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Friday afternoon and, as usually, the Academy's cafeteria was nearly empty. Normally, cadets went home to their families or took advantage of their free days to go out with some friends and enjoy other activities. There were a few exceptions and Kathryn Janeway was one of them.
She usually preferred to study at the library or at her room but the cafeteria was a perfect place when it was empty. Kathryn was sitting at one of the larger tables and had all her PADDs spread all over the surface, with her computer in front of her, a notebook and some pens. She liked to take her notes by hand better than using a PADD, it helped her to retain the information she was studying. One of her best aides, her loved coffee, was also present on the table. She grabbed her cup, without taking her eyes off the computer screen, and took a sip only to find the cup empty. She tried to refill it but the pot was also empty. Deciding to take a little break, she got up and went to the replicator.
First, she recycled the pot before replicating a fresh one. She returned to her table and filled her cup. Leaving the pot in the corner, she sat down again and inhaled the scent before drinking half the cup in one gulp. She was facing the window so she didn't see her boyfriend approaching her from behind. Will gave her a peck on the cheek, scaring Kathryn on the process. She nearly jumped out of her chair and turned around to look at the intruder.
"Will! You scared the hell outta me!" Kathryn bickered while the only thing Will could do was laugh.
"I'm sorry, Kitty-Kat. It wasn't my intention." Will said, grinning.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, grabbing her pen and taking some notes on the notebook.
"Looking for you. My parents are out this weekend but Grandma invited me to dinner and told me to ask you if you wanted to come."
"Tell her that I said thanks but I can't. I have to study."
"You have to eat, too."
"I'll eat something here." Kathryn said, terse.
"It's friday, Kath."
"Yes, I know. And I have three exams next week. So, if you don't mind ..."
"I do!" Will interrupted. "Could you, please, stop for a moment and talk to me? Face to face?"
Exasperated, Kathryn threw her pen onto the table, crossed her arms and turned to look at him.
"Fractal calculus, Trade and Warp mechanics." Kathryn said.
"What?"
"My exams. Add a two thousand words paper on Schlezholt's Theory of Multiple Big Bangs and a lab report."
"You told me that you had already done them."
"They have to be reviewed."
"They'll be here tomorrow."
Kathryn didn't respond to his comment and grabbed her pen, again. Will raised his hands, defeated.
"Okay. Can I take you out tomorrow? We can go have dinner at the Night Owl."
"I need to study, Will."
"I suppose you'll be studying all sunday, too."
"It's my father's birthday and we'll go to lunch somewhere, but I'll come back after the celebration to continue."
"You can't spare two hours to go out with me but you'll go out to lunch."
Kathryn threw, again, her pen onto the table and got up, angry. She started to pace, murmuring to herself, while Will sat, astonished.
"You don't have to be perfect at everything, you know." Will said, calmly.
"I have to if I want to prove my parents wrong." She said, sitting down again.
"What? Why?" He asked, confused.
"Why? Well, they're convinced that our relationship is gonna affect my grades."
"You grades are as perfect as they always have been. Our relationship, on the other hand ..."
"Excuse me?" Kathryn asked, raising her voice and interrupting him.
"I've barely seen you since Christmas!"
"I've been busy! I told you, just before we began going out together, that my career was very important to me."
"I know, but you also told me that you'd try to have a life, too, and you haven't been doing a very good word on this part. I thought you wanted to be perfect at everything." He said, letting his anger get the best of him.
"You know what? Go to hell."
"Let me know when you have some seconds to spend with me." Will said while getting up and flying out of the room without looking back.
Kathryn, pissed off, grabbed a PADD and threw it across the room.
Wednesday morning, Kathryn's class was nearly empty: everybody, except herself and two other cadets, had finished the exam. Admiral Patterson looked at the wall clock and noticed that they only had five minutes left so he let them know. Kathryn got up from her chair and walked slowly to where the Admiral sat. She handed him the exam and went to leave the class when the Admiral stopped her.
"Kathryn, wait for me outside, please." He whispered.
"I... " She began but was interrupted.
"Your next class is in an hour. Wait outside."
"Yes sir."
Kathryn walked out of the room and waited, standing up, next to the door. She smiled at her two classmates when they left the classroom but snapped at attention when Admiral Patterson got out.
"Come with me, Katie." He said, not stopping to look at her.
Quickly, Kathryn stepped beside him and, in silence, they walked to his office. He opened the door and got inside, signaling Kathryn to enter too and to sit down. She complied and sat, with her hands on her thighs and a nervous look on her face.
"Is there something wrong, Admiral?" Kathryn dared to ask.
"I'm worried about you, Katie." He answered as he sat down in front of her, at the other side of the desk.
"Why? I'm fine, sir."
"I'm not here as your professor, Katie. I'm here as your surrogate uncle." Patterson said with an smile, trying to ease her, but that only got her more nervous. "You were distracted during the exam, you were there but your mind was elsewhere, and it's not normal in you. So, let me ask: What's wrong?"
"Nothing." She answered, quicker than she would had liked.
"Don't lie to me. I've known you enough years to know when you're lying."
Kathryn sighed and leaned back on her chair.
"IhadafightwithWill." She murmured.
"I didn't hear you, Katie."
"I had a fight with Will, and he's mad at me." She repeated a bit louder.
"About what?"
"He wanted to go out this weekend but I told him that I had to study. Then he told me that I didn't have to be perfect and I told him that I do if I want to prove my parents wrong. He said that I wasn't giving him enough attention and ..."
"Slow down a bit, dear."
"Sorry." She said, breathing deeply.
"When did you two fight?"
"Friday afternoon."
"Have you talked to him since then?"
"I tried but he doesn't answer my calls, doesn't answer my messages, avoids me like a plague ..."
"Katie, you've been working harder than usual. All your teachers have seen it, myself included. Your grades are nearly perfect; you're one of the best cadets the Academy has ever seen."
"I don't want that to change."
"It doesn't have to. I know what your parents think and let me tell you, I think they're wrong. You're an amazing woman, a wonderful scientist and a perfect cadet. You've been going out with Will since when, September?"
"August."
"Are you happy?" He asked.
"Right now?"
"Fair answer. Have you been happy these last months?"
"Yes, happier than I've ever been."
"And the reason was ..."
"Will." Kathryn finished.
"I know that your career is important to you, as it must be, but don't let that affect the rest of your life. You have to find the perfect balance between work and joy."
"I haven't been doing a great job on that subject."
"So make it right! Talk to Will, explain to him what's on that pretty head of yours, tell him your fears."
"If he ever wants to talk with me again."
"Don't be dramatic, it doesn't suit you."
"I know." Kathryn grinned.
"Now, go! Before you're late to your next class and I have to explain myself to my wife."
"Yes sir!"
They both got up. Patterson moved around his desk and hugged Kathryn.
"Thanks, Uncle Theo." Kathryn said.
"You're welcome, dear."
Silvia Riker was busy tidying up her living room. Her husband always left all his things scattered all over the room but, after nearly fifty years of marriage, she was used to it. She was putting the last things on the kitchen when the doorbell rang. Quickly, she walked to the door and open it. To her surprise, her grandson wasn't the one behind the door, as she expected.
"Katie! Dear! What a surprise! What are you doing here?" Silvia said while embracing the young woman.
"I'm looking for Will. Betty told me that, usually, he had dinner with you every Friday."
"Yes, but he's not here, yet."
"Oh! I'm sorry, Silvia." Kathryn said, embarrassed. "I should have called first. I'll go."
"Nonsense!" Silvia exclaimed. "Come in! We'll wait for them with a big mug of strong black coffee. You look like you need it, honey."
"Thank you."
Silvia closed the door behind them and took Kathryn's coat before leading her to the couch while she made a pot of coffee. Five minutes later, Silvia returned to the living room and set the tray that she carried onto the coffee table. She served the beverage and handed a cup to Kathryn, who nodded in thanks. Silvia sat next to her. They'd been sipping their hot drinks for a few seconds when Silvia broke the silence.
"How are you doing, Katie?"
"Sincerely, I've been better." Kathryn answered honestly.
"Your exams went well?"
"I hope so, I'm not sure. I wasn't as focussed as I always am."
"I imagine. Will's been like a sad puppy all week." Silvia said but regretted it the moment she saw Kathryn's hurt look. "It wasn't entirely you fault, dear."
"Really?" Kathryn asked with a sarcastic tone around her voice.
"He came here after your fight last week. He explained to me what happened, after his anger lessened. As I told Will, I think that neither of you managed very well the situation."
"Why?" Kathryn asked, confused.
"You were both confused and stressed, for different things, but the ending result was the same. Both of you didn't manage to express your doubts to the other, thinking that you alone we're going to be able to sort out everything before it became a serious problem. It didn't work. The base of every relationship is communication. Don't be afraid of talking to him, Katie, of telling him what you feel, what you fear or what you like or dislike. He'll do everything he can to make you happy."
"Me too."
"I'm glad to hear it. He had a lot of flings this last few years but you're different."
"Different?"
"You're the first one he brought home to meet us. It must mean something."
"I really hope so. I don't wanna lose him." Kathryn said, a few tears running down her face.
"You won't Katie. Believe me, you won't."
Silvia hugged her and let Kathryn cry silently on her shoulder. Neither of them heard the front door being opened, either the two men stepping into the room. John cleared softly his throat, alerting Silvia of their presence. She whispered something to Kathryn and got up. She took her husband's hand and they left the room together. Will stood under the door frame, surprised at seeing Kathryn there, crying while being embraced by his grandmother. Slowly, he walked until he reached the couch. Kathryn didn't dare to lift her head to look at him so he knelt in front of her and cupped her chin, making her look at him directly to his eyes. He saw, reflected on her blue eyes, all the love and sorrow she felt. Without thinking it a second time, he pulled her into his arms. Kathryn sobbed, loudly, while Will tried to calm her down. A few minutes later, when she was calm enough, Will got up and sat next to her.
"I'm sorry." Kathryn said, embarrassed after her outburst.
"I'm sorry, too." He said.
"I was scared."
"Why?"
"I thought that I didn't care about what my parents think, what they feel, but I do. I don't understand why they don't approve our relationship. I know that the first impression wasn't the best one, but we weren't together then!" She said, agitated. " So I thought that if I focused on my studies I could prove them wrong, that I could make them see that we'll be able to be together and maintain our grades. And I hurt you on the way, and I'm so sorry. I..." Kathryn tried to continue but another sob escaped her throat.
"Kitty-Kat, look at me." He waited for her to do it before he continued. "I know how much you rely on your parents, how you value their opinion, and I don't want that to change, never. There's only one think I'd like to ask."
"What?"
"Talk to me, explain this things to me, even if you think they are irrelevant. I thought you were having second thoughts about our relationship. I was confused I didn't understand why you were pushing me away. I know how important is the Academy, for both of us, and I know there will be times when we won't be able to see each other all we'll want because we'll be busy. The only thing we have to do is talk and, talking, we'll solve all the problems that we might have."
"You're right."
"I know." He said, grinning.
Kathryn punched him, lightly. Will took advantage of the opportunity and kissed her. They enjoyed the closeness for a few minutes before they settled on the couch again, feeling relaxed and being aware of the weight pulled of their shoulders. Kathryn rested her head on his shoulder and sighed.
"You scared me, you know, when you didn't answer my messages or returned my calls and when you avoided me at the Academy."
"I needed to cool down. I'm sorry Kitty-Kat."
"It's okay."
They spent a few seconds in silence.
"I have and idea!" Kathryn suddenly said. "A very handsome boy gave me a wonderful gift: a whole weekend on Risa. I thought we could go together."
"Really? And who is he? Do I need to be jealous?" Will asked teasing her.
"Don't worry, I only have eyes for you." She said before giving him a peck on the lips. "So, what do you thing? We could take the next weekend off and go enjoy paradise."
"I'll make the reservations."
Kathryn claimed his lips again. After a few seconds their kiss intensified. Neither of them saw Silvia and John smiling at them from the door.