~*~ Chapter One: Learning how to love You ~*~

"0600 hours. Regeneration cycle complete."

Seven stepped out of her alcove. In front of her stood B'Elanna. Seven
looked at her, wondering what she was doing in front of her alcove.

"Lieutenant Torres."

"Good morning, Seven."

"State your intention."

B'Elanna walked a little closer toward the former Borg who was standing
there as erect as always. "I have come here to talk to you."

"What do you wish to talk to me about?"

The half Klingon hesitated for a while. Actually, she had planned just
to tell Seven directly to her face what she had dreamed about the nights
before and what these dreams had caused to her, but now that the young woman
was standing directly in front of her, B'Elanna's courage seemed to be
fading.

Then, she finally took all her courage, walked a little bit closer
toward Seven and started talking. "Seven, I want you to know something. For
the past few nights I... have been having wonderful dreams. Those dreams...
were like a message." She didn't know whether she should continue talking or
whether she should wait for a reaction from Seven. She felt uneasy as she
didn't know how to treat Seven. She didn't know whether she should tell her
she has fallen in love with her.

"What did the message say?" Seven finally asked. The Lieutenant was
quite happy about her asking this as they now had a starting point for their
conversation.

"It said... B'Elanna Torres, you have fallen in love." She now felt
uneasy again.

"And why did you wish to tell me about this?"

"Because... you are the person who appeared in my dreams."

Seven turned her look to the ground. She didn't know what to do or say
now. Then she finally dared looking at the brunet woman again. "Are you
implying that you have developed romantic feelings for me?" Her voice was
trembling for a bit.

"Yes, Seven, I have fallen in love with you."

Seven couldn't look straight into B'Elanna's eyes, so she lowered her
eyes to the ground. She didn't feel comfortable due to what B'Elanna had
just told her, especially as her and B'Elanna have never been close in any
way.

"You must excuse my being impolite, but a few days ago you would have
gone for the nearest air lock if you found out that you and me were assigned
for an away mission together. You would insult me in any way you can just to
prove me that you are the chief-engineer and that I need to be inferior to
you. Lieutenant, I am sorry, but I fail to see the logic of your
conclusion."

"Seven, try to see it from this point of few: Maybe I have treated you
like that all the time with the intention not to let my real feelings for
you come to the surface."

B'Elanna noticed that Seven was not feeling comfortable in this
situation, so she went for the door to let Seven think everything through on
her own. When she reached the exit of Cargo Bay Two, she turned to Seven one
more time, and said, "Give my conclusion a thought, will you?" and then she
left without waiting for Seven's reply.

~*~

Only a few minutes later, Seven entered engineering. She walked right
up to B'Elanna.

"Lieutenant, I... don't know how to proceed."

At first, B'Elanna didn't know how to reply, as she was surprised and
somewhat overwhelmed that Seven had come for her.

"Does that mean you ... wish... to proceed?" she asked Seven.

"Yes, I do."

"Well, how about having dinner together? Tonight, 1900 hours, my
quarters?" She tried to sound as delighted as possible while saying this,
although she was actually wondering whether her decision to tell Seven about
her feelings was right and whether Seven felt the same, too.

"Very well. I will be punctual."

B'Elanna was walking nervously up and down her room. Seven could arrive
any minute, any second... and there she was, as punctual as ever.

"Seven! I am so glad you accepted my invitation. Have a seat!" B'Elanna
pointed at one of the chairs at the table. The table was already set and the
meal was on it, as well.

"This looks... beautiful." Seven said after she had sat down, not
really knowing how to act toward the Lieutenant.

"Thank you", B'Elanna answered while sitting down opposite Seven. She
was a little confused as she didn't know what to talk to Seven about. She
wished she could just tell her that she was terribly in love with her, but
she didn't know if Seven would be comfortable talking about this topic.

There was an unpleasant silence in B'Elanna's quarters. Neither her nor
Seven dared saying a thing. They just sat there, eating their dinner, not
even looking at each other.

After they had finished eating, Seven rose from her chair. "Dinner was
very good. Thank you for the invitation," she said and then headed for the
door. B'Elanna noticed that Seven was a little nervous.

"Seven!" B'Elanna shouted and turned toward Seven. She rose from her
chair, as well, and walked a few steps toward Seven. "You can't just go like
that. You haven't had your desert yet. Computer, seal the door to my
quarters."

B'Elanna was now directly in front of the women whom she loved more
than anything else in the world and put her hands on her hips. Seven looked
somewhat anxious at her, but B'Elanna knew that the situation was new for
Seven and that this was reason for her being a little uncertain about what
to do and about what will happen next. B'Elanna let her hands run softly
over Seven's hips and her back while her lips found those of the blonde
female. Seven closed her eyes and thought about nothing but about how sweet
the kiss and how amazing that experience was.

Slowly but surely B'Elanna let go of Seven. "How did you like the
desert?" she asked while looking deeply into her lover's eyes.

"It was ... delicious," Seven replied in a soft voice.

"Seven, I love you," B'Elanna told the woman whose hips were still
being touched by the half Klingon's hands.

"I will need some time, Lieutenant... B'Elanna... but I am willing to
learn how to love you, as well." She gave B'Elanna a soft kiss on the cheek
and then she left her quarters.

~*~

The next morning, Seven went to B'Elanna's quarters right after her
regeneration cycle had been completed. B'Elanna was already awake and
offered Seven, who noticed right away that B'Elanna looked somewhat tired,
to come in.

"I haven't been sleeping a second last night," B'Elanna said after she
and Seven had set down on the sofa.

"Why is that?"

"I had to think about you all night long. Nobody has ever managed to
stop me from sleeping, but you... you are just so wonderful, Seven. You've
put a spell on me." She took Seven's hands into hers. Feeling the warmth of
B'Elanna's hands gave a lot of comfort to Seven - and it made her want to
feel the soft lips of the brunet woman again. Without saying a word, she
closed her eyes and let her lips come closer to B'Elanna's. The half Klingon
was at first a little surprised by Seven's being offensive, but then she
just gave in to the kiss and forgot everything around her...

~*~ End of Chapter One ~*~