December, the 14th

Picard lent her his arm and once again they were drawn through a vortex of time and space, and Kathryn found herself – at home. It wasn't until this very moment, returning to one of the familiar gray corridors and hearing the low hum of the warp drive, that Kathryn truly realized how much Voyager had become her home over the past seven years. It had been nice to visit her childhood home and seeing her family again, but being back on Voyager now, she knew she belonged here. Voyager was her home, her place to be.

Picard articulated her thoughts. "Welcome home, Captain Janeway."

"Now you will show me how my crew does Christmas," Kathryn stated. Her thoughts drifted back to the families they just visited. Neither Tom nor Harry would be able to celebrate Christmas with their families in the near future. It was not fair.

Picard nodded. "Come, Captain Janeway."

Picard led Kathryn to Sickbay. Both glided effortlessly through the closed doors. Kathryn knew Sickbay as either empty, or with at least one member of the crew laying on one of the bio beds in a critical medical condition. But today was different. The Doctor, Seven of Nine and Harry Kim stood in a semicircle in the middle of the room. Each had a music stand in front of him and Harry had his clarinet. Now the Doctor dictated the rhythm with a big gesture.

"Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
Let Earth receive her King;"

Seven's voice sounded through the sickbay clear and bright.

"Let every heart prepare Him room", the Doctor took over.

Then his and Sevens voice interwove for the next verse.

"And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing."

During the last notes Harry raised his clarinet and started an interlude. Kathryn swallowed, this was so beautiful.

The Doctor seemed to be of a different opinion.

"No, no, no, Mr. Kim. You got lost in the coloratura far too much. The piece is meant to have drive, don't you come to me with some kind of romantic fluff."

"This is not fluff," Harry defended himself. "This interlude is supposed to be played exactly this way."

"Pooh," the Doctor exclaimed. "Take a lesson from Seven of Nine. She does not have your years of musical training and is still a superb performer."

"My vocal sub-processor enables me to sing complex melodies flawlessly," Seven said matter-of-factly. "I believe it is inappropriate to compare Ensign Kim's musical abilities with mine. As a matter of fact, I thought Ensign Kim's interpretation to be entirely appropriate for the occasion."

"Did you?"

Kathryn saw that the Doctor obviously doubted Seven's mind.

"I do. If I understand correctly, this festival is one filled with romantic connotations. Therefore, Ensign Kim's romantic interpretation of this movement is appropriate to the occasion. "

"Thank you, Seven."

Kathryn watched Harry blushing a little. Apparently her ensign was still not over his affection for Seven.

Seven raised an eyebrow. "There's nothing to thank me for. As the Doctor noted frequently; in music, perfection sometimes lies in improvisation."

Yikes, was that a smile that flickered Sevens lips? Kathryn was not sure.

"Well, let's start over," the Doctor growled. "And remember, Mr. Kim that this particular piece needs a little pepper besides all that romance."

"Joy to the World, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!"

Kathryn could swear that Seven did her part in a much more romantic way this time. And the way she winked at Harry Kim ...

"Let every heart prepare Him room,"

The Doctor sang his part substantially snappier anyway.

"And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing. "

Now both pulled themselves together and their voices harmonized perfectly again. Kathryn laughed nevertheless.

"Do you think we witnessed the beginning of something?" she asked Picard, as they left Sickbay.