Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own them, but I do like to make them still feel useful.

Notes: A huge thanks goes out to my Awesome beta QS for painstakingly putting up with my commas or lack thereof and to Maja for consenting to do a read-through and so nicely pointing out my inappropriate spacing. The both of you Rock! This story was inspired by two things...both of which I'll tell you about when it's all over.

Yes, I'm posting in parts, but rest assured that it will not go unfinished because it already is with the exception of daily tweaks and changes. The plan is to post daily and it's a little less than 50,000 words so probably won't take too long. Hope you enjoy!

Not Ready to Make Nice by Cheshire

Kathryn Janeway studied the colorful collage in front of her. It was looking good. All of the flowers she had planted and babied for the past six months were finally showing progress. It was about time. Tucking a strand of wayward auburn hair behind her ear, she turned to the patch of dirt behind her. Now if only her tomatoes would cooperate.

Apparently, she'd only really been able to cultivate that particular produce on New Earth because she sure wasn't having any luck with this year's crop. She didn't know what else she could possibly do for them, and they weren't even Talaxian. She frowned. Maybe that was the problem. One more alien species that she'd gotten along with better than her own people.

A klaxon sounded, and Kathryn looked up. She hadn't realized it was so late in the evening. Gathering up her gardening tools and giving her tomatoes one last scowl, Kathryn headed towards the main building at the center of the property. A young ensign that she hadn't seen before gaped at her as she passed through the main entrance.

"Must be a newbie."

Kathryn turned and smiled at the rather large Bajoran woman that had appeared at her side. "Nice to know I can still turn heads," she quipped.

"Damn straight," the Bajoran snorted and then eyed her shrewdly. "You are going to go down to dinner, aren't you?"

"Yes," Kathryn sighed. She really liked Tenel Bor, but the woman's mother hen tendencies sometimes annoyed her. She needed to change the subject before the woman really got going. "Is your son coming up tomorrow?"

The other woman's face lit up. "Yes, and he's bringing the new grandbaby this time."

"Good." Kathryn tried to look happy for Tenel, but an unexpected pang squeezed her heart. She motioned vaguely to the upper hall. "I'm just going to go put these things in my room, and then I'll be down."

"Your skinny ass needs to eat," Tenel muttered loudly, turning to go the opposite direction.

Nodding at another one of the Starfleet personnel, Kathryn made her way up to the small room that she currently called home. Four walls, a small bathroom, a single bed, and some pictures on the wall were all she had these days, but at least it was semi-private. She took a moment to try and regain her equilibrium.

The "grandbaby" comment had taken her by surprise. It seemed as though every time she'd accepted that she had no chance at having her own family, something always brought it back to the forefront. She shook her head at herself and moved towards the small sink to wash her face and hands before she went down to dinner.

After all, spending the next ten years at the Starfleet Minimum Security Rehabilitation Center for Women wasn't really going to allow for things like starting a family.

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Yes, I know...it's short and I'm evil but it's just a teaser. I promise the rest of the parts will be longer so I hope you'll stick with me.