Chapter Twenty-Two
A single dim light shined in the Doctor's office, barely illuminating sickbay. It was early morning as he continued to study the reports on the screen in front of him. Thankfully, he didn't need any sleep, which meant he could pore over files and databases all night, desperately looking for any new information that might help him. Unfortunately, there was so little information available about what would happen to a Borg if it failed to regenerate that he was basically spinning his wheels. He had hoped to find something somewhere, but he was essentially flying blind right now; even the Borg didn't know what they didn't regenerate. If the Borg didn't know, how was he expected to figure it out? All he could do was heal Seven as he best saw fit based on her current condition, which was pretty bleak right now. Ever since her arrival on Voyager, he had been learning as he went when it came to her health and physiology, which hadn't been much of a problem. Once in awhile he had to treat some sort of problem that popped up, but they both worked so hard to maintain her implants and keep them running at peak efficiency. Previously, he hadn't had too many problems with her, but this was a life or death situation here.
Consumed by his thoughts about Seven's current condition, the Doctor hadn't heard someone enter sickbay right away. The flash of movement in the darkness that consumed the other part of the room drew his attention away from his work. Caught off guard, he scrambled to his feet and rushed out of his office. Not knowing who it was, he hoped it wasn't the strange new alien he heard returned with the away team. He knew the Captain trusted him, but he wasn't sure; people did strange things when they encountered the Borg. He opened his mouth to ask what the medical emergency was but froze as soon as he saw who it was. Wordlessly, Chakotay pulled up a chair and clutched Seven's human hand in both of his, bringing it to his lips in a tender kiss. Her hand felt cold and fragile in his strong grip. The Doctor's gaze immediately softened as he crossed the room and stood next to the First Officer. Never before had he seen him act like this, not even when it was the Captain who was gravely injured. There was something different about Seven, something that brought out a much softer side of the man.
"Commander, it's 0400 hours," the Doctor pointed out as gently as possible. "Not that I don't appreciate this visit, but you need to get your rest." Still clutching Seven's hand, Chakotay shook his head and pressed his forehead against her knuckles. He'd tried sleeping, and he felt absolutely exhausted, but no matter how much he tossed and turned in bed, sleep simply alluded him. He figured he might as well come down and check on her.
"I couldn't sleep," he admitted in a low voice, as if he would wake her, although he knew that that was ridiculous. "I needed to make sure Seven's alright."
"Seven is perfectly fine," the Doctor assured, although he sounded more like he was convincing himself that Chakotay. "I have been closely monitoring her vital signs and conducting research on what happens to Borg when they don't regenerate. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of information out there. Her body is responding to the mobile regenerator, and her mind is active. As far as I can tell, there is no neurological damage. Sensors show that her mind is active and even forming thoughts." That caught Chakotay off guard. Shocked, he looked up at the Doctor.
"Is she aware of what's going on around her?" he asked. Part of him hoped that that was true, as it meant that she would be able to hear him if he talked to her. On the other hand, it also meant that she was aware of her suffering and critical condition, which was the last thing he wanted for her.
"I don't think so. It's more likely that she is dreaming." Based on what he had seen and experienced over the past few days, not only did that make more sense to Chakotay, but it was a huge relief. He didn't want Seven to remember her suffering or any of this horrible nightmare. At least if she was dreaming, she would be able to experience some sort of happiness while she regenerated.
The Doctor couldn't help but worry about Chakotay. Although he'd only been back on Voyager for less than twenty-four hours, it was clear that this was a man who was already worn out. The pressure of leading such a difficult away mission had obviously taken its toll on him, and even though he was back safely on the starship, he clearly wasn't taking care of himself. Bags lined his eye, which, when paired with the stubble littered across his face from a lack of shaving, gave him a gaunt, almost other worldly appearance. The Doctor could barely recognize him.
"Commander, do you want me to give you a light sedative to help you sleep?" he offered as gently as possible. "Nothing too bad, just something to help you catch up on your sleep." Chakotay shook his head.
"I'm fine," he insisted rather pathetically. Deep down inside, he knew he needed to get some sleep, but, at the same time, he had so much to get done, and he couldn't bring himself to sleep, not while Seven was like this. "Just focus on taking care of Seven. I want hourly updates on her condition sent to me, even if everything's the same. If there's any change in her condition, I want to be informed immediately, understood?"
"Of course." Chakotay turned to walk away, but the Doctor called after him, "Commander?" He turned back around. "Make sure you take care of yourself too."
"I will." The Doctor wished he could believe Chakotay, but he had a hard time doing so. He knew how the First Officer worked; he always put everyone else before himself, especially those close to him. Until Seven was back on her feet, Chakotay wouldn't be the same man he usually was.
Despite the fact that she just woke up, Kathryn felt utterly drained as she entered her ready room. She dropped the PADD in her hand on her desk and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw a figure slumped over on her couch. Once her heart stopped pounding in her chest, she was able to approach the figure and realized that it was Chakotay. Her first instinct was to call the Doctor, but when she got a closer look at him, she realized that everything was alright. It looked like he had been sitting, waiting patiently for her to report for duty until exhaustion finally overtook him, and he laid down along the couch with his legs flopped over the edge. Resting on the table in front of him were two cups of coffee. When Kathryn picked up her mug, she discovered that the liquid was stone cold, telling her that Chakotay had been waiting for her for quite some time. She crouched down in front of him and gently shook his shoulder. Part of her hated waking him, but she knew he'd only get upset if she let him sleep.
"Chakotay," she murmured tenderly. He didn't budge. "Chakotay," she said a little bit louder this time. His eyes slowly opened and took in his surroundings. At first, he couldn't figure out what she was doing in his quarters until he realized he wasn't in his quarters.
"Kathryn?" His voice was hoarse. She smiled and cupped his face in her hand. There was something oddly comforting about her touch.
"Good morning, sleepyhead." Drawing in a deep breath, Chakotay sat up properly and ran his hand over his face in an attempt to wake himself up.
"What time is it?" he asked.
"A little before 0700 hours," Kathryn replied as she stood up and disposed of the old coffee. "How long have you been waiting for me?"
"A few hours. I was going to get some work done." He motioned towards a PADD that had been pinned under his sleeping form. "But I guess I fell asleep. I'm sorry, Kathryn, it won't happen again." Kathryn waved off the comment with a dismissive wave of her hand. With everything going on in his life, she could overlook him falling asleep in her ready room. Besides, it wasn't like he snuck off in the middle of his duty shift for a quick nap like she'd seen some crewmen do in the past.
"I'm more concerned with you than your work," she stated as she pressed a fresh cup of coffee into his hands and sat down next to him. "How are you doing?" Chakotay stared blankly at the swirling coffee in front of him. How was he doing? He didn't even know where to begin. For such an innocuous question, he couldn't come up with a reasonable answer.
Sensing the turmoil Chakotay felt, Kathryn didn't push him to answer her question. Instead, she patiently sipped her coffee while he collected his thoughts. She could see the wheels slowly turning as they chased away sleep and attempted to come up with a reasonable answer. She had no idea why she even asked, anyone with eyes could see that he was a man just barely hanging on by a thread.
"I don't know," he finally replied. "I thought that once I got everyone back to Voyager that I would feel fine, but I still feel stressed and on edge, exactly like I felt on the planet."
"That's because you care deeply for Seven and want to make sure she's alright. Getting her back here was only half the battle." Chakotay scoffed. Wasn't that the truth. "I do want to know, how long were you keeping this relationship from me?" There was a light-hearted tone to Kathryn's voice as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye and attempted to raise the mood in here. While she meant for it to be a teasing question, but it didn't go over that way. He abandoned the cup of coffee on the table in front of him and leaned back on the couch while he collected his thoughts.
"I'm sorry," he finally muttered. "I, we, didn't mean to. We just wanted some privacy. Voyager's such a small ship, and as soon as we told you, everyone would find out. It was so nice to just enjoy spending time together without everyone on board gossiping behind our backs. We just wanted the time to be together, to enjoy the early days of our relationship without any pressure."
"The crew's going to gossip regardless, but I can understand the apprehension. I just wish you had told me. You know I wouldn't have told anyone." Chakotay sat up properly and turned to face Kathryn properly.
"I know, and I'm sorry." She gave his knee a reassuring squeeze. She couldn't hold his desire for privacy against him; he was naturally a private person, as was Seven. Anyone would want to enjoy the early stages of a relationship without the interference of others. She remembered when she first started dating Mark; it had been exciting, full of staying up all night to talk, romantic dates and secret liaisons in less than secret locations. For a ship as small as Voyager, all it took was for one person to know for the entire starship to know. Chakotay and Seven deserved their privacy.
"There's no need to apologize. You have every right to want privacy in your life, and I don't blame you at all." She paused to take a long drink of her beloved coffee. "But I do want to know all about your relationship. Okay, maybe not all about it." Chakotay cracked a small smile, but as soon as it appeared, it was gone. For a fleeting moment, he was his usual self, not like a man who was more worried about his girlfriend's welfare than his own. "So tell me, is this serious?" There was a certain eagerness in Kathryn's eyes that normally appeared only when she was about to make first contact with an alien race or make a new scientific discovery. These were two of her closest friends, and while she'd originally been shocked when it dawned on her that there was something going on between them, now she couldn't be happier. They both deserved happiness, they both deserved to be together.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I'd like to think so. The entire time we were separated on the away mission, all I could focus on was her. I failed as a First Officer, Kathryn, and I shouldn't be sent on future away missions until you can be sure you can trust me." Kathryn took a slow skip of coffee as she contemplated his words. It was a shocking admission to say the least. From what she heard from Tom and Harry, nothing Chakotay did on this away mission demonstrated that he couldn't be trusted. In fact, he should be commended for his work. His away team had faced one of the most difficult away missions they had ever faced, and he managed to get them all back to Voyager. Yes, two of them were severely injured, but those were things out of his control. There was no way she could hold all that against him.
"Chakotay, I trust you with my life, and nothing you can ever do will change that. You were put in a nearly impossible situation, and you acted admirably. You got everyone back to Voyager. Yes, it didn't exactly go as planned, but it's all going to work out."
"How can we know that? Seven could have permanent damage that we don't even know about yet."
"Or she could wake up and be perfectly fine. You can't play these games, Chakotay, they'll destroy you." Kathryn paused, allowing her words to sink in. She was right, of course. Back before he joined Voyager, when he commanded the Val Jean, he knew that he couldn't play those what if games. He told himself that he couldn't change the past, and there were far more important matters to focus on in the present. All he could do was focus on now and not let the past overwhelm him. Up until now, that hadn't been a problem, but he couldn't help but think about Seven, lying there in sickbay, clinging to life. He'd do anything to change that, to take it all back. "Now, tell me about your secret life with Seven. What dates have you gone on? Has she tried some of your delicious cooking?" Kathryn was desperate to change the subject, to somehow lift Chakotay's spirits, even just a little bit. She couldn't stand seeing him like this, and she wanted to help him somehow.
"Yeah, I made her chili the night before we left on the away mission." His voice still sounded distant, not entirely invested in their conversation, but that didn't stop her from continuing.
"I've always been a fan of your chili. So, you made her chili, and then what?" Kathryn pressed.
"We got in a fight about washing dishes. Well, not really a fight, mostly use just splashing water on each other." She couldn't help but smile as she tried to picture Seven playing around and splashing Chakotay. It seemed so out of character for her, but she was glad to know that she was loosening up, at least around some members of the crew. "And then Harry dropped by my quarters and caught us." A laugh slipped past her lips.
"Oh my!" she exclaimed. "And then what happened?"
"And then we, uhh…" He trailed off. As close as he was with Kathryn, he couldn't bring himself to admit what they had done next. Although he didn't say it, she put together the pieces and figured out what had happened next. He immediately jumped to his feet and began to pace nervously, his mind whirling at warp speed. "I care about her so much, Kathryn. I've never felt this way about any woman before. When I'm with her, I can be myself. That's not to say I'm not myself with you, but I'm not Commander Chakotay with Seven. With her, I'm just Chakotay. I don't feel the pressure of helping you run this ship. We can talk for hours or we can just sit there and do absolutely nothing, and I don't care. As long as I'm with her, I'm happy."
"I've never seen you act this way about a woman before, and I couldn't be happier for you. After everything both of you have been through, you deserve happiness, which you'll both be able to enjoy," Kathryn said as she got to her feet as well. She ran her fingers along Chakotay's arm and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He half-heartedly returned the gesture before snatching up his cup of coffee and draining it instantly. The caffeine did little to wake him up, which only prompted him to cross over to the replicator to get another cup.
"I need to get back to work," he announced before taking a sip of coffee. Kathryn sighed.
"Chakotay, why don't you take a few days off," she suggested as gently as possible, trying not to make it sound like he was giving him an order, even though that's really what it was. The prospect immediately caused his gaze to harden. He didn't need time off. He'd already missed over a week of shifts, and he could only imagine the amount of work waiting for him in his office. Of course, he knew Kathryn and Tuvok had done their best to keep up with his workload during his absence, but it was a lot of work on top of their usual responsibilities. He needed to get back to work as quickly as possible.
"I don't need time off," he argued. Kathryn pursed her lips with frustration. While she hadn't expected Chakotay to readily accept some time off, she secretly hoped he would surprise her.
"Chakotay, you're running on empty, I can see it in your eyes. Take some time, catch up on your sleep, take care of yourself a little."
"Is that an order? Are you relieving me of duty?"
"No, it's just a suggestion from a very good friend who's worried about you."
"Then I'll be in my office." Coffee in hand, Chakotay exited the ready room for his office to catch up on work. Kathryn sighed. For a split second, she thought she should have ordered him to take a few days, but she didn't want to cross that line with him. She knew he could make decisions for himself, even if they were decisions she didn't agree with. For right now, she'd keep an eye on him and step in if necessary.
Chakotay took a seat in his office and immediately buried his face in his hands. He could barely keep his eyes open. He appreciated Kathryn's concern for him, but he didn't want the time off. Time off meant down time, which meant no distractions from thinking about Seven. He needed to keep his mind busy or else he would go crazy. Even when he stopped what he was doing for a split second, it was enough to cause his mind to drift to Seven and her current condition. He could hear her clearly in her mind, scolding him for being inefficient and wasting time, one of her biggest pet peeves. The thought caused him to crack a small, genuine smile. Soon he knew she would be awake to scold him herself. With the uplifting moment helping to temporarily motivate him, Chakotay picked up one of the PADDs scattered across his desk and started reading the report stored on it.
Miral's cries immediately roused Tom and B'Elanna from their sleep. Usually, Tom would grumble under his breath at being woken up and try to convince B'Elanna to take care of the infant, but he eagerly welcomed the noise. Before B'Elanna could even budge, he was out of bed and had his beloved daughter in his arms. Undeterred, she continued to cry as he padded across the quarters to grab a bottle from the small kitchen. He bounced her in his arms and heated up the bottle quickly. Seeing that Tom had it under control, B'Elanna tightened her blankets around her shoulders and closed her eyes for a few more minutes of glorious sleep. Once the bottle was properly heated, Tom tested out the temperature of the liquid within before popping the nipple into Miral's wailing mouth. She immediately stopped crying. Her small hands grasped at the bottle as she hungrily drank.
"I missed you so much," Tom murmured tenderly as he brushed his lips over the ridges on her forehead. "The whole time I was gone, all I could look forward to was coming home to you and Mommy." Wide-eyed, Miral looked up at her father. Although she couldn't understand what he was saying, his tone comforted him as she continued to eat, making small sounds of content as she did so.
Across the room, B'Elanna didn't mean to eavesdrop, but she could hear every word that Tom said. Under the cocoon of blankets, she smiled. Here was Tom Paris, notorious Voyager playboy, settled down with a family and comforting his infant daughter without a single complaint. When she first met Tom, she couldn't stand him, but now she couldn't stand the thought of being without him in her life; the past week definitely proved that to her. It wasn't the fact that she had to take care of Miral on her own, it was the fact that she didn't have her best friend to talk to for the past week and to support her like he always did with unwavering dedication. There was so much she had wanted to come home and tell him, but she couldn't because he was gone. They had a lot to catch up on over the next few days.
Only a few minutes after overhearing Tom's tender conversation with Miral, B'Elanna's alarm went off, indicating that it was time to get up. So much for more sleep for her. She unfolded herself from the comfort of the warm blankets, turned off the alarm and crossed the room. As soon as he saw her, Tom looped his free arm around her shoulders and drew her close.
"How's one of my favorite girls?" he asked as she wrapped her arm around his waist and stroked Miral's pudgy arm with her free hand.
"Glad to have you home," she replied. He stole a quick kiss.
"Well, we're both glad to have you home, and I'm glad that you have a few days off to take care of Miral." In all honesty, Tom was looking forward to spending the next two days with Miral. He had no idea what he was going to do, but he was determined to make the most of it. Between his shifts on the bridge and his shifts in sickbay, he felt that he barely had time to spend with her. Over the next two days, he was going to make it up to her, along with making up for being absent for the past week. Everything was going to be about her while B'Elanna was in Engineering.
As much as she loved being in Tom's arms with Miral, B'Elanna knew she had to shower and get down to Engineering. Before letting go, however, she patted Tom playfully on the butt. The action caught him off guard. Smirking, he went to return the gesture, but B'Elanna was too fast for him. She dodged his touch and scurried over to the bathroom with a victorious laugh. Tom vowed that he would get her later. In the meantime, he focused his attention on Miral, who continued to empty her bottle at a surprisingly fast rate. He was sure that she would readily eat every scrap of food on this starship without batting an eye.
By the time B'Elanna emerged from the shower and pulled on her uniform, Tom had finished feeding Miral, burped her and was in the process of changing her into clean clothes for the day. When she first found out she was pregnant, he expressed concern in being able to take care of an infant; he wasn't exactly very paternal in nature. The second Miral was born, however, his instincts took over, and he knew exactly what to do and doted upon the child. She was destined to be daddy's little girl, but that didn't bother B'Elanna. In fact, the very sight of Tom taking care of Miral made her heart melt.
"I'm leaving," she announced as she adjusted her uniform and pinned her combadge to her chest. "Make sure to keep an eye on Miral," she ordered as she slid her arms around Tom's waist and kissed him softly.
"You doubt my parenting abilities," he commented as he gladly returned the affection. "I'm Super Dad." With a smirk on her face, B'Elanna looked over at Miral.
"Hey Super Dad, your daughter's pooping all over the place." Tom immediately jumped, and his head whipped around. At first, he thought that B'Elanna was joking, but when he saw Miral, he discovered that she was unfortunately correct, and it was all over the nice new clothes he'd just changed her into. He sighed. Hopefully this wasn't a sign of how his day was going to be.
Looking for something to eat for lunch, Harry entered the mess hall. It was a little bit early for lunch, but he trusted that Chell would have something prepared. As soon as he entered the mess hall, he saw Tom sitting at one of the long tables along the window. Perched on the table was Miral in her baby carrier. While he ate with one hand, he tickled Miral's stomach and entertained her with one of the stuffed toys given to her by a member of the crew during B'Elanna's baby shower. The sight was certainly amusing to Harry as he approached his best friend and clapped him jovially on the back.
"Well, isn't this hilarious," he teased as he flung himself down on the chair across from Tom. Miral's fingers curled around the toy in her father's hand and shoved it unceremoniously in her mouth, instantly covering it with slobber and drool. Seeing that this would keep her occupied, at least for a little while, Tom temporarily turned his attention to Harry.
"You've seen me take care of Miral before," he pointed out before taking a bite of lunch.
"Yeah, but not like this." Harry wiggled Miral's foot playfully, but she was too busy with the toy in her mouth to give her beloved "Uncle Harry" the time of day. Tom rolled his eyes. He knew Harry was just giving him a hard time, and he was going to ignore him. It was his job to look after Miral, and he thought he was doing a pretty good job at it.
A tentative Aritlin approached Harry and Tom, instantly cutting off the conversation between the duo. He shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other as he tried to build up the courage to say something to them. Various members of the crew who were scattered throughout the messhall eyed his suspiciously. By now, word had spread throughout Voyager, and most crew members knew who he was and what his people had done to Seven and the rest of the away team. Harry saw Lieutenant Andrews, who was serving as his keeper until the Captain would trust him, in the distance as he grabbed himself a plate of food from the counter. Although he was busy serving himself, Andrews also kept an eye on Aritlin, just in case.
Sensing Aritlin's hesitation, Tom offered, "You want to sit with us?" Relief washed over Aritlin. He had dreaded sitting with his escort. Although Lieutenant Andrews was nice enough, he was still a guard ordered to keep an eye on him until the Captain said otherwise, and he treated him like that, refusing to say more than the requisite polite comments when he tried to make small talk.
"Thanks," he said as he quickly sat down before either man could change his mind. Miral knocked her toy to the table. Tom immediately picked up the toy and dangled it in front of her face before she could even start to fuss. Giggling excitedly, she eagerly reached out to grab the toy. Tom brought the toy closer, tapping it against her nose, before snatching it away. Undeterred, Miral continued to try and grab the toy for herself, although she was perfectly fine with the little game Tom was playing. Aritlin found the exchange utterly fascinating, but Harry's voice interrupted his open staring.
"How are you settling into Voyager?" he asked politely, instantly breaking Aritlin's train of thought.
"Everyone is very nice," he replied, even though it wasn't entirely true. "Although, I can't help but notice the staring."
"Yeah, that'll probably stop in about a week or so," Tom assured without taking his eyes off Miral, who was starting to get restless with her father's little game. Realizing that, he handed her the toy and smoothed her hair back from her face affectionately. Free from playing their little game, Tom turned his attention back to his food, which he'd barely had a chance to eat with all the interruptions.
"Is that your daughter?" Aritlin asked as he nodded towards Miral.
"Yeah, this is Miral," Tom replied. "My wife's working down in Engineering, so I'm watching her for the next few days." He ran his knuckle along Miral's leg, which she kicked in response before continuing to gnaw on her toy, accidentally chewing on her pudgy fingers in the process. None of that seemed to bother her, as she continued.
Before Aritlin could inquire further about Tom's wife and daughter, Chell appeared at the end of the table with his usual cordial smile plastered across his face. In his hands were two heaping plates of food, one for him and one for Harry, who still hadn't made it over to the galley to serve himself like he normally did.
"Welcome," he bellowed excitedly as he put a plate of food down in front of Aritlin and one in front of Harry. "You guys were so deep in conversation, I thought I'd bring you something to eat." Aritlin eyed the food uneasily, he didn't recognize anything put before him. Despite that, he started to relax when he got a whiff of it and discovered that it smelled delicious. It would probably be better if he just ate the food without asking what it was. It didn't seem to bother Harry, who just dug right in without even thinking about it.
"Thank you," he said with a genuine smile. With the exception of Tom and Harry, Chell was the first person on Voyager who went out of their way to make him feel welcome. "Are you the chef here?" Chell jumped excitedly.
"Oh, yes, I'm Chell." He thrust a hand out towards Aritlin, who openly stared at it with a confused look on his face. After several uncomfortable seconds that seemed to drag on, Chell withdrew his hand and ran it along his thigh. "Well, if you need anything, just ask. I'm here to serve you."
"Thank you." Chell remained at the table for several more seconds before finally excusing himself to return to the galley to get back to some last minute cooking. The lunch rush was about to start, and he wanted to make sure everything was ready. The crew wouldn't be too happy if they came in and lunch wasn't ready.
With her small bag slung over her shoulder, Naomi skipped down the corridor. The doors to the mess hall slid open, allowing to continue on her joyous stride inside. As soon as she saw Tom, Harry and Aritlin sitting on the far side of the room, her face lit up. Temporarily forgetting that she was here to get lunch, she made an immediate beeline for the trio. This was far more important than eating.
"Hi," she chirped as she skidded to a stop next to the table. She went up on her tiptoes and tickled Miral under her chin. The infant giggled and reached for Naomi who had turned her attention to Aritlin. "Hi, I'm Naomi Wildman. What's your name?" As Captain's Assistant, it was crucial that she introduce herself to every guest aboard Voyager and ensure they were settling in and comfortable.
"I'm Aritlin." He seemed uneasy with Naomi present. He had been under the impression that there were no children on this starship, but that obviously wasn't the case. "I'm new here."
"I know," she stated bluntly. "We picked you up on the planet we landed on yesterday. I was supposed to watch from the bridge when we took off yesterday, but we went into a red alert, and I couldn't." She sounded disappointed, and nobody blamed her. Landing Voyager was such a rare occurrence that it was exciting for everyone. The Captain kept telling her that she could watch from the bridge, but there always seemed to be something that happened that made it impossible at the last minute. Maybe next time.
"Next time we land, I promise I'll let you watch me," Tom promised. A smile broke out across Naomi's face. She trusted him, she knew that he was a man of his word. There was something else bothering her as well though, he could see it in her eyes.
"Have you been to see Seven?" she inquired. "I wanted to go see her today, but the Doctor wouldn't let me into sickbay. Is she alright? He's never done that to me before." Tom and Harry exchanged unsure glances. They both knew Naomi was an incredibly sensitive little girl, and they weren't sure how much she knew about Seven's condition. Neither of them wanted to be the one to break the harsh news to her. She absolutely worshipped Seven, and seeing her in her current state was hard enough for adults, so they couldn't imagine how hard it would be for a child.
"Ummm, she's pretty sick right now," Harry replied, making sure to choose his words very carefully. "But she's going to be fine. I'm sure she appreciates that you stopped by, even if the Doctor didn't let you see her."
"When will I be able to see her?"
"Probably not for a few days at the very least," Tom replied. Naomi's face fell. That wasn't exactly the news she wanted to hear. Seven almost never got sick like this, and if she did, all it normally took was a few days in her alcove to get her back on her feet. It must be pretty serious if she was being kept in sickbay.
"Oh." Tom's fatherly instincts automatically kicked in as he reached out and rubbed Naomi's arm reassuringly. Unfortunately, it did very little to make the child feel better, who looked absolutely crestfallen. It was already bad enough that Seven had been gone for over a week, but now she wouldn't be able to see her for at least a few more days, which was too vague for her liking. "Can you give her something for me?" There was a glimmer of hope in her voice.
"Of course." She fished two brightly colored pieces of paper out of her bag and thrust them into Tom's hands unceremoniously.
"I made her two cards," Naomi announced proudly. "One for yesterday, and one for today." Tom looked at the cards. The one on bright yellow paper simply read "Get Better Seven" in Naomi's carefully spaced handwriting. The rest of the card was decorated with a multitude of flowers covering nearly every available centimeter of space, leaving just enough space for her to write "Love, Naomi". The other card was on light blue paper. It also wished Seven to get well soon. Unlike the first card, however, this one depicted Seven and Naomi, both with wide smiles on their faces, holding hands. He'd never seen Seven smile before, but he figured that Naomi must see a completely different side of her, just like Chakotay.
"Wow, these are great," Tom gushed. "I'll be sure to give them to her." A smile broke out across Naomi's face. He didn't have the heart to tell her that Seven was unconscious and wouldn't be awake to appreciate the cards, it would break her heart and only cause her to worry even more than she already was. When Seven came to, she would be able to see the cards and tell Naomi herself how much they meant to her.
"Thanks, Lieutenant Paris." She threw her arms around Tom's neck in a quick hug of appreciation before scurrying off to grab something to eat from Chell, which was the real reason she came here in the first place. She hoped in a few days she'd be able to see Seven for herself and give her the rest of the cards she planned on making: one each day until she was out of sickbay.
With Naomi gone, Tom, Harry and Aritlin could all clear away their plates and free up the space their table for someone else as the mess hall began to fill up with the lunch rush. Seeing that Aritlin was getting up to leave, Lieutenant Andrews quickly shoveled down the rest of his food and followed the trio to the counter to drop off their dishes. With surprising comfort and expertise, Tom balanced his dirty dishes in one hand and Miral's carrier in the other hand. Harry looked amused at the sight.
"What?" Tom asked as they exited the mess hall. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out what was so amusing.
"Nothing," Harry quickly replied, not realizing he'd been caught.
Undeterred, Tom asked again, "What is it?"
"Fatherhood's made you soft," Harry finally replied. "First agreeing to drop off Naomi's cards, and look at how easy it is for you to take care of Miral." Tom shrugged off the comment. It didn't bother him at all. Over the years, his priorities had changed. He wasn't going to apologize for it, it was how he was now.
"I was going to swing by sickbay anyway, so I figured I might as well drop off the cards."
"If you're going to see your friend, I'd like to go as well," Aritlin spoke up from behind the pair. Tom glanced over his shoulder. "I know you were just telling that little girl that she's fine to make her happy. I'd like to meet with your doctor and hear her prognosis myself." Tom wasn't sure how he felt about that, but he could hear the desperation in Aritlin's voice. He briefly locked eyes with Lieutenant Andrews, who gave a small shrug that seemed to say, "What's the worst that could happen?" It was good enough for Tom.
"Alright," he relented. "You can come with me." It didn't make sense to him as to why Aritlin felt the need to come to sickbay with him, but he didn't want to say no to him. He trusted him, and he could see that this was important to him. With Lieutenant Andrews trailing a few meters behind them, the pair headed in the direction of sickbay.
In sickbay, the Doctor held the vial up to the light and carefully analyzed its contents with a scrutinizing expression. He had no idea if this treatment would work, but when he looked over at Seven, he knew he had to try something; they had nothing to lose and everything to gain. He tilted the vial from side to side a few times before putting it down on the counter. He was about to start assembling the necessary equipment when the doors to sickbay opened.
"Hey Doc," Tom greeted cheerfully as he lead Aritlin into the expansive room. "How's Seven doing?" The Doctor put down his equipment and looked back at Seven.
"She's stable," he replied. "I'm cautiously optimistic with her prognosis." Miral's carrier was starting to get heavy, prompting Tom to put her on one of the empty biobeds. The Doctor's face immediately lit up at the sight of the infant. "How's my favorite goddaughter?" he cooed as he scooped her up on his arms and cradled her against his chest. Miral smiled and drooled all across the front of his uniform, but that didn't deter him from holding her close and bouncing her up and down. That's when he noticed Aritlin. "You must be our new guest. I am the Emergency Medical Hologram, but you can call me the Doctor."
"I'm Aritlin."
"Well, Aritlin, welcome to Voyager." Apparently he'd been wrong about this starship, there were several people here who seemed happy to see him, although they seemed outnumbered by those who wanted nothing to do with him. He hoped that that would end soon.
"Thank you." He paused for a moment and glanced over at Seven, although it was hard to get a good look at her from the other end of the room. "I needed to see how your friend was doing. I've been so worried about her all night." With his free hand, the Doctor motioned for Tom and Aritlin to follow him over to Seven's biobed to get a closer look. Lieutenant Andrews positioned himself next to the door with his feet planted firmly on the floor shoulder width apart and his arms folded behind his back. Just in case, he kept his eyes firmly locked at Aritlin the entire time. On his way over to the biobed, the Doctor grabbed the vial he had been examining earlier.
As he approached Seven, Tom observed that she looked slightly better, although he could tell that her condition was still serious. There was a faint hint of color returned to her pale cheeks, and the gaping wounds that tore across her flesh, exposing the Bog implants underneath, had been repaired with the help of a dermal regenerator. She still looked eerily death-like, which unsettled him, but the gentle rise and fall of her chest told him that she was alive and relatively fine.
"Is she even alive?" Aritlin blurted out without thinking. As soon as the words left his mouth, he instantly regretted them. He should have found a way to be more tactful with his question. Now that he looked closer, he could see that she was breathing faintly.
"I can assure you that Seven is very much alive," the Doctor replied. "Her organs are starting to repair themselves, and she is showing high neurological activity." Tom barely heard the Doctor's response to Aritlin's question. His medical training set in, and he analyzed the information on the panels surrounding the biobed with a scrutinizing eye. It wasn't that he didn't trust the Doctor's word, he just needed to see for himself. After taking care of Seven so carefully for the past week, he felt more protective of her than usual, even though she was safe in sickbay. "I was actually about to start a small transplant," the Doctor continued as he held up the vial in his hand.
"What is that?" Artilin exclaimed almost in horror. The thick black liquid looked disgusting as it sludged in its vial. He couldn't imagine putting it in someone's body.
"Borg nanoprobes," the Doctor replied. While Aritlin admittedly knew very little about Borgs and their technology, he still found the sight of the nanoprobes unsettling.
"Are they safe to be carrying around?"
"Of course they are," the Doctor replied incredulously. Although it was a legitimate question, the hated being second guessed. "Nanoprobes are perfectly safe, as long as they are being used properly. These are from Icheb, another drone on Voyager, and I'm going to transfer them to Seven. With any luck, it will help expedite the regeneration process and help her heal faster." Tom looked up from the console in front of him.
"Do you think it will work?" he asked.
"I have no idea," the Doctor admitted softly as he continued to bounce Miral in his arms. The infant amused herself by slobering all over his shoulder without a care in the world. "Icheb is the one who suggested it. Both the Captain and Commander Chakotay think that there's nothing to lose. Giving Seven nanoprobes won't do anything to harm her, but it could help accelerate her healing process." Tom had to admit that the Doctor's reasoning made sense to him. If anything, Icheb's nanoprobes could help to replace all the ones that were damaged and lost from Seven's ordeal over the past week.
"Has Chakotay been by?" he asked as he abandoned the console he was examining and plucked out of the Doctor's arms, which immediately freed him up to start preparing for the simple procedure.
"That's an understatement," the Doctor replied in an unamused, almost annoyed tone, as he began to gather the equipment necessary to transfer Icheb's nanoprobes to Seven. "Commander Chakotay has been to sickbay twice and talked to me over the comsystem every hour since 0400 hours." Tom had to admit that that didn't at all seem excessive. He saw the pain in Chakotay's eyes every day since being rescued from the cave, and he was surprised that the First Officer hadn't been by sickbay more often. "I've also been sending him and the Captain hourly updates, even if there's nothing to report. They're both very concerned about Seven's prognosis." The more Aritlin heard about Seven, the worse he felt. He thought coming to see her would help him feel better, but it did the opposite. Despite the Doctor's assurances that she would be perfectly fine in a few days, he still felt sick to his stomach with the knowledge that he was part of the reason she was in her current condition. He hoped she would come out of this without any damage, as that would be almost too much for him to bear.
"Excuse me," he whispered before excusing himself from sickbay. With a stoic expression on his face, Lieutenant Andrews followed after him. Tom and the Doctor looked at each other. Tom understood why he had fled. Like Chakotay, Aritlin would probably feel better once Seven woke up and was back to her usual self.
A small fire flickered in the darkness, catching Michael's attention. He was sure he'd put out the fire before heading up to his small apartment above his pub. He had been about to change and call it a night when he heard a strange noise downstairs from the supposedly empty pub. Carefully, he crept down the stairs and poked his head around the corner. As soon as he saw a familiar silhouette sitting in front of the fire, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Jesus, Katie, you nearly scared me half to death," he griped as he entered the pub, all thoughts of going to bed quickly flew out the window. Kathryn twitched and glanced over her shoulder briefly before turning her attention back to the fire. Right away, he knew something was wrong, she was usually all smiles and witty remarks when she saw him. Forgetting about sleep, he wove through the tables and chairs scattered throughout his pub and sat down next to her. Now that he saw her, he could see that something was definitely bothering her. Normally when she showed up in his pub, she wore one of her floor length dresses that helped her blend in with the rest of Fair Haven even though she technically wasn't from around here. He recognized her blouse and slacks as what she wore on her mystical starship. The only other time she'd shown up in Fair Haven like this was after he'd showed her Voyager so long ago. Clearly something was bothering her, and she was here to escape the harsh realities of her starship. "Katie, what's the matter with you?" Usually his Irish brogue was enough to get her weak in the knees, but she was too distracted to be flattered by his Irish charm. He put a hand on her arm and rubbed it. She looked over at him and smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry, Michael, I didn't mean to intrude on your pub." She motioned towards the half empty cup of tea sitting on the small round table next to her. When she got here and saw that Michael wasn't around, she just made herself at home. She knew he wouldn't mind, but she still felt bad about it.
"'Tis no intrusion," he assured. "Now, tell me, how's your starship?" Ever since he found out about Voyager, he was fascinated by it. His one brief visit had opened his eyes to things he couldn't even begin to comprehend, and he always pressed Kathryn for as much information as possible about it. Usually, she told him every little thing, often going into such detail that he had no idea what she was talking about. The way her eyes lit up when she talked about it, however, made it all worth it. They might be from different worlds, but they always seemed to enjoy each other's company and never seemed to run out of things to talk about.
"Not good," she replied dejectedly with a shake of her head. "I really messed up this time, Michael, and now one of my crew might not survive." His heart broke. He knew how much her crew meant to her, so for something to happen to one of them was undeniably difficult for her.
"Tell me what happened, Katie, and I'll help you." His voice was so gentle, it was impossible for Kathryn to resist. There was something about him that always loosened her lips, and she knew that he wouldn't dare repeat any of her misgivings. It didn't matter that he knew almost nothing about how to run a starship, just having someone to talk to was enough for her.
"I sent Tom, Harry and two other members of my crew on a mission. We thought someone needed our help, so they went to offer our assistance. It was all a trick, and all four members of the team were injured in some way." The thought of something terrible happening to Tom or Harry made Michael feel sick to his stomach. Both men were regulars around Fair Haven, and they were quite popular amongst the village's citizens.
"Is Tom alright?"
"Tom was shot, but he's fine," Kathryn assured. "Harry had a concussion, and Chakotay was punched. Seven is the one who's life is on the line."
"Seven?" It took a moment for him to remember who she was. Unlike Kathryn, she had only been to Fair Haven a handful of times and never really seemed interested in getting to know the people of his small village. "Oh, that very attractive blonde." As soon as the words left his mouth, he instantly regretted them. "Umm, uhh, not that I noticed how attractive she is. There are far more attractive women, such as you." She couldn't help but chuckle as Michael stammered and attempted to regain himself. His uncomfortable outburst helped make her feel a little better.
"Seven is very attractive," she said with a small laugh. "I'd be stupid not to notice. Half the men on my crew have tried to flirt with her since she got here. I never expected her to end up with Chakotay though."
"Really? I saw them getting pretty cozy down by the lake just a few weeks ago," Michael commented. The admission only made Kathryn feel worse. Even a hologram had noticed that there was something going on between Chakotay and Seven before she did. "So I'm guessin' that Seven is the one who's injured?" She nodded.
"She's very ill, and Chakotay is worried sick about her. If I hadn't sent them on that mission, none of this would have happened."
"You can't be playin' those what if games, they'll drive you crazy. You thought someone needed help, and being the kind hearted woman you are, you did what you thought was right. I may not know a lot about those fancy starships of yours, but I know about ships down at the wharf. Every single sailor knows the risks involved when they get on the ship, and I know you wouldn't knowingly put a single member of your crew in harm's way, it's not who you are." Somehow, Michael's words made her feel better, even though he didn't tell her what she didn't already know. It was comforting hearing it come from him though, he always made her feel better. "I wish there was something I could do to help you." Kathryn stopped to think for a few moments.
"Actually, there is something you could do." His eyebrow raised in intrigue as he tried to figure out what. He was here in Fair Haven, and the problem plaguing her was out on Voyager, there was almost nothing he could do to help her, even if he wanted to.
"Next time you go to Mass, can you pray for Seven?" She felt somewhat foolish asking a hologram to pray, especially since she wasn't a woman of any type of of real faith. Even so, there was something about knowing that Michael was praying for Seven that made her feel a little bit better.
"Aye, I can do that," he whispered with a small nod.
Author's Note: Be sure to let me know what you think by leaving me a little review!