Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek Voyager and all its characters.
Autors Note: Inspired by a picture from earth.
written: September 2000
Rated: PG-13
 

Captain Kathryn Janeway slowly rose up from her command chair. Behind her,
the officers left the bridge one after another and she heard the turbolift door open
and close again. She was alone now, she had ordered the bridge officers to
assemble with the rest of the crew in cargo bay two.

Janeway took a few steps forward and stared intently at the viewscreen. When
she stopped, her right hand clutched the railing which marked off the conn area.
She had never given up hope, never in all the seven years and now the moment
she had awaited for so long had finally arrived. Voyager had made it. They were
home, in the Alpha quadrant.

She continued to stare at the screen, mesmerised by the well-known blue, white
and brown colours of earth. Feelings of joy ran through her body and overhelmed
her. She closed her eyes, bent her head back and took a deep breath. But there was
something else, something much stronger than the feeling of joy. The thing that
had tormented her most all these years, now forced its way to the surface.

Being captain she was always responsible for her ship and most of all for her crew.
The burden, without backup from starfleet, of always having to make decisions in
order to reach home, not only lay heavy on her shoulders, but also brought along
loneliness and a guilty conscience. The sight of earth took away this burden and
the feeling of relief made her body tremble softly.

She opened her eyes again and a few tears  ran down her cheeks unchecked.
She didn't notice that someone had stepped close behind her. Only when she felt
two hands on her shoulder did she wince, then relax immediately when she sensed,
without turning around, who stood behind her. The hands finally turned her around
and she looked up into the dark eyes of her first officer, Chakotay. He smiled and his
thumb gently wiped away her tears.

"You've brought us home. Thank you, Kathryn", he whispered and slowly, carefully,
he bent down to kiss her tenderly. When he removed his lips from hers, new tears ran
down her cheeks. Sobbing she let him pull her into his arms. She clung to him as he
wordlessly gave her all the time she needed to let out, forever, the feelings she always
suppressed as captain...
 

The End