Neon Smiley Faces
Summary: Chakotay visits Indiana and meets Gretchen Janeway.
You know that feeling you get as you're now starting to wake and know that something isn't right? Chakotay opened his eyes to find his four years old niece staring at him.
"What's the matter Casey?"
"Nothing uncle, I just wanted to tell you 'good morning'."
"Sweetheart it's really early."
"I want to hear a story, please…"
Unable to resist the eyes and slight pout he lifted her unto the bed.
"Yeah! Tell me a story about Voyager"
"Again?"
"About B'Elanna and Harry and Tom and Doc and Naomi and…"
"OK. OK…settle down a bit."
As Chakotay prepared to leave his sister's house for Dorvan he noticed a strange bag between his stuff. The bag contained an assortment of cosmetics and underwear; lots of underwear – g-strings, thongs and bikinis with hearts and smiley faces in various colours. He then noticed an inscription on one of the bras…'K. Janeway' His surprised grin turned into a loud laugh.
He was greeted by pouring rain when he transported to Indiana. "Oh Kathryn, how you're gonna pay for this" he muttered causing the transporter operator to ask if he could be of any assistance. Waving him away, Chakotay walked the 30 minutes to the Janeway house while taking in the scenery. He couldn't help thinking how Kathryn must have hated living somewhere where science wasn't the main attraction.
Gretchen Janeway answered the door and invited him in without as much as a 'hello.'
"Is Kathryn home, Ma'am?" inquired Chakotay a little hesitantly.
"No, go get yourself dry and then we'll talk. Upstairs, second door on your left."
He didn't respond with an 'aye' but instead said "yes, ma'am" since there was no mistaking the command. When he returned downstairs, he was invited to sit and have some tea.
"Thank you, ma'am. I'm Chakotay, Kathryn's…"
"Oh, I know who you are. In fact your name comes up very often around here."
He unconsciously tugged on his left ear causing Gretchen to laugh.
"She said you do that 'ear thing' in situations like these."
He smiled guiltily at her.
"So what brings you here Chakotay?" She was so much like Kathryn or rather the other way around. He decided to get his revenge.
"Well ma'am, I'm returning Kathryn's underwear. They were among my stuff."
Gretchen almost spit her coffee all over the table and turned a red face towards Chakotay. "Cut the ma'am crap! And since you're carrying around my daughter's underwear, you'd better call me Gretchen. A word to the wise son, never make a Janeway spill coffee."
"Sorry Gretchen" replied Chakotay without an iota of genuine apology "I'm surprised you made me tea. I do drink coffee."
"I wouldn't waste good coffee on you. Kathryn said that you haven't grasped the fact that it is an essential food group."
"That I haven't. Anyway, thanks for the tea. I should get going."
"Not so fast, young man! I want to hear all about Voyager's sojourn in the Delta Quadrant."
"All?" he asked with a somewhat petrified look.
"Kathryn's my baby and I love her very much. But I know that she told me everything I should know not everything I want to know. I'm interested in how she spent her time and not her work."
At 2000 Phoebe called.
"Mom, Kath's staying over with me tonight. I'm taking her clubbing"
"OK honey" replied Gretchen.
"Mom, I'll be home by 0800. Will you be alright?"
"Yes Kathryn. Actually I'm having fun. So you two have a good time. Bye darling" she signed off before Kathryn could ask the obvious question.
"So Chakotay, how did you get her to relax?"
"A combination of begging and threatening to sic the doctor on her."
"She was always a handful, extremely stubborn."
"Oh yeah, that's one of the reasons why I…" he stopped mid-sentence out of habit on that particular subject.
Gretchen looked at him with the identical crooked smile he knew by heart, "yes?"
"Kathryn and I had some major fights. How I despise Starfleet's protocols or rather her interpretation of certain regulations."
"And what's this business with the borg?" The woman didn't mince words.
"That's a bit complicated and weird"
"It threw Kathryn but she tried to hide it."
"Sometimes Gretchen, I wanted to wrap my hands around Kathryn's neck and just…squeeze. Other times, it was crushing her against the nearest bulkhead and kissing her senseless."
"Since you're still alive I guess you never tried either."
Chakotay laughed out loud and was joined by Gretchen. He was amazed at how easy he can talk to Kathryn's mom.
"Spirits, I love her. I have no clue why."
"She loves you too." At his amazed expression she continued "Don't worry, I'll handle Kathryn."
"You are probably the only person that she'll take orders from. The woman cuts Admirals off in the middle of a sentence."
"I trained her well Commander. I outrank any Starfleet officer in this house."
"Aye ma'am!"
"We'd better get some sleep. The guestroom's all yours."
"Goodnight Gretchen. I'll clear the stuff away."
Kathryn burst through the front door with two giant shopping bags at 0825 and followed the scent of coffee to the kitchen. Without looking up she started, "as much as I love Phebes, she's incorrigible. I need a hug and some coffee."
"Anytime Kathryn" a very masculine voice replied. She looked up at her former first officer in total shock perfectly imitating a goldfish in a rare moment when Kathryn Janeway couldn't come up with a single word in response.
He gathered her into a brief, tight hug and passed her a mug which broke the spell.
"Chakotay, what did you do with my mother?"
"I locked her in her room."
"What?"
"She went to the market."
"When did you get here?" OK at least she was regaining proper conversational skills.
"Yesterday morning."
"Why?"
"Returning your underwear."
"Huh?"
"Kathryn, please tell me you didn't wear those darn smiley face panties on duty."
"Well I didn't go commando."
With a loud groan he closed his eyes. When he looked at her she was laughing uncontrollably.
"If you wanted me to visit Kathryn, all you had to do was ask. Sneaking your panties with my stuff lacks subtlety."
"I was so angry with you I didn't want to see you much less 'sneaking' my favourite undies into your things."
"Let me try to explain."
"I know some of the blame is mine."
"Yeah…Kathryn, you became cold and I was very pissed at you. So when she asked I thought 'what the hell.' I know it'd hurt you and I was glad. I wanted you to feel pain, to have something pierce that armour of yours."
"I'm truly sorry" she replied standing directly in-front of him so that he would stop pacing.
"Why, Kathryn?"
"I was scared of losing someone else I loved in a part of the galaxy where I'd have no-one to help me pull through. Don't you see? If I'd lost you, who do you think would have the guts to tell me I'm being stupid and need to complete the mission?"
"I understand love. But either one of us could have died. We didn't need to stay away from each other."
"You're right, but I was terrified to give you that much control."
He embraced her and was kissing her neck while she moaned. This was the picture that greeted Gretchen. Kathryn felt someone looking at her and jerked away from Chakotay turning to face the patented Janeway death glare.
"Uh, mom…we were just…"
"Yes Katie, you were" she started laughing at their guilty looks "you kids are too easy to intimidate, and Starfleet officers at that!"
"Would you like some lunch Gretchen?"
"Stop trying to get on my good side Chakotay, I already like you."
He grinned while Kathryn looked mildly chagrined.
"Well I found the most adorable jewelry at Finlays." She passed over two beautiful gold bracelets embedded with emeralds.
"They're beautiful mom. Phebes will love them for the girls!" exclaimed Kathryn
"I've spoilt your sister's kids enough. These are for you."
"Excuse me"
"I want more grandchildren Kathryn. Seven years in the Delta Quadrant and you didn't even bring me a grandson"
Kathryn changed shades faster than a chameleon while Chakotay wisely kept his mouth shut.
"Well?"
"Mom, I…I don't know what to say! That wasn't some pleasure cruise. We didn't take shoreleave on Risa. Besides I never really figured children in my life and when we got lost it wasn't a consideration."
"Now you're back and almost forty-six. I'm not going to live forever Kathryn Janeway. I need some more granddaughters."
"Yes mom" replied Kathryn
"Really?" beamed Chakotay
"Why are you grinning commander?" asked the captain, hands on hips.
"Huh, you said yes to children and I well, ah, assumed…"
"See what you've created mom, I hope you're happy."
"Very dear. Have fun and I won't be back until dinner."
"Don't leave" Kathryn almost yelled.
"If I were your age I'd take you up on that offer and stay with the 'commander' while you visit Mrs. O'Neill in the hospital."
Shaking her head at her mother's departure, Kathryn remarked "she's driving me nuts Chakotay"
"She's a true master Kathryn. I thought you were it. But boy, she's scary! And she gets to order you around. I absolutely love her!"
"Of course you would."
A/N: I actually put this story into word in 2007. It was actually written way before that. Better late than never, aye. Hope that you have enjoyed it.