Postscript

“…  Seven.”

Seven vaguely heard her name being called across the fields.  She thought she knew the voice.  Not hearing it again, she settled back into the willow bough drifting with the wind.  Here, she was at peace.  The troubles of humanity were far below, floating away in the steady flow of the stream.  Closing her eyes, she thought of…

“… to Seven,” came the voice again.  She sat forward against the branch and looked into the cornfields.  Confused, she settled back convinced she was hearing things.  “Janeway to Seven.”  Seven slid back expecting to feel the tree at her back.  Instead, she fell through the bark in a flash of light ending up in her quarters on Voyager.

“Captain?”  Without an answer, she sat up, brushing the light blanket off to the side of the chair.  “Captain?”  She allowed another moment to pass.  “Computer, locate Captain Janeway.”

“Captain Janeway is in the Mess Hall.”

Minutes later, she entered the darkened Mess Hall.  Starlight led her way around tables until she was in front of the counter.

“Please, don’t bring the lights up.”  She heard Janeway to her right.  “Why are you here?”

“You called for me, Captain.  I was sleeping.  I’m sorry I didn’t answer you right away.”  Seven could see Janeway’s relaxed silhouetted form against the starry backdrop.

“I didn’t call you.”  The statement was precisely cold.

“Your voice…  I heard you.  You woke me from a dream, Captain.”

“A dream,” she recited wistfully.

Facing the view ports, her face was exposed by the starlight giving Janeway the advantage.  “I was on Earth,” she generalized.  “Why are you sitting in the dark?”

“I’m thinking.”

“I could go?”  She neared the replicator when Janeway called out to her.  Turning just her head back, Seven saw that Janeway had risen to her feet.  “All right.  I’ll stay.”  She settled opposite Janeway again unsure of what to say.  “Do you want to talk?”

“We talk all the time, Seven.”

“No,” Seven’s voice pricked the air.  “We do not.”

“What do you mean we don’t?”

“That is not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?”  Janeway’s voice gave way to disinterest and frustration.

“You talk to Lieutenant Commander Tuvok and to Commander Chakotay, but when do you sit and talk to me anymore?”

Janeway sat back in her chair, away from Seven’s bitter anger.  Her head to dropped.  “I don’t talk to many people…”

“No, I don’t suppose you do.”

“What do you want me to do?  Stop by yours and Celes’s quarters in the Cargo Bay before I turn in and say ‘Hey, Seven; Hi, Celes, I’ve had a helluva day.  Mind if I dump it all on your head so you feel like hell, too?’  No, Seven, I don’t think so.”

The quiet bothered and soothed her simultaneously.  “Why not?”

“I don’t need to say anything.”

“I’m your friend.  You think you can’t tell me what’s on your mind?”

“Stop being so roundabout.  What’s on your mind?”  Her answer came in silence.

“You are the one who should cease acting ‘roundabout’.  You called me here tonight, did you not?”

“Yes,” Janeway whispered.

“Why?”

“I wanted to speak with you.”

Quiet moments passed as she waited for Janeway to continue.  “What about?”  She waited for an answer.  Watching her captain across the table was difficult.  Normally, she could read Janeway’s face to get a feel for her inner turmoil, but faced away from the view ports, it was impossible.

“It was easier to imagine than it is to say the words to you now.”

“This doesn’t have much to do with me telling you about my day.”

“Not much,” Janeway answered easily.  “Relatively.”

A comfortable silence enveloped them.  “I don’t understand.  I’ve tried to.  It’s impossible…  I’ve come to no conclusion as to why this happened to me, but- I love you.”

Seven froze.  Janeway’s confession wasn’t something she was ready for.  “I-”

“No.  Please.  There’s nothing to say.  It can’t be and you know it.  However, the thoughts were difficult to control.  They still are,” she added, her voice shaking.  “I would appreciate if you kept this between you and I.  That you know is harm enough.”

From the corner of her eye, Seven watched as Janeway stood away from the table.  She knew what she wanted to say, but couldn’t.  “I am sorry, Captain,” she finally called after her.

The Mess Hall doors opened before her.  “Seven,” the doors were stationary, “I…  I’m sorry, too.”  Regret flushed her body hearing the swish behind her.

--

Four years later

She set a leisurely pace through the fog settling on the dimly lit street.  Through the heavy clouds, the start of a storm drizzled down wetting her hair.  Halfway down the road, she stopped to lean against a light pole.  Her eyes were closed.  She breathed deep.  Cold droplets set steam off her face when landing.  Long fingers curled into her palms, the tension building as the debate she’d had for four years coursed its way through her mind again.

“Every night…”  Seven opened her eyes slowly, tears falling freely mixing with the rain.  She looked up to find the house looking the same.  A light was on in the second story window to the north.  The front light shined like a beacon to her.  Still, without another thought, she pushed herself away from the lamppost and went on her walk.

“Why can’t I?”  She stopped after a few paces and turned.  “There is no reason to…”  Shaking her head, Seven made her way back to where she started.  She passed the streetlamp directly across the street from the home offering it a longing glance.

“Irrelevant.”  She halted again.  “Your feeling’s are not irrelevant,” she spoke softly.  Steeling herself, she forced herself on.

Fog settled on the street the next evening.  Seven watched her legs move through the low-lying clouds, how the mist swirled around her.  Looking back it was as if she’d never been there.

“Seven.”

She swiveled to face the voice.  Her lips parted in a gasp.  She backed away.  “No…  This isn’t how it’s supposed to happen.”  A hand grabbed hers stopping her retreat.

“I can imagine.  You want to walk up those steps, knock on that door and take me up, I know.”

Seven closed her mouth and her eyes.

“Look at me, Seven.  Please?”

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because you need to know…”

The image of her former captain fizzled into the fog.  Her hands and ears tingled.  To her right, the house looked the same as it did when she first saw it.  She closed her eyes to prevent the tears from spilling.  Her body hit the pavement hard.

Seven felt bodies at her side.  She barely heard their words as she cried, her screams ripping through the air.  Someone had a hand on her shoulder.  Another was trying to comfort her with words while she heard footsteps running across the pavement and then the voice was in her ears.  Familiar hands held her cheeks.

“Open your eyes, Seven.  Look at me.  It’s Kathryn.  I’m here.”  The voice turned away from her, “No, she’ll be all right.  Thanks, guys.  Hey,” she spoke softly, stroking at Seven’s face, “are you in there?”

“Is it really you?”  Through blurry vision, she watched confusion grow on Kathryn’s face.

“Of course it’s me.”

Sitting forward, she pulled Kathryn into a tight embrace.  “I’ve missed you.”  Kathryn took a moment to respond.

“I’ve missed you, too.  Why don’t we go inside, hm?  It looks like the rain might start up again.”

Seven refused to let go of Kathryn’s hand as they walked to the house.  The porch light shined guiding their path.  “I’m sorry.  I didn’t want to see you like this.”

“I’m glad it happened this way.”  Kathryn closed the door behind them.

“Glad?”  Kathryn turned to her on the foyer.

“How many more years would it have taken you to get to my doorstep if whatever happened didn’t happen tonight?”

Seven couldn’t find a place to hide.

“I don’t know why I never came out.”

“I’m sorry I never came to the door.  I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”  Kathryn motioned for the sofa.  “You know you can always come to me.  For any thing at any time.”

Seven nodded as she took a seat.  Kathryn sat beside her, a leg pulled underneath her bottom.  “I’ve all ready come to you with this problem.  In seven years, I still have yet to come to a suitable solution.  I cannot stop myself from loving you.”

“Whatever happened with Chakotay?”

Kathryn appeared no more in shock than she had a moment ago.  “I loved him, too, but it was different.  I could never feel his emotions as I can yours.  I wanted to.”  Now, Kathryn dropped her head.  “How are you?”

Laughing, she answered, “I’m doing all right, Seven.  I think…”

A flash of something passed over Kathryn’s features.  She saw that same something years ago in the Mess Hall aboard Voyager.  “But?”

“But what?  I didn’t say anything.”  Kathryn shied when Seven reached out, grazing her face with a finger.  “Don’t,” her voice wavered.

“I shouldn’t have come.”  Seven made her way to the door hoping Kathryn would stop her.  Outside, halfway down the foggy street, she still hoped.

--

Up for a night on the town tonight with the gang?  A little dinner, a bit of dancing.  We miss you and you keep standing us up.  Do it again and I’ll come drag you out by the hair on your head, Borg.

Lanna

Annika laughed aloud, the sound echoing lightly off the pale walls of her office.  The next message said the same only it was from Harry, less the threat of abduction.  The third message was from Tom offering a crash course in how not to land a shuttlecraft.  The final message was from the Doctor who planned to reinstall all the Borg elements he’d removed just months ago.

She opened a video recording and sat comfortably in her chair.  “My dearest B’Elanna, Harry, Tom and of course, my friend the Doctor, which by the way, are you ever going to chose a name for yourself?  Thank you for the invitation for dinner and dancing.  I accept and I promise I won’t stand you up.  In addition, no one will drag me by my hair, crash my shuttle or return me to the Borg.  Shall I meet you at the usual spot where I stand you up?  See you soon.”  With a smile gracing her lips, she stopped the recording and sent it out to the appropriate stations.

Almost immediately, B’Elanna sent a reply.

“Nineteen hundred hours, Nika; be there or be ready to get your ass kicked.”  B’Elanna wore a silly grin on her face as the message closed.

Glancing at the chronometer, Annika sighed.  There was less than an hour to get home, get ready and be in San Francisco.  She shut down the console, made sure everything was in its place then closed up her office.

Returning home, a small cry rang out and the patter of tiny feet came toward her.  Around the corner, coming from the kitchen, slid a tiny black kitten with orange, gray and white stripes patched across the small body.  The kitten mewed and jumped up on her leg immediately.  Annika cringed.  “Kat, get down.”  She waggled her finger at the kitten, but that only managed the cat down before she jumped up swatting at the moving appendage.  Sighing, she picked the kitten up and brought her, whining, into the bedroom.

Kicking her shoes off, she plopped the cat on the bed.  Kat responded with a surprised mew and a dazed look before flying off and following her mistress into the bathroom where she was promptly covered in a pair of white pants and shirt.  She mewed again finally evoking a laugh from Annika.  “I don’t know why I kept you, little Kat.”  Kat responded with a strong meow when uncovered and picked up.  “Keep that up and you’ll be back outside in the thunderstorms.”  Annika scratched the kitten’s head and stepped on one of her toys.  “I thought I told you to keep these out there?”  She brushed the faux rabbit fur ball across the cat’s nose a few times, so she’d play with it, then tossed it back into her bedroom.  The cat wiggled out of her hand, legs scrambling, and went running.

Annika turned and found herself in the mirror.  Her face passive, she traced the line above her eye where her ocular implant used to be.  With her other hand, she touched the bone beside her ear where another implant reminding her of the Borg drone she used to be.  No visual trace of them could be seen.  She smiled faintly.  “Thank you, Doctor,” she whispered then ducked her head and turned the water on.

In the next ten minutes, Annika took several minutes alone figuring out what to wear.  Between red, dark purple, black and blue dresses, she chose a quiet ensemble of natural colored slacks embroidered with lighter vines with a sleeveless vest to match.  Glancing at herself in the mirror, she twisted and turned hoping it was a wise choice then pulled the other articles up off the cat, who offered a pitiful meow for losing her play tent.

With three minutes to spare, Annika rushed to the nearest transport.  Since coming to the Alpha Quadrant and settling to live on Earth, she realized just how human she was when she rushed to get everywhere and was still late.

She spotted the foursome easily once inside the deceivingly modest bistro.  On the outside, the Phenomenon was a red brick wall with darkened windows.  Inside, however, she previously discovered, the walls shook with loud modern music.  One could barely hear someone else talk let alone actually hearing your own voice inside your own head.  It was one of the reasons she kept ‘ditching’ her friends.  The place simply hurt her ears.  Absently, Annika wondered if B’Elanna would let her daughter come to a place like this.  Shrugging the thought off, she moved toward their table where Harry waved her over.  She was definitely out of place in such a conservative choice of clothing.  Fortunately, no one seemed to notice in the hubbub.

They each greeted her with a similar title save for B’Elanna, who’d recently been calling her Nika or Nik, much to her distaste.  The interior of Phenomenon was too quiet and she was surprised to be able to hear them tonight.  She also noted a sixth and empty chair.

“Glad you could make it,” B’Elanna spoke up first, a smirk playing on her lips.

“We’ve missed you,” Harry chimed in.

“So I’ve heard.”  She grabbed a snack and bit into it catching a glimpse of who was supposed to be sitting in the empty chair.  “I can’t stay.”  Annika pushed herself up but the Doctor laid a hand on her arm.

“You’re going to stay.”

“No,” she shrugged his grip away.  “I am not.”  She took two steps away form the table and turned her head back, surprised to see no one else making a move to counter her.  “I’m sorry.  I…  I can’t.”

Halfway down the street, she heard her name and ignored it.  Annika heard running footsteps and her name again and choose to ignore it then, too.  She passed her vehicle and crossed the street.  The pleas to stop continued around two corners, but she kept running.

“’Underneath this starry glow, can we breakthrough and dance in the unknown?’”

Hearing that screamed, she finally stopped.  The footsteps stopped, too, but started again slowly.  “Don’t.”  Her assailant halted.  “I don’t want to see you.”

“Why?”  She asked quickly.  “All right, I know why,” she corrected, “but,” she sighed walking closer.  Seven didn’t move.  “I know I screwed things up.  Where you,” she stopped again.  “Who you ended up with- Damn.  Seven, I was stupid.  I’m still stupid.  I love you.”

Annika slowly turned, her nose slightly tilted toward the stars.  “Kathryn,” she started, unsure of where she’d go.  “You went on with your life as if nothing had happened,” her voice was cold.  She softened with a shrug, “So did I.”

Kathryn’s shoulders dropped slightly, but she was undeterred.  “She loved you both.  That’s one reason why she came back.”  Seven shook her head, pursing her lips.  “The Admiral, she…  I loved you and I loved Chakotay.  I couldn’t choose but you were forcing me.  I didn’t want to.  One way or the other, I’d lose you, so I chose neither and watched you grow close.  I was content with that.  I wanted happiness for you, even if it was with each other.  Then, she came and changed it all.  She brought us home and I watched you both go.”

“I told you about Chakotay and I!  Our interests were elsewhere.  Chakotay went on and I decided to teach at Daystrom.  There were different paths.  I never see him like I never want to see you.”

She shivered.  Whether it was the breeze of Seven’s coldness Kathryn wasn’t sure.  “You don’t mean that.”

“You are a reminder of a time I wish I could forget!”  She started down the road again not caring where she ended up.  Kathryn met up with her and walked backward in front of her.

“What’s happened to you?  The Doctor does you a favor by removing your implants and you become more Borg?”  Seven faltered only for a moment.  “What happened to the aloof girl I liberated from the Collective that turned into the sensitive woman who held me when I needed to cry?”  Seven turned a corner so she followed by her side.  “I’ll tell you what’s happened to her, Seven.  She’s hidden so deep down underneath a fake Borg party mask she can’t breathe.  And she’s trying hard to get out but you refuse her just like you refused her in the beginning.  What are you so afraid of?”  Kathryn stayed by Seven’s side for several silent blocks before their strides slowed.

A number of blocks later, Seven finally stopped with a sigh.  “I thought you might stop me.”

“Stop you?”

Seven looked at her finally.  Questions lie in her dark blue eyes and moonlight sparked fire from her hair.  “From being with Chakotay.  In the beginning, it was just that.  Something to make you jealous, but I soon found my feelings were real.  It scared me.  When we returned, I was offered so many choices and he had only one.  We agreed it would be best to part.  I didn’t want to, but  knew it was for the best.

“You simply disappeared from my life.  I heard about when they wanted to promote you and I watched when your new ship launched for the first time.  I wondered who you’d watch over in the Cargo Bay.  You really left me.  High and dry, you left for places unknown.

“I contacted the Doctor and asked for the surgeries.  I informed Daystrom I’d begin after my recovery.  B’Elanna came to see me.  Tom and Harry, too.  Have you seen their child lately, Kathryn?  Have you held Miral in your arms hoping to soothe her into sleep?  When was the last time you saw or sent a communiqu頴o Naomi Wildman?  Chell?  Lieutenant Lang?  Lieutenant Commander Ayala?  What about Tuvok?  Did you request his presence aboard your ship as you did mine?

“I hated you again and I hate you now.  Please,” she pleaded softly, “leave me alone?”

Kathryn took a step back unsure of what to say anymore.  She glanced at the ground then back up at Seven before turning slowly heading back to where they’d come.  “I’m sorry,” she mumbled taking the first step.  Halfway down the street, she spoke to herself, “I tried, Chakotay.  At least I tried.”

She knew they’d broken up all those years.  She knew why and how.  What Kathryn didn’t know was, even after the years past, how to win Seven back.  “As if you ever could.  After what you put her through?  You wouldn’t even take you back!”  She’d been given a second chance on Voyager and a third when Chakotay came to her offering up the truth about he and Seven then again just a few weeks ago when Seven came to her.  Now, confronting the woman again, she’d failed not only herself but a self that didn’t exist anymore.  She was sure there would be no more chances.

Returning home, Kathryn trudged slowly up the stairs and dropped to the bed without changing.  She woke to the doorbell’s irritating chime; face dry and tight from where the tears drifted down before sleep.  As she descended the stairs, the bell sounded repeatedly.  Frustrated, too tired to care, she slowly made her way to the front door, lingering by the window to see who her visitor was.  “Fuck,” she swore then covered her mouth briefly.  “What are you doing here, Seven?”

“I need to talk to you.”

She wiped the dried tears from the corner of her eye and leaned her back against the door.

“Please?”

“It…  It’s late, Seven.”  Truth be told, she didn’t know what time it was.  “Why don’t you come by tomorrow evening?  Eighteen hundred?”  She tried and hoped.

“You’ll be gone by then.  Kathryn, please open the door.”

“Damn,” she whispered.  She decided to murder one, or all, of the four people who intended to help her.  She exhaled a slow sigh realizing they were helping.  Without turning, she flipped the switch to light the front porch up then hesitated opening the lock only to find the door wasn’t sealed at all.  Hiding behind the massive wooden expanse, Kathryn opened the door just enough to allow Seven entry.  She then stood like a sentry beside it.  “I thought you didn’t want to see me,” she spoke after a few moments of silence.

“I didn’t,” Seven’s words were quick.  “But, B’Elanna had other ideas.”

“If you don’t want to be here, see me, then why did you come?  I don’t want you to-“  Kathryn stopped mid-sentence noting the wetness in Seven’s eyes.  She reached out to brush them away, but Seven took a step back and shakily did it herself.  “I’m sorry.”

“No, I…  Ka….”  She sniffled and sucked in a sharp breath.  “I shouldn’t have come.”  Seven reached around Kathryn for the door handle and gasped feeling warmth cover her hand.  She closed her eyes to ward off impending tears.  “Kathryn, plea….  Don’t,” Seven whimpered.

Kathryn turned her body slightly and moved closer, her hand light on Seven’s.  Through the touch, she felt currents of energy running through Seven’s hand and into her body.  The conveyance made her tremble, too.  “Let it all go,” she answered back quietly.  Seven tilted her head down slightly and opened her eyes; tears fell freely down her cheeks.  With her left hand, she reached up and brushed some of the wetness away.  “Just let it out.”  She ran her fingers tenderly through Seven’s hair, feeling the walls crumbling inside her.  “There’s no one else here.”  Seven barely leaned into her.  “I’m here,” she said, strength and compassion filling out her quiet voice.

Seven shrieked and dropped to the floor.  She felt Kathryn go with her trying to get a better hold on her body.  Kathryn was right.  She just had to let it all go.  Cry, scream, do whatever she had to do to get her anger out.  Crying, as she came to find during the last year, was the best way to work almost anything out of her system.  She cried after leaving Voyager and when she saw her family for the first time.  When she and Chakotay parted ways, her sobs were fierce.  After the surgeries to remove the remaining Borg implants, she cried finally feeling free of her past.  And every night since the crew of Voyager went their separate ways, she cried for the love lost between the Captain and herself.  Now, she cried knowing she’d come home at last.

She realized she was sitting on the floor between Kathryn’s legs, being rocked slowly back and forth; her arms were firmly fastened around the older woman’s torso unwilling to let go.  Blinking in the dim light, the remaining tears fell from her eye lashes and Seven sat back moving her hands to Kathryn’s chest.  She felt how wet her clothes were and looked up to catch her gaze.  The concern she saw there almost broke her down for a second time.

The expression on Seven’s face made her unsure.  She didn’t know whether she’d run or stay.  Keeping eye contact with her, Kathryn cupped the blonde’s face and brushed a thumb softly over her lips.  “Don’t run from me like I did from you.”  Seven’s gaze didn’t waver when she leaned forward and tentatively captured her lips.  She broke the kiss but didn’t move away.  “You know I love you.”  Seven looked down between them, obviously disbelieving.  Kathryn tipped Seven’s chin up to reconnect.  “I may be a stupid, stubborn, self-righteous Starfleet Captain, but I do love you, Seven.”  She kissed her again.  “I always have and I always will.”

Seven’s lips smiled against hers.  “What if I said that you being stupid, stubborn and self-righteous made me love you even more?”  She returned the two previous kisses with a brief one of her own.

“Then, I’d say we’re a good match.”  Despite the lingering smile a shadow cast over Seven’s features.  “What is it?”

“You leave tomorrow.”  The reminder was unwelcome as Kathryn dipped her head and sat back against the door.  “I can’t go with you and…”

“I can’t stay here.”

“I know.  How long?”

“How can-  Six months, at least.”

“What?”

“What?”

“You started to ask something?”

“Oh.”  She took Seven’s hands up in her own for support.  “I don’t want to lose you again.”

Seven squeezed the hands holding hers.  “I promise not to run as long as you say the same.”

“I’ve learned from my mistakes.  I’m not going anywhere, but I…  The last couple of years have been agony.  I’m tired of hurting, longing.  I want to be with you.”  She searched Seven’s eyes for an answer.  “I’m not going to ask you to give up the Institute, but I can’t give up my sh-” Seven pressed two fingers to her lips.  She sighed.

“Let’s not worry about it then.”  Seven slid her fingers down Kathryn's chin then kissed her hard.

Grimacing at the pain in her head, Kathryn laughed, breaking their contact.  “Ow,” she continued laughing.  “I see you have a better idea?”

“If you want to?”  Seven suddenly turned shy.  Her voice was unusually soft and laced with uncertainty.

In the dim light coming in from the porch, Kathryn looked at Seven wondering how she ever could have refused her.

--

Six months passed…

Annika briefly looked at the door hearing the chime.  “Enter.”

“You know,” the doors closed behind her visitor, “you could at least greet me at the door.”

Annika glanced up, smiling, but kept working.  “Why should I?”

“Mmm, maybe because you invited me?  Or, maybe because I’m your friend and it would be nice.”

“Who said I was nice?”  She looked at the woman sitting on the close edge of her desk, her mouth gaping.  Grinning, she stood and hugged her close.  “When did you return?  I wasn’t expecting you.”

“This morning.  We’re three days late.”

Annika returned to her seat hoping the Bajoran would remove herself from the top of her desk.  “Trouble?”

Celes shrugged.  “My parents don’t want me to go.  They’re still afraid that if I leave, to go anywhere, I’ll get stuck again.”

“Not improbable, but their fear is warranted.”

She detected a little of that fear and worry in her friend’s voice.  “Have you heard from Kathryn at all?”

Despondent, Annika tapped the file closed she’d been looking over.  “It’s been two weeks, three days, four hours…”  Celes was trying to stifle a laugh.  “I miss her.”

“Have you figured out what you two are going to do?”

“Nothing yet.  There have been ideas, but nothing solid.  Are you free for lunch?”

“Uh, that’s why I’m here.”

“All right.”

Down the hall, Annika spoke up.  “How are you?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“You guess?”

She shrugged.  “I’m still looking for something to do.  Since I resigned from Starfleet, I’ve had a lot of free time and nothing to fill it with.  I mean, they still want me back and go on this stupid assignment.  Why?  I don’t know.  I do and I don’t.”

“What did you want to do as a child?”  They entered a lift and headed down.  “Your aspirations?”

“Other than Starfleet, I really didn’t have any goals.  It was a dream that happened and fizzled.”  Celes stepped from the lift and waited for Annika to point the way.  They walked silently for a few moments.  When they entered the cafeteria, she started again, “I just don’t know.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.”  Annika programmed the replicator deftly.  “What would you like?”

“What are you having?”  She looked at the replicator before Annika answered.  “I suppose the same.  Juice, though, not water.”  Annika opened her mouth to ask a question.  “Doesn’t matter.”  The blonde tapped more controls and their meals whirred into existence.  “Thanks.”

“Anything else of note?”  Annika asked when they settled.  She nodded to a group of her students sitting near by.  Celes blushed hotly at the question.  “It must be good.”  She fluffed her salad, mixing the vegetables and slices of meat together.

“Promise you won’t laugh.”

“Would I do that?”  Celes looked at her knowingly.  “I promise.”

“I’ve been seeing someone.  Well, before I went off to my parents’.  I haven’t seen him yet since I’ve been back.”

“I’m flattered,” Annika spoke in between forkfuls.  “You came to see me first.”

“He was busy.”

“And I’m not?”

“He’s light years away!  You were easier to get to!  I sent him a message, Annika.  Plus, you asked me to come when I got home.”

“He must feel important.”

 “Can I finish now?”  Annika nodded taking another bite.  “Thank you.”

“So, who is he?”

Again, her skin flushed red.  “I’m sure you remember Harry Kim.”  Annika choked on her food but quickly swallowed.  “He’s sweet.”

“I haven’t seen him in almost six months.  He left on Kathryn’s ship.  You’ve been in regular contact with him during the mission?”

Celes nodded, finally digging into her salad.  “More or less.  At least once a week.”

The thought made Annika nervous.  Kathryn hadn’t sent a message for a while.  “They’re due back soon.  Did he give any indication?”

“Not really.  He just said that their mission was a success and that he’d be home as soon as the Captain could get their tails back in the quadrant.”  She noted Annika’s distant expression and touched her hand.  “Hey, I’m sure she misses you.”

“I know,” she said softly.  “I didn’t realize how hard it would be.”  She pushed her plate away.  “If you don’t mind, Celes, I have reports to look over.”  Annika stood and moved around the table to sweep the smaller woman up into an intense embrace and a kiss on her cheek.  “I’ve missed you, too.”

“We’ll get together soon,” Celes said, standing back.

Annika nodded in agreement.  “Good luck.  With Harry, too.”  Annika forced a smile and left the expansive room to return to her office.  Inside, she found her console blinking.  Her stomach fluttered with anticipation as she sat and brought the message list up.  In the short time she was gone, B’Elanna and two of her students tried to contact her.  The flutters disappeared, turning into aggravation.  Celes heard from Harry, how could Kathryn just ignore her.  Feeling depressed and unloved, she downloaded her students’ reports and her messages into a padd to take home then packed her belongings.

Kat did not greet her at the door as usual.  Confused, she whistled for the teenager.  When she still didn’t come running, Annika knew something was wrong and went looking.  The cat’s favorite chair was empty, a small indentation where she usually slept.  The animal wasn’t at her food bowl in the kitchen.  “Kat?”  Annika moved up the stairs quickly into her bedroom and stopped short at the sight.

She felt her expression soften immediately.  All her worry drifted away seeing Kat coiled up near Kathryn’s stomach, her right arm resting on the cat lightly.  Her face was placid in slumber just like she remembered from six months ago.  In the sunset light, the lines of wisdom softened.  The same light set Kathryn's hair aflame and warmed her thoughts of their first and last night together.

At the threshold, Annika set her bag down.  Kat stirred, stretching.  She scratched the little cat’s head as she carefully laid her body behind Kathryn’s.  Snuggling close, she enveloped the smaller body in her arms and tangled their legs together, which turned out to be an effective wake-up call.

Kathryn moaned softly turning her head up and back.  “I was hoping you’d be late.”  She yawned.  “I wanted to surprise you.”

“I’m early.”  She kissed Kathryn’s temple and breathed in the lingering scent of starship.  “You did.”

“Even so, I wanted to have something ready for you.”  Smiling, eyes lidded, she idly traced the lines of Annika’s face.  “You never told me you had a cat,” her tone was questioning.

“I found Kat in a thunderstorm a few months before you left.”

“Annika,” Kathryn turned in the embrace, “you named your cat Cat?”

Annika’s skin turned red like the falling sun.  “Not exactly,” she hesitated.  “Kat is short for Kathryn, Kathryn.”

Amused, Kathryn chuckled.  “You named your cat Kathryn Kathryn?”

“No!”  Annika erupted loudly with laughter, waking the cat.  She stroked her dark fur until Kat rested her head again, purring.  “Her name is Kathryn, but I call her Kat.”

“Why did you name your cat after me?  Especially with what happened.”

“Two reasons.  One: she’s just as stubborn and uncontrollable as you are.  Two: I love you.”