Star Trek Voyager Characters are the property of Paramount Pictures

YESTERDAY'S LOVE

Standing at the edge of Lake Griffy, Kathryn Janeway watched as a flock of birds rose up from glistening water and disappeared over distant silhouetted trees. For a moment she envied their simplicity of life, their freedom, and wished that she could just sprout wings and fly off into the sunset. For the past seven years, all she had thought about was getting Voyager home, but now that Voyager was home, a part of her wished they were still in the Delta Quadrant. When they were there, she had a purpose in life, a mission, but now she felt as though she was just drifting without purpose or goal. Being promoted to an admiral was an honor and a privilege, but she felt sure that working on the ground, behind a desk, wasn't going to challenge her or give her life the sense of purpose she craved.

But what kind of purpose she could crave, she didn't know. Career wise she had achieved more than she had ever imagined she could achieve, and she knew that whatever she did from now on could not top the Voyager years. As for her personal life, she had long learnt it was better not to crave anything at all. Her heart cried out to love and be loved, but she had lost every man she had ever loved...Justin, Mark, Chakotay...and she didn't know if she could find the strength to love again. If there was anything she regretted about the Voyager years, then it was not telling Chakotay that she loved him. Their positions would always have been an insuperable barrier, but perhaps if she had told him, in the way that he had always told her, he would be with her now and not Seven.

Kathryn closed her eyes and tried to banish such selfish thoughts from her mind. Chakotay was happy, Seven was happy, and they both so deserved to be. She just couldn't help wish that things had turned out differently.

Suddenly, a voice spoke, a voice that had been silent for almost twenty years.

"Hello, Kathryn."

Slowly, painfully, Kathryn turned around. A thin middle-aged man stood before her, his hair gray and his face drawn. His deep blue eyes found hers and Kathryn could hardly breathe as she looked into them.

"Justin?"

The man nodded, his eyes moist. "It's so good to see you, Kath..."

Kathryn stared at him and it was a while before she was able to find her voice. "But I thought...The ship...It sank...I saw..."

Justin shook his head. "I was taken and revived by aliens from the Gamma Quadrant. I escaped their ship and made it home five years ago."

A tear ran down Kathryn's cheek. "Oh Justin..."

Before she knew it, he closed the gap between them and gathered her in his arms. Kathryn wrapped her arms around his neck and they tearfully held each other close.

Sitting beside Justin on a bench before the lake, Kathryn listened as he told her everything that had happened to him. Half of what he said she had already forgotten as she could hardly take in that this was happening, let alone take in his words. For so many years she had grieved for him, for so many years she had blamed herself for his death. But now he was here, alive, and it was mind-blowing. Every now and then she pinched herself to make sure she was not dreaming, but so far she had not woken up.

"Your father was taken too," Justin said, "but they never revived him. I don't know why. Maybe they thought he was too old. They seemed to only experiment on young people." He paused. "I don't know what they did with his body, but as they never revived him, he wouldn't have suffered."

Kathryn made no reply, just gazed at her hands. Justin noticed that she was trembling and gently took her hand in his. Kathryn gratefully squeezed it.

"As you weren't taken too," Justin went on, "I knew you must have survived. I can't tell you how much of a comfort that was to me."

Kathryn looked up at him and a tear escaped her eye. "I thought you were dead, Justin. I tried to save you...did everything I could...but I couldn't. And when the ship sank, when you and Daddy... I wished I was with you because I didn't know how I was going to live without you." Her voice fell to a whisper. "I loved you so much."

Tentatively, Justin reached out and brushed his fingers against her cheek. "I loved you too..."

For a long moment they just looked at each other, remembering and regretting the past, then Kathryn spoke.

"Why didn't you write to me on Voyager, tell me you were still alive?"

Justin turned away from her and was a moment in answering. "Because I'm dying, Kathryn," he said quietly.

Kathryn flinched. "Dying?"

He nodded. "The Moralyn infected me with a disease that our doctors can't cure. I haven't been well for years, but my condition has deteriorated in the last six years. How long I've got to live exactly the doctors don't know. It could be weeks, it could be months, maybe even a couple of years, but it won't be more." He paused. "I'm too ill to work and live in a remote house in Maine. I asked Starfleet not to publicize my return and they granted my wish. I've been writing up my experiences and hope I can finish my report before..." He paused again. "I wanted to write to you, I wanted to so much, but I thought it would be kinder to let sleeping dogs lie...to let you think I'd died in the crash. You were so far away and I thought the odds of us ever meeting again had to be so slim. I thought it was for the best to let things be." Tears filled his eyes. "And maybe I shouldn't have come today, maybe I'm being selfish, but when I saw you disembark the ship at San Francisco, I knew that I had to see you..."

"And I'm glad you're here," Kathryn said tearfully. "I'm so glad you're here."

Justin turned to her, a small glimmer of light shining in his tortured eyes, and all Kathryn could do was gather him close.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I'm so sorry for everything. If you'd never met me...if you'd never loved me... then..."

"No," Justin interrupted. "Don't ever say that, don't ever think it. You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Kathryn. I wouldn't change what we shared for anything."

Kathryn lay her head on his shoulder as another tear ran down her cheek. "Neither would I," she whispered. "Neither would I."

A MONTH LATER

A crowd of family and friends cheered as Kathryn and Justin sealed their wedding vows with a kiss. From a corner in the great gothic hall, Chakotay, who was amongst the guests, had to look away from the sight. He had been foolish to think he could ever stop loving Kathryn. He had loved her from the very first day they had met, and he knew he would love her until the day he died. But there had never been a time for them, and now there never would be. Kathryn belonged to someone else now and he had to accept he had lost her forever. The pain was terrible, but Kathryn's happiness helped him to endure it. All he had ever wanted was for her to be happy.

At last, Kathryn and Justin drew apart and Kathryn tossed the pretty white bouquet in her hands into the crowd. More applause filled the air as Seven caught it. If he wasn't mistaken, Chakotay saw the former drone blush, but it was the only outward sign of her discomfort. A couple of familiar heads turned in his direction, evidently thinking he was a candidate for bridegroom, but Chakotay knew that whoever Seven married, it would not be him. Since returning home they had drifted apart and were no longer seeing each other.

Now that the ceremony was over, the guests began to congratulate the newly weds and Chakotay felt that he should too. Summoning all his strength, he left his seat and made his way over to them. Kathryn smiled when she saw him and embraced him warmly.

"Chakotay. I'm so glad you could make it."

Chakotay forced a smile. "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"I don't think you've ever met Justin," Kathryn said, gesturing to her newly-made husband. "Well, if you hadn't guessed, this is him." She then gestured to Chakotay. "Justin, meet Chakotay, my famous First Officer."

Justin smiled and held out his hand to Chakotay. "It's an honor to meet you."

Chakotay took his hand and shook it. "Likewise."

"It seems like forever since we last saw each other," Kathryn continued. "We'll have to have lunch so you can tell me all your news."

"Unfortunately I'm not going to be around," Chakotay answered. "I'm going on a deep space archaeological expedition and will be leaving next week."

"I see," she said quietly. "How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know exactly. It could be anything from three to four years as I'm taking an on location degree that will qualify me as an astro-archaeologist."

At that tears welled in Kathryn's eyes and she was a moment in replying. "I'll miss you."

Chakotay nodded, tears in his own eyes. "I'll miss you too."

TWO YEARS LATER

Rain fell from a gray sky, but Kathryn was oblivious to the downpour as she sat on a porch swing of an old Maine house she and Justin had shared. How many people had lived here over the past two hundred years she didn't know, but it was her house now, a house she had come to call her home. But Justin was dead now and the house felt so cold and empty without him. It had been almost two months since he had died, but the pain in her heart was the same as though it had only happened yesterday. Even though they had both known their time together would be short, that didn't make his death any easier to bear. A part of her had always loved him, and in being with him again, she had fallen in love with him all over again. Without him, she felt lost, alone, displaced. But, she knew that they were lucky to have had any time together at all.

Suddenly, the door opened and Phoebe appeared. Her dark hair was swept up from her face in a pony-tail and she was wearing a bright pink top over white jeans, her colorfulness a stark contrast to Kathryn's dismal black.

"Hi Kath."

"Hi," Kathryn replied.

Phoebe made her way over to the swing. "What are you doing out here in this weather?"

"Just thinking...sitting."

Phoebe looked at her sister sadly. "How about we go inside and I make us a coffee?"

"I don't think I'd be good company right now."

Phoebe sat on a chair opposite the swing. "You've got to start living your life again, Kathryn. It's what Justin would have wanted."

"I know that," Kathryn said quietly, "and I will. I just...I just need time."

"I understand that, but you're shutting yourself off from everyone, hiding away like a recluse. It isn't good, Kathryn. You need your family right now. Don't shut us out."

Kathryn looked out at the rain. "I don't mean too. I just want to be on my own to deal with what's happened."

"And I respect that everyone deals with grief differently, but I'm worried about you, Kathryn. I'm afraid you're going to retreat into yourself and stop living the way you did after Daddy died."

Kathryn turned back to her sister at that. "I won't, Phoebe. I promise. And I don't want you to worry about me. I'm okay."

"Then have a coffee with me."

At that, Kathryn had to smile. "Persistent, aren't you?"

"I take after my older sister, " Phoebe smiled in return. She then got to her feet. "Black, no sugar?"

"Would I ever have it any other way?"

Phoebe laughed softly, and then Kathryn followed her into the house.

"I'm kind of hungry," Phoebe said as she went over to the replicator. "Mind if I replicate a sandwich?"

"Be my guest," Kathryn replied.

As Phoebe replicated a plate full of cheese and tomato sandwiches, Kathryn went over to the couch.

"Anything I can get you?" Phoebe asked.

"No," Kathryn answered. "I'm fine."

Rather disappointed that her plan to get her sister to eat hadn't worked, Phoebe left the replicator and put her own plate of sandwiches down on a small glass coffee table in the middle of the seating area. She then went to replicate two coffees.

"On second thoughts," Kathryn said, the sight of the sandwiches making her hungry, "I think I will have something to eat as well...chicken and cucumber sandwiches."

Phoebe smiled triumphantly. "Coming right up."

When all the sandwiches and coffees were replicated, Phoebe sat opposite her sister and they began to eat.

"These are good," Kathryn said, taking a generous bite of a crispy sandwich. "Just how I like them."

"Me too. Guess we have something in common after all."

"I guess we do," Kathryn teased. "I always knew there had to be..." She stopped talking and put her hand to her abdomen.

Phoebe looked at her in concern. "Something wrong?"

"No," Kathryn answered. "I just... I just felt something...like a flutter. Guess I'm hungrier than I thought."

Phoebe put down the cup in her hand. "Would you like me to replicate you something else? A yogurt? A cake?"

"No," Kathryn replied. "Thank you. This is..." She stopped talking again as she felt the same sensation. "It will pass."

Phoebe studied her sister's figure closely, a thought lurking in the back of her mind, and the sight of a rounded waist brought that thought to the fore. Without a word, she got up, went over to the replicator, and replicated a medical tricorder.

"Oh Phoebe," Kathryn protested. "There's no need for that."

"I think there might be," Phoebe replied. She activated the tricorder and then scanned her sister. "Just as I suspected..." She looked up at Kathryn, her eyes moist. "You're pregnant."

Kathryn's eyes widened as large as saucers. "Pregnant?"

Phoebe nodded. "15 weeks, 6.4 days."

"But that's...but that's impossible," Kathryn said, getting to her feet. "I can't be...Can I?"

"There's no doubt," Phoebe smiled. "And just look at yourself. There's a definite bump happening."

Kathryn looked down at herself and noticed that her waist was slightly larger than usual. "I guess I am larger...I just didn't notice." She looked up at her sister, happy tears in her eyes. "Oh Phoebe..."

Phoebe stepped forward and put her hand on Kathryn's shoulder. "You'd better congratulate me. I'm going to be an aunt."

Kathryn laughed through tears and the two women embraced.

A red rose in her hand, Kathryn knelt beside Justin's grave, her bobbed hair blowing in the gentle autumn breeze.

"I've got something to tell you," she said softly. "Maybe you already know, but I want to tell you anyway." She smiled happily. "I'm having our baby. I only found out yesterday, but she's already four months old. Isn't it amazing? Yes, that's right. A girl. We're having a little girl. I saw the Doctor today and he told me. We had her with us the last few weeks we were together, but we didn't know. I'm so happy, Justin. I just wish you were here, that we could share this special time together. But you don't have to worry about me. I'm going to be just fine...our baby too. I'm going to be the best mother in the world, I promise you. And I'm going to make sure she grows up to know what a wonderful man her father was and how much I loved you. I'm even going to call her after you. Justine. Justine Shannon Tighe.

Carefully, she placed the rose in a silver pot next to a plaque bearing his name, and then touched the plaque tenderly.

"I'm glad we found each other again, Justin. And even though I wish we could have had longer together, I'm going to be grateful for the time we did have for the rest of my life."

EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER

It had been almost a year since Kathryn had last visited Voyager. The ship was a museum now, and various holo-simulations had been added to different sections to enhance the visitors experience. While Kathryn was proud that Voyager was going to be preserved for posterity, she always found it difficult to visit the ship that had once been her home. Voyager would always be "her" ship, and it hurt having her belong to someone else.

Standing before a window in a deserted mess hall, Kathryn could well imagine Voyager was back in the Delta Quadrant and Neelix was only feet behind her pottering in the kitchen. Holo-stars streamed by outside and everything was just as she remembered.

"Just like old times."

Kathryn span around at the sound of a dear voice, a voice she had missed for over three years.

"Chakotay..."

Her former First Officer stood before her, his hair cropped and streaked with silver. "Hello, Kathryn."

Kathryn smiled, tears in her eyes, and then stepped forward to embrace him.

"Welcome back."

Chakotay returned her embrace and they held each other close.

"So," Kathryn said as they finally drew apart. "What are you doing here? When did you return?"

"Just last night," Chakotay answered. "I was going to come and see you, but I know you must be busy and thought I'd better call first."

"You're welcome any time, Chakotay. You should know that."

Chakotay lowered his eyes. "It's been a long time."

"Too long," Kathryn replied. "And I've missed you."

Chakotay looked up at her at that, tears filling his eyes. "I've missed you too."

For a moment their eyes locked and Chakotay found himself gazing at her. She looked just as he remembered her, just as she looked in his dreams.

"You must be qualified now."

Chakotay nodded. "I got a first class."

Kathryn smiled. "Congratulations."

As she clipped a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her wedding ring caught the light.

"How's Justin?" Chakotay asked.

Kathryn was a moment in answering. "He died," she said quietly. "Eighteen months ago."

"I'm sorry," Chakotay said sadly. "I had no idea."

"He was ill when we married," Kathryn continued. "He'd been infected with a disease by the aliens who took him. We didn't tell anyone because we didn't want people to treat him or us differently. We wanted to be treated like a normal couple, you know?" She paused. "I wrote to you. A few times in fact, but I don't suppose you got my letters. I was told there was a chance you wouldn't because of the distance."

"I wish I had," Chakotay said sincerely.

"If you didn't know about Justin," Kathryn surmised, "then I don't suppose you know about Justine either."

Chakotay shook his head.

"My daughter," she said proudly. "She was born just over a year ago and I have to admit is the apple of my eye these days." She paused. "I didn't find out I was pregnant until after Justin died. I wish I'd realized sooner so that he could have known, but I like to think that if there is an afterlife of some kind, he does know."

"I'm sure he does," Chakotay said kindly. "And congratulations. I know how much you always wanted a child."

Kathryn nodded. "You'll have to meet her, Chakotay, come over to dinner. We have a lot of catching up to do."

"We certainly have."

"How about this evening? That is...if you don't have any plans."

Chakotay smiled. "None at all."

Kathryn smiled in return. "Then this evening it is."

A little girl with big blue eyes and a mop of ginger curls watched from her cot as her mother quickly stripped off a smart beige dress that was covered in chocolate, and quickly put on a less formal cotton one of pale green.

"This will have to do," she said, pulling it up quickly and zipping it as fast as she could. "The damn replicator is playing up again and Chakotay will be here any moment..."

The dress firmly on, Kathryn went over to the mirror, straightened it, and then brushed her hair. Her face was flushed and Kathryn took deep breaths to calm herself. So far, everything that could have gone wrong had gone wrong, and she had so wanted this evening to be perfect. It had been over three years since she and Chakotay had dined together and she wanted this night to be special. But, first the replicator had broken, which meant she had to cook dinner the conventional way, and then, after going to the trouble of baking and decorating a chocolate cake, she had picked the plate up with wet hands and dropped the cake all over herself and the floor.

Suddenly, the door chime sounded.

"That'll be him," Kathryn said, turning to her daughter. "I won't be long, honey."

With that, she left the room and quickly made her way down stairs to the main door. After taking another deep breath, she opened the door.

Chakotay stood on the porch, smartly dressed in brown pants and a beige shirt, and held a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon in his hands.

"Chakotay," Kathryn smiled. "Right on time. Come in."

Chakotay stepped inside and looked around the room. It was small, but cosy, and the stone chimney place gave the old house a quaint feel.

"Nice house," Chakotay said. "Nice place too."

Kathryn nodded. "I was going to move back to San Francisco after Justin died, but then when I found out I was having Justine, I decided to stay here. Justin loved this house and by staying here I felt as though he would still be a part of her life in some small way."

"I can understand that," Chakotay replied.

"But I don't know if I'm going to stay here indefinitely," she continued. "Winter's here are harsh and it's a very old house."

A cry filled the air and Kathryn looked up the stairs. "That'll be Justine. No doubt she's heard your voice and wants to be part of the action. My mother says she's never seen such an inquisitive child."

Chakotay couldn't help tease. "I find that hard to believe."

Kathryn laughed softly and then made her way over to the stairs. "You wait here. I'll be right back."

With that, she quickly made her way upstairs and disappeared into one of the bedrooms.

When she was gone, Chakotay looked around the room again. On a cabinet to his left there was a picture of Kathryn and Justin on their wedding day and Chakotay found himself looking at it. Kathryn looked so happy, happier than he had ever seen her, and while her smile warmed his heart, the familiar ache of unrequited love consumed it. Even now, after all these years and everything that had happened, he still loved her.

Footsteps on the stairs drew Chakotay's attention away from the picture and he turned towards the staircase. When he saw Kathryn descend them with an adorable little girl with blue eyes and ginger curls, his heart skipped a beat.

"This is my daughter," Kathryn declared. "Justine Shannon."

Chakotay smiled at the child. "Pleased to meet you, Justine."

Justine smiled back and Chakotay could hardly take his eyes off the child. "She looks like you," he said. "There's no doubt about it."

"My eyes, my hair," Kathryn smiled. "Except for the curls. In that way she takes after my sister. And boy, am I glad. Poor thing deserves better than my worst feature."

"I've always thought your hair is beautiful," Chakotay said, looking up at her.

For a moment their eyes locked, then Kathryn broke their gaze.

"I'm afraid I can't promise much in the way of dinner," she said apologetically. "My replicator's broken and I've had to cook everything by hand. The soup and pasta have turned out okay, but I'm afraid I had a disaster with dessert so..."

She stopped talking when she saw that Chakotay was laughing.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Some thing's just never change."

"No," Kathryn replied, laughing herself now. "I guess they don't."

Their main course over, Kathryn made a make-shift dessert in the kitchen while Chakotay read Justine a story in the living room. The child was teething and had cried every time Kathryn had put her to bed. The only way she and Chakotay had been able to get through their meal was to let Justine join them from her high chair. But, in the warmth and safety of Chakotay's gentle embrace, and the sweet lullaby of his soothing voice, the child soon drifted off to sleep. As she slept, Chakotay gazed at her and was surprised at how much he cared for the child, even though before today he hadn't even known of her existence. But she was Kathryn's child, a part of her, and in that way he loved her already.

"You're a natural," Kathryn said as she returned with dessert.

Chakotay smiled and then gazed at the sleeping little girl again. "She's amazing," he said. "I know I've said it before, but she truly is."

Kathryn nodded. "I'm so thankful for her, Chakotay. She's a miracle and...and I don't think there's anything I wouldn't do for her." She looked fondly at her daughter for a moment, and then put the bowls in her hand down on the table. "Apples and pears with coffee sauce."

Chakotay peeped into the bowl. "Looks surprisingly delicious."

Kathryn laughed softly. "Less of the surprising, thank you very much." She then sat down opposite Chakotay. "You know, it's ten years next week since we got stranded. We should mark the occasion. I mean, just the two of us."

"Absolutely," Chakotay replied. "How about a picnic followed by a moonlight sail on Lake George? We always said we'd do the real thing if we got home."

"We sure did," Kathryn smiled. "How about Tuesday night?"

Chakotay smiled in return. "Tuesday night it is."

THE FOLLOWING WEEK

Alone in her bedroom, Kathryn sat by her dressing table, wrapped in a white robe, and gazed at her wedding ring. The ring had not once left her finger since the day she and Justin had married, but she felt that perhaps the time was right to remove it now. Slowly, hesitantly, she loosened the ring and pulled it over her knuckle. For a while she looked at it as it lay in the palm of her hand, then she opened a tiny draw on an old Victorian jewellery box, and kissed the ring before putting it inside. She then closed the draw and locked it with a tiny key.

A marble moon shone down from a black sky and bathed a large yacht in silver light. Wearing an elegant dress of blue velvet, Kathryn stood on the deck of the boat and looked out at Lake George in the moonlight. Her hair was swept up from her face in a fancy bun and a diamond pendant hung around her neck.

"It's so peaceful out here," she said as she heard Chakotay approach. "And the moon is so beautiful." She paused. "You know, when we first got home, I stayed up almost all night just to look at the moon. All my life I had taken her for granted, never really given her much thought, and yet...and yet that night it felt such a privilege to just look at her and bask in her light."

"It's surprising how much we take for granted," Chakotay replied. "When I left my family and my tribe to pursue a career in Starfleet, I thought they would always be there...that no matter how much time passed, things on Trebus would always stay the same."

"Sometimes I wish things could stay the same," Kathryn said wistfully. "But life takes us on such a fast rollercoaster that we hardly get a chance to view the scenery before the ride is over." She paused. "It's hard to believe it's ten years since we got stranded. A whole decade gone and yet...and it feels only like yesterday." She turned away from the water. "We'll have to do this again. Maybe make a weekend of it. We never did take that boating trip we talked about on New Earth."

For a moment Chakotay was silent, then he spoke. "I'm not going to be here," he said quietly.

Kathryn swallowed. "You're not?"

"No," he replied. "I've been asked to lead a deep space archaeological mission and will be leaving on Friday."

Tears welled in Kathryn's eyes. "I see," she said quietly.

"I won't be gone as long as before, though. A year or two, perhaps."

Kathryn made no reply, just gazed at her hands.

"And we won't be leaving communication range this time. You can write to me."

Kathryn nodded, then turned towards the lake as a tear ran down her cheek.

Chakotay saw her tear glisten in the moonlight and gently put his hand on her shoulder. "Kathryn?"

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her tear away. "I just..." She turned back to him, infinite pain in her eyes. "I don't want you to go."

At that, tears filled Chakotay's eyes. "Then give me a reason to stay," he whispered.

Slowly, tentatively, Kathryn closed the gap between them and kissed his lips gently.

"Stay for me," she said tearfully. "I love you, Chakotay..."

A tear ran down Chakotay's cheek and he gathered her close. "I love you too, Kathryn. I've always loved you..."

Kathryn wrapped her arm around his neck and for a long while they held each other tight, both cherishing the closeness of the other. Then, beneath a sky full of stars, Chakotay lowered his lips to hers and they kissed softly.

THREE MONTHS LATER

From the terrace of an ocean-front villa that he now shared with Kathryn and Justine, Chakotay watched fondly as mother and daughter played on a golden Floridian beach. Kathryn had a straw hat on her head to protect her delicate skin from the sun, and Justine's bright pink hat matched the plastic spade she was holding in her hand. After watching them for a while, Chakotay left the terrace and made his way over to them. As he got closer, he saw Justine bash with her spade a sand-tower Kathryn had just made with a bucket, her little nose wrinkling as she laughed heartedly.

"Oh Justine," Kathryn laughed. "You're not meant to knock the castle down."

"So much for your masterpiece," Chakotay smiled as he approached.

Kathryn turned towards him, laughing still, and her eyes filled with delight when she saw a tiny golden puppy in Chakotay's arms.

"Oh, Chakotay..." she exclaimed, getting to her feet. "What have we here..."

"The latest addition to our family," Chakotay smiled.

Kathryn looked up at him. "You mean...?"

Chakotay nodded. "You said you would like a dog. Well, now we have one."

Kathryn smiled happily, her joy warming his heart, and then she gently took the puppy from him. As she did so, a gold ring on her left hand sparkled as it caught the sun.

"He's adorable," she said. "I mean, presuming he's a he..." She quickly glanced underneath the dog and laughed softly. "I beg your pardon. She's adorable." She kissed the puppy's tiny head. "Where did you get her from?"

"An animal shelter in New Jersey. Phoebe recommended it."

Kathryn knelt on the sand and showed the puppy to Justine. "Look, Justine. Daddy's got us a doggie."

Justine smiled and reached out with a sandy hand to touch the dog. "Bow-wow," she said. "Ahhh...bow-wow..."

"That's right," Kathryn smiled. "Bow-wow." She then brushed some sand from the dog's fur. "Poor thing, we've got her all sandy..."

Chakotay knelt beside his wife. "That's a good name..."

Kathryn looked up at him. "You know, you're right. A perfect name." She then gazed gratefully into Chakotay's eyes. "Thank you."

Chakotay smiled warmly and then they kissed softly.

When they drew apart, Kathryn glanced back at Justine, only to find an empty spot where she should have been sitting. Her heart racing, Kathryn looked around.

"Justine?"

Then she saw her precious child. She was toddling boldly towards the sea.

"I'll get her," Chakotay said, getting to his feet.

He hurried after Justine and scooped the little girl in his arms. "Oh no you don't, young lady," he said, kissing her cheek. "The sea is no place for you."

As he walked back over to Kathryn, she picked up the two forgotten spades on the sand and put them into the forgotten bucket. Then she slipped the handle of the bucket over her wrist and got to her feet.

"Come on troops," she said as Chakotay approached. "Let's take Sandy inside and get her settled."

When he reached her, Chakotay put his arm around Kathryn's shoulder, and side by side they walked to their villa.

THE END