For the first time, he felt her truly stir. "Kathryn?" Numb arms drew her closer to him as he tried to get another rise out of her. But her only response was to nuzzle closer into his shoulder. She seemed unconcerned, not unconscious, but not awake.

If she were awake, there would have been an argument, or six, by now. She would have raised questions - would have blamed him, he thought; likely she would have been angry, frantic and panicked. But at the very same time, he wished for her to see the snow with him. He wanted to share that with her - to hear her tell him this was just like Indiana; to see the grimace on her face when the snow soaked into her boots... Chakotay loved experiencing things with her; more so, he simply loved being with her. Even when they were arguing, even when he thought he couldn't take any more of it – he still wanted to be near her, to breathe her in, to watch her facial expressions - even the ones made in anger.

The forest seemed to go on forever in homogenous infinity. He remembered the forest on New Earth, but this was still so different. New Earth's had clearings, brambly trees, knobby undergrowth. This, though - now he couldn't discern where he was, what direction he was going. If he was even going in one or just continuing in circles! But then, just as despair was about to set in, his Spirits seemingly heard his cry and a clearing became visible ahead. From a distance, a road was just in sight.

She moved again, this time her arms slipping around his neck. "Chakotay," she whispered softly before her breathing deepened and normalised again.

The closer he got to the road, the more that ran through his mind. A road meant civilisation - people, perhaps. Were they hospitable? Would communication be a barrier? How far was he from help? Would they help him? Were they warp capable? Could he contact Voyager? A thousand more things ran through his head at a dizzying pace so much that he barely heard the sound behind him until a loud horn jolted him out of his thoughts. He turned around to see a large vehicle of some sort slowing down and coming towards him. The lights were blinding as they shined in his eye, obscuring the detail of the odd contraption.

He heard it slow down to a crawling halt before coming to a full stop just in front of him. At this distance, he thought, it was nearly menacing and beastly. He stood frozen to the spot, not knowing what to expect; afraid to move when he heard a door open and close. His body was rigoured and tense and he held Kathryn against him as though his life depended on it. I won't let anything happen to you, he thought. I won't let them take you.

"Are you okay?" He heard the voice before he saw its owner. It was mellow, warm. And human. She spoke again, coming into view. "Are you okay, sir?"

Chakotay stuttered, trying to find his voice. "Lost." Was the only word he could come up with despite his confusion.

The woman was petite, no bigger than Kathryn. And her face was kind, wrinkled with age. "Do you need some help?"

"Yes," He responded dumbly.

She came closer, keeping her eyes on Kathryn as she gingerly touched her forehead, then her neck for a pulse as she scrutinised her in the lights emanating from the truck. But still frightened, Chakotay pulled her away at first, still unsure of the woman. But, she simply looked up at him, and smiled reassuringly. "Just making sure she's all right."

He didn't respond, but his posture relaxed, and the set in his jaw let loose somewhat.

"Why don't you get in the car and we'll try sort you two out, hmm?" She waved with her hand back to the large vehicle. "We'd better get off the road before someone else comes along and makes road kill out of us! It's getting darker earlier and earlier these days!"

It could have been a trick, for all he knew. But he was so cold, so desperate to get help for Kathryn, and shelter that he went along.

"I'm Jan, by the way," she grinned as she opened the door for him. "Do you need any help with her?"

"No," he shook his head, unwilling to relinquish her, as he hoisted himself into the warm vehicle. Jan simply smiled and closed the door, making her way back around to the front.

"Does she need to go to the hospital?" She looked back at him worriedly and then glanced at Kathryn. "What happened to her?"

"She had a concussion," He looked down at the sleeping woman. "I think she's just sleeping now."

She shifted the car into gear. "How long ago?"

"About an hour."

"Has she shown any signs of wakefulness since then?"

"Yes. She said my name."

"I'm worried-"

"I checked her," He demurred. "She's okay."

"She should be," Jan's voice strained as she turned the large wheel onto a small path. "We'll monitor her at the house; there's a hospital nearby should we need it. I just don't know how easy it's going to be to get back there in this snow. Well," She prattled. "I'll have Gregg take a look..."

The ride was smooth, he thought, like the ground cars he used to use in San Francisco. He could see nothing in the darkness of the night until she turned down a smaller road and with the flick of her wrist the lights shining on the path became brighter. "There's the house," She pointed. "I'm afraid we're in for a big snow storm this evening – the weatherman said we'd be getting another six inches! Can you imagine?" She was amused with herself. "That's winter in Indiana for you!"