The BLTS Archive - A Long Awaited Night by Jennifer Presley (jlpresley@aol.com) --- Disclaimers: Characters and setting belong to the suits at Paramount/Viacom, but what I make them do belongs to my twisted mind. Lyrics from "I Can't Hold Back" by Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan. --- "Commander? Is there something on your mind?" Captain Kathryn Janeway tilted her head, staring at Commander Chakotay with a quizzical expression on her face. "You've been staring at that PADD for 10 minutes." Chakotay shook his head, clearing the mental cobwebs-the visions of Kathryn on New Earth, smiling up at him. He looked up at Janeway. "No, I'm sorry, Captain. I'm afraid my attention was wandering. I guess this week's been harder on me than I thought." Janeway leaned back in her chair and propped her feet up on her desk, giving him a skeptical look. "Chakotay, what are you talking about? This entire week we've been in the Nekrit Expanse has been anything but eventful." She narrowed her eyes at him. "What were you really thinking about?" Chakotay grimaced. "Captain....Kathryn. There's nothing wrong. I was just thinking." "Cha-ko-tay," Janeway drew his name out longer than necessary. "If you don't tell me what's bothering you, I'll tell Neelix you're in need of one his morale boosters." She grinned wickedly at him. Chakotay laughed. "Okay, okay. But remember, I warned you." He stood up and made his way over the window. He was silent for a moment, gathering up his courage. *Akoo-che-moya-help me with what I'm about to do.* "I...I was thinking about New Earth, about us." Chakotay stared blindly at the stars. "I was wishing we could return to the way things were there. I miss the closeness, the quiet nights spent working side by side." He laughed, trying to lighten the moment. "I even miss the darn monkey!" Janeway's feet hit the floor, as she stared at her First Officer's back. "Oh, Chakotay..." She breathed, then stopped, not knowing what to say. Truth be told, she had often wished the same thing. But protocol, duty, always got in the way. They may have been thousands of light years from Starfleet Headquarters, but she was a Starfleet officer. She sighed to herself. She stood up and started to make her way over to Chakotay. Janeway got about halfway to him, then she stopped. She was also a woman. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried." He smiled humorlessly. "No, its okay. I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have even mentioned it to you. I told you I'd wait as long as it takes, without pressuring you." He turned to look at her. Janeway was shocked to see the depth of feeling revealed in his obsidian gaze. She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do or say so as not to hurt Chakotay's feelings. Torn between duty and desire, she wavered. Then as the shutters began to fall over his expressive eyes and he started to turn away, she reached out her hand and placed it on his chest. "No, Chakotay, don't go. Please." Janeway looked at him, her earnestness arresting him mid-movement. "I...I want you to stay." She raised her chin, as if to prove it to himself, and to herself. Chakotay was stunned. Could she...really have said that? "Kathryn?" She moved closer to him, her right hand moving from his chest up to his face. She delicately traced the lines of his tattoo, her hand shaking slightly. --- "I can feel you tremble when we touch And I feel the hand of fate Reaching out to both of us" --- Chakotay leaned down, brushing his lips against hers, once, twice. He still couldn't believe she was allowing him to, and they were in her Ready Room of all places. He gathered her in his arms, holding her tightly. Her face was pressed into the side of his neck, and he could feel her tears coursing down his skin and soaking into his uniform. "Kathryn, I love you." He spoke softly, not wanting to startle her with his words. Janeway stepped back and looked up at him, her tears still falling down her beautiful face. "Chakotay, I love you too." She laughed suddenly and hugged him. "I'm just sorry it took so long to admit it, even to myself." Chakotay squeezed her again, and then tilted her head back to look at her, before covering her mouth with his. Moments passed, seeming as long as hours, until the inevitable happened. "Tuvok to Captain Janeway." The voice of the Security Officer tore the two apart. They stared at each other for a second before they started laughing. Chakotay turned away, his shoulders shaking with mirth as Janeway sighed and tapped her combadge. "Janeway here, Lieutenant." She smiled as she wiped the remaining evidence of her tears from her face. "Captain, I'm sorry to interrupt. I know you wanted to finish the crew evaluations tonight, but were having a problem with the internal sensors." Tuvok sounded as apologetic as a Vulcan could possibly sound. "That's all right, Tuvok. I'll be right out." Janeway groaned under her breath. Of all the times-well, such was the life of a Starfleet Captain. She then shook her head at Chakotay, he was still laughing, and she couldn't help but join him. "Are you certain he doesn't have some sort of telepathic link to you?" He snickered. "He always seems to interrupt when things are heating up!" Janeway sobered suddenly. "Now, Commander, duty calls. But we should continue this meeting. My quarters, 2100 hours." She nodded at him, the corner of her mouth twitching up into a half-smile. Chakotay stood at attention. "Yes ma'am." He threw her a salute. "Does this qualify as crunch time?" Janeway leaned towards him, raising an eyebrow at his choice of words. "I suppose it does Commander. And, I'll expect a full report on mating habits at that time." She then turned and sauntered out onto the Bridge, leaving him staring after her, his mouth open in shock. --- "I've been holding back the night I've been searching for a clue from you I'm gonna try with all my might To make this story line come true" --- *2045. Oh gods, what am I going to wear?* Janeway paced back and forth, studying the meager contents of her closet. Finally, she picked a blue dress from their time on New Earth. She knew Chakotay would appreciate the symbolism. She quickly changed into the dress, and ran barefoot into the bathroom. Grabbing her brush, she hurriedly ran it through her auburn tresses to smooth them, though she left it unbound. Chakotay liked her hair down. She stared at her image in the mirror, almost not recognizing the woman before her. The anticipation evident in her eyes, the nervous flush on her cheeks. She knew she looked like a woman in love. Janeway smiled to herself, then turned and made her way into the outer portion of her quarters. She walked over to the table and adjusted the silverware, then lit the single taper standing in the middle. She had programmed the replicator for a pasta and vegetable dish she knew was one of Chakotay's favorites. 2059. It was almost time. "Computer, dim lights to 1/3 normal illumination." She nodded in satisfaction as the candle's light came into prominence. "Run music selection Janeway 39." The soothing music of Rachmaninoff filled the air just as her door chimed. "Come in." Chakotay entered, looking handsome in a white shirt and tan pants, that only served to accentuate his bronze skin. He smiled at the romantic atmosphere, then walked over to Janeway and presented her with a single red rose. "You look...incredible." He smiled, drinking in the sight of her. He did indeed recognize the dress, and was gratified to see that she had left her hair down for him. Janeway inhaled the scent of the flower deeply, then smiled back at him. "Thank you, Chakotay. You look magnificent yourself." She raised herself up and kissed him softly on his cheek. She danced out of the way as he tried to capture her in his arms. "No, no. Dinner first, dessert later." She grinned at him, her eyes full of mischief and love. Chakotay laughed. "Just promise me you didn't do the cooking yourself. I don't want to spoil the mood by losing my dinner!" He laughed again as she glared at him. "Don't worry about that, Chakotay." She smiled sweetly at him. "I used your replicator rations for dinner." She giggled as he made as if to lunge at her. Chakotay followed her over to the table and seated himself as she retrieved their dinner from the replicator. Janeway placed the plates on the table as he opened the bottle of wine sitting at his elbow and poured some into each of their glasses. He took a few bites of the meal. "This is really good, Kathryn. Thank you for 'preparing' it." Chakotay smiled at her, watching the candlelight flicker on her hair. "But, I find that I'm not really that hungry." Janeway's eyes met his. "I agree, Chakotay." She looked down at her plate in a momentary panic, and felt him rise and move around the table to her side. --- "And now the time has come at last Don't let the moment run too fast" --- He gently pulled her to her feet, then raised her hand to his lips and kissed the tips of her fingers. Her pupils dilated and she let out a little moan as she swayed closer to him. Janeway pulled his head down to meet hers. Chakotay's lips met hers in the timeless rhythms of two lovers destined to be together. Their bodies fit together, as if becoming whole for the first time. --- "Now it's time to trade those dreams For the rush of passion's fire" --- The sound of her alarm startled Janeway awake. She moaned softly, and then found herself in Chakotay's arms. "Good morning, Kathryn." He said, then he kissed the back of her neck. He still found it hard to believe she had let him stay the entire night in her quarters. If anyone (especially Tom) thought to query the computer, they could find out that he had been there and for how long. She knew it too. Janeway turned in his arms. "Umm, good morning to you." She kissed him and smiled. "Who gets the shower first?" He grinned back at her. "Let's make it easy-we can share!" He laughed as she rolled her eyes and grimaced. "Well, no, I guess that wouldn't work that well. How about you go first, it's your shower. I'll take care of breakfast." "Good idea, Chakotay. I knew I kept you around for a reason." She jumped out of his arms and the bed before he could retaliate. When she came out of the bathroom 10 minutes later, attired in her uniform with her hair pulled back in its customary ponytail, she found Chakotay just sitting down at the table. He had ordered plates of strawberry waffles with whipped cream from the replicator. "That looks absolutely delicious, Chakotay." Janeway smiled her thanks at him. He smirked playfully back at her. "It should, I used your rations for them!" He leaned over and placed a kiss on the end of her nose. "Now we're even." They sat in silence, content to eat while holding hands over the table. When they finished, Janeway cleared the table as Chakotay showered. She was ready to leave for the bridge when he stepped back into the room. "Kathryn, wait." He walked over to her then gathered her in his arms. "Remember, I love you." "I know. I love you too." They kissed one last time, and then exited her quarters. --- "I can't hold back, I won't back down Girl, it's too late to turn back now... This love affair can't wait" --- The End