Disclaimer: I don't own any of the ST: V characters, but it's nice to
dream. As I read in another disclaimer: I breathe the air, but I don't own
it either. Enjoy!
Kathryn sat down with a mug of coffee upon her sofa. She was wearing maroon flannel pajamas: pants and long sleeves. It was snowing heavily outside and the windows were fogged around their framework. It had to be past midnight, but Kathryn couldn't sleep. Just as she was sipping some of the warm drink, the front door swished opened, releasing a howling wind of snow and a dark figure.
"It's about time you got home," Kathryn said, setting her mug on the table and walking over to the figure. She helped her with her black wool coat off.
"I'm sorry, but the snow was awful and it caused some delays in the-"
"Look, I'm just glad you're here, dear. I was getting quite worried about you in this weather," Kathryn said, guiding her guest into the living room where a fire was crackling with life.
"So where's dad? I brought him a belated birthday gift," said the brunette with radiant blue eyes and a bright smile. A perfect reflection of her mother at her youthful age.
"Your guess is as good as mine. I haven't heard a word from him since lunch earlier," Kathryn said, picking up her mug of coffee and sipping it. "Pardon my manners Shannon love. There's a pot on in the kitchen."
"I've had plenty already, trust me," Shannon said, shaking her head. There was a brief silence between the two. "How are you holding up?" Shannon asked in a hushed whisper.
"Oh, I'm fine..." Kathryn lied blatantly, hiding behind her coffee mug. Shannon raised a brow in interrogation. "Look, I'm taking my medication regularly thanks to the Doctor, but that's only delaying the effects of the disease," Kathryn said, looking Shannon in the eye.
"And Tuvok?" Shannon asked, intent on the answer. Kathryn paused before she thought of lying again. It did sting her in the side, especially to her own daughter.
"I won't lie," Kathryn said, stating her feelings. "His condition has worsened greatly. Half the time I don't know if he even knows I'm in the same room. Other times we reminisce of the old days of the Delta Quadrant," Kathryn said with a small sigh. There was another brief silence. "So how are things on the USS Macmillan? Captain Dawson sent me a report on you lately; he seems to be very proud of you."
"That's not why I'm here. We can chat about this over the phone, or in letters," Shannon said, slightly heated. The door whooshed open again, releasing another shrieking snowy wind and producing another dark figure in the dim walkway.
"Winter certainly came earlier this year," came a gruff, chilled voice. The figure hung his coat and walked into the light, brushing the snow off his dark hair. "Ah, Shannon!" he said excitedly as she stood up and greeted up with a hug. "It's been too long, too long."
"Evening Chakotay," Kathryn said, rising from her seat and hugging him in a familiar manner. Shannon yawned.
"I'm going to head to bed; I had a rough day in transport," Shannon said, walking down the hallway to the guest bedroom. As soon as she was out of hearing and viewing range, Chakotay sat down with a sigh, followed by Kathryn.
"She's here again to stick her nose where it doesn't belong, isn't she?" Chakotay asked as Kathryn laid her head on his chest.
"She's just trying to help. You know the crew hasn't been the same since we arrived home," Kathryn said, closing her eyes.
~*~*~*~
Kathryn sat down with a mug of coffee upon her sofa. She was wearing maroon flannel pajamas: pants and long sleeves. It was snowing heavily outside and the windows were fogged around their framework. It had to be past midnight, but Kathryn couldn't sleep. Just as she was sipping some of the warm drink, the front door swished opened, releasing a howling wind of snow and a dark figure.
"It's about time you got home," Kathryn said, setting her mug on the table and walking over to the figure. She helped her with her black wool coat off.
"I'm sorry, but the snow was awful and it caused some delays in the-"
"Look, I'm just glad you're here, dear. I was getting quite worried about you in this weather," Kathryn said, guiding her guest into the living room where a fire was crackling with life.
"So where's dad? I brought him a belated birthday gift," said the brunette with radiant blue eyes and a bright smile. A perfect reflection of her mother at her youthful age.
"Your guess is as good as mine. I haven't heard a word from him since lunch earlier," Kathryn said, picking up her mug of coffee and sipping it. "Pardon my manners Shannon love. There's a pot on in the kitchen."
"I've had plenty already, trust me," Shannon said, shaking her head. There was a brief silence between the two. "How are you holding up?" Shannon asked in a hushed whisper.
"Oh, I'm fine..." Kathryn lied blatantly, hiding behind her coffee mug. Shannon raised a brow in interrogation. "Look, I'm taking my medication regularly thanks to the Doctor, but that's only delaying the effects of the disease," Kathryn said, looking Shannon in the eye.
"And Tuvok?" Shannon asked, intent on the answer. Kathryn paused before she thought of lying again. It did sting her in the side, especially to her own daughter.
"I won't lie," Kathryn said, stating her feelings. "His condition has worsened greatly. Half the time I don't know if he even knows I'm in the same room. Other times we reminisce of the old days of the Delta Quadrant," Kathryn said with a small sigh. There was another brief silence. "So how are things on the USS Macmillan? Captain Dawson sent me a report on you lately; he seems to be very proud of you."
"That's not why I'm here. We can chat about this over the phone, or in letters," Shannon said, slightly heated. The door whooshed open again, releasing another shrieking snowy wind and producing another dark figure in the dim walkway.
"Winter certainly came earlier this year," came a gruff, chilled voice. The figure hung his coat and walked into the light, brushing the snow off his dark hair. "Ah, Shannon!" he said excitedly as she stood up and greeted up with a hug. "It's been too long, too long."
"Evening Chakotay," Kathryn said, rising from her seat and hugging him in a familiar manner. Shannon yawned.
"I'm going to head to bed; I had a rough day in transport," Shannon said, walking down the hallway to the guest bedroom. As soon as she was out of hearing and viewing range, Chakotay sat down with a sigh, followed by Kathryn.
"She's here again to stick her nose where it doesn't belong, isn't she?" Chakotay asked as Kathryn laid her head on his chest.
"She's just trying to help. You know the crew hasn't been the same since we arrived home," Kathryn said, closing her eyes.
~*~*~*~