Admiral Paris arrived at Seven's office early the next morning. She invited him in and he sat down. "How is everything going, Seven?"

"Just fine, Admiral. What can I help you with?"

"I was wondering if you had seen Admiral Janeway lately. She's still in avoidance mode and I was wondering if she was going to make it to the mandatory meetings we have coming up."

"I don't know. You'll have to ask her."

"I've tried. I've hailed her office several times at all hours of the day and I get no response. That's not like her. It's almost as if she's not there and hasn't been for quite some time."

Seven's eyes met his as he stared at her. "I'm not sure what you're asking me."

Admiral Paris leaned forward. "You claim to be the only person who has seen Kathryn in the past month. No one and I mean no one has seen her come or go from this facility in at least four weeks. Tell me, Seven, how is it that she is available only to you?"

Seven gave him a small smile and said, "She's not. She leaves me messages as I assume she's been doing for you."

"Why?"

"She's gone away."

"Where?"

Seven shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I told you. She decided to take some time off and she asked me to help out while she was gone."

Admiral Paris shifted in his chair and moved closer to her. "You're lying, Seven. Captain Chakotay may be right about you. Kathryn would never take leave without going through the appropriate channels. Now, where is she?"

Seven rose from her chair and held out her hand. "Fine. I can take you to her."

"Where are we going?"

"You may not believe me, Admiral, but Admiral Janeway did go away and I have been ordered not to disclose her whereabouts to anyone."

"Ordered by whom?"

"The Admiral herself. Perhaps you are unaware of her assignment?"

Admiral Paris got up and looked at her offered hand. "There is no assignment she would be on that I wouldn't have full knowledge of. I'll ask you one more time before I bring in security and you can tell it to the panel. Where is Kathryn Janeway?"

Seven dropped her hand and lost her smile. "I'll show you. Computer, two to transport."

Admiral Paris and Seven materialized just inside the rocky enclosure. Seven waved an arm at the old lift and said, "After you."

Admiral Paris went for his combadge to call for a security detail but Seven was too quick and twisted his arm behind his back and propelled him onto the lift. She held him in a firm grasp and pressed the lift up. Upon arrival, she pushed him out as he grabbed at his neck and rubbed his sore arm.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "What is this place?"

"You wanted to see where your precious Admiral Janeway was, I'll show you."

She walked him to the hidden doorway and opened it. As she stepped back, Admiral Paris looked inside.

"Owen!" Kathryn said as she jumped up.

Seven pushed him inside. "Now, you have company. Don't say I didn't make your accommodations more bearable."

The door quickly shut and Seven disappeared from view. Kathryn grabbed his hands and said, "Are you okay?"

He glanced around the room and then down at Kathryn and her haggard appearance. He took it all in a second time and said, "So this is where you've been for the past month?"

Kathryn nodded. "Yes. Seven lured me here under the pretense of going to lunch at the restaurant above but I got detoured here."

"I remember that day. So this is where you've been?"

"Yes. You didn't miss me?"

"Seven's been keeping up your workload."

"But I'm not there. No one noticed until now?"

Admiral Paris walked around and said, "It's not exactly unprecedented for you to hide in your office and keep to yourself. And the last time we talked, you told me in no uncertain terms that I was not to check up on you. I caught on a bit early though when I noticed the work wasn't your work."

"I'm sorry I told you that. More sorry than you'll ever know. Seven had me start doing my work here. She picked it up every night and brought more. I'm actually glad you forced her hand in that. It's given me something to do. It's kept me sane."

He walked over to the bed and sat down. He shook his head and said, "I am so sorry Kathryn. Chakotay was right. Seven should have been watched. I knew something was off in my gut but you swore that she had reformed and regretted what she did. She saved your life. I thought…."

Kathryn's eyes filled with tears. "If I ever see that man again, I will listen to every word that comes out of his mouth from now on after he listens to my huge apology. He never steered me wrong on Voyager. I should have trusted him more."

Admiral Paris took her hand in his and drew her to the bed where she sat beside him. Kathryn laid her head on his shoulder and let a few tears trickle down her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she sat up and said, "It's good to have someone else here. Someone to talk to. I missed that even though I'm sorry you got caught up in this."

Admiral Paris patted her hand. "We won't be here long."

Kathryn swiped a hand across her damp cheek and said, "Why? How do you know? Were you followed? How did Seven get you here?"

"She transported me here from her office after I challenged her phony cover story. What she doesn't know is that I'm not the only person who is on to her."

"Who else?"

Admiral Paris glanced around the room and then gave Kathryn a pointed look. She nodded and said, "I'm sure she has some sort of surveillance in place."

He grinned and opened his hand to release hers. He turned her palm over and made a V on her palm and looked up.

Kathryn's eyes lit up and she smiled. She traced a C on his palm and her heart leapt as the Admiral nodded. She remembered her argument with Chakotay and his promise to move on if she did not respond. "Everything?" she whispered.

He nodded again. "Everything I suspected and he already knew."

Seven watched the exchange and then turned her head away from the feed. "Welcome home, Chakotay. You won't find her. And if you do, this time she'll stay dead."