Seven looked herself apprehensively up and down in the mirror, even to herself she looked pale and nervous as she waited for the Voyager senior officers to arrive at the dinner where she and Chakotay would tell them of their engagement and imminent relocation. Despite Chakotay's many attempts to convince her otherwise, she still strongly felt that their reactions would leave much to be desired.
The sparkle of the ring on her human hand caught her eye as always and with a regretful sigh she twisted it around so that only the plain platinum band was visible if you looked at the back of her hand. She stood unmoving like this for several more minutes until Chakotay silently approached her and put his arms round her waist from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. Feeling her jump slightly at the touch, Chakotay felt concerned. "What are you thinking about?" he whispered in her ear.
Seven shifted a little to avoid the distracting ticklish sensation his breath always gave her skin but continued to tilt her head towards his as she responded. "Nothing of any true relevance."
The barely noticeable turn of her lips as she said this told Chakotay just to leave it. Moving on to another topic he said, "That huge meal you're making to butter them up smells great."
Seven stepped away from him, her eyes flashing. "I am not buttering them up!"
Realising that he'd perhaps chosen to tease her at the wrong time, Chakotay began to backtrack. "I know you're not intending to but it will have that effect."
Seven backed against the wall with a shaky breath, feeling irritated that she had allowed herself to lash out, reaching for his hand she squeezed in a silent plea for forgiveness, he kissed her gently with an expression on his face that promised solidarity. The moment of privacy was shattered by the piercing trill of the doorbell which announced their dreaded arrivals. "Come in!" shouted Chakotay, before wrapping his arm round her again and saying in a low tone. "You look like you're about to face heavy artillery, brighten up a bit." Seven could not stretch her acting skills to false cheerfulness and could only assume her defensive expressionless mask as she mentally braced herself for what lay ahead.
Harry, Tom, B'Elanna and the Doctor came in with their normal sociable air, immediately engaging them in friendly chatter. Tuvok entered in his habitual stately manner, speaking only when he considered it logical and the Admiral gave them ordinary casual if superior smiles as her eyes scanned the apartment.
Chakotay took on the main burden of conversation as Seven laid out the meal, only after their guests were in an excellent mood following their delicious meal and settling down for dessert did Chakotay decide it was time to get to the point, holding Seven's hand and turning her engagement ring back around to warn her as he called for attention. "Now I'm sure you're all wondering why we went to Flagstaff…"
"Yeah why?" said Harry as he polished off his plate of Seven's black forest gateau.
"Well, we've been offered jobs there. I start as the Senior Ancient Cultures Anthropologist at the Federation Institute of Anthropology in May and Seven's been given a free rein at the Lowell Observatory."
B'Elanna reacted first. "Wait…you've been offered a post there, the place you told me yourself was the best in the quadrant during all those long boring Maquis stakeouts? Whoa, their standards have really dropped!"
Chakotay laughed in both indignation and relief. "Hey! I came highly recommended!"
"The Lowell Observatory is highly recommended by the Vulcan Science Ministry, it was a very logical step for them to include you Seven." Said Tuvok in a very Vulcan statement of congratulations which she accepted with a grateful smile.
"We're going to have to make your maintenance checks monthly rather than weekly if you move Seven. Are you all right with that?" asked the Doctor anxiously.
"I'm sure we will both adapt Doctor."
"Any other life changing news while we're all shocked?" asked Tom jokingly.
Chakotay smiled awkwardly. "Actually…" Everyone thought he was joking and laughed harder, but Chakotay kept going. "Seven and I are engaged."
The Admiral choked on the cocktail she was sipping. "As in going to get married engaged?"
"Yes…" Seven confirmed quietly, the first word she had spoken.
"Wow! Wait until we think the bombshell's over and then drop another one! This is great!" said Harry enthusiastically.
Chakotay broke the ice by telling an abridged version of the lead up to the proposal, leaving out the more intimate details like Seven's kiss at the Grand Canyon and the emotional conversation on the terrace. This left no one in any doubt as to the correctness of their friends' course as they clearly saw the pure undisguised love that they shared. Thus they shunned their misgivings and shocked the couple by immediately beginning to organise the wedding.
"Well I for one don't think you should have it in San Francisco…" said Tom.
"Why not?" said Harry, who had just finished expressing the opposite opinion.
"Why not? Have you totally forgotten the circus that was Miral's christening, all these Starfleet and Government suck ups inviting them themselves to get associated with the famous Voyager crew…"
"Yeah that was a nightmare!" said B'Elanna in agreement.
"A small wedding does seem more logical." Said Tuvok, unable to resist chiming in.
"Seven, if you want someone to walk you down the aisle, I'd be willing to…" began the Doctor hopefully.
Seven was rescued from that rather awkward situation by the Admiral, who in her well practised way could cut him off without offending him. "I don't think she'll have thought about that yet Doctor." As Seven shot her a grateful look she was relieved to see acceptance in her eyes.
Finally much to Seven and Chakotay's relief they all ran out of steam and left but they left Seven with a lingering anxiety. "Chakotay, is a wedding really that complicated?"
Chakotay couldn't lie to her. "I'm sorry to say that it is."
She sighed in resignation. "I suppose I should have expected this after all the complexities of Christmas."
"If you do half as well with the wedding as you did with Christmas it'll be the best wedding I've ever been to."
As a reward for that he got a sweet kiss. "All the same, perhaps I should get my aunt to assist me."
He smiled encouragingly, he loved that Seven was fond of her aunt. "She'd love that I'm sure!"
The next morning Seven followed through with her plan and called her aunt, who was ecstatic to say the least. "Oh Annika, I'm so happy for you, you know how much I like Chakotay."
"Yes, I know. Would it inconvenience you to help us plan the wedding?"
Irene was so touched that tears came to her eyes. "Really? Of course I will! When were you thinking of having it?"
"The beginning of April seems to be the most convenient period to consider."
"Good, good…that gives us almost fifteen months to prepare…"
"I think you misunderstand me Aunt Irene, I was referring to the beginning of April 2378 not 2379.
"This April? But Annika it's January now, that's less than three months! It's an impossible task!"
"We move to Flagstaff in May and would prefer to do it as a married couple." Stated Seven, undeterred.
"Oh Annika…well if you're so set on it you'd better come to Stockholm tomorrow and pick a dress! Bring some women to help you pick."
"Not Chakotay?"
"No! He can't pick the dress…look I'll see you tomorrow okay?"
Seven came off the phone feeling confused but began to research dresses anyway.
When Seven met her Aunt Irene in the shopping district of Stockholm the next day she brought a very excited Naomi and a reluctant B'Elanna, there at Chakotay's request to make sure Seven wasn't talked into anything by vendors.
Seven was shocked by the size and splendour of the first bridal shop, racks of unnecessarily luxurious dresses lined very wall. A friendly looking woman immediately approached them. "Which one of you is the lucky bride then?"
Seven shrank into herself at the overly friendly manner but B'Elanna intervened, pushing her forward. "This is Seven. She's getting married in April."
"Oh that soon! We'll need to get started."
Seven was feeling overwhelmed as she was led to a platform in front of a floor length mirror, searching around from Naomi she found her transfixed by a particular bridesmaids dress. It was beautiful, a strapless knee length made out of the palest sky blue satin with a flared skirt dramatised by a crinoline underskirt. The simple last touch which made it perfect was an ivory silk ribbon round the waist which tied in a large bow at the back. "Do you like that Naomi?" asked Seven.
"I love it…"said Naomi in a dreamy tone.
Seven made a quick decision. "Then if you wish, you can wear it to my wedding."
Naomi whirled round to her. "Really? Oh thank you Seven!" she cried running to her and hugged her hard.
"Your colour scheme is going to be blue and ivory then?" asked the sales assistant.
"I will need to ask Chakotay…" Seven replied, taken aback.
"He'll do whatever you want Seven." B'Elanna assured her.
"You already know he likes blue Annika, your ring has aquamarines, you could wear your bracelet and necklace set and it would complement your eyes!" Irene enthused.
Seven allowed herself to be convinced and the sales assistant smiled. "So, ivory dresses then?"
"White is highly impractical for a floor length dress…" Seven started.
"It's traditional! You want everyone to think you're a virgin don't you?" said the woman laughingly.
Seven stared at her blankly. "But I'm not a…"
"It doesn't matter, dear." Said Irene, putting a stop to an awkward line of conversation.
They began to go through the motions of trying on and rejecting, a process Seven did not find very pleasant. She would have got the first one available but her companions were far more discerning. Finally just as Seven was becoming agitated after freeing herself from another tight corset and disentangling her legs from another expanse of tulle, she put one on which silenced everyone.
She herself gasped at her reflection as she looked in the mirror. It was probably one of the simplest dresses she'd had on all day, ivory satin with a slightly A line skirt which sat on her perfectly, a square neckline which flattered without appearing too severe and antique lace straps which went from her collarbone to the edge of her shoulder. It was the details which sold it though, the lace tie around the waist and the delicate pearls sown round the neckline and in a sweeping curve down the skirt.
"Oh Seven, you have to get that one!" gasped Naomi in total awe.
B'Elanna chuckled. "Chakotay's going to have a heart attack!"
"Perhaps I should let Chakotay see it…"
"No!" said everyone in the shop in unison.
"Why not?"
"It's bad luck Annika!"
"It would be worse luck if I wore it and he didn't like it."
"Not like it! I promise you he will! You look perfect!"
"Really?" They all nodded rigorously and with one more look at herself her mind was made up. "I'll take this one please."
A/n: Well what do you think about my taste in wedding arrangements? How did I handle the crew's reaction to their engagement? I'm sorry to say it'll probably be Friday at the earliest for the wedding chapter because I'm going to London from Monday 12th July to Thursday 15th. I'll probably update Lost and Found tomorrow if I have time because I left that on a cliff-hanger! Anyway back to this story, please review even if you don't like my taste!