A/n: there have been additions to coda that focus on the lake George moonlight sail so I decided to do something diffrent. This is a scene that I felt needed to be there. This takes place after arriving back on voyager and before the ready room scene. AU. Fluff.
The doctor had given Kathryn a clean bill of health and had returned her to light duty, much to her annoyance as she would rather stay busy than dwell on what happened to her on that planet. However the experience wasn't only affecting her, it was also affecting Chakotay. His mind kept replaying that awful moment when she was lying in his arms, the life slowly sleeping out of her. A light tap brought him back to the present. "Chakotay, are you ok?" She asked, concern showing in her clear blue eyes."yeah,I was just thinking about what happened down there." He replied. The concern in her eyes faded a little and something else flickered there for a moment. Kathryn pressed the button the opened the door to her quarters, she stood at the threshold for a moment, before she turned to face him, "would you like to come in for a drink?" She asked. "That would be great." He replied.
They entered her quarters and Kathryn went over to the replicator and ordered two teas. "Giving up coffee?" Chakotay asked jokingly. "No, I need to get some rest." Kathryn replied,smiling a little, taking a seat on the sofa that was positioned in front of the window. Chakotay took a seat next to her, sitting closer to her than he normally would when they shared late night chats. He could feel the warmth radiating from her body and he had to resist the urge to pull her close and feel her heartbeat beneath his plam. Just hours before she was lying in his arms with no breath or pulse and here she was, alive.
Chakotay set his cup on the coffee table in front of them before turning to face her and asking "Do you want to talk about it?" Kathryn placed her own cup on the coffee table before she turned to face him. "The alien showed me visions, of my own death." She said. Unconsciously, Kathryn shifted closer to Chakotay, so that their knees were touching, he placed his hand over hers which was resting on her knee and he felt a spark course down his spine . "I watched as I died in your arms,Chakotay." She continued and his grip on her hand tightened and his thumb gently moved back and fourth over her knuckles.
Kathryn took comfort from the feel of his thumb brushing over her knuckles, the warmth radiating from him was she needed after her recent brush with death. "I was at my own funeral." She said quietly but her voice seemed to cut through the air like a knife. Kathryn felt a warm hand come to rest on her back, she felt the spark that ran through her at the touch. "Did I speak?" Chakotay asked. "No, Harry and B'elanna did. You lead the service but you didn't speak, you were hiding your grief from the crew, but I saw the pain in your eyes." Kathryn replied, her voice fading towards the end. She felt Chakotay wrap his arms around her and pull her close, she didn't resist as he held her, his hands gently rubbing her back, comforting her. "If you had died in my arms, I wouldn't know what to do." He said softly, tightening his arms around her, pressing her close enough to feel her heartbeat. Kathryn, felt his arms tighten around her, she knew that Chakotay needed to hold her for a while and she knew that she needed to feel the solid warmth of his body.
Chakotay pressed a soft kiss to her hair before he pressed his face into the soft strands. He felt Kathryn pull away, her clear blue eyes gazing deep into his. He slowly leaned forwards giving her chance to pull away, she didn't and their lips met in a soft, tender kiss. His left hand moved up her back to her hair and he gently removed the clip that held the soft auburn strands in place, his fingers threaded into her hair, smoothing through the long ,soft tresses. When they pulled apart for air, he pressed his forehead to hers, his fingers still tangled in her hair. "I love you,Kathryn. I can't imagine spending a day without you." His said softly. "I love you too, Chakotay, with all my heart." She replied