A/N: I have had a few requests for a follow-up to "Cheap" and "Stupid" so here it is. It's a little shorter than the others and ended up being a little more Chakotay focused than I had intended, but I hope you enjoy it! :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
At first it had been awkward: he still felt stupid and she still felt used.
Then he had said something that made her laugh, almost in spite of herself, and that had been all it took.
The words "I'm sorry" had fallen from his lips before he'd been able to stop them. He could have kicked himself for how stupid he must have sounded – was that really all he could think of to say? – and had almost turned to leave.
But the look in her eyes stopped him.
She had understood, like she always had, like she always would.
And she forgave him.
For everything: the hurt, the neglect – everything.
He could hardly believe his good luck.
Before that luck could change he did what he had always wanted to do, something that he should have done the moment they got home: he bent down and kissed her.
Tears spilled from her eyes as they broke apart and he cursed himself for causing her so much pain, for causing her to doubt him, to doubt everything they had been and could be together.
He promised himself that he wouldn't make that same mistake again. That he would do what he had promised her he would always do: stay by her side, put her first.
And this time he would keep that promise.
As he drew her closer to him and wrapped his arms more securely around her, he couldn't help feeling how right it was to hold her like this.
Once more he cursed himself for ever letting him go, before he thanked whatever (or whoever) it was that had brought them back together. That had given him a second chance.
This time he wasn't going to blow it.