B'Elanna leaned against the couch. It was quiet for once. The kids were out of school for the day and all they did was bring noise. She was glad when Tom took them to the holodeck for some program. She picked up her PADD and started to read the latest novel she was reading. She had one more month of this before the baby was here. She wanted to get out of these quarters and back to work.
Vorik had visited her a couple times, telling her what is going on in Engineering. Most of her friends had visited, she enjoyed their company. Tom had been doing his best with the children and not causing her a lot of stress. Miral had been helping the best as an nine-year-old could. The other two were behaving as best as they could. They would get in trouble and B'Elanna had to control herself with them. She was ready to leave these quarters, but she had to wait for her son to be born. She placed a hand on her round belly. "You can come soon," She looked around and knew that no one was there, but Tom and she didn't want to say the name of the baby just yet. She said the name in her head.
She leaned back against the couch as the chime went off. "Enter," She called out.
The doors opened and the captain came in. B'Elanna tried to stand, but the captain waved her back down. "Can I come in?" The captain asked.
"Sure," B'Elanna waved to a chair for the captain to sit. B'Elanna straightened as the captain took her seat. "What can I do for you?" B'Elanna asked.
"I was going to see how you are doing?" Janeway smiled.
B'Elanna rolled her eyes. "I'm ready for this baby to come out."
Janeway laughed. "Bored?" B'Elanna nodded. Janeway looked around. "Where are Tom and the kids?"
"Holodeck Two," B'Elanna smiled. "Tom could tell that I was going to kill the kids because somehow they woke up with too much energy."
Janeway laughed again. "Are you ready to come back to work?"
"Yes," B'Elanna hissed. "The doctor won't let me leave my quarters."
"So, you are stuck here until," Janeway glanced down at B'Elanna's belly. "The baby is born."
"Yes," B'Elanna sighed. She saw the smile in the captain's face. "At first, I was glad for the time. More time with the kids and Tom, but after a month I want to escape."
"I'm sure you found time for some other activities," There was a sparkle in the captain's eyes.
B'Elanna narrowed her eyes. "The doctor said no to those activities," Janeway tried to hold in her laughter. "It's okay, you can let it out," B'Elanna smiled. Janeway let out a big laugh. "Tom didn't like it too."
"I bet he didn't," Janeway smiled.
"How are things on the rest of the ship?" B'Elanna asked. She had asked Tom, but he was no use. All he knew about was the bridge and sickbay. Janeway saw that she was looking for information and told her what was going on in the ship.
"This is where we are getting the distress signal," Harry said.
"Orbit the planet, Tom," Janeway said.
"Yes, madam," Tom put the planet in orbit.
"Tom, take an away team down there and find the signal," Tom nodded and left the bridge.
B'Elanna felt the first pain and knew that it was time. She took a deep breath and started counting. She barely made it five minutes and knew that the baby was coming. "Commander Paris," B'Elanna reached out for her comm badge. He didn't call back. She tried to call again. "Commander Paris," He still didn't answer. "Well, he can miss the birth of our last child," B'Elanna pressed her comm badge. "Doctor," She heard him respond. "The baby is coming, and I can't get a hold of Tom."
"Alright, I'm sending Seven to you to bring you to sickbay," The doctor said.
"Okay," B'Elanna got out during a contraction. B'Elanna started pacing her quarters as she waited for Seven to come. She heard the chime go off. B'Elanna opened the door and stepped out. She didn't let Seven say anything as word as they headed for sickbay. B'Elanna let out a deep breath as another contraction came. "Seven never have children," B'Elanna wanted to scream but people were walking by. "Especially if your husband can't be found." Seven decided it was best not to answer as they made it to sickbay. Once they made it to sickbay, Seven helped B'Elanna on the bio bed. The doctor made his way over to them. "Thank you, Seven," B'Elanna said. She got settled on the bed. "You are better than the father of my child."
The doctor turned to Seven. "You didn't tell her."
"No, I didn't think it was my place," Seven said.
"Tell me what!" B'Elanna yelled as a contraction passed.
"Tom is on away mission, and we don't have communication with them," The doctor ran a medical tricorder over her to check on the baby.
"Really," B'Elanna glanced at the doctor and Seven. "Captain knew that our baby was due soon," B'Elanna let out another scream.
"Let's have a baby then you can yell at the captain," The doctor checked how many centimeters B'Elanna was. "You are eight centimeters. Almost there," The doctor smiled at B'Elanna. B'Elanna glared at him.
The doctor walked away do B'Elanna didn't kill him. He had delivered three of her babies and knew when to stay away during labor. The last three times Tom was there to help her, but they wouldn't be able to get to him. The doctor glanced at B'Elanna before calling the captain, telling her what was going on, and they should bring Tom back.
"It's time!" B'Elanna yelled for the doctor. The doctor came in and checked on B'Elanna.
"You are ready to push."
"Yes," B'Elanna hissed.
"Push," The yelled B'Elanna pushed. "I see the head. Push B'Elanna," B'Elanna pushed. "One more push and we'll have the head." B'Elanna pushed. "I have the head. Push B'Elanna," She pushed and pushed. "I have the shoulders. One more push and we'll have the baby." B'Elanna pushed and she felt the baby release. The doctor cut the cord and placed the new baby on B'Elanna. The doctor smiled. "It is a boy."
B'Elanna placed her hands on her new son. The doctor took the new baby and cleaned him before putting him in a crib. The doctor helped B'Elanna with the afterbirth and got her comfortable.
"Can I hold my baby?" B'Elanna reached for her baby. The doctor put the baby in B'Elanna's arms.
"What is his name?" The doctor asked.
"James Owen Paris," B'Elanna smiled at her son. The doctor nodded. The only question that B'Elanna had was where was Tom?
The captain's ready room chime went off. "Enter," Janeway said. Chakotay entered. Janeway looked up. "Anything from the away team?"
"No," Chakotay said. "I came to tell you that B'Elanna had a baby boy."
"I would like to send her Tom and the rest of the children?"
"Nomi Wildman is watching them until we know anything from Tom."
"Captain to the bridge," Chakotay and Janeway made their way to the bridge.
"The shuttle is off the planet, and they are hailing us," Harry said.
Janeway nodded to Harry, who opened a channel. They were hoping that they would see Tom's face on the screen, but it was one of the ensigns with Tom. "Captain, Commander Paris has been hurt and he needs medical attention right away," The ensign looked behind him at the others.
"Beam Commander Paris to sickbay right away," Janeway said. She touched her comm badge. "Doctor injured crew member is coming your way."
The doctor was ready for the injured. When the body appeared on the central bio bed, it took a second to see that it was Tom. The doctor glanced at B'Elanna, who was sleeping. Their son was sleeping at the front in the crib. The doctor took a breath as he started to work on Tom.
B'Elanna woke to the sound of a baby crying. She knew right away it was her son. She got out of bed and picked up James. She checked him and saw that he needed to be fed. She decided to settle on the bed when she saw someone in the main bio bed. She saw the red and blond hair.
"No," B'Elanna said. She finished feeding James. She placed him in the crib and went to the main bio bed. She looked down and saw her husband and father of her children, lying on the bed. "No," She ran a hand over his blond hair. She could see the white in it. "Computer activate EMH," B'Elanna choked out.
The doctor appeared before her. "Please state the nature of your medical emergency."
"Why is my husband here?" B'Elanna said through clenched teeth.
The doctor glanced at Tom before looking at B'Elanna. "He was injured on the planet. I have done anything I can, he just needs to heal and wake up."
B'Elanna glanced at Tom. "He should have never been on that planet."
"That is something you are going to have take up with the captain," James cried out. Both doctor and B'Elanna looked at him before B'Elanna went to pick him up.
"This is the only time Tom missed the birth of our child," B'Elanna started rocking James to calm him down. The doctor saw what a pro B'Elanna was with babies. "If he doesn't wake up, he will never see his son or see the others grow up," B'Elanna glanced at Tom. The doctor could see tears in B'Elanna's eyes. Tom was the love of her life. "Did you do everything to wake him?" B'Elanna asked.
"I did. I think he needs to heal without my help," The doctor frowned. He didn't like giving bad news for woman, who just gave birth.
B'Elanna looked at Tom. "If he doesn't wake up…" B'Elanna didn't need to finish the sentence. The doctor only nodded B'Elanna looked at the sickbay doors. "Who has my children?"
"Naomi Wildman is watching them," The doctor said.
"Can I see them?" B'Elanna needed to see her children.
The doctor nodded before calling Naomi to bring the Paris children to sickbay. B'Elanna moved away from Tom and stood by her bio bed to wait for her children. The sickbay doors opened, and three children ran in calling out for B'Elanna. "Mommy, Mom," All three gathered around B'Elanna. She hugged and kissed each of them.
B'Elanna smiled. "Would you like to see your new brother?" All three nodded. B'Elanna lifted James out of the crib and showed him to his three siblings.
"He's so tiny," Gabby was ready to poke him, but B'Elanna stopped her with a look.
"Yes, but he is going to grow just like you," B'Elanna said.
"Where is Dad?" Miral asked.
B'Elanna tried not to look at the main bio bed where Tom was lying. Miral had been here with each of her siblings who had been born. Tom was right there. Miral saw where her mom's eyes went. Miral went to the main bed. She looked at her mom as she went to the bed. She saw her dad with his eyes closed.
"Dad," Miral touched Tom's shoulder to wake him up. Tom didn't move. "Daddy," Miral mumbled. She had started calling them Mom and Dad after she ran away. B'Elanna could see her bottom lip tremble. "Please wake up, so you can meet my new brother," Dexter and Gabby made their way to their father. B'Elanna walked behind them as Miral turned around to look at B'Elanna. "What is wrong with Dad?"
B'Elanna couldn't explain to her nine-year-old what was wrong with Tom. Dexter and Gabby both looked her way. "I don't know," She sighed. B'Elanna felt weak. "Come on," She led the children back to her bed. She sat on the bed again.
"Is Daddy going to wake up?" Gabby had tears streaming down her face. B'Elanna didn't know how to answer her four-year-old. The only thing B'Elanna could do was open her arms for the little girl. Gabby climbed on the bed and into her mother's arms. B'Elanna didn't know how they did it but Miral and Dexter climbing on the bed with her.
The doctor and Naomi came out from the other side of sickbay. The doctor looked at the kids. "Your mom needs rest. It's time to go home with Naomi," Naomi smiled at the kids.
"Can we stay with Mom," Miral asked. B'Elanna knew that the kids wanted to have a parent close.
"I'm afraid not," The doctor frowned.
The kids turned to their mom. "When are you coming home?" Dexter asked.
"Tomorrow," B'Elanna looked at the doctor to see him nodding. "Please go with Naomi," The kids started to protest, but B'Elanna stopped them with a hand. "I love you," She kissed each of them and they jumped off the bed.
Naomi ushered the kids out of sickbay. B'Elanna watched her children go before looking back at her husband. Tom hadn't moved. The doctor opened his mouth to say something but decided against it. He went back to his office as James let out a scream. B'Elanna knew right away that he needed to be fed. B'Elanna fed her son and rocked him to sleep. She glanced over to Tom. "Please wake up, so you can meet your son," There was no movement from the bed.