SUMMARY: It was the wedding of the year, but the couple concerned isn’t so sure it was the right thing the morning after.
RATING: NC-17
DISCLAIMER: Paramount owns the characters but they voluntarily gave up the rights of the story to me because they’d never do something like this.
“Hmm.”
“Yes.”
“Unbelievable.”
“Who’d have thought?”
Chakotay rolled onto his side and stared at his wife of one day. “Somehow I thought it would have been different.”
She reached out and grasped his hand under the sheet. “I didn’t. No,” she continued seeing his startled expression. “Let me explain. What I mean is that I thought it would be the same as it was all those years ago.”
He smiled sadly, even as he looked into her eyes. “That was another world away.”
“Correction, Chakotay,” she grinned. “That was another galaxy away. Sometimes I don’t know what I was thinking to end it like that when we got back to Voyager.”
“You were thinking of the ship, Kathryn,” he told her quietly. “You were thinking of getting the crew home. And although I didn’t like it at times I understood completely.”
“But we lost…”
“I know.”
Kathryn lay back down, flinging an arm over her forehead. “Maybe I just remembered it wrong. Maybe I just imagined it was that amazing before.”
“In that case I’ve got similar memory problems." He too lay back down. “Its not that it was bad…”
“Oh no,” Kathryn cut in hurriedly. “It could never be bad, not with you.”
“It just seems…”
“Missing that spark.”
“Yeah.”
They lay in silence for a while, reflecting upon the night that had passed. They had been married just the day before, a whirlwind romance that Kathryn felt free to indulge in now that they had completed their journey back to Earth. Chakotay had been only too happy to pick up where they had left off so many years ago on an uninhabited planet that they had temporarily made home on. He had immediately proposed, she had immediately accepted and three days later they had been married. Last night the marriage had been consummated, after all those years of abstinence, and while the sex had been comfortable, and relaxed it had not exactly been the passionate flame they had hoped for.
“Do you regret this?” Chakotay asked hesitantly.
She propped herself up on her elbow again, facing him. “No, Chakotay,” she almost cried out. “How could I? I’ve not only married my best friend but I’ve also put a rest to my mother’s and Tom Paris’ incessant mutterings about getting married. What could be better?” She paused. “What about you?”
“No. No regrets. Kathryn, I love you and I’m still overjoyed to be spending the rest of my life with you.”
I love you too. And right now I’m rather enjoying this, just lying here with you.”
“Yeah?” He reached out an arm behind her, pulling her close to him. “I think I am too.” He kissed her forehead. “So, still want to go on the honeymoon?”
She laughed. “I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. Can you?”
Three days later Kathryn was relaxing on a secluded beach, book in one hand, glass of wine in the other and her best friend lazing beside her. Pausing in her reading she turned to look down at her companion as he lay, seemingly sound asleep, on the golden sand. He looked so content with life and she sighed as she thought at how life had turned out for the both of them.
It had been somewhat of a relief when Chakotay, B’Elanna and the other former Maquis had been exonerated of their crimes; free to go where they chose, able to keep their field commissions should they choose to. For so long, Kathryn had worried that events would not go in their favour, that she would end up failing this portion of her crew one last time. But when the Starfleet tribunal announced their verdict she experienced a reawakening of her faith in the organisation to which she had belonged for so long. It had been no surprise when Chakotay announced his intention to retire and she had accepted the rank of Admiral gladly, knowing she could never have another first officer at her side.
And now she was married to the best first officer she had ever had the privilege to serve with. She and Chakotay would always be bound to each other and she loved him dearly. It was the strength of their friendship that would keep them together, not the quality of the sex.
Her chuckle at that thought was enough to rouse Chakotay from his slumbers. “What is it?” he asked sleepily.
She shook her head. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about all that life throws at us.”
“Its thrown a lot, that’s for certain,” he agreed, catching a glance up at the darkening sky. “And it’s going to throw us one hell of a rainstorm if we’re not careful.”
“Rain?”
Now it was his turn to laugh. “Kathryn, you can be so oblivious at times. Those clouds are rain clouds. I thought you’d know that.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t take much notice of them, I guess. They look too far off.”
“They’re closer than they seem, trust me.” He stood up slowly and brushed the sand off him. It rained down upon the ground, the grains soon lost in the stretch of gold. “Come on, time to go home.”
The cabin they had rented was private; no other residence was in sight. Kathryn’s face had lit up when she had first seen the log structure. It was perfect as a honeymoon location, even if it was now not strictly that kind of a vacation. But it was a vacation, away from the bureaucracy of Statfleet and she was determined to make the most of it. It was small in size, one concise living area with a small kitchenette attached, one bedroom with a large bed, and the bathroom. By far her favourite areas though were the decks that were accessed from the front and from the bedroom. The first few mornings she had woken before her husband and slipped out the door onto the rear deck. He had discovered her there each time, looking and feeling completely relaxed.
“Dinner’s ready,” he called through. Tonight she was sat on the front deck, safe under the eaves of the cabin, watching the rain pour down. At the sound of his voice she turned her head towards the inside. “Are you coming?” he continued.
She stood up slowly. “I guess. I don’t suppose you’d pick tonight to poison me when you could have done it the past two.”
Chakotay laughed. “Maybe I’m just biding my time.”
Life was good, she reflected, as they ate their meal in companionable silence. There was nowhere else she’d rather be, no one else she’d rather be with. If it had been a mistake to marry then it was the best mistake she had ever made, one that she would never regret. Just being with this man completed her.
Later, as they sat on the couch, close together, she delighted in his embrace. For so long she had gone without but now she was free to do as she pleased. Instinctively she snuggled in closer to him, resting her cheek against his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath, hearing his heartbeat pulse deep within him.
He rested his head gently upon hers, and then angled it down, brushing his lips gently across her hair.
It was all that was needed.
Kathryn turned her head up to face him, and their lips met. Tentatively at first, but the feelings grew unexpectedly as their arms wrapped around each other. Not knowing quite what was happening clothing was stripped as Chakotay lay her down on the couch, leaning over her, his mouth now departing hers and kissing his way down to her breasts. She let out a moan as he took a turn suckling at each one, while his hands roamed around her waist and further.
She thrust a hand down between them to grasp at him, taking his length firmly in her hand, yet stroking him gently. He moaned, and then pushed her hand away, choosing instead to run a finger gently across her opening. This time their vocalisations were in unison. “So wet,” he whispered, as he inserted one finger inside her. She writhed under his ministrations, panting and breathing his name. When he placed a second finger inside her she felt her body begin a slow crescendo. The addition of a third finger, rubbing gently at her nub was enough to send her over.
“Now, Chakotay,” she finally hissed. “I need you now.”
“I know,” he whispered back, gazing deeply into her eyes. In one swift movement he leaned up onto his arms, positioning himself at her opening, letting himself rest there for a brief moment.
Her arms came around him. “Now,” she repeated, pulling him closer to her. With one thrust he was inside her, stilling briefly, before pulling out briefly and thrusting back in. Each movement caused her to cry out, until somewhere in her haze she realised that he was close, even as he was gently caressing her, bringing her towards her own completion.
With a combined cry they came, rising up before crashing back down on the couch. They lay there, catching their breaths, enjoying the silence that accompanied them.
The fire had been relit.
FINIS