Disclaimer, Paramount owns the characters I just borrowed them for a little while.
Chakotay made his way along the corridor quickly, if he didn’t hurry he was going to be late. “Dinner in my quarter’s 20.00 hours.” she’d told him. When she’d told him in engineering this morning to cancel his dinner plans and dine with her, he’d assumed she meant in the mess hall.
Then this afternoon whilst he had been in his office going over tomorrows flight plans for the Delta flier she’d contacted him on his comm badge to tell him the arrangements. He guessed she wanted to inform him of her decision on tomorrow’s flight. He had to admit Harry’s data looked promising but he couldn’t seem to get rid of this feeling in the pit of his stomach. It was probably a mixture of nerves and excitement about the prospect of returning to the Alpha Quadrant.
He couldn’t help but wonder what lay in store for him back on Earth. He knew that the Maquis conflict was over and that the Captain would do everything in her power to see that they all got a fair deal. But it wasn’t this what was foremost in his thoughts, it was the prospect of not seeing Kathryn everyday knowing that she wasn’t lying in bed in the room next to his and being unable to contact her on the comm badge. These were the thoughts that concerned him the most. For nearly four years this Woman had played a large part in his life and he didn’t know how he was going to adjust to not having her around.
He had wanted to broach the subject over the past few days but there just hadn’t been an opportunity to do so. Then today when Tom had said about the problems with the slip stream drive, he had to admit that even though he was disappointed that they might not be making the flight to the Alpha Quadrant tomorrow a selfish part of him was relieved. Well he’d just have to wait and see what decision she had come to.
Kathryn was pacing around her quarters nervously a pad in her hand; she checked the table settings for the third time every thing had to be just right. She ran her fingers through her hair and brushed down her uniform, she had wanted to change into something nice but she’d spent so long going over Harry’s report that she’d just had time to set the table and put candles around the room. Besides she knew that Chakotay would be coming straight off duty and wouldn’t have time to change.
She wondered how he was going to react to her decision to go ahead with tomorrow’s flight despite the slight risk, they had to take this chance and Harry’s data did seem promising. Tonight she was going to speak to Chakotay about what the immediate future had in store for them both. There hadn’t been any time over the past few days, that wasn’t strictly true she told herself, she hadn’t wanted to say anything until she was certain they were going ahead with the flight. Now she was worried that if she left it until they reached the Alpha Quadrant she wouldn’t get the chance to tell him how she felt.
Chakotay hurried along the corridor he was anxious to see her, he knew she was going to be bitterly disappointed that they were still in the Delta Quadrant but he was more concerned about how she was going to react to him. He’d not had a chance to speak to her alone since the attempt this morning they’d both been busy trying to find out what had gone wrong but an hour ago she had called him on his comm badge and asked him to meet her in her quarters.
The door chime sounded cutting into her thoughts, “Come in”
The door opened and Chakotay walked in. “Commander I hope you’ve got an appetite?”
“Famished, but I assumed you’d called me here to talk about the slip stream drive.”
“No need to cancel our dinner plans,” She said pointing to the table.
Chakotay sat down, he had to admit he was more than a little surprised the lighting was subdued and there were several candles around the room. She’d set the table with flowers and candles and there was soft music playing in the background, it had all the signs of a seduction scene he felt his heart beat quicken at the thought of it. He suddenly realised that she was talking to him.
“I’ve programmed a dish my grandmother used to make back on Earth, Vegetable Byriani” She said pouring out glasses of water.
“Sounds delicious, I didn’t know you could cook”
She laughed, “Normally I draw a line at a pot of coffee, but tonight is a special occasion.”
“Oh.”
She sat down opposite him, picking up a napkin and laying it on her lap. “Our last night in the Delta Quadrant, I’d say that’s special enough.”
So she was going to go ahead with it, for a moment he felt a cold shiver go down his spine, he really did have bad feelings about this, “You’ve made your decision.”
She fingered the napkin nervously “We launch tomorrow at 08.00 hours you and Harry will take the Delta flyer, Voyager will be right behind you.”
Chakotay sighed heavily. “The crew will be pleased.”
What about you Chakotay – what do think of my decision?” She held her breath she so much wanted him to agree with her on this one, this was one journey she didn’t want to make alone.
He reached over and picked up the Padd “I’ve analysed Harry’s flight plan the theory is sound, but there are too many variables. If something goes wrong in that slip stream..”
“This could be our only chance to use the Quantum drive” She interrupted
”True; but if you showed this data to any Starfleet engineer they’d think we were out of our minds. We can find another way home we’ve waited this long..”
“Long enough, we’ve waited long enough,” She whispered.” I know it’s a risk, probably our biggest one yet,” She took a deep breath “But I’m willing to take it “– are you with me?”
“Always.” He said without hesitation, did she really need to ask him that he thought to himself, surely she knew by now that he would always be there for her.
She smiled in relief and stood up “Speaking of risks, “ she said walking round to his side of the table and placing her hand on his shoulder. “Are you ready to try some home cooking.”
I’ll alert sick bay.”
She smiled and gently touched him on the side of his face before going to the replicator.
“That was a lovely meal, Kathryn.” Said Chakotay as he flopped onto the sofa.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, Coffee?”
“Mm, please.”
“There you are.” She placed the cups on the coffee table and sat opposite him.
He watched her playing with her coffee cup. “What’s the matter Kathryn? Are you having second thoughts.”
“About tomorrow? not at all. It’s just..”
“Go on.”
“I had it all planned what I was going to say to you, but it’s not that easy to actually say it.”
Chakotay felt his heart quicken and he leant forward to slightly close the distance between them. “ What the great Kathryn Janeway afraid to say what she feels.”
She smiled “I’m not afraid to say them it’s what you’ll say in return that scares me.”
He reached for her hand “You never need to be afraid of saying what you feel to me.”
Kathryn swallowed hard, took a deep breath and said, “I wanted to talk about where we go from here.”
“You tell me.”
“All I know is that if we get back to Earth I can’t bear the thought of not seeing you every day and being able to talk to you on the comm system.”
“So what do you suggest we do about it?”
She laughed nervously, ”You’re not making this very easy for me?”
“Well you’ve never made things easy for me.”
She stood up and started pacing nervously around the room, ”I don’t know what’s going to happen when we get back but I would like us to try at a relationship one where I don’t have to worry about protocols and one without parameters.”
She stood in front of him and held out her hand, “I don’t even know if we are going to get back tomorrow or if we’ll all be killed in the process.”
He took her hand and stood up close to her, she could smell his scent and reached out to touch his cheek. “Stay with me tonight Chakotay?”
“Kathryn are you sure? What if we end up still in the Delta Quadrant? I don’t want you to regret tonight and then retreat back behind your Captain’s mask.”
She pressed her fingers on his lips, “I’m sure, I know it’ll be difficult if we are still here but we’ll just have to work through it.”
He took her hand and started kissing her fingers then he lifted her up and took her to the bedroom.
Kathryn woke to the sound of the sonic shower, she put her arm out and the bed was still warm at the side of her. She got out of bed and put on her robe just as Chakotay walked out of the bathroom. “Good morning, sleep well.” He said kissing the side of her neck.
“No I hardly slept a wink, has anyone ever told you, you snore like an old steam train?”
He laughed, “All the women tell me that.” He ducked as Kathryn threw a pillow at him. “I’ll have to teach you a lesson for that.” And he grabbed her and threw her onto the bed; he lowered his head to kiss her just as Tuvok’s voice came over the comm system.
“Bridge to Captain Janeway.”
“Yes Tuvok.” Said Kathryn pushing Chakotay off her.
“I have some reports I would like to go through with you before we attempt the slip stream drive.”
“It’s only 05.30 Tuvok.”
“I know but I would like everything cleared before we arrive back in the Alpha Quadrant.”
She sighed, ”Very well I’ll meet you in my ready room in 30 minutes. Janeway out”
“That’s definitely something I won’t miss when we get back to the Alpha Quadrant, I swear that man knows just the right moment when to interrupt.”
“Look I probably won’t get another chance to speak to you properly before you leave in the Delta Flier.” She reached up to put her arms around him, “Please be careful I don’t want to lose you now.”
“I’ll be careful, you won’t get rid of me that easy now.”
“Well I think you’d better go now and let me get ready otherwise we’ll have Tuvok calling again.”
“Chakotay,” He stopped at the door and turned to look at her. “I love you.”
He smiled, “I love you too.”
The doors opened and he walked in, it was like a repeat of the previous night, only this time she wasn’t in uniform .
FINIS
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