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Mother Hen

"Captain, if you insist on getting hurt, I must object to you leaving on away missions." The Holographic Doctor cried as he scanned her shoulder with his tricorder. "You have torn your roster cuff, muscles, tendons, ligaments, all injured" he added tutting at her.

"I wasn't trying to get hurt, I wasn't even doing something dangerous or reckless." She tried to object. "The ground was just not as stable as I thought it was, too dry. I was looking out over the beautiful vista and the ground crumbled under me. I slid down the hill." Kathryn explained attempting to defend herself.

"And how far did you fall?" He questioned her with a pointed look.

"Few meters" she replied weakly and his look changed to one a parent might give a child they knew was lying. "Okay maybe five or six meters." She admitted with a sigh.

"I can tell." He humphed at her which she ignored. Once I heal your shoulder, which will take minor surgery—then we can remove your jacket and heal all the scratches on your back." He informed her curtly.

"That would be nice." She groaned trying to glare at him but it came out as more of a grimace.

"I should warn you" he began, dropping his voice to a whisper even though no one else was in Sickbay. "As your injury and transport to Sickbay was reported to the Bridge—you know who should be here at any moment."

"Thank you for reminding me." She said flatly. In truth, she had been focused on the door waiting for her own personal mother hen to arrive.

"You do it to him so it is only fair that he does it to you." The Hologram pointed out in a far too patronizing manner.

"Thank you Doctor." She snapped both from the pain as he started to heal her shoulder and to shut him up. The pain was making her grumpy and this was not a topic she was interested in discussing with him.

"I thought you two were going to have a certain conversation. Last time you were in here—" Thankfully he was silenced by the Sickbay doors opening. In rushed Chakotay trying to pretend he was simply walking quickly.

"What happened? The away team said you were hurt?" He exclaimed coming to a stop by her side.

When waking up in Sickbay after a serious incident she took comfort in his presence. He was right there as she fought to open her eyes and he would fill in any holes in her memory. He would hold her hand, keep her calm and relaxed. Often he would even help her walk out so she could make a faster escape. But when it was only a small injury like this, he just seemed to hover. He didn't seem to know what to do and for some reason it had begun to drive her crazy.

Additionally, he had a tendency to overreact and fuss over her. Sometimes she wondered if he was channeling her mother. Though he often fussed far more than Gretchen Janeway ever would. Trouble was she didn't know how to tell him that just being there with her was enough. A comforting hand on her back or a well placed distraction was all she really needed. She feared he would take the criticism the wrong way and think she didn't want him there anymore. And she needed her Sickbay buddy.

Technically the Doctor was correct, she did the exact same thing to him. She reciprocated as part of their complex friendship and now their relationship. But she certainly didn't fuss over him to the extend that he would fuss over her.

"It's nothing really, I'm fine. It was an accident, I slid down a small hill." She tried to assure him though she could only imagine how dirty and disheveled she looked.

"About an 18 foot hill." The Doctor interjected and she sent a glare his way.

"I hurt my shoulder and scratched up my back. It really is nothing." She objected, working hard to downplay the whole situation.

"Nothing minor surgery and a dermal regenerator can't fix." The EMH huffed, clearly he was in the mood to provide running commentary simply to annoy her.

"Doctor—ow" she hissed as he moved her arm slightly and it exploded with pain.

"I need you to sit still Captain, please." He snapped at her.

"Didn't you give her something for the pain?" Chakotay questioned him, moving into full blown mother hen mode.

"I could only give her a general anesthesia. I need her to remain sitting upright and as still as possible to repair the damage. Anything stronger and she wouldn't be able to do so." The Doctor explained, annoyed at having his practice of medicine questioned.

"So, she just has to sit there and suffer and you expect her to remain perfectly still?" The other man huffed.

"Chakotay. I'm fine, really I can handle the pain." She tried to placate him.

"Would you like to hold my hand and squeeze it when it hurts?" He offered, holding out his hand to her uninjured one. She stared at his hand for a moment and nearly laughed at the idea. But his face was so serious she held her mirth in.

"Only because you seem so intent on experiencing this pain with me and I wouldn't want to deprive you." She agreed, taking his hand while slightly scoffing at the idea. It was a deflection and she didn't want either of the men to know. She certainly didn't want the Doctor to notice that she was both comfortable and comforted by holding his hand. And while she would never admit it, the ridiculous idea was helping to distract her a little from the pain.

"Just don't break his hand Captain." The Doctor warned her with a look.

"I'll try not to Doctor." She assured him while rolling her eyes and not sounding convincing enough for either man.

"How was the planet before you fell?" Chakotay asked her, trying to fill the silence as the EMH worked.

"It was very pretty, lots of fruit, Neelix is very happy. Sunny, not too warm, with a picturesque landscape." She answered and then winced, squeezing his hand much to her own surprise. She hadn't actually planned to use his hand in the offered way.

"You should go down and check it out when we work out time for shore leave." She added to try and cover her actions yet she was breathing a little heavy from the pain and she wasn't fooling anyone. Silently she wondered how this could hurt more than the muscle he had to fix around her ribs when the Marcovirus was attacking the ship two years earlier. Yet somehow it did, not that she would let either of the men know.

"I will, I would ask you to join me but I fear you may need to stay on the ship and rest." He teased her lightly, she knew he wouldn't actually go down without her.

"I might be able to find an hour or two to join you." She argued, she didn't like resting too much, especially after an injury.

"I don't want you hurting yourself, it could interfere with the healing process." He countered seriously.

"I will need to clear you before you can go back down to the planet Captain." The hologram reminded her, continuing to involve himself in the conversation.

"Thank you Doctor, I know." She replied glaring at him once more, though he was unfazed by her look.

"You do have a habit of ignoring your own health and my instructions." He persisted, not letting go of the issue much to her annoyance.

"I promise this time I will listen to you." She tried to make it sound like she meant it. But until she knew what the Doctor would instruct her to do, she couldn't know if she was going to follow it.

To Kathryn it felt as if the EMH took an eternity to heal her shoulder. She hissed a few times and while she continued holding Chakotay's hand she refrained from squeezing it again. The Captain was one to internalize pain, not pass it on by squeezing another person's hand.

Even when the Doctor declared her shoulder fixed there wasn't a great decrease in pain. A greater range of motion was all that had been restored. Which was good because now the Doctor turned his attention to her back.

Chakotay helped the hologram get her jacket and turtleneck off as she was able to provide little help. She bit back several cries and let out a deep breath once they were done. The continued pain had taken her by surprise and she was left panting slightly as the EMH turned his attention to cuts.

The Doctor lifted up her shirt and went to work with the dermal regenerator. She heard him tisk and tut a few times but tried to ignore him. Thankfully Chakotay stood in front of her providing a distraction. It seemed silly all the effort he was putting in for a relatively minor injury. He was living up to the mother hen title, not that she would tell him. She knew he wouldn't leave her now no matter what she said—He knew she didn't truly want him to leave. Yet by nature she couldn't help but be embarrassed by all the attention.

"You sure you weren't doing something more fun than standing on a hill?" He teased her.

"Yes, I'm sure. I was looking out over a very pretty vista. There was a river off in the distance and these pretty purple and yellow trees in between. It was almost meditative." She countered pouting just a little. It did annoy her that she got hurt and had to return to the ship.

"Ah so that's what happened you were no longer aware of your surroundings." He countered playfully.

"I was very aware of my surroundings." She objected.

"As the dirt crumbled below you?" He questioned raising his eyebrows at her.

"It happened too fast or I would have been able to move before it gave way."

"At least you had something nice to look at before you fell." Chakotay smirked and she suddenly had to fight the urge to childishly stick her tongue out at him.

"It is a very pretty planet." She huffed at him instead. If she could, she would have crossed her arms over her chest for added effect but that was not an option at the moment.

"I look forward to seeing it." He replied with a smile and she couldn't resist rolling her eyes at him yet again.

"Okay Captain I'm done." The Doctor declared putting her shirt back down. As if to confirm his words she moved her back around a bit and it did feel much better. Yet her shoulder still throbbed.

"Am I free to go?" She asked, trying really hard to sound patient.

"Yes, but I am only releasing you to your quarters to rest. And I do mean your quarters, not the Bridge, not your Ready Room, your quarters. I would prefer you to be in bed but you might find a chair or couch more comfortable at this time." He firmly stressed his expectations once she left his domain.

"Doctor is that really necessary? It was not that serious of an injury." She objected to what she saw as an overreaction.

"Captain, I am sure you noticed your shoulder is still producing a fair amount of pain. That is because you did serious damage to that area of your body. Our modern medicine can do wonders but it isn't magic. To properly heal your shoulder needs to be allowed to rest and not be in use." He folded his arms in front of his chest and gave her a stern look before he continued.

"There is no emergency currently requiring your attention Captain. Therefore, the best option for you is to go back to your quarters and rest. I am going to give you a hypospray, once there, lay down and take the hypospray, it will help you rest." He lectured her but she wasn't ready to give up just yet.

"Is there any other option?" she pushed.

"I could always forgo giving you any more pain medication and allow you to wear a sling on your arm for the next three days while you are on restricted duty?" He suggested knowing full well it was a far less attractive option.

"Looks like I'm going home to take a nap." She declared with fake acceptance.

"A wise choice Captain. I might also recommend that you allow Commander Chakotay to escort you just to be safe." The Hologram suggested with a twinkle in his eye and barely suppressed grin.

"I don't—" She began but Chakotay cut her off.

"I would be happy too" he agreed with a grin of his own.

"Fine" she sighed. She knew arguing wouldn't get her anywhere, she was outnumbered and she knew it. Honestly, she just wanted to leave Sickbay.

"Then Commander I will give you the hypospray." The Doctor said, handing him the medical tool. "And Captain, I would like to check your shoulder tomorrow morning please." He added rather nonchalantly as if she would simply be making a social call to Sickbay the next day. Yet she knew she was being told to come back for a follow up before she thought about going on duty.

"I will see you tomorrow morning." She replied, there was very little choice, arguing with him would only fall on deaf ears. And if she didn't show up in the morning, he would come find her. He smiled and nodded, giving the two permission to leave.

Chakotay carefully helped her off the biobed and carried her discarded clothes as they left. Together they walked mostly in silence, Kathryn couldn't help but keep her arm tight against her body as they went. It was the only way it would remain immobilized, and that was the only way she found to limit the pain.

"You're lucky you didn't hit your head when you fell." Chakotay pointed out as they rode the turbolift up to deck 3.

"Yes, but then I would have been unconscious when I arrived in Sickbay and wouldn't have had to listen to the Doctor lecture me." She grumbled at him.

"I much prefer when you are conscious. How do you actually feel?" He inquired, taking the hand of her good arm and moving closer to her.

"It hurts a lot, the Doctor wasn't kidding. Also, you weren't there when he had to fix my dislocated shoulder joint, that hurt like hell. He had to do that before he could get an accurate scan of my injured muscles." She huffed at the memory.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there." He apologized, giving her hand a light squeeze.

"No, it was better you weren't."

"Why?" he questioned, confused.

"Seeing how you reacted when the Doctor began healing my shoulder, I fear you might have tried to decompile his program if you were there earlier." She replied as the turbolift came to a stop. He released her hand and they walked out together. While they walked, he silently seemed to be thinking over her statement.

"Bad?" he finally asked.

"I was unprepared for the sudden jolt of pain, knocking the breath out of me. Can you get the door?" She requested as they approached her quarters.

"Sure" he eagerly agreed, wanting to be helpful. Moving ahead of her, he quickly entered the door code giving them access to her quarters. Once the doors closed behind them Kathryn let out a sigh of relief. In the privacy of her own space, she could finally relax without fear of being observed by the crew.

"Stupid dirt. I was having a very nice day before it decided it no longer wanted to support me." She pouted, tentatively moving her arm around a little.

"I can beam down and yell at it if you would like." He offered playfully, trying to cheer her up.

"I'm afraid poor Harry has likely beat you to it. I think he was more scared than I was when it happened. And now he is probably afraid you are going to yell at him or worse."

"I should go and yell at him."

"It wasn't his fault, it wasn't anyone's fault, these things happen. And it could have happened to anyone. Leave Harry alone." She ordered him.

"Fine, but I will let him think he is in trouble for a little while longer." He replied stubbornly.

"That hardly seems necessary, but as I have been ordered to rest there is very little I can do about it." She sighed, shaking her head at him.

"True, and you do need to rest. Do you want to lay down on the bed or couch?"

"The bed, but we need to talk about something first." She was tired but she wanted to have a conversation with him before she was forced to rest. Once he gave her that hypospray she knew she would fall asleep.

"What is that?" he inquired curiously.

"You need to stop channeling my mother every time I get hurt." She complained.

"Why? You think the Doc suspects something?"

"No it isn't that, but we probably should just tell him about our relationship change. The last time we were there you said somethings about your feelings for me and then I told him I would talk to you. He will just keep making hints and sending you home with me till we do. But he isn't why." She sighed at the sidetrack. They were keeping their relationship a secret but the Doctor knew more than anyone else. It would be impossible to keep a secret from him.

"Then why?" he asked, confused.

"Because all you do is play mother hen and hover it isn't necessary." She moaned in frustration.

"Making sure the Captain is okay is a key part of a First Officer's job." He countered.

"Uh-huh, but that doesn't require you to fuss so much." she said, giving him a weak glare.

"I like knowing you are alright and I like making sure you are being taken care of properly. Especially if you are the one who is preventing that care. If something important were happening on the Bridge I would immediately return or not come down at all. But often, like today nothing was happening. For everyone's benefit I was best served down in Sickbay keeping an eye on you making sure you didn't decompile the Doctor's program." He argued trying to explain to her what his fussing achieved.

"Oh was that what you were doing?" she scoffed.

"Yep" he confirmed with a grin.

"Well you can be a little frustrated when you hover." She huffed at him though she was pretty sure she was losing the argument.

"I know" he shrugged.

"You know?" she replied surprised.

"Yes I know I can see it in your face. Also, you fuss over me and it is just as annoying. But You wouldn't dare stop and neither would I."

"I do not fuss and hover as much as you do. You are actually worse than my mother. Do you know that?" She objected.

"I am sure your mother would be very happy to know that there is someone here looking out for you. Someone making sure you get proper care even over you own objections." He argued with a self-satisfied look, knowing he had just won.

"That isn't fair" she cried.

"Tough and you won't get me to stop."

"Fine, it is usually comforting to see your face. When you aren't annoying me that is." She conceded begrudgingly.

"That's what I thought." He smiled, bending down slightly to give her a kiss. "Now it is time to rest. Do you want to shower?"

"No, I just want to lay down." She admitted. "Will you help me change?"

"Why do you think I'm here?"

"To annoy me?" she teased.

"To take care of you. Come on." He countered while gently directing her towards the bedroom.

As they entered the room, Chakotay was going to toss her clothes on the nearby chair but he looked them over and changed his mind. Tossing them in the recycler instead. They were torn and covered in dirt, sweat, and blood, no condition to be worn again. Carefully he helped her remove her clothes and change into a pair of pajamas. While she didn't have the energy for a shower, she did go into the bathroom and washed her face. When she came out, he was waiting for her with a glass of water.

"Thank you" she sighed happily at the sight. He was very good at knowing what she needed when she was hurt or sick. Not that she was about to tell him, it would only inflate his current ego. As she drank, she watched him turn down the bed and then he placed one of the couch pillows in the spot he usually slept in.

"What is that for?" she asked, confused.

"For you to rest your arm on, to make sure you don't end up sleeping on it wrong." He informed her before taking the hypospray and administering it to her neck.

"Oh, good idea. You are good at this nurse maid thing." She joked before gently sliding into bed. As if to prove the point, he pulled the covers up for her.

"I have skills that may come from years of boxing injuries." He admitted.

"You know if you keep getting hurt on the holodeck the Doctor will find a way to stop you." She reminded him with a knowing look.

"He can try" Chakotay challenged.

"Just keep me out of it." She replied with a yawn. "You know I don't like you getting hit in the boxing ring, even if you do look really attractive when you box." She yawned again, unable to stop her eyes from closing.

"You sleep now, we can revisit that comment when your arm is better." He countered giving her forehead a kiss.

"Promises, promises" she mumbled. She heard him laugh but it sounded really far away.

=/\= =/\= =/\= =/\=

The Doctor must have given her the really good drugs because she didn't wake up until her alarm went off the next morning. She also discovered Chakotay asleep on the reading chair close to her bed. She deactivated the alarm as he stretched.

"How are you feeling?" He asked with a yawn.

"It doesn't hurt nearly as much though I still think I have limited movement." She replied moving her shoulder around letting out a hiss of pain when she went too far.

"Hopefully that will please the Doctor enough to allow you back on duty for a while. And if you are really lucky he might even let us go down to the planet together." He happily suggested.

"One can only hope." She sighed in agreement. "Why are you sleeping on that chair instead of the bed?" She asked, still confused.

"I didn't want to bother you by getting into bed and moving around. But I didn't want to be too far away in case you needed something so my quarters and the couch were both out. Plus I could move the chair close to the bed and be near you." He explained and her heart swelled, he might fuss too much but he really did take very good care of her.

"That is very sweet of you. Completely unnecessary you could have left me alone for the night I clearly was not going anywhere." She argued weakly. She was very happy he wanted to stay with her. Yet she felt guilty that he probably didn't get a good night's sleep.

"My prerogative to watch over you, you did call me a mother hen I would be a terrible one if I didn't stay close even when you are asleep." He replied playfully and she couldn't help but laugh.

"While it frustrates the hell out of me, you are a pretty good mother hen. Now do I at least get a good morning kiss?" She asked with a grin.

"Just so happens morning kisses are my specialty." He replied flirtatiously before sitting on the end of the bed and giving her a nice long kiss far better than the one from the day before. Kathryn wondered how long they had before the Doctor came looking for her, because she wasn't ready to get out of bed just yet.

a/n Thank you for reading and I really hope you enjoyed the fic, please let me know what you think. Again thank you for reading!