Title: Thrown Through Time
Authors: R. Mason & Joanne Collins
Codes: C/P, C/P/M (only once), M/I (implied)
Ratings: G - NC - 17 (depending on where in the story)
Feedback:
mchakotayparis@yahoo.comSummary: See Chapter 1
Thrown Through Time
Chapter 23
For the next several days Chakotay switched between cussing and throwing thing at Melody, to lying curled in a ball not making a sound. At night Chakotay would have such violent dreams and flashbacks that Tom had taken to sleeping on the living area couch. During the first night he woke up to find Chakotay‘s hands around his throat. It was only that fact that Melody had heard his cries and been able to sedate him that Tom was able to get away. After that Tom would sit in the chair and help watch Chakotay, but never go near him. So it was Melody and whomever was with her that would end up wrestling him down until he could be sedated, and she boar the bruises to prove it.
One the third day the Doctor stopped by to check on Melody and inject Chakotay with a new counter agent he had just developed. During her prenatal examines the Doctor had noticed that Melody was showing signs of sever bruising on her arms and shoulders and the Doctor had informed whoever was with her to watch her carefully. But she still continued to do most of the working taking care of Chakotay. When they entered they found her asleep in the chair while Chakotay was curled into a ball on the bed. They stood in the doorway watching for a minute then walked quietly towards the chair. It was Harry’s time to help with Chakotay and all though he wasn’t much help with he Commander he did watch out for Melody.
A few hours earlier Harry had finally convinced Melody to try and take a nap in the chair since Chakotay seemed to be quiet right now. She was beginning to show signs of exhaustion and everyone was worried that if this lasted much longer they were going to have to send Chakotay back to sickbay regardless of Melody’s protests.
"How is she doing Harry?" asked Tom as he looked at Melody
"You know Mel, Tom. No complaining but I scanned her just after she went to sleep and she’s getting worse," said Harry as he handed the Doctor a medical tricorder.
He took a few seconds to look over the readings on the medical tricorder then handed them to Tom.
"Hummm, I’ll see if I can’t slip a tranquilizer into her food. Maybe that will help," replied the Doctor.
"Good luck" laughed Harry as he looked over at the young woman.
Tom squatted down and gently reached for Melody’s hair. Chakotay had been quietly watching the pair ever since they entered the room. The young man sitting in the chair had been watching him with a mixture of rage and concern on his face. While the young woman always looked at him with love. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew the young woman but right now everything was so confused that he just didn’t know who was who. But he could tell by the way she watched him and by the way the others watched her that she was someone very special to a lot of people.
At the blond mans movement towards the young woman, Chakotay moved further onto the bed rattling his leg chain as he moved. He knew that she was the one person who was nice and gentle with him. Never yelling on hurting him and he was afraid that the two men were going to take her away. That small sound was enough to wake Melody and she sat up wincing a little. She looked quickly to the bed, then at the two men that stood before her.
"It‘s all right, Mel. We didn‘t mean to wake you. The Doctor wants to check you out and try something new on Chakotay. How‘s he doing?" asked Tom.
"He‘s quiet now, but I don‘t know if he‘ll let you near him. Do you want me to try?" asked Melody.
Tom looked over at the Doctor who nodded. "If he is used to Melody touching him, then we should let her do it. Proceed," he said as he handed her the hypospray.
"How long will this take?" asked Melody.
"I don‘t know, he will need to be monitored for the next twenty four hours at least," replied the Doctor.
"Well, here goes nothing," replied Melody as she got up and went around to the edge of the bed.
She slowly climbed onto the bed then made her way towards him. Chakotay saw her and tried to move away, but the chains would let him go very far. "It‘s OK, Daddy. I‘m not going to hurt you. This will make you feel better," said Melody as she reached for him with the hypospray in hand.
When Chakotay saw her pointing something at him, he started to raise his arm. Harry was quickly at her side grabbing his arm before it came in contact with Melody. She looked over at Harry then quickly administered the hypo spray.
"Shhh, Daddy. It‘s Melody, remember. Your daughter," His eyes widened in shock, then quickly closed as he slumped against the headboard. "Its OK, Daddy. Sleep now. You‘ll feel better soon," said Melody as she gently stroked his forehead then moved off the bed.
"How long before we notice any change?" asked Melody as she covered a yawn and put her hands to her back.
"Several hours at least," said the Doctor.
"Enough time for you to get some more sleep. I will have the computer monitor him and notify us if there is any change," said Tom.
"OK, you win. Good night, Tom. Doctor," said Melody as she yawned again then left the room.
"I‘m worried about her Mr. Paris. All this stress is not good for her," said The Doctor as he watched her leave.
"I know, Doc. But what can I do, you know how stubborn she can be," replied Tom.
"Indeed, I do," said the Doctor as the two men set the computer, then left.
Chakotay was on fire, his whole body felt like it had hot lava running through his veins. He tried to open his eyes but his eyelids were to heavy. He could feel cool sheets against his heated skin. A small moan escaped his lips and a soft cool hand was instantly on his cheek. The hand gently caressed his cheek for a minute then was replaced by a cool towel. Soon a soft voice made it way into his haze of pain.
"Shhh, Daddy. It‘s OK, were here...were here," soothed Melody as she washed his face. Tom was sitting on the other side of the bed watching Chakotay and Melody. He remembered vaguely her gentle touches during the last days of their illness. They both had been awoken at 0400 by the computer indicating a change in Chakotay‘s condition. Now he and Melody were sitting on the side of their bed trying to calm him down as his fever increased. Melody scanned Chakotay and noticed that there were only traces of the drugs still in his system.
"I think the last one worked, Tom. The last scan shows most of the drugs are out of his blood stream."
"But why does he have such a high fever?" asked Tom.
"It‘s probably a side effect from the drug, the Doctor said he had to mix several drugs to find a compound that would work."
Chakotay started thrashing around on the bed and both Tom and Melody moved to hold down his arms. After five minutes, he stopped struggling and fell into a restless sleep.
"Mel, are you sure you can handle this?" asked Tom as he looked at the young woman across from him.
"I took care of both of you before didn‘t I?" reminded Melody.
"Yes, sweet. But you weren‘t seven months pregnant either."
"I‘ll be fine, Daddy. You can restrain him if you feel you need to."
"I think it would be best, Melody," said Tom gently.
"All right," said Melody with a sigh "I wish you could stay with us today?"
"I‘ll see what I can do, sweet one," said Tom as he got up from his side and came around and sat down beside her. "I hope you know what you‘re doing?"
"I‘m sure we can reach him, Tom. It will just take time."
"I just hope you have the time."
"I will Daddy, you‘ll see. We‘ll get him back before the twins are born."
"I hope so sweet, I hope so," said Tom as he kissed her head. "I‘m going to check with the Doctor, then I‘ll be right back. OK?"
"Sure, we‘ll be fine," said Melody.
Tom looked back at the two most important people in his life then left. Melody crawled over Chakotay and gently locked each of his wrists in the padded cuffs. Both cuffs were fastened to the bed rail with an eight-inch chain so he was comfortable without being able to hurt himself or her. When Chakotay was secure Melody laid her head on his chest, the steady beating of his heart soothing her into a peacefully sleep.
Chakotay was in his spirit place, but it was somehow different. He was not alone with his guide; there was someone else here. A presence he could feel but not see. Soon his guide appeared and they sat down together.
"Don‘t worry, Chakotay. She is safe, nothing will harm her while I watch over her?"
"Who?"
"The young one, she who bears your children."
"Melody! She is here?"
"Yes, we have visited her many times when she needed our strength or guidance. She is strong of courage and heart. You have chosen wisely for her to be your daughter."
"But where is she now...why can‘t I see her?"
Just then Melody stepped out of the trees and walked slowly towards them. She looked like she had when she first came aboard Voyager. Slim with a light brown tan.
"Melody?"
"Shhh, Daddy. It‘s all right. I‘m here now," said Melody as she touched his cheek. "I love you Chakotay," Then she started to fade into a light mist.
"No!" Chakotay cried loudly.
Melody heard his scream and sat up with a start, she put her hand to his forehead and noticed it was cool. His fever must have broken, but he was mumbling loudly and thrashing around.
"Shhh...Daddy. Shhh... It‘s all right. Were both here, were both right here," said Melody as she took his face in her hands. She held his head murmuring reassuring words until his eyes opened and focused on her.
"Melody?" asked Chakotay weakly.
"Yes, Daddy, it‘s me."
"Where‘s Tom?"
"Melody to Paris."
"Paris, here. Go ahead, Mel."
"Daddy, he‘s awake," said Melody quietly.
"I‘m on my way," said Tom, a few seconds later the door opened and Tom entered. "Cha?" He said breathlessly.
Chakotay looked over at the young man in the doorway and smiled, a moment later Tom was unlocking the restraints and hold him in his arms. "Oh, Cha. I thought we‘d lost you," cried Tom, as he held on tighter.
"You know it would take more than this to get rid of me. I‘m sorry you had to go through that though...both of you," said Chakotay as he looked over at Melody.
"It‘s all right, Chakotay. You‘re worth it."
"Melody, I need to..." said Chakotay, then he broke into a hug yawn.
"I think the first thing you need to do is sleep. We can talk later," said Tom as he leaned back to look at the older man. Chakotay‘s eyes were getting heavy and starting to drop.
Melody moved off the bed and came around to the other side. "Why don‘t you both get some sleep? said Melody as she moved Tom‘s legs onto the bed.
At Melody‘s words Chakotay opened his eyes again. "On the couch?"
"It‘s a long story, Chakotay. Well tell you later. I‘ll see you both later," said Melody as she kissed them both then left.
"What did she mean, Tom?" asked Chakotay quietly.
"It‘s a long story, Cha. Right now you need to sleep."
"Hold me."
"With pleasure," said Tom as he settled in the older man‘s arms and they drifted off to sleep.
The next day the Doctor examined Chakotay and said he was healthy enough to be let out of bed. He was still on a twenty four-hour medical leave, but he was no longer confined to bed. Tom was back at the Con while Melody was at one of her prenatal appointments.
Chakotay had tried all morning to meditate but there were to many questions in his mind. Why was his spirit guide watching over Melody and when had she started visiting her. He had tried to talk to her yesterday but he had been so tired that he kept falling a sleep. Now that they were alone, he was going to corner her and have a little talk. He still had a lot of pent up energy so Chakotay decided to do some easy exercises to release some tension. He was still on the floor when the doors swished opened to let Melody in, but she stood glaring at him in the doorway.
"Chakotay! What the hell do you think you are doing!" yelled Melody as she came over to him.
Chakotay stopped and sat up smiling at the angry look on the young woman‘s face. Even at seven and a half months pregnant she could still swear like he never heard before. "Language, Sweet one."
"The hell with language, Chakotay. What are you doing! The Doctor just released you from complete bed rest this morning and now you doing exercises on the floor."
"I needed to relax, get centered."
"There are much easier ways of doing that you know?" replied Melody.
"I know, but I have this extra energy I needed to burn off and this was the first thing that came to mind."
"Why don‘t you try meditating, that all ways seemed to work before?"
"It‘s something about my meditation that I‘m concerned about. Melody, I need to talk to you about something important," said Chakotay as he reached up for her.
"Sure, Daddy. You know you can all ways talk to me," said Melody as took his hand and sat down beside him.
"Mel, right before I woke up for the last time I was talking to my spirit guide and she said that she had visited you before. Is this true?"
"Yes, I know I‘m not suppose to know anything about her. But she came to me... I didn‘t mean..."
"It‘s OK, sweet one. If a spirit guide crosses over into another dreams they have no control over that." explained Chakotay.
"So your not mad?"
"No, just curious. When did she first visit you?"
"Well, I could feel her presence when I was having the nightmares but I couldn‘t see her. I only started seeing her recently after we decided to have the twins."
"What do you mean you could only feel her presence? How does she appear to you?"
"At first it was like a pair of loving arms around me. I felt warm and safe and nothing could hurt me. But recently she has appeared as a gray wolf."
"That‘s her, she said they had been watching over you."
"I guess she had been, because every time I fell asleep I felt loving arms around me. Like yours or Tom‘s "
"I do love you, sweet one. I want to thank you so much for taking care of me," said Chakotay as he pulled her between his legs.
"I‘d do it again in a heart beat. Oh..." said Melody as she felt one of the babies kick. Chakotay moved one of his hands around to her stomach and waited for the next one. Two seconds later he was rewarded with several kicks in concession.
"Looks like someone is getting anxious to come out," replied Chakotay laughing.
"No more than I am, but the Doctor says I still have a while to go."
Just then the door opens and Tom is greeted with the site of Chakotay and Melody sitting in the middle of the floor laughing.
"And what are you two doing down there. I distinctly remember the Doctor telling both of you to take it easy and relax," exclaimed Tom as he entered and walked towards them.
"Uhh oh, busted!"
"Looks that way."
"Come on, Mel. There are far more comfortable places to sit than on the floor," said Tom as he took her hands and pulled her to her feet. Chakotay put his hand on her waist and pushed from behind as she made it to her feet.
"If you guys don‘t mind I think I‘ll go lay down for awhile."
"Are you all right, Mel?" asked Tom.
"I‘m fine, guys. Just a little tired that‘s all. Call me when it‘s time for dinner OK?" said Melody as she left for her room.
When her door closed Chakotay pulled Tom into his arms. "I‘ve missed you. You know you never did tell me why you have been sleeping on the couch?"
"It‘s a long story, Cha. Maybe later..."
"Tom!"
"All right, but your not going to like it," said Tom as he pulled Chakotay to the couch, then they both sat down.
"Tell me anyway," answered Chakotay.
"When we finally got you back you had been pretty badly beaten. It seems the inhabitants of that planet may have advanced technology but their interrogation methods were right out of the Stone Age. You had been beaten, cut, limbs and fingers were broken and there were even places were you had been burned. But mostly the Doctor found you system full of psychologically altering drugs. Powerful ones, some he‘d never seen before.
"They changed you, Cha. Made you violent and unpredictable, after we brought you home you tried to escape and Harry had to stun you. That‘s when I insisted that you be restrained, Melody didn‘t want to at first but after you..."
"I didn‘t hurt her did I?" asked Chakotay as he turned to face Tom on the couch.
"Not intentionally no, but you did leave several bruises on her arms and shoulders," replied Tom.
"Oh, spirits!" exclaimed Chakotay as he stood up and walked over to face the window. "How can she stand me now, knowing what I did to her," he said with his back to Tom.
"Because he loves you, Cha. Just like I do. We know you would never hurt us intentionally," said Tom as he got up off the couch and put his arms around the older man‘s waist.
"Did I hurt you too?" asked Chakotay as he turned in Tom‘s arms.
"A little, you were having a nightmare and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Oh Tom, I‘m sorry!" cried Chakotay as he pulled him to his chest.
"I know Cha, it wasn‘t you. You could never hurt us."
"Gods, I wish I could believe that," said Chakotay as he pulled out of Tom‘s arms.
"You can, Chakotay! You are a good man! A man, who would never us his anger to hurt someone he loves," said Tom as he took Chakotay‘s face in his hands. "You have proven that many times."
"I do love you, Tom," replied Chakotay quietly.
"I know."
"Then prove it to me. Make love to me tonight like there is no tomorrow," said Chakotay breathlessly.
"You got it, Chief," said Tom as he led Chakotay to their bedroom.
"Tom..." Chakotay knew they would soon have other things on their mind, but he needed to say this to Tom or it would always stand between them, even if he brought it up again later.
"Yes, love?" Tom stopped his movements as he reached for the fasteners of his uniform.
"What did I do to you? How...how did I hurt you?"
Tom sighed inwardly; he‘d hoped to avoid this conversation.
"It wasn‘t that bad, Chakotay. You had your hands around my neck. Melody heard us before anything happened and sedated you. That‘s all. I‘ve been hurt worse playing Parrises Squares with Harry. I swear, love, that was all. I would tell you if were anything else. I know you weren‘t lashing out at *me*. It felt nothing like...before," Tom‘s eyes were haunted, remembering his past.
"Dammit! I never wanted to make you think of what your father did. I‘m sorr-" Tom cut off the apology with a finger over Chakotay‘s lips.
"You *didn‘t*. I‘ve told you before, I can‘t just forget it. But you don‘t make me think of it. You never could. Not even then. Please, Chakotay, can we talk about this tomorrow? I don‘t want to forget it, but I‘ve missed making love to you. I have to be up early tomorrow, and you need your rest. I think it would be best if we left this discussion for a time when we can finish talking it out, and I want you, love. Now."
Chakotay nodded, reluctantly. "We *will* discuss this further, Tom. I need to talk about it. But you‘re right; we only have so much time alone together now. And I want you, too."
"Good," Tom smiled. "Now, where were we?"
"Right about here if I recall correctly," Chakotay murmured, pulling Tom into his arms.
Clothes were removed as quickly as possible, and both men lay down together, reveling in the feelings that they aroused in each other.
Chakotay reached to caress Tom, and his hands were gently pushed aside.
"It‘s all for you this time, love. I know that you want to please me, and you will, but let me do this my way, please. I‘d only be too distracted that you were trying to do more than you were ready for. Please?"
Chakotay smiled and lay back, allowing Tom access to him to do as he wished.
Tom began licking and nipping at Chakotay‘s smooth skin, soothing the muscles that had so recently ached from the alien drug with his gentle touches. Chakotay gasped as Tom hit his sensitive places, reassuring his lover with a glance as he looked up, making sure that the gasp was of pleasure.
Chakotay sighed as Tom gentled him into readiness for making love. The touch of Tom‘s long fingers were comforting and exciting at the same time. Tom finished the careful preparations, making sure that Chakotay was open for him.
Chakotay thrust down on Tom‘s fingers, wordlessly begging him to take him. Tom gave him one last glance, catching the glint of impatience in his lover‘s eyes, and realized that the time for delay was over.
Tom entered Chakotay slowly, not thrusting. Chakotay grinned up at him and gently squeezed his internal muscles around Tom‘s erection. Tom moaned, and began stroking Chakotay‘s hardness gently. He moved just a little inside Chakotay, seeking and finding the small nub with the tip of his erection, just massaging it a little. Chakotay gasped, wanting to move into the teasing fingers or back onto the hardness, but Tom wouldn‘t let him, gently controlling the lovemaking so that it was pleasurable for both, but not allowing Chakotay to exert himself.
Even the gentle movements eventually concluded in the inevitable waves of release, Chakotay moaning as he coated both of them in white fluid, Tom letting out a quiet gasp as he emptied himself inside Chakotay.
After a moment, Tom moved out of Chakotay, then he walked to the bathroom to find a towel. He gently cleaned Chakotay and himself, and then returned the towel to the bathroom.
All either man was capable of after that was a last gentle kiss and a whispered goodnight before they turned out the lights and went to sleep.
During the last six weeks of her pregnancy it was a toss up between who it was the hardest on. Chakotay and Tom because they hovered over her and watched every little thing she did. Melody because she was struggling through the last months of a multiple pregnancy and she was trying very hard not to hurt their feeling. Captain Janeway and the rest of the command staff took pity on Melody and tried to keep them out of her hair as much as possible.
Melody worked on the reports for Chakotay most nights but the closer she got to her due date got the harder it was for her to concentrate. As her due date grew closer so did Chakotay and Tom‘s protectiveness. Just about two weeks before her due date Tom and Chakotay pushed Melody’s patience to the limit.
"Mel, are you sure your going to be all right? Maybe you should take some time off until the twins are born?" said Tom.
"Would you two stop it! I have done my best to be nice to you both because of the uniqueness of our situation but this has gone far enough! I want both of you to finish getting dressed and get the hell out of here before I have Tuvok come and toss you out!" yelled Melody as she slammed down the PADD she was looking at and went back into her bedroom.
"Well, I guess she told us. Huh," said Tom as he stood in amazement at Melody‘s outburst.
"Have we really been that bad?" asked Chakotay.
"I think so, Cha."
"We really should apologize to her," said Chakotay quietly.
"Why don‘t we let her cool off for a while, we can talk to her at lunch. OK?"
"You’re right, we had better leave before she comes back out."
"Good idea, in her frame of mind I wouldn‘t put it past her to do just what she threatened," said Tom as they both left.
Melody stayed in her room for the next hour alternating between crying and cussing out Tom and Chakotay. She knew they were just worried about her because she was so close to delivery but right now every little thing got on her nerves.
She was beginning to have serious doubts about whether she could go through with this but it was a little late to back out now. She knew the twins were healthy and that except for her back hurting most of the time now and her getting tired very easily she was in good health.
Even though Tom and Chakotay had said they didn’t want to know what she was carrying she had asked the Doctor to tell her the sex of the twins. They had spend hours watching the scans of the twins while they were growing and now she felt like she knew them intimately and not just because she was carrying them either.
After about an hour and a half her emotion had finally calmed down enough to where she felt she could face the crew. She had told Ian that she would help him with the planetary survey they had scheduled this morning and now she was an hour and a half late. She knew that he hadn’t really expected her but she had said she would help and she had meant it.
So with a little struggle Melody made it off the bed and into the bathroom to make some repairs on her face. When she went out she had started wearing just a little bit of makeup so she didn’t look quite like *death warmed over*. After about ten minutes she had repaired her face and hair and left their quarters to head to the Astrometrics lab.
TBC