They had spent three of their seven days off at the beach resort spending time with Gretchen, Miral, Icheb, and even Naomi. Kathryn had to admit that she had had a wonderful time taking the children to the beach, and to the amusements on the boardwalk, and to the zoo. The only problem however had been her lack of any free time with Seven. That was all about to change though. Neelix had agreed to watch Gretchen for a couple of days so that she and Seven could get away. Okon had made arrangements for them to spend two nights alone in a cabin in the woods.
The cabin and surrounding scenery were breath taking. The two women really hadn't taken the time to look around the night before, the chance at being alone and being left alone had been far more appealing, but as Kathryn looked out the picture window in the front room, she knew that this was were it would happen and that this would be were they spent the rest of their shore leave. She had plans for the night but first thing tomorrow they'd pick up Gretchen and extend their stay here.
Her plans for the night were already underway. While Seven was in the bathroom finishing a long bath she'd set up a romantic dinner for two in the middle of the room with the large picture window and a blazing fire as their backdrops. The food had been sent down from the resort's kitchen a bonus within it's self since it was always nice to take a break from Neelix's cooking, and Kathryn had put it out on plates that were now under stasis lids on the table. She could hear Seven dressing in the bathroom and smiled. Kathryn quickly added the final touches, two glasses of wine and candlelight.
Any other woman would have gasped in delighted surprise after walking into a candle lit room with traces of fragrant native flowers, and her lover waiting for her. Seven wasn't just any other woman; so she showed her delight and her surprise at Kathryn's gesture with a quick jerk upward of her eyebrow and a smile. "All of this for me?" She asked as she took the glass of wine from Kathryn.
"Do you like it?" Kathryn asked as she walked Seven over to the couch and sat with her.
Seven smiled and then placed a gentle kiss on her partner's lips. "You never cease to amaze me Kathryn Janeway."
Dinner had been perfect. The two women had talked softly and laughed without restraint. The food had been amazing, the music soft and inviting. Kathryn had brought down a collection of songs and it had surprised her when Seven asked her to dance. The soft jazz moved their closely pressed bodies slowly and Kathryn was fully enjoying it. She didn't get to many chances to just be in the moment, to just be Kathryn, to just be in love. She smiled brightly as she felt Seven's arms tighten around her. She loved how her slight frame seemed to fit so perfectly with Seven's taller body.
When the song ended, Kathryn led Seven over to a pile of pillows and blankets on the floor. The two of them sat there, face to face, sipping a sweet dessert wine and sharing bits of candy coated fruit.
"What are you thinking about my Kathryn?" Seven asked as a sudden smile spread across Kathryn's face.
Taking a moment to think about the memory that had floated to her mind, Kathryn looked at her hand in Seven's Borg meshed hand. She then looked up and into two remarkable blue eyes. "I was thinking about the first time I realized my feelings had changed."
"And when was that?" Seven asked. "When did you realize that what was between us could no longer be anything close to maternal mentorship?"
"On the Delta Flyer after your modified alcove had malfunctioned." Kathryn answered. "It broke my heart that you'd lost your trust in me. As I stood on the other side of the force field listening to you rattle of stardates I realized I was dreading the worst, praying for the best, and completely loving you." Kathryn blushed a little. "You don't know how bad I wanted to kiss you when our faces came so close as I knelt in front of you."
"You don't know how badly I wanted you to kiss me." Seven smiled at the expression of shock on Kathryn's face. She stopped her lover from asking any questions by posing one of her own. "And yet it took you nearly losing me to the Borg Queen before you could tell me?"
Kathryn looked down a moment as she blushed and then looked up with a lopsided smile. "I'm an old foolish woman who can be to set in her ways." Kathryn pressed her hand against the hand that Seven had resting on her cheek. She closed her eyes and drank in the other woman's warmth. When she opened her eyes again she smiled playfully. "Your turn. When did you know?"
"The first time I felt it was the first time you came in to watch me regenerate." Seven laughed just a little. She loved the look that would spread across Kathryn's face every time she brought up knowing that Kathryn had a habit of watching her sleep. "I didn't know what it was I was feeling until after I'd seen the Omega molecule."
Kathryn hadn't heard this before, so she found herself holding her breath.
"As I watched it I'd felt as if I'd just seen perfection. Afterward, as I stood alone in Di Vinci's studio I realized that what I had felt while watching the Omega, I'd felt before." Seven reached out and traced Kathryn's bottom lip with her thumb, and then caressed the slightly aged skin around her eyes. "Each time I look into your eyes."
Tears sprung to Kathryn's eyes. She sat there, looking into Seven's eyes for what seem like an eternity. When she finally got it together again, with the help of feeling Seven wipe tears from her face, Kathryn sat up and took Seven's hands in her own. "After we got stranded out here I'd giving up on all my dreams for my own future. It was all about getting the crew back to their families. You gave me back what I'd so willingly given to my crew, Annika, you gave me my life back."
Sliding her hand under the pillow she'd been leaning on, Kathryn wrapped her hand around the small box that the rings she'd designed and had made were in. "I love you, Annika, and I'd like to know if you would..."
A thunderous pounding on the front door of the cabin caused Kathryn and Seven to jump. They'd been so enthralled by each other that Seven hadn't even noticed the sound of footsteps.
"Captain Janeway?" Came a now all to familiar voice. "Ms. Seven of Nine?"
Disappointed washed over Kathryn's face once again as she allowed her head to drop. Seven looked at her, asking silently if they should respond. Kathryn nodded and Seven got to her feet. She watched as Seven walked over to the door, taking the moment to put the rings back in her pocket.
Seven opened the door to find Okon standing there wringing his hands and looking rather timid. "Yes Okon?"
The boy looked up at the tall blonde and then past her to the approaching redhead. "I… I am sorry for disturbing you both." He said with a sound of apprehension in his voice. He knew that the Captain had wanted to be left alone, but the rude man with very little hair insisted that he needed to speak with them. "You… You have a call… He says it's important."
"Who is it, Okon?" Kathryn asked.
Okon looked at her and then down at his boot tops again. "The sour faced man with little hair. He says it is about the child."
Both Seven and Kathryn suddenly looked stricken. "Can we take the call here, Okon?"
The boy nodded. "Yes Captain. The call has been sent to the consol here."
Seven went right over to the consol and activated the call. Even before the image of the Doctor could appear the room was filled with the shrill screaming of an infant. When the Doctor did appear, Seven gave him no time to speak first. "What is the matter with Gretchen, Doctor?"
"She's got a double ear infection, Seven. I've given her medication for the infection, the fever and the pain, but she refuses to calm down." The Doctor told her.
"Where are you, Doctor?" Kathryn asked.
"We're back on the ship, Captain." The Doctor replied.
Kathryn looked over at Okon. "We'll be back as soon as we can. We need to return to our ship." Okon nodded. Kathryn then turned back to the Doctor. "Have us beamed right to sick bay, Doctor."
A few moments later the two women were standing in Voyager's sickbay. They went over to the Doctor and Neelix, and Kathryn didn't waste any time taking her red faced daughter into her arms. It took a moment for Gretchen to calm down enough to realize that she was in her mother's arms, but once she did she sniffed that last body shuddering sniffle and then cuddled into Kathryn's embrace.
"What happened?" Seven asked as she stroked her daughter's auburn curls.
Neelix looked relieved to see Gretchen finally calm. "She was fine when I put her down for the night and then not even an hour later she was crying, pulling on her ear, and running a fever."
"These types of infections can go unnoticed and then all of a sudden there's symptoms." The Doctor interjected. "She'll need another hypo in the morning and one tomorrow evening, but she'll be fine. I don't see a reason why you both couldn't return to the surface."
Kathryn looked down at Gretchen. The child was clinging so tightly to her that she knew she wouldn't allow anyone but Seven to take her. "Does Geejay need to stay on the ship?" When the Doctor shook his head, Kathryn looked over at Seven.
Seven nodded and then turned to the others. "Thank you Neelix for looking after her but I think we'll take her back with us now."
Neelix smiled just a little before frowning. "I'm sorry for ruining your time off."
Kathryn and Seven both assured him that he didn't and then quickly collected Gretchen's things. The two women returned to the small cabin with their child. Kathryn lay awake most of the night, watching Seven and Gretchen sleeping, curled together on their bed. Carefully she pulled out the rings she had been about to show to Seven. She traced each of them with her finger and smiled a bit. Sure she was disappointed but she'd said what she wanted say, not she just needed to ask what she wanted to ask. She didn't make it this far in her life by giving up every time something messed up her plans, so she would just have to try again, and again, until she the deed was finally done.