Chapter 9: At Phoebe's Gallery

Summary: The plan is put into motion, but will it work?

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Phoebe had been insistent on her help at the gallery and even more insistent she looked nice. Kathryn had sighed but obeyed the orders, choosing a red halter neck dress which fell just above her knee, her hair she left down, if Phoebe wanted nice she'd get it.

Mae had literally disappeared, one minute she was there the next she was gone. He began to panic then saw her dash into some shop. She had asked him if they could go to the theatre, one of those things that was rarely around. His daughter had dressed up so he did too choosing a black suit and a light blue shirt.

He followed his daughter into the building shouting her name.

"Mae! I hope you realise how much trouble your in." he announced while looking around the room, which he believed was an art gallery of some kind. He looked round each of the walls before noticing he was right at the front, he sat down for a moment to collect his thoughts, when he stood one of the frames was lit and there stood Kathryn, her person drawn, no reflected. He turned and saw her, she was exquisite.

"Hello" she greeted shyly. He stared for a moment words failing him, why was she saw beautiful?

"Hello Kathryn, I'm sorry is this…" he tried to speak.

"It's my sisters art gallery, she told me she desperately needed me to model for her, claiming it's for mom. I see she was lying now." Kathryn smirked stepping toward him, "how did Mae get you here?"

"Told me we were going to the theatre and then ran in here, seemingly." He told her, her crooked smile making him laugh. They continued to laugh slowly getting closer. "Come on, Mae will be hiding won't she?"

"I imagine her and Phoebe will be watching us somehow, we may just have to never let them see each other again." Kathryn teased sitting down on a chair.

"Well there's no time for sitting, we have a theatre to go to." He grabbed her hand and pulled her along the darkened streets, from a clever hiding place Mae and Phoebe celebrated, quietly.

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The night had been great. They laughed, talked and now were eating. The whole night was well coordinated clues leading to the next thing on their itinerary. They had ended back at the gallery where an indoor picnic lay.

"Right so, if you had one last day alive, how would you spend it?" he asked, taking a spoonful of the raspberry cheesecake.

"With Molly, my family, your good self and Mae. We'd go to Italy, drink wine and coffee with exquisite food and company. Mom would cook, you'd insist on helping but she'd kick you out. Mae would play with Molly and my nieces, you met them at the party. You and I would go out and watch the sunset two good friends watching the golden glow fade into the shimmering light that is the moon." She explained dropping a grape into her mouth elegantly.

"Would we be just friends or more, Kathryn?" he asked, the wine giving him courage.

"I don't know, do you want to be more, Chakotay? She asked her hand reaching out to his. He looked at her and smiled.

"Yes" he whispered, watching her walk-on her knees- to his side of the blanket. She pulled him by the lapels, pulling him forward.

"I'm sorry I avoided you…I didn't want you to get you into trouble." She admitted, giving his lapels one last tug closing all distance between them. His hands rested on her hips as they kissed each other in the middle of the floor on their knees in a gallery with a glass front, anyone could walk by but he didn't care. They broke apart smiling gleefully. He took her hand and she picked up her shoes and the two left very sure where things were going.

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Chakotay felt her stir against him and was immediately on alert, was she going to leave.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Perfect. I love you" she replied instantly.

"I love you too. What did you mean earlier, about getting me into trouble?" he asked stroking her back lazily.

"Cavit threatened to report us for fraternizing. He then offered me 'Male Company'" she admitted feeling him tense under her "Don't worry I told him where to go. He's a creep." She reassured him.

"I'm still going to talk to some admirals about it and…I'm going to leave Starfleet take up teaching, I always preferred it." He informed her, he felt her smile against his chest.

"If that's what will make you happy my love." Her eyes slide closed and they once again drifted into peaceful slumbers.

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Author's Note: Yay! They are together, finally only after 9 chapters, be lucky it wasn't 20 odd years. Kathryn's dress is similar to one Kate Mulgrew wore at an award ceremony during the original run of Voyager.

That-Geek