Summary: "We did okay, in the end, didn't we?"  A bit of self-indulgent, aimless fluff.  Extremely post-"Endgame".
Characters: not mine.  Theirs.  No profit here.  Move along, nothing to see.
Feedback: always welcome.  elizabeth_barr@yahoo.com.au
Website: elizabeth.gatefiction.com

Notes:  So I'm happily barreling through HP fandom, writing two novel-length fics and a lot of shorter ones.  But on a quiet Sunday morning, I open my old Trekfic folder, and find a whole lot of nearly-postable Voyager fics.  A bit of editing and voila!  New fic.
 
 
 
 

"We did okay in the end, didn't we?"

The sun was setting.  Children, dogs and empty containers were being gathered as people prepared to leave.  Kathryn Janeway sipped her bourbon and repeated her question.

"We did okay, didn't we?"

She couldn't see his face, but she knew that, behind her, Chakotay was smiling.

"Yeah.  We did okay."  She heard the ice in his drink rattle as he raised the glass to his lips.  Then he said, "better than okay."

She smirked. "Thank you."

"Excuse me?"

"I just needed to hear it out loud."

Under the big tree near the fence, she could see the Doctor and Annika, deep in conversation with Sabrina Wildman.  Annika had spent the better part of the afternoon playing with Sabrina, and there was still a jaunty red ribbon in her blonde hair.

"I don't think I got a chance to tell her, but I enjoyed Annika's last paper."

"I'll make sure I mention it," said Chakotay.  "Your opinion means a lot to her."

"I know."

Naomi walked out to the tree, and spent several minutes talking to the Doctor and Annika before leading Sabrina back to the transport point.

"Did Naomi say anything?" asked Kathryn.

"Nothing at all."

"Not even a hint?"

"Nope."  Chakotay settled in the seat beside her and said, "you just can't stand not knowing, can you."

"No!"

"It's really none of your business who Sabrina's father is."

"I know it's none of my business, Chakotay, but that won't stop me from being curious."  Kathryn considered her drink for a few minutes before adding, "I wouldn't care so much if she hadn't gone to so much work in keeping it from us.  I'm worried about her."

Chakotay looked away as he said, "Don't worry, Kathryn.  Naomi's fine."

She studied him. "You know, don't you?"

"Kathryn?"

"Don't play innocent, Chakotay.  You know who Sabrina's father is."

"Well, I --"

"And Annika?  Does she know, too?"

"I -- yes."

"So who is it?" she demanded.

He sighed.  "I can't tell you."

"Chakotay…"

"All right.  He's a lieutenant-commander in Starfleet.  A good man.  Going places.  In no way connected with anyone from Voyager, aside from having the good taste to fall in love with Naomi.  They see each other when they can."  He grinned a little.  "He wanted to marry her years ago, but Naomi has what you might call commitment issues.  I can't imagine where she got that from."

Kathryn ignored the bait.  "Is she okay?"

"Of course."

Around the back, they could hear Miral and Owen yelling at each other about something.

"Those kids," Kathryn said.  "They fight like cat and dog.  I don't know how Tom and B'Elanna put up with it."

"Well, they haven't sold the kids to Ferengi flesh traders yet.  Guess they must like 'em."

"Amazing."  She caught Chakotay's eye and they both laughed.

"You're right, Kathryn.  You've done well."

"Only because I had help."

"No.  Even when you didn't have us, you did well."

She smiled, and didn't bother to deny it.

"This is a good place for an ending," she said.

"An ending? Kathryn, you're not--"

"God, no!  But ... well, sooner or later I'm going to have to settle down somewhere.  Might as well be here."

"It's a nice place.  A good colony."

She smiled proudly.  "It is, isn't it."

"I have to admit, I was surprised when you said you were coming out here.  I always saw myself running a colony."

"And where did you imagine me, Professor?"

"Earth.  San Francisco.  Teaching, or running Starfleet, or running the whole Federation..."

She snorted with laughter.  "'President Janeway?'  Hardly ... I'm happy with my current position, thank you."

"As you should be, Governor.  You've done marvelous work."

"I know that, now.  But sometimes ... well, you know how it is.  Late in the night, early in the morning..."

"You get to wondering.  I know.  The same thing happens to me."

"And what do you do?"

"Put my arms around my wife and go back to sleep."

"Sounds nice."

"Kathryn..."

"I know.  You didn't mean anything by it."

He was silent for a while.  Then he said, "I'm sorry--"

"Chakotay.  It's okay."

"I was sorry that he died.  I know he and I didn't get on so well ... but I was sorry when I heard he'd died."

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.  "Not half as sorry as I was, I'd imagine."

He said nothing.

"This isn't the conversation I wanted to have," she said at last.

"What kind of conversation did you want to have?"

"Mutual back-patting and agreement that, despite it all, we've all ended up with pretty good lives."

"Well, we have."

"So we have."
 

end