A soft tapping on the front door caught Kathryn off guard while she and Chakotay finished their breakfast. It was the first time anyone had ever knocked on their door, and Kathryn secretly thrilled at the notion of a visitor. She adored Chakotay and the life they shared here, but knowing that there was a new, unknown, seemingly docile species sharing the planet with them excited Kathryn in ways she hadn't been excited in a long time...probably since Voyager. Chakotay looked at her across the table, a knowing smile on his face. "Do you want to get it, or shall I?"
Kathryn chuckled, standing up slowly and moving through their home to the front door. She opened the door to their cabin and was greeted by one of the Phreezah; a slightly smaller being than Ono, and from what Kathryn could guess, a female. She had a brilliant smile and curious eyes. "Good morning." Her voice had a higher quality than Ono's, but still that same singsong lilt. Kathryn would have to remember to wear her comm badge every day while the Phreezah were here.
"Good morning," Kathryn answered with a smile, moving aside to let their visitor enter, "Please, come in if you'd like." The small being nodded her head, smiling sweetly as she crossed the threshold. As she entered she pulled her hood down, her white hair long and straight and pulled back and held with a scrap of the same fabric that she wore.
Her large violet eyes moved about the room as she turned slowly, taking in the fireplace, the bed, the wooden rocking chair, and the bench chair against the opposite wall; the phonograph and shelf of records and the bookshelf that Chakotay built, full of books and sculptures and photos. Kathryn watched as her visitor moved slowly about the room, looking at every single thing there was to look at. When she finally turned back to Kathryn, she smiled and moved back towards her. "My name is Oona. I can't tell you how thrilled I am that we have visitors after all these years." She held her hand out. Kathryn reached for it, then hesitated. "It's just a hand shake, I assure you. Ono told us what he saw of your customs. I will not have your thoughts unless you are willing to give them."
Kathryn felt at ease as she took Oona's hand and shook it gently, "And I am thrilled to meet you, Oona. My name is Kathryn." She held Oona's hand, laying her other hand on top. "Chakotay and I thought we would be alone here for the rest of our lives. Knowing that we have the potential for so many new friends is an exciting prospect." At that moment, Chakotay came through the doorway from the kitchen and into the cabin. Oona's eyes traveled over to his face, more curiosity painted there.
Chakotay's dimples played on his face, "Well, Kathryn, are you going to introduce me to your new friend?" Oona's face changed at the word 'friend', a curiosity showing there, not knowing the meaning of the word as first Kathryn, and now Chakotay both used it.
"Chakotay, this is Oona." Kathryn took Chakotay's hand in hers, "Oona, this is my...this is Chakotay." She chuckled at her loss for what to call him. She never introduced him to anyone when he wasn't acting as her first officer, and it was a strange feeling. "We served on the Starship Voyager together until we were infected by the virus that stranded us here." Oona nodded, reaching over to take Chakotay's offered hand, shaking it as she had Kathryn's.
"It is thrilling to have visitors on our planet, and I was hoping, if you don't mind," she turned to direct her words to Chakotay, "that I might have your thoughts." If the Phreezah could blush, Oona would have as she dropped her gaze momentarily before looking back up at Chakotay, and then to Kathryn. "I know I can be overly curious, and I apologize if it's off-putting, but I would so much like to know about you."
Chakotay nodded in understanding, "I understand completely. Kathryn and I are explorers as well, and curious by nature. We are eager to learn all there is to learn about you and your people. You may certainly have my thoughts. He motioned for her to follow him back towards the kitchen. All three of them made their way through the doorway and back into their original shelter.
"Oona, we have a device that can monitor what happens to Chakotay when you use your telepathic abilities on him. I wonder if you mind if I use it to see the exact effect it has on him. We know that it's safe for him, but if we knew it would be safe for me and our children as well, I'd be very curious to experience it as well." Kathryn looked down at the small woman expectantly.
"I have no objections." Kathryn grinned, pressing her hand gently to Oona's shoulder before moving off to the cupboard that held their medical and technical equipment. Pulling down a medical tricorder, she came back to the table where Chakotay had cleared away their breakfast and now sat down. From where he sat he was nearly eye to eye with Oona. Kathryn grinned at the sight. She pulled the other chair around next to Chakotay's, sitting down and opening the tricorder. Oona watched with curiosity, her violet eyes widening at the lights that came on when Kathryn activated the device. "What does that device do, exactly?"
Kathryn held it up so Oona could see the screen and detached the sensor. "It reads all of Chakotay's lifesigns, his body's functions and everything that happens to him. It will tell us how your abilities affect him." Oona reached out gently and touched the screen of the tricorder, jerking her hand back when it chirped at her. "It's harmless, I assure you." Kathryn smiled, motioning for Oona to carry on.
Oona placed her hand on Chakotay's face in a similar display as Ono, pressing her thumb into his temple and splaying her fingers into his hair. He closed his eyes as he felt Oona's presence in his mind. Kathryn moved the sensor of the tricorder back and forth slowly in front of Chakotay's face. Her eyes darted from his features to the screen of the tricorder, marveling at the readings.
Oona's abilities seemed to be beneficial in every way to Chakotay. His pulse and blood pressure were in optimal ranges. His endorphin levels were increasing and his norepinephrine levels were stable. The telepathic abilities of the Phreezah seemed to regenerate every cell in his body, in a similar fashion that the snow on her bare skin did. Oona's smile grew as she finally closed her eyes for a moment, taking in Chakotay's thoughts and memories. After several more seconds, she opened her eyes, retracting her hand from Chakotay's face.
Kathryn watched as Chakotay slowly opened his eyes. "What an amazing way to communicate. It's fascinating." He turned to Kathryn, glancing at the tricorder in her hand. "What about the readings?"
Kathryn handed over the tricorder, allowing Chakotay to see the data for himself. He pressed in several commands, watching as the results of his query came up. Oona watched silently as he and Kathryn interpreted the results. They both came to the same conclusion. "Kathryn, it looks to be completely safe for Oona to use her abilities on you." Hearing the encouragement in his voice calmed Kathryn as she nodded in agreement. Oona's expectant smile grew.
Kathryn handed the tricorder sensor to Chakotay and then turned to face Oona, "Chakotay will still monitor me, but I'd be happy for you to have my thoughts, Oona."
Kathryn took a deep breath as Oona nodded, her smile lighting up her pale face. She pressed her thumb against Kathryn's temple, and Kathryn felt that tingling sensation; the same one she'd felt in the snow. Oona's two fingers slid gently up into Kathryn's hair, leaving little electric sparks in their wake. She desperately wanted to keep her eyes open to watch Oona, and to watch Chakotay as he monitored her, but as soon as Oona began her quest through Kathryn's mind, the sensation forced her to shut her eyes, reveling only in the memories that came flooding past her mind's eye. Flashes of her childhood mingled with her memories of breakfast mere moments ago washed over her as Oona sifted through everything that made up Kathryn's entire existence. She saw flashes of Voyager; Tom's mischievous eyes, Harry's eager face and Kes' smile. She saw her mother and her sister and her father. She saw memories that had lain dormant and nearly forgotten in the recesses of her mind, mixed with things that just happened in the last few days. She saw herself and Chakotay making love, she saw sickbay as she and Chakotay waited for the Doctor to perform the implantation procedure. She saw Molly the last time she'd seen her on Earth. She saw Mark. She saw Starfleet Academy and Admiral Paris. She saw Tuvok and Neelix and her fourth grade teacher. It was overwhelming, but she craved more.
Before she was ready, she felt Oona's fingers slide away from her face, and all that was left were little tingles of electricity on her skin and even in her brain. It was invigorating. She left her eyes closed for a moment to try to savor the sensation.
"Kathryn, are you alright?" Chakotay's voice was gentle beside her and she opened her eyes, seeking his as she pressed a hand to his cheek.
"That was remarkable." He smiled at her answer, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. She turned back to Oona. "That was remarkable." Oona grinned, taking Kathyn's hand.
"For me as well. Your species is fascinating, and your capacity for emotions is something I've never experienced before. The two of you, for instance. I can see how much you love each other, and it's a strong love that has been building for months and months. And the love and protection you both feel for your children is miraculous." Oona rested her hand gently on Kathryn's stomach. "May I?"
Kathryn's eyes went wide at the implication, "You mean to tell me you can see the thoughts of the babies?" Chakotay was out of his chair and kneeling in front of Kathryn and next to Oona in a flash, just as curious as Kathryn was.
"I am not sure, but I would be eager to try, with your permission of course." Kathryn looked down at Chakotay, looking for reassurance. His dimpled smile met her. He nodded eagerly.
Kathryn nodded at Oona and the small woman pressed her thumb and fingers against Kathryn's belly. After a moment her other hand joined on the other side. Oona's head cocked sideways in concentration as she watched her own hands move. Finally they came to rest on the outer sides of the swell of Kathryn's pregnancy. She held still for a moment, closing her own lavender eyes as she focused. "I can see them both."
Kathryn took Chakotay's hand as they both focused on Oona's face, willing her to see everything that she could. "They are just like you." Oona opened her eyes, pulling her hands away.
"Well, I hope so," Chakotay said with a chuckle, "Since they are our children." Kathryn gave his hand a squeeze. Oona smiled.
"No, I believe I misspoke, or didn't explain correctly." Oona pressed her hand on the right side of Kathryn's stomach. "This child is like you, Kathryn." Oona spoke so plainly and matter-of-factly that Kathryn didn't realize what the implications were. "And this one," she slid her slender fingers to the other side of Kathryn's stomach, "This one is like you, Chakotay."
Realization hit Chakotay like a ton of bricks, "You mean their sexes?" Oona nodded. His mouth dropped open, "You can see that?" He was dumbfounded, "How is that possible?"
Oona didn't realize the importance of the information she had just provided them, "I see it just as I can see it in you. Everything in you that makes you male and Kathryn female. I can see it in the children. A female and a male."
Kathryn felt tears well up immediately and spill out down her cheeks as she covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide as she searched Oona's face. "A boy and a girl?" She spoke softly from behind her fingers.
Oona looked at her confused, but nodded. "Yes. I don't understand, why are you sad? Should I not have said anything?"
Kathryn smiled, taking Oona's hand and giving it a squeeze, "No, it's not that. It's just quite a surprise. If we were still on Voyager, we would already know the sex of the babies. But here on New Earth, we would have had to wait until their delivery to know. It's just monumental news, and makes it even more real." She turned to look at Chakotay, who she could tell was fighting back his own emotions for the benefit of their visitor.
Turning back to Oona, she smiled again, "Can you see anything else about them?" Emotion roughened her voice, but she too tried to keep her emotions in check until she and Chakotay were alone.
"They are...content. They both appreciate the presence of the other. I'm afraid that's all I can see at this stage of their development." She looked back at Kathryn's belly, "When will they be born?"
"In about four months. In the spring." Chakotay spoke, his hand coming to rest on Kathryn's stomach, her own hand pressing into his. She knew he could feel the gentle bumps beneath his hand as both the babies were awake and moving.
"We will already be gone below ground again." Oona spoke, a sadness in the soft quality of her voice, "I'll have to wait until the next cold to meet them."
Kathryn smiled at their new friends, "Well, we will be here. We aren't going anywhere anytime soon." Chakotay chuckled, nodding in agreement.
"Well, if you'll excuse me. It's getting a bit warm in here for me." Oona backed up a bit. "I'm afraid we Phreezah prefer it a bit colder." Kathryn and Chakotay stood and walked behind Oona as she made her way towards the front door. She turned back to face them before leaving. "I very much appreciate you inviting me into your home, and for sharing your thoughts with me."
"Thank you, Oona. Thank you for everything," Kathryn slid her hands over her belly for emphasis of her point. "You are welcome to visit any time. That goes for any of your people." Oona nodded.
"May I build my shelter nearby?"
Kathryn realized that the Phreezah were all about outside in the snow, building their small igloos to live in during the winter.
"Of course you can," Chakotay spoke. "If any of you need help, please let me know. I'd be happy to lend a hand."
"I appreciate that, Chakotay." Oona's slender fingers slid around the door latch and pulled the front door open. "I will see you soon."
As soon as the door closed behind Oona, Kathryn spun into Chakotay's embrace, feeling his arms come around her as they both finally let the emotions of their recent revelation consume them. Kathryn felt tears squeeze out of her closed eyes and land in the material of Chakotay's shirt. Chakotay pulled Kathryn slowly towards their bed until the mattress bumped the side of her calf. She pulled away from Chakotay to sit down on the edge of the bed, her eyes landing and staying on her pregnant belly. Chakotay knelt before her, a look of utter wonder on his face as he pressed his palm to the left side of her stomach. He immediately felt a soft kick there. "My son." The words came out on a whisper, and Kathryn felt fresh tears well up at the look of wonder in his eyes. She felt immeasurable honor that she could give him this gift; the gift of a son. It had been her initial idea to have a child to be sure, but seeing the absolute awe on his face at the realization that he was going to be the father of a son made her heart fill up even more.
Chakotay pressed a kiss where his hand had rested before sliding over to the right side of her belly, pressing another kiss on that side. "My baby girl." He spoke with the same reverence about his daughter, and Kathryn couldn't stay silent any longer as a soft sob escaped her lips as she reached for and took his hand, lacing her fingers with his. Images of Chakotay walking to the river, a laughing little girl on his shoulders made Kathryn's heart nearly burst from her chest. She had never known she could feel so much love as she felt in this moment for Chakotay and their son and daughter.
Chakotay finally looked up at Kathryn, "My love." He moved up, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss so full of love and devotion that Kathryn had to pull back to take a breath as her heart thudded in her chest. Quickly regaining herself, she leaned forward to capture his lips again. His hands came up to frame her face, his fingers moving gently as if she were the most delicate thing he'd ever touched. Her hands came up to hold his wrists as she deepened the kiss, her tongue sweeping gently across his full bottom lip. He moaned softly as one hand slid up into her hair and the other down her arm, his knuckles brushing her breast gently as his hand moved lower. Just as his hand found the hem of her shirt, there was another knock on the door.
Chakotay's groan of frustration matched Kathryn's as her eyes came open, darkened with desire but glittering with the news of their babies and of the new visitor on the other side of the door. She pressed her lips together to stifle her laugher. "I guess we'll have to set visiting hours for our new neighbors."
Chakotay chuckled and nodded, standing up and helping Kathryn to her feet. "I love you, Kathryn. Words cannot tell you how much I love you, and the amazing gift of our son and our daughter." Kathryn felt her eyes burn as he spoke the words. It still felt surreal that they now knew what the babies were, and her mind had been reeling since the moment Oona had told them. Images of babies with dimples and dark hair and blue eyes had been common in her dreams, but now she could picture a little girl and boy playing together, helping her in the garden, and listening to Chakotay teach them about their native ancestors. She pressed her hand to her chest at the thought.
"I love you, too. I can't believe we are going to have a son and a daughter." She pressed another quick kiss to his lips as another knock sounded at the door. She chuckled as she pulled away, "We'll talk more about it later. Right now we have more neighbors to meet."
"I never thought we'd get to say that on New Earth." Chakotay grinned, taking Kathryn's hand as they moved back towards the front door to greet their newest visitor.
=/\=
Kathryn sank into bed that night completely exhausted, but more contented and overall thrilled than she had been in weeks. Chakotay was completing his evening ablutions and Kathryn enjoyed listening to him move quietly about the home. She heard the water turn on and shut off in their small bathroom, and then she heard him move closer, turning lights off as he made his way to the main cabin.
They had had visits from six more members of the Phreezah, and each had been eager to learn all they could about Kathryn, Chakotay, and their impending arrivals. Omar and Ona had visited first, followed by Odar and Otin, Olin, Ootar and Olina. All of them had been eager to meet their new human neighbors and get to understand their lives here. Kathryn and Chakotay enjoyed meeting everyone, but Chakotay could tell as the day wore on that Kathryn was exhausted. She had been trained for 'First Contact' scenarios at the Academy, but it had been months since Captain Janeway had been put to work, and that combined with her pregnancy wore her out, both physically and mentally. After Omar and Ona both 'listened' to the babies (both confirming that it was a boy and a girl), Chakotay didn't let any of their other visitors use their abilities on Kathryn or the babies. He didn't want to risk long term exposure to their telepathic abilities, and mostly he knew that Kathryn was getting tired of being poked and prodded. The Phreezah were gracious about it, more than happy to look into Chakotay's mind. By the time their last visitor left, the sun was nearly gone in the western sky, and Kathryn was exhausted. Chakotay made them a quick and light dinner before they both got ready for bed.
The fire burned low in the fireplace, and Chakotay moved now to stoke it back to life, adding logs that would fuel it for the rest of the night. Kathryn watched the firelight dance over Chakotay's naked chest, his skin glowing a deep copper in the orange light. He wore flannel pajama pants and his feet were bare. Kathryn marveled at his seemingly above average body temperature. It had come in handy on several occasions in the morning when the air was cool around her, but his warmth trapped under the blankets kept her quite comfortable.
He padded quietly over to the bed, picking up the PADD that lay on the nightstand. It had become an evening ritual, ever since Kathryn had awoken in her rocking chair to him reading to the babies, for Chakotay to read something out loud before they went to sleep. He'd exhausted their computer supply of children's stories. He'd made up stories, and told Kathryn and the babies several stories about the legends of his people. Kathryn enjoyed these moments just as much as Chakotay. His voice was soothing, and she loved this side of him. She also enjoyed the stories he fabricated, always curious how they would end. He told stories of the hawks that roamed the skies, and the deer that traversed the earth, and of the air spirits that whispered on the wind and moved through the trees. He even told the babies the story of an angry warrior who finally found his peace.
Chakotay turned to face Kathryn under the covers, setting the PADD down momentarily so they could talk. Kathryn grinned before Chakotay even said anything. "How are our daughter and son doing tonight?" Kathryn beamed at him as his hand found her belly under the blankets.
"They are tired too; exhausted from so many visitors." She let her hand sweep over her stomach gently before letting it rest on top of Chakotay's. "I think they are both asleep. I haven't felt them in about an hour." He nodded.
"We can skip reading tonight if you want." He picked up the PADD and moved to set it back on the nightstand. Kathryn stopped him.
"No, if you're up for it, I'm ready for story time." She winked at him. "They might be asleep, but I like listening to you read too."
Chakotay grinned, propping himself up so he could hold the PADD in one hand and rest his other on the swell of her stomach. Kathryn turned a bit as well so she could better watch Chakotay as he read.
They had been reading 'Anne of Green Gables', one of Kathryn's favorite novel series from when she was a child. As Chakotay began, Kathryn felt herself instantly begin to nod off, but she tried desperately to stay awake and listen to Chakotay read. She enjoyed these quiet moments with him and their children, and she enjoyed how much he seemed to enjoy it.
Exhaustion quickly won out though, and before Chakotay got to the end of the chapter, Kathryn was fast asleep. Chakotay noticed almost immediately, his voice growing softer and softer until he whispered the last few lines of the chapter. Turning the screen of the PADD off he set it down gently on the nightstand.
Hoping he wouldn't wake Kathryn, he slid down so he could easily reach her stomach. He pressed a tender kiss to the left side of her belly, "Goodnight, little warrior." With a soft smile to himself he moved to mimic his motions on the other side, where his daughter now slumbered. "Goodnight, sweet pea. I love you both very much."
With a contented sigh, Chakotay lay back and quickly joined Kathryn in slumber.