Absence
Pt7
*as always Pansy loves your comments and feedback!
As the shuttle landed on the rocky landing strip, Chakotay took the opportunity to look out the window. His home or what was left of it still seemed peaceful. There was very little left of the forests that he grew up with, the long winding rivers that flowed throughout the village had dried up years ago. Still for whatever it was worth, he was happy to see his home again.
There was only one other person on the flight. He was an older man that had not been back for years. Chakotay didn't know him, and then man only spoke to him as the shuttle doors opened.
He spoke slowly, but very clearly. "I hope that you find what you seek my son." Chakotay was trying to get his bag down from one of the compartments when he turned to tell the man goodbye. But when he turned around there was no one around, the shuttle was completely empty.
As he was exiting the craft, he asked the pilot about the other passenger. The pilot gave him a strange look and told him that he was the only one that had taken the flight from Jupiter Station.
As he walked down the sandy path to the village he remembered how hot it was on his home planet. The years on Voyager had taken his tan hue and most of the darkness in his hair. Still breathing the sandy hot air made him happy, even if it were just for a moment.
He made it on the outskirts of town, just as some of the locals were packing up from the growers market. The market hadn't changed much since his youth, which made him stiffen a smile. He looked over some of the leftover fruit on the tables and made a silent prayer to thank the sprits that there was no Leola Root in sight.
And then he saw a woman out of the corner of his eye. One that had long black hair. He was completely memorized by it. It reminded him of his sister. He decided to walk over and say hello. And then she turned almost facing him. And he almost fainted.
Kathryn Janeway stood in front of one of the tables arranging some of the fruit that she had bought in her basket. She turned to thank one of the sellers when she dropped her basket. Standing in front of her, not more than 5 feet away was Chakotay.
She picked up her basket and moved closer to him. "Chakotay?"
"Kathryn?"
"What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question."
"Well I was buying some fruit and going home. Speaking of which aren't you far away from your home?"
Chakotay stepped closer to her now. "Well, Kathryn this is more my home then your home, since I did grow up here."
Kathryn gracefully turned and gave him a small frown. "Well, Chakotay this was your home, but now this is my home."
"Kathryn of all the places in the galaxy why would you come to my home planet?"
Kathryn had to think fast. She really hadn't thought of it at the time. In fact if she was honest with herself she chose this planet because it reminded her of him. But of course she was not going to admit that to a married man.
"I wanted to get away from the crowds Chakotay. That's why I dyed my hair. I thought that would be obvious, even for you."
"Bullshit!"
"Excuse me?"
"You came here for another reason Kathryn. And whether or not you want to fess up to it is another story in itself."
Kathryn began to walk away from him. But he followed her raising his voice as he walked behind her.
"You came here Kathryn because you think that Seven and I are married and that we are going to have a child together. That's the reason that you came here."
Kathryn continued the pace toward her home. He continued to follow.
"Why didn't you just ask me Kathryn instead of gallivanting across the solar system?"
Kathryn had reached her front porch when she finally answered him.
"Your married Chaktoay. Married to a woman half your age! Do you know what it felt like when Seven told me that she was pregnant! Do you know what that did to me!?
Chakotay clenched his fists as he walked up a few stairs and joined her on the porch.
"Did she say it was mine Kathryn?"
"That's irrelevant". You two were together when we landed the ship!"
He sucked in a breath of air trying to control his raging anger.
"Did she say it was mine Kathryn?"
"All she said was that she was pregnant. Now if you'll excuse me I have some important things to do that don't include a married man."
When Kathryn spoke the last word and closed the door behind her, Something snapped inside of Chakotay. Maybe it was the anger that he felt for her jumping to conclusions, maybe it was the fact that after all these years he was still in love with her. Maybe it was the fact that she had just left without giving it a second thought. Or maybe it was the fact that she looked so incredibly sexy with her long black hair.
Whatever it was, Chakotay could no longer take it. He burst in her door and rammed her body into the opposite wall.
"Now you listen to me Kathryn Janeway. You scared the hell out of your family, you scared me to death, and what's worse is the reason that you did it."
Kathryn tried to speak but he only growled at her, which caused her to swallow hard, but keep her captain's stare.
"Damn it Kathryn! If you only had asked! Seven married the Doctor they are the one having the child I knew nothing about it. In fact I didn't even know that she was expecting until the doctor told me at the hospital! All you had to do was fucking ask Kathryn! But instead you turned and ran you didn't even have the courage to face me!"
He released his grip and for once Kathryn didn't know what to say.
"Chakotay, I thought that you loved her."
He turned to her. "Kathryn you're the one I have loved for years. It has always been you. There is not another woman in the world for me. There is only you."
She smiled at him. "Could I offer you some tea Chakotay?"
"No."
"How about a glass of water?"
"No."
"How about," She didn't have a chance to finish her last question because he had already grabbed her and kissed her firmly on the lips. She savored his lips and enjoyed his arms wrapping around her body. When he finally broke free of her, she smiled.
"Kathryn the only thing that I want is you. And honestly I just want you to be my wife. Nothing more and nothing less."
"Was that a proposal Chaktoay?"
"Only if you say yes."
TBC
