Title:
Author: leetah47
Rating: Coffee beans aka MA-rated
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Star Trek Voyager and its characters are the property of Paramount Pictures.
Summary: Janeway and Chakotay spend a few hours together on Earth in 1996 before breaking into Starling’s office.
Spoilers: episode Future’s End

*****

Kathryn Janeway ran back to the car wreck where Captain Braxton had left his schematic, folded it and put it in her pocket. She knew it could be useful later. She went back to Chakotay, who looked very thoughtful. “What are you thinking? She questioned.

“I was considering how to find Starling; and I think I have an idea.” He grabbed her hand and they almost ran to the nearest phone booth.

Chakotay picked up the phonebook and looked under the business section. “Here it is: Chronowerx, and the address.”

Kathryn smiled. “Quick thinking, Commander.” He grinned back at her as they found a taxi to deliver them to the Chronowerx building.

*****

They exited the Chronowerx building after reviewing the floorplan in the lobby. Kathryn bent her head back and scanned the side of the building all the way to the top. “Well, the building is accessible, but we can’t just walk in and ask him where the ship is. We have to break into his office when it gets dark,” she said.

“Agreed; but that’s going to be awhile. What should we do in the mean time?” Chakotay mused. He followed Kathryn’s eyes to a small restaurant with tables outside.

“Eat.” She said with a smile. ”Then we plan our little break-in.

They went to the restaurant and sat at one of the tables outside. They ate and discussed the strange people in this century, watching them go by. They finished with coffee, real coffee, not replicated; Kathryn was in heaven.

“So what are we going to do about tonight? Chakotay asked.

Kathryn looked around at all the people. “First I think we should find a more discreet place to discuss it. I think I saw a motel down that street.” Chakotay agreed and paid their check with the replicated money before they left.

Kathryn approached the front desk at the motel and asked the woman for a room. The woman looked over at Chakotay and back at Kathryn. “How many nights?”

“Oh just for the day.” Kathryn answered. The woman looked knowingly at her, gave her a key, and provided directions. Kathryn paid the woman and thanked her. The clerk looked after them, as they went up the stairs, quite jealous of the petite woman who had such a handsome man at her side.

The room wasn’t anything special; but it had a desk and it was private. It was exactly what they needed. Kathryn took off her shoes and jacket and pulled out her tricorder. Chakotay’s shoes and jacket followed hers and they got to work.

*****

Kathryn leaned back, satisfied with their plan. They still had several hours before nightfall and the bed was looking very inviting. She yawned in response.

“You could sleep for a few hours if you need to.” Chakotay offered, seeing her yawn, trying to take care of her without her noticing. She worked herself too hard and this was a rare opportunity for her to lie down and relax for a bit. He hoped she would take it.

Kathryn thought about it; that would mean at least partially undressing and sleeping with Chakotay in the room. She couldn’t very well send him away. Then she decided she was being ridiculus. They had slept in close quarters and he had seen her in much less those last weeks on New Earth. They had become so comfortable around each other. Unfortuntely, they had lost some of that when they returned to Voyager. The temptation of the bed overrode her uncertainty. “I think I will.” She said.

Chakotay watched with amazement as she reached up to pull out her hairpins which released her long auburn hair to fall free from its restraints. She then let her cream colored pants fall to the floor, revealing her long legs. She draped the pants over a chair before slipping under the covers with an audible sigh.

She ventured a gaze at Chakotay who was still sitting at the desk, not knowing what to do with himself. Kathryn smiled to herself; maybe this was an opportunity to regain some of that sense of being comfortable with each other again. After they got back to the ship, she missed his closeness and she wanted to feel that again, if only for a little while. “You know…you don’t get to sleep much on the ship either; why don’t you sleep too?”

Chakotay looked around the room.“Where?” He asked, almost afraid to hear her answer.

“Well, there is room enough for both of us in here.” She gestured to the spot next to her.

He hesitated, not sure it was a good idea to crawl into bed with the object of his desire; but he didn’t want to make her think that there was something wrong, so he agreed. He removed his socks and pants, opting to leave his blue shirt on, and crawled under the covers next to Kathryn.

As he lay next to her, she could feel the heat from his body; suddenly she wasn’t very tired. Maybe this hadn’t been the best idea she’d ever had. His proximity made her heart beat faster and a flush to spread to her cheeks. She looked at the ceiling trying to breathe normally and think of something else…anything else. They had been closer while walking on the boardwalk; but lying next to each other in a bed seemed more intimate. Despite her best efforts, all of the feelings she had for him that she usually kept well in check came rising to the surface.

Chakotay was acutely aware of Kathryn’s presence next to him. Thoughts of her current state of undress made him feel hot under the blankets. He looked to the ceiling and tried to calm his suddenly racing heart. He made the mistake of looking at her…she was so beautiful: Her hair was spread over the pillow and he could see her chest rising and falling with her breathing. Her face seemed flushed and her eyes unfocused. He focused his mind and suddenly thought that she might not be feeling well. He reached out a hand to touch her cheek. “Kathryn, are you feeling all right?” He asked concerned.

His touch came so sudden that she reacted instinctively. She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch as a small gasp escaped her lips. Just as quickly, she realized her mistake. Her eyes flew open to meet his surprised gaze. There was no way she could explain away her reaction and they both knew it.

She sat up, pulling her knees up and placing her head in her hands to hide from his eyes. Chakotay sat up too. He had to be honest with himself and admit that he was totally uncertain as what to say next. There was no mistaking her reaction to his touch; she was attracted to him. If he was realistic, though, he knew that that didn’t necessarily mean anything. She might just be lonely or longing for someone else’s touch…they had been out here for over two years now.

He decided to give her an out. “Its okay, Kathryn; it was just an instinctive reaction to what is most like a purely physical attraction. I understand; it’s not a big deal.” His voice, however, didn’t hold much conviction. “It happens to me too, but we’ll deal with it. We’re all lonely and need the connection to other people.”

He was making a brave attempt to make her feel better, she realized; but she didn’t want to hide from him anymore; she wanted to tell him. “But that’s the problem, Chakotay; if it was merely physical attraction, I COULD deal with it. The problem is that I’m so in love with you that often times I can’t think straight. Hence my dilemma: I can’t feel like that and run a lone starship in hostile territory; but neither have I been unable to find a way to ignore it. You have no idea how many times since New Earth I’ve decided to tell you and gotten as far as the door, before turning back in fear. Fear of rejection, fear of protocols, fear of the repercussions….” her voice trailed off.

She put her head in her hands again. “God, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to put that on you; it’s my problem, I’ll deal with it.” She moved to get out of the bed.

Chakotay was stunned. Didn’t she know how he felt about her? Better than that, she had just confessed her love for him, hadn’t she? He was at a loss for words; but when she moved to get out of bed, he reacted. He grabbed her arm. “Don’t go, Kathryn.”

She didn’t look at him. “Please, let me go, Chakotay.” She whispered.

“No.” Came his simple reply. He touched her cheek to get her to look at him. He could actually feel the shiver that ran through her body at his touch. When her eyes finally did met his, a fine sheen of tears had gathered in her blue gaze.

“Kathryn, I told you how I felt about you on New Earth, didn’t I?” He hadn’t expected the slight flicker of pain he saw in her eyes.

“You told me you care for me; we’re friends. You have committed yourself to helping me as much as you can. You found peace…for a while.”

He sighed; he had been too subtle. “All those things are true, Kathryn, but what you obviously didn’t hear me express is the deep love I feel for you too. I have been in love with you for the better part of this journey. I held it to myself, though, not wishing to burden you with my feelings when you had so many other things to handle. If you didn’t feel the same, it would have been a strain on our friendship and our working relationship; I couldn’t risk that after New Earth. But believe me, Kathryn, I love you deeply.”

She couldn’t hold the tears back any longer and they spilled over and ran silently down her cheeks. He brushed them aside with a warm smile and repeated, just in case she didn’t hear him the first time. “I love you.”

When she moved, he was ready for her and opened his arms. She crawled towards him and abandoned the bedcovers to straddle his bare thighs. His arms enveloped her in his warm embrace. “Gods, Chakotay, I love you too.” She breathed into his neck, before kissing the pulse point she found.

He hugged her closer and breathed in the scent of her hair, tangling his fingers in its length. He followed her example and pressed his lips to the soft skin behind her ear. Her reaction was instant and she moaned as she pressed her lower body closer to his. He groaned as he felt the warmth from her core through their underwear. He kissed her the same spot again, quickly learning that it brought her pleasure.

Kathryn had never been with anyone who had found that sensitive spot as quickly and intuitively as Chakotay. She rocked against him in response and felt him harden beneath her. He kissed her neck again and she pressed herself even closer. She really wanted to kiss him…needed to kiss him. She raised her head from his neck and took his face in her hands. Her thumbs caressed his cheeks before she moved closer and their lips met for the first time.

Even though they had both dreamed of this moment for so long, they were in no hurry as their lips explored each other at a leisurely pace. Only when Chakotay felt her tongue sweep gently over his lips, did he deepen the kiss. Their tongues met and stroked against each other. Chakotay was in heaven as he swallowed the sigh that escaped Kathryn’s lips.

She had always imagined that if and when they would get together it would be fast and furious; bodies joining at a frenzied pace. She had never pictured it like this; slow and sensual, an unhurried exploration of each other…so good and so loving. She released his lips and pulled her white shirt over her head, leaving her clad only in her newly replicated cream coloured bra and panty set.

Chakotay quickly zeroed in on the delicate skin at the swell of her breast. She held his head close to her, running her hands through his strong yet silky hair. His lips were soft and his breath warm; she let out a sigh of contentment. He lifted his head at the sound. Never one to miss an opportunity, Kathryn took this one and grabbed the edges of his shirt and pulled it off of him, dropping it on the floor.

Her hands spread over his chest, feeling the strength in his muscles, fascinated by the contrast of her small pale hands against his bronzed skin. Chakotay’s hand replaced his mouth on her breast, sliding over her to cup the full mound. His thumb brushed over the creamy satin of her bra. “As pretty as this is, I think it needs to go.”

She smiled and reached around to undo the clasp, but leaving the garment in place. He smiled back, taking the hint and slowly slid the straps over her shoulders and down her arms, revealing her to his gaze. One thumb caressed over a nipple, making it peak while his mouth closed over the other. Kathryn’s head fell back in sensual abandon as she moaned her pleasure. Every flick of his tongue sent sensations shooting straight to her center. She arched her back, trying to push closer to his welcome touch. The thought of his talented tongue on her most private part sent a shiver through her and she pressed closer to his hard arousal. Her hand slid down his back and down under the elastic of his boxers. “These need to go, too.” She breathed.

It took a little maneuvering and shifting, as Chakotay wanted to keep her in this position; but they finally managed to remove the last barrier the clothes represented. Kathryn settled back into his lap, this time with nothing between them. She guided them into another long lazy kiss, filled with love and anticipation of what was coming as they experienced all of each other for the first time.

His erection was trapped between them and he let out a groan when she finally wrapped her hand around it and stroked it gently. She looked at his handsome face, lost in pleasure. His eyes were closed and his hips were gently moving with the rhythm of her hand. “Please, Kathryn.” He breathed.

In response, she rose up on her knees, positioning him at her entrance and slowly accepting him into her body. They both held still, adjusting to the exquisite feel of their joining. Their mouths joined in an imitation of their lower bodies and they slowly moved together. The position didn’t afford them much space for movement; but the closeness brought another level of awareness and the slow gentle rocking motion was enough to bring Kathryn to the edge. Chakotay’s hands were caressing up and down her back, his tongue caressing hers and his hardness caressing her insides. She found his eyes and held his gaze as she tumbled toward the precipice.

Only a moment later…she was there. Her back arched and her eyes closed tightly at the onslaught of sensation. She cried out loudly as her release rolled over her in strong waves; shards of pleasure shooting out from the point where they were joined.

Chakotay held on to her body as she writhed in her climax. The tightening of her muscles around him almost broke his control; but he was not ready for it to end yet. He let her ride out the wave and busied himself at her breast again, taking as much of it into his mouth as possible.

Kathryn regained her breath, her hips still moving instinctively against him as the tremors lessened. She realized he was still hard inside her and stilled her movements. She moved her right hand to trace his tattoo before kissing it.

He lifted his head and met her eyes. “More?” He asked. She smiled and nodded.

“Hang on.” He tightened his arms around her and turned so he could lay her on the bed. For a moment he just gazed at her, enjoying the satisfied…yet still hungry look on her beautiful face. He leaned in to join them in a long kiss before slowly beginning to move. He set a steady pace of deep thrusts; the new position giving him much more room to move. Kathryn matched his rhythm with counterthrusts and flexed her muscles around him, concentrating on bringing him pleasure.

His control was slipping fast and he buried his head against her neck and fragrant hair, pushing as close to her as possible. Kathryn held him close, aligning her mouth with his ear and whispered: “I love you, Chakotay.”

His reaction was immediate and he spilled his release into her body in jerks as he moaned her name loudly. The throbbing of his release triggered Kathryn’s and she cried out his name in return. The sensation was overwhelming and he wanted to stay like this forever, buried in her body, breathing her scent.

Finally, he shifted to lie beside her. He struggled to breathe normally. “Spirits,” he whispered. Kathryn was having the same difficulties and merely answered, “Mmm...”

Getting his breathing under control, he leaned over her and rained small kisses all over her face until she giggled in response. He claimed her lips again, kissing her with all the love he had inside for her. Breaking out of the kiss he stared into her eyes, now filled with merriment and happiness. “Thank you, Kathryn.” He said seriously.

She stroked his cheek lovingly. “No, thank you, Chakotay.”

He leaned back, pulling her with him; her head lying on his shoulder, both sighing with contentment. He kissed her head, holding her tight, immensely enjoying the fact that he finally could. “There’s still time for sleep.” He offered when she tried to stifle a yawn.

He pulled the covers up over them as she answered with a simple “Okay” before she closed her eyes. She snuggled closer to his warmth and within a few minutes her breathing revealed that she was fast asleep.

*****

Chakotay hadn’t really slept for the last two hours. He had dozed a bit; but had quickly woken up again, not wanting to miss this opportunity to watch Kathryn. She was so relaxed in sleep. He had never seen her this relaxed…not even on New Earth. He didn’t want to wake her, but the sun was going down and they had work to do.

“Kathryn…”Chakotay gently whispered, kissing her hair. “It’s getting dark; we should get going.” His only answer was a sleepy mumble. “Come on, love, we need to move.” He tried again.

“No, we can sleep a little longer.” She mumbled back sleepily.

“Kathryn,” he said louder this time, “the fate of the future is at stake. There’s only time for a shower and something to eat on the way.” He smiled at her laziness. This was a side of her he rarely saw. Despite what the rest of the crew thought, he knew she loved to sleep in.

“Oh all right.” She got out of bed with a yawn and walked to the bathroom, completely naked. Chakotay watched her progress across the room. She turned in the door and sent him a soft smile, before she disappeared into the bathroom. Chakotay lay back and stared up at the ceiling, a wide smile on his face. He thanked the Spirits for this moment out of time. He thanked them for Kathryn’s love and he prayed to them that he and Kathryn could keep what they had found together here today when they returned to the ship.

Before he knew it, Kathryn emerged from the bathroom, looking fresh and rested and oh so tempting in her towel. She kneeled on the bed next to him, taking his face in her hands and gave him a long kiss. “Your turn.”

He initiated the return kiss this time and when he finally let her up, she was breathing hard. “I can’t wait to get you back to my cabin on the ship, where we can make love under the stars,” she purred.

Chakotay stroked her cheek. “So this is not a one time thing?” He had to ask.

She locked her eyes with him. “I don’t say ‘I love you’ easily, Chakotay. The minute I said it, I committed to this.”

He stole another kiss, enveloping her in his arms and turning until she was beneath him on the bed. “I love you Kathryn.”

He looked so serious and yet so cute that she had to smile. “I love you too, Chakotay.”

He kissed her again; he couldn’t get enough of her. She broke the kiss laughing, “We don’t have time – fate of the future, remember?”

He sighed dramatically and let her up. He moved off the bed toward the bathroom, knowing her eyes were watching his naked form just as he had watched hers earlier.

Kathryn dressed quickly and combed out her hair with her fingers, making it as smooth as possible, before arranging it in its previous style. She looked at herself in the mirror, thinking something was different. Maybe it was the hairstyle; she considered keeping this style when they got back to the ship. Or, maybe, it was the big smile that didn’t seem to want to leave her lips.

She felt happy for the first time since getting stranded in the Delta Quadrant. All the guilt she had thought she would feel if she ever admitted to him how she felt was nowhere to be found. She found she wanted to redouble her efforts to get them all home, so she could take Chakotay with her to Indiana; to meet her family and show him all her favourite places. Places like under her favorite tree…where they would make love under the bright, open sky. No, she would definitely not lose focus about getting them all home.

She was still standing there looking into the mirror, smiling, when Chakotay came out of the bathroom. He stood still for a moment, just looking at her, seeing her in the light of a lover. The smile made her radiate; and he decided that he would do whatever he could from now on to make her smile like that as often as possible.

He walked over to her and embraced her from behind, invading her mirror image. “I love your smile.” He said, kissing the side of her neck.

She smiled wider, holding his hands to her. “And I love this.” She indicated the image of the two of them in the mirror. “But we really need to get going, because you look too tempting in that towel.”

He laughed and started to get dressed while she made the bed. They gathered up their few belongings, being very careful not to leave anything from the future. When they were all done, Chakotay took her hand. “Let’s go get some food before committing crimes.” He joked.

She laughed at him, locked her arm through his and closed the motel room door behind them.

The End