Tuvok signed off and they stared at the communicator before them in silence. When Kathryn lifted her head to meet Chakotay's gaze there were tears in her eyes.

"We have to leave." Her tone was flat holding none of the joy that she might have expressed a few weeks before.

"Yes, Kathryn. We do." Chakotay understood. No matter how much they might want to continue their life together on New Earth, their place was on Voyager.

"Hold me." Kathryn's voice trembled with the tears she was holding back.

Chakotay reached out and pulled her up from her seat, enfolding her in his arms. Her tears fell at last, soaking through the material of his shirt. He loosened his embrace, slipped a hand under her chin and lifted her face to meet his own. Slowly he began to kiss her cheeks, his lips gently sucking at her skin tasting away the salty tears. She turned her face until their lips met. Her tongue forced a passage between his teeth, savouring the flavour of her tears within his mouth. She pulled him closer, feeling the beginnings of his arousal against her body. He moaned softly as her hands moved lower cupping his buttocks and drawing him closer still.

"Spirits, Kathryn, I want you."

"You have me, Chakotay. At least for today, you have all of me."

Her hands moved to his chest and began to undo the fastenings of his vest. Their lips met once more, tongues exploring and tasting as she slipped off his vest letting it fall to the floor while she moved on to his shirt, pulling it free from his pants. They were forced to break the kiss as she lifted the shirt over his head. The shirt joined the vest on the floor as her lips kissed a path down his neck and chest. Her tongue flicked out, igniting his skin with pinpricks of fire. Her teeth tugged gently at the hairs of his chest and nipped at his skin. His breathing grew rapid as she unfastened his pants and slipped her hands into the waistband of his briefs pulling both garments down over his hips. His penis sprang free, displaying the strength of his arousal. She gripped the engorged member at its base slowly moving her hand upward until her thumb flicked gently over the sensitive head. She dropped to her knees and took his member into her mouth massaging the shaft with her lips. Gradually she drew him into her mouth each time pulling back just before he reached his peak then drawing him in deeper and deeper. A final brush of her tongue over the head and he came, ejecting his seed into her open mouth and groaning her name. His knees buckled with his release and he dropped to the floor in front of her, struggling to regain his breath. 

"Thank you, Kathryn," he said when he was able to speak.

She smiled and moved closer for another kiss. He could taste his semen on her lips.

"Now it's your turn," he whispered.

He pulled her to him, reaching behind her to undo her dress. He slipped the fabric from her shoulders and allowed it drop, its folds pooling around her knees where she knelt before him. He unclipped her bra, flung it aside and reached up to cup her breasts with his hands. He brushed the erect nipples with his thumbs sending shivers of desire down her spine. His hands slid to her hips, his thumbs catching her panties and taking them along on the downward journey. He buried his face between her breasts, his tongue dancing over her skin, licking away droplets of perspiration. His hands circled her waist as he lifted her to her feet. He remained kneeling tracing a line down her abdomen with his tongue as he lifted her upwards. His face came to rest within her curls where he found her already wet with arousal. In a swift movement he rose to his feet and swept her into his arms. He carried her into the bedroom revelling in the feel of her bare skin within his arms and pressed against his chest.

He laid her on the bed and moved on top of her, straddling her hips. His lips again traced their route down her body while his hand moved to explore her folds. His fingers found her nub, caressing until she reached the crest of arousal then moved away and worked their way deeper, stroking and probing. Her breathing became laboured as she struggled to speak.

"I need you in me. Please, Chakotay, now!"

He pulled back allowing the tip of his penis to brush her sex. She gasped and reached down, taking his erect member and guiding it into her. He entered her slowly, pulled back, then thrust forward again. They moved together her hips arching forward to meet his thrusts, he felt her walls clenching tighter around him with each movement. Their rhythm grew faster and faster until finally they peaked in unison, tumbling over the brink as their juices flowed together. He collapsed on top of her, letting her bear his whole weight for a moment. Then rolled off to her side as he slipped out from within her. He pulled her into his embrace and they lay together as their breathing slowed and deepened. Chakotay watched as once more, the tears pooled in her eyes. He felt an icy grip around his heart.

"Was that the last time, Kathryn? Do we have to give this up?"

"I don't know if we can be together this way when we return to Voyager, it may be too hard. But we will have this again one day. Always remember that, Chakotay. Today was a promise not a farewell."

"I'll remember, Kathryn, always."

She relaxed into his arms and slowly they drifted into slumber, comforted by the promise of their final resolution.

=^=