NEW YEAR'S EVE 2378
Chakotay straightened the tails of his jacket and looked down to check the polish on his shoes. The black tuxedo would not have been his first choice to wear, but the Voyager New Year's Eve celebration being hosted by the Paris family was a special occasion. Admiral Owen Paris had reserved the Headquarters ballroom to accommodate all of the former crew that could attend, and Chakotay was looking forward to seeing everyone.
He glanced around the den of Kathryn's Indiana home, now their home, and was pleased with the results of the redecorating that had been completed in the room just the day before. Careful selection of antiques from several different worlds had blended together to create a cozy and warm space, with the large fireplace repaired and faced with Dorvan red river stone as the main focal point. He noted the time on the chronometer and peered up the staircase.
"Kathryn, it's time to go, love," he called out. "We're going to be late."
"I'm finished," she answered from the master suite. He heard the click of her heels on the wooden flooring and sucked in his breath as she appeared at the top of the stairs, pausing with one hand on the railing to gaze down at him. With a soft smile lighting her face, she descended the steps and took his hands when he held them out. He slowly turned her in a circle and when she faced him again, his reaction almost made her laugh.
She wore a shimmering silver dress that embraced her curves, the thin straps over her shoulders surfaced with ice blue crystals, and the silver material draped low on her chest and back. The length reached her ankles, and a side slit cut to mid-thigh was also outlined with tiny crystals. Silver high-heeled sandals were strapped over her slender feet. Her shining auburn hair lay in soft waves past her shoulders, with the front wisps swept back in twists and fastened with a crystal rosette.
"Spirits, you're breathtaking," he said quietly. The soft sheen of her red lips was irresistible, and he leaned down to kiss her, his warm hands caressing her bare shoulders.
She stepped back to look at him and flashed him a half-smile, her blue eyes sparkling. "I don't know how I resisted you all those years."
He smiled and was mesmerized by the pink flush rising over her creamy skin as his fingertip trailed over the tops of her breasts.
"Didn't you say something about being late?" she husked.
"Did I? I'm sure we have plenty of time."
She laughed and stepped back out of his arms to reach for her long black coat. "We should go."
He helped her put the coat on, and she linked her arm in his as they walked to the hover car to drive to the transport station. Ten minutes later, they were standing outside of the Starfleet ballroom, and he slipped the coat from her shoulders to hang it in the foyer. She took a deep breath, linked her arm through his again, and they walked together to the double doors of the hall.
Tom was waiting outside the ballroom, and his face lit up when he saw the couple. "Well, there's no question who is the most beautiful woman here," he told Kathryn as he kissed her on the cheek.
"Don't let your wife hear you say that."
"Don't worry, she knows you're out of my league," Tom said with a wink, then looked at them both. "Are you ready?"
Chakotay laid his hand over Kathryn's on his arm. "We're ready, Tom."
Tom opened the double doors and spoke loudly to be heard over the crowded room. "May I have your attention, please!" The noise quieted down and all eyes turned to the doors. "Our guests of honor have arrived. Without these two remarkable people, we wouldn't be here tonight celebrating a new year back in the Alpha Quadrant with our closest friends. Please welcome our beloved Captain Kathryn Janeway and Commander Chakotay." Tom stepped to the side and waved the couple forward.
A collective gasp could be heard around the room, and then chaos erupted when the crew and their dates began cheering and clapping. The command team looked proudly over the hall, happy to see over half of their former crewmen and women in attendance. After a few moments, Kathryn held up her hand and silence descended once again.
"Chakotay and I are thrilled to see all of you here tonight, and our thoughts are with those who couldn't join us. I want to thank Admiral Owen and Mrs. Julia Paris for arranging this evening. Tonight, there are no ranks and titles. We're here as Kathryn and Chakotay to celebrate with our friends. You deserve this night together more than any other group of people, so have fun. Now, where's the champagne?"
The cheers were deafening once again, and within seconds B'Elanna was beside them with glasses of champagne.
"Both of you look wonderful," B'Elanna said as she hugged them.
"Thank you," Kathryn replied. Harry, the Doctor, and several other people were beginning to gather around to speak to the new arrivals, so Tom and B'Elanna pointed out where they were sitting and then moved off. Chakotay kept his hand either on Kathryn's arm or the small of her back as they made their way through the press of people, and it took them almost 15 minutes to finally reach the table where the Paris family was sitting.
Owen stood and shook hands with Chakotay, and then briefly clasped both of Kathryn's hands. She smiled at Mrs. Paris and said, "Thank you so much for arranging this evening. To be honest, I didn't expect so many people to be here. I assumed many of them would prefer to celebrate New Year's Eve elsewhere."
Owen remarked, "I've learned a bit about your crew, and I assure you there's no place they would rather be than with their Voyager family. They are dedicated still to each other and the two of you. I know my son and B'Elanna have particularly enjoyed spending time with you."
Kathryn smiled softly. "I'm afraid the ship reports don't do them justice, Owen. It was a privilege to watch them grow into fine officers and people."
Owen nodded as he looked with emotion at the young couple, and then he turned to Chakotay. "I hear you've been doing some remodeling in Indiana."
Chakotay smiled. "Yes, we've been fixing up Kathryn's family home. It's a fine house, and I'm enjoying the opportunity to work on it."
"I would love to see it sometime. It has been a few years since I was last at the Janeway homestead."
"Any time you're free, we would love for you and Julia to come. I'm still working on it, so I hope you don't mind stepping over a mess here and there."
"Of course not. We'll contact you soon. I'm looking forward to it."
Kathryn and Chakotay took their seats beside Tom and B'Elanna and watched the crowd milling about with bright smiles and animated conversations. It was refreshing to see them all in formal dress rather than uniforms, and even the Doctor had altered his image to sport a white tuxedo.
Kathryn said quietly, "They're happy, aren't they? They all look healthy and happy."
Chakotay put his arm over the back of her chair and his other hand clasped hers. "They are healthy and happy, my love, and it's because of you. Both of you. Admiral Janeway changed history and gave her life for us, just as you gave what you had to."
She searched his face and gazed deep into his eyes. "I'm glad I did, Chakotay. It wasn't easy, and maybe things didn't go as planned for me upon our return, but to see them here like this makes it worth those long, hard years. I know that I'll be okay, because they are."
He kissed her softly. "Dance with me, beautiful."
"I'd love to."
They walked hand-in-hand to the dance floor, and the orchestra slowed down the music. Kathryn's silver gown and auburn hair shimmered under the lights, and Chakotay was resplendent in his black tux, his honey-toned skin and dark features complimenting her perfectly. As they glided across the floor lost in each other's eyes, their former crew watched in awe.
Everyone knew the sacrifices that had been made in the Delta Quadrant, and to watch the love between their commanders now able to blossom pushed the hardships of the journey a little more distant in their minds. They had not only survived but thrived during their seven years lost in space under the leadership of their captain and first officer. They understood that the coming years would force the crewmates apart as duties and new lives on Earth and in space took hold, but for this night they were a family filled with love.
Kathryn and Chakotay were oblivious to the rest of the ballroom as they held each other tightly and let their bodies follow the rhythms of music in time together. His thumb caressed her hand where their fingers were twined against his chest, while his other hand rested on the small of her back. The crystal straps on her shoulders sparkled, and he lowered his head to press his lips to her skin while she turned her face into his neck and breathed in his scent.
He whispered in her ear, "You have no idea what you do to me."
"You'll have to show me later," she mumbled against his skin.
She could feel his smile on her earlobe. "Are you wearing lace or satin under that dress?"
"Who said I'm wearing anything under it?" She chuckled at his low groan and his arms stiffening around her.
"Kathryn Janeway, are you toying with me?"
"You'll have to wait until I serve under you to find out." He leaned his head back and laughed at her change in meaning of his words spoken so many years before.
As he twirled her across the dance floor, Tom looked at B'Elanna with a smirk and asked, "What do you think she said to him?"
B'Elanna answered, "I'm not sure we want to know."
As the last notes of the music played, Tom and B'Elanna approached the dance floor. "May we cut in?" Tom asked Chakotay.
"That depends," Chakotay said. "Are you wanting to dance with me or Kathryn?"
Tom grinned. "I like you, but I'm not dancing with you." He turned to Kathryn and bent low in a playful bow. "My lady?"
Kathryn laughed and took his hand as Chakotay and B'Elanna began dancing together. The floor was soon packed with other couples, and the former command team found themselves in high demand as they switched dance partners, sometimes mid-song. Aside from short breaks for refreshment or to chat with a crew member, the couple barely saw each other again. Chakotay lost track of how many songs he had danced to, and he was starting to breathe hard while waltzing with Samantha Wildman.
As the orchestra began to crescendo to the final movement of the music, Chakotay asked, "Samantha, would you mind if we make our way off the dance floor?"
She smiled and replied, "I'm ready for a break, too. I'd be grateful if you clear the way."
He chuckled and held onto her hand as he used his larger body to make a path through the crowd. They managed their escape just as the song ended, and Samantha inhaled deeply. "Thanks, I owe you one," she said with a grin.
He kissed the back of her hand and then headed for the refreshments table. As he stood drinking a glass of water, he scanned the room for Kathryn but couldn't see her. He walked to their table and asked Owen and Julia, and Owen pointed a door in the corner. "There is a balcony off the small officer's lounge. She may be out there." Chakotay started for the door and Owen called out, "3792. That's the code for the door lock."
Chakotay grinned and thanked Owen, then grabbed two glasses of champagne before going through the door. Kathryn's shoes were tossed in a chair, and the door to the balcony was cracked open. He set the glasses on a side table, keyed in the lock code for the door, and pulled off his tux jacket before joining her.
She was looking out over the gardens and grounds of Starfleet Headquarters, and he slipped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek. She leaned back into his embrace and said, "I was wondering how long it would take you to get away."
"I conspired with Samantha. She didn't mind cutting the waltz short if I could get her off the dance floor, too."
"I'm glad to see her having a good time."
"How about you? Are you having a good time?"
"I really am. I needed a few minutes away from the chaos, though," she grinned.
He turned her in his arms and slid one hand under her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek. Her bright blue eyes held his gaze as he leaned down to press his lips to hers. Her hands roamed over the broad muscles of his back and sides as he held her close, and his tongue parted her lips, tasting and teasing in a passionate kiss.
When they pulled apart to breathe, he led her by the hand to a small sofa and handed her a glass of champagne. "I thought we could spend a few minutes by ourselves before the countdown begins," Chakotay said.
She sipped the drink and sank back into the cushion with a contented sigh. "I'm glad you did." She chuckled and said, "I suppose the chain of command was necessary to get anything done, but it also insulated me from dealing with a lot of people vying for my attention at once. I find crowds far more exhausting than I used to."
He caressed her bare shoulder with his fingertips and smiled softly. "It is quite a change, but it's a good change. It's only 70 or so of our closest friends, plus their family members."
"I miss it, Chakotay."
"What? Voyager?"
"Well, yes, but I was thinking in broader terms. I miss Starfleet. I miss my job."
"Do you want to start back?"
"I do. I know it's going to be tough. I assume they'll require psychological evaluations and a thorough explanation of why I snapped in the first place."
"You didn't snap, hon. Maybe you bent a little, but there is not a person, including any Starfleet officer, who wouldn't have under the same circumstances. I'm sure they will require an evaluation, and it may require you to delve deep into some issues you don't really want to face again. But, I will support you in every way I can, and I know you can get through it. They would be doing themselves a great disservice to dismiss someone with your experience on the basis of a bit of emotional upheaval after spending over seven years lost in the Delta Quadrant."
"So you think I should try for it?" she asked as she twirled her glass in her hands.
"If returning to your career is what you want, then yes, I think you should try. I'm not going to tell you outright to do it or not do it. It's your decision, and I will do everything I can to help you no matter what you decide. I think that the counseling they will require could be beneficial if you find the right therapist. Who knows, it might help me, too."
She turned to him with concern. "Help you with what? You've adjusted well since our return."
"Have I? I'm not so sure that I adjusted more than just ran. Think about it, Kathryn. I abandoned everything as soon as I had the chance. Starfleet, the ship, the crew, and worst of all, I abandoned you. I didn't even know that your mother had died until you came to me a month later."
He shook his head and set his glass on the low table before going to the balcony door, leaning his forearm against it and gazing out into the night. "I love you more than anything, and I am happier now than I have ever been. But I have a lot of things that I have simply repressed, just like you did. I had more opportunity to deal with things better, but I can't exactly say that I've dealt well."
She went to him and put her arms around his waist, and they held each other silently as they drew strength together. "So we begin a new year with a new life together," she said. "We help each other find peace again."
His dark eyes glittered as he gazed at her, remembering his 'legend' – their legend. "That peace was always meant to be ours together," he whispered. His lips touched hers gently, and when he leaned back again, he knew the love and trust shining from her blue eyes would sustain him so that he, in turn, could uplift her. The biggest mistake in their long and arduous journey had been in separating once they got home.
He noticed the chronometer on the wall and said, "It's 10 minutes until midnight. Are you ready to return to the chaos?"
She smiled and sat down to put her shoes back on. "I'm surprised we haven't been disturbed yet."
"The door is locked. Owen gave me the security code before I came in."
She laughed as she buckled her sandals and stood up. "We'll never convince them we were in here talking."
"Probably not. If my conversations on the dance floor are any indication, Voyager's rumor mill is still operating at peak efficiency. I'm still not sure which Delaney twin is married to three different men."
She looked shocked for a second until they both started chuckling. "Maybe we should ask Tom what the rumors are about you and me."
He opened the door and when he saw many of the crew turn to look, he pulled her to him in a searing kiss before straightening the low neckline of her silver gown. He winked at her wide-eyed expression and whispered, "I'd rather just keep them guessing."