Disclaimer: Paramount owns all things Trek… pity though.

A/N: Okay, I'm back on my writing mission. No more exams, no more school, no more uniforms… for three WHOLE months… fanfic writing galore. This story will soon be finished and then on to the next… remember keep those reviews coming… KayB

Believe in Me

…Fatal Attraction…

B'Elanna looked up from the tricorder to stare at Kathryn. "You were definitely right when you said it was all 'a little too far-fetched'", she agreed, handing the device back to Kathryn.

"I still don't believe it," whispered Harry, "The Commander would never have murdered Seven – I just don't believe it."

Kathryn paused to consider Harry's words, Believe in Me, Chakotay had said, and yet he head lied and admitted it that day. If anything she was confused. She had so very much believed Chakotay's innocence; he had looked at her in that way that was reserved for only the two of them as the police led him away, yet his story was so unreasonable, implausible that she was beginning to think that she had never known him.

"Actually Mr. Kim," Tuvok picked up the handy device that Kathryn/Kelly Frasier had used to record Chakotay's confession, "Commander Chakotay has a history of murder, he has previously murdered several Cardassians warlords and citizens."

"But that was only because they'd killed his family on Dorvan Prime – he wanted revenge."

"That statement is enough to back up my hypothesis. Imagine, if The Commander killed to avenge his family, what would he do to protect his new one?"

"I don't th-"

"ENOUGH!" Said Kathryn, her chair scraping loudly against the tiled surface of the Paris-Torres residence. She paced over to the sink and sighed before turning to face the remaining and free members of her senior staff.

"Actually Captain," All eyes turned back to Tuvok – only he would have been brave enough to address the Captain when she was in this state. "I had not yet finished my assessment of the situation, but I would first like to check with Mr. Paris if he has removed the censors in this room."

"There's not a single censor in this house that hasn't been diverted to either static or a pre-recorded conversation."

"Very well then, I will proceed. Aside from the fact that Commander Chakotay has shown a history of violent intentions, I also believe" – Kathryn shuddered, there was that word again, "that the Commander in all his years of Starfleet training and service has given him a sense of logic to rival that of any Vulcan, thus concluding, as Mr. Paris would put it, that he would have the brains to come up with a more plausible explanation."

"What are you saying?" Asked B'Elanna, "That Chakotay's not as efficient at lying as he used to be?"

"Quite the contrary Lieutenant, I believe that Commander Chakotay is not lying… he believes his story is the truth"

"As much as I value your council Tuvok, in this case your logic is as much idle speculation as a tabloid newspaper." Kathryn sharp tone cut through the air of relief that had spread about the room.

"On the contrary Captain," said the stoic Vulcan, "I do not usually make assessments without facts to back that up, which in this case are the readings taken by your own tricorder. We were all too taken with his confession that we did not analyse the other readings taken by this device."

In other words he's saying I was the first to find my husband guilty, Kathryn swore there were times she could strangle the Vulcan… and yet at the same time, she was hoping he was getting somewhere… anything to give her the love of her life back again.

"This device indicated two life forms in the room… one male on female. Both bodies are at normal room temperature, indicating that the Commander could not have been lying as often that shows up with elevated body temperature. However, in the event that the Commander can effectively control his boy temperature, the fact that there is a chip embedded in the back of the Commander's skull, not marked with a Starfleet identification code would some how insinuated that his memories are not being tempered with, as I am sure the Doctor can identify that he did not have it in his skull prior to him leaving Voyager."

All eyes focused on the Doctor, who paused for a moment – assessing his previous date files. "He's right – Chakotay never had any chip in the base of his skull. I would have noticed if he did."

"Let me see that," Kathryn snapped, taking three strides across the room and grabbing the tricorder out of the Vulcan's strong grasp. "Oh…" She said as she sank down into the chair, "He's innocent…"

"Indeed Captain, that would appear to be the case, though I suggest that as a priority we need to find out what that chip is and why it is in the commander's skull."

…xxx…xxx…xxx…xxx…xxx

"Kathryn?" B'Elanna joined her mentor on the porch of her house, as the older woman sat on a rocking chair nursing her baby daughter.

"'Lanna," Kathryn greeted, trying to detach her daughter.

"Oh, don't worry," B'Elanna laughed, "Been there, done that."

Kathryn smiled as Taya settled down again. For a moment both women sat in silence, looking out into the Paris-Torres back garden, before Kathryn spoke.

"I still loved him…"

"Kathryn?"

"When I thought he had killed Sev… Annika, I still loved him. How could I do that, how could I still love someone who had murdered… killed… thought of killing."

"You knew he killed before, but you still loved him anyway."

"That was different – that was justice… justice that higher authority wouldn't deal with, so he had to take it into his own hands… but his story… when he told me… I thought God, what has he done? There were other ways to deal with Seven, how many times I could have killed to get what I wanted on Voyager… I thought he knew… he understood better than anyone else what I was going through, I was so disappointed, but I loved him despite that and that was why I was so angry. Angry with myself!"

"It's okay Kathryn, it just showed that despite what you thought he was admitting, somewhere the non-scientist part of you still believed he was innocent. It's alright, we know he's innocent now… we have proof… well, not yet, but we will… Tom, Harry, Tuvok and the Doctor are in there now, working on a plan to save him."

"How will things ever go back to normal B'Ela? Can we ever be husband and wife again – a family… that's all I've ever really wanted, but Starfleet got in the way and now when I had a chance to have it all, this happens. I thought I'd lived my life of adventure and pain in the Delta Quadrant and now this. Everyone I've ever loved has been taken away from me..." Kathryn clenched her hold on Taya, who still fed unfazed by what was going on around her, "Was it right to let go B'Elanna? I loved him so much, more that I thought – even when we got married I didn't realised it was this strong… I love him and that scares me. I don't want to lose him and yet I want to let myself love him."

Those words hit B'Elanna so strong… that she remembered once, long ago, when Kathryn had stood starring at herself in the mirror, B'Elanna next to her adjusting her veil when Kathryn had turned to her, "Are you sure I'm going the right thing 'Lanna?"

"Cap… Kathryn, you and Chakotay were meant to be together. I think that not going through with this would definitely be the wrong thing to do."

"I don't know 'Lanna. All the men I've loved from the past… they've either died, lied, or well or relationship has met some sort of ill fate. I don't think I could go on if something were to happen to Chakotay and yet I love him more than I have any of the others and that scares me… I don't want to lose him and yet I want to let myself love him and I feel that by being selfish I'm sending him to his doom."

"Oh Kathryn, by not marrying him, you'll be sending him to his doom. His heart has been broken so many times" B'Elanna hesitated to add 'by you' and decided to opt it out, "Would it not be better to have one night of utter bliss before losing him, or to break this up and feel pain not only now, but when you lose him – because then, you'll feel that even one night would have been worth it."

"Your right 'Lanna," Kathryn stroked her ex-Chief Engineer's face, "When it comes to space I know exactly what to do, but when it comes to matters of the heart, I'm so glad I have you."

"You'd be getting advice from Seven… and would probably be dating a new version of Data the Android." Kathryn had forced a laugh to that, but B'Elanna hadn't had time to notice when there was a knocking on the door.

"Chakotay?" Kathryn's eye's widened as she attempted to shut the door in his face.

"You're not supposed to be here," B'Elanna admonished as she ushered him out the door until he was standing in the hallway, the door Kathryn's was hiding behind only open an inch.

"I've got to talk to Kathryn."

B'Elanna looked at Kathryn, who previously had been leaning against the door, chest heaving, cheeks blushing with excitement at the prospect of seeing her husband-to-be, but now he face had fallen and she nodded to B'Elanna.

"I'll leave, but remember, you're not supposed to see her… so you, old man" She attempted to keep the atmosphere light, "Stay on this side and Kathryn you are not allowed to open this door – understood."

"Yes ma'am," Chakotay mock saluted. B'Elanna decided that if he could joke back it must not be serious.

...xxx…

"You know Chakotay, you're not supposed to be here," She searched for something to say.

"I just had to see my bride."

Kathryn peeked round the door, "So you're not jilting me then."

Chakotay chuckled, "Oh Kathryn, never! I just wanted to… to give you this."

"What is it?"

"An old locket, my grandmother gave to me – it's one of the few reminders I have of my family on Dorvan Prime… except she didn't give it to me, it was meant for my bride… it gives luck, protection, longevity of marriage and…" his voice dropped a notch, "fertility."

"Chakotay!" Kathryn's hand snaked out the door to whack him lightly on the chest. "We have to get through the wedding first."

"I wanted you to have it before… in case you have any doubts."

"I love you Chakotay, what other doubt is there to have?"

"I'm glad Kathryn – will you wear it?"

"Now?"

"Uhuh."

"Of course, everyday… although Starfleet doesn't allow jewellery when on duty – but I'm an Admiral… Oh Chakotay…" She opened the door slightly to see him already leaning forward prepared for this kiss he knew she would bestow on him.

It was only as the kiss was deepening that B'Elanna rounded the corner.

"I knew I couldn't leave you two alone for a second! What were you thinking – it's bad luck to see to bride before the wedding. Honestly – of all people I thought the two of you would have more sense."

"Come now B'Elanna, he hasn't seen all the dress and my hair's not even done yet."

"Humph!" Was B'Elanna's only response as she ushered Kathryn back into the room… However she did allow Kathryn to give him one last kiss on the cheek, though the wink she gave him and the way she fingered the locket she was wearing went unnoticed.

Kathryn shifted Taya over to her shoulder to burp her and Miral toddled up to the porch from where she had been playing in the sand box. "Aunty Kathwyn?" She asked, crawling onto her Aunt's lap, "You noe ewerything rite?"

"I try to anyway," Kathryn laughed.

"Then why are dere two" Miral held up two fingers as though to illustrate, "Two men hiding behind that twee?"

TBC…

A/N: Well, is that back on track… or not? Lemme know…