His speech therapy session went well. At the end, Grace proclaimed that he'd shown marked improvement in just the past twenty-four hours. Kathryn didn't need her announcement to know that; she could hear it. The more he talked, the less hesitant he was. Certain letters, like B, P, and W, still gave him difficulty, but overall his ability to communicate had improved.
After Grace left, Sam Harrow and the Doctor came by.
"I'm getting good reports on you," Sam said as he stood at the end of the bed scrolling through the medical data padd. "The initial assessment results look positive, and I'm not concerned about the possibility of further strokes. You had a hemorrhagic stroke which was caused by an aneurysm, but we were able to stop the blood flow and clip that area, so there won't be any more blood loss."
"What caused this?" Kathryn asked, looking at Sam and then shifting her gaze to the Doctor. "Could it have stemmed from any of the injuries he sustained while on Voyager?" She hated to recall the number of times Chakotay had suffered neural trauma.
The Doctor shook his head. "It's highly unlikely. And none of the tests we've run indicate that possibility. While the commander was prone to head injuries of one kind or another during our time in the Delta Quadrant, this seems to be a separate isolated incident."
"Other than the aneurysm itself, which we've dealt with successfully, Chakotay is healthy," Sam added.
And Kathryn gave a sigh of relief. "So we don't have to worry about high blood pressure, or stress levels, or-"
"On the contrary, Captain," the Doctor disagreed, "one must always be concerned about blood pressure and stress. My experience on Voyager only served to reinforce the fact that the majority of the crew did not effectively deal with stress, and often, unnecessarily, left themselves open to highly stressful situations. And may I remind you, Captain, that you were one of the worst offenders."
Kathryn lowered her gaze. "Well, yes, Doctor, I know, but…" She looked up, trying to appear properly chastised, but resisting the urge to laugh at his vehemence. She knew he meant well, and she had missed seeing him on a daily basis.
Sam, who was also trying to suppress his laughter, came to her rescue and addressed her concerns. "Chakotay doesn't have high blood pressure, and as of right now, his stress levels fall within the normal range. Of course," he glanced at the Doctor, "we do want to keep an eye on the situation. He's going to be dealing with a lot of potential stressors during his recovery period."
Chakotay looked from Sam to the Doctor to Kathryn and back to Sam. There seemed to be a lull in the conversation. He ventured a question. "W-will... I need… any m-medication?"
Sam shook his head. "No. In fact, we're going to be removing this IV in just a little while. The nurses report that you're eating and drinking just fine. We'll also remove the catheter."
Chakotay's sigh of relief was audible.
Sam laughed. "I always get that reaction whenever I make that statement."
Kathryn didn't want to embarrass Chakotay, but she had some concerns. She turned her gaze back to Sam. "One of his nurses mentioned the possibility of incontinence."
"It is a possibility." Sam shifted his focus to Chakotay. "But if you do experience any problems, they're rarely permanent. You'll have a urinal close by, and we'll put you on a schedule. And we'll keep that schedule once you're back up on your feet. With your initial assessment levels and the improvement you've shown already, I don't foresee any critical problems."
Chakotay nodded. He appreciated Sam's straightforward approach. As much as he appreciated Kathryn's. He reached over and took hold of her hand, gave it a squeeze.
"So," Sam said, "I hear you have a busy afternoon planned. It's about time we get you up out of that bed." He reached over and patted Kathryn on the arm. "I trust you to keep an eye on him."
And she smiled. "Always."
~vVv~
"Commander, I'm about to make you a very happy man," Beth announced when she came into the room ten minutes later.
Kathryn looked up from her data padd in time to see a somewhat embarrassed, but broad, smile crease Chakotay's face. She couldn't help but chuckle.
"Well, with an intro like that, I think I'd better make an exit. Give you two some privacy." She'd noticed the items Beth had brought with her: urinal, bedpan, mattress pads. "Besides, I need to check in with my office and then call B'Elanna. See what time she's coming."
She got up and went over to the bed, leaned over to deliver a quick kiss to his cheek, and then whispered in his ear. "You'll be more comfortable if I'm not here."
And he nodded, a look of relief lighting his eyes.
Knowledge, understanding, and acceptance went both ways.
After their earlier conversation, Kathryn knew that he would let her do anything for him. But she also knew that there were some things he needed to do for himself.
~vVv~
As she was leaving the room, B'Elanna was coming in, and Kathryn put up a hand to stop her. "They're unhooking him," she said bluntly, knowing that B'Elanna would understand.
She did. "Oh, thank Kahless, one more day, and I swear he was going to pull that damn thing out on his own."
And although there was nothing humorous about the actual situation, Kathryn threw her head back and laughed. Leave it up to B'Elanna to finally acknowledge the elephant in the room.
He'd never complained to either of them, but they knew he was uncomfortable. On several occasions, they'd both noticed him pushing at his groin, trying to adjust himself through the blankets. Sometimes he seemed to do it surreptitiously, hoping that no one was looking. And at other times, his hand seemed to have a mind of its own, reaching down under the covers and handling himself regardless of who was there. He was a private man, but creature comforts were difficult to ignore.
"Oh," Kathryn sighed, "I don't know if he's going to like the alternative any better, but hopefully it will be more comfortable for him." She pointed toward the end of the hall. "I was just about to go to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee. Would you like to join me?"
B'Elanna nodded, and fell into step beside her. "I'm sorry I didn't get here earlier. I've had… quite a morning. I think Miral's starting to teethe, and she was in a terrible mood – ear-splitting cries. I had to get her calmed down before I could even dream of leaving her with Tom's mother."
"Teething? So soon?" Kathryn reached out and pressed the turbolift call button.
"Klingon babies start teething sooner than Human babies," B'Elanna explained. "If she were full Klingon, instead of only a fourth, she'd probably have several teeth already."
"Umm, I'm sure that's why I don't see a lot of Klingon mothers breastfeeding." The lift door opened and they stepped inside. "First floor," Kathryn intoned.
"You know, I'm not sure how long Klingon mothers breastfeed, but we're sort of doing both right now. Tom enjoys giving her a bottle, and it makes it easier to leave her with Grandma and Grandpa."
Kathryn smiled at her words. She loved the image of Admiral Owen Paris as Grandpa.
The doors slid open, and they exited the lift. "How is life with the grandparents?"
"Well, life with the grandparents is a lot better now that we're actually no longer with the grandparents." They'd lived with them for the first three months after their return from the Delta Quadrant. "Don't get me wrong; we actually get along really well, but it's nice to have our own place."
They arrived at one of the cafeteria's replicators, and Kathryn keyed in their order and her debit code. Two steaming cups of coffee appeared. She handed a cup to B'Elanna and they went over and found a table by the window.
They sat in silence, each blowing into their cups, inhaling, and then taking deep satisfying sips. A minute passed, and then two.
Finally, B'Elanna looked across the table. "What's next for him?"
Kathryn let out a long breath. "Funny you should ask…"
B'Elanna gave her a puzzled expression.
And Kathryn shook her head. "No, it's just… He had his first session with his occupational therapist this morning, and it just seems… a bit overwhelming. We're so… used to living our lives, and so busy living… we don't really stop and think about how we live our lives. And that's what he's going to have to do. Look at every aspect of everyday living and break it down into separate steps… bathing, dressing, going to the bathroom." She ticked off each item on her fingers. "Once he's stronger, and he has more control of his left side, it'll be easier. But he can't just sit and wait for that to happen. It's doing all of these things that's going to make him stronger."
B'Elanna reached out and placed her hand on Kathryn's. "Don't forget, he's one stubborn, strong man to begin with."
And Kathryn relaxed at her touch and at her words. "I know." She looked down into the dark liquid in her cup, and the image came to her as it often did – sharp and clear. "You know, how we have some memories that exist like dreams – soft and sort of… blurry around the edges. And others are so… crisp and real… and you can see them, as plainly as you could the first time. I can't tell you how many times I see him in my mind, standing on Voyager's bridge just after he beamed over from the Val Jean… bristling, defensive… mad as hell. And that expression on his face… so hard… and so hurt…."
"The Angry Warrior," B'Elanna breathed.
And Kathryn lowered her eyes in agreement. "The Angry Warrior."
It was an image that B'Elanna also carried with her – not the one of him on the bridge – she hadn't been there – but all the others – that angry Maquis warrior who recruited her into the fold, into the fight… and into his heart. She realized, not for the first time, that following that bristling, defensive, mad as hell Maquis had led her into a life that she would have never had… a life she couldn't imagine not having.
She squeezed the older woman's hand. "Like I said, Kathryn, stubborn and strong."
~vVv~
A half hour later, they returned to his room to find their Angry Warrior a little less angry.
Kathryn took note of the plastic urinal hanging on the side of his bed, as well as the relieved expression on his face. "I assume that Beth is now your favorite nurse," she surmised.
"She has… c-certain skills," Chakotay acknowledged with a contented smile.
"Well, good," B'Elanna rolled her eyes, "maybe now you can stop pawing yourself."
Chakotay glanced down, pursed his lips, then looked back up with a half grin on his face. "Wh-what do… you know?"
She shot him a hard glare. "I gave birth."
And Kathryn sighed as they started in on each other, doing that thing they did – poking, needling, one-upping - that thing she loved to watch them do. But as much as she loved to watch it, she realized that she hadn't contacted her office, so she moved to the communications console in the entry area and left them to poke, needle, and one-up without her.
As always, Jack greeted her with a smile on his face. "I heard you met my 'adopted sister.'"
"I did. She's as organized as you are, and just as good at what she does. It must run in your 'adopted family.'"
"Thanks for the compliment," he laughed. "Our 'adopted parents' will be proud to hear that." But then his face grew serious. "Taryn really is good at what she does, Captain. Commander Chakotay couldn't be in better hands."
"I know. Thank you." And then they spent the next five minutes discussing Kathryn's notes from the conference on Vulcan.
As they were talking, one of the nurses delivered Chakotay's lunch, so after she signed off with Jack and returned to the main part of the room, he was eating.
"S-soup… again," he complained, navigating a spoonful to his mouth under B'Elanna's watchful gaze.
"What kind?" Kathryn immediately queried, although she could see that it was tomato.
He paused, the spoon mere inches from his mouth. "B-B'Elanna… already asked."
Kathryn gave the younger woman a questioning glance.
She shrugged. "Got it on the first try. The old man knows his soups."
And Chakotay gave them a dimpled grin before he stuck the spoon in his mouth and swallowed.
B'Elanna shook her head at his expression. He could be so damn cocky at times. But it was good to see him like this; his confidence was improving. Now might be the time to push him a little more. "Let's see how many people you know," she added, getting up and going over to the entry area. She returned with the computer and positioned it on the tray table beside his soup bowl.
He watched her warily as she keyed into her personal messages account.
"I've put together some images from Voyager – friends, crew – you name them for me."
Chakotay heard the open challenge in B'Elanna's voice; he glanced over at Kathryn and saw that challenge mirrored in her eyes. He nodded and set the spoon down. "All right," he responded, meeting the challenge.
"Tuvok," he identified the first image, and then, "Tom," when the next appeared, followed by "N-Neelix." But he hesitated on the fourth.
"Who is it?" B'Elanna asked.
Kathryn saw the tension in his face increase, small lines forming around his eyes as they narrowed in concentration. He'd been so sure of the first images, but now… She came closer and sat on the other side of the bed so she could see the monitor. It was Mike Ayala.
"You know him, Chakotay," B'Elanna prompted. "He's a member of Tuvok's security team; he was Maquis."
He pressed his lips together, then caught the lower lip with his teeth, frowning. "He's… umm…" He sighed, shook his head.
Kathryn could feel his frustration growing.
"Name is…" Another sigh, half groan, and he rubbed his hands up over his face.
Kathryn touched his arm. "It's all right," she assured, then glanced at B'Elanna.
"It's Mike. Mike Ayala," B'Elanna supplied.
And Chakotay nodded, squeezed his eyes closed, and then opened them. "M-Mike," he said, as if committing it to memory.
B'Elanna smiled at him, but hesitated, not sure whether to continue or not. How quickly his confidence seemed to falter, his expression no longer cocky but uncertain.
As if reading her mind, Chakotay nudged her hand with his. "Keep… going. I'm fine."
Uncertain, but not unwilling, B'Elanna realized, and as she exhaled a deep breath, she saw a look of relief flood Kathryn's eyes at his words; she'd been unsure as well.
"A few more," Kathryn suggested, "and then you finish lunch."
They viewed six more pictures – he knew half of them, and repeated the names of the ones he couldn't remember.
"We'll work on it again tomorrow," B'Elanna said, as she took the computer back to the entry area.
Kathryn placed her hand on his cheek. "The names will come back to you."
Chakotay nodded, but sensed the lingering tension. They were worried, he could tell. Not worried about him, but worried for him. He could discern the difference. They knew his memory would return; they just weren't sure how he'd handle the journey.
He picked up the spoon, toying with it in his fingers.
Kathryn touched the side of the bowl. "It still feels warm. You should finish eating."
He lifted a spoonful to his mouth, and then shifted his gaze to B'Elanna. "T-tomato – Tom's favorite."
He'd remembered that.
~vVv~