CHAPTER TWO
It took the crew three days to find a suitable planet, but as soon as they found one, they moved with all haste to set up a home there for the Captain and Commander. At last everything was ready and Kathryn could be brought out of stasis. The stasis chamber was transported from Voyager to the living room of the shelter, where Chakotay and the Doctor were waiting alone to receive her. Chakotay knelt on the floor beside the chamber. Through the glass he could see Kathryn lying inside. Her face was as white as snow and even her lips were white now. The Doctor hesitated before deactivating the chamber.
"Remember, Commander, there is a chance it's too late for the Captain to respond to the environment."
Chakotay nodded, but believed with his whole heart that she would wake up.
The Doctor deactivated the chamber and the lid slowly drew back. Chakotay held his breath as he waited for her to respond.
Nothing.
He looked up at the Doctor, tears welling in his eyes.
"Give her time," the Doctor said gently.
Chakotay took her hand in his. "Wake up, Kathryn," he whispered. "Please wake up."
The Doctor knelt at the opposite side of the chamber. "Her body is starting to respond."
Color slowly seeped back into her cheeks and Chakotay felt her hand warm in his.
"She's regaining consciousness."
Chakotay watched as she stirred and her eyes fluttered open. He smiled through tears as her eyes rested on his and he squeezed her hand. Her eyes caught a glimpse of the stasis chamber and slowly she became aware of unfamiliar surroundings. Anxiety gripped her. "Where am I?"
"We are on an m-class planet," Chakotay said gently. "You and I are going to stay here while the Doctor and Seven continue to work on a cure for you."
Tears welled in her eyes and she sat up. "I did not want that!" She saw the Doctor beside her and turned to him. "You promised me you would not tell him! You promised!"
"I know, Captain, and I'm sorry. But I had to tell the Commander."
"No you did not! It was my request that you be silent! I will not have precious time wasted searching in vain for a cure for me!"
"Captain," the Doctor protested.
"You will return me to Voyager immediately and let the illness take it's course."
Chakotay seized her shoulders. "No, Kathryn. You will stay here on this planet. The Doctor is on the verge of a cure and we will wait until he has one. The crew need you. You can't let them down now."
He hoped this would sway the argument in his favor, and he was relieved to see that it did. Kathryn turned again to the Doctor.
"Alright, if you are close to a cure." She paused. "How close are you, exactly?"
"Two or three days, a week at most."
"Then I give you a week. If, after that time, we still have no cure, then we'll return to Voyager and continue our journey. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Captain."
She turned to Chakotay. "Chakotay?"
He simply nodded.
"Now, Doctor, return to the ship and continue working. You waste your time here."
"I must make sure that you are..."
"I'll be alright. The atmosphere is restoring my health just as you predicted it would. Now, return to the ship."
"Yes, Captain," he replied, getting to his feet. He tapped his commbadge, requested transportation, and then dematerialized.
Chakotay helped Kathryn out of the chamber and she looked around at the shelter. It was identical to the one they had shared five years earlier. It was as though she had stepped back in time. And it was a time that had given her joy, but also much pain. She turned to her First Officer. She was furious with the Doctor for breaking his promise to her, but she could not be angry with Chakotay.
"Well, Commander," she smiled. "I don't know about you, but for some reason I have a distinct feeling of de ja vu."
He smiled, his eyes moist with tears. It was so good to see her well again. "I certainly have that feeling too." His eyes twinkled mischievously. "But it occurs to me that we are hardly in a command structure anymore. Maybe you should call me Chakotay."
She smiled at the memory. "Give me a few days on that one, okay?"
He stepped closer and gazed deep into her eyes. "Why didn't you tell me the truth about your illness?"
"Because I knew you would insist on me taking refuge on a planet. I thought it would be just delaying the inevitable and making matters worse for everyone in the process." She touched his face. "And I kept the truth from you because I thought it would make things easier for you, not because I wanted to deceive you. Please understand."
He took her hand and smiled softly. "I understand."
Kathryn smiled in return, and, aware she was losing herself in the depth of his eyes, stepped away from him. "Do you know what I could do with right now?"
"Let me guess, a coffee?"
She laughed. "You know me too well."
"I'll get us both one. You sit down and rest. Your body has been through a lot in the past week."
Kathryn sat on the blue Starfleet couch as Chakotay went over to the replicator. "How long was I in stasis?"
"Three days."
Three days. It seemed only minutes since she was lying in Chakotay's arms. She looked out of the window. It was pitch black outside and stars twinkled in the heavens. It had to be night.
"You should have let the Doctor examine you," Chakotay said, bringing over the coffees.
"Oh, I'll be fine," she said, taking the cup Chakotay offered her. "I feel stronger by the minute."
"Would you like something to eat?"
"No ... thankyou."
Chakotay sat beside her and watched her drink her coffee. "It's so good to have you back, Kathryn."
Kathryn looked up at him with a smile. "Just good?"
"Well," he teased, "being in charge does have its advantages."
He smiled, but all Kathryn noticed was how tired he looked, how dark the shadows were beneath his eyes. He had aged ten years over the past three days. His eyes once again found hers and time seemed suspended as she gazed into them. Then a sharp pain knifed her insides and she clutched her stomach. Chakotay put his hand on her shoulder and took her cup. "You should get some rest."
Kathryn nodded. "Perhaps that would be wise."
She stood up slowly, her body still weak. "Goodnight, Chakotay."
He smiled warmly. "Goodnight, Kathryn."
He watched her walk across the room and to the door that led to their sleeping chambers. She stopped as she reached the door and turned to him.
"Chakotay?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For staying here with me."
She smiled with so much warmth that he caught his breath. Then she was gone.
"This planet is so beautiful," Kathryn said, gazing at the fields and rich woodland that stretched out before her as she and Chakotay walked arm in arm along a river bank. "My sister would love it here. She would take one of her ginormous painting pads and sit on one of those rocks over there and paint for hours. She is a wonderful artist. I wish I had some of her work to show you."
"You can show me when we get to earth," Chakotay smiled.
Kathryn returned his smile and tightened her grasp of his arm. "We will have to think of a name for this place. Something a little more imaginative than New Earth."
"The name was your idea," he laughed. "You said explorers always name new found lands after their home, preceding the title with new."
Kathryn opened her mouth, about to defend herself, when she heard a rustling in the trees. She stopped walking, as did Chakotay. "Did you hear that?"
"Yes," Chakotay replied. "It must be a creature of some kind." He cast her a teasing glance. "Perhaps it's your pet monkey from New Earth."
They heard the noise again and then both gasped in astonishment as the animal came into sight.
"A unicorn," Kathryn whispered, gazing in wonder at the fantastic horse-like creature before them. It had fur of the purest white and its silver horn was dazzling in the bright afternoon sun. The animal seemed to sense their presence and turned to look at them. Chakotay protectively put his arm around Kathryn, but it was not hostility he saw in the animal's eyes, but kindness. The animal lowered its head and prostrated itself before them.
"It's welcoming us," Kathryn said.
The Unicorn then got up and Kathryn and Chakotay watched in amazement as it sprouted the most magnificent silver wings and took to the skies. More unicorns joined it, each one a different color, and they soared through the sky so quickly that they left behind a rainbow. Kathryn raised her hand to her head to shield her eyes from the sun and gazed up at it in wonder.
"Aurora," she whispered. "That's what we'll call this planet. Aurora, a world at the dawn of time."
Rain beat down on the shelter and Kathryn listened to the drops dance on the roof as she lay in bed. It had been years since she had heard the sound of rain, and when she closed her eyes, she could imagine she was back on earth, in her own house, in her own bed, Molly sleeping contentedly at her feet. How she had missed her precious dog. She doubted the animal was still alive now, and even if she was, knew there was not much chance of her remembering her old mistress. She glanced at the petition that separated her bedroom from Chakotay's. It was a thin petition of frosted glass and she could see shadows move as he tossed and turned. She watched him with the growing awareness that he was having a bad dream. She could hear him murmur softly in his sleep. Then he cried out with words that stung her heart.
"No, Kathryn!"
Then all was silent.
Kathryn sat up in the darkness and gazed at Chakotay's shadow. Her heart ached from his pain and the thought that she was the cause of it. She heard a soft muffled noise and realized he was weeping. It must have been a terrible dream. Or was he weeping for another reason? Perhaps because he still loved her? She took a deep breath. She had no right to think that, not after the way she had always treated him. And yet she hoped with her whole heart that he did still love her. She wiped away stray tears from her cheeks. It was no good wondering any more. They had to talk. She got out of bed, put on her dressing gown, and made her way into his bedroom.
Chakotay was sitting at the edge of his bed, staring out of the window. His tears glistened in the pale moonlight. He turned to look at Kathryn as she entered the room, and for a moment she saw fear in his eyes; fear and shame. He wiped away his tears and stood up. Even in the dim light she could see that he was trembling.
"We need to talk," she said firmly.
"What about?"
"About us." She paused. "Come on. I'll make us both a coffee."
Chakotay waited in the living room as Kathryn replicated the coffee. He felt exactly as he had done five years before after his offer to massage her sore neck ended so disastrously. Spending all day and all night with her, it was just impossible to continuously hide his feelings. Kathryn came in and handed him a cup of coffee, cream with two sugars, just as he liked it, and sat in the chair opposite him.
"You and I have been friends a long time," she said at last, her eyes fixed on the steaming coffee. "But for the past two years we've grown apart. You've had lady friends and I..." She smiled wryly. "I've had a hologram." She paused. "For me it was easier to let a rift grow between us than to try and deal with how I really felt about you. I wanted you to fall madly in love with someone so that our relationship could then be defined." She hesitated. "Five years ago you told me how you felt about me, and showed me so many times afterwards in all that you did. But I ... I was not ready. I pushed you away, treated you terribly... Then, when I did realize the depth of my feelings for you, I thought it was too late for us. And then there was the command structure and I couldn't let anything distract me from getting Voyager home... But now that we'll soon be there, I would like..." She put her coffee down on the table, aware she was not making herself at all clear. "What I'm trying to say," she whispered, "is that I love you and have for a long time." She wiped away a tear. "I just can't do ancient legends as well as you."
She felt Chakotay's hands on hers and looked up at him. He was kneeling on the floor before her. His eyes were wet with tears, but there was such a joy burning inside them.
"Those words mean more than any ancient legend ever could," he whispered sincerely. He touched her face. "I love you, Kathryn Janeway. I fell in love with you the very first day we met and I will love you until the day I die."
Kathryn smiled through tears and stood up. He did too, and slowly they drew each other close. They held each other long, neither wanting to move or speak for fear of breaking the spell. At last they drew apart and gazed at each other in wonder, as though they were seeing each other for the first time. Kathryn tenderly traced the course of Chakotay's tattoo until he seized her hand and kissed it softly. He touched her beautiful hair, skimming his hand over it as though he was touching something sacred. Kathryn's heart beat faster and faster as they drew closer and their touches became more intimate. She felt his warm breath on her face and closed her eyes as his lips touched hers in a soft kiss. Then he drew slightly away from her and traced the course of a tear down her cheek, his own falling in rhythm. "We can't do this, Kathryn," he whispered.
"Why not?"
"Because here, on this planet, reality is suspended. There is no command structure, no crew depending on us to get them home. We are just Kathryn and Chakotay. What happens when we are back on Voyager and we are Captain and First Officer again? What happens if what we believe is a way home turns out to be a dead end? If we take this step now, I could never go back to how things were between us."
"I don't want things to be how they were between us, "she said sincerely. "Whether that wormhole is a way home or not, I want us to be together." She clutched his hands tight and her voice cracked with emotion. "I need you to be strong for me, Chakotay. I know I always seem so strong, that I always know what to do, what to say, but usually I'm really quite scared." Her tears trickled on to his hands. "And I'm afraid that if I let you into my life, one day you won't be there any more."
Chakotay brushed her tears with his fingers. "Like walking alone down an empty street in winter. The wind and rain batter your body and you long to take shelter in one of the many houses at either side of you. You see the warm glow of lights in the windows, see families sitting around fires, hear children laughing. A door opens and for a moment you think it is opening for you, but just as you reach it, it closes. Then, when someone does open a door for you, you walk on by because you assume that door will eventually close too."
Kathryn stroked his cheek and gazed into his eyes. If she had suffered many sorrows in her life, he had suffered just as much. He had always wanted to belong, and she had always wanted to be loved just for who she was, not what she was or what she could be.
"I'm going to hedge all my bets on this door," she whispered, "if you will hedge all yours too."
"Even my life," he replied.
She kissed him softly and then deepened the kiss as he gathered her close. It was the kiss he had longed for all his life; the kiss of loving and being loved, measure for measure.
Chakotay held Kathryn tight in his arms as they lay together in her bed after making love. He kissed her forehead and she felt a tear trickle from his cheek onto hers.
She raised herself to look at him and touched his tears tenderly. "Why the tears?"
"Because I can't believe this is really happening," he whispered. "Any moment now I think I will wake up to find this is all a dream." He gazed deep into her eyes. "I love you so much, Kathryn."
"I love you too," she whispered.
"And you meant what you said, even if the wormhole..."
She put her fingers to his lips. "No ifs, no buts. This is forever."
She lowered her mouth to his and kissed him softly.
"Doctor to Captain Janeway."
Kathryn put down the candles she had just lit for her meal with Chakotay. "Go ahead, Doctor."
"I have news."
Chakotay was immediately by her side and he put his arm around her as they waited for his words.
"Seven and I have finished our work on a cure. I will not go into detail about how the cure will work now as it would take too long ... unless you want me to, of course."
"No, Doctor," Kathryn said, taking Chakotay's hand. "Just tell me what the cure involves."
"A blood transfusion. Commander Chakotay has anti-bodies to the virus in his blood, anti-bodies the medicine failed to produce in you. The only way to make you immune to the effects of the virus is to insert those anti-bodies into your body via a blood transfusion."
"Is that all that is necessary, Doctor?"
"Yes, Captain. Fortunately your matching blood types will make the process easy as differences will not have to be compensated for. We will, however, have to draw blood from you as the Commander's blood enters you to maintain an equilibrium. The transfusion needs to be done as soon as you return to the ship, otherwise you will fall ill again. I have scheduled it for tomorrow morning, providing that Commander Chakotay is willing to go through with it. I have seen grown men cringe with fear at the mere sight of a needle and..."
"Doctor," Chakotay, interrupted, "I would gladly give every last drop of blood in me to help the Captain."
"That won't be necessary," he replied. "A pint will be sufficient." He sighed. "Now, Captain, I suggest that you both eat plenty and have a good nights sleep. You will need your strength tomorrow."
Kathryn winked at Chakotay. "We will, Doctor."
The Doctor and Seven waited in sickbay for Kathryn and Chakotay to be transported there directly. The Captain and Commander materialized and the Doctor greeted them both with a smile. "Welcome back Captain, Commander."
Kathryn smiled. "It's good to be back, Doctor." She turned to Seven. "And how are you, Seven?"
"I am well, Captain," she said, trying to suppress her joy at the Captain's return. "But you will not be if we do not get on with the transfusion."
The Doctor stepped forward and took Kathryn's arm. "Quite so. We have no time to waste. Every second on this ship weakens your body. Seven, prepare Commander Chakotay for the transfusion and I will see to the Captain."
"Yes, Doctor."
She led Chakotay over to a boiled and began to insert a drip into his arm. The Doctor led Kathryn over to the bed next to Chakotay's. Kathryn climbed upon it and lay down. "I can't believe the cure is so simple, Doctor."
"No, Captain," he said, scanning her with his tricorder, "but sometimes it's the simple answers that most often elude us. We spend so much time..." He stopped in mid sentence as he read the information on his tricorder and seemed surprised. There was something he was not expecting.
"Is everything alright, Doctor?"
"Yes, Captain," he said, putting down the tricorder. "Everything is fine."
But his voice did not seem to suggest that or his following words. "Seven, we will need more blood from Commander Chakotay. Increase the amount by twenty five percent."
"Yes, Doctor."
"Something is wrong," Kathryn said, about to sit up.
"Be still, Captain," the Doctor said firmly. "Nothing is wrong."
Kathryn settled back down on the bed and glanced at Chakotay as the Doctor fixed a drip to both her arms. He was lying on the bed and his blood was already filling the clear tube ready to make its way into her body. He smiled warmly at her and the love in his eyes was more of a comfort in that moment than he could ever have imagined. She lay back against her pillow, closed her eyes, and remembered the wonderful three days they had spent together, and, for the first time in seven years, looked forward to the future.
When the transfusion was done, Kathryn wished to return to her quarters, but the Doctor insisted on her staying in sick bay. He wanted to keep an eye on her for the next few days, and with Chakotay seconding everything he said, she had no choice but to stay there. Kathryn took Chakotay's hands in hers when they were finally left alone.
"All this fuss about me," she said, "but how are you feeling?"
"I'm fine," he smiled. "I'm just so glad that you're finally cured."
She smiled warmly. "Being sick was a small price to pay for the wonderful three days we had together."
Chakotay kissed her hand. "We need to talk about what happens now."
"Yes." She hesitated, unsure how he would take her next words. "I think we should keep quiet about our relationship for the moment. In a few weeks we will be back in the Alpha Quadrant. I don't want the crew to think being so close to home means they can take liberties. We need to set an example. This crew needs to be focussed now more than ever."
"I agree," he replied. "And we have sacrificed our feelings all these years so that a personal relationship doesn't interfere with a professional one. It would be foolish of us to be unprofessional now."
Kathryn smiled at his understanding.
"I've also been thinking about what happens when we get home," Chakotay continued. "I know Starfleet says we former Maquis members will be exonerated and can look forward to careers in Starfleet, but I don't want to continue with Starfleet. I would like to pursue my interest in planetology. How would you feel about that?"
Kathryn laughed. "Oh Chakotay, what ever you want to do is fine with me." She fell serious again and put her hand to his face. "And to tell the truth, I would be a lot happier with you in a "safe" profession. After I lost Justin..."
She had been afraid of loving another man in her profession because of the dangers... "I know," Chakotay whispered, squeezing her hand. "And I won't pretend it will be easy for me, you being away for weeks on dangerous missions. I'll probably go crazy."
"Well," she smiled, "I'm told I'll be made an Admiral when we get home. That means I'll be working on the ground, not in space. And anyway, I'm going to take a break from Starfleet for a while. For seven years I have been captain day in day out. I want to be simply Kathryn for a while." She paused deliberately. "And your wife."
Chakotay gazed at her. Did she mean what he thought she meant? "Is that ... is that a proposal?"
"Only if you accept," she said, tears welling in her eyes at his joy.
"Yes, Kathryn," he whispered tearfully, drawing her into his arms. "Yes, yes, yes."
TWO MONTHS LATER
"Coffee, black."
Kathryn waited as the cup of coffee materialized and then picked it up casually as she looked through a report on the ship's systems that Tuvok had prepared for her. She raised the coffee to her mouth, but for some reason, the smell made her feel queasy. She put down the cup and sat on her couch. She had been feeling unwell for the past few days and was continually tired. It had to be the virus again. She could think of no other explanation. She had always thought a transfusion was too simple an answer. All it had given her was two months relief from the effects of the virus. She buried her head in her hands. She was so looking forward to the future, to a new life with Chakotay. Now all that would be cruelly snatched from her, from both of them. If the virus acted as quickly as before, then she would be dead in days. There was, of course, always the option of finding another m-class planet for them to live on, one that was close enough to the wormhole so that a detour would not jeopardize the crew's chance of getting home, but she could not ask Chakotay to live out the rest of his life on an unknown, unnamed, planet in the Delta Quadrant.
The Door chime sounded.
"Come in!"
It was Chakotay. "I've come to take you to breakfast."
"I'm not hungry," she said, leaning back against the couch.
"You've got to eat, Kathryn. You're still weak after the virus. You've got to build up your strength."
"I'm alright!"
Chakotay was momentarily taken aback by her vehemence.
. "I'm sorry," Kathryn said, standing up. "I just don't have the time. And you should be in Engineering. B'Elanna wishes to speak to you."
"Kathryn..."
"I really don't have time to indulge in social niceties, Chakotay. Now, get to Engineering!"
Tears welled in Chakotay's eyes at her coldness. She had been distant with him for days. It was as though she could not even bear to be around him.
"As you were," he whispered, and silently left the room.
When he was gone, Kathryn sat on her couch and wept.
Chakotay was a million light years away as B'lanna told him about some of the problems they could encounter as they traveled through the wormhole. She was aware he was not really listening to her and discontinued her talk. "Alright, big guy. Tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing's wrong," he said defensively.
"For the past ten minutes, all you've done is stare vacantly into space and you haven't heard a word I've said. Something is wrong." She put her hand on his arm. "Do you want to talk about it over a coffee and a donut in my quarters?"
He hesitated, but then nodded.
B'lanna watched Chakotay stir the coffee around and around. "This something on your mind," she asked, "is it the Captain?"
His silence was all the answer she needed.
"Let me guess. You don't know whether you should tell her that you love her now that we're almost home."
Chakotay looked up at her and had to smile at that. "Are my feelings for the Captain so obvious?"
"Yes," she said, returning his smile. "And you should tell her, Chakotay. I'm certain she feels the same way."
He hesitated before speaking, not sure if it was appropriate to talk about his relationship with Kathryn. But he had to confide in someone. "She said that she did," he said quietly. "When we were on the planet we both confessed our feelings for each other. We've even talked of marriage and made plans for when we get back to earth. Kathryn would like us to marry on a beach in Hawaii and..." He rubbed his tired eyes. "But for the past week she's been distant with me, argumentative. And now it's as though she can't even bear to be in the same room with me." He paused. "All I can think is that she's having second thoughts about us."
B'Elanna took his hand. " If the Captain told you that she loves you, then she means it. Captain Janeway doesn't play games. Perhaps she's worried about using the wormhole or, like the rest of us, has mixed feelings about getting back to earth. We've been on this ship so long, it won't be easy for any of us to adjust back to life on earth. It'll be so much harder for her as for seven years the only thing she has thought about is getting this ship home. Whatever's troubling her, I would stake my life on it not being you."
Kathryn sat on a golden beach and watched as waves crashed against black rocks and burst into white spray. She had always loved the ocean. The sight and sound of the waves breaking on the shore was so calming, so comforting. Chakotay approached her, walking slowly across the sand. When he had not found her in her Ready Room or her quarters, he had asked the computer to locate her, and was told she was in Holodeck Two. From the corner of her eye, Kathryn saw him approach, and she stood up. The light breeze rippled through the long flowered dress she was wearing and blew her hair away from her face. Chakotay thought she had never looked more beautiful. As he got closer, he saw the remnants of tears on her face.
He slipped his arm around her and touched her tears. "Tell me what's wrong, Kathryn."
She hesitated, but knew she could not deny the truth. "I think I'm ill again," she whispered. "For the past week or so I've had headaches and nausea and am so tired."
She could not hold back the tears and Chakotay drew her close. He held her a long time, struggling to suppress his own fears to be strong for her.
"We must not jump to conclusions," he said softly.
"What other conclusion is there? Two months ago I was dying from a virus, and now I have the symptoms again."
Chakotay drew her away from him. "It could be a number of things."
"No, it's the virus. I'm certain."
He touched her face. "If it is, then we'll face it together. If need be, we'll find an m-class planet and live there."
She shook her head. "I couldn't let you sacrifice your only chance of..."
He put his fingers to her lips. "I love you, Kathryn. A life without you would be no life at all." He kissed her softly. "Come on, let's go and see the Doctor."
The Doctor was sitting at his desk when Kathryn and Chakotay arrived at sickbay. He stood up at their approach, but did not seem too surprised to see them. "Take a seat, Captain, Commander," he said kindly.
"We're fine standing, Doctor," Kathryn said nervously.
"As you wish," he replied, briefly scanning her with his tricorder and then putting it down.
"For the past few days the Captain has been feeling unwell," Chakotay began. "We're worried it's the virus again."
The Doctor smiled. "That is not the case, I can assure you."
"Then why am I ill, Doctor?"
The Doctor hesitated. "I would like to speak to you privately about that, Captain." He turned to Chakotay. "If you would wait outside, Commander."
Chakotay looked at Kathryn, his eyes asking her whether he should leave. She gave a reluctant nod and he left the room.
"I would be happier if you took a seat, Captain," the Doctor said.
Kathryn did not argue this time, and sat down. "What is this about, Doctor? What is wrong with me?"
"There's nothing wrong with you, Captain," he smiled. "You're pregnant."
For a long moment Kathryn just stared at him. Then she spoke. "There has to be some mistake. I can't have children any more."
"There's no mistake, Captain. I detected the baby's life sign as soon as you and Commander Chakotay returned to the ship. But I didn't say anything as I wanted you to make the discovery for yourself."
"I don't understand how this can be. You know I started going through the menopause months ago."
"Until ovulation ceases altogether, there is still a chance a woman will conceive. And you have conceived, Captain." He went over to her and placed the tricorder before her. "See for yourself."
Kathryn took the tricorder and studied the data. "A life sign inside me," she said, tears welling in her eyes.
"Yes, Captain. Your baby's life sign."
Kathryn looked up at him and then stood up, drawing him close. The Doctor returned her embrace. She then suddenly drew away.
"The virus ... Will it have..."
"Your baby is perfectly healthy and immunized against the effects of the virus, as are you."
Kathryn smiled in happy relief.
"You do realize," he continued, "this will mean having to take good care of yourself. A first pregnancy at your age is..."
"Yes, yes, Doctor," Kathryn said impatiently.
"You'll have to sleep proper hours, eat regularly, cut down on coffee, take more time to relax, do all prescribed exercises and..."
"All and everything," Kathryn interrupted.
"I hope so, Captain. You are so negligent when it comes to your own well being that I..."
"Doctor," Kathryn smiled, already making her way out of the room. "I will be the model patient. I will take good care of my baby."
She disappeared through the door and leant her back against it as it shut behind her. Chakotay, who had been sitting on one of the biobeds waiting for her, stood up. His face was a mask of concern but it began to dissipate when he saw the blissful happiness on Kathryn's face. She walked over to him and threw her arms around him. "We're going to have a baby," she cried. "We're going to have a baby!"
It took a moment for the words to register, and then Chakotay laughed through tears and lifted her in the air from absolute joy.
The Doctor watched them through the glass. How long they had been lovers, he did not know. Perhaps it had been months, perhaps years. But their relationship had obviously been a secret, and with Voyager perhaps only weeks away from the Alpha Quadrant, he would not divulge that secret now. All he knew was that he had never seen either of them so happy, and thought no two people in the universe deserved to be so more than them.
SEVEN MONTHS LATER
Kathryn cradled her new-born daughter in her arms, her eyes wet with joyful tears. This was a moment she had never imagined would happen in her life. Chakotay kissed her damp forehead and Kathryn nestled closer to him. It had been a long, hard, labor, and she was exhausted. Chakotay gazed in wonder at his daughter. He could hardly believe this beautiful baby was his. Kathryn passed him the child and a single silent tear ran down his cheek as he took her in his arms. Kathryn watched him and wiped away her own tear. For months they had toyed with names for their baby, what to call her if she was a boy, what if a girl, as they had not wanted to know the gender. But now, in this moment, it was perfectly clear what they should name her. Kathryn slipped her arm around her husband. "We will name her Aurora, after the place we finally found each other, and where our love made her."
END OF CHAPTER TWO