Thanks to my wonderful beta Ayame W, she had to deal with a lot of grammar issues. And to DocBevCulver who helped with the flow of the story, and a couple of ideas. DocBevCulver who helped with the flow of the story, and a couple of ideas. And finally to LeftennantAskara, who requested a J/C story that was plot and dialogue heavy for Vamb's Secret Summer exchange.
An A/U J/C story, What happens when Kathryn keeps a huge secret from everyone.
I do not own the characters, Paramount does, no copyright infringement intended.
Chapter One
Chakotay stepped off of the transport and into the bright sunlight of San Francisco. There was not a cloud in the sky, it was unusual because it was early spring and the temperature was 28 degrees Celsius, making him sweat under his uniform. Star Fleet Headquarters was bustling with activity: Academy students running to their classes, officers reporting to the admiralty for their orders, and shuttles landing and taking off for their destinations.
Chakotay was no different from the others in transit. He had received a message from Admiral Janeway, asking to for him meet with her for lunch. He had last seen her at the welcome home ball following the debriefings.
To everyone's delight, there had been no prison sentences for the Maquis or the Equinox crew -or for Tom Paris. They all had retained their ranks and were given the choice to either stay in Star Fleet or resign with full honors. Some had opted to resign like, Mortimer Heron, while others, like B'Elanna and Tom Paris decided to stay and make a life for themselves in Stafleet.
Chakotay had yet to make a decision about what he wanted to do. He had received offers from both inside Starfleet and out, the brass wanted him to captain his own ship, or teach at the Academy. Other offers include opportunities to go off-world as an anthropologist.
He had taken his three months of leave to go to Trebus and spend some time with his people and his sister and her family. Now he had only been back for two days and she wanted to see him. His relationship with Seven had ended the moment they got back to Earth, and though Kathryn had been hurt by their relationship, she also knew that Seven had ended it. But they still had to repair their friendship, which seemed to involve neither of them contacting the other.
While on Trebus, Chakotay had visited the elders to ask for guidance, because he was unsatisfied with his life. He told them of his relationship with Kathryn, and how they had not spoken since the ball. They had told him that he needed to mend this rift between them before he could be happy with life again. And Sekaya kept saying that she needed nieces and nephews to spoil like he spoiled her children.
So after a month and a half on Trebus, he had decided to go back to Earth, knowing that he had to mend his friendship with Kathryn and that by doing so perhaps he could be satisfied with his life. It had taken him two weeks of traveling by civilian transports to return, as he had decided before he left Earth that he would not use his new-found fame to gain any special treatment.
Now that he stood here he stood before the steps of Starfleet Headquarters, he could feel the butterflies in his stomach - he was nervous. What did she want to discuss with him? he wondered as he put one foot in front of the other, ascending the stairs.
Admiral Kathryn Janeway stood at her office window drinking a cup of coffee, her fifth of the day. She watched the transports and the people leaving the transporter stations. Will he come? she wondered.
She had missed him, her best friend, and despite his relationship with Seven, they were still friends. Eddie was a constant reminder of him; they were so much alike. She needed to mend this rift between them, and perhaps then her heart would have what it wanted;, peace and most of all, love.
Yes, she was still in love with him. Her mother had made her admit it to herself after almost two months of "sulking around" (as her mother had put it) She had been cornered by her mother, who forced her to finally admit her love for Chakotay, and that it was alright to have and express feelings again.
Kathryn took a sip of coffee and noticed a figure standing in front of the steps that led to Headquarters. She knew that it was him, he came he actually came, she thought in disbelief as her stomach started to do flip flops.
As her aide escorted Chakotay into her office, she smiled the smile that she had kept only for him on Voyager, and set her coffee on the desk and to come around to the front. They stood in front of each other as her aide left, shutting the door behind her.
"Hello, Chakotay," Kathryn said, still smiling, but unsure if she should hug him.
"Hello Kathryn," he said, smiling, showing off his dimples.
They stood there for a few moments. Neither of them would know who moved first, but they found themselves embracing each other. They held on to each other tightly for several minutes before they each stepped back, tears glistening in their eyes, and both of them grinning like fools.
"You look well, Kathryn," Chakotay said after a few moments.
"Yes, well, my mother has taken it upon herself to make sure to fatten me up," she joked, but both knew that there was truth to it. When Kathryn had gotten home she was much thinner than when she had left and her mother was appalled that she had lost so much weight, and that no one – including Tuvok – had made sure that she ate.
Kathryn noticed that Chakotay had slimmed down some and that his skin was more tanned then when she had last seen him.
"You look good," she said, indicating with her hand that he should sit as she leaned on her desk. "I'm sorry."
Kathryn began to pace, "What for?," he asked. He had known moment he saw her that she had something on her mind, but she at least genuinely happy to see him.
Kathryn glanced at him, "Our friendship, Chakotay, I messed it up, I know that. But I'm hoping that we can fix it," she answered still pacing back and forth, keeping her gaze fixed on the floor.
She was making Chakotay dizzy just watching her, so he got up and stood in her path. She almost ran into him. As she looked up at him, he grabbed her by the shoulders to make her stop moving. "I want nothing more than to repair our friendship, Kathryn, but I have to be honest - you're not the only one who messed things up, I have my fair share to be responsible for."
Kathryn smiled. "Alright, Chakotay, how about we start with lunch today and go from there?"
"I would love to, where do you want to go?" he asked as he stepped away, releasing her shoulders.
"Hmmmm, how about the new restaurant that opened up on the other side of the city? After all, they did name it A Taste of the Delta Quadrant?"
"Do they serve leola root?," he countered.
"I doubt it, I made sure that I had Tom and Harry dump the rest of Neelix's stores overboard before we entered the nebula with the Borg hub in it," she said flatly.
Chakotay couldn't help but laugh as they walked out the door.