Kathryn Janeway was certain that she had never gotten so many congratulations in one evening. Or year for that matter. She and her new husband--it still felt odd to be calling someone husband--were walking to their equally new quarters, having just come from their own reception in the Mess Hall.
"I swear every member of this crew came up to me at least twice," she mused. They were still in the wedding clothes, but she had rid herself of the veil long before. Rubbing her eyes with the hand that wasn't woven through one of his, she sighed contentedly.
Chakotay smiled at her, squeezing her hand affectionately. "The crew was almost as excited as I was...Almost."
She grinned. "Nice catch," she commented teasingly, leaning her head on his arm. "...I'm glad I had an intelligent father."
He raised an eyebrow. "Believe me, so am I. You were making me so nervous I thought facing a Borg armada alone and escaping alive would have been easier than waiting for your answer."
She looked up, her brow creased. "I'm sorry," she said, the smile having evaporated. "I just needed time, to think and talk it out."
"Hey," he said, stopping as they reached the door. "Does it matter, now? You said 'yes', and we're married, to be together 'for as long as we both shall live.' And I'm glad."
She smiled and looked up at him. "Did you make those vows yourself?" she asked.
He nodded. "Mmhm," he hummed. "I wrote them. Did you?" he mused.
Janeway nodded too, smiling. "Yeah...I'm glad we did a traditional ceremony. I got to excersise creativity, and practice walking gracefully in a dress and three-inch heels." The smile widened.
Chakotay looked at the door. "You know, according to my research, we haven't completed things the 'traditional' way."
"Oh?"
"There's one more thing we haven't done." He looked back at her, his brown eyes glinting.
"What's that?" she laughed.
"This." He lifted her into his arms, laughing at her startled yelp, and carried her through the door. Even as it hissed shut, they could be heard laughing.
This would be a marriage to remember. A marriage between Captain and First Officer.
The final joining of Starfleet and Maquis aboard the starship Voyager.