Author's Note: So the latent Trekkie in me decided to explore fanfic here and inspired me to write this piece of fluff. Set after Survival Instinct. I'm still relatively new to the fandom so please excuse any obvious mistakes and feel free to point them out. Hope all you C/7 shippers enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Star Trek Voyager and its characters belong to Paramount, Viacom et TPTB.

Human Comforts

Seven stared at the console infront of her. Astrometrics was eerily quiet. The whoosh of the doors behind her snapped her back to reality and in a second, Astrometrics was filled with its usual comforting bleeping noises as her fingers flew across the console.

"Report?" requested the soft voice behind her.

Her hands stopped again. She blinked a couple of times, uncertain as to why there was extra moisture over her irises. She filed the moment away for future analysis and turned to face the speaker.

"Commander, I have not…" she stopped and took a deep breath which seemed to send her into autopilot, "It would seem that I have been negligent of my duties. The report will be completed before the end of my shift."

Chakotay could feel the guilt emanating in waves from her and took a step closer towards her, "Don't worry Seven. Take some time. The report can wait till tomorrow."

"That would be inefficient," she retorted sharply, crossing her arms behind her back and staring defiantly at him.

Chakotay held up his hands in defeat, "As you wish. I just thought you might like some time...Given the days events."

"I am sorry Commander. I understand you are trying to help. But I feel it would help more if I was working at my post."

He peered at her closely and it took all her borg stamina not to blush as she stared into his gentle, warm brown eyes. She questioningly raised the implant covering her left eyebrow. He quickly dropped his eyes from her. "Carry on crewman," he said stepping away from the console, towards the doors.

"Commander." she called out. He turned around at the sound of her voice, "Thank-you, for your concern." She gave a small smile, he responded with a nod and a smile of his own.

Seven was once again confronted by the eerie silence in her small domain. She missed the comforting presence she had felt only moments ago, the hollowness of her burrowing guilt for creating the interlink between the three former drones was proving distracting and she felt physiologically ill but her internal sensors showed no physical malfunction. Her borg discipline sought to assert itself; commanding her that guilt was irrelevant and that she needed to be efficient and complete her report.

Chakotay sighed as he left the lab, understanding full well the distractions work provided. He had done it many times himself. He rubbed his eyes as he waited for the turbolift. He wasn't sure why he had come to check on Seven. Yes, there was the fact that he was expecting the report and that he was the ship's counsellor but if he was truthful to himself he knew that that was not the reason he had gone to Astrometrics. He felt sure that had he walked in ten seconds later he would have witnessed the inimitable Seven-of-Nine crying. He had seen her slightly moist eyes and glazed look when he had come in. There was a human vulnerability about her that touched his heart. If it had been any another crew member, he would have probably held their hand and waited with them but the problem was that Seven was not just another crew member and no-one quite knew where they stood with their Borg hybrid, not even the Captain. Still, he was concerned enough to step into her personal space and try his best to be there for her. He had a niggling feeling that if he analysed his feelings further he would come to a rather surprising conclusion about Seven-of-Nine.

The turbolift doors hissed open, he smiled when he saw Naomi Wildman. "Hello Naomi."

"Good evening Commander Chakotay," she responded seriously.

"At ease Crewman," he chuckled admiring her constant dedication to Starfleet protocol.

Naomi smiled, 'Bye Commander," she said before running down the hallway.

Chakotay sighed again and stepped into the turbolift. Damn, he was going to be late for dinner with the Kinbori delegation.

The doors to Astrometrics slid open for the second time in minutes and Seven half hoped that he had come back to check on her. Irrelevant! Her mind noted angrily. She looked up and saw her friend, "Naomi Wildman."

"I thought you'd like some company."

"Why?"

"Because of what happened with the drones," she said quietly, coming closer to Seven.

Seven sighed in annoyance at the efficiency of Voyager's grapevine. "I see that word travels quickly," was all she was able to say.

Naomi smiled, following Seven to the opposite console "It's a small ship. I thought maybe you might want to spend some time with family."

Seven stopped what she was doing and looked at the child. Naomi stared back up at her and impulsively clasped her arms around Seven's waist. Seven felt the breath knocked out of her as she experienced her first hug. Suddenly, she didn't feel so ill. She wondered how such a simple act could create such warmth in another being. She experienced immense relief. "Thank-you Naomi," she stuttered.

Naomi smiled sweetly at her, "You're welcome, Seven. Can we get some ice-cream now?"

Seven smirked, "I need four minutes and fifty-three seconds to complete my report…" Naomi's face fell, "Then we can get you some ice-cream."

Her companion's smile returned, "Proceed."

Seven-of-Nine walked out of Ensign Wildman's quarters. She and Neelix had been enacting out a Flotter holostory in a bid to get Naomi into bed before her mother returned from her duty shift. In due course the child had fallen asleep and Seven had excused herself, leaving Neelix to his god-fatherly duties.

She could feel several wisps of hair tickling her neck and face. Her hair had become disorderly when Naomi had attempted to test her mother's vanity and hair appliances on Seven. She had enjoyed the respite with Naomi and Neelix but now felt drained; emotionally and physically. She was due for a regeneration cycle but she also required some nutrition and electrolyte supplements. She was surprised to find the mess hall only dimly lit before remembering that most of the crew were on the Markonian station enjoying some 'culture'.

She felt relief that there was no-one there and made her way to the replicators at the other end of the room. For a moment she succumbed to her irrational, childhood fear of the dark before a wave of loneliness swept over her. She rested her head against the cool metal of the viewport and stared out into the infinite expanse. A voice started out in her head, she remembered the Doctor saying that this was her conscience and that there was no hypospray to suppress it. Her human feelings waged an internal battle with her borg logic. She leaned further and further against the viewport feeling weak. She looked at the replicator, uncertain what to do.

"Need some help with the replicator?" asked a voice coming from the direction of the door.

Her head snapped up, "Commander, you startled me".

"I'm sorry. I was looking for Neelix but I noticed you seem uncertain about the replicator."

"Have you been here long?" she asked sharply.

"No," he lied. In truth he had observed her for about minute before breaking the silence. Her body language said it all. She looked different; her hair was dishevelled and was that…was that lipstick at the side of her mouth? But more than that she was defeated and more human than he had thought her to be. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable by his presence.

"I am undecided." She gestured to the replicator. "Perhaps you could recommend something?"

"How do you feel about chicken soup?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Is that a recommendation?"

"It's an old earth legend; chicken soup brings some unexplainable comfort when we feel lousy…inside."

"I find that hard to believe, it is merely a collection of water and poultry elements."

"Trust me Seven," he said lightly, only to be confronted by her serious blue eyes. He cleared his throat and turned to the replicator.

She watched him input the commands. He looked different, he was dressed more smartly, she realised he was in his dress tunic and found herself admiring the fit of the tunic against his body. Her eyes soon came to rest on his face as she watched his brow furrow in concentration.

"Something wrong Seven?" he asked casually, aware that she was staring at him.

She blushed when he looked at her and took a step away from him.

"No Commander."

"Mind if I join you?"

She shrugged her shoulders in nonchalance but he got the feeling that she didn't want to be alone. He input the commands to replicate a cup of green tea. He picked up the cup and motioned to a table.

"Borg do not sit." she said stiffly.

He raised his eyebrows in amusement and sipped from his cup watching her reaction as she tasted the soup.

"Interesting." she commented. She felt the warm liquid course through her and sighed. "It seems the Earth legend is correct," she conceded, "It is…comforting." She cocked her head to one side in thought.

Chakotay smiled and took another step towards her, "Any further analysis on the subject?"

She frowned, "I believe that comfort is something I have yet to understand. It is conveyed by illogical actions. For instance, today I experienced my first hug from Naomi Wildman…It was comforting, but I could not explain how this feeling…" she trailed off, feeling the inadequacy of language.

"Congratulations," he said graciously. He pointed to the side of her mouth "You have a little something there."

She flushed, embarrassed that her appearance was not one of usual perfection, "My apologies, Naomi Wildman took some liberties with her mother's vanity collection and decided to make me her test subject."

He took another step towards her, her eyes widened and he found himself falling into those sapphire pools. Chakotay chuckled, 'That explains this then," he said, "May I?" he asked, his hand coming up.

She nodded shyly. His thumb settled at the corner of her lips as he gently brushed away the pink stain, her cheek felt warm but more importantly it felt right as it rested against his broad palm. He felt a loose strand of her hair tickle the back of his hand.

Seven felt her heart rate and respiration rate increase and was suddenly nervous that the Commander would be able to read her thoughts even though she realised how ridiculous this notion was. She was unable to break his gaze as she brought her face closer to his before his hand pulled her even closer towards him and their lips brushed briefly before connecting more fully. Her hands caressed his face while he kissed her slowly, allowing her to feel comfortable with the situation. She did not want the moment to end but she needed to breathe, desperately.

She pulled away from him, they were both breathing hard. She was confused by the emotions she felt. Their kiss was something she wanted to happen but she was feeling overwhelmed by the sudden elation brought on by it. There was conflict as she remembered just who Chakotay was.

"I am sorry Commander," she said stoically.

His eyes widened in surprise, "Did I do something wrong?" he whispered, his lips much too close to hers for her liking. She felt her borg inhibitions capitulate to her human emotions as she leaned forward to kiss him her answer.

Her last coherent thought before Chakotay puller her deeper into the kiss was that today was certainly a day of human firsts.

-FIN-