Beverly looked up from her work as the computer informed her she had an incoming transmission from Starfleet Command. "Open a channel," she replied automatically, turning to face the console.

Her heart nearly stopped at the face that filled her screen. "Hello, Beverly," Kathryn said warmly.

Beverly's mouth moved soundlessly for a long moment before she finally managed to stutter out, "H-how...?" Exchanging letters through Pathfinder was one thing, but this... this face to face transmission was something entirely new.

Kathryn's lips curved up in a familiar smile that made Beverly's heart ache in remembrance. "We're home, Bev," Kathryn explained, voice low. "I'm home."

"Home," Beverly repeated quietly, reaching out to touch the screen, tracing the edges of her love's face.

Head tilting slightly, Kathryn murmured back, her own hand coming up to the screen, "Don't cry, darling."

Only then did Beverly realize that tears were indeed sliding down her cheeks, but she didn't bother wiping them away, knowing they would only be replaced by more. "You're home. Kathryn..."

"I can't wait to see you," Kathryn said, leaning closer to the screen.

Beverly wanted to reach through, to pull the other woman through to the Enterprise, or to climb through on her own. Anything to be closer, to touch once again. "I'm on my way," she promised. It didn't matter how far away from Earth they were. She had enough leave accumulated to take the entire year off if she wanted, and Jean-Luc wouldn't begrudge her this.

"Hurry," Kathryn urged, and moved her hand to line up with Beverly's on the screen. Touching, almost.

"Yes, Beverly agreed. It was only because Kathryn was then called away that they were even able to end the transmission, and once Beverly had dried her tears, she made the first step closer to her love.