Chakotay stirred as a soft touch moved across his face. "Kathryn," he whispered. His eyes flew open and he made out a small figure bending over him. His breath caught as he recognized the smile, that red hair, and her blue eyes shining with emotion at him. Reaching up, he took her face in his hands and guided her lips to his.

He felt her arms curl around him as she lay on his chest and returned his kiss. He held her tight against him and he felt her warmth join with his. Her heart beat wildly against him and he took a moment basking in its rhythm. He held her close not daring to let go as she gazed down at him.

"It's me, Chakotay," she said.

"I know." Stroking her bare arms, he said, "You're here and you're real. Lura was right."

Kathryn nodded. "Yes, but I'm not…I'm not…"

He held a finger against her lips. "I don't care. You're real and you're here. No matter what you are or aren't or how or why…" His hands climbed to the back of her head. He clutched her hair and pulled her down again. "I'll take you any way I can get you." They kissed once more as Kathryn settled against him. He watched her close her eyes as he said, "You're never leaving me again."

They stayed in each other's arms for several minutes until Kathryn raised her head to look at him. Chakotay scanned her face again and said, "You really are here, right? This isn't a dream or my vision quest?"

Kathryn stroked his face and said, "I'm here with you and no, you're not dreaming. We're both awake."

Chakotay crushed her with another kiss and rolled her over beneath him. Kathryn allowed him a few moments before pushing against his chest and saying, "No, I have to go now."

Chakotay shook his head. "No, no you don't. You are not going anywhere. I just got you here."

Kathryn smiled and raised a hand to his forehead. Slowly, she traced his tattoo and said, "I promise I'll come back to you."

Chakotay gripped her harder and shook his head one more time. Light flashed in front of him as Kathryn disappeared beneath him and he slipped to the ground alone. "No! Kathryn! Kathryn!"

Chakotay jumped up and turned around. He searched the area calling for her. Nothing but angry, irritated responses from the disturbed night life answered him. He grew frustrated finding nothing but a set of small footprints that started where she had been and stopped at the edge of the clearing. It told him she had appeared just as she had left, without a trace.

Slapping his communicator, he called, "Voyager! Belanna, tell me you read all of that."

"Every word, Captain," Belanna replied.

Chakotay rubbed his neck and said, "Then you heard her. She was here, Belanna. Kathryn was here! I'm awake. You're awake. Scan the planet. Scan for her life signs. Scan for anything that will detect her."

"Already on it. Nothing yet."

Chakotay sighed in frustration and made one more sweep of the clearing. Slapping his communicator again, he said, "Belanna, anything?"

"No, Captain. Nothing."

Chakotay closed his eyes and murmured, "Kathryn, please. Please don't do this to me again. You promised to come back."

"Chakotay?"

His eyes opened at Belanna's informal address. "I think you should come back to the ship. If she does come back, she'll know where to find you."

"No, I can't do that, Belanna. She was here. Kathryn was right here! I have to stay!"

He heard Belanna give a small sigh before saying, "Captain, I have a preliminary report that I think you should look at."

"What is it? Is it Kathryn?"

"Stand by to beam directly to Engineering."

Chakotay started to protest but let the transporter beam take him. He materialized in front of Belanna's workstation and was overwhelmed by her big hug.

She drew back and looked at him with worried eyes. "Are you okay?"

Chakotay gave her a wide grin. "I'm great! Now, what do you have? Did you find her?"

Belanna returned his smile. "No, but we're working on it." Her eyes dropped to the screen in front of her. "Look at this. At the time of Kathryn's appearance and disappearance, there was definitely a matter-energy conversion."

"The Q?'

Belanna shook her head. "No. The Q are undetectable to our sensors. Admiral Janeway is not."

Chakotay leaned over the screen and studied it. "Kathryn. Lura said she was with the Q."

"With them maybe," Belanna said. "But not one of them."

Chakotay straightened up. "Then you believe she is what? Some other form of life? A spirit? Human? Belanna, I felt her heartbeat…"

Belanna shrugged. "I don't know. You'll have to ask her. I can't tell you when she'll appear but I can tell you if she does."

Chakotay's expression changed and he grinned as he thought back to the feel of Kathryn in his arms so recent yet so not enough to erase the pain of their separation. He shook his head as thoughts returned to the present and his eyes found Belanna's again. He thought he saw a bit of wetness in them as she said, "Tell her when you see her again that the rest of us can't wait to say hello too."