Chakotay found the way to his quarters, stepped inside and stood in the dark silence.

Thank you.

Her soft voice hung in his head, his eyes closed, he savoured their last kiss on his lips. He still couldn't believe it. He had always thought that she would never surrender – and if she did, in his mind, she always did in a near-death situation. His greatest fear – she admitting her love when it was too late – was also a bittersweet hope that she might one day acknowledge their bond. And today she did. Without pressure, she simply surrendered to sweet realisation.

His mind was full of her smell, touch, the look in her eyes that spoke the words so clearly she had not said yet. He absent-mindedly changed his clothes and made his way to his bed. His body was still trembling with more heat than he wished to admit. He pledged to give her all the time she needed, now that he knew she was on her way. But his body had reacted to her instinctively. Always, he had thought her a beautiful woman – not just physically, but she herself was simply shining. But tonight, her body finally firmly in his arms, her soft lips under his, the sweet sound of that single moan, revealing a similar lust in her that she was not quite ready to accept yet... It sent Chakotay to an uneasy night full of strange, promising dreams.

The next morning, Harry stood at his station and recalled the night before. When Kathryn and Chakotay had left, Harry, Tom and B'Elanna virtually attacked each other with joyous recollections of what they had seen.

"Did you see? He held her hand!" "And she was really nervous at the end, wasn't she?" "I wonder where they'll end up tonight...?" "You will NOT check sensors again, Tom." "Why not, it would only... ouch!" he winced as B'Elanna hit him with a pillow. Harry laughed. "I wonder what Tuvok makes of it all."

Harry smiled to himself. This was going to be an interesting day. Tom had quietly sent word around that another betting pool was open. And they still had their little ready-room-bet going. Harry only hoped they weren't going too far. As Chakotay entered the bridge, Harry wasn't the only one who scrutinised him closely. Tom had a hard time glancing over his shoulder in the most subtle way. Chakotay was in a really good mood, but of course nothing was betrayed by that. When the Captain entered – Kathryn, Harry thought, we called her Kathryn, and it was comfortable – he looked up from his PADD and greeted her. And there it was. Harry couldn't help grinning as he saw the silent sparkle between them. Something definitely happened.

The Captain checked their status, then went for her ready room and asked Chakotay to join her. Harry and Tom grinned, Tuvok tried to ignore them.

Kathryn heard the doors close and turned around slowly. "Well.. Good Morning." She was hellishly nervous, her belly was fluttering and her cheeks were warm. He closed the gap between them, didn't even stop, wrapped her in his arms and kissed her, warm, sweet and loving. She was taken aback at first, but happily returned his kiss. He looked at her, still holding her. "Good morning."

"Wow... I could get used to that."

"You better do. Because I plan to implement it in my daily routine."

She gave him a crooked smile. "Well, you certainly have the Captain's approval..." They shared one more indulging kiss, then, albeit grudgingly, tore away from each other. They still had to go through some reports on the nebula and something minor in the Flyer had broken down during the flight and needed to be fixed; After two hours of work, continually intersected by loving smiles, little off-duty conversations, they figured there was really nothing else to do. Kathryn was fidgeting now. She knew she could always find something to do, but didn't want to. He leaned toward her and took her last PADD away. She grew even more nervous when he shuffled closer and took her hands.

"Kathryn, this seems to be another quiet day, and there really isn't much to do. Why don't you join me on the holodeck? We could have a little picnic for lunch?" He smiled hopefully. Normally, she would have declined immediately. "I'm sure noone would mind if the Captain got a little rest once in a while," he added with a twinkle in his eyes. She knew he was right. She worked more than anyone else and was continually reprimanded by the Doctor to eat and sleep more.

"Well... I am the Captain after all.." She smiled and he stood up happily, offering his arm. When they strode out to the bridge like that, she could see Tom's broad grin from the corner of her eye.

Before they reached their destination, the Captain got a call from B'Elanna to meet her in engineering. After a quick look around the corridors and a small kiss on her cheek, Chakotay had gone to prepare the holodeck and she headed off to deck eleven. B'Elanna immediately noticed the good mood her Captain was radiating. When she joined her at the warp core she couldn't help it. "You're in quite a mood today!"

The Captain blushed. She's blushing? Wow, I don't know what you did, Chakotay, but it sure worked wonders.

"Just a good day, B'Elanna – for once, nothing's going wrong... or is it?"

The chief engineer pulled an apologetic face. "I'm afraid I must be the one to ruin your day... one of the gasses wasn't stable enough and it, well, kind of blew up in our faces." At the Captain's raised eyebrows she quickly added "but it's nothing to worry about, we have everything under control. Two minor injuries, nothing the Doc can't handle."

Kathryn sighed in relief and touched B'Elanna's arm. "You're gonna have to come up with bigger catastrophes today to ruin my day." B'Elanna smiled in surprise. "Well I hope I won't. It's good to see you're happy once in a while."

Luckily, they had stepped into the small lift and were on the second level now, out of earshot of the others now, because Kathryn lowered her head and looked lost in thoughts. B'Elanna stepped away from her console and tried to snap her out of it. "Kathryn?" She couldn't quite believe she was talking to her Captain like this, but somehow, they had found a new connection over the last days. She felt much more comfortable around her now.

"Just what he said."

"Who?" I know who... obviously.

Kathryn sighed and leaned back at the wall. "Chakotay.." her voice caressed his name and her eyes seemed to focus on him, invisible, in her mind. B'Elanna grinned. "Well, he sure has a talent to point out the obvious, doesn't he?" The Captain looked at her now, a little surprised, trying to figure out the double meaning. B'Elanna came closer and lowered her voice a little more, touching Kathryn's shoulder. "Come on, we saw how you two looked at each other last night. And we're all happy for you." Seeing Kathryn blush now, the urge to flee in her eyes, B'Elanna put on a mischievous grin. "And if I may speak freely, Captain, it was about time."

Kathryn grinned nervously and couldn't quite muster an answer. When she was finished checking B'Elanna's data, she turned to go. And plucked up some courage. "Well, thank you B'Elanna, good work... and now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date on the holodeck."

B'Elanna grinned. "Have fun!" Kathryn looked truly thankful now. She hesitated, but then, suddenly grabbed B'Elanna and hugged her for a second, then sped away. B'Elanna was taken aback but happy that she had made a new friend.

When Kathryn entered the holodeck, she was stunned. This is... he couldn't have. He wouldn't.

But he had. She walked through the forest and reached a clearing. The shelter was missing. She continued and reached the river. By the riverbank she saw him, lying on his back on a blanket, a small feast spread out next to him. She waited for a moment, simply taking in the scene. He had really programmed New Earth. The sun was shining, the trees rustling in the wind, the quick sound of the river in the air.

The hair in his neck stood on end. She was here. He opened his eyes and sat up slightly, turning around. She stood there, and even though she was in uniform, he saw her just as he had seen her back then. They both smiled and she stepped over to join him. As she sat down next to him, he saw a tear in her eye. He brushed it away with a thumb and gave her a small kiss.

"You did a really good job.. this looks just like the real thing."

"I remember it like it was yesterday."

"Yes, I know. Me too."

Before they could get too teary and emotional, he quickly presented her with his picnic. She got that excited, giddy look on her face again, especially when he produced a can of coffee. They feasted for a while, until Kathryn dropped back on the blanket, holding her belly. "God, I haven't been this stuffed for ages."

"That was the general idea." He grinned and packed a few things away to lie next to her, propped on his elbow. She closed one eye and glared at him suspiciously. "Admit it, this is all an elaborate plan by the Doctor."

"Arh, you've discovered our insidious plan!" They both laughed. He stroked her hair and watched the leaves and the sun create patterns on her face. Just as he lowered his head to kiss her, a comm call disrupted the blissful silence.

"Torres to Janeway."

They both sighed and sat up. "What is it, B'Elanna?"

"I'm really sorry to disturb you, Captain, but we're having trouble in engineering, you better come down here."

Chakotay pulled a face and added "B'Elanna, this better be important." From his playful tone, B'Elanna must have realised she wasn't interrupting the most crucial of moments. They could hear her exhale over the comm link. Kathryn grinned as B'Elanna apologized. "Sorry, Chakotay, I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Chakotay pulled her to her feet and they both tried their best to reinstate command faces. But a certain glow remained with them, and he hoped he'd never see it go away.