A short bittersweet piece written in one go early one morning – please let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: None of the characters or sets in this story belong to me.
Tell Me Lies
She sat on a biobed, hands clasped in her lap. He thought at how she could still surprise him, whenever he began to forget just how young her "free" life truly was she would look at him with such an expression that he realised that underneath the body of a woman was the heart of a girl, just a child really.
They weren't so different the two of him, the both of them had had to learn how to be human, how to ignore everything that seemed to right to them but so unacceptable to others.
She still attempted to cover her emotions, a habit she had unfortunately learned from the woman who had taught her so much. He could still read her, no matter how blank she thought her face to be as she struggled with something that was still so unfamiliar.
"Is everything… acceptable to you Seven?" He spoke as gently as he could see, I can learn, so can she but give her time.
Seven eyed her newly healed wrist and flexed it tentatively.
"Yes, I believe I am healed quite adequately, thank you Doctor." Her tone was brisk and businesslike, but he could still sense that she was subdued, he couldn't understand why.
"Is there something else you wanted?"
"I have no other medical complaints."
"Maybe not, but perhaps you would like to speak to me in some other capacity, perhaps even as a friend?" The Doctor kept his tone deliberately light as he placed the tri-corder back on the side. Seven cocked her head to one side and regarded the floor with characteristic focus.
"I am experiencing something… unfamiliar."
"Oh, and what is that?" The Doctor asked softly.
"You are aware of course of my relationship with Commander Chakotay?" The Doctor suddenly became very interested with the data on his computer console.
"Yes," He cleared his throat briskly, "I'm glad that your, experimentation, with further emotion has gone so well."
"Yes," Seven nodded, "I believe that our relationship is going well." She suddenly faltered and if it were possible became even more fixated on the floor. The Doctor found himself becoming drawn in against his will.
"So what is the unfamiliar feeling you described?"
"When I am with the Commander," Seven continued quietly, "He tells me things that I believe are very desirable things to hear from a partner."
"Such as?" The Doctor prompted softly, without even being sure that it was what he wanted to hear.
"That I am unique and beautiful, and I mean more to him than any other woman he has ever known." A small smile graced Seven's lips as she obviously recalled some personal memories.
"That's wonderful Seven," The Doctor placed a hand on her shoulder, "It sounds as though the Commander thinks very highly of you." He gazed down at her golden head sadly.
"Yes so he says," Seven looked up and gave the Doctor the benefit of her startling eyes for the first time. "But I don't believe that he tells me the truth." The Doctor raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Because I have never noticed him to look at me the way he looks at the Captain." Seven stated quietly.
"I see." The Doctor silently wondered why it had taken Seven so long to realise what many had realised in the past, to be involved with either the Captain or Commander was to be placed in the middle of a friendship deeper than any other onboard the ship.
"I have observed them many times over the years as I have gathered my data on human interaction," Seven continued firmly, "They have spent many hours together and yet have never had an intimate relationship."
"No, I don't believe they have" The doctor conceded, "yet you are jealous of the way the Commander looks at the Captain? This is the emotion you talked of?"
"I don't believe I am jealous," Seven continued thoughtfully, "Indeed it should be the opposite, after all I have been more intimate with the Commander than the Captain ever has."
The Doctor suddenly cleared his throat and moved away from the bed on the pretence of tidying up, "Yes, well."
"But I believe that he lies to me." Seven continued. The Doctor stopped mid-flow and looked in consternation at the ex-borg.
"You believe that they have an intimate relationship after all and he has been pretending?" He guessed.
"No." Seven looked infinitely sad. "I believe he lies when he tells me that I am beautiful, and that I mean more to him than any other woman."
"Because he has never looked at you the way he looks at the Captain?"
"No, because he has never loved me in the way he loves the Captain." Seven looked to the Doctor again, "and I don't believe he ever will even when he tells me he has never loved another woman so much."
"So you feel upset that he lies to you?" The Doctor stated more than asked.
"No," Seven replied again, "I do not feel unhappiness because he has lied, I feel confusion because I want him to lie."
"Because you want to feel as though he loves you." The Doctor felt his holographic heart grow heavier.
"Yes." Seven frowned, "It makes no sense, it is… illogical to seek the affection from someone if you believe it to be false."
"I don't believe that." The Doctor stared to one side. "I believe that when you are in love, sometimes, you would rather hear the lie than face the truth.
"I see." Seven stood from the bed, "I must go regenerate now, thank you for your help Doctor."
"You're welcome Seven," The Doctor moved aside to allow the blonde woman to pass. She hesitated just before the door and turned her head slightly towards him.
"Doctor, do you…" She stopped briefly and appeared to be considering her words. "Do you believe that he will ever love me more than he loves her?"
The Doctor hesitated.
"Would you like the truth Seven, or would you prefer to hear the lie?"
Seven considered his question.
"I think, that this time, I would like to be lied to." Her voice suddenly seemed uncharacteristically laden with sadness.
"Yes." The Doctor answered firmly, "I believe he will." A small smile threatened the edges of the ex-borg's mouth.
"Thank you." She turned and left, leaving the Doctor alone with his thoughts.
It was a strange thing, Love.