A/N: This was written for the VAMB 2012 SS exchange. This is for Delta, who requested: J/C story, any rating. Would prefer something light and non-epic, both in style and length. Vignette or "slice of life" would work! So I put my muse to work and decided on a post-Endgame setting, resulting in this little tale.
Many thanks to Uroboros75 for the beta work. Thanks also go to PinkAngel for the encouragement when my muse got stuck in a rut and to BonesBird for helping to inspire a title out of my muse. :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the words.
A Part of Us
The warm San Francisco air ruffles Kathryn's auburn hair as she crosses the street beneath a crimson banner advertising rare books, the kind still bound by rough paper spines rather than computer codes.
She glimpses in the window, her eyes dancing over Shakespeare and Dante before resuming her path. She's come this way with a particular destination in mind, one illuminated by the bright entranceway decorated with twin pots of vibrant tulips and an old chalkboard, which would look startlingly out of place to the unaccustomed eye. The aforementioned board is lined with vivid pastels that declare the day's specials and leave room for a little artistry; Kathryn smiles upon noting the drawing of a steaming cup of coffee.
The bistro is one that she's known for many years, a bookmark in the pages of her past that she revisits with great fondness. In the ten months since Voyager's return, she's made a habit of visiting the bistro weekly, always ordering a cup of their fresh black coffee.
Today, there are other reasons for her visit. Not only is there a cup of divine coffee in her plans, but a meeting with someone that she has not seen for over five months. After Voyager made it home, there were debriefings and reunions and a thousand other things that she remembers as nothing more than a wisp in the wind of her memories.
She's discovered that memory is a rather fragile thing, as of late; for the most part, she's managed to keep up with it, but from time to time a moment slips through her grasp and disappears, vanishing into an uncharted void. Certain memories, however, she keeps close, nestled tightly against her chest like a precious child that she can never take her eyes away from: a new-born Naomi, nestled in the crook of Samantha's arm; Tom and B'Elanna's marriage; a moment long ago from a distant place that she and another called "New Earth." These are the moments that she treasures dearly, instances of sheer wonder and beauty that, even now, she still marvels at.
She treads lightly up the few steps into the bistro, settling at a table next to the open patio but still under the cool shade of the bistro. She places her order for a black coffee and then turns her gaze outward, away from her surroundings to other things.
It's only a few minutes before she spots him, casually walking up the same path she had minutes earlier. He's composed, collected and considerably brighter than she remembers him to be. Those months of absence have worked some real magic on him.
The clink of china on the table draws her back, and she politely thanks the waiter for her coffee. She abstains from sipping it for a moment, smiling as Chakotay strolls up the steps into the bistro and notices her only a moment later. A smile of equal measure spreads over his face as well, revealing his dimples.
"Hi," she says with a smile as she stands to greet him. She moves to embrace him and then withdraws, second guessing herself on the account of previous memories and the void that's taken up residence between them.
"Hi," he responds earnestly before closing the gap between them, embracing her in a gentle hug. She breathes a sigh of relief and wraps her arms around him lightly to return the gesture, then parts and motions for him to sit down at the table. She feels calmer now, assured in knowing that Chakotay is as pleased to see her as she is.
After they sit, she settles her hand next to her cup of coffee, the warmth ebbing into the skin of her palm as she curls her fingers in the direction of the handle. "For a minute there I thought you were going to miss out on the coffee," she jokes, earning a smile from him.
"Hardly," he replies. "You did say that this place has the best coffee on Earth."
She tilts her head slightly, allowing a sly half-grin to play on her face. "Only because it's true." There's a brief silence that follows, broken by their chuckling as Chakotay places an order for coffee.
She looks outward briefly, watching the sunlight wash over the city, and then turning back to find a few rays have managed to catch Chakotay's tattoo. She traces the edge of the saucer beneath her coffee cup with the tip of her right index finger, her skin skimming the cool porcelain.
Chakotay's coffee arrives a moment later, along with the two sugars that he'd requested. He promptly drops them into his drink and mixes them in with the gleaming silver spoon that accompanied the china. The clink of metal is soothingly familiar.
"So tell me," she says, reaching for her own coffee. "How was the expedition?"
He quirks an eyebrow over his cup, which is halfway to his lips. "The archaeological one, or the one where I spent nearly a day tracking down the Nephrosian Spider Monkeys that took my things?"
She laughs heartily then, grateful that she had not yet sipped her own coffee. "Did you at least get them back?" she asks after a moment, then daring a small sip of her coffee.
"Eventually," he answers, taking a drink of his own. "This really is good coffee," he adds a moment later.
She smirks, lips tracing the edge of her own cup. "I told you so." She takes another sip, the rich taste seeping into her senses and the warmth wafting up into her nose. "So how was the actual expedition?"
"Well," he begins, setting his coffee cup back on the table with a gentle clink. "We found dozens of artifacts, some over a thousand years old. The Federation Archaeological Society wanted about two thirds of what we found in the first week."
She raises an eyebrow, crossing her legs beneath the table. "Sounds like quite the accomplishment. Anything noteworthy?"
Chakotay leans forward on the table, folding his hands behind his coffee. "We found something that seems to resemble a throne of some sort. It's laced with precious metals and a few gemstones. What's interesting is that some of the stones have geological properties that indicate that they could not have been formed on the planet."
"Meteor impact?"
"Perhaps," he says, then adding. "Perhaps something else."
"Oh?" She says, curiosity piquing like the crest of a wave as she takes another sip of her cooling coffee. She studies his expression for a moment, mouth neutral, skin calm but eyes full of something eager and impassive. There is a pattern to his expressions, how they increase in intensity and eventually reveal his true motive.
She's seen this look of his before.
"You think that they may have had the ability to travel through space," she says calmly, her even tone smoothing out any wrinkles of doubt.
His expression softens in response as a smile curls over his face and his dimples reappear. His eyes dip to his coffee and then back to her. "That was one of the theories." He lowers his voice. "But there were others."
She leans forward, feeling like a giddy teenager sharing secrets under the noses of strangers. "Let me guess," she replies, her right hand coming up to rest beneath her chin. "Time travel was another idea you and your colleagues so casually tossed about?"
"If you call receiving dead silence after voicing such an idea, then yes," he quips.
She smiles, dropping her hand to the rim of her coffee cup again. A warm breeze tickles her bare hands beneath the sun, the distant rush of waves cradling her against the peculiar familiarity that is just now finding her. Against the backdrop of startling change bursts a new palette of colorful history, where talk and time are old friends that she greets with open arms.
She knows that this line of discussion can't continue, and for the sake of both their asses, she'd better be the one to change it. With a swift stroke she catches a stray lock of her auburn hair and tucks it behind her ear, out of sight but not forgotten.
"Needless to say, there were some interesting theories," she adds. "I'm sure that there were more eccentric ones offered."
He raises an eyebrow, his tattoo wrinkling slightly. "Some were like lines out of an old archaeology textbook. Oddly enough, there was one man who reminded me of an old professor who had spent too many days behind a desk."
She purses her lips, nails clicking against the china. "An old Academy instructor of yours?" she asks with gentle teasing.
He tries to hide his laughter into his coffee but fails miserably as half-coherent chuckles escape. "That would be interesting, considering he's about ten years younger than me," he replies, sipping his coffee again.
Kathryn's mouth opens slightly, eliciting her own guffaw of surprise. She leans back in her chair slightly, the iron rungs grazing her back as she laughs herself. They both continue on in their own rambunctious laughs until Kathryn feels her sides aching pleasantly. She sighs slightly and takes a sip of coffee, which has sadly gone cold.
"Things certainly are different now, aren't they?" she asks, swallowing the cold coffee and pushing her cup aside. She knows that they are not the only ones affected by the change that seized the Alpha Quadrant in their absence, and now they too must regain their footing on a path worn unfamiliar.
He nods once, his own coffee abandoned. "I would be lying if I said that being back is everything that I had imagined it to be," his gaze drifts out into the street, coaxing hers along in its wake. People walk by calmly, birds chirp their unique symphonies from tree tops, and high above, Starfleet shuttles make their daily commutes.
"I am happy to be able to go back to archaeology, but after seven years–"
"– It doesn't quite cut it, does it?" she interrupts, bringing both her hands up and folding them together in front of her lips. "I know the feeling." She lowers her joined hands slightly. "I suppose the real question is, what do we want?"
There's a full pause before he answers, heavy with expectation and awe that Janeway knows must end, but in that moment lay potential for all the things she's ever hoped that he would say (and undoubtedly could).
"I want to be back on Voyager," he replies simply. "And I know you well enough to say that you do too," he adds.
If she had heard those words six months ago she would not have believed them as strongly as she does now. Six months ago had been their second dinner together after returning home, after things had finally settled into some semblance of calm and she had found some time to reach out to Chakotay again, as he had her. They had cautiously started rebuilding the things that they had so carelessly burned over those seven years. They lay trust as the mortar beneath bricks of honesty, the foundation for the strong pillars of determination to which they both contributed. They've been working to build a home for themselves here, something that, when ready, they can both settle into.
She relaxes slightly, her shoulders easing beneath her jacket. "You know me too well," she admits, eliciting a smirk from Chakotay.
"You don't deny it?" he teases shamelessly, his voice bright as it curls into her body.
"I can always try," she throws back with a chuckle.
"And you would do it brilliantly, I'm sure," he quips with a mocking eyebrow raise.
She lets out a sigh, smiling weakly as she leans far back into her chair. Her back still straight, she runs a hand through her hair, disheveling it slightly. "But not today," she replies softly. "You know, when I got back to Indiana, Mark was waiting for me with Mollie."
"Oh?" he asks cautiously.
She sits up again, calm and collected. "Mollie didn't even know who I was, and Mark…" she hesitates, briefly. "Well, putting it mildly, it was one of the most awkward moments in my life."
"I'm sorry," he offers with a somber expression. "From what I've heard, the others have had similar experiences. Families have changed – people have changed – and it's going to take some time before everything gets back to normal."
"Everything's changed," she adds, folding her hands in front her.
She pauses, her eyes drawn to the edges of her jacket sleeves briefly before she looks back to Chakotay. The glimmer of recognition that she sees in his eyes whispers of agreement, but withheld for reasons that she's not meant to know. It's no secret that these past few years have been anything but uneventful; in the face of fierce adversaries both alien and human alike, they've beaten incredible odds…and been bested by matters they'd never acknowledged. She purses her lips, an admission on the edge of her tongue but she bites it down, snapping it before it can spread its wings.
Not now, she thinks. Not now, but soon.
She stills momentarily, hands and shoulders tense before continuing. "Despite all that, we have to move forward. We can't allow the past to tarnish everything that the future holds. I believe that for everyone who returned home that night, there lies a second chance here. After seven years, Chakotay, we are given this chance to continue."
"It certainly is what we all hoped and dreamed of for seven years," he answers, expression calm. "Though there is something lackluster about it."
"There is for all of us," she replies. "It's one of the many burdens that we all deal with." She passes a glance beyond to the horizon that creeps between buildings, yielding the meeting of sky and sea. "But I've come to realize," she continues, "that we can only go forward."
Chakotay leans forward, reaching out his right hand so that it covers hers. His eyes meet hers, and there is not an ounce of doubt present; it is all washed away by the sincerity that she gleams from his face, the single tell that he has never bothered to change.
"We go forward then, and see what the future holds."
She smiles, feeling the warmth of both the sun and her own contentment flowing into her body. A new path has revealed itself to her, one that she had previously abandoned, but now lies radiating in the distance. Her part, however, is not over.
"Then there's just one other matter left to discuss," she says. The look that crosses his face almost makes her regret her tone, because his skin paled a shade or two and his hand moved away from her own slightly. "Are you ready to take command of Voyager?"
The relief on his face is tangible, though the monumental silence that her words fade into is a little more tangible than she prefers.
"Chakotay?"
His expression wavers for an instant, and then his hands fold together on the table in front of him, mirroring her.
"You alright?" she asks him, titling her head.
He nods. "Is this why you called me for coffee?"
She delivers a smirk in response. "You wouldn't believe that I had simply missed your company?"
"I do," he answers, leaning forward into the sunlight. "But why tell me this here, now? Wouldn't Starfleet send me an official notice?"
"They will," she concedes with a slight dip of her chin. "I just wanted to deliver the news in person."
He raises an eyebrow. "And Starfleet didn't offer any protest?"
She untangles her hands and moves on up to rest below her cheekbone, the move tugging at the corner of her lips slightly. "Being an Admiral does have its luxuries," she answers truthfully.
He chuckles, the corners of his eyes crinkling slightly. She watches him for a few moments as his expression wanes from contentment to seriousness.
"When do they want me?" he asks simply.
"Whenever you're ready," she replies with equal composure. "Chakotay..." She drops her other hand and leans forward slightly, reaching out her hand to him. "Come with me. Let's take a walk through San Francisco and discover all the things that we've yet to uncover."
"And if we get lost along the way?" he asks, a grin threatening to appear on his face.
"That's the beauty of exploration," she responds. "You may lose your path, but you never know what you may find along the way."
"Alright, then," he agrees after a moment.
The sun is still high, and the warmth seeping in beneath the trellis is only a hint of what lies outside. It fills her with a calming joy that she hasn't known in a long time, but amongst these restored foundations she is confident that these events are but a taste of a brighter future.
His own hand joins hers, and she signals a nearby waiter to gather their dishes. They stand and walk out of the bistro, together. The sun is warmer on her skin than she remembers, but she pays it little attention. Their joined hands swing lightly between them as wind tosses her hair into her eyelashes, eliciting a gentle laugh from her. They turn a corner, down the same street that she had walked earlier on her way to the bistro.
"Anything in particular that you want to explore first?" Chakotay asks lightly, a glint of teasing in his tone.
She passes him a light glare, reminding him of just who he's holding hands with, then lets it go. "I was thinking of this little bookshop I passed on my way here," she replies, eyes set down the street at the bright red banner flapping merrily in the wind. "You remember how I had those ancient paper books on Voyager? That copy of Dante I kept with me?"
"Inferno? How could I forget," he replies. He passes a brief glimpse up the street and then looks back at her with a knowing smile. "Are you talking about the bookshop just up the street, the one with the red display banner out front?"
"Possibly," she teases. Her pace slows slightly, almost stopping as she raises her eyebrows and smiles. "Care to do a little exploring…of the past?"
"I'd love to," he replies, letting her lead him onward. "I'm going to need something to pass those long nights on Voyager."
"Oh?" Her eyes are still set ahead as she lets him catch up with her. "Won't you be on the Bridge working those long hours?" She has to bite back a chuckle at the last phrase.
"Of course. But we have to let someone else have the fun now and then, don't we?"
"Of course," she replies, echoing him.
A few steps more and they find themselves before the glass window of the bookshop, ornate letters frosted on the window above a date nearly worn away by time. With a more detailed eye, Kathryn sees shelves piled high with books within, a rare sight in this era.
"Looks like quite the find," Chakotay remarks, leaning over her shoulder slightly to peek in. "Shall we?" he asks, motioning for the door.
"Yes," she replies, but holds back for a second. "One more thing. There's one tiny detail you should keep in mind when you take command of Voyager."
"And what might that be?"
She answers in a deadpan tone. "Don't wreck my ship."
Fin