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Switched

Chapter 22

"I've told you," Chakotay said to Detective Carter as the police officer interrogated him again. "I don't know who did this."

"And I've told you," the detective answered, "I don't believe you. I've dealt with more cases of domestic violence over the past year than you've had hot dinners in your life. I know a violent man when I meet one."

"I love my wife. I could never do anything to hurt her. Ever."

"And I've heard that more times than you've pissed." He paced the family room, rubbing his chin. "I'll be honest with you. I don't like you. I don't like the Maquis." He span to face Chakotay. "And do you know why? Well, I'll tell you why. Because my son was blown to pieces when you bastards attacked a Starfleet ship. 23 he was. Only 23! So don't tell me you're not a man of violence. Every man in the Maquis was a man of violence! And it makes me sick to the stomach the way you and your renegades have been welcomed back from the Delta Quadrant like heroes! When you can kill innocent men, bomb cities full of civilians, and blow up ships full of children, of course you can slash your wife's insides with a dagger!"

"I'm sorry for your loss," Chakotay replied calmly. "But not all of us in the Maquis were..."

The detective punched Chakotay in the face. "Don't you dare try to dignify the Maquis. Don't you dare!" He then clutched Chakotay's shirt. "Our officers have gone over every millimeter of the crime-scene and have found not so much as a single cell of DNA to link anyone but you to the attack. I know you did this. I'll prove you did this." He then spat on Chakotay. "That's for my son."

Without another word, he let go of Chakotay and left the room.

By a small window that looked out upon a park, Gretchen replicated herself a cup of coffee.

"I think you should go home and get some rest," she said to Chakotay. "You've been here all night."

"Not until I know Kathryn's going to be ok," he replied. "She's not out of the woods yet and ...and I have to be here."

Gretchen picked up her coffee and went to sit beside him. "Kathryn could be in a coma for days. Even weeks. You can't keep a constant vigil. You need to rest."

"The doctor says that if she's going to pull through, she'll come out of the coma soon. I have to be here."

"Then at least try to get some sleep. There's a guest dorm next door."

Chakotay looked up at the ceiling and leant his head back against the wall. "There's no way I can sleep. I can't even close my eyes. Every time I do I see Kathryn, lying there in..." He paused. "And I think of our baby."

Gretchen put her hand over his, a small gesture of comfort.

"Kathryn didn't deserve this," he went on. "Our baby didn't deserve it." Tears flooded his eyes. "We'll never even know if it was a boy or a girl."

Suddenly doors opened and Voyager's former EMH entered.

"Commander," he said. "Mrs Janeway. I've just heard. It's all over the news. How's the Captain?"

"Holding her own," Gretchen replied.

"What happened, Commander?" he said, going over to Chakotay. "Who did this? Was it Taron?"

"Who's Taron?" Gretchen asked.

Blood drained out of Chakotay's face. "Taron," he said. "Of course. If he thought Kathryn was Cayla then..."

"I said who's Taron?" Gretchen asked again.

"Someone who wants to kill Cayla," Chakotay told her.

"We have to tell the police," the Doctor said. "I know it will mean having to tell them about Dallas, but the Captain's life could be at stake. Taron might strike again."

"Agreed," Chakotay replied. "But we'll tell them when we have something to say."

The Doctor frowned. "How do you mean?"

"I'm going to find Cayla and get her to tell me who the hell Taron is and what exactly she's involved in."

"I don't think that's a good idea," the Doctor said in concern.

"I don't care," he answered. "I'm going."

Undisguised, but his tattoo covered by a hat, Chakotay walked through Bankside Park in the direction of Cayla's terrace. He was determined to get answers and would search the entire neighborhood for her if he had too. But first he was going to try her house. However, when her house came into view, all the windows were bare and there was a huge sign above the door saying "Property vacant". On the steps outside was a man painting the rusty railings and Chakotay approached him.

"What's going on?" he asked. "Where's Cayla?"

"If you're referring to the last resident," the man said, "he, she or they have gone. Left this morning."

"Do you have a forwarding address?"

"Sorry, no. I'm just here to do the place up a bit."

"Then do you know where she went?"

"No idea. Sorry, Sir."

There was no point questioning the man further, so Chakotay left him to his task. Neither was there any point in asking around about where Cayla could have gone. If he did, friends of hers could think he was working for Taron and kill him. Cayla had obviously figured out that the attack on Kathryn was meant for her and had done a bunk.

"I can't say I'm sorry," the Doctor said when Chakotay dropped by his surgery to tell him what had happened. "Perhaps now you'll do the sensible thing and go to the police."

"I already have," Chakotay replied. "Luckily Detective Carter has been taken off our case...for prejudice against former Maquis...so I got to see another detective who took what I said seriously. Apparently this Taron is a wanted figure. For what I don't know. An undercover team has been trying to hunt him down for some time. They're getting close so everything I told the detective is going to be officially unofficial for the moment, just incase the operation is jeopardized."

"Do you think Cayla is a part of the team?"

"It's possible. She told Kathryn she was dismissed from the force but that might be just a cover story. Maybe Taron has found out she's an agent. Or, on the other hand, she's crossed him in some way and he's out for revenge."

"Well, I hope they find him sooner rather than later." The Doctor then paused and looked at Chakotay sadly. "I'm sorry, about the baby."

Chakotay tensed at those words. The wound was still raw.

"The Captain will need to grieve," the Doctor said kindly, "as will you. Loss of life, even when so early, is bereavement."

"I wish I'd known," Chakotay said quietly, "about the baby. But we didn't. Neither of us knew. Kathryn would have told me if she did." Tears filled his eyes. "All that time our baby was with us, growing and thriving, but the first that I heard of its life was its death."

The Doctor put his hand on Chakotay's shoulder. "I think you should seek a second opinion about the Captain not being able to have another baby. All kinds of help is available today."

"What's your opinion?" Chakotay asked.

The Doctor removed his hand and picked up an instrument. "I haven't been allowed to form one. Apparently the hospital will not accept a hologram as a patient's primary physician, so I'm not allowed to see her, let alone examine her."

"I didn't know that," Chakotay said. "I'm sorry. I'll speak to someone. Kathryn would want you attending to her."

"Well, good luck," the Doctor answered. "I'm a person non grata."

When Chakotay arrived back at the family room, he was surprised to find it full of 'get well' cards, bouquets of flowers, childish pictures and colorful balloons.

"They've come from all over," Gretchen said. "And more are arriving by the minute. Phoebe's taken a selection in to put by Kathryn." She paused. "It's so comforting to think that so many people are thinking of us and praying for us."

Chakotay picked up a card from a well-wisher and read the greeting inside. As he did, Gretchen came over to him. "How did you get on? Did you find anything out?"

"No," Chakotay answered. "Cayla's gone, left town. So I went to the police and told them what I know."

"Which is what, exactly? What's been going on that I don't know about?"

"To cut a long story short, Cayla's got herself involved in something and someone called Taron wants her dead. That's all I know." He put his hand on Gretchen's shoulder. "But keep this to yourself. The police want everything under wraps."

"I will," she assured him.

A female doctor emerged from Kathryn's room and Chakotay and Gretchen turned to her.

"I'm afraid there's no change," the woman said.

Chakotay left Gretchen and approached the doctor. "I understand that our doctor has been denied access to Kathryn because he's a hologram. I'm not at all happy about that and neither would Kathryn be. He's been our physician for seven years, a remarkable one at that, and continues to be our physician. We expect him to be treated with the same respect as any other doctor."

"I'm sure whoever your doctor spoke to was not aware of all the facts," the doctor answered uncomfortably. "I'll have the matter resolved immediately."

"Thank you," Chakotay replied. "I'd appreciate that."

Beneath a window of stars, Chakotay slept on a couch in the family room. Gretchen and Phoebe had both gone home for the night and in the silence Chakotay had fallen asleep. He would have gone on sleeping, only a prodding in the shoulder disturbed his slumber. Chakotay opened his eyes and found a young nurse standing before him.

"Your wife has woken up," she smiled. "And is asking for you."

Infine relief consumed Chakotay and he thanked the gods. He then got to his feet and made his way into Kathryn's room. The light there was dim, but in the pale glow he could see that Kathryn was all alone and propped up in bed against pillows.

"Welcome back," he said, eyes moist.

"I'm glad to be back," she replied quietly.

Chakotay walked over to her, sat in a chair beside her, and took her hand in his with a kiss.

"I thought I was going to lose you," he said. "I was so afraid."

Kathryn squeezed his hand. "You won't get rid of me that easily."

"What happened, Kathryn? Who did this? Was it Taron?"

Kathryn nodded. "A man grabbed me while I was trying to replicate shoes. He thought I was someone who had messed with Taron. Someone called Vonra. I can only assume that's Cayla." Tears suddenly filled her eyes. "I've been told...about the baby."

Tears welled in Chakotay's eyes too. "I'm so sorry, Kathryn."

"I wish we'd known. But I didn't. I didn't have any idea." A tear ran down her cheek. "It hurts. So much it hurts. I want our baby back."

Chakotay kissed her hand. "Me too," he whispered.

Kathryn held out her other arm to him and slowly, gently, they drew together and wept.

Suddenly, Q's voice spoke. "Touching."

Kathryn and Chakotay parted instantly and turned towards him. He was standing at the foot of the bed.

"If you knew what your chak-brat would look like," he teased, "well, that would be something to cry about."

Neither Kathryn or Chakotay spoke, they just stared at him with terrible pain in their eyes.

"Oh come on, Kathy," Q said, sitting on the bed. "Would I let anything happen to your babino? Just think of all the fun I'd miss out on! Me and Janeway Junior are going to have a ball in the future." A medical tricorder materialized in his hand and he handed it to Kathryn. "See for yourself, baby safe and sound."

Kathryn studied the tricorder and saw that it was indeed registering a lifesign inside her. "But how?" she asked.

Q rolled up his sleeves. "I'll demonstrate." With a pensive face, he pointed at the ceiling. "Kathy walks into bedchamber with broken shoe. Buzz, I beam out embryo and baggage." He then pointed at her abdomen. "Kathy lies in hospital. Buzz, I beam in embryo and baggage. Easy peezy!"

Kathryn stared at him, hardly daring to believe her ears. "But the doctors said that..."

"Oh the doctors," Q interrupted. "They never found the baby, how could they? Mini Myway was with me. They made what you mortals call a deducement based on your pregnant unpregnant state. And shiny-scalp was wrong. You're not five weeks pregnant, you're only four." He folded his arms in tremendous pride. "Well, are you just going to stare at me or are you going to thank me? Because if I had left Janey Junior in there it really would have been bye bye baby."

Kathryn stared at him a moment longer then smiled, happy tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Q. Thankyou."

He beamed a smiled. "You're welcome. But remember you owe me." He then turned to Chakotay. "Chuckles?"

Chakotay smiled and held his hand out to Q. "Thank you."

Q took his hand and shook it.

"I am brilliant, I know," Q went on. "But there's no need to brag of my heroism to every Tom, Dick and Harry, or should that be every Tom, Tuvok and Harry? Let the docs put this down to an oversight. Shiny-scalp is far too pompous for his own good. Will make my day to see him scratch that bald egg." He smiled. "First dogs, now babies. I'm getting soft. Must be the effect you have on me, Kathy." He sighed deeply. "Which is more than can be said for the effect Q has on me. Toodle pip! Fire-breather calls!"

He clicked his fingers and disappeared.

When he was gone, Kathryn and Chakotay looked again at their baby's lifesign on the tricorder and then looked at each other. Immeasurable joy shone in their eyes, a joy too ardent for words, and all they could do was hold each other.

END OF CHAPTER 22