By Crusher
Kathryn Janeway sat watching the people passing by from her table in the little café.
Voyager had returned to the Alpha quadrant to much fanfare and celebration. The crew tried to stay together but slowly they started to go their own way. B’Elanna and Tom were enjoying their new daughter as well as Tom’s renewed relationship with his father. Harry was given his much over due promotion and was now posted on the Enterprise as a Lieutenant Commander.
The one that had been painful for Kathryn was Chakotay he had went off with Seven. B’Elanna had mentioned him a few times to her but had stopped and after a while they stopped calling on her.
Her mother had died five months after her return. Phoebe said that she had held on till Kathryn had returned home and then slipped away. Phoebe herself had returned to her family after visiting with Kathryn for a bit and they had very little contact since and then one day Kathryn was notified that her sister and family had been killed while on holiday in a shuttle accident.
The former Captain’s life was a very lonely one. She had taken a leave from Fleet and spent time at her former childhood home going through her things. She came across the temporal device that she obtained a few months before their return. Kathryn had decided not to let the Federation know about it and since her crew had not known about its existence it was easy to overlook.
Looking at the object in her hand she had wondered what to do with it and sat it to the side as she continued through her belongings. Her days had become lonely and long and when she saw the device she thought back to Jonathan Archer and her few days with him.
She decided to permanently retire from Fleet since they would not let her have a ship. They reasoned that she was on her own to long and would chafe under the restrictions that Fleet would enforce.
Alone at her mother’s home she thought about her options and had finally came to a decision. Making arrangements for a trip off world she packed what she wanted and the rest she put into storage for whoever wanted it.
Taking her small shuttle out of storage she did an overhaul on it and had it flight ready in a week.
With no one to inform she left Earth’s orbit and disappeared into space.
Sitting sipping her coffee she watched for his figure coming down the street. She had watched him for the past few days and knew his routine brought him down this street the same time every day.
He was a few years older then the last time she saw him but he was still handsome. Looking down the street she saw the familiar figure and her heart started to race as he moved forward.
The man in question walked with determined stride as he moved through the lunch crowds. After three morning meetings he had decided to call it a day and was heading for food and then home to relax.
Kathryn rose from her chair and followed him down the street to the deli that he frequented.
After ordering his sandwiches he headed back down the street to his apartment building. Jonathan was about to enter when a little bundle of fur ran up to him dragging a leash behind him. The man looked down at the little bouncing ball of energy and noticed that it looked like his dog Porthos that had passed away about five years back. He had missed his little buddy but had never had the heart to replace him.
‘Hi little guy,’ Jonathan Archer said as he bent down to pick up the stray. The dog was quick to thank his rescuer with a quick face lick. ‘Are you lost?’
‘No he belongs to me,’ came the answer from behind him.
The voice sounded so familiar and he quickly turned because it couldn’t be her and he just had to make sure that he wasn’t losing his mind.
‘Kathryn,’ he said astounded at the sight before him.
‘Hi,’ she said a little uncertainly.
‘I don’t understand I thought you went back,’ Archer said a little confused.
This woman had been in his thoughts over the years and no other had come close to replacing her.
‘I did and I accomplished my goal but everything I had fought for was gone and I ended up alone. I found the device that had brought me to you in my things and I took the chance that you might remember me and came to see you.’ She said nervously as she watched him.
‘Woman the day you left I was trying to figure out how to change your mind,’ he smiled but he noticed that there was something missing with Kathryn.
‘You have been in my thoughts for the last couple of years,’ she said and then noticed his questioning look. ‘I know for you it has been a little longer but I knew I couldn’t just walk back into your life while you were a Captain.’ Kathryn explained as they moved inside the building.
Entering his apartment they moved into the kitchen.
‘I picked up some sandwiches would you care to share,’ Jonathan asked as he pulled plates from a cupboard.
‘No but please you go ahead,’ Kathryn said as she stood there.
Placing the food on the plate he poured a couple mugs of coffee and led her out to the living room to sit on the couch.
‘So how have you been?’ He asked as he watched her face for a reaction.
‘All right,’ she answered absently.
Catching her chin he turned her to face him and his heart broke to see the pain and loneliness in her eyes.
‘Hey what is it?’ Jonathan prodded as he looked into those blue eyes that use to have such fire.
‘I spent seven years getting my crew home and after fighting for each and everyone of them they went on to enjoy their lives. My mother died and then my sister and her family were killed in a freak accident and I was left with no one. The person that promised to stay by my side walked away,’ she said sadly. ‘I left my job and went home but there was nothing there for me and then I found the temporal device and thought of you and thought’ but she faltered as she tried to finish her story.
Tears slipped down her cheeks as she watched his face.
‘What did you think?’ He asked as he wiped the tears away.
‘I thought maybe we might have something if you’re interested.’ Kathryn said as she watched him.
‘I guess you missed that comment I made a while ago about figuring out how to keep you here all those years ago. I would have thought of something so you could have stayed but I understood your need to return to your time.’ Jonathan said as he looked into her tear filled eyes. ‘I’m sorry for what you went through but I have to ask am I a substitute for him,’ he asked as he watched the emotions swim across her face.
‘I will always love him but I think I stopped wanting anything a few years ago and then you came along,’ she smiled at him for the first time since she arrived and he saw the tension leave her face a bit. ‘You have been in my thoughts and dreams since I met you and no one has been able to capture my heart the way you did.’
Moving slowly forward he placed a gentle kiss on her lips.
‘I think we will have a wonderful life,’ he said quietly as he pulled her into his arms.
Starfleet Academy
2380
The Professor had asked the students to do research on lesser-known people that had helped in shaping the federation.
The young cadet that was speaking now droned on about some scientist that had helped to colonize an unknown outpost that had supplied food to the far reaches of the Alpha quadrant. This allowed for expansion of the Federation.
‘Thank you Ensign that was very informative,’ the big man said as he turned to the class. ‘Who would like to be next?’
A young man in the back row raised his hand. Motioning the cadet down the professor took a seat in the first row again.
‘You all know an ancestor of mine,’ the young man said as he activated the view screen. ‘Jonathan Archer was the first Captain of the Enterprise and my great, great a few times removed grandfather. But the person you might not know about is his wife,’ Edward Archer said as the image of his smiling ancestor looked upon the class.
‘It was said that she was camera shy and there were very few images of her. This is the only one that has survived,’ Edward continued as the image behind him changed once again to show a smiling woman with steel gray eyes looking at the crowd. ‘She was told she was to old to have a child but she did have one and he would go on to be a great peace negotiator.’
‘He would have his parent’s love of a challenge,’ the proud young man said. Edward continued to tell about his ancestor and the great love she had for her husband and the life they had. The cadet explained that Kate had met Jonathan briefly but then had come back into his life. Nothing was known about her life before meeting the former Captain of the Enterprise. She never talked about her past but she would go on for hours about her husband and son.
The professor thanked Edward Archer and the class for their presentations then dismissed them for the weekend.
The image of Edward’s ancestor still graced the screen as the professor rose to take a closer look at her.
Voyager’s former First Officer looked up at the woman he had searched for, for two years. The picture was a bit blurry but he would know Kathryn Janeway anywhere. The relationship with Seven had lasted four months when they both realized that it was a mistake. Chakotay had remained on Trebus for a year so he could help in the reconstruction of his home world.
Staying to help also gave him time to think about what he wanted from life. He had hurt Kathryn once again and he didn’t know if he deserved her forgiveness.
Starfleet had contacted him about a posting and so he used it as an excuse to return to Earth hoping for a chance to see Kathryn.
He had met with the Academy people and listened to their offer of a teaching post in their history department. Chakotay had thanked them and told them he would give them an answer in a few days. He had gone to headquarters next to look for Kathryn and had received the shock of his life when he was told that she had resigned her commission.
Contacting Tom and B’Elanna he had found out that they had not seen Kathryn since the parties after their return. Chakotay next tried her home in Indiana to find it locked up. He had gone into town to ask some questions about her whereabouts when he was directed to a lawyer’s office that turned out to be a family friend.
After making introductions the man had handed Chakotay a package and left him in his office to have some privacy to look it over.
He hand found a painting that Kathryn had done of New Earth. It was a picture of him working on one of his many projects it must have been hot that day as his shirt was off. Under the drawing lay a letter addressed to him.
Opening the letter with shaking fingers he read the words that would break his heart.
Dear Chakotay,
I meant to give this to you so many times as a reminder of our life together on that Eden but never had the courage. We started to drift apart and other women came and went in your life till there was no room left for me.
I have left and will not be returning and since there is nothing here for me I know I will not be missed.
I hope you and Seven have a good life.
A part of me will always love you but unfortunately our time has gone. Be well my Angry Warrior and know that for a while you and I had something special.
Love Kathryn
Coming back to the present he looked up at the smiling face on the screen. Kathryn had found her happiness and she held a child in her arms and was held by the man who loved her.
Jonathan Archer had been lucky enough to have her reappear in his life and he had been smart enough not to let her get away.
‘I’m glad you found peace Kathryn,’ Chakotay whispered as he turned off the screen.
The End