Love through a Child's Eyes

By Meg, Starna, Becca & Louise

Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Paramount unfortunately owns everything Star Trek.
Summary: This is in answer to a challenge from JetC14, write a story about a blind date!
(Author's note: the bits in Italics are Naomi's additions)

Naomi Wildman was sitting in the Mess Hall, trying to read the datapadd the Doctor had given her. However she couldn't concentrate on the information because she waiting in anticipation of Neelix taking her to the holodeck, so she could use one of her story programs.

She looked up as Seven and Tom walked in. They grab something to eat and sat down at the table next to where she was sitting.

She decided that the conversation between Seven and Tom would be decidedly more interesting than anything the Doctor could give her. So she edged closer to them so she could hear what they were saying.

"Ensign, please explain what is the nature of the relationship between the Captain and the Commander" said Seven.

"Seven, have you seen something that I don't know about?" asked Tom edging forward.

"I have been observing the Commander for sometime now and have noticed that his reactions towards the Captain differ from the rest of the crew."

Tom sighed, "I think that it's just the nature of their relationship."

"Explain?"

"They're the command staff, they can't afford to get too close to the rest of the crew. They have to rely on each other."

"So it is simply a close friendship!"

"Pretty much."

Naomi looked up as she heard Neelix leave the kitchen.

"Are you all ready?" he asked her.

"Yes" she replied, putting down the datapadd and storing the conversation away in her mind for future reference.

Sandrines was crewed that night, and Naomi found herself with the undivided attention on Sandrine herself. Sandrine had a soft spot for all the members of the crew, but especially for Naomi, and tonight had allowed her behind the bar.

Naomi was thinking about what she had overheard earlier. She had always been told that one of the best people to ask questions to was Tuvok so when he walked over to the bar, she decided to ask him some questions.

"Mr Tuvok, how much does it cost to get close to someone?" Naomi asked.

Tuvok looked slightly puzzled. The question is illogical, please explain."

Naomi looked round the room saw her mother talking to the Captain, then whispered "I heard someone say they can't afford to get close, and I thought I could help them so they can."

Tuvok thought for a moment, unsure of what to tell Naomi. He assumed she was referring to her mother and Joe Carey, who were as the ships rumor mill had it, seeing each other. He glanced at Sandrine who was looking slightly amused.

"It does not cost anything, Mon Cheri" Sandrine laughed. Naomi looked confused.

"But if it doesn't cost anything, why can't they get close?"

"Sometimes when two people work together, they don't have the luxury of telling each other how they feel. The only thing stopping them from "getting close" is protocol." Tuvok explained.

"Protocol?"

"Protocol is that nasty thing that Mr Tuvok here insists is necessary to run this ship," Sandrine said.

"Protocol," Tuvok said, ignoring Sandrine, "is that set of rules which govern behavior for specific occasions. We must abide by the rules in order to ensure the smooth running of the ship."

Just then, Neelix called out to Tuvok, taking him away from Sandrine and Naomi.

"Don't you listen to the stuffy Vulcan," Sandrine said conspiritaly. "If two people are in love, then you should do everything that you can to help them get together."

"But how? If they think that they can't . . ."

"Then you have to show them how."

Naomi walked with trepidation along Voyager's corridor, as she headed towards the Captain quarters, datapadd in hand. Nervously, she rang the buzzer.

"Come in," the Captain's voice came through.

The door slid open.

"Naomi?" Kathryn seemed surprised by the identity of her guest. "What can I do for you?"

"Captain, I was asked to give you this letter, and to wait for you to write a response," she said.

"Who by?" Kathryn asked, taking the padd.

"I was told not to say."

Kathryn nodded. She read the padd, hiding her astonishment at its contents.

Kathryn

I wish there were an easier way to say this

But there isn't

Everything that we are forbids it

Yet I can't help but find myself thinking of you

The way I know I can't

Forgive me

Kathryn read over the letter, her mind racing. She had some ideas, but this was so. . .

"You want a reply?" she asked Naomi.

"Yes please."

Kathryn smiled and started to write. When she had finished, she handed the padd back to Naomi.

"Thank you Captain," the young girl said.

As she walked down the corridor, Naomi realized the she and Sandrine would have to make a few minor adjustments.

Chakotay looked over his report. Everything seemed in order. Now, if he . . .

"Excuse me Commander."

Chakotay looked up. Naomi was standing before him, a padd in hand.

"Can I help you Naomi?"

"Commander, I was asked to give you this and to wait for a reply. And I'm not allowed to say who it s from."

Chakotay took the padd and read it.

Chakotay

I wonder about you

Do you spend your time thinking of me?

Do I enter your thoughts?

And I allow my mind to wonder

Would you ease the loneliness?

Are my feelings allowed?

Chakotay smiled to himself. Well, it could be interesting.

Over the next few days, the message flew back and fourth. Had anyone been paying attention, they would have noticed that Naomi was spending an awful lot of time on the holodeck running the Sandrines program. But no one did.

Kathryn,

It is easy to feel alone out here

Easy to feel the cold

I know

I've felt it

As you do too

Take comfort in remembering

I am here

Chakotay,

Who are you

To control me so?

Why does my heart flutter as I write?

Is it nerves?

If so, why?

Who are you?

Kathryn

You flatter me so

I am he that waits for your notes

Suddenly my state of being

depends on a child

and her call makes me feel

like a child.

Almost Ironic

Chakotay

I have often found

that in matters of the heart

the child inside rules

SO in a way, it makes sense

that a child should carry

the affairs of the heart

Kathryn

On a ship this small

we depend so much on each other

yet I often find that there is no one

but I think there is you.

Shall we meet?

Chakotay

Shall we meet?

I have no doubt we do daily.

Do I watch you?

How should I know what you feel?

Yes.

Holodeck 2 - 19.00hours

Chakotay was the first to arrived at the holodeck, he entered and was greeted by Sandrine and Naomi. Chakotay looked around the holodeck and notice that a lot of care was taken in setting this up. There was a table which had been setup for a romantic dinner, the lights were low, in fact most of the light seemed to be coming from the candles on the table itself. Soft romantic music was being played in the background. None of the usual holocharacters were to be seen.

Naomi moved forward to greet him. "Commander Chakotay, we're glad that you came early. To keep the other person's identity a secret to the last minute, could you please put this blindfold on? Either Sandrine or myself will tell you when it's okay to remove it."

Chakotay looked at Naomi with a slight smile on his face saying, "Alright, might as well keep the mystery going." He placed the blindfold over his eyes.

Sandrine walks up to him and takes him by the arm. As she led him to one side of the table she whispers in his ear, "Commander, this is one mystery which I know you will enjoy solving."

Kathryn arrived at the holodeck right on time and was greeted by Naomi. "Captain I'm so glad that you were able to make it. I was wondering if you would please put this blindfold on so that the other person's identity is kept a secret till the appropriate time?"

Kathryn looked at Naomi and the blindfold which Naomi is holding. Kathryn decides that there really wouldn't be any harm in playing along, so she reached for the blindfold and puts it around her eyes.

Naomi took the Captain by the arm and led her into the holodeck.

Naomi and Sandrine position Kathryn and Chakotay in front of each other and when they were happy with everything, told them to take the blindfolds off.

Kathryn was dying to know who it was who was sending her those notes over the last week, as she carefully untied the blindfold and refocused her eyes, her eyes fell straight onto her First Officer, Chakotay. The first emotion that Kathryn felt was panic and wanted to turn around and leave the holodeck. She couldn't handle a romantic dinner with her First Officer at this time - in fact she really couldn't handle it anytime. But then she realize that this whole situation was organized by Naomi and despite how uncomfortable she was feeling at that time she couldn't hurt Naomi by leaving.

When Chakotay took his blind fold off he looked directly at his Captain and best friend. But most importantly the women whom he has loved from afar for a long time.

Chakotay watched as a number of different emotions crossed Kathryn's face. First shock then fear, he also thought that he saw regret but it was only there for a short period of time. Finally he saw about what he wasn't sure but one thing he need was if this whole thing wasn't organize by Naomi that Kathryn would have left the holodeck by now.

Naomi and Sandrine looked at their two guests and decided to get things going. Naomi said, "Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay, thank you for coming. I have noticed that you never seemed to have the chance to spend time together without there being some sort of ship business. So basically what this is, is a chance for you to spend time together without being the Captain and Commander. Sandrine and I will be your hosts and I hope that you will enjoy the evening. If there is anything that you require, then please let us know."

Janeway looked at Chakotay and then turned back towards Naomi and smiled, "Thank you Naomi and Sandrine for organizing this. I'm sure that the Commander and I will have a relaxing time tonight."

Sandrine walked up to both of them and said, "One other thing, as Naomi said, tonight there are no ranks. You are just Kathryn and Chakotay." Sandrine then took one more look at Chakotay and winked at him and smiled.

Chakotay realized that Naomi and Sandrine had given him an opportunity to break down the barriers that both he and Kathryn had built up over the years with regards to their feelings for each other.

He walked over the one of the chairs and pulled it out from the table and indicated to Kathryn to sit down. Kathryn smiled at him and sat in the chair. Chakotay then walked to the other chair and sat down.

Naomi and Sandrine observed all of this and decided that things were going well and went about the rest of their preparations for the evening.

Kathryn looked at Chakotay and said, "I think that the best thing to do is to just play along with them."

"Sound fine. How about we just forget about how this was organize and just enjoy a quiet evening together, we haven't done something like this in a long time," said Chakotay.

Kathryn smiled and nodded her head in agreement as Naomi came to the table with their first course for the evening.

After the meal and talking to each other about almost anything for awhile, Chakotay decided to ask Kathryn to dance. "Would you care to dance?"

"I love too." Chakotay led Kathryn to the dance floor and they started to dance to the music which Sandrine had playing in the background.

Sandrine and Naomi watched all of this from their advantage spot. Sandrine looked at Naomi and said, "I think Mom Cheri that we have succeed in showing the Captain and Commander that they can be close without the ship breaking apart. Now we are just going to have to leave it up to them to see if they will take it any further. It's also time for you, young lady, to go to bed."

"Can't I stay a little longer and watch a bit more?"

"No, it's bed time. Come on, let's go."

Sandrine led Naomi to the holodeck doors and gave her a kiss goodnight. Naomi gave Sandrine a hug and thanked her for all her help with organizing tonight and then said goodnight and headed back to her quarters.

Kathryn and Chakotay were still talking and dancing, not noticing anything that was happening around them.

It was well pass midnight when Kathryn and Chakotay said goodnight to each other. Just before Kathryn walked into her quarters, Chakotay said, "Kathryn I really enjoyed tonight, it was nice to see Kathryn and not just Captain Janeway for one night. Goodnight."

Kathryn realized that she was able to be herself tonight with Chakotay and she totally enjoyed herself and realized that she wanted it to continue. The only problem was, if they were to continue the way they were going tonight then she would be breaking all of the protocols which she based her life on.

She walked up to Chakotay and touched his cheek and said, "I enjoy myself also and I would like to do something like it again and soon. But only if you would like too." She then kissed him on the cheek and entered her quarters.

Chakotay remained there, in shock, and slowly realized what Kathryn said. He entered his quarters and went to his terminal and started planning his next date with Kathryn.

Kathryn once in her quarters walked over to her terminal and sat down and sent the following message.

To: The Captains Assistant

Naomi,

Thank you for tonight and teaching me that

protocol is not always the best thing to live

your life by.

Kathryn Janeway.

 

The End.

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