Chakotay finished collecting the last of the plates and cups that had been strewn around their room and put them in the recycler.  It had been quite a party but it had been worth it!  His eyes caught Kathryn's as she emerged from the boys' bedroom.

"They're finally quiet.  I thought they'd never settle down."  She spoke in a lowered voice as if afraid saying it would make it a lie.

"They're probably asleep already.  Remember how the girls were after their parties at that age?"

"You're right, I just don't want to take any chances of waking them."  Kathryn policed the room while they spoke and snagged one last napkin from between the cushions of a chair.  "You missed something."

Chakotay smiled.  "You can clean up next year's birthday party and I'll put the boys to bed if my skills are so unsatisfactory."

Kathryn immediately changed tactics.  "No!  No, that's not how I meant it.  I was just trying to help you.  You still handle these things better than I do."

"You too tired to sit and talk with an old man for a while?"

"I don't suppose I could have coffee while we talk?"

"Decaf coffee or herbal tea."

"I'll take the tea and yes, I'd love to spend a few minutes just talking to my old man."

Chakotay got them both tea from the replicator and intentionally didn't mention that the captain wanted to be part of the conversation, too.  He joined Kathryn on the couch, settling next to her with his arm around her shoulders before sighing contentedly.  He had everything he had ever wanted and now here he was, asking for more.

"I thought you wanted to talk to me.  You're being awfully quiet."

"I do, but I just wanted to enjoy being with you for a few minutes.  I hardly ever see you anymore."

"I know.  I miss you and our times together, too.  It's all these star clusters – there are just too many of them.  Don't say it, I know it will get even more crowded as we approach the center of the Galaxy.  All the meetings and travel negotiations are taking all your time."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you.  You made a deal with me, Kathryn, and I want to hold you to it."

"What deal?"

"The deal about your leave of absence.  I want you to come back as captain."

Chakotay waited trying to gauge Kathryn's reaction by her expression, but her years of working with T'Pel had taught her to mask her emotions very well.  Kathryn carefully set her cup on the table.

"Why?  Why do you want me back as captain?"

"After more than five years, I still think of Voyager as your ship.  I think the rest of the crew feel the same way.  Most of the officers still make comments about me denting your ship or a shuttle to lighten tense moments.  Your ship, not mine.  You're still the captain.

"Most of my reasons sound selfish, and they probably are.  I miss you on the bridge, as an officer.  The demands on my time are going to continue to increase and scheduling time with the kids is going to get harder and harder.  If you resume command, I'll at least have time with you even if it's only as officers.  That's good for us but not good for the children on a personal level.  To the extent that it's better for the entire crew, it will be better for them."  Kathryn looked at Chakotay trying to understand all the points he was making.  He grinned ruefully.  "Kathryn, this is one time when the officer and the husband have diametrically opposed interests.  Your husband doesn't want anything to change but the captain knows they must."

"What happens if I say no?"

"I'll have to make some changes in staffing.  To be honest, Tom and I have split the duties of First Officer between us while also doing the jobs of captain and Chief Helm Officer.  I'll have to assign a new department head for Helm and turn over all the duties of first officer to him.  It's getting too hectic in this part of space to do anything else.  Probably other similar changes will have to be made in the coming months."

"And if I say yes?"

"I'd get you started reading reports for the last month and summaries of major negotiations for the last year.  I'd tell Tuvok and Tom what is happening and the four of us would plan the transition.  Getting you caught up would take the most time.  You'd also be part of all future negotiations and be copied on all reports until we make the transition."

"Sounds like you have it all planned out."

"Not really, that's a very broad outline.  But you know as well as I do what needs to be done.  You'd also have to get the children used to you being on duty.  The boys have never known what it's like having both parents in command and Kay has probably forgotten.  Taylor might remember.  I keep telling myself that they would be in the same position as the other children if we were both on active duty, but I know that's not true.  The only children who come close to the circumstances ours would be in are the Parises', and B'Elanna is seldom off the ship for extended periods of time."

"That's the biggest question.  I took this leave to be with the children.  If I end it, I'll be leaving them in a situation that is worse than the one they had when I gave up active duty."

"Kathryn, they won't lose the five years you've spent with them.  They'll always have that.  You need to make this decision based on what you want, on what is best for Kathryn.  There's one more thing, another selfish reason, I haven't mentioned.  I miss my captain – the one in command who overloaded her ship and overworked her staff to save one more person, one more child from those prisons.  Don't misunderstand me, I love you, the person, no matter what you do, but I miss you on the bridge next to me."  Chakotay kissed her forehead then got up and carried their mugs of cold tea to the recycler.  "You don't have to decide tonight.  Take as long as you need."

Kathryn watched him walk across the room.  He was right; she knew that things on Voyager would have to change soon because of the increasing number of civilizations being encountered.  She also knew what he had not said, that if she didn't go back on active duty soon, it would be much worse for the command structure for her to do so later.  She knew what she had to do, wanted to do.

Kathryn joined Chakotay at the counter and touched him on the shoulder.  He turned to face her and pulled her into his arms.  He realized she had made her decision and was seeking comfort for what she was giving up; he just didn't know which decision she had made until she spoke.

"You'll have to help me make the children understand.  This is going to be so very difficult for them, especially the boys."

"Of course, Kathryn.  It will be good to have you back, Captain."

Three months later Chakotay followed Kathryn into their ready room.  He had yielded to her insistence on a co-captaincy arrangement, finally conceding that it might work.  He knew now that it wouldn't.  The problem wasn't with the captains – it simply was too confusing for the crew and the command codes.  The only thing he thought worked with the set-up was her not being able to toss him out of the ready room when she was losing an argument.  He got straight to the point when the door closed.

"Kathryn, this set up isn't working.  We are doing fine, so far, but it has the crew so confused they don't know what to do."

"We've had no major problems, have we?"

"No, nothing major.  But the little problems are driving the department heads crazy.  You suggest 'a', I suggest 'b' so they try to do both at the same time and the power is cut to the mess hall half an hour before lunch."

"If it's such a problem, why haven't you mentioned it?"

"I'm mentioning it now.  We need to end this co-captaincy thing, now.  It's not working and I'm perfectly happy to keep all the duties I have and be first officer instead of captain."

Kathryn was quiet, which confused Chakotay.  She usually had comments or questions and never hesitated to express her opinion to him.  "What's wrong, Kathryn?  You're not telling me something."

"You're right.  The real reason I wanted this co-captaincy is that I don't want to demote you.  You've earned those pips and worn them for five years and you should keep them."

"That's what this is all about?  Why didn't you say something earlier?  When was the last time you read the Regs?"

"What?"

"I never thought too much about it when you came back on duty, but I guess I should have.  There is no restriction against having more than one person with any rank on board a ship.  Custom is to put only one captain on active duty on a ship at a time and to make that person captain of the ship, but there is no reason the first officer can't have the rank of captain.  Think about it; if Harry were in command of the ship, during that command he would be the captain even though he did not have the rank.  The rank and the position are separate; they just usually coincide."

"And this wouldn't confuse the crew more?"

"No.  It's having two people at the identical level in the chain of command that's the problem.  If I'm first officer, you are above me in the chain of command."

"Which leaves us with two first officers and the problem repeats on that level."

"Not really.  I outrank Tom, so there is no question about relative rank in the chain of command between us. Besides, he can be second officer without changing anything if you insist."

"You're sure about this?"

"Absolutely.  So, do you agree?"

"All right.  Get the paperwork organized for me."

Chakotay handed her a padd with completed papers ready for her signature.  He thought for a moment that she was going to throw the padd at him.

"How did you know I'd agree?"

"You always make the decision that's best for the crew and the ship.  I might not have convinced you today, but I would have tomorrow, or the day after that."

"You'd have flat out resigned if I hadn't agreed, wouldn’t you?"

"I would have considered it, yes."

"It's a good thing you're an excellent officer or I might resent you taking that approach."

"Well, until you sign those forms, I'm still captain of Voyager, too.  So sign away so you can throw me out of your ready room."  Kathryn smiled at his words knowing she would enjoy having that authority again, but not sure she would use it.  Quickly she signed the forms and handed them back to Chakotay.  As he turned to leave, she spoke.

"Captain, you're not dismissed yet."

"I'm not?"

"No, I find it very convenient having you working in here with me.  There's plenty of room and Tom is well established in the first officer's office.  You and I will continue to share the captain's office and ready room.  Any questions?"

"Just one.  Where do I go when you throw me out of 'our' ready room?"

"You don't go anywhere; you just get to work at your desk unless you have things you can do on the bridge.  Agreed?"

"Agreed, Captain."