The day of the party finally came, just as Seven and Chakotay were adjusting to the fact that they were now expecting two babies rather than one. It was easier than they had anticipated, after all they weren't going to reject a child just as much theirs as the other. Seven was even a little pleased with herself in being so efficient as to get two babies out of one pregnancy. Medical concerns, as ever dimmed their happiness slightly, the risk to Seven was now even greater as the Doctor had made abundantly clear to them.

Despite all this Chakotay approached the party with a great deal of nervous anticipation. He saw his friends gathered in the next room but paused when he saw that Seven had fallen behind. He glanced back at her, "They're in here, come on."

"I can see that." Seven stated, holding back. Unlike her husband she had dreaded telling their old crewmates ever since the Doctor had informed her of her condition.

Chakotay let her cold defensive tone go over his head and took her hand. "Stop worrying." He murmured, "You think too much, sweetheart."

Seven looked into his lively joy filled face, perhaps he was right and she was over anticipating their reactions. They had accepted their marriage easily enough after all. I am Borg, I cannot raise children. She silenced the voice of doubt in her mind, she had nothing to be ashamed of, these children had been conceived in love and wedlock and she desperately longed for their arrival. Surely no one could truly disapprove of that.

Chakotay smiled as her face relaxed in the way that told him she had reasoned her emotions to the back of her mind. "Ready now?"

"Yes." Seven said, still with more confidence than she felt and took his arm. They walked into the crowded room, Icheb and the Doctor immediately approached them.

"How are you?" asked Icheb, speaking for both himself and the Doctor.

Seven gave them both a reassuring look, "Fine." Behind them Seven spotted a heavily pregnant Samantha Wildman with her husband, Naomi stood apart, her eyes catching Seven's and she quickly made her way over beaming at the new arrivals.

"Hello! Seven, I got a new science project at school and…"

Her father, who had followed her, spoke up. "You have a new science project?"

"Yes." Naomi responded in irritation, turning back to Seven without another word to her father. Chakotay and Seven exchanged glances, obviously the father daughter relationship had yet to become close even after a year and a new baby on the way. Seven was surprised for Naomi was the friendliest child she knew, but she had learned over the years that family relationships were seldom simple.

Tom appeared with Miral on his shoulders. "Chakotay, Seven, hi! The Admiral's just about to make her welcome speech."

It was then that they saw the Admiral step up on to the stage at the front of the room and everyone automatically arranged themselves around her. "Colleagues, friends, welcome! I can't believe its been over a year since we last had a party like this in the mess hall of our Delta Quadrant home, but I have to say I'm liking Earth so far!" A ripple of laughter passed through the room. "On a more serious note I'd like to thank you all for your loyal service and raise a glass to those who could not join us." A new sobriety entered everyone's head as they toasted. Thankfully Seven and Chakotay had come in so recently that they had not yet been given champagne so Seven did not have to make an excuse for not drinking. "Now let's all have a good catch up…that's an order!"

The party continued in the same jaunty manner though Seven was suffering too much from nerves and lingering nausea to enjoy it much. As it began to wind down and only those he was most familiar with were left, Chakotay tapped his glass for attention. "Excuse me, Seven and I would like to make an announcement." Many sets of eyes looked at him curiously; he swallowed his nerves and continued, "We're expecting twins."

The silence was total, everyone in the room staring at the couple in shock, except for the Doctor and Icheb of course. After several seconds had ticked by like hours Naomi ran up to Seven, "That's great Seven! My little brother will have some friends!" This happy exclamation seemed to break the ice and a commotion of voices broke out around both Seven and Chakotay until the Admiral's voice echoed over them all. "How far along are you Seven?" she asked coolly, her expression unreadable.

"Twelve and a half weeks Admiral." A flicker of thunder crossed the Admiral's features and she turned on her heel without another word, Seven and Chakotay's eyes following her.

Tom, trying to lift the sudden tension in the air, hit Chakotay playfully on the arm. "You're a sly one Chakotay, these two are honeymoon babies!"

Harry nodded vigorously in agreement. "You two always like to make a splash."

"That is never our intention…" Seven muttered under her breath.

Tuvok came up to them, his face looking as close as it ever could to pleased. "This is a logical step forward for you, congratulations."

Chakotay leaned over and whispered in Seven's ear, "I'd better go talk to her."

Seven could hear the exasperated sigh in his voice. "I will come with you…"

"No, you hold the fort here." He wasn't going to let the Admiral's manipulative melodramatics upset Seven. To his relief B'Elanna led her away to a table and he was free to find Kathryn.

He found her sitting in a corner sipping a cocktail. "Something you want to say Kathryn?"

She looked at him icily over the rim of her glass. "What? Congratulations?" she said with acrid sarcasm.

He managed somehow not to rise to that. "Something like that."

"Well, you're not going to get it. I can only marvel at your lack of judgement, not that that's much of a surprise…"

"What do you mean?" He was staring to get angry now.

"Do you want to give Seven a mental breakdown? Neither of you are going to cope!"

"I disagree; I know Seven will do very well. We both want our children."

"Seven would throw herself over a bridge for you but that doesn't mean it's a good idea!" Her derision of both himself and Seven was clear in her tone.

"Why do you value control over everything else Kathryn?"

"We all like to be in control Chakotay; you should know that being an anthropologist."

Chakotay didn't feel like giving her anymore of his attention and walked away from the bitter woman.

"Why didn't you tell us Seven?" asked B'Elanna.

Her tone conveyed her sincere concern and Seven allowed herself to confide in Chakotay's close friend. "We…weren't sure if the pregnancy could sustain itself…we continue to be unsure even now."

B'Elanna heard her anguish and found herself reaching out to the younger woman. "Don't worry about it…you're talking to the woman who tried to change her daughter's DNA. Everything's been fine so far hasn't it?"

Seven nodded, "I don't think I will feel secure until they're born healthy."

"That's natural."

Chakotay came towards his wife who was in deep conversation with B'Elanna. When he looked at Seven he wondered whether he cared what Kathryn thought, as she rose to greet him and take his hand the answer came to him quick a lightening, not a bit.

Seven stepped out of her alcove to find that Chakotay had already left, she noticed his note and read it quickly, "Had to go to work early, I'll be back late. Take some rest; it's your day off!" She smiled to herself and threw the note in the trash, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she did so, taking in her swollen figure. It's my eighteen week check up tomorrow, almost halfway through. She sighed ruefully as she dressed; she had lost the battle against her expanding womb and began wearing maternity wear sometime ago. As her thoughts turned to breakfast she realised she wasn't feeling nauseous, panic edged its way into her soul and she seized the medical tricorder she wasn't supposed to have and scanned herself finding everything normal. That proved the Doctor wrong when he said that having a medical tricorder would make her worry unnecessarily, it had eased her anxiety. Perhaps, though she hardly dared to hope, the twenty four hour morning sickness was finally over.

Another more pleasant symptom of her condition began to manifest itself throughout the day. Movement. The babies were moving; she was impatient to inform Chakotay but knew she would have to wait. At 2010 hours that night Seven heard a noise at the door and thinking it was Chakotay she went to greet him, only to find Naomi Wildman standing outside her door. Startled and confused, she hurriedly opened the door. "Naomi Wildman. What are you doing here?"

Naomi looked at Seven's confused concerned face and began to cry. Seven pulled her inside and shut the door, kneeling down to face her, observing her soaked clothes and shivering body, she had obviously been caught in the downpour of the hour before. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"I…had an argument…with my dad…can I stay with you?"

"What kind of argument?"

"A bad one! I don't want to go home!"

"But Naomi, you must return home, your parents will be worried…"

"No…they won't be…" Naomi sniffed.

"I assure you, they will. I will call them…"

"Don't make me talk to them…" she said fretfully.

Seven couldn't force her. "It is my duty to call them, you know that."

Naomi nodded miserably and Seven left to make the call, despite what she had said to Naomi, she requested to her mother that she remain where she was for the night, Seven couldn't help the need she felt to help the girl and her mother though reluctant agreed and thanked Seven. Seven returned to the hallway and looked at Naomi, "You are to remain here, and you will go home in the morning."

Naomi gave a cry of relief and flung herself into Seven's arms where Seven allowed her to stay for a moment. "Thank you Seven!"

"Those wet clothes will make you more susceptible to viruses, go and get in the bath and I will replicate more and make you a hot meal." Naomi retreated gratefully upstairs and she returned warmed and refreshed for the dinner Seven had made. As she sat down Seven spoke. "What prompted you to do such a reckless thing?"

"My dad and I argued."

"Concerning what?"

"Lots of things…" her head dipped, "we always do."

"Naomi, I know that it is a difficult adjustment for you, but it is for him also, there are many emotions which complicate things…"

"I want everything to be simple, like on Voyager!" Seven smiled sadly, how often had that thought passed through her head? "We don't have anything in common Seven!"

"You love your mother and unborn brother don't you?"

"Yes, of course I do!" she exclaimed passionately.

"Well so does your father, you share that if nothing else. Surely he cannot be that bad if your mother married him?"

Naomi thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose he's good at making Mom laugh and me I suppose and he has great stories and he makes the best Ktarian moon biscuits…Oh Seven I've done a really stupid thing…"

"We all run away from things we don't like…I have done many unadvisable things but Chakotay always forgives me, your parents will too."

Naomi suddenly got up and hugged her tightly. "I'm glad I came to see you Seven…"

"You can always come to see me, the Doctor is making me work less, but ask your parents first."

"I will!" Naomi assured her.

Chakotay came into their room later to find Seven preparing for bed. "I spoke to Naomi."

"Is she alright?"

"Yes, she's fine." He sat down beside her. "You know you're going to make an excellent mother don't you?"

Seven could here pride in his voice though she wasn't sure what she'd done to deserve it. She felt a movement again and impulsively took Chakotay's hand and held it to her abdomen, hoping he would feel it too.

He did. "They're kicking!" He cried a beam of pleasure spreading across his face. Seven guided his other hand.

"One's here and one's here."

"I know! I can feel them! Seven why are you crying?" he asked softly, brushing the single tear from her cheek.

Seven was surprised herself but answered. "I'm…relieved I suppose."

"Me too. Hey, can we find out the sexes tomorrow?"

"The Doctor should be able to tell."

"Good, because I need to paint the nursery."

"It's a new house, it shouldn't need painted."

"I'm going to paint it pink if they're girls and blue if they're boys."

"What if it's a girl and a boy?"

He thought for a moment. "Well…I'll paint one wall pink and one wall blue."

"Why only those two colours?"

"It's traditional."

"Is it so that people don't embarrass themselves mistaking a girl for a boy or vice versa?"

Chakotay laughed so hard it took him a long time to answer. "Yes…that's probably one reason!"

The next day they returned Naomi to her home and grateful parents before going to see the Doctor. "Do you want to know what you're having?" he asked them after the essential scans had been completed.

"Yes please." Said Chakotay.

After a few minutes of examination the Doctor spoke. "They're definitely fraternal twins…"

Seven, as always the quickest on the uptake smiled. "A son and daughter?"

"Yes."

They would of course have been happy whatever the result but at that moment neither of them would have exchanged their son or daughter for anything else. Chakotay gave Seven a passionate kiss. "You're carrying on the family tradition!"

"My Aunt Irene will be pleased…and you'll only need to paint two of the four walls!"

A/n: I hope this chapter didn't seem too long. If you review I can bounce name ideas off of you. I welcome suggestions because I'm not sure yet. Thanks for reading!