Uplifing

Fandom: Star Trek: Voyager

Pairing: Seven of Nine/Captain Janeway

Summary: Seven helps Captain Janeway find a subtitute for coffee when the replicators stop working. Fluff.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: First 'real' story in the Star Trek Voyager fandom.

Captain Janeway stalked from one side of the room to the other, glaring at the replicator along the way, for it was the reason for her ire. The troublesome appliance was down again, leaving the redhead without the one beverage that could be deemed as her lifeforce. Why did it have to be the coffee that wasn't working? Why couldn't it have been the water instead? It wasn't like WATER was of any use to the captain at 0400 hours after a twelve hour shift. Captain Janeway heard the chime on her door, and granted entrance. The door opened with a tall blonde, who took two steps inside and then stopped long enough to allow the door to close behind her. "Yes Seven," the captain said, reigning in her annoyance in order to talk to the woman.

"It is said in the dining hall that you are not well."

"I'm fine," Captain Janeway immediately dismissed.

"You are aggitated," Seven corrected, taking another step inside. It seemed as if the blonde was trying to see for herself through the captain's lies, and it wasn't as if Janeway made a habit of lying to her crew. She just tended to leave things out. With those more perceptive, like Tuvok, her greatest friend for many years, and Kes, who was telepathic and just generally very loving, she was more like an open book. With Seven, however, it was still as if she had to work to keep her feelings hidden. She always felt as if she could share anything with the young woman, even though, as a captain, she knew she shouldn't.

Janeway sighed. "The replicator's broken. I'm just a little bit tired. No need to worry about me."

"Will you be better later?"

"I just need to find a substitute," Janeway said, more to herself than to the blonde.

"Something to uplift you?"

"In a way, yes," Janeway agreed with a nod of her head.

Seven of Nine tilted her head the way she often did in her own partial nod. Then, an idea seemed to enter her mind, and she straightened her posture. Just when Captain Janeway was about to ask if she had an alternative in mind (because really, anything was better than what Neelix deemed as coffee), the ex-drone opened her mouth, and what came next was not at all expected.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.

You make me happy when skies are grey

You never know dear, how much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away."

There was a silence in the room for a moment before Seven of Nine spoke. "I find this tune uplifts me."

"It..." Janeway was speechless, and then she nodded. "It is," she tried again.

"I could sing it again if you need further uplifting," the blonde offered.

Janeway smiled and leaned against the nearest wall. "I'd like that," she said softly.

And so Seven of Nine sang the song once more, her eyes remaining on the captain the whole time. the redhead tried to keep her face from showing her awe at the woman before her, and when Seven of Nine was finished this time, she asked, "Is there anything more I can do?"

"No no, that was fine. Apart from getting this replicator fixed and a cup of-" Janeway cut herself off at the slight discomfort on Seven's face. She took in the slightest shift in the blonde's posture, the way she leaned ever so slightly on her other foot and said, "Your singing voice is heavenly Seven. Thank you."

"If there is nothing else, I must go," Seven said after a moment.

Janeway nodded. "Dismissed. Thank you for the song, Seven," the redhead said sincerely. Seven of Nine didn't respond. She just nodded again in aknowledgement, and left. Captain Janeway sighed when the door closed behind her. That was close. There was a moment when she almost leaned in to kiss the ex-drone, but that would have been the most inappropriate thing to do.

When the blonde returned almost a half an hour later with a steaming mug of coffee she had made in the mess hall, Janeway was surprised. After taking the mug, she said, "I could kiss you," so relieved was she.

"Proceed," came the reply.

Janeway took a look at the ex-drone and set the mug on her desk, where it sat, forgotten.

End