Thirds and Sixths
Summary: After Shaw is downed by a phaser blast, Seven sends his body to Sickbay and a stasis bed. But not even that is going to pull him back. He needs Seven, her Borg implants, and a crazy plan.
Which is what he gets because she is not letting him die without a fight.
Five
"Seven. Seven. God, Hansen, wake the fuck up!"
Her eyelids feel heavy as she prises them open. Her eyes are gritty and her mouth is dry. She swallows and her throat hurts.
"Shaw?" she mumbles, and her voice is croaky.
"Here." A hand wraps around hers, large and strong and very real. "My recommendation wasn't that shocking, was it?"
She blinks in an attempt to focus on him. Liam looks well; not like someone who has had a recent brush with death and his consciousness uploaded into his ex-Borg first officer. He's smiling at her, but worry darkens his grey eyes and his fingers tremble against the back of her hand.
"What happened?"
His smile falters and he looks away. "I told you I wasn't worth the risk."
Seven frowns deeper. "Shaw." He gives a slight shake of his head, still refusing to meet her eyes. "Liam."
That brings him back to her. His throat bobs as he swallows hard. "Transferring me back... did something to you. No one seems entirely sure what. But you crashed, Seven. Badly. We nearly lost you."
Oh. That makes the groggiest and sore throat make sense. "Pass me the water?"
He does so and she swallows greedily. The coolness of it soothes her throat and she closes her eyes in bliss. Shaw's hand tightens on hers. She hands the glass to him and waits until it's safely back on the nightstand. Then she lifts their joined hands to her mouth and kisses the back of his, never breaking eye contact with him.
"You were worth the risk, Liam Shaw," she tells him.
He sighs and then, the tug ever-so-gentle, pulls their hands to his mouth. She sighs at the brush of his lips. So very worth it.
"Thank you, Seven of Nine. You saved my life. I've no idea how I can begin to repay that."
She grins. "You can start by finding me something to eat. And sharing it with me."
He arches an eyebrow. "Like a date?"
"Not like, an actual date."
He nods slowly. Then his smile is a beautiful thing; all warmth and surety.
"You're keeping the ship," he says then, sitting on the edge of the bed. "But they're renaming her the Enterprise-G. I'm retiring my commission. No, wait." This as she grips his hand in horror. "It's okay. They're letting me back as an engineer. Chief, in fact. Once a grease monkey, always a grease monkey."
Seven takes in his happy smile and the way his eyes shine at her. She knows, but asks anyway. She wants to hear him say it. "On which ship?"
"Yours, Seven." He frowns a little. "That is, if you'll have me."
"If you think that I risked my mind and body on a wild hope that somehow worked, just to let you swan off into the sunset on someone else's ship, then you really are a dipshit.”
"That's a yes, I take it?"
"It's a yes, Liam."
He grins at her and then kisses the back of her hand again. If he's dishing out kisses, she'd rather them be on the mouth, but then she yawns widely.
"Go to sleep, Seven."
"You'll be here when I wake up?"
"Of course, I will." His smile is the gentlest one she's ever seen. "After all, I owe you that date."
Seven laughs, then sinks into sleep, Liam's hand still wrapped around hers.
o O o
Doctor Xiang discharges Seven several hours later. She goes back over to the Titan, hand-in-hand with Liam. It would be a big statement if there was anyone to see it. The ship is empty, though; repairs aren't due to get underway for a few days. They have her all to themselves.
"I want to see the bridge one last time," Liam tells her and she rolls her eyes.
"You'll be in Engineering, not dead. You'll see the bridge again."
"Not while she's the Titan, I won't."
Seeing his point, she leads them to the bridge. He breaks from her hold and wanders, his eyes very far away. Then he turns and drops into the centre seat. She takes his hand when he reaches for her. He tugs her closer and then pulls her down onto his lap, hands spanning her waist.
Seven knows her smile is wide and wicked as she drapes her arms over his shoulders. His eyes sparkle with mischief. He combs fingers through her hair, then touches her cheek gently.
"You're so beautiful," he murmurs. "I love you, Seven of Nine."
Warmth floods her. She traces his brow and then the sharp edge of his cheekbone. He's so fucking handsome. And alive. She's so damn happy about that. She leans in and kisses him slowly. He sighs and pulls her even closer. Deepens the kiss. She grinds down on the very interesting bulge that's developed in his pants.
"And you are trouble," he says with a laugh. "We're not fucking in the centre seat, dear heart."
"Too reckless?" she teases.
"Are you going to be able to sit here, knowing we defiled it?"
She would not. "Good point."
Liam holds her hand as she gets up and she smiles at that simple courtesy. Once he's up, he pulls her in, kisses her hard, and then heads off the bridge. She realises they're heading for his quarters, but she's not going to complain given that they are closer.
The door closes and he pushes her up against it. The restraint he showed on the bridge is gone; the kiss hungry and his hands impatiently undoing her jacket. She undoes his and pushes his trousers down. He's hard and huge. She has a momentary panic because it's been a while since she was with a man.
"It'll fit." His grin is feral. "Just relax, Seven."
One large hand covers her mound. She whimpers as he slides a finger inside her. He murmurs something about being fucking wet, then he's moving hard and fast and she's coming undone in record time. She cries out, hands gripping his shoulders.
"Fuck, you're hot when you come," Liam says, then he scoops her up and carries her to the bed.
Seven is boneless from the orgasm. Liam arranges her to his liking, legs wide and her hands above her head. He kisses her mouth and then worships her body - there is no other word for the attention he bestows to every inch of her - until she's writhing with need.
She pulls him up and shakes her head. "Enough foreplay," she pants. "I want you inside me, Liam."
"Never say I leave a lady wanting," he replies with a smug grin.
She's imagined this; him naked and hard, eyes intent as he pushes in. Fantasy did not do the stretch justice, though. He takes it slow, letting her adjust to the size of him, then sighs contentedly when he's fully seated.
"You feel amazing," he whispers, tone awe-struck. "Fuck, you are amazing, Seven. You saved my life. And for some insane reason, you love me.
"I do." She touches his cheek, then strokes down his beard. The hair is softer than she imagined. He's not left a burn on the inside of her thighs, which she’s very grateful for. "And you love me."
His smile is so happy, so unrestrained. She's never seen him so content and it warms her to know she's the reason for that. His smile turning wicked is all the warning she gets, though he thrusts gently for a while. Until she feels herself climbing.
Liam is with her every step, harder and faster, tipping them over the edge as one. He cries out her name when he comes and then murmurs, "Mine, mine, mine" against her neck, between sharp inhales, and they come down.
Seven strokes his back, revelling in the muscles under his damp skin. His body is a delight and one she's going to investigate thoroughly once she's the strength. For now, though, she's content to hold him close. To feel the way his heart beats against hers, whole and strong, because Starfleet Medical have performed a miracle and rebuilt it. Pulled his body together, back from the brink, and there's not even a scar.
"I told you that you weren't relieved of duty," she says and then kisses his cheek. "You were worth the risk to me, Liam Shaw. You always will be."
He lifts his head and smiles at her. "Back at you, Seven of Nine."
They disengage slowly and curl together. Liam pulls the covers over them. His sigh is content. Seven closes her eyes. He's gone before she is and she smiles at his soft snores. As she has plans for him that do not involve leaving his quarters for the foreseeable, she lets his slow breathing ease her into sleep. They have a lot of making up to do.