Roses are Red...
Part 4

 

by: AW

 

Date: February 2012

 

Kathryn wept. Roses are red indeed; just not for her.

 

The Doctor rematerialized, "Commander, I -" He looked to the distraught Admiral. "Admiral, what happened?"

 

Kathryn slowly wiped the tears from her eyes. "Nothing Doctor, there's nothing wrong. I thought, it would happen. I thought it was forever."

 

He ran towards the Admiral. "Did Chakotay speak with you?"

 

She was mad now. "He didn't have to. I saw the program; I saw the ring, I guess forever isn't as long as I thought it was."

 

The Doctor looked at the forlorn woman. "What exactly did he say to you?"

 

She sniffled, "Something about him being only a teacher to Seven about humanity." She looked determined at The Doctor, "Why would he want me when he could have her?"

 

The Doctor stared at her; "Because you're his one true love; and it's true, I enlisted him to help with Seven."

 

"He had a ring, he was going to propose to her Doctor."

 

The Doctor shook his head at the misunderstanding. "He wasn't going to propose to her Admiral. You need to speak to him about this, and that program was made for someone else."

 

"Who Doctor? Who was that program made for? I don't need to hear about his many conquests. Unlike me he could have anyone he wanted on that ship."

 

"He only wanted one person Admiral."

 

Kathryn stared at The Doctor contemplating his cryptic remark. "Me?"

 

"That program was made for you Admiral. Seven stumbled upon it in her usual snooping way, and assumed it was for her. It was all a misunderstanding."

 

"I need to hear this from him Doctor. I need to be sure."

 

The Doctor nodded, "I understand; I'll release you from sickbay immediately. You need to speak with him though."

 

Kathryn was released from sickbay and walked to her home. The light on her terminal was blinking telling her that she had a message. *Who could that be?*

 

Kathryn read the message:

 

Kathryn lets try this again, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding; but the stress isn't good for the baby, so meet me tonight.

 

Love,

 

Chakotay.

 

She stared at the message. *Baby? What the hell is he talking about?*

 

She stared at the chronometer. It was almost 1800 hours.

 

Could her heart stand for another round?

 

She looked in her closet and pulled out a royal blue dress and donned it.

 

She touched up her make-up, fixed her hair and made her way to Chakotay's dwelling.

 

He had set up a dwelling in Arizona, he had bought a house there and she had yet to see it.

 

She rematerialized in his front yard and stared at the house, fixed on the spot.

 

She drew in a deep breath and made her way to the door.

 

*Should I give him a chance to explain himself?* She drew in a deep breath again and knocked on the door.

 

"Come on in, Kathryn."

 

She opened the door and saw the magnificent scene before her. The house was done in a 'woodsy' motif. Above the mantle, she recognized a picture of the two of them from years ago. Neelix's supper after he almost died if she recalled correctly.

 

On the wall next to the mantle, there was a picture of him and her on 'New Earth'. *I hadn't realized he had a holocam with him?*

 

Next to it, there was an image of an 'scan' of a woman's uterus. She stared at the name, *Kathryn Janeway. 30.04.2080.*

 

*Kathryn shook her head, that was two days ago.* She walked through the house, looking for the kitchen where he was no doubt making food by the smell of it.

 

She passed a small room, and there was a crib, a change table, so many baby things; it was beautiful. *What is going on?*

 

Kathryn finally passed to the kitchen and stared at him. "What is going on Chakotay?"

 

He smiled, "How are you today Kathryn?" She had confusion in her eyes. "How's the little one you're taking care of?"

 

The confusion came out as more anger than anything else. "What are you talking about Chakotay? And why is there an image of an ultrasound with my name on it?"

 

He pulled her into a hug of promise, "Because Kathryn, you're carrying our future."

 

"I am not pregnant, Chakotay."

 

He grinned at her, "That's not what The Doctor says."

 

She shook her head, "I saw him this morning; he didn't say anything."

 

He smiled, "I told him I had to be the one to tell you; I told him it would be easier coming from me, especially if you'd seen our new house."

 

Her hand touched her abdomen in awe, "We're going to have a baby?"

 

"From what the doctor says a little girl."

 

She smiled, "And we're going to live happily ever after; I guess the poems you sent me were telling the truth."

 

He grinned and nodded, "Always and forever Kathryn."

 

She didn't know what to say. "So that ring was really for me and not for the Blonde?"

 

"I gave up on blondes a long time ago."

 

He approached her and kissed her on the forehead. "I never gave up on you and now I never will."

 

She fell into his arms, "I have loved you for what feels like forever."

 

This would be the beginning of forever.

 

[3 Months Later - Earth]

 

Kathryn and Chakotay approached the old farmhouse. Kathryn had not seen her mother for almost four months.

 

She stared at her blossoming belly and stared at her ring finger - adorned with a diamond and a slim gold band. "Do you think that we should have told her before now?"

 

"I think that maybe we should have; but what's done is done, and  Kathryn... she'll know about the marriage and the baby before too long."

Kathryn nodded and leaned in close to her husband. She approached her mother's door and knocked waiting for her mother to answer.

 

Finally the door opened and Kathryn's mother stared at her daughter.

 

She drew in a sharp breath; and stared at her daughter's belly beginning to show the signs of a baby on the way. Kathryn's eyes looked up at her mother's. "Hello mother."

 

Her mom smiled; "Hello sweetheart."

 

Kathryn fell into her mother's arms and wept, as Chakotay rubbed her back and smiled at her daughter's new husband as she stared at the rings on their fingers. "Please come in and tell me all about how this happened."

 

END PART IV

TBC IN PART 5