Chapter 6 (In Which Gretchen Janeway Has Her Say Regarding Relationships With Subordinate Officers)
Several hours later Chakotay, Kathryn and Gretchen sat in the living room. They'd been there for hours, talking. Chakotay and Kathryn had given her mother a condensed version of their time in the Delta Quadrant, glossing over the battles they'd fought and concentrating on the wonders they'd seen, the people they'd met and planets they'd visited. Gretchen had in turn caught them up on events in the Alpha Quadrant. For Chakotay, the entire evening had a warm feeling to it; they'd polished off a couple of bottles of wine hours ago. His internal clock was still confused from the trip back from Grotto, though to look at Kathryn, you'd never know it. His mind had lost the thread of the conversation about fifteen minutes ago, and now he was embracing the atmosphere around him; a comfortable living room, good wine, and a sense of family he'd thought he'd never feel again. As much as the crew on Voyager had become a surrogate family for him, there'd always been a line drawn by the rank each wore, and the professionalism they all carried like a shield. Here, though, he could sense that the barriers between him and Kathryn had all but dissolved. Gretchen was following her daughter's lead, holding nothing back. He smiled into his glass at the realization.
Gretchen saw his expression, but mistook its meaning, interpreting it as a stifled yawn. "I'm sorry Chakotay, you must be exhausted. Kathryn, why don't you show him to the guest room and I'll clean up down here."
Looking at Chakotay, she could see exhaustion clearly etched on his face, but unlike her mother, she also saw the contentment. Curious, she stood, gesturing for him to follow her. Once upstairs and out of Gretchen's earshot, she turned to face him.
Before she could open her mouth, he took her hands and whispered, "thank you for bringing me here, I'd forgotten how good it feels, to be with a family."
Moved by his unguarded confession, she whispered back, "I'm glad you're here," before kissing him chastely on the cheek.
"The Guest room's the last door on the right. There's an en suite that should have everything you need."
"Thank you Kathryn, I'm sure it'll be fine. It'll be odd not to be in the same bed as you, but I'll manage."
"Nice to know you can muster along fine without me."
"Give me some, credit, Kathryn, I'm not a randy eighteen year old any more."
Kathryn raised an eyebrow. "Really? I would have thought differently last night. Such quick recoveries…"
Smiling at the compliment he took a step closer, invading her space. "You inspire me." He leaned down and kissed her, drawing back before either got pulled in too deep.
"Perhaps we ought to go to bed before things get out of hand."
"Indeed. Goodnight Kathryn."
"Goodnight Chakotay."
Chakotay inclined his head lightly before retreating to the guest room. Kathryn entered her own room at the other end of the hallway, and silently cursed herself for not telling her mother what was going on right away. If she had, she and Chakotay would be curled up as usual, sleeping blissfully. Instead, she was facing a night of insomnia. Alone.
*
True to her prediction, Kathryn spent her night tossing and turning. Unbeknownst to her, she was not alone in her suffering. Chakotay was also aggravated by the change in sleeping arrangements. His frustrations finally led him to try to contact his spirit guide, something he'd been remiss in doing since meeting Kathryn on Grotto III. After finally relaxing enough to contact his spirit guide, he greeted her briefly, sensing her contentment with the course his life was taking, and settled in to await dawn in the forest of his mind.
Other members of the house had no such place for escape. Vanessa spent half an hour pacing between Kathryn and Chakotay's door, before finally settling uncomfortably in the hall between the rooms.
Gretchen was not unaware of the unrest in her house, but wasn't sure what to make of it. She understood that Chakotay and Kathryn were likely out of sorts from the time changes between Grotto and Earth, but she'd never met a dog who adjusted so poorly as Vanessa, especially give her overall good natured ness. Finally chocking it up to sleeping in a new place, she settled into her own bed for a good night's sleep.
*
Morning came to Kathryn slowly; it started as a sunbeam creping through the window, playing across her face and raising the temperature of her room. Her body ignored the intrusion, pulling the sheet over her head to block out the offending light. Noise from downstairs slowly filtered up the stairs, settling into her unconscious mind. Still she refused to surrender her slumber, drawing in the sounds and making them part of her dreams. The final assault on her sleep came insidiously, creeping through the air, and enticing her senses. Coffee. The aroma of fresh, homebrewed coffee finally broke through her resolve, drawing open her eyes to blink at the sun and her ears to strain at the sounds below her.
Sighing, she pulled herself out of bed and made her way to the stairs. She found Chakotay and her mother laughing in the kitchen. Her mother paused for a moment and caught sight of her daughter.
"Oh Kathryn, you're awake. Chakotay was telling me about your first game of pool against Tom Paris. Serves him right, doubting his Captain like that."
"Yes, definitely one of the better lessons I've taught. Do I smell coffee?"
Gretchen chuckled again at her daughter's one-track mind before handing her a cup.
Kathryn inhaled deeply before taking a sip.
"You might also be interested to know that Chakotay and I have brunch ready."
"Sounds wonderful, what are we having?"
A few minutes later, the three of them were seated around the kitchen table, enjoying porridge and fresh fruit. Chakotay and Kathryn had just told the story of Nelix's cheese. Sensing a lull in the conversation, Kathryn got to her feet.
"I'm gonna grab another cup of coffee, does anyone want anything?" When both Chakotay and her mother shook their heads, she shrugged and turned toward the kitchen, unconsciously reaching out to stroke Chakotay's shoulder and chest.
Though Kathryn was unaware of what she'd done, Gretchen had seen the way her daughter's hand and gently massaged her former officer. She had also seen Chakotay's small smile, and the slight stiffening of his body as he realised what had taken place. He glanced over at Gretchen, hoping she hadn't noticed, to find a knowing smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
"Katie?"
"Yes mom?"
"When we're you planning on telling my that you and Chakotay are together?"
A long pause.
"What do you mean?"
Shaking her head at her daughter's attempt to back peddle, Gretchen continued, "If you treat all of your officers the way you just treated his shoulder, it's no wonder they follow you."
Walking back from the kitchen, Kathryn glanced at Chakotay, who gave a helpless shrug, before glaring at her mother.
"Do they teach that command mask in the academy?"
Chakotay nearly spit out his tea.
"You're father used to look at me like that sometimes too. It never worked. Something about being a civilian, you really can't strike the same kind of fear into us."
With a sigh, a defeated Kathryn sunk into her chair. "We've been together for about a month now."
"You started a relationship with one of your crew? I'm proud of you Kathryn, disobeying Starfleet regulations in favour of your personal life. I always thought those rules were unreasonable, how do you expect people who trust their lives to each other not to form bonds, especially when you've been together for so long?"
Chakotay smiled at her easy acceptance. Kathryn just gaped.
Taking another sip of her tea, Gretchen continued conversationally, "You know your father felt the same way."
Kathryn was dumbstruck. Her mother, the wife of the late Admiral Edward Janeway had just told her that one of Starfleet's longest standing regulations was unreasonable. And her father had agreed. Whatever she'd expected from her mother in the way of a reaction, this was not it.
Chakotay, on the other hand, had just gotten a new insight into Kathryn's family, giving it a dimension he hadn't expected. The stories he'd heard about Edward Janeway painted him as a very by the book Admiral, and it seemed Kathryn agreed. Now to hear that he'd questioned the powers that be, it made Chakotay wish he'd met the man.
Seeing her daughter speechless, Gretchen shrugged and smiled before heading back into the kitchen. "What can I tell you Katie? Your father didn't always see eye to eye with Starfleet Command."
*
"Chakotay, do you wish we'd done this differently?"
Looking up from his harness, he raised an eyebrow, not understanding the question, but knowing she needed to talk. They had spent the afternoon climbing. Loath to brave the crowds guaranteed to follow them to any outdoor spot, they'd instead opted for an indoor gym. This particular gym had once existed as a barn. When the owner had decided he really wasn't much of a farmer, he'd sold the surrounding land to finance his new self-sealing stembolt company. The success he'd achieved had allowed him to provided start up funds for his children's summer project; turn the barn into a climbing gym and manage it as a profitable business.
Now reaping the benefits of several summers of hard work, Kathryn and Chakotay had rented out the entire space for the rest of the day. The owner was only happy to oblige them, his regular cliental taking advantage of the good weather to tackle some outdoor pitches.
"Do you wish we'd started this while we were still on Voyager?"
Taking a breath, Chakotay considered how best to respond. He'd suspected this conversation was coming. Deciding he needed more information, Chakotay answered, "Started what?"
Frustration was starting to get the better of her. "Us Chakotay, us. Do you wish we'd started this before?"
"No. Do you want to know why? Do you know what I'm thinking about right now?"
Startled by the change in topic, Kathryn's reply was an unsure "No".
"There are three things on my mind right now: this conversation, how much I love you, and how absolutely stunning you look standing there tied to me.
"Now if we were on Voyager doing this, I'd have about ten other things on my mind. Things like how much longer it would be until someone interrupted us, whether I had enough replicator rations to get us dinner, dessert and wine, or just dinner. I don't want to worry about things like that when I'm spending time with you. I want to be able to devote my full attention to you without guilt.
"Now, does that mean that things couldn't have worked between us? No, but I couldn't be happier with the way things are right now. I therefore choose not to dwell on might-have-beens." He punctuated this last statement by pulling her gently toward him, so they stood mere centimetres away. Leaning over, he whispered gently into her ear, "why would I want to change a thing?" before kissing her forehead lightly, and returning his attention to the eight-knot at his waist.
Kathryn responded by leaning over to him and laying her head on his chest, whispering "thank you" in return before turning her own attention to the carabineer on her harness.
*
"When do they expect you?"
"Oh eight hundred hours."
"You'd better get Kathryn moving or you're going to be late."
"I know," Chakotay mumbled glumly. Kathryn was dragging her heels this morning, and he couldn't figure out why. When they'd made arrangements to go and visit Tom and B'Elanna a week ago, she'd been bubbling with excitement. Now she looked haggard. He was starting to worry about her; last night they'd gone to bed early because she'd been tired, but even eight hours of uninterrupted sleep had done nothing for the bags under her eyes.
"Let's go." Kathryn was at the bottom of the stairs, dressed at last.
"Here's your coffee." Gretchen was just as concerned as Chakotay.
Kathryn's lip actually curled up a little before she covered her reaction, "I'll get one when we get there."
Chakotay and Gretchen shared a concerned look before he followed Kathryn out the door.
*
Kathryn and Chakotay materialized outside Admiral Paris' cottage a few minutes later. Wordlessly, Kathryn reached out and knocked on the old wooden door. It opened a few moments later, revealing Tom Paris, bouncing an unhappy Miral on his hip.
"Captain, Commander, c'mon in. It's great to see you." Chakotay and Kathryn entered the cottage just in time to see B'Elanna rush into the kitchen, diaper bag slung over her shoulder.
"Captain Commander, I'm sorry to do this to you, but Tom and I have to leave for half an hour or so. Miral came down with colic last night and we got an appointment at Starfleet medical. Please, stay and enjoy the place. There's a skiff down at the dock, and the water's still warm enough to swim. We'll see you soon. Bye."
Without another word, Tom, B'Elanna and Miral disappeared through the front door.
After a few moments of silence, Chakotay turned to Kathryn. "Would you like to try out the skiff?"
Kathryn muttered, "Okay," before brushing past him and leading the way to the out the side door and down the stone steps to the dock. Warmer water sent steam into the cooler late summer air, and their footsteps seemed to echo in the still morning.
The old skiff sat on a glassy surface, tethered to the dock by painters at either end. Wordlessly Kathryn and Chakotay untied the boat. Chakotay settled in first, fitting the oars into the oarlocks while Kathryn held the boat. As soon as he was ready, she pushed off and settled herself onto the second seat, facing the stern.
Chakotay hesitated a moment when he saw she was deliberately facing away from him. Sighing, he decided not to press the issue right away. Instead he reached back and dipped his oars into the water. Giving a strong pull, he gently propelled the old skiff away from the dock and out onto the open water. He pulled them along without a sound for a few minutes, until Kathryn's silence finally forced him to speak.
"Whatever it is Kathryn, it can only help to talk about it."
Kathryn's head dipped toward her chest. He could see her draw a breath before finally mumbling, "I'm pregnant."
"What?" Chakotay wasn't sure he'd heard her right.
"I'm going to keep the baby, but I don't expect you to be involved."
Now sure about what she'd said, Chakotay let got of the oars and moved carefully over to her bench. Straddling it, he reached his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair. "We're going to have a baby?"
"No Chakotay, I'm going to have a baby."
Her words struck him with a dull thud. He realized for the first time that she was sitting ramrod straight. She wouldn't even relax in his grip. "What do you mean? Am I the father?"
"Of course you're the father. But I expect to have this child alone. We didn't plan this, and I won't have you forced into fatherhood by some misplaced sense of honour."
Chakotay was in shock; he could feel her shutting him out of his life again, and he thought he might drown in despair. As the waters started to close in around him, he searched desperately for something to say, something to grasp onto. Finally he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small object and presenting it to her.
"What is that?" Kathryn's words were a whisper as she looked at his hand and the ring it held.
"I'll stand by you through anything Kathryn, especially this. I've had this since Grotto but I was waiting for the right moment. I guess this is it."
"Is this a proposal?"
"If you'll accept one. If not, take it as a symbol of my love for you. This child you're carrying, I intend to be a father to it because I want to and because I love you."
Shocked at his sincerity, she gingerly reached out for the ring. Examining it carefully she could see that it was made from the same titanium as the flower he'd shown her on the beach. Tilting it, she could make out the inscription: To the Captain of my heart with all my love, C. Blinking away the tears that flowed freely down her face, she managed a small "okay."
"Okay, we can raise this child together?"
"Okay I'll marry you."
Chakotay smiled deeply. He reached out for the ring and slid it gently onto Kathryn's finger. "Kathryn Janeway, will you marry me."
Kathryn looked down at the slim band. And smiled back at him "Yes."
Chakotay wasted no more time but bent down and kissed her deeply. After a moment he broke away, leaning his forehead against hers. "How did you find out?"
"I scanned myself with a tricorder this morning."
"Then do you know, is it a boy or girl?"
Kathryn grinned again "A boy."
"A son?" Chakotay spread his left hand across her stomach, stretching his fingers wide. "We're going to have a son."
*
From the deck above Tom and B'Elanna gazed out at the skiff. Though they were well beyond the range of Kathryn and Chakotay's conversation, they could see the two figures hunched close, embracing. Unconsciously Tom pulled his wife closer. B'Elanna snuggled into her husband's embrace.
"I'm glad they finally found each other."
"Yeah." Tom kissed his wife's head. "C'mon, let's go get breakfast together."
*
Chakotay and Kathryn sat frozen, gazing at his hand on her stomach, both imagining the possibilities that lay beneath his five fingers.
Suddenly her stomach growled, breaking the moment.
Chakotay laughed and pulled her against his chest. "Maybe we should head back. Our son's hungry already."
Kathryn giggled into his chest; "our son's no bigger than a pinhead right now."
Chakotay sighed contentedly. "Our son."
"Chakotay, I don't think I'm ready to share this yet."
Chakotay brushed the side of her face. "Me neither."
Another growl from Kathryn's midsection ended the conversation. Reluctantly parting from Kathryn, Chakotay returned to the oars and started them back to the dock.
*
Late that evening Kathryn and Chakotay returned to Gretchen's house. As the approached the porch, they saw a security guard standing at ease beside the door. She was about to call out to Lieutenant Mertois, when she realized it wasn't him. In his place was another security guard, this one taller and lankier than Mertois.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, the guard snapped to attention.
Kathryn frowned. She'd been used to the more relaxed demeanour of Voyager's personnel. "At ease Ensign…?"
"Ensign Sato, Sir."
Kathryn could feel Chakotay wince beside her. "Ensign Sato, my name is Kathryn, or Captain if you must."
"Yes Captain."
"Do you know when Lieutenant Mertois is back on duty?"
"Lieutenant Mertois has been transferred."
Kathryn's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Somehow she'd expected him to always be on her mother's porch. "Do you know to where?"
Ensign Sato met her eyes for the first time. "I believe he's the Enterprise's temporary security chief while lieutenant Gilmore is on personal leave."
Kathryn smiled. She was glad the younger man had decided to stay in Starfleet, even if only for the time being. Tossing a "thank you ensign" over her shoulder, she and Chakotay walked through the door.
*
Chakotay woke while it was still dark, knowing instinctively that something was wrong. He reached out for Kathryn, only to find her side of the bed empty. The bed sheets were still warm, and as he became more conscious, he saw light leaking from the en suite. Rising from the bed he padded toward door and realised Kathryn hadn't closed it properly, just pushed it shut. Without hesitation he pushed it open and peered against the blinding light.
He saw Kathryn, bent over the toilet, shaking. He moved to her quickly, supporting her as her stomach heaved again. When she sank back against him, he reached up and grabbed a washcloth. He wet it with cold water from the bathtub and pressed it against her forehead.
"I thought this was only supposed to happen in the morning…" Kathryn's voice was strange, distorted by her clenched jaw.
"It's morning already. 03:00 I think."
She sighed, "You don't have to be here Chakotay."
He brushed her matted hair away from her face. "Yes I do."
The stayed on the bathroom floor for a few more moments, before Kathryn tried to get to her feet. "I think it's over."
Chakotay reached down and scooped her into his arms. "I'm going to make you an appointment at Starfleet medical in the morning."
"I thought you said it's already morning," Kathryn mumbled against his shirt.
Chakotay laid her back on the bed and brought the covers up around them. "Do you really want to get up?"
"Mph-mph."
"Good. Me neither. Now lets get some sleep." Her breathing had slowed as he leaned over to kiss her.
*
Chakotay rose when he saw the familiar form of Captain Kathryn Janeway approaching. He'd been waiting for her on the grounds of the Academy, enjoying the sun.
"How'd it go with Dr. Solura?"
Janeway made a face. "She gave me some tea to get rid of my morning sickness."
"Tea? That doesn't sound so bad."
"The active ingredient is leola root."
"You're kidding."
Janeway glared at him.
Chakotay did his best to contain his laughter as the two started down the path back toward the transporter terminal. "I'm sorry Kathryn, but at least Neelix will be happy."
"What about your meeting with Admiral Nechayev?" Since they'd be travelling to San Francisco, they'd made arrangements to meet with Admiral Nechayev to discuss their options at the end of shore leave.
Chakotay shrugged. "I'm being offered a post at Starfleet Academy."
"Teaching what?"
He smiled crookedly. "I'd be working for the department of advanced tactical training."
"Your old job."
"Yeah."
"Are you going to take it?"
Chakotay sighed. "I don't know. I wanted to see what you've decided first. How did your meeting go?"
"A position at Utopia Planitia developing technology from the Delta Quadrant."
"That sounds interesting."
"I think it will be." She turned toward him. "Chakotay, we saw so much out there, things we'd never dreamed of. Now that we know the possibility exists, it's only a matter of time before we develop our own transwarp drive, or spatial trajector."
"You're really excited about this, aren't you?" Chakotay could see the enthusiasm bubbling up from within her.
She smiled a little sheepishly, "yeah, I am. And you know what else? They're going to make me an Admiral."
Chakotay's smile dimmed at her last revelation. "Kathryn, are you sure that's what you want?"
Kathryn's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
With a sigh, Chakotay tried to figure out how to tell her what was bothering him without dampening her spirit. "Admirals spend most of their time behind desks, are you ready to give up being captain of a starship? Look what happened to Kirk, he was never happy unless he was commanding a ship. Are you sure this is what you want?"
"Are you saying I shouldn't take this position?"
He shook his head. "No, I'm not saying that. I'm not saying you should or shouldn't do anything. I'm asking you to make sure this is the what you want to do with your life."
"What about you Chakotay, what do you want to do with your life, teach tactics?"
Chakotay knew the conversation might take sometime to resolve, so led her to a nearby bench. "When I was a child, my father used to call me a contrary; I wanted to move beyond the boundaries of a traditional life on Dorvan. I joined Starfleet to explore the universe and see what lay beyond the sheltered life I'd had in my father's house. I loved my life, and I have never regretted my decision to leave.
"When the Cardassians killed my family, I felt enormous guilt. I thought that maybe if I'd stayed behind, I could have changed things. I masked my guilt with anger and joined the Maquis. But while I was fighting, I did a lot of soul searching. I asked myself why I'd thrown away the career I loved to avenge a planet I'd despised. And you know what the answer was? I did it for family. I left Starfleet because I as much as I thought I hated my father and the childhood he'd created for me; I really loved him."
Chakotay looked down, laughing lightly. "It really threw me for a loop when I figured that out. But really ever since I've lived my life to serve and protect my family. After Dorvan, the Maquis became my family, then Voyager, and now you."
He looked up, reaching for Kathryn's hands. "Kathryn, I will follow you wherever it is you need to go. If you want become an Admiral, if that's what your heart desires of you, then do it without hesitation. Will a promotion make you happy?"
Kathryn opened her mouth to answer, but no reply was forthcoming. Slowly she closed her lips and leaned back against him. They sat together, Kathryn considering his words and Chakotay offering support until the sun went down.
*
Every great homecoming deserves a reception or two, and the crew of Voyager got plenty. As soon as everyone's three months of leave were over, Starfleet Command had brought the crew back to Earth, parading them from reception to interview. Though disconcerting, reasonable requests for privacy were met, and the official spotlight helped settle things down closer to home.
The final event in the two-week media circus was the opening of the Voyager museum. It had been an all day event, bringing out anyone who was anyone in the Quadrant. The Federation President had presided, extolling the tenacity and honour of Voyager, her Captain and her crew. Medals had been presented and promotions given. Notable recipients, included Captain Janeway, who accepted her new posting and rank of Admiral after much soul searching, and Commander Chakotay who had taken his promotion to Captain without hesitation as soon as Janeway had made her decision. Harry Kim had finally made Lieutenant, and had been assigned to the Billy Bishop under Captain Dago, while Ambassador Worf had returned to Earth to present a medal to B'Elanna Torres on behalf of Chancellor Martok and the Klingon Empire.
After the awards and promotions had been announced, there had been an official ribbon cutting ceremony, followed by an official tour of the museum, an official unveiling of the Voyager monument (A stone and metal working of Voyager flying around a planet), an official banquet for all invitees, and an official reception for only the really A-list attendees. The final event had started out with over three hundred guests in a ballroom overlooking Voyager on the Academy grounds. The Ambassadors mixed with the crew of Voyager, listening to the stories from the Delta Quadrant, laughing politely at all the right places, all the while consuming enormous quantities of leola root soufflé, the latest delicacy trend in the Alpha Quadrant.
What the Ambassadors entirely failed to recognize was the gradual departure of every Voyager crewman in the room. Captain Chakotay had made it clear to every crewman that a subtle disappearance from the stuffy room was absolutely acceptable. This of course left two hundred dignitaries together in a room without real supervision or focus. They couldn't have been happier. Without an official 'thank you all for coming, now goodnight' speech from Admiral Janeway, the party looked to continue indefinitely. The emissaries shared stories, anecdotes and gossip gleefully while the staff of Starfleet stewards serving the function despaired; they knew they might never leave.
*
On the Enterprise, Ten Forward once more hosted a reception for Voyager's crew. This senior staff of both the Enterprise and Voyager along with some choice guests filled the lounge.
"Jean-Luc, thank you again for giving us an escape route."
Picard smiled, "It's my pleasure Kathryn, I know how…tedious those receptions can get. I can only imagine how tiresome these last few days must have been for you and your crew."
"Indeed. Have you ever met the ambassador from Betazed? She's the most exhausting person I've ever met. Talking to her for just ten minutes made me think I'd run a marathon."
Picard smiled. "Lwaxana Troi? Yes, I have had the pleasure of meeting her a few times. She's my counsellor's mother."
Janeway back peddled, "Uh, your councillor's mother…"
"I'd never thought about it that way, but running a marathon's a fair assessment of Lwaxana Troi. Though a sparing match would also fit." Picard saw Chakotay over her shoulder and waved him over. "Chakotay, how did you enjoy your leave?"
"It was quite relaxing, thank you Captain. The bottle of wine you gave me was an excellent vintage. And Grotto is quite beautiful." Kathryn and Chakotay had agreed to cool things while the media was still swarming around them. Both of them had taken quarters at Starfleet headquarters in an attempt to keep their personal lives off the nets. Chakotay was following Kathryn's lead about announcing their involvement.
"I'm glad to hear it. How about you Kathryn, how was your leave?"
Kathryn was long since tired of hiding her relationship with Chakotay. She snaked her arm his waist before answering. "The wine really was an excellent vintage."
Picard laughed, "I'm glad you liked it."
Janeway was about to respond, when Tom Paris interrupted, calling out from across the room, "it's official folks, they're together!"
Cheers erupted, making Janeway blush. Chakotay, seized by the moment, pulled her into an embrace and kissed her passionately. After a quick show, he brought her back to her feet as Tom quieted the room again.
"Admiral, Captain, it's time to answer the question on everyone's mind: who won the betting pool? The winning bet was that you two would become involved within the first three months of your return to Earth. So, the winner of two years of rations is…Seven of Nine! Congratulations."
Seven stepped forward and raised a glass toward Janeway and Chakotay. "Thank you Tom. I would like to raise a glass to Kathryn and Chakotay; none are more deserving of this than you. Thank you for guiding us home, and for proving once and for all that when it comes to true love, 'resistance is futile'."
*
Kathryn Janeway watched from the shore as her son Edward played in the sand. It had been seven years since her return from to Earth and she was on leave before starting her next assignment. Her stint at Utopia Planitia had proven extremely productive. Four years into her team's research, they'd finally cracked the secrets of transwarp, leading to the development of a transwarp drive. Though not as fast or efficient as a Borg drive, it allowed for travel without transwarp hubs, thus allowing exploration without the infrastructure the Borg had relied on. Starfleet planned on using the new technology to get back to the Delta quadrant and into Borg space. The wanted to know if the giant had been truly slain or if it was just regrouping.
Admiral Kathryn Janeway had been given command of the fleet being sent out into the far reaches of space once more. Even with the new drives, the trip was still expected to take ten years, one way, causing Starfleet to re-evaluate it's protocols regarding interpersonal relationships and families in the fleet. As a result, Chakotay was accompanying Janeway as her tactical advisor.
This trip back to Grotto was their last leave before the mission, and Kathryn and Chakotay had spent a good part of it doing exactly what they were doing right now: laying in a hammock on an unnamed beach watching their children play.
The child lying beside her stirred, punching her hands out in two tiny fists.
"I think she's gonna be a boxer." Chakotay's comment was thick with sleep.
"Decided to join the land of the living again, huh?"
"I'm sorry I don't have your boundless energy anymore Kathryn, but I believe you were still asleep at 06:00 when the kids decided they wanted to go swimming." Chakotay gestured toward Edward and his sister Elizabeth who were now enthusiastically building a wall around their castle.
"Maybe, but you were definitely sleeping at 03:00 when Gwen decided it was breakfast time."
Chakotay decided to avoid the subject. "I think Gwen's just about done with her nap."
"Looks that way." Kathryn gently stroked the side of her daughter's face. Even after three children, the look of peace on a sleeping baby's face still enthralled her.
Watching mother and daughter interact, Chakotay reached around her to Kathryn's stomach pulling her close. "How about another?"
"Another? Chakotay, I just had Gwen. Besides, we're due to ship out in a month. Let's at least get this kid toilet trained before we start planning the next."
Chakotay smiled at her reply; motherhood had agreed with Kathryn like nothing else. He nuzzled her neck, intent on resuming his nap, muttering 'okay boss,' before closing his eyes again.
Kathryn sighed, enjoying the closeness. She looked out on her children, realizing for the thousandth time how well life was treating her. She had three children, a husband who loved her, and now a mission she was really excited for. Chakotay had been right all those years ago; she wasn't ready to chain herself to a desk. Now she had another chance to get out and see the stars.
Smiling to herself, she pulled herself tighter into her husband's embrace, enjoying the peace of the moment, the splashing waves, the sun, and the sound of her children laughing.