Betrayal and Turkey.
Chapter Eighteen.
By Hopping Hamster.
Kathryn once again found herself shifting in her seat. She couldn't decide if it was due to her body being unable to be sat in the same position for long periods of time of it was because Chakotay was now staring intently at her. She kept her body turned away from his scrutiny but she knew his eyes were bearing into her. As he watched her shift again he sighed and disengaged the engines thus fully parking up before saying "come on"
As he stood Kathryn spun in her chair to look at him before she gasped "where are we going?"
Looking at her with that old compassionate smile he told her gently "a stroll"
Kathryn looked horrified as she glanced out the window before her the river path stretching urging people to stroll along its banks for centuries. Kathryn had half expected his fury to continue once she had explained what she had been doing that fateful day five years ago but instead he looked sad and full of pain. As he turned to move out of the now open door on his side of the vehicle she opened her mouth to protest but he jumped down and shut the door before she could say anything else. Feeling slightly annoyed and deflated at that she groaned and watched as he walked round the front of the vehicle to open the door on her side. Frustrated she waited for him to open the door before she issued her protests.
Holding out an arm he met her eyes firmly. When she refused to take his arm he asked "are you planning to sit in there all day getting more and more uncomfortable?"
She shot him a death glare before scowling and announcing "I wasn't planning on going anywhere but you left me no choice" then without even waiting for a reply she took his arm and awkwardly got into a standing position as snapped "I hope you weren't planning in going very far very fast"
"Not too far, and we have all the time you need" he replied with a soft twinkle in his voice which sort of added to Kathryn deflated her protests. When he saw she wasn't going to protest further he secured an arm more firmly around her before telling her "you know I did leave you a choice, you could have said no"
That just earned him a dirty look before she stood as tall as she could and snapped "well lead the way"
Flashing his dimples at her he shook his head and helped her to walk. Kathryn wasn't about to admit it felt good, real good to be out in the fresh air, arm in arm with the man she was still very much in love with. A soft winter breeze blowing through her hair. She flashed her blue eyes up for where she had been watching her awkward feet and dared to take a look at the beautiful stream flowing out before her. A smile began to play across her face as she stopped still and closed her eyes taking in the brisk chill of the fresh air.
"Are you ok Kathryn?" Chakotay asked softly fearing she might be in pain or something.
Quickly her head shot round and her eyes opened to look at him "I'm fine Chakotay" she told him once again looking around at the beautiful snow covered stream "it's just been a while" she admitted "since I was out like this"
Chakotay was so close he could feel her heart beat as he held her up. "Kathryn" he said softly as he watched her "if you wanted to see me, to see trebus you could have come on a civilian transport, you didn't have to play the role of Starfleet bribery"
Slowly she hung her head and admitted "I know. Maybe I should have, but I suppose it was an excuse, a reason"
Chakotay looked deep into her eyes and told her seriously "Kathryn, you never need a reason or an excuse to visit me"
Their hearts beat in unison as she held his eyes. She began to lean into him as he responded in kind before she quickly pulled away and commented on the beauty of the snow.
Closing his eyes in frustration he followed her line of vision and asked "do you like it here?"
Kathryn's mouth curled into a gentle smile as he felt her lean into him for support as she told him "it's very beautiful Chakotay, where are we?"
"Not far from San Francisco" he admitted wrapping his supportive hands around her shoulders pulling her into him from behind, he was surprised how thin she was as he held her tight to him in the cold where they stood.
"San Francisco?" she questioned with raised eyebrows "as in Starfleet?" she really didn't want anything to do with Starfleet anymore, she had walked away a long time ago, she just hoped he would understand that.
"we're not going to Starfleet" he reassured her "but there is very little I know of earth, my only time here was at the academy" slowly she turned to him and sighed "Kathryn?" he pressed trying to understand what was wrong.
"I was just thinking" she told him in a deep sad voice "If I wasn't so injured I would take you to Indiana, I would show you France, and we could ride camels in the Egyptian desert…."
Taking her injured hand for the first time he was surprised to see how freely and without pain he could raise her arm yet he had not once seen her use it, giving the clearly smashed palm a kiss he told her "Kathryn, I still think we can do those things, see those things, if that's what you want?"
"I want you to stay with me" she told him looking out at the water "here on earth." Chakotay was surprised at the sudden admission, up until then she had been acting as if she didn't care less where he was, he knew maybe he only had himself to blame, the way he had treated her and the things he had said upon his arrival a few days ago were unforgiveable.
