Home Sweet Home
The following story line is mine. Don't try to copy it cause I'll get mad
In a like vein, Star Trek: Voyager and all characters are the sole property of someone other than me.
AN: This is about 6 months later. Deneb made it through the surgery just fine, but had to take time to recuperate after the treatments because it had been pretty advanced.
Katharine tossed the ball back to Damian who chased after it diligently.
"Aunt Kathy, I got it!" he exclaimed with a little dance. He promptly fell on his behind, but it didn't perturb him. The twins had just celebrated their third birthday: a messy affair with balloons and chocolate cake which had ended up all over the furniture, their clothes and their faces. They had each received small gifts from the assorted "aunts" and "uncles" they had gathered to themselves. Katharine had given them coloring books and crayons, Tom had given them a set of small soft balls, Harry had replicated small, kid safe keyboards for them. Kes and Neelix had given them stuffed...bear things. (Damia promptly named hers Neelix and Damian promptly named his Kes) Tuvok had produced a puzzle for each of them. B'Elanna had had trouble thinking of something to get them. She wasn't sure what was appropriate for children. At the Captain's suggestion, she picked out two sippy cups with their names painted on. (She made sure to get them the exact same color of green, so they wouldn't have anything to fight about) Chakotay had presented them with disks of children's songs. (They had finally given up calling him "Da-y" when they got a better grip on their vocabulary. While Chakotay knew it was more appropriate, he couldn't help but feeling that he'd lost something)
These things had all been treasured for a few days before being tossed to side for more interesting things. What these thing were, nobody was sure, as nobody else could see them. But Damia and Damian were perfectly happy to play without any props at all, or what makeshift props they could come up with. Deneb was still doing daycare duty during the day and so they had other children to play with.
Tonight was one of the dance/parties that Deneb had arranged for the crew. In the past three years many young couples had met at these functions. Deneb never went. Katharine had stopped by to try and persuade the young woman to go but had ended up playing with Damian while Deneb gave Damia a bath instead. She tossed the ball for the little boy again, who spun around and chased it. Katharine tried hard not to think of her dog.
Deneb came out carrying Damia who was already dressed for bed. Deneb had a brush and Damia knew it. She was struggling to get away.
"Damia, the more you struggle the more it hurts!" Deneb cried, trying to get the little girl to sit still on the couch. Katharine had become used to how much like her mother Damia looked. She had the same chestnut-red hair, although hers had little highlights of blonde in it, and her mother's green eyes. She had a strong jaw that would be attractive when she'd lost her baby fat and a nicely shaped nose that sat above two finely shaped lips. She was going to be stunning in about fifteen years or so.
Damian on the other hand looked more like his father. He was blonde, to be certain and had brown eyes, with little green flecks close to the iris. When she compared him with the pictures she'd seen of James Kirk there could be no doubt of whose son he was.
In temperament, however, the twins were exactly the same. Stubborn and controlling, they argued about everything. Katharine had the feeling that they were going to grow up to be great friends. If they lived through this phase.
The door chimed.
"Come in!" Deneb called, finally releasing her daughter with combed hair. Chakotay came in, wearing a very nice off hours outfit in black and red. Katharine had known he was coming, she'd told him to, but Deneb looked surprised.
"Hey, Chakotay" she said cheerfully, "Are you going to the party?"
"I was thinking about it" he answered carefully, "If you'll go with me"
"Oh, Ko, I don't think so. I've got to give Damian a bath still" Deneb answered.
"I can give him a bath" Katharine said, "Why don't you go?"
"You can't give him a bath all by yourself" Deneb argued, "Who'd watch Damia?"
"Deneb, you've been stuffed up in these quarters ever since you got out of sickbay" Katharine told her, "You haven't even kept your appointments with Tuvok. Now, you need to get out! Go on, I'll be fine!" Deneb still looked hesitant.
"Come on Deneb" Chakotay urged, "I'm not going by myself"
"Oh all right! Give me a few minutes" She disappeared into her bedroom. Chakotay gave Katharine a look. She rolled her eyes in agreement.
Fifteen minutes later Deneb emerged. Chakotay caught his breath. Elegant was the only word he could find, but it wasn't quite perfect enough. The dress she'd chosen, a hunter green affair with purple moons spiraling from her right shoulder to her left leg, was clinging to her perfect curves and revealed her lithe legs. It also made her seem just a tad taller, especially with the little strappy heels she was wearing. She had curled a few chunks of hair and it flowed down across her shoulders and down her back and arms to her elbows. He hadn't realized it had gotten so long. She'd added a bit of lipstick and eye color to make the look complete. He had no idea why she had the dress, but he was glad she did. He was going to be the envy of every man on the ship after tonight.
"You look beautiful dear" Katharine said, with both twins on her lap.
"Yeah, sure, whatever" Deneb replied flippantly. That was one of the most beautiful things about Deneb, was that she didn't know that she really was beautiful. She didn't bother with what other people thought of her, at least on the outside. As long as they didn't think she was selfish and arrogant she was happy.
"Well, shall we go?" Chakotay held his elbow out for her. She rolled her eyes but smiled.
"I'll see you two later, okay? Be good for Aunt Kathy!" she warned her children, who had taken a second to recognize her, as she walked out of the house.
Chakotay had been right. She turned heads as soon as she walked into what had been turned into a dance hall. It was actually a specific holideck program Deneb had designed for these dance/parties. The lighting was dim, lit only by a candle chandelier and candle centerpieces on the two and four seater tables that were dispersed across the room. A holographic band was playing on a slightly raised stage and a buffet line was set against one wall. The decorations had an underwater theme.
"Well. Would you like some punch?" Chakotay asked, feeling extremely cliché. She caught on and laughed.
"As a matter of fact, I would" she answered and they made their way to the buffet table. He got drinks for both of them and they found a table.
"This is really nice, Deneb" he told her.
"Mm. Everybody seems to be enjoying themselves, anyway" she agreed. She waved to a couple she knew who were dancing on the floor. Chakotay got an idea.
"Would you like to dance?"
"Me? Dance?" she asked, sounding surprised.
"You do know how, don't you?" he asked. Perhaps she didn't.
"Well, Jim and I never had a reception for our wedding and I kind of missed my prom by, oh, about two hundred years" she replied, "They kind of stop admitting people after a hundred and fifty, apparently" Chakotay didn't know what a prom was, but he got the joke and he laughed. She laughed with him.
"Come on, I'll teach you" he said, taking her by the hand and leading her onto the floor, "It's not hard"
"Obviously not, if you can do it" Deneb answered, but she laughed. He liked her laugh. She didn't do it enough in his opinion. She was lovely when she was smiling and laughing and actually relaxed enough to have a good time. He drew her close and tried to teach her to dance. She kept stepping on his toes but she doubled over in laughter every time she did it so he didn't care much that he probably wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow. He made cracks about how clumsy she was and she told him what a bad teacher he was. Chakotay found himself laughing with her. Eventually they retreated to a table where they began discussing everything from the twins to his childhood to how the transporters worked. (She had been there for the original design, which were not the safest way to travel, and was therefore wary of them)
By the time she got to staring quietly out at the stars Chakotay had realized something that was slightly terrifying for him. He was in love with her.
"Good lord!" she suddenly exclaimed, looking at the clock positioned over the buffet table, "It's after midnight! Katharine's going to have a caniption!" She stood quickly, but didn't look like she was in any hurry to get home. They walked at a fair pace back to her quarters where she grimaced before opening the door. The lights were low, but she could see the place was in tatters.
"Katharine?" she called softly. A figure on the couch stirred.
"Computer, increase lighting slightly" she ordered. The lights rose and they heard the Captain grown as she sat up. Her hair had fallen out of it's immaculate bun and she looked a bit rumpled, but wide awake.
"Hey. Sorry. I didn't realize how late it was" Katharine raised an eyebrow.
"It's all right. I couldn't get them down until about ten thirty" she reported, "But Damian got his bath"
"Thanks" Deneb smiled sweetly.
"You go on home, Captain" Chakotay said, "I'll stay and help pick up a little. You look exhausted" Katharine nodded and headed for the door.
"Watching those two isn't exactly what I'd call a relaxing night" She gave him a curious look as she passed but he didn't make any response.
"Good night!" she called as the doors closed on her. Deneb let out a little laugh.
"Oh, look at this place!" she picked up both stuffed bear-things, the children's left over dinners and one of her shirts.
"Sometimes I think I'm raising chimpanzees in a zoo and not children on a starship!" Chakotay laughed but kept it soft. Nobody wanted to wake the kids up. He helped pick up the puzzle pieces and balls and put them all away into their boxes. She gave him a little smile and shake of her head as she walked him towards the door.
"Ko, I actually had a great time tonight" she admitted with another smile, "Hard to believe, I know, but there it is. There's something about you that always makes me feel good"
"I'm glad" he answered. She was very close. There was suddenly a tension between them. Her soft smile changed slightly. She could feel it too. Chakotay was sucking up the warmth that was emanating from her body. She glanced down, her eyelashes brushing against her cheek, and then looked back up at him. The soft light was reflecting in her green eyes and off of her perfectly shaped lips. Lips that probably tasted just as good as she smelled....
Before he really knew what he was doing he was lowering his head and kissing her. He didn't know what he expected. Maybe that she'd slap him. At the least pull back. But he did not expect her to lean into him, to kiss him back with a tender power that seemed to have been bottled up in her, just waiting for release. She moved her hands up to splay across his chest and he wrapped his fingers in her long, silky soft hair, drawing her head even closer to his. A barely audible moan escaped her throat, urging Chakotay to go deeper, to push his soul into hers. His hands slipped down her back and around her waist, now pulling her entire body into his.
He didn't know exactly how long he kissed her, but it felt like a blissful eternity. He almost cried when she did finally pull away, her chest raising up and down with the short little breaths she was taking. She looked at him for a long second, still clutched close to him, and then smiled. Just a little smile, just barely a lift of her lips. She raised a hand to his face and caressed his cheek.
"Night, Ko" she said softly. He didn't want to say good night.
"Night" he replied with a soft caress of his lips on hers and then tore out of her arms and into the hallway before he said anything to screw it up.
In a like vein, Star Trek: Voyager and all characters are the sole property of someone other than me.
AN: This is about 6 months later. Deneb made it through the surgery just fine, but had to take time to recuperate after the treatments because it had been pretty advanced.
Katharine tossed the ball back to Damian who chased after it diligently.
"Aunt Kathy, I got it!" he exclaimed with a little dance. He promptly fell on his behind, but it didn't perturb him. The twins had just celebrated their third birthday: a messy affair with balloons and chocolate cake which had ended up all over the furniture, their clothes and their faces. They had each received small gifts from the assorted "aunts" and "uncles" they had gathered to themselves. Katharine had given them coloring books and crayons, Tom had given them a set of small soft balls, Harry had replicated small, kid safe keyboards for them. Kes and Neelix had given them stuffed...bear things. (Damia promptly named hers Neelix and Damian promptly named his Kes) Tuvok had produced a puzzle for each of them. B'Elanna had had trouble thinking of something to get them. She wasn't sure what was appropriate for children. At the Captain's suggestion, she picked out two sippy cups with their names painted on. (She made sure to get them the exact same color of green, so they wouldn't have anything to fight about) Chakotay had presented them with disks of children's songs. (They had finally given up calling him "Da-y" when they got a better grip on their vocabulary. While Chakotay knew it was more appropriate, he couldn't help but feeling that he'd lost something)
These things had all been treasured for a few days before being tossed to side for more interesting things. What these thing were, nobody was sure, as nobody else could see them. But Damia and Damian were perfectly happy to play without any props at all, or what makeshift props they could come up with. Deneb was still doing daycare duty during the day and so they had other children to play with.
Tonight was one of the dance/parties that Deneb had arranged for the crew. In the past three years many young couples had met at these functions. Deneb never went. Katharine had stopped by to try and persuade the young woman to go but had ended up playing with Damian while Deneb gave Damia a bath instead. She tossed the ball for the little boy again, who spun around and chased it. Katharine tried hard not to think of her dog.
Deneb came out carrying Damia who was already dressed for bed. Deneb had a brush and Damia knew it. She was struggling to get away.
"Damia, the more you struggle the more it hurts!" Deneb cried, trying to get the little girl to sit still on the couch. Katharine had become used to how much like her mother Damia looked. She had the same chestnut-red hair, although hers had little highlights of blonde in it, and her mother's green eyes. She had a strong jaw that would be attractive when she'd lost her baby fat and a nicely shaped nose that sat above two finely shaped lips. She was going to be stunning in about fifteen years or so.
Damian on the other hand looked more like his father. He was blonde, to be certain and had brown eyes, with little green flecks close to the iris. When she compared him with the pictures she'd seen of James Kirk there could be no doubt of whose son he was.
In temperament, however, the twins were exactly the same. Stubborn and controlling, they argued about everything. Katharine had the feeling that they were going to grow up to be great friends. If they lived through this phase.
The door chimed.
"Come in!" Deneb called, finally releasing her daughter with combed hair. Chakotay came in, wearing a very nice off hours outfit in black and red. Katharine had known he was coming, she'd told him to, but Deneb looked surprised.
"Hey, Chakotay" she said cheerfully, "Are you going to the party?"
"I was thinking about it" he answered carefully, "If you'll go with me"
"Oh, Ko, I don't think so. I've got to give Damian a bath still" Deneb answered.
"I can give him a bath" Katharine said, "Why don't you go?"
"You can't give him a bath all by yourself" Deneb argued, "Who'd watch Damia?"
"Deneb, you've been stuffed up in these quarters ever since you got out of sickbay" Katharine told her, "You haven't even kept your appointments with Tuvok. Now, you need to get out! Go on, I'll be fine!" Deneb still looked hesitant.
"Come on Deneb" Chakotay urged, "I'm not going by myself"
"Oh all right! Give me a few minutes" She disappeared into her bedroom. Chakotay gave Katharine a look. She rolled her eyes in agreement.
Fifteen minutes later Deneb emerged. Chakotay caught his breath. Elegant was the only word he could find, but it wasn't quite perfect enough. The dress she'd chosen, a hunter green affair with purple moons spiraling from her right shoulder to her left leg, was clinging to her perfect curves and revealed her lithe legs. It also made her seem just a tad taller, especially with the little strappy heels she was wearing. She had curled a few chunks of hair and it flowed down across her shoulders and down her back and arms to her elbows. He hadn't realized it had gotten so long. She'd added a bit of lipstick and eye color to make the look complete. He had no idea why she had the dress, but he was glad she did. He was going to be the envy of every man on the ship after tonight.
"You look beautiful dear" Katharine said, with both twins on her lap.
"Yeah, sure, whatever" Deneb replied flippantly. That was one of the most beautiful things about Deneb, was that she didn't know that she really was beautiful. She didn't bother with what other people thought of her, at least on the outside. As long as they didn't think she was selfish and arrogant she was happy.
"Well, shall we go?" Chakotay held his elbow out for her. She rolled her eyes but smiled.
"I'll see you two later, okay? Be good for Aunt Kathy!" she warned her children, who had taken a second to recognize her, as she walked out of the house.
Chakotay had been right. She turned heads as soon as she walked into what had been turned into a dance hall. It was actually a specific holideck program Deneb had designed for these dance/parties. The lighting was dim, lit only by a candle chandelier and candle centerpieces on the two and four seater tables that were dispersed across the room. A holographic band was playing on a slightly raised stage and a buffet line was set against one wall. The decorations had an underwater theme.
"Well. Would you like some punch?" Chakotay asked, feeling extremely cliché. She caught on and laughed.
"As a matter of fact, I would" she answered and they made their way to the buffet table. He got drinks for both of them and they found a table.
"This is really nice, Deneb" he told her.
"Mm. Everybody seems to be enjoying themselves, anyway" she agreed. She waved to a couple she knew who were dancing on the floor. Chakotay got an idea.
"Would you like to dance?"
"Me? Dance?" she asked, sounding surprised.
"You do know how, don't you?" he asked. Perhaps she didn't.
"Well, Jim and I never had a reception for our wedding and I kind of missed my prom by, oh, about two hundred years" she replied, "They kind of stop admitting people after a hundred and fifty, apparently" Chakotay didn't know what a prom was, but he got the joke and he laughed. She laughed with him.
"Come on, I'll teach you" he said, taking her by the hand and leading her onto the floor, "It's not hard"
"Obviously not, if you can do it" Deneb answered, but she laughed. He liked her laugh. She didn't do it enough in his opinion. She was lovely when she was smiling and laughing and actually relaxed enough to have a good time. He drew her close and tried to teach her to dance. She kept stepping on his toes but she doubled over in laughter every time she did it so he didn't care much that he probably wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow. He made cracks about how clumsy she was and she told him what a bad teacher he was. Chakotay found himself laughing with her. Eventually they retreated to a table where they began discussing everything from the twins to his childhood to how the transporters worked. (She had been there for the original design, which were not the safest way to travel, and was therefore wary of them)
By the time she got to staring quietly out at the stars Chakotay had realized something that was slightly terrifying for him. He was in love with her.
"Good lord!" she suddenly exclaimed, looking at the clock positioned over the buffet table, "It's after midnight! Katharine's going to have a caniption!" She stood quickly, but didn't look like she was in any hurry to get home. They walked at a fair pace back to her quarters where she grimaced before opening the door. The lights were low, but she could see the place was in tatters.
"Katharine?" she called softly. A figure on the couch stirred.
"Computer, increase lighting slightly" she ordered. The lights rose and they heard the Captain grown as she sat up. Her hair had fallen out of it's immaculate bun and she looked a bit rumpled, but wide awake.
"Hey. Sorry. I didn't realize how late it was" Katharine raised an eyebrow.
"It's all right. I couldn't get them down until about ten thirty" she reported, "But Damian got his bath"
"Thanks" Deneb smiled sweetly.
"You go on home, Captain" Chakotay said, "I'll stay and help pick up a little. You look exhausted" Katharine nodded and headed for the door.
"Watching those two isn't exactly what I'd call a relaxing night" She gave him a curious look as she passed but he didn't make any response.
"Good night!" she called as the doors closed on her. Deneb let out a little laugh.
"Oh, look at this place!" she picked up both stuffed bear-things, the children's left over dinners and one of her shirts.
"Sometimes I think I'm raising chimpanzees in a zoo and not children on a starship!" Chakotay laughed but kept it soft. Nobody wanted to wake the kids up. He helped pick up the puzzle pieces and balls and put them all away into their boxes. She gave him a little smile and shake of her head as she walked him towards the door.
"Ko, I actually had a great time tonight" she admitted with another smile, "Hard to believe, I know, but there it is. There's something about you that always makes me feel good"
"I'm glad" he answered. She was very close. There was suddenly a tension between them. Her soft smile changed slightly. She could feel it too. Chakotay was sucking up the warmth that was emanating from her body. She glanced down, her eyelashes brushing against her cheek, and then looked back up at him. The soft light was reflecting in her green eyes and off of her perfectly shaped lips. Lips that probably tasted just as good as she smelled....
Before he really knew what he was doing he was lowering his head and kissing her. He didn't know what he expected. Maybe that she'd slap him. At the least pull back. But he did not expect her to lean into him, to kiss him back with a tender power that seemed to have been bottled up in her, just waiting for release. She moved her hands up to splay across his chest and he wrapped his fingers in her long, silky soft hair, drawing her head even closer to his. A barely audible moan escaped her throat, urging Chakotay to go deeper, to push his soul into hers. His hands slipped down her back and around her waist, now pulling her entire body into his.
He didn't know exactly how long he kissed her, but it felt like a blissful eternity. He almost cried when she did finally pull away, her chest raising up and down with the short little breaths she was taking. She looked at him for a long second, still clutched close to him, and then smiled. Just a little smile, just barely a lift of her lips. She raised a hand to his face and caressed his cheek.
"Night, Ko" she said softly. He didn't want to say good night.
"Night" he replied with a soft caress of his lips on hers and then tore out of her arms and into the hallway before he said anything to screw it up.