Just like on Voyager, it isn't the big, extravagant actions that captured Chakotay's heart, time and time again. It is the little ones, Kathryn's displays of simple kindness, of her bright intelligence and undeniable beauty, that had him utterly captivated. When they had to spend weeks apart, the curse of Starfleet jobs, these memories keep him going.

Today he sat in his Ready room and found himself smiling, thinking back to the last time he was on Earth. She had decided to get a puppy, and had eagerly invited him to join in her quest. Watching her face light up when they got to a little out of the way farm whose ad she had answered had been wonderful, but did not compare to when she saw the puppies themselves.

They were a shepherd and husky mix that were in a current state of pure fluff. He found himself worried they would return to her apartment with all of them after the they had played with them for half an hour and she seemed no closer to picking a favorite. Her carefree laugh, something he had the joy of hearing more and more often, couldn't stop as the puppies batted at her with little paws and kissed her with baby tongues.

"Puppy breath!" she chuckled, as a tan and white one nuzzled her face. She was completely out of her captain character, something Chakotay was finding a more frequent appearance, and best of all which she suffered not more guilt in indulging. They could have stayed there forever, her playing with the puppies and him just soaking in her happiness.

It ended up being that tan one who finally came home, her cradling and cooing to it the whole trip back. She did leave one hand free and twined her fingers with his. And while he would no doubt have the joy of helping house train the puppy when he got back from his current mission, but found himself looking forward to this without a hint of dread.