A/n: As it says in the description, this story is based on "Collective". It's also set in the same reality as my story "One Small Step Towards You" and starts about two months after the events of that story finished.
"I've scanned the region for Brunali and Natarian vessels, left comm. beacons telling them of our new arrivals, but I doubt we'll find any of them any time soon." Janeway told Seven from behind her ready room's desk, "As for the other two, we haven't had any luck identifying what species they are, let alone where they're from, so it seems they'll be staying with us for a while."
Seven couldn't stop relief from flooding her face for a moment, it was impossible to tell how any one species would accept former drones, and she certainly didn't want the Borg children feeling anymore rejected than they already did in the aftermath of the Collective abandoning them. "They will need time to adapt." She said quietly.
Janeway took this comment as Seven's agreement that the children should stay on the ship. "I know, and I think you could help them with that, guide them through the transition to individuality."
Seven blanched, barely able to restrain her instinct to step back in shock. I have not fully adapted to being an individual yet! How can she expect me to be of help to them? These thoughts raged like a wildfire through her mind, but she of course didn't voice them to the Captain, instead pointing out in a startled tone, "I have no experience in being responsible for children. Mr Neelix would be a better choice."
The Captain shrugged, "I'm sure he'd do fine, but not better Seven. It's you they've bonded with." Seeing a frown of denial cross Seven's face, she hurriedly pressed on, "You can't deny that you can understand what they're going through better than anyone else on this crew Seven." She said in a harder tone.
Seven shifted awkwardly, the Captain's eyes staring at her in a relentlessly guilt-inducing fashion, which she knew was the intention. "I…suppose I could help them avoid some of the…difficulties I have experienced." She admitted tightly.
The Captain's smile in reply had a slightly triumphant twist in it as she said enthusiastically, "Good! I think you've made the right decision Seven." I wish I did, Seven thought silently as the Captain dismissed her and she left the ready room as quickly as she could.
Seven retreated, as always, to her work in Astrometrics, but as she stood behind her console she found the room offered her little of the comfort it normally did. The interior, with more Borg components than anywhere else on the ship other than Cargo Bay too, strangled her peace with its very familiarity, brought her back to the ruined Cube she'd been on only hours before… Realising that her breathing rate was higher than normal, she closed her eyes and did some of the breathing exercises Tuvok had taught her to facilitate calm, but the effect faded as soon as she looked down at what she was working on at the console, the children's assimilation files. Suddenly she was transported back to when First, the eldest Borg child, had threatened her as his plan fell apart, his assimilation tubes near her throat, his desperate, confused, angry eyes as he'd insisted that he was Borg, that the Collective would return, his scream of agony as a console just like this one had exploded, his last words as he'd died next to her, "We are Borg…"
"Seven? Seven, are you alright?"
Seven jumped violently as she registered Chakotay just behind her, his warm dark eyes pinched with concern. "Yes…yes Commander, I am…fine." She stuttered brokenly, still recovering from lingering hold the memories had over her. Flushing in embarrassment at her inefficiency, she spun around to face him, "I apologise, but I haven't completed my report on the Cube's salvageable systems yet…"
He shook his head at her, "Don't worry about it." He sighed sadly as he realised his dismissal of his only work related reason for being her unsettled her even more, but decided to press on with his original intention for seeing her anyway, "I heard the Captain asked you to be the Borg children's guardian." He said gently but to the point.
Seven stiffened and he knew he'd hit whatever had been upsetting her when he'd walked in on the head. "Yes, she did." She replied stoically, utterly impassive except for unusually glassy eyes and white knuckled fists clenched against her sides.
"And you don't want to do it?" He probed carefully.
Seven felt a knot of tension within her loosen under his searching but kind gaze, how had he known? She didn't want him to think she was indifferent to the children's fate… "Please understand Commander, I do want to help them…"
A smile flickered briefly across Chakotay's face, "I know that Seven, or else why would you have risked so much to free them?" Seven nodded in acknowledgement of his words but otherwise remained tense and distant, making his gut twist in concern and empathy. Cautiously he put his hand on her arm, "Look Seven, whatever…concerns you're having about this, it's better to talk them out. It doesn't have to be with me…"
Seven's head drooped unhappily as the soothing warmth from his hand flowed up her arm. "I just don't believe it will help the children in anyway to have me guide them to individuality! I am still more Borg than human, my interference will only hold them back…" She stopped abruptly, ashamed of her outburst in front of him.
She was still staring at the floor as she heard his heavy sigh, and then felt his hand lightly tilting her head back up to look him directly in the eyes, "You're underestimating your progress, your humanity Seven. I know that only you could have convinced those children to come here, because they trust and respect you as one of them." He saw a grimace cross her face and continued, "How would you have felt if someone who'd been what you have could've helped you? I know that it would've saved a lot of…" He smirked at her, "…confrontations from crewmembers who didn't understand where you were coming from."
Seven couldn't help but give a small laugh, remembering being admonished for "butting heads" with others, the Captain in particular although Chakotay had had his fair share, a little too often. "Do you really think I could help them?"
"I do." Chakotay answered, and the sincerity in his voice made her want to consult him on her first duty as guardian.
"I have salvaged the children's assimilation files. I've found their original names, some biographical information…" She paused as he studied the files on the console, "Do you think it would be wise to give it to them? I didn't react well to the Captain reading mine…"
"That was a different situation." Chakotay reminded her, "All you can do is offer it to them, see how they react, and adapt to it."
"This process does not seem very precise." Seven muttered with a frown on her face.
Chakotay laughed, "From what I've heard, child-rearing is a case of trial and error!" He became serious again as he saw fear flash over her face, "You're not going to be doing this alone Seven. This crew is a family; those children are a part of it now."
Seven smiled up at him, "I know, that is the greatest factor in their favour."
Chakotay beamed proudly back at her and was about to reply when the Doctor's voice echoed urgently through the comm. system, "The Doctor to Seven of Nine."
Seven shot Chakotay an apologetic look and tapped her comm. badge, "Yes Doctor?"
"Seven, you need to come to Sickbay." The Doctor's voice took on a sad, resigned tone that sent a shiver down both Seven and Chakotay's backs, "It's the Borg baby…"
Seven cut him off sharply, "I will be there imminently Doctor." Despite her controlled tone, her legs wobbled as she stepped away from the console and Chakotay chivalrously stepped in, taking her arm and helping her to Sickbay.
Seven broke free from his grip as soon as she entered Sickbay, striding straight up to the incubator where the crumpled little body of the baby lay inside, her eyes full of more pity and fear as she looked at the child than Chakotay had even seen. "What's wrong with her?" she demanded of the Doctor as her joined her at the incubator.
The Doctor took a deep breath, his eyes heavy with sadness and regret as he looked into his friend's frightened and protective face, "She's dying Seven."
"Dying?" Seven echoed, her voice cracking painfully. "But…but you told me I beamed her here in time for you to save her…" Her tone became frustrated and accusatory as she choked out the words.
"That's what I believed." The Doctor admitted, "But she's taken a turn for the worse, her implants are destabilising…"
"Then remove them!" Seven snapped, "You did it with me and the older children…"
"The five of you were healthy and strong enough to take that punishment and adapt. This little one is just too young, she wasn't anymore than a couple of days old when she was assimilated, frankly I'm surprised she survived the initial process. Her body is just too immature, if we wait until the implants give out completely she'll die a slow, painful death."
Seeing that Seven was incapable of speaking, Chakotay murmured, "So what do you want to do?"
The Doctor sighed again, pain etched on his face. "Make her as comfortable as I can, then turn off the life support and let her go."
"It…it won't hurt her?" Seven asked in a whisper.
"It'll be just like going to sleep." The Doctor assured her kindly before giving her shoulders a tight squeeze, "You did the right thing bringing her here Seven, never doubt that."
Seven nodded slowly, although Chakotay had the feeling she wasn't really taking in what he was saying. She watched, a frozen statute, as the Doctor approached the incubator where the sounds of the baby struggling to breathe were horribly clear. Seven suddenly seemed to snap, an uncontrollable sob rising in her throat, "She shouldn't die alone in there! She's never been alone…"
"You can hold her." The Doctor suggested softly.
Seven nodded robotically, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Chakotay was leaving, "Please stay Commander." She pleaded thickly, ashamed of her weakness but afraid that if he didn't remain with her she'd bolt from the room and renege on her responsibilities to this poor child.
"Okay." Chakotay agreed softly, practically lowering her into a chair and sitting down beside her. "Doctor." He ordered quietly.
With loving care, the Doctor lifted the baby out of the incubator and laid her in Seven's arms. Seven stayed as still as she possibly could, regretful sorrow bubbling in her as the baby whimpered, struggling for every gasp of air. Carefully she pulled the small body against her and slowly caressed the fragile cheek with one finger, unaware of uttering the soothing murmurs Chakotay and the Doctor could hear escaping from her lips. The baby relaxed, as if whatever had kept her tense had gone, her breathing for a moment calm and her face serene, then after a few more silent minutes the sensors bleeped and the Doctor slowly took the baby away. Only now did Seven move at all, her frame racked by shivers as she heaved a huge sigh, as if remembering how to breathe. Chakotay looked at her pale face with aching compassion and murmured, "Do you want to stay here for a while?"
She shook her head leadenly and stood up, staring at the Doctor as she mechanically brushed at the tears streaming down her otherwise impassive face. "The memorial for the older drone is tomorrow…"
The Doctor nodded solemnly, "I understand." Seven gave another nod and turned wordlessly on her heel, fleeing the room. "Seven…" The Doctor began painfully, turning to follow her.
"Let her be Doctor." Chakotay said tightly, resting his face in his hands. The Doctor moved to disobey but Chakotay held him back, eyes flashing in warning.
He walked into the Mess Hall the next day, his heart warming with pride for his crew when he saw that every one of them had decided to attend this funeral for two children they'd never know. He saw Seven at the front of the mourners, with two Borg children on either side of her; he now knew them to be Azan, Rebi, Mezotti and Icheb.
The Captain took a deep breath before beginning, "This is the memorial for two children, their names unknown, but their fates very much imprinted on their hearts…"
Seven suddenly interrupted, her voice as clear as cut glass. "They have names Captain." She stepped forward and handed Janeway a PADD before hurriedly returning to her place.
"Yes…" The Captain continued as if the interruption hadn't happened, "Telzan and Maiara have left a great impression on us and that is why we as a crew commit them to space today with love and regret…"
Chakotay saw Seven's throat move up and down in a gulp as the children were given back their names, in death, and left where he was listening near the door to stand behind her, his hand resting on her shuddering shoulder.
A/n: Please review.