Chakotay lowered Kathryn to the bench and took her hand as she came round from after she had collapsed. He watched her and was unsure how to feel or how to take in what she was saying. He didn't know why she had collapsed. Stroking her hair from her face he knelt before her and whispered "Kathryn?" He was confused and worried.

"What happened?" She hissed through her groggy feeling head.

Chakotay met her eyes and told her softly "You fainted." With that she sat more upright and rubbed her forehead as he told her "I don't know why you fainted." When she didn't seem surprised he asked "I assume you know why you fainted." Her eyes where set, the blue of her eyes was slowly turning a darker shade of grey as she tried to stand once more. "easy" he whispered catching her before she fainted again. "you know" he told her with his arm around her waist "you know why you fainted."

Kathryn met his eyes. Every part of her wanted to pull away but she knew she had come this far she had to tell him everything "Chakotay" She whispered resting her hand on his chest "My body has been under a lot of strain since the accident and then some more since the operation." He nodded with a sad smile as she continued "My body hasn't fully accepted the Cardassian components"

He didn't really know what to say to that, he had no idea what he could possibly say that could make any of this ok. Kathryn, His Kathryn claimed to have a son. A Cardassian son. He hated the Cardassians but he loved her. He could tell she was trying to tell him the truth, he could also tell she wasn't feeling very well. He challenged himself on what he should do next, he wanted to understand, he wanted to know more about what on earth she was talking about. He also knew she wasn't well. He didn't want to make this worse. Besides which he was annoyed, confused and angry, the enemy who had destroyed all he had known and killed his family seemed to have been the very species that had helped her get her life back to it's former glory. Chakotay simply sat on the bench next to her and didn't know what to say. She was slowly coming back around and was recovering from her dizzy spell. She calmly sat next to him, neither of them looking at each other. Finally Chakotay spoke first "Kathryn, help me to understand what you are saying." He glanced at her and saw from the corner of his eyes she gave a slight nod. She seemed ashamed and he didn't want her to feel that way, he just wanted to understand and he wanted to know she was safe. He didn't want to feel this anger and hate that was bubbling up in him, a very old anger and hate. "you're telling me that you have been captured by the Cardassians, that one of your captors took your DNA and joined it with his and planted it in a Cardassian woman to carry the child." Kathryn hung her head and nodded once more. Chakotay's whole body tensed, she felt it and it bothered her. He felt like he wanted to punch somebody, anybody, he felt angry. He wasn't sure exactly what at but he felt angry.

She could see the anger in him and it did worry her. "Chakotay" she said softly "you have to understand, I didn't know until about four years ago." Tears filled her eyes as she looked at him. In his anger he looked away.

"I am sorry, I don't know how to feel" He admitted. She looked at him, her eyes where wide and in shock. She hadn't expected he would react this way. "I am sorry" he said standing up. "I need some time." Kathryn leapt to her feet and went to say something but he just turned and walked away. Her heart sank.

"Of course" she sighed feebly as he went but he was too far from her he would never have heard her. She turned back sadly to the purple flower he had been admiring and brushed it with her finger tips before she turned in her heel and walked back up towards her large house after him.

Kathryn reached up a shaky hand and wrapped her knuckles on the wooded door of the beautiful old ranch house. The door swung open and she grinned at the stunned man stood in the door frame in an overalls and a paint bush in hand. "Tom Paris" She grinned at him looking he up and down. When he looked at her in confusion knowing she rarely visited them unannounced she admitted "I need a hug"

Tom almost dropped the paint brush as he asked in a cough "A hug?"

She smiled at him and nodded. She reached out her hands as though to hug him and asked "may I?"

"of course" he laughed discarding the paintbrush into the tub and hugging her tightly. She laughed slightly and she gave him a gentle squeeze and then parted from him. "Come in Kathryn" Tom said softly stepping aside and gesturing into his house he was in the middle of decorating. She stepped inside and he shut the door behind her adding "B'Elanna and the kids have gone into town." He was worried about her. She seemed quieter than usual. Slightly tense. Pale and weary.

"just you home?" she asked almost checking before she began to talk.

"yes"

She managed to only just meet him eyes as she whispered "I fainted again."

"are you ok now?" he asked her stepping towards her and putting his hand on her shoulder. He had always cared for this woman, a deep compassion and connection between them.

"I think so" it was a feeble smile she offered with her words.

Turning form her he walked to his cabinet, took a medical tricorder out of the door and began to scan her. Looking down at the beeping device he nodded and told her "you could do with some rest." Then closing it he looked at her and asked "were you alone?"

"no..." she admitted slowly "I was with Chakotay" she gave him a death glare as though to challenge him to ask further about her and Chakotay.

Tom smiled at her and said "Chakotay?" Tom had known the two had argued last night and was actually really happy to learn they had been together that morning. "did he not worry that you just fainted into him?" Tom asked unsure why Chakotay wasn't with her.

"yes he did" she said stiffly and asked no more.

"and..."

"and then he walked off" she added quickly trying to turn from him and avoid the shock in the younger mans eyes. She was ashamed and hurt by his response, that is why she had come looking for a hug.

"what?" yelled Tom looking his own version of angry.

"calm down" she hissed but knew if Tom wanted to be angry nobody was going to stop him.

"no" snapped Tom "what do you mean he just walked off?" Kathryn just shrugged and he looked so angry wrapping her in his arms in a hug again.