Disclaimer - Paramount shall own the names, and that is all.
*
Thirty six hours.
Thirty Six.
That was exactly how long they had until Voyager arrived.
They began to pack.
Thirty Five.
He tried, one last time, to contact his animal guide, but to no avail. So he packed away his medicine bundle.
She listened, one last time, to the only song her gramophone played, but only got as far as the second verse when she stopped it and placed it into the transport container.
Thirty Four.
She began disassembling her scientific equipment, trying to forget all the wasted time spent looking for a cure.
He destroyed the sand paintings he had made.
Thirty One.
Their hands touched, accidentally, as they were clearing away the cooking utensils.
Thirty.
She sat on her bed, staring at his.
He looked at the bathtub, remembering.
Twenty Eight.
She neatly folded and packed away her clothing, leaving only her night clothes, one dress and her uniform out. After changing into her night gown, she looked at the bathtub, remembering.
He watched the stars from a patch of grass.
Twenty Seven Hours and Eleven Minutes.
She sat next to him on the grass and told him she wanted to do something reckless.
He asked her how long the 'recklessness' would last.
Twenty Seven Hours and Nine Minutes.
She kissed him. She loved the colour of his skin. She loved the touch of his hands.
He cried.
Twenty Five.
He convinced her to run naked to the river, and jump in.
The monkey screeched. Whether in approval or disapproval they would never quite know - but it was clear that it kept watching as they kissed in the water.
Twenty Four.
Shivering, they retreated to the heated bathtub, skin wrinkled.
He put flowers in her hair.
She gave him a nickname that he didn't appreciate.
They ignored Tuvok when he hailed them.
Twenty Two.
Determined not to fall asleep, he read to her as she squandered what was left of their replicator energy on coffee.
Twenty.
After too much caffeine, she started dancing a ballet routine he wasn't familiar with and she was barely familiar with. He applauded enthusiastically anyway, but rushed over when she fell and twisted her ankle.
Nineteen.
He massaged her injured ankle while he regaled her with tales from his father.
She told him about Phoebe.
Seventeen.
She told him about her father and Justin.
He held her and reminded her that when she was back on Voyager, she could kick all the butt she wanted.
She rose an eyebrow and informed him that she could - quite assuredly - do that here.
Sixteen Hours and Thirty Two Minutes.
She kicked some remarkable butt.
Fifteen.
They fell asleep.
Nine.
One of them woke and promptly woke the other one up in a most delightful manner.
Seven.
They cleaned and washed, wiping away the remnants.
Five.
They began packing away the last few items they had left out.
She put on her uniform.
He, grudgingly, put on his.
They moved the transport containers to the arranged co-ordinates.
Four.
They considered ignoring Tuvok when he hailed them again, but didn't.
Three.
They sat together, studying the river.
She touched his hand.
He kissed her.
They sat together, studying the river.
One.
She let him put her hair into its bun.
One by one, he clipped her pips onto her uniform, then clipped his own commission bar onto his uniform.
Thirty Seven Minutes.
She ran her fingers over the top of his hair and held him.
Eighteen Minutes.
She kissed his cheek.
Fourteen Minutes.
He whispered her name.
She pulled away, and left the shelter.
She stared at the life they had created here. And stared. And stared.
Eight Minutes.
Carefully, he placed the flowers he had put in her hair into a bag and locked it shut. Sitting on the edge of her bed, he rested the bag on his lap. And contemplated.
Zero Minutes.
They studied each other.
Then turned away.
They beamed up to Voyager.
Then turned away.
~FINIS