Over the next several months, tensions rose in the ranks about what their welcome home would be like. For years, everyone had put such worries out of their minds. The problems of the Federation had seemed so far away compared to the struggle to survive the trip through the Delta Quadrant. Now that they were a few days away from the Neutral Zone, fears and anxieties had begun to resurface.
Birthdays and anniversaries were celebrated as usual, although everyone seemed to be more enthusiastic in an attempt to make the tension disappear. Sixteen other women had conceived at just about the same time as B'Elanna, including, surprisingly (for everyone), Captain Janeway! The pregnant women tended to be moody, adding to the edge of suspense.
B'Elanna and Janeway were closer than ever during this time, spending their off-duty time together discussing the irritations of pregnancy and playing with A'Lehsen and S'Ehra on the holodeck.
Janeway had ordered that any pregnant woman not suffering from complications could wait to take maternity leave until after they arrived at Earth. The Doctor had reluctantly agreed to that, as long as all seventeen women came in for weekly check-ups and honestly reported anything that went wrong. All seventeen of them had agreed.
Many husbands were seen rushing up to Neelix at odd times of the night and day. Ensigns were even sent from the Bridge and Engineering, which was where the majority of the pregnant women worked. Neelix's leola-root experiments were very, very popular, much to the husbands' and the ensigns' chagrin.
The senior officers were in a briefing session when the ensign at Ops reported that they had entered the Neutral Zone. Janeway acknowledged this, and told her to report when they were half-way through.
Everyone was quiet. Tuvok, who had been speaking, did not continue. This was what they had been working towards, what there first priority had always been. Yet...
B'Elanna looked around the table at those who had been strangers nine years ago, but who were now her family. Tom looked worried; she felt him grasp for her hand and hold it tightly. Harry looked thoughtful; he was so different, no longer the overly-eager boy she had first met in that Ocampa hospital. Chakotay was watching his captain and wife; funny, how he had never seemed to regret giving her command over himself and his Maquis crew. Janeway looked as anxious as Tom; maybe she should, since she really had no idea what kind of Federation she was leading her people back into. The Doctor looked relieved; yes, he had never been very comfortable being the only doctor that Voyager could rely on. Neelix looked the most excited; this would be a big change for him, coming to the Alpha Quadrant. Tuvok and Seven wore no expressions, but B'Elanna could tell that these most logical members of the crew were affected by this as well. Tuvok would be reunited with his family, and Seven would have to find her way of being human, different now that there would be more interactions with others.
B'Elanna herself felt a kind of peacefulness about it all. As Chakotay would say, things had come full circle. She had run from the Federation, from Starfleet, and now she was coming back, an officer on a Starfleet ship. She knew that she was stronger for her experiences on Voyager, and that no matter what happened, as long as it didn't harm her children, she could take it. She was ready to face her past now.
She felt something compel her to say quietly, "You did it, Captain. You got us home."
Janeway smiled at her, friend to friend. "No, B'Elanna, WE did it, this crew. Every one of us played a part in our homecoming." She was silent for a moment, and then she asked, "Chakotay, are any of the Cargo Bays empty?"
Chakotay checked his padd. "Cargo Bay 4 is only one-quarter full. Why?"
"I want to have a general crew briefing. Please arrange to have just a skeleton crew on duty in twenty minutes, and have the ship-wide channels open. Children may come, also, since I want every member of this-family there," Janeway ordered.
"Yes, Captain," Chakotay said with a smile.
"Oh, and Chakotay? Have pips replicated for the ex-Maquis crewmembers. We will show Starfleet a united front. Any questions? No? Then you are all dismissed," Janeway said with a small smile.