Beck: It sometimes takes a while, but I promise that I will always finish my fics.
Anime-frak-4life: Let's just say that you're going to love this chapter.
Kelani2539: It is a little hard keeping a cohesive story going with so many crushed but it'll work itself out in the end. (probably)
GoddessAnjanee: Well here you go, I just work A LOT during the summer, I'm sctually kind of surprised I had the time to get this new chapter out.
SHAWN PROVANCHA: cool, thanks.
Frozen to Death: I know she seemed kind of submissive in the beginning but it was necessary to develop her character.
Samantha Quinn: Well it's been a while since I got a flame. I guess you didn't get the message about me only tolerating constructive criticism. And about the changing personalitles thing, yes you can and it is not lazy writing. It's called creative thinking. If everyone stuck to cannon personalities all the stories would be done.
Crashcart9: It may be slow but I really want to develop the relationships first, you're probably going to like the next part though.
Fire Demon: I aim to please.
Celine Janeway: I'm trying to put a little humor into it. I had no idea it was so hard to have continued angst in a relatively long story, especially if the writer isn't even sure about how it's going to end. Hopefully this part won't seem too outrageous.
For The Love of a Child
Part Nine
"What did you want to talk about ensign?" Janeway asked as she sat down in one of the chairs.
"Captain I know how you feel about Seven," Meagan said. "So I think that you should know that Harry is trying to start a relationship with her."
"What are you talking about?" Janeway asked in amusement. "Seven doesn't even like Harry like that."
"Seven agreed to go on a date with him last night." Meagan informed her.
"Seven went on a date with Harry?" Janeway asked.
"Well not exactly." Meagan said, faltering a little. "She was going to go, but at the last minute B'Elanna asked her to cancel."
"Well that's good to know, but why are you telling me all of this?" Janeway asked curiously.
"I overheard Tom and Harry talking. They're working together to get together with Seven and B'Elanna. If we don't do something soon their plan might actually end up working." Meagan said with a hint of desperation in her voice.
"Well, I know what's in it for me but what about you?"
"I've wanted to have a relationship with B'Elanna for a long time. Now that she ended things with Tom I finally have a chance." Meagan explained.
"I don't think that this is a good idea." Janeway said as she thought about it for a moment.
"Why?" Megan asked in confusion. "Together we could stop them from getting their hands on the women we want."
"I don't want to start a relationship with Seven like that. Neither one of them deserves to be manipulated like that." Janeway said with a sigh. She had already learned from first hand experience that trying to push Seven into doing something she didn't want to do always ended badly.
"It would only be in the beginning, neither of them has to know what we're planning." Megan pleaded.
"How can you build a relationship that's based on a lie?" Janeway asked wisely. "I'm not going to tell Seven and B'Elanna what you're trying to do because the personal lives of the crew is none of my business but you should stop before you hurt both of them."
"Thank you for your advice Captain." Meagan said stiffly as she walked out of the ready room.
'Well that turned out to be a bust.' Meagan thought to herself as she left. 'I guess I'm just going to have to go it alone.'
"Well, how did it go?" Tom asked excitedly. "Did B'Elanna tell you why she doesn't want Seven dating?"
"No," Harry said with a sigh as he remembered his conversation with B'Elanna. "She removed me from duty for the week and took away all my holodeck rations."
"That's abuse of her power." Tom said with a smile. "You could go to the Captain with that."
"No I can't." Harry disagreed. "I asked B'Elanna if she was using the baby as a way of controlling Seven."
Tom cringed as he heard Harry's words. "I think that you might have taken getting her angry a little too far, besides B'Elanna would never do that."
"I know, I guess I was just more upset than I thought when B'Elanna made Seven cancel our date."
"Well, I guess we won't be able to figure out why B'Elanna doesn't want Seven to date. We should accept it and keep moving forward." Tom said after a moments thought. "Beating around the bush doesn't seem to be working either. Maybe we should try a more direct approach."
"What did you have in mind?" Harry asked.
"We can set up a romantic double date. When they get there I'll just tell B'Elanna that I want her back, and you can tell Seven that the two of you belong together."
"Are you sure this is going to work? None of your other ideas seemed to work out really well." Harry said remembering all of the helmsmen's failed plans.
"We've tried everything else." Tom said with a sigh. "We need to try something completely different or they're just going to slip through our fingers."
"I just felt the baby move." Seven said with a happy gasp.
"Let me feel." B'Elanna said as she pressed her hand to Seven's stomach. "I can't believe that she's growing so fast." B'Elanna said with a smile. "She's going to be here in just a few days, we're going to have to get the quarters ready for her."
"Are you asking me to remain at your quarters?" Seven asked hopefully.
"They're our quarters now." B'Elanna said with a smile. "I already filled out the paper work." B'Elanna said as she looked up at Seven.
"Thank you." Seven said with a smile as she kissed B'Elanna's cheek, causing B'Elanna to blush lightly.
"I want to be here for everything, and you can't do this alone." B'Elanna said as she sat back down in her chair.
"How would you like to prepare our quarters for Kaia?" Seven asked as she took a bite of her lunch.
"Well first we're going to have to get a crib, some baby clothes, some toys, a few books to read to her, and everything we're going to need to change her diapers." B'Elanna said ticking them off on her fingers. "Replicator rations are going to be a little tight for the next few months but I think that we can manage."
"Why will replicator rations be a problem?" Seven asked curiously.
"It's going to take a lot of rations to replicate all of that. We're probably going to have to get an advance to get everything in time." B'Elanna explained.
"No, I have more than enough replicator rations saved for that." Seven disagreed.
"It's at least 700 replicator rations for everything. How did you manage to save all of that?" B'Elanna questioned.
"I have never had a reason to spend an excessive amount of my rations. I have only used them for my nutritional supplements and I usually trade me holodeck time for more rations." Seven explained.
"So how many rations do you have saved up?" B'Elanna asked curiously.
"At this moment I have 1132 replicator rations in my possession."
"Wow," B'Elanna said in shock. "The most that I've been able to save was 250. You must really be able to save your rations drinking those nutritional supplements."
"Hey you two," Meagan said interrupting what Seven was about to say. "May I join you?" she asked politely.
"Um, sure Meagan," B'Elanna said. "What's up?" She asked as she made room for Meagan.
"Well, I just haven't had a chance to talk to you in a while." Meagan said as she took her seat. "What have you been up to lately?"
"Seven's going to be moving in with me permanently." B'Elanna announced with a smile. "We were just talking about what we're going to need for when Kaia is born."
"You are?" Meagan said unable to contain her shock. "With a baby around you won't have much free time." She said grasping at straws. "You probably won't have much of a personal life after this."
"That's okay." B'Elanna said mildly irritated at Meagan. "I don't think I really want to start dating again yet."
"I thought your break up with Tom didn't bother you." Meagan said confused.
"It doesn't, I just think that it's time I take step back and figure out what's really important." B'Elanna explained.
"Well let me know when you're finished figuring it out." Meagan said with a wink as left the mess hall.
"Alright, so you were right about how Meagan felt about me." B'Elanna said, finally agreeing with Seven.
"We should begin preparing our quarters for Kaia." Seven said causing B'Elanna to smile.
"Yeah, let's go." B'Elanna said as she took Seven's hand and they left the mess hall.
"Alright Seven's with B'Elanna in her quarters. Let's just go in there and do this." Harry said as they stood outside the door.
"Just remember we're trying to be direct this time." Tom said as he rang the chime.
"Come in." B'Elanna shouted from behind the door.
"What's going on in here?" Tom asked as he looked around at all the tools and various pieces of wood lying on the floor.
"We are preparing for when Kaia is born." Seven said, sitting in a pile of parts that were presumably part of a crib and looking over an instruction manual.
"Seven, I just don't understand why we can't replicate everything instead of putting it together ourselves." B'Elanna said in frustration as she threw down her manual.
"We must save our rations B'Elanna. Preparing this way will save us 25% of our rations. We do not know how much we will need for Kaia as she grows up." Seven explained.
"I guess you're right." B'Elanna admitted grudgingly.
"What are you two doing here?" B'Elanna asked, addressing Harry and Tom. She was still a little upset at Harry for saying what he did, and Tom for hurting Seven's feelings earlier.
"Well we were wondering if you two would care to join us for dinner." Tom asked.
"I thought you said you were going out with Meagan." B'Elanna asked.
"I was, but it just wasn't the same without you. Please come to dinner with us and at least talk about it." Tom said smoothly.
"There really isn't anything to talk about Tom." B'Elanna said as she helped Seven to her feet. "We're just too different to make things work."
"If you come to dinner with us tonight and let me explain I promise that I won't bother you again." Tom offered.
"Fine," B'Elanna agreed with a sigh. "Seven do you want to get some dinner?" she asked.
"Are you sure that this is something that you would not like to do in private?" Seven asked.
"What's the point?" B'Elanna asked. "Tom would tell Harry, and I would tell you as soon as we got back anyway."
"If you are sure," Seven said, still a little uncertain.
"I'm sure," B'Elanna said as kissed Seven's forehead, making her blush slightly.
"Great." Tom said, ignoring the kiss.
"Let's go to the mess hall. We have everything set up." Harry said enthusiastically as they all left B'Elanna's quarters.
"This better not take too long." B'Elanna said as she and Seven followed Harry and Tom. "Kaia is going to be born in a couple of days, and we're still not ready."
"Relax B'Elanna. There's going to be plenty of time for that later." Tom said, trying to placate the half Klingon.
B'Elanna and Seven walked into the mess hall to find it empty. A table facing the largest view port was set up with a dark table cloth. The lights were at the lowest setting and there were two candles on the table.
Harry and Tom smiled secretively to each other. It had cost them both a lot of replicator rations but to them the look of surprise and shock B'Elanna and Seven's faces.
"I thought you just wanted to talk." B'Elanna said as sat down next to Seven, who didn't like to walk around quite as much anymore.
"Well there's no rule against being comfortable while we talk." Tom said as he and Harry sat down as well.
"You did not just invite Harry and I in the interest of saving time." Seven deduced.
"You're right Seven." Tom answered. "I wanted you both here because I want you to take me back B'Elanna." Tom said staring at her. "And I know that the only way that will happen is if I apologize to you Seven." Tom said as he turned his gaze towards her.
"I forgive you." Seven said almost immediately. She was never one to hold grudges.
"Wait a minute." B'Elanna said suspiciously. "I still don't know if you're sorry because you made Seven cry or because you think it's what I want here."
The sudden shifty look in Tom's eyes was all B'Elanna needed to know the truth. "Dam it Tom this is why we broke up." B'Elanna said angrily. "You only care about yourself! The only reason you want me back is because you don't want anyone else to have me."
"Let's all just calm down." Harry said trying to get things under control. "You're just jumping to conclusions B'Elanna. I'm sure that if you just give Tom a chance, things will be better."
"I've already given him too many chances." B'Elanna said, still worked up. "Come on Seven, we're leaving." B'Elanna said as she helped Seven to stand up.
"I'm not going to let you take her away from me again." Tom said as he starred angrily at Seven.
In a flash Tom was beside Seven and had pushed her out of the way causing Seven to land on her stomach with an audible thud.
"Seven!" B'Elanna said as she knelt beside Seven, completely forgetting about her argument with Tom.
B'Elanna carefully rolled Seven over to see tears streaking down her face as the younger woman clutched her stomach.
"The baby… it hurts… please help…" Seven gasped out in pain.
"I'll get you to the doctor Seven." B'Elanna promised as she lifted the crying Seven into her arms.
"B'Elanna I didn't…" Tom trailed off as he looked at the state that Seven was in.
"If you ever come near Seven again I'll kill you." B'Elanna said in cold voice that almost made Tom shiver and turn away.
"We have to walk down to sick bay." Harry said. "At this stage of the pregnancy it isn't safe to use the transporter." Harry said, still shocked by what Tom had done.
"Kim to the Doctor," Harry said as he tapped his comm. badge.
"Doctor here," the doctor answered back.
"Something is wrong with Seven and the baby. B'Elanna and I are bringing her down right now."
"I'll have everything ready for you." The doctor promised as he closed the link.
"Let's go." B'Elanna said in a slightly panicked voice as she quickly walked to the turbo lift, barley even waiting for Harry to come in before she said "sickbay, emergency express."
The doctor was waiting anxiously as the door to sick bay finally opened and B'Elanna rushed in with Seven in her arms closely followed by Harry.
"Put her on the bio-bed." The doctor ordered as he started to scan Seven. "What happed to her?" he asked as he looked over the scan.
"Tom and B'Elanna were talking and things got a little heated." Harry said trying to cover for his friend.
"He pushed Seven down and she landed on her stomach." B'Elanna said for Seven, who could only moan as she clutched her stomach.
"What's happening? How do we help her?" B'Elanna asked in frustration.
"When Mr. Paris pushed seven down she went into premature labor. The baby is coming now. You're going to have to wait outside Harry, only the parents are allowed in the delivery room."
Harry nodded dumbly as he walked out of the sick bay, intent on confronting his friends about what he had done.
"What can I do doctor?" B'Elanna asked as she held onto Seven's hand and rubbed her cheek soothingly.
"Just keep doing what you're doing." The doctor said. "All we can do right now is continue waiting."
"It's going to be okay Seven." B'Elanna promised. "The baby will be born in no time at all." She said as she kissed the younger woman's forehead.
"I did not know it would hurt this much." Seven whimpered. "Please do not leave." Seven pleaded.
"I'm not going anywhere." B'Elanna said as she moved to the chair that the doctor had brought her.
"I can see the head." The doctor announced.
"You're doing great Seven. You just have to push a little harder." B'Elanna said encouragingly.
"I can almost pull her out Seven." The doctor said. It still amazed him seeing a new life come into the world. "You just need to push the baby's shoulders out."
With another push from Seven and a light tug from the doctor the baby was born. It let out a cry as the doctor carefully cut the umbilical cord.
After a quick scan with the tri corder the doctor presented Seven with her baby.
"Doctor to the bridge," the doctor said as he tapped his comm. badge.
"What is it doctor?" The captain asked curiously.
"I would like you to meet the newest member of our crew." The doctor said with a huge smile. "Kaia Hansen-Torres."
"Put it on screen." The Captain said with a smile.
The view screen turned on to show Seven asleep, and baby Kaia lying beside her peacefully sleeping as well, with B'Elanna watching over them both with a huge smile on her face.
"We need to talk Tom." Harry said angrily. "What the hell were you thinking? Doing that to Seven, a very pregnant Seven." Harry almost shouted.
To Be Continued…