There You’ll Be [Part 4]
By: Lena
Rated: G
©2001
jetcgroups01@yahoo.com

Author’s Note: This is the forth installment of my “There You’ll Be” Saga. There still is several parts I still have rolling around in my head so estimate at least 10 parts to this Novel/fan fiction [whatever you want to call it] it estimates about 150K it may seem like a lot but is definitely isn’t lower than 100K so sit back relax and enjoy the next installment. I also had some help from Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Story” re told in my words.

Summery: Well the surgery is over finally and Janeway and Chakotay must adapt to the changes that occurred after she had the surgery. Janeway doesn’t like to move or even want to move and Chakotay must be careful on whatever he does when he is nearby Janeway. So lets go!

=/\=

Chakotay open his eyes and glances at the chronometer across the room. With a groan, Chakotay shuts it off with a simple command. Slowly he climbs out of bed making sure he does jostle the bed or make any sudden movement to awake Janeway. She was up all night in terrible pain so he wants her to rest as much as she can while the pain medication still works.

Janeway makes a small groan and slowly opens her eyes. She looks upon Chakotay and smile. Apparently, the medication is still working or she wouldn’t be smiling.

“Good morning husband how are you today?”

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to wake you I tried very hard not to move the bed so you can rest. It was a pretty rough night you must be really exhausted.”

“No I’m alright I am feeling a little pain but nothing to worry about I have had cramps worse than this. Will you be back for lunch?”

“I don’t think so, but B’Elanna will be coming by in an hour do you think you can manage without anyone for that time because if you can I will contact the bridge and tell Tuvok you need me until B’Elanna comes by.”

“NO! I will be just fine besides I just woke up because I could hear you turn the chronometer down. I will most likely go to sleep when you leave for the bridge.”

“Okay, but if you need anything contact me immediately. I don’t care if we are in the middle of a battle.  I want to know if you are in any pain.”

“Isn’t that why you asked B’Elanna to come by? Please Chakotay go on don’t worry about I will be just fine. B’Elanna and I need to catch up on old times anyway.”

“Okay, I don’t mean to keep pestering you but I am very worried you have to lay on your back for three months I don’t think you can make it.”

“You are probably right but right now bed is a good idea so why don’t you replicate yourself some over-easy eggs while I go to sleep.”

“Sure, can I give you a kiss or will you be in any pain?”

“Go ahead, it’s been a long time since I got a kiss from you I don’t care how much pain I am in.”

Chakotay smiles and leans over Janeway’s body planting a kiss on her lips than her forehead. Surprisingly she didn’t experience any pain. She wasn’t sure if Chakotay’s kiss moved the pain away or that the pain was easing ever so slightly.

=/\=

An hour later B’Elanna enters silently into Janeway’s quarters. Janeway slowly awakens as B’Elanna takes her seat in a chair near the bed and pulls out some reports from Engineering. Janeway smiles up at B’Elanna, she still hadn’t shown her recent pregnancy but Janeway could see the glow all over B’Elanna’s face. B’Elanna looks down at her best friend and gives her a large smile.

“Hello sleepy head how are you today?”

“Oh I am just fine had a rough night I didn’t get to sleep until around 0500 hours. Poor Chakotay he had to go to bridge duty at 0700 hours he has to be exhausted. I feel terrible on having him up with me all the time he needs his rest but I can’t really hide the pain I feel.”

“I don’t think Chakotay minds staying up with you. He loves you a lot everyone can see that. Not every husband will handle your condition as well as he had today. I don’t think Tom could be as calm about it if it were me instead of you in that bed.”

“Chakotay is really great about all this. I couldn’t believe it at first because it takes a lot out of the body. He hasn’t slept in the last few days very well. I try to hide it but Chakotay can tell.”

‘What is the worse part about staying in bed for three months on you back. I would love to do it sometime just not, what you did. When this baby is born, I probably will be on my back for a few days. The doctor has said that her cranial ridges may get caught similar to what happened with Naomi.”

“It isn’t that fun I can’t do what I love to do. However, when I decided to have this surgery I knew the consequences it would have on my command structure but I wanted the chance to give Chakotay another baby to actually know how it feels to become a father. To watch his baby come into the world and know that it was a part of us. Chakotay would make a great father I can see it when he is around Naomi.”

“You are also going to be great mother. Unlike me, I was an only child so I never got the chance to practice on a sibling. You had a baby sister, I bet you were like a mother hen when it came to Phoebe.”

“Actually I never liked her she always took attention away from my father and even more from my mother. For two years I thought her name, was “Your sister” isn’t that silly? Of course I was only 4 when she was born so at six is when I found out her name wasn’t  “Your sister.” As we both got older we fought more than played with each other.”

“Well why did you fight, I wanted to have a sibling more than anything and when I found out that that wasn’t going to happen I made up imaginary friends who were human. However, as I aged I grew out of that and just read. I loved to read my father would bring me classics to read. I couldn’t put them down for a moment.”

“I loved to read as well. I used to hide under my father’s desk while he was working and learn my multiplication facts. By the time I was four years old I knew my tables up to 12 times 12. If I got them right my father would play a special game with me. He called me “Little Bird” I wasn’t sure why he called me that I was the oldest. Instead of going outside to play, I would study complicated math problems. That is why I went to Starfleet, not only to assume role of my father but I have always believed that my father taught me those things because I was destined to go. I miss him so much sometimes I dream about him and it seems so real. But than I awake only to find it was a dream and my pain begins again.”

“My father and I never really got along as you know neither did my mother and I. I think it was because she was so Klingon that it drove me crazy on some of the things she made me do. I used to blame myself when he went away but than lately I found that I think she drove him away. I mean she even had us do some silly Klingon ritual. “

“I thought that you liked some of the rituals Klingon’s did. You even celebrated you “Day of Honor” on Voyager. Why was this one different from the others?”

“Most Klingon rituals involve food of some kind like “Blood Pudding” or the hart of a Targ. That kind of food didn’t agree with my human anatomy yet she still made me do it. I was sick for a week.”

B’Elanna hears Janeway groan quietly and walks over to the counter to grab the analgesic serum for Janeway’s pain. As she loads the container Janeway groans louder. B’Elanna rushes to her side and injects the serum into Janeway’s neck. The pain eases slightly and the grimace on her face fades slowly but surely, when the medication takes full effect.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I am sick to death of this pain. I knew the symptoms would be painful but I didn’t know it would be so exhausting to feel the pain.”

“Well the medication has some side effects maybe that is what you are experiencing. Perhaps I should let you sleep I have a long way to go in this book maybe by the time you awake I will be done and we can talk about the book.”

“Sure, good night B’Elanna. You are welcome to go to sleep in the next room it is the guest room. Probably if this surgery is successful we can change it into the nursery.”

“Don’t talk like that. You have a lot of faith more faith than most of the crew combined. I know that you will have a baby someday and hopefully sooner than you think. You know, I bet we could actually go out and leave the guys with the children. They need the practice.”

“That’s a really good idea. However, Chakotay and Tom may not like the idea at all. Can you imagine those guys would be going crazy within the first few moments? We wouldn’t even get out the door before they would be calling our names.”

“Yeah I know that’s why I think we should do it. You know how they are always saying, “I wish I could take away some of your pain” well this is the only way I think we take them up on their word.”

“Well, I am going to read the rest of these reports, why don’t you rest with a nap I will be here when you wake up if anything happens. Maybe that pain killer will knock you out until Chakotay comes back.”

“Nah, I am sick of sleeping. I cannot believe I just said that. I am by far one of the people who need their rest. I just do not want to do that the whole time I am in bed. Why don’t you tell me what book you are going to read?”

“It’s an Earth classic, “A Christmas Carol” I have never read it before and the Doctor said that I remind him of the ghost of Christmas future. I want to know it that is a good think of a bad thing. Maybe you can tell me so I don’t have to read it, it doesn’t seem very interesting.”

“Sure I would love to. Maybe it will help me keep my mind off the pain and prevent me from falling asleep again. Let us see, I have not read this book since I was a teenager so it may be a little vague. Hmmmm¼okay it starts off with a greedy old man, named Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates Christmas, he hates it so much that he has ignored the fact that there are those out there who celebrate the holiday. His assistant Bob Cratchit is his only employee and has a family of his own. When he moves to put more coal in the old kettle stove Scrooge yells at him asking what he thinks he is doing? Hesitantly, Bob answers “Just wanted to add more coal to the fire so the ink would thaw out.” Well Scrooge didn’t like that saying that coal costs money and if he wanted to he would take it out of his pay.” Well Bob could not because he was such a poor man and his family needed the extra money. Therefore, Bob quietly moved back to his seat and sighed. One more thing he wanted to ask... “Pardon me Mr. Scrooge tomorrow is Christmas Day, would it be alright if I take off half-a-day so I can celebrate Christmas with my family?” Well, Scrooge was not happy and he let out a mumble. “Christmas, bah humbug.”

“Bah humbug, is there such a word in the universal translator. If there is, I have not heard about it. Maybe its another language?”

“I don’t think so, but who am I to judge, Charles Dickens has his own unique language. Anyhow, Scrooge wasn’t to humble about it but agreed anyway all he was going to do that day was count all his precious coins and see how rich he was compared to everyone else. Suddenly his nephew bangs the door down and screams “Merry Christmas!” Scrooge answers back “bah humbug” his nephew doesn’t care an invites him to Christmas Dinner with his family and Scrooge asks several questions on what is going to be there to eat. His nephew starts naming off items on the dinner table and Scrooge starts to mimic him by asking a few of his own questions. He seems to be ready to accept the offer but he really is not and puts his nephew down by saying something like “do you know what that will do to my body. You want to kill me so you can get your hands on my money” Well the nephew is outraged saying he just wanted to have the whole family for Christmas Dinner and storms out of the building. Later that night two minutes before closing time Bob starts to pack up and leave and Scrooge yells, making sure that he stays the entire time.”

“Finally, at closing time, Scrooge lets Bob go and he leaves his building. Later that evening as Scrooge walks up the stairs he get the feeling that someone is following him, he also can hear heavy chains dragging. Feeling spooked he looks around and finds that no one is there. When he finally is ready to go to bed Scrooge sees his dead partner Marley. Scrooge is delighted that his old friend is back and they begin to reminisce about the old times and at first Marley is proud of what he did but they catches himself and begins to tell Scrooge about why he is here and why he is carrying those heavy chains. “Scrooge I am carrying these heavy chains because it is my punishment for what I did to all the people out there.” Scrooge of course does not believe him and just laughs in his face. But Marley warns that if Scrooge doesn’t change his attitude by Christmas Day this year he was going to die and his chains would be far more heavy.” Scrooge is scared and begs Marley to tell him what he can do to prevent this event. Marley tells him that tonight three ghosts will visit him within hours of each other and they will be able to answer his questions. Then Marley fades into oblivion never heard from again. But Scrooge can here is haunting words and nervously goes to sleep in his bed.”

“That would scare me too if I were in, what’s his name’s positions?” 

“It would haunt anyone who read the story and didn’t leave much to society.”

“Anyway, at the stroke of midnight the first ghost makes his appearance. His presence scares Scrooge under his covers and the ghost removes the covers. Scrooge shaking with fear stammers out¼”Who are you?” I am the ghost of Christmas Past. Grab onto my robe and I will take you to a time you have forgotten. Scrooge did not like that but the ghost took him anyway. The ghost takes Scrooge to a time when he was just a boy. A time that Scrooge has forgotten, a shy boy sit in the corner waiting for a dance with the girl he loved. Along came his crush he was taken aback by the memory. “That’s my old girl, we were so much in love, I was going to marry her not matter what. I knew it that day as soon as she kissed me. I do not know what ever happened to her. Boy wasn’t she a beauty.” Yes, she was but you scrooge began to love something more, even more then he love her.” The ghost begins to fade as Scrooge looks on and begins to wonder. “Why are you fading away?” “It is almost time for me to go”  “Bit we must stay I want to remember this,”  “I cannot” Suddenly Scrooge appears in his own bed. Believing it was just a dream he falls back to sleep.

“A few hours later another ghost appears. She is the ghost of Christmas present surrounded by tons of food. The food represented the greediness that people around the world have around this time of year. It also represented the greed Ebenezer had for his money. Without a word, she took Scrooge to another time far very familiar. It was the house of his partner Bob Cratchit. On a plate that seemed to fit a larger turkey, dinner was a miniscule bird and a few vegetables. Scrooge’s heart sank, “Surly they had more food than this?” “I am afraid not, that is all they can afford for this holiday.” Suddenly, from inside a small noise caught Scrooge’s attention. It is a small boy with a crutch hobbling down the stairs. Scrooge heart was aching, something was wrong with him but Scrooge did not know. “What is wrong with him?” “If you don’t change your attitude toward Christmas, this Christmas will be Tiny Tim’s last Christmas” “From inside Scrooge can hear a tiny voice saying a blessing. “ And God Bless Mr. Scrooge” it tore Scrooge apart as the ghost of Christmas Present fade away with Scrooge.”

“Finally this is where you come in B’Elanna the ghost of Christmas Future.”

“So why is it so bad?”

“Just listen¼Scrooge awakens to the chime of his clock as a darkened thing stands over the bed of Ebenezer Scrooge which is no longer a bed it is a cold and lonely cell. Scrooge feels a mass amount of fear crawl over his body, as the ghost of Christmas Future does not reveal his face. Suddenly a finger points into a direction of a small-unmarked grave Bob Cratchit stands hovering over it. Scrooge’s biggest fear makes his way. “Is that the grave of Tiny Tim?” the lonely, dark head nods in reply. Suddenly fog covers Scrooge’s viewing area, Scrooge’s begins to fear what is next as the Ghost of Christmas Future pulls down his hood a revolting face appears sheer terror rushes over Scrooge’s body as the man laughs wickedly. Scrooge follows the finger to a large grave in the center of the cemetery. “Whose, may I ask, grave is that?” “Why it ‘s yours Scrooge” Scrooge than is pushed into the murky grave. Scrooge then awakens with the jumbled covers of his own bed. Scrooge rushes to the window to find it is Christmas morning knowing there is still time to prevent this horrible event. Scrooge rushes out in his nightclothes as well as slippers, gives bags of cash to the peddlers one the street, and buys the large turkey in the window. After being dressed, he rushes happily to Bob Cratchit’s house. Knocking with his can and putting on the most angered face Bob opens the door. Bob, this Christmas holiday is making us loose money, I want you to come back and work right this moment. Sir, this is Christmas. You said I could take a half-day. I know what I said I changed my mind, It’s only right that I¼give you a RAISE!” Scrooge cannot contain himself and begins to laugh. He sees Tiny Tim and picks him up and together they laugh. Tiny Tim replies “God Bless Us Everyone?” Well that’s it¼”

“That’s pretty good, however, I fail to see what the Doctor meant when he said the Ghost of Christmas Future reminded him of me. Am I that terrible?”

“Oh no, I think he meant that you are so closed up that you don’t let everyone help you with your problems. That because of this, you have this darkness over you and you won’t let the light in.”

“Oh, well now I will be more careful and let others help me with my problems. You told the story really well but I think I am going to read it anyway. Your medication must be kicking in I will let you rest. Thanks for telling me the story. Maybe when you are well again we can hold a play about the Christmas Story.”

Before she finishes, Janeway is asleep. B’Elanna opens the book and begins to read it.
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