Chapter Thirty
With her expert fingers working mechanically, Seven pulled and twisted her cornsilk hair back into its usual French twist and pinned it firmly in place. She scrutinized her appearance in the bathroom mirror, looking for any minor flaw in her appearance. What little color that usually crept across her cheeks finally returned, giving her a health appearance, and her clear blue eyes were bright with excitement and anticipation at the prospect of finally being able to return to duty. It felt like a lifetime since she'd reported to duty, although it had only been a few weeks. So much had happened between then and now, it almost didn't seem real. Not only had she gone on an away mission that had gone horribly wrong, but she'd been on death's door. As if that wasn't enough, her relationship with Chakotay had advanced in a way she didn't expect. It was a lot for anyone to process, but now it was time for her to get back to her usual routine. She was glad to get back to work, even though she'd found ways to keep herself occupied in Chakotay's quarters with the work from Astrometrics graciously provided to her by the Captain and her little project with Tom. When she exited the bathroom and walked into the bedroom, Seven found Chakotay straightening his uniform and running his fingers over his collar to make sure his rank insignia was properly in place.
"Glad to be going back to duty?" he asked as he took her hand, pulling her close. One of her arms slid around his neck while the other gripped his upper arm. As soon as she felt her body against his, she began to relax. It was then that she realized just how stressed she felt. There was no reason for her to feel anxiety, as she was simply returning to duty, to where she'd worked for several years now. To feel nervous was inefficient and illogical. His hand rested on the small of her back, and the other on the side of her neck, stroking her jaw with his thumb in the process.
"I'm glad my vacation is over," she replied. That may be the case, but Chakotay still had his apprehensions. He thought that she got tired easier than usual, and that was what worried him the most. The last thing he wanted was for something to happen to her on her first day back.
"Just be sure to take it easy. The Captain will understand if you have to leave early if you're not feeling well." The mere suggestion of leaving early made Seven feel angry. There was no way she'd even consider doing that. She'd already missed so much time, she couldn't afford to miss any more.
"I'll be more than capable of completing a shift." Her voice had a particular edge that wasn't there moments earlier. She was needed in Astrometrics, and she couldn't waste any more time sitting around here.
"I have no doubt, but just keep that in mind, muñeca, just in case." When she looked in his eyes, she could see a hint of desperation and concern for her. He wasn't doing it to be overbearing, he was looking out for her. The realization was enough to soften her up. Rather than be insulted by the suggestion, she realized that it was simply Chakotay's way of looking out for her and making sure she took care of herself. If she had been in his shoes, there was no doubt in her mind that she would act the same.
"I will keep your suggestion in mind, although it will be unnecessary." He rested his forehead against hers. She took advantage of the close proximity to brush her lips past his. At first, she intended for it to be a quick, sweet kiss, but he slid his arms around her slender waist and pulled her closer. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip, begging for permission to deepen the kiss. She parted her lips slightly, giving him just enough permission to thrust his tongue inside and move against hers as the kiss quickly heated up.
Feeling bold, Chakotay carefully guided Seven in the direction of the freshly made bed that they'd just abandoned not even half an hour earlier. The second the backs of her knees hit the mattress, they buckled, sending them both tumbling across the bedspread. He made sure to brace himself with his arm so he didn't accidentally crush her, which would undoubtedly ruin the moment.
"We only have a few minutes before we have to leave to report to duty," Seven pointed out, her voice a soft whisper although she had no idea why, it wasn't like there was anyone around here to hear them. His hands splayed out on either side of her head, allowing him to look down at her as he hovered above her. She rested her hands against his broad chest, ready to push him away if he tried to get too bold in the limited amount of time they had before reporting for duty.
"Do you want to stop?" He hated the thought of stopping, but if she wanted to, then he would. She was right, they didn't have a lot of time, but they had just enough time for a little bit of excitement as long as they didn't get too carried away.
"I never said that." Now it was Seven's turn to take initiative. She grabbed the front of Chakotay's tunic and pulled him down until their lips slammed together in a fiery kiss. Unaccustomed to her taking charge like that, he was caught off guard. Once he regained himself, he rolled them over so she straddled his waist. She pried her lips away from his and left a trail of kisses along his strong jaw to his neck. She always loved when he kissed her there, and she wanted to see if she was capable of giving him the same experience. Based on the fact that he tangled his fingers in her hair, instantly ruining the French twist she'd so carefully styled a few moments earlier, she figured that she was doing something right. His free hand slid along her sleek bodysuit and grabbed her butt, causing her to gasp but continue what she was doing, using her tongue, lips and teeth to tease him mercilessly.
Despite all the time they spent together in bed and sharing intimate moments, Chakotay had no idea Seven was so seductive and capable of such actions. While she definitely looked the part of an enticing seductress with her skintight bodysuits that she always wore, he was starting to learn that she could play the part as well. Every touch, every kiss, every everything sent shockwaves shooting through his body as he longed for more. Not only was she fantastic company to keep when they just sat around and talked, but she was a mind blowing lover who knew exactly what to do to drive him crazy, not that that mattered as much to him. In his mind, he was more focused on their compatibility and how much they enjoyed spending time together, but it was still an added bonus.
Seven pressed her lips against Chakotay's lips again, bringing him back to reality after the tantalizing teasing he'd just endured. His hand rested on her cheek, and he moaned in response to the feeling of her lips against his. In the back of his mind, he realized that their time was up, they had to get going if they were going to report to duty on time. As much as he hated it, he pried his lips away from hers only to peck her lightly. Loose strands of blonde hair that broke free from her French twist tickled his face. He hadn't even realized how much he messed up her hair until now. Half of it was still pinned back while the other half framed her flushed face.
"We should get going." The words were painful to say. All he wanted was to stay in bed with her now, but both of them had jobs to do, and there was no way they could get out of it. As much as she had been enjoying herself, Seven knew he was right. "Tonight though, we'll pick up where we left off if you aren't too tired." The lusty look in his dark eyes told her that he fully intended to keep his promise. Seven climbed off him and began to adjust her clothes and hair to make sure she looked presentable. The last thing she needed was to show up in Astrometrics with her hair and clothes askew, which would imply what the two of them had been up to.
"I was actually going to suggest a date tonight."
"A date?" Chakotay repeated as he also got to his feet and began to straighten out his uniform. He smoothed down his tunic and did a quick inspection in the mirror to make sure he looked presentable. As far as he could tell, he looked fine, ready to report to the bridge.
"It's been awhile since we've been on a proper date, and since your birthday is tomorrow, I thought that tonight would be an acceptable night to suggest a date." Seven crossed to the bathroom to look herself over. With the exception of a little more color in her cheeks than usual, she looked presentable and like her usual composed self as she fastened her hair back into its usual style. Chakotay followed after her and leaned against the doorway while he watched her analyze her appearance. He felt like he could watch her for hours as she completed even the most mundane tasks like fixing her hair.
"You've been giving this a lot of thought, haven't you?" he asked. She turned around and kissed him softly on the cheek.
"Be ready at 1900 hours and make sure to wear something nice." She patted him on the chest and slid past him. She couldn't be late on her first day back in Astrometrics. Something told him that whatever she had planned, it was going to be an interesting evening together. A formal date sounded like the perfect way to spend the evening with her. They might be technically living together right now, but they hadn't taken the time to go on a date since before leaving for the away mission. As far as he was concerned, this was exactly what they needed in their relationship.
Tom groaned as he sat up. While the couch was infinitely better than the cave he'd been subjected to during the disastrous away mission, it still wasn't as comfortable as his bed with his wife curled up next to him. The pillows were hard and lumpy, and he barely had enough room to roll over or make himself comfortable. He tilted his head from side to side several times until his neck cracked loudly, providing him some much needed relief from the painful crick that crept along the back of his neck. With Miral balanced in her arms and an unamused expression on her worn out face, B'Elanna emerged from the bathroom. As soon as she saw her father, Miral's eyes lit up, but B'Elanna held on to the child.
"Well, it's about time you got up," she snapped. "You were going to be late for duty if you didn't get up soon."
"Well thanks for waking me," Tom shot back in an equally icy tone. Sentiments from their fight the night before were fresh in both their minds and neither one of them felt the need to apologize for their behavior.
"You're a grown man, capable of handling your own schedule, including how you spend your evenings." The last comment was a poorly hidden insult meant to bring up the fight from last night that they had yet to talk through, which wasn't lost on Tom at all. He might be pretty dense, but he wasn't that clueless to how B'Elanna felt right now. She breezed across the room to grab Miral a bottle from the small kitchen.
"Really? I've been up for like two minutes, and you're already going to start this?" he demanded loudly as he got to his feet. The least she could do was wait until he had his first cup of coffee to bring this up. "There is nothing going on with me and Seven. She asked for my help with something, and I figured I would help her out because that's what people do, they help out their friends." B'Elanna looked unmoved by his assertion. Never in all her years of being on Voyager had Seven sought out Tom's help before like this, and she couldn't help but feel suspicious. In all honesty, she was surprised that the rest of the crew wasn't gossiping as well.
"I had no idea you two were so chummy."
"Watching a person almost die will do that to you." The words just came out before Tom could stop himself. For a split second, her gaze softened as she realized just how ridiculous she was acting.
"Excuse me?"
"I spent over a week on that damn planet watching Seven's health decline. She was dying, and everything in my medical training told me to help her, but there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. Imagine how you would feel if the warp core was down, and all you could do was sit in engineering and stare at it? Because that's what it was like for me." Once the words were out in the open, Tom found that he felt significantly better, as if the air had finally been cleared between the two of them. He had no idea he felt that way, but once he started talking, he realized just how he felt. Watching Seven as they were trapped in that cave had been one of the worst experiences of his life. "So when Seven asked me for a favor, I said yes, because I might not have been able to do something for her on the away mission, but now I could do something."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked as she walked towards him. She never really gave much thought to the impact the away mission had on Tom. Just like everyone else, she was focused on Chakotay and how he was handling Seven's health problems. With the exception of being shot in the side, Tom had appeared to be fine, so she never pursued the matter with him. Clearly, she should have focused on her husband just a little bit more. He shrugged.
"I don't know, I guess I never really knew why I said yes until just now," he admitted. "And I'm sorry, I should have been more sensitive to how you felt about it."
"It's fine, Tom. I, I guess I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have reacted the way I did." Given the fact that B'Elanna held Miral in one hand and a bottle in the other, there wasn't much she could do to show Tom that she forgave him. Sensing that, he leaned over and kissed his cheek softly while wrapping one arm around her waist and burying his face in her hair. As much as they fought, he was glad they had cleared the air and could move past this disagreement.
A few minutes late for duty, Chakotay rushed Kathryn's ready room through the back door that lead to the corridor along the rear of the bridge. Normally she would be upset at a crewman being late, but since he was always either on time or early for duty, she was more than willing to let it slide, especially since today was Seven's first day back to Astrometrics.
"Late start?" she teased as he flung himself down on the couch next to her and grabbed his cup of coffee from where it sat on the table just like it did every morning. After his morning, however, he may have found something that did a better job at waking him up than coffee.
"Just wanted to make sure Seven was fine reporting to duty," he replied in a surprisingly cool voice. Despite his calm, collected demeanor, there was a certain glimmer in his eyes that usually wasn't there.
"Uh-huh, sure." Kathryn wasn't buying it at all. She leaned over and pulled down the collar of his grey undershirt, revealing a hickey that her keen eyes saw almost as soon as he sat down. It was harder to see against his tanned skin, but her acute eyesight had seen the top of it poking out from under the grey garment. "You sure that's all you were doing?" He sighed. He'd been so caught up in the moment that he hadn't stopped to think that Seven might be inadvertently leaving a mark. "Here's a hint for you young love birds, next time make sure to leave the hickey somewhere that's covered by your clothes." A warm blush crept across Chakotay's cheeks. Despite the fact that he considered Kathryn to be his closest friend, and there were no secrets between them, he still felt uncomfortable talking about his personal life with her like this. She got to her feet and retrieved the medkit from behind her desk. She produced the dermal regenerator and crossed the room to stand in front of him. "Unless you want to be subjected to Tom Paris' endless ridicule." Chakotay thought about it for a second. While it was embarrassing to show up in Kathryn's ready room like this, he knew it would be a million times worse if Tom, or any crew member really, saw the hickey. On the other hand, Tom and B'Elanna were infamous all across the starship for their romantic exploits. They'd been caught by nearly every member of the crew in embarrassing, compromising positions. It took them a while to learn to be more careful about where they were and what they were doing.
"Fine," he relented as he tilted his head to the side. Kathryn pulled the grey collar down. Now that she got a closer look, she had to admit that it was an impressive mark; she had no idea Seven had it in her. Angry red marks marred his flesh, indicating exactly where she'd latched on to his neck in the heat of the moment. She ran the dermal regenerator over the marred flesh, instantly causing the hickey to disappear and returning his skin to its typical bronze hue. Satisfied with her handiwork, Kathryn went to return the dermal regenerator to the medkit. "I think Seven's planning something," Chakotay finally blurted out. The feeling had been building up in him for quite some time now, and he couldn't deny it any longer. With her constant disappearances and sudden desire for a romantic date night for just the two of them, he couldn't help but think that she had something up her sleeve, although, for the life of him, he couldn't figure out what that might be.
"Planning something?" she asked as she feigned ignorance. It was surprisingly easy for her to pretend that she had no idea what he was talking about despite the fact that she had been in on it from the very beginning. It was difficult for her to lie to someone who knew her so well, especially since Chakotay was so familiar with her mannerisms, but as far as she could tell, he wasn't suspicious.
"She's spent every evening for nearly a week with Tom, doing God only knows what, and now she's insisting on going on a date tonight."
"There's nothing wrong with going on a date," she pointed out as she returned to her seat next to him and picked up her coffee. She took a sip of the beverage and leaned back with her arm propped up on the back of the couch. "You two have had a very difficult month, it's perfectly normal for a woman to want to spend a nice, romantic evening with her boyfriend." He looked at her. Now that they were sitting next to each other, he could tell that there was something off about her. She wouldn't look him in the eye and was sitting a few centimeters farther away from him than usual. Normally, he wouldn't notice these things, but he was always well aware of Kathryn and her behavior towards him. She was acting different, slightly uncomfortable, which hadn't been the case earlier.
"You know something, don't you?" he pressed as he leaned towards her. He tried to look her in the eye, but she kept averting her gaze, which told him that she definitely knew something. The only problem was that he could see in her eyes that there was no way he'd get any information out of her; her lips were sealed. "Fine, keep your secrets." He stood up and drained his coffee cup. "But I'll find out eventually."
"Oh, I have no doubt," Kathryn teased with a small laugh, causing him to roll his eyes. He hated secrets, especially when they had to do with him. He was the type of person who just wanted to know everything. Besides, he never expected Seven to be the one to have some sort of secret from him. With the exception of not telling him that she needed to regenerate during their away mission, they always had an open and completely honest relationship.
When Seven arrived in Astrometrics, Icheb was already there. He had to have heard the door open as she entered, but he made no acknowledgement of her arrival. Instead, he continued to scroll through the information on the large screen that dominated the far wall. Seven immediately jumped right into what was expected of her. She stationed herself at one of the consoles a few feet away from him and looked over the information on the screen, her mind whirling at warp speed.
"We will be passing a Class One nebula in approximately three days. The Captain and Commander Chakotay will want a full report before we encounter it," she announced, her voice finally breaking through the silence.
"I'm sure that's not all Commander Chakotay wants," Icheb sneered. He couldn't help it. He'd come in today ready to ignore Seven and do his job, as soon as she brought up the Commander, however, he couldn't help but feel standoffish. Their relationship felt wrong to him, and the fact that they'd purposefully kept it from him only made him feel worse about the entire situation.
"That is highly improper and dangerously close to insubordination," Seven snapped loudly, her voice bouncing off the high ceilings. Icheb might be a teenager, but he still knew how to behave properly. There was no reason for him to act this way.
"Everything you've done for the past few months is improper," he challenged as he spun around to face her. "You're sleeping with your commanding officer, you're lying to your friends, you're keeping secrets not only from me but from the Captain. If anything, you are the one breaking the rules."
"You're out of place," Seven scolded. She absolutely refused to be treated this way, especially by Icheb of all people. They might be friends, but she was also technically his superior and should be treated accordingly. "I have tried speaking to you reasonably, I've tried giving you your space, and I don't know what else to do to help you confront your emotions. I'm sorry for not telling you about my relationship with Commander Chakotay, and I'm sorry for not telling you when I was released from sickbay, but there isn't anything I can do about it now. That is all in the past, and for you to hold on to these emotions is irrational and immature."
"Well I am a child," Icheb pointed out with hostility as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her. She opened her mouth to say that he wasn't a child, but he continued, "You even told me yourself that you see me as a child."
"I was wrong to have said that, you are a growing teenager, and I should have more aware of your feelings when I was released from sickbay. To force me to apologize repeatedly, however, is highly inefficient, as I am simply saying the same thing over and over again." There was a flicker of emotion on Icheb's face as he registered a hint of emotion, but just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. "I'm sorry, Icheb. Please forgive me." She took a few steps towards him.
"I don't know if I can trust you,"
"It has never been my intention to deceive you. I didn't tell you about Commander Chakotay because every member of this crew is entitled to privacy. I was going to tell you at the appropriate time when I returned from the away mission, but you found out before I could. I apologize for that too." His gaze softened. He could see the sincerity in her expression and hear it in her voice. Clearly this was something that had weighed heavily on her shoulders for quite some time now. "I want nothing more than for our relationship to resume as it was before all of this happened."
"I'm ready to make that happen, under one condition." Intrigued, she raised an eyebrow and waited to hear the conditions for his forgiveness. "No more secrets."
"No more secrets," she promised. A relieved smile immediately spread across her face as they were finally able to put this fight behind them. She could comply, it was a reasonable request, as they never had secrets from each other before. She shouldn't have lied to him in the first place. "Now, I need that report on the nebula for the Captain and Commander Chakotay."
"I'll get started right away." There was an extra bounce in Icheb's step as he followed Seven's orders. As soon as they cleared the air between them, he was able to get right back to work without any problems as if nothing had happened between them in the first place. It might have taken a while, but things were finally starting to get back to normal.
Kathryn couldn't help but laugh when she looked over at Chakotay as he attempted to read over the information on the computer console between their seats. He might be trying to focus while sitting next to her on the bridge, but she could see in his eyes the distant expression that told her that he was thinking about something else.
"You're still thinking about your plans for tonight, aren't you?" she asked, breaking him out of his trance. She made sure to keep her voice low so other members of the crew couldn't hear what they were talking about; a skill they'd managed to master years ago, essentially giving them privacy in the middle of a crowded space.
"No, of course not." He was a terrible liar. She gave him a stern look that told him that she didn't believe him for a second. She knew him better than that and didn't believe him for a second. "Okay, maybe a little bit. Seven's never been this secretive before. Normally our dates are simple, straightforward, although meticulously researched on her part." Kathryn couldn't help but crack a smile. Finding out that Seven researched what to do on her dates with Chakotay didn't surprise her at all. "We don't need a lot to enjoy each other's company, certainly nothing that involves this much planning."
"Let me give you a piece of advice." Chakotay hoped that the advice would really be a clue as to what Seven was planning, although he knew that that was a longshot. "Don't try to figure it out, because if you do, it'll just ruin the surprise."
"Or you could just tell me what she's planning, and I'll pretend to act surprised," he suggested. In a flash, her jovial expression changed to a stern one that told him that there was absolutely no way that was going to happen so he might as well forget about it now. "Or not." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Determined to figure out what Seven was planning, he began to daydream once again. With her, there was an infinite number of possibilities; she was a highly resourceful and creative person, whether others believed that or not. Unfortunately, that made his job significantly more difficult, as he had no idea what to expect for tonight.
Shortly after 1300 hours, Seven realized that she had to step out of Astrometrics for a few moments to take care of something for her plans tonight with Chakotay. She had been so wrapped up in her work and getting back on track after being gone for so long, as was her way, that she hadn't realized the time. If everything was to be perfect, then she had to leave now.
"I will be back," she announced as she handed the PADD in her hand over to Icheb. He gave her a confused look. It wasn't like her to leave during her assigned duty day; very rarely did she leave, even to eat lunch. She turned to leave, but Icheb trailed after her.
"Are you alright?" he asked eagerly with concern. While she had appeared to be fine and working at her usual high efficiency today, he couldn't help but worry. She'd spent the past week recovering from her ordeal, and, just like Chakotay, he was worried that she was pushing herself too much. He'd been keeping an eye on her from a distance all day, and as far as he could tell, everything appeared to be fine. She was also particularly skilled at hiding anything that was bothering her from others. On the other hand, he liked to think that he knew her well enough to know that if something were wrong, even if she wouldn't openly admit it. He wouldn't put it past her to make up a fallacy to leave the lab to rest so nobody thought she was weak or incapable of working just to keep up appearances.
"I am undamaged," Seven firmly assured. "I have a matter I need to attend to. I will return within half an hour."
"Do you need me to accompany you?" Straddling the doorway to the corridor, Seven turned to face him. The very notion of having someone to look after her put her on edge. She was a grown woman, able to run an errand without someone watching over her.
"I am fully capable of taking care of myself. I'll be back in half an hour. Continue on your work." The firm tone told him that that was an order. Icheb considered violating that order and following her anyway, but he ultimate decided against it. Things were finally getting better between them, and he didn't want to make them worse again.
With her usual confidence, Seven entered the mess hall. Stragglers from the lunch rush were scattered across the large room, finishing up their meals and enjoying a little bit of down time. Crewmen laughed, and dishes clinked, the usual sounds of any meal in the mess hall. As much as she enjoyed eating quiet meals with Chakotay in her quarters, Seven could understand the appeal of eating here as well. Due to the relatively small size of the crew, it was almost a guarantee to run into someone you knew, whether it was a close friend or an acquaintance you haven't seen in weeks due to your conflicting schedules. Seven wasn't here for any social reasons, so she paid little attention to those sitting around eating; she was here on a mission. She walked directly to the galley, where Chell was cleaning up from the lunch rush.
"Hello Seven," he chirped as he put a large bowl of leftovers away for anyone who came in later and wanted a bit of a snack. "What can I get for you? I have a delicious salad and some pot roast left from lunch."
"I do not require nourishment." Chell's face momentarily fell. "I am here to review the plans for tonight." He should have figured as much. Seven was always one for business and efficiency, and they'd been in constant communication the past few days as they put the finishing touches on her plan for tonight.
"Of course." Wiping his hands on his apron, he scurried out from behind the window to the galley and snatched up a nearby PADD. "I have the menu right here, but I haven't made many changes to it."
"But you have made some changes." She sounded unimpressed, which caused Chell to shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Being around Seven always made him nervous, but it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she used to be Borg. She had a very commanding personality, but it was made worse by the fact that she was scrutinizing everything he was doing.
"You, uhh, you asked me to," he pointed out meekly. She knew that, she had had her reasons for doing that, and now she was here to make sure everything was up to her exacting standards.
"I am aware of that." She held out her hand for the PADD, which he gladly handed over for her careful inspection. The desire for perfection consumed her more than usual, especially when it came to this. No detail, no matter how small or insignificant, would be overlooked. Even for her, the standards were ridiculously high, and she hoped she would be able to meet them.
No sooner did Seven have the PADD from Chell in her hand did the doors to the mess hall open, and Chakotay entered for a late lunch with Harry. Both men laughed at some sort of joke shared between them before they entered the room. As soon as he saw Seven, Chakotay abandoned his plan for food and instead headed right to her side. It was strange to see her in here, as she rarely ate meals in the mess hall unless she was with Naomi, who didn't appear to be anywhere in sight.
"Everything alright?" he asked as he put a supporting hand on the small of her back and mindlessly ran his thumb across the smooth fabric of her bodysuit. She immediately shut off the PADD before he could see what was on the screen, causing him to feel suspicious.
"I just finished eating lunch," she lied smoothly. Chell was impressed by how easy the lie came to her. She didn't bat an eye or at all seemed distressed that she was deceiving the First Officer, not to mention her lover. "And now I need to return to Astrometrics."
"Maybe you can spare a few minutes and join me," Chakotay suggested hopefully. As much as it pained him to do so, he'd resisted all urges to check on her throughout the morning, so this was his only chance to make sure she was alright. As far as he could tell, she looked fine, but he wanted to be sure. Today was a big day for her.
"That would be unwise. I have been away from the lab for too long." His face fell as all hopes of sharing a meal together were dashed. "I will see you at 1900 hours though." A smile formed when he remembered that they had a date planned for that evening. Suddenly, he didn't feel quite so crestfallen that she couldn't stay for lunch; they'd share a nice, quiet meal together later.
"I'll be ready," he promised. When he leaned in to kiss her cheek, she stepped away. There were too many people here, and she was determined to maintain some semblance of professionalism, at least while they were both on duty. There was a difference between walking down the hall hand in hand and kissing in the mess hall. One day, she knew she would feel comfortable with such public displays of affection, but not quite yet; she had to take baby steps. Instead, she kept the PADD from Chell in her hand and left to return to Astrometrics where she would review the information on it without Chakotay's prying eyes and return it to him as quickly as possible.
As she walked down the hall, Seven reviewed the information on the PADD. While Chell had made her requested changes to the menu, that left other alterations that needed to be made. It was close to perfect, but it wasn't quite there yet. She had to tell him about those changes, but if she returned to the mess hall, Chakotay would know she had been deceitful. It was imperative that she get the information to Chell as quickly as possible though, because as soon as Chakotay left, she knew he was going to start his preparations, which were extensive in such a short amount of time. If she didn't get the necessary alterations to him right away, she risked putting everything behind schedule. Suddenly, an idea dawned on her.
Seven tapped her combadge and said, "Seven of Nine to Naomi Wildman." With any luck, the child wouldn't be in the mess hall where Chakotay would hear her.
"Hiya, Seven, what's up?" Naomi chirped in her usual cheerful manner.
"I require your assistance. Please report to Astrometrics."
"Okay, I'm on my way. Naomi out." She pictured the child immediately abandoning whatever it was she was working on to help out her close friend, who she was always determined to please. She was the perfect person for this job. Satisfied, Seven continued on her way to Astrometrics. She had a lot to get done, and not a lot of time to accomplish all of it.
Moments after Seven returned to Astrometrics, Naomi rushed into the lab at full speed and skid to stop. If Seven asked her to interrupt her work, then she knew it had to be for something important. She immediately went over to Seven and draped herself along the console next to Seven while looking up at her with expectant eyes.
"What's up?" she asked as she bounced up and down slightly. It was always exciting coming to see Seven at work, although Naomi felt that way when she got to visit just about anyone at work. She wanted to know how every aspect of the ship worked, it was all a part of her plan to become Captain of Voyager one day.
"I need you to take this to Chell in the mess hall," Seven responded as she picked up a nearby PADD and handed it over. Right when Naomi went to grab it, Seven moved it just out of her grip, causing the child's forehead to crease in frustration and confusion. "But there's a complication." The thought of a complication for such a simple errand excited Naomi. When Seven first summoned her to Astrometrics, she thought it would be for something boring, but now it sounded like some sort of exciting adventure; she couldn't wait to get started. "If Commander Chakotay is there, you can't tell him that it's from me."
"Who do I tell him it's from?"
"That is irrelevant. If Chell isn't near the Commander, then you can tell him it's from me, but if he is near the Commander, then you'll have to come up with a...cover story." Seven had heard the phrase several times in the past and never understood its use until now. Naomi carefully thought it over, it sounded easy enough. She was sure she could come up with some reason as to what was going on.
"Okay. Take the PADD to Chell and don't let Commander Chakotay know it's from you. I can do that," she promised with a large smile plastered across her face. Confident in Naomi's delivery abilities, Seven handed over the PADD and watched as the young girl skipped out of the lab with her hair flying behind her in her typical fashion. There was no doubt in her mind that she would find a way to be successful in this endeavor.
Even though it was a simple task, Naomi couldn't help but feel pride swelling up inside her as she continued to skip down the corridor to the turbolift. Of all the crew on the starship, Seven had picked her to deliver this PADD to Chell. Yes, it meant that she had to take a break from her studies, but she was sure that her mom would understand. Besides, she was getting bored just sitting around their quarters reading her PADDs; she'd been thinking of taking a break soon anyway. Often, people forgot that she was even here and fully capable of helping them out on their errands and jobs, but never Seven. Not only did she remember her, but she even sought her out when there were plenty of others all around her to run this errand.
When Naomi skipped into the mess hall, her face fell. Not only was Chell near Chakotay, he was sitting at the table laughing and having a snack with the First Officer and Harry while they ate their lunch. All of a sudden, her task became incredibly difficult, as she had no idea what type of cover story to use; she'd been so focused on how excited she was that she didn't think of one. Knowing she couldn't just stand in the doorway, which would arouse even more suspicion, Naomi entered the mess hall and approached the table.
"Hi Naomi," Harry greeted before taking a bite of his pot roast.
"Naomi." Chell was surprised to see her, she'd already been here to eat over an hour ago and then returned to her studies. He knew she was a growing girl, but there was no way she could be hungry already. "Are you hungry again?"
"Huh? Oh, no, I'm not hungry. I'm actually here to drop this off," she explained as she handed him the PADD from Seven. He clearly looked confused. He hadn't been expecting any sort of report. "It's, umm, from the Captain. It's her feedback on your proposed menu for next week." While Naomi didn't know a whole lot about how the mess hall ran, she knew from when Neelix was here that the Captain approved the menu every week to ensure resources were being properly allocated and the crew's dietary needs were being met. She had no idea if the Captain had seen the suggested menu for the following week, it was the only cover story she could think of right now.
"The Captain?" Chakotay repeated in confusion. "Why didn't she just give it to me and Harry when we came down?" While the Captain was known to send Naomi on small errands, there was something about her story that he simply didn't believe. To his knowledge, the child had a large project to work on that was taking up the majority of her free time and prevented her from fulfilling her unofficial role as Captain's assistant. Besides, it would have been significantly easier to just send the approved menu down with him, Kathryn knew he and Harry were coming down here.
"To you?" Her eyes grew wide as she tried to think of a plausible explanation. "Umm, she forgot about it." Once the words came out, they began to tumble out with more speed and confidence. "You know, the Captain is a very busy woman, which is why she has to rely on her assistant to help her." She looked at each man to ascertain if they bought her story. They all seemed to believe her, although there was still a little bit of skepticism in Chakotay's eyes. He would simply have to deal with his doubts. "I need to go, I have to finish a big project. Bye." With one last smile and cheerful wave, she rushed out of the mess hall before anyone could question her story any further. The last thing she wanted was more questions, as then her story would undoubtedly fall apart.
As she returned to her quarters to work on her project, Naomi started to feel a little guilty. She'd just lied to the First Officer on Voyager, which was technically a court martial offense. Having been so caught up in the moment, that realization hadn't dawned on her right away. Now that she had time to think about what she'd done, she realized the severity of her actions. There was one consolation that kept her from having a complete meltdown: with the exception of Commander Tuvok, Seven wouldn't have asked her to bend the rules a little bit without her reasons. For that reason, Naomi knew that it was alright. Besides, she hadn't lied about anything serious.
After a quick lunch, Chakotay and Harry returned to the bridge to finish the rest of their duty for the day. Chakotay sat down next to Kathryn with a sigh. Everything looked just as calm and relaxing as when he'd left for lunch. While some crewmen might complain about not having anything to do during slow days such as this, he'd gladly take this over facing off against the Borg, Kazon or Vidiians.
"Why didn't you give me Chell's menu when I went down to the mess hall?" he asked Kathryn out of the blue.
"Excuse me?" Based on her expression, it was clear that she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, which was strange.
"Naomi came down to the mess hall with a PADD and said that you sent her down with feedback for his menu for next week." She shook her head.
"I haven't seen Naomi all day." It was rather strange actually. Usually she showed up in her ready room at some point to bring her coffee or see if she could do anything to help her. So far today, however, she hadn't been anywhere near the bridge but was instead being kept busy with other projects on Voyager.
"But she came down and handed Chell a PADD, saying it was from you."
"I promise, I didn't send him a PADD. I haven't even looked over his proposed menu for next week, I've had more important things to look over."
"Then who was the PADD from?" Chakotay shifted uncomfortably as he pondered the mystery. It wasn't like Naomi to lie, she was nearly as obsessed with the rules as Tuvok. Seeing as she was just a child, it was hardly worth pursuing. Besides, he wasn't here to parent her, that was Sam's job.
Later that evening, Kathryn carefully examined herself in the mirror. Very rarely did she need to wear anything other than her Starfleet uniform. Right now, she wore a camisole and underwear while she tried to determine to fix her hair. Of course, that would depend on what dress she ultimately decided to wear. As she walked out to her bedroom, she glanced at the dress she laid out on her bed. When she thought about it, she wasn't sure if that was the one she wanted to wear. She was about to return to her closet to dig around for another dress when her doorbell rang. She sighed; it looked like that would have to wait.
"Enter," she called as she pulled on her usual pink robe and walked into the living room. The door opened, and Seven breezed inside.
As soon as she saw the Captain in her robe, she asked, "Is this a bad time?" Normally, Kathryn would be bothered by the impropriety of a crewman seeing her in her robe, but there was something different about her relationship with Seven that made her feel that it was acceptable.
"No, I was just trying to figure out what I wanted to wear tonight." She paused for a moment. "Shouldn't you be getting ready?"
"I just left the mess hall, where Chell is working to put the finishing touches on everything." As Seven stood with her arms folded behind her back, she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, instantly telling Kathryn that something was bothering her.
"You're nervous about tonight, aren't you?"
"I am, but right now I am more concerned about what to wear. I don't think one of my usual bodysuits would be appropriate attire."
"You wear whatever is comfortable for you, but if you're looking for wardrobe advice, I can help you pick something. If I remember correctly, the Doctor has designed a series of outfits for you in the replicator database."
"I already looked through the database twice and couldn't decide. Fashion is not my area of expertise."
"Well, let's have a look together then." Kathryn motioned towards the replicator on the far wall, indicating that Seven was free to make herself comfortable and use it to scroll through her wardrobe choices. The Doctor had extensively researched wardrobe choices when creating the choices for Seven, so there had to be something in there that would be suitable for tonight.
As Seven scrolled through the wardrobe choices, she felt the same anxiety she felt earlier. While all the dresses were very attractive, she didn't feel that any of them were perfect for her plans for tonight. Tonight's dress had to reflect a certain something, and it was difficult to tell from a small picture if the dress would do that. Feeling discouraged, she crossed her arms over her chest and took a step back.
"None of these dresses are suitable for tonight," she announced with frustration as she shook her head.
"I don't know, Seven, I think this one is nice," Kathryn commented as she scrolled back to the appropriate dress she was talking about. Seven's face told her that she disagreed. "What's wrong with it? I know it's simple, but it's very elegant. I think Chakotay will like it."
"It's black," Seven pointed out bluntly. "Black is usually reserved for somber moments, not birthdays."
"Black is considered a very elegant color, Seven. But if you don't like it, that's easy enough to fix." With expert fingers, Kathryn accessed the information file for the dress in question. "What color would you like?" Seven stopped to think. She never really thought about what color she wanted to wear, she simply grabbed a bodysuit and wore it without thinking about what color it was, which would be a highly inefficient use of time. There was never a need to put so much emphasis on her clothes.
"Commander Chakotay has commented that I look, I believe his word was 'ravishing', in burgundy." Kathryn smiled. She could easily believe that he would say that. He was always the type of person ready to shower others with compliments, especially the women in his life.
"Burgundy it is then." With a few taps of her fingers, the dress changed from black to burgundy. "How's that?" she asked as she turned to face Seven. Based on the young woman's expression, she could tell that she approved. With a few more taps, the dress materialized in the regenerator, neatly folded and ready to wear. Kathryn picked up the dress and handed it over to Seven. "You can change here if you want." The younger woman thought about the offer. It would be nice to change here, that way the Captain could make any alterations to the dress if necessary.
"Thank you." She took the dress and retreated to the bathroom for some privacy. On her way, she couldn't help but glance at the dress the Captain laid out on her bed. It was a very elegant forest green floor length gown. Seven had considered a longer dress like hers but ultimately decided against it because she found them restrictive and difficult to move in. The dress she selected came to her knees, which she found an adequate length; long enough to cover her but also short enough to allow her to move freely.
Several minutes later, Seven emerged from the bathroom and stood in front of Kathryn. While the Captain scrutinized their handiwork, the younger woman tugged self-consciously at the bottom of her dress; it was shorter than she originally anticipated. The few times she wore dresses, they were longer than this, and the slit up one of the sides made it feel even shorter. When she looked at the dress on the regenerator, it didn't appear that short, but now that she wore it, she wished it was just a few centimeters longer.
"I think we did a pretty good job," Kathryn commented proudly. She handed over a pair of strappy black sandals. Seven looked confused. She hadn't thought about what shoes she would wear, so she was glad the Captain was one step ahead of her.
"Thank you." When she sat down to put on the shoes, the dress rode up even more, causing her to try and pull it down but to no avail. "You have been extremely helpful the past week as I prepare for tonight."
"It's been my pleasure to help you. I've kept Chakotay busy on the bridge until 1830 hours, which will give him just enough time to be ready." With her shoes strapped on, Seven stood up. While she was used to the heels on her boots, those heels were thicker and provided her with more support, especially around her ankles. These shoes had narrow heels and provided her with no support. They were highly inefficient for everyday use, so it was no wonder women on board hardly wore them, even for special events such as this.
"You look wonderful," Kathryn gushed. "I know Chakotay will think so too." Seven looked down at the dress. She certainly hoped so. She'd put hours into planning for tonight, looking over every last detail to ensure it was a success.
In his quarters, Chakotay carefully examined his appearance in the bathroom mirror. He had no idea what Seven had in mind for tonight, so he hoped his brown slacks and dark green button down shirt were sufficient. There were so few opportunities for him to dress in something other than his Starfleet uniform, and it felt strange but oddly refreshing. He was sure that if his outfit to night wasn't appropriate, Seven would tell him and make him change. She was the one running the show tonight, which was actually exciting. Every date with her was something different; they'd been on a picnic, tried some home cooking in his quarters and even stargazed in the Astrometrics lab with the help of the large screen. That one was Chakotay's idea, and it happened to be his favorite. While some people might think that dating on a starship might get boring with such few options for places to go, some of the best dates of his life were here with Seven, as it forced them to get creative and think outside the box. Because of that, he had no idea what she had planned for tonight.
The door to his quarters opened, drawing Chakotay's attention. He looked himself over in the mirror one last time before going to greet Seven. As soon as he walked out of the bedroom and saw her, however, he froze. She looked statuesque in her burgundy cocktail dress and simple black sandals. The tank top dress had a V-neck that teased him with a glimpse of her full breasts. Just like her bodysuit, the fabric clung to her torso until it flared out into a skirt that ended at her knees. As if the V-neck wasn't enough to tease him, the slit up one side of the dress revealed the pale, flawless flesh underneath. Caught up in the dress, Chakotay didn't notice that her hair tumbled to her shoulders in gentle waves, forming a golden halo of sorts. While she was used to people staring at her, there was something different about how he looked at her. She didn't care what other people thought about her appearance, but she wanted to make sure she looked presentable for him.
"Do I look alright?" Seven asked as she self-consciously smoothed her hands along her dress as if attempting to make it just a little bit longer. He opened and closed her mouth several times as he attempted to regain himself.
"You look absolutely stunning," he replied. He took her hand and spun her around slowly. A smile spread across her face as she complied. Her dress flowed around her. Previously she'd been uncomfortable with how high the dress was, but she didn't care right now. "I'm tempted to say that we should just stay in for the night, but I'd hate for that beautiful dress to go to waste."
"Perhaps when we return, we can do what you have in mind." A smile spread across Chakotay's face, causing his dimples to appear. He certainly hoped there would be time after their date for what he wanted as well. She smiled coyly and looked at him through her veiled eyelashes.
"I think I can arrange that." He kissed her softly.
"Then let's go," he murmured against her lips. He pulled away and offered her his arm in his usual gentlemanly fashion. She was about to take his arm when she looked at the clock on the wall, she realized that they couldn't leave quite yet. Her careful planning had created a very strict schedule to adhere to, and if they left right now, they would be ahead of schedule, which would be highly problematic. For that reason, she didn't take his arm. Confusion flashed across his face. "Something wrong?" he asked. Seven knew she had to think fast, if she just said that they couldn't leave yet without any sort of explanation, it would cause him to grow suspicious. Her mind whirred as she tried to think of some sort of reason for them not to leave quite yet.
"Your pants...they're wrinkled," she observed. While they were a little wrinkled, it was hardly worth pointing out. Seven was desperate to think of a reason, no matter how pathetic it might seem. Chakotay glanced down at his pants. From where he stood, they looked fine from where he stood. Of course, in her quest for absolute perfection in everything she did, she might have noticed something he didn't.
"This shirt doesn't go with any of my other of my clean pants," he commented.
"Then you will have to change your shirt as well." Her tone was firm, telling him that he could try to argue with her, but it would be an exercise in futility. One look in her gorgeous blue eyes told him that he might as well save himself the trouble and comply. Tonight, she was the boss.
"Okay," he relented. "Do you want to pick out my clothes for me?"
"I am sure you are fully capable of picking out your own clothes-"
"As long as they're properly pressed." She nodded in agreement. With a sigh of frustration, Chakotay returned to his closet to find a more suitable outfit. As he did so, he couldn't help but feel like a small child being sent back to complete a task his mother thought wasn't done correctly.
Five minutes later, Chakotay returned. He held his arms out and turned around, giving Seven a chance to inspect his outfit. Now he wore a pair of charcoal slacks and dark blue button down shirt. In all honesty, she preferred this outfit to his previous one, although she hadn't sent him back because his pants were wrinkled, she just needed to buy some more time. With the five minutes it took him to change, they were right on schedule to leave.
"Does this meet your approval?" he asked as his arms fell to his side. He was frustrated with her, she could hear it in his voice. She would be too if she were in shoes, but she had her reasons for her behavior. He'd figure it all soon enough, and everything would make sense.
"Your outfit is appropriate for our date," she replied. "Now we can leave." As she spoke, she held out her hand. For a second, she thought he wouldn't take it, so she was relieved to feel his warm hand take hers, giving it a playful squeeze in the process. If he was mad at her, he did a good job at hiding it.
Chakotay laced his fingers with Seven's as they walked down the corridor together. With every step they took, curiosity built up inside of him. While he loved the dates that she planned and the surprises that came with them, there was something about this one that drove him especially crazy. Clearly this one was different from the rest, and he couldn't figure out what they were going to do.
"So are you going to give me any hint about this date?" he asked.
"That would ruin the surprise," Seven replied matter of factly.
"Not even the smallest hint?" he pressed eagerly. He looked like an excited little child, and Seven couldn't help but feel proud knowing that she was the reason for that excitement.
"Not even the smallest hint."
"A hint would be irrelevant, because we've arrived." They slowed to a stop, which only caused Chakotay to grow even more confused.
"Umm, I hate to break it to you, muñeca, but we're at the mess hall."
"I am aware of where we are. This is where are date is." Now Chakotay had absolutely no idea what was going on here. Going to the mess hall was hardly reason to dress up, especially as nice as they were. He half expected her to take him to the holodeck for a romantic dinner somewhere. In fact, he expected her to take him anywhere but the mess hall. Seven kept a tight grip on his hand as she opened the door and pulled him inside. Still trying to figure out what was going on, he complied. The mess hall was nearly pitch black, the only lights coming from the stars and systems whirring past the wall of windows to his right. Confused Chakotay turned to Seven for some sort of explanation.
Right as he opened his mouth to ask what was going on, all the lights turned on, momentarily blinding him, and a chorus of voices exclaimed, "Surprise!"
Author's Note: I'm so sorry about not posting sooner! Over the course of a month, I met the most wonderful guy (who quotes Star Trek, added bonus!), went back to work (I'm a teacher) and went back to grad school (only one more class left!). So, it's been pretty crazy! There are only 2 more chapters left for this, but I have several more up my sleeve. I hope you enjoyed it and leave a review.