Child Of Love 10
 

Chakotay heard his door buzz as he finished bathing Tommy thinking, "I should have told them an hour,"

With a squeal Tommy raced from the bathroom leaving wet patches as he went, "They here Chak."

Pushing himself up from the floor saying, "Tommy come back here, so I can get you dry and dressed."

"But Cha they are here waiting on the other side."

Hiding his smile explained to him, "Doodle Bug, I don't think Harry and Tuvok wish to greet by you with no clothes on."

"But Cha, you can't keep the' waitin'." Tommy exclaimed.

Chakotay tried to keep his smile from shining through saying, "Ok how bout a compromise then?"

Tommy screwed up his face, "What a comp. . . Com'mise?"

Before he could answer the child his door buzzed again not giving it another thought he called out, "Come."

As the door open Tommy darted out into the hall throwing himself at Harry with a delighted laugh, "Har, I missed you."

Harry trying to stop from being bowled over by a dripping wet Tommy holding him away from him, Harry carried Tommy at arm lengths over to Chakotay, with a grin saying, "Chakotay, I think you need to finish something."

While in midair Tommy started swinging his feet back and forth, Tommy giggled as his feet swung back and forth, with a grin Chakotay told the Tommy, "Tommy, I'd stop that if I were you."

Looking over at him asking, "Why?"

Just then he heard a hiss of pain as his foot connected with Harry's groin, Harry groaned, "That why."

"Oh." 

Handing Tommy over the Commander, Chakotay placed Tommy onto his hip saying, "Tommy what do you say?"

Knowing that he was in trouble whimpered, "I didn't mean it." Burying his head into Chakotay shoulder, mumbling, "I'm sorry."

Harry rubbing his groin saying, "I know you didn't Tommy."

Chakotay felt Tommy's tears soaking the shoulder of his uniform, rubbing his back Chakotay asked, "Tommy what wrong?"

Tommy caught up in a memory, was unable to answer him, Tommy just tighten his grip around his neck with a whimper.

Tuvok who had been quiet stated, "Commander you may find it easier if you took this to you room, Tommy won't talk in front of us."

At that Tommy begun to wail, "NOOOOOOO, make them stop, Chakotay."

Chakotay rubbed Tommy's back while saying, "I'm here, Shh."

"Make them stop, it hurts Chak."

Walking over to his room saying, "Maybe it will be better if we move the bed later."

Harry nodded saying, "Comm me when you're ready."

Tuvok said, "That will be fine, I'll let you know what happen at the meeting."

"Thanks." Once in his room he could hear his outer door close with a swish laying Tommy down on his bed with a slight frown sitting down beside the sobbing child he knew with the older Tom that he wouldn't talk till he was ready but with the child he decided that course of action wouldn't work so plunging in he asked, "Tommy did you have a flash back?"

With a sob Tommy threw himself into his arms with a wail he asked, "What happening to me?"

Chakotay knew that this time was coming but he wasn't sure how to handle it asked, "Tommy what do you remember?"

Tommy pulled away and looked him in the eye saying, "This soun' funny but I was taller, taller than you and Har and you and Tuvok and I were on a mission but I was unhappy about something."

Stunned Chakotay commed the Doctor, "Chakotay to Sickbay."

'Sickbay here.'

Looking down at Tommy as he said, "Doc I think some of Tommy's memory is returning."

'Bring him in and I'll run some tests on him.'

Feeling Tommy stiffen in his lap running a hand through his hair to help calm him Chakotay replied, "Be there in five."

Chakotay placed Tom on his bed and finished dressing him once done he held out his arms.

Tommy when into his arms wrapping his legs around the Commander's waist and his arms about his neck, "Cha?"

"Hmmm?"

"I'm not a child am I?"

"No that planet we rescued you from you landed there as a full grown man."

"Oh can it be reversed?"

"The Doctor is working on it but to be honest with you, I think you need to sort some things out before you return to us as adult."

"What sort of things?" Tommy asked.

Looking Tom in the eye saying, "Only you know that Tommy." Giving Tom a quick squeeze as he watched confusion cloud his face knowing that once Tom, his lover returned so would his masks.

Resting his head on Chakotay shoulder closing his eyes to stop the tears that were threaten to spill, "Cha what will happen if I stay like this?"

"I'll carry on loving you." 

Doubt begun to cloud his mind before he could say anything they had entered Sickbay.

"Ahh their you are, did you take the scenic route?"

"Can it Doc, just do the test."

Walking over to the bio beds Chakotay placed Tom on one moving aside to let the Doctor check Tom over.

Running his test over Tom The Doc kept looking over at Chakotay once he was done he pulled Chakotay to the side asking, "Commander, have you had time to seek out your Spirit Guide?"

Shocked at the question Chakotay shook his head, as he confirmed the Doctor's suspicions, "I have to do more tests on Tom why don't you take that time to seek out your guide."

Looking over at Tommy who was fidgety watching them as they talked, "What about Tom?"

"He can stay with me till you come for him."

Nodding Chakotay replied, "Thanks." Moving over to Tom standing in front of Tommy with a smile, "Tommy?" Waiting till Tom lifted his head before saying, "Tommy, I'm going to go on a Vision quest and The Doctor will look after you till I come for you."

With a flicker of something he couldn't describe crossed over Tommy's face. 

Tommy nodded his head lowering his eyes he listened as Chakotay steps retreated.

Worried Chakotay cast another worried looked at the forlorn boy as he left Sickbay.

Once Chakotay enter his quarters he noticed that Tommy's bed was no longer sitting in the middle of the lounge looking up at the ceiling saying, "Computer had anyone but my self been in my quarters in the last half an hour?"

"Negative."

With a frown he tapped his combadge, "Chakotay to Tuvok."

'Tuvok here.'

"I have a mystery here for you to solve."

'I think I know what you're going to tell me.'

Surprised Chakotay said, "Oh and what is that?"

'Tommy bed had been moved from the lounge to your bedroom, I took the logical course and had Ensign Kim transport his bed into your room once I had the lay out of you room.'

"Now why didn't I think of that?" 

Tuvok told him, 'You had other things on your mind to think about Commander.'

"Thanks you for thinking of an easier way to move the bed."

'You're most welcome. Tuvok out.'

Once the mystery was solve, Chakotay gathered his medicine bundle from the selves, kicking off his shoes and yanking off his socks he sunk to the floor sitting crossed legged, unwrapping the bundle he arranged everything within sight, composing himself he placed his hand on the akoonah and begun to recite, " Akoochimoya, We are far from the sacred places oh our grandfathers. We are far from the bones of our people. But perhaps there is a powerful being who will embrace this man and give him the answers he
 seeks." 

Finding himself in he special glade his guide waiting for him with her tongue lolling, 'My child you have been gone a long time.'

Sinking down Chakotay wrapped his arms around her neck burying his face in her fur saying, 'I have come to seek your guidance.'

'It's your fair-haired love?'

Nodding she told him, 'he has been waiting for you.'

Frowning Chakotay asked, 'Waiting what so you mean?'

Rolling her eyes at him saying, 'He been waiting for you,' Turning so she faced towards the trees that lined the glade, 'Go to him Chakotay, he is lost and confused, guide him back.'

Standing Chakotay peered into the distance spotting a lone figure standing at the edge of the tree line.

'Go to him if you wish to have him.' With that she loped off to join an eagle sitting on a log watching the lonely figure.

Not wanting to believe it Chakotay walked slowly over to the figure as he got closer he could make out the details of the man he loved not the child but the adult with a delighted yell he race over to him calling out, 'Tom?'

Turning not believing that the wolf and the eagle were right, 'Cha is that you?' Racing over to him, Tom threw himself at him laughing, 'I've missed you big guy.'

Raining kissing over Tom's face saying, 'Missed you love.'

'Why am I here? I wanna go home.' Tom asked.

'You're in the Spirit Realm.'

'Spirit Realm?' Tom repeated doubtfully.

Pointing over at the two animals sitting together, 'See the Wolf?' At Tom's nod he carried on, 'She my Spirit guide.'

'Who belongs to the Hawk?'

'You mean Eagle, I'm guessing she is yours.'

'No I don't have a guide.'

Just them the Eagle screeched in pain flapping her wings, Tom eyes widen asking, 'Is she in pain?"

Chakotay had never seen or heard of an animal guide behave in this way before, 'I think she hurt that you disowned her.'

Tom snorted, 'I can't disown what I don't own.'

'She apart of you.' Chakotay explained to him.

Shaking his head Tom jumped up and stalked off leaving behind a very stunned lover.

Feeling torn between going after Tom and checking on the eagle and his guide, 'He fighting a battle my child and I'm afraid he might lose it, you need to go back and help Tommy sort through what hurting him.'

Looking doubtful Chakotay asked, 'What of Tom? What will happen if Tommy fails?'

'Have faith my child, trust in the child he'll come through.'

Chakotay nodded, 'I trust him, but does he trust me enough that the question.'

Sighing she laid her head in her paws saying, 'That the problem isn't it?'

looking up at the sky Chakotay watched as the eagle soared in the breeze saying, 'Tom has every reason for not trusting people he's been hurt so many times. . .'

Cutting him off she said, 'But you wish that Tom would trust you enough to tell you want wrong?'

Nodding, 'It drives me crazy, I love him but that not enough what do I have to do to prove that he can trust me?' He cried, 'I'd die for him and I hate to see him like this they are gonna kill him and I'll never be able to make them pay them back.'

'Have you told him this?'

'How can I?'

'Tell Tommy.'

Chakotay roared, 'He's a child I can't do that to him.'

Calmly she told him, 'He is apart of Tom, you need them both to make a whole. Tommy will know what you mean, forget that he is a child, remember that inside is your Tom dwells and he'll understand.' Looking at him with soulful eyes, 'I'm not saying that it'll will be easy my child and do not do this on your own let your friends help you, don't push them away they love Tom as well as you do remember that.'

With her words echoing through his head Chakotay found himself back in his quarters.
 

TBC