Author: halfofone
Rating: Over 13 Status: Complete
Description: A sad answer to the flower challenge.
Feedback: Constructive feedback welcome.
Archiving: If you want ... I would quite like to know where.
Disclaimer: TPTB are Paramount/Viacom.
Date added: 2001-01-15 Alternative rating: PG13

TPTB are many. In a perfect world I would be one of them but it's not and I'm not. No infringement of copyright/trade marks or other intellectual property is intended. This story was written for fun and not profit.

Warning: This story includes same sex relationships between women. If you are offended by this or it is illegal where you live or you are underage then please read no further.

Full warnings, credits and disclaimers can be found in the contents page and chapter 1.

B'Elanna was in a good mood. Voyager was in good shape, her personal life was as good as it had ever been. Tom was still prone to annoying her but on the whole he tried hard and she loved him. Occasionally she wondered whether she would have put up with him long enough to have married him if they hadn't been trapped on a small ship 50 years from home. But life was good. Even the sight of Seven of Nine striding proprietarily through engineering didn't phase her the way it would have once. In fact B'Elanna felt a certain amount of pleasure. Seven often came by to see her and a friendship had grown between the two of them. She saw the tall blonde looking round, hunting about engineering with her eyes.

"Hey there!" she called. Seven turned towards her and the concentrated expression on the narrow face lightened.

"Lieutenant Torres" she said warmly. "I require your assistance in Astrometrics."

B'Elanna hesitated.

"I'm a little busy Seven" she said. Seven looked down and the faint smile disappeared. B'Elanna saw the look of disappointment and changed her mind. For some reason she found it hard to say no to Seven.

"It's okay Seven. I can come back later and finish here."

The strain on Seven's face eased and B'Elanna grinned at her but was uneasy. Something was troubling the Borg. 'Nothing life threatening I hope.' she thought to herself and then shook it off. It was easy to become paranoid in the delta quadrant.

Out loud she said, "Lets go."

As they left main engineering Seven turned left down the corridor.

"Where are you going Seven? Astrometrics was that way the last time I looked."

"I would like to speak with you in private Lieutenant." Seven still looked a little tense but B'Elanna tried not to worry. It tickled the half-Klingon to realise how much she had come to care about the Borg's well being.

Bemused she followed the ex-drone until the latter stopped at the entrance to a small storage room, opened the hatch and went inside. Puzzled B'Elanna followed her into the half-lit passage.

"I have something to say to you Lieutenant and something to give you."

"What is this and why all the cloak and dagger Seven?"

Seven looked into her eyes and B'Elanna was astonished to realise that the drone was scared. Gently B'Elanna Torres took hold of Seven's arm. "Whatever this is Seven I'll stand with you."

"I love you." The words echoed in the nearly empty storage bays. Seven took the hand resting on her arm, lifted it to her lips and softly pressed them against the smooth skin.

B'Elanna pulled away and stepped backwards half-tripping and falling into a pile of boxes. Panic overwhelmed her. Whatever she had expected, this had not been it.

"What are you saying Seven? What are you doing?" She struggled to regain her footing and an upright position. Seven reached out and steadied her but the half-Klingon jerked roughly away and Seven dropped her hands back to her sides.

"I had to say the words Lieutenant. I am sorry but it was necessary for me to know what you felt." Seven's face had lost the fearful look and she gazed sadly at B'Elanna. "I would like to give you this. I made it for this moment."

B'Elanna could not make her brain work at all. None of this could be happening. With an effort she struggled to concentrate on Seven's next move.

From behind her Seven took out a small transparent box containing a single white and yellow flower. Lifting the lid she took the flower from the box and offered it to a speechless B'Elanna Torres. A heady scent filled the small room, gentle as a warm summer night. B'Elanna felt a sense of peace drain the anger and fear from her. Seven easily caught the falling Klingon and lifted the unconscious woman into her arms. Seven gazed at her for a moment. Bitter loss filled her heart.

"I am sorry B'Elanna but I do not want you to be hurt or to lose your friendship. Computer site to site transport. Lieutenant Torres and I to astrometrics."

"Affirmative" said the computer.

B'Elanna was coming round as they materialised in astrometrics. Seven set her on her feet and steadied her.

"What happened?" said B'Elanna shakily. She was confused she could not remember walking to astrometrics although she remembered leaving engineering. Seven was running a tricorder over her.

"You appeared to become faint however there does not appear to be any permanent damage. Would you like the Doctor to check you over."

"Kahless! No I would not. Now what did you want to show me that was so important." B'Elanna shrugged off the slight remaining dizziness.

"I have observed a 0.5 percent fluctuation in the latest long range sensor readings and I require your assistance in finding the cause. It may be a malfunction."

"Is that all? You must really like my company if you want to haul me all the way over here for that." B'Elanna grinned cheerfully. It really amazed her that Seven never seemed to get on her nerves any more even when she was dragged out on wild goose chases like this one.

The End