Laugh With Me pt6

STAR TREK VOYAGER-fanfic. Janeway gets to chat a bit with her girls, and time for B'Elanna to take Seven on a date.
(Seven/B'Elanna)

Read Laugh With Me pt6

For disclaimers see pt1.




Laugh With Me pt6
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by Carola “Ryûchan” Eriksson





Lunch was a little bit late for the both of them, but B’Elanna was mostly grateful for that as it meant that she could secure an out of the way table for herself and Seven with less risk of having a friend or two drop by to join them. If she was going to have to be without the blonde after duty, B’Elanna felt she had some right to be protective of what time they would have together.

From the moment Seven stepped into the room B’Elanna had no power over the smile on her face, but to her delight Seven seemed to suffer from a similar problem. A wryly amused part of B’Elanna figured it would be all over the ship by the next day, even though there weren’t that many still in the messhall, because Seven was not known for these big, beautiful smiles, and someone was bound to notice. She found that she had absolutely no problem with that, though. Let the rumour mill run with it if they wanted to, B’Elanna hoped that it soon would be common knowledge that the two of them were more than friends. She just had to get there first.

Unusual for both women they took the full allotted lunch hour, chatting lightly over the meal and lingering in each other’s presence once done eating. Eventually B’Elanna broached the subject which had been in the back of her mind all morning.

“Seven? I don’t want to bring up any bad memories, or pry into things you might not want to talk about, but...” B’Elanna kept her voice lowered even though there was no-one close enough to listen in. “what did you mean by what you said this morning?”

“While I may not always give satisfactory answers, you can ask me anything, B’Elanna.” Seven replied calmly, at first appearing unperturbed by the subject. “As you might recall, when I was transported to Voyager initially there were six other Borg Drones with me. As the only survivor as well as their superior their deaths remain in me, unfiltered and intact as I was not in contact with the Collective long enough or deeply enough since to purge them.” A slight frown appeared. “While I will perform any duty given me regardless, it does make me... reluctant to venture outside Voyager’s hull even though I would be properly attired. The memories are harder to keep from surfacing in that setting.”

“Damn. Are you saying you can remember what it feels like to...” B’Elanna tapered off, remembering the moment when Chakotay had ordered them to decompress the deck where Seven and the other Drones were.

“To die in decompression? Yes.” Seven looked away from B’Elanna, focusing on the Borg mesh on her hand. “I have found that humans in particular have a very light definition of the term ‘eidetic’ memory. True eidetic memory is to retain all as it once occurred, not merely sight and sound but all sensory input and the feelings accompanying them, such as pain, fear or grief, undiminished, forever. I have true eidetic memory as I am Borg, but unlike the average Drone I do not have the filter of the Collective compartmentalizing or removing irrelevant memories.”

“I... may seem cold and unfeeling to the crew of Voyager, but in truth I do experience emotions now, even if I do not always know how to... express them.” Blue eyes came back up to meet B’Elanna’s with something pained in them. “The pain and fear experienced can be overwhelming. And despite what the general opinion might be, even a Borg Drone experience pain and a sensation much like fear in the moment of death.”

“Oh Seven!” B’Elanna gasped, horrified as her mind suggested an endless row of other horrors that Seven would also have to keep in all their gruesome and agonizing clarity, somewhere in the back of her head. Without considering her surroundings B’Elanna hurried around their small table to hug the sitting Seven to her chest.

The sitting woman did not resist the embrace, even though it was fierce enough that a normal human would have found it uncomfortable or even slightly painful. B’Elanna was a little too upset to properly adjust her strength at the moment, busy trying to fight back the sting of tears on Seven’s behalf, but thankfully former Borg Drones are built of sterner stuff.

A voice cleared right next to them.

“Is this, ah, a bad time?” A wide-eyed and clearly embarrassed Captain Janeway asked awkwardly, a tray of food in her hands and from so close a range that B’Elanna probably brushed her by when she rounded the table to reach Seven.

Blushing furiously B’Elanna released Seven and stepped back, almost snapping to attention in her utter mortification. Seven on the other hand seemed unruffled, merely inclining her head towards Janeway and offering a small smile. “Of course not, Captain. Did you wish to join us?”

Reassured and a little charmed by both women’s reactions, Janeway offered up her own lopsided smirk. “For a place at the table, yes, but I think I’ll have to take you up on the offer of a hug at a later date.”

Still dark red B’Elanna scrambled over to her seat and slunk down in it, surreptitiously glancing around to see who else had caught her uncharacteristic behaviour. Janeway smiled warmly at the both of them and pulled a chair over to seat herself at the end of the table.

“I’m glad I caught you both here.” Janeway made conversation while eating, a tendency from her youth that had returned and been made into an artform upon being stranded in the Delta Quadrant. There was rarely time for Voyager’s Captain to simply sit down and enjoy a meal in leisurely silence. “Seven, first I wanted to hear how you’re doing?”

“I am operating within norma... I am ‘fine’, Captain.” Seven nodded and then added slowly, almost as an afterthought. “How are you feeling?”

Delighted at Seven’s attempt at a more casual expression as well as the polite concern Janeway smiled brightly at her protégé before turning a bit more serious. “Oh, I’m fine, only my pride is a bit worse for wear.” Sensing that Seven was about to ask her about her pride, Janeway moved along. “Seven, quite a few things have come to my attention lately regarding your situation, aboard the ship and in general.”

She managed to avoid looking at B’Elanna as she said this, but B’Elanna’s guilty flinch was admission enough. Seven raised an eyebrow at B’Elanna before returning her attention to Janeway.

“I see.” Seven said, although in that way that clearly said that she didn’t. It was one of those strange little habits she had picked up from Tuvok.

“Frankly, Seven...” Janeway reached over to lay her hand over Seven’s. “I am so, so sorry that I didn’t realize how your situation and your needs had changed. I should have realized long ago that of course you need your privacy, somewhere to go and close a door behind you when you don’t want company or to be interrupted, somewhere to relax in off hours or to invite a friend over for dinner. Living quarters.” She patted the mesh-covered hand. “A basic right and a basic need for any individual, no matter how much we might not admit it to ourselves sometimes. I hear that you have even managed to sleep these days? Then it is past time you got somewhere to put a bed.”

“I have indeed been very successful in my attempts at... sleeping... lately, however I feel that this accomplishment is linked to B’Elanna’s presence, and that without her my attempts at regenerating this way will be unsuccessful.”

Janeway’s eyes grew wide and her head snapped around to stare incredulously at B’Elanna, whose blush had just managed to fade some in time to make it all the more obvious when renewed heat took over her features. “I... see?” Janeway said somewhat weakly.

“B’Elanna’s scent and the sound of her heart are very soothing.” Seven added helpfully, as if she was giving Janeway advice on how to better achieve a good night’s sleep herself.

“I, uh, don’t suppose there was actually something to Chakotay’s claim that he has heard you propose to Seven twice now, B’Elanna?” Janeway joined B’Elanna in blushing, although not nearly as darkly.

“Yes.” Seven answered happily in B’Elanna’s stead. “Although she has yet to propose to me directly.”

“Ahh... I see.” Janeway sounded somewhat strangled, but the corners of her lips were twitching as if she was trying not to laugh. “All the more reason to get you some private living quarters then. The issue of your uniform, or lack thereof, I’d rather leave until you yourself feel like changing that. If you do, I would like you to come to me and we will sort it out.” She hesitated slightly. “I was thinking of taking a more personal role in your... development, if you don’t mind Seven? You have clearly grown to the point where the Doctor is not really as able to answer your questions as he would like, and perhaps another woman’s perspective could be of use.”

B’Elanna cleared her throat. “In other words, no more social lessons with the Doc, but you can still go to him and ask for help if you want. The Captain and I will be here to help if there’s anything you’re wondering about, as I’m sure Tuvok, Neelix, Sam Wildman and even Chakotay will be if you wanted to ask them for advice on anything, or to help you understand something you’ve researched.”

“I see.” This time Seven sounded as if she actually did, and the tiny smile was somewhat more pronounced. “In that case, Captain, might I ask for your aid in replicating clothing?”

“Why yes of course, Seven. Is it regarding that new uniform to wear on duty?” Janeway was actually quite happy to get to be Seven’s mentor in a bit larger capacity than she had so far, she had only feared that she would end up not having enough time for Seven’s needs. B’Elanna had assured her that she would not be the only one Seven had to turn to though.

Seven hesitated, tilting her head slightly in thought. “Yes, I will require help with that as well. This time however I wanted to ask for your advice on suitable clothing to wear for a date.”

As there was no reply because Janeway was busy goggling at Seven and B’Elanna was busy staring at her in adoration, Seven felt the need to clarify. “B’Elanna has asked me on a date tomorrow. I wish to dress accordingly but have neither the knowledge nor the experience to decide on attire suited for the occasion.”

“Oh.” Janeway’s voice turned soft and more than a little maternal. “Of course, it will be my pleasure Seven. Let’s take some extra time off from lunch tomorrow and go through your options then.” She looked at B’Elanna with amusement. “You seem to have been doing things backwards this time, B’Elanna. Surely you should have dated before the marriage proposal and... other things?”

“That’s not what it sounds like.” B’Elanna ground out, a bit desperate. “Honest, I haven’t...”

Janeway stopped her with a raised hand. “You don’t need to explain that. In fact, please don’t.” There was a slight grimace before the warm smile returned and Janeway stood up. “You are both precious to me, and if there is anyone in this or any other quadrant that I would think could actually deserve either of you, it would be the other.”

She placed a loving kiss on the head of a suddenly teary-eyed B’Elanna, then walked around the small table to do the same, although perhaps lingering a moment longer, to a wide-eyed Seven. She smiled at the two of them affectionately, and then walked away without saying anything further. Her ready-room beckoned and a large pot of strong, hot, replicated black coffee.

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Regarding the holodeck, B’Elanna found herself to be in luck. Chakotay had a slot booked an hour after the duty shift’s end, and while it was a bit shorter than she might have liked – merely an hour and a half – it would do. Chakotay was not hard to persuade to postpone his program, especially since B’Elanna offered him a double slot in return. Once he found out what the time was for, however, he laughed and donated his time ‘for the cause’.

After a brief bout of mind-numbing panic, B’Elanna had settled on keeping things fairly simple for their first date. If Seven was interested there would be time to do fancier things, or more elaborate and entertainment-based things, but as it was B’Elanna would rather keep it simple and do it right, than come up with something complicated that wasn’t thought or worked through properly. She had far too much experience with those kinds of holodeck dates herself, from her time with Tom Paris.

Instead of writing a new program of her own, B’Elanna picked pieces from two or three she already knew of and made them work together. With the exception of a waiter that would appear to take their orders and bring their food, no holographic characters would be present. It would just be a fancy dinner in a beautiful, and B’Elanna hoped romantic, setting with some soft music in the background. In the unlikely event that Seven felt like trying to dance, the option would be available to them, but if not B’Elanna had planned a stroll down a particularly lovely lakeside promenade under a stunning sunset. For her as well as for Seven it would lack any of the appeal a real sunset would have, but at least it would be pretty.

The idea was that the date was going to be mostly about the two of them talking, and of Seven getting to experience a few small new things, like the feel of sand under bare feet or to dip her toes into the water. As long as it wasn’t shoved down Seven’s throat with the implication that she absolutely had to act or react a certain way, B’Elanna felt certain Seven would enjoy a few little things. She had already seen the joy Seven displayed in something so simple as breakfast in bed.

The night itself was surprisingly hard for B’Elanna. She missed Seven, even though they had shared a bed for a measly two nights, the absence of her scent, her warmth and the pleasant weight of her draped over B’Elanna made B’Elanna’s heart ache. There were a lot of thoughts keeping her awake as well, regret for their past and the hope and anxiety for what the future might hold. Quite a few thoughts went to B’Elanna’s mother and the things Miral had tried to teach her when she was a child. With her arms wrapped around the pillow which still smelled faintly of Seven B’Elanna wondered what her mother would have thought of the tall blonde... and what to do with that insistent little voice inside that said that Seven was the one, the one B’Elanna had been looking for all her life.

In the end she got very few hours of sleep, but it was enough to keep her going in Engineering. As the day moved on and the time for their date came closer, any trace there might have been of fatigue were erased by the anxiety, as inevitably B’Elanna’s nerves took over. She couldn’t remember ever being this nervous because of a date before, but then again this wasn’t just any date... this was Seven.

She left work a little early in order to get ready, although she had made sure to prepare her clothes the night before. The short burgundy dress she had picked looked classy enough for their date, yet wouldn’t keep her from walking in the sand if Seven wanted to try that. For the occasion she had also replicated a pair of shoes with as high heels as she dared to wear, knowing Seven would undoubtedly wear a pair and not wanting to add more difference in their height. It wouldn’t do to be face to chest with Seven for a date that relied on them being able to talk, because B’Elanna might just permanently loose her ability to speak in that situation.

They met outside the holodeck rather than meet up somewhere else, mainly because B’Elanna felt she should be the one picking Seven up since she had been the one to ask her out, but Seven didn’t exactly have a ‘home’ to get picked up from. Captain Janeway escorted Seven to the holodeck, looking more than just a bit choked up and carrying a holo-imager.

To be fair B’Elanna never really heard Captain Janeway’s request for them to pose for a picture before she left, she was far too captivated by the sight of Seven, looking all shy and utterly beautiful in her dove-grey dress. There was a moment of doubt, when B’Elanna wondered why such a special and gorgeous woman would want to go out with her of all people, but then Seven looked at her and smiled.

Heart aching at the sight, B’Elanna gently brushed a tiny kiss to the knuckles of one of Seven’s hands, and then led her into the holoprogram.

Unfortunately for B’Elanna time seemed to fly by at warp speed. Although nervous at first, Seven had relaxed after receiving a menu of choices for her meal which included not only things B’Elanna thought she might like, but also dishes B’Elanna had seen Seven eat in the past and a few nutritional supplements. When B’Elanna explained that she hadn’t asked Seven out to make her eat anything in particular, and that she’d rather Seven had something she enjoyed than something that might fit someone else’s idea of a romantic evening, it apparently reassured some of her worries.

In the end Seven tried one of the dishes B’Elanna had added and liked it. She declined dancing this time, but suggested that they could perhaps dance at another date, making B’Elanna giddy with happiness that she was apparently already okayed for another date. The stroll was also a success, and Seven’s delight in walking barefoot in the sand was so great and almost childlike that B’Elanna knew that she would have to take Seven to a beach program sometime soon.

They were still playing in the sand when the timer sounded, warning them that their timeslot was up and that the program would shut down very soon. B’Elanna was startled and a little bit disappointed that time had moved so fast, but at least Seven seemed both happy and content with the evening as it was.

The crewmen already waiting outside for their turn at the holodeck were undoubtedly shocked to find Seven and B’Elanna walking out of the room, hand in hand and with wide smiles on their faces. The rumours would probably be all over the ship by morning.

Their shoes in one hand and Seven’s warm hand in the other B’Elanna pulled them to the turbolift, giving Seven a questioning glance when she told the lift which deck to go to. Seven said nothing but seemed content to follow B’Elanna to her quarters, in fact instead of retrieving her shoes when B’Elanna offered them Seven claimed B’Elanna’s arm, wrapping both of her own around it.


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