This is a work of fan fiction written purely for the enjoyment of Robin Joy Nelson and her readers. Paramount owns Star Trek and its characters. The author has just borrowed them and promises to put them right back where she found them. If anyone wants to use this story somewhere else Robin would appreciate being told about it first.

Kathryn Janeway sat beside the large rock she had just struggled to put in place over her father's grave. It was a hot day in mid-summer, and the intense afternoon sun left her feeling as breathless as her efforts had.

"I'm going to miss you, old man," she whispered as she raked the hair that had worked free of her bun back from her face, and wiped away fresh tears that began to form. "And I don't know how I'm going to keep our little farm going without you."

She returned to the house with a downcast expression. She needed to hire a hand first thing, she realized. It had been a few years since they'd needed one, and she had no idea where to begin looking. She supposed she would just have to go into town and hope she got lucky.

The house seemed very empty. No one knew she was alone out here yet, thank goodness, but she still felt very frightened by the solitude. She had heard stories of Indians abducting girls from their homes, and she had the eery feeling one was lying in wait for her, just biding his time until she slept.

"Really, Kathryn," she admonished herself. "You're too old to be playing such foolish games."

Kathryn was thirty-two. She had spent her whole life helping her father, and only had one small regret. His name was Mark Johnson, a rancher who had settled in these parts a couple of years back. He'd paid court to Kathryn and she'd said yes to his suit, but then he had been unexpectedly called back east. There he had met and married someone else, and brought her home with apologies and a "we can still be friends" line that left a bad taste in Kathryn's mouth.

One of the shutters came loose and blew in the wind as Kathryn lay in her bed that night. It rapped steadily on the window, reminding her of the beating of horses' hooves. Then she realized: that *was* horses' hooves. Someone was coming.

Kathryn bolted out of her bed and looked out the window. Two cowboys, still mounted, were just outside the fence. They dropped to the ground and headed for her door.

Kathryn quickly put on her robe and headed into the main room. A knock sounded on the front door.

"It's awfully late, gentlemen," she said, opening the door a crack. "What can I do for you?"

"Just passin' through, ma'am," said the tall man with dark blond hair. He leaned a casual hand on the doorframe. "Wondered if maybe you could offer a drink and a bite to eat."

"I--" Kathryn began, but then the man pushed open the door. Kathryn gasped and backed away.

"Sorry to hear about your father's death," he said. "The name's Paris. Tom Paris. And this here is my side-kick, Harry Kim. We're looking for a place to lay low for a couple of days, and thought you might be able to oblige."

"How do you know about my father?" Kathryn demanded, glaring up at him.

"Saw you burying him earlier today," Tom drawled. "Figured he was either your husband or your father, so I started asking around. Found out you two have been pretty much on your own out here for years."

"Yes," she admitted, turning away from him and heading for a chair. She didn't imagine she could get the men to leave, so she decided to treat them as guests. "It's been just the two of us for a long time."

"Well, now that's too bad," said Harry with a slight accent--obviously Asian in nature. "A pretty girl like you, all alone on the open prairie. You must get lonesome for company sometimes."

"Not really," she quelled him even as she motioned for both of them to sit down. "I have my horse and my chickens for company."

"Chickens?" Harry laughed. "For company?"

"It's better than nothing, Mr. Kim," Kathryn excused herself, then grinned wryly. "Though it does sound pathetic admitting it out loud. I'll tell you what, gentlemen. I'm willing to feed you a good dinner if that's what you'd like."

"Yes, we would like that," Tom assured her. "But as I said, we'll be needing a place to lay low for a few days. It seems Harry here has caught the attention of the local law enforcement."

Kathryn glanced up sharply into Harry's face. "Really? What did you do?"

"That's just the problem, ma'am," Harry admitted. "We think the sheriff believes I have killed someone, and he's been looking for us all over the countryside. We were hoping maybe you'd go into town and find out the whole story."

"Well, I need to go into town tomorrow, anyway. I wanted to hire on a new hand--you understand." Kathryn wiped at the edge of her eye before a tear could well up in it.

"No need for that," Tom said. "Keep us on, and you can have two for the price of one. At least until we get this mess sorted out."

"I have no idea who you two are or what Mr. Kim may have done," Kathryn protested.

"Oh, and you know everything there is to know about this potential hand you haven't even found yet? You know everything he's done for the past twenty years and find no fault with any of it?" Tom said. "Ma'am, I doubt that very much. No, you stick with us. We'll help weed your crops and get 'em watered. Looks like that corn could use a good dousing."

"You know about farming?" Kathryn asked him as she set a pot on top the woodstove and waited for it to boil.

"Sure do, ma'am," Tom assured her. "I grew up on a farm--always thought I'd have one of my own some day. But me and Harry have been working as hired hands all over the county for the last four years. Our most recent job was on a farm about fourteen miles from here, and it lasted for a good two of them--until our employer got himself killed last week."

"How awful for him," Kathryn sympathized. "What did you do then?"

"We've been hiding in the woods until we came here," he said. "There's a whole lot of folks who think Harry killed the poor bastard. They were arguing earlier the same day, right in front of everybody."

"Can't you just straighten it out, then?" Kathryn wondered as she prepared some strong black coffee.

"It ain't that simple for his type, ma'am, if you take my meaning," Tom said, sighing. He took the cup she offered him, and Harry smiled his thanks at her as she handed one to him as well. "People would rather believe a yella did it than give him the benefit of a doubt."

Kathryn sighed, sympathizing with Harry. "Well, I believe you," she told him. "You have kind eyes."

"Thank you, ma'am," Harry said, blushing slightly. Then he took a sip of her coffee, and failed miserably at his attempt not to gag.

"Are you all right?" Kathryn asked, rubbing his back. She liked the feel of the hard, coiled muscles, and realized with a start that she was rubbing him a bit longer than necessary. "You must get a heavy workout each day," she added, moving away from him.

"Yes--to both questions," Harry told her. "Enough to take up all my time."

"Did I botch the coffee again?" Kathryn asked, grinning at him.

"I wouldn't want to insult a lady," Harry said, blushing again.

"I would," Tom said. "This is the worst coffee I've ever tasted. Would you mind if I made a new pot for you?"

"Be my guest," Kathryn said. "I don't usually make the coffee."

Tom got up and made more coffee, leaving Harry and Kathryn to talk.

"So, Mr. Paris grew up on a farm," she said. "What about you, Mr. Kim?"

"I grew up on a farm as well, but not in this country," he said. "We left my country when I was about fifteen. Our American farm neighbored Tom's, so that was how we met. We became fast friends, and he's been looking out for me ever since."

"That's very nice," Kathryn said, smiling, and accepted the much improved cup of coffee that Tom handed her.

"Is your cooking as good as your coffee?" Tom asked her with a teasing grin.

Grinning back, Kathryn said, "That depends on whether you think your biscuits should be as hard as rocks, Mr. Paris."

"I'll cook," he said. "You look like you could use a good meal, too. I doubt you had one earlier, after the day you just put in."

Kathryn's eyes clouded over, and Tom was sorry he'd said anything. He should let her be, today of all days. He still had no idea how the old man had died, or what she intended to do now that he was gone, but all things considered Miss Kathryn Janeway seemed to be holding up remarkably well. He wondered if she'd have let them in so readily if she hadn't been so tired. He didn't think it would be wise to push his luck.

"I'm sorry," he told her, brushing a tear off of her cheek. "What happened, anyway?"

"He was just old," Kathryn said, brushing the question aside. "He always did have trouble breathing. He just stopped, that's all."

Tom nodded as he found a knife and started chopping some carrots. He had decided on making a huge pot of stew. It would last a few days, and make things a bit easier on their hostess, but would not solve the immediate needs of the group. So while he was at it, he also stepped outside and found a large head of lettuce in the garden, and a few radishes.

"Here you go," he said. "We can snack on these for now. That stew won't be ready any time soon."

After they had eaten, Kathryn was finding it difficult to suppress her yawns. She said, "I hope you two don't mind, but there's only one spare bedroom. You'll have to share it."

Harry and Tom exchanged an amused glance. "No, we don't mind at all, ma'am," Tom answered. "We've had to share many a room before this one."

"Okay, I'll leave you two alone, then," she said. "Maybe tomorrow we'll be able to sort out this mess."

"Thanks for the hospitality, ma'am," Harry said, but Kathryn was already gone.

Kathryn sat bolt upright in her bed. The sun was shining brightly into her room. She groaned and dragged herself out of bed. Half the day had just been wasted, and there was work to be done.

When she came into the main room, her two guests were nowhere in sight. On the table sat several freshly baked muffins and a bowl of strawberries straight off the plant.

Tom stepped inside. "Good morning," he said. "I just milked the cow. Want some?"

"Please," Kathryn said, sitting down to the repast he had prepared. When Tom had found a glass and poured some of the thick milk from the bucket, Kathryn looked up at him speculatively.

"What?" he asked, laughing self-consciously as he took the chair next to hers and leaned his arms on the table. "Is there something on my face?"

"Just stubble," she said with a wry smile.

"Then what are you looking at me like that for?" he wanted to know.

"I was wondering why you're being so nice to me," she said. "I've never had a man make me such a wonderful breakfast before."

Tom laughed again, his blue eyes dancing with mischief. "I just thought I'd start wooing you first, before Harry casts his spell on you, ma'am. He usually gets all the ladies."

"Oh, does he? That's nice." Kathryn said, bemused. She wondered what it would be like to have a skilled lover in her bed--then gave a mental shake to clear the thought from her head. Of course, Tom Paris looked skilled enough for the job, too, she added before shaking away that thought as well.

"Do you really think so?" Tom asked, surprised. "I thought you were going to say, 'oh, those poor women, he just has them and then leaves them' or something like that."

"Well, they must have wanted to be had," Kathryn pointed out. "Any woman who doesn't want to be had can always avoid it."

Tom laughed, and encircled her in his arms. "You think so, Miss Janeway?"

"Let go!" Kathryn protested. "I thought this was supposed to be a hypothetical discussion."

"It is," he assured her. "Just thought I would demonstrate my point." Then he kissed her. Kathryn was just curious enough to let him do it.

"Okay, so what *is* your point?" she asked when he backed away, realizing she wasn't responding to him.

"None, I guess," Tom admitted. "I just thought I'd like to taste you."

Kathryn laughed and ate her muffin. They sat together in companionable silence until Harry came back in, carrying a fresh bucket of water.

"So what are you two up to in here?" Harry asked, grinning at them.

"Mr. Paris here has been gossiping about your prowess with the ladies," Kathryn told him. "Although, I think he just told me that so he could try to impress me with his own prowess."

Harry laughed. "Tom? Again? Don't you know that women are wise to you by now?"

Tom blushed but looked unrepentant. Kathryn glanced at him and remembered how he'd tasted just now. It had been--nice, but she hadn't gotten around to wondering if she'd like more. She'd only ever been kissed by one other man--Mark--and that kiss had been completely different than this one. She hadn't known there could be so much difference between two kisses.

She caught herself wondering what Harry's kiss would be like, and gave herself yet another mental shake. *For heaven's sakes, Kathryn, you never used to wonder about this sort of thing. What's gotten into you?

"I heard tell the sheriff has been sniffing around all the homes along the countryside," Tom told Harry nervously. "Where is our good little hostess right now?"

"She's gone to town," Harry said, looking up from his coffee.

"Well, I hope she has more sense than to tell anyone we're here," Tom said. "I wouldn't want to have that sheriff find us before we can figure out who killed Neelix."

"Maybe we should head out," Harry said. "Kathryn seems like such a nice lady--I hate to put her in the middle of all this."

"I have a feeling this is the perfect place to be, Harry," Tom assured him. "I doubt that sheriff would ever shoot through her to get to us."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Harry said. You know that we're going to have to find something out soon. That sheriff looks like a pretty smart guy."

"Just leave it to me," Tom promised him. "It'll all work out just fine."

"Good afternoon, Miss Janeway," said Mr. Tuvok. He was sitting near one of those newfangled sewing machines preparing a pair of pants for someone.

"Hello, Mr. Tuvok," said Kathryn to the tailor. "I see your new gadget has arrived."

"Yes. However, I am beginning to wonder if it is more trouble than it is worth," he answered seriously. "I cannot seem to thread it as the instructions require."

"Why don't you just thread it any way you like?" Kathryn asked the black man with an amused smile. Tuvok raised a brow and considered this, staring at the machine.

"Why, hello Kathryn," said his wife, Lana. "I didn't hear you come in."

"I wanted to return this dress," Kathryn told her, handing her the parcel.

"Oh, didn't it fit?" Lana asked, concerned.

"No, no, it fit fine," she said. "But it looks like I'll be having trouble making ends meet this year after all. Father passed away yesterday."

"Oh, no!" Lana exclaimed. "You poor thing! And what are you doing out and about when you must be heart- broken? You sit right down and have a cup of tea with me."

"No, thank you," Kathryn told her. "I would rather just get this day over with."

Just then a man entered. He was tall and handsome, and had a most interesting tatoo covering the area surrounding his left eye. He looked to be Native American, but he was dressed like a white man. Kathryn felt her heart drop into her feet as their eyes met, and for a few moments they held each others gaze.

The tension between them was electric, and Kathryn thought she was starting to develop the same breathing problems that had killed her father. Her breath was coming in short gasps by the time the man looked away.

Then he turned to Tuvok. "Are my pants ready yet?" he asked.

"Almost, Mr. Chakotay," said the tailor. "Maybe in another hour."

"That's what you said an hour ago," he reminded him with a bemused smile just touching his lips.

Kathryn stifled a giggle. To Lana she whispered, "Who is he?"

"That's the new sheriff," Lana told her, and Kathryn's stomach fell for a different reason. She wondered if she should tell this man about her strange new house- guests, for she knew very well he must be looking for them.

"Come on, Mr. Tuvok," Chakotay complained. "I can't waste my day waiting on those pants. I have to go find those two murdering thieves."

"Thieves, sir?" Kathryn asked. "What thieves?"

Chakotay turned back to her and removed his hat, "Ma'am."

"You said there were thieves?" she reminded him.

"A couple of boys from one of the southern farms," he explained. "They killed their employer and his wife, and then apparently made off with all of their money afterwards. My men and I have been keeping an eye on all the houses on the outskirts of town. So, whereabouts do you live? I don't recall seeing you in town."

"I have a farm not too far out," she answered.

"Say, Kathryn," Lana said, suddenly concerned. "With your father dead, that leaves you all alone out there. Maybe you should get somebody to come stay with you."

Kathryn fidgeted. "No, I'll be fine."

The sheriff watched her face closely. A beautiful face, framed with a lovely mass of reddish hair. She looked both vulnerable and infinitely strong right then. She was frightened, and she was hiding something, but whatever it was, she believed she had a good reason, he determined. But what could she be hiding? And why?

"Well, I don't have time to stand around and chat with you lovely ladies all day," he said, placing his hat back on his head. "I'll be seeing you later, Miss Lana. Ma'am?"

"Janeway," she supplied. "Miss Kathryn Janeway."

"Well, I hope to see you around too, Miss Kathryn Janeway," he told her, and for some unaccountable reason Kathryn felt his words all the way down to her toes.

"You too, sheriff," she answered on what could only be described as a purr. She couldn't believe herself. *Have you gone completely insane, Kathryn? It seems like every man you've met since your father died has turned you on. And two of the men are murdering thieves. So, now what?*

Kathryn was starting to think she was going insane. Ever since she had stepped out of the general store, she had been on fire. She'd never felt anything like this before--never!

Maybe she was just reacting to her father's death, or maybe it had been her father who had kept her sane all this time, and now that he was gone she was losing it. Whatever the case, she couldn't seem to get control of her physical urges.

As she trodded along the path, heading for home, she wondered if she just wanted to prove she was still alive, if she simply wanted to find someone-- anyone who could fill the void she now found within herself. The idea of spending a life alone frightened her, and she wondered if she desperately wanted to ensure the eventuality never occurred.

But she was lying to herself yet again, for she knew with an unerring certainty that this feeling was unlike those she had felt earlier in the day, when she had allowed Tom one curious kiss, and later wondered how Harry's would differ. This feeling was more like a thundercloud, just waiting to rain.

It was that sheriff who had done this to her, with those penetrating, dark eyes of his. She'd never seen a man like him before, and the memory of him had Kathryn melting into the ground. She wanted to go back and get that dress so she could wear it just for him.

But right now she had a more urgent desire. She had to decide what to do about Harry and Tom. Although she knew they were hiding from the sheriff, Kathryn wasn't sure she was ready to believe the men had done the things he accused them of. She wished she could have heard all the evidence so she could make an informed choice: turn them in, or turn them out.

Of course, without a man around she wouldn't be very successful at turning them out, anyway. Besides, she had left out one of her choices: she could decide to keep them around. Kathryn sighed deeply. What a mess her father had left behind. If she'd have known it would be like this, she would have married someone ten years ago, just so he'd be here now.

Kathryn laughed at herself then, and stopped to pick some wild flowers. She would put them on her father's grave before going inside. She heard a rustling from somewhere behind her, and turned to see what it was. She couldn't see anyone, but her body knew he was there. The sheriff was following her.

She couldn't say exactly how she knew it was him. She just felt him somehow, as if all the sensations his presence had awakened in her before had suddenly come back to life again. It had to be him.

Kathryn wondered if she should go home or not. The man obviously didn't know where she lived yet, so he was following her. But she wondered if it was because he suspected the men were there, or if he wanted to see where the object of his desire could be found.

*Honestly, Kathryn, just because you're hot for him doesn't mean he's similarly afflicted. You don't know anything about the man. For all you know, he could be married. Besides, if you're so curious about sex you've got two perfectly good men in your house right now to take advantage of. Why bring home a third?*

Kathryn had no idea where that thought had come from, but she was definitely certain now--she was going crazy, and she had no idea how to stop the tide. But she knew how she could have a little fun trying...

"If I didn't know you were the sheriff, I'd be getting pretty concerned right about now," Kathryn said to the thin air as she stood up with her flowers. "After all, it hasn't even been an hour since you told me there were murdering thieves in the area. If I had a gun and thought you were them, you'd be in real trouble."

Chakotay came back out from behind the tree. "How did you know it was me?" he asked her when he reached her side.

"Instinct," she explained, grinning up at him. "I could taste you."

"Oh, really?" he asked, gazing into her eyes again.

"Yes," she admitted, quite truthfully. "I could smell your scent just enough to imagine what you'd taste like when we met in the store--and that's the same scent I tasted just now so I knew it must be you."

"You keep playing with fire, lady, and it will burn you," he told her.

Before she knew what was happening, their lips had met in a searing kiss. Kathryn definitely responded to this kiss--it was so overwhelming she felt she had been reduced to a mere extension of his body. When he let go, she just looked at him for a moment, putting a hand to her lips.

"How do I taste?" he asked with a sardonic grin.

"I should slap you for that," Kathryn said matter-of- factly. "But since I had it coming after a comment like that one, I don't suppose I will."

Chakotay stood unmoving, watching her like a cat tracking the mouse he eventually wanted to eat. His lips twitched with the slightest hint of amusement, as if he was keeping the emotion in check.

Kathryn giggled.

"What?" he asked, smiling with her.

"All my life I've lived with my father, and paid no attention to men. Now the day after he dies men keep paying attention to me," she told him. "I don't know how to react."

"What men?" Chakotay asked, unaccountably jealous after such a brief acquaintance.

"Oh--just men," Kathryn said softly, looking down at her hands. She wasn't ready to tell him about Tom and Harry, not yet. She had to be sure they were guilty before she did anything like that.

Chakotay knew she was being deliberately vague, but what could he expect? Did he think kissing her would make her forget all about whatever reasons she had for hiding the felons, if that was what she was doing? He wondered if she was in love with one of them--but if she was, this was a strange way of showing it.

Unless she was just trying to distract him. Startled, Chakotay straightened his shoulders and stepped back, looking at her through speculative eyes. Her face seemed sincere, yet also troubled. Though, he reminded himself, she had just lost her father and may be haunted by that demon rather than another.

"Forgive me," he said, letting go of her. "I had forgotten about your father."

"That's all right, sheriff," she whispered. "But I really did just want to go home and get some sleep."

Chakotay imagined her in her bed for a moment, and wished he could see her sleeping. There was just something about Miss Kathryn Janeway, and he was falling fast. But even if he was, he told himself, if she was harboring criminals he would bring her in. It was his job, after all.

Then he looked down at the flowers in her hands. She was crumpling the stems without even realizing it. He felt a pang of guilt for troubling her during her time of grief, and he cupped her chin to make her look up at him.

"Go home, Kathryn Janeway, and get some sleep," he said, and then he walked away.

Kathryn was very tired as she stepped inside her home. She still wasn't sure if Sheriff Chakotay was on her tail, or if he had decided to leave her be for now. She wasn't sure of anything right then, least of all her future, and she just couldn't bring herself to give a damn.

Sighing, she sank down into the large chair near the woodstove, decided it was much too hot there, and settled near the window instead. Tom and Harry were watching her from their own chairs, and they could see how tired she was.

"Rough day?" Tom asked her solicitously.

"Mm-hmm," she answered, twisting her head in a circular motion to ease the tension in her shoulders and neck. Tom got up and stood behind her, rubbing her shoulders for her.

Kathryn tried not to enjoy it, but he did such an excellent job she didn't want him to stop. "That's nice," she told him, sinking back and giving herself up to his expert care.

Tom was watching her neck speculatively. *I wonder what she would do if I tasted her neck? Should I kiss it, or should I bite it? Either of the two would be a pleasurable experience, but I wonder which she would prefer.*

Harry watched them with a bemused smile. He wondered how long it would take Tom to seduce Kathryn Janeway. And he wondered just how long it would be before they had outstayed their welcome. And he wondered how the hell he was going to get himself out of this mess.

"Mm, Mr. Paris, that will be quite enough, thank you," said Kathryn when she felt Tom's hands slipping lower, teasing one of the buttons on her collar with deft fingers. He had buried his nose in her hair, as well, and Kathryn could feel the warmth of his need starting to spread to her through his fingertips.

"I only aim to please," he told her, his meaning clearly much deeper than the surface statement. In spite of herself, Kathryn felt a little thrill at the words. She loved the idea of a man saying such suggestive things to her--now, if only it was the sheriff who had said them, she would have been all over him.

The unchaste thought made her blush. Tom thought it was something he had said, and was starting to hope he was making some headway towards earning a night in Kathryn's bedroom. He made everyone dinner and regaled them with stories from his youth, while Harry seemed unusually quiet compared to what Kathryn had seen of him before.

Perhaps Tom had staked his claim, and Harry was unwilling to challenge him, thought Kathryn. They probably did this sort of thing all the time, seeing as they'd worked together for years. No doubt they had a routine where they took turns having the first crack at it. She didn't know how she should feel about that. For that matter, she didn't know how she should feel about them being there at all. After all, they could very well be dangerous felons.

They just didn't seem like the kind of guys who would murder two people and take their money after working for them for two years. Why would someone want to do that? Had they been threatened somehow? Were they being framed for it? And if they were, would Kathryn want to keep them on once they were vindicated? She just didn't know. She was too tired to make any choices. Sleep was all she could think of.

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Paris," she said, cutting him off in the middle of a tale, "but I'm just so tired. I've had a lot of stress in my life the last couple of days. I really should just go to bed."

"Of course, Miss Janeway," said Tom silkily, watching her with intense eyes. He was hoping she would invite his presence by some word or gesture, but he could see that she was genuinely tired and sighed with regret. Perhaps another night, he thought, if there is one.

As Kathryn snuggled down into her covers, she noticed that her bedroom window was open. It hadn't been open before, and she glared at it with annoyance. Someone had been in her bedroom, and it must have been one of the men. She wondered if perhaps they had been looking for her cash, and she quickly went to check on it.

Her money was all still there, safely tucked inside her second dresser drawer from the top. But as she turned around, she found she was not alone. Sheriff Chakotay was standing behind her.

"Oh! What the hell are you doing here?" she demanded, trying to step past him. Chakotay caught her by the shoulders and drew her back to stand in front of him. Kathryn was too tired to fight him, so she stayed put.

"I thought you and Lana said you were alone out here," he said, trying not to sound as upset as he was. He had seen the blond man with his hands on her, and had become enraged with jealousy. He'd been forced to remind himself that he had only just met Kathryn, that she was not yet his.

"He's just a hired hand," Kathryn said dismissively. "Lana doesn't count help when she talks of being alone."

"So, how long has he worked for you?" Chakotay asked.

Kathryn hesitated. She didn't want to lie to Chakotay, but she didn't want to betray innocent men, either.

"What is it, Miss Janeway? Are they holding something of yours hostage? Does one of them do it for you--the blond guy, perhaps? I thought maybe you had other plans for your love life. I thought--damn it, Kathryn, don't you feel this thing between us as intensely as I do?"

"Please stop," Kathryn whispered. "I can't think anymore. There's just too much happening too fast. Can't I just stop thinking? Can't I just slow down and take it all in and let it digest somehow?"

Kathryn burst into tears, and Chakotay drew her to him, just holding her. He kissed her hair and her cheeks and her neck, and she clung to him. Her heart fluttered in her chest like a wild bird suddenly caged. She wanted him with a desperate desire bordering on insanity, and he wanted her even more.

"I'd better leave," he said then. "This isn't how I want it to happen."

"Go, then," she whispered, rubbing her temples. "I need some time to sort through all this. Will you grant me that?"

"I would grant you almost anything, Kathryn Janeway," he told her as he headed for her window and jumped onto the sill. "For some reason, I feel like I can trust you to do what's right. I'll give you a week."

And then he was gone.

Kathryn pounded on her pillow, feeling more annoyed than she knew how to say. Damn all men, she thought. Between Tom's attempts at seduction, and the poignant encounter with the most desirable man she had ever met, she was feeling decidedly aroused.

Because she couldn't sleep, she wandered back out into the main room. Tom was sitting at the table eating some of the stew.

"That looks like just what I need," Katherine said, going to the pot and ladling some into a bowl of her own.

"Attack of the hungries?" Tom teased her. She blushed, but she wasn't about to tell him what she was hungry for. Instead, she just nodded, and the two of them sat quietly and ate their stew.

"You ever go play in that lake of yours?" Tom wanted to know when they were finished.

"Sometimes--especially when it's hot out."

"Tonight would definitely qualify as hot," said Tom with inviting eyes. He stood up and held out his hands to her. She let him draw her to her feet.

"Okay, but don't think this means you're having any more fun with me than a friendly swim," she told him.

"I'll be good," he promised, and to himself he added, *real good, if you'll let me.*

The two of them went outside and ran straight for the lake, jumping in without taking off a stitch of clothing. Neither one of them noticed that they were being watched by a pair of dark, speculative eyes.

"Mr. Paris, Mr. Kim, now that I have you both together, I think we need to talk," Kathryn told them as she came into the main room the next morning. "You can't just keep sitting here and not trying to find out what happened. I might be able to help you better if you would tell me everything you know."

Tom sighed. "Our employer, Mr. Neelix, was a selfish man--he never liked to part with his possessions without getting something in return. But Harry needed an advance on his pay to take care of a gambling debt. It was the first time he ever tried his hand at the game, and he didn't fare well. Neelix refused to help him, and Harry went off to the bar to cool off. Neelix followed later on, and the two of them had words."

"I'll say!" Harry interjected.

"In the end," Tom continued, smiling over at his friend, "Neelix apologized for his attitude and gave Harry the money he needed. They paid off the debt and headed for home. But on the way there, someone shot Neelix in the back. When Harry realized he was dead he got scared, and ran off to hide in the woods. People assumed he must have killed Neelix, and he came to me, asking me to help him."

"So what happened to the wife, then?" Kathryn asked.

"The wife? Miss Kes?" Tom asked, perplexed. "What do you mean? Last I knew, she was still at home."

"The sheriff said he's looking for two murdering thieves who killed their employer and his wife, and made off with all their cash," Kathryn informed them.

"Kes is dead?" asked Harry, tears welling in his eyes. "And they think we killed her?"

"That's the story I was told," Kathryn said. "I don't believe it, but the sheriff is willing to, if all the clues point to that conclusion."

"Who would want to kill a sweet lady like Miss Kes?" Harry wondered, wiping at his face.

"You didn't tell the sheriff where we are, did you?" asked Tom worriedly. "When did you talk to him? What did he say?"

Kathryn hesitated. She didn't know how much she should tell them about her interaction with the sheriff. Of course, she would never tell them he had been in her bedroom last night!

"Harry, do you think that the man you owed money to may have been the killer?" Kathryn wondered, bypass- ing Tom's question with a skillful change of subject.

"I don't know," Harry admitted. "I didn't really know the group I was playing with. There were four men--all British, I think. They approached me, and said they would teach me the game if I would like to play. Come to think of it, they seemed pretty insistant that I join them. And the strangest part of it was, when I went to pay them off they took me to another man who seemed to believe the money was his. Maybe I really was set up."

"They must have been looking for someone to pin the murders on," Kathryn decided. "But why would anyone want to kill your employer?"

"He had a lot more than just money from the farm," Tom explained. "He was also a prospector--he sought out any deal that sounded good and invested in it. He scavenged around for free things and sold them for an excellent profit. There were many pies printed with the thumb of our Mr. Neelix."

"Do you think he may have probed the wrong pie?" Kathryn asked. "Maybe he made himself an enemy."

"That may be," Harry agreed.

"But why would an enemy of Neelix want to frame Harry?" Tom wanted to know.

"Maybe he doesn't like--his type," Kathryn said, blushing. She hated the very idea anyone would use such reasoning, but people did and she couldn't stop them. Best to know such opinions existed.

They heard the sound of horses hooves outside, and Tom and Harry exchanged a worried glance. Kathryn looked out the window, and frowned. "It's the sheriff," she said. "You two stay in here, and don't make any noise."

"Don't worry about us, Miss Kathryn, we'll disappear into the woodwork if we have to," Harry assured her.

Kathryn stepped outside and joined Chakotay halfway to the door.

"Hello, Miss Janeway," said Chakotay. "Pleasant day out today."

"Yes," said Kathryn, leading him away from the house. She took ahold of his arm and leaned against him as they walked. "Not too warm, like yesterday was."

"Mmm," he agreed, and as soon as they reached the edge of the barn he pulled her behind it, out of sight from the house. Then he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her soundly.

"Is that what you came out here for?" Kathryn asked him when he let go of her. Chakotay's eyes smiled down into hers, and she nodded, answering her own question. "Yes, it was. You mean you're not just here checking up on my houseguests?"

"That, too," he admitted. "Just because you seem to trust those two doesn't mean I have to. Especially not that blond one."

"Do you have something against blond men?" Kathryn asked him, smiling.

"Of course not," he said, his jaw tensing. "Just blond men who rub the neck of the lady I intend to court, and take her out for a midnight swim."

"Oh, so now we're courting?" Kathryn asked, starting to giggle. "I didn't know that. I thought in order to court the man was supposed to take the woman to a dance or something."

"Ah, a less than subtle hint about that dance on Friday?" Chakotay laughed. "But I think you've got more important matters to tend to this time, Miss Janeway. And how are things going with that little problem?"

Kathryn turned away, but Chakotay brought her back into his arms. "I like to talk this way," he told her.

"I can't think when you do that," she complained, and he let her go. Kathryn took a deep breath, trying to decide what to tell him.

"Kathryn, I trust you," he told her solemnly. "Why can't you trust me, too?"

"I just spoke with them," she told him. "I'm convinced this is a frame job. They didn't even know that the wife was dead, and they certainly don't have any money that I've noticed. And there's another reason it doesn't make sense. They just don't act like the kind of people who would kill somebody and take their money."

"Kathryn, those kind of people don't act a certain way," Chakotay tried to tell her.

"It's more than that," she explained. "I can see it in their eyes--especially Harry's. He genuinely had no idea Kes was dead. And Tom is so kind under his gruff exterior, I can just see him bringing his former employer's wife her breakfast every day..."

"He's been bringing you your breakfast?" Chakotay asked jealously, his arms encircling her again.

"Well, on the table, of course," she added, leaning into his embrace. "The only man I've ever had in my bedroom is you."

Chakotay laughed, and Kathryn caught the wicked gleam in his eyes. She could see that his thoughts were wandering away from the topic they were discussing, so she pulled away again and continued in a more serious tone.

"Anyway, Harry told me that some men approached him just before the murder and convinced him to gamble with them. They took him for all he was worth, and told him he'd better pay up. So he asked this Neelix for an advance. He says they actually paid the debt, and on the way back Neelix was killed."

"Yes, and Mr. Kim was the last person seen with him," Chakotay said, warming to his topic. "Plus, there are witnesses that say the two had argued earlier in the day. Who else would have done it?"

"What about anyone else who happened to be on the same path?" asked Kathryn pointedly. "Most particularly someone who may have been waiting there with just such a purpose in mind."

"Don't think I didn't realize that," Chakotay grumbled, squeezing her hand for a moment. "Why do you think I want to give them a chance to prove it?"

"Mr. Chakotay, you're all heart," she told him, kissing his chin. "But I think they're not going to be able to prove anything. At least, not without a little help."

"What are you plotting, Miss Janeway?" Chakotay asked her, but Kathryn had already sidestepped his ready embrace and was heading back toward the house. "Kathryn?"

"I don't know yet," she answered distractedly. "But when I do, you'll probably be the first to know."

"You were out there with the sheriff an awfully long time, Miss Janeway," said Tom suspiciously. "What did the two of you talk about?"

"Oh, there's a dance on Friday night," Kathryn said. "He said he didn't think we'd be able to go because of you two. Of course, since I already took the dress I wanted to wear back to the shop, I wouldn't have had anything to wear anyway."

Tom laughed and covered his head with his hands. "You mean to tell me you and the sheriff are courting? Why didn't you tell me that before?"

"We're not," she denied it, wondering why she did so. "We only just met at the store yesterday. He just wanted me to know that he wanted to ask me to the dance, but he couldn't. And it's all your fault."

"Oh, I feel so guilty now. So, what did you say?" Tom asked curiously.

"I told him he was obviously even more tense than I am," she said, trying not to giggle at this twisting of words. Tom looked at her askance. "What?" she asked, blushing.

"You look like you've just been thoroughly kissed, Miss Janeway," he accused her good-naturedly.

"Maybe I was," she admitted with a grin. "Are you jealous?"

"Only a little bit," he said, taking her hand and kissing the fingers. "After all, I have plenty more hours in a day to woo you than the sheriff does."

"But maybe he does a better job," Kathryn mentioned slyly as she drew her hand away.

"Is that possibly a challenge, Miss Janeway?" Tom wondered, his eyes dancing with mischief and lust.

"No, Mr. Paris, I don't think it is," Kathryn said. "You have a much greater challenge to concentrate on. He's given the two of you a week to solve this mystery. And I suggest you make good use of it."

"Huh," Tom said, rubbing his chin. "Now the only question is--where do we begin?"

Katherine was dreaming of Chakotay. She was feeling the soft, bared skin of his strong shoulders, running her hands along his bare chest, and he had captured her lips with his own. Suddenly, she woke up and found herself staring into the eyes of the real thing.

He kissed her softly when he saw she had opened her eyes. "Were you just dreaming about me?" he asked, grinning in the darkness.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" she mumbled sleepily.

"You were calling my name," he said, kissing her neck. He played with the length of her hair and rubbed it against his cheek. "You should leave your hair down all the time," he told her, and turned to kiss her again.

Kathryn could feel his satisfied smile against her lips, and she laughed with wicked delight. "Are you planning on visiting my bedroom every night, sheriff?"

"Don't you like to be awakened to love?" he asked her, kissing her again.

"Awakened to love?" Kathryn chuckled. "Don't you have to *be* in love before you can do that?"

"Yes," he said, watching her face in the moonlight. By now her own eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and she could see the intensity of his gaze.

"Well then, I guess I do," she whispered. Chakotay smiled and kissed her again, wrapping her in his arms and laying on the bed beside her. They stayed that way for a few precious moments.

"You know that's not why I came in here," he finally said with great reluctance.

"Then why did you?" she asked him, sitting up and disentangling herself from his grasp.

"Because I saw Tom Paris and Harry Kim at a tavern in town," he said, laying on her pillow and stretching his arms above his head. Then he sat up, too. "I had half a mind to run them both in."

Kathryn stiffened at this news. "Well, why didn't you?"

"Because I promised somebody I care about that I'd give her a week, and I always keep my word."

"Maybe you should go now," Kathryn said.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he agreed, then nuzzled into her neck.

"And Chakotay," she added. "The next time you come in here, why don't you just use the door?"

Chakotay grinned wryly as he headed for her window. "We'll see," he told her as he climbed onto the ledge. "But I kinda like coming in this way."

"What were you and Harry doing in the tavern last night?" Katherine demanded when she came into the main room the next morning and saw Tom sitting near the window.

Tom looked to be nursing a headache, and Harry was sitting beside him with a big cup of coffee, leisurely taking a sip.

"Good morning, Miss Janeway," Harry said. "We may have found out some interesting news last night."

"Really? What is it? Did you find out at the tavern?"

"Yes, ma'am, that's why we were there--among other things," he said, glancing over at his obviously hung over friend. "It seems that Miss Kes expected the arrival of her sister from back east any day. But as far as anyone knows, she has not yet arrived."

"Well, what does this do for us?" Kathryn wanted to know. She wet a cloth in the bucket as she spoke, and stepped over to cover Tom's head with it. Tom held her hands to his head for a few moments, and smiled up at her gratefully. Katherine smiled back.

"I wondered why anyone would want to kill Kes," said Harry speculatively. "It seems she was quite wealthy in her own right, as is her sister. But to save some money, Neelix had taken the farm as a homestead. It has about one month left before the bond matures, and whoever holds down the fort for this month will get the prize."

"Yes? So, who *is* holding down the fort?" Kathryn wanted to know.

"As far as we know, the place is still empty. The folks in town were speculating about whether or not Kes's sister might want to sit out the month--keep it in the family, so to speak. But if she doesn't show up by Tuesday, the farm will be open to whoever gets to the deed office first."

"And you think that if I pretended to be the missing sister, and went to the farm, that whoever killed Kes and Neelix would come looking for me next?"

"Yes, ma'am. Only--" Harry paused, flushing.

"What is it, Mr. Kim."

"Harry will have to stay here," Tom said. "Everyone in the south end would recognize him, and fetch the law before we could even reach our destination. It'll have to be just you and me."

"Oh, that shouldn't be much of a problem," Kathryn assured him. "But, if we're going to face a mob of would-be killers, I think we're going to need a little more help."

Tom and Kathryn stood in front of Sheriff Chakotay's desk looking up at him with imploring eyes. Chakotay was pacing slightly, mulling over what Tom had just said.

He didn't like the man. He had an overwhelming urge to lock him in a cell and throw away the key. But Chakotay had enough sense to know that his feelings centered on a personal issue, and should not be confused with a legal one. He wouldn't put a man in jail for being his rival, no matter how much he might want to.

"Kathryn, you're taking a big risk if we go through with this thing," he said finally. "I don't want to put you in that kind of danger."

"But, Chakotay, what else can we do?" Kathryn wanted to know. Their eyes met. His implored her to reconsider, hers commanded him to recognize her independent nature. He wanted to sweep her into his arms and kiss that indenpendent streak away, replacing it with a passionate need to remain enfolded in his embrace.

But he knew that wasn't going to happen. Tom Paris was standing close by Kathryn's side, looking very much like a dog guarding his prized bone. He shot Chakotay a challenging glance, saying, "I believe that Kathryn is capable of making her own choices, sheriff. No matter what choice she's considering."

"This is a legal matter," Chakotay insisted. "I don't have to let her become involved."

"But we need a woman," Tom said. "These guys might not come after me just because I showed up, but if they are trying to find a way to get the deed to the Neelix farm, as I suspect, a rival to the claim would clearly need to be eliminated."

"If they *are* after the deed, which seems very likely, why does the rival have to be Kes's sister? It doesn't have to be a woman at all." Chakotay said, jutting his jaw out stubbornly.

"Because Kes's sister would have more claim to the farm than any other contender," Tom pointed out. "Not to mention, everyone is expecting her to put in an appearance soon. She was due to visit."

"Though I doubt we'll get the main villain this way," Kathryn mentioned.

"So why do you want to stir up trouble, then?" Chakotay asked her.

"Because removing one threat can often reveal three others," she suggested, smiling into his eyes. "I'm attempting to bait a trap."

"And you're the bait," he sighed, his lips twitching with a desire to kiss her. "I just don't like it."

"Don't worry about a thing," Kathryn told him. "Just get the farm ready by the time we get there, and leave the rest to us."

"Yes, ma'am," Chakotay agreed. "First thing tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow? What's wrong with tonight?" asked Tom.

"I promised Kathryn I'd take her to a dance," said Chakotay, and they both cast him a strange look.

"I thought you said he couldn't take you," Tom asked Kathryn accusingly.

"That's what I thought, too," she grinned, watching as Chakotay came out from behind the desk with a parcel in his hand.

"Your dress, I believe?" he said, giving it to her. "I'll come and get you around six."

Kathryn was sitting at the table with Tom, eating the last of the stew, when they heard the clop of horses hooves. Glancing at her old grandfather clock, Kathryn was surprised when it chimed six times right on cue.

"Do I look all right?" she asked Tom worriedly as Harry went to open the door.

"You look good enough to eat," Tom told her suggest- ively, and made her blush. "Too bad you're not staying here with me."

"I think I'll take my chances with the sheriff," Kathryn said with a laugh. "He's more trustworthy."

"Okay, but if he gets you all riled up and leaves you wanting more, you know where to find me," Tom told her. Kathryn turned beet red at this suggestion, and this was how she looked when Chakotay stepped inside.

"You ready?" he asked her, stepping forward and offering her his arm.

"Definitely," she said as she took it. "If I stay in here much longer I'm never going to have clean ears again."

Chakotay shot Tom a quelling look as he let go of Kathryn's arm and led her out with a hand to her waist instead.

"How do you expect me to ride your horse in this dress?" Kathryn asked him.

"I'll show you," he said, putting his arms around her. She thought he was going to kiss her, and turned up her face expectantly, drinking in the smell of him. Instead, he lifted her up onto the bare back of the stallion, setting her sideways so her feet hung tantalizingly close to his face.

After looking up at her with a wicked grin for a few moments, Chakotay sprang up behind her and wrapped her in his arms.

"You ride bareback?" she said curiously.

"Old habits die hard," he said with a quirk of his lips.

"Mm-hmm," she agreed, watching them. "They do."

"Like this strange habit I have of wanting to kiss you every time I get anywhere near you," he mentioned. "I have a feeling it would die very hard."

"Why should it die at all?" she asked boldly, and pulled his lips down to hers for the kiss they both wanted so much.

"Maybe it never will," he said with a smile, and held her close to his heart all the way to the dance.

The dance music filled the air with its fiddles and horns and guitars. Kathryn and Chakotay entered the hall in the middle of a squaredance and stood watching near the door.

"Kathryn, you made it!" said Lana, coming over to peruse her in her dress. "It fits very nicely."

"Yes, it does," said Chakotay appreciatively as he also looked down at Kathryn. The light in his eyes made her pulse quicken, and Lana smiled, overjoyed for her friend.

The next song was a waltz. Chakotay took Kathryn into his arms and danced her into the center of the room. All eyes were on the unexpected spectacle of the new sheriff dancing with the most confirmed spinster in town. Speculation circled the room as the dance continued.

"Am I courting you now, Miss Janeway?" asked Chakotay with a deep chuckle. "Since everyone in town has seen us together, you know that makes you mine."

"Does it?" Kathryn giggled. "But I thought it's a lady's perogative to choose who she wants from among her many suitors."

"Do you have a lot of suitors, Kathryn?" Chakotay wanted to know. Kathryn giggled. She loved to make him jealous.

"I have my share," she told him with a grin. And as soon as the waltz ended, Kathryn accepted a dance with one of her many male friends, grinning back at Chakotay as she left his side.

Chakotay watched this with twitching lips. The other men in the room gave him a wide berth, and Kathryn's first 'other suitor' was also her last.

When she returned to him, Chakotay gave her some punch, and they sat together watching the younger set vying for each others attentions.

"I never much cared for all that," Kathryn confided. "People should just *know* when they're with the right person."

"Yes, I think you're right," Chakotay agreed, taking her hand in his. "I think they know it even before they first touch. They know it instictively even before they have spoken a single word."

"Mm-hmm," Kathryn agreed. She was beginning to think Chakotay was about to kiss her right there in the middle of the dance hall, and she wasn't even sure she would stop him if he did.

"Let's go home," Chakotay whispered. "I've had enough of this dance."

He took her by the hand and led her out the door, away from prying eyes. Kathryn watched Chakotay's hands as he gently soothed his mount. It had become skittish from all the music and loud noise, and was prancing back and forth.

He said something to it in another language--his native tongue, Kathryn assumed. The tenor of his voice was somehow intoxicating in that alien tongue, making her want to melt into him. If only his hands were soothing her like that, she thought.

Chakotay turned to her and picked her up, ready to put her on the stallion again. He could feel the heat of her searing him through her dress, and he looked into her eyes. His lips descended then, and Kathryn was lost. He could have had her right there against the horse, if he'd wanted to. He didn't.

Chakotay set her on the mount and jumped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her so close she felt like she was at one with him. If only they could stay this way forever, Kathryn thought, she would be the happiest woman on Earth.

"Were you going to come in through the door tonight?" she invited him as he slid down the mount with her still in his embrace. Chakotay kissed her hungrily, but made no move to follow her when she backed away. "Chakotay?"

"No," he said with great effort. "We've got to get up early tomorrow--and when I take you the first time, I don't want to do it in a hurry."

Kathryn moved back into his arms. "I don't want you to leave," she whispered against his chest. "I hate going to sleep without you. I hate waking up and knowing you're not there. How the hell did that happen all the sudden?"

"Go to bed, Kathryn," he told her. "Get some sleep."

"Sleep, when I'm feeling like this?" she laughed. He stroked the sensitive tip of one breast through the fabric of her gown, just one light touch. Kathryn trembled into his hand, begging for more.

"You'll see me in your dreams," he promised her. Then he pulled himself up onto the stallion. He smiled down at her for a few moments more before he rode off toward town.

*He'll be back, Kathryn. He just wants to come in through the window.* Kathryn giggled, and went inside. The faster she was in her bed, the sooner Chakotay would come to her.

In the quiet hours just before first light, when the birds were not yet singing and the crickets had given up for the night, Chakotay climbed in Kathryn's window just to watch her sleep.

She was beautiful, and so peaceful. The worries of the day which normally marred her face left her in sleep, leaving behind a vulnerability that made him want to protect her.

She stirred, turning onto her side. "Chakotay, don't leave me," she whimpered.

Smiling, he crept up closer to the bed, brushing her hair from her face. "Never, my love," he whispered. "Once you are mine, I will never leave you."

Then he kissed her softly on her forehead, and crept back out the way he had come in.

In her bed, Kathryn sighed and smiled. She knew he would come back, sooner or later. He would always come back.

Tom Paris and Kathryn Janeway stepped out of their carriage at the tavern where Harry and Neelix had last been seen together and headed for the door.

"You sure you want to go in there?" he asked her again. "I know you've never seen the inside of a tavern before. There's a few--uh--unsavory types in this place. They might take one look at you and have me for lunch so they can have you for dinner."

"Do you want to see if the bad guys are still hanging around in here or not?" asked Kathryn impatiently.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Tom mentioned. "If they did plot the whole thing they're gonna know who I am. It might put you in danger."

"Since when are you worried about putting me in danger?" Kathryn pointed out, and Tom blushed, conceding her point.

When they walked in, everyone was suddenly still. All eyes focussed on Tom Paris, and then took in his companion.

"Tom Paris, you got a lot of nerve comin' in here after what you and your little yella friend pulled," said the bartender.

Tom looked innocent and confused. "Who, Harry? Why, what did he do?"

"As if you don't know, you sorry son of a bitch," said the bartender. "A couple of nice folks are dead, and word has it that the two of you killed 'em. You got anything to say about that?"

"Somebody's dead? What happened? I've been--busy--all week," said Tom, glancing over at Kathryn briefly. She flushed slightly, even though she had been expecting the implication.

"Where's your little yella friend, Paris?" asked another man, a tall brit who looked like just the man Tom was looking for.

"Last I heard, he was off licking his wounds after a card game in this fine establishment," he said. "And word has it the fella who cheated him was a nasty brit. That wouldn't be you, would it, friend?"

The man straightened his collar while three other brits joined him. The toughest looking one said, "That would be me, friend. And I don't take too kindly to being labeled a cheat. Your little yella mate just didn't know how to play. We tried to teach him, but it's always hard to learn the first time."

Kathryn was watching this exchange intently, memorizing the faces of the men involved. One of them caught sight of her and smiled lustily into her eyes. She blushed and looked away from him.

"Nice little package you've got there, Paris," he said. "Is she a widow or are you just borrowing her?"

"I wouldn't mind borrowing a piece of that myself," said another man.

"Cor, Perry, you'd take her after she's been with 'im?" said the first brit with a shudder.

"La, gentlemen," said Kathryn in her best southern drawl. "Tom here has been kind enough to help me after my coach was misdirected. There's nothing unusual going on, I can assure you. Goodness, I've never been in such a place, Thomas. You didn't tell me it would be so full of such friendly people. I declare, I'm nigh ready to swoon."

"You're right, Miss Kate," Tom said. "It was a bad idea bringing you in here. I was just hoping to find Harry. I'll get you over to your sister Kes right away."

"You're Kes's sister?" asked Perry with narrowed eyes.

"Why, yes," Kathryn said vapidly. "I've come to stay with her for a while. It gets kind of lonesome, sometimes, being away from her."

The brit gave her a sharp look and started to look nervous. She turned away from him uncertainly, wonder- ing at his reaction.

"Ma'am, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the folks who were killed were Mr. Neelix and Miss Kes," said the bartender. "It looks like your sister is dead."

"Thomas, take me out of here!" Kathryn demanded. "Take me out of here this very instant. I hate this place, do you hear?"

"All right, Kate, settle down," he said, grabbing her by the shoulders and escorting her to the door. Kathryn sobbed dramatically all the way there, and didn't stop even when they had climbed back into their carriage and headed quickly in the direction of the Neelix farm.

"Do you think it worked?" she asked presently.

Tom looked back over his shoulder. He couldn't see anyone, but he felt like they were being followed. "I'm not sure," he answered.

"Chakotay has the farm all ready," she said. "If they come to it, he'll arrest them all."

"You really like that guy, don't you?" Tom teased her. "I could tell by the way the two of you looked at each other in his office this morning. You've never looked at me like that."

Kathryn giggled, saying, "That's probably because you're not him."

"Yeah, but I kissed you first," Tom complained amiably. "I thought that was supposed to count for something."

"No, it isn't," Kathryn told him. "Besides, you only kissed me to prove you could do it if you wanted to."

"What if I wanted to again?" Tom asked devilishly, and then he stole a kiss from her.

"Don't, Tom," she protested. "I have other plans for my love life."

"Yeah, me too," Tom told her. "I just don't know who with yet."

"Well, I guess there's always the chickens," Kathryn said, and the two of them burst out laughing. They were still laughing when they reached the Neelix farm.

Chakotay scowled as the two of them entered. He had been watching the solicitous way Tom had helped Kathryn out of the carriage. The two of them had said something to each other they apparently found amusing, for they were giggling like schoolchildren as they stepped inside.

"Is everything ready?" Kathryn asked Chakotay, and noticed that his lips were twitching again. She winked at Tom, and he conveniently turned away from them.

"What are you two laughing about?" asked Chakotay casually.

"Chickens," said Kathryn cryptically.

Chakotay rolled his eyes, and glanced over at Tom. When he saw that he still wasn't looking, he took Kathryn by the arm and led her into the kitchen, saying, "Here, let me show you what I've done in here..."

As soon as they were out of sight, he kissed her, long and deep, and his tongue snaked out to flick at her lips. When Kathryn gasped at this unusual sensation, Chakotay's tongue slid inside, and he showed her with his own tongue what he wanted her to do with hers. Shyly, Kathryn followed his lead, and felt as if tiny rainbows were exploding all through her body. She had to break away.

Kathryn looked around the kitchen. Chakotay had strategically placed knives and other weapons throughout the room, so that should she be in that room when the bad guys showed up, she could not possibly be too far away from a useful means of protecting herself. She could just see him preparing the room, thinking of her the entire time, and she felt a warm glow of appreciation.

"Mr. Chakotay," she said breathlessly. "This should be quite adequate."

"Indeed," said Tom from right behind them. "Very well done."

Both of them wondered whether he was talking about the preparations in the kitchen or the kiss he had apparently just witnessed, but Tom looked innocently past them, and said nothing more.

Perry was pounding on the door to the second floor room for at least three minutes before he finally got an answer.

"This had better be good," said Doc Zimmerman as the door swung open. In the background, Perry could see a pretty young blond thing laying trussed up on Doc's bed.

"You know I never bother you unless it is," Perry defended himself. "We've got a problem."

"Well, spill it, man--can't you see I'm having fun with my new plaything?" Doc grumbled.

"That's just it," Perry said. "Are we absolutely sure you have the right plaything?"

"What are you talking about now, you stupid brit?"

"There's a lady with Tom Paris who claims to be Miss Kes's sister," Perry told him. "And seein' as she seemed so sincere..."

"She can't be Kes's sister, idiot," Doc said, grabbing Perry by the scruff of the neck. "I've got Miss Seven right here. Now go find out who the interloper really is--and then kill her. We can't have anyone else around who wants to file for that farm on Tuesday, or it will take forever to get the deed. And you know how much I loathe waiting--for anything."

Doc glanced over at the helpless woman on his bed. She glared at him through hate-filled eyes. Doc laughed at her and stepped over to chuck her under the chin.

"You'll get used to me soon enough, my dear," he assured her. "I intend to keep you for a very long time." Doc laughed maniacally as he pushed her head back down to the bed and turned back to Perry. "Why are you still here? You have your orders."

"Whatever you say, Doc," Perry agreed, and closed the door before he left.

Kathryn watched Tom leave through the window, and turned back to Chakotay. She looked worried.

"What are you thinking?" Chakotay asked her.

"Are you sure they're not going to follow him back to my place?" she asked.

"He had to leave," Chakotay said, chuckling. "Whoever is going to show up is much more likely to do it while they think you're alone. They would think they could gain an easy victory. I don't know why you're so worried about it now. You're the one who made the plan."

Smiling, Kathryn took in his relaxed position. He was lounging on one of the chairs with his head laid back, looking for all the world like he was perfectly at home. She imagined him doing that in their own house some day, and felt a warm sense of tranquility wash over her.

Then Chakotay's stomach rumbled. It was a loud and insistant noise that startled both of them.

"Why didn't you tell me you were hungry?" Kathryn admonished him. "Let me go see what kind of food we can scrounge up in this place."

"There's not much here," he warned her.

"Just let me look," she said, kissing his forehead.

Kathryn went into the kitchen and mentally kicked herself. *Damn, where is Tom when I really need him? If I do find any food, I'll probably ruin it. Once this thing is over, I'm going to hire him for good.*

After perusing the kitchen for a few minutes, Kathryn came to the conclusion she would have to make some biscuits and gravy.

Taking a deep breath and praying she didn't botch them, just this once, she mixed up some batter and set out some biscuits on a tray. She put them into the oven, and started warming some chicken fat in a pot.

When it was hot, she added spices and water and started stirring, when suddenly Perry was standing right next to her.

"Hello, pretty lady," he said menacingly.

Kathryn screamed and threw the hot liquid in his face. While he was yelping in pain, Chakotay came in and wrestled him to the floor.

"Get the rope!" he shouted, and Kathryn grabbed the rope and started wrapping it around the man's feet. Seeing that she knew what she was doing, Chakotay did not try to intervene as Kathryn trussed the man up like a hog and tied it off tight.

"I thought you were a farmer's daughter," he teased her. "Where'd you learn that trick."

"The only worthwhile thing I ever got from Mark 'the jilter' Johnson," said Kathryn with a satisfied smile. "Wouldn't mind doing that to him some day."

"There's actually a man in this world insane enough to jilt you?" Chakotay asked incredulously. Then he chuckled and leaned forward to kiss her, right over top of Perry's head.

"Oh, give us a break, eh?" he complained. The two of them broke apart when they noticed the distinctive smell of burning biscuits.

"Damn!" said Kathryn, grabbing a potholder and taking them out of the oven. "Will I never actually make a good batch of biscuits?"

"Something tells me I'm going to have to get you some cooking lessons," Chakotay teased her when he heard that.

"That'll never work," she said, grinning. "Old habits die hard."

"Yeah, they do," he chuckled, kissing her tenderly. Kathryn leaned into him, wanting more. Chakotay laughed and set her away from him. "Don't forget, Miss Janeway, we have a sensitive visitor."

"Perry's been gone too long," Zimmerman told the three brits who were seated with him at the table. "He should have been back within the day, and its already been two. We can't afford to take the chance that the woman is still alive, and in the Neelix household, come tomorrow morning."

"Just tell us what you want us to do, Doc," said the biggest man. "You know we'd do just about anything for you."

"Yes--or for your opium," he said with a sneer. "Now, I want you men to go over there and take the woman. I want you to take her alive, and bring her to me. If she managed to evade Perry, she must be working with someone else. I'm a man who likes to know who my enemies are. You bring her to me, and whoever her other friend is, he'll be sure to follow. Is that perfectly clear, gentlemen?"

"Yes, sir," they chimed, clinking together their beers. Zimmerman did not join in the clash, but casually drank his beer, and went upstairs to check on Miss Seven and his newest captive, Tom Paris.

"You'll never get away with this," Tom told him.

"How predictable," Doc yawned. "If you're going to be so boring, perhaps I should gag you as well."

"Get some sleep, Chakotay," Kathryn said as she took the pistol out of his hand. "I'll watch him for a while."

"Tom should be back any time," said Chakotay.

"Good, and when he gets here he can take over," she said. "But right now, you're going to bed."

"There's one thing I learned from my mother many years ago that I've never forgotten," Chakotay said with a slight smile.

"Really, sheriff?" asked Kathryn. "And what's that?"

"When a woman tells you to go to bed, you'd better do it or else," he answered, chuckling. "Too bad I can't take you with me."

"Mm, but I thought you wanted to wait until we have plenty of time," she reminded him as he drew her into his arms. He kissed her deeply, their tongues mingling with breaths of desire. Kathryn felt like she was sinking into an alternate reality, one from which she hoped never to return.

"Well, well, what have we here?" said the huge brit as he stepped inside.

The two of them sprang apart, and Chakotay went for the pistol that was still in Kathryn's hand. The three men were each aiming weapons at them, and the big man laughed.

"Do you really think you would survive the attempt?" he asked him with a laugh. "Lance, go untie Perry."

"Okay, Dillon," said the smallest man in the group.

"Our employer would like to have a word with the lady," Dillon told them. "But I don't remember him saying what I should do about a meddlesome sheriff. Maybe we should just kill him right now, what do you boys think?"

"Do it, Dillon," Perry said. "He kicked me in the teeth when I wouldn't tell him what he wanted to know."

"Why hold that against him? He was only doing his job," said Dillon with a grin. "You know, sheriff, I've always been a bit of a sportsman by nature. I hate the idea of just killing you outright. But if I take your lady I can be sure you'll come looking for me. I think I like that idea very much. It would give me the pleasure of watching you work before you die."

"I'll die an old man with Kathryn in my arms," Chakotay told him. "And there's nothing you can do to change that."

Dillon stepped forward and clubbed Chakotay over the head with his gun while the other three men grabbed Kathryn and dragged her out the door. She didn't try to fight them, for she was positive that Chakotay would save her.

"So, you're Kes's sister?" Doc asked snidely. "That's very strange, for you see my dear, I was under the impression that although the family is quite large, only two girls were born."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kathryn told her interrogator. "Tom and I were just having a bit of a lark. We do that sort of thing all the time."

"I have taken the liberty of learning who you are, my dear Miss Janeway. It is most unfortunate that you chose this opportunity to come out of your shell after so many years of reclusion."

"May I ask how you learned so much about me?" Kathryn wanted to know.

"Why, from Mr. Paris himself," laughed Doc, stepping aside so Kathryn could see him on the bed beside a young woman. They were both trussed up and gagged, and both looked very angry. "Although, not directly of course. He would never willingly betray you, my dear. It was a simple matter of following him to your doorstep, as it were."

"What have you done with Harry?" Kathryn demanded.

"Your poor Harry met his end, I'm afraid," the Doc told her. "Took a bullet in the chest. You'll have a bit of a mess to clean up in your living room-- assuming I decide to let you live."

"What possible reason do you have to kill me?" she asked him. "I haven't done anything to you."

"You tried to deceive me, my dear," he said, leading her to a chair. "But I'm a civilized man, so perhaps if you tell me what I want to know, I may be willing to forgive you."

"I'll try," she told him.

"So, I see you can be reasonable," he smiled. "Most unlike your friends, here. I want to know just how much the sheriff knows about my little plot. I have it on good authority that you are in an excellent position to know these things."

"He knows everything," Kathryn told him. "He knows that someone wanted Neelix and Kes dead so they could get the deed to their farm. He knows Harry didn't kill Neelix or Kes. He knows they didn't take the money."

"And you believe this to be everything?" Doc laughed. "How quaint. I would have believed a woman as smart as you would have figured out the rest."

"You didn't ask me what I have figured out, you asked me what the sheriff knows," Kathryn reminded him with a tight smile.

"Well then, my dear, what have you figured out?"

"You kidnapped Kes's sister so she wouldn't get in your way," Kathryn said. "Once you knew she was safely removed from the picture, you set about clearing the house. By tricking Harry into that card game, you managed to set up the argument between him and Neelix. That gave a motive for the husband's death."

"Very good, my dear," Doc said.

"After Neelix was dead, Harry ran away and hid in the woods, probably in fear of his life," she continued. "He knew he would probably be the prime suspect, so he sought help from his friend Tom. Because they were both missing, you had the perfect opportunity to kill Kes and blame it on her missing workers."

"Yes, that is exactly right," Doc said, clapping his hands. "Clever girl. Perhaps too clever for your own good."

"But you did make one huge mistake," said Chakotay as he kicked open the door. "You were the only one who suggested to me that Tom and Harry had stolen the money."

Doc turned to see the sheriff standing in the doorway, flanked by ten of his men and also by none other than Harry Kim. He was teetering on his feet, and blood covered a large portion of his shirt, but he was bandaged up and very much alive.

"And your second mistake," said Harry, "was to keep the same room after Neelix and I brought your money to you here. What were you thinking of, Doc?"

"Drop your weapons and come out into the hall," said Chakotay to the men. "You're all under arrest."

Doc raised his pistol to his head and pulled the trigger without a second thought. Blood sprayed all over Kathryn's face, and she screamed, trying to wipe it off.

"I guess he didn't want to be under arrest," said Lance, shaking his head. Chakotay's men led out the four henchmen, and Chakotay located a towel and used it to wipe Kathryn's face.

Harry had just untied Tom, and now Tom was working on the ties to Seven's wrists. "Why do they call you Seven, anyway?" he asked her with a grin.

The woman laughed, saying, "It's a long story, and right now I'm too tired to tell it."

"Maybe you could tell me over dinner tonight," he suggested, and they smiled into each others eyes.

"So much for the chickens," said Kathryn with a cagey grin, and she and Tom both laughed.

They left Harry, Tom and Seven with the surgeon and drove back to Kathryn's house. The two men had promised to return and begin working on the crops within the week.

Kathryn was upset by the amount of blood she found soaked into the rag-carpet she had made for her father many years ago, and tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"It's ruined," she groaned. "Just ruined."

Chakotay kissed the top of her head, saying, "You'll find a good reason to make a new one, my love. But right now you're totally exhausted. You should get some sleep."

"Mr. Chakotay," she laughed. "Why is it you're always telling me to go to bed, but you're never in it?"

Chakotay's heart skipped a beat as he took her into his arms. He kissed her deeply, holding her so close they were as one.

"Is that where you want me to be?" he asked huskily.

"Of course it is," she said, drawing him to the room with her. "I want to go to sleep with you so I can wake up with you. I want you with me every night for the rest of my life. You asked me once before if I liked you to wake me with a kiss. That's how I always want to wake up."

"That's a pretty tall order, Miss Janeway," he told her. "But if that's what you want, I'll give it to you. I'll hold you all night every night, and in the mornings you'll be awakened to love."

"Awakened to love," Kathryn repeated the words again as she pulled him to the bed with her, nuzzling his hair. "You know, Chakotay, that has a real nice sound."

FINIS