Author's Notes: I've had a great time posting this story. Thank you for reading. I really appreciate all the positive reviews.

Over the next few days, Janeway watched as he became more and more independent. And with that increasing independence came anger and frustration. He was more aware of what he could and couldn't do.

He could read. She was fairly sure of that. She'd found him at his desk computer on several occasions. She was unsure how much of his past logs he could understand, and he never attempted to type into the computer, but his eyes moved back and forth across the screen.

Sometimes, he would get his own food from the replicator using simple, one word requests. Soup, tea, coffee. Almost every verbalization was one word. And he'd yet to call her by name. Or say his own name.

Kes continued to work with him on logical reasoning. Janeway would watch his eyes fill with pride when he did the puzzles correctly, but as soon as he got something wrong, or was unable to complete a task, his frustration would increase. Many times he would push the puzzle to the floor, or leave the room, escaping into the relative privacy of his bedroom or the bathroom.

The Doctor assured Janeway that this was to be expected. This was the beginnings of self-awareness on a conscious level. Torres came to refer to it as Chakotay's "terrible two's." Janeway hated to think of it in childish terms, but she had to admit that Torres' description was fairly accurate. Janeway only hoped that it would take far less than a year for him to advance to the age of three and beyond.

She read out loud to him every night, and would try to get him to read to her. His speech was still very halting and complete sentences were rare.

"All right, Chakotay. Your turn." She handed him the computer padd and pointed to a sentence. "I know you can read it. Let me hear."

He tried to push the padd back into her hands and shook his head.

She refused to take it. "It's your turn."

He dropped the padd on the sofa, his gaze hardening. "No."

"Chakotay." Janeway took hold of his hand, picked up the padd, and pressed it back into his palm. "Read to me."

"No!" he yelled, throwing the padd across the room. He stood up and took a step toward the bedroom.

Janeway got to her feet, reached out and grabbed hold of his arm.

He swung around, his arm raised as if he were going to hit her, and then he froze.

Janeway stood perfectly still, her heart beating hard. He'd never been intentionally violent, not once in the past ten days. She watched as his eyes filled with tears. And then he dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Chakotay, look at me," she said quietly, re-establishing her hold on his arm.

He didn't look up. "Leave," he murmured.

Janeway shook her head. "Oh, no. I've spent over a week with you in this cabin, and I'm not leaving until you use more than one word to tell me to go."

He pulled away from her and went into the bedroom. Janeway waited a few moments and then followed him.

He was sitting cross legged in the middle of the bed, rocking back and forth, his arms folded over his chest. She went and sat down on the bed in front of him, her legs crossed, her knees touching his. His eyes were closed, his cheeks wet with tears.

She touched his face. "Look at me, Chakotay."

He didn't.

"Look at me." She held his head between her hands.

Slowly, his eyes opened, his lower lip trembled. "Please," he murmured.

"That's another word. Give me some more."

He swallowed convulsively and shook his head. "I...can't."

'Yes, you can." She smoothed her fingers over his face, and then up over his tattoo and through his hair. "I know it's hard, but you can do it."

He drew in a strangled breath. "I...I'm..." His next breaths came in short gasps. "Afraid," he managed, his mouth twisting into a grimace. "Afraid... Kathryn."

"I know. I'm right here." She held a hand to the back of his neck and gently pulled his head down on to her shoulder. "It's all right, Chakotay. You're almost there."

~vVv~

He got angry with himself when he couldn't do something. Easy things were hard sometimes, and that made him mad.

And he was embarrassed, because Kathryn saw that he couldn't do them.

She always acted like it didn't matter. But it did.

He was supposed to be strong for her.

He was supposed to take care of her.

He yelled at her and it frightened him.

He wanted her to leave, but she wouldn't.

She wasn't afraid of him. She wasn't angry. She held him.

He knew he would be all right.

~vVv~

The words came much easier in the next few days, full sentences that progressed to complete conversations. Traces of frustration were still evident, but he handled them in a constructive manner. He got Torres to take him to the gym for some fast-paced games of hoverball.

Within another week, he felt as if he were back to normal. Kes and the Doctor agreed. Limited duty was in order, and if all went well, permanent duty would be granted.

"There's only one thing still out of place," Chakotay said, staring across the dinner table at Janeway.

"What is that?" she asked with a smile.

"You."

Janeway blinked. "Me?"

His eyes glinted. 'You're still sleeping on my sofa."

Janeway smiled again, a look of embarrassment crossing her features. "You're right. I am. Are you throwing me out?"

He grinned. "Well, not physically, but I think I'll be all right on my own."

"I think so, too."

He lowered his gaze, eyes studying the tops of his hands, fingers pressed against the table top. "Kathryn, I...I appreciate all you've done for me. I know... it's been difficult."

Janeway shrugged. "I had the easy part. You...you did all the work."

He looked up. "But I couldn't have done it without you."

She sighed, her eyes looking deep into his. "Do you remember that angry warrior you told me about?"

Chakotay nodded.

"Well, there's more to his legend. You see, he got lost one day, and the woman warrior had to go out looking for him. And when she found him, she had to help him find his own way back. It meant that she got a chance to put his needs before her own." Janeway leaned across the table and propped her arm on her elbow.

Chakotay pressed his palm against her hand, their fingers intertwining, his thumb rubbing gently over hers.

She smiled. "And together, they found the peace that he'd lost."

~The End~