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Preantepenultimate After The Q and The Grey.
Kathryn sat at her desk in her quarters, trying to complete her log after a bizarre few days dealing not simply (simply!) with Q, but with his omnipotent inamorata, with two factions of Q waging a deadly war, and finally with Q’s son. OK, the last one was cute. And now she had a godchild. An omnipotent godchild. She sighed, and leaned back in her chair, struggling to gather the words to describe these events.
Her door chime sounded - a welcome distraction - and after she called for her visitor to enter, she was delighted to see Chakotay meet her eyes and smile warmly.
“That was quite an adventure,” he said, leaning with his palms on her desk, bringing his lips tantalizingly close.
Kathryn checked herself, trying to rein in her imagination. Chakotay’s confession - that Q’s pursuit of her had 'bothered the hell out of him' - had reignited her own thoughts of her first officer. They’d tried to put New Earth behind them, and for a while it had seemed like they’d moved on. But recent events showed it was all a pretense. Kathryn’s psyche was finally being honest with her. She wanted him.
“It certainly was. Q does provide a bit of excitement. I just wish it wasn’t so perilous for us mere mortals.” She rose to her feet, intending to offer him refreshments, but as she turned back towards him, the shock of their proximity jolted her. “Chakotay, would you like …” her words faded as her eyes landed on the perfect bow of his lips.
He didn’t step back to make space. “Would I like what, Kathryn?” he asked, eyes dancing with amusement.
“A drink …” she whispered, as she was slowly, imperceptibly, drawn towards him.
“I knew there was another man, Kathy,” came the sound of Q’s arrogant amusement.
Startled, the command duo pulled away from each other and turned to face Q.
“Shouldn’t you be off doing some childcare or something, Q,” snapped Kathryn.
“Oh, Kathy, you worry too much! I left him somewhere safe. Your engineering room looks just like a playpen, after all.”
“Q!”
“I’m keeping an eye on things … remotely. But I just had to pop in on you and Chuckles. Your denials never fooled me, you know!”
“It was the truth!” But her protestations fell on thin air as Q vanished in a flash.
She shared a look with Chakotay, neither of them ready to admit that Q was right.
“I’d better go and check on B’Elanna,” Chakotay said, turning to the door.
Kathryn nodded, and as he left her quarters, his scent still lingered in her room and her perfidious imagination played out the scenario that might have been, had they not been interrupted.
Antepenultimate During Macrocosm, after the macroviral infection.
Once the virus was purged there was still no rest for Kathryn. With only herself and the Doctor functional, they still had to heal the crew and start restoring the ship's systems. She prioritized transporters. That way she could get the sickest crew into sick bay. She analyzed lifesigns, and transported as many as the Doctor could handle into his care. Then she set about preparing for overflow wards in the mess hall and the cargo bay. She transported foldable camp beds and blankets, water bottles and hyposprays, enough to set up a station for each patient. With varying levels of assistance from the afflicted, she would get each crew member settled in bed to recover.
Chakotay was one of the first she assisted in the mess hall. He was badly infected, but he was also strong, so hadn’t gone to sick bay. She administered the antiviral to his neck, and his eyelids fluttered open.
“Wh … what?” he stuttered.
“Shh. You need to recover. Help me get you into bed.”
“I thought you’d never ask,” he mumbled as she put his arm around her shoulders and encouraged him to get to his feet. Kathryn couldn’t tell whether it was a joke, or delirium.
His cot was nearby, so really all she had to do was aim him in the right direction and help him to land gently. Once he was lying on the bed she went about tucking the blanket around him. He had his eyes open by now, watching her as she worked over him.
“You’re all sweaty,” he murmured.
“It’s been a tough day,” she shot back.
“You look hot as hell,” he continued, and she again wondered if he really knew what he was saying.
“It pretty much was hot as hell in here for most of the day.” She tucked the blanket in around his shoulders.
“That’s not what I meant,” he whispered, and she turned to him. His eyes were clear. He knew exactly what he was saying. And here she was, bent over him. So terribly close …
“Doctor to Janeway!”
She jumped to her feet and slapped her combadge. “Janeway here.”
“Things are under control in sick bay. I suggest you continue work in the mess hall, and I shall set up the other temporary medical bay in cargo bay 2.”
“Agreed, Doctor. Carry on.”
She turned to the next crewman in need of her help.
Penultimate After Fair Trade.
Chakotay was walking the corridors of deck five when he saw Kathryn exit sick bay.
“All sorted?” he asked as he approached her.
“I think so,” she smiled. “I’ve sent Neelix to scrub the exhaust manifolds, but I think he got the message that he’s part of our crew, our family, now.” She flattened herself against the wall to let a group of joggers pass them. Specific training, or general exercise, she didn't know.
Watching the receding runners, Chakotay turned back to his companion, casually leaning an arm on the wall behind her. “I don’t know whether to say you’re too hard or too soft on him.”
“Well, you do need to be a little of both, as a captain.” She smiled, enjoying the banter. Enjoying Chakotay’s proximity to her.
“I suppose you do. Also, you weren’t the one held in custody with Tom Paris, so I guess you have a slightly different perspective on the whole thing.” He was chuckling, but she couldn’t take his words so lightly.
“Chakotay,” she whispered, placing her palm on his chest, “I was worried sick about you. I couldn’t bear it if any harm were to come to you.”
“In that case,” he inched closer to her, “we’re both in the wrong job.”
He was trying to lighten the mood, and normally she’d go along with it. But he was so close now, his scent filling her senses, his presence making her weak at the knees.
“Commander!” called Tom as he rounded the corner. “Great to breathe the fresh, free, federation air again, isn’t it?”
Chakotay took a step back from Kathryn, and it dawned on Tom that he’d stumbled into something that wasn’t an ordinary command interaction.
“Sorry, did I interrupt something?” he asked innocently.
“Not at all, Mr. Paris,” replied Kathryn. “It’s good to have you both back on board.” And she hurried off to the turbolift, leaving the men to eye each other cautiously.
Ultimate During Alter Ego, at the luau.
Kathryn had replicated a new dress for the luau. She so very rarely got to wear dresses. It was more revealing than the outfits she usually chose for crew socials. A sweetheart neckline, a hint of cleavage. Bare shoulders showing off her toned arms. She finished getting ready, a flower in her hair marking the finishing touch. When he saw her, he couldn’t keep his eyes off her. It made her feel desirable, a warm excitement radiating through her at the idea that she enticed him.
The moment she and Chakotay entered the resort simulation, they were greeted with leis. The flowered garlands represented the flowering of love, if she recalled correctly. She wondered if she was letting her feelings get ahead of her.
Tuvok crossed their path briefly. Long enough to let her know that he felt the activity burdensome, but something caught his eye and he scurried off. She didn’t give him another thought, instead pointing out a secluded table by the beach and linking her arm through Chakotay’s.
“Lovely evening isn’t it?” Chakotay took the seat next to hers, a small round table adjacent, waiting for the drinks they hadn’t ordered yet.
“You look good in flowers,” she teased, twisting her fingers in the blue petals of his lei.
He leaned towards her. “And you look good out of uniform,” he smiled, dark eyes drinking in the vision before him.
There was the line, she thought. The line that had been with them practically since day one. Plausible deniability. Was this serious flirting with intent? Or was it innocent banter between friends? One day they’d actually have to answer that question. She could let the uncertainty drag on … or she could force a clarification.
She mirrored his body language, leaning close to him so as not to be overheard. “And exactly how much of me would you like to see … out of uniform?”
As she studied his face she could see she’d surprised him, but the shock was swept away by a wave of delight running over his features.
“Kathryn, I am sure that anything you could show me would be delectable,” and he closed the gap between them even more. This was it. Today would finally be the day when she’d know the feel of those sweet lips …
“Captain! Commander! So good to see you here. Why haven’t you got any drinks? Let me remedy that immediately. What can I bring you?”
The Talaxian’s enthusiasm steamrollered any sensitivity that might be lurking under his spots.
“Whatever you recommend, Neelix,” Kathryn replied, hoping to expedite their encounter.
“Computer, two Rekarri starbursts.” The drinks appeared on their table. They thanked Neelix for his efforts and he scurried off to tend to the needs of the other guests.
“Cheers,” said Chakotay, raising his glass to Kathryn, but her relaxed demeanor had vanished, and she sighed in exasperation and sat back in her chair. “What is it?”
“Four times!”
“Four times? Four times what?” he asked in confusion.
“Four times now that I’ve thought you were about to kiss me and someone’s blundered into the middle of things.”
Chakotay was shocked. OK, they danced around it, but neither of them had dared say anything so bluntly before. “And is that … something you’d like?” He put his drink back down on the table.
The insufferable patience of the man! Kathryn turned to him, and very clearly enunciated: “Chakotay, if you don’t kiss me tonight I think I might go out of my mind.” She saw his eyes widen. In desire? Or had she scared him off? She was coming across as a little desperate. Almost as desperate as the ache between her legs.
Chakotay rose to his feet and offered her his hand. “Do you fancy a stroll along the beach?”
Was that all she was getting? A stroll? She sighed and took his hand.
As they reached the sand she removed her sandals and carried them, enjoying the feel of the sand between her toes.
“I’m sorry,” she said, not meeting his eye.
“Sorry for what?"
“I thought we were on the same wavelength. I guess I was wrong.”
“I see,” he said quietly. “There are some interesting rock formations along this beach,” he said, changing the subject.
Rocks, thought Kathryn. I wanted tongues. I get rocks.
“Oh?” she replied, absently.
“Yeah, this first one here, for example, juts out just enough to form a secluded cove. Away from prying eyes.”
She looked at him at last, and saw a raw need in his eyes. Dropping her shoes, she led him to the cove.
He spun her in his arms until she was backed against the weather-worn rock. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted you?” His breathing was ragged and shallow.
“No, but I’m thinking we don’t have to wait any longer.”
And that gap finally closed. His lips were on hers and they were soft and responsive, following her lead as she opened to him, his hands buried in her hair, cradling the woman of his dreams as they smashed through the last barrier between them.
When they finally broke for air, Chakotay asked “does that satisfy your needs, Kathryn? I’d hate to see my captain go out of her mind, after all.”
She wanted to say yes. She’d only mentioned kissing him, but: “actually, I think it just inflamed them,” and she pulled him to her again, letting her hands roam over his body, gratified that he was doing the same in return.
“Where do you want me to touch you?” he murmured against her lips.
“Everywhere” she gasped, running her hands through his hair as he kissed her neck, emitting a throaty moan as his hand skimmed her breast. Before she could catch her breath, he was on his knees in front of her, inching her dress up as he dropped kisses on her thighs. Oh god, she prayed he was going to fix the ache between her legs, and a thrill ran through her from head to toe as she felt his fingers snake under the sides of her underwear and start to ease it down her thighs.
“Do you want this, Kathryn,” he asked, but her voice had gone.
She caressed his neck with her hands, and pulled his head into her center, communicating her desire clearly. He rolled her panties down her legs and she stepped out of them, before he dove back to her, his tongue adding to the moisture between her legs. She writhed in unbearable ecstasy as his tongue played over her engorged clit. It wouldn’t take much to push her over the edge. He played delicious patterns over her needy flesh, his hands on her hips, her thigh draped over his shoulder. He felt the tremors of tension in her muscles. How long to hold her here, he wondered. But, if he had any instinct for these things, this wouldn’t be their only encounter tonight. He brought her to the point of release, and held her as her orgasm smashed into her. He idly hoped the sound of the waves would mask her cries, -but he couldn’t bring himself to care that much when his head was buried between Kathryn’s thighs.
“Better?” he asked, rising to place a musky kiss on her lips.
“Much better,” she panted, and he brought her into an embrace.
“Then, shall we adjourn to your quarters, or mine?”
“Computer,” she called, “two to transport to Captain’s quarters.”
Epilogue
Tom hadn’t had the best night. Harry was mooning over the hologram. Vorik’s maneuverings had forced B’Elanna to give him the brush off. So he’d cut his losses and gone for a long walk by the sea. He knew B’Elanna wasn’t interested in Vorik. Trouble is, he didn’t know for sure that she was interested in him, either. He had to find a way to break through her defenses without scaring her off.
He’d pondered this problem as he walked, and soon enough he’d gone as far as the holodeck would allow him to. He turned back and walked along the beach, hoping for a better reception when he rejoined the party.
It was the noise that got his attention first. Moans … almost shrieks. The crew probably couldn’t hear it from where they were gathered, but out here, alone, Tom wondered if someone was in trouble. His eyes scanned his surroundings, honing in on the direction of the disturbance. And then he saw them, in the shadows. The captain … Well, she wasn’t in trouble, at least. And although he obviously couldn't see the other’s face, it had to be the commander, didn’t it. Buried between the captain’s legs. Oh, boy.
Tom hurried past, hoping for their sakes that no one else had heard them.
“Tom!” B’Elanna hurried towards him, “Thank god I found you. I just escaped from Vorik’s company, please can we go and have some fun!”
“Sure! Where shall we go?”
“Beach looks good.”
“Sorry, B’Elanna. The beach is closed for tonight.”
“Why?” she asked, brow quirked in confusion.
“I’ll tell you later.”
=/\=