Betrayal and Turkey.

Chapter Fifteen.

By Hopping Hamster.

Sorry once again to all my readers for the delay, life got in the way… but here it is now, thank you for all the great reviews and support!

He took a deep breath and stepped through the doors cradling a coffee mug in his hand. He knew he was taking a bit of a risk but still he did it. Three whole day's had passed since his little dinner date with her and he hadn't seen her since returning her to the sanctuary of her own home. He had been staying in her large manor house, hanging around in the mornings and evenings in the hope of maybe catching a glimpse of her but he had no luck there. He had wondered if that has been a deliberate thing on her part in the hope he would go away. Now she was not going to be very happy with him but if it got him close to her perhaps she wouldn't care in the end. Stepping inside she looked beautiful curled up on the sofa, she didn't even look up at his arrival. Taking a deep breath he knew he couldn't back out now so stepping forwards she said calmly "good morning" as he beamed at her as he placed a mug in front of her on the little glass coffee table.

Slowly she lowered her book and shifted in the sofa slightly to ask to get a better look at him without having to move from her rested lying down position. She hadn't screamed or thrown the book at him, that was a good sign Chakotay decided at he smiled down at her lying in her night wear "what's this?" she asked in a calm yet firm tone as she stared at him her brows drawn together.

He tugged just once on his ear and looked away slightly from her intense stare as he mumbled "coffee" in reply. Then he flashed dimpled smiled at her in the hope that this might help the situation.

Slowly she lowered her eyes to the offending object before flashing the blue orbs back up to look at him and saying in a dead pan voice "thank you commander I can see that" raising an eyebrow at his somewhat deflated expression she asked calmly "where is Sam?"

"I gave her the day off" he told her matter of flatly unsure how else he should respond to that he decided to go with the truth.

At his word her eyes went wide and a whole load of confused questions and worries flashed through her mind as well as the anger at his assumptions and out right unwanted presence in her private sanctuary first thing in the morning, had it not been Chakotay she might have felt somewhat violated but as it was she knew she could trust time. Though that didn't stop her anger towards him for what he had done "you did what?!" she was angry now and showing it. When she realised she had shouted she regretted it seeing the hurt look in his eyes, closing her eyes and setting her jaw she took in a deep breath before asking "why?"

Chakotay watched her for a second and then slowly took her hand, at first she stiffened at his touch but didn't pull away. Lowing her hand to the table he rested it on the mug of coffee he had brought and told her "drink up Kathryn" he leaned in and whispered "we're going out today."

"Oh we are we?" she demanded in a sarcastic tone stressing 'we' as she said it "where are we going?"

Chakotay could see she wasn't happy, any lesser man who didn't know Kathryn Janeway might have run away but he had come too far for that now taking a deep breath he smiled "you'll see when we get there" came his simple reply.

She shot him her death glare before informing him in her deep voice trying to stay calm "I did not allow you to stay at the ranch in order for you to disrupt the already delicate system I have had for four and a half years" she was waving her hand about furiously which only saddened Chakotay, she hadn't even taken one sip from the drink he had brought her.

"Then why did you?" he challenged, maybe just a little out of hurt for her dismissive attitude, something she had not expected.

Stopping dead in her somewhat angry tirade she let her hand flop to her side as she softened slightly and added "because you asked" she told him meeting his eyes and he saw for the first time there tears filling the shining blue orbs "because my ranch is available to any of Voyagers crew" then her eyes sparkled as he hissed "all of it apart from the den" then it hit her, she still couldn't believe he had simply waltzed in her den and given Sam the day off like it didn't matter "so get the hell out!" she ordered in such a tone which let Chakotay know she meant it, this was a lot harder than he had thought.

Deciding to lighten the mood that had just descended in the room h teased her saying "or what you'll call security?"

Sadly for Kathryn that was one teasing just a little too much as he face contorted into near pain and she scoffed "or perhaps I'll do a running jump and karate kick you out" with that she tilted her head to look at him to show she wasn't happy.

Chakotay let out a growl realising what he had done he felt like he could just kick himself "sorry" he sighed looking at her with sorrow. There was a time when she could have karate kicked him.

She stared at him for just a second longer before she turned away and said calmly "close the door on the way out" she whispered fighting her urge to cry in front of him "and commander if you ever do come in here uninvited again I really will call security." with that she once more picked up the book she had been reading. She didn't quite know what she was going to do now for the rest of the day seen as how he had apparently given Sam the day off once again leaving her at his mercy but right now she didn't care, she just wanted him out her den.

She stared at her book not reading, he stared at her not moving. A standoff, who would back down first. Kathryn was angry and unrelenting though she knew deep down most of their relationship break up was her fault, he was at least trying to rebuild something but she couldn't get past her feelings of betrayal and shame that he only cared out of pity having arrived angry but having seen her in this state seemed to have softened a lot. Letting out a sad and genuine sigh Chakotay told her softly "I only wanted to surprise you with a nice trip out" then turning towards the door he added "I didn't mean to make you feel unsafe"

Kathryn shot her head up to look at him and nearly dropped her book at the shock of his words, he was the last person in the universe she would ever feel unsafe with, even in his angry rage "Chakotay I do not feel unsafe" she insisted firmly looking intently at him, had he not moved away she would have reached up to grab his hand "especially not around you" she smiled feebly "I hoped you would know that"

Smiling down at her he moved closer and pointed out "you want to call security"

"I don't like having my sanctuary invaded" she shrugged; this was the only kind of admittance or explanation he was going to get from her.

Tugging on his ear he added firmly "I'm not an invader" then in much sadder tone he replied "please Kathryn give me a day"

"I don't really have much choice do I?" she found herself snapping at him as she finally picked up the now Luke warm mug of coffee and told him "I'm at your mercy"

He stared at her for a second and then realised underneath all her cold annoyance she was giving him a chance. Breaking into a smile telling her warmly "I missed you"

Shooting him a sideways glance over her mug she told him "I have missed you too" then meeting his eyes and lowering the mug she asked calmly "three days ago you're asking me to give you a chance at a dinner date" her eyebrow raise "now you insist on taking me out for a day." A smile was playing on the corners of her mouth as she asked "are you trying to seduce me?"

"Drink up" she laughed.

"You are aware I can't dress myself?" she asked seriously and then quickly added while pointing at him "and don't you go getting any ideas! That is one thing I won't agree to"

"Nothing I haven't seen before" he remarked which earned him a death glare and he added "B'Elanna is on her way to help you"

Slightly shocked she nodded with a determined growl "oh so B'Elanna is in on it is she?"

"Are you going to make my being here hard?" he asked folding his arms at her.

"Maybe" she shrugged with a smile and a twinkle in her deep blue