"Should I be worried about the door closing behind me," Chakotay questioned even as the door slid shut.

"Oh, no," Kathryn assured him, running her fingers across his shoulders and down over his chest, "you are in very safe hands."

She kissed the top of his head, then his temple, and, before he knew it, she was sitting in his lap, holding his face between her palms, and pressing her lips to his.

He responded instantly, pressing back, lips parting, tongue slipping in to duel with hers, his arms sliding around her as his own hands smoothed up over her back, one hand cupping the nape of her neck, while the other tangled in her hair. The kiss deepened for several long moments, and then he drew back slightly, nuzzling her cheek, her neck, touching the tip of his tongue to her earlobe before returning to her lips again.

She sighed, and he felt her relax even more into his arms, her slim body pressed to his as she shifted, and then her eyes flew open and she pulled away, sliding most of her weight to his right leg.

"Oh, Chakotay, your brace." She dropped one hand to his left leg. "Am I hurting you?"

He took in a deep breath, startled by her abrupt reaction, then ran his hands down along her arms. "I'm fine, Kathryn," he murmured, holding her still, adjusting his hips and thighs under her, settling her more comfortably in his lap. "You're definitely not hurting me."

She exhaled a long breath, leaning forward and resting her forehead against his. "You're sure?"

And he nodded, moving her head with his. "Very." He ran his fingers along her cheek. "Now where were we?"

But as he lowered his lips back to hers, she pulled back, her hands on his shoulders. "I was about to tuck you in and tell you a bedtime story."

Another nod. "And after that?"

"You're going to go to sleep," she said with a note of finality, getting up and pushing her hair back from her face.

Chakotay felt his breathing slowing down, saw hers calming as well. And he sighed, a very long, very regretful sigh. "I know. What was I thinking?"

She smiled down at him, taking one of his hands in hers. "Probably the same thing I was. But… we're not fifteen-year-olds on their first date."

"Speak for yourself," he grinned, pulling her hand closer and kissing it.

"Chakotay…" And he recognized the unspoken warning in her tone; it was right there next to the unspoken desire; he knew she regretted it as much as he did.

But there were other possible regrets. "You're right. I don't want our first time to be in a hospital room at Starfleet Medical."

"Neither do I." She leaned over and placed a rather chaste kiss on his cheek. "But I am looking forward to it."

And before she could pull away, he'd turned his head, captured her lips with his again, pressing in – a preview and a promise that left her breathless just as the door slid open behind them and Joseph stepped in.

"I'm sorry." The nurse took a step back, taking in Kathryn's bent position over Chakotay's wheelchair, her flushed cheeks and startled expression.

And Chakotay caught her eyes and couldn't help but grin as he looked over his shoulder. "It's all right, Joseph."

"I just came to see if you needed any help getting ready for bed."

Chakotay's grin grew wider. "No. I'm fine. Captain Janeway's going to tuck me in and tell me a bedtime story."

"Yes, sir." Joseph took another step back into the hallway. "You call if you need anything. And… I'm glad you're feeling better." And the door slid closed.

And there was silence in the room, Kathryn's eyes boring into him as he twisted back around in his chair.

And then she spoke, her voice low and quiet. "You… are in so much trouble."

Chakotay just nodded, licked his tongue along his lower lip. "I understand, Captain. You… could place me on report."

"Oh, I plan to. I'm even considering the brig."

"For seventy-five years?"

"At least. Maybe longer."

Another nod, and his lower lip jutted out in a teasing pout. "I deserve it. I've been a… very bad first officer. I should be… punished." And it was all he could do to keep a straight face.

Which Kathryn couldn't do, and she dissolved into convulsive laughter, so hard that she had trouble catching her breath. She sank back onto his lap and laughed until tears formed in her eyes and dripped onto her cheeks. And Chakotay laughed with her, rubbing her back at the same time, both of them trying to regain control.

And finally, Kathryn did, her forehead resting against his once more. "This is worse… than a bad… romance holo-novel," she breathed.

And he agreed. "Oh, much worse."

"It sounds like something Tom would write."

And they both laughed again. And then they both sighed, and Kathryn moved her head to his shoulder, snuggled closer to him.

"You still have to get ready for bed," she said after several long minutes.

"And you still have to tuck me in and tell me that story."

~vVv~

Getting ready for bed revolved around rather mundane tasks: going to the bathroom, brushing his teeth, changing out of his sweats, taking off his brace, deciding whether to sleep in pajamas or opt for the much simpler boxer shorts and t-shirt.

Reluctantly, Kathryn had extricated herself from his lap and arms and watched as he wheeled over to the bathroom door.

"Do you need any help?"

He shook his head as he set the wheel breaks and took hold of the handrails that ran along both sides of the doorway. He planted his feet solidly on the tile floor and then pulled himself to a standing position, swaying slightly and leaning one shoulder against the doorframe.

Kathryn was beside him instantly, hands on his back, steadying him. He smiled down at her, struck as he often was by her height; even with her uniform boots, she wasn't that tall. And without them, Kathryn Janeway was downright short, her forehead even with his shoulder, her chin brushing the middle of his upper arm. But he doubted if any Delta Quadrant ally or enemy ever noticed. The boots may have afforded her two more inches, but the force of her personality afforded her much more than that. And for all the years he'd stood beside her, protecting her from friend or foe, she'd done the same for him. They were certainly not mirror images, yet still two halves of a whole.

Having her by his side was like breathing.

"I knew there was something else that I've been missing since we got back to the Alpha Quadrant."

The concerned expression on her face grew puzzled. "What is that?"

"Looking to my right and seeing you standing there."

And she laughed softly, the worry lines across her brow relaxing as she leaned her forehead against his arm. "I guess… side by side is our preferred position."

And Chakotay raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised by her play on words. "For bridge duty anyway," he whispered, leaning over and kissing the top of her head, then allowing his eyes to roam around the small room. "Although Voyager's viewscreen usually gave us a much better view."

Kathryn looked around as well, taking in the open shower stall, toilet, and sink. She saw the handrails, knew that he could manage this space on his own, but was still reluctant to release him.

"I'm fine," he assured her, sensing her uncertainty. "You can wait in the main room. I'll be out in a little while."

Still, she hesitated.

"Kathryn." He nudged her gently with his elbow. "You can let go." And he pulled away from her, reaching out for the railing along the sink. He placed his right leg out in front of him and took a small step, his left leg sliding forward to meet it.

"I'll stay here. Just in case."

He grinned as he took another step toward the toilet. "In case what? I fall in?"

And she sighed. "Yes… I mean no… I mean…"

He stopped for a moment, looking back over his shoulder. "I know Paul said that we were going to have to communicate openly on a more intimate level, and, believe me, I'm more than willing to do that. But right now, I'd sort of like to pee without an audience."

And Kathryn exhaled a heavy breath, running her hands down along her cheeks and over her mouth until the tips of her fingers were poised against her chin. "I'm sorry. You need your privacy," she realized. "I'll turn around." And she did just that, turning the other way, still in the open door with her back to him.

And Chakotay shook his head, knowing she meant well.

"Kathryn, I don't think I can pee with you standing there. I'm a little bladder shy," he offered with a low chuckle.

He saw her shoulders slump and heard her sigh again. "I'm sorry, Chakotay. I'm just…"

"Worried about me. I know. But I promise – I can do this."

She looked back at him. "If you need me…"

"I'll call for you."

And he watched as she started to step away, then laughed at her parting words.

"But if you do fall in, don't call me – call Joseph."

~vVv~

A few minutes later, he realized that what he thought had been a fabricated excuse may actually be a real problem. He'd told Kathryn he was a little bladder shy, and it seemed his words were proving to be all too accurate. He'd lowered his sweatpants around his thighs, taken things in hand, so to speak, but he wasn't accomplishing anything.

And he released an exhaustive sigh.

She may not have been at the door, but the door was still open and she was just in the next room – an audience still within hearing distance of the performance.

And so, he carefully leaned over and turned on the water tap in the sink – killing two birds with one stone, he smiled as the sound of the running water would not only mask other sounds but perhaps encourage his own presently faulty plumbing.

And in less than a minute, he completed his mission and pulled his clothing back into place. Sidling over to the sink, he washed his hands and splashed a little water on his face – felt the coolness against slightly flushed cheeks. Then he tackled the tube of toothpaste and toothbrush, and, although it took a little longer than his first mission, was pleased when it, too, proved successful.

Slowly, he returned to the doorway, turned, and sank back into his wheelchair; he wheeled into the main room to find Kathryn sitting at the table scanning a data padd.

She looked up and smiled. "Mission accomplished?"

And he laughed at her choice of words; they were definitely two old Starfleet officers. "I'll have my report to you by 0800."

"See that you do."

He wheeled across the room, and she got up and followed him, watched as he reached up for the handgrip and then transferred himself onto the edge of the bed.

"You're getting good at that," she commented, then knelt on the floor in front of him.

"Tom was impressed. Said I'd been learning new tricks. I told him it made me feel like a trained seal."

Kathryn's hands moved to his waist and pulled at the tie on his sweatpants. And he started to protest, but stopped, realizing that need went both ways. He was capable of taking off his own clothes now, able to remove his brace as well. Could even do it left-handed. But Kathryn needed him to need her. And he had to admit that he needed her to do that. And so he placed his hands on the bed behind him and leaned back, letting her divest him of both his pants and his brace.

She set them to one side, then settled her palms on his legs, fingers gently massaging the muscles in his thighs. She looked up at him. "Pajamas?"

And he shook his head. "I can sleep in my boxers and t-shirt." He glanced over at the urinal that still hung on the side of the bed. "It's easier. Not as much fabric to move around in the middle of the night." And he scooted up into the bed, letting her pull the sheet and blanket over him.

He leaned back against the pillows as she settled next to him, lifting her legs up beside his, curling into his chest with her head on his shoulder. And he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, then whispered a request, "Could you begin with 'once upon a time'?"

~vVv~