by Merri Wyllow
DISCLAIMER: Star Trek: Voyager, Commander Chakotay, Ensign Kim, The Doctor and most of the other stuff in this story are the belongings of Paramount. Ensign Gresham and the events of this story are mine. If anyone thinks this story is worth money, please tell me. But Paramount, please do not worry -- I will be too busy rolling on the floor laughing to cash in on it.
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They woke to the sound of the computer's automated wake up call. Finding numerous cricks and catches in their muscles as they untangled themselves, Blake and Harry gave each other shy smiles.
Blake whispered, "Good morning, love."
Harry caressed her face and kissed her lips tenderly. "I'll go to my quarters to get cleaned up. Meet me for breakfast?"
"Give me twenty minutes, and I'll be there."
Harry quickly donned yesterday's uniform and left Blake to herself.
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Five minutes before their shifts were due to start, Harry carried their trays back to Neelix's kitchen. Blake walked with him, speaking softly, "Right. So I'll request an appointment to speak with the Captain, and let you know when. Dinner?"
"You can't skip lunch. Meet me here," he responded.
"I nibble all day anyway, why take time to come all the way up here? If you want, grab a tray and bring it down to my office. You can hang around and get under foot for a while. That way if you happen to get back to Ops late, we can call it 'supplemental cross-training'. They'll buy that, won't they?"
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"I've been expecting this,'thought Captain Janeway as she looked over Blake's request for an after-shift appointment to talk over a personal matter. 'Gresham will need some reassurance. That I can do, I think. She has always been one of the quieter officers and probably as thrown by this as I am - more so, considering...."
She confirmed the request, and set the appointment. It took her a few minutes to regain focus on the work in front of her.
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At the end of the duty shift, Captain Janeway remained in her office, waiting for Ensign Gresham. There were the ever-present piles of reports to occupy her attention while she waited.
When the door chimed, Janeway's attention was absorbed in the engineering report in front of her. She called to the door, "Come," and did not look up until both Gresham and Kim had entered.
A look of mild surprise and interest crossed the Captain's face. "Harry, I didn't expect you. Take a seat, both of you. What is it you need to talk about?"
The moment had come for them to speak their intentions to the Captain. Blake, who was intimidated by Janeway, flooded with tension. For Harry the moment was worse. Suddenly his mind filled with the Captain's point of view. He saw that she would be worried for him acting in haste. As well, he remembered the undercurrent between the Captain and Commander Chakotay that he had sometimes picked up on. Knowing Captain Janeway as he did, Harry did not believe she would have an affair with her First Officer; but the connection was undeniable. For the first time it occurred to Harry that Janeway might have some personal stake in this mess. The ensigns exchanged glances and began speaking simultaneously.
"It's about our quarters, Captain..." Ensign Gresham opened.
"Captain, we want to marry..." began Ensign Kim.
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As the interview went on, Blake's level of tension rose. She gripped the sides of her chair until her knuckles were white. The room swam before her eyes. Her pale complexion faded to white tinged with green. Just as the Captain saw her distress and was about to ask if she was alright, Blake knew she could not hold out any longer. "Washroom?" she blurted out. Janeway pointed to the private door in the corner behind her desk. The ensign stumbled towards the door, while Harry followed her with his eyes, a stricken look glazing them.
"Morning sickness, Ensign Kim. It doesn't always occur in the morning," The Captain spoke in a reassuring tone of voice, "Computer, a glass of ice and a serving of soda crackers. Take those to her, Ensign."
When Blake was presentable again, and finished her shaky apology, Janeway spoke again. "It is not for me to say whether or not you should get married. Ordinarily, I would not hesitate to perform the ceremony and do so gladly. But the fact remains that the situation the two of you are in is a highly unusual one. You were acting under the influence of an unknown chemical agent. You may well still be feeling that influence...."
"Captain..." Ensign Kim interrupted.
"Let me finish Ensign," she said firmly. "I'm going to ask you to wait three months. There will be time for you to think this through, and to be entirely certain that this is what you truly want to do. If you don't change your minds, then we will plan the ceremony. Dismissed!"
TO BE CONTINUED...
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