Disclaimer: See part one.

Author's Notes: Any similarities between this story and Susan de-Fluke's "Faith as a Grain of Mustard" is purely coincidental. As far as I know, only the first scene in mine is really similar to the first scene in hers.

Rating: PG

By Erin_Cale

Immediately upon entering their home, Keith threw his wife to the floor. She grunted in pain, but when she looked back up at him, her eyes held a defiant glint.

"You bastard," she whispered.

Instead of replying, Keith turned on the news. They happened to be in the middle of a special news bulletin. "And in tonight's top story, there was a fire at the home of Kathryn Janeway's mother today. It is unknown at this point if there are any casualties."

"In a few hours, it will be released that Gretchen Janeway was caught in the fire."

"How do you know for sure?"

He held up the gray box. "Along with being a remote operating device, this also tells me when somebody is- or was, rather- in your childhood home. It also tells me if there is anybody in your sister's home. There was somebody in your mother's home when I set the device and seeing as how the fire was started by a few harmless chemicals mixing together, there would be no alarms. I doubt that your mother could have gotten out of that alive."

A tear slipped down Kathryn's cheek. "Why did I ever marry you?"

"Because I asked." Kathryn looked at her husband. He wore a smirk on his handsome features. She remembered meeting him, thinking how gentle and compassionate he was. He had made her feel like a real woman, a feeling she hadn't allowed herself to feel in a long time. Looking back on that first day, Kathryn couldn't see how he had fooled her. But he had and her mother had paid the price.... maybe Chakotay too. Oh why had she ever said yes?

"You're tired, go to sleep. You're going to have a long day tomorrow."

Kathryn got up and quietly retired to the bedroom. Through the thin wall, she could hear Keith rehearsing what he would say when investigators questioned him. After almost an hour she heard him brush his teeth and then felt him crawl into bed next to her. She almost gagged when she thought of she was sleeping next to. Another tear dripped down her face. She wiped it away angrily and vowed that he would see her husband brought down even if she had to go down with him.

***

Chakotay knocked on the door and stood back. A second later the door opened, revealing B'Elanna dressed in casual attire. "Chakotay," she said, obviously surprised by his appearance. "Come in."

"Thank you." He and Gretchen entered the home. Chakotay took a moment to get his first look around the Paris home. Whoever had decorated it had definitely had taste.

B'Elanna sat them down at a table, then called to her husband. Tom appeared with Miral on his shoulder, as if he hadn't moved her since talking with Chakotay.

"Well," B'Elanna said, gesturing to Gretchen. "Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"I'm sorry. B'Elanna Torres, Tom Paris this is Gretchen Janeway. Mrs. Janeway, these are my friends."

"You can call me Gretchen, you know." She extended a hand first to B'Elanna, then to Tom. At her father's movement, Miral started crying. Tom tried to comfort her but when he was unsuccessful, he handed the child to his wife. After a few moments, B'Elanna too found that she was being unsuccessful.

"Your first child?"

"Yes. How did you know?" Tom asked.

"The way you handle her. May I try?" She held out her arms and B'Elanna cautiously handed over her precious baby.

"So why are you two here?" Tom asked as Gretchen somehow calmed Miral.

Chakotay gave them the quick version. By the end of his story, Tom's eyes were wide and B'Elanna's face was worried.

"So what can we do?" B?Elanna asked.

"Help us. Mrs. Jane- I mean, Gretchen needs a place to stay and I need help making a recording device."

"A recording device?" Tom asked.

"Yes. Kathryn won't ever be safe until we get that guy the punishment he deserves."

"What would you like it made as? I could make it look like a broach, a necklace, you name it," B'Elanna said.

Chakotay hadn't thought of that yet. Gretchen finally suggested, "How about a hairpin? Kathryn's hair is long enough so that she could wear one now."

"That's a good idea." B?Elanna started muttering to herself and counting what supplies she'd need. Finally, she got up and went into the kitchen. A few minutes later she came back, still entering needed supplies onto a PADD. When she was done, she handed the list to Chakotay.

"Get these supplies and I can have a recording device ready for you in a couple of hours."

"Come on, Chakotay," Tom said, getting up from the table. "You're going to need somebody to show you around town."

***

Chakotay waited until he saw Kathryn's husband leave the house before going up and ringing the bell. After a moment, the door opened and he saw Kathryn.

"Chakotay, you're alive!" She hugged him fiercely and he hugged her back just as hard. When she pulled back, she quickly looked around before opening the door further.

"Come in." He stepped past her and into her home. He could tell that something had happened here recently. Books, pieces of broken glass and other debris littered the floor. He looked at Kathryn questioningly. She said, "He was drunk when I got up this morning. I messed up his breakfast." She tried to chuckle but the result only made Chakotay more angry at the man she had married. ?You know me and my cooking."

Chakotay grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze before taking the hairpin out of his pocket. He placed it in her hand gently. "Put this in your hair and then ask him about your mother."

"Is she all right?"

"Yes. She's staying with Tom and B'Elanna right now."

She smiled, tears starting to fall from her blue-gray eyes. She looked down at the hairpin, then back up at her former first officer. "Thank you Chakotay."

"No thanks are necessary. I'd do anything to keep you safe. It's my obligation."

She smiled the lopsided grin he loved so much. "But you're not my first officer anymore."

"I know."

Kathryn bit her lip to keep herself from crying any harder. When she was finally composed enough to speak, she said, "You better get going. I have rather nosy neighbors and they'll probably tell Keith if you're here very long."

Chakotay brought the hand that was still captive in his own to his mouth, kissing it briefly. When he raised his face, he locked his gaze with Kathryn's. "Don't worry, everything will be all right. I promise." He dropped her hand and left without another word. Kathryn stood still for a moment, convinced that she had had just had a hallucination. But when she looked down at her hand, she saw the hairpin he had given her. She felt something stir in her that she had thought dead for a long time, Hope. She walked into the bedroom and looked at the mirror. It was the only one left untouched by Keith's rampage. She placed the hairpin in her hair carefully, making sure that it would never fall out.

She took a deep breath and looked at herself in the mirror. Something else long thought buried stirred within her soul. She recognized it, it was her feelings for Chakotay. She promised herself that as soon as this whole thing was over, she would tell him how she felt, Seven or no Seven.

***

Kathryn was sitting on the couch when Keith came in. In a room across the street Chakotay, Tom and B'Elanna listened attentively to every word.

"Hello Keith."

"Kath," he replied, kissing her lightly. She fought hard not to gag from the alcohol on his breath.

"So were you asked about my mother today?"

"Yes. And se-several people sent their condo-cond-their best wishes." Keith smiled. "Nobody suspected that I had done it." Kathryn nodded, not looking him in the eyes. "Now go get me s-some coffee."

"Of course." She went into the kitchen and came back a moment later with a steaming cup in her hand. She handed it to her husband and sat down near him as he sat on the couch. After about three minutes of silence, Kathryn heard the computer chime go off, indicating somebody had opened a comm link with their house. Kathryn go up and walked over to the terminal. Shooting a quick look at Keith, she activated the screen.

"Hello dear." Mrs. Murphy said, her weathered features appearing before Kathryn.

"Hi Mrs. Murphy. How are you?"

"Oh I'm fine. And you?"

"I'm good, thank you. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Actually, I was calling to ask if your husband was around." Kathryn had a bad feeling about this but she smiled anyway. She looked up. Keith had heard and was walking over. No avoiding the situation then.

"Sure. Hold on a moment." Kathryn went back to the couch and gathered up both of their coffee cups.

Meanwhile, Keith sat down in front of the screen. He smiled. "Hi Mrs. Murphy, what can I do for you?"

Kathryn didn't hear what Mrs. Murphy said but she knew she wouldn't like it from the look that quickly spread over Keith's features. Then a fake smile replaced the angry look he had worn only moments before. "Thank you," he said, shutting off the computer.

"Chakotay, help me," Kathryn whispered, knowing the sensitive device would pick up the slightest sound.

Keith stood up carefully, and walked over to where she stood. All of a sudden, he grabbed her hair and forced her head back. "We, darling, are going for a little ride." He pressed a button under the computer desk and a door opened in the far wall. Dragging her inside it, Keith shut the door and a light immediately came on above their heads. Kathryn saw, to her horror, a transporter console. Fighting desperately, she found she couldn't break free of his grip. He pressed a couple keys on the console. Kathryn tried to stop him, for she knew an encryption sequence when she saw one.

"No!" she screamed. But the protest came too late and she felt the all-too-familiar tingle of the transporter take over.

***