Chapter 7: Cherish The Moments you Have

Janeway was in bed, attempting to sleep. When she realized, Q meant what he said when he said he doesn't simply do favors that only benefit someone, with no consequences. She also remembered how it was Admiral Paris who informed her of Chakotay's death. She thought about how he warned her that he would collect on his favor, but at the time, she couldn't begin to imagine she would collect on Chakotay's life,

"You knew this would happen, didnt you… Q" Janeway spoke seemingly to the air. "You let this entire history, the alternate history play out, because you knew it would come to this. I'm not supposed to be here, am I? Me and the Voyager and Maquis crew are supposed to be in the Delta Quadrant right now, aren't we" Janeway asked, once again seemingly to thin air. "Bingo", replied Q as he suddenly popped in with a bright flash of light. "I see you're not as stupid as you should be, for a minor bipedal species that is" said Q. "So what now Q. I suppose you'd enjoy it if you condemn me to this reality for the rest of my life? Janeway angrily asked. "That, my dear Kathy, remains to be seen" said Q, "tell me, so what have you learned and realized in this timeline?" asked Q. Janeway thoughtfully said, "that sometimes, we are not always in control of what happens to us. Sure in this timeline I prevented stranding my crew in the Delta Quadrant, but now I realize, maybe I was meant to live in that reality, of being stranded, of wishing to be home so much and longing for it, and the only way to maintain feeling like are still human beings, still in the federation, was by maintaining and holding our principles even more dearly in our hearts and minds, than we could if we were just a few light years away from Starfleet Headquarters. I was in such a rush to get to the destination that I completely forgot that the journey matters far far more than we could possibly hope to imagine. All I know Q, is that, I'd be very glad and happy to be back in the Delta Quadrant, right where I left off, if you'd be kind enough to make it happen, of course." Janeway pleaded one last time. "I see you have learned well, Kathryn. Here is, to the true second chance, because the first time, was your first chance, and this, is your second" and with that, Janeway suddenly smiled at this incredibly realization, right as Q snapped his fingers, and she was back in her bed. "Computer, whats the time and date" asked Janeway, "Stardate 52399.9, twenty three hundred hours and seven minutes" the female computer voice replied, oddly sounding very similar to an actress from Earth named Majel Barett, who died in the year 2008, long before Janeway was born. With this, Janeway smiled, and called Chakotay to her room. As Chakotay came in, Janeway wondered if she should tell him what had happened, what she had done. After all, it wouldn't affect the timeline if she revealed an alternate history to him. But she realized, its not worth it. She didn't want to risk Chakotay possibly being upset at her. Ultimately she looked at Chakotay and whispered, "there is no place I'd rather be, than here, with you, and our crew. We are family, and we will always be".