DISCLAIMER: You all know the drill - Paramount is God. All hail Paramount. They own everything in the Star Trek Universe - I'm just
using my overactive imagination to take their characters where they refuse to go. All in the name of fun, not profit (I wish).
RATING: PG-13 Nothing my momma couldn't read.
Captain's Log, Stardate 54995.3 We are still over seven weeks away from the edge of the disputed space, but we have been able to avoid a confrontation with the Brennin since our rescue of the Hathoran vessel. The crew has generously volunteered to put their comm time on hold for a week to give our newest crewmembers a chance to speak with their loved ones back home. Commander Chakotay informs me that he was inundated with offers of comm time for the Yukon crew. The general feeling is that after waiting seven years for this, a week will make little difference, but even so I find myself continually surprised by my crew's generosity and selflessness.
The door to the Captain's ready room opened and Chakotay strode in, holding a PADD.
"The Hathoran vessel just left. Our passengers said to thank you again for rescuing them and for your hospitality."
She smiled. "Well, that's thirteen less people to deal with. Any progress on what to do with the other nineteen?"
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I know I don't usually bother you with personnel issues, but I wanted your input on this."
She nodded and got up from her chair to move over to the couch. She poured two cups of coffee from the pot on the table and handed him one as he began.
"For the duty rosters, I don't think we have a problem. We've got more people than we know what to do with, and a lot of them are over qualified for the duties I've assigned them."
"That's only natural. Anyways, it's better than being understaffed."
"B'Elanna said she's got so many people that she's starting a special task force in engineering strictly to look into some of the new propulsion technologies we've come across."
"That's a good idea."
"She put Jarel and Vorik in charge, and told them to take whoever they wanted as long as they left her enough people to keep the engines running in peak condition."
The Captain froze with her mug halfway to her mouth. "She put a Vulcan in charge with a Bajoran?"
He looked up from the PADD. "What about it?"
"I hardly think they'll be able to work together without some friction. What was she thinking?"
He grinned at her. "One might ask the same of you, putting a half-klingon Maquis in charge of a bunch of Starfleet officers in engineering."
She chuckled. "Point taken. Just don't come running to me if she attacks him for calling her 'illogical.'"
He looked down at his PADD. "Neelix wants permission to extend the airponics garden since he's got a few extra people under him now."
"Granted," she nodded. "We've got a couple of botanists on board now, too, haven't we?"
"Not to mention a blossoming geneticist. Icheb submitted a proposal to me for a genetic engineering project with some of the plants."
She frowned. "Doesn't Seven need his help in Astrometrics?"
"I asked her. She said she would adapt, of course. Speaking of which, he's going to be taking the Starfleet entrance exam next month and if he passes he'll start taking courses right away. He could probably teach a lot of the first-year classes himself, so he'll be starting out with some more advanced courses as well. He and Caitlin Bennet will be taking courses together, since she's in her second year at the Academy."
"At least Icheb has some company," she said. "I always felt sorry for him not having anyone his own age."
"The same goes for Naomi Wildman," he replied. "I hear she was thrilled to learn about Cassandra being on board. Maybe this will take her mind off pestering you to become a bridge assistant."
She laughed. "We can only hope. It is cute, though, you have to admit."
"Now the only one left out is Miral Paris, but that probably won't be for long."
"Oh?" she said with a raised eyebrow. "Anything I should know about?"
"No � just a feeling. I hear Shawn Briggs and Amanda Harding have set a date and are only waiting to get up the nerve to ask you to perform the ceremony. And," he added, showing her the PADD, "I've had five more requests to share quarters."
She whistled. "Nothing like cramped quarters to bring people together." As soon as she said it, she froze and looked at him. They had been so busy making room for the new crew and avoiding the Brennin that they hadn't talked since the night they spent in her quarters. Just like last time, she thought uneasily, but then she corrected herself. Last time, after they had kissed in her quarters, he had kept quiet to give her space and she had kept quiet because she was having doubts, and it had been weeks before they finally talked about it. The results of that delay had not been pleasant. This time, however, they had not discussed it for different reasons. Even though they hadn't talked about it, they were communicating. This time, if felt like it was mutual. They were both enjoying the new understanding between them without wanting to either move backward or forward � at least for now. Their silence on the subject this time around felt comfortable instead of tense.
As proof of this lack of tension, Kathryn chuckled after her comment, and he joined her. Normally, she would have quickly changed the subject and tried not to think about it, but now she considered giving it serious thought, 'it' being their sharing quarters, even though that might be getting ahead of herself a little. So far they hadn't gone any farther than kissing and sleeping on her couch, so sharing quarters was a bit presumptuous�but it was worth some thought nevertheless.
She was prevented from thinking too much on the subject when Chakotay interrupted her thoughts.
"I know," he said, reading her mind. "You're not ready for that yet. We don't have to talk about it now."
She smiled, grateful that he knew just what to say, as always. "Now, what about the rest of the quarters assignments?"
"That's what I wanted your input on � the way things are now, there's not enough room for everybody."
She sighed. "That's putting it mildly. Voyager was designed for a crew of 150 people. What are we at now, 175?"
"177," he corrected, "Counting Miral."
She put her feet up on the table and rolled her head onto the back of the couch. "I imagine you're having fun trying to fit everybody in, but is that what you want my input on?"
"Not exactly. I'm not sure how to go about reassigning quarters."
"Oh?"
"Well, take Megan and Jenny Delaney, for example. The last time we rearranged quarters, Ensign Lang moved in with them, and now they've got Ensign Porter with them as well. The thing is, Harry, or Tuvok, say, have more living space than the four of them do. The same goes for a lot of the couples on board. Not to mention Ensign Wildman � she and Naomi are in close quarters compared to some of the senior officers. Do you see my problem?"
She nodded. "At what point does seniority become more important than necessity? Quite frankly, I'm not sure. It does seem unfair that you and I and the rest of the senior staff have a lot of space all to ourselves, but we are in charge." She thought carefully for a moment. "I won't force any of the senior staff to give up their quarters, but feel free to reassign everyone else based on need. If there's a lieutenant living alone who has more space than two ensigns living together, switch them. Encourage people to volunteer to pair up, and give anyone who does larger quarters as long as they're sharing."
He nodded and got up off the couch, heading for the door. He spoke to her over his shoulder as he walked. "This is still going to take some time. Care to give me a hand over dinner?"
"It's a date," she said, and he froze in disbelief.
When he got his voice back after a minute, he managed to croak out, "Do you mean that or is that just a figure of speech?"
Giving him a flirtatious smile, she sat down at her desk and picked up a PADD. "It is New Year's Eve, isn't it? Why don't you cook dinner and find out?" She pretended to ignore him after that, but he could see her eyes dancing with amusement and the corners of her mouth turned up.
"I'll do that," he said. "See you at 2100? My quarters?"
She nodded, the corners of her mouth turning up further, and he turned and left the room.
* * *
The Captain strode purposefully down the corridor, not feeling half so confident as she looked. She tried to ignore the curious looks of the crew as she passed them. So much for keeping this quiet, she thought. She had decided not to wear her uniform to her dinner with Chakotay, and had decided instead on a sleeveless burgundy top with an angled v-neck and a pair of black pants. Her attire was the reason for the questioning looks from the crew � at least she hoped it was. She was probably blushing like a schoolgirl.
She had meant what she had said to him � she was considering this a date. She just hoped the feeling was mutual � if he opened the door wearing his uniform she would feel like a complete idiot.
He answered the door almost immediately, and part of her relaxed when she saw that he was also dressed in casual clothes and was lighting candles on the table. Although she was relieved that they seemed to be on the same page for the tone of the evening, another part of her tensed up. Pushing her uncharacteristic nervousness to the back of her mind, she smiled at him and entered the room. He was staring at her with undisguised admiration.
"You look�fantastic."
As she moved closer to him, he broke out of his reverie and took her hand to lead her over to the table, holding her chair out for her, and then went over to the replicator to get dinner.
Setting the plate in front of her, he popped the cork on a bottle of champagne and poured them each a glass before he sat down.
"Here's to another year in the Delta Quadrant," he said with a smile, raising his glass in her direction.
"May it be our last," she finished, and they clinked glasses.
After dinner, they retired to the couch over by the window. As they sat down, he gestured to the stack of PADDs on the table beside them. "I was serious, you know � I would like some help with all this work."
"Is that what I have to do to get you to cook dinner?"
"No � to get me to cook dinner all you have to do is show up."
She smiled and looked out the window, unused to this level of flattery from him. At least out loud � she was beginning to realize that she was perfectly aware of how much he admired her even though he had never before put it so directly. She had never really realized how much passed unspoken between them until it no longer remained unspoken.
Seeing her unease, he sighed. "I'm sorry � I'm taking things too fast, aren't I?"
"After seven years, I think you're entitled," she said with a sigh of her own.
He frowned. "I already mentioned this once, but since you were asleep at the time I suppose I'll have to say it again. I didn't mean what I said in the turbolift, Kathryn. I don't feel like I've had to wait seven years for this � it feels like we've been slowly working towards this moment for that long. I don't regret a single day that I've known you. Well�maybe the days that I didn't see you or anytime we were fighting," he added, trying to lighten the mood. She didn't appreciate his attempt at humor and had a sad expression on her face, staring at her hands.
"I know it's my fault�I was the one holding back. I've wasted seven years being stubborn and selfish."
"The last word I would ever use to describe you is selfish, Kathryn. Stubborn, on the other hand�"
Again his attempt to make her laugh fell short. Her lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly and it suddenly dawned on him how upset she really was that it had taken her so long to come around. He reached over and took her hands in his, making her look him in the eyes.
"Kathryn, I want you to listen to me. I don't regret waiting this long for you, and I never will, understand? I think that if we had ever been at this point before now, it would have ended in disaster long ago. You needed to accept it completely before there could be any chance of something between us. I don't think that would have been possible until now."
"If all it took was talking with the crew, I could have come to this conclusion years ago."
"I don't believe that. You had to come to terms with this on your own time, to learn that you're allowed to live your life and still be the Captain." Seeing she was still not convinced, he pressed on. "If you had told me you wanted to pursue this before you had worked everything out, I think I would have thought less of you."
"What?" she said quietly.
"If you ignored what you thought was the crew's best interests to pursue a relationship with me�you wouldn't be Kathryn to me if you had done that. You're the most selfless and dedicated person I've ever known. That's why I don't think it could have worked until now."
He reached over to the vase that had been on the dinner table and removed the rose that was in it, showing it to her. It was of an unusual coloring - red on the edges but white in the center.
"Do you know why I chose this particular color?"
"No�I did wonder why it wasn't red."
"Because of what it represents. A red and white rose stands for unity." He smiled. "We're in this together, Kathryn. For the first time I really feel like we're in the same place."
"On the same page," she whispered.
"What?"
She shook her head. "Nothing � just something Mark said." She reached over and took the rose from him and smiled as she looked at it. She reached over and put her hand on the side of his face, tracing her thumb along his cheek. She had been going to thank him, but when their eyes met she realized she didn't need to say it out loud.
Instead, she leaned forward and kissed him. He returned it, hesitantly at first, but then with more passion. He slid closer to her on the couch and leaned on her as she fell back against the couch. The back of his neck tingled as she ran her hand over it, and her hand slowly moved up until it was on the back of his head. His hands moved to her waist and slowly around it and back again. Running his hands up and down her side, he felt the curve of her hips under his fingers. Moving one of his hands upwards, his fingers caught on the hem of her shirt, and his hand slid unintentionally under the material and came into contact with the bare skin underneath. When his fingers touched the soft skin above her hip, he felt her tense up immediately.
It was an unconscious reaction, at first � she was hardly used to feeling a hand under her shirt. A few seconds of thought, however, did not dissipate the tension. There's no going back, she thought. Although she realized on some level that they had probably long ago passed the point of no return, taking their relationship to the next level was a daunting step, and one that she couldn't take lightly.
Sensing her hesitation, even though she continued kissing him, Chakotay thought for a few seconds before he withdrew his hand from where it had ended up and pushed himself off her.
"This isn't going to get you out of helping me with the quarters assignments, you know," he said with a grin, rolling to the side and reaching for a PADD.
She looked at him for a moment, surprised, before she responded quietly. "Chakotay, I�"
"I know, Kathryn. Don't worry about it. Now here," he said firmly, handing her another PADD.
She reached her hand out but still hesitated to take it.
"You want to wait," he said. "Frankly, so do I. Just as long as it's not another seven years, okay?"
"Okay," she said quietly, and finally took the PADD from him. She moved over so she was sitting in front of him and curled up with her back against his chest and her head on his shoulder. He smiled at the intimate way they sat together, and stretched his legs out on either side of her. He wrapped one of his arms around her and held the data he was looking at in the other.
They quickly fell into their normal working relationship, working efficiently through the stack on the table beside them. They had almost finished when Chakotay noticed her trying to conceal an incessant series of yawns and her eyes drooped.
"Maybe we should call it a night."
"Mmm," was her only reply as she snuggled closer to him, setting the PADD down and closing her eyes. He grinned and returned to the PADD he was working, only tearing his attention away from the task at hand when she spoke again.
"Chakotay?"
"Yes?"
"Would you mind�if I slept here tonight � like this?"
It took him a minute or two to find his voice, although the reply came instantly to his mind, and she stared at him until he finally replied. "Of course I don't mind. Did you really have to ask?"
"I suppose not � but I wanted to see the look on your face when I did. It was priceless."
He chuckled and put the PADD aside. "Computer, lights down to ten percent." Grabbing a blanket from the back of the couch, he threw it over their legs as he made himself more comfortable on the couch. She rolled over so she was on her stomach with her head on his shoulder, and her breathing slowed almost immediately.
"Good night, Kathryn," he said quietly. Her only reply was a contented sigh as she moved her head closer to his neck.
* * *
This time when Chakotay awoke, Kathryn was not on top of him, and he lifted his head up, looking around. Before he had looked very far, a steaming cup of coffee was shoved beneath his nose. The cup was held by a familiar delicate hand, and he followed it up to Kathryn's smiling face.
"Rise and shine, Commander. We're due on the bridge in forty-five minutes."
He sat up on the couch and took the coffee from her, and she sat beside him on the couch. He noticed with surprise that she was wearing her uniform.
"How did you get into your uniform?" he asked, puzzled and still not fully awake.
"The same way I do every morning," she teased him with a straight face. "I put it on." She enjoyed his confusion for a moment before she explained. "I replicated one � I can always use an extra uniform." She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Who knows � I may leave it here for future occasions."
While he choked on his coffee in surprise, she rose from the couch and moved across the room to the replicator to get her own cup of coffee. When he had finally finished sputtering, he addressed her again.
"You had better hope that nobody was looking for you last night."
"Not a problem," she insisted. "The computer and I had a little chat last night before I came over here."
"Oh?"
"Computer, locate Captain Janeway."
Captain Janeway is in her quarters
.
His eyebrow went up. "False bio-readings?"
"Nothing that devious. I merely convinced the computer that your quarters are also my quarters, and vice-versa. I figured I had my commbadge and the chance of anyone actually going to look for me in my quarters was slim to none, so�"
Something else was on his mind. "Wait a minute�you thought you'd be spending the night?"
She threw him a playful glare. "Call it a contingency plan. Now come on � go get dressed and we might have time for breakfast in the mess hall."
"Aye, Captain."
* * *
Tom, B'Elanna, Harry, Talia and Neelix had all collaborated to get the holodeck ready in time for the party they had suggested. Neelix had been cooking nonstop in the mess hall for days, and the other four had spent every spare minute of their time on the holodeck. B'Elanna had even brought Miral down to the holodeck with her so both she and Tom could lend a hand. The group had refused to let anyone else see the fruits of their labor, even the Captain. They said they wanted to surprise people as they entered, and if they saw it half programmed it would take away from the first impression.
The Captain expected that it would be impressive from the way Tom and Harry were strutting around the ship full of themselves. She admitted that she was looking forward to it, and had even gone to the trouble to design and replicate a new dress for the occasion.
A little while before the party was scheduled to begin, she took a long, hot bath. She was just getting out when her chime rang on her door. She reached for the robe nearby, and pulled it around herself as she walked into the other room.
"Enter," she called as she tied the robe around her waist. She was a little surprised when she saw Seven of Nine enter with a PADD in her hands.
"Seven, if this is about ship's business, it can wait until tomorrow."
Seven shifted on her feet uncomfortably. "It is not."
The Captain stopped in her tracks � Seven coming to her quarters for something not related to the ship was unusual, if not unheard of. The ex-drone stepped towards the Captain with the PADD in her hands.
"Mr. Neelix and Lieutenant Paris have informed me that my usual appearance will be�insufficient�for tonight's social gathering."
"Oh?"
"They claim that the crew will be wearing formal attire, and suggested I choose something suitable from the database." She held out the PADD towards the Captain. "I wanted to be certain that my selection was�appropriate."
She took the PADD and examined it. As she was looking at it, Seven noticed the garment over the back of the nearby chair. She reached over and picked it up by the straps, holding it out in front of her. Her eyebrow went up and she looked at the Captain.
"Is this what you are wearing?"
"Yes," said the Captain, looking up momentarily. "What do you think?"
"It is�impressive." Seven considered the garment carefully. "It is quite different from your usual choice for a social gathering, Captain."
She laughed. "I suppose it is." She handed the PADD back to Seven. "It's perfect, Seven. You have excellent taste."
The other woman beamed at the unexpected praise. "It is sufficient?"
"It's more than sufficient � it's stunning. Mark will love it."
Seven stiffened. "Why is Commander Walker's opinion relevant?"
"I think he finds you�intriguing.".
Shifting uncomfortably, Seven took a minute to respond. "He is�very friendly."
"Friendly? That's it?"
Seven thought carefully. "He reminds me of Unimatrix Zero�the sensations I experienced there."
Surprised at that level of admission, she stared at Seven for a few seconds before she changed the subject, seeing that it made her uncomfortable.
"Well, I'm sure everyone will like this dress. I'd love to see it on you � why don't you replicate it here and try it on?"
Seven was surprised for a moment, but then nodded and moved over to the replicator. A pile of red material appeared in the replicator, and Seven picked it up and moved into the bedroom.
She emerged a few minutes later wearing a stunning red dress. It was strapless, exposing the creamy pale skin on her shoulders. The top of the dress was straight, and the bodice clung tightly to her curvaceous figure. The skirt was flared slightly at the bottom, and was long enough that there was a slight train at the back. The overall effect was stunning.
"You look wonderful, Seven. But your hair looks too�"
As she searched for the right word, Seven reached behind her head and pulled the pins out of her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders.
"Better?" she asked, smiling.
"Much. But you're still missing something�I know."
She went into the bedroom and rooted around for a minute before she came back out.
"This," she said, holding up a silver necklace.
She walked over and stood behind Seven to put the necklace on her. Seven fingered it as Kathryn did up the clasp.
"This is yours?"
"It was given to me on the Alsaurian homeword a few years ago, by a man who saved my life." When she had the neclace fastened, she moved to stand immediately in front of Seven.
"It suits you nicely," she said with a smile.
"It's�perfect," agreed Seven quietly. "Thank you, Captain."
Their tender moment was interrupted when the door chimed.
"Come in," she said over her shoulder. She saw Seven's eyebrow go up, and she turned around to see who was there. It was Chakotay � she should have known. He seemed surprised to see she had company, but his surprise at Seven's presence was pushed to the back of his mind when he saw what Kathryn was wearing.
She noticed him staring at her appearance, and she self-consciously pulled her robe tighter around her. Chakotay tore his gaze away from her after a few moments, and turned to Seven.
"You look wonderful, Seven," he complimented.
"Thank you, Commander," she replied, obviously pleased with the approval. She noticed that both of her companions' cheeks were flushed, and the Captain was staring at the ground, so she decided to make a graceful retreat.
"If you'll excuse me, Captain. Commander."
With that, she moved past them and left.
Kathryn looked at Chakotay looking at her and smiled shyly, tightening her robe about her again.
"I didn't mean to intrude." He moved closer to her and gestured towards the dress on the back of the chair. "Is that the dress you're wearing?"
She nodded. "Would you like to see it on?" she asked quietly.
"That's okay � I'll see it eventually�and, quite frankly, I like what you're wearing now."
He had been moving steadily closer to her as he spoke, and when he finished they were standing so close that their bodies were nearly touching. He brushed her hair back behind her ear and lightly traced his fingers along her shoulder.
She closed her eyes and gasped at his soft touch, shuddering involuntarily. The sensation of his fingers running delicately along her skin was like an electric shock.
"Sorry," he said, removing his hand. "I couldn't help myself. I'll let you get dressed."
He stepped back, but she reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Don't go," she whispered.
She stepped forward, getting up on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him. He quickly overcame his surprise and kissed her back, his hands moving to her waist. She let out a soft groan as his hands moved around her over the thin fabric of her robe. She pressed closer to him, and he could feel the heat from her body as he continued kissing her. Despite the fabric between them, the impression of her body alone was enough to make his knees weak. Without thinking, one of his hands moved around from her back and fumbled at the rope holding her robe closed. Her arms came away from his neck and moved down to her waist to undo the loose knot in the robe.
When he realized what they were doing, he pulled her hands away from the rope and put his hands on either side of her head, pulling her away from him and looking at her, her hands hanging limply at her side. They were both breathing heavily, but he managed to speak nevertheless.
"Kathryn�are you sure?"
She reached up and stroked his arm, looking at her hand. "About what? Sure that this is a good idea?" She grinned. "Not really. Sure that we can make this work? Of course not. Am I sure that I want to try?"
She took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.
"I've never been more certain of anything in my life."
He thought for a moment before he responded, trying to think clearly despite the fact that she was standing in front of him wearing nothing but a thin robe. "It's not now or never, you know."
"I know. But maybe it's just�now."
She put one of her hands on top of his on the side of her face and leaned forward to kiss him again. He didn't resist this time, and moved his hands from her head back down to her waist, feeling the curves of her body as he went. She started working at his uniform jacket, and he removed his hands from her long enough to get the jacket off and toss it on the couch.
She was backing slowly across the room, but stopped when she came into contact with the table. She leaned back as his lips moved down her neck slowly, and then back up so he was kissing her just below her ear.
"We're going to be late," she gasped as she tried to undo the knot in her robe with trembling fingers.
"That will make it more fun for everyone else," he whispered in her ear.
"What makes you say that?"
He pulled away from her neck and looked at her with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Because they'll entertain themselves by imagining why we're both late. And for once they'll be right."
She chuckled, and put her hands on either side of his face, leaning forward to meet his lips with hers. He stepped back from the table, pulling her with him. They struggled to remove their clothing, their lips still locked together as they slowly made their way around the table and headed for her bedroom.
* * *
"Mr. Paris, I must say you've outdone yourself this time."
"Thanks, Doc, but I had a lot of help."
"I don't believe it," said B'Elanna. "He's actually giving us credit. Did you hear that, Harry?"
"Huh?"
"Don't mind him," said Tom. "He's too busy looking for Megan Delaney."
"I am not!" protested Harry. "I'm just�seeing who's here so far. Uh�have any of you seen the Captain?"
"No," said B'Elanna, looking around.
"And come to think of it, Chakotay's not here either," added Tom. "That's odd � the party's already going. Usually she puts in an early appearance and cuts out. I wonder why she's late."
"Perhaps she's on the bridge," suggested the Doctor.
"No," said Tom. "She was really looking forward to this. I think her exact words were 'a herd of hungry targs couldn't keep me away.'"
He snagged two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and gave one to B'Elanna while he took a sip out of the other. Surveying his handiwork around the holodeck, he noticed someone new enter the holodeck and his jaw dropped.
"Take a look," he whistled, gesturing toward the french doors that he had programmed as the entrance to the room.
His companions turned to see what had caught his attention, and their eyes widened collectively when they saw Seven of Nine enter in her stunning red dress. The Doctor's eyes were wider than everyone else's, but his face clouded over when he saw Commander Walker immediately approach Seven and offer her his arm. He looked even less impressed when he saw that Seven seemed pleased by the gesture. She must have seen them, because she and Mark immediately moved over to join them.
"Seven, you look great," said Tom appreciatively.
"Very nice," added B'Elanna.
Seven nodded her appreciation and looked around the holodeck with admiration. "Your simulation is�impressive, Lieutenant."
Tom and the others had programmed a nineteenth-century ballroom, with black and white marble tiles on the floor, pillars around the room, and even a pair of massive chandeliers that hung above the dance floor. There was a balcony on one half of the room with an ocean view, and Tom had programmed a clear night sky with a full moon and plenty of stars. Harry, with his musical knowledge, had programmed an orchestra which was sitting at one end of the room. At the other end, Neelix had food set up, although there were holographic waiters moving around the simulation with champagne and hors d'oeuvres.
"Thanks, Seven. You know, when we're off duty, you can call me Tom. That goes for everybody."
She looked a little uncomfortable, but nodded after a minute with a small smile on her face.
"Do you know where the Captain is?" asked B'Elanna.
Seven frowned. "She has not arrived?"
"There's no sign of her," said Harry.
Seven barely managed to conceal her surprise. Considering who had arrived before she left the Captain's quarters and the way the Captain had been dressed, an assumption immediately leapt to her mind but she decided to respect her privacy and kept it to herself.
"I was in her quarters less than an hour ago, and she was not yet ready. However, I suspect she has had enough time to prepare and will probably arrive shortly."
"Well, I'm not going to waste my evening waiting for her to show up," said the Doctor as the orchestra started up a new song and people began moving around the room. "If I know the Captain, she's probably working instead of relaxing. Seven, perhaps you'd care for a waltz?"
Seven shifted uncomfortably, unwilling to hurt her friend's feelings. "Comman�Mark has already asked me to dance with him. Perhaps later?"
He nodded, trying to conceal his disappointment.
"Not a bad idea," said Tom, and he grabbed B'Elanna's hand and pulled her to the dance floor. "I just hope I can remember how to dance."
As Tom tried to refamiliarize himself with the steps, Mark and Seven floated effortlessly across the dance floor.
"You were right," said Mark with a grin. "You do know how to waltz."
"Thank you," she said awkwardly, unused to these kinds of compliments. "The Doctor is an efficient instructor."
"And you look fabulous," he continued. "I love that dress."
Seven managed a small grin. "The Captain thought you might."
Mark looked at her in surprise for a moment before he laughed. "I thought I was the one who was supposed to read minds." They continued dancing for a few minutes before he spoke again. "You know, Seven, there's something that I've been wondering for a while � how come you don't wear a uniform?"
"I am not a Starfleet officer," she replied, puzzled that he would even consider it.
"So what? Neither are most of the Maquis. You're a member of the crew � why shouldn't you wear a uniform?"
Seven considered for a moment. "I do not have a rank," she said finally.
He shrugged. "Why does that matter? From what I've seen, you have as much authority around the ship as a lieutenant."
"I do not believe the Captain would assign me such a rank."
"Maybe not, but I'll bet she wouldn't hesitate to give you a uniform if you asked." Watching her carefully while she considered it, he spoke again. "I know it's frightening � another step towards humanity�but maybe it's time you took it. If Voyager is your collective�become a part of it. Entirely."
"I will speak to the Captain about it tomorrow," she said finally, a smile creeping on her lips.
His face lit up. "Good. I'm glad." He pulled her a little closer as they danced, and although she resisted at first, she soon relaxed and let him lead her across the floor.
When the song finished, everyone regrouped in their original position and chatted idly for a few minutes before something caught Tom's attention.
"Hey, Harry � do you see that woman in the blue dress over there?"
"Megan?" he said, looking over his shoulder.
"Forget Megan Delaney � who is that?"
"Who?"
"The one in the blue dress standing over there near the door. Short hair, low cut dress, really nice body."
B'Elanna elbowed him in the ribs.
"What?" he protested. "It's for Harry."
Seven's eyebrow went up, recognizing the color of the dress, but she kept silent.
Tom looked again at the woman, whose back was facing them. Her hair fell to just above her shoulders, and in the lighting of the room appeared to be somewhere between brown and red. She was wearing a dark blue dress that plunged from her shoulders all the way down to the base of her spine, leaving the smooth skin on her back exposed. Although she looked very familiar, he couldn't figure out who it was without seeing her face. He wondered if she was one of the crew from the Yukon � some of them he had only met once or twice, and probably wouldn't recognize them from the back.
The woman slowly turned to the side, and although Tom couldn't yet see her face, B'Elanna could.
"Uh�Tom? I don't think Harry will be interested," she said with a smirk.
Tom squinted, and his jaw dropped when the woman turned further and faced them � it was Captain Janeway. She saw them and started towards them, and Tom didn't have a chance to overcome his surprise before she joined them. B'Elanna reached over and put a hand under his chin, shoving his mouth closed.
"Captain," said B'Elanna, not quite as surprised as Tom and therefore able to use her voice. "You look nice."
"Thank you � so do you." The Captain's dress was a deep shade of blue with a hint of purple in it. The dress had a v-shape in both front and back � the dip in the front came modestly to just above her chest, but the one in the back fell dramatically to the small of her back in the fashion that Tom had been admiring, leaving her entire back bare. The v's in the front and back were connected over her shoulders by a strip of material that narrowed as it rose towards her shoulders, where it came to a point and widened again as it went down the other side. The dress was fitting until it went past her hips, where the skirt widened and fell loosely about her ankles.
"Have you seen Chakotay?" asked B'Elanna.
She could have sworn she saw the Captain blush slightly. "He's not here yet?" she said as she looked around, feigning ignorance. She knew perfectly well that Chakotay had gone back to his quarters to change out of his uniform, but she faked a puzzled frown as she surveyed the room. "That's odd � I thought he would have been here long ago."
"Never mind," said B'Elanna as she looked over the Captain's shoulder. "There he is now."
Chakotay entered the room and immediately spotted their group. He paused to grab two champagne glasses off a nearby table, and stopped again to speak to Ensign Hawthorne, who came up to him as he was making his way towards their group. They spoke for a moment, and then Hawthorne followed him across the room.
When they joined them, Chakotay greeted them and handed the champagne flute to the Captain, moving to stand just behind her slightly to the side.
Tom scrutinized the Captain's expression with interest. There was something there that he couldn't quite put a finger on. She looked like�what? Like the cat that ate the canary, he thought suddenly, the old expression coming to mind. His mother had often used that phrase to describe him when he was young. Looking at the Captain, her facial expression seemed familiar to him somehow. It took a few seconds for him to place it � he had worn that expression for at least a week after he and B'Elanna had first� His eyes widened. It couldn't be, he thought. He shook the thought off as ridiculous and brought his attention back to the present when Chakotay addressed him.
"Nice work, Tom," said Chakotay as he looked around the room.
"It's magnificent," agreed the Captain, trying to ignore Chakotay standing so close behind her.
"Seven, I believe you owe me a waltz," said the Doctor, and she took his proffered arm and moved away.
Harry, finally spotting Megan Delaney, quickly excused himself with a foolish grin on his face.
"Captain?" said Chakotay, offering her his arm.
She tried to restrain her smile, but she was afraid she didn't succeed when she saw Tom nudge B'Elanna as they moved off.
They moved towards to the middle of the dance floor and then gradually out on to the balcony. They started out innocently enough in a formal position � he had one hand on her hip, she had one hand on his shoulder, and their other hands were clasped off to the side.
"Having second thoughts?" He was smiling, but he scrutinized her carefully.
She smiled. "Way too many, in fact�I'll have to be very careful around Commander Walker."
He smiled and they moved a little closer together. "Have I mentioned recently that you look fabulous?" he said quietly as they moved with the music.
"Not in the last few minutes."
"It won't happen again," he whispered back. "You look stunning in that dress."
She chuckled. "That's funny," she said under her breath with a raised eyebrow. "As I recall, the first thing you did when you saw me wearing it was take it off."
He laughed softly. "I have to admit, it looked much better on the floor."
She bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud and looked at the ground to try and conceal from the crowded room the color that she could feel rising in her cheeks.
Before very much time had passed, they had unconsciously drawn closer together. Her hand was resting lightly on the back of his neck, his hand had moved around to her back and there was very little space between them. Their clasped hands were resting on his chest between them, and they were nearly cheek to cheek.
His hand moved intimately over the exposed skin on her back, exploring the angles and curves of her back with his fingertips. He traced the outline of her spine, then flattened his hand, pressing his palm against her warm skin.
She let out a barely audible groan and whispered quietly into his shoulder. "If you don't stop that, I'm going to make a scene."
He chuckled softly, but left his hand where it was.
Not very far away, Tom and B'Elanna were talking quietly as they danced. B'Elanna nudged Tom when he didn't reply to one of her comments. "Tom? Are you listening to me?"
His eyes were so wide they were practically bulging out of his head, and his mouth was hanging open.
"Tom?" she prompted again.
"Look at that," he said excitedly, inclining his head in the general direction of their commanding officers.
"What?"
"The Captain and Chakotay."
Her face registered some surprise, but nothing near what Tom seemed to be experiencing. "They're dancing � so what?"
"You don't see anything unusual?"
"No," she said, confused. "I expected them to dance together�maybe not that close together, but what's the big deal?"
He sighed in frustration. "See where his hand is?"
She looked closer. "Yeah, it's on her back. So what? I can think of lots of places it could be that would surprise me a whole lot more."
Tom rolled his eyes. He tried a new tactic since she didn't seem to be catching his meaning. "If anybody but me were touching your back like that, what would you do?"
"Easy. I'd break their nose�" She trailed off and her expression finally registered the surprise that Tom's had. "No way," she whispered, glancing eagerly at their commanding officers. "Do you think�"
He chuckled. "I don't know."
He, along with most of the bridge crew, had noticed the change in the Captain's demeanor over the past few days. It was like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and she was more cheerful that usual � almost giddy. Whatever unpleasantness had been between her and Chakotay was long gone, and they were working together like never before. However, Tom hesitated to jump to conclusions, because in the past when the Captain was in a particularly good mood or her and Chakotay were getting along better than usual, he had often told others that he thought they might finally be involved. Since he had always been proved wrong, he now hesitated to jump too quickly to that conclusion.
As she and Chakotay slowly turned, Kathryn noticed Tom and B'Elanna staring at them and spoke to Chakotay under her breath. "Don't look now, but we have an audience." He nonchalantly took a few steps to turn them around so he was facing their observers again.
He leaned forward so that his lips were close to her ear. "Well, why don't we either give them something to look at or get out of here and go someplace a little more private?"
A mischievous grin spread across her face. "We're not going anywhere � we have a deal."
"A deal?" he said, puzzled.
She put on an innocent expression. "I'm supposed to be the last one to leave, remember?"
He rolled his eyes dramatically. "Me and my big mouth."
Seeing that Tom and B'Elanna were still staring at them, she pulled away from him slightly, assuming a more formal position.
"I take it back," he said. "Care to reconsider?"
"You'll have to convince me that we should leave," she said with a flirtatious smile. "Just what did you have in mind, Commander?"
Across the room, B'Elanna frowned as she watched them dancing. "You might be right for once," said B'Elanna. "Look at the way they're whispering."
Her eyes widened. "And I swear he's making her blush."
* * *
Kathryn cracked her eyes open and took a deep breath as she slowly woke up. She saw Chakotay laying beside her in the dim light, and she smiled and closed her eyes again. He was laying on his back, and she was beside him with her head on his shoulder and her arm on his chest. His bare chest rose and fell rhythmically under her, so she knew he was still sleeping.
After a week of waking up next to him, the rush of pleasure and the sense of belonging still caught her by surprise every morning. In the days, or rather nights, following the party, they had spent every night in either his quarters or, more often, hers. She recalled that first night with a smile. They had actually lasted for close to three hours at the party that night before they had finally given in and left. They had danced with other people of course, but most of the time were joined at the hip. She was pretty sure some of the crew, Tom and B'Elanna in particular, were suspicious, but she wasn't concerned about it. She hadn't deluded herself into thinking that their involvement could be kept from the crew for very long � although she had expected their privacy to last a little longer than an hour.
She had never imagined that becoming close to him like this, letting him into her life, could make her feel this complete. It was like she had discovered a part of herself, a part of her life, that she hadn't known was missing until he had provided it. Her first thought when she woke up every morning was that she didn't want these quiet moments to end.
She opened her eyes again and looked at his sleeping face. He looked so peaceful that she didn't want to wake him, so she gently pulled herself out from under his arm around her shoulders and rolled over. Glancing at the chronometer, she saw that it was 0640 and she frowned. Last week, before the party, she had stupidly agreed to a meeting with Vorik and Jarel in Engineering at 0700 today before her shift started. Of course, she had done that before she had any idea that she would have this much incentive to stay in bed.
She sat up, pulling the sheet around her, and looked around her quarters with a knowing smile. It was a mess, although it was neater than the night of the party. Then, their clothes had been scattered on the floor in a trail leading in from the door � his suit had been all over, and her dress had been in a blue pool at the entrance to her bedroom. This time, there were two semi-organized piles of clothing, and the trail started at her bedroom door rather than the entrance to her quarters. She reached over the side of the bed and grabbed a shirt that was sitting there, pulling it over her head and putting her legs over the side of the bed. She gave him one last look before she walked over to the dresser and pulled out a clean uniform from the top drawer. She smiled � on the opposite side of the drawer was another uniform � Chakotay's. After the first night he had spent here, the night of the party, she had replicated him one first thing in the morning. She pulled it out of the drawer and set it on the table near the bed for him, since he always forgot where she had stashed it in her room.
Putting on her own uniform, she did up her jacket and adjusted her collar. Her rank pips were placed side by side on her neck, and she brushed her hair in the mirror. Looking at her reflection, she smiled. Her complexion was practically glowing � she was sure it would be noticed by half the crew at least. She frowned when she noticed something that was missing � her commbadge. She picked up her dress on the floor that she had worn for dinner last night, but the commbadge was no longer attached to it. It took her a few minutes of rooting around the mess of clothing before she finally found it, underneath his shirt. She attached it to her uniform and started for the door.
She paused at the entrance to the bedroom and looked at Chakotay, still sleeping. She hated to leave before he was up, since it might give him the wrong impression, but she didn't want to wake him up. She stopped to get a cup of coffee from the replicator and was about to leave for her meeting when a PADD on the table near the couch caught her attention.
She walked over and sat down on the couch, picking up the PADD. An idea slowly came over her as she read it, and on an impulse she entered a few commands into it. She moved back into the bedroom and set the PADD on top of the uniform, and after checking that he was still asleep, she left, a grin spreading across her face.
* * *
The first thing Chakotay realized when he woke up was that he was alone. He sat up in a panic, thinking he had dreamt it all. He relaxed, though, when he saw that he was not in his quarters, but in Kathryn's. The bed next to him was empty, but when he put his hand on the sheets they were still warm. He swung his feet onto the floor and got up. Looking at the chronometer, he saw that he still had an hour before he and Kathryn were due on the bridge, so he wondered where she had gone.
"Computer, locate Captain Janeway," he said.
Captain Janeway is in Engineering, level 2.
He remembered her mentioning something about an early meeting with Vorik, and he relaxed. For a minute he had begun to worry that she had had second thoughts and had taken off. He lay back on the bed with satisfaction. When the chime on his door had gotten him out of bed at three in the morning two weeks ago, he would never have guessed that it would lead to him waking up in her quarters.
Finding no point in staying in bed alone, he sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. Their clothes that they had worn last night were still in a pile on the floor, and he smiled. Good thing she had thought to keep an extra uniform around for him � but where did she say she had put it? He frowned as he tried to remember, but his dilemma was solved when he saw the clean uniform laying folded on the nearby table. Leave it to Kathryn to think of everything.
Only when he had his uniform on did he look at the PADD that had been sitting on top of the uniform. He frowned � he had expected a note from her, but instead he saw that the PADD was the one he had given her to look over. It was his final draft of how he planned to reassign crew quarters. He shrugged, assuming that she was just returning it to him, and started to put it aside. Just as he put it on the table, he picked it up again and froze, noticing the alteration she had made. A smile slowly spread on his face and he chuckled, not believing his eyes.
She had rearranged some of the senior staff, and had reassigned him�to her quarters.
>> ON TO PART XIII : THE MAQUIS
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