LEAVING LOVE

Chapter 3

When she awoke sometime later, sickbay was darkened and quiet. Remembering what the Doctor had said, she touched her stomach with a shaking hand. Pregnant? A lone tear slid down her cheek. As she reached up to brush it away, she felt her sunken cheek, the bone protruding sharply, and she realized with a start what she may have done to her baby during the past few weeks.

Stricken, she clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle a horrified moan. She struggled to stand, and, on shaky legs, made her way to the replicator. Once there, she ordered a bowl of soup and a glass of milk. The Doctor walked in just as she sat back down on the biobed.

"Captain?" he said softly. When she looked up at him, her eyes were bright with unshed tears. He sat beside her, taking one of her hands into both of his own, and both were quiet for a long time.

"I didn't know," she said finally, her voice soft as she played with her soup spoon. She lifted the utensil to her lips, sipping at the warm liquid cautiously.

"Captain, there's something you should know…" She looked over at him, her eyes wide.

"Is—is it about my baby?"

"Well, yes. You see, you are pregnant—about eight weeks along, at my calculations—and the babies are relatively healthy, considering…"

"Babies?" she said. "As in, more than one?"

"As in, more than two."

"Three?" He nodded. She took a deep breath, processing this new information, and then he saw it—the first spark of life to touch her eyes since Chakotay had left.

She chuckled softly. "I would ask whether it's a boy or a girl, but that doesn't seem to apply here, does it?"

"You're having three girls." A small smile tugged at her lips.

She lowered her eyes for a moment before asking, "Could I see them?"

He nodded. "Of course." Moving to a workstation, he entered several commands.

A moment later, three small figures shimmered into view. "This is an approximation of what they will look like at about ten months of age."

Kathryn stared. They were obviously not identical, although they shared some characteristics.

The one on the left had thick tufts of red hair and bright blue eyes. She was the smallest of the three. The middle child had ebony hair and deep brown eyes, and was by far the biggest. The third baby also had black hair, but, like her smaller sibling, she had blue eyes. She was not nearly as petite as the first, nor as sturdy as the second; instead, she rested comfortably somewhere in between.

"You may want to start thinking of names," the Doctor suggested.

"Taya," she said suddenly. The Doctor sent her a questioning glance. "It's the feminine version of 'Chakotay'," she informed him. She gazed at the middle infant intently. "She looks just like him. Her name will be Taya." She laid a hand on one of the Doctor's. "Doctor, we need tell the crew." She sighed. "I'll organize a meeting. We'll start with the senior staff."

"And Chakotay?" the Doctor asked gently.

Kathryn took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"He'll be getting a very unexpected letter soon."

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