DISCLAIMER: The Star Trek characters are the property of Paramount Studios, Inc and Viacom. The story contents are the creation and property of Djinn and are copyright (c) 2023 by Djinn. This story is Rated R.

Command Teams (Part 1)

by Djinn

 

Seven was working at the desk in her quarters when Raffi came in from the gym, looking sweaty and sexy. "Yum," she said with a grin, more than willing to leave the report she was working on to show her how sexy she found her.

 

Raffi shook her head. "I stink, Babe."

 

"I won't complain."

 

"That's why I love you." She went into the bathroom and turned the shower on, her lack of an invitation to join her meaning she just wanted to get clean.

 

Seven went back to the report. She'd been working on it all day and was sick of it. How had Shaw gotten these done so fast? It wasn't the data Command was asking for—or even the fact that every tasking asked for the data in a different form than the one she'd just sent in—it was how political everything was. She was afraid if she put a word wrong, she'd step in it.

 

Whatever it was.

 

She said her mantra silently: He believed in her. Or had. Before she'd brought him back to life with nanoprobes and sent him running away.

 

She knew why. She'd made him into his own personal bogey man. Only she hadn't—he wasn't Borg and if he'd just let her talk to him, she'd explain.

 

But no. He was his usual dickish self.

 

She heard Raffi coming toward her and grinned. It was nearly impossible to sneak up on her, but Raffi had gotten quite a ways across the room before she'd noted her. "Almost."

 

"Shit. I thought for sure you were too into that stupid tasking to hear me."

 

"Better luck next time." She grinned and turned, watching Raffi get dressed.

 

"Perv."

 

"Hey, you don't want an audience, shower in your own room."

 

"I didn't say I minded you being a perv."

 

The comm alert on her terminal went off and she turned to see who was calling. She could not take another stupid tasking from Command.

 

It was Shaw.

 

"Uhhhh."

 

Raffi walked over. "You want me gone?"

 

"No."

 

"You want me here but out of sight?"

 

"No."

 

"Do you want me to answer it for you? Help me out here, Sev."

 

Fuck. She hit the screen, and his face filled it. His very beaten-up face. "Hiya, Hansen. I mean Seven. I'm really drunk and uh a little bit this side of trashed."

 

"You look rough," Raffi said.

 

"Oh, hey, Raffi. God damn you two are gorgeous."

 

"We are, aren't we?"

 

"Don't encourage him, Raff. What do you want, Shaw?"

 

"I just want you to know that Hell's Kitchen is not as tough as they say. And I figured one of you two would know a better place for me to go."

 

"To do what?"

 

"Fight."

 

"Fight?"

 

"Yeah. That's why my face is this way. I started in the Tenderloin but it's not really that tough anymore. So I moved to the South Side and I gotta tell ya, my memory of that place is way more scary than it actually is."

 

"Shaw, you're bleeding on your padd." She glanced at Raffi who frowned in a way that told Seven he was beyond drunk.

 

"So I thought, Hell's Kitchen. That'll be the place that shows me I'm just me. No nanoprobes."

 

She leaned in. "Liam, that's a secret."

 

"Oh right." He leaned in and whispered. "No nanoprobes."

 

Another drop of blood fell on his padd and he wiped it, smearing the screen.

 

"Oh, yeah. This is fun." Raffi pulled a chair over and said, "Shaw, hi. How about you go home now. I think you've fought enough."

 

"I'm thinking either Manila or whatever the capital of Montenegro is next. I knew a guy from Montenegro and he was so tough—no, wait. Samoa."

 

She hurriedly muted him and said, "Seven to Transporter Room."

 

"Transporter Room here."

 

"Can you get a lock on Commodore Shaw?"

 

"Uhhh, yes. You want him up here?"

 

"Please."

 

There was a moment's silence and then "Well, shit, it's Newton. How the hell are you Newton?" sounded over the comms. "Am I on the ship?"

 

"You are, sir."

 

"We'll be right down for him. Do not let him leave that room." She was up and heard Raffi behind her.

 

"Please tell me we are putting him in guest quarters, filling him full of antitox, locking him in until he tests sober, and then sending him home with a coffee to go."

 

"We're not."

 

"Yeah, I was afraid of that."

 

Seven dug out the antitox she'd learned to carry during her ranger days. Usually to sober up a source, not for herself. "You may have to hold him still while I force feed him this."

 

"Never let it be said you're not so much fun, hon'."

 

She laughed at Raffi's tone. "I need to talk to him about what he isn't and this is the only chance he's given me."

 

"If he's not Borg, how's he beating his way through North America's worst?"

 

"Because he thinks he is. Also, he's shit with a phaser, but I've seen him with a knife and his fists. Lethal with either."

 

"That makes me like him better."

 

"I thought it might." She turned into the transporter room, waited for Raffi to get behind him, for his not unexpected, "Oh, my God, is this a Raffi, Seven and me sandwich?" before she pried his mouth open and put the pills in.

 

"If you want to play ranger and perp, you just have to ask first. Consent is everything. But yeah, I'd play that."

 

"It is a fun fantasy." Raffi laughed when he did. "What? It is."

 

She turned to the tech. "Mister Newton. You will wipe any recording of this and forget you saw our esteemed former captain in this shape."

 

"Yes, Captain."

 

"Newton, you were always my favorite transporter tech. Such a soft touch—never land sideways."

 

"Yes, you are quite skilled. Good night."

 

"Good night, ma'am's. And sir."

 

She didn't have to manhandle Shaw out of the room because he was sobering up fast.

 

As they walked, Raffi got in front of them, walking backwards, clearly assessing what kind of shape he was in far more clinically than she probably could have done. "We need sickbay. He may have won, but he's gonna be hurting."

 

"I took a lot of hits." He leaned in to both of them and whispered, "But I'm Borg now."

 

"No, Liam, you're not."

 

"You don't call me that enough. Liam. Liam-Liam-Liam-Liam-Liam." He sounded halfway sober as he said it.

 

And she was no longer having to push him; he was taking them on his own to sickbay.

 

"I don't want to sleep on this ship. Only on the Titan."

 

She rolled her eyes. "You'll be beamed down to your place once we're done here. If Ohk says it's okay."

 

"I'll sleep in a Spacedock observation lounge before I sleep on the fucking Enterprise.

 

"I think JL would have felt the same way if they'd ever renamed his ship. I'm gonna go with him on this one."

 

"You just don't want me sleeping on the same ship as her." He glared at her.

 

"You might be right." Raffi's expression changed. "He's going to throw up."

 

"I'm not." He sounded like he was very much about to.

 

Seven sped up the pace. "Do not throw up until we get to sickbay."

 

"Okay."

 

She had to give him credit. He waited until they were in sickbay and he was over a sink but then he threw up for a long time.

 

"Oh, yeah, this is the kind of night a girl dreams about," Raffi muttered to her, ignoring the glare she got back. "I mean, dinner and a movie is so mundane. This..."

 

Ohk came out of her office and studied him with the look she often gave new bacteria. "Hey, Liam. You've looked better."

 

"I know. I'm so pretty usually. Oh, God, I don't feel good. Being Borg sucks."

 

Ohk glanced at her and she made a face.

 

"Please assure him he's not Borg."

 

"Liam, you're not Borg."

 

"She just fucking told you to tell me that."

 

And there was her captain. Sober and swearing.

 

"I'm your friend, Liam." Ohk patted a biobed, and he groaned as he sat on it. "She's not lying and neither am I."

 

"Fuck. So I'm just human?"

 

She and Raffi kicked themselves up onto the biobed across from him.

 

"Do they have to be here?"

 

Ohk looked at her with a question in her eyes and she nodded tersely.

 

"Yes. Sorry."

 

"What about medical privacy?"

 

"There's no privacy in sickbay. It's so lame how it's designed, but nobody asked me." Ohk shot him full of something that made him close his eyes.

 

"Thank you."

 

"Your favorite cocktail."

 

"Tons better than that one Crusher's mommy gave me. That was like truth serum. Jesus."

 

Seven had played Raffi the interaction he'd had with Picard and Jack—everything in Ten Forward was captured. She hadn't been able to forget the raw pain of it. It had helped her understand him better and it was what had started to make Raffi get why she gave him so many benefits of the doubt.

 

He glanced over at them and made a face. "Fucking hell, Hansen. Did you show her?"

 

"I did."

 

"Fuck you."

 

"And fuck you too, Shaw."

 

"Okay, so you're even. How about letting me work?" Ohk began to run a regenerator over him.

 

"You want help?" Raffi asked. "I'm good at it."

 

"That would be great. If you could do his hands. They're going to take a few passes."

 

Raffi hopped down and grabbed another regenerator and went to work. "Really just wanted to hold your hand, sir."

 

"Fuck you, Musiker."

 

"Right back at you, Commodore Shaw."

 

He turned to Seven. "Why? Why did you do this to me?"

 

"Do what exactly? Save your life?"

 

"You didn't save my life. I was dead. You brought me back to life."

 

"Is that really the problem? Or is it how I brought you back?"

 

"Fucking Borg voodoo. I'm a Borg zombie."

 

"Yes, that is exactly what you are." She rolled her eyes.

 

"Don't. Don't do that."

 

"I'll stop doing that when you stop swearing."

 

"Fuck you, Seven."

 

Raffi looked over at her, laughing silently. Then she mouthed, "Fuck you, Seven."

 

"You have a comment, Commander?" He'd never sounded like he had a bigger stick up his ass.

 

Raffi did not seem cowed in the least but she was used to managing Worf so... "Just marveling at the wonder that is you and Seven interacting. Must have been fun watching you as a command team."

 

"Well, at least I wasn't fucking her."

 

Ohk leaned in. "You say that like it's a bad thing. When you clearly had feel—"

 

"Shut it, Doctor." He closed his eyes. "I am so outnumbered here."

 

Seven slipped off the biobed and walked over to him. She put her hand on his cheek and forced him to look at her. "I owed you. I brought you into that mess. I had to get you clear of it."

 

"You didn't owe me shit. Not after how I treated you."

 

"We both made mistakes." She was about to pull her hand away, but he surprised her by putting his hand over hers, pressing it in.

 

Raffi stopped what she was doing and studied them, a look Seven couldn't read on her face.

 

"I'm really not Borg?" he whispered.

 

"You're really not Borg."

 

"I don't want to be Borg."

 

"You're really not, Liam," Raffi said, her voice extraordinarily gentle as she went back to working on his hand.

 

"You have a soft touch."

 

"Yeah, well, I've been there. Regretting a bender and also making decisions for someone." She met Seven's eyes. "Asking Agnes to save you."

 

This was something she'd refused to discuss before. "I thought you said..."

 

"I know what I said. But you were...gutted when you saw the implants back. Maybe I shouldn't have—"

 

"No. I was gutted—then. Now, I'm glad you did."

 

"Should either of us know what the hell you're talking about?" Ohk asked.

 

"No," Seven said, her smile gentle. She went to a cabinet and pulled out another regenerator and went to work on his other hand. "Just clearing some stuff up all over the place tonight."

 

"Well, that's never a bad thing." Ohk smiled at her and moved from his face to scan his ribs. She sighed at what she saw and started in with the regenerator.

 

"I've gotta tell you: I'm feeling pretty pampered here."

 

"Fuck you, Liam," all three of them said in unison.

 

He just laughed and sort of fell back but Seven and Raffi caught him before he could hit the cushion too hard.

 

"Nice save." He closed his eyes.

 

"What happened to not sleeping on my ship?"

 

"Oh, I'll happily sleep on your ship. Just not the Enterprise."

 

"Okay then." She looked at Raffi who was laughing.

 

Ohk was scanning again. "How many times were you kicked, Liam?"

 

"Oh my God, so many times."

 

"Yes, your kidneys want me to tell you to never do that again." She looked over at Seven. "He's staying here. I'd like to keep him for observation and use the bed's regenerator for the rest."

 

"You mean I can quit being nice to him? Yay." Raffi patted him on the cheek and left sickbay.

 

"You're an idiot," Seven said to him.

 

"I think you are. Staying here when you could be going with her."

 

"You have a point."

 

"I do." He waited until Ohk walked away for a moment and asked, "For sure, for sure, I'm not Borg?"

 

"For sure, for sure. Go to sleep. Maybe we can have breakfast in the morning. Talk about this? I know the crew would love to see you in the mess again."

 

His smile was the one she loved best. "I'd really like that. I really like you, Seven." His eyes were closing and she waited until he was out. She glanced at Ohk. "Do you need me?"

 

"No, I've got it. Thanks for bringing him up here. Where was he?"

 

"Hell's Kitchen."

 

Ohk shook her head. "Of course he was. Dumb ass."

 

"Indeed."

 

2.

 

Shaw woke in sickbay, the healing field holding him safe on the bed and he sighed as he realized his lower back was no longer in pain. "Ohk?"

 

Another doctor came out. One he didn't recognize. "Commodore Shaw. Doctor Ohk is off. I'm Doctor Shivra'k."

 

"You're new since I left."

 

"Replaced Doctor MacKlay. He left Starfleet."

 

"Wow. He was young." Not young enough to have been assimilated. Just young enough to not be ready to go through the shitshow that was Frontier Day.

 

"Very young. In more ways than one. We Dominion War vets are stepping up all over the place." She winked at him. "I saw your knife." She handed it back to him from where Ohk had put it before engaging the field.

 

"Who would have thought Changelings would make a comeback, huh?"

 

"Not I." She helped him sit up. "Anything hurt?"

 

"Yeah. But not like I've just been in a fight. More like the fight was a week ago." Not just one fight. Several fights. Too many fucking fights.

 

Seven was right. He'd been an idiot.

 

"The captain wanted you to comm her when you woke." She handed him his combadge.

 

He put it on and hit it. "Shaw to Seven."

 

"Seven here. You sprung yet?"

 

"Just now. The mess?"

 

"Yes. I'm starved."

 

"Roger that." He cut the connection and took a last look around sickbay. Fuck, he missed this ship. "Thanks, Doc."

 

"You're very welcome, sir."

 

He took his time getting to the mess, smiling at people he knew, stopping to talk to some of them. Seven didn't look upset when he finally showed up. She was in a booth already eating.

 

He got his food and sat across from her.

 

"Lots to catch up on with old crew?" Her smile was untroubled.

 

"Yeah." He met her eyes. "I really miss them."

 

"They really miss you. But hopefully not so much that they resent me." She grinned and he found himself grinning back.

 

Fuck, she was just so goddamned gorgeous. Especially now that she wasn't in his chain of command. Although that didn't seem to be a problem for her what with her and Raffi being clearly a couple. "So you and Raffi, huh? Got through that awkward exes period right back to together? Openly and everything."

 

She nodded. But she was looking at him in a way that didn't necessarily say it was forever with Raffi. It didn't say it wasn't though either. In fact it was really fucking confusing how she was looking at him. "I've missed you, Liam. It's not just the crew who does."

 

"Thank you. After what I put you through..."

 

"You were a dick. But you were a fair dick. And you pushed me." She grinned. "And you let me sit in the big chair so damn often."

 

"Well, I know you like to lean like you're JTK."

 

"Whereas you are in danger of falling out of said chair if we take a hit. I at least am holding on."

 

"But the odds of the ship taking a hit are ten thousand times greater with you in charge than with me."

 

"Not at the moment. We're stuck in spacedock while they retrofit in some mods. Did you have a hand in that?"

 

"Yeah. We got some Jurati tech."

 

"I know. Agnes wrote me a note on the parts that show. I guess she knew I like to get under the bulkhead."

 

"In Borg?"

 

She nodded.

 

"I want to go see it."

 

"Because you think you'll be able to read it now that you're a B-Zombie?"

 

He laughed at how she was saying it. "Sorry for being lax about the secret."

 

"You were beyond wasted."

 

"I was. Do you think I'll be able to read it?"

 

"No."

 

"Can I go see it?"

 

"I assume you saw it before it was installed."

 

"Sure, but I didn't know there was a secret message on it. Now I do."

 

"You'd have seen any secret message possible if it were in a language you could read. You are not fucking"—she leaned in and whispered—"Borg, Liam."

 

"Fine." He still wasn't sure he believed her though.

 

"So have they slotted you in Engineering?"

 

"Nope, I'm floating from project to project right now. Next up: rules and regs overhaul."

 

She smiled in a way that didn't seem to be mocking, then ruined it by saying, "You'll be perfect for that."

 

"Sure, rub it in that I'm boring as fuck."

 

She was looking at him like he had two heads.

 

"That's not what you meant?"

 

"No. I've never met someone with more workarounds that let you not follow the regs without actually breaking the regs. Those regs are the ones that need to be overhauled. I bet every ship has workarounds. In every department. You could visit a sample of ships. Find the better ways to do things. Make things more efficient and people safer."

 

Sometimes he forgot how alike he and she were when it came to efficiency. "Would here be included?"

 

She smiled and looked down. "If you had to, I guess."

 

"You wouldn't throw me out an airlock?"

 

"I would have done that a long time ago if that was my plan. Maybe during Frontier Day."

 

"Yeah, instead you brought me back. Still not sure what to make of you doing that."

 

She busied herself with adding sugar to her coffee—one of her go-to stalling maneuvers. "Why make anything of it? You'd save me. And, if you could bring me back, you'd do it. For any of us, right?"

 

"Maybe not Picard."

 

She laughed and it was a real laugh, free of any residual hurt or anger from that day. He found himself grinning—he loved it when he cracked her up. "Other than him, though?"

 

"Okay, yeah."

 

"Are you okay? I mean was you fighting yesterday just about what you thought I'd turned you into or was it a pile-on to existing PTSD?"

 

He'd told her early on that he had it. Only thought it was fair since she might have to compensate—the shitty thing about PTSD was that it didn't call first before it hit. Turned out she had her own triggers. Not the same as his. One of them was generally functional most of the time, which really was all you could ask from a command team some days.

 

"It was the B thing. I think in some ways having to deal with Picard made the PTSD a little better. Having to deal with a Borg invasion again did too. Anyway, the tremor is much better."

 

"I'm glad."

 

"But that might be the B thing making me all strong and shit." He laughed at her expression. "If you think I'm fucking letting that go, you're crazy."

 

Her smile was gorgeous, her eyes bright and happy and he wished this was the Seven he'd cultivated.

 

Fucking bygones though.

 

He ate for a few minutes then said, "I hadn't really thought about all the workarounds. I was so busy pouting over the lame assignment. But you're right. I could make everyone's life easier. And learn new workarounds, which is never a bad thing."

 

"Will you share them with me if they're good ones?" Her tone was so easy, one captain to another.

 

"Yeah. Yeah I will."

 

"Then yes, you can visit this ship too. If we ever leave spacedock. If not, well, you know where we are."

 

"I have a feeling I'll always know where you are." He met her eyes. He didn't look away for a long time.

 

Neither did she.

 

##

 

Raffi wandered down the hallway full of guest offices for brass between assignments. She found the one with L. Shaw on it and rang the chime.

 

"Come."

 

He looked up and his face showed surprise, but only for a moment. "Hey, Musiker. Long time no see. Sit."

 

She sat and stared at him in the way that even Worf found difficult not to crack under.

 

"If you're trying to find out who has the biggest balls, I'm pretty sure it's you." He went back to whatever he'd been doing on his terminal.

 

It was her experience that only men who were not lacking in the junk department made reference to genitalia comparisons so casually. "I can't see your balls from here so I'll take your word from it."

 

"Did you want to see them?" He shot her a look like "What the fuck?"

 

She laughed. "Really don't."

 

"Well, I'm glad we got that settled. So...you worried about your woman?"

 

"I'm not." She said it with as much assurance as someone who'd already ended things with Seven twice could say.

 

Fuck, she hated that she was worried.

 

"How many times you guys break up already?"

 

Fuck him. Finding her buttons. Pushing her buttons. "They were more strategic pauses."

 

"Whatever keeps you going, Raff." He turned to look at her. "I'm kinda busy."

 

"No, you're not. You lack the 'hair on fire' look of a quick turnaround tasking and the 'Why are you bothering me when I'm finally in the groove' aspect of a long-term project. I was a staff officer. I know when someone's busy."

 

"Well, you're not goddamned wrong."

 

"And you admit it?"

 

"Like you said, you were one. Can't fool an insider." He turned away from his terminal, leaned back, crossed his arms over his chest, and put his feet up on his desk. "So why are you here, Commander?"

 

That made three forms of address. What was he going to go with next?

 

"I know Seven's looks by now. She had a look when she got back from breakfast."

 

"Yes. No longer hungry." His close-mouthed grin was bratty as hell.

 

She leaned back, crossed her arms over her chest, and put her feet up on the desk too.

 

He burst out laughing. "Jesus fucking Christ, Raffi. Stand the hell down." He sighed. "Let's cut the posturing and just talk." He slid his feet off the desk and sat like a normal human so she did the same.

 

"Fine. You're in love with her."

 

"Yeah. Pretty sure she has no clue on that, though."

 

"Pretty sure you're wrong."

 

Real surprise this time. "For real?"

 

She nodded.

 

"How does she feel about it?"

 

"No idea. I, however, am not a fan of this. But that's neither here nor there. What I'd like to posit is that right now you're both operating under transference. She saved you. You owe her your life. That's heady. Brings people together." Or back together in her case with Seven.

 

Only to break up again. And then get back together. Which is not what she wanted him to think he'd do if she and Seven... When they already had twice.

 

Shit, this was not a good tack. This guy fucking threw her.

 

He was grinning. "Your point derailed. I saw it happen. Have no idea what your point was, but man it just went up in magnificent flames inside that normally amazing brain of yours."

 

His grin was so goofy, she started to laugh too. "It's a goddamned inferno."

 

He made the sound of an explosion, his eyes twinkling—holy hell his eyes were pretty.

 

No. No, they were not.

 

"I'm not going to go after her. If that's why you're here. You two seem happy. I treated her like crap. Why would I get in the middle of that?"

 

"So you're just going to wait to see if we implode?"

 

He shrugged, his expression light, unthreatening. "Given your history..."

 

"Fuck you, Liam."

 

"You're way less ballsy when you say that. I think it's the way my name sounds when you say it."

 

"Weak?"

 

"Nice." His smile was a shy one. So damn cute and—

 

God damn it. He was not cute and his smile was stupid.

 

He started to laugh. "Seven must give you so much shit."

 

"You're not wrong. I'm not the arguing type that you two seem to be." Obsessive as hell when she was on a scent, but not really into arguing for its own sake.

 

"Well, maybe you need me for that." He frowned. "Okay, that came out wrong." He looked up at her, through his lashes, those damn gorgeous eyes stopping her breath. "Unless..."

 

"We're done." But she hadn't stood. She'd meant to stand. Was she paralyzed? Had she had a stroke in his office and couldn't move?

 

Fuck him.

 

She forced herself to her feet.

 

"Your exit lacks punch." He was laughing at her but clearly not meaning it in a cutting way. Just...enjoying himself.

 

How much of that did he do, now that he was off the ship he clearly loved, away from the crew he clearly adored and who loved him back, and in this row of offices with mismatched furniture?

 

"You're still here, Raffi. If we're done, should you still be here?"

 

"Maybe you should come up for dinner."

 

"With...?"

 

"Us." Shit, should she get the bridge crew? What the hell was she thinking? One minute she was pitying him for mismatched furniture and then that came out of her mouth.

 

She was blaming his damn eyes.

 

"With...you and Seven?" He frowned. "You sure she's on board with it?"

 

"Maybe I just think you two need to get each other out of your system. A strained dinner should be just the trick."

 

"With you as chaperone? Or participant?"

 

"I'm suggesting dinner. Not a throuple, Shaw. She misses you. You miss her. Also, I know what it's like to be between jobs. That adrift feeling. She hasn't experienced it yet. How weird it can feel."

 

"You don't think the rangers was a prolonged experience of just that?" He sounded suddenly so protective of Seven. And it was a good point.

 

She really liked that. "You're right. But she's never been inside and then floating but still inside."

 

"Fine." He shook his head. "Look, I appreciate the assist last night. I appreciate the discretion—for some reason nobody knows about my amazing no-holds-barred tour across the country. But you don't need to do this. I'll stay away."

 

Yeah, but would Seven? She knew how Seven looked when she was in love. She saw it every day with her now. The way she'd always wanted to before.

 

But she'd also seen it from the moment he'd first commed last night to when Seven came back from breakfast with him this morning.

 

Seven loved him too. She'd had time away from Raffi to fall in love with him.

 

Raffi wasn't sure it was a good idea to shove them together, but she knew it was a way worse idea to try to keep them apart. Or do nothing and have them "meet accidentally" all the fucking time.

 

The intel officer in her knew that sometimes an op went off course and you had to play it by ear. Even when it didn't make the most sense, it might be the best way to handle things. So long as you were the one running the op and not the other way around. "I'll have her comm you to invite you. Will you come then?"

 

"Will you be there too?"

 

"What? You'll only come if it's just her?"

 

"I didn't say that."

 

"So you want me there?"

 

"I didn't say that either." He winked at her.

 

Goddamn, how was he this cute when he was yanking her chain?

 

"You're adorable when you're pissed, Raffi."

 

"No I'm not."

 

"Adorable or pissed?"

 

"Either. We really are done now. I'll have her call you. Dress pretty. If I have to look at you, I want a nice view."

 

"Works both ways."

 

"You said I was gorgeous."

 

"I said you both were...technically."

 

"God, condolences: you're like me. Recall even from an obliterated state."

 

"Oh, yeah. No mercy from memory loss. I live with my stupid-with-alcohol moments forever."

 

"Sucks."

 

"That it does." His eyes were gentle. "I won't get drunk. Or not like that."

 

"You're a big boy. You can do what you want." She smiled. "My favorite flowers are orchids."

 

"Hers are peonies."

 

"I know. Good luck with that bouquet."

 

"Who says I'm bringing flowers? Who says I'm even going to be there?"

 

"I do. And I'm never wrong. Or haven't you figured that out yet?" She made her voice as sultry as she could and he laughed in a way she really, really liked.

 

Fuck. She was a moron.

 

##

 

Seven was in her ready room when an ensign from supply came up. "Special delivery."

 

Raffi followed him in, laughing way too hard.

 

It was a flower arrangement—if one was being charitable. A cactus with peonies and orchids, kind of crushed together. It was the ugliest—and funniest—flower arrangement she'd ever seen. "What the fuck is this?"

 

Raffi was still laughing as she pulled a card out from between the peonies read it, then handed it to her.

 

She read the note. Thanks for taking care of me. I owe you both. - L

 

Seven sighed. "I know how he knew about peonies. But orchids too? Did you talk to him while I wasn't looking?"

 

"I ran into him this afternoon. I may have mentioned it. Oh and you need to invite him to dinner."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because you want to. And I'd like to get to know him better. Clearly he's got a sense of humor."

 

"What did you two talk about besides orchids?" She studied the flowers. "And did it involve a fight to the death?"

 

"It sure didn't. Hon', it's a chance to have blue steak with someone else who loves it. Invite him up. We'll get gussied up and everything."

 

"Why would we do that?" She realized Raffi was blushing. "Wait, do you like him?"

 

"No, you do."

 

"Then why am I not the one blushing?"

 

"Because you're like a Vulcan sometimes. Come on. A pretty dress. What can it hurt?"

 

She rolled her eyes and commed Shaw.

 

He answered immediately, already laughing.

 

"I'm so touched by your floral arrangement. It's truly...one of a kind."

 

"I thought so. Is that Raffi laughing?"

 

"Yes. She's smitten with your gift-giving prowess. She wants you to come for dinner. I agree. Tonight?"

 

He nodded.

 

"She also wants us to all dress up but I think that's stupid. Wear something comfortable. We have ribeye in blue, just beamed in."

 

"Yum."

 

"Agreed. See you at seven?"

 

"I'll be there. Bye, Raffi."

 

"Fuck you, Shaw."

 

"Pfff," he said, a huge crooked smile on his face as he winked at Seven and cut the connection.

 

She was smiling way too widely. As she fought to dial down the smile, she pushed the arrangement to Raffi. "Our centerpiece for tonight. You have custody until then."

 

"What am I supposed to do with it? You have the table and your desk."

 

"These flowers were not for me." She laughed at Raffi's expression. "Put them in Crusher's seat."

 

"And won't he be surprised if he wanders up here and sits without looking?"

 

She just shook her head at the ongoing pretend war between Jack and Raffi.

 

"Is Shaw always this quick?"

 

"Oh, yeah." Her smile was probably far too wicked but he'd been so fun to spar with—both verbally and in the gym.

 

"I still think we should get dressed up. Can I at least pick the casual clothes?"

 

"Fine. Unless you want to make me look like a nun." Which she used to do when they were in their less than stellar periods but still together and going out. She hoped Raffi was secure enough now to let her wear whatever the hell she wanted.

 

Raffi's face was downright impish.

 

"On second thought no. I'll dress myself."

 

"Spoilsport." She took the flowers out.

 

Seven heard Sidney say, "Uhh, did that take a tumble before it got here?"

 

"Nope," Raffi said.

 

"Did they get the flowers wrong?"

 

"Also no."

 

Laughing softly, Seven went back to work on yet another report Command needed yesterday.

 

3.

 

Shaw materialized on the transporter pad and saw Newton looking back. "Oh, man. I need to apologize."

 

"No, sir. You really don't. You seem fine today so whatever needed to be worked out was, right?"

 

"Yeah. I think it might have finally been." He stepped off the pad. "Honestly, it's really nice to be back on the ship."

 

"It's nice to have you back. And congratulations on the promotion."

 

"Thanks." He took the nearest lift to the bridge, saw Raffi sitting the chair with the flower arrangement next to her so he walked over and sat down in Seven's old seat. "Nice flowers, yeah?"

 

She started to laugh.

 

He saw Sidney watching them with a confused look. "Hey, La Forge."

 

"Hey, sir." She turned back around and he leaned back, asking, "Our captain is where?"

 

"Finishing a report. That's all she's been doing lately. I'm not sure I get why they're taking as long as they are." She looked immediately uncomfortable, like she hadn't meant to share that.

 

"She wasn't steeped in this place from ensign on. The ship she was on was irregular as fuck for reasons we all understand and independent. So she's overthinking. But that's good. Let it happen here, while the ship's in Spacedock. She'll realize she understands things better than she thinks." He closed his eyes. "I like my chair better."

 

"I'm not moving."

 

"I know."

 

"She may have showed me your review."

 

"Who hasn't seen it at this point?" He sighed. "Yes, it was emotional."

 

"That wasn't what I was going to say. Although it really was."

 

"Sorry for jumping to conclusions."

 

"I was going to say"—she glanced over at him and seemed to stop for a moment.

 

He let one side of his mouth go up—score another one for gray eyes. He knew his were attention getters and had worn a gray sweater with his jeans to make them even more so. Any advantage with her he was for sure going to use. "You were saying...?"

 

"God damn it."

 

He just laughed.

 

"I was going to say that it was clear you believed in her. That I think it's what's carried her through this when she wanted to send a response back to Command saying, 'Fuck you, I quit.'"

 

"What do you think they'd do with that response."

 

"In my case, they said, 'Don't let the door hit you on the way out.'"

 

He glanced over at her, frowning.

 

"She didn't tell you?"

 

"Tell me what?"

 

"That I stalked Janeway. Among other sins. Mostly because I knew the fucking Romulans were involved in Mars but did anyone believe me...?"

 

"It's not in your record."

 

"You were checking?"

 

"Not today. But when you and Worf briefed us. You were...impressive. I wanted to know your background. There was a big gap, but I figured being intel, maybe it was an ops thing I wasn't cleared for."

 

"No, I was out of Starfleet. But I like the idea that others might think that if they don't know my story. I uh...well, you won't see me drinking any of the Malbec Seven took way too long picking to make sure it was one you liked."

 

"She did, huh?"

 

"Way too long."

 

He let himself enjoy that thought before focusing on the part of what she'd said that really mattered. "I uh...after Wolf 359, I was a fucking mess. I was on admin leave for a year."

 

She turned in her chair. "For real?"

 

He nodded.

 

"I may have checked your record to find out who was sitting with his arm on my ex's chair."

 

He laughed.

 

"There's no indication of that."

 

"It's a medical thing so they probably tagged it as a personal development program or something. Since I was 'fixed' and all. Witness me last night. So fucking fixed."

 

"Well, you thought you were...you know."

 

"B is what we're calling it now. B Zombie."

 

She chuckled softly. "Super stupid code, but okay." She glanced at him, her own lovely eyes a bit distracting—was she wearing more makeup than she had been earlier this afternoon? "But you're okay now? I don't want to have to take you to Ohk two days in a row."

 

"I'm okay." The lift doors opened, the new shift coming in, and he waved to them, got big smiles back from the ones who knew him. "You want me to go get her?"

 

"Yes, I'm hungry." She stood as he did and picked up the flower arrangement. "Our centerpiece for the night. Captain's orders."

 

He laughed softly. "Okay then."

 

As she walked away, he could tell La Forge wanted to talk to him so he waved her over. "Something on your mind, Lieutenant?" He beamed at her, so proud of how she'd handled the weirdness and that she'd been promoted.

 

She leaned in. "I thought you'd be here for the captain, sir."

 

"Who says I'm not?"

 

She looked very confused.

 

"Just hanging out with my friends."

 

She folded her arms over her chest and tilted her head.

 

"Yeah, that's not going to work on me."

 

"Are we going to see you more around here?"

 

"I hope so. I miss it."

 

"It misses you too, sir. Congratulations on your promotion, by the way. I'm thrilled for you and so is my dad."

 

"Not sure which makes me happier. I'll be around, La Forge. If I can pry Seven away from reports."

 

"I think you can." She laughed as she walked away.

 

He turned and bounded up the stairs the way he used to before Picard came and made everything so fucking heavy. Seven looked up and smiled at him. "I thought I heard you."

 

"Raffi said you were crashing on a report."

 

"Every damn day." She took the dramatic inhale that told him she was so very tired of it.

 

He walked around to stand behind her, seeing what she was working on. "You're giving them too much info. The more they read, the more they have more questions, the more data taskings you get. Give them bare minimum."

 

"But not enough raises questions."

 

"You want me to send you a few of the ones I sent in?"

 

"That would be great." She turned off her terminal and turned, running into his legs. "Back up, Liam."

 

He did as she asked with a smile. "Sure are using my name a lot."

 

She stood. "I sure am, aren't I? Now that I know you like it so much, I'll use it strategically."

 

"Like I should have yours?"

 

"What's my name, Commodore?"

 

"Seven of Nine."

 

"See, you can get it right when you're not being a dick."

 

Even though he'd backed up, they were still standing very close to each other. "So...you liked my flowers?"

 

She laughed softly. But in a way he couldn't quite read. There was something...naughty in the way she was looking at him.

 

"Is that a no laugh or a yes laugh?"

 

"It's just that the message of the arrangement was, shall we say, a double entendre."

 

He started to grin. "Do tell."

 

"One could take it as three beings fighting. Or..."

 

"Or?" He moved a little closer.

 

"The spines of the cactus are rather..." She took a step closer. "Phallic is the right word I think."

 

He laughed. "You think she's figured that out yet?"

 

"I'm not sure. She's very quick normally. But you seem to have beguiled her."

 

He moved her hair off her cheek, saw her eyes dilate as he did it. "No danger of that with you. You know me too well."

 

"That I do." She gestured to the back door with a wicked little smile. "Shall we? My lady awaits."

 

"Not a bad thing in my book. I like her."

 

"How much?"

 

He shrugged and gave her a mock innocent look and was rewarded with the cackle that only came out when he'd really amused her. "I've missed you so much." It was out before he could stop himself.

 

"Same." Her smile was a little bit helpless. "It's kind of a surprise how much."

 

"Yeah, it really fucking is."

 

She looked away. "Let's not keep her waiting. She hates that."

 

"As well she should. No one should ever keep her waiting." He put his hand on the small of her back and heard her quick inhale. Then once she was moving toward the door, he let go.

 

"What game are we playing, Liam?" she asked softly as she led him to the lift.

 

"Just enjoying life, Captain Seven of Nine. Something I don't get to do much of lately. Perils of being on the same ship for so long. Kind of adrift."

 

"You're always welcome here while we're docked." Her smile was extraordinarily gentle—careful.

 

He understood. The other stuff was flirtation. What she was offering now was just kindness—and a welcome mat. "Thanks."

 

4.

 

Raffi was sitting at the table, sipping a glass of sparkling water and regretting leaving the bridge without Shaw and Seven when the door to the captain's dining room whooshed open.

 

"Miss us?" Shaw asked as Seven came around and leaned down to kiss her.

 

It was a really fucking good kiss. Which in any other circumstance would be super nice but she was unsure what had prompted it: her or Shaw being here.

 

As Seven pulled away, she saw Shaw watching them, his smile big. She expected him to make some salacious comment on how watching two women get it on was a straight guy's dream but instead he said, "I take it I can't do that too, Raff?"

 

She laughed before she could stop herself. God damn it, pretty eyes and her sense of humor. Fuck him. "No."

 

"That's usually his line, Raff." Seven sat down next to her as Shaw took the seat to her other side. "He says it with far more conviction. Especially to Picard."

 

"And you."

 

"And me." Seven nodded toward the wine she'd taken so long picking. Only it wasn't decanted, it was in a bottle. Shit, had Seven ordered something from the surface rather than go with her replicator pick? "Try it. I was assured based on your previous likes that you would be pleased."

 

Oh. She'd been using his favorites to find something new. Logical. She could have just said that. It would actually have made more sense than trying to pull something he already had from the replicator.

 

Only...why did she need to be so nice to him? Other than the way the two of them were looking at each other.

 

But right as she was feeling like the third wheel, Seven turned to her and smiled. "Raff helped me pick it out so you owe us both." Her smile was sweet and loving as she took her hand and squeezed.

 

Raffi was touched, even if it was a lie that she'd done more than watch Seven peruse the list of wines. Seven being loving in public was something she would never get tired of. "Well, he made up for it with the amazingly thoughtful flower arrangement." She gestured to it. "Truly a thing of...something."

 

He bowed his head slightly, then dug into his steak. "Oh my God, so good. Our cook is the best."

 

"Yes, he is." Seven was acting like the meat was the giver of all orgasms.

 

"You don't eat meat?" Shaw asked her.

 

"No, I do. Just not blue meat."

 

He frowned. "So you've never tried it?"

 

She glared at him and Seven murmured,, "Of course she has or she'd have no basis to know whether she liked it or not. Now please let it go."

 

That felt good. Her defending her. Although Seven was also being efficient at forestalling conflict over a piece of beef.

 

Win-win in her book, no doubt.

 

She expected Shaw to resume whatever strange flirting had been going on between all of them but instead he asked about the people on the ship. This might have been been off putting if they weren't also Raffi's people now too. So she knew everyone except those that had died at Frontier Day or transferred off.

 

The breadth of his knowledge about his people was ridiculous. She was pretty sure JL didn't know as much about her as Shaw did about his newest ensigns.

 

After dinner, Seven took his arm, told Raffi to get the other, and escorted him to Ten Forward. "Drinks are on you, Liam."

 

"Uh, why? And for us three or everyone in there?"

 

Her eyes twinkled as she hit her combadge. "Attention crew. Commodore Shaw has put in an appearance if anyone wants to catch up with him. Also drinks are on him in honor of his promotion, which we all made possible. Ten Forward: be there or be square." She cut the connection.

 

"Be there or be square?" Raffi said laughing.

 

"Tom used to say that. Old Earth saying."

 

"I think being a square would be a good thing. So stable. The foundation of building." He looked confused.

 

"I didn't say it was an old Earth saying that made sense." They arrived at Ten Forward and the people already in there cheered.

 

His whole face lit up and he left Seven and her and began to make the rounds. He came back only long enough to open his tab, then was gone again.

 

She and Seven sat at the bar and pointed when people asked about him. They were pointing all over because he wasn't still, always had a group waiting to talk to him.

 

"Huh. He really loves them."

 

"Yeah, he really does."

 

"More shocking to me is that they love him."

 

"He took such good care of us." She smiled at Raffi, but it was a sad smile.

 

"I know you miss him."

 

She nodded quickly and looked away.

 

"I also know you're maybe a teensy bit in love with him."

 

She swallowed visibly.

 

"More than a teensy bit even."

 

Seven reached for her hand. "I would never hurt you by cheating on you."

 

"Looking at me when you say that would be a good start." She wasn't mad, just confused.

 

But then so was Seven. She could tell the minute she turned to look at her. "I know I've been a shitty girlfriend more times than either of us can count. But I would never do that to you." She turned back, her eyes finding him.

 

Raffi knew she could continue this or let it die—for tonight anyway.

 

She decided to do the practical thing and let it lie.

 

Until Liam came up, his face flushed but not from too much drink—it seemed like happiness making him warm. His smile was wide and open and he put his hands on their shoulders and said, "This has been a great night." Then he looked at her. "Thank you for welcoming me. I know it's weird."

 

Those damn eyes, that sweet smile, the timbre of his voice. God damn it.

 

And then he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Good night, Raff."

 

He moved to Seven and she kissed his cheek. "Good night, Liam. Your bar tab is huge."

 

"It was worth it. Seeing everyone." He oozed happiness and they weren't looking away from each other.

 

Raffi coughed softly.

 

"Oh, did you want to be included?" He turned to her, staring intently into her eyes until she pushed him away. "Guess not. I'll work harder on her, Seven."

 

"You do that, Liam." Her voice was beyond sexy.

 

She turned to her once he had left. "Seriously, hon'? What the hell?" She realized Seven was looking at her with clear intent. "Oh, come on. How do I know you want me or him?"

 

Seven leaned in, murmured in her ear, "So if my finger were to find it's way past your panties, I wouldn't find you...enjoying the idea of him? Not even a little?" Her voice was husky and loving.

 

"That's not fair. When you talk to me like that, I'm gonna be ready. But you can't prove he caused it."

 

"He is pretty, though."

 

"Yeah, he's pretty."

 

"And unexpectedly sweet."

 

"When he's not being a dick."

 

"Do you think I didn't notice you put on more eyeliner?"

 

"Did not."

 

Seven just laughed at her.

 

"Fine, let's get out of here." Raffi slid off the chair, waved goodbye to the crowd in case anyone was watching, and headed to their quarters.

 

Seven caught up with her before she got to the lift, holding her hand, then kissing her in the lift, laughing as she did it. They almost got caught when the doors opened on a deck they hadn't called for, laughed about it later as they hurried to her quarters.

 

Seven had her clothes off almost before the doors were closed, had her up against the wall, kissing her deeply. "I love you, Raffi."

 

"But are you thinking about him?"

 

"I don't know Ms. Smoky Eyes, am I? Are you?"

 

She laughed. "Maybe a little. But only because his eyes are pretty."

 

"So are yours." She went to her knees. "Do you want to discuss Liam or do you want me to use my mouth elsewhere?"

 

"Elsewhere, please."

 

And that was her last coherent thought for a bit.

 

##

 

Seven cuddled into Raffi, feeling boneless and utterly relaxed as she came down from her last orgasm.

 

"We should invite Shaw over more often," Raffi said with a laugh as she kissed her forehead and began to scratch her back the way she liked.

 

"Mmmm," was all the answer Seven could get out.

 

"So did you and he ever...? I mean we weren't together then. You two might have."

 

"No." She moved so an itchy spot would be within Raffi's reach. "Yes, there."

 

"Not even on an away mission or when you were a little tipsy? A kiss? A look at his privates—I bet they're ample. He seems pretty assured."

 

Seven pulled away enough so she could see Raffi's face. "I'm beginning to think you want to fuck him." She laughed.

 

"I'm asking if you did."

 

"I know you are. But why?"

 

"Because things happen between captains and first officers."

 

"Are you saying Picard and Riker...?"

 

"No but Janeway is with Chakotay now."

 

"Yes, I'm aware of that one." She sighed and curled back into her. "Can we not talk about Shaw?"

 

"Do you want him?"

 

She pulled away again to see her face. She hadn't sounded hurt and she didn't look hurt. "We just had really good sex. Why are we overanalyzing it?"

 

"Because it was really good sex after hanging out with him all night."

 

"Technically we sat at the bar and he was all over the place. You and I hung out with each other."

 

"Hmmm. But still there was dinner. The conversation was lively. Fun."

 

"Raff, maybe he's like watching porn together. Seriously let it breathe."

 

"I really fucking hate when you say that to me." Now Raffi sounded ticked off.

 

Seven sighed. "I know. That's why I said it. Can we talk about how mean I am instead of what Shaw and I didn't do while we were a command team."

 

"It'd be easier to say yes if he wasn't in love with you."

 

Seven went very still, then she met her eyes. "No he's not. At most it's a little infatuation. Good old-fashioned lust."

 

"No. He's in love with you."

 

She wasn't sure what to say. "Why are you doing this? We've had such a nice time."

 

"Because sometimes brushing shit under the rug makes a big ass bulge that you then trip over. Let's get this out in the open."

 

"There's nothing to get though. Even, if you're right."

 

"I am."

 

"Even if, I'm with you. So what difference does it make?" She touched her face, tracing her lips. "It's not like I can have you both, now is it?"

 

A super weird, awkward silence descended. Then Raffi murmured, "We should probably just go to sleep."

 

"Hard agree." She pulled her to her before Raffi could roll over. "I love you, Raffi Musiker."

 

"I love you too." She pulled her in, stroking her hair.

 

Seven fell asleep, but not before noting that Raffi had let her go and was on her side, facing away.

 

 

5.

 

Shaw was sitting in his office when Raffi rushed in, holding a toddler and a big bag and looking frantic.

 

"Hi," she said. "I need a favor."

 

"Uh, I know we have a personnel shortage since Frontier Day, but that child is too young to be recruited."

 

She laughed—against her will, he thought—and walked over to him. "This is Evie. She's my granddaughter."

 

"For real?"

 

"Yes."

 

"You are the sexiest grandma ever, Commander Musiker." He held his hands out and Evie came right to him and began to play with his beard.

 

Raffi was looking at him like something was off.

 

"What?"

 

"You're good with her."

 

"I have a huge family. There are always kids at reunions. Jeez, Raff. You wound me." He studied Evie. "Do you know how cool your grandmother is?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Good." He looked up at Raffi. "What's the favor?"

 

"Do you have a free hour? My son needed an emergency babysitter for her for the day, and I said yes because I thought I was free, but then Seven needs me at a meeting but only for an hour. I thought since you're kind of floating—"

 

"Adrift."

 

"Whatever. That you could watch her?"

 

"Oh, so that's why you didn't ask anyone on the ship? Because they have actual jobs? Real fu—fun. Real funning nice, Raff." He grinned at the kid, trying to hide that he'd been about to swear. "Evie, you want to go to the park?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Good answer. Okay, comm us when you're done. Grab Seven and we'll all get corndogs or something."

 

"Seven's in class all week other than this last-minute meeting."

 

"Then come alone. You don't dislike corndogs, do you?"

 

"No one dislikes corndogs, Shaw." She was already backing out of the office. "Thank you."

 

And she was off and he was left with Evie who seemed not at all upset to be with him. "Okay, kiddo, Unca-Lee needs to comm Auntie B'Elanna before we go to the park." He punched in her code and she answered immediately.

 

"You have a child?"

 

"At the moment, yes. Since I officially report to you even though you won't assign me a decent job, I'm letting you know that I'm taking the afternoon off to babysit."

 

"Whose kid is that?"

 

"Do you think I kidnapped a child just to get out of staring at regs?"

 

"Actually no. You like regs. But seriously, Liam, whose is she?"

 

"A friend's. I'm helping her out. Can I go? I promised we'd go to the park."

 

"Fine. I wish I could go with you."

 

"Live large. Play hooky."

 

"In your dreams. Torres out."

 

"All right Evie, let's go." He slung her onto his hip, put the bag over his shoulder figuring it carried diapers and other toddler things, and walked out of Command. It was a gorgeous day and a nice walk to the park. He got himself a coffee and then took her to the playground, where she toddled off to the sandpit and began to dig.

 

He sat on a bench and watched her, then once she was bored took her on the slides and put her in the kiddie swings, and avoided the fuck out of the merry-go-round because those things were deathtraps.

 

Evie was starting to yawn and so was he. He found a nice spot of grass, prayed no dogs had done their business nearby and dug through the bag to see if there was a blanket. Jackpot. He got her settled on it, sang her some Irish lullabies until she conked out, put his padd on her belly set for motion detection to wake him if she moved too much, and closed his eyes.

 

His communicator chirping woke him. Evie was still beside him, the padd on her tummy. He answered, "Shaw here."

 

"I'm at the park playground. Where are you?"

 

"Over by the gazebo. We're horizontal on the grass."

 

He saw Raffi in the distance and held his hand up gently—he didn't want to wake Evie.

 

Raffi stalked over—and it really was a stalking. She moved like a jungle cat and Shaw got a good deal of pleasure watching her move. Seven stomped, like an angry stallion only female. She could move quietly when she wanted to, but showing how she felt in her walk was really more her style. Raffi looked like she was stalking prey—for the fun of it.

 

She got closer and studied the padd on top of Evie. "You booby-trapped my granddaughter?"

 

"It has an alarm, not a bomb. Jeez. I just didn't want her to wander off while we were napping."

 

"She napped for you?"

 

"Well, we had big fun at the playground because Unca-Lee knows how to party in a sandpit and on the slides and swings." He laughed and sat up. "She's a little doll, by the way."

 

Her whole face changed, lit up, the love so clear. "She really is. I...I was estranged from my son for a really long time. When she was born, I wasn't allowed to be part of her life."

 

"What changed?"

 

"Worf." She smiled. "He's got a surprisingly mushy center."

 

He wasn't sure he followed.

 

"I'm not going to tell you more than that. Just that he changed their minds. And now I'm not grandmother non grata anymore. I'm grandmother who gets to see her granddaughter."

 

"That's a good story."

 

She sat down next to him. "I really would not have expected you to be great with kids."

 

"Then why'd you bring her to me?"

 

"I'm not entirely sure. I guess I just... Seven goes on about how you keep people safe. I want her to be safe. Ergo..."

 

He grinned. "I like keeping people safe. It's why I didn't put her on the merry-go-round and spin it maniacally until she flew off like a little Evie missile."

 

She laughed. "Good call." She took a deep breath. "Real air. Nice change."

 

He nodded.

 

"You said something about corndogs."

 

"I did, didn't I?"

 

She nodded. If they both hadn't been wearing sunglasses, he thought they might be staring into each other's eyes. "Guess we have to wait till she wakes up though," she said.

 

"Guess so."

 

"Boring for you."

 

"I don't think it will be."

 

Her smile was a slow climb of her lips, the curve lovely. "You flirting, Commodore?"

 

"Would you report me if I said yes?"

 

"You're not in my chain." She grinned, a more spontaneous smile than her previous one. "And I think you might not be as big an asshole as I thought."

 

"Oh, I probably am. I just have my good side too."

 

She laughed again. "Not a fan of your humor."

 

"Yes, witness you sitting stone faced. Oh, wait, No, you're laughing." He brushed a bug off her hair. "What you don't like is that my humor cracks you up."

 

"You're not wrong."

 

His padd suddenly went off as Evie moved beside him—not loud though. He didn't want to scare her if she was just shifting. It was at a tone he would always wake up for because it sounded like an engine on the first step toward really fucking up. "Hey, kiddo."

 

"Gammy," she said when she saw Raffi, a huge smile making her look even cuter than she normally did. "Unca-Lee is fun."

 

"Yes, he's so fun. Now, you want a corndog?"

 

"No."

 

"Wow. I love this kid. No is my favorite word."

 

Raffi rolled her eyes.

 

He tickled Evie until she laugh-screamed and asked, "How about a hot dog then?"

 

"Yes."

 

"On a stick."

 

"Yes."

 

"With cornbread around it."

 

"Yes."

 

"Problem solved."

 

Raffi was laughing again and her smile was sweet and gorgeous.

 

"Gotta tell you, Raffi: Seven is one lucky woman."

 

"You bet your bootie she is." She got up and took Evie's hand. "So, Liam, gather up her stuff and lead us to the concession stand."

 

"Wow. I take back what I said if you boss Seven around like that."

 

"Only in bed," she murmured so low that Evie wouldn't hear it but he could.

 

And he was grinning like a goddamned fool. "Good to know."

 

##

 

Seven was staring at the grab and go selections, trying to decide if she wanted to brave the main cafeteria, when she heard a familiar voice close to her ear say, "The turkey and Swiss is actually pretty good."

 

She grabbed it, a pack of her favorite chips, and a tall cup of dark roast with extra sugar packets, scanned her retina to log it, and followed Liam into the hallway.

 

"You still in class?"

 

"Captaining for Dummies."

 

He laughed. "I don't think that's what they call it. You got time to sit?"

 

"Barely, but let's do it."

 

They found benches in the hall and sat, she eating quickly, him taking his time.

 

"So you're in danger of becoming Evie's back up babysitter."

 

"Damn she's cute."

 

"She really is."

 

He studied her. "Raffi was surprised I was good with kids. Are you?"

 

"Liam, please. If we hadn't found that little boy's parents on Rinallik, you would have adopted him."

 

"God he was cute. And you're right, I would have."

 

"He was your shadow that whole mission."

 

"Damage recognizes damage sometimes. I think he knew there was no way in hell I was going to let him get any more hurt than he already was."

 

"I think so too." She got up and tossed her stuff in the recycler, then sat back down and took a long sip of coffee. "I hope this is strong enough to keep me awake. Most of the days haven't been bad but today is."

 

"Contracts?"

 

"Contracts."

 

"Condolences."

 

"They just consider so many things a contract. Now I know why you never took advantage of things offered to us by planetary officials."

 

He laughed. "You haven't lived until you get a big honking bill you have to explain—and have no contract in place to log it to. Those contracts people are animals."

 

"I bet." She let him eat as she drained her cup and ran and got a refill. By the time she got back, he'd recycled his food.

 

"I'll walk you back. Which corridor."

 

"E for excellent." She rolled her eyes. They were captains for fuck's sake, not kindergarteners. "Did you have fun with Raffi?"

 

"I did. You missed some pretty delicious corndogs." He glanced at her, his look gentle. "You were missed too."

 

She smiled, could feel herself blushing.

 

"Do you know why she came to me? Trusted me with Evie?"

 

"If she trusted you with Evie, then she must, at her core, trust you. God knows she's heard me go on about how you were a dick but I trusted you anyway." She smiled, remembering how happy Raffi had seemed after she dropped Evie back off with Gabe and Pel. "Also, you're fun when you want to be."

 

"Same could be said of you, darling." He put a really sarcastic spin on the endearment and it made her chuckle.

 

"True. She's the actual warm one of the three of us. Somehow life has not scrubbed her heart away. And she's been through shit."

 

"She told me a little of it."

 

"She doesn't share with just anyone. She told me something interesting, that you—" She stopped, unsure if this was wise.

 

"That I what?" He studied her. "Seven, what?"

 

"That you're in love with me."

 

"She told you that?"

 

She nodded. "Are you?"

 

"Yes, but obviously you don't have to do anything with it. I mean look at how I was."

 

"I had several years to look at how you were, Liam." She looked down. "I fell in love with you because of how you were—when you let down your personal porcupine deflector shield."

 

"Quite an image. And, uh, really? But past tense? So you're not anymore? Now that you have her?"

 

"It's not like you to jump to conclusions. You like to figure shit out, Commodore Shaw." She saw her classroom up ahead and stopped, meeting his eyes.

 

His were trained on her, his expression helpless and a little lost.

 

"Liam, are you working on Raffi so you can...be with us?"

 

"Uh, I didn't ask her to bring me her granddaughter. Maybe she's working on me?"

 

That had occurred to her too. "Maybe."

 

"Have you ever? Three?"

 

"Yes but not with people I loved."

 

"Same." He took a step closer. "Is that something you're thinking of?"

 

"Yes. But I don't know if I'm thinking of it because it's tantalizing but best left alone. Or..."

 

"Or...?"

 

"Or if it could work."

 

"I've been thinking a lot about that too. Three is a messy number if you do it wrong."

 

She nodded. Suddenly she felt trapped between him and the wall, which was ridiculous because there was lots of space for her to move and besides, she was stronger than he was. But emotionally this was getting heavy.

 

"Hey. Forget we talked about it. I don't want to get in the way of your happiness with her—or make right now more stressful for you. I know being a new captain is hard. Believe me, I remember all too well." He took a step back.

 

And now she felt abandoned. Fuck, could she be anymore of a mess? "I'm not going to forget we talked about it, Liam. But I may never mention it again."

 

"Just stay my friend." He looked so lost again.

 

"Of course. If I still like you after all we went through with Picard, I think that's a given."

 

 

6.

 

Raffi was doing Seven's eyes when the chime ring. "Come."

 

Liam walked in and took in the room—and probably how Seven hadn't even taken his knives off the wall. Did he not ask for them back or did Seven lie about having them? She'd never been clear on that.

 

"So let me see what I'm in for." He walked around to Raffi's side and stood watching as she finished lining Seven's eyes.

 

She was sort of sorry she wasn't invited to the induction of the Vakarimli into associate Federation membership. It was a cultural norm for every gender to accentuate their eyes, and they'd asked that the attendees at the ceremony do the same if they had eyes.

 

Since the Vakarimli had a shitload of dilithium, the Federation had agreed.

 

Seven had asked her to do her eyes because she was better at drama makeup. Liam had asked Seven to do it and she'd invited him up to have Raffi do it.

 

After asking Raffi if she would. Which Raffi appreciated.

 

She was doing a version of a smoky eye on Seven with black and teal and aquamarine. The rest of her makeup was minimal, and Shaw leaned in and touched the bridge of her nose, saying, "You have freckles."

 

"Yes, I know. I cover them up."

 

"Why?"

 

Raffi was interested in that too. She'd been urging Seven to let them show.

 

Seven sighed. "Because the people who taught me how to put makeup on told me to."

 

"You mean the Doctor?" Raffi shared a look with Liam. "The same guy who chose straight hair and big boobs for you?"

 

"He swore this is the size they would be."

 

"Yeah, but your hair should have been wavy. Like it is now. Like you changed it to once you were in the Rangers."

 

"Are you saying you don't like her breasts? I'm confused." Liam winked at both of them.

 

And looked adorable doing it even though it was super exaggerated.

 

"Of course I like them. But she didn't get a choice. She prefers wavy hair to straight. Maybe she would have preferred smaller boobs."

 

"My boobs are fine."

 

"Yes they are." He immediately turned red. "That was the part that was supposed to stay in my mind, not be spoken aloud."

 

Seven whapped him on the arm, and he took a step back, checking out Raffi's makeup bag. "What color are you going to do on me?"

 

"Black, gray, and olive green. You're going to be a beautiful man, Liam." She handed Seven the mascara. "You can put this on yourself better than I can. Don't screw up my work." She could have done it but she was eager to get started on Liam.

 

As Seven took the mascara to the bathroom mirror, Raffi patted the stool she'd borrowed from the lounge and said, "Sit."

 

He did it without arguing. A moment later, Seven was back, her lashes perfect as she took Liam's place behind Raffi.

 

"Close your eyes," Raffi said, as she went to work with the gray and the olive, every now and then having him open his eyes so she could make sure she was accentuating and not overwhelming his eyes. Then she went in with the black on the crease and as liner. She had a single use mascara to finish it up. She and Seven had given up trying to keep their makeup separate but she didn't want to use theirs on him—more sanitary. Not that she thought he was a germaphobe, but still it was the polite thing to do.

 

"What do you think, Sev?"

 

"So pretty. Go look, Liam." As he went into the bathroom, she pulled Raffi to her for a kiss. "Thank you for doing this."

 

"Owed him for the babysitting. Now we're even."

 

"Holy shit I'm pretty!" sounded from the bathroom and they both cracked up. Then he came out and said, "I'm drawing the line at lipstick."

 

"But would you let me make those cheekbones even more cut than they already are?"

 

"Do it. I may wash it off but we have time." He sat back down and Raffi made a powder contour of medium purple and a pinkish brown and worked it under his cheekbones.

 

"I want that," Seven said. "How come you didn't do that to me."

 

"You just don't have my cheekbones, toots." He stuck his tongue out at her.

 

"You look great the way you have them."

 

Seven rolled her eyes and walked away.

 

"Oh, now you've done it," he said in a pretend whisper. "I'll have cranky Seven all night."

 

Raffi blended the color down a bit so it would look more natural. "So you two are going...together? Like together-together?"

 

"Not if you say we can't." He met her eyes, and his were dead serious. "I'd like to dance with her. To be honest, I'd like to dance with both of you, but that will have to wait till later, since only captains and above for this." He trailed his hand down her hair, and she leaned into it before she realized what she was doing and eased away. "I'd sneak you in if I could, Raff."

 

She knew Seven was watching them from the mirror where she was getting her waves perfect. Could hear everything they were saying. She saw Liam glance over at her, imagined they were sharing a look in the mirror.

 

"Have fun," she finally said. "I'm not going to define how much. I think you both know where to stop."

 

"Yeah but she pushes till you slap her down—verbally, I mean. She's way stronger than me. So maybe you need to define?" He batted his lashes at her, and she thought he thought he was being silly, but really his eyes just looked even more gorgeous.

 

Sighing, because what she was about to do was so goddamned stupid but she just didn't care, she said, "This far—you watching, Sev?"

 

"I am."

 

"Good." And then she pulled Liam to her and kissed him.

 

Not a chaste peck on the cheek or a little brush on the lips. A full on kiss, and he pulled her to him, and they both moaned, and Seven laughed and said, "I get to do that with him?"

 

They kept kissing.

 

"Someday?" She waited a moment. "Maybe this century?"

 

They still kept kissing, Raffi even opened her mouth to him and he did not hesitate. Damn, the man was good with his tongue. That got her thinking of other places...

 

"I really should have gotten the first kiss, guys."

 

She let him go, and luckily he was holding on to her because holy shit this man could kiss—she was a little unsteady. "Come here, babe."

 

"If you two mess up my eyes, I'm going to be pissed." But Seven stomped over and Liam pulled her in without moving Raffi too much out of the way, so she could watch as they came together.

 

She wasn't sure how it would feel to see Seven with him. She'd certainly been thinking about it for the last few days. But they were just so pretty and Liam had slid his hand down so he was holding Raffi's, his grip soft, easy. Including her.

 

They pulled away much sooner than she and he had done. But they had the whole evening.

 

"Are you going to kiss at the ceremony?"

 

"No," they said in unison.

 

"Too public. I don't want anyone thinking I'm cheating on you, Raff."

 

"We might find a darkened alley though," he said with a silly grin.

 

Raffi rolled her eyes but she was pleased by their answer, reassured even.

 

"Can I have another?" Liam was leaning in but Seven pushed him out of the way and was kissing her, mouth open, tongue questing, and Raffi moaned and wrapped her leg around her.

 

"Holy Fuck you two really are the two most beautiful women." He was rubbing her back with one hand so she assumed he had his other on Seven's. But then he let go and went to the mirror to check out his cheeks. "My cheekbones look like they could cut steel. You're a wizard with a makeup brush, Raffi."

 

Seven eased away, brushing her hair off her face, her expression gentle. "We won't go too far."

 

"I know." She smiled and said very softly, "Some night we could take him to Frangipani." Their favorite club. Where any romantic combination was welcome. "We could all dance?"

 

"That would be fun." She glanced at Liam. "That's enough self-ogling, Shaw. We're going to be late."

 

"I just look so fucking hot."

 

Seven rolled her eyes. "You've created a monster."

 

"Seems like." She saw them to the door, then laughed when Liam slipped by Seven and caught her up for another kiss.

 

As he pulled away, he said in an incredibly tender way, "Hell of a kisser too."

 

"Yes, she is. Now, can we go?"

 

He shook his head and said, "What we put up with, eh, Raffi?"

 

"She's worth it."

 

"Hope to shit so." He dodged Seven's slap. "I mean, she sure is."

 

##

 

Shaw walked with Seven down the halls of the Federation building enjoying the looks they were getting. "They think we're hot."

 

"Mmm hmmm."

 

"Are you mad that she kissed me?"

 

"No."

 

"Are you sort of weirded out that she kissed me?"

 

She glanced at him. "Yes. I didn't expect her to be the one to escalate this."

 

"Do you mind that she did?"

 

She stopped him and pushed him into a side corridor. "Yes, because now all I can think about is kissing you."

 

"I don't hate that."

 

"Of course you don't." She huffed and walked back out to the main corridor.

 

It was a constant mystery to him how someone who'd been a drone could be so unfailingly dramatic. But it was fun. He joined her and they made their way to the large ballroom where every species with eyes had them made up.

 

"We win."

 

"There's no contest for best eye makeup."

 

"Well, there should be. You want a drink?"

 

"Bourbon—make it a double." She stuck close to him—she'd never been a fan of this kind of event—and took the glass from him without comment, throwing a decent swallow back.

 

He saw Tom Paris bearing down on them, his look intent. "Hi, Liam."

 

"Hi, Tom."

 

"I'm suppose to rescue you from him." He made an apologetic face at Shaw. "Janeway and Chakotay are worried she's hanging with you out of some misplaced sense of duty."

 

Seven rolled her eyes, then took Liam by the arm and said in her most commanding voice, "Take us to them."

 

God damn, he found Captain Seven of Nine a huge fucking turn on.

 

Tom led them back with a laugh, and Shaw could see the dismay on both of their faces.

 

"Don't worry, Admirals. Tom did his duty. Tried to save her from me. But Captain Seven here had other ideas."

 

She was glaring extra hard at both of them.

 

"Tone it down, Sev."

 

Janeway took a step toward her. "I thought you were with Musiker."

 

"I am."

 

"Then I'm sure Commodore Shaw can enjoy the event without you."

 

"I'm sure he'd enjoy it even more if he was with me."

 

"Good call." He pursed his lip and nodded in a way guaranteed to make her happy but irritate Janeway.

 

"With you?" Chakotay glared at him.

 

For the hell of it, he glared back but super obviously so it was more a joke glare. What was this idiot's issue? Other than he was the ex—and from what Seven had told him, he was the one who had done the dumping.

 

"Your eyeliner needs work, Admiral Chakotay."

 

"My eyeliner is just fine."

 

"If you say so." He kept his lips closed and blew hard, making the "I don't think so but okay" sound that invariably ticked folks off.

 

"My eye—"

 

"Howzabout"—Tom said, getting between them—"I take these two over to where me and B'Elanna are sitting and you two can make the rounds?" He was already moving them.

 

"Fine. We'll talk later, Seven." Janeway shot her a concerned glance.

 

Shaw made a face. "Jesus, don't I feel special."

 

"How's my eyeliner, Liam?" Tom was laughing as he batted his eyes at him.

 

"Pretty damn alluring. The missus do you up?"

 

"How do you know I didn't do it myself?" He grinned.

 

"I don't actually. You're a man of many skills, my friend. I imagine if you wanted to do makeup, you'd do it well."

 

"Are we going to talk about makeup all night?" Seven pushed past him to give B'Elanna a hug.

 

"You with him?" At least she didn't ask it with a sneer.

 

"Kind of."

 

"You still with Raffi?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Hmmm. Okay then." She pulled out a padd and handed it to her. "Liam look at this too. Does this make sense?"

 

"Ooh, more Jurati tech?"

 

"Yeah. Since we implemented the first bit of tech successfully, the Queen has indicated she will be delivering more as we go. In dribs and drabs."

 

Seven was studying it, then pointed to something on one of the schematics. "This piece. Is it what I think it is?"

 

B'Elanna nodded.

 

"Holy shit," he said. "This plugs that security hole we've never put in writing but all know about."

 

"Yes it does." She took back the padd. "Enough for tonight. But let's meet next week to talk about it. I'm thinking they can find someone else for the regulations project, Liam. How would you like to oversee the installation and performance of this tech?"

 

"On my ship?" Seven sounded very invested. But he was pretty sure it was a good invested, even if the others might not read it that way.

 

"He won't cramp your style, Captain." She laughed at her in the best way—the laugh of someone who knew and understood Seven. "And you're the test case. Eventually we'll be spreading this out to the fleet. Unless you'd rather we choose another ship...?"

 

"I didn't say that. I was just...surprised."

 

He heard a note in her voice. A happy one. He wondered if Raffi would be happy about the idea of him being on the ship for a while?

 

She sure had kissed him like she would be.

 

"Why did Kathryn think I needed rescuing from Shaw?"

 

"I'm wondering that too."

 

"Because she's trying to make up for all those years of neglect." B'Elanna smiled at him too. "And you guys didn't seem to end on a good note."

 

"I thought she'd turned me Borg." He remembered to whisper the Borg part.

 

"Oh, like Neelix?"

 

Seven nodded.

 

"You're not Borg." B'Elanna whispered it too. "But I can see how that would have bothered you. Did Liam ever tell you, Seven, that he and I were in a two-week engineering seminar back when we first got back? So unbelievably boring. Only this guy got me through it."

 

"Except you used Klingon words in hangman and counted each apostrophe as its own thing. So unfair."

 

She grinned. "And then you went and got assigned to ops track and we lost one of our best engineers."

 

"I can't say I'm sorry since I met this one—and the rest of that amazing crew—but I am happiest in engineering."

 

"Good."

 

The squeal of a microphone sounded.

 

"You would think by now they could figure that out..." Shaw muttered.

 

"Right there with you." B'Elanna turned to the stage. "Quiet for the ceremony."

 

The speech was mercifully short. Then the orchestra started up and people went to the dance floor.

 

"You want to dance, Liam?" Tom asked him with a grin.

 

"Don't have to ask me twice."

 

"Uh, no." B'Elanna grabbed Tom's hand. "You have to dance with me first. If you want to dance with him second—well, there's no accounting for taste."

 

"By the glare Seven's giving me, I don't think I'll be dancing with him at any point." He winked at them both, then let B'Elanna lead him away.

 

"So, you want to dance?"

 

"I'm sort of digesting that you're going to be on the ship."

 

"Are you okay with that? I know what's been happening might have been more fun if you were thinking you'd be leaving me behind eventually."

 

"I don't want to leave you behind."

 

"Do you think Raffi does?"

 

"Not by that kiss. That was a long fucking kiss."

 

"It really was." He let every bit of enjoyment sound in his voice.

 

"Yes. I want to dance."

 

He took her hand and led her to the dance floor. She surprised him at how graceful she was.

 

She seemed to see his surprise. "The Doctor taught me."

 

"Ah. the boob guy."

 

She laughed but bit it back before it turned into a true cackle. "Damn it, Liam."

 

"I get you every time. I think I need to say that if you want some time to think things over now that I'm going to be with you guys, that's really fine."

 

"While you were admiring your makeup, she mentioned taking you to our favorite club."

 

"For real?"

 

She nodded.

 

"I really enjoy her, Seven."

 

"I'm pretty sure she really enjoys you too. But I need to find out for sure. This does change things."

 

"I know." He smiled gently. "So no dank alleys in our future tonight?"

 

"We'll find a place to make out here—there's bound to be a few. If this does change things for her, I at least want to kiss you for as long as she did." Her smile was playful and sweet and he wanted to touch her face and trace her lips, but he settled for smiling.

 

They danced a while, then he introduced her to people she hadn't met yet but should, other captains, admirals he looked up to. He wanted to take care of her—even if this was all they ever had. He wanted to make sure the book she wrote really was fucking great.

 

They slipped out a while later but security blocked off any route except to the exit or the transporter room.

 

"You want to walk?"

 

"Yes." She took his hand as soon as they were clear of the building.

 

"Just for what it's worth, I wanted to deck Chakotay."

 

She laughed. "So did I. Not sure what he thought he was doing."

 

"They clearly think I was holding you hostage."

 

She squeezed his hand. "As if you could." Then she pulled him into an alley, going far down it, then pushing him against the wall. "May I kiss you, Commodore?"

 

"You better or I'll put you on report."

 

She went into his arms so easily, fit better than Raffi because she trusted him—God love her, despite it all: she trusted him.

 

He pulled her closer, wanting to feel her against him, wanting her to know how much he wanted her.

 

She finally pulled away and stroked his cheek, her eyes incredibly soft. "You're a good kisser."

 

"So are you."

 

"We should get back."

 

He nodded and took her hand. They talked about safe subjects on the walk to his building. She looked like she very much wanted to kiss him as she called the ship for transport.

 

"Good night, Seven," he murmured.

 

"Good night, Liam."

 

7.

 

Seven opened the door to her quarters and saw Raffi sitting cross-legged on the bed talking to someone on her padd.

 

"Hey," she said. "Seven's home. I gotta go." There was no reply as she cut the connection. "Hey, beautiful."

 

"Right back at you." She crawled across the bed and lay down with her head in Raffi's lap.

 

"Your makeup isn't that smeared. You and Shaw must not have found that alley to make out in after all?"

 

"We did. And...we need to talk."

 

Raffi closed her eyes. "Nothing good ever started with those four words.

 

"No, not like that." She rolled free, sat up, and eased Raffi toward her, kissing her as tenderly but thoroughly as she could.

 

When she eased away, Raffi searched her eyes. "Now, I'm really confused, Sev. Did you have a good time with him?"

 

"I did."

 

"So are we talking about what you want?" She looked resigned.

 

"More about what you want. But I need to give you some background."

 

"Okay."

 

"Agnes gave Starfleet Jurati tech and before the regulations project, Liam was in charge of that."

 

"I remember."

 

"So...Agnes has decided to give us more. But she's doling it out slowly. And we're the test ship for it. B'Elanna wants someone she can trust installing and assessing performance. So she's assigning Shaw to the ship. He won't be in our chain though."

 

"Ohhhhhh." She looked down. "Ohhhhh." The second time sounded different.

 

"Raff, you know I can be dense at reading subtleties when it comes to emotions. Was that 'Ohhh' a sign of dismay—or are you intrigued?"

 

Raffi slipped off the bed and started to pace.

 

"Raffi, he understands that him being on the ship changes things. That maybe this sounded fun because you could leave it behind."

 

"I could? Not we could?"

 

"We. Right."

 

She stopped and stared at her. "Do you want to leave him behind?"

 

"No. But I'm with you."

 

"Did you have sex with him tonight?"

 

"No. I did kiss him though. But I just wanted to have kissed him as much as you did—that was a really long kiss."

 

"I didn't mean it to be. But he's really damn good."

 

"He is. So I took how long you went and added in the kiss before we left, and then subtracted my kiss with him and that's how long I let it go on for."

 

She started to laugh. "And they say romance is dead." She sat down on the side of the bed, facing away from Seven. "There's still time, to try things, if we go slow."

 

"There is. But he's on the ship whether we do or don't." She moved back so she was leaning against the bed. "Do you want him, Raffi?"

 

"Fuck because...yes." She crawled up to join Seven and curled into her. "There's a part of me that's mad. That wants you for myself. That wants me just for you."

 

"I understand."

 

"But there's another part of me that knows we were broken up when you met him. For the second time. And that if I say no, you might leave again."

 

"You broke up with me."

 

"Yes, because you'd leave me. Even when you were lying right next to me. And I can't take that. I can't lose you again. If he's what we need..." She sighed. "Just promise me one thing."

 

"Anything."

 

"If you only want him, you have to be honest with me. As soon as you know."

 

"What if you only want him?"

 

She shot her a glare. "When do I ever want anyone more than you?" She motioned toward the padd. "That was Worf. He's..."

 

"In love with you. I see it every time he comes to visit."

 

She nodded. "And I love him. But you're my person. And now I think maybe Shaw could be too. If he's really as fun as he's been so far. And not just fun. Evie is so fussy about who she wants to be around—she loved him, Seven. She keeps talking about Unca-Lee to the point that Gabe asked me if I'd bring my new boyfriend to dinner."

 

"Uhhh, did you explain?"

 

"I told him he was just a good friend. Of both of ours. Gabe already thinks I'm out of control, even if he's let me back in. Do we really need to add to that with a threesome?" She turned to really look at Seven. "Say that it works? Say we go slow but find out that this is what we want? How open do you plan to be?"

 

She didn't look away. "I lost so much time in the collective, in the Delta Quadrant, being a ranger. I was alone more than with people. I know it's not smart for my career to be open, but I don't care. I love you and if I love him once we try this, then I want to be as open as we can. But, and this is huge but, what I want isn't as important as what you two would want. It's your careers too. So if you want to be discreet, even hide it, then I'd do that."

 

"But it wouldn't be your preference?"

 

"No. But this is up to you. I need you to think about whether you even want to do this, to include him. Or does it stop here, with a few kisses? No harm, no foul."

 

"He won't pursue you on his own?"

 

"I really don't think he will. He said to take as much time as we needed to figure out what we want."

 

"I want you happy. And...I'm not over the moon necessarily about this but he's so goddamned smart. And he's fun. And he's so..."

 

"Sexy."

 

"Yes. Damned sexy." She made a funny face at her. "How did you manage to not sleep with him when you served with him?"

 

"We were too busy being at each other's throats to stop and ask ourselves why. I was mad at the name thing; he was mad that I was reckless. I think though, that love was at the core. I felt it from him, how he felt, but then he'd knowingly hurt me with the choice of name. And he valued safety so highly and he knew I knew it—but I was reckless anyway. Betrayals on both sides."

 

"What do you want to do?"

 

"Go to Frangipani. Just enjoy a night out and see how it goes. Maybe he's only fun for a few hours."

 

Raffi rolled her eyes.

 

"It could happen. And then we'd know and we'd be done with him. For that I mean. Our friend Liam would still be on the ship." She kissed her again, sweetly, no pressure. "Think about it. We can talk later."

 

Raffi took her hand and squeezed as she shook it a little bit. "Here's the thing. If I said no and he was going to be on Earth, that'd be one thing. But if I say no and he's going to be on this ship, how long will you stay away from him?"

 

"Me? You're the one who seems to be seeking him out. Before the dinner. Giving him Evie."

 

"I'm just trying to manage this. And I knew he'd keep Evie safe. I'd never gamble with her well being. Answer my question. How much do you love him?"

 

"A lot. But I'm not going to cheat on you."

 

"But would you break up with me?"

 

She felt so helpless at the calm way Raffi had asked that. Couldn't answer in any way but the truth. "I don't know."

 

"Frangipani then. I'll call him tomorrow."

 

"You can take a few days."

 

"I can make fast decisions. It's the intel thing."

 

"It's a command thing too. One reason I wanted you for my first officer."

 

She kissed her gently. "I'm sleepy. Go wash off all that makeup and come to bed."

 

She slipped off the bed and smiled. "We had the best eyes. Hands down."

 

"Well, of course you did. You had me doing it."

 

##

 

The next day, after shift, while Seven lounged on the bed reading, Raffi took a deep breath and punched in the code for Liam. He answered, looking distracted. "Shaw," he said without even looking at the screen.

 

"This a bad time?"

 

His whole demeanor changed. "Hey. No. I thought you were my cousin again."

 

She laughed. "Seven and I want you to go out with us. To a club we like called Frangipani."

 

"I've heard of it. Supposed to be fun." He studied her. "I have a counter offer but not because I don't like your choice of venues. The reason my cousin is comming me incessantly is because he needs an emergency babysitter since he's the biggest dipshit in our family and has made his wife think he loves her only for her ovaries. I got him a nice table at another cousin's restaurant—it's a long story why he couldn't do that himself. See above for dipshit. Anyhow, they've got twins about Evie's age. I'm taking them to the world's greatest indoor playground while mom and dad rekindle their love. You want to bring Evie along?"

 

She was charmed and nodded. "I'll have to call Gabe to find out if she's got space for us on her social calendar."

 

"Okay. Will you come even if Evie can't?"

 

Seven was suddenly pushing in. "Am I invited to this? I feel very third wheel suddenly."

 

"No, hon', you're like the fifth wheel if you put the twins before you—sixth if Evie can squeeze us in."

 

"Fuck you, Liam." But she was laughing and she laughed even harder when he murmured, "There she is. Thought you'd gone soft on me."

 

"Let me call Gabe and we'll get back to you."

 

"But we're coming." Seven glared at her. "The two of us, not just Raffi."

 

"Seven, I know that. Relax." He gave her the sexiest look possible and Raffi felt a surge of jealousy, but she wasn't sure if it was because he was doing that to Seven or because he wasn't doing that to her.

 

This was more than a little confusing.

 

"However it works out with Evie, let's meet up at seven at the Central transporter?"

 

"That place is crazy at night. Evie's not great when you have to wait in long lines."

 

He grinned. "Neither am I. Fortunately flag officers and other high-ranking officials have a dedicated line. See you there."

 

He cut the connection and she called Gabe, explained about the outing, and Gabe said, "Yes. Please. If I have to hear about how fun Unca-Lee was one more day, I'm going to go nuts."

 

"You'll only hear more if the twins are nice and the playground is all Liam says."

 

Trust Seven to not make it better.

 

Gabe made a face that was probably a mirror image of Raffi's own. "So this Liam guy. Old friend or something? Mom's evasive."

 

"My former captain."

 

"Oh. Why didn't she just say that?"

 

"Because she's intel at heart and nothing is more fun than a secret. Even if it's not really one." She grinned at Gabe, and this time Raffi didn't mind her speaking for them because that was the mother of all evasions.

 

"You are not wrong. Bless you for putting up with her."

 

"Hey, I put up with her too, son."

 

"Right, Mom. We'll see you later."

 

They changed into casual clothes, had a quick dinner, and beamed down to the transporter nearest Gabe.

 

"So glad he's not still on Freecloud," she murmured and Seven agreed.

 

There was drama over which coat Evie was going to wear, but eventually they got her settled, Seven had the bag full of everything they might need, and they set off for the central transporter, which was just a few blocks away.

 

Evie saw Liam before they'd did. "Unca-Lee!" she yelled at an ear-splitting decibel.

 

"Come here, you," he said, holding out his hands and taking her once she'd leaned in. "How's my favorite Evie?"

 

"Good."

 

He slung her on his hip and Raffi glanced at Seven who was smiling as if this was not unexpected behavior.

 

"You're not overwhelmed by his paternal instincts?" she whispered.

 

"Saw them in action on Rinallik." But she had a super sweet smile, so the charm of Unca-Lee was clearly not lost on her.

 

Liam led them past the crowds to a special area, scanned his retina, told the technician where to send them, and they were off.

 

"Don't get used to this," she told Evie.

 

"Already decided against me?" He mock pouted.

 

"We'll all be on the ship. She'll be navigating transporter stations with her parents. My caution stands."

 

"Good point." He looked over at Seven. "You're quiet tonight."

 

"Just enjoying." Her voice was carefree, her smile very tender.

 

He smiled and turned back to the tech. "Chicago here we come." As they walked out and to the playground, Liam said, "So my dipsh—my cousin's name is Carter. His kids are Maria and Tamara. They are much smarter than he is, so do not judge them by him. Stacy is his wife and she's an absolute sweetheart, which is why we're doing this. Well and for the girls. He's beyond help."

 

They found them inside, in the waiting area and the twins rushed Liam, yelling, "Unca-Lee!"

 

She pried Evie away from him so his own kin could have a chance. Seven took the bag Stacy was holding. He had a twin on each hip as he told his cousins to have a good time and led the way into the playground proper.

 

"Holy cow." She and Evie were equally entranced. The place was like a fairy land, fantastical and lush.

 

"The toddler area's down here." He marched confidently down, talking the whole time to the twins who were both talking back at once.

 

"He's got the kiddie magic," Raffi murmured to Seven.

 

"Yes." Her smile was strained.

 

"Do you want to hold Evie and I'll take the bags?"

 

"No, I'm fine."

 

She tried not to take that as a rejection of her. But Seven had pulled away from Elnor the last time they'd fallen apart, before Raffi had left. And now sh