Set just before the sixth season episode, "Survival Instinct."

Star Trek and Star Trek: Voyager are the copyrighted property of CBS Studios, Inc. This fiction item is intended for entertainment purposes only. No compensation has been received or will be accepted for it, and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended or should be implied.

First Kiss

The repairs were finally, completely done.

Voyager had needed to perform repairs many times before, but these, somehow, were different. They'd never had to repair damage done by another Federation ship. They'd never had to recover from a battle with one of their own.

The repairs this time had been as much psychological as they were physical.

Neelix, never needing much of an excuse, had sponsored another get-together in the Mess Hall. Nearly everyone who was off-duty had come. Knots of people were scattered throughout the room, talking, eating, laughing.

In one corner, Seven of Nine stood alone, sipping a glass of champagne.

A few weeks ago, the Doctor wouldn't have hesitated to approach her, striking up a conversation, reminding her of the last time she'd tried champagne. Now, though, things had changed between them. He'd genuinely hurt her feelings with an ill-advised wager. And then, due to his own carelessness, he'd proven vulnerable to alterations in his programming that had caused her considerable physical pain. Had easily could have caused her death.

She'd accepted his apologies -- both times -- and helped him to develop security algorithms to prevent a re-occurrence of the latter situation. She'd even met him in the holodeck several times to practice singing. She'd proven remarkably forgiving. But he wasn't sure he was ready to forgive himself.

Nor was he sure if it was his actions, or the feelings that had come to light during recent weeks, that he found more uncomfortable.

As he watched her, keenly feeling the distance he'd caused, Seven took another sip of the champagne. He followed her gaze across the room, where Ayala and Brooks were holding hands, laughing into each other's eyes -- and stealing kisses whenever they thought no one was looking. The Doctor looked again at Seven, who was watching them with ill-concealed interest...and then she took an unsteady step, reaching toward a chair for balance.

Oh, no.

Pushing his feelings aside, he walked over to her and spoke in a low tone. "You're staring, Seven. That usually isn't considered polite."

"They are making quite an...inappropriate display." Her voice was somewhat uneven.

He glanced again at the couple, now engaged in a passionate embrace. "True enough, but it still isn't polite to stare. Come on. I'll get you to sickbay."

"I do not require medical assistance at this time."

"Yes, you do. You've been drinking champagne again. Don't you remember what happened the last time you did that?"

She turned a cool glance on him. "That was an aberration. I do not usually succumb to the deleterious effects of alcohol."

He sighed. "There are many documented cases of people who react more quickly to champagne than other alcoholic beverages. You appear to be one of them. Now, come on." He was still keeping his voice low, hoping to avoid a scene.

"I do not wish to comply."

"Sev-en." He emphasized each syllable. "I don't have my med kit with me, but I could still call Ensign Vorik over here, have him nerve-pinch you, and beam you to sickbay." He met her startled gaze. "But I'd really rather not cause you the embarrassment."

Her expression had become haughty, with no small amount of hostility mixed in. "Very well. I will comply...but only to avoid causing an uncomfortable scene. I am not intoxicated."

"Whatever you say," he murmured as he led her out of the Mess Hall.

She was quiet as they walked down the corridor and boarded a turbolift. As it started, she lost her balance and had to grab for a handrail. The Doctor steadied her other arm. "I suppose now you're going to tell me that the inertial dampeners are malfunctioning."

He'd meant the comment rhetorically, but she answered it anyway. "Perhaps I am...at less than peak status."

"Well, you won't be for long. We'll be in sickbay in a couple of minutes."

She nodded, seemingly lost in thought. He realized that his hand was still on her left arm. Awkwardly, he dropped it to his side.

"Did you know," she asked suddenly, "that I have never been kissed?"

He'd suspected as much. "No."

"It appears to be an activity that is...customary in dating. Why was it not included in our social lessons?"

He had to consciously override the programming loop that would otherwise have responded with a blush. "It isn't a necessary activity; only a voluntary one. I chose not to include it."

The turbolift came to a halt and the doors snapped open. He tugged her into the corridor, glad that no one else was around.

"Why not?" asked Seven, oblivious to their surroundings.

Because if I had, I might not have been able to maintain my detachment. The thought sprang unbidden to his mind, and this time, he didn't catch the programming loop quickly enough to cancel it. Fortunately, she didn't notice.

He cleared his throat. "Kissing is a somewhat...personal...activity, Seven. That's why it's usually done in private."

"Have you ever been kissed?" she asked as they entered sickbay. Tom Paris was supposed to be on duty, but he was nowhere to be seen. For once, the Doctor was glad of that.

"Yes," he answered shortly. "Now get up on the bio-bed, Seven. I'll prepare a hypospray."

She followed him to the medical cart. "Was it a pleasurable experience?"

He didn't trust himself to turn and face her. "The answer is, as you might say, irrelevant. Now do as I say and get up on the bio-bed. You'll be back to your old self in no time."

"You are avoiding the subject. I wish to satisfy my curiosity: was kissing a pleasurable experience?"

With shaking hands, he located the right ampoule and snapped it into place. "Seven, this is a totally inappropriate subject for conver--"

She caught his arm, pulled him around, and kissed him full on the lips.

Voyager's sickbay seemed to disappear. Even time seemed to come to a standstill. There was only the taste of her mouth against his. The hypospray clattered to the floor, forgotten. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered, nothing even existed except Seven of Nine and the silky feeling of her hair against his fingers and the warm strength of her waist as he slid his arms around her. She shivered slightly and he realized that she was feeling pleasure at this, her first kiss.

Her first kiss. Drawing her body closer against his, the Doctor pulled back slightly, gentling the pressure against her mouth, lightly tracing her lips with his own. She gasped softly and parted them, shivering again when the tip of his tongue touched her own. Good, he thought detachedly. He wanted this to be a pleasant experience for her, wanted to be the one to give her pleasure, wanted...her.

When the kiss came to its natural end, his breathing was as ragged as hers.

Seven raised shaky fingers to her lips, tracing them in an unconscious imitation of the Doctor's actions. "That was...indeed...a pleasurable experience." She moved her fingers to brush his lips. "Why did we not do it before?"

"I don't know." His eyes fell to her mouth, and he moved to kiss her again –

And then jerked back, gasping, as he fully realized what had just happened. She was intoxicated, and he'd taken advantage of her...

Dropping his arms, he looked frantically around and saw the hypospray. He felt her hand touch his shoulder when he bent to pick it up. "Doctor...?"

He had to consciously bring his shaking hands under control before he could straighten and administer the injection. "I'm sorry, Seven. I never should have let that happen."

"Why not?"

"It wasn't...appropriate. I'm sorry," he repeated. "It won't happen again."

She appeared genuinely confused. "I do not understand."

Recovering some of his aplomb, the Doctor gently pushed her onto the bio-bed. "I'll explain when you're feeling better. Now, get some rest. It will take the medication about twenty minutes to go into effect."

"Acceptable." She closed her eyes.

He watched her for a few minutes and then quietly slipped into his office, sinking into the chair and burying his face in his hands. What had he done?

Several minutes later, Seven stirred and pushed herself up on her arms. "Doctor?"

He walked out to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Unsettled." She paused for a moment. "Why am I here?"

"Don't you remember?"

"My short-term memory is...unclear."

"You got into the champagne again." He produced a scanner and ran it over her midsection. "You're doing fine now," he continued, "although I should have let you bear the full brunt of its effects as a lesson. You don't have any tolerance for it, Seven."

"I shall...remember that in the future. Was my behavior..." she paused again. "More than mildly unacceptable?"

He fought a blush from his face. "No. You were fine."

"I am gratified to hear that." She sat up, and slid down from the bio-bed, swaying slightly.

He steadied her with a touch. "You should probably regenerate for a while. The alcohol inhibitor does have some mild side effects."

"I will do that. Thank you for your assistance, Doctor."

"Anytime." As he watched her departing form, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief. She apparently didn't remember what had happened.

But then, she stopped, turned around, and walked back to face him. "I believe...I owe you an apology."

"An apology?"

"For my behavior."

"Seven, I told you before: your behavior was fine."

"I appreciate your kindness," she replied, "but you are incorrect. My behavior was not 'fine'. I created an...extremely embarrassing situation."

Damn. She remembered what had happened after all.

He sighed again, and then, suddenly, the right words came to him. "I never should have let it continue. I'm sorry, too. I just...wish your first kiss could have been more...special."

"I accept your apology. And I hope...you will accept mine."

"I do."

She nodded and turned to walk out again. But, once again, she stopped, although this time she only half-turned, looking at him sideways.

"Is there something else, Seven?"

She paused for a long time before answering. "My first kiss...was special. It was a very pleasant experience. I am...glad it was you, Doctor." Her eyes met his, and a small smile came to her lips. "Perhaps...we can try it again, sometime...when I am not intoxicated."

This time, the words failed him. Utterly. The door slid shut before he could think of a reply.