Jailhouse Bride

" Oh God , it was sleazy , wasn't it ? " Her cheeks grew hot remembering laying face down across her desk with Chakotay’s hands gripping her hips and twisted in her uniform jacket. Grunting lustily as he pumped into her.

" And we both loved it . " He was a little ashamed of how roughly he’d treated her , but only a little .

" We’ll have to make up a more romantic story to tell our children . "

" We’ll have plenty of time to think of something . "

" At least a year . "

" Ten months , two weeks , and six days . "

It was Kathryn's turn to raise her eyebrows . " You were around Tuvok too long . "

" Just being precise . I'm ex-Starfleet now , but old habits die hard . "

" You’re too good for Starfleet anyway . " Starfleet didn't deserve you. Hell, they didn’t deserve me.

" You know ... " He rubbed his fingers over the scarred tabletop . " They allow conjugal visits . "

" Conjugal visits ? "

" For married inmates . "

" We’re not – " Her heart seemed to pause between beats .

" We could be . If you wanted . " His love was there raw and exposed for her to see. " If you still want to be with me when – "

" Of course I want to be with you ! Being in prison doesn't change my feelings for you . "

" Then you'll marry me ? "

" Yes, oh yes ! " She buried her face in her hands as the tears started again . "This is wrong . It's all so wrong. "

" I'm sorry . I wanted it to be perfect and romantic , but this is what we have . " He raised his hand to the edge of the force field . " Marry me , Kathryn . "

She held her hand as close to his as she could . The energy tingled down her fingers into her arm . " Yes. "

" Then they'll let us touch . And make love . " The energy crawling over his skin forced him to pull his hand down .

" You just want in my pants again ! " She accused .

" I can't lie . " He grinned . " Once just whetted my appetite . "

" Can’t you wait ? "

" No. " His heart flipped over as she smiled that crooked smile he loved so much .

" You waited seven years and now you can't wait ten months ? "

" Ten months , two weeks , and – "

" Six days ! I know , I know ! " She laughed . " But here ? In this ugly place ? "

" They won't make us do it here on the table , Kathryn .”

" Not that we haven't done something like that already . "

" All the matters is that we’ll be together , and it will be beautiful . "

" I hate to think of you in here . " Her bottom lip trembled . " Locked in . "

" Kathryn – “

" Chakotay , it's horrible here . "

What could he say ? Prison was supposed to be horrible . It was all his fault they had to sit here with a force field separating them. " There’s a picnic in a month . Inmates can have in a family member or two.”

" For inmates on good behavior . "

" Well, if a certain inmate can behave for the next 30 days ... "

" A certain inmate should stop being so stubborn . " Kathryn agreed . " But the picnic is for family members . "

" A spouse is a family member . "

" Fiancée. "

" Fiancée. " Chakotay sighed . " Stubborn. "

" Contrary. " She smiled . " We’ll be able to touch , huh ? "

" Yes. " The black velvet eyes lit up . " Once I have my hands on you , no doubt I’ll be dragging you off into the bushes to rape you . "

" So much for good behavior ! " She laughed .

" As long as I get a little before they pull me off of you . "

" I wish I'd had the courage to give in on New Earth . "

" I wish I'd had the courage to crawl in your bed with you one night . Or in your bathtub . "

" Why didn't you ? " She missed that bathtub .

" I thought we had forever . If I'd known Tuvok would finally become a Maquis and disobey orders , I’d have been a little pushier. "

" I wonder what would have happened if you had? " She'd wondered for the past five years , but never had the courage ask . " Could we have went back to Voyager as lovers or would we have tried to pretend it never happened ? "

" It would be like it is now , Kathryn . " He shook his head . " There’s no going back . Before , my body and soul yearned for yours . Now, it screams out for you . "

" Mine too . " She missed him terribly every moment of the day and the nights were torture . " Chakotay , forgive me for making you wait . "

" I forgave you a long time ago . You are the way you are . "

" Stubborn, obstinate , stupid – " Kathryn ticked off her qualities on her fingers .

" Frightened and unsure. " Chakotay countered .

" How could you even stand me ? "

" He smiled . " ‘If I judged you , I would never have loved you’.”

" Who said that ? "

" One of your saints , Mother Teresa . "

Kathryn laughed . " And you've shown patience worthy of a saint. "

" Up until the end . "

" Chakotay – “

" I need to say it , Kathryn . " Chakotay tugged at his ear as he tried to put his thoughts together . " I tried to lie to myself at first . Told myself her innocence was what attracted me . The thought that she'd never been with a man – well it's an exciting thought for a man . "

" You had a right to be happy , even if it was with someone else . " Remember what you get for lying, Kathryn .

" I wasn't trying to be happy . I wanted to hurt you. I knew you’d be hurt if I dated any woman on Voyager . But Seven ? " He ducked his head in shame . " I knew that would hurt you the most . She was your protégé, your child almost . " His voice faded to a whisper . " It was the worst betrayal. "

" Chakotay , I've already forgiven you . Although ... "

" What? "

" You were supposed to be by my side when we came home . " She pouted .

" Don’t do that when I can't kiss you . "

" If I marry you here…” The leap of joy in his eyes made Kathryn smile. “Can we have another ceremony later ? "

" Your mother is insisting on it . "

“You've talked to my mother ? " Her mother hadn’t said anything about talking to Chakotay.

" Well, I can't talk to your father to ask permission to court you . " He teased .

" You asked permission ? " Tears welled up in her eyes again . " That’s so old fashione d and sexist . And romantic . "

" That’s what she said when Tom gave her the gifts. "

" How come she gets gifts? Where's my gifts? "

" You’re looking at it. " Chakotay spread his arms out wide .

" You I've had . " She pouted again. “I need coffee.”

" It’s traditional to gift the parents of the woman being courted . "

" What did you give her ? " Kathryn still didn't think it was fair her mother got gifts.

" The material I found on Tarin – the blue shimmery stuff – I remembered you said she sews . And my rosebushes . "

" Your rosebushes? You pampered and nurtured those things for seven years ! " Her jaw dropped . "You wouldn't even let Kes touch them ! "

" They’re precious to me , but not as much as you . I also gave her Neelix’s edible recipes , including the one for his custard . "

" Was that for her or you ? " Kathryn rolled her eyes . " You and your sweet tooth . "

“You told me she loves to cook ! " He protested . " Why shouldn't she cook for me ?"

" She’ll make you fat in a month . "

A sexy smile spread across his face . " Guess you'll have to help me work it off . "

His dimples made her sigh . " Don't give me dimples now . Not when I can’t kiss you . "

" Say yes . " His smile widened . " We can get married at the picnic . That way your mother – “

" No! Bad enough I have to be married in a prison – I don't want her to see it ! Her bridge club must be giving her a hard enough time as it is. "

" Once they meet her charming son-in-law they'll forgive her for having an ex-con in the family . These dimples can charm any woman between 8 and 80 . "

" I'd call you conceited, but it's true . "

" Admiral Paris can pull a few strings and marry us tomorrow . What do you say ? "

" You think he will ? " Kathryn remembered how disappointed he'd looked as they discussed some of her decisions in the Delta Quadrant .

" He’s my sister’s father now . He'll do it . " Chakotay grinned. " B'Elanna will just hand him Miral and say ‘pretty please’. "

" B'Elanna saying ‘pretty please’ is a scary thought . " She laughed at that mental picture . " All right ! Tomorrow ! Jeez, I'm going to be a jailhouse bride. "

" Sounds like one of Tom's holodeck adventures ! "

" From Queen Arachnia to Jailhouse Bride . Quite a fall . "

" Your ring will have to wait , I can't give you one in here . "

" Me either . Unless you want to count the ankle bracelet . " She joked . " We'll go get them together in ten months , two weeks , and six days . "

" I could design something , I've got time . Something Keltic, maybe ? The circles remind me of the medicine wheel . "

" The knot for the cross ? "

Chakotay blinked . “There's a difference ? "

Kathryn giggled . For a change her ancient traditions had confused him . " Yes, sweetheart , there is . "

" Say it again . " He propped his chin up on his hand . " Call me sweetheart again ."

" Sweetheart. Honey, baby, sugar, and darlin’." She smiled as she raised her hand to the edge of the force field again . " I love you , Chakotay . "

" I love you , too , Kathryn . " He held his hand up to hers . Gritting his teeth, he forced his hand as close as he could, risking a shock from the field .

The door opened and the guard came in . " Time's up . "

With one last smile, Chakotay stood up and walked out . Kathryn sighed , wondering if she'd ever get used to his habit of not saying goodbye .

Outside , he stood in the sunshine for a minute . His heart was happy and sad at the same time . Was she outside ? Was Kathryn standing in the same sunshine ?

Turning her face up , Kathryn let the sun warm her skin . Seven years she'd spent trying to get home to stand in this sun . Was Chakotay standing in the same sunshine ?

A shuttle roared overhead . Looks like the Delta Flyer . Must be nice to have friends in high places .

" So, how'd it go ? " Tom leveled the Flyer out and headed for San Francisco .

" Looks like there's going to be a wedding tomorrow . "

" Congratulations! So why the long face ? "

" It isn't supposed to be this way , Tom . I should be the one in prison – look at the rules I’ve broken . The prime directive and the temporal prime directive – and that's just for starters . "

" Hey, I don't ask Fate why she does things . I just go with it. It’s worked pretty well so far . "

" We can't exchange rings . "

" There’ll be a ring . " Tom grinned. " It’ll just have pretty flashing lights on it . "

" Yeah, and that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation counted as a kiss , t oo.”

" When was that ? You never told anyone about actual lip contact . That was information I needed for the betting pool ! "

" ‘I was a jailhouse bride’. Now there's a wedding memory . "

" You know what they say , truth is stranger than fiction . " Tom looked thoughtful . "Hmm… great title for holonovel . "

" Take it , it’s yours . Tom , am I doing the right thing ? Or am I just being too horny for my own good ? "

" No such thing as being too horny – take it from a man who married a Klingon ."

" I have to get a white dress . It’s bad enough we have to get married with an ankle restraint for a wedding ring – there's going to be a white dress . "

" Hey relax , Chief . " Tom patted Chakotay on the shoulder . " We’ll find the dress , my dad will do the honors , and maybe he'll be able to get them to take the ankle restraint off for the wedding night . Although ... " He waggled his eyebrows suggestively . " Could be kinda fun . "

" Shut up , Tom . Just get us home , I've got a dress to buy." Chakotay said drily. He shook his head at the irony of it all ... the Maquis rebel goes free, while the Starfleet Captain goes to prison. Maybe he could put a file in the wedding cake.

" Hang on ! " Tom threw the Flyer into a tight spiral as they neared the California coast .

Chapter two:Just One Kiss

Thanks to SuzieQ for the wedding cake line!