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Switched

Chapter 21

Sitting at their table, waiting for Kathryn to return, Chakotay glanced at an old fashioned clock that hung on a nearby wall. It was now almost 10:30 pm and Kathryn had been gone a good twenty minutes. It should only have taken her five to get to their room and another five to get back, so he could only conclude she was having trouble with the replicator. No doubt she was having to look up the item number. He wished he was wearing a commbadge so he could contact her, but as they didn't want to be disturbed by anyone, they'd decided not to wear them.

"Hi there," an attractive blonde woman in a red flapper dress said. "All on your lonesome?"

"No," Chakotay answered. "I'm waiting for someone."

"You've been waiting a while. And a handsome man like you shouldn't be kept waiting." She held out a hand with blood red nails. "Come, dance with me."

"No, thankyou," Chakotay replied. "I told you, I'm waiting for someone."

"Suit yourself," she said, a little miffed. "But if you change your mind, I'll be right over there." With a long finger she pointed to a distant table. "Hope you'll come, sexy."

She then walked over to the table, swaying her hips seductively, but Chakotay's eyes were drawn to the clock again. It was now 10:40 pm. He looked towards the door, hoping to see Kathryn making her way through the crowd, but there was no sign of her. Concern began to set in now. Concern at what, he didn't quite know, but he felt anxious nonetheless. Maybe Kathryn had cut her foot or slipped on the stairs by walking without shoes. Most likely she was still battling the replicator, but something inside was compelling him to go and investigate. Unable to resist the compulsion, he got to his feet, put on his jacket, picked up Kathryn's handbag, and left the hall.

Chakotay hoped to meet Kathryn as he walked to their room but there was no sign of her in the lobby, on the stairs, or in any of the long corridors. At last he reached room 509 and found that its great oak door was slightly ajar. He pushed it open and stepped into the room, speaking as he did.

"Kathryn, are you...?"

His mouth stopped and his whole being froze in horror when he saw Kathryn lying lifelessly on the floor in a pool of blood. Then his senses kicked in and he rushed over to her.

"Kathryn..." he cried. "My god...Kathryn. What happened...?"

Kathryn made no reply and he saw that she was unconscious. He also saw the slashes on her dress and knew immediately that she'd been attacked.

"No...." he wept. "Kathryn...."

With trembling fingers he put his hand to Kathryn's neck and desperately searched for her pulse. Relief consumed him when he found it, but the beat was extremely faint. Quickly, he got to his feet and hurried over to the wall-comm.

"Chakotay to the Doctor. Medical Emergency at my location."

A female voice answered. "The Doctor is performing surgery."

"Damn!" Chakotay cried. He then activated the comm again. "Room 509 to Reception. Medical Emergency."

A man's voice answered. "Please state the nature of the emergency."

"My wife's been attacked. Quickly...she needs urgent medical attention."

"Stand by," the man replied.

Chakotay hurried back over to Kathryn, knelt beside her, and tried to plug a gushing wound with his fingers. "Hang in there, Kathryn," he cried. "Don't die on me. Don't you dare die on me."

Kathryn's blood seeped through his fingers and Chakotay pressed harder. He then looked up at the ceiling, desperately waiting for the transporter beam. "Come on..." he cried. "Come on!"

At last a blue beam engulfed them and they dematerialized.

When Chakotay rematerialized, he found himself sitting on a biobed in a clinical room. A male doctor and a female nurse were standing before him and the doctor spoke.

"You reported an attack on your wife," he said in a strong Irish accent. "Have you sustained any injuries?"

"No," Chakotay replied in a daze.

"What about your hands?" the nurse asked, seeing them covered in blood. "Are they..."

"I'm fine," Chakotay interrupted. "My wife...she was...Please...tell me she'll be ok."

"She's in good hands," the Doctor replied. "Could you please tell me your name? It has not been passed on."

"Chakotay," he said. "Commander."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Of Voyager fame?"

"Yes," he answered. He then got to his feet. "Please...I must know what's happening with Kathryn."

The nurse put a kind hand on his arm. "We'll tell you as soon as we have news."

"Kathryn..." the doctor said. "That wouldn't be Captain Kathryn Janeway, would it?"

"Yes," Chakotay replied.

The Doctor turned to the nurse and tried to alleviate the tension with a joke. "Then we have celebrities on our hands."

"Seems we do," she smiled. "But I didn't know you and the Captain were married."

"We've only been a couple of days," he answered. "We were..." Tears filled his eyes. "Don't let her die."

The nurse caressed his arm. "Sit down, Commander. Relax. As the doctor says, the Captain's in good hands. Very good hands. I'll get you cleaned up and then you can wait in the family room. Is there anyone you'd like us to call?"

"Yes," he said, sitting down. "Her mother."

The doctor spoke. "Then I'll get someone to call right away."

He then left the room, leaving the nurse to attend to Chakotay.

An hour later, Chakotay was still waiting for news. Gretchen and Phoebe had come as soon as they'd been told and he waited with them in a small little family room.

"Why won't they tell us anything?" Phoebe cried. "Why are they taking so long?"

"No news is good news," Gretchen said quietly. "We have to believe that."

Chakotay fidgeted with his fingers. "I should have been with her," he said absently. "If I'd been there then..."

Gretchen put her hand on his. "Thinking like that does no good."

Suddenly doors leading to the corridor outside opened and two dark-haired men came in. The tallest and oldest addressed Chakotay.

"Commander Chakotay?"

He looked up at them with heavy eyes. "That's right."

"I'm Detective Carter and this is Sergeant Willis. We'd like to speak to you about what happened."

"I don't know," Chakotay answered. "I just found her."

"In your hotel room?" the detective went on.

"Yes," he replied. "Her shoe had broken and she went to...she didn't come back...so I went to look for her...and...I found her."

"Unconscious with multiple knife wounds?"

Gretchen got to her feet. "Do you have to do this now, Detective? Can't you see he's in shock? And show some respect! My daughter is in there fighting for her life!"

"Which is why we are here, Ma'am," he answered. "The more the Commander can tell us, the easier it will be for us to catch the bastard that did this."

The sergeant spoke now. "While you were in the Maquis, you made a lot of enemies, didn't you, Commander? Do you think someone with a grudge against you could be responsible?"

"No," Chakotay said. "I don't know."

The detective spoke again. "You have no idea who could have done this?"

"No," Chakotay cried. "If I did I'd kill the bastard!"

The Detective pursed his lips. "So you have the capacity to kill, Commander? It certainly took a certain sort of man to join the Maquis. Did you really find your wife unconscious in a pool of blood or did you put her in it?"

Chakotay's eyes widened. "Me? You think I could...Never! I love Kathryn. I could never...Never!"

"You'd be surprised how many atrocities are committed in the name of love," the Sergeant retorted. "What happened? Did you argue and things got out of control? You wouldn't be the first man to stab his wife...."

"That's enough!" Gretchen cried. "Enough! Chakotay has told you what he knows. And he knows nothing. You're wasting time here. Go and find the monster who did this and leave us alone!"

"Very well," the Detective conceded. "We'll leave." He glanced at Chakotay. "But we're not done with the questions yet. We'll be back." He then put his hand on Gretchen's shoulder. "Our prayers are with your daughter."

The two men then left.

"How can they even think you'd hurt Kathryn?" Phoebe cried. "Damn it. You're even a vegetarian!"

"I'd die for her," Chakotay whispered. "And I wish it was me in there now. I can't bear this...I can't."

Gretchen sat down and took his hand. "Our Katie's a fighter. She won't let this bastard get the best of her. She'll come through."

Another set of doors opened now and a doctor came out. His face was grave, pale, and Chakotay froze with dread. The same dread consumed Gretchen and Phoebe and neither of them spoke. They all just looked at the doctor in fear.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," the doctor began. "The Captain was in a critical condition on arrival and we've had a real struggle to save her. Not only had she lost a tremendous amount of blood but she'd suffered severe internal injuries. For a while we didn't think she was going to make it. But we've managed to stabilize her condition and, providing there are no complications, she should pull through."

Chakotay closed his eyes in infinite relief and Phoebe and Gretchen hugged each other.

"Thank God," Gretchen said. "Thank God."

"I do have some bad news, however," the doctor continued.

Chakotay opened his eyes and looked at him. "What is it?"

The doctor was a moment in answering. "The baby didn't make it."

Chakotay flinched. "Baby?"

"Your wife was five weeks pregnant. I'm sorry."

Tears filled Chakotay's eyes and grief for a child he had not known existed filled his heart.

"I'm also sorry to say that because of her injuries, your wife will not be able to have another child."

Phoebe began to weep and Gretchen put her arms around her.

"But as terrible as that is," the doctor went on, "Kathryn is a very lucky woman. Given the extent of her injuries, it's a miracle she's still alive."

"May I see her?" Chakotay asked.

"Yes," the doctor answered, "but only for a moment. She's still in a very serious condition and is in a coma."

"I'd like to see her too," Phoebe said.

"I'm afraid only one person is permitted at a time," the doctor told her.

Gretchen put her hand on Chakotay's arm. "You go first, Chakotay. She'd want you first."

The doctor gestured to a double door behind him. "Follow me."

Chakotay followed him into the medical bay and found no one there except Kathryn. She was lying on a biobed, her naked body covered in a white sheet, and a dozen instruments were monitoring her vital signs. Her hair was still a black bob but all trace of make up was gone. Slowly, tearfully, Chakotay went over to her, took her left hand in his and sat beside her. Tenderly he kissed her wedding ring and then stroked her pale brow.

"I'm sorry, Kathryn," he whispered. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you. I love you so much and all I've ever wanted to do is keep you safe." A tear ran down his cheek. "But you're going to be just fine, my darling. I know you are."

END OF CHAPTER 21