The room is very warm. She isn't shivering anymore. It isn't like any hospital she's ever been in before. It is too quiet. There is little evidence of medical technology.

She allows Paris to steer her towards the figure lying on a slab in the centre of the room. There is an arch housing a large screen over his chest. He is covered from the waist down by a plain white sheet. A single tall alien is standing next to the bed.

Paris is talking again.

"I know it must have seemed like a long time to you, Captain, but they transported him here less than two minutes after he'd been shot. There was still brain activity."

Kathryn looks at Tom, eyes wide, unable to believe in any of this yet.

"Apparently they have the ability to regenerate large areas of tissue, far larger than anything our technology allows. His heart is regenerating."

Paris introduces the tall alien beside them. "This is the relative liaison officer, Captain."

"Greetings, Captain Janeway."

Janeway looks up at him. She nods her acknowledgment as he continues.

"It has been shown to aid recovery if the relatives hold the patient's hand during the regeneration process."

"We're his family out here," Tom replies immediately.

Kathryn looks at Paris again, her eyes still wide, then follows his lead as he takes Chakotay's left hand in his.

Her fingers reach towards the same right hand that was glued to her by his blood not long ago. She hesitates, terrified lest it's still cool. When her fingertips finally touch his clean, bronze skin she inhales sharply as she registers his warmth. Transported here less than two minutes after he'd been shot - she realises her senses must have been deceiving her before - his hand, his cheek, his whole body must have been warm all along. She holds his large hand between both of hers and closes her eyes for an instant, only to open them again almost immediately as she hears Tom speak.

"Look! You can actually see the tissue regenerating. This is extraordinary, Captain. You can watch as it grows."

She follows his gaze to the circular screen on the arch and she gasps. The magnification is such that she can see the cells of her first officer's heart multiplying. A minute elapses in silence as she and Tom watch in awe while Chakotay's heart gradually grows in size before their very eyes.

She realises Paris is talking again. "They have him on some sort of sophisticated bypass system while his heart regenerates. They're confident it'll be completely successful. Apparently this isn't a particularly complex procedure for them."

An hour later she is standing in exactly the same place, still holding his warm hand in hers.

She becomes aware of Paris beside her now. "They're ready to revive him, Captain," he informs her gently.

"Understood," she replies automatically.

The relative liaison officer inclines his head and the arch retracts itself into the alien biobed to reveal Chakotay's smooth, hairless chest. The only evidence of the blast hole that remains is the marginally paler hue of the regenerated skin.

She turns to Tom and smiles.

xXx

She watches as his eyes start to move under closed lids. Perhaps he is dreaming. Then suddenly they open, wide, and his whole body jolts violently. He tries to lift his head off the bed as he looks around wildly. She can tell immediately he's there, whole.

"Kathryn!" he rasps, "get-"

"It's all right," she soothes, still holding his hand, and pressing her other hand to his chest to stop him from trying to get up. "Easy now. You need to lie still for a while longer."

He blinks several times and calms as he seems to make sense of her presence here, unharmed.

She can't seem to stop smiling. She lifts their joined hands and allows them to rest on his bare chest. It feels right.

"Welcome back."

"Kathryn, what happened?" he asks, still blinking.

"Well, let's see… You… got in the way, and the assassin blasted away a large section of your heart."

He swallows. "I died."

"Apparently not."

"How…?" His brow furrows.

"They transported you here while your brain was still active and immediately began regenerating your heart tissue. Their medical technology is truly astounding."

"I… You?"

"I'm fine." A tear spills out onto his chest. "Now." She is still smiling.

He peers down at his chest, searching for evidence of the wound no doubt.

"You'll just be a little two-tone for a while," she says, the fingers of her left hand slowly tracing on his skin the blurred circle of the blast hole.

His attention moves to her face. "That tickles."

She looks up to meet his warm brown eyes, very much alive and twinkling.

"Good," she replies.

"So when can I get out of here?"

"You need to sleep now, they said. And they'll monitor you for a few hours, then we can transport you aboard. But basically, you're as good as new. So, sleep. That's an order."

"Aye Captain," he says, as he holds her gaze and the hand she is still holding gently squeezes hers.

"Thank you, Chakotay," she says simply.

"You're welcome, Kathryn. You'd do the same for me."

"Yes, I would," she replies immediately.

A few moments elapse in silence before she speaks again.

"I was angry with you… before." She holds his gaze, her eyes full, shining. "Because you broke your promise."

"To protect you?" He looks confused.

"No. To stay by my side," she replies as she slowly wipes away another tear.

"Oh. That."

He watches her for a long moment before he speaks again. He lifts his left hand and his fingers gently clasp her upper arm. "But I did, didn't I? Stay by your side, I mean."

"No, actually. You didn't." Her voice wavers for a split second. "You stepped out in front." She surprises him by bringing her free hand up towards his face and gently caressing his cheek with the backs of her fingers.

His eyes widen slightly and then he recovers himself. "Oh, I see. We're being literal here now, are we, Captain?"

"Maybe we are. Maybe I've had enough of your stories, Commander."

"Time for some straight talking?"

"High time."

"OK then. You first," he winks.

Unable to suppress her wide smile, she cocks her head to one side.

"Right now you need to get some rest. They said you need to sleep here for at least four hours, to allow your brand new heart to get used to beating in that… seasoned body."

He chuckles. "Nice save."

She leans in slowly and deliberately, and surprises him again by pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. It feels absolutely right.

"I'll be back in four hours to escort you and your new heart home," she tells him as she draws back.

"We'll be right here waiting for you, I promise," he replies, low, his dark eyes smiling as the hand she's still holding squeezes hers again. Then his eyes slowly close and the smile moves to curl his lips in repose.

[End]