For the first time in a very long while, the captain had slept through her 05.30 alarm. The reason for this was lying fast asleep next to her, one leg thrown over Janeways possessively.
"The Doctor to Seven of Nine" Seven's commbadge chirped and the Borg lazily opened her eyes. The room swam into focus as she realised she was not in cargo bay 2. Also she was not alone. The memory of the previous night resurfaced and she flushed deeply. What am I meant to do now? Is there a series of rules to follow regarding these situations? Proper etiquette? She glanced over at her sleeping lover and considered waking her. Her hand was halfway to the Captains shoulder when she shifted slightly in her sleep. Seven thought she had never seen the Captain looking so at peace. Her face was relaxed with the small hint of a smile and her breathing was melodious to the Borg as her chest moved slowly up and down.
Carefully Seven extracted her leg from between Janeways and slid gracefully out of the bed, taking care not to disturb the sleeping woman.
"Seven. Can you hear me? Come in Seven" The Doctors impatient tones rang out from the small device. Locating her blouse, Seven pressed her commbadge.
"Seven here"
"Seven of Nine, you have failed to appear for your check-up this morning. You know when you agree to a conditional discharge from sickbay you need to adhere to those conditions."
"I apologise Doctor, I will come immediately. On my way." Silencing him, she dressed hurriedly, pausing briefly to kiss the Captains forehead, before rushing out of the room.
Awakening some time later, Captain Janeway quickly realised she was alone. She tried and failed to fight off the feelings of betrayal and hurt that seeped into her heart. She left you. I can't believe you have let it happen again. You thought she would be different…but, another voice, a logical reasonable voice, said she might have been unsure of what to do and left out of embarrassment. It was her first time after all. She shook her head. No. you admitted you loved her then she abandoned you, just like everybody else.
"I am no-ones booty call" she grumbled aloud. The irrational, hurt voice winning the internal struggle for control of her mind. She had been hurt too many times before to allow Seven to destroy her carefully erected cage, built around her heart under the pretence of protocol.
With that thought she stumbled naked from the bed and walked to the bathroom. Halfway across the room a sharp stabbing pain shot up from her foot.
"FUCK" she yelled, annoyed at her morning already. "Computer, lights". Her quarters instantly illuminated she found she had inadvertently stepped on the cactus Seven had placed on the floor, the previous night.
"ARGH" She screamed, completely frustrated at herself and Seven. It was going to be one of those days. She stepped into the sonic shower, letting it clean last night away. After the shower, her command mask was clipped firmly back in place. Vowing to forget about Seven, she made her way to the bridge.
Seven was confused. It had been four days. Four whole days since she woke up next to the Captain, feeling so happy she couldn't stop smiling and now, now she wasn't at all happy. She had been abandoned by the woman she had given herself to, the first woman and the only woman she ever wanted to give herself to. The Captain wouldn't talk to her, busying herself with endless reports and going out of her way to avoid meeting Seven face to face. Any contact the Ex-Drone had with the Captain came when her daily instructions regarding work arrived in the form of a padd, were teleported to astrometrics. Outside help was required.
Commander Chakotay had just finished packing his day bag. He was about to set off an other peaceful ramble through the extra-ordinary woodland present on the planet, when a shadow informed him that he had company. He turned and did a double take when his eyes revealed Seven of Nine standing in the doorway of his temporary shelter.
"Seven?" he asked, still not believing she was actually on the surface.
"Indeed, Commander" She replied an odd expression resting on her face.
"What's on your mind Seven?" sensing she had a problem. For a moment he thought she was not going to reply but eventually she did.
"Transporter room 2 was fully functional. You lied. However, I am not here to discuss that issue. I require your assistance regarding another matter." Chakotay scratched his ear nervously.
"Look Seven, I want to apologise for what happened to you. I should have found a different way to help out an extremely stubborn friend."
"Kathryn" said Seven simply, feeling her heart grow warm at the thought of the older woman.
"Yes, Kathryn, how did….?" He stopped realisation dawning on him.
"I am Borg. Not stupid, but thank you for forcing me to remain aboard Voyager. When I had recovered sufficiently, she, er…helped me recover further." She blushed furiously and Chakotay couldn't stop the grin that spread over his face. A small wave of jealousy crept into his veins but he pushed it back. Stop it. You encouraged this, you know how happy Seven makes the Captain. You have to be here for them both, help them realise how much they mean to each other.
"So how was it?" he asked, trying not to laugh at the Borg's embarrassment.
"Perfection. I felt so close to her like she was the only thing besides me that existed in the entire universe. But now…." She stopped mid-sentence and surprised both herself and Chakotay when tears cascaded down her face.
"Oh, Seven. Come here." He motioned for her to move forwards and she began to cry softly on his shoulder as he gripped her tightly in a comforting embrace.
"What did she do?" he inquired angrily, knowing full well his Captain was at fault somehow. "Tell me everything". Seven did, between sobs and he knew a trip to Voyager was in order. He was not going to let Kathryn screw this up.