"Were did you find her?"

"She was in her ready room, sat at her desk"

"And you found her like this?"

"Yes, I was in going to see her about the latest warp core diagnostic tests and I found her slumped over her desk"

"Thank you Commander, you can go back to the bridge now"

"I'm not leaving her"

"Commander, Captain Janeway is currently unconscious and not responding to either verbal commands or pain, I will do my best to come to a conclusion but you are needed on the bridge"

"I left Tuvok in charge; I am staying with her until she wakes up"

"Very well Commander but you must stay out my way"

"Understood"

…

Chakotay watched as the Doctor moved around the bio-bed, checking sensors and applying hypo-sprays.

"Have you found out what's wrong with her yet?"

"There seems to be some form of … energy … blocking any access to her cerebral cortex; I haven't been able to get an accurate scan yet as it is constantly blocking my attempts to see what is going on in her head"

"What does that mean?"

"Something is in her head and is stopping her waking up, but it is also not letting me see what is going on in there"

"Something's in her head?"

"That is the only suggestion I can come up with, this is very similar to the incident where the non-corporeal being manifested it self in her brain and tried to kill her"

"You mean when we came across the Vidiians?"

"Yes exactly"

"Could this really be happening again?"

"I do not think so; the biometric readings I am receiving are different"

"So what are we going to do?"

"You Commander are going to go get some sleep, you have been sat with Captain Janeway for three days now and I do not believe I have seen you sleep once"

"I'm not leaving her"

"Then at least get some sleep on one of the other beds"

"You must wake me up if anything happens"

"Of course Commander"

The hologram watched as the former Marquis stood from where he had been sat next to the silent woman and brushed a hand down the side of her face. He turned his back, letting him have a moment; it wasn't as if none of the crew could see the connection between the two of them.

"I'm not going anywhere Kathryn"

"Commander I must insist"

"Yes alright"

The Doctor watched as the tired officer laid himself on the nearest bed and rolled so that he was facing her sleeping form.

"Lights low"

He headed into his office and sat behind the desk.

"EMH to Commander Tuvok"

"Yes Doctor"

"Commander Chakotay has finally agreed to get some rest but he won't leave the medical bay so I want him to be left undisturbed"

"Understood Doctor … how is the Captain?"

"She is still unconscious; I have not been able to find a way to get past the mental block this alien energy is throwing up using any of my equipment"

"I have an idea about that Doctor, I will be up shortly"

"Yes Commander"

He stood and walked over to the glass window.

"There has to be a way"

…

"Commander Tuvok, what can I do for you?"

"Well Doctor; I believe you said that none of your electrical equipment could get past what ever it is that is doing this"

"Yes I did"

"Have you considered using a non-electrical method?"

"What are you thinking of Commander?"

"I could perform a mind-meld with the Captain, to see if I can get past this so-called block"

"That could be very dangerous"

"We must exhaust all options Doctor"

"Very well; shall I wake Commander Chakotay?"

"No, he should not be awake in case something goes wrong"

"A necessary precaution I agree"

They both moved at the same time, the Doctor to his main console to monitor Kathryn's brainwaves and Tuvok to stand behind her. He placed his fingertips to hr face, evenly spread across her cheeks and forehead and he closed his eyes.

"My mind to your mind … My thoughts to your thoughts … My mind to your mind … My thoughts…"

…

"Commander … Commander Tuvok"

The Vulcan was startled out of the meld and quickly folded his hands behind his back.

"Very interesting"

"Commander Tuvok … you were in that mind-meld for nearly five hours"

"Was there any change to the Captains condition?"

"No but her brain activity has increased and her general life signs are greatly improved"

"I had hoped so"

"What happened in there?"

Tuvok looked over to the still sleeping 1st Officer and motioned towards the separated office. Once the hologram had seated him self behind the desk he started.

"You are right Doctor"

"Obviously"

"There is a … energy of sorts … blocking access to all electrical scanning equipment, but I was able to slip through safely"

"And?"

"She seems to be in some sort of induced hallucinogenic coma"

"How is that possible?"

"From what I could gather it was caused by a drug found naturally in the Omayeo plant we collected from the last survey mission from the Oyhema Asteroid"

"So this was an accident?"

"As far as I can tell and I do not make assumptions easily"

"Well can I treat it?"

"The Captain ingested a large quantity of the plant; she used it as a replacement for her coffee so there will be a lot of damage"

"What about the mental block; why couldn't I scan her brain properly?"

"The plant is designed to block out attempts to access certain functions of the brain as the Oyhema people use it as an aide to speak to their spiritual leaders and they wouldn't be able to fully merge themselves with distractions"

"So basically she is stuck in a hallucinogenic coma and you don't know how to wake her up"

"Commander Chakotay … I didn't realize you were awake"

"I've been awake since Tuvok went into the mind-meld"

"Commander you need to rest"

"She is more important than me getting sleep"

"I beg to differ Commander … the crew needs you"

"They will have to cope with you Tuvok … I need to be here for when she wakes up"

The Vulcan looked at him.

"Understood Commander"

He moved aside giving him space to sit back next to her.

"Is there anything that we can do?"

"Apart from keeping her pumped with nutrients and liquids not really, when it comes to coma's I'm afraid they have a life of their own"

"So we have to wait?"

"I'm afraid so Commander"

…

3 weeks had gone by and she still hadn't woken up. Chakotay had eventually agreed to go to back to the bridge but he still visited her daily. The main bio-bed had been sectioned off and made hers, as she was showing no signs of leaving any time soon.

Tuvok did his best to assist on the bridge but between trying to field off questions about Kathryn and dealing with the Vidiians they had come across he was starting to lose his ever calm patience with the 1st Officer.

Eventually they received a call they had all been waiting for.

"EMH to Chakotay"

"Yes Doctor"

"Her brain activity has increased drastically Commander; I believe she is going to wake up"

"I'll be right there … Commander Tuvok you have the bridge"

The whole bridge turned and watched as he practically ran from the bridge towards the turbo lift.

It took mere minutes for him to reach the sick bay, almost as if the turbo lift could sense his hurry. He swept through the doors the doors and rushed to her side, clutching her hand.

"Is she okay?"

"As far as I can tell she is in no pain but without being able to scan properly I can not give you a definitive answer"

"How long until she wakes up?"

"By my reckoning, it should only be a few minutes, her brain activity has increased and she now responds to painful stimuli"

Chakotay looked down at his sleeping Captain, her hair longer and loose around her ears, the paleness to her skin despite the nutrients being pumped into her.

"Come on Katherine, wake up"

They waited with baited breath, no one wanting to make a noise incase it disturbed her. Finally after what felt like hours but could only have been minutes her eyes flickered.

The Doctor ushered everyone else away behind the curtain that had been put up. He shut it behind them and moved back up the bed, tri-quarter in hand. Her movements increased, her head rolling slightly, her eyes flickering, her hands clenching and un-clenching.

"Captain?"

They watched as her eyes opened, blue peeking through lashes.

"Doctor?"

"Yes Captain?"

"What the hell are you doing in my quarters?"

"Nice to see you to Captain"

Chakotay laughed and relaxed.

"Chakotay, please tell me what is going on here"

"In due time, just let the Doctor check you out first"

"Why do I need to be checked out?"

"Kathryn, you have been in a coma for nearly a month, just let the Doctor do his work"

"What the hell is going on, why are you both here?"

He laughed again.

"Don't worry about that Kathryn, just know this, I will always be here"