Chakotay woke first the next morning, dressing and replicating breakfast for the two of them. It was 0810, and he wanted Kathryn up, awake, and having eaten breakfast before Q came back, no doubt with a crazy new notion of child-rearing. He was reading over the past week's efficiency reports when Kathryn came out from the bedroom, her bathrobe tied around her waist and a sleepy expression on her face; her lips drawing up in a soft smile when she saw breakfast waiting for her. With a soft hum in her throat, she granted Chakotay a good morning kiss before going to the bathroom for a quick sonic shower.
When Kathryn sat down to breakfast, Chakotay put the report down. "Any idea what advice you're going to give Q about his son?" Kathryn bit into a piece of toast, chewing and swallowing while she thought.
"Honestly, I don't want to give him advice. I want him to come up with his own ideas, and then maybe we can just...guide him towards good ideas." She took a sip of her tea, "Q needs to learn how to parent his son. If we keep telling him how to do it, he'll never be able to make good decisions on his own." Kathryn's gaze had drifted while she thought about it, and when her eyes came back to Chakotay, she furrowed her brow at the playful grin on his face. "What?"
Chakotay chuckled, "You're going to be an excellent mother." He leaned across the table and pecked her lips gently. Kathryn blushed, leaning back in her chair.
"Well," she was flustered by the compliment for a moment, "Our own little one should be much less trouble because we will raise her right from the very beginning." She grinned at Chakotay, "Though I have a feeling we're going to have trouble with her father. I have a feeling she'll have her daddy wrapped around her little finger from the moment she's born."
Chakotay chuckled, "Oh, she already does." He took a sip of tea, "You know, we've never really talked about this before...how we want to raise our daughter."
Kathryn looked stricken for a moment, "I hadn't really thought past feeding and changing diapers and lack of sleep on everyone's part." She wiped her mouth with her napkin before dropping it on her plate, "I take it you've thought beyond that?" He could sense trepidation in her voice and he smiled softly at her.
"Not far beyond that, actually. I just know that I want to teach her about her native heritage, help her eventually find her animal guide, teach her our meditation and prayer rituals."
Kathryn gave him an almost dreamy smile, "I want that for her too. I want you to teach her to cook since I certainly can't. You can teach her that it's okay to question the world around her."
Chakotay leaned across the table, taking her hands, "And you will teach her to be confident in herself, and to be curious about the world around her." Kathryn smiled, giving his hand a squeeze.
"She will have a ship full of teachers. B'Elanna will teach both girls about engineering, Tom will watch cartoons with them. Harry can teach them about music…" she paused, thinking about all the members of their crew, "Wow, our daughter is really lucky to be born into such a vast family," Kathryn felt emotions burn in her eyes.
Chakotay nodded, "She is already blessed beyond measure." he paused, "Have you given any thought to a name? We haven't really talked about that either, and we only have a few months to decide."
Kathryn grinned, "I have a few ideas, but I'm afraid you might find them silly."
Chakotay smiled back at her, "Try me."
"Sickbay to Captain Janeway," the Doctor cut through the moment, and Kathryn let go of Chakotay's hand to tap her comm badge.
"Go ahead Doctor." Kathryn gave Chakotay an apologetic look, but knew they could continue this conversation later.
"Captain, could you and Commander Chakotay please report to sickbay? It is time for your weekly prenatal checkup, and I have someone here who would like to talk to you." The Doctor spoke with obvious irritation in his voice.
"On our way," Kathryn spoke, standing up and smoothing her maternity uniform over her growing stomach. "We'll talk more tonight, okay?"
"Deal."
=/\=
Kathryn and Chakotay entered sickbay to find Q in the corner, looking into a petri-dish, and the Doctor was watching him, a look of disapproval on his face. Kathryn knew that the someone The Doctor had referred to was Q, but she was glad at least that he'd kept to his word, not barging in on her or appearing out of nowhere. She could much more easily handle his visits if he was better behaved. Q looked up when they entered, tossing the petri-dish down on the workstation.
"Kathy, you're positively glowing this morning. I never told you before, but pregnancy looks good on you," he beamed at her. Kathryn wasn't sure of his sincerity, but since his son wasn't around to bring disaster down upon them, and Q wasn't in her bathtub, she'd take it.
"Thank you Q. Good morning to you too. Can whatever you have to say wait until after I check in with The Doctor?" Kathryn knew of Q's eagerness to deal with his son, and though she wondered where the younger Q was, she knew she'd find out sooner or later.
"Absolutely. I'll just stay right over here and keep quiet. You go on with whatever you had planned," he giggled to himself, picking up the petri-dish again and flipping it back and forth from hand to hand. Kathryn knew whatever he was up to was not good, but the Doctor didn't say anything so she ignored him for the moment, moving to the biobed that had been unofficially designated for her. The Doctor left many of the instruments there, and it had been lowered slightly to make it easier for her to climb up on, since her coordination wasn't what it was several months ago, along with the fact that the extra weight was more difficult to lift.
Chakotay stood at the head of the bed in silence while the Doctor did the preliminary examination with the medical tricorder. He was not at all needed for these appointments, but once the Doctor was finished, he always let them listen to the heartbeat for a moment, and that was what Chakotay always looked forward to the most.
"Alright Captain, your protein levels are a bit on the low side, so we may have to increase your daily dosage. At this point I don't see it affecting rate of pregnancy, but this far along," he paused, glancing over at Q, then back to Kathryn, "Would you like me to ask him to leave until we are finished?"
Kathryn glanced over at Q, still observing the petri-dish. He wasn't watching her, but she knew he could hear everything being said. She also knew he would know what was being said, no matter where on the ship he was. "No, it's fine. Go ahead, Doctor."
"Alright, well, I was going to say that an increase in the dose of the protein will probably cause increased hormone fluctuations. I don't have to tell you how...emotional Klingons can be, let alone pregnant ones. The elevated levels of serum protein is one of the main causes. I'm afraid that will be a side effect you may have to deal with for the duration of your pregnancy." Kathryn nodded, not looking forward to that, but thankful that mood swings hadn't been a problem thus far.
"On a happier note, your own pregnancy is progressing remarkably well, and your daughter has more or less caught up to the Paris/Torres baby. I have no doubt that you will give birth to them both at the same time," he glanced down at the tricorder, "in roughly two and a half months."
"So soon?" Kathryn was shocked. She knew Tom and B'Elanna's baby was doing well and was very healthy, but had no idea that her own little one had matured so quickly over such a short amount of time. "Are you certain?"
"Quite. A normal Klingon pregnancy is twenty eight to thirty two weeks. With the Paris baby being only one quarter Klingon, that gives us some wiggle room on that number. And with you taking the protein supplement every morning, that cuts your pregnancy down from forty weeks to around thirty four to thirty five. Nature will obviously dictate those numbers for us when the time comes, but I am confident that your baby will be ready to deliver whenever the Paris baby is."
Kathryn felt Chakotay's hand slide into hers before she even sought him out. Chakotay knew this part of the situation was still not easy for Kathryn to stomach. She didn't like the idea of her own pregnancy being accelerated, regardless of the fact that the Doctor told her that her baby was completely healthy. Chakotay knew that she could handle it, and had been handling it, but he also knew that she didn't like it.
So he held her hand, lending whatever strength he could to ease her discomfort, smiling to himself when she squeezed his hand.
"I'll reprogram your replicator for the adjusted dose of the protein, but give you a booster this morning to get your levels up" the Doctor administered a hypospray and then punched several commands into his computer console before retrieving the device that Chakotay had been waiting to see. Kathryn unzipped her uniform jacket and lay back, allowing the Doctor to place the small device on her stomach.
Immediately the space around them was filled with the loud fluttering of the baby's heartbeat, and Chakotay felt emotions burn in his eyes at the sound. It wasn't that he didn't know she was there; it was evident every day from Kathryn's growing stomach and appetite, to the soft and not so soft bumps he felt whenever he lay his hand on her belly. There was just something about hearing her heartbeat, strong and healthy, that always warmed the special place in his heart that was designated just for his daughter.
Kathryn closed her eyes and just took in the sound of her daughter's heartbeat; for as much as she didn't like certain aspects of this seemingly rushed pregnancy, all of her trepidation faded into the background when she was able to spend these precious moments with Chakotay and the audible evidence of their growing child.
"That's extraordinary," Q spoke, much closer now than he had been during her examination. Kathryn startled, opening her eyes to look up at the omnipotent being. "For as simple as you bipeds are, I must admit there are many aspects of your existence that I find utterly fascinating." Q then stood silently and listened, as they all did, to the fluttery heartbeat. "Remarkable," Q whispered, watching Kathryn's stomach.
"Q, just because your son was conceived and brought into being in a different way than our daughter doesn't make him any less remarkable. Your son is special in his own way; because he is the first child born in the continuum, and because he is your son."
"You may be right, Kathy," Q pursed his lips, "But we've got to teach him respect and responsibility, and that there are consequences to his actions," he snickered, looking over at the Doctor and then back to Kathryn, "Are you done here?"
Chakotay was a touch irritated for Q interrupting this moment, but he let it slide because he knew as soon as they helped him with his problem, he would be gone. Kathryn sat up and re-zipped her jacket. "Yes, Q. We are done, as long as the Doctor is finished. The EMH nodded and moved back to his office, clearly also frustrated with Q's meddling.
"Good! Now, Kathy, Chuckles, come and see what I've done." he snickered again, nearly giddy, and Kathryn and Chakotay shared a glance, knowing whatever he was up to was no good. He moved back to the table he'd been standing beside, picking up the petri-dish again, staring into the slimy green contents of the disc.
Chakotay and Kathryn stood silently, watching and waiting for Q to speak, but all he did was grin at them. "I think that's long enough," Q spoke proudly, and with a snap of his fingers his son appeared before them, a look of abject horror on his face.
"What was that for?!" The young Q rounded on his father, seeming to not even notice Kathryn or Chakotay standing there as well.
Q just smirked at his son, "What, didn't like your life as an Oprelian amoeba?"
"No, it was awful. I was slimy and shapeless and there was nothing to eat but paramecia," he made a gagging sound in his throat, and Kathryn was sure she heard Chakotay chuckle softly beside her.
"Well then," Q quipped, "I'm sure you'll do whatever it takes to keep from returning to that state of being, yes?" His son eyed him nervously.
"What are you talking about?" The young man questioned, glancing for the first time at Kathryn and Chakotay.
"Yes, Q, what are you talking about?" Kathryn asked, trying to figure his line of thinking.
"I'm talking about you spending the rest of your life as an amoeba if you don't straighten up. The Continuum and I have decided that if you don't become a model Q, that is exactly what your fate will be," he giggled behind his teeth, his smile drawing wider. "You have seven days here with the Captain to straighten up, or it's a single-celled life for you, young man."
Kathryn felt her stomach drop, "Wait a minute. I thought we agreed that you were going to take a more active role as his father, Q." Q cringed, turning to face her.
"I've thought about it for some time now, and I think it's still better to leave him here with you and Chuckles," Q turned to Chakotay, "You said yourself you wanted practice in child-rearing. Here's your chance."
"Out of the question," Kathryn shouted, holding up both hands. Even she was surprised at her outburst, figuring maybe those Klingon hormones were stronger and faster acting than she thought. "Q, I will agree to help you with your son, but you will be here every step of the way." She glanced between father and son, "Q," she looked at the elder, "You will stay and work with your son during the next seven days because if he fails to grow and mature, it will be on you for abandoning him just as much as it's on him for not making a genuine effort."
Chakotay wanted to applaud Kathryn's gumption and her willingness to stand up to Q, but instead, he kept quiet, knowing this was her enterprise and he would help her however she asked.
Q pouted to himself for a moment before nodding sullenly, "Alright, Kathy, you win. If Junior fails, I don't want the Continuum to think I had anything to do with it." The younger Q scoffed, walking a few steps away before turning around.
"Have fun then Q. See you in seven days," the younger Q smirked, snapping his fingers…
...and nothing happened. He snapped them again with the same result. His father sniggered and Kathryn looked over at him questioningly.
"The Continuum has decided to relieve you of your powers for the next week."
The young Q's jaw dropped open, as did Kathryn's. Chakotay stood silently, trying not to laugh at the look of dumbfoundedness on their faces. Q's son's shoulder's dropped as he acquiesced to his fate. Kathryn shook her head, "Alright, Commander, you take this one," she pointed at the young Q. "I'll take this one," she motioned to his father, "And we'll meet at 1300 hours in the mess hall for lunch."
Chakotay nodded, gesturing for the young man to follow him. Once they were out of sickbay, Kathryn turned to Q. "You and I need to talk."