The Laotir had been more than generous, almost to a fault, until Janeway was suspicious that they were afraid that Tuvok might decide to stay after all. A society was carefully balanced amongst its resources, and the planet of Baloti seemed to be wanting to get back to normal, post haste. She was able to order them out of orbit with water and cargo holds comfortably full, and the mixed pleasure of seeing the planet fall behind them. She had nearly ordered reverse view, but had caught herself at the last moment. It wasn't the planet that she regretted leaving.

At the end of Alpha shift, she found a handwritten message from her security chief requesting her presence in his quarters. His Federation Standard was as precise as his Vulcan, and she was achingly familiar with his handwriting from the many letters they had traded during their long friendship of separation. She took a moment to think about all that had happened, and to find her peace. In the back of her mind, the silver thread that was him pulsed with warmth and calm. And then she went to see him.

His quarters were dark and warm. She always remembered to slow her steps before entering, since tripping over the heavier gravity wall the first time she had come to see him. It was soothing, being there, so fully surrounded by what he held dear. Understanding as well that this short list included her, and had for a very long time. Tuvok was in the middle of the room, his calmness swelling into a gentle joy at the sight of her. She smiled gently at him. "I've missed you."

His mouth twitched up at the corner very slightly, which registered in her mind as an amused half-smile. "We share the same bridge shift."

Janeway only nodded, knowing that she did not need to elaborate. She could feel him resonate in her physical space at all times, and yet was not able to grasp hold of him. Even now, it was all she could do not to reach out and take his hand. But she mastered herself, for his sake. He motioned her to the low couch and she sat down, tucking her feet up underneath her, and relaxed against the firm cushion. He sat next to her, his head bowed over his thighs, elbows on his knees, hands clasped. She closed her eyes, content to feel him near. It was not enough. It was not what she wanted. But she would be content.

When he spoke, his voice was subdued. "I am requesting your opinion because I am… uncertain of the course of action that should be taken. Logically, I cannot deny that both options that present themselves to me have some equal merit." His brow pursed in thought. "If I leave the link between us, we will continue to be drawn towards physical and emotional contact. This will be… difficult. However, I will also be able to sense you when other modes of communication are not available to us, which seems to happen quite often on this mission. Whether this would be a strong advantage remains to be seen."

Janeway continued to study his shadowed profile. "And your argument for breaking the link, Tuvok?"

He looked at her solemnly. "We would be free to live our lives separate from each other, as before." His brow remained creased, and she sensed discomfort. Perhaps it was her own. She could only shake her head.

"That isn't possible now." She rose from the couch and kneeled down on the floor in front of him, taking his hands in hers, and gazed up into his shadowed eyes. "You asked for my opinion. Here it is. I admit that I am more physically aware of you now, and that awareness is, at the moment, distracting. But for all of this, and the small amount of time I have had to grow accustomed to it…" She paused, searching for the words to explain, and coming up inadequate. "Nothing has really changed."

A bubble of startlement tickled her senses as he leaned slightly away from her. "I don't understand."

Janeway closed her eyes and rested her forehead on his folded hands. "You do. You always have. You know me, sometimes better than I know myself." She met his eyes again, his expression intent now. "I will not see you discomforted. But I am willing to learn, if you are. Knowing you has always been worth the risk."

"You would bear this, even if we never shared a bed, or another touch? Or if I died and the link was severed, a raw wound never to be repaired? I ask this because it must be asked. Kathryn, you must understand what you ask." His hands were squeezing hers so tightly that her bones began to ache, but she squeezed right back until he released her, and then caught her up into his lap, cradling her close. She might not have been outwardly weeping, but he rocked her, his hands tangled in her hair, forehead pressed against her cheek, until all grief was done. In the midst of it, both of them realized that their decision had already been made, back on the planet that had been left behind them; a decision that had set off a magnificent firestorm of which no one, not even the Eldest, had ever seen the like.

After what seemed like hours, when her throat eased enough that she could breathe comfortably, she relaxed back into his embrace. Their silence was no longer of distress, but of new peace. And she was hungry. She smiled gently, her eyes tracing the curve of her dear friend's sensual mouth in the deep shadow, her mind effortlessly in two places at once. "Should we see what Neelix has made from the new Laotir hoard of vegetables, Tuvok?"

He untwined his fingers gently out of her hair. "If we do not, he will undoubtedly come looking for us." Tuvok's expression was relaxed, the link calm like a deep river. "If you would choose to come to my quarters afterward, I have a small amount of tea that I have been wanting to share." Something deep throbbed through the link, deep and painful. Janeway took his arm.

"Tea from Vulcan? Real tea?" She could feel her heart welling up with an untamable sorrow.

Tuvok only nodded, and then caught a single tear on his fingertip as it escaped down his captain's cheek. She steadied herself, and then nodded. "I would be honored."

"The honor would be mine, Kathryn."

She smiled, then. "I like hearing you say my name, Tuvok."

He pursed his brow. "Does it make any difference how I refer to you, Captain?"

"Don't play the innocent Vulcan with me, Mr. Tuvok."

"Vulcans are hardly innocents, Captain."

"I believe you more now that I would have two days ago."

"To what exactly are you referring, Captain?"

"First of all, where did you learn how to dance like that?"

"You can hardly maintain that I was fully responsible for my actions while under the influence of an unknown chemical compound…"