Seven picked up her overnight bag and stepped to board the public shuttle to Earth. She was feeling agitated as the shuttle was running over an hour late. Seven had intended on dropping off her bag at her Aunt Irene's home but she was now going to be late to meet Kathryn, even without the detour to her Aunt's she would be late.

On board the the shuttle Seven realised her seat booking meant she was sat next to the Bolian man she had been trying stand away from in the queue. Her trip was gong from bad to worse. Sitting down she took out her PADD and called Kathryn.

Kathryn smiled warmly, "Hello Seven."

"Kathryn the shuttle is late."

Kathryn knew that Seven hated tardiness, "It's fine, I'll see you when you get here."

"Are you already there?" Seven raised her eyebrow.

Kathryn grinned lifting a coffee cup into view of the screen, "I couldn't resist getting a head start." Truth be known Kathryn woke early and could not bare to sit at home waiting so decided to just go to the coffee shop early.

"You are an addict" Seven smiled.

"A girl has to have a vice, I'll see you soon."

"Debatable! Goodbye Kathryn."

Kathryn laughed, "Bye Seven."


Kathryn sat reading in a quiet corner of the coffee shop, she was quite engrossed and jumped when she heard the chair scrape opposite hers, "Seven!" Kathryn smiled, "Sorry I was miles away."

Seven sat down, "I am sorry I am late."

Kathryn waved her hand, "It's fine don't worry about it, can I get you a drink?"

"Earl grey tea please."

"Coming up." Kathryn smiled and rose to go to the counter. A short while later she returned with a tray of tea, coffee and a large slice of chocolate cake. Kathryn put the cake in front of Seven "Here this will make you forget being late." Kathryn smiled sitting back down.

"Thank you, although being late was the more bearable part of the journey." Seven sighed.

"Really?"

"Really, I spent the entire journey sat next to a Bolian man who smelt." Seven looked deadly serious as she forked up a mouthful of cake.

"Oh dear, they are usually fastidious when it comes to hygiene." Kathryn tried and failed to hide her amusement.

"I do not find it amusing Kathryn, I felt compelled to ask him if he had a sonic shower."

"You didn't?!"

"I did, he asked if I had any manners. I told him that I may not have manners but I do have an enhanced sense of smell."

Kathryn was in a fit of giggles, "Oh my, what happened next."

"He asked to be moved."

"Well at least you got rid of the smell" Kathryn chuckled.

"I did not, it was all encompassing and no less foetid from a distance." Seven's face was still deadly serious.

Kathryn brought her giggles under control to ask, "I hope the journey was worth it?"

"It was, and the cake helps." Seven smiled, "I always find the public shuttle infuriates me Kathryn."

Kathryn took a long sip of her coffee before stating, "So I suppose we should talk about what we're suppose to be talking about."

Seven started to look uncomfortable, "I am unsure what to say Kathryn, would you like to talk first?"

The two women sat chatting for three hours in the coffee shop. A lot of what needed to be said had been covered in the letters but saying it in person somehow made it better. A couple of things proved to be contentious; Seven admitted that she resented that Kathryn had dated someone. Kathryn told Seven that she was still angry that she had not trusted her judgement. Despite the disagreements neither woman had felt the need to flee or descend into an all out argument. In the end both felt relieved to get everything out in the open.

Kathryn sat up stretching her back which did not go unnoticed by Seven who frowned. When they had talked on Monday evening Kathryn had been unable to hide the fact that she was in pain as she had to keep standing and stretching. Kathryn had pulled her back when she fell unconscious at the farmhouse.

"You have not visited Star Fleet Medical about your back pain Kathryn?" Accused Seven

"I've been busy." Kathryn gave Seven a lopsided grin.

"You should make time for your health Kathryn."

Kathryn raised her eyebrows, "Said the pot calling the kettle black..." Kathryn looked over at the clock on the wall and looked back at Seven, "Would you like to go somewhere else and get something to eat?"

"Yes, what have you in mind?"

"Would you feel okay if we went to my house? Comfier seats." Kathryn stated stretching her back again.

"Will you be cooking Kathryn?" Seven grinned and had a playful look in her eyes.

"No you're safe, replicator all the way." Both women stood and Kathryn offered her hand to Seven, "Come on." Seven took Kathryn's hand and both left together hand in hand.


The two women entered Kathryn's home, Kathryn hung up her coat and took Seven's from her, "Go in the lounge Seven and take a seat, I'm just going to take something for my back." Kathryn walked into the lounge and up the stairs to the bathroom, leaving seven to explore the living room.

Seven was looking at a holophoto of the senior staff sat in the mess hall when she heard Kathryn coming down the stairs, "This photograph was taken after you had researched your ancestor Shannon O'Donnell." Seven smiled, "I have missed our Voyager family."

Kathryn approached wrapping her arm around Seven's waist, "They have missed you too." Kathryn frowned and then smiled lightly, rubbing her hand on Seven's waist, "When did they remove your abdominal implant fully?"

"I had it removed ten months and three days ago, I wanted to have the ability to conceive a child."

Kathryn raised her eyebrow, "Any more procedures planned?"

"No, I am content with my physiology as it is now." Seven registered that Kathryn was still staring at her, "You are surprised that I want children Kathryn?"

Several emotions crossed Kathryn's face, "I don't know."

Seven quite enjoyed seeing Kathryn thrown off guard in these circumstances, "Do you want children Kathryn?"

"I haven't really thought about it." Kathryn released her hold on Seven's waist and took a step back rubbing her brow, while she further thought about the question, "I suppose there have always been other priorities in my life." Kathryn waved her hand, "A stable, loving relationship is important on my list before having children." Kathryn sighed before asking, "Were you actually planning to have a child on your own?"

"Yes, I wanted to have a child but I did not want a relationship with anyone but you."

"I see." Kathryn smiled and then shook her head with a laugh, "Sorry Seven, you've totally taken me by surprise with this revelation."

"I understand Kathryn." Seven smiled, "This information may take a little time for you to process. Perhaps if you decide that we will resume our relationship we can discuss if we would like to have children together."

"I need to sit down" Kathryn smiled at Seven and added, "Not through shock, my back you understand?"

"Perhaps a little shock Kathryn?"

"Maybe a little shock" Kathryn chuckled and then winced as she sat.

Seven frowned again at Kathryn but held back from commenting on her obvious pain. Kathryn shifted to get more comfortable, "I'd like us resume our relationship." Kathryn repeated Seven's words and smiled nervously.

Seven beamed, "That is a relief, I would hate to think that I had to endure the public shuttle for nothing."

"Seriously though Seven I'm sick of missing you, I don't want to waste any more time being without you." Kathryn smiled and held her hand out to Seven.

Seven took hold of Kathryn's hand with her Borg hand, "I am also sick of missing you."

Kathryn sighed contentedly despite being tired and in pain, "So what shall we have to eat?"

"Are you hungry?" Kathryn nodded, "Shall I replicate us a meal?"

Kathryn lolled her head on to the back of the sofa, smiled, and nodded again."Thank you, I'm not much of a host am I?"

Seven stood and went over to the replicator, "If I do it at least it will be edible food and not a smoking carbon mass."

"Hey!" Kathryn called from the sofa, "That was just the replicator on Voyager, that thing had a grudge against me."

"And your dinner guests." Seven called back.


Seven quickly fixed a meal for them both and Kathryn struggled to the table. "Kathryn you really should go to Star Fleet Medical tomorrow."

"They'll be pleased to see me on a Sunday." Kathryn muttered earning a raised eyebrow and a glare from Seven. Kathryn held her hand up, "Okay stop nagging, its agony! You win..."

"I was not trying to win I just don't want you to be in pain."

Kathryn gave a small smile, "I know and I do appreciate it."


They both finished the meal and Kathryn stood to help clear the dishes. Kathryn lent forward and lifted a salad bowl from the center of the table and felt something pop in her lower back. She then felt an intense pain causing her to drop the bowl with a clatter on to the table. Seven heard the noise and turned to see Kathryn braced over the table, "Kathryn what is wrong?"

Kathryn spoke through gritted teeth, "Seven I can't move. Go in the bag I had today, my comm badge is in the front of it." Seven ran through and grabbed the badge quickly and returned, placing it in Kathryn's reach.

"Admiral Janeway to the duty Medic."

"Doctor here, go ahead Admiral"

"Great" Kathryn muttered, Seven knew Kathryn would prefer not to face the wrath of the Doctor, "Doctor I suspect I've slipped a disc in my back and I can't move."

"Stand by Admiral I'll have you beamed directly to medical."

"I will be accompanying the Admiral Doctor."

"Ah hello Seven, understood."

"Janeway out." The comm link closed and Kathryn turned her head to look at Seven, "Of all the Doctors in Star Fleet why did he have to be on duty?" Seven did not say a word, but manoeuvred Kathryn gently to support her ready for transport.


Hello "Admiral, Seven, now just what have you been doing to give you a bad back?"

The Doctor's remark was full of innuendo and provoked a frosty response from Kathryn, "Just fix it Doctor now!"

The Doctor's smile dropped at the tone,"Yes Admiral." The Doctor scanned Kathryn's back with a tricorder. Snapping it shut he announced, "Yes you are quite right Admiral you have a prolapsed disc in your lower spine, no doubt very painful,"

"Very" Kathryn cut in.

"But thankfully something I can easily treat." The Doctor began the procedure and it was over in moments, "All fixed."

Kathryn stood straight the pain now almost totally gone, "I still feel a little stiff Doctor?"

"You will I'm afraid, I will give you some exercises you must do over the next week to ease things." The Doctor walked over and downloaded some information on to a PADD, "Here, do these exercises morning and night. You also need to avoid sitting for more than half an hour at a time without doing the stretches detailed here." The Doctor pointed to the image on the PADD.

"The Admiral will comply thank you Doctor." Seven picked up the PADD.

Kathryn laughed at Seven, "It appears I will be complying Doctor, thank you for your assistance."

Kathryn was about to hit her comm badge when she was interrupted by the Doctor, "Of course had you let me examine you properly last week all this unpleasantness could have been avoided." This time it was Seven's turn to laugh.

"I thought I'd got off lightly, noted Doctor thank you." Kathryn hit her comm badge and made her escape with Seven.