This story is set early in Voyager's fifth season. Long before we heard of cortical inhibitors and Harry and Seven still worked together.
A sequel to "I'll Be Home for Christmas." In which Seven and Naomi get help to give the crew a Christmas party. Harry's sadness is replaced with some anger and frustration, and Seven learns about Christmas 'spirits.'
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
By Lesa L.
Three nights later, Harry sat alone in his quarters. He stared blankly at the daily Operations report, his mind numbed. It had been a seemingly endless day, in part because Chakotay had decided that Harry should review all the work his Ops staff had done on improving the Communications network on the ship. This involved slogging through what seemed like kilometers of Jeffries tubes checking each adjustment individually. If Harry didn't known better he would have suspected that the Commander was trying to keep him out of the way.
He knew that by the old Earth calendar tonight was Christmas Eve. The thought depressed him to no end. He considered asking Tom and B'Elanna if they wanted to join him in Sandrine's for a little pool, but negated that thought. They had been really busy these last couple of days and probably wanted some time alone. Seven had asked him recently to instruct him in the game of Vulcan Kal toh. Instruct, he snorted to himself, she knew everything about the game already, she could easily beat Tuvok, still she had asked him to play it with her, maybe…
:::Seven of Nine to Ensign Kim:::
"Kim here," he replied with a note of surprise as he tapped his combadge.
:::Ensign, I require your assistance in holodeck 2:::
"With what?" he asked cautiously.
:::I require your assistance with a research project:::
Rolling his eyes, he replied sharply, "What kind of research project?"
:::I prefer to answer your questions in person. It is a matter of some urgency to the crew. The Captain has requested that you assist me with this project:::
"Wasn't that nice of her," Harry said sardonically. "Look Seven I really don't feel like working tonight. Could it wait till tomorrow?"
:::Ensign, are you violating a direct order from the Captain?:::
"The Captain can… never mind," he said shaking his head. "All right, fine, I'll be right there. Kim out."
Harry was surprised when he entered a darkened holodeck. He smelled a curious scent in the air. "Seven, are you here?" A grouping of lights flashed on, colored lights that illuminated a strangely familiar shape.
"Merry Christmas Harry!" Suddenly the room was brilliantly lit, as if in accompaniment to the sounds of all the members of the Senior staff and their holiday greetings.
He looked around as a smile of delight grew wider and wider. He was in an old Earth style living room. Huge soft couches filled the room as a roaring fire blazed in the fireplace. It was decorated from top to bottom with wreaths, garlands and every manner of holiday trim. The crowning glory was the Christmas tree, it stood almost three meters high and was covered with bulbs and ornaments of every kind. Small wrapped packages lay on the boughs.
Harry looked back at those members of the staff closest to him. Tom and B'Elanna, together of course. The Captain and Chakotay standing by the tree. He saw the Doctor and Neelix by the fireplace. He smiled at Naomi jumping up and down in excitement and clapping her hands. Finally, he saw Seven, standing straight as usual, almost hidden behind the tree.
"Merry Christmas Buddy," Tom said as he approached grinning with delight.
"Merry Christmas Starfleet," B'Elanna said moving to stand next to Tom. "After all the work we put in to get this ready, you better be surprised."
Harry nodded, unable to speak for a moment. "That's an understatement. This is amazing."
The Captain came forward pressing her hands into his. "Merry Christmas Harry," she said. "The rest of the crew that could attend are out back hover skating. We thought we'd welcome you alone first."
"Thanks Captain. I can't believe I tried to get out of coming," he said with a sheepish grin.
"That reminds me Ensign," the Captain began sternly. "Over the com you said, 'the Captain can-' would you care to finish that statement?"
Harry blushed remembering his words. The rest of the people present laughed aloud, even Seven smiled.
"Wait a minute," Tom began. "Harry is not dressed for the occasion."
Harry looked around, realizing that everyone present was wearing some kind of winter garb. B'Elanna was wearing a fitted, Nordic type ski sweater. Tom a bulky sweater in many contrasting shades of green and red with appliqués in various colors scattered around it. The Captain a dark green velour tunic and leggings that emphasized her delicate coloring. Even Seven sported a soft scarf decorated with a snowflake pattern over her black sweater and pants. "Well, excuse me! It's not like I knew what to expect you know."
"It's not a problem," Tom assured him. "We're prepared for all comers," he said walking over to a row of brass pegs on the wall covered with coats and sweaters. "See any style you like?" he asked over his shoulder.
"Any style," Harry said. "As long as it doesn't look like yours."
"Ha!" B'Elanna exclaimed, "I told you it was ugly!"
"I told you. It's supposed to be ugly!" Tom said in exasperation. "It's a real thing!"
"It's a real, ugly thing," B'Elanna retorted. "I think you misunderstood twentieth century clothing suggestions."
Tom shook his head while he walked over and chose a crimson V-necked sweater that Harry could pull over the T-shirt he was wearing.
Naomi Wildman had barely contained her excitement. As soon as the sweater was on she grabbed his hand, "Come on Uncle Harry! Come see outside! Seven you come too!"
"I must assist Neelix with the food preparation," she replied, feeling suddenly uncomfortable.
Harry allowed Naomi to pull him outside where he watched many of the Voyager crew enjoying the hover skating rink. Others were snuggling by the fire pits sipping various hot beverages. He circled around the area with the little girl acting as his personal tour guide. Growing up by the coast of Northern California he'd never actually experienced a 'White' Christmas.' However, his parents had usually made arrangements after the holidays to spend time in the Sierra Nevada Mountains to enjoy the snow.
Something she said caught his attention, "What did you say Naomi?"
"I said that I'm glad that Seven and I decided to do this for you, it's a lot of fun."
He sank down on a nearby bench to be at eye level with her. "What do you mean?"
Naomi rolled her blue eyes in exasperation. "That night in the Mess Hall when you were sad, remember?" He nodded and she continued. "Seven and I wanted to do something to make you happy and we thought a Christmas party would be nice. And it is!" she declared, wiggling with excitement.
Harry shook his head trying to take it all in. "Are you saying that you and Seven did all this for me?"
"Of course not," she declared. "Uncle Tom helped too."
Sam Wildman appeared to whisk her daughter onto the skating rink. Harry rose to search for his best friend.
"Well, I wouldn't say the whole thing's for you," Tom began. He was standing at the bar whisking something yellow in a large silver punch bowl. "Not anymore, it's for everyone now. But Seven did suggest the idea to Chakotay and when she came to me to ask for help she said that she felt that you were 'uncharacteristically somber' and that the party might improve your condition," he said as he held up a measuring cup and scooped sugar into it. "It was kind of cute actually."
"Seven was cute?" Harry questioned him. "Don't let B'Elanna hear you say that."
"I didn't mean it that way," he corrected his friend as he poured the sugar into the yellow mass and began whisking again, stopping for a moment to push up the bulky sleeves of his sweater. "I meant that when she was talking about how she wanted you to feel better, she blushed."
"Wait a minute," the Ops. Chief said holding up his hand. "Seven of Nine blushed, as in turned red with embarrassment?"
"Hmm, I would say rosy pink," Tom answered. "Yup, I guess following her around for a year with your tongue hanging out finally made an impression on her. Who would have thought?" Holding up the measuring cup again he poured brown liquid from a bottle into it. Then poured it into the punch bowl and stirred it carefully. Sampling it, he grimaced and poured several more healthy dollops into the mixture.
"Would you quit joking around and listen to me. Stop doing whatever you're doing, this is important!" Harry demanded.
"No, can do buddy. There's some delicate measuring needed here and I don't want to make a mistake," he answered as he began to pour another liquid into the bowl.
"What the hell are you making?" Harry demanded.
"Seaborn Family Eggnog," Tom answered proudly. "A recipe that's been passed down in my mom's family for over three hundred years."
"And you're trying to tell me that you have the recipe memorized? You can't even remember the days that you're supposed to work in Sickbay."
"I can remember them," the Helmsman informed him with a snort. "I just chose not to. Actually Admiral McHenry tasted this about 20 years ago and insisted that my mom put the recipe in the official Starfleet data files. The replicated stuff just doesn't taste the same, so I offered to whip up a batch. You have no idea how hard it was to hack the replicators into giving me real bourbon. But it's got to be authentic right? It's almost ready I just need to whip some cream for the top and grate some nutmeg over it. Give me a couple of minutes and you can have the first cup."
"Later," Harry said. "I need to find somebody."
Seven stood by the large picture window overlooking the skaters on the rink below. She was engaged in a silent conversation with herself.
'It appears to be a unique form of recreational activity,' she thought.
'There are other ways to improve your cardiovascular system that are more efficient,' Seven of Nine observed.
'It looks like fun,' Annika stated. 'A lot more fun than exercising by yourself for 60 minutes a day.'
"Seven."
His voice startled her. "Ensign?" she answered, her eyes cool and her posture perfect as always.
He felt the familiar stirring of both embarrassment and longing that he always felt in her presence. 'Damn, why can't I just act normal around her?' Taking a deep breath he began, "I want to thank you."
The sincerity of his tone touched her. "Thank me?" she repeated.
"Yes," he nodded, waving his hand around the room. "For doing this for me, it means a lot."
His eyes were fixed warmly on her and it created an unsettled sensation in her abdomen. 'This is unacceptable,' Seven of Nine stated.
Seven's brow arched quizzically. "You are referring to the evening's festivities?" At his nod she continued, "There is no need to thank me. Your remembrances of Christmas traditions merely suggested the idea. I felt it would be a good way to improve crew morale."
He drew back slightly, "I see. So all this was to make the crew feel better?"
"Correct," she nodded.
Harry shook his head, he'd never understand her, time for a new direction. "What are you doing here?"
"I am watching the crew hover skating," she stated the obvious.
"I can see that," he answered.
"Then why did you feel the need to ask?" she retorted.
Pulling a hand though his hair in exasperation he persisted, "Would you like to try it?"
"Hover skating?"
"Yes," he nodded.
"I do not know how to hover skate."
He grinned, "I figured that. Come with me and I'll teach you." He placed a hand on her arm and attempted to draw her along with him.
Seven almost gasped at the warm flush she felt as he touched her. It startled her and she pulled her arm away. "I do not wish to learn at this time."
He was losing this battle. He always lost the battles with her. "It's not a big thing you know. I just wanted to skate and would like to do it with you."
The disappointment in his eyes was obvious. "If you wish to indulge in this activity there appear to be many crew members on the rink at this time that would accommodate you."
Harry held up a hand in defeat, "Fine. I'll talk to you later."
Through the window she watched him walk down the hill towards the skating rink. A voice beside her caused her to look away. "Eggnog?" Lieutenant Paris asked.
"Egg Nog?" she repeated, looking down at the tray he held. It was covered with small cups containing ivory colored liquid.
"Right," he nodded. "It's a traditional drink served during the Christmas holidays. It's made from cream, eggs, sugar, nutmeg, spices and a couple of other ingredients," he added evasively.
"Are there any foods or drinks associated with the holidays that are not composed of fats, sugar or both?"
"Nope. People like to indulge during the holidays. That's one of the reasons why they're special. Just try some," he urged.
Seven complied. Taking a cup from his tray she swirled the thick liquid slightly. Lieutenant Paris disappeared before she could question him about the 'other ingredients' in the beverage. Raising the cup to her lips she forced herself to sample the contents, several times.
'It's not bad,' Annika volunteered. "As a matter of fact, it's pretty good.'
Seven nodded, taking a long swallow from the cup.
'It does appear to be an acceptable way to consume calcium and protein,' Seven of Nine admitted grudgingly. 'It would be more efficient to serve it in larger vessels. This one is almost empty'
'Yes, it is,' Seven agreed, turning to look back out the window. What she saw stunned her, Ensign Kim skating with Lieutenant Nicoletti, his arm snugly around her waist.
"Is he attempting to leave your collective?" Seven of Nine demanded. "Unacceptable."
'You did say that there were other crewmembers.." Annika began.
'I know what I said!' Seven retorted, unable to stop staring at the skating couple.
Lieutenant Paris appeared again. "More eggnog? It's going fast."
Without turning she placed her empty cup on the tray and took a new one. She didn't notice the smirk that appeared on the face of Voyager's Helmsman as he walked away.
For 15.3 minutes she watched Harry and Lieutenant Nicoletti skate together.
'She's not very good is she?' Annika observed. "Harry has to hold on very tightly."
'She appears to require extensive tutoring,' Seven of Nine admitted. 'However her technique appears to have improved.'
Seven listened to the voices, choosing not to add to the discussion. For the last several minutes she'd felt a strange sensation in her body and was concentrating on locating its source. She felt a warm flush spreading from her abdomen and an odd feeling of lassitude in her limbs. Curiously, it was not entirely unpleasant.
Lieutenant Paris returned to take her now empty glass. He seemed hesitant to supply her with another cup of eggnog and held out a curved and colored stick to her. "We need to make sure that there's enough for the crew. Have a candy cane, another traditional Christmas treat. No fat in this, just sugar."
Holding it by the curved end she stared at the stick of hardened sugar syrup. "How is it consumed?"
"You just eat it," Tom replied. "You can bite it or suck on it, whatever works for you. We're going to have some music in a few minutes in the living room. I'm going to go find B'Elanna."
Seven nodded, turning again to watch Harry and the Lieutenant as she sucked gently on the candy cane.
'This is okay,' Annika decided. 'Kind of refreshing and sweet at the same time.'
'It is acceptable,' Seven of Nine concurred. 'Not as acceptable as Egg Nog however. Perhaps Lieutenant Paris set a supply aside for emergencies?'
Seven's attention was focused on the couple skating on the rink. A sense of anger flooded her system. The Lieutenant was usurping her position. Harry was the one that worked beside her several hours a day. They worked well together. She did not like the Lieutenant she decided as she continued to suck the candy cane, slowly turning its end into a sharpened point.
She was aware that many people had left the rink and noted that several couples were stopping under one of the lights from which dangled some form of vegetation. Her brow arched in surprise when she observed the couples kissing there. She had never witnessed anyone kissing. She understood the practice of course, it was described in the databases she had studied but she'd never observed anyone engaged in the act.
'Another thing that looks like fun,' Annika noted, with a sigh.
'It inhibits proper absorption of air into the lungs as well as being unsanitary,' Seven of Nine pointed out.
Seven suddenly tensed as she watched Harry and Lieutenant Nicoletti approach the light in question. They were laughing easily together and seemed to find it amusing. She stared in shock as he bent and placed a kiss on the Lieutenant's lips. The couple then continued their walk towards the house.
"That's just not right,' Annika stated.
'You should have assimilated him when you had the chance,' Seven of Nine observed.
Before she realized what she was doing Seven was out the door, her fingers tensed around the hook of the candy cane she still held in her hand. To her surprise her gait was slightly unsteady as she approached the object of her anger. "Ensign Kim," she said. "I wish to speak to you."
Sue Nicoletti had never witnessed an angry former drone but Harry had. He was also still irritated and frustrated enough to not care. "Can it wait Seven? We want to get seated to listen to the Christmas concert."
"It cannot," she stated. Placing her hand firmly around his wrist she pulled him away from the Lieutenant.
"Harry?" Sue queried.
"I'll be fine," he assured his colleague who nodded and walked into the house.
Seven scrutinized the man in front of her. She felt anger and a sense of loss. She had never experienced a sensation like this before and was not sure how to deal with the emotions. "There are rooms available upstairs," she blurted out.
"Excuse me?" he asked in utter bewilderment.
"There are rooms available upstairs," she repeated, tilting her head knowingly. "Should you wish to complete your mating ritual with Lieutenant Nicoletti with the act of copulation you can use one of them."
"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, shaking his head.
"You kissed Lieutenant Nicoletti," she stated, pointing the sharpened end of the candy cane at him for emphasis. "I witnessed it. Following kissing, the next step is foreplay, which then culminates in copulation," she stated, aware that her posture was not as precise as it should be but unable to correct it.
"This is about Sue? We've been friends for a long time. Sue's dating David Lang. He's on duty right now. The program's going to stay running tomorrow for everyone. Sue wanted to learn how to skate to impress him, that's all. The thing under the mistletoe was just a peck between friends." He stopped and demanded. "And why do I have to justify it to you?"
"You kissed her," she repeated, prodding him with the point of the candy cane in her hand.
"Ow! Would you watch where you're poking that thing! What is wrong with you?" he hissed, rubbing his chest. Suddenly he noted her slightly wavering posture. He studied her, noting the flush of her complexion and the shininess of her eyes. "Have you been? Are you drunk?" he demanded.
"Intoxicated?" Seven asked. "Negative. I do not consume alcohol."
"What have you consumed?" Harry questioned her cautiously.
She thought for a moment. "I have consumed two cups of Egg Nog and one-third of this candy cane." Blinking owlishly, she studied the confection in her hand, "I was not aware that it contained alcohol."
"Tom's eggnog? Seven there was alcohol in that, bourbon, lots of it." He shook his head in exasperation. "Come on, let's get you inside so you can rest." He placed his hand on the small of her back and began to lead her in."
Angrily she pulled away from him. "I do not require your assistance," she stated and walked unsteadily into the house. Harry walked carefully behind her, ready to catch her if she stumbled.
Once in the house, they moved to the larger living room where about thirty chairs had been placed before a small piano. Most of the chairs were filled but Harry saw two that were empty. "Let's sit there," he whispered to Seven.
"I do not wish to sit," she stated, moving somewhat unsteadily to stand behind the seated crew members.
"Fine," he hissed. "Enjoy the show," he said and moved into one of the empty chairs. He wondered what Tom had programmed for the music. He watched his friend stand, then hold up his hands to silence the crowd. "And now for your musical pleasure. Computer, activate Paris - Clooney - Christmas A1. Instantly
a man appeared seated at the piano and a woman in front of it. Harry was surprised. The woman, except for being blond was definitely not the usual Tom Paris creation. She was older, possibly in her mid-fifties and her figure was well, plush, to say the least.
In a surprisingly throaty voice she addressed the crowd. "Good evening. I'm Rosemary Clooney. Thanks for allowing me to share your Christmas Eve with you. This is Pete, my piano player. We're going to share some of my favorite songs with you and if any of you want to make a request later feel free."
Once she began singing Harry understood his friend's programming. Her voice was rich, deep and warm. It surrounded you, drawing you in. He listened to the music and felt his anger and frustration beginning to ease.
Seven was aware that the performer was skilled. The expressions on the faces of the crew members told her that. She felt unsettled, not realizing that the sugar she had consumed was making its presence known. Her limbs seemed to have a life of their own and she felt the need to move. So she did, walking into the next room, she paced in front of the crackling fire.
Out of the corner of his eye Harry was aware of Seven's sudden departure. For a moment he resisted the idea of following her. 'What good would it do? How could she possibly think he was interested in Sue? He'd followed her around with his tongue… anyway, for a year she'd been the only woman he thought about, dreamed about and she actually believed that he could, never mind.' Before he knew it he was up and watching her from the doorway. He knew that asking her what was wrong was probably a lesson in futility and the thought made his voice gruffer than usual. "What's your problem?"
Seven stopped in her tracks, turning toward the man addressing her from the doorway. She arched her brow coldly, "I am Borg. I do not have any problems."
"Well, you could have fooled me," Harry retorted. He moved toward her, his anger and frustration bubbling so near the surface he was afraid it would erupt. Almost as though talking to himself he began, "When I try to thank you for doing all this, you make me feel like a complete idiot by telling me that all I did was give you the idea." Seven opened her mouth to speak. "I'm not finished yet!" Harry continued, holding up his hand. "Okay, so then after you make it obvious that you don't want me anywhere near you, I go spend some time with Sue, a friend. I give her a quick kiss under the mistletoe and you accuse me of wanting to-"
"Previously you called it a peck," Seven observed. "My studies of the databases informed me that when a person touches his or her lips to another person's it is considered a kiss."
"It was a peck damn it," Harry shot back, Like this." He pressed his lips briefly against hers then stood back. Her eyes opened wide with surprise and then Harry Kim took leave of his senses. "This is a kiss." Suddenly he stepped into her personal space and wrapped his arms about her waist. He then proceeded to demonstrate the difference, thoroughly. After a frozen moment of shock she showed that she understood.
Seven was experiencing sensory overload. Too many messages were traveling through her brain to sort them. She felt the urgency of his lips on hers, the heat of his body, the taste of his mouth and the scent that was uniquely his. She knew without a doubt that her legs would not support her. If he hadn't been holding her so tightly she would have fallen.
Seven's mind was a triad of voices.
'This is amazing!' Annika observed. 'The databases just don't tell you how good it feels.'
'Resistance does appear to be futile,' Seven of Nine grudgingly admitted.
'Both of you leave,' Seven ordered. 'I can do this alone.'
'Oh all right,' Annika said. 'But before we leave, just a thought, you might want to do something with your hands instead of just letting them hang there.'
'Thank you,' Seven thought as she moved her hands up his back, feeling the smoothness of his muscles under the soft sweater. She reached an impasse when she realized that her hands were locked under his arms. Quickly she pulled them in and ran them softly up the sides of his face into his hair. After long being intrigued by the jet darkness and shine of it, she reveled in the softness, playing with the strands as she returned his kiss, adding one more sensation to the list of others she was experiencing.
Seven would have been surprised to learn that she was not the only one carrying on a mental battle with alter egos, Harry was engaged in one himself. On one side, Ensign Kim, 'The most upstanding young Ensign in Starfleet,' on the other, 'Harry' a young man who'd wanted this woman for far too long. The two sides fought for dominance as he continued his loving assault on her mouth.
'This isn't right. You need to stop, now!'
'No, she's responding, boy is she responding.'
'She's been drinking. You're taking advantage of her. You need to take your time. This is all new to her.'
'Take your time? It's been a year damn it, how much more time do you need? Besides, she may be so pissed when you let her go you may never get to touch her again, so you better enjoy it while you can.'
The last words of the song and the subsequent applause echoing from the other room roused Harry as he regretfully ended their kiss. Seven's eyes fluttered open and she looked deeply into his soft brown eyes. He gently stroked her face with his fingertips as he studied her. Her crystal blue eyes were luminous.
"Seven, I," he began.
Sensing regret in his voice she placed a finger on his lips. "You are going to apologize. Do not. I am not sorry." To show that she meant it she pressed a lingering kiss on his lips.
He smiled, a wide, rich smile that warmed her even more than the fire crackling beside them, or the eggnog. They heard the piano player begin another song. "Listen to this one Seven," he whispered. "I'm glad Tom included it, it's special for us and Voyager." He wrapped his arms around her waist and she nestled closer, resting her cheek against his.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your hearts be light
From now on, our troubles will be out of sight.
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay
From now on, our troubles will be miles away.
Here we are as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.
Through the years we all will be together
If the fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough
And have yourself a merry, little Christmas now.
By the end of the song they were rocking together, almost but not quite dancing.
Seven looked into his eyes. "I like your Christmas Harry."
"It's not my Christmas Seven, from now on, its ours."
END
Merry Christmas