~Yesterday I stood in a dark and lonely place, no safe harbor or cove of refuge. I stood alone. If then I could have known that each step, each forward motion would bring me gently, irrevocably here, I would have run; thrown fear aside and caution to the wind. Because here is my cove of refuge, my place of strength, my safe harbor. Here I stand not alone.  

He sat in a corner trying not to watch her. The corner was dim, and he could easily have observed her undetected. But what was the point? He'd already gone too far. At first he'd thought she'd reciprocated, that she was ready. But then the expression in her eyes had turned to disappointment and something else that defied definition; and she'd hurriedly moved away. They hadn't been within ten feet of one another since. 
 
A slight fluttering from her table brought him out of his thoughts. She was talking to Tom Paris, the happy groom, of all people. The way she smiled and gently pressed her hand to his telegraphed the fact that she was in 'nurturing-mode'.  And wasn't that part of what drew him to her, he asked himself wryly. 

"One of the many," he spoke aloud as he returned his attention to the frenzy on the dance floor. What he saw there sent him immediately into stunned laughter. 

B'Elanna had somehow managed to convince Tuvok to join in the K'judzik, a Klingon dance of questionable origin. While Neelix had insisted that it was Klingon, Chakotay had his doubts. But he had to admit the lyrics sung by the holo band were very appropriate -something about twisting the night away... 

The Vulcan's vision must have been as exceptional as his hearing for he looked directly at the commander. With an arch of his brows, he turned several degrees and continued to dance. Chakotay quickly tried to cover his laughter, but was unable to wipe the grin from his face. 

A slight shadow fell over the table and he looked up to find Tom Paris standing there. The lieutenant sank into a chair with only a smile and a nod before gazing over the crowd. 

"What can I help you with, Tom?" Chakotay asked with a grin that said he wasn't fooled by the show of nonchalance. For a gambling man, Paris's emotions were amazingly apparent. And though he had yet to figure out the lieutenant's game, he knew he was up to something. 

"I was just admiring my wife," he replied with a thoughtful smile. "You know, just saying that word makes me feel...warm, full." 

Chakotay smiled openly at the younger man's expression before uttering a foreign sounding word. "It's from the language of my people. It's one of the more intimate expressions for a bonded woman. When literally translated it means 'she who is the rest of me', or 'she who completes my life'." 

Tom nodded as if memorizing it. Then continued, "I appreciate what you did for B'Elanna today. She really looks up to you." 

Chakotay merely nodded, his eyes telling how much the part he'd been allowed to play meant to him. 

Tom's eyes dropped to his hands before he plunged on. "But why are you hiding out in this corner? Neither you or the captain have joined in since the first dance. It looks a bit odd not seeing the two of you together." 

Chakotay was brought up short by the remark. He thought to deny the observation, but knew it was true. He was hiding out.  His eyes were again drawn to the woman across the room. Kim now occupied the seat across from her. But something in the way the Ensign kept glancing between Tom and B'Elanna; and the way B'Elanna motioned for the holo band to keep playing, struck him as odd. 

His gaze returned to Tom's as he put it all together. The younger man's frank stare gave no apologies. "We all think it's wonderful," he said. "You should go for it." 

"I appreciate your concern, lieutenant. But this isn't a conversation I should be having with you." The chilly undertone was unmistakable. 

Tom raised a hand in self-defense. "I know. But B'Elanna and I are happy. And we want the people we love to be happy too." With that he rose from the table and moved toward the dance floor, a dejected slump to his shoulders. 

Chakotay's eyes were drawn beyond Tom when B'Elanna made an odd dance move that put her back to Tuvok. She then made a quick, surreptitious gesture to Tom that directed him toward the captain's table. 

"Now what?" Chakotay murmured. He turned to see what B'Elanna'd been so desperate to communicate to Tom, and came eye to chest with his captain. Immediately flustered, he apologized and offered her a seat. His eyes met hers hesitantly as he tried to gauge her reaction. 

"It appears they've gotten to you, too," she murmured with a small smile, then she sighed. "But they're right. Any rift between the two of us effects the entire crew. I can't allow that." She paused, obviously searching for the correct words.  Terrified that she was about to attempt to 'define parameters' again, he cut her off. 

"It was my fault," he said. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again." 

Kathryn stared across the table at him. "It wasn't all you, Chakotay. I wanted it too." 

Chakotay's heart soared at her admission. So he hadn't imagined that part. His hand moved across the table for hers; but she pulled it back, held it up as if to ward him off. 

"But..." she said. ''I'm the captain of this ship and I don't have such luxuries." Her eyes held his as she continued to speak. "I won't deny my attraction to you, Chakotay. But for right now, I can only accept you on the level of my dearest friend. That's all I can offer." 

Chakotay smiled softly, she'd said 'right now'. There was hope. This time when he took her hand, she didn't pull away. "I'll never ask for more than you can give, Kathryn. As for my friendship, you don't have to ask, it's yours." He squeezed her hand gently. "Do you remember the story I told you?" he asked, his devilish grin back. 

"Which one?" Kathryn teased, relief flooding her system. "You tell so many." 

"The one about the angry warrior..." 

"Yes," she smiled softly. She remembered. 

He leaned in closer and continued to speak conspiratorially, his words muted from the crowd. 
 
Around the dance hall a number of faces smiled a little wider. Several sighed in happy relief. And one Vulcan twisted on, pretending not to notice.