A/n: I'm updating this as a reward for the two great new C/7 fics that were published last night, "The Little Girl" by lisac1965 and "Black Tide" by Sweetdeath04. Thanks for the stories and I hope you both like this new chapter.

Chakotay stared at the closed doors for several seconds, silently willing Seven to come back and at least talk to him but they remained stubbornly unmoved and when eventually his gaze returned to the abandoned pile of baby presents, their baby's presents, the angered hurt left him entirely, overruled by his confusion and anxiety at the whole situation. From his full standing height he sank back into the couch and put his head in his hands for a moment but still his thoughts thundered on at full speed. What did she mean by obligation? That's not how I see it, not anymore anyway… His upset thoughts then took another, darker, turn. What if she's only putting up with me because I'm Celeste's father? No, it's not that…I'd know it if she felt nothing, that kiss would've told me that clearly if nothing else. She declared her own feelings irrelevant though… He exhaled in frustration; only Seven would declare her feelings, whatever they were, for her child's father irrelevant. "How in the name of the Sprits could I have walked into this so blindly?" He muttered under his breath as he again left his place on the couch and, with a new determination in his heart, left the Mess Hall.

Seven meanwhile had found her way back to her quarters and sat hunched up in her favourite chair with her arms self-consciously tight around her swollen waist. Why did everything always have to be so complex? She forced herself to again acknowledge how deeply she was in his debt as Celeste's fist again fluttered against her ribcage, she'd always recited to herself that he owed her nothing, that she had no right to expect love from someone fate had entangled her with and honour had held her together with. Yet still, paradoxically after they had been functioning perfectly well together platonically, love was where the guilt and reasoning should have been… She became aware of tears sliding unhindered down her face and wiped at them in agitation. Unwillingly her mind moved back to the kiss and their exchange, she knew within her that he'd been telling her the truth, despite what her fears were insidiously whispering to her… She stood up with an audible sniff and absently placed her hand over what had been the start of all this, "I suppose I'm going to have to talk with your father aren't I baby?" She murmured before sighing at the irrationality of talking to an unborn child hit her as she cautiously walked out into the corridor.

She'd never before regretted that Chakotay's quarters were so close to hers but she did now as her jellified legs moved with excruciating slowness towards his doorway. Just as she was about to press the doorbell a voice stopped her in her tracks, "Seven?" She whirled around hastily to see Chakotay within six strides of her staring at her with questioning intensity.

A furious blush spread up her features as she struggled to explain her actions. "I…I thought…" She began in a near whisper but after gulping hard she managed to recollect herself, "Can…can we talk?" she asked more clearly, avoiding his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah sure." He replied in the same quiet tone. Half-heartedly he reached for her arm but his courage gave way and instead just dialled the code for his quarters and stepped aside to let her in. Watching her hover in the middle of the room he forced himself to speak, "Seven, you know that I care for you as well as the baby…"

Seven stared that the carpet. "I know." Her fists clenched against her sides as he didn't respond. "I shouldn't have…spoken like that…" She felt tears form once again on her lashes, "It's just so…complicated…"

Chakotay swallowed, preparing for rejection. "It doesn't have to be."

Seven felt something close to a frustrated sob leave her throat. "No, I suppose it doesn't… It would probably be better for the baby if I let you go now…because if our relationship broke down she would suffer for it…"

"And what if I don't want to let go?" He snapped suddenly before his eyes caught her tear stained face and he felt ashamed of himself. "What if we're giving up happiness out of fear huh?" He asked in a quieter tone, not really expecting her to answer.

"I…I don't know…" She choked out as her eyes moved to his again and a sad smile flitted over her lips. "You say that it isn't because of the baby that we feel this way but if none of this had ever happened we'd still only be colleagues who interacted only as our professional lives dictated…"

This time Chakotay did reach out and grasp her arm, feeling relief shudder through him as she didn't move to break his hold. "That's how life is. If two people didn't get into a situation where they had the opportunity to get closer, they would never discover what they were missing…" He shrugged slightly and peered at her, "Do you understand what I'm saying? Who knows, if this hadn't happened, something else might have brought us together… Does it even really matter now?"

Seven looked up at him, did it really matter? "No…I suppose it doesn't…" She murmured before impulsively leaning up and kissing him lightly on the lips, feeling relief and pleasure surge through her as he responded.

When they finally pulled back for air Seven felt her eyebrows rise questioningly at the gently teasing smile on Chakotay's face, "I was going to suggest taking it slow but…" He said, a joyful laugh under his low whispered tone.

Seven blushed at her own forwardness. "I'm sorry, I just…"

He pulled her into a gentle hug. "Seven don't worry. Sometimes I just feel we're going about this a little backwards that's all." His laugh sounded strained with relief as was Seven's soft reply as she buried her tear dampened face into the warm crook of his neck.

A/n: A very short chapter but it just seemed right to end here (and my tea is ready!) I hope I'm still in character and that all this romance isn't too sudden. Please review!