Chapter 11 – Epilogue
Chakotay and Seven were standing side by side overlooking the parade field at Starfleet Academy. They were both in dress uniforms and before them the cadet wing stood at attention. On either side were the rest of the Academy's faculty. The two of them were taking a semester sabbatical from Star Fleet Research to teach courses to these future officers. Admiral Arbin, the recently appointed Bolian superintendent, was off to their right before the cadet wing. "At ease!" he called out.
The cadet wing relaxed and the faculty resumed their seats in the stands. Seven noticed that Chakotay hesitated for a second, but then sat down next to her. It was a formal parade and Seven adjusted the seldom used Star Fleet hat she was wearing. It was both unfamiliar and uncomfortable.
"Do you have a tricorder?" Chakotay asked.
Seven gave Chakotay a look of irritation, and then answered, "Are you kidding?"
Admiral Arbin was now addressing the cadet wing. Chakotay chuckled and then turned back to Seven. "I'm sorry, I'm not certain why I asked you that. A strange feeling came over me."
Seven frowned. Her husband could be eccentric at times, although she supposed that was true for everyone.
Her husband… Seven liked the sound of that. The past two years had been eventful and wonderful. They were married soon after accepting the positions at Utopia Planitia and Star Fleet Research. Admiral Paris had conducted the ceremony and all their friends from Voyager and the Val Jean had been there. And then a year later, Ixchel was born. What a glorious surprise. It had been a difficult pregnancy and delivery due to her Borg implants, but Chakotay was by her side the whole time. Their daughter was now just over a year old. She hated to leave her to attend this parade, but B'Elanna had offered to look after her along with her own daughter Miral.
Seven leaned closer to Chakotay. "Have we been here long enough?" she asked in a whisper.
Chakotay smiled mischievously. Seven knew he wasn't fond of these parades either. "What are you suggesting?"
Seven shrugged. "We do have a one year old, after all. People would understand." At Star Fleet Research, they could bring their daughter with them almost anywhere. The work environment was very family friendly. Here at the Academy, however, the rules were somewhat different.
Chakotay seemed to consider this for a moment and then touched his comm badge. "Emergency beam out of Commander Hansen and myself to our apartment."
Immediately the field at Starfleet Academy faded and the two of them appeared in their apartment near the Academy in San Francisco. Seven liked it when Chakotay was decisive. The prototype on-demand site-to-site transporter they were testing worked flawlessly. Yet another piece of advanced technology being developed in Admiral Paris' research division. She moved over to the apartment's computer. "I'll call B'Elanna and have her bring over Ixchel."
"The weather looks nice. Are we still going to that picnic this evening?" Chakotay asked moving towards the bedroom, most likely to change out of his dress uniform.
"Of course," Seven replied. "The Admiral is here on Earth and has been looking forward to it." Admiral Paris had sort of adopted them both into the Paris family. They were planning to meet near the old lighthouse on the Marin Headlands in Golden Gate Park. Tom, B'Elanna, and Miral would also be there, and possibly B'Elanna's parents who were due to arrive on Earth soon. B'Elanna had confided to Seven recently her surprise that her parents were back together again after such a long separation. It was nice that her friend was able to reconcile with her parents, something unavailable to Seven. As she entered B'Elanna's number, Seven smiled to herself. She quite enjoyed the company of B'Elanna's parents, particularly her mother who was often lively and unpredictable.
After making the call, Seven stepped into the bedroom to change into something more comfortable as well. The weather outside was indeed warm, so she decided on one of her new sun dresses acquired for their stay on Earth. Chakotay was already finished changing when the door chime sounded. B'Elanna and Tom were also renting an apartment close by. "I'll get it," he said.
When Seven emerged, Chakotay was walking back from the door, Ixchel asleep in his arms. "B'Elanna had to go quickly so couldn't say hi," he said. "She's picking up her parents at the space port and will meet us at the park later." Seven stepped up and cradled Ixchel's head in her hand. Her daughter's thin wispy brown hair was beginning to fill out and tumbled out of the blanket. She never fully appreciated the bond between a mother and her child until experiencing it herself. She looked up to Chakotay who was looking back at her lovingly. The three of them were a family. How amazing and sometimes overwhelming and always wonderful that was.
Her family.
#
THE END
Author's note: That's that. Hope you enjoyed. Please leave a review and let me know what you think.
For those who read my story "The Folly of the Stewards", you might recognize the beginning of this chapter as something similar as to what happened to the Chakotay from that universe as he was moved about into different AUs. One of those AUs was what spawned "Legacy" and another this story (two others were scifiromance's "The Girl Next Door" and The Cheshire Cheese's "Sleepwalking" – two stories I need to get caught up on!).
At some point I'll pick one of the AUs from "Possibilities" for my next C/7 story. You can still vote which AU that might be by leaving a review for that story too... ;)
TTFN, cojack