Paramount owns the characters. They own the ship, the quadrant, the moon, the stars, and the sun...oh sorry I got carried away there. NO infringement is intended. I have nothing of value if you sue; I will however part with a cat or two. 

I’m rating this R for drunk and disorderly. 

I’m dedicating this to Mary W. She asked for this, hope you like Mary.

Did I Really Say That?

By: Willow
willow_v@yahoo.com

Harry stood on the hilltop looking over the valley. He hadn’t seen anything this breathtaking since that last night with Seven. He’d never seen her unclothed before and the memory was doing things to his body that he didn’t want to explain to B’Elanna or the Commander, so he stopped that train of thought right where it was. "Oh, boy, Kim. You need to keep your thoughts anywhere, but there."

B’Elanna was proud of herself. The new drilling apparatus was working like a charm. Day 10 and everything was progressing as planned. The inhabitants were helpful and kind. She thought back to the previous night and thought about how helpful they were. The President’s daughter had decided that Chakotay was on the menu and had damn near eaten him alive. B’Elanna looked around for Harry and spotted him up the hill.

"Hey, Starfleet, what’s on your mind?" She made her way up the hill to join her friend. "Wow, what a view."

"Yeah, it’s great. How’s the drill working?" He was changing the subject away from his thoughts.

"Just like it was designed to. Now stop evading the question."

Harry sighed. "I was thinking about home."

"Kind of reminds me of Earth, too. I didn’t see it very often, but this place has definite similarities." She took in the view again.

"Earth? Oh, yeah I suppose." That’s when Harry really noticed the terrain.

"You meant Voyager, didn’t you?" Harry nodded. "When did that happen?"

"I don’t know. It was gradual I guess. Little by little Voyager became home. Isn’t it for you?"

She linked her arm through his leading him back down the hill. "It’s the only one I’ve ever known, Starfleet."

They made it back to, what they referred to as, the hotel. It was actually a residence that was empty, but had room service and maid service. Over ten days they had enjoyed it immensely. Chakotay had just closed the channel to Voyager and had a Cheshire cat grin on his face.

"What has you so happy, Chakotay?"

He realized he’d been grinning, but couldn’t seem to wipe it from his face. "I just spoke to Voyager. I gave our report to them and let them know it would be another four days." He was still grinning.

"You mean you spoke to the Captain."

"Watch it Lieutenant Torres. You wouldn’t want to be put on report." Chakotay raised an eyebrow at her.

"I’ll tell you what, Commander, you cut the crap and I won’t tell the Captain what happened last night." B’Elanna raised her eyebrow back. Chakotay went ashen. Harry went into the kitchen.

"Let’s call a truce and get something to eat." Harry the peacemaking held up the menu. They looked at him and both smiled.

"Sounds good. B’Elanna how much longer on the collection?" Friendship back in tact they went to the kitchen and leaned on the counter with Harry to look at the menu.

"It probably won’t take more than another day. How did it go at the gardens?"

Chakotay paled again. "It would have been fine except Anara was there." Harry and B’Elanna both looked up.

"Well, what happened?" Harry couldn’t believe he had asked that.

"I don’t think I want to go into that." Chakotay reached for the menu.

B’Elanna ripped it away and ran across the room. "Oh, no, old man, you aren’t getting any dinner until you answer the question." Harry couldn’t help the smile that started creeping across his face.

Chakotay looked at him. "You aren’t going to help me are you, Harry?" By using his name Harry understood they were off duty.

"No sir, I’m not. What happened?"

"Let’s get dinner, then I’ll tell you." They nodded their agreement. Just as he was about to take the menu from B’Elanna she ripped it away again.

"The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, right?"

"Yes, you targ."

They ate dinner on the patio and managed to finish two bottles of what the inhabitants called wine. Unfortunately, the alcohol content was a bit higher and the three were laughing hysterically at B’Elanna’s description of the Doctor trying to master the Bat’leth.

Harry reached over for the third bottle and popped the cork refilling everyone’s glass. "So, Chakotay, what happened at the garden’s today?"

He blushed deeply. "I don’t know what the problem is with the women of this planet, but they are horny as hell."

Laughter filled the patio again. "You didn’t oblige her did you, Commander?"

"Come on Harry, call me Chakotay. And no I didn’t, but Kathryn is going to have her work cut out for her when we get back." The stunned look on the other two faces was the first indication that he may have said too much. "Did I really say that?"

The stunned looks turned into incredulous laughter. "Yes, Chakotay you did and... if we had... any questions about your... relationship with the Captain..." Harry’s laughter took over and he couldn’t finish.

The glasses were drained again and likewise refilled. The laughter died down and the three companions drank another glass.

"I think we’re drunk." Harry looked at his two friends and decided. "Yep, we’re drunk." Then he started grinning. "Most likely we won’t remember any of this tomorrow, right?"

"Nope." In unison.

"Ok, most embarrassing moment since we came to the Delta quadrant." He looked at B’Elanna.

"Hey why do I have to go first?"

"You’re the only girl." Chakotay was flushed with the effects of the wine and enjoying himself very much.

She smacked him in the arm. "Ok, let’s see... hmmmm."

"Come on, come on."

She shot a look at Chakotay. "Shut up and let me think. Oh, I know." She seemed almost excited she was about to reveal this. "Remember when we were overhauling the power couplings in Jefferies Tubes 14 and 19?"

"Yes."

"I was working at the junction between the coupling and the gel pack. The spanner slipped and I punctured the pack. The shit squirted everywhere including on me. I had taken my jacket off so it was all over my tank top. I decided to take the top off and just wear the jacket, so..."

"You didn’t?"

"Yes, Starfleet I did and that particular day I wasn’t wearing a bra. As soon as the top was off Vorik came around the corner." She started giggling again. "Boy was I busted, pardon the pun."

"When was this?"

"It was right about... Oh by Kahless. It was right before he melded with me and started the whole pon far thing."

The men started laughing. Harry spoke, "So you think it was the sight of your chest that started the whole thing?" This sent Chakotay to the stone patio in laughter. He was lying on the ground wishing he’d nailed B’Elanna with that line.

"Ok, ok, ok, get up old man and tell us yours."

Wiping the tears away, Chakotay got up and took his chair. "I don’t know if I can top that." He started thinking. "Most embarrassing moment... All right, but you can’t tell Kathryn. Understood?"

They nodded. "It was while we were on New Earth." This brought disbelieving stares. Neither he nor the Captain ever spoke about their time there. "She was bathing one night and heard a noise in the trees. She called me out, of course I went. When I got out there and shined the light into the trees it was a primate."

He stopped remembering the moment. "Don’t tell me that’s it?"

"No." Still stalling wondering if it was such a good idea to be telling them this. "What the hell. Kathryn wasn’t wearing anything, but a towel. Let’s just say a certain part of my anatomy took notice."

"Did she notice?" B’Elanna was biting back a smile.

"Would this be my most embarrassing moment if she didn’t?"

Letting the giggle escape. "No I guess it wouldn’t."

Harry was quiet and they finally stopped teasing each other and looked at him. He was very serious. "Chakotay, may I ask a very personal question?"

"Sure, Harry, but I may not answer."

Gaining a thoughtful look on his face Harry looked at him. "How long have you loved the Captain?"

"Good question, Harry." B’Elanna looked at her friend.

"I don’t think that’s something I should answer." Their eyes pleaded with him and with the excitement of the new relationship and the wine he gave in. "My whole life I’ve been searching for something. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was until we were brought here to the Delta quadrant. I thought I knew myself and what I wanted, then I saw her and everything made sense. So, I would have to say I loved her from almost the beginning."

B’Elanna had her elbows on the table and her chin rested in her hands listening like a child to a bedtime story. Harry’s eyes were misty and his expression content. This was why Voyager was home - these people and this feeling of contentment. Harry quietly excused himself and went to his bedroom, keying in the code for the door lock, he crawled in bed.

It was Chakotay that realized Harry had left before revealing his most embarrassing moment. "I’ll be damned. He suckered us both." He and B’Elanna looked at each other and laughed.

Fin