The small, dim, corridor which connected Cargo Bay 2 to the rest of the ship was generally quiet, abandoned even. Not many people ever had much cause to take this route into the very bowels of the ship after all and it was considered, rightly, to be Seven's domain, a fact which made it happily off limits to most. The night of the talent show couldn't be more different from usual however. As Seven slipped out into the corridor behind the Captain, she found it to be more packed with people than she'd ever known it to be. There were of course the curious stragglers, people Seven would struggle to say more about that the scanty facts in their personnel files, but they as well as the senior officers she knew to be friends smiled at the sight of her tonight. She couldn't help but be caught off guard as several people launched into eager questions at once, and involuntarily stepped back, her deeply ingrained dislike of crowds asserting itself powerfully. A pleasingly familiar jovial voice jerked her back to her senses, "Congratulations Seven, I always knew you were more talented than the rest of us put together." Tom told her warmly with a friendly grin.
B'Elanna good-naturedly agreed with the compliment by giving Seven a smile of equal warmth, even as she arched her eyebrows at her husband, "Have to agree with you there, but what about your and the Doctor's epic battle?" she teased.
Tom dismissed that with a wave of his hand, chuckling, "Oh, he's already forgotten about that. He's too busy planning how his singing and Seven's dancing could share the same stage."
Tuvok, who'd also managed to join the group at one point, perceptively noticed Seven's slight grimace that the idea and remarked calmly, "I'm certain we can convince him that would detract from both of your unique talents Seven."
Seven inclined her head gratefully towards Tuvok, still too overwhelmed by this unprecedented praise for words. "Yes, I think we'll talk him out of that one." Janeway agreed with an amused smile before turning to Neelix, "What do you think Neelix?"
"Maybe as an encore?" he suggested, "I think any audience would want to see them separately too." He looked apprehensively at a noticeably silent Seven, "That is, of course, if you wouldn't mind performing again something Seven?" He asked gently, "Tonight's show was such a success we're planning another for next month, and since you certainly had the biggest impact…"
"Come Seven, you have to." Harry pressed, "I'd like to see you again…" He blushed a little as Tom quirked his eyebrows teasingly at him out of Seven's line of sight. "It…it just wouldn't be the same." He concluded lamely in a flustered tone.
"Seven?" The Captain prompted carefully as the others awaited an answer.
Seven swallowed nervously, feeling unsettled. She wasn't sure what she truly expected the crew's reactions to be, but she certainly hadn't envisioned this scenario. "Well, I suppose I could, if you think its necessary…" She halted as they answered her with laughs or rolled eyes."I will need time to develop a new routine; my decision to dance tonight was somewhat…impulsive."
Seeing that she was embarrassed, Tom gave the ex-Borg a gentle, almost brotherly, pat on the shoulder. "It was all the better for it." He assured her kindly, "I for one put the most faith in my impulsive decisions." He joked.
Harry stifled a chortle and B'Elanna gave a snort, "You would!" she replied laughingly but affectionately.
"I concur." Tuvok echoed in a deadpan tone before catching the Captain's eye. "You are all supposed to be assisting Commander Chakotay on the Bridge." He reminded them.
"Yes sir." They all respectfully demurred but Harry gave Seven one final encouraging comment, "See you on stage Seven."
"Thank you Ensign." Seven murmured, unsure of how else to respond and automatically moving to follow Tuvok and the others, but the Captain held her back.
"Wait a minute Seven." She advised, "You've had an eventful evening, I'm sure you can be released from Bridge duty for one night."
Seven nodded in acceptance, taking the Captain's cue to walk beside her. "I apologise for the…upheaval I've caused Captain. I did not intend or anticipate this reaction…"
Janeway shook her head firmly. "Like I just told you Seven, you have nothing to apologise for. You gave everyone a pleasant surprise, myself included, and those are uplifting once in a while."
Seven remained silent for a few minutes, unsure of how to express herself in the face of absolution for what she considered unworthy behaviour. "I am…uncertain why reactions have been so strong, why I'm being praised in this way…"
The Captain gave a small, fond smile at her protégé's perplexed naivety, "Well, you gave a very good performance tonight, an amazing one in fact, so that's merit in itself." She reminded her, "You connected with the crew in a purely human way you haven't been able to before..." She continued thoughtfully, "I'm so proud of you for that alone." She added emphatically.
Seven smiled briefly, touched by the rare open compliment, but a confused frown still marred her features. "Connected how Captain? I haven't changed…"
The Captain uttered a dry laugh, "Oh but you have Seven! You never could've done anything as expressive as that dance four years ago." Seven winced, but quickly nodded at the statement's truthfulness. The Captain sighed and looked at her seriously, "I'm not saying this to hurt you, but you can be intimidating. Tonight everyone saw how much capacity you have to be human."
Seven stopped in her tracks as she tried to process this, taking a deep breath. "If you are correct, then I have overachieved in my objective. I only wanted to prove…" She trailed off, for some reason unwilling to go into as much detail about her motivation with the Captain as she had with Chakotay.
"Well, you did." The Captain approved before her lips twisted into a knowing smile. "But I'm sure Chakotay already reassured you of that and more."
Colour instantly tinged Seven's cheeks, the thought flashed through Janeway's mind that she'd seen Seven blush more tonight than she had over the previous four years! "Yes…" Seven answered softly, "His reassurances have been…invaluable to me this evening." A fleeting glow entered her eyes, and although it was gone within an instant, the Captain saw it.
"Talking with him tends to turn out that way." The Captain agreed sagely, "I think that's one of his special talents, don't you think?"
Seven averted her gaze shyly, another small blush gracing her features as she considered her answer. "Undoubtedly." She finally replied, her head bowed and her voice so soft the Captain had to strain to hear her.
Janeway found that she was fighting back a smile. A suspicion that had first entered the back of her mind when she witnessed first hand the bond that had formed between Chakotay and Seven after the incident with the Ventu, fuelled by her seeing them together in the Cargo Bay tonight, was solidified in her mind by Seven's behaviour. She slowly realised, as they walked together in silence, that she as relieved by this new closeness. She'd known for a long time that Seven wouldn't be satisfied forever by the mentor relationships she had with herself and the Doctor, nor the friendly banter of the crew. She was glad that her permanent separation from Axum and Unimatrix Zero hadn't resigned Seven to lifelong loneliness, as she'd once feared. Also to her relief, jealousy didn't come. She was fond of Chakotay, as physically attracted to him as any woman would be, but she'd known for many years that there was too much friction there for anything lasting. For him and Seven though, to her own surprise, she could see a future. Chakotay had been through the mill relationship wise, she knew, not least with Seska, who'd brutally ripped his heart into bitter splinters. Seven, for all of her life's tragedies, or perhaps because of them, was a fundamentally innocent soul, as opposite to Seska's toxic, confident deceptiveness as could be possible. Furthermore, as tonight had already shown, Seven flourished under the influence of his consistent kindness and concern. There were very few men Kathryn Janeway would've trusted to both handle and care for the fragile young woman who was, in most ways, a surrogate daughter to her and Chakotay was definitely one of them. With these thoughts fresh in her mind and seeing that Seven had withdrawn into her own world, she decided to speak, "I'm glad you managed to develop that part of yourself Seven, try to do the same with other aspects of your life, okay? It will do you all the good in the world. You have my blessing, and I'm sure everyone else's too."
Seven's head snapped up and she stared at Janeway uncertainly, sensing that she was being given permission in some way but unsure as to what for. "Thank you Captain." She murmured, awkward but sincere.
Naomi's hand gripped the dance pole until her knuckles turned white, but the effort was worth it as the tips of her toes took all of her remaining weight, putting her new ballet shoes to full effect. "Look!" she exclaimed in ecstatic delight, "I'm doing it! I'm doing!"
Her mother, Samantha Wildman, smiled at her indulgently from her seat at the back of the holographic dance studio. "Well done sweetheart!" she exclaimed with proud warmth, "You look beautiful."
Seven, in her new role as instructor, nodded in agreement, smiling at the beaming little girl. "Yes, you are doing very well Naomi." She said in satisfaction before joining her pupil at the pole and gently moving her into a better posture. "That's enough now. One minute is long enough to hold that position at this stage."
Naomi pouted, staying on the points of her feet. "But Seven, you can do whole routines in harder positions than this!"
"I have only been teaching you for a week Naomi Wildman, I assure you your progression is excellent but you are young and still growing, I do not wish to damage you by pushing you too far too quickly." Seven explained as patiently as she could, "Do you understand?"
"Yes Seven." Naomi replied contritely, immediately lowering herself so that she stood normally again. "I won't get hurt, I promise!"
Seven breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." She answered shortly but not without warmth. "Why don't I show you…" The sound of the holodeck's doors opening interrupted her and when she saw who the new arrival was she promptly forgot what she had been going to say. "Good Morning Commander." She greeted him in soft politeness.
Chakotay smiled widely at her for a moment without speaking, "Hi." He eventually replied warmly, clearing his throat as he looked around, smiling quickly at Naomi and Samantha. "I see Naomi kept you to your promise." He commented.
"Faithfully." Seven answered wryly, with an affectionate glance at the girl. "Naomi has been an exceptional pupil thus far."
"Yeah Commander, look what I can do already!" Naomi exclaimed, immediately returning to the dance pole.
"Naomi…" Samantha murmured gently to check her daughter's enthusiasm, glancing between Chakotay and Seven.
Naomi grinned to herself as she cottoned on, hastily retracting. "I'll show you when I've had more practise Commander."
"I look forward to it." Chakotay told her sincerely.
"What brings you here Commander?" Seven asked after a few seconds of silence, grimacing at her own tone, made stilted by nerves.
Chakotay started to look equally nervous. "Actually I was looking for you." He admitted. Seven's eyebrows rose questioningly as she obligingly came closer, making Chakotay's hands break out in a cold sweat as he tried to speak, "I was hoping you'd join me here in the holodeck at 1930 hours? I booked a slot and there's something I'd like to show you."
"Show…" Seven started to repeat, blushing as she stopped herself and suddenly feeling a real answer flood out from her mouth. "I'd be happy to assist…accompany you Commander."
"Chakotay, please." He requested before a smile lit his features, "I'll see you at 1930 hours then."
Seven found herself returning the unusually wide smile in kind. "1930 hours." She murmured.
He nodded to himself, still grinning, and left the holodeck hurriedly without another word. Seven on the other hand remained rooted to the spot. Only Samantha's concerned tap of her arm knocked her partially out of her daze. "Do you want help choosing a dress Seven?" Samantha asked kindly, knowing better than Seven herself what she'd just agreed to.
Seven gulped so hard it was audible. "I'd…appreciate that Ensign."
A/n: How did I do with this chapter then? I don't think I've ever tried to write the Captain so supportive before! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW and tell me what you think! :D