Title : Anniversary, Part 3 
Pairing : K / 7
Rating : PG
Archive : Yes Please :)
References : Contains references from " The Gift, " " Revulsion, " " Waking 
Moments, " " Hope And Fear,"  " Someone To Watch Over Me " and " The Disease "
Disclaimer : It's paramounts playground, I'm just playing on all the toys. 


" Anniversary, Pt. 3 "


    It all started with the hardest " whack " he'd ever heard or felt when 
Seven Of Nine's Borg enhanced arm connected with the base of his neck. It was 
like getting hit with a bag full of cinder blocks. One moment he was on his 
feet, the next, he was on the floor. The next thing he remembered was lying 
on a bio-bed in sickbay. Even then, his first thought had been ' What a 
woman.' It had just been an involuntary thought.

    Then, not too much after that she had misinterpreted his intentions and 
propositioned him for sex. There was also the time she helped to create a 
diversion during a time when the crew was being held hostage, by crossing the 
room and walloping him across the face. The woman was forever smacking him. 
But the most memorable thing had been the smile. He had the honor of being 
the first to see that beautiful, genuine smile. Just because he'd said he 
would miss her if she ever left.

    For some reason he was unsure of, perhaps something mystical, he'd backed 
off. And from there it was never the same. Harry believed she had known about 
his crush, but she had ignored it. Perhaps she thought it irrelevant.

    Maybe they both had moved on. Like he'd said to Sandrine, his feelings 
had always remained. No matter what happened. Harry thought of these things 
while he got ready for his away mission. Just yesterday, he'd gone over these 
things with Sandrine in the holodeck.

    Harry seemed to be having a bad week. He had been in a darker mood the 
day before, but not now. Now he was accepting it, hoping the week would just 
end. For now, he would just muddle through it, and brave the rest of the 
storm. Chuckling giddily, he looked at the duty assignment padd for his away 
mission. He didn't know if this was a good or bad thing. Harry was slated to 
go with none other than, Seven Of Nine.





    Seven Of Nine was also preparing for the away mission. She knew her 
companion on the trip would be Harry Kim. It had been a while since they'd 
worked together so exclusively. She was glad to have him on the mission, for 
he was an efficient worker. His diligent more than made up for his idle and 
sometimes irrelevant conversational habits.

    She paused momentarily at her last thought, correcting herself. He had 
spoken to her lesser and lesser when working together in the past year. 
Ensign Kim still spoke with her, but he limited his chatter. Perhaps he had 
seen the detriment idle conversation had on his work. However, she couldn't 
hep but, in a way, be comforted by his conversation. She had grown used to it 
the way she had grown accustomed to his personality and work style. It mildly 
surprised her to find she missed his banter.

    Snapping her work case shut, Seven headed towards the Cargo Bay Doors to 
meet with Ensign Kim and Captain Janeway in Astrometrics to discuss the 
mission objectives. She had already left instructions with the Doctor and 
Neelix for the care of the Borg children. As she sauntered down the corridor, 
she heard Dennis Chapman's voice around the corner. He was speaking with 
someone, his voice growing closer and closer as she neared the corner. Seven 
contemplated changing her route, but thought better of it. She was through 
with avoiding him. They had said their good-byes and it was over and done 
with.
   
   As she rounded the corner, she saw his companion, Sue Nicoletti. They 
were dressed in casual attire, her arm looped through his. Seven and Dennis' 
eyes locked momentarily. She did not slow her approach and continued on her 
way, nodding in greeting as she passed. They both nodded back to her as she 
continued on her way. As she headed to the turbolift doors at warp speed, she 
collided with Tom Paris.
  
  " Ensign, " she said, slightly taken aback, "I did not mean to harm you."
   
 " I'm fine, " he said getting up, brushing his pant legs, " You pack 
quite a wallop. "

    " I apologize, " she repeated as they both entered the turbo lift.

    " No problem. So, " he asked casually, " Who were you running away from ; 
the Hirogen ? The Borg ? "

    " Neither , I was merely heading to Astrometrics. "


    " Merely running is more like it, " he teased, " I saw Lt. Chapman in the 
corridor. Did you two have a spat ? "

    " Ensign ? "

    " You know, it's always awkward running into an ex. Especially when 
they're accompanying someone else. "

    " Lt. Chapman is hardly my ' Ex. ' We merely had one date. "

    Tom chuckled, " This is true, but you were still setting a speed record 
to the turbolift doors."

    " As I said Ensign, " she reminded as the turbolift came to a halt and 
the doors opened, " I am on the way to Astrometrics. "

    " Oh yea, for your away mission. Give Harry my best, " he said with a 
wink.

    Seven nodded slightly, raising her eyebrow as if to show he wasn't 
bothering her. There was nothing more Tom Paris loved than teasing people. 
Lately, she seemed to be his favorite target.

    " Good day, Ensign, " she answered stepping out of the turbo lift. As the 
door slid shut she could here him saying, " Remember to look both ways before 
crossing the corridors and obey the laws of traffic. "

    Ignoring him, she continued on her route to Astrometrics.
    
    It was bone chillingly quiet in the Delta Flyer. Seven had only spoken 
when necessary, and it was making Harry stir crazy. Normally he was able to 
withstand the quiet, but not now. Seven seemed to be off in her own world, 
which was uncharacteristic of her. usually her mind was on the task at hand. 
It worried him a little. Perhaps she was having a problem. Maybe she was 
having the kind of week he was.

    " Is something bothering you, Seven ? "

    The sound of Harry's voice nearly startled her. It had been so quiet, if 
a piece of dust had landed on the floor, they both would've shot first and 
asked questions later. She was able to hide her sudden snap from the realm of 
silence, and instead concentrated on the nature of his question.

    " Why would you ask ? "



    " You seem distracted. "

    " Since it has been quiet for nearly two hours, I hardly see how my 
demeanor would appear to be troubled. "

    " Ok , so you're not troubled, " he cracked.

    " You are angry. "

    " No I'm not. Listen, " he said turning around in his chair, " I know you 
like the quiet, but it's driving me crazy. "

    " Normally, I do have an affinity for silences, " she said, mirroring 
Tuvok's sentiments, " yet I find my attention wavering from my duties. "

    " That's probably because there isn't much to do . "

    " That is something I cannot accept. "

    " You mean you're getting frustrated because there is nothing to do, " he 
asked, teasing. 

    " No, " she answered back, amusement in her eyes, " I find it difficult 
to believe that there would be ' nothing to do .' There is always a task to 
complete."

    " But not this time, " he fired back, smiling, " face it , Seven, you're 
getting stir crazy. "

    " I will analyze the data we collected from the nebula, then. "

    " When all else fails, " he ribbed, " recheck the data. Ah, something to 
do ! good, because I did it ten minutes ago. It's your turn. "

    The corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly as she raised her 
eyebrow in trademark fashion. He had been right. The quiet was bothering her. 
She could not get passed the events of the day. Running into Lt. Chapman had 
not been a highlight of her day. It's not that she was jealous, it was 
running into him so soon after their good-bye. And he was  with someone else. 
Maybe somewhere deep down, she longed for the companionship Dennis had seemed 
to have found in Sue Nicoletti. Perhaps that desire for companionship was 
resurfacing. If that were the case, she could merely push it away. 




    As she had thought before, and told the Doctor, there were no suitable 
companions for her aboard Voyager. The closest would be Harry Kim, but she 
believed he had lost interest. Also, she tried not to look at him in that 
light, for fear it would complicate matters. Or was that just an excuse. 

    It was quiet again in the cabin , but not the eerie silence from before. 
Seven stole a glance at Harry. He was hunched over his console, brows knit in 
concentration. She was unsure as to what he was doing, since he had declared 
he had no tasks to complete. 

    A significant amount of time had passed since Harry had had his extreme 
crush on her, and things were different. Now he seemed more at ease with her, 
and more confident. In a way, though she didn't quite understand why, and 
would never admit it, she missed his crush.

    " Where'd you go, Seven ? "

    " Ensign, " she asked curiously.

    " You were a million miles away just now. " 

    " I was thinking of the events of last year, when the Kaati ambassador 
was on board the ship, " she answered in a half truth. 

    He corrected her, " You mean, when you had your first date. "

    She looked at him a moment before answering. It was almost if he were 
able to see her thoughts. " Yes. I was not aware that you remembered. "

    " Hey, " he said swiveling around in his chair with a half smile, " I 
helped you pick the guy out ; remember ? Besides, you turned me down flat 
when I offered my services, " he tried to cover his embarrassment by laughing.

    " Yes, when I told you that you were not a candidate. "

    " Why wasn't I , anyway ? I mean, out of curiosity, and because we're on 
the subject. "

    Seven didn't answer for a moment. it was a complex answer. She considered 
changing the subject, but she didn't. This time, she would give him an 
answer. 





    Seven answered carefully, " At the time, given your state of high 
emotional anxiety during and after the events surrounding  your episode with 
Tal , I did not think you were a suitable candidate so soon. "

    " So soon afterwards; you mean ? "

    " Yes. "

    " I never thought of it that way. So, you would've considered it if none 
of that had happened. "

    " No. "

    He laughed at her bluntness, " I think I get the point, " he teased, " 
you think I'm a twerp. "

    " I do not, " she answered slowly, not looking at him, diverting her 
attention to the sensor readings of the Nebula. it was probably her twentieth 
consecutive time analyzing the data, but she did it just the same. " Infact, 
the Tal episode was not the only reason I turned you down. "

    " Really, " he asked, turning in his seat again, " so, what was the other 
reason ? "

    " Tell me something , Ensign, " she said, turning the tables on him, " 
Why did you offer yourself as a candidate ? "

    Harry kept his face passive, but on the inside, he felt his heart jump to 
his throat. He nodded slightly and chewed his bottom lip, as if to give her 
the impression he was mulling over the answer. How could he answer, when his 
inner voice prompted him to blurt out the words ' Because I've had feelings 
for you the moment you stepped onto the ship ' ? However, he was able to 
subdue that voice. That same inner voice warned him that telling her that 
could open opportunity for her to reject him again. And this wasn't a good 
week for rejection. 

    Harry answered with half truth of his own, " I just figured it would be 
easier for you. I thought since we're friends it would curb any nervous 
feelings. "

    " I see. That is also why I excluded you. " 

    " I hadn't thought of that either. "



    " I wished for my first date to be objective. Someone I was unfamiliar 
with for the experience. HoweverR¼Čere are no suitable candidates for me 
aboard Voyager. "

    " How can you be so sure ? "

    " Elaborate , " she asked.

    Harry got up and came over to her station, leaning across her console. he 
was close enough to smell her sweet , natural fragrance. it was starting to 
make him blissfully dizzy, so he continued, " Look at Tom and B'Elanna, " he 
shrugged, " Six years ago, no one would've ever thought of pairing those two 
together. but people change and grow. Nothing is final. At least, that's what 
I think. "

    She seemed to be contemplating his words. Harry wondered briefly if this 
was what Sandrine had meant by ' planting seeds'. Maybe he'd planted a few. 
Then again, he wasn't so sure. Maybe their time had passed. maybe too much 
time had gone by. Time could be a friend, but it could also be a bitter enemy 
; stealing precious moments. in this case, possibly, time wasn't on their 
side. 

    " Ensign, " she said standing and gathering data padds, " it has been 
known from time to time for crew rosters to change. Perhaps it will change in 
the future. "

    They just stood there momentarily, looking at one another in a new 
perspective. Seven, not being one to dwell on sentimentality for too long, 
partially smiled again, and headed for the back of the shuttle to download 
their data into the shuttle's main computer.

    " Only time will tell, " he answered.

    Seven stopped before leaving the room and leveled him with another 
genuine smile. Then she was gone. Harry smiled to himself.

    " That's two, " he muttered, keeping a mental count of her smiles. ' Then 
 again, ' thought Harry, ' Maybe time is on our side. '

THE END