"How is he doing?" The captain asked the doctor in Sickbay. Janeway glanced over to see B'Elanna sitting next to Tom's bed with her newborn son.

"There has been no movement from him for a week," The doctor glanced at the couple too. "If nothing changes, I'm going to have to pronounce him…" The doctor didn't finish the sentence.

Janeway nodded. She knew what he meant. "How is B'Elanna doing?"

"She is here everyday after she drops the kids off at school and stays until she has to pick the kids up from school. She will bring the kids in so they can see their father," The doctor frowned.

Janeway nodded. She needed to talk to B'Elanna, and it seemed it was going to be sooner rather than later. "Give us the room," Janeway told the doctor. The doctor deactivated himself. Janeway took a sigh and made her way over to B'Elanna. She saw the newest member of the Paris-Torres family in a carrier on the floor. He was bald and Janeway couldn't see what color his eyes were because they were closed. He was a cute baby. Janeway looked from the baby to B'Elanna, who was holding Tom's hand. It looked like B'Elanna was trying to get Tom to wake up. Janeway opened her mouth. "B'Elanna, your son is very cute."

B'Elanna turned towards the captain. "His eyes are blue like his father's," She said in a quiet voice.

Janeway didn't like it. "Can we talk?"

B'Elanna nodded, glanced down at the baby before getting up and walked away from her son and husband. B'Elanna crossed her arms. She knew what this was about. "What would you like to talk about?"

Janeway could tell that B'Elanna was ready to battle. "I just finished talking with the doctor," Janeway took a breath as she watched B'Elanna's eyes soften. Janeway wondered if B'Elanna had this conversation with the doctor. "Tom hasn't woken up in a week. Soon the doctor is going to have to stop…" Janeway didn't finish her sentence as both looked at the machine that was keeping Tom alive at this moment. Janeway was waiting for B'Elanna to blow up, but she didn't.

"Why did you send him on that mission?" B'Elanna said in a quiet voice. Janeway wondered why she was speaking so quietly. Was it because of the baby in the room or was she hurt.

"He was the most senior officer to go on that mission," Janeway said in calm voice.

"You knew any day that I would go into labor," B'Elanna hissed.

"It is the risk of a Starfleet officer," Janeway said.

"Don't start," B'Elanna held up a hand. "If he doesn't wake, he won't meet his son. He won't be able to watch his children grow up and realize their dreams. My children could grow up without their father."

"I understand, but…" Janeway started.

"No, you don't understand because you don't have four children who look at you for answers about their father and what will happen to him," Frustrated tears started to fall down B'Elanna's face.

Janeway would have preferred B'Elanna's anger. "You're right, I don't have four children looking at the answers," Janeway sighed. "But know this, I didn't like that Tom got hurt and may miss his children growing up," Janeway waited for B'Elanna to say something, but she didn't. "I have talked with the doctor," B'Elanna closed her eyes. She knew what was coming. "As his wife you must decide about living or dying. You will have to make this decision soon."

B'Elanna sighed and looked over at the bio bed where Tom was laying, on the floor next to him was James in a carrier. B'Elanna saw that he was sleeping. "I know," B'Elanna said in a quiet voice that Janeway almost didn't hear. "I've thought about this all week now. Do I pull the plug and my husband died? How do I tell our children that their father is gone? I know I can't keep him here forever. It wouldn't be a life for him. Having the children visit every day just hoping he would wake up. We are going to need to move on with our lives without Tom here," Tears were streaming down B'Elanna's face.

"Take the night and think about this," Janeway patted B'Elanna on the shoulder. She really thought that the woman needed a hug.

B'Elanna nodded. "I'm sorry for going at you."

Janeway shook her head. "No, you had every right as a wife and mother. You have a decision to make," Janeway looked away from B'Elanna to the bio bed before walking towards the door.

B'Elanna looked at her husband as James let out a cry. She knew what that cry meant and picked up him. He needed to be changed. It was also time to pick up the kids from school. B'Elanna took one more glance at Tom before leaving sickbay.

B'Elanna glanced down at her full bed. All four children were sleeping in her bed. They wanted to be close to her because Tom was in sickbay, and they wanted to be close to one parent. The children laid in bed according to age. Miral started on one side, then Dexter, then Gabby, then baby James.

B'Elanna wondered what life would be like without Tom. How long would the kids be sleeping with her? James would never know his father. Would the others tell him about Tom? How would she raise four children by herself?" She never thought that this would happen to her. B'Elanna knew that she would do the best she could and hoped that her children were happy.

B'Elanna crawled in next to James and closed her eyes to sleep because she needed sleep before James woke to be fed. She spread her arms to cover her all her children.

"B'Elanna," B'Elanna heard her name being called. She looked around the grey area. There was nothing there until she saw someone coming close. She watched as the person got closer. She saw the red shoulders and knew it was a male She knew that it could only be two people. It could only be Chakotay or Tom. As they got closer, B'Elanna could see the blond hair. This Tom looked younger than the Tom now. There was no gray at the temples, he was thinner. He looked like the Tom she first met on her first day on Voyager.

"Tom," She whispered. "Is that you?"

"Yes," Tom smiled his famous smile. "B'Elanna," He said her name again. Tom didn't reach out and touch her like he would normally do.

"Why aren't you waking up?" B'Elanna asked. "Don't you want to meet James."

Tom smile only grew. "James is here?"

"Yes, he's a week old," B'Elanna tried to reach for Tom's hand but he pulled away. She was hurt by that. Tom would never pull away.

"What does he look like?" Tom asked.

B'Elanna tried to laugh. "He has your eyes; we still don't know what color his hair is. He has ridges like his siblings. He like the rest of our children."

"Then he is perfect," Tom smiled.

B'Elanna tried to reach for Tom, but he pulled away. Tom was always trying to touch her anyway he could. B'Elanna knew that this wasn't her husband. "Then you should wake up to meet him," She wondered what happened to Tom on that planet. She figured that out in the morning.

"Tom, take my hand," B'Elanna held out her hand but Tom didn't take it. She felt her heart break just a little. She knew that her husband was in there somewhere. "Don't you want to see our children grow up and run the ship. We don't know if Miral might be captain of the ship or Dexter flying the ship like his father," B'Elanna saw a faint smile on his face. They both knew that their son was into discovery new things like a scientist. "Or what if Gabby decides to be a doctor," His smile grew. Gabby was more about breaking things than fixing them, but then she was only four. "Then we have our newest baby, who is going to gave us more gray hair than the others would." Tom smiled only grew. "Don't you want to watch our babies grow up and find love like we did." There was a light shining in his eyes. B'Elanna knew that she needed to talk about their story.

"We met sixteen years ago on this ship. I felt betrayed when you led Janeway here. We shared a friendship with Harry Kim. As we spent time with Harry, and you helped me through a rough spot with the Vidians. We started to become friends and you started flinting with me. At some point I fell in love with you. I don't know when you fell in love with me. I decided to tell you when we almost died in space. A few days later you kissed me outside the mess hall and before you could say anything the doctor decided to interrupt. I ran away but a few moments later, you found me in my quarters where we talked and made love for the first time. After that night we started dating. It took us three years to get married. You asked me in the Delta Flyer when we were about to die. We were married right away.

"Before we knew it, we were pregnant with Miral. I didn't like that she would look like, but you told me you didn't care what she looked, she was apart of me and we could have three or four running around. Miral came into this world kicking and screaming. We took her home and didn't know what we were doing," B'Elanna let out a laugh.

"As we started to redesign the ship to hold families as more and more personals got married and started family, we didn't think about having more than two rooms because we thought about having only Miral. We were talking about what we would do with a third room when I found out I was pregnant with Dexter. We now knew we were going to do with the third bedroom. No matter if it was a boy or girl. It was a boy and we named him Dexter. Now we had to figure out a way to raise two babies and deal with our jobs.

"We were just getting out routine going when we found out we were pregnant again. I remember the look on your face when I told you I was pregnant again. You almost didn't believe me until the doctor told you and showed you. Months later Gabby was here. Now we had three beautiful children and we made sure they were our first priority. Now we have four and I can't wait to see what life holds for them."

Tom's eyes grew brighter with every word. B'Elanna knew her husband was in there. "Don't you want to see your children grow up?" B'Elanna held out her hand. "Take my hand, Tom," Tom didn't take her hand. "Take my hand, lover," B'Elanna called him his nickname that she would only use when they were alone.

Tom took her hand and B'Elanna led him towards the light that started showing after Tom took her hand.

Tom woke with a start. He looked around and saw that he was in sickbay. The doctor came out of his office and smiled at Tom. "Good evening, Mr. Paris," The doctor picked up his medical tricorder and ran it over Tom.

"B'Elanna," Tom said after the doctor was done. He tried to get off the bio bed.

The doctor pushed Tom back on the bed. "You can see your wife in the morning."

Tom sat up. "B'Elanna saved me."

"I bet she did," The doctor finished checking over Tom. "I need you to stay the night. You can surprise her tomorrow morning when she comes to visit with James."

"She's been here," Tom thought that she might come and visit but with four children it would be hard.

"Everyday since you been here. You don't think I have been shaving you," The doctor headed for his office.

Tom reached up and touched his face. There was only stubble. He knew his beard grew longer than that over the night. B'Elanna didn't mind the stubble, but once it grew more than that was when she complained about it. He smiled and knew that he had married the right woman.

Tom watched the doctor in his office for a moment before swinging his legs over the bed, he placed his feet on the ground. "Don't even think about it, Mr. Paris," The doctor said from his office. Tom sighed and put his feet back on the bed. The doctor was going to watch him like a hawk. He knew that he was going to get no sleep.

"Doctor, what did James look like?" Tom yelled at the doctor in the other room.

"Like the rest of your children," The doctor grumbled.

Tom laughed. "Did he have my eyes or B'Elanna?"

"I can't remember. You can find out in a few hours."

Tom laughed again. It was the doctor's way of telling Tom to shut up. Tom leaned his head back against the bed. He was going to have to wait a few hours.

B'Elanna dropped the kids off at school and headed for sickbay. After her dream last night, she hoped that Tom would wake up. She wanted him back and she knew the kids wanted their father back.

The sickbay doors opened, and she walked in with James. She looked at the bio bed where Tom was. Tom was sitting up and looking right her. B'Elanna could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. She made her way over to him. "Tom," She whispered.

Tom smiled. "B'Elanna," He reached out for her face. "You saved me."

"Damn right," Tears started falling down her face.

Tom reached up and wiped them away. "Thank you," He reached over and kissed her. The bundle wrapped around B'Elanna let out a cry. Tom and B'Elanna pulled back. Tom looked at B'Elanna. "Is this James?"

B'Elanna nodded and pulled the wrap back revealing their new son. Tom took him out and held him. James' bottom lip trembled and looked around until he found his mom.

Tom looked at his son to see he had his eyes. "He's beautiful," Tom leaned down and kissed the top of James' head. He looked up at B'Elanna. "I'm sorry I missed his birth."

B'Elanna shook her head. "You were hurt. I'm just glad you woke up."

"You…" Tom started when sickbay doors opened and Janeway and Chakotay entered. They made their way over to Tom and B'Elanna. The doctor came over too.

"When did Mr. Paris wake," The captain asked.

"In the middle of night," The doctor smiled at Tom and B'Elanna.

Janeway looked over at Tom. She saw that he was holding his new son, James. "What finally made you wake?"

James started to fuss, without looking down Tom started to rock James. He looked at his wife. "B'Elanna," Tom whispered.

Janeway and Chakotay looked at B'Elanna. "How?" Chakotay asked.

"I think I was in a state of flux. I couldn't decide on what way to go. When I was down on that planet, I felt like something hit me and I didn't know what. B'Elanna appeared out of nowhere and brought me home."

"Everyone turned to B'Elanna, who was watching Tom with James. It took her a moment to realize that everyone was looking at her. "What?" She asked.

"How did you get Tom back?" Janeway asked.

B'Elanna sighed. "I went to bed thinking about what we talked about yesterday," B'Elanna turned to Tom. "We were talking about letting you go or letting you live," Tears came to B'Elanna's eyes. "I decided to," Tears started to fall. "End your life," Tom stood up with James. Tom tried to reach her, but B'Elanna pulled away. "I couldn't let the children visit you every day. We had move on."

"B'Elanna," Tom whispered. "I would never…"

"I know, Tom," B'Elanna said. Tom touched her arm. James looked between his parents.

"I would never ask you to live your life like that," Tom looked down at James. "I would rather James know about me from the others, than him seeing me in a bio bed for the rest of my life. I would rather you and the kids move on," Tom touched the side of her face. B'Elanna closed her eyes as he touched her. She had missed his touch.

"B'Elanna, could you continue with your story," Janeway whispered. Tom and B'Elanna forgot the others were there.

B'Elanna nodded. "I fell asleep and entered a void. I saw Tom there and I made my way over to him. The first thing I noticed was he wasn't touching me when we're alone. I asked him about waking up and if he wanted to see James. I got the answer I wasn't looking for. I asked him to take my hand and he wouldn't. I started talking about our children and I saw a light in Tom's eyes and knew my Tom was in there. I told him our story and by the end of the story the Tom I knew was bright. I asked him to take my hand. As soon as he took my hand a light appeared and I took him out," B'Elanna told the room.

"I woke right away," Tom said and looked down to see a sleeping baby. "I wanted to leave right away but," Tom threw the doctor a look. "Someone told me to stay the night."

The doctor rolled his eyes. "Sorry, I need to watch over you to make sure you were okay."

Janeway and Chakotay traded a look between each other. "Is Tom okay to go now?" The doctor nodded. Janeway turned to B'Elanna. "Take your husband home."

B'Elanna and Tom didn't have to be told twice. Tom got off the bed and followed B'Elanna out of sickbay. Tom leaned closer to B'Elanna. "I don't want to be in sickbay that long again." B'Elanna smiled and took Tom's hand and led him home.

B'Elanna stood outside the classrooms waiting for the kids to come out. Tom and she decided to surprise the kids that he was home. He was home right now with James. The doors to the school opened and B'Elanna started looking for her three children. Dexter was the first to find her. The girls soon found her.

"Where is James?" Gabby asked.

"At home," B'Elanna said.

"Who's watching him?" Miral asked as they headed for turbo lifts.

"Your surprise," B'Elanna smiled.

"Our surprise," Dexter looked at his sisters. They looked up at their mom. "Dad," There was hope in his voice.

"Maybe," The kids caught the sparkle in their mother's eye.

When the turbo lift opened, the kids ran to the doors leading to their home. The doors opened and the kids ran in to see their dad sitting on the couch with James next to him. "Dad," They all yelled as they ran to him. Tom held out his arms to take all three children. Tom kissed the top of each of their heads.

They let go of Tom and took a seat next to him and told him all he missed for the past week. B'Elanna watched from the doorway. She was glad that her family was back together. Tom looked up and she saw a sparkle in his eyes that she hadn't seen in a week. She slowly made her way to the couch and sat next to them.

Tom leaned closer to her. "I'm not going to get a moment alone."

"No," B'Elanna laughed.

"I guess we're sleeping in the living room tonight," B'Elanna nodded.