Title: Of All the People
Author: SaRa
Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Me no own, me no own!
Author's note: I couldn't decide what relationship to write about, so I took a shot at three of them. Forgive me for any errors with the tense; I tried very hard to get it right. This is the J/7 ending.



Of all the people and all the places, it figured I'd run into him at my favorite cafe.

It's a little place; you wouldn't find it unless you were truly looking for it. The Shooting Star is tucked away on the corner of a deserted street and hidden amongst trees just outside of my hometown. I can count on my fingers the number of people who frequent this place.

I was sitting at my usual spot, looking out the window when he walked in. He must be equipped with sensors because he was able to zero in on my instantly.

When he walked up to me and looked into my eyes with his, nothing else existed. It was just the three of us: me, my aching heart, and him.

I had never expected our relationship to last as long as it did. He gave up on any chance of us shortly before Voyager had gotten home. I'd still loved him and wanted to act on my feelings, but it had been too late. Both of us have moved on, but I'll always have feelings for him.

He sat down across from me and asked how I'd been, said it was good to see me again, and commented on how "great" I looked.

I smiled and said that I was fine and I was up for a promotion to admiral.

He thought it was great and then made me promise not to turn into a typical 'Fleet admiral.

In response, I made some dumb joke about promotions and politics. We laughed as if it was the funniest thing either of us had ever heard.

That was when he reached across the table and took my hand like he hadn't done in many years.

Again, my heart ached.

While our hands were still clasped, who other than Seven of Nine walked in. She proved, yet again, that she has the worst timing in any quadrant.

Not quite grasping what was occurring, she bent down and pressed a kiss into my hair.

I wanted to die, but that didn't happen. I forced myself to say something like, "Chakotay, I'm not sure if you already knew, but Seven and I are together...."

Chakotay smiled at me and wished us the best of luck in our relationship, but I knew that his heart wasn't in it.

His heart wasn't in it because Seven and I had just ripped it right out of his chest.

To save any of us anymore embarrassment, I made an excuse to leave and take Seven with me.

I know that we'll never see Chakotay again.

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