The BLTS Archive- Flame:
A Gentle Kind of Fire
by Jackee C. (writerjc@jackeescorner.com)

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"And you are Kathryn Janeway, I presume?"

I looked guiltily up from contemplation of my toes into a pair of
peircing midnight black eyes. I blinked, surprised at the stranger's
intensity. He looked at me as if he knew me - very well. That threw
me off balance.

I glanced quickly toward the direction of the bonfire. Many of the
attendees of the Voyager annual gathering had completed partaking of
the admittedly large quantity of food and were settling in for naps,
games and simple chit-chat. Children ran to the waters edge then
darted away in droves as the waters rushed the beach. Their laughter
floated faintly on the wind. No one seemed to be missing this dark
man.

"I don't believe we've met," I said, making ready to rise to my feet.

He shook his head. "No need to get up," and plopped down beside me. I
hoped the odd look I gave him was noticeable.

He laughed aloud, and offered his hand. "I'm Ravin Cari. Betazoid."

"Aaaah," I nodded. That explained the laugh. My first inclination
upon being around Betazoids is to school my thoughts; it's a reflex
almost. One that telepaths perhaps notice right off. Most generally
develope a little half-smile and go on with business. Others pretend
not to notice.

Ravin smiled broadly, flaunting his knowledge. "I should also warn
you that I am Annika's fiance."

That was a surprise. A shock actually. "Really?" I asked, trying to
imagine the Seven I'd known for 8 years with this dark, laughing man.

"We fit quite well together," Ravin answered the unasked.

I didn't even try to forstall the small rush of irritation that
enveloped me. "Isn't it impolite to delve into someone else's
thoughts?" .

"It is," Ravin admited, calmly. "But your thoughts were clearly
written on your face. And you are not the first to have
asked...thought...the question."

"Allow me to offer my congratulations," I smiled then. I couldn't
argue his point. I'd have expected Seven to bond with the Doctor
before choosing a Betazoid, of all species. I glanced passed him
toward the happy gathering. After 6 years back in the Alpha Quadrant,
our little group had grown. It seemed that for a while everyone was
getting married, having families. But now things had calmed. The
whole group no longer joined in on the yearly reunions. I spotted
many of the regulars though in search of the blonde-headed, former
Borg. Neelix, B'Elanna, Tom, Wildman... And then I spotted her. She
was standing beyond the group on the opposite side of the beach with
another familiar form. One that I was intensely surprised to see
present.

"Annika and I thank you," he said, interupting my surprise. "But, I'm
here in an official capacity."

"Oh?" I pulled my eyes away from the scene, but the image remained in
the back of my mind. He'd allowed his hair to grow slightly, and the
gray had begun to come in several years earlier. I'd learned that
from a press release concerning one of his Anthropological studies.
But seeing the flesh of him, no longer light years away, caused a
mild upset to my system.

"...will you do it?"

I'd only been half-listening to Ravin, and I'm sure he knew it.
"Pardon?" I asked, blinking so as to force my mind onto what he was
saying.

He smiled. "Annika thinks of you as the person who has most
profoundly shaped her life. She would like you to stand in the place
as - what among humans would be - adoptive mother. "

"Of course, I'd be honored to," I answered. "What would I need to do?"

"First," Ravin answered. "I must introduce myself to you, and I have.
At which time I make the formal request. Those items are out of the
way. Next, we must talk. Share."

"Share?" I asked cautiously. I'd heard enough stories about
Betazoid's that the word caused more than a little anxiety.

"Just talk, share," Ravin assured me. "A gift of words, if you will."

"Okay," I said. "Let's talk. Is there anything in particular that we
should talk about?"

"You could ask a question," Ravin suggested.

"There is one thing I'd like to know." I said. "How did you and Seven
meet?"

"There was an accident at Andromeda V. She was injured. I was one of
the attending medical team. She strongly disagreed with a course of
treatment that I'd prescribed for her; said it was illogical as well
as irrelevant."

I laughed. "That sounds like Seven." Somethings never changed. "Who
won?"

"I would say that we both won."

I smiled at the joy I saw reflected in his gaze. Ravin was obviously
very fond of Seven. As odd as their pairing seemed, I hoped that it
would work out for them.

"One cannot explain the placed one finds love." Ravin mused. "What of
you? Why have you never married?"

"Now that's a long story," I said, making light of the question.

 I could feel Ravin's curiousity. "Have you never been in love? I
find that hard to believe."

"I've been in love," I admitted. "Several times, in fact."

"One still burns in you," he said. "I can sense it."

I shot him a peircing look, and he raised his hands in self-defense.
Satisfied that he really wasn't up to any telepathic tricks, I turned
my gaze oceanward. "Old emotions," I assured him.

"Old emotions ." He repeated the words to himself. "Old emotions can
sometimes become demons. Do these 'old emotions' bother you?"

"Isn't this getting a bit personal?" I asked.

"Part of the talking," he said, a bit of humor in his voice.

I smiled, but didn't answer. And he didn't push. The waves continued
to wash up unto the sand, it was now with in a meter of my toes.
Maybe it was the surroundings, maybe it was because Ravin was a
stranger, and hadn't been there, but I discovered that I wanted to
share, to talk about the things that had taken place years prior.

"Sometimes," I said, though it was nearing 30 minutes since he'd
asked the question. "Sometimes when I see children running along the
beach, or families gathered together. Invariably when I hear a
particularly poignant storytelling. Often when I look at the stars."

"What do you do when that happens?" he asked.

"The same thing I've always done. I focus on duty, on work. I keep
myself busy."

"Can there not be any resolution?"

I shrugged. "It wasn't possible before. I don't think it's possible
now."

"You may think of me as a hopeless romantic, but I believe that
sometimes when a bond between two people is very strong; it can not
be broken, it must simply be. In these cases, the couple may fear the
fire of their union, that they may be consumed by it. I've discovered
that, once fear is overcome a gentle kind of fire remains."

I felt Ravin's touch on my arm, and he gestured toward the two humans
walking in our direction. The sun had begun its descent, and I
couldn't make out the faces, but the forms were unmistakeable. He
stood and grasped the hand of the blonde woman. "Annika has told me
many things you. I can sense your bravery, your strength, and your
honor. It is our wish that you may over come your fears. Your gentle
fire awaits you."

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The End