When they finally pulled out of the kiss everyone in the room gave one last cheer, but Seven and Chakotay were oblivious, openly beaming at each other. The registrar now stepped forward to corral the crowd. "Now, everyone who hasn't been chosen to sign the register or be in the bridal party photographs please make their way to the transporter room, where you will be beamed to the hotel and served cocktails."
The vast majority of the guests now began to file out, talking animatedly, only Voyager's former senior officers, Icheb, Naomi and Irene remained with Seven and Chakotay. The couple of course ignored these changes and remained standing, focused on each other. Chakotay took this opportunity to kiss his new wife again, murmuring "You look perfect, better than I ever imagined."
Seven affectionately stroked his face, "Thank you…for everything…"
"Hey lovebirds! There'll be plenty of time for that later! We're on a schedule here!" Tom called teasingly. Seven blushed brightly, still not entirely comfortable with public intimacy and stepped away from Chakotay, their crowded schedule now at the forefront of her mind. Chakotay instinctively closed the gap between them, firmly taking Seven's cybernetic hand and smiling at her flushed cheeks. Seven returned the smile with uncharacteristic ease, relaxing once more.
They slowly walked hand in hand to the registrar's desk and sat down, the photographer flashing away until both their eyes were dazzled. "Hey, can you back up a bit please?" Chakotay asked the photographer.
"I was told to get the signing of the register." Said the photographer with a shrug.
"We are yet to do that." Seven told him bluntly, turning to the registrar, who was explaining what to do.
"Now, we were flexible with the ceremony but I'll need you both to sign your full official names here and your witnesses below. Bride first please."
Seven picked up the pen and signed her human name, Annika Kerstin Hansen with an unpractised slowness before handing the pen to Chakotay who wrote his full official "Federation name" as it had always been known within his tribe, Amal Kotay. He almost laughed, "Seems a little impersonal doesn't it? Not many people would know this was us."
Seven nodded in agreement. "This does seem rather municipal, I'm glad we had the ceremony with our preferred designations."
"It's just standard procedure." The Admiral told them coldly as she signed as a witness, bristling at any criticism of her beloved Federation's regulations.
"Yeah it is, should we start calling you Amal now Chakotay?" Harry asked jokingly as he also signed.
Chakotay laughed, "I think only the Federation official signing me into Starfleet has ever called me that!"
"And we all know how well that went!" exclaimed B'Elanna.
"Excuse me, I didn't get kicked out!" he retorted.
"Seven, get your husband to stop ganging up on me!"
" I could but I don't think that him having to obey me was in the vows."
"Wait and see!" B'Elanna replied getting snort from Tom.
"We're not going to have time to take photos if we don't go back now!" called Irene in warning.
They all obediently trooped out to the now empty transporter room, Seven and Chakotay stepping on hand in hand. "Maybe we should pin "Just Married" to the transporter?" Harry joked. Seven glanced questioningly at Chakotay and he whispered an explanation into her ear.
"I think we'll be fine, Harry. We'll see you down there." Said Chakotay, turning back to Seven as they beamed away.
Their photographs were being taken in the carefully cultivated gardens of the hotels, a splash of vibrant colour against the surrounding desert landscape. Despite her enjoyment of the day so far, Seven found the photographs an ordeal, she didn't like the structured poses and forced smiles the process asked for. Chakotay had just escaped from the groom's party photographs when he spotted Seven sitting on the edge of a decorative fountain and approached her. "Are you all right my love?" he asked her gently.
She flashed him a real but somewhat tired smile. "Yes, of course I am, we are married."
"I know, two hours now! Is the photographer irritating you?"
She gave him a wry look. "How did you guess?"
"I've just escaped from him myself. Let's go hide somewhere."
Her eyebrows shot up. "Hide? From our own wedding photographer?"
He shrugged, "We're paying him." He grabbed her hand and pulled her up, "Quick, he's coming!" They ran in the opposite direction until they collided with a large overhanging tree, dripping with white blossoms. Seven couldn't run anymore from laughing and Chakotay pressed her against the trunk, kissing his wife as she giggled girlishly.
Seven put her hands on his chest and pulled back to look into face. Seeing his warm dark eyes sparkle mischievously she wrapped her free arm tightly round his neck. "I love you." She said simply before giving him a passionate kiss.
When their lips parted Chakotay returned her sentiment, "I love you too. I hope you still kiss me like that fifty years from now."
"I will. I might not be in the same dress through."
It was then, in that moment of laughter in each others arms, that a flash bulb went off in their faces. Seven got a fright and slid on the ground, Chakotay barely able to stop her falling on her back. The photographer eyed them with an expression of a man who had seen it all. "Are you alright Mrs Kotay?"
It took Seven several seconds as Chakotay righted her back into a standing position to realise that he was referring to her. "Yes…I'm fine, thank you."
"Everyone's seated at your reception. You've to go in now."
The couple nodded and he turned away from them laughing. Seven glanced at Chakotay. "Is Mrs Kotay my formal name now?"
"Yes…I suppose it is. Do you mind?"
"No, not at all." She gave him a confident happy smile and Chakotay felt pleased despite his former insistence that he didn't mind if she used his name or not.
"Come on then Mrs Kotay, our wedding guests are waiting for us."
They stood in front of the doors to the hall waiting to be announced. "Please give a big cheer for our newlyweds, Chakotay and Seven!" This was far from the discreet entrance they had desired but they went along with it, entering hand in hand to a chorus of cheers and sitting down side by side at the head table. Tom and B'Elanna, Admiral Janeway, Icheb, Tuvok and his wife, Harry and his new girlfriend, one of the long lusted after twins and the Doctor and his nurse girlfriend all sat around them at the table.
Before setting into the meal, speeches had to be endured. Tom went first, tapping on his wine glass for attention before standing up. "Now as the best man, I've been told I have to make a speech, everyone knows what a shy wallflower I am!" Laughter bubbled through the room. "I've thought long and hard about what to say. I could read out the list of past girlfriends of Chakotay's B'Elanna provided me with…but I'm not going to do that." Chakotay couldn't help but release a sigh of relief and Seven laughed good naturedly at his expression. "What I am going to say will surprise none of you. Everyone knows that neither Seven or Chakotay were originally very happy with the arrangement which caused her to be permanently billeted on Voyager, but over the next four years she became part of the fabric of the place." He turned to Seven smilingly. "You've come so far and I for one am proud of you."
"Here, Here!" called out the Admiral, causing clapping to ripple through the room, much to Seven's embarrassment.
"Now, speaking of Chakotay, I'm not so proud of him…I've had too much disciplinary action from him over the years to say that but I do have one thing to say…he's finally developed a good taste in women! On a more serious note through, I myself know that fate has a roll to play in these things…" He smiled lovingly at B'Elanna. "It waits until…people are ready to both see what's right in front of them and then…sparks fly and that's definitely what I believed happened with this pair. Thank you."
Tom sat back down and Harry stood up. "To Seven and Chakotay!"
"To Seven and Chakotay!" Everyone echoed in unison.
After that the meal passed quickly and the time for the first dance, the human tradition Seven had been most dreading. Chakotay knew this as he guided her on to the floor and looked into her anxious face. "Come on, I promise you you're good at dancing. Just focus on me." He pulled her against him and as the lights dimmed Seven felt herself begin to relax, even whispering directions into his ear, much to his amusement. The dance floor opened up after that and the party really began with the guests really letting their hair down.
As the night progressed the couple became more desperate to be alone and the DJ finally announced they were retreating to their room. "Wait! What about the bouquet toss?" Someone shouted. Cries of agreement echoed throughout the room but Seven was bemused. "They want me to throw my flowers? Why?"
"Another tradition. Whoever catches them is going to get married next." Explained Irene.
"That is an irrational way to plan your life…" Seven began to object, but seeing the lunging crowd behind her sighed in resignation. "Which trajectory shall I follow?" she asked Chakotay.
He shrugged. "Straight behind you?" he suggested uneasily, he didn't want to have to explain the upcoming brawl to Seven.
His fears were unfounded, she threw the flowers and they landed indisputably in the hands of the Doctor's girlfriend. Everyone smiled at her while throwing the Doctor sympathetic glances. "Can I go be with my wife alone now please?" Chakotay asked the crowd. They all roared their approval and the couple were guided out of the room.
As soon as the doors closed Seven leaned into his shoulder. "Do we have to go back in or do we really get to be alone now?"
He whirled her around and kissed her. "We really get to be alone now." He reassured huskily.
"Let's go."
A/n: It's cliché and I'm not happy with Tom's speech, this is worse than normal I know but I've not been feeling that great so forgive me. Please review to cheer me up! There's a lot of debate about Chakotay's name, I used the one he told Janeway during Workforce just so that Seven could be called Mrs (I'm so old fashioned!)