Seven shifted uncomfortably in the chair and pushed the plate of dry crackers away across the table as she took another sip of peppermint tea but the nauseous sensation did not abate. With a sigh she set the cup down again and refocused her gaze on the slow steady rainfall hitting against the window, the only sound reverberating through the silent house. She should start work, she had a great deal to prepare for the party later, but she knew that at that moment her body, caught in the throes of the first trimester, wouldn't be very cooperative with her schedule. She glanced somewhat reproachfully down at her deceptively flat stomach; couldn't you have held these symptoms off for one more day until your elder siblings' party was over? She thought drily to her unborn baby. She hoped none of the guests noticed, the situation was far from tenable as yet and she had a feeling that the fact she had fallen pregnant with her third child before a year had elapsed since the birth of the twins would generate a myriad of reactions. They're all going to think that all Chakotay and I think about is procreation…
The familiar creak of the last step of the staircase turned her head and within a minute Chakotay was at the threshold. "Hey, you're up early. It's not your birthday you know." He paused as he took in the half finished cup of tea and plate of untouched crackers. "Baby making itself known?" he questioned sympathetically.
"Prominently." She answered with a wry smile.
He squeezed her shoulder before going to the replicator and replicating himself some breakfast and sitting back down beside her. "Let me guess, you were thinking about how many things you had to do today while feeling like crap."
She raised an eyebrow at him jokingly, he knew her too well. "That and I was contemplating how everyone will think we think about nothing but procreation."
He laughed softly, "There are worse things to be preoccupied with…" he reached over and clasped her hand. "…and since when have you cared about what anybody thinks?"
Her shoulders straightened, her dignity offended. "I do not."
He gave her a kiss. "Good." He whispered before pulling back. "Let's go get the twins up; I finished wrapping their presents last night."
"They do not normally awaken at this time and I have a great deal of food to prepare…"
He smiled a suspiciously impish smile as he wrapped his arm round her waist. "No you don't."
She frowned at him in confusion. "Of course I do! I don't serve replicated meals; they could have that at home."
"I called everyone and told them to bring something for a buffet. You still have to make the cake though, but I'll put up the decorations…"
Seven stared at him incredulously. "But that will leave you with more work than I have."
"Precisely. Why shouldn't you be free to enjoy your kids' birthday without exhausting yourself? Especially with morning sickness kicking in…"
Seven was, for a second, perturbed, but then she remembered his anxieties, his fear for her even if he was excited for the baby and curled her forearm tight around his neck as she gave him a deep kiss. "The decoration can be minimal; you deserve to enjoy yourself also." He smiled at her and they headed up the stairs together to rouse the twins.
The nursery was darkened and serene when they entered but Aylen soon began stir, propping herself up on her elbows as she turned her head to look at the new arrivals. "Mama? Papa?" she questioned, her eyes brightening as sleep retreated.
Chakotay went directly to her cot and scooped her out with a beaming smile. "Hi my birthday girl!" She returned his smile naturally; though he wasn't sure she understood the reason for his excitement.
Seven approached Michael's cot. "Time to get up baby." She told him softly, but his arm went tighter over his head, his eyes only flickering for a moment.
"Seepy." He eventually responded.
Chakotay joined Seven with Aylen still in his arms. "It's your birthday too Michael. It'll be fun…" he cajoled.
Michael wasn't to be moved. "Bed." He muttered stubbornly.
Meanwhile Aylen's interest had been caught, her head cocked sideways slightly like it always was when she was curious. "Budday?"
"You and Michael are one year old today, that means it's your birthday." Seven explained.
"You get presents and cake…" Chakotay continued.
"Pwesents!" Aylen squealed excitedly.
"Cake!" Her brother shouted; now bolt upright in his cot.
Seven and Chakotay both laughed. "Why am I not surprised?" Chakotay said with a glint in his eye as Seven put Michael on the floor.
"One thing I have learned about humans is that they really like cake." Seven responded.
Seven did start to make the two mid-sized cakes almost as soon as the twins had opened their presents but they seemed to know that this activity involved them in some way and they wouldn't leave their mother to work in peace, constantly pestering her as Chakotay was busy putting up decorations. She was on the brink of losing patience with them when Chakotay appeared, putting the ladder back in the storeroom. "All the toys they could want and they want to help you bake." He laughed as Michael somehow managed to untie his mother's apron.
At that Seven took them both by the shoulders and knelt down. "Listen, if you want cake you have to let Mama make it. Go and play." They just gazed up at her dolefully without moving and she sighed in exasperation.
"Surely you can let them do something Seven." Chakotay commented from his spot in the corner.
Seven rubbed her floury hands on a dishtowel as she looked between three expectant pairs of eyes and the half prepared ingredients spread around the table and counters. "The three of you can…" she thought for a moment, what would be the least destructive? Well, mess was inevitable. "…sieve the flour."
"The three of us?" Chakotay queried nervously.
Seven pulled another apron from the cupboard and threw it at him. "If you think I'm going to have them involved without backup you're delusional."
Chakotay took one look at her face and knew immediately that she was serious. Looking at their happy but hyper faces he knew he was in for. Well it was your suggestion; he reprimanded himself as he got out the sieve and sat the twins down at the table.
"No Aylen, just tap it gently…" Seven could tell a blizzard of flour was coating her spotless floor even with her back turned from them as she iced the first cake. Maybe she should do Chakotay a favour and take the pressure away from him for a little while. Taking the cake in one hand and a tub of sugar sprinkles in the other she walked to the table and set them down.
"Who wants to decorate the cake?" she asked.
Aylen dropped the sieve, sending a cloud of flour into Chakotay's face and Michael who was sorting the wayward flour into piles on the table stopped dead. "Me!" they both shouted in unison.
"Having fun?" Seven asked, leaning over Chakotay's shoulder as he watched the twins pouring copious amounts of sprinkles on until the icing couldn't be seen, giggling riotously as they did so.
"It's definitely been a day to remember." He eyed the cake again. "Is that salvageable?"
"I'll scrape off the excess but if that's not enough I'll make another while they're in the bath."
"I think it'll be all hands on deck for bath time."
"I have no doubt." Seven replied as she looked over her flour dusted, icing splattered but very happy children.
Somehow they managed to pull themselves together by the time their friends started arriving at 3pm. The family, well preened and mannerly, greeted everyone at the door, giving no sign of the mishaps of the morning. B'Elanna came forward bearing a large delicious looking dish of food, Seven looked at her with surprise, she hadn't known the engineer to ever cook anything. "My mother-in-law." She said laughingly by way of explanation.
"Oh, thank you…and Mrs Paris." Seven said politely before looking down at Miral. "Aylen, Michael and David are playing in the living room if you wish to join them."
"Okay." She replied hurriedly before running off.
Chakotay appeared at Seven's side. "I think everyone's here…"
"Let's eat then!" exclaimed Tom, earning a playful slap on the wrist from B'Elanna as everyone around nodded in agreement and decamped to the kitchen.
All the food was eaten quicker than Seven would have thought possible including the cakes decorated by Aylen and Michael, after the candle blowing ceremony of course even though in Seven's mind the "blowing" was more like "spluttering" and she wasn't sure what a one year old could wish for, she settled in the living room feeling that the party had exceeded her expectations for enjoyment despite the morning sickness that had persisted long past morning. Chakotay knelt on the floor surround by Michael, Aylen, Miral and David Wildman. "What do you want to play?" he asked them.
Two year old Miral spoke first. "I wanna play Twister."
Most of the people in the room looked at the child in bemusement but Harry's head whipped round to Tom, asking incredulously, "You've got your two year old playing Twister?"
"She loves it." Tom answered, puffed up with pride.
"What is Twister?" asked the Doctor curiously.
B'Elanna sighed. "It's a twentieth century game, quite simple really."
Chakotay met Miral's hopeful face. "There's no harm in it I suppose."
So the game was soon replicated and with David Wildman on the wheel the game slowly dragged competitors in until the twins, Miral, Tom, Harry, Chakotay, the Doctor, B'Elanna, Naomi and even Icheb were contorted into positions Seven considered if not impossible then immensely uncomfortable. Suddenly Miral shouted out from under her father's elbow, "I win!"
"No!" retorted Aylen petulantly.
"Expan!" shouted Michael.
Tom quickly corrected Miral as everyone laughed at Michael's attempt to say "explain", reminded of Seven and subjecting her to good natured teasing. Aylen tugged at her mother's skirt. "Mama pway."
Seven eyed the mat and the mass of tangled people. "No baby, not today…"
"Oh come on Seven…" Tom coaxed.
"Yes Seven, your condition doesn't get you out of this." The Doctor commented unhelpfully.
"What condition?" asked B'Elanna suspiciously as all eyes turned to Seven.
Seven developed what can only be described as a deer in the headlights expression before Chakotay climbed up off the Twister mat and took her hand securely. Swallowing hard she said quietly, "I am pregnant again…"
There was a thud as everyone playing Twister except the Doctor, Miral and the twins fell over in shock. "Chakotay, you sly…" Tom started but then Harry cleared his throat as he got up and pulled Debbie close.
"I suppose this is as good a time as any…Debbie's pregnant too." This announcement distracted everyone but a surprised Aunt Irene in Harry's direction, this was his first after all.
A/n: I'm not sure about this chapter, please review! All this fluff gathers up in my brain and I just need to write it. (I've been writing lots of angst recently this counts as a break) Anyway I hope you like it and want more.
I have a new story called "Those Left Behind" Please read and review it too if you haven't already, I've written two chapters.