I am very sorry that this story has taken me so long to update. The plot failed me somewhat and I didn't want to post for the sake of it. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and encouraged me to continue it really helped with the motivation.

Kathryn awoke to an empty bed, the noises coming from downstairs though immediately told her where she could find Tom and the doctor. Smiling slightly catching only snippets of conversation she could however tell that they were in a debate. Getting up out of bed and stretching her tired muscles Kathryn sneered a bit at her protesting body.

"You're not that old yet girl." She said to herself refusing to acknowledge that physical exercise like the type she had recently endure did take a tool on her body. Putting it down to a recent lack of activity rather than her advancing years. Pulling out a pair of loos fitting pants and a deep purple shirt Kathryn merely ran a brush though her hair and clipped it back. A quick glance in the mirror told her she was presentable enough and she headed downstairs.

When Tom had woken up, Kathryn had been so peaceful he didn't want to disturb her. She had been awake half the night tossing and turning in her sleep, probably fighting the Borg in her dreams and Tom could do nothing but pull her closer to him and attempt to make her feel safe within the circle of his arms. She had quietened down soon after that relaxing in his warm embrace and when he woke she was still there. Getting up quietly Tom wanted to see how the boys were getting along and if they needed a hand.

Making his way to the work shop he found them under the flyers hull obviously working on the shielding and he smiled.

"Coffee anyone?" He called as two heads shot up and called their affirmative. Tom had gone back to the kitchen where he found the doctor scrutinizing a PADD and had been distracted by the medical man's mutterings.

"What's up doc?" Tom said chuckling at his private joke than no one else alive would probably understand as the doc raised his eyes and scowled at him.

"This is the problem, the course you have plotted is several hundred light years out of our way, they could fly right passed us to Earth and we wouldn't have a clue." The doctor said and Tom shook his head.

"No you see I did that because the Borg are not likely to come in straight at us, remember they think we have technology that can destroy them." Tom said logically as he went to the replicator and ordered four cups of coffee. Knowing Kathryn would be up as soon as she smelt the aroma he thought he would pre-empt her.

"What that doesn't make sense the Borg are not exactly known for their subtlety, usually it all resistance if futile and you will be assimilated. Not stealthy back door attacks. These aren't Cardassians Commander." The Doctor said his eyes fixed on Tom as though searching for the real answer like it was written on his forehead.

"Look I am just going to take these coffee's out to Riley and Geoff, we can talk about this later. If we don't get the flyer up and running this will all be a moot point anyway." Tom said as Kathryn walked down the stairs and immediately looked at the cups in Tom's hands.

"Yours is on the table." He said a smile curving his lips as Kathryn inclined her head towards him and made a bee line for the beverage. Tom left her alone with the Doc as he took the hot coffee to his friends. He was now eager to get going, the last part of their journey was almost within reach now and he could almost smell the excitement in the air.

"So what were you and Tom discussing." Kathryn opened with, she didn't want to use the word argue, although the doc was not famous for his sugar coating of situations, he also had an ego that rivalled that of a Romulan.

"Mr Paris's flight plan is strange, in fact I would go as far as saying it was wrong." The doc said handing Kathryn the PADD and watching while she skimmed over it. The Doctor tried to read his former Captain's expression but with limited success. He had prided himself in recent years for becoming much more aware of other people's feelings, of first observing others behaviour and then reacting to it. Kathryn Janeway however was a mystery to most, let alone a hologram who's efforts to become more understanding was still in its early stages.

"You see what I mean?" the doc said taking a chance, knowing above everything Kathryn was a great tactician and this was not a good tactical flight path. Kathryn merely took a sip of her coffee and laid the PADD down on the table. Not meeting the Doctor's gaze she pondered just why Tom would have chosen this route. Figuring it was probably best to ask him straight out she finally levelled her eyes with her former CMO and gave him a half smile.

"I think I will see how they are getting on in the work shop." She said and the doc knew a brush off when he heard one. He might not breathe real air but he was no idiot either.

"Admiral, you asked me to come along and be part of your crew, I agreed knowing that you wouldn't have asked me to come if you didn't need and want me with you. All I ask is that you don't keep things from me, not only because I think I deserve better from you but it could prove to be important at a later date." He said now standing in front of her, not blacking her exit but giving her pause to think about what he had said. Kathryn had to admit he was right. He did deserve better than to be pushed aside like some piece of machinery. She had asked him to come along initially because he was the one with the most knowledge of the technology they were using. But it was more than that really, she trusted him both as a person and a doctor. He was also far more useful than she would ever admit to him out loud, even if it was just to keep is ego in check.

"Ok Doctor your right." Kathryn said with a small sigh as Tom walked back into the room carry only one cup of coffee now as he looked at the serious faces surrounding him.

"Ok who died" He said trying to break the tension but all he got was a raised eyebrow and a pair of hands on hops from Kathryn.

"To why did you choose this path?" she asked getting right down to business after all it was what she was good at. Plus they had known each other far too long for pleasantries. She did however managed to keep the accusing tone out of her voice, knowing that Tom probably did have a good reason for going so far of course but she just couldn't see it. Tom froze abruptly tensing his muscles, he didn't want to have this conversation now, he was hoping to tell her once they were back on the flyer. It meant she had less chance of kicking him out the air lock. Although when it came to Kathryn that could still have been a possibility.

"Ok now if I tell you, you have to remember one thing, we are no longer Starfleet officers." Tom said making his way over to the table and taking a seat. Hinting to Kathryn and the Doctor that they should do the same. Kathryn took the hit and knew that she probably wasn't going to like this, but she should at least hear him out.

"Tom that is not strictly true, I may not be wearing the uniform, but I still stand by the prime directive." Kathryn said a stern look in her eyes but Tom ignored it. If she wanted to have this conversation now then so be it.

"No Kathryn you don't, you have broken more rules on this one trip than you did in seven years on board Voyager. You held up the directive there because it kept us together, you also broke it when you knew we could get home." Tom said his voice becoming stronger as he saw her face soften somewhat in the knowledge that he was at least half way right.

"Ok so what is it Tom?" Kathryn said getting slightly impatient at his dramatic pause as the Doctor raised his eyebrows at her obvious frustration.

"I know a Frengi on the outer planet of Ida he has a Romulan cloak for sale. I said we were interested in purchasing it." Tom said now his voice wavered realising that he had gone behind her back because she was likely to say no.

"A cloak now that would be worth a few light years out of our way." It was the doctor that spoke up first and although it was not the approval Tom was looking for he did appreciate the support. Kathryn was still silent, her eyes down cast into her empty coffee cup as though the answers were written there.

"A cloak?" it was a question, like she had never even heard of such a technology although Tom knew that wasn't true. He took it to mean she wanted to know what type of cloak and if it would protect them from the Borg sensors.

"From a war bird, scaled down to fit the flyer it should provide us with almost complete protection from their sensors. Kathryn we have to operate on the assumption that they may have adapted to the new technology. We know they have encountered it before, and there is that every possibility." Tom said and this time Kathryn nodded openly, she had been having nightmares to that end ever since she and Tom had discussed this mission the first night.

"We also know that Borg ships do not fly around with their shields raised, there usual ignorance of anything they find unthreatening is often their down fall. We have managed to thwart them on many occasions using such a technique." The doctor said now getting fully on board with Tom's idea, not really seeing why Kathryn was so against it. It wasn't like Starfleet had never used a cloak before. In fact when they signed the recent treaty with the Klingons they had shared their cloaking technology with them. Fitting several ships with the devices then used in the battle with the dominion.

"I know and you're right a cloak would be a prudent measure." Kathryn said not exactly giving her approval but not saying no either. Tom looked at the doctor and he shrugged as Kathryn walked passed them and out in to the bright sunshine in the moons early morning glow.

"What do you think that meant?" Tom said to the Doc who went back to sitting at the table and picking up a new PADD he gave Tom one last look.

"I am a doctor not a mind reader I suggest you go and ask her yourself." With that Tom decided to do just as the doctor suggested, it wasn't like he had anywhere else to be right now, and he hated it when he fought with Kathryn. Not that that was any kind of fight. He thought as he walked along a path way hoping to catch up with his enigmatic admiral. Perhaps he thought that was what was bothering him. There was no shouting about him going behind her back, no sermon about illegally procuring a cloak from a race that was not exactly friendly with the federation right now. If they got caught not only disobeying orders going on this mission, but with a Romulan cloaking device on board to boot. There would be no judge in the federation that wouldn't court-martial them on the spot. Kathryn knew this and all she had said was that it would be a prudent measure. Hardly something the straight edged Kathryn Janeway would say, when dealing with not only a dangerous but criminal act. Turning a corner and spotting her sat on a rock that over looked a valley Tom paused for a second. Just looking at her was something he got to do rarely unless she was asleep, but then his mind wondered to other things, she was different in sleep either peaceful or haunted. Never like she was now her sharp mind alert and thinking about what he had said. Her hand came up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. She pushed it back behind her ear with two elegant fingers and Tom had to shake himself. When had he been so interested in her fingers? Moving forward now not wanting to get caught like some weirdo lurking in the bushes he almost had a heart attack when she spoke.

"I shocked you back there, believe me I shocked myself." Kathryn said having heard Tom's approach and obvious scrutiny of her as soon as he walked through the trees behind her. She had let him stand there and look, she wasn't ashamed of herself, nor was she overly concerned with her appearance right now. Kathryn knew when Tom was done he would move towards her wanting to talk. Why else would he have followed her out here? As soon as she heard him approach she once again got straight down to business. She knew she would have shocked him with her voice as she was fairly sure he was unaware of her knowledge of his presence. The stop in the sound of his footfalls was enough to tell Kathryn she had succeeded in surprising him. Still she did not turn around to look at him, she didn't need to see his eyes to tell him this. She already knew he was shocked certainly, but maybe even a little disappointed. She had at least tried to set an example for her crew, she had been the thin red line in what they could and couldn't do. A line which she had bent over the years but hadn't crossed. It angered them sometimes, slowed their progress home, but it also gave them a clear cut sense of right and wrong. It was what had stopped them from becoming like Captain and the Equinox crew. Now she was willing to not only bend that line but drop it completely in favour of completing their mission. Tom's next words almost surprised her as much as her own had done back in the kitchen.

"Not really, I had just prepared a brilliant argument for why we should go for the cloak, I was a little disappointed is all." He said a smile in his voice as he sank down next to her and brushed her shoulder with his own. Kathryn couldn't help but smile at that. She had known for a long time that Tom was different to most officers, he didn't see everything in black and white, but almost infinite shades of grey.

"You have to know Kathryn that is doesn't make me respect you any less. A good officer is not measured by how well they follow the rules, it is by their heart. You have the biggest heart of anyone I have ever known." Tom said now turning to look at her and Kathryn could not ignore his piercing gaze. He was right, she knew that herself, the best people she had ever had the honour of serving with were those willing to do anything for their shipmates and their ship. That was why Voyager had been so special to them both, it wasn't about following rules and staying within boundaries it was about the heart and following it all the way back to home.

"You know you have gotten very wise in your old age Tom Paris." Kathryn said with a smirk as Tom bristled slightly, giving a small upwards glance to his thinning hair and then looking pointedly at her.

"If you would like to keep the ability to farther further children I suggest you do not say what you are thinking right now Tom." Kathryn said as she watched Tom's mouth slam shut, knowing full well it would not be below her to carry out her threat. Kathryn's smile rose on her face as she patted his knee and stood up.

"Come on what do you say we find out how close we are to getting off this moon." Kathryn said standing up and smiling down at Tom. The sun behind her cast her in a kind of halo and Tom wondered if that was what angels looked like but pushed the thought aside as she offered him her hand to help his rise. Taking it Tom held on to her hand as they walked back to the house, he knew that soon walks in the forest would soon be over as the last leg of their journey began.

Hope that was worth the wait? As ever please review if you would like more and I will promise to update faster in the future. Thanks for reading XxX