1/14 - 2/6/96

Small print: Paramount owns the characters and the basic plot. What I twisted them into is my own doing. This story is for Diane, who asked for it, and for Siobhan Wolf for being such a patient and helpful editor. I'd appreciate your comments and suggestions for improvement. Now that I've written one, I know how important it is to send more than "Loved it!" or "It sucked!" in response to a fanfic story. To all you other fanfic writers out there, I promise never to send a plain old "Great job!" again!

UNTWISTED
by Malaika

"Commander, is that your hand on my leg?"

Janeway's voice was calm, but Chakotay could feel her calf muscles tensing beneath his hand. Under other circumstances, he might have paid attention to the electric thrill that ran up his arm at the contact, but under other circumstances, he wouldn't have been touching her at all.

They'd left Kes' birthday party to investigate the phenomenon Tuvok warned them of before the comm system died. But every time they got off the turbolift at what they thought was the bridge, they'd been somewhere else--deck 4, engineering--eventually everyone wound up back on the holodeck. Harry Kim had come in search of the captain, and become as lost as the rest of them. He described the anomaly as he understood it so far, and after a brief meeting, they agreed to split up and keep trying to get to the bridge and engineering. This time, they'd use tricorders, hoping to create a map of sorts. Paris left with Torres, re-tracing his steps to engineering, where they would attempt to get the transporters back on-line for a site-to-site transport. Kim volunteered to try the corridors with Neelix, and the Doctor asked Kes to stay and help him get back to Sickbay. Janeway said she'd try getting to the bridge through the Jeffries tubes, and Chakotay said he'd go with her.

They'd set out discussing the anomaly and ways they might get the ship free once they got to the bridge. That was over two hours ago. He and the captain had managed to get in to the network of Jeffries tubes, but they hadn't found the bridge, and they couldn't find a way out. When it became obvious that the distortion ring that was twisting the corridors into a maze was doing the same thing to the Jeffries tubes, they resigned themselves to a long crawl and the talk turned to crew reports, scheduling, and possible shore leave at the next M-class planet. Gradually, the conversation ebbed until they were moving in silence, accompanied only by the clicking of their tricorders, the sound of material sliding against the metal flooring, and the occasional thud of a knee or toe coming down too hard. They'd crawled for what felt like miles, recording every inch of the way. Each time they thought they'd found an exit panel, it had opened onto another stretch of tunnel or to a ladder. When they found a ladder, they'd climb up--the direction of the bridge--but they'd already climbed enough ladders to reach the top deck of a ship twice the size of Voyager. Still no sign of a way out.

Following Janeway to the top of yet another ladder, Chakotay winced as he bumped his knee on the top rung. All this crawling was rubbing his knees raw. His back and legs had cramped long ago, making him wonder if he'd be able to stand up straight again. The captain couldn't be in much better shape. She hadn't said anything, but Chakotay knew the responsibility of being captain was weighing on her. He could tell by the white-knuckled grip she had on her tricorder. The ship was in trouble, and he knew she wanted--needed--to be on the bridge in the middle of it all, matching wits against this latest challenge. Yet here she was, lost in her own ship with her First Officer, who should have been on the bridge in her absence. He knew only too well the helplessness and frustration she must be feeling. They weren't doing anyone--the ship, the crew, themselves--any good crawling around Voyager's bowels like this, and his patience was wearing thin.

Why the hell didn't we split up? One of us should have been able to get to the bridge. He swore under his breath as his knee caught on a floor seam. Stopping for a moment to rub the sore spot, Chakotay tried his comm badge once more. Janeway paused and glanced back at him, hope lighting her face until it was obvious that no one would answer. She sighed and looked down at the floor.

"Damn." That one word, spoken so softly, told Chakotay more about how Janeway felt than if she'd let out a string of loud curses. He grimaced as she asked, "Any ideas, Commander?" Yeah, he thought, let's take our chances that phaser fire won't ricochet and blast holes in the wall until we find a way out. Let's start over and try getting to the bridge separately. Hell, let's just start over and I'll stay on the bridge while you go to Kes' birthday party. She'll understand.

Aloud he said, "I don't think we don't have much choice, Captain." Getting angry wasn't going to solve any problems, in fact, it might make their situation worse. "We could wait here and hope the anomaly passes on its own," he said, knowing it wasn't what either of them wanted. "Or we could keep going. At least that way we stand a better chance of finding an exit panel. Even if we can't get to the bridge, I'd rather be lost in the corridors at this point. There's not much else we can do."

She looked at him for a long moment, a series of emotions playing across her face, ending with determination. "You're right," she said with a nod. "Let's keep going." The captain pushed herself to her hands and knees and started off again.

As they crawled, Chakotay's mind was racing. For all they knew, the anomaly was passing through them harmlessly, and when it was gone, the ship would be back to normal. Or it could be crushing them inch by inch. It was bad enough not knowing. But even worse was the frustration of not being able to do anything about it. He tried thinking of a calming chant, but found he couldn't concentrate on the soothing rhythm.

The captain was ahead of him, her rear end moving back and forth as she crawled. He had to grin, remembering the time she had caught him watching that part of her anatomy on the bridge. What would she think if she caught him staring again? His amusement faded when he realized that his body was responding in a most inappropriate way. She's the captain, dammit! he told himself, and the ship's in danger. This is no time to be distracted. Chakotay told his body to mind its own business and tried to focus on his tricorder readings.

He was so intent that he almost bumped into her when she stopped. They had come to another panel. Janeway said, "I'm getting a faint energy reading from behind this door."

Chakotay held up his tricorder. "I'm reading it too. Captain, it could be the bridge." He let a trace of hope color his voice.

Throwing him a quick grin, Janeway put her tricorder away and keyed the access. The door didn't move. "It's not working," she said. "I'll have to open it by hand." She slid the handle from its clip and pressed it into the panel. The suction mechanism took hold with a faint pop, and the captain levered herself against it.

Chakotay watched her for a moment. He was reaching to help her when a light chill ran down his spine, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Alarmed, he swung his tricorder around, frowning when he realized the energy readings seemed to be all around them. As he peered back the way they'd come, something moved. With a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, he knew what it was without looking at the tricorder display.

The anomaly was closing in, giving the ship behind it a wavering, watery appearance. "Captain." She was struggling with the panel and didn't hear him. Unable to tear his eyes from the sight of the ship twisting and turning, he reached for her.

"Commander, is that your hand on my leg?" Janeway's voice was calm, but Chakotay could feel her calf muscles tensing beneath his hand. Under other circumstances, he might have paid attention to the electric thrill that ran up his arm at the contact, but under other circumstances, he wouldn't have been touching her at all.

When he didn't answer, Janeway swung around, a hint of anger creeping into her voice. "Commander, if you're trying to help--" her eyes widened at the sight of the Jeffries tube undulating its way toward them. "My God," she breathed. She met Chakotay's gaze with a look of disbelief and fear.

"Captain, that distortion is producing the same energy readings we were getting from beyond that panel," Chakotay indicated the panel next to her with his chin. "I don't think we should go through there."

"I think you're right." Neither one said anything for a long moment. Finally, the captain spoke. "We're trapped." Her words expressed the fear neither of them had been willing to face until this moment. Exhaling, she sat back on her left hip. "Of all the ways I've imagined this mission in the Delta Quadrant ending, I never expected to feel so helpless and out of touch. If only we had taken more precautions--we don't know what's happening to the ship or to the crew. I wanted so much to get them home...," her voice trailed off.

She ducked her head, fingers pressed to her mouth, but Chakotay saw the telltale fullness in her eyes. Without thinking, he reached for her other hand. "Captain, there's no way you could have known something like this would happen. You've done everything you could to keep the ship and crew safe this far. They all know that." He paused to glance at the distortion, now just a few feet from them. "You've given us all more chances than we ever hoped for when we started out--Paris and the Maquis crew members--even if some of them don't realize it yet. You see the good in people, and that gives them confidence." Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Your trust in me means more than I can ever tell you. And if we're going to die now, I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend my last moments with than you."

The captain raised her head to search his face, looking for something--sincerity, perhaps? Chakotay's heart pounded as he met her intense blue gaze. Gods, she's beautiful, he thought. Janeway must have found what she was looking for, because she leaned toward him, reaching out to touch his face. He closed his eyes at her touch, and taking her wrist in one hand, turned to press his lips against her thumb.

Before either of them realized what was happening, they were in each other's arms. Her lips were soft and sweet and she gasped when he brushed them with his tongue. Their kiss deepened as they clung to each other, seeking shelter from the liquid distortion melting the panel just behind Janeway and licking at Chakotay's feet. He felt no pain, only the stirring of something deep within himself, a long-forgotten sense of homecoming, an awakening that he'd never expected to feel again. "Kathryn," he whispered into her mouth, tightening his arms around her as the distortion engulfed them.

Time stood still while their lips met in a bruising kiss. Chakotay was aware only of his need for her and the feeling of her body, warm against his, a confirmation of spirit and vitality in the cold Jeffries tube that was being swallowed by an unknown entity. It felt so good to hold her--as though she belonged in his arms, was a part of him that he hadn't known was missing until now.

His mouth traced the contours of her face and neck while his hands wandered over her shoulders, breasts, reaching around her slender waist to the small of her back, then down to the soft roundness that had so tempted him earlier. She arched her back, pressing her body into his, and bent her knee to rub her thigh against his erection. At the intimate contact, hot desire pulsed through his body, moving in waves like the distortion around them. He lay still for a moment, enjoying the sensations flowing through him. But her hands wouldn't let him rest. They were opening his uniform, and he gasped as they met bare flesh a moment later, leaving warm tingles wherever she touched. He let go of her long enough to help her out of her uniform and to remove the rest of his. Then they were together again, mouths, hands, and bodies, joining in a desperate attempt to hold onto something warm and alive a little longer.

Chakotay shifted his weight until she was lying on her back next to him, their discarded uniforms beneath her, protecting her from the cool floor of the Jeffries tube. Supporting himself on an elbow, he traced a finger along her collar bone, watching as she licked her bottom lip, swollen from his kisses. This felt so right--he couldn't remember why he'd been afraid to admit his feelings before. All the convenient excuses fled from his mind as she looked up at him. Seeing his desire mirrored in her eyes, he groaned and bent to taste the tender skin where her neck and shoulder joined. Her scent filled his nostrils, reminding him of a spring breeze, and he imagined them lying under a tree stretching its new leaves to the sun. He nuzzled his way up to her earlobe, nibbling gently. One hand cradled her head while the other cupped a breast, teasing her nipple with his thumb. She was panting now, her lips parted, cheeks flushed. Lightly, oh so lightly, he trailed his fingertips down her body, brushing across her flat abdomen, pausing at the smooth curve of her waist, down to her hip, across her leg, and between her knees. His hand slid up the inside of her thigh to the soft curls at the top and he touched her gently. His mouth had taken over at her breast, and he smiled into her softness when he discovered how wet she was already. She opened her legs to his probing fingers, letting out a shuddering sigh as he found the sensitive spot that made her fingers tighten convulsively in his hair. He explored her thoroughly, teasing her, spreading her own moisture around until she was thrusting her hips to meet him. Dipping a finger inside, he thought, This is one hell of a way to die. And then she was coming, thrashing against his hand, crying out in ragged gasps.

When the spasm subsided, she reached for him, pulling his mouth up to hers to kiss him again, sucking gently on his tongue. He groaned and almost came then and there, on her thigh, but she moved quickly and was on her knees above him, straddling his hips, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she wrapped one hand around his erection. Smiling from the corner of her mouth, she lowered herself onto him, slowly. He groaned again. The sensation was incredible--it felt so good to be inside her, feeling her warm body welcoming his in a tight, moist embrace. It was as though they had been made for each other. She rocked in a slow circle, tightening and releasing her muscles in rhythm. Every movement brought a rush of fire that spread from his groin. He was so close, but he wanted her to come with him. He slid one of his hands down to press into her body where it joined his, and she cried out as she came again, squeezing him deep inside her. The look of joy on her face was all it took. He thrust up into her, lifting his hips once, then again, and he was exploding, moving in time with her and with the swirling distortion that was part of them, her name on his lips as he poured his soul into her body.

She collapsed on top of him and they lay together sated, gasping for air. He could feel himself growing softer inside her, a feeling almost more intimate than what they had just shared, and in a sudden rush of affection, he wrapped his arms around her. It was a long while before he felt her move.

She raised her head slowly, then pushed herself up, letting him slide out of her as she rolled off him to sit. Chakotay sat up too, and they gazed at the Jeffries tube stretching out before them in a straight, unmoving line. As suddenly as it had come, the distortion was gone. Janeway looked at him with eyes full of wonder. "We're still here," she breathed, then closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his chest. Keeping one arm firmly around her body, he tucked her head in just below his chin and stroked her hair. Chakotay took a deep, cleansing breath and closed his eyes in wordless thanks to whatever or whoever had kept them safe.

He felt her cheek turn up as she said, "At the risk of spoiling the moment, I think we'd better find a way out of here and get to the bridge."

"Isn't that how all this started in the first place?" he smiled at her as they wiggled back into their uniforms. "I just hope everyone will assume we're so rumpled because of all the time we've spent crawling around in here."

"Probably. But I'm not sure how you're going to explain that wet spot on your sleeve, Commander," Janeway said with a grin. "If you're lucky, it'll dry before anyone notices."

Chakotay examined the cuff of his sleeve. Fortunately, the mark was barely noticeable, so he looked up and nodded to the captain, indicating he was ready. Janeway released the handle and tried the keypad again. This time, the door slid right open. Chakotay was careful to avoid the large wet spot on the floor as he followed the captain out onto the bridge.

"Captain!" said a startled Harry Kim as she emerged from the wall next to his station. Janeway nodded to him and glanced around the bridge as Chakotay climbed out behind her.

"We're all right Mr. Kim. What's our status?"

Back to business as usual, thought Chakotay, striding toward his seat. Ironic, though, that the panel opened onto the bridge--where we wanted to be the whole time. That--thing--twisted everything around...then gave us what we most wanted. He looked sideways at Janeway, standing one level up next to Tuvok and couldn't stop his mouth from turning up at the corner. Janeway looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded back with a smile in her eyes and a sideways tilt of her chin.