Disclaimer: I still do not own Star Trek Voyager or Janeway and Chakotay (May they be forever together ) Live long and prosper. -Linwe

Fifteen minutes later, Chakotay was still wandering aimlessly about the forest searching for Kathryn. He finally came to a low valley where the trees thinned. He walked forward and saw a boulder about as tall as he, with a sparkling pond around it like a mote. Sitting on top of the boulder was Kathryn, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds, unaware of Chakotay.

He stared for a whole minute, wondering at the beautiful sight in front of him. Kathryn's long, auburn hair was loose and all down her back and shoulders. She was wearing a flattering, simple, long blue dress that billowed softly in the whispering wind.

He stealthily climbed up the boulder behind Kathryn so her back was to him. It was large enough for two people to lie comfortably on.

"Kathryn?" She must have jumped a meter in the air.

"Uh… oh… Chakotay! I didn't… er…see you or hear you come up." She said curtly.

"I know. I think we need to talk."

Silence.

"Look, I'm really sorry about reading your diary. I promise never to go through your things again without permission… I promise." He said pathetically.

"It's alright."

"What?"

"I-I forgive you." She inhaled and turned to face him. "Chakotay, about what you read… well, did you read the whole diary?" She asked. He nodded, and then she looked down, avoiding his eyes, and he saw a single tear fall.

"Kathryn, I'm so sorry, I really am!" He said, very concerned, taking her hands in his. "If I had known this would've hurt you so much, I never would have even picked up the diary!" She looked up at him.

"It's not just about that anymore."

"Then what is it about? Why are you so upset, Kathryn?"

"It's just about everything all piled up together." Their plight suddenly wasn't as small as her diary being read, she was finally letting her feelings and insecurities get the better of her. "I'm a failure! A good captain goes down with the ship, I let an insect bite make me abandon ship!" She sniffled angrily, and wiped her nose. Chakotay gazed at her, sincerely concerned, but silent. She swallowed and continued. "I can't take it sometimes, Chakotay, accepting that we'll be here for the rest of our lives! Leaving Voyager and our crew!" she looked around as though frustrated, but then her expression changed. "Yet, in a way, I'm glad, I can be Kathryn here, not Captain Janeway, so I can have feelings." She looked down slightly and her face contorted in anguish again. "But, Chakotay, I'm unfaithful!" she almost whispered. "I allowed myself to develop certain feelings for another while I'm still wearing Mark's ring! I…I…" She broke down sobbing and could speak no more.

Chakotay gently embraced her, holding her shaking body against his, letting her draw from his strength. He had learned at an early age that sometimes women just needed to talk for a while and let everything spill out before they could feel better. His skill of listening and comforting at the right times came from being around his mother and sister too much.

After she'd calmed a bit, he finally spoke.

"Kathryn, you're not a failure. I am 100 sure no one on Voyager thinks you are. You had absolutely no control over who that insect bit. I'm also pretty damned sure everyone aboard Voyager would rather see their Captain safe and alive off the ship, than dead on the ship. And Kathryn…" he paused, unsure of how to continue. "Unless you're a Vulcan you can't control your feelings. You're not at fault and you're not unfaithful. You haven't dome anything you'd regret." He reached out and tilted her chin up so she was looking at him. "Please stop crying?" She smiled.

"Ch…Chakotay," was all she could say, she was so touched by his speech. "Thank you… that must have been the kindest thing anyone's ever said to me. And thank you so much for listening to my rambling, I really needed to let it out."

"I understand, it's not healthy to bottle up your feelings, Kathryn," he said. "If you ever need to talk, I'm always available." He said gazing into her eyes.

"Thank you," she said again as they released each other. Chakotay climbed down off the boulder and lifted her down after him. "Chakotay?"

"Yes, Kathryn?"

"No more reading my diary." She said sharply, half teasing, as she walked ahead of him toward their shelter.

Fin