Part 16

After breakfast Kathryn showed both Seven and Selene her keepsake album. They were just looking through the Captain's teenage years when Seven felt the chirp from the com badge she kept hidden in her jean pocket and knew she couldn't keep ignoring it.

"Kathryn," she stood up. "I need to take care of some things," she murmured, looking directly at Janeway.

The redhead slid the book into Selene's lap. "Go ahead, keep looking through it, I'll just speak to your mother a moment. I'll be right back."

"Okay," Selene said quietly, then the two women shuffled out of Kathryn's old bedroom.

"What is it?" Kathryn quickly asked.

"I need to speak with Starfleet, and I know it is about me not being at ISP 6 yesterday."

Kathryn blew out a deep breath. "I understand."

"I don't know how much longer I can prolong this stay Kathryn," Seven relayed, and the older woman picked up the uneasiness in her tone.

"I'm sorry." Kathryn placed a sympathetic hand to Seven's and squeezed it tenderly.

"I am not, and if I could, I would delay it for however long."

"But it's not up to you, is it?" Kathryn questioned even though she already knew the answer.

"I signed a contract, Kathryn," Seven voiced, her face full of dismay and apprehension.

Kathryn blinked at seeing this and wondered if there was more to it. "Go get in touch with them, I'll be here with Selene. Take as much time as you need."

Seven slowly nodded and went to turn to do just that. She had so much on her mind that she didn't hear it when Janeway cleared her throat the first time, or the second. In fact, Kathryn finally had to rush over and pull her back.

"Wait," she breathed. She was only going to give her a kiss, but seeing how Seven looked, so distraught and so distant, worry creased up her spine. "Seven, what's going on?"

Seven swallowed and even looked away. "I can't keep this from you, no matter how much it might hurt you," she inhaled. "I have been…." she began, then stopped and turned around. She couldn't tell Kathryn that she was being considered to captain of the very vessel she had wanted.

Kathryn's eyes went wide hearing this declaration of guilt from this woman and she took a step back. She had known Seven for a long time, but she had lived a life after Voyager and experienced a lot of things without her.

Commander Hanson moved up the ranks in Starfleet, not to mention how she excelled at it. She had even given birth to their little girl and raised her all alone. So hearing this, and seeing this expression on Seven's face, well, it was one Kathryn knew she had never seen.

"Who is she?" she instantly went there. Why wouldn't she, Seven was beautiful and after last night and how she made love to her, she knew that Seven had been with someone else.

Quickly Seven spun back around. "Excuse me?" she barked, her eyes hard.

Kathryn took a breath, her eyes just as firm. "You know what, I should have known, I mean really…look at you. Plus, the way you touched me last night. I know you are a lot more experienced than you were the last time."

Shocked, Seven just stood there wide eyed and hadn't a clue what to say to that. "Just be upfront with me, I mean I'll understand it …I will. You and I haven't been together so it was inevitable that you would find someone… I get it, I do, but it doesn't mean I have to like it."

Seven ran a hand over her face, this was so off base that it really took her a moment to register what Kathryn was accusing her of. She slowly shook her head. "You are wrong Kathryn," she finally bit.

"Am I?" the Captain went with, crossing her arms. "Tell me, how I am wrong?"

Seven dipped her head, her face now impassive. "Honestly, yes I have been with someone…well someones." Seven noticed how Kathryn cringed at that confession, and continued. "But that was a while ago…. In fact, it was before I left on the Enterprise," Seven said. "It hadn't occurred to me to wait for you. You can't actually expect me to believe you were not with anyone, especially since you were to be married."

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "I was not, didn't get engaged, not even close. It was all gossip, and to tell you the truth Seven, after our night together, you ruined me. I couldn't even consider being with anyone else."

Seven shook her head, she had no idea, and she almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. Kathryn saw how Seven looked as the emotions ran through her. "Yeah hard to believe right? But it's the damn truth." Kathryn now turned and walked the few feet away from Seven so she could look out the window.

After a moment of silence, Kathryn heard Seven come in right behind her and it shocked her that she actually was feeling Seven's arms around her middle. She had always dreamed that she would hold her like this that, and she couldn't help be compliant in her arms as she found herself drifting against her. "I am sorry, and I should have not copulated with those women. Do you forgive me?"

Kathryn knew that this was juvenile; she also knew that Seven had a life without her and it was something she couldn't be mad at her for. She slowly turned in her arms and looked up at her. "No Seven, I am not mad about that. I am just worried there is someone else, and I don't want to lose you."

Seven quickly shook her head. "Never, I love only you Kathryn." Seven then bent her head and kissed Kathryn's lips.

"Then what is going on? Please, tell me what you were trying to tell me earlier."

Seven closed her eyes only for a moment, then heaved a long sigh. "I have been reassigned."

That was not even on Janeway's radar. "You're no longer on the Enterprise?"

Seven dropped her hands away from Kathryn's waist and took a few steps back as she nodded. "I am not."

"When are you due out?" Kathryn asked, her voice almost timid.

"In a few weeks, but right now I know I need to be at that star port so we can equip the ship with my slip stream device."

Stunned, Janeway shook her head, then blinked. "It's ready?" she voiced as an afterthought. "Oh my god, this is news! Why didn't you tell me?"

Seven kinked her head. "Other things have been more important."

Kathryn had to agree, but this was huge. "Seven, I get that, but my god, this is like the biggest thing since warp drive."

Seven just shook her head again. "That's what I been told, but…" she trailed off, her eyes shining with sadness.

Kathryn slipped back inside Seven's personal space and placed her hands back around her. "Darling, this is a big deal, so why are you so unhappy?"

"Because like I said, I've been assigned to a new ship, and with it comes huge responsibilities, and the biggest is…" she was getting choked up and she had to inhale a breath before she could finish. "Is well being away…"

Kathryn knew and so she finished for her. "Away from me."

"Yes, and well there is more."

"Hey if you are the newest commander of….." then it hit her, Seven was the newest commander of the new vessel that Kathryn wanted to command, and if she was commissioned to do that, then how could they continue to be in this relationship?

"Oh I see." Kathryn now dropped her hands and pulled away.

"You do?"

"You are worried because of our relationship and the command structure, right?"

Seven suddenly knew what Kathryn was referring to and she knew that this had to end. "No I am not," she stated evenly.

Kathryn whipped back around. "If I take command of that vessel Seven, then there is no way you can be my commander. Not like this, and if Starfleet found out," she said, forcefully shaking her head.

Seven wanted to roll her eyes at how cocky and absurd Kathryn was being. She didn't even think once again that Seven was worthy enough to get command of a vessel, let alone the very one she basically built.

"Like I said, I am not worried," she practically growled.

"You have to be."

"I really don't… and the reason is….well, it is because I have also been informed that I am also being considered for the command."

Kathryn quickly shook her head; her face was blank, yet white as she stared at the younger woman. Her chest heaved a few deep breaths before her eyes blinked as if she had finally heard what Seven had just told her. "You're…" she exhaled harshly. "You…" she tried again. "Did you just say that they're considering you to captain the vessel?"

Seven rolled her shoulders back. "I did." Was her lone reply.

"No," Kathryn said rather robustly. "You're barely a commander, what makes you think you can captain a ship?" she blurted, nostrils flared.

That cut deep and this time it was Seven falling back on her Starfleet training. "I'll let that slide this time, Captain," she told her evenly, her voice so drone like that it made a chill slice right through Kathryn.

Kathryn ran a hand through her hair. "Seriously, why you?" she heaved. "And why wasn't I at least informed about this? My god, I've been waiting months to hear something on it."

Seven settled her nerves at the way Kathryn was speaking to her and softened her tone. "I believe if you were to really think on that, you'd know why you were not automatically a shoe in."

Kathryn was off in her own little world, her mind going place to place, jumping to conclusions as to why this was happening to her. She quickly turned back toward Seven and shot her a hard glare. "That's what I am doing."

Seven's eyebrow rose. "Are you? If you were and were doing it with a clear head, you'd see exactly why."

Kathryn's mind flashed and she narrowed. "Because you built the device?" she snapped.

"That's part of it, well most of it."

Kathryn clenched her teeth. "God damn it!" she snarled loudly.

"Try to remain calm, Kathryn."

Flinching, she knew everyone in house had probably heard her. "I just don't understand. I have the edge, the most experience."

"Probably. But how many ships have you…..well…" she trailed off.

Catching on, Kathryn's shoulders slumped. "Oh my god," she muttered softly. "It's because of my track record hasn't been all that outstanding….right?"

Seven didn't answer, she just dipped her head and tried to catch Kathryn's eyes, and once she did, Kathryn softly shook her head. "Still," she muttered. She wanted to say more, but she knew it would only hurt Seven, so she held her tongue.

"I suppose I should have told you as soon as I arrived. But like I said, I had a bigger issue than this….you and Selene," Seven exhaled. "I also had no idea you wanted to take command of another vessel."

Kathryn gathered herself by pulling in a deep round of air. "I guess I should congratulate you on being in the running of your first command."

Seven scooted closer to the smaller woman. "Kathryn, I know this is not an ideal situation. I have faith that it will go to the best one that Starfleet sees fit.

Kathryn nodded and she offered Seven a tender smile. "I know, you're right," she breathed. "I shouldn't even be bitter about this. Hell, I did lose one ship in the Delta quadrant for seven years and then the instant I get another ship, I go off the grid on my very first assignment," she groaned. "I'm two for two."

"I am sorry. I should have told you at that party…or sooner…if I had, you wouldn't have had to risk…."

Kathryn raised her hand up and stopped the former Borg. "Seven, I understand," she snapped, but then sighed, her jaw hardening. "Maybe this is the universe's way of telling me that I shouldn't be a fuc….." She stopped herself before she actually spit that vulgar word out, but Seven raised a eyebrow anyway.

"Don't say that, and I am not referring to that F' word. I am referring to you being a Captain," Seven exhaled. "You are a great Captain, Kathryn, and if it weren't for you…." she began to get choked up, and had to pause and draw in a breath. "I wouldn't be where I am today, and that means I wouldn't be here with you, and my little girl who is just right in the next room reading with her grandmother."

That meant a lot for Kathryn to hear, and Seven was right, she also wouldn't be here either. She'd probably be married to Mark and have like four kids running around. Or better yet, divorced and working on her third marriage. She slightly cringed for even going there. "I will never regret aligning myself with the Borg that day, or severing you from the collective," she told her honestly.

Seven's communicator chirped yet again. "I need to take care of this."

Kathryn nodded. "I will be in there." She motioned to the bedroom door where Selene was.

"I won't be too long."

"Take all the time you need," Kathryn said, knowing she needed it more than Seven did. She should be happy for the other woman, but she was still reeling over it all. She knew she needed to get a better handle on it, but she missed being a Captain and damn it, she really wanted that position.

Seven nodded and turned on her heel and left. Once she was outside she snarled and clenched her fist as she walked toward the shuttle. "That woman is still infuriating. Who am I kidding; I will never be good enough," she muttered to herself unaware that Kathryn's little sister was on the porch swing and heard everything.