Only Time

Synopsis: As in Endgame, Janeway goes back in time to bring Voyager back earlier. Why? In my version, Chakotay dies before they get back (early on, but after Renaissance Man), Harry and Seven also die, Tuvok's disease, cure in the Alpha Quadrant. I will of course only be focussing on the big J/C moment as this is all a set up for it!

Disclaimer: All characters belong to paramount, ending is inspired by the original "Resolutions" script.

Chakotay turned his head when he heard his door chime.

"Come."

There she stood, eyes gleaming, which quickly turned into a shining smile. He hadn't seen her smile like that in almost 7 years now. Was it really her?

"What can I do for you, Admiral?" he said, half shocked to see her.

"Inviting me in would be nice," she answered with a half smile.

"Of course, please sit down ...coffee?"

"No, thank you. I gave that up years ago." He had once told her that she drank too much of it. She had decided to stop drinking it after his death. Looking at him Janeway wondered if she should have come at all. The captain of this ship would definitely not approve. She looked away from him. She was not the captain anymore.

"Forgive me, Admiral, but..."

"Kathryn." She didn't want to be 'Admiral' to him either.

"...Kathryn..."

She hesitated for a split second before throwing caution to the wind. After all, she had already thrown the temporal prime directive out the airlock just by being there –

"I missed you so much Chakotay! I had to see you," blurted Janeway. "Forgive me. There was so much I wanted – should – have told you!"

This was not the Janeway he knew. She had changed. Different but still as beautiful as ever... and she was no longer his captain. – But wait... She missed him!

"What happened? How did we lose touch?"

"I've said too much already – Chakotay, do you know how vital you are to this crew? You keep us together, you unite Maquis and Starfleet. You helped both the captain and Voyager." She didn't care if she couldn't keep her tenses straight anymore. "Thank you Chakotay. You were my rock, my all... I love you – I've always loved you."

He had waited so long to hear those words from her. His own eyes were now gleaming. She was the love of his life but she was his captain. Even on New Earth she had kept a distance between them; even when she knew that Mark had moved on they had remained "just friends". Fiancés, protocol, the crew. The desk they were sitting at. There was always something to keep them apart.

And now this Kathryn. She was the Kathryn he had always loved. Yet she was a Kathryn out of time. Now that he knew how she felt, it seemed as though only time separated him from his Kathryn.

Kathryn didn't need an answer. She could see it in his face; she could always see it in his face.

Without a word he slowly offered her his right hand. Their hands joined as they did on New Earth, as if they were back in that moment -- a time without rank or protocol...

"Do you remember the ancient legend I told you?"

Janeway nodded. She looked at him just as she did on New Earth after he had told her his story.

"I never finished the story..." he said. He stood up and turned to face the window. Watching the stars fly by he said, "the angry warrior didn't realize for a long time that what he was feeling was love – because he had never known love before... and he could never tell her until today."

Then Chakotay turned to look straight at her. "I've loved you all along, Kathryn," he whispered, "I still do."

Janeway could not help but let fall her tears at those words, although she had known it all along. She rose, moved to him, and reached out to caress his cheek – the face of the man that had been her support when she needed it most. Gradually she tilted her head up and kissed him on the cheek.

Chakotay put his arms around her, gathering her in. Kathryn was home at last.