Chakotay managed one blueberry pancake, while Kathryn finished off three. He sat back in his chair and commented on her appetite in comparison with his lack of one.

She reached over and took his hand, gave it a gentle squeeze. "That's because I have a full morning of shopping ahead of me, and you're a bit nervous about calling your sister and Seven. You'll be hungry by lunchtime. And I'll be back by then. We can compare notes." She'd already moved the computer over to the table, and she turned it toward him as she stood to leave. "They're going to be so pleased to hear from you."

He gave her a doubtful look, but, as she pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and a whispered "good luck" to his ear, he reached out for the computer and started keying in his sister's comm address.

Kathryn smiled, and with a reassuring pat on his shoulder, she left. He'd be all right on his own.

It took several long moments for the call to go through – like Bajor, Dorvan V was a long way away, but then the screen was filled with the image of his sister, dark hair and eyes so much like his own. Her expression lit up when she realized who it was, a broad smile spreading over her face.

"Chakotay! What a wonderful surprise! I wasn't expecting to hear from you until next month."

Even as he returned her smile, he felt the beginning of tears prick his eyes. Damn it, he wasn't going to do this, but seeing his sister caused the weight of the past few weeks to suddenly press down on him, and he felt himself beginning to shake.

Sekaya saw it. Even after seven years in the Delta Quadrant, she still knew him too well. "Chakotay? Are you all right? What is it?"

He shook his head. "I'm fine. I'm just… glad to see you."

She wasn't buying it. "And I'm glad to see you, too. Now tell me the truth."

And he gave a half laugh. "I never could keep anything from you."

Her gaze hardened. "Chakotay…"

He sighed. "I really am all right… now."

She saw him swallow on that last word, and her expression softened. "Now? What happened?"

"A week ago last Tuesday I was in my office when I got a terrible headache – pain shooting through the side of my head. Next thing I knew, I was on the floor. Then Tom Paris showed up, got me to Starfleet Medical." He could see her lower lip trembling as tears filled her eyes. "It was a stroke."

"Oh, Chakotay."

"My left side was weak; I had difficulty speaking, trouble remembering some things. I couldn't walk at first. But…I'm a lot better now. I'm up on my feet, getting around. Memory's good. Most of the time." He saw the fear in her eyes. "They fixed me, Sekky. I'm all right. Really."

She pressed her fingers to her lips, took several deep breaths. "You promise?"

And Chakotay smiled at her words; it was a routine from childhood. Whenever she was scared or worried about something, he would tell her that everything was all right. But she wouldn't believe him until he made it a promise, like he did now.

"I promise."

A moment passed, and then another, and then he saw a flash in her eyes. "And it took you almost two weeks to contact me?"

And he started laughing and crying at the same time as she let him have it.

"You're at Starfleet Medical and you didn't think that maybe, just maybe, your only sister might like to know that her only brother is sick."

"Sekky, I was flat on my back!"

"Don't you Sekky me. You could have had someone else call. It's not like you were in the damn Delta Quadrant!"

"I didn't want to worry you. You were too far away; there's nothing you could have done."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glared at him. "I would have known."

"And you know now. And I'm better able to talk with you about it."

"You should have asked Kathryn to contact me."

The use of her name surprised him, brought him up short. And he took a deep breath. "Why Kathryn?"

Sekaya blinked at him, wiping at the remaining tears in her eyes. "She's been with you, hasn't she?"

"Yes, but… Why would you assume that?"

And she released an exhausted sigh. "Chakotay, give me some credit. Four months ago, you came home from the Delta Quadrant professing to care for one woman and all you could talk about the entire week you were here was another. Almost every story you told revolved around Kathryn, not Seven. And I could see the look in your eyes when you talked about her."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"There was no need for me to question your relationship with Seven. You were already questioning it yourself. I could tell." She smiled softly. "I knew you'd figure it out."

Chakotay frowned slightly at her words. "Remember - Seven broke up with me."

Sekaya chuckled. "She just figured it out a little sooner than you did." She hesitated for a moment. "You've been in love with Kathryn for a long time. Dating Seven wasn't going to change that."

Chakotay's mouth thinned into a hard line. "I wasn't trying to replace my feelings for Kathryn by dating another woman." There was a hint of defensiveness in his tone. "I really did care about Seven."

"I know you did. And I'm sure Seven knows that, too." She drew in a deep breath, let it out slowly, studying the lines of her brother's face, wishing she could reach through the computer and wrap her arms around him. "I'm just so thankful that Kathryn has been there with you. I know she travels a lot."

"She was on Vulcan when it happened, but she came the next day. And she… she stayed."

"Chakotay?"

He nodded. "Yeah." The corners of his mouth lifted into a familiar dimpled grin. "We… finally admitted some things to each other."

Sekaya knew that their friendship had grown stronger since his break-up with Seven; she'd been waiting for this.

"So it takes a stroke to knock some sense into the two of you?" she sighed.

"At least something good came out of it."

"It did. And…I'm happy for you."

He heard the hesitancy. "What? No one's good enough for your big brother?"

"That's not it… I am happy. For both of you. I just… I don't want you… to be hurt." She'd listened carefully to all those stories he'd told her about those years in the Delta Quadrant; his love for Kathryn was written plainly between every line. But as much as Sekaya believed that this woman did love her brother, still, she'd made him wait.

She saw a look of calm determination settle in his eyes, and his next words were soft but firm. "You don't have to worry about that. I promise."

And that was all she needed to hear. Almost.

"You're sure you're all right physically?" Her look of concern was still evident.

And he laughed gently, shaking his head. "I promised that, too, didn't I?"

And she nodded, forced herself to relax. He was all right. And he had Kathryn. And that was good.

"So, where is the rest of the family?" he asked, moving the topic of conversation away from him.

Sekaya smiled. "They've all gone to the park down by the river. They're going to be disappointed that they missed you."

"I'm sorry I missed them, too. Sorry I'm not there; I love that park."

"I know you do," she laughed, remembering his visit and how he'd climbed all over the play structures with Paka and Calusa, the biggest kid of the three. "You'll have to come again soon. And bring Kathryn. I want to meet this woman who's stolen my brother's heart." And thank her for stealing it and keeping it safe.

He smiled at her words. "She wants to meet you, too. And Koham and the kids." He lowered his eyes for a few moments, then looked back up. "I love you, Sekky."

She heard the tremor in his voice, felt the tears gathering again in her eyes. "I love you, too, brother."

~vVv~

They talked for a while longer, about Kathryn and Koham and Calusa and Paka, about family and how much they missed each other, about the future and what it had to offer, about life and how to deal with the unexpected. Chakotay never admitted to having been afraid; he'd never admitted that to her – not once in all her 46 years – but she knew, could tell by his words, his expression. This had taken him by complete surprise and shaken him more than he would ever tell her; she hoped he could share it with Kathryn – hoped that he would let her be strong for him so that he could heal and find his way.

"It's all right to lean on her for a while," she slipped into the conversation when Chakotay mentioned how supportive Kathryn had been. "From what you've told me, she has enough strength for both of you."

He simply nodded at her words – not an admission, nor a denial, just silent agreement.

"Koham and I have our own mutual support team - there are days when he holds me up, and other days when I hold him. Of course, we have to maintain a united front or your niece and nephew will rule the roost."

He grinned. "I thought they already did."

"Only when you're here and they're showing out for their favorite uncle."

"Tell them hello for me. Give them big kisses."

"I will." Sekaya drew in a deep breath. "You take care. Tell Kathryn… thank you."

~vVv~

"You're sure he's all right on his own?"

Kathryn looked over at her shopping partner and sighed. "You're worse than I am. He's a grown man; he can talk to his sister and his…"

"Ex-girlfriend."

"On his own." She picked up the silver tray she was looking at and examined the back of it. "Besides, I'm not sure what advice I could give him – especially when it comes to Seven."

B'Elanna leaned against the table beside her and looked around. They were standing in the middle of a little antique shop in the Mission District. Kathryn had called right after breakfast and asked if she'd like to go antiquing – not something that B'Elanna usually did, but she could tell that her former captain was probably looking for more than just antiques, and if she could provide some answers, she was willing to try.

"I don't know much about their relationship – then or now," B'Elanna admitted, rolling her eyes. "Tom says it's not from lack of trying. Although, when it started, I was a little preoccupied."

Kathryn laughed, setting the tray down and picking up a wine goblet, the cut crystal sparkling in the morning sunlight that was streaming through the window. "That's like saying you were a little pregnant, which you weren't."

B'Elanna sighed. "Still, Kathryn, I should have seen it… I should have done… something."

Kathryn studied the glass in her hand. "B'Elanna… I saw it, and I didn't do anything…" She returned the goblet to the table. "I realized that… he deserved to be happy."

"So did you."

"And I am. Now." She smiled and walked over to another table, her eyes scanning the items scattered across it. "Chakotay and Seven meant something to each other at a time when… they were both looking for…"

"A father figure?" B'Elanna snorted.

And Kathryn stifled a laugh. "That's not nice – and besides, he's already admitted that the – age gap was too wide. Cut him a break."

"You sound like Tom."

"And you sound like the little sister who thinks no one's good enough for her big brother."

B'Elanna shrugged, casting a grin in Kathryn's direction. "You're good enough."

She reached over and patted the younger woman's arm. "That's a relief to know. Because you're both stuck with me."

B'Elanna followed Kathryn's gaze as she perused the contents of the table. "What exactly are you looking for?"

"I'm not sure. But I'll know it when I see it."

She'd already said that twice during their shopping excursion, and B'Elanna was a bit perplexed – and she didn't like being perplexed. She thought for a moment. "Something for your mother's birthday?"

Kathryn shook her head. "That's was last month. I got her a bottle of wine from that little vineyard that I like in Sonoma."

"Something for Chakotay?"

"Maybe, but he's a hard one to shop for. Besides, his birthday isn't until next month."

"All the more reason to start now," B'Elanna said as her eyes roamed around the shop, taking on a somewhat predatory glow.

"Well, if you know it when you see it," Kathryn laughed, "will you tell me?"

~vVv~