Title: To the journey
Fandom: Star Trek: Prodigy
Rating: PG(ish)
Length: 527 words
Content notes: Spoiler for Asylum. Slightly speculation and canon may retcon this when season two eventually airs.
Author notes: Also for summer mini challenge prompt cheerfully. Extension of the holodeck scene that takes place on the night of Protostar’s official launch and the morning after. Thanks to tamaraaeknight for doing beta for me.
Summary: Chakotay looked at her confidently. “Hmm.” Her hologram was a fine addition to the ship, programmed with enough knowledge to get them through anything but he wanted her with him instead.

Kathryn and Chakotay made their way to an empty table in a quiet part of the room to continue their conversation away from prying ears.

“What would it take to change your mind?” Chakotay asked, although he already knew and understood all of Kathryn's reasons for refusing to join the Protostar’s crew for the mission.

“About going back out there?” she replied, hoping that he would eventually drop the twenty questions routine. It was getting old. Fast.

Chakotay looked at her confidently. “Hmm.” Her hologram was a fine addition to the ship, programmed with enough knowledge to get them through anything but he wanted her with him instead.

“Nothing.” Kathryn said, taking a sip of the drink that had been placed on their table while they were talking. “I’m not changing my mind.”

Looking around the room Chakotay noticed the body language of the remaining guests, who were all junior officers. They seemed reluctant to let loose in front of senior officers and uncomfortable with their continued presence. Giving Kathryn a gentle nudge, he whispered, “Lets get out of here.”

Walking towards the door, Kathryn grabbed an unopened bottle of wine from the drinks table. “We can have this when we get home.”

~

Chakotay looked in the cupboards but couldn’t find the wine glasses opting to use two half pint glasses for their wine. A decision he knew that they may regret in the morning.

Kathryn took Warrior their Boston Terrier into the garden for his nightly pee. Accepting a glass from him as she locked the door once the dog had come back inside.

“To the journey,” Kathryn toasted, clinking their glasses together before making her way upstairs. “Are you coming?”

Chakotay followed her up, sitting on the bed opposite her. “You know if you get too lonely while I’m away, my hologram is still available,” hoping that the offer wouldn’t set them back too much. The hologram and his own ill-timed romantic social lessons with Seven were still a raw subject between them.

Placing her empty glass on the bedside table, Kathryn shook her head. “I’d rather have you,” she said quietly enough that he heard her confession and the unspoken I love you. They had eventually reconciled once they were back on Earth, buying a house together and adopting Warrior from a rescue centre.

~

Kathryn awoke to a weight pressing against her side that was too light to be Chakotay. Reaching out to stroke the dogs fur, she groaned “You’re too loud, Warrior,” for his contented yelp at receiving her attention.

Putting on a t-shirt, she got out of bed and slowly walked down stairs with Warrior following closely behind her.

“Good morning sunshine,” Chakotay said a little too cheerfully for Kathryn's liking in her current hungover state.

“You drank as much as I did,” she stated unhappily. “How come you’re not affected?”

“I used a hypospray while you let the dog out,” Chakotay replied trying to be sympathetic before ordering her morning drink from the replicator.

Handing her the mug, he smiled when she took a sip making the face that she always did with her first drink of the day.