Epilogue

Chakotay enters the lift first. Once she's inside and the doors close, he drifts from her side to stand behind her. Kathryn calls for deck three, and, within seconds she feels him reach for her right hand. His fingers curl around hers.

As she continues to look straight ahead at the doors, she smiles as a thrill of anticipation makes its way down her spine. She leans back just enough for the back of her head to rest against his shoulder. Then she feels him bend his head down and his lips brush her ear with the lightest of touches, intensifying the thrill. Seems the man is finally catching on.

"My dating skills are more than a little rusty, but the fact I've known my date for the last six years is helping here. So… at the risk of significant brig time… have you had a change of heart, about us?"

"So, there's an 'us' now, is there?" she teases, still without turning around.

Suddenly her nervous system is sent reeling by the intensely pleasurable feeling of his lips on her neck, and she finds herself rooted to the spot as the movement of his mouth demands all her attention. She can barely focus on his words as he pauses for a moment to mumble against her skin, "There's always been an 'us', Kathryn."

Her fingers tighten reflexively around his and she leans back into him a little more. His lips resume their attentions to her neck, and an arm snakes around her waist and pulls her further back into his solid body, sending another far more potent thrill right to her core.

"Computer, halt turbolift," she forces out. She pauses for a second then goes on, "You do realise this could still be a terrible mistake?" Her voice comes out huskier than she'd expected.

"Maybe we'll make mistakes, but I promise you, this won't be terrible."

"You sound very confident, Commander."

"Some things are just a sure bet, Captain."

"This isn't a boxing fight, you know."

"Good job, because you had me on the ropes years ago."

"Very smooth," she laughs. "So, I guess that means you had me down as a cheat, then."

"Oh, no. It's not that you wouldn't play by the rules - far from it," she feels his words against the sensitive skin of her neck again. "It's just I figured you for an inside fighter, you know: always getting in there far too close, with nippy little counterpunches."

She laughs again, leans into him and twists her head back so that she can see his face. "I can see you've given this some thought."

"You could say that… " His lips graze her cheek.

"You mean you've wanted to swing for me once or twice?"

"No." He presses the softest kiss just shy of the corner of her mouth. "But I might have thought about letting you pin me to the ropes."

She watches his mouth. "Like I said before, I had no idea you were such a pushover."

"Oh, but I think you did…" he murmurs, as his lips finally crush down on hers.

She invites him into her heart, and is unsurprised to find that he's already there.

[The End]