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Then he saw her smile, and knew that it would be all right. She understood without a word spoken between them.

"Chakotay!" 'Tom!"

Many voices speaking at once. Chakotay blinked. They were back on the bridge of Voyager, seated in their proper places, as if they had never left. Kathryn was beaming, and reached to place a hand on his arm. He felt completely healed. Better, in fact, than he could ever recall feeling.

"Are you all right?" his captain asked.

"Just fine. We miss much?"

Janeway's smile melted into a full-fledged grin. "Not really. Just the near-end of everything."

"Oh, well, if mat's all...." He allowed himself,a grin in return. It was good to be home.

Behind him, he heard Harry Kim utter a single, heartfelt word before he raced from the bridge.

"Khala

"Hi, honey, I'm home." Paris's voice came through loud and clear. Torres's heart soared. Tom. He had come back.

"You missed all the fun," she said, hiding her pleasure.

"So I heard. Something about the end of everything."

"I'll catch you up tonight. In my quarters. Bring chocolate." Her grin faded as the door to Engineering hissed open and Kim bolted in. He looked around frantically. Torres knew whom he was seeking.

"Harry, I'm sorry," said Torres, sobering at once. "She's gone. Disappeared right before Tom and Chakotay returned. I'm guessing that Tialin somehow managed to take her back to her own universe."

Harry stared at her, brown eyes wide and filled with such pain that Torres had to look away.

"I didn't even get to say goodbye," he said. Without another word, he turned and strode out swiftly.

Torres looked after him, sorrow in her heart. Poor

Harry. They'd all thought this beautiful alien woman, with her sharp mind and warm heart, would be the one. Talk about being from the wrong neighborhood.

'This need to say goodbye," Seven said, interrupting Torres's thoughts. "It appears common to nearly every humanoid species. Curious."

Something about her tone of voice caused Torres to look around sharply. Seven's lip was trembling, ever so slightly.

"We missed our own goodbye to Telek R'Mor," Torres said, understanding.

"And now he is dead." Seven stated the fact coldly, almost as if forcing herself not to feel. "We did not thank him. That was an oversight."

"He has a daughter," blurted Torres. "Maybe one day we'll meet her."

Seven looked up. "Then we will tell her that her father was a noble man."

"Yes," said Torres, her own throat strangely tight. "We will."

Janeway sat on her bridge, smiling slightly. It was good to look down at the conn and see Paris sitting there, deft hands maneuvering the vessel with the most delicate of touches. It was good to sense the strong, quiet presence of Chakotay on her left. How she had missed him. She was sorry that he had not been privy to the amazing adventure her crew had undergone, but from the brief chat she'd had with him over a quick cup of coffee, she assumed he and Tom had had an adventure of their own.

She would miss Khala, but.from what Tom and Chakotay had said, Khala and her brother were going to be key players in leading a revolution on their home

planet. The best kind of revolution, too-one that involved changing minds and hearts, not firing weapons and taking lives. What was the term Chakotay had used? Way-Walkers? She liked the sound of that

There was one who would miss Khala more than anyone else aboard the ship. Janeway had told Harry to take the rest of his shift off. He had thanked her quietly and gone to his quarters. She made a mental note to check on him later.

More of a loss to her was Telek R'Mor. He had become a friend, and a good one. It was unexpectedly painful to remember that he had died several years ago, when just a few hours ago she had pressed his hands between her own and lied about seeing him again.

"Captain?" Chakotay, perceptive