by Dakota

"You still love me?" Kathryn looked up at Chakotay through tear-stained eyes.

"I was mad at you. That doesn't mean I feel any differently about you." Chakotay comforted Kathryn. "You're a part of my life. I wouldn't know what to do without you."

"How do you mean?"

"You're like…" Chakotay's eyes scanned the room and stopped at the dining room table with the remains of his solitary dinner. "You're like bread."

"Bread?" Kathryn's outrage nearly made her leave the room.

"You're a staple of my life. You're part of my day, in the morning, during our break at noon, in the evening. You make everything a little better. Your kisses are sweet like bread with jam. You soak up my sorrow like bread in gravy. You go well with just about everything but you're best when you're just you."

Kathryn considered his words. "Chakotay, I know you mean well but that is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. You ever compare me to bread again and you're toast."

Chakotay had a sheepish look as he stared into Kathryn's eyes. "Yeah, you're right, it is dumb, but that was all on the spur of the moment. Give me a day or two and I'll turn it into something worthy of an ancient legend."

"Maybe you should give up on the words tonight and let your actions speak for you." Kathryn wrapped her arms around his neck making sure he took her advice.