DISCLAIMER: It's Paramount's galaxy.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: C/7. Set in AU#6 established in fanfiction story "Alternatives." Picks up at the end of that story and explores the developing relationship between Chakotay and Seven of Nine/Annika and their bold plan to return to the alpha quadrant.

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HEALING WOUNDS

Stardate 57833.5 (AU#6)

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…

"Seven of Nine," the figure spoke in a deep baritone voice. "You are injured?" Without waiting for an answer, however, he came up to her and knelt down beside her. He quickly passed an instrument over her body and then focused down onto her right thigh. He was now only inches away from her, and she could clearly see his uniform and features. A human. Star Fleet. She then noticed a tattoo that covered part of the man's left temple, and her memory cleared.

"Commander Chakotay," she said.

Chakotay stopped his examination and looked at Seven of Nine. "You remember me," he stated.

"Yes. You did try to deactivate me. I can only imagine you figured I was dead, but you don't seem surprised to see me."

Chakotay touched the wound on her leg, and Seven of Nine winced. "I …," he began, but hesitated. "I'm here to help you."

Seven of Nine tried to process what was happening. The man tending to her wound seemed genuinely concerned for her well being. Chakotay. Is this what it meant to be human? He was now working to remove the Borg armor around the wound on her leg and tend to the infection that the nanoprobes had been unable to eliminate. The Collective had abandoned her, but all was not lost after all. She vaguely heard him access his comm badge and order an emergency beam out direct to sickbay, and then argue on her behalf that she posed no security risk. How could he be so certain, and yet she knew she would never betray them again.

Security.

A sense of belonging.

"I'm glad you came for me," she said and slipped into unconsciousness, finally giving in to the pain.

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Chakotay felt for her pulse to double check she was still alive. The medical tricorder was recording shallow respiration and a weak pulse, but he couldn't be sure if the Borg components were interfering with the measurements or not.

"Dammit, two to beam directly to sickbay. Now!" he shouted into his comm badge.

Thankfully, a moment later, the high hum of the transporter commenced, and in a few moments he found himself in sickbay. Seven of Nine had materialized on the bio bed beside him and the Doctor was standing on the other side. Interestingly, the Doctor appeared apprehensive and hesitated for a moment, but then approached the drone with his own diagnostic instruments.

"Check her leg Doc," Chakotay said, but stayed close beside the bio bed. He glanced around and noticed they were in the secure area of sickbay, undoubtedly behind a class 10 force field. Four security guards were stationed close behind the field and by the door. Captain Janeway was apparently taking no chances.

"She has a laceration on the thigh that has not healed correctly and a partially severed vastus lateralis," The Doctor noted and injected her with a hypo-spray. "She also has a massive infection in her blood." After taking more readings, he said in frustration, "these Borg components are interfering with the treatment. There is also something in her bloodstream that is neutralizing the antibiotic."

"Can you work around it?" Chakotay asked, and turned to look at Seven of Nine. Her breathing remained shallow, and although her discolored Borg skin was anything but natural, she appeared perhaps paler than he remembered.

Suddenly, Seven of Nine's eyes fluttered open. "Chakotay?" she said weakly, fear in her voice.

"I'm right here," he replied, and enclosed her hand in his. The Borg metal on her fingertips felt dead and cold. She clutched onto Chakotay's hand, but then fell back into unconsciousness.

Chakotay turned to the Doctor, "what about it Doc?" He was surprised at the tenor of his voice.

The Doctor appeared thoughtful. "I'm going to have to start removing some of these Borg components. I think I've found an antibiotic that the mechanisms in her blood are not attacking. We'll see soon enough if we can save the leg."

Just then the doors to sickbay slid open and Captain Janeway came in. She approached the force field and nodded to one of the security guards. The field was deactivated, and Captain Janeway entered the secure area. The field went back up immediately. She scrutinized the drone laying on the table and started to speak, but then hesitated upon seeing Chakotay holding the drone's hand in his. There was an obvious look of concern in Chakotay's eyes, and Janeway was struck with a pang of… of what? Regret? Frustration? These past six years had been hard on her. After that incident with Species 8472 and their failed alliance with the Borg, nothing had seemed to go right. She felt isolated and alone. And now, the two architects of their situation and her depression were before her. This drone, who was their liaison with Borg, and Chakotay, who hadn't trusted her all those years ago.

Janeway regained her composure and said, "You are sure she is Seven of Nine, the same drone who was our liaison to the Borg during our short-lived alliance?" She emphasized those last words, the feelings of betrayal surprisingly fresh in her mind and on her lips.

Chakotay didn't notice, or at least ignored her animosity. He looked back down at Seven of Nine. The Doctor had already removed most of the external Borg components about her eye, but her features were unmistakable. Ever since that day he had ordered the cargo bay doors opened and the drones had been pushed out into the vacuum of space, he had been haunted by them. He had assumed them all dead, long ago.

"Yes Captain. It's her."

"Doctor, is there a way for us to ensure her link to the Collective remains severed?" the Captain said tersely.

The Doctor peeled off another Borg component from Seven of Nine's temple, and then looked up. "It's like peeling an onion," he remarked. After placing the component on a table next to the bio bed, he turned to the Captain and added, "I deactivated that particular Borg device when she first arrived. I will surgically remove it if you like."

"Do it." Janeway barked, and then turned to Chakotay, "Commander, a moment if you please." She gestured to the other side of sick bay. She didn't look happy.

Chakotay seemed reluctant to let go of Seven of Nine's hand, but soon enough obeyed the Captain's order and moved to join her. The force field deactivated with a gesture from the Captain and then reengaged after she and Chakotay exited the secure area. Captain Janeway moved into the Doctor's office and Chakotay followed close behind.

"The last thing we need is a Borg drone on Voyager," Janeway snapped when out of ear shot of the others in sick bay. "They're hurt, but survived their war with Species 8472. What are you thinking, Commander?"

Chakotay closed his eyes. "It's just a hunch," he said, and tried to remember something from a dream. "Perhaps with her help, we can get back to the alpha quadrant. The Borg, and their trans-warp technology. I think Seven of Nine holds the key in getting us back."

"A hunch?" Janeway said sarcastically.

"I know it's not much to go on, but what do we have to lose?"

Janeway was about to bark back a litany of possibilities, but she stopped. A part of her mind was urging her to end this feud with Chakotay and move on. These past six years had been rough, avoiding the Borg cubes and Species 8472 bioships during their long war with each other. Year upon year of encountering devastated worlds and peoples unable or unwilling to help in their quest to return home. More severe replicator rationing, deteriorating fuel supplies, and always a new threat in the next star system. It felt as if Voyager was a mote of dust being tossed in a whirlwind. The crew's moral was in shambles, and if she was honest with herself, she would place the blame not on Chakotay, but herself. These past six years had taken its toll on all of them.

She turned and looked back into sick bay. The Doctor had enlisted the help of one of the security guards to clear off the table of Borg components so he could put more in their place. She thought back to her conversations with Seven of Nine all those years ago. She was human. She was Borg. She could not be trusted. Could she? They had been able to avoid the Borg these past six years, why risk contact now? How Chakotay had ever convinced her to investigate the damaged sphere, she would never know. But that wasn't entirely true.

Janeway turned back to face Chakotay and placed her hand on his shoulder. "There was a time when I would trust your hunches just as much as I trust my own," she said thoughtfully.

Chakotay saw a sparkle return to Janeway's eyes. Something he hadn't seen in a long time. She nodded, as if she was making up her mind, and then patted Chakotay's shoulder.

"We'll see, Commander. We'll see."

Chakotay was stunned. Was that the same Kathryn Janeway he had butted heads with just this morning when he suggested they investigate the Borg sphere adrift in this system?

"A hunch Captain?" he asked, a bit of the ease of rapport they once shared returning to his voice.

"Perhaps. In the meantime, I want you to keep a close eye on her. She's your responsibility Chakotay."

He watched Captain Janeway exit sickbay and then turned to look at Seven of Nine laying on the bio bed nearby. Yes, he thought. He would indeed stay close to Seven of Nine and keep an eye on her.

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Author's Note: I'm not exactly sure where this is going. I've an idea for the next chapter at least, so we'll find out together…