Time

Time

Seven stood outside the door to Janeway's cabin, just outside the sensors, shifting from foot to foot and biting her lip in an unusual display of nerves. Taking a subtle, deep breath, she stepped forward, activating the sensor that would signal her presence.

"Come."

The doors slid open, and Seven stepped through, just far enough for the doors to close behind her, but not far enough for Janeway to consider Seven in her personal space.

Janeway looked up from where she was seated on the couch with a book. "Seven," she greeted with a grin. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Seven stood, unmoving for a moment. "I…" she paused, feeling her courage flee. "I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

"What happened to Borg perfection?" Janeway's teasing reply was to the doors, sliding shut after Seven's hasty retreat.

As she stood in the turbolift, heading toward Cargo Bay 2, Seven had an irrational urge to slam her head repeatedly into the wall of the lift. Instead she stood, her hands clasped tightly behind her back, staring straight ahead.

When she entered the bay, she noted with relief that it was empty and went to stand in front of her alcove. Staring up at the piece of Borg technology, she remembered the last time she had stood in that exact spot. When Admiral Kathryn Janeway had traveled back in time to see Seven and warn her of the events that would cause her death.

She felt her human eye burn with emotion, and wasn't at all surprised when a tear fell, trailing down her pale cheek. She turned slightly, staring again at the place Janeway had been standing when she had beamed back to her own ship. "I'm sorry, Kathryn," she whispered into the silence. Wanting to say more, but not knowing what to say, she stayed didn't say anything. In the silence of her mind, her humanity waged a war against the Borg of her, railing against its injustice and fighting for its right to be.

~I love her.~

~Love is everything.~

~Love is perfection.~

~Efficiency isn't everything.~

~Perfection is nothing without love.~

~Love is perfection. Perfection has no flaw.~

~There cannot be perfection without the joy in finding it. Omega has no joy, produces no emotion. Love is emotion. Love is joy.~

~Emotions are what make us! Emotions are life!~

Seven sighed, not getting anywhere on either side of the argument. Tired of the conflict, she walked up to the alcove and activated it, then entered, automatically starting the regeneration cycle.

When the cargo bay doors opened, Seven was tempted to open her eyes, but knew that would betray her secret. She desperately wanted to see Janeway, to see her eyes caress her as she felt it, but knew that she couldn't. If the captain knew how aware she was of her surroundings while she regenerated, then she would no longer take her detours into the bay to watch Seven as she regenerated.

Janeway sighed. "Seven…" she said softly, speaking as if seeking the answer she knew wouldn't come. "What were you going to say? What had you so scared? I hope like hell it wasn't me. I hope like hell that I never scare you." Sighing again, Janeway turned, leaving the cargo bay without another word.

Only when the doors were safely shut once more, did Seven open her eyes, gazing at the door as if her will alone would bring Janeway back.

Several days past with Seven becoming increasingly distant toward Janeway. Not only was her demeanor colder, but she also canceled numerous breakfast dates and velocity matches. Finally Janeway approached her about it, demanding to know what was going on.

"Captain?" Seven questioned, quirking her implant slightly.

"Seven, I want to help you with whatever is troubling you, but I can't unless you let me."

"I assure you, Captain, I am completely functional."

Janeway sighed impatiently. "I know that, Seven," she said, forcing her voice lower, calming how down. "But it's not like you to cancel so many breakfasts or velocity matches with me. What's going on?"

Seven hesitated. "I have been… busy."

Janeway regarded the Borg skeptically. "Busy. Nothing has happened on Voyager since my future self took a wander back in time. You yourself said that the area of space we're passing through is unremarkable. What gives, Seven?"

"I did not say I was busy with my duties, Captain. I have required nearly all of my off hours for a personal project. The hours I have not spent on this project I have spent regenerating."

Janeway sighed again. "All right, Seven, but when this project is over, can we start playing velocity again? As good of a player as he is, Chakotay just doesn't cut it to play against."

Seven allowed a slight smirk to ghost over her full lips before replying. "It will not take much longer. I will contact you when I am free again, Captain."

"Great, Seven," Janeway said with a grin. "I look forward to it."

"As do I."

The next day, as she entered her ready room, Janeway noticed a PADD on her desk. She frowned, swearing up and down that the desk had been clear when she left the day before. Retrieving a cup of coffee from the replicator, she sat at her desk and picked up the PADD, keying it on and viewing the message.

_All I need is time._ it said. Janeway frowned and scrolled down.

_Time

What meaning does time hold?
Can time love?
Can time laugh?
Can time cry?
Can time do any of the things
Which make it so precious?
Can time run?
Can time dance?
Can time sing?
Can time comfort a child
Or a woman with a simple touch?
Can time see?
Can time hear?
Can time touch?
Can time taste the sweetness
Of desire upon a lover's skin?
Time has no hold, no meaning
For one alive with love
It is unnecessary in life
In love, in passion
Time cannot hold desire or contain love
Time cannot stoke passion or build trust
Time cannot do any of the things
Which make life worth living
Any of the things
Which make love worth loving
Time cannot be measured
When an instant is an eternity
In the presence of a lover
When an eternity is an instant
When forever is in reach
Yet never far enough
It is time that holds me back
Time that pushes me forward
Time that held me close
And time that has yet to love me
Time has turned from an abstract
To the one I love
Time has brought her to me
Yet time has taken her away
If time will not bring her again
Then I shall seek her out
I shall change time
Time holds no meaning
Yet time is she who holds my heart_

Putting the PADD down, Janeway took a swig of her coffee. Somebody must have beamed the PADD to the wrong location, she decided. There was no way that was meant for her.

Two days later, Janeway found another PADD on her desk. Keying it on, she again saw the words 'All I need is time,' but this time when she scrolled down, instead of a poem, there were the words, 'I am free now. I have scheduled holodeck one for 1800 hours this evening.'

As with the last PADD, it was unsigned, but Janeway knew who it was from, the hints more than obvious. Which left only one question remaining… What in the universe had Seven meant by the poem?