Author's Note: I started this story a few months ago, but when I lost all of my story notes after starting the third part, I couldn't remember what I wanted to do with it, and when I asked my Jr5 pond for help, Camilla answered my hails! THANK YOU Cam, I am forever in your dept! -Kathryn (aka, Aquiel)

Author's Note:When Aquiel asked for her help on her story, there was no way I could refuse. My main problem is, I can never say no to a challenge... This was no exception.. And as I read the story and loved it, I was more than happy to help! Just hope my writing are as good....Cam

Disclaimer: Unfortunately for you and me, Star Trek Voyager belongs to Paramount Pictures, but we're free to add our own ideas, right?

"Forever This Way"

Part Four

"Nooooooooo!"

She awoke of her own scream, and for a second she expected Chakotay to be there. To put his strong arms around her, chasing away the shadows of the dream.

But the shadows were growing, and Chakotay wasn't there. Never would his arms touch her again, hold her, and she was alone with the images of her dream. Justin... Her father.. And a feeling of something terrible that would happen. But hadn't the worst imaginable already happened?

3 days she had been without him, and it felt like a lifetime.

"Chakotay, I miss you.." she said aloud.

A lifetime without him, and she would go nuts with longing.

"I miss you too."

She was already going nuts, imagining his voice. His dark, gentle voice. And his breathing.. Breathing! She was suddenly wide awake.

"Chakotay?" she called out in the dark. Laughter answered her. A quiet, joy-filled laugher. His laughter, there was no mistaking it.

"Chakotay!"

She reached out her hands in the dark, and met something warm and soft. His hand. He was here! Chakotay was here!!

"Kathryn.."

In one swift movement he was by her head, his arms around her, crushing her against his chest. She tore at his shirt, wanting to feel him even nearer. That muscular chest she never thought she would lean against ever again. Joy filled her heart. He was really here!

She repeated his name over and over again, as if she didn't, he would slip away like an image of a dream.

Finally she let him go a bit, to look at him and make sure it really was him.

"How did you...?"

She didn't finish the question, but he got the meaning, and grinned at her. A wicked smile that only he could give.. How she had missed that!

"I used.."

He never got to finish as she decided how he got here wasn't important, only that he was. And so she pulled him in into a passionate kiss, telling him just how much she had missed him.

"I love you, " she said while coming up for air, and she could see the pleasant shock in his eyes.

"Kathryn!" he breathed, but she never gave him a chance to speak, pulling him down at the bed, tearing at his clothes, needing to fully feel that he was here, with her. And neither spoke for quite some time as their mouths found other things to do.

A while after, as she was resting in his arms once again, she suddenly thought of something.

"Chakotay, are you here to save me?"

A smile were starting to form on his lips, but he fought it, and his expression stayed serious.

"That was the plan, yes."

"And just how are you going to get me out of here?"

"I thought I would carry you out."

"Chakotay!"

The smile was quite obvious now, but he still did his best to hide it.

"Please tell me you have a way of getting me out?"

"Well, the rope can`t carry us both..."

She shook her head.

"That`s a poor rescue, Chakotay."

"I know.. I just had to see you. I miss you.... I love you."

He let a hand play with her hair, his eyes echoing his words.. And strangely enough, she felt more at peace than ever. More than ever, she realized she had made the right choice in taking him as a lover. All her doubts washed away, being faced with the possibility of never seeing him again. But here he was, in her arms.

"Chakotay?"

"Hmmm?"

"Never leave me."

He let his lips touch her briefly before getting up.

"I won`t. What do you say I get you out of here?"

They were interrupted by steps outside.

"Chakotay.." she whispered hurriedly, but he didn`t have time to move more than two steps away from the door as it budged open.

"Kathryn my dear, I couldn't sleep..." the Director started before freezing three steps into the room as he saw Chakotay. And Janeway, in the bed, not exactly over-dressed.

His eyes grew narrow, and the look he sent Chakotay were filled with hatred.

"She is MINE!"

"With all due respect, Director.. That is her choice, not yours. And I intend to take her home."

"She is home. Aren`t you, Kathryn?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but hastily closed it. A strange sensation was filling her head. Home.. here? Chakotay was looking at her, but her head was swimming and he.. who was he? And she was falling.. falling far..

"Kathryn!"

Chakotay rushed at her, concern filling his face. But the Director quickly blocked his face.

"She is MINE, I said! You shouldn`t have come. Take him out of here!"

The last was directed at the guards storming in, and they grabbed Chakotay, pulling him out.

"Kathryn!"

"No.. Chakotay!"

His voice woke her up, and she took a few steps towards the door, but the Director blocked her way.

"You are home.."

Justin? Confused she looked up at him. It was Justin.

"Stay with me," he pleaded.

She shook her head wordlessly.

"Kaaaaaaaathryn!"

Chakotay`s words, desperate. She had to...

"Daddy??"

The man before her.. It was her father.

"This is home.. Kathryn."

"Yes, home.."

Her head was swimming again, and she was falling.. into forever without Chakotay.

"Chakotay!"

The image before her faltered, and again he was facing the Director, and not a ghost from the past. He was a telepath. It all seemed crystal clear now. Reading her mind, he must have seen the only thing that mattered more to her than her own life. Her crew.

"No," she said firmly, "I will not stay here. This is not my home. My home is with Chakotay, with Voyager."

And with that, she quickly sidestepped him, chasing after the guards into the next room. The first guard was so surprised she quickly managed to knock him out, grabbing his weapon and pointing it directly at the next.

"Let him go, or..."

She didn`t have to finish the sentence, and Chakotay grabbed her hand as soon as he was free. Together they ran down the corridor.

"I thought you were supposed to rescue me, not the other way around!" she shouted while running beside him.

He didn`t have the breath to laugh, otherwise he would.

"Katerina!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" came the agonized shout from behind them, but neither turned back. And the walls was starting to fall down behind them.

"What the hell is happening?"

"I don`t know.. but I think he`s a telepath. Maybe.. his mental powers are causing this!"

She gasped for breath, but ran on. A wall almost collapsed on them, but they ran away in the last second. And all around them the guards stood horrified, frozen.

"KATERINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And there was an exit. None of the guards tried to stop them as they ran out, not looking back as a loud cracking noise filled the air.

"Kathryn! Get down!"

He threw himself on top of her, crushing her to the ground as the building collapsed behind them. Debris started falling around them, some even on them, but nothing big. Finally silence filled the air, and they looked up.

What had been a magnificent building was now a smoking ruin. Here and there, corpses, but most were buried in debris. They could nothing but look as they wandered through it.

Buried deep in debris lay Director C`aolam, clutching the picture of his dead Katerina. A woman remarkably like a certain Kathryn Janeway. Katerina had died when his foolish pride had driven him to extend the powers of his mind. And all he ever wanted, was a second chance. To love her again.

But fate is not always that kind.

Among the ruins wandered another couple, to them fate had been kind. So far.

Chakotay found his commbadge, and tried it.

"Chakotay to Voyager."

"Voyager here."

"I found the Captain. 2 to beam up on my mark."

"Yes, sir!" answered Harry`s happy voice.

Janeway was looking at the devastation around her. Bending down, she glimpsed a half burnt picture among the ruins. To her shock, she realized it was a picture of her. Almost.

And all the pieces came together.

Love drives us all, whether we know it or not.

Her eyes found Chakotay, and slowly, they walked toward each other, eyes locked. Meeting him in the middle of the ruin, she leaned in, his strong arms encircling her, chasing away the shadows.

"Chakotay..."

"Shhhhhh..."

His lips gently touching her forehead, communicating a love that needed no words.

"Tell me this will be forever. Let it stay forever this way."

He did, but they could only hope fate wanted the same thing.

Fine

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