by Dakota

Chakotay sat with a group from Voyager listening to Tom try to talk Harry into trying a local brew. Harry was resisting and just as Chakotay was about to tell Tom to leave Harry alone, his eye was caught by someone entering the bistro. He allowed himself to smile slightly as Kathryn stopped and scanned the room obviously looking for someone.

Chakotay glanced around and decided she was probably looking for him. He wondered why she had made the trip to the planet instead of asking him to return to the ship.

Chakotay was on his feet as she stopped. "Captain."

"As you were, people." Kathryn smiled as she slipped past Chakotay and sat on the bench seat then slid over to make room for him. She looked up at him. "I'll have a glass of wine."

Chakotay signaled the server and sat down next to Kathryn. Everyone at the table was silent as they stared at their captain. Kathryn looked around.  "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Captain. We just weren't expecting you." Tom tried to cover the awkward question.

"I'm sorry. Would you rather I leave?" Kathryn pushed against Chakotay but he didn't move.

"No, of course not." B'Elanna sounded more sincere that Tom had. "You just surprised us."

"I'm glad you're here, Captain." Harry sounded relieved as he stared pointedly at Tom.

Someone farther down the table made a comment that had most of them laughing at Tom's expense. The conversation slowly returned to its previous topic. The server brought Kathryn her wine and refreshed drinks for several others. 

"To Voyager!" Tom's voice rang out.

"To Voyager!" The rest of the crowd echoed the sentiment, clinked glasses with those near them and drank.

"To Voyager!" Tom repeated the toast.

"To Voyager!" The echo was just as cheerful as glasses clinked around the table again.

Kathryn turned to Chakotay in confusion. "Why are we drinking to our ship?"

Chakotay smiled but kept his voice down as he explained. "I guess you missed the reason Tom got this little group together. We're celebrating the anniversary of some early space missions. It's been four hundred years since Voyager I and Voyager II were launched from Earth."

"That's two missions. Why didn't he just celebrate the first one?"

"It seems he wanted to celebrate the first launch but that was Voyager 2."

"The first launch was Voyager 2?"

"Voyager 1 launched about two weeks later." Chakotay smiled at Kathryn's confusion. "I think the real reason he's celebrating both missions is it means he can double up on the toasts all evening."

"Sounds like Tom."

"Well, I suppose we're lucky he decided on the Voyager missions. If we had been about six weeks later arriving here for shore leave, we'd probably be celebrating the 400th anniversary of the final test of the Enterprise."

"Enterprise?" Kathryn was puzzled again. "Oh, now I remember. The prototype for the old space shuttle program."

"That would have led to honoring the first true space pilot. Can you imagine how Tom would have been celebrating that?"

"I don't even want to think about it."

"Hey! Are you two going to be part of this or are you going to whisper together all evening?" Tom's voice interrupted the discussion.

Chakotay looked up and smile. "Sorry, Tom. I was just telling the captain what this little party is all about."

Tom looked like he was about to say something but something in the captain's eye told him that getting on with the party would be a better idea. Harry asked a question about the Voyager missions and Tom started off on a lengthy explanation of the problems they had with the ships near Saturn.

A few more late arrivals joined them, forcing those on the bench to move closer together. Kathryn obligingly slid closer to Chakotay as the new arrivals pushed into the booth. Chakotay had to put his arm along the back of the bench. Most of the group had another round of drinks and ordered some appetizers.

Chakotay noticed the Delaney sisters coming in the door just as Kathryn turned to speak to him quietly. "Did you eat dinner before you left Voyager?"

"No. I had planned to eat here but hadn't gotten around to it yet."

"Let's go find someplace quiet to eat. This group will have a better time without us."

"I had planned on making sure they didn't get carried away."

"Well, Tuvok is on duty. He can deal with them if they do." Kathryn glanced down the table. "It's about time his friends learned to tell Tom 'no' anyway."

Chakotay stared at Kathryn. She looked back at him. "Or would you rather not join me for dinner?"

"Of course I'd like to join you for dinner." Chakotay wasn't sure what to think of Kathryn's suggestion. She smiled at his response and his questions seemed pointless. Kathryn shoved against him and he was on his feet smiling.

"Then let's get going." Kathryn was on her feet before she finished speaking.

In the confusion caused by the arrival of the Delaney sisters, Kathryn and Chakotay slipped away from the group. Chakotay was surprised when she led him out the door instead of into the bistro's dining room. As they moved along the sidewalk, Kathryn slipped her arm through his and leaned her head on his arm.

"Is everything all right, Kathryn?" Chakotay finally asked the question that had been on his mind ever since she had walked into the bistro.

"Yes, why do you ask?" Kathryn's voice was an interesting cross between nostalgia and exasperation.

"It's not like you to get away from your duties without a fuss."

"I suppose not." Kathryn sighed. "I finally decided that you were right about a lot of things so I thought a little time off the ship with the crew and dinner with you might not be such a bad idea."

"Was it?"

"A bad idea?" Kathryn teased him. "No, it's been a very good idea."

Chakotay smiled at her. "Mind telling me where we're going?"

"The trade minister's assistant recommended a restaurant in a hotel near here. I thought we might give it a try."

Chakotay glanced at their uniforms. "Sounds pretty fancy. Are we dressed for it?"

"The assistant assured me our uniforms were appropriate. The restaurant's dining room evidently gets a lot of off-world travelers."

They continued to chat comfortably as they walked and were soon walking into the foyer of the hotel. Kathryn put a slight pressure on Chakotay's arm to indicate the direction of the restaurant. Chakotay wondered how she knew the location.

"Were you here earlier?"

"I stopped to make sure I had the directions right." Kathryn made light of his question and they slowed near the maître d'. His greeting was warm and Chakotay could have sworn he smiled ever so slightly at Kathryn before turning to lead them across the room to a secluded table for two. Kathryn smiled and thanked him as she sat down.

Chakotay sat down and studied the room briefly. It was busy but not crowded. Most of the patrons were gathered near the bar. Their table could only be described as intimate. He turned to find Kathryn watching him. Before he could say anything, the waiter appeared with their first course.

"What's going on, Kathryn?"

She toyed with her food for a while before turning guilty eyes to meet his. "I just stopped in before I went to look for you and ordered our meal. I wanted it to be my treat tonight and I knew if I didn't arrange things ahead of time, you would insist on paying for dinner." She smiled at him. "Forgive me?"

Chakotay's slight irritation faded. "There's nothing to forgive. In fact, I'm flattered that you went to so much trouble."

"It was no trouble." Kathryn's smile was wide. "You do so much for me, I just wanted to do something nice for you."

They ate their meal sharing short anecdotes and exchanging light teasing. A band began playing when their desserts were served, but Kathryn had finished less than half of hers when she put down her fork and touched Chakotay’s hand. “Dance with me?”

Chakotay looked her in the eyes for long seconds then nodded slightly. He stood and held out his hand. "My pleasure, Kathryn."

Kathryn stood, put her hand in his and followed him to the small dance floor. Chakotay wasn’t sure what she had in mind but he was going to enjoy it. He turned to face her, placing one hand in the small of her back.

They danced in silence.

When the song ended, Kathryn made no move to leave the floor. The next song was much slower. She surprised Chakotay when she moved closer to him slipping the hand that had been on his shoulder to the back of his neck. As the song played, Kathryn pressed closer to Chakotay.

Finally, the music stopped and the band seemed to be taking a break. Kathryn stood on her toes and whispered in Chakotay's ear. "I have a room here at the hotel. Please, will you share it with me tonight?"

Chakotay felt half a dozen emotions rush over him. "What exactly is going on?"

"I'm finally doing what I've wanted to do for a very long time." Kathryn's voice was trembling. "Will you?"

Chakotay nodded and turned toward the door with Kathryn tucked under his arm. Their waiter and the maître d' smiled as they passed. Chakotay barely noticed them. All his attention was on the woman at his side.

Chakotay scarcely noticed the walk through the halls of the hotel. They slipped inside the door of Kathryn's room and she turned into his arms immediately lifting her head to kiss him. Chakotay met her lips eagerly. His lips explored her face as his hands moved over her body. Finally, he set her away from him.

"Is this for tonight alone or the beginning of something more?" Chakotay stared into her eyes demanding an answer even though he knew the answer did not matter. He would stay.

Kathryn didn't seem upset by his question. She took his hands in hers and stepped back so he could see the room. "Look around the room, Chakotay. The answer is here."

Chakotay was completely confused but did as she told him. He studied the room in detail. Along one was there was a large four-poster bed with a canopy. Two lamps located on tables on either side of the bed were the only source of light in the room. The white spread was folded neatly on a chair in the corner and the blankets turned back. The dark wallpaper behind the bed had a border of planets and moons that followed the vaulted ceiling over the bed.  A large tub in the corner was the most unusual thing in the room but it provided no answer to his question.

Confused, Chakotay turned back to Kathryn. "I'm sorry. I don't see the answer to my question, Kathryn."

"I love you, Chakotay."

"I love you, too, but you haven't answered my question."

"Look at the lamps, Chakotay."

Chakotay looked again and shook his head.

Kathryn grinned at him before she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him close. She laughed slightly before she whispered in his ear.

"It's not a one nightstand room."