Title : Lullaby 
Pairing : K/7
Summary : Seven remembers a lesson in love and lullabies, and Harry's there 
to share it.
Time frame : During Season 6 - after " Collective " , but before " Unimatrix 
Zero "
Rating : G
Disclaimer : The characters are not mine. I am merely playing with them. We 
all know the big and scary paramount owns them.....but the story is mine. 
Also, the song " Baby Mine " is not mine. It is originally from Disney's " 
Dumbo. " it has also been sung by Bette Midler.
Feedback : Please give me feedback, good or bad. This is my first completed 
fanfic and I'd like to know what you all think.

" Lullaby "

    " ' The Doctor To Seven Of Nine. ' "
    Seven's hand flew up to her combadge, " Doctor ? "
    " ' Can You come to sickbay ? ' " 
    " I am busy, " she said crisply, from Astrometrics.
    " ' As am I , ' " he answered just as briskly, " ' I'm running cellular 
tests for the away team and I have a deadline. So, anytime would be 
appreciated. ' "
    Had Seven been in touch with her humanity in that moment she'd have 
rolled her eyes, " I am on the way. "
    " ' Good, ' " he answered, cutting off communication. 
    The Doctor knew he was in a foul mood, but he couldn't help it. He was on 
a time limit and had no time for pleasantries. Any other crew member would've 
bristled at his attitude, answering him back with a sarcastic comment of 
their own. However, Seven usually ignored him when he got into these stupors, 
never taking offense.
    Sickbay was quiet when Seven entered. Except for the sound of crying. The 
Borg Infant was crying. 
    " Seven, " the Doctor said coming out of his office, " She is colicky 
again. "
    " Does the child require nutrients or a new dressing ? "
    " Neither. She is beginning to teeth. "
    " Explain. "
    " When infants teeth, it is a rather uncomfortable experience for them. 
It woke her up out of a sound sleep. "
    " I do not understand why my presence is necessary "
    " Seven, you agreed to be responsible for the Borg children. I'm busy, I 
can't calm her. "
    " Doctor - "
    " In other words, " he said retrieving the baby and handing it to her, " 
It's your turn. "
    Seven stood there awkwardly for a few moments. She looked at the doctor, 
raising her eyebrow in trademark fashion. The baby whined and squirmed in her 
arms. 
    " Seven, she's a baby, not a dangerous plague. "
    " How shall I proceed ? "
    " You'll figure it out, " he answered quickly, his head already bent in 
his work, " Mr. Neelix has made teething crackers for her. They're in the 
messhall. Take her for a walk, give her some warm milk or teething crackers, 
or sing to her. I don't care what method you use, just get the baby back to 
sleep, " he said going into his office.
    Seven looked at the uneasy infant in her arms, " Very well, " she said to 
the child softly, " we shall proceed to the messhall. "
    The child was whimpering, even after Seven had given her the teething 
crackers. It was puzzling. She seemed to calm down quite a bit after working 
on the crackers. Seven wondered why the child still felt uneasy. She 
contemplated contacting Mr. Neelix. He had a knack for dealing with children. 
    Perhaps, he can be of assistance, she thought. Then she thought against 
it. It was very late, and this was something she wanted to accomplish on her 
own.
    Seven stood with the baby and began to pace, but the baby seemed to like 
that even less. So she sat down again, and began to rock back and forth, 
mimicking Neelix when he had done this.
    " You require rest. It is time for bed. "

    " I could never get you to sleep Annika. You could be so fussy sometimes. 
"
    " Was I always like that Mommy ? "
    " No Sweetheart, sometimes you were out like a light. But there were 
times when you wanted to stay awake, to take in the entire world around you. 
My curious, adventurous baby. "
    " How did you get me to sleep ? "
    " The same way I do now on rough nights, " she smiled, knowing what was 
coming.
    " Will you do it now Mommy ? "
    She smiled that warm smile again. The one that made Annika feel better no 
matter what. The one that dried her tears when she cried.The one that made 
her smile back without thought. The one that made chocolate taste better. The 
one only mommies could give, that could make her feel all warm inside, and 
could turn the tips of Papa's ears pink, and make him act shy. And Papa was 
never shy.
    Erin Hansen gathered Annika in her arms and began to rock her gently. It 
started with humming the melody. It always started that way, thought Annika. 
Then , the most beautiful sound Annika imagined had ever been heard would 
begin. Her mother would sing that song. That special song that she sang to no 
one else. Her special song.
    " Baby mine, don't you cry. Baby mine, dry your eyes...."

    Seven had been humming. It snapped her out of her reverie. Where had that 
memory come from ? She certainly hadn't consciously thought of it. The memory 
had appeared on it's own. It unsettled her. She had tried not to think of her 
mother, but it had happened nonetheless. Another thought occurred to Seven. 
The child had stopped whimpering while she was humming. When she'd stopped, 
she began to whimper and squirm again.
    Seven hummed again, deducing it was the only way to put the child to 
sleep. As she hummed, she rocked the baby again, closing her own eyes, and 
letting the song take form. 
    
    " Baby mine, don't you cry

    Baby mine, dry your eyes.
    
    Rest your head close to my heart.

    Never to part, baby of mine.

    Little one, when you play,

    pay no heed, what they say.

    Let your eyes sparkle and shine

    never a tear, baby of mine.

    If they knew all about you,

    they'd end up loving you too.

    All those same people who scold you,

    what they'd give for the right just to hold you !
    
    From your head down to your toes,

    you're not much, goodness knows !

    But you're so precious to me,

    sweet as can be, baby of mine. "

    It was when she opened her eyes that she realized she was not alone in 
the room with the baby. Harry Kim was standing by her chair, clarinet in his 
hands. He smiled down at her, and sat down aside of her.
    " I did not hear you come in, " she said quietly, as to not wake the now 
sleeping infant.
    " Sometimes I come in here is I can't sleep and play my clarinet. I can't 
do that in my quarters because my neighbors would stage a revolution. "
    " Then you joined me, " she looked away, momentarily embarrassed.
    " I joined you, " he agreed, " the song was pretty. I just wanted to be a 
part of that. "
    " I see. "
    " Where did you learn that ? "
    " My mother used to sing it to me when I was feeling uneasy, " she said, 
the memory inducing a bittersweet feeling.
    Harry looked at her a moment. She wouldn't look at him directly, but he 
could see it in her eyes. It was hard for her to sort through all of her 
emotions when it came to her parents. He could see that. On one hand, she was 
angry with them for being so careless with the Borg. For being as reckless to 
bring her along. Yet, she seemed saddened by the memory of her mother. 
Nostalgic, almost. But that nostalgia brought a pang of sadness. Harry Kim 
knew the feeling all too well.
    " Looks like you could stand to hear that song again. I know I would like 
to. "
    " Very well . "
    Seven began to sing it again, only this time, Harry joined her. His 
clarinet was smooth and lovely as it mingled with her voice. A perfect duet. 
He could almost feel the bittersweet memory of her mother as well as his own, 
as they went through the song. When it was over, when the last note faded 
away for each of them, they looked at one another. Harry could see that her 
eyes were misty, and was mildly suprised to feel his own were as well.
    " Thank you , Ensign. "
    " Anytime, " he said getting up to leave, " Seven, " he said turning 
around again.
    " Yes, Ensign ? "
    " I know you think you got your voice from the collective. You know what 
I think ? I think, collective or not, you got your voice, " he paused, " your 
music, from your mother. It was the one thing the collective didn't have to 
perfect. Just some food for thought. Good night, " he winked, leaving the 
messhall.
    Seven mused over what Harry had said. It had been a perfect duet. The 
baby slept peacefully in her arms, and as she stared out into space from the 
messhall windows, she thought of her mother, her lullaby, and of the meshing 
of her voice and Harry Kim's clarinet. She also found herself thinking more 
of Harry Kim, and the songs they could sing and play together. As she thought 
of this, she began to hum.

The End.