"I can't believe the two of them! After all we did for them, they still can't seem to get it together and just love each other." Tom complained, yet again. He so hates it when all his hard work ends up being for nothing.

"Calm down Tom. I mean all we really did was play background band musicians for Seven and Lanna. It was actually kinda fun to be up on stage like that regardless of why we ended up doing it." Harry tried to reason with his best friend. It was times like these that he wished he could have befriended Tuvok.

"But that's the thing, Harry, we did have a purpose. Seven first came to us to ask us to be in this band so that she could finally admit how she felt about Lanna to her face. The later on, Lanna asked the same thing. Each hoped that they could then, ya know, get together. But no, Seven just had to push B'Elanna away."

"Yeah, poor Maquis. She's heartbroken. Seven never even gave her a reason why she did what she did. But why are we dwelling on this point Tom?"

"Because, it's only right that we finish our job and help them get together. Right, Chakotay?"

"Um, yeah. You're absolutely right Tom. But first, I think I need to have a little talk with Seven. Computer, end program." Tom, Harry, the Doc, and the halls of Voyager all vanished only to be replaced by the yellow lines of the holodeck grid.

Chakotay stood there dumbstruck. He had set out on a personal mission several days ago to find out what had his former maquis crewmate so out of sorts. Now he knew. From the story he was able to put together, Seven had sung to a holographic B'Elanna Torres admitting her love for the woman. The 'real' B'Elanna then discovered this so she in turn sung to the 'real' Seven admitting her love for the ex-drone. All with the help of a back-up band consisting of, himself, Tom, Harry, and the Doctor. Then Seven, for some reason, pushed away from Lanna, hurting her more then anyone ever thought possible of the strong half-Klingon. So being the concerned friend that he was, Chakotay had been conducting his own little 'investigation' to try and figure out what had occurred. That's when he was lead here.

"Seven has some explaining to do." 'Never mind the illegal act of creating holograms of real persons but she hurt Lanna. She had definitely better have a good explanation for all this.'

And so Chakotay stomped out of the holodeck, a man on a mission.

* * *

"Seven! We need to talk. Now!" Chakotay pushed Seven back into the turbolift she had just exited.

"Commander?" Seven questioned with her customary raised eyebrow, her voice calm not betraying the shock nor the sudden fear she felt at being manhandled by what most would describe as a kind, gentle man.

"I know about you and Lanna. Don't even try to deny it. What I want to know now is why? Why did you break it off with her, especially without leaving her with any sort of explanation as to why?"

"It is of no concern of your's. It is personal." Seven could feel her anger suddenly boil towards the surface. How dare the 'commander' manhandle her and then demand answers of her that were truly none of his business.

"That's where you're wrong Seven. It is my business." Chakotay growled out through clenched teeth as he invaded Seven's personal space. "You not only broke federation law but you hurt Lanna. You hurt her so much so that I have never see her in so much pain. Not when she was in a Cardassian camp, not when she had found out her father left her, not even when she had found out that she lost almost all of her maquis friends to the Dominion."

"Perhaps the fact that I broke federation law is of your concern 'Commander' but do not be mistaken. My relationship, or lack thereof, with B'Elanna Torres is still none of your business." It was now Seven's turn to ground out words through clenched teeth.

"Are you so cold and callus that you're not even concerned how much you hurt B'Elanna? Perhaps everyone else was right. You're just an emotionless ex-drone that could never love anyone let alone Torres."

"Arhhhh!" Seven screamed, no longer able to hold back her emotions, those same emotions 'everyone' claims that she does not have. Rushing Chakotay, Seven slammed the big man with all of her borg might in the back wall of the turbolift. "You are wrong I do love Lanna. I do feel. I feel too much." Just as suddenly as the anger had come, the fight drained out of Seven just as quickly. Backing off of the wheezing man, Seven's back hit the wall and she slumped down to the floor. "I feel afraid." It was a whispered confession that Chakotay had just managed to catch.

"Afraid of what Seven?" The counselor's voice had calmed, no longer did he sound angry. Chakotay knew that in order for him to get through to Seven he'd have to provoke her into opening up. And now that he had accomplished that, he only wanted to help Seven overcome whatever it was that was preventing her from being with her love.

"I am afraid of many things. That I would not be adequate for Lt. Torres, that I am still too borg in my mannerisms, that I would repulse her with my borg implants, that I perhaps can not control my feelings for her, that I am damaged beyond repair, that I am 'destined' to be alone, that I will not know how to properly love her. I. Am. Afraid."

"But Seven, don't you realize that that is what most humans feel when entering into a new relationship with another person? Perhaps they don't have your specific fears but they still fear getting involved, opening up, and allowing yourself to become vulnerable when it comes to the one you love. You just have to be able to accept these fears and push past them. They'll never go away, so don't even ask me how to make them go away. Even when you’ve been with your partner for years, those fears are still there. It's a part of love that one must accept and move on from. That is if you truly love the person you want to be with. Cause if that's the case, I can guarantee you it'll all be worth the few negative, uncomfortable feelings. Do you love Lanna? I mean truly love her?"

"Yes, of course." Seven's head shot up as soon as she felt her hands being wrapped in a second pair of hands. She never even noticed when the Commander had moved to get close to her.

"Then, what's stopping you? You already know she loves you."

"But will she be able to accept my fears, my inadequacies? I can not be perfect for her like she is for me."

"Seven, no one's perfect, not even Lanna. Let me finish. You may think she's perfect but what about all her negative qualities? She's aggressive, hot-headed, impulsive, illogical, and the list goes on. She has imperfections just like you do but love allows us to see past those imperfections and to see the woman beneath. I'm sure she feels the same about you. Have you even discussed with Lanna about your fears?"

"No."

"I thought so. She might just surprise you and say that your fears are all unfounded, which they are."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. And I think I have the perfect way to go about testing my theory. We're going to ask Lanna exactly what she thinks of all your fears."

And so Chakotay pulled Seven to her feet, ordering the turbolift to unseal the doors, and walked out, all before Seven could possibly voice an objection.

* * *

Back on the holodeck, in the same bar/stage program Seven had set up to sing to her love, there she was again getting ready to sing yet again. Peaking out through the curtains, Seven saw that the holodeck was filled to the rim of fellow crewmembers all talking amongst themselves just waiting for this special show to begin. Though there was one notable person missing. Unfortunately, Captain Janeway was unable to attend tonight’s impromptu show. The middle table lay empty, specially reserved for someone special.

And just as Seven looked from table to holodeck door, in walks that someone special, albeit reluctantly, but thank whomever that she was being escorted in by Samantha Wildman. Both ladies sat at the middle table just as Seven got a tap on the shoulder from one Tom Paris.

"Okay, Seven, we're ready to begin whenever you are."

"Mr. Paris." Seven called the retreating helmsman back. "I wished to thank you for suggesting the song we are about to perform. It fits what I am feeling very well and if it wasn't for your suggestion then I might not be able to express myself so true to nature. Thank you."

"Ah, well, you're welcome Seven. I just want to see Lanna happy. And for some strange reason you make her happy. Now what do you say we get this show on the road?"

"Indeed."

After quite a long-winded introduction for the group and each of it's members, Neelix finally got around to saying, "And now the Voyager Crew's Band."

The lights dimmed and the curtain rose. The electric guitar, played by Paris himself, roared to life playing an intro to the song. Seven stepped up to the microphone, lowered eyes and began to sing what she couldn't say.

And if I fall along the way
Pick me up and dust me off
And if I get too tired to make it
Be my breath so I can walk
And if I need some other loving
Give me more then I can stand
And when my smile gets old and faded
Wait around I'll smile again
Shouldn't be so complicated
Just hold me and then just hold me again

Seven pleaded to her love knowing that she'll never be perfect but hoping that Lanna would still wan to be with her no matter what. Looking up and directly into the eyes of her love she continued on with the song.

Can you help me I'm bent
I'm so scared that I'll never
get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will live
with you and me bent

Seven confessed to all in the room, but first and foremost her love, how she saw herself. Bent.

And if I couldn't sleep could you sing
Could you paint me better off
And could you sympathize with my needs
I know you think I need a lot

The ex-drone did something no one ever thought was possible, she asked for help, understanding, and comfort.

I started out clean but I'm jaded
Just folding it in
Just breaking my skin

B'Elanna ached for the woman on stage, here she was admitting not only that she had been hurt beyond measure in the past but that she wasn't perfect and impervious, instead she was afraid of getting hurt again. 'How could I have ever doubted her love for me?'

Can you help me I'm bent
I'm so scared that I'll never
get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will live
with you and me bent

And Paris strung the guitar while Seven closed her eyes, letting all of her emotions, her fear, her love show through.

Start bending me
It's never enough
Till I feel all your pieces
Start bending me
Keep bending me until I'm completely broken in

Seven pelted out that last line as her head was thrown back completely caught up in the motions of what she felt.

It shouldn't be so complicated
Just touch me and then just touch me again

Can you help me I'm bent
I'm so scared that I'll never
get put back together
Keep breaking me in
And this is how we will live
With you and me living without understanding

And I'll go there again
Can you help me I'm bent
I'm so scared that I'll ever
get put back together
Yeah, you're breaking me in
And this is how we will live
With you and me......
Bent

Seven finished the song with tears in her eyes. Looking desperately to the woman she loved for acceptance, to wash away all those fears she had.

B'Elanna slowly got up from her chair amidst the thunderous applause from the crowd and made her way to the stage. She held out her arm and was immediately lifted up onto the stage by Seven.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lanna whispered even though the crowd was still making so much noise. Thanks to Seven's enhanced hearing, she knew the woman would hear he question.

"I was.... afraid." Lanna unfortunately didn't have the luxury of enhance hearing so Seven had to lean down and whisper in the engineer's ear.

"You should have been. I love you and that's all there is to it. I love YOU Seven of Nine, all of you, faults and imperfections galore."

"And I love you B'Elanna Torres. I promise I shall never run away from that love again, fears 'be damned'." Lanna smirked at Seven's little curse, which sounded all too cute coming from her. Then she leaned in for a smoldering kiss from the woman whose arms she was now in. But that only brought more of a thunderous roar from the crowd, now including hooting and hollering. So with a roll of her eyes, Lanna called for the computer to shut down the holodeck program. Except after the bar and stage disappeared, the noise still remained. Looking around she now saw disgruntled crewmembers who were obviously not ready for the show (or program) to end.

"I thought only Sam knew and that she was in on helping you to seduce me again." Torres said with wide eyes of disbelief.

"No B'Elanna, I not only wished to show you how I felt but all the rest of the crew. Sam knew only that this program might cheer you up so she volunteered to escort you here. She had not, at the time, realized how we felt for each other. I love you and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused you."

"Mmm, and I know just how you can make it up to me. Let's go. Computer, Exit."