"Captain would you please sit still so I can finish examining you" the Doctor sighed in exasperation as he ran his tricorder over Kathryn's stomach.
"It gets too uncomfortable sitting" she grumbled, shifting positions again.
"Fine then stand, I don't care. Either way just stay still…everything seems to be in order. The baby has dropped into position so the only thing we can do now is wait. With these constant false alarms it won't be long now." He told her while closing the tricorder. "If you have no questions then you're free to go"
"I can't wait until this is over with"
"You and me both" he whispered under his breath.
"Computer deactivate EMH" she ordered while looked at him with a disapproving frown.
Chakotay opened the doors to his quarters to find the Captain standing on the other side. "Kathryn"
"Hi Chakotay, I'm not disturbing you am I?"
"Not at all, come in. Are you feeling better?"
"False alarm" she said patting her stomach and shrugging her shoulders. Chakotay helped her over to the couch then replicated a couple cups of tea. "Here you go, a little something to help you to relax" he said handing her a cup.
"Thank you, should we get started on the evaluations and get them over with first?"
"If that's what you want." He picked up a blank padd and activated it. "The crew of USS Voyager is exemplary. They have worked their best and continue to prove even more exceptional with each passing day." Setting down the padd he smiled and added "there, evaluations are done."
Janeway chuckled and swatted at his arm. "Captain's note: the First Officer, however, tries to get out of doing the paperwork part by taking shortcuts to make the time go by faster."
"You can't blame a C.O. for trying." Kathryn found herself staring at his dimples and her mind began going places it really shouldn't be going. She pictured herself leaning over, running her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck, the other hand tracing a path from his tattoo down to his full lips then leaning in and tasting his lips for herself. Suddenly a sharp pain caught her breath and brought her back to the present. "Ooh, let's start before I change my mind." They got ¾ of the way through the reports before Kathryn called it a night and returned to her quarters.
"Mama, can I ask you a question?"
"Kimberley, it's 00:21 hours. What are you still doing up?"
"Actually I just got up to go to the washroom but I want to ask you something before I forget." Nodding her head Kathryn told her daughter to talk while she changed. "How did you know when Mark liked you?"
"How did I know? You're asking me this at 00:30 hours?" Kimberley climbed into bed beside her mom and continued to wait for an answer. "Well, I guess it was the way he would look at me and the way he would conveniently appear where I was and then he asked me out for coffee a few times. One night we were walking along the Bay in the moonlight when he pulled me close and kissed me." She explained realizing Kim wouldn't wait until morning.
------
NOTE: Kathryn is now 1.5 weeks overdue
The morning of Lieutenant Commander J.G. Steven Parker and Lieutenant Virginia Syoto's wedding (they had come to the Captain a week ago asking her to marry them) Kathryn woke up sick to her stomach. Replicating a glass of ginger ale she sat at her desk and went over last minute preparations for the ceremony.
Hearing the door chime ring Kim flew out of her room yelling "I got it…oh, hi Ensign Jones, Nicole"
"Hi Kimberley, Nicole has something to tell you…go on Nicole"
"When you weren't looking the other day, I took this from your room and told mom that you gave it to me." Nicole's voice dropped to just above a whisper, "I'm sorry"
"What's going on?" Kathryn asked from her desk. Kim looked at the Ensign before replying, "Nicole was just, um, returning something of mine." Leaning in closer, Ensign Jones apologized for bothering them. With a smile Kathryn returned to what she was doing.
Voyager was in orbit of a class M planet that had a lot of potential for many different functions on the ship. When the bride and groom to be saw the visual scans with its lakes an drivers, mountains and forests, flora and fauna they chose to have the wedding and reception planet side as opposed to on the ship as originally planned. With only an hour to go until the wedding, Kathryn decided to see how the bride to be was holding up.
"Captain come in, please have a seat"
Kathryn raised her hands in protest. "Thank you Ms. Syoto but I'm only staying a moment. I just came by to see how you are doing."
"I'm so nervous; I could barely sleep last night. I don't know what I would do without Sarah" she said glancing over at her best friend.
"You would show up in your pajamas and hair in curlers" Sarah teased her friend.
"I need to get ready; I'll see you on the planet Lieutenant, Ensign." Kathryn left and went back to her quarters to shower and change. Forty minutes later Janeway stood in front of her full length mirror scrutinizing her image.
"Kathryn?" Chakotay called out entering her quarters. "In here Chakotay" she answered.
"You look nice" he complimented from the doorway of her bedroom. Tugging on the jacket of her dress uniform with a growl Kathryn ran her hands over the fabric trying to smooth out the wrinkles. Frowning deeply she complained, "I'm huge"
"You're pregnant" he consoled, stepping behind her and gently rubbing her upper arms. Chuckling lightly at the glare she gave his reflection he patted her arms a couple times. "I'll leave you to finish getting ready".
------
When the wedding march began playing, Kathryn placed a hand on her abdomen and looked down in surprise. "Are you kidding me?" she silently asked her baby, realizing she was having a contraction. As the wedding progressed Kathryn found her labor annoying more than anything. Did this baby not realize that she was in the middle of an important crew function and had to be the Captain performing a wedding right now instead of a woman in labor? "By the powers invested in me as Captain of Voyager I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. Parker you may kiss your bride." Her body chose that precise moment to hit her with a contraction that was stronger than the previous ones. To add salt to a wound the baby gave a swift kick as if in protest to having its already cramped space squeezed in more. Closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths she pushed the pain away to a recessed corner of her mind where she would deal with it at a more appropriate time. "Ladies and gentlemen may I introduce to you Lieutenant Commander Junior Grade Steven Parker and Lieutenant Virginia Parker. Congratulations" she said beaming with pride as she hugged them both then stepped back for others to do the same.
The dinner was fabulous and everyone was impressed with the quality of the meal. Although she wasn't very hungry Kathryn couldn't help herself. With B'Elanna & Joe Carey's help they managed to rig up a sound system so that a dance was able to be had on the planet as well instead of on the ship. Steven and Virginia were so happy Kimberley came up with the idea that they appointed her Emcee for the night. "Ladies and Gentleman it is time for the traditional Captain and Commander dance with the bride and groom." This ritual began after the first wedding on board Voyager. Chakotay agreed to dance with the bride. The crew looked up to their Command Team not only as role models but also as parental substitutes of sorts. At first Kathryn was uncomfortable with it but soon realized it was something they looked forward to and in a way, needed, emotionally for the crew as well as herself. Everyone looked around for the Captain but they couldn't see her. Walking over to Chakotay Kimberley asked if Janeway had already left. "No, she didn't say anything to me. Carry on and I'll go find her" he said to the newlyweds. Chakotay scanned the land around him. A few yards away he thought he saw movement in the foliage and went to investigate. Getting closer he recognized the black and red uniform of the Captain strolling along obviously lost in thought. "Kathryn" he called out. Hearing her name she turned and waited for him to catch up to her. "Chakotay is everything alright?" Feeling another contraction she began to pace and concentrate on her breathing. "It depends, how are you feeling?"
"I'm okay. Did you need me for something or were you just lonely?" she teased with a twinkle in her eye. Smiling shyly he answered, "Steven is waiting for his dance with the Captain."
"Well I can't let him down." She turned to head back but stopped after a few steps and winced. "Kathryn?"
"Damn contraction" she muttered.
"Contraction? You're in labor?!" he repeated in total shock. "How far apart are they?"
"Don't you dare make a big deal out of this" she warned him with a stern look. "It'll be a long while before it's time to deliver the baby. This is just between us, understood?" Seeing her relax as the pain passed Chakotay put his arm around her waist and walked with her back to the crowd. "Look who I found wandering over by the trees" he called out dropping his arm down to his side. The dance floor cleared so Chakotay, Kathryn and the newlyweds could dance.
-----
"Captain would you care to dance?"
"Thank you Mr. Paris but I don't feel much like dancing."
"Then maybe you should go back to the ship and have the Doctor check you instead." Kathryn glared at Chakotay then stood up. "I need some air, I'm going for a walk" she told him curtly. Placing a hand on the small of her back she lumbered off.
"What was that about?" Tom asked as he watched her retreating form. Shaking his head in dismay Chakotay answered, "She's tired of being pregnant but too stubborn to admit it."
Within two hours from the beginning of it, the reception was in full swing and everyone was having the time of their life. Chakotay hadn't heard from Kathryn in a while so he went to check on how she was feeling. He found her sitting on the bank of the river looking a little bit worn out. Walking up to her he asked, "Mind if I sit down?"
"No, I don't mind" she answered with a shake of her head. They sat in silence for a couple minutes before Kathryn finally asked him what he wanted. Picking up pebbles "Chakotay began throwing them into the water. "I came to check on you. I hadn't seen or heard from you in a while and I wanted to make sure everything was okay" he finally admitted.
"They're getting closer together and they are getting stronger, but it isn't as bad as when I was in labor with Kimberley."
"Lieutenant Parker to Commander Chakotay"
"Chakotay here"
"Sir we are heading back to Voyager now and we just wanted to thank you for the lovely wedding and reception."
"You're welcome, enjoy your time off"
"Thank you Sir. Parker out"
"I think I'm going to head back to Voyager also. Coming?" Reaching up she teased, "Help me?"
Kimberley was worried as to why her mom still wasn't back yet. Grabbing a tricorder she went off in search of her. Five minutes later she saw Kathryn ahead, leaning heavily on Chakotay in obvious pain. "Oh my gosh, daddy what's wrong? What happened?"
"She's gone into labor and her water broke. We're on our way to the transport site now" he explained.
"Forget the transport site, get me to Voyager NOW" Kathryn ordered, then added "Oh God I'm going to be sick."
When Janeway rematerialized on the transport pad her legs buckled and she hollered out in pain. After stepping off the pad w/ Chakotay's help she glared at the officer operating the console, "Ensign Engala don't you EVER transport someone while they're in the middle of having a contraction again. Is that clear?"
"Yes ma'am" he said as he proceeded to beam the doctor up and transfer him to sickbay. When Kathryn and Chakotay arrived at sickbay her contractions were coming every few minutes. Taking the medical gown that was handed to her, she disappeared into the other room to change. Ten minutes had passed before Kathryn returned from changing. Climbing onto the biobed the Doctor checked her over and announced that she was fully effaced and dilated to 8.5cm. "Everything is progressing as it should. An epidural won't wear off by the time you're ready to deliver so I'm giving you a local anesthetic to take the edge off the pain of your contractions. I'll be by in a couple of hours to check on you." The EMH pressed the hypospray against Kathryn's belly, recorded something on a padd, then disappeared to work on a few things that he had pending. Chakotay, along with Kimberley's help, stayed at her side doing his best to keep her comfortable.
"I don't remember it being this hard" Kathryn said with a grimace while she tried to find a comfortable position that didn't hurt her back so much.
"Well it has been quite a few years since you did this last; of course you're not going to remember it the same." Rolling her eyes at Chakotay Kathryn suddenly felt an intense urge to bear down and push.
"Well, your baby is definitely anxious to meet her mama. Your body went from 8.5cm to 10cm in a matter of 28 minutes.
"That's fascinating. Could we possibly
discuss the amazing feats of the human body at another time
perhaps?" Kathryn growled; the sarcasm evident in her voice.
Forty-five minutes later...
"Keep pushing hard Kathryn...that's a girl" Chakotay happily encouraged. "1,2,3,4,5...8,9,10" Kim counted along with the Doctor and Chakotay while wiping Kathryn's brow with a cool, damp cloth.
"I can almost see the head Captain. PUSH!" the EMH instructed.
"This is the last time I go through this" she grunted as she sat up, took a deep breath and held it. "...9,10" Kathryn fell back against Chakotay, "I need a moment to catch my breath" she gasped while closing her eyes and licking her dry lips. Forty seconds later she was grabbing for someone's hand and starting to push again. This was repeated a few more times before the head was finally delivered.
"Captain I need you to not push for a moment" the Doctor told her firmly.
"You can't be serious. First off you keep telling me to push...oooh...nnng...and then you...uuuh...tell me to...aaah...stop?" she argued while fighting her urge to keep pushing.
"Just for a moment Captain. The cord is around the baby's neck and I have to turn her."
"Oooh God hurry it up, I want to push" Kathryn groaned as she tipped her head back and grimaced. After what felt like ten minutes but was really only a couple she was given the go ahead to continue.
"This is it mama, it's almost over." Thirteen minutes later Katelynn Rose Janeway entered the world crying loudly and weighing in at a healthy 8 pounds 15 ounces.