WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT IT

It was all over before she even knew it had begun.

Kathryn and Geoff were in the middle of dinner at their favorite Chinese restaurant when she began to feel queasy. Although everything tasted as excellent as ever, she wondered if she had a touch of food poisoning, or perhaps was coming down with the flu. She barely made it to the restroom before she hurled up her lovely dinner. Then vicious stomach cramps had her doubled over, eyes scrunched shut, gasping at the pain. When she managed to open her eyes, the blood that soaked through her pants told her this was much more than the flu.

There were times when being an admiral came in handy, and Geoff had them both beamed directly to Starfleet Medical, where the well-trained ER staff flew into action. But the ripping agony in her gut and the roaring in her ears as she struggled to stay conscious made her wonder if this wasn't much more than just bad food. While she'd made many enemies in the Delta Quadrant, there was no one in the Alpha Quadrant she could think of who would want to poison her. The last thing she heard as the darkness swallowed her was Geoff's anxious voice yelling, "Get Voyager's EMH here NOW!"

Slowly, as though swimming upward toward the surface, she became aware of two things: a dull ache in her abdomen, and the unmistakable drone of the EMH's voice. She couldn't make out the exact words, and the seductive warmth of the darkness was waiting to whisk her away from the annoying sound. But the urgency and distress in Geoff's reply drew her back to the light.

"But that's just it, Doctor. There's no way this should have happened at all. I don't understand; how can this be?

She still couldn't hear the Doctor's voice distinctly, and she turned her head to listen. The movement caused the dull ache to blossom into a sharp stab in her stomach and her eyes flew open as she gasped.

"Ah, Admiral. Nice to see you've decided to rejoin us. How are you feeling?"

Although the EMH's words were as sarcastic as usual, his tone was gentle, and her alarm grew. Geoff was at her side, holding her hand, his expression one of confusion and worry. "I feel like I did fifteen rounds in Chakotay's boxing ring," she croaked, her voice raspy. "What the hell happened? I need Starfleet security to start looking for who tried to poison me and why."

Geoff's and the Doctor's eyes met briefly, and her unease increased. She looked from one to the other, and when Geoff avoided her gaze, she demanded in her best Starfleet voice, "All right, you two. Somebody just spit it out."

The Doctor spoke in soothing tones. "Admiral, I'm sorry to inform you that you have suffered a miscarriage."

"What?!" The shock nearly drove her to sit up, but pain shot through her and she slumped back with a moan.

"Easy, Kathryn," Geoff murmured, stroking her hair.

The EMH pressed a hypo to her neck. "Here, Admiral, this should relieve most your discomfort. Better?"

"Much, thank you." The cessation of the stabbing pain allowed her brain to function more clearly. "Now how the hell could I become pregnant, when both our boosters are current?"

"That is a question I cannot answer at the moment," the EMH reluctantly admitted. "My initial scans do indicate that both your and Mr. Reid's boosters are indeed active. Be assured, Admiral, I will do all the tests my extensive program can devise to solve this mystery." He snapped his tricorder shut. "I have, of course, totally restored you physically, but your body has experienced a trauma. Even you, Admiral, require some time to rest. I'll have you monitored here overnight, and if all goes as expected, you can be discharged for complete bed rest at home for the next twenty-four hours."

He started to walk away, and then looked back. "And if I could make a recommendation, Mr. Reid, you look as though you could use some rest yourself."

Old habits die hard, and Kathryn had been about to argue regarding the bed rest until she looked at Geoff. His face was devoid of color, and his usual happy-go-lucky expression was nowhere to be found. There were rusty stains on his shirt and jacket she recognized as dried blood - hers. Geoff's unruly mop of curls was standing on end as though he'd been raking his hands through it. He was a man who always looked far younger than his nearly sixty years, but not tonight. The usual smile lines were deep creases of worry.

After debriefings, Starfleet had immediately commenced sending her to various receptions, sometimes alone, more often with Chakotay or another member of Voyager's senior staff. It was at one of these receptions that the boyish-looking man to her left captured her attention by drawing a caricature on his napkin of the speaker as a giant blowfish. She'd had to bite her lips to keep from laughing.

Geoffrey Reid had risen through the ranks at the United Press, becoming a political cartoonist, and eventually an editor at the major daily publication. His disarming demeanor - a cross between a playful puppy and a naughty school boy - hid a sharp mind and a gift for quickly and accurately assessing people and situations.

Starfleet had agreed to allow a series of interviews with various crewmembers of Voyager, starting with her captain, all conducted by the renowned Geoffrey Reid. When her interview concluded, Geoff had asked her on a date, teasingly stating that if she went out with him, she wouldn't be plagued by any more paparazzi about the state of her love life.

There were several things about Geoff that appealed to her, not the least of which was that he had nothing to do with Starfleet. He was funny, lighthearted, yet serious and well-connected with the current political climate, something she was woefully lacking at present. It wasn't long before they were considered a couple by those in the know.

Right now, he looked about ready to drop. She loosed her hand from his to run her fingers through his hair, trying in vain to smooth the wildness. "How are you?" she asked.

"Shouldn't that be my line? Gods, Kathryn, I don't think I've ever been so terrified, not even when the press building was bombed. Don't do that to me again, okay?" he pleaded. "Seriously, though, how are you?"

"I'm fine. But as much as I hate to admit it, the Doctor is right, and I'll need some rest," she replied.

He grasped her hand again. "Actually, I meant about the miscarriage."

"Oh." She ran her free hand through her hair. "Well, I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea that I could somehow be pregnant at all. I've known of cases where one person's booster failed, but two?" She shrugged. "I certainly hadn't been planning on having a child. And I'm seriously beginning to wonder if I'm destined for it at all, considering that my first crack at motherhood was as a lizard, and now this bizarre pregnancy and miscarriage. What about you? This was your child as well."

Geoff's expression was a little guilty. "Can I be honest?"

She smiled gently. "I've always heard it's the best policy."

He looked away, then back at her. "You know that I care about you, Kathryn, and I'm sure you'd make a wonderful mother, but honestly, I'm relieved. I'm extremely happy that you're okay, but I'm also pleased not to be facing imminent fatherhood again." He spread his hands and shrugged apologetically. "In two months, I'll be fifty-nine. You've met my three kids, they're adults, and by some crazy miracle considering I'm their father, they've all turned out okay. Between them, I have four grandkids. My career isn't exactly nine to five, and frankly, at this stage of my life, I really don't want to start over again with diapers, feedings, and Little League Parisses Squares." He blew out his breath in rush. "There. I said it. Don't hate me, okay?"

Kathryn laughed, then winced at the pulling in her stomach. "How could anyone hate that pleading puppy dog face?"

"There are more than a few who do, believe me. You don't always make friends in the news world. Speaking of which…" He rose and arched his back. "The good doctor said you need to rest, and I know all those Janeway fans would never forgive me if I were responsible for killing you after you survived all that the Delta Quadrant threw at you."

He leaned down to kiss her gently. "I wish I could be here to get you home tomorrow, but I have to be at a two-day conference on Risa."

"Poor you," she mocked.

He winked at her. "Yes, poor me. All that warm, sunny weather. All those scantily clad bodies cavorting around. Some people have it tough." He leaned over again to kiss her forehead, her nose, and finally her mouth once more. "Now, promise me you'll be a good girl and do as the doctor said. We have a dinner to finish when I get back. Come on now, promise me."

She sighed reluctantly. "Okay, okay, I promise. I'll get my aide at the office to send over anything I need. Only let's not go back to that restaurant; I think I may have worn out my welcome."

Geoff snapped his fingers. "Oh, by the way, I called your mother to tell her about your little incident."

"Oh no!" she exclaimed in dismay. "Geoff, you didn't!"

"Sorry. But I didn't know if you were…"

He blinked rapidly, looking away, and Kathryn immediately forgave him. "When is she due to arrive?" she asked, wondering how much time she had to prepare for the whirlwind that was Gretchen Janeway.

A strident female voice could be heard in the hall. "Young man, Admiral Kathryn Janeway is my daughter, and if you don't let me pass…"

They looked at each other and said simultaneously, "Now."

*****

In the morning, Kathryn felt fine, other than a residual stiffness in her abdomen, so the EMH discharged her. But not before issuing strict instructions in her mother's presence to rest for the remainder of the day. In truth, she was not inclined to argue, because as she replicated a new outfit to wear home, she was well aware of the reasons for it.

"Ah, one other thing before you go, Admiral," the EMH called her over to his console. "Let me show you what I've found so far."

He pulled up two scans on a split screen. "The top one is of your DNA, the bottom one is Mr. Reid's. This," he pulled up a third scan, "is from your embryo."

Her heart dropped at the sight before her. Embryo. So clinical a term to be used when looking at an analysis of your own potential offspring. As though standing outside herself, part of her brain was surprised at her reaction. With an effort she pulled her mind back to the Doctor.

"As expected, here are the markers from both you and Mr. Reid. But there are some additional markers that aren't from either of you."

Kathryn tried to focus her eyes on what the doctor was pointing out, when her mother intervened.

"Doctor, you did say you wanted Kathryn off her feet and resting, didn't you?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes indeed." He waved his hand vaguely. "Admiral, I'll contact you when I know something further."

Her mother's hand was on her arm, but Kathryn lingered another moment. She took a deep breath and then asked, "Doctor? Can you tell if it was a boy or a girl?"

The EMH looked up, and an expression of compassion crossed his holographic face. "Male. Although you were pregnant only a few days." Just before turning back to his work, he added one more thing. "Oh and Admiral? Please refrain from sexual relations for at least two weeks to give the internal repairs time to settle."

This wasn't the kind of topic she was comfortable discussing before her mother, so she didn't delay any longer. They beamed directly to Kathryn's apartment, and Gretchen got a blanket for her when she lay on the couch.

"Can I get you anything, my dear?"

"I'd kill for a cup of coffee, although I suppose the Doctor wouldn't approve."

Gretchen shrugged. "He didn't say you couldn't have coffee, and what he doesn't know won't hurt us, right?"

When she returned from the kitchen, she commented, "I see you've made an exception from your modern ways and purchased a regular coffee maker."

"After seven years of either replicated coffee, or Neelix's substitution attempts, what else would you expect?"

"You are a Janeway, through and through." Gretchen handed Kathryn her mug, then sat at the end of the couch, lifting her daughter's legs into her own lap. She carefully tucked the blanket around Kathryn's feet, before taking a sip from her own mug. "So. How are you?"

Kathryn opened her mouth for her usual reply, and then stopped. This was her mother, who knew her better than anyone, and besides, she wasn't on Voyager anymore where she had to keep up an invincible front. She sighed. "Frankly, feeling a tad schizophrenic. My scientific side is whirling, wondering how was this even possible? Emotionally, I had no plans to have a child, hadn't even thought of it at all, and at this stage in my life, it really would be inconvenient, so on that front, I'm relieved that I don't have to deal with this. However, there's also this little tiny part of me that's sad." She glanced at her mother. "Weird, huh?"

Gretchen shook her head. "No, not weird at all. In fact, I'd say it sounds about right. It's a loss, however unanticipated or planned. You acknowledge it, and then you move on. In this day and age, you still have plenty of time to decide if you want children."

Plenty of time. That phrase swept her back to Voyager, sitting in her ready room with Chakotay after they'd received their first letters from home. You're hardly alone, and to my way of thinking, there's still plenty of time.

Ignoring the twinge in her heart at that memory, she looked across at her mother enjoying her own cup of the Janeway addiction. "I hope this doesn't shock you, Mom, but if I ever were to have a child, I wouldn't pick Geoff for the father. This isn't a forever relationship. It's just…" She trailed off, unsure how to explain.

Gretchen held up her hand. "Oh don't worry my dear, I totally understand. I may be a traditionalist, but I'm not a Puritan. Considering what you went through for seven years in the backwaters of the universe, you need someone you can have fun with for a while. You deserve it. He's smart, easy on the eyes, and he's not involved in Starfleet. In fact, I just might look him up when you're done with him."

"Mother!"

Gretchen winked at her. "Just kidding. I think I'll go make us some soup."

Kathryn watched in bemusement as her mother nonchalantly rose and headed to the kitchen. "Never underestimate the power of Gretchen Janeway to astonish," she murmured. In truth, her mother was a very young-looking, vibrant sixty-eight-year-old; Geoff wouldn't know what hit him if she did "look him up".

By the next day, Kathryn was feeling almost a hundred percent. She was working at her desk on some reports sent over by her aide when her console indicated an incoming message. It was Geoff. Smiling, she opened the channel. "Well hello, you. How are things on Risa?"

He made a face. "Boringly beautiful."

"And are you referring to the weather, the landscape, or the bodies?" she replied archly.

"I'll plead the fifth."

"Chicken."

He leaned towards the console. "Now my darling, more importantly, tell me how you are?"

"I'm fine."

Geoff's eyebrow raised at her reply. "Is that merely the classic stoic Starfleet response they brainwash all their cadets to automatically regurgitate, or are you really fine? 'Fess up now; how are you, seriously?"

She laughed. "Really. I'm fine. Even my mother left this morning."

"And how were things with that miniature ball of fire?"

"Be warned: my mother has designs on you. She said she might be interested in my castoff when I'm done with you." Kathryn waggled her eyebrows at him.

Geoff's jaw opened and shut a couple of times before he managed, "For the first time in my life, I'm almost speechless. Heaven help me. I can just imagine the chaos of my life with a Janeway with twenty-some more years of experience than you."

"Actually, as ridiculous as it may sound, it was kind of nice being pampered by my mother again," Kathryn confessed sheepishly.

"Honey, the more I do these interviews with your senior staff, the more I'm convinced you deserve to be pampered for the rest of your days. Speaking of your senior staff…"

Geoff paused, frowning intently. His unusually serious expression did not bode well. "Geoff, what is it? What's happened?"

He sighed and looked back at her. "Kathryn, if you're really feeling okay, I think you should head back to Starfleet Medical. You know that I was to conclude this series of interviews with Captain Chakotay tomorrow upon my arrival home. Late yesterday, my office received a call that he would have to postpone that interview due to a family emergency."

Kathryn's mouth formed an 'O' in horror and her heart hammered hard. Chakotay only had his sister and a cousin left in his family. How much more could the man lose?

"Then this morning," Geoff continued, "I got a call from one of our sources at Starfleet Medical, that one Annika Hansen had been admitted the night before with life-threatening complications from a miscarriage."

"What?!" Kathryn sat up straight in chair. "Oh my goodness! No wonder I couldn't get the Doctor this morning when I tried to contact him. Is Seven okay?"

"My source indicated it was a very, very close call, but she will make it. Kathryn, I think this is too much to be a coincidence. Were you and Chakotay subjected to high levels of radiation or something like that on your odyssey back from hell that could have caused a form of cell mutation?" Geoff asked.

Remembering her experience at Quarra, she replied, "I was, but not Chakotay. And we were all completely healed. But there was our isolation on New Earth for three months. We were the only ones stuck there."

The memories of that idyllic time surged through her mind with the manifold complex layers of emotion they always generated. For the last five years, she'd kept them tucked safely away, only allowing them to peek out on the rarest of occasions. So much wonder, so much joy, interwoven with so much pain and sorrow.

She frowned. "I guess Chakotay changed his mind."

"About what?"

"The last time I saw Chakotay was a month ago at the reception that Starfleet sent us to in Marseilles. I could tell he wasn't totally happy, and it wasn't merely these interminable functions we've been forced to attend."

"Okay, out with it," she ordered.

"Out with what? And may I remind you, you're not my commanding officer any more, Oh Demanding One," Chakotay teased.

"To everyone else here, you look fine, in fact, judging from the way a number of people have been eyeing you, you look more than fine," she shot back. "But I know you, Chakotay, and something is bothering you. Are the hardliners giving the former Maquis trouble? I haven't heard any rumblings, but if they are, I'll-"

"Down, mother bear. There's been no problems on that front, so pull your claws back in." He heaved a great sigh. "I should have known I can't put anything past you."

"What is it, Chakotay?" Kathryn placed her hand on his arm. "We don't see each other that often any more, other than these damnable PR receptions, but I'd like to think I'm still your friend. What's wrong? How can I help?"

He briefly covered her hand with his. "You definitely still are my friend, but despite your many giftings, this isn't an area you can help with. It's Seven."

"What's wrong with Seven?"

"Nothing specifically, other than she wants to start a family. She's almost thirty now, and on a certain level, I can understand how she feels. Assimilated at the age of six, twenty years with the Borg, and almost four years with us, she feels she's missed a lot of regular life."

"But…" she prompted.

Chakotay blew out a breath. "But I'm not ready for that. To be honest, I'm not sure I ever will be. Don't get me wrong, kids are great, and I may change my mind at some point. But everything in my life has been revolutionized in the last few months, and I need time to settle. I don't want to take on a life changing responsibility without a whole lot more time and consideration. But you know Seven."

"Indeed I do. She's a very determined and focused young woman. Once she's made up her mind, there's not much that can dissuade her."

Chakotay made a wry face. "That's for sure."

"So you're saying they weren't planning on having a child either?" Geoff spoke with concern.

"Certainly Chakotay wasn't, and that was just a month ago. Knowing him, I wouldn't have thought that qualified as 'a whole lot more time', but I suppose he might have made up his mind." She shook her head. "They must be devastated."

"If you're feeling well enough, Kathryn, I think you and the captain need to get together with your EMH and figure out what's going on."

"I agree. Thanks for the info, Geoff."

"No problem. Let me know if you find out anything."

She touched the screen with a smile. "Will do. Enjoy yourself - but not too much."

Half an hour later, she strode into Starfleet Medical. The irony wasn't lost on her that less than forty-eight hours earlier, she'd been a patient. Exiting the lift on the correct floor, she immediately heard something she'd rarely heard the last seven years: Chakotay shouting.

"She what?! And didn't tell me?! How long have you known about this?"

Since the door was open, Kathryn poked her head around to see a highly irate Chakotay striding back and forth, hands fisted at his sides. It had been a long time since she'd seen the intense power unleashed in him like this and something deep within her clicked in recognition. A connection. Something missed, something longed for. A secret hunger buried so deep, she'd almost forgotten it was there. Almost.

"Ah, Admiral," the EMH addressed her. "Timely arrival. I was about to administer a sedative to Captain Chakotay here, and then call you with the findings of my study."

"Kathryn!" Chakotay was across the room, taking her hands in his, the vitriol on his face replaced with concern as he looked her up and down. "The Doctor told me what happened; are you all right? I didn't know you and Geoff were trying for a baby."

She squeezed his hands. "I'm fine, Chakotay, and we weren't trying at all. Believe me, it was a total shock. But what about you and Seven? You obviously changed your mind from when I last talked to you. You must be devastated."

Chakotay's face darkened and his eyes snapped with anger once more. "No, we weren't trying either, or at least, I certainly wasn't. My position is no different from when I last saw you. But Seven…" He pressed his lips together in anger.

"Admiral, Captain. If you would both join me over here, I will explain what I know so far." The EMH indicated two chairs before a table. As they were seated, he swiveled the console so they could view the screen.

"As I explained to you, Admiral, a couple of days ago, the DNA markers in your embryo were not merely yours and Mr. Reid's as would be expected. In Seven's case, DNA of the embryo she carried showed more than just hers and the captain's."

The Doctor displayed the two scans, which meant little to Kathryn, and she knew from Chakotay's face, he felt the same.

"Now watch when I separate all the strands." The Doctor pressed a button.

"Oh my."

Chakotay raked his hands through his hair. "Oh shit."

Even for a non-geneticist, it was plain to see. The extra markers for Kathryn's baby were a match with Chakotay's DNA, while the extra markers in Seven's embryo were a match with Kathryn's.

"To make things even more interesting," the EMH continued, "the cure given to us by Denera Pel completely eradicated the New Earth virus from your systems, as if you'd never had it at all - no antibodies, nothing. Yet both the embryos show the virus."

Kathryn dropped her head into her hands. There could be no mistake now. Memories from that isolated planet washed over her, and she risked a look at Chakotay. Their eyes caught and held, swept thousands of light years and five years into the past. New Earth, a treasured remembrance of a sparkling afternoon, warm sun on her bare skin. Laughter, joy beyond measure, beyond anything she'd ever imagined. The birds were silent, the long grasses around them undulated in time with their movements, as though all of nature were in tune with their love. His hands, his body, total blissful satiation, giving, receiving completion, lifting higher and higher in the sunlight. Only to crash to the ground like Icarus a few hours later with the crackle of a com badge.

"It would appear that the sexual relations you engaged in while still infected with the virus-"

Kathryn whipped her head around, glowering at the Doctor. "How did you…?"

If it were possible for a hologram to look offended, the EMH did. "Admiral, if you please! I did a thorough examination of you both when you returned onboard after the administration of the antidote."

She glanced sideways at Chakotay, noting his deep frown and arms crossed over his chest.

"Were those findings in our files all these years?" he asked.

Again, the EMH looked highly affronted. "Captain! As if I would leave such confidential information in your general files for the likes of Mr. Paris to read. No, those were placed in my own 'Classified' collection, and encrypted. In fact, as an extra precaution, when Seven joined the crew, I asked her to develop a more secure encryption for them, which she did."

At this announcement, Chakotay groaned and Kathryn dropped her head back into her hands.

"I informed her that the contents of the files were to be kept strictly confidential. Yours were not the only records I felt should be encrypted. I'm quite sure that Seven was the soul of discretion, if that is what concerns you both."

Chakotay was shaking his head, his expression a rueful grin. "Oh, I'm sure she was, Doctor."

Glancing at Chakotay, Kathryn didn't know whether to laugh or scream. "So it seems the cat was out of the bag all these years, and we didn't even know it."

"Admiral, Captain, I'm sorry if-"

Kathryn cut the EMH off with a raised hand. "All water under the bridge now, Doctor. We should thank you for your discretion on how you handled that, uh, information."

"Thank you, Admiral," the Doctor preened. "I thought of the idea myself. It was-"

Chakotay pointed at the screen. "Doctor, perhaps you could continue."

"Ah yes. The Delta Quadrant served up as many medical mysteries as there were hostile aliens. This is yet another one, and it has followed you to the Alpha Quadrant. The virus was still active when you engaged in sexual relations, and it appears to have, so to speak, 'programmed' your reproductive cycles, and even your eggs and sperm, solely for each other. Anything else will be attacked the way the body's antibodies rally to fight off an infection."

The hologram looked almost embarrassed as he reluctantly admitted, "As of yet, I have no explanation as to why your boosters were overridden. Admiral, how long have you and Mr. Reid engaged in sexual relations?"

Kathryn cast a glance at Chakotay from under her lashes. "Almost a month."

"Only one of your cycles then, and you immediately conceived. In your case, Captain Chakotay, Seven's nanoprobes in combination with both of your boosters were sufficient protection. However, when she deactivated her booster-"

"She deactivated her booster?" Kathryn exclaimed in shock. "Without consulting you, Chakotay?"

Chakotay merely pressed his lips together in a thin line, his dark eyes snapping in anger. Now she understood why Chakotay had been so upset just before she arrived. "When? And why?" she asked.

"As to when," the Doctor supplied, "two weeks ago. Neither did she consult her physician - me - I might add."

"And why, she has yet to explain," Chakotay muttered sourly, "but I can hazard a guess."

"Captain, don't be too hard on her," the EMH remonstrated. "There was no way Seven could have anticipated that it was only the combination of both your boosters and her nanoprobes that was preventing conception. It defies scientific laws, too often the case with anything regarding the Delta Quadrant. As it was, once she did conceive, those very nanoprobes began a veritable World War IV with the virus in the embryo, and as you know, it took all my prodigious skill to save her. She was hemorrhaging from every one of her major organs."

While Kathryn was thoroughly relieved that Seven had survived, another issue concerned her. "What do we do now? Will this happen again for us in any relationship? What can we do to change this?"

"Admiral, what with Seven's emergency, I've had limited time for study, but I can tell you that every test indicated the same sort of results with whomever you engage in intimate relations, if that person is Human. May I inquire, did you have intimate relations with another Human during the rest of the journey?"

Kathryn shook her head and looked at Chakotay, anticipating a different response from him, but he also shook his head. "But what about Ri-?"

"No," he cut her off.

All these years she'd been positive Chakotay had had sex with Riley Fraser when they'd encountered the former Borg compound. Believing that he had moved on had strengthened her to determination to do the same.

"I will, of course, need to conduct extensive further testing, but this adds to my hypothesis that something within that virus has in essence programmed your bodies to only recognize each other as benign."

"How can you make it safe for Chakotay and Seven to continue their relationship?" Kathryn persisted.

"I am loath to admit this, but as you recall, despite all my efforts, I was unable to develop a cure for the virus five years ago. We had to contact the Vidiians for that. Unfortunately, that is impossible now, and who knows whether they even faced a similar scenario? I am sure that had Dr. Pel come across this interesting complication, she would have mentioned it." The Doctor spread his hands. "The only other solution I can suggest is sterilization-"

Chakotay snorted.

"-but I have no guarantee whether even that extreme measure would work the way it's supposed to." The Doctor leveled a reproving look at Chakotay.

"That won't help Seven and me. She's determined to have children, and," he pointed at Kathryn, "before you say anything, she's already indicated adoption isn't something she's interested in."

"Admiral, Captain, if you could spare the time, I'd like to run some more extensive tests. It would be best if I could sedate you to prevent movement." The Doctor bustled toward the door.

Kathryn quirked an questioning eyebrow toward Chakotay, and he shrugged in reply. "You mean right now, Doctor?" she asked.

"No time like the present, as they say," he quipped cheerily. "Right this way, if you please. As much as I miss my old office, I have to admit, Starfleet's medical facilities make those on Voyager look like a poor second class cousin."

The room he led them to was impressive indeed. There were more than twice as many biobeds, each bed fully equipped with streamlined units to individually test and monitor the patient. Several offices were situated along one wall.

Kathryn was about to ease onto one of the beds the EMH indicated, when Chakotay placed a hand on her arm. She looked at him questioningly.

"Doctor, could you give us a couple of minutes, please?" he asked.

Although the hologram's eyebrows raised briefly, he nodded. "I'll be in the second office when you're ready."

Chakotay boosted himself onto one of the beds and sat hunched, hands between his knees. Despite the dire situation, Kathryn couldn't help remembering the many times they'd been in Voyager's sickbay together, sometimes as patients, sometimes visiting each other, or out of concern for another member of their crew. Her fondest memory was visiting Tom and B'Elanna after Miral's birth only a few months ago when Voyager had burst back into the Alpha Quadrant care of the Borg.

"I didn't have intercourse with Riley."

Of all the things she might have anticipated Chakotay to say to her at such a point, this wasn't it. She struggled to think of a response.

"In fact," he continued, finally looking at her, "I never actually touched her. The residual effects of the Borg link made it such that we could still hear each other's thoughts and we could feel when the other person touched themselves. Considering what we know now, I'm even gladder that she and I never consummated the relationship."

Kathryn took a breath and blew it out slowly. "I always thought that you'd…"

"I know. And I let you think it."

When she blinked her surprise, he continued.

"I still believe what I told you back on New Earth, that neither of us have the kind of personality to be able to leave professional disagreements on the bridge, and personal disagreements in our quarters. But after we got back to Voyager, I missed you so badly, I was wavering, and I knew you were too. I knew that if I let you think Riley and I had actually had sex, it would help you to shore up your resolve to move on."

The sting of tears blinded her for a moment and she had to look away. It had been such a gut wrenchingly painful time, so full of emotional turmoil. Grateful to be back on Voyager with their family heading home, yet desperately longing for the quiet solitude of their idyllic planet, and the sweet joy and freedom of their newly expressed love.

"I'm so sorry, Chakotay," she whispered. "If the Doctor can't figure something out, then it means-"

He held up his hand and stated fiercely, "No matter what happens now, I won't regret that afternoon making love with you by the river. I'll never regret it. Do you?"

She pressed her lips together hard and swallowed before replying. "For myself, no, never. But for you and Seven-"

Again, he cut her off. He reached across to take her hand, running his thumb over her knuckles. "Don't, Kathryn. It remains one of the most beautiful and perfect moments of my life. You have no idea how many times I pulled that treasured memory out to comfort me when it seemed the whole of the Delta Quadrant was out to annihilate us."

"Oh, yes I do," she replied with a wobbly smile, squeezing his hand.

"There's more at stake here than just Seven and I. What about you and Geoff?"

Heaving a sigh, she shrugged. "We care for each other, but it's not that deep of a relationship. Geoff's the kind of man who knows how to go with the flow. My grandmother would say if he's handed lemons, he'll make lemonade. We'll probably be friends for life."

He lifted their hands, kissed the back of hers before releasing it. "I always knew that you would change my life, Kathryn. I just didn't know how much."

"You're such a comfort," she stated dryly, then waved at the EMH. "When we're done here, I have to try to explain all this to Geoff."

"I can top that," he whispered as the Doctor approached. "I have to deal with a pissed off Borg."

*****

In what seemed like mere minutes, she awakened as the bioarm across her bed slid away.

"How are you feeling, Admiral?"

Kathryn looked to her left to see the Doctor standing beside her. Other than the use of her new title and the fancy surroundings, she might have been back on Voyager, any one of the dozens of times she'd awakened in sick bay like this. She took physical inventory.

"I think I'm fine, actually. What have you discovered, and how's Chakotay?"

"Chakotay's fine too," the man in question replied.

Turning her head to the right, there sat Chakotay on the biobed, almost exactly as he had during their earlier conversation, elbows on knees. He appeared composed, and once again, something rose up unbidden within her, a sudden spark in the dryness of her soul. She saw him not as an excellent officer, not just as a wonderful friend, but as a man. Strong, solid, and very attractive. He must have seen something in her eyes because he regarded her intently.

"Admiral, Captain. If you would both join me in the office."

Once they were seated and the door closed, the EMH began. "If you recall, I stated earlier that the cure left no trace of the virus in your systems. In actuality, the cure contained a masking agent that created not one, not two, but three levels of masking, all interwoven."

"Sounds like levels of encryption," Chakotay commented.

"A very good analogy, Captain," the Doctor nodded his approval. "What this means is that the virus is still present in your bodies, the cure acting like a trap door holding it at bay. It has become completely integrated within your basic systems. Perhaps because your intimacy occurred so close to the time of administration of the antidote, and DNA from each other was still present, it has incorporated both DNAs into your reproductive systems. Specifically, Admiral, your eggs also contain markers of the captain's DNA, and Captain, your sperm also contain markers of the admiral's DNA. As I suspected, your bodies have in essence been programmed to recognize only each other. Anything else is regarded as something to be annihilated and expunged from the body."

"But why did all our boosters fail?" Kathryn asked.

"That is a fascinating, but irritating side effect of the cure itself. That trap door reacts to the presence of either another female's eggs, or another male's sperm as an alien invasion, and while it's focused on that battle, it restrains the boosters from functioning. And also, while that trap door is occupied with the battle, the virus slips through to the embryo, and as Mr. Paris would say, all hell breaks loose."

"Is there no solution?" Kathryn persisted.

"None that I've been able to discover thus far."

"Even with the three levels of masking from the cure, why wasn't the change in our DNA evident on Voyager?" Chakotay inquired, his expression confused.

The EMH enthusiastically jabbed the air with his finger, clearly in his element explaining his discoveries. "An excellent question, Captain! Yes indeed, despite the fact that Voyager's captain did her level best to avoid physicals-"

Narrowing her eyes, Kathryn folded her arms and cleared her throat threateningly, but the hologram continued undeterred.

"-both of you were patients in sickbay often enough that such a change would have been clearly evident. However, once again the trap door effect of the cure comes into play. It has restrained the genetic change to only your reproductive systems. So, just your eggs, Admiral, and just your sperm, Captain, contain the added DNA markers. You must remember that this cure was developed for Vidiian physiology. This could well be a 'side effect', if you will, in Humans. It is as though your eggs and sperm are pieces of a puzzle, notched to fit perfectly together solely with each other."

The Doctor shifted in his chair, his eyes flicking away from them. "In practical terms, every simulation I ran conclusively indicates that should you two choose to pursue a romantic relationship, because your bodies are essentially programmed for each other, that trap door of the cure would not be negatively activated, thus your boosters would function properly. And further, if you decided to have a child, conception and gestation would progress normally."

Chakotay sat immobile in his chair, and Kathryn felt as though someone had punched her in the solar plexus. She inhaled a gulp of air, once, twice.

"Kathryn?" Chakotay's voice was full of concern. "Doctor!"

The EMH was already pressing a hypospray to her neck, and the strange suffocating sensation lifted. "Thank you. I don't know what happened."

"I do," the Doctor replied. "Your body has experienced a serious trauma, followed by a shock. I would also suspect you haven't eaten since breakfast, if you could call black coffee eating."

"My mother made breakfast before she left," Kathryn grumbled defensively, knowing she sounded like a sulky child.

"She may have made breakfast, but my scans don't indicate that you ate it," the hologram retorted.

With difficulty, Kathryn resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at him.

Chakotay had made a trip to the replicator and handed her half a cheese sandwich, keeping the other half for himself.

As he took a bite from his half, Kathryn commented, "That's not enough for you."

"I, at least, had breakfast. Eat up," he ordered. "Doctor, let me see if I understand clearly. If either Kathryn or I have sex with another Human, it will result in pregnancy and miscarriage every time. If we have sex with each other, it will be as if this virus never happened."

"Fundamentally, yes. I will, of course, continue with my studies in an attempt to solve this conundrum, but for the present, your only safe course of action is abstinence or each other. I can't even be certain that you'd be protected with a different Alpha Quadrant species."

"Anything else we need to know?" Chakotay asked.

The Doctor's usually ebullient expression changed, and he appeared hesitant, fidgeting in his chair, crossing, then uncrossing his holographic legs. "Actually, Captain, there is one more thing. While you were both still sedated, I had the opportunity to check in on my other patient, and of course, Seven wanted all the details regarding what had transpired and why. She…requested to speak with you, Captain, at your earliest convenience."

Chakotay sighed and rose to his feet. "I'll just bet she did."

Kathryn watched his broad back disappear out the door before turning to the EHM. "Doctor, thank you for your efforts."

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more, but I will keep trying," he replied sincerely. When she remained in her chair, making no move to leave, he inquired, "Are you feeling unwell, Admiral? Shall I get you some more food?"

"No, I'm fine, I'm just…procrastinating." Taking a deep, she stood and squared her shoulders. "I'm going to my office."

"Admiral," the EMH protested, "I don't want you working just yet. I think you should-"

She looked back from the doorway. "What I have to do now is much harder than work, Doctor."

*****

Geoff's face filled the viewscreen of the console in her office. He shook his head in amazement, then propped his chin in hand. "Hon, if you wanted to break up with me, all you had to do was say so. You didn't have to concoct a tale of that magnitude for my benefit."

Her laugh was a little shaky. "It's not nice to tease like that, Geoff. I wanted to chicken out and wait until you got home tomorrow, but I'd promised to let you know if we discovered anything."

"If you hadn't called me, I would have called you anyway." Frowning, he asked, "You don't suppose this whole scenario is some sicko scheme by - what was the name of that all-powerful initial guy who wanted to mate with you? Maybe this is his revenge for getting the cold shoulder from you."

"Initial guy? You mean Q? It certainly is bizarre enough, but this isn't his style. Oddly enough, there's usually method to his madness. Besides, he doesn't like Chakotay, so I can't see him doing this. I'm really sorry about all this, Geoff."

He smiled at her gently and shrugged. "Can't be helped. It is what it is. Hon, you and I knew we'd only be together for a season; I just didn't expect the season to be this brief. Maybe when I'm a hundred I'll write my memoirs and tell the world how I was the second last Human to sleep with the famous Kathryn Janeway, conqueror of the Delta Quadrant."

She laughed outright. "By that point, no one will care. Besides, you're rather getting ahead of yourself and assuming something that may never happen."

He rolled his eyes. "Give me a break. It won't happen tonight, and it may not happen tomorrow, but it will, Kathryn, mark my words. On second thought, maybe I shouldn't wait for my dotage to do those memoirs, but I should write a biography on you now and entitle it, 'The Complicated Life of Kathryn Janeway'."

"Nobody would believe you."

Geoff looked over his shoulder as a timer beeped in the background. "I've got to go, hon. All kidding aside, you're an amazing woman, and while I won't say I've enjoyed every minute we had together - I could have done without that little race to the ER - I can honestly say it's been a privilege to share your life for a while."

His serious, earnest demeanor was almost her undoing, but she managed to smile. "Back at you, Geoffrey Reid. We did have fun, didn't we?"

"Definitely. And we still need to do dinner. But you're buying. Those Ferengis at the Chinese restaurant stiffed me for the bill to replace the carpet you bled on."

*****

Heart-sore, she needed a place to find some solace, and she knew just the spot. Once outside of the building, the warm sunshine and bustling 'Fleeters gradually began to lift her spirits. As the saying was, life did go on. She headed straight for the renowned Starfleet gardens.

A visit to Boothby's rose garden had always centered and calmed her. Touching a beautiful pink and white tipped rose, she remembered the many times in the early years on Voyager when she'd found comfort in Kes's well-tended Airponics Bay.

Rounding a curve in the path to her favorite spot at the top of a hill overlooking the bay, she came to a sudden halt. It was already occupied, and her heart leaped in recognition.

"Great minds think alike," Chakotay stated without turning to look at her.

"And fools seldom differ," she finished the old idiom.

"Not sure I want to know which one I am."

"A little of both."

"Thanks. Speak for yourself."

"Oh believe me, I am," she replied.

Chakotay shifted on the stone bench, patted the spot beside him, and held out his hand to her. "I warmed it up for you. Despite the sunshine, there's a cool breeze up here today."

They sat together in silence, watching the view for a few moments before Chakotay said, "I keep expecting Q to pop up with that annoying laugh of his, and say, 'Gotcha!'"

"Funny you should say that, because Geoff said much the same thing. This isn't Q's style, but I tell you, if he did-"

"His life wouldn't be worth targ shit," Chakotay finished.

"Believe me, his omnipotence would be sorely tested." Kathryn turned to Chakotay studying his profile. Content was not the word she would use to describe his expression, perhaps more resigned. "How's Seven? I should go visit her."

Chakotay made a guttural noise. "I wouldn't recommend it right now. Give it some time, like maybe a year or two."

She made a face. "That bad?"

"You've seen her angry on Voyager but that's mild compared to what she's like now without her failsafe device." Chakotay sighed. "Personally, I think she's more upset at having her plans messed up than she is about the end of our relationship."

Kathryn placed her hand on his arm. "I'm so sorry, Chakotay."

He shook his head. "Don't be. This wasn't the first time I realized it's a lot easier to take the girl out of the Borg than it is to take the Borg out of the girl. The combination of Borg arrogance and volatile emotions isn't a pretty one. I'd about had enough of it, and this whole weird experience just took care of the issue."

"You said earlier today-" She stopped and shook her head. "I can't believe it was only this morning I got off the lift and heard you yelling at the Doctor. Anyway, you said that you could guess why Seven had deactivated her booster without telling you. Were you correct?"

His jaw tightened as he stared out at the distance where the white dot of a sailboat skimmed across the water. "Pretty much. She figured that when I finally came around to her way of thinking, we would be able to proceed much quicker. Another case of Borg efficiency, even when it comes to copulation and procreation."

"Ouch," she winced.

"Never mind. As you said to the Doctor, all water under the bridge now. How did things go with Geoff?"

Kathryn smiled tenderly. "Okay. Weird, but okay. I've certainly never broken up with anyone over long distance communications, and definitely not for anything resembling this. Geoff's a good guy. We're going to have dinner next week."

"I'm sorry, Kathryn. He seems like a nice man, and I liked the way he treated you."

She raised her eyebrow askance. "Keeping tabs, were you?"

"Hey, part of my job for seven years was watching out for you. Old habits die hard." Suddenly he groaned and ran one hand over his face.

"What is it?" she asked anxiously.

"I just remembered I still have to do that interview with Geoff."

"Oh. Now that's going to be interesting."

"I'll say." The wind had picked up, and he reached a hand to brush her hair from her eyes. "Kathryn, I hope you won't be offended, but I've never believed that old romantic notion that there's only one person in the universe for each of us. I guess that's changed in a dramatic way now."

Shaking her head in bemusement, she kicked at a clump of dirt by her foot. "Dramatic - yes, that's a good word for it. Perhaps even melodramatic."

"I guess it could have been worse. Think if you had been stuck with Neelix."

Kathryn choked. "Believe me, I would never have had sex with Neelix on New Earth." She sighed. "You and I are going to have to get to know each other in a whole new way."

He nodded. "Agreed. Other than our time on New Earth, our entire relationship was in the context of Voyager and the needs of the crew. Even in our friendship, there was no escape from the knowledge that you were the captain, and I was the first officer, and at any second we might have to flip from sharing a drink to battle stations."

"We often did. And even on New Earth, it was a totally unique experience, unreal, like Shangri-la or Brigadoon."

"Adam and Eve of the Delta Quadrant."

Kathryn turned her head to study him. He was a handsome man, face slightly weathered, giving evidence of a life full of a myriad of experiences. But there were also laugh lines around his mouth, and despite recent trying events, his eyes were undimmed. He was studying her as well, and she couldn't help wondering what he saw.

She stuck her hand out. "Hi. I'm Kathryn Janeway."

A slow smile began to spread over his face, and he grasped her hand. "Chakotay. Pleased to meet you, Kathryn."

She looked around her. "Do you come here often?"

Laughing outright, but willing to continue the game, he replied, "I used to. It was one of my favorite spots, but I've been away for a while."

"Me too."

They sat in easy silence for a few moments until Chakotay asked, "Would you care to take a walk, Kathryn?"

"I'd like that."

They rose as one and silently began to meander back along the pathway. After a few moments, Chakotay drew her hand through the crook of his arm. They walked slowly together, savoring the sunshine and the breeze in their faces.

"Do you like coffee, Chakotay?"

"I've learned to appreciate it over the last few years. A good friend of mine is addicted to it."

"Obviously a person of discerning tastes. Coffee is the finest organic suspension ever devised."

He placed his hand over hers, regarding her with a smile that lit his eyes. "Interesting you should say that. She once told me the exact same thing."

"As I said, a person of discerning tastes. Have you ever been to The Night Owl, Chakotay?"

"No, but I've heard a lot about it. Would you like to go there?"

She nodded. "Absolutely. Let's do it." Squeezing his elbow, Kathryn leaned her head against his arm as they continued to walk together.

The End

Feedback? Please.

© Brianna Thomas, January 2009 Please email me to post/distribute elsewhere.