The Aftermath

She slowly opened her eyes, but saw nothing but a fog. She vaguely remembered being named Seven of Nine. She vaguely remembered being named Annika Hansen. She vaguely remembered a being named Kathryn.

That name seemed to stir something inside her. Something... primal...

She tried to get up and search for something. For what?

Moving wasn't as hard as she had expected. She seemed light. Consisting of air almost. She tried to get the fog out of her head and tried to remember the significance of that name.

Kathryn.

But did not succeed.

"Stop trying so hard." A soft voice whispered in her ear. "You have all the time in the world. It will come when it's time."

Kathryn?

"You will find Kathryn. In time."

Hours passed. Or days or weeks. She was unable to tell. Then the fog seemed to lift somewhat. She looked around, behind the fog nothing but blackness. A peaceful, slumbering blackness. She wanted to bask in its peacefulness, but forced herself to think. Who am I? Why am I? Where am I? She struggled to get her head clear and slowly remembered something. She was holding someone... and then she died.

She died.

She looked around again but there was still only darkness. If she was dead, why was she still aware of herself? Was this some kind of afterlife, a spiritworld? Or was this the part of her that continued to live in the Borg mind? Her mind drifted off again, it seemed impossible to concentrate on something, so many things going in inside her... She saw a woman, small, perfect, red hair, blue eyes. First she was vague, but then her features became clearer. She spoke. "Trust me, Seven" The image disappeared again. It was a memory, a memory...

Seven, Seven was my name, she told herself. And Kathryn, Kathryn was her name.

Kathryn, a memory.

Other things were there now that she had started to remember. Borg drones, her parents, Voyager, the Doctor. Slowly the started to realize she was not dead, could not be dead. The Doctor must have found a way to stop the nano probes... she must be in a coma, or something...

No!

She wanted to kick her legs and wave her arms, but she was no longer aware of them, unable to control limbs she couldn't find. She wanted to scream, but she had no voice. She wanted to see, but she had no eyes...

Darkness, the fog, she struggled with her brain, stay focussed, stay focussed. How long had it been since she realized what was happening?

The voice, a voice, how could she hear when she had no ears? The voice was in her head, no, not in her head, in her mind, her consciousness. The voice spoke directly to her.

"Think about what you want, Seven. For what you want will be. That's the power you now pertain."

She fought with her brain that refused to co-operate. All she could ever remember wanting, was whatever belonged to that one name.

Kathryn.

More memories, more memories. Memories of Kathryn. No, wishful thinking, not memories. Kathryn with her, two as one, no longer alone.

Another voice, a voice in her head. Kathryn's voice.

"Seven. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Kathryn, is this you?"

"It is me."

"How?"

"I don't know."

"I looked for you, but I couldn't find you."

"I know, I'm here now. We're here now, forever."

And so two souls that were meant to be together, found themselves in perfect unison in an afterlife that you and I can only dream of.