August 2012
Author's Note: Please leave a review, I always love to know what you think!
Chapter One
"Chakotay, if I wasn't so fond of this champagne, I'd accuse you of having an ulterior motive," Janeway chuckled as he refilled her flute for the fifth time, reaching for her glass nonetheless. "And may I inquire as to this occasion for this…formality?" She gestured to the table setting that was artfully decorated with candles and flowers, the latter gathered on a particularly unexciting away mission on which the team had spent five hours helping Neelix search for a very specific root.
"Do you really need an excuse to enjoy champagne, Kathryn?" Chakotay replied, his eyes twinkling.
Janeway giggled a rather un-Janeway-like-giggle and clinked glasses with her companion. "Excellent point."
The command team often dined together, but the feel of this intimate dinner was very different from the atmosphere in the florescent-lit, crowded mess hall. Instead, they had just enjoyed a meal cooked from scratch in Chakotay's quarters (how he managed such cuisine with only a hotplate and a replicator, Janeway never did know), out of uniform, with soft music playing in the background and real champagne on the table. It was more than the setting that was different however; the fact that her executive officer had called her by name, not title, had not escaped Janeway's notice. Nor had the flowers he greeted her at the door with. But what did it mean? And why did this meal between friends feel so much more like a date? Janeway pushed the thought away and took another sip of her drink.
A new song started. There were soft under notes that reminded her of grass in a breeze, and pluckier, melodic notes from a piano-type instrument that were scattered throughout the harmony like flower petals. If Janeway had to guess, she'd say it was something you'd find an impromptu-band performing to the delight of dancing guests at a party in some summer meadow on Betazed prime.
"What lovely music," Janeway said almost dreamily. She could practically feel the evening breeze…
Chakotay put down his glass, stood up and offered her his hand. "Would you care to dance?"
This immediately snapped Janeway out of her reverie. "It'd be my pleasure," she said breathlessly. Janeway took Chakotay's proffered hand, secretly savoring the sensation of his warm hand surrounding hers. Chakotay gently pulled her to her feet and into his arms.
The duo began a silly sort of two-step. "Ow!" Janeway winced as Chakotay stepped on her foot. Chakotay said worriedly, "I'm so sorr-hey!" As he had tried to apologize, his partner had managed to squash his toes. Both began laughing at the absurdity. "I say we blame the clumsiness on the alcohol and not our dancing skills," Chakotay said, his voice lowered conspiratorially. "Agreed," Janeway answered with a brilliant smile.
The music slowed and the command team swayed, fingers intertwined and eyes locked. "Kathryn,"Chakotay began. "I…" he trailed off. Seeing this normally collected man so inarticulate piqued Janeway's curiosity; she examined his familiar face to find longing of an intensity and clarity that amazed her in his expressive, deep brown eyes.
Janeway felt a weakness in her knees and a fluttering around her heart that she knew could not be chalked up to the champagne. She suddenly became hyper aware of all the places their bodies were touching, of how perfectly his fingers filled the spaces in between hers, of the magnetic force that seemed to be pushing them together ever closer…
Chakotay's face was mere inches from hers; it was inappropriate, she was a Starfleet captain, not a lovesick teenager- she should tell him to stop, thank him for the evening and be on her way…and yet her body didn't seem to want to move…
He simply said, "Kathryn."
Then his lips met hers.