Beware of Q bearing Gifts

by Joan Powers

What if Q, excited about becoming a parent, decided to give Janeway a child of her own? Janeway/Chakotay established couple Timeline: After "The Q and the Gray" (s03 e11)

Beware of Q bearing Gifts

by Joan Powers

Timeline: After "The Q and the Gray" (s03 e153)

Summary: What if Q, excited about becoming a parent, decided to give Janeway a child of her own? Janeway/Chakotay established couple

Genre: Humor, Drama

Rating: T

A/N: As always, thanks to the wonderful Tracy and SuzJ1 for their support and fabulous suggestions.

Kathryn arched her shoulders, stretching her aching neck and back. Seated on the couch in her quarters, she composed her report about Q's most recent exploits. She was glad to be rid of him. He exasperated her. The man had no boundaries. And far too much power which made him obscenely arrogant.

Starfleet reports could be tricky. Rather than simply summarizing events, one needed to think in terms of how the brass might interpret them. Words had to be carefully chosen. Some minor events could possibly be omitted or slightly modified. Not that she would violate any rules. Yet, it took a deft touch. She certainly didn't want to give the impression that she'd acted inappropriately in any way to elicit Q's unusual proposition. She was already on her fifth attempt.

Her eyes flitted towards the door to her quarters. She hoped that Chakotay would be stopping by. Their timing had been off lately. When she was alert, he was exhausted. Or vice versa. Or they were both dead tired after working prolonged shifts or mitigating disasters, and then they just stumbled into bed, sometimes fully clothed. It was challenging to carve out time for each other along with the demands of their jobs.

Just thinking about him filled her with a surge of excitement. Their budding relationship both thrilled and frightened her. She still worried about what the crew would think, so they tried to be discrete. Over the past month and a half, she and Chakotay had made love several times but had avoided staying with each other overnight.

Recently they'd pushed their luck, setting an early alarm so one of them could escape in the early hours to avoid detection. It was worth it. That was an even better prize, having him hold her most of the night. Almost as good as sex.

She beamed when Chakotay stepped into her quarters, using her code to open the door.

"Hi" She smiled warmly towards him.

He crossed the room and bent to kiss her. Touching her cheek with his fingertips, he said, "You look tired."

She nodded. "It's been a long day."

"Then do you want me to stay?" he asked.

She appreciated that about him. That he always considered her needs. She was eager for him to stay but she was worn out. She didn't want to disappoint him, so she cautioned him.

"Yes. But I'm probably going to fall asleep the moment my head hits the pillow. "

"That's okay."

They shared a lingering kiss. Then he headed towards her bedroom. As he reached the doorway, he turned to see if she was joining him.

She assured him. "I'm just finishing up."

"I'm coming to get you in fifteen minutes." He warned, knowing how lost she became in work. Five minutes could easily become two hours.

She tried to focus on finishing the report, wanting to check that off her list. But her thoughts were wandering and Chakotay was such a lovely distraction. Ten minutes later, she admitted defeat and shoved the PADD aside. After a good night's sleep, the words would come more easily anyway.

She changed into a silk nightgown and joined him in bed. He was wearing pajama pants. He slung an arm around her. She enjoyed the warmth emanating from his body and hands. She snuggled closer to him. She hoped he understood that was she exhausted and not in the mood for sex. After kissing him one more time, she turned and closed her eyes, attempting to sleep.

As tired as she was, she was having trouble relaxing. She fidgeted, trying to get comfortable. She couldn't let go of her thoughts. Chakotay began massaging her neck, interspersed with gentle kisses along her upper back and neck. She could feel the tension in her shoulders easing. Her irritation with Q and his antics was gradually evaporating. Then his hands moved down to her lower back where he massaged those stiff muscles.

After that, his hands tentatively moved towards the front of her body, caressing her abdomen then more boldly moving towards her breasts. As he continued to stroke then gently squeeze, rather than protesting, she was feeling aroused. Breathing heavier, she ground her rear against his groin as he continued. Soon her nightgown was hurriedly tossed aside, and he was buried deep inside of her. Both were breathless, sweaty and trembling.

"Well, Well. What do we have here?" A sarcastic voice said.

All that tension immediately returned. "Lights!" Janeway commanded, as she yanked the sheets to cover them.

Q stood before them.

"What the hell? Get out!" She yelled, in her most authoritative voice.

Yet he wasn't budging. He was just standing there, with that damned self-satisfied smirk.

Chakotay wasn't moving either.

A sliver of fear passed through her.

That made no sense. He should be mad as hell. He could barely tolerate Q and this was the ultimate invasion of privacy. She touched Chakotay's torso only to discover it was motionless. And cold.

"What did you do to him?" She was barely able to conceal her panic beneath her fury. "What did you do to him? Fix this! Fix this now!" She demanded. Any Starfleet officer would recognize this tone and, in abject fear, scurry to do her bidding.

She fumbled about his neck and chest, frantically searching for a heartbeat or other signs of life.

Q blithely assured her. "Chuckles will be fine. I wanted a private audience. Frankly with all your talk of loneliness, I wasn't expecting this." His eyebrow arched suggestively.

Through gritted teeth, she said, "Fix him and I'll meet with you. Out there." She gestured to the living area.

He frowned, like a child whose fun had been spoiled. "Fine." He snapped his fingers and Chakotay inhaled sharply.

She sighed with relief as she felt the warmth surging back into Chakotay's chest. She placed her ear against his heart. The steady rhythm of his breathing and heartbeat reassured her. Yet he wasn't awake. She sent an accusatory look towards Q.

"He'll wake up when I'm gone."

"Then get out. I'll be there in a minute." She waited until Q left the room before lowering the sheets to pull on her nightgown and securely fasten her robe.

Stepping into the living area, she asked, "What the hell do you want?'

With a bemused grin, he said, "Frankly, Captain, I am shocked. All that moaning and groaning. Writhing and sappy professions of love. And messy bodily fluid." He shuddered with mock horror. "I don't know how you humans tolerate all that. And with Chuckles? Surely you can do better."

More deliberately, emphasizing each individual word, she repeated. "What do you want?" She was losing patience.

His smile became less menacing. "I wanted to let you know that parenthood has been wonderful." He stretched out comfortably on the couch, as if this were a social visit.

She yawned, wondering why he had to select now to share this delightful tidbit with her. Hadn't he already told her this? Her fatigue was catching up with her. She'd had enough of Q.

Her voice was flat. "Glad to hear it. Now, what do you want?"

Q was bubbling over with enthusiasm. He sprang to his feet. Clasping his hands together in anticipation, he said, "I want to return the favor. I want to give you a gift."

She didn't trust him. "No. I don't need anything."

Even if he promised to return Voyager to the Alpha Quadrant, there would be strings attached to this so-called benevolent gift.

"You said you wanted to have a child." He reminded her of their conversation from the previous day.

"That's right. Someday. Not now."

Pretending to pout, he said, "You misled me, Kathy. You implied you were 'all alone.'"

"Because it's none of your damned business," she said, fiercely.

He snapped his fingers.

She swallowed hard, suddenly feeling queasy. And bloated. Her clothes felt tight in odd places. And then there was the strangest fluttering sensation within her abdomen.

"What did you do?" She asked, intently.

He was glowing, obviously pleased with himself. "Congratulations! You're pregnant!"

"What?" The color drained from her cheeks.

Was this really happening?

Gathering her wits, she said, "Didn't we just go through all this? I told you I didn't want to have your child. You had one with the other Q. You brought him by to see me earlier. Didn't we discuss all of this?"

She wondered if Q was losing his marbles.

"We did. I only continued what you and Chuckles started. All that lovely biological material was already in the right place. I simply removed your contraceptive blockers."

She was dumbfounded. "You did what? No. I can't…I can't be pregnant."

Did he think he was doing her a favor?

This was a nightmare. How could she care for a child while she was the captain of a starship? How could she protect a baby from the dangers of the Delta Quadrant? How could she do both jobs effectively? Balancing her ship responsibilities along with her relationship with Chakotay was tricky enough.

"Did I misunderstand you? You don't want a child? Or you don't want Chuckle's child?" Then his eyes lit up with understanding. "Ah, that's it! It makes sense. Of course, you're just using him for sex. A convenient bedwarmer."

"No." She growled, ready to pulverize him. Under different circumstances, she would love to have Chakotay's child. But it was a luxury she couldn't consider when they were so far away from home.

She glared at Q. "Stop calling him that.

"You don't understand. I love Chakotay and perhaps one day we'll have a child. But this is a terrible time to be pregnant. I'm the captain of a starship. I can't do trade negotiations with severe morning sickness or first contact while waddling around the bridge. I have responsibilities. Space is a dangerous place."

"Oh, you're worried about the dangers of pregnancy. Then this ought to help." He snapped his fingers.

Suddenly Janeway's body altered significantly. Her belly was much larger and distended. Her breasts were heavy, and at least a cup size bigger. Her thinking had become muddled, her body ached, and an overall sense of deep fatigue overwhelmed her. She was even wearing looser clothing that suited her new proportions.

And there, in her arms, was a small baby, wrapped in a blue blanket. The infant had brown eyes, with long dark lashes, a touch of dark hair and honey hued skin.

"What?"

She was having trouble processing. For some reason, her emotions were going haywire.

"Congratulations, Captain! It's a boy!" Q said, with excitement.

"Whose child is this?"

"Yours"

Kathryn was outraged. "Q, you can't be serious. You can't give a child away like a bunch of flowers or some kind of pet. Surely he has parents who must be worried out of their minds."

"Kathy, I can assure you that he is yours and Chu..Chakotay's biological child."

"Him? I…"

She wanted to tell him to take the baby away, as he'd removed the golden retriever earlier. She wasn't ready for this. She already had too much on her plate.

But she couldn't make the words come out. As she stared at the infant, she wasn't about to confess to this idiot that she felt drawn to this beautiful child and longed to keep him, but she felt utterly incapable of giving him the care that he needed.

She was horrified when a few tears trickled down her cheek.

Turning her eyes from the child to Q, she forced herself to say. "I can't do this now." Even though she sincerely believed it, she clung more tightly to the bundle in her arms.

"Can I have him later?"

Surely there would be a better time. Once they were closer to the Alpha Quadrant. Or had even reached the Beta Quadrant.

More seriously, he responded. "Of course, you can have a child later. But it will never be this one. This particular boy is a one-time only offer. So, are you keeping him?"

Why was she having so much trouble with this? The decision was obvious, wasn't it? But as much as she intellectually knew that giving up the child was the right course of action; her heart had already latched on to the little guy.

And was this their biological child? Was she understanding Q correctly?

How was that possible?

Q gently touched the baby's cheek. "Cute little tyke. Shame he looks so much like his father, but that I couldn't control. Like all good gifts, this one comes with a return policy. Perhaps I'll give you some time to think. Enjoy Kathy!" Suddenly he disappeared.

"Q!"

When it was apparent that he was gone, she screamed. "Chakotay!"

The child started to cry.

He rushed in, with the sheet wrapped around his waist. "What's going on? Where did that baby come from?" Examining her more closely, he asked, "Are you okay?"

She explained Q's surprise gift.

"When's he coming back?" Chakotay asked.

"Who knows?" She replied, impatiently. With the uncomfortable pressure building up in her breasts and the baby crying, she could hardly think straight.

"Is he hungry?"

"I don't know! I have no idea how to do any of this!"

He put his arm around her and assured her.

"We'll figure this out. Let me get some clothes on and we'll beam directly to sickbay for some answers."

XXXXX

Tom's pupils grew wider. "What did you say?"

The senior staff were confused when they discovered that Tuvok was leading their meeting in the briefing room. Along with the conspicuous absence of Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay.

"Did I not speak clearly?" Tuvok asked. He stood at the head of the table. "Last night Q gave the Captain a child. A two-week old male infant, to be precise."

"Whose child?" B'Elanna asked. "I don't understand. Why isn't the Captain here? Can't someone else watch the child? What's the problem?"

"The situation is far more complicated. Doctor, would you care to elaborate?" Tuvok asked.

The Doctor stood, proud to be included in the briefing. "As Mr. Tuvok mentioned, the baby boy is healthy and fully human. DNA testing confirms that his biological parents are Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay."

A few of the senior staff's mouths hung open. Tom and B'Elanna exchanged knowing looks.

"How does that even work?" Harry was stunned. He grimaced when Tom playfully punched him in the arm.

"Unfortunately, that's part of the problem." The Doctor explained. "It appears the Captain's body physically gestated this child and gave birth to him. Q simply accelerated the process. Instead of taking nine months for the fetus to develop, she experienced those changes within seconds."

"This has taken an enormous emotional and physical toll on her." Kes explained, having witnessed it firsthand in sickbay.

It had been disturbing for Kes to see the captain so distraught. One moment she was demanding for the Doctor to take drastic measures to reduce her hormones levels to allow her to return to duty. The next, she was sobbing incoherently, clinging to the baby with a vice grip. She was in no shape to command a starship.

Kes had insisted on being included at this briefing, prepared to argue on the captain's behalf if the Doctor wasn't as sympathetic or as effective as she'd hoped. It had taken a while for her to make him understand the delicacy of the situation. Initially the Doctor had been prepared to honor the captain's request for radical treatment until Kes reminded him that pregnancy was a natural state, not a disease. That the proposed treatment could make matters even worse.

"She needs time to adjust mentally and physically, that's all," Kes said.

"Can't Q just speed up the healing process for the captain whenever he returns?" Tom asked.

"I wouldn't advise that." The Doctor cautioned. "The fact that Captain Janeway has gone through so many major physiological changes in a matter of seconds is part of the problem. We don't want to add to that. Most women have nine months to adjust to the changes that gradually occur during pregnancy. Emotionally, they also prepare themselves. The captain has had none of this."

Kes smiled warmly toward the Doctor, pleased that he'd finally understood her points after much discussion.

"The Captain was demanding treatment and insisting on returning to active duty." Kes explained to those seated about the table. "She threatened to delete the Doctor's program if he didn't do as she wished. She needs time to recover. And she needs the commander to assist her."

Harry looked puzzled.

"He's the baby's father." Kes reminded him.

While Kes had suspected that Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay had deeper feelings for each another, based on their daily interaction with one another, a deeper level of intimacy was clearly evident between them in sick bay. With a soothing voice and a gentle touch, Chakotay had managed to calm her and convince her not to pursue radical treatment.

"Is she going to keep the baby?" Harry asked.

"We don't know yet. She needs time to figure out what she wants to do," Kes said.

"When is Q returning?" B'Elanna asked.

"Who knows? It's Q, right?" Tom said. "And will that make a difference?"

"It seems the best course of action is to award both the Captain and the Commander a temporary leave of absence to provide time to adapt to their new circumstances and assess options." Tuvok said. "As next in the chain of command, I will assume temporary authority."

Shocked by the whole situation, no one objected.

XXXX

Chakotay hummed a tune he remembered from childhood as he walked with the baby in his arms, attempting to soothe him as he fussed. Since he'd nursed recently, most likely he wasn't hungry. Chakotay was trying to buy more time for Kathryn to rest.

He'd never seen her behave so irrationally. All the time that he'd known her, she'd been so confident. Sometimes almost filled with bravado. Sometimes reckless. But always in command and in control. He admired that about her.

Kathryn was a resilient woman. Had her pregnancy occurred under more normal circumstances, most likely she would've smoothly adapted to those changes. It was disturbing to see her so confused and overly emotional. He'd been shocked when she'd threatened to terminate the Doctor's programing if he refused to follow her orders for a potentially dangerous procedure.

When the volume of the child's cries began to escalate, he decided to take him for a walk. He'd try not to wander too far. Kathryn tended to be paranoid when it came to the baby. If she didn't see him immediately upon waking, she panicked. He wandered the corridors, gently swaying the baby in his arms, singing to him as he walked.

He returned to the captain's quarters when the infant needed a diaper change. He appreciated the refresher lessons Samantha Wildman had given him. He spoke to the child as he worked.

The baby squealed when his clothing was unsnapped.

"Hang on. I know you're cold. We'll have your clothes back on soon."

He studied the diaper carefully, making sure to place it under the infant in the proper orientation. Then he adjusted the tabs. He smiled, pleased the diaper managed to stay on. He was slowly getting better at this. With his large hands, dressing the boy was challenging, but he managed.

"All done now."

He hugged the child then held him up higher, admiring his brown eyes. It was odd seeing more of him than Kathryn in their child. But that wasn't under his control. It was biology and dominant genes took precedence over recessive ones.

"That's better, isn't it?" he said. "How's my boy?"

He stroked one of the baby's adorable chubby cheeks with his fingertips.

"Are you a Kota? Or maybe a Mateo? Ojai?"

"What are you doing? Where have you been?"

Kathryn sounded furious.

He made an effort to remain calm. "Buying you more time to rest."

"Where did you take him? You scared the hell out of me when I couldn't find him earlier."

He wondered why it hadn't occurred to her to simply use her combadge or ask the computer to locate him.

Before he could respond, she said, "And why are you naming my child?"

Chakotay stiffened, not liking her accusatory tone. "I was just trying out a few names to see what might fit. I would never name him without you."

"You can go. I can handle this on my own."

He took a breath, reminding himself that she'd been through a lot. That Kathryn wasn't herself. That drastic physiological changes, surging hormones and lack of sleep were affecting her.

She still looked dazed. Her hair was matted, and she was wearing the same stained pajama top she'd had on yesterday. Maybe he'd offer to comb her hair later, when she might be more receptive.

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't need your help. He's my child. Q gifted him to me. My problem."

Chakotay snapped, suddenly annoyed by her tone and her sole claim on their child. His eyes grew darker. "For your information, he's my child too. He wouldn't exist without me. And he's my son, not a problem."

"You're assuming that I'm keeping him."

The muscles in his cheeks tensed as he ground his teeth. He had to consciously restrain himself. He weighed his words carefully.

"Doesn't that decision belong to both of us?"

He had to get away from her before he said something he'd regret. He was almost as fatigued as she was. He reluctantly handed the child to her.

"I'll be back soon."

XXXXX

The moment the door closed behind Chakotay, the baby started wailing. Kathryn sighed, feeling like her head was going to explode. Of course, he was hungry again. All she'd done for days was feed this child every two to three hours. She felt like a cow.

As she settled on her bed and positioned the child to nurse, she wondered how many days had elapsed since his arrival. Her conception of time had become distorted. She could barely distinguish days from nights, she hadn't slept uninterrupted for more than a few hours. It felt like surely months had passed but it hadn't been that long.

Her brain was so muddled, she could barely consider ship business. Some captain she was. And her parenting skills were practically non-existent, limited to feeding, holding and burping. The only strong instinct that had surfaced was extreme discomfort whenever the baby wasn't attached to her side.

How had she, a highly-skilled scientist and starship captain ended up like this?

When she had the presence of mind to think about Q, she fumed, ready to verbally lambast him for putting her in this impossible situation to begin with.

The baby started coughing so she held him up.

"Hey, slow down. Don't be greedy. There's plenty."

Once he was breathing better, she helped him reattach to her breast. He was such a beautiful child. Such adorable chubby arms and legs. She could swear that his eyes searched for her and that he recognized her voice. For the most part, other than non-stop eating, he was a happy child.

After he finished, she drifted off to sleep with the child in her arms.

Unfortunately, only an hour later he woke up, crying. She quickly realized that he needed a new diaper and an outfit change. She would need to change her clothes too. She started to call for Chakotay then realized he wasn't there. She had no idea what to do. He'd always been there.

Her momentary frustration with Chakotay faded as she remembered that she was the idiot who had practically thrown him out, claiming she didn't need his help.

Would she have to swallow her pride and contact him?

Even in this wretched condition, with a screaming infant and sopping wet clothing, she was stubborn. She made her way toward the changing area in the living room. With the baby in one arm, she searched for diapers. She was afraid to put him down on their makeshift changing table for fear he might roll off. Riffling through containers one-handed wasn't easy.

She grabbed a diaper and put it on the changing table, along with the baby. She managed to remove his soiled clothing and wipe him off. But the diaper she put on him was way too big. It immediately slid off him. Now she had a naked child, wiggling his arms and legs, and no diaper. As she wondered what she'd done wrong, a shot of warm fluid hit her in the chest. She screamed.

"Put a diaper on top of him." Chakotay's warning came too late.

"Help" She conceded, she knew her limitations.

He immediately stepped in.

"That's happened to me several times."

She watched him flawlessly perform the diaper change then dress the child in fresh clothing. She had selected the correct diaper size, she'd just put it on backwards and hadn't adjusted the tabs properly.

She was jealous. How did he know how to do that? She was the mother. She was supposed to know how to do those things.

After she'd cleaned herself up, she rejoined the boys in the living area where Chakotay was softly speaking to the baby. He handed him to her.

"Here's your mommy."

She wasn't sure if she liked that moniker. She felt like an imposter, like she hadn't yet earned that status. Yet the child's eyes remained fixed upon her. And was that a happy cooing sound?

"Did you help out with babies at home?" she asked.

"No." He laughed. "I had little to do with children."

Like herself. Her youth had consisted of learning about quantum mechanics and other scientific principles. Or reading the classics. She'd never been one to play with dolls. Or babysit.

"Then how-"

"You forget, I thought I was bringing a baby back from the Kazon and taking care of him on my own. I talked with Samantha Wildman back then. She let me help with Naomi – feeding, bathing, diaper changes."

Ensign Wildman had been a godsend providing baby clothes and other items, along with practical parenting advice. It was fortuitous that when Naomi was born, Janeway had designed policies for parental leave, childcare guidelines and basic child safety for Voyager.

She sat on the couch with the child while Chakotay stood before them.

"Kathryn, why are you pushing me away? I love you. You know I didn't cause these circumstances. I want to help you and for us to work together. He's my child too. We didn't choose this situation, but we can choose to love him. Believe me, I know what it feels like to be jerked around. Between Q and Seska, I'm not sure which one is worse."

She hadn't thought about Seska in a long time. She hadn't thought about many things. At this point she was trying to survive, one day to the next.

"I'm sorry. I haven't been fair to you. I'm not myself. . .I'm just so lost. Exhausted."

He sat down beside her and reached for her forearm. "I know. I want to help. Show me what I can do."

"I just…don't know."

She didn't understand why it was taking so long for her to recover. Why she felt so foggy. Why it was so hard for her to make decisions.

If given the choice, she might not have chosen to nurse the child. It seemed old fashioned and impractical, especially when it came to work. However, given her current circumstances, it made the most sense. Any changes that might impact her hormone levels could exacerbate her unsteady emotional condition. She was having enough difficulty recovering from her insta-pregnancy as it was.

And it was giving her a chance to bond with the baby. Her baby. This tiny bundle was her baby boy.

Chakotay reminded her. "He isn't just your child, he's our child. I deserve to have a say here too."

Her blue eyes met his brown ones. She felt badly that she'd hurt him. "You're absolutely right. I'm sorry."

He took a breath and then said, "Look, the timing stinks and we certainly didn't plan this. But it's not like we barely know each other. We love each other and are committed to each other. Right?"

She reached a hand over to squeeze his to reassure him. "That has never changed."

"Given our ages, eventually we would've reached the decision to have a child on our own. And if we give him back to Q, what will happen to him? Where will he go?"

It made her ill to think about it. She didn't want to face that decision.

"I don't know."

Yet since Chakotay was forcing the issue, she tried to concentrate. And she realized that even though she was beyond exhausted, and her nipples were already tender and sore. Even though she could barely think straight, she couldn't bear the thought of her little boy being with strangers. Or of him being neglected or cold or hungry.

Or simply snapped out of existence.

Chakotay said, "It's not going to be easy, but we can make this work."

"But I don't know how to balance parenting and running a starship. Right now, I can't do any of this."

He assured her. "You need time to recover. This was not a normal pregnancy. And even for that we allow two months leave. We've only used two weeks so far.

"I know you're worried about the crew and feel responsible for them, but Tuvok can stand in for a while. I've also been periodically checking in with him. We'll be okay.

"And you're not alone. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. You know I love you. And I would do anything for him. He's not even the first child on Voyager. Ensign Wildman has already been helping us with childcare advice."

Kathryn considered his words, still struggling.

"Kathryn, forget about all the practical details and logistics. Being a parent isn't about that. It boils down to, do you want this child? No, do you want him?" He gestured to the child cuddled in her arms. "Don't think about it, answer with your heart."

She studied those brown eyes peering up at her. Those chubby cheeks and stubby fingers. The answer was obvious.

"Yes." She was surprised with the relief that finally making the decision provided.

"Then we'll make it work." Chakotay smiled. "Have I ever given you any reason to think that you can't depend on me?"

As her first officer, he'd always gone above and beyond, bringing her coffee, reviewing extra reports when she got behind. He even went out of his way to make sure she ate and ensured that she took care of herself.

When they had disagreements, they'd been about solid principles rather than jockeying to be correct. While it irked her when he disagreed with her, she appreciated that he was a man of principle who followed his heart, rather than blindly following her lead.

And as a lover, he did even more. He was always generous and attentive. Even now, he'd stayed by her side, helping her take care of their child.

She yawned. She hated that the condition of her body seemed so foreign to her and that she felt so worn out.

"Want to move into the bedroom?" He suggested.

Once they were lying side by side on her bed, he asked, "Can I hold him?"

She hated that she felt so contrary. One minute she was tired of holding the child yet the instant he was out of her arms, she wanted him back. Yet, she offered him to Chakotay, glad that he cared about his son. The look of adoration he gave the boy made her heart melt.

She leaned against the bulk of his chest.

"I'm scared," she said.

"Me too. It's not going to be easy. But we can do this. Together.

"He needs a name."

"What did you have in mind?"

XXX

(Two months later)

"C'mon! It's my turn to hold Kota!" Tom said.

Kes smiled at the baby in her arms. "You'll have to wait your turn. I just got him."

The crew was gathered in the mess hall, having a reception to formally celebrate the arrival of Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay's son. The room was festively decorated with streamers. Neelix had even managed to bake a fancy cake that almost tasted like chocolate.

For the most part, over the past two months, Kathryn and Chakotay had stayed in the captain's quarters. Occasionally they'd venture out to pick up food from the mess hall, check in with senior officers, visit sick bay, or walk with the child along the corridors. This was their first official ship event. The baby was thriving under the attention of well-meaning crew members.

Kathryn was slowly recovering from her unusual pregnancy. Her hormone levels were normalizing, and her body was less swollen. With the exception of several pounds, she was starting to resemble her former self. However, she'd decided to cut her hair to shoulder length for easier care.

Although she and Chakotay were sleeping for longer intervals now, she was still weary. Of course, she'd insisted that she was ready to return for duty. Chakotay and the Doctor promptly vetoed her, insisting that she take one more month to fully recover. They would permit her to review reports and attend occasional meetings, while Chakotay would be resuming part-time duty this month.

Kathryn finished the last bite of cake on her plate, while searching over her shoulder through the crowd for Kota. She hadn't been around this many people in a while.

"He's fine." Chakotay reassured her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Neelix, it was a lovely cake. And a wonderful party," Kathryn said.

For once the dessert actually tasted sweet and was somewhat appealing. The Talaxian had gone out of his way for the reception for their son.

Kathryn felt terribly guilty that the crew had even presented them with gifts. When Kota arrived, in addition to items provided by Ensign Wildman, the rest of the crew had rallied, pooling replicator rations, to provide them with baby necessities. Additional gifts seemed like overkill. Yet at the rate the boy was growing, he already needed more clothing.

"For you, Captain, it was no trouble at all." Neelix said. "And how is the little one doing?"

As if on cue, Kes strode over with a whimpering Kota.

Chakotay reached for him. "He's doing great."

Recognizing his father's voice, the boy calmed down.

Tom, Harry and B'Elanna rushed over.

"He's getting fussy, huh?" Tom glared good naturedly at Kes. Turning to Kathryn and Chakotay, he said, "So this is Kota. What's his full name?"

"Dakota Edward Janeway," Kathryn said.

"I like it," Harry said. "Does it have any special meaning?"

"Dakota means friend in the language of my people. And Edward is Kathryn's father's name." Chakotay explained.

Always tactful, Tom asked, "So when's the wedding?"

B'Elanna not so subtly elbowed Tom in the ribs.

Chakotay and Kathryn exchanged bashful looks. They hadn't had time to think about that, more or less discuss details.

"Another reason to celebrate." Neelix's eyes brightened, and he clasped his hands together in delight.

Suddenly, the sound of an organ playing the charge theme from a baseball game filled the room. Everyone stopped and stared about them.

"Isn't this a lovely party?" Q said.

Crew members stood aside to allow passage for Q and a small boy as they approached Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay. The two were dressed in baseball uniforms, carrying gloves and a baseball.

Q's son had grown rapidly, now resembling a six-year-old. He was walking independently and standing almost as tall as his father's waist.

"What do you want?" Chakotay growled, handing the baby to Kathryn and then physically standing between the two of them and Q. That man's presence automatically set him on red alert.

Q feigned surprise. "How boorish. What type of greeting is that? No pleasantries. No 'How are you" or "How's the weather?" Making a face at Chakotay, he said, "Down boy." Then he looked towards Janeway and said, "Call off your bulldog, ma'am. You need a leash for this guy. Or at the very least, take him to obdience school."

Sensing he had a hostile audience, Q got down to business. "So what's the verdict, Kathy? Does he stay or does he go?"

"The baby stays. You, on the other hand, can go." Chakotay stated, barely concealing his contempt for Q.

Q looked to Janeway.

"You heard the man," she said.

"Are you absolutely sure?"

"Thank you for your gift, Q. We're definitely keeping him. Now get lost." Kathryn's eyes were lovingly fixed on the child in her arms.

"You're most welcome…I knew you'd enjoy your gift." Then Q added happily. "But I can't help but notice that my child is growing so much faster than yours. Look how tall he is. We were looking for father/son bonding activities. He thought Kota would like to play catch with us but that's clearly not going to work." Then his eyes brightened. "I can fix that."

"No!" Chakotay and Kathryn objected

Q looked confused. "What do you mean? You were so concerned about his safety. If he's more self-sufficient, he'll be safer. And you'll have more independence too."

"Absolutely not." Kathryn said firmly.

She was already disappointed that she'd missed out on the experience of having Kota growing inside of her, and of anticipating his arrival.

"You're not going to rob me of another second of my son's life."

Q lightly tickled the baby's neck earning him a tiny smile, while Chakotay simmered nearby.

"What a cute little guy. I guess my work here is done. You know, I'm impressed Kathy. You've truly risen to the task. You and Chuckles seem to be handling this parenting thing so well...You know, I've heard that only children tend to be a bit spoiled. And lonely. And Kota's going to need several more companions if he's ever going to get to play baseball. Perhaps you'd like a second one? And maybe some of the other crew members would like one too?"

Q chuckled as he snapped his fingers and promptly disappeared with his son, leaving only his voice to fill the crowded room and overlay Janeway's anxious expression. "Congratulations Captain!"

"Q!"

THE END