Takes place directly after Endgame.

If you always wished Chakotay and Janeway would get together, then don't read on. But, if you wished the writers had a bit more time to develop a relationship between C/7, then I hope you enjoy my take on their relationship. And major kudos to scifiromance who does awesome jobs with these two lovely characters (read their stuff). Thanks for the inspiration.

Cheers rose up from all decks on Voyager. They were finally home. The captain broke out the champagne in the mess hall, so as the crew rotated off duty, they could come in and celebrate. Chakotay watched the crowds ebb and flow, mingling and listening to the excited plans of his crewmates—but all the while his radar was keenly aware of one particular person, also shifting in and out of the crowd. Seven. She looked displaced, her blue eyes pinched at the corners with worry. He watched her attempt conversation and then move away, towards the windows where she could stand and stare out at the docking station outside. He hadn't seen her look that alone in years.

Before he could move towards her, Tom Paris entered the room to shouts of congratulations and accolades concerning the birth of his new daughter. He brushed past them all. "Where's the captain?" His tone sounded serious, but Chakotay could see a playful glint in Tom's eyes.

All eyes focused on Janeway. "Are you looking for me, Tom?" Her voice mocked his demand.

"You got that right." He pulled out a bottle of Tarkailain Whiskey, handing it over to her with a flourish. "I don't know how you did it, Captain, but you won the pool!" Every one cheered. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"The only thing that could make this win more meaningful is if I could have bet on your beautiful baby girl's birthplace."

"Oh, really? I thought you said the Alpha Quadrant on the sheet."

"If I got that right, you owe me a whole lot more than a bottle of Whiskey." She accepted the bottle and gave Tom a motherly pat on the shoulder. "Seriously, though, I do have an announcement to make." The room quieted down as Janeway cleared her throat, tapped her com badge and began. "Attention Voyager. Welcome home. It's my understanding that we will spend the night here in space dock, and tomorrow we'll be escorted to Earth, landing on soil just outside San Francisco. I know some of you might be reticent about our homecoming. None of you should worry. I know things are going to change over the next few days—some of us will be going our separate ways. But before we do I want to tell you that I've never served with a finer group of people. Please keep in touch with each other—we're a family created by circumstance, perseverance, sacrifice and victory. Let's not lose that. You are to be congratulated." She lifted her glass in salute towards the crowd.

The room erupted in accolades and shouts of "Hear, hear!"

Chakotay grinned, caught up in the excitement, but not so caught up that he didn't notice Seven slipping out of the dining hall. As the crew continued to mingle, he backed out of the crowd and followed her. He trotted up the hall, making his way past revelers and caught up to her at the turbo lift.

"Where are you headed?"

Seven's head snapped around, and she gave him a cautious smile. Just then three more crew members came whooping down the hall. Frowning at them she sighed. "I feel the need to be alone."

A month ago, Chakotay would have believed her. But he was getting to know the woman under her Borg controlled exterior—and he could tell by the furrow in her brows something else was troubling her.

"It's pretty chaotic around here. I haven't eaten dinner yet, have you?"

Seven paused, and Chakotay imagined her going through her mind like she would the computer's subroutines, scanning for memory of eating.

"No. In fact, I'm hungry."

He grinned at her. "Excellent. We never did finish our dinner date. Care to join me?" He put his arm out to her confidently, but on the inside praying she'd agree. When she took his arm he let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Afraid I'd say no?" She raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

"No. Not at all." Chakotay patted her hand and led her down the hallway, around several corners, to his quarters. Revelers continued to rush past them, laughing. As they stepped inside his quarters, all the noise from the hallway was cut off, and a peaceful silence surrounded them. He motioned for her to sit on the sofa. Seven walked past the dining table, touching the flowers she'd given him only two days before as she passed by.

Chakotay started pushing buttons on the replicator, preparing their meal. "Those flowers still going strong—I thought they would have wilted by now."

"I am sorry about that." Her voice held a hint of hesitation.

He looked over his shoulder at her. "What?"

"I recently read that flowers are usually given by the male in a relationship, not the female."

He brought their food, fillet of sole with a cream sauce over risotto, to her and sat next to her on the sofa.

"I don't know about that. I like flowers." His heart was still singing at the words "in a relationship" but he tried not to let it show. He reached out and lit two candles on the table top. "Our meal's not the same—I don't have any fresh ingredients this time—but I think it will do the trick. When we get home, I'll have to make it for you again. It's not the same without fresh lemon grass and rosemary."

As soon as he said it, he saw her stiffen. She stopped eating.

"What's troubling you, Seven? I'd like to help." He put his hand over hers, giving it a soft squeeze. She didn't pull away, but instead sighed. He thought he saw tears in her eyes for a moment but then they were gone.

"As much as the crew speculated what we would do when we reached Earth again, I never actually believed we'd make it."

"But we have."

"Yes. And I have no idea what to do."

"Well, like we talked about. You'll probably be debriefed. You've got a huge knowledge base on not only the Borg, but all the species they've encountered. I think you're going to be in high demand at Star Fleet. And I'll be within transporter range of wherever you are." He gave her a huge grin, but she didn't seem to notice.

"But, how will I regenerate?" The tone she used was more like a lost little girl than the woman he saw in front of him. And it was the last thing he would have thought she'd say.

"I don't know. Can't they replicate something for you on the surface?"

"It will take weeks." She took a shaky breath. "And I will be alone on the ship. Strangers will be coming in and out of the cargo bay. I'll be on display."

Chakotay took a deep breath. "I don't want you worrying about that. If they can't accommodate you on the surface, then I'll come and stay with you. You won't be alone."

"I'm used to," she took a deep breath, "my collective." Again he saw the tears in her eyes. "As much as being around others is difficult for me, I've become accustomed to everyone on the ship."

"Change is hard for you."

She wiped tears from her cheek with the tips of her fingers. "That is an understatement. I'm sorry. I am ruining our meal." She picked up her plate and began to eat again, but he could see her heart wasn't in it.

"Listen to me, okay? Whatever happens, I'll be with you." He'd told her twice, but she didn't seem to hear him. He put his plate down on the table, then reached up under her chin and gently lifted until her eyes met his. "I'll be with you."

Seven leaned into his embrace and he held her in his arms. He'd never seen her so emotional before. He kissed her temple and she pulled away.

"Are you sure that's all that's bothering you? It's not like you to worry."

She gave him a gentle smile. "Actually, I am having trouble adjusting to my emotions. Everything is much more heightened since the surgery. I used to be able to control my thoughts, but now they race through my mind, and I find I am saying things before I think about them."

Chakotay frowned. "Surgery? When did you have surgery?"

A shocked look crossed her face. "I wasn't going to tell you that."

"Look, Seven, when you're in a relationship with someone, you tell them when you're health is in danger. You share your burdens. When did you have surgery?"

She smiled at him, no doubt catching his use of the word relationship. Then her smile faded.

"You remember when I tried to turn you away in astrometrics. You became angry and accused me of turning off my emotions like turning off a Borg switch."

He groaned. "I'm really sorry about that. I wasn't angry. You were pushing me away—and I," he paused, not used to being so open so quickly with anyone, "was afraid of losing you. I didn't mean what I said."

She brushed his hand with her fingers. "I know you didn't. But in a way, you were right. My cortical node was implanted with an emotion fail safe device that kept me from experiencing heightened emotional states—anger, sadness, joy," she blushed, "and passion."

"Are you serious?" He was flummoxed. "What would happen if you'd," he couldn't finish the thought. The memory of their last kiss rushed through him.

"I would shut down, and possibly perish."

"You should have told me." His voice rose.

"You are angry again." She leaned away from him.

"No, that's my fear talking again. I guess fear and anger can look the same sometimes." He took her hands in his. "You have to understand, Seven. You've become so important to me, so quickly, the thought of losing you frightens me more than I can say."

"And I you. That's why I took the risk and had the chip removed."

"Next time something like this happens, you let me know."

She nodded, her blue eyes warming to his, the panicky look finally dissipating. He leaned towards her, wanting nothing more than to kiss her, to assure her of his feelings for her. Just as their lips met, his door sounded.

They broke apart. "Who is it?" The frustrated tone of his voice surprised him.

"It's Tom. I just need a second."

Chakotay's shoulders slumped. "Come in."

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