Entering holo deck two Kathryn smiled as the synthetic sun hit her skin. Before her was the same Indiana meadow program Chakotay had used before, "Look," she said to Kerin and Kyda, "There's daddy." As the words left her lips they took off squealing in joy.
Hearing the children running toward him, Chakotay turned with a grin, "There they are!" he declared as he knelt and scooped them both into his arms, "Happy birthday!"
"Cake daddy!" declared Kerin.
"Cake!" agreed Kyda.
"Later we'll have cake," said Chakotay as he sat them both back down to the ground, "First, why don't you go over there and see what Naomi's got."
As they again ran off squealing Kathryn came to a stop next to Chakotay, "This reminds me of birthdays I had when I was a child," she said in greeting, "It's nice."
"I'm glad you like it," beamed Chakotay, "I thought it would be good to keep them as accustomed to earth as possible."
Nodding Kathryn smiled and held up the two presents in her hands, "Do you have somewhere specific for these?" she questioned.
"Of course, let me take them," said Chakotay as he took the gifts, "Why don't you go talk to everyone? Maybe see what the kids are up to?"
"Sounds like a plan," agreed Kathryn as she turned from him and headed toward the mass of people who stood near the children, "Hey, who exactly is flying my ship? And keeping it flying for that matter?" she called as she neared.
Turning B'Elanna and Tom both smiled to her, "I have an engineering team for just this reason," chuckled B'Elanna.
"And I left a monkey in charge," laughed Tom whole heartedly.
Returning their laughter Kathryn nodded, "I thought having a monkey in charge was what I did when I left you flying," she joked.
At Tom's hurt look B'Elanna grinned, "That sounds about right!" she declared.
Clutching his chest Tom faked a wound, "Oh, that hurt," he said animatedly.
Smiling Kathryn shook her head, "So, how's the party?" she asked.
"Fun!" piped up Harry, "There's food that's edible and games. Then Cake!"
"My mom helped uncle Neelix with the cake," put in Naomi as she looked up to her captain, "I helped pick some games…" fading off she looked thoughtful, I'm going to go ask the commander when we can play the game called duck, duck, goose. It sounds like fun!"
As the small sprite ran off to do so Kathryn again chuckled, "Looks like we're in full party swing now!"
….
When the party finally came to an end and everyone found themselves standing in a bare holo deck instead of a meadow, Kathryn and Chakotay immersed themselves in the crowed, saying goodbye and allowing everyone to wish Kerin and Kyda a happy birthday one last time.
Though as the ship gave a fierce shake several crewman found themselves knocked from their feet. Managing to keep his footing and Kerin's, Chakotay looked across the room to find Kathryn on the floor. Without a word he crossed to her, helping her to her feet as B'Elanna lifted a dazed Kyda into her arms.
Giving a nod of appreciation Kathryn slapped her comm badge, "Report!" she barked off.
"Unknown hostiles," reported Tuvok evenly, "Several ships just de-cloaked on our starboard side."
"I'm on my way," said Kathryn as she spotted Samantha Wildman, "Sam, could you take the children back to your courters?" she asked.
At Sam's nod Chakotay lifted Kerin before he took Kyda from B'Elanna, "I'll help her, then I'll meet you," he said.
Nodding Kathryn watched them go before taking a breath, "Alright everyone, party's over, back to your stations." As everyone scrambled to leave she headed for the bridge, Tom and Harry on her heels.
"Captain," said Tuvok once she stepped from the turbo lift, "Would you like me to attempt to hail them?"
"Yes," she responded easily as she moved to stand in front of her command chair, "Put it on screen."
Doing as he was ordered Tuvok managed to make contact with one of the alien vessels. As the alien's distorted face filled the screen he snarled, "You have crossed the line of war and will now be destroyed."
"I am very sorry," spoke up Kathryn, "We had no knowledge that we were in danger of crossing a line of war."
"All know this!" snapped the alien.
"We're not from around here," attempted Kathryn, "If you will cease fire we will leave peacefully."
"There is no peace in war!" shouted the alien as the screen went black.
"Well he was certainly understanding," said Tom sarcastically.
"Evasive maneuvers, try to get us out of here," ordered Kathryn as she fell back into her command chair, "Return fire!"
The ship rocked under Chakotay's feet as he made it to the bridge, "Who are they? What do they want?" he questioned as he stepped from the turbo lift.
"Don't know, but they want us dead," responded Kathryn, "Check the nacelle power, B'Elanna's got her hands full."
Being thrown against the engineering panel Chakotay grunted and tried to regain his footing as sparks began to fall from the ceiling, "Starboard nacelle down to twenty percent," he reported.
"Tom!" shouted Kathryn as she clung to the arms of her command chair.
"I've got it!" shouted back Tom as his fingers flew over the helm.
Turning to her center panel Kathryn jerked back when it burst, shooting out sparks, she narrowly missed having her hair singed off, "Chakotay!" she called, "There's a power surge in that panel."
As she indicated the panel he was using he nodded, "Just one more second, I think I can get that nacelle back up to ninety-five percent," he called back.
Shaking her head Kathryn stood, "No, move away from it!" she ordered as she moved toward him.
The ship lurched, throwing Kathryn into a guard rail before she fell harshly to the floor. She could only watch helplessly as Chakotay's panel exploded, throwing him back to the floor. Managing her hands and knees she began to crawl in his direction, though a sound above her had her looing up in time to see a ceiling beam falling. ^Not again,^ was all she managed to think before her world went black.
….
Groaning Kathryn opened her eyes to a smoke filled bridge. Taking a slow steadying breath she carefully pulled herself out from under the half fallen ceiling beam. Once she was free she pushed herself up into a sitting position, scanning the dark area around her, "Report," she coughed.
"The ships have been destroyed," reported Tuvok as he regained his footing, "Several other ships appeared on our aft side, engaging them."
Pulling himself back into his chair Tom's hands flew over the helm, "Looks like they helped out and left just as quickly," he called.
Nodding Kathryn brushed her hair from her face, spotting Chakotay's prone form, "Oh, no," she breathed as she crawled to his side, "Chakotay," she called, "What's the condition of the transporters?" she shouted.
"Off line," reported Tuvok.
Moving her hands over his body Kathryn checked for a pulse, letting out a held breath when she found one, "Someone get me a med kit!" she called out, "Now!"
Scrambling Tom retrieved the med kit at the base of the helm, making his way to his captain's side. Opening the med kit he produced a medical tricorder, scanning Chakotay, "Sever burns, broken collar bone and…"
When he faded off Kathryn looked to him as he dropped the tricorder, picking up a hypospray, "And?" she questioned.
"A fractured skull," responded Tom as he began to do what he could, "Someone needs to get those transporters back online!"
Pushing herself to her feet Kathryn stumbled as she made it to the engineering panel. Attempting to do what she could she slapped her comm badge, "Janeway to engineering," she called, "we need transporters before anything else."
There was a long pause as in engineering B'Elanna scrambled to the appropriate panel, "The main circuit is fried!" called back B'Elanna, "I need five minutes."
"Chakotay doesn't have five minutes!" countered Kathryn, panic creeping into her voice, "We need them now!"
Breath hitched B'Elanna literally ran across engineering, "Shut down the phazer array!" she shouted as she went, "I need that connection!" As he orders were followed she slammed down a lever and pounded her fingers across a panel, "Transporters online!" she finally reported.
Head snapping around Kathryn looked to Tuvok, "Do it!" she ordered. In seconds she, Chakotay and Tom disappeared.
….
In sickbay Kathryn was slumped in the Doctor's chair, Kerin and Kyda sleeping against her chest. When the Doctor entered her head snapped up, "How is he?" she asked on a whisper.
"He's stable," responded the Doctor, "The burns and broken bones have been healed."
Turning her head Kathryn looked into the main area, to Chakotay's still prone form, "Why isn't he up?" she questioned. Every other crewman that had come in looking like her first officer had been fixed up and sent on their way already.
The Doctor was silent a moment until she looked back to him, "I can't wake him up," he said simply.
Frowning Kathryn looked skeptical, "You mean you don't want to wake him yet?" she asked.
"No," sighed the Doctor, "I mean he's in a coma, I cannot wake him, I've tried," When Kathryn's head bobbed some he stepped closer to her, "Captain, this only means his body needs time to heal itself. The damage to his brain the fracture caused… some of it was beyond me. If it's going to heal it's up to him."
Taking a slow breath Kathryn gave a light nod, "I need to get these two to bed," she said softly as she struggled to stand. She couldn't stay here, for her sanity she had to keep things as normal as possible.
"Hold on," instructed the Doctor, "I'll get someone to help you."
Kathryn could only nod as she remained where she was. When she finally got to her courters and the children into their beds she sank down into her favorite chair. Of all the emotions she'd been overwhelmed with sense the children had arrived, what she felt now scared her the most.
She'd been in this place before, Chakotay lying in sickbay, though there had always been something the Doctor or the crew and she could do to make him better. But now, she was just so helpless, unable to do a single thing to make him do what she wanted him to do the most. She just wanted him to wake up.
Taking a deep breath she pulled her legs up, hugging them to her chest. Helpless female wasn't her thing, but with all the things changing in her life she found herself stepping into that role to often. She was the captain; she was supposed to be strong and sure of herself, though she didn't feel that way. Instead she felt weak and completely lost.
As her tears began to fall she buried her head in her legs, trying to hide the wetness on her cheeks from even herself.