This one was written in response to the Drabble Prompt Challenge on Facebook, but as a drabble is less than 500 words, it didn't qualify. And, it captured too much to be edited.

John Carter 'ER' – I'm just saying there's a risk in anything you do, right? But don't you want to stack the odds in your favour? I mean, I'm drawn to you. It's kind of that simple. I've been drawn to you for two years, but chaos always seems to rule, and I don't want it to rule. I want to know where it's taking me.

- J/C - Resolutions, right before the beam out -

It always seemed like Tuvok had the worst timing.

Just when they were getting somewhere in their relationship, their first one outside of a command structure, that damn Vulcan just had to ruin all of his hard work and hail them in the middle of a conversation.

So, there he found himself, back in uniform and surrounded once again by their deconstructed camp, trying not to stare at her.

'You know what, I have to say this.'

She turned to look at him, really look at him, for the first time since she re-pinned that damn commbadge back on her chest. 'Say what, Chakotay?'

'Why can't we just take the risk? I mean, there's a risk in everything you do, right?' he asked, the words tumbling out of his mouth. 'Don't you want to stack the odds in our favour? I'm drawn to you, you know that, especially after the other night. I've been drawn to you for two years, ever since I materialised on your Bridge and you stole that damn interrupting Vulcan back. I've been drawn to you since then, but chaos always seems to rule, and while I don't overly mind that, I want to know where the chaos is taking me.

'I want the chaos to be taking us together, side by side.'

'Oh Chakotay,' she sighed. 'We will always be side by side, facing the chaos together, on the Bridge like we always do.'

'You don't get it, do you?' he threw his hands up in the air. 'I don't want it to just be about our command relationship; I want to have a real relationship with you. One where we fight, but get to make up the fun way afterwards; one where I'll always come back to quarters that aren't cold and empty and lonely, but warm and inviting and shared with you. I want to have that relationship, can't you see?'

'I can't give you that!' she all but shouted back at him, putting her hands firmly on her hips. 'I'm engaged, remember? Plus, there are all types of regulations against fraternisation and the like, especially between commanding officers; and I couldn't do that to the crew. What if we broke up and it ended badly? What then?'

'Kathryn, the kind of relationship I want with you is one I can't see ending.' He stepped up to her and placed his hands over hers on her hips. 'Yes, we'll fight, and yes, it'll get messy; but you'll talk to Tuvok, and I'll talk to B'Elanna, and we'll release our frustrations on holodeck exercise programs. But we'll still come back to each other.

'It could work,' he finished with a whisper. 'You just need to give us a chance.'

She looked into his eyes and sighed heavily, taking the moment to think.

'I'm sorry,' she sighed heavily. 'I just can't do that to the crew.'

His face dropped immediately and he stepped back, letting go of her and standing a respectful distance away from her. 'I see.'

She raised her eyes to meet his for a moment, her intense gaze holding his before turning forward. 'I'm sorry,' she whispered again as he fell into step beside her, and she cast a gaze around their broken-down camp to make sure they hadn't forgotten to stow anything.

'Janeway to Voyager,' she tapped her commbadge, her gaze resolutely forward. 'Two to beam up.'

They never spoke of that conversation again, their personal relationship doomed to fail for the foreseeable future.