Kathryn had changed into a flowing, cream colored dress with a soft floral rose-petal print. She had thought that perhaps it was the ugly grey turtleneck that Chakotay couldn't stand and well, the dress she had put on fit her mood much better. She pinched her cheeks and headed forward to exit her quarters but stopped abruptly when the doors wouldn't open.
"Computer," it beeped at her voice, "open my quarter doors."
"Unable to comply," it answered.
"Computer, use access code JanewayAlpha005," she stated but banged her fist against the wall when the computer was unable to comply once again. "Under who's authority," she started to ask the machine but stopped as the door swished open and she gasped, "Commander!"
"Under mine, Kathryn," he explained.
"Oh," she stated taken off guard a bit . . . he wasn't running from her . . . he wasn't telling her to behave . . . and she didn't think they were on their way back to sickbay.
"You look," Chakotay took notice of her clothes, "beautiful." He stated and frowned when Kathryn sobbed. "What? What did I say?"
"You don't want me!" she cried and Chakotay was just about ready to pull out his hair. He had done as Kes had said and what had happened . . "Why wouldn't I want you?" He yelled and felt ready to jump ship as a group of Ensigns walked by staring at his outburst. Finally it dawned on him, "Kathryn," he lead her inside to sit on the sofa, "just because all of a sudden I'm a little more open . . there's no need to worry. I *do* think you look beautiful in the dress . . . but you could be wearing a damn Starfleet jumper and one pip and I'd think you were the most beautiful thing in my life." He wondered if she would remember this later, and he wasn't certain if it were a good thing or not. All the same, he hugged her for a long while as the stars flew past the window.
He wasn't prepared when Kathryn leaned forward and gently kissed him on the cheek, lacking the craze and frenzy he had experienced before. "Thank you," she said. He wondered if perhaps all anyone needed, in one anomaly-state or another, was *understanding* and *time*, time to slow down and really look at all of those who surrounded and completed the Voyager infrastructure on a daily basis. They had been so caught up in Starfleet procedure, protocol, dancing around their very humanity to the sound of machines humming that it had taken a spacial anomaly to remind them of who they *truly* were.
"Come on," he grabbed her hand gently and lead her up.
"And where are we off to 'Oh Commander, My Commander?" She pulled him closer to her, loving the feel of his hips against hers.
"The bridge, we've got a date with a spacial anomaly," he said.
"Okay, let's all play a game," Kathryn said to the bridge crew. She was extremely happy to be sitting back on the bridge by Chakotay.
Chakotay watched Tom trying to keep a straight face and glared in Paris' direction with a silent message that said, 'Don't encourage her.'
"And what game would that be, Captain?" Paris, obviously enjoying watching Chakotay fidget and the Captain flirt outwardly, for once, encouraged as much as he could.
Kathryn ginned and gathering up the flowing skirt to her dress leaned over the console separating the two commanding chairs and said, "The person with the most pips gets a kiss. What do you say, Commander?"
"You're not wearing any pips, Captain." He stated and smirked as she fingered her neck where the pips should've been. "I'd also say that that would be unfair," he teased.
"Aww, Commander," Paris started.
"Don't go there, Paris," Chakotay clenched his teeth but had to bear the rest.
"Doesn't our Captain deserve something for what her rank burdens her shoulder's with," he questioned. "And what lovely shoulders they are," he remarked at the sleeveless dress. He was waiting for Chakotay to stand up and sock him one but what happened next was worse.
"Chakotay to the Doctor," he said and tried to ignore the glances he was getting from the bridge crew.
"Doctor here," responded the voice, "don't tell me you're *already* sending the Captain back? What did she do this time?"
"No, no," Chakotay winked at Kathryn who looked relieved and turned an evil smile towards Paris, "go ahead and release B'Elanna to the bridge. We need more than one test subject up here."
Paris slammed his head into the Piloting console quite noticeably when the doctor's voice, filled with smug satisfaction said, "With pleasure, Commander! EMH Out."
Harry burst out laughing from behind Chakotay but quickly quieted . . . he wasn't going to risk his glutamus maximus . . . in more ways than one.
Paris sighed as the bridge door swished open and B'Elanna arrived, "Five minutes to the anomaly, and T minus four seconds to my death." B'Elanna's arms wrapped around his neck in a strangling grasp, "Hey Helm-boy, remember me?" B'Elanna laughed.
"Can't I be released to the brig, Commander?" Paris gasped and Captain Kathryn Janeway laughed.
CONTINUED IN PART 12!
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