm clock and it fell to the floor, however the alarm kept bussing. She gave it the captain stare, and then threw a blanket over her head.

Kathryn's younger sister came in after hearing the alarm go off for what seemed like an eternity. She walked over to the alarm and shut if off. She noticed her sister lying on the bed, still asleep, so she grabbed one of the pillows off the floor and aimed for her sister.

Sensing that someone was in the room Kathryn jumped up. She shook her hair back and smiled at her sister.

"Throw that pillow and your dead sis."

Pheobe grinned at her sister. "That sounded like a challenge." And with that she threw the pillow at Kathryn. Kathryn lunged out of her bed and tackled her sister. Both of them were laughing as they hit the dresser.

Gretchen was downstairs when she heard a thump against the wall. "Hey you two no ruff housing!" You are after all both adults; I really shouldn't have to remind you of that!"

"Sorry mom," the girls said together, as they both giggled.

"Breakfast girls!" Pheobe and Kathryn raced down stairs slipping on the wood floor, as they headed for the kitchen. Kathryn lost her balance as she slid into the hall table. Pheobe who had better balance made it to the table uninjured.

"Honestly girls what has gotten into you this morning?"

Pheobe took a bite out of her toast, and set it down on her plate. "Kathryn's got a big date tonight. Gretchen turned around and looked at Kathryn.

"And who is this date with young lady?"

Kathryn gave Pheobe a "you're going to get it look," and then politely told her mom, "just a guy."

Pheobe choked on her orange juice, while trying to swallow her eggs. She looked at her sister and couldn't resist. "Kathryn's just anxious because she wants to get to more than 2 base tonight."

Kathryn turned bright red, as her mom came back over to the table. Gretchen sat next to Kathryn and looked at her seriously. "So you two are going to a baseball game tonight I didn't think you liked baseball Kathryn."

Pheobe and Kathryn both choked back tears, as their mom was completely clueless to what they were chatting about. As Kathryn took another bite of her pancakes she looked at her younger sister. They looked a lot alike except for a few differences. Pheobe was a tad shorter, had longer hair and her eyes were hazel. But unlike Kathryn, Pheobe had a little more cleavage.

Pheobe like Kathryn was unmarried and perfectly content working and taking care of her mom. She worked for Indiana State University as a professor of Biology. She was also the youngest member of the senior staff. Kathryn joked that her sister was going to marry one of the "old timers."

As breakfast ended, Pheobe and Kathryn helped clear the table as Gretchen headed off to her book club. Pheobe was rinsing the dishes while Kathryn scrubbed them. Pheobe took one of the dishes from Kathryn and proceeded to rinse it. "You missed a spot, Kathryn."

"I did not."

"Really then what's this?" She held the plate in front of Kathryn so that she could inspect it. Kathryn growled as she saw a scrap that she had overlooked. "Maybe you need glasses, at your old age, Pheobe said as she began to laugh.

Kathryn bit her lip and turned to her sister. "Yeah maybe you need some too so that you can find the better looking men to go out with, I mean the last one you went out with was a complete monster."

"He was not!" "Pheobe he looked like swamp thing!" At that moment Pheobe turned the hose at the sink on her sister completely soaking her and the floor. She jumped as Kathryn tired to grab her. Pheobe ran to the front door opened it and ran into a man who was standing at the front door.

Kathryn bounded after her, "Oh Pheobe you are going to get it now wait till I get a hold of you did I ever tell you what happened the time that Chakotay crossed me, she got to the front door and stopped.

"And what would that be Kathryn, care to refresh my memory?"

Pheobe stood on the stoop and carefully slipped next to the man on the front door. Pheobe pointed at Chakotay, and looked at her sister. "This is Chakotay?" Kathryn nodded.

Pheobe grinned as she held out her hand. Nice to meet you Chakotay, I'm Pheobe Kathryn's younger and sister, would you care to come in? "Kathryn was about to bake a cake for our neighbors BBQ.

Chakotay chuckled, "And you let her do that, I mean you have enough fire fighters to fight that kind of a blaze?" Kathryn gave Chakotay one of her stares, "Don't encourage her Chakotay; my cooking is not that bad!"

Pheobe sat on the stool next to Chakotay and whispered to him. "Don't worry I am supervising." "I heard that Pheobe!"

Chakotay laughed as he watched Kathryn and Pheobe fight. He didn't want to get in the middle so he stayed relatively quiet. "Well you two, I have to be leaving I have to teach a class this afternoon." "Chakotay it was good to meet you, don't be a stranger." Chakotay nodded. "Taste this frosting Chakotay, I'm trying a new recipe." "Did you make it he asked?" Kathryn took a spoonful of frosting and smeared it across Chakotays face. "Actually my sister made it, is it good?"

"Your in for it now Kathryn! Prepare to face the wrath of a former Maqui!"

TBC