(Not my greatest, and some of it can be viewed as "highly unlikely", I already know. But then again, what are the chances of the whole Delta Quadrant factor anyways? Oh, I won't be writing on it for a while - some stuff has come up... R&R ASAP)
"Thank you so much for dinner, Chakotay," Kathryn said quietly as she wiped her mouth. "It was delicious."
"It's the least I can do for my favorite Admiral," Chakotay said, taking the dishes into the kitchen and then walking back into the formal dining room with two bowls of ice cream. "Coffee ice cream to cheer you up?"
"Thanks for the gesture, but the only thing that could cheer me is if Miral decides to speak to me again. She hasn't spoken since that day in the upstairs closet."
"That was two months ago," Chakotay said, surprised, as he sat down with his bowl of ice cream, having handed Kathryn her own.
"I know," she sighed, taking a slow and small bite of ice cream. "But can I expect more than that? She lost both her parents.."
There was a knocking on the doorframe and the two former commanding officers turned to see the teary-eyed Miral in it's wake.
"Oh Miral darling, come here," Kathryn said, stretching her arms out to the pastel yellow pajama child. She dragged her feet as she walked across the short distance to Kathryn and climbed in her lap as soon as she approached the chair. Kathryn cradled the girl, wrapping her in a warm hug and holding her close. "Another nightmare?" Miral snuggled deeper into Kathryn as she nodded, closing her eyes. "Well you just go back to sleep. I'll keep all the monsters away."
Chakotay watched with a small smile, glad to see his former Captain still having the words and touch to quail the smallest problem. She looked across the table at him as she rocked ever-so-slightly in her still seat. The look in her eye, the soft motherly gleam, set a kindhearted sensation down his spine.
"Can you get her blanket?" Kathryn whispered as she slowly rose from the table. "I'm going to take her back to bed."
Chakotay nodded, picking the fallen blanket off the wooden floor and following Kathryn up the stairs to her room. He flipped the light switch off before leaving the room, and when they got upstairs, he watched as Kathryn laid Miral down with careful precision, like setting a feather onto a pillow. She took the blanket from Chakotay and covered her, tucking her in firmly. Miral slightly stirred and her hand landed on Kathryn's.
"I love you, momma," Miral mumbled, snuggling deeper into her pillow. Kathryn's eyes flooded with tears, as she took the tiny hand within her own. She knew she meant B'Elanna, but she didn't have the heart to make Miral's spirits fall any lower.
"I love you too, darling. Sweet dreams," she said, giving the hand a light squeeze before standing up. Realizing that Chakotay was nearby, she quickly composed herself, wiping the tears from her eyes. She nodded out into the hallway, and Chakotay led the way, Kathryn closing the door behind her.
"Maybe I should let you get to bed too," Chakotay whispered.
"Perhaps," Kathryn said, sniffling louder than she had intended and wiping a stray tear. "But I'd rather you stay a little longer." She looked into his warm and humble chocolate eyes, rippling with the kindly respect she'd always seen deep within him. She caught herself drowning in their never-ending loyalty, and before another moment passed, she rapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a long, passionate and long awaited kiss. Their bodies warming each other, Kathryn pulled away, stepping back. "I'm... I'm so-" Before she could finish her statement, she was pulled into another loving kiss, one she dare not break away from. For all these years, she had dreamed of this moment, waiting after ten years of pure loneliness for herself to finally accept what was unsaid but known between them.
Chakotay deepened the kiss, indulging himself into the woman he had loved for so long and now had within his arms. She wasn't fighting him, and he surely wasn't going to stop himself from showing her how much he cared for her.
When they finally pulled away breathlessly, Kathryn smiled with her eyes still sealed shut. "Thank you, Chakotay," she said quietly, opening her eyes. "Thank you so much for everything you've ever done for me."
"It's hopefully just the beginning."