The Commander was in a foul mood this morning, Tuvok noted as he cataloged supplies. "No need to hurry on this, Tuvok," he'd said earlier. "We're going to be waiting around anyway."

"The captain has put in long hours with these negotiations," he'd remarked. "And humans do need time for, as you put it, 'R&R.'"

"I'm sure she's found a way to relax," he growled.

Tuvok made no reply, but it was obvious that the Commander was, as humans put it, pouting.

Chakotay's behavior on Kohlin had spurred a good deal of gossip on the ship, with some speculation that he was trying to make the Captain jealous. It certainly was no secret that he was annoyed by the Captain's growing closeness to her helmsman. Knowing that she was off-world, likely with Mr. Paris, had to rankle.

As for the Captain, he personally believed that the relationship was good for her; by nature, Kathryn Janeway was not a solitary person.

It was entirely possible that she and Mr. Paris would indulge in more than snowboarding this weekend, he realized. But fraternization issues were not his concern right now: The Captain's insistence on remaining alone on Kohlin had made him profoundly uneasy. So from a security standpoint, taking Tom Paris to her bed might be the safest thing she could do.

XXX

"You are really good at this," Tom told her after they finished their last snowboarding run.

"Why, thank you, sir," she said, winding her arms around his neck "You were an excellent coach."

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly. He suspected it had been a long time since Kathryn had enjoyed such affection, and she was reveling in it. He'd been a little surprised at her willingness to kiss him in public, but then he realized that everyone who knew them was back on the ship. The Kohlians didn't care: those couples seemed to be just as affectionate, so they fit right in.

"So, do you want dinner, or would you rather go back to the room and have a nap?" he whispered suggestively as they turned in their boards. She gave him that wicked grin …

"Kathryn!" The voice startled both of them. Tom looked up to see a Kohlian woman approaching them, smiling broadly.

Kathryn turned and visibly relaxed. "Margite!"

"I'm so happy to see you. I thought you were leaving today."
"I decided to take the day off and try snowboarding," Kathryn said.

"Good for you! And I see your husband was able to join you," Margite said, giving Tom an appreciative look.

"I'm Tom," he offered as they shook hands. Kathryn managed to keep a straight face. "Margite is the First Minister's chief of staff," she explained. "She was my liaison during negotiations this week."

"You know, my husband's here, too," Margite enthused. "Why don't you join us for dinner? The restaurant here is very good, and I know he'd love to meet you both. I've been telling him how much I enjoyed working with you."

"Well, we were just talking about dinner," Tom said as he slipped his arm around Kathryn.

"Oh, what the hell ..." Kathryn thought. "Margite, we'd be delighted to join you."

XXX

"They were very nice folks," Tom said later. "I had a great time at dinner." What he really enjoyed was the normalcy of the evening: two couples enjoying dinner and conversation; no uniforms, no pips, no protocol …

"It was fun, but it certainly rivaled any of those comedies on your TV. Margite is a wonderful person and I feel terrible about lying to her."

"We didn't lie about everything."

"Well, no, just one big thing. By the way, why did you say that we met when I sprung you from prison?"

"Well, I couldn't say that we really met when I was 12. That sounded bad. But you saying I was on an intelligence mission at the prison was absolutely inspired," He chuckled. "Of course, you were the one who told her we were newlyweds."

"Well, she asked how long we'd been married; that was the best I could come up with on the fly. We did get a nice present, even though I feel guilty about taking it." Margite and her husband had insisted on stopping at a nearby shop to buy them a bottle of wine. "A token of our friendship, and a belated wedding present," she told them.

"What I can't figure," Tom said, pulling her into his arms, "is why she thought I was your husband. Did you tell her you were married?"

"No, I didn't. Maybe it was a translation issue. I told her I had someone special back on the ship and I missed him very much."

"Well, I missed you too, Mrs. Paris," he whispered before kissing her.

Much later, he gently rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, stroking over the gold band on her right hand. "By the way, is this your grandmother's wedding ring, or were you just finessing Margite?"

She smiled softly. "It was my great-grandmother's. Daddy gave it to me when I turned 16."

"It's very nice," he said, then realized he may have made a major faux pas. "Uh ... that wasn't supposed to be ..."

She arched an eyebrow. "My wedding ring?" she asked "No. Justin and I hadn't gotten that far. Mark was set on matching bands." She smiled gently as she contemplated the band. "I suppose it's just as well. It only carries good memories now."

XXX

Tom stared out the window at the mountains, not really seeing them. He paced a bit, trying to push back the feeling of dread that had settled over him.

Not that the day had started off badly. Kathryn had again found a delightful way to wake him up, and he'd interrupted their breakfast in bed to return the favor.

But now, with their bags packed and their return to Voyager looming …

Kathryn bustled in, adjusting her sweater as she walked. "Let's stop at that bakery ..." She stopped and looked at him, puzzled. "Something wrong?"

"Maybe," he said as he sat down on the couch. "We're going back to the ship in a couple of hours."

"I wish we could stay longer, too."

He took a breath. "So is this where you tell me that this was a one-time thing? That we can't continue once we get back on Voyager … I mean … if it is, I understand. I promise to keep my mouth shut."

She sighed and sat next to him, then took his face in her hands and kissed him. "Relax; if this week has proved anything, it's that I can't let go of you. So you're stuck with me. But we do need to agree on a few things."

She smiled gently as she watched understanding … and relief … dawn on his face.

"Oh, like keeping my mouth shut?" he managed to joke.

"Well, yes, please," she teased, then sobered a bit. "Look, you need to understand, it's "all-in" with me. I prefer sex as part of a full, exclusive relationship. So if you have any hope, any intentions of going back to B'Elanna, please tell me now. And given what I just said, please don't entertain any ideas about juggling us."

He looked horrified. "Do I look like I want to get myself killed?"

"No," she said evenly, "and I don't, either. And you would have to hide from both of us, which could be difficult."

"Look, there isn't anyone else. B'Elanna and I are just friends; we've been over for quite a while." He gave her that mischievous grin. As for 'all-in,' well, you and I are married, remember?"

"Oh, let's step back from that idea."

"Hey, you're the one telling people that we're newlyweds."

She gave him a look. "You announce that on the ship, and we both know who's going to kill you," she warned.

He just gave her that grin. "He'll just have to deal with the fact that you're taken."

"You are going to be trouble, aren't you?" she said affectionately.

"You knew that when you started with me," he chuckled and pulled her into his lap.

She sighed and settled against him. "We can't exactly shout this in the Mess Hall."

He chuckled. "We'll just hide in plain sight."

"How's that?"

"Well, it's no secret that you come over for TV night, and that we might be found on the holodeck. We just keep doing those things; if the crew sees us in social situations, so what?"

"And for the more intimate meetings?"

He grinned. "I could easily write a private room into Sandrine's or a cabana in that beach program. But if you come over for a movie, or we have dinner in your quarters, nobody needs to know what we're having for dessert. Unless you think Chakotay has planted listening devices in your bedroom."

"Don't make me paranoid," she said, swatting his arm.

"Look, all I'm saying is we should enjoy each other. We can't stop gossip. But as long as we don't skulk round, or act guilty about our relationship, they won't have any evidence."

"Thomas, you're a sneak."

"Only for noble purposes. And by the way, don't forget to take your favorite pilot along on away missions."

"If at all possible," she said. "You know I can't cut you any slack. I do expect you to follow orders."

"Can't get out of Sick Bay shifts, eh?" She shook her head and he laughed. "It's all right … I know the job comes first."

He leaned in and kissed her neck. "I do have conditions."
She gave him an "uh, oh" look. "Like …?"

"Like we make sure to spend some off-duty time together every day. Even if it's just an hour or so to talk and cuddle a bit."

"You know there will be things I can't talk to you about."

"Yes, and there will be things I can't or won't talk to you about. My friends deserve some privacy."

"Agreed," she said quickly.

"Second, permission to sneak a kiss in the turbolifts or in the Ready Room."

"And here's my condition: We keep things professional on duty, and especially on Deck 1, which includes the Ready Room."

"So if you're working late, I can't come by to kiss you goodnight?"

She just chuckled. "That I'll consider. Otherwise, no."

"Turbolifts?"

"Yes, though, shall we say, timing is critical. And please don't sabotage a lift with the idea of having sex in it. "

"Why not?"

"There are no showers in the lifts. And if you don't follow me, go look at the sheets," she said suggestively as he actually blushed.