A/n: I'm sorry I haven't updated, I've not be feeling that well. Thanks to xXTheGothicBumblebeeXx for writing the sequel to "Union", "Carnival of Rust". It's a great story!
The Doctor calmly ran his tricorder over Naira, his eyes swiftly sweeping over the results for a moment before he spoke, smiling with satisfaction, "You're doing well, everything's proceeding as it should be. The only thing I advise you to do is…"
Naira rolled her pea green eyes pre-emptively, "Eat my pregnancy herbs?" She finished grumpily, fiddling irritably with her wedding ring as she did so.
The Doctor smirked with amusement. "Precisely. Your family already sent you some I presume?"
"Prophets, yes!" she exclaimed. "Mother nags me continually over the comm. system, and Icheb is even worse…"
"They are necessary Naira, especially because of this child's unique parentage…" The Doctor admonished her gently but threw Icheb a teasing look as the new husband opened his mouth to intercede, "Although I can order Ensign Icheb to stop the nagging while in the confines of my office."
Icheb nodded slowly, the slight wrinkle of his brows revealing that he was taking the Doctor seriously before his words confirmed it, "Of course Doctor, if it affects your efficiency…"
The Doctor somehow managed to remain straight faced but Naira giggled while looking at Icheb with affection and Chakotay, sitting with Seven waiting for the Doctor's attention to fall on them, couldn't quite stifle a chuckle as Icheb blushed slightly. Moving on, the Doctor waved Naira off the biobed, saying as she slid back onto her feet, "I hope you take the advice of the veterans in our midst about to give parenthood another go…" He smiled teasingly at Seven as she replaced Naira on the biobed, who completely ignored him except for a slightly raised eyebrow.
He scanned her slowly, his expression pensive as he met the couple's eyes again. "I really would've preferred not putting your implants through this again…" He muttered tightly.
"Is something wrong?" Chakotay asked urgently, his face paling with anxiety.
"Not anymore than the other two times but each time I have to administer this nanoprobe weakening drug for months on end, it has a detrimental effect on essential implants…"
With pursed lips Seven interrupted him, "My attitude to the risks hasn't changed Doctor, proceed." Seeing that not only Chakotay and the Doctor but also Icheb and Naira were looking at her with worried apprehension, she let a small smile cross her lips, "Don't worry, we're not planning on another pregnancy after this one…" She tilted her head questioningly at Chakotay, "Are we?"
Chakotay looked startled for a millisecond before he laughed, having seen the teasing glint in his wife's eye and responded while still laughing, "No, no, I don't think so."
"But you didn't plan for this one either." Icheb smilingly pointed out with his customary Borg bluntness.
Seven shrugged at him as the other three collapsed with laughter, "Then I suppose we will have to become more efficient planners."
Seven shifted uncomfortably in the wicker patio chair as Tom set out the drinks for the garden lunch, the catheter the Doctor had put into her side to administer the drug itching and painful, although she knew that in time she'd become more accustomed to its presence… Her trail of thought was unceremoniously broken by a light tug at her sleeve and she glanced down to see a newly four year old Miral peering questioningly up at her. "Where are Michael, Aylen and Max?" she asked with a note of her mother's legendary Klingon impatience.
"They're at home today with my Aunt Irene." Seven answered honestly.
Miral's face fell. "But I got a new trampoline! I wanted them to play with me…" She began to whine before changing tact, "Why didn't you bring them?" she demanded.
"Well…" Seven began but was interrupted by Tom, B'Elanna and Chakotay returning with the food.
Taking the seat closest to his daughter, Tom ruffled her hair. "Yeah, why did you come here today Seven? Has Icheb's arm gotten worse?"
Seven shook her head, "No, in fact the Doctor said it's healing faster than he expected; he has recovered 80% of the movement so far."
"That's great news." B'Elanna said warmly as she tried to get Miral to sit still and eat her meal.
Tom also smiled, but his face darkened as a new possibility occurred to him. "Dad's on a board covering Earth's defences, apparently they're having a big brainstorm over how to combat the Notsinians, have they consulted you Seven?"
Seven swallowed hard, remembering the futility of such defences in her Collective flashbacks. "Not directly, they ask Icheb more readily, since he is a qualified member of Starfleet. He should be consulting with them at this very moment in fact." She couldn't quite suppress a shaky sigh but she felt Chakotay's warm hand close firmly around hers, his fingers gently caressing the smooth metal. She caught his eye and smiled gratefully at him, sometimes she couldn't help thinking that he could read her mind somehow.
He returned her smile before turning his gaze back fully to Tom and B'Elanna. "Actually we went to see the Doctor because Seven is expecting again." He informed them, beaming.
Seven watched their faces with trepidation but only the slightest flicker of regret crossed either face before it was replaced with happy surprise, Tom laughing. "For God's sake, you do know that you're going to have over half the average number of kids now right?" He joked as he gave Chakotay a slap of congratulation on the shoulder.
"Are you hoping for a girl or a boy this time?" B'Elanna asked.
Seeing that Seven seemed reluctant to speak, Chakotay responded, "I'd like a girl this time I think, although another boy would be nice too of course."
Seven lifted her head from where she'd been focused on the floor to look at him in surprise. "What makes you come to that conclusion?" she asked curiously.
"Well, then we'd have two of each and Aylen wouldn't be outnumbered anymore." Chakotay explained.
"I think Tuvok would commend that logic!" Tom laughed.
B'Elanna smiled as she watched both her husband and Chakotay entertain Miral with a trampoline contest and sat the jug of newly replicated lemonade on the table next to Seven, whom she'd noticed with concern, had been quiet even for her that day. "Anything wrong Seven?" she asked.
Seven jumped at the sound of her voice but then froze as she met her gaze. "No, of course not. The lunch was commendable, thank you."
"Thanks." B'Elanna replied as she sat down. "So…" She began, "This news came as a bit of a shock then, huh?"
"Yes, that is an accurate statement." Seven answered quietly as she sipped the offered glass of lemonade.
"Remember what happened when I found out about Miral? Icheb thought she was a parasite!" B'Elanna laughed at the memory.
"I can clearly remember." Seven replied softly, her eyes fixed on her lap.
B'Elanna could sense that there was something up and started carefully, "Seven…" The other woman lifted her gaze to hers, B'Elanna saw deep compassion within the pale orbs and abruptly realised what had been bothering the ex-Borg. "You're not thinking that this would upset Tom and me, were you?" she asked, trying to keep the disbelief from her voice.
Seven couldn't think of how to reply without offending her and as such nodded mutely. B'Elanna exhaled deeply and tried to explain, "It was very sad for us, you know all that, but that doesn't mean I blame you or Chakotay in any way…" She sighed, "It's just the way it is. I appreciate your concern but that shouldn't make you any less happy, I've found that you have to appreciate happiness while you have it, do you understand what I'm saying?"
"Yes…" Seven mumbled before pulling herself together and looking B'Elanna directly in the face. "I understand. Thank you." She said sincerely.
"No problem." B'Elanna responded warmly, sipping her own drink as she watched her daughter play.
Seven lifted Max into her arms, an awkward manoeuvre now that she was eighteen weeks pregnant, and sat him down beside his siblings on the couch before going to stand with Chakotay, who began to tell their news to their antsy children. "You know how Mama and Papa told you there's going to be a new baby, a new brother or sister for the three of you?"
"Yes…" Michael replied, already bored and reaching down to his train set on the floor.
Max pointed a chubby finger at his mother's protruding stomach. "In Mama's tummy." He pronounced, having learned that much previous explanations.
Chakotay smiled at him, "That's right Max. Today the Doctor told us you're going to have a little sister, isn't that great?"
Michael shrugged noncommittally in response and hopped off the couch to go back his trains. Max mimicked the shrug and followed his brother like a loyal puppy, anticipating being allowed to play, but Aylen's reaction was the polar opposite, she burst into inconsolable sobs.
"What's wrong baby?" Seven asked as Aylen jumped into her lap and curled into a tight ball, still sobbing.
Chakotay stroked the long strands of silky black hair. "Aylen honey, you'll like your little sister just fine, I promise…"
"When…when will you get rid of me Papa?" Aylen choked out, almost inaudible to her parents as she continued to cry.
"Why would we get rid of you baby? You're our little girl…" Chakotay soothed, perplexed.
"Lily said you would…if I got a…sister…" Aylen replied in a whisper.
Seven frowned deeply. Lily, the seven year old from across the street, was always telling the children such ludicrous things! Gently repositioning her little girl so that she could see her face fully, she told her, "Lily was lying to you Aylen." Seeing that the child didn't fully believe her, she tried to explain, "Papa and I didn't get rid of Michael when Max was born did we?"
"No…" Aylen sniffed.
"And we certainly won't be getting rid of you either, Papa and I love you too much." Seven said with gentle firmness, hugging her to her for extra confirmation.
Aylen blinked her sky blue eyes up at both her parents and mumbled, "You promise?"
Chakotay and Seven both exchanged a smile before replying in chorus, "We promise!"
A/n: PLEASE REVIEW! :D I hope nobody minded the time jump in the last section; I just wanted to move the story forward a bit.