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THE REAL YOU

CHAPTER 5

A MONTH LATER

"I can't believe we're the only visitors here," Kathryn said as she and Chakotay climbed up the ancient winding stairs of an Irish Castle's tower. "But I'm not complaining. It means we have the entire castle to ourselves."

"Maybe not the entire castle," Chakotay teased. "It is said to be haunted."

"All castle's are said to be haunted."

"Not a believer?"

"I wouldn't say that. I'm open to the possibility. I'm just not spooked by spooks."

They reached the top of the tower and came to a well-preserved round room that had slits for windows. It's theme was Victorian and it had a Victorian bed, a Victorian chair, and several display cabinets showcasing Victorian antiques.

"What about you?" Kathryn asked, going over to a window and looking out at the view. "Would you spend the night alone in this room?"

"Depends on the reward," he smiled. "For the prize of you I'd spend the night anywhere."

"There you go," Kathryn laughed. "Playing the charmer again."

"Well, what can I say? I'm charmed by you. I'm charmed, enchanted, mesmerized and captivated."

Kathryn smiled and closed the gap between them. "What can a lady say to that except ditto?"

They gazed into each others eyes and then kissed softly. Then Kathryn went over to a display cabinet and looked at the antique pieces.

"Oh look, Chakotay. They have a Victorian doll. Isn't she well-preserved? Her dress looks like it might have been made yesterday and her hair is as black as black should be. It's hard to believe she's 400 years old. My doll Wendy doesn't look as well and she's only...well, let's just say I had her at five."

"Somehow, I can't imagine you as a doll-type child. I'd have thought paint pots and telescopes would be more your kind of thing."

"Oh they were. Why do you think dear Wendy doesn't look so well? My idea of dolly fun was shooting her off a wall with a water pistol."

Chakotay laughed.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Kathryn cried in rapture. "Oh Chakotay, look!"

Chakotay looked and saw the object of Kathryn's delight. It was a novelty coffee-cup set. The theme was a black dog, one that looked like Rolo, and the set included a dog-shaped porcelain jar with the word coffee painted on it; a little dog-shaped coffee-pot; six little dog-shaped cups with paw-edged saucers; a dog-shaped sugar bowl; and a little dog-shaped jug.

"Oh Chakotay, I love it! I love it!"

Chakotay couldn't help but laugh. "We've seen crown jewels worn by history's greatest monarchs, armor worn by knights of legend, ancient books that have changed history, and some of the finest castles in the Federation, but what gets Kathryn Janeway all excited is a coffee-cup set?"

Kathryn had to laugh too. "When you put it that way. But look at it, Chakotay. It's Rolo making coffee. I so want it! For the first time in my life I'm tempted to steal! Just think of its history. That jar must have held millions of coffee beans over the years, that pot must have filled those cups thousands of times, and those saucers must have caught hundreds of spills that were then drunk-up."

"You really are obsessed," Chakotay laughed.

"Guilty as charged. And I think you're going to have to drag me away before I do become a criminal!"

"If it eases your suffering," Chakotay said. "I don't think the set has such a fabulous history. It looks to me like it's never been used. I don't think it's Victorian, either. I'd say at least 1960."

"Close enough for me. Oh, but I so need a coffee now. Come with me to the cafe in the grounds?"

"Gladly," he smiled.

Curled up in a red armchair, Kathryn read a book while she waited for Chakotay to return to their hotel suite. They'd decided to take a suite, rather than two separate rooms, because it meant they could have the privacy of a bedroom each but the company of a shared lounge. The hotel wasn't anything special, all the luxury ones had booked out months ago, but it was quaint, comfortable, and their suite looked out over rolling Irish hills. On a clear day the ocean could be seen in the distance, but it was presently raining so the view was veiled by gray mist. Suddenly, the suite's main door opened and Chakotay came in. He was soaked to the skin and his feet were muddy.

"Correct me if I'm mistaken," Kathryn said, putting her book down, "but isn't the gym inside?"

"It is," he said.

"Then why are you wet to the bone?"

"I went for a run."

"In the rain?"

"Nothing quite like it. Now, I'd better get myself out of these clothes and into the shower."

"Definitely. And while you're doing that shall I replicate dinner? The rain has obviously destroyed our plan to dine on the beach and, well, I'd kind of like a night in. We haven't had one since we came."

"We haven't," Chakotay replied. "In fact, I was going to suggest one myself."

"Then it's agreed," Kathryn smiled. "We're having a night in."

When Chakotay emerged from his bedroom thirty minutes later, now all cleaned up and wearing a white shirt over beige pants, he found the lounge transformed. Red drapes shut out the windows, lamps bathed the room in soft copper light, and the dining table was lavishly decorated with flowers and candles.

"Wow," he said. "I'm impressed."

Kathryn smiled and pointed to a chair. "Take a seat, Sir. Your dinner awaits."

Chakotay sat down and Kathryn took the lid off a silver dish. "I proudly present Pasta Katherina."

"Which is?" Chakotay asked in amusement.

"Pasta with tomatoes and cheese sauce," she answered plainly.

Chakotay laughed. "Very exotic."

"Well, the darn replicator can only replicate ten dishes and six of those are meat."

"What about the rest?"

"Irish specials containing I know not what that I wouldn't want to risk on a vegetarian. When it comes to meals, you'll soon learn that I can't even be trusted with a replicator."

"Well, as it happens," Chakotay replied. "Cheese and tomato pasta is one of my favorite dishes, especially when served by a beautiful woman."

Kathryn smiled. "Like this dress? It's the one I got in Italy."

The said dress was a sleeveless blue one that hugged her figure and kissed her knees.

"I love it. You look stunning. Really stunning."

"Thank you," Kathryn smiled. "So do you."

Chakotay smiled in return and then they began to eat.

"I can't eat another morsel," Kathryn groaned as she leant back in her chair after finishing off a coffee cake. "Not another morsel."

"Neither can I," Chakotay said. "I'm full to the brim."

"It's a good thing there's no wine left in that bottle. Because if there was, I'd just have to finish it off. If there's one thing I can't resist, it's Cabernet Sauvignon."

Chakotay laughed softly and Kathryn looked at him perplexed. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing."

"You're laughing, so clearly I've said something amusing. Share the joke."

"Well, I've never met anyone with such a passion for drinks...except alcoholics."

"I am a drink-lover, I confess. But a woman's got to have some vice. And you must have one too, Chakotay. I'm still looking."

"Well, maybe you'd like to stop for a moment and close your eyes."

"Close my eyes?"

"Yes. Do it."

"Ok," Kathryn said, closing her eyes. "What now?"

"Keep them closed until I say so."

"Ok. But why?"

"You'll see."

"Not if my eyes are closed," she teased.

"I'll tell you when to open them. And no peeping."

"You have my word."

Chakotay disappeared into his bedroom and then reappeared with a red box tied up with gold ribbon. He carried the parcel over to the table, laid it before Kathryn, and then sat down.

"Ok, you can look now."

Kathryn looked and immediately saw the gift.

"A gift? For me?"

"Well, there's no one else here," he teased.

"I just loving having gifts," she said, taking off the ribbon and opening the box, "I suppose everyone does, and..." her chatter faded into a gasp when she saw what was inside the box. It was the coffee-cup set. "Oh, Chakotay! Oh! Oh! Oh!" Carefully, she picked up a little doggie cup and looked at in ecstasy. "Oh look...Oh! Oh! Oh! But how? Where?"

"I stole it using an old Maquis trick," Chakotay teased.

Kathryn put down the cup. "You did what?" Then she saw the twinkle in his eye. "Oh...very funny. But how did you get it?"

"I had a set made. I ordered it yesterday, at the ornament place up the street, and picked it up today."

"So that's why you were muddy and wet. Running indeed!"

"Well, I did kind of run there," he smiled, "just not back."

Kathryn took out another cup, followed by the coffee-pot, followed by the jug, each one picked up with an "Oh" louder than the first. Then she had the entire set on the table and looked at them with tears of joy in her eyes. "Oh I don't know what to say," she said. "I'm so happy I could cry! Thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he smiled.

"This is the best gift I've ever had. And not just because of the set, but because you knew I loved it and you went to all that trouble to get it for me."

"It wasn't any trouble."

"Oh, but it was and...Thank you." With that, she got to her feet. "And I have something for you. I got it for your birthday next week, but you can have it now. I'll go and get it."

She walked passed Chakotay to get to her bedroom, but as she did, Chakotay caught her arm.

"Keep the gift for my birthday, Kathryn. I didn't give you the set to get something back."

"I know that, Chakotay. But one gift deserves another and I want to give you something back."

Chakotay got to his feet. "Then how about a kiss?"

"That works, " Kathryn smiled. "A kiss it is."

Gently, she put her lips to his and kissed him softly. Chakotay kissed her in return and their arms wrapped around each other as the kiss deepened. Then Chakotay drew away.

"Now we're even," he smiled. "And now that we've finished dinner, shall we play cards?"

"No," Kathryn said quietly. "Let's make love."

Chakotay closed the gap between them again and took her hands in his. "There's nothing I want more, Kathryn. But I don't want you to feel obligated because of the set. That would be like..."

"This isn't about the set," Kathryn said. "It's about us. I want this."

"Are you sure? There can't be a second first time. I want ours to be perfect."

"It will be. It is." She paused. "I'm just a bit nervous, you know? I haven't been with anyone since my husband."

"I understand. It's been a while for me too."

"I really want this, Chakotay. I want you."

Chakotay gently brushed his fingers against her cheek. "I want you too. Like crazy. I'm so in love with you, Kathryn."

Kathryn smiled. "I'm so in love with you too."

Happy tears filled Chakotay's eyes and they reflected the ones in hers. "Then I suppose all that's left to decide is my room or yours."

"Yours, definitely," Kathryn replied. "It's tidier. Mine looks like a tornado hit it."

"Then mine it is. Just give me a few minutes to get things ready, ok?"

"Dirty socks under the covers?"

"Not quite," he laughed. "I just want to make sure everything is perfect."

"Then while you do that, I'll put on a robe. This dress may look good, but it sure is tight."

Chakotay laughed. "I'll do the same. Meet you here in ten minutes?"

"Ten minutes."

They smiled at each other, gazed into each others eyes, and then went their different ways.

When Kathryn returned to the lounge, wrapped in a silky white robe, Chakotay was waiting for her. He was wearing an elegant black robe with gold cuffs and collar, and in his hands was a bunch of red roses.

"For you, Ma'am," he smiled.

Kathryn took them gratefully. "Thank you, Sir. They're beautiful."

Chakotay then showed her into his room and Kathryn gasped when she stepped inside. A cozy fire was burning in an old fashioned hearth, candles were twinkling here and there, flowers were everywhere, and his four poster bed was adorned with gold satin sheets.

"Oh Chakotay," Kathryn said, looking around in awe. "How wonderful!"

Chakotay took the flowers from Kathryn, lay them down, and drew her into his arms. "I want this night to be special, because I want us to remember it for the rest of our lives."

"We will," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I know we will."

"I love you, Kathryn."

"I love you too. I really love you."

They gazed into each others eyes, then Chakotay tenderly lowered his lips to hers and they kissed softly in the candlelight.

END OF CHAPTER 5