?You had no right to interfere Q!?

? You had no right to try to fix up helmboy and tattoo guy?

?I had every right! Tom?s one of mine!?

Q is surprised, ?Helmboy??

?Yes Tom. Really. Aren?t you supposed to be omnipotent or something??

Q ignored her. ?Still why him and tattoo guy??

Shayna sighed in exasperation, ?Because Tom needs someone to take care of him. I can?t do it forever, you know the rules. Not that you Q?s actually obey them. [pause] What I don?t understand is that Chakotay seems to be your main competition for Captain Janeway so why aren?t you happy to get him out of the running??

Q is silent.

?So no more interfering in my dealing with my children??

?No more interfering.? he promised

?Good?

?Tom?

?Hmm?? Tom was snuggled against Chakotay?s chest and not much inclined to talking.

?Do you remember when we ran into each other on the observation lounge and I asked you if you were talking to yourself??

?Mmmhmm?

?Before you came in I thought I heard a female voice answering you.?

?Oh that was Shayna.?

?Shayna??

?Yup, she?s been my ?invisible? friend since I was little. I remember that night. That was the night I admitted to her that I loved you.?

Chakotay ran his fingers through Tom?s soft hair, marveling at the unconscious beauty of that peaceful face. If this ?Shayna? was responsible for him getting this gorgeous creature in his arms he was eternally grateful to her.

?You?re welcome. Just take good care of him and we?ll be even.?She was glowing softly, pale green dress drifting in a nonexistent breeze. ?I can?t do it anymore, time has run out. Take care of him. And do me a favor? Hit his father very, very hard.?

?It?d be my pleasure.?

?And here I always thought you were the peaceful type.? Apparently Tom wasn?t as sleeping as he appeared.

?I am. That?s why I didn?t ask him to kill your father.? She gave him a loving smile. ?Good-bye Tommy.?

?Good-bye Shayna.? She disappeared, slowly fading out of existence.

[silence]

?You?re going to miss her aren?t you??