Star Trek Voyager characters are the property of Paramount Pictures
HEARTS ASTRAY
CHAPTER 31
When the party was over, and everyone had gone home, Kathryn and Chakotay got ready for bed. Kathryn took an uncharacteristic shower, as she was too tired for a bath, and then put Fluffy to bed. While she waited for Chakotay to finish showering, she got out her collection of photostills of the babies for him to see. These were in a silver album and there was one for every week of her pregnancy since she'd found out she was expecting. Before getting into bed, she also got out her bag of baby knits. Carefully, she placed bag and book on the bed, and then climbed in. After making herself comfortable, she picked up the album and looked through it. The pictures were remarkable, so colorful and clear, and it was fascinating to see just how much the babies had grown and changed in three months.
At last, Chakotay emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a black robe.
"Hi," he said.
"Hi," Kathryn replied. "Good shower?"
"Great. The supersonic shower really is super."
He took off his robe, revealing only black boxers beneath, and his muscular body took Kathryn's breath away. When he caught her gazing, she blushed and looked away.
"It's ok," he smiled. "You can look. We are married."
"I know," Kathryn laughed. "But I feel like a virgin at a nuptial. I know I don't look it, and it isn't as if we haven't been intimate, hence how I don't look it, but all this is so new and strange for us. For so long we've had to deny our feelings that doing so has kind of become a habit."
"I know what you mean," he said, getting in beside her. "I can hardly believe I'm finally allowed to touch and kiss you. For so long, both were just a dream."
Kathryn gazed deep into his eyes. "For me too."
Slowly, gently, Chakotay lowered his lips to hers and kissed her. Kathryn deepened the kiss and they kissed tenderly, kissed long.
"I love you," Kathryn said as they parted.
Chakotay smiled. "I love you too." He put his hand on her bump. "All of you." He then looked at the album. "Are those the pictures?"
"They certainly are!" She turned the pages back to the beginning and showed him the first one. "This is the very first picture taken a few days after I found out I was pregnant. Incredible, isn't it? It was so amazing to see them on the screen. They were moving and playing and, as The Doctor zoomed in on them, I could seem them close up. You can too as he's saved the scans. We can watch them in the lounge tomorrow. She turned to the next picture. "This is them a week later. As you can see, they haven't changed much."
They gazed at the picture for a while, and then moved on to the rest. Chakotay was amazed by each one and his amazement grew as the babies grew.
"This one," Kathryn said as they neared the end of the collection, "is the first one with Ruby."
Chakotay's eyes twinkled. "Ruby?"
"Our little lady. The Doctor said her hair will be as red as rubies and she's kind of been Ruby ever since."
"Then that's what we should call her."
"Agreed."
"Any names for the boys?"
"Kind of. I was thinking we could name one boy each and then one together. For my one I'd like James Edward. The Edward is obviously after my father."
"James Edward," Chakotay said. "I like it."
"Then James Edward it is. What about you? What names do you like?"
"For first names, I like Korby or Zak. For second names, Kolopak and Orkatay after my father and brother."
"Korby and Zak," Kathryn pondered. "I like them. In fact, I love them. Let's have both."
"No other names you'd rather?"
"More names just means more choices. The less options, the better. We don't want to be like The Doctor and take forever to decide."
"No," Chakotay laughed.
"And the names compliment each other so well."
"James, Korby, Zak and Ruby," Chakotay mused. "I guess they do."
"Then are we agreed?"
"We are. Now all we have to decide is second names."
"What do you think? Korby Kolopak and Zak Orkatay, or Korby Orkatay and Zak Kolopak?"
"Korby Orkatay and Zak Kolopak. You?"
"The same. Zak Kolopak has such a ring to it. In fact, you could say it's poetic."
"Yes."
"Which leaves us only with Ruby. How about we break the rule and give her three?"
"Both our mother's names?"
Kathryn nodded. "Ruby Gretchen Enola."
Chakotay smiled. "Perfect."
Kathryn smiled back and they kissed softly.
"The last two pictures are virtually the same," Kathryn said as they parted. "So, while you look at them, I'll get out the knits. There's not much yet, as I've been busy with the house, but I hope to make a whole drawer full by the time our juniors come." She pulled up the bag, opened it, and carefully pulled out four pairs of booties. One pair was blue, one was pink, one was yellow, and one was green. "These are the booties I've made. One pair each for the babies." She lay the booties on the bed and then pulled out four hats in the same colors. "And these are the hats."
Chakotay picked up the blue booties. They were so small that they fitted in the palm of his hand. "They're amazing," he said. "Tiny."
"Well," Kathryn smiled, "their feet are going to be tiny. The blue, green and yellow are for the boys, and the pink is for Ruby. I know redheads don't wear pink, but the rule doesn't apply to babies. At first I was going to make all the boys' booties blue, but as they're identical, I thought it would be better for us to color code them. For example, if we dress James in blue, Korby in yellow and Zak in green, everyone will know who is who."
"Great idea," Chakotay smiled. "Very scientific."
"Well, you know what they say. Once a scientist, always a scientist."
Chakotay watched as Kathryn carefully put the knits back into the bag and it warmed his heart to see how happy she was, how relaxed. For too long Kathryn had been suffocated by the captain and it was wonderful now to finally see her breathe.
"Hard to believe all this is us, though, isn't it?" Kathryn said. "I mean, booties and baby pics are as far from warp cores and impulse engines as you can get."
"Yes," he smiled. "But there's a time and place for everything."
"And you really are happy about the babies? We never discussed having one, let alone four."
"I'm delighted, Kathryn. Truly. Besides, when you're one of nine siblings, four really isn't that many."
"I guess not," Kathryn laughed. "Strange though, isn't it? I mean, our situation. We're married, but this is our first proper night together. I'm pregnant, but you haven't been intimate with me for over five years. Do you think our lives can get any crazier?"
Chakotay gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face. "Right now, I think our lives are pretty wonderful."
"Yes," Kathryn said, gazing into his eyes. "Right now, they are."
Gently, she raised her lips to his and they kissed softly.
END OF CHAPTER THIRTY ONE