Ch. 30

The last half second without sight as he materialized on the planet's surface was almost more time than Chakotay could bear. But when he could see, the sight that greeted his eyes was devastating. Dust choked the air, bodies lay scattered in the room, and the smell of cordite hung heavy in the air. He and the away team had just arrived at ground zero for what had obviously been a heavy fire fight. The entire away team seemed frozen in place as they visually scanned the large hall.

"Spread out. Scan the area," Chakotay choked out. They had to move quickly. They needed to get in and out as fast as possible. But they had to find them first. Kathryn and Madelyn. They simply had to be here. Chakotay didn't think he'd be able to handle it if they tracked them all the way down to here only to lose them now.

The sensors they had on the Pendragon had barely been able to confirm life signs on the planet. B'Elanna flipped out her tricorder next to him and growled in frustration. "There's still nothing. Whatever stone they built this place with it's blocking anything further than a meter out."

"We'll just have to search then," Chakotay said, moving forward, stepping over the body of a fallen armored soldier.

"Projectile weapons, Chakotay," B'Elanna said, taking a closer scan of the corpse. "This guy is riddled with…holes."

"Captain! I think you should take a look at this," Ayala called. He was at the end of the hall on a platform of raised steps. He had his tricorder out and he looked grim.

"What is it?" Chakotay asked, hurrying over.

Ayala gestured downwards to a dark stain on the light colored stone of the dais. "It's hers, Chak. Kathryn's blood."

Chakotay knelt down, running his fingers over the stain. It was a significant amount, but not life threatening, at least not if it was stopped soon enough. His fingers came away dusty but stained with red that hadn't yet soaked into the cold stone. It was fresh. His head snapped up and he looked around. She couldn't have gone far. Not with an injury like that. "KATHRYN!!"

B'Elanna jumped at his bellow and the other members of the team all quickly turned to him, but he didn't care. She had to be close. "KATHRYN!!" She couldn't have made it far…not on her own, but what if she hadn't been on her own. Whoever killed all these soldiers could have taken her… "KATHRYN!!"

"Chakotay," B'Elanna said quietly by his side. He had descended from the dais without even realizing it. She opened her mouth to say more when he looked at her but no words came out.

The sound of something being slid across stone had them all turning and aiming weapons at the source of the noise. It was a side door leading off the main hall. Only the top half of the door was visible because of its location and they watched silently as it seemed to slowly open of its own accord. No one came through it. Chakotay and B'Elanna exchanged a wary glance and began to move cautiously as one towards it.

"DADDY!!" Madelyn's small figure burst into the hall, running full speed at Chakotay.

He dropped his phaser and knelt down, catching his daughter as she hurled herself into his arms. He was making incoherent sounds as he wrapped his arms around her, scooping her up with him as he stood. She was here, in his arms. Real. Solid. Tears were streaming down his face as he held her tight against him. Feeling absolute elation at finding her.

Maddie was just as happy. Covering him with kisses and hugging his neck. "I told her. I told her you'd come!"

Not wanting to let go of her, Chakotay leaned his daughter back slightly so he could see her face. "Where is she, Maddie? Where's Mom?"

"Put…my daughter. Down. Now."

Kathryn's razor sharp voice snapped across the room catching everyone by surprise. They'd all been so caught up in the reunion they had failed to see her enter the hall. But now she had everyone's attention.

Chakotay looked past Madelyn's shoulder and saw Kathryn for the first time in almost a month. She looked like hell. Her normally porcelain features were now a ghastly pale. Blood soaked her shoulder and upper torso staining her clothes a dark crimson. She was leaning against what was left of a column for support, and she was aiming a weapon right at Chakotay.

She was still the best thing Chakotay had ever seen, but he also knew how dangerous Kathryn could be and he slowly knelt down far enough for Maddie's feet to touch the floor. "Kathryn? It's me, Chakotay."

"It's okay, Mama. It's really him. He's here." Maddie tried while everyone else remained as still as the bodies littering the floor.

"Maddie, come over here by me," Kathryn said, her voice rough but steady, unlike the arm supporting the weapon aimed at Chakotay which was shaking badly.

"Go on," Chakotay encouraged his daughter. "She needs you right now."

Maddie reluctantly let go of her father's hand and went back to stand by Kathryn, who immediately moved to put her daughter behind her.

"Kathryn…you're hurt. We need to get you out of here," Chakotay tried.

She shook her head from side to side. "You…aren't…really here."

"Mama, he is," Maddie said, touching Kathryn's waist. "I see him this time."

Kathryn glanced down at her daughter who nodded encouragingly. She glanced back up at Chakotay, studying him.

"Just…don't move," she warned him, slowly lowering the weapon and shifting it to her left hand that she was keeping tight against her body. She grimaced as the weight settled into her hand, and Chakotay had to stop himself from moving towards her. Giving him a warning look, she spoke to Maddie, "Go back over to the side door-"

"Mom-"

"Don't argue with me." Kathryn cut off her protest. "Just go over there, and if I say the word you run. Do you understand me?"

Maddie glanced at Chakotay for support, but he just nodded for her to go. This was taking too long, but he was damned if he cared. If Kathryn wanted to drag this out for a week, he'd wait. He looked back to his wife and he could see the war behind her eyes. She wanted to believe him; he could tell, but something was holding her back. Something had happened to make her think he wasn't who he said he was and that bothered him immensely.

Only after checking to make sure Maddie had done as she was told did Kathryn motion for Chakotay to approach her. She let him get within arm's reach before she stopped him, the weapon never wavering in its aim. The fact that he made no move to touch her emboldened her and she reached her right hand out to his face.

Chakotay thought he'd never felt anything quite as heavenly as Kathryn's shaking fingertips sweeping lightly over the lines of his tattoo. He held her eyes, pleading with his for her to see him.

"You're…real?" she asked softly, hesitantly.

He nodded his breathing unsteady. "Please, Kathryn, let me help you."

"Kiss me."

"What?" he asked, surprised.

"You heard me," she said firmly. "Kiss me."

Moving slowly, he closed the last bit of distance between them. A tear rolled down her cheek and he brushed it away with his thumb, lightly cupping her chin with his hand. He leaned down, his lips softly meeting hers. Despite how much he wanted to take her in his arms, he kept it gentle and slowly moved back after only a few moments. Tears were freely rolling down both of their faces as he searched her eyes.

"Chakotay." She threw her good arm around his neck, hauling herself against him. He grunted as the weapon she still held dug painfully into his abdomen.

"Kathryn, the weapon…" he managed and then felt it hit his boot a second before she went limp against him. He leaned back to look at her and her head lolled limply against his chest. "Shit. Doctor, get over here. She's passed out."

"Mom?" Maddie had rejoined them from her hiding place. B'Elanna came up behind her, putting a reassuring and restraining hand on the girl's shoulder. "Is she going to be okay? She said she was tired."

"She's lost a lot of blood," the Doctor said quietly, glancing cautiously over at Maddie. "We need to get her back to the ship."

"Chakotay to Tuvok, five to beam directly to sickbay," he said, standing up with Kathryn now cradled in his arms. It'd be a long time before he would feel comfortable letting go of her.