Disclaimer - Paramount owns the names, but that's it.
At the time of writing, I haven't seen 'Someone To Watch Over Me'. Apologies for any mistakes.
For Rebecca, Sy, Claire and Fiona.
*
The warm liquid flowed around her, feeling as if it were filling every pore of her body. It caressed her skin, brushing over her from her chin to her feet.
Kathryn Janeway wiggled her toes. She was utterly content, and for once pleased that Chakotay had managed to tear her away from her desk and convinced her to beam down to the planet and relax.
He did have a point. The Mwosi were extremely friendly and negotiations were proceeding very nicely. It would be a waste of a wonderful opportunity if she didn't take advantage of their hosts hospitality. Kathryn couldn't help but notice that he had said 'she' and not 'we', as if she were the only one who needed a break.
Shaking off her reverie, she let her eyelids droop shut, cutting off the sight of the cream-coloured liquid that was surrounding her body.
Her eyes snapped open again as the door to the room noisily opened and B'Elanna Torres barged in. The engineer was wrapped in the same style robe that was given to every patron, which she quickly undid to reveal a blue bathing suit. She also clearly needed to relax.
"Captain! Good to see you here." She began pulling off her slip-on shoes by tugging at the back of them with her toes. "I am *so* ready for this bath. Okay, so Tom literally had to drag me away from my engineering console to get me to agree, but for once I'm glad to get away from Voyager. Tom has been such a jerk lately!" Her shoes finally off, B'Elanna stomped towards Kathryn. "I swear, everything for the past month has to be about him. Did you hear about the new holo-programme he's creating? He's playing a superhero!" Lowering herself in the tub opposite Kathryn, she did her best to keep her balance. "As if we hadn't already gathered enough information into his psyche..." Her words trailed away as she fully submerged into the liquid and closed her eyes. "Oh that's *wonderful*..." Forcing her eyes open again she smiled brightly. "So how are you Captain?"
How was she? She felt like a large lump of jelly. As B'Elanna had slipped into the tub, Kathryn had almost physically been able to see the stress disappear from her as if it were some physical weight that had just been removed. The properties must have been having the same effect on her.
"I feel good," she managed to utter.
B'Elanna looked surprised, perhaps expecting more from her normally articulate Captain. She didn't say as much. "I can understand that Captain. This is glorious."
Kathryn smiled and decided that maybe a conversation was in order. "What's this trouble you're having with Tom?"
B'Elanna had now slipped down further so the liquid was up to her chin. Her expression was chagrined and she rose her hands. "I may have been exaggerating...a bit...when I was first speaking. But he *is* getting ridiculously over-protective."
"Any particular reason?" Kathryn asked, wanting to shift a bit but too comfortable to move.
"Not that I know of. And he insists that his behaviour hasn't changed which is completely untrue. I *wasn't* exaggerating about him pulling me away from my console. That actually happened."
Kathryn managed to nod sympathetically, causing ripples to fan out around her. "I understand. I had to go through much the same thing with Chakotay."
"It's always the same thing, isn't it?" B'Elanna stated knowingly. "The men on Voyager have always been overprotective of the women they..." she caught herself "...care about." An odd silence followed her statement. "Sorry."
"Don't worry B'Elanna." The chief engineer may have just brought up a taboo subject, but Kathryn's mind was like mush. Her thought processes at the moment really weren't capable of thinking over any consequences of any words spoken. And she certainly wasn't capable of thinking over the complex relationship she'd developed with her First Officer.
B'Elanna's tension at her near-slip began to ease away, and both women began to fully relax. Until B'Elanna spoke again.
"I suppose it's sweet really."
"What is?"
"That he cares so much. Tom."
"Very sweet," Kathryn murmured, holding back a yawn.
"It's just annoying that-"
The door opened noisily again to allow a newcomer in. Kathryn and B'Elanna's lethargy eased for a moment as they both opened their eyes and moved their heads.
"Captain, Lieutenant. May I join you?"
"Of course you can Seven," Kathryn replied, despite the glare B'Elanna sent her.
Nodding, Seven carefully removed her shoes, then undid her robe which fell away to show a functional black swim suit. Soon she was sitting in the pool to Janeway's right and B'Elanna's left.
Seven frowned. "Curious. This substance is creating a tingling sensation along my epidermis."
"It's supposed to do that. It'll stop in a minute."
"Clearly this substance must contain properties which stimulate-"
"Just enjoy it Seven!" B'Elanna insisted. "Don't try to analyse the science of it. Enjoy yourself."
Kathryn smiled to herself as the other two debated function vs frivolity. In this particular case Kathryn sided with B'Elanna. She had always been first and foremost a scientist, but when she'd slid into the tub, her first reaction was not to whip out a tricorder and take readings of the substance. This once she had simply let herself relax. Sometimes it was nice just to *be*.
"What do you think Captain?"
Kathryn had lost the thread of their conversation but she knew that their argument had helped clear the fuzz from her mind. "I think," she licked her lips "that we should all take a quick shower and then go out for the evening. I've been reliably informed that there's an excellent bar around the corner from here. Well?"
She propped open one eyelid to look at her companions. B'Elanna was smiling, and Seven - being Seven - merely nodded.
*
It seemed to be a Universal Law that bars had to be overcrowded and noisy, and this one was certainly no exception. As the three women made their way through the milling people - attracting no attention at all - Kathryn decided that although it *was* a bar, the decor reminded her more of a coffee shop. A pleasing thought.
Finding themselves a table to sit around in an almost cliche-ridden dark corner, Kathryn plonked her small bag on the table and began pulling out money she'd managed to obtain through trade. "Okay, what'll you risk trying?"
B'Elanna picked up the menu and couldn't understand a word of it. "I'll try that one."
"What one?"
"That one."
"You don't have a clue what you're ordering, do you?"
"Nope. Should be interesting though, right?"
Kathryn grinned. "You're my kind of woman, B'Elanna. I think I'll have the same. Seven?"
"I do not see the function of purposefully intoxicating oneself. I have experienced it once before and do not care to repeat it."
Kathryn and B'Elanna stared at her. B'Elanna spoke.
"Okay, one water for Seven..."
Glancing around, Kathryn noticed the wide diversity of people present. She knew from their talks that the Mwosi had many highly successful trade agreements but it was fascinating to see the results of that. "I guess I'll go up to the bar and try and order something..." Quickly smiling at the other two women, Kathryn stood and left the table.
B'Elanna and Seven sat in silence for a few moments, observing the people walking around the bar. Looking over to where the Captain was trying to order drinks, B'Elanna realised it'd be quite a while before she got anywhere. So it would just be her and Seven. Her...and Seven. Alone together. For several minutes. Several minutes just about summed up the amount of time she'd spent with the ex-Borg since they'd met. The woman really got on her nerves. True, B'Elanna had to admit that she wasn't very hard to provoke, but with this particular woman she didn't like spending any time at all.
Well, okay. Small talk.
"How was your shift today? And don't say efficient."
Seven moved her gaze from the crowd of people by the bar and looked at the Lieutenant. "But it was."
"Alright, it probably was. But it has to be more than just 'efficient'. Was it fun, boring, exciting, difficult, interesting?"
B'Elanna rose her eyebrows hopefully as Seven dropped hers into a frown. She was having difficulty with describing something as anything but efficient or inefficient. Reviewing her last shift for any odd occurances or memorable moments, she eventually recalled a specific piece of information. "I suppose that my shift could be classified as 'interesting'."
Finally they were making progress. B'Elanna smiled. "That's great? Why was it 'interesting'?"
"I had a conversation with Commander Chakotay regarding copulation."
Three odd shaped glasses suddenly thumped down onto the table as the Captain arrived just missing the end of their conversation. Passing each drink to the appropriate person, she sat down. "So what are we talking about?"
"Copulation." Seven answered, then took a sip of her water.
Kathryn grinned. "Ah, sex. What else, right? Sex with whom?"
As B'Elanna frantically tried to wave Seven off the path she was careening down, the blonde continued anyway. "Commander Chakotay."
Sighing, B'Elanna covered her face with her hands as Seven observed the Captain turn a quite interesting red colour.
"You had...sex...with Commander Chakotay?" Kathryn asked with some difficulty.
"No, I discussed sex with Commander Chakotay."
"Oh," Kathryn said, the redness vanishing from her face before she shrugged. "May I ask why?" Picking up her glass she took a sip. Her face turned red again.
B'Elanna's concern began to grow. "Captain?"
"I'm...fine..." she squawked. "It's got a bit of a kick to it."
Duly warned, B'Elanna pushed her glass away from her with a shove of her right index finger. "I'll try it later."
Reassured that the Captain would recover, Seven continued. "After my attempts at finding a partner, the thought of copulation has been previlant in my mind. While I do not believe I want to attempt it yet, when the Commander entered Astrometrics I decided to ask his opinion on the subject."
Now fully recovered from the initial effects of her drink, Kathryn didn't even try to hide her smile. "And what was his reaction?"
"He suggested - rather urgently - that I talk to a woman. And then he left."
Chuckling, B'Elanna rested her elbows on the table. "That's probably the best piece of advice he's ever given."
"You're probably right," Kathryn agreed, wondering if she should take another sip of her drink.
"I know the biological functions of copulation, obviously, but almost nothing about the emotions involved or what would compel someone to perform other than the drive to copulate."
Speaking dryly, Kathryn matched B'Elanna's pose. "So you know about the birds and the bees, you just don't know why the birds and bees do it."
"I...believe so, yes."
Nodding, Kathryn drew back from the table. "Listen, I know a great place where we can discuss something like this in private. The best kind of a girls night out..."
*
"...is a girls night in." she concluded as they stepped into her quarters. Before the other two could respond she quickly continued, activating lights as she walked with the push of a button. "But, there are certain rules that have to be followed."
Seven stood with her arms resting over the top of her rear. "What rules Captain?"
*
"How does it feel Seven?"
Standing in the doorway, the blonde looked down at her attire. "Different. I am unaccustomed to wearing anything other than my catsuit."
"What's with that catsuit, anyway Seven?" B'Elanna asked, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. "It's a little tight."
"It is not my choice. It is part of the Doctor's design."
"The Doctor designs your outfits?" The half-Klingon gaped.
"Yes."
"I had no idea. Maybe you should just ask for a different design next time. You know, something that you'd like."
Seven moved into the room and sat carefully on a beige chair. "Perhaps I will."
Entering the room from a different doorway, Janeway smiled when she saw Seven. "They look wonderful Seven. Very relaxing."
Playing with the cloth of her red tartan pyjamas, Seven smiled very slightly. "Yes, they do feel relaxing."
The Captain and B'Elanna had already changed into theirs, so Janeway had replicated a special pair for Seven. It had occurred to Kathryn that Seven would never have experienced this; spending fun time with girlfriends to talk about anything and everything - usually men - and have fun with beauty products at the same time. She doubted it was something that B'Elanna would ever have participated in either, judging from her background. Kathryn vowed she would make this a memorable night for both of them.
*
It took a little convincing, but eventually they got Seven to relax enough to let them have a little fun. At the moment Kathryn was part-way through a French plait, and B'Elanna was in the middle of painting Seven's toe nails a deep blue.
The Captain was also in the middle of a speech.
"-you see Seven, sex is almost always better when you have it with someone you're in love with. While there's certainly something to be said for having sex just for the sake of having sex - the physical release can be very satisfying - it's more satisfying with someone you love because you have an emotional connection with them. I know the best sex I've had was with someone I was in love with." Glancing at the woman working on Seven's feet, she continued "I hope you can back me up here B'Elanna."
"Oh definitely," B'Elanna agreed as she finished a little toe and went to work on the next foot "the best sex I've ever had is with Tom." Pausing for a moment with her head lowered she quickly added "And if you ever tell him that I'll kill you. His ego is already as big as his-"
"Thank you Lieutenant," Kathryn interuppted, but they both looked at each other and grinned.
Tying off the end of Seven's hair Kathryn sat back and tapped her own knees with satisfaction. "There we go! Been a while since I've done that, but I don't think it looks bad at all."
"Nice job Captain," B'Elanna encouraged, finishing off Seven's other foot. "And there we go with these. They should be fine - this stuff dries instantly."
Looking down, Seven moved her feet to various different angles to get a better view. She nodded her appreciation.
Moving to one side, B'Elanna grabbed a mug and took a gulp of her hot chocolate. "Welcome."
Looking from her toe nails to B'Elanna's face, Seven asked a question. "His ego is as big as his...?"
"Maybe when you're older."
*
Kathryn's hair was in curls and her toe nails were purple. B'Elanna's hair was in two big plaits and her toe nails were green. Both were giggling.
Seven observed with interest their activity. Both had consumed large amounts of synthehol and it had clearly made them more 'relaxed' than usual. She had never before seen either of them giggle. She had not thought they were the type of people who would giggle. Clearly she didn't know them as well as she thought she did, so she paid close attention to their conversation and transcribed their words and movements in her head for further analysis later.
***BEGIN TRANSCRIPT***
Lieutenant Torres: No no, it's not *that* big.
Captain Janeway: It isn't? I'm quite disappointed.
Lieutenant Torres: Well you should know. You had sex with him. (tipping her head to one side with a raised eyebrow, indicating jealously)
Captain Janeway: (wagging a finger) Only when we were both transformed into lizards. And that's hardly the same.
Lieutenant Torres: (lounging back in the sofa, her annoyment gone) Yeah, I suppose. (laughing as a thought apparently occurs) When was the last time you had sex, Captain?
Captain Janeway: (instantly) Six years ago.
Lieutenant Torres: Mark?
Captain Janeway: (nodding) Yup.
Lieutenant Torres: I guess I can underst-six years??!! (suddenly sits up) Six YEARS?
Captain Janeway: (nodding) Yup.
Lieutenant Torres: Not with Kashyk?
Captain Janeway: (laughing wryly) No.
Lieutenant Torres: You were stuck on that planet with Chakotay for *months*! (hands moving for emphasis)
Captain Janeway: (sitting back, her right arm resting on the top of the sofa back) A woman doesn't drop her knickers just because she's alone with an attractive man, B'Elanna.
Lieutenant Torres: (hands still moving, apparently shocked) Well no, but I...I guess I'm just surprised. Six years is a long time.
Captain Janeway: A very long time.
***END TRANSCRIPT***
All three women looked over towards the door. B'Elanna was the first one to speak. "If that's who I think it is..."
"It's a coincidence," Janeway informed her quickly, standing and walking towards the door.
"It's fate." B'Elanna insisted.
"Open," was all Janeway said in response. The door opened to reveal...a Chakotay who blinked at the sight of his Captain in her pj's and her hair in curls. "Commander," she greeted, annoyed that B'Elanna was right.
"Captain," he responded, handing over a padd "here's the bridge report you wanted the minute it was completed."
She took it from him. "Thanks."
B'Elanna appeared next to Kathryn, with her arms folded across her chest and a smug smile on her face. "Hi Chakotay. What a *surprise* it is to see you here."
He blinked. "Hey B'Elanna. Love your hair. Very...cute."
"You tell Paris and-"
"-I'm a dead man, I know."
"Good."
Seven of Nine joined them at the door, standing behind the others.
"So, what are you doing in there?" Chakotay asked, curious as hell.
"Girls night out," they answered in unison.
"Ah, I seeee...well, have a great time." He started to move away then quickly turned back. "Oh, and Captain..."
"Hmm?"
"Purple suits you."
And with a cheeky grin he left.
Watching him walk away, they shook their heads.
B'Elanna piped up. "I give his butt an eight."
Janeway disagreed, leaning out the doorway a little more. "Eight point five."
"Seven point six eight nine."
B'Elanna and Kathryn looked at each other.
"Seven, you need to get out more."
~FINIS