Rated PG-13
Disclaimer: See Part 1
Three days later Chakotay stood beside the captain's stasis chamber. There had been no further instructions or even contact with the planet in that time, other than the return of the other stasis pod, Adaj Iggam, and his co-son Jeman, now perfectly whole. The sight greatly encouraged the crew, especially those who had seen the extent of Jeman's injuries.
The pair was unable to answer any of the doctor's queries regarding what had happened, saying it was not permitted to discuss the actual proceeding, except between participants. Adaj thanked the senior staff over and over for their assistance. The young Berithian, Jeman, had a quiet, peaceful air about him, although it was unknown whether this was his normal nature or the effect of taking the waters. With cupped hands, he expressed his gratitude at being able to return home to Berith to await the appearance of his first future. The traders insisted on paying for the repair of their vessel with many supplies that were a particular delight to Neelix and his galley. At the first parting of the nebula that appeared, the two Berithians wished them the blessings of the waters, and took their leave to return to their homeworld.
Now, Chakotay waited. He was unsure if there was anything else he should be doing, so he just copied the position that Adaj had assumed beside Jeman's stasis chamber before they were whisked away. Chakotay looked into the pod at the slip of humanity who had once been a vibrant, charismatic woman, one who could take his breath away just by striding onto the bridge.
He turned to the EMH standing nearby. "Doctor, do you think…? In that moment, Sickbay disappeared and he found himself standing in a cavern. There had been no sound, no sensation of transport, nor any pause from one site to the other. Looking behind him, he saw the pod had arrived with him.
"Welcome to Ab Initio, Appointed Intervenor. The blessings of the waters."
Chakotay looked back around to see Niaj Eenna standing before him. The lighting was dim in the cavern, and he was even less able to discern the features of the priest behind the veil of pale green. "What is this place?" he asked, glancing around him.
It appeared to be a rock cavern but the ceiling was too high to see in the subdued light. There appeared to be no source of lighting other than the iridescent striations that streaked the walls.
"You are at the threshold of the waters." The Niaj indicated an opening in the wall that had been undetectable a moment before. "The end of your journey is beginning so that your journey may now continue."
Chakotay recognized the strange phrase as the one that Niaj Eenna spoke in Sickbay just after Adaj Iggam and Jeman's stasis pod disappeared. "What happens now?" Chakotay felt a combination of eagerness and nerves, the same as he always did when anticipating any unknown event. He'd felt it when he joined Starfleet, in advance of every battle he'd ever awaited, and most especially, when he'd beamed aboard Voyager to meet a certain petite Starfleet captain.
"Once I depart, you must remove the Partaker from the suspension case and carry her into the waters. Before you actually enter the waters, you must disrobe yourself and the Partaker. It is a time of complete uncovering of self, body and soul. It is a private time, one that cannot be interrupted or witnessed by anyone other than the Appointed Intervenor for the entire duration. Is this all clear?" The Niaj looked to Chakotay to see that he understood.
It did not concern Chakotay about stripping himself, but to undress Kathryn without her permission was a little disturbing; he had never seen her totally naked before. Yet had she been in this position, he knew she would never allow niceties to deter her from saving the life of one of her crew. The Niaj had said they must not be interrupted for the entire rite. "Do we have to remain here for the two days?"
"No. You will be returned to your ship at the conclusion of stage one."
"Then someone will have to inform our ship of the conditions or we will be contacted immediately upon our return."
The Niaj appeared to be listening again. "We will inform your physician, who is permitted to pass the information along."
In spite of the seriousness of the moment, Chakotay knew it would appeal to the EMH's ego to be the one contacted on behalf of the ship. "How long will the initial process take?"
"As long as it takes. As the Appointed Intervenor, you will know when it is complete."
It was not hard for him to accept that, although he knew Kathryn would have wanted something a little more scientific and concrete. "What happens when it is complete? You said it would take two days."
"As said, at the conclusion of stage one, you will be returned to your vessel. You may take sustenance as you choose, but you must remain in seclusion together, having no contact with anyone. At the appointed time, you will return for stage two. Everything you do tomorrow must be exactly as you do today from the point of crossing the threshold. Is this all clear?" The earlier question was repeated.
Turning to the pod, he hesitated.
"Something hinders you?"
It was impossible to stop the memories of the slow deterioration, the increasing fragility of her skin that ruptured at the slightest touch, the blood that had been on his hand the last time he touched her. It hurt just thinking about it. He couldn't imagine what picking her up would do to her. "It's just that…" Rather than try to explain, he turned to the priest and silently touched his own forehead in an appeal as Adaj had done. In a moment, he again felt the brief feather-like touch to his mind.
Niaj Eenna's head tilted to one side, and in a moment, another figure appeared in the cavern. This one was clothed in a robe of dark green with a matching veil covering the face. At Niaj Eenna's silent look, the other individual nodded and entered the adjoining room. Chakotay wondered if the dark color delineated a different rank, perhaps a young novice in training. In a moment, the darkly robed person returned with a clear bowl cradled carefully in both hands. When Niaj Eenna received the bowl with a nod, the assistant vanished as silently as it had come.
The Niaj turned back to Chakotay. "Open the suspension case."
Pressing the sequence of buttons to release the mechanism, Chakotay watched as the glass panel slid away. His heart lurched at the unobstructed view of the gaunt gray person lying within. He mentally pulled himself back as the priest addressed him.
"Pour this over the Partaker. It will sustain her."
The Niaj handed Chakotay the clear bowl and he did so, as much as the opening of the stasis chamber allowed.
"Are you ready to begin, Appointed Intervenor?"
Nodding absently, his attention was riveted to Kathryn, lying so still, just a little damp in places where the liquid had landed on her. "What do I do now?" Chakotay turned around again.
There was no one else there. His breath exhaled in a rush. Obviously the Niaj had taken his nod to mean that he had all the information he needed to proceed. Chakotay's gaze returned to the stasis pod. For the last four and half years, the crew had relied on Kathryn Janeway to get them through; now she was totally dependent upon him to successfully figure out what to do.
Reaching into the pod, he eased his arms around Kathryn and lifted her out. Tears burned his eyes; the disease had eaten away so much of her, she weighed no more than a child. "I swear it, Kathryn. I'll find the way," he vowed.
Entering through the side opening in the wall that the Niaj had indicated, Chakotay was immediately struck by the warmth and humidity of the room. As he looked around the chamber, the beauty of it was almost spellbinding. Increased striations streaking the walls gave the room a luminescent quality. It was bound on three sides by rock, and at the end of short hall, the final side was a sheet of rushing water. The force of the water was beyond anything Chakotay had ever seen, yet it was absolutely silent in the room. The water itself seemed to shimmer, and he wasn't sure if the colors were its own or just reflecting those of the cavern. It appeared that these caves had been hollowed out by time behind a powerful waterfall.
Spying a low platform against the wall, he carried his slight burden to it. Off to the side were what appeared to be two towels, obviously meant for use after the rite was completed. When he stood right next to the platform, he could see hooks in the wall. Shrugging out of his uniform, he stripped and hung everything on the hooks. When he crouched beside Kathryn, he paused. He had often dreamed of undressing her, but never without her consent. "Forgive me," he murmured and quickly divested her of the medical gown.
The sight of the jutting ribs and hipbones, the fissures and the red spidering of broken capillaries nearly made him weep. This beautiful, dynamic woman was reduced to this because of calculated, cold-hearted maliciousness. Even the Vidiians could be better excused for their actions considering that what they did was in order to survive.
Not sure what to do next, he looked around once more. The Niaj had said he was to take her into the waters, so he picked her up again and stepped toward the hallway before the waterfall. The rushing water could be heard here, but it was still quiet compared to what he would have expected considering the obvious strength of the fall. A small promontory near the water's edge invited him, and he sat with Kathryn on his lap. Her head lolled back so he shifted his arm to provide better support.
The waterfall appeared to drop straight off, plummeting down to unknown depths. It was not possible to hear the crash of water on rocks, so it must have been a great drop. Water of that strength would crush anything in its path. The water sparkled green and gold in an almost hypnotizing manner.
When he looked down at Kathryn, he could see that drops of water had beaded on her body, and almost unconsciously, he began spreading it over her, as though applying a skin lotion. His hand smoothed down her body - thin arms and shoulders, tiny points of breasts, concave stomach, bony thighs - as far as he could reach, and then back again, over and over. While his touch was intimate, it was not sexual. His entire world was centered on this moment. All of his past, all his hopes for the future, his duties to the ship - everything was submerged to this moment in time, this quest to see Kathryn Janeway restored to wholeness.
It was so gradual that he barely noticed it at first, thinking it was a trick of the flickering light from the waterfall. But little by little, Chakotay became aware that the splotches of red were diminishing and the rough patches of skin were easing under his palms. It was working. His heart began to pound and he continued his ministrations to her.
After several minutes, the tone of her skin was pearly white again, yet she showed no sign of waking up. Her head was cradled in the bend of one of his arms, and as he bent over her, water dripped from his hair onto her face. With his other hand, he spread the water over her features, his thumb sliding across her lower lip. Still, she did not move.
Desperation began to rise within him. What was he to do? How did this work? "Kathryn, wake up!" he implored her in frustration. "Come back to me, please!" The words echoed off the walls. Eyes shut, his head fell back in a silent prayer to whom, he didn't know, for guidance, assistance. The water dropped on his face and lips.
An idea came to him. The touch of the water on the outside of her body healed her skin; maybe he needed to somehow get the water inside her to heal her inwardly. He looked around for anything, but there was no bowl like the Niaj's assistant had used, no vessel of any kind. As he sighed in disappointment, a drop of water fell into his mouth.
Without thinking, he pulled her jaw open and placed his mouth over hers, allowing the water to drip from his mouth to hers. Over and over, he threw back his head and filled his mouth with water until he was almost choking, then fed it to her like a mother bird to a chick.
The change was almost imperceptible, yet real. Kathryn's breathing was deeper and he was sure she moved slightly. But still she did not awaken.
So close, so close. He felt like he was on the edge of real breakthrough, yet it remained elusive. Hope and frustration twined together and he cried out, "What now? What more must I do for her? Help me to know!"
The words of the Niaj came back to him. "You are the Appointed Intervenor, and only you can take her into the waters." Did that mean…? He looked at the rushing wall of water. Surely they would either be crushed or fall to their deaths if they stepped into that forceful flow.
"Only you can take her into the waters."
"Only you…"
Sureness settled within him that this way, this impossible way, was the only course of action. The picture of Kathryn lifting Kes to carry her toward the blinding white light formed as clearly in his mind as if he was witnessing it again.
It was the only way to save her, and if he didn't save her, he himself would be lost. Oh, he might go on physically, but he may as well be dead if Kathryn was not with him. To be without her would not be living, merely existing. No matter what happened or didn't happen with their relationship, Kathryn Janeway was his soul mate. It was as though he'd just come through a vision quest in which his animal guide had spoken the words that he already knew to be true.
Standing with her in his arms, he approached the edge of the waterfall. Her face seemed to glimmer in the light of the liquid curtain. Brushing his lips against her forehead, he murmured, "Together, Kathryn. Together we live or together we die. It's the end of our journey so that our journey may now continue." Then he stepped forward.
The waterfall parted like a curtain, and with each step that he took into what seemed like open space, something solid that he couldn't see formed under his foot. He found himself in another cavern, even more breathtakingly beautiful than the last. Before him lay a sparkling green pool, and he waded into water that came up to his thighs. Slowly, he dropped to his knees and lowered her into the pool.
Chakotay felt a stirring in his arms and tore his eyes away from the glittering walls surrounding them. A slight sound came from Kathryn and he watched in unbelieving joy as her eyelids fluttered and then opened. A sob caught in his throat as blue eyes blinked once, then again.
"Chakotay." Her voice sounded a little rusty, but it was the sweetest sound he'd ever heard. "Where are we?"
He saw the moment she became aware that they were both naked. "It's all right, Kathryn," he reassured her. "Everything's okay now."
Kathryn looked around her in amazement, then lifted a hand and touched his face. "Then why are you crying?"
His traitorous tongue had deserted him and he could only rock her against him and cry.
With his head buried against her shoulder, Kathryn felt him shaking, and wrapped her arms around him.
*****
He had a moment of terror after he'd dried and dressed himself when he turned and found her slumped against the wall by the platform where he'd set her, the towel he'd placed in her hands lying useless in her lap. She wasn't unconscious or ill as he feared, merely asleep. She didn't even have the stamina to dry and dress herself, so he did it for her as though she were a child.
Once he carried her back to the main cavern, they were instantly transported back to the ship, specifically the captain's quarters. He made her lie down so he could get her some food. In the space of time it took him to replicate a bowl of vegetable broth and a couple of crackers, she was fast asleep. It wasn't long though, before she awakened, and the first words out of her mouth were, "I'm hungry." It happened three more times before she seemed to settle for the night, and every time it made him smile. To watch her, to hear her speak was like seeing a miracle unfold before his eyes.
When they were both settled in bed, Kathryn curled into him and went to sleep as though she did this every night. She refused to let him take the couch, stating, "Chakotay, I've slept on that couch before and wound up in Sickbay with back spasms. There's no way I'm letting you sleep there. Besides, you told me the Niaj said we were supposed to stay together." He wasn't sure this kind of togetherness was strictly necessary, but he didn't argue with her. Even in her weakened state, he knew he'd never win.
The Niaj had said that everything had to be exactly duplicated in the second stage, but there would be one big difference that was unsettling Chakotay enough to keep him awake, despite his exhaustion. This time Kathryn would be conscious, and he was going to have undress her and touch her. He wasn't sure how either of them was going to handle that.
Eventually fatigue took him in the early morning hours and he slept heavily. A few hours later he was awakened by something, but he knew it wasn't the alarm. A sound. There it was again. He opened his eyes to see the empty place where Kathryn had been laying. Rolling over, he sat up in bed.
Kathryn stood before her full-length mirror, her expression one of shock and distress. Both her hands were pressed over her mouth and her eyes were filled with tears. She was dressed in her uniform and it hung on her like a sack, the pants drooping dangerously around her bony hips, jacket slipping off her gaunt shoulders.
Chakotay rose and turned her away from the painful reflection, pulling her into his arms. She buried her face against his chest and shuddered. His arms could have wrapped around her twice, she was so thin. "It's all right Kathryn. It'll be all right, you'll see," he repeated. "You're alive. It'll be all right."
"He did this to me deliberately, didn't he?" she mumbled into his tee shirt.
He wasn't sure how she knew that since they had not talked about it and they'd had no contact with anyone. "Yes, he did." There was no sense in lying to her.
"The son of a bitch. I wonder how many others they've done this to when they weren't sure they were going to win. I'd like to…I don't know what."
Gathering her against his chest, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You'd have to stand in line. The entire crew would like to get their hands on Inspector Kashyk. Besides, I already beat him up for you."
She looked up at him. "You did?"
He nodded. "Mm-hmm. The day the doctor put you into stasis, I went to the holodeck and beat the crap out of a holoimage of Kashyk in the boxing ring."
"Did it make you feel better?"
"Not much, but a little bit."
"Think I could use it sometime?"
He smiled against her hair. "Definitely. Soon as you get your strength back"
"That'll be great motivation." Twisting her head over her shoulder toward the mirror again, she whispered, "I look so awful."
Chakotay took her chin in hand and drew her head back around. "You're still beautiful, just too thin and that will change. Besides, you look a whole lot better than you did yesterday."
Kathryn tightened her arms around his waist. "In that case, I don't even want to think about what I looked like yesterday."
"Neither do I."
Something in his voice brought her head up again. There were deep circles under his eyes and he was noticeably thinner than she remembered him. This had been hard for him. "You saved me again, Chakotay, from yet another Delta Quadrant alien hell-bent on destroying me." She mused for a second. "Although, I guess technically, we're the aliens here." She shook her head tiredly. "Never mind. Right now that feels almost as hard on the brain as temporal mechanics." Her head rested against his chest again.
It was solace to his wounded soul to be able to hold her like this, and even more that she showed no sign of moving. He told her, "You're here, you're alive, and after today, you can concentrate on regaining your strength. And, good news, you don't need your uniform today. Everything has to be the same, which means you need to wear what you had on yesterday."
At first, Kathryn thought he meant they had to return to the planet naked, then she saw his gesture toward the medical outfit hanging over the edge of the dresser. She grimaced. It might be a reflection on how she felt about Sickbay in general, but she'd always hated medical garb. Resigned, she sighed, "Well, at least I look good in blue."
No sooner had they finished their breakfast than they were instantly transported back to the original cavern. Only there was no Niaj to greet them; they were totally alone.
At the conclusion of stage one, she'd been more than half asleep and missed almost all of the details of their exit. The beauty of the cavern immediately enraptured Kathryn and she turned in a small circle, taking in everything. The sight of the empty stasis pod stopped her. "Do I have to get back into that?"
"No, it begins when we cross the threshold," he gestured to the opening in the cavern wall that lead to the inner chamber. The Niaj had said that yesterday, and he trusted it was the same today.
They were both uneasy and more than a little uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath, Chakotay walked over to her. "Ready to start?"
Kathryn looked up at her friend. He was so tall in his uniform and boots, while she wore only the despised medical garments. There were lines around his eyes and intensity in his expression that told her of his uncertainty of her reception of what was to come. She attempted a smile. "Well, you're the Appointed Intervenor, right? What do we do now?"
Recognizing her attempt to defuse the tension, he smiled. "Since you were unconscious, you just go for the ride. I'm the one who has to do all the work."
All teasing ended when he picked her up and he looked down at her lying in his arms. The same, yet so different from yesterday. This time her eyes were fastened intently on his face. He strode through the doorway.
Again, the warmth and the humidity struck him. He heard her gasp and felt the slight twist in her body as she looked around at the increased colors. "It's so beautiful," she murmured.
Deciding the simplest method to make things easier for them both was to talk his way through the process, he began describing what he was doing. "I wasn't sure where to begin, but I noticed this platform so I laid you here." He lowered her body onto the platform and hesitated. This was where it began to get difficult, although he could see that it was only fair she should know exactly what had happened, what had been done to her without her express consent.
"The Niaj said that I had to undress both of us since this was a time of complete uncovering of self - body and soul. Although it's warm in here to me, I didn't want to take any chance of you getting chilled, so I figured it best to start with myself." He stepped over to the exact place he had stood and began to undress. It put him in her direct line of sight. Unlike the day before when his entire focus had been her welfare, this time his body began to react. Carefully hanging everything up exactly as he had yesterday, he moved to crouch before her. She looked away and dully began to pull at her tunic. "No," he stopped her. "I have to do it. Everything has to be the same."
When Chakotay eased the pants off, he heard a small sound from her. Looking up, he saw a tear trickling down her temple into her hair, and her lower lip was caught in her teeth. His heart lurched. "Kathryn, are you in pain?" The disease couldn't have returned, could it?
Even though she knew he had already seen everything, it still hurt to have him see her like this. It was hard to make herself look at him, thinking what he was seeing. "No. I'm just…" She swallowed, then whispered, "I don't even feel like a woman any more."
If it hadn't been for his concern about exactly duplicating his actions from the previous day, he would have gathered her into his arms. Chakotay knew Kathryn was not a vain woman, but these were extraordinary circumstances. His own embarrassment over his body's behavior paled before her need for comfort. "Well, Kathryn, you're woman enough to do this to me." Then he looked down.
Her eyes followed his. "Oh." When she looked up, she saw his wry grin and returned it. What a precious man he was, using his own discomfort to ease hers. Looking into that dark warm gaze, she told him, "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, Chakotay. You're beautiful."
His eyes caressed her face. "So are you."
Even though Kathryn knew she was little more than a skeleton with skin on, he had managed to take the sting out of their situation by his humility and vulnerability. She looked at his face and chest and reached a hand to stroke his cheek. "You're thinner."
A smile like brilliant sunshine broke across his face, and she grinned back even before he opened his mouth, somehow knowing what he was going to say.
"So are you."
They laughed quietly together and she shook her head at him. "I had good reason, what's your excuse? Sympathetic pains?"
His smiled faded, thinking of the pain, the frustration, and anger that had had no outlet for the last three months. "Something like that."
"Oh, Chakotay," she murmured, stung by all the emotions flashing through those expressive eyes. "I'm so sorry. For everything."
One thing Kathryn Janeway was an expert at was guilt, and he would not allow her to take this on. "Unlike when you tried to invite the Borg to tea, this was not your fault." His body had calmed during their conversation. "Ready to continue?"
At her nod, he scooped her up and stood. He continued his litany. "The Niaj said I was to take you into the waters, so I thought this hallway by the falls was the spot." As he sat on the promontory again, the spray immediately began to coat them. "I…" He trailed off, and had to shift her on his lap.
Her eyes, huge in her thin face, were fixed trustingly on his. "Go ahead, Chakotay."
With one arm he supported her, and with the other, he spread the water over her. "I don't know why I thought to do this, but the more I smoothed the water on you, the more your skin healed." He felt the sharp intake of her breath when his hand lightly passed over her breasts and belly.
As he relived all the desperation and fear that she wasn't waking up, the agonizing tension began to creep into him like yesterday. "I didn't know what else to do. You seemed to be improving, but you were still unconscious." The remembered anxiety coursed through him.
Memories swept him on. "I thought if I could just get the water into you, maybe that's what was needed, but there was no cup around. I just…" So taken up in the recollections, his awareness of reality was gone. It was as though he had to save her all over again. He tilted his head back, filled his mouth with the healing spray, then place his mouth over hers.
Although surprised at first, Kathryn opened her mouth and accepted the transferal over and over, sensing he was swept up in the intensity of the reliving everything. The water created a slight tingle in her throat and warmth in her stomach as it slid down with each swallow.
"Although you stirred a little, it still wasn't enough. I begged you to wake up, to come back to me."
His agitation was so great, she reached up to lay a hand against his cheek in an attempt to soothe him, but he was caught up in the past.
"When I called for help, I don't know if they spoke to me or what, but I could hear the Niaj saying to me that I was the Appointed Intervenor and only I could take you into the waters. And I knew what I had to do."
She followed his eyes as he looked toward the waterfall and her heart began to pound. He had taken her through that? Of course he had; he had carried her back through it, but she'd been so tired and had slept through most of their return trip yesterday.
Chakotay stood and moved before the falls, the roar of the water increasing with each step closer. His eyes were on her face. "I thought of that time you were with the Nakami, you and…"
" - Kes," she breathed, suddenly at peace.
He was still held captive by yesterday's events. "I knew that if I didn't do this, you would die, and that would kill me. So I figured if I was going to die, better it be quickly than day after day of emptiness. This was the end of our journey, so that our journey might continue." Then he stepped forward.
There was no time to contemplate the ritualistic sound of the last sentence he had uttered. Kathryn shut her eyes, instinctively turning her body into Chakotay's chest against the expected pounding of the waterfall. When it didn't happen, she opened her eyes to find herself being lowered into a pool of soothing water. She felt warmth and peace spread through and over her, as though her entire being, inside as well as out, had taken a bath. Looking up at Chakotay, she could see the tension smoothing out of his features.
Chakotay was aware that all the knots, all the hurt, all the fear and anxiety were gone. "And this is where…"
" - I woke up. And without so much as a kiss, either."
He blinked at her, not understanding. "Kathryn?"
"I don't look much like Sleeping Beauty, but you certainly are Prince Charming." She reached up and touched his lips. "You don't have the kiss of death, do you, Chakotay?"
Sunshine burst in his soul. He shook his head. "No, but I promise I will be with you until death." He hoped the rulers would forgive one small deviation from the prescribed pattern. He lowered his head and kissed her.
*****
Once they had dried off and dressed, this time they were transported directly to Sickbay. Chakotay actually wondered if the holographic doctor was going to cry, he seemed so overcome with joy at the sight of the captain. They were both put through a gamut of tests and scans, with occasional commentary or exclamations from the EMH at his findings.
He finally looked up. "It's incredible. Not only is the disease completely gone, it's as though all your organs are ten years younger, both of you. I've seen the same type of rejuvenation in everyone else who has experienced the planet's waters, although not as extensive as you two. Practically the proverbial fountain of youth.
Chakotay was startled. They had seen no one else at the waterfall. "Others of the crew have taken the waters?"
"Yes," the EMH confirmed. He couldn't help preening a little. "When the message came to me from the planet about the restrictions pertaining to your visit, it also included an invitation to the rest of the crew to partake of the waters. Commander Tuvok agreed, and many of the crew have already done so. Apparently, there are many waterfalls and each is massive enough to allow for multiple use. The process for the other crewmembers was, of course, much faster than yours."
The doctor paused his recitation and took one last scan. He looked back at the captain. "Well, there's nothing wrong with you that rest and decent food won't cure. And for that, I'm assigning extra rations to you, since I'm not at all confident that Mr. Neelix's attempts at decent food won't put you back here in Sickbay."
Although they were both certain the rite was concluded, being transported to Sickbay rather than the captain's quarters was clear indication that the restrictions for solitude were off. As soon as the doctor was finished with his examination, Kathryn insisted on visiting the bridge. The doctor grumbled and fussed, but finally relented, muttering another old adage, something about how the more things change, the more they stay the same. He agreed only after receiving her promise to a) make it a short visit, b) take the next two weeks off and c) not spend the entire time reading reports. He also demanded that the commander stay with her for the next twenty-four hours and make sure she got the prescribed rest and food, and immediately report if anything changed in her condition.
Chakotay had been hard pressed to hide his smile, especially at the rolling of Kathryn's eyes. But as she hopped off the biobed, she laid her hand on the shoulder of the EMH. "Doctor, thank you for everything, for all your efforts on my behalf."
The hologram was obviously touched. "I'm only sorry I couldn't do more for you."
She shook her head. "It was because of you that I lasted long enough to make it to Ab Initio. Plus, I'm quite sure that somewhere down the road, the tests and discoveries you made will come in handy at some point."
After the doctor replicated a more suitable outfit for her, she and Chakotay exited Sickbay. However, she readily accepted the offer of his arm, and she held it the entire slow trip to the bridge. Not only did he maintain a sedate pace for her sake, but they were stopped over and over as every crewmember they encountered paused to greet her. Although the doctor had informed her that during her illness, every single crewmember had visited her more than once, Chakotay could tell that she was very touched by the open outpouring of affection toward her.
The moment the lift doors opened, Harry's voice trumpeted, "Captain on the bridge."
Janeway slowly looked around at her entire bridge crew standing at attention for her. Her voice was huskier than usual. "Thank you everyone. At ease."
She released Chakotay's arm and stepped forward to greet her oldest friend. "It's wonderful to see you, Tuvok. Thank you for minding the store while the commander and I have been occupied." The classic Janeway grin appeared.
The tall Vulcan inclined his head. "It is a great pleasure to see you, Captain."
Moving to the ops console, she patted Harry's arm. "How are you, Harry?"
The young man beamed at her. "Much better now, Captain."
Chakotay extended his hand to her and she carefully stepped to the lower level. The sight of Tom Paris swallowing hard, openly fighting tears, moved Janeway deeply. She stood before the tall pilot and chided him gently, her eyes suspiciously bright. "Tom, don't you start."
He blinked a few times, then whispered. "Permission to hug the captain?"
Janeway nodded slowly and whispered back, "Just this once." She was immediately enveloped in a bear hug, and could barely make out the young man's shaky words.
"I plan on making you proud of me again."
Both Chakotay and the doctor had told her how Tom had worked himself to exhaustion, assisting the EMH in his research for a cure for her. "You already have, Tom. Now let go of me before you crack a couple of my ribs and I have to go back to Sickbay," she teased gently to ease the emotional mood. As he released her, Kathryn looked at his tired eyes and tense form. "Tom, haven't you gone down to the waterfall yet?"
Tom shook his head. "No, I…" He looked away. "I wanted to be sure you were…" He trailed off.
An expression of tenderness came over her face. "I'm fine, Tom," she murmured. "Now, I want you to head down there right away, Ensign. That's an order. I can't have my chief pilot stressed needlessly."
"Captain."
Janeway turned to her chief of security. "Tuvok?"
"If I am not mistaken, I believe you handed command of this vessel over to Commander Chakotay. I am unaware of that status being altered as of yet." The tall dark man lifted an inquiring eyebrow at her.
Janeway grinned at him. And people said that Vulcans had no sense of humor. "Right you are, Tuvok. Well, Commander," she turned to Chakotay, "what do you say?"
Chakotay eyed the helmsman speculatively. Keeping his command mask firmly in place, he slapped his comm badge. "Chakotay to Torres."
"Torres here. What can I do for you, Chakotay?"
"How are things in Engineering?"
"Quiet. Everything is shipshape and working perfectly." The chief engineer sounded almost disappointed.
Chakotay paced a bit on the bridge. "So, you're not working on anything in particular?"
The voice that came back was a little hesitant. "No, I was just, ah, reading, that's all. What's this about, Chakotay?"
There were a few barely suppressed grins around the bridge as everyone knew of B'Elanna's penchant for reading torrid Klingon romances during down time. The first officer bowed his head a moment before continuing. "I have an assignment for you, Lieutenant."
At the use of her title, they could almost hear her straightening up. "Go ahead, Commander."
"Ensign Paris is going to take the waters on the planet and could use the assistance of a superior officer. Think your engines could spare you for the next thirty-six hours?" He didn't need to look at Paris to be aware of the younger man's shock. Out of his peripheral vision, he could see Kathryn's gentle smile.
No one could ever accuse Lieutenant Torres of being slow on the uptake. "Yes, sir. I do believe that Lieutenant Carey can handle things here. I'll be happy to see that Ensign Paris stays out of trouble."
There was open laughter heard from both ends of the comm. Chakotay tugged an earlobe. "Believe me Lieutenant, the entire ship is counting on that. Report back in thirty-six hours. Chakotay out." He turned and looked at a grinning Tom Paris. "Well, don't just stand there, Paris. Get out of here, before I change my mind. Besides, you don't want to keep a half-Klingon waiting."
"Yes sir. I mean, no sir. Thank you, sir." The pilot's smile looked big enough to split his face.
With a jerk of his head, Chakotay indicated the turbolift. "Just 'git'."
They watched the delighted ensign depart, then Kathryn leaned close to Chakotay. "I never knew you were such a romantic, Commander."
"In this case, I'm just trying to spare the ship another Paris disaster. For all B'Elanna's fiery temper, she's a very responsible individual." They both knew he was covering up, but it didn't matter. He continued, "I do believe we have another issue to take care of. Computer, return command of this vessel to Captain Kathryn Janeway, authorization Chakotay Trebus zero one, zero four."
The computer beeped. "Command transfer complete."
They were both swept back to the last time they had heard those words uttered, recalling the hollow empty despair, the frustration and fear that had lain like a heavy blanket over Sickbay that day. Now, everything was back where it had started, back where it belonged. Ab initio. It was almost like a bell had gone off signaling the true close of this horrific event. The joy that swept through the bridge was palpable and Chakotay couldn't prevent his big grin. "Well, Captain, if I don't want the doctor after me, I'd say it's time for you to get some more rest. I don't believe this is what he meant when he said to make it a short visit."
Janeway turned with a sigh. "Right. Must humor the old fusspot." There was lighthearted laughter until they saw her frowning.
"Captain?" Chakotay followed the line of her gaze. It was fastened on the carpet where she had collapsed three months before. Where it had all begun.
"Well," she reached out and took his arm again. She was looking a little pale and it was obvious that she was tiring. "I must say this is a more pleasant trip to the bridge than my last one."
"Aye, Captain," he nodded solemnly.
*****
Unspeakable joy. That's what it was to touch her, after not being able to at all, and then wondering if he would ever get the chance again. Kathryn lay sleeping on her side, one arm tucked under her head. Chakotay lay beside her, watching the amazing sight of his own hand moving slowly down the small hill of her hip to the valley of her waist, and on up the slight crest of her ribs, then back again, over and over. The repetition of movement fascinated him as though he was viewing a miracle taking place right before his eyes.
Her breathing altered and she stirred slightly under the light touch of his hand. She had already wakened a couple of times, and each time he had fed her something small and light to get her digestion going again. The last time she'd actually been able to eat it all.
"Seems to me I've done this before." Her eyes were still closed.
"What's that?"
"Been mostly dead." Both of their minds flashed to the time when Kathryn tangled with the alien who tried to lure her into his matrix. "Being mostly dead sucks."
"Where did you come up that word?"
"Tom Paris. It's a twentieth century word."
"Figures."
"I think it's quite appropriate, don't you?"
"I suppose it is."
Kathryn's eyes popped open and they were the clear brilliant blue they had always been. It was unlikely that he would ever look in quite the same manner at those eyes he had loved for so long. Unspeakable joy, to see her like this, whole and healthy, albeit still much too thin. It would take some time for her to regain the lost weight, muscle tone, and stamina, but it would happen. Now, it could happen. Her skin seemed to shine with a pearlescent glow, so radically different from the gray, blotchy with the red of broken capillaries. He briefly lifted his hand from her waist to stroke the back of his fingers down her cheek like he'd always wanted to do. It was every bit as satiny as he'd imagined it would be.
The focus of her eyes shifted, then he felt the light touch of her fingers on his chin. Her voice was contemplative. "You know something strange? In thinking about this whole event, I remember it all, at least the parts I was conscious for, and I can remember all the emotions. But I can't feel them any more."
Stilling her hand, he considered her words with wonder. He thought of lying in his bed, weeping for the empty hopelessness besetting them all. "You're right. Although I know how I felt, I no longer experience the emotion. The water must have done that too. Maybe that's what Niaj Eenna meant when he said the second visit was for the healing of the soul."
Her fingers stroked his chin again. "I'm hungry, Chakotay."
They seemed to be her two most favorite words, and he grinned, surprised that it had taken her so long to utter them this time. He took hold of her hand again and moved to sit up. "I'll get you some food."
The grip on his fingers stilled him and he studied her face. Her expression was intense, yet somewhat hesitant. She slowly drew his hand back to her side and he understood. Touch hunger. Skin hunger. The longing, the need for contact. As a Starfleet officer, when did a tactile person like Kathryn Janeway ever get enough?
His hand began moving over her again. Waist, hip, thigh. Encountering the edge of her sleeve, he stopped. "Take your top off," he suggested. He knew she wore a tank top underneath so this would allow him access to her arms, shoulders and neck.
The sweatshirt tangled in her hair as she pulled it over her head, and he reached to assist her. It gave him the opportunity to run his hands through her hair, now restored to the rich color of sunset. He massaged her scalp lightly with one hand, while the other slid behind her neck. Drawing her against him, he smoothed his hands down her back and just held her, not moving for a while.
Kathryn's hands slid under his arms and around his back to grip his shoulders, kneading with her fingers almost like a kitten, and he understood again. She needed to touch, not just be touched. He drew back just enough to pull his tee shirt over his head before rolling back to her.
Arms, hands; light touches, caresses. Shoulders, back; gentle healing. Hips and waist; restorative touch. Ab Initio - from the beginning.
He watched her face as expressions flitted across it. The soft stroke of her small hands across his chest made his breathing increase, particularly when he realized she was staring at his mouth. Her gaze told him she was hungry for something else.
The kiss they'd shared at the waters had been too brief to satisfy anything. When was the last time someone who loved her had kissed her? For that matter, when was the last time he'd been kissed by someone who truly loved him?
Kathryn marveled at the strength and warmth under her fingertips. Soft skin, strong muscles. She knew Chakotay cared for her, knew he would do almost anything for her. But she would not, could not take advantage of that, the way she'd taken advantage of his good nature in the past. As he leaned toward her, she pressed a hand against his warm, solid chest. "Chakotay, you don't have to do this just for me."
He took her hand and placed it at the back of his neck. "I'm hungry too, Kathryn." Then sliding his fingers into her hair, he kissed her.
Lips touched tentatively, exploring, learning shape and texture. Light and tender, sweet sipping, gently feeding each other, filling the empty places in heart and soul. Gradually the kisses intensified, as deep hidden need surfaced.
It delighted him that it was she who was first to seek his tongue with her own. He opened his mouth and let her explore him for a moment before delving into her mouth himself. At the first sweep of his tongue, he felt her shudder, and he drew her closer, smoothing his hands down her back to her hips.
The spark was turning into a flame and he tried to ease back, tried to calm things but she would have none of it. With surprising strength in her thin hands, she pulled his head back to her, needing, wanting more. Her desire was solace to his heart.
Ebb and flow, like the tide, wave after wave, over and over. Light then deep, dissolving into gentle brushes, only to increase into wild plundering, then back again. Wet kisses to assuage the drought of soul. Languid heat to spark the long dormant emotional kindling.
Even when their lips finally parted, they stayed close together, rough cheek against satiny one, both panting hard. Kathryn's breath was just beginning to calm when Chakotay slightly separated their bodies. Then his hand began to move, and her breath stopped altogether. With his eyes locked with hers, he slowly skimmed his hand down over her throat and chest until he momentarily palmed her small breast. The light touch continued down her body, brushing over hip and belly to briefly cup her between her legs, just long enough for the heat of his hand to penetrate her leggings.
Tears sprang to her eyes. Always giving to her, this man was, always knowing what she needed even before she did. He was affirming her very life, reestablishing her womanhood with his touch. Telling her in ways that words never could that she was still a complete person, still every inch a woman. It gave back to her something that had been stolen away, perhaps a long time ago. Something was reborn deep inside her very being and she wanted much, much more.
As much as her head and heart yearned for more, she knew she was losing the battle with her body's longing for sleep. Kathryn's head dipped to his shoulder. "I'm so hungry, Chakotay, but I'm so tired," she whispered.
Rolling onto his back, he brought her with him until she was draped over his body. He smoothed his hands down her back, cradling her against him. "It's all right, Kathryn. When you're strong again, if you still feel this way, we'll feed each other."
The warmth of his bare chest under her cheek was soothing. The unleashed desire warred with the fatigue. "I will. Actually, no I won't." His hands stilled momentarily until she continued. "By that time, I'll be starving, so you better be ready with a feast."
His heart sang, and he pressed a kiss to her head. "I'll do my best." From the slight increase of her weight on him, he thought she must have drifted off until he heard her murmur something into his chest. Joy began to bubble in him, the effect of her soft voice. Simple words, beautiful words. "I love you too, Kathryn," he whispered back. He knew she heard him for she turned her face slightly and kissed his chest.
Her voice was fuzzy with the need for sleep. "I tried to tell you before. In Sickbay when you gave me the hypospray."
The joy soared, burst forth into a torrent as strong as any waterfall. It hadn't been just the experience they'd shared in the cavern; she'd loved him before. He hadn't even realized it had been lurking in his mind until that little concern was laid to rest. The small puffs of her breath on his chest, the rhythmic rise and fall of her back under his hands soothed him to sleep.
Somewhere in the middle of the night, he was abruptly jolted awake when Kathryn sat upright. His call for lights revealed her sitting on the side of the bed, wide eyes staring at nothing. His heart began to pound. "Kathryn? What is it?"
Her eyes shifted to his but she still looked like a startled deer. "The doctor," she said huskily.
It sent him scrambling, fumbling for his comm badge. The tight grip of her hand on his wrist stopped him just as he would have activated it.
"The doctor," she repeated. "He said…"
"What?" Anxiety made him sound harsher than he intended and he tried to soften his tone. "What did he say?"
She stared at him a moment, her eyes sweeping his face, his chest. "He said that all our organs are like they're ten years younger. All of them."
Recalling what the doctor had said when they returned from the cavern, he nodded. "Yes."
"Both of us."
He nodded again. "Yes." Seeing her eyes change, a look of uncertainty develop, he asked again, "Kathryn, what is it?"
She took a deep breath and searched his face once more before replying, "Chakotay, have you ever thought about having children?"
Thoughts were a-jumble. All their organs…children…have you ever thought?…ten years younger…children. Did that mean…? Did she want…? The hesitantly hopeful expression on her face seemed to answer that question.
He still needed to give her a response so he marshaled his thoughts. "I used to. It's something I wanted, but I haven't thought of it since I joined the Maquis. What about you?"
Hadn't thought of it since he joined the Maquis. Of course, she thought. The sorrow, the loss of family and friends, the uncertainty of his day to day existence, the constant life and death decisions. And then, the final cut of being tossed into the Delta Quadrant where life was an unending battle for survival with more losses of friends and colleagues. She still held his hand and squeezed it gently.
Had she thought about having children? "Back home, I didn't specifically think about it, I just assumed I would some day. I was too deep into my career. But out here, yes, almost every day, I've wondered if I'll ever have the chance." An understanding look flashed through his eyes and she felt the return squeeze of her hand. It gave her the courage to ask, "If you were to have children, how many do you think you'd want?"
It felt like they were standing at the edge of a whole new realm, one that neither had ever seriously explored before. Stroking his thumb over her hand he smiled at her. "Two at least. Although if they happen to have the red hair and blue eyes I'm partial to, I'd probably want to have more." He sat up and pushed his other hand through her hair.
With an answering smile, she closed her eyes and leaned her head into his hand. "Might be difficult; it is recessive, you know. As for me," she opened her eyes and studied his face so near to her, "I've grown very fond of dark hair and eyes over the last few years." She trailed her fingers over his sleep-mussed hair.
Sitting so closely together, light tender touches opened the way to a future each had hoped for yet never really believed possible. They had been given a gift of time.
She couldn't prevent swaying slightly toward him. Her fingers circled around behind his neck, drawing him closer. Her other hand seemed to have crept of its own accord to his chest, seeking the strong warmth. "I saw you once. On New Earth. The day before Tuvok called."
The soft stirring of her breath against his neck felt like intimate fingers exploring him. "You did? How did that happen?"
Both her hands locked behind his neck, and she seemed to be intently studying the shape of his ear. "It was late afternoon and I went for a walk. I'd been thinking, about us actually, and there you were. You had been working all day and were swimming in the river. I was going to call out to you when you stood up and walked to the bank. You were naked, and so beautiful I almost forgot to breathe. I wasn't even aware that I was invading your privacy until a bird flew overhead, screeching like it was scolding me for staring. That night I nearly came to you. For so long I've wondered if it would have been better or worse if I had."
The whispered admission brought his forehead to hers. He too wondered if a night of passion just before being rescued would have saved them from two and half years of loneliness if they'd stayed together, or condemned them to two and a half years of hell if they hadn't. The word she uttered next was probably the one he hated most and it chilled his heart.
"Protocol." She drew back a little. "It was never meant to be what it became to me. It's supposed to be a guide, an assistance, not a straitjacket. Instead of being a help, it became a constraint to me. Everything was so uncertain for me at the beginning of our journey, it seemed to be the one sure thing to hold onto, and I grabbed it like it was a lifeline." One shoulder shrugged. "When it became obvious it wasn't working, I still couldn't let go, because that would mean admitting I'd been wrong. And you know how well I do that."
Oh, that he definitely did. Kathryn the strong, Kathryn the stubborn. Two huge confessions from her; time for one of his own. "I saw you on New Earth once as well." She gave him a startled look, and he shrugged ruefully. "It was one afternoon when I'd left a tool in the shelter, so I went back to get it. While I was there I used the facilities and when I came out, you were changing into a cooler dress."
It was imprinted on his brain, the sight of her in delicate pink panties and bra, stepping from the one dress pooled at her feet into the lighter dress, her long hair falling forward over her shoulder, the annoyed flick of her head tossing it back. She'd pulled the dress up, settling it on her shoulders and began fastening it when he'd come to himself and backed into the washroom again. He'd stayed there until he heard the door of the shelter close, then left by the back door. That brief glimpse had fueled many heated dreams and fantasies of his, both on New Earth and Voyager.
Kathryn knew exactly what day that was. Her mouth went dry at the memory. She'd become too hot while outside trying to draw one the many birds on the planet for the record of flora and fauna she was creating. While changing in the cool dimness of the shelter, she'd been thinking of Chakotay, of the possibilities. What might have happened if he had made his presence known, if he had…?
Back then she'd wondered why he'd been so insistent on sleeping outside in the hammock that night, and she'd teasingly inquired if her snoring kept him awake. The weather cycles had shown that they were due for another plasma storm any time, yet he wouldn't come inside all evening except to make dinner for her. "You made mushroom omelets that night," she mused, lost in memories.
Blinking, he was surprised she remembered such detail.
"With salad, and mixed berries for dessert. I'm hungry, Chakotay." As though in confirmation, her stomach growled.
They laughed and he pushed off the bed. "What would you like?" The light that sprang up in her eyes stopped his breath for a moment, telling him a different story.
"Why don't you surprise me?"
Why not, indeed? So he bent over and kissed her soundly before heading to the main room to get her some of the natural kind of sustenance.
*****
One Month Later:
"Chakotay, wait up! Where's the fire, old man?"
Chakotay turned at the voice of his friend. "You'll have to walk with me, B'E. I need to get a shower."
B'Elanna sniffed at him. "You certainly do. You've been working with Harry and Tom on that wreck of theirs, haven't you?"
He grinned at her. "Guilty. Now, did you want something specific, or are you just here to needle me?"
"Save the dimples for someone who cares. Speaking of which…got a hot date tonight?" she smirked at him.
That earned her a caustic look. "You've been hanging around with Paris too long, girl. Not that it's any of your business, but yes, I have a dinner date tonight. In just over half an hour." He glanced pointedly at the lift doors they were standing before.
"Oh, I wouldn't want to hold you up. The food on Prendar was lousy and I've had to put up with listening to the captain complain for the last three days. Said she was looking forward to a real feast tonight." The lift doors finally opened.
Chakotay's head whipped around at her words. She had used those words? He tried to compose his wayward thoughts. "If you knew we were having dinner then why…?"
"Just yanking your chain, old man. It worked didn't it?" B'Elanna grinned and gave him a wink. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."
Stepping onto the turbolift, Chakotay snapped back at her. "That's almost as bad as coming from one of the Delaney sisters."
"Hey!" The closing of the lift doors cut off any further protest.
The last month had seen many changes among the crew of Voyager. Everyone had taken the waters at Ab Initio, even the ones who had been very skeptical. After seeing the changes in their colleagues, the healing of old wounds, physical and more, the few holdouts had partaken as well.
Just before departing, a message was received via the planet that Adaj Iggam and his co-son had successfully arrived home. Included in the message was a bit of news that the senior staff found very intriguing. Adaj had told his story to a colleague who was headed out on a trading mission that would take him near the Devore Imperium. Apparently it was common for traders to "accidentally" breach the borders, and it seemed that just perchance that should occur, his friend intended to ask for the inspector who had let the geharay female captain, her crew, and a few telepaths go.
As Chakotay approached his quarters, he thought about the subtle changes that were apparent in the crew. In dealing with personnel issues, he had dealt with fewer squabbles in the last month than ever before in the four plus years he'd been Voyager's first officer. There was a calm efficiency about the whole crew from Naomi right on up to the ship's captain.
A smile sprang to his face at that thought as he proceeded to toss his greasy overalls into the laundry. His captain, his friend, his lady friend, and he felt confident, his soon-to-be-lover. The crew had accepted the change in their relationship as if it was to be expected. Kathryn was the same, yet totally different. Perhaps it was the waters of Ab Initio, perhaps it was coming so close to dying, maybe a little of both. Whatever the cause, the effect on the whole crew was profound. There was a quiet joy and a renewed sense of family among them all.
Kathryn's determination to regain her strength and fitness had been encouraged by everyone. Celes shared her holoprogram of a Bajoran park, where Chakotay and Kathryn took many walks at the beginning of her rehabilitation. After a couple of weeks, Ayala introduced her to the weight room in his gym. She swam almost daily, and although she still weighed less than she had before the affliction, what she had regained was healthy muscle. There were already arrangements in place for her to begin training with Tuvok and B'Elanna, now that the trade negotiations with the Prendarians were complete. Just last week, Chakotay had taken her to his boxing program and watched with satisfaction while she utterly destroyed the holo-Kashyk with her boxing gloves. Nothing, not even Cardassian torture, would ever get him to confess that he had slightly diminished the hologram's abilities to insure that she would win.
Although they were both completely professional while on duty, they made no attempt to hide the change in the relationship between them. Chakotay shared at least one meal with her every day, and she regularly took his hand while they sat together in the mess hall. She touched him often, and accepted his touches with a warm look in her eyes that told him of her love every bit as much as her words.
And she did tell him. Often. And he never tired of hearing it. She'd told him again just before she left for three days of negotiations on Prendar, accompanied by Tuvok, Neelix, and B'Elanna. There had been a sparkling energy around her, a confidence that was highly attractive. Her excitement was contagious.
"I can hardly wait, Chakotay. This is going to be a good hunting trip, I can feel it." She rubbed her hands in anticipation. "The preliminary scans of the planet show that they have the top ten compounds that we're always desperate for. B'Elanna is practically over the moon with joy."
"Which one?" he'd laughed at her. Prendar had three moons.
"All of them," she'd grinned. Then she launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and proceeded to kiss him until they were both breathless.
"Chakotay," she whispered against his lips, "I'm strong again, and I'm very, very hungry." Since they'd just had dinner, there was no doubt what kind of hunger she was referring to.
His response had been to cup her buttocks, pressing her body against his and kiss her deeply, thoroughly, with barely contained passion. One hand skimmed up her side to lightly brush her breast, eliciting a throaty sound from her. When he stepped away from her, it brought another sound from her, one of protest. Shaking his head at her, he stated, "You have to be up early tomorrow." With a wink, he headed for the door. "Good hunting, Captain."
Now she was back, triumphant with all that she and the team had accomplished. He toweled off his hair and dressed casually before heading to her quarters. He'd only seen her for a minute in the transporter room and later in the briefing for the senior staff, so this was their first opportunity to be alone. It was surprising how quickly his arms had become accustomed to being able to hold her and they had felt almost bereft over the last three days.
At her summons, he entered and found the table set with what he knew was her best china, and softly glowing candles. Uncorking the wine that he carried, he poured two glasses. A slight sound behind him brought him around, and the bottle was suspended in midair.
Kathryn wore a slim black knee length dress that rustled as she approached him. The red-gold hair he loved to run his hands through hung softly to her shoulders. He could almost taste those bare white shoulders over the strapless dress.
"Careful with that," she retrieved the bottle. "Wouldn't want to waste any, now would we?"
Her skin and her eyes glowed. How had he ever managed to keep his hands off her for four and half years? Glancing down at his casual trousers and shirt, he apologized. "I should have known you'd want to celebrate your success. I'm sorry; I seem to be underdressed."
She drew his hands to her waist then wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Arching her neck, she murmured in a sultry voice, "Not yet. But you will be."
The End
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