Title: Twist of Fate: What Comes Naturally

Author: Whoa Nellie ([email protected])

Series: Voyager

Rating: NC-17

Codes: C/f

Synopsis: Nature takes its course with Chakotay and his new bride aboard Voyager. Originally posted to ASC on July 11, 2001.

Timeline: Twist of Fate picks up and takes off of the canon universe early in season five. This story takes place about two weeks after the events of Blessings and Wyrd and would be occurring just before the episode Thirty Days.

As always: Paramount owns all the marbles, we just have a lot more fun playing with them.

Feedback is always appreciated.

Whoa Nellie's Romance Star Trek Fan Fiction Stories

http://whoanellie.fortunecity.com

WHAT COMES NATURALLY

"He's a criminal, you know." B'Elanna Torres was in hydroponics making final adjustments to the new systems.

"Hmm?" For her part, Sassy was trying to convince some stubborn apple trees that espaliering was not a bad thing.

"Chakotay, well all of us really. The former Maquis members of the crew are all wanted criminals back in the Alpha Quadrant." In spite of all the work this woman had put into improving hydroponics, B'Elanna still didn't trust her. The worst part was that Chakotay was buying into her story. "They'll probably throw us all into a penal colony for the rest of our lives as soon as we get back; assuming, of course, they don't decide to turn us over to the Cardassians to face justice there."

"Really?" Standing up, she turned to Torres with a look of feigned innocence. "I wonder that you'd even want to be trying to get back home."

Shrugging, B'Elanna finished her adjustments. "We'll deal with that if and when we get back."

"That sounds like wonderful advice. That's exactly what I'll do, thank you." Sassy nonchalantly began feeding the apple trees.

B'Elanna fumed. She realized she didn't exactly have a way with words, but she wasn't stupid. So how did Ceshlyta always manage to make her look like an idiot in conversation. Slamming her tools back into the toolbox, she closed the control panel and stood up.

"I do want to thank you and please thank your people for me." Sassy looked up from her work as Torres started to leave. "You've all done a wonderful job with the new systems. I just want you to know that I appreciate all your hard work." While she still took great delight in baiting the Chief Engineer, she did give credit where credit was due.

"Captain's orders," B'Elanna snapped. "I just hope it's worth it."

As she watched the Klingon storm out, Sassy sighed. Even after spending the last two weeks aboard Voyager, Torres didn't seem any less inclined to shoot her out the nearest airlock. Of course, the barbs probably didn't help but it just wasn't in her nature to back down from anyone. 'She's a close friend to your husband,' she reminded herself. 'You're going to have to learn to tolerate her for his sake.'

..............................................................................

"Dr. Ceshlyta?"

"Yes?" Sassy's head popped up behind the genniberry hedge. "Oh, Tuvok, hi. I'll be right out." She disappeared and came out through one of several breaks in the hedge. "I was just tending to the coffee trees. Unfortunately, it'll be a few months before the first batch of beans is ready."

"I see." Looking around, he noted, "The modifications appear to be complete."

"Yep, we're fully functional. Some of the plants with shorter growing cycles are already yielding produce and we should see more crop yields within the next few weeks or so." She brushed some sand from her jumpsuit as she surveyed the garden. It had taken a lot of work, but hydroponics now looked like a botanical garden instead of a cargo bay. "Would you like a guided tour?"

"Some other time, perhaps. I am due on the bridge." He held out a box. "I brought the cuttings from my orchids that I promised you."

"Oh, thank you," Sassy accepted the container. "When Neelix saw orchids on my flower list, he mentioned that you grow them. I thought it would be better to start with cultivated plants whenever possible. Replicated plants always seem to take a generation or two to really come alive."

"Indeed," Tuvok nodded in understanding. "I would be very interested in discussing floriculture with you in depth at some point."

"I'd like that." She placed the container on her workbench and turned back to face him. "Maybe you can look over the orchids when I get them going, offer an objective viewpoint."

"Certainly." Tuvok suddenly recognized the music playing softly in the background. "Is that a Vulcan piece?"

Listening for a moment, Sassy clarified. "Vulcan symphonic concerto. Plants like music, so I have the sound system programmed with various selections designed to encourage growth."

"What types of music do plants respond to?"

"Generally classical and jazz from Earth go over very well. Betazed and Vulcan music produce pretty good development. In fact, almost anything from a telepathic or empathic species produces an improvement in plant growth. Of course, technically it relates to sonic frequency. Music vibrates the air around a plant. I could get the same effect by setting sonic heads throughout the garden programmed to specific frequencies, but the music is much more aesthetically pleasing."

"I agree. This is fascinating, but I must go. Perhaps we can finish this discussion later." With that he turned to take his leave.

"Thanks for the cuttings," she called after him. Back at the workbench, she hummed softly to the music as she pulled out a flowerpot. Activating the biostimulator, she began the process of cultivating orchid plants from Tuvok's cuttings.

................................................................................

"Wow!" Chakotay stared around him as he entered hydroponics a short while later. "This place looks incredible. You can't even tell it was a cargo bay."

Sassy knew it was trite to melt at the mere sight of her handsome, incredibly sexy husband, but she didn't really care. She hadn't seen much of him over the past two weeks. There had been a few times when they had accidentally eaten together in the mess hall. Usually because one of them was already there when the other arrived. But still, she had gotten the impression that something was changing in his attitude. Right now, all that mattered was that he was walking toward her with a big smile on those sensuous lips. Those beautiful brown eyes and adorable dimples . . . 'Great Spirits of the Sky, how many cold showers am I going to have to take before this contrary, bull-headed man accepts his destiny?'

As he neared where she was working, he commented, "You've done a great job here."

"Thank you, Chakotay," she responded, returning his smile. She extended her hand and allowed him to help her to her feet. As she stood, she flipped her long braid off her shoulder.

"What are you working on?" He held her hand just a second longer than he really needed to. She was all he had been thinking about these last two weeks. Finding out about the link between their destinies had really challenged some of the choices he had made in his life. Choices that he thought had been wrong were the choices that were supposed to lead him to her. It was the choices he had made to atone for turning his back on his people that had prevented their meeting. It had taken two weeks of thinking, meditating and a long vision quest to work through all of his confusion and doubt.

"Herb garden." She pointed out a few of the plants. "Chamomile, skullcap, vervain, feverfew, eucalyptus, peppermint, spearmint, well there's a complete list on the PADD on my workbench. Mostly herbs for teas and cooking spices. Of course, I'll have to show Neelix how to use the red pepper properly so he doesn't hurt anyone."

"Please see that you do," he chuckled.

"B'Elanna just finished the last of the modifications a little while ago. The engineering people really did a great job." She assumed he was checking on her progress and that this was an official visit. "Everything from the approved list has been replicated and set in place. Some of them are being a little difficult about taking root, but that's to be expected with replicated flora. They'll just need a little extra encouragement to adapt to their surroundings."

"Do you have everything you need?" He could see that she was obviously in her element here.

She nodded, surveying the garden. "Yep. It'll just take some time, not to mention some carefully engineered environmental manipulation. Tropism is a beautiful thing."

Chakotay motioned toward one of the benches that had been added to hydroponics. "You said before that your graduate degrees dealt with tropism. What exactly is it?" he asked as they sat down.

Pleased that he would remember such a minute detail from a conversation two weeks before, she offered a brief explanation. "Tropism is a plant's reaction to stimulus. There are a number of different categories, chemotropism, geotropism, thigmotropism and so on. The areas I've studied mostly are sonotropism and phototropism which are reactions to sound and light. My work is mostly on how varying frequencies of light and sound can be used to heal sick plants and encourage plant growth under difficult environmental conditions."

"I guess I never really thought about plants that much."

She shrugged. "Originally, I was going to major in geology in college. I took one course in botany and I was hooked. It's absolutely fascinating."

Chakotay was thinking that she was absolutely fascinating. "Do you have any plans tonight?"

"No."

"Would you have dinner with me? In my quarters, I mean. I'll make a nice dinner. I thought I'd invite Tom and B'Elanna over, make it a foursome." Somehow it had sounded much smoother and more charming in his head.

The dinner in his quarters part sounded great. The part about an entire evening exchanging barbs with Torres was another matter entirely. "I'd love to, what time should I be there?"

"1900 hours ok?"

"Great, I'm looking forward to it." She was mildly amused at the look of relief on his face when she accepted. What did he expect her to say, no? Being her husband, she was hardly going to turn down a dinner invitation from him.

Chakotay rose to leave. "Ok, then I guess I'll see you then. Goodbye."

As she watched him leave, she wondered how much longer it would be before he would kiss her goodbye when he left.

.........................................................................................

"You said what?"

Tom stepped back in the face of B'Elanna's outburst. It had seemed like an innocent enough statement.

"Why would you go and do that?" She was definitely not happy about this.

"It seemed the thing to do at the time," he offered.

B'Elanna just huffed and started down the steps in Engineering.

"Chakotay invited us over for dinner with him and Sassy. I thought it'd be fun." Tom followed after her, trying to explain.

"Fun for who?" she snapped, jabbing at controls on a console.

Looking perplexed, he offered weakly, "us."

B'Elanna gave a deep sigh. "I just don't think an entire evening of 'her' qualifies as fun."

Are you still having a problem with Sassy?" He leaned against the console she was working at as he spoke.

She compared data from the PADD in her hand with the console readings. "I don't like her, no problem there."

"B'Elanna."

She looked over at Tom. "What?"

"What is it?"

B'Elanna turned back to her readouts. She couldn't really explain it. In the beginning, she had been worried about Chakotay. Now, there was just something about the bitch that grated on her nerves.

"Well?" he coaxed.

"She's just irritating," she finally snapped.

"She's Chakotay's wife," Tom pointed out. "I think he's starting to accept this, and her."

"And I have to get along with her for his sake," B'Elanna rolled her eyes. "I know."

"You want him to be happy, don't you? With someone else, I mean." He wasn't exactly sure of the safest way to ask this. "You don't still have a thing for him, do you?"

"No," she turned to face him. Reaching up, she tousled his hair. "That was a long time ago. I seem to have developed something for this irritating, obnoxious, arrogant Starfleet pilot."

"Anyone I know?" he laughed, stumbling as she lightly shoved him. "So, we're on for dinner, 1900 hours?"

Bowing to the inevitable, she relented. "Fine."

"And you'll be nice?" he asked expectantly.

"I'll try," B'Elanna promised.

"Good enough." Tom dropped a quick kiss on her lips. "See you later."

....................................................................

"Hi." Chakotay's heart jumped at the sight of Sassy in his doorway. This was the first time she had been to his quarters since her appearance. He had invited Tom and B'Elanna as a buffer to help with conversation; he still felt somewhat awkward around her. "Come in. What's that?" He noticed that she was carrying a small bowl.

"I knew you would ask," entering his quarters, she smiled. "The problem is I can never pronounce it. It's a Thelkan treat. The stalks, when picked and dried, are very sweet, like candy. I've got them growing in the garden and I thought they would make a nice dessert." She was wearing a sleeveless, off-white sheath dress that she knew flattered her figure and highlighted her tawny skin. Her long, black hair had been brushed to a shine and hung down, framing her delicate features.

"Sounds great. I'll just put them over here." He took the bowl and set it on the counter. Turning back to her, he flashed a boyish grin. "I was going to get you flowers, but I ran into a little problem."

"Oh, what's that?"

"If I replicate flowers, you'll laugh since there's a full hydroponics garden just a few decks away. On the other hand . . . "

"On the other hand," Sassy picked up his train of thought. "You can't get flowers out of the garden without going through the gardener, namely me." She shook her head in mock thoughtfulness. "That's a real conundrum. Good luck with that." Grinning impishly, she shrugged at the exasperated look on his face.

"You're so helpful."

"I try."

"Can I offer you something to drink?" He turned his attention back to his host responsibilities. "Tom and B'Elanna should be here soon."

"A glass of wine would be lovely, thank you." Sassy wandered around his quarters. This was the first time she had been here since those first few moments. She wasn't sure what she expected his quarters to look like. They were fairly Spartan, just a few pieces of Native American culture on display. Definitely not the typical bachelor pad, nothing out of place and everything perfectly tidy. Of course, he was Starfleet, they probably frown on slobs. Still, it had a very distant feel to it; it didn't seem like someone lived here. It wasn't a home. She noted the windows that lined the quarters, giving ample views of the passing stars.

"It's a great view." Chakotay misinterpreted her gaze out the window as he made casual conversation.

"I guess it depends on your perspective," she commented.

Walking over, he handed her a glass of wine. "What do you mean?"

Sassy resisted the urge to lean against his broad, welcoming chest. "I'm just not used to looking out the window and seeing only stars. Even on the moon, there was ground. This view is a little disconcerting to me."

"Have you experienced any space sickness?"

Turning to face him, she smiled tenderly at his expression of concern. "No, not at all. If I avoid the windows, it doesn't feel much different than the family compound on Harbinger. I just need time to adjust to life on a starship. I'll get used to the view eventually."

Chakotay tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "From where I'm standing, the view is perfect."

Standing on her tiptoes, Sassy brushed a soft kiss across his lips, murmuring "You're only supposed to kiss the Blarney Stone, not swallow it."

The door chime interrupted his response. He stepped back and called for the door to open, admitting Tom and B'Elanna.

.......................................................................

"Well, my old friend, a quiet evening, no impending crises on the horizon, the last of the modifications from the failed slipstream drive gone; we don't get nights like this very often." Janeway relaxed on her sofa with a cup of tea. Tuvok had stopped by with a tray of Vulcan tea a little while before.

"Indeed, we do not," he agreed, taking a sip of his tea.

"So why," she fixed him with a long, hard stare, "Why do I get the feeling that you had a reason other than a burning desire to have tea with me, for coming here tonight?"

"Perhaps you are becoming paranoid," Tuvok suggested calmly.

Janeway's eyebrows arched. "Perhaps I am becoming wiser."

"Commander Chakotay is having dinner with Professor Ceshlyta and Lieutenants Torres and Paris in his quarters," he acknowledged, taking a sip of tea.

"And ?" she prompted, surprised to see him actually squirm in his chair. Granted, it was a very dignified squirm but, yes, there it was again -- a squirm.

Tuvok methodically poured himself more tea to put off the inevitable conversation. Ultimately, when he could stall no longer, he squared his shoulders and stated very matter-of-factly. "I thought perhaps you could use some company tonight."

Janeway sat back, sipping her tea thoughtfully. "I always enjoy your company, Tuvok. But why would it be especially important tonight?"

Choosing his words carefully, he explained. "There has been a general perception that Commander Chakotay and yourself have been growing closer. I believe the consensus of opinions place the two of you in a relationship of a romantic nature. It would, therefore, stand to reason that Professor Ceshlyta --"

"Hold it right there," she interrupted, setting her teacup down. "For the record, Commander Chakotay and I have never engaged in behavior any less professional or proper than in any other relationships between captains and first officers. I don't know what the crew's opinion is, but Chakotay is my first officer and my friend. He has never been any more than that and he never would have been, Sassy's presence notwithstanding."

"I did not intend offense," Tuvok interjected.

Janeway waved her hand at him in understanding. "I know, you were merely making a statement of fact," she added in her best Vulcan impersonation.

"Indeed," he inclined his head toward her, gratified that she understood.

"You know," she looked up as she picked up her teacup off the table. "This could be considered a gesture of emotional concern for me on your part."

"I see no need to be insulting," Tuvok clipped. "I merely had reservations about the efficiency of the ship given the current circumstances."

"Of course," nodding knowingly at the Vulcan euphemism, she continued. "Then let me resolve your reservations. I like Professor Ceshlyta. We have had lunch several times as well as meeting for coffee. I find her to be pleasant, intelligent and quite entertaining. In fact we had a delightful time on the holodeck one afternoon. She played a wonderful Marianne to my Elinor in the holonovel of the old Jane Austen novel *Sense and Sensibility*. To be honest, I enjoy Sassy's company. I feel like we're becoming friends." Finishing her tea, she set the cup back down.

"I am pleased to hear this," Tuvok noted, honestly.

"Does that mean you're not going to drop by for conversation and tea for another two years?"

................................................................

"Chakotay of the Chamusi, couldn't start a fire?" Sassy was laughing partly at the story Tom was relating and partly at the adorable look on her husband's face. The four of them, Tom, B'Elanna, Chakotay and she were enjoying some after-dinner conversation. The two men had been regaling her with stories about some of Voyager's adventures. B'Elanna had even chimed in with a comment or two.

"The wood wasn't dry enough," the indignant party started to speak up in his own defense.

"Aren't there any Bajorans onboard?" Sassy asked.

B'Elanna spoke up. "Why would they be more suited to fire-starting than anyone else?"

"Their traditional earring." Looking around at the blank faces staring back at her, she explained. "It's made of a metal alloy. Take a couple of them or even a rock and a piece of metal and strike them together." She mimicked the actions with her hands. "Oooh, sparks. I thought you had all of this fancy physics knowledge."

Tom straightened and smoothed his uniform shirt. "Of course, I wasn't there or I would have known to do that." He rocked sideways as B'Elanna shoved at him.

"Chakotay's skills have been very important on several occasions. He's never let us down," Torres remarked in defense of her friend. She knew that Ceshlyta's comment had been meant more as a sideways barb at her than anything, but still.

"I have no doubts about my husband's fine qualities." Sassy looked up at the man in question with an expression of open adoration. While that statement was totally true, she took great satisfaction at the sight of the Klingon bristling out of the corner of her eye.

Feeling B'Elanna tense, Tom spoke up. "Well, it's been fun, but I have an early shift tomorrow. We should get going."

As they all stood and walked toward the door, B'Elanna pointedly looked at Sassy. "We could walk you back to your quarters on our way."

Hearing the emphasis Torres put on the word 'your', she couldn't help placing a hand on Chakotay's arm as she smiled back. "Thank you, but I'll just stay and help my husband clean up before I go." She placed just as much emphasis on the words 'my husband' as Torres had put in her previous statement.

"Goodnight, B'Elanna, Tom." Chakotay turned to his wife, glad she had offered to stay behind. Dinner had gone better than he had hoped and he wanted to spend some time alone with her. "Well, it's just you and me."

"I had a wonderful time," she smiled up at him before turning to start clearing the dishes from the table.

He took the dishes she handed him and put them in the replicator to recycle them. "I'm glad. I was a little nervous, I wasn't sure how this was going to go tonight."

"Our first official date -- of course most couples have their first date before they get married," Sassy teased lightly as she passed him the last of the dishes.

He brushed her hand lightly as he reached for the plates. "Most couples know each other's name before they get married."

She laughed, enjoying the easy banter. "You have a point."

When they had finished cleaning up his quarters, much too quickly for his preference, he searched for a way to stall the evening. "Would you like something else to drink?"

"No, thank you. It's been a long day and I have quite a bit of work to get done tomorrow." She slowly walked toward the door.

"Let me walk you to your quarters," he offered quickly, anything to not let this evening end.

As he approached, Sassy turned to face him. Looking up into his strong, handsome features, she trailed her fingers along his cheek. "It's late, you don't need to do that. Why don't we just say goodnight here."

"Can we do this again?" Chakotay asked. "I have some Holodeck time tomorrow. We can spend some time together, just the two of us."

"I'd like that." Her heart was beating faster, anticipating his kiss.

"I'll pick you up in hydroponics after my shift," his voice was soft. Bringing his hands up, he brushed her hair back before cupping her face. Applying a slight bit of pressure with his thumbs, he tilted her face up. He lowered his head, his lips brushing lingeringly against hers in a tender but chaste kiss. "Goodnight, Sassy."

She touched her fingers to his lips as she replied. "Goodnight, Chakotay."

.....................................................................

"Captain, you've got to do something about her!" the Doctor burst into the captain's ready room yelling and gesturing wildly.

Janeway looked up from the reports she had been studying and calmly addressed him. "Doctor, what a pleasant surprise. Of course I have time to discuss your concerns. Why don't you come right in any time that's convenient for you."

The Doctor had the grace to look sheepish. "I'm sorry, Captain. It's just that . . . that . . ."

"Woman?" she offered helpfully, remembering his opening tirade about 'her.'

"Yes." He paced back and forth in front of the desk.

Janeway rose partway out of her chair and gestured for the Doctor to sit. "Why don't we start with who the woman in question is."

"Commander Chakotay's wife," he gritted out.

"What's Doctor Ceshlyta done?" She was finding Sassy to be a delightful addition to the ship. She couldn't imagine her doing anything to provoke this kind of response.

"She's practicing witchcraft!"

That was the last thing Janeway expected to hear. "What did you say?"

"She's using flowers and herbs from the garden to concoct potions," he clarified.

"I hardly think that qualifies as witchcraft, Doctor." Deciding that this was going to get involved, she activated the communications system. "Commander Chakotay, please report to my ready room."

When Chakotay entered from the bridge a moment later, she motioned for him to sit. "The Doctor here seems to think we should burn Sassy at the stake. I thought perhaps you should hear this."

Looking perplexed, he turned to the Doctor. "What's going on?"

Standing, the Doctor began pacing once again as he recounted the events. "I had gone to hydroponics to offer to sing in the garden. She uses music to stimulate the plants and I thought that live opera would be a good addition."

Janeway and Chakotay exchanged looks, but said nothing.

Oblivious to their reaction, he continued. "While I was discussing my idea with her, I noticed her massaging her temple. When I asked her about it, she indicated that she felt a headache coming on."

"Is she all right?" Chakotay interrupted, concerned.

"I wouldn't know; she declined treatment," the Doctor glared at him in irritation by proxy. "She said she'd brew herself some passionflower tea. When I asked about it, she admitted that a number of the flowers and herbs in the garden could be used medicinally." He turned to the Captain. "She's brewing medicine down there and you have to stop her!"

"I thought you approved the list of plants and flowers to go into the garden?" She glanced over at Chakotay for confirmation.

"Don't remind me," the Doctor muttered, remembering the argument in hydroponics when Sassy had thrown that in his face.

"Is there anything growing that wasn't approved?" Chakotay spoke up. His loyalties were torn and he was hoping this could be resolved without being forced to choose.

"No, but -"

"But what, Doctor?" Janeway stood up, her hands braced on her desk.

"I wouldn't have approved the list if I'd known what she was going to do with them." He stood, hands braced on the desk, looking across at the captain.

"Is there anything toxic in the garden?" The replicators wouldn't produce anything lethal, but she knew that many 'safe' plants had toxic properties if ingested.

"If it's not used properly, overdoses of some of the plants could be dangerous," he put forth.

"Did you ask her if she knew what she was doing?" Chakotay rose and walked over to stand beside the desk.

"She offered me information on herb lore," he acknowledged. "But that's hardly the point."

"Is she offering these teas and 'concoctions' to anyone else?" Janeway asked.

The Doctor straightened and crossed his arms with a huff. "No. She said they were for her use, that she wouldn't know how the herbs would affect a non-human. But she did say that anyone on the crew was welcome to use anything from the garden. She said she would give herbs or teas or whatever to anyone who asked." Here he glared at Chakotay again. "She said she wouldn't announce or promote it; but, if asked, she'd provide it."

Speaking softly, Chakotay addressed the Doctor. "Are there any narcotics in there?"

"No."

"Doctor," Janeway spoke up. "I think you should take her up on her offer of information. If she knows what she's doing with the herbs and the research supports her, I see no reason to remove any of the plants." Overriding the Doctor's sputtering objections, she addressed Chakotay. "Commander, I would like you to make it clear to your wife that she is not to dispense herbs from the garden to anyone else on this ship without authorization. She may use them as she wishes."

"Understood," he acknowledged, glad that the situation had been so benign and easily resolved.

"But Captain . . ."

"Yes, Doctor?" She took her seat deliberately, daring him to challenge her decision. "Don't you have some reading to do?"

"Yes, Captain."

..............................................................................

"Kathryn, hi." Sassy looked up from the strawberry patch she was working in at the sound of the door. "Welcome to the garden."

"It looks incredible in here." Janeway felt like she had stepped into an arboretum. There were trees placed sporadically throughout the room. Garden beds, shrubs, hanging plants and tiered garden beds filled the room. A walkway wound through the garden with chairs and benches creating several sitting areas around the bay. A tall hedge stretched across the back of the room and she could just make out the tops of the coffee trees behind the hedge.

Standing and brushing sand from her jumpsuit as Janeway approached, Sassy pointed toward the floor. "At some point I'd like to do a pseudo-brick or cobblestone facade on the walkway, add to the aesthetics. But everything is otherwise in place."

"I would never have guessed you'd have this much room," she was still looking around in amazement.

"Hydroponic gardening actually takes less space than you think, the roots don't need to go as deep," she explained to the captain. "The only real problem was adjusting environmental controls to produce several areas of varying conditions. Back home, the farm was built into the mountain. There were a series of caverns that could each be programmed to different environmental conditions. Here, I had to select flora that could withstand enough of a range to allow multiple climate species to coexist and thrive."

"It reminds me of the hydroponic garden on Deep Space 7," Janeway observed.

Sassy nodded. "It probably does. I used schematics from several hydroponic and aeroponic gardens from the database as well as designs from some botanical gardens on Earth. I adapted them to these conditions with a few tweaks from the family farm."

Walking over to a nearby garden bed, she turned back to the botanist and asked, "Is this the herb garden I've heard about?"

"You make it sound like a calm, rational discussion," Sassy chuckled. "If his conversation with you went anything like the one he had with me, I'm surprised you still have any hearing left at all. But, to answer your question, Kathryn, yes this is the infamous herb garden that the Doctor is having absolute apoplexy over." Looking directly at the captain, she quietly prompted. "Is this an official visit?"

"No," Janeway gestured around the garden as she spoke. "Not at all. I left hydroponics in your hands and nothing has undermined my confidence in that decision."

"Thank you." The sentiment was heartfelt. The herb garden meant a lot to her and she knew the Doctor was objecting on medical grounds. She hadn't been completely sure how Kathryn would react and she hadn't wanted to put Chakotay in the middle.

"In fact," she continued. "I actually came to ask you about your herbs." Here Janeway trailed off, looking uncomfortable. "I haven't had anyone I could talk to like this in four years, it's harder than I thought."

Sassy picked up her meaning. "I added the herb garden for comfort remedies more than anything."

"Comfort remedies?"

"Adapting to such a different environment is a little stressful. There are some herbs that, when mixed into a tea, can be very relaxing. It's also a little difficult to sleep and I've got a few plants that can induce drowsiness. Of course I couldn't live without my 'female discomforts' herbs," she shared a brief laugh of mutual understanding with the captain. "Herbs like that white willow or some ginger work wonders on cramps and the dandelions are good for PMS."

"Really?" Janeway arched an eyebrow thoughtfully at that last bit of information. "I've left orders you'll be getting from Chakotay that you're not to dispense any herbs without authorization."

"Whose authorization?" Sassy grinned, knowing where Kathryn was going with this.

"I am the Captain and rank does have its privileges, after all."

"Of course," she agreed.

Janeway contemplated the garden bed. "So, if I were to ask what you use for insomnia . . .?"

"Do I have authorization?"

"Yes."

"Well, in that case." Sassy regarded the herbs. "I could fix you up my grandmother's herbal bedtime tea. Its got chamomile, hibiscus, mint and some valerian root. That always does the trick for me. Of course if it's just general stress that's the problem, I'd suggest a chamomile, ginseng blend with some St. John's Wort. Drink two or three cups of that every day and you'll notice a more general sense of well-being overall."

"Got anything for headaches?" the captain asked wryly.

Nodding, she pointed to a couple of the plants. "White willow, feverfew, passionflower, take your pick." Looking up she added, "of course, for serious problems modern medicine is best. Minor discomforts can be alleviated just as effectively with herbal medicine and a cup of tea is much more pleasant than the Doctor."

Janeway couldn't help laughing at the truth in that.

"Tell you what, I'll start with the bedtime tea for the insomnia. I can fix up a teabag right now for you to use tonight. Why don't we have tea tomorrow afternoon and I'll bring you some of the other tea mixtures and show you how to use them?" Sassy suggested.

"Sounds good." Janeway watched as she pulled out a square of mesh and some jars on a shelf by the workbench. "By the way, how are our coffee trees doing?"

"Just fine. The first couple of batches might not be as full-flavored, but that will improve with time. I should be able to pick and process the first batch in another eight to ten weeks or so." She carefully measured out two teaspoons of valerian root and added it to the chamomile she had already piled in the center of the small square of cloth.

"I'm sure it will be fine, in fact I'm really looking forward to it."

Sassy looked up from her workbench. "Do you see that plant there, the one standing about a half meter tall with the white and pink flowers?"

"This one?" Janeway pointed to a plant matching that description.

"Yes, that's peppermint. Could you pull off a couple of the leaves from the top and bring them here, please?" Continuing to add herbs to the small pile on the mesh square, she nodded as Kathryn pointed to the proper plant.

The Captain dutifully carried the pungent leaves over to the workbench.

"Some of the other herbs taste a little bitter. The peppermint will help. Of course peppermint will also help if you get a little too much of Neelix's cooking. It soothes an upset stomach. So does the ginger I put around the base of the coffee trees."

"I'll remember that."

"All done." Sassy tied up the mesh cloth into a bag. "Just steep this in boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes and then drink. You can add some lemon or honey to taste if you want."

Taking the offered teabag, Janeway turned to go. "Thank you. I'll look forward to tea tomorrow. Right now, I have some Captain business to attend to."

"See you later, Kathryn."

................................................................................

"I heard you had an interesting day." Chakotay found his wife trimming shrubs along one section of the walkway.

"Define interesting," she replied, casting a sideways grin up at him.

"The Doctor--"

"Say no more," Sassy muttered.

"The Doctor," he repeated, "seems to think you're brewing potions and practicing witchcraft down here."

"Oh really?" she looked around thoughtfully.

"What?" Chakotay wasn't quite sure what to make of her expression. "Or should I ask?"

"Just wondering how many replicator rations it would take to get a big, black cauldron." She changed her voice to mimic an old hag. "Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble." Bursting into laughter, she met her husband's amused gaze. "Can holograms pop a circuit?"

In spite of himself, he joined her laughter. Finally recovering his decorum, he gently admonished her. "Now, I'm going to have to insist that you not torment the Doctor."

"Spoilsport," she shrugged good-naturedly.

"At any rate, Captain Janeway has overridden his objections and allowed you to keep the herbs." He handed her the PADD he was holding. "Providing that you do not dispense herbs to anyone else on this ship without authorization; you may use the herbs for yourself as you wish."

"Whose?" Sassy studied the PADD, reading the orders. Of course she already knew about them, but there was no reason for Chakotay to know about Kathryn's visit earlier.

"What do you mean?" He was glad she wasn't making a fuss. He was still getting to know her and he hadn't been sure how she would take the order.

"Whose authorization is required? It doesn't specify and if it's the Doctor then it's a moot point," she looked up expectantly.

"The Doctor was ordered to read up on herb lore, he may surprise you," Chakotay offered. "I remember when he programmed himself with the symptoms of the Levodian flu to make a point about working with discomfort. Kes, an Ocampan female who came on board with Neelix, changed the program so he'd have it longer than the twenty-nine hours he'd planned. He was absolutely terrified that something was wrong with his program till she explained what she'd done. The Doctor has made great progress in improving his social skills since then."

"You mean he used to be worse?" Sassy wasn't exactly feigning total astonishment.

Chuckling, he soothed, "the Doctor isn't so bad. He grows on you."

"So does fungus. That doesn't make me like it any better," she retorted.

"You're a botanist, how can you not like fungus?" He reached out to brush her braid off her shoulder. It felt heavy but surprisingly smooth in his hand. Chakotay found himself holding it, caressing its velvety texture with his thumb.

"Wrong kingdom," she whispered. His nearness, coupled with his actions were playing havoc with her senses. 'Think about those cold showers,' she reprimanded herself.

"What?" His question was equally soft.

Sassy shook herself out of the moment. "Different kingdoms in the classification system. Plants and fungi are two of the five. The others are animal, monera and protista." Striving for levity, she went on. "Of course, I went to a real university. They probably don't teach that stuff in Starfleet. As long as you can build a warp engine with a rubber band and a stick, you graduate with honors."

"Metal containers."

She looked puzzled.

Smiling at her confusion, he clarified. "You can only get an impulse engine out of a rubber band and a stick. For a warp engine you need two metal containers for the matter/antimatter reaction."

She saw the teasing glint in his eye and wagged her finger at him. "Oooh, you're quick."

He wasn't sure why he did it, but he caught her finger and raised it to his lips, kissing the tip softly before releasing it. "If you're all finished here, the holodeck awaits."

Sassy walked over to put the trimmers on the workbench. "So where are we going?"

"I was thinking about the pool at a resort program in the database." He held his arm out gallantly as she rejoined him and they started for the door. "Of course, there's always the seashore on Pacifica or maybe the blue sand beaches of Risa."

"Why do I get the feeling you just want to see me in a bathing suit?" she bantered at him as they left the garden.

"Who said anything about bathing suits?"

..........................................................................

"So where did you learn so much about deadheading, Harry?" Sassy stretched, rubbing her stiff lower back, and sat on a nearby bench to take a break.

"My mother," he explained. "She grew flowers and taught me a little about it. I never really got into it much back home, but the time I spent helping with the modifications in here kind of got me thinking about my parents."

"Well I certainly appreciate the extra pair of hands. Feel free to putter any time you want." She looked around the garden with a sense of satisfaction. Everything was fully adapted and thriving. She was still getting a routine down for the maintenance and care of the various specimens in the garden, but the hard work was done.

"I hear you and Commander Chakotay have been spending a lot of time together the past few days." Harry carefully gathered the dead flower tops he had pulled and dropped them in the basket sitting beside him. "I'm not going to be in the way here, am I?"

"No, he has work to do this afternoon. We're having dinner in his quarters tonight." Sassy got up and snagged a tool from her workbench to start aerating the soil in the vegetable patch. "Actually, I'm enjoying the company."

"This must be totally different from the life you're used to." Moving to another flower bed, he began plucking at the flowers there.

"Yes, but I think I'm getting used to things here. I'm making friends, settling into a routine, there's a whole quadrant of flora to analyze and catalog, . . ."

"A husband," Harry threw into her list, grinning over his shoulder at her.

"That too," she acknowledged, returning his smile.

"It looks like things are working out between you," he commented casually.

Sassy shrugged, noncommittally. "Things are going well. I certainly enjoy the time I spend with him, but I can't really speak for how he feels about this."

"Still, crossing the bounds of time and space to find your soulmate. It just sounds like the plot of one of those romance holonovels." Harry stared off across the garden. "The idea of there being someone that you're destined to be with and that fate would go to such great lengths to bring you together."

"Put like that, it does sound a little cliched." She looked down at her left hand, tracing the design there.

"It's romantic." Shaking his head, he got back to the flowers. "My girlfriend back home has moved on with her life and I don't blame her, I wish her happiness."

"But you wonder if you'll ever find someone to share your life here with," Sassy voiced his unspoken concern. "Destiny is a funny thing sometimes. Tell me, is there someone on this ship that you've thought, just perhaps, might be right for you?"

Unable to help it, Harry turned slightly red as his thoughts turned to a certain, unique individual in Astrometrics. "Maybe."

"And would you have met this individual if you hadn't been stranded out here in the Delta Quadrant?"

"No," he stopped his actions as the impact of that thought sunk in.

"I was brought here because Chakotay and I would never have met otherwise and our Sky Spirits intervened as a blessing. Just because Chakotay was supposed to find his soulmate in the Alpha Quadrant doesn't mean others on Voyager, including yourself, weren't meant to find your destinies out here." She sat back to look over at Harry. "You can't expect destiny to do everything, even miracles need a hand sometimes. Maybe fate has already stepped in for you. See your situation for the opportunity it could be and do what's necessary to see it through."

"I don't know." Finished with the second flower bed, he stood up, carrying the basket over to set it on the workbench. "Do you really think being stuck out here in the Delta Quadrant is my destiny?"

"That's not for me to say. It is impossible to know what life path is the true path for any individual other than yourself. In the words of my people: follow your heart and your path will never lead you astray." That piece of ancient wisdom rang in her ear as she answered Harry's question. It related as much to her choice and her subsequent situation as it did the lives of everyone on Voyager.

..................................................................

"This was a nice dinner." Sassy folded her napkin and laid it on the table beside her plate. She had enjoyed the past couple of days, the dates with Chakotay. They had decided on a long walk along the beaches of Pacifica for their holodeck date. Yesterday he had surprised her with a lunch picnic in hydroponics. Tonight they were having dinner in his quarters again, this time alone. She stared across the table at his strong features illuminated by candlelight. He looked just as handsome in civilian clothes as he did in uniform.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Chakotay couldn't believe how natural it felt to just be with her. Sitting across from him wearing that sleeveless, off-white dress again, her dark hair loose, she was a breath-taking vision. She had only come into his life a few weeks before and yet she fit perfectly. "I've got a present for you." He got up to retrieve a box from the window ledge. "I finally solved that conundrum."

"Conundrum?" Opening the box he handed her, she gasped. "Oh, it's beautiful." Looking up, she saw an expression of pride on his face. "You did this?"

He nodded, "Since real flowers wouldn't mean as much, I thought maybe you'd appreciate a hand- carved rose. I hope you like it, it's replicated balsa wood but the carving is all hand-done."

"I love it, it's absolutely incredible." She stood and kissed his cheek. "I had no idea you were so talented."

"I'm very good with my hands," Chakotay offered with a wink. Taking the box out of her hands, he set it on the table and took her hand. "Computer, music selection Chakotay Beta four." Gazing into her big, brown eyes he murmured, "may I have this dance?" At her nod of assent, he led her out to the center of the room and gathered her in his arms. He wrapped his right arm around her small waist to pull her close as his left hand clasped her right hand to his chest.

Sassy wound her arm around him. Her head just came to his shoulder, so she rested her cheek in the hollow there, snuggling herself against him as they swayed to the music. "The music is perfect. I don't recognize it, though. What is it?"

"One of Harry's pieces." He dropped a kiss on her forehead and buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. "He plays clarinet, this is a piece he composed a few months ago." They both fell silent, moving to the haunting melody.

Pressed against his strong, broad chest, everything felt perfect. In these few, precious moments, for the first time since she arrived on Voyager, her choice to alter her path finally made complete sense. She breathed in his scent, clean and masculine with a slight tinge of spice from his aftershave. Sassy was proud of her Inihasa heritage. The stories of her people and the Eastern traditions that had become part of her family so long ago had always been a source of strength for her. She had always believed that following her heart would keep her on her true path. These last few weeks had been such a strain . . .

"Ceshlyta," Chakotay pulled back slightly to glance down as he repeated her name.

"I'm sorry," she smiled up at him. "I guess I was lost in the music."

"You enjoy music a lot," he noted. "I had just asked if you were musically inclined."

Sassy shook her head no as she snuggled back into the warmth of his embrace. "I was never really interested in playing any musical instruments and I'm forbidden by law to sing in public." Peeking up to enjoy the adorable look of puzzlement on his face, she continued. "It's actually a very old law, the Geneva convention, something about cruel and unusual punishment." She felt his chest move against her cheek as he chuckled. "Of course, my brother may have been exaggerating just a bit in reference to my singing."

"So what do you do when you're not working with various flora?"

"I used to go to the theater a lot. I love Kabuki, Japanese theater. Did you know that Kabuki and it's traditions date back almost a thousand years? Other than that, I guess my only real hobby would be herbs and flowers."

The music ended, but Chakotay didn't want to relinquish his hold on her so he called up another selection of music from the computer before asking his next question. "Where did you learn so much about herb lore?"

Sassy smiled into the hard wall of his chest, "my grandmother. I spent hours helping her in her herb garden as a child. Her father, my great-grandfather, was a shaman. He had taught her all about healing. We'd sit, working with the herbs or preparing herbal remedies while she explained what she was doing and why. Other times she would tell me stories of our people. The origin of the world, kachinas, the constellations, the courtship of the evening star, coyote the trickster . . . "

Hearing her voice trail off, he looked down to see tears glinting off her cheek. Pulling back, he released her hand to tilt her chin up. "What's wrong?" When she mutely shook her head no and tried to move away, he tightened his arm around her waist. "No, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

She was trying not to cry. In his arms, talking about her home, her family, especially her grandmother, she was suddenly just so tired of being strong and sure. Bursting into tears, she sobbed everything into the soft fabric of his shirt. "I'm just so tired. . . it's all so different here. . . my life is upside-down . . . I don't have any way to let my family know I'm okay, they probably think I'm dead . . . they've grieved for my spirit and continued their own paths . . . People here have been nice, . . . but nobody here really knows what to think of me . . . I know I made the right decision to come here, . . . I just didn't realize . . . how hard it would be to walk a strange, new path alone." She cried uncontrollably for a minute before continuing. "I'm trying to build a new life for myself here and I love the garden. . . I put the herbs in because it gave me a connection to my family, especially my grandmother. . . my only real connection to my heritage . . . besides my bracelet . . . Then the first thing someone tries to do is take it away from me."

Listening to her, he realized just how hard the past few weeks had been for her. He hadn't exactly been helpful; she wouldn't feel like she was walking her path alone if he hadn't avoided her those first two weeks while he was trying to understand this. If he had just spent time with her, even simply helping her in hydroponics on occasion. He could also imagine how truly frightened and upset she must have been when the Doctor tried to insist she remove her herbs from the garden. He stroked her hair gently, soothing her but not really sure what to say.

As Sassy continued to sob she curled her hand against his shirt, capturing a fistful of the fabric. "I know you need time. . . I understand that this is hard for you to accept. . . I shouldn't even be telling you any of this." Her crying began to taper off and receded to sniffles. "I'm trying to belong here, but I don't know where I stand. I just feel like I have no place here, no place in your life." She was also incredibly frustrated not to mention the fact that his best friend hated her, but she was calm enough to leave both unsaid.

"Don't say that," Chakotay admonished her, making a quick decision. Leading her over to the sofa, he sat her down. "There's something we need to talk about, something I need to explain."

He left her sitting on the sofa and retrieved a PADD from the bedside table and a tissue. Returning, he handed her both.

"What's this?" Sassy sniffled, wiping her nose.

"A log from a botanical expedition to Althias," he replied, sitting down beside her. He brushed her hair back from her face and stroked the dampness on her cheek.

"I remember it," she sniffed again, drying her eyes. "What's so important about it."

He caressed her cheek, drawing her gaze up to his. "You were taken to Althias aboard the Gettysburg, do you remember?"

Sassy thought for a moment. "Yes, the captain was a Madolyn, Madolyn Gordon I think."

"I served as a lieutenant commander under Captain Gordon aboard the Gettysburg. I resigned my commission five days before the expedition to Althias." He looked out the window. "We were destined to meet while I was in Starfleet. Tuvok and Seven discovered this while they were investigating your identity." He turned back to meet her brown eyes, still glistening with traces of tears. "Your appearance here turned my entire worldview inside out. All of this time I thought I had taken the wrong path. I mean, I turned my back on everything when I joined Starfleet, my family, my heritage, my people -- everything. Then my world was destroyed."

"You felt that their massacre was a punishment for your decision." She cradled his head in her hands. "Such a heavy burden for one to bear."

"If I hadn't joined Starfleet, I would have been there. I might have . . . Anyway, I left that path to return to what I thought was my true path, my heritage, and avenge their deaths."

"But then I'm brought here and you have to stop blaming yourself for something you were never meant to experience in the first place." She moved closer and brushed her lips against his tattoo. Her heart ached for the needless guilt he had carried with him for so long.

Chakotay buried his hands in her long, dark hair. Pulling her face to his, he muttered hoarsely, "we've lost so much time." He covered her mouth with his, plunging his tongue past her lips demanding total possession. All of the doubt, confusion and frustration of the past few weeks fled, releasing pure passion and desire. He could feel his body tighten and grow painfully hard. His only desire was to feel them joined, complete.

As his mouth claimed hers, Sassy moved her hands to grip his strong shoulders. The soft cushions gave way beneath her when she laid back, welcoming his fervor, knowing at last that he truly accepted the bond their souls shared. The length of Chakotay's hard, muscled body covered her, pressing her deeper into the sofa. Her body arched toward him as he stroked one large hand down the length of her back, pulling her hips tighter against him. Surrendering to the sensations she had ached for, she wordlessly moaned into his kiss as she felt the evidence of his own burgeoning desire.

"I need you so much," he whispered, breaking the kiss. Looking down, he saw his own desire mirrored in her face. Nuzzling along her jawline, he added "I love you."

"Oh Spirits, I love you, Chakotay," Sassy gasped as she bared her throat to the adoration of his hot kisses. Her heart was pounding in her ear as he flicked his tongue against the soft, tawny skin, finding the pulse beating furiously in her throat and tormenting it. "Oh . . . please . . ." she was whimpering soft pleas as he unzipped and began to remove her dress. His large, powerful hands felt surprisingly gentle as they pushed the fabric off her shoulders, baring her to his questing mouth. His mouth followed his hands down the honeyed silkiness of her skin, feeling and tasting every inch of her.

"You're incredible." Chakotay stopped to admire the view he had uncovered. Her lush cleavage was dark against the white satiny softness of her brassiere. He lowered his head to kiss and nuzzle the full curves of her breasts even as his hands moved around to unfasten the bra. As his trembling fingers fumbled with the hook, he became aware of their somewhat uncomfortable position on the sofa. Standing, he swept her up in his arms rasping a single word explanation, "bed."

With her dress around her waist, she wound her arms around his neck to hold him as she felt him lift her effortlessly. Pressing her lips to him, she tasted perspiration on his damp skin. She licked along his strong jaw before pulling his earlobe between her teeth. Kicking her shoes off, she alternately licked and nipped at his ear. Feeling the firmness of the bed beneath her as he gently laid her down, she released his neck to unbutton his shirt. Deftly, she opened the snaps, laying her palms against his heated skin. Sassy closed her eyes and savored the sensations coursing through her. Chakotay's heart was beating wildly against her palms as he took her lips in an impassioned kiss. Feeling his lips crushing hers, she stripped his shirt off and pulled him down to feel the smooth skin of his chest against her. She moved her hands up to entwine in his short, dark hair, slipping her tongue into his mouth to deepen the kiss.

Sassy's passionate response inflamed Chakotay's own spiraling desire. Struggling to push her dress down past her hips, he broke the kiss and muttered "clothes." As he slid off the bed to dispose of his shoes and trousers, he watched her slip her dress and underwear off. She sat up on the bed, watching him undress even as he admired the tawny perfection of her body. He groaned aloud when she arched her breasts out, reaching behind to unhook and remove the bra. Seeing those beautiful bronze curves tipped with deep sienna crests bared to him, he made short work of his clothing and moved back to join her on the bed. He needed to touch her, taste her, memorize every luscious inch of her. Kneeling beside her on the bed, he trailed his fingers up one of her long, smooth legs to the throbbing juncture of her thighs.

Feeling his fingertips trailing softly up her leg, she pushed herself toward him, whimpering. When his tongue drew a slow, wet circle around her hardened nipple before taking into his mouth, she gasped, "Yes, . . . oh . . . Spirits." His strong suckling of her breasts sent streaks of fire shooting through her. While one hand inflamed her wetness, stroking and filling her erotically, his other hand moved to torment the other breast. She was mindless with desire. His thick hair was damp with sweat as she tangled her fingers in it to draw him closer. The throbbing need was becoming a sharp ache, growing stronger as he began alternately suckling and nipping at her breast. She could hear her own passion-hazed pleas echoing around the room as she writhed helplessly under his ministrations. Just as the sensations began to overwhelm her, his mouth left her breast. Gasping for breath, she opened her eyes to see him, also breathing hard, studying her.

Chakotay was captivated by the sight of Ceshlyta, so completely uninhibited, lost in the throes of her passion. He wanted so much to just bury himself in her, pound himself into her until she screamed his name. Part of him was still a little afraid that this was just another dream and he would wake up when it was over. He wanted to prolong this as long as he could. That resolve was nearly undone when she released his head to pull the hand that had been caressing her up to her mouth. Her pink tongue flicked out to lick the moisture, tasting her essence there. He shuddered with the eroticism as she took each finger in turn into her mouth and gently sucked them clean. He inhaled deeply. There was still so much of her that he wanted to explore, to taste, to memorize. When he tensed and tried to pull away, slow his spiraling desire, she stopped him.

"We have a lifetime to explore each other. Please, Chakotay, be with me now."

Unable to deny her, he settled himself between her smooth, welcoming thighs. Leaning down, he captured her bottom lip in his teeth, gently pulling at it. When her arms came up to encircle his neck, he dropped his hands to hold her hips. Ever-so-slowly, he inched himself into her softness. 'Spirits, she's so tight,' he thought, struggling with his control. He didn't want to hurt her, but she was so wet and hot. Even as her body accepted him, arched toward him to pull him in, he strained to hold his own passions in check.

Sassy could feel Chakotay easing himself into her with agonizing slowness. She needed to feel him in her, filling her completely. She wrapped her legs around his waist trying urgently to pull him deeper. She moaned at the frustrating, erotic pressure of him pushing against her. Her breasts were crushed against the hard wall of his chest, his own hardened nipples stroking hers as she arched herself up. This felt just as good as the consummation had been. She gasped as he finally entered her completely. The fullness of him was unbelievable. His hardness was throbbing inside her, each pulse sending bolts of fire throughout her body.

Chakotay began moving slowly, with a gentle, deliberate pace, wanting to make this last an eternity. He could feel her moving together with him in a synchronized dance, firing his own raging need to even higher heights of desire. Each time he withdrew, he felt Sassy tightening against him, milking him with each stroke. The soft supple curves of her body fit perfectly with his. Her hands dropped to clutch his shoulders; he could feel her nails digging into his skin. His control snapped as he heard her breathless moans of passion. He increased the rhythm, driving his body into hers. His hands dropped to brace himself against the bed as he began burying himself in her with long, hard, fast strokes. He was lost in the burning pleasure of her, feeling her grind her hips up to meet his every thrust.

She abandoned herself to the intense sensations flooding through her body. With every long stroke, she could feel his body plunge itself deep inside hers. The heat and fullness of each thrust sent torrents of pleasure over her. The raging need consuming her finally reached a crescendo. An overwhelming release crashed in wave after wave of pleasure. Sassy's head fell back and her entire body arched upward as she screamed, "Chakotay!"

Not slowing his pace, he watched with wonder as her body arched toward him, quivering with spasms of completion. He continued to drive into her relentlessly, her release spurring him. With one, last, powerful thrust, he held himself deep inside her as his own explosive release ripped through him. Collapsing onto her body, his breathing was labored and his skin damp.

Sassy opened her eyes to the very sexy sight of her husband, breathless and exhausted, sprawled heavily across her. As she calmed her breathing, she ran her hands lazily along his back. She could feel him still inside her and she was in no hurry for him to move. He lifted his head and she could see his eyes were still closed. She watched curiously as he opened first one eye and then the other looking around the room until finally his gaze rested on her.

"What are you doing?" she asked, bemused.

Chakotay smiled down at her, her hair fanned out on the pillows, her skin still sweat-dampened and claimed her lips in a tender kiss. "This is where I woke up the last time we did this."

Chuckling softly, she tightened herself around him, hearing his sharp intake of air at the sensation. "This is very real."

"So I can feel." He rolled onto his side, holding her so that he stayed inside her. "Stay here with me?"

Sassy looked down the length of their intertwined bodies. "Well I'm hardly in any position to go back to my quarters right now."

Chakotay's dark eyes searched her passion-flecked brown eyes deeply. "No, not just tonight. Stay here with me forever."

She tenderly stroked his tattoo and smiled, "Now our hearts, minds and spirits are truly as one. Yes, my wonderful husband, I will share your quarters."

...............................................................

"Good morning, beautiful." Chakotay squatted down beside his wife, dropping a brief kiss on her upturned lips. After breakfast they had gone in their separate directions. Stopping in the garden, he had found her elbow-deep in a plant bed.

"Morning, handsome." Sassy grabbed a rag and wiped the sand from her hands and arms. "This is a pleasant surprise."

"Not really." Shifting on his heels, he grimaced as he started to explain. "Earlier this morning, long range sensors detected an asteroid field with significant deposits of polyferranide and deuterium." He paused and took a deep breath.

"Should I be in awe of this interstellar phenomenon?" She wasn't sure why he felt the need to come and tell her this, much less why he was being so hesitant about it.

"No." He picked her braid up off her shoulder and fingered it as he continued. "I have to take an away team on the Flyer to extract as much of the elements as possible. We'll rendezvous with Voyager in about a week."

Her eyes fell to stare at the floor. "When do you leave?" she asked softly.

"This afternoon."

"Can't we just take the whole ship?" She looked back up, pleading with her eyes.

"Voyager can't maneuver in an asteroid field. It would mean a significant detour to hold position while the Flyer went in after the deposits. It simply wouldn't be practical," Chakotay's tone was soothing. He hated to leave after last night, but he had responsibilities.

"Do you have to go?" She laid her palm flat against his chest. "We just --"

"I know." He covered her hand with his. "I'm sorry. I wish I didn't, but the rest of the team are mostly engineering people. A senior command officer needs to go."

"And that would be you," she sighed heavily.

Chakotay gently lifted her chin, meeting her eyes. "I still want you to move into my quarters. I've already changed the door access to allow you in. Harry and Tom offered to help you with anything you need while I'm gone." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "I turned off the viewports so the view won't bother you."

Sassy managed a tremulous smile. "Your timing could be better; but, I guess this is just another aspect of my new path I'll need to adjust to." Stretching up, she brushed a soft kiss across his lips. "Go on, I'll be fine."

"I love you." He returned the kiss before standing up. "Feel free to redecorate or rearrange anything. I want you to feel comfortable there. I have to go and get ready to leave." Chakotay held out his hand and helped his lovely wife to her feet. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he lowered his head to capture her lips in a soft, gentle kiss. His tongue slipped between her full, parted lips to stroke and caress her tongue. Tightening his hold, he rocked against her feeling the uncomfortable pressure in his trousers increasing. Breaking the kiss, they were both breathing hard as he gazed down tenderly. "I'll miss you."

Stepping out of his tempting embrace, she brought his left hand up to her face, kissing the mark there. "I'll miss you, too. I love you." As she watched him leaving the garden, she called out. "Hurry back or I'll make all the walls bright pink."

...................................................................

That evening, Sassy stood outside the door to Chakotay's -- 'our quarters,' she corrected herself. There wasn't really much to move, she only had a few outfits and personal effects so far. As the door slid open, she took a deep breath and stepped inside. It looked just as it had when she'd been here with Chakotay, but it somehow felt different. Just knowing that he was gone from the ship for a week made the room feel oddly empty. Walking into the bedroom, she set her bag down on the bed looking around. He had said she could make any changes she wanted. It would be nice to put a comforter and several fluffy pillows on the bed in place of that Starfleet-issue stuff. Wandering out into the main room, she looked around the quarters mentally cataloging the changes she wanted to make to the decor. Nothing drastic, just a few feminine touches to give the place a more lived-in look. She wanted their quarters to reflect Chakotay as much as they did her. An overstuffed chair and a rocking chair would look good there next to the sofa in place of those uncomfortable chairs. Maybe some endtables and a coffee table to create a sitting area. The walls could use some pictures -- landscapes, definitely landscapes. A few flowering plants or greenery scattered around. She could definitely see adding some throw pillows and throws to the sofa and chairs to brighten up the color scheme a little. Just then her eyes fell on the viewports. They were all closed, just as Chakotay had promised, but there was something sitting on the ledge in front of one of the windows. Tears filled her eyes at the sight of a small bonsai tree with a bright red ribbon tied around it.

.....................................................................

"How's the tea working?" Sassy curled up on the sofa in the captain's ready room. Taking a sip of herbal tea, she watched as Janeway joined her on the couch. She had been at loose ends with Chakotay gone the past few days so she had jumped at Kathryn's invitation to have tea this afternoon.

A pleasant, relaxed feeling settled over Kathryn as she smiled at her friend. "Wonderfully, I haven't slept this well in years. I would never have guessed I'd enjoy herbal tea almost as much as coffee, but an afternoon cup has become habit."

Smiling, Sassy agreed. "I know what you mean. I can't live without my coffee, but at certain times of day, a cup of herbal tea hits the spot. How is your tea stock holding up? Do you need any?"

Running her supply through her mind, Janeway commented. "The bedtime tea supply is fine, but I'm running low on the other tea blend."

"The camomille, St. John's Wort blend?" Sassy asked. At Kathryn's assent, she nodded in acknowledgement. "Ok, I'll get more to you. I'm slowly building a stock of prepared herbs and other ingredients in canisters for easier preparation."

"How are things in the garden?" Crossing her legs, Janeway settled back against the sofa.

"Great, I'm finally getting a routine down and I've worked up a maintenance schedule for the garden to keep things running smoothly." Sassy enjoyed these visits. While B'Elanna showed no signs of thawing toward her, others among the crew were slowly becoming more friendly. Kathryn, though, had quickly become a close friend. Nobody on the crew, probably not even Chakotay, knew how much Kathryn loved to laugh or even who she really was when she let go of her captainly attitude. "Although," she leaned in conspiratorially. "If you're ever in the garden in the evening or late at night, be sure to make lots of noise and, whatever you do, don't go back into the coffee tree grove."

"Why?" From the wink Ceshlyta shot her, she was anticipating an amusing anecdote.

"Some of the crew are discovering the wonders of nature. The garden is becoming something of a trysting spot, especially behind the genniberry hedge in the coffee grove."

"Oh . . . my. That's not bad for the plants is it?" The muscles of Janeway's mouth were twitching as she tried to contain her amusement.

"No," Sassy rushed to assure her. "Although I do wish that they wouldn't all use the same spots. If they'd spread that protein around a little more, I wouldn't have to feed the coffee trees quite so much."

Both women dissolved into helpless giggles at that observation.

"If you need that particular substance," Janeway offered through her laughter, "I could assign some duty shifts to a couple of crewmen to provide it on a regular basis. Or maybe we could work out an arrangement to purchase it from crewmen in exchange for replicator rations."

"Oh . . . please, . . . stop." Sassy had set her teacup down and was holding her sides as she laughed. They were both wiping tears from their eyes as they continued giggling hysterically. "I really don't want to handle those transactions and I can only imagine Chakotay's face if he gets assigned that duty." The mirth resumed for several minutes at that thought. "No, I think we should just let nature takes its course and let the protein fall where it may." The laughter erupted again, both women convulsed with merriment.

Once they had calmed down, Janeway switched conversational gears. "Have you gotten settled into Chakotay's quarters yet?"

Still wiping her eyes, Sassy nodded. "Yeah, I'm just now starting to do some redecorating. The first couple of days I spent getting the feel of the place. It's a little utilitarian for my comfort, but I don't want to make any changes that would cause Chakotay to be uncomfortable. I'm just planning to brighten up the color scheme and add a few touches. Stuff that is Standard-issue I'm going to recycle for more cozy items. It'll have a strong Amerindian feel to it, just more of a homey environment."

"I'm looking forward to seeing it when you're done." Janeway set her empty cup on the coffee table. "Do you need any help?"

"No, thank you. Tom and Harry have offered to help me replace the chairs tomorrow, other than that it's just small things." Sassy finished her tea and got up, picking up Kathryn's cup and taking both their teacups over to recycle them. "Chakotay did the sweetest thing before he left." She sat back down on the sofa. "He replicated a bonsai tree for me and left it in his quarters with a red ribbon tied around it for me to find. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I used a bonsai tree that my grandfather had given me as my focus in meditation back home. I can't believe he remembers minor details like that from conversations we had two weeks ago."

"Chakotay is very considerate. He told me about the missed meeting between the two of you on the Gettysburg. It's such an incredibly romantic story. I like seeing him the way he's been recently, happy and content. I almost pulled him off this away mission so he could spend time with you." It had been obvious in the briefing that morning that he hadn't wanted to go, but his sense of responsibility had kept him from requesting that he not be sent. She had followed his lead, not making the offer that she knew he couldn't allow himself to accept.

Sassy smiled at that. "Chakotay isn't the kind of man to shirk his perceived responsibilities over his personal life. He wouldn't have accepted being removed from this mission just because of me. I admit I wish he hadn't had to go, but I wouldn't want him to be any less than who he is."

"Somehow, I wouldn't have expected any less from someone who shares his soul," Janeway nodded in approval at Ceshlyta.

..................................................................

"All right. Now, are you sure this is where you want the chairs to go?" Tom looked over at Sassy as she stood eyeing the room critically.

"Yes," she nodded definitively. "I think. Well, if it doesn't work there, I can always ask Chakotay to move them when he gets back."

Chuckling, he shook his head at the typically female answer. Activating his combadge, "Paris to Kim. We're as ready as she's going to be. I'm sending you the coordinates now. Energize when ready and please, make sure you've got the right chairs." As the chairs materialized, he looked at Sassy for her reaction.

"Perfect."

"Harry, that's it. We're all set here." Tom closed off the channel. He turned in a complete circle, surveying the quarters. "It looks great in here. I like it."

Smiling, she looked around the room. "Thank you, and thank you for the help, Harry too. I really appreciate it."

"Well, now." Walking over, he put his arm on her shoulder. "If you really want to show your appreciation, Harry and I need someone to play Constance Goodheart in the latest chapter of Captain Proton. I'm meeting Harry in the mess hall. Come with me, we'll grab some dinner while we go over the script with you and then we're off to save the universe. "

Grinning, she shook her head in capitulation, "I'll bet more than one of your school reports contained the word 'incorrigible'."

"As a matter of fact, they did." Tom steered her out of the room. "Until I was ten, I thought it was my middle name."

.............................................................

Chakotay leaned against the wall just watching Sassy sleep. It had been a long week trapped in the confines of the Flyer with Vorik and the others. They had managed to obtain the polyferranide and deuterium quicker than expected and had rendezvoused with Voyager eight hours early. He hadn't been sure she would be here in his -- their-- quarters, but he had hoped she would. She looked so beautiful lying there, sleeping peacefully, her hair spread across the pillows. He surveyed the quarters, noting the changes she had made. He liked it, the room felt different, more comfortable. Quietly, he began pulling off his uniform. After a quick stop in the bathroom, he slipped under the new, light blue comforter. Propping himself on his elbow, he studied her in the low light. Her long eyelashes rested on the tanned softness of her cheeks, her full, red lips slightly parted. He leaned down, only intending to moisten her lips with a kiss. As he moved the comforter aside, his hand brushed the warm fullness of her breasts. He grew instantly aroused with the realization that she was sleeping nude. His hand began an unhurried exploration of her body even as his dark head dipped to kiss her awake.

Pleasurable sensations were spreading through her body as Sassy woke to a very insistent tongue exploring and teasing the moist depths of her mouth. A large, strong hand was aimlessly stroking the curves of her breasts. As he started casually rolling one hardened nipple between his thumb and fingers, she gasped into his mouth, arching herself up. Chakotay was leaning over her, trapping one arm at her side. The other hand came up to rest on his forearm as he continued tormenting her breast. The sparse hairs on his arm tickled her palm as she ran her hand along its length.

When he felt her moving beneath him, his mouth moved from hers to follow his hand on a lingering journey down the length of her lithe, honey-toned body. He shifted himself to a more comfortable position while his fingers trailed down her body and his lips nuzzled the softness of her throat. His body was throbbing almost painfully, but he pushed aside his need wanting this to be as long, slow and deliberate as possible. Nothing was said by either of them, it wasn't necessary. She moaned wordlessly in his ear as she bared her throat to his mouth. He kissed his way down, stopping to nip softly at her collarbone eliciting a swift intake of breath from Sassy. Alternately kissing and nibbling down her chest, he pulled a hardened nipple gently between his teeth and began pulling and sucking at it. For long moments he stayed there, occasionally flicking the nipple with his tongue as he pulled on it with his teeth and suckled at her breast. As she twisted and pressed herself into his mouth, he leisurely began licking and nipping his way across the valley between her beautiful tan curves to pay equal homage to her other breast.

Gasping at the incredible sensations he was creating with only his mouth, Sassy tangled her fingers in his silky, thick hair, trying to pull him closer. From his casual movements, she knew this was going to be slow and sensual. She tried to slow her breathing, concentrating on the pleasure coursing through her. He put just the right pressure in the actions of his teeth and tongue. She could feel him building the sensations in her gradually and then periodically sending sharp streaks of fire through her. Her hands began their own exploration of his body as his mouth finally left her breasts to continue downward. His hot breath against the soft, taut skin of her stomach caused shivers through her as he nuzzled his way down her abdomen. She could feel his muscles rippling under her fingertips as she stroked and caressed him wherever she could reach.

When he had worked his way down to her navel, his tongue flicked out to caress the indentation. Feeling her buck against the unexpected sensation, he moved his hands to hold her hips steady as he began probing and nuzzling her belly button in earnest. Her soft whimpers and moans increased sharply in pitch as she writhed helplessly beneath his moist onslaught. With one last swipe of his tongue, he continued his oral trek, tasting the saltiness of her now sweat-dampened body. Avoiding the juncture of her thighs, he tasted his way down one long, tanned leg, pausing to carefully and thoroughly suck each toe.

When he moved beyond her reach, Sassy tangled her hands in the sheets. She was floating on waves of desire, oblivious to everything but the feeling of his hot, talented mouth traveling over every inch of her sensitized skin. He was patient and deliberate in his attentions, driving her to the pinnacle of need and tethering her there. Feeling him start working his way back up her other leg, she whimpered and arched her hips at him, wordlessly begging him to end this sweet torment. Strong hands gripped her hips once again as he answered her plea, his tongue penetrating, stroking and filling her throbbing wetness. She moaned ceaselessly, her fingers finding and gripping the dark head driving her to ecstasy. When his mouth latched on and began licking and sucking her in earnest, her body spasmed strongly and she could hear herself screaming her release.

Chakotay stayed where he was through her orgasm, feeling her body quivering under his hands, inhaling her scent. Moving back up, he kissed her deeply, feeling her soft lips surrender to him even as his mouth crushed them. He felt her hands on his chest urging him over onto his back. Without breaking the kiss, he rolled so that their positions were reversed.

Sassy broke the kiss and sat up seeing her husband's brown eyes darkened to almost black with desire. Copying his earlier actions, she kissed and nuzzled her way down his throat and across his chest. His bronze skin was smooth and sweaty, his broad chest smooth and hairless as her mouth found and latched onto a dark nipple. Torturing it with her teeth and tongue as he had hers, she heard him groan as he buried his hands in her hair. She felt his body shudder beneath her as she gave one last tug before moving to do the same to its twin. She was straddling him, moving herself down the length of his powerful form. The muscles of his stomach were tight and she stroked her hands across them, following with her tongue. She worked her way down to his straining hardness, stopping there, his thighs trapped between hers as she rested on his legs.

Chakotay watched as she lingeringly explored his body with her hands and mouth as he had explored hers. Her long, black hair tickled his skin as she licked and kissed her way down his torso. He struggled to control his reactions, wanting to give her the opportunity to taste and enjoy his body as he had hers. Her hair was soft between his fingers as he tangled them there, shuddering as her mouth found a nipple. Ripples of pleasure ran through him as she played with it. A sharp streak of fire shot through him as she tugged on it with her small, white teeth. His breathing was ragged as she continued to taste and tease his chest, moving slowly down his stomach. She sat up, throwing her hair back, her breasts bobbing slightly as she reached his hips. He was painfully hard at this point, his knuckles white amid the sheets as he fought to keep from grabbing her and burying himself in her. Her fingertips tickled him as they traced lightly around the tip and down his hardness, teasingly stroking him. He moaned loudly, straining and trembling beneath her.

Replacing her hands with her mouth, Sassy slowly and roughly dragged her tongue the length of him. As he bucked strongly, nearly unseating her, she took him in her mouth swirling her tongue over him. Breathing in his musky scent, her desires were fired anew. She braced her hands on his hips and began a slow tempo, moving her head up and down almost releasing him from her mouth before slowly taking its length all the way back in. Lost in the sensations, there was only the taste of him and the feel of him sliding in and out of her mouth. When she felt him starting to lose control, she stopped, allowing his breathing to return to normal before resuming. Twice more, she pushed him to the edge until powerful hands gripped her arms and pulled her up, rolling her under him. As his sensuous lips swooped to claim hers, she felt his knee forcing her legs apart. She welcomed his weight as he settled onto her, tangling her legs with his.

His hands found hers and clasped them, drawing them over her head and pinning them there. His tongue tangled with hers as he shifted his weight to cover her body with his. He broke the kiss, drawing in a deep, steadying breath as he eased himself into the tight, wet heat of her body. He kept his movements slow, his tempo steady as stroked in and out of her. His desires were spiraling out of control, her breasts crushed against his chest, her hardened nipples digging into him deliciously. When she shifted, wrapping her legs around his waist to allow him deeper access he responded by increasing the intensity of his movements. Her mouth strained up, finding his lips and pulling them down for a kiss. He slanted his mouth across her swollen lips, deepening the kiss, his tongue snaking in to mimic the motions of his body. He was driving himself far up into her body, relishing the sensation of her welcoming and gripping him with each stroke. When she began sucking gently on his tongue his rhythm broke, his movements becoming frantic. Just as a powerful release ripped through him, he felt her arch beneath him screaming his name. He held himself tight against her as his hips jerked with his orgasm. Exhausted, he collapsed onto her heaving chest as they both recovered from their intense exertions.

When Sassy finally caught her breath, she nudged her husband's face up to meet his beautiful brown eyes. "Welcome home."

Catching her lips in a brief, dizzying kiss, Chakotay murmured against her mouth, "It's good to be home."

**FINIS**

Fresh Perspective

Twist of Fate Index