Chapter 14 added on 27 May 2001
Disclaimers are in part 1.
Rating: NC17
Found
The senior crew filed out of the conference room, but B'Elanna remained in her seat.
"Is there something I can help you with, B'Elanna?" Janeway smiled at the Klingon as she entered the Captain's ready room.
B'Elanna rubbed her hands together. She was a little nervous.
"Are you well? Settled back into the swing of things?" Janeway was proud at the speed with which B'Elanna recovered and returned to work.
"It's about Seven, actually." B'Elanna started, not exactly sure what she wanted to say.
Janeway got up and went to the replicator to hide her expression.
Please don't tell me someone has told her. Janeway shrank from the thought, knowing the damage it could do to both of the women.
"Oh?" she invited her to sit.
"Is Seven, ill or something?" B'Elanna jumped up almost as soon as she sat down, clearly agitated.
"She's pale all the time, she lost so much weight, I never see her eating. What's wrong with her?"
"The doctor hasn't reported anything to me," Janeway was playing for time. As much as she wanted to tell B'Elanna that Seven was suffering from a broken heart, she knew that she couldn't.
"I mean, you must have noticed something, Captain. And she's polite to me, even helpful. Which is really weird." B'Elanna shook her head in bemusement.
Janeway smiled at that.
"To be honest, Captain, I'm a little worried about her." B'Elanna stopped pacing the office and faced Janeway, admitting her fears.
"There's is nothing physically wrong with Seven." The Captain affirmed. "Maybe you should talk to her."
B'Elanna was thinking hard and didn't hear the Captain.
"You know, I was thinking, perhaps she's a little lonely, finding it difficult to adjust to having private quarters instead of the alcove. Maybe, I'll go talk to her."
"I think that's a good idea, Lieutenant."
As the Klingon left the ready room, she missed the compassionate smile on the face of her Captain.
Perhaps things would work out after all.
As B'Elanna made her way to Astrometrics, where she knew Seven to be, she wondered if Borgs suffered from depression. She had wanted to take the ex-drone a gift but couldn't think of anything suitable, so she decided to invite Seven to her own quarters for dinner that evening.
When she entered Astrometrics, at first she didn't see Seven and then spied her sitting on the steps to the platform, her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. He face was resting on her knees and B'Elanna could hear her crying softly.
She ran to her in shock.
"Oh my God, Seven are you alright? Are you hurt?"
B'Elanna dropped to her knees beside the drone and put her hand on Seven's shoulder.
There was no reply. She shook the shoulder, now genuinely frightened.
"Seven, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."
"I do not require your assistance at this time, Lieutenant Torres," Her voice was muffled.
"The hell you don't," B'Elanna growled. "I'm not leaving you like this, so you might as well tell me. What is it?"
But her insistence only made Seven sob all the more. B'Elanna felt helpless just kneeling there, so she offered what comfort she could by taking Seven up in her arms and rocking her gently.
Seven turned her face into B'Elanna's neck and allowed the tears to fall. She knew that she should try and regain some control over her emotions, but things had just got a little too much for her today. And having B'Elanna being so concerned and compassionate made her weep all the more. She held on tightly to B'Elanna, grateful for the nearness.
B'Elanna couldn't begin to think of what had caused Seven to break down so, but it broke her heart and she held her tightly.
"Hey, come on now. Hush, hush. It's ok, Seven, it's ok," she crooned. Instinctively she stroked the back of Seven's neck, somehow knowing that it would soothe the distressed woman.
A distracted thought came to her How in the world do I know that? but was gone in a second.
Seven took a few shuddering breaths as her tears gradually dried up. She hiccuped a little and quietened but made no move to move from B'Elanna's arms.
I know that this is not real. I know that she is only offering me comfort.
After a long time, B'Elanna gradually eased Seven away from her and looked deeply into her tearwashed blue eyes.
"Seven, can you tell me what's wrong?" She asked the question gently, her hands on either side of Seven's face. Her thumbs brushed away the tears that still lingered on Seven's cheeks.
Seven swallowed hard at the gesture, forcing the tears down and mutely shook her head.
"Would you like me to get the Captain for you? Or maybe the doctor? Tell me what you need."
Seven dropped her eyes to hide her expression; all that she ever needed or wanted was right here.
"Thank you, Lieutenant, for your kindness and ..." Seven started to tear up again.
"Hey, hey enough with the tears already." B'Elanna was still gently stroking Seven's face, completely unaware of her actions.
"I came here to invite you to dinner. I know that it might be lonely in your quarters with only Icheb for company, so I thought that you might like to spend the evening with me. Icheb is learning some bad habits off Tom and Harry tonight so you don't need to worry about him."
B'Elanna knew how proud the borg could be and was prepared to argue the case, she wasn't leaving Seven alone in this condition.
Seven looked up at B'Elanna and nodded. She was grateful to spend anytime with B'Elanna under any circumstances, just to be close to her, to hear the sound of her voice.
When they got to B'Elanna's quarters, she took off her jacket and boots and flung them through the open doorway to her bedroom.
"So, Seven, what would you like to eat?"
"I am happy to allow you to decide our meal." Seven tried not to stare but she could not help herself. Her eyes hungrily followed the Klingon around the room, familiarising herself with every sinew and toned muscle in the woman's arms.
"You know what? I fancy something nice and spicy. How about an Indian meal?"
"That would be acceptable." Seven instinctively began setting the table as she had done so many times before.
B'Elanna was surprised at the ex-drones actions, but put it down to Borg efficiency.
During the meal, B'Elanna was determined to cheer Seven up and tried to amuse her by telling silly stories about the Doctor.
When they finished eating B'Elanna got up and threw herself onto the couch, sighing happily.
"Come on, sit over here for a while." She invited.
Seven was more concerned with the dishes.
"It will take approximately 8 minutes and 24 seconds to clear the dining area. Once that task is complete, I will join you."
"You always insist on doing the dishes straight away. Why is that? You got some phobia ...." B'Elanna's teasing stopped abruptly.
Seven realised what B'Elanna had said and looked silently at the bemused engineer.
"I said always. I said you ALWAYS insist on doing the dishes." She ran her hands through her hair, frowning hard.
Seven held her breath. She didn't know what to do or say.
"I remember that, just that. Nothing else." She looked up at the silent Seven.
"How do I know that? I mean, the thought just popped into my head. I've been going nuts, trying to remember the simplest of things missing from the last 10 months of my memory and nothing." She got up and paced the room. "And now, out of the blue, you and doing the dishes." She flashed a huge grin at Seven. "You must be my lucky charm."
Seven sighed in relief. That had gone well. "If you say so, Lieutenant."
They tidied up in silence for a few moments and B'Elanna asked casually,
"So how many times have I had you over for dinner?"
"Lieutenant ?"
"You know you can call me B'Elanna. How many times have you been over? I mean, if I remember that you always insist on tidying up, then it stands to reason that you must have been here quiet a few times. I should have realised that when you started laying the table."
Seven was stuck. The doctor had insisted that B'Elanna memories should be allowed to return unaided. He felt that she was too fragile, psychologically, at this point, to handle the overwhelming emotions that would accompany learning of her deep friendship and eventual love for someone she had previously clearly despised. Neither Seven, nor the Captain completely agreed with him, but they all agreed that the mind was a delicate organ and shouldn't be overtaxed.
She had visited B'Elanna's quartered almost every week in the preceding 10 months. She would not tell the truth.
"You have invited me to an evening meal on several occasions, Lieutenant," she compromised, not telling a complete lie.
B'Elanna sat down again and considered the tall, blond woman.
"You know, Seven, a couple of things have occurred to me. While we sat here eating and chatting, I knew that you were enjoying yourself, I knew that you found my stories about the doctor amusing, I knew that you found the starter dish too spicy, even though you said that it was fine." She got up from her seat and walked round to where Seven was standing and pulled her to the couch where they both sat down
"I don't know how, but, I can read your expressions, your emotions, it's almost as if I know what you're feeling, but I know that's dumb." She looked at Seven very closely.
"During the months that are missing, I got to know you better, didn't I? That's the only way I can explain why I know these things about you. Did we become friends, Seven?"
"We became friends, B'Elanna," Seven held her breath, wanting, hoping that the rest would come.
"But why didn't you tell me?"
Seven detected the very slight tone of hurt in the question and her heart burned. She haltingly explained the doctor's theory and B'Elanna laughed.
"I guess he's right about that one. I might have gone into cardiac arrest if someone told me that we were pals." She leaned over and squeezed one of Seven's hands for a moment.
"I'm glad that we are friends," she said shyly.
"So am I, B'Elanna."
The evening ended on a high as far as Seven was concerned. She had spent a further hour with B'Elanna chatting about less contentious issues than B'Elanna's memory. Back in her quarters, she checked on Icheb and then retired to her own room. She looked at the painting of the two larks ascending and smiled.
To be continued....