CHAPTER 9
She stood looking at them from the shadows.
Twenty years ago, she would not have understood a lot of what she had been observing from this spot over the preceding years. That first night she stood here, she saw a similar scene played out in front of her. Then she was unable to understand the significance of what had happened in front of her, and she was confused and hurt by what she had seen. But twenty years, living on earth, and after falling in love herself with a man that made her whole in places that she hadn't realised was broken, it made her smile slowly as she looked at the couple hidden in the dark ahead of her.
To human eyes, they would be hidden, but her optics allowed her clarity of sight in near darkness.
A small woman, wrapped in her husband's arms. She was looking up at him with so much love clearly visible on her face that it made Seven's breath catch for a moment. It shone from her face, and even if he could not see it clearly, by all indications he was very much aware of it as he bent his head closer to her and caught her lips with his.
Every year for the last twenty years, she had been standing here, looking at these two people. For the first six years, she had monitored, she had done research and then in the seventh year since they had come home, she had been standing in this spot, and she had finally understood.
She finally understood what he had said to her so many, many years ago.
She had been upset and she didn't understand the concept of what he was trying to explain to her. She had asked him what this "love" is that he was talking about while he was trying to explain to her why their partnership would not work.
And he had said something to her that she only understood when she truly loved someone herself.
He had held her hand and said slowly:
"For seven years I loved a woman. And for seven years I was not allowed to show her what she meant to me. It is difficult to explain this to you but I will try by telling you this: 'Some things are just simple, and I believe when you know, you just know. There is no question: I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her. I wanted with her what the stars share with the sky.'
He smiled at her then, with a gentleness that she could not yet understand.
"One day you will find someone Seven. And he will give you this knowledge which I cannot." And with that, he walked away from her. It was a year before she saw him again. On this balcony, looking at this woman like he was now.
Like she was his soul.
The sky exploded behind them and illuminated the couple clearly against the balcony, making them visible to the naked eye. Colourful streaks playing in neon colours across the white grey hair. He lifted his head from where he had been absorbed in the beauty of the woman in front of him, and his gaze flicks to her where she was standing in the shadows. He smiled gently and whispered softly into his wife's ear. It still amazed Seven how perceptive he was, even after all these years. How aware he was of danger in his efforts to protect the woman he was holding so firmly against his chest.
"Evening Seven." the Admirals voice rasps gently across the balcony.
Seven smiles and slowly stepped into the light that now bathed the balcony as other voyagers slowly stepped on the balcony to join them. She joined the couple as they stood facing the show that was being played out in front of them to celebrate their 20 years since they returned from the Delta Quadrant.
"Admiral. Chakotay."
Kathryn turns to her and loosens herself from Chakotay arms and wraps her arms around Seven, giving her a hug. Something that also changed when they got home. "I didn't think that you would be able to make tonight," she says as she steps back, putting a hand up to Seven's face.
Seven smiles wide. "I wouldn't miss this for anything Admiral." And her eyes caught Chakotay's, "I have concluded that it is a rare thing to be witness to what the stars share with the sky."
FIN
To all: Thanks for going on this ride with me. I hope you enjoyed the Epilogue. The quote that Chakotay gives Seven is by Christopher Pointdexter.
