Beverly assembled her things together with a weary smile. She had dismissed the rest of her staff fifteen minutes ago, when the newborn's cries had subsided. And though she had stayed behind to offer additional help, she might as well have been invisible, for neither Will nor Deanna could spare a glance in her direction.

Will stood at his wife's bedside, gazing down at a bundle of blankets nestled safely in her arms. A tuft of raven dark hair poked out from the top of these blankets. Meanwhile, two bleary eyes fought fiercely to stay open.

"She doesn't want to sleep," Deanna laughed. "Look at her. She's going to be as stubborn as you!"

Will grinned. "Nah. She just can't believe how beautiful her mother is." He leaned down and kissed the side of Deanna's cheek. The baby gurgled and cooed as her mother's smile broadened.

Beverly straightened up, finished with packing her things. "Well I think she is going to be just as beautiful one day. She looks just like you, Deanna."

"You think so?" Deanna asked, still too enamored to look away. She traced her fingers lightly over the baby's face, memorizing each and every feature.

"Except for her eyes," Will pointed out. "They're blue."

Deanna's brow wrinkled. "Betazoids are born with dark eyes. Do you think that means she won't have any empathic abilities?"

"Time will tell," Will said, giving her shoulder a squeeze. Then he paused, leaning closer as if noticing something for the first time. "Wait a minute…"

"What?" Deanna looked up at him, then back at the baby, searching for something amiss.

"Those look like Picard's eyes!" he exclaimed.

Beverly stifled a laugh from her side of the bed. "I think he's right! I'll have to put her in the system as Karina Picard instead of Karina Riker."

"Don't encourage him!" Deanna warned. But the corners of her eyes crinkled with a good-natured smile. "And anyways, I'm not sure anymore how I feel about the name Karina."

Will glanced at her with a tilt of his head. "I thought that's what we decided on?"

"I know, it's just...now that she's here, she doesn't look like a Karina to me."

"Well, let me know when you do come up with something," Beverly said. "In the meantime, try and get your rest. I'm just a page away if you need anything. Congratulations, you two."

"Thank-you, Beverly," Deanna called. Will echoed her sentiment. Then, as the doctor withdrew, he scooped up the bundled baby and lifted her close to his chest. She stirred as he pushed back an ebony wisp from her forehead, caught between wakefulness and slumber. "You know, Worf had a great suggestion the other day. He said she should have a strong name. A warrior's name. Something like…Krokma."

Deanna's face twisted in disgust. "Krokma?!"

"What, you don't like it?" Will smirked deviously. "I think it has a nice ring to it. Oh, and he offered bat'leth lessons as well. I said he could start as soon as possible."

Deanna crossed her arms. "I don't think our daughter would appreciate being raised as a Klingon."

Ignoring her, Will shifted the baby into the crook of his elbow. With his free hand, he gesticulated her arm in a defiant fashion. "One day, my enemies shall fear me! They will tremble at my feet!" he said in a deep voice. Deanna burst out laughing despite her attempts to remain stern. Encouraged, Will carried on. "And I will vanquish every last one of them with my bat'leth. For I am Krokma, of the House of Riker! Or possibly the House of Picard..."

"No more!" Deanna pleaded, holding her side as she laughed even harder. Will grinned, utterly pleased with himself. But the baby didn't appreciate being jostled from her cozy position. Her face scrunched together until it was beet red and then a ferocious cry belted from her lungs.

"Uh oh," Will said, making his way over to the window while he instinctively rocked her back and forth. "You're going to have to learn to take a joke, you know." He held her in the glow of the stars, which seemed to crowd outside their window for a glimpse of the Enterprise's newest member. But she refused their company, and her cries only rose in pitch and in fury. "Computer-" Will called over the clamor. "Play No More Blues."

The notes of a piano drifted towards them, playfully bantering with a double bass. Almost instantly, the baby quieted down. Her eyes opened wider, searching for the music as though it were something as tangible as her father's face.

"Good taste, kid," Will praised. "There's nothing like jazz. And Carmen McRae's got some of the best jazz there is." He began to sway back and forth, keeping time with the sultry chords. A woman's voice joined in, every word rolling across her tongue as easily as waves roll across the ocean.

No more blues, I'm goin back home,

No, no more blues, I promise no more to roam,

Home is where the heart is,

The funny part is my heart's been right there all along

Deanna smiled warmly at the scene. For a few moments, the universe felt a little smaller. A little cozier. "I think she knows this song. You played it so much while I was pregnant, she probably thinks Carmen is part of the family." Her smile froze suddenly. "Wait a minute-" she said, pushing herself up straighter. "What do you think?"

"About what?" Will asked.

"About Carmen being part of the family." Deanna nodded towards the baby in his arms. "She looks like a Carmen, doesn't she?"

When Will looked down, those newborn eyes had finally closed in sleep. Long, dark eyelashes fluttered gently with every breath. His gaze wandered from her hairline to the curve of her pudgy little chin, studying every detail thoughtfully. "You know what…" he said at last. "I think you're right." Smiling, he tucked the blanket tighter around her. "Welcome aboard the Enterprise, Carmen."