If I Only had But One Life To Live
Chapter 2Home Coming
Rated T
Summery: Eight years after voyager returns home, Chakotay comes back form an eight year mission, one that should have only take two, he goes to Kathryn's house to find that he was…. Now if I told you any more it would ruin it.
Disclaimer: God made everything including paramount and me, so I guess we could say that, paramount doesn't own them but God does. Well however you look at it, I only own those characters that were never mentioned, on the show, and the plot, besides I don't think Paramount would want my story any way. Also the Character Named Cirean is not my creation entirely, she belongs to La Balle Coeur and she has given me permission to use her, being that this story pertains to her.
Kathryn slowly awakened, to a tugging on her sleeve. Turning over onto her side, she sighed, "go away", but the tugging only persisted. After a few more seconds she opened her eyes widely only to shut them again as a sharp pain pierced through her eyes. Squeezing them tightly then blinking wildly her eyes slowly adjusted to the bright sunlight that was filling the room. As her eyes focused she made out the form of a small, black haired girl. Sitting herself up she stared at her waiting for her to speak, being she had woken her up and all. It didn't take long, she was soon being told that breakfast was ready and she need to get up and get dressed for Daddy to come home. Kathryn frowned slightly she was still in a state of shock, she had been told he was dead, and now she found that he wasn't, she was desperate to see him, so much so that it hurt.
Kilani saw her mom frown and told her to smile, Daddy was coming home and she needed to be happy, that he wasn't dead. Kathryn gave her a halfhearted smile, then tickled her and told her to tell her grandmother that she would be in for breakfast in a minuet. The little girl jumped off the bed and ran to the other room, scramming slightly. Kathryn shook her head and pulled herself out of the bed, pulling on her robe, she made her way to the kitchen.
Upon entering the kitchen, the smell of Banana waffles met her. Taking in the fragrance, she took her seat next to Kilani and Zachary. Zack smiled and said, "Morin Aunt Kath,"
"Good morning Zack," she smiled at him, as Gretchen placed a few waffles on every ones plate.
"Gam'ma says that we get to go to mars soon" he looked at her with bright serious eyes as he cut a waffle in half.
"Is that so," she looked toward her mom who nodded, "when are we going to go?"
"I don't remember, but I'm sure that Gam'ma could tell you"
"All right I'll ask her then, Mom?"
"The trip is scheduled for three weeks form now, although it was suppose to be a surprise." She glared at Zack who sunk into his chair. "I thought it would be fun to take everyone, to mars, for a weekend, you know after school gets out." Kathryn nodded, it was a good idea, and she herself could remember spending time on mars as a child. She was just a year younger then Zack, and two older then Kilani. Her mother's words broke her train of thought, "and Jake as well as Katie, will be home then also, so the whole family will be together" She smiled at Kathryn.
Nodding Kathryn thought about those words, so the whole family will be together, she obviously at the time she'd planed the trip didn't know how whole the family would be. Kathryn looked down and started to eat her meal, when she heard Phoebe talking. "Zack, can you help Kilani with cutting her waffles, please"
Zack nodded, he like helping out his cousin, it made him feel like a big brother, even through he knew that he wasn't her brother he liked pretending that he was. Kilani fussed a little when he took her plate, with out warning her. Kathryn quickly reassured her that he wasn't stealing it just helping her cut the waffles, so that they would be easier to eat. She quieted down.
After breakfast Kathryn got dressed, then helped Kilani to dress. She and Phoebe then sent the two kids to play outside. They both laughed as they heard Kilani screaming in pleasure. "Who ever said, that having a deaf child would make you have the quietest house, was a fool." Phoebe stated.
"I think it is the opposite, of that fact we have the loudest." The two girls were laughing loudly when Gretchen came into the room.
"I need to go back into town, we for got a few things for Kilani's cake, and I need to go get them."
"Ok Momma" Kathryn said.
"Let me grab my shoes, and I'll go with you," Phoebe said, "Is that all right with you Kathryn" she nodded, "good, wait one second Momma" she returned quickly and the two headed out. Leaving Kathryn and the kids alone. Kathryn made her way back to the living room where she could see out the window and watched the kids. She picked up her book off the coffee table and tried to read, but her thoughts kept drifting to Chakotay.
Chakotay slowly walked up the path to her house, today was the day he would finally see her again. Yesterday had been a disaster, not only was Kathryn not home but he found out that he had been declared dead four years prior, talk about misinformation. After finding out that bit of information he went to Starfleet head quarters. Apparently when it was discovered that he was not killed in the explosion, the information was corrected, however the news never did reach Kathryn and her family. He turned the corner to see and hear two kids playing outside; He'd been able to hear them for a while. They were the same kids that he'd seen the day before.
Zack heard some sticks crack even over Kilani's screaming he turned to see Chakotay. A huge smile crossed his face as he yelled. "Aunt Kaaaa-aaa-th, I think you'd better come out here" his voice changed octave several times.
Kilani, noticing that Zack was no longer chasing her, stopped and turned around several time trying to locate him. She had run far enough not to be able to see him. Becoming worried she called out "Sak! Sak!" she began to spin around not being able to locate him.
Zack heard her desperate call, he knew that he should have stopped her from running. She hated to be alone outside in the cornfields, and she had run right into them. He sighed and ran into the fields after her.
Chakotay was baffled; he heard the girl call out then the boy ran off, Chakotay fallowed him into the field. Kathryn came out of the house, she'd been in the kitchen and heard Zack call her name; however he was nowhere to be seen. She called out his name, "Zack," getting no response she tried again, "Zack where are you," still nothing, "Zachary Edward Macintyre this isn't funny, now come here right now." She was walking off the porch when she heard Kilani calling out for Zack. Sighing she started for the cornfields herself. She was getting ready to yell at Zack for leaving Kilani in the cornfields by herself when she saw someone. She paused unsure at that moment, who, would be in her cornfield besides the children. She quickly ducked behind a stock as the man turned around. She peered around the corn stock cautiously to get a glimpse of who it was.
Her jaw dropped, it took her several seconds before she could manage to voice any thing, and when she spoke it came out as a wispier, "Chakotay" she stepped out from behind the corn stock. She then spoke louder as she ran to him, "O my god it's you" she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, "I can't believe it's you I mean I had been told that." She was talking on and on. He warped his arms around her returning her hug. It had been so long since he'd hugged her that he'd almost forgotten what it felt like his own tears joined hers.
"O Kathryn, I've missed you so much. You have no Idea," he could feel her clinging to him. After several minuets of holding each other Kathryn pulled back only to take his mouth in a long over due kiss. It was fierce and full of passion. He kissed her back, both their mouths relearning the others. The kiss seemed to last an eternity.
Zack finally made his way to Kilani who was now sitting curled up by a corn stock, with her legs pulled in close to her. She was crying. Binding down, Zack touched her on her back; she jumped slightly and looked up at him. He felt horrible; she hated being alone in the fields. She was fine if someone was with her but she became terrified if someone wasn't. She was looking at him so he knew that he could just speak as he helped her up. "I'm sorry, I should have stopped you from running." She nodded and grabbed him hugging him tightly. He hugged her back before she pulled away to say something. She told him thank you for rescuing her.
He laughed, she always had it that he'd rescued her from something in the fields, however whenever anyone asked her what they rescued her from she would clam up and not say a thing. He told her no problem, and the two headed out of the field hand in hand. As they were leaving Kilani stopped, she'd seen something. Zack stumbled a little not knowing that she would stop. He tapped her on the shoulder so that she would look at him. "Why did you stop?" she sighed for him to look. Zack fallowed Kilani's tiny figures, to two figures intertwined with each other.
Kathryn and Chakotay were holding each other tightly, when they were interrupted by a loud sound, "EWWWWW," they turned to see a redhead little boy with is nose scrunched up, and a small black haired little girl standing next to him her face mimicking the boys. Kathryn laughed slightly embarrassed. The two disentangled themselves as the children walked closer. Kathryn wiped the tears out of her eyes. "You were kissin Aunt Kath, eww"
Kathryn kneeled down to look the young boy in the eyes "I know I he, but that's normal for grownups that love each other to do. Your mom and dad both do it when he comes home form a mission." She stroked the boy's head.
"I know, but it still gorse," the boy then looked past her to Chakotay, he walked over to him, "Hi, uncle Chak, glad ta see Amy didn't scare you away, she's kinda over protective ove us, and she don't like strange people commin over to the house, 'specially when gam'ma, momma, and Aunt Kath aint home. She'd not realize who you were, I did though, and tried to tell her but she hid my proof." He pointed over the girl that was now hugging Kathryn. Chakotay smiled.
"You sure are very well spoken for your age, how old are you eleven?" Chakotay bent down to the level of the boy.
"No, but thank you though, I'm ten, but I'll be turnin 'leven next may."
The conversation was broken by Kathryn, she was standing holding the girls hand, "so would y'all just like to keep standing out here in the corn fields all day or do you want to come into the house." She was walking over to Chakotay who noticed that she'd developed a bit of an accent; she still had a look a disbelief and wonderment on her face. "I personally think that we should go inside besides, I have grilled cheese for you two." She had looked away from Chakotay to the girl and spoke clearly well exaggerating her lips. Chakotay couldn't see her mouth so he didn't take note. Both children's face lit up at the news of grilled cheese, they both took off running full speed to the house. When the two children had disappeared Kathryn turned to look at Chakotay. "Where exactly have you been all these years, I mean the mission you were suppose to be taking was to last two years, I waited and you didn't come home, all I got from Starfleet was that it was delayed. Then four years ago we were told you'd been killed, you don't know how hard that was, there was no way you could have contacted me, let me know that you were ok all those years? Could you not have told some one to deliver a message for you?" she looked hurt as she spoke, Chakotay realized that it had to have been much harder for her to deal with the situation. Even when she thought that he was alive.
"Kathryn, I tried I truly did, I had no idea that they would make such grave mistake, yes I was pronounced dead for a year, however during that time I was in a comma, and no one had realize that it was me and not my partner. Starfleet wouldn't let me contact you, and believe me I tried, apparently when they got word that I was still alive, the corrected it, but some how they missed informing you about it. I thought for sure that they had told you, but when Amy said that I was suppose to be dead I couldn't believe it I mean…" his words trailed off has Kathryn fell into his embrace, she was crying.
"I missed you so much, you can't even imagine how much. When they told me you'd been killed I didn't know what to do, I felt that my entire world had been destroyed, and that it would never been put back together." Her words were cut off as she cried harder.
Chakotay hugged her and cradled her in his arms, until Kilani cam out of the house. The small girl marched right up to them determined. She stopped next to Kathryn and tugged her skirt. The girl placed her arms on her hips, (much like Kathryn did,) and glared at her, almost a perfect imitation of Kathryn's. Chakotay looked at her and realized how much like Kathryn she looked, then again Zack looked like her as well. Kathryn turned her head down to the girl. She wiped the tears away and stated, "Ok, I'm coming" The girl nodded then skipped back to the house. She then turned back to Chakotay, "I guess I'd better go feed them"
"Yeah," he was still over whelmed about seeing Kathryn. She reached out her hand and took his into it. The two walked up the steps into her mother's home. They walked past the living room and into the kitchen where the two children sat at the table. Kathryn retrieved the grilled cheese from the warmer, and placed one on each of the kids' plates. She then turned to Chakotay, "are you hungry?"
"I'm not sure, did you cook these?" he joked with mock horror on his face. Zack laughed as Kathryn smacked him on the shoulder, Kilani looked up lost for what happened. Zack quickly explained to her, the children's signing didn't go unnoticed by Chakotay. "Kathryn?"
She smiled "Chakotay, I think you'd better sit down for this" she stated evenly, her tears had dried up completely at the time and she was calm and collected. Chakotay didn't know what to make of the way she sounded, but he knew that he'd better sit down because of it. He took a seat next to Zack, who just smiled. Kathryn then took a seat across from him, and took his hands into hers. She took a deep breath "Chakotay, there's something that you need to know about Kilani, umm." She paused briefly, "Chakotay, do you remember the night before you left?"
"Of course Kathryn I remember, " he stopped and looked deep into her eyes his face changing to pure shook, ok not pure, joy was mixed into his expression as well. "Are you saying that…" he held her hands tightly as she nodded.
"Yes, Chakotay, Kilani is your daughter. But there's something else you need know also."
Chakotay frowned at her words. "What is it?"
"Well," she took a breath, "as you've probably noticed, she's been signing, that's because she's deaf, and has been so since birth, She has been examined hundreds if not thousands of time and has gone through so many surgeries that I have lost count, but no one was able to give her the ability to hear."
Chakotay smiled, and brushed some hair out of her face, "is that all?" Kathryn smiled again, when she had realized that Chakotay was alive, she then had become scared, that he wouldn't want Kilani because she was deaf, now she was thinking to herself 'how could I have ever thought that he wouldn't want her?'
"Kathryn, I'm just so happy that I have a child, I mean…" he was beyond happy this was way more then he had ever hoped for, he'd missed her and couldn't wait to see her, but now he found out that he was a father as well, it was more then he had ever dreamed of. Now it was his turn to cry, which naturally caused Zack to laugh and make a joke.
"Uncle Chak's crying," he teased.
When Chakotay had calmed himself he asked Kathryn "so, how often doe he" he gestured to the boy, "see Tom Paris?"
Laughing Kathryn stated, "To often, he thinks of Tom as an uncle even though he knows they aren't related, they spend at least two weekends together out of a month, Kilani also loves to go with them. Do you know that they have a little boy now?"
"No I didn't, In fact it appears that I don't know about a lot of things" he smiled half heartedly, it was true, his mission had made him loose connection with every thing that he loved, he made a vow at that moment to never let that happen again. "I guess that we'd better let them all know that I'm no more dead then Starfleet isn't in space." After he said that he walked over to his daughter. He'd guessed that she could read lips, from Kathryn talking to her. He knelt down in front of her and spoke clearly. "Do you know who I am?"
She eyed him for a minuet before she spoke. It wasn't often that she used words; she was shy and knew that she probably sounded different then everyone else, and she didn't like that. However she knew that her dad probably couldn't sign, most people didn't know how, so she opted to speak. Her voice was soft and quiet, angel like. "Yeeah, I do, moom said ou weer dead but I kneew you wrnnt, I'mm happeey your ome dad." She through her arms around him, hugging him tightly, this was the best birthday present any one had ever give her.
