Title: Wonderful Things

Author: skadoo

Series: Star Trek: Voyager

Disclaimer: I don't own them or much of anything else this interesting.

Rating: T

Summary: B'Elanna and Kathryn in her Ready Room shortly after Workforce. They chat briefly about Kathryn's experience on Quarra. J/T friendship

Feedback: Is always appreciated, please read and review each story you read on FFN. The only payment I receive are the reviews, although I'll be standing at the end of hallway over there with a cup and some pencils if you're so inclined…

Author's Note: Thank you to Mrs. Singing Violin for her duties as Beta. So, if you find mistakes they're entirely my fault.

B'Elanna walked into the ready room and over to the sofa to hand the PADD to her commanding officer. "That's a report on the status of all of the ship's systems. In short, everything is running at optimum levels."

Janeway stood up and took the PADD eagerly. She chided her chief engineer, "You should have let someone else deliver this report." She put the PADD down at the end of the table and added warmly, "Would you like something to eat or drink? I was about to have lunch." The captain indicated B'Elanna should sit on the sofa by patting the spot next to her. "Take a load off. That's an order," she said as she eased herself back into her comfy corner.

"Gladly." Did we fuss over Sam this much? "But please don't cluck after me, Captain. I feel fine. Honestly." The engineer belied her words by rubbing her lower back with both hands. B'Elanna carefully took a seat next to her commanding officer.

Laughter burbled from the captain's lips at the word cluck. She leaned forward and dropped her voice conspiratorially, "But I have selfish motives, Lieutenant. Voyager needs its chief engineer, as Seven would say, at peak efficiency." The captain turned serious again for a short moment, "You must be tired because of the baby." Janeway arranged a small plate of sandwiches and a glass of juice on the table near her guest.

I think I like seeing this relaxed side of our captain. I guess Quarra was good for her after all.

Kathryn dropped her eyes and smirked, "I guess I am feeling a bit maternal towards the crew. But I guess in your case it would be a tad more… er, grandmotherly." She smiled again at the absurd notion and helped herself to lunch.

An idea suddenly crossed the chief engineer's mind as she watched the captain's amusement. "Permission to speak freely."

The captain paused, puzzling as she took a bite of her sandwich. "Permission granted."

"You were in a relationship with Jaffen for most of the time you were on Quarra. They tinkered with our lives… our memories," she emphasized that last part of her sentence, "…our bodies."

Janeway reached out and took a sip of her juice as she nodded, urging the other woman to continue with her thoughts.

"Captain, are you sure you're not…" Should I be asking this? "that you might not be…." B'Elanna's eyes dropped down towards her own torso and then back up to look at the captain. She added quietly, "You're having juice with your lunch."

The captain put down her glass abruptly. Is that what they all think? I wonder if Tom already has a betting pool going? Janeway blushed, her eyebrows raised to her hairline, "No, Lieutenant. I'm not pregnant. I'm fairly certain."

Fairly, Captain? What does that mean?

At the slight questioning look still on the engineer's face, Janeway stated firmly, "I was medically cleared by the Doctor upon my return." Why are you asking? Are you going to share this little conversation with Chakotay? She pointedly filled up a mug with coffee, letting the conversation stall.

Great job, B'Elanna! Well, she wouldn't put a pregnant woman in the brig would she? "You said you had no regrets about leaving the planet but is that really true? You might have finally been able to have a home, a family… children."

The captain stated firmly, "I have a home. It's on Earth." She paused, trying to rein in her brief flash of temper, stating affectionately, "I already have a family, and its here on Voyager."And of course, I already had lizard babies with Paris; I guess I can check that off my to-do list. She cleared her throat. "Jaffen could never have given me children. Our alien physiologies were…" she waved her right hand randomly trying to come up with the right word, "incompatible."

The younger woman furrowed her brow, confused. "Incompatible?" What?

Am I going to have to spell this all out? She sighed. "Jaffen is from a race called the Norvalian." She paused briefly. Of course, you haven't heard the story from Tuvok; he's not about to discuss his emotions on Quarra and his odd experience with Jaffen at the bar. "Jaffen told me about an alien who insulted his father. The alien couldn't understand why he was so utterly unperturbed. He had to explain to him that the Norvallin don't have fathers. They don't need a male to procreate."

Realization dawned on B'Elanna's face. "Then why…" Wait, that's none of my business!

"You're wondering why I might move in with him so suddenly?" Kathryn picked up her coffee cup to hide her smile. "Companionship mostly." And because he could do such wonderful things with his hands… his lips… and his tongue.