Disclaimer: You know the drill. I don't own anything and I'm not getting any money out of writing this. I got the idea from a challenge I once saw somewhere.

Kathryn Janeway felt her throat tighten as the small shuttle made its descent. She hadn't pictured her return to the site like this – to be honest: she hadn't really thought she'd ever need to set foot there ever again.

Her mind wandered back to her last visit, which had won her the best pilot she could have hoped for. Tom Paris had served eighteen months in this penal colony prior to Voyager's stint in the Delta Quadrant. Now, they were all back in Starfleet territory. Upon arrival, Tom had already been restored to his former rank, and Starfleet Command hadn't argued against that decision.

Kathryn could feel a bitter smile tugging at her lips. THAT decision had not been the one that had booked her on this trip to Auckland, New Zealand.

She had never really talked to Tom about how conditions had been during his incarceration, but as the shuttle touched down, she really wished she had taken the time to do that. Even though prisons these days were incomparable to what they had been in previous centuries, Kathryn was feeling decidedly anxious about what she would find here.

"Ma'am?" Kathryn fixed her gaze on the young lieutenant who had been assigned to ensure her safe arrival. He appeared flustered, clearly unsure of how to respectfully address or approach her. He looked young enough to be her son. Perhaps he had even decided to apply to Starfleet Academy because of the Voyager mystery. She offered him one of her more dazzling smiles. No need to make the boy feel any more uncomfortable than he clearly already did. He was blushing fiercely as he picked up his phaser rifle, holding it diagonally in front of his body with both hands.

"I'm very sorry, Admiral. I'm gonna have to ask you to step out of the shuttle now." He really did sound apologetic.

Kathryn nodded, got up and reached to straighten her uniform. She felt a rush of gratitude that she had been allowed to wear it one final time before donning the grey overalls worn by all inmates.

Inmates. Criminals. She was part of that crowd now.

She set her jaw and strode confidently down the ramp. Blistering heat greeted her. The midday sun took her sight for an instant. She lingered at the end of the ramp for a moment, taking in the platform the shuttle had landed on. Kathryn could smell the ocean from here.

Her guard cleared his throat and she set off again, nearing the wrought-iron gate. A small group of people stood there, flanking the gate like a guard of honour.

She could already guess who might be among them, so she began schooling her features to the proud expression of someone who is fully aware of her crimes and is prepared to go down for them. The last thing she wanted was to appear weak.

The closer Kathryn got, the harder it was to keep her face neutral. When she was close enough to see their expressions, she had to redouble her efforts.

She was reminded of Neelix' farewell when she passed the first few of her former crew. Voyager had been back for several months now, and most of her 'family' had been assigned to other vessels or research facilities. Still, she counted no fewer than forty officers and crewmen. The lump in her throat swelled as she nodded and smiled at them. The former bridge crew stood nearest the gate, faces turned attentively towards their erstwhile captain. Seeing Tom, B'Elanna, the Doctor, Harry, Seven, Tuvok, and Chakotay like this – sombre and silent – broke her heart. B'Elanna had brought Miral, and the infant seemed to have picked up on the mood. Kathryn put her hand on the engineer's face, then bent down to kiss Miral, smelling the top of her tiny head with a smile. She took a few seconds to acknowledge all of them: a handshake here, a pat there. Harry seemed to be on the verge of tears, so she hugged him. She had always considered herself his foster-mother. After she had let go, he hurriedly wiped a tear off his face.

Tuvok was next, and she tried to calm her conflicting emotions. This was the first time they'd seen each other since the hearing, and a part of her was angry at the Vulcan, even though she had no right to be. Kathryn didn't trust her voice at the moment, so she simply raised her hand in the customary salute and watched him imitate her.

At the very end of the line, Chakotay was waiting for her. Kathryn felt her stomach tighten as she approached him. He had been with her when the summons had been served on her, he had supported her throughout her trial, and she had invited him into her bed when everything had come tumbling down around her.

He was the one thing in her life that still made sense.

She wasn't fond of public displays of affection, and she knew Chakotay wasn't either, but it felt wrong to pretend like this was just another goodbye. She had been holding back the tears, but the battle was lost when Chakotay placed his warm hand on her cheek. Kathryn copied him, holding his face between her hands, drinking in his image. Before she could stop herself, she was suddenly on her tiptoes, connecting their lips in a bittersweet kiss that spoke of desperation, sadness and fear. For an instant, it seemed like they were alone, safe. Kathryn wanted nothing more than to stay locked inside this kiss forever, but a pronounced cough cut through her reverie. When Chakotay broke the kiss, they both stayed silent for a moment, foreheads resting together, both panting slightly.

Finally, Kathryn wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands and stood back. She hoped that Chakotay could tell how grateful she was to him. His smile was tight, but the warmth in his eyes was as present as it had ever been.

With a final glance at her gathered friends, Kathryn turned and allowed herself to be escorted through the gate and into the first building for processing. Her chest ached and her eyes and throat stung from trying to suppress further tears.

It was going to be a long time until she saw them gathered like that again ...

T.B.C.

Please read + review. I thrive on reviews. :P