Alternate Resolutions

Title: Alternate Resolutions
Rated: PG
Archive: Anywhere
Disclaimer: TPTB Owns all but Nora, and Patrick.






Prologue


The soil was soft under her knees as she settled down in the garden to work. It was shady and cool, and Chakotay would be busy finishing the designs for the new cabin soon. The last 2 days had been hard on the couple. Voyager returned after 3 months with what was supposed to be a cure. Sadly, it was a faux pas; all it turned out to be was a lie. Kathryn and Chakotay were going to be on New Earth for the rest of their lives.
She felt his strong hands massage her shoulders. "A little early to be in the garden, Kathryn."

"No. Too much work to be done before the winter comes. Its already getting cooler, and the days are shorter."

"Mmm...doesn't give me long to build the cabin." He planted a gentle kiss on the back of her neck before he stood and took his ax off to the woods. "I'll be back by lunch. Love you, Kathryn," he called over his shoulder. Kathryn smiled back and waved.

"I'll try not to burn it this time, Love." As soon as he was gone, she resumed her work, allowing sadness to surface again. Before she could think much of it, a storm started. "CHAKOTAY!" she called. He soon appeared, running towards the shelter. She met him at the door and they huddled inside. Everything went black.




Chapter 1


6 years later


"Nora, sit still. I don't want to accidentally cut you," Chakotay said as he trimmed the four-year-old's long red hair. "Did you see your mother today?"

"No, Papa. She's still not back." Nora spoke casually of her mother's absence, as it was a normal occurrence. "Are you worried, Papa?"

"Well, sweetie, a little." Nora thought for a moment. When her father was a little worried, he'd never tell her. To Nora, a little worried meant very worried.

"She'll be okay, Papa." Chakotay lifted his daughter down from the stool as Patrick toddled over to his father

"Papa?" he asked, gripping the man's leg tightly until Chakotay laughed and lifted the 2 year old up. "Love you, Papa."

"I love you, Papa," Nora echoed from the doll house she and Chakotay were building when Kathryn was there.

"I love you both very much." Kissing each of them and pushing them off towards their bedrooms, he told them goodnight.
Chakotay settled on the floor with a PADD novel he was writing. To him, it was a journal, but it was written in novel form, telling of his experiences on New Earth. After a moment, he sighed deeply and slammed the PADD down. "Gee, and I thought you'd grown out of those temper tantrums 7 years ago," someone said from behind.

"You can't keep doing this Kathryn. They still need you as much as I do." Chakotay didn't turn when he spoke, he just let her listen from where she stood. "Its not fair to any of us. Patrick doesn't understand, and Nora thinks its normal for her mother to wander off for a month at a time."

"I wasn't gone a month."

"You were gone 34 days this time, Kathryn. Thirty-four Days. Where were you? Are you all right? Will you tell me what you do when you leave?"

"I told you, I go down the river as far as the falls, leave the boat, and work in a cave underneath the falls. Its peaceful, quiet, and I've finished my work." Chakotay turned to her. She was visibly thinner, her hair was cut very short; almost as short as his was when they got stranded.

"At what cost? You look like you've been awake the whole time, and hadn't eaten in a month!"

"No, I'm just tired. Did you hear what I said? I've finished my work."

"I heard. What work?"

"I've found a cure." Chakotay looked up at the doors to his children's' rooms. Both were open and both kids were standing there watching. "Nora, Patrick, I'm home."

"I know. Goodnight, Mother. Come on Patrick." Nora lead her brother back to the bedroom. Most of Kathryn's homecomings were warm hugs, and promises never to leave. Now, there were no promises to break.

"I'm not leaving anymore, Sweetie," she called to Nora, who kept her back turned away.

"Don't tell her that again. Do you know how hard it was for her last time, Kathryn? How hard it was for me?" Kathryn just glared at him. "Look, I've had a long day. I'm going to bed. Do whatever you want. Stay. Go. I don't care anymore. Just don't promise my daughter anything you know you aren't going to give her."

"Your daughter?"

"You lost her the last time you left, Kathryn Janeway. If we were married, I would have asked for a divorce by now." Chakotay walked up the steps into Nora's room, leaving Kathryn with her thoughts.





"Captain Janeway would have done it for you, Tuvok, and you know it." Harry stalked off the bridge. It had been nearly a week since they left the solar system where Chakotay and Captain Janeway were left.

"Ensign Kim, we almost lost the ship chasing one false cure."

"So that's why we keep looking!"

"Harry, its over," Tom said, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder. "She's gone. You need to let go."

"Tom, stop it. You know that she'd never stop looking for a way for any of us. And don't feed me that, 'The needs of the many,' crap right now, because you know what? It doesn't help!"

"Captain Tuvok, we're being hailed. Its Captain Janeway."

"On screen." Kathryn's face appeared on the view screen. Harry stepped forward, squinting in recognition.

"Captain?" he asked. She looked too thin, and her hair was so short. This wasn't the Kathryn Janeway they remembered for a mere 6 days ago.

"Harry, Tom, Tuvok, its great to see you again, after all this time. Why did you stay here so long?" Kathryn asked. "After all these years, you've been right around the corner."

"Captain, we've only been gone a total of 6 days." The words threw Kathryn back against the chair. "How many years have passed?" Nora climbed onto her Papa's lap, smiling. Harry and Tom exchanged grins.

"Almost seven. This is our daughter, Nora. Our son, Patrick is still asleep. How long will it take you to return?" Chakotay asked.

"For us, at maximum warp, which is 4.5, only 3 days. However, you will have 3 years until we reach the planet." Tuvok stated.

"We'll be ready. Oh, and Tuvok? Hail us a few times a day, to let us know you're still coming," Chakotay grinned at his friends. They cut the signal and vanished.

"Mr. Paris, set a coarse for New Earth." Tom leapt into his chair. "Maximum warp."

"Aye, sir." Tom thought for a moment. "May I make a suggestion?" Tuvok nodded. "We'll make it there in 3 days at warp 4.5. I can take the Delta Flyer and be there in a day and a half. We'll have the Captain back aboard in three days either way, Tuvok."

"Mr. Kim, Mr. Paris, prepare to leave on an away mission."





Nora placed her doll in the box. All of her toys were put away in boxes, and her fifth birthday was only 3 days away. Her father told her that for a birthday present, she would get a starship with a friend her own age. True, Naomi was only 3 years old, but being only half human, she aged differently. She appeared to be about 5 now, and Nora was grateful that she'd have a new friend. "Papa?"

"Yes, Nora?"

"Why don't they stay here so we don't have to leave our house, and our gardens? I'd like to see Earth, but I like New Earth fine." Chakotay smiled and kissed his daughter's forehead.

"Do you know why your mother would disappear for a week or so at a time?"

"Yeah, she told me it was so we could leave here and go to Voyager, and then to Earth. But an energy wave hit the planet and you thought it was another storm, but it threw the planet back in time."

"We thought it would take Voyager a year to get here, but it only took a day. We get to go home now. You're really going to love Voyager, Nora." Nora bit her bottom lip in skepticism. "You'll meet B'Elanna Torres, and Neelix, and Kes, and Tom Paris, and Harry Kim."

"We're named after Kes and Harry?"

"Yes, you are, Nora Kes Janeway. Patrick Harry Janeway."

"Are you packed, Nora?" Kathryn asked, carrying Patrick towards the stairs. "The shuttle leaves in an hour."

"I know. I'm ready, Momma." Nora closed the box and watched her father carry it down stairs. "Momma?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"I'm glad you came back." Kathryn smiled and held her hand out for the child to take.





"You must be Nora. I'm Kes."

"I'm named after you, Kes." Nora smiled at the woman. She seemed nice. Kes was everything her father told her, and more. "Nora Kes Janeway."

"Very pretty name. Would you like to meet Naomi? She's been waiting to meet you all day." Nora took Kes's hand and they left sick bay. Kathryn, Chakotay, and The Doctor watched.

"Captain, your family seems to be healthy. All five of you."

"Five?" Chakotay asked, smiling.

"Yes, Patrick and Nora should expect a new sister in about eight and a half months. Congratulations, and welcome back." The doctor smiled at them and retreated to his office.

"Another girl. Any name suggestions, Love?"

"A little early, Kathryn. We've still got a while to go."

"Do you want another naming disaster? It took us 3 months to name Nora!" Kathryn laughed, allowing Chakotay to take her in his arms. "How about Claire. Claire Peri Janeway."

"Are we going to name all of our kids after the senior staff?" Kathryn kissed him lovingly.

"Yes. We are. Look what they risked for us." Chakotay lifted her from the biobed and hugged her. "Why don't we take Patrick to Tom, and get to the bridge? Its been nearly a decade."

"Of course." Kathryn took Patrick in one arm, and Chakotay with her free hand. "And Kathryn, Darling, please grow your hair back. I loved it long." The three strolled down the corridor, hand in hand, with their son, stopping every few meters to steal a kiss.