Author's Note: This is officially the last chapter of the story - although it leaves itself open for some "add-on sessions" if Counselor Cambridge starts talking to me! Thanks for reading and reviewing! JT

Time moved forward.

Chakotay slept. Kathryn slept. And when she was awake, she convinced Hugh to sleep, which he did, sitting straight up in a chair with his head hanging over the back of it.

She refrained from comment. If it worked for him, who was she to question?

He seemed to wake refreshed, ready to take on the skirmishes of the day, which, thankfully, were fewer and farther between.

By evening, two days had passed, and she felt as if the battle had been fought and the war was nearly over. She'd given Chakotay his last injection that morning, and so far his body hadn't shown any telltale signs of withdrawal: his hands were still, his eyes clear, and his body temperature had returned to normal. Even the sallowness of his cheeks was beginning to bronze.

He was feeling better.

Tom visited, ate an early dinner with them. Chakotay had been able to sit at the table, feed himself for the first time since his return – still only a few bites, but it was an accomplishment. Hugh gave both him and Kathryn permission to grin like damn fools for a few minutes, while Tom just sat back and smiled at the triangle of dynamics that had formed among them over the last few days.

"B'Elanna wanted to come, but she didn't want to crowd you too much," Tom said, looking at the man who sat across from him. "She… sends her love."

Chakotay's eyes closed for a moment, then opened; he didn't try to hide the tears that glazed his vision. "Tell her… I send the same." He felt Kathryn reach over and take his hand, threading her fingers through his.

Tom nodded. "I'll tell her." He pushed back from the table, got up. "Ship's running fine," he assured, before he turned to leave.

"Just don't get too comfortable in that ready room," Chakotay warned with a half-smile. "And don't put your damn feet on the desk."

Tom shrugged his shoulders, rolled his eyes, gave his best bewildered look, eyes moving from Chakotay, to Kathryn, and then to Hugh.

"Do you really think I'd do that?"

"Yes!" they all chorused at once.

"You know," Tom waved his finger at them as he backed out of the room, "you three show far too little confidence in me. I'm liable to get a complex."

Chakotay fixed him with a steady gaze, all joking aside. "I have the utmost confidence in you, Tom."

And Kathryn smiled. "So do I."

Hugh, having been unusually quiet throughout dinner, offhandedly drawled. "Well, I don't, Mister Paris, so be sure to make an appointment with me in a few days."

The sincerity of the moment was broken, and the sound of laughter followed him out the door.

When he was gone, Chakotay looked over at Hugh. "Not making appointments for a few days?"

He shook his head, graced each of them with a meaningful gaze, trying not to look too damn caring in the process. "All my appointment slots are filled for the next forty-eight hours."

~The End~