Chapter Text
Kathryn sat with Naomi as she did her biology homework. All the PADDs strewn around the desk and a laptop sitting on the desktop were filled with the basic labelling of a plant cell. Kathryn reached for the PADD with the different forms of cellular signalling.
“Naomi, what are the four different forms of cellular signalling?”
Naomi started searching the table for the PADD, but Kathryn waved it in front of her. Kathryn wished she had a child of her own to help with their homework. Sam’s mission had been running late and Neelix had to look after the Mess Hall, so Kathryn volunteered to look after Naomi and do some homework while they waited for Sam to get back.
“Try it off the top of your head.”
Naomi looked into Kathryn’s eyes trying to pry the information from the older woman. “Umm. Is one of them prokaryotes?”
“Good try. Prokaryotes are a type of cell. What did I say about the endings of cellular signalling?”
Naomi’s eyes lit up and said, “They all end with ‘crine’ at the end!”
“Yes! Very good. Could you try and name one?”
“I thought I had to do all four!”
Kathryn smiled, “How about we start with one.”
“Ok…” Naomi looked down to her hands as she twisted them over and over again. “P… P… P… Paracrine!”
“Yes! Excellent work. How about the next one?” Kathryn wanted to keep encouraging Naomi.
“What about this essay that the Doctor wants me to write?”
“What essay?”
“This one.” Naomi hands her a PADD with the following question at the top: How does Dopamine affect humans differently than Vulcans? Explain the cell signalling pathways and how they are different.
“You have got to be kidding me? I didn’t learn this sort of stuff until I was at the Academy!”
“So what do I write, Captain?”
“Naomi, I’ve told you that you can call me Kathryn when I help you with your homework.”
“Sorry.” Naomi looked down, sheepish. “Kathryn.”
Kathryn smiled at the little girl and put a finger under her chin to engage in eye contact. Kathryn looked into her eyes and her heart burst a little more; she could never have a child while she is the Captain of Voyager . Maybe if she were in the Alpha Quadrant, she would’ve had a support network to have a child.
“I’m going to tell the Doctor that he needs to pick easier topics. Not First Year Starfleet Academy material.”
The smile that spread onto Naomi’s face brightened the little girl.
Another pang of guilt washed through Kathryn. Naomi was never going to have a normal childhood because of her own decision to strand Voyager in the Delta Quadrant.
“Autocrine!” Naomi almost yelled.
“Yes! Do you know the others?”
Naomi shook her head from side to side. “No.” She pouted and hung her head.
“You’ve done extremely well today.” Kathryn handed the PADD over with the other names. “Endocrine and Juxtacrine are the other ones.”
Naomi read off the PADD. “They are the four main forms of cellular signalling. Most are indirect forms of communication, for example Paracrine. Meanwhile some are direct forms of communication, for example Juxtacrine. Indirect cell signalling occurs…” The door chime rang.
“I’ll get that Naomi. You keep reading.”
Naomi smiled while Kathryn got up and walked over to the door.
Naomi continued to read aloud to herself from the PADD.
Kathryn opened the door to find Chakotay there. She put her fingers on her lips to make sure Chakotay stayed quiet while he walked inside. He smiled when he heard Naomi’s voice flowing through the room.
“Indirect cell signalling occurs when a hormone is released from the gland and travels to a receptor - if it's a nearby cell, that's Paracrine. If it goes through the blood, that's Exocrine. Indirect cell signalling can also be used on the cell that the hormone is released from - that's Autocrine. Direct cell signalling occurs when the cell with the hormone to be released is in direct contact with the receptor and no hormone or substance actually leaves the signalling cell.” Naomi looked over to the door and saw Chakotay standing there. “Commander!” She leapt up and ran over to him.
“Hello Naomi.” Chakotay bent down to pick her up. “Don’t you have some more homework to do?”
“Yes, sir.” Naomi looked sheepish that she stopped her homework.
Kathryn laughed at how Naomi looked, then said, “Well, you can take a small break. Go grab something from the replicator.”
“Would you like some coffee…” Naomi paused, not sure if she was allowed to say her name, but Kathryn nodded her head, “...Kathryn?”
Chakotay looked at Kathryn with eyes as wide as saucers, and Kathryn’s crooked smile came out when she replied, “I would love some coffee, Naomi. What about you, Chakotay?”
Still a bit stunned, Chakotay managed to reply, “Yes, please. Coffee with cream and two sugars.”
Kathryn closed her eyes in disgust like every other time when Chakotay ruins his coffee.
Chakotay lowered Naomi down and she pranced over to the replicator.
“What’s happened?” Kathryn spoke softly so that Naomi couldn’t hear them. She didn’t want to worry the girl unnecessarily.
“We lost contact with the Flyer. Last thing we know is that they were going to be late. We are trying to find the shuttle on sensors.”
“I should really be on the bridge,” Kathryn said, deflated by guilt.
Chakotay laid his hand on her shoulder. “Let’s just say everyone has it under control. Harry basically kicked me off the bridge because I kept asking for an update every two seconds.” He smirked. “I’m worried about Sam too, but we need to be here for Naomi. Ok?”
Kathryn nodded her head and they moved over to the table. Kathryn straightened some of the scattered PADDs into a pile, while Naomi brought over the coffees and a milkshake, then some chocolate chip cookies for everyone to share. Naomi grabbed a cookie and plopped it into her mouth, while Kathryn dunked hers into her coffee.
“Mum never allows me to eat snacks before bed.”
“I think she’ll allow it to slide tonight. You’ve done so well. Even though the Doctor expects you to do Academy work. I will talk to him.”
As Naomi finished her milkshake and cookies she stood up and said, “I’m going to get ready for bed. Can you let me know when mum gets home?”
Kathryn hugged the girl and said, “Of course, honey.”
As Naomi skipped off to her room and the door closed, Kathryn got serious with Chakotay.
“How bad is it?”
“We haven’t had contact with them for a few hours. They missed their last check-in.”
“Which was how long ago?”
“3 hours.”
“Shit. How long did you wait?”
“We waited just over an hour just in case they were held up.”
“Standard Protocols.”
Chakotay nodded his head, “I haven’t done anything that you wouldn’t do. That’s why I didn’t bother contacting you or distressing Naomi.”
“Fair enough. Good call. I would’ve done the same if I were in your position. Naomi knew that she was going to be late, because Sam asked us to let her know.” Kathryn sighed and took a big sip of coffee embracing the bitter taste. “I feel really bad.”
“We don’t know yet, but hopefully they turn up just fine and there was only a problem with the communications array. Not only that, both Tom and Tuvok are with Sam, they will make sure she is ok too.”
They sat in silence and drank their coffees. As they finished them Kathryn got up to recycle them in the replicator, then they moved to the couch. They sat together staring out at the stars, his arm draped around her shoulders. Naomi was definitely in bed because the lights were out in her room. Kathryn rested her head on Chakotay’s shoulders.
“I wanted to have a family one day. A husband, child, or even children. That’s not going to happen now, because we are here in the Delta Quadrant.”
“It's not a weakness to want to have a family, Kathryn. Because it only makes you human. Hopefully you can still get everything you want, I have to believe we will get home soon.”
“I hope you're right, Chakotay. Because I feel like I’m losing out on a dream.”
Chakotay rubbed his hand up and down her arm, waiting.
They both had fallen asleep on the couch when a combadge was activated. Bleep! Kathryn reached up to activate the line.
“Janeway here.”
Chakotay had woken up too listening, for any information.
“Captain. I’m happy to report the Flyer is in the shuttle bay. They ran into an ion storm, but the only system damaged was the communications array. Ensign Wildman has been medically cleared and is on her way to her quarters.”
“Thank you, Ensign. Get some rest. See you on the bridge in the morning.”
“Aye, Captain. Kim out.”
Kathryn breathed out a sigh of relief. Chakotay relaxed against her side.
“I should wake Naomi. She’ll want to see Sam.”
“Yeah.” The door opened to the quarters.
“Neelix. I’m back, thank you for taking care of Naomi for me.”
“You're more than welcome, Sam.” said Kathryn in a husky voice.
Sam turned around with a surprise on her face. “Captain! I didn’t realise it was you, I expected to see Neelix.”
Kathryn smiled at Sam, “That’s ok. Neelix had to look after the Mess Hall and Naomi had some Biology homework from the Doctor, so I volunteered to look after Naomi until you got back.”
Sam smiled a small crooked smile. “I really appreciate that.”
Chakotay came from behind in the shadows with Naomi on his hip.
“Commander!”
“Mum! You’re home!”
Kathryn stepped to the side so Sam could gather Naomi into her arms, taking her from Chakotay. Naomi leaned her head on her mother’s shoulder.
“I was sort of kicked off the bridge because apparently I was not patient while we searched for you. I decided to wait with the Captain and Naomi for you to come home.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate this.”
Kathryn walked up to Naomi in Sam’s arms and said, “Now, you have to be a good girl and go back to bed. We’ll see you tomorrow. And I’ll have a little chat with the Doctor about some of those hard questions.”
Naomi smiled a sleepy smile towards Kathryn. “Thank you for helping me.”
Chakotay wrapped his arms around Sam and Naomi, hugging the little girl, and said, “Good night, Naomi. Good night, Sam.”
“Good night, Commander!” Naomi said while cuddling Chakotay tighter. Sam nodded her head to Chakotay. Chakotay walked outside.
Kathryn repeated the shared embrace. “Good night, Naomi. Have a good night, Sam. I’m glad you're back safely.”
“Thank you again, Captain.”
Naomi cuddled Kathryn tightly and said, “Good night, Captain.”
“Sweet dreams, sweet girl.” Kathryn placed a small kiss on Naomi’s cheek. She exchanged a knowing look with Sam.
They let go of the embrace and Kathryn walked outside into the corridor where Chakotay was waiting for her.
“We should go to bed. It was a long day, looking for the Flyer and everything.”
“Yes.” Chakotay said quickly. “Sorry, long day.”
Kathryn chuckled, “Lead the way, Chakotay.”