AN: Here's another little episode with our favorites!

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

111

"OK—I adjusted the output on the power cell of this regenerator," B'Elanna said. She had attached it to the back of the uniform that she'd replicated for Seven to wear out of sickbay. The portable regenerators were, for the most part, mostly easy to conceal when attached to the waistband of uniforms or other pants with the right shirt. "I think it would be best if you kept this one in here and keep it charged for emergencies. We have a lot of them on the ship. It's not going to give you the full effect of a regeneration cycle, but it'll keep things running until you can complete your cycle. But—don't put that off too long, Seven. And Dr. Crusher said you need to sleep, too. Regenerate first, then sleep. Your Borg systems can keep you functioning without the full use of your human systems, but it doesn't work the other way around."

Seven felt a rush of affection for the woman as B'Elanna circled around her from adjusting the power on the regenerator and making sure the connection port was comfortable and secure for Seven. B'Elanna slipped the tool she'd been using into her pocket. She looked angry—if Seven didn't know her better—but Seven knew it was really just concern.

There had been an attack—bloody chaos, or something like that, as B'Elanna had called it. Finding her services unneeded for the moment, B'Elanna had returned to sickbay. By purpose or chance, Seven didn't know which, B'Elanna had returned to help her, where others might have left her to bleed out on the floor. Her blood volume was very low, and they'd made that clear as she'd left sickbay. She wouldn't have made it much longer, and maybe B'Elanna had known that.

A part of Seven thought of pointing out to B'Elanna that she was being overbearing and unnecessarily protective. Another part of her, with the rush of affection, stopped that part from speaking. Instead, another thought came to her mind. The second thought warmed Seven unexpectedly—B'Elanna was her friend. Neither of them was very good, sometimes, at expressing things like "friend," but maybe this was simply how it had to be expressed. Instead of saying what she'd first thought of saying, Seven hugged B'Elanna. The half-Klingon went stiff in her arms before finally relaxing and hugging her back.

"Thank you," Seven said. She didn't try to read the expression on B'Elanna's face when she pulled away.

"I'm glad you're OK," B'Elanna said. "And—I'm glad your baby is OK, Seven. She's going to be fine."

"And—I'm happy that you suffered no damage," Seven assured her. B'Elanna nodded her thanks. Seven looked toward the door of her quarters. "Where are Elnor and Raffi?"

"They're coming," B'Elanna said. "You have some time, but don't put off regenerating too long."

The yellow alert was flashing even in their quarters. It was a clear indication that things could get worse, but they could also get better. Somewhere, those in charge were making decisions and, perhaps, were engaged in some kind of negotiation. Until they were given other orders, the rest of them would continue on as usual, keeping in the back of their minds the thought that they might have to get to work sooner rather than later.

Seven and Raffi would have time to rest and recover—at least until yellow alert changed to red alert, if it was headed in that direction.

When the doors to the quarters opened, Seven thought her heart stopped. She didn't know if Raffi needed the support, or if she'd simply accepted it from Elnor to make him happy, but Elnor brought Raffi into the room with Raffi leaning heavily on him. Both were smiling, though, and that helped to relieve Seven's concern.

"We would have arrived a great deal earlier," Elnor offered, "but Raffi insisted on doing most of the work herself, and so it took us twice as long to arrive here."

Seven rushed forward. Before Elnor could finish what he was saying, she'd taken Raffi into her arms. Raffi came willingly, and she sank into Seven's offered hug, practically curling herself around Seven. They embraced and, pulling out of the embrace, Seven caught Raffi's face and kissed her. One, two, three kisses—and it still wasn't enough. Seven had never been hungrier for anything in her life than she was for the simple taste of Raffi's kisses.

B'Elanna was the one who guided Elnor out of their quarters, tossing reminders about rest and food, and promises about checking on them later, over their shoulders as they left.

Raffi kept trying to talk, but Seven cut off every word with another kiss—soft, hard, or something in between, she simply kept running through the gamut of possible kisses, breaking their lips apart only long enough for each of them to breathe and for Raffi to try, again, to say something.

Finally, Seven pulled back and smiled at Raffi. She kept her eyes closed for a second, savoring the moment of knowing that Raffi was OK.

"I thought I might lose you," Seven said, finding that Raffi was quiet, now, like she'd finally been convinced not to speak again. "I saw him hurt you, and I thought…" She broke off, unable to finish it. Her throat ached. She opened her eyes, and she felt the tears welling up. "I never…never…want to feel like that again." She shook her head at Raffi, still holding Raffi's face. "Tell me you're OK."

Raffi smiled at her. She curled her fingers around Seven's wrists.

"I'm OK," Raffi said. "There was some damage, but the Doctor got to it in time, and…it's healing. All the little things are healing. A few hours of sleep, and a meal, and I'll be good as new."

Seven blew out her breath. She didn't try to control the tears, and she hoped the aching in her throat and chest would dissipate soon. She brushed her fingertips over Raffi's cheeks. She touched the soft skin of the lobe of her ear. She knew she should help her to bed. She should tuck her in to sleep. She didn't want to take her eyes off of her, though, and she said as much.

"I don't want to look away from you," Seven admitted, "because I'm afraid of never seeing you again."

Raffi's eyes puddled with tears, but her face was more covered in a smile than any expression that matched tears.

"Seven…"

"I just had to say it, OK?" Seven said, interrupting her. "I know that it's an irrational feeling, Raffi. I know that you're well, and that you'll only improve. I just…had to say what I was feeling."

"I think you should go with your impulses more often," Raffi offered, her voice soft. She held Seven's eyes, and she touched her cheek in the same affectionate way that she often did. Seven closed her eyes to the gentle touch and then opened them again, meeting Raffi's unfailing gaze again. "There was so much blood. He just kept coming for you, and every time I thought—she doesn't have anymore blood for him to spill—and I felt helpless. I hate feeling helpless—especially when it comes to you."

Seven's stomach ached to hear Raffi's confession. She smiled, half-forcing the expression to make herself feel it.

"And then there was a knife," Seven said, raising her eyebrow in question at Raffi. "Where did you get a knife, Raffi?"

Raffi laughed quietly in response.

"I have no idea," Raffi said, shaking her head gently. "But—I do know that very few members of very few species think to frisk you for concealed bladed weapons when you readily hand over a phaser."

Seven laughed to herself and shook her head.

"You cut his…" She paused and held her hand up, flexing her fingers. "His fingers? His claws? Off."

"He wouldn't stop slapping you," Raffi said. "I had to do something." She shook her head. "I couldn't let him have you…and her. Not without at least trying…"

"You need to rest," Seven said. She moved, sliding an arm around Raffi. She took the place that Elnor had occupied earlier, supporting Raffi. Raffi took the invitation to lean on her. She felt Raffi's hand as it trailed down her back. She felt when she reached the regenerator attached, temporarily, at the base of Seven's spine. She felt Raffi's fingertip encircle the connection port gently, and then Raffi leaned to look behind Seven.

"You need to regenerate," Raffi said.

"I am fine," Seven assured her.

"I don't like when you're running on battery pack power, Seven," Raffi said, some teasing to her tone.

"I will regenerate when you are resting," Seven said. "The longer you fight with me about getting you to bed, the longer I will have to use the portable regenerator."

"Let me help you into the chamber," Raffi said.

"I do not require assistance," Seven assured her.

"You'll need help getting this off," Raffi pointed out. "You have trouble detaching these because B'Elanna makes everything fit so securely."

"You can detach it when you're in the bed," Seven said, tugging her forward. "I will regenerate as soon as I'm sure you're resting."

"You're as weak as I am," Raffi said, laughing to herself.

"I am Borg," Seven said, picking up Raffi's teasing.

"Maybe so, but the human part of you couldn't have more than a tablespoon of blood left after everything you were losing in that room," Raffi said, her voice more sincere. She moved slowly, and it was evident to Seven that there was still some discomfort there to go with her exhaustion. The Doctor could heal the injuries, but there would still be a certain amount of healing that her body had to do in response to something as severe as the internal injuries she'd likely suffered. In her gut, Seven knew that Raffi wouldn't have survived if Crusher and the Doctor hadn't gone to her aid immediately. "Seven—I slipped once. I almost fell. And I realized that—I slipped in your blood. I thought I would die just realizing that I was standing in your blood."

"What's important is that you did not die," Seven said. In their quarters, she pulled the blanket back on Raffi's preferred side of the bed. She fluffed her pillow. She pushed Raffi to sit, and she moved to the replicator. She replicated a glass of water and stood looking at the buttons. "Do you have a preference for pajamas or a nightgown?"

"I love you," Raffi said from the bed. Seven smiled.

"I love you," Seven echoed back. She looked over her shoulder. "What is your preference for sleeping attire?"

Raffi gave her a mischievous smile.

"The only thing I want on me while I sleep is you," Raffi teased. Seven raised her eyebrow at Raffi. "But—you need to regenerate, and I want that more than anything else."

"You are not currently strong enough for more than sleeping," Seven assured her. "However, you can consider it a raincheck."

"Raincheck, Seven?" Raffi asked.

"Tom Paris says that," Seven responded. "Am I using it incorrectly?"

"No," Raffi said, "and I'll happily take the raincheck. Just a t-shirt."

Seven made the request, and brought the garment to Raffi. She helped Raffi out of her uniform, and Raffi allowed it, even though Seven got the feeling that she could have done it on her own. Seven needed to help Raffi and, maybe, Raffi simply knew that. Seven kissed Raffi as soon as she'd helped her into the shirt she'd wear to sleep.

"Now you," Raffi said.

Seven nodded. She returned to the replicator and replicated pajamas for herself—her preference for regeneration. She brought them over to where Raffi was sitting on the edge of the bed, and she turned her back to Raffi. Raffi knew what she was asking, and Seven felt her detach the regenerator from her uniform pants before she removed the connector from the port that closed itself in response. Seven felt Raffi's finger run around the outside of it, and she shivered in response to the delicate touch.

"I never asked you if this hurts," Raffi said. Seven could tell that she was asking it now, without asking it. Seven moved and started to work her way into the pajamas, Raffi watched her intently.

"The formation of the ports hurt," Seven said. "When I connected to the cube. Each one of them hurt. Now, they are no more sensitive than my other implants."

Seven sat down on the bed next to Raffi and leaned in for another kiss. She was granted the kiss, and a few more for good measure.

"I know you gave me nanoprobes," Raffi said. "I know you gave them to several others, too." She shook her head. "That's very noble of you, Seven, but…I don't want you to ever do that at the risk of your own safety. I know you didn't have blood to spare."

"I have received a plasma and hemoglobin production stimulant," Seven said. "And I am operating with millions of nanoprobes, even at a deficit. I will always be able to spare anything necessary to save your life, or to facilitate the saving of your life. If others are helped in the process…" She broke off, shrugging a shoulder.

"Does this make me a little Borg now, too?" Raffi teased, her voice barely above a whisper. Seven drew in a breath, simply enjoying the quiet moment with the gentle touches and occasional tender, quick kisses.

"They were reprogrammed," Seven said. "There is no threat of assimilation in their current state. They will do their job, make their repairs, self-destruct, and pass from your system—and the system of everyone else who received some of my nanoprobes—as waste. For their benefit, I hope that the Doctor did not tell anyone else receiving the nanoprobes that they were receiving that particular treatment."

"I'm sure nobody did," Raffi said. "Hey—I need you to regenerate now, OK?"

"You have not gone to bed," Seven said.

Raffi smiled at her.

"I'm closer than you are," Raffi said. "And—as much as you need to see me in bed, where I already am, I need to know that you're in your regeneration chamber. OK?"

Seven stood up.

"Get in bed," she told Raffi. "You must comply."

Raffi laughed quietly, but she did get into bed. Seven kissed her again and accepted Raffi's whispered declaration of love, trading it out for one of her own.

"Sleep," Seven said.

"I'm going to keep my eyes open until I see you in the chamber," Raffi informed her. "You must comply, Seven."

Seven smiled and nodded her acceptance. She programmed her chamber and stepped into it. She felt the familiar tug of the updates that B'Elanna had made from her alcove on Voyager. The magnetic pull was, in many ways, comforting, and she was happy to have the update. Immediately, she could feel the pulsing waves of electricity from the chamber as they washed over her from every direction. From the bed, Raffi was watching her. Seven smiled at her, and Raffi mirrored it. Seven winked at her and closed her eyes, sinking into the pleasant feeling of regeneration.