The warm air hugged her, as she and Chakotay sat watching the large planet sun
disappear over the horizon. Everything was an orange pink tint. She sat beside him on a
large rock over looking the bath-water blue sea and white sand. Staring out into the vast
space ahead of her she saw in the corner of her eye Chakotay’s hand lift up and tuck a
strand of hair behind her ear. She smiled and held his had close to her face.
“Thank-you, for dragging me off the Bridge.” she said leaning on his shoulder. Rapping
his arm around her, he looked down at her soft fox-brown hair. “It was the least I could
do, you were in your Ready Room for almost 16 hours looking at boring reports and then
spent another four hours on the Bridge. You work yourself way too hard. Come on.” he
said jumping down inviting her to go for a walk. Gently helping her down, she began her
‘its my duty’ speech that he had been expecting to hear sometime...
“I know you know what I’m going to say, but I’m going to say it anyway. You know I
have to be there for everyone, I’m the driving force for the crew, I have to be there ready
for anything.”
“Kathryn, your ready for a head on battle with the Borg in your sleep. You don’t need
that much bridge time.” smiling she hit him on the shoulder,
“Not quite, although that would be nice.” he took her hand and they started down the
beach, the warm sand soothing her feet with every step she took. “How did you come to
choose this program?” she asked
“Well, since Sandrin’s and New Earth, I put the two together and came up with this, Its a
desolate beach in Earth’s Caribbean. Do you like it?”
“Its wonderful” she said stopping. Chakotay had programmed a dusk environment, but
the sky was so clear you could see the stars. Looking up, she stopped “Look” she
whispered pointing to the sky, “A shooting star..”
“Make a wish.”
“Alright” she said a smile pulling at the corner of her mouth, she closed her eyes for a
moment. Chakotay admired her soft features in the moonlight before she opened her
eyes and found him looking at her. She blushed, and put her and to her cheek “I hope it
comes true”
“Tease... I guess I couldn’t ask what you wished for?” he asked. She laughed,
“No, then it wouldn’t be a secret.” a mischievous smile crept its way across her face,
“Then I defiantly won’t ask.” she glanced up at him
“Do you want to know?”
“If you want to tell me then tell me, otherwise stop teasing...”
“Would you let me tell you?” she asked, he paused before answering her query
“I guess that would depend what it was
“Close you eyes.” her smile went wild, she knew exactly what he wanted but that’s not
what she had in mind. Kathryn took his arms and tugged him close to the shore, but not
quite in the water. She tiptoed into the water, making as little splashes and water
swishing sounds as possible. “Are you ready?” she asked, putting both hands in the
water.
“I suppose.” he answered lifting his eyebrows,
“No peaking now.” gathering as much water as her hands could carry, she directed it
straight for the gullible man in front of her. Wide-eyed in shock he looked at her, she
started laughing uncontrollably. She paused in her place unsure of where to go, there
was not much of a place to go to. It was easier to run on land than in the water. The
bottom of her flower covered summer dress was wet, but not even close to how wet he
was. Taking the bottom of his white shirt he squeezed a lot of the water out. One more
look at her he managed without smiling, before he turned and began walking up the
beach. “Oh, Chakotay!” she called, traipsing out of the water. Picking up the front of her
dress she ran after him. “Don’t be like that, I was only playing.” catching up to him, she
gently touched him on the back. To her suprise he stopped. He quickly turned around
and lifted her up onto his shoulder,
“I know..” he said laughing and walking into the water. “Now its my turn.” he tempted
throwing her in a number of times, laughing at her pleads
“No, no, Chakotay! come
on, you wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I?” she in a panic grabbed his side ‘Maybe he’s ticklish?’ she thought, she felt
him clench his muscles and move away but that wouldn’t help because he was holding
her.
“Chakotay” she mused “I didn’t realize you were so ticklish?” she laughed. Grabbing his
other side, he eventually put her down, “Another weakness..” she smiled
mischievously
“Hey, your not any less ticklish than I am” he took a step toward her
“Alright, truce?” she asked through her panting breath
“The score still isn’t even”
“What if I tell you what I really wished for?” looking down at his clothes he asked
“Please say, for me to get dry clothes” he asked smiling. Moving close to him, she
placed her hand behind his head, “No, this....” slowly pulling it toward her, their lips
gently brushed together. At that moment she was lost in the moment, her surroundings
faded away, as she closed her eyes she pictured them in blackness standing in a spotlight
no one else for eternity. A handsome man, the warmth of his touch protecting her from
the cold and harm, her best friend that has loved her dearly since they first laid eyes on
each other. His damp clothed seemed to not even be wet. She let him deepen the kiss.
Before getting too carried away she pulled away, leaving a very small space between
them,
“I like this wish a lot better” he said taking her around the waist and pulling her to him.
She allowed one more kiss before pulling away again, she set her head on his chest and
hugged him. She listened to his soft breathing,
“I missed you...” she said. Returning the embrace he ran his fingers through her
hair.
“I missed you to Kathryn, but you know better than anyone why.” a single tear pulled its
way from her eye, and ran down her cheek. She knew why, how she hated protocol at
times, it hurt him so much, not to be able to spend time with her. Hugging him tight once
more before releasing her grip she looked up at him. His eyes were so warm, so sincere.
Without even saying she could tell what he was thinking, she had seen that look many
times before. It was the worry look... the worry about her..
“Thank-you” she said with a sad smile, the rush of all the times she hurt him in the name
of protocol washed over her. He softly caressed the side of her face, her smile changed
to hurt and she stepped back and turned away. “This always happens, you take me
somewhere nice and we’re supposed to be having a good time, then all my mistakes from
my past wreck everything.” she wrapped her arms around her waist
“Listen,” he said fondly turning her around and lifting up her chin. Even after knowing
her for years there was still so much that he didn’t understand about her, “I brought you
here to let go, be yourself, and relax, and if talking about problems will help then so be it.
I want you to be happy.” she smiled
“Well, since you brought me here to be myself, have fun then.... your it!” touching him
on the shoulder, she took off down the beach as fast as her little legs could take her. She
felt like a little girl again, back home running through the fields behind her house.
Careless and free.
“Kathryn! that’s not fair you never...” he drifted off starting to pick up speed and follow.
It would be pointless to try and argue with her rules.
She turned back to see how far away he was, he was gaining on her fast. Turning
back around she felt something hard hit her toe. Sending herself flying she landed hard
on the ground. Chakotay not even seconds later had failed to stop before he tripped over
her. Both rolling across the sand from the impact. Chakotay eventually sat up,
“Are you alright?” he asked. Squinting in pain she nodded, bracing herself on the ground
so she wouldn’t further injure her ankle. Chakotay looked to her with concern but said
nothing, he knew that if he tried she would just reply that she was fine. “Let me help
you.” he said standing up. He looked like a ball of mud, his wet clothes and the sand
covered his body from head to foot. She laughed quietly trying to hold it in. She bit her
bottom lip and took his outstretched hand. “What?” he asked hesitating the question
“It’s just that you look like a ball of sand” she managed to say through her laughter. He
returned a smile helping and helped her up.
“Thanks, but then again you don’t look much different.” She stopped and touched her
face, she smiled, she wasn’t half as bad as he was. He held her tightly around the wait
bracing her disabled ankle. She ruffled his hair with a free hand. There was a short
silence,
“I’m sorry-” he started.
“No, its not your fault don’t apologize, I’ll be fine.” she assured.
“Can you move it?” he asked, bending down and touching it softly. she made a muffled
cry before answering
“I think its broken”
“We’d better get to Sickbay.” taking a limping step she realized that it hurt more that
what she thought. She groaned in pain, they stopped,
“This isn’t going to work..” changing his position he placed a hand under her knees,
lifting her into his arms. Shocked she couldn’t think of anything to say, she tried to
protest but he convinced her that it would be the best way. Retreating into his arms, she
still didn’t like the idea but realized that she didn’t really have a choice. With ease he
carried her through the corridors, cautiously watching for people and walls.
Arriving the Sickbay doors swished open, presenting the doctor tending to a cut
on the side of a security ensigns head. Kathryn looked at the young ensign, as Chakotay
put her down. He was suprised,
“C-Captain, Co-ommander” he said respectfully in his best attempt at a professional
voice. They smiled,
“Don’t worry ensign the Captain has just broken her ankle.” Chakotay informed, he
nodded to him as he swiftly left.
“What happened?” the doctor sighed. Kathryn hopped to a biobed being sure to place no
pressure on her ankle. She flushed trying despratly to hold back her guilty smile.
Chakotay tried to explain but he didn’t get far before the doctor stopped him,
“Nevermind, Commander let me see.” gently bringing her foot up to the biobed he
examined it carefully. “You defiantly did break it.” Kathryn’s body language gave the
pain away she didn’t have to say that it hurt. Signaling to the medical trolly to one side
he asked the commander to hand him one of the many re-generation devices the doctor
had presented there. Picking up the right one for the circumstance, he brought it back
and handed it to him. “It was a Holodeck accident again wasn’t it?” he asked
concentrating still on his patient.
“Well... it... yes but... it was...” trying to explain again, but the words just didn’t manage
to come out right. It was a Holodeck accident but it wasn’t really either of their
fault.
“I would assume that’s a yes.” placing down the instrument he backed away as Kathryn
began slowly to move it, “She’ll be fine, I’ve healed the bone and the surrounding tissue,
but she needs to keep as much off it as she can.”
“Thank-you doctor.” she said embarrassed, the doctor watched them walk out shaking
his head,
“They’ll be back..” he assured himself as the doors hissed shut.
She paused a moment waiting a moment for a few officers to pass and the cost
was clear,
“Thank-you Commander again for the wonderful time, for the broken ankle and the
laughter.” placing a hand on his chest she looked up at him, “I better get going, I have a
few reports to finish.” he hugged her to him before quickly releasing her as another
officer passed,
“I’m just glad your alright.”
“I’ll see you in the morning.” with a professional goodbye, Chakotay watched her try to
hide her limp as she walked down the corridor shaking her head. Smiling fondly at her as
she disappeared around the corner, he started his plans for the next solo suite adventure
they would go on, being sure not to cause any more broken ankles.
Written by Lynn Janeway
