Disclaimer: Paramount owns these characters (and half the world). I make no money off of this story. No copyright infringement is intended.

*

Pain and Suffering

by Tamar Richardson

*

Part 2: Her Pain

Janeway awoke to find herself in bed with a huge headache. Strange, she thought, she could have sworn that she had fallen asleep on the couch. Either way, she still had a hangover that would cause a Klingon to complain.

As soon as the fog of sleep left her body, a pain much worse than the hangover invaded her soul. The pain had all started seven years ago and had only stopped for one moment. Kes's departure had been tough on the entire crew, especially Janeway. It was like loosing a daughter.

Later that year, Voyager had found a link to home, only to have it ripped away. Plus Mark. She had once loved Mark, but that was before she met Chakotay. A year or so later, Kathryn and Chakotay had gotten married, but there was a dark shadow behind that day, she remembered it well.

**********

"Janeway here." She was sitting up in bed with Chakotay's head resting on her lap. She was tracing his tattoo (a habit she had picked up long ago.)

"Sorry to bother you on your wedding night," Paris apologized. "But we might have a situation up here." Something was wrong. This was Tuvok's duty shift.

"Mr. Paris, where's Commander Tuvok?"

"Unconscious. He murmured something about 'the Returning' and fainted."

By now, Kathryn was already on her feet and halfway into her uniform, "On my way."

**********

"The Return" had been a reference to an alien race that had gone into hiding long ago. They had gone into hiding to rebuild their forces after a war with a race long dead.

The Captain made constant attempts to make alliances with species native to the area, but at first they had all refused. It took the destruction of several colony worlds before one alliance was formed. The war had lasted six long years. It had ended several days ago, when the last Returning ship surrendered. Unfortunately, it was too late to save Alexis.

Alexis had been the most sweetest little girl to roam the halls of Voyager. Chakotay picked out the name. Kathryn was puzzled by his choice. He refused to say anything, but she saw it in his eyes. Someone named Alexis had meant a lot to him. B'Elanna had later told her that a woman in the Maquis named Alexis had given her life to save Chakotay from the Cardassians.

**********

She blinked back the tears that had been created by the memory. Janeway scanned the room with her eyes. It was a mess. Padds strewn about the floor, the table was upturned, and there was broken glass by the door.

"Chakotay!" she realized. "Computer, locate Commander Chakotay."

"Commander Chakotay is in Holodec 2."

She threw on some clothes and headed out the door and towards Holodec 2.

*