The BLTS Archive- Forgotten
by Khylaren (Khylaren@yahoo.com)

---

Author's Note:  Originally, this was a two-part story with
Unforgettable being part II.  I figured that it made much more sense
to combine the two, since Forgotten is so short.


Disclaimer:  Paramount owns the rights to these characters.  The story
idea is mine.

---

Now the memories of a man are haunting her days

And the craving never fades

She's still dreaming of a man long forgiven

But not forgotten.

            -Forgiven, Not Forgotten; The Corrs

---

"I think I loved you, once."

Harry sat across from Seven, bitterness in his throat.  "You did."
His fists were clenched tightly under the table where she couldn't
see, fingernails digging deeply into the soft flesh of his palm.

She shook her head, light reflected off her silver ocular implant and
danced across the walls.  "It is regrettable that I have no recall of
these events."  Her cool voice held no emotion.  "It would seem the
logical course for you to continue with your life and pursue other
affections elsewhere."

He leaned forward, anguish twisting his handsome features.  "How can
you say that to me?  How can you expect me to forget the last three
years of my life as if they'd never happened?"  He gripped the edge of
the table. "I don't have the luxury of a neural implant breakdown to
erase my memories."

Seven raised her eyebrow, watching the man across from her become a
victim of his own emotions. "While it is unfortunate that this is
happened..." she began.

"Unfortunate???" The word burst out of its own accord.

"I am sorry, Harry."

He looked at the woman across from him, her beloved features as
familiar to him as his own.  He wanted to reach across the table and
kiss her until her memory came back. He wanted to hit her for hurting
him this badly, for being so cold and empty.  He closed his eyes
against the pain.  He heard her chair scrape against the deck as she
stood up, and left the table.  He heard the doors to their - no, now
his quarters, swoosh shut behind her.

"It's over."  The words were bitter ashes on his tongue.  He buried
his head in his hands, and wept.

Seven of Nine, former Borg drone, stalked down the corridor to the
turbo lift.  She tersely gave the order for the appropriate deck,
exiting when the lift stopped and the doors opened for her.  The doors
to cargo bay 2 opened for her and she entered, stopping when she
reached the regeneration alcove.  She looked up at it briefly,
frowning.  Her most recent recall of events did not include why the
alcove was turned off. She quickly ran the sequence of commands on the
console and the alcove surged with power once more. The green light
was comforting to her and eased the tension that had been gathering
since her encounter with Ensign Kim in sickbay.

---

Her eyes opened and she took a moment to orient herself to her
surroundings.  She was in the sickbay of Voyager.  The holographic
doctor was hovering nearby.  He saw that she was conscious, and moved
over to her bedside.

"Ah, Seven.  You're awake."  He said, stating the obvious.

Her head ached and she grimaced with discomfort.

"Why am I in sickbay?"  She demanded.

He frowned at her, and began to run a scan using the medical
tricorder.  "You're neural implant went off line.  We nearly lost you.
If it hadn't been for the wonders of modern medicine, you would have
died."  He smiled smugly. "I bypassed the implant's circuitry using a
new technique I learned from the Vidiians.  I'm grateful to see that
it worked."  He patted her arm.  "Its good to have you back, Seven."
He looked up as sickbay's doors opened.  "Ah, there's someone here to
see you.  He's been wearing holes in the carpet of my waiting room
with his pacing."  He smiled down at her.  "He's been worried."

Seven stared at the doctor in confusion.  "Who?"

Ensign Harry Kim came into view, smiling down at her with relief and
warmth that belied their professional relationship.  He took her hand
and brought it to his lips, kissing it tenderly.  She looked up at him
in complete bafflement.

"Ensign.  Why are you kissing my hand?"

Ensign Kim grinned.  "Because I love you, and I'm glad you're ok."
His smile faded as he took note of the blankness in her expression.
It was a look he used to get from her before they had become true
friends, then lovers.  He dropped her hand back onto the bed.  "Doc?"

The EMH frowned, running a neural scanner across Seven's forehead.  "I
don't understand.  The surgery went without any complications."  The
scanner chirped at him, and he took it to the main medical console,
plugging it into the outlet so it could download its information. He
read the scan, and his frown deepened.  He sighed heavily and looked
at Harry and Seven.  "I was afraid of this."  He shook his head,
regret lacing his features.  "When Seven's implant was taken offline,
for some reason, a portion of her short term memory was also taken.
When I bypassed its circuitry, I bypassed those memories."

"What are you saying, Doc?  That Seven has no memory of the last few
days?"  Harry's voice held the edge of panic.

The EMH shook his head.  "No, I'm afraid its worse than that.  Seven
most likely has lost the memories of the past few years."  He looked
at the woman in question, who was accepting this new information with
a stoic expression that had been so familiar to them all years ago.
"Seven, what is your most recent recollection of events?"

Seven thought quietly for a moment.  "The destruction of the Omega
molecule. After it was destroyed, and I finished the rest of my duties
for the day, I went to my alcove to regenerate. I woke up here, in
sick bay."

Harry looked stunned.  "That was a little over 3 years ago, Seven.
You don't remember anything else?"

Seven frowned at him.  "I have an eidetic memory.  It is unlikely that
my recollection is incorrect."  She could see he was becoming more and
more upset.

"Mr. Kim, before you get yourself completely worked up, I do have some
good news."  The doctor interjected smoothly.

"Good news?"  Harry bit out, his throat beginning to close up.

"The memories are still in Seven's brain.  They were bypassed along
with the neural implant, but they are still intact. There is a 4.3%
chance that her own biology will reconnect those pathways and she will
regain her memory."  The doctor tried to sound hopeful.

"That's good news?"  Harry asked bitterly, looking at the woman he
loved, the woman he'd spent the last 3 years with, building a lasting
relationship.  He'd been thinking of asking her to marry him.

"I'm sorry Ensign.  She would have died otherwise."

---

Seven stood in front of her alcove, still frowning.  Those events had
occurred two days ago. She had attempted to access her lost memories
and failed.  Logically, she had concluded that the best sequence of
events would be to terminate her relationship with Ensign Kim before
he was further emotionally damaged.  Their conversation is his
quarters had not quite gone the way she had expected.  However, she
put that behind her.  She, also, needed to continue with her
existence.

She set the sequence for a regular regeneration cycle and stepped into
the alcove, closing her eyes as the cycle began.

---

"I love you, Harry."  She kissed him sweetly on the mouth, wrapping
her arms around him tightly.  "Have a good day."

Harry returned her embrace, smiling down at her before releasing her
to grab the padd he needed for his morning shift.  He gave her another
quick kiss before heading out the door.  "You'll be late if you don't
hurry."  He grinned at her before the doors shut behind him.

Seven chuckled quietly to herself.  As if she would ever permit
herself to be anything but punctual. She grabbed her work padds and a
piece of fruit and left their quarters.

The scene faded, replaced by another...

Harry's lips at her throat, sucking hungrily as he removed his
uniform.  She was tearing at her own clothing in similar haste.
Naked, she resumed her exploration of his body, pressing herself
against him, kissing him with heated passion.

He groaned, pulling her close to him as his mouth began its familiar
seduction of her senses.  She gasped when he lifted her, holding her
up so he could reach more interesting and sensitive areas of her body.
She growled and bit his shoulder, moving against his body
provocatively, frustrated, needing more of him.

...fading, replaced by another...

Hands covered her eyes.  "I can't see, Harry!"  She protested,
laughing.

His laughter joined hers. "Almost there, keep them closed."  His warm
body was close behind her, his breath in her ear.  She shivered with
anticipation.

"Here!"  He said triumphantly, removing his hands.

"Oh!"  She gasped, eyes wide with delight.  On the grassy hillside
before them, overlooking a sparkling blue lake, was a blanket with a
picnic basket and a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket.
The beauty of the setting momentarily took her breath away.  "Oh,
Harry...how did you know?"  She turned and kissed him.

He returned her kiss, hungrily tasting her lips, folding his arms
around her.  He released her lips but held her close, smiling tenderly
down at her.  "I remember everything you tell me, sweetheart.  That's
what love is."  He kissed her again, sweetly and slowly, showing her
his love for her.

"Happy Birthday, Seven."  He whispered softly in her ear.

...and another begins in its place...

She lay quietly next to him, listening to his respiration, watching
his chest slowly rise and fall with each breath.  She watched his
mouth, relaxed, twitching occasionally in his sleep.  It was these
moments that she loved, being near him, watching him sleep, loving
every small detail she could discover; like the way she could get him
to smile in his sleep by brushing his cheek with her hand. Details
that no one else could possibly know. Hers alone.  His eyes fluttered
open and he looked up at her in the darkness. She could see that he
was smiling.

"I'm sorry.  I did not intend to wake you."  She said softly.

He reached up and cupped her cheek gently.  "I was having the most
wonderful dream."  He whispered.

"Oh?  What was it?" She smiled down at him.

"I was in love with the most beautiful woman in the entire universe,
and she loved me too.  We were very happy together."  He said, running
his thumb softly over her lips.

"Should I be jealous of this dream woman?"  She teased, placing a
small kiss on his thumb.

He shook his head solemnly.  "She can't hold a candle to you."

...and fades...

---

"Regeneration cycle complete."  The computer informed her in cool,
precise tones.

Seven stepped out of her alcove to begin her day, trying to ignore the
strange and empty ache inside her.

---

Harry Kim sat in his quarters, his fingers moving over the keys of his
clarinet, his gaze intently focused on the sheet of music in front of
him.  Playing always soothed him and gave his mind focus.  He had
chosen a familiar, simple piece, one that he enjoyed playing, and one
that he played well.  He concentrated on the notes, making them sound
pure and mellow.

"Geez, Harry, why don't you just play the blues and get it over with?"
Tom Paris remarked sarcastically from his place on the couch.

Harry stopped playing and frowned at him.  "What do you mean?"

Tom sat up and leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees.  He
looked at Harry, seeing the dark circles under his eyes, the paler
than usual complexion.  Tom couldn't recall ever seeing Harry look
worse, and sighed.

"Well it's just that I've never heard 'Ode to Joy' sound like a dirge
before, that's all."

Harry began taking his clarinet apart and putting it back in its case,
his movements were stiff with anger.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Tom stood up and walked over to his friend. "I
didn't mean. . .."

"No, you're right."  Harry sighed, taking the reed from the clarinet's
mouthpiece and putting it in the case.  "I guess I haven't been very
good company lately."

Tom watched his friend finish putting the clarinet away.  He had come
over to Harry's this evening to help cheer his friend up, and instead
had made matters worse.  He tried to lighten the mood.

"Well, you have been worse.  I remember the time when you were going
through withdrawal from being with Tal.  You were downright horrible
company then."

Harry managed to smile at that.  "Yeah, I guess I was."  He sat down
in the chair across from Tom.  He could feel his friend regarding him
intently.  "This is worse, Tom.  Worse than that by a thousand times."
Harry shook his head, smiling morosely.  "At least with Tal we knew
from the beginning the relationship would be temporary.  With Seven. .
.."
He trailed off, feeling his throat tighten again.

"I know, man," Tom said softly. "I know."

Neither man spoke for several moments, each lost in thought.

"Well, as I see it, there are two things you can do," Tom finally
said, looking sharply at Harry.

"Two?" Harry asked, his eyebrows rose in interest.

Tom nodded.  "You could either continue to mope around, feeling bad,
until eventually, maybe, you got over her.  Or," he paused, a slow
smile beginning to cross his face. "You could win her back.  Remind
her why she fell in love with you in the first place."

Harry blinked at his friend, and then shook his head, a smile of his
own beginning to tug at his lips.  "Man, why didn't I think of that?"

---

Seven completed the level two diagnostic on the sensor array in
preparation for the end of her shift in Astrometrics and moved to
calculate the latest changes on her console.  She heard the doors to
the Astrometrics lab open but didn't look up from her console to
acknowledge the presence of her replacement for Gamma shift.

"I will be finished in approximately 48 seconds, Lieutenant," she said
coolly, her fingers tapping out the information on the touch keys of
the console.

"Seven?"

Startled, Seven looked up from her work.  She was surprised.  It
hadn't been Lt. Sharpe she had heard arriving in Astrometrics.  It was
Ensign Kim.

"Ensign," she acknowledged coolly, returning to her work. "How may I
assist you?"  She felt an uncomfortable tightness in her midsection in
his presence. She had not been in his proximity for approximately 3
weeks, ever since she had terminated the romantic relationship between
them. Seven wasn't certain if Ensign Kim had been avoiding her
presence, or if she had been avoiding his.  She frowned at that
thought as she finished her computations.  It wasn't like her to let
an irrelevant event dictate her behavior.

Harry watched her work, sensing the barrier she had erected between
them.  In a way, it was worse than the time before when they had been
just colleagues.  He couldn't recall her being this distant.  He
swallowed nervously, determined not to let her aloof attitude stop
him.

"Have dinner with me tonight," he stated, surprised at how calm his
voice sounded.

Seven looked up from her console, frowning.  "Ensign," she said with
as much kindness as she could muster. "I do not wish to cause you any
further emotional distress.  Having dinner with you would be unwise."
She was surprised to see him smile at her reply.

"I appreciate your concern, Seven." Harry replied carefully.
"However, I would still like to have dinner with you."

Seven stared blankly at him, trying to fathom his reasoning.  Finally,
she merely asked, "What purpose would that serve?"

"I miss your company," Harry smiled gently. "I would like for us to be
friends."

"Friendship is. . .."

"Irrelevant," Harry finished for her, still smiling.  "You used to say
that everything was irrelevant if it didn't fit neatly within your
Borg thought processes."  Harry stepped closer to her, his brown eyes
kind.  "You learned that not everything related to human emotion was
irrelevant."

Seven frowned, feeling suddenly less certain.

Seeing that Seven was momentarily without words, Harry pressed his
advantage.  "I would like to teach you those things again," he said
softly, looking for some sign in her eyes.  "I remember you were a
quick study, once you finally decided to listen to me."

Seven studied the man in front of her, feeling a familiar tightness,
and empty ache in her stomach that had nothing to do with food and
everything to do with hunger.  The memories she had of her
relationship with Ensign Kim were prior to the Omega incident, and
were plentiful.  At closer examination, she had to admit she found his
presence to be pleasant, no matter how irrelevant his 'small-talk' had
been.  Seven also had to admit she missed his company these past three
weeks.

"You are attempting to re-establish our previous relationship?" she
queried finally, "even though I have no recollection of it?"

Harry nodded.  "Even if it means we are only friends."

His reply was the deciding factor. "Very well, Ensign. I accept."

Harry offered her his hand. Hesitantly, she placed her own in his,
feeling his fingers thread themselves between hers. She looked down at
their hands, studying them.  Seeing their fingers overlapping gave her
an odd sense of déjà vu, but it was so brief she dismissed it as a
processing error.  She couldn't dismiss the sudden warmth that spread
through her at his touch, however, and she shivered involuntarily.

Harry felt her shiver and looked at her with concern. "Are you all
right?"

Seven nodded, not certain what had occurred. The sensation of his
fingers entwined with hers was pleasant, and the way Harry was looking
at her right now was causing her body to react in some interesting
ways.  Her mouth suddenly felt like it was unable to produce enough
saliva.  "I am functioning properly," she said finally.

Harry studied her a moment longer. Only his familiarity with Seven's
emotional responses allowed him to spot the flush to her otherwise
pale complexion and the slight increase in her respiration.  Inwardly
he smiled.

Together, they left Astrometrics for the mess hall.  Harry would have
preferred having a meal with Seven in the privacy of his quarters, but
he didn't want to push her too quickly.  Harry was pleased that she
had agreed to eat dinner with him.  He was ecstatic that she was
considering his offer of friendship.

Neelix greeted them warmly, hiding his surprise at seeing them
together.  "Good evening, Seven, Ensign Kim."  He smiled, showing his
slightly pointed teeth.  "Would you like to try the special tonight?
It's Talaxian Goulash."  He held up a spoonful of the reddish-brown
concoction.  "Mr. Tuvok said it was indescribable."

"I'm sure Mr. Tuvok was correct," Harry replied with a straight face.

Seven eyed it dubiously, holding her tray out for him to place a
portion of the casserole style dish on her plate.  Harry followed
suit, trying unsuccessfully to hide his smile at Seven's all-too-human
expression of distaste.

"Oh, and you have to try this."  Neelix ladled out a generous portion
of a green pudding.  He placed a generous dollop of something white on
the surface of the pudding.

"Dare I ask?" Harry asked, eyeing the pudding substance with
suspicion.

Neelix beamed. "Leola-root pudding with real whipped marsh-willow
cream."

Finding a table next to the view port, Seven and Harry sat across from
each other, Harry poking experimentally at his goulash.

"I may regret having taken you up on your offer of dinner, Ensign."
Seven said dryly, preparing herself for a taste.

Harry chuckled. "I have extra replicator rations we can always use if
it's inedible."  He took a bite of the goulash, bracing himself for
the taste.  Surprisingly enough, it wasn't that unpleasant.

Despite the leola-root pudding, dinner was not the fiasco Harry feared
it might be.  He and Seven discussed various topics, from the latest
star charting in Stellar Cartography to the latest betting pool Tom
Paris had arranged.  Carefully, they both avoided any reference to
their previous romance: Harry, because he didn't want to push Seven
any further tonight; and Seven, because she honestly didn't know what
to say on the matter.  Seven found his conversation stimulating, and
enjoyed his sharp mind.  Against all logic, she found herself
regretting the necessity to leave Ensign Kim's company for
regeneration.

They placed their trays in the recycler and left the mess hall
together.  Harry reached for her hand and she allowed him to hold it
once more, knowing the pleasure she derived from his touch should be
irrelevant, but enjoying it nonetheless.  Harry walked Seven to the
doors of cargo bay two before releasing her hand.

Seven paused before entering the cargo bay.  "Thank you, Ensign," she
said, feeling suddenly somewhat awkward and uncertain.

"Goodnight, Seven," Harry said, smiling.  "I'll see you tomorrow."  He
turned, leaving her to watch him walk away down the corridor.

Seven watched him until he was no longer in her line of sight, and
then entered the cargo bay.  She entered the sequence to initiate her
regeneration cycle on the console and stepped backwards into the
alcove.  Seven closed her eyes and felt the cycle begin.

---

Seven sat on the couch in their quarters, holding a padd in her lap,
pleasantly distracted by the handsome man sitting in the chair across
from her.  Harry's gaze was intent on the computer screen and he
didn't notice her scrutiny immediately.  Her eyes traveled from
his tousled black hair, to his determined eyes, following downward to
rest briefly on his lips.  She smiled when she realized he was
muttering to himself, and continued the visual exploration of her
lover.  Seven's gaze traveled to the broad shoulders beneath the blue
of his t-shirt, the muscles of his chest evident beneath the thin
material.  His waist narrowed, the t-shirt tucked neatly into a pair
of blue jeans.  She admired the length of his legs, how they tapered
to his muscular calves, ending in his bare feet.

"Do I pass?" Harry's bemused voice interrupted her. Startled, her blue
eyes met his darker ones, and she blushed.

"How long have you been watching me?"  Seven demanded, trying to sound
outraged and failing.

Harry grinned. "About the time you started looking at my chest."

. . .the scene faded. . .and was replaced by another. . .

Seven moved from her console in Astrometrics to the panel behind her,
studying the screens with interest, studiously ignoring the Ensign
working next to her.  She could sense the heat from his body through
the thin material of her biometric suit, and could hear his steady
respiration as he finished the last entry.  She was extremely
conscious of his proximity, and was even more conscious of the strange
signals her body was giving her.  Ensign Kim leaned closer, his arm
accidentally brushed against her chest as he reached for a control.
Her skin tightened at the contact and she shivered.

Ensign Kim looked at his friend questioningly.  Over the past few
months, as Seven reached outward for her humanity, they had become
more than co-workers or shipmates. Their professionalrelationship had
given into a mutual respect for each other, and finally blossomed into
true friendship, as they each discovered pleasure in the other's
company.   Now he was in love with her, but didn't know how to tell
her. His mind kept recalling the dreadful incident in the mess hall
when Seven confronted him about his body's involuntary responses.
Now, he was aware of *her* involuntary responses to him, and knew the
moment he had been waiting for had arrived.

Seven stared at Harry as he deliberately brushed against her skin once
more. She was unable to suppress her shiver, feeling her skin tingle
at his touch.  Cautiously, she reached out and touched his cheek,
feeling the smoothness of his skin beneath her fingers.  It was like
touching an open electrical conduit, the tingling sensation
raced upwards from her fingertips to her brain.  She closed her eyes
as Harry turned his head into her touch and placed a kiss upon her
palm. She opened her eyes, feeling the touch of his lips softly upon
her skin and trembled when he closed the distance between them, her
hand still captured in his own.  She was frozen, unable to move as he
slowly bent his head and brushed his lips against hers.

. . .the scene faded again. . .Seven twitched slightly in her alcove
as her
subconscious brought her yet another memory. . ..

"Do you know why I fell in love with you, Harry?" Seven asked softly,
her finger tracing designs on his bare chest as they reclined in
post-coital satisfaction.  Her ear rested on his chest and she could
hear the steady beating of his heart and the gentle sounds of his
breathing.  She felt Harry's arm curl around her shoulders and squeeze
her gently.

"Tell me," he demanded softly.

Seven sighed softly in content. "You were my friend and stood by me
when others did not.  You took the time and effort to discover the
person I was, and helped me develop into the person I have become.
You are kind hearted, loyal, and the most honest human I know."  She
felt him squeeze her gently once more.  "You fell in love with me and
waited patiently until I was able to return the emotion. You taught me
that love, friendship, joy, and laughter are not irrelevant.  You have
taught me the true meaning of humanity."

Seven straightened up, leaning her arms across his chest so she could
look at Harry.  He seemed slightly embarrassed by her proclamations.
Unable to resist, she continued.

"You also have an enormous. . ."\

"Seven!" Harry laughed.

She frowned, raising an eyebrow, ". . .heart.  What did you think I
was
going to say?"  She continued to watch, puzzled, as Harry laughed
heartily.

Finally, his laughter subsided, though his eyes still showed his
mirth.  "Oh, Seven," he smiled, reaching up to cradle her cheek
tenderly.  "How I do love you."

. . .and faded completely. . .

---

"Regeneration cycle complete," the computer informed her.  For the
22nd time, Seven felt an unsettling emptiness within her as she
stepped down from the alcove.  She frowned as her mind made the
connection between the length of time she had been experiencing this
feeling and the length of time since the doctor had performed the
bypass of her neural implant.

Seven tapped her combadge. "Seven of Nine to the Doctor."

"Doctor here," he replied. "What can I do for you Seven?"

"I need you to perform a diagnostic on my systems.  I seem to be
suffering from some residual effect of the implant bypass procedure."

"Very well, proceed to sickbay and I'll begin the diagnostic at once.
Doctor out."

Seven exited the cargo bay at her customary pace, a swift and
efficient walk. She wasn't scheduled for duty for another four hours.
She hoped the doctor would be able to pinpoint the problem and
implement the treatment before her shift began.

She exited the turbolift and walked to sickbay, its doors opening
automatically to her presence.  The EMH looked up from his console at
her entrance.

"Ah, there you are." He walked towards her, holding the medical
tricorder in front of him, running preliminary scans.  His forehead
furrowed in concentration and he frowned.

"Tell me the symptoms you have been experiencing."  He gestured for
her to have a seat on one of the biobeds.

Seven sat stiffly, her hands resting on her thighs.  "I have
experienced an – unsettling sensation upon awakening from
regeneration.  It is an empty, almost aching feeling *here*." She
pointed to her stomach.

"Mm-hmm." The doctor ran the tricorder over her midsection.  "How many
times has this occurred?"

"22."  She replied, turning her head to follow his progress.

The EMH entered a few commands into the tricorder, and then resumed
scanning. "Are you experiencing any other symptoms?"

Seven hesitated before replying. "I have also noticed a tendency to be
distracted.  On 14 separate occasions I have caught myself staring off
at nothing.  I cannot say what was occupying my thoughts during such
times."  Her normally cool voice was strained.

"And when did you first experience these symptoms?" the EMH raised the
tricorder from her midsection towards her head, raising an eyebrow at
the readings.

"Approximately three weeks ago."

"Ah!" The doctor snapped the tricorder shut.  "I believe I have a
diagnosis."  He placed the tricorder on his console and transferred
the readings into the medical database.  He scanned the results, a
small smile quirking about his lips.

"What have you discovered, doctor?" Seven was feeling far from
patient.

"Your nanoprobes are trying to re-establish your memory engrams that
were bypassed during the surgery.  It's incredible, really.  The
chances of this were extremely slim.  In fact, I would have to say
that if it wasn't for your Borg technology, this couldn't be happening
at all."  He sounded pleased.

"Are you saying that my memory will return?"  Seven sat up straighter,
her expression one of shock and disbelief.

The EMH nodded. "There is that distinct possibility.  However, I must
point out that there is only a one in five chance you will regain all
of the bypassed memories."

Seven frowned. "How does regaining my memory translate into the
symptoms I have been experiencing?"

The doctor smiled, pleased to have the opportunity to expound on the
subject. "The moments of distraction were no doubt caused from
portions of your memory reasserting itself.  The empty, aching feeling
you experience upon regeneration is most likely a side affect of
emotional residue.  Until you lost these memories, you were well on
your way to having experienced all of your human emotions.  Your body
is merely re-establishing those emotions during the regeneration
cycle."

Seven sat, silently assimilating the information.  The explanation
bothered her.  There was something obvious missing.  "If my memory
engrams are being re-established, if I am indeed regaining my memory,
why is it that I have no further recollection of events than what I
had immediately after the surgery?"

The doctor frowned.  "You don't have any 'new' memories?"

Seven shook her head.  "I do not."

Puzzled, the doctor picked up the tricorder once more and scanned her.
After a few moments, he stopped and looked at her.  "There is one
possible answer."

"Proceed," Seven demanded, her posture stiff.

The doctor's expression was pained. "You could very well be suffering
from a form of amnesia.  Your brain is refusing to access the
memories.  They are there, buried in your subconscious. You just have
not been able to tap into them."  He sighed. "Possibly, when your
neural implant went offline, your brain perceived it as an emotional
trauma.  Often, trauma victims suffer a mild amnesia.  Unpleasant
events are placed in their subconscious memory where they aren't
accessible by the conscious mind."

"Do you have a treatment that would allow me to access these
memories?" Seven asked quietly with a frown.

The EMH sighed, "I should be able to come up with something in a day
or so.  I should inform you that the recommended treatment for memory
loss is usually some form of shock therapy.  Sometimes a momentous
event or extreme emotion can cause the victim to regain their memory.
It will take me some time to formulate the best course of treatment."

Seven slid off of the biobed in a fluid motion. "Very well," she said
coolly. "I will proceed as usual until you contact me with your plan
of treatment."  She turned and moved towards the exit, stopping just
short and turning back toward the doctor.  "I would appreciate if you
kept this information confidential," Seven said quietly.

The doctor nodded. "Of course."  He watched her exit, the doors of
sickbay swooshing shut behind her.

---

Almost a week had passed since the doctor's discovery and Seven was
finding it more and more difficult to concentrate on her work. She
continued to feel strange when her regeneration cycle ended, and now
she could add an unusual lethargy, a weighted feeling in her limbs
that had not been present the week before.  When Harry stepped through
the doors of Astrometrics and made his way purposefully to where Seven
was still working, the former Borg drone didn't bother looking up from
her work.

"Is there something I can help you with, Ensign?" Her normally cool
voice held a hint of irritation.

"Actually I was hoping I could help you with something.  Captain told
me you were working on re-aligning the sensor array.  I thought
perhaps you could use an extra set of hands."  Harry smiled at her
when she looked up.  "Your shift technically ended an hour and a half
ago."

Seven paused, staring blankly at him for a moment.

"Seven?" Harry moved closer, looking concerned.  "Are you all right?"

She seemed to recover, blinking rapidly in surprise.  "I-I'm fine,
Ensign."

"Are you sure?  You seemed kind of distracted there for a minute."
Harry's keen eyes caught her quick look of dismay before she could
completely hide it.

Seven stiffened under his scrutiny.  "I stated I was fine."  She
returned to her console, avoiding his gaze.  "I do not require any
assistance at this time."  Her voice was cold.

Harry blinked, trying to hide his hurt.  "Fine."  He turned, moving
towards the exit.

"Ensign!" Seven called, the tone in her voice causing him to turn in
surprise.  "I apologize for my abruptness," she said quietly.  "I am
not myself lately."  She looked away for a moment, and then met his
eyes.

Harry studied her a moment, then nodded. "Very well.  I accept your
apology."  He noted several things at once; the dark shadows under
Seven's eyes, and the general pallor of her complexion.  "Seven, are
you feeling all right?"

"I am. . .not functioning at peak efficiency," she admitted.

Harry was surprised she had admitted that much.  "When did you
regenerate last?"

"14 hours ago."  Seven felt like it had been much longer than that.

"And when did you eat last?" Harry demanded, his concern growing as
Seven's fatigue became more apparent each passing moment.

Seven shook her head, opening her mouth to reply and was overcome with
dizziness.  "My ocular implant must be malfunctioning.  This room is
spinning," she muttered.

Harry saw her eyes roll back and stepped forward in time to catch her
before she fell.  Gently he lowered her to the floor of Astrometrics,
his fingers sliding up her neck to find her pulse.  He tapped his
combadge immediately.

"Kim to Sickbay.  Medical Emergency, two to beam over."

---

"What's wrong with her, doc?"  Harry demanded, worry making his voice
harsh.

"I should have known this would happen," the doctor apologized, his
holographic features drawn with regret.

Harry took a deep breath and restrained the urge to strangle the EMH.
"Please explain what you mean, exactly."  He was surprised at how calm
he sounded.

The EMH sighed. "When I bypassed Seven's neural implant, I took into
consideration the effect it would have on the rest of her implants.  I
knew eventually that without the neural implant regulating the
functions of the other implants, they would shut down by themselves,
and her human biological systems would take over.  Once that occurred,
I would be able to remove the non-active implants.  However, what I
did not anticipate was her body simultaneously rejecting all of the
implants *before* her biological systems were ready.  I had projected
several months before I needed to remove them, not several weeks."
The doctor looked genuinely distressed.

Harry's face paled. "Can you stop the process?"

The doctor shook his head, "I don't know, Ensign.  This is an entirely
new field of medicine for me.  I'm using all my resources, but I
cannot make any guarantees."

---

Seven lay on the biobed, her eyes traveling over the ceiling of
sickbay, trying to discern a pattern in the tiled surface.

"Ah, Seven, you're awake." The EMH's face came into her line of site.
"How are you feeling?"

Seven blinked slowly, focusing on his face.  "I feel strange," she
replied honestly. "I feel. . .lighter." She shrugged, not knowing a
better
word.

A smile tugged at the corner of the doctor's mouth. "You should feel
considerably lighter.  Your abdominal implant alone weighed 12.2
pounds."

His face was sharply focused now, and she could feel her mind
beginning to shrug off the last of the sedative he had given her prior
to the surgery.  "You were successful, then?" she inquired with a
graceful lift of an eyebrow.

The EMH's smile was slightly smug. "Your own human systems are
functioning now in place of your cybernetic implants.  You need to
rest here a few days, and you may feel a bit unsteady at first.  But I
think you'll make a complete recovery."

Seven smiled with relief. "Does Harry know?"  She didn't understand
the expression that crossed the EMH's face.

"Seven, what was your last memory?" he inquired gently.

She looked blankly at him for a moment, not certain why he was asking.
"You told me you needed to operate and remove my cybernetic implants
because they were no longer functioning," she replied.

"Before that?"

Seven thought briefly. "Harry bringing me here from Astrometrics."
She could see the agitation on his face.  "What is wrong, doctor?"

"Nothing is wrong, I'm merely trying to establish how much of your
memory has returned," the hologram said, smiling. "Tell me what else
you remember."

"Returned?"  Seven tried to sit up on the biobed, but the doctor's
firm hand on her shoulder pushed her back gently.  She looked up at
him and sighed, frustrated. "I don't understand. Please send Harry in,
I want to see him."

"I know, Seven. Please be patient.  I will have Ensign Kim join us in
a moment, but I can see I need to explain a few things first."

"Proceed," Seven demanded, fixing him with a firm glare.

"After the surgery to bypass your neural implant, you lost your short
term memory.  You had no recollection of events beyond what happened
over three years ago," the doctor explained.

Seven paled, knowing immediately how that must have affected her
relationship with Harry.  She listened, dismayed, as the doctor
explained the events of the past several weeks.  As he spoke, her mind
cleared the last of the post-surgical fog that had been clouding it.
She recalled what had happened between her and Harry after the neural
implant bypass. Her heart ached with the thought of causing him pain.

The EMH noted her distress, his eyebrows rising in alarm. "Please,
Seven. I didn't mean to upset you."  He picked up the hypospray that
was loaded with a mild sedative and pressed it against her neck. "This
will help you sleep, but it will take a few moments before it takes
hold.  I will send Ensign Kim in to see you before you fall asleep."
He smiled down at her and patted her shoulder gently, before moving
away.  Seven closed her eyes and felt the sedative begin to take hold.

---

"Seven?"  Harry spoke tentatively to the figure laying peacefully on
the biobed.  Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled drowsily.

"Hello, Harry," Seven said softly.  "I missed you."  She felt him
reach for her hand, his fingers twining with hers.  His smile of
relief was beautiful to her.

"I missed you, too," he said huskily, his throat so tight with emotion
he could hardly speak.  He couldn't stop looking at her, seeing that
look in her eyes that she had only for him. He felt a wetness on his
cheeks and realized he was crying.

Seven reached up with her other hand and touched his tears.  "Thank
you, Harry," she said, her hand cupping his cheek as her thumb gently
wiped his tears away.

He smiled, turning his face into her hand so he could place a kiss on
her palm.  "For what?" he asked, still full of amazement that *his*
Seven was back.

Seven smiled and dropped her arm gracefully back down beside her.
"For not giving up on me.  For trying to be my friend even after I
lost my memory."  She sighed, feeling the sedative wearing her down.
It was difficult to keep her eyes open.

Harry leaned down and placed a kiss on her closed eyelids, seeing her
smile sleepily in response.  "You're welcome," he whispered.  "Get
well soon."

---

Harry stepped out of the shower, reaching automatically for the nearby
towel.  As he dried off, his found himself in a state of heightened
anticipation.  Seven was coming home from sickbay tonight.  Tonight
would be their first night spent together since Seven had lost her
memory, nearly two months ago.  He reached for his hairbrush, running
it over his spiky locks in an effort to tame them into his usual
style.  He dressed in the casual clothing he had specially selected
because he knew it was Seven's favorite, a pair of faded soft blue
jeans and a dark, almost ruby red colored turtle-neck sweater.  Harry
checked his reflection one last time before leaving the ensuite.  He
walked through their bedroom, noting that the bed was newly made with
fresh linens and that the vase of pink roses he had placed on their
dresser added their subtle fragrance to the room.  Harry took a deep
breath, trying to still the butterflies that danced madly in his
stomach.  He felt like he had the night they had made love for the
very first time, and it was an awful, yet exhilarating feeling.

Harry stepped out of the bedroom and stopped, mouth dropping slightly
open in surprise.

She was there.

"Hello, Harry," Seven smiled at him from her seat on the couch.  She
was sitting with her feet curled up beside her, and held a pad loosely
in her hands. It was not the unusual manner of her pose that struck
him, however.  It was her overall appearance that stunned him.

Gone was the usual tight burgundy biometric suit and high heels.
Instead, Seven wore a pair of white cotton trousers and a soft, mint
green sweater.  Her feet were bare, but Harry could see the
comfortable looking slip-on style shoes that were laying next to their
couch where she had taken them off.  With the majority of her implants
gone, she no longer required the biometric suit.

Seven smiled as Harry's expression turned from surprise to delight.
"Do I. . .pass?" she quipped softly with a raised eyebrow.

Harry crossed the room, never taking his eyes off her as he took his
customary place across from her in his chair.  "I don't have words to
describe you," he said finally. "Beautiful falls short."  His
expression was almost wistful.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Harry," Seven said without preamble.  She
placed the padd on the arm of the couch and reached out to take his
hand in hers, squeezing it gently. "Please forgive me."

Harry shook his head, "There is nothing to forgive.  I'm just grateful
I have you back."

Seven frowned, and he moved to sit next to her, still holding her
hand. "I am pleased to have regained my memories as well, but I am
concerned about us."

Harry's smile slowly faded. "What do you mean?"  A knot began forming
in his stomach.

"I am afraid that you will harbor resentment for the way I treated you
when I lost my memory," Seven stated simply.  "It could be something
that will come between us in the future.  That is why I am asking for
your forgiveness."

Harry opened his mouth to deny that he would ever allow this to come
between them and stopped.  Seven demanded he be honest with her; if he
was going to be completely truthful, he had to admit that a part of
him did feel a little resentful, even though he knew it was none of
her fault.  Would he hold it against her?  Harry knew his answer.

"I will forgive you on one condition, Seven," Harry replied finally,
his smile returning.

Seven raised an elegant eyebrow in query.  "Name your condition."

"Your complete and utter surrender," Harry replied before he leaned
down to kiss her.

"Very well," Seven replied softly against his lips, feeling them curve
into a smile beneath hers.  "I accept your terms."

---

Two nights later, Seven lay in the darkness of their quarters,
listening to the soft respiration of her partner.  She rolled to her
side, propping herself up on one arm so she could gaze down at him
while he slept.  His features were almost boyish in slumber, she
noted, her gaze traveling from his dark lashes to his full and sensual
mouth.  She reached out to brush a stray lock of raven black hair off
his forehead when she noticed his eyes were open and he was watching
her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly in the darkness. "I didn't mean to
wake you."

Harry reached up and caressed her cheek. "I was having the most
wonderful dream," he whispered back, enjoying the familiar game.

"Oh?  What was it?" She kissed him softly on the forehead, letting her
lips linger on his skin.

"I was in love with the most beautiful woman in the entire universe,
and she loved me too," he reached up to cup the back of her head,
loving the feel of her body pressing closer to his.  "We were very
happy together."  He ran a thumb over her lips and chuckled when she
nipped at it.

"Should I be jealous of this dream woman?" she teased, placing a small
kiss on his thumb.

Harry rolled Seven beneath him and covered her lips possessively with
his own.  His hands moved down her shoulders, reaching for her hands.
His fingers entwined with hers, he brought her hands up and around his
shoulders before he relinquished her mouth.  "Darling," he whispered
huskily, looking down at her with love and passion, "she can't hold a
candle to you."

---

The End