I watch you as you sit on the sand, watching the waves. It's almost dark and the sky has turned that deep shade of blue you refer to as midnight blue. It is one of your favorite colors and your favorite time of day. You said you missed this on Voyager, that the holodecks could never quite get this right. I believe you now.
The waves are more gray than the sky and break on the shore a meter or so from your feet. Between the sky and sea, there is a thin line of pink, the last of the sun for this day. The end of the day and the beginning of night.
A faint light from the cottage reaches out to illuminate you. Just enough light to see your hair caught by the breeze blowing in from the ocean. It's longer now, almost to your mid-back and more red and blonde than normal from exposure to the sun and sea. You look so peaceful sitting there, watching the waves. But you're not really watching the waves, or listening to the ocean, but somewhere else. A million miles away.
You've got on that sweater of mine that you love so much. I think you wear it more than I do. And loose pants, with your toes sticking out from the hem. Your leaning on your drawn up knees and your cheek is resting on your arms. I see just your smile in the dim light. In fact your whole body is smiling.
You are so at peace.
I wish I could freeze this moment in a picture to keep always. But a picture or painting wouldn't do this justice. So I'll store it in my heart, where it will never fade.
I cross the sand to reach you and see one of your hands reaching back for me. You know its me without looking. I sense you like that too, but you already know that. When I touch your hand I forget were you begin and I end.
Beginnings and Ends.
That's our story, isn't it? Our life has been so full of them.
"Darling," you say. Pulling me down beside you, onto the sand. I realize that there is something in between our hands. And we hold it there for a few minutes, not wanting to break the connection just yet.
As the pink remnants of sun fade away, I release your hand and look at what you've placed there. It's a small pink stone, smooth and oval shaped. Perfect in symmetry, warm from your hand. You still don't look directly at me, but beyond the waves, to that far off place in your smile.
"Welcome home, Chakotay. How was your day, darling? Or should I say, Papa?" Then you turn to me, with unshed tears in your eyes. I look at you and feel the tears on my cheeks and now my whole body is smiling too. I know the meaning of the stone now and know that it will find it's way to my medicine bundle. For it's significant is so great. And I lean over and kiss you and forget again where I begin and you end.
And there, on the beach, at the end of the continent and the beginning of the sea, at the end of day and the beginning of night, we end one chapter of our lives and begin another.
We touch again and stare at the sea together.
All three of us.
A/N: This story actually began its existence with this last part. One day it just got stuck in my head and begged to be put on paper. It really hasn't changed it at all from when I first wrote it. I've spent the last year off and on trying to complete the beginning of the story to my satisfaction. I never quite got the middle to work out right, but I hope it didn't turn anyone away from this. I just love this ending, it gives me goosebumps.