Captain Janeway giggled slightly as she watched Enna try to pour her another drink. 'Try' was the operative word, as the Lefrekian woman only managed to get a few drops in the glass, while the rest went on the floor, the couch, and her wrist.

After a second attempt with the same disastrous results, Enna thrust the bottle at her with a giggle of her own. "Here, just have the whole thing. I'll get my own out of the cabinet."

Janeway sank back into the cushions with a sigh and watched her friend wobble her way across the room. She took a swig from the bottle. What had Enna called it? Groga? No, it was grogal. She held it up to her eye to see how much of the potent liquid they'd consumed between them. She was distracted, though, by a triumphant noise coming from somewhere behind her. Enna reappeared bearing another bottle, and a bowl of large blue berries.

"Look what I found in the cooler! These are called jewel berries. They're brilliant. Here, try one."

Enna held the bowl out to her, and then flopped down on the other end of the large cosy couch. Strawberry champagne. She couldn't believe it. They tasted just like strawberry champagne! Her delight at the taste must have shown because her friend smiled.

"Good aren't they? But you should be careful. They ferment naturally as they ripen. Too many can lead to a surprising degree of intoxication."

"I think it's a bit late to worry about that now," Janeway laughed, popping another in her mouth.

Just a few drinks, Enna had said, Just one or two, to help you relax And she had been so relieved after being able to talk to Chakotay that she'd agreed almost immediately. After all, she didn't have to be on duty. Why not let her hair down for one evening? Unfortunately the 'one or two' drinks had turned into a few more, and now she was feeling decidedly tipsy. But in a good way. She hadn't let herself go like this since... well, since before she'd taken command of Voyager back in the Alpha Quadrant. Too long.

"So tell me more about your crew. I've only met a few of them. Who was the tall one with the pointed ears again?"

"Tuvok, my -"

"Tuvok! That's right. A bit serious but very handsome, don't you think?"

She couldn't help but laugh at the description of her stoic security officer. "Enna, Tuvok is one of my oldest friends. I suppose he isn't bad-looking, but I can't say I've ever really considered him that way."

"Well, that's rather boring," she teased, then gave her a warm smile, "But it must have been a relief to have a good friend with you when you were brought to this quadrant."

"Yes, Tuvok's always been wonderful support," she replied, thinking fondly of her Vulcan friend.

"I can't imagine what it must have been like - being torn away from your homes like that," Enna said after a moment, her expression turned sober.

"It was very hard, especially at first. But it has become easier over the years. So many of my crew are very young, and everyone left behind family and friends. It was the last thing any of us expected, being brought out here."

"No, I would imagine not," Enna gave a wry smile, "But let's not depress each other. Why don't you tell me about one of the adventures you've had? Oh, better yet, tell me about some of the steamy encounters you must have had with exotic aliens."

Janeway pulled her bare feet up onto the couch beside her. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed there. Adventures, yes. Tawdry love affairs, no."

Enna's eyes widened in surprise. "None? Why not? You told me you weren't attached to anyone back home. Does your Federation policies forbid relationships with aliens?"

"No, nothing like that..." she paused, wondering what to say in reply, "I did leave a man behind. Mark. And at first I stayed loyal to him. But it's been a while since I let him go and moved on. Aside from that, though, most of the time we're so busy just trying to survive that there just isn't a place for that sort of thing in my life right now."

Enna raised her eyebrows sceptically in a very human gesture. "Well I find that hard to believe. What about your crew? I'm sure they don't all share your view. Isn't there anybody...?"

Whether it was the grogal, or the berries, either way something must have shown on her face at that moment. Something to cause a knowing smile to form on Enna's lips.

"I knew it. Who is it? Have I met him? Oh I know - it's your first officer, Chakotay, isn't it? I saw how relieved he looked when he saw you on the communicator. He displayed a great deal more concern for you than I would expect from a mere colleague."

"We're just friends!" she protested, perhaps a little too loudly.

"So it is him! Are you sure you're just friends?"

She couldn't remember how the conversation had suddenly become about her personal life. She felt like a teenager being drilled by a friend for details about her boyfriend. She should have known it would be a bad idea to drink this much. The alcohol in the drink and berries was definitely starting to take its toll on her system.

"Yes. Just friends," she said as firmly as she could. Janeway suspected the alcohol was having an effect on Enna as well. Her friend had seemed a lot more... subdued... before they'd started drinking.

"But would I be right in assuming that you'd like to be something more?"

She hesitated. "The situation's a bit more complicated than that."

"But really," Enna blurted out, "You've been out here a long time. Way too long to be alone. Everyone needs someone to care about."

"I have a hundred and fifty people to care about on Voyager," she pointed out with a sigh.

"Well, you also need someone to care for you. Now Chakotay cares for you - that was obvious. And if you like him too, well then there shouldn't be a problem," she stated sensibly, as if there could be no other way of looking at it.

"I wish it could be that simple," Janeway confessed, her eyes closed against the painful truth.

Enna looked at her, sympathy written in her eyes. "Make it that simple. You owe it to yourself to at least try. You shouldn't deny yourself happiness. Especially not when it would be such an easy thing to have." Janeway didn't answer. But then Enna reached over and patted her knee, standing up as she did so. She surveyed the small disaster area surrounding them in the form of glasses, cushions, bottles and other mess, and shook her head. "Ugh. Look at this mess. I'll almost feel bad about leaving it for our 'hosts' to clean up. But I mean, they leave us with an ample supply of grogal, not to mention the jewel berries - what do they expect?" She let out a yawn. "Well, I'm going to bed. You should too, you look about as tired as I feel." And after bidding her goodnight, Enna left the room.

Janeway sat on the couch for a few more minutes, staring at her hands and thinking. Enna didn't understand her situation. Would it really be so easy to just start a relationship with him? She'd been fighting against it for so long that it would be foolish to just suddenly change her mind. That's the way to go, Kathryn. Dig your heels in stubbornly because you don't want to look silly. Very mature.

Of course, that was all taking into account that Chakotay wanted a relationship as well. Maybe he didn't. Maybe he'd made that offer the other day out of friendship and nothing more. No. She remembered the flash of disappointment in his eyes when she'd refused him.

So that was it then? She'd come to a decision? It was all fairly anticlimactic. After all the fuss she'd made, after all the angst she'd put herself through, after all the pain she must have caused him over the years, she was just going to change her mind? Just like that? He'd probably think she was insane. And what was she going to do? Walk up to him and tell him she was in love with him? Was she even in love with him at all? That was a sobering thought. How could she be in love with someone she'd never even kissed? It was like something out of a bad romance novel - all of that self denial and unrequited attraction.

Janeway shook her head, feeling the urge to laugh at the ridiculous tragedy of it all. Maybe she should just wait and see how things went. Maybe an opportunity would arise for her to tell him, and maybe it wouldn't. She'd just have to wait and see.

She looked down at the empty bottle which was now on the floor. When had she drank it all? She rubbed her forehead, her brain was feeling decidedly addled. She suspected it was as much from the topic of her musings as from the alcohol. She stood up, finding it surprisingly easy to do so. The room was hardly spinning at all. No, all this thinking wasn't helping. She should go to bed and sleep it off. Everything would be much clearer in the morning.

She made her way unsteadily to her sleeping chamber, thinking vague thoughts about Chakotay as she went. She was absolutely convinced that he would never get completely drunk and become all depressed over her. She was rather annoyed about that.

end scene 1

SCENE 2 - Chakotay

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.

I think I'm going to start screaming soon if he doesn't stop that.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.

That's it. If he doesn't stop it in three seconds, I'm going to scream.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.

One... Two... Thr -

"Harry? Anything from the surface?"

"No Commander."

Poor Harry. Tom could almost hear his friend gritting his teeth as he answered. He must be getting as annoyed up there as I am, Tom thought. Commander Chakotay had been driving everyone crazy all day. Harry, because he kept asking if there was any word about the Captain. B'Elanna, because he contacted her every fifteen minutes to see how the supply transfers were coming. And me because he won't stop that damn -

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.

He winced as Chakotay started it again. Tom thought of himself as a fairly easy-going sort of guy. It took quite a lot to get on his nerves. But the Commander had been tapping his fingernails on his console for the past three hours. And soon, very soon, Tom was going to scream. Well, no. He probably wasn't going to scream. He could just imagine the faces of everyone on the bridge if he suddenly jumped up, turned around and...

"Commander! We're being hailed from the surface," Harry's rather excited, not to mention relieved, voice broke into Tom's train of thought.

"On screen," came the immediate response.

Finally! Tom's ebullient thought mirrored that of every member of the bridge crew, one in particular. Really, who did the Commander think he was kidding? He'd been practically out of his mind ever since the Captain had been taken hostage by the Lefrekians. Tom had been worried too of course, the whole crew had been. Everyone loved their brilliant, courageous Captain. They would all lay down their lives for her, knowing she would do the same for them without a moment's hesitation. But with Chakotay is was more... personal. Tom suspected the feelings were reciprocated on the Captain's part as well. Though she'd probably never admit it.

He looked up at the face that suddenly filled the screen before him. It was Thol - the Lefrekian minister who'd met them on the surface just yesterday. He resisted the urge to turn and watch Chakotay's face as Thol informed them the Captain was being released. It was about time. Chakotay had been wound tight as a spring all day waiting for word about her. Tom had been hoping fervently that she would be released today. He didn't think he could take much more of Chakotay like this. He was even considering volunteering for sickbay duty. Not very seriously, though.

"Thankyou. We'll be beaming down shortly. Voyager out," Chakotay was saying, already moving towards the turbolift, "Tom, you're with me. Tuvok, you have the bridge."

Tom tried not to show too much exuberance as he stood up. He also had to curb the grin that threatened to show itself as he passed Tuvok on his way past Tactical. He had a feeling this away mission was going to be as interesting as the last one. Thinking of Chakotay's face when he saw the Captain yesterday on the comm screen - she was wearing a bath robe for crying out loud - he joined the commander on the turbolift.

Chakotay willed the lift to move faster. He knew it was dumb. He also knew that the Captain was safe, and that she'd soon be back on Voyager. But that didn't stop him worrying. It had been all very well and good, seeing her yesterday, and talking to her. But that hadn't assuaged his certainty that something was going to go wrong. At first it had just been a nagging feeling, but it had grown all day as he waited for word to come from the surface. A tiny suspicion that maybe the Lefrekians were just stalling for time. Maybe it was all going to turn out to be a hoax - an elaborate deception to hide the fact that she'd really been transported to another ship and whisked away, or injured, or even... Calm down. She's alright, he told himself for the fiftieth time. He knew she was alright. He did. It didn't stop him worrying, though.

The lift stopped. It was causing serious deja vu, this trip from the bridge to the transporter room with Tom beside him. Except today the pilot wasn't looking at him warily, he was... smirking! Just what did he think was so funny? Of all the... Chakotay shook his head slightly and tried to ignore him. He wasn't in the mood to deal with Paris.

They reached the transporter room, and saw that Tuvok had assembled the same security team as yesterday. Tom gave them a cheery greeting as they all stepped up onto the pad. Just as he gave the direction for the transporter operator to energise, Chakotay caught Tom muttering something under his breath.

"Here we go again..."

It was all he could do not to throw his arms around her when he saw her. He settled for placing his hands on her upper arms, in what he hoped would be construed as a friendly gesture by the rest of the away team.

"Are you alright, Captain?" he asked, trying to keep his tone level, and his voice calm.

She smiled indulgently at him. "Yes, Commander, I'm fine. It was all rather relaxing, actually. Lefrekians really know the meaning of the word 'hospitality'," she said, in what was an obvious compliment for the two non-humans standing nearby.

Chakotay watched as she exchanged pleasantries with Thol. She didn't seem in any way affected by her experience. He began to relax, finally, as he observed her. He would make her go to sickbay when they beamed back to Voyager, but he knew everything would be alright now. She was safe.

Out of the corner of his eye he felt someone looking at him. Turning his head he saw Enna - Kathryn's fellow hostage. She was openly appraising him in what could only be called a speculative manner. He caught her eye, his eyebrows raised questioningly. She didn't look embarrassed at having been caught staring. Instead she merely raised an eyebrow back at him, her expression decidedly amused. He was tempted to go over to her and ask what was going on, but then the Captain spoke up.

"Commander," her voice brought him out of his musings, "Have the supply transfers been completed?"

"Yes, Captain. B'Elanna was having her team double check those anodine relay parts when Thol contacted us."

"Well," she turned back to Thol and Enna, "This is goodbye then. Although my crew and I are extremely grateful for our time spent here, I believe it's high time Voyager was on her way again."

She handled all Thol's arrogant well-wishing like the true professional she was. He couldn't help but admire how gracefully she dealt with people like this. No one would ever guess what she really thought of the minister's pompous speech, though he could tell she wasn't very impressed. Finally, though, he began to wind down, and she turned to Enna.

The exchange here was much more intimate. Chakotay saw they'd become friends in the short time since they'd met. They said a few quiet words, then hugged briefly.

"Don't forget to think about what I said last night," Enna called to her, almost as an afterthought, as she moved to join the rest of the away team standing a few metres away.

Chakotay didn't fail to catch the look Enna sent in his direction, though he was at a loss as to what it might mean. He'd have to ask Kathryn what they'd been talking about later.

At that moment she merely replied with an ambiguous, "Don't worry I will." She then turned to face her six crew members. "Let's get back to Voyager, then, shall we?"

They assumed the typical positions, and soon they materialised in the transporter room.

"It's good to have you back, Captain," Tom said as they stepped down off the pad.

"It sure is Captain," echoed Ensign Turner, who was on transporter duty again.

"Thank you," she replied, giving them all a smile, "It's good to be back. Though I must say it really was nice to get away from it all for a while. Maybe I'll arrange to get abducted again at the next planet we come to."

They all laughed as she breezed out of the room, Chakotay following directly on her heels.

"You wouldn't be heading for the bridge by any chance, would you Captain?" he asked, knowing all too well that she was.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am, Commander. Why?"

"I think it might be a good idea if you went to sickbay and let the Doctor check you out."

A slightly pained expression appeared involuntarily before she covered it up. "I really don't think that's necessary, Chakotay. I'm perfectly alright."

He looked at her sceptically. He knew that while she appreciated the Doctor, and considered him a friend as well as a valuable member of the crew, she really hated being his patient.

"I know you're alright, Captain. But would you humour me? I'd feel a lot better."

She heaved an exaggerated sigh. "Oh alright. Though he'll just tell me I need to eat more, and get more sleep, like he always does."

They stepped onto the turbolift at the end of the corridor, and called out their destinations. It stopped on deck five, and just as she stepped out, he spoke.

"It is good to have you back, Kathryn. We were all worried about you," he said, though the hidden sentiment was clear. I was worried about you.

She smiled at him, and looked at him in a way that always managed to make his stomach plunge into his feet.

"I know," she said in reply, as the lift doors closed behind her.

end scene 2

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Captain Janeway has beaten Tom Paris at pool times this month.