Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing.
AN: Episode begins before "Shattered". Events following "Shattered" are AU.
Flash.
They were back in her quarters, once more in real time. "Take two, Kathy," Q made a gesture with his hand, and vanished.
Kathryn ran trembling hands through her hair, and let out a long shuddering sigh as she strode aimlessly around her room. As much as she hated to admit it, Q had given her some very valuable insight. She had made herself miserable, by refusing Chakotay, and in so doing, had made him miserable and everyone around her miserable. Sure, he had carved out a life and some happiness for himself, but it was a veneer, a substitute for the one he really wanted, but could not have, she thought, not with arrogance, but with calm assurance.
The question was, what would she do about it now?
Four weeks later, Voyager fractured into different places in time, and Chakotay, with some help from the EMH, got her back into the present, intact. He gave his report to Kathryn, in her quarters later that evening... over some Antarean cider.
Kathryn's heart was pounding. Her mind raced endlessly. What will I say? How should I start...? What if he...? She tried to swallow, but was unable to, as Chakotay inclined his head toward her, and said,
"I told her there were some barriers we never crossed."
Every fiber in her being was screaming at her to look away, this is dangerous territory! However, she maintained eye contact, and the longing and love shining in his dark eyes took her breath away. She reached forward with her free hand to cup his cheek.
"Never say never, Chakotay," she murmured. His eyes changed, became alert, hopeful, and suspiciously wet. He reached up to trap her hand in his.
"You'd better say something now, if you don't want for this—for us to happen, Kathryn," he growled.
"I've never wanted anything more in my life," her voice was barely a whisper, and she leaned almost imperceptibly toward him.
"Good, because I don't intend to take no for an answer anymore." He smiled then, flashing his dimples, and she felt her breath catch in her chest. There were mutual murmured admissions of love, and his lips touched down to meet hers. It began as a gentle kiss, full of tenderness, but quickly escalated to one of hungry and long-denied passion. Kathryn felt one word sing over and over again in her head: Finally!
4 years later
"Are you ready for this?" Chakotay asked his wife solicitously. He knew that part of her would always recoil from the public display of herself as a person, apart from the captain's role.
"Yes," Kathryn said, with a smile, "although I've never heard of anything so ridiculous."
"Well, you can't blame Kole for coming 6 weeks early," Chakotay said, beaming down at the bundle in Kathryn's arms. "Blame B'Elanna for planning the shower too late."
"I've never heard of a baby shower where the baby was already there!" she said in mock protest.
"So, he's as stubborn and determined to get his own way as his mother!" Kathryn gave him a death glare that was not very effective, as she couldn't restrain a smile.
"Well, I've been successful so far, haven't I? I got you, after all."
"And I'm afraid you're stuck with me for the rest of your life," her husband murmured, with laughter in his voice.
"Mmm-hmm," she assented, and leaned in to kiss him.
"Grow up, you two!" came the faux-disgusted voice of Lieutenant Paris. They came apart swiftly, to see the pilot grinning behind them. "Didn't you know that after the first kid, the honeymoon's over?"
"Sure, and that's why your second child is due in 6 months!" Kathryn said cheekily. Tom raised both hands in surrender, as the three of them entered the messhall.
The crew who were already gathered burst into spontaneous applause. Kathryn smiled broadly as she saw Miral perched on Tuvok's lap. Her gaze drifted over to her handsome Ops officer, sitting by B'Elanna. It seemed strange now to think of them together.
If Miral comes to me again, in the future, I'll give her an entirely different answer. True love should not be denied. She felt a little silly, sure that she was smiling wide enough to split her face. But she had truly never been so happy. As she moved to a chair in the center of the room, near a pile of presents, she thought briefly, Thanks, Q.
Suddenly, in her head, so softly that she thought she must have imagined it, she heard a characteristically snide, It's about time you thanked me.
And then, even more softly, you're welcome, Kathy.
FIN
AN: Episode begins before "Shattered". Events following "Shattered" are AU.
Flash.
They were back in her quarters, once more in real time. "Take two, Kathy," Q made a gesture with his hand, and vanished.
Kathryn ran trembling hands through her hair, and let out a long shuddering sigh as she strode aimlessly around her room. As much as she hated to admit it, Q had given her some very valuable insight. She had made herself miserable, by refusing Chakotay, and in so doing, had made him miserable and everyone around her miserable. Sure, he had carved out a life and some happiness for himself, but it was a veneer, a substitute for the one he really wanted, but could not have, she thought, not with arrogance, but with calm assurance.
The question was, what would she do about it now?
Four weeks later, Voyager fractured into different places in time, and Chakotay, with some help from the EMH, got her back into the present, intact. He gave his report to Kathryn, in her quarters later that evening... over some Antarean cider.
Kathryn's heart was pounding. Her mind raced endlessly. What will I say? How should I start...? What if he...? She tried to swallow, but was unable to, as Chakotay inclined his head toward her, and said,
"I told her there were some barriers we never crossed."
Every fiber in her being was screaming at her to look away, this is dangerous territory! However, she maintained eye contact, and the longing and love shining in his dark eyes took her breath away. She reached forward with her free hand to cup his cheek.
"Never say never, Chakotay," she murmured. His eyes changed, became alert, hopeful, and suspiciously wet. He reached up to trap her hand in his.
"You'd better say something now, if you don't want for this—for us to happen, Kathryn," he growled.
"I've never wanted anything more in my life," her voice was barely a whisper, and she leaned almost imperceptibly toward him.
"Good, because I don't intend to take no for an answer anymore." He smiled then, flashing his dimples, and she felt her breath catch in her chest. There were mutual murmured admissions of love, and his lips touched down to meet hers. It began as a gentle kiss, full of tenderness, but quickly escalated to one of hungry and long-denied passion. Kathryn felt one word sing over and over again in her head: Finally!
4 years later
"Are you ready for this?" Chakotay asked his wife solicitously. He knew that part of her would always recoil from the public display of herself as a person, apart from the captain's role.
"Yes," Kathryn said, with a smile, "although I've never heard of anything so ridiculous."
"Well, you can't blame Kole for coming 6 weeks early," Chakotay said, beaming down at the bundle in Kathryn's arms. "Blame B'Elanna for planning the shower too late."
"I've never heard of a baby shower where the baby was already there!" she said in mock protest.
"So, he's as stubborn and determined to get his own way as his mother!" Kathryn gave him a death glare that was not very effective, as she couldn't restrain a smile.
"Well, I've been successful so far, haven't I? I got you, after all."
"And I'm afraid you're stuck with me for the rest of your life," her husband murmured, with laughter in his voice.
"Mmm-hmm," she assented, and leaned in to kiss him.
"Grow up, you two!" came the faux-disgusted voice of Lieutenant Paris. They came apart swiftly, to see the pilot grinning behind them. "Didn't you know that after the first kid, the honeymoon's over?"
"Sure, and that's why your second child is due in 6 months!" Kathryn said cheekily. Tom raised both hands in surrender, as the three of them entered the messhall.
The crew who were already gathered burst into spontaneous applause. Kathryn smiled broadly as she saw Miral perched on Tuvok's lap. Her gaze drifted over to her handsome Ops officer, sitting by B'Elanna. It seemed strange now to think of them together.
If Miral comes to me again, in the future, I'll give her an entirely different answer. True love should not be denied. She felt a little silly, sure that she was smiling wide enough to split her face. But she had truly never been so happy. As she moved to a chair in the center of the room, near a pile of presents, she thought briefly, Thanks, Q.
Suddenly, in her head, so softly that she thought she must have imagined it, she heard a characteristically snide, It's about time you thanked me.
And then, even more softly, you're welcome, Kathy.
FIN