A/n: This fic is set five years after Voyager returns to Earth. I realise the Star Trek universe never really referred to Christmas at all, let alone all the traditional stuff I'm going to mention in this, but this story is just some fun fluff! Thanks to xXBrightsideBumblebeeXx for encouraging this idea, I dedicate it to her!
"Seven, are you ready to go?" Chakotay called into their bedroom, poking his head through the doorway to see his heavily pregnant wife perched precariously on the edge of their bed, obviously struggling to squeeze her feet into a pair of necessarily flat but pretty shoes.
She met his gaze with a frustrated frown on her face as she tried to bend over to buckle the shoe strap. "I had to replicate a new pair of shoes; my favoured pair does not fit anymore." She explained in a disgruntled tone while still looking a little sheepish as she added, "I apologise for the delay, I do not wish to keep Tom and B'Elanna waiting."
Chakotay's smile in return was warm with love and reassurance. "Don't worry, you know that with Miral and Olly's antics they always run a little late too." He reminded her wryly before peering at her tired face anxiously, "Have your ankles swollen suddenly? The Doctor said that could be a sign of high blood pressure…"
Seven patted his arm knowingly as he knelt down beside her. "I checked that myself, it's normal." She told him soothingly before sighing slightly as she caught sight of herself in the mirror. "I've just gained more weight, that's all."
"If I remember rightly, the Doctor said your weight was perfect for someone who's two weeks away from having twins." Chakotay remarked calmly as he unobtrusively helped her with the shoes and to help her stand up. "If you're too tired, I'm sure Tom and B'Elanna will understand if we don't go…"
"I'm fine." Seven answered a little too sharply, rubbing her brow in exasperation with herself as she shot him an apologetic look. "I am fine Chakotay, really. You know Miral and Oliver will be disappointed if we do not attend their pageant."
Chakotay winced a little in acknowledgement. "I know, who do you think Miral roped into practising her lines with her?"
Seven's eyebrow rose in amusement, "And what did she think of your acting skills?"
Chakotay chuckled under his breath. "Not as good as her dad's but better than the Doctor's."
Seven laughed. "I don't think you should repeat that particular quote of hers to her doting godfather."
"I wouldn't dream of it, but Tom overheard and I wouldn't put it past him…" Chakotay replied, taking Seven's arm to help her downstairs.
Seven laughed again at the thought of the Doctor's expression as she shrugged her coat on over her shoulders, quickly giving up on trying to button up it over her huge bump. "How many roles is Miral playing again? From what B'Elanna told me, the teachers' plans for show are…ambitious."
"That's putting it lightly." Chakotay responded as he found the car keys. "I think they're going to cover scenes from the mythology of five different worlds! All I can remember is that she's an elf in the Santa scene and an angel in the nativity…"
Seven's brow furrowed slightly, even after five years immersed in human culture on Earth, she was still uncertain about all the different Christmas traditions. "Many worlds have winter solstice celebrations, but humanity seems to take it to another level of importance, even after science has overtaken religion, why?"
Chakotay paused thoughtfully; his wife could still surprise him with her probing questions. "I'm not sure really. Christmas has been maintained more than other celebrations, including those of my own people, because it had such a worldwide observance for so many centuries and everybody likes to give and receive presents, right? And spend time with their families?"
Seven nodded slowly as she absorbed his insight. "I have found that I have enjoyed the experience immensely in previous years…" She smiled at him lovingly, "…but that is mostly your doing." She added softly, thinking back to their engagement three years previously, on Christmas Eve. "I suppose I should stop expecting total historical accuracy from children's re-enactments, the First Contact Day Festival was amusing rather than informative.
"Oh, Miral's going to have that story haunting her until her dying day!" Chakotay joked as he gathered up the collection of presents they were taking with them to the Paris residence.
Chakotay's knock on the Paris' wreath adorned door was immediately answered by a small figure, three year old Oliver Paris, who poked his blonde head out from behind the barely open door, his ridged brow crinkling in delight at the sight of his beloved godparents. "Mewwy Kistmas!" he announced, his small mouth bursting with food, presumably chocolate, given the brown streaks around his lips.
"Merry Christmas to you too Oliver." Seven replied affectionately, while nervously noting the fact that the boy had tinsel wrapped around his ankles, an accident waiting to happen.
Chakotay, seeing the direction of her gaze, acted quickly by bundling the boy up in his arms, making Oliver giggle wildly. "How did you get so tangled up?" Chakotay asked him curiously as he began to unwind the tinsel.
"Miral thought it would be funny." Oliver replied, thumb in mouth.
"Oh did she now?" Tom remarked drily as he finally reached the doorway where his guests were standing, "I'm going to have to have a talk with her about that aren't I? Now let your Aunt and Uncle in the house for a few minutes before we leave, okay?" When Oliver refused by way of stubbornly tightening his grip around Chakotay's neck, Tom unceremoniously took him into his own arms with a grunt and set the child back down in the hallway. "Go and see if your Mommy has finished with your snowman's outfit yet son, alright?" Tom advised, laughing as the boy sped off and finally turning his full attention on Chakotay and Seven. "Thanks for coming; I know everything is a little hectic. I can't believe the school thought it would be a good idea to leave the kids' show until the 23th, we're going to have to have a wrapping marathon tomorrow…" He sighed in exasperation but the grin on his face showed his real joy.
"Speaking of presents, I've got ours in the car waiting to be brought in." Chakotay confided quietly to his friend, afraid of any children listening in.
"Ah, Santa has made a delivery has he?" Tom joked, "Come on, I'll show you where we're putting them." He turned to Seven with a smile as he took in her blooming figure, "You're looking great Seven. It's almost over, right?"
"Two weeks to go." Seven confirmed before looking at Tom questioningly, "Why is B'Elanna making Oliver's costume? Couldn't she replicate one?"
"Oh, that would be too easy!" Tom answered sarcastically, "Replicators aren't exactly programmed with these sorts of costumes in mind." He ran a hand through his hair, "I think B'Elanna could use a break, the Admiral and Sam Wildman are already in the kitchen trying to help her out, but…"
"Of course." Seven said quickly, pausing briefly to watch the two men becoming overwhelmed with presents before heading into the familiar house. Her natural aversion to clutter reared its head as she saw how many of the reception rooms had been given over to pre-Christmas activity, cleaning materials, old toys, decorations, cards… She couldn't help thinking of her carefully immaculate but as yet empty nursery at home. Was she going to be able to cope with all the forthcoming upheaval? She doubted she could take all this chaos in her stride like Tom and B'Elanna seemed to be able to… She gulped slightly as a twinge of fear ran through her, but it was soon dismissed by a strong kick in the ribs by one baby and one on the other side by the second. She was just going to have to adapt…
Her uneasy thoughts were pushed aside by a young voice beside her. "Auntie Seven, will you help me?" Miral Paris asked sweetly, gazing up at her former Borg friend with a mischievous glint in her eyes that Seven didn't fail to notice.
"Help you with what exactly Miral?" Seven asked clearly, making the little girl giggle.
"Come and see." She whispered in a conspiratorial tone, pressing a finger to her lips then firmly taking Seven's hand and insistently leading her into the living room. "Don't wake up Uncle Harry!" she ordered suddenly, causing Seven to look around the room for her old crewmate, now a Commander, and to find him sprawled out on the sofa, dead to the world and with a little drool rolling down his chin. The cuteness in this picture overruled the humour however, since the reason Harry was so sleep deprived, his two month old son Ben, was curled up on his chest, as deeply asleep as his father.
"I won't." Seven assured the girl, her heart warmed by the scene. Harry's half Andorian wife Elka had not had an easy pregnancy and Ben had only been released from the hospital the week before. It was good to see father and son bonding so well after an enforced separation. "Now, what is it you want my assistance with?" she asked as Miral drew to a halt in front of the Christmas tree, slightly lopsided after Oliver had broken one of the stabilisers at the bottom but otherwise very pretty.
Miral pointed up to the top branches, where foil wrapped decorations could be seen hiding among the jolly baubles and glittering tinsel. "Mommy and Daddy hung chocolates up there…"
"And you want me to get one down for you?" Seven finished for her, quirking an amused brow at the five year old, who blushed ever so slightly under Seven's penetrating gaze.
"Well yeah, but they're only up there so Olly can't reach them." Miral explained quickly, "I'm allowed them Seven." She must've seen that she wasn't being believed, because she quickly added, "You can eat one too, for the babies."
Seven couldn't help but laugh at her attempt at bribery, good naturedly plucking a star shaped chocolate from the tree and giving it to the little girl. "You can give one each to my babies next year, okay?"
Miral beamed at her, clutching the chocolate so hard Seven was quite certain it would be melted before it ever reached her mouth. "Okay!"
With that Miral sped off, calling for Naomi to come play with her, leaving Seven to make her way into the crowded kitchen, where B'Elanna's frustrated exclamations could easily be overheard, "How am I supposed to know what a Terrelian winter sprite is supposed to look like? If they're asked to do this next year I'm transferring both of them to a different school…"
"I believe Terrelian winter sprites are traditionally represented in white and blue clothing." Seven informed her calmly as she entered the kitchen.
B'Elanna exhaled in relief. "That I can do, she's got a blue and white t-shirt..." She smiled at Seven, "Tom didn't tell me you'd arrived. Where's Chakotay?"
"Arranging present delivery." Seven said, earning laughs from the other women in the room, Admiral Janeway, Samantha Wildman and Elka Kim. "I gave Miral a piece of confectionary from your Christmas tree, is that okay?"
"She's pulled that trick on everyone so far!" B'Elanna laughed in reply, offering Seven a chair as she did so, which Seven gratefully sank into. "At the end it seems like nine years rather than nine months doesn't it?" she commented sympathetically.
"Perhaps a small exaggeration, but true of my feelings." Seven answered with a sigh.
"I remember I felt so uncomfortable, I can't really believe now that I managed to work until the end!" Samantha Wildman recalled with a wry smile.
Seven frowned. "The Doctor and Chakotay are conspiring to stop me doing anything constructive…"
The Admiral gave Seven's shoulder a motherly pat of understanding. "Being pregnant is very constructive Seven. Chakotay is just worried about you that's all, I for one think you're glowing." She smiled in relief, glad to see that her protégée looked as resilient as she did, after all the heartbreak she'd been through.
"Thank you Admiral, please reassure Chakotay in that belief." Seven said thickly, regretting how ungrateful she had sounded.
"You'll be run off your feet when the twins come, I can't imagine two!" Elka exclaimed.
"I can't imagine not having both of mine now." B'Elanna countered softly before turning back to her list of needed costumes. "Where the hell am I supposed to get a halo from?"
"Have you got any type of tubing or something?" The Admiral suggested.
"Just this." B'Elanna sceptically pulled out the plastic tube on which some fabric had been rolled.
"I'll make an attempt." Seven offered, taking the tube in her unnaturally strong hands and deftly bending it into a circle.
"Thanks." B'Elanna said as she hurriedly began wrapping the makeshift "halo" in tinsel. "That will have to do, or else we're going to be late. Let's round up the husbands and kids and get going."
A/n: This was a very self-indulgent piece of fluff, but hey it's almost Christmas so I think I can get away with it. There's more to come but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW this chapter! :D