"Sittin' in a Tree..."
by Jean B.

Disclaimer: Of course, this would mean nothing if they actually decided to crack down on this stuff, but here goes anyway. Star Trek Voyager, it's characters and basically the whole darn kit'n'kaboodle belongs to Paramount Pictures. No copyright infringement is intended. But, since they don't seem willing to put our favorite two characters together, somebody has to do something about it!

Rating: very PG (probably even G)

Kathryn and Chakotay sat down under a large tree to rest and cool off from the hot sun for awhile. They had spent most of the afternoon walking, talking and generally enjoying the scenery of this wonderful planet.

Voyager had made contact several days earlier with a planet that boasted an absolutely perfect climate all year round. The inhabitants took great pride in their agriculture and park lands, and had happily invited the crew to restock their supplies, and take as much shore leave as they liked. A few days in orbit had seen them fully reprovisioned. They now had enough supplies to keep Neelix in cooking-heaven for several months, plus plenty of new plant species for Kes' hydroponics garden.

The crew had taken leave in shifts, and it was now their last day on the planet. The not-so-thinly veiled threat had come from the Doctor this morning. Either the two commanding officers took one day of shore leave for themselves, or else he might have to spend a great deal of time updating their medical files. Maybe with several days of tests in sickbay, just so he could make sure they weren't too overworked to do their jobs effectively. He was backed up by Tuvok, who had even spent an afternoon down on the planet himself, and strongly suggested that it would be beneficial for them to do so, as well. So the two senior officers gave in.

Kathryn had been concerned about Chakotay recently. He seemed to be almost avoiding her, so she suggested they spend the afternoon together, and to her surprise, he readily agreed. After changing into off-duty clothes, they got a lunch from Neelix and beamed down together to a beautiful wooded area.

Now, they leaned back against the wide trunk, and Chakotay closed his eyes while Kathryn looked at their surroundings. In three directions there was farm land, as far as the eye could see. Acres and acres of the different crops that flourished on this planet. Behind where they were sitting was a lush forest and a stream that led back to the village where they had beamed down earlier. They rested in a comfortable silence, neither needing to say anything, just enjoying each other's company. It was the beautiful afternoon and they rarely had the chance to breathe non-recycled air and feel the sun on their faces.

After a few minutes had passed, Kathryn looked up and inspected the tree above them. It was very large and slightly similar to an old oak tree on Earth. The only visible differences were that the branches were much thicker, and the leaves just a bit more blue than they would have been at home. As she looked, she spotted a few sturdy branches which came together into a familiar shape. It gave her an idea.

"Ever done any tree climbing, Chakotay?" she asked.

Chakotay lazily opened one eye and glanced at her. "Not since I was a kid," he answered, and closed the eye again. Kathryn watched him for a few seconds more, and suddenly both of his eyes flew open.

He looked over and saw Kathryn grinning at him. "You've got to be kidding, Kathryn!"

"Not at all. C'mon, Chakotay. Doesn't this tree just....... call to you to climb it?"

He just shook his head. "Whether it 'calls' to me or not, I don't need to remind you that we aren't exactly kids anymore."

"Speak for yourself......old man!" she retorted with a grin. She hopped up and eagerly circled the tree, looking for a good branch start up with. The lowest branch she could find was just a little too far up, out of her reach. The bark on the trunk was also very smooth, with no good hand holds to get a start up with. She realized that, like it or not, she was going to have to ask for a little help.

"Hey.... wake up! I need a boost up to the first branch here, Commander. After that you can go back to your nap," she teased.

Chakotay stood up and moved to where she was standing, grumbling 'I'll show you old man' all the way.

Kathryn was busy concentrating on picking out her hand holds, so she was caught off guard when she felt two very strong hands circle her waist and lift her up effortlessly. She was so distracted by the feeling, that she nearly forgot to grab hold of the branch that had been her goal in the first place. Until she heard him say, "Anytime now, Kathryn. Or, have you changed your mind, after all?"

She immediately grabbed the branch, and swung her legs up to get a good grip. "No, I haven't changed my mind. I just figured you could use a little exercise." The hands slipped away, and she was a little surprised to find that she missed the feeling of them.. *Get it together, Kathryn.* she thought to herself. *You're going to fall if you don't concentrate on what you're doing. Then he'll really have something to harass you about.* She pulled herself up to the top side of the first branch, and started up the tree.

Chakotay, who was now grumbling about 'old man' AND 'Who needs exercise?' stepped back to watch. His casual interest turned to awe as she set off up the tree. She moved from branch to branch, higher and higher with a grace that made it look simple. He became aware that he was watching and appreciating the way her slim body moved as she climbed, and his imagination began to run away with him. *Stop it!* he told himself, as his body began to react to what he was thinking and seeing.

Finally, Kathryn reached the spot she had seen from the ground. It was a large space where several limbs split apart and created a wide, U-shaped seat. She swung herself up into a and grinned at the man who was shaking his head and smiling far below.

Kathryn looked around at the beautiful view. She could see fields for miles in each direction, and in the far distance there was just a glimpse of one of the planet's crystal clear oceans. A cool breeze, filtered by the leaves, blew across her face and suddenly she felt just a little lonely. There was an awful lot of distance between her and the person she had set out to spend the afternoon with. She decided to be just a little bit daring.

"You know, Chakotay, there's really enough room up here for two."

"Oh, no." he answered. "I can't follow that act."

"Come on. It's a beautiful view up here."

*It's not a bad view from down here.* he thought with a smile.

Kathryn's voice was wheedling, but when he looked up at her face, there was just a hint of a challenge in her eyes. That, combined with the fact that he had really wanted to spend the afternoon with her, *near* her, finally broke his reserve.

"Oh, all right. But, if I fall and break my neck, you have to explain to the Doc what I was doing climbing a tree in the first place."

"Sure, no problem. I'll just tell him that you were trying to prove to me that you weren't over the hill yet," she answered teasingly. "That should earn you a good lecture or two."

"Thanks a lot, Kathryn. He still hasn't let up from the last time I worked out with B'elanna on her calisthenics program." Quietly, he added "And I am NOT old." He jumped up slightly to reach the first branch and started off.

In reality, Chakotay had definitely climbed a few trees in his time. He had just wanted to tease Kathryn a bit. What he lacked in her grace, he made up for in sheer muscle. Kathryn watched, impressed at how easily he moved up the tree and also at the power which was usually hidden beneath his uniform and quiet, reserved demeanor. In the casual, off-duty clothes he had worn for their outing, it was easy to watch the muscles in his arms and legs as he climbed. She watched in silent appreciation as he put his entire concentration into the climb.

In no time, he had scaled the tree and neatly dropped himself into the seat next to Kathryn. He glanced around as he caught his breath, then said, "You're right. This view is definitely worth the climb."

They sat in silence for a minute, then he said, "You've done this a few times before, I'd say."

She nodded. "When I was child. My favorite hiding place was up in a big old willow tree." She smiled at the memory. "I would just sit there for hours and work on a difficult mathematics problem, read, think through anything that was troubling me, or I'd just enjoy how peaceful it was to be away from everybody and everything."

"Sounds nice. It's no wonder you're so good at this."

She laughed. "Well, I'm a little out of practice, but the basics are still there."

They sat quietly, enjoying the afternoon and the company. Gradually, they both tried to find more comfortable positions to sit in. Kathryn glanced at Chakotay and said. "You know. It really isn't fair. You have that big tree trunk to lean against and I only have this little branch. If I start to doze off, I'll wind up a victim of gravity, and you'll *still* be the one who has to explain to the Doctor."

Chakotay grinned at her, showing off the dimples that had made many a woman�s heart leap. It was an invitation, of sorts. He decided to go with it, and see what happened next. "Well, I suppose that you could come over and lean against me. I won't let you fall."

Kathryn appeared to think it over. Then she smiled back and said, "Sounds like a good plan to me."

She scooted across the space between them and cautiously leaned her back against his chest. As soon as she touched him, she began to wonder if she had made the right decision. She felt her stomach leap, and she was sure that Chakotay would be able to feel her heart beating. As she got comfortable, she felt his arms go lightly around her. They shifted a little until they were both settled, then started to relax.

Gradually, Kathryn allowed her head to fall back on Chakotay's chest, and she felt his chin lean down on the top her head. She closed her eyes and just allowed herself to enjoy the wonderful feeling of having her first officer's arms wrapped around her.

Chakotay savored the feel of woman who was leaning against him. He sometimes forgot how physically small she really was. In any situation she could seem so imposing and could stare down or intimidate the most stubborn enemy. Her sheer force of will made her seem larger than life. It was one of the things he most admired and loved about her. But here..... this was the woman that was often hidden beneath 'The Captain.' This was the woman he had seen thrive on New Earth. Strong, independent, daring, but at the same time caring, playful, teasing and unpredictable. She absolutely enthralled him. And right now he couldn't imagine anywhere else that he would rather be than sitting here, with the woman he loved in his arms.

Eventually, Kathryn decided to go a step further and took one of Chakotay's hands in her own. She ran her fingers over the back of his hand, following the muscles and tendons back to his wrists. She slowed traced the length of each finger, starting to get to know the feel of him. Then, she turned his hand over and began lightly tracing the lines that ran across his palm.

Chakotay was so distracted by what she was doing, that, he didn't realize that he had started running his other hand up and down her arm, just savoring the feel of her bare skin. He leaned his head forward, so his face was almost leaning into her hair, and lost himself in the scent of her.

Kathryn finished her exploration of his hand and stopped. She thought for a moment about the wisdom of what she wanted to do next. *You've already decided, Kathryn. You just need to let him know that.* Slowly, she lifted his hand, and placed a gentle kiss in the middle of his palm. She really barely even brushed her lips against his skin, but she felt him jump behind her. She held his hand tightly in her own and waited.

When he didn't respond after a moment, she turned just a little so that she could see him. He had his eyes tightly closed, and his whole body had gone still.

"Chakotay?" she said softly.

He opened his eyes and looked at her. She could see that he was struggling with himself. Everything he was feeling was visible in his eyes. Confusion, pain, .... something else she was a little afraid to identify. She raised her hand to his face, understanding what he was feeling. He caught her hand in his, and raised it up to his lips, gently kissing each finger, then laying it back down in her lap.

"Kathryn," he whispered. "I can't do this. I can't go back and forth between pretending I have no feelings for you, then...this."

Kathryn looked up into his eyes. "I don't intend for you to. I think I've finally realized that this is a part of my life that has been missing for too long. I've fought this feeling for so long now. I couldn't allow whatever it was that was building between us get in the way of our duties to this ship. But, you've been so distant lately. Avoiding me anytime you weren't on duty. Finding reasons to be off the bridge for large parts of your shift. That's why I invited you along today. I've missed our dinners together, our time-off on the holodeck...... just spending time with you. You have already become such an important part of my life, and today I think I've finally realized just how much I want you with me.... as more than a first officer... maybe even as more than a friend. I know it isn't going to be easy or painless, but I think I'm finally willing to explore this, if you are."

Chakotay looked at her, afraid to hope that what he was hearing was true. "I've been keeping my distance so that you wouldn't feel pressured. As much as I've tried to fight it, my feelings for you have grown since our time on New Earth. I wasn't sure how well I could keep hiding it from you." He stopped, afraid to ask his next questions, but needing to know the answers. He had to make sure she had thought this through, and wasn't just caught up in the setting. "Kathryn, what about the crew? What about your 'parameters?'"

She thought for a moment, then answered. "I know this is going to be difficult for us. And you, of all people, understand that I'm going against everything I've learned through the years. 'Never get involved with an officer serving under your command.' It was one of those rules that was just understood. But, I think I can finally accept that we are in a unique situation. I'm not willing to give up and say that we may never get home, but I do believe that it may take us much longer than I had originally hoped. I worried for a long time that it would be betraying those we had all left behind. But, by now we are realizing that they must have gone on with their lives. It's just been too long. We can still hope to see them again. But, even if we were to get home tomorrow, things would still be very different from when we left. As for the ship, I don't think I'm ready to be public and let the whole crew in on it. But, I am ready to try. It may work out, or it may not. We don't know, but there's only one way we're going to find out."

Chakotay smiled at her and raised a hand to trace her cheek. "You are an amazing woman, Kathryn Janeway. And I hope you never stop surprising me. I had just about given up any hope of you ever changing your mind about this. And now...." he just shook his head, not sure of what to say next.

Kathryn reached her hand up and traced the tattoo which had always fascinated her. Then she looked into those beautiful, deep brown eyes, and saw the love that was finally showing through them. She brought her hand around behind his neck and gently pulled his head down to meet hers. Very gently, their lips met in the lightest of kisses, just barely brushing together. She felt his arms tighten around her, and, as they parted, she looked up at him. When he opened his eyes, she saw a shimmer of tears waiting there, and felt an answering sting in her own eyes.

Chakotay started to speak. "Kathryn, I don't know what to say. Just know that I will try my best not to hurt you. You're too important to me. I love you." With that, he leaned down and kissed her again. It was a much more passionate kiss this time, and she returned it. As they got caught up in this kiss, they nearly forgot where they were. Kathryn leaned slightly off balance, but just as she began to lean too far, Chakotay's arms tightened and pulled her closer.

"Maybe it's a good thing that we are up here," he said. "I don't want to get too carried away and rush this."

Kathryn smiled, kissed him lightly one more time, then turned around and leaned back completely against him. This time there was no hesitation as his arms tightened around her.

They sat contentedly together. After a few minutes had passed, Kathryn felt and heard Chakotay chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she asked him, turning to look at his face.

He smiled at her and said, "I was just remembering a bit of an old children's rhyme I learned when I was a child."

"Which one would that be?" she asked curiously. Children's rhymes were not what was on her mind at the moment.

"If I remember right, under the current circumstances, it would start something like this: 'Kathyrn and Chakotay, sittin' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G'"

Kathryn laughed. "I do seem to remember hearing that one myself, once or twice. It does seem to fit the situation, though."

"As I recall, there might be a bit more of it.." he said, half-teasingly.

"One step at a time, Chakotay." she said.

"Aye, Captain." he answered playfully.

They sat for a while longer, enjoying the peacefulness, sometimes talking, sometimes kissing, or just sitting in silence. Finally, the sun began to set, and they knew their leave time was almost over.

"Well, Commander, I think it's time that we start thinking about getting down from here and back to our crew. Tuvok will be wondering what happened to us."

Chakotay looked at the ground below. "Well, at least we've got gravity to help us out this time."

"Don't let it 'help' you too much. I really don't want to have to explain why I left with a Commander and returned with pieces."

"Yes, Ma'am!" he answered with a grin.

Chakotay made his way down with no difficulty at all. As he dropped to the ground, he called up to her, "Your turn. Watch out for that last step. It's a doozy!"

"Very funny. On my way." Kathryn started down. About halfway, she glanced over her shoulder and realized that Chakotay was watching her extremely closely. It rattled her just enough to distract her from what she was doing, and one foot slipped off of the branch she was reaching for. Fortunately, she still had enough of a grip on the last branch to keep from falling, but it did give both of them a good scare.

"Be careful, Kathryn! I thought I was going to lose you for a second there!"

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere yet. But, stop staring! You're distracting me!"

She heard his laughter from below. "All right, I'll try not to stare. But, don't expect me to stop watching all together. There's more than one good view around here."

"Awful man!" she responded, but then put her concentration on what she was doing.

She climbed very carefully down the rest of the tree. As she prepared to drop from the last branch, she felt those wonderfully strong hands grasp her again around the waist and gently lower her to the ground. She found herself standing directly in front of Chakotay, with hardly and inch between them. She looked up at him, and he leaned down and kissed her again.

"How are you feeling, now that you're back on solid ground?" he asked, slightly apprehensively.

"Just the same as I felt before." she answered. "Don't worry. I haven't just let the mood and the setting carry me away. I've given this a lot of thought recently, and I know that this is what I want." She reached up and gently kissed him again.

They stepped slightly away from each other while Kathryn reached up and tapped her comm badge. "Janeway to Voyager. Two to beam up."

Chakotay smiled. "Well, just in case, I think maybe I'll create a little holodeck program of this place, just to remind us once in a while."

"That sounds like a nice place to spend a little time off. With the right company, of course."

He leaned over and gave her one more quick kiss before the transporter began to envelope them. "I'll try to make sure that it is, Kathryn."

Fin

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