A/N: This chapter is a bit on the fluffy side, so please bear with me if that isn't your thing (and rest assured, darker times are ahead!). Special guest: the timepiece from YOH. I was always disappointed that we didn't see it again after the reset. Small bit of dialog lifted from YOH, no copyright infringement intended. Hope it works for you. My apologies for taking so long to edit through this and post. It was somewhat challenging, going back and forth between this and later chapters. I did have a good time with this chapter, when I was in the right frame of mind to write and edit!

Feedback always welcome and appreciated! Thank you so much for reading!


Four

A warmer time...

The NaPali Coast was everything Tom Paris remembered. He'd seen it by boat, by air, and on an exceptionally memorable hike along the Kalalau Trail. Truly one of the most beautiful places on the plant Earth, the island of Kauai had remained for centuries underdeveloped and near-perfect. The rugged NaPali range boasted every shade of green in its lush expanse of vegetation, splayed across towering earth and rock of deep reds and browns. The turquoise-blue Pacific Ocean was a smooth blanket running up to NaPali's base, where the water broke white as it pushed onto the sand beaches and crashed against rock.

The island where Tom Paris stood offered a sweeping panorama of the entire northwestern coast of Kauai - NaPali in all its glory.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

"Computer, increase breeze to eight knots."

A gentle breeze drew over the island and Tom smiled. It was almost perfect.

It was a made-up island, one he'd invented after concluding they should view NaPali from solid ground. Initially, he'd planned to re-create a cruise along the coast, but then he thought, they did enough sailing (of a kind, anyway). Let them be land-bound for this celebration. There being no real island right off of Kauai's northwestern coast, he'd simply had the computer create one, and then added in elements from other Hawaiian holodeck programs. An intimate resort, with a beach-side bar. Lounge chairs - lots of them - and towering palm trees, bent in favor of the tradewinds. Sun - plenty of sun - and gentle waves. Hawaiian birds, their sound mixing with the pulsing melody of the ocean. It was quite spectacular, and he was rather pleased with himself for the finer details he'd attended to.

"Computer, add Hawaiian band, circa 1950s Earth. Hapa-haole style."

Five musicians appeared on the deck by the bar, steel guitars, ukeleles, and other genre instruments at the ready. Soft and slow at first, the music radiated beach-side relaxation...

"Chakotay to Pais," the comm line cut in abruptly.

"Computer, freeze music," he called, then tapped his combadge. "Go ahead, Commander."

"How's it coming down there?"

"Almost finished. And the food is on the way. We're on schedule to start at 1900 hours." He paused, then, thinking on the party's purpose, inquired, "does she suspect anything?"

"Not a thing. See you around 1900. Chakotay out."

It was going to be a great night.

Tom added in the bartenders, waiters, and hosts, and started the band back up. He double-checked the time cycle he'd programmed - three hours of warm, tropical daylight followed by the perfect Pacific Ocean sunset. Then, tiki torches and hanging lanterns to light their evening revelry, which he hoped would continue well into the night.


The party was in full swing at 1900, as promised. All that was missing was the guest of honor.

Kathryn Janeway had just collapsed into her recliner, settling back with an exhausted sigh - the day's events having left her spent - when the chime sounded at her door. She winced at the intrusion, and then (reluctantly) called for the doors to open.

It was Chakotay who entered. She must have shot him a concerned look as she sat up, fearing, as she did, that their day was not, in fact, over, because he put one hand up, halting her questions, and spoke quickly - "Not here on ship's business."

She relaxed the part of herself that had been instinctively preparing, but then, taking in his demeanor, a different kind of tension came to her awareness. It was not entirely unwelcome. He was smiling at her in what she decided was a rather boyish way - like he had a secret he could no longer contain. She raised an eyebrow in his direction, silently calling for him to spill it.

"Did you think I forgot?" He took a couple of strides in her direction, and presented her with a small box he'd evidently had behind his back. It was wrapped in silver with a silky blue bow on top. "Happy Birthday, Kathryn."

She smiled up at him before taking the box in her hands and regarding it. She had actually imagined he'd forgotten, so well had he managed to keep his secret all day. Right up until he walked in her quarters with that silly grin of his, anyway.

"Chakotay...thank you." She fingered the small package, suddenly nervous about opening it. Unwilling to explore that feeling to its origins, she opted instead for conversation. "It's kind of you to remember. It was a long day - I almost forgot about my birthday."

He crossed to the couch and sat down on the side closest to her chair. Still grinning.

She turned to him and steered the conversation away from birthdays and gifts. "Everything wrap up okay on the bridge?"

He nodded, but didn't bite. "Well, aren't you going to open it?"

She shot him a lopsided smile. "If you insist."

He just looked at her, the answer obvious.

Her smile reached her eyes (his mood was infectious), to which his grin expanded even more (if that was even possible). She obliged him and tore at the wrapping paper - but gently, as if she was planning to reuse it.

Inside the box was a silver timepiece on a long chain - smooth and ancient. And mechanical. It ticked in her hands.

"Chakotay, it's beautiful," she said, tracing a finger along the cool metal resting in her palm.

"It's a replica of the chronometer worn by Captain Cray of the British Navy, from Earth's Nineteenth century. His ship was hit by a typhoon in the Pacific. Everyone back in England thought they were killed, but eight months later Cray sailed his ship into London harbor. There wasn't much left of it - a few planks, half a sail - but he got his crew home."

Her eyes welled as she took in the full meaning of the gift, and she shook her head. "It's beautiful. I love it."

Touched, she moved to sit beside him on the couch. "How is it that you always know exactly how to lift my spirits?"

He reddened ever-so-slightly and then shrugged. "It's just one of my many talents," he deadpanned.

She leaned over and hugged him - it was a friendly gesture, he recognized, but he couldn't completely subdue his body's awareness at her sudden nearness. Luckily (or the opposite), she didn't linger. She released him and sat back on the couch, then opened her palm and stared down at the timepiece again. The ticking it made was oddly soothing.

They sat in silence for a moment, then she looked back at him. "I'd planned to spend a quiet evening by myself, reading or otherwise doing not-much, but would you like to join me for dinner?"

He realized suddenly that they couldn't linger, be that as it might have been his inclination at the moment. "Actually, I have something else in mind." He watched her face as she reacted to this, one eyebrow rising in question. He smiled mischievously and rose from the couch, headed for the door. Turning back suddenly, he added, "dress for summer. I'll be back in about 10 minutes."

"And where might we be going?"

"You'll see." He shot her a playful smile, and she felt a warm giddiness wash over her. It was not a feeling she typically allowed herself to indulge, but for whatever reason, she didn't push it away.

He exited her quarters, leaving her alone with his gift and her thoughts, and the task of attiring herself for...summer. That her stomach tightened as she imagined what, exactly, he might be planning, was not lost on her - and it only got worse as her mind went to work on the possibilities.

Moments later, she exhaled sharply and rose from the couch, shaking herself free from her thoughts. It reminded her of the very reasons she did not - could not - indulge in such things, real or otherwise, on Voyager.

Dress for summer...

She placed the timepiece on her desk and went in search of an appropriate outfit.

She realized Chakotay hadn't provided her with nearly enough information to make a proper choice, and she immediately called him over the comm.

"Commander," she said, mocking emphasis on his rank, "when you say 'dress for summer', what are we talking, activity-wise?"

The line was silent for a moment, and then he shocked her by outright suggesting something specific. "I remember a dress. Strapless, floral pattern. Something like that would work."

She knew the one, and allowed herself to consider very briefly what it meant that he remembered it. Then she dug out the dress and obliged his suggestion.

Thankfully, it still fit, but, glancing in the mirror, she felt slightly ridiculous at the skimpy cut and the tropical pattern on the fabric. She stared at her reflection, brow knit, weighing other options against the small thrill of attiring herself as her (rather handsome and thoughtful) First Officer had suggested - but then she suddenly came up with an idea. She dashed over to her closet and rummaged for the lovely crochet wrap her sister had given her years ago - it was light and lacy, the color of sand, and would add a bit of elegance to the otherwise silly dress. Along with the warp, she found her favorite summer hat and some sandals, and happily added them to the ensemble. She took in her appearance once more, much improved, and decided it would do.

She was brushing her hair when Chakotay rang the door chime. She called for entry from the bedroom.

"Give me just a second," she projected as she heard the door open.

Moments later, she emerged from the bedroom to find him standing in the middle of the living room, arms behind his back, waiting patiently. He was wearing a colorful Hawaiian shirt and shorts, and, well, he looked rather adorable, she could not help but admit to herself.

"So I take it we're going skiing," she said, smiling.

"Precisely," he said, then offered his arm. "Shall we?"

She linked her arm around his, and they were off.


Although she'd never admit it, Kathryn was flush with nervous energy. It had started as a low hum, quietly invading her system when Chakotay showed up with her birthday present, and it now peaked acutely as they stood outside of holodeck 2.

She was captain of a starship - she'd faced the Borg and worse, and nervous was not typically part of her constitution, inside or out. But she felt a lot of anomalous things where Chakotay was concerned - including more than a few weighty, unsettled feelings she'd forced buried in their years together - and whatever was behind the holodeck doors had something to do with her, with him, and...with summer...and it had her keyed up in a way that was, she decided, rather intolerable.

No - that was the wrong word. The feelings themselves weren't exactly intolerable...

The circumstances surrounding them, on the other hand...

She glanced at Chakotay, who was regarding her - perhaps preparing to measure her reaction to...whatever they were about to encounter. He laughed lightly as he met her eyes, which were lit with hesitation, and put a reassuring hand on her back. "Ready?"

She wasn't, but she nodded.

He keyed open the doors, and a rush of warm air greeted them. Lush vegetation filled the view from the hallway, obsecuring anything beyond, but Kathryn could hear voices - sounded like quite a few people, in fact.

"Come on," Chakotay said, and he eagerly guided her inside.

She followed him down a short, sandy path, tall palms and thick, ambrosial vegetation surrounding them, and it wasn't long before Kathryn could hear ocean waves, pulsing melodically against an unseen shoreline. She was suddenly aware of sunlight, streaming down through the trees and lighting patches of the sparkling sand that lined the trail. She took in a deep breath - gorgeous, refreshing, tropical air - and felt her tension easing on the exhale. Wherever they were, it was lovely - and, judging by the voices, which were growing louder as they walked, they'd not be spending the evening alone. Relief mixed with a tinge of disappointment, but mostly she was just captivated by the surroundings, which beckoned her to temporarily forget they were aboard a starship, stranded in the Delta Quadrant...

"Is this someplace on Earth?" She stopped walking for a moment, took in another breath of fresh air.

Chakotay turned to look at her - smiled as he caught site of her obviously-much-more-relaxed demeanor - and nodded. "It's one of the Hawaiian islands. Well - actually, this island Tom created, but the vista of the evening - which you'll see shortly - is Kauai, the oldest of the main islands."

"Have you been?"

"No, actually. You?"

She nodded and they started walking again. "I have, yes. But it's been a long time."

He drew an arm around her and smiled. "I hope you aren't too mad at me for this..."

She laughed. By now she knew it had to be a birthday celebration they were heading for - her birthday celebration no less - and while she wouldn't normally abide such a fuss surrounding the day, the warm, lush environment was just so inviting...

"I will probably forgive you," she joked easily. "But you'd better watch out, when your birthday rolls around."

He laughed and dropped his arm - she instantly missed the contact, but knew they must be getting close.

Soon the trail opened up and Chakotay was leading her up a set of wooden stairs, which ended at a large deck at what looked like a beach-side resort...

The deck was a lively mess of crewmembers (all happily out of uniform, from what she could see), interspersed with holographic musicians and waiters. Food and drink were most definitely flowing, and as soon as she entered the scene, glasses went up, and a hearty chorus of Surprise! and Happy Birthday! rang out.

She smiled warmly, feeling more than a little overwhelmed at the scope of the party. They'd celebrated her birthday before, but never quite on this scale, or with this many people. She looked back at Chakotay, hoping she could avoid a speech...

Luckily, the band chose that moment to take up a lively, Pacific-island tune, and the next thing she knew, they were immersed in the party, greeting attendees and admiring the decor - and the view. Neellix met her with a hug and a tall pink beverage, fruit and umbrella on top, which he nearly spilled all over Chakotay in his enthusiasm.

Tom and B'Elanna followed closely behind, he clearly already a couple of drinks in.

"You've outdone yourself this time, Tom," Kathryn said, correctly guessing that he'd had a big hand in designing the program.

He beamed. "I had a lot of help. You seemed to like our last 'Hawaiian experience' so much, I thought we'd do something similar, only this time, on a grander scale, for a grand occasion." He gestured to the long stretch of white sandy beach, and the NaPali Coast in the distance.

"It's truly beautiful. Thank you." She shook her head, feeling her words inadequate.

'Now, Captain, we want you to relax and have fun, so please - grab some food and enjoy!" Tom gestured to the bar.

She realized he was essentially waving off the rest of what had become a receiving line. She was silently grateful, welcoming the opportunity to interact with them in a more casual fashion, instead of going down the line like she was at a wedding.

(Tom had, in fact, instructed everyone "not to smother her.")

She made her way to the food, Chakotay in tow, and promptly filled a plate with the offerings. Balancing it on one hand, she tipped back the rest of her drink with the other. At which point a man she didn't recognize approached with a tray of colorful concoctions and offered her another. Dark-haired, dark-skinned, and quite attractive, the holographic waiter smiled rather suggestively as she selected a beverage - she felt Chakotay's amused stare as she giggled (for that first drink had already relaxed her enough for such behavior) and thanked him. The man, whom she realized suddenly was rather scantily-clad, bowed ever-so-slightly and said, "At your service."

She turned to look at Chakotay, and then lost it at his expression - curious and amused (yet ever-so-slightly territorial, if she wasn't mistaken).

"The beach," she said, pointing and still laughing. "I'm going to sit by the water." She was giving him an "out", in case he wanted to mingle instead of lingering by her side, but he just smiled and trailed her as she headed for the water, answering her unspoken question.

From the resort deck, the vista was interrupted by vegetation, but on the beach, the NaPali Coast filled the landscape completely.

Kathryn sat down on the sand, put her food aside and leaned back on her elbows. The glorious Pacific and the old, towering volcanic island of Kauai were a breathtaking sight.

It wasn't long before the party's center of mass shifted, as other crewmembers filtered down to the beach. Soon, Kathryn was surrounded by some of her closest colleagues, who happily sprawled out on the sand near her, gathering together in what looked rather like a picnic.

The mood was light and relaxed - how could it not be in such a place, the hapa-haole music mixing with the sound of the waves and the scattered laughter and merriment of partygoers.

The holographic waiters refreshed their food and drinks often - usually it was "Kathryn's waiter" who took care of them.

"I feel like we should ask him to join us," she said, nudging Chakotay as he approached them with another of his "deliveries". As per his usual, he favored Kathryn with extra attention, his eyes lingering on her even as he served the others drinks. She watched him as he headed back to the bar, then turned to Tom.

"Tom Paris, did you program me a boyfriend for my birthday?"

He laughed heartily. "Not specifically. But, I could make a few adjustments..."

"Something tells me no adjustments would be required," Chkotay retorted with a smirk - which drew Kathryn's elbow to his side.

"It is my birthday," she teased.

Later, when the sun began to set, the entire party spilled out onto the beach to watch. The sun's path through the sky would have it sinking below the horizon over the ocean while the changing rays illuminated Kauai. Kathryn raised her glass in Tom's direction - he had truly attended to every detail.

The crowd quieted as the sun dipped close to the ocean, sending streaks of orange, red, yellow, and pink across the water. And sure enough, NaPali began to glow, its lush colors in spotlight as the sky behind it grew darker.

Entranced and completely relaxed, Kathryn leaned against Chakotay, who was sitting comfortably beside her. If they hadn't all been under the island's gentle spell - and lightened by their many drinks - the gesture might have drawn some interested glances. As it was, if the others had even noticed, it simply blended in with their carefree mood.

"It's beautiful...," she declared, dreamily.

Chakotay pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. "Happy Birthday, Kathryn."

They sat like that as the last of the day's light faded, watching the changing hues, highlights, and shadows as the sun fell away.

The party transitioned into night mode as the sky turned dark, with lanterns and torches lit, and louder music that was fit for dancing.

Hours later, Kathryn found herself tucked into her bed, the alcohol having dulled her senses and relaxed her body into a blissful state of drowsiness. She couldn't precisely recall how she'd ended up here, but in her vague memory of events she remembered Chakotay tending to her, settling her in after the party had ended. Her breath caught in her chest, panicked, as she suddenly wondered if he was still here, and what, exactly, had transpired. She called out for him, but there was only silence.

Filled with equal parts relief and disappointment, she drew the blankets tighter and allowed the drowsiness to pull her back into sleep, with all cares postponed until morning.


Early morning on the bridge was bright, and louder than Kathryn had anticipated, but of course her senses were reeling just a bit from the previous night's festivities and she was, therefore, not the best judge of the character of...well, anything, really.

She'd managed to make it to her shift on time, with every bit of her usual polished exterior, but her head throbbed with every sound above a whisper and the minute she entered Voyager's command center, she was eager for the retreat of her ready room.

But, first things first - and as she assumed the center seat, the glances and knowing smiles from the bridge crew not lost upon her, she realized that, despite her aches and exhaustion, the glow of last night's festivities had not completely left her. In fact, she felt quite buoyed by all that had taken place.

There was one nagging issue that tugged at her sense of wellbeing, and as she turned her head and met the gentle smile of her First Officer, something in her braced for impact - to her ego or some other presently delicate part of herself.

"Commander," she said in acknowledgment, while an image of him helping her intoxicated self into her bed flashed unbidden in her mind. He had not "loved her and left her," she knew - his absence from her quarters when she woke last night was enough indication that they did not trample over any lines, so-to-speak - but it was quite possible she had rather thrown herself at him sometime between their exit from the party and his departure from her room, and she felt a nervous pang in her stomach and she considered what kind of impression she might have left.

"Good morning," he said, and as she regarded him and his simple words, she could discern no sign that anything exceptionally awkward had transpired between them.

She took in a breath before hazarding mention of the previous night. "Thank you," she said - and her tone was lowered, meant for him only, "for making sure I got 'home' okay last night."

He smiled warmly and easily, and it relaxed her instantly. "It was my pleasure, Kathryn. I hope you enjoyed your birthday."

She shook her head lightly - of course that was his concern this morning. "It was lovely, Chakotay - I had a wonderful time. It was so thoughtful, of all of you."

"I'm amazed that we pulled it off. It was almost a month of scheming and planning that we somehow managed to keep from you."

It touched her rather deeply, that they had put so much effort into her birthday party. And the result, that most of the crew had gotten a rare night of fun and celebration, brought a happy kind of relief she'd forgotten meant so much.

"You know, we really should celebrate more often - the special occasions," she said, glancing now at the starfield on the forward viewscreen, her right hand raised in front of her. "Out here, we only really have each other."

He laughed, and she turned back to look at him, somewhat confused by his reaction to her profound thoughts, and she must have given him a look, because he held up a hand. "Yesterday, I feared you'd never forgive me for orchestrating such a fuss for your birthday. That today you're sitting here telling me it should happen more often...well, let's just say, that's much more than I was hoping for."

She softened and shrugged, her smile returning. "I'm glad I could surprise you, too."

His eyes were bright as they met hers, and she felt thankful in that moment that they were here together, in the same place. Something passed between them - recognition, a shared sense of gratitude and affection, and, just beneath it, what felt to her like a tangible, blossoming sense of hope.

A small beeping on his side console drew him away from their locked eyes, alerting him that all departments had reported in. He glanced over the status reports, and happily reported all systems nominal. "Let's hope it's the order of the day," he added.

She nodded in agreement, then sat up straight in her chair and placed both hands on the arm rests. "If you don't mind, Commander - I could really use some coffee."

He smiled, having predicted this next move of hers even before she arrived on the bridge.

She rose and retreated for her ready room. He watched her exit, and as soon as the doors hissed shut behind her, Tom Paris turned in his seat at the helm.

"I'd call that a success," he said, beaming.