by Dakota

"You have the bridge, Commander. I'll be in my ready room." Kathryn stood as Chakotay made his way from the helm to his chair.

"Aye, Captain." Chakotay didn’t meet her eyes as he took her chair.

Kathryn was at the replicator holding a cup of coffee before she realized that she had no idea why she had left the bridge when her goal was in sight – literally. Earth had hung like a big blue marble on the main screen. She glanced out the view port but was on the wrong side of the ship to see Earth even if it had been visible at this distance. Slowly she walked to her desk considering the last seven years. It seemed like an eternity since she had gazed at familiar stars but only yesterday that she had walked the corridors of Voyager at the Utopia Planetia shipyards.

Kathryn stared at the walls of her ship. Voyager was only seven years old but carried the scars of a much older ship. Kathryn only hoped she had weathered the years in the Delta Quadrant as well as her ship. She forced her mind back to the current situation. She had completed her assignment. She had brought the Maquis ship's crew back to the Federation Council.

Kathryn had carried out her orders... almost. All she had left to do was turn over her prisoners to Security when they reached Earth. She thought back seven years to the first time she read those orders. The only part that had seemed easy was the last – turn her prisoners over to Starfleet Security for transfer to the civilian authorities. Now that final step was beyond her abilities. Now those prisoners were not just names, they were familiar faces and friends. She leaned her forehead on her hands. What had she done?

Slowly the consequences of her success washed over her. For seven years, she had protected them and they had followed her orders. They had trusted her and believed she would get them all home. Now their reward for that trust was to be turned over to the Federation Council for trial in the civilian courts. Kathryn felt the tears building and she forced them back. She lifted her head and called up a list of her crew who had been Maquis and slowly read their names.

Kathryn paused and scrolled up. Why were Jackson and O'Donnel there?  And where was Baxter? And Larson? And Molina? She shook her head as she sorted out her memories. There were names missing that she thought should be there and names she had forgotten had been Maquis. The lines had blurred so during the seven years that she couldn't remember who had been dragged to the Delta Quadrant on which ship – except one name. She had never forgotten that Chakotay had destroyed his own ship to protect Voyager. Chakotay. He had been her first officer for seven years: her staunchest supporter and biggest critic. He had cheered her up when she was sad and dragged her back down to the deck when she went let herself get carried away.

Over the years, Kathryn had heard comments about how weak he was, how he never stood up to her. She shook her head. If they only knew how many times he had taken her to task, challenged her to do what was right. He had always kept those arguments between the two of them. Kathryn knew he was strong, far stronger than many suspected, probably stronger than she was if it were possible to compare them. He was strong enough to let her be the strength of the command team, strong enough to give her strength when she faltered.

The tears threatened again and Kathryn cleared the monitor. She stood up and refilled her cup before making her way to the view port. She stared at the stars knowing that within the hour she would be required to turn nearly one-third of her crew over to Starfleet Security. How could she find the strength to do that? Where would she find it? Brown eyes and a dimpled smile seemed to linger like a shadow among the stars. She knew he would give her the strength but this time she didn't want it.

Slowly she walked back to her desk and sat down. She straightened her back determined to make one request before they reached Earth. She sat down and opened a channel to Starfleet Headquarters. It took a few minutes before Owen Paris appeared on the small screen.

"What can I do for you, Captain?"

"I need a favor, Admiral."

"Can't it wait until I see you?"

"No, Sir." Kathryn took a deep breath. "I want you to relieve me of my command before we establish Earth orbit."

From the expression on Paris's face, Kathryn could see that of the thousands of requests he had received during his career, this had to be the most confusing. "Why do you want me to do that? You should be the person to bring Voyager home."

The tears glistened in Kathryn's eyes now. "And nothing would give me greater pleasure, Admiral, but I can't carry out my orders. I won't carry them out. I'm asking you to relieve me before I have to tell you that officially."

"What can't you do, Kathryn?"

"I can't turn my prisoners over to Security. They are my crew and many are my friends. I know what they are accused of doing and I know I can't change the minds of the Council, but I also know what I believe is right. Please, Admiral."

"All right, Captain. I'll make sure you're relieved of command before you are asked to turn over your prisoners. Paris out."

The screen went blank before Kathryn could respond. She sighed in relief. At least he had granted her request.

"What was that sigh for?"

Kathryn jerked her head toward the door. Chakotay stood watching her.

"Nothing. I'm just glad to finally get home." Kathryn stood and picked up her cup. "What was it you wanted?"

"I just wanted to let you know we'll be establishing standard orbit in about fifteen minutes. I thought you might want to be on the bridge when we do."

"Thank you." Kathryn turned her back as she walked to the replicator.

Chakotay didn't move to leave. Kathryn felt Chakotay's eyes on her as she walked. "Was there something else, Commander?"

"Just one thing."

Kathryn turned to look at him. Slowly he crossed the room toward her. He took the cup from her hand and set it on the counter.

"Something that I've wanted to do since the first time I beamed onto your bridge. In fifteen minutes, we'll be in Earth orbit. In twenty minutes, I'll probably be under an armed escort on the way to the 'fleet detention facility in San Francisco. I may never have another opportunity."

Chakotay stepped closer and put his hands on her arms before lowering his head to kiss her. Kathryn's surprise caused her to jerk her head back and he moved one hand up to hold her still as he drew out the kiss. Seven years of relegating her personal feelings to every other concern finally ended and she responded. Her free arm slipped up around his neck as she returned the kiss. She knew when Chakotay realized she wasn't resisting for both his hands wrapped around her as he crushed her against his chest.

When Chakotay finally ended the kiss, Kathryn leaned her head on his chest and took several deep breaths trying to calm her racing heart. She could feel Chakotay doing the same and knew he had no better success than she had. Slowly she allowed her hands to run down his arms before she let them slip to her side. She turned her head up so she could look at him.

Chakotay finally stepped back. "If we can, I'd like to talk after all the dust stirred up by our return has settled." Kathryn nodded. "I'll be on the bridge, Captain."

"I'll join you in a few minutes, Commander." Kathryn watched as Chakotay turned and exited. As soon as her breathing returned to normal, she recycled her cup and straightened her shoulders. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and put on the calm demeanor so familiar to the bridge crew of Voyager.

As she exited her ready room, Chakotay stood. "We're ready to establish Earth orbit, Captain."

The captain took her seat and waited for her exec to take his. She stared a long moment at the view screen knowing that for the first time, there was no magnification factor making the big blue marble appear larger and closer than it really was.

"Establish standard orbit, Ensign."

"Aye, Captain." The young female voice was not the one the Captain had expected to hear when they reached Earth, but Tom Paris was busy with his wife and new daughter. "Standard orbit established."

Home. They were officially home. The captain sighed as she heard the signal from Ops that indicated they were being hailed.

"Starfleet Command is hailing us, Captain."

"Open a channel, Ensign Kim."

Owen Paris's face appeared on the screen.

"Welcome home, Captain."

"Thank you, Admiral. It's good to be home." The captain tilted her head to acknowledge the greeting.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you and your crew, Captain." The captain felt the blood drain from her face. "As much as I'm sure you all want to get in touch with family and friends, you're going to have to wait until you've all been debriefed. We've arranged for most of your crew to stay in a dormitory at the Academy. It's not the best housing but it's all that's available on such short notice. Most of your senior staff will be given housing here at Headquarters until something better can be arranged."

"All… of my crew, Admiral?"

"Yes, Captain, all one hundred forty-three of them."

The captain's confusion must have shown on her face despite her best efforts. Owen Paris smiled slightly. "Oh, and I have some papers affecting some of your crew. The first is a letter from the Council president informing me that I should cancel your original orders since the Treaty with Cardassia has been terminated. He included an apology for the delay in advising me of this decision. The second is confirmation of all the field promotions you made, effective the date you originally made them.

"Contact Space Dock to match orbits. Once you've docked, your crew can disembark and make their way to their quarters. Debriefing will begin tomorrow. Your ship will be secured until you and your chief engineer are available to go over in minute detail all the changes you've made to your systems. I'll be meeting you at Space Dock, Captain.

"Again, welcome home. Paris out."

Silence settled over the bridge. The captain looked around at the faces and realized that only she and Chakotay had remembered Voyager's original assignment in the excitement and what it could have meant to the former Maquis. Ayala was the first to react. A smile slowly spread across his face before he whispered to himself. "Well, I'll be damned."

"Mind your language, Lieutenant." Chakotay's voice was crisp but his expression belied his words. He turned to meet the captain's eyes. She was the one who broke the look.

"You heard the admiral." The captain spoke to the entire bridge crew. "Contact Space Dock and move us to match their orbit. Mr. Kim, relay the relevant portion of Admiral Paris's comments to the rest of the crew. Tuvok, you have the bridge. Commander, you're with me."

The captain headed back to her ready room. As the door slipped closed behind Chakotay, she turned to look at him. "Looks like you were wrong, Commander. It seems you aren't going to be under armed escort after all. Do you have anything you want to say about your earlier conduct?"

"No." Chakotay stepped closer and pulled her into his arms to kiss. He lifted his head and smiled slightly. "As for my future conduct, well…good things come to those who wait and I've waited long enough."

Kathryn sighed and smiled as she pulled his head lower. "The waiting is over."