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Frozen in Time

By Crusher


So they belong to others but I enjoy playing with them.


I was listening to Ed Sheeran and a section of the song Photograph just stuck with me and this is what came out.


We keep this love in this photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Our hearts were never broken
Times forever frozen still

So you can keep me
Inside the pocket
Of your ripped jeans
Holdin' me closer
'Til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone


I used Year of Hell to tell the tale, hope you like it.


^ ^ ^ ^

Kathryn Janeway slipped into the room. She knew she shouldn’t be doing this, that there were things that needed to be taken care of but she just needed a few minutes to herself.

Moving over to an overturned chair she righted and dusted it off. Slowly sitting she took a deep breath and released it gradually. The crew was counting on her to get them out of this mess but it wasn’t looking good.

The ship was in a bad way with fractures to the hull in various places. Sections of the ship were not usable with debris and such strewn everywhere. The crew had suffered as well with numerous injuries and in some cases some had died in the battles. Tuvok was blind Tom Paris and Chakotay had been taken by the enemy.

The moment she thought of Chakotay she looked down at the watch dangling from her pant waist. He had given it to Kathryn on her birthday. She had told him to recycle it because they could use the energy down the road but now she was glad he had disobeyed her. Kathryn wished he was with her right now she could use his strength to deal with the mess they were in.

Reaching into her pant pocket, Kathryn pulled an item from its hiding place. Gently she flattened out the thick paper and looked down at the image. It was a picture from another time or so it seemed. It was of two people laughing and enjoying the company they were with, a moment in time frozen forever. The image had been taken on New Earth by their security cameras. Chakotay was telling her something and she was laughing as she looked up at him. Kathryn missed those days where they had no responsibilities except to each other.

The first couple of weeks were strained with Kathryn fighting to return to the ship. But once the equipment had been destroyed she had accepted their situation, the Kathryn that she kept buried came out.

The night before they had returned to the ship she had accessed the files from the surveillance equipment and removed a lot of the images but this one she had kept, saving it first to her personal data and then printing it. Kathryn had remembered images her mother had from generations back and decided she wanted to print that particular image so she could carry it around with her.

Looking down at the watch again Kathryn wished she had told him what he meant to her. It was too late now she knew that their fight was a useless cause but if Voyager could hang on for a little longer she could maybe save the crew.

Standing up she straightened what was left of her uniform to head out the door to the next crisis.

Two days later she crashed what was left of Voyager into the enemy’s ship and her last thoughts were of Chakotay.

Day 65

“Happy birthday,” Chakotay said as they sat on the couch in Kathryn’ quarters.

“Chakotay,” she admonished as she took the package with the excitement of a little girl. “You know you didn’t have to do that.”

“Okay never mind,” he teased as he took the package back. “I’ll just replicate it we will probably need the power down the road, for something important. Like a coffee or some such thing, how she can get so many when I know she has run out of credits.”

Snatching it back Kathryn stuck her tongue out. “Never mind I’ll accept it and besides I know how to get credits when I need them for coffee,’ she said as she looked at him sideways.

“One of these days you will get a surprise when you try to steal credits from me,” he warned not too seriously.

“Now I wouldn’t consider it stealing, I would say it’s saving you a whole lot of misery because a Captain without her coffee is not a good thing,” she replied saucily.

Shuddering he bowed to her reasoning, “Perish the thought.”

Kathryn quickly tore into the wrapping paper to find a box. Slowly she opened the lid to find a pocket watch.

“Oh Chakotay it’s beautiful,” Kathryn whispered as she pulled the object from the velvet bed it lay on.

“Nineteenth century, mechanical movement,” Chakotay explained as he watched the wonder on her face as she looked at the piece. “It's a replica of the chronometer worn by Captain Cray of the British Navy. His ship was hit by a typhoon in the Pacific. Everyone back in England thought they were killed, but eight months later Cray sailed his ship into London harbour. There wasn't much left of it, a few planks, half a sail, but he got his crew home. Considering our situation I thought it was appropriate.”

Chakotay became concerned when Kathryn sat staring at the watch without saying anything.

“Kathryn, are you okay,” he asked fearing he had overstepped some boundary?

“Sorry, have you ever had a time where you feel like you have lived a moment or portion of a moment before,” she asked.

“I guess,” he said not sounding to convincing. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

“I feel like you have given the watch to me before but I know this is the first time,” Kathryn explained. “But I can see you kneel beside where I was working on something I think but I’m not sure. It’s fuzzy.”

“Can’t say that I have but I can promise this is the first and only time that I have given you this present,” he assured her.

“And it is appreciated, don’t worry I’m not losing it,” Kathryn promised as she laughed.

Chakotay laughed as well, “Don’t worry I won’t tell anyone this will just be one of those moments that are frozen in time for me.”

Once again Kathryn was startled this time by what he said. “Frozen in time?”

“Yes those moments you tuck away and reflect on every so often,” Chakotay replied a little nervously. “I have quite a few of those moments, would you like to see one and without waiting for an answer he pulled a folded piece of heavy paper from his pant pocket. “This one is my favourite,” as he handed Kathryn the paper.

Her hands shook slightly as she unfolded the paper. Kathryn’s breath caught as she looked at the image on the paper.

Pulling a fold piece of heavy paper from her pocket, Kathryn spoke as she unfolded it. “We seem to be of the same mind.” She finished as she handed it over to a shocked Chakotay.

“Kathryn,” he started but didn’t know what to say or think.

“When I’m stressed beyond belief I take out that picture and remember a better time. A time where nothing was expected of me except good company and maybe to clean up after myself,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

“And you were the best of company,” he promised.

“I wish that neck massage had gone a little further,” she whispered.

“Me too,” Chakotay agreed. “Or the towel had slipped.”

“Chakotay,” Kathryn yelled as she tried to swat him.

But he caught her hands and pulled her towards him. “Or I wish I had just done this,” Chakotay said as pulled her closer for a kiss.

“Yes I wish you had just done that,” Kathryn agreed as they parted slightly from the kiss.

Chakotay laughed as he pulled her back to him, “Happy birthday Kathryn.”

“Best damn birthday ever,” Kathryn got out before Chakotay captured her lips again.

The end


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