Title: RHUMBA

Author: A. Kite (Akite68163@aol.com)

Series: Star Trek Voyager

Part: 2 of ? in what is becoming the Dance Series

Codes: Chakotay/Paris, Paris/Kim?

Rating: PG-13 for m/m situations

Summary: A sequel to Last Tango in Paris, more musings and a bit of conversation concerning events in Voyager's second season.

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all. No copyright infringement intended, no money being made.

Archiving: Permission given to ASCEM, Slashville, and to my own website at www.oocities.org/tlin_s/a_kite/

Thanks to Bridget Cochran for beta reading, encouragement, and generally being there for me.

Feedback and constructive criticism is welcome and always answered.


RHUMBA
A. Kite - April 2000

Chakotay was angry. He stamped into his quarters, picked up a pillow from the sofa and punched it across the room. It didn't help. He hadn't been this angry since he learned of his father's death. After everything he'd done for them, for the ship, and the captain still didn't trust him. He'd played the part written for him by Janeway and Tuvok so well one would think he'd had a script.

Chakotay sank down onto the couch and put his head in his hands. He had fallen for the deception hook, line and sinker. Thinking that Paris had reverted to his old ways, and that it was only the leopard showing its true spots. He should have known. He'd watched Tom change since they'd started their voyage home. Had watched him slowly gain respect from the crew and regain respect for himself. The only way Tom would give that up would be if Janeway asked him to.

Chakotay tried to be angry with Tom for his role in this, but he couldn't. Tom had had no choice, just as Chakotay had no choice but to accept that he and his people would never be trusted. It was too late to back out. They were bound too tightly in the grip of the powerful woman that held their lives. Chakotay had vowed to stay by her side, and he couldn't break his word.

The appealing thought of taking his aggression out on a punching bag was wiped from his mind when the ship suddenly lurched. Chakotay made his way back to the bridge in time for Tom's miraculous return.


Harry Kim stood at his station and watched Chakotay watching Tom. The man was studying Tom as if he'd never seen him before. He didn't look angry, not the way he did when he looked at the captain or Tuvok. Tom had apologized for antagonizing the man and in public. You couldn't get more public than 'A Briefing With Neelix'. Harry wished he was telepathic or empathic so that he could figure out what was going on.

Harry sighed and looked at Tom again. It was so good to see him back where he belonged. Maybe now that Tom was back it would be a good time to talk to him. Tell him. Or maybe not, he cast another glimpse at Chakotay. The man was looking at Tom again. There was a hunger in Chakotay's eyes that didn't take a telepath to read.

Tom hadn't told him much about his time in the Maquis, but Harry knew there was more to the story than just that Tom and Chakotay hadn't gotten along. There was the Seska factor too. The cold hearted bitch hated Tom even before her true identity was discovered. Thank goodness Tom got away from her. Harry shivered thinking about B'Elanna telling him that Seska had once voiced an interest in him. A warning beep on his console drug Harry's attention back
to his job.

Harry Kim sat on the hard ground of the alien world that the Kazon had abandoned them on. He sat away from everyone else. Not far away enough to be dangerous, but enough to discourage conversation. Harry didn't feel like talking. He was tired, more tired than he could ever remember being in his young life. Starfleet survival training was no preparation for the real thing. Harry leaned against the rock wall at his back. He was scared too. More frightened
than he had been when he was stuck in the nightmare place with the clown. Then he'd known deep down that Captain Janeway would find a way to get them out. This time he wasn't so sure.

Sometimes he felt like a stranger in his own skin. Arguing with Tuvok about contacting the Viidians to get a cure for Captain Janeway and Chakotay, that wasn't like him. He had been feeling that way since the incident with the identical Voyagers. Some things stood out to him as alien, totally off, but other things were just the same. The way he felt about Tom was one of them. Tom! The thought of Seska getting her hands on Tom again sent a wave of panic through
Harry.

A warm hand on his shoulder stilled the shudders in Harry's body. He looked up as Commander Chakotay squatted down beside him. "You okay, Harry? What are you doing over here all by yourself?" Harry shrugged the shoulder that Chakotay was holding and looked out into the darkness. "You're worried about Tom, aren't you?" Chakotay asked with his usual insight.

Harry shrugged his shoulder again, refusing to give words to his concerns. Chakotay eased himself down beside the ensign, intruding into his space in a way that he rarely did. He felt another shudder go through the young man's body and he spoke again, hoping for a response this time, "Harry, Tom's a survivor. He'll make it. Whether or not we do is another story, but I know Tom will."

Harry pulled away and snorted. "Don't feed me that crap, Commander. You know and I know that if Seska gets her hands on Tom she'll kill him this time. Why does she hate the two of you so much, hmmm? That's what I wonder. Something that happened while you were in the Maquis, I know, but Tom won't talk about it."

Chakotay pulled Harry around to face him, "You want to know, do you? Well, I'll tell you, Ensign, but it's not a pretty story. I ditched Seska when Tom came along. I used Tom and then he was captured. I convinced myself afterwards that it meant nothing, even when I heard he was in prison. I convinced myself right up until I saw him again on Voyager's bridge."

"You and Tom were lovers?"

Chakotay shook his head. "No, we were never real lovers, not the way it's supposed to be. Not the way you mean."

"So? What changed when you saw him again?" Harry asked.

Chakotay looked down at the ground and answered, "I was angry. Angry at him for being there," Chakotay lowered his voice, "angry that he could still make me want him. Angry at myself for still wanting him."

The two men sat back against the rock wall, side by side with their shoulders barely touching. Still talking but not looking at one another. "You never talked to him? Never said anything after all this time?" Harry inquired.

"Have you?" Chakotay countered.

The query took Harry back for a moment. He took a sidelong glance at the older man and decided to put on the innocent act. "What do you mean? Tom's my best friend."

"Humpft, don't try that stuff with me, Harry Kim. I've seen the way you look at him."

"And I've seen the way *you* look at him too, when you think nobody will notice," Harry deflected back. "You forget that I'm standing back there on the bridge."

Chakotay chuckled at the irony. "So, we both look, but never touch. What's that gotten us? Here we are sitting here on this god-forsaken planet and neither of us has anything."

Harry moved closer to the older man and whispered, "No, you're wrong, Chakotay. We have each other."

Chakotay smiled at Harry and put his arm around his shoulder. "Yes, we do." The two sat together and waited out the long night.



TBC, once I look at third season. :)

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