Life Circles
6. Bleeding Love
J/C, P/T
Rated MA
April 2009
By: AW
Length: 2415 words
Summary: 4 weeks after 'Resolution: Making it Work'. They return from Hanon, and the J/C and P/T stories converge.
Disclaimer: blah blah blah, I DON'T OWN THEM
[4 weeks after Resolution: Making it Work]
B'Elanna stared at her four week old baby. They had slowly begun to build a life for themselves on Hanon. The settlement had become more than a stopgap measure, it had become their home. B'Elanna placed little Miral on her breast and watched Kathryn walk in. Her tummy was beginning to show the signs of pregnancy and she smiled. At least she knew that little Miral would have some playmates on this planet, that and Naomi Wildman and baby Taya.
B'Elanna beckoned Kathryn over and passed the baby to her. Chakotay walked in, Taya in his arms. B'Elanna looked at the now almost year-old-girl and prayed they would all be okay here on Hanon. B'Elanna wiped a tear from her eyes, and looked at Kat.
"I know you miss him B'Ella, but he'll come get us. We all have to believe that." Kathryn put a hand on her belly and felt the twins squirming around. Chakotay came up behind her and enveloped her in a hug. "Moving around a lot aren't they?"
Kathryn rolled her eyes, "Too much. Look at me! I'm huge."
Chakotay stared at her, "You said that with Taya too, and if you ask me both B'Elanna and Samantha were bigger than you were."
She drew in a deep breath, "Yes but this time I have two in there."
Chakotay laughed, "Just think about it this way; two babies only one labour."
"Oh that makes me feel better, I still have to push two kids out."
Chakotay brought a hand up and ran it across her cheek. "I think you're the most beautiful woman on this planet Kat."
She stared at him, "That's easy to say, did you see the locals?"
Chakotay looked at her incredulous. "Yes but there are 156 Voyager crewmembers here too, and you're still prettier than all of them."
"Fine, fine...but I'm still huge."
"If I agree with you can we stop this silly conversation?"
Kathryn nodded, "Sounds good to me. I am the Captain after all which makes me right."
Chakotay rolled his eyes, "Okay Kathryn, we'll go with that." He watched as her hands rubbed over her tummy. "I guess we should tell people."
"They probably have guessed by now Kathryn; you're showing and cranky."
"I am not cranky Chakotay."
"Do you want me to take a poll Kathryn?"
She rolled her eyes, "Chakotay in the last month I've had my ship taken away from me, found out I was pregnant and carrying twins; got stuck on a planet with my crew in the middle of nowhere..." She paused and looked up from where she was sitting, "You'd be cranky too."
Chakotay nodded, "I know honey, but we have to depend on each other, even when we're cranky."
Kathryn began crying and looked at her husband, "Damn hormones."
He chuckled, "Yes but they're doing something amazing, so for now you'll just have to deal with them." He reached up and wiped the tears away. "I'd say you'd better open a comm. channel and we'll make the announcement, but at the moment that's not possible."
"I know babe, but Tom will come through for us."
"I hope so Chakotay: Miral needs a father."
She looked at him, and brought his hands around her to touch the baby bump: "Our child needs a father too, promise me you'll never leave me."
He pulled her to him, "Not by choice Kathryn; it if it was my choice, I'd be here for you forever."
She spun around and kissed him full on the lips. "I guess I can't ask anything more from you."
[5 Days Later – Voyager settlement]
Kathryn didn't like to admit it, but she wasn't sure if Tom had made it. She wasn't sure if he was coming back to them or to his wife and daughter: and she hated it.
Chakotay watched her as she got the stuff together, she had made plans to start building, she was going to try and make this desolate planet into a home; much like she had tried with New Earth.
[2 weeks later]
The settlement was thriving. Despite her earlier trepidation Kathryn had made a home here with Chakotay and their children on the way.
B'Elanna was doing better, and despite the fact that her husband had not returned yet; she still held out hope for a miracle.
Then that same day after a complete day of hunting and gathering B'Elanna looked up from the ledge where they all waited after the lava flow had subsided in the lower grounds.
The Voyager returned, and B'Elanna knew as did Kathryn that Tom had come through for them. Chakotay patted Kathryn on the shoulder and pointed up showing where the Voyager swept in, like a beacon of light in the darkness: home would no longer be a desolate planet in the Delta Quadrant.
Kathryn smiled and as she felt the twins moving around inside her belly, she knew that things would be okay.
[3 months later]
Kathryn stretched against the wall of her ready room, forcing her belly out to alarming proportions.
Chakotay stared at her, "You okay honey?"
She threw him a half smile. "I will be in a few more months when these kids disembark from my bladder."
Chakotay laughed, "No doubt. Have you seen Miral lately?"
Kathryn shook her head, "Not in the last week, we've been so busy with fixing the ship after the Kazon had their way with it."
"I know, but you have to take it easy: You're almost six months pregnant, and the ship is doing okay."
Kathryn nodded, "I know, it's just like it was with Taya though: hard to let go of the Captain."
"I know, but in the next few months you're going to have to let go of some of that control when these two are born anyway."
"I know, I know: but not just yet."
Chakotay grinned, "For now."
Kathryn raised an eyebrow. "Indeed honey, I had a feeling that you wouldn't take that answer forever."
"Kathryn, it will be okay. I think we have to work on dealing with the Nechisti Order, they want us to visit their sacred shrines."
"I heard Kes wants to come down there with us."
"Yeah I'm thinking of sending Kes, Neelix, B'Elanna and Harry."
"I'm glad you're finally paying attention to my askance that you not go on away missions."
Kathryn rolled her eyes, "I just don't want to hear you complain if something goes wrong."
He smiled at her, showing his dimples, "And thank you again Kathryn."
She nodded and went to walk out to the bridge. "Kim, Torres: you're going down to the planet, and I'm sending Kes and Neelix with you. Maybe we can trade for some of the supplies we need."
Kim nodded, "We'll do what we can to get the supplies we need."
Kathryn nodded, "I know you will Harry."
The away team went and everything seemed as if it was going to work in their favour for once, then it all started going wrong.
[2 hours later - sickbay]
"Have Kim and Torres given you a report?"
"Yes. I received a fascinating lesson in the challenges of getting clear scanner readings through solid rock. We were eventually able to distinguish an intense biogenic field at the site of Kes's accident. That would certainly explain the neuraleptic shock. She was lucky not to have been killed instantly."
"As I understand it, the Nechani monks are able to enter the field without being harmed at all."
"Really? I don't expect they'd care to tell us how."
Janeway looked at the doctor, an idea forming in her head, "No, they wouldn't."
"She's not responding to conventional treatments and frankly I'm running out of unconventional ideas as well, The level of activity in her brain is so low I can't rule out the possibility of permanent damage, even if I can revive her. The longer she stays in this condition, the less likely it is she'll ever recover."
Neelix approached the command officers, trying to make things better, wondering how his love was. "How is she?"
Kathryn wondered if that was her on the biobed if Chakotay would be as beside himself as Neelix was now. Then she realized that of course he would be.
"I'm afraid there's been no change."
That's when Neelix came up with the answer to the riddle they'd all been searching for. "I've researched everything I could find about the sacred shrine. I didn't uncover much scientific evidence but there was one story, it was in a very old text, I'm not sure how reliable, about a boy who recovered from a condition like Kes's. He was a young prince. He wandered into the shrine and accidentally he went into a death sleep. Everyone said it was the will of the spirits. His father, King Nevad, refused to accept that so he went through the ritual to seek an audience with the spirits and he pleaded for his son's life. The spirits in their infinite mercy granted his request. That was the only trace of hope that I could find."
"Maybe it's enough."
[Ready room 20 minutes later]
"Absolutely not Kathryn: You are not going down there and risking your life and the lives of our children on this."
She stopped him right there, "What about Kes' life? Does she not deserve the chance to recover from this?"
"Whether she does or not, does not negate the fact that you are six months pregnant and have no business going down there and risking your life."
"Chakotay, as soon as I became Captain, my life was forfeit; and you have to accept that as my husband."
Chakotay sighed, "I've accepted it Kathryn, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."
[30 minutes later – Nachani settlement]
Janeway looked around; she was searching for her guide. The person that would bring her through this ordeal, and hopefully save Kes' life.
She saw a blond woman walk up to her, and ask her about her tricorder and fixing the chromo-dynamic lights. Kathryn stated she didn't know much about them, and than the woman took her tricorder.
After bluntly stating that the woman couldn't keep it, a light went on. "You're my guide."
"Guide, advisor, spiritual companion, whatever term you prefer is fine with me."
"Why didn't you say something earlier?"
"Shall we get started?"
At Kathryn's nod, she was surrounded by women all dressed in much the same fashion as her 'guide' "It's all right, Kathryn." Kathryn placed a hand on her abdomen, as if assuring the children that it would be okay.
"Would it be breaking any vows of secrecy now to tell me what this ritual will involve?"
"Why do you think I know?"
Kathryn stared at the guide incredulous, "Haven't you been through this before?"
"Don't worry, I'll help you find your way. Tell me, have you completely committed yourself to this journey?"
"Yes."
"You're willing to go through what the monks have been doing for centuries to help them find the spirits?"
Kathryn looked so sure of herself. She was going to 'find the spirits', even if she didn't believe in them wholeheartedly. "Yes."
"So you can send biochemical data back to you ship. No, it wasn't magic. Our bio-scanners detected the microprobe under your skin." Kathryn was surprised: but not. She was aware that the Nachani were a technologically advanced people, but she was surprised that in the religious order, they were using these technological advances.
"I hope that won't be a problem." Kathryn stared down the monk, giving her best Captain's glare hoping it would work.
"Makes no difference at all: You are fond of your little devices, aren't you."
"They've always served me well."
"I'm sure they have. Please, come this way."
Kathryn followed the guide and hoped that everything was going to be okay.
Kathryn walked into the ritual room, staring at the guide. "I'll do whatever it takes."
"I don't doubt that."
The guide handed Kathryn a rock and she picked it up looking at it, resisting the urge to analyze what kind of stone it was, where it might have come from, it's significance.
Kathryn looked at the guide, "I'm going to make every effort to do 'seek the spirits'; but I didn't come here for personal enlightenment. I'm trying to save a member of my crew."
"That's a worthy cause. I hope the spirits listen to you. Then let's begin. The first challenge. Stand like this, hold that. Now, what do you see in your hands?"
Kathryn stared at the rock once again, trying to see what the guide was seeing, nothing came to her."I see a stone."
"Keep looking." The guide smiled at her, hoping that she would see the secrets to the world she was on in the rock she held.
She handed the stone back to the guide and went about her ritual: Hopefully this would save Kes' life and not put her children's lives in danger. She felt the babies move and prayed everything would be okay.
[2 days later – Nachani settlement]
Kathryn was exhausted she had put herself through hell trying to get the answers to save Kes. She felt the babies getting restless but it didn't surprise her, she had not slept in three days, or really eaten anything.
She looked up at her guide, "Is it possible for me to get something to eat?"
The guide shook her head, "It will counteract everything you've done up until now."
Kathryn nodded and watched as the guide brought out a box. She heard the hissing noises coming from it and had to quelch the sinking feeling in her stomach. She'd made it this far, she was going to keep going.
She reached in and something bit her. She pulled her arm back more by reflex than anything else, and looked at the three pronged bite mark on her arm. She felt the burning in her chest and lay back groaning at the pain that was enveloping her body. She put a hand on her belly instinctively thinking that would maybe save her baby boy and baby girl. The tears began to flow and she looked at the guide. "I'm dying."
"Everyone dies eventually."
END 6. Bleeding Love
TBC in 7. Truth and Consequences