Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters, but this story is mine. Well, all except one line of the dialogue. <g>
Summary: A quiet moment between friends at the end of a busy day.
Just Hold My Hand
The day had been long, and hard. Systems had shut down all over the ship for no reason that anyone had as yet been able to determine and, as if that wasn't enough, the first malfunction of the day had landed B'Elanna in sickbay with multiple lacerations and a concussion. With engineering barely being able to keep on top of the repairs, Janeway had left Chakotay with the bridge and followed Harry down to muck in with the drudge work.
Eventually they had made it through, and the ship was in some kind of working order. It wasn't going to be back at peak efficiency for a few days yet, but it was functioning, and right now Voyager's crew would take what they could get.
With the day all but over, Kathryn sat at the table in her quarters at the end of a pleasant meal. Chakotay sat opposite her. The atmosphere was one of quiet exhaustion, with very few words being exchanged as they finished their coffees. Kathryn stared down into her cup, whilst Chakotay fiddled with a teaspoon that had been left unused. Had someone walked in unannounced they might have suspected that their senior officers had recently fought, but in actuality there was no air of awkwardness surrounding them; rather a calm that was only apparent on closer inspection.
As he finished his coffee, Chakotay asked, "Did you see B'Elanna before you came back here this evening?"
"No," Kathryn replied. "Actually, it didn't even cross my mind to check in on her."
"I think that shows how tired you are. Everyone exhausted themselves today. Including the doctor."
Kathryn's curiosity stirred, and she placed her coffee cup square on the table, giving Chakotay her full attention. "The doctor?"
"Apparently, he had the pleasure of B'Elanna's company - and no one else's - all day. When I went by to see how she was doing this afternoon, he'd shut himself in his office and had one of his operas turned up full volume. Last I heard though, he still planned to keep her overnight."
Kathryn grinned. "How does he plan on enforcing that?"
"The only way I see him managing it is by standing watch over her with a hypospray full of sedative!"
This made Kathryn laugh, and Chakotay was pleased to see some of the day's exhaustion seep out of her. He was suddenly overcome with a wave of sentimentality, and Kathryn was quick to notice the change in his demeanour.
"Chakotay, what is it?"
"I was just thinking how nice it is, just seeing you laugh. You've not done that enough recently."
"I don't suppose I have." She paused for a beat. "We've not had a lot to laugh about."
"Maybe not in the grand scheme of things, but we're among friends. Laughter is good for us, it's a gift we should give each other more often. I worry about you. Sometimes, it's hard to get you to relax."
Kathryn reached across the table and took Chakotay's hand in hers, a symbol of the close bond they shared. "You worry too much," she said. "And even when it doesn't seem like anything you say to me is getting through, I do recognise what you try to do for me. I appreciate it, rely on it, more than you know."
Chakotay answered her with a warm smile. "It means a lot to hear you say it." Then, with tired resignation in his voice, he continued, "I should go, it's been a long day and we both need to rest."
Both captain and commander rose from the table and, fingers still entwined, made their way over to the door. A contented smile remained on Kathryn's face.
"I still wish I could make you laugh more often," Chakotay stated, "no matter what you may say."
"I know, Chakotay," Kathryn replied. "But... if you can't make me laugh," she looked down at their still clasped hands, "just hold my hand."
"Always, Kathryn." As she returned her gaze up to meet his, Chakotay gave her hand a gentle squeeze before slowly letting go, and leaving.
THE END
This story took it's inspiration from a single line in a movie, the same movie that inspired my best-received story to date - "Same Time, Next Year"
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