Emma dropped Phoebe and Kathryn off about an hour and a half after they had left, and Kathryn was nearly desperate to be near Chakotay. She was desperate to be in his arms, desperate to feel his solid form beside her...and desperate to know what he and her mother had talked about while they were away. When they opened the front door they found Chakotay and Gretchen sitting across from each other at the kitchen island, grinning like fools and both sipping on mugs of coffee. They both turned at the sound of the door, their conversation halting instantly.

Chakotay beamed at her and she felt irritation well up inside her. Not actual irritation, but frustration from the nagging feeling that she was the topic of conversation, and she didn't like not knowing what was being said. Her mother looked to have had tears in her eyes, but she just smiled at her daughter. Kathryn looked between them in a huff before glancing at the mugs of coffee, "There had better be more of that." She spoke in a voice that was just a tad more menacing than joking. Chakotay got up and poured her a generous cup.

"Seven years with you in the Delta quadrant taught me to always have more coffee at the ready." He handed her the mug, his other hand coming up to her jaw, his thumb brushing against her cheekbone. She felt her ire leave her at his gentle touch.

"And seven years with you in the Delta quadrant taught me to know when you're up to something." It was a statement, not a question, and Chakotay just smiled, leaning down to peck her lips before sitting back down across from her mother. Phoebe watched the entire interaction with a grin on her face.

For the next few hours the four of them sat together, first around the kitchen island and then in the living room, chatting about everything. Gretchen and Phoebe were eager to learn more about Chakotay's past, and even Kathryn hadn't heard some of the stories he told of his childhood and his time in the Maquis.

Kathryn recounted many tales of the happier times in the Delta quadrant, and even some of the less happy. She told her mother and sister about New Earth, and Gretchen, God bless her, pretended to know nothing about it. Now that Gretchen and Phoebe unofficially knew of the relationship between the former captain and commander, Kathryn was a bit more bold in her story telling; recounting how Chakotay had built her a bathtub and did all he could to make them a home. She spoke of him saving her life on a barren planet after their shuttle was shot down, and how he'd reigned her in when her decision-making had taken things on Voyager too far.

They both spoke of the crew that had become a family, and fielded dozens and dozens of questions from Gretchen and Phoebe both. They were interested in the adventures to be sure, but they both, Gretchen especially, were interested in the mundane; the staff meetings, the duty shifts, the off hour entertainment...everything. Chakotay realized how little Kathryn had spoken to her family when they'd first gotten back, and as they sat on the sofa together as Kathryn told them about Sandrine's, he couldn't help but pull her closer to his side in a silent apology for all the hardships she'd silently born by herself during their seven year exile.

They'd finally journeyed across the street for a late lunch with Emma and Johnny, who was over helping clear out some of the spent garden plants. They talked and laughed for another few hours, regaled mostly by Emma's stories of Chakotay as a child. She saved the most embarrassing for last, and when they were ready to leave Chakotay was red-faced and everyone was wiping tears of laughter from their eyes.

When they started their walk back across the street, Chakotay hung back. "I have a quick errand to run with Emma." Kathryn's brow furrowed as she looked at him, his secret coming back to the forefront of her mind. "We won't be gone long. We are just going to the library."

"The library?" Kathryn knew that the local library had a communicator and she was suddenly curious of the true nature of his needing to go there.

"Yes, the library. That's all I'm going to tell you, so don't bother trying to sneak answers from me." He glanced up, watching as Johnny, Phoebe and Gretchen moved down the driveway and out of sight. He pulled Kathryn beneath the foliage of a large maple tree and before she could protest he silenced her with his lips on hers.

She melted into him instantly, and he realized as her tongue slid hungrily against his that this was the longest they'd gone without making love since that first night, and he suddenly craved her. In an instant he was hard and pressing his erection against her as his lips worked against hers. She swallowed his moan as she rubbed herself wantonly against him, her fingers sliding into his hair to draw him closer. He indulged them both for a moment, knowing Emma would be out in a few minutes.

Finally, before he lost complete control and embarrassed them both, he reluctantly pulled away. Kathryn stood before him, pinned against the tree, panting and flushed, and it took everything in him to take a step back. Kathryn let out a groan of frustration as she finally opened her eyes, heavily lidded with lust.

"You'd better catch up to your mom and sister before they come back wondering what kept you." He grinned at her, his dimples pressing into his own flushed cheeks. "I just wanted something to tide me over until we're alone in that house again." He'd known they wouldn't be able to be intimate while her family was in the next room, and he was fine with that. As long as he got to sleep beside her and steal a few kisses and touches, he would be satisfied.

She gave him her best 'Janeway glare' that quickly turned into a devilish grin as she winked at him, "Play your cards right and you won't have to wait that long," she whispered before walking away, not turning back to see his jaw drop as he watched after her.

Damn he loved this woman.

He'd just gotten his arousal under control when Emma came out to meet him at her truck. "So, you gonna tell me what this trip to the library is all about, or do I have to guess?" They got in and she fired up the engine.

"Let's see if it works out first, and then I'll tell you." Emma just grinned as she drove down the driveway and turned in the direction of the library.

It was an old brick building set amongst the trees. It had been rebuilt and maintained over the years, but part of the structure was the original, and Chakotay marveled at the craftsmanship. It was surrounded by maple trees set ablaze by the setting sun, their orange leaves glowing in the waning light. Several people walked through the woods on what was once an old bike trail; still maintained by the locals to use for hiking and hoverboard riding. Emma went inside with Chakotay, pointed out the small row of communicators and then went to browse some of the old history books to give him privacy.

Chakotay sat down at the farthest terminal, switched it on and keyed in the ID number of the call he wanted to place. It only took a few seconds before the screen activated. The very tired but smiling face of B'Elanna appeared before him. "Chakotay, this is a surprise. Aren't you on vacation?"

He grinned and nodded, "I am. We are having a very nice time." B'Elanna's brow rose as her eyes widened.

"We? Care to elaborate?" She gave him a knowing smile, but wanted to hear him say it before her suspicions were confirmed.

Chakotay chuckled, tugging on his ear gently, his own dead giveaway, "Uh, I invited Kathryn to come with me, and she agreed." B'Elanna's smile widened.

"I'm so happy for you, Chakotay. Don't screw it up this time, alright?" Chakotay shook his head at his friend.

"Well, I actually have a favor to ask of you that will help ensure that I don't. I was hoping you could transport over to my place and get something for me, and have it beamed to the transporter pad here." B'Elanna gave him a quizzical look. "I'm staying in a low tech community. I'm actually calling from the library. It's the only place in town with communicators, and it has one transporter pad for small items only. It's mainly used for medical supplies and emergencies."

B'Elanna nodded, "Alright, Miral is down for her nap and Tom is here, so he can keep an eye on her. What am I looking for?"

Chakotay took a deep breath, knowing that this would give away his plan. "In my bedroom in the dresser, in the top left drawer there is a ring box." He watched the screen as B'Elanna's mouth fell open.

"Chakotay, you dog! You're finally gonna make an honest woman out of our Captain, huh? Took you two long enough!" Tom appeared behind B'Elanna, a stupid grin on his face, his blue eyes twinkling.

"That's the plan, Tom. But I can't very well ask her without the ring." B'Elanna nodded, giving Tom a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Give me a few minutes to set up a transport." B'Elanna moved out of the screen.

"So, the Captain and Commander are gonna get married. Can I be the best man?" Tom grinned as he sat down where B'Elanna had been.

=/\=

Chakotay entered their vacation home about an hour after everyone else, the weight of the small velvet box in his jacket pocket making butterflies flutter around in his stomach. Kathryn and Phoebe were out on the back patio, chatting softly as they watched the sunset. Gretchen was on the sofa reading a book, but looked up when Chakotay entered. "Did you get it?" She eyed him expectantly.

Chakotay grinned, his dimples on full display, "Yes, B'Elanna sent it over." Gretchen pressed her lips together, standing up to give Chakotay a hug. He embraced her gladly, already enjoying having the Janeway matriarch in his corner. It had been a long time since he'd had a mother figure in his life, and he was quickly growing quite fond of having Gretchen here now.

"Oh," she pulled back quickly, speaking softly, "Can I see it?"

"See what?" Kathryn spoke as she and Phoebe came back inside. Kathryn moved to the wine rack and searched for a bottle for them all to share.

"A picture of Miral," Chakotay spoke honestly as he pulled a miniature PADD from his other pocket. He had in fact downloaded a photo of the little girl that B'Elanna had sent. Miral now had two bottom teeth and a grin as cheesy as her father, and she was showing off both in the small photo. "I was telling your mother earlier about Tom and B'Elanna, and while I was at the library I commed B'Elanna and asked her to water some of my houseplants. While we were chatting she sent me the photo." It wasn't a complete fabrication. He had asked her to water his plants, since he wasn't sure how much longer he'd be in Michigan.

"Oh, I want to see it too." Kathryn cooed as she came over to stand beside Chakotay. He pulled the PADD from his pocket and held it up so both women could see it. "She's getting so big," Kathryn commented dreamily, "We have to go see them when we get back. I don't want her to forget who we are."

"It can be our first stop if you like." Chakotay wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to him, her own hand coming up to draw lazy patterns on his back as they stood side by side.

"She's a doll," Gretchen spoke, and Phoebe came over to look at the photograph as well.

Kathryn looked at the sweet face in the holoimage for a moment, a sudden feeling of longing pulling at a place deep in her heart. Pushing the emotion back she looked up at her mother, "You'll have to come out to San Francisco sometime and meet them...properly. Not at a Starfleet function. I want you to meet everyone properly."

Her mother nodded, pressing a palm to her daughter's cheek before moving away with Phoebe. Chakotay watched Kathryn glance back at the photo, a far away look in those blue eyes before she too looked away. When she spoke, though she tried to hide it, her voice was thick with emotion. "Well, did you get everything done that you wanted to at the library?"

Chakotay grinned, knowing that she wasn't going to press, for his benefit. She knew very well that he hadn't gone to the library to get a picture of Miral, but she was willing to let it go. He leaned down to peck her lips gently, "Yes, I did. Now, why don't you find the best bottle of wine we have and open it. I'll build a fire upstairs and the four of us can sit out there and chat."

"Sounds wonderful. I think mom's going to make something small to eat, since we ate a late lunch." Chakotay nodded, begging one more kiss before he headed upstairs.

=/\=

Kathryn closed her eyes with a sigh as Chakotay slid up behind her at the bathroom vanity. The emotions of the day had finally caught up with her and Kathryn was exhausted, excusing herself after barely finishing her glass of wine. She'd brushed her fingertips against Chakotay's lips as she'd bid him goodnight, encouraging him to continue visiting with her mother and sister. She'd slipped through the sliding doors into her bedroom and moved to her bureau to find a pair of pajamas. There was still a chill in the air, despite the fire in the hearth downstairs, so she opted for an oversized button up cotton top and matching pants. She washed off her makeup and was just brushing her teeth when Chakotay came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle.

With a grin she rinsed her mouth, "You didn't have to come in." She closed her eyes, leaning back into his chest, adoring the feel of his solid warmth behind her.

"Your mom and sister went in also. It's been an emotional day for everyone, I think," he pressed his nose into her hair, inhaling deeply, letting his breath play against her ear as he sighed contentedly. "They plan on heading back to the transport station tomorrow evening, so we have all day tomorrow to visit, and we can go and visit them anytime you want to."

Kathryn smiled, turning in his arms to give him a proper hug. She was loving how easily their lives were molding together in just a few days time. They'd fallen into an easy synchronicity on Voyager, and though it started because their duty shifts typically aligned, it quickly morphed into a friendship that often times saw them together off duty as well. Official meetings had turned into friendly dinners with some talk of work. Tactical training sessions on the holodeck usually ended with a walk along the Santa Monica Pier or a hike through the Arizona canyons. Their working lives and private lives had become so intermingled when they were not on duty that it surprised the crew more to see their Captain or Commander by themselves than it surprised them to see the two together.

Kathryn sighed as she wrapped her arms around Chakotay, letting her fingers slide up under his sweater to move across the warm skin of his back. She heard his soft moan of appreciation, smiling to herself as she looked up into his warm brown eyes. "Make love to me."

Chakotay's eyes went wide even as he felt the stirrings of his arousal begin to grow at her words, "Kathryn, your family is on the other side of the wall." She grinned mischievously at him.

"Well then, we'd better be quiet."

=/\=

Chakotay woke early, and though he wanted to go back to sleep, he wanted even more to surprise Kathryn with breakfast in bed, and hopefully have it made and brought back up before her mother and sister woke up. He carefully slid out from under the covers, hoping to trap his body heat to keep Kathryn warm while she slept. Pulling on a sweatshirt, he moved silently out of the room.

The house had cooled considerably overnight and his first order of business was to build up a fire in the hearth so everyone would wake to a comfortable temperature. A quick glance outside told him that it had frozen overnight. There was no snow, but a thin layer of frost covered the windows. Chakotay quickly had a fire built and then moved into the kitchen to make some coffee and french toast.

About a half hour later everything was done. He'd found a wooden tray and loaded it with plates, two mugs of coffee, several pieces of french toast, and a large bowl of cut fruit. After adding the silverware he covered the extra he'd made so it would hopefully still be warm when Phoebe and Gretchen came down.

Thankfully all was quiet as he made his way back upstairs and into their bedroom. Kathryn roused at the sound of the door, her lips turning up in a sleepy smile as she opened her eyes to the sight before her. Chakotay couldn't help but smile at the image of her, so different from the polished and preened Starfleet officer he'd known for so long. What he wouldn't give to wake up to this every morning. "Good morning, love."

Kathryn sat up against the pillows, "Good morning indeed. What's the occasion?" Chakotay grinned as he sat the tray across her lap before sliding under the blankets beside her.

He pressed a kiss to her lips and let the backs of his fingers brush against her jaw, "It's a special day." He kissed her again before she could answer or question him.

Chuckling, she finally pulled away and glanced down at the tray, "Well, Chakotay, I'm-" she was rendered speechless as her eyes landed on a small black velvet box on the tray between the plates. It was open, and the ring inside took her breath away. It was a simple silver band, but the stone in the center wasn't like any she'd ever seen before. It wasn't a diamond, its facets sparkled even brighter. It was clear, and the stone was the palest blue she'd ever seen, and vibrant; almost as though illuminated from within.

Chakotay watched her for a moment before lifting the box and taking the ring out, her eyes following the movement before landing on his face. "I found this gemstone on New Earth. It reminded me of you, so I kept it." He held the ring in his palm as he looked at it. "I had just planned on giving you the stone, but then we were rescued, and I thought any reminder of New Earth would just make you sad, so I held onto it. Then I was going to make it into a necklace for your birthday, but you had such rare occasions to wear jewelry, I decided not to."

"And then what?" her voice came out on a whisper.

"And after I nearly lost you on Quarra, I made it into a ring. I wasn't sure when I would give it to you, but I knew I wanted to." He finally looked up at her, "The time was just never right until now."

Kathryn's eyes stayed on the ring in his hand for a moment before lifting to Chakotay's face, "You had that with you on Voyager?"

"I did." He lifted the ring between thumb and finger, "Kathryn Janeway, you have been, without a doubt, the most important person in my life, and from the moment I met you, I knew I didn't want to spend another day without you. I have no idea what the future might hold for either of us, but I know that the only person that I want to face that future with is you. Kathryn Janeway, will you marry me?"

He watched as Kathryn's eyes filled with tears, and a smile, the likes of which he'd never seen before, blossomed on her face. She raised her hand, pressing her palm against his cheek, "Chakotay," she breathed out, "You have been by my side for so long, I can't imagine a day without you by my side," she laughed as the tears spilled down her cheeks, "Of course, I will marry you."

They both laughed through their tears as Chakotay slid the ring on her finger, placing a kiss on her knuckles as the metal slid home. She admired it there for a moment before she furrowed her brow, "Wait, you said you made the stone into a ring?"

Chakotay grinned, tugging on his ear, "Um, yeah. B'Elanna helped me smooth the stone and cut it, but I made the band and set the stone myself." Kathryn chuckled.

"You had B'Elanna help you? She knew about your feelings for me while we were still on Voyager?"

"To be fair, Kathryn, I'm pretty sure everyone onboard Voyager knew about my feelings for you," they both chuckled, "But I knew I could trust her, and she was very happy at the idea of us together. She had a few choice words for me when I told her about Seven." Kathryn pulled a face and Chakotay laughed again, "Don't feel bad, I deserved each and every one of them." He leaned in for another kiss. "I love you so much, Kathryn."

"I love you too," she glanced down at the ring again and chuckled, "I can't wait to hear what my mom has to say about this."

Chakotay tugged his ear again, "Well, she was all for it when I asked her permission yesterday." His dimples pressed deeply into his cheeks at the look of shock that broke out on Kathryn's face.

"You asked my mother?" Her heart fluttered at the thoughtful gesture, knowing that Chakotay would take Gretchen's opinion of himself very seriously.

"Of course I did. Your mother's opinion of me...of us together means a great deal to me. I know we still don't know each other extremely well, but for her to have faith in me that I will take care of you, and love you like you deserve," he paused, "That's very important to me."

Kathryn beamed at him, "Well then, let's eat this wonderful breakfast you've made, and then go downstairs and show off your handiwork."