See Part One for disclaimer, etc.
Same Time, Next Year - Epilogue
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2387 - Indiana
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"Grandma, when are Mummy and Daddy-Chakotay coming back? I want to see the baby. Is it a boy or a girl? Mummy said that she wants a boy this time but Daddy doesn't mind."
Hannah had been staying with her Grandma and Aunt Phoebe for a week to take the strain off her mother in the very last stages of her pregnancy. Now she was firing never-ending questions at them both which her Grandma was doing her best to answer. Phoebe, although she had been doing most of the work looking after her niece, left all the questioning about the new baby to her mother to answer. She still hadn't come to terms with the way her sister had treated Mark. Phoebe and her husband had both been close to Mark for years, starting way back after Kathryn had first been reported lost. After seeing what Kathryn had put Mark through with the divorce, she had yet to understand why her sister had done what she did. Her prejudice against Chakotay precluded her from seeing how right he was for Kathryn. Now, Gretchen Janeway was admirably handling everything her granddaughter threw at her.
"What do you want, a brother or a sister?"
"I've already got a sister, but I don't see her much, but I want a brother this time so it's fair."
"What do you mean 'so it's fair'?"
"If it's another girl Daddy might feel left out, 'cos he would be the only boy at home."
"That's really thoughtful of you, Hannah. You like Chakotay, don't you?"
"Yeah, he plays with me and Mummy and Mummy always smiles when he's there. They hold hands a lot and when I ask they let me go in the middle, but sometimes I let them go next to each other and then they smile at me and I'm happy. He said that if I'm a good girl with the baby he'll take me on a trip to see where he and Mummy work. I want to go there when I grow up and learn how to be a captain."
"You know you want to go into Starfleet already?"
"Mummy says I should wait and see when I'm older, she says that I might change my mind or I might hate it in space, but I know I want to do it. I already know the names of all the planets in order from Mercury to Pluto and what all the nearest stars are called. Next I'm going to learn the names of all the planets' moons."
"You remind me so much of your mother when she was little. You've got the same eagerness to learn and fascination with space."
"Do I look like her?"
"Pretty much, yes, especially your hair."
"I hate my hair."
"So did she, but one day you'll realise you have beautiful hair."
Just then they heard the door open and Kathryn's voice could be heard calling from the kitchen.
"Mum, Hannah, we're back. Where are you?"
"Through here, Kathryn. We've just been talking about you when you were little."
Kathryn, Chakotay and the baby had made it through to the lounge now.
"Mum, did you have to? What she been saying about me, Hannah?"
"That you were like me."
"I expect I was. Now, Hannah, come here. Come and see who Daddy-Chakotay's got in his arms."
Chakotay knelt down on the floor just as Hannah got over to him so that she could see the baby more clearly.
"Daddy, is that the baby?"
"Yes, Hannah. Meet your new baby brother, Edward Kolopak Janeway."
"It's a boy! Mummy, it's a boy! I wanted a boy so that Daddy wouldn't be on his own and now he's not, so it's all fair now. Can I touch him?"
"Of course you can, but don't poke at him too much."
Kathryn, Chakotay and Gretchen looked on proudly as Hannah slowly reached out her hand to stroke her brother's cheek. Then she moved her hand down to his, and gently held it.
"Mummy, where did his name come from?"
"He's named after both his grandfathers. You know my father, your grandfather, was called Edward, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Well Chakotay's father's name was Kolopak."
"Is he dead too?"
"Yes, honey, he died a long time ago now, like my father did."
"So Edward hasn't got a Grandpa?"
"No, I'm afraid not."
"Can't he share mine?"
"That's very kind of you Hannah but it's a bit more complicated than that."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you know that your Grandpa is your Dad's father don't you?"
"Yes, he's my real Daddy's daddy."
"That's right, he's your real Daddy's daddy. Well, your real Daddy isn't Edward's Daddy at all. Chakotay is Edward's real Daddy, and he's the only Daddy he's got."
"Can't my Daddy be Edward's special Daddy, like I've got Daddy-Chakotay. He could call him Daddy-Mark, and then he'd have a Grandpa too."
"I don't know Hannah. I think we'll just have to wait and see what happens. It's a very nice idea, but sometimes things just can't be how you want them to be. It’s part of growing up, I'm afraid."
"OK Mum. Can I go and play outside now?"
"Of course you can."
"Can Edward come too?"
"He's a bit young to play with yet, why don't you go on your own."
"It's alright Kathryn, I'll take him out with Hannah. I wouldn't mind sitting out in the fresh air for a while."
"If you're sure, Chakotay?"
"I'm sure. You stay in and put your feet up for a while. We'll go out and while Hannah's playing I'll have a man-to-man chat with my son."
"Only you could have a man-to-man chat with a two-day old baby! Go on then, I'll come out and join you in a while."
So Chakotay, Hannah and Edward left via the kitchen to go out into the garden leaving Kathryn alone with her mother and sister. Kathryn knew that this had been Chakotay's way of getting out of their way for a while so that they could talk without worrying about him being there. They both knew that although Kathryn's mother now seemed not only to accept her daughter's choice but to approve of Chakotay as well, Phoebe was far from being at the same point. So far she had been civil to Chakotay, but no more. Her behaviour had at times been on the borderline of rude, and although Kathryn understood where her attitude came from she wished she could get over it enough to give Chakotay a chance.
"Mum, I hope you don't mind us naming Edward after Dad."
"Mind? Of course not! I think it was a lovely gesture. What did you say his middle name was again?"
"Kolopak - Chakotay's father's name. From what I've heard it sounds like he was a wonderful man. I wish I could have met him."
"So do I. It would have been nice to be able to meet more of Chakotay's family. It's such a shame the war with Cardassia hit them so badly."
"With their home planet right in the DMZ I suppose it was inevitable. Mum, do you understand why Chakotay joined the maquis?"
"Yes, I do. I won't pretend I was happy when I first found out about you two, especially after how he upset you when you first got back home."
"How did you know about that? I never told you how I felt about him, I didn't even tell you we'd fallen out."
"I'm your mother. Anyway, as I was saying, I wasn't happy at first, and his being an ex-maquis didn't help. But when I found out what his reasons had been I would have been surprised if he hadn't joined them. He seems to be a very honourable man, and he loves you very much. I realised that the first time I met him. I'd already realised how much you loved him, long before you married Mark. In fact, I almost asked you about it to make sure you were doing the right thing in marrying Mark, but something held me back. Now I'm not sure that I did the right thing."
"You did. I wouldn't have listened. You know me well enough to believe that."
"Yes, I suppose I do. Kathryn, you never did tell us what happened with Mark."
At this point Phoebe spoke for the first time.
"I think I've heard all I want to about it from him."
"Phoebe, why don’t you let your sister explain it from her point of view. Maybe it will help you to understand and to give Chakotay the chance he deserves. He and Kathryn have a child now, your nephew. How is he going to feel if he grows up believing his aunt hates his father?"
"I don't hate him."
"Well you sure fooled me."
"Kathryn!"
"Sorry Mum, but she's never given him a chance. He's not responsible for what I did to Mark, I'm quite capable of making my own decisions."
"So why don't you explain to us both what did happen?"
"If you think it'll help. First though, I know Phoebe knows what happened for the few years before Mark and I split, or at least some of it, but do you Mum?"
"To be honest, all I know is that you had been in contact with Chakotay again. I don't know how or for how long."
"In that case, you're probably not going to like this. I met up with Chakotay again accidentally about three years after our return from the Delta Quadrant. By some strange coincidence we were both in the same small restaurant in England. You know, the one we used to go to when we were kids."
"The one in Northamptonshire?"
"That's the one. After watching each other from across the room for the whole meal he eventually came over to talk to me. It didn't take long to break down the barriers, we'd both missed each other so much and before either of us could do anything to stop it we were talking about our feelings for one another, despite the fact that we'd each just found out the other was married. Chakotay was living with his wife on his home planet and I, as you know, was living here on Earth with Mark."
"It should have stopped there." Phoebe interrupted her sister in a voice that was almost dripping with venom.
"I know, Phoebe, it should have, but it didn't. Ever since I'd met him I felt like I'd found a piece of me that was missing, and now I had it back again. I once told him that I couldn't imagine a day without him, and when I was forced not to imagine it but to live it, it took a lot out of me. That's probably what you noticed, Mum, after he left. I never did get over that, not even when I was back with Mark. I think that's why we allowed ourselves those weekends together. It was actually the only way our marriages were going to survive. Contrary to what you may believe, Phoebe, I did and still do love Mark, just not in the right way. In the end, I wasn't being true to either of us by staying in that marriage. He deserves better. After Helen, Chakotay's wife, died, it became more difficult not to think of Chakotay when I wasn't with him, which was basically all year, and Mark noticed. Eventually we had to accept that our marriage had been over for months, possibly years, it's just that neither of us had admitted it. Once Mark and I split I had to give it a try with Chakotay. It wouldn't have helped Mark for us to remain apart, and I knew I'd never be truly happy without Chakotay. Surely you can see that, Phoebe."
"I can. I feel disloyal to Mark in admitting it, but I've never seen you so happy as you are with Chakotay. I think that's the problem - I just couldn't bring myself to see that what you did to Mark had resulted in you being so happy. And until today, I wouldn't allow myself to see how much you and Chakotay loved each other."
"What are you saying Phoebe?"
"I think I'm saying that I forgive you, and that I'll try to give Chakotay a chance. But I swear, if he ever hurts you, I'm going to…I don't know what I'll do to him, but it'll be bad."
"Not if I get there first!"
Both sisters laughed together and then looked over at their mother, who had gone extremely quiet. As they looked at her, they noticed that she was crying.
"Mum, what's wrong? I knew it, maybe I shouldn't have told you. I didn't think you'd like knowing how long things had been going on between Chakotay and I while I was still married to Mark…"
"No, Kathryn, it's not that. I'm not upset, I'm happy. Finally, you two seem to be mending some bridges. It's been breaking my heart these past two years to see you sniping at one another, to feel the tension that instantly arises the moment you've been in the same room, especially if Chakotay's there too."
"I'm sorry Mum, I've hurt everyone over the last few years. But it'll get better now, it has to."
"Kathryn, can I ask you something?"
"Anything, Phoebe."
"Can I hold the baby when Chakotay brings him in?"
"Of course you can!"
And as the reunified sisters hugged, they were interrupted by the re-entrance of Chakotay and the children.
"Kathryn, we've got guests - more doting admirers for Edward. Shall I show them in?"
"Who is it?"
"Tom and B'Elanna."
"Really? Yes, bring them in. But give Edward to Phoebe first, she wants to say hello to her nephew."
Chakotay walked up to Phoebe slowly, as always cautious around her.
"Here you go."
"Thank you, Chakotay. And I'm sorry."
"What for?"
"For how I've treated you. We just had a talk, and I finally realised how stupid I've been. You make Kathryn happy, anyone can see that. I should have acknowledged it earlier."
"Thanks, that means a lot. But you haven't been stupid, just loyal to Mark. I understand that, I always have."
"Why do you have to be so nice?"
"That's all Kathryn's fault! Hey, if it wasn't for her, I'd probably still be the angry Maquis warrior I was almost twenty years ago."
"You give my sister too much credit. Didn't anyone ever tell you she's not perfect?"
"They try, I don't listen."
"Hey, I hate to interrupt this little tête-à-tête but I presume Tom and B'Elanna are still waiting outside?"
"Yes, sorry Kathryn, I'll go get them. Back in a sec."
So Chakotay went outside and reappeared a minute later with Tom and B'Elanna in tow. The atmosphere was one of a peaceful family home, and Gretchen Janeway smiled. She looked on as Tom, B'Elanna, Phoebe and little Hannah cooed over the new baby, whilst Kathryn and Chakotay stood to one side locked in a loving embrace. Finally she had her family back, and they were happy. All of them.
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THE END
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