A/n: This chapter is dedicated to NikkiB1973 as a thank you for posting her C/7 fic, "Rescuing Chakotay". She's managed to salvage the episode "Resolutions" with the help of Seven and a time machine! It's an awesome fic, so read it! :)

The clink of glasses chorusing around Sandrine's hit Seven's ears abrasively and knocked her back into alignment with the world around her as she felt Chakotay draw to a reluctant halt and she automatically followed him as she had throughout their impromptu dance. She blinked, feeling oddly unfocused, and shivered involuntarily as Chakotay's warm hands fell away from their close, guiding hold around her. Her breath caught in her throat for an instant as she caught his gaze in that moment the spell the dance had apparently cast upon them broke. For a split second she was certain she saw longing of some kind in his affectionate, thoughtful gaze, but she angrily dismissed the notion as wishful thinking as she realised that her arms were still loosely coiled around his neck for support and yanked them back to her sides with so much haste that she barely registered Chakotay's flinch at the withdrawal, nor the shudder which ran over him as her hands inadvertently slid down his chest. "What's happening?" she asked hurriedly, once again taking irrational interest in her shoes rather than looking directly at him.

Chakotay brushed her shoulder with the back of his hand as he pointed behind her, "Look who's here."

Seven turned to where he indicated and saw that Captain Janeway was now standing in the centre of the room surrounded by crewmembers, many of whom were rattling and clinking their glasses at her. She stiffened with embarrassment as she wondered how long the Captain had been present for without herself, or seemingly Chakotay, noticing. The background music had dulled back into nondescript instrumentals, they must've danced through both of 'her' songs and others, although even her internal clock couldn't tell her how long they'd been dancing for in reality. "I presume their making that noise to attract the Captain's attention?" she asked Chakotay quietly, lifting her metallic brow slightly.

Chakotay chuckled as he nodded, "Neelix doesn't tend to believe a party is complete without a speech of some kind, he'd make a great wedding compeer."

As if he'd heard Chakotay's cue, Neelix called out above the din of his babbling guests, "Would you like to make a speech Captain?"

The Captain laughed, and from her expression Seven knew she'd expected this at some point, although she half-heartedly tried to bat away the Talaxian suggestion. "I'm sure everyone just wants to enjoy the party without hearing from me for once Neelix…"

Neelix shook his speckled head firmly, "You represent us all Captain, and this is a party of thanksgiving."

Won over, Janeway smiled amiably in agreement, her keen eyes now seeking out and finding Chakotay and Seven. "Yes, we do have a lot to be grateful for these past few days." Gamely, she grabbed a chair and stepped onto it like a stage, elevating her petite frame above the heads of most of her crew. "I'd like to thank every single one of you for working non-stop to find Commander Chakotay and Seven Nine, and in trying to get them back. I'm sure they appreciate it."

Feeling Seven stiffen uncomfortably at all the expectant eyes on them, Chakotay stepped in smoothly. "Of course we do Captain and we're glad to be back."

"That's what this party is to celebrate, your return and the crew's hard work." The Captain replied warmly, her gaze sweeping over her crew with the all-encompassing speed of an electioneering politician."

"Here, here!" Tom echoed cheerily, before quickly adding, "Don't forget my Ledosian trained piloting skills though, I want those celebrated too."

"They will be!" The Captain answered to a wild chorus of cheers and laughter from her crew which she drank in, "Keep enjoying the party!" she concluded before hopping off the chair and heading for the party's signature guests, whom she was a little surprised hadn't come to speak to her before now. "How's your party going, a tonic for Ledosian ire?" she joked as she reached Chakotay.

"I think so." Chakotay replied, glancing at Seven, "Makes you glad to be back on Voyager, right?"

"Yes." Seven agreed softly, studying the happy, familiar faces around her with new appreciation. "I doubt such an event could happen with such exuberance outside Voyager."

"You'd be surprised, but we do have to enjoy the good moments when they come along." The Captain told her, only now taking the time to assess her protégé's outfit with surprise, "Has the Doctor been trying out a new wardrobe on you again Seven?"

Chakotay frowned a little at the assumption in her tone, but Seven's own expression revealed nothing other than slight embarrassment. "I chose this myself Captain."

"Oh!" The Captain exclaimed lightly, "Well, it's certainly different, but very nice for the occasion I suppose." As Seven nodded obligingly, she now realised that they were standing on the dance floor. "Have the two of you been dancing all this time?" she asked with mild incredulity, "At your own party? Everyone's here to speak to you…"

"The Commander was kind enough to assist me in correcting my dance technique Captain." Seven interrupted, "It was an activity I was uncertain of, and so I took his offer, but I assure you I have spoken to everyone who expressed a desire to speak to me."

The Captain was mollified by that, the thought that Seven had sidestepped the opportunity to socialise with the wider crew in favour of Chakotay who she was already comfortable with had exasperated her for a moment. She didn't want Seven to only be accepted by the senior officers and still distrusted by the junior ranks. "Good then." She turned to Chakotay with a wry, questioning look on her face, "I've never known you to dance in all of our seven years here Chakotay."

"Like I told Seven, I haven't danced properly since senior prom." Chakotay replied slightly to brush off her suspicious tone, "She didn't need me to correct anything, she's a perfect technician as always." He smiled at Seven encouragingly, "It was just a little confidence you needed, that's all."

Seven felt herself smile back as his gentle tone soothed something inside her, "Yes, the Borg did not instil me with their arrogance when it came to dancing."

"Knowing them, it was considered irrelevant." The Doctor remarked drily as he appeared at Seven's elbow. "Which doesn't mean you shouldn't do it of course…" He quickly added as he caught the Captain and Chakotay's sharp gazes. "Actually Seven, I was teaching myself the tango while you were gone, perhaps we could…"

Seven blanched a little but fought the instinctive urge to look at Chakotay, instead regarding the Doctor coolly, "I think I've had enough dancing for one evening Doctor." She informed him, feeling dizzy and hot as she recalled the surreal experience with Chakotay.

She felt Chakotay's hand move to hold her up even before she felt her legs go weak, his dark eyes burning with concern even as it was Janeway who spoke, "Are you alright Seven? You've turned pale."

Seven felt a shot of panic hit her in the chest as the Doctor swiftly withdrew a tricorder from within his bartender costume and scanned her. Surely her emotional failsafe wasn't triggering now, not after remaining dormant on Ledosia? Relief radiated through her even as the Doctor breathed a long, disapproving sigh. "Your electrolyte levels are far too low, you haven't regenerated since you got back have you?"

"No." Seven answered honestly, "I prioritised completing my report and attending this function, but I will leave now."

"We're not ordering you to leave the party Seven…" The Captain began apologetically before exchanging a worried glance with the Doctor, "…but it would probably be best."

"Yes Captain." Seven agreed with a diffidence which amazed Chakotay, although he could see that she did appear suddenly drained and felt anxiety stab at him.

Still, he had to bite back a sigh. He knew Seven had had plenty of time to regenerate between their return and the party, but he also suspected why she hadn't. Although he'd done his best to comfort her, the situation with the Ventu had roused guilt, unjustified or not, which would've made any sort of relaxation difficult. He knew his mind had been too unsettled by it all to release him into sleep. "I think I'll leave now too Captain, I've got some duty rosters to finish…" To Chakotay's chagrin, he was pretty sure he heard Tom give a knowing chuckle somewhere behind him and he had to wonder if his excuse to leave with Seven was that transparent.

Neither Seven nor the Captain or the Doctor seemed to notice however, the Captain even looked pleased. "Well, unfortunately these things need to be arranged every day." She commented to him with a wan smile and a shrug before looking at him seriously, "You'll make sure that Seven does regenerate won't you? Sometimes she gets distracted by efficiency and it's been a long day already…" She whispered to him.

Chakotay suppressed an incredulous gasp. He knew Seven could hear all this perfectly well, her stance and expression were too well-schooled into impassivity for it to be otherwise, and he couldn't help but be offended on her behalf. He knew that the Captain took a motherly view of Seven, and the Doctor to the lesser extent a fatherly one, but they were acting as if he were escorting a teenager back for her curfew, not a grown woman who'd been through a darker hell than they could imagine and had a high enough IQ to put many computer programmes to shame. He remembered the Captain's attitude to Seven's privacy in regard to the holodecks and winced, how was a woman who went to such measures to involve herself going to take the fact that he and Seven had been growing closer under her radar?

Seven's voice, muted and resigned compared to the compelling spark of life he'd witnessed in her only minutes before, broke through his troubled thoughts. "I am leaving Commander." It irritated him that she lapsed back into using his rank, "You may stay here…"

"No." He interrupted her firmly, resting his hand on her arm as he moved defensively to her side. He then smiled at her warmly, "I invited you, so we should leave together."

Seven felt a strange fluttering in her stomach as she heard the assured certainty in his voice, as if he were entirely comfortable with announcing to the whole crew that he had singled her out as his company, his friend. "As you wish." She acquiesced in a shy murmur.

A/n: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I hope you're not disappointed with this chapter, a bit less fluff and a lot more interference… I was going to write more but I haven't had much time today because it's my 21st birthday. I've finally got a new chapter up for "The Borg With Butterfly Wings" though, so please read that too. :)