You Are My Sunshine!
By CJ
Rating: G
Summary: Chakotay overhears Seven having singing lessons with the Doctor. What happens when Neelix organises a talent night to boost crew morale?
Disclaimer: Paramount own all characters from Star Trek: Voyager, if they did what we wanted them to we wouldn't be here writing stories about them. 'You Are My Sunshine' has not been altered in any way, shape or form. No
copyright infringements intended.
Author's notes: To CrazyAnne, my inspiration, and the Doctor and Seven of Nine who helped in writing this story!!! LOL!
Captain Janeway was making her daily rounds aboard Voyager. Her first stop of the day had been the Mess Hall, where Neelix had placed a steaming cup of coffee under her nose, much to her relief. She wasn't sure how long she could continue with Neelix's so-called 'substitutes'.
Her next stop had been engineering, where B'Elanna briefed her on the warp core and ships efficiency - everything was working at peak. This made a happy Captain even happier, what with hot coffee and her beloved ship working at peak efficiency; the day could not get any better. Well it could, but she wasn't going to complain!
She was about to walk into Astrometrics, when she heard something. It sounded vaguely familiar and very masculine. She stood to the left of the door and looked around the corridor, no one was present.
"Computer..." she looked up, "who is currently present in Astrometrics?"
"Commander Chakotay is currently present in Astrometrics."
"...And he's singing?" she said to an empty corridor.
"Please restate the question." the computer chirped back.
"Never mind." she smiled to herself, a plan was being hatched in that scientific mind of hers. With that she made her way back to the bridge, she would talk to Commander Chakotay later.
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Seven walked into Astrometrics with her usual stoic stance and began working alongside Chakotay silently.
"You are my sunshine..."
Seven stopped what she was doing and turned to look at Chakotay.
"...My only sunshine..." he continued, unaware that he had an audience.
Seven spoke. "Commander?"
"Yes Seven?" Chakotay looked up from what he was doing.
"You were singing."
"I was?"
"Yes, you were singing 'You Are My Sunshine'."
"I guess I was, hmph, I wonder where that came from, I haven't heard that song in years." Chakotay looked back at the padd, while Seven continued to stare at the back of his head.
"Seven, is there a problem?" his face was still focused on the padd.
"Are you mocking me Commander?"
At this Chakotay looked up to see Seven, standing there, hands behind her back, and what was that? Hurt in her eyes?
"No Seven, I'm not mocking you. Why would I be mocking you?"
Seven went back to her control panel and spoke.
"The Doctor taught me that song several weeks ago, I just assumed..."
"I would never mock you Seven, but that would account for where I heard the song!"
"It would?"
"Yeah, I heard it from the Doctor, he was singing it when I went to see him in sickbay yesterday. It's quite a catchy little song, don't you think?"
"I...I suppose so." Seven replied. Chakotay smiled at Seven then got back
to work.
Seven looked at him for several more moments, she was still struggling to understand humans. Seven looked down and continued her work, she would be briefing the senior staff in an hour.
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Kathryn had moved to her Ready Room before Chakotay arrived on the bridge, therefore leaving it in the capable hands of Tuvok. Kathryn had contacted Neelix to arrange the evening and for him to seek out others who would be willing to participate on such short notice. So far Harry would be playing a duet with Susan Nicolleti and Naomi Wildman was going to share some magic tricks, using Samantha and Tom as her aides. He had also lined up several other acts, which sounded interesting...something about juggling and pies! All that was left, was Chakotay and that was not going to be easy. Her thoughts were interrupted by the chirp of her commbadge and Chakotay's voice sounding out in the quiet room.
"Captain, all the senior staff have assembled in the briefing room and are ready whenever you are."
"Thank you Commander, I'm on my way." With that Janeway, collected a few padds, her coffee mug and made her way to the briefing room.
'Time to inform the Commander of his talent!' she smiled to herself.
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When she entered, all were present except Neelix and she knew whay that was.
"Shall we get started?" as she moved to her seat. She sat down and looked at the faces she had seen so often.
"Who wants to go first?" she asked cheerfully.
With this Tuvok spoke up and so began the daily reports.
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"...And we should arrive there in several days at our current speed."
Chakotay was the last to speak, stating when they would make it to the next M class planet Seven and he had stumbled upon 30 minutes before the briefing.
"Good, right then, there is one last thing I want to discuss. You may have noticed our shipboard 'Morale' officer isn't present, that's because Neelix is preparing a Talent Night for tonight, as some of you may already know."
At this point she nodded towards Harry and Tom.
"I myself have decided to participate and reprise my 'Dying Swan' for those who missed it the last time!" Kathryn looked at all the faces and stopped when she came to Chakotay, he was grinning like a Cheshire cat. She winked at him and smiled.
"Well then, see you on holodeck one later this evening! Dismissed!"
Kathryn began looking through the padds she had brought with her. She wasn't reading them; she was beginning to put the rest of her plan into action. She looked up to see Chakotay still grinning.
"Why are you grinning?" she asked him with one eyebrow raised.
"I'm not grinning Kathryn."
"You are too, you're sitting there grinning, like you're the cat that got the cream! So what gives?"
"You're going to reprise your dying swan, Kathryn. As I recall the last time you did that it was rather spectacular, but that's not why I'm grinning!"
She placed the padds on the table and looked at him with an exasperated smile.
"Chakotay, please tell me why you are grinning or I may have Tuvok return!" he continued to grin.
"It's the 'gleam'." he said finally.
"Gleam?" she asked quizzically.
"Yes, the gleam, whenever you have something up your sleeve or you're about to rope me into something I don't want to do, you get the 'gleam'!"
"Why Chakotay, me want something from you, never!"
"Right Kathryn. I know you far too well." he brought out his full dimpled grin and she could take it no more.
"Okay, okay, put them away will you. I'll give. I will only reprise my dying swan if you will ...uhm... if you will..."
"If I will what Kathryn? Come on, spit it out"
"Sing." There, she said it, 'that wasn't too bad' she thought.
He looked at her serious expression and broke down into a fit of hysterics.
"What's so funny now?" she asked.
"You, Kathryn, you are what is so funny!"
"Why?"
"Why? 'Cause Kathryn, you are a funny woman, who likes to have a good laugh now and then, despite what others may think."
She continued to sit there watching him laughing at her. She was tempted to break into a smirk but refrained from doing so. When she didn't respond in any manner, Chakotay finally looked up at his Captain and friend - the woman he had loved for so long, from afar - she was not laughing.
"You're serious?" He was beginning to calm down. She nodded.
"You're deadly serious?" he stopped laughing altogether now.
"You want me to get up in public in front of people our crew." she continued to nod throughout him speaking.
"And perform, sing no less?"
"Yes Chakotay."
"No, no, no, no, NO. I...I don't do that, I won't do that." He seemed pretty adamant.
"Why not?" she gave him a soft pleading smile. 'No I will not give in to her thought, I'll not let her do this to ME.' he thought.
"I just don't, that's all." His hands were clenched tightly on the table.
Kathryn noticed this and placed her hands over his.
"It won't be too bad, I'll be performing too, and you can go right after I do and we can give each other moral support. It would mean a lot to me...and the crew, of course, if you did."
He looked at her hands, so small and white against his large and tanned hands, his mind began to wander. 'Her white, milky body against his, moving in time with one another...stop it Chakotay!'
"Ok, ok, on one condition Kathryn."
Her eyes were wide with surprise 'that was easier than I thought it would be.' She smiled at him.
"Anything Chakotay." She responded
He grinned at her "Anything Kathryn?"
"Yes Chakotay, anything." She was beginning to regret those words.
"You have to sing with me!" He patted her hands and left her sitting there staring after him, her mouth open as he moved on to the bridge.
As he left Kathryn held her head in her hands and placed her head on the table "This was not supposed to happen." She whispered to herself.
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It was 1900 hours and the talent show was going to begin in half an hour. That gave Kathryn a full 15 minutes to get out of her singing with Chakotay.
'This wasn't the plan.' She kept saying to herself over and over again. Kathryn paced her quarters, trying to find a way out this mess. She continued with her pacing, when the door chimed. She stopped pacing 'Damn!' She knew exactly who it was and she still hadn't come up with an appropriate suggestion as to why she couldn't, wouldn't do this.
"Come in." she called.
"Good evening, Kathryn. Are you ready to perform in public, to belt out a few notes?" he asked cheerily.
She looked at him, taking in his appearance. He was wearing dark brown slacks and a silk black shirt, where the top few buttons were undone - he looked gorgeous!
Kathryn looked down as her outfit. It could be described as WHITE! Her ballet shoes, leotard and tutu, yes, tutu were all white. Never had she thought she would wear it again and had often wanted to throw it into the recycler, but always refrained. She looked up to see Chakotay staring at her and smiling.
"What now, Chakotay?" She didn't feel like being cheery.
"I was just thinking how very."
"What?" she frowned.
"Very swan-like you are!" at this he burst out laughing only to stop somewhat, when he received the famous Janeway 'death-glare'
"I'm sorry Kathryn, you look lovely, very much the part you're to play."
"Thank you Chakotay, you look lovely yourself very suitable for what you are going to sing."
"Thank you Kathryn, but you don't know what we are going to sing!"
So much for him possibly forgetting.
"You're going to make me go through this, aren't you?" she looked at him.
"Yup!"
"In this outfit, you are going to make me sing?"
"Yup!" He was beginning to irritate her and he knew it.
"And here, I thought you liked me, Chakotay. I guess I was mistaken!" She tried to look hurt.
"I do like you Kathryn, very much so, but you are going to sing with me!" He grinned at her.
"Ok, ok, if you're going to make me sing, don't you think I should be told what we're going sing?"
"Yes I do, but you'll find out later." He told her, offering her his arm. She took his arm and frowned at him.
"Let me get this straight. You expect me to sing, in this outfit, I might add, a song I don't know yet, to my crew?"
"Yes Kathryn, but don't worry you'll know the words." he looked at her worried expression. "I promise you, Kathryn, I'm not out to humiliate you. It's just harmless fun. Now, we better get going, ok?"
"Yeah, right Chakotay. Ok!"
They walked out of Kathryn's quarter's arm in arm and made their way to the holodeck.
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Kathryn took her final bow to cheering and applause. The evening had gone very well. Harry and Susan's duet had been delightful. Naomi's magic act had been hysterical, what with Naomi and Samantha trying to saw Tom in half, but he had refused on the grounds that he wanted to walk out with all his bits in tact! The other acts had also been very good too and Chakotay's act
was still yet to come. After her last bow, Kathryn made her way to sit with Tom and B'Elanna in the front row.
"Well done Captain!" Tom stood to pull out her chair.
"Thank you Tom, I was very nervous and the fact that Chakotay is going to have me up there again didn't help to ease my nerves any!"
"Well it didn't show Captain, you were very good. What's Chakotay doing anyway?" asked B'Elanna.
"He's singing...sorry...we're singing, much to my dismay."
Tom looked at the Captain, then at B'Elanna and back to the Captain and smiled profusely.
"You're gonna sing...together...in public?" Tom asked incredulously.
"Yes Tom!" replied Kathryn. Tom burst out laughing.
"Tom!" B'Elanna kicked him under the table. "Ow!" cried Tom.
"What are you singing Captain?" B'Elanna ignored Tom's pain and spoke to the Captain.
"Well, B'Elanna, it's a surprise...that we are going to share with you when we get up there." Kathryn smiled at them, she had no intention of telling them that she had no idea what she was going to sing!
"Well, good luck Captain!" said B'Elanna.
"Yes...Captain...good luck!" Tom said through gritted teeth as the pain shot through his shin.
Kathryn continued to smile "Thank you!" she said 'I'm gonna need it!' she muttered under her breath.
Kathryn began to look for Chakotay, he had told her he would come and get her when he went on. The lights began to dim and Neelix cam on stage.
"Uhm...right, ladies and gentlemen and Tom...!" Everyone in the audience laughed, except Tom, who just stood and took his bow.
"Stop milking it helmboy!" B'Elanna yanked him back in his seat.
Neelix continued "Our last act is a pleasant surprise from a person who has
never performed before us. Can you please give a warm and welcoming applause to...Chakotay!"
Everyone began and clapping and whistling as Chakotay came out on stage.
The applause and whistles got even louder when they saw what he had on. Chakotay was dressed like a 'Sun'.
Kathryn burst into laughter when she saw him. He had yellow tights, a yellow body and yellow pointy bits - the rays obviously. Kathryn tried to contain her laughter, to no avail, as Chakotay scanned the crowd looking for her.
The music began in the background and Chakotay began to sing and move down off the stage, where Kathryn was seated.
"Thee other night dear as I lay sleeping
I dreamt I held you in my arms
When I awoke dear I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried."
He had now reached Kathryn and was kneeling before her laughing form.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You never know dear how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away."
Kathryn immediately stopped laughing. He had been singing that in
Astrometrics when she walked by that morning. Had he been thinking of her when he was singing? Chakotay was tugging on her hand and urging her with his eyes to join in and follow him to the stage. They began the chorus again...together.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey
You never know dear how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away."
Kathryn could feel her palms go sweaty and she began to sing next to Chakotay in his yellow tights - she smiled at the thought. She then stopped singing as everyone else joined in the chorus.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are grey..."
Was he stroking her thumb? Why he hadn't done that since...her heart began to beat faster...since New Earth! At this point she turned to look at him, he was still singing, still caressing her thumb, but facing the audience. Her eyes began to fill with tears, all those feelings she kept locked behind a door in her heart, a way for so long, came flooding to the forefront and he had been the one to unlock the door. She began to sing the last few lines.
"...You never know dear how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away."
With that everyone stood up and applauded their Commanding Officers. Chakotay turned to his Captain, his friend and smiled at her. There was something in her eyes, only a glimpse before she turned away and bowed before her crew for the second time that night.
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Chakotay walked Kathryn back to her quarters. They were both still dressed in their outfits. They arrived at Kathryn's door.
"Would you like a drink?" asked Kathryn.
"Sure!"
Kathryn keyed in her code and the door slid open, allowing them access to her quarters. Kathryn walked in, straight to her replicator and Chakotay made his way to her sofa.
"Please make yourself at home, Mr Sunshine!" she smirked over her shoulder.
"Thank you, Miss Swan!" he smiled back.
She brought over two cups of coffee and set them down in front of the sofa, on the table.
"So..." Kathryn said after having her first sip. "...Is it hot in here?" she burst out laughing and he joined her.
"I can't believe you got up there and sang...in...in...that...that...thing!" she gasped.
"Well I didn't want you feeling alone and looking silly, all by yourself, now, could I?" he responded trying to contain his laughter. Kathryn stopped laughing as she took in his words.
"You dressed like that, for me?" she whispered, shock written all over her features.
"Yeah!" he took a sip of his coffee and looked at her. "What's wrong Kathryn?"
"I just realised something," she said carefully.
"Oh and what's that?" he smiled, before taking another sip of his drink.
"How much I truly love you." Kathryn watched as Chakotay spluttered coffee half way across the room.
"What?" Chakotay was wiping his face as he looked at Kathryn's smiling face.
"I realised how much I love you Chakotay and that you truly are my sunshine!" she grinned.
At this, the dimples came out in force and moved to where Kathryn was sitting and brushed his lips with hers.
"Well Kathryn, I love you too, and you look very sexy in that white swan's outfit. Kathryn laughed that deep, throaty laugh that turned him on so much.
"Oh no Chakotay, you are the truly sexy one, yellow turns me on, no end!"
Chakotay laughed with her as he captured her lips in a passionate embrace. The fire between them was burning and it had nothing to do with the suit he wore!
Finis.
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