TITLE: Chakotay's Holidays: And to All a Good Night
AUTHOR: Brenda Shaffer-Shiring
RATING: PG
CODES: C/T
PART:19/20
DISCLAIMER: I don't own these characters, but if I did, they would have a lot more fun.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: All glory, laud, and honor to my longsuffering beta, DianeB.
SUMMARY: It's been a year since B'Elanna came back into Chakotay's life, and he knows how he would like to celebrate. Will she agree?
Un flambeau, Jeannette, Isabelle
Un flambeau, courons au berceau.
C'est Jésus, bonnes gens du hameau,
Le Christ est né, Marie appelle
Ah! Ah! Ah! que la mère est belle
Ah! Ah! Ah! que l'Enfant est beau.
"I always liked that one," B'Elanna said, smiling as Chakotay finished the verse with a flourish.
He looked at her quizzically. "I wouldn't have expected you to *know* that one."
"Dad's Catholic, remember? Some of our neighbors on Kessik used to follow French Catholic traditions, and we celebrated with them." Her renewed relationship with John Torres was now of long enough vintage that she spoke of him, and their shared past, easily enough. That by itself would have sufficed to make Chakotay smile, but in fact, it was not the only reason he had for smiling. His pretty companion and he were just returning from his colleague Phillipe's annual Christmas Eve celebration. He had always enjoyed Christmas parties – especially Phillipe's – but attending one with a date was a novel experience for him. One he was beginning to think he might have the chance to get used to, though. As he hoped he would have the chance to get used to having that small, strong hand on his arm, as it was right now.
It was B'Elanna's turn to give a questioning look. "So how do *you* know it?"
He shrugged. "I looked it up after Phillipe's party last year."
"I would have thought you were a little busy after Phillipe's party last year." Being as that was the evening he had returned to his apartment to find that B'Elanna had let herself and Miral in.
Another shrug. He hadn't said *immediately* afterward, after all. In fact, he hadn't gotten to it for most of a month.
When they arrived at her apartment, she spoke her name and the door whooshed open. She kept hold of his arm as she stepped in, and he accepted the tacit invitation to enter.
They had no small chaperone this Christmas Eve, as Miral was spending the evening with her father. Chakotay found himself particularly glad for the absence, as an upward glance in the entry revealed that B'Elanna had indulged in a small piece of very traditional decoration: mistletoe.
Seeing his upward glance, B'Elanna said softly, "Door close and lock." Then she leaned into him, her arms wrapping securely around his back as she tipped her head back for his kiss. He gladly complied, his own arms closing firmly around her, the length of his body pressing close against hers.
"Well," she said, flushed and gasping a little when they finally came up for air. "Merry Christmas to you too."
"Merry Christmas." He was having a little trouble thinking clearly, looking down at that shining face, feeling that lithe, strong body against his own. How, he wondered, had it taken him so long to see her, really *see* her? How had he ever *not* known?
"I have a gift for you!" She broke away with easy strength, but caught his hand in hers, tugging him into the living room. Of course he made no real effort to resist.
The room still had only the most basic of furniture: besides the rocking chair he'd gifted her so long ago, there were a sturdy couch, loveseat, and armchair carved from (certainly artificial) wood, with dark practical-for-parents-of-young-children cushions, and small side tables to match. But a word from B'Elanna set its most glorious seasonal accessory aglow: a ceiling-sweeping pine tree bedecked in multicolored lights and shimmering ornaments, and crowned with a brilliant star. About its base lay a small mountain of brightly-wrapped packages, most of them no doubt intended for the little girl who would return to her mother's home tomorrow afternoon. Two were set to one side, adorned in paper of deeper, richer colors. B'Elanna pushed the larger one aside ("That's for Dad," she explained), and picked up the smaller one in one hand.
Reaching into his overcoat pocket, Chakotay withdrew a package of his own, feeling his heartbeat suddenly accelerate. He would be more than happy to accept any present she wished to offer, but would she accept – could she accept – what he wanted to give? He hoped she would, thought she would, but—
And then her present was in his hand, and he offered his present automatically, thinking too late that he should wait, and say the words that ought to go with such a gift before she opened it. But she didn't open it right away, instead waiting and watching him.
With a moment's surprise, he realized that her gift to him was the same size, the same shape, as his to her. Could it be-? Mouth suddenly dry, he plucked off the wrappings and found himself holding a small jewelry box. He flipped open the lid.
And grinned, a grin so wide it almost hurt his face, but not nearly wide enough to express all his joy. It was a ring, a small plain circlet of silver, incised with a chamoozee symbol.
B'Elanna's eyes were on him, earnest, anxious. "Well?" she said.
"Open yours," was all his reply. She fumbled at the wrappings, revealing a jewelry box much like the one that held her present to him. With a little gasp she opened it, and saw a small circlet of gold, brightened by tiny, colorful flecks of gemstones.
"Yes!" she cried passionately, launching herself at him. He caught her and held her tight, hard, all of his strength and all of hers drawing them close as two sentient beings could be. He thought he would probably have bruises in the morning. He couldn't bring himself to care.
"Yes," he murmured, heart surging as his mouth claimed hers hungrily. "Oh, yes."
EPILOGUE: "Through the Years" (wedding anniversary). And don't panic – you don't have to wait another 11 years for this one! I'm sending it to DianeB for a beta read as soon I'm done posting.
