"What would you have us do Chakotay? For the first time she's happy, really happy." B'Elanna pointed out as she handed her old friend a drink.

The two friends looked across the room at where Kathryn had her arm wrapped around Admiral Lang's waist and he had his hand resting on her naked lower back. he was whispering in her ear causing her to laugh just a little. the blue in her eyes was a deep rich colour and she almost seemed to be alive once again. "he's not right for her" growled Chakotay. he was boiling with anger and everything in him wanted to rip her from his grasp and claim her for his.

"and who is?" asked B'Elanna "you?"

when Chakotay merely gave her a foul look she told him "well I like him, he's a highly decorated admiral, just like Kathryn."

"don't remind me." he hissed.

"oh that's what this is all about" B'Elanna said looking closely at her old friend "the problem is not Admiral Lang the problem is you asked her, she said no and you can't take it."

"She never Said no, she just never said yes but B'Elanna I swear if he hurts one hair on her head he will pay." Growled Chakotay as he clenched his fists watching Jack kiss her neck.

"you're supposed to be engaged old man." the younger woman reminded him. "Chakotay do you know what a compromise is?"

Chakotay hung his head, he knew exactly what his friend was getting at "seven doesn't deserve it." he told her running his fingers through his now slightly white hair.

"no she doesn't" B'Elanna admitted, when Chakotay snapped his head up to look at her she said "ok so I am not saying I like the woman but she didn't do anything wrong in all of this, nor did Kathryn."

"Kathryn had her chance" Chakotay reminded her.

"yea?" B'Elanna asked "when was the last time you actually told her how you felt? before or after you got yourself involved with Seven? Chakotay you're asking her to have known how you felt these last years, you moved on so has she by the looks of things."

"she knows that, I know that, we could never be together, protocol-"

"Chakotay you're a P'Tack" B'Elanna hissed.

"I'm not the P'Tack, admiral Lang is and if he doesn't get his greasy fingers off her I'll-"

"what?" B'Elanna asked "you'll what?"

Chakotay stopped what he was saying and looks at the couple who were now sharing a kiss and he knew he had lost. "B'Elanna he threatened me"

"you've been staring down his girlfriend's cleavage all evening, I don't blame him, it's a wonder Kathryn herself hasn't knocked you out."

Chakotay found himself drawing his eyes away from Kathryn, he was about to deny his actions but then thought better of it. "he doesn't deserve her"

"he's treated her better than you have."

"what have I ever done?" Chakotay exclaimed.

"declared your undying love for her, made her believe you would wait for her to be ready but almost as though you had waited long enough you go out with Seven, when we arrived in the alpha quadrant she found herself all alone once again. you get engaged to Seven and demand her to be happy

for you even when her heart is breaking she tried to be happy for you. don't blame her for finding somebody, don't break them up just because you realised you picked the wrong girl."

"I love her B'Elanna" Chakotay hissed as he watched Kathryn tear herself from her new found boyfriend.

"your timing sucks" his half Klingon told him "don't do something you'll r egret, let her be happy."

"what am I supposed to do?"

"live with the choice you made, if you can't do that then you have to at least do what's right for Seven."

B'Elanna left Chakotay deep in thought and alone with his beer to ponder her words he knew she was right he just didn't like it. he hadn't noticed the slender future that had sat down beside him. her distinctive husky voice brought him back down to earth "hi."

"Kathryn hi." he Said looking at her slightly shell shocked.

"I thought I would come over and give you a better view." she said with a hint of a smile in her voice.

"excuse me?"

breaking into laughter she told him "don't worry I am not going to attack you, but you have been staring at me all evening."

"do you blame me?" he Asked looking at her where she sat next to him "you look amazing."

she snorted "truth be told I threw this thing on, I was in the bath far too late."

which made Chakotay smile "I see"

"Jack was getting impatient so I got ready in a hurry."

"it's exquisite, it brings out your eyes." he told her as stroked her cheek bone with his fingertips and took in the gaze of her eyes with his own.

looking deep into the eyes of the man she loved she smiled her radiant smile at him, placed her hand on his shoulder and told him "you did always look great out of uniform."

"less to remind you of my lower rank?" he Asked slightly harshly.

withdrawing her hand quickly she turned away and told him "you are far more than a captain to me, even in your uniform."

"Do you ever think of what might have been?"

shaking her head she told him "what might have been is not what is"

Chakotay was silent for a long time, he knew she was right but part of him just didn't want to admit it. he thought of the last time he saw her and how even then she had looked such the part with beauty "thank you for such a wonderful promotion admiral."

leaning into him a little freely she whispered childlike into his ear "your welcome." with those words she smiled a little and placed her hand on his shoulder "I know you said you were angry for me not being honest with you, and maybe I haven't been but I want us to be friends."

Chakotay was silent for a long time. then turning to face her he saw tears forming in her eyes. reaching up he brushed a stray strand of hair from her eyes. "I was wrong to be angry. you had every right to be angry with me for getting with seven."

"I wanted to be happy for you." she told him truthfully, she had really wanted to be happy for him.

"I thought you didn't want me" he told her.

"so you took the next best girl" Kathryn said sadly.

"Kathryn it was never like that" Chakotay insisted.

Kathryn surveyed all the people gathered there in tom and B'Elanna's house as she told him "the fact remains, you and I have both hurt each other over these long years, can we call it a day to all the pain?" she asked turning to him "can we be friends even through all this?"

"Kathryn you don't even have to ask that, don't ever feel you have to ask that, I always want us to be friends." he told her taking her small delicate hands on his large copper brown ones giving her knuckles a stroke with his thumbs he told her "don't you ever forget, I am always here for you whenever you need me I am at your side."

with a smile she whispered "thanks Chakotay."

before he could respond in anyway the firm hand of admiral Lang rested on her almost bare shoulders and a stern look given to Chakotay. "is everything ok daring?" the admiral asked refusing to take his eyes from Chakotay.

"yes, fine" she told him now standing to look between the two men "Jack this is Chakotay, a very dear friend of mine. Chakotay this is Jack, my boyfriend."

"yes, we have met." Chakotay growled not taking his eyes from the man he had now decided he hates.

"pleasure." Jack spat in return.

Kathryn looked between the two men before placing her hands firmly on hips and issuing Chakotay with her famous death glare. "Chakotay be nice." she snapped.

remembering how she treated seven with dignity though she didn't like her much Chakotay looked at the man now weaving his hands into Kathryn's hair and told him "may you work to one day deserve this woman."

"Chakotay!" she hissed angrily at him.

"remember what I said Kathryn and don't ever forget it." he told her and with that he was gone.