By Coral
Disclaimer: It's all Paramount's! I'm just supplying a
few thoughts...
Dedication: Here's something you can read, Jade. :)
Note: Set just after Tuvok leaves Voyager in Year Of Hell. Possibly
one of the best J/C moments in the episode occured, although it's not one I'd
noticed until recently...
"Send Kathryn my best."
The words, Paris' cheeky signoff from Chakotay, echoed round her mind as she
briefly shut her eyes, closing her hand tightly around the watch hanging from
her waist like a talisman. How long had it been since she had seen Chakotay, or
heard his voice? The hours had turned into days, the days into weeks, the weeks
into months... and through all of them she had been fighting and battling for
her life and the lives of her remaining crewmembers. In the precious few moments
she had had to herself, she had closed her eyes in the same way she was doing
now, conjuring his image to remind herself why she had to keep giving when it
felt like she had nothing left *to* give. The thought of him had comforted her
and renewed her almost as if he were there himself, reaching out to put a hand
on her shoulder or squeeze her hand.
It comforted her now. Gave her strength to fight what she hoped would be one
final battle against the Krenim timeship. This time, it was all or nothing. They
would get Chakotay and Tom back, or she and Voyager would go down together.
There were no in-betweens -- no other options. The realisation actually cheered
her slightly. The chance to make a difference again, instead of hiding in
nebulae and just trying to survive from one day to the next. She rubbed her
thumb across the watch and looked at the empty chair beside her own. Empty for
too long. The ghost of Chakotay grinned back at her, and she nodded slightly
before lowering herself efficiently into her own chair.
"Let's do it, Commander," she said to the empty bridge with a grim
smile. "Let's give this our best."
END