Chapter Twenty
"And you will contact me without hesitation if something goes wrong?" Seven demanded as she stood firmly in the doorway, hesitant to leave. She gripped her work bag firmly in her hands and looked like she might breeze back into the house at any moment. It wasn't that she didn't trust Chakotay, and she hoped he didn't interpret her actions that way at all. She worried about Mezoti and her recent reckless streak.
"Seven, I promise that if even the slightest thing goes wrong, you will be the first person I call," Chakotay assured as she planted himself in front of Seven, blocking her from reentering the house. He looked surprisingly imposing as he stood in the doorway, although his heart was in the right place. "Now, if you don't get going, you're going to be late for your first class." Seven's eyes flitted over Chakotay's shoulder to the living room where Mezoti was innocently reading a book. As far as she could tell, it was going to be a relatively quiet day for the pair, but that didn't stop her from worrying about any problems that may arise.
"I still have many apprehensions about this," she confessed. He took her by the shoulders and kissed her cheek softly.
"I'll call you at lunch," he promised. She sighed. "You have to go, my love." As much as she hated to admit it, she knew he was right. "I'll see you when you get home tonight. I love you."
"I love you too." Seven's gaze lingered on the hallway for a few more moments, longing to stay home today, but between the two of them, it was far easier for him to stay home from work than her, and they needed to have some semblance of their normal routine. Therefore, she had to be the one to go to work today, even though she wanted nothing more than to stay home and keep an eye on Mezoti all day.
"I'll be anticipating your call at lunch." She gave him a quick kiss before turning to leave. She couldn't delay leaving any longer. She had already missed two days of classes, and if they were going to the Admiral's farm for severals days like they intended, then she would need to go in today to ensure her students were adequately prepared for her brief departure.
Ever the gentleman, Chakotay stood in the doorway and watched as Seven's shuttle took off and disappeared from sight. He could understand her apprehensions, but she also needed to put her faith in him. He wasn't going to let Mezoti out of his sight today, not that he expected her to go anywhere or try anything. The child seemed genuinely remorseful about her actions, at least as far as he could tell. As far as he was concerned, it was going to be a nice, calm day for the pair, a chance to relax and spend time together. He wasn't worried at all.
Figuring Mezoti could keep herself occupied with her book for a little while, Chakotay headed upstairs to call Kathryn. He needed to make sure it was alright they came out to her farm before they started making any sort of formal plans, although if she said no, they could probably go somewhere else for a brief family vacation. Before going upstairs, he glanced down the hall to where Mezoti was reading her book. He knew he promised not to take his eyes off of her, but he also needed to take care of this call in private. After what happened yesterday, he knew Mezoti wasn't going anywhere; she was too wrapped up in her book to notice if he went upstairs. Besides, last night he'd programmed the computer to notify him if anyone exited the house, either via the front or back doors. It sounded a bit extreme, but it gave him and Seven some peace of mind last night.
In the privacy of his office, Chakotay opened up his computer and called Kathryn. It was still fairly early in the morning, but he knew she would be awake, old habits died hard, so both of them were incapable of sleeping in very late at all. The computer rang twice before Kathryn appeared on the screen.
As soon as she saw Chakotay, she demanded, "How come I had to find out about Mezoti from Tom? Were you ever going to call me and let me know?" Chakotay was taken aback, as she looked genuinely angry with him, which almost never happened. He could count on one hand the times she had been angry with him, so he wasn't entirely sure how to react.
"Kathryn, I, uhhh, I'm sorry. Things were a little bit crazy around here, Seven and I haven't really been able to talk to anyone lately." Kathryn looked less than amused at the explanation as she pursed her lips and glared at him. She understood where he was coming from, but she wished he had had the decency to tell her about Mezoti himself; they'd always had a completely open and honest relationship with each other.
"How is Mezoti doing?"
"She seems alright, but Seven and I aren't entirely sure what to do next. She's being bullied at school by a little girl whose aunt was assimilated at Wolf 359, and her only friend at school isn't talking to her anymore."
"And you and Seven had no idea?" Kathryn sounded shocked. Last time she'd talked to Chakotay, he kept bragging about how his relationship with Mezoti was going, that she told him everything, and he really felt that everything was going great at home. Now, to hear this, she had no idea what to think. Clearly, things weren't going as great as he originally thought. He shook his head grimly.
"No," he admitted, his voice full of shame. Ever since Mezoti made her confession about everything going on at school, he'd been beating himself up mentally; he should have been able to see that something was bothering her, but whenever they were together, she seemed upbeat and like nothing was wrong. Clearly he needed to pay closer attention to her in the future. "I thought everything was fine. When Seven and Mezoti moved in here, I knew it wasn't going to be a walk in the park, but I never expected anything like this. This is way more than I bargained for."
"Do you regret it?" The question seemed absolutely ridiculous. Yes, the past few days had been extremely difficult, and he and Seven were trying to figure everything out. Both of them were fairly inexperienced at parenting, and this was something that would make even the most experienced parents stumble. On the other hand, he didn't regret it at all. Every relationship had its hardships, and, so far, he and Seven hadn't had too many problems with theirs...until now that is. They would find a way to overcome this, they always did.
"Of course not, I'm just trying to figure out what to do next."
"Why do I get the feeling you're going to ask me for a favor?" Kathryn asked. Even over the computer screen, she could see in his dark eyes that there was something more on his mind. She wished Chakotay wouldn't beat around the bush and instead just come out and ask.
"Seven and I were wondering if your offer to visit your farm still stands. We want to get away for a few days, to regroup and figure things out. You know, give Mezoti a break from everything going on." The request immediately caused Kathryn's gaze to soften. She had no idea what Chakotay wanted from her, but she thought it would be something far more taxing on her part. This was easy, something she was more than happy to oblige.
"Of course," she sighed. "You don't even need to ask, you could have just shown up here, and I wouldn't have complained. All three of you are welcome here for as long as you need."
"We just need a few days, Kathryn, time to give Mezoti a break from school and to recover from everything that happened." While it may appear that they were running away from their problems, Kathryn knew that that wasn't true, neither Seven nor Chakotay were one to flee from their problems, but they had to think about Mezoti and what was best for her. A break from the chaos of their lives would be the perfect opportunity for them to make sense of everything that had happened and figure out the next steps.
"That's fine with me, I have plenty of room here. When will you get here?"
"Tomorrow, if that works for you. Seven needs to make arrangements for her classes."
"Tomorrow's fine with me. I'll get the guest rooms ready." Already, her mind was working at warp speed, thinking of everything she had to get done in anticipation of their arrival. She wasn't complaining, it tended to get lonely out here on her farm all by herself. Having Chakotay, Seven and Mezoti here would definitely add some excitement to her mundane life, even if it was just for a few days.
After his conversation with Kathryn, Chakotay called Seven in her office. He made sure to time the call to her office hours in the morning so they could talk face to face. The computer rang three times before Seven appeared on the screen. As soon as she appeared, he could see the worry in her crystal blue eyes.
"How are things?" she demanded curtly. Apparently all of the women in his life thought formal greetings were overrated this morning. She seemed tense; he wasn't supposed to contact her for a few hours, so this early call made her think something was horribly wrong.
"Everything is fine," he assured calmly. "I just talked to Kathryn, and she said that we can come out to her farm tomorrow for a few days." For a split second, Seven looked concerned. It was a fleeting glance but enough for him to pick up on. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"That is a little sooner than I anticipated. I will have to locate some suitable replacements to facilitate my classes for the rest of the week." He understood her dilemma. It was easy for him to take off of work, he could simply do his work on the computer from Kathryn's farm. It was slightly more difficult for Seven to be gone for an extended period of time, as the cadets had to learn a certain amount of material in only a few short weeks. There was no way she could simply cancel class for a few days.
"I'm sure if you ask B'Elanna and Harry, they'll be more than happy to take over your classes for a few days." If there were two people who knew enough about the Borg to take over Seven's classes for a few days, it was Harry and B'Elanna. Seven didn't look entirely convinced. She doubted B'Elanna would go out of her way to do something that kind for her. Yes, their relationship had improved over the past year or so, but she wasn't entirely convinced that she would do something like this.
"I doubt Lieutenant Torres would agree to such an arrangement."
"If you need, I can talk to her, she listens to me." She scoffed at the notion and shook her head. Having Chakotay intercede on her behalf would undoubtedly make matters worse. She was a grown woman, and she would ask B'Elanna herself. With any luck, she would agree if she heard that Harry agreed.
"That isn't necessary. I will talk to Lieutenant Torres. I'll go over to Headquarters during my lunch break and speak to them."
"Do you still want me to call you during lunch?"
"No, I won't be in my office. I will contact you for an update this afternoon."
"We'll be here. I love you."
"I love you too." Without another word, Seven ended the transmission. At least he got a far more polite goodbye than greeting, although he could still see the tension and stress in her eyes. Outwardly, she may be acting like she had everything under control, but he knew her better, she was struggling on the inside. He closed his computer and ran his fingers through his hair. He knew he should probably start packing since they were leaving in the morning for a few days, but he could do that later, right now, he had some work to get done.
Chakotay had barely started working when he heard his office door creak open slightly. He looked up from his PADD and saw Mezoti tentatively poking her head inside. He could tell that she was hesitant to come inside, which caused a pang in his heart; it had been weeks since she had been uncomfortable around him. He wanted nothing more than for things to go back to normal, and he knew they would, but it would also take some time.
He put his PADD down and called, "You don't have to hide in the doorway, Zoti. you can come in." She opened the door and inched into the room.
"Are you busy?"
"I'm never too busy for you," Chakotay replied as he sat back, temporarily abandoning his work. Mezoti scurried into the room and leaned against the desk next to him. She eyed the PADDs scattered across his desk; contrary to what he said, he certainly looked incredibly busy. Perhaps she should let him work and return later; what she wanted to talk about wasn't that important to take him away from his work. She fiddled with the hem of her blouse mindlessly as she shifted from one foot to the other. "Is something wrong?"
"Are you mad at me?" Her voice was small, barely a squeak, and she sounded utterly terrified to even be in the same room as him right now. Chakotay sighed. He took Mezoti's hand and gently pulled her towards him, forcing her to sit on his lap. She felt ridiculous, she was hardly a small child who needed to be coddled like this. Yet, she felt oddly comforted being treated in such a manner.
"I'm not mad, but I am disappointed," he replied, choosing his words carefully so he didn't make her more upset. With a confused expression, she glanced over her shoulder, prompting him to continue. "Over the past few weeks, I thought our relationship had grown strong, that there weren't any secrets between us. I always thought you could trust me. Then, I find out that you're having all sorts of problems at school that I didn't even know about. What I don't understand is why. Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought I was capable of handling it on my own," Mezoti confessed softly. "I didn't want to worry you and Mama about such trivial issues. It didn't seem so bad at first, but then it got worse, and it got out of hand. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize, just know that you can always come to me or your mother if you have a problem. It's our job to help you, no matter what. It could be the most trivial matter in the galaxy, but if it's bothering you, we want to know about it. Understand?"
"Yes, Sir." He pressed a firm yet loving kiss to the top of her head. Despite his reassurances, it felt like there were rocks in the pit of her stomach. She never meant to disappoint Chakotay or her mother, but especially Chakotay. There was something about him that made her always want to put her best foot forward. No matter what, he always seemed to see the best in her, even when she did something as egregious as running away.
Mezoti slumped back against Chakotay's chest and leaned her head against his shoulder. Her long, slender legs dangled loosely on either side of his legs. While she'd been uncomfortable sitting on his lap at first, now she felt right at home and perfectly safe. She knew that no matter what, he would always protect her. She should have come to him sooner with her problems.
"Can we play kadis-kot?" Mezoti asked as she turned her head and batted her eyelashes at him. Instantly, his disappointment disappeared as his heart melted. It was hard for him to say no to her, especially when she looked at him like that. As frustrated as he was that she didn't confide in him about her problems at school, he couldn't turn down that face, and she knew it. He sighed. He never expected that within a few weeks, this little girl would have him wrapped around her finger.
"I have some work to do," he confessed. Her face fell. She really did think that he would come play kadis-kot with her right away. "How about you give me an hour and a half, and then we can play kadis-kot?" Her face lit up. That was a reasonable enough request. She could wait an hour and a half, although it would feel like an eternity to her.
"Okay." In her haste to scramble off his lap so he could start working, she inadvertently elbowed him in the stomach, causing him to groan. Ignoring his discomfort, she dashed out of the room. The sooner she left him alone, the sooner he could start working. Chuckling, Chakotay rubbed his abdomen where her bony elbow jabbed him. He was glad that she seemed happier now.
Usually Seven's lunch was a time for her to relax and decompress before an afternoon full of classes and office hours to tutor cadets. Today, however, she immediately left her lecture hall and headed straight for Starfleet Headquarters. Given the fact that it was midday, there were cadets and officers all over the place, weaving their way across the presidio to get to their next class or to grab some lunch before returning to class. Short on time, Seven dodged cadets and officers of all races and species. She walked with a certain determination in her steps as she come up with a course of action. She needed some sort of plan in case B'Elanna didn't agree to help her; it was absolutely necessary for her to help or else there was no way she and Chakotay could take Mezoti out to the Admiral's farm. Perhaps she could appeal to her maternal instincts. Yes, that's what she would do. With any luck, it would work, and B'Elanna would agree.
As soon as Seven entered the large lab where Pathfinder was run out of, she felt all eyes on her. She'd been coming here for long enough to know that they weren't looking at her because of who she was but instead because of what had happened. Not only had Mezoti's escapade been on the news, but news also spread fast in Starfleet, especially given the severity of a captain's stepdaughter running away, only to be found hiding in Headquarters. Accustomed to staring wherever she went, Seven held her head high as she ignored the hushed whispers and fleeting glances. Her eyes flitted across the lab in search of B'Elanna and Harry.
"Seven," Reg greeted with a smile plastered across his face as he approached her. He stretched out his arms to hug her. Wide-eyed, Seven initially took a step backwards; Reg had never greeted her so warmly before, and it caught her off guard. When she realized that he was perfectly harmless and was acting using typical human social protocol after someone endures a stressor such as a child running away, she returned the hug, albeit quite uncomfortably. "I heard about your daughter, I hope everything is alright. I can't even imagine what you're going through. Please let me know if there's anything you need, I'm here to help you." Seven folded her arms behind her back and put on a strong outward appearance. She hadn't come here to unburden her soul, especially to someone she barely knew such as Reg, although she knew his heart, as always, was in the right place.
"Thank you for your concern." Her eyes continued to scan the lab. "I am actually here to speak to Lieutenants Torres and Kim."
"Harry and B'Elanna? Hmm…" Reg turned around and quickly tried to find them. Suddenly, it dawned on him. "Oh, I saw them go in Tom's office. Try there."
"Thank you." With a curt nod, Seven headed in the direction of Tom's office, leaving Reg standing in the middle of the lab. One day he would get used to talking to her, or at least he hoped so. She was definitely the most intimidating member of Pathfinder, and while she was there to help, he was also relieved that she was only there once a week, as he always felt like a nervous wreck when she was around. It wasn't because she was Borg, she just had this air of superiority about her that everyone else here didn't have. Those who were familiar with her, such as Tom, B'Elanna and Harry, seemed completely unfazed by her demeanor, and he hoped that he would get to that point as well.
B'Elanna, Harry and Tom all crowded into Tom's small office just off the expansive Pathfinder lab. Barely the size of Chakotay's office, it was crowded with all three of them pouring over the computer perched on Tom's desk, which took up the majority of the space. Unlike Chakotay's office, however, Tom's was a mess. PADDs were scattered everywhere across his desk amongst photos of B'Elanna and Miral. It was a cluttered mess, not that anyone expected anything different from Tom.
"We're running into the same problem we've had since day one, the dilithium can't be stabilized at such high speeds," B'Elanna griped as she leaned over Tom's shoulder and brushed his hand out of the way so she could enter information into the computer. Knowing better than to argue with his wife, he simply sat back and let her do as she pleased; it wasn't worth getting into a fight over something so trivial, which would inevitably happen if he dared speak up.
"If we can find a way to stabilize the dilithium, then we can apply the Borg technology to starships, and they can create their own transwarp conduits," Harry interjected excitedly.
"That's a big if," Tom commented dryly as he glanced over at his friend. It was the one thing they'd been working on for weeks now, and they were no closer to discovering a solution. They had some of the greatest minds at Starfleet working on his problem, and yet, they were no closer to figuring it out.
Further conversation was cut off by the door chiming, indicating that someone was there. In a way, Tom was relieved because they were talking in circles, discussing the same issues they always seemed to talk about with no apparent end in sight. It was like a vicious cycle that they never seemed to be able to escape.
"Come in," Tom called. B'Elanna stood up, giving him a chance to look over the information she pulled up on the computer. He was sure if he had to look at this information for any longer, he'd certainly go insane. The door opened, and Seven breezed inside. As soon as she saw all of them crowded around the computer, she felt that she was intruding on some sort of important meeting.
"Am I interrupting?" she asked as she stood in the doorway with her arms folded behind her back.
"No, not at all," Tom assured as he closed his computer, temporarily putting an end to their work. He needed a break anyway. "How's Mezoti doing?" Seven entered the office completely, allowing the door to close behind her. With the addition of Seven to the small office, there was barely enough room for any of them to move around. Tom wasn't sure he'd ever had so many people in his office before, and the fact that there wasn't enough room to move was probably the reason why.
"Mezoti is fine. Chakotay has stayed home with her today." She turned to B'Elanna. "Lieutenant Torres, thank you for your help yesterday and returning Mezoti. Chakotay and I are both extremely grateful."
"Well I wasn't exactly going to let her hide out here at Headquarters. I'm just glad she's alright."
"If there's anything you need, just let us know," Tom added.
"That is actually why I am here. Chakotay and I are taking Mezoti to Admiral Janeway's farm for several days. Seeing as I have already cancelled classes twice this week, I cannot cancel class any more without my students falling behind." She turned to Harry and B'Elanna. "I was wondering if you both could cover my classes. I would compensate you for your time and gladly return the favor." The more she spoke, the faster her words got. It was clear to all three that she had put careful thought into this request. "I am fully aware that you both have prior responsibilities at Headquarters, but Chakotay assured me that he would be able to talk to Admiral Paris about finding some sort of suitable arrangement."
"Seven," Harry finally interjected with a small chuckle. Although there was no doubt in his mind that she planned out a wonderful little speech to convince him and B'Elanna to help her out, he didn't need to hear it, he'd already made up his mind. "It's fine. In fact, I'd be honored to teach your classes. It'll be much better than being here." Perhaps a break was exactly what he needed to get a better grasp on this transwarp issue; they just needed to step away. With an amused expression on his face, he turned to B'Elanna and said, "What do you say, Maquis? Up for a new challenge?" B'Elanna crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight to one foot, giving her a stand-offish appearance that they were all accustomed to as she thought over the request. She'd never taught before and had no idea how to prepare. On the other hand, she and Harry were probably most familiar with the Borg on the planet right now, so it made sense that the two of them fill in for them. It would also be nice to take a break from Pathfinder and working with Tom every day. B'Elanna looked at Seven and could see the desperation written on her face. This was a woman running out of options who desperately needed some help. There was no way she could say no, she wasn't that heartless.
"Yeah, that sounds like fun," she finally relented, although the slight hesitance was still evident in her voice. "What do you want us to teach?"
"I was hoping you could use your personal experiences with the Borg in your lessons." Seven turned her attention to Harry. "And perhaps include your experiences integrating Borg and Federation technology, such as Voyager's Astrometrics lab and the Delta Flyer. I am sure my students will find all of that interesting. I will resume normal lessons when we return from Indiana."
Not wanting to be left out, Tom asked, "Is there anything else we can do to help you?" He wanted to do something to help as well, although he wasn't sure he would be much help in speaking about the Borg; B'Elanna and Harry were far more familiar with the technological achievements of the Borg than he was.
"Not at the moment, but I will inform you if that changes." Seven glanced at the computer console on the wall.
"I am afraid that I have to leave now." She handed Harry and B'Elanna each a PADD. "These have all the material my students have already covered. I am sure you will find it informative as you plan your lessons." B'Elanna took her PADD and glanced over the information. She was impressed with the amount of information Seven had covered in such a short amount of time, but it didn't necessarily surprise her, she was obsessed with efficiency, even in the classroom. "I will let you both determine what days you wish to teach."
"We have everything under control, there's no need for you to worry," Harry assured as he glanced over his PADD. Already, he had several ideas about what to talk about. The Astrometrics lab he built for Seven was one of his proudest achievements, and he'd love to teach others how he did it.
As soon as the office door slid closed behind Seven, B'Elanna couldn't help but laugh and shake her head. Confused, Harry looked up from the PADD Seven had given him that was full of an overwhelming amount of information, not that he expected anything less from Seven. Even though she had a lot going on in her life, she was never one to overlook small details.
Just as confused as his best friend, Tom asked, "What?" She ran her fingers along his back, rubbing his shoulders and neck mindlessly.
"I'm just trying to picture Seven of Nine, technology addict, on Janeway's farm." Now both men were picturing that as well. They knew Chakotay enjoyed the outdoors immensely, but Seven desperately needed her technology. While the Admiral's farm wasn't exactly off the grid, it was definitely going to be a shock to her system, which they all wished they could see with their own eyes, it would definitely be amusing.
As promised, Chakotay abandoned his work, but it took a little bit longer than he originally told Mezoti. Not once did she bother him, asking him when he'd be done. Instead, she entertained herself by reading and sketching in the privacy of her bedroom. She was surprisingly patient, for which he was grateful, it gave him a chance to get a decent amount of work done. His goal was to get as much work done now so when they went out to Kathryn's farm he could focus on spending time with Mezoti and Seven. Clearly the child needed his attention, and when he realized that he'd spent significantly more time than he originally promised working, he immediately stopped working. He put his PADDs to the side and closed his computer. The rest of his work could wait until tonight, after Mezoti went to bed. For the rest of the day, she would have his undivided attention.
Before entering Mezoti's bedroom, Chakotay knocked on the door. Her head shot up from where she sat at her desk pouring over her sketches, and he poked his head inside. Various sketches were strewn across her desk, and several even fell to the floor, littering the area around her chair. She certainly had been busy over the past nearly two hours, for which Chakotay was grateful.
"Are you ready to lose?" he teased. Smiling, she scrambled to her feet and snatched up the box containing her kadis-kot game from its spot on the shelf, all the while carefully dancing around the sketches on the floor so she didn't accidentally crumple them. She wanted to hang some of them up, although she was starting to run out of room over her desk. As much as she hated to admit it, she may have to take some of them down to make room for new ones.
Beaming with pride, she announced, "Mama and I play all the time, and I have even defeated her before." She fell into step next to him as they headed downstairs to play.
"Wow, you must be a great player then," he commented in an overly enthusiastic voice. He knew Seven let her win, but not every time, as she needed to learn to be a stronger player. Most parents would let their children win all the time, but not Seven, she was a unique parent. By challenging Mezoti, she was teaching her to find better strategies for future games.
"Icheb says that when I'm older, he will teach me how to play Kal-toh, but he says I'm not ready yet."
"Kal-toh is an incredibly difficult game."
"Do you know how to play?" There was a hint of hopefulness in her voice. Already, a plan was formulating in her head. Chakotay could secretly teach her, and then when Icheb taught her, she could play dumb and beat him in her very first game against him. Wouldn't that be amazing? They entered the living room, and Mezoti set up the board on the coffee table while Chakotay sat on the floor. His knees cracked loudly as he sat down, causing him to groan. Getting old sucked. He leaned against the couch and watched as she dutifully set up the board and organized the pieces.
"I don't," he replied, immediately causing her face to fall with disappointment. He'd been intrigued by the notion of kal-toh, but he'd never taken the time to learn how to play from Tuvok or even Harry. Now that he thought about it, he regretted it and should have learned. Yes, it was a highly logical game, but it also looked easy enough to learn. Perhaps next time he saw Tuvok he would ask him to teach him.
Taking a page out of Seven's parenting book, Chakotay let Mezoti win the first game of kadis-kot, but he beat her the second game, only just a little to give her some hope that she could win another game with him. Not one to be defeated, she begged for best two out of three, which he happily consented to. Not only did he want to give her his undivided attention, but he wanted to keep her distracted. By doing so, she wouldn't think about the problems that had plagued her for the past few days and even weeks. Right now, she was happy and cheerful, just like every other child. Keeping her home from school had perhaps been the best decision they could have made. Clearly, she needed a break and a chance to be a little girl.
After several games of kadis-kot, a tie was called between Chakotay and Mezoti, although she was determined to eventually beat him in a landslide victory eventually. There would be plenty of time for that in the future. They both enjoyed themselves immensely, and Chakotay hoped that they would be able to play again eventually.
"Can we read together?" Mezoti asked as she unceremoniously dumped the game board and pieces into the box and jammed it closed without bothering to check and see if the pieces and board actually fit in the box nicely. As a result, the box bulged slightly where several pieces were stacked on top of each other, but she didn't care.
"Of course," Chakotay replied. Mezoti left her game behind and went upstairs to get a book to read. She'd left her copy of The Giver in her desk at school, so she would have to wait to get that one. There were plenty of other books she wanted to read. The pile of books to read by the side of her bed seemed to grow faster than she could keep up with it, but there were just so many good books out there!
As Mezoti went to retrieve a book for them to read, Chakotay moved to the couch. As he stood up, his joints popped and groaned in protest; sitting on the floor had been a horrible mistake that he immediately regretted. In order to help alleviate some of the pain, he kicked his feet up on the coffee table. He knew it drove Seven crazy when he did that, but she wasn't here to nag him right now. He could hear Mezoti's excited footsteps as she scurried around her bedroom, searching for the perfect book to read. Perhaps he shouldn't indulge Mezoti's every whim, but after the twenty-four hours of hell he and Seven had been through, he would gladly give her the galaxy if it put a smile on her face. He also thought that there should be some sort of repercussion for running away and her behavior at school, but that could come later, after they returned from Kathryn's. Right now, they needed to focus on family and healing.
With her precious book in hand, Mezoti returned to the living room and flung herself down on the couch. Chakotay draped an arm along the back of the couch, giving her room to lean against him with her slender legs tucked neatly under her. Her head tucked perfectly under his arm as she cuddled closer against him with her book clutched tightly to her chest as if afraid it would escape.
"So, what are we reading today?" he asked. Mezoti held out the book so he could read the title: Matilda. If memory served, it was an old human story, but he had no idea what it was about. One thing was for sure, he'd read a wide range of literature he'd never even consider before with Mezoti, but he definitely wasn't complaining. In fact, he'd done some research into appropriate books for girls Mezoti's age to read, and not just human books but also Vulcan, Bajoran, Bolian and even some exciting Klingon tales, not that Klingons were known for their literary works. He had an impressive list, and he planned on giving Mezoti a few in the coming weeks, once they finished this new book that is. "Alright, Zoti, let's get started." Smiling contently, Mezoti settled comfortably against him and opened to the first page.
"It's a funny thing about mothers and fathers. Even when their own child is the most disgusting little blister you could ever imagine, they still think that he or she is wonderful," she read. Somehow, Chakotay managed to hold back a scoff; what kind of book was this? He couldn't believe this was a book for children, it sounded absolutely awful. He made a mental note to screen her books more carefully in the future, because this book sounded horrible. He hoped it would get better, because he didn't want to tell Mezoti to stop reading it, because that would only make her want to read it even more.
When Seven got home from work, she wasn't greeted with the usual sounds and smells of dinner being prepared in the kitchen. Confused, she put her bag down and walked down the hall to the living room where she found Mezoti curled up against Chakotay, dutifully reading aloud as he followed along. Both were completely enthralled in the book and unaware that they were being watched as Seven stood silently in the doorway. It was a beautiful moment between the two of them.
"Matilda leapt into Miss Honey's arms and hugged her, and Miss Honey hugged her back, and then the mother and father and brother were inside the car and the care was pulling away with the tires screaming. The brother gave a wave through the rear window, but the other two didn't even look back. Miss Honey was still hugging the tiny girl in her arms and neither of them said a word as they stood there watching the big black car tearing round the corner at the end of the road and disappearing for ever into the distance," Mezoti read before closing the book. Sensing that they were done, Seven entered the living room.
"It appears that you two had a productive day," she commented as she eyed the box containing the kadis-kot game and the closed book clutched in Mezoti's hands. Chakotay glanced at the clock on the computer console embedded in the wall. He couldn't believe that they sat here for over three hours and read that entire book cover to cover.
"I'm sorry, babe, we lost track of time," he explained as he got to his feet and leaned over the couch to kiss Seven's cheek softly, causing Mezoti to scrunch up her nose in disgust. Why couldn't they do that in private? "I can get dinner started right away." Given the time, they wouldn't be able to eat until significantly later than usual.
"There's no need to apologize," Seven assured. "I suggest that we replicate a simple meal for tonight." She turned to Mezoti. "Mezoti, why don't you go select a suitable meal for dinner tonight?"
"Okay, Mama." Mezoti's heart swelled with pride over being picked for such an important task. Sometimes Chakotay left her help pick side dishes for the meal, but never before had she been in charge of picking out the entire meal, this was a huge responsibility. She had to make sure she made the right choice or else they might not let her do it again.
Chakotay couldn't help but feel guilty. He had one job in the evening, and that was to prepare dinner. Today of all days he had no excuse, he'd been home all day with Mezoti. If anything, they should have had a gourmet meal prepared, they had had all day to cook. Instead, he'd been completely consumed by that book of hers. He had no idea how he'd become so enthralled by a children's book, especially one with such horrible characters. Mezoti had apparently enjoyed it immensely, and he could understand why. While she didn't have horrible parents like the little girl in the book, she was a bit of a social outcast who found solace in academic pursuits and books. Chakotay just hoped that Mezoti would realize that she already had her happy ending, just like the girl in the book eventually got.
Chewing on her bottom lip and twirling a loose strand of hair around her finger, Mezoti stood in front of the replicator in the far corner of the kitchen and scrolled through the database of selections. She much preferred making meals from scratch with Chakotay, it was more fun and was something she looked forward to every evening. Today, they had spent their time together doing something equally as entertaining. She just hoped that her mother wouldn't be too upset with them, she was a woman who emphasized routine above everything else, and tonight's routine had been disrupted because they'd been so caught up in their reading. At least her mother couldn't argue that they had been caught up in a frivolous activity. Remembering she had a task to complete, Mezoti returned to scrolling through the replicator database in search of a suitable meal for tonight.
Once they were alone, or as close to alone as they were going to get, Seven took a seat on the couch, prompting Chakotay to take a seat next to her. He instinctively draped his arm along the back of the couch, his fingertips brushing along her bony shoulder mindlessly. She leaned against him slightly but still maintained her rigid posture.
She glanced over her shoulder to make sure Mezoti was distracted with her task, as was her goal when giving it to her in the first place, before asking, "How were things today?"
"Everything went fine," he replied. "I got some work done, we played kadis-kot, and we read a book together, it was hardly an impressive day." He paused for a moment. "Did you talk to B'Elanna?"
"Lieutenants Torres and Kim have agreed to cover my classes while we're gone." In her typical fashion, Mezoti leapt down the two steps from the kitchen to the living room, causing Chakotay's artifacts scattered on shelves throughout the room to tremble slightly. Both Seven and Chakotay considered scolding her, as they always did, for doing that, but she seemed too proud of herself to warrant such an action.
"I've chosen spaghetti with marinara sauce and garlic bread for dinner," she announced proudly as she leaned over the arm of the couch. She knew it wouldn't be as good as a meal made from scratch, but they didn't have time to cook an entire meal. Tomorrow she decided that they would set aside plenty of time to make up for it with a fantastic meal for all three of them to share to make up for the replicated meal tonight
"That sounds delicious," Chakotay said with a smile. "How about you replicate dinner while your mother and I talk for a few minutes?" Feeling proud with being charged with yet another important task, Mezoti happily complied.
"I'll call you when dinner is ready," she stated before standing up and returning to the kitchen. This was an incredibly important job, not only had she selected the meal, but she was also in charge of preparing it and presenting it. If everything went perfectly, then perhaps her mom and Chakotay would trust her with this more often.
With Mezoti thoroughly distracted once again, at least for another five at the very most, Chakotay and Seven could continue their previous conversation. Not only was she replicating dinner, but she dug through the cabinets to grab the necessary dishes to set the table without being asked. Both of them felt that they could get used to this independent streak from her, as long as she didn't get too out of control.
"Have you discussed our plans to visit the Admiral with Mezoti?" Seven asked softly so the child didn't overhear them. Chakotay glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the kitchen. Mezoti was completely absorbed with her task of preparing dinner, giving them a little bit of privacy, at least for a few minutes.
"I figured that that would be something you would want to talk to her about." Seven looked less than pleased, but, at the same time, she was also grateful because this was a conversation she wanted to have with Mezoti herself. The two of them had barely had a chance to talk privately since everything had happened over the past few days.
"Very well, I will discuss the matter with her after dinner." There was a clatter in the kitchen and Mezoti excitedly set the table, leaving no small detail overlooked. She had to make sure everything was absolutely perfect so she could be given this type of responsibility again.
It was getting late, and Mezoti was starting to get tired. Since she and Chakotay spent all afternoon reading, she decided not to ask him to read with her again tonight. Besides, she was feeling tired and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed. Just as she did so, however, her bedroom door opened, and her mother entered.
"Mama?" she asked in curiosity as she sat up and adjusted the blankets around her.
"I wanted to discuss an important matter with you," Seven stated in her typical blunt manner. A horribly sinking feeling formed in the pit of Mezoti's stomach, and her face fell. This was it, the talk she'd been dreading from her mother. Best case scenario, she would have to endure little more than a stern lecture from her mother. Worst case scenario, this would erupt into another horrible fight where hateful insults would be flung back and forth. Mezoti certainly hoped it would be the former, not the latter.
"Am I in trouble?" Mezoti asked in a small voice. She should have figured that there would be some sort of punishment that came with her erratic behavior over the past few days.
"There is the issue of your punishment to discuss, but that is something that will be handled at a later date. Chakotay and I have arranged for an impromptu visit to Admiral Janeway's farm in Indiana." Mezoti anxiously twirled the edge of her blanket around her fingers. In an attempt to read her daughter's reaction, Seven kept her eyes locked on her face. She could see disappointment, apprehension and even the slightest hint of fear.
After a few moments, Mezoti asked in a timid voice, "Am I being sent away because I am in trouble?" Seven's steely demeanor immediately softened as she hooked her finger under Mezoti's chin, forcing her to look up at her.
"Absolutely not," she replied forcefully. "We simply thought that some time away from here, away from the stress you have been suffering through. It is not a punishment but a chance for our family to heal."
"It feels like a punishment," Mezoti grumbled.
"It isn't," Seven insisted. "Chakotay and I think that this is what is best, so you will comply. We are only looking out for your wellbeing. Think of it as a vacation."
"Yes, but when we return, I'll be punished for running away."
"There needs to be consequences for your actions. You cannot simply run away every time you get upset, you must come to either myself or Chakotay when something is bothering you; do not feel that we don't care about you." Mezoti knew that this would turn into a lecture, but it was far better than her mother yelling at her, as most parents probably would do given the situation.
"I didn't want to bother you."
"You're my daughter, you're never bothering me." Seven paused several seconds to collect her thoughts. This was a conversation they should have had yesterday when Mezoti was initially returned home, but she hadn't been entirely sure what to say to her until now; this was a situation she'd been entirely unprepared for as a parent. "I have endured many hardships throughout my life and faced many formidable foes, but nothing frightened me more than the prospect of you being so unhappy here that you ran away."
"I am happy here, Mama," Mezoti cried as she threw her arms around her mother's neck and kissed her on the cheek. "I'm happier here than I ever thought I'd be, and I didn't intend for you to think otherwise." Seven wrapped her arms around her daughter, holding her close against her, feeling the petite frame pressed up against her. "I love you and Chakotay so much, I never want to leave you both again." Seven pressed a loving kiss to the top of her head. Those were perhaps the best words she'd ever heard in her life.
Author's Note: If you've read Coming Clean, this is the same exact author's note, so feel free to skip it. I'm so sorry about not posting sooner! Over the course of a month, I met the most wonderful guy (who quotes Star Trek, added bonus!), went back to work (I'm a teacher) and went back to grad school (only one more class left!). So, it's been pretty crazy! I hope you enjoyed it and leave a review.