Disclaimer: I own nothing Star Trek related. I just borrow the toys for a while and then give them back relatively unharmed or maimed...

The Doctor

As soon as they came into sickbay, I was too busy with treatment to enquire after their emotional conditions and how they had coped with being stranded. The captain was shaking with anger over Tuvok disobeying her command and the commander was in a similarly black mood. I understood that the captain felt Tuvok betrayed her but in all honesty, I thought that they should be more grateful. We risked everything to get them back, Tuvok by ignoring her and the other officers by pushing him to do so.

It took a long time for them to appreciate our efforts.

Kes

I feel so guilty. Whatever happened on that planet, we had no right to interfere with it. I helped the Doctor with their treatment and I spent the whole time avoiding Chakotay's eyes. He looked devastated, there is no other word for it. Neelix and I did discuss the possibility that they could become closer if forced to stay together for the rest of the lives. No one else has noticed though, being so relieved to have them back. I could talk to the captain but I just wouldn't know what to say.

I suppose 'sorry' would be a start.

Tom

As we stood on the bridge swelling with pride at our own initiative, I couldn't have felt happier. We'd brought them home.

The captain marched onto the bridge, smiled thinly and began to bark orders like she had never been away. Chakotay followed silently, as always. We were so full of ourselves that it took a while to notice that they weren't talking. He would normally lean in his chair and they would whisper as though conspiring. Not today though.

Silence reigned.

They must have really pissed each other off down there.

Looks like we got there just in time.

Tuvok

The captain has been disconcertingly lenient with my punishment. I disobeyed a direct order yet she saw fit to give me a verbal warning. She has not been herself since she returned with the commander. On the evening of their return, I sat with her in her quarters. To a casual acquaintance she would appear jovial but I knew better. I had never before seen the look in her eyes. It was as though she was a prisoner, looking for an escape.

I left her quarters having come to the odd conclusion that we may have made a terrible mistake.

B'Elanna

Jackson was on duty when they beamed back up. I couldn't be there to greet them so I asked him to let me know if they looked OK. He said that physically they were fine but practically ignored each other, as though the half meter gap between them was actually the size of the one between us and home.

I saw Chakotay that night, pacing the corridors at three in the morning. He looked like hell. I thought he was ill. I enveloped him in my arms and he sighed.

My big brother was dying and I didn't know why.

Neelix

It boosted the morale of the crew beyond the norm to have the command team back on the bridge. I never truly believed that we would abandon them, although it did get close to the knuckle sometimes. The captain was in the mess hall late on the day of their return and I filled her in on all the news. It was touching; she was so glad to be back that she was practically crying.

I have never known a leader so attached to her troops that she can shed a tear of relief at being amongst them once more.

Harry

Now we've rescued them, we're back to trivial ship problems. When I was fixing the replicator system last week, I checked the records of a few people to make sure it was working properly; mine, Tom's and Chakotay's.

The damn thing was still broken, because apparently all Chakotay had ordered in two weeks was old fashioned cider. If there is one person on this ship who would not drink himself stupid, it's Chakotay. I mentioned it to him that night over a game of pool in Sandrine's, but for some reason, he didn't get the irony as much as me.