Disclaimer: Paramount sadly owns the characters. No infringement intended.
Author's Note: This fic proceeds "Endgame," and bears its name from the Whitney Houston song containing the same title. Once you read the fic think of the words to the song and you'll see it works very well together.
I Will Always Love You
by Holly
They got married, Kathryn told herself for the millionth time. They get married, she corrected herself, in a few years. Even though her and Chakotay never entirely discussed their feelings for one another or furthered their relationship, she had always thought that they would ultimately end up together. She had never loved anyone else like she loved him. But now...he was dating Seven. Seven had told her this the other day. She couldn't believe it, their relationship had appeared out of no where. The last time she had checked the two of them had simply been tolerating the other, but now... What hurt her the most, she thought, was that Chakotay had conveniently forgotten to mention it to her.
"Hi Kathryn," Chakotay smiled at her as he sat down.
"Hi," she replied.
"I'm glad you could make our rain check," he chuckled. "I know how hectic everything has been the last week."
"Yes, very hectic," she repeated, eyeing her fingers as they traced circles around the edge of her coffee cup.
"What's wrong?" he asked, automatically knowing something was bothering her.
"You're dating Seven," she stated bluntly. She hadn't meant for it to come out that way. Then again she hadn't meant for half of the things which had occurred during the last sever year to happen. But non-the-less, they had happened.
"Umm...yes...but..." he stammered, looking down at the table. "How did you find out?"
"She told me," Kathryn replied. "You know, like friends tell each other about things such as that."
"I'm sorry Kathryn," he told her.
"I don't want an apology Chakotay," she said, looking him in the eyes.
"Kathryn," he started and then sighed. "I couldn't wait forever."
"I know," she sighed.
"People move on," he told her sadly. "I waited a very long time but no matter what, you never let us get too close. Any attempt I made to further our relationship beyond that of friendship always ended with you..."
"I couldn't..." she whispered.
"I know," he assured her, taking her hand. He opened it and slowly traced the contours of her palm with his finger.
"I didn't mean for it to happen. But...well one night Seven and I got to talking, and the next thing I knew we were having our first date, and then our fourth and so on."
He paused as he searched her eyes for understanding. Those eyes which he had gazed into more times than he could count, which he knew so well. But all he perceived was hurt.
"She's a lot like her mentor, you know."
"I'm not sure that's something I want to hear at this moment," she replied with as much of a smile as she could muster.
"I think I love her Kathryn."
As he said that, a lone tear slid down her check. She had always imagined him saying those words before, but to her, not to someone else, especially someone she was so close to.
"Being with her reminded me of being with you and...well I decided that if I couldn't be in a relationship with you then I might as well take the next best thing. Be with someone who reminded me of you, who gave me that feeling you always give me."
He reached out and wiped the tear from her check. As she felt the touch of his skin she shivered, realizing just what she had lost. She would never get the chance to fully feel his touch.
"I have to go," she said abruptly, standing. "Good-bye Chakotay," she said and walked over to the door.
"I will always love you Kathryn," he told her, looking her in the eyes.
"I will always love you too Chakotay," she answered back.
With that she walked out the door. Walked away from that smile, that gaze, that touch, away from him. Deciding never to look back again.
The End