Title: Dream a Little Dream of Me
Author: Megan Faye
Rated: PG
Disclaimer: Paramount owns.
Kathryn Janeway opened her eyes and stared up at the ceiling. She heard Tom in the nursery playing with their three children. It was nearly 0600, and the two of them were to be on duty at 0800. Kathryn quickly showered and dressed. She brushed her hair quickly in the mirror. When she decided that it was going to be stouborn no matter what she did, she replaced the brush and pulled her boots on.
"Goodmorning, Kathryn," Tom said, with their son, Gene in one arm, and one of their daughters, Kessa, in the other. He kissed his beloved and handed their daughter off.
"Sleep all right, Love?" she asked, shifting the 2 year old a little higher onto her hip.
"Yes, although I was a little lonely."
"As soon as the repairs are complete, B'Elanna is going to make my room big enough to accomidate a double bed. The nursery will be your old room, and we'll all be happy." Tom leaned down and kissed her again. "Tom, are we wise to be doing this again?" she asked patting her belly, where it was starting to get a little more noticably round. "A trio of 3 year olds and an infant is going to be fairly interesting."
"I'm pretty happy as it is, Kathryn. One more can only add to it."
"We had better get to the mess hall. We've got duty in an hour and a half and these three need to eat. Where is Lindsey?" Tom set Gene down and went into the nursery where Lindsey sat on the floor playing with her teady bear. He lifted her up and the five of them headed to breakfast.
"Deck Two," Tom called as they stepped into the lift. After a moment, the lift dropped them of at their destination and continued on. They headed into the mess hall. It wasn't very crouded yet, and a table large enough for the group was easy to come by. A few crewmembers moved the high chairs for their Captain, as her and Tom's hands were full with toddlers and Diaperbags.
"Hello, Captain!" Neelix beamed. "Oatmeal for the little ones, as usual?"
"It depends on how big of a mess you want on your hands," Tom replied. "Is there anything nutritious that makes no mess that kids with only a few teeth can eat?" Neelix thought for a moment before scurrying off to the replicator. He returned with three bars of food.
"It should taste like apple cinnimon oatmeal, very soft, and with a tumble cup of milk, very nutritious, and no mess! No crumbs or anything."
"Neelix, you're a genious! I think I'll have one."
"Me, too. Only I think I'll have coffee with mine," Kathryn said, attempting to get Kessa to eat her oat bar.
"Oat bars and coffee coming up."
"Sit down, Tom. I'll get it." Kathryn finally got Kessa to start eating her breakfast, and was working on Lindsey. Gene had already eaten the whole bar and was reaching for Lindsey's. Neelix saw from the replicator and got enough for each to have two.
It was already shaping up to be a good day. Everyone seemed to be cheerful, which was how Neelix like it. The Captain's children brought a smile to everyone's face, no matter how bad of a mood they were in. It was as if Naomi had been split in four and together they spread the happiness to all who came in the room. They were beautiful children, and quiet well behaved for two.
"Hi Neelix!" Naomi called, smiling. Neelix waved and brought the tray of food to the Captain's table and went to greet the other youngster. Even though she was technically four years old, Naomi grew 75% faster than regular humans, so she appeared 7 years old. She was greatful to have matured mentally faster as well. Being 7 years old and mentally 4 would have bothered her. "Mom's on duty, and my classes don't start for a few more hours. What's on the menu this morning?"
"I just came up with something for the Captain's children. Its like an Earth cereal bar, but a lot softer. Here, try one." Naomi took a bite. "What do you think?"
"It could use more cinnimon, but that's just how I like oatmeal. Its wonderful!"
"I'm glad you........."
"Neelix, what is it?" Naomi turned to see what everyone was gaping at. There was a Rainbow nebula forming right infront of them.
"Neelix, can you take the kids?" Kathryn called. Neelix nodded.
"Yes, leave them there. I'll look after them." Kathryn and Tom took off for the bridge as the mess hall emptied. Everyone was headed for their posts. Neelix noticed that Kathryn looked back at the kids once, almost sadly, and he would remember that for the rest of his life.
"Bridge," Kathryn called into the turbo lift. Tom saw something out of the corner of his eye.
"Kathryn move!" But he was too late. Kathryn was sucked into the blue light.
Months went by, and nothing could explain what happened int the turbo lift. Kathryn was there one minute, and gone the next. There was no transporter signature, and nothing to lock on to. Everyone had to face the facts. Kathryn Janeway was dead. Tom insisted that no one speak her name to the three children.
"You can't miss what you didn't know you had," he had told them. No one dared argue with him.
12 years later....
Tom stepped out of the lift. Every time he went in, he had hoped Kathryn would pop back in, but after 5 years, he gave up. After 12 years, he didn't even realize he was in the infamous lift until he saw the bridge from the angle the lift was in.
"Hey Dad, I'm headed to the holodeck," Kessa said as she passed him in the corridor.
"Homework?"
"Done."
"Have fun at practice, Kessa." Kessa waved and lugged her guitar toward the lift. Harry stepped around the corner and joined her on the lift.
"Hi Lt. Kim!" Chakotay smiled. "Where's Lindsey and Gene?"
"Already in Holodeck 2, I think. We finished our music lesson early." Kessa was in an advanced course with Naomi while the other two were in Intermediate. Gene was playing the drums and Naomi played a 6 string guitar sang. With Lindsey on the bass guitar, and Kessa on a 6-string, they had been able to form a band. Harry provided back-up saxiphone where needed. "Deck 6." The lift started.
"I think I got all the riffs down. My fingers are already as sore as hell though." Kess was quiet for a few minutes. "Uncle Harry, you know my dad pretty well, right?"
"17 years now."
"Why does he always look at me different? I was told I look like my mom, but there is something else. I feel it." Harry put his hand on the girl's shoulder.
"You don't just look like your mom, you look a LOT like her. Gene and Lindsey look just like your dad, and you look like a clone of your mother. But you're right. There is something more. Did your dad tell you where you came from?"
"Yeah, a warp ten gone wrong. Dad said that Captain Chakotay couldn't catch us, and it had bothered him and mom for a long time. Some aliens found us, and brought us here. What's your point?" The lift stopped and they headed towards the holodeck.
"You were a lot smaller than the other two. A few times before you were returned to us, you were very close to death, and a few times after. You were definatly your mother's favorite. You were the one who had to sleep in her bed at 8 months old. First word; Mama. The other two had attatched themselves to Tom. But not you. She named you after someone very special to this whole crew."
"Neelix told me about Kes when I was 9. She sounds very special."
"Have you ever seen a picture of your mother?"
"No. Dad cleared the database and locked them into his files. I can't unlock them. No one has even told us her name. Dad nearly had a bird when someone said it out loud when we were in the room. None of us heard, and no one will tell us."
"He didn't want you to miss her, so he didn't even let you know she exsisted. If you don't know who she was, you're better off, in his opinion. I never agreed with it, but you aren't my daughter."
"Why can't we even know her name? It wasn't his mom who died. Doesn't he still love her?"
"When your mother died, it almost killed him. Any reminder of her sends him running from the room."
After band practice was over, Kessa, Lindsey and Gene headed back to their quarters. The stood in the turbo lift, goofing around when a blue light appeared.
"Kessa, move!" Gene pulled the smaller girl away from the light and covered his sisters. A pregnant woman in a Starfleet uniform stepped out. "Khaless kill me with a kitchen knife; who the hell are you!?" The woman stood there a moment before fainting. They caught her before she landed on her stomach.
"Oh my Gods."
"What do we do with her?" Lindsey asked.
"If we take her to sick bay, they'll lock her up for trespassing."
"No they won't, Kessa. Let's bring her to Dad. He'll know what to do." Gene hoisted the woman up and put her arm over his shoulder. "Lindsey, get the other side." Lindsey, being the tallest of the three 14 year olds hoisted the stranger up with great ease. "Kessa, why don't you carry out stuff?"
"Oh yes. I'm important enough for that."
"Cut the sarcasm and see if anyone's looking." Kessa rolled her eyes and poked her head out of the lift.
"All clear. Let's go." They hurried down the corridoor, the woman's feet dragging limply behind them. They entered into their quarters where Tom lay on the couch sleeping. They managed to sneek past without waking him and gently lay the woman on Kessa's bunk. It would be easier to hide her since it was a bottom bunk. Gene and Lindsey pulled their blankets from their beds and inclosed the bottom bunk.
"I'll go get Dad."
"Okay, we'll stay with her." Gene tiptoed out of the room.
"Dad, wake up." Tom groaned and opened his eyes. "Dad, don't get mad."
"What'd you do? Who's going to be on the comm? How much damage is there?"
"Nothing really bad, no one, and none." Gene was still kneeling by the couch. "We found a woman in the turbo lift. She fainted and we brought her back here and put her in Kessa's bed. I'm no doctor, but I'm sure she's about 5 months pregnant." Tom shot up and ran into the bedroom.
"Kathryn?" he called, peeking in to the "tent" where the three had hidden the woman. "Oh my god, Kathryn, wake up."
"Kathryn?" Kessa asked Lindsey. She shrugged.
"Paris to sickbay."
"Comm's down for repair. So is the transporter."
"DAMN! Gene, go get the doctor, have him bring a medkit." Gene was off like a gunshot. "Kathryn, darling, wake up." Kathryn groaned and turned her head away from the light. "Kathryn, its Tom, you're home."
"Wh-"
"Shhh." Tom lifted her to his chest and rocked her back and forth gently.
"Whoa! Gene! Slow down!"
"Sorry.......Captain."
"What's wrong?"
"Pregnant Woman.....turbo lift....fainted.....brought her to dad.......need med kit......Kathryn......gotta run...." he said between gasps for breath. Gene was about to take off again when Chakotay caught his arm.
"Her name is Kathryn?"
"Yeah," Gene said. "Looks like a 35 year old Kessa. Gotta run." This time he evaded getting caught by Chakotay. He darted into sickbay. "Doc, Dad sent for you. Bring a medkit." The doctor uploaded himself onto his holo emitter and followed the 14 year old. It was quicker getting back because Chakotay didn't stop him this time.
"Is Kessa all right?" the Doctor asked.
"Yes. A woman appeared in the turbolifted. We brought her back to our quarters. We thought Tuvok would put her in the brig before she could get medical treatment, and we wanted Dad's advice. He called her Kathryn."
"Kathryn!?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure? Did she look like Kessa?"
"I'm sure, and yeah, I guess. Who is she?"
"Your mother."
Kathryn opened her eyes. She recognised the ceiling as sickbay.The lights blinded her. She could hear the doctor hovered over, running scans and Tom and Chakotay talking in the back ground.
"She's regaining conciousnous." Tom rushed over to her.
"Kathryn, darling, I'm here. Do you know what happened?"
"You saw something in the turbo lift. I was pulled in. A moment later I pushed my way back out, and there were three children in your place. Are they all right?" Tom smiled gently. "Its so bright in here."
"Kessa's still a little worried, but being mischievious as those three are, they managed to sneak you back to their room before Gene came and got me. I'm surprised Tuvok didn't catch them." Kathryn furrowed her brow.
"Tom, how can three 2 year olds pull me across a half a deck?"
"Kathryn, do you know how long you were gone?"
"Roughly 10 minutes."
"Kathryn," Tom said softly as their three children noisily wandered in. "Kids, maybe now isn't a good time. You're mother's still-"
"Mom!" Kessa called, running to her mother and hugging her tightly. "Where the hell have you been!?"
"Kessa!" Tom warned.
"Kessa?" Kathryn questioned, scrutinizing her daughter's face. "It can't be. This morning, you were barely 2 years old."
"I'm a little older now," Kessa joked. "We turned 14 a few weeks ago."
"No," she whispered, falling onto the biobed.
Kathryn flipped through the 20th century style photo album. There were so many pictures. First loose tooth for Kessa; Gene's first piloting lesson at age 5; Lindsey in the Captain's chair on Tom's lap at age 3, sleeping. All these things that Kathryn missed. Music came flooding out of the kids' room. It was an old song called Least Complicated. Kathryn remembered hearing it at a party a few weeks before the Crowin showed up with the three kids. Soon, second guitar and a bass line and singing joined the lone guitar. After the first few lines were sung, bongo drums completed the music. She peeked in the door. Naomi, who looked about 24 sang lead, Kessa and Lindsey provided back-ups. All four were in uniform. Kessa wore blue, as did Naomi. Gene sported red, and Lindsey; yellow. The song finished.
"Wonderful!" Kathryn exlaimed, clapping. Naomi stood, leaving her guitar on the bed.
"Captain Janeway!" Kathryn hugged her gently. "So the rumors are true. You came back. We missed you a lot."
"Well, I would have missed you too, but I only remember being gone for 10 minutes." Naomi frowned slightly. "You've gotten so big. You can't be older than-"
"I'm fifteen. Good ole' KTarian gene pool."
"When did you get uniforms?"
"Everyone is required to wear them at almost all times. The only civilian clothes we own are pajamas. Captain Chakotay's idea. It was about 8 years ago. Several people were attacked on shore leave when they were mistaken for another species. There were several other species who saw the civilian clothing as an insult to our chain of command, and there fore, didn't show respect for anyone on our crew. They came aboard and tried to steal from us. Captain Chakotay was fed up, so he disabled the ship and put everyone in a uniform. All the children who were in basic education classes wore red. We only recently got to choose a department, and then got commisioned as cadets in training," Kessa explained.
"Are there other children?"
"Yes, Ma'am. There are 12 now, and that's just the bridge crew. Captain Chakotay and B'Elanna have 2. Katie is 5 and Kaden is 3. Jenny and Harry's daughter, Kathy is 10, Tommy is 5 and Kiernan is 2. Doctor Joe and Seven's children are Anni, she's 6, Sven, he's 4, and Carrie, she's 2 months old. Tuvok's children-"
"Tuvok!?"
"Yes, I know. Tuvok and Megan Delany have 2. Jane and Korin, they're 4. Neelix and my mom have 2. Reilly, is 2 and Lexi is three weeks old. They're really beautiful. They look mostly human, exept the spots. Neelix has never been more proud."
"So, what department do you all work in? I've missed 12 years. I'd like to know."
"Naomi and I are nurses in training with the Doctor. Gene's learning to be a pilot like Dad, and Lindsey is working with B'Elanna in engineering." Kathryn looked very sad. "Are you okay, Mom?"
"I've missed so much. Yesterday, you were 2 years old, and we were all in the mess hall eating oatmeal bars. Today you're 14, you are musicians, and work in engineering, and piloting, and nurses."
"Did Seven figure out what pulled you through time?"
"Yes, she thinks it is a worm hole. There are particals similar to those found if a worm hole But she can't figure out how it pulled me through space. Where we were when this happened would take 12 years to get there." Kessa thought for a minute and pulled up a notebook and a pencil.
"Maybe its like this. The ship took 12 years to get from point A to point B. But, this bubble in the turbo lift pulled you in, and sped time up so fast, it took you 12 minutes to see 12 years. I think you were in the lift the whole time, but time was going by so fast, in a matter of minutes, years went by. You only saw black because it was going so fast. It took you 12 minutes to push back through, and it exhausted you, and you passed out."
"Now why didn't I think of that?" Gene said, slapping his forehead. "Its so simple! Nothing but a time bubble on the ship itself could have pulled you through time AND space!"
"Oh my god. We caused it. We caused the time bubble that sucked you up, Mom." Lindsey pulled out a data PADD. "We're working on a theory in science. Kessa, Gene and I built a model on the holodeck. It, in theory, worked. We started to build the actual time bubble, but we were having trouble figuring out how to keep is stable. We're building it in the lab, but for our theory to work, we have to move it to engineering; three decks down. We'd have to use the turbo lift your popped into the other day."
"But how did it bring me here from the past?" Kessa looked deep in thought.
"One of the problems is that its unstable. If it were to go off in the turbo lift, it would ALWAYS be there. Not just from that point on into the future, but from that point on into the past as well."
"Let's go to the conference room and pass the information on to the rest of the staff."
"So, in theory, we may be able to send her back to her own time," Kessa said, in conclusion. B'Elanna, Seven, and Chakotay glanced around. "It was going to be a project for the science fair. It was going to be able to slow down time around the ship, allowing us fo get past warp ten without mutating, no aliens attacking, and we'd be back at Earth in a matter of hours. We started building it in the lab a few days ago. Icheb and Naomi were going to present you with the idea in a few days, but Mom came through and we got side tracked."
"So, now that we know how to control when I come out, how do we figure out how to get me back in." Tom looked up.
"What if it doesn't work? I don't want to loose you again, Kathryn." Kathryn looked at how old Tom had become. His eyes no longer danced with mischief. They were old and sad. "I want you to stay here with me." He pulled her into a hug.
"Tom-"
"I love you Kathryn. I can't loose you again."
"Tom, if it works, you'll never have lost me. The time bubble will never have exsisted."
"If she doesn't go back, we'll all die, Dad," Gene said softly. "If I'm correct, the reason its there in the past is because in the future when we're moving it, the containment feild looses cohesion because of the displacement, and the ship...."
"Boom," Lindsey porvided.
"And its to late to do anything now."
"We started building it in the lab the day before Mom popped in." Tom slammed his fist down on the table.
"We're going to die in 2 days anyway. Why spend it having fun?" Gene mocked.
"I'm going in, and that's final. Captain's orders."
"I've been Captain for the last 10 years, Kathryn."
"Concider yourself demoted, Commander Chakotay. How do we get me into this bubble without blowing the ship to hell and back?"
"Are you ready, Mom?" Kessa asked, softly. Kathryn nodded. She pulled the girl into a hug.
"I love you, Kessa."
"I love you too, Mom." Kessa handed her mother a picture of the five of them; Gene, Kessa, Lindsey, Naomi and Kathryn, who was 5 months pregnant. It was taken that morning. "Show them when they don't beleive you." Kathryn hugged her daughter again and stepped into the turbo lift.
"I'll see you later," she called as she pressed the button and opened the rift. Kathryn stepped in and manipulated the bubble. After 10 minutes, she stepped out. Tom was standing infront of her. "Tom."
"Where did you go, Kathryn?" he said, hugging her close.
"How long-"
"About 2 hours. I was headed to the conference room. Chakotay was going to start a seach, but we were going to have a meeting about it first. B'Elanna and Seven have a few theories, but why don't you tell us where you were instead," he whispered, still hugging her.
"Darling, I was in the future. I went twelve years into the future." She pulled out the picture and showed Tom. He glared at it. "Oh, we need to have a little talk with our three little darlings about the danger of time bubbles." Tom laughed lightly as they stepped off the lift onto the bridge.
Kathryn peered into the nursery where the three babies slept. She remembered how each looked at 14. Gene waas going to look like his father, and Kessa, just like her mother. Kathryn placed her hand on her stomach. A whirlwind of emotion came over her. She was given a second chance to see her babies grow up, and she would do everything she could to keep them. Tom wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Tell me about them?" he whispered. "Tell me about myself."
"They were a handful. Gene plays the drums very well. Kessa and Naomi play guitar, and Lindsey plays bass. They've got a band. Naomi can sing very well. Kessa is the smartest of the three. She's the quietest, but definatly far beyond her years. She wants to be a doctor. Lindsey is witty and cheerful, but she's got a temper. I'm sure she picked it up from working in engineering with B'Elanna. Gene is sweet, and witty. Probably the most trouble. He's the ring leader. When they found me, he woke you up, and the first thing he said was, "Don't Get Mad." You're reply was "What'd you do? Who's going to be on the comm? How much damage is there?" Tom laughed. "You, on the other hand, were very sad. Even when I came back, you were very sad. It took quite a toll on you. No one on the ship could speak my name when you and the kids. They'd never heard my name or seen a single picture of me. You only spoke to me a few times over the three days I was there. Kessa told me that all she knew about me was that I died when she was 2, and that I named her after Kes. They'd heard of Captain Janeway, but only in class when studying the mission that Voyager was on."
"Kathryn," Tom started. "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."
"I'm not going anywhere, Tom, except the bedroom. You may choose to follow, you stay here and watch our kids sleep."
"I choose to follow." Kathryn smiled, and led him into her bedroom.
