Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, guys! I hope you enjoy the next chapter.
Chakotay and Kathryn stood at attention before Owen Paris, but their attention was drawn to one another. As much as Kathryn enjoyed being the center of attention for their discussions, she was not entirely sure if she wanted to be an admiral. She would definitely have to talk things over with Chakotay before making any further decisions.
"Well, we have to decide on a few details about the ceremony. Where would you like it to be held?" Owen continued, trying to sort out some details.
"Excuse me, Admiral Paris," Janeway spoke up, gaining his attention, "this is happening quite suddenly. I'm sure you will un-"
"Admiral Paris?" His secretary's voice sounded through the comm screen on his desk, interrupting their conversation.
"Excuse me for a second," Owen apologized as he turned his attention to the screen. "Yes, what is it?" Although he sounded slightly annoyed, Kathryn and Chakotay detected more disappointment than anything, as he may be forced to reconvene with them later.
"Sorry sir, but there's someone waiting in conference room C for you. He says it's urgent, but it shouldn't take long. He wants you to take your case analysis on the file "Gears" down to meet with him." She stopped, awaiting further instruction.
"Alright. Let him know that I'll be there right away." Owen pushed the "end link" button and stood from behind his desk. "I hate to rush out on you two, but it appears that I have no choice. You're welcome to wait around for my return, but usually meetings like this take a lot longer than my secretary seems to think it may. We can continue this discussion at a later date, if you wish."
Janeway nodded. "That would be fine. If, of course, it's no trouble to you."
Owen shook his head as he gathered his things and made his way to the door. "There's no trouble there at all. I'll see you two later, and I again apologize for the interruption," he finished as he opened the door and exited, leaving Chakotay and Kathryn alone.
Kathryn watched as the door shut and turned to Chakotay, confusion written across her face.
"Kathryn?" Chakotay said softly as he moved his hand up to stroke her face. "What's wrong?"
"The position. Admiral. I'm not sure I want it yet," she responded honestly.
"You seemed so excited when I came in."
She sighed softly. "It was like I was receiving a promotion from my father. He was so proud that I couldn't tell him how I feel. Then when I tried, we got interrupted by his secretary." Chakotay grabbed Kathryn's hands in his own and held them to his chest.
"Then what do you want?" He stared deeply into her eyes, trying desperately to read something that she wasn't telling him.
"What?" She said, taken by surprise. "What... do I want?" Kathryn paused as she returned his deep gaze. They stood in silence for several minutes, studying the depths of each others' eyes. Finally, Chakotay broke the silence.
"I think I know what you want," he said, pulling her to the window. Chakotay put his arm around her shoulder. "That is, if you want the same thing I want."
"It sounds ridiculous," she said, entranced by the bright morning sky.
"It doesn't sound ridiculous. Kathryn, we were on Voyager for seven years. That's where we fell in love. It was our home." She turned her eyes to her husband.
"Chakotay, we have been back on Earth longer than we were stranded in the Delta quadrant. We have three beautiful children, a nice home. We're surrounded by our friends and family." Their eyes once again found their way out the window. "And yet, I miss the adventures. The unknown. Never knowing what new species we would encounter, or who we'd have to battle tomorrow."
"I know how you feel." Chakotay rubbed his hand up and down her arm as they watched the puffy white clouds roll along.
"I'm sorry," Kathryn whispered as she gently placed her head on his shoulder.
"What are you sorry about?" He responded, trying not to show how confused he was.
"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you how I felt while we were on Voyager. I put my position before the feelings of my first officer. For a while, I thought I was going to lose you."
"To Seven of Nine?" He asked, less of a question than a response. Kathryn nodded against his shoulder, tears forming in her eyes. "She has nothing on you," Chakotay reassured her.
"You always know what to say," Kathryn whispered before she tilted her head up to his. Gratefully, he accepted her soft, tender kiss.
"I love you," Chakotay gasped between kisses. She moaned into his mouth, making him laugh. "What was that?" he chuckled, holding her close.
"I said: I love you too," Kathryn responded. Again, Chakotay chuckled before planting kisses on her neck.
"That's not what it sounded like to me," he said, between kisses.
"Oh really?" she responded, pulling his face to hers again. "And what did it sound like?"
"Mmm," Chakotay moaned into her mouth as their lips came together again. After a few seconds, she pulled away once again.
"A rose by any other name," she responded, before they collided once again.
"We better go home," Chakotay whispered, "otherwise, Admiral Paris may come back to an unwanted surprise on his desk."
"I've got a better idea," Janeway said, grabbing his hand. "Come on." And out the door she pulled him.
"A public holodeck?" Chakotay said as they approached the building. Kathryn squeezed her grip on his hand.
"Come on, Chakotay. It'll be fun. We'll only be here for a few hours and then we can go get Edward. Maybe we can visit New Earth." The mention of New Earth made Chakotay smile. That was when he first admitted to Kathryn, in his own way, that he loved her. "I called earlier this week when you were outside with the kids. The director of the program said he'd be more than happy to give us one of the private decks if we want." She leaned in closer to him, placing her free hand on his chest. "We may want to take that option."
Chakotay's face widened into a dimpled smile at the thought of having one completely private date. Although he was sure that Edward would not know what they were doing in their separate bedroom, the thought of having a baby in the house slightly bothered him. Before Kathryn could move her hand off of his chest, he grasped it in his own and brought it to his lips, smelling her wonderful scent just before kissing the knuckles softly.
"Have I told you how much I love you?" Kathryn's gravelly voice broke out from beside him.
"Not in the last twenty minutes," he teased, giving her a loving sideways gaze.
"Watch it, mister," she said, pushing against his side.
"Or what? I'll be in for a world of hurt?" Chakotay smiled down at her, ready for their usual banter.
"You don't know how much of a dictator I can really be," Kathryn responded immediately.
"You don't know how much of a rebel I can be," Chakotay shot back teasingly.
"Oh? Then maybe I should be the one ready for a world of hurt."
"Maybe so."
"Then I'll be looking forward to it," Kathryn replied, not missing a beat.
"Maybe I'll just throw you in the brig instead," Chakotay threw back, hoping to keep their innuendos rolling.
"Only on three conditions," Kathryn said as she suddenly stopped walking. She turned to face him with her hands behind her back. Her face looked completely serious. "One, you have to be the guard on duty. Two, I get to give full reports on your performance."
"Alright, and what's the third one?"
"You don't cry for help," Kathryn said as she turned on her heel and began walking toward the building again. Chakotay stood still for a moment, smiling wide, before he caught up with his wife.
The sunset on the horizon flooded the skies with brilliant colors of red, oranges, and yellows. Kathryn's eyes fell down to their reflection in the river. She smiled broadly at the thought of being on New Earth again. Everything that the two had spent the last hour programming looked nearly identical to the planet on which they had been temporarily stranded. Chakotay had even programmed a cute little primate that had the same appearance and nature as their frequent visitor.
"Do you remember the first night we saw that monkey?" Chakotay said, as though he were reading Kathryn's mind.
"I remember that night perfectly," she admitted, slightly embarrassed. Chakotay leaned over to her and kissed her cheek.
"Kathryn," his deep voice whispered, "I do believe you're blushing." Chakotay's comment made Kathryn's cheeks take on an even deeper shade of crimson, which he kissed again. "I'd better be careful with my remarks, otherwise your beautiful face may blend in with the sunset."
"Chakotay, why did you marry me?" Kathryn asked abruptly. Chakotay pulled away, somewhat shocked. Quickly, he thought of a response.
"Why don't you let me show you?" Chakotay drew her close to him and scooped her up in his arms onto his lap. His lips smoothed over the skin of her neck and upper chest. Slowly, Chakotay stood, so as not to plunge them both into the river, and made his way back toward the house. The lower that Chakotay kissed on Kathryn's body, the more that she arched in his arms. Soon, Kathryn found her pushing his face up to watch the walking path while she planted his jawline with kisses.
"Why did I build the house so far away from the damn river?" Chakotay said as he finally reached the entryway.
"Tired already?" Kathryn asked, slightly disappointed, as she continued to mark her territory.
"No," he responded, "Impatient." Chakotay walked with her in his arms to one of the bedrooms, where he placed her softly on the bed. Clothes soon flew off of them and fell on the floor, covering its entirety. Kathryn laid on the bed, pinned under Chakotay.
"Don't forget that report," he teased.
"So far, you're doing an exemplary job," she responded, already breathing heavily.
Kathryn pressed her face into his bare shoulder, exhausted from their performance. She watched as Chakotay's chest rose and fell just as her own. Carefully, she placed her hand on his stomach and drew circles with her fingertips.
"Wow," Kathryn finally spoke into the silence. "I'd forgotten how great of an assistant you were."
"I must say," Chakotay said through heavy breaths, "even though you were unconscious for half a year, you've still got it." He kissed the top of her head softly.
"You must have been building up for all those months," she responded.
"What were you dreaming about while you were in a coma?" He wondered aloud as his hand stroked her bare side and hip. Kathryn sighed softly, not wanting to remember her strange dream.
"Well, it didn't seem like six months. It felt like about a week. We were much older, and you hated me," she laughed, remembering the story. "You had gotten married to Seve-I mean, Annika. She died in my arms on an away mission, and you never forgave me."
"Why didn't I forgive you?" Chakotay said, engrossed in the story.
"I let the murderer of your wife go. I showed him mercy, and I lost my best friend because of it." Tears gathered in her eyes at the thought of losing Chakotay again. Noticing the tears, Chakotay pulled her close to himself.
"Shh, shh shh..." he cooed, trying to comfort her. "I'm here. You haven't lost me."
"The funny thing is," Kathryn continued through soft gasps of crying, "that we still had the children. Except they were older, and Kolopak was your son; Elsa was my daughter. They were madly in love with one another, and neither one of us really approved."
"Who was your husband?" Chakotay asked curiously.
"Elsa's father was Commodore Jonathan..." she paused, remembering what the secretary had said to Admiral Paris. Chakotay raised an eyebrow, wondering what she was thinking about. "...Gears."
"Jonathan Gears?" he repeated.
"We weren't married," Kathryn continued, desperate to change the subject. "Anyway. You came to my house because Kolopak ran away, and then you were in the hospital. You were fine, but then I started to not be fine..." she trailed off. "Chakotay? Do you remember when we went on the away mission and we were struck down by electrical interface?"
"The mission where you almost died? How could I forget?"
"Do you remember how the Doctor said I was being attacked by some alien? Well, I think it... happened again."
"But the Doctor did a full scan while you were in Starfleet Medical. He surely would have caught it, just like he did the first time."
"Maybe you're right," Kathryn said, sighing. "I'm sorry for bringing this up."
"Why?" Chakotay said, still holding her close to him.
"Honestly? It's a mood killer." She removed her hand from his stomach and sat up next to her husband. "We probably should go get Edward now anyway."
End Chapter 12.