Title: Beach Baby
Author: Ky (venom69)
Fandom: Star Trek: Voyager
Rating:
Age friendly.
Summary: He’s known her ten years.
Character/Pairing: Janeway/Chakotay
Spoilers:
None… the show has ended!
Warnings: none
Prompt Number for ![[info]](http://stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif)
fic101: 8 - Beach
Author’s Notes: Song belongs to Daryl Braithwaite.
Disclaimer: Usual guff.
Not mine, promise to put them back where I found them.
Date: 01/01/07
***
Started out, last night,
I
was thinking of days gone by
Of the times I’ve had
And the things that I’ve left behind
***
"I
miss the beach." She admitted one night, after a bottle of antarian cider had been shared between them. "There's something
very therapeutic about having sand between your toes."
Chakotay had been surprised.
She'd grown up in Indiana,
on acres and acres of green grass with trees and bushes and a small lake and when he asked what one of the things she missed
most was, her answer had been the beach. He wondered if it was because their friendship was still new that she didn’t
respond with ‘Mark.’
Or perhaps she just
really liked the beach.
***
"What's this?"
She asks.
He smiles. "Sand."
"In a bottle?"
She holds the glass carefully.
Layers and layers
of sand are trapped inside, their colours mixing together. The blue fades into the green, the green into yellow, yellow into
orange... so many different layers, so many new colours made with a mixture.
"It's not a beach and I wouldn't recommend
pouring it on your feet, but I thought you'd like it."
Her eyes are watery. "Thank you."
"Happy birthday, Kathryn."
He’s
known her six months.
***
When they found a planet covered with white sandy beaches and crashing waves, a beauty
that could be seen even from their position in high orbit, he had seen her eyes light up as she sat in her chair on the bridge.
He waited and, soon enough, she began to fidget in her seat, her legs bouncing in a rhythm that she probably hadn’t
been aware of.
Her eyes had sparkled and childish delight had fallen over her face.
She’d turned to him,
hopeful.
“It’s inhabited.” He’d whispered.
Chakotay had watched her face fall before
the Captain’s mask slid firmly over it. She had sighed, quietly, but it had been enough to show her disappointment.
“OK.”
***
She smiles as she raises her glass, echoing his toast. “Thank you for a lovely meal,
Chakotay.”
“I’m pleased you like it.” He smiles. The weekly dinner that he shares with Kathryn
– thought it is often more than once a week – is definitely one of the better parts of this voyage. “Would
you like your gift now?”
Kathryn grins and nods. When Chakotay hands her the bottle, she smiles, puzzled. “Water?”
“Salt
water,” He clarifies, “To go with your sand. Happy Birthday, Kathryn.”
She laughs aloud then, impressed.
“You’re so inventive!”
He’s known her a year and a half.
***
When they had been
left behind on New Earth, he had asked her what she would miss the most.
“The chance to see the beach again.”
She nodded, satisfied with her answer.
Part of him had still wanted to question why Mark – or her mom, sister,
dog – hadn’t been at the top of the list, but, while he had been comfortable in their friendship, he hadn’t
wanted to giver her cause for more tears.
“You know this planet has a river?”
“It does?”
She looked surprised. “I haven’t had a chance to read the Doctors report yet.”
They had only said
goodbye to Voyager two weeks ago and she had spent all of her waking time since dedicated to finding a cure for their illness.
“There might be sand…”
She smiled. It was half-hearted, but it was more than he’d hoped
for.
***
Kathryn stretches out across his sofa, lying with her bare feet hanging over the edge.
Chakotay
finds it hard to recall a time when she wasn’t in his Quarters, comfortable enough with him to be able to relax. “I’m
never eating again.” She moans.
“That bad?”
“That good! I just ate far too much.”
He
laughs and hands her a small box. “Perhaps this will cheer you up.”
Kathryn opens it enthusiastically.
“A shell?” She smiles. One of her brilliant, wide smiles that always makes his heart flutter.
“What’s
the beach without a shell?” He’s had that shell for years; he picked it from a beach on his home world when he
was last there, before it was destroyed. “Happy birthday, Kathryn.”
He’s known her two and a half
years.
***
When she had ‘died’ in his arms, Chakotay had realized that he was in love with her.
When
his face had been wet with tears, he had known with absolute certainty that he was in love with the woman he’d been
breathing life into.
And then she’d come back to him.
Chakotay had sworn that he would tell her.
When
they got her back to Voyager and The Doctor assure them that she was fine, he was going to take her a peace rose and offer
her his heart.
He’d taken her the peace rose, but he’d choked on the words before he could confess his
love.
Instead, he’d gone sailing with her on Lake George.
“No beach?” He’d asked when
their conversation had lulled.
They’d gone over her ordeal over and over until she had said that she didn’t
want to talk about it anymore.
“None here, I’m afraid.”
***
Kathryn dances in the arms
of Tuvok – who looks thoroughly disapproving of the action – to the fast beat that Harry and The Kim Tones play.
The melody is sweet and soothing, but the tempo keeps them on their toes.
Chakotay sits at their table, watching them
dance with a soft smile on his face.
When the dance ends, she floats back to their table, laughing. “You’re
going to dance with me before the night is through, aren’t you?” She asks, flopping into her chair as she watches
their crew interacting through Sandrine’s with a smile on her face.
“Of course,” He smiles. “Until
then…” He slides the chip across to her.
“A holodeck program?” She almost looks disappointed.
Three years running he’s given her something of the beach
“It’s of my home world,” he tells
her quietly. “There was a beach there that had the whitest sand and most crystal clear waters imaginable. It was hidden
in one of the forests and you had to really look to find it, but it was incredible. I recreated it in a program for you.”
There
are tears in her eyes and he knows that she understands the sentiment of him giving her another piece of his home. “Thank
you. It’s not enough, but thank you.”
“Happy birthday, Kathryn.”
He’s known her
three years.
***
When they’d arrived home and gone through the motions of debriefing with Starfleet, she
had been asked to give a Press Conference.
The people were loosing faith in Starfleet and its values. War was spiralling
out of control and the Average Joe didn’t know what to believe anymore.
Captain – soon to be Admiral –
Janeway, gloriously returned hero, had been exactly what Starfleet had needed to boost the publics confidence.
Over
one thousand press members from all different worlds had convened in a large hall and she had stood on the stage, answering
their questions.
Chakotay had sat in the front row, directly in front of her as he offered his silent support.
One
of the reporters from Mars had raised his hand and Kathryn had tilted her head in acknowledgement. “Captain Janeway,
what do you plan to do now that you’re home?”
She had smiled down at her ex-first officer before answering.
“I’m going to the beach.”
***
When she says the words, finally says ‘I do,’ there
is a large part of him that wants to weep with joy.
Her dress is long, it swirls along the ground as she moves. Her
hair falls down her back. She grew it long again, specifically for the wedding. A small wreath of flowers, peace roses, rests
atop her head. She has never looked more beautiful than she does right now.
“We did it.” She grins.
“We
certainly did.”
Chakotay holds her hand as she spins in a circle, laughing gleefully. “I can’t believe
you agreed to get married on the beach!”
“I’d run out of paraphernalia to get you.” He admits
with a smile. “Happy Birthday, Kathryn.”
He’s known her ten years.
***
End
