Chapter 3 added on 2 Jan 2002
Disclaimers are in part 1.
Rating: R
B'Elanna was in a better mood today than she had been in a really long time...even her crewmen noticed; the mood in engineering was positively jovial today. She couldn't really put her finger on why she was so relaxed, maybe the workout had really helped. The little voice in her head was telling her that it might have had something to do with her dinner with Seven. She had to admit it had been fun. Just talk, talk, talk, like she very rarely did. She felt like she'd made a friend, 'Kahless, if anyone had told me a few days ago I'd be making friends with the Borg I'd have told them they were crazy.'
Maybe it was the removal of the inhibitor that made Seven seem so much more vulnerable, more human. Someone B'Elanna could really talk to and have fun with. She'd been great with Kate as well; it was kind of sweet to see the two of them interacting. They had played on the floor while B'Elanna had cooked, and Seven had been eager to help bathe and put the infant down in her crib. B'Elanna cleaned up while Seven read to Kate from an ancient earth book the drone had found after hours of research on the proper bedtime protocols for infants. B'Elanna found the sweet stories almost as comforting as Kate had, besides who wouldn't love the sound of Seven's patrician Borg-modulated voice saying things like,
"Help, help, a Heffalump, a Horrible Heffalump!" And "Help, help, a Herrible Hoffalump! Hoff, Hoff, a Hellible Horralump!"
It was just too... well, it was just too cute. 'And if anyone told me a week ago I'd be using that word in conjunction with the Borg I'd have really thought they were nuts...or I'd have ripped their head off.'
~~~~~~~~~~~
B'Elanna was still smiling to herself as she went about her duties in engineering. She thought back to the moment when Seven had left her quarters. The young drone had stopped, she seemed to want to say something, but was feeling shy.
"What is it Seven?" B'Elanna had asked upon seeing the look on the young drone's face.
"I just wanted to thank you for this evening. I, uh, I am happy to find that my research was flawed."
"What do you mean?"
"My research indicated that you and I were a poor match for a friendship...I believe that my research was flawed."
"Good!"
"This is the first time I can recall being happy to be proven wrong."
"And by me no less," B'Elanna grinned.
"Indeed... Well, good night B'Elanna." Seven had still been smiling as she left the quarters.
B'Elanna shook herself out of her reverie and buckled back down to work. The day seemed to fly by as everyone worked hard and enjoyed a rare stress-free day in engineering. It was almost time for B'Elanna to head up to the messhall to retrieve Kate, but she wanted to swing by Astrometrics first and say hi to Seven. She wasn't sure where the compunction had come from, but she had been thinking about the young drone all day and finally decided to do something about it. She left engineering a few minutes before her shift ended so she could say a quick hello and still pick up Kate on time.
~~~~~~~~~~~
When she walked through the doors to the Astrometrics lab she was shocked to see Seven sitting on the steps below the dais, hugging her knees and crying.
"What's wrong Seven," she said in alarm as she rushed to the young woman's side.
"I am feeling sad."
"I can see that, but why?"
"I overheard two crewmen talking about me, it...was unpleasant." She wiped at her eyes, "I am troubled by my past as a Borg, I sometimes feel overwhelmed with emotions when I think of what I have done, and now I see that no one onboard Voyager will be able to forgive me for it either."
B'Elanna felt her heart breaking on the young drone's behalf. She moved to the top step and sat down behind Seven so that the younger woman's body was between her legs, and then she simply wrapped her arms around the sobbing young woman, resting her head on Seven's back, "Oh Seven, I'm sorry this is so hard for you. It's going to be Ok, I'm right here." She just held onto the young Borg and let her cry while she rocked her gently and whispered gentle words of comfort.
When it seemed as if Seven was finally calmed down, B'Elanna relaxed her tight grip around the drone, but remained sitting with her as they were. She finally asked, "Listen, Seven, why don't you come with me now and pick up Kate, maybe we can all have dinner in the messhall or something. Does that sound okay to you?"
Seven sat silently for several moments, just enjoying the feeling of closeness and compassion that she was sharing with the young engineer. When she finally spoke only B'Elanna's Klingon hearing allowed her discern the words. "That sounds wonderful to me."
They sat for another few minutes before B'Elanna stood up and offered her hand to Seven. She used the sleeve of her tunic to wipe away the last traces of tears from Seven's face, hugging her quickly before saying, "shall we?"
Seven's mood improved immensely once they arrived at the messhall. Kate was happy to see her friend and insisted on being held by Seven throughout dinner. B'Elanna enjoyed how quickly her daughter appeared to be able to ruffle that normally cool looking Borg exterior. By the end of the meal Seven's hair was disheveled and she was wearing almost as much of Kate's dinner as the child and her mother. B'Elanna noticed several of the crew staring at the unlikely site of herself and Seven having a meal together, and having so much fun doing it.
When dinner was over they left the messhall together. They were talking and playing with Kate, so it was almost without noticing that they ended up at B'Elanna's quarters. B'Elanna merely keyed the door open and stood aside to allow Seven to enter. Once inside B'Elanna got Kate's bath ready while the young drone amused the child. This time it was B'Elanna who read to her daughter while Seven stood watching. Kate drifted off to sleep and the two friends simply watched in wonder while the infant rested. It just felt natural somehow.
When she was certain her daughter was down for the night, B'Elanna turned to Seven, "would you like a drink?"
"I would like that."
"What'll you have?"
"I am unsure, what are you having?"
"I was going to have a glass of wine, but if you'd rather I can replicate something without alcohol for you."
"Wine would be fine...I will have whatever you have."
B'Elanna replicated two glasses of crisp cold Chardonnay and led the way to the sofa. They sat down and sipped their wine in silence for a few minutes.
"Thank you Lieutenant Torres, for your kindness this evening in Astrometrics."
"You're only welcome if you agree to start calling me B'Elanna. You did it last night, it can't be that hard."
Seven blushed at B'Elanna's words. "Well, then, thank you B'Elanna. And thank you for allowing me to share some time with your daughter."
B'Elanna smiled, "she sure is crazy about you."
"I believe that I am 'crazy' about her as well."
They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes until Seven noticed B'Elanna grimacing and tensing her shoulders.
"Are you in pain B'Elanna?"
"Just stiff, I think it's a side effect of working all day and then carrying Kate around all night, she's getting big fast."
"Perhaps I can be of assistance," Seven said, moving the coffee table away from the couch, and tossing a pillow to the floor between her feet. "Come here." She indicated that B'Elanna should sit at her feet.
B'Elanna hesitated a second, unsure of exactly how she felt about the situation, but the dull ache in her shoulders overrode any sense of unease and she moved to comply. Setting her wineglass on the table she leaned back into Seven's legs. The young drone placed her hands lightly on the engineers shoulder and began a gentle massage that gradually deepened as she warmed up the tense muscles of B'Elanna's shoulders. B'Elanna dropped her head forward and surrendered to the magical touch of Seven's hands.
Seven was amazed at how tense B'Elanna's shoulders were, her hands worked their way closer into B'Elanna's neck and she was surprised by just how muscular B'Elanna was. She knew that the Klingon was strong, but the sheer power she felt beneath her hands even through the fabric of the uniform was almost overwhelming. She closed her eyes and just concentrated on the contact that existed between them.
When Seven's hands finally stopped moving, B'Elanna let her head loll back against Seven's knees, she looked back up at the young drone. "Wow, that was incredible Seven...I feel great. I think I could just fall asleep right here."
"It is time for you to regenerate B'Elanna, I should return to the Cargo Bay."
"What's wrong Seven?" B'Elanna asked seeing a look of distaste cross Seven's face.
"Nothing, I just, sometimes I am uncomfortable being alone in the Cargo Bay. I feel vulnerable in a way I did not before the cortical inhibitor was removed.... I am being foolish."
"No you're not, I'd feel pretty vulnerable too if I had to sleep in such a public area. Listen, if you want you can stay here...you can sleep can't you?"
"I am capable of sleep, but I do not wish to inconvenience you B'Elanna."
"You wouldn't be. To be honest it would be great if you could help me get Kate ready in the morning...seems like I'm always running late these days."
"Thank you, I would like to stay," Seven said shyly.
B'Elanna went to the bedroom and got out the spare sheets and pillow and found something for Seven to wear to bed, helping the drone make up the sofa before retiring for the night.
"Good night Seven."
"Sleep well B'Elanna."
B'Elanna got up at 2:00am to give Kate her bottle; she walked around her quarters with the child on her hip. She couldn't help but look at Seven asleep on the sofa. One arm was flung up over her head, her hair was fanned out over the pillow, lips slightly parted. There was an ethereal beauty about the drone; she seemed, not of this world somehow, and very young and vulnerable. B'Elanna felt a surge of fierce protectiveness well up inside of her at the sight. 'How did I ever think you were less than human?' B'Elanna asked herself, ashamed to think she had ever caused this woman pain. She rocked Kate back to sleep and then returned to her bed.
The next morning B'Elanna awoke to the sound of her child's laughter emanating from the living room. She peeked around the corner to see Seven, still clad in B'Elanna's old sweats, lying on her back holding Kate in the air over her head. She was 'flying' her up and down and eliciting peals of laughter from the child.
"I see you two are up early," B'Elanna said as she came into the room.
"I heard Kate awaken a half hour ago...you were sleeping peacefully; I saw no need to wake you."
"Thanks...I think that's the most sleep I've gotten since she was born. Do you mind if I grab a quick shower?"
"We do not mind at all. Do we Kate?" Seven said, beaming up at the laughing child.
B'Elanna showered and dressed and was surprised to find that Seven had already begun breakfast preparations. She took over while Seven showered and then they all ate together. She was amazed at how quickly things went; she even had time to play with Kate before taking her to the messhall before her duty shift began. Once again she found herself in a happy mood as she started to work.
To be continued....