Kathryn woke up to the sound of light snoring behind her. As she came to her senses she felt his arm around her waist. Taking comfort in his embrace, her eyes closed for a few minutes more before the alarm went off again. This time it was him who woke up, nuzzling his face in her hair, and moving it off her neck where he would lay soft kisses. This had become their morning ritual for the past six months.
"Mmm. I don't want to get up. I wish I could stay here, in this moment," she said, turning to face him.
"I know, but duty calls my dear captain," Chakotay softly kissed her lips. She reciprocated and deepened the kiss.
"Kathryn if we don't get up now I don't think we ever will,"
"I know," she acknowledged the fact that neither of them had much time before they were expected on the bridge, but that didn't stop her from continuing her exploration of his lips with her own.
He started laughing lightly and pulled away.
"I'm serious Kathryn," his words sounded serious, but his smile could not be concealed.
"Oh I know you are commander; very serious," she laughed and kissed him again.
"That's it," he said, gathering her into his arms as she shrieked and laughed. He carried her to the bathroom, set her down, and turned on the shower.
"Showering together, how efficient," she said.
"Well if you want to bother me and I want to get ready, I just thought we could kill two birds with one stone," he said lowering the straps on her nightgown, kissing her neck as he did so.
"I'm bothering you?" She asked with a smirk.
"Very much, but only in the ways I enjoy being bothered," he kissed her lips.
The two of them had kept their relationship as hidden as they could, but the crew had known about their relationship for a long time. Over the past month, they had been a little less careful. Holding hands under the table in the mess hall, outwardly flirting more than usual on the bridge, and once, Tuvok had even caught them kissing in her ready room. He never mentioned it, but Kathryn knew that he had seen them.
The two of them finished showering, among other things, and got dressed. After a small breakfast they got up to leave.
"Don't forget we have a senior staff meeting in an hour," she reminded him.
"Wouldn't miss it!" he answered.
They approached the door and as it opened he held his hand out, signaling for her to exit first. She simply shook her head and mimicked the gesture. He laughed and walked out the door. She followed, smiling brightly.
"Hey, have you seen my left boot?" she called out from the bedroom.
"Check under the bed," Tom yelled back.
B'Elanna shook her head and got on all fours.
"Found it!" she yelled triumphantly, holding the boot up for him to see.
"Wonderful, now I can call off the search parties," he said sarcastically.
"Watch it helmboy, or else I'll shove this boot somewhere else, and I guarantee you won't enjoy finding it," she said as she sat on the edge of the bed to put her boot on.
"Okay! Okay, you win. What's got you in such a mood today," he asked, leaning on the wall and crossing his arms.
"Sorry, I'm a little on edge. Yesterday I left an ensign in charge for two minutes while I went to go check on some jeffries tubes. By the time I got back, everything was in chaos. We almost had to eject to warp core,"
"So that's why you were late coming in last night," he stated.
"Yeah, sorry about that. I know you had that whole special dinner thing planned out. I promise that I'll make it up to you tonight, I'll even cook," she said, getting up to meet him and putting her arms around his neck.
"You could just make it up to me right now," he said with a smirk.
"You must have lost it if you think we can afford to be late,"
"Just a suggestion," he leaned in and kissed her.
"We better get going," she made her way to the door, and right before she walked out she looked back and smiled.
"I'm looking forward to tonight," she said, and then the door closed.
Tom sat on the bed and opened the top drawer of the night stand. He pulled out a small velvet box and opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring.
"So am I…So am I," he smiled down and the ring, closed the box and put it back where it was.
As the last of the senior staff arrived, the meeting had officially begun.
"Alright first order of business…" Janeway started.
"We've picked up traces of dilithium on a nearby planet. Initial scans tell us that it's uninhabited. Once that is confirmed, we'll send a small away team to assess the situation and find the source of the readings. I would like to personally volunteer to go. I haven't been on an away mission in a while, it'll be good for me. Does anyone have additional questions or concerns?" She opened it up to the rest of the room.
"Interference with the planet's atmosphere makes it difficult to transport to the surface. You'll have to take the flyer. I'd like to volunteer to help you pilot it," Tom suggested.
"Very well mister Paris, have her ready within the hour," she ordered.
"Yes ma'am," he replied.
"Well if that's all, then the meeting is over. Everyone is dismissed," she stood up from her chair and said goodbye to everyone, but before she could leave she felt her hand being tugged lightly in the other direction.
"Kathryn, can we talk for a moment?" Chakotay asked.
Everyone else had left the briefing room so he felt free to use her given name.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Nothing…It's just.." He hesitated.
"I just want you to be careful. Don't get into any trouble ok?" He held her hand, rubbing his fingers softly against her knuckles.
"I'll do my best," she reached her free hand up and traced the lines of his tattoo.
"I love you," he had told her this many times, but each time it felt like the first. Her heart rate would increase and butterflies would flutter in her stomach. This was something she was unaccustomed to; feeling giddy at the mere utterance of a simple phrase repeated Every time they parted ways. It was not something she experienced with Mark, not even with Justin. This was more pure, more real, more raw…just more.
"I love you too. I promise I'll be back in time for dinner," she smiled and kissed him.
An hour had passed and it soon was time for the mission to begin.
"Ready mister Paris?" She asked.
"Aye, Captain," he replied calmly.
"Then let's go," she sat beside him and watched as they made their way to the planet.
Within twenty minutes they approached a small purple planet where the readings originated.
They began their decent to the planets surface.
There was some static, but then it became clear.
"Janeway to voyager, do you copy?" her voice greeted Chakotay's ears. He quickly tapped his combadge.
"Aye, captain we copy," he replied.
"Good, we've reached the surface of the planet and are tracking the readings of dilithium nearby," she said.
"That's good to hear captain, keep us updated on your findings," he took his seat next to the empty captains chair.
A few minutes passed in anticipatory silence. Dilithium sources were running short, and finding more would help greatly to improve the function and the quality of life aboard the ship.
"Janeway to …..ger…..re….me?" Her words were choppy and the transmission was filled with static.
"I copy you captain, but the transmission is not clear," Chakotay replied.
"We've….the readi…s, but ….. nothing here," she said.
"Captain, I can't hear you please repeat," he stood up and took a set forward.
This time there was no response there than static. He tapped his com again.
"Chakotay to Captain Janeway. Please respond,"
There was nothing.
"Captain Janeway, please respond," this time it sounded more like a plead.
Suddenly a faint sound broke through the static. It sounded like a struggle, and ended with a scream. It was Kathryn's scream, Chakotay was sure of it, just as he was sure that he had stopped breathing in that moment.
He frantically tapped his com again.
"Kathryn," he didn't care that he had slipped up and called her by her first name on the bridge, all he cared about was her safety, and hearing her voice.
Immediately he turned around to the ops station.
"Harry, any trace of their life signs?" He asked nervously.
"Negative sir, no sign of the flyer either," Harry replied.
He turned back towards the helm.
"Set a course for the planet, full warp,"
"Aye, sir," the ensign replied.
"Commander, I'm picking up the delta flyer," Harry called out.
For a moment Chakotay gained the tiniest bit of hope. He took a breath and tapped his combadge.
"Commander Chakotay to Delta Flyer, please respond,"
"Sir….It's empty," Harry said looking him in the eyes, his worry evident.
He stood there like a deer in headlights, unable to think, unable to move. Only one thought was being processed over and over again.
"Where's Kathryn?"
