Disclaimer: Anything recognizable belongs to Paramount, not me.

Chakotay stood outside the door to the captain's quarters, a bottle of wine in his hand as he pressed the door chime. The door instantly opened and Chakotay entered. His gaze searched the dim room that was lit mainly by the flickering light from the candles on the table. "Kathryn?" he asked when he didn't see her.

Poking her head through the doorway that led to her bedroom, she grinned at him, "Here. I just need another moment."

Chakotay smiled at her and nodded as he made his way to the table to set the wine down. The place setting was as it always was for their weekly dinners, with a white, lace tablecloth and flowers and roses on the table. If he didn't know better, the setting would have appeared to be that of a romantic dinner, not a weekly meeting between two friends and co-workers. Kathryn, he noted, always put so much effort into their dinners. Even if her attempts to cook were unsuccessful more often than not, she did put a fair amount of effort into cooking for him. He learned long ago to refrain from commenting on her cooking, even if it sometimes tasted just as lethal as Neelix's newest leola root concoction. He valued the time they spent together during these dinners, so he dutifully choked down whatever she cooked.

Speaking of cooking, he turned his eyes towards the replicator and saw smoke starting to emerge. Hurrying over, he saw that their dinner, or the remains of their dinner, was hopelessly burned. Typical Kathryn. Kathryn choose that moment to emerge from her room. Seeing him at the replicator, she hurried over and pulled the pan from the warm surface.

"Damn," she mumbled glaring at the incinerated lump of blackened food. "I guess I'll just replicate us something instead."

"I'll leave you to it," Chakotay said doubtfully as he went and sat at the table.

A few moments later, Kathryn joined him with two plates of steaming vegetable lasagna in her hands. She set them down at the table as Chakotay poured them two glasses of wine. "I'm sorry about dinner," Kathryn said the moment she sat down as well.

"This is good," Chakotay said as he took his first bite.

Kathryn glared at him. "Don't give me that. I know replicated food never tastes as good as real food, but..."

"I understand," Chakotay interrupted her as he took another bite. "It's actually quite good." Kathryn raised her eyebrow in disbelief, a sign that reminded Chakotay of a certain Vulcan crew member she was rather close to.

Instead of commenting, Kathryn raised the wineglass to her lips and took a sip. "Not synthenol?" she questioned. Chakotay grinned sheepishly at her, confirming her question. "Why, Commander, are you trying to get me drunk?"

"Not at all, Captain." Chakotay emphasized her rank. "I just want to get you a little tipsy."

After taking another sip, Kathryn replied, "If you wanted me to take a break, you should have just said so."

"Would you have listened?"

"That's beside the point," Kathryn protested. "I'm too busy to be taking vacations."

Chakotay looked unblinkingly at her. "Just a few hours in the holodeck? Kathryn, you haven't taken any personal time in over a month. It's long overdue."

"The captain..." Kathryn started to protest.

"Can delegate," Chakotay finished for her. "Almost any command decision you can pass onto me. You don't have to review as many reports. Take a few hours off. The ship can handle your absence."

Kathryn wasn't sure how to respond to that. "Are you saying the ship doesn't need me?"

"Not at all," Chakotay replied instantly. "The ship and the crew does need you, but you could take a break, have some time to yourself. They'd understand."

"Then why don't you take some time off if you think it is so important for the crew to see us acting like normal humans?" Kathryn challenged.

Chakotay chuckled. "I'd love to, but unlike someone, my job can't just be put on hold."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Commander," Kathryn started, "I overheard an interesting conversation this morning in the mess hall."

"Oh?" Chakotay asked as he raised his eyebrow. Apparently she wasn't the only one who was picking up a certain Vulcan's mannerisms.

"Apparently, the crew seems to think that I overwork you. They are under the impression that I'm to hard on you. Is it true?"

Chakotay wasn't quite sure that she was asking. Oh, on the surface, his answer was easy. He was constantly worked, but he enjoyed his job. Voyager was his home, and he liked it there. What he couldn't tell was the question hidden below the surface. Playing it safe, he responded, "I promised you once that I would do all I could to make your burdens lighter. Nothing has changed since then."

"So you're saying your job is harder than mine."

"Don't put words into my mouth."

"But that's what you were thinking." Kathryn studied the face of her first officer for a moment before she continued, an amused grin on her face, "I was once a first officer too, you know. It's not that bad."

"With all due respect," Chakotay protested, "You weren't the first officer on Voyager. I doubt you could handle it."

"Is that so?" Kathryn questioned.

"I don't believe you." Kathryn's eyes changed, a subtle fire ignited just below the surface as she took in what he said. Anger starting to set in, she said, "You don't think I could handle your job."

"No, I don't." Later, Chakotay would blame his response on the alcohol. A mad Kathryn Janeway as a scary Kathryn Janeway, and he was prodding her into dangerous territory.

"And you think my job is so easy, making decisions that could result in the deaths of people under my command." This time, Kathryn's anger was clearly on the surface of her retort.

"I, too, was once a captain. Being your first officer is harder."

Kathryn narrowed her gaze at him. She was about to make an angry retort when a voice off to the side remarked, "Trouble in paradise?"

Kathryn and Chakotay both turned to face the owner of the voice. Kathryn narrowed her eyes as she saw the familiar face. "What do you want Q?" She wanted to tell Q to get off her ship, but knowing he would just ignore her and do whatever he pleased, she decided not to start a futile battle.

"Oh, nothing," Q replied before he disappeared, leaving a bewildered looking command team behind.

"Janeway to the Bridge."

"Go ahead," Harry Kim's voice could be heard over the comm link.

"I just had a visit from Q. Scan the ship and alert me the next time he appears."

"Aye captain. Bridge out."

As the comm link cut off, Chakotay turned to face Janeway. "He's up to something," Chakotay commented. They had never before had an entirely innocent visit from Q. With him, it was never nothing.

"The problem is what," Janeway responded wryly.