As they sat in the Mess Hall, talking over a plate of...whatever it was that Neelix had concocted this time, Chakotay watched her subconciously. He winced inwardly as she paused in all movement and caught him in the act.

"...What?" she asked slowly, brow raising.

"What?" he replied, trying to cover up his embarassing action.

"You were staring at me...I'd like to know why if it's alright with you..."

"Ah, nothing. I was just thinking."

"While staring at me. Y'ah..." She smiled slightly and after a moment, asked, "About what?"

"Various things. How badly I was whooped today in Velocity, how I'm ever going to live it down, how many jokes I can make about your little 'trip.'" He shrugged, smiling at her.

"Ha, ha, ha...You know, Chakotay, if you tell anyone about that you'll have to tell them that I landed in your lap, therefore embarassing not only your beloved Captain, but yourself as well." Janeway crossed her arms, smirking.

He scratched his head, pretending to consider the possibilities. "I suppose so..."

A sudden grin spread across her face. "Can you imagine," she said in a deliberately quiet voice, leaning forward just a bit, "how much of a field day Tom Paris would have with that little story?"

"I prefer not to think about that," he laughed. "A rumor that big would spread like there was no tomorrow in a ship this small..."

"Especially with he and Neelix, the two biggest mouths in the Delta Quadrant." She leaned back and sighed quietly, shaking her head. Suddenly, he would have given anything to know what she was thinking. He didn't know why...but he wanted to know.

But should he pursue it? Perhaps not. After all, it was random, and he'd already done something strange...Better to leave it alone.

"Ah, Captain, Commander."

Chakotay looked up in synchronized motion with his Captain as Neelix came toward them with a jubilant expression. "Good morning, Neelix," she said with a slight, contented smile.

"What are you so happy about?" Chakotay mused.

"I just came to inform you," said the Talaxian with obvious self indulgance, "about the festivities this evening."

"Festivities?" Janeway repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What's the occasion?"

"It's been exactly eight months since we had a party!"

She smiled. "Works for me. When is it?"

"Twenty-one hundred hours tonight..." Neelix started off, to tell someone else no doubt, when he turned back. "By the way...It's a dance." He smiled in a strange, almost suggestive way...What was THAT about? "So bring a date." He left. Chakotay stared after him, thoroughly disturbed by the Morale Officer's look.

"A date?" she laughed, shaking her head. Apparently, Voyager's captain hadn't noticed. Or, if she did, she shrugged it off. "Leave it to Neelix...He is the only one who could ever do something like this...and get away with it."

"Crew morale will shoot up," Chakotay mused.

"Oh, I have no doubt...Let's see. Tom will take B'Elanna, of course. Harry will try to coax Seven along, most likely...Tuvok will refuse to go, and the Doctor will slip in on the pretense of taking medical precautions." The last bit was said in a tone trying to mimick the hologram.

"And the Captain will consider her First Officer's apparant invitation to accompany him?" He asked lightly. "I've heard he's charming."

She raised an eyebrow skeptically. "He sounds decent enough.."

The Commander smiled, standing with her. "Twentyone hundred hours, then."

"It's a date." She smiled too, and left the Mess Hall casually.