A/n: I know I told some of my readers that this chapter would be up by yesterday, real life distractions delayed me, I'm sorry. I hope you all still like the chapter and thanks to Morrigan Wildwood for updating her C/7 story "Meant to Be" with not one but two brilliant new chapters! :D
"No, no, no…" Seven mumbled to herself in disbelief as she watched the holographic recording, "This can't be, he…" Her disbelief was rapidly overwhelmed by twin torrents of humiliation and violation as the evidence continued to play out in front of her. Commander Chakotay was unmistakable, standing at the back of the theatre, watching her indulge in her fantasy with his eyes utterly transfixed. Even under the influence of her own volatile emotions Seven could read many crossing over his face, fascination, disbelief, amazement, even admiration… How could she have been so unconscious of his presence? It seemed impossible to her now, fully aware as she was of his gaze, and the shame of it all made her shudder. "Computer, deactivate programme!" she cried out hoarsely. The breath she'd unconsciously been holding was torn out of her chest as the Computer obeyed and the images of the past dissolved as if they'd never been there, only a surreal dream.
Yet, it had been real and the oppressive grey panelling of the now inactive holodeck only served to tauntingly remind her of that fact. He had watched her, and then left, without her even realising. The flame of anger within her at this blatant intrusion of her privacy was mostly smothered by the crushing weight of mortification and guilt that had settled upon her. What could he possibly think of her? Abandoning her duties for a childish delusion, disguising her implants… Selfishness and vanity was all she could ascribe her actions to. She swallowed hard as her eyes caught sight of her reflection on the floor, she was still most certainly Borg and the crew expected her to accept that fact, she did after all deserve the disfigurement for the crimes she had committed. Unbidden, tears began to prick at the corner of her human eye as she looked around the empty holodeck. Any pleasure she'd ever gained from ballet, from becoming lost in the music and forgetting herself, would be tainted now. The prospect of that loss was almost as painful as the one she'd had to endure when she'd deleted her romantic scenario with the Chakotay hologram, but the image of Chakotay watching her in amusement or pity was bound to haunt her… Suddenly a new, more rational voice entered her head, does he feel that way? Did he treat me as such? The memory of their conversation only a few minutes before returned to her vividly. He hadn't teased her. On the contrary his demeanour had been one of friendly, even affectionate, encouragement and concern. She already knew he had too much empathy and kindness in his character to be demeaning to her, but the thought that he probably pitied her still rankled. His words had been sincere, she couldn't doubt that even with her new insight, and they repeated over and over in her head as she stood upset and alone. "All that matters is sharing your love for something through others, making them love it through you. You can be brilliant at something, you can be terrible, but as long as you love doing it then nothing else matters."
Chakotay squeezed through the tightly packed crowd of his fellow Voyager crewmembers, who filled the holographic theatre to total capacity. He couldn't help ruefully noting as he stared at the stage, that it was significantly more grandiose than the one Seven had created for herself. Obviously Neelix had gone all out to make a simple little talent show as memorable as possible, although he knew he'd acutely remember who was lacking. "Chakotay, over here!" B'Elanna shouted to him from her enviable position in the front row, next to the Captain, who looked both pleased and surprised to see him.
"I was beginning to think you wouldn't make an appearance tonight." She commented as he sat down between her and B'Elanna.
"Tuvok offered to take the Bridge for a while, and who knows, this might be a once in a lifetime experience." Chakotay replied, having to amplify his voice to a near shout to be heard over the din around them.
Janeway laughed, gesturing to the animated crowd, "Oh I don't know, judging by the turnout, I might have to declare this an annual event."
B'Elanna sighed exasperatedly, "Don't tell Tom that, his act for this show has become his newest obsession!"
Chakotay raised his eyebrows, "He and the Doctor were getting a little competitive weren't they?"
"A little?" B'Elanna snorted, "They've been acting like its life or death."
"Didn't they encourage you to enter?" The Captain asked curiously.
B'Elanna gave a wry laugh, "Of course, but I just reminded them that it's my talents that keep this ship going day after day!"
"Too right!" The Captain agreed warmly, and then glanced over at Chakotay in concern as he anxiously scanned the room. "Looking for someone Chakotay?" she inquired.
Chakotay flushed slightly, hurriedly turning his attention back to his companions. "No, not really Captain." He lied. In reality, disappointment over Seven's absence was surging through him, he'd really hoped he'd gotten through to her earlier…
"Seven is backstage helping Naomi to prepare." Janeway told him somewhat absently, although Chakotay could see the teasing glint in her eye.
Chakotay tried not to swallow. "Oh, it's nice that she's here…" He began awkwardly, only to be saved from continuing by the loud crackle of a mike as Neelix walked on centre stage.
The Talaxian beamed at everyone for a few seconds before launching into his opening speech. "Hello my friends and welcome to Voyager's first ever talent show!" He paused as the room broke into applause, "As you all know, I'm Neelix and I'll be your compeer for this evening." He waved off the compliments some people called his way. "Thank you, thank you, I'm glad to do it." He stepped a little further in front of the curtain. "Now I'd like to present our opening act, who inspired this entire event, Naomi Wildman!"
A wild burst of enthusiastic clapping and cheering greeted this announcement, Naomi was a firm favourite with the entire crew, and then slowly the burgundy curtain rose to reveal Naomi standing just off stage in a pretty turquoise party dress. Chakotay smiled as he spotted her mother Samantha and Seven of Nine standing just behind and encouraging her to take her place under the spotlight. Blushing sweetly under her loose strawberry blonde locks, Naomi trotted on stage and took a deep breath, flashing her audience a grateful smile before a pitch perfect voice left her small frame, "Somewhere over a rainbow…"
Naomi's beautiful performance was followed up over the next two hours with a varied selection of talents, from Harry's clarinet solo piece to Chell's Bolian drumming, which left Chakotay's ears ringing for several minutes afterwards, and even a ventriloquist. Neelix came back onto the stage, still grinning from ear to ear even after so many acts. "Now, ladies and gentlemen, for our penultimate act. Lieutenant Tom Paris!"
Tom sauntered confidently on stage, watching the crowd watch him as he languidly stretched out on the chair provided for him, and then pulling an obviously aged harmonica from his back pocket. "Now you can all see what I spent my days in prison doing!" he joked. The crowd had barely had a chance to laugh at that before they were stunned into silence by the explosion of rhythm which filled the room. Feet started to tap along involuntarily as Tom kept up a steady stream of tunes. Finally, he stopped to an outbreak of wild applause, chest heaving. He only basked in it for a minute or so before jumping off stage to embrace B'Elanna. "Thanks for putting up with me this week hun." He murmured lovingly in her ear.
"The practice paid off." She replied in the same tone before her tone became more teasing. "How are your lips?"
"Friction burned." He admitted with a sheepish laugh.
"I'm guessing the Doctor is our closing act?" The Captain asked.
"Yup." Tom confirmed, "But I think I already won."
"Why don't you wait and see…" B'Elanna started to say but was drowned out by the operatic score for "Aida" being blasted through every speaker in the holodeck.
Neelix returned to the stage. "May I proudly present our very worthy finale, the Doctor singing his own selection of operatic medleys!"
The Doctor glided past Neelix as the Talaxian left the stage. Since his mike was on everyone heard his peevish mutter, "I wouldn't call them "medleys" Neelix, this isn't a disco, they're arias…"
"You're on Doctor." Neelix advised kindly as giggles began to fill the theatre.
"Oh…" The Doctor mumbled, shooting the audience an embarrassed look before his natural self-confidence reasserted itself and he strolled into the spotlight.
"Hasn't he sung a whole opera's worth of songs by now?" The Captain muttered incredulously to Chakotay as the Doctor entered the closing notes of "The Ring".
"I think you'll need to make him stop if you've had enough. A hologram doesn't get tired after all." Chakotay answered under his breath.
The Captain's opportunity came as an interlude came between the ending of one song and the start of another, but just as she was standing up Neelix appeared on stage looking breathless. "I think that's a wonderful end to your performance Doctor." He said quickly before turning to face the crowd. "Everyone, I've just received another request to perform. If you wouldn't mind our show lasting a few minutes more…"
The assent of the crowd overwhelmed the Doctor's affronted response of, "But I was supposed to be the finale…"
Neelix ignored him. "Please give this person your support." He said warmly before practically dragging the Doctor off stage.
Surprise filtered through the room, Neelix had always announced the name of the performer before, and the beginning of Prokofiev's masterful score for "Romeo and Juliet" just fuelled the fire of confusion to fever pitch. The abrupt rise of the curtain stilled their tongues and shock froze their eyes to the stage. Seven of Nine stood alone on the stage, in a flowing white dress that went just past her knees. Her feet, cocooned in ballet shoes, were already moving, slowly but precisely in tune with the music's tempo. For a split second, fear shone starkly from her eyes as the stage lights reflected on her implants, but as the music gained purpose so did her face. She glided around the stage as if on air, her limbs sliding effortlessly through the air. There were gasps of awe as she spun several pirouettes in succession without even a second's pause then leapt through the air and landed cleanly on the edge of the stage. Then, as the music beat its final note she knelt gracefully on her knees, her head snapping up from its meekly bowed position to meet the gaze of the audience.
A stunned silence greeted her and the change from the character Juliet, prostrate with grief; back to Seven was instant and startling. Her face, flushed pink with freedom and exertion, became deathly ashen and she abruptly stumbled upright, losing her gracefulness in the panicked haste of the movement. The crowd were jerked back into reality and immediately erupted into unrestrained acclaim, forgetting their disbelief for the moment. Seven however, didn't seem to take this in, her body wavering. Chakotay, the only one who'd been able to watch her without total and paralysing disbelief, worried for an instant if she was going to faint, but what she actually did was worse. She uttered a strangled gasp, turned sharply on her heel, and fled.
A/n: Oh, I really hope you liked this; it was a real challenge to write! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! :D By the way, if you've never heard Prokofiev's musical score for "Romeo and Juliet", I suggest you give it a listen, it's beautiful! I listened to it while I was writing this to help inspire me.