As they both adapted to life on Earth, their homesickness for Voyager lessening and their careers developing though not always as they expected, life for Seven and Chakotay settled into a happy routine and as Christmas of 2377 approached, six months after Voyager's triumphant return, they were still living together in his apartment, what had originally been a temporary arrangement had rapidly become permanent as their emotions and lives became intrinsically intertwined.
With the start of December the inevitable parade of strings of bright lights and sumptuously decorated trees began to line every street of San Francisco. As the last two weeks of the month dawned, Seven was walking home from her last day at work at the Federation Institute of Physics as it closed for the holidays. She was slightly irked and confused that everything closed for two weeks either side of the 25th of December, it was a waste of a perfectly good working month, if they'd had that amount of shore leave on Voyager they would still be in the Delta Quadrant. Her mind was still working hard as she let herself into the apartment and sat down abruptly on the couch beside Chakotay whom she absentmindedly kissed lightly in greeting before kicking off her shoes with a sigh of exasperation.
Intrigued by this unusually open sign of frustration, Chakotay asked, "Penny for your thoughts?"
Seven frowned in uncertainty at the phrase, but got enough of its meaning to respond. "My thoughts? I am once again irritated by the emotional reactions of my colleagues, they do not respond well when I correct their misconceptions."
Chakotay couldn't help laughing, I'm sure they're not reacting well. Who would when the theories they've been working on for years are instantly dismissed by a woman young enough to be their daughter or granddaughter? "Scientists have pet theories my love, they won't like it when you immediately dismiss years of work and correct them with your own theories."
"If I know something is incorrect it is cruel not to inform them. They would waste time if I did not. The Borg have knowledge of millions of species, they should be happy to gain such advanced information."
"I'm sure they are…deep down, it's just that not everyone is as practical as you when it come to these things, try to be patient with them."
"I will make an attempt. How is your work?"
"Boring, as usual." He sighed bitterly, he didn't like his work.
Seven deftly changed the subject. "Explain the importance of Christmas to me."
Chakotay was by now used to her sudden questions, but this one stunned him. "Christmas? It's the most important holiday of the year for the vast majority of humans."
"It was not celebrated by the crew on Voyager."
"No…well, the Captain decided it would be too upsetting for the crew. Christmas is a very family orientated holiday."
"Why?"
Her ignorance saddened him, she couldn't even remember Christmas. "It's traditional to be with your family and friends at Christmas. There are presents round a tree and a big meal."
"You sit around a tree outside in the depths of Earth's winter?" asked Seven incredulously, even in the relative warmth of San Francisco that would surely not be pleasant.
"No! The tree is inside and decorated and you open the presents before your meal."
"You expect all these arrangements this year?"
"No…I mean it would be nice I suppose…"
"If you desire it, you will have it. I will conduct research."
"You don't have to, Seven…"
"I will." She smiled wryly at his expression, "You know I like a challenge as much as you do."
Chakotay gave in under the light of her earnestness. "All right, but let me help you…"
As she disappeared off to conduct what he knew would be hours of intense research, Chakotay couldn't help thinking that he had just opened a very big can of worms.
Several days later, Seven was on the phone with her Aunt Irene, discussing her plans. "Will you be able to attend, Aunt Irene?" Her relationship with her aunt had been growing close since their first meeting and Seven consulted her about many things. Her flashbacks and dreams about her parents still occurred but they had become less frequent as her life had calmed down.
"Of course I will, Annika! Do you want me to come early to help you prepare?"
"I would appreciate that." The console she was using suddenly flashed a red light. "I'm getting another call, may I call you back?"
"Of course." They said goodbye quickly and Seven pressed a button which made her aunt's face fade away and be replaced by a man she didn't know.
"I'm sorry for interrupting your evening ma'am, may I speak to Chakotay?"
"Of course, I will inform him." She rose and walked into the living room. "You have a call, my love." She told him softly.
"Who is it?"
"I don't know."
Chakotay went to the bedroom and sat at the console, Seven discreetly taking her leave.
"Am I speaking to Chakotay?" asked the man.
"Yes, to whom am I speaking?"
He man smiled. "Oh yes, I haven't introduced myself have I? Your beautiful wife threw me off track."
Chakotay didn't bother to tell him that Seven wasn't his wife. "Yes, she can do that to most men."
The man laughed, "Certainly! Anyway the reason I'm calling you is to see if you are interested in a job offer. I'm Jake Robinson and I'm head of human resources at the Federation Institute of Anthropology, Earth Branch, in Flagstaff, Arizona."
To say that Chakotay was shocked would have been an understatement. A job offer? In the very place he'd longed to study since childhood? Robinson laughed again, "I can see on your face that you're considering it!"
"You're joking right? Of course I'm considering it! It's been my dream to work there…"
"Oh, we know, you have come very highly recommended. The job is Senior Ancient Culture Anthropologist, with a lecturing role at the school. The Board of Directors' want to meet you at the end of the holidays."
"To interview me?" asked Chakotay apprehensively, he hadn't been to a job interview in twelve years at least.
"More accurately for you to interview them."
Chakotay blew air out through his teeth, "It sounds perfect, there must be a catch?"
"Well it depends whether you consider living in Flagstaff a catch, you could continue to live in San Francisco if you wanted of course, but in the past people have found commuting tiresome even with transporters."
Move out there? Could he do that to Seven? Would she come with him? These questions whirled around his head as the conversation continued.
When the conversation finally drew to a close, he returned back to Seven looking so anxious that she immediately asked him what was wrong.
"I've been offered a job."
"Really? Where?"
"At the Federation Institute of Anthropology in Arizona, as a Senior Ancient Cultures Anthropologist, I would get to teach too."
"That is wonderful, it is what you have always desired, you must call them back and accept."
"There's one thing, we would need to move down there."
"That is no obstacle, I am sure it's a pleasant environment, I can work anywhere."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes! Only people attach me to this city and I can visit, I will have you and you will be happier…unless you would prefer to live alone…this was supposed to be a temporary arrangement…"
Chakotay stopped her with a long tender kiss, pulling back only slightly to murmur huskily, "Neither one of us is going to live alone until the other is dead, ok sweetheart?"
"Yes" replied Seven. "What arrangements have you made?"
"I said I'd go and meet them in January, I was going to take you on holiday to see some more of Earth though…"
"I have yet to see the Grand Canyon with my own eyes and I would like to assess where we're going to live."
His only response to that was passionate repetitive kissing.
They decided to keep their decision to themselves until it was finalised, so when Christmas Eve dawned only Icheb, who had moved from Starfleet Academy to stay with them for the holidays, knew of it.
When Chakotay entered the room that morning he found both former drones kneeling on the floor surrounded by data pads. "What have you got planned for today?"
"We are going to decorate the rooms and purchase a Christmas tree." Seven answered.
"And purchase a table big enough for all the guests." Icheb interjected.
Seven nodded to Icheb in thanks. "You are correct Icheb. Thank you for reminding me. It would have been a regrettable omission."
Chakotay thought about telling them not to work too hard, but knew it would fall on two sets of deaf ears. "I'm going out to run some errands, ok?"
"That's fine." Seven replied distractedly, reading her data pads.
Chakotay picked up a bag from their bedroom and walked straight to the jewellers in the city centre, pulling a large square box from the bag as he did so, setting it down on the counter."Hello, I'm here for the bracelet I ordered to match this." He told the shop assistant, opening the box to reveal a fabulous necklace, a huge pale blue aquamarine hanging from a rope of flawless pearls. The shop assistant gazed in awe and immediately went to get his order. The necklace itself was to be a gift to Seven from her Aunt Irene; it was a Hansen family heirloom apparently. She had brought it to Chakotay to seek his advice as to whether she would like to have it as she had never seen Seven wearing any jewellery. Chakotay had been so sure that she would he had ordered a matching bracelet made as his present to her. When the bracelet came it was prefect, a string of pearls with an aquamarine hanging from it just like the necklace. A male assistant saw him and piped up, "We have some lovely engagement rings that would complement that set sir."
Chakotay looked up in surprise. "How did you know I was…"
"I've been working here twenty years, you get a sense." He knelt down and drew out a set of rings from a case. "Take a look."
One immediately jumped out at him, a relatively simple platinum ring with a diamond set in the centre and an aquamarine either side. It only took him a matter of seconds to make a life changing decision. "Can you keep it here?"
Presents were also the topic of conversation with Seven and Icheb. "What did you get him Seven?" Icheb asked, feeling curious.
Seven flushed slightly as she showed him the present, she wasn't sure if it was adequate or appropriate. It was a beautiful watch with the pattern of Earth's constellations engraved on the face. "His father got him a similar one for his twenty first birthday but he lost it in a battle with the Cardassians, I hope he is not offended by my replacement of such a sentimental item…"
Icheb took her by the shoulders and gave her a direct piercing gaze. "I am certain he won't be offended."
Chakotay reeled back in shock when he entered the apartment that afternoon. It was transformed into Christmas itself, red and gold decorations were everywhere, a real tree dominated one corner, the most beautifully decorated one he had ever seen, laden with intricate hangings. I should have known, he thought laughing inwardly, I've never known either of them to lack ambition. Icheb noticed him staring at the tree and said apologetically, "I'm sorry for the tree's lack of proportion, Chakotay, we could not locate a tree which matched the dimensions of this room exactly."
"That's okay Icheb…" Chakotay suddenly noticed Seven glancing from the tree to a data pad in her hand and back again with a dissatisfied frown on her face. "What's wrong Seven?"
"The tree does not match the picture exactly."
It was only then that Chakotay realised they had been using pictures as a reference to copy from. He took the pad from her hands and glanced at it. "No it doesn't match, its better." He clasped her hand, "Everything's perfect, both of you, just try to relax now, ok?"
"As you wish." Both Seven and Icheb replied in exact unison.
The next morning went off without a hitch, Seven loved both her necklace and bracelet to an intense degree but had to be coaxed into wearing them by Chakotay as she was afraid to damage them. Chakotay was touched by her remembering the story of the watch and put it on immediately to assure her, kissing her several times in public without the excuse of mistletoe in appreciation.
Everyone was about to arrive for the evening meal, all of Voyager's senior officers and Naomi and got out of previous commitments just to see what Seven, who had only known about Christmas for a couple of weeks, managed to pull off. The meal went well, everyone was very impressed, even the Admiral who passed the right to give the toast to an embarrassed Seven who stood up awkwardly, staying silent until Chakotay smiled encouragement. "Thank you all for coming…" she paused to let them give their thanks. "I want to wish you all a…Merry Christmas and may 2378 be a year of new beginnings for us all."
"Here, Here!" Said Chakotay, giving her a significant smile as she sat back down.
A/n: I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written, so please review with your thoughts. I know I'm being a bit unseasonal, but the idea of a Christmas chapter was just too cute for me to resist! I'll update soon.