Summary:

B'Elanna and Seven compete for Harry's heart, who will Harry choose?

The Battle for Harry's Heart: Part One
By Daniel Harris
( Copyright 1998)
E-Mail: adios@adios.demon.co.uk
(Any and all comments welcome)

B'Elanna sighed as she strolled into engineering, Janeway had ordered 
Seven to assist with the warp core modifications and Seven was not one 
of her favourite people.  Carey nodded in a welcoming gesture and 
resumed his work and B'Elanna turned to her display.  All systems were 
nominal and they were free to begin as soon as Seven arrived.  
"Lieutenant Torres." B'Elanna looked up and grimaced as she saw Seven 
her face as usual blank of all emotions.  "Ah, Seven.  Well, lets get 
started.  Let's take begin by taking the plasma injectors off-line an 
reinitialising the primary plasma couplings."  Seven cocked her head 
slightly, contemplating B'Elanna's suggestion.  "Agreed Lieutenant."  
B'Elanna nodded absently already engrossed again by the display.  
"Lieutenant, as you may be aware the Doctor has been tutoring me in 
interpersonal skills for a variety of social and formal settings would 
you object to my practising these skills?" B'Elanna looked up and 
sighed.  Dealing with the Borg was bad enough without having to talk to 
it "Not at all Seven."  Seven looked genuinely surprised that the 
request had been granted and quickly supplied the appropriate reply. 
"Thank you, Lieutenant.  I would not have asked but I wish to be 
prepared for my 'date' with Ensign Ki...Harry."  At this comment 
B'Elanna's head shot up and locked her eyes onto Seven's impassive face.  
"Harry asked you out on a date?"  B'Elanna was stunned and became 
uncomfortably aware of an ache in her heart.  She and Harry had been 
firm friends for four years and it was he who comforted her when she 
ended her relationship with Tom.  It seemed unlikely that he would not 
tell her about a date with Seven.  "Lieutenant," Seven said "from your 
reaction am I to understand you are upset by the affiliation I have with 
Ensign Kim?  Does it cause you emotional pain due to the failure of your 
own romance with Lieutenant Paris?"  If looks could kill Seven's body 
would have been scattered to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.  "My 
relationship with Tom is none of your damn business.  And If I'm upset 
with your 'affiliation' with Harry it's only because he could do so much 
better than some 'emotionless' drone!"  Without warning Seven's arm 
lashed out and struck B'Elanna full in the face.  B'Elanna looked at her 
in shock and the anger inside of her reached critical.  Seven regarded 
her with her usual look of superiority and said, "Lieutenant, your 
reaction to me is greater than your usual hostility, I believe you have 
undisclosed feelings for Harry and are angered at me due to inordinate 
amount of time with which he spends in my company."  For B'Elanna that 
was it.  She lunged at Seven grabbing the younger woman and shoving her 
violently against the bulkhead.  Seven gasped involuntarily before 
grabbing the engineer's wrist in a vice like grip and twisting breaking 
B'Elanna's hold before delivering a resounding punch to her abdomen.  It 
was now B'Elanna's turn to gasp.  Jumping back both circled each other 
unaware of the stares from the rest of the Engineering staff. "Stay away 
from Harry Seven or I'll see to it that you'll regret it." B'Elanna 
screamed. Seven's own anger was rising and she fixed B'Elanna with her 
most deadly glare.  B'Elanna quickly darted forward fists flying and 
Seven staggered back from the half-Klingon's powerful uppercut.  
Regaining her composure Seven adopted a defensive posture and began 
circling with B'Elanna.  B'Elanna lunged at the former Borg grappling 
with attempting to crush the blonde woman to the ground while fending of 
the blows raining down on her back.  Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed 
B'Elanna and literally lifted her off of Seven, twisting round she saw 
Tuvok looking as impassive as ever as he held her firmly in his strong 
Vulcan grip.  Behind the dark skinned security officer, her old friend 
Chakotay looked on with that damn fatherly look of disapproval on his 
face.  Shame began to well up in B'Elanna and she glanced down at Seven.  
Another security officer was helping her to her feet, blood streaming 
from a burst lip and a nasty cut just under her ocular implant.  
Chakotay glanced at both of them and said to Tuvok.  "Take them to 
Sickbay, let the Doctor clean them up and then bring them to the 
Captain's ready room."  With that he left and the big Vulcan began 
ushering them out of Engineering.

*       *       *

B'Elanna sat silently while the doctor used his dermal regenerator on 
her own wounds and nasty gash on her cheek, as he work he tutted and 
generally moaned about the fact that the crew simply injured themselves 
to annoy him.  So inane was his chatter she tuned him out desperately 
trying to think what she was going to say to Captain Janeway.  So 
distracted was she that she failed to notice the Doctor finish his 
treatment and it took several attempts by Tuvok to bring her back to 
reality.  With B'Elanna looking glum and Seven looking a little 
unsettled they left Sickbay.

*       *       *

"Would either of care to tell me what you were fighting about?"  Janeway 
had both of them pinned under her death glare.  B'Elanna looked down and 
then back at Janeway still unable to formulate any response that the 
Captain would find acceptable.  B'Elanna felt her blood go cold as Seven 
began to speak.  "Lieutenant Torres and myself were fighting over Ensign 
Kim Captain."  Captain Janeway looked confused.  "What about Ensign 
Kim?"  Seven now looked slightly uncomfortable and looked briefly at 
B'Elanna before speaking.  "I have begun to have feelings for Ensign Kim 
and Lieutenant Torres became agitated when I informed her of my feelings 
and that I had arranged a 'date' with...Harry.  Lieutenant Torres got 
angry and at that time I deduced she also had feelings for Ensign Kim 
and was attempting eliminate myself as competition."  Janeway slowly 
shook her head.  "Seven, Lieutenant.  I don't know or care how you 
settle this but you will settle it and settle it peacefully.  This type 
of behaviour will not be tolerated do I make myself perfectly clear?"  
B'Elanna and Seven looked at each other and a let out a quiet  "Yes 
Captain."  Both filed out and B'Elanna tried not to think about Harry as 
she walked to the turbolift.  Tuvok had told her that Golwat had alerted 
Security to her brawl with Seven.  Golwat she knew was dating Ensign 
Chell and Chell was the biggest gossip on Voyager within hours the story 
or what was known of it would be thoroughly circulating Voyager's Gossip 
Network and Harry would find out.  Reaching her quarters B'Elanna began 
to pace trying to decide exactly on what to say to Harry.  Whatever she 
was going to come up with had better be damn good.

*       *       *

Harry and Tom were relieved when Beta shift started and they went to the 
Mess Hall Harry hoping they wouldn't bump in to B'Elanna their. While 
she and Harry were good friends her break up with Tom had created some 
difficulties when it came to making time for both his friends.  As they 
entered the Mess Hall a low hush met them, people turned to stare at 
them and then Harry realised they weren't staring at them they were 
staring at him.  He turned to Tom who shrugged and after collecting 
their plates they sat.  Conversations resumed but Harry was still 
subjected to the occasional stare.  Almost as soon as they finished 
eating Neelix appeared and without an invitation slid in beside Tom, 
eyes fixed on Harry and a wide grin plastered on his face.  "What is it 
Neelix?" Harry asked slightly irritated by his Talaxian friend.  "You 
know, Mr Kim, you old dog."  Harry looked a Tom who looked as puzzled as 
he felt.  "Neelix what on Earth are you talking about?"  Neelix looked 
confused and said.  "You don't know?  It's already all over the ship."  
Harry began to get impatient.  "What's all over the ship?"  He asked 
trying to keep his voice level.  Neelix now uncertain answered slowly 
"About B'Elanna and Seven..." Neelix trailed of as he tried to determine 
if Harry really was unaware of what had transpired.  Harry was now 
really exasperated and Tom quickly asked, "What about Lieutenant Torres 
and Seven, Neelix?  What's the gossip?"  Neelix looked at both men and 
settled on Harry.  "That they were fighting over you in Engineering and 
had to physically stopped by Tuvok."  Both Harry and Tom's jaw hit the 
table at the same time.  Harry was too stunned to speak but Tom was 
already bombarding the poor Talaxian with a multitude of questions.  By 
the time they had left the Mess Hall they had successfully pumped Neelix 
for all the details he had.  

*       *       *

B'Elanna was working on her Engineering reports trying her hardest not 
to think about the day's events.  Absently dropping the PADD onto the 
table she stood and crossed to the replicator,  "Chilled water" the 
glass appeared and she gulped the wine down.  "Computer, locate Ensign 
Kim?"  The computer burbled slightly before responding.  "Ensign Kim is 
in his quarters."  "Is he alone?"  "Affirmative."  B'Elanna quickly left 
her quarters.

*       *       *

Harry closed his eyes and his fingers began to caress his clarinet as he 
thought the notes.  Harry was trying to relax.  He still could not fully 
comprehend why Seven and B'Elanna had been fighting over him.  He knew 
B'Elanna wasn't happy about his interest in Seven, she had made that 
evidently clear when she had confronted him that day in Astrometrics 
when they'd received the messages from Starfleet, but she had been 
involved with Tom then she couldn't have felt anything for him.  Could 
she.  The door chime interrupted his thoughts.  "Come in."  The door 
swished open and B'Elanna entered.  "Hey Harry."  B'Elanna awkwardly 
fidgeted with her hands and began to recite her carefully planned 
speech.  "I know that lately you have been interested in that Bor.. 
Seven.  Harry, I'm sorry that I never told you this but I have strong 
feelings for you that I always hid because I didn't know if you could 
feel the same way for me.  I wanted you to love me for who I am not some 
exotic Klingon women but for me.  But you never showed any interest in 
me and then Tom did and I tried it for a while but I couldn't stop 
thinking of you, of wanting to be with you, then Seven came on board.  
You fawned all over her and it made me jealous as hell, I think that's 
why I was so angry at Seven all the time, she had the thing I had always 
wanted, You."  B'Elanna looked over at Harry; he looked at her his face 
unreadable.  "B'Elanna, I care for you a great deal but now I don't know 
how I feel about you or Seven.  I'm going to need some time to sort my 
feeling out.  I'll back off from Seven and try to work out what I want 
in here," Harry tapped his chest gently.  "I'll try to find the answer 
soon, I hate seeing you in pain."  B'Elanna tried unsuccessfully to mask 
her disappointment and turned to leave.  "I'm sorry Maquis."  B'Elanna 
gave a half grin and left Harry pondering his predicament.

*       *       *

Harry ate breakfast alone the next morning, Tom had been in command on 
Gamma watch and per his request B'Elanna had not sat with him.  He was 
deep in thought and did not notice Seven's arrival until she placed her 
Borg enhanced hand on his shoulder.  "Wha..?  Seven!  I'm glad your 
here.  I need to talk to you."  Seven sat her hand gently resting on 
Harry's.  "Ensign Kim, by now you are no doubt aware of the altercation 
between myself and Lieutenant Torres in Engineering yesterday.  I wish 
to express my regret at attacking someone you consider a close friend.  
I hope it will not affect our.... relationship."  Harry sighed.  He 
entwined his fingers with Seven's and looked into her eyes.  "Seven, I 
would never intentionally hurt you, but this thing with B'Elanna has 
created a problem for me.  B'Elanna's my friend and for a long time I 
was strongly attracted to her.  When she and Tom got together I decided 
there was no chance of her being interested in me.  Now she's told me 
she is interested and my feelings for both of you are confused."  Harry 
looked at her and saw a brief flicker of pain and anger which was 
quickly masked with Borg emotional controls.  "I need to sort out how I 
feel, I can't risk hurting either of you, I care for both of you too 
much to let that happen.  I would appreciate it if you would give me 
some space for a few days."  Seven looked down and with a slightly 
regretful look on her face withdrew her hand from Harry's.  "I 
understand and I will comply.  However, I feel you must know that I 
believe that I am in love with you and whatever decision you reach that 
will not change."  With that she rose and left.  Harry rested his head 
in his hands.  'What am I going to do?'.

*       *       *

B'Elanna had witnessed Harry's chat with Seven and momentarily had to 
fight the urge to race over a beat Seven to bloody pulp.  However, the 
Captain would not tolerate one of her officer violating regulations and 
her direct order to get settle this matter peacefully.  Furthermore, 
Seven was a friend of Harry's and killing her would be detrimental to 
any chance for a life together.  So, B'Elanna sat a fumed until she saw 
Seven leave and Harry's shoulder sag and rest his head in his hands.  
'It's up to you Harry, please pick me, I don't know if I can live with 
you now you know how I feel.'  B'Elanna whispered.

Part Two Coming Soon

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