[ Definitely Chakotay, as though he hadn't guessed as much already. He considers it, given all the variables, how it most certainly must have gone down, how it would proceed--that was what the Q did, or had done. Study, propose, then sit back to see if it went down that way or not. Some Q, for example, had proposed that humanity wouldn't have what it took to climb out of the primordial ooze, but Q had known better. Q had faith in them. And now here he was talking romance as though they were equals. Who would have thought?
But here was Janeway's quandary: Chakotay had feelings for her, and was willing to explore them. He knew she had feelings for him too, and knew equally that she was unwilling - and perhaps always would be. The mistletoe had given him but a taste of something he'd never have, and hardened her resolve besides. The situation, formed from its back, had seen to that: she had seen how it would damage their relationship, and couldn't afford for it to happen again. Oh, she could give some token command, tell him to forget what happened--but if she did that, Chakotay would never forgive her. And now Janeway, who was astute in the ways of interpersonal relations as she was in science, knew that she had two options: stand her ground even though it would drive her First Officer away from her, or - the option she could never permit herself to follow, would rather die first - settle, sending her responsibilities to the sticking place, and give Chakotay what he wanted, something which would end in failure because the man was wired empathically, and would be able to tell within seconds that a part of Janeway was dying just to make him happy.
There was only really one option, Q thought, but he'd been wrong before. Janeway would stay herself. She had to. Her dogged determination would hold her through any storm, steer her past any enemy, surmount even the tumultuous waters of love and loss. Had she wept over the loss of her fiancee, he wondered? Did she even stop to let herself feel it?
He lifted his hard stare away from her, was careful about how he spoke after he declaration. ]
You have your responsibilities and Chakotay has his. You hurt him, but perhaps he's just as concerned that he might have hurt you. This is a slip for him too; no doubt he spends a majority of his time trying to keep you from feeling uncomfortable around him--even if in general his efforts seem to be failing.
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But here was Janeway's quandary: Chakotay had feelings for her, and was willing to explore them. He knew she had feelings for him too, and knew equally that she was unwilling - and perhaps always would be. The mistletoe had given him but a taste of something he'd never have, and hardened her resolve besides. The situation, formed from its back, had seen to that: she had seen how it would damage their relationship, and couldn't afford for it to happen again. Oh, she could give some token command, tell him to forget what happened--but if she did that, Chakotay would never forgive her. And now Janeway, who was astute in the ways of interpersonal relations as she was in science, knew that she had two options: stand her ground even though it would drive her First Officer away from her, or - the option she could never permit herself to follow, would rather die first - settle, sending her responsibilities to the sticking place, and give Chakotay what he wanted, something which would end in failure because the man was wired empathically, and would be able to tell within seconds that a part of Janeway was dying just to make him happy.
There was only really one option, Q thought, but he'd been wrong before. Janeway would stay herself. She had to. Her dogged determination would hold her through any storm, steer her past any enemy, surmount even the tumultuous waters of love and loss. Had she wept over the loss of her fiancee, he wondered? Did she even stop to let herself feel it?
He lifted his hard stare away from her, was careful about how he spoke after he declaration. ]
You have your responsibilities and Chakotay has his. You hurt him, but perhaps he's just as concerned that he might have hurt you. This is a slip for him too; no doubt he spends a majority of his time trying to keep you from feeling uncomfortable around him--even if in general his efforts seem to be failing.
It's been coming to this for months, hasn't it?