August 2012
Author's note: Is this story corny? Yes. Am I sleep-deprived and overly emotional right now? Yes. But do I love Neelix+Kes?! YES! Did you like the whole Neelix/Kes thing? What did you think about her leaving? As ever, I'd love to know what you think!:)
Neelix smiled satisfactorily as he laid out the last breakfast dish. He enjoyed rising early to prepare the day's first meal and morning dawned on Voyager very early indeed. The alpha shift began promptly at 0700 hours and Neelix was under strict orders from Chakotay to make sure the captain had a good breakfast. Janeway didn't know this, only that Neelix would withhold her coffee (a dangerous endeavor) until she had something to eat. The cheerful chef was happy to help Chakotay with his enterprise; he agreed that the captain was too thin and thought that her first officer's concern was touching. Neelix smiled a knowing sort of smile to himself. Whether they knew it or not, Janeway and Chakotay had something very special.
While reminiscing about the antics of Voyager's favorite not-yet-a-couple, Neelix's thoughts inevitably turned to Kes.
He slipped his apron off and hung it up. The mess hall was deserted- not even Tuvok, his friend known affectionately as Mr. Vulcan was there- and would be for at least a few more minutes. Neelix had just enough time.
The moment he walked into the hydroponics bay, Neelix was reminded so overwhelmingly of her- of Kes. She had left her mark so many places on Voyager; chatting with the doctor in sickbay, treating him no different from the rest of the crew; meditating over flickering candles with Tuvok; holding Neelix's hand over an pre-dawn breakfast in the mess hall, but Hydroponics had been her domain. The essence of Kes remained in the silence of growing things, her gentle smile dancing in the ozone aroma of green plants and dark earth. Neelix traversed the isles, padding noiselessly as though to avoid breaking the spell of quiet. He smiled upon seeing his Talaxian tomato plant was doing well even though he had ignored it for a month- this was the first time he had visited the bay since Kes left. The leola root was thriving, but that was to be expected; as Tom Paris had said somewhat mournfully, the stuff could survive a photonic missile attack.
Neelix stopped in front a flat of flowers perched in the middle of one of the cold metal tables. One stem that rose gracefully above the rest caught his eye, and he recognized it to be Kes' favorite. Captain Janeway had once said it reminded her of a Terran rose. The creamy petals were lavender tinged with deep violet, and it gave off a scent of Talaxian spring evenings and green moss and Kes' silky hair. Even the harsh florescent lights couldn't detract from the glow of the flower's beauty. Neelix knew he had found her.
"Hello, sweeting," he said. Neelix went on to tell her everything that had happened since she had left, from his plans for next Prixin to Seven of Nine's rejection of his offer of dessert. "…and then she said dessert is "irrelevant"!" He chuckled. "Can you believe that? I don't. And I don't think she does either! Ah. Well, I suppose I should get back to the mess hall. I don't have to tell you what the breakfast stampede is like!" Neelix made to leave, but abruptly, an image flitted across his vision. In his mind's eye, Neelix suddenly saw him and Kes and Voyager's entire crew dancing in a traditional Talaxian wedding, and Kes was laughing her beautiful tinkling laugh and she had purple flowers in her hair…
Neelix turned back to gaze at flower. It was fragile, so delicate- could it know how soon it would wither and fade? Maybe, maybe not. All it did now was rejoice in deep earth, cool water and bright sunshine, revel in life and light and love.
Neelix smiled, the feel of tears pricking his eyes bittersweet. "I miss you, Sweeting."
*sniff sniff*. Did you like it, love it, want it to dissipate into a telepathic cloud of purple gas and fling Voyager 95000 lightyears closer to home? Lemme know:)