A soft click sounded in Seven's ear as the regeneration cycle finished and she shook her head absentmindedly as she stepped of the alcove in attempt to shift the lingering images of her dream from her mind. Previously she had only ever had dreams in times of great physical and mental distress but ever since her evening with Chakotay twelve days before, they had been occurring every night without fail. She racked her brain as to why but could only give the unsatisfactory answer that they were caused by her own emotional disturbance rather than any external factors. The last twelve days had been full of upheaval and stress for the whole crew, Neelix had left them and the Captain had been kidnapped, held hostage and saved by the Doctor, an environment not conductive of romantic relations to be fair but the fact that Chakotay had done nothing further hurt her and cemented her belief that he considered their evening at best a counselling session and at worst an unrepeatable mistake.
Chakotay jerked awake and sat bolt upright in bed, coated in sweat and breathing hard. "Computer, time." He asked the computer.
"0700 hours." Said the computer's staid female voice.
Damn, he thought to himself as he sank back down. He had only gone to bed at four that morning after completing an eighteen hour shift to compensate for the fact that Kathryn was on medical leave after her rescue. He couldn't get by on just three hours of sleep. Even as he thought this he knew it was pointless to try to rest again, his mind was too preoccupied with Seven to possibly give into exhaustion. He jumped in a cold shower in an attempt to refresh before ordering a coffee from his replicator, the Captain's beverage of choice was not normally to his taste but nothing about his current feelings was normal and he needed the caffeine to sustain him for the long day ahead. As he sat down he allowed himself to ponder his feelings for Seven while fully awake for the first time in days. They were romantic to the brink of passionate in nature; his heart could no longer deny that and it wasn't that that made him uneasy but her reaction. He had been touched by her ability to confide in him and treasured that above all else. He feared going too far, losing all he had gained, if he presented her with these new feelings. Are you going to let fear going to hold you back from what you want forever? Keep avoiding her so you don't need to face it? He mentally asked himself. Before he could answer those burning questions his comm badge beeped insistently. "Yes?" he asked, sounding slightly agitated.
Ensign Kim's voice responded. "Commander, I'm sorry to wake you" I was already awake and it wasn't because of you, thought Chakotay wryly. "but there's a Halkan ship requesting aid and the Doctor said not to disturb the Captain…"
"It's okay Harry, I'm on my way." Personal dilemmas will have to wait.
Seven strode through the halls once again, distracted from thoughts on her personal life by another busy day, sorting out technological aid for the disease ridden Halkans. As she turned the corner to go to Astrometrics, she saw an upset looking Naomi Wildman. "Naomi Wildman, are you all right?"
"Yes…but" she paused, her lower lip wobbling, "the Halkan children look so ill."
"And?" probed Seven as gently as she could, she could see there was something else behind her young friend's distress.
Naomi looked up at her with shining eyes. "I…miss Neelix."
Seven looked down at the little girl feeling the need to soothe her, she more than anyone knew the debilitating effect that loneliness could have, considered what could be done. "If you come to the holodeck at 1900 hours I will give you a piano lesson." Seven was nothing if not a believer in the idea that pain could be lessened by activity.
"Really?" said Naomi, hopeful and pleased, her interest piqued.
"Certainly. Naomi, I know how difficult it is to adapt to a change in circumstances, but it will become less arduous in time."
Comforted by Seven's uniquely phrased but sincere words, Naomi hugged her impulsively. Though surprised Seven returned the gesture with affection.
As Naomi let go of her she asked somewhat mischievously, "The Doctor won't come to our lesson will he?"
Seven gave a small smile; the Doctor's pompous self superiority when it came to music was such that even she could not tolerate him for long. "No."
"1900 hours, then" said Naomi her happy smile returning to her. When Seven nodded her head in confirmation, she beamed and bounced off down the hall called back a quick "See you later" as she went.
Feeling better now that she had something pleasing to fill her dreaded off hours, Seven returned to work.
A drained and exasperated Chakotay passed through those same halls that evening, glad to be finally free of that days duties, an extremely distressing visit from the Halkans and trying to placate a bored Captain. He halted outside Astrometrics, he had been drawn to it even though he had no business there, a new determination to clarify where he and Seven stood filling him and before he could talk himself out of it he entered purposefully, only to find Icheb alone.
As Icheb whirled round to face him, his back as straight as ramrod, he said "How can I assist you Commander?" If Chakotay had been less agitated he would have smiled as the phrase and posture were so reminiscent of Seven, but as it was he just got straight to the point." Where's Seven?"
"I have relieved her Commander, What is it that you require?"
"I don't require anything; I just need to speak to her."
Although confused and intrigued by the change of manner in the normally calm and controlled Commander, Icheb gave a comprehensive answer as was his nature. "She when off duty at 1842 hours to prepare for Naomi Wildman's piano lesson at 1900 hours."
She's teaching Naomi to play piano? Great, I can talk to her before she starts.
Icheb was going to ask the Commander a complex question relating to their history lessons, but he didn't get a chance as Chakotay left hurriedly with a distracted thanks.
Having arranged the holodeck to her specifications with ten minutes to spare, Seven now stood unoccupied. Deciding to practice before her pupil arrived; she cast aside her past favourite, Chopin, too filled with memories of her previous simulations to be tolerable and in an unconscious reflection on her present mood chose Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. As she sat down her gaze found the metronome and she guiltily set it aside, emotions concerning Chakotay, both real and holographic bubbling to the surface before being promptly forced from her mind. Although she was totally unaware of it, these emotions found their outlet as she began to play and she was thus unaware when Chakotay himself entered.
When he entered Chakotay had intended to make himself known, but the music silenced and transfixed him as soon as it caressed his ear, his rational mind going completely blank. He was dimly aware of the fact that she didn't know he was watching her yet he couldn't tear himself away from such an outpouring of emotion he hadn't thought she was capable of. Beautiful though it was, the music had a melancholy undertone that saddened him deeply.
Seven felt an instant relief as soon as she had finished for it had given her the emotional release she needed. It wasn't until she turned around that she saw the cause before her and reeled in shock, blushing and turning deathly pale by turns. It wasn't until their eyes met that the spell broke and Chakotay realised he had committed the worse intrusion of privacy possible and involuntarily stepped back in embarrassment and mortification. Seven was more shaken by the expression she had caught on his face before it turned to fear and embarrassment, one she couldn't identify but anyone else would have been able to tell her was one of admiration bordering on adoration.
They looked at each other in paralysed fear, before the timely entrance of Naomi freed them somewhat. Chakotay tried to leave as unobtrusively as possible but Naomi cut him off with "Stay and listen, Commander please, Seven's so good."
Cornered, Chakotay tried once more to get out of it. "Yes I know…but I wouldn't want to disrupt your lesson…"
"You wouldn't be! Would he Seven?" said Naomi sweetly, turning to her teacher.
Her head low, Seven could only mumble "No…no, of course not."
Her triumphant smile made the thought that Naomi knew or sensed something was going on flash through both Seven and Chakotay's mind, but they immediately gave into her gentle manipulation feeling something they would only later acknowledge as gratitude.
The lesson itself was outwardly uneventful, despite two of the participants being in the full storm of inner turmoil and just as they thought it was ending Naomi came up with another idea. "Seven, let's play kadiskot, Commander if you play too then Icheb can come. Please, it'll be fun."
Neither of them could think of something they wanted less but they also inexplicably didn't want to part so both of them agreed. "Great! I'll go and get Icheb and my lucky kadiskot board."
Seven, willing to interact with but not to be alone with Chakotay interrupted "I will summon him, and create holographic boards."
"It'll only take a minute." Said Naomi, flashing them an impish smile.
As the doors closed behind her an awkward silence settled on them, Seven unable to bear it any longer and true to her decisive nature spoke up "Commander…"
"Yes?"
She stepped back, her nerve wavering, but when she saw her own emotions reflected in his expression her resolve returned. "Forgive my probable misunderstanding of your intentions, but do we share…emotions of an intimate nature."
Chakotay had to stop him himself from breathing an audible sigh of relief at the elephant in the room being spoken of, but felt a large twinge of guilt when he looked at the pale and trembling young woman before him, that she had been braver than he. "Yes…I'd like to think that we do, on my side to be certain…"
"Really?"
"Why are you so surprised? I mean, I've never been on a four hour first date before!"
"Is this our second date?"
"I'd like that."
"Do you think Naomi will stop…encouraging us now?"
Chakotay laughed out loud at that remark, making Seven think what a pleasant sound it was. "Yes, I think we're finally past that stage."
"It was a great deal more complicated than in the Doctor's social lessons." Admitted Seven.
Chakotay smiled and they came closer, the despised awkwardness banished by their joint admission. Just then, Naomi and Icheb entered carrying two boards and their one on one was at an end although when Seven went back to the piano Chakotay followed her, placing his hand over her cybernetic one, and with a glance over at the good naturedly bickering Icheb and Naomi, leaned over to whisper in her ear "The third date, we'll do alone."
Seven, embarrassed and exhilarated by the sensation of his breath on her face, allowed herself to grip his fingers slightly before turning to him. "I concur." She said with a new confidence and a bright smile.
A/n: Sorry I'm a day late! I had a bit of writers block and I'm still not overly pleased with this chapter. Please review and tell me what you think.