Chapter Text
Earlier this morning another part of EARTH…
He was sleeping when she woke to have her coffee. Still in just her robe. She needed her caffeine fix and would have it run through intravenously if she could.
He was beautiful to look at, like a Greek sculpture cut in Tuscan marble with tribal tattoos of course.
He slept in the nude and always has, he told her. More natural. She was glad she resisted the urge to barge into his quarters at night, or then again, maybe she should have. A mute point now.
They were just settling into their new place. Chakotay wanting a home and not just a refurbished Starfleet quarters. They settled into a modest three bedroom in California, a little town called Crescent City, a place both close enough to San Francisco so she could shuttle there to Starfleet and near both the redwoods and the ocean. Chakotay felt a spirituality there and he performed a ritual of smudging the place clean before their arrival to nest. It was important to him, especially with the news they recently received. She agreed with him, that it could not hurt, which she usually did and probably always will. He, being wiser in many ways than she, even when she didn’t want to admit it. Even when she felt some of his ideas equivalent of hokum or superstitions.
However, A home, quiet, private, safe, away from the hustle was best for the new addition that was to come. She was surprised at her age, how fast it happened, but Chakotay, was if nothing else, viral.
She wasn’t sure she would share the news, at the reception for Tom Paris’s daughter later. Everything had happened so fast between them declarations ,cohabitation, matrimony, now procreation, she wanted to wait till it all settled. Even for herself.
Happened so fast in real time anyway. The feelings that were always there, lying in wait under the surface, erupting like a volcano whose time had come. It culminating in this new life she carried. Life after so much hardship. Yes she needed time to adjust to it all. Not even her mother or sister knew yet, there was still time.
After all, she was still the size of a peanut, and that is what Chakotay took to calling her.
Chakotay was ready to throw himself straight in, of course he was. He was always braver than she, and more determined, more ready, more sure, especially with maters of the heart.
He was already starting a home made rocking chair for her, and had dreams of her rocking their child to sleep at night. More likely he’s will use it more than she, she guesses.
As much as she considered herself a realist and pragmatic, Chakotay was a dreamer. Sometimes, you need that.
Even if now he had to delegate some of his dreams, more decisions to Riker then he originally wanted to. Ro Lauren has bailed out, staying with Starfleet. Kathryn would have lost that bet. Excepting a covert Starfleet appointment rather than a planet bound regency. Arrangement were progressing, even if it slowed. Thomas recovered nicely first from his stint on a Cardassian penal colony, then a federation one which he is quoted as saying was heaven compared to where he had been.
They had all had a glimpse of hell these last few years.
Kathryn had read the report and was surprised to see it was Data that had led a daring and supposedly doomed mission to liberate that colony and over 200 federation prisoners being held there. It was likened to suicide, and yet he did it. Was it a belief he would survive to see Jenna again, or a desire to blow himself to kingdoms come because he thought the latter. Kathryn wonders. Actions and the motives behind them, a fascination to her these days. It was amazing how the players, all seemed to interconnect and come full circle.
Sveta had stepped up to help Thomas now, just as she had then, when he was sent to her federation penal colony. They were together that last year. Maybe there was something there.
Gees, when did she become a romantic.
One just never knew how the wind would blow. Where fate will take you when you least expect it.
Didn’t Kathryn know that. Her, she had faced a multitude of challenges in the delta quadrant. Hrogen hunters , Vidiians, macro viruses, faced down the Borg queen herself and stole one of her favorites. She was a great captain, soon to be vice admiral, a leader of men and women.
But motherhood, scared the crap out of her.
She had not even managed to get her dog back. Molly had grown up with Marc and his ‘new’ woman. His wife. It did not seem right to take her from her home.
She had no experience being soft. Being reared as the oldest and a successor to her admiral father, she was much more like him than her mother or flaky sister, the ‘artist’. Not that she didn’t love them but a gene was missed somewhere there. Her sister celebrated her return with a collage for Christ sake. Even Chakotay laughed. They hung it in the den.
She thought herself too old and passed this sort of thing. But Chakotay had wanted it so badly, really connecting with those two children from Voyager and missing their company. So they did not not try and bam before she knew it, here they were.
She can understand, a little better, what Jenna must have went through. Suddenly to find yourself expecting without ever thinking it could be, and Katheryn was not stuck 70,000 light years from home, away from the man she loved. She was also, built of tougher material. Maybe she was too hard on Jenna in those years. Would she had made a different decision if she knew that it was not only the crew, but two children she would strand in the delta quadrant? That she could not be sure. She could not even think about all the times she had used those children in negotiations, or as bait. She just can only hope that karma does not kick her in the teeth with her own child, hopefully Chakotay’s goodness and selflessness, will cancel out any heartless decisions she made. She never ment to be cruel. She only meant to preserve the greater good.
It takes on a whole new meaning, greater good, needs of the many, when the innocent life is, one of your own. Irreplaceable.
Something Chakotay had known, but she is just now understanding, Interesting.
Yes, maybe she owed Jenna, an apology. From both her former selves.
Chakotay and she had had long talks about this subject and what must have happen to her doppelgänger, to leave her home, her time, and travel back to sacrifice herself. She was a hard woman now and definitely that admiral was tougher than durasteal. At least she appeared so.
What happened to her to make her come here? Break every rule that was so important to her. Rules she upheld rigidly. To sacrifice herself. Her life? To put them all at risk so easily, especially a child. There was no guarantee that plan would have worked, any better or worse than her first try did. Was it to serve the greater good? Or possibly, did she finally do something selfish to save herself? Or at least, a version of herself. Katheryn could not even begin to know.
The chasm between who she was now and who she could have been so far across, there was no seeing the forest through the trees. Even who she was little less than half a year ago, when Voyager retuned unexpectedly home.
Impending motherhood has a way of changing you. Also something Chakotay already knew and she just discovered. Her double must have missed…something.
It would be different this time around, she vowed to him and to herself. It already was. How could she even consider leaving Chakotay, let alone their child. She just hopes time travel is on a closed loop. She never really thought about it before, until she was face to face, with herself. Literally.
She was looking forward to seeing her former crew tonight, especially in a non administrative capacity. She just wanted to be one of the attendees, relaxed. For once a spectator and not in charge. One of the gang as it were, and enjoy with her husband. Regular people, unimportant.
There hadn’t been a lot of time for that until now, but as soon as Chakotay heard, few weeks ago, the new normal, he insisted on two day off a week, no matter when they fell. He wanted her to take it easy, she had precious cargo she was transporting now, he reminded. He also wanted an extended maternity leave. They were still in negotiations with each other on that. She had already been out of the loop six years. His argument was that none of that time was spent on herself, or him for that matter he would say, even if it was with a smile and a wink.
And the children. She wanted to see how they were progressing. She had spent some time with them on Voyager, but never really engaged with them outside of duties, and not without their parents present, as Chakotay had. Perhaps, she should have paid more attention. Molly the dog was going to be her first experiment in taking care of a helpless creature, and she didn’t even successfully complete that care. She was definitely charting a new course now, in unfamiliar territory and it was more frightening than the delta quadrant was.
But she had Chakotay by her side now. Together, there was nothing they could not do. They already crushed boundaries and got their crew 70,000 light years home, in less than 7 years. They could do this.
Right?
She returned to her bedroom to sit in the chair and sip her coffee. He stirred not long after, as if he sensed her return. He, being more intuitive than she, always.
He smiled his smile, his smile she loved, that was now all for her as he gazed at her with affection. “I hope that is decaf and I wished you would let me spoil you. I would have made it for you.”
“I wanted to let you sleep” she said simply. Sipping her coffee. She glossed over the caffeine. She definitely was a beg forgiveness not permission kind of woman. Not that she ever begged either, but still…
“How do you two feel today Shima Tehya.” He smiled at her trying to pull her closer but just missing. She could not be more beautiful to him, now carrying his child inside her. He wanted her close, always.
‘Precious mother’ Kathryn blushed which made him smile more. She was still unused to his giving nature, so free with words of endearment. Marc was tough and rigid, more like she was. Two peas stuck in a pod she would joke. Maybe she dogged a bullet there, right in the heart.
She loved Chakotay’s gentleness, his generosity, especially with words. With love.
“I may have to watch at the party tonight. No liquor, no caffeine, and most food makes me ill. I will tell you, they were not joking when they talk about the sacrifices mother’s make, and this kid is the size of a walnut”. She set her cup down moved over and sat on the edge of the bed, where he could reach her, to put his arms around her.
“I will just have to keep finding ways to make it up to you, since it was my idea after all”. He smiled and parted her robe. “I see you wearing my favorite outfit under here.” He smirked as he scoots down the bed, and starts kissing her thighs.
She closed her eyes half a meter under his ministrations, “I’m not wearing anything under here, as you well know,” she pointed out.
“Exactly,” he smiled. Oh that smile, those hands, how did she ever live without them before. Perhaps this was worth a trip to the past to confront the Borg. ‘No it definitely was worth it ‘ she thinks as he parts her open for him and kisses her in those sweet spots that were always ment for him alone. He encourages her to come fully on the bed. To close her eyes, to relax for him as he pleasures her. His tongue tantalizing her in delicious even strokes, and he rubs his hand up and down her body. He pays special attention to her breasts, that which will feed his daughter someday, that already is swelling bigger with her pregnancy, and her stomach, beneath her womb which hold their child. Finding her carrying his seed, his Wakanyeja, extremely erotic. He could not get enough of her.
When she tries to participate he halts her. “I told you I want to spoil you,” putting an end to that discussion by inserting his fingers gently into her and resuming his attentions to her sweet spot. He loves the beautiful sounds she makes in her pleasure, his tough captain, his lovely fierce Ghigau. He holds tightly to her, trying to convey all his love and gratitude to her, with his hands and mouth. It could never be enough, not with the precious gift she was giving, to them.
She climaxes for him in the sweetest of sounds, a small muffled cry, and his name in her lips. He hold her steady. Moving to rest his head on that which hold their precious baby, as he cuddles her. His fierce warrior woman.
“I could get used to being spoiled” she warns.
“I truly hope so”. he smiles he stays where he is, contented on being close to her and their child, even as she tries to engage him again, for himself.
”Later” he promised. He is happy, right where he is.
Although she plans on taking him up on the later, she is happy, right where she is too. She learned it was nice, wonderful in fact, to feel free and loved. She would not go back and change a things and she was hoping, no one expected her to, this time around.