by Dakota

"Hello. I'm your host, Katrine." Katrine went through her usual welcome for the evening's guests barely realizing what she was saying. Instead, her thoughts were on her plans for later that night after the club closed. "Now, for your listening pleasure, may I present le Coeur de Lion's best, our own August-Léon."

Katrine stepped back as the spotlight moved to catch the tall male singer. He waited while the small ensemble played the introduction then began singing. His warm rich voice flowed over the audience as they settled back to enjoy the show. Katrine smiled knowing that if they were well pleased, they would stay for the second set later in the evening and during the break would be liberal with their money at the bar.

Sighing, Katrine moved off stage and into her office where Brigette and Tuvok would be waiting for her to review their plans. She thought they could get through everything before Léon finished this set. At least she would be saved arguing with him while the others waited.

Thirty minutes later, Katrine had finished with Brigette and Tuvok and was working on the accounts for her establishment. Most of the profits from le Coeur de Lion were being used to support the resistance. She didn't look up as Léon quietly entered her office and walked around the desk to stand next to her.

"You went over the plans without me?" There was a touch of irritation in his voice and his tone indicated that it wasn't really a question. Katrine stopped writing but didn't look up.

"Yes."

"I don't think you should be going, you know that."

"That's why we went over them without you. I am going." She put the pen down with a finality that matched her tone of voice.

"It's too risky. Tuvok and I can handle this on our own."

"I'm going." Katrine finally looked up at the warm brown eyes that conveyed concern more than anything else. "You're going to be right there so I don't know why you're so worried."

"You know why. If we're caught, the Germans will kill us if we're lucky. If we're not lucky, I won't be able to protect you."

"You do your job and you won't have to worry about protecting me. I have to talk to the Americans." Katrine understood his concern but she stood firm. "Now, do you agree or do you stay behind?"

Léon sighed and nodded. "I'll follow your orders but my priority if we confront any Germans is your safety."

Katrine didn’t push for more. She believed him and trusted him with her life. She laughed to herself. She'd better trust him – he'd been sleeping in her bed for the last three weeks.

"You only have fifteen more minutes before the next set, so go rest for a few minutes."

"Come with me."

"What?"

"Come to my dressing room with me." His smile was warm and inviting.

"Now?" Kathryn pretended to misunderstand.

"Yes, now."

"Oh, no. You're not pulling that one on me again. We have to stay on schedule tonight or we'll miss our rendezvous with the American officer. Now, go rest. I'll see you backstage in ten minutes."

"Yes, ma'am." Léon bent his head down to kiss Katrine before he left.

Three hours later, Tuvok moved ahead to scout the area as Léon and Katrine waited in the shadows of an old barn north of Sainte Claire. The moon was bright when the clouds moved aside but luck had been with them tonight – there were many clouds to block its beams. Léon would have preferred having Katrine out alone on such a night for other reasons. His thoughts were interrupted when Tuvok moved out of the shadows.

"I did not see anyone. They are late."

"Relax, old friend. They have to take care. Not only do they have to hide from the prying eyes of the Germans, but from the local people as well. Let's move behind that smaller building. It's farther from the road and closer to the trees." Katrine spoke quietly and with a calm efficiency that would have told a stranger why she was the leader of the resistance in Sainte Claire.

They didn't have long to wait before they heard a rustle in the trees and saw a shadow move.  Léon quickly moved between the noise and Katrine. A person stepped out of the shadows with his arms extended at waist lever.

"I'm not armed." The accent was definitely American.

"Relax, Léon. He's the one we came to meet." Katrine stepped around a still tense Léon. "Welcome. Let's sit next to the barn and you can tell us what you need."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"We haven't killed you yet and if we were Germans, you'd be on your way to our interrogation rooms. Now, do we waste time and risk drawing the attention of our 'liberators' or do we do business?" Katrine cut right to the issue. The young American accepted her statement and stepped forward.

"I'm Katrine. This is August-Léon."

"Hi, Katie. Good to meet ya, Gus. I'm Bobby Miller." Not realizing that Léon was ready to punch him, the tall blond quickly got down to business describing what the Americans needed from the Resistance in Sainte Claire. Thirty minutes later, he disappeared back into the trees and Tuvok rejoined them. Quickly Katrine updated Tuvok on the discussion before the three started back for town.

On the outskirts of Sainte Claire, Tuvok turned off on a side street leaving the others to make their way to the restaurant. As soon as the door closed behind them, Katrine broke the silence.

"I told you there was no need to worry."

"And I told you I would worry anyway. This way at least I didn't have to sit and wait." Léon pulled Katrine into his arms and smiled. "Only when I hold you do I stop worrying about your safety."

"I'm not so sure I'm safe when you hold me."

"You could be right. Would you rather I let you go?" He loosened his hold and took half a step back.

"Who said I wanted to be safe?" Katrine closed the distance and pulled his head down to brush his lips with hers. "Now let's get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow if we're to keep our promise to the Americans."

Three days later, the neural interlinks were broken and all of Voyager's crew remembered who they were and what had happened while the Hirogens controlled the ship. Twenty-four hours after that, the holo-emitters had been blown out and a truce declared. Three weeks later, Voyager had established an orbit in an asteroid belt of a G type star with no inhabited planets while repairs were made. The damage from the fighting with the Hirogens had been extensive and every person who had any knowledge of engineering or a strong back was assisting B'Elanna's teams. The few who were assigned to running the ship during repairs were standing double watches.

Chakotay had spent three days reworking the roster so everyone could get some sleep without interfering with the repairs and the weeks since making sure everyone actually got some sleep.  Kathryn had disappeared to engineering and not made an appearance on the bridge while he was there during the three weeks. Chakotay had seen Kathryn only twice in the three weeks. The first was when she told him he was running the ship until repairs were finished. The second was when he went to find her when she had gone 36 hours without sleep. After that, she had made sure he knew she spent at least six hours out of every twenty-four in her quarters purportedly sleeping.

If the first hadn't convinced Chakotay she was trying to avoid him, the second would have. It was three weeks since they left the Hirogen and the only time the captain had set foot on the bridge was when he was sleeping. Chakotay knew they had to talk and the longer they put it off, the harder it would be for both of them.

Chakotay kept track of her visits to the bridge for a few days and realized she always checked his location before she went. He instructed the computer to alert him the next time she checked his location when he was in his quarters. Less than twenty-four hours later, the computer advised Chakotay that the captain had checked his location. Chakotay smiled. If he was careful, he could arrive on the bridge only a few minutes after she did.

His timing was perfect. Tuvok had just finished updating Kathryn when Chakotay stepped off the turbolift. Even Tuvok had trouble not reacting to the look on Kathryn's face when she saw Chakotay. Then she flushed and started toward the lift.

"I was just leaving, Commander."

"If you don't mind, I'd like to discuss something with you in your ready room, Captain."

Excuses raced through Kathryn's mind but she didn't voice any of them – the look on Chakotay's face was determined. She knew he was prepared to push the issue in front of the others.  Quickly she weighed the advantages of the ready room over the alternatives and chose the ready room.

"As you wish, Commander." She turned on her heel and headed for the ready room before he could respond. She had enough of a lead that the door slid shut behind her before he could follow her in. Unwilling to give her too much of an advantage, he punched the code for access rather than the chime for permission to enter. Kathryn was already sipping a cup of coffee when he walked in.

"What was it you wanted to discuss, Commander?"

"Katrine and Léon."

"They don't exist; there's nothing to discuss."

"Then why have you avoided me the last three weeks? Why have you not even come to the bridge once while I was on duty?" Kathryn started to reply, but Chakotay interrupted her. "Don't tell me you had to work that many hours or that it was just coincidence because we both know that's not true."

"Katrine and Léon don't exist."

"We were Katrine and Léon and we do exist. For nearly three weeks, you slept in my arms and I remember every one of those nights."

"That was Katrine. The Hirogen programmed that into the simulation."

"No, they didn't. A few days after the Hirogens left, Tom and I had a long discussion. He was very concerned about what B'Elanna might have gone through but was afraid to ask her. We talked a long time and he finally decided that he would ask her. A few days later, he told me that she didn't remember more than the German was the father of her baby.

"I also talked to B'Elanna. She remembers another man being the singer before they added me to that simulation and he wasn't involved with Katrine. Our relationship was not something that was part of the simulation. Think about it. I did nothing that I wouldn't have done if I'd had my memories and no one I've talked to can remember doing anything they wouldn't have done. If you're honest, I think you would say the same thing – except for finally allowing yourself to get close to me."

"If I had had my memories, I would never have done that. We both know that." Kathryn turned away. "This isn't getting us anywhere."

"Sure it is. We're talking which is more than we've done for over three weeks but we still have a few things to sort out."

"Like what?"

"Like how you really feel about those three weeks when Starfleet and the responsibility for this ship weren't the most important things in your life. Like how you feel about the memories of those three weeks."

Why don't you tell me how you feel?" If Kathryn hoped that Chakotay would back down, she was disappointed.

"Ok. First of all, I would not walk away from my responsibilities to this ship or this crew but I've never thought that carrying out my responsibilities meant I couldn't have a personal life or long term relationship. My responsibilities in that simulation weren't all that different than they are here and neither were yours.

"As for our three weeks together, well the times we shared were some of the best in my life, certainly the best since we met the Caretaker. I was happy those three weeks, Kathryn. Not because I had a woman in my arms but because I held you in my arms. I love you, Kathryn. I've danced around saying that for years but for those three weeks, I didn't have to dance.

"Do you realize that Katrine set the same kind of rules on me that you would on Voyager? No public displays of affection, no allowing personal considerations to interfere with what had to be done. Everyone working with us in the resistance knew about Katrine and Léon and it didn't affect her ability to lead the group or carry out the underground's activities."

Kathryn had kept her back turned while Chakotay spoke. She remained motionless as she considered what he had said but didn't respond.

"Now, tell me how you feel, and don't try to lie. If there is one thing I learned during those three weeks, it was more about you."

"Why don't you tell me if you're so all knowing?"

"I don't know what the truth is, but I will know if you try to lie to me. What do you feel about those three weeks?"

Kathryn turned to Chakotay. "All right! You want the truth? Well, I'll tell you. I was happy, too. And I'm miserable now. I have to walk away from what we shared because I know you won't. I have to hurt the man I love and pretend that we're nothing more than friends for who knows how many more years.

"Last week, I was checked again by the doctor. My boosters had expired and I needed to know whether I was pregnant. I'm not, which is the answer I wanted, but I went back to my quarters and cried myself to sleep anyway."

Kathryn was nearly in tears as she turned away again.

"I can't fight you on this, Chakotay. When I need strength and support, you are where I find it. If you ask me to continue where Katrine and Léon left off, I won't be able to say 'no'."

Chakotay walked over to Kathryn and turned her to face him before pulling her into his arms. Kathryn wrapped her arms around his waist and let the tears flow. When the tears finally stopped and she was breathing normally again, Chakotay tipped her chin up with one hand.

"Say the words for me, Kathryn."

"I love you."

Chakotay sighed and hugged her closer before kissing her hair. Then he gently pushed her away from him.

"I won't ask for what you don't want to give, not until we're back in the Alpha Quadrant. In return, I want you to promise me that if you ever change your mind, you will tell me."

Kathryn only nodded.

"Never doubt my love, Kathryn, no matter what happens."

"I won't. Thank you."

With those few words, Chakotay turned and left the ready room. Kathryn walked over to the view port and let the tears fall again.

Four months later, Voyager was again dancing among the stars, avoiding the unfriendly inhabitants of some systems, making friends with those of another, searching for raw materials they needed, trading for those they couldn't find on their own. Life was much as it had been before the encounter with the Hirogens for everyone including the captain and first officer. Even Tom, the expert observer, could tell no difference in their behavior. The only thing that could be considered different was that every once in a while, they looked at each other as if sharing some secret.

Chakotay was surprised at how easily he fell back into the relationship he had shared so long with Kathryn. He was doing it for her and had expected to find it difficult but he hadn't. Perhaps it was knowing that she felt the same as he did about the situation or perhaps it was because he finally knew that she loved him. Whatever the reason she seemed happy.

Chakotay stopped at the entrance to the holodeck. Kathryn had scheduled it and asked him down to give his opinion on a program. He entered and paused. He knew this program but thought he'd never see it again. He was on the streets of Sainte Claire. There were no holocharacters in sight so he continued toward the restaurant where he had spent so much time, all the while wondering what Kathryn was doing.

Chakotay walked into Katrine's to find it empty except for Kathryn. She was seated at a table with two glasses and a bottle of wine. She looked up as he entered and watched him as he crossed the room.

"Sit down, Chakotay." She motioned to the bottle. "Would you care to do the honors?"

"If you wish. Do you mind if I ask what it is we are celebrating? We are celebrating, aren't we?"

Chakotay was busy with the bottle and pouring the wine, so he wasn't able to watch Kathryn's face.

"No, I don't mind and yes, we are celebrating. I've been coming back here every week or so and last week was the first time I truly felt comfortable with the surroundings. We're celebrating the fact that I've finally come to terms with everything that happened in this simulation."

"I'm glad, Kathryn." Chakotay lifted his glass. "To Katrine and Léon, may all our memories of them be happy ones."

"To Katrine and Léon." Kathryn echoed his words and sipped her wine. "Dance with me?"

"With pleasure."

Chakotay stood and helped Kathryn to her feet. She instructed the computer to play dance music from the era and stepped close to him. For nearly twenty minutes they danced without talking. Finally, Kathryn stopped and headed back to the table. Chakotay followed her and held her chair before sitting down.

"Has it been hard for you leaving this behind?" Kathryn's question surprised Chakotay.

"Surprisingly, no. I'm not sure why but I think it's because I know you love me and it's what you want."

"It's been hard for me and it's not getting easier with time."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Ask me to pick up where Katrine and Léon left off."

"I promised you I wouldn't do that."

"And I promised you I'd let you know if I changed my mind. Well, I have."

"I still won't do it." Chakotay's voice was firm. "Katrine and Léon are behind us."

Kathryn's eyes expressed her pain until Chakotay continued. "I will ask you to let Chakotay and Kathryn act on their feelings. I love you, Kathryn. I want us to have what they had."

Kathryn nodded. "So do I. My memories of Sainte Claire will always be bittersweet, but I will treasure them because they brought us together."

Kathryn stood and waited for Chakotay to stand. "Computer, end program."

Hand in hand, Kathryn and Chakotay left Sainte Claire for the last time.