The warm holographic Florence sun beamed into the small window of Di Vinci's studio, giving the large room a fresh light and a welcoming feel. Captain Janeway sat at one of the longer tables near the window with a pencil in her hand, and a piece of parchment in front of her. She wasn't much of an artist, that was her sister's gift, but she knew enough to get her general idea onto paper.

"Catarina, my dear!" Boomed a voice from behind her.

Janeway smiled as she looked up. "Good evening, Maestro."

The sliver haired man walked over to where Janeway was sitting and looked over her shoulder. He simply watched for a while and then reached down and steadied the hand that Janeway held the pencil in. With the un-interfering guidance of his hand, he was able to watch as her design became clearer. "That is a very unique and beautiful design, Catarina."

Janeway looked down at the parchment for a moment. "Really?"

Di Vinci smiled. "A lover's gift for your dear Anna? Or dare I think perhaps a gift of much more?"

A very light pink flush colored Janeway's cheeks. She looked down at the set of rings she'd drawn and then up at Di Vinci. "I've been forced to rethink a lot of things over the past two years. I use to think that in order to do what's best for my people I had to be alone. Anna changed that. I use to think I'd never have a family or be a mother. That's changed to. I have more then I ever knew I wanted and yet I want more."

"What is it you want?" The holographic legendry man asked.

"I was told that I had no rights when it came to Anna." Janeway told him as she thought about what was said to her during Seven's trial. "I want that to never be true again."

Di Vinci nodded in a knowing way. "There is no better way to make you think outside of your comfort zone then by telling you no."

Janeway would have taken offence if it were not true. She did have a habit of willingly sitting on the sidelines when it came to her personal life. It had taken nearly losing Seven to the Borg Queen to get her to admit to herself that she loved Seven. It had taken Gretchen's arrival to push her into admitting she'd been longing for a family of her own. It had taken hearing someone tell her that even though she loved Seven there was no connection beyond that, a connection that Janeway wanted, and one she was ready to purpose.

"Do you think the young man who made Gretchen's bracelet for me could make this," She handed the parchment to the Maestro. "If I brought him the medal and stones?"

Di Vinci took the parchment, looked it over, and smiled. "I think Alessandro will do a fine job of creating your rings." Draping his arm around Janeway's shoulders, he then added. "I also think that our Anna will love them."

The welcome to Xon IV had been warm and pleasurable. The Chancellor had gone out of his way to make sure that the crew of Voyager were well taken care of. He'd had his people ready to take Janeway's people wherever they wanted to go, and had assured her that he'd make sure the ship was also taken good care of. As soon as all the formalities were taken care of, Janeway handed the ship off to Chakotay who would in turn hand it off to Tuvok who had volunteered to be among the last to head down for his own leave.

Knowing that her ship was in good hands allowed Kathryn to head down with the first wave of officers. She was glad that she and Seven would be able to have their time now, because she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep her nerve up. She stood on the boardwalk near the bar area of the beach resort, her gaze drifting down the beach to were Seven and their baby sat on a beach blanket playing in the sand. She couldn't help but smile as she watched them.

"Captain Janeway?"

Kathryn turned to look at one of the young men who worked for the Chancellor. He'd been assigned to her and Seven and it was his job to see to their every whim. This kind of treatment normally unsettled Kathryn, but this time she was glad to have his help. "Everything set?"

The young man smiled. "Yes ma'am. There's a little cove on the other side of the nuntra trees several meters from your room's terrace. Everything will be set up there and ready when you two arrive."

"Thank you, Okon." She replied as her smile brightened.

The young man bowed his head low. "It is an honor to serve a captain, Ma'am."

If it weren't for her diplomatic training, Kathryn would have blushed at the young man's sincerity. Another young man, who worked at the bar, brought over the drinks that Kathryn had ordered and Okon took them before Kathryn could reach for them. "It's alright, Okon. I'll take these, you can go finish any last minutes details and then take the afternoon off if you'd like."

Okon handed the drinks to Kathryn and gave her a soft smile. "Thank you, but Ms. Seven asked me to bring her information on our zoo. She'd like to take the small ones there while you're with us."

Kathryn had forgotten about that. "Very well, we'll see you later then."

With drinks in hand, Kathryn made her way down the beach towards Seven and Gretchen. She stopped just short of them when something further down the beach caught her eye. Icheb was walking with a young woman, and the sight made Kathryn smile again.

"Looks like Icheb is enjoying himself." She said as she handed Seven one of the glasses and then lowered herself onto the large beach blanket.

Seven looked up from rubbing sunscreen onto Gretchen's shoulders and arms to watch Icheb for a moment. "They are discussing the marine life of this area."

Kathryn laughed. "He's still talking to someone his own age, a girl no less, I'm sure marine life is just an ice breaker, which means you really shouldn't listen in on their conversation Annika."

Seven lifted a brow as she turned to look at Kathryn. Then it dawned on her why she shouldn't be listening in and it made her blush slightly. "I hope he has greater success using the Doctor's advice on dating then I had."

"You did fine when we started dating." Kathryn replied as she picked Gretchen up.

Anyone else would have missed the smile that tugged on Seven's lips as she spoke. "Yes, but I was referring to the time period in which I dated other crewmembers while waiting for you to 'see the light'."

Kathryn wasn't sure if she should blush or laugh. "You were so sure that I'd see the light back then?"

Seven reached out and with long delicate fingers rubbed sunscreen across Kathryn's nose and cheeks. "I was."

"Despite my attempts to keep you at arms length? Why Seven? Why were you so sure I'd come around?" Kathryn asked as she held their daughter in her lap.

Seven smiled a little more. "I had faith in you my Kathryn."

Kathryn returned the smile and accepted the kiss that followed. She thought about asking Seven right then and there but decided to hold off. She had the whole evening planned. A walk on the beach, dinner alone, then they would sit by a small fire and watch as the moon played with the waves, then she'd ask. She wanted it to be perfect.

"We promised Gretchen a little time in the water." Seven said softly as she pulled away from Kathryn.

Kathryn nodded and quickly got to her feet. The three of them headed down to the water and Kathryn was surprised at just how warm it was. "It's like being in Hawaii." She commented as she lowed Gretchen just enough so that her tiny little feet and legs were in the water. Gretchen loved being in the water and giggled every time she splashed Seven as she kicked and played. Kathryn took advantage of being the one holding the baby and splashed Seven herself. Seven, however didn't see holding the baby as any opposition and managed to splash Kathryn back quite a bit without getting Gretchen to wet.

The three of them played in the water a while longer, each taking a turn holding the baby, each taking a moment to submerge themselves under the warm water. When they finally started back up towards their blanket in the sand, they heard familiar voices calling out to them.

"I didn't know you could swim, Seven." B'Elanna said with a teasing tone. "I would have thought you'd be afraid of rusting or sinking to the bottom."

Seven's brow went up in a manner that told everyone she knew she was being teased. "Borgs do not rust, nor do we sink." She paused a moment before adding, "I am surprised to see you here as well, B'Elanna. I would have thought Klingons wouldn't like swimming because it reminded them to much of a bath."

B'Elanna howled with laughter. "Nice come back, Seven. I'm impressed."

Kathryn watched the two of them; still amazed over the friendship they'd developed. She then looked over at Tom and Harry. "I thought you guys were heading to the ski resort first."

Tom nodded. "We are, we'll head up there after the welcoming reception tonight." The look on the Captain's face made it clear to Tom that she hadn't a clue as to what he was talking about. "Um, hasn't Neelix told you yet?"

"We haven't see Neelix since our arrival." Seven informed them as she wrapped a towel around Gretchen.

The newly arrived trio looked at each other before returning their gazes to the Captain and Seven. "Neelix told us that the Chancellor is throwing a welcoming reception for us in one of their grand ballrooms."

In the blink of an eye Kathryn went from being Kathryn to being Captain again. "Why wasn't this brought to me before we all left the ship?" Her three officers all shrugged. Janeway pinched the bridge of her nose. When she opened her eyes again she could see Neelix heading towards them.

The look on the Captain's face told him she'd heard already. "I didn't know until an hour ago, Captain. It's a custom to throw a grand party to welcome first time visitors."

"Some advanced notice would have been appreciated, Mister Neelix." Janeway said, and then wondered why Okan hadn't mentioned this. "Seven and I already had plans for this evening."

Seven looked up at Kathryn with a bewildered look. She hadn't been aware that they'd had plans. Though she was sure that Kathryn had something on her mind, perhaps the plans had involved telling her what that something was.

"I'm sorry for the late notice, Captain. Shall I tell the Chancellor you won't be attending?" Neelix asked.

She really wanted to say yes, but knew that she couldn't. The damn thing was being held in honor of her crew and as the head of that crew she had to be there. "No Mister Neelix, we'll be there."

No one else would have seen the disappointment in her eyes, but Seven.

"I'll watch Gretchen for you, Captain." Icheb offered as he joined the group.

Kathryn looked over at him and noticed that his new friend was with him. After a quick exchange of looks between herself and Seven, Kathryn smiled. "I think we could figure something else out, Icheb, if you'd really rather attend the party."

Icheb's face lit up. "I'd like that very much, Captain."

Tom smiled as he watched Icheb and the girl who'd been with him step away from the group. The girl smiled and nodded after Icheb had spoken to her and they all knew the boy had just asked her to be his date tonight. Tom then turned to the Captain. "Pike's going to keep an eye on Miral for us. She's still not up to being social. She's still in that 'I don't wanna run into Max' stage of the break up."

Seven looked over at Kathryn and then at Tom. "We'll ask if she wouldn't mind taking on another then."

"So what time is this thing and were, Neelix?" Kathryn asked with a bit of annoyance in her voice. She was still unhappy with having to bail on her plans.

"2100 hours, the main ballroom of the hotel in their capital city, and its formal dress." Neelix answered.

Kathryn couldn't help but roll her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do while on shore leave was put on a uniform, let alone her dress uniform. She managed to swallow back the sigh that crept up from her lungs as she watched Seven packing their things and preparing to head back to their hotel. Looking up at her crewmen she shrugged. "Guess we'll see you all tonight then."