Story Notes: Based on spoilers for "Natural Law." And so it ends,
not with a bang, but not with a whimper, either.
THE LAST WORD
He wanted to be the one to tell her himself, so she wouldn't have to hear about it from ship's gossip. He owed her that much, at least. Her face didn't change as he spoke, and he wondered if she'd already known.
"I'm sorry, Kathryn," he said yet again. "Believe me, I didn't plan for this to happen."
"But this wasn't just a one time fling." It wasn't a question.
"No," he said gently. "Something very special happened, and we're going to give it the chance to develop further."
"I see."
Despite her lack of recriminations, or perhaps because of it, he found himself trying to justify his behavior once more. "You know, Kathryn, it's not like I'd made a commitment to you. All these years, you were never willing to pursue a relationship; there were always too many barriers in the way."
She was silent for a moment. "No, you're right, Chakotay. I could never
be the woman you wanted me to be." He turned to go, and she added, "But
you're not the man I thought you were."
FINIS