Chapter Four

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Deciding to get an early night, Tom didn't wait up for Kathryn. Reasoning that she was in the safe hands of her family, he allowed his head to sink deeply into the luxury of the soft guest bedroom pillow. He closed his eyes and after a moment, opened them.

"Computer alert me if Kathryn Janeway doesn't arrive at this location by 01:00 hours."

The computer chirped in response and leaving his door ajar, he drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Sometime early the following morning, a vague sense of déjà vu was the first thing that crossed his mind as his ears picked up the all too familiar sound of vomiting. The noise stopped and was swiftly followed by a thud and muffled moan, Tom was upright and heading to the master bedroom even before his eyes were fully open. Vision still slightly blurry and his brain decidedly fuzzy, it was only as he stumbled across the threshold, that he was suddenly grateful that he had slept in his shorts and a t-shirt. Kathryn was kneeling on the bathroom floor clutching the right side of her head which she had presumably hit on the edge of the sink. He crossed the room to crouch down beside her, as she tried vaguely to stem the flow of bright red blood dripping through her fingers from a decent sized gash above her eyebrow.

"Shit Kathryn."

The words were out of his mouth before he could check them as he grabbed a small hand towel, pressing it firmly against the wound.

"I'm ssorry ...I di didn't..." He could smell the Whiskey on her breath as tears filled her eyes and cheeks flushing, she looked away.

"No, I'm sorry. This is my fault."

Putting an arm around her shoulders, he drew her close, letting her head rest briefly against his chest. "Come on, let's get you up and sort this out."

Holding onto the towel and placing one arm around her waist, he helped her stand and to walk back through to the bedroom. Deciding that she was too unsteady for the chair, he sat her on the bed, her back resting against the headboard.

"Keep this pressed this against your head for me and stay here okay? I'll just be a minute."

More tears were forming on her lashes as he jogged to the lounge and back, still angry with his unguarded reaction. The cut was deep, but the dermal regenerator made easy work of it.

"There, it's healed, I'm going to give you a painkiller too."

This wasn't strictly true as the compound would also help counter some of the effects of the impending hangover, but he suspected she wouldn't grasp that yet. He pressed the hypospray against her neck, deciding against saying anything further. She closed her eyes and he sat with her for the next fifteen minutes until she fell asleep.

"Computer was there a power failure last night?"

Negative, all systems were operating within normal parameters.

"What time did Kathryn Janeway enter the apartment?"

Kathryn Janeway entered the apartment at 23.35 hours.

He sighed, feeling horribly guilty, if only he'd waited, she wouldn't have spent half the night drinking in the next room. Suddenly furious with himself for failing her, he walked into the kitchen, waited until the door slid shut and slammed his hands down hard on the counter.

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Kathryn slept on and off for the next three hours and Tom mostly sat in the chair keeping a vigil of sorts, while scanning through his inbox. At 11:00 hours, she opened her eyes and brought her hand up to her forehead.

"Good Morning."

She squinted at him and winced, her voice gravelly. "Not according to my head. What time is it?"

"Just after eleven. Would you like some water?"

She nodded and by the time he was back from the replicator, the look on her face and the flush to the apples of her cheeks told him that she could most likely remember some of what had occurred. He passed her the glass and gazed at an imaginary spot on the bedding while she drank, uncomfortable because he still felt responsible, but also because he was beginning to think that they needed to have a conversation about her drinking.

"Kathryn - last night, I should have waited up. I'm sorry, it was my fault that you got hurt."

She didn't reply and sensing that she was waiting for him to look up, he forced himself to lift his eyes and meet her gaze. Her eyes were shining, but now he recognised a familiar steely determination in them; she shook her head and sighed.

"No it wasn't. I'm sorry you had to see that and I'll do my best to ensure that you won't have to see it again. What I've been doing, the way I've been coping, it hasn't worked and it never will. Perhaps Chakotay should have asked you to confiscate the Whiskey after all."

She quirked a slight smile and he tried his best to return it as she leant forward.

"I can never thank you enough for what you've done Tom. You've been a rock, gone above and beyond to keep the promise you made. I refused to listen when he tried to tell me, but I'm grateful that Chakotay had the sense to know that I'd need such a good friend."

This time the smile was genuine.

"But, I need to help myself, and the first step is to ask you to put Chakotay's security codes to good use and delete a certain beverage section from the replicator? Just for a while, until I'm sure of myself."

"Consider it done."

"After that, how do you feel about breakfast?"

He felt his whole body relax, the previous tension blissfully evaporating. "Full English?"

She grimaced slightly but nodded, "and I'm going to need lots of coffee."

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The following week, as the three of them sat around the table eating lunch, B'Elanna wrinkled her brow, "are you sure that you're up to going alone Kathryn? You know that Tom and I are both happy for him to come. Trebus isn't that far."

Kathryn offered a placating smile. "I know B'Elanna and that's exactly why I can get in contact if I need."

She placed one hand over B'Elanna's. "You've both been amazing - I couldn't ask for better friends, but I need to do this alone. Besides I'll see you in five days for the ceremony."

B'Elanna was still frowning a little. "Okay, but promise you'll comm when you arrive?"

Exasperated, Tom rolled his eyes. "She's already promised that B'Elanna, let the woman enjoy her sandwich."

B'Elanna shot Tom a look and he quickly changed the subject. "The transport leaves in twenty minutes and we've got more important things to talk about, Kathryn, we've got something to ask you."

Her face registered a vague loom of expectation as she replaced one half of the sandwich on the plate. "Well, ask away..."

"We're wondering how you would feel about living with us?"

Hiding her surprise well, Kathryn's mouth curved upwards at the suggestion. "Tom that's very kind, but I'm fine and besides I'd be taking your spare room, which if I'm not very much mistaken will be in use for the new baby soon. "

"Actually Kathryn, that's not exactly what we had in mind. I meant how would you feel about us living with you at your house temporarily?"

"Well, I have the space and I'd love to have you, whe-"

Deciding to clarify, Tom cut in. "The thing is that well, it's not just us."

Kathryn's brow crinkled and rightfully so, he'd made a bit of a hash of things so far. Predictably, she held up a hand and smiled. "Okay, start from the beginning Mr Paris, you're beginning to make my head spin."

He produced a PADD. "This is a letter from Chakotay. He asked me to keep it for you until..."

Kathryn's cornflower blue eyes flicked from the PADD to his, her expression rueful. "Until I was sober enough to read it?"

Tom felt his cheeks flush a little. "Let's just say it hasn't felt right until now. Alongside the letter is a proposal which Chakotay shared with us, basically he wants you to offer the Voyager crew the opportunity to stay."

"He wants me to open up the house?"

"Yes, there are four bedrooms?"

"Five actually."

"So that's one for you, one for us for a while after the baby is born and three spare. Chakotay spoke to some of the Crew and they were very enthusiastic about it."

Kathryn sat silently as Tom continued. "Harry has asked to stay before his deep space mission next month, Sam and Naomi are keen to come for a week over the school holidays and Mike has asked if he and his family can stay while their house is being finished towards the end of the year. All in all, you're over-subscribed for the rest of this year and there are plenty names on the list for next."

"He made a list?"

"He spoke to as many of the crew as he could before... Kathryn, he was keen that the Voyager family stay together and I think he saw this as one way of doing that."

B'Elanna spoke softly. "It's a lot to take, why don't you take some time to think about the idea while you're on Trebus and we can talk about it when you get back?"

Kathryn shook her head. "No, that won't be necessary. It's a lovely idea and we can discuss the details later, but I already know that I want to do it."

She smiled at them both. "Chakotay always said that there was nothing more important than our family."