AN: If you've stuck with me this long, many thanks. I hope you've enjoyed the ride.

xxx

Kathryn frowned in annoyance as the vid beeped. No chance of Tom picking it, up; he was in the shower.

She unwound herself from the couch and answered. It was Sekaya, Chakotay's sister.

"Good morning, we're heading out, and I just wanted to say goodbye. And thank you again for having me to the party."

"Well, we're delighted you could join us," Kathryn said warmly. "And thank you again for helping B'Elanna and her kids to get settled."

She could see the twinkle in Sekaya's eyes. "Well, I do have a few strings I can pull, and it is family, after all." She paused. "Kaya and I were allowed to see Chakotay before he was transferred. I know the answer, but I agreed to deliver the message: He wants to talk with you and with Liz."

Kathryn shook her head. "I've been ordered not to have contact. I may have to testify against him. And frankly, I don't want to give Internal Affairs any ideas, considering that they've finally decided this wasn't part of a plot."

She took a sip of coffee. "As for Liz, she and Jon left earlier this morning. They want some time together before she heads to the Gamma Quadrant."

Sekaya just nodded. "Think she'll ever talk to Chakotay again?"

Kathryn shrugged. "Right now, your guess is as good as mine." And that applied to her feelings, too.

xxx

"Thank you again for having us at your anniversary party," Deanna said over lunch.

"We were happy to have you," Kathryn said. "I'm amazed we could pull it together. We rarely get all our kids in one place these days, so we wanted to take advantage of it." Actually, she was amazed that the station was able to provide a private room on such short notice.

"So has everyone flown off?"

"Poof!" Tom said, raising his hands. The girls and their boyfriends are on romantic getaways; Chase and Ben left for some concert in Berlin, along with a few of Ben's newfound Ranger friends; and Jake is on his way back to the Davison."

"Would those newfound Ranger friends include the two young women I saw Chase and Ben leaving the party with?" Dianna teased.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Kathryn chuckled. "But I know better than to ask," she added as Dianna nodded in solidarity.

They were interrupted by Will's arrival. "I was just talking to Admiral Hayes," he said as everyone else made a face. "Culvera has formally withdrawn its application for Federation admission. They continue to maintain that the military shuttle was stolen, and that any Berylian trade is conducted by rogue elements that they will deal with."

"No admissions celebration then? What a shame," Kathryn said sweetly as the rest of the table chuckled.

xxx

"I just wanted to remind you," Deanna said quietly as Will and Tom talked, "that if you and Tom or the kids need anything, please call. This is a complex situation, and it's going to take some time to process."

"Thank you, I appreciate that," she said as she patted Dianna's arm. "I suspect we'll be sorting this one for the rest of our lives."

xxx

"By the way," Tom said as he set the Flyer's course for Earth. "You talk to Jake last night?"

"A bit," she said. "Something up?"

"He told me he's asked for reassignment when Davison comes in for its refit."

"Oh? He seemed set on that Beta mission. Not that I want him gone for three years."

"He's put in for one of the new Atlantic Class ships. Thinks he has a shot at chief pilot. He asked Will for a recommendation."

"Hmm. Well, being chief pilot on 'Fleet's newest ship certainly will enhance a career," she said, giving Tom a nudge. "But those ships are designed for short-term missions."

Tom nodded. "He said something about being closer to home … or coming home more often. I couldn't quite hear him over the noise."

Kathryn raised an eyebrow. "He hasn't been the same since that mission. I don't know if it's a reaction to everything that's happened, or if seeing Ben in a different light has rattled his perceptions."

"I think all our perceptions have been rattled," Tom deadpanned.

"More than you think, my dear. Speaking of Ben ..." Tom just raised an eyebrow.

"He's not re-enlisting."

Tom let out a whistle. "I imagine that make you very happy."

"Me and Mom. But he's not buying into the shuttleport, either."

"So ….?"

Kathryn chuckled. "He's given up on you, honey. He may go back to a design firm where he interned. Wants to pick up more experience, then set out on his own."

"Ah," Tom said, then fell quiet. "Well, that might be for the best," he finally allowed. "I've had second and third thoughts about jumping into a startup. I've been run ragged overseeing this department. A company? I don't know."

"I've wondered if you'd ever get around to realizing that," she said softly.

He just laughed. "This could work out. Ben gets established, then lets his old man consult, or run an occasional project with him."

Kathryn shook her head. "I certainly didn't expect a diplomatic mission to open such a Pandora's box. We're being upended from every side."

"It's not that bad," he soothed. "What happened probably sparked some re-evaluation. But everyone's path takes some twists and turns. Even yours. Fortunately, they're not taking my path."

"You've done just fine," she admonished.

"Eventually," he conceded. "So, my dear, let's change the subject. Where do you want to go from Spacedock? Stay in San Francisco? I hear there's a new Italian place. Book the weekend at our favorite resort? Go home?"

She frowned at the mention of San Francisco. "I'll be there the next couple of weeks with reports, briefings and more briefings. At least I shouldn't have to write a report on Culveran technology."

"Oh, I bet you will," Tom teased.

"You know, I'd just like to go home."

"You know your mom's still in the Carolinas?"

"So much the better," she said with a wicked grin. "I'd just like to sit on the porch this evening and share a nice bottle of wine and some lasagna from Georgio's. Then, since we haven't finished celebrating our anniversary, I suspect we could find something interesting to do ..."

Tom gave her a wicked grin. "You know, we could do something interesting on the porch."

"I bet we could. Though I can't guarantee there won't be photographers skulking around. I'm sure they'd love photos of that. Though at our age …" She burst out laughing. "That might be a good way to get rid of them."

"Me, maybe; you're still a knockout," Tom replied. He looked over at her. "You all right?"

"I will be eventually," she said. "I told Miral that I don't know what things will look like in the end, but we'd all be OK. I think that's still true."

He nodded. "I think so, too. We're still a family. And we still have each other."

She reached over and squeezed his arm. "For that I will always be grateful, my dear."

Tom just winked at her, and they settled into a companionable silence as the Flyer took them home.