Seven's eyes creaked halfway open at the incessant buzzing sound, what was it? Irrelevant, her sleepy brain answered and she buried herself even further into Chakotay's arms, pressing her face against his chest, feeling it vibrate as he groaned, "Turn that thing off…"
She almost responded "What thing?" but then realisation hit her, the alarm clock! The one she'd set last night before the Admiral arrived to ensure an early rise for going to Boston. Despite her enviably comfortable position sleep was banished with that knowledge and she shifted back to give herself space to speak. "We have to get up my love…"
He pulled the section of duvet she'd freed closer. "Why?"
"To get ready for the wedding." She explained patiently, her husband wasn't a morning person especially after a night like last night.
He rolled over onto his stomach and hid his face in his pillow. "We've already had our wedding…" he said, his voice muffled.
Seven's rare but sweet laugh rang out. "I'm glad you remember!"
Fully awake now, Chakotay pulled her against him and pressed his lips to her ear, playing with the tousled gold hair that rested between his fingers. "How could I forget when it comes with such great benefits?"
She felt her lips curving into a smile. "True, but it doesn't change the fact that at the moment we must get up."
"Boston will still be there…" he reminded her in a low whisper as his lips found her shoulders, neck and throat.
"The wedding won't be…" she muttered in faux grumpiness as her body relaxed, sighing half in pleasure and half in irritation at how easily he could sidetrack her. Silently admitting defeat she leaned over and turned the alarm clock off but within two minutes excited babbling echoed through from the nursery.
Chakotay lay back with a sigh, "We really should market those two as self-setting alarm clocks." Seven knew from his tone that he was teasing, could see his wide smile from the corner of her eye as she lifted her legs over the side of the bed.
"The most effective in the galaxy." She joked as she threw on her dressing gown and hurriedly departed.
Late that afternoon Chakotay was standing in the hall by two full suitcases and two wriggling newly eleven month olds in their stroller. Losing patience he called through, "Seven, what are you doing? You're the one who wanted to be there early." When he got no response he walked into the kitchen to see Seven putting toys in a holdall. "You've already stuffed two suitcases to breaking point…" he started incredulously.
Seven inspected another toy and put it in before answering. "They need to be kept entertained or else they will become disruptive."
"It's in a hotel, they'll have toys! We'll be back the day after tomorrow anyway."
"Don't you remember at our wedding when Miral crawled under the tables at the reception eating crumbs off the floor?"
Chakotay thought for moment as a flashback of Tom and B'Elanna frantically lifting up table covers, much to the mirth of everyone else. "Okay, take them." Seven lifted the heavy bag with a triumphant look, glad at getting him to see sense.
They arrived too late in the day to even take in the hotel let alone the unfamiliar city, eating late night room service after having getting the twins to sleep in the strange cots proved to be a much harder task than they had anticipated. The morning proved less arduous and they decided to look around the city before getting dressed and ready as the ceremony itself wasn't until sundown. As they made their way into the lobby they were met by Harry, Tom and B'Elanna. Chakotay was quick to offer their congratulations, shaking the younger man's hand firmly. "Congratulations Harry, everything seems to be going well."
"Yeah it does, I only hope it continues." Said Harry with nervous cheer.
"I don't see why not, the staff here seem quite efficient." Seven commented in an attempt to calm him, receiving a smile in return.
"Have you seen the Admiral yet?" Harry asked both of them.
The couple both tensed but it was Chakotay who shook his head and replied. "No, not yet."
"She's been acting a little…off." B'Elanna said in a cautious, confiding tone.
"We don't see her for a year and then she just turns up, not that I didn't want her to come. It's just not like her." Harry said anxiously.
Tom cleared his throat. "Well, I've heard her mission may not be going so well. Her convoy lost some ships; Dad told me the Government's getting antsy, doesn't want Starfleet stirring anything up, not so soon after the Dominion War."
"Maybe she's depressed? Our phone call from her was so weird. She wanted us to up sticks and help her…needs trustworthy people she said." B'Elanna said quietly.
Seven shifted uneasily, never comfortable with speculation even if it was well-meaning. Chakotay loosened her grip on the handle of the stroller and squeezed her hand. "Are you considering going?" Harry asked apprehensively.
"Hell no! We're not the Hansens…" B'Elanna flushed in embarrassment and turned guilt filled eyes to Seven's but saw nothing but understanding in hers. "No offence Seven…"
"None taken B'Elanna." She paused for a moment, glancing at Chakotay. "We used the same reasoning." She said quietly, but her expression told them she didn't want to be questioned and they didn't, dropping the subject entirely.
Tom was thankfully good at changing the subject and did so now, approaching the twins' stroller. "They're so big now. When's the birthday party?"
"Birthday party? They won't remember." Said Seven, the thought of throwing one having never occurred to her.
"But you will! Miral's was fun, don't you remember?"
"Yes of course…" Seven threw a questioning look at Chakotay and immediately got a nod of approval. "It will be on November 5th."
"Great!" Tom said enthusiastically and this new vein of conversation banished all thoughts of the Admiral from their minds for the time being.
Seven stood up from her place at the edge of the bed, smoothing the skirt of her jade green silk dress as she glanced out of the window. The sun was already low and the ceremony wasn't due to start for another half hour. It seemed impractical to plan your whole wedding around the setting of the sun when such a thing was uncontrollable but it was apparently what Deborah wanted. As she adjusted the straps in front of the mirror she saw Aylen watching her. "Pwetty." She commented.
Seven crouched down, stroking her face. "Thank you baby, you're pretty too." Aylen gave her mother a toothy grin as Seven fluffed out the skirt of her lilac dress and repositioned her matching headband, kissing her as she did so.
"Mama!" exclaimed Michael, lifting his arms up to her.
Seven laughed softly and kissed him too. "Don't worry Michael, you look handsome." He did in a cute baby way, in his little dress shirt, trousers and shoes.
"Did I hear you calling someone handsome who isn't me?" Chakotay chuckled behind her.
Seven turned to see him fully decked out in his suit, a sight very pleasing to the eye. "Don't worry you don't have to worry about him." She leaned in and gave him a kiss. "Looks just like his Papa."
His eyes travelled down her figure. "Great dress…" he said appreciatively.
"I thought you'd think so." She replied, pleased at his reaction. "Are you ready to go?"
"When you are." He bent down to the twins. "Who's going to be my escort tonight?" he asked, arms open. Aylen was the faster mover and Chakotay lifted her up. Michael's face instantly crumpled. "Michael, Papa needs you to look after Mama, keep all the men from pestering her." As soon as Michael realised he wasn't being left out he went happily into his mother's arms and they all left together.
The ceremony site, sheltered by the bright flame coloured canopy of trees, was headed by a simple arch with gold coloured chairs facing it. As Seven and Chakotay found a place, they noticed Harry by the arch, white faced and shaky, beside a jovial Tom doing best man duties once again. The minutes dragged on as they waited from the bride, Seven tugging a flimsy wrap around her shoulders in a futile attempt to keep out the cold breeze as Chakotay pulled out an emergency toy for Aylen and Michael, bored and past their normal bedtime. Then just as the setting sun was at the peak of its beauty, Miral the flower girl in a crimson dress with a flame coloured bow appeared, haphazardly littering rose petals wherever she wished before being followed by a bridesmaid in the same colour scheme. As she finished her walk the bride, breathtakingly graceful in a champagne strapless dress descended to meet and Harry, whose nervous look was completely gone. Seven sought out Chakotay's hand as the registrar began and he kissed it quickly as they exchanged a soft glance. "Do you Harry Kim take Deborah Clarke to be your lawfully wedded wife…"
After settling the twins in the room with the hotel childminder, taking a monitor with them and declaring one would visit every half hour just in case, Seven and Chakotay went down to the reception in the ballroom, even in this large space the number of guests made it seem claustrophobic even to Chakotay, let alone Seven who felt her dislike of crowds assert itself in full force. Despite this the evening itself soon became very enjoyable until that is Seven was left alone as Chakotay went to check on the twins and Icheb approached her, standing tall in his cadet's uniform. "Icheb, please join me." Seven said happily, though she had seen him throughout the night it wasn't the type of party suited to conversation.
He sat on the seat nearest her, looking apprehensive. "Seven may we discuss something?"
"Of course."
Icheb decided to get straight to the point. "The Admiral has offered me a position; I know that you and Chakotay did not desire to go but…"
"You do." Seven stated. She had had a feeling this would happen.
"Yes." He told her honestly. "I can be of great use, the Borg know much about the Gamma Quadrant…"
"I know, it is a volatile place." She murmured.
Icheb swallowed. "That is why we must spread the Federation's message." He said firmly. Seven smiled at his conviction. "I would not be leaving until after my graduation next year and I don't believe I'll be in action straight away, I would be studying the wormhole on Bajor or Deep Space Nine for a year…"
Seven nodded, relieved. A Federation space station. He would be safe there. "That would be interesting." She said sincerely, even the Collective didn't fully understand wormholes.
"And when I go I can look after the Admiral, she seems strained…"
"Look after yourself first!" She replied, eyes flashing, earning a confused look from Icheb. "I…I'm sorry. I know that you will, you are an adult and I trust your judgement. Your Starfleet training has you well prepared for life…"
Icheb smiled softly. "Starfleet has prepared me to be able to fill my duties. You have prepared me for life Seven."
Seven sighed in resignation as she leaned over the two cots, stroking each of the twins with one hand as they lay soundly asleep, their faces relaxed and contented. She felt Chakotay's hand on her shoulder. "I heard about Icheb. Are you alright?"
"Yes. I trust him."
"So you should, you've done so well with him. He'll be fine." He paused as he saw a tear slide down her cheek and automatically rubbed away with his thumb. "Talk to me."
"He's nineteen now, he'll be twenty before he goes, I know he's an adult and I should let him go and I have but…I won't be able to for Aylen and Michael…I know I won't…"
He swallowed. "I can't imagine that right now…" he told her honestly. "But the time will come when we show our love by letting them grow and it'll be different then because they'll be ready, like Icheb's ready now." Seven sighed as she nodded and leaned into his shoulder. He looked over at the twins. "We're still very much in the baby parenting stage. We get to hold on for a while yet." Seven gave him a long gentle kiss, the worry for Icheb still there but her heart calm.
The Doctor looked up from his desk to see Seven entering with the twins in a stroller. "Hi, have you been feeling okay since I saw you a month ago? You look tired."
"My energy reserves are low, Chakotay says I'm working too much on the party." She said as she parked the stroller by the biobed and hopped on.
The Doctor smiled at the twins as he scanned them. "I got my invitation. This Friday right?"
"You are correct. Are they healthy?"
"Perfectly. Now let's check you shall we?" He ran the scan and almost choked, yes he'd been expecting this on some level, had even planned for it, but so soon? He thought for a moment how to break the news, remembering her reaction last time. In a careful soft tone he said, "You're going to be a mother again Seven."
She turned pale, he had expected that, swallowed and went completely still before a somewhat dazed smile flicked quickly across her features as her eyes sought out the twins. "Chakotay was right. We're going to be baby parenting for the foreseeable future."
A/n: 40 chapters! I hope you're not bored! PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!