Was this to be her fate? Was this what she had given up her ship for? Was this what she had given up her crew, her friends, her best friend, her love for? She stared at the crown that sat upon the bed. She, Kathryn Janeway, was to be the empress of this planet, one not so different from Earth.

The crew had assembled on the ship, lined up as when they had first boarded Voyager. The captain entered. She had given herself up, agreed to marry another man to save her ship from destruction. As the crew stood, a mass of gold, red and blue uniforms, she felt her eyes tear up. She didn't want to leave; these people were her family. Her eyes scanned the room, The Doctor, Seven, Harry, they were all there to say goodbye. She stepped down the stairs in the hanger where her shuttle waited as her eyes kept scanning the room for one face. The only face she wanted to see, the face she needed to see, Chakotay's.

She walked up to the members of her senior staff and shook hands with each one. She told them each a little something, a little way to remember her.
"Tom, remember who saved you in New Zealand, you owe me one. Marry B'Elanna that's my one final request of you." Tom smiled, always the Captain till the end, but he did something different.
"I'll ask her, you have my promise, Kathryn." She smiled as he used her name for the first and last time. She paid her respects to the rest of her crew, until she reached the end of the row. She looked up to see her first officer standing, tears in his eyes.
"Chakotay," she placed a hand on his chest, and he covered it with his own. " Please, I have one thing to ask of you..." the tears began to flow freely from her eyes now. " Don't speak just yet, let me say what I need to say." He nodded gently. " I feel that after five years on board this ship, I have truly found something special. It took me too long to realize and I'm sorry for all the pain I may have caused you all these years. I know now though, that our friendship wasn't the only important thing. I love you; I had the moment I met you when we met the Caretaker, and I still love you. I always will. And my favor to ask of you is that we may share one final moment together. Kiss me… I'm no longer the captain, protocol doesn't matter, and I'm finally free to be Kathryn." With that he reached down gently and captured her lips. Softy at first his lips moved against hers, the kiss intensified, her tongue dancing with his, unified together, knowing they would never meet again. He drew her closer to him, and their bodies seared at first contact, desperately wanting more, knowing they couldn't have more.

As they slowly broke apart, they were in tears. "Kat" he whispered, unable to say her full name. " I love you, and you know that my heart is bound to you Kathryn, it always will remain yours." He lifted his hand and took her fingers, intertwined in his and kissed them. She sighed, content for a brief moment. " I think, Chakotay, that I have found what I have been looking for, I've found peace, just like my angry warrior did so many years ago."

He smiled at her for the last time. She released his hand reluctantly, and stated "You have the bridge, good luck Captain, get everyone home…" her voiced faded away. This was it, this was goodbye. Slowly she walked toward the shuttle that awaited her. A gentle buzz of voices took over the shuttle bay. She was just at the entry when she glanced over her shoulder and looked right at Chakotay. They held each other's gaze for what seemed to be an eternity. He started to speak… then stopped and walked toward her. He took her into his arms and whispered " don't look back, it will be harder to let go."
"It's too hard to let go now…"
" The pain will wear away Kathryn, you know that… in time you'll forget me, and everyone else. You'll have a new life."
"I'll never forget you"
"Yes you will, the memories will fade with time, you won't remember what I look like" She reached up and traced her finger along his features, lingering on the tattoo.
" No. I may forget everyone else on this ship, but I swear, I would die if I forgot you, die if I could not remember you're smile, you're kiss, you're laugh…"
Her comm badge beeped. "Captain, we're ready for take off." Slowly she retracted her hand from his cheek, with tears in her eyes she walked away from her love, from her family, from her friends, from her crew, from her ship. As she was just about to turn, she remembered Chakotay's words. "Don't look back Kathryn, don't look back". But as the shuttle departed, she looked back, they were gone, she knew they would be. They were all gone, she was alone, and it was so hard not to look back, not to think of Chakotay, not to think of her home, not to cry. A lone tear slipped down her cheek as she watched Voyager jump to warp.
"Resume coarse for home Mr. Paris" she whispered.
"Engage"