*

Doctor Hansen stretched out on the lounging chair in the family studio, putting his hands behind his head. He was watching his wife as she worked. She was concentrating, her face scrunching up as she worked on the canvas, using the brush, then the pallet knife to blend the colors, feathering the edges to get just the effect she wanted. The portrait was beautiful.

She was working on a painting of him with Kathryn B’Elanna. It was a holo-image she had shot of the two of them during an afternoon on the holodeck. They had been playing in Flotter’s forest and were about to leave after an afternoon of play that had worn all of them out. He was sitting on the rock cropping, and Kathryn B’Elanna had joined him, sitting on his lap. She had leaned her head back against his shoulder and had drawn her hand back to rest her palm against his cheek. Looking up at him, she had lifted her head up to kiss his other cheek. Seven had caught the image – the love in the kiss and the love in his face. It was a magic moment, and she was now capturing it on the canvas.

The Doctor watched as Seven shifted, moving to watch the colors as the light hit them, making small adjustments in the lines on the painting. He almost laughed when she absentmindedly lifted her hand to her push back a strand of hair, smearing sepia paint across her forehead.

Suddenly, the world seemed to move in slow motion to him. He watched as she gracefully lifted her arm, the brush stroking the canvas, her hips moving slightly as she shifted her weight to her right let. He sighed, thinking she had never looked so beautiful to him.

She had softened. The lines in her face, once so angular were now softer lines, curving gently, giving her face a tender look. She was still slender, but her body had lost its stiffness. She moved gracefully, effortlessly, almost reminding him of a dancer. He concentrated on her face, seeing the small crow’s feet starting to show at the corner of her eyes and the laugh lines deepening around her mouth. They had laughed so much these last four years.

She lifted her hand to her face, brushing back her hair. She had never let her hair grow long again. It was a softer cut, falling just short of her shoulder, brushed back from her face and tucked behind her left ear, but falling toward the right side of her face. She no longer wore the regenerative suits he had first designed for her. She didn’t need them anymore. She preferred outfits that were similar to the uniforms the crew used to wear, but had modified. The top was a soft blue, tapered at the waist, tucked into fitted black slacks and shoes that she described as "more functional." He laughed when he thought about that. What she meant was she had picked shoes that allowed her to play in the holodeck with her daughter.

She turned to him, seeing the smile on his face, returning it with one of her own, the smile stretching to fill her face and showing her teeth.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you smiling at me?"

He laughed. "I was just enjoying watching you."

She turned her head to study the painting again. "You always enjoy watching me."

"And you never mind."

She cut her eyes to him, pursing her lips. ‘No. I do not."

He did not speak, but continued to watch her as she painted. She stepped back to study the painting, turning her head from side to side as she checked the perspective. She moved to the small table beside the painting and picked up another tube of paint, squeezing a dab on her pallet. Before she could mix it, Kathryn B’Elanna clomped into the room. Looking at her, Seven rolled her eyes at her husband. He twisted so he could see his daughter.

She was dressed in the clothes that Tom Paris had helped her pick out – based on a style from the twenty-first century. It was an outfit he referred to as "hip." The shirt was a tie-dyed tee shirt; the pants were bell-bottomed blue jeans. She was also wearing a vest like B’Elanna often wore, the multitude of pockets filled with tools and gadgets. Her blonde hair was styled much like B’Elanna’s. She would not wear her hair long. She said it was ‘inefficient.’ Sometimes, he thought she acted more like B’Elanna than either of them. But, she looked her mother. She had her beautiful blue eyes and delicate face. She did have his smile and his outgoing personality, but she had her mother’s seriousness. She had his sense of humor and curiosity about life, and her mother’s quick mind. She was tall and slender just like her mother.

He noticed her uneven gait and looked down. She was wearing her mother’s heels, her feet not nearly filling them, causing her to have to slide her feet across the floor to keep from walking out of them. He laughed as she scooted up to him and plopped her crossed arms on the arm of the chair.

"I’m hungry. When’s lunch?"

He grinned at her, lifting his arm around her shoulders. "Are you hungry again?"

"Yes." She gave him a pouting look. "I haven’t eaten for two whole hours."

"How is it that you’re always hungry, and I never am?"

"Because, Daddy," she lifted her hand and poked her finger in his stomach, "you’re a hologram."

"I am?" He acted shocked.

She giggled. "Yes, you are!"

When she lifted her finger and poked it in his stomach again, he adjusted his matrix and allowed her finger to pass through his body. She squealed and jerked her finger back. "Daddy!"

He laughed and reached for her, pulling her into his lap and giving her a big hug. Kathryn B’Elanna wrapped her arms around her father’s neck, laughing. Seven watched them, then put down her pallet and walked over to them.

"I am feeling left out."

KB and the Doctor looked at each other, and the Doctor asked his daughter, "Should we let her join us?"

KB gave him a serious look. "Has she been good?"

The Doctor gave the question considerable thought. "For the most part."

Seven crossed her arms in front of her and waited.

KB looked up at her mother, squinting her eyes, a doubtful expression on her face. Her mother lifted her eyebrow. Finally, KB nodded and said to her father, "I guess we should."

"Okay!" He tightened his grip on his daughter and slid over to make room for Seven. She stretched herself beside him, accepting a big hug from her daughter.

"It’s a good thing you decided to let me join you otherwise someone might not have gotten dinner tonight."

"Oh, Mommy," KB hugged her again, "you wouldn’t do that."

Seven teased her. "Oh, I might think about it."

The Doctor winked at her. "And what about me?"

"What about you?"

"What would I have missed out on?"

Seven gave him an evil look. "Use your imagination."

"Oh, no!" He freed up one arm and wrapped it around his wife. "We can’t have that. Come here." He hugged both of them to him, almost sorry when KB pushed away.

"I’m going to get something to eat." Sliding off of him, she headed for the kitchen area of their living quarters.

Seven called over her shoulder at her, "No sweets!"

"Okay fine."

"‘Okay fine?’" The Doctor gave his wife a puzzled look.

"It is something new she has started saying." Seven shook her head and watched her daughter for a moment, then lowered her face to kiss her husband softly on the lips. "I need to get back to my painting."

He tightened his grip on her. "Do you have to?"

"Yes." Her voice was emphatic. Then, she added, her voice softer this time, "But in a few minutes." She allowed herself to rest close to him, enjoying the feel of his body against hers.

Suddenly, they heard Kathryn B’Elanna exclaim and start stomping in their direction.

"Daddy! The baby is coming. Hurry! The baby is coming. Please, can I go with you? I want to see the baby born!"

She flung herself on the two of them, her words rolling together in her excitement. The Doctor started laughing as he pushed her up off of him. "No. I’m afraid you can’t come with me."

She stomped her foot. "Please, Daddy? Please let me."

"Kathryn B’Elanna, now we have discussed this. You’re too young." He gave Seven a quick kiss and stood, giving his daughter a kiss on the top of her head.

She crossed her arms across her chest in a pure B’Elanna pose and sighed her frustration. "Okay fine."

Before he could take a step, Tom Paris’ excited voice came over the com. "Doc. I think this is it!"

The Doctor slapped his combadge. "I’m on my way, Tom." Grabbing his tricorder he said, "I’ll be back later. I don’t know if I’ll make it back for dinner."

"Good luck. Kathryn B’Elanna and I will probably be in the holodeck." He quickly left, and Seven turned to her daughter. "Go change your shoes, and we’ll go."

"But I wanted to see the baby come."

Seven went to her daughter, turned her around and gave her a gentle push. "Kathryn B’Elanna, you know…."

"I know. I’m too young." She started clomping out of the room. Then, she stopped and turned to face her mother. "But I won’t be for long!"

Seven watched as her daughter left the room and whispered her response. "I know. I know."

The Doctor entered his sickbay to the sounds of grunts and heavy breathing. Tom Paris turned to greet him, his face both anxious and excited.

"I think this one is it, Doc. No false alarms this time!"

"I know," he chuckled, "Kathryn B’Elanna told me. She wanted to come see the birth."

Supala lifted her head, her face flushed with the excitement of the impending birth. "I’m not surprised she would know. She said she has talked with the baby already."

"I imagine she has." The Doctor shook his head, walking over to the biobed and checking his patient’s lifesigns, smiling as he did. "Everything looks wonderful." He patted the huffing woman’s arm. "I don’t think this will take all that long." The face turned to him, the eyes wide with both anticipation and anxiety as she breathed through a contraction. Tom was behind her, helping her. The Doctor lifted a gown and put it on. "B’Elanna, are you ready?"

"I’m ready, Doctor. Let’s bring this baby into the world."

At that moment, the doors opened and Ketaria came rushing in. "Am I later?"

"No, I think you’re right on time." He moved to activate the diagnostic scans of the biobed. "I think she can use your assistance right about now." As Ketaria moved into place, the Doctor took a last glimpse around the room. "So, now I guess we are only missing the father. Does he know?"

Tom answered, "I called him. He should be right here."

The Doctor checked the baby’s status, seeing the crown, "He’d better hurry or I’m afraid he’ll miss the event."

At that moment, the doors swished open again and a figure came running in, sliding to a stop at the assemblage around the biobed. Reaching out, he grabbed his wife’s hand, just as another contraction took hold of her body.

"Kathryn, are you okay?"

She groaned. "Never better, Chakotay. But," she squeezed his hand so hard he grimaced, "will someone please tell me why I thought this would be a good idea? I’m too old to be having a baby."

"No you’re not." The Doctor arranged the sheets around her knees, preparing for the birth of the baby. "You’re in perfect physical health, and you have the best doctor in the Delta Quadrant. You and your baby are going to be fine."

"Uhggg." She groaned, and Chakotay quickly moved in behind Kathryn as Tom slid out of his way, watching as Chakotay wrapped his arms gently around her, helping to support her body with his. He kissed her lightly on the check and whispered into her ear. Tom saw her smile and reach back to place her hand on his face, pulling it tightly to hers.

He turned his head to give them as much privacy as was possible in the zoo that had become the sickbay. The room was crowded with people who absolutely refused to be anywhere else. Everyone was excited about meeting the newest member of the Voyager family. He checked the monitors, seeing the healthy heartbeats of both the mother and her daughter. Another little girl. For some reason, he was pleased that Chakotay and Kathryn were having a little girl. He knew how much Chakotay was looking forward to being a father and to holding his daughter in his arms.

They would call her Kate – or Katie as everyone was already referring to her. Chakotay had started calling her that almost from the minute they learned they were pregnant. He realized, with a start, that he was a little jealous of them. Looking up, his eyes made contact with his wife and knew she was feeling the same thing. B’Elanna glanced down at Kathryn, then looked back up to him and gave him a questioning look. He grinned and shrugged. They would discuss it later.

"Okay, everyone. I think this baby is about to make her entrance." The Doctor moved into place. "Kathryn, when I tell you, I want you to push."

They were in the holodeck, lying on their backs on a grassy field, looking up at the clouds in the sky.

"There’s a bunny rabbit." Kathryn B’Elanna pointed to a cloud to their left.

"Yes, and there is a witch on a broom."

"Where?"

"There."

"No, Mommy." Kathryn B’Elanna laughed and rolled over on top of her. "That’s not a witch on a broom."

"If you use your imagination, it is."

"You’re funny."

Seven laughed, lifting her hand to brush the hair on her child’s head. Kathryn B’Elanna looked deeply into her eyes for a moment then laid her head down to rest on her mother’s chest. Seven placed her free hand on her back, suddenly aware of how low long her daughter was. Stretched on out top of her, Kathryn B’Elanna’s head was under her chin and her feet touched Seven just below the knees.

When did her child get to be so big? Kathryn B’Elanna would soon be seven years old. Seven. Where had the years gone? Seven years. Kathryn B’Elanna would soon have something that she herself had never had – a seventh birthday party. From this point forward, everything that Kathryn B’Elanna experienced would be something Seven would experience for the first time with her daughter. How would she handle it? She had no frame of reference to guide her through the rest of her daughter’s childhood. Thank goodness she had the Doctor. But he had never had a childhood either. Regardless, he still seemed to handle life easier than she did. He took everything in stride and with a level of excitement at which she could only marvel. Their child was like that. Their child looked forward to everyday with an intensity that breathed life into each moment. It had made life more exciting for all of them.

Seven rubbed her hand up and down her daughter’s back, feeling her lithe body. She was slight, yet strong. Delicately built but with a physical presence that called attention to her whenever she entered the room. Kathryn B’Elanna had a confidence that Seven could only wonder at. How could she have had a child like that?

But this child had added to her life in a way that she would never have been able to imagine when Kahkar first made the offer to give them a child. It had seemed such an impossible dream at the time. She was Borg. The Doctor was a hologram. That the two of them could ever have their own child was pure fantasy. She thought about the day that the Doctor confirmed that she was pregnant. They had been lying in their bed, and he had scanned her. He had watched the screens carefully, then lifted his eyes to hers. She had known immediately. At that moment, she did not know how to react. She was both excited beyond belief and scared to death. She was pregnant.

She had started crying, and he had held her. She had pulled herself up into a ball, as if doing so would protect the child she carried. She had grabbed to the Doctor and had not let go. She had never felt such overwhelming emotion. Even knowing the risks involved in carrying Kathryn B’Elanna could not diminish the excitement they both felt.

This person that she carried for nine months, held in her arms as a newborn, nursed as a baby, held while she cried, changed her diapers, fed and loved was now stretched out, almost covering her own body. How had she grown up so fast?

She felt her child shift and watched as Kathryn B’Elanna raised her head to look in her face. Tentatively, Kathryn B’Elanna lifted her hand and traced the implant on the side of Seven’s face. Seven did not react, did not show the surprise she felt. Kathryn B’Elanna had been fascinated with her implants as a baby, but had never seemed to pay them any attention since. Then, she pulled her hand away, curled it up into a fist and lowered it to her mother’s chest, resting her chin on it. She reached with her right hand to trace the ocular implant over Seven’s eye.

"Mommy?"

Seven gave her a puzzled look. "Yes, Kathryn B’Elanna?"

"Tell me about the Borg."

Seven froze. The words came out of nowhere. The question was one she knew she would hear one day, but it still scared her. She blinked, trying to give herself a moment to prepare her response.

"What do you want to know?"

"Who are they?"

Seven looked at the expression in her child’s face, seeing the innocent curiosity. "The Borg is a species that assimilates other beings into their collective."

"Are they bad?"

"What they do is bad because they assimilate people against their will."

"So they are bad?"

Seven sighed. "It is the nature of the Borg to assimilate other species. The drones who do the assimilating are forced to act in that matter. If they could act as themselves, they would not be bad. But the drones do not act on their own. They act at the direction at the Queen."

"Is the Queen bad?"

"Kathryn B’Elanna, I do not know. She acts to protect and enhance the collective. That is what she is supposed to do. But her actions hurt other people and that is bad."

Kathryn B’Elanna studies the implant over her mother’s eyes. After a long period of silence, she said, "I met her once."

Seven nodded. "Yes, you did."

"She loves me."

"Yes, I believe she does."

Kathryn B’Elanna’s eyes moved to her mothers. "She loves you."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Seven took a deep breath, watching as it caused her daughter to raise slightly. "I do not know."

"Am I Borg?"

Seven felt her heart beat faster. "Yes, you are. But, you are also human and Batair."

Her daughter’s eyes immediately glinted humorously. "And hologram!"

Seven laughed nervously. "Yes, and hologram."

Kathryn B’Elanna started to move her finger over the ocular implant again. Then, she rolled off of her mother’s body and nestled closely to her, her head resting on her mother’s shoulder. Pointing to another cloud, she said, "Look, Mommy, there’s a doggy."

"Yes, I see." Seven’s voice was controlled, her thoughts guarded. She tested herself, not feeling Kathryn B’Elanna probing her mind. She felt how relaxed her daughter’s body was next to hers, hearing her laughter as she pointed out shapes in the clouds overhead. Seven tried to laugh with her, tried not to let her fear show in anyway to her daughter. It was the moment she had dreaded the most. She just hoped she had handled it well.

Kathryn was propped up in the biobed, holding her daughter in her arms. Chakotay was sitting on the edge, his arm wrapped around his wife, his eyes locked on his child.

"She is so tiny." His voice almost quivered with emotion.

The Doctor reached out and pulled the blanket away from her face, seeing the tiny eyelids, nose and lips. "Katie is just perfect, Chakotay. Six pounds, eight ounces. She is probably just going to be petite like her mother. And everything is there." He smiled at the two of them. "She’s in excellent health – and so’s her mother."

Kathryn smiled at him through a haze of tears. Resting her head against Chakotay’s shoulder, she said, "I just cannot believe this." She reached up and touched her baby’s face, feeling how soft her skin was, seeing the veins that ran under the skin.

At her mother’s touch, Katie started to cry. Kathryn looked up to the Doctor, a bit of panic in her face. The Doctor laughed and looked around the room at all of the faces watching the new family.

"I think she’s hungry so I’m going to ask all of you to leave." He started herding everyone out of the sickbay. "You can all come back later, but right now, it’s dinner time for Katie."

Ketaria, Tom, B’Elanna and Supala waved their good-byes as they left, laughing that neither Kathryn nor Chakotay seemed to notice they were leaving. As the sickbay doors closed behind them, Tom reached out and gave B’Elanna a hug.

"Well, that was wonderful."

B’Elanna nodded her head. "I’m so glad everything went well. I know Kathryn was nervous."

"So was Chakotay!" Tom laughed.

"Yes," agreed Ketaria, "but they did fine."

"And, did you help them?" Tom cast her a knowing grin.

"Well, a little," admitted Ketaria, "but I didn’t have to help much.

Supala gave Ketaria a slight frown. "Did KB help?"

"No. I did not feel her." Ketaria reached out and took her arm. "I think her mother kept her pretty distracted.

"Good. She really wanted to be here today."

"Well, the Doctor and Seven had talked to her a lot about what was going to happen, and she knew she would not be allowed to be present."

B’Elanna laughed, "Plus, we had a little talk also." When everyone looked at her, B’Elanna continued, "I told KB I would be there, and that I would know if she was there, and if she was we would thoroughly discuss it later."

They all laughed. They knew exactly what B’Elanna meant and knew that would have been enough to keep KB in line. Everyone knew that KB minded her parents, but B’Elanna had a special talent for getting the children to behave. If B’Elanna told one of the children to do something, it usually got done.

They turned a corner to see the turbolift open and three figures come out. The two little ones immediately started running for them, yelling.

"Mommy! Mommy! Is the baby here?"

Supala squatted down, holding out her arms to her twins, taking one in each arm. ‘Yes, Katie is here."

"Can we see her?" They asked their question in stereo.

Supala laughed, hugging them tightly as Harry reached them. "I take it everything went okay."

Ketaria answered, "Yes, Harry. Everything is fine. Katie arrived and everyone is doing well.

Harry reached down and picked up their son while Supala stood, picking up their daughter. Harry leaned over and gave his wife a quick kiss. "Did you do okay during the delivery?"

"I did fine. I didn’t even get squeamish."

Tom concurred, "She did great. She’s going to make a wonderful nurse."

Supala blushed a deep red, embarrassed by the praise. Harry stepped forward, taking his wife’s arm. "I think we need to get these little ones home. It’s going to be their bedtime soon."

"No, Daddy. It’s too early." Gene wiggled in his father’s arms.

"It won’t be soon." He started walking toward the turbolift. Speaking over his shoulder to the three adults still standing in the corridor, he said, "And not nearly soon enough for me!"

The Doctor walked into his living quarters to be meet immediately by his daughter.

"Is Katie okay? When can I see her? Is Aunt Kathryn okay?"

He laughed and reached down to lift her up in his arms. "Everyone is fine and you will be able to see her soon."

"Tonight?"

"Maybe. We’ll see.

"Are you going back?"

"Yes."

"Take me."

"Take me what?"

"Take me, please."

"Okay. I’ll take you, but only for a little while. Katie and her mom need to get a lot of sleep right now so I don’t want them to have too much company."

He leaned over, allowing her to slide down his body. She was almost too big to lift anymore. He realized that made him sad. He gave his wife a wistful look and was surprised at the expression on her face. Kissing the top of his daughter’s head, he said, "Why don’t you go get cleaned up for dinner?"

"Yes, sir." She ran into her bedroom.

The Doctor walked over to his wife and took her in his arms. "What’s wrong?"

Seven put her hands on his shoulders. "She asked me about the Borg today?"

He stopped and blinked. Finally, he asked, "What did she want to know?"

"Who the Borg were? Were they were bad?"

"What did you tell her?"

"I told her exactly what we had decided we would tell her."

"Did she seem okay with that?"

Seven nodded, but he could see how unsettled she was. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "She seemed to be satisfied with my answers."

"But you’re still worried."

She nodded.

"We knew that she would ask questions one day."

"I know. I know. It’s just…."

"It’s just that you hoped they would never come." She nodded again. "Well, she seems fine now." He glanced at his daughter’s bedroom door. "Maybe I’ll talk to her later."

"I think that would be a good idea."

"Okay." He hugged her tightly. "In the meantime, it’s business as usual. Right?"

She nodded and smiled at him.

"Good. So, what’s for dinner?"

"Why?" She cocked her head at him. "Are you hungry?"

"No." He laughed. "But I have a daughter who is probably starved!"

Neelix was scurrying around the mess hall, putting the final touches on the table. Tonight would be a big celebration. Everyone was gathering for dinner, and Kathryn and Chakotay were bringing Katie. As he moved the flowers more to the center of the buffet, the doors opened, and Kahkar and Ketaria walked through, followed by Eloca, Rowin, Otoro and Meloka.

"Good evening, Neelix!" Kahkar’s booming voice filled the mess hall.

"Hello, Kahkar. I hope you brought your appetite tonight. Supala was working her magic in my kitchen all afternoon. She has a desert tray you won’t believe."

Kahkar looked up in a desperate attempt not to see the look on his wife’s face, but knowing from the feel of her body next to his that he would not be able to get close to that desert tray. Groaning a bit, he said, "I don’t think I’ll be able to sample from the desert tray tonight, Neelix."

"Oh, that’s too bad." He reached out to pat Kahkar’s arm sympathetically. "I’ll find a fruit bowl or something for you."

"Thank you. I would appreciate that very much."

"And I thank you, Neelix," said Ketaria. "Kahkar has been sampling Supala’s cooking a bit too much lately. I have him on a strict diet."

"Well," Neelix patted his stomach, "that’s something I should probably do myself." He waved his arm at a nearby table. "Please, help yourself. Cheese, crackers, vegetables -- all over there." As the group started to move toward the table, Neelix grabbed Kahkar’s arm and whispered, "I’ll have something saved for you later."

Kahkar gave him a grin and a wink and followed his wife to the table, carefully taking only the vegetables to munch on under is wife’s careful scrutiny. As they stood around talking, Dr. Zimmerman walked in, accompanied by Hailey.

"Hello, all." Louis Zimmerman’s cheerful voice greeted them as he crossed the mess hall toward the group, Hailey’s hand firmly grasped in his.

"Hello, Louis. Hailey." Ketaria replied, reaching out to hug each of them. "This is such a happy night. It will be so good to have another baby join our family."

"Yes," said Louis, "and a beautiful one at that!"

Kahkar slipped a piece of cheese on his plate while his wife was distracted. "Did you see her today?"

"Yes. I dropped by the sickbay for a few minutes this afternoon."

"How is Kathryn doing?"

"She’s doing fine. The Doctor is very pleased, although he was making her stay in sickbay until this evening."

Kahkar laughed. "I think he is just enjoying being a doctor."

"I agree." Louis nodded his head.

"Please, Louis," Ketaria took his arm, indicating the table behind them, "help yourself."

"Thank you. I think I will."

When he moved to the table, Kahkar stepped aside to allow him to pass and gave Hailey a glance. Smiling, he lowered his voice to address her. "He is so much happier with you here."

She watched Louis Zimmerman as he took a small plate and started to fill it. "I am happier here with him." She took a breath, then added, "I never though we would have…such a wonderful relationship."

"You know," he took her arm and led her to a side table, holding out a chair for her, "these ships have very interesting ‘relationships.’"

She laughed. "I know!"

Kahkar looked around the room, seeing the look on Louis’ face when he spotted Hailey. It brightened immediately. Louis Zimmerman and Hailey, the Doctor and Seven, and Otoro and Meloka – three couples who were very happy in marriages that would not be accepted on Earth. He watched as Louis joined them at the table, leaning down to kiss Hailey on the cheek before he sat down. It had taken them almost a full year to get Hailey’s program sent to Voyager and re-assembled. Admiral Paris had had to send it in very small files on a number of secure lines. Some files had had to be sent two or three times as the files had been corrupted in the transfer. It had been a very unsettling experience for Louis Zimmerman, and Kahkar had wondered more than once if transferring Hailey’s program was the right thing to do. Kahkar thought that the entire process had helped Louis work through his feelings for Hailey. When they finally brought her online, Louis had grabbed to her and had not let her go. Kahkar had seen immediately that, while Hailey had hoped that Louis’ desire for her to join him had meant that he had feelings for her, she was caught totally off-guard by his reaction to finally seeing her. Of course, she had not been aware of how long it had taken them to send and re-assemble her program. She had been unsettled when they told her about how long and difficult the process had been.

They were very happy as they made their life on Voyager. The Doctor loved having them around, and they were wonderful grandparents to Kathryn B’Elanna.

The doors opened again, and everyone turned to see Harry, Supala and the twins enter.

"Kahkar!" Little voices rang in unison as the twins ran toward him.

"Gene. Teri. Come here." He opened his arms to them, catching them and lifting them into his lap. He looked down into their smiling faces. "And what did you two do today?"

"We learned pluses." Gene’s voice was bubbling with enthusiasm.

"Two plus two is four." Teri held up two fingers using one hand, then lifted the remaining two fingers. "See?"

"Yes, I see." He chuckled. Eugene Omarahn Kim and Ketaria Janeway Kim sat in his lap, each perched on a knee, holding up fingers and summing them. Gene had red hair, red eyes and freckles and looked like his mother. He had her red, spiky hair and blushing, sweet personality. Teri had her father’s looks and his seriousness. They were precocious three-year-olds who kept their parents running most of the day.

Supala walked up and rested her arm lightly across Kahkar’s shoulders. "T’Pel has been teaching them to add. That’s all they want to do."

"They certainly are bright children."

Harry nodded, a proud grin on his face. "I think so!"

"Hey guys," everyone turned as Eloca called out, "want to play?"

"Yeah!" The children slid off of Kahkar’s knees and ran towards the bigger twins, joining them in a corner of the mess hall.

"Whew," exhaled Harry. "Maybe they will be able to keep them busy for a minute or two."

Ketaria laughed as she joined them. "They do have a lot of energy."

Supala nodded her head wearily. "I love them dearly, but I have to admit I love to see bedtime come." Everyone at the table laughed.

"Mr. Tuvok! Welcome!"

They turned their heads to see Neelix welcoming Tuvok, T’Pel and their children, Sek, Varith, Elieth and Asil enter, closely followed by Tom, B’Elanna, To’mas and Miral.

"Thank you, Mr. Neelix." Tuvok returned the greeting, turning to nod at the people already assembled. "It smells…very interesting in here."

"Thank you! We have a rare repast to enjoy tonight. I have fixed everyone’s favorite recipes."

"I can hardly wait."

T’Pel pulled on her husband’s arm, silencing him. "We are all looking forward to this, Neelix. Thank you for all of your efforts."

Neelix blushed slightly, using his arm to indicate the table. "Please, go help yourself. I’ll be serving dinner as soon as everyone has arrived."

Before they could move, the Doctor, Seven and Kathryn B’Elanna walked in. Kathryn B’Elanna immediately ran up to hug Kahkar and Ketaria.

"KB! Come play!" The twins were standing, waving her over.

She turned to B’Elanna who was holding To’mas in her lap. "Can To’mas come play?"

"Of course."

Kathryn B’Elanna reached out to grab To’mas’ hand and pulled him out of his mother’s lap. "Come on, To’mas. Let’s go play."

To’mas grabbed her hand with both of his and let her pull him towards the play area in the corner of the mess hall. The adults watched the activity in the corner for a few minutes, before the Doctor pulled up chairs for Seven and T’Pel, encouraging them to sit.

"Where are Kathryn, Chakotay and Katie?" Neelix was looking longingly at the doors.

"They should be here in a few minutes," the Doctor responded. "They wanted a few minutes of privacy before they joined us."

At that moment, the doors opened and Chakotay walked in, pushing Kathryn and Katie in a wheelchair into the room. The room fell silent as everyone stood and moved to see the sleeping baby.

"Oh, she is beautiful." Hailey whispered, looking in awe at the baby’s face. "I don’t think I have ever seen such a young baby before."

Ketaria put her hand lightly on the child’s stomach, smiling at Kathryn and Chakotay. "She is very content."

Chakotay gave her a meaningful look. "So are we."