Chapter 20 added on 27 May 2001
Disclaimers are in part 1.
Rating: NC17
Untitled
B'Elanna entered the shuttle and glared at Seven's back as she threw herself into the co-pilot's seat.
"B'Elanna, you are late." Seven commented as she completed her pre-flight preparations. She knew that the Klingon was annoyed with her and she struggled not to show her amusement.
"You should have left without me, then." B'Elanna knew she was acting like a child, but she didn't really care. She was still pissed off at Seven.
"You presence here is necessary for this mission."
"No it's not." B'Elanna burst out. "The doctor hardly lets me spend any time in engineering as it is, without you getting me assigned to your survey."
B'Elanna had been shocked when the Captain had insisted that she accompany Seven on her mission to observe the temporal planet phasing into existence. She had tried to argue that she was needed in engineering, but the Captain had overruled her, stating that Seven has asked for her to be on this mission. The truth was that she was still nervous about telling Seven her feelings even though she was now sure that they were reciprocated. She had been banking on a little time to sort herself out. But it wasn't to be.
Seven cast her eyes over the sulky engineer and smiled gently.
"Your presence here is necessary to me."
Their gazes locked and B'Elanna dropped hers first. She hardly knew what to do, she certainly didn't know how to respond, so she tinkered with the flight schedule. They were both quiet as the shuttle left Voyager and made its way to the co-ordinates that Seven had programmed.
Seven knew after the incident in the mess hall, the time was right for her to tell B'Elanna how much she loved her, but she found herself strangely shy and decided that if they spent some time together she would find it easier. She hadn't considered that the Klingon would spend the flight sulking. She decided to give her something to do.
"B'Elanna, the plasma manifolds are functioning at less than optimum efficiency. Perhaps you could see if any repairs are necessary."
B'Elanna leaned over her console for a minute, punched in a correction and leaned back, with a huff.
"The manifold's fine. I've got nothing to do here."
"Then perhaps you could pretend that you are an explorer and show some interest in the temporal planet." Seven's voice was clearly amused.
"You're being a bully," B'Elanna pouted, not yet ready to forgive Seven for press-ganging her into this mission.
"And you are being a baby," Seven responded as she leaned over the Klingon and gently rubbed B'Elanna's lower lip. "But you are still beautiful." She flashed a rare and beautiful full smile at the stunned Klingon and returned to the helm.
B'Elanna honestly thought that her hearts stopped, both of them, when Seven smiled at her like that.
"Are you coming on to me, Seven?" There was a faint smile playing on B'Elanna lips.
Seven turned to her and raised her ocular implant, imperiously.
"I would have thought that it was clearly evident." The reply was cool, but B'Elanna could see the amusement in those dearly beloved blue eyes.
She rolled hers in exasperation.
"You are so sarcastic, what am I going to do with you?"
"You are going to love me, the way that I love you." Seven stated calmly. She didn't wait for a reply, but turned back to manning the helm.
B'Elanna stared at the profile of the woman she had come to love. There was a lump in her throat and she couldn't speak. Seven's words seemed to expand in the small space and embrace her in a warm blanket of comfort and love. They seemed familiar, constant, as if she had heard them many times before. Seven sounded confident saying them, as if she had said those precious words time and time again.
Even as she screwed up her courage to tell Seven of her feelings, the Borg brought the shuttle to a full stop.
"Seven to Voyager, we have reached to co-ordinates," Seven informed the ship.
"You're sure that you are at a safe distance to collect the readings?" Chakotay's voice came through on the comm.
"Of course, Commander. Stand by for the telemetry readings."
Seven tapped some commands into her console and then reached out her arms for B'Elanna.
"Come."
Without hesitation, B'Elanna moved over to the seated Borg and curled up in her lap.
"I wanted you to see this," Seven whispered into B'Elanna's ear as she folded her arms around the Klingon.
Outside the shuttle, the pitch-blackness of the endless night began to shimmer with gossamer threads of incredible rich colour, shattering the darkness and filling it with light and colour. The void seemed to swell and expand, the lights moving faster and faster around the expanding void. Slowly a form began to appear within the void, gradually taking shape, crystal colours, hues of blue, green, purple and white, swirling together to create a wondrous image as the planet formed and became solid and real.
B'Elanna had held her breath throughout the spectacular performance.
"That was so beautiful, Seven. Thank you for bringing me." She tilted her head to stare into the blue eyes.
"It was my pleasure, B'Elanna. I am happy to devote my time to whatever it takes to make you happy."
"I love you, Seven." B'Elanna said the words, her hearts pounding, but saying them felt so right, so sure.
"You take my breath away. Do you know that, Seven?" B'Elanna shifted slightly to stare intently into Seven's face "My love for you grows deeper every day and sometimes I'm so scared that you won't return my love. But I know that you do. I almost feel that I've loved you forever." As she said the words, B'Elanna saw the expression on Seven's face. It was a mixture of joy and sorrow.
"I've loved you before, haven't I?" she asked. "Were we together before I lost my memory? Did we love each other?"
Seven nodded, stroking B'Elanna's ridges tenderly. She was no longer concerned with the past.
B'Elanna closed her eyes for a moment, she could feel the pain that Seven must have gone through over the last few months, since her surgery. She leaned up and placed a kiss on Seven's soft lips, her mouth gently exploring, her tongue probing, sucking on the luscious full lower lip. Seven's arms tightened around her and she leaned closer to B'Elanna, trying to fuse their bodies together.
"I can't remember the past, what we felt for each other, all I can feel is right now. My love for you is true and I will spend all of my days trying to make it up to you."
She took Seven's hand and placed it on her chest, the twin hearts pounded out a rhythm.
"Do you feel that, Seven? My hearts are beating for you."
THE END.