A/n: I was planning to start a new fic, but then remembered I haven't updated this in a month! Sorry everyone, I hope this chapter makes up for the wait!
The theatre was in uproar, all of the previous acts forgotten following Seven's dramatic performance and departure. Neelix, still clinging valiantly to his compeer role in spite of this unexpected development, amplified his microphone up to full in an attempt to settle the crowd. "What's that just the most unexpectedly wonderful thing you've ever saw!" he exclaimed in delight, "I knew this show would be memorable! If you'd all wait a few minutes before leaving I'd like to call all the acts back to the stage for a final round of applause…"
"I don't think our most "memorable" performer will come back out here Neelix." Tom replied, breaking the Talaxian's rose tinted bubble.
Neelix frowned uneasily, wishing to give the former Borg the benefit of the doubt. "I'm sure she just went backstage to compose herself…" He suggested, turning around briefly to glance at the decidedly abandoned backstage area behind him, "After all…" He started, sounding genuinely perplexed, "Why would she want to leave after such a great performance?"
A great hubbub of voices immediately rose up to offer a speculative answer, but Captain Janeway's habitually commanding tones were heard by all, "Computer, locate Seven of Nine."
"Seven of Nine is in Holodeck 2." The Computer answered unconcernedly.
Chakotay heard the Captain's loud sigh of relief beside him but paid little attention when she trooped off through the crowd like a determined mother bear. He suspected, especially after seeing what she had managed to do with the Holodeck sensors which had got him embroiled in this with her in the first place, that Seven had thrown the Computer off in some way before transporting herself to some secluded corner of the ship to escape the fallout from her startling display. He found it ironic that he could predict her actions, considering that a few days ago he'd been sadly certain that she'd never dance in public, if there was something he should never underestimate about Seven it was her capacity to surprise. He barely heard the Doctor's distressed exclamation upon finding Seven's discarded comm. badge, instead using his height to see over the heads of his crewmates, most of whom had quickly formed into distinct groups admiring or criticising Seven, and head through them towards the door. He had almost reached the doorway when he heard a particular comment which heated his blood from its already anxious simmer to a furious boil. "Just when I thought she couldn't get more attention seeking…" Lieutenant Hartley drawled nearby to a flock of admiring female Ensigns, "She goes and assimilates a prima ballerina for the night!" Thankfully, getting a death glare from their First Officer was enough to stifle most of the women's giggles in reply, but Chakotay still took grim satisfaction from slamming his own, more muscled, shoulder into Hartley's thin one as he left for Cargo Bay 2.
Seven grimaced as she slid her body slowly down onto the Cargo Bay's icy, inhospitable floor. Her whole body, from the large supporting muscles and bones to the thin, pliable tendons and ligaments throbbed with a constant dull ache. She tried to sigh but her chest was crushed under the same nervous tension that caused tremors to cascade over her uncontrollably. If for a few short minutes, she'd experienced the most powerful adrenaline high of her life on that stage, she was now most definitely crashing back down. Staring down at the white silk ballet shoes which still shamelessly adorned her feet, she felt confusion and self-hatred surge within her and guiltily drew her legs against her body, trying to block out any visual cues reminding her of her folly. What had she done? She'd humiliated herself forever just to prove to herself…what exactly? A frustrated groan felt her throat and she briefly dug her fingernails deep into her forehead, as if attempting to pull out an explanation from her brain. What had she been thinking? Now even this small indulgence wouldn't provide her momentary respite from the reality of being the little lost girl who'd been condemned to a life neither as a human or as a Borg…
The familiar sound of the doors opening, accompanied by the bright shaft of light from the hallway which lit the cavernous, brooding space, made her jolt upright and unconsciously cower closer to the large container which shielded her from view. A sigh left her throat even as she did this however, she'd known better than to truly expect they'd leave her alone, that concept seemed alien to the crew in regards to her. Like a convict or a toddler she was to be supervised constantly. The footsteps which cautiously approached were far enough away at first that she hoped they wouldn't see her, but at that moment the last person she'd anticipated turned to look around the side of the container and stopped in his tracks abruptly upon seeing her. Pride, what she had left of it, held her back from turning to face the eyes she could feel burning into her. Surprisingly the questions she'd prepared herself to deflect didn't come, but impatience rather than relief was the result of his silence. "Commander." She muttered softly in pensive greeting.
He seemed to have been waiting for this acknowledgement and gave a short nod before walking past her. She watched with increasing bemusement as he seemed to ignore her, instead striding to the container next to her alcove and rummaging in it until he pulled out something familiar to them both, the blanket the Ventu had given her. With a gentle smile he held it out, "You look cold." He said by way of explanation, "This is as good a time to put it to use as any."
The telltale twitch of a smile in his lips, the light of humour in his eyes, pierced Seven's defences enough for her to reply in the same tone, "Yes, I suppose it is." She admitted, her shoulders losing a little of their slump as she took the blanket from him. His smile widened hopefully at this answer and he impulsively knelt down beside her. Seven felt her cheeks warm up as she saw his eyes, probably unconsciously, sweep swiftly over her frame. Hastily she pulled the blanket tightly around herself to cover the revealing ballet outfit. She then raised a careful eyebrow at him, "You're only here to check on my temperature Commander?" she asked with tired sarcasm, growing exasperated with his procrastination.
Chakotay had to bite back a smile at that, even while marvelling seriously at her ability to disarm anyone who tried to talk to her, well, she'd have to try a bit harder with him. "Not exactly." He conceded, pausing to consider how best to approach this conversation before deciding that a direct route would be best. "Do you want to talk about tonight? You certainly gave everyone a surprise."
Seven turned her face fully to his, her gaze unreadable. "It would've surprised you less than the others Commander, since you've witnessed my attempts at ballet before." She replied quietly.
Chakotay felt his mouth drop open, blood rushing to his face. She knew he'd watched her? "I…I did." He croaked out, becoming flustered when she didn't immediately launch into an angry tirade. "I didn't mean to…spy on you." He tried to explain awkwardly, "I thought the holodeck was malfunctioning. I should've left when I realised it was legitimate but you...you were…" He stopped, struggling for the right word but Seven took advantage of the pause to interrupt him.
"Ridiculous?" she finished for him tightly, "You'd be right…"
Chakotay stared at her, dumbfounded. "I was going to say mesmerising." He corrected sharply, "Why would you think that? You're so good and you enjoy it so much, why would I see otherwise?"
Seven studied him intently, surprised by the sincerity and even bemusement in his voice. She allowed a soft sigh to leave her throat as she met his open, honest gaze again. Part of her wasn't sure whether, or what exactly, to confide in him, but she couldn't bear the thought of him thinking worse of her because had given him no explanation for her conduct. "It is ridiculous because I myself do not fully understand why I did it." She murmured honestly, stiffening in preparation for the disbelief which, in reality, didn't cross his face. He just gave a simple nod, encouraging her to continue, "I suppose I was feeling…dissatisfied with my life here after my experience with Unimatrix Zero…" She admitted, lowering her head in shame since she was well aware that as one of the only freed Borg in the galaxy she should feel lucky and happy with her lot. "I do not mean that I do not appreciate Voyager…" She began to retract hastily.
Chakotay silenced with a gentle squeeze of her hands. An involuntary shiver travelled up her arms at the touch and she was surprised to feel his warm thumb trace over the metal of her enhanced hand with no apparent revulsion. "I know that's not what you mean." He assured her firmly, "No one would ever think that after what you've done for this crew over the years."
Seven found that she had to gulp down a sudden and inexplicable lump in her throat as he said this and had to wait a moment before speaking again. "I am relieved to hear that." She murmured almost inaudibly, shooting him a grateful look which warmed his heart before continuing where she left off. "After Unimatrix Zero's collapse, what small memories I had from there and my childhood bothered me more than previously. I began to see the deficiencies in my behaviour that had always been pointed out to me but I'd ignored or been ignorant of before, but I did not know how to correct them." She fiercely blinked back the tears of regret that were threatening behind her eyes, "I began to run holodeck programmes to help me…" She stopped, eyeing him nervously. Irrationally panic filled her that just from her saying this he could guess about her intense simulations with a hologram of him, but she quickly suppressed these fears as impossible. "At first I just watched ballets; one of my only clear childhood memories was when my parents took me to see "Swan Lake" just before we left on the Raven." She halted, her thoughts obscured by the torrent of grief which occasionally enveloped her, if only for a moment. "Eventually that pastime somehow developed into teaching myself ballet, pointless as that would seem."
"Pointless?" Chakotay echoed unhappily, "I don't think so Seven, far from it." He told her as firmly as he could, "All that you've just said is very human, no one has any right to judge you and you shouldn't be so harsh on yourself."
Seven sighed, feeling relieved by his assurances despite herself. "I shouldn't have shirked my duties for the sake of my own comfort." Chakotay didn't bother fighting her on this point, having realised by now that she would not, at least not now, be convinced that some things overtook a sense of duty. "I even…" She whispered, colour returning to her face as a furious blush, "…hid my implants in these simulations, you cannot excuse that."
Chakotay's answer was slow and considered, "You're allowed to do whatever you want on the holodecks Seven, it's none of my business, but I never want you to think that you have to hide a part of yourself to be human, because that's not true." Impulsively, he let his fingers brush her chin, tilting her face to his so he could look fully into her face. "Believe me, you're a beautiful woman, dancing or not dancing, implants or no implants."
Seven stiffened in disbelief at first, then relaxed into the warmth of the compliment just as he grew nervous and pulled away from her sheepishly. "Thank you for your assurances Commander." She murmured softly, then forced her lips into a wry smile in an attempt to remove the sudden awkwardness between them, "However, I'm still sure the Doctor will advise me that I would've been better to use my time in his socialisation programmes, perfecting the art of conversation."
Chakotay gave an incredulous laugh, "Well the Doctor is allowed to think what he wants, you're conversing fine as far as I'm concerned." He gave her another searching look, "We all need to escape sometimes Seven, look at Tom's Captain Proton programme or the Captain when she goes to Fair Haven. You've seen that I'm still like a kid in a candy shop when it comes to anything anthropological, we all have dreams we like to live out."
Seven flashed him a wan smile, "Don't worry, I haven't quite stooped to Captain Proton for my entertainment as yet…" She stopped, the blood draining abruptly from her face once again, as the Cargo Bay doors opened to admit a new arrival, "Good Evening Captain." She mumbled with as much composure as she could muster.
Captain Janeway smiled in relief as she rapidly approached them. "Well, you've given us all the run around tonight Seven." She remarked while giving Chakotay a surprised and grateful glance, "I see Chakotay found you. I hope he's managed to convince you not to abandon your audience."
"He has spoken to me." Seven answered, her expression unreadable as she shakily rose up to her full height to stand between the Captain and Chakotay. "I apologise for my conduct."
The Captain shook her head dismissively, "No need, you did nothing wrong, other than being unconventional as always." She sighed slightly at this, causing Seven to flinch and Chakotay to frown. "But I would like some explanation as to how you managed…"
"I taught myself Captain." Seven cut in to answer simply, her tone dismissing the achievement as unremarkable.
"You taught yourself ballet?" The Captain repeated incredulously, lost for words for a moment, "Why exactly? It's so difficult…"
Seven shrugged off the difficulty nonchalantly. "I have always admired it, and the Doctor and yourself are always encouraging me to take up a form of artistic expression."
Chakotay, feeling uncomfortable, decided it was time to take his leave for Seven to be able to confide in the Captain as much as she wished. "I'd better get back to the Bridge." He said quietly, turning away, but not before he saw Seven's reaction which was both panicky and, for an instant, hurt.
"Commander, I…" She started to say, flushing as she remembered the Captain's presence. "Thank you."
Chakotay gave her hand the tiniest of presses out of sight of the Captain before replying reassuringly, "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes Seven, don't worry about your work." The Captain agreed as Chakotay left, "I don't think you'll get away with a quiet night, everyone wants to congratulate you, since you didn't give them the chance earlier.
If Seven heard the note of reproach in this, for the Captain was hurt, as were most of her friends, that she had not told them of her new talent, she did not react to it in the slightest instead bracing herself for a torrent of questions as she left the comparative safety of the Cargo Bay.
A/n: This chapter took me three days to write it was so difficult! I hope it's better than I think it is. PLEASE REVIEW! :D