A Grave New World
Part 7
By: AW
Date: October 2018
Length: 1,063 words
Summary: What would have happened if during Gravity it had been Janeway and Chakotay on that mission instead of Tom and Tuvok?
What if it had've been six months instead of two weeks?
What would have happened between J/C?
[DIRECTLY AFTER PART 6]
Tom heard the door to the ready room open and watched as the Captain collapsed to the floor.
He pulled himself out of his pilots chair and rushed over to Kathryn's side.
He saw the wetness spreading over her lower body.
"Paris to the Doctor. You'd better get to the bridge as quickly as possible…" He heard Kathryn groan, "Scratch that, two for an emergency beam out to sickbay."
The pilot and his Captain were whisked away.
Chakotay stared helpless and the scene before him.
[SICK BAY]
Tom and the Captain materialized in sick bay and the doctor rushed up to them. "What happened?"
Kathryn shook herself out of her quiet demeanour. "I think my water broke. But its too early you have to save this baby."
The Doctor quickly took a tricorder out and began running it down the Captain's body. "When was the last time you felt the baby move."
Kathryn slowed her breathing. "Probably about an hour ago."
Tom stared sat the tricorder readings, "Doctor look at this, we have to get this baby out of her now."
The Doctor nodded, "If you're not going to do anything but state the obvious Mister Paris, you can leave."
Tom nodded his head and felt the ship shake. The Doctor watched the lights flicker and felt himself dematerialize.
Tom rushed over to where the tools were; he slapped his combadge. "Paris to the bridge do we have transporters?"
Harry's panicked voice came over the line. "Not right now Tom, sorry. They went down when that last barrage hit us."
Tom stared at the instruments and picked up the laser scalpel.
He knew what he had to do. That baby had to be delivered.
Kathryn looked at Tom through scared orbs of blue, "I can't lose this baby Tom; Chakotay will never forgive me."
Tom felt like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. "I'll do everything in my power to get this right Captain."
He pressed a hypo-spray to her neck and watched her slowly go to sleep.
He took out the scalpel and stared at the creamy white belly of the Captain. He pulled the scalpel back almost afraid to touch the skin but knowing without a doubt if he didn't the baby was dead.
And that would kill their Captain.
He slowly cut across the Captain's lower abdomen and saw the hair of the baby – dark like their father with a red tinge to it remnants from their mother.
He pulled the baby out gently and saw the blue shade to the face and the child's umbilical cord wrapped around its neck.
He unfolded the child and watched the child without muscle tone.
The doors to sickbay opened and a medical personnel walked in. Tom turned to him, "Can you deliver the placenta and close the incision I need to help their daughter."
Yes it was a girl.
He placed a panel on the child's forehead and made a few calculations.
Soon the child drew in a breath and he could see her chest rise and fall.
He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding in as the child's skin started to pink up and she let out a hearty cry.
He placed the baby in a monitored bassinette and typed in 'baby girl Janeway'.
As he knew the child was out of the woods he went over to his Captain's bed and saw the dusky color of her skin.
"What's going on?"
The ensign stared at their Captain. "I got the placenta delivered and managed to stop the bleeding but she lost a lot of blood."
Tom nodded and once again let out a sigh of relief.
He called up to the bridge. "What is going on up there guys?"
"We were pulled into a subspace corridor. Someone showed us the way out but we got 2000 lightyears in ten minutes. And we had to set down on this uninhabited planet for repairs. It looks like its in the middle of a nuclear winter."
He heard Chakotay pause over the line. "What's going on down there?"
Tom drew in a deep breath. "Congratulations Chakotay. It's a girl."
He heard the stunned silence on the bridge. "And what about Kathryn?"
"She's a trouper. She'll be fine."
Chakotay stared at Tuvok, "Can you handle the bridge for a bit?"
Tuvok nodded, "Tell the Captain I hope she feels better."
Chakotay nodded and made his way to sickbay.
Chakotay walked into sickbay and saw Kathryn pale as a ghost and the bassinette in the corner.
Tom approached him, "You can see her, but let her sleep it's been a tough day for her."
Chakotay nodded, "Thanks Tom. I owe you one."
Tom laughed. "I'm sure you owe me three or four, but from you I'll take one so long as you take care of your family."
Chakotay clapped Tom on the shoulder and made his way to Kathryn's bedside. "I am so sorry Kathryn."
He saw her turn her head almost as if she'd heard him but the readings told him she was still in a deep sleep.
"We have a daughter Kathryn, and she can't wait to meet her mother. The bravest woman I know."
He moved the hair from her face and kissed her forehead. "We'll get through this. I promise you."
He walked over to the corner of the sickbay and stared at the tiny baby.
Dark hair and tan skin like him but when she opened her curious eyes they were the deepest blue he'd ever seen.
Curious and contemplative just like Kathryn's windows to the soul beyond their years.
He brushed his hand over the dark auburn locks and went to leave. "Tom can you contact me when Kathryn wakes up?"
Tom nodded, "I'll also tell you when we get the Doc back online."
Chakotay nodded and left for their quarters.
It would be along night; but something good had come out of it.
They would be okay.
END PART 7
TBC IN CHAPTER 8