By Coral
Disclaimer: Paramount owns them, but I own my imagination. (Good thing too - do you really want a weekly morale raising foodfight on Voyager?)
Kes knew she didn’t have long left on Voyager. She could feel the changes building up within her, as if she were ready to explode at any time. But she had to ignore that for a moment. She had a few good-byes to get through first.
She sounded the door chime on Neelix’s quarters.
"Neelix, it’s Kes."
"Come in," he called as she ran her fingers lightly over the gold necklace she held in her hand.
"Hello, Kes," he said nervously as she sat down next to him on the sofa. Their last meeting had been… strange, to say the least.
"Neelix, I wanted you to know first. I’m leaving Voyager."
"Leaving? But Kes… why?"
"Something’s happening to me, Neelix. I’m damaging the ship and endangering your lives. I can’t be responsible for that."
"I’m sure the Doctor can do something," Neelix said desperately. "Please, don’t leave Kes. I still love you."
Her eyes were pained. "I love you too, Neelix, but I need to understand what’s happening to me. Voyager’s been my home and I love you all, but I have to leave now – because I love you."
"Kes…"
"Neelix, you have to understand. You’ve been kind to me, saved me from the Kazon, and I won’t ever forget that." She looked down at the locket in her hand. "I want you to have this – to remember me."
The locket had many memories for Kes since Paris had given it to her on her second birthday. Since then, she’d barely taken it off, wearing it under her dress all the time with pictures of herself and Neelix in it, even after they had agreed to go different ways.
She placed it gently in his hand with a watery smile. He clutched at it as if it was a lifesaver, and Kes suddenly felt guilty to be leaving him like this. She wished fervently that Neelix could feel what she was going through – understand her decision, realise that it really was in everyone’s best interests if she left. She was well aware of Neelix’s troubled past, the loss of his family, but she also knew that Neelix was strong, and would learn to cope with his new family – he was dedicated to the Voyager crew and his job.
"Goodbye Neelix," she whispered, kissing him gently before leaving his quarters quietly.
Neelix sat, staring at the locket in his hand without moving until Voyager shook. He thought he heard an explosion coming from somewhere nearby. Still clutching the locket, he left his quarters, wiping away a tear that was threatening to fall.
Down the corridor, he could see two people running in the opposite direction. His heart jumped as he realised that one of them was Kes.
"Kes! KES!" he called, wondering what was wrong, starting to run after them, never once loosening his grip on the necklace.
"Kes!"
For a fleeting moment Kes looked back, her eyes locking with his for a brief moment what felt like an eternity to both of them. An explosion between the two interrupted the moment. By the time Neelix’s vision cleared, the corridor was empty.
"Goodbye Kes," he whispered.
Returning to his quarters, Neelix gently placed the necklace around his Guiding Tree statuette. He had just finished when the ship started to shake around him. His eyes flew to the window where the stars were speeding past as they usually did when Voyager was at warp. But, Neelix noticed, there was something different. They seemed to being going faster than Neelix could ever remember having gone before – so fast that Neelix couldn’t distinguish between the separate stars. Voyager felt as though she were shaking herself apart.
Then just as suddenly as it started, it stopped. The ship was silent, as if holding its breath for something.
What had just happened? Neelix couldn’t make head or tails of it until a curious sense of peace began to pervade him.
He could sense Kes’s presence around him, everywhere around him, as if she were in the room with him.
"Kes?" he ventured.
He didn’t hear her reply exactly; it was almost as if he felt her words to him.
*Don’t worry about me, Neelix. I feel… I feel wonderful.*
"Where are you, exactly?" he asked nervously.
*I’ll always be with you, Neelix.*
Neelix wasn’t sure, but he thought the locket glowed brighter as she said that. "Promise?"
*Promise.*
And with that, Neelix placed the locket around his own neck.
END