Star Trek Voyager: Fragments

Star Trek Voyager: Fragments (Chapter 18)

Kathryn’s heart soared in relief as she felt Jaffen’s lips curve into a smile against hers. She happily let him deepen the kiss as his strong arms looped tightly around her back; she was just starting to let herself melt into the embrace before need for air pulled them reluctantly apart. Her first glance up into his face revealed the same happy, blissful glow that she knew had diffused her own face, but after that brief moment his gaze was serious and pondering. “What do you want to do now Kathryn?”

“Now?” Kathryn echoed, her throat tightening in sudden anxiety. Why did he always challenge her this way? The ball was almost always in her court with him, not that she didn’t usually like it that way, but for once she wished he wouldn’t be so considerate. “I…” She started, almost stuttering as she met his gently questioning eyes, “You could stay here.” She suggested, immediately feeling better upon airing the idea that had surged into her heart as she’d kissed him. She just couldn’t give him up; she’d already suffered the pain of leaving a lover behind. “Of course, you don’t have to.” She rambled on hurriedly as he didn’t immediately respond, “I realise that you have lots of opportunities here Voyager just couldn’t offer you, we’re on a lifelong journey here…” She turned her head away, unwilling to look at him as an uncharacteristic blush flooded her cheeks, “I mean, just because we rushed things before doesn’t mean you’d want to now…”

“Kathryn…” Jaffen broke in, pulling her back towards him by the starched shoulders of her uniform, returning her now pensive look with an affectionate smile. “Honey, whatever opportunities I may or may not have here, I think that by letting you go I’d be missing out on the biggest opportunity of my life, the opportunity to be with, to love, an amazing and extraordinary woman.”

Kathryn felt her mouth drop open in shock, a soft gasp leaving her lips. “Really?” she whispered almost inaudibly. She hadn’t felt this speechless since Mark had proposed all these years ago, the feelings that overwhelmed her now were remarkably similar to back then, disbelief, joy, love…

“Yes Kathryn.” He answered firmly, the sincerity in his deep voice making sound even sexier to Kathryn’s ears than usual. He shrugged lightly, “It’s not as if rushing things a little has done us any harm so far.”

Kathryn laughed lightly, “No, I wouldn’t say that it has.” She replied wryly as he lovingly pulled her into another embrace.

As Kathryn sighed in his arms for the fifth time in as many minutes, Jaffen halted in his absent stroking of her gleaming auburn hair. “What is it Kathryn?”

“Oh…” Kathryn began teasingly as she leaned back against his chest. “I was just thinking that this sofa has somehow become much comfier than the last time I sat on it.” She answered with a smirk as she surveyed the sofa cushions, and one Starfleet issue uniform jacket, that had been discarded to the floor to make space for their make out session. If her father could see her now he wouldn’t see the difference between Kathryn the Captain and Kathryn the hormonal teenager…

“Do you think your crew will be willing to accommodate me? I need to work, earn my keep…” Jaffen asked abruptly, concern in his tone.

“Work can be arranged, B’Elanna would never deny an engineer of your calibre a rota…” Kathryn replied with a smile before biting her lip anxiously, fiddling with her comm. badge as she did so. “As for protocol…” She muttered tightly, “It’s not as if Captains are banned from having their partners on board.” She said defensively, “It’s…frowned upon in certain situations I suppose…” She admitted as he peered at her.

“Well, I would say Voyager’s situation is unique to say the least…” Jaffen reminded her, sensing her outburst of worry as he comfortingly rubbed her lower back in small circles. “And I may not know your crew too well yet individually, but I’ve witnessed enough of their actions over the past few days to know that they’d want to see you happy.”