Title: A little Q goes a long way

A/N: dedicated to the Dutch Kate Mulgrewfans (especially Carol,Tessa and Mariek!)and all the J/C fans, including Dallas

Chapter 1

"Computer, activate sonic shower."
Janeway leaned over her sink and gazed into the mirror. The worn-out, scruffy looking captain staring back at her confirmed her suspicions; she looked as bad as she felt.

After 18 hours on the bridge, Chakotay had finally convinced her to get some rest. Instead, she stayed up an additional 5 hours in her private quarters, reading reports. And now she wasn't even sure she could even make it to the shower.

Sighing, she shrugged off her jacket, pulled the dark grey shirt over her head, leaving her in the greyish tanktop and black pants. Just as she was bending over to take off her boots, the shower stopped. She was in no state to find out why it had suddenly stopped and merely mumbled; "Computer, activate sonic shower….again."

"Only if I can join you!"

Shrieking, Kathryn spun around to find Q standing in her shower, dressed in a light blue bathrobe and holding a yellow rubber ducky. "Don't be shy now, we've already shared a bath together once, remember?"

"Q!" She held on to the sink for support. "What do you think you're doing in my shower? No, wait, don't explain. Just DISSAPEAR!" She turned around and started to walk away. "Go back to the continuum! AND STAY THERE!"

As she collapsed on her bed, Q appeared next to her. "Ouch, Kathy. If I wasn't so happy to see you and if you weren't so sleep-deprived, that could have hurt my feelings. That is, if Q's had such feelings for insignificant species."

"GO….. away" She turned around, her back now facing him.

"No need to growl at me, my dearest. I simply stopped by to see how my favourite human was doing."

"I'm dying, as you can see. Get… out!" She pulled the covers over her.

Q laughed, his eyes sparkling. "Ah yes, you're so much fun to be around, Kathy." He reached out to stroke her head, but his hand was slapped away. "How …did …you see ...that coming …? Never mind. I know this isn't the best of times to try and….talk to you, but I have an important issue to discuss with you. Something I can discuss with only you."

Janeway sighed, pushed herself from the bed and glared down at him with all the energy she had left in her. "If it's about helping you raise your son or mating with you…..NO!"

Smiling, he jumped up from the bed and put his hands on her shoulders. "Oh Kathy, I love it when you glare at me. "

Another glare from her was enough for him to quickly take his hands off her shoulders.

"And this isn't about one or the other……" He saw her breath a sigh of relief. "It's about both, really. We should have a child together and you should raise it. What do you say? Shall we mate now, or mate later?"

"A child? With YOU? Why would I even consider doing that?" She couldn't believe this. "You, who dumped your first child on me because you couldn't handle him, and he wasn't even mine!"

"But you did great with him anyway! You are a natural born mother, Kathy!" Q pleaded, as he kneeled before her. "Besides, I saw the way you looked at junior when he was here for the first time."

"Just because I don't have children doesn't mean I don't like them." She retorted, annoyed.

"But you should have children!" He grabbed her shoulders. "Better yet, you should have children with MOI."

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "With you! I can't think of any reason why I would do that."

Q's eyes widened. "I can!"

"I'm sure you do but I'm really not interested" she waved it off.

"Not even a little?"

"NO! And now get off my ship!"

"But Kathy…"

"No ! It was no then and it's still no now! Listen to me." She walked up to him "How on earth do you expect me to raise a child here? Even if I wanted to I just can't! And you…" She pointed at him. "Are just about the least responsible…"

Suddenly the ship jolted causing Q to topple over her as they both hit the floor. Clearly enjoying himself, he wagged his eyebrows at her playfully.

"Q! Get off me!" She pushed him away angrily.

"Why? I quite like it here…" Q grinned until he was pushed aside.

Janeway straightened her clothes and tapped her comm. "Captain to the bridge. Report"

"They're not going to find anything on their scanners, Kath-my-sweet!" Q called from the floor.

"Q, shut up!" she hissed and awaited Chakotay's response.

"Nothing on sensors Captain, we don't know what caused it." Her first officer's voice sounded through her quarters.

"Hm…keep scanning Commander"

"Aye Captain"

"Janeway out." She turned around to glare at Q some more, but he held up his hands in mock-defence.

"Alright alright, you made your point….." He sighed as he got up. "Did I hurt you?"

"I'm fine." Kathryn walked to her bed and sat down "Just a little sore"

"Oh Kathy, I'm so sorry, if…"

"Don't be." she cut him off. "If you want to help me, just get out"

"Ok." He looked insulted but she knew better than that. Q knew exactly what he had to do to get under her skin and in fact, he'd just succeeded.

"I mean NOW, Q." She gritted trough her teeth.

"Yes ma'am." he smiled, saluted her and disappeared with a flash.

"Finally…" She sighed, walking towards her bed.

"I heard that!"

"You were supposed to!"

"Bye my beloved!"

Rolling her eyes at the ceiling as she collapsed back on the bed, Kathryn fell asleep almost instantly.

-

When she woke up that morning she felt sick. In fact, she had never felt so sick before in her life. "That's the last time I'm letting Neelix lure me into trying one of his experiments!" she cursed and barely made it to the toilet in time. After that, she took a shower and slowly got dressed, but didn't feel much better.

"Captain on the bridge." Chakotay said as he got up and went to his own chair.

"At ease.." She sighed and sat down, her face pale.

Chakotay leaned over the console. "Are you alright?"

"Hm?" she looked at her concerned first officer. "Yes…no…I don't know…You could say I've been better."

"Perhaps you should pay a visit to sickbay, I'm sure the doctor can help you." He suggested.

"I'm sure I'll live, Chakotay, it's probably something I ate." She shrugged it off.

"Then, I still think you should go to sickbay."

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Why would I?" she replied a little annoyed.

"Just do it for me. And besides, Voyager needs a healthy Captain, don't you agree?"

"Fine, have it your way then." She was not in the mood to argue. "I'll be right back. You've got he bridge, Commander."

-

"Interesting…….." The doctor mumbled and raised an eyebrow as he looked down at his tricorder.

"What's wrong?" Kathryn frowned.

"Well..." He began. " 'Wrong' may not be the appropriate term for your condition."

"Alright….explain?"

"Very well. Captain, what you are experiencing is NVP. It's probably due to a number of factors. A combination of physiologic changes, higher levels of hormones, higher sensitivity to odours, amongst others."

"Look, I'm not the one with the medical expertise here." She groaned. "Just tell me what is causing me to feel…all this."

The EMH lowered his voice. "Captain, I believe that you are suffering from morning sickness."

Janeway jumped up. "WHAT? I'm what! That's impossible!"

"Captain, my tri-corder doesn't lie."

"I know that, I just don't understand. How could this happen? I can't be pregnant!" she said in disbelief. "It's…. impossible!"

"Impossible?"

"Well, not entirely impossible! But I haven't had….How can I be pregnant!"

"Please sit down again. My readings will tell." He scanned her again. One of his eyebrows shot up. "Ooh. That's odd…"

"Odd? What's odd? Besides the fact that I'm pregnant!" she still couldn't believe this. This day could not get any stranger than it already was.

"It appears that the father isn't human but…..your child is half Q. And growing fast. Would you like to know the sex of the baby?" He asked her in very standard procedure way.

"Half….Q! Q?" she almost roared. The EMH took a few steps back. "I could've known he had a hand in this! " She got up but the doctor stopped her from leaving sickbay.

"I'd suggest you take the rest of the day off and return to your quarters. This Q child is developing at an alarming rate. I don't think you'll have to carry the traditional 9 months."

Face flushed with anger, Kathryn Janeway half-growled. "Oh I won't have to carry anything! Now, get out of my way."

The captain stormed out of sickbay and marched directly back to her ready-room. "Q! Q! GET OVER HERE, NOW! You've gone too far!"

"Yes my love?" He appeared right behind her with a smug grin on his face.

"How could you do this to me! You selfish...arrogant….!" Before she knew it she'd slapped him. And it felt quite good, to be honest.

"OW!" He rubbed his cheek. "Kathy, what was that for? This time, you called me in here, and don't tell me that was just so you could slap me. What's wrong with you?"

"Wrong with me! How dare you even ask me that! Just…just undo this! AND THAT'S AN ORDER!" Kathryn screamed almost hysterically.

"Undo what? You totally lost me here!" Q really was confused now and a bit afraid.

If looks could kill, this was one of them. "You…got...me…pregnant…" She folded her arms and simply glared at him.

"I did?" Q's face lit up but he straightened it again when he saw the flames in the eyes of the woman standing opposite to him. "Oh, I mean…did I?"

"For the last time. Q….undo it." She said in a dangerously low voice. "NOW"

"Kathy, I can't."

"You mean you won't."

"No really, I can't.

"Of course you can! You're Q for heaven's sake!" She started screaming again. They didn't notice the soft swishing of the doors, as the first Officer quietly entered his captain's quarters.

She hadn't returned to the bridge and when he'd ask the doctor if he'd seen the captain, the EMH had told the first officer that she'd been furious. And was most likely now in her ready-room.

"That's the whole point. Q's can do a lot, but they can't undo pregnancy." He smirked at her.

"What do you mean you can't?"

"Well…it's not that complicated, I just can't." He shrugged. "You know…I….maybe I should go."

"No wait!" she called out as he disappeared.

"Get back here! Undo this Q! Please! Q!" Kathryn was still calling after Q had disappeared. "You can't leave me here…pregnant! Q! Undo this! PLEASE!"

Chakotay slowly approached her. "Captain……Kathryn?" He reached out a hand and softly touched her shoulder. At the feel of his touch, she spun around and the second he saw her flushed, tear-streaked face, his heart broke. "Oh ...Kathryn."

He pulled her to him and held her close. "It will be alright. I overheard…. Q didn't mean for it to happen like this. We will find a way to make this work."

"How can you say that?" She shook her head. "I'm pregnant! I've always wanted a child but not like this! It has to be born out of love and consent…not out of…out of this…He has to undo this!"

"I know. It's beyond unfair. You don't know what I'd like to do to Q right now. "

He looked down at her sad yet angry face and smiled. "Or maybe you do. But I'm afraid this can't be undone."

"I know", she whispered, shaking her head. "I know that. This is just……shocking… I mean, I'm going to be pregnant…and.. well, the hormones.. I just found out.. this is all happening too fast. One moment I feel sick, the next I discover I'm pregnant. "

"Remember the ancient legend? This angry warrior swore to himself that he would stay by her side doing whatever he could to make her burden lighter. From that point on her needs would come first. I meant what I said, back then." He softly stroked her hair.

She suddenly pulled back from his comforting embrace and looked up at him. "Three years ago, I didn't even know your name. Today I can't imagine a day without you."

"I see I'm not the only one with an excellent memory." Chakotay smiled and she couldn't help but smile back.

"Maybe you should get some rest..." he suggested carefully. "We'll figure all of this out when you've calmed down."

Kathryn nodded as she turned away from him. "For the first time in my life….I don't know what to do. I…I don't know how to handle this. This is a challenge…I don't want to face."

He stepped up behind her. "If it can't be undone, you won't have to face if on your own. That's a promise. You won't be alone."

"Chakotay….thank you." She sighed and started to walk towards her bed.

"Always." He watched her as she sat down on the bed. She had always been petite, but her strength, natural calm and stubbornness had always more than made up for her lack in height. But now, to him, she looked tinier than ever. Broken, furious and confused.

"I'll let you know if anything changes."

Kathryn Janeway merely nodded as she stared at the ground and the sounds of the doors opening and closing told her he'd left.

-

When Chakotay returned to the bridge, he found that he couldn't quite focus anymore. So he decided to call it a night and left the bridge to Tuvok.

The doors closed behind him. "Computer, lights on" As the room lit up, he was still too lost in thoughts to notice the unexpected and uninvited visitor standing in a corner of the room.

"I don't really understand why she's so upset about this!" Chakotay heard a voice behind him.

He turned around and stared Q in the face. "You! Get the hell of this ship before I kill you!"

Q rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively. "Oh please, don't bother. I don't feel like fighting today. I think I know what happened here and I wanted to apologise."

"Then, I think you've come to the wrong person."

"Maybe so….but I think I also owe you an apology." Q tried his best puppy look.

Chakotay was not impressed yet. It wasn't very Q-like to even make an attempt at apologising to someone or even admit that he'd been wrong but up till now the former Maquis hadn't heard any kind of apology. "Me? You annoy the hell out of me, I'll give you that but I don't see why you have to apologise to me."

"Well I kind of thought that Kathy always wanted children with…you"

"There is nothing between the Captain and me and you know that." Chakotay turned away.

"Oh please, tattoo-boy! Stop that façade, who do you think you're kidding here?"

"We're not here to talk about me, now get to the point!" The normally so calm first officer was quickly losing his patience.

Q sighed. "Fine, let me tell you what happened."

"I think I know what happened…" Chakotay growled.

"Yes but you've only heard one side of the story, now be quiet and hear me out." Q sat down on the couch and looked at Chakotay pointedly.

Chakotay couldn't believe the way Q was treating him. Almost as he was to blame for this! He opened his mouth to say something but he was cut off before he'd said anything.

"Remember that little jolt earlier?"

"Yes and don't tell me you caused that because then I will definitely kill you."

"I didn't and stop the death threats because they're distracting me. Now, do you want to hear what I have to say or not?"

Chakotay sighed as he paced around. "Fine, go on. But make it fast."

"Now, I didn't cause that bump and I also know that you didn't find anything on your scanners because it was completely innocent. Nothing to worry about, trust me on this one." Q paused. "At that moment, I was in Kathy's quarters."

Chakotay winced a little when Q addressed the Captain as Kathy. He'd never liked it when Q did that. "What were you doing there?"

"I was just getting to that. Anyway, the ship jumped and we'll fell. And…I fell on top of her; I think that's when it happened. Our index fingers must have touched." Q actually didn't seem to be too happy about it.

Chakotay arched an eyebrow. "Earlier, you seemed pretty happy about the whole situation. Why this sudden change of mind?"

"The rest of the continuum heard about it, and…" Q sighed as he dramatically threw up his hands. "They think I raped her! But I didn't! Honestly, I accidentally fell over; I really didn't have anything to do with that bump in space! When we fell, I stretched out my arms to soften the fall and well, Kathryn did the same from trying to stop me from falling on top off her! You have to believe me!"

"Why would I?"

"Because it's the truth!" Q was beginning to become a little desperate." Really! I admit I wanted another child, with Captain Kath…but not like this!"

Chakotay considered that for a moment. "Alright…" He began. "Say I believe you, what are you going to do about this?"

"I suppose I should…."Q gulped. "Be a father to our child."

"We've all heard that one before."

Q put his hands on his hips and glared at Chakotay. "Why? Do you have a better idea? Are you going to tell me a story now?"

"No, I'm not. But since you are the father and I can't think of anything else either right now so I'll give you this chance. But…"

Q rolled his eyes. "There's a but? Ha! I knew there was a catch to this. Very well. Name your conditions."

Chakotay walked up to Q, until they were only inches apart. "I'll be watching you, Q… and I swear that I will kill you if you do anything else to upset or hurt her."

"Fair enough, but may I again remind you that I can't be killed?"

"You get my point don't you?"

Q nodded. "Yes commander…."

"Good." Chakotay snapped. "Now leave."

"So…I can go see her now?" Q piped up as he took a few steps back.

"No. You've had your say. Now get out off this ship!"

Q frowned. "Oh Chuckles… don't be such a party pooper, why not?"

"Because she's finally asleep and you've already caused enough trouble here!" Chakotay was really starting to lose his patience.

"Fine!" Q huffed. "Have it your way. I'll stop by later. Oh! Before I forget; could you please tell Kathy what I just told you? Thanks!" And Q disappeared again.

Chakotay dropped his head in his hands. "Why Spirits can't he be killed!"

TBC ? Review and let us (us Maud& Heleen)know what you think !