The following takes place sometime in season 6, after 'Equinox' and 'Barge of the Dead'.

The lights flickered above her head, momentarily illuminating the dark corridor. Her heart was hammering in her chest and all she could hear was her own ragged breathing. Slowly she crept forward in the darkness, trying to avoid the debris littered on the floor. A shower of sparks made her whip around, phaser grasped in her trembling hands. Then she heard it; the faint screeching that filled every fibre of her being with dread. She turned on her heel and started running down the corridor as fast as she could. But the screeching was catching her, coming closer and closer...

'You can't escape...'

The rasping voice in her ear caused her to cry out in shock, and she staggered backwards against the bulkhead.

'You can run, but you'll never escape.'

The screeching was becoming uncomfortably loud and she covered her ears with her hands, sinking to the floor. The ship began to shake and she looked up in horror as a spacial rift opened and the alien shot out straight towards her. She screamed and screamed and...

Kathryn Janeway sat bolt upright in bed, breathless and covered in sweat. She let her eyes slip closed as she tried to calm herself. She knew she had been screaming from the soreness of her throat and she thumped the bed in despair.

'Computer, lights.'

She made her way slowly to the bathroom and washed her face in cool water. She looked in the mirror and gazed at the pale, drawn face that was staring back at her. For months now she'd been having this nightmare, ever since the Equinox had turned her life upside down. The nightmare was always the same; she was trapped on Voyager alone with the aliens hunting her and now and again Ransom's voice would whisper disturbing nothings into her ears as she fled.

The door chime sounded, shaking her from her dark thoughts. It was the middle of the night and she was hardly in any state to see anyone, so she ignored it, instead walking over to her replicator to order a coffee. She knew from experience there was no point her trying to sleep now.

As she picked up the steaming mug the doors to her quarters slid open causing her to almost drop her drink in surprise.

'Captain?'

Kathryn stepped towards the door, squinting in the light from the corridor.

'Are you alright Chakotay?' she asked concerned. The doors swished shut behind her first officer leaving them in darkness. 'Computer, half illumination.'

'I thought I heard screaming, and I just came to see if...' Chakotay's voice trailed off as he took in Kathryn's appearance. She was wearing a white cotton nightgown that just about reached her knees, exposing her legs and arms which were covered in bruises. Her face was ghostly white and her eyes were red and surrounded by dark shadows. Her usually beautifully kept hair was a tangled mess.

'Chakotay?' prompted Kathryn moving closer to him.

He reached out and gently grasped her arm, turning it slightly to reveal the full extent of an ugly blue/grey bruise.

'What the hell happened to you?' he asked softly, lifting his eyes to meet hers.

Immediately Kathryn pulled away, suddenly aware of her dishevelled appearance.

'Nothing, I'm fine.'

Chakotay stepped forward, his expression one of disbelief. 'You're fine? Have you seen yourself Kathryn?'

She swallowed hard and glanced down at her bruises.

'I...I've been having nightmares and I keep falling out of bed.' She explained almost inaudibly.

'It was you screaming?' asked Chakotay, his concern deepening. Kathryn nodded and sat down heavily on the sofa.

'Have you talked to the doctor, I'm sure he could give you something-'

'No, I don't want anything,' interrupted Kathryn abruptly. Chakotay stared at her knowing it was almost impossible to get Kathryn to talk when she didn't want to.

'What are you having nightmares about?' he asked tentatively.

Kathryn sighed and rubbed her forehead tiredly. Maybe talking to Chakotay would help and she didn't know how much longer she should take the sleepless nights.

'I keep dreaming about the Equinox aliens,' she began quietly. 'I'm trapped on Voyager and I can't escape, and I run and run but they always catch me.'

'Hence the screaming.'

Kathryn looked up and smiled wanly. 'Yeah, hence the screaming.'

'It doesn't surprise me that you're having bad dreams about the Equinox,' began Chakotay softly. 'What you did to Lessing will take a while to get over.'

Kathryn felt her expression harden. 'I don't think this is about Lessing, I think it's about Ransom and being captain and... surviving.'

Chakotay nodded slowly. 'I guess part of it could be that, but what you did to Lessing was terrible Kathryn and I don't think you've dealt with it.'

'It's not about Lessing,' insisted Kathryn, standing up and beginning to pace. 'It's about trying to keep myself together and... and feeling trapped-'

'Like Lessing was when you shut him in the cargo bay and let the aliens loose on him?'

Kathryn looked at Chakotay in stunned silence. After a moment she found her voice.

'You never tried to understand why I did that.' She told him, her voice full of emotion.

Chakotay stood up and looked her in the eye. 'I find it hard to even think about that day,' he told her sadly. 'I never thought you could... would act in such a way.'

Kathryn swallowed the lump building in her throat. 'Chakotay, please-'

'I understand how you bury things inside of you and hope they go away.' continued Chakotay earnestly. 'But this won't. You almost killed a man and you can't pretend it didn't happen.'

Kathryn stared at him, biting her lip to stop herself breaking down. He didn't get it. The man she always turned to when she needed comfort and support and understanding just didn't understand, and it was breaking her heart.

'Good night Commander,' she said softly before turning and disappearing back into her bedroom. After a moment she heard Chakotay leave and she glanced at the photograph of him and her on her dresser. They were dressed in Hawaiian outfits and were wearing matching grins.

'I'm sorry Chakotay,' she whispered into the darkness. 'I'm so sorry.'