Kathryn's stomach twisted violently. She looked back at Gretchen in distress, as the younger woman continued to glare at her, gaze growing tired now.

What do I say to that?

"Gretchen your father….Chakotay suggested to me that maybe your last words to each other were harsh….that maybe your mother didn't have the confidence she should've had in you….."

Gretchen made an odd noise and looked away.

Kathryn continued to speak, the words falling out of her mouth faster than she could analyze them. She was trying to say anything that would make her daughter's pain go away, or even distract her from it.

"I don't think he even expected that it was this bad…..I…..I'm very sorry she made so many decisions without thinking of how it would impact you…..I can't imagine….I…..I've gone to visit my father's grave so many times since he died."

"What?"

Gretchen, turned to her immediately, voice surprised, and eyes narrowing.

Oh no…..she didn't know that…

"Your father is buried?"

A voice of total shock and betrayal.

"I….yes Gretchen."

"But he's Starfleet."

"Burial in space isn't always done in the Alpha Quadrant Gretchen….not even for deaths on duty…it was technically requested but my mother overruled it and….."

"Your mother overruled his last wishes?"

"I think she was worried about Phoebe and…..me" said Kathryn quickly, knowing it was the wrong thing to say, but unable to avoid the conversation.

"You," said Gretchen, seeming to choke as she continued speaking, "You were a grown woman when your father died…..but your mother refused because…that was what you wanted?"

"I….." said Kathryn, unable to avoid it, "It was what he would've really wanted…..for us to be at peace….funerals are for the living….."

She had known…..she had known Gretchen would lose her temper…..she was not prepared for how badly.

The woman immediately picked up one of the baskets, and flung it at one of the stained glass windows, howling in anger, and Kathryn knew…..pain….

Her daughter then went to the opposite side of the casket, reached her hands in the deep basket and started to pull those flowers apart with her hands.

Kathryn was relieved for the slightest moment, before she realized that the odd hyacinths had, inexplicably large thorns in them. As Gretchen lifted one of her arms up, Kathryn could see it was lined with dozens of blood trails. The woman dived her arms in again, and Kathryn was afraid she would continue until her arms were completely shredded.

"Gretchen, Gretchen stop," said Kathryn, summoning her best Captain voice, the one that always got immediate attention, no matter the circumstances.

Gretchen however, did not even glance her way, but continue tearing the plant and herself apart, lost in her own world.

Kathryn approached her, steeling herself for what had to be done.

She circled around Gretchen and grabbed her from behind, using a hold they had taught her at the Academy.

"Stop it," she said very firmly, "I know you need to be angry. You have a right to be angry. But stop destroying yourself over that anger."

Kathryn held Gretchen's arms down at her sides, "You've been angry at her since you were a child…..but she was the Captain…..she was your mother…..you wanted her approval too badly…..so you took it out on yourself…."

Kathryn felt herself being elbowed deeply in the gut, as Gretchen twisted out of the hold and knocked her away.

They stared at each other. Kathryn took in Gretchen's hazy eyes and ragged, heavy breathing, uncharacteristically uncertain of what to do.

A moment later Gretchen was crouched on the floor, one hand to her head.

"Gretchen?" asked Kathryn, immediately alarmed at any risk to her mind.

Is she having a vision? As she hesitated, she crouched down to see Gretchen's face.

The younger woman reached another hand to her head and moaned, but as Kathryn reached the floor, her attention went upwards. She stared at Kathryn's face for the briefest moment, and then lunged for the older woman's throat, "You left me out here!"

Kathryn was knocked backwards, prostrate on the floor as she felt the nails dig into her throat. She could not speak. Gretchen stared down at her, an ugly enraged look contorting her young face, "You left me out here to die!"

Kathryn instinctively maneuvered her hands to her combadge, but Gretchen was faster, and pinned Kathryn's hands under her sharp knees, pressing down painfully on Kathryn's arms and stomach.

Brief distraction over, the younger woman increased the pressure on Kathryn's throat, showing no signs of reluctance as her windpipe started to collapse, "You didn't care!"

Kathryn tapped down on the terror and pain as her daughter's face loomed over her, staring down with absolute hatred.

Does she really mean to kill me?

Kathryn kicked hard and rolled, in an attempt to dislodge herself.

She managed to get partway up, but Gretchen pushed back violently and Kathryn fell backwards into the table at the altar. The coffin above them tipped, and began to fall. The heavy wooden casket was headed directly for Gretchen's skull.

No, no, no, no, that could kill her, thought Kathryn in terror.

Kathryn gasped even as the hands were still around her throat, and faster than she would have thought possible, found herself shifting, pushing Gretchen's upper body away from it.

The coffin slammed full force into the older woman's back, and she groaned in desperate pain as she was pushed into the floor.

"Sickbay," Kathryn muttered, as soon as her throat was free of Gretchen's grip. The push and the coffin had thrown Gretchen's hands slightly away, and for the moment the younger woman seemed still and dazed as her legs were trapped by the heavy weight.

Gretchen's face was hazy and contorted with pain, "You never loved me…" she breathed suddenly.

Kathryn felt her heart clench, but even as it did so her training took over. Seeing that Gretchen was barely moving, Janeway clicked her badge, voice much more even than she felt, "Two to beam out."

Kathryn materialized suddenly into a medical bed and immediately realized how bruised her back and sides were. She ached everywhere, but her attention was on the young woman a few feet away.

Gretchen was standing, rather than lying, her eyes were hazy and she was blinking strangely, one eye at a time in a disjointed and disturbing pattern.

Kathryn screamed as her daughter collapsed to the ground, her legs falling out from under her at odd angles.

"Calm down, calm down," came the Doctor's commanding voice, appearing from behind them, "I'm sure she's fine. She just has," the Doctor held up his scanner, "Three broken bones in her legs."

"Something's wrong with her mind," said Kathryn urgently.

"When is it not?" he snapped, and then looked as if he regretted it.

He looked back at Gretchen, holding up his scanner as she continued to blink. One of his assistants came up to Kathryn, but she barely registered him working on her back, as she stared at Gretchen.

"Her brain looks fine," said the Doctor authoritatively, closing the scanner, "Or as fine as it ever is. I believe she's in shock of some sort, that's not unusual following intense physical trauma, I would say this qualifies."

He motioned over another of his assistants to help him lift Gretchen, and they seated her on a medical bed as he started to heal her legs.

"The breaks look rather clean," he said, with some relief as he began to send a light over them, "They should be painlessly braced in a few minutes, and fully healed in a few days. She can even walk on them momentarily. What did happen to them?"

"A coffin fell on them," said Janeway, not at all amused.

"What?" he said, glancing at her in surprise.

"Doctor she….." said Kathryn reluctantly, knowing it had to be told, "Gretchen attacked me."

"What?...Was she having a vision?"

"I don't know."

Kathryn sat in silence for a moment, "She didn't seem….in control of herself…..but she was quite upset with….me…before she attacked."

He looked back at Gretchen, who was still blinking her eyes one by one, in the very strange and disordered pattern.

"Well…..I imagine she isn't…..fully responsible for her actions…..I'll run all the scans I know…..I'm not reading any brain damage…..but I'd say….it's perfectly possible the herb caused a…..breakdown of some sorts."

Kathryn sighed, very deeply, and her shoulders sagged in defeat.

Chakotay would know what to do.

She looked around, uncertain what pod was his. Not that it matters. I can't wake him up.

My daughter tried to kill me…..

The thought was chilling, and she felt herself shaking suddenly.

…..Did she really?

Came another voice in Kathryn's head.

Kathryn shook her head violently, trying to clear it. She simply could not think logically about this at the moment, nor did she have enough evidence to come to a conclusion. She would have to wait until Gretchen recovered herself…..assuming that she did.

Gretchen sagged suddenly, and Kathryn hopped off of her medical bed in alarm.

The Doctor, who was still scanning her, held up his hand, "She's asleep Captain. She passed out...I'm sure it's the best thing for her right now."

Kathryn nodded, rubbing her hands together nervously, there was no one for her to talk to. Time stretched on as the Doctor continued to scan.

Then suddenly there was a voice over Sickbay's communications system, shattering the last of Kathryn's nerves.

"Doctor," came Sam Wildman's urgent voice, "Doctor, you need to come up here immediately. B'Elanna has fallen from the second floor of Engineering. We think she may be dead."