Paramount owns the Star Trek universe--the book is out of copyright.
Warning: J/C fluff.
This started life as something else, but it wouldn't work there--so I decided to make it my contribution to the J/C and a book challenge.
The revisions involve switching Dorvan to Trebus, which seems to be where Chakotay was from. And a couple of grammar things.
Chakotay opened his eyes as she rolled over again. "Kathryn?"
He heard her sigh. "I'm sorry, maybe I should go back to my quarters. Then at least one of us would get some sleep." He wrapped his arms around her.
"Stay...What's bothering you?"
She shrugged. "I just have bouts of insomnia every so often. I haven't had problems sleeping since we...well--" She kissed him.
He smiled. "I know the perfect cure."
"You have a one track mind." She chuckled quietly as his hands ran down her shoulders.
"I didn't mean that. Computer, one-quarter illumination." He pushed himself into a sitting position. "I'll tell you a story."
She nodded as she cuddled next to him. "A story sounds good. Tell me about yourself, something fun."
He thought carefully for several seconds as he ran his hand through her hair. "Well...It was one of those bright, brilliant, sunny days that Trebus was known for. Hot and miserable. And humid. There was this mossy-stuff growing in the trees--it was real slimy. It would gyrate nimbly in the wind." He kissed the top of her head. "There were groves of these mossy trees--walking through them this moss would reach out and grab you. Or so it seemed to an eleven year old boy."
"A haunted forest?" She asked with a big smile.
"I guess. Strange creatures lived in this forest. My father told me to beware of one in particular. It had wicked jaws and sharp claws and was known to live amongst the trees. It would sneak up and catch children unaware..."
"A boogey man." She snuggled closer, letting his arms wrap around her.
"Kath, who's telling this story?"
She sighed. "You are...It sounds familiar..."
"Well, then I don't need to continue..." He was grinning.
"No, please do. I'm enjoying it." She looked up and winked at him. He quickly kissed her brow before continuing.
"There were also these large birdlike creatures, jubble birds...They called out jub, jub as a warning. But the most ominous animal was the Treban snatcher." He shivered slightly--in mock terror at the memory. "A boa constrictor like creature."
"Oooo. Sounds scary."
"It was. Now shush, let me tell the story. I remember my cousin giving me a warped stick and telling me that I had to seek the mangy foe in the wood." He laughed quietly. "I was eleven, and believed him when he told me to stand under those moss trees and wait. So I waited. And waited. I finally lay down in the hollow of the tree and fell asleep. When I awoke -- it was night and there was this jabbering creature coming toward me. It had bright red eyes and made this funny whistling noise. Then it saw me and started gurgling. I was terrified as I lifted my stick and started to hit at it. I think I hit it two or three times. Broke the creature in half."
"You broke the creature in half?" Her eyes opened wide.
Chakotay nodded. "My cousin leapt out from behind a tree at that moment and scared me even further. Then I realized that I'd been set up. The creature had been a fake. I was going to be in serious trouble -- I'd broken my father's speeder bike."
"Oh, poor boy...What did he do?"
"My father was a wise man. When he saw me dragging his speeder across the yard--three hours after dinner--he stood in the doorway and called out: 'What strange creature have you slain, my son?" Chakotay tightened his hold on her. "'Come to my arms my beaming boy! This is indeed a fabulous day. A day of great joy.' My cousin was flabbergasted." She laughed quietly as she rolled over and laid her head on his chest.
"I bet," she said with a half yawn. "And have you ever met any white rabbits?"
"Go to sleep Kath..." He pulled her against him as he lay down and called for the lights to be extinguished.