AN: Here we are, another piece to this little adventure. Thank you so much to those who have let me know that you're reading, enjoying, and hoping for more. I'm so enjoying writing this, and I'm so glad that you're enjoying it, too!

I hope you enjoy the chapter! Please don't forget to let me know what you think!

111

"He said you can leave your underwear on," Raffi said, catching Seven's hand as she reached to unclasp her bra. Seven had heard the Doctor's instructions as clearly as Raffi had, but Seven's distraction was obvious. Her anxiety was palpable, despite the fact that she had, as Raffi might have explained it to someone who didn't know Seven as well as she did, tried to shut herself down as completely into Borg-mode as possible. Raffi caught Seven's face in her hands. She pulled it so that Seven was looking at her. "If you don't want to do this…"

"Weekly visits for testing are exhausting and difficult for time management. In the future, we hope to have offspring. It will be a hassle to constantly report to the office for testing and adjustment to my prescription," Seven said as a means of explanation. Raffi nodded her understanding and leaned in for a kiss. She was surprised when Seven returned it as completely as she did. She wasn't as shut down, perhaps, as Raffi might have first thought. Backing away from the kiss, Raffi handed Seven the teal cotton gown.

"There's no need to tie it," Raffi said. "It's for modesty more than anything."

As soon as they'd called to say that Seven wanted the chip, their plans had changed somewhat dramatically. Raffi thought they'd have the appointment right away, but the Doctor had relayed the message that B'Elanna wanted to run some final tests with the chip to be sure that it was functioning properly. They'd had to agree, as well, that B'Elanna be allowed to know what they planned for their future. Because of Seven's anxiety, and being aware that neither of them would relax until the chip was in place, Raffi had suggested they move the date of their marriage celebration, and Seven had agreed. They'd bumped it a few days later, after the chip-placement appointment, pushing it to take place the evening before the implantation of their embryo—an embryo that was, as Raffi understood it, growing somewhere in this building's labs.

Thankfully, they weren't kept waiting long once Seven had removed her clothing and had donned the teal gown. When the door opened again, the Doctor returned with a tray. In his accompaniment was a woman that Raffi knew immediately as B'Elanna Torres-Paris. Raffi had never met her in person, but she'd heard a great deal about her from Seven, and she'd seen her, at a distance, a few times at the Academy when their paths had very nearly crossed. Immediately in her presence, Raffi couldn't help but think that the half-Klingon was smaller than she'd expected.

B'Elanna embraced Seven warmly, and Raffi was happy to see the smile that her presence brought to Seven's features. Raffi's stomach had been in a state for the past few days, simply from absorbing Seven's tense energy. As far as Raffi was concerned, any friend of Seven's was automatically a friend of Raffi's—even if B'Elanna and Seven were somewhat notorious for having a friendship that often involved the stubborn butting of heads.

"Raffi—this is B'Elanna," Seven said, introducing them. Instead of taking an outstretched hand, Raffi pulled B'Elanna into a hug. It was awkward at first, but Raffi made exceptions for the fact that B'Elanna was half-Klingon and, therefore, was bound to be a bit complicated.

"I just want to thank you for this," Raffi said. "It's going to make things a lot easier on Seven—especially once we get over the hump of today. And—I want to apologize in advance for any negativity that may come out in the process."

Raffi cut her eyes at Seven. Seven was giving her an expression that she didn't have to question at all.

"I am present," Seven informed her, the Borg-cadence slipping firmly into place.

"I'm only suggesting that you've been a bit—difficult—for a few days," Raffi said. "And it's not outside of the realm of possibility that you intend to keep that up until this whole thing is done. As far as I'm concerned, let's get this in place and move on."

"I am in agreement with that," Seven said.

"The insertion of the chip is simple," the Doctor said, examining the tools on his tray. "It involves simply placing the chip with a specialized instrument that propels the chip into place."

"The biggest challenge we have is choosing the placement location," B'Elanna said. "I'm here to help ensure it gets placed in a good location, and that it's functioning properly after placement."

"Is the chip permanent?" Seven asked.

"It doesn't have to be," B'Elanna said. "It can be removed, but it'll have to be done under general anesthesia. It's a little more serious to remove it than to place it. May I?"

Seven laughed nervously as B'Elanna moved the gown around to walk around Seven's body, gently probing one spot and then another. Seven stared straight ahead, her expression only barely registering her discomfort at being quite so vulnerable.

"If I started to suggest that people accept semi-permanent implantations that would connect them, at all times, with a central source—people would start to get nervous," Seven said.

"I'm glad to see your sense of humor is intact," B'Elanna said. Raffi could tell she was being purposefully dismissive so as to keep from adding to Seven's feelings. She stopped in front of Seven, who was sitting with her gown pushed aside, and probed at her stomach. "Doctor—our preferred location of implantation for chips like these is the abdomen. Especially on bipedal females that carry their young there—we tend to have these pockets of excess flesh here."

"Are you insinuating that I should—lose weight?" Seven asked. There was some humor there, and Raffi was relieved to hear it. B'Elanna laughed, too.

"There's hardly as much flesh there as what I'd like right now," B'Elanna admitted.

"I'm afraid that's a poor placement location," the Doctor said. "That placement location is not recommended for someone who plans to enter into gestation. Seven will be taking part in our embryo implantation and attachment procedure in two days."

B'Elanna had clearly not been informed of this beforehand. Her surprise was obvious, and it took a moment for her to do her best to wipe away the expression.

"I knew you were planning on…trying for a baby," B'Elanna said. "I mean—the Doctor mentioned that. But—I guess I just assumed that Raffi would be carrying it."

"Because you don't believe I'm capable of carrying a fetus to term?" Seven asked.

"Because we've been working on this chip for some time, Seven," B'Elanna said. "Ever since—I did some work on the Doctor's empathy and social subroutines, and he started paying a bit more attention to the possible discomfort of his patients. He called me to bring up the problem of hormone regulation and constant monitoring that you've been undergoing since they were able to identify the…the irregularity. Your irregularity. I just assumed it might be better…"

"We made the decision to—do it this way," Raffi said. "And—we're happy with our decision. We made the decision that was best for our family. And the Doctor approves. He says there's no reason that this—or anything else—should stop Seven from being able to successfully carry our children."

"Under my careful care and watchful guidance," the Doctor responded, "there is no reason to believe that there will be any difficulties during the pregnancy."

Raffi squeezed Seven's hand, almost feeling lightheaded at the need to simply get this done—to get all of it done—and to have calm in their home. Once everything was done, she imagined that there would be a great deal more peace. They could simply enjoy the growth of their child—in every imaginable stage—without anyone asking questions. She knew, of course, that wasn't exactly how anything worked, but she longed for that peace at the moment, and she placated herself with silent, inner-promises that it would come, if they could just get through all the things that lie between them and absolute harmony.

"Please," Raffi said. "Find—another location." She gave B'Elanna the best smile she could, hoping she was silently urging her not to say anything else. "In two days? Seven will—be carrying our child. So—that's not a good location for placement."

B'Elanna looked like she might say something more, but she thought better of it.

"It's—it's not a problem. My second recommendation, then, Doctor, would be here—the fleshy part of the upper thigh."

"Will it be visible?" Seven asked.

"It'll be beneath the skin," B'Elanna said. "Deep enough not to cause significant irritation, and shallow enough to be accessible by a personal tricorder. You'll be able to scan it and read your own levels any time you want. It will also be easily accessible to all medical personnel who need to scan it. It may cause a slight bump in the area, but it shouldn't be too noticeable."

"It won't matter," Raffi soothed quickly, just in case Seven might think that such a thing would bother her.

"The thigh will be more comfortable than anywhere else where there's not enough flesh to go as deep as it needs to be placed," B'Elanna said.

"The thigh will be fine—won't it be fine?" Raffi said, directing the question to Seven, even as she nodded at her.

"That will be—acceptable," Seven said. Her expression didn't entirely match her words, but Raffi thought she could understand that, too.

"Very good," the Doctor said, looking a little too joyous about the procedure. Still, Raffi found his pleasant nature—proof of his tweaked subroutines that she'd seen change even since she'd first met him upon Voyager's return to Earth, when she'd attended one of his talks—welcome at the moment. He was calming now, and that was necessary. "Seven—I'll need you to lie back on the table. Rest and relax as completely as you can."

Seven did what was asked. She didn't ask Raffi to hold her hand, but she didn't have to. Raffi needed to hold her hand. She hated seeing even the slightest bit of discomfort on Seven's features, and she almost needed Seven to hold her hand as much as Seven really needed her.

"Now—I'll administer the local anesthetic," the Doctor said, "and while it's taking effect, we'll go through everything we need to discuss about the chip."

"I do not require anesthetic," Seven said.

B'Elanna laughed, perhaps a bit nervously. She offered her hand out toward Seven. In her palm was one of the chips.

"Seven—this is one of the chips," B'Elanna said. "We're creating them so that they can be tweaked—altered. In hopes that, with the stabilization of the newly located wormhole to the Delta Quadrant, we may be able to separate others from the Borg Collective. The Doctor can close the entrance wound after the chip has been placed, but you're going to want the anesthetic for the initial placement. I don't imagine it's going to be comfortable, otherwise."

"I am not unaccustomed to having things placed in and removed from my body," Seven said. "And—I would rather leave as quickly as possible, without having to wait for an anesthetic to take effect. I do not require it."

"Well, I do!" Raffi snapped. She didn't realize how desperate she felt until she heard the whine in her voice. Her face grew warm when she realized that all eyes were on her after the unexpected—even by her—outburst. She squeezed Seven's hand where it hung loosely in hers. For a moment, she ignored that there was anyone else there. At the end of it all, nobody else really mattered to her. "Please, Baby, please—I do. I can't explain it, but it hurts me. And I can't have it—they can't give me one for my pain. So, the next best thing is for you to take it for me. Will you do that for me?"

Seven held her eyes a moment, and her expression softened—for just as second, she wasn't trying to hide behind her Borg façade.

"Very well," she agreed.

The Doctor administered it without pressing for further permission, and Raffi and Seven both listened to B'Elanna explaining the features of the chip and the monitoring process. It would simplify Seven's life a great deal and, with any luck, it would later be used to simplify the lives of others that may find they had the same issues that Seven had—assuming anyone else was successfully severed from the Borg Collective.

When the Doctor placed the chip with an implant gun, Raffi held the side of Seven's face to make her maintain eye contact with her. She rubbed her finger over Seven's cheek tenderly, letting it touch the metal of the implant that curled around her eye. Seven flinched, but it was likely at the sound of the gun as much as it was at the actual chip implantation. As soon as it was done, the Doctor passed a skin regeneration tool over the spot to heal any damage done. Raffi didn't let Seven move her face away until he said they were finished, and Seven didn't fight her on it.

When B'Elanna helped Seven sit up, and she showed her how to scan the chip and read the information on a personal tricorder, Raffi found that it was really she who seemed to be the shakiest after the procedure. After they said goodbye to the Doctor, and thanked B'Elanna, Raffi stayed with Seven while she dressed. She offered to help her, somehow believing that Seven might need her physical support. Really, she felt like she was the one who needed to lean on Seven. It was her knees that were shaky. Maybe Seven suspected that, because she hooked her arm through Raffi's and walked out with her, not saying anything, but choosing to somewhat lean into her affectionately.

Outside the room, B'Elanna was waiting.

"I wanted to make sure you were—doing OK," B'Elanna said.

"I feel fine," Seven said, her tone still coming out guarded and Borg-ish to Raffi's ears.

"I'm sure it's uncomfortable…walking around," B'Elanna said. "It's a large chip. I tried to make it smaller, but there was so much that kept going into it every time I'd present it, that I believe we reworked it a dozen times."

"I will adapt," Seven said.

"Soon, you won't even feel it," Raffi assured her, even though she didn't know that to be true. Still, she guessed that was so for nearly everything.

"It will be—just another implant," Seven said. The half-smile that she offered didn't make Raffi feel as good as she would have hoped it would. Raffi turned her attention to B'Elanna as the woman stood there, clearly looking for something more to say to them without having the words immediately accessible.

"Please," Raffi said to B'Elanna when she'd finished explaining the chip's features, "join us for—a drink? Something to eat? A—coffee? Some…gagh?" B'Elanna recoiled slightly, and Raffi felt sorry for what she'd said. She said as much. "I'm sorry—I really am. I only meant…please join us for whatever you might like."

"Please," Seven echoed after a moment. "We would—enjoy your company."

B'Elanna considered it a second and then nodded.

"Sure," she said. "I have some time. Did you have somewhere in mind?"

"As it turns out," Raffi said, still feeling a bit shaky, "I know just the spot."