A Grave New World
Part I

By: AW

Date: July 2018
Length: 5,476 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?

Kathryn stared at the red-soiled planet. It was hot and she was sweating she knew that her fair skin wasn't going to stay that way for long but they had to try and make something of this.

They had been there for a couple of hours now and not a peep from Voyager or anyone else.

She and Chakotay had seen scavengers and thieves around the planet, the sensors on the shuttle were down so they really had no idea what had happened; but she needed the medical equipment: Chakotay had insisted on at least having preliminary medical equipment and the Doctor would insist as well.

She returned to the shuttle and saw a woman scavenging through the shuttle.

"Tu be veg!"

She stared at her, "Pardon."

"Neeba sen."

Kathryn stared at the woman again trying to figure out what was going on. "Either the universal translator's offline, or I hit my head harder than I thought."

"Ruk." The woman pointed a weapon at her and stepped back.

"All right. Take it easy. All right, all right. Take it easy." She knew the woman didn't understand but she hoped that the tone of her voice portrayed that she meant her no harm.

"Fita!"

Kathryn pointed at the medical case. :"This? Listen, I really need this."

The woman still didn't understand. "Fita ur neeto."

"Okay, okay."

She stared at the woman and hands over the satchel she had been carrying knowing that her getting hurt or killed would not do either of them any good.

She backed away from the woman and heard footsteps behind her. She spun around ready to fight and was relieved to see it was Chakotay.

The couple watched as a second figure stalked Noss as she walked up a gully. Another jumps out in front of her and grabs her bags. The pair quickly over power the woman but before one can stab her, Chakotay grabs his arm. Chakotay easily knocks him out, and slams the second alien into the rock cliff.

Chakotay stared at the woman he had just saved. "I'm Commander Chaotay of the Starship Voyager" He points at himself. "Chakotay."

The woman stareed confused at the Commander. She points at him. "Chakotay."

He nods, "Yes. And you?"

"Noss." Kathryn watches the exchange between the two and thanks her lucky stars that her Second in Command is such a peaceful man.

He stares at her. "Noss."

He simply holds out his hand. She takes it unsure and he helps her to her feet.

He stares at the supplies she's holding and points to the shuttle. "We'll go to my ship. I see you've already been there"

Kathryn stares at the shuttle controls trying to get a message to Voyager. "Mayday, mayday. Janeway to Voyager, Respond." She frustratedly smacks the controls."Oh, come on."

Chakotay walks in with Noss at his side and points to her as he shows the guest to Kathryn. "Her name is Noss. She was attacked by two humanoid males."

Kathryn stared at the woman. "Sure she didn't attack them?"

"They were attempting to rob her."

"Seems to be a local pastime."

Chakotay showes Kathryn the bruise on her face. "She needs medical help."

Kathryn activated the EMH and the Doctor treated Noss' injuries staring at the situation they had gotten themselves into.

"We have to get out of here Chakotay. There are thirteen humanoids approaching.:

He stared at her, "Thirteen humanoids approaching. The same species that attacked her. Gather as many supplies as you can carry. We're leaving."

Kathryn looked unsure of herself all of a sudden and seemed to be reconsidering her decision. '

"You really think it's smart to abandon the shuttle?"

"Noss appears to have survived here for some time. We havr to assume she has access to a more secure shelter."

Noss began sp0outing what seemed like warnings in her own language. "Nemok. Alen. Alen."

Kathryn stared at Noss and then and Chakotay, "Whatever you say."

The trio slowly made their way to the ship that Noss crash landed in. Once they get there Janeway slowly looked around, assessing the damage. "Doesn't look like this bird's gonna fly either."

"Minimal power and life support, but the ship is protected by a forcefield."

She stared at the couple and an irrational feeling of jealouisy overcame her, "That explains how she's been able to survive here. Anything resembling an engine?"

Chakotay continued scanning, "I'm detecting engine debris two kilometers away. It looks like it came from this vessel too.

Kathryn was getting frustrated, "Great. We've got two unusable ships, and the only way Voyager is going to detect our distress call is if they crash land right on top of us.:

Kathryn sighed and left the shuttle. Chakotay watched with concern as Kathryn left the shuttle and went out into the wild of the uninhabited planet. He walked up to her. "Kathryn we could be here for a very long time."

"We've been here before Chakotay the only man and woman on a planet." She sighed, "Can we just ignore us? Or am I going to watch you walk into the arms of another woman yet again?"

Chakotay didn't know what to say. He knew there had been feelings between the two of them but they had never been publicly acknowledged them.

"Kathryn, we don't know how long we're going to be here. We could be here for the rest of our lives."

Kathryn glared at him; and Chakotay knew that at this point, that for now the conversation was over.

Chakotay took to the area where Kathryn was already working on the Doctor's mobile emitter.

After treating Noss his emitter had begun fluctuatimg. He walked up to her and decided that for the moment…professional would be the way he would have to go. "Progress?"

"The optronic relays took heavy damage. I'm bypassing the primary circuits"

The Doctor finally solidified, "I'm guessing we hit a snag."

Chakotay looked to the Doctor and then to Noss and Kathryn. "Yeah something like that."

Noss looked at the trio, "Rev den ut. Ut rev?"

The Doctor subtly nodded his head and answered in her language. "Tun sank. Ton rev ut teem sayd."

Kathryn looked at the Doctor, "You speak her language?"

"A universal translator was written into my program."

She stared at him trying to get the lay of what was going on. "Ask her how long she's been here. If she knows a way to get back through that sinkhole."

Chakotay watched Kathryn the scientist trying to make sense of what was going on. It still amazed him some days that she flipped so easily between Captain and Scientist.

He knew she was a scientist first; but what he needed was for her to be Kathryn first.

The E.M.H. looked at Noss. "Deen ya tone ud la kar. Padeen nefka minruk?"

"Laka heen. Zen nik lurka. Irut tota. Maez bemrukaya."

Janeway was processing and she stared at the Doctor trying to get the lay of the land, "What'd she say?"

"She said she's been here fourteen seasons, and in that time, she's seen many ships come down. but she's never seen one go back up again."

Kathryn let her head fall to her hands and covered her face.

If Chakotay didn't know better he'd think she was letting tears fall of frustration in the silence.

[Two weeks later – planet's surface]

Kathryn was trying to learn the 'art of hunting large spiders'. As she had said many years ago on Hanon if anyone balked at eating them… there was nothing else.

She felt bad for Chakotay a vegetarian yet forced to eat them because on this planet that was a veritable desert there was no plant life.

She stared at Noss who had caught yet another spider and her stomach turned a little. This is her life now. "I don't know what's worse, catching them or eating them."

Noss had caught on to the English language pretty easily over the weeks and turned to Janeway, "No poison.

"Well, hey may not be poisonous but they give me the creeps. Maybe I should have left the hunting to you and Chakotay."

"Yah!" Noss stabs the spider and gets it the first time. The spider still squirming she pulled it up to Janeway's face.

"Looks delicious."

Noss and Kathryn walked back to Noss' ship.

They had been staying there, it was safer than theirs, and they each had a 'room' so to speak to sleep in.

Noss carried a bag full of spiders, "The hunt was good."

Chakotay grinned, "That is impressive." Chakotay was pretty sure that Kathryn had not been the one to do most of the hunting.

He wasn't too fond of eating spiders, but they needed to, to survive.

[3 hours later – while making supper]

They had been speaking to Noss of Voyager and what she was like. He stared at Noss, "Voyager has fifteen decks, a crew of one hundred fifty two, warp and impulse engines."

Noss smiled and Kathryn saw a glint in her eyes of love sick puppy dog, "I want to see."

"Maybe one day we can get out of here and take you there."

"Tell me about you there."

Chakotay stared at Kathryn in the background not really part of the conversation. "I'm the second in Command. Kathryn is my Captain."

Noss smiled, "What else?"

Chakotay looked at her suspicious. :"Can you be more specific? What else do you want to know?"

"Your duties. Where you sleep. What you eat. Music. Friends."

"I don't see why that matters?"

"Because it is you."

[DINNER – AROUND THE TABLE]

Kathryn stared at Chakotay and Noss. They were talking about flirtations and rendezvous they'd had over the years, "When I first met Mark – who later became my fiancé – we were just friends. Neither of us really liked one another but we became closer and eventually fell in love and got engaged."

The Doctor stared at the Captain. "Seems like that was a long time in coming; but now he's moved on and you have to too Kathryn."

She stared at Noss and then at Chakotay, "Maybe."

Noss added, "He sounds fascinating." She looked at the Doctor. "You must really baiya jouton."

The Doctor who had the only universal translator at the moment looked to Kathryn, "Loved him very much."

She stared at Noss, "I did but he no longer occupies my dreams."

Chakotay stared at Kathryn almost afraid to hope after all these years. She stared at him, "I'm ready to let go and move on now."

Noss ignored the silent exchange between Chakotay and Janeway. "More spiders?"

Kathryn stared at Noss, "No, thank you. Three's my limit. " Chakotay shook his head and went with Noss, "Let me help you with that."

The Doctor turned to Janeway, "Well, I suppose it's time I shut down my program."

She smiled, "Good night, Doctor."

[THREE HOURS LATER - PLANET]

Chakotay walked into the room to see Janeway. Kathryn turned to him "She likes you."

Chakotay stared at Kathryn, "She has been alone for a long time she enjoys our company."

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "No I mean she likes you."

Chakotay stared at her wanting her to know that there was and will never be anyone else but her, "What are you implying?"

"Oh, come on, Chakotay we've been here for a month, we'll probably be here the rest of our lives. If you can find happiness with Noss then do it."

Chakotay stared at her, "I'm your other half I don't need her or anyone else."

Kathryn glared at him, "I'm the Captain and you're my first officer." She moved her hand around. "We can never happen."

He stared at her. "It's a long time to be alone Kathryn. It's already been six years Kathryn. How long can you wait?" He stared at her and went to leave. "Excuse me."

[THREE HOURS LATER - PLANET'S SURFACE]

Kathryn awoke after a nap. She had finally been able to get some shut eye. She heard clamoring in the next room and walked out to see Chakotay messing with their 'distress beacon' "What are you doing?"

He stared at her knowing that she wouldn't be happy until she was home on the Voyager. "I'm recalibrating the distress beacon."

"Listen. What I said in there, about you and I…I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

He looked at her, anger showing in his eyes. "I have no feelings for you to hurt. I'm your first officer, I'm not 'allowed' to have feelings for you."

He turned and went to walk away from his love.

"Chakotay I-"

"Kathryn that fact of the matter is what I'm saying – It's not pessimism, it's practicality. You of all people should understand that. Look, I know what you think. You think you don't love me; but the fact of the matter is we might be here the rest of our lives, and we can make something of this."

"Maybe but what if we're rescued? What of the crew comes back tomorrow?"

He rushed up to her and let his lips envelop hers.

She stared at him shell-shocked,

He answered, "And what if they don't?"

[VOYAGER – ASTROMETRCS LAB]

What was left of the senior staff was in the astrometrics lab trying to figure out how to get their Captain and Commander back.

Seven stared at B'Elanna. "The anomaly is approximately six hundred metres in diameter."

B'Elanna answered. "Yes; But it's out of phase with normal space. Even after recalibrating the sensors, it barely registers."

"The distortion circumscribes a subspace zone that includes a Type G sun and three planets."

Tuvok looked at the womem, "Any sign of the shuttle?"

Seven answered, "No."

Tuvok stared around, "I think that the important thing to do at the moment is use the multispatial probe."

Seven looked to him, "Agreed. I believe that is the only answer that makes sense."

Torres looked at them, "A vessel approaching off the port bow. They've locked on a tractor beam."

[BRIDGE]

Harry stared at the alien. He was shaken enough by the fact that the First Officer and Captain had disappeared, but now there was the nasty alien trailing them. "I'm only going to say this one more time. Disengage your tractor beam, sir."

The alien he would learn to Call Director Yost stared at him menacingly. "You were in danger of being pulled into the distortion. You should show a little gratitude."

The conversation went on for quite a while until Tuvok showed up on the bridge. Now acting Captain. He introduced himself and was shocked by the fact that tomorrow the aliens would attempt to close the rift.

If this happened Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay would be lost forever.

He stated that he has lost 11 ships and was trying to prevent there from being any more losses.

Tuvok turned to Harry. "Launch that probe ensign, if they are intent on closing that rift tomorrow we need to attempt the rescue before then."

Harry nodded and proceeded to Engineering to assist B'Elanna with getting the probe launched.

[PLANET – NOSS'S SHIP]

Chakotay staggered into Noss's ship with Kathryn in his arms. He couldn't lose her.

She had finally given in to him after months with no word from the crew. It was worse than when they were stuck on 'New Earth'

It had been three months now.

He remembered two weeks ago. Kathryn had come to him tears in her eyes.

Two weeks previously

Kathryn had finally decided that the crew was not coming back for them. They were alone, and the relationship that had been brewing between her and Chakotay for years was coming to a head.

"Hello."

Chakotay had stared at her concerned. "Kathryn what is wrong?"

She had sighed and looked at him through blue windows to the soul. "They're not coming back are they?"

He had tilted her head up so she was staring into his eyes. "It had been two months Kathryn. If they were going to be able to make a rescue attempt they would have tried before now." He drew in a deep breath. "Tuvok probably saw the danger of Voyager getting trapped in the sink hole as too great."

She nodded sadly and walked up to him. "We have been ignoring us, and the magnetic pull between us for years. Let's stop pretending."

[PRESENT]

And since that day they had shared a bed and a room.

He couldn't lose her now.

Chakotay activated the Doctor. "Help her doctor, she was attacked by a raiding party.

The Doctor stared at the lost man. "Medical tricorder."

Chakotay handed the instrument to the Doctor. "We were ambushed."

The Doctor pulled out the inaprovaline and injected her neck.

Chakotay stared at the electronic man. "They got away with a pair of resonator coils that we found."

He ran the tricorder over the former Captain's body. "A fractured rib, minor internal bleeding." He paused as he stared at the readings. It appeared the Captain and Commander had been doing a little more than attempting to ward or scavengers. The Captain was pregnant. "Uh, Commander, she'll live but I think I should keep myself online while I treat the Captain and for the next little while." He paused, "So how long has it been since I was last activated?"

He stared at the EMH, "Almost three months."

"Three months? So, what's new?" He asked the question but based on his scans he knew exactly what was new."

"Before we go any further: Will Kathryn be okay?"

The Doctor rolled his eyes, "I've already stopped the bleeding and healed the rib fractures. She'll be a little sore but she should make a full recovery."

"I'm glad we brought you along with us Doc."

The Doctor sighed, Based on the progressions of the Command teams relationship he knew the answer to this question but he asked anyway. "No word from Voyager?"

Chakotay shook his head, "They're probably three hundred light years closer to home by now."

"I think I should remain online until the Captain is fully recovered."

Chakotay clapped the Doctor on the back, "It's good to have you back, Doc."

[THREE DAYS LATER]

Kathryn groaned as she rolled over in the bed she now shared with her former Commander.

Chakotay heard Kathryn coming out of her sleep induced state. "Hey, easy. You took quite a beating out there."

"How long was I out?"

Chakotay smiled. "Three days. The Doctor says he wants to see you for a follow up. He won't deactivate himself until he knows you're okay."

She nodded, "Well then I guess I'd better pay him a visit."

Kathryn got out of bed and proceeded to the main room. "Ah, Captain. I see you're awake."

Kathryn nodded and placed a hand on her side where the Doctor had healed the fractured rib.

He approached her with a tricorder. "It appears that your rib his healing fine. No more sign of internal bleeding." He looked at her and got an odd look on his face. "And that baby appears to be doing well."

Kathryn did a double take, "I beg your pardon."

Chakotay came up behind her, "What's wrong Doctor?"

The Doctor looked smugly at the former Commander, "Nothing you're not at least partially responsible for."

"I didn't do anything to Kathryn."

Kathryn shook her head. "You're kidding right Doctor?"

The Doctor held up the tricorder and showed the shocked couple. "Afraid not."

Kathryn stared at the Doctor reality hitting her. "I can't have a baby, what will Starfleet think? What will the crew think –"

Chakotay stared at her. "Your Starfleet life is done Kathryn. If Voyager was going to be able to save us – rescue us – it would have happened already. This is it: this is your life now."

Kathryn shook her head, "There has to be something more Chakotay. There has to be more –"

Chakotay stared at his love. "This is it Kathryn! This is our life now!"

Kathryn stared at him. "There has to be something more –"

"There is nothing more Kathryn just us and this baby: our baby."

Kathryn let her head fall to her hands and nodded her head in self-defeat. "I guess we're going to have a baby then."

[VOYAGER – CONFERENCE ROOM]

Seven, B'Elanna and Tuvok stared at the schematics for the probe. Seven piped up, "We can use the multispatial probe as a transporter relay."

Torres stared at the current configuration. "It'll take a little time to reconfigure the targeting scanners but, with a little luck, it should work."

Tuvok looked to the pair. "Is there any reason that we cannot use this same configuration to send the Captain and Commander a message by using it to relay a comm. signal?"

Torres looked at the probe configuration one last time. "I don't see why not."

"That is fortunate for the Captain and Commander. Send them a message that we will attempt the transport in six hours."

Harry's voice came over the comm. "Commander Tuvok to the bridge."

[BRIDGE]

"They've started ahead of schedule."

Tuvok raised a questioning eyebrow. "Hail them."

Yost's face appeared on the viewscreen. "Yes? "

"It was my understanding you would not begin for another six hours."

"We're ready now."

Tuvok stared at him. "Well we are not. We require another two hours to get our crewmembers back."

The pitying face of Yost chimed in, "I'm sorry."

The transmission was cut and Tuvok stared at B'Elanna.

"How long until they seal the rift?"

Seven chimed in, "Approximately thirty minutes."

"Then we must make the attempt before then."

[PLENET SURFACE – ROCK LEDGE]

Chakotay is kneeling on an overhang, attempting to contact his spirit guide when Janeway approached him. She was 14 weeks pregnant now and beginning to show her condition.

He watched her stretch her back and beckoned her over. "Hey."

She stared at him. "I hate morning sickness. This baby is not too fond of spiders." She brushed her hand over her abdomen.

"Kathryn we'll get through this. It is time that we activated the Doctor and had him check you and the baby out."

Kathryn nodded and the couple made their way back to Noss' ship.

Kathryn fiddled with the mobile emitter. "Please state the nature –" He stared at Kathryn and the baby bump making itself known under her flimsy tank top. "Time for a check-up?"

Kathryn fidgeted with the bottom of her tank top and nodded at the Doctor.

He took out a tricorder and ran it over Kathryn's lower body. "Well the baby seems fine. Still dealing with morning sickness?"

"Morning, noon and night sickness Doctor."

The Doctor nodded. "If we were on Voyager I could give you something for that, but here our resources are limited."

Janeway nodded her understanding and ran a hand over her belly. "Everything looks fine with the baby though?"

The Doctor nodded, "Surprising considering our limited food resources here."

Kathryn nodded, "Well we'll see you in two weeks for my four months check-up."

The Doctor nodded and Kathryn shut his program down.

Chakotay approached her and put his arms around her feeling the baby bump. "So everything is fine with our baby?"

Kathryn smiled, "It appears so."

He turned her around so she was staring in his eyes. "Worse things could have happened to us than this Kathryn."

Kathryn heard a beep and stared at the distress beacon as the lights came on. She heard Tuvok's voice. "Voyager to away team."

Chakotay turned to see what Kathryn was staring at. "What is it?"

Kathryn's face lit up. "The distress beacon. We're receiving a transmission. Can you route it through your comm. system? If I'm right, this message was sent almost nine hours ago on a very slow carrier wave."

Chakotay looked at the distress beacon and then at the mother of his child. "Can you speed it up?"

"I'll try."

The couple listened to the message.

Voyager to away team. A transporter beam with a radius of two metres will activate at the coordinates of your distress beacon in exactly thirty minutes.

The EMH joined the conversation, "Thirty minutes? That would have been over eight hours ago!"

Kathryn stared at him, "Shh, there's more."

Be advised we've detected a temporal difference between our two positions. According to our calculations, the differential ratio is point four seven four four seconds per minute. Repeat. Voyager to away team. A transporter beam with a radius of two metres

Chakotay looked to Kathryn, "According to that formula, thirty minutes would translate to two days, eleven hours and forty seven seconds. Looks like you're going to get your chance to go home."

The Doctor returned sarcastically. "Well, we've waited this long."

Noss walked up to Chakotay and pointed to the aliens massing for an attack outside the ship. "Chakotay."

Janeway stared at the group inside the ship, "The forcefield is holding."

Chakotay looked to Kathryn, "Not for long if they keep pelting us with these photon grenades."

The Doctor looked as panicked as a hologram could. "How are we supposed to hold them off for two more days?"

[VOYAGER - BRIDGE]

Seven stared at Tuvok, "The rift will be sealed in less than two minutes."

Tuvok answered back, "Move us into range. Stand by for transport."

B'Elanna got ready for the transport, "Yes, sir."

[NOSS' SHIP]

Kathryn surreptitiously put a hand on her belly, waiting for the transport. Raising a child with her first officer on her ship was going to be a new adventure. She looked to Chakotay, "The forcefield's losing power. Time?"

The EMH answered her questions. "We still have another hour before transport."

Chakotay saw the forcefield fluctuating and saw Noss take for the door. "Where are you going?"

"To repair the field generator."

Chakotay went to follow her, she might need help. Kathryn would never forgive him if he got himself killed but he needed to do this so Kathryn and their child would get home to safety. "I'll go with you."

"No. You stay. Prepare for the attack. You have to make sure that Kathryn gets back to the ship safe and sound."

"You can't go alone."

"Risking two lives and leaving that baby without a father is not right."

[VOYAGER - BRIDGE]

Tom called out, "We're in transporter range."

Tuvok looked at them all, he knew they'd only get one chance at this. "Link up with the probe and relay the signal."

Torres called out, "Stand by. I've got a lock on their beacon."

"They will be ready for transport in thirty two seconds."

Tom threw a flippant remark, "Let's hope they don't stand us up."

[NOSS' SHIP]

The EMH looked at Janeway and Chakotay. We've got less than ten minutes to transport.

Kathryn was getting concerned, "Where the hell is Noss?"

Chakotay looked at the future mother of his child, "I'll find her."

Janeway begged him before he left, "Just come back to us."

[Bridge]

B'Elanna started the countdown, "Fifteen seconds. Fourteen. Thirteen."

[PLANET'S SURFACE]

Chakotay ran to Noss' rescue. If he didn't make it back to Kathryn she would never forgive him.

Noss stared at Chakotay and reached up to him. He helped her stand and guided her towards the ship. "I wouldn't have left you behind"

[BRIDGE - VOYAGER]

Torres looked to Harry, "Nine. Eight. Seven."

[NOSS' SHIP]

The EMH looked at Kathryn, "Now, Captain!"

Janeway watched an alien rush through the door of the shuttle. She heard a phaser fire and watched Chakotay fired at the alien.

The alien went down and Chakotay stared at Kathryn. She put out a hand to him, "Hurry, we have to be ready for transport."

Chakotay rushed up to Kathryn and kissed her on the lips his hand going down to her belly.

Kathryn stared at him, "I was so afraid for you."

"I know Kathryn but I will never leave you unless I have no choice in the matter."

She reached her lips up to his and they met in a joining of love.

Kathryn felt Chakotay's hand reach down to her tummy and the feeling of a transporter beam lifting them to take them home.

[BRIDGE]

"Mister Paris, plot a course away from this area, warp 7."

"Yes, sir."

And they were on their way, B'Elanna walked up to Tuvok. "Permission to go to the transporter room and greet the Captain and Commander?"'

"Permission granted."

[TRANSPORTER ROOM]

B'Elanna rushed into the transporter room as Chakotay and Janeway were materializing.

Harry called the bridge, "We've got them. Welcome back. Who?" He pointed at Noss.

Kathryn walked down to B'Elanna, and enveloped her in a hug, "A friend"

B'Elanna felt something move and stared at Kathryn in the eyes. She nodded and B'Elanna pointed at Chakotay.

Chakotay put his hands up in a surrender motion. "Guilty as charged."

Harry's eyes just about bugged out of his head. "You two?"

"It appears so Mister Kim."

He stared at them. He gave Chakotay's hand a shake. "Congratulations Captain, Commander."

The couple smiled at the young ensign. "Thanks Harry. Now if she two could keep in quiet for a little bit."

B'Elanna stared at Janeway in nothing more than her pants and tank top. "Uh, Captain… Commander, if you want to keep this a private affaire I suggest that you maybe beam back to the Captain's quarters. Without the uniform jacket you guys aren't fooling anyone."

The couple looked at each other. "Thanks B'Elanna."

The couple got on the transporter pad and asked B'Elanna to beam them to Kathryn's quarters.

[JANEWAY QUARTERS]

They transported into Kathryn's quarters and the first thing she did was look at Chakotay and state that she had to get her uniform pants off they were getting more than a little on the tight side.

She came out of her bedroom wearing a pink satin nightie. "This is definitely more comfortable."

Chakotay came up and wrapped his arms around her. "Kathryn you're almost four months pregnant you're going to have to tell the crew."

Kathryn sighed. "I know it's just to them we have only been gone two days."

"To us it was a lifetime." She ran her hands over her ever expanding body. "I need to speak with Tuvok first."

Chakotay nodded. "I'll go to my quarters for a couple of hours and you have the conversation with Tuvok, then we'll decide what to tell the rest of the senior staff."

Kathryn gave Chakotay a kiss and sent him on his way. "Janeway to Tuvok."

She heard a pause on the other end of the line. "Yes Captain."

"Could you come to my quarters please? I have to speak with you about something."

"Yes Captain, on my way."

Ten minutes later Kathryn heard her door chime. She ran her hand down her stomach and stared at the door. "Come."

Tuvok made his way into her quarters. As soon as he was in Kathryn shut the door. "Tuvok, welcome old friend."

She stood up to show him her changed form. "For us we were on the planet for six months, we didn't think Voyager was coming back."

Kathryn watched Tuvok's eyebrows raise.

"We thought we were going to be there forever. For us it was six months, for you it was two days."

Tuvok stared at her, "I have been expecting something like this from you and the Commander for a while."

Kathryn raised her eyebrows, "You have been expecting this from us?"

"We have been here for five years, it was only logical that you eventually chose a mate; and the Commander was the obvious choice."

"Tuvok, do you think that the crew will accept this?"

"I think like me that they have been expecting this for a while." He paused starting at his oldest friend, "What does Mr. Paris say? We saw the chemistry and the sparks flying from the beginning. I am impressed that you held off this long.,"

"You're impressed that I held off this long?"

"Captain you have strong emotions that run deep, to ignore them would change who you are and the way you Captain this ship." He placed a hand on her abdomen, "May you and your family live long and prosper."

Kathryn had tears running down her cheeks now. "Thank you Tuvok, you don't know how much your blessing means to me."

"I'm sure I can guess. I must go back to the bridge as you and the Commander are not on duty until tomorrow."

"Thank you Tuvok, have a great rest of the shift.

Kathryn nodded, maybe everything would be okay after all.

END PART I TBC IN pART 2
TBC IN CHAPTER 2