Chapter 1

There was no way on Earth, or New Earth to be exact, that she was going to sleep anytime soon. She had retreated into her room on the pretense of going to bed. However, if she was honest with herself, she had really gone to hide. Earlier, Chakotay had given her a wonderful massage. While it had certainly helped with the knots in her shoulder, the feeling of his hands moving across her neck and shoulders brought up emotions that she was too nervous to face. Even now, the memory of his strong hands on her sent shivers down her spine.

There had been attraction and feelings between them since the moment they met, but they had never acted upon it. As Captain she couldn't allow herself to have that kind of a relationship with a member of her crew, especially her first officer. As Kathryn, she longed for it deeply. He made her feel things she had never felt for anyone else in her life. Yes, she had loved Mark, and she still did to a certain extent, but her feelings for Chakotay were on an entirely different level. She had loved him from the moment he had stepped foot on Voyager, but only in her dreams was she ever able to tell him that.

Sitting up in her bed she knew that hiding in here from him was foolish. The tension between them was getting greater every day they were here, and it was time to talk about this. They would define parameters between them and stay just friends until she could find a cure allowing them to leave this planet. Just friends… even though she would rather run and kiss him instead.

Stepping around the half wall that separated her bedroom from the dining area, she found him still seated at the table. It was a cozy picture before her. The small lamp in the corner cast a warm glow around the room, and in his hands he worked on one of his projects for the house. It warmed her heart how he worked to make this a home for them, even going as far as to make her a bathtub to relax in.

He looked up at her as she approached the table, surprise evident on his face.

Taking a seat across from him, she took a deep breath. "We have to talk about this."

He looked down to the project in his hands, and then after setting it down on the table he met her eyes again. "All right."

"I think we need to define some parameters…about us." As soon as the words were out of her mouth she regretted saying them, no matter how necessary they might be.

"I'm not sure I can define parameters. But I can tell you a story, an ancient legend among my people. It's about an angry warrior who lived his life in conflict with the rest of his tribe, a man who couldn't find peace, even with the help of his spirit guide. For years, he struggled with his discontent. But the only satisfaction he ever got came when he was in battle. This made him a hero among his tribe, but the warrior still longed for peace within himself. One day he and his war party were captured by a neighbouring tribe led by a woman warrior. She called on him to join her because her tribe was too small and weak to defend itself from all its enemies. The woman warrior was brave and beautiful and very wise. The angry warrior swore to himself that he would stay by her side, doing whatever he could to make her burden lighter. From that point on, her needs would come first. And in that way, the warrior began to know the true meaning of peace."

"Is that really an ancient legend?" She smiled humorously at him, but he could see the emotion welling in her eyes.

"No, but that made it easier to say"

She held out her hand to him as the tears began to fall softly down her cheeks. He grasped her hand and ran small circles with his thumb over her skin. Long minutes passed as they stared across the table at one another.

She knew when she had come back out from her room that this conversation was going to be difficult. She had believed that parameters needed to be set in order to keep them in line, but Chakotay's words had struck something deep within her. Her walls started to crumble. Maybe setting parameters would have been necessary on Voyager, but now? It was just the two of them here on this planet in the Delta Quadrant after all, possibly for the rest of their lives.

There was no way the responsible captain side of her was going to win this one.

His eyes dropped from hers as he spoke again, "I know before when I asked you if you would ever pair off with someone on the ship you had told me that as the captain you did't have that luxury." Leaning forward in his seat he looked back into her eyes, silently pleading to her. "Kathryn, you aren't the captain anymore. It is just you and me here."

She slowly stood and came over to him. Pulling him to his feet, she smiled softly.

"You're right."

Reaching up she ran her fingers into his hair and pulled his mouth down to hers. Their lips met, and in that moment Kathryn had never felt anything so right in all her life. She could feel his overwhelming love for her as he deepened the kiss. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She lost herself in him. Their hands traveled over each other's body, desperate for one another. When they finally pulled away, both gasping for air, Kathryn looked up at him. He could see the desire and need burning in her eyes.

"Chakotay…please," she whispered, her voice husky.

Understanding her meaning, he swept her up into his arms and carried her into his bedroom. They were really going to do this, Kathryn thought to herself. After years of waiting, her and Chakotay were finally going to make love.

He set her down softly on the bed, and leaned over her, placing kisses on her jaw. A moan escaped her lips as he continued down her neck. Pulling away from him, she slid her hands up underneath his shirt and pulled it up over his head. Tossing it across the room, she sat up to work on his pants while he loosened her gown. Soon those items joined his shirt on the floor. When she laid back down he took a moment to admire her glorious naked body in the moonlight.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, tears coming to his eyes.

She sat back up and pulled him close to her. Placing her hands on either side of his face she brought his eyes to hers.

"I love you"

The tears fell from his eyes, and his beautiful smile could have lit up the entire room. "You don't know how long I have dreamed of hearing you say that."

Their lips met again and she pulled him down over her as she sank back to the bed. He slowly trailed kisses down her neck and collarbone. Moving further down he took one of her hardened nipples in his mouth. Using his tongue he drew circles over it, drawing a moan from Kathryn. Her back arched, further pressing her breast into his mouth, as her hands gripped at the sheets beneath her.

Moving to her other breast she begged to feel him inside of her. His lips continued to travel south, down her flat stomach, until they pressed to her center. He heard her gasp as his tongue entered her. At long last, he granted her wish. Placing a soft kiss on her lips he slowly eased into her. Her hands gripped his shoulders as they took a moment to adjust to each other, and then they were moving. She ran her hands up and down his strong back trying to feel as much of him around her as possible. His hands twisted in her hair as he left kisses on her neck. They felt so perfect together. Each thrust of him inside her bringing her closer and closer to her release.

He could tell she was getting close, and reaching down he found her spot. Gripping him tightly, she came hard around him. Her eyes closed, and her back arched off the bed. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. The sight of her pleasure was enough to send him over the edge after her. He held on to her for dear life as he poured himself into her.

He collapsed on top of her, breathless. They laid there for a long time, waiting for their breathing and heart rates to return to normal. Finally, he slowly eased out of her, and moving to lay beside her. Wrapping his arms around her waist, and pulling her in close to him he whispered to her, "I love you so much Kathryn."

She turned in his arms to face him, a beautiful smile gracing her lips, "I love you too Chakotay."

Wrapped in each other's arms, they drifted off into a peaceful sleep.