Trust
Star Trek Voyager Fan Fiction
Season 5/6
Captain Kathryn Janeway had one goal – get her crew and ship back home. The Captain puts her mission above everything else, but would that also stop her from falling in love?
No copyright infringement intended. Purely for fun.
Written by LaughingLee (First fan fiction :)
CHAPTER 6
"Captain, it's becoming ridiculous. They've been here for two weeks!" Lieutenant Torres complained. The senior officers were all gathered in the conference room. "First, they inspect my ship from top to bottom and now they're interrogating everyone. The questions were harmless to begin with but they're crossing the line. What does it matter who I'm involved with or how many people I've fought with?"
"I must agree, Captain," Commander Chakotay said. "I know they want to make sure we aren't a threat, but their interrogations can't possibly need to be so detailed."
"I understand your feelings, everyone," Captain Janeway said as she stood behind her chair. "Their methods are very unorthodox. The Kinians seem to place great value on what they see as high moral standards. This inquisition does seem a bit much, but unfortunately we need those raw materials. Please, bear with me for the next few days. I understand from their High Leader that they should be concluding their evaluation soon. Hopefully, we pass their test and we can get on our way and finish Voyager's repairs."
"Is there no alternative?" Seven asked. "Can we not obtain the materials somewhere else?"
"Seven, I'm surprised," Janeway replied. "Are the Kinians even testing your patience?"
"I find their constant questioning inefficient," the ex-Borg said. "It also seems as if they are trying to trick you by asking the same question in a myriad of different ways."
"I heard they got one of the Ensigns to cry," Lieutenant Paris added. "Apparently they were asking about Earth and the Ensign teared up."
"I had a discussion with the High Leader about that incident," Captain said, pacing around the room. "He assured me they would be more sensitive in their questions regarding the Alpha Quadrant. Are there any more concerns?"
"None, Captain," Commander Chakotay answered when no-one made any further comments.
"Dismissed," Janeway concluded and her senior staff walked out. The Captain followed Tuvok to the bridge and headed for her ready room, hoping there wasn't a Kinian with questions waiting for her. What she did find was much more pleasant.
"Captain," Ensign Lee greeted her from behind Janeway's desk. "I'm sorry, I thought I'd be finished by now."
"Fixing my console?" Janeway asked, glad to see the blonde woman. She grabbed a padd off her desk and sat down on the couch against the window.
"Yes, Captain," Ensign Lee replied with a grin. How can it be possible to be so happy to see someone, Lee wondered and tried to focus on the task at hand. "The power surge partially damaged a few conduits. They were fine initially, but as we got back to normal power levels, they overloaded. There's a few here and in the panel behind me that I need to fix."
"That's fine, Ensign," Janeway replied and Lee dropped down under the desk again. After a few seconds, Janeway could hear her singing softly. "Did you see the Doctor today?"
"Yes, Captain," Ensign Lee sighed, looking over the desk again. "I'm perfectly fine. The only injury I can get now is if people ask me too much if I'm fine."
"Was that the Doctor's assessment or yours?"
"I'll leave that mystery to you, Captain," Lee replied with a grin and climbed back under the desk. Janeway smiled and continued working.
"Come in," Captain Janeway said a few minutes later when the door chimed. She suppressed a sigh as the Kinian High Leader and one of his aides came in. "High Leader, how is the evaluation going?"
"Very well, thank you, Captain," the humanoid Kinian answered, the bone bristles on his head turning blue. "I have a few final questions for you, if the time is convenient?"
"Please," Janeway offered and they took a seat.
"Captain?" Ensign Lee said and stood up from behind the desk. "Should I come back to do the repairs later?"
"I have no concerns if your Lee stays, Captain Janeway," the High Leader interjected. "It is up to you."
"Very well," Janeway said, frowning slightly at the Kinian's strange choice of words. "Ensign Lee, please carry on with your work." Lee nodded and ducked back down. "What would you like to ask?"
"I will be discussing your decision to keep this vessel stranded in the Delta Quadrant, what effect this had on your abilities to perform as Captain and how you have been handling the journey back to your home." The High Leader paused, and Captain Janeway tried to keep her anger in check. "I will ask about your relationships with the crew as well as to what lengths you would go to get this vessel back to its place of origin. I will be discussing your previous intimate relationships, what effect they had on your character and what current personal intimacies you have formed on this vessel. I will also ask about the effect your decisions have had on the various cultures of this quadrant and how – "
"Stop," Ensign Lee said sternly. She had stood up and was gripping the desk so hard her knuckles were turning white. "You will not be asking any of those insane questions."
"Ensign Lee, you are out of –," Captain Janeway said, but the Ensign didn't let her finish.
"No, Captain, this needs to be said," Ensign Lee interrupted as she went to stand next to Janeway and glared at the Kinians. "You turned Voyager inside out with your inspections and then you traipsed over every crewmember, analysing every moment of our lives. You have made a study out of our behaviours and past actions and we have been very accommodating. We allowed you access to everything. Hell, one of the Kinian aides even asked about my first class at the Academy! But, this is going too far. I will not allow you to ask Captain Janeway these questions. She is the finest woman and Captain I know. She has stayed true to her values and integrity throughout this difficult and extremely taxing voyage. Captain Janeway will pass any test you set. So it stops now. Either agree to trade with us or leave. No more questions."
Ensign Lee had been waving her hands around and at the end of her speech, the fury left her and she stood quietly. Captain Janeway was dumbfounded. Why hadn't she interrupted her? A crewman cannot be allowed to speak to guests like that.
"Excellent," the High Leader replied excitedly, his bristles shading a bright green. Janeway and Lee glanced at each other in confusion. "Captain, I wish to congratulate you on your perfect choice of lifemate. On our world, choosing a lifemate is of the utmost importance and reflects your own character and high standards. It has been difficult to judge this quality since you humans seem so reluctant to share such vital information. Thank you, Ensign Lee. Captain Janeway, this concludes our evaluation. You will have your raw materials within the next solar cycle."
"Thank you, High Leader," Janeway said, recovering quickly and walking the Kinians to her door. "I'll tell Sickbay to send your medical and material supplies as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Captain." The Kinian High Leader paused and looked at the two women again. "I wish you both happiness in your life together."
With that, the Kinians walked out, leaving a very confused Ensign and a slightly dazed Captain. Lee grabbed two cups of coffee from the replicator and they sat down on the couch.
"What just happened?" Ensign Lee asked after finishing half the cup in one gulp. "I didn't mean to yell at them. I'd just had enough. I thought I was going to end up in the brig or be sent to look for the raw materials by myself far, far away. Not be called a lifemate and left standing."
"You can still end up in the brig, Ensign," Captain Janeway answered, sipping her coffee slowly. "You are never to speak out of turn like that again. That could have been a major diplomatic disaster."
"I can promise to try my utmost best, Captain," Ensign Lee answered and smiled at Janeway. "And maybe we can try to avoid these kinds of situations. Although, I can't imagine something like this ever happening again."
"Neither can I," Janeway said and chuckled. "I can't believe that's all they were looking for. But, he knew we were seeing each other."
"They have been grilling this entire crew for the past week. Someone probably mentioned something." Lee put down her empty cup and started laughing. "I love this quadrant! Where else would you being my girlfriend get us stuff?"
Janeway laughed as well and teased, "He said you were my lifemate, not the other way around."
"As your lifemate, I'm then surely entitled to this," Lee replied, leaning closer to Kathryn. "To prove you made the right choice."
Lee kissed Kathryn gently, cupping the Captain's face softly in her hands. When she moved away, Kathryn pulled her back and kissed her more fiercely.
"To prove I'm almost always right," Kathryn whispered to the rapidly breathing Ensign. Lee simply nodded, tracing her fingers over Kathryn's lips. The sound of the door chime brought them back to the ready room and both women jumped.
"Back to duty," Ensign Lee said, standing up. "But, I'd like to carry on with this conversation later?"
"Yes, so do I," Captain Janeway replied as the still smiling Engineer went back to the conduits under the desk. "Come in."
Tuvok entered and greeted the women. "Captain, I understand that the Kinians' evaluation has concluded. I have a few final arrangements I would like to discuss with you regarding the transport of the raw materials."
"Please, Tuvok," Captain Janeway replied, motioning the Lieutenant to carry on. Janeway felt Lee's eyes on her briefly before the Ensign climbed under the desk and went back to work. Kathryn grinned and concentrated on Tuvok's plans.
LLLLL
Lee rolled her shoulders as she walked through Voyager's corridors. The past two weeks had been very demanding with repairing the lower deck. The raw materials from the Kinians had come in very handy and they were completing the final repairs. Captain Janeway had arranged a party at the end of the week to celebrate the great work done in record time. Seven had asked Lee for advice on the event and so the Ensign was on her way to Cargo Bay 2.
"Ensign Lee," Seven greeted the blonde engineer as she came through the doors. "How are you?"
"I'm great, Seven, thanks," Lee replied, joining the taller woman in front of her regeneration alcove. "You?"
"Adequate. How are your injuries? Has the long hours with the repairs not hindered your recovery?"
Lee glanced at Seven suspiciously. "Did Captain Janeway ask you to check up on me?"
"She did raise some concerns," Seven admitted, dropping her gaze. "I saw her this morning at the staff meeting. When I mentioned I would be seeing you this evening, she asked me to make sure you were not putting too much strain on yourself."
"Thank you, Seven," Lee replied with a shake of her head. "You can report to Captain Janeway that I am in perfect health. Now, what did you want to talk about?"
"You are not angry?" Seven asked and explained further at Lee's frown. "From my understanding of relationships, I would have expected you to be angry."
"Why?" Lee said, leaning against the console behind her. "I know Kathryn is only concerned and she has been doing very well by not constantly bugging me about my recovery. We haven't been able to see each other in a while so I can understand why she wanted you to check up on me. So, no, I'm not angry."
"Interesting," Seven replied, raising her eyebrow.
"I'm glad you find our relationship so intriguing, Seven," Lee said with a laugh. "But, why am I here?"
"As you know, there will be a mandatory social event in a few days," Seven said, clasping her hands nervously behind her back. "I understand from other crewmembers that this particular event will include dancing. You and I have discussed the disastrous events of my date with Ensign Chapman. I do not wish a repeat."
"I can imagine you might be a bit nervous, Seven. How can I help?"
"I would like you to teach me how to dance."
"But, you can dance," Lee replied, resting her hand on Seven's arm. "What happened with Chapman was an accident. It won't happen again."
"You don't know that," Seven said. Lee knew her friend was tense if she could notice it beneath the usually steely expression. "I thought that if you showed me how to dance, then perhaps I can avoid any further mistakes. But, I will understand if you do not wish to teach me."
"Of course I'll help! I just don't think it's necessary. But, if it will make you feel more comfortable at the celebration, then we can go through a few steps."
"Thank you, Ensign Lee," Seven replied emphatically. "I was not sure who to talk to about this."
"Anytime, Seven," Lee replied smiling. "And don't worry. By the end of the week, you'll feel more at home on the dance floor than in your alcove."
"That is an exaggerated metaphor."
"My favourite ones!" Lee laughed as Seven raised her eyebrow again. "All right. We can practice here or on the holodeck. What do you think?"
"I would prefer here," Seven said, gesturing to an open space between the large containers. "I would like to keep this between us, Ensign Lee."
"I won't tell anyone, Seven. Now, let's start with simple body positions and then get some music and see how we go. If you don't mind, I think I'll lead so you can relax and enjoy the dancing."
Seven nodded and walked determinedly to the centre of their practice dance floor. Lee smiled and followed the tense woman. The relaxing might be the trickiest part to teach.
LLLLL
Captain Janeway was making her way through Deck 8. She had been busy in her ready room till quite late with repair reports and crew evaluations with Chakotay. The corridors were empty and Kathryn smiled in anticipation. She knew Lee was with Seven and wanted to drop by and see her. Janeway had been a bit worried about Lee pushing herself too hard after her injuries.
"Lifemate," the Captain muttered as she neared Cargo Bay 2. Should we have talked about that, Kathryn wondered. We're still just dating, aren't we? Do we need to define the relationship already? Kathryn walked into Seven's unofficial quarters, her thoughts interrupted by the two women talking.
"Seven, stop worrying," Lee sighed, a bit frustrated with her friend. "Doing this perfectly is not the point."
"Then I fail to see why dancing is important," the ex-Borg replied, angry with another apparent failure.
"The point?" Lee stepped back from Seven. "There is no point beyond enjoying it. Dancing is sharing a moment, of enjoying something with someone else. It's about trust as well."
"Trust?" Seven arched an eyebrow.
"Yes, trust. It goes both ways between partners. You trust that I won't lead you where you don't want to go. I trust that you'll follow me. In between that everything clicks and you dance." Lee paused and smiled at the frown on Seven's face. "Let's try the waltz again."
"Perhaps we should first ask Captain Janeway why she's here," Seven added and Janeway stepped out from behind some containers.
"How long has the Captain been eavesdropping?"
"For two minutes."
"I'm sorry, Seven," Janeway said as she neared the two women. "I didn't mean to intrude."
"It's all right, Captain," Seven answered. "As you can see, Ensign Lee is trying to help me with my dancing."
"How's it going?"
"Very well," Lee interjected before Seven could explain her lack of skills again. "Seven is being too hard on herself. She's already doing better since we started this evening."
"Captain, you can assist us." Seven motioned to their small dance floor. "Perhaps it will help if I see how you dance with Ensign Lee."
Kathryn glanced at Lee who was grinning mischievously. "If you think it would help," the Captain said and stood next to Lee. "Who's going to lead?"
"I will," Lee said immediately, putting her hand on Kathryn's waist and gently taking Kathryn's left hand in her right.
"And why can't I lead?" Kathryn replied, her heart already beating a bit faster this close to Lee.
"You're Captain. You're constantly leading. You can at least let me lead when we dance."
"Very logical. I agree," Seven said, standing back.
"Thanks, Seven," Lee said, smiling widely. "Computer, play music Lee Waltz." The Ensign glanced down at Kathryn, suddenly uncertain. "This all right with you?"
"Yes, lead away," Kathryn said, smiling at how endearing Lee's underlying concern was.
The music flowed into the room and Lee started moving them through the usual pattern carefully. As the two women became more comfortable, Lee shifted their dancing pattern, twirling them around and across the cargo bay. As they moved, Kathryn felt Lee's hand move to the small of her back and pull her closer. She looked up into the Lee's blue eyes and her breath caught at the desire radiating from the younger woman. And it's all for me, Kathryn thought as her heart beat faster. She was acutely aware of Lee's body melding against her own as they moved apart and then closer again through the steps of the waltz. Kathryn lost track of where they were and why. Both women lived completely in the moment, rarely breaking eye contact.
"How did you accomplish that?" Seven asked as the music came to an end. It took a few seconds for Kathryn and Lee to get back to Voyager and they slowly stepped apart.
"What do you mean, Seven?" Lee asked, slightly out of breath. Kathryn hoped her face wasn't as red as it felt.
"You haven't danced together before, have you?" Seven asked and Lee shook her head. "How did you know how to move in sync like that?"
"You and I did the same a few minutes ago," Lee said.
"This was different."
"Sometimes you simply fit well with your dancing partner," Kathryn tried explaining, slightly flustered and trying to calm her heart down.
"Is it because you're in an intimate relationship?" Seven asked bluntly and Lee laughed. "Is that where the trust is coming from?"
"I think that has something do with it, yes," Lee replied, smiling at Kathryn. "But, you've still been dancing well tonight."
"I want to dance like you did." Seven's voice had a slightly different timbre to it.
"You will find someone who'll dance with you like that," Lee said, moving to stand next to her friend. "But, until then, I'll stand in for practice."
"I'll leave you to it then," Janeway said. "Thank you for the dance, Lee."
"Any time, Kathryn," Lee replied, grinning wildly. "Letting me lead was a good idea." Kathryn laughed at that and gave Lee a quick hug.
"Good luck with the practising," Kathryn said, walking to the door as the women's goodbyes followed her out. She couldn't remember the last time someone had made her feel so wanted.
LLLLL
Captain Janeway entered the holodeck with Commander Chakotay. They were dressed casually and Janeway smiled at the old style ballroom Neelix had chosen for the celebration. Kathryn scanned the room, but knew Lee would probably still be on her way. The Ensign had sent her a message earlier, profusely apologising that she would meet the Captain at the holodeck. They had planned to come to the party together, but Lee had work she had to finish and promised not to be too late.
"Captain! Welcome," Neelix greeted Janeway as she walked down the large marble steps. "What do you think? I thought we could skip the island resort and do something a bit more classical."
"Very nice, Neelix," Janeway replied and walked with the Talaxian to the tables. "How did the arrangements go? I asked some of the crew to help if you needed it."
The Talaxian started telling Janeway about the fiasco with the food and Janeway listened with half an ear. She realised she was focusing on the holodeck doors and tried to concentrate on Neelix's story again. Her attention was grabbed by another group of crewmen and she started mingling with people as they arrived. A familiar laugh drew Janeway's attention away from Ensign Vorik and she looked to find its source. Lee was still at the top of the stairs leading down to the ballroom and was chatting to B'Elanna and Tom. The blonde engineer glanced down, smiling when she saw the Captain. She started towards her, but was pulled back into the conversation by Harry's arrival. Janeway was similarly occupied as Tuvok and Chakotay shared their opinions on the choice of venue.
Lee was smiling triumphantly as she finally got away from her friends and started making her way to Janeway. But, as Lee got within a few steps from her, Neelix pulled the Captain to one side.
"Captain, I think everyone is here," the Talaxian said. Janeway frowned apologetically in Lee's direction as Neelix ushered her away. "We can begin the evening."
"If I can have everyone's attention, please," Captain Janeway said from behind the long table in front. The crew took their seats and stared expectantly at her. "I won't keep you long. I know most of us are very curious to see what Neelix has prepared for dinner and others want to open the dance floor as soon as possible." The chuckles rippled through the crowd and Janeway continued. "The past few weeks, as with most of our time in this quadrant, have been tough. A lightning storm almost shortened our journey considerably. I want to thank each and every member of this crew for their hard work and dedication. The lower decks actually look better than when Voyager left the Alpha Quadrant." Janeway paused, trying to catch everyone's gaze. "We are far from everything familiar. We are in hostile surroundings. But, we keep going. And because of that simple fact, we will reach home again." The applause and cheers echoed around the large ballroom and Janeway sat down.
"Captain? I would like to say something," B'Elanna asked and stood up at Janeway's nod. "It's about Ensign Lee and her actions during the recent crisis. She risked her life for this ship and I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you. Ensign Lee, we are lucky to have you with us on Voyager."
Again, everyone applauded and many shouted for Lee to make a speech. The Ensign tried to refuse, but got up after B'Elanna kicked her under the table.
"Um, thank you, everyone," Lee started, fiddling with her hands. "As you know, I'm a woman of few words." This was greeted with laughter and Lee smiled. "I could tell you that I did a very brave thing and knew what needed to be done to save this ship. But, there wasn't any time to think. I did what any one of us would have done in my position. I acted to save our current home, Voyager. I must admit that I wouldn't want to repeat my time spent in Sickbay. No offence, Doctor. But, I'm glad that my decisions at those controls were the right ones. And, now, since I'm very hungry and can't sit through another speech, let's eat!"
Lee sat back down amid chuckles and glanced at Kathryn. The two women smiled at each other, but both were drawn back to their tables as the food was served.
"That was short," B'Elanna teased as she started eating.
"If you had warned me, I would have prepared something shorter," Lee shot back, picking up her fork. "But, thank you, B'Elanna. I appreciate what you said."
"It was the truth." B'Elanna gestured around the table. Seven, Harry, Tom and Andrea looked up from their plates and nodded as well. "We all think what you did was amazing and agreed something should be said."
"Did you draw the short straw?" Lee joked, gaining a playful poke from B'Elanna.
"Yes, we picked kitchen utensils in the mess hall," Seven added. "Lieutenant Torres drew the fork."
"Wow, now I feel really special," Lee laughed. Everyone started digging into their dinner. The conversation turned to the interesting food and the inventive décor for the evening. Lee tried to focus, but found her gaze drawn to the large rectangular table a few metres away.
"Captain?" Chakotay asked and Janeway looked away from a laughing Ensign.
"I'm sorry, Chakotay," Janeway replied, focusing again on the man next to her. "Where were we?"
"I was saying that you made a nice speech. I think the crew enjoyed B'Elanna and Ensign Lee's additions as well."
"Yes, I was impressed with how the crew rallied around Ensign Lee during her recovery. And how everyone pulled together for the repairs." Janeway took a sip of her wine. "We've really become a close-knit family on Voyager."
"The change in the crew has been quite remarkable," Tuvok said from Janeway's other side. "We started as two separate groups, enemies in fact. But, Voyager has become one crew with one objective."
Chakotay added a comment and started relating an incident about their early disagreements when they first landed in the Delta Quadrant. Janeway focused on her plate and the conversation around her. She was hoping to finish her food as quickly as possible without being rude and then moving over to Lee's table.
"Damn it!" Lee muttered, throwing her napkin down on the table. Her empty plate had been taken away, but when she had looked up, Kathryn was missing. Lee had quickly scanned the knots of people around her. That was when she noticed Chakotay with Janeway on the dance floor.
"Is something wrong?" Seven asked from Lee's right. "Was the food unpleasant?"
"No, the food was great, Seven," Lee sighed in frustration. "It's just been ridiculously impossible to get close to Katryn this evening. But, that stops right now." Lee stood up and pushed her chair back in.
"The Captain is dancing with Commander Chakotay," Seven remarked. "Should you not wait until the dance is finished?"
"I have waited long enough, Seven. Life's too short." Lee grinned at Seven and walked towards the two senior officers on the dance floor.
"How have you been, Kathryn?" Chakotay asked as they moved slowly to the music.
"I'm fine, thank you," Janeway replied, slightly confused at the question. "Have I given you reason to think otherwise?"
"No, not at all," the tattooed man quickly answered. "We haven't really spoken in a while so I wanted to take this time to talk. After the recent crisis, I thought –."
"Could I step in, Commander?" Lee said, tapping Chakotay lightly on his shoulder. Chakotay was caught off guard and glanced at Janeway. When he saw she only had eyes for the Ensign, he nodded.
"Please," Chakotay replied with a sigh, letting go of Janeway. "Thank you for the dance, Captain."
"Thank you, Commander," Janeway replied as Chakotay moved away.
"Finally!" Lee smiled and pulled Kathryn with her into the dance again. "I thought I would never get to you tonight."
"It felt like that, didn't it?" Kathryn replied, smiling as well. "Could you finish what you needed to in Engineering?"
"Yes, and I'm sorry. I wanted to come with you tonight, but I had to complete the final tweaks in those conduits."
"You work too hard," Kathryn remarked and Lee burst out laughing. "What?"
"Kathryn," Lee started, still laughing. "Coming from you, that comment has so much irony in it we could have used it to rebuild the entire lower deck!"
"They look so happy together," B'Elanna said, still sitting at the table. Janeway and Lee were laughing as they danced.
"I agree," Seven said, folding her hands on the table. "Captain Janeway is always in relatively high spirits, but they both look truly content."
"And did you see how Lee simply barged in and sent Chakotay packing?" Tom added with a grin. "Lee definitely knows what she wants and doesn't let anyone or anything get in her way."
"You're just thinking about your betting pool," Harry quipped, getting a laugh from the table. "But, I think it's a good thing. They both deserve to be happy."
"What about the crew?" Seven asked. "As I understand Starfleet regulations, the captain of a starship is not allowed intimate relationships with any crew member. I find the regulation flawed, but perhaps others do not."
"I don't think anyone will have a problem with it," Andrea Nicoletti started with murmured agreements from around the table. They were still looking at the women who seemed to be dancing faster and laughing more. "We trust the Captain and we know Lee. Nothing personal will get in the way of their duties."
"To new relationships and happiness," Harry said, raising his glass. The others followed suit and they started talking about the different couples on the dance floor.
"Lee, what are you doing?" Kathryn asked as she felt them start to move slightly faster.
"The music is too slow," Lee replied. "We can double-time this two-step."
"What? No, we can stay at the usual pace."
"I'm leading, Kathryn. It'll be fun. Trust me." Lee looked at the woman in her arms, slight uncertainty clouding her eyes.
"I do," Kathryn replied firmly. She was met by Lee's completely open face and it felt as if she was looking right into the younger woman's heart. A privilege she knew few were allowed.
"Hold on," Lee said and sped up their steps. They quickly moved over the dance floor, both women starting to laugh. They spun and twirled much faster than any of the other couples and stopped when the music shifted into a different song. Lee led them towards the large doors leading to the garden outside.
"I'll get something to drink. Grab a bench?" Lee asked between gulps of air.
"Yes," Kathryn replied. Both women grinned at how out of breath they were. Lee stepped back inside and Kathryn walked a way into the garden. The paths criss-crossed between low hedges with various trees and flower bushes colouring in the garden. Lanterns dotted the hedgerows and gave it a warm yellow glow.
"I thought some cold juice would be nice," Lee said a few minutes later when she found Kathryn on a marble bench under a large fruit tree.
"Perfect, thank you," Kathryn said after taking the first sip. "Thank you for the dance."
"My pleasure. I must admit, doubling the pace went a bit faster than I thought." Lee frowned and then laughed with Kathryn. They sat in silence finishing their drinks. Kathryn slowly put her glass down and glanced at Lee.
"I know that look," the Ensign said, putting her own glass down as well. "That's the look before you launch into a very serious discussion. Was I too rash by jumping in when you were dancing with Chakotay? The faster pace maybe not a good idea?"
"No, nothing like that," Kathryn replied with a smile. "Do I really have a look?"
"Yes, but you hide it well," Lee said with a grin. "What do you want to talk about?"
"The Kinians -."
"I'm sorry about that," Lee interrupted quickly. "I really didn't mean to speak to them like that."
"It's not that," Kathryn said, suddenly noticing how nervous her companion was. Lee couldn't keep her hands still. "The Kinians called us lifemates and I wondered if we shouldn't have talked about that. We agreed we'd take things slow and I didn't think we needed to classify our relationship already. But, I've changed my mind. I do want to talk about it."
"All right." Lee was staring intently at Kathryn. The blood was rushing through her ears, but she tried to listen to Kathryn above the noise. It had always been a possibility that Kathryn would decide that she didn't want to be with me, Lee thought despondently. She mentally shook herself and said, "What are you thinking? How do you feel about me? About us?"
"I love being with you," Kathryn said.
"But, what?" Lee said, her heart sinking. "I can hear a silent but."
"But, I want more," Kathryn replied, smiling at the confused expression on Lee's face. "This is a serious discussion, but not a devastating one, so stop fidgeting." Lee slowly let out the breath she hadn't even realised she'd been holding. Kathryn smiled at that and said, "I want more. I want us to be together as a couple. I have one question. Would you be mine?"
"Kathryn, I've been yours since you gave me a fright in that jeffrey's tubes months ago. Maybe even before then." Lee felt a tear on her cheek and wiped it away, embarrassed. "Of course, I want to be yours."
Kathryn leaned in and kissed Lee, throwing all her emotion into that one single act. Lee felt the change in Kathryn and pulled her closer. The women kissed passionately, both wishing the moment would last forever.
"Dance?" Lee asked after they finally drew apart. Kathryn nodded and let herself be pulled up by Lee. They slowly started making their way back inside. "What would you like to do with our extra holodeck time? I've won a few hours."
"What do you mean?" Kathryn asked, smiling widely and pulling away from Lee. "Did you make a bet with Tom?"
"Not me, I asked Seven on my behalf," Lee replied and tried defending herself as Kathryn playfully knocked her away. "It was a general bet that we would end up together." Kathryn shook her head and laughed.
The women entered the ballroom side by side. Lee smiled as she heard the waltz music and offered her hand to Kathryn. The Captain nodded and let herself be lead onto the dance floor. This time there was no hesitation and Lee gently pulled Kathryn closely against her. No words were spoken and the women forgot where they were. The music became the only thing they heard and the dance the one thing that mattered. Kathryn felt as if a missing piece of her had been found and when she looked into Lee's eyes, she knew the younger woman felt it as well.
Lee frowned as the music came to a gradual close and glanced at Kathryn apologetically. The Captain started to say something, but was drowned out by roaring applause. Both women stared in amazement at the people gathered around them. No one else was on the dance floor. Everyone must have moved off while they were dancing but neither woman had noticed. Lee started blushing furiously and Kathryn chuckled at the completely flustered look on the Ensign's face. The younger woman started laughing as their friends came to congratulate them on an exceptional waltz. Kathryn thought they were probably wishing them well on more than just a few good steps.
"Coffee, my place?" Kathryn asked when they could finally move off the dance floor.
"Yes," Lee replied immediately, clasping Kathryn's hand in her own. Lee was very hot and knew it wasn't just the dancing. She realised she was staring at Kathryn and quickly looked away. "That would be great." The women made their escape and walked to the turbolift. "You didn't want to mingle some more?"
"No, I think I've done enough small talk for one night," Kathryn replied as they stepped into the turbolift.
Kathryn's heart was beating furiously and she wanted to laugh. She was acting like a teenager on a first date! Janeway glanced at Lee and noticed a bead of moisture sliding down the engineer's neck. Without thinking, Kathryn leaned in and gently licked the spot below Lee's jaw. She froze when she realised what she was doing, but relaxed when she felt Lee's hand on her waist, keeping her steady. The Ensign tilted her head down and grabbed Kathryn's lips with her own. Kathryn felt on fire and put her arms around Lee's neck. Lee's hands make small circles on her back, pulling her tighter against the Ensign as the kiss deepened. The sound of the turbolift doors opening startled them and they jumped apart. Both women chuckled and Lee gestured for Kathryn to exit the lift first.
Kathryn walked ahead of Lee, but she could feel Lee's gaze travelling up and down her body. When she glanced back, the younger woman simply grinned and grabbed her hand. They reached Kathryn's quarters without further incident and Janeway praised her self-control.
"How about some -." Kathryn's words were cut short when Lee pushed her against the wall and kissed her again. Kathryn's worries about not wanting to rush this dissolved quickly as the Ensign moved her hands on the Captain's waist. Lee's thumbs traced patterns on Kathryn's stomach, drawing a moan from the auburn-haired woman. Kathryn felt Lee's tongue slowly move over her own and missed it immediately when the engineer pulled back.
"I'm sorry, Kathryn," Lee said, out of breath. "I had to kiss you." Lee took a small step back, but kept her hands on Kathryn's waist. "You have to tell me now if I should stop. If this is going too fast, I'll understand. We'll make some coffee and talk about that book you've been reading. Or whatever else. What do you want to do?"
Kathryn cupped Lee's face in her hands. "I want you."
"Good," Lee replied and Kathryn felt her smile in her hands. "Because I really need to touch you right now." Kathryn laughed and pulled Lee closer. Lee quickly carried on where they had left off and Kathryn shivered in anticipation. Both women were very glad they didn't need to get through layers of Starfleet uniform.