Disclaimer: Most characters depicted herein are the property  
of Paramount.  Everything else up to and including the log cabin  
is mine. 
  
The Day Before Christmas  
by R'rain 
Voyager, rated G. 
  
Janeway entered holodeck one, buttoning her coat and putting on her   
mittens.  She smiled at the winter wonderland that awaited her--Tom   
had really outdone himself this time.  There were tall snowbanks as   
far as the eye could see with a wide path cleared through the   
middle of it, and a cabin to her left with a tendril of inviting   
smoke curling up from the chimney.  
	"Kathryn," she heard a voice call to her from the cabin.  She   
turned and saw Chakotay waving to her.  Tying her hair back and   
tucking it into her coat, she waved back with a broad smile and   
headed towards him.  There were already the tracks of a dozen pairs   
of feet that had preceded her, and she was sure there would be   
plenty more behind.  "Kathryn," he said, jogging up to meet her,   
"What do you think?  Isn't it great?"  
	"It's fabulous," she admitted, "It reminds me of a day trip   
some friends and I made during our senior year at the academy.  We   
went up to Canada after a big storm and just...frolicked."  
	Chakotay laughed, "Forgive me if I can't imagine you   
frolicking," he said.  Janeway grinned back and punched him lightly   
on the arm before taking his hand.  "Come on inside," he coaxed   
her, leading the way, "Harry made some hot chocolate when he got   
here and I think there's still some on the stove."  
	"I love these old fashioned scenarios," she mused.  
	"Only because you know you can turn them off and go back to   
your 23rd Century luxuries," he teased her, "Don't try and fool me,   
Kat, I know you better than that."  
	"I wasn't going to try," she said, passing through the door   
that he opened for her, "I know how merciless you can be when you   
get to teasing me."  She waved at Dalby and Ayala who were sitting   
by an  
old fashioned wood stove warming their hands, and at Tom, who was   
stirring something on the stove.  
	"Captain," he smiled at her, "Welcome."  
	"Tom this is wonderful," she said, walking over to him, her   
hand still in Chakotay's, "and please don't call me Captain right   
now, you know how I feel about being off duty."  She straightened   
his shirt maternally and peeked into the pot that he was stirring.  
	"Sorry, Kate," he said, "I'm just not all that used to it yet.   
 And it's soup--don't touch, it's not ready yet,"  He slapped her   
hand with a wooden spoon as she pulled it away sharply and laughed.   
 It had only been a couple of months ago that she had decided that   
dammit, these were the only companions she was going to have for a   
long time so she might as well be comfortable.  Relationships had   
been forming for a long time, and finally it had been proven to her   
that being casual off duty would not affect the respect that   
everyone had for her and each other on duty.  So now she was   
Kathryn, or more often Kate.  And Kat to one special person.  
	"Where did Harry go?"  asked Chakotay, looking around the   
room.  
	"Last I checked, he and B'Elanna were making a snowman out   
back," he said with a grin, "I'd be careful if I went out there if   
I were you, though.  There has been the occasional snowball   
assault."  
	"I'll keep that in mind," said Chakotay, releasing Kathryn's   
hand and walking towards the back door.  
	"I hope B'Elanna's taking it easy," she commented to Tom.  
	He looked at her a bit incredulously, "She's hardly even   
showing yet," he said, "I don't think that you need to worry for a   
few more months."  
	"I'm not the one who's worried," she said.  Tom looked at her   
a bit skeptically, "Okay, I'm not the one who's the *most* worried.   
 Geron asked me to keep an eye on her until he finished his duty   
shift--I think he's worried that--"  
	"The Doc says that she's past the danger point now," he told   
her.  
	"I know, but--"  
	"No buts, Kate," he said, putting down the spoon and taking   
both of her hands in his own, "She's *not* going to lose this one.   
 Now relax, you can't mother the whole ship all the time."  
	"No," she said with just a hint of a smile, "but I can try."  
	Tom laughed and released her pulling out a chair from the   
wooden table and offering it to her before sitting down.  "Mama   
Kate and Daddy Chakotay," he teased her, "and their hundred and   
fifty kids."  
	She, too, had to laugh at that absurd mental image.  "So   
what's this I hear about hot chocolate...?"  
	Tom picked up a thermos from the opposite end of the table and   
poured her some.  "No marshmallows," he confessed, "Unless you want   
to replicate yourself some...?"  
	She shook her head, "It's just fine the way it is," she said,   
"I needed something hot and soothing--"  
	"--and Chakotay is outside," he finished for her, giving her a   
cocky grin.  
	"Watch yourself, lieutenant," she warned him teasingly, "or   
you may find yourself on the midnight shift on the next duty   
roster."  
	"Midnight.  Noon.  What's the difference on a starship?"  
	"Only the company you'll be keeping."  
	He thought about that for a moment, "Naw, it's still too much   
fun teasing you , Kate.  It'd be worth it.  Besides, doesn't   
Chakotay make up the duty roster?"  
	"You'd be surprised the power a Captain wields on her own   
starship, Tom," she said, winking, "Why, they even let me give a   
few orders once in a while!"  
	"Point taken," he grinned, standing up to stir his soup.  
	"Why didn't you just replicate something?"  she asked him   
curiously.  
	"Because I like to cook?" he offered.  She looked at him and   
raised an eyebrow, so he leaned towards her and whispered   
conspiratorially, "It is replicated, but if you tell a soul--"  She   
laughed softly. "I'm being domesticated," he joked, "Someone thinks   
it would be good for my image."  
	"Gee, I wonder who that could be?" she teased him, winking.    
He smiled in response and sat down at the table with her again,   
pouring himself another drink.  
	"You look so happy," he commented, out of the blue.  
	She looked at him curiously, "Shouldn't I be?"  
	"You were always so serious, so commanding," he said, "People   
were worried that you were going to implode or something, you were   
so isolated.  But now, now you seem happy."  
	Janeway had to smile, "And when did you become so generous and   
caring, Tom Paris?"  
	"Why it was under the tutelage of my wise and wonderful   
Captain," he said with a straight face.  
	Janeway sighed, "I guess it just took me a while to realize   
that my crew would still follow my orders even if I let down my   
guard and made friends off duty.  Back home I would have had scads   
of people to associate with who weren't under my command, but here   
this crew is all I've got.  It won't be like this anymore if we get   
back to the alpha quadrant, but right now it seems to be working   
just fine."  
	"You said 'if'" said Tom calmly.  
	"What?"  
	"You said 'if we get home' not 'when we get home'.  I've never   
heard you do that before."  Janeway looked at him with such an   
alarmed expression on her face that Tom lay a hand on her arm to   
calm her.  "Kate, it's not as if people don't already know that."  
	"But still..."  
	"I don't think anyone's holding their breath anymore.  I mean,   
*how* many marriages have you performed in the last year?  I'm not   
saying that I think all of them will last--mine excepted of   
course--"  
	"Of course," she echoed, a smile returning to her face.  
	"--but people are settling in for the long haul.  And so are   
you."  
	"I guess I am," she confessed, "but remember that you're   
hearing this from Kathryn and not from your Captain.  Your Captain   
will still order you to set a course for home every time you set   
foot on her bridge."  
	"And Lieutenant Paris will follow that order every time," he   
told her with conviction, "but I think that Tom can let Kate pour   
her heart out to him every so often."  
	"Thanks, Tom," she said, getting to her feet, "I mean that.    
But now, I think I'd better check and see what kind of trouble my   
first officer has gotten himself into."  He smiled and nodded at   
her as she moved towards the back door.  
	Janeway stepped out the door cautiously, remembering Tom's   
warning, and looked from side to side.  There was B'Elanna,   
smoothing down the sides of a big ball of snow.  And Susan   
Nicoletti doing something else, out a little further.  But--    
THWAP!  The snowball hit her shoulder.  She turned in shock to see   
Chakotay's grinning face, his arm cocked back ready to hurl another   
one.  The next one came from behind her, whizzing past her shoulder   
to hit Chakotay smack on the chest.  An arm came out of nowhere to   
grab hers and hauled her behind a snowbank.  
	"Hi Kate," whispered Harry breathlessly, "welcome to the war   
zone."  He handed her a snowball and grinned at her, "Go get 'im."   
 She peeked out and was that Chakotay was still standing there,   
Powell beside him.  She quickly stood up and hurled, nailing him   
square in the face, then was hit from the other side by a grinning   
Henley.  She felt someone stand up next to her, and Henley was hit   
by--she turned to look--Bristow.  Janeway felt another snowball   
whiz by her and ducked down again.  
	"So what's your game plan?" she asked.  
	"I'll let you know when we think of one," said Harry.  
	"That's no way to run an operation, lieutenant."  
	"Tell that to your first officer," complained Harry, "he's the   
one who defected, leaving us without a leader."  
	"Well," said Janeway, "I guess we'd better get him for that   
then."  She and Harry looked at one another and grinned, the stood   
up simultaneously and let loose a barrage of snowballs on the   
unsuspecting commander.  
	"Is it safe to--" said Tom from the doorway before being hit   
on the face by a stray.  Harry laughed at the shocked look on his   
face and hit him with another before he could react.  That seemed   
to signal the beginning of a free-for-all, and everyone came out of   
hiding to hurl snow at everyone else.  Janeway, out of ammunition,   
ducked and covered her head with her arms.  
	Tom and Harry had given up on making balls and were just   
throwing handfuls of snow at one another.  Finally Tom gave up and   
just tackled Harry, rolling them over and over in the middle of   
everything before coming to a stop on top of him.  With snow flying   
all around them, Tom leaned down and gently kissed his husband's   
lips, "Want some hot chocolate?" he said, raising an eyebrow.  
	Harry laughed, "I'd love some."  Tom got up and offered Harry   
a hand, pulling him to his feet and helping to dust him off before   
ducking back into the cabin.  "Ugh," said Harry, "I don't suppose   
you brought anything for me to change into?"  
	"What--you can't just get the holodeck to make you something?"  
	Harry shook his head, "I refuse to ruin the atmosphere.  You   
and I are here 'til the morning, as is, come what may."  
	Tom kissed him softly again.  "Check the bedroom.  I brought   
some stuff."  
	Harry smiled, "Thanks," he said, "I knew you would."  He   
headed for the bedroom that Tom had created for them and emerged   
soon afterward wearing a pair of jeans and a sweater, "Is this   
appropriate to the setting?"  
	"Quite," said Tom, putting his arms around him and holding him   
close, "And I happen to like it, too."  
	"You're so old-fashioned," teased Harry as Tom released him   
and led him back toward the kitchen.  Harry sat down at the table   
as Tom stirred his soup some more.  
	"Tom," came Neelix' voice, "Do you need any help in there?"  
	Tom and Harry shared an alarmed look, "I'm fine," said Tom,   
"Relax, enjoy yourself, let me do the work for once."  
	"Oh, but I enjoy it..."  
	"No, no," said Harry quickly, "You already do so much for us.   
 Have a cup of hot chocolate and sit down with Kes.  Did you bring   
Danus with you?"  
	"Why, thank you," said Neelix, taking the cup that Harry   
offered him, "No, we left the little one with Tuvok for the   
evening.  Are you sure--?"  
	"We'll be fine," interrupted Tom, "Go, enjoy yourself."  
	"If you insist," said Neelix, wandering back into the other   
room where a number of the crew were congregating around a   
fireplace and near a large decorated evergreen tree.  Harry stood   
up and walked over to the wood stove, warming his hands over it for   
a moment.  
	Tom gave the soup a taste and then replaced the lid, "I'll be   
right back, I want to get out of these wet clothes too."  
	"Need any help?" asked Harry innocently.  
	Tom ruffled his hair on his way by, "Save it for later, hon,"   
he said.  When he came back he was wearing something similar to   
Harry--blue jeans and a heavy navy sweater.  "Well?"  
	"Looks warm," commented Harry, moving from the wood stove back   
to his seat at the table, "Nice and cozy."  
	"You know what would make me even cozier?" he said, catching   
Harry before he sat down.  Harry grinned and put his arms around   
Tom from behind as Tom peeked at the soup again, resting his head   
against Tom's shoulder.  "You're a smart man, Har."  
	They heard a burst of laughter coming from the living room   
area and turned their heads in that direction.  "Shall we?" asked   
Harry, taking his hand.  Tom took a last lingering look at his pot   
of soup, then nodded his head. "Your soup will survive a while   
without you."  
	"Yeah, but what if it turns into a subspace void when my back   
is turned and starts devouring crew members?"  
	Harry laughed, "It would never happen that way.  If anything   
had any reason to devour us, you'd be the first to go."  
	"Jeez, you make it sound like you'd be first in line to push   
me in!"  
	Harry gave him a quick hug, "You know that if that happened   
I'd be right behind you."  
	"Yeah, but you're a masochist."  
	"I'd have to be," teased Harry, "I married you, didn't I?"  
	"Ha!" blurted out Tom, "next thing I know, you'll be calling   
me 'the old ball and chain'"  
	"How do you know I'm not already?" asked Harry with a twinkle   
in his eye.  
	"Because," reasoned Tom as they reached the living room and   
the group of crewmembers there, "you're not allowed to do that   
until *after* your first anniversary."  
	"Well, if you count from the day we moved in together--"  Tom   
silenced him with a brief kiss, then looked around the room for a   
place to sit.  Seeing only one, he let Harry take it and sat down   
at his feet.  Absently, Harry began running his fingers through   
Tom's hair.  
	"Hey Tom, hey Harry," said Chell, "Mala was just telling us   
about her last shore leave..."  
	Harry laughed, "*Did* you ever get your pants back?"  
	"What?" said Tom, "You mean you've already heard this?"  
	"I have a life," said Harry with mock indignance.  
	"I don't remember giving you permission," he teased him.    
Harry smacked him on the shoulder and blushed.  Tom turned his head   
and reached back to take Harry's hand, smiling endearingly.  
	"Ugh, remind me not to fall in love," said Chell, "I think I'm   
going to go into sugar shock if I watch you two any longer."  
	"Suffer," said Tom, almost tempted to stick his tongue out but   
holding back at the last moment, "Say, did I ever tell you guys   
about the twins on Ethos Prime?"  A couple of people laughed and   
Harry groaned out loud, "Don't give me that, Har," he said without   
looking at him, "You know it was long before we ever got   
together--and it's not like I ever did anything with them anyways."  
	"Hey," laughed Harry, "I'm not stopping you from telling   
it..."  
	So he did.  And then Kes told them about how she chose the   
name for her son, which was a charming tale that few of them had   
heard.  And then Harry retaliated with the story of his and Tom's   
disaster-fraught first date, which *no*one had heard before.  And   
then a few people straggled in from the now-demilitarized zone   
outside the back door including Kathryn and B'Elanna.  
	"Who won?" asked Harry.  
	Janeway waved a hand as she tried to catch her breath, "I   
think we did.  I'm not sure."  She was covered in snow from head to   
foot and it was beginning to melt.  
	"No snow on the floor," ordered Tom, "Either dry off or go   
somewhere discreet to get rid of it."  
	"Yes, sir," Janeway teased him and she led B'Elanna and the   
three others into another room, all of them emerging completely dry   
only moments later, "So is the soup ready yet?"  
	"Not yet," said Tom, "Have patience."  
	At that point the rest of the war crowd burst through the   
door, already having had the foresight to dry themselves off.  All   
in all there were about 30 people in the cabin now, with a couple   
more expected before too long.  
	Tom pulled out a few blankets and everyone curled up in front   
of the fire for a long while, sharing stories or just cudding with   
their friends, enjoying the respite from the ship's routine.  Geron   
showed up before long and curled up with his pregnant wife, resting   
a gentle hand on her barely swollen belly.  
	As the evening wore on a lot of people left for their quarters   
or for their duty shifts, and by the time Tom was ready to serve up   
the soup, there were only about a dozen close friends left--those   
who were there for the night.  
	"Tom," said Harry, "need any help with that?"  
	"Sit," said Tom, pushing Harry into his seat as he got up to   
go into the kitchen, "I'm pampering you tonight."  
	"Why?" teased Harry, "am I pregnant and you just forgot to   
tell me?"  
	They laughed, and B'Elanna spoke up, "I'd be grateful to have   
someone to complain with.  At least I'm past the morning sickness   
bit now."  
	"Oh, there's lots of fun yet to come," piped up Mary Jenkins   
from her seat next to the fireplace, "wait 'til your ankles start   
swelling and you can't even move without your back hurting."  Both   
B'Elanna and Geron groaned and Mary just laughed as her partner Sue   
handed their son back to her.  
	"Isn't Tuvok coming?" asked Harry after Tom left the room.  
	"He's bringing Danus with him," said Kes, "he should be here   
any time now.  It was awfully nice of him to give us some time to   
ourselves."  She gave Neelix a quick kiss and he put his arms   
around her.  
	"He still misses his children," said Kathryn, "I think he   
likes that he'll be able to share with Danus his mental abilities."  
	Kes nodded and didn't respond.  Tom returned carrying a pot of   
soup and placed it in the middle of the floor.  He left again and   
quickly returned with a pile of bowls and a handful of spoons that   
he put next to the pot.  "All right, everyone help yourself," he   
said, spooning a big bowlful and giving it to Harry.  Everyone did,   
and they next few moments were conversationless as everyone enjoyed   
the warm meal.  
	"Well," said Kathryn, "I hate to bring up anything that sounds   
even remotely like ship's business, but I'm interested to know how   
the plans for the school are going."  
	"They're coming along more quickly than expected," said Mary,   
"Tuvok and I have made preliminary plans for a schoolroom as well   
as speaking with the various department heads about on-site   
tutorials."  
	"Especially sciences," said Sue ruefully, "I think she's   
trying to wring every concession out of me that she can."  She gave   
Mary a quick squeeze to show that she was only teasing.  
	"On-site tutorials?" said Kathryn.  
	"We're not going to have a lot of students at once, at least   
for the first while," said Mary, "A number of years down the road   
we might have to rethink the format, but for the moment it seems   
quite reasonable to have them begin at an early age learning about   
how the ship is run."  
	Kathryn was silent for a moment.  She knew that when they had   
decided to begin a school that they really were starting to think   
in the long term.  There were four children aboard Voyager now, and   
at least a few more on the way.  They hadn't given up on getting   
home any time soon--not quite--but they had accepted that they   
could be here for a very long time.  Tom had said it before, but   
now it was really beginning to sink in.  
	"Kat," whispered Chakotay in her ear, "are you all right?"  
	"Just thinking," she admitted, "about what this ship is going   
to be like a few more years down the road.  Will she even resemble   
the ship we set out with a few years ago?"  
	"Probably not," said Chakotay, "but that's okay.  She's   
becoming more friendly, and less like the ship that set out to   
capture the maquis traitors."  They actually smiled at the memory,   
it seemed so distant now.  She could no longer see turning in any   
of them any more than she could see turning herself in.  They were   
a crew, and a damn good one.  
	"Room for a couple more?" came a cheerful voice from the   
doorway.  Samantha Wildman stood there with Tuvok and the two   
children.  
	"There's always room for a couple more," said Tom, taking his   
seat next to Harry once again, "come and have some hot soup.  It's   
cold out there."  Tuvok refrained from pointing out the faulty   
logic regarding the atmosphere of the holodeck, and merely walked   
over to Kes to give her her son.  
	"Do you happen to have any eggnog?" asked Samantha as she led   
her daughter by the hand into the room, "I've been craving it and I   
promised Ally that she could try some."  
	"Sure do," said Harry, getting up.  When Tom tried to stop him   
he pushed him back down, "My turn," he told him, "you've done   
enough for us today."  
	"But I'm supposed to be spoiling you," he complained.  
	"I still haven't figured out why," said Harry, walking into   
the kitchen and coming back a moment later with a pitcher and some   
glasses, "I figured you wouldn't be the only one to want to try   
this."  
	Kathryn smiled, "I wouldn't mind trying some of that myself,"   
she admitted, "I haven't had any in years, I never thought to have   
it here before."  
	"And I never thought to program a snow lodge before," said   
Tom, "Harry, while you're up could you get me some too?  But I   
needed to make home where I was, so here it is."  
	"Is this a real place?" asked Chakotay.  
	"I based it on some old photographs of my family's cottage,"   
said Tom, "or what I remembered of them.  I've always wanted to   
know what it was like to live centuries ago."  
	"That would explain the absence of replicators," he mused.  
	"Absence of visible replicators," corrected Tom, "I figured   
Kate couldn't live a night without her conveniences so there's one   
in your room."  
	Chakotay laughed and Kathryn just blushed.  "Well," said Tom,   
"Happy holidays everyone.  This program is also based on the   
Christmases that I remember, but it doesn't need to be about   
Christmas.  It's our holiday, Voyager's holiday."  
	"Cheers," said Sue, raising her glass.  They all toasted both   
the ancient Earth holiday that they were celebrating and   
themselves, for being around to celebrate it.  The toast was   
followed by a round of Christmas carols and another round of   
storytelling, this time led by Chakotay, who always seemed to have   
more tales to tell.  The children were put to bed about halfway   
through, and only convinced to stay there by being told that they   
would receive gifts when they woke up.  Everyone had agreed, even   
those not familiar with the holiday, that that was one tradition   
that they would like to keep.  
	After Chakotay had finished a particularly romantic tale, he   
looked around the group of people assembled there.  They were his   
best friends, the people he trusted most in the galaxy.  Everyone   
was snuggled down, by themselves and in groups, the blankets that   
Tom had hauled out long ago claimed.  He looked at Kathryn and she   
smiled and nodded.  
	"I...we...have something to tell you all," he began, then   
hesitated and laughed, "Well, I think I'll just come out and say   
it.  I've asked Kat if she'll marry me and she said yes."  They   
were deluged by immediate congratulations from all sides.  
	"That's  wonderful," exclaimed Harry, jumping up to give them   
both a hug, "I'm so happy for you!"  Tom looked on from where he   
had been deserted with a big smile on his face.  
	"Well, it's about time," he teased them, shaking his head.  
	"Tom, be nice," chastised Kes, but she too was smiling broadly   
and gave them both a hug when Harry had backed away and gone back   
to the arms of his husband.  
	"That *was* nice," he protested, "there are a lot of other   
things that I could have said..."  
	"When would you like to have the wedding?" asked Samantha.  
	"In a couple of months," said Kathryn, "we still have to think   
about how we're going to do it.  After all, I can't perform my own   
ceremony."  
	"Perhaps you should give some thought to an Ocampa wedding,"   
said Kes, "like me and Neelix, where we stood up and declared our   
intentions in front of the crew.  It's very simple and very   
beautiful."  
	Kathryn looked at Chakotay, "That's definitely one to think   
about," she said.  
	"Congratulations," said Mary with a slight yawn, "But I'm   
afraid I'm wiped.  I'll see you all in the morning.  I'm sure Abby   
will be waking us up bright and early."  
	Samantha laughed, "If she does, you have my apologies in   
advance.  I think I'm turning in now, too."  Everyone else stayed   
up a little longer, but two by two they turned in until it was just   
Kathryn and Chakotay, Tom and Harry left."  
	"Thank you for everything, Tom," said Kathryn, "It has been a   
wonderful Christmas Eve.  One of the best I can remember."  
	"It's been my pleasure, Kate. I've been wanting to do   
something like this for a while, I'm glad it turned out so well."  
	"Congratulations again," said Harry, still beaming, "and Tom,   
I still can't figure out why you have been doting on me all night.   
Usually when you do that you want something..."  
	Tom looked at him a bit guiltily, "Well...you remember that   
joke you made about having a child...?"  Harry's eyebrows raised   
until they were hidden by his bangs and Tom laughed a bit, "Come to   
bed, Har, we've got a lot to talk about."  He put his arm around   
him and led him into the bedroom.  
	"Merry Christmas, Kat," said Chakotay, putting his arms around   
her and kissing her forehead, "It's the best I've ever had."  
	"Mine too," she admitted, "Merry Christmas, Chakotay, I love   
you."  
	"I love you too," he said, leading her into their bedroom,   
"Come on and get some sleep.  In the morning it will be Christmas."  
The statement shouldn't have meant as much to her as it did, but   
like Tom had said, it was more than Christmas they were   
celebrating.  In the morning would be a new beginning, and she   
began to look forward to all the days ahead.  
--end--