A/N: I have had Kerin and Kyda in my head for so long now and I just had to write this, it being the fourth of July and all. This is only the first of many other stories to come staring the rambunctious twins from the USS Voyager!

She couldn't help but to stand frozen in aww and wonder as bright bursts of colored light erupted in the sky before her. She'd never seen anything like this and as her brother came to a stop next to her she gave him a fleeting glance, "Pretty, Kerin," she said breathily.

Nodding Kerin couldn't take his eyes from the sky, "Real pretty, Kyda," he agreed.

Sitting back on a folding chair Kathryn Janeway grinned at her four year old twins, it was their first un-complicated fourth of July home and they were experiencing their first firework show, "You'd think this was the most amazing thing in the galaxy, the way they're transfixed," she chuckled.

"It is," laughed Gretchen, "Space travel be damned, exploding balls of color are the pinnacle of human invention."

Booming out laughter as he came up behind the two women Chakotay lowered nearly one year old Quinn onto Kathryn's lap, "You think they're amazed now?" he asked, "Watch this."

Smiling Kathryn watched as Chakotay moved between Kerin and Kyda, producing two sparklers he placed then into his children's hands before he lit them with a small torch. Instantly bubbles of laughter erupted from them before they took off, waving the sparking sticks before them joyfully. As Chakotay returned to her side she nudged him and pointed, "Did you explain that those are hot?" she asked.

Looking out Chakotay nearly cursed as he rushed back to the twins, "Kerin! Don't put that in Kyda's hair!" he shouted.

"At least he caught him," laughed Gretchen, "I wasn't so lucky. Poor Phoebe had the strangest bald spot for so long…"

Kathryn could only laugh.

FIN