"Captain, when did you say Dr. Hunt would be returning to Voyager?" B'Elanna asked Janeway while she was passing through Engineering. "She said she'd be returning at 0900 tomorrow. Why do you ask?" Janeway looked at the PADD of information B'Elanna had given her over and over again.
"I just want to be clear on that information. I want to make sure I'm in the right spot when she arrives, too." Janeway nodded in her response, and kept on walking through Engineering. "I'll keep you posted if anything changes!" Janeway shouted from the turbolift. B'Elanna nodded and waved before going to a station console near the warp core.
…..
Back on the Planet…
…..
"And where do you think YOU are going, Dr. Murphy?" Curtis asked as he watched Kate change her earrings and touch up her already perfect make-up. "Oh this, Curtis? It's nothing." Kate smiled as she put on her lipstick. "Mmhmm…I seen nothing. Nothing is what Ethan does at night. What you are doing there ain't nothing. Who are you charming tonight? Your DA friend? Or someone else I need to know about?" Curtis smiled as he pried, sitting down for a moment on Kate's couch. Kate rolled her eyes for a moment. "If you MUST know, Curtis…Dr. Hunt is treating me to dinner tonight. And that is all."
Curtis stood to leave. "Yeah, just dinner…Ok." Kate rolled her eyes again as she watched him leave.
"Well if that's what he thinks, maybe I should change my shoes…" Kate said to herself, changing into the shoes she knew Lacey was fond of.
Megan received a text from Kate at approximately 7:30, saying that she was going to be late thanks to Curtis, and asked if it was alright to meet at the restaurant. Megan replied that it was fine, and headed on over to Kate's favorite restaurant, Ortolan. "I had no idea she liked French food…" Megan thought to herself as the hologram waiter sat her down. Megan ordered a glass of Rosé and anxiously awaited Kate's arrival.
Megan nearly dropped her glass when she saw the blonde woman walk into the restaurant. She looked like she'd just climbed out of a Glamour magazine. Megan stood for a moment and watched Kate walk over to the table. "Oh that hair," she thought to herself, "and that make-up. Where did she find that spectacular dress? Oh…those shoes!"
Kate sat down and the first thing Megan said was, "nice shoes" with a smile.
"I'd like to think so," Kate said, flashing her pearly whites. "Is the Rosé good here? I've never had it before." Kate asked, motioning to Megan's wine. Megan nodded, unable to speak since she had just taken a swig of her drink as Kate asked. When their waiter came back over, he took Kate's drink order, and the order for the appetizer as well as the women's dinners.
The two women hit it off splendidly. The dinner went well, and their conversation went from work to space, to the past, to childhood, to children, and many other things. When the check came, Megan grabbed it before Kate had a chance to watch it hit the table, and smiled when she realized it was less than she thought it would be.
The two women finished everything, and left the restaurant around 9:30pm. When they walked out to their cars, Megan was about to ask Kate if she wanted to stop by for a drink, when she felt someone grab her hand and then kiss her on the lips. At first, Megan was startled, and then realized it was Kate who was kissing her, and she melted into it.
When they broke the kiss, Megan smiled at Kate, and asked, "Would you like to come back to my place for another drink?"
…..
Onboard Voyager…
…..
"Mr. Kim, have you seen Chakotay?" Janeway asked Harry for a moment, noticing her first officer had not shown up for duty that morning, and did so without notice. "According to this, he is in Cargo Bay One, Captain." Kim answered in a fairly monotone voice. Janeway nodded and stood. "Mr. Kim, are there any important boxes or cargo in Cargo Bay one?" Janeway smiled mischievously. "No, Captain. Everything was moved out yesterday." Kim looked a little worried for a moment.
"Mr. Tuvok, you have the bridge. I'll be back shortly. I need to take care of some business with Commander Chakotay."
Janeway left the bridge and made her way to Cargo Bay one.
…
Planetside…
…..
Megan finished getting dressed, and kissed Kate on her way out as the two women headed towards their cars. Megan got to the morgue at exactly ten minutes to 0900, and beamed onto Voyager at precisely one minute beforehand.
"Dr. Hunt to B'Elanna Torres" Megan said, tapping the Doctor's commbadge on her chest.
"B'Elanna here" B'Elanna said, tapping her own commbadge.
"B'Elanna, I'm on my way to sickbay now. Would you beam up the materials I have directly to sickbay?" Megan stepped onto the turbolift. "I'm on it now, Doctor. See you in Sickbay."
Megan arrived in Sickbay in record time, noticing B'Elanna, the Doctor, and Janeway beside Seven of Nine's biobed. Megan nodded to the three people and prepared herself for surgery.
"Laser scalpel" Megan said, as B'Elanna handed her the laser scalpel. "Nanoprobes." She commanded, receiving the syringe from the Doctor. Megan watched as the nanoprobes went to work and sewed Seven up in a matter of minutes. After that, she high-fived both the Doctor and B'Elanna.
Seven was in stasis when Megan came out of sickbay into the office where Janeway was. "Captain Janeway, Seven is in stasis now. Her surgery went well. You should be able to see her in about three hours."
Janeway stood and moved over to Megan. "I-I can't thank you enough, Dr. Hunt. Really, that was so generous and magnificent of you." Megan smiled her usual smile. "It's no problem, really. I'm so glad I could help."
"Is there anything I could do for you?" Janeway asked, putting her hands on her hips for a moment.
Megan had turned around to leave, and stopped for a moment. "Actually, there might be one thing" Megan said with a mischievous smile on her face. She turned around again and left the room.
…
Planetside…
…
"Kate, are you sure? I couldn't bribe you any other way?" Megan asked, as if pleading for her life.
"I need more than a day's notice Megan! And, what if we die out there!? What will happen then? And, do you really think Curtis could handle my job?" Kate said, her tone firm and her hands on her hips.
"Kate, if I didn't truly love you, and if I didn't believe we would make it to Earth in one piece, I wouldn't have asked you to go in the first place, but I think this is something the both of us could really enjoy—"
Before Megan could finish her statement, Kate had pulled her into a spellbinding kiss. When they parted for a moment, Megan asked, "What was that about?" And Kate responded with a "you said you love me. I love you too, Megan. I love you oh so much!"
Megan smiled and kissed Kate once again. "Wait, what are we going to do about Lacey?!" Megan asked, pulling apart for a moment.
"Are you saying she can't come along?" Kate said, realizing if Megan went anywhere, Lacey would have to go. Megan just smiled and kissed Kate again, before grabbing Kate's hand and her bag and heading out the door to her home.
…
Back on Voyager…
….
"Mr. Kim, are our new guests all on board the ship?" Janeway asked with a smile.
Harry checked his computer and nodded, stating, "Yes Captain, all three." Janeway thought for a moment…Three? Megan has a daughter that I don't know about? Hm. Who would have thought she had a daughter.
Janeway sat in her Captain's chair and tapped her commbadge. "Captain Janeway to Dr. Hunt" She stated with a smile. Within moments Megan replied. "Dr. Hunt here."
"Dr. Hunt I was wondering if you and your friends wanted to view our take-off? You have five minutes." Janeway stated, eyeing her new first officer, Tuvok. "We'll be right there, Captain." Megan responded, before grabbing Lacey and Kate's hand and going toward the turbolift.
"You know Captain, it is a terrible shame that Chakotay could not be here to watch this" Tuvok said with a sly almost smile. "Well Tuvok, I don't think he will be sorely missed. I'll keep his picture inside the Cargo Bay near the airlock if anyone wishes to say good-bye." Janeway said with a slight giggle. She then whispered to Tuvok, "You won't tell anyone will you?" Tuvok looked at Janeway and put a single slender Vulcan finger to his mouth to indicate his lips were sealed.
Just a moment later, the turbolift doors flew open and Drs. Megan Hunt and Kate Murphy walked out, tagging along the young Lacey Flemming with them. The three women stood on the observation part of the bridge, and awaited the Captain's signal.
"Alright, Mr. Paris, take her out; let's go home." Janeway said, looking at Tom.
"Ay Captain. Coordinates set for the Alpha Quadrant, Warp 1." Tom replied.
"Engage" were Janeway's last words before Voyager left the atmosphere and flew into orbit; into the vast space of the Delta Quadrant, making its way back home.
