Voyager had slowed to impulse. That was the first thing Chakotay became aware of. The second was the warm body wrapped in his arms. Sighing, he curled himself closer and ran his hand along the hairy muscled leg of his companion. His brow furrowed.
"Good morning, lover. Was it good for you too?" Q's voice was smarmy and too loud for Chakotay's throbbing head.
Chakotay groaned and rolled away, gently placing his feet on the floor and his head in his hands. He felt sick and disoriented and his heart was dropping like a stone in his chest. "What does this mean, Q? Was any of that real? Who was I with last night? Was that you? If you wanted to get laid you could have just asked"
"Don't flatter yourself!" Q chortled. "I should tell you it was me. It would make no difference. Right now she's nursing a cup of coffee and a splitting headache and trying to put aside the lucid dream she had about yet another inappropriate liaison with her first officer. She'll be in a miserab;e mood all day and it's your fault."
"Of course it is." Chakotay rolled his eyes. "My fault for loving her. No blame to spare for the meddling omnipotent pain in the ass -"
"Hold your tongue! I can do that trick with your arms to other parts of your anatomy, Chuckles. Do not tempt me." Q's eyes blazed dangerously. Then, like a storm passing, his expression changed to pity and he sat next to Chakotay on the bunk. "Do you regret your choice now? Do you see what a kindness it would have been to take these memories from you both? I am not so cruel."
Chakotay stood shakily and hauled himself to the sink. "It might have been kinder to forget, but I refuse to regret my choice." He washed his face and returned to the bedroom with a towel and a renewed sense of optimism. "In fact, you've given me something even you couldn't have. For all your power, you will likely never spend a night like that with Kathryn Janeway. So, thank you, Q." Chakotay smiled genuinely at the unfathomable being. "I'm grateful." He pulled on a uniform and headed to the door.
Q appeared to be puzzled by Chakotay's shift in attitude. "Where are you going?"
"To sickbay, then the bridge. I'm going to very quietly bring my captain a hypospray and a cup of coffee then get to work on the pile of reports. We still have a ship to run. I trust you'll see yourself out." And then he was gone.
"Humans!" Q exclaimed and vanished in a flash of indignation.