"So I have decided to . . . . . ." Chakotay glanced about at his waiting audience all holding their breaths on his answer deciding that they had waited long enough he carried on, "I'll bond with Tom, if the Captain will marry us afterwards?"
Kathryn nodded as she told him, "You tell him what you feel about him and I'll marry you gladly."
Chakotay nodded as he looked over at Tuvok to see what his reaction was, to say he was shocked by what he was greeted with was an understatement, Damn Tuvok was beaming at him, Chakotay was nearly blinded by the whiteness of his teeth, grinning back at him he asked, "I see you approve of my answer?"
 Nodding as he glance over to where Tom laid, "More than approve, this will make Thomas very happy." Pausing as he calmly stated, "But you need to feel sure about this as well Commander, if Thomas thinks you're doing this out of pity or anything else, he won't agree to this union, no matter what everyone else thinks about him. He still has his pride and he'll dig his heels in if he thinks you were forced into this by us or you'll doing it out of pity for him."
"Are you trying to talk me out of this Tuvok?"
"No Commander I'm not, I'm just making sure you're doing this because you want this and not because of some blind sense of honor, if you feel that you own Tom because you weren't there when you promised him, then forget it he won't do it, if that the case let him bond to me and know that I'll do my best to make him as happy as he deserve."
Chakotay peered through hooded eyes saying, "That what I meant when I said that Tom would be better off with you but since Harry told me a few things that helped to clear up any doubt I may have after talking to my guide and father, now all I need to do is talk to Tom to clear up some things on where we both stand in this."
Tuvok nodded as he said, "Go and talk to him now the sooner we get this sorted the faster we can do the meld."
Climb to his feet saying, "I'll go and do that right this minute. If I forget I just want to say thanks for pushing me to remember a promise I made and didn't keep but I plan to make it up to him if he's willing to give stupid fool like me another chance."
Turning Chakotay walked over to where B'Elanna was keeping Tom company couching down beside them with out looking at her he said, "I'll take over now."
B'Elanna started to say something but closed her mouth at the look on his face knowing that he wasn't ready to listen to her side of things yet, standing up she joined the others by the water side.
hghghghghghghghghghg
Chakotay waited till he was alone with Tom before moving closer to his still body, lifting Tom's head and laying it back down onto his thigh saying, "Oh Tommy I wished you had said something alot soon than this, all these years you've suffered at my hands when you had the right to be pissed at me, you never said a word you just took the abuse as if you deserved it, but believe me you didn't not by a long shot."
Pausing to take a sip of water and to wipe down Tom's face and chest, "I always wondered why I felt a strong pull with you, do you remember the pact we made? Oh what a silly question of cause you do, it's me who forgets but that day is forever in my mind, I remember the look on your sister's face when I threw her in the water, that was one of the best summers of my life after you left Dorvan I entered Starfleet. I even served under your father not that he knew who I was but I remembered him, now that I'm thinking about it I should have put two and two together then, since I remembered him arriving on Dorvan to get you, if he had taken you earlier, we wouldn't have mingled our blood together making a pact to wait, damn I'm so sorry Tom can you ever for a stupid old fool for being so blind?" Blinking back the tears he hadn't realize that he had been crying.
In a low voice Tom gasped, "I forgive you Tay."
Stunned Chakotay leaned over Tom's still form asking, "You heard me?"
Reaching up with his hand till he cupped Chakotay's cheek in it saying, "I heard every word Tay and I remember that pact as well, your heart was pulling you to me course it remembered me, my blood flows through your veins as yours flows through mine. We are soul mates you are the other half of me as I'm the other half of you together we are whole."
Pressing into his palm Chakotay breathed a sigh of relief, pulling back he looked into Tom's blue eyes saying, "I'll link with you Tommy if you still want to."
Tapping his chin Tom growled softly, "Weren't you listening Tay? I can't live without you Tay you make me a whole person, I need you more than life it self, if I thought I could live without you, I would have done a complete bond with Tuvok, he loves me you know?"
"I know but he not the only one who loves you, I just happen to love you as well."
"I knew that, I was just waiting for you to acknowledge it." Stroking his cheek staying, "Once we have done the link I wish to marry you Tay fulfill our pact and become one."
"I was hoping you wanted that as well."
Closing his eyes Chakotay witness a change, all Tom's hard edges became softer as masks slipped away the look of total bliss flowed over his face when Tom's eyes open again Chakotay notice that they weren't hard anymore, they were soft and loving as they gazed up at him, shocked at the loving overflowing from them and it was all directed at him.
Chakotay felt his last wall crumble letting his anger and hurt flow out of him as he drank in Tom's love and letting it flow back to Tom as he stared into his eyes without breaking eye contact. Chakotay reached over and placed his hand over Tom's heart while holding Tom's hand to his, saying, "Forever we shall be one from this day forth let no person come between us, we are now of one soul for all time."
Repeating Chakotay word for word, they both felt the peace they had been searching for flow over them, feeling safe content for the first time in long time, Tom slipped off into some much healing sleep.
Moving carefully Chakotay arranged Tom on top of him wrapping his arms about him, Chakotay held Tom while he slept slowly drifting off himself.
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Chakotay found himself in his clearing, he spotted the figure of his Tommy by the river, joining Tom he stood beside him, he wasn't completely sure why they were both there but it felt right to him, Looking up as they heard the shrieked of an Eagle flying above them and then hearing the howling of a wolf, turning as they heard, "You have made the spirits happy this day, they are honored that you recited the words of the old ones and bless your union in this time and the there after for you belong together for all times."
Chakotay said, "Thank you grandfather and welcome please join us?"
With a shake of his head he stated, "I'm being called back, remember what I said."
"We will Grandfather may I ask what your name is if it's not to disrespectful?"
"The pale faces of the old tribes called me Crazyhorse."
Tom smiled as he remembered just what Crazyhorse had done in his time before he had died.
"I see your mate has heard of me?"
"Yes Grandfather I have heard of you, you did something that no one else managed to do before."
"Ahh yes Yellow hair, or Custer as his name was."
Chakotay looking a bit confused since history that far back wasn't his strong point asked, "Forgive but what year are we talking about?"
Tom told him, "The year was eighteen hundred and seventy seven, Crazyhorse died at the ripe old age of thirty five he died of a stab wound on the fifth of September eighteen seventy seven."
Stunned Chakotay looked at Tom as if he had grown another head, "How did you know all that?"
With a grin he told him, "I had to do something with all that time on my hands."
"I'll leave you for it's time to return."
"Bye Grandfather."
Walking back the way he had come Crazyhorse disappeared from sight, facing each other Tom asked, "So what do we do now?"
"I'm not sure Angel."
"You are to bond not just link have your friend bond you totally join your minds together as your soul is one let your mind become one it is your destiny."
Turning Chakotay knew who was talk looking down with a smile, "It's been awhile."
"It has, but you weren't ready but now you are, everything happened for a reason, you weren't meant to be on Dorvan when Tom returned, his life was planned out by the spirits as was your, you both had lessons to learn, before you say it I know some of the lessons were hard but can you honestly say you would be at this point of your life without them?"
"I wouldn't know." Chakotay replied.
"Do you except the blessing of the spirits?"
Tom nodded as his listen in awe, he wouldn't have planned half of the things he had to live through but he could and would admit that he was stronger for them.
"That is right Thomas, you are stronger for the pain and hardship you went through and now you're willing to ask for help, before you refuse all, pushed everyone away but now you open your heart, you have find what you were looking for, the both of you have, the journey now carries on together, working as a team when one is weak the other is strong, together you will get Voyager home, it is now time for you to complete the joining."

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Chakotay tighten his hold on Tom as he woke feeling Tom move he loosen his grip saying, "Are you ready to finish this?"
"More than ready love call Tuvok and lets finished this for good."

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The dates of the Battle of the Little Bighorn and Crazyhorse's death are real I got the info. from the book called Bury my heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown.  

TBC