Title: Sleeping with the Enemy
Author: SaRa
Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: Why don't I get driven to school in a limo? Because I don't own Star Trek and have the money that comes with that privilege. Paramount does, though. I wonder if I could borrow a limo from someone there...
Author's note: Not one of my typical humorous stories, but at least it's J/C. Also, I decided to take another crack at writing with different points of view because my last one came out better that I suspected.



..:::kathryn:::..

I hate walking these San Francisco streets.

I've hated walking anywhere, actually, since a few days after I brought Voyager home. It's not because people stare at me in awe or because the media dogs my every step; I've never had either of those problems. It's because people either look at me scornfully or refuse to meet my eyes or try their hardest to avoid me. Sometimes, I hear them talking about me. Almost invariably, the words "Maquis scum" are used in the same sentence, referring to Chakotay. To my Chakotay.

You know what? It hurts like hell.

Right now, as we walk hand in hand down the street, people go so far as to cross the street to avoid us. I recognize all of these people: Admiral Necheyev; Gary Walker, a former classmate from my Academy days; and Mark Johnson, my ex-fiance. My eyes fill with tears, but I won't give these people the satisfaction of letting them know how deeply this effects me.

Chakotay knows, though, and he tightens his grip on my hand to try and comfort me. I smile at him, telling him silently that he's a great help.

And he truly is.

He's the one who should need someone with him. He's the one they're calling scum and treating like the terrorist he used to be. No one seems to understand that he's changed. He's so gentle and sweet now. I doubt he'd hurt anyone for any reason other than self defense. I haven't even heard him yell in years. My heart breaks a little more each time someone says something negative about him.

Why can't anyone understand that he's changed?

..:::chakotay:::..

Kathryn's just hurting herself by keeping our relationship alive.

I love her more than anything and I don't want our relationship to end, but I also can't stand for it to go on like this. Because of me, everyone looks down upon her. They say horrible things about her and call her a whore and say that she's literally sleeping with the enemy. With me.

About a month ago, I was going to meet her for a date, but she wasn't there. Fifteen minutes after we were supposed to meet, she finally showed up, but I wasn't relieved to see her. She had bruises and cuts on her face which she later told me happened when four people jumped her on her way to meet me.

Never have I been more angry with myself or anyone else. I knew things were bad, but I let her come alone, instead of picking her up. Those four people are lucky that I don't know who they are because, despite how much Kathryn says I've changed, I still want nothing more than to see them bleed. I can't help it; I'm just overprotective of those who are close to me, Kathryn especially.

I see the pain in her eyes every time someone says that I'm a good-for-nothing terrorist and that she's lowered herself to my level and that pain hurts me too. I want to kiss her and take that pain away, but it only seems to make it worse.

I wish I could erase my past so Kathryn and I could have a better future.

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