Copyright 2000, Susan S. McCrackin  Reprinted with permission of the author.

The ship was still rocking from the explosion when she heard the Captain’s voice.

"Torres, report."

"I don’t know for sure, Captain, I’m in Sickbay. But whatever happened has thrown the Doctor’s program off line."

"Is his matrix okay?"

"I don’t know. I am having a very difficult time recovering it.  If I can’t get it back in the next few minutes, I don’t know if I will be able to recover it."

It was quiet and she knew the Captain was running through options in her mind. Then, the voice came over the com again, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

"I could use another couple of hands. Could you get Seven here?" She was concentrating, working as hard and as fast as she could. "And could you tell her to get here fast?"

She knew the Captain would give the order and then turn her attention to whatever it was that had caused the explosion. She would have to let them worry about that right now. She had her hands full trying to save the Doctor.

"Where is Seven?" She was running out of time.

The doors swished open and Seven came rushing in. "Lieutenant."

"Get over here and help me," B’Elanna’s voice was urgent. "The Doctor’s program has gone off line and I am having trouble recovering him. I need you to initiate EMH Emergency Recovery Program now!"

Seven of Nine moved to the nearest console and joined B’Elanna Torres in trying to recover the Doctor’s program.

"Activating EMH Emergency Recovery Program," said Seven, tersely.

"Loading program parameters," reported Lieutenant Torres.

"Recovery program at twenty percent."

"Setting program parameters, initiating backup procedures."

"Recovery program at fifty percent."

"Backup program running." B’Elanna was starting to breathe a little easier.

Suddenly, another explosion sent both B’Elanna Torres and Seven of Nine sprawling to the floor. Each fought to regain their footing, grabbing for their respective consoles. B’Elanna looked at her console and glanced over to Seven’s. She hit her combadge, "Torres to Bridge." She didn’t even wait for the Captain to respond, "We need power rerouted to Sickbay now!" She was standing, holding her breath. She looked over at Seven. Seven’s face had lost all of its color and her eyes were locked on the console in front of her, her hands poised, waiting.

The consoles flickered and came alive. Both women started working immediately, hands flying over the console commands.

"What do you have, Seven?"

"I have activated EMH Emergency Recovery Program." She hesitated, "The program appears to still be functional." B’Elanna could hear the strain in her voice.

"Loading program parameters."

"Recovery program running, reaching thirty percent."

"Setting program parameters and initiating backup procedures."

"Recovery program at sixty percent."

"Backup program running." She looked around the Sickbay. They could not afford another explosion right now. Please, she thought, just a few more minutes, just a few more minutes.

"Recovery program at ninety percent. Recovery program at ninety-five percent." Seven looked up at her, "Recovery is complete. Program synching in progress."

"Backup running, matrix looks stable."

The Doctor began to materialize in front of them. His program was sputtering. B’Elanna quickly worked to make the necessary adjustments to stabilize it. Finally, the Doctor solidified and stood there, looking at both of them, his eyes alert for signs of any trouble.

"Am I safe? Am I okay?"

B’Elanna was concentrating on reading the results of the diagnostics. "I think you are safe now, Doctor. I am backing your program up on multiple systems. Voyager would have to have a total power failure for us to lose you now." She smiled at him, hoping to make him feel better.

"But what happened?"

"I don’t know. Voyager has suffered two significant explosions. The first took your program out and the second almost kept us from recovering you. Once I am sure I have you stabilized, I’ll go run down the other problem. Seven, are you reading any anomalies?"

When she did not receive an answer, she looked up. "Seven?"

But Seven was standing, staring at the Doctor, her face colorless, her expression blank.

B’Elanna tried again, this time louder, "Seven!"

Seven jumped and looked at the Lieutenant in surprise. "What?"

"I asked you if you were reading any anomalies in the Doctor’s program." Her voice was sharp.

Seven immediately looked down to her console, obviously trying to focus her thoughts. After a few moments, she looked up, "No, Lieutenant. I read no anomalies." She looked briefly at the Doctor, then quickly back down to her console. "System appears to be functioning normally."

"Thank you, Seven. I appreciate your help."

The Doctor turned to her, "And I want to thank you. I want to thank both of you."

Seven did not reply. She just stood, looking at him.

He frowned, "Seven?"

B’Elanna looked in her direction and Seven seemed to shake herself. "I am glad I could be of service." She turned to face B’Elanna, "Lieutenant, do you require my assistance any longer?"

"No, Seven, I think I have it under control. You may leave."

Seven gave her a slight nod and, looking at the Doctor one last time, turned and left the Sickbay.

B’Elanna watched her leave and shook her head, "What an ice queen!" She went back to her work.

The Doctor was still looking at the doors she had walked out of. No, she wasn’t an ice queen. What he had seen in her face had surprised him. What he had seen was not the expression of an ice queen. Far from it.

***

She walked from the Sickbay. She moved quickly, desperate to get back to Astrometrics. The doors opened as she neared and she was relieved to find it empty. She rushed to the console, grabbing onto it for support. Her legs were giving out from under her. She was breathing deeply, quickly, almost fighting to catch her breath. Her mind was whirling. She could not even think a complete thought. Everything was jumbled.

They had almost lost him. If his matrix had totally destabilized, he would have been gone and they would not have been able to get him back. They would have lost him. She would have lost him.

She could feel her heart almost thudding out of her chest, the blood pounding in her ears so loudly she could not hear. She got so light headed she had to sit down. She put her hand to her face and felt the tears running down.

What was happening to her?

She had almost lost him.

The sob escaped her and she did not even try to hold it back.

***

Her eyes flew open and she stumbled out of her alcove.

"Warning. Regeneration cycle incomplete."

She was gripped in fear. She felt just as she had earlier in the afternoon. She stepped from the alcove, almost falling. Regaining her footing, she rushed from Cargo Bay 2. She moved as quickly as she could without actually running. Even so, it seemed to take forever for her to get to Sickbay. The doors opened and she entered a darkened room. This scared her. She felt as if someone was squeezing her heart.

The Doctor was no where to be seen. He had not automatically activated when she entered. Her fear rising, she could barely get the words out, "Computer, activate the Emergency Medical Hologram."

She watched, waiting. It was only a second, but it seemed like a lifetime. Then, he was materializing in front of her.

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency." He completed his announcement, then looked around and saw her, "Seven? Is something wrong?" He moved toward her but she backed up. He stopped.

"I…I…had a dream." It was all she said.

He looked at her. As earlier, her face had lost all of its color. Her eyes were wide with fear. He could feel her heightened blood pressure, her quickened pulse. He knew she was having an anxiety attack but he knew he should not tell her right now. He knew he could not say anything to her right now.

They stood there for what seemed forever. The Doctor felt as if they were in a staring contest, but he did not move. Finally, she moved toward him, stopping within an arm’s length from him. She reached out and put her hand on his chest as if to assure herself that he was really there. He watched the emotions play across her face, heard her breathing deepen and felt her hand grip his shirt and tighten into a fist.

He tried to keep his voice soft, "Seven?"

"I dreamed we were not successful." Her voice broke as she stumbled over her words. "I dreamed we lost you."

He was being very careful not to move. He smiled at her, "But you did not and I am here. It was only a dream."

She relaxed her grip on his shirt, stretching her fingers out so that her hand was pressed against his chest. She continued to look him in the eye. He slowly reached his arms forward and put his hands on the backs of her elbows. He gently pulled her toward him. At first, she hesitated, pulling slightly against him but he smiled encouragingly at her and she let him pull her toward him. She put her other hand against his chest as he pulled her into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She leaned her head down on his shoulder and he pressed his head against her check. They stood there until he felt her breathing and heartbeat return to normal. He could have stayed like this forever.

Finally, he said, "It is okay, Seven. It was only a dream. I am fine. You don’t have to be afraid anymore."

"If I had lost you…." It was a whisper, so soft he almost did not hear it.

"But you didn’t." He held her. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the feel of her in his arms. Too soon, he felt her move away from him and, as hard as it was to do so, he let her go.

She stood, now outside of his arms, but still holding her hand on his chest, almost reluctant to let go.

"Thank you." Her voice was hoarse and thick with emotion.

"Of course." He wanted so much to reach for her again but knew doing so would be the wrong thing to do.

She let her hand slowly fall from his chest and back to her side. She gave him a slight turn of her head. She seemed confused, uncertain what to do next. She took a deep breath, turned and left.

He went to his desk and sat slowly down in his chair. He could still feel her body pressing into his. ‘If I had lost you.’ That is what she had said. ‘If I had lost you.’

"Oh, Seven."

***

She went to Astrometrics. She had to be alone. Even though the children were regenerating, she needed to be someplace where she was completely alone. She sat on the edge of the platform. She could still feel his arms around her. She could feel his cheek against hers. Leaving had been so difficult and so necessary. She had to get away from him so she could think. She was confused. Standing there, with his arms around her, she had felt safe. But then, she felt the confusion flooding her and she knew she had to get away.

The dream had been so real. It had frightened her so much and she had been sure he would not be there when she got to Sickbay. When he had materialized in front of her she had had to make certain he was real. But when she touched him, it was like electricity had run through her body. She had felt connected to him and she could not let him go.

What was this? What was happening to her?

As badly as her dream had scared her, this feeling scared her more.

B’Elanna walked into the Sickbay, dirty and bleeding. "Hello, Doctor. I need your help."

"What happened to you?" He quickly seated her on the biobed and started to scan her.

"I had a little accident trying to fix a power relay conduit."

"Did that have anything to do with the explosions yesterday?"

"Yes. It had everything to do with it. We almost had another explosion today." She quickly added to reassure him when he reacted to her comment, "But don’t worry, Doctor, I have your program protected. What happened yesterday won’t happen again."

"That’s a relief. Thank you, B’Elanna." He was working on her with his medical tricorder, "I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. I owe my program to you."

She laughed at his play on words. "You are welcome."

"What happened yesterday?"

"You know, it was actually a simple mistake. One of the crew was doing some repairs and crossed two access lines. Then, when he tried to fix it, he crossed them again. Sickbay was the only place that sustained any real damage."

"Lucky me. Well, I think I am through with you." He looked over his work and, satisfied, replaced his equipment. "I think you can return to work. Or, maybe take a sonic shower." He smiled fondly at her. He knew there was only one thing B’Elanna liked more than getting dirty in engineering and that was cleaning in the sonic shower.

"Thanks, Doctor. I am heading for that shower now."

He hesitated, but spoke to her as she was getting up from the biobed. "B’Elanna, may I ask you a question?"

"Sure." She was somewhat distracted and arranging her clothes.

"I. Uh, I…" He couldn’t figure out exactly how to ask his question.

B’Elanna looked at him, "What is it, Doctor?"

He could tell she was concerned about his program. He struggled to ask his question, "I, um, I hope you won’t think I am prying, B’Elanna, but…" She looked at him expectantly, trying to follow exactly where this was going. "When did you realize you were in love with Mr. Paris?"

"Oh." Suddenly, she understood exactly what he was asking her and the events of the last day came back to her. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place. She walked away and moved to the opposite side of the biobed, more to give herself a chance to think. She put her hands on the bed and leaned forward. "Actually, Doctor, I think I knew I loved him for a long time before I would admit it. I did not even want to admit it to myself. I did not want to admit that I needed anyone in my life. It wasn’t until we were about to die that I found the courage to be honest with him, and with myself." She looked down at the hand he had just worked on, noticing how dirty it was. "You know, Doctor, sometimes life has to just slap you in the face to wake you up."

He nodded at her. "Thank you, B’Elanna. Now, I don’t want to keep you from that shower any longer. The Doctor can’t afford to make his doctor mad with him." He smiled at her.

She smiled back. Something else had happened yesterday. She was sure of it. And she thought she had an inkling of what it was. Everyone knew how the Doctor felt about Seven and the only person on the ship who did not know that Seven of Nine was in love with the Doctor was Seven of Nine. Maybe what had happened yesterday had finally forced something between the two of them.

She reached over and touched his arm, "Give her time, Doctor. It will be all right."

He looked at her in surprise, words failing him.

She laughed softly and turned, "I’m heading for a sonic shower." And she left.

***

He was working late. He had barely been able to concentrate all day. He found that he was constantly remembering what had happened last night. He had watched for her all day but she had never come. He had even thought of looking for her but knew that would be the wrong thing for him to do. He could not push her. He could not rush her. He was not certain what she was going through right now but he knew he had to let her go through it in her own time.

He wanted desperately to reach out to her and to protect her. He could see that she was hurting right now. He did not want to do anything to make it any worse. He was about to deactivate himself when he heard the doors swish open.

For a moment, no one came in. Then, she slowly came through the doors, moving hesitantly. He walked out of his office and stood. She walked toward him, stopping within an arm’s length. Once again, she reached out and put her hand against his chest. As before, he reached his arms out and grasped his hands behind her elbows and pulled her to him. She came easily and folded herself into his arms. She was trembling. He held her tightly, trying to comfort her but her trembling only increased. He leaned his head against hers and felt her return the pressure. He lowered his head and kissed her neck. She shivered. He loosened his arms to pull back a little and she did the same. He looked her in the eyes. She glanced down at his lips and back to his eyes. He looked at her questioningly and she lifted her head to him. He leaned forward, almost tentatively, expecting her to turn at any moment, and kissed her softly on the lips. It was a tender, almost chaste kiss, but he lingered and felt her return it. He pulled back and looked at her face again. He had to make certain he was not scaring her. She put her head down for only a second before raising it to him again. He leaned forward and this time she met him, her mouth slightly open. He tightened his arms around her. They kissed deeply. When the kiss ended, she pulled back. She took her hand from his chest and put it to the base of her throat. She put the fingers of her other hand on her lips and backed away from him. She closed her eyes for a long moment. Even from this distance, he could feel her trembling. Then, she opened her eyes, looked at him, turned and left.

Once again, he found himself watching the door she had walked out of.

***
 

B’Elanna walked into the Sickbay. "Hi, Doctor. I’m making a house call." She moved to the center console and starting running a diagnostic.

He was concerned, "Did something happen?"

"No, I’m just checking things out. Making certain everything is running okay. Thought I’d better check your program while I was at it." She watched him return to his work. Actually, she wasn’t really here to check on his program. She was much more interested in him.

She had seen Seven of Nine in the mess hall. Seven had come in, gotten her food and sat off by herself in as secluded a corner as she could find. B’Elanna had watched her as closely as she dared. Seven had seemed distracted and upset. She had picked at her food and spent most of the meal staring out the window into space. B’Elanna thought she looked more like someone who had lost a love than someone who had found one. She decided to see how the Doctor was.

"Good news, Doctor. Your program looks to be okay. No anomalies."

"That is good news. Thank you." He turned from her absently.

She stood wondering what to do next. Well, it was her nature to be up front. "So, Doctor, how are things going with Seven?"

His head shot in her direction, the look on his face…strange. Without realizing what she was doing, she stepped back.

"Whoa, Doctor," she put her hand up, "I’m sorry if I said anything out of place. I didn’t mean to upset you."

His expression changed immediately and he relaxed. "I’m sorry, B’Elanna. I don’t know why I reacted like that."

"Do I take it that things aren’t going as well as you would like?"

"B’Elanna, I don’t know how things are going." He looked at her and opened his mouth to speak. Suddenly, he stopped himself, "No. This isn’t right. I’m sorry, I can’t say anything else."

"Why not?"

He stood, weighing his words carefully. "B’Elanna, I appreciate your concern, but it is no secret that you and Seven are anything but friends. It would be inappropriate for me to discuss something of a personal nature involving her with you."

B’Elanna was nodding her head. "I can understand your concern, Doctor. Regardless of how I feel about Seven, I would like to think that you and I are friends. That means I am concerned about you. If being with Seven would make you happy then I want you to be with Seven. You can trust me, Doctor. I don’t betray confidences."

The Doctor seemed to slump, almost in relief. He desperately needed to talk to someone and he knew he could trust B’Elanna. "I’m sorry. I’m so confused right now."

"Why don’t you tell me just what you are comfortable telling me. Let’s start there and see where we get."

"B’Elanna, I don’t know what is going on with Seven. She came here to Sickbay that night, after my program went off line. She was so frightened. She said she had dreamed that you two were not able to recover my program. She told me she had been afraid she had lost me. She was so scared and I wanted desperately to reach out and hold her." He stopped and B’Elanna waited. "I finally did. I held her and then she left. She came back the next night…." He trailed off.

"You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to tell me."

"There’s nothing to tell. Not really." He sat down at his desk and she took the chair across from him. "She came in. This time we kissed and she left again."

"That’s all?"

"That’s all."

"She just left?’

"She just left."

She leaned forward, speaking softly. "Are you all right, Doctor?"

He looked surprised, "What?"

"I asked if you were all right.

"Yes. Of course. No." He looked around, "I don’t know." His eyes wandered away from her and his head slumped down toward his chest.

"Doctor, you will just have to let things work their way out. You will need to give Seven time to come to terms with what she is going through. I have been where Seven is now. It isn’t an easy place to be and it is a lot easier to run from those feelings than to face up to them." She leaned on the desk, "You both need to give yourself time. If it is meant to for you and Seven to be together, you will be." She laughed, "If Tom Paris and I could survive falling in love, so can you and Seven."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

***

Seven was studying the Astrometrics scan when B’Elanna walked in. She turned slightly and greeted her guest, "Lieutenant."

"Hello, Seven."

"Do you require my assistance?"

"No. I was just passing by here and thought I would see if you had the Astrometrics report ready. Do you?"

Seven turned and picked up a data pad from the console and handed it back to the Lieutenant.

"Thank you." B’Elanna was trying to figure out a reason to continue their conversation. "So, what are you working on?" She stepped past Seven and to the console. She heard the sigh behind her but ignored it. She was on a mission and she would not be deterred.

"I am mapping that nebula ahead of us." She indicated the screen in front of them.

"Sounds interesting."

"Lieutenant Torres," Seven’s voice was harsh, "you did not come to see what I am working on." Seven also, was up front.

"Okay," B’Elanna turned to face her, "I came to see how you were doing?"

Seven looked at her and frowned. "Why are you concerned about how I am doing?"

"Well, Seven, we had a rather rough time with the Doctor’s program the other day. I wondered if you might have found that experience…troubling."

Despite herself, she enjoyed the look on Seven’s face. It was a look of shock and uncertainty. She did not often get to see that look on the Borg’s face.

"No. Why would I?"

"You and the Doctor are friends, are you not?"

Seven hesitated. "Yes, we are friends."

"Then weren’t you upset that we almost lost his matrix the other day?"

She almost felt sorry for Seven as she watched the emotions that played across her face. Oh, is she hurting, thought B’Elanna.

"Of course, I was upset. It would have been a difficult loss." Seven was trying to pull herself back from the conversation and regain her composure. "He is my friend." She finished lamely.

B’Elanna felt herself soften toward her. She decided to change tactics, "I know it would have been, Seven. And that is why I am here. I wanted to make certain you were doing okay. Sometimes, experiences like those have a delayed reaction. You don’t start to feel upset until later. Then it can hit kind of hard." She noted that her words had surprised and unsettled Seven who stepped back and turned away from her, returning to the console. Even though she returned to work, B’Elanna could see that her hands were shaking. She pretended not to notice and walked to stand next to her, focusing on the screen in front of them.

"Seven, it’s okay to be upset when someone you care for is in trouble. It’s a natural reaction."

Seven’s hands stopped moving over the console but she did not remove them. B’Elanna could see the shaking had increased. She could sense that Seven was fighting to maintain control. She lowered her voice and spoke to her.

"When someone you care for is threatened, it sometimes makes you realize how strong your feelings for that person are. That isn’t a bad thing, Seven. It can help us come to terms with what we are feeling. Don’t be afraid of those feelings. Let them happen. Don’t push them or be pushed by them. When you are ready, you will know."

Seven looked at her, eyes wide and body shaking. She could not trust herself to speak.

B’Elanna just smiled at her. "It will be all right, Seven. I promise."

***

She sat on the edge of the platform, hearing the Lieutenants words reply themselves in her mind. She wanted desperately to believe what the Lieutenant had said. Her hands were still shaking. She put one of them to her lips and remembered the feel of his lips on hers. The memory sent a strange surge through her body. She let out a small whimper. What was she feeling? Why was she so scared?

Deep down, she knew the answer to her questions. She knew what she was feeling and she knew why that scared her.

"Don’t be afraid of those feelings."

She heard B’Elanna’s words echoing in her mind.

"Don’t be afraid of those feelings."

"Let them happen."

She looked around the holodeck nervously. She wanted everything to be perfect. He would be here soon.

She had tried to stay away from him. The feelings she had experienced had frightened her. At first, she thought it would be best to stay away from him. But each day away from him had made her more and more miserable. B’Elanna’s words kept replaying themselves through her mind. Finally, she knew that the pain of being away from him was worse than the fear of being with him.

It had taken her almost a week to get up the courage. She had gone to the Sickbay. She could tell he was surprised to see her. When she had looked at him, she had felt that same electricity she had felt the night she reached out to touch him. She had almost lost her courage. He had walked toward her and she had found herself backing up. He had stopped.

"How are you today, Seven?" His voice had been low and warm. She had realized how much she had missed the sound of his voice.

"I am fine." Her voice had sounded strained and shaky.

"Can I help you?"

"No. I did not come here for treatment." He had stood there, not moving, waiting. "I came to…invite you to dinner." She had dropped her eyes immediately, suddenly scared. She had never considered he would not accept but standing here in front of him now, she was afraid he would tell her no. When he did not answer, she looked back up at him, the color starting to drain from her face.

But he had been smiling at her. "I would love to."

She had swallowed, trying to push down the fear. "Sandrines at eight?" The words almost squeaked out.

"I will look forward to it."

Now, sitting in Sandrines, she was remembering the look on his face when he had said those words. The memory of that face brought a smile to her’s. She thought she could look at that face every minute for the rest of her life.

Suddenly, the fear starting rising in her again. No. This was wrong. She should not have done this. There was no one for the rest of her life. If her life had taught her anything, it was that. She had not had many people in her life that she had been that emotionally bonded with but she had lost them all. She thought about her parents and One. No. She would not risk this again.

She stood to leave when he walked in. As soon as she looked at him, she knew she would not leave. She knew she could not leave. She heard B’Elanna’s words in her mind. "Don’t be afraid of those feelings. Let them happen."

He walked up to her and handed her a single red rose. "Hello, Seven. You look beautiful tonight."

"Thank you." It was all she could manage to say. She took the rose from him. She did not know what to do next.

He could sense her confusion and uncertainty. He realized he would have to take the lead in the evening. "Should we sit down?"

She nodded and they moved to the table. The waiter came over and the Doctor ordered for them. He started talking to her, about his day, about opera, about nothing. She just listened to the sound of his voice. She felt herself starting to relax. He asked her about her day. She started, stumbling over her words. He seemed not to notice. Soon, they were talking and she realized she was starting to feel comfortable for the first time in weeks. It wasn’t long before she heard a sound come from her and she realized it was her own laughter.

"Well, that was a nice sound." He was sitting back in his chair, legs crossed, hands in his lap. "I don’t think I could ever hear that enough."

"What?"

"You, laughing. You have a wonderful laugh. I wish I could hear it more." He leaned forward, looking at her intently, "It means you are happy. I want you to be happy, Seven. Whatever it takes for that to happen, I want it for you."

More than anything right now, she wanted to be in his arms. She was surprised to find that she was not afraid of him. She longed for him.

He saw it in her eyes but he would not move toward her. Instead, he asked, "Would you like to dance?"

She nodded and the music started immediately. As soon as he heard it, he looked at her, a slightly startled expression on his face. She gave him a smile.

"Our song," he said as she stood. The strains of "Someone to Watch Over Me" filled the room.

He took her in his arms and they started to dance. He held her away, almost afraid to pull her close but she moved into him. He was humming in her ear and then he was singing to her softly. She knew at this moment, everything about them was right.

The song ended and they stopped moving, but stood holding each other. He kissed the side of her neck. She lifted her head and he kissed her throat. Then, they were kissing each other. She felt a hunger start to rise in her. This time, it did not frighten her.

They did not even hear the doors open but they heard Tom Paris’ voice.

"Oh, wow! About time!"

They separated in shock. As soon as they looked at him, Tom knew he had made a huge mistake.

"Oh, guys, look, I’m sorry. I’ll leave."

But the damage was done. Seven of Nine stood, horrified. Then she ran. She was past Tom before he could react. His voice blended with the Doctor’s as they both called after her. But she was gone. The Doctor moved after her. Tom grabbed his arm.

"Doc. I’m really sorry."

But the look the Doctor gave him backed him off. He let him go and the Doctor left to find Seven.

Tom Paris stood there. He picked up the single red rose on the table where they had obviously eaten dinner. He shook his head, upset with himself.

"Oh, man."

***
 

"You did what?" B’Elanna Torres was practically yelling.

Tom sat with his head in his hands. He was wishing the floor would open up and swallow him. "I know. I know. I can’t believe I did that."

"What happened after Seven ran out?"

"The Doctor followed her. I didn’t know what to do so I went by Sickbay later to see if the Doctor was there and to apologize to him again."

"Tom! What if they had been there? Then what would you have done?"

"I didn’t even think about that. I just felt so bad."

B’Elanna went over and sat on the sofa next to him. As upset as she was over what he had done, she felt badly for him. She put her arm around his shoulders and hugged him. "What happened?"

"No one was there so I started to leave. Then the Doctor came in." He stopped talking and B’Elanna knew it had not been a nice conversation. "Let’s just say he was not happy with me."

"Did he say anything about Seven?"

"Not really. I did get the idea he had not been able to find her. We had a few words, me trying to apologize and him yelling. Finally, he told me he was going to get some privacy the only way he could and he deactivated his program. B’Elanna, I really screwed up this time."

"Yes. I think you really did." She paused, "So, they were really kissing, huh?"

"Oh, yes. It was some kind of a kiss." Tom grinned at her, "I had no idea Seven had it in her."

B’Elanna cut her eyes at him and grinned back but sobered quickly. She sat thinking a moment and turned to him, "What did you say the Doctor said right before he deactivated himself?"

Tom had to think before he responded. "I think he said he was going to get some privacy the only way he could." He saw the far off look in her face. "Why, what is it? What are you thinking?"

B’Elanna rose, crossed her arms and started pacing. Then, she stopped, "Tom, do you realize neither one of them has private quarters?"

Tom’s face went from blank to amazed. "I never thought about that. Now that the Borg kids are around, Seven even shares the Cargo Bay."

B’Elanna was still only a moment. She hit her combadge, "Computer, is the Captain still up?"

"The Captain is still up."

"Computer, ask the Captain if Ensign Paris and I can visit her in her quarters."

"B’Elanna, what are you doing?" Tom jumped up, not knowing what to do to stop her.

"Janeway to Torres."

"Torres here." She was pushing Tom back, shushing him.

"You and Ensign Paris want to see me?"

"Yes, Captain. If it is convenient."

"It’s late, Lieutenant. Is this an emergency?"

"No, Captain. No emergency. I’m sorry if we’ve bothered you." Tom looked relieved and B’Elanna glared at him.

"No, it’s okay. I’m not sleepy right now anyway. Why don’t you two come on? Janeway out."

Tom groaned. B’Elanna grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out the door.

***
 

"So, what is so important you wanted to see me this time of the night?" She was looking at them. She did not think she had ever seen either of them so nervous. She sat back and waited for one of them to speak.

Tom and B’Elanna looked at each other. He looked at her as if to say this was your idea so she took a deep breath and started.

"Captain, we need to talk to you about the Doctor and Seven."

"Do you two have a problem with the Doctor and Seven?"

"No, Captain." She looked to Tom for help. He rolled his eyes.

"Captain," he said, "tonight, I walked in on the Doctor and Seven on the holodeck." When the captain looked at him with a question in her eyes, he continued, "They were kissing and I interrupted them."

"Kissing?" She was shocked. She couldn’t help herself, she had to ask the question, "Really kissing?"

Tom started laughing, "Oh, yes, Captain. A really great kiss."

B’Elanna slapped him on the arm, "Tom!" Then she turned to face the captain, "The Doctor and Seven have been trying to…develop a relationship. Tonight, after Tom barged in on them," she glared at him, "we realized neither of them have…any where private they can go." She finished clumsily, her face reddening. Her eyes dared Tom to say anything.

Captain Janeway was still struggling not to laugh at Tom when B’Elanna’s words sunk in. "No. They don’t, do they?" She sat, lost in thought. Tom and B’Elanna stood quietly, not certain what to do but not willing to do anything to break her concentration. Finally, she looked up, "Thank you for talking to me about this. I will think about it." She stood and headed them to the door. "A really great kiss, huh?"

Tom smiled and nodded his head vigorously.

"Good," said the Captain. "It’s about time."

***

Seven was working in the Astrometrics Lab when Captain Janeway entered. The Captain noticed she did not respond to the doors opening and closing. She walked up behind her, "Seven?"

Seven jumped and spun around. "Captain. I did not hear you come in."

"I noticed. You must have been concentrating pretty hard on your work. What are you working on?"

"I am mapping the nebula ahead of us." She was obviously rattled and trying to recover.

"I didn’t realize that would be so absorbing." The Captain was amused.

"I, I was somewhat preoccupied." Seven moved back to continue her work at the console.

"Seven, is there anything you would like to talk to me about?"

Seven turned to face her. She still could not trust herself to talk about what had happened. It had been upsetting. She had felt exposed. A moment that should have been so private between the two of them was, by now, she was certain, the talk of the ship. It hurt her to think that what had happened between her and the Doctor was being talked about on the ship.

"No, Captain. There is nothing I would like to talk about right now."

"I see." The Captain turned to view the mapping coordinates on the screen in front of them. "Looks like you are coming along in your work. Are you too busy to accompany me?"

Seven frowned, "No. I can stop my work."

"Good, follow me." With that, she walked out of the Astrometrics Lab. Seven hurried after her.

"Where are we going?"

"You will see when we get there."

They walked, with Seven glancing at her from time to time. Since she had not answered her question about where they were going, Seven did not ask anymore questions and the Captain did not volunteer any information. Finally, they arrived at a door and the Captain keyed in an access code. The door opened and the Captain walked in. Seven followed.

"Well, what do you think?" The Captain was looking at her.

She looked around and asked, "What do I think about what?"

"These quarters, Seven. What do you think about them?"

"These are empty quarters. What is it that I am to think about them?" She was totally confused.

"Seven, what would you say if I told you these are your quarters? That is, if you want them"

"Captain?"

"Let’s just say I realized that, since the children came on board, you do not have any place of your own any more. I thought this might be a place you could have some privacy."

Seven looked around the room, her eyes finally falling back on the Captain’s. "Did you realize that on your own?"

Kathryn Janeway pursed her lips, "No, actually, I had some help." She saw the anger flash in Seven’s eyes. "I had help from some people who honestly care about you and the Doctor." Seven looked at her, blinking. The Captain walked up to stand closer to her. "Seven, I know you have to be upset over what happened. It was an unfortunate thing but it was a thoughtless act, not a vindictive one."

"I know, Captain." Seven turned away from her, afraid of the emotions she was feeling. "I realize Mr. Paris could not have know why we were in there. But…" She could not finish.

"I understand. It was a private moment, meant to be between you and the Doctor only. You had opened yourself up emotionally and you did not mean to share that moment."

Seven was surprised. "How can you know how I feel?"

"What you felt was normal. Most of us have been there at one point or another in our lives. I know it doesn’t diminish the pain and hurt you feel now but it was a perfectly normal reaction."

Seven looked at her gratefully. "Thank you, Captain. Your words give me comfort."

"Good. I hoped they would." She glanced away, "Would you like to talk to me about your relationship with the Doctor?"

Seven hesitated. She started walking around the empty room, stopping to look into the small bedroom and out of the window over the bed. The Captain watched her, not quite knowing what to expect. Finally, she started speaking.

"When I came on Voyager, almost everything was a new experience for me. I was willing to participate in those new experiences. They were all ways of trying to become comfortable with my humanity. At that time, I also was willing to explore my sexuality. It would have been another experience for me, much like eating or taking a sonic shower. Nothing more.

"But now, I find the thought of doing so…frightening. And I do not understand why." She finished, looking at the Captain.

Kathryn Janeway did not think she had ever seen Seven look so young or so vulnerable. She walked up to her, "Come on, let’s go sit down in here." She led her into the small bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. "Come, sit down next to me." She patted the bed next to her. "Please."

Once Seven was seated, Janeway took her hand and started talking, "Seven, what you are afraid of is not exploring your sexuality." She smiled inwardly at the surprised look on Seven’s face. "What you are afraid of is exploring this deep emotional bond you are developing with the Doctor.

"Sex, by itself, is just another physical experience. Had you explored your sexuality soon after you came on Voyager, it might not have meant more than eating or taking a sonic shower. But now, it has a much deeper meaning for you than just physical contact. It means sharing yourself emotionally. That makes it mean something very different."

She now held Seven’s hand in both of hers and turned to face her, "I think what is scaring you is that, when you take this step with the Doctor, you know in your heart, it will mean you are deeply and emotionally bonded with him. You will be committed to him in a way you have never been with anyone else."

After a long, heavy silence, Seven spoke, "You are right, Captain. I am afraid. I have lost the only people I have felt deeply about. I am afraid I could not bear to experience that loss again." She took a deep breath, fighting back tears.

"Seven, living this life sometimes means learning to live with loss. It is a risk you take every day. No one can say that you will survive tomorrow, or that I will. But we cannot afford to give up living for the fear that we will die. And you cannot give up loving someone because you fear losing him."

A single tear started to run down Seven’s face. The Captain reached up and wiped it off. "Seven, it will be all right." She sensed Seven needed to be alone right now so she stood to leave. "You can let me know what you decide about these quarters. And, no one but you and I know about this." She took Seven’s face in her hands and lifted it. "I hope you know I am here for you if you need me."

Seven nodded and the Captain left. She looked around the room, trying to sort out all of her feelings. It is just a room, she thought to herself. Then she thought, no, it is my room.

She was walking around the room, moving things around, trying to get everything just right. She was just minutes away from contacting the Doctor. It had taken her almost two weeks to get the new quarters fixed up -- and to work up her courage. The living area looked acceptable. The replicators were programmed and ready to prepare the dinner at the appropriate time.

Earlier today, she had stopped by the Sickbay.

"I would like for you to join me for dinner at Sandrines tonight."

"I would be glad to." He had looked surprised and pleased. He had then smiled at her and added, "You might be happy to know that Mr. Paris has duty here tonight."

She had smiled back at him. "I will see you at eight?"

"At eight."

She had left. Walking back to Astrometrics, she had marveled at how calm she felt.

But, right now, she was not feeling very calm. She checked the time, took a deep breath, and with a slightly trembling hand, hit her combadge, "Seven of Nine to the Doctor."

"Doctor here." He sounded surprised.

"Doctor, I cannot meet you at Sandrines."

"Oh." She could hear the disappointment.

"Could you join me here?"

"Of course. Are you in Astrometrics?"

"No, I am on deck nine, room one-two-one."

"I am on my way. Doctor out."

She looked around one last time. She hoped he would be pleased with the way she had fixed the quarters. Even though the Captain had said they were her quarters, everything she did, she did with him in mind. She had even put pictures on the wall. She was not certain why anyone thought walls had to be covered but she knew he would be pleased. She was so deep into thought she was almost surprised when the computer announced the Doctor.

"Come in, Doctor."

He walked in, glad to see her and, for a moment, not even aware of the surroundings. "Hello, Seven. It is wonderful to see you. I am glad you were able to see me even though we couldn’t meet at Sandrines." Suddenly, he noticed that they were in living quarters. He looked around, a questioning look appearing on his face. "Seven, where are we? Whose quarters are these?"

"These are my quarters."

"What?" He looked at her in shock.

"These are my quarters."

"When did you get quarters?"

"The Captain assigned them to me. She thought I would need a place since the children came on board and I now share the Cargo Bay with them."

"That’s wonderful, Seven. How nice for you." He looked around. Suddenly, a look of awareness appeared on his face.

Seven smiled at him, "Yes, Doctor. We can enjoy a private dinner and not worry about being intruded upon. Dinner is ready. Would you like to sit down?"

He nodded, not certain exactly how to act. He had never been alone with Seven in a place where no one could just walk in and interrupt them. Now, it was his turn to be unsettled.

He sat at the table and watched as she prepared his plate and placed it in front of him. "Seven, this looks wonderful. Did you do this by yourself?"

She nodded, "I have been practicing. My first efforts were not…entirely successful."

He laughed. "Well, I would say your practicing has definitely paid off."

She fixed her plate and joined him at the table. "If you would like, you may select the music. I programmed the computer with a list of your favorites."

"No, let’s save the music for later. Right now, I would just like to enjoy this time with you. It is such a treat to be able to be with you and know that half the ship will not walk through those doors."

They ate and talked and laughed. The Doctor watched the lights dance in Seven’s eyes. He did not think she had ever looked more beautiful. He did not want this night to end. He had never felt so close to anyone.

She watched his face. She thought she knew every line of it. There was such tenderness and strength in it. She watched for the corners of his mouth to turn up and, when they did, to turn on the sparkle in his eyes. She wanted more than anything to touch his face at that moment.

"Would you like to dance?" He was reaching for her.

"Yes, I would like that very much." She spoke, "Computer, play our song."

He laughed lightly as the strains of "Someone to Watch Over Me" started and pulled her into his arms. They danced and, like the night at Sandrines, he sang softly in her ear. When the song ended, she put her hands to his face. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and they kissed. He could feel her heart beating and her pulse rate increase. He felt her start to tremble. He pulled away.

"Seven?"

But she reached out to his face with shaking hands. "Please."

"But, Seven, are you certain?"

She was really trembling now, her hands still on his face. "The only thing I am certain of is that I love you, Doctor."

Her words struck him dumb. He could only look into her eyes and they told him everything he needed to know. He saw the love and the trust that were there and he found the only words he needed.

"And I love you."

***

He was watching her sleep. He wanted to reach out and touch her but he was afraid doing so would wake her. So he just watched.

He felt an absolute sense of wonder at what had happened between them. How would she feel, he wondered? Would she regret what had happened? Please, don’t let her be sorry. A flicker of concern crossed his face.

At that moment, she moved, her eyes opening as she did. She looked around, slightly surprised at seeing him there. Then, she remembered where she was.

He did not move. He did not want to do anything to frighten her. He could only look at her and hope that his face showed her the love her felt for her. He tried desperately not to let her know how apprehensive he was. Don’t be sorry, Seven. He was begging her in his head. Don’t be sorry.

He watched the memory of what had happened flood back into her face. He watched her eyes look back at him, wander around the room, glance down at her own body and move back to lock on eyes. Then, she reached her hand up to touch his face, smiling. Suddenly, she laughed. She raised herself up on one elbow and moved so she could kiss him.

No, he thought as he wrapped his arms around her, no regrets.

***

Kathryn Janeway had the feeling she was watching a butterfly emerge from its cocoon. At first, she had been afraid Seven was not going to take the living quarters. She had been relieved when she finally came to her ready room to thank her and to accept the offer. Seven had seemed reluctant to talk about her decision and Janeway had not pushed her. But she watched and noticed as Seven went about the business of fixing up her new home.

She had worked late at night when no one was likely to see her. At one point, the Captain stopped by to find her cleaning.

"Seven, you don’t have to clean that way."

"I know. It is just that I want to do it like this. I find this satisfying."

They had talked for a few minutes but the Captain had sensed that Seven was eager to return to her work so she had left. Still, what she had seen had pleased her. Seven had seemed surprisingly content.

Then, she had noticed small things. While it was not obvious that anything had happened between the Doctor and Seven, she was aware of things that were different. There were looks and smiles and, though they never touched when other people were around, they stood closer to each other. Janeway knew that Seven would want any relationship between the two of them private but she did not think, that if anything had happened, they would be able to keep it private for long.

She remembered the night that everyone knew. Neelix had decided they all needed a treat so he had hosted a dessert party in the mess hall. The crowd was relaxed and jovial with small groups scattered all over the mess hall. The Doctor and Seven had been off in a corner, looking out of one of the windows. The Doctor was doing all of the talking and was pointing in various directions. No one was really paying them much attention until they heard someone laughing. Slowly, people in the room fell silent as heads turned toward the sound of the laughter. It wasn’t the laughter that surprised everyone – it was who was laughing.

It was Seven of Nine. Everyone was staring, shocked. Captain Janeway realized it was the first time any of them had heard her laugh. She had learned to smile and people could often see humor in her eyes but no one had ever even heard her giggle. There she was, laughing freely, her eyes fixed on the Doctor. Suddenly, everyone in the room averted their eyes. It was eerie, she thought, how they all seemed to realize they shouldn’t stare at the same time. Thinking back, she knew that everyone was afraid they would upset Seven. Everyone knew how uncomfortable she could be in a crowd and how much she did not want to be the center of attention. But Captain Janeway noticed that they all tried to watch the Doctor and Seven without being obvious. She saw smiles and winks and even some credits pass hands that night. The other thing she saw is that neither the Doctor nor Seven had been aware that they had been the center of attention.

A new person had started to emerge, not obviously at first, but slowly. It had been nice to see the coldness replaced by warmth. Seven seemed to grow more comfortable with herself and with everyone around her.

It was also nice to see how everyone on the ship responded to the two of them. The crew went out of their way to give the new couple privacy and respect. No one wanted to do anything to put this relationship at risk. That is probably what surprised the Captain most. She had wondered how people would react to a relationship between a hologram and a Borg but it was obvious that everyone wanted this relationship for the Doctor and Seven as much as they wanted it for themselves.

As Kathryn Janeway walked the corridors of Voyager, she was feeling very good about the couple. She had taken a big risk in separating Seven from the collective and bringing her on the ship. It had not always been easy but, right now, it all seemed worth it. Real love, she thought, seems to conquer every barrier.

Her hands worked the console. She watched the results with satisfaction.

"Scans indicate all systems running within parameters."

Torres nodded in satisfaction at Seven’s report. They were on a Eutarian science vessel that was being tractored by Voyager. The vessel had been heavily damaged inside a nebula it had been studying. To their great fortune, Voyager had heard their distress call and had responded. The two vessels had been docked for almost two weeks while the Voyager crew had worked with the Eutarian crew to make repairs. It was a good experience for both crews as they freely moved between the ships, sharing the benefits and opportunities of the two vessels.

Seven had been drawn to Ketaria Omarhan, the wife of the ship’s captain. They had spent a significant amount of time talking. Other than Captain Janeway, Ketaria was the first person she felt completely comfortable with. Her husband, Kahkar had developed a unique relationship with the Doctor. The Doctor and Kahkar had spent hours in the lab working on projects and trading medical knowledge.

"Well, I think they are ready to try it on their own," Torres finished entering data and turned from the console. "I think we can return to Voyager."

Seven nodded, oddly sad. Leaving this vessel for good would be hard for her. She was surprised to realize this. Ketaria and Kahkar had become good friends to them.

Them. It was still strange to think about. But the thought of it brought a smile to her face. Them. She did not think she had ever felt so happy or complete.

She helped Lieutenant Torres pack up the remaining tools and move them to the transporter platform. She tried not to be sad. She did not look forward to leaving this ship and the friends she had made here.

"Ketaria Omarahn to Seven of Nine."

"Seven of Nine here."

"Seven, could I see you in Science Lab One?

"I will meet you there." The invitation gave her a feeling of happiness. She turned to the Lieutenant, "I will transport to Voyager later."

"Suit yourself," Lieutenant Torres prepared herself to transport to Voyager. She stepped onto the transporter platform and soon shimmered out of sight.

Seven turned and started for Science Lab One. As she walked, she marveled at how familiar this ship felt to her. In the short space of two weeks, she almost felt as much at home here as on Voyager. She certainly had found acceptance here faster. She remembered the first time she had met Ketaria Omarahn.

She had been part of the away team that first boarded the damaged ship. It had been an unsettling experience. The ship had been heavily damaged and was running on not much more than life support systems. The crew was tired and tense, having spent weeks trying to keep a damaged and dying ship functioning. To say they had been grateful when Voyager appeared was an understatement. It had taken a lot of work to implement repairs.

It had been during the first few frantic moments of working to save the ship that she had come face to face with Ketaria.

She was at a workstation assigned her by Lieutenant Torres. Despite the fact that she was concentrating heavily on her work, she became aware of a presence in the room. She looked up and saw a female looking at her. Their eyes met and immediately Seven felt a level of comfort and familiarity with her. Uncharacteristically, she stopped her work.

"I am Seven of Nine."

"And I am Ketaria Omarahn." A silence fell between them. Finally, she said, "You are beautiful."

Seven’s eyes opened wide in shock. She had been expecting to hear the words, ‘You are Borg.’ Only the Doctor had ever spoken the words ‘you are beautiful’ to her. "Thank you."

Then Ketaria said, "I have never met anyone else who has successfully separated from the Borg. That must have been very difficult. I would like to hear about your life."

If the first words had surprised her, these last words surprised her even more. She did not know what to say.

"You are uncomfortable. I am sorry. I would imagine you are more used to dealing with anger and hate in first contacts than with tolerance." Ketaria Omarahn crossed the room to stand in front of her, "That must be hard to deal with."

It was almost more than Seven could handle. Her breath was starting to come quickly when Ketaria Omarahn turned from her, almost as if sensing what Seven was feeling. "You are doing a wonderful job here. Kahkar and I are grateful." She left the room.

It had taken Seven quite a few minutes to bring her breathing under control. She was used to being met with hate and anger but never with understanding, tolerance and interest. Ketaria’s greeting had been unsettling.

The next time they had met, Ketaria had walked up to her and said, "Seven of Nine. It is good to see you. Are you well today?"

"I am fine. Thank you," Seven had replied. "And are you feeling well, also?"

Ketaria had laughed lightly, "Yes, Seven. I am fine. Thank you." She passed Seven, stopped and turned, "You would like to visit. I would enjoy that also. Please come to my cabin at fourteen hundred hours. Kahkar and I will have finished our midday meal by then and I should be free. I will look forward to seeing you." Then, she turned and left.

Seven had stood there in stunned silence. How could she know? As she had done after their first meeting, she thought back to what she knew about Eutarians, species 4853. They were scientists. The Borg had assimilated almost five hundred of them on a vessel much like this one. Their scientific knowledge and ability had greatly added to the perfection of the Borg. She could not remember anything about Eutarians that would suggest they were empaths or telepaths. How could Ketaria seem to know what she was thinking and feeling?

At fourteen hundred hours, the computer announced her presence and the doors to Ketaria’s cabin slid open. She walked into the living quarters and felt immediately comfortable. The area was bright and open, decorated with many beautiful and graceful works of art. Seven had never been able to appreciate art and pictures and models but she found herself strangely drawn to the works in room.

"These pieces were chosen because they represent a perfect blend of form and function." She walked in from another room. "They satisfy both my need for artistic beauty and functional practicality."

"They are…alluring." It was the only word Seven could think of to describe them.

"That they are. I had never thought of them in that way." She moved around the room, pointing to each piece, talking about where it had come from, what purpose it served and what about it made it unique. For the first time, Seven understood the Doctor’s need for pictures to on the wall.

At the end, Ketaria had walked up to Seven, reached up and touched the ocular implant over her eye. "This piece is also…alluring." The word had a laughing quality in it. "It serves a need and yet, it is a graceful and delicate work." She had reached down and taken Seven’s left hand. "As is the exoskeleton on this hand. The metal work is so graceful, the webbing of it artful and yet, it adds strength and enhanced functionality. Beautiful."

Seven stood dumbfounded. She could not think. Finally, she backed up, "Who are you?"

A look of concern crossed Ketaria’s face. "I am sorry. I have frightened you. It is just that…." She stumbled over her words. "Let me explain. Please, sit down."

"I prefer to stand."

"I forgot. Borg do not like to sit." She smiled, hoping to put her guest as ease. It did not work. "Seven, I am only half Eutarian. My father was Eutarian. My mother was Batair."

Seven’s face showed her surprise. "Species 145, both empathic and telepathic. You are a very highly developed species with great mental powers. The Borg were never able to assimilate you."

"Actually, they did assimilate a few of us but it was not a successful venture. They managed to take over our bodies but they were unable to completely take over our minds. The story goes, we had a rather unpredictable and unpleasant impact on the Borg."

"The assimilation of those beings significantly undermined the perfection of the collective."

"Yes. The Batair was one of the few species safe from the Borg."

"That explains why you know what I am feeling. Have you enjoyed studying me?" She was angry.

Ketaria’s eyes looked pained. "Seven, I have not been studying you. You must believe me. It is just that your feelings are so strong to me I find I cannot shut them out. I look at you and it is as if your emotions are shouting to me." She turned and walked around the room, touching a particularly graceful work of art, one she had told Seven was designed to comfort and give peace. She turned back to face her, "I am able to shield myself from the emotions of most people, but not from you. You are a person of great emotion and I find I cannot stop myself from responding to you." She walked back up to face her, "Please, don’t be afraid of me."

Seven backed away from her, not certain what to think. She had felt so drawn to Ketaria and, even now, still felt a bond connecting through the anger. She wanted to believe that Ketaria meant her no harm but she was afraid of her. It almost felt as if being near Ketaria reconnected her to the collective. Even the way she admired the Borg implants set off danger signals in her head. Part of her wanted to turn and run but she could not bring herself to do so. She turned away, trying to think. Then, she felt a hand on the back of her arm. She did not even have the time to turn before she felt something that felt like electricity flow through her body. Instantly, she turned back to face Ketaria and saw that she, too, felt the same thing. She also saw that Ketaria was as surprised as she. They both stepped back, breaking the connection. In that second, Seven knew that she had nothing to fear from Ketaria. In her head, she saw Ketaria flash bright in a warm glow. She caught her breath and looked to Ketaria, surprised to see that she was crying, her hand to her mouth, her eyes afraid. Ketaria sank to the floor, groaning.

Seven rushed to her side but was afraid to reach out to touch her. "Are you damaged?"

Ketaria shook her head and fought to gain control. "No. It is just that your pain is so great." She reached out and grabbed Seven’s hand and held it, breathing in deeply and closing her eyes in concentration. Almost immediately, Seven felt a peacefulness flow through her. She looked at Ketaria in surprise.

"What did you do?"

"I gave you peace and comfort." She laughed lightly, "It drove the Borg crazy. I trust it did not do the same for you."

Seven smiled, "No. I am sane." She helped Ketaria off the floor and onto the sofa. She hesitated a moment and sat down beside her. She concentrated on the flow still coursing through her body, marveling at how it felt. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. It is my gift to you."

"I wish I had something to give you in return."

"But you do." Seven turned to her and Ketaria saw the question in her eyes. "I want your friendship."

"I would like that also."

And they had become friends. Seven found that she enjoyed the relationship, especially when the four of them were together. She could not remember when she had been able to relax and enjoy the company of people. She was sitting on the sofa beside the Doctor one night after the four of them had shared a meal together. She was watching the three of them and wondering if this was what it was like to live a normal life. Would this be what life would have been like for me if I had never been assimilated by the Borg? Suddenly, she was aware of Ketaria looking at her. She realized that Ketaria knew what she was thinking and she smiled wanly.

Ketaria glanced at her husband who immediately turned to her. While not a Batair, they shared a special bond that allowed him to pick up on her moods and senses. She looked back to Seven, "Would you like for Kahkar to examine you?"

Seven was startled at her words. Then she spoke, addressing her question to Kahkar, "Do you think you could do anything?"

Kahkar shrugged, "It might be worth us looking at you."

The Doctor had become comfortable with the cryptic conversation that had become a pattern between the three of them but he was not shy about letting them know they were leaving him out. He waved his hand at them, "Who wants to explains this conversation?"

Ketaria explained, "Seven is wondering if it might be possible for us to remove the rest of her Borg implants."

The Doctor looked at them in shock, then at Seven and then back to the couple. "Can you do that?"

Kahkar replied, "Maybe, maybe not. I would have to examine her first."

"Seven," the Doctor had taken her hand, "is that what you want?"

"I do not know," she responded, "but I would like to find out if the possibility exists for me."

Kahkar stood, "Then why don’t we go to the Science Lab now?" He started walking out and the other three people found themselves following him.

When they reached the lab, he motioned Seven to an examination table and asked her to lie down. Once she was settled, he started his exam. It took almost an hour. Finally, he said, "You can get up now, Seven."

She got off the table, oddly stiff, and stood close to the Doctor. She realized she was nervous. Kahkar took Ketaria’s hand and spoke to the couple.

"I am sorry, Seven. I am afraid that the Borg implants that are left are vital to your survival. Doctor, you did an excellent job when you removed the implants. If you had removed any more, Seven probably would not be alive today." He continued, addressing his comments now directly to Seven, "Your body is now dependent on the implants that still remain. The implants serve as a kind of power source for your muscular system. With them, you not only function, you have superior strength. Without them your muscular system would shut down and you would not be able to move. The same situation exists with the implants in your brain. Your thought processes rely on the energy of those implants to function. No, there is nothing I can do."

Seven’s disappointment was obvious, but she nodded her head, "Thank you. I appreciate your efforts. I did not think it was possible but I am glad we tried."

Now, as she walked to the Science Lab to meet Ketaria, she could still feel the disappointment from that night. She had not really expected that Kahkar could have done anything for her but it had made her sorry to hear his words. When she walked through the open doors of the Science Lab she saw on the face of Ketaria that her emotions had been telegraphed again. She smiled apologetically, then noticed that the Doctor and Kahkar were standing with her.

"Seven," Ketaria held out her hand to her, "we have a wonderful idea."

"What?"

Ketaria glanced over to the two men beside her and the Doctor walked up and asked, "How would you like to stay on this ship for a couple more weeks?"

Seven looked at him in confusion. "What? Is something wrong with the ship? Do we need to make more repairs?"

Kahkar stepped forward, "These two are anything but direct." He laughed, "We will be traveling with Voyager for the next two weeks, mostly to ensure that we have repaired all critical systems. The Captain has agreed for the two of you to travel with us. That is, if you would like."

The smile on Seven’s face told everyone that she would indeed like to travel on the science vessel for the next two weeks.

"It is settled then," Kahkar clapped his hands together. "I will inform Captain Janeway. Why don’t the two of you return to Voyager to pack and we will meet you back here in a couple of hours."

***

The Omarahns met them in the transporter room. Kahkar stepped forward and took the small bag from Seven’s hand. "Come, we will take you to the guest quarters." They walked and Ketaria could feel Seven’s excitement. She could not help but laugh inside at the innocence of it. She noticed that the Doctor had taken Seven’s hand as they walked. She knew how much the couple appreciated the freedom they had on this ship. She knew the next two weeks would be good ones.

"This is where you will be staying," Kahkar led the way into the guest quarters.

Seven caught her breath when she walked into the room. Ketaria had decorated the room with many of the pieces from their living own quarters. She allowed her delight to project to Ketaria and could feel her pleasure in return.

"Come," Ketaria had taken her arm, "we have a surprise for you." She pulled Seven into the bedroom.

Seven caught her breath when she looked at the bed and she turned to Kahkar and Ketaria in amazement.

"Yes, it is what you think it is," Ketaria was thrilled at her reaction.

Seven walked up to the bed and touched the headboard. "How?"

Kahkar stepped forward, "I studied your alcove. While this is not as strong, it will allow you to regenerate here and will keep you from returning to the ship – well, at least you will have to return infrequently. Unfortunately, it is not strong enough to keep you from having to return to your regular alcove at all, but it will extend the period of time you can stay here without having to return to Voyager."

She was touching the headboard, appreciating the beauty of it. Yes, it was beautiful. Ketaria moved to stand beside her, "Kahkar designed it to be functional. I designed the appearance so it would be beautiful."

"A perfect blend of form and function?"

"Yes."

Seven impulsively reached for Ketaria and gave her a hug. Then she reached for Kahkar and hugged him. "Thank you. Thank both of you." She was surprised to find herself tearing.

Ketaria put her hand on Seven’s shoulder, "Come. You and I will begin to prepare dinner and Kahkar and the Doctor can go to the lab and work." She shoed the men out the door, "You get out of our way and go enjoy yourselves. We will call you when dinner is ready."

Seven and Ketaria were already involved with their plans before the Doctor and Kahkar could even get out the door.

Kahkar laughed heartily as they walked toward the lab. "Ketaria has been so excited about this. I am glad the two of you were willing to join us."

"This is a special opportunity for us." The Doctor was silent for a moment, "We feel almost…normal here. When we are here, we are not a hologram and a Borg. We are just Seven and the Doctor. We really appreciate what we find here."

Kahkar motioned the Doctor into the science lab and followed him in. "I would imagine it can be difficult for you."

"It has been, although the people on Voyager have been very supportive. They have been surprisingly accepting. As you might imagine, our relationship is a bit unique."

"Yes." Kahkar moved to a control console. "Doctor, may I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course."

"Would you like to be able to sleep?"

"Sleep?"

"I know from Ketaria that you cannot sleep. You must deactivate yourself to rest your program and that, if you are not deactivated, you are awake. I would imagine that can be…difficult."

The Doctor thought he would blush if he could. "Yes. It is a bit of a problem. Can you really write sleep subroutines for me?"

"I think I can, but I would need to examine your program. Would you like for me to do so?"

The Doctor thought a moment. To be able to sleep like a normal person; to be able to lie next to Seven without being online and awake; to be able to rest his program without deactivating himself. It would be a miracle. He did not have to think about it long. "I would like that."

"Good. Let’s get started."

***

He leaned his head down and kissed her bare shoulder, then he reached his hand up and pushed her hair back out of her face. "I love you."

She smiled sleepily at him, "I love you, too."

He glanced up at the headboard, "Is it working?"

"Yes. It is not as intense, but it is working. It allows me to drift instead of immediately going to sleep. I like it." She moved to snuggle with him. "Are you going to deactivate yourself?"

"No, I think not."

She pulled her head back slightly to see him, "Does that mean you are going to spend the night watching me sleep again?"

He pulled her to him and settled himself beside her, "No. I think I’ll just sleep."

She raised herself up on her elbow and stared at his face, "What?"

He chuckled, "Kahkar wrote sleep subroutines for me. We get to try them out tonight."

"Really?" Seven was amazed, "He did that? Can you sleep?"

"Really, he did that but we will have to see if they work."

She kissed him before placing her head on his shoulder and said, "Sleep tight."

"Where did that come from?"

"It is something I heard Naomi’s mother say to her once before she went to sleep. It seemed appropriate."

She felt him nod and listened as his breathing became slow and long. She felt his body relax and smiled when she knew he was drifting off to sleep. She started to follow. Then, she heard a noise and she jerked up. "Doctor."

"What?" His eyes opened, alarmed.

"What was that noise?"

"What noise?"

"That noise, the one that came from you."

"Oh, that," he pulled her back down and wrapped her in his arms, "I must have been snoring. I had Kahkar add snoring subroutines to my program. I thought it would make us even more normal."

Soon he drifted into sleep again. Seven lay there, fighting her sleep. She wanted to hear the snoring. It was not long before the sound came again. She listened and smiled to herself. All of this was so wonderful. The snoring was lulling her to sleep. There is only one other thing that would make us perfect, she thought. If only…and she was asleep.

***
 

Kahkar and Ketaria were working in the lab. When Kahkar had told her what he had found, she had insisted they immediately go to the lab to work. Her excitement had begun to build as she had seen what Kahkar had found.

"There will be a risk. You realize that, do you not?"

She nodded, "But there is always a risk."

"But this could be more significant than normal. There are too many unknowns."

"Still. It can be done."

"Just because something can be done does not mean it should be done." He was frowning at her.

She started to reply when she took a sharp breath.

"Ketaria!" He reached for her, concerned.

"No, I am all right." She breathed deeply for a few moments, absorbing the emotion running through her. She allowed the feeling to ebb away before she spoke, "Kahkar, the fact that we can means the offer must be made. They will have to decide for themselves. We will talk to them after the morning meal." She smiled, remembering the emotion she had just felt. She thought she knew what the answer from one of them would be.