Title: Guaranteed Delivery Author: Cait N. Series: VOY Pairing: C/7, J/C Rating: R Parts: 1/1 Feedback: Yes, please! caitn@mindspring.com Website: /~CaitN/voy/delivery.html Copyright June 2003 Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters not the words. Summary: Two months after Voyager returns to the Alpha Quadrant, Janeway and Chakotay are back to being close friends. But will all that change once Chakotay confesses his "problem" with Seven? - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - They were sharing coffee (and tea) and croissants at a small café near Starfleet Headquarters. Since Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant, Janeway and Chakotay had slipped back into their earlier, comfortable friendship. Truth be known, they were probably more comfortable with each other than they ever had been out in the Delta Quadrant; at least, when they skirted the issue of his relationship with Seven. Janeway wouldn't admit it, but that was still a wound that had yet to heal. No one knew about the dreams she had at night -- she'd wake in the morning to sweat-soaked sheets and a burning ache between her thighs. Chakotay had arranged the afternoon meeting, citing "something important" that he wanted to talk to her about. Once at the café, he seemed to be stalling, talking about the weather, his latest project, Janeway's promotion. Out of trivial subjects, he toyed with his napkin. "Out with it," Kathryn ordered in a fake stern voice. "We've become close, haven't we?" Chakotay asked. "Close enough to where I can tell you anything - anything - and it won't 'weird you out' as Naomi would say?" Kathryn frowned. It sounded serious indeed. She covered his hand with hers. "Chakotay, you can tell me anything." "Even if it involves Seven?" Ah, that was the real test. She sighed inwardly. She supposed if they were ever going to be real and true friends she'd have to hear details of him and Seven sooner or later. She'd made up her mind when she'd first learned of their relationship that she'd rather have Chakotay in her life as just a friend than not at all. But a part of her… "Yes, even if it involves Seven." "You remember postal workers?" Huh? Her mind must have wondered off and she'd missed something. "Postal workers? Mailmen?" "Yes, they delivered mail back in the days before PADDS and other innovations." "I remember them, but what do they have to do with your story?" She was really lost now. "They had an old saying." Chakotay mused, "Neither rain, nor snow, nor gloom of night will stay these couriers from the swift completion" - no, that wasn't his problem at all; his fe-*male* always got through before he did, and then went postal when he wanted to continue. His vacuous stare ate up the silence until she realized what he was saying. "Chakotay, pull yourself out of it!" Kathryn told him, snapping her fingers in front of his face. "I can't believe I'm about to say this," she muttered just under her breath. "So, Seven gets off before you do. What's the big deal?" "The big deal is that *I* would like to come for a change." She *really* didn't need that image in her head. "Just slow down." "Tried that." "Have you tried a different position?" "Kathryn," he sighed. "We've tried the 'Kama Sutra', '101 Ways to Prolong Sex', and 'Making Love, Not Sex'. We've tried anal sex, oral sex, tantric sex, frottage, bondage, foreplay, no foreplay. You name it, we've tried it, but nothing works. The only way to keep her from coming before I do is for me to not touch her at all. And even then sometimes she gets so worked up when she's blowing me, she starts squeezing her legs together, or rubbing herself, and comes anyway." Kathryn took a long drink of her coffee. "Is it hot in here? I think it's hot in here." "I don't know what else to do." "Do you love her?" No hesitation. "No, I don't love her." "You're not in love with her and you've only been going out, what, three months now?" "Yes." "Dump her." "I can't!" "Why not?" "Because now it's like a challenge to come before she does. If I dump her now, it's like giving up. And because she's trying to explore her humanity. I don't want to scar her for any other man she might get involved with." "Chakotay, give up." "Kathryn --" "Chakotay." She leaned forward and under the cover of the coffee shop table, ran a hand along his upper thigh. "In the interest of sharing information, I've never had Seven's problem. Never." He gulped. "Never." Kathryn shook her head. "I have a delivery to be made, Chakotay, and I think you're just the 'swift courier' I've been looking for." She squeezed his thigh. "Check please!" THE END