Erin
A few hours later she woke to his stare. His gaze was lingering over her breasts, her belly. "Hi."
Chakotay glanced up. "Caught me." Her sleepy grin encouraged him to continue, and he moved to investigate her every limb. He spent lengthy minutes taking her in, devouring her. Again the feeling of utter desirability streaked through her, flooding her veins and shooting down every nerve.
"Am I what you imagined?" she questioned, almost hesitantly.
"Yes." His hands smoothed over her flesh. Eyes caught hers in a look so intense the breath stuck in her throat.
"Yes." He leaned down to kiss the soft place beneath her breastbone, seemingly entranced by the quick pulse that beat visibly there. His gaze traveled the short distance to settle on the lizard resting above her breasts. He touched it gently, and they remembered the day on the beach, their first kiss, the promise finally fulfilled. Pillowing his head lightly upon her chest, he continued his caress of the pendant that meant so much to both. <> After a few minutes, he broke the silence. "Want a bath?"
She chuckled at the change of subject. He knew without even having to ask, and he rose to lead her to the bathroom. After lighting a few votive candles to add a dim glow to the darkness, he turned to finger the silver shimmering at her throat. "Want me to take this off for you?"
"I never take it off," she answered.
As he drew the bath, she wondered if he'd join her, but instead he left her alone for a while and she soaked in the heavenly scented bubbles. She settled back heavily, imagining his bare form sauntering about his quarters, and closed her eyes with a content smile across her face. The tension she'd carried in her body for so long had miraculously dissipated in the last six hours, with good reason.
Some time later he returned and sat along the side of the tub. "Shampoo?" He had a bottle in his hand, and she nodded. He soaked her hair and lathered it in a manner she could only describe as seductive, loving, and unbearably wonderful. It was exquisite.
Chakotay took the showerhead from its holder and tilted her head back. With infinite tenderness he massaged the suds out of her hair. Her face spoke eloquently, silently, love written clearly in every nuance. The water coursed down the back of her head and a small moan escaped her mouth. Apparently this was as pleasurable for her as it was for him. She couldn't know he had fantasized about this moment from the instant he began building the bathtub for her on New Earth. Running his hands through her hair, caressing her face and neck, watching her, these had all been the ultimate objectives subconsciously wrapped in the gesture of his gift. Not that he'd ever expected it to occur in reality, but it was fodder for many nightly flights of fancy on the solitary planet.
As the water flowed down from above, warm chills began in the highly sensitive places behind her ears and spread through her entire body. The stream of water seemed an extension of him. Her lover. Abruptly her eyes opened. He didn't look any different to her this new day; the same smile graced his lips as the night before, and all the days before that. Only now nothing was hidden behind a mask of friendship. Now she saw the naked affection pouring from him, and she sighed contentedly.
It was the most lovely bath she'd ever taken.
Over the next hours they explored one another delicately, slowly. The frantic coupling on the couch had taken the edge off for both of them, and they were able to go more gradually, finding what pleased most, what made the other shudder with gratitude. Just before the first shift of the day Janeway had contacted Tuvok and requested time away from the bridge for each of them. The Vulcan had heard about her midnight outburst in the messhall, and agreed that a day off would be beneficial for her, as well as for Chakotay. Her longtime confidante knew the torment Chakotay suffered, and Tuvok's face regained the calm serenity he was so used to expressing. The past weeks' strain had begun to wear him down, though only Janeway would have noticed the slight change in him.
The bridge crew breathed a collective sigh of relief. While they had no idea of the events that transpired between the Captain and First Officer, they sensed the change from Tuvok. No one could say just what it was in the Vulcan's voice that made it clear that everything would be all right, but the sensation of calm emanating from him was unmistakable. Only Neelix, Tom, and B'Elanna knew what had most likely happened, and aside from a whisper of reassurance to Harry, none of them said a word.
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At 1100 hours, well into an alpha shift they were conspicuously absent from, Kathryn and Chakotay sat on his bed gorging themselves on fettuccine alfredo, garlic bread, and red wine. Normally he didn't indulge, but it was the most special of occasions, so he made an exception. The conversation had turned to Kathryn's experiences in the alternate universe a couple of hours before.
"Why do you think Q did this for you? For us?"
She sighed. Her face spoke of sorrow and great joy simultaneously, regretting what she could have become and rejoicing in the fact that those dark times had not come to pass. "Honestly? I have no clue. He told us once we were meant to be out here, in the delta quadrant. Perhaps you were meant to be with me always, and leaving you on a planet or rejecting you for my not doing so weren't gelling with the ultimate purpose for all of this. Otherwise, I can't answer. Maybe despite all his grand gestures and seeming hostility, there beats a heart beneath that omnipotent shell." She smiled gratefully, enjoying Chakotay's half clad form before her. "I don't care why he did it, you know. You're here, I'm here, and right now, that's all that matters."
"I couldn't agree more." A splatter of cream dripped down his chin, and she leaned over to sensually lick it away. "Kathryn, are you never satisfied?" He groaned.
"Absolutely not."
He whispered into her mouth. "Thank you, Q."
Q smiled from his invisible perch near the ceiling. With a snap of fingers, he was gone, leaving the new lovers to continue exploring the mysteries of one another in the privacy of their haven.
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The next day the Captain and Commander rejoined the bridge crew with subdued grins, trying desperately to keep their secret under wraps for at least a brief period of time. They had discussed the ramifications of being lovers over a huge bowl of coffee ice cream and mutually decided that a bit of time alone without the crew recording their every move would be beneficial to all involved.
Of course they had no idea of the amount of replicator rations that had changed hands the previous evening, directly following the end of alpha shift. There had been an impromptu celebration in Sandrine's, where Tom had requested the locations of both Janeway and Chakotay. With the reply, there was a shout of happiness from all parties, even those who had lost rations or holodeck time. All were convinced the union of their two leaders would prove to be the most wonderful event in Voyager's recent history and would guarantee a smoother ride home.
They were right.
A few days after what Tom proudly called "The Big Day" (and others called "Black Monday"), he joined the new pair in the messhall for supper. They enjoyed their usual repartee, with Chakotay the brunt of many of Paris' jokes. He only smiled, grateful for the teasing. Otherwise he'd be gazing at Kathryn the whole evening in front of everyone, lost in her beauty, unable to tear himself away.
At the end of the meal, Tom presented them with a caramel chocolate cake big enough for two. Surprised, Kathryn asked, "What's this for? It's not my birthday, or Chakotay's."
A gleam appeared in Tom's eye. "Let's just say I hit it big the other night. I've got rations to spare..." He winked, and strolled off to see B'Elanna and Harry seated a few meters away.
The normally strong jaws of both the Captain and Commander dropped. Neither of them moved, digesting the unspoken implications of Tom's last statement. *Does he mean what I think he means?* wondered Kathryn. She caught the eye of Chakotay, who sported an equally disbelieving expression. She shook her head.
"So much for secrets." She offered him a fork. "Shall we?"
He grinned hugely, reaching out. "We shall."
~FIN~ 1/98-3/98