Disclaimer: Don't own anything, just the plot ;)

When her alarm went off Captain Kathryn Janeway turned over groggily thinking that she didn't want to get up at all. "There must be something wrong with you, that you rather stay in bed", she muttered to herself with a tiny smile on her face. After all, the Captain was a known workaholic. "Computer: turn off the alarm!"

She woke with a start and when she sat up too fast her head started to spin.

"I guess I should see the doctor as soon as my shift is over", she thought while she waited for her world to settle down.

It never occurred to her to pay a visit to sickbay now, as her health was a personal matter and she was on duty. Besides, the doctor would chide her for being careless of herself and she was in no mood to fight with him.

Captain Janeway squinted at the chronometer.

"Oh no, my shift just started! I guess Tom will have it in for me..." With that thought in her mind she quickly hopped out of her bed and raced to and fro in her quarters in the attempt to get dressed and fight dizziness at the same time. She didn't even bother with breakfast.

Sure enough, when she stepped out of the turbo lift some minutes later Lieutenant Paris addressed her when Harry announced that the Captain was on the bridge.

"Captain, you are 15 minutes late. What is your excuse?", he asked jokingly.

Janeway sat down in her chair.

"You have no right to hear any excuses", she told him, "However, I am going to stay longer at the end of my shift and put a note about my tardiness in my personal report. Is that okay with you, Lieutenant?" Her voice sounded hoarse and it lacked the anger or sarcasm to go along with what she just said.

Tom Paris looked up from the helm in astonishment and turned around. He gulped. She looked oddly pale and fragile, yet her cheeks were flushed. Was she running a fever?

"No", he replied honestly, "I think you should rather take the day off. If you don't mind me saying so, but you don't seem too well. Maybe you should see the doctor?"

"I'll take care of that later, thank you Mr. Paris"

"But he is right, you know", her first officer Commander Chakotay whispered in her ear, "you look like even the Borg Queen wouldn't want to assimilate you". He met her gaze and she could only detect concern in his eyes.

"Fine", she snapped, "I'll be in my ready room. You have the bridge, Commander." With this she left the bridge with long strides.

Inside her room she took a seat behind her desk and put her head in her hands.

Suddenly, coughing started to shake her violently. Then she sneezed three times.

She laid her head on the desk and longed for someone to cuddle her and bring her chicken soup. Another smile played around her lips. She was a Starfleet Captain and couldn't just act like a small child when she got a cold.

The doorbell chimed. "Come in", she called and straightened up. She took one of the PADDs in her hand that were laying on her desk.

It was Chakotay. She knew he would get here sooner or later. She sighed. "What can I do for you, Commander?" He hesitated, just looking at her worriedly.

Then, before she could make out what was happening, he was at her side placing one hand on her forehead. "Kathryn, you are burning up!", he exclaimed, "You really should see the doctor!".

"It is just a cold", she said and pulled away from him.

All of a sudden, he hugged her tightly. Instead of shrinking away this time, she leaned her heavy head on his chest. The PADD slit out of her hand. Tears started to spill.

"Now you really act like a baby", she told herself, "You face the Borg and other hostile aliens without as much as a blink of an eye, but you start crying as soon as you feel a little under the weather."

Chakotay had started to rub her back. It actually felt good. As soon as she gained some composure, she pulled out of his embrace.

"You shouldn't do that, you know!", she told him and sniffed, "You might get sick, yourself."

"As long as I can make you feel better, I don't care", he smiled at her. "But honestly, Kathryn, will you promise me to go to sickbay now? I am certain the doctor will have you up in no time. And if you'll be good I'll see that I can spoil you with some chicken soup later. Now, do we have a deal?"

"I guess, you are right", she thanked him with one of her crocked smiles she had reserved just for him. "That's my Captain!", he laughed. "I'll go and torture our crew a bit."

They both stepped out of her ready room and looked at each other for one more time. His eyes were still full of concern for her. "You'll be alright?", they asked silently. She nodded in acknowledgment and headed towards the turbo lift.