A/N It's not obligatory for you to have read another of my stories, 'Lead On, Spirit' in order to understand this one but it might help as there are references to that plot here. If you don't have time for it all, then just chapter three should help you out.

I own nothing Star Trek related – if I did Q would be a regular (!) and I even don't own the original idea this time as this grew out of a suggestion made ages ago by sophiedoodle!

I woke early on the day of Kathryn's wedding. It wasn't even six o'clock but I was too excited to lie in bed. I decided that I could do something more useful with myself, so I pulled on a robe and headed quietly downstairs. I took the opportunity, on the way down, to listen to the people sleeping behind the bedroom doors. It had been a long time since my house felt so...peaceful. It had been a long time since it was so full. We always used to have a large family Christmas but whilst Kathryn was missing it just didn't feel right. Phoebe and I were holding ourselves together first for baby Kim and then for little Richie two years later. When Kim was born only six months after Voyager was reported missing, Phoebe agonized over naming the baby after her sister. In the end, she decided against it, telling me that if either of us was to have any hope that she might come back some day, she couldn't name the baby as some kind of memorial.

And now, just over a year after their miraculous return to Earth, Kathryn was getting married! For a long time I had lived with the idea that space travel had claimed the life of my daughter, just like my dear Edward all those years before. When Kathryn had come home, I knew something was wrong. I'm just glad that she and Chakotay managed to sort themselves out because I don't know how I would even have started to help cure a broken heart. It was all down to Q of course. None of us know why he really decided to interfere with their relationship but I know that we are all grateful. Chakotay told me afterwards what Q had shown him. As I listened to his story, it occurred to me that there was so much I didn't know about their voyage and would never know. Seven years is a long time.

What I knew that morning, though, was that my house was full of the people who had helped my Kathryn survive and I loved them for it. Chakotay, his groomsmen and his little niece were staying with his sister and would transport to Indiana a few hours before the wedding but I had Kathryn's party staying with me; Tuvok and T'Pel, B'Elanna and Miral, Naomi with her mother, Phoebe, her husband Shane, Kim and Richie. The house was overflowing and I loved every second of it.

Downstairs, I was so restless that I decided to take a cup of coffee outside and watch the sunrise. A while later, a small sound by the back door caught my attention. It was Tuvok.

"Good morning," he nodded respectfully.

"Good morning, dear," I replied, "Would you like some privacy?"

He shook his head, "I came to meditate but I do not want to disturb you."

"You go ahead, dear," I groaned as I stood up, startling the old joints, "I was going inside anyway."

"Thank you."

From the kitchen window, I watched him settle under a tree, slightly away from the things that had been set up for the reception later on that day. Glancing at the time, I realised that it was time to start getting breakfast ready. I listened carefully to the sounds of people waking up. Kim and Richie were shushing each other, obviously up before their parents. Little Naomi was just audible, a high excited voice being calmed down by the steady voice of her mother. And there was something else. A man, but it wasn't Shane. Kathryn was talking to him. For a second I was confused, but then I remembered the last time Q had come to visit and I smiled, hoping that I would be able to see him. He and Kathryn talked for a long time – I almost had breakfast ready by the time they were done – but it was worth the wait. Even with my back to the room, I knew when he had appeared.

"Hello Q," I said, not turning around, "It's good to see you."

He suddenly appeared right next to me and I could tell he was annoyed that I hadn't been surprised.

"How did you know it was me?"

"I could hear a man talking upstairs," I smiled, handing him a teapot. He raised his eyebrows quizzically until I indicated that he take it to the table. To my surprise, he obliged.

"Tuvok is outside," I continued, "And if I know my son in law, he won't be up before breakfast is actually on the table. So it had to be you."

"Am I that predictable?" Q pretended to collapse into a chair, "I need some new material."

"Not predictable, Q. Just reliable."

"Did you say that Tuvok is in the garden?" he leapt up and looked out of the window, "I should go and-"

"Leave him alone, Q. He's meditating."

With a wrinkled nose and a mock salute, he sat back down.

"Did Kathryn send you down here?"

"Yes. For some reason, she didn't like it when I told her that she could still marry me if she wanted. Can you believe that?"

I didn't answer. Q sighed and, when I ignored him, he sighed again but louder. I ignored him again. He sighed for a third time; well, groaned loudly rather than just sighed. I turned to him.

"Is there a problem, Q?"

"I'm just so bored. Kathryn and Chakotay don't want to play anymore, you won't let me annoy the Vulcan, and even that boy of mine is behaving himself. Even omnipotent life forms need something to do, you know."

An idea began to form in my head but I left it for a while and played along with Q's game.

"Can't you go and help someone else realise their life is just passing them by like you did with Kathryn and Chakotay?"

"I don't like anyone else. I only helped Kathryn because I owed her something and she isn't like all you other small minded apes. No offence of course, but it is true."

"None taken. How can you be bored, Q? You have the whole of time and space at your disposal. Make yourself useful somewhere. There must be some races of alien that you like."

"I like humans," he corrected me, "But only on the whole. Most of them are like Chakotay and Tommy when you get to know them personally."

"Do you like me, Q?"

He eyed me carefully and I could understand why. As a rule, he was used to being the one that threw out random comments and questions and expected everyone else to make something out of them. He wasn't used to being quizzed.

"You're Kathryn's mother," he answered, more cautious than I had ever seen him or heard him to be, "And so I owe you a friend. I suppose you are – bearable."

"Thank you. I take that as a compliment."

"Why did you ask?" he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "People don't usually ask me questions, especially expecting an answer."

"Oh no real reason," I answered sweetly, bringing some plates to the table, "I just wondered if I could ask you a favour."

"A favour? Me? Do you know what you're doing?"

"Of course. You're the only one that can help me as well."

"What is it?"

"I missed so much of Kathryn's life," I sat opposite him and smiled, "I want to see what they got up to out there. I want to see a normal day on Voyager. Nothing special, because I've heard all about those things already. I want to see an ordinary day. Can you help me?"

The wicked smile that was my clearest memory of Q's first visit sprang to attention on his face.

"Do you know, Gretchen Janeway? I think I'm starting to realise why I like Kathryn so much."

And, before I could even think to tell Tuvok where I was going, I was stood in the middle of a large room filled with boxes. I assumed I was on Voyager. Turning to Q, I couldn't keep the smile from my face.

"Thank you so much, Q. Where are we?"

"This is cargo bay 2," he said from the box on which he was lazing, watching me, "They keep the pet Borg and the pup down here with all the other stuff that they don't have room for anywhere else. It gets more interesting, believe me. Shall we proceed?"