By Diane Klepper
( Author's Note: Tom and B'Elanna spent their first Thanksgiving on Earth with their Voyager family.)
Tom Paris entered his apartment and put his pads on the table by the front door. He walked into the dining room and noticed that the table was set with their best dishes, which was a belated wedding gift from his parents. He entered the kitchen and saw B'Elanna in the kitchen taking a large turkey out of the oven.
"Hey B'Elanna Thanksgiving is not until tomorrow and I thought we are going to have dinner at my parents house."
B'Elanna put the large turkey on a platter that was already laid on the counter and smiled at her husband. "We are…tonight we are celebrating Thanksgiving with our family from Voyager."
Tom gave a confused look, "I thought everyone would be celebrating with their families…I know Harry always talked about how he missed his Mother's Thanksgiving dinner's when we were on Voyager."
B'Elanna kissed her husband on the lips and then smiled. "He will be…Yesterday I ran into Admiral Janeway at Starfleet Headquarters and we were reminiscing about how this would be the first Thanksgiving the crew weren't together…So we decided that the Wednesday before Thanksgiving all the Voyager senior staff that was still on Earth would celebrate together."
Tom smiled. "That's a great idea…do you know who is coming over?"
B'Elanna smiled. "Yes…Admiral Janeway, Harry, the Doctor, Tuvok, Chakotay, and Seven."
"Seven's coming? I thought she would think that celebrating an event that happened hundreds years ago would be irrelevant"
"A guess being on Earth has changed her…She is spending Thanksgiving with her Aunt Irene…Admiral Janeway told me that Seven is researching the work her parents did."
Tom frowned, "I still wonder why the Hansens took their daughter with them…They must of realized how dangerous it was to go into Borg territory."
"I guess they didn't want to be away from their daughter for a long period of time." Just then a loud wail came from the nursery. B'Elanna smiled, "Speaking of daughters…can you change Miral…Admiral Janeway will be coming over soon…She is bringing over her mother's brownies and promised to help me set everything up."
Tom gave B'Elanna and quick kiss on the lips. "Sure honey." He left the kitchen and walked into the nursery. Miral was sitting in the middle of her crib holding her stuffed Targ and crying. Tom walked over to the crib and picked up his daughter. He smiled and said, "It's okay Sweetie….Daddy's here."
Miral's crying got softer and she said, "Da…da."
Tom kissed Miral on her forehead ridges and put her on the changing table. He took a new diaper out of the changing table drawer and expertly took off her old diaper and put on the new one. He put the old diaper in a small recycler by her crib and then said, "Guess what Miral tomorrow it's Thanksgiving but we are going to celebrate it twice. Tomorrow we will be with Grandpa Owen, Grandma Maggie, Grandpa John, Aunt Kathryn, Aunt Moira and your uncles and cousins but tonight we will be our other family."
Miral was happily cooing on the changing table. Tom picked up Miral and walked over to the replicator. He said, "Miral formula one" and a few seconds later a bottle appeared on the replicator table. He took the bottle and walked over to the rocking chair. Tom sat down and put Miral on his lap and gave her the bottle.
Miral grabbed the bottle and happily started drinking.
Smiling Tom said. "Miral you are one lucky little girl…you have two families that are crazy about you…It's funny I was perfectly happy when I thought you were going to grow up on Voyager…I even told your Uncle Harry that I was already home on Voyager…I'll tell you a little secret…For a long time I didn't want to get home. I thought that my family would be happier with me. That me Dad would be glad that I wasn't back on Earth embarrassing the family name. I was happier on Voyager then any other place I ever lived at…I'm not saying I didn't miss your grandparents or you aunts but I felt that I finally had the life I wanted to live on Voyager…I had your mommy and my friends and the trust of a superior officers I really respected…but I'm glad we got home because I still missed my Earth family…I know I changed a lot on Voyager…I'm not the same person I was when I left Earth…what surprised me so much was how much my Dad was changed…He seems much happy then I remember him."
Miral dropped her bottle on the floor. "Da…da… book."
Tom smiled at his little girl. "My little warrior princess wants a story."
Miral looked at her father and said, "Now."
Tom laughed, "Miral you are so demanding just like you Mommy…and I wouldn't have it any other way."
B'Elanna finished setting the table when the doorbell rang. She walked over to the door and opened it Standing in the doorway was Admiral Kathryn Janeway holding a plate that was wrapped in plastic. "Hello…B'Elanna…I hope I'm not too early."
B'Elanna smiled at her former Captain. "No Admiral…The turkey is ready and everyone else should be arriving in a few minutes."
Kathyrn Janeway smiled at her. "B'Elanna I'm not your commanding officer anymore…you can call me Kathyrn."
B'Elanna smiled, "I'm still trying to remember to call Tom's father's Owen instead of Admiral."
Janeway laughed, "I have the same problem"
Just then Tom came out of the bedroom carrying Miral. She was dressed in a pretty yellow dress and had her thumb in her mouth.
Tom walked over to them and said, "Hello Admiral…Miral wants to say hello to her godmother."
Janeway took Miral out of Tom's arms. "I swear every time I see her she is bigger…what are you feeding her."
Tom laughed, "She likes anything with leola root."
Trying to suppress a laugh Janeway said, "Your kidding right?"
B'Elanna smiled, "I ate a lot of leola root when I was pregnant because I was trying to save replicator rations for things for the baby and I guess Miral somehow got a craving for it in the womb."
Tom smirked, "We even had Neelix send us some of his recipes in his last transmission."
"How is Neelix doing…I haven't heard from him in a while"
B'Elanna answered, "He is very happy…He loves being a husband and father…He never realized how much he missed being with his own people until we found that Talaxian colony."
The doorbell chimed again and Tom walked over to the door and opened it. Standing in the doorway was the Emergency Holographic Doctor and Seven of Nine The Doctor was holding a wrapped box in her hand and Seven of Nine was holding a large plate wrapped in plastic. Seven was wearing a simple red dress and her long blond hair was down. The E.M.H. was wearing a blue sports coat that. The looked like any couple on Earth and Tom smiled at the thought of two beings who started that journey as a hologram and a Borg and ended up so human.
"Well Mr. Paris are we going to just stand here or are you going to let us in."
Tom smirked, "Sorry… Doc, Seven…please come in"
Janeway over the Doctor and Seven and smiled. "Doctor…Seven I'm so happy you could join us on such short notice."
Seven walked over to B'Elanna handed her the plate. "My Aunt Irene baked a pumpkin pie…She told me it was a Thanksgiving tradition."
B'Elanna smiled. "I'm sure it's delicious."
The Doctor smiled and said, "Seven's aunt Irene has invited me over for Thanksgiving."
Tom smirked at the E.M.H. "Doc you can't eat?"
"I've been working on a new subroutine and enables me to ingest food"
B'Elanna frowned, "Doctor be careful…remember last time what happened when you were playing with your subroutines."
The Doctor smiled, "Don't worry…I having Reginald Barclay helping me…he is an expert on holographic technology"
Tom smirked, "Yeah…he really spooked my Dad with his holo Voyager ship and crew."
The Doctor nodded, "Mr. Barclay sometimes goes overboard on the holodeck…which is something you should be able to relate to Mr. Paris"
"Touché Doc." Just then the doorbell rang. Tom smiled, "Saved by the bell." Tom walked over to the door and opened it to find Harry Kim and Chakotay there, Harry was holding a large rectangular container and Chakotay was holding a wrapped bottle. "Hi..Tom…I ran into Chakotay at Starfleet Command and we beamed over together"
Tom smiled, "Come in…where all hear except Tuvok…he is the last person I expected to be late."
Chakotay smiled. "Tuvok is coming…I ran into him at Starfleet Command…He told me he had to get something in his apartment so he would be a few minutes late."
The Doctor walked over to Janeway and asked, "May I hold our goddaughter?"
Janeway smiled, "Of course you may Doctor"
The Doctor took Miral into his arms and smiled. "I got her a little something…it's a toy Doctor's bag."
B'Elanna frowned, "Doctor…she is way to young for that?"
Smiling the Doctor said, "She'll grow into it…besides with the way Miral's father always gets hurt it can't hurt to have a doctor in the family."
Smirking Tom said, "Very funny Doc."
Everyone laughed and then B'Elanna patted the Doctor on the arm and said, "We already have a Doctor in the family and he makes house calls."
The Doctor gave an embarrassed look. "That I do…and I promise I'll call next. time."
Tom suppressing a laugh said, "Thank's Doc we appreciate that."
Harry frowned, "I feel like I'm missing something."
B'Elanna frowned, "Last week the doctor beamed in at an inappropriate time to check up on Miral."
Harry laughed. "What were you practicing on making Miral a little brother or sister?"
B'Elanna gave Harry a playful swat on the arm. "Starfleet …where did you get such a dirty mind?"
Harry laughed. "What do you expect…. I hung out with Tom for seven years."
Chakotay smiled and said, "Oh B'Elanna I liked your costume at the Halloween party this year."
Shocked B'Elanna asked, "You were there?"
Smiling he said, "'Yes…Miral was dressed like a princess and Tom looked to be dressed in some sort of military outfit but I couldn't quite figure out what you were suppose to be."
Angrily B'Elanna turned to her husband, "That's it…next year I'm picking out the costumes."
Harry turned to B'Elanna and smiled. "So what were you wearing?"
B'Elanna frowned, "Tom got costumes based on one of the shows he likes to watch on the television."
Tom smirked, "Come on B'Elanna…I Dream of Jeannie was classic television in the 1960's…You told me you liked it."
B'Elanna growled, "I said the show wasn't that bad…compared to some of the other stupid things you watch on that television…I was freezing in that genie costume…I don't see why we couldn't dress like the characters on Bewitched. At least Samantha got to wear normal clothes."
Tom frowned, "In I Dream of Jeannie Major Nelson was a astronaut…I thought it would be more appropriate for a Starfleet party."
"Yeah but you got to wear a military uniform."
"Bur B'Elanna you looked beautiful."
"I picking them out next is that understood."
Knowing went to admit defeat Tom said, '"Yes, ma'am."
Harry laughed, "I wish I was there to see it."
The Doctor smiled, "Don't worry Mr. Kim…I was there and I took plenty of holographic pictures."
Tom looked surprised, "Doc…I didn't see you."
Mr. Paris you were too preoccupied looking at your wife to notice anyone else at the Halloween party."
The doorbell chimed. Tom opened the door and Tuvok was standing there holding a potted plant. "Good evening Mr. Paris…I hope I am not late."
Tom let him in.. "No Tuvok…you are right on time. Everyone else is here…We were just getting ready to sit down to dinner."
He walked in and handed B'Elanna the plant. "I cultivated this plant especially for you and Mr. Paris…It is a combination of a Vulcan violet and a Earth violet…At first I didn't think combination would thrive together but has proved me wrong just as you and Mr. Paris have."
B'Elanna smiled, "Thank you Tuvok….We find a really nice place to put it"
"Yeah Tuvok," Tom smiled. "We will keep in a very special place…thank you."
B'Elanna smiled at her guests. "Tom would you please bring out the champagne…I think this occasion deserves a toast."
"Coming right up". Tom entered the kitchen and came back five minutes later with a tray full of champagne glasses. . He gave all his guests a glass and turned to Janeway, "Admiral…would you like to make the toast?"
"No Tom…it's your home please do the honors."
Tom just stood silently for a minute and said, "Last Thanksgiving was very different…We were still on Voyager and missing on birth families…but as you all know on Voyager we became a family as well…well this year I'm grateful to being able to spend Thanksgiving with both my birth family and my Voyager family…to families."
Everyone said, "To families," and clinked their glasses.
Kathyrn Janeway smiled and said, "Nice speech Tom….let's eat"
Everyone headed for the dining room .The doctor handed Miral to Tom. B'Elanna walked over Tom and gave him a quick kiss. "B'Elanna lets make this a yearly tradition that we will spend the day before Thanksgiving with any of our Voyager family that are close enough to celebrate with us."
"I don't know…don't you think two Thanksgivings are a little much."
"It will be just another tradition we'll start…Miral can't have too much family."
B'Elanna smiled at him. "Okay….I'm for any tradition that doesn't include pain sticks." She kissed Miral on the check and then kissed her husband again. "Happy Thanksgiving , Tom."
Tom smiled at his wife. 'With two fami8lies to celebrate with how can it not be a Happy Thanksgiving."