Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chakotay pressed the chime to request entry into the Captain's quarters. The door slid open, and he heard her call, "Come in."

He quickly walked to the door of her bedroom. She was lying in bed reading a PADD. He crossed his arms and frowned.

"Don't give me that look." She held up the PADD. "This is the PADD the Doctor gave me. I've been studying the information on pregnancy."

"Okay," he flashed a smile at her. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"No, since you said you were coming by on your lunch break, I thought I'd wait and have lunch with you." She sat up and pulled on her robe before getting out of bed.

Chakotay walked over to help her. As he took her arm, she smiled up at him. "I'm not that weak, Chakotay, but thanks just the same." She allowed him to help her to the table.

"Now, Kathryn, what would you like for lunch?"

She pressed a few buttons on her PADD and handed it to him. "These are the 'dietary suggestions' from the Doctor. Why don't you surprise me?"

He took the PADD from her and read over the information, then went to the replicator and ordered her lunch. When He put the tray in front of her, she chuckled.

"I don't know if I can eat all of that, Chakotay. That's a lot of food."

"Well, you need to try. I noticed your water pitcher is almost empty. I'll get you fresh water before I leave."

"Uh, aren't you planning on eating, Chakotay?"

"I'll get my lunch now." He turned back to the replicator and ordered up his lunch using his own rations. He set his plate on the table and joined her.

"Uh, you forgot something," hinted Janeway.

"What?"

"I take my second cup of coffee for the day with my lunch."

"Uh, Kathryn, I don't think coffee is a good idea right now."

She glared at him. "Why the hell not? The Doctor said I could have three cups a day."

"You're getting over being dehydrated; and caffeine is a diuretic. You don't need anything that will make you lose fluids."

She snorted. "One cup of coffee won't hurt that much. If you don't get it for me, I'll get it myself."

He shook his head. "Kathryn, don't make me call the Doctor."

She glared at him and walked to the replicator, daring him to call. "Coffee, hot," she ordered tersely.

Nothing appeared, instead, the computer's voice informed her: "Per the Emergency Medical Holographic Program's orders, Captain Janeway is restricted from all caffieneated beverages for the next twenty-four hours."

Chakotay could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. "Hey, don't look at me. I didn't have anything to do with this."

She stormed over to her desk and commed the Doctor. "Janeway to the Doctor."

"This is the Doctor, what can I do for you Captain?"

"Why am I restricted from coffee? You told me that I could have three cups a day."

"Captain, you were beamed to sickbay this morning unconscious and suffering from mild dehydration. Caffiene is a diuretic. Provided that you are properly hydrated when I check on you tomorrow, I will lift the restriction at that time."

"And just when did you plan to inform me that I had to report back to sickbay tomorrow?"

"I had assumed you would notice the restriction soon enough. It made more sense to inform you then. If that is all you need, Captain, I have Ensign Wildman here with Naomi. She's due for her 'well baby' check up."

"Janeway out." She slammed the connection closed and came back to the table.

Chakotay could not help grinning at her.

"Don't say it!! 'Old Betsy' is in my bedroom closet just waiting for someone to annoy me further."

"Old Betsy?"

"My compression phaser rifle, I keep one in my quarters for security purposes."

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "I won't say a thing….not a thing about…."

Her glare made him decide that he did not want to be on the receiving end of her hormonally induced wrath. He dipped up a spoon of soup and swallowed it. "So, are you feeling better since this morning?"

"I'd be feeling better if I could have a damned cup of coffee."

"Well, tomorrow will be here before you know it." He decided it would be very prudent to change the subject. "Those dilithium crystals are the best grade I've ever seen. They're sure to go a long ways towards powering the warp engines."

"I know B'Elanna will be happy. It's been a long time since we found such high quality ones. Tom should be pleased too. He and the other pilots will be glad to be able to fly at high warp for longer periods of time."

"I noticed on the PADD that you should have a snack mid-morning, in the afternoon, and at bedtime. Would you like me to replicate your afternoon snack before I go?"

"Sure, I think I'd like some blueberry yogurt." She looked down at the table for a moment then back up to him. "Sorry about the tantrum over the coffee," she said sheepishly.

"Hey, pregnancy hormones cause mood swings. Don't worry about it."

After they finished lunch, he helped her back to the bed, then replicated a fresh pitcher of water and blueberry yogurt for her. "I need to get back to the bridge now. Tuvok needs his lunch break. I'll see you at the end of my shift."

"See you then, Chakotay and thanks for everything." Her smile warmed his heart. It had been a long time since he had seen her smile like that…not since New Earth.

Chakotay strode from the turbolift onto the bridge. "Mr. Tuvok, report."

"The away teams have almost completed their tasks. Mr. Dalby reports they will be ready to beam up within the hour. We are maintaining standard orbit."

"Good, you can take your lunch now, Tuvok."

He nodded to Chakotay and left the bridge. Chakotay sat down at the command center and glanced around at the various bridge stations. Everyone was where they were supposed to be.

Tom turned around to look at him. "Commander, how's the Captain feeling?"

"Well, she's been resting and drinking water like the Doctor ordered her to. I replicated lunch for her." An amused expression flitted across his face.

"Why does that expression make me think things were interesting?" Tom teased.

"Well, I didn't replicate coffee for her since she was dehydrated this morning. She decided if I would not get it for her she'd get it herself. When she tried, she found out the Doctor had restricted her from coffee for the next twenty-four hours."

Tom laughed, "Ouch, I'm betting she wasn't a happy camper at all."

"You have a gift for understatement, Mr. Paris."

Everyone on the bridge laughed, but secretly, they were glad the Captain was in her quarters on 'sick leave' for the day. No one wanted to be on duty with caffeine deprived Captain Janeway.