A/N: I've wanted to write something set after Seven has gotten her revenge. Took me a little while, but I was inspired by some dialogue in the Voyager episode "Tsunkatse" which is quoted at the start of this. Anyways, hope you enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Every Damn Day

"I've spent the last three years struggling to regain my humanity. I'm afraid I may have lost it again in that arena."
"You're experiencing difficult emotions."
"Guilt, shame, remorse."
"Then you haven't lost your humanity. You have reaffirmed it."

Seven took another swig of bourbon as she contemplated what Tuvok would have to say about her now.

This time she hadn't almost killed someone in order to survive, this time she had killed someone and for no better motive than revenge.

She knew exactly what Picard would have to say about that, he'd made his opinion on her situation clear when he'd tried to stop her.

"Murder is not justice. There is no solace in revenge."

Only he was wrong.

She did have some solace now that Bjayzl was dead. She wasn't naïve enough to think that it would bring Icheb back or take away her pain at his loss, but it did bring her some closure to know that she'd finally avenged him.

She took another swig of her bourbon to drown out the memory of his death.

"He was a son to me, Jay. This is for him."

For him and for those who had loved him.

She looked down at the holo-image she held in her hand, the latest one that Naomi had sent of the family. It had been taken at Remi's graduation day from Starfleet Academy and he was standing proudly in his new uniform, looking so much like Icheb that it hurt.

Sabrina stood beside him with her father's dark eyes and her mother's smile, looking just as proud to be in her new Cadet uniform. Then there was Annika, too young to remember anything about her father, yet still the most like him in temperament.

Finally, her eyes settled on Naomi.

She was smiling, but her smile never quite reached her eyes any more. Especially at milestone moments.

Seven blinked as her computer console chirped, letting her know that the COMM-link had been established. She set aside her bottle and the holo-image as she opened the channel.

"It's finished," she said without preamble.

Several emotions flashed across Naomi's face before she cleared her throat, "Is she dead?"

Seven nodded, "Yes."

"Good."

"Thank you," Naomi continued, after a long moment, "nothing can change what happened, but…it's nice to have some sort of closure."

"I owed it to Icheb…and to you," Seven said softly.

"You don't owe me anything," Naomi told her, "Bjayzl murdered my husband, you saved him."

Seven shook her head, "She would never have known about him if it wasn't for me."

"And he would never have been there if I hadn't told him that he should take the opportunity to see you," Naomi countered. "It's not anyone's fault but hers," she added decisively.

They'd had this conversation many times before but, somehow, this time it seemed more real to Seven and she found herself lost for words as she realised that Naomi truly did not blame her for Icheb's death.

"Thank you," she said softly, once she found her voice.

Naomi gave her a wane smile, "I knew you'd believe me one of these days," she commented drily. "You're family, Seven," she continued, "you'll always be family."

Seven felt her eyes get a little misty, "Thank you," she repeated, before turning the conversation to something less emotionally charged.

Much later, after finishing her call with Naomi, Seven retrieved the holo-image and sat back in her chair. She smiled softly as her eyes fell on her own image, standing just off to the side of the family group.

Her thoughts drifted back to her final conversation with Picard as, for the first time since Icheb's death, she considered what she still had rather than what she had lost.

"After they brought you back from your time in the collective...do you honestly feel that you regained your humanity?"
"Yes."
"All of it?"
"No. But we're both working on it...aren't we?"
"Every damn day of my life."

"Every damn day," she repeated to herself as she put the holo-image of her family back on the shelf.