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New Life
PG-13
Chapters 13-15
Chapter Thirteen
When Beverly returned, Deanna sensed she was distraught. She stood and walked over to where Beverly was scanning the now sleeping mother.
“Are you alright?” Deanna softly asked with concern.
Beverly shook her head, “I’ll be fine.”
“You want to take a break and talk about it?”
Beverly stopped what she was doing and turned to face Deanna, “I’m fine! There’s nothing to talk about!”
*Bridge to Sickbay.* It was Semaj’s voice.
Sanders had scanned Deanna while Beverly was out talking to Picard and only found some minor abrasions and bruises. He then began treating the incoming injured when he responded to the page, “Sickbay here.”
*Would you be capable of sparing Voyager‘s EMH and the Enterprise‘s CMO temporarily so they can return to their respective ships to treat the injured there,* Semaj asked.
“I believe so,” Sanders replied. “The Borg baby has been delivered, so everything should be fine here.”
*Very well,* Semaj said flatly. *I’ll let them know that their doctors will be arriving soon.*
“It was good to have you aboard, Doctor Crusher,” Will informed her.
“I was glad to be aboard.”
“Doctor Mark,” Will nodded.
*Captain Riker,* Semaj continued. *The admirals are requesting that you to meet with them.*
“Did they give a reason?” Will asked out of curiosity.
*No, they just requested you to beam over the Enterprise too.* Semaj informed Will.
“Tell them I’ll beam over immediately,” Will instructed.
*Understood. Semaj out.*
Will approached Deanna, “I’ll be back soon. Take care of our guest.”
“I will,” Deanna replied sadly.
“Hey!” Will began to scold. “Why the long face? It’s not like I’m going on some dangerous away mission.”
Deanna shook her head, “That’s not it. I’m concerned about Beverly. I don’t know what happened when she stepped out for a short time, but something upset her. Something she doesn’t want to talk about.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about it right now,” Will informed Deanna. “She’ll talk to you when she is ready.”
“Maybe your right.”
Will kissed his wife on the forehead, “I’ll be back soon.”
Then he went to join Beverly and the EMH in the transporter room.
“I didn’t know you could neutralize the nanoprobes that easily,” Doctor Crusher was saying to Doctor Mark as Will approach them.
“Absolutely,” Doctor Mark told her. “While out in the Delta quadrant we found that we could neutralize the nanoprobes with a pathogen.”
“I see,” Doctor Crusher replied.
“Mind if I join you two?” Will asked.
“Not at all,” Doctor Mark answered.
The three of them talked as they went to the transporter room. It was then Doctor Mark realized that Doctor Crusher was getting over her discomfort with him and had begun treating him as though he were just another person and not some hologram.
Seven had gotten permission to beam over to the Enterprise to visit the freed Borg. She was feeling anxious and hopeful. She was hoping that an old friend was among the group of Neo-Borg, but at the same time she was very nervous about seeing him again if he was there.
A security officer escorted her to the severed Borg temporary quarters. Outside the door stood two more security officers.
Seven was wondering if all the security was really necessary, but then thought, ‘Admiral Agohl may not be the only one with an attitude towards the Borg. It’s probably for their protection as well.’
Not that these Borg could not handle themselves. They were very strong and capable of anything. Seven decided that it served an efficient and duel purpose to have all the security.
“You may go in, Ma’am,” one of the security guards informed her.
“Thank you,” Seven replied courteously.
Seven still had the remains of her former implants around one eye, but she had learned a lot from the Voyager’s crew about humanity. She had grown to be more human in the last few years. She did not consider herself Borg anymore and was confident that one day her friends will not consider themselves Borg anymore either.
She entered her friends’ temporary quarters. When the doors closed behind her, she did not have to ask if her friend was there.
He approached her and happily greeted her, “Seven!”
“Axum,” Seven replied. “I’m glad to see you.”
“I promised you I would see you again.”
He looked completely different than he did in Uni-matrix Zero. Unlike when he was in the matrix, he had the Borg implants and clothing in this encounter.
“And you have,” Seven finally replied.
She felt awkward in the meeting. She was not sure what to say to him.
“You look good,” Axum informed her. “They’ve been treating you well?”
“They treat me like any other Human.”
“Well, maybe we can go home again,” Axum thought aloud. “You remember Korok, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Seven,” Korok greeted her in a most Klingon voice. “Do you know anything about Sarah and the baby?”
“She had a boy,” Seven told them. “He is healthy. I don’t know anymore than that.”
“That is good,” Korok replied. “I’m anxious to meet the child.”
“As am I,” Seven told Korok.
“Do you know if she knows yet?” Korok asked.
“About what?” Seven inquired.
“About Bob?”
“I do not know.” Seven was curious about what Korok was talking about, but she did not push for more information.
“Let me introduce you to the others,” Axum guided her over to where the others stood. “I don’t know if you remember, but this Goval and P’Chan.
“I do,” Seven replied.
“I am Hugh,” Hugh told her when Axum gestured towards him.
“Over here is Aquielle, Jonelle, Soovat, T‘Pel, and Qwan.
“Nice to meet you.”
Suddenly, Axum turned to face Seven. “Is there any place we can go to talk?”
“I am uncertain,” Seven told Axum. “It has been my experience that Humans are uncomfortable with those who are Borg, even those who have been severed from the Borg Collective.”
“I understand,” Axum replied. “Maybe when I look and function more like a Human we could spend some time together?”
“I’d like that,” Seven informed him.
“That is sufficient,” Axum responded in a very Borg-like manner.
“I must go,” Seven finally said.
“I hope to see you again soon,” Axum said.
Seven detected a note of sadness in his voice. She wanted to stay longer, but she felt she had to get back to Voyager. She finally replied, “I hope so too.”
Then she departed and returned to Voyager.
Chapter Fourteen
The three admirals and three of the four captains met in the observation lounge on the Enterprise. They were discussing casualties, damage reports and where to take the Neo-Borg to have as many of their implants removed as possible.
“I always hate to ask this question,” Admiral Owen Paris stated with dread. “But I have to ask for casualty reports.”
“The Titan had a few, mostly bumps and bruises,” Captain Riker informed. “Nothing really serious.”
Admiral Picard sighed. “The Neo-Borg and the Enterprise did not fair so well and I have yet to talk to Sarah.”
“The pregnant Neo-Borg?” Paris asked.
“Was pregnant,” Riker informed with a smile. “She had her baby just as the battle with the Borg ended. A healthy baby boy, weighting almost three kilos and fifty-three centimeters long.”
“The nanoprobes?” Paris asked.
“Voyager’s doctor neutralized them,” Riker told everyone.
“Neutralized them?”
“It’s in one of our reports from the Delta quadrant,” Admiral Janeway, who was sitting between Chakotay and Picard, replied.
“I’m sure I’ll be reading up on it when we return,” Paris curiously stated. “Admiral Picard you were saying?”
“Well, the Neo-Borg lost two members of their crew, no injuries at last report. The Enterprise lost one crew member and several injured.”
“Just mild injuries for Voyager,” Janeway reported, not adding that she was still sore from being tossed around by the Borg.
“Amazingly, we hardly had any,” Captain Chakotay boasted. “Maybe a couple bumps and bruises, but that’s it.”
“We also seemed to come out with few injuries,” Captain Sisko stated.
“Well, it seems we all came out fairly well. It definitely could have been worse.” Paris commented. Then he asked, “Damage reports?”
Again, they all informed each other of the damages to their ships. When they all had finished, Paris said, “Well, let’s make the needed repairs as quickly as possible and be on our way. Now, about the Neo-Borg, any suggestions on the best place to take them to have their implants removed?”
“My suggestion would be DS9, but only because it is closer,” Sisko suggested.
“And DS9 does have one of the top medical doctors in Starfleet,” Paris pointed out to the group.
“My only concern is how we get them to the medical facility on DS9,” Chakotay began to point out to the group. “Do we beam them directly into Doctor Bashir’s Sickbay or do we just have them walk right through the Station? Personally, I’d be worried about just escorting them directly.”
“I agree,” Riker stated. “Beaming them directly would probably be the best idea.”
“Captain Riker and Captain Chakotay make good points,” Picard said thoughtfully. “Anywhere we take them, we have to be very careful about who sees them.”
Janeway had been listening to what everyone was saying and thinking about the best solution for the nine remaining Neo-Borg.
“I am also inclined to agree that beaming them directly, regardless of which medical facility we take them to, to remove the Borg implants, would be the best solution,” She said. “Anywhere we take them will cause a stir if they are noticed and they will be noticed.”
“We could do the surgery on the Enterprise and the Titan,” Admiral Paris suggested. “Then again, if we have another Borg attack, it could be fatal for the patients.”
“Well, we definitely want to them to have their individuality return to them and return them to their families,” Picard stated.
“Doctor Bashir has taken a great interest in these people and has offered to be of assistance in anyway,” Sisko informed them. “I think it would please him to no end to have these people treated in his Sickbay.”
“Well, then,” Paris began. “I guess it’s settled. We’ll take these people to DS9, beam them directly to the Sickbay there. Crusher, Bashir, and Voyager’s EMH can team up together to remove the Borg implants from these people. Any objections?”
No one seemed to object to going to Deep Space Nine, so Paris went on to the next concern.
“That just leaves Agohl and the Prometheus,” Paris reminded everyone. “My crew could take the Prometheus and Agohl back to Earth.”
“And the officers that Agohl manage to talk into going in on his plot?” Chakotay asked.
“Well, we can only hope they will be given some leniency because they helped with the Borg attack and with putting Agohl in the Brig,” Paris said hopefully. “The only thing they have going for them is that Agohl deceived them concerning Starfleet orders. Beyond that, I don’t know what will happen to them.”
“So, am I to take it that the four of us are going to DS9, while the Valiant and Prometheus go back to Starfleet?” Riker asked.
“I don’t think a little R and R at Quark’s Bar would hurt any of us,” Picard replied with a smile.
“Oh, I don’t know,” Riker smiled. “He might just end up giving us all vouchers.”
“Did he ever give you those bars of latinum he promised you?” Sisko asked.
“No, I traded the vouchers in for a favour,” Riker informed Sisko.
“I wonder if Constable Odo could look into Quark’s voucher system,” Sisko thought aloud.
“You want a bargaining chip for the next time he is up to something?” Riker asked curiously.
“Maybe,” Sisko replied. “It might come in handy some day.”
Riker almost laughed, “I bet it would!”
“Well, I guess this meeting is adjourned,” Admiral Paris finally said. “Not that I want to interrupt this interesting conversation about Quark, but we have some unfinished business to take care of.”
They all agreed to adjourn the meeting and head back to their ships.
Once Janeway and Chakotay were back on Voyager, Janeway said, “Captain Chakotay, could I have a minute with you in my…” She stopped to correct herself. “Your Ready Room?”
“Yes, Admiral,” Chakotay replied and followed her into the Ready Room.
“What do you think is going on?” Tom Paris asked B’Elanna as they watched the couple walk into the Ready Room.
“I don’t know, but I have my guesses.”
“Care to make a wager on one of your guesses?” Tom asked with a mischievous smile.
Once the door to the Ready Room closed, Janeway turned and confronted Chakotay.
“Chakotay, I understand why you put yourself and your crew on the Prometheus in harms way earlier today,” Kathryn began as she tried to control her emotions concerning Chakotay‘s actions. “But you took a big risk with your life and the lives of the crew when you were commanding the Prometheus.”
“If I hadn’t, Voyager would have been blown to bits!”
“You were very lucky that the Prometheus wasn’t,” Janeway countered.
“The Prometheus can take a lot,” Chakotay informed her calmly. “It’s not only one of the fastest ships Starfleet has, but it also has a regenerative shield…”
“I’m well aware of what it is equipped with, but you took a big risk!” Janeway angrily interrupted him.
“If I hadn’t, you’d be dead now!”
“You don’t know that!” Kathryn hissed.
“The Borg did quite a bit of damage to Voyager with all the hits they got in on you and there were still more Borg ships to fight!” Chakotay reminded her. “I wasn’t about to let the Borg destroy Voyager with you on it!”
“I’ve managed to deal with whatever the Borg dealt me before and still got Voyager home in one piece,” Janeway reminded him.
“You didn’t do it alone!” Chakotay again pointed out to her.
“Don’t play the angry warrior with me.”
“That’s not it and you know it!”
“Isn’t it?” Kathryn asked. “You can’t tell me you weren’t feeling a little ticked by the Borg when you saw them about to destroy Voyager with me on it. That’s why you took a chance and flew right between that Borg ship and Voyager. Then you intentionally took a blow that was meant for Voyager from the Borg, just to keep me from being killed by them, didn’t you? It had nothing to do with Voyager, did it?”
Then he softened, “Kathryn, I almost lost you more than once to the Borg. I don’t want take any chances of losing you. Not to the Borg or anyone else.”
“I feel the same way, but we can’t let our personal feelings for each other get in the way of our duties.”
“My duty was to help everyone get the Borg off of our backs, I did that.”
“Yes, but we could have easily lost the Prometheus with the move you made.”
“But we didn’t. That ship was built to withstand being fired upon by the Borg,” Chakotay reminded her again.
“Not that I wasn‘t impressed,” Kathryn admitted. “But no ship, not even the Prometheus, is indestructible. What you did could have killed everyone on the Prometheus, including you.”
“Oh, I get it now,” Chakotay said as it finally dawned on him. “This has very little to do with the crew on the Prometheus. You are just as afraid of loosing me as I am of loosing you.”
“It was a risky move,” Kathryn insisted angrily.
“Admit it, Kathryn. My having the Prometheus go between you and that Borg ship scared you.”
“I’ll admit to nothing.” She said defensively.
“Are we going to have this kind of argument for the rest of our lives together?”
“Are you going to keep making risky moves?”
“Frankly, yes. If it protects the woman I love.”
Kathryn was not sure what to say, so she instinctively fell back on her old habits. “Maybe we shouldn’t be making wedding plans. It might interfere with…”
“Oh, no! Not this again!”
“What again?”
“I’ve spent seven years listening to you talk about protocol and you trying to deny your feelings,” Chakotay stated angrily. “Now that we have admitted our feelings to each other, let’s not go back to your old stand by to avoid conversations like this.”
“I’m not avoiding!” She insisted.
“I think you are.”
“Chakotay, I’m not discussing this with you any further,” Kathryn irately stated. “What you did was dangerous to everyone on the Prometheus!”
“They didn’t seem to have any problems with it.”
“I’m not discussing this anymore,” Kathryn emphatically stated again. “Dismissed!”
“Dismissed?” Chakotay questioned as he raised one of his eyebrows. “Have you forgotten that I command Voyager now and this is my Ready Room?”
“Are you pulling rank on me?” Kathryn inquired.
“Now why would I do that?”
It was then she realized that he was using their personal relationship to more or less dare her to continue their argument. He wanted her to talk about what was really bothering her. ‘Well, I’m not giving him the satisfaction,’ she thought. ‘What he did was potentially life threatening to everyone on the Prometheus.’
“Alright,” Kathryn finally replied with irritation. “I’ll be in my quarters.”
Then Kathryn angrily left Chakotay’s Ready Room and headed to her quarters. He had the feeling that something had scared her during the battle with the Borg and she was not about to admit it, much less talk about it. However, he did not go after her, because he knew she would talk to him when she was ready. He only hoped that Kathryn did not continue to avoid dealing with whatever was bothering her clear to the point of cancelling their wedding plans.
Tom and B’Elanna saw Janeway enter and leave the Bridge in a huff and they looked at each other questioningly.
“Lover’s quarrel?” B’Elanna asked.
“That’s my bet,” Tom replied.
Chapter Fifteen
“Jean-Luc!” Beverly exclaimed when he told her that evening about the plans to remove the implants from the Neo-Borg. “You have to be kidding! First you want me to attend to a woman who could be re-assimilated into the Borg Collective just by her transmitter being re-activated and now you want me to help remove Borg implants from eight Borg?”
“You don’t have to remove implants from all eight Borg,” Jean-Luc reassured her. “That’s what Voyager’s EMH and Doctor Bashir are for. To divide the work.”
“I could deal with the EMH,” Beverly stated with irritation. “Hell, he’s human compared to the Borg. I don’t think I could stand another minute worrying about the Neo-Borg’s transmitters being reactivated with me so close to them.”
“I think you are over re-acting, Beverly.”
“This from a man who stood on the other side, Locutus.” She snidely stated as she emphasized his Borg name.
Jean-Luc winced at the mention of his Borg name. He had heard every thought the Borg thought. Which made him rather glad he could not hear every thought Beverly had. There was a time he thought it was fascinating to hear Beverly’s thoughts, but then it got to the point they were snapping at each other mentally, because of what they thought. Even then it was not a Borg mental connection. Still, it made him think twice about knowing her every thought.
Not that there were times he did not want to know what she was thinking. Sometimes he did, but there comes a time, in every relationship, when you know a person well enough that you know exactly what they are thinking. Even without a some sort of mental connection.
Still, he would have hated himself if he had assimilated Beverly into the Borg Collective. That is, if he had continued to remember who he originally was. It was not something he wanted just to know her every thought.
On one level, he could understand Beverly’s fear of assimilation, but on another level, he was thankful she and the rest of the crew, took the risk of being assimilated just to save him from the Borg. In return, he was willing to take the risk to help the Neo-Borg be free of anything relating to the Borg.
‘We’ve gone this far with the Neo-Borg,’ he thought. ‘They deserve to have us go the rest of the way to achieve their freedom and return their dignity.’
“Beverly, you spent hours with me after I had been assimilated,” Jean-Luc reminded her. “Was it worth it in the end?”
“It was worth it for everyone on board the Enterprise,” Beverly told him.
“Then don’t you think it would be worth it for these people too?” Jean-Luc asked her. “They have fought so long to stay free of the Borg and even asked for our help. Don’t you think they deserve to have their lives back?”
“Of course they do,” Beverly admitted. “I just…”
Her thoughts trailed off into how she felt when Jean-Luc had been assimilated. The one thing she wanted most was to have the Jean-Luc she knew back again and at the time, she did not allow her fear of being assimilated stop her from getting him back. Locutus was not the man she loved, but under all that Borg exterior, she knew the man she did love was still there. She and the crew had to make every effort they could to get the captain free from the Borg and they did. Successfully at that.
He had some emotional issues to deal with after that ordeal, but he was again the man she knew and loved. She knew she would do it again if she had it to do again.
“If I had to help rescue you from the Borg all over again,” Beverly began to tell her husband. “I would do it in a heartbeat.”
“Then do it again,” Jean-Luc pleaded. “Make sure any possibility of them ending back up in the hive just from a neurotransmitter being activated is gone for good. Just as you did me.”
“I never could say no to you,” Beverly stated. “Not even when the Borg had control of you. Some how, I knew you wanted our help and I gave it to you.”
“And I am very grateful that you did.”
“I just hope that if I am ever assimilated,” Beverly said sadly. “That you would do the same for me.”
“Without a doubt,” Jean-Luc replied. “I would risk my life just to save yours.”
“Some how I don’t doubt that.”
“How’s our guest?” Will asked Deanna when he returned to their quarters on the Titan after the meeting. “Or shall I say guests?”
“Mother and son are doing fine.” Deanna happily informed him as he gave her a peck on the cheek.
“Deanna, I need you to do that young woman another favour,” Will began to explain to her. “Admiral Picard has to tell her something that will more than likely be upsetting for her.”
“No!” Deanna gasped with horror as she sensed what Will was about to tell her. She knew that if she were getting information about her husband departing like that, she would be so heart broken that she would feel like dying.
“Yes,” Will affirmed. “I’d tell her, but Jean-Luc feels he should be the one to tell her, since Bob was not successfully beamed aboard the Enterprise. Actually, he was killed before the Enterprise beamed them all aboard.”
“So, what do you want me to do?” Deanna asked.
“I want you to be there when Jean-Luc finally tells her about Bob. I’m not sure how she will take the news, but I know it can’t be good when she does find out.”
Deanna understood. The woman had been through a lot in her short life and she knew that once Sarah had heard that her beloved had died she would be crushed. The last thing the young woman needed was to be so emotionally distraught that she could not take care of her newborn son.
“It’s the least I could do for Sarah,” Deanna replied sadly.
“You’ve already done a lot for her.”
“It was part of my job,” Deanna stated. “Well, all except for helping her deliver her baby.”
“That’s what I mean. That is a lot right there.”
Deanna suddenly became quiet.
“What’s wrong?” Will asked with concern.
“I think I understand what was bothering Beverly earlier today,” Deanna whispered softly. Her throat was suddenly tight.
“What was it?”
Deanna suddenly threw her arms around him and hugged him close. Will heard her softly crying.
“Deanna?” Will pushed her back just enough to see her face. “Did I miss something?”
Deanna was feeling a little vulnerable. She hated that feeling, but the thought of loosing a husband, especially her husband, was a frightening thought to her. Let alone being told by one’s closest friend.
“I think I would just die if anything happened to you,” she cried.
“Nothing has happened to me.”
“I know, but it would be worse if Admiral Picard were the one who informed me,” Deanna told him. “I don’t think I could handle it, even though he is like a father to me.”
“Deanna, what is this all about?”
“I believe the admiral told her about Sarah’s husband first and her mind had flashed back for a moment to that time,” Deanna surmised. “The time when Picard told her about her husband and now…” She suddenly stopped.
“He’s telling another woman about her husband,” Will nodded. “Both died while Picard was in command.”
Deanna sadly nodded.
“What does that have to do with us?”
“There is always that possibility that one day you will be working under Admiral Picard and he will come to tell me similar news.”
Will hugged Deanna close to him, “It hasn’t happened yet and if I can help it, it never will.”
He was not sure what had gotten into Deanna, but he was hoping it was just from the excitement of dealing with the Borg and all the strong emotions people had through out the day. He knew that too many strong emotions from various people hitting her all at once was very hard on her.
He kissed the top of her head and then said, “Come on, let’s go to bed. We’ve have a long day and I think we are both tired. We‘ll be at DS9 early in the morning. As of now you have the day off tomorrow for some well deserved R and R.”
Deanna did not deny being tired as Will guided her to the bedroom, but she did say, “But I have to go with Picard to tell Sarah…”
“Yes, do that,” Will agreed. “But other wise, I want you to take some time off. I think you need it.”
‘Who’s to argue with getting some time off.’ Deanna thought to herself as she sighed. ‘I’m too exhausted to argue about it.’
It was not more than fifteen minutes later that Kathryn walked back into the Ready Room through the back way unannounced. Chakotay was deep into reading various reports when she barged in and gave him a start when she suddenly spoke.
“I just realized,” She said with authority as she leaned over the desk. “I never relinquished command of Voyager back to you. So, technically this Ready Room is still mine.”
‘That was very underhanded.’ Chakotay thought. However, he knew it was her way of saying she was ready to talk.
Chakotay rose from his chair behind the desk and gestured for her to sit. “Alright.”
That one word was his cue to her that he was willing to listen. The two of them seemed to have developed an almost silent and subtle communication over the years. A communication only they understood. Others had picked up on this subtleness the two of them had, but never really understood it.
Janeway sat down at the desk and Chakotay walked around to the other side and sat down. Chakotay patiently waited for her to speak.
When she finally spoke, her voice was very controlled. “Chakotay, you maybe right. Something did get to me out there, but I’m not going to admit that it scared me.”
Chakotay did not say a word. He just listened as she continued.
“To be honest, I was very amazed by the Prometheus at first. Then it hit me. What would I have done without you if that blast blew that ship up and everyone on it. I don’t think I could stand life without you. That was a very risky move that could have endangered everyone on that ship.” Kathryn was fighting back the tears. “Yet I know, at the same time, you did it so that you would not loose me in the battle with the Borg. I know you would do anything for me, including risk your own life for me, which you did.”
At this point, Kathryn raised her hand and waved it in front of her. “I know the Prometheus is well equipped to handle such attacks, but it is not invulnerable. I think I would just die if I lost you.”
There was a brief silence between them as Chakotay absorbed everything she had said thus far. He noticed a single tear run down her face and realized that the very thought of possibly loosing him scared her.
He finally broke the silence and inquired, “So, what can we do about this?”
“I don’t know, but I do know that I really don’t want to call off our wedding.”
His heart jumped for joy when he heard her say that. It was the first time in their whole relationship that she did not try and fall back on so called protocol just because she was frightened.
“I must admit, that you know me all too well,” she finally allowed herself. “You are not afraid to confront me when I am hiding behind protocol. I thank you for that and as I said before, I need you. Only this time it’s not just to get us home or to be my friend, but for much more than that. I’ve come to realize that I need you for the rest of my life.”
Chakotay smiled. He did not know what to say, but he did know she was not running away from her feelings this time.
She stood and started to walk around the desk. Chakotay stood thinking that she was about to leave, but instead she hugged him tightly.
“Don’t ever do that again!” She scolded as she playfully hit has back with her hands.
Chakotay held her in his arms as she laid her head on his shoulder and released the tensions of the day. This was a side of her, that she would never let anyone but him see.
“God, I love you!” She finally said as she pulled away from him.
“I love you too, Kathryn.”
She wiped the tears from her face and then headed for the back door of the Ready Room. Just before she reached the door, she stopped, and suddenly turned back around.
“Oh, and Captain Chakotay,” She addressed him.
“Why suddenly so formal?” He asked puzzled.
“Voyager is yours again,” she informed him. Then with a smile she said, “I think I am going to retire. At least for the night.”
Chakotay lovingly smiled back at her.
Then without another word, she left his Ready Room to return to her quarters until morning. Chakotay sat down behind the desk again and returned to reading reports.