I feel the need to apologize to the wonderful people who are following this story. I can't seem to figure out when enough is enough. I do think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. Cross your fingers for me. Thank you for reading!

Kathryn regretfully kissed Seven good bye as the younger woman left for her weekly date with Ensign Kim. An evening with Chakotay did not have the appeal that dragging Seven back to bed would. Kathryn would gladly cancel but Seven's meetings with the Ensign were inviolate. The only time they had missed in 4 years was when Seven was ill.

Seven entered the cargo bay quickly. She was pleased to see her collaborator was already in attendance. "Ensign Kim" She said in greeting. As always he looked up annoyed.

"Seven how many times have I asked you to call me Harry when we are off duty?"

The young woman cocked her head as if the question required thought. "Three Hundred and forty two." She responded with out inflection.

"Well I really need to know why you refuse. I consider us friends. When you call me Ensign Kim it feels like we are only co-workers. Are we friends?"

"Yes" was Seven's curt response.

Harry nodded happy she felt the same. "So will you please call me Harry?"

"No" She turned to their work table. Over the years they had cordoned off a small portion of cargo bay one as their lab. No one complained due to the great success of the relationship. Every one knew the lab was off limits and respected that.

After three hundred and fourth requests Harry finally lost patience. "Why the hell not."

Seven replied in quiet tones. When I first came on board you were kind to me. I did not appreciate it at the time. Since then I have come to understand your welcome was a gift. When I think of you as Harry I do not feel the same measure of affection as when I think of you as Ensign Kim."

Harry couldn't decide if he was shocked by the uncharacteristic length of Seven's answer or the answer itself. "Thank you Seven." He was at a loss for any other reply.

Seven looked her friend in the eye and nodded. She began to turn back to her makeshift station. She sighed as Harry asked another question.

"So what are you going to do if I ever get promoted? Will you be able to call me Lt Kim if the time ever comes."

Seven rolled her eyes. "Only in public."

Harry laughed and moved to his own station. He hoped that someday Seven would learn to feel the same affection for him as Harry but he will never make that request again.

"So what are we working on today?" Harry asked.

Seven looked up. "I believe we have the technology to achieve our goal. We need to combine some of the elements we have already been researching rather then considering them as separate approaches. We need to reconsider options we have rejected"

"Ok" Harry said slowly. "Give me an example."

"The Vadwar tunnels." Seven waited for a response.

"We decided they wouldn't be helpful. We know how to make them but they would only help if they were made. And if somehow they could be of use we wouldn't want to open a highway from the DQ to Earth "

"Slip stream." She waited again.

"We have not yet been able to find a shield configuration that would protect the entire ship. We have not found a way to avoid gravitational pulls that degrade the stream." Harry paused for a moment. "Its really too bad we didn't get to use those tunnels. Running through sub space would make the slip stream drive more possible. The gravitational pulls would have almost no effect." He looked at Seven for her next comment."

"Sling Shot."

"Too much energy for too short a jump. The time it would take to build it for each jump is prohibitive." Now Harry waited.

"If we were to install a small slip stream drive on a large torpedo do you believe the shielding we have devised would hold?"

The young man nodded. "Sure." He walked back to his station and did some quick calculations. "For about twelve hundred light years".

"And if we fired it into subspace with the tunneling bore that the Vadwa used to create the tunnel?"

Harry's eyes grew wide as he considered the possibility.

Seven asked a final question. "If we used the sling shot between tunnels?"

"If we use the sling then we can make spaces between the tunnels so that it will not be an easy trail to follow." His eyes widened "My God Seven, put all that together and we are home."

He began to furiously input calculations in to his station. Seven just stood and watched. She gave a small half smile as she listened to Harry mumble to himself as he worked.

"Three years, Seven. Once we get this started we will be orbiting earth in three years!"

Seven hesitated and then replied, "I concur Harry."

The ensign looked up and their eyes met. His heart broke just a little and he regretted the 343 request.

Over the next few weeks Janeway could tell that something exciting was going on. Harry was glowing and distracted.

"Sick bay to Janeway"

The Captain sighed as she responded. "Go ahead Doctor"

"Do you have a few moments for me? I have a rather urgent need to speak to you."

"Yes Doctor, you may join me in my ready room."

Janeway was surprised at the speed of his arrival. She waited patiently for the Doctor to speak. She could tell by his stance she was not going to be happy with his information.

"Captain I need to inform you of some unauthorized pregnancies. It seems that a problem with the medical replication caused certain forms of birth control to be ineffective."

Janeway rubbed her face in exhaustion. She was having one of those days that she was sure couldn't get any more tiring. Thanks to this little gem of information it just did.

"How many?" She asked in a resigned tone.

"Four couples were effected."

"Who?"

The Doctor paused before he responded. "I cant tell you that Captain. I needed to alert you of the situation but the couples still have their right to tell people in their own time."

Janeway nodded her understanding. "All of them were established couples then?"

The Doctor looked relieved by Janeway's calm acceptance of the situation. "Yes and all but one of them were on the waiting list to conceive. The children will not be unwanted."

Janeway quirked an eyebrow and asked, "The couple that was not on the list how are they with the news?"

At this the Doctor fidgeted a little. "Well they were stunned and a bit taken aback. This will not be their first child so they are prepared for what is coming."

The Captain nodded. "Keep me posted, Doctor. Is there anything else?" When the Doctor shook his head no she got up and followed him to the door.

Tonight was family night for the Paris-Janeway family. Seven had scheduled holodeck time for a barbeque. As she and Harry moved closer to their goal Seven wanted to familiarize herself and the children with what to expect on earth.

After a romp on the beach and a wonderful meal the adults sat together as the children played on a nearby playground. Tom looked at the three women and started to speak. "Umm, I have, actually B'Elanna and I have something we need to tell you.

"Oh" The sound escaped Janeway's lips. She didn't need to wait for the announcement she knew exactly what was coming. "Of course you do."

Seven was looking curious but not concerned as Tom nervously continued.

"There was a problem in sickbay and well B'Elanna and I were effected."

Janeway rubbed her forehead and mumbled through her hands "Of course you were."

Tom realized that Seven was the only one that didn't know what he was about to say so he continued but addressed his comments to her. "B'Elanna is pregnant."

In spite of her self Janeway grinned as she said, "Of course she is."

Seven's face was glowing. "That is wonderful." Her voice was colored with more excitement then most people would think her capable of.

"Tom cleared his throat. "Thank you Seven, even though this was unplanned I can't say I am not thrilled."

B'Elanna spoke up and looked at both women in turn. "Kathryn, Seven I don't want you to think that this is your problem. I am sure we can make room for the baby in our quarters. Our schedule with the foursome wont need to change Tom and I will just have to make more use of the daycare when the kids are with you."

The smile fell from Seven's face. She spoke hesitantly. "I do not understand. Will this child not be part of our family?"

Kathryn put her hand on Seven's shoulder. "Tom and B'Elanna need to decide what is best Seven. It is their child."

Seven looked down at her Borg enhanced hand and then up at the group. "I have been an insufficient parent. You do not want to share this child as part of our family." Seven's pain was such that she could not stay another moment.

"I will see you in our quarters." She said as she prepared to leave before she burst in to tears.

B'Elanna was shocked by Seven's response. She quickly moved to cut Seven off before she could make her escape.

"Are you saying you want to have the same responsibility for this child as you do for the others?" B'Elanna's voice was gruff. Even after all of the years spent on Voyager B'Elanna's first expectation was always rejection. She was stunned by Seven's response. "You understand this child will be part Klingon. He or She will not look like the others and Klingon babies are notoriously difficult."

Seven instantly understood that B'Elanna was coming from her insecurities about her own childhood. She knew her response had to be right. "I have found," Seven quipped dryly, "the same could be said of Klingon engineers. Our family has managed to survive one of them."

Smiling at Seven's attempt at banter Kathryn got up and put her arm around Seven. "No matter how willing we are to be fully in this child's life the decision of what that will be is Tom and B'Elanna's." She then looked over at the other couple.

"I think Seven has made our feelings clear. If you allow it we would love this baby as we do the others." Seven smiled at Kathryn glad they felt the same way.

Janeway continued "If you decide to share this child the family dynamic must be the same. There are no second class citizens in our family."

Tom put his arms around his wife from behind. He pulled her in to a backward hug so that they were all facing each other. "We can talk about this honey I am sure Kathryn and Seven understand that this is all very sudden and we need to work it out."

B'Elanna shook her head, "Actually it isn't that hard at all. I know what you want Tom and it is generous of you to give me the ability to choose differently. But I know what I want and it is the same. Our family has worked so well I can't imagine this little one not being a part of it."

She looked over to the co-moms. "I am sorry that I didn't have faith in our family. Thank you for wanting this baby." B'Elanna's eyes suddenly went wide and she broke out into a grin.

"Oh Kathless, a Klingon Janeway. Do you think The Federation is ready for a Klingon Janeway?"

Choking with laughter Kathryn responded. "Are you kidding, my sister will be so jealous when my kid has ridges and hers don't. Her husband is rather bland looking."

After the laughter died down Seven glanced a B'Elanna with a look of utmost sincerity. "Thank you for the gift of this child. He or She will mean more to me then you will ever know. Our family will be complete."

Tom was the only one who noticed a decided twinkle in Seven's eyes. Over the past few years they had developed a report that was akin to siblings. As he stared at her she gave him a slight smirk. It only took another moment for her meaning to sink in. Tom started shaking with renewed laughter.

"You can not play favorites Seven. As much as this one means to you, you can't play favorites."

Seven's face was glowing as she smirked at Tom. Kathryn and B'Elanna looked on not knowing what to think.

Tom finally calmed down enough to choke out. "Don't you get it? This little family completing Klingon will make her once again Seven of Nine!"

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