Harry stood uncertainly before the doors to the Commander's quarters. Both Chakotay and the Captain had been putting in long hours lately, and he hated to bother either one of them. Though the distress call that night had been the first external event in weeks, things aboard ship were slightly more eventful. Feuding department heads, squabbles over supply and power allocations, and general boredom were enough to keep the commanding officers busy at all hours trying to come up with solutions for a crew with cabin fever.
Unfortunately, regulations were specific. The notification of the CO or XO was required when entering into a potential first contact situation, and by answering this distress call, that's exactly what they were doing. With that in mind, the young ensign sighed and pressed the door chime.
After a few moments, a low, groggy voice came over the comm. "Who is it?"
"Ensign Kim, Commander. Something's come up."
Another pause. "Come in, Harry."
The doors opened, and Harry walked in just as Chakotay was emerging from the bedroom, clad in gym shorts that had seen better days and an open terry cloth robe. He slid a hand through his sleep-tousled hair and yawned. "Since there aren't Red Alert alarms blaring, can I assume this isn't an emergency?" he asked.
Harry smiled slightly. "No sir, no emergency. But we've changed course to answer a distress call."
"Ah. In other words, I can forget about sleeping for the rest of the night." Chakotay grinned, somewhat sleepily, to take the sting out of the words. "Okay. Guess you'd better bring me up to speed while I get dressed." He turned and disappeared back into the bedroom, where Harry heard a quick, if muffled exchange of words. Then Chakotay called out, "All right, we're all decent."
Harry smirked slightly and approached the bedroom, where he propped himself up against the doorframe. The lump still occupying Chakotay's bed stirred slightly, and Harry couldn't resist. "Good morning, Captain," he offered cheerfully.
"That's a matter of opinion, Ensign," she muttered. Her head emerged from the cocoon she'd wrapped herself in. "What's going on?"
Harry explained the situation to both of them and even offered his opinion on courses of action.
Chakotay, dressed only in uniform pants and a tank top, was rummaging in the dresser for something, but paused and glanced back at the bed, surprised to find Kathryn Janeway silent and unmoving. "You mean you're not going to join in on this, Kathryn?" he teased before finally finding the object of his search, his turtleneck. He tugged it on quickly, then went about donning socks and boots before grabbing his jacket, comm badge, and rank bar.
"No," came the muffled reply. "We're not being shot at, invaded, or eaten. You can handle it just fine, Commander. I'll see you when my shift starts, and not a moment before. Now go away. I'm trying to sleep." Then there was a pause. "You too, Ensign Kim. And get that grin off your face."
Harry nearly jumped. The woman was spooky sometimes. "Yes ma'am," he said quickly, trying to smother his wide smirk even as Chakotay laughed.
"Come on, Harry. Let's go. The captain hasn't had any coffee since after dinner, so you're fortunate she's been even this polite. I don't want to sleep alone for the next week," he teased.
The two men turned to go, but not before the captain fired off one sleepy parting shot. "Don't tempt me, Commander..."
The doors closed on Chakotay's laugh and Harry's undignified snort.
Commander Chakotay slid into bed and tugged the covers up, then settled onto his back with a sigh. A slim arm slid across his chest, and soft, warm lips brushed his ear. He smiled and rolled onto his side, gathering Kathryn Janeway in his arms. "We've got to stop meeting like this," he teased, lifting one small hand and pressing a kiss to her palm.
She chuckled. "I know. My First Officer is bound to find out one of these days."
With a startled cry, she found herself beneath Chakotay's body, his grinning face centimeters above hers. "Too late. He just did." With that, he leaned down and gave her a proper kiss.
They parted breathlessly, and the effect was spoiled only by Chakotay's sudden, jaw-cracking yawn. Kathryn shook her head and reached up, patting him on the cheek. "Maybe we should continue this in the morning."
He sighed, then rolled to his side, pulling her with him to mirror their previous position. "It's been a long, long day," he said tiredly.
She laced her fingers through his where they rested on her abdomen. "I know. Even longer for you than for me, and I'm exhausted. Go to sleep, Chakotay."
They were quiet for a time, and Janeway was just beginning to drift off to sleep when Chakotay spoke. "If Harry drops by in the middle of the night again..." he said quietly, his voice trailing off.
"He can stay out there?" she offered sleepily.
Another yawn. "Yeah."
Kathryn smiled, then snuggled closer, her eyelids closing of their own volition.
Behind her, Chakotay's breathing pattern had evened and slowed in the depths of slumber. She soon followed him, drifting off into the warmth and peacefulness of the moment, knowing that in the Delta Quadrant, moments like this were few and far between.