A/n: I know I already have two other C7 stories going, but this idea just won't leave me alone!

Why am I doing this? It's not like she expects anything. Chakotay was trying to rationalise his actions as he made his way to Cargo Bay 2. He didn't think she had relished the encounter with the Ventu but after she had thrown him a curveball siding with him about the shield he just didn't know what to make of her anymore. He reached the doors and released a shaky breath. He could just go back to his quarters, no one would blame him. Face it, said another voice in his brain, you want to talk to her, she's all you've been thinking of ever since you got back. This thought disturbed him but at the same time he couldn't deny its truthfulness.

Here goes nothing; he thought straightening his shoulders and stepping inside. She was standing with her head bent over the console, working. As the gold hair caught the light and she looked up, he couldn't help thinking that he preferred her hair down. "Commander?" she asked with her trademark raised brow.

It took Chakotay embarrassingly long to shake off the sudden strong undeniable attraction he felt and come up with something to say. "That's a beautiful blanket."

She looked at him quizzically. "You can have it if you'd like, I have no use for it."

He heard the regret in her tone and knew that he had to give her a reason to keep it. "If the environmental systems ever go down you might get cold."

This was met by silence and if he didn't know her better, a shy glance to the floor. He felt the need to speak. "I…"

At the exact same time Seven also began. "I…"

Chakotay swallowed. That was awkward. "Go on…"

She blushed deeply and averted her eyes. "No, please continue."

He didn't think he'd ever seen her blush before and he found it endearing. "I just wanted to apologise for making you miss your conference…"

If it was possible she looked even more uncomfortable. "Actually…I wanted to thank you for that."

Chakotay was stunned to say the least. "What? I thought you were angry."

"I…I was, but after spending time there I realised you were right. Temporal Mechanics can be studied any time, the Ventu on the other hand…"

He nodded in complete agreement, inexplicably pleased with himself, but saw her shift away from him and bite her lip slightly. "Something else is bothering you?" he asked, his voice full of concern.

She looked up at him and saw nothing in his face expect gentle concern. "It is the Ventu, I am afraid for their wellbeing."

He smiled softly. "They know how to look after themselves."

"That is not what I mean. The Ledosian expedition had time to study my deflector modifications; in time they may be able to lower the shield themselves."

He couldn't deny such a painfully logical statement, although he wanted to soothe her. "It's possible."

"If I had never made those modifications…" she started, self hatred coming off her in waves.

He grasped her arm tightly, desperate to get those thoughts from her head. "We would still be stuck there!" He loosened his grip, sensing he had become inappropriately passionate. "I for one am happy to be back on Voyager."

She allowed her herself to glance down at her arm before meeting his eyes. "As am I." she replied softly. He knew he should go, though in his heart he didn't really want to. He gave her a nod of his head in parting and left. As the doors closed behind him, he let out a shuddering sigh. What was all that about?

He made his way back to his quarters but just as he got to the door everything around him seemed to ripple and he felt his stomach flip over and his legs go weak, having to lean on the doorway. What the hell was that? He looked around but the silent hallway looked exactly the same. I've gone too long without sleep, he reasoned, stepping inside.

What he saw before him shocked him. Seven, her hair loose and wearing a plain dress, turned to face him. "Yes…" she started but froze when she saw him, all the colour draining from her face.

Chakotay frowned at her in confusion, how could she be in here when he'd left her in the Cargo Bay looking entirely different just a few minutes before? How had she even managed to get in here? "Seven? What are you doing?"

Her mouth opened and closed but no sound came out, she backed away from him, her legs colliding with the coffee table before she sank into the nearest chair and put a hand up to her temple, the other clenched into a white knuckled fist. His eyes scanned the room, he could see his belongings but they were arranged differently. He cautiously approached Seven. "What's wrong?" She totally ignored him, her huge eyes staring blankly at the opposite wall. "Hey!" He reached out and touched her shoulder. She uttered a choked gasp, shuddering at the touch. Turning her head to face him, she looked at him so intensely that it both unsettled and mesmerised him. Finally her eyes broke contact and her hand flew to her comm. badge. "Doctor…medical emergency…" Her voice was unnaturally weak and Chakotay felt even more confused.

The Doctor responded immediately, beaming himself in. He looked at Seven in concern. "Seven what…" He paused in shock when he saw Chakotay. "Chakotay?"

Seven glanced up at the Doctor and Chakotay was deeply disturbed to see tears in her eyes and hear them in her voice. "You…you…can see him too?"

"Why shouldn't he be able to see me Seven?" shouted Chakotay in frustration.

"Because you're dead." Said the Doctor quietly.

"What? Of course I'm not!"

"Call the Captain and tell him to meet us in Sickbay." The Doctor told Seven.

"Him? What happened to Kathryn?"

"Captain Janeway died three years ago, you died over a year ago. Tuvok's the Captain now."

"No…that's impossible…"

Let's just go to Sickbay." Said the Doctor impatiently. "I'm sure I can do something which can tell us what's going on."

To his surprise Seven followed them to Sickbay and the Doctor attended to her before turning to him. Tuvok, in a captain's uniform, looked him up and down as the Doctor scanned him. "Is there any logical explanation for this Doctor?" he asked.

"Yes…he's from the past. Chakotay what's the date where you're from?"

"Stardate 7652.6…2nd of May 2377."

"Well, here it's 2nd of May 2382."

"Same day, five years ahead…" Chakotay murmured in shock. "Are Kathryn and I both really dead?"

"Yes." Stated Seven, the first word she'd spoken directly to him.

"I'm sorry I startled you Seven." He replied softly. "Do you have any idea how to get me back?"

"Not presently." She wrung her hands in her lap and Chakotay spotted a diamond ring and gold wedding band on her human hand.

"You're married?" he gasped In shock, before realising how bad that sounded. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that…"

"Widowed." She pushed herself off the biobed. "Excuse me." She said curtly before leaving hurriedly.

Chakotay felt guilt and a strong desire to follow her enter his soul but Tuvok held him back. "Leave her alone."

Chakotay almost retorted but the serious look on Tuvok's face silenced him. He spent the rest of the day with the senior officers, B'Elanna was still head of Engineering, Tom had taken his place as First Officer and Harry was now a Lieutenant. When it came to speaking of time travel, an older version of Icheb explained it to him; Seven was nowhere to be found. "Isn't there something you can do?" he asked them all in exasperation.

"We are considering all options." Said Icheb coolly.

"Go and rest Chakotay." Said Tom gently."Don't worry, we'll get you back."

Chakotay made his way back his quarters, well the quarters that had formerly been his and crashed into Seven. "I'm sorry…"

"I am undamaged." She replied stiffly.

Suddenly a child's voice pierced the air around them. "Mama!" A small boy around the age of two or three ran up behind Seven and clutched her skirt. "Mama, Naomi told me to get you because Isabel can't find her rabbit."

Chakotay stared at them both, This can't be, Seven can't have children. He looked at the boy more closely; he did look a bit like Seven although his hair was a light brown and his eyes were dark. Seven seemed to read his mind and nodded in silent confirmation. He then knelt down to be closer in height to the little boy. "Who's Isabel?"

"My baby sister." He looked up at his mother. "Mama, who's that?"

Chakotay saw Seven flinch almost imperceptivity and answered for her. "I'm Chakotay. What's your name?"

"Luke." He replied shyly.

"Well it's very nice to meet you Luke."

Seven found her voice again. "Luke, we must go and see your sister." She turned from Chakotay without a word, but Luke did not follow her. "Come with me please, Luke." She said quietly. Luke stared at Chakotay for a few more seconds before obediently trotting after his mother.

Chakotay followed them with his eyes until they were out of sight. "Well, I'll be damned." He muttered, shaking his head in wonderment as he walked into his quarters. The room had been rearranged back to what it had been five years ago; someone must have been working hard to correct it. He left the sitting room and entered the bedroom, as he sat down on the bed he glimpsed something peeking behind the wardrobe, curious he picked it up. It was a pale pink rabbit plush toy. A strange feeling like déjà vu crept up his back and he immediately put it down and lay on the bed not even trying to process what he was experiencing.

A/n: I hope its okay so far, I know I use that scene from Natural Law a lot but I had to start it somehow. Please review since this is a new story!