Fear is irrelevant, at least that's what Seven of Nine told herself, but the harder she tried to suppress her fear the harder it fought to rise to the surface. The drone had no idea how long she had been trapped underneath the tavern and the awareness that she was alone scared the Borg to no end. Being alone was a very frightening concept to Seven who still had not quit adjusted to the sound of only one voice in her mind. Panic had set in almost immediately knowing the rocks around her blocked Voyager from reading her life signs but she had faith in Captain Janeway, over the past several years the drone had come to rely on the captain and in some ways Kathryn had become her touchstone to humanity.

The drone felt like a fool having gotten separated from her away team in the vast underground cavern under the surface of an M class planet they had found on Voyagers scans. Determined to find deuterium to replenish Voyagers systems Seven had lost track of the others to follow her tricorder to a rich deposit of the substance. Near the deposit an unstable section in the cavern gave way sending Seven tumbling down to a cave bellow causing several injuries which she became painfully aware of when she regained consciousness.

The Borg tried to move but every effort to do so sent shock waves of pain throughout her body causing her to cry out. Seven knew her condition was serious; the drone was certain she was suffering internal damage to multiple organs as well as a concussion. Leaning up against the rock behind her Seven tried to relax but was unable to do so for every breath she took caused her whole body to scream out in pain. After several minutes Seven began to feel the darkness pull at her once more as her vision started to fade but before she passed out the drone thought she heard the sound distant voices coming from above.

A figure came into view as Seven opened her eyes,

"Ah, you're awake. And how is our favorite member of the Borg collective feeling this evening?"

"I seem to no longer be damaged." Seven slowly sat up on the bio bed.

"That's because you aren't, at least not anymore. You were suffering from severe internal bleeding if Harry hadn't found you when he did I don't think you would still be alive."

"I am grateful for Ensign Kim's assistance." Seven stood placing a hand on the bio bed for balance. "I wish to leave."

"Seven, you need to stay in sick bay for observation. I can't let you leave." The Doctor moved in front of the drone.

"Am I still damaged?" Seven's ocular implant rose.

"No..."

"Then I no longer need to stay in sick bay. Thank you for your help, doctor." The Borg nodded in thanks before side stepping around the doctor and exiting the room.

Before Seven made it to the turbo lift her com badge chirped,

"Janeway to Seven of Nine."

"Yes, Captain."

"Please come to my ready room."

"On my way." Seven entered the turbo lift. "Deck 1, the bridge."

The turbo lift doors opened and Seven stepped onto the bridge Tuvok nodded as she stepped down below his station to let the captain know she had arrived.

"Enter." The doors hissed open and Seven crossed the threshold of the ready room. "Seven." Kathryn smiled rising from behind her desk to stand in front of the drone. The captain's face was full of relief seeing Seven fully recovered. "I'm so glad you are back on your feet. I was… worried." Kathryn's voice grew soft and she placed a gentle hand on Seven's arm. Heat spread throughout the drone's body but she maintained her composure.

"I had no doubt you would find me, Captain." Janeway smiled at the complement.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, I have faith in this crew and in you." Seven broke eye contact and placed her hands behind her back. "Being alone was frightening I do not like being separated from my collective."

"Nor does your collective like being separated from you, Seven." Janeway closed the gap between them causing Seven to stiffen. "When we found you your injuries were so severe that the doctor thought we might lose you." Kathryn put both of her hands on Seven's arms. "The thought of never seeing you again made me realize…" The captain trailed off letting go of Seven in the process and stepping away.

"Realize what, Captain?" Seven took a step toward her. There was a pause before Janeway spoke.

"Realize how important you are to this crew." Janeway didn't dare meet the drone's eyes knowing she could read her like a book. Seven knew the captain was being untruthful,

"You are lying. I do not believe that is what you were going to say."

"What I was going to say is irrelevant." Janeway crossed her arms in an attempt to keep composure.

"It is not irrelevant to me." Seven spoke in a clear but soft voice. "I do not wish for you to lie to me." Seven stood her ground and waited as the captain gathered her thoughts. Janeway thought hard about a way to articulate to Seven exactly how she felt for her so the ex-drone would understand.

"Seven… When I first met you I felt this sudden connection I couldn't explain, over time I thought this was due to the friendship that was growing between us. But recently I have realized that these feelings that run much deeper than just friendship." Janeway stared up into Seven's steel blue eyes waiting for a response. A slight smile crossed the drone's lips as she brought her hand up to graze Kathryn's cheek.

"I think the term is called love."

"Yes Seven, it is."

"I return your feelings, captain. I have for quite some time."

Taking Seven's hand Janeway pulled the drone close to her reaching up to caress the Borg's beautiful face. Before Janeway could speak another word Seven wrapped her arms around the Captain pulling her into a long awaited kiss. Janeway felt like her body had be set ablaze with passion as she wrapped her arms around the drone's neck deepening the kiss.

Kissing was unfamiliar territory for Seven of Nine but her body responded without hesitation when Janeway pressed herself against the Borg as Seven opened her mouth to let the captain's tongue meet hers.

The kiss was long and heated but Janeway knew if she didn't stop herself now very soon she would start tearing Seven's clothes off right here in her ready room so she forced herself to pull away from the drones embrace.

"Captain?"

"I'm sorry, it's just my ready room isn't the right place for what might if I don't stop kissing you."

"I see. You are speaking of intercourse." Kathryn laughed at the Borg's bluntness.

"Yes Seven, I am." Kathryn reached up to kiss her again. "Have dinner with me tonight in my quarters."

"I will comply." Seven smiled and her ocular implant rose slightly.

"I don't want to rush things between us."

"Agreed." Seven regretfully untangled herself from Janeway's embrace remembering the piles of unfinished work waiting for her in astrometric. "I must go I have a few duties to attend to in astrometrics."

"Alright," Janeway released her hold around Seven's waist. "I'll see you at 21:00."

"Yes captain, I am looking forward to it." Before leaving Seven kissed her captain once more then made her way to astrometrics trying unsuccessfully to conceal the smile on her face.

I am willing to turn this into a multiple chapter fic if that's something you guys are interested in. Let me know what you think. –Tara