Star Trek Voyager characters are the property of Paramount Pictures.

Way The Wind Blows

Chapter Sixteen

A MONTH LATER

In the cozy lounge of their Irish cottage, which had just been painted a pretty shade of yellow, Kathryn hung up drapes while Chakotay measured for furniture. At present the room was empty, except for a green rug before an old fireplace and a couple of silver stools. The drapes, handmade by Kathryn on her Aunt Martha's old sewing machine, were the same shade of green as the rug, and were adorned with darker green stripes. It had taken her over a week to make them, as she wasn't as good at sewing as she was at knitting, but it was with joy that she fixed them to the windows. There were two windows in all, both with a lovely wooden windowseat, and though they weren't large, they let in a lot of light.

Then, as she hung up the last drape, Kathryn moaned.

"Oh no, dammit!"

Chakotay, nearby, turned to her. "What's wrong?"

"This damn drape, that's what! It's shorter than the others and...well, look!"

Chakotay looked and, to his amusement, saw that the drape was not only a good three inches shorter than the others, but was upside down.

"I blame the damn machine," Kathryn went on. "I should have known better than to use an antique! The recycler, that's where it belongs!"

"The machine or the drape?" Chakotay laughed.

"Both. But this isn't funny, Mr Chakotay. This drape is useless now, as it's too long for any of the other windows and too short if cut in two, and I don't have enough material left to make another. Neither can I get more as I had the last of the roll in the market. That means I'm going to have to replicate some and that will spoil everything as I wanted them to be the real deal!"

"Maybe you can extend the drape," Chakotay suggested, closing the gap between them.

"And have it look like I've patched up Petunia's jaw work? No, Sir. I'd rather the replicated!"

Chakotay laughed again and Kathryn sighed. "But I see I'm not going to get any sympathy from you. My catastrophe, your amusement." She poked his stomach. "But just you wait, Sir, until you're in the same situation. Or worse. Because a too short drape is one thing, a too short table leg quite another! If the dining one you're working on so secretively ends up all wobbly, it could mean a hot something ends up on a man's somewhere!"

"Doesn't bear thinking about," Chakotay laughed. "But I assure you my table isn't as dangerous."

Kathryn wrapped her arms around his neck. "When do I get to see it? You said soon, but that was last week."

Just as Chakotay was about to speak, the cottage's newly installed computer system bleeped.

"Incoming transmission."

"Accept," Kathryn replied.

Almost instantly, a male voice spoke. "Fergus Furniture. We have a delivery for Janeway."

A delivery. That had to be their bed. They had ordered it that morning and were waiting for it.

"That's right," Kathryn smiled. "Beam it in."

There was a silence of a few seconds, then the man spoke again.

"Item successfully transported to your specified co-ordinates."

"Thank you, Sir. Have a good day."

"You too. Any problems, please get in touch."

"I will. Janeway out."

As the connection terminated, Kathryn excitedly took Chakotay's hands in hers.

"Come on, Chakotay, let's go see! I can't wait!"

Chakotay followed her out of the room, her joy infectious, and they soon arrived in the room that was to be their bedroom. It was a lovely room, facing the sea, and had rustic beams on a sloping ceiling. The walls were sky blue, the carpet silver, and opposite the room's only window was a charming fireplace. But, as Kathryn burst into the room to view the new arrival, the scene before her eyes wasn't what she was expecting.

No, for instead of seeing a quaint four poster bed, positioned perfectly opposite the fireplace, she saw a monstrosity of a bed that completely dwarfed the room! In fact, it was so big that its posts touched the ceiling and its base almost extended from wall to wall! There was barely enough room to open the door and even that would not open completely.

"Oh, hell!" Kathryn exclaimed. "It is so not my day!"

But Chakotay, who was right behind her, could only laugh. "Oh, Kathryn. Trust you for this!"

"Me?" Kathryn said, turning to him. "How is it my fault? They've clearly delivered the wrong bed! Lucky for us it's not through the roof!"

The thought of that had Chakotay in stitches.

"But I see you find this as funny as my drape."

"I do," he laughed. "It's clear you're as skilled in furnishing as you are in cooking!"

Kathryn's hands went to her hips. "Are you trying to be insulting? Because I'm totally the guiltless party here! I know I ordered the right size bed!"

"Really? I did tell you to measure..."

"And I did...with my eyes."

"The ultimate scientific method."

Kathryn curled her lip, amused and frustrated all at once. "I suppose I did take a chance. But suitable for any room, the advert said, medium beds and small. How was I to know that medium there would be massive here?"

"By doing the math. Just as you should when baking a cake."

"Baking has nothing to do with math. If it did, I'd be the best chef in the Federation!"

"Evidently not."

Kathryn affectionately pinched his cheek. "You'll eat your words, Mr Chakotay. When it turns out the shop sent us a large bed, not a medium, you'll eat your words."

"So long as it's them and not your cooking," he teased.

Kathryn tried to be furious, frowning as hard as she could, but all she could do was laugh.

"You got me. But I'll admit. My name may be Kate, but I never said the prefix was Domesti."

Chakotay laughed again, as did she, and then they looked at their problem bed.

"I guess I'll just have to call the store," Kathryn said. "With a little luck, they'll be able to make an instant swap. I'll do it now. You go and..."

But before she could finish, Petunia came bounding up the stairs, soaking and sandy, and made a beeline for Kathryn.

"Oh no," Kathryn laughed as the animal jumped up, wagging her tail and splashing sand everywhere, "don't you dare come in here! Mess that bed and..."

But it was too late. Before she could stop her, the animal lept onto the bed and lay down, tongue out panting.

"Oh, hell!" Kathryn cried. "Oh, God!"

"Don't panic," Chakotay laughed. "There's plastic protection on the mattress."

Kathryn zoomed in on the mattress and, to her great relief, saw that he was right. "Oh, thank heaven for small mercies! But down, girl, down!"

Petunia did nothing.

"Now!"

At that, Petunia reluctantly did what she was told and slid off the bed, leaving a pool of mud and water behind her.

"Oh, honey," Kathryn groaned, "look at the mess you've made! Why did you have to lie there?"

"To be fair," Chakotay smiled, "there aren't exactly many other places. In fact, this is the only piece of furniture in the house. Can't blame a tired dog for trying!"

"I suppose not," Kathryn laughed. "But can you get her out of here? I need to clean up and call the store."

"Sure," Chakotay replied.

He then kissed Kathryn's cheek, grabbed Petunia's collar, and took the sulking animal downstairs.

Half an hour later, after making Petunia a temporary bed, Chakotay returned up stairs at Kathryn's calling. She was standing in the doorway, waiting for him, and looked extremely pleased with herself. He soon found out why.

"All sorted," she smiled. "And, Mr Know-it-all Chakotay, I was right. They did send the wrong bed. They sent us the Juliah. We ordered the Georgia."

"I see," Chakotay replied. "Then I'll eat my words...and your cooking for the next month."

"Oh, no," Kathryn laughed. "Just your words. Why should I have to slave away in the kitchen because you lost the bet? Who would that make the victor? No, Sir. We'll turn it around. I'll eat your cooking for a month."

Chakotay smiled. "Fair deal."

Kathryn smiled in return and then they ventured into the bedroom. As they did, Chakotay saw that the four poster bed was gone and in its place was a quaint, non-poster, oak double. It was adorned with blue satin sheets and they shimmered in the aternoon sun.

"Is it my eyes," Chakotay teased, "or is this bed missing a top?"

"Not your eyes," Kathryn laughed. "Because you weren't completely wrong. We may have had the wrong bed, but the Georgia wasn't much smaller. In fact, even the smallest in here made me feel like Alice in Wonderland! No, I thought it better for us to go for a regular bed...wide, but not high. Makes much better use of the space. Don't you agree?"

"I do. But you're a sneaky devil, Kathryn Janeway, getting me to do the cooking when I was just as right as you."

Kathryn poked his stomach. "Being not completely wrong doesn't make you just as right. The medium fitted fine, just took all the light."

"Really? Fitted fine? Even though the small in here made you feel like Alice in Wonderland?"

"Because it was too small. Remember, Alice grows and shrinks."

"Clever, but not convincing." He then began to tickle her. "Admit it, Kathryn Janeway, the bed was too big and I was right."

"No," Kathryn laughed, collapsing onto the bed as he ticked her harder. "No. And stop..."

"Not until you admit it."

"No...I...Ok...Ok...You were right!"

Chakotay stopped tickling at that and Kathryn, now lying beneath him, recovered her breath. As she did, their mutual laughter faded and they gazed into each other's eyes. Then, slowly and gently, their lips drew together in a tender kiss.

"What do you say," Kathryn said, wrapping her arms around his neck as they parted. "Shall we christen our new arrival?"

Chakotay smiled. "I think we should"

Kathryn smiled back and then they kissed again.

Before leaving their home-in-progress for the cabin, Kathryn and Chakotay took a walk to the beach. The setting sun was warm and bright and in its glow they talked, laughed and kissed. Petunia ran before them, playing and sniffing in the sand, and every now and then Kathryn had to whistle her return.

As they walked along the shore, which rolled into grassy fields, they came across the stump of an ancient tree. It was hollow inside, with a plaque giving its history, and on the faded bark were dozens of carvings, all of lovers initials.

"How romantic," Kathryn said, delightfully touching a beautiful S that linked with an M. "Some of these were made over a century ago and yet, though their makers are gone, the love they shared is still enshrined here."

Chakotay reached into a jacket pocket and pulled out a penknife, a small one that he made a habit of bringing with him every time they visited the cottage.

"How about we immortalize ours?"

"Oh yes," Kathryn smiled. "Let's!"

"Then pick a spot, Ma'am."

Kathryn did so, choosing the base as it was less adorned than the top, and Chakotay began to carve. When he was done, Kathryn admired the impressive handiwork, which was a beautifully entwined K and C, and then kissed him in gratitude. Chakotay kissed her back and they were still kissing when the automated transport Kathryn had set up activated and beamed them back to Alberta. As they materialized in the transporter room, a cold air engulfed them and they drew apart.

"Oh ,boy," Kathryn said. "It sure is cold in here!"

"That's because it's snowing," Chakotay replied.

Kathryn turned around and looked out of the window. Sure enough, it was snowing.

"So it is. The first fall of the season. But I must warn you, once it starts up here it doesn't stop...not for months. I came here once in March and the place was still covered. Does that bother you?"

"Not at all," Chakotay replied. "Winter's on Trebus were harsh too. I'm used to the cold."

"Well," Kathryn smiled, "it's only cold outside. The cabin has good heating. In fact, last time I was here in winter it was so hot inside that I had to wear shorts! It was Phoebe's fault. She's cold everywhere we go...even now...and made Daddy turn up the heating. I could have punched her for it! If I didn't know better, I'd say..."

Her words trailed when she suddenly realized that Petunia had slipped out of the room into the snow.

"Oh no," she cried. "Oh damn! Petunia's escaped!"

"Hardly an emergency," Chakotay laughed. "She'll be at the cabin door."

"You think so? Well, think again! Despite her puppy trauma...me finding her in the snow...she loves it. I can never get her under control in it! She runs and runs, chasing the flakes and rolling around like a mad thing!"

Chakotay laughed again and then watched as Kathryn, all in a tizz, grabbed a leash and hurried into the yard.

"Petunia!" she cried. "Here!"

But, as Chakotay saw when he stepped into the snow, the animal was nowhere to be seen.

Kathryn ventured further, whistling hard, but still no Petunia. Not giving up, as she knew from experience that trying to get a transporter lock on a running dog was a feat in itself, she kept walking and calling.

"Petunia! Here, Now!"

But no Petunia.

And then...all of a sudden...her heart was pounding. Against her chest it hammered, louder than a drum, and her vision blurred. Blurred into a nothingness of white.

A frozen sea.

Daddy and Justin.

In Hell.

And then there was a bark.

An anchor from the present calling her from the past.

Petunia.

The dog was before her, running towards her, and then jumping up on her. Kathryn fell to her knees, hugging the dog hard. Hugging her until the thumping in her chest subsided.

"Kathryn?"

The concerned voice was Chakotay's.

"Kathryn? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Kathryn said, getting to her feet. "I'm fine."

Clearly she wasn't, as her face was as white as the snow around them, but Chakotay didn't argue. Besides, it wasn't hard to guess what had happened. Being in the middle of an icy wilderness all alone must have brought back memories. Memories of an accident she was trying to forget.

Tenderly, Chakotay put his hand on her shoulder. "Shall I make us a round of hot chocolate? Double cream with marshmallows?"

Kathryn gave a nod and put her hand over his. "I'd like that, thank you."

Chakotay smiled, kissed her forehead, and then, after Kathryn had leashed Petunia, they walked arm in arm back to the cabin.

END OF CHAPTER SIXTEEN