All is good in the DQ

Rated: G

Spoilers: none

Summary: Everything falls back into place.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek and its characters. Story is all mine! BDC 2010

Kathryn slowly opened her eyes.

She took a moment to take in her surroundings, realizing she was lying in her own bed.

Her hand carefully travelled downward and reality hit her.

She was still very pregnant, which could only mean she hadn't travelled back in time like she thought she had.

Q had played her, toyed with her emotions.

A flood of hurt and disappointment washed over her.

She curled up in a small ball and started crying uncontrollably.

A comforting hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Kathryn, what's wrong?" he asked.

"How can you ask that?"

"What do you mean?"

"He lied to me." she cried. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the side of her face.

She closed her eyes and expected him to be gone again when she opened them.

"Who lied to you?"

"Q."

"I don't understand. When was Q here?" He pulled her shoulder to make her lie flat on her back.

She opened her eyes again and he was still there.

"He told me I would get you back." she said, barely a whisper.

She reached up to touch his face, tracing the lines of his tattoo.

"When have you lost me?" he smiled lovingly. He bent down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

It felt so real. He felt so real. When he pulled back, she grabbed his face between both her hands.

"Tell me this is not another dream." she sobbed.

"It's not a dream, just a dream come true. You, me, our baby..."

He rested his hand on her belly and made small circles with his thumb.

Suddenly the baby kicked, reacting to its father's presence.

"Oh my God..." she whimpered, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down into an embrace.

She held on to him for dear life, crying again uncontrollably.

"Shh, its okay, I'm here."

"Never leave me again!"

"I won't." he just said, not knowing what she was talking about.

Chakotay sat down next to her, handing her a cup of tea, still confused about what she had told him just before.

She looked at him, her gaze unwavering. She reached for his hand and he took it, gently squeezing it for reassurance.

He felt she needed it.

"How are you feeling?" he asked concerned.

"Much better now you're here with me again." she smiled faintly.

"For what you told me, I can't even begin to image how you must have felt. The thought of losing you..."

"I went through hell. There were times I just wanted to give up. "

"But you didn't."

"No. Thanks to my 'family', B'Elanna, Tuvok, The Doctor, Neelix... But most of all, for this baby."

She pulled her hand from his and placed it on her tummy.

"After losing you, he or she was the only thing I had left of you. How could I give up on that?"

"I'm glad you didn't."

"You wouldn't have known."

"True, but still..." He took the cup from her and set them both on the night stand.

"Besides, giving up is not a Janeway thing. You have proven that so many times before."

He hugged her again, not only for her, but because he needed it too.

They sat there in silence for several minutes, just holding each other.

"Ouch." She drew in a short breath and held it for a second.

He pulled back and saw her with her eyes closed and her face contorted.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't know. It's my back, it's killing me." She shifted a little, but it still hurt.

"Help me get up, maybe I've been sitting too long."

He helped her up from the bed and let her walk a little.

"Better?"

"Not really." She winced again, rubbing the side of her belly.

"Shall I call the Doctor?" She nodded.

"Chakotay to Sickbay."

"Go ahead, Commander."

"Something's wrong with..."

"Oh God." Kathryn's eyes widened in shock.

"What?" Both men asked in unison.

"I think my water just broke."

"It's too soon, Chakotay." she panicked a little.

"It'll be all right, let's just get you to sickbay and see what the Doctor has to say." he tried to reassure her, hoping his own anxiety wasn't showing.

They entered sickbay and the Doctor was already getting everything ready to examine her.

"Captain, lay down here please." he gestured towards the bio-bed.

Chakotay helped her up and took her hand while the Doctor scanned her.

"You are in labour all right, but you're only 4 centimetres dilated. This could take a while."

"But it's too soon." she said again.

He smiled reassuringly. "I know, but it has a good size and weight. We'll deal with the rest when it's born."

Kathryn looked up in Chakotay's eyes. He smiled lovingly at her and she relaxed a bit.

"Are you ready to be a mommy soon?"

"As ready as I can be, yes. And you, daddy?" She didn't have the chance to wait for his answer as another contraction hit her.

Her face contorted and she held her breath. "Mmm mmm."

"What can I do?" he asked a little lost.

"There's nothing you can do, I'm afraid." The Doctor said as he came around to the other side of the bed.

"It's going to get a little worse before I can give her something for the pain. We don't want the sedative to wear out when she needs it the most, believe me."

Kathryn looked at him in disbelief. "This is going to get worse?"

She had had her fair share of pain before, but this was something completely different.

Nothing could compare to this pain.

"I need to walk." Chakotay looked at the Doctor in question.

"No problem, just stay with her." he nodded.

Chakotay helped her off the bed again and slowly started walking around with her.

She held on to his arm for support and with her free hand, rubbed her hardened belly.

"Oh, wait..." Grimacing in pain, she held her breath. He put his hand on her lower back and rubbed it gently, making it a little more bearable.

When it passed, she started pacing again. He just followed her, feeling otherwise quite helpless.

"Captain, it's time for you to lie down. Your contractions are coming closer to each other and I'd like to examine you again."

She nodded and walked to the bed, but stopped as she felt another contraction coming.

She braced herself on the side of the bed, leaning on her elbows.

Chakotay gently massaged her back and said, "It'll be okay."

"Mmmmmmmm..." was all she could manage.

As soon as that one had passed, he helped her onto the bed.

The Doctor examined her. "I'm going to give you something for the pain now. It will not be long now."

He injected her with the hypo spray and she immediately felt the effect with the next contraction.

Samantha Wildman walked into sickbay, just in time for it all to start.

"I thought Samantha was the ideal person to guide you through this." The Doctor said.

Kathryn nodded and smiled a faint smile before she started breathing through a contraction.

"We're about to start pushing, Captain." he informed and took his place at the end of the bed.

Samantha helped her pull her knees up and showed Chakotay how to support her back.

"Oh God." Kathryn drew in a breath and pushed. During the contraction, she cried out in pain.

Chakotay tightened his grip around her, not knowing what more he could do.

"You're doing great, Captain." Sam reassured her. Kathryn looked in the woman's eyes and focused on them.

She nodded and took in some deep breaths for the next push.

She grabbed her thighs and began to bear down again. When the contraction ended, she was panting for air.

"I'm so tired." she sighed and her eyes fluttered close.

"I know, just a few more pushes and it'll all be over." Sam gently squeezed her arm and smiled.

"The moment you hold that baby in your arms, this will all be forgotten."

That was something Kathryn couldn't possibly believe as she felt another contraction build up.

She braced herself again and started pushing, giving it all she had.

"The baby will be out with the next push."

"You can do this, beautiful." Chakotay whispered in her ear.

She took a few deep breaths and pushed down hard, crying out when the baby's head passed through.

The Doctor checked the umbilical cord, making sure it wasn't around the baby's neck.

"Would you like to deliver your baby now?" The Doctor asked. Kathryn looked at him in surprise and shook her head, not knowing what to do.

He took her hands and guided it to the baby's shoulders.

"With the next push, just pull it out." he smiled.

She pushed one last time, feeling the baby slide out of her and she pulled it onto her chest.

As soon as she heard her baby cry, she collapsed into Chakotay's arms and closed her eyes in relief.

The biggest smile appeared on her face.

"You did it!" Chakotay said shakily. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, tears running down his face.

She lifted her head and kissed his tear-wet lips.

"I love you!" she whispered.

"I love you too!"

"Captain, Commander, I would like you to meet your baby girl." The Doctor said as he clamped off the umbilical cord.

"Commander, would you like to do the honours?"

He took the scissors and cut the cord. He then caressed his daughter's downy head.

They stared at her as she got settled and quieted down. They were all in complete awe.

"Congratulations, Captain, Commander." Samantha said. "What will you be naming her?"

Kathryn looked at Chakotay, wondering if they ever talked about names. He was still staring at the new-born.

"Cassy. Cassy Gretchen Janeway." he said and looked in Kathryn's eyes, which instantly filled up with tears of happiness.

Kathryn sat in her recliner, watching her little girl suckling at her breast.

She bent down and kissed the black downy hairs on her precious head. She looked exactly like her father, except for her mother's blue sapphire eyes.

"Hey you, you're playing, you need to eat." She gently nudged her cheek and for a minute Kathryn thought she saw her smile.

"Oh, the dimples too?" she chuckled.

Cassy was slowly falling asleep, so Kathryn covered herself and placed the baby on her shoulder.

She was having trouble to keep her own eyes open.

Chakotay entered the room and was instantly mesmerized by the look of his two beautiful girls sleeping.

He quietly knelt down beside them and caressed Kathryn's cheek with his finger. She stirred a little and sluggishly opened her eyes.

"Hi beautiful."

"Hello there, daddy."

"How are my two favourite women on board?"

"Fine, but tired."

Chakotay stood up and carefully took the baby from her to place her in her crib. She didn't even make a peep.

He then turned to Kathryn again, who was lovingly gazing at him.

"You can't imagine how happy I am right now." she smiled.

"Oh, I think I might have an idea." He grabbed her legs and sat down, placing them on his lap.

"All is right now, you know. I have you back, we have the most beautiful baby in the galaxy and for the first time in a long time I feel like I can carry the world."

He ran his fingers through her hair and she leaned into his touch.

"Kathryn?"

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?"

Her face lit up like the sky on the 4th of July.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she had to swallow past the lump in her throat.

"I... I..."

"I do is for later." he joked. She playfully swatted him on the arm and then flung her arms around his neck.

"Of course I will marry you!"

"And you thought things couldn't get any better." He pulled back and kissed her.

All was good in the DQ...

The End

BDC 2010