Prologue: This story is set a few months after the events of Nemesis. The Romulan Empire is in shambles and the Federation has sent various members of Starfleet to help the Romulans reorganize their government. Immediately following the death Shinzon Captain Picard along with Enterprise returned to San Francisco for debriefings. The former neutral zone was now flooded with various Starfleet ships as well as numerous admirals and dignitaries. The story is set on Christmas Eve. As the empire begins to stabilize some of the personal have been allowed to return home for the holidays. The U.S.S. Titan, her crew, including Captain Riker and his wife, along with her various guests are returning to earth.

The Joy of Chocolate

"Are you sure that Will won't mind?"

"Relax, Kathryn. He'll be happy to have company for dinner." Deanna moved around the room setting plates and glasses on the table. "Besides we can't have an important admiral eating all alone in her quarters."

Kathryn walked around the table and settled into the couch. "I've eaten more meals alone in my quarters than I can count."

Deanna handed Kathryn a glass of wine and sat down in the chair opposite the couch. "As an experienced counselor I highly recommend that that practice ends as of tonight!"

Kathryn laughed. "Since I'm no longer living on a ship I don't see any problem with that."

"Let's make a toast." Deanna raised her glass in the air. "To coming home."

Kathryn leaned across and tapped Deanna's glass. "I'll drink to that." Then she relaxed into the soft cushions of the couch. "Of course with the Romulan situation escalating so quickly after I returned, I haven't really been home all that much. In fact, I'm afraid my mother might kill me for missing Christmas yet again."

Deanna waved her hand in the air. "That's nothing. My mother's been waiting for me to come home and get married for four months. If we don't get there soon she really is going to kill me."

"I thought you and Will were already married."

Deanna stood up and got the bottle of wine from the table. She walked over and refilled Kathryn's glass. "We are. In fact the wine we're drinking was a wedding gift from Captain Picard." Before she could continue the story the door swished open and her husband walked in flanked by Chakotay.

Will walked into his cabin and saw his wife and Admiral Janeway cozily ensconced in the living area. "My, what a great thing to come home to, not one, but two lovely women in my quarters." He leaned over and kissed his wife's check. "I see we had the same brilliant idea."

As Will walked over to say hello to Kathryn, Deanna stood up and warmly greeted their other guest. "It's wonderful to see you Captain."

Chakotay took her extended hands and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Please call me Chakotay. I hope I'm not intruding."

Deanna led him into the room. "Don't be silly. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in a more intimate situation."

Chakotay laughed. "You don't find the Great Hall of Romulas along with two hundred citizens intimate?"

Will handed him a glass of wine. "Intimidating maybe but not intimate." Will sat in the chair next to his wife and pointed Chakotay toward the couch. "I believe you know our other guest."

Chakotay sat down and kissed Kathryn's cheek. While most of the attention was on her face he gently took her hand and squeezed it. "It's good to see you again."

As he pulled away she softly whispered, "You too."

The newlyweds watched the couple before them with interest. Will felt the muscles in his stomach tighten. There was a bet riding on this and he was starting to think that his wife might be right. When he turned his head to the side he saw Deanna look at him with that "I told you so look" that he hated so much. He mouthed the words "no way" and quickly stood up. "I'm starving! How about some dinner?"

In a matter of minutes another place was set and the food was replicated. The conversation flowed smoothly. They talked about everything from the state of the Federation to their past histories at the Academy. The wine and laughter was plentiful as Will told stories about some of the more unusual adventures aboard the Enterprise. Kathryn and Chakotay countered with stories of leola root and the various escapades of Tom Paris.

Deanna stood up and began to clear the table. "The faster we clean up the faster we can have dessert."

Kathryn jumped up and helped. "In my experience dessert is usually accompanied by coffee. So the sooner the better."

Will handed her his plate. "With my wife, dessert sometimes includes coffee but it always includes chocolate."

Deanna turned from the recycler and informed her husband that tonight it would include both. "Kathryn could you give me a hand please?" Deanna handed her two cups of steaming coffee. After a quick trip to the table Kathryn returned in time to hear Deanna order desert. "Computer one large bowl of fresh cut fruit and one bowl of dark chocolate fondue," she smiled over at Kathryn. Deanna handed one of the bowls to Kathryn and leaned in toward her. "This is one of my favorite deserts. Not only does it taste divine since it's chocolate but it also drives Will crazy when I eat it." Deanna broke into a grin. "In fact I think this desert may have been instrumental in making him propose."

"Sounds like an interesting story."

"It is. Melted chocolate is very powerful. You should try it sometime." They'd almost reached the table when Deanna softly added, "I'm sure Chakotay would love it." Kathryn stopped dead in her tracks but since Deanna had already sat down Kathryn couldn't refute her comment without revealing the entire conversation to everyone.

Kathryn slid into her seat next to Chakotay. "Will, Deanna tells me her mother is looking to kill both of you."

Will looked to his wife who was busy licking up the chocolate that had dripped down her fork. She opened her mouth and sucked in the fruit. Her eyes closed as her lips wrapped around the chocolate sauce. After a few quick bites Deanna swallowed the sweet dark nectar. "The wedding."

Will gulped in a breath. "Oh, the wedding." He turned and smiled nervously at Kathryn. "If we don't get there soon, death may be too good for us."

Chakotay was confused. "I thought you were already married."

Kathryn paused just as the piece of fruit she planned to eat hit her tongue. She pulled the fork back. "That's exactly what I said." She punctuated the statement with a shake of her fork and a large drop of chocolate sauce fell onto her finger. Kathryn lifted her finger and popped it into her mouth. She quickly sucked off the warm liquid as her eyes instinctively closed. "This is magnificent."

Chakotay, who hadn't taken his eyes off of her agreed. "Yes, it is."

Kathryn fidgeted under the dark stormy eyes of her friend. She quickly turned to Deanna. "So tell us about this wedding of yours."

"We got married on earth. It was a typical humanoid wedding. We had the wedding and a big party in a hotel in San Francisco with all of our friends." Deanna continued to tell that story as she continued to eat and Will continued to be distracted by the way her mouth opened to envelope the chocolate covered fruit. The more she talked the further he drifted away. In his mind's eye he saw her kneeling over him with her mouth slowly moving toward his chocolate covered….

"Will, Kathryn asked you a question."

"I'm sorry I was thinking about something." Kathryn squirmed in her chair and grinned at Deanna. From the little conversation they'd had when getting dessert, Kathryn thought she knew exactly what Will had been thinking. "What is it you wanted to know?"

Deanna leaned into her husband and let her breast brush against his arm. "She wanted to know how you felt about a nude Betazed wedding."

"I have no problem with it but I think the guests may feel differently." Will reached down and touched his stomach. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

Chakotay tried to listen to the conversation that was occurring around him but his attention kept returning to the woman next to him who was leisurely eating piece after piece of the brown covered fruit. Because the bowl was heated the liquid remained warm and fluid. With each trip to her mouth tiny drops of the sauce escaped and landed on various parts of her hands. In each case she used her tongue to snag the run away liquid. It took all the power in the world not to groan when she ran her tongue across the pool of warm sauce that rested on the inside of her wrist. Chakotay forced himself to clear the lusty thoughts that were swirling in his mind. He turned toward Deanna just in time to hear her asking Will whose fault it was that he wasn't thin? Chakotay wasn't sure how the comment fit into the discussion about their wedding since his mind had been totally focused on his former captain's eating.

Will laughed. "You're right. I foolishly waited until I was gray and …"

"Husky?" Deanna interjected.

Will leaned down and kissed her chocolate covered lips. "Thank you my dear that's the exact word I was looking for. I waited until I was gray and husky before I decided to ask the one question that would force me to stand naked in front of the entire population of Betazed."

The affection between the couple was so obvious that Kathryn was almost envious. She wondered not for the first time how they were able to balance their close relationship with their command relationship. "How is married life aboard a Starfleet vessel?"

Almost as if it was planned the both of them smiled and started to speak. Deanna aqcuiessed and Will continued. "Things are different but they're better." Will sat up a little straighter as he spoke in earnest. "No one knows me better than she does. Even though I always knew I could turn to her when I needed to now I don't even have to make that turn. She's there before I even know I need her." He reached out and took his wife's hand and brought it to his mouth for a kiss.

Chakotay was so taken with the similarity of Will's feelings to his that he spoke without thinking. "If that's the case, why'd it take you so long to propose?"

Kathryn was surprised that Chakotay would ask such an intimate question but neither Will nor Deanna seemed to be offended. Will quickly answered. "There were tons of reasons. The fact that we were on the same ship, the missions themselves, my desire to move up the Starfleet hierarchy," Will paused and nodded to his wife who was smiling in agreement. "But the biggest reason is that I was too young and too stupid to realize that she makes me more than I could ever be by myself." Will was looking at Chakotay when he added a final sentence. "What's taking you so long?"

Chakotay casually glanced at Kathryn and saw the stricken look on her face. He slid his hand under the table and rested it on her leg. Using just his fingers he lightly stroked her thigh as he answered the question. "A lot of the same reasons. We were on the same ship light years from home, the missions themselves, the fact that she was the captain and I was the first officer, oh and that little fact that I was a wanted criminal. Unlike you I quickly realized that she made me a better man." Kathryn felt tears filling her eyes as she listened.

Will folded his arms on the table and leaned in closer to his new friend. "None of those reasons seem to exist anymore. What's stopping you now?"

Before Chakotay could answer Will received a hail from the bridge. "Captain the helm is not responding to any of our commands. I contacted engineering and they're sending a team up to do a diagnostic."

"Thank you, ensign. I'm on my way." Will stood up and straightened his uniform. "Sorry folks but duty calls."

When Will headed for the door Chakotay stood up. "Deanna, thank you for having me. Tonight was wonderful. I haven't laughed this much in a long time." Chakotay waited for Kathryn as she said her good-byes.

Deanna reached out and gently embraced Kathryn. As she did she whispered, "I sent the instructions for the fondue sauce directly to your replicater. Feel free to use it." Deanna watched the captain and the admiral walk down the hall with a respectable distance between them. The space didn't fool her in the least. As the door slid closed she believed that Chakotay would be enjoying an extra helping of dessert tonight.

Chakotay looked left and right before he entered Kathryn's quarters.

Kathryn smirked when she saw his furtive glances up and down the hall. "You know you don't need to do that anymore."

He moved into the room to where she stood. "Old habits die hard."

She turned to cross the room to the replicater. "Do you want some tea?"

Almost before she finished the sentence Chakotay grabbed her hand and spun her into his arms. "I don't want tea. I want you!" He leaned down and kissed her soundly. Once he finished with her lips he moved to her neck. He felt her knees buckle when he nibbled on the spot just behind her left ear. Chakotay kept his one arm locked around her waist keeping her body firmly pressed against him. "I should leave now."

Kathryn's eyes flew open in surprise. "Why?" she cried.

"After that little display at dinner you deserve to be teased." He used his arm to lift her off the ground just enough that he could rub her against his hardening groin. "You did that on purpose didn't you?"

Kathryn wrapped her arms around his neck. "Of course I did. No one could be clumsy enough to drip chocolate every time they took a bite." Her lips easily found his. While her tongue delved into his mouth she lifted both of her legs and wrapped them around his waist. When she broke the kiss she heard a deep groan. "Did you enjoy watching me lick up the mess I made?"

Chakotay moved both of his hands to her firm ass. "You know I did!" His breathing became heavy as he used her ass to grind her against him. "In fact you still taste like chocolate."

She pushed herself up until her chest was brushing against his face. Instinctively he captured the tip of her breast in his mouth. Even though she had on a shirt and bra she could still feel the exquisite heat of his mouth on her hardening nipple. "Do you like chocolate, Chakotay?"

He bit down gently as she asked about the chocolate. By the time she got to his name it sounded like a strangled cry. "It's quickly becoming my favorite dessert."

When he removed his mouth from her shirt she used the moment to push away from him and settle herself on the floor. "I thought you might." He was bewildered as he watched her walk away. "Why don't you go into the bedroom and make yourself comfortable." She turned and looked at him pointedly. "And I mean very comfortable." She turned back around to the replicater. "I'll be there in a minute."

Chakotay did as she asked. He went to the bedroom and took off his clothes. He pulled back the covers and settled himself on the cool sheets. He barely finished when she walked in carrying a large glass bowl. As she approached the bed she stuck one finger into the bowl. When she pulled it out he saw the dark liquid running down her finger. Very slowly she put the finger into her mouth. He was transfixed as she opened her mouth just enough that he could see her tongue swirling around her chocolate covered skin. "The temperature is just right," she told him. "It's warm but not so hot that it will scald anything." She was standing right next to the bed. "Do you want to try some?" Chakotay shook his head yes. Kathryn dipped her finger into the bowl once more and scooped up a large helping of the sweet liquid. She lowered her finger into his mouth where he sucked it clean. "It's good isn't it? I think I would like some more."

With that she knelt on the floor next to the bed. Holding the bowl in one hand, she lifted out a spoon full of chocolate and drizzled the warm sauce onto his nipple. Chakotay moaned loudly as the liquid spread across his chest. Before it could roll down his side Kathryn bent her mouth down captured the dripping liquid with her tongue. When she reached his puckered nipple she latched on and let the warm fire float around his hardened nub. With one gulp she swallowed the sauce that now tasted like a mixture of sugar and him.

Kathryn stood up quickly and took off her blouse. She continued to strip until all that remained was a deep blue pair of silk panties and matching bra. She nimbly climbed onto Chakotay straddling his hips just above his jutting penis. Once again she used the spoon to drip drops of chocolate across his chest. She leaned down and feverishly licked the dark areas of his golden skin. When he was clean once again, she used her finger to gather some of the sweetness from the bowl. Using a single finger she painted dark circles around and around each of his nipples. When she was done finger painting she slid her finger into his mouth and back and forth across his tongue. While she was occupied with his mouth he used his hands to unhook her bra and release her breasts. Before she could bend down to lick up her latest design Chakotay pulled her down onto him. He used his hands to slide her back and forth across his chest. When he was satisfied he pushed her up and feasted his eyes on her chocolate covered breasts. He quickly sat up and ran his lips across her chest. He licked and licked the now dark skin of her creamy white mounds. When everything but her nipple was clean he raised his head and kissed her. Together they shared the taste of the chocolate that had just been on her skin. After a long lingering kiss his mouth returned to her breast where he took her nipple into his mouth. At first he swirled his tongue around the blackened areola. He used his tongue to flick back and forth across the tip. When he heard her rapid breathing he swooped in and pulled her already tender nipple into his mouth. She loudly sucked in air as he pulled her further and further into the warmth of his mouth. He felt her restlessly squirming as he continued to torture her nipple with his mouth. When he thought she could take no more he pulled back and let her catch her breath. He felt her body begin to relax but before she could come down all the way he latched on to the other nipple and repeated every motion.

Kathryn pushed against him. "Chakotay please! I can't take it."

He let go and let her relax into the bed. He looked up and saw her flushed face and her messy hair and he had an overwhelming urge to pounce on her and bury himself deep within her hot core. "Do you want me to stop, Kathryn?" He asked this question as he ran his finger across her collarbone.

Kathryn was flat on her back with her chest heaving as she spoke. "Just for a minute. Let me breathe."

Chakotay climbed over her and headed toward the outer room. "Fine! You lay there. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" She called as he left the room.

"Turn about is fair play." It was less than a minute when he returned with a bowl of his own. This one was small and chilled and filled with stem less strawberries. He took that bowl along with bowl of chocolate and moved to the bottom of the bed. Kathryn watched intently as Chakotay dipped a big strawberry into the chocolate. He used the fruit to paint lines up and down her thighs. The duel sensation of cold and warmth sent shivers down her legs. Her legs jumped as his mouth descended to lick up the streaks he'd just created. Once he was finished with both legs he raised his hand and put the strawberry in his mouth and swallowed. When he looked down he saw that her legs were still twitching from the ministration he'd just provide. With one hand he pushed her legs apart exposing her completely. As he drank in the sight before him he took out another strawberry and covered it with chocolate. He placed the larger end of it in his teeth. When he was sure it was secure he bent down until his face was in front of her glistening pussy. He pulled her outer lips apart and dove in. Using his teeth as a paintbrush he moved the chocolate coated fruit back and forth across her swollen flesh. Once the chocolate had been transferred to her body Chakotay took the strawberry from his teeth, Kathryn looked down in anticipation of him eating the fruit as he'd down before but her mouth yelled in shock when he pushed the cold fruit into her hot hole.

Kathryn struggled to sit up. "Chakotay what are you doing?"

He held her down firmly. "I told you that chocolate was quickly becoming my favorite dessert. I'm just experimenting with various ways of preparing my new found treat." As he spoke he'd coated another piece. He looked her squarely in the eye as he inserted a second piece. As soon as he did her hips bucked off of the bed. Using his forearm he pushed her stomach back down and held her there as his mouth ravished her. He licked up every drop of chocolate that covered the light pink skin. Using his other hand he pulled on her skin until the little piece of skin he sought popped up. He took the nub between his teeth where he held it as he stroked her with his tongue. She was forcefully straining against his arm as she thrashed from side to side. He felt the muscles in her legs tightened as she moved closer to the edge. When she was just about on the brink he moved up onto his knees in anticipation of his next move. Chakotay shifted his arms and lifted her pelvis up into the air. He held her apart as his mouth covered her open pussy. Using his mouth, his tongue and his fingers he retrieved the strawberries which were now soft and hot and covered in her juice. While he began to chew he climbed up her flush body until his throbbing cock was aligned with her ravished pussy. His lips sought hers and he lowered his mouth to share his dessert. When she opened to receive him he allowed the fruit to mingle in their mouths. As the kiss grew more passionate he pushed his hips forward and entered her waiting canal. The kiss continued as he thrust in and out of her. At some point it became necessary to swallow so they broke apart and finished their share of the fruit. As he rhythmically moved he watched her face change. He'd already pushed her to the edge a few times tonight now he was ready to see her fall. He slid his body up a little higher so the length of his shaft rubbed against her clit as he moved in and out of her. It only took four or five stokes before he felt her tighten around him. He continued to manipulate her as she rode out the waves. When she was over the shock of the orgasm he pulled her close to him and rolled them over.

She was nestled against him. Her skin was damp with sweat and her body throbbed. She felt his hand slowly moving up and down her back. It took her a few moments to realize that he was still hard as a rock. A secret smile came to her lips. It was time to use the chocolate the way she'd intended when the night started. She scrambled to the end of the bed and retrieved that bowl. Kathryn silently thanked Deanna for including the instructions for the warming bowl. Because of it the chocolate was still soft and warm. She crawled up the side of the bed and pulled on Chakotay's shoulders so that he would roll onto his side. Once he did as she commanded she tilted the bowl up under his dick. She used her other hand to rock his hips until his cock was dipped in chocolate. Once it was completely covered she pushed him back until her chocolate covered treat was pointed toward the ceiling. Kathryn quickly moved between his legs so that he could watch her as she sucked on him. Without preamble she opened her mouth and took him inside. While she slowly moved up and down sucking up the thick layer of chocolate that covered his penis she used her tongue to lick the tip. Each time her tongue flicked across the tiny hole she tasted a glorious mixture of sweetness and salt. When the coating began to receded Kathryn knelt even higher and engulfed him until the tip of his dick was hitting the back of her throat.

When he felt himself hit the back of throat he couldn't stand it anymore. He forcefully lifted her head from his cock. In one quick motion he pulled her until she was in position to impale herself on his rigid stick. He pushed her down and held her hips as she rode him. Once it was clear that she was setting the pace Chakotay let go of her. He reached for a handful of chocolate. Using both hands he smeared the warm liquid across her tits. As she continued to move up and down he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her breasts down to his mouth. Her continual pounding was working Chakotay into a frenzy. He was frantic to feel all of her. He ran his face back and forth across her chest until his face was covered with chocolate. When her nipple passed across his lips he violently pulled it into his mouth and sucked. The harder he sucked the faster she moved. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was telling himself to be careful. But the minute he switched to the other nipple and sucked she cried out his name along with the word harder. Chakotay held back no more. He clamped his hands down on her hips and clamped his lips down on her tit. He sucked as hard as he could while he frantically pumped her up and down on his cock. He saw her head roll back at the same moment he felt her muscles clench around his busting cock. He thrust his hips into the air slamming his dick into her one last time as his seed poured out of him. When his hips stopped bucking she collapsed on his heaving chest. They both lay in silence as they struggled to breathe.

After awhile Kathryn came to her senses. "We're going to have recycle these sheets."

Chakotay lifted his head and looked around. "I think you're right." Even though they both agreed neither of them moved. "What'd you think about what Will said?"

"He said a lot of things."

"I mean when he said that none of the reasons for staying apart exist anymore."

Kathryn leaned up on her elbow so that she could see his face. "This sneaking around thing has worked pretty well for five years. Are you saying you want to make an honest woman out of me?"

Chakotay rolled onto his side so that they were facing each other. "Yes. I guess I am."

Kathryn smiled coyly. "Why Captain Chakotay are you proposing?"

Chakotay reached out and pushed back one piece of errant hair that had fallen across her face. "Yes. I am. Admiral Janeway, would you marry me?"

"Chakotay I believe you may have just saved my life." His brows rose in question at her response. "I was a little worried about going home after missing Christmas yet again and breaking the news to my mother."

Now Chakotay was thoroughly confused. "What news, Kathryn?"

Kathryn reached out and took his hand. "Now I can tell her I'm getting married," she moved his hand until it rested on her stomach, "before I tell her she is going to be a grandmother."

In another part of the ship the weary Captain slipped into his bed beside his wife. As soon as the bed shifted she woke. "Is everything okay?"

He pulled her close to him. "Yes. It turned out to be some faulty wiring. Once we found it, after two hours of looking, it took about fifteen minutes to fix." Will turned to the side and kissed his wife. "I'm glad you woke up. I've been thinking about you eating dessert all night. You were driving me crazy you know." He captured her mouth once again.

She pushed on his shoulders to end the kiss. "What about the bet? I believe you owe me something." Deanna licked her lips as she stared into her husband's eyes.

It took a second for Will to relent. He threw back the covers. "All right."

Deanna sat up and pulled her nightgown over her head exposing her large breasts. She raised her hands to her nipples and began to squeeze. Will was mesmerized. Deanna continued to roll her nipples between her thumb and forefinger. "Will, the chocolate."

Will jumped out of bed and ran to the replicater while Deanna shivered in anticipation.