Rated PG13

Summary : Also written for the 2009 Ficlet exchange. I couldn’t make up my mind and wrote a couple of stories with the wonderful first line from Tanya. This is a bit of post-Endgame fixer upper fluff.

Thanks to Kim J for the beta but it has been fiddled with since so any mistakes are my own.

Disclaimer: CBS/Paramount owns everything. No infringement intended.

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The rain didn’t stop for fifteen days.

It started the moment they arrived and had continued non-stop since then.

Chakotay stared out the window at the deluge and his thoughts took him back to two weeks ago and Voyager’s momentous return.

After bursting from the fiery remains of the Borg sphere and quickly surrounded by an armada of Starfleet escort vessels, their battered but proud ship slowly made its way back to Earth. They’d landed a day later at the Presidio to great fanfare and celebration, and within the hour, the crew had gathered in the main cargo bay to wait anxiously for orders to disembark.

A huge crowd of family, friends, and excited onlookers had gathered to greet them. There were fireworks, brass bands, coloured streamers and confetti, and the level of nervous anticipation was growing with each minute.

Then word came. The doors opened, but so did the heavens.

Torrential rain came down in sheets onto the waiting crowd who quickly dispersed to find shelter. The fireworks fizzled out, the band ran for cover and the coloured streamers and confetti quickly turned to murky pulp in the washout.

Instead of a dignified and triumphant procession from the ship, Voyager’s long-lost crew found themselves dashing down the gangway in an ungainly stampede to huddle under hastily erected awnings before being directed to a dry assembly point. Dripping and dishevelled, they’d crammed into the reception area of Starfleet Headquarters.

It was hardly the heroic return that they’d envisaged but true to Voyager’s usual form, things hadn’t gone as planned. Chakotay’s face softened into a smile as he reminisced.

While towels were passed to the drenched crew, they’d endured a bumbling welcome-home speech from Admiral Hayes before being escorted to the Starfleet Ballroom and into the loving arms of family and friends.

It had been a long awaited and joyous reunion for most of the returnees. For some, however, it had been a time of sadness and for others, an occasion for sombre reflection. Their precipitous arrival had taken its toll and although they were pleased to be back in the Alpha Quadrant, so much had changed in the time they’d been away. Being ‘home’ would take some getting used to.

It wasn’t going to be as straightforward as everyone had imagined - slipping back into lives that had altered so dramatically in the intervening years and reacquainting themselves with estranged family and friends. Chakotay had intercepted a few anxious and wary looks from the crew but he’d smiled at them reassuringly and made a mental note to check later on those who seemed to be struggling. He and Kathryn had briefly discussed the challenges that some of the crew might face with this transition but the driving force to get home had been so powerful that the realities of their return had been blissfully overlooked.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom, of course. Tom Paris’s sentence had been revoked – his seven years of service on Voyager considered as time served. The Maquis had been pardoned – their commissions and ranks upheld - and the Equinox crew had been given the choice of staying with Starfleet or receiving an honourable discharge. All had decided to stay on and requested to serve once more with Captain Janeway as soon as Voyager was refitted and deemed space worthy.

Kathryn had refused a hastily offered promotion to Admiral, deciding instead to remain a captain for the time being and, although the six months leave granted to all of Voyager’s crew had been welcomed with relief and anticipation, she was adamant that ‘flying a desk’ was off the agenda for the foreseeable future.

All that stood in the way of their leave were their debriefings and thankfully, they were almost at an end.

Chakotay was due to finish his stint with the Starfleet board of inquiry in two days time and Kathryn’s drawn out questioning was almost over as well. The rest of the crew had already completed their debriefings and were now safely ensconced with family and friends. The remainder of the Senior staff had also finished but were waiting for the stragglers – he and Kathryn - to be discharged before leaving San Francisco. Chakotay had a strong suspicion that they’d stayed behind because none had wanted to be parted from one another. He knew exactly how they felt. They’d formed such a deep bond over their seven years stranded in the Delta Quadrant that the mere thought of separation was so appalling that they’d voted to remain close by.

He missed Voyager already - the routine, the familiarity of the crew and the ship itself as well as their mission and the sense of fulfilment from its simple but all-consuming purpose. He wasn’t too proud to admit that he was floundering somewhat with the prospect of having to move beyond those familiar boundaries and explore this new life on Earth. He smiled wryly. Aside from the fact that they’d been stranded on the other side of the galaxy, battling unknown aliens at every turn and living in constant fear for their lives, he’d been happy on Voyager - the happiest he’d been for many years.

These dilemmas were something he wished to discuss with Kathryn but he hadn’t seen her for two days, and his reaction to her absence had been yet another rude awakening. He hadn’t credited just how much he would miss her. On the one hand, he felt foolish and needy - which he loathed - but on the other hand, he was relieved. Although he knew he’d done the right thing, this new awareness reaffirmed his decision to end his relationship with Seven and proved without a doubt that his future was with Kathryn.

Seven had been more than willing to ‘terminate’ their rather awkward and fumbling liaison, and he was very grateful that the relationship had gone no further than a few kisses and the vague promise to stay ‘within transporter range’. It had been a lucky escape for all concerned.

When he’d told Kathryn, she’d been politely sympathetic but he knew her well enough to read the relief in her eyes. He only hoped that it meant what he thought it did and that there was still some hope for them and a life together.

He was waiting for her now in her quarters, staring out the window at the teeming rain.

Billeted to adjoining apartments in Starfleet allocated accommodation, they’d found themselves spending more and more time together as the days passed and a new evening ritual had evolved in the weeks since their arrival. Whoever finished first for the day would let themselves into the other’s quarters and organise a meal or a booking for a restaurant. They’d found a fresh pace and rhythm to their relationship and he was quietly confident that life was moving in a direction that they both desired. Neither of them seemed to be in any hurry to push things forward but there was a wonderful tickle of anticipation behind everything that they did together.

He smiled to himself and hummed with satisfaction. Life was good.

“Do you think it will ever stop?”

His smile broadened as she came to stand by his side and gaze out the window. He’d been so busy daydreaming that he hadn’t heard the door.

He shrugged. “Eventually, but I really don’t care. We’re here and that’s all that counts.” He smiled at her. “How was your day?”

“The same as yesterday and the day before that; to be honest, I’m thoroughly sick of whole thing. I’m looking forward to putting a thumbprint on my statements and heading to Indiana for some R&R. What about you? How was your day?”

“About the same as yours. It defies belief that they can ask the same questions over and over again, hear the same answer every time and still need clarification. I don’t know what they’re looking for or are expecting me to say. I’m with you, I’ll be glad when it’s over.”

“Will you be?”

“Oh yes, very glad.”

“No, I meant, will you be with me when it’s over?”

Chakotay turned towards the stalwart woman at his side and, gripping her shoulders gently, met her intense gaze. It was the first time he’d touched her in months, maybe years and, although he could feel the tension in her muscles, the slightness of her shoulders and the shiver of her skin sent a thrill through him that was difficult to contain. Taking a slow deep breath, he let his hands skim down her arms and looking down, he studied her slender fingers as he held them gently and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. They were so familiar, so much a part of him.

He slowly lifted his eyes to hers. “There’s nothing in this life that I want more than to be with you, Kathryn.”

She took a deep breath and smiled broadly. “Thank goodness.”

He raised an eyebrow in question and Kathryn gripped his hands and squeezed. “All right, I’ll tell you the grisly truth. My mother is expecting both of us in Indiana and if you’re not with me, I’m going to have a terrible time trying to explain how, after all this time, I managed to let you get away.”

Chakotay laughed and let go of her hands to drape an arm around her shoulder and turn them back towards the window and the pouring rain. “Well, we can’t have you getting into trouble, can we?”

Kathryn shook her head and gave an exaggerated shudder. “Please no. Species 8472 and the Vidiians were a walk in the park compared to Gretchen Janeway in a snit. She can be terrifying when she wants to be.”

“She seemed very charming and sweet when we met.”

“Ahh, sure. They’re exactly the words that come to mind when I think of my mother. I’m just warning you, I didn’t come by my stubborn and steely nature by accident, you know and I’m the watered down version.”

Tugging her close, he laughed at her wry tone and the look she sent his way. “Well, now I know who to thank. That stubborn and steely nature kept us alive for seven years. Mrs Janeway’s daughter did her proud.”

Kathryn chuckled quietly and leant into him. “Hmmm, yes. Well, the proof’s in the pudding, as they say.”

The feelings swelled again in his chest and he pulled her close to kiss the top of her head. “Kathryn?”

“Hmmm?”

“I’m, ah… going out on a limb here and calling an embargo on parameters and regulations. How do you feel about that?”

She thought for a second. “Pretty damned good, actually.”

“Excellent. Me too.”

They were quiet for a minute or so and then Kathryn mused. “I always imagined we’d finish up like this and on many of those darkest days, it was enough to keep me going.”

He nodded in agreement and could see her eyes focussing on their reflection in the window.

She sighed happily. “I think we’re very much alike, you and I.”

“We’ve rarely been apart for over seven years; we were bound to rub off on one another.”

Her arm tightened around his waist. “Even though my older self was testament to the fact that I could do it – I want you to know that I don’t want to live my life without you.”

“You read my mind. I don’t want to live without you either.”

“We’re mind reading now. A bit of Vulcan must have rubbed off as well.”

Turning, Chakotay wrapped Kathryn in his arms and lowered his mouth to hers. It was a gentle kiss – their first – filled with love and a promise of wonderful things to come.

Dragging his lips away from hers, he whispered. “Speaking of Vulcans, Tuvok and the others should be here any minute.”

She sighed and cupped his cheek, looking disappointed. “Oh well, we’ve waited seven years, I suppose a few more hours can’t hurt. And being caught in flagrante delicto by our senior staff is probably not how I’d like them to find out the happy news.”

“Oh, I don’t know, I‘m rather partial to the idea and I’m sure they’d be thrilled. But you’re right, Tuvok is still recovering; we’d hate to cause a relapse.”

Laughing, Kathryn stepped away from him and slapped his arm gently. “That’s an evil sense of humour you have, Commander.”

A wonderful feeling of fulfilment and closure settled over Chakotay and with gentle fingers, he touched her cheek. “We’ll have a good life, Kathryn.”

He watched enthralled as she took his hand and kissed his palm before clasping it in between her own and holding it over her heart. “All things considered, we have up until now and it can only get better.”

They stood toe to toe for a long moment and then began to drift towards one another. Just as their lips were about to meet, the door chimed and they jolted to a stop.

Looking at one another with barely contained laughter, they chorused, “Tuvok!”

Arm in arm and smiling delightedly, they headed towards the door to greet their friends.

fin

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