Disclaimer: Star Trek and its world, characters and ideas all belong to
Paramount. The story belongs to me.
Thanks to Cat C for her friendship and editing abilities.
Chapter 8
The transport arrived in Indiana on time. Kathryn's mother, Gretchen, was waiting for them and ran towards her daughter as soon as she picked her face out of the crowd of people exiting the transport station. She grabbed her daughter and hugged her fiercely; not wanting to ever let go of her again. It had been hard on her these last 7 years, not knowing whether or not she was alive. She was immensely relieved 2 years ago when the Pathfinder project was able to contact Voyager - which allowed families to talk to their loved ones in the Delta Quadrant. She cried the first time she talked to Kathryn; she was so relieved that her younger daughter was alive and well.
"Kathryn, I can't believe you are actually here!" and she hugged her again. "It is you, and I still can't believe it! Pheobe and her husband are coming tomorrow. She wanted to come today, but I told her to give you a day to get settled. Everyone is so excited to see you!" She then noticed the tall Indian man next to her daughter and smiled, "You must be Chakotay! I've heard so much about you, from Kathryn and the news reports. I'm Gretchen Janeway, Kathryn's mother. Please call me Gretchen. Welcome!" She said, then looked between the two. She said, "You two must be tired, come on, the car's over there." She grabbed Kathryn with one arm and Chakotay with the other, and led them to her car.
"Nice to meet you, Gretchen. Thank you for picking us up. I've been waiting to see Indiana for quite a while now." Chakotay said, smiling. He looked between the two Janeway women and immediately noticed the family resemblance. He also thought of the older Admiral Janeway and decided that Kathryn was beautiful, at any age.
"Nice to meet you too, Chakotay. So, I take it the doctors are all done with you and your crew?" She asked curiously.
Kathryn smiled, "Yes, Mom. We all have a clean bill of health. No one got Delta Quadrant Fever or anything!" she laughed. She looked over at Chakotay and saw him laugh too. God, he is so handsome. Does he know what his dimples do to me every time he smiles at me? Probably not. I just hope that no one can see my insides turn to jelly every time he looks at me! She watched the road as they drove the familiar route back to the family farm. She pointed out familiar sights from her childhood to Chakotay as they drove by.
She always wondered why her mother stayed at the farm after her father had died. When they drove into the driveway, it suddenly hit her. She realized that the peace and quiet of the place was what she missed about it most. She was sure it had been what she felt she was missing during her 7- year mission. She stepped out of the car, wide eyed.
Chakotay had been watching her the whole ride. He noticed the stress in her face just melt away over the miles to her home. When she began to smile and point out places where she had played as a child, and had 'hung out' as a teenager, he smiled at her. This was the youthful face he had not seen in 7 long years. He stared at her, watched her face as emotions ran quickly over it. She continued playing tour guide, unaware of his attention. When they finally drove down the driveway, and pulled up into the farmyard, he was amazed. The place was beautiful. It was well taken care of, and so full of life! He followed Kathryn out of the car.
Kathryn was so shocked that the place hadn't changed in all of that time that she didn't notice Molly running up from behind the house and jump on her, with her tail wagging at warp 2! She was knocked backwards, hit something and landed. Molly was busy licking her face and jumping excitedly all around her. She tried to get up, but noticed that she wasn't on the ground. When Kathryn looked below her, she realized that she was sitting on Chakotay's lap. He was laughing quite loudly, and wiggling his eyebrows at her. She blushed and tried to get up.
Chakotay was surprised when the dog pushed Kathryn on top of him and they both fell down. He thought it was quite funny, though, and started laughing. "So, this is the dog whose picture was on your desk all throughout the trip? I'm surprised that she has this much energy to welcome you home!" When he saw her struggling to get up, because the dog was still jumping on her, he lifted her off his lap and sat her beside himself on the grass.
Kathryn was surprised when, in trying unsuccessfully to get up, she felt Chakotay's hands lifting her up and setting her down beside him. Molly still continued her happy onslaught of welcome home kisses, obviously missing her owner very much. "I thought she'd forget about me after all of this time!" she said, with a lot of emotion in her voice.
Gretchen said, "She's been waiting for you to get home, Kathryn. She sits by the window every day, looking for you. She got so excited when we talked to you through the pathfinder. Just the sound of your voice excited her! The last few days, since we have bee talking a lot, Molly has been extremely restless. She has been waiting by the door for about a week now." She looked down at the loyal dog that was happy to have her owner back. "When Starfleet had decided that there was no way that Voyager could have survived the anomaly in the Badlands, Mark thought you had been killed so he returned Molly to me. He thought it would be a way for me to keep your memory with me. I was happy to have her, since the house had been so quiet, and she has been great company but she has always been your dog. I can see that now! She sure is happy to have you home!"
Eventually, Molly let her get up and lead Chakotay in the house. Kathryn entered the house, and waited quietly as Chakotay came through the door. "This is my house, Chakotay. I grew up here, and it is a part of me." Her voice tapered off as she walked into the family room. She was surprised to see that nothing had changed much in the years she was gone. There were a few more pictures on the mantle, mostly of Pheobe and her family. There was also a portrait of her now hanging above the fireplace. She pointed to it, "When did you have this done, Mom?"
Her mother laughed. "It was a surprise for you. I had it commissioned when you left for your first command trip on Voyager. It was your most recent Starfleet picture, and I wanted it to be a surprise when you came home for your first shore leave. I just never realized it would be so long in coming." Gretchen laughed again, but her face looked sad.
Kathryn then walked into the kitchen. There was a fresh pot of coffee brewing, and three mugs sitting out. She turned and looked at her mother, "Oh, Mom, you remembered!" She sped to the coffee machine and filled a mug with fresh, hot coffee. After she had taken and savored her first delicious sip, she offered a cup to Chakotay. "This is so much better than Starfleet coffee!" She poured his cup and handed it to him.
When Chakotay reached out for his mug of coffee, his hand met hers. He stared at their hands for what seemed like a lifetime, but in truth were nanoseconds. He then looked up from their hands into her blue eyes, and smiled at her. She surrendered the mug, and poured another for her mother.
"Mom, this is the best coffee I've had in 7 years!" she said. "I have been waiting for so long for a good cup of coffee and with such good company, what could be better?" she smiled. They all walked into the family room and sat down, drinking their coffee.
Chakotay followed them into the family room and sat down. He listened and took sips of his coffee which, he had to admit, was the best cup of coffee he had tasted since leaving home.
After they spent the afternoon talking, Kathryn yawned. She decided to take a nap, then promised to take Chakotay for a tour of the yard.
Chakotay helped Kathryn get their bags from the car and carried them upstairs to the bedrooms. Kathryn was to sleep in her old room, and he had the guestroom. He spent the time she was napping unpacking and talking with her mother. Gretchen shared stories of Kathryn's childhood experiences with him, many of which she would not have told with Kathryn around!
*Please read & review!
Thanks to Cat C for her friendship and editing abilities.
Chapter 8
The transport arrived in Indiana on time. Kathryn's mother, Gretchen, was waiting for them and ran towards her daughter as soon as she picked her face out of the crowd of people exiting the transport station. She grabbed her daughter and hugged her fiercely; not wanting to ever let go of her again. It had been hard on her these last 7 years, not knowing whether or not she was alive. She was immensely relieved 2 years ago when the Pathfinder project was able to contact Voyager - which allowed families to talk to their loved ones in the Delta Quadrant. She cried the first time she talked to Kathryn; she was so relieved that her younger daughter was alive and well.
"Kathryn, I can't believe you are actually here!" and she hugged her again. "It is you, and I still can't believe it! Pheobe and her husband are coming tomorrow. She wanted to come today, but I told her to give you a day to get settled. Everyone is so excited to see you!" She then noticed the tall Indian man next to her daughter and smiled, "You must be Chakotay! I've heard so much about you, from Kathryn and the news reports. I'm Gretchen Janeway, Kathryn's mother. Please call me Gretchen. Welcome!" She said, then looked between the two. She said, "You two must be tired, come on, the car's over there." She grabbed Kathryn with one arm and Chakotay with the other, and led them to her car.
"Nice to meet you, Gretchen. Thank you for picking us up. I've been waiting to see Indiana for quite a while now." Chakotay said, smiling. He looked between the two Janeway women and immediately noticed the family resemblance. He also thought of the older Admiral Janeway and decided that Kathryn was beautiful, at any age.
"Nice to meet you too, Chakotay. So, I take it the doctors are all done with you and your crew?" She asked curiously.
Kathryn smiled, "Yes, Mom. We all have a clean bill of health. No one got Delta Quadrant Fever or anything!" she laughed. She looked over at Chakotay and saw him laugh too. God, he is so handsome. Does he know what his dimples do to me every time he smiles at me? Probably not. I just hope that no one can see my insides turn to jelly every time he looks at me! She watched the road as they drove the familiar route back to the family farm. She pointed out familiar sights from her childhood to Chakotay as they drove by.
She always wondered why her mother stayed at the farm after her father had died. When they drove into the driveway, it suddenly hit her. She realized that the peace and quiet of the place was what she missed about it most. She was sure it had been what she felt she was missing during her 7- year mission. She stepped out of the car, wide eyed.
Chakotay had been watching her the whole ride. He noticed the stress in her face just melt away over the miles to her home. When she began to smile and point out places where she had played as a child, and had 'hung out' as a teenager, he smiled at her. This was the youthful face he had not seen in 7 long years. He stared at her, watched her face as emotions ran quickly over it. She continued playing tour guide, unaware of his attention. When they finally drove down the driveway, and pulled up into the farmyard, he was amazed. The place was beautiful. It was well taken care of, and so full of life! He followed Kathryn out of the car.
Kathryn was so shocked that the place hadn't changed in all of that time that she didn't notice Molly running up from behind the house and jump on her, with her tail wagging at warp 2! She was knocked backwards, hit something and landed. Molly was busy licking her face and jumping excitedly all around her. She tried to get up, but noticed that she wasn't on the ground. When Kathryn looked below her, she realized that she was sitting on Chakotay's lap. He was laughing quite loudly, and wiggling his eyebrows at her. She blushed and tried to get up.
Chakotay was surprised when the dog pushed Kathryn on top of him and they both fell down. He thought it was quite funny, though, and started laughing. "So, this is the dog whose picture was on your desk all throughout the trip? I'm surprised that she has this much energy to welcome you home!" When he saw her struggling to get up, because the dog was still jumping on her, he lifted her off his lap and sat her beside himself on the grass.
Kathryn was surprised when, in trying unsuccessfully to get up, she felt Chakotay's hands lifting her up and setting her down beside him. Molly still continued her happy onslaught of welcome home kisses, obviously missing her owner very much. "I thought she'd forget about me after all of this time!" she said, with a lot of emotion in her voice.
Gretchen said, "She's been waiting for you to get home, Kathryn. She sits by the window every day, looking for you. She got so excited when we talked to you through the pathfinder. Just the sound of your voice excited her! The last few days, since we have bee talking a lot, Molly has been extremely restless. She has been waiting by the door for about a week now." She looked down at the loyal dog that was happy to have her owner back. "When Starfleet had decided that there was no way that Voyager could have survived the anomaly in the Badlands, Mark thought you had been killed so he returned Molly to me. He thought it would be a way for me to keep your memory with me. I was happy to have her, since the house had been so quiet, and she has been great company but she has always been your dog. I can see that now! She sure is happy to have you home!"
Eventually, Molly let her get up and lead Chakotay in the house. Kathryn entered the house, and waited quietly as Chakotay came through the door. "This is my house, Chakotay. I grew up here, and it is a part of me." Her voice tapered off as she walked into the family room. She was surprised to see that nothing had changed much in the years she was gone. There were a few more pictures on the mantle, mostly of Pheobe and her family. There was also a portrait of her now hanging above the fireplace. She pointed to it, "When did you have this done, Mom?"
Her mother laughed. "It was a surprise for you. I had it commissioned when you left for your first command trip on Voyager. It was your most recent Starfleet picture, and I wanted it to be a surprise when you came home for your first shore leave. I just never realized it would be so long in coming." Gretchen laughed again, but her face looked sad.
Kathryn then walked into the kitchen. There was a fresh pot of coffee brewing, and three mugs sitting out. She turned and looked at her mother, "Oh, Mom, you remembered!" She sped to the coffee machine and filled a mug with fresh, hot coffee. After she had taken and savored her first delicious sip, she offered a cup to Chakotay. "This is so much better than Starfleet coffee!" She poured his cup and handed it to him.
When Chakotay reached out for his mug of coffee, his hand met hers. He stared at their hands for what seemed like a lifetime, but in truth were nanoseconds. He then looked up from their hands into her blue eyes, and smiled at her. She surrendered the mug, and poured another for her mother.
"Mom, this is the best coffee I've had in 7 years!" she said. "I have been waiting for so long for a good cup of coffee and with such good company, what could be better?" she smiled. They all walked into the family room and sat down, drinking their coffee.
Chakotay followed them into the family room and sat down. He listened and took sips of his coffee which, he had to admit, was the best cup of coffee he had tasted since leaving home.
After they spent the afternoon talking, Kathryn yawned. She decided to take a nap, then promised to take Chakotay for a tour of the yard.
Chakotay helped Kathryn get their bags from the car and carried them upstairs to the bedrooms. Kathryn was to sleep in her old room, and he had the guestroom. He spent the time she was napping unpacking and talking with her mother. Gretchen shared stories of Kathryn's childhood experiences with him, many of which she would not have told with Kathryn around!
*Please read & review!
