Title: Welcomes (3/6) Couples: C/P/7, T/K Rating: R (for language) Disclaimer:  I don't own the characters... Paramount does.  I can't even get a micron of Voyager's dust for myself.  I made no money off the use of their characters, and I promise to return everyone when I'm done, happier and more sexually satisfied! Warning!  This story contains spoilers for the sixth season episodes "One Small Step" and "Equinox, Part II".  Also, I'm ignoring some the events of the fifth season... especially a *few* of those portrayed in "Course: Oblivion". Summary: The madcap hilarity of birthing occurs in this plot... I think. This story is dedicated to the four very entusiastic ladies.  Shamenka, for getting me hooked on C/P slash in the first place.  Leone, my twin and the person who encouraged me to post this story.  Stephanie, for being one of the best Beta-readers I've ever had.  Finally for Bella Morte, my fellow co-host in the Monday night chat for our graphics group, I'd go crazy in there without her. --------------------------------------- Total silence greets Seven's pronouncement. For his part, Thomas Eugene Paris covers his face with his hands and mumbles, "Would someone, *anyone* just kill me now?" The voice answering his question comes from the youngest person in Sickbay. "I don't think anyone wants to be put in the brig for that, Tom. Besides, Chakotay and Seven would *never* forgive you if you died." This last sentence is spoken with all the conviction that an eight year old can put into her voice. Seven speaks again. "Naomi Wildman is correct, Thomas. Chakotay and I *would* never forgive you if you died, especially over something so trivial as which of my husbands screams louder during sexual intercourse." Her jaw tightens, and she squeezes Tom's left hand tightly. "Mon Dieu! These pains are coming rather close together. Wouldn't you say so Doctor?" She turns to look at the EMH. "Yes, Seven, they are. Let me check how far you are dilated," he tell her, and lifts the sheet draped over her knees. The Doctor raises one eyebrow, a clear indication that his subroutines are telling him what to do next. AS he determines a course of cation, he glances over at Tom and notices that Tom is starting to hyperventilate. "Ensign Paris, please take a deep breath. You cannot pass out on your wife just yet." He makes sure Tom is breathing again, then looks at Seven. "Seven, your first child is crowning. You need to push when the next contraction starts." "Of course." Seven smiles weakly at her husband, letting him know she's okay. Another contraction rips its way through her body, and she can barely hear the doctor telling her to push. She starts to pant and she dimly feels the pressure on her cervix increase. Her contraction ends and she leans back into the waiting arms of her husband. Seven briefly wonders how her husband got behind her, but just assumes it was during her last contraction. Tom brushes her hair off her face. "You're doing good, Seven. One more push like that, and we can welcome our first child into the world." "You do the welcoming, Thomas. I'll just lay here and wait for the other one to come." Tom chuckles at her last comment, then supports her when her next contraction hits. "C'mon! *Push*, Seven! Then we can welcome little 'Voyager EMH Ceiling Panel' into the world." The Doctor raises an eyebrow at the Ensign's statement, but concentrates on helping the small pair of shoulders out of Seven's birth canal. Her contraction ends, and the baby is out to its navel. "You are doing fine, Seven. Just one more push, and your family will increase by one." Seven of Nine Chakotay-Paris decides then to do something completely out of character for herself, and blame it on hormones later should anyone ask about it. She looks the Doctor directly in the eye, and sticks her tongue out at him. Tom whispers in her ear, "Put that thing away, unless you plan on using it properly." "I thought I was," she whispers back at her husband, then breathes in quickly and pants as another contraction hits her. She pushes with everything she has, and with a loud, wet sound, her first child enters the world. The Doctor cuts the umbilical cord and lifts the child into his arms. "Congratulations, Seven. You have a daughter. I will go clean her up, and then bring her right back so she can meet her family." Seven smiles at the Doctor, and collapses back onto the biobed. Chakotay runs to her side, and he and Tom both kiss her at the same time. Tom wipes tears from his face, and does the same for both of his spouses. They are interrupted when the doctor comes back to lay their firstborn on her mother's stomach. "Gentlemen and lady, say hello to your daughter." The doctor steps back and smiles. "Have you decided on a name? I need to know so I can enter it into the records." Seven answers him, while holding her daughter in her arms. "Sabine. Sabine Jennifer Chakotay-Paris." She leans down and kisses the mocha colored nose of her daughter. "Welcome to our family, Sabine. I'm going to hand you to your Papa now, so your little sister can be born." Seven hands Sabine to Chakotay, and grasps Tom's right hand within her own. Chakotay simply stares down in wonder into the beautiful blue eyes of his daughter. He grins widely and looks at his husband. "I think she inherited your eyes, Baby. Guess that means I'll be fighting off the power of *four* pairs of blue eyes from now on, not just two."All three adult members of the Chakotay-Paris household grin at each other, while Sabine just coos. The Doctor grins as well, then moves to stand next to Chakotay. "Excuse me, Commander, but I need to finish entering your daughter's characteristics into the computer. Also, you should be aware that not every child born with blue eyes will keep them." The Doctor removes Sabine from her Papa's arms, and finishes measuring and checking her over. He notices a particularly prominent birthmark on the inner part of her upper arm, and records a picture of it with his with his deep image scanner to make sure it becomes part of her medical records. Once he is done, he puts her in a small cradle and wheels her under a warming lamp. With that task taken care of, the Doctor walks over to his office and stands in the doorway. "Captain, you may inform the crew that Sabine Jennifer Chakotay-Paris was welcomed aboard our ship at 1203 hours today. She weighs two kilos and 276 grams and is fifty point eight centimeters in length. Her little sister is on her merry way, as well. Now, I must get back to make sure Seven is progressing satisfactorily towards her next birth." He turns around and heads back into Sickbay. The Captain smiles and taps her comm badge. "Janeway to Bridge." "Bridge here, Captain." Tuvok's voice carries throughout Sickbay. "Please put me on a ship-wide channel Tuvok. I have some good news to report." "Of course, Captain." The high pitch-low pitch signal is soon heard, and on every deck, motion ceases as they await the announcement from their Captain. Her voice trembles with suppressed emotion as she makes her announcement. "Attention all hands! I am pleased to announce the birth of Sabine Jennifer Chakotay-Paris at 1203 hours. Little Sabine weighed in at two kilos and 276 grams, and is fifty point eight centimeters in length. Her younger sister has yet to make an appearance, and the Torres-Kim camp is still waiting for their new arrival. That is all for now." Janeway taps her comm badge, closing the channel.   A few minutes later, the doors to Sickbay open and Jennifer Delaney walks in. She smiles at Seven of Nine, and says, "Where's my goddaughter?" Tom points to where Sabine is lying and says, "Right over there, Jen. I didn't think you'd be able to leave your post in Stellar Cartography so quickly." He grins as he watches his friend, and one of the godmothers of his first-born, head over to Sabine's cradle at near warp speed. Jen Delaney looks up from her goddaughter. "I didn't. I just decided to skip my lunch break. I was on my way to the mess hall when I heard the announcement, so I wove my way through the people milling in the hallway between here and there, and came on in." She stops speaking when she sees the look of anger cross the face of her friends' husband. "Don't worry, Chakotay. I think my patented 'Mistress of Evil' glare scared them away." Tom and Harry Kim laugh at her last statement. The two best friends exchange a look, both remembering a time from years ago. It was when Harry, playing the part of Buster Kincaid, refused Captain Proton's (played by Tom) help to escape from 'The Twin Mistresses of Evil', which were played by Jen and her twin sister, Megan. B'Elanna growls and grabs her husband's hand, as if to remind him she was still in the room. Jen just shakes her head, and looks at the EMH. "Doc, can I take Sabine down to the mess hall? It will stop a lot of the speculation. I *swear* I won't let anyone else hold her. Not even Megan." "It's not up to me any more Ensign. Ask her parents." Jen turns to face her best friend (after Megan of course), and her two husbands. "Well? I promise not to stay longer than five minutes, and that if Sabine gets upset or anything like that I'll come right back to Sickbay. C'mon, please Seven?" Seven just smiles at her best friend, and one of her maids of honor. "I give you my permission, Jennifer. Chakotay?" She turns to look at her elder husband. He nods his head to indicate that it is all right with him, so she turns to her younger husband. "Thomas?" Tom also nods his head. Seven turns back to face Jen Delaney. "You may take your goddaughter to the mess hall, Jennifer. But *please* have her back in no more than ten minutes, as I am sure you will be stopped in the hallway as well." Jen shoots a grin at Seven and scoops Sabine up into her arms. Making sure the newborn is comfortable in her grip, she heads towards the doors of Sickbay. Just before they open she says, loud enough for only the baby to hear her, "Well, Little One, let's go face the rest of the ship." ################# Jen walks through the doors of the mess hall a few minutes later, and is met by total silence. She grins at those assembled and sits at the empty table nearest the kitchen. She waits a moment as the crewmembers get over the shock of seeing her holding a baby, and then come over to meet Sabine. The first person to come sit at her table is Neelix, ship's cook and Morale Officer. He grins wickedly at Jen and sits down. "I can't believe the Commander let his first-born out of his sight." "Well, he figures he *has* to trust me. I *am* one of her godparents, after all. Besides, I don't think he could withstand the power of the smile his wife *and* husband turned on him while he made his decision to let her come here with me." She turns the baby to face Neelix. "Neelix, please meet Sabine Jennifer Chakotay-Paris. Little One, this is Neelix. He'll tell you all kinds of good stories when you get older." Neelix locks gazes with the small human child, and for the tiniest moment he could *swear* he felt her say, "Hello Neelix, you sure look funny." But he shakes his head and then looks up at Jen. "Well Jen, I'll let you get back to letting everyone else greet Sabine." He rises and makes his way back to the kitchen. Jen Delaney looks down at Sabine. "Little One, you shouldn't scare people away with those blue eyes of yours." She chuckles as the child's eyes simply cross a bit more. Then Jen smiles up at the next person who sits down.   For the next four minutes, Jen greets every person who sits down at the table with her. Each one, former members of the Maquis, former crewmen of the USS Equinox, and original Starfleet crewmembers, want to meet the baby. When she glances at the chronometer, Jen notices that her time is nearly up. She would have to make her way back to Sickbay soon. When she sees her twin sister storm across the mess hall, she snickers. Megan Delaney is furious. "Jennifer Ann Delaney! How could you get one of the babies out of Sickbay and not let me know? I could just *kill* you for letting me find from *Chell*, of all people, that you were in here letting people meet Seven's baby." "Calm down, Meggie. Besides, I think Sabine here is just as much Tom and Chakotay's daughter too." She winks at her sister, and then turns Sabine to face her mirror image. "Megan Valerie Delaney, please meet my goddaughter, Sabine Jennifer Chakotay-Paris. Little One, this is my twin sister, Megan. She'll be *your* sister's godmother." "Gods, Jenny! The way you speak to that little girl, you'd think she understands you." Megan Delaney rolls her eyes at her sister. "I think she does Meggie," Jen tells her sister, then rises and puts Sabine over one shoulder. "Well, I have to get Sabine her back to her parents. I only had her out on a ten minute loan." Laughter springs out in the mess hall, as everyone hears Jen Delaney's comment. She moves towards the door, then turns around to stare at her sister. Megan looks back at her sister. "What?" "Well, I thought you were going to come to Sickbay with me! If not, can would you make up a meal tray for me and bring it on down to Sickbay? I think I'll join the Canasta game being played there; at least until lunch is over." With that, Jen Delaney and her goddaughter, Sabine Chakotay-Paris, leave the mess hall. Megan Delaney stays behind, and rises from the table she had just been sitting at with her sister. Under her breath she mumbles a nickname she had not used towards Jen in years, "Of course I will, Queen Jenny." She collects two take-away trays from Neelix, and gets the most appetizing food. She grabs two mugs of a green juice, puts lids on them, and heads off to Sickbay. ################### Megan Delaney enters Sickbay only a few minutes behind her sister. She goes straight into the Doctor's office and hands her sister a tray. "Here you go, Your Queenship. Anything else I can do for miady Jenny today?" The sarcasm in her voice fairly drips onto the floor. Jen Delaney just grins at her sister. "No Lady Meggie, there is not. Although you *can* sit here and help me beat this eight year old at Canasta." She opens her meal tray and snickers when see sees the nearly rainbow colored main entree. But she takes a tentative bite, opening her eyes in surprise, then eats her food with gusto. She notices her sister not eating. "You should try this Meggie. It reminds me of Grandma's famous casserole. *You* know, the one she makes just after Thanksgiving or Christmas?" Megan Delaney just shrugs and joins her sister in eating the food she had gotten from the mess hall. Her eyes widen as well when she tastes the food. "Gods! You're right Jenny! This *does* taste like Grandma's 'Holiday Leftover Casserole'. You really should go and try this Captain, and get Neelix to keep making it." The Captain just grins at the Delaney twins, but she and Naomi Wildman share a look. "Are you two sure it tastes good?" Janeway asks them. Two voices respond as one. "Of course we are, Captain." Naomi grabs the Captain's hand and tugs her towards Sickbay's exit. "C'mon Captain. We can tell more people about what B'Elanna threatened to do to Harry, and what Tom said Sabine's nickname was going to be." Kathryn Janeway lets Naomi pull her out of Sickbay, knowing that nothing will happen while they went to get themselves trays of food. At about that same time, Chakotay and Tom enter the Doctor's office. They see both Delaneys eating multi-colored food and leaning towards each other, as if talking. Chakotay clears his throat, and both Delaneys jump at the sound. "Commander! Don't you know its *RUDE* to interrupt people like that?" Tom grins over his husband's shoulder, and moves around him. "Well ladies, is today's entree passable?" "Oh yeah, Tom. It takes Meggie and me back home. You don't believe me? Here!" With that, Jen Delaney shoves a spoonful into her friend's mouth. Tom lets Jen leave the spoonful of food in his mouth, and he swallows. His eyes widen at the taste, and he grins as well. "I am sorry Jen, that I doubted you. It reminds me of Christmas, or at least the few Christmases we didn't spend at some 'Fleet function." He turns to look at his husband. "What do you say Big Man? We go and get ourselves, and Harry, some lunch?" Chakotay rubs his jaw. "What if Seven's second water breaks? You'll be down in the Mess hall." "Yeah, all the way down the hallway. Trust me Cha, if the Doc comms me that Seven has gone into labor again, I'll be out of that mess hall so fast I might evolve again." Tom licks his lips again, and then smiles at his husband. When he sees Chakotay's acceptance, he pulls on his arm to lead him out of Sickbay. When they are finally alone again, Megan turns to her sister. "What was Naomi talking about? You know, about Tom nicknaming the baby? I thought she was called 'Little One'." "No Megan. That's what *I* call her. Remember when Tom and Seven were researching Chakotay's culture? Well, one of the old practices in naming children was to name them after whatever it was they first saw in this world. Sabine's first view of the world included the Doc and the ceiling. So, Tom being Tom called her 'Voyager EMH Ceiling Panel' during the last stages of Seven's labor. I only heard about it when I walked back in here, and the Doc was asking Tom about it." "Okay, so Tom was just using humor to get Seven through her labor. But what about the B'Elanna thing?" The Doctor answers Megan from the door of his office. "Lt. Torres threatened to remove her husband's intestines and use them as a new warp coil, during her last contraction. Although at the time, she was saying it in Klingon." He sees that both women have empty trays of food in front of them. "Let me scan you two for indigestion, just in case." The Doctor runs the medical tricorder in his hand over each of them. Much to his surprise, neither has indigestion, and both are actually full of all the right nutrients. //Hmmmm. Perhaps Mr. Neelix has taken the opinions of his staff to heart.// Jen turns to look at the EMH. "See Doc? Nothing wrong with Megan and I." She glances at the Chronometer, and stands up. "We need to get these trays back to the mess hall, then go back on duty. We'll see you after out shift is over, Doc. After, all, Meggie has got to meet *her* goddaughter!" Megan and Jen carry their now empty trays and mugs back into Sickbay proper. Both wave to Harry and B'Elanna. Then they turned to Seven, who was still awaiting the return of her husbands. Megan speaks first. "How are you doing Seven? And don't spare my feelings just because I've never had kids, okay?" Seven of Nine smiles at Megan Delaney. "I am within acceptable limits, Megan Delaney. You are not here in Sickbay for treatment of indigestion, are you?" Megan laughs. "Gods no! I brought Jenny her lunch, and ate mine in the Doc's office with her. Today's entree was actually good. It reminded both of us of the casserole our Grandmother used to make after the major holidays." Megan leans down and kisses Seven's Cheek. "Well, we've got to get back to Stellar Cartography. You just take it easy and get little 'Voyager EMH Ceiling Panel' a sister. I'll be back after my shift to greet *my* goddaughter." Megan walks out of Sickbay, leaving her sister behind. Jen Delaney just shakes her head at Megan, but leans in to kiss Seven's other cheek. "Okay, my sister already told why we're leaving, where we're going, and when we'll be back. I just want to wish you a heartfelt 'Good Luck!' I *also* want to you to remember the insult Meggie and I taught you. You should try using it when you next need to insult Tom." With a wicked grin on her face, Jen Delaney leaves Sickbay just as Janeway, Naomi Wildman, Chakotay and Tom all come back inside. Tom calls out, "Harry! Come get your lunch! It's actually good today. Just don't let the color fool you." Harry Kim looks at his wife, as if to make sure she won't rip his arm off if he tries to go eat something. "B'Ela? Can I have my arm back so I can go eat?" "Fine. But tell that *PIG* of a best friend to remember to bring *me* back some next time, okay?" She leans forward and brushes a kiss across her husband's lips, then releases his arm. Harry smiles at his wife, and heads into the Doc's office. He grins at the chair he is motioned towards, and at Naomi Wildman sitting in Tom's lap, eating off of his plate and sharing hers with Tom. He sits down, and just stares at the rainbow colored entree on his tray. But remembering that *both* Delaney sisters, and now his closest friends, endorsed the meal, he picked up his spoon and began eating. About half-way through the meal, Harry speaks, "Hey Tom, B'Elanna wants me to tell my *PIG* of a best friend to remember to bring *her* food next time. Those are mostly her words, not mine. Now, what took you guys so long to get back here? Jenny and Megan Delaney only took about a minute to get back to Sickbay after leaving the mess hall." Chakotay rolls his eyes at the Captain, but it's Naomi Wildman who answers the Ensign. "Well, Jenny and Megan Delaney aren't the fathers of the newest arrival on the ship. Nor are they the Captain, or me! Sheesh! You are *so* dense sometimes, Harry Kim!" Laughter fills the office in Sickbay, and Harry Kim blushes at the reprimand just handed to him by an eight-year old child. Tom finishes eating the food on Naomi's plate, just as she finishes eating the food on his plate. Then he stands up, still holding the little girl in his arms. "Well, I'm going to go see Seven for a little while, and my new mole here," he rubs Naomi's head with his chin, "is going to join me." He kisses Chakotay's cheek on the way past him, and heads into Sickbay. Chakotay turns to look at the still flustered Harry Kim. "Oh come on Harry, you deserved it. So what names have *you* considered?" Harry Kim grins at his XO. "I am not going to tell you, Commander. Like you and your spouses, B'Elanna and I did not want to know the sex of the baby beforehand. We came up with a list of names that not even *Tom* has been able to get out of us. Although, 'Voyager EMH Ceiling Panel' was *nowhere* near the top of our list of names. But it suits your husband's twisted sense of humor Chakotay. I understand that Jen Delaney has already got a lot of the crew calling Sabine, 'Little One', so that one may stick." The Captain snorts at the interplay between her First officer and Senior Ops Officer, wondering if she'll need to break up a fight soon. "How did you know about Jen's nickname for Sabine, Harry? You haven't left this room." Harry thinks for a moment, and turns to face his CO. "I don't know, Captain. Somehow, I just *knew*. It was like this soft voice whispered it to me, just as I needed the information during my 'discussion' with the Commander." Chakotay exchanges looks with the Captain. During their near fight to get back to Sickbay, they had met up with a number of crew members, whom had made similar statements. Only in their cases, it was if they could *hear* Sabine greeting them. Chakotay just closes his eyes, and hopes that whatever is happening aboard Voyager, and to his daughter, is just temporary. He turns to face the now worried looking Ensign. "Harry, finish your lunch, then get back to your wife. She's likely to have *me* drawn and quartered if I don't get you back in there soon." Harry Kim quickly finishes his lunch and heads back into the main part of Sickbay. Naomi runs back into the Doctor's office and smiles at the two remaining adults. "Seven told me to collect the empty trays and take them back to the mess hall. The Doctor told me that you two are supposed to clean his desk, so that he doesn't find any *surprises* later." With a mischievous smile, she grabs the empty trays, including the Commander's and the Captain's. TBC