Kathryn stared at the sedated form on the biobed, Seven's report was right, he was young, no more than a teenager. His prosthetic limb had been replaced, although his other hand was still obviously reinforced with a metallic exoskeleton almost like a glove and she knew his Assimilation tubule were housed within it which was why the support had to remain, the tubules were too much a part of him to be removed. The optical unit had been replaced with an implant to match his remaining natural eye, leaving only a ring of metal, slightly thicker than Seven's. He looked mostly human again, still bald for now, and with a few implants still showing, especially one that circled around the right side of nis neck. The rest could easily be covered by clothing, although he would have to wear long sleeves if he was self-conscious about them.

"How is he Doctor?" she asked as the EMH joined her.

"Recovering quite nicely, physically. By our best calculations, he was assimilated only a few years ago which is making the transition easier than Seven's. He is still dependant on several of the implants though, unlike Captain Picard who was a Borg for an even shorter period. He will need to make use of the Regeneration alcoves in the cargo bay as well to ensure the implants continue to function correctly."

She nodded, that was easy enough to arrange.

"I have yet to stimulate hair growth as I hope to be able to let him participate in length and style."

"When will he wake?"

"He can be woken at any time, I've been keeping him sedated to allow his body to adjust and his mind to hopefully begin the healing process. There is no way to know how his mental state will be when he wakes, the fact that he was able to ask for help is a good sign but without a telepathic scan or mind meld there is no way to know for certain," he shrugged slightly. "Seven had no desire to be freed and she was a difficult patient because of that, hopefully he will be easier.

"I understand Doctor. Wake him," she ordered, and he nodded, pressing a hypo to pale skin.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Waking was gradual, it was strange, his mind was…quiet. His…he…he was…who was he? Where was he?

"Hmm, respiration is becoming rather rapid," a male voice stated. "I believe he is conscious Captain."

"It's alright, you're safe. You are aboard the Federation Starship Voyager. The Borg cannot harm you," a female voice said. Janeway, Captain Kathryn, the information just came to him.

Safe? The Borg…there was so much information. Cautiously, he opened his eyes, blinking up at a grey ceiling, instantly cataloguing everything.

An older human male leant over him with a scanner and he tensed, he could see something…not a human, a hologram? "Welcome aboard young man," the hologram told him.

He opened his mouth to respond only to cough.

"Ah, here," a straw was pressed to his lips. "Take a few sips before trying to speak."

He obeyed, the liquid nice and cool in his mouth and down his throat. How long since he'd drunk anything?

"How do you feel?" the Captain asked.

"I…" he swallowed. "Who am I?" he asked shakily, seeing the look they exchanged, seeing the minute changes in her body temperature, the shifts in muscles.

"You don't remember?" the hologram asked, sounding…concerned?

He shook his head. He tried to think of anything before the Collective but… "Pain…everything hurt, then voices in my head."

"The Collective?" she asked gently, and he nodded.

He pushed his arms against the bed, trying to sit, but then the bed moved to help him sit up some, startling him.

"It's possible that you suffered severe physical trauma before your assimilation, if that is the case then it may have damaged your memory. Which makes the fact that you were able to ask for help even more extraordinary."

"You are…a hologram?" he asked, and the Doctor nodded.

"Indeed I am, you can see the different light waves I assume?"

He nodded.

"Very good, we removed the ocular implant the Borg gave you and replaced it with one to match your natural eye. Would you like to take a look?"

"Don't be alarmed young man, you still have some healing to go," the Captain told him quickly. "Your appearance may be a little startling."

He nodded and took the mirror, slowly bringing it up. He stared in wonder at two blue eyes, reaching up to touch the bare skin of his face, the only visible sign of the Borg was the metal ocular device around the implanted eye and another implant on the side of his neck. He put the mirror down and lifted both arms, seeing two human hands, although one was still covered in metal along his bones. Further up his arm he could see metal under the sleeve of the clothing he'd been placed in.

He looked up at them, feeling moisture on his face, crying, he was crying. "Thank you," he gasped out.

"You're very welcome," the Captain smiled at him, and then held her hand out to him. He stared blanky for a moment before realising what she was doing, reaching out to take her hand. "Welcome aboard. Is there anything you would like to be called, until you remember your name, or we may even be able to track you down in the Federation database."

He stared, finding he was chewing his lip, so he stopped. "I…they called me 13 of 14 of Trimatrix 197, the number feels…important, like something from before."

"Do you want us to use that?" the hologram Doctor asked.

He hesitated, considering it. "Thirteen," he agreed.

"Welcome aboard Thirteen," Captain Janeway told him and it felt…good?

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

She returned to her ready room feeling much better about taking on a second ex-drone. His reaction on waking had been very different to Seven's. He appeared far more timid than her, due to his lost memory? Or was it simply how he was? Then again he had been through a lot recently considering he was the sole survivor to be found. That he had survived at all was incredible, even Borg resilience had its limits.

Only time would tell if he could become a fully functioning, independent, person again or if the Collective would forever haunt him. If they ever made it back, she would suggest he at least speak with Captain Picard since their experiences were more similar than Thirteen's and Seven's. And the Enterprise had had dealing with other freed drones too. Wishful thinking perhaps.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The Doctor watched closely as Thirteen stared at the bowl of soup, looking utterly lost. Of course! With no memory he would not know how to use the spoon to eat it. Eating utensils were highly unlikely to be on the list of knowledge disseminated to drones. He moved closer and coached him through how to eat, ensuring he did so slowly, to ensure his system had no adverse reactions to its first meal in years. Teaching someone to eat was a little strange considering that as a hologram he had never eaten himself, but he would ensure his patient learnt to care for himself.

Once he had eaten, the Doctor showed him the facilities attached to Sickbay and quickly showed him how to use them before leaving him alone, using the sensors to keep an eye on him in case something happened. He also programmed the replicator with the measurements taken by the scanners to create the appropriate attire. His wardrobe choices would unfortunately be limited but as he learnt about himself, he would at least be able to choose colours for his clothing.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Seven walked into Sickbay to find Thirteen sitting on the biobed, dressed in a skin tight dark green bodysuit, much like her own and for the same reason, the suit was designed to help his body support both organic and cybernetic functions now that he no longer had Exo-plating.

"Hello Thirteen, do you remember me?" she asked as blue eyes focused on her.

"Seven of Nine," he answered. "I saw you, on the planet."

She nodded. "Did the Doctor explain the ongoing need to support the remaining implants within your body?" she asked.

"I still need to Regenerate for at least five hours every 'day' but he said that I can also eat?"

"Indeed. For now, your access to the ship is restricted, if you attempt to enter somewhere you don't have access, the doors will refuse to open, but you have permission to be in the mess hall and several other recreational areas as well as the cargo bay where the Regeneration alcoves are set up," she explained, "it was thought that it was a better way than making you have an escort as you are not a prisoner. What would you like to see first?"

He blinked at her, seeming surprised by the question, but she understood. It was hard to adjust to being asked for an opinion, Drones didn't have opinions or get to choose after all. It was something she still struggled with and she had been 'free' for months. "Regeneration?" he asked hesitantly.

"Very well," she waved a hand at the doors, watching him take a deep breath before slipping down off the biobed.

He followed her from Sickbay, staying close, and she could feel the curious stares of the crew….and how tense he was becoming.

"No one will harm you, they are simply curious, it will pass in time as they get used to your presence," she explained calmly, knowing that she had to lead by example when it came to the young ex-drone, especially since he had lost his memory of anything before his assimilation.

He would need to get used to the stares and even suspicion, although he had not acted against the ship so perhaps he would not face that. He was also younger and all research showed that humans had strong instincts towards protecting the young. She led him to the cargo bay and he stared at the four alcoves, immediately picking hers out before slowly approaching the furthest from hers.

He stared up at it, reaching out to touch the metal. There was no rush, he was still within in the safe timeframe for Regeneration. It had been different for her, she had not wanted to be disconnected, to be an individual and so had welcomed the familiarity of the alcove. For someone assimilated older and far more recently, it had to be daunting to willingly do so.

"The alcoves are not connected to anything," she assured him. "Not even each other, there will be no link between us even if we use them at the same time."

He nodded and took a deep breath, before stepping up and into the alcove.

"Computer initiate Regeneration cycle for alcove four," she called.

"Acknowledged."

The circle began to glow, waves of energy shifting across it, and Thirteen's eyes fell closed, though she could see him fighting it for a few seconds before he let it happen.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"What's wrong?" Kairi asked, sitting beside him, leaning into his side, and he wrapped an arm around her.

Riku glanced down and smiled slightly at one of the newest Keyblade Masters, proud of her for making it so far. "I don't know," he admitted. "I keep getting the strangest feeling," he rubbed his chest slightly, and she frowned.

"Your chest….or your Heart?"

"Kairi?" he frowned.

"Riku…could it be…Sora?" she asked hesitantly, and he froze.

His eyes went wide, Sora? After years, could it be? He closed his eyes, reaching into his Heart and…he gasped.

"Riku?!" she straightened up in alarm.

"I can feel…something. Not just the void that's been there since that day. But...it doesn't feel like him."

"We should see Ienzo or Merlin," she grabbed his hand, pulling him to his feet, but he went willingly. For the first time in years, they had real hope. They held hands as they ran for the ship, needing the physical connection, and he kissed her chastely before starting the ship up. That was as far as they had ever gone, it didn't feel right without Sora, he had always been the bridge between them.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thirteen hesitated but then walked into the mess hall, glancing around. He had already had the ships layout in his memory so traversing between the areas he was allowed in was easy. He did not want to do anything that would see his freedom revoked. Seven had duties since she had been with the ship for several months so he could not simply stay with her all of the time. He did not like moving about on his own, but hunger had won, as strange as it felt to actually feel hunger.

"Ah, welcome!" A voice called and he turned to see an approaching male… Species 218… Talaxian.

"Hello," he greeted quietly, unsure. He forced himself not to automatically bring up the Borgs information on him.

"My name is Neelix, welcome aboard Voyager, Thirteen isn't it?" he asked, and Thirteen nodded. "Well, this is the mess hall. If you have replicator rations then you can use them, otherwise I keep the kitchen stocked with fresh foods from hydroponics and the various worlds we visit. Would you like anything in particular?"

"I…I do not remember what I like," he admitted. Weakness was not allowed, the weak were terminated, was admitting that weak? No, they were not the Collective.

"Well then, we'll just have to try a bit of everything," Neelix took his arm carefully and even through the suit it felt strange but…nice. He was grateful for the wrist length sleeves that covered the implant in his arm, only the metal on his hand visible.

He took a seat at the table Neelix led him to, watching the Talaxian move about the kitchen. Soon, small amounts of various foods were before him and he began trying them, listening to Neelix chatter about the crew and the various adventures, it felt good…familiar. Maybe he'd travelled before?

The doors opened to admit a member of spec…no, a Vulcan. He didn't want to call them species like the Borg did, he was free now. If only he knew who he was.

"Ah, Mr Tuvok, what can I get you?"

"Just tea Mr Neelix," was the answer. He…Mr Tuvok looked at Thirteen and motioned to an empty chair. "May I join you?"

"Yes Sir." That seemed to be a correct answer and manner of address.

"Thank you," he sat down and accepted his tea from Neelix. "I am the ships chief of Security. Unless the Captain wishes otherwise, I will be the one to determine what kind of access you are given around the ship as time passes. However, that is not why I sought you out today. I understand you have no memory of your human life?"

Thirteen nodded warily.

"I assume you have the Collectives knowledge of my species."

"They call you Species 3259," he admitted. "I…I do not like that, I want to know the names they call themselves."

"An admirable ideal," Tuvok nodded at him. "Then you are aware of our mental abilities?"

Thirteen frowned in confusion over why that was relevant, but nodded. "You are natural touch-telepaths. The most common method is the mind meld, stronger Vulcans are capable of non-contact telepathic projection and scanning, usually over short distances, but sometimes even over interstellar distances," he was able to bring up the information easily.

It was kind of scary how much information was stored not just in his brain but in the remaining implants that he could access, and yet he knew nothing about himself. Which meant the Collective had known nothing of him other than that he was found near dead in a crater on a planet they had assimilated, a planet that had no humans on it except him.

"Indeed. I am willing, with the Doctors approval and monitoring, to attempt a mind meld with you. It is possible that I may be able to help you access your memories as no critical damage was found to those areas of your brain."

Thirteen stared at him. He could remember? The thought of letting another into his mind scared him, as much as he could feel scared due to the implants. Seven had explained that they could not feel the full range and scope of emotion a non-assimilated human could because of the implants, but any emotion was better than the emotional emptiness of the Collective.

"The offer is not one limited by time, you may say yes or no at any time and I will do my best to aid you. I understand that the thought of allowing another access to your mind so soon may be daunting. I would be functioning as a healer and as such, anything I learnt from the meld would remain confidential unless dangerous to you or the crew."

"The mind meld is very personal, is it not?" he asked, and Tuvok nodded.

"Indeed it is."

"Then why?"

"The Doctor approached me about it, he believes something is blocking your memories. You have suffered much and deserve the chance to regain what was taken from you," the Vulcan explained.

"What if…I was a bad person?"

"Such traits often remain even without memory, you have displayed none."

"Thank you," Thirteen didn't know what else to say, and Tuvok was soon gone.

"Don't worry Thirteen, Mr Tuvok can seem rather unapproachable, but he's a good sort," Neelix told him.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Riku sat in the chair, breathing steadily as Ienzo, Even, and Ansem the Wise moved about him. It wasn't his first time being examined, although it was a first to have all three of them as Even had still been adjusting to having been recompleted, again, when Riku had been examined after Sora vanished.

"Well?" Kairi eventually asked, hands on her hips, and Riku smothered a smile at the sight of grown men shifting back from the fiery redhead. There was a reason she and Lea got along so well, scarily well once they'd gotten over the whole kidnapping thing.

"What we identified as the link between Dream Eater and Dreamer is still severed but it appears…" Ienzo glanced up at Ansem.

"It appears to be trying to regenerate, I suppose you could say."

"Then….Sora?" Riku asked, hardly daring to hope.

"We cannot reach the other end of the link, only you can do that, and at the moment I do not suggest attempting it. The link is too fragile, if you were to attempt a dive it could shatter and leave you stranded in the Sleeping Worlds with no way back, it could even kill you. It is too weak to even try to track," Ansem warned.

"It seems strange that it would be a link with Sora as you know each other so well, we would have expected to simply snap back, but then how could you be forming a Dream Eater bond with a stranger?" Even pondered.

"What if something has happened to Sora though? Could it be weak because he is injured or something?" Kairi suggested, but Ienzo shook his head.

"It is the heart that provides the link…therefore it would have to be Sora' heart that is wounded."

The idea of Sora out there somewhere, wounded to his very heart made Riku feel sick, it was better than him being dead but not by much. Such damage would leave him very vulnerable to any threat and…the Darkness.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

"Hi," a voice called, and Thirteen looked around and then down to see a young girl staring up at him.

"Hello?" he offered, unsure what to do with the miniature person….child. At first glance she looked almost human, except for exo-cranial ridges which meant she was likely a hybrid, the ridges suggested Species 6961. The Borg did not have children and those that were assimilated were placed in maturation chambers to ensure their bodies adapted correctly as they grew. He blinked as an image of a child appeared before his eyes, a child he had infected with his nanoprobes and then led to a maturation chamber himself. No, never again.

"I'm Naomi Wildman, the Captain's Assistant." She promptly sat down beside him. "Welcome aboard."

"Thank you," he didn't know what he was meant to say or do. Did she not know what he was? Why would she want to be near him?

"Your name is Thirteen, right?" She asked, and he nodded.

Every protocol the Borg had given him was inappropriate and he had no memory of being a child, let alone being around any that were not being assimilated.

"You're allowed other places beside the cargo bay and mess hall," she pointed out, sitting so she could see the passing stars too. He found the sight soothing and wondered if she did as well. "Have you been to Earth before? Or did you grow up somewhere else?" She asked curiously.

"I do not know."

"Why not?" She asked, confused.

"I…I do not remember anything before the Borg," he told her softly. There was nothing, his mind utterly blank of anything before the Collective. The Doctor had encouraged hair growth for him but it had been left very short because he did not remember how it used to look or know what he would like.

She stared at him with wide eyes. "I'm sorry. I was born on Voyager, I don't know my family except my Mum. Can the Doctor do something to help you remember?"

"Not that he has told me, Commander Tuvok has offered to help."

"A mind meld?" she asked, sounding excited, and he nodded. "I've read about them, its sounds incredible. Why haven't you done it yet?" she asked and then frowned. "Oh…is it…because he'd be in your mind?"

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Seven watched as Naomi chattered away at Thirteen, slowly drawing answers from him, and to her amazement, a small smile. She was meant to be tutoring the girl but instead left them alone, deciding that helping Thirteen was more important for the moment. Naomi had been scared of her at first, but she showed none of that with Thirteen which was good.

TBC…

So it's kind of SoraRikuKairi? Except the three never got together before Sora vanished and now he's been missing for years.