I hang my head. We haven't spoken of the new plan that Reg sent us since we received the data stream earlier this afternoon. "No, I don't know, Chakotay. A part of me wants it to be true. But, like all of our previous attempts to get home, this one sounds too good to be true!"
Anna begins to fuss, letting him know that she's done with her meal. He removes the bottle and places it gently on the table as he begins to rock her tiny form back to slumber. "I know."
"I read the whole report from front to back, all the subtexts and all the algorithms… it's a sound plan. He's localized a wormhole that's not too, too far from here. It would work… but Chakotay – I don't know." The tugging on my left nipple slackens as I feel the little form fall back to sleep much like her sister. I look up, as I position her gently on my shoulder to burp her. "Let's put the two munchkins back to sleep and try to get some shut-eye ourselves. There's a lot that coffee can compensate for, but I'd like not to have to rely on it so much now that I'm breastfeeding."
/
"Ugh," I hear myself breathily croak against a solid chest. "I hate that alarm!"
"Mmmm…" I feel a warm rush of air against my hair in response to my complaint.
I angle closer to the human radiator, "let's just sleep in. The girls haven't made a peep. Let's just tell Tuvok that we're planning an unscheduled inspection of the hydroponics bay!"
A rumble of sleepy laughter vibrates my side, "Hydroponics, Kathryn? If we're going to lie about sleeping in, let's at least make it believable!"
"You're right. But, it was a nice thought…." It takes every ounce of my resolve to once again peel away from him and amble out from under the warm blankets. I don't realize what an enticing picture I'm providing to the man looking on at me. I shrugged off my robe after the late night feeding and I slept naked. I've had a lucky pregnancy; I didn't really gain anything other than Anna, and the rest of the weight went to my breasts. It was a truly ideal scenario. But, even though my husband hopes that the increased cup size will stay, I'm secretly hoping that they'll eventually go down. Yes, I know that I said that I was always insecure about my size, but now that they're so much bigger, I find them cumbersome. Now, I know why Seven wears such intense bras (not that I've seen any of them, but come on… her chest never moves)!
In the slight cacophony that I create to gather my uniform, I don't hear him come up behind me. I smile as his erection hits my bottom, which is starting to grow damp in anticipation of him.
"Chakotay," I whisper. "We're already late! I have to get a shower!"
"Uh huh," warm kisses are feathered down the curve of my neck. "Let's shower together…"
How can I say no? "Ok, but be quick! We still need to get the girls to daycare before we leave for Alpha shift!"
I hear him smirk through a kiss, "Kathryn, with you, I don't think fast is going to be an issue."
/
"Chakotay! That wasn't fast – that was twice!"
I see his smirk as he affixes his Maquis rank insignia, "yes well I didn't hear you objecting."
No. He didn't. He never does. Damn man. "Okay, we have 10 minutes to get these two little rabbits to daycare and get to the bridge."
"We have a senior staff meeting, remember?"
"Crap. What was on the docket today again?"
"Remember?" He plants a kiss on a pale pink forehead as he gathers Renee into his arms. "We have to go through the data in the last stream from Starfleet."
"That's right. We might as well bring up Reg's latest theory to bring us home… but I'm not looking forward to that same look on poor Harry Kim's face…"
I turn from the mirror and see him holding to babies on either arm. My heart melts and I move in to kiss him. "I think you're underestimating Harry Kim."
"Oh?" I move into the living room, gathering the baby bag.
"Harry's happy now. He's settled. He and Tal are starting a family. He's no longer itching to get home to Libby; I think he can handle it." And then I see it dawn on him, "I think you're the one who's going to be dejected if this doesn't work out. Why, Kathryn? We've dealt with these situations before and you've never been this agitated."
I drop the bag and plop down on the ottoman. Sometimes, I hate that he knows me this well; I can't get away with anything. "You're right!" I exclaim as I rub my tired eyes. "I want to get home this time more than I've ever wanted to get home…" I let out a defeated sigh, "I just want these two little girls to be safe. I want to have a house where they can run and play in the back yard. I want them to meet their grandmother and aunts and be spoiled by them! Ugh, Chakotay, I just want our lives to be settled. I don't want to worry about our safety every day. I hate living with this pall over my head that I could lose you!" I don't mean to, but I'm still hormonal and I start to cry.
I feel his weight depress the seat next to me on the white footrest, "Kathryn, you're not going to lose me." I look at the two little girls cradled on either of his arms and my fears are once again renewed.
"You don't know that. I'm just scared of getting my hopes up and then us failing again."
I feel a warm kiss on my brow, "Whatever happens, Kathryn, we'll take it in stride and deal with it together as a family."
