Please send comments to pt4ever@yahoo.com Disclaimer: Paramount did, does, and will always own these characters. (Except for the ones I make up.) I just play with them a little. :) Daddy's Little Girl (post-Voy, P/T, PG) by JoAnna Walsvik part 1/? @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Kathryn Elyse Paris, Katy for short, was dressed in a pretty pink nightgown and cuddled up in a comfortable plush armchair in the quarters she shared with her parents. She was intently studying a PADD given to her by her aunt Kathryn Janeway. Aunt Kathryn wasn't really her aunt, actually her godmother, but Katy had a whole bunch of "honorary" aunts and uncles; about one hundred forty, in fact. Voyager was her kingdom, and Voyager's crew were her adoring subjects. Everywhere she went, Katy was fussed over and spoiled absolutely rotten, as were the other children on the ship. At three years of age, Katy was the third oldest, behind Christine Wildman, daughter of Samantha Wildman, who was six, and Anthony Nicholas Jarvin, Jr., the son of Tony and Megan Jarvin, who was four. The youngest children were Jeffery Thomas Baxter, son of Walter and Jenny Baxter, aged one and a half, and little Philip Frederick Bristow, who had been born to Freddie and Melanie Bristow only three days ago. Captain Janeway sometimes mentioned that the ship would burst at it's seams if anymore children were born, but it was no hidden fact that the captain was secretly delighted with all of the little ones running about. She spoiled them all shamelessly, and always insisted on holding each newborn child just hours after his or her birth. Captain's prerogative, she called it. She never admitted to playing favorites, but the entire ship knew that of all the children, her favorite was her namesake, Kathryn Elyse Paris, the daughter of Tom and B'Elanna Paris. Little Katy was her pride and joy, not to mention her goddaughter, and the little three-year-old loved her "Aunt Kathryn" best of all her other aunts and uncles. This particular night, Katy was being watched by her "uncle" Neelix. She liked Uncle Neelix, even if he sometimes reminded her of the old twentieth-century circus clowns her daddy had read her stories about. He always saved her the best slices of cake and candy that he would make, and sometimes he'd tell her wonderful stories about his home on Rhinax. Tonight, though, Uncle Neelix seemed strangely preoccupied. He'd jump at the slightest little sound, and he kept staring at Katy in a way that made her uncomfortable--like he was really worried about something. It was probably Mommy and Daddy. They were on another one of their mysterious "Away missions" and that was why Uncle Neelix was watching her. Katy busied herself in her PADD. It was of the multiplication tables, and she had promised her Aunt Kathryn she'd learn the fives and sixes before tomorrow. If she got them all right, Aunt Kathryn would let her visit the bridge for a few moments--a prize highly coveted. She might even let her sit in Daddy's station and pretend to fly the ship. The fives were easy. They were like a little song, so rhythmic and easy to remember. 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35.... The sixes were a bit harder, but Katy was sure that, with practice, she would be able to get them. She had to. Aunt Kathryn was counting on her. 6, 12, 18, 24, 36.... The doors swished open and Katy lifted her ebony head. Those soft black curls had delighted her father when she was born, because they were so like her mother's. In fact, Katy was a tiny miniature of her mother except for her forehead, which was smooth, and her bright, piercing blue eyes. "Mommy!" Katy squealed in delight, jumping up from the chair. She skidded to a stop when she saw that Mommy had tears streaked all over her face. Mommy NEVER cried. And Uncle Chakotay's eyes were sad, so, so sad. "Mommy, what's wrong?" she asked timidly. "Where's Daddy?" "B'Elanna," Uncle Neelix said in alarm. "What's wrong? Is...?" Mommy looked at Uncle Chakotay, then back at Katy. "Honey, come here," she said, her voice quivering. She sank down into a nearby chair and pulled Katy on to her lap. "Katy," she said slowly, "remember when Daddy and I had that talk with you about Starfleet officers and how we were in danger sometimes? I told you that there might be a chance that one of us might have to go away and never come back, remember?" Katy nodded, her eyes wide. Mommy and Daddy had been so serious during that talk, it had made her feel scared. She wanted them to smile and laugh and have fun, not talk about going away. "Well, Daddy...he was on an Away mission with Aunt Kathryn and he--some bad men shot Daddy, honey." "They shot Daddy?" Katy questioned, not fully understanding. "Yes, Katy. Daddy is very, very sick. The doctor is doing the best he can to make him get better, but..." "Is Daddy going to DIE?" Katy cried, aghast. Young as she was, she understood death. Katy had once been present at the death of a crew member. She had been in sickbay for an annual check-up, and during her examination the ship had been attacked. Katy had been all but forgotten as many injured crew members were beamed to sickbay and the doctor, with Kes, has struggled to save them. They had managed to save all but one crew member--Vorik, a young Vulcan ensign who had been standing too close to a console when it exploded. Katy would never to her dying day forget the moment when the Vulcan had died--he had looked directly at her, hideous burns covering his face, then closed his eyes, his head slumping back. Katy had screamed and become hysterical. She had nightmares for months afterward. The doctor would never forgive himself for forgetting her presence and exposing her to such horrors long before she was ready. Tom and B'Elanna had been worried about their small daughter, but they very kindly told the doctor that, perhaps, it was better for her to have seen death so she could understand it better if something ever happened to one of them. Unfortunately, that time had come. "I don't know, honey," B'Elanna told her daughter honestly. "The doctor is doing his very best to save him, but Daddy is very sick." Katy buried her face in Mommy's chest. She didn't want Daddy to be sick. She wanted him to walk through the door, his blue eyes sparkling, and kiss Mommy and hug her. She wanted to hear him say, "How's my Katy-did?" and have him pick her up and swing her around. "What about Aunt Kathryn?" Katy asked, her voice muffled. "Is she okay?" This time, it was her Uncle Chakotay who answered. "Aunt Kathryn is all right, Katy," he assured her gently. "She was shot, too, but not as seriously as your daddy was. The doctor says that in a few days, Aunt Kathryn will be back on duty." Katy contemplated this for a few moments. She loved Aunt Kathryn and was glad that she was okay, but she wanted her Daddy to be okay, too. "Can I see Daddy?" she asked, her voice tiny. Mommy looked at Uncle Chakotay despairingly. "I'm afraid not, honey," she said gently. "Not until he gets a little better." "But he might not GET better," Katy objected. "You said so. I want to see him!" "I'm sorry, Katy," Mommy said sadly. "I want to see him too, but I can't. No one can, except for the doctor and Kes. He's too sick." "I want to see him!" Katy screamed, with a temper that rivaled her mother's. "I want to see him NOW!!!!" "Katy, please--" "NO!! I want to see him!" "Kathryn Elyse Paris, are you throwing a temper tantrum?" All four occupants of the room whirled towards the doorway. Kathryn Janeway was standing there, her uniform wrinkled and her hair mussed, but obviously very much alive. "Aunt Kathryn!" Katy shouted gladly, scrambling off of her mother's lap and rushing towards her godmother. She latched on to Kathryn Janeway's legs and held on tight. "Kathryn, you're supposed to be resting," Chakotay said disapprovingly. "I was going to, and I am. But I could hear my goddaughter shouting all the way out in the corridor." Janeway kneeled down so she was at eye level with Katy. "Now, Katy, what's wrong?" "They won't let me see Daddy," Katy pouted. "I want to see him, Aunt Kathryn. Why won't they let me see him?" "Your daddy is a very sick man, Katy," Janeway said gently. "The doctor and Kes are doing their very best to save him, and if anyone went to sickbay, even your mommy, they might get in the way. We wouldn't want anything hindering your daddy's medical help, would we?" Katy nodded understandingly, even though she wasn't quite sure what "hindering" meant. "Can I see him soon?" "I don't know, Katy. We'll just have to wait and be patient. Remember that talk you and I had about having patience?" Katy sighed and nodded. Did she ever remember that talk. She had thrown a temper tantrum in the middle of the Mess Hall after Neelix had been slightly behind schedule with her dinner. The talk Kathryn Janeway had given her afterwards was one even Tuvok had been impressed with. Young Katy would definitely be much more patient. "Good. Now, isn't it near your bedtime?" "That's right, it is," B'Elanna interceded. "Say good night, Katy." "Good night, Aunt Kathryn. Good night, Uncle Chakotay. Good night, Uncle Neelix. Thank you for watching me," Katy recited dutifully, giving each of them a hug in turn. "Good night, Mommy." "Good night, sweetheart. Sweet dreams," B'Elanna Paris said, kissing her small daughter. Katy ran off to her bedroom, the PADD forgotten. Multiplication tables were unimportant when her daddy was so sick. "Good night, Daddy. Get well soon," she whispered, climbing into bed. Moments later, the tears began to fall, and Katy Paris cried herself to sleep. @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ END OF PART 1 Remember, send your feedback to pt4ever@yahoo.com! Copyright 1997 by JoAnna Walsvik. All rights reserved and most of the lefts, too. :) Archive, distribute, etc. to your heart's content, but leave my name and the disclaimer attached.