See introduction for disclaimer, summary and pairings
 

Hiding Out:

The Paris entourage left the hotel and Florida within
hours of having arrived. Ken and Kathryn headed back
to Paris Enterprises, information in hand to help in
their search. Kathryn was given a comm signal
sub-code. When she and Ken had gathered all they
could, she was to transmit it to Chakotay.  Tom,
Harry, Greg and Chakotay headed for a retreat deep in
the Appalachian Mountains. Nayib, Chakotay's oldest
brother, and a cousin had a cabin there.  No one knew
about it except members of both families. Chakotay
felt secure that they would be safe there for a while.

As they traveled Chakotay explained his theory to his
three companions. None of them doubted the possibility
that he could be right. They, also, couldn't believe
that someone would go to such great lengths to get
back at the former Maquis captain, for something that
happened so many years ago.  Each man went through a
range of emotions from disbelief to rage and back
again. 

Tom was furious at the idea that his daughter lost
her mother because of the revenge. Greg was enraged at
the thought of almost losing Harry to a maniac bent on
retribution. Harry was sympathetic to Chakotay for the
loss of his child and lover due to the idea of a life
for a life. Chakotay was just plain angry for being
held responsible for something he most likely had no
control over.  The only positive thing he could find
in this whole buzzard situation was that he and Tom
were working through an old hurt, together.  

The trip took a total of five hours, mostly because
Chakotay and Greg wanted to make sure no one had
followed them. When they arrived at the cabin,
Chakotay's brother was there to greet them, then
showed them to rooms to stow their gear. Each of the
visitors marveled at the sight before them. The cabin
was nestled in between two snow-covered mountains. The
grounds surrounding the cabin were full of wildlife,
seemingly unbothered by the human intruders. The air
scented with hints of oak and various wildflowers was
inhaled with a groan of appreciation. 

"Chak, this place is absolutely wonderful," Tom
exclaimed! "I don't think I've ever seen a more
beautiful, peaceful scenery in my life."

"Thanks, Tom. Although I can't take credit for the
location, that goes to Nayib and Charlie. They found
it about thirty years ago," Chakotay explained.

"Well, they did real good, boss," Greg said as he
inhaled deeply for the fourth time. "I could get use
to living somewhere like this." 

Harry snorted," I'll come visit you a couple of times
a year." He wrapped his arms around his dark-haired
lover. "I prefer the hustle and bustle of city life,
myself. Although, coming here for vacation would work
nicely."

Nayib walked up behind the four as they spoke, "Well,
Mr. Kim, consider yourself invited anytime you feel
the need of a vacation," he said with a laugh.

Chakotay turned towards his brother as he spoke. He
smiled at the elder, seeing his family always warmed
his heart. It'd been a long time since he'd seen any
of them. After Rose died, Chakotay kept himself as cut
off from everyone as they'd allow. Nayib tolerated it
the least; he'd show up at Chakotay's place
unannounced twice a year. Then he'd call and demand
that his baby brother to come to the mountains for a
visit. Refusing Nayib when he was in 'big brother nag'
mode was something Chakotay never mastered. Times like
this, he was glad he hadn't. 

"Nay, everything in order," he asked?

"Yes sir, bodyguard man," Nayib teased.

"You know, if it wasn't for the fact that you just
met Tom, I'd swear you'd been taking lessons in
wise-ass from him for years," Chakotay laughed. "I
have to check in with Nick and then Kathryn. She and
Ken are looking into a few things for me." He then
turned to Tom. "I think you should contact your
office."

"I told Kathryn to give everyone a week off with pay.
I figured that would tide them over until you had a
handle on things."

"Hey, does that include me," Harry quipped?

"Hell no, you're still working," Tom laughed.

"You know I still haven't figured out what you do for
him, Harry," Chakotay said. 

"Neither have I, boss. In the year I've been here,
the only thing I've seen him do is hang out with Tom
and whisper in his ear every now and then," Greg
laughed.

"Hey! I work. I'm his technical advisor," Harry
refuted.

"Yeah, he tells me if the music is too loud or not,"
Tom teased.

"Well, hell I could've told you that from one visit
to your studio," Chakotay said. "It's too damn loud."
The five men laughed.

      Nayib had been watching the interplay between
his brother and his three friends. He was surprised at
the easy rapport between the four of them. He was sure
that while they were all together on Voyager, there
was some type of working relationship, this was
different. Then again, after some of the things that
he heard about their plight, he should've guessed
there'd be a special bond between the entire crew.  
 

"Well, I'm sure you're all hungry. Come inside and
I'll feed you," Nayib interjected through the
laughter.

The others turned and followed their host inside.
Chakotay went to the kitchen to help with the
preparation. The two brothers worked in silence for a
time, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally Nayib
broke that quiet, "So, Chaos, this Tom Paris, he means
a lot to you?"

Chakotay looked at his brother with annoyance, not
for the question but for the long used nickname he
hated. "When are you ever going to stop calling me
that?"

"Never, I know how much it pisses you off. Now answer
my question," Nayib demanded with a laugh.

"Yes, Tom means a lot to me," Chakotay answered.

"I see. He replaces Rose in your heart?"

Chakotay stood quiet for a moment, as if he was
thinking about the comparison. "No, it's the other way
around. Rose replaced Tom."

"Oh." Nayib couldn't think of a possible response to
that declaration. He was the first in his family to
see that Chakotay's heart was of a two-fold spirit. 
None of the others denied or confirmed his thinking he
believed they all figured it out eventually. "Well,
he's quite handsome. Do you find peace with him?"

"Hell no. He's hyperactive, annoying and just plain
irritating," Chakotay said.

"Isn't that being redundant," Nayib laughed?

"He is redundant," Chakotay said in exasperation. 

"Ut oh, he's talking about you again Tom." Harry's
voice came from the doorway.  Chakotay and Nayib
looked up to find the owner of the voice and the
object of their discussion standing there. 

"Opps," Nayib laughed.

"You know Chak, I'm going to end up with a complex if
you kept saying things like that about me," Tom
accused.

"Not possible, you know it's the truth," Chakotay
snipped back.

"You're right. I'm annoying, hyperactive, loud and
obnoxious. But you like me that way, don't deny it,"
the blond answered him with a grin.

"Yeah, you have us all under your spell," Harry
laughed. "Can I help with anything?"

"No, we're done. Dinner is ready," Their host
announced.

Harry went to get Greg, who he found standing
outside, once again looking around in awe. He went up
behind his lover, wrapped his arms around the big
man's waist and kissed the back of his neck. "You
really like it here," Harry stated. Although it was
more of a question.

"Yes. It reminds me of Trebus before the war," Greg
answered as he turned to face his Asian beauty. "I
wish you could have seen it in all its glory. The
planet was wonderful. Most of it looked exactly like
this, felt just like this: quiet, serene, and the
smell is identical." 

"It'll be like that again someday," Harry said.

"If not, we can retired up here." Greg leaned down
and kissed the waiting mouth. Love and devotion
mingled with desire and need was passed between them
in it. Greg wrapped his arms more tightly around
Harry, pulling him deeper into the fold. Harry
surrendered himself to the feelings passing through
the kiss. 

"Do you two think you can knock that crap off for
about thirty minutes, so we can all eat," Tom shouted
from the door?

They broke the kiss with a start and a giggle.
"You're just jealous," Harry called back as he and
Greg turned and walked to the cabin.

"Damn right I am," Tom sighed. 

Dinner was on the table when the three entered the
kitchen. Conversation was light, teasing and generally
fun. Nayib regaled them with tales of Chakotay as a
child, much to the bodyguard's dismay. Laughter rang
out and drifted through the quiet air of the
mountains. 

When the meal was done, everyone helped clean up with
the banter continuing. All too soon, in some eyes, the
stress of the day and the traveling caught up with the
four visitors. Greg and Harry were the first to call
the day done. Saying good night to the other three,
they made their way to the back of the cabin and their
room. They went through their nightly routine, while
stealing kisses from each other. After a shared
shower, complete with foreplay, they tumbled into bed.
 

Harry crawled on top of Greg and picked up his
exploration of his lover's body, he had started in the
shower. Raining kisses over every inch of skin,
combined with an occasional lick or nibble. Greg laid
deep in the bed, and enjoyed this rare show of
aggression. At the end of several minutes, he's only
thought was to bury himself deep inside the glory
above him. But his lover had other ideas he realized
as he felt a slick finger slide inside him, he gasped
then moaned. An even more infrequent occurrence was
taking place, he would be the one filled. Two fingers
then it was three slid in and out, Greg heard himself
pleading but the words were incoherent.  He pulled his
knees to his chest. 

     The next sensation he felt was his lover filling
him with his hard member, swollen and throbbing. Greg
let out a cry of pleasure as he wrapped his legs
around Harry's waist, and heard the younger man answer
with a hiss. Slowly, Harry moved his hips back and
forth, awashed with a sense of absolute desire. Once
he was fully sheathed, the warmth that radiated from
the tight canal caused him to groan, "Oh! Yes!"

     Greg pulled Harry to him, wrapping his arms
around the golden body above him. Their lips met in a
frantic kiss, as it deepened, Harry pushed in further
and changed angles hitting his lover's prostate with
each thrust. Then he mimicked the action of his cock
with his tongue. Slow and steady Greg was fucked at
both ends and he loved it. As his pleasure heightened,
his pleas for more, faster and harder became more
insistent. To which each was answered with great
fever, soon each man was quietly shouting his
approaching orgasm. Reaching the state of complete
bliss at the same time, their voices rose together to
announce their arrival. 

Harry collapsed on top of Greg. Both bathed in sweat
and semen, they stroked each other as their bodies
recovered. Greg being the first, "God, I love you,
Harry. Thank you for that," he whispered.

     "I love you too, Greg. You're welcome and thank
you," he said. After a moment he slid off the sated
body of his hearts desire, got up, and grabbed a
towel. He cleaned himself then Greg off before he
climbed back into the strong arms held open for him.
They drifted off to sleep to the sounds of the
mountains around them whispering good night. 
 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Above the sleeping lovers, Chakotay and Tom went
through their own nightly rituals, separated by walls
and doors. As much as Tom wanted to be wrapped in this
arms of his former and hopefully soon to be lover, he
wouldn't go begging. He believed that Chakotay would
keep to his promise that nothing would happen, until
his stalker was caught. 

Down the hall, the man playing havoc on Tom's
thoughts, sat down heavily on his bed. His desire for
the blond singer was growing quickly. His heart and
mind in almost constant conflict this evening,
watching Tom laugh and joke with the others, reminded
him of a happier time in both their lives. As much as
he wanted to say to hell with caution, Chakotay
believed that he couldn't abandon his stand.
Chakotay's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his
door. He opened it to find Nayib standing on the other
side. 

"Can I come in?"

"Of course," Chakotay said as he stepped aside. His
brother walked in and sat on his bed, making himself
right at home. Chakotay looked at him with a raised
eyebrow. "Is there something in particular you wanted
or are you just checking to see how comfortable the
bed is?"

"Actually, I have a damn good reason for being here.
Why in hell are you in this room, when your heart's
desire is down the hall?"

"Nayib, this is none of your concern," Chakotay said.

"Not my concern? My brother has put his life in
danger for someone he obviously loves, yet he refuses
to do anything about it. Papa was right you are
contrary."

"Nay, you don't understand," Chakotay sighed and ran
his fingers through his hair. "It's complicated."

"What's so complicated about it? Walk down the hall,
knock on his door and tell him you love him. Simple."

Chakotay laughed, "If only it was that easy."

"It can be. You know Chaos, you always did make a
mountain out of a molehill," he teased.

"Nay...."

"Don't give me any crap about how you have to keep
your distance. How you will be setting yourself up for
another heartbreak. That's bullshit and you know it.
If nothing else my little brother, you learned a
valuable lesson or should have, last time. You fought
against your desire for Rose for far too long and in
the end your time together was short because you
hesitated."

"No. Our time was cut short because of Neil Forman's
sick mind, his and now I believe another's."

"No. If you had acted sooner, your common sense would
have kicked in sooner. You would have married her
before Forman had the chance to decide to kill her.
You would have brought her home to Dorvan V and she
would have been safe from him. He would've never
followed you there."

"Nayib, you can't know that for sure. That is a
ridiculous scenario to play out," Chakotay shouted. 

"Is it? Fine, if that's what you want to think.
That's all in the past anyway. The here and now is
laying in a bed not fifty feet from you and you're
denying yourself and him the pleasure of love. Don't
do that Chakotay. How much worse will you feel if
something does happen and you allowed this time to
slip by," Nayib reasoned.

Chakotay joined his brother on the bed, sitting
heavily. "I don't know if I can, nino. I still feel
the loss deeply. I'm not sure if I can go through that
again," he sighed and ran his hands over his face.

"Chaos, we all live through and with pain and loss.
It's a part life. To deny our heart joy can only make
that pain greater. Don't do that to yourself. Don't
live in fear of the unknown any longer," Nayib
whispered to him. Then he patted his youngest brother
on the arm and stood. "Go and be happy, even if it's
for a short time. Listen to your heart," he said, then
he was gone.

Chakotay sat staring at the closed door. He knew his
brother was right. Denying his desire wouldn't change
what was meant to be. What if Tom was taken from him,
would he feel the pain of loss any less but staying
away now? No, as a matter of fact, it would probably
be greater. He was almost sure that no matter what
happened if he lost Tom again, it would be the end of
his own existence. 

Almost as if his body was on autopilot, it led him
out of his room and down that fifty feet to stand in
front of the final barrier between him and true
happiness. His hand lifted of it's own accord and
knocked. The call was answered almost immediately, as
if Tom was standing on the other side just waiting. 

Chakotay watched as a long slender hand reached for
his and brought him into the room. Everything was
happening in slow motion, in Chakotay's eyes. No words
were spoken between them, everything that needed to be
said was done so with body language. 

Tom gently stroked Chakotay's cheek with the back of
his hand.  In one touch all the pain they had
inflicted upon each other was gone. Love was all that
remained.  Tom brushed his thumb over his lover's
lips.  He promised himself he would atone for the
wrongs he had done to his love, his soulmate.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Elsewhere a shout of rage pierced the silence as a
man stood over the broken body of Ann Delaney. The
anger that welled up inside Larry as she told him of
the canceled concerts and her impromptu vacation
spilled out. He slapped her hard, called her every
curse, and then proceeded to beat her for her
stupidity.  She was the reason his target was now
missing. She had to have told them of his questions,
it was her fault she laid on the floor struggling for
her life.

    With one final kick to the abdomen, Larry Baatz
turned and walked out of her house. There were other
things he needed to take care. She would probably be
dead before anyone found her. One more death added to
the Maquis murderer's list of crimes.

Larry knew Chakotay was responsible for his rage, so
everything that happened because of that rage was his
cross to bear. When Chakotay finally met his
tormentor, Larry would be sure the scum knew of his
burden he would carry with him to the afterlife. And
all those who paid the price for Larry's rage would
then become Chakotay's tormentors also. 

TBC