All I Can Taste 05
 

Seven lied in on a bio bed in the sickbay, going through some scans the Doctor insisted on doing before preparing her for stasis.  As the equipment ran it's scans the Captain talked to him quietly in an adjoining room.


"Is this the only way?"
 

"I'm afraid so, right now it seems to be the only way to put a halt to her condition worsening until we can find a treatment."
 

Kathryn nodded, "Okay, how soon?"
 

"As soon as possible.  I was thinking tomorrow morning at the latest, that would give her some time to ....take care of any personal business."
She understood what he meant, it was as if Seven was dying, she just might be.  This might be the last time she saw Seven alive at all, if no cure was found she would either stay in stasis indefinately or die.
 
and I'd give up forever to touch you
you're the closest to heaven I'll ever be

all i can taste is this moment
alli can breath is your light
sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

The song lyrics from the prior evening came careening through her mind, unbidden like some falling star on a clear Indiana night. She braced herself and walked to the biobed where Seven was lying.
 

"The Doctor insisted on running scans on me."  She didn't seem pleased.
 

"He's just doing everything he can.  He said you'll be going into stasis tomorrow."
 

"Yes."
 

"Are you...Are you up to having dinner with me tonight? In my quarters?"
 

"Of course, Captain."
 

There was so little time left.  Why could she not stop imagining the worst?  It felt like an unspeakable terror was creeping up behind her and she was too scared to turn around.  She had to keep moving forward, and quickly. It was such as an easy lesson that life was short.  Why was it even easier to forget? She went back to her quarters and arranged evrything quickly.  It couldn't be a fantastic dinner, Seven was havng a hard time eating as it was.  This had to be the first romantic dinner she'd ever planned that included chicken soup.
 

She changed into a dark sweater with a low V-neck and khaki trousers. She even added a little perfume to complete her preparations. When Seven entered the Captain's quarters she immediately noticed a difference in the surroundings that had bececome familiar to her in the  last few days. The lights were dimmed and she thought she detected the smell of candlewax.  Gazing around the room she saw Janeway leaning against the doorframe that led to the bedroom, her eyes a smoky blue.
 

"You look..." Her cranial implant seemed to be malfunctioning, words failed her for a moment.  "You look beautiul."
 

"Thank you Seven, so do you."
 

"But you see me like this every day, you have changed your appearance..for me."  Now she understood why the Doctor told her that when a person goes on a date they attempt to "dress up" The effect was tantalizing.
 

"Have a seat.  I replicated some chicken soup for you, I know you've been having some difficulty eating.  On earth chicken soup is seen as a cure for almost anything."
 

"Is it?" she asked, her eyes lighting up.
 

"It's just a myth, but it is good soup."
 

Seven sat down at the table.  This time she concentrated on her hand when she picked up the spoon, ensuring that her hand did not tremble too much.  Kathryn sat down across from her with a glass of wine.
 

"Seven, I'd be lying if I told you I'm not worried about seeing you go into stasis."
 

"I am aware of your concern.  When you told you of my plan your heart rate increased by almost 30%."  She slipped the first spoonful of soup into her mouth. Not entirely unpleasant.
 

"I was wondering if we don't find a treatment for you if you wanted to be revived at any particular point?  I mean how long do you want to be in stasis if no solution is found?"
 

"If you need me, then revive me.  I'll leave that decision to you, I trust your judgement...sometimes."  Seven looked up at her with what appeared to be a bit of a smile. A joke.  Kathryn smiled back at her.
 

"I have so many things I want to say to you."
 

"As do I.  Since being severed from the collective I have had the chance to interact with many individuals from many species and I have come to conclude that you are the most extraordinary individual I have ever met, and you make me function at peak levels." She took another spoonful of soup and examined it briefly before swallowing it. Nothing like Borg sweet talk, but to Kathryn Janeway it was music to her ears.
 

"I..this incident has made me realize what an incredibly brave woman you are, Seven.  You never back down from anything, not even me, and you always succeed.  I think if I had a personal hero it would be you, Annika Hansen."

Seven's head shot up and she looked at Kathryn for a long time, her eyes tearing up.
 

"Thank you."
 

She cleared her throat and continued.  "I was going through your personnel records yesterday and I believ you are due for a commendation. I know you're not a Starfleet officer but--"  Janeway got up from her seat and retreived smething from outside of Seven's vision.
 

"Stand up."
 

Seven complied, standing from her seat and turning to face her captain.  It was moments like this that Janeway noticed their height  difference.  Oh well, it wasn't too bad for what she had to do.
 

"I replicated this earlier today."  It was a very tiny version of a Starfleet medal of valor, so small that one had to inspect it carefully to see what it was.  It was made of gold and attatched to a silver chain.  She looked at it for several moments, rubbing the amulet with her thumb and forefinger.
 

"Let me put it on you."
 

Seven dipped her head a little as Kathryn fastened the chain around her neck.   Their eyes locked for several moments before they felt themselves being pulled toward each other. Kathryn brushed her lips against Seven's before deepening the kiss, wringing a low moan out of the other woman's throat. When they seperated Seven held onto her with a crushing embrace, resting her head on the smaller woman's shoulder.
 

"Thank you," she whispered.  "You make me feel...I love you, Kathryn."
 

She guided them over to the couch.  She could feel Seven's body heat was increasing, the fever was coming back and it was accompanied with tiny shivers.  She wrapped herself around the tall sleek form and they stayed that way until they both fell asleep tangled in each other's arms.
 
The next morning came too soon.  The stasis chamber for Seven of Nine was set up next to her alcove in Cargo Bay 2.    Her condition had conyinued to worsen in the last hours prior to her scheduled time to be put into stasis.  Her equilibrium was off and she needed Kathryn to hold her up on the walk to the cargo bay.  They could have done a site to site transport but she had insisted on walking.
 

The Doctor was waiting for them, trying to muster up a smile on his features. Others were waiting in the cargo bay.  Janeway hadn't been expecting this. Chakotay, B'Elanna, Neelix, Tuvok, and Naomi were waiting.  Neelix had a comforting hand on Naomi's shoulder, who looked rrather pensive. They all said their goodbyes, all trying to make light of the situaton, have a nice nap and all that.  Janeway could barely register what they were saying, her head swam in a state of chaos.
 

"Okay, let's get this show on the road.  Seven, if you please."
 

Kathryn took her arm and led her to the stasis tube.  She noticed that with her other hand the young woman was clutching the thin necklace she had given her the night before. Lying down in the tube she began to look anxious.
 

"I hope I can dream."
 

"You will, I'll see you soon, okay?  Sweet  dreams."  She leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips, not really caring if anyone saw.
 

Life was too short.
 

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Days passed with agonizing slowness as no progress was made on Seven's condition.  After the first month of no progress things began to look bleak. Janeway got the photo the Doctor had taken of Seven and placed it on her desk in her ready room.  She looked at it every day. The crew tried to lift her spirits, having gatherings in the mess hall for various spur of the moment reasons but it did little to lift her mood.  She avoided the Doctor all together because when she saw him she couldn't help but think of his inability to find a cure for Seven, and she didn't want to hate him for something that wasn't his fault. Before Seven had gone into stasis she thought she had been prepared, thought she was at peace with it, but then realized she hadn't been prepared at all.
 

**************************************************
 

Seven spent her time in a field where there was no time, and the flowers smelt like Kathryn's perfume.

 
**************************************************
 

The second month came and went with still no progress and at one point Kathryn had the terrible thought that she wished Seven had just died, it would have been easier, then tore herself to pieces for thinking such a thing. Chakotay tried to console her, tell her such thoughts were perfectly understandable, but she couldn't forgive herself, and her burden weighed even more heavily on her shoulders.
 

***************************************************
 

As the third month rolled around she had begun to give up, doubted there was alight at the end of the tunnel, and then remarkably, at the end of the month, the Doctor had a breakthrough.  It was the input part of the implant that was faulty, not the output. Janeway ordered Seven out of stasis immediately to undergo the surgery.  Seven was never even woke up, just moved from stasis tube to bio bed. The malfunction was repaired and Seven woke to the image of Kathryn Janeway hovering over her.

"Captain?" she croaked, she felt a gentle squeeze of her hand.

"You're fine,"  a beaming Janeway grinned.
 

"How long?"
 

"Well, let's just put it this way.  I have desired you for 10.25 months...."

The End?