STARRING (actors w/ speaking parts):

Kate Mulgrew (Kathryn Janeway)

Robert Beltran (Chakotay)

Roxann Dawson (B'Elanna Torres)

Robert Duncan McNeill (Tom Paris)

Ethan Phillips (Neelix)

Robert Picardo (The Doctor)

Tim Russ (Tuvok)

Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine)

Garrett Wang (Harry Kim)

Richard Mayfield (Ensign Evans)

Haley Joel Osment, when he turns 18 (Ensign Rob Nichols)

B Minus Two Days

The starship Voyager streaked through the Delta quadrant, carrying its cargo ever closer to the final destination: Alpha Quadrant. Safe and sound inside, the crew was operating on Beta shift, the shift from noon to eight. It overlapped Alpha shift slightly, but that didn't bother anyone after seven years of routine.

B'Elanna Torres and Tom Paris were sneaking in lunch together before they went on their shifts. Tom was due on the bridge, and B'Elanna was expected in engineering. After ten minutes of Neelix fussing over B'Elanna's choice of food, they finally were able to talk and eat.

"I'm telling you, I think you need to take some time off…let Seven, or somebody, run things while you start maternity leave," Tom said.

"Tom, husband, you are driving me crazy. And crazy is what I'll be if I get stuck in my quarters with nothing to do but wait for this baby to be born. So stuff it. I'm going to work," B'Elanna retorted, sitting back in her chair to ease the weight of the baby hanging from her gut.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I guess I am overly concerned. I wouldn't want to be cooped up in our quarters, either," Tom acquiesced.

"Besides, I can't take time off right now," B'Elanna stated.

"Why's that?"

"We're working going home faster. Starfleet has been sending us information on how to jazz up the warp engines. That guy Barclay has been trying things. When they work, he sends them on. Problem is, with the modifications we've made, they don't always work the same when they get here."

"I see. Has he sent you something new then?"

"Yes. It's exciting, because it's a ten-step process, and yesterday, step six worked perfectly. Every step has proceeded according to plan," B'Elanna confirmed, sitting up straight again, and not minding the baby so much now.

"That's great! Have you told the captain yet?"

"No, I didn't want to get the crew's hopes up, so I didn't talk to Captain Janeway yet. But listen, the kicker is," B'Elanna lowered her voice, and moved her head in as close to Tom's as she could manage, "if it works, we'll be home in a day or less."

"You can't keep this from the captain and Chakotay," Tom stated, worry in his voice.

"I don't plan to. If step nine works, I'll talk to her and the commander. But not before. We've already had too many letdowns," B'Elanna said seriously.

"I agree there," Tom said. B'Elanna nodded her head. The pair continued making small talk for a while as they ate, relishing the time together, but looking forward to duty.

Commander Chakotay was on the bridge, monitoring the crew as they easily maneuvered the ship through space. Tuvok and Harry were off duty for the day. Most of the regular bridge crew was off duty, except for Tom.

For the last three days, they had come across no anomalies, no aliens, nothing to draw them from their course for home. He was happy about this. The great spirits knew the crew needed a break.

In another way, at the back of his mind, it bothered him a great deal. After one crisis a week for seven years, they were getting ready to have a week of safety. He worried something really really big might hit them, and he was unsure how he and the crew would survive worse than they already had.

Of course, Captain Janeway was always very good about getting them out of the crises of the past. She'd get them out of the next thing, too. He hoped. Because he had only ever had a few ideas of his own. Kathryn was the leader, not him. He needed her and her brains. Hell, he needed the rest of her too.

And in seven years, he'd been celibate. For the most part. Not including the holodeck. He didn't know how the captain managed it and didn't care. The rest of the crew were pretty free with each other, if they wanted to be. Soon, Torres and Paris would have a little one. By the time they got home, they'd probably have a lot more. Some of that sexual tension would break somewhere.

"Paris, Jones," Chakotay called to his Conn and Ops officers, "Anything out there?"

"Not since you asked an hour ago," Tom replied smartly, "What's the matter Chakotay, you seem nervous."

"I'm not nervous, Tom," Chakotay rebutted immediately.

"Well, you sound nervous. You afraid the Bogeyman is going to get you?" Tom teased.

"Don't push me Tom. I'm in command," Chakotay said, puffing out his chest a little to assert his authority.

"Sorry," Tom said quickly, and busied himself with his panel. Somebody's not getting any. He thought, then smiled.

It was 1900 hours in engineering, and B'Elanna was working at her console when she felt a mighty kick from the baby in her womb. She had to sit down. This kid was definitely part Klingon.

"Are you okay?" Seven asked in concerned monotone.

B'Elanna smiled, "Of course. She's just strong is all. I'll be fine in a minute."

"You are certain? I can assist you to Sickbay, if you desire," Seven offered.

"I'm fine," Torres said again.

"Then I will not insist that you comply," Seven agreed, mentally reminding herself to keep an eye on the chief engineer. She returned to her station to work on the programming Starfleet had sent.

"Lieutenant Torres?" an ensign called from one of the corner terminals.

"Yes Evans?" Torres responded rising to see what information he had.

"Well, everyone's done entering their sections…Seven skipped to the start of part seven, as a matter of fact. No pun intended, it's just that part six is ready," the ensign explained in a blur.

"Okay, good. All right everyone!" B'Elanna called for attention, "The anti matter injectors should be ready for their upgrade. I am initiating it now, so if you are near those injectors, I'd move. Two minutes people."

B'Elanna didn't want to catch anyone off guard. Also, she was doing this without the captain's knowledge, so she didn't want anyone getting hurt and the captain finding out. So she took extra precautions to make sure everyone was out of the way.

Grinning, and with one hand on her protruding belly, B'Elanna pushed the button that activated the upgrade. The hum of the warp core continued as usual. There was no meltdown. B'Elanna released a sigh of relief.

"Lieutenant!" Ensign Nichols was calling her, "There's a leak in Jeffries tube 39!"

"What? Where did that come from?" B'Elanna asked.

"Probably an overload from the upgrade," Seven supplied an answer from her terminal, "I believe I can fix it."

"Take Nichols with you," B'Elanna recommended.

"I do not need assistance, however, if Mr. Nichols' being there will cause you less worry, he may accompany me."

"His presence would do that, yes," B'Elanna agreed.

Seven and Nichols made their way to the Jeffries tube. Seven had brought a repair kit of sorts with her, her goal being to patch the leak.

"Stay here," Seven replied as she entered the tube.

"I should go with you," Nichols complained.

"Comply," Seven insisted, "Both of us need not enter the tube. Stay here."

Feeling something like a dog, Nichols did comply. If Seven had trouble, he could be with her in seconds. A few minutes later, Nichols heard a *zap* and a *click*, then he heard Seven moving back down the tube.

Seven had a very different look, after she came out of the tube. Her short blonde hair was now dark brown. She seemed to have bright red lipstick on. Her eyes were ice blue, same as before. Wordlessly, she slinked down the corridor, toward engineering.

"Seven, let me see what was in that repair kit," Nichols demanded. You aren't crazy Rob. He told himself, she's changed. Seven handed him the repair kit. Opening it, he found the normal tools and meters that would be used in the Jeffries tube.

He doesn't know about the secret pocket I've got on this uniform, Seven smirked to herself. Nichols handed the repair kit back to her and they made their way back to engineering. Seven didn't say anything, but that wasn't unusual.

"What happened to you?" B'Elanna demanded to know when the duo returned.

"I don't know ma'am," Nichols said, "She went up the tube, and came out looking like that."

"Seven?" B'Elanna asked.

"Nothing is wrong," Seven said, "But man…I feel like a woman!"

"This is weird," B'Elanna said, "Seven you need rest. Go and regenerate."

"Fine," Seven quipped, "Nichols, if you'd care to meet me there, I can make you feel like a man."

Woo hoo! Thought Nichols.

"Oh for the love of warp drive," B'Elanna sighed. It was 2000 hours anyway. Time for Gamma shift. Of course, she would be staying to supervise the beginning of part seven's programming. Three more hours and she'd feel satisfied enough to go home.

Seven skipped out of engineering toward the cargo bay, actually happy she didn't have to work on that stupid project. She didn't care if she ever saw the Alpha quadrant.

B Minus One Day

Captain Janeway came onto the bridge two hours before Beta shift the following day. She had been on Alpha shift the day before, and was already up anyway. She wasn't much of a breakfaster, so she'd had a cup of coffee and made her way to the bridge.

Everything seemed status quo. Tuvok was in the captain's chair, and since everything was going so well, she notified him she'd be in her ready room. He was fine with that, of course, and it was only right to let him finish his time in command this morning.

She let out a big morning stretch before she smelled what she thought was Neelix's version of eggs and hashbrowns. And coffee. Janeway always loved a good cup of coffee, even if she'd pee her brains out later.

"What the Hell?" Janeway said aloud. At that moment, Chakotay sprung up from his hiding spot behind her desk, breakfast tray in hand.

"Surprise," Chakotay said.

"What are you doing, commander?" Janeway asked her XO.

"I was thinking, you don't get breakfast sometimes, and I knew you would be in early today…my spirit guide told me so…I thought this might be nice," Chakotay explained, "Nothing but the best for my captain."

"This is totally uncalled for," Janeway said in a calm tone.

"I'll eat with you. I wanted to discuss some things that have been going on," Chakotay said.

"All right. Hand over that coffee, I'm dying for it," Janeway said.

Chakotay grinned, handing her a huge mug of the hot liquid. They ate, then Chakotay started his discussion.

"Captain," Chakotay said, leaning across Janeway's now cleared desk, he whispered, "I think something's going on in engineering."

Kathryn leaned in, whispering back, "What do you think it could be?"

"I'm not sure. I thought I'd give B'Elanna a couple more days to come clean, but if she doesn't, we'll have to confront her," Chakotay whispered in a husky voice.

"Good idea," Kathryn whispered softly.

Chakotay pulled back from her face, got up and stood behind Kathryn, massaging her shoulders, "How's this?"

"Oh, that's good," the captain said with approval, "Say, you don't think she's sabotaging us?"

"No, she loves Tom too much, and she won't do anything to hurt her baby. After all this time, she's true to us," Chakotay whispered assuringly, "But I'd love to know what's up her sleeve."

"Well, let's find out now. I have ways of making her talk," Kathryn said in a loud whisper.

"No, no, let's wait," Chakotay said, "I love the anticipation."

"You win," Kathryn relented as her XO continued the massage. She leaned forward and laid her head on her folded hands. Soon, Chakotay found her fast asleep.

That'll teach her to get up early for her shift, Chakotay smiled to himself. He sat down, not willing to take advantage of the captain in such an exposed position.

In the Torres/Paris quarters, Tom and B'Elanna were still in bed. That the time showed 1000 didn't matter to them. Their two days off had started at 0001 and they were going to enjoy it. At the moment, Tom was massaging the small of B'Elanna's back. The weight of their child was bothering her back a lot…no position in bed was very comfortable for long. Tom's massages help.

"I'm so glad I married you," B'Elanna groaned.

"Hmmm, who else would you have married?" Tom asked jealously.

"There was a guy in the Maquis, but he didn't give near as good a back rub," B'Elanna explained.

"I see. So when it came time for children, you would have suffered royally," Tom inferred.

"This is completely worth it, massage or no."

"I think so too," Tom said, "So, how's your project going?"

"I almost forgot! Step nine will be done soon! Ensign Evans will be calling me."

"Nine? You were only on six yesterday."

"Some of these sections are easier to program and modify than the others."

"I see. Good. Can they test it without you?"

"Yes, Seven will be there. I haven't seen her since last night. I hope she's over whatever weird stuff she was going through. But if this works, I'll have to see Captain Janeway about this."

"What weird thing?"

"A sort of change of personality. I think she just had some issues to work out. Nothing to worry about."

"You know, we never get a true day off," Tom complained.

"Kind of hard, when there's no where to go but the holodeck for a holiday," B'Elanna said, rolling onto her back.

"At least we can lock our quarters and not go out, if we wanted to," Tom said, kissing her chin.

"Tuvok can over ride that," B'Elanna stated, ruffling her husband's hair.

"Better not. I'll take you hostage. They'll have to kill me."

"They'll transport us out."

"Oh, hadn't thought of that."

"I don't think I want the father of our baby dead just yet either."

"Touché. You win," Tom gave in, "But I hope we can win, and after you see the captain you are all mine again."

"I hope so too," B'Elanna smiled, engaging Tom in a long, deep kiss.

A few hours later, as Tom cleared the dishes from their late lunch, B'Elanna's communicator beeped for her attention. Deftly she transferred the message to the computer terminal.

"Good afternoon lieutenant," Evans' visage said to her.

"Did it work?" B'Elanna asked, skipping the pleasantries.

Evans grinned widely.

"Good, where's Seven?"

"Not here. She came in, checked the program and skipped out, same as last night."

"Wonder what's going on with her. Well, I better go up to see the captain. Tell everyone I said good job."

"Will do Lieutenant," Evans said and signed off.

"Yes!" B'Elanna exclaimed.

"Are we in business?" Tom asked from across their quarters.

His wife nodded.

"Be real here, they're going to want you in engineering for part 10."

"Yes, but then we'll be on the way home, and we can be here for the ride."

"What if they try to court martial the Maquis members?"

"We'll deal with that when we get there," B'Elanna said, "Janeway said she'd fight for amnesty for us. I know I don't want to go back to the Maquis. As for the others, what they do is up to them."

Tom nodded and continued cleaning their quarters up while his wife changed into something presentable to speak to the captain.

B'Elanna had called for a briefing, so the senior staff was sitting in the briefing room, listening to the shattering news she had. Seven was there. She sat quietly, an odd smile on her face. Her hair and makeup remained the same. The crew looked at her oddly, but decided if that was her new look it was fine with them.

On the monitor was displayed a chart of the speed they would acquire in getting home, and how that would affect the warp bubble and the space they went through. B'Elanna had just finished her explanation of it.

"So if this works, we'll be home how soon?" Captain Janeway asked, just to reiterate the point.

"Twenty-four hours," B'Elanna responded eagerly, "But the last part is very long, so we probably can't get going until tomorrow."

"I say go for it, if you are sure it will work, and not cause too much damage to the engines or real space."

"That's the key, Captain. If we burn out the engines, it won't matter, because we'll be home, and we can do an overhaul on Voyager, or scrap her. And space will be okay, because at the rate of speed we'll travel, we'll barely be in any spot for a nano of a nanosecond. It's like warp one thousand," B'Elanna explained as simply as she could.

Those assembled nodded their heads. They couldn't disagree with B'Elanna because they weren't engineers. Most of them wanted to get home. Janeway, Chakotay, and Tuvok certainly did.

"Do it B'Elanna. Let me know when you activate the full program. I want to be on the bridge when we set off."

"Yes ma'am," B'Elanna agreed.

"This briefing is dismissed then," Janeway said. Everyone got up and left.

B-Day

It was 0400 the following morning by the time the Big Push was ready. The crew was going around addressing the project in that way, so Big Push became the official name of the engineering operation.

Captain Janeway was on the bridge, standing over Tom's shoulder and looking at the view screen. She tapped a button on her chair and called, "B'Elanna, we are all in place up here. Engage Project Big Push."

"Aye captain," Torres responded from engineering. She punched a button. Even with inertial dampeners, the crew got thrown back in their seats from the unexpected force of Big Push.

Janeway stumbled backward until her back whacked into the wall near Harry's terminal. Harry was holding on for dear life. Chakotay was very sunken in his chair. Tuvok also had a tight hold at his station. Tom was leaning back, but attempting to reach his console and hunker over it.

Most of the staff in engineering were holding onto the rail around the warp core. It was either that, or fall in and die. Today was not a good day to die.

Then the inertial dampeners compensated, as everyone hoped to heaven they would, and their efforts to hold on for their lives became moot.

On the bridge, Janeway slumped to the ground. Tom, Tuvok, and Harry slumped onto their terminals, and Chakotay fell forward out of his chair.

"Ouch," Chakotay whined.

"Status?" Janeway asked.

"All systems operational captain," Harry stated.

"Very good," the captain said, "I'll be in my quarters for the time being. Tom you do have the course set for Earth, don't you?"

"Of course I do, captain," Tom said, outraged.

"Just checking," Janeway smiled and walked off to her quarters.

"Tuvok, you have the bridge, I'm going to start packing," Chakotay said.

"Yes sir," Tuvok said, obediently taking his place in the command chair.

Janeway had just peeled off her clothes, had a shower and was in her favorite jammies and robe when her door chime went off. She was very tired, and wanted to sleep a while. There would be some heavy negotiating to do when they got back to Earth. Starfleet and Federation weren't going to just hand her amnesty for the crew. She was going to have to fight for it.

"Go away," Kathryn ordered.

She heard mumbling outside her door. Presumably, someone wanted to unlock her door, but only her own security clearance would work for that. Then she saw it. A transporter beam on her bed.

Chakotay materialized out of it, and he suavely said "Hi there Kathryn."

"That's captain to you," Kathryn said.

"Aw, come now, we're almost home. That means we'll be going our separate ways. Can't we cut the captain/commander crap?" Chakotay asked. He'd beamed aboard in his jammies, the shirt of which was wide open half way down his chest.

Janeway sat on the other side of the bed, to discuss the situation with her first officer in the usual husky whispers they traded, "I suppose we could at that. Until the court martial."

"Worry about that tomorrow," He whispered huskily in her ear. He kissed her soft lips. She let him. She started kissing back. He wondered how this was possible and why it took seven years, but he didn't stop. He pulled her robe off her shoulders. She shoved his pajama top off. They kept working on it till the clothes hit the floor.

Chakotay pulled up the sheet on the bed, engulfing both of them with it.

"You're mine now Kathryn! Mine!" Chakotay yelled.

"I love it when you play jealous!" Kathryn whispered back. Both quit talking and devoted their lips to kissing. No one heard from them again for twelve hours.

After Big Push began, B'Elanna went back to her quarters for some rest. The baby didn't like her to be up so early, on such an odd shift. Minutes after she arrived at their quarters, Tom came in, too.

"I thought you had duty on the bridge for a while," B'Elanna said.

"Nah. I just wanted to see Big Push get started," Tom said, yawning, "I'm really tired."

"Me too. Let's go to bed," B'Elanna sighed.

"Yeah," Tom agreed.

One hour later, B'Elanna shoved Tom into wakefulness. "Wake up!" she hissed.

"What? What is it?" Tom asked.

"My water broke. The baby's coming."

"How long has that been going on?"

"I don't know, five minutes? Get me to Sickbay right now, Thomas Eugene!" B'Elanna was screaming now.

"Sorry, okay. Let me get some clothes on."

"Hurry up!" she ordered as he put a T-shirt on and slid into his sweatpants.

"Computer, emergency transport, two to sickbay!" Tom hollered into his communicator. He grabbed hold of B'Elanna and held his position. When they arrived in Sickbay, the transporter resolved them softly onto the floor. Tom picked B'Elanna up and put her on one of the pallets right away.

"What's going on?" the Doctor asked, somewhat peeved.

"I'm…having a baby...What do you think's…going on!" B'Elanna screamed at him.

"Oh, I see. Well then," the doctor paused, "Tom, you're my nurse anyway, do you want to catch or shall I?"

"You do it. I'd drop her," Tom said.

"You're right. Better to let my expert hands do the work," the Doctor agreed.

Twenty hours after Big Push, Captain Janeway and Commander Chakotay both appeared on the bridge together. Tuvok was glad. He didn't mind being in command, but twenty hours? In the name of all that was sacred to Vulcans, that's one Hell of a long shift.

"Are you all packed, Commander?" Tuvok asked.

Chakotay stuttered for a second.

"Well, I am," Janeway said, grinning slyly at her XO.

"Yeah, I'm as packed as I want to be," Chakotay agreed in a quiet voice, wishing Janeway would keep things quiet for a couple of days at least.

"Captain, you seem to glow…I hope your time off the bridge has been restful," Tuvok said.

"I got about six hours sleep, Tuvok, so it wasn't much sleep, but I think the physical activity was good for me," Kathryn boasted.

Shit, Chakotay thought.

Tuvok seemed oblivious as he said, "Indeed."

"Go get some rest yourself, Tuvok, Chakotay and I'll take over from here."

"Very well then, captain," Tuvok said, exiting the bridge as fast as possible. He'd been drinking tons of water during his watch, and he needed a bathroom immediately.

In sickbay, Lieutenant Torres had her own big push happening. Tom held her hand, telling her what a good job she was doing, even if she didn't think so. Finally, they heard their daughter crying. The doctor cut the umbilical cord and Tom helped him to clean the baby up, and get her wrapped in a warm blanket.

"May I present your daughter to you, Lieutenants," the doctor said, handing B'Elanna the baby.

"She's beautiful," Tom said.

"She's perfect," B'Elanna commented.

"What will you call her?" the doctor asked.

Tom and B'Elanna looked at each other before Tom answered, "We'll have time to think on that one a while, won't we?"

"Of course," the doctor agreed, walking off.

When the bridge crew got the news of the baby's birth, they all hurrahed Tom and B'Elanna. Then they pressed for their name idea for the baby. Tom and B'Elanna gently denied their requests, for the time being.

Then the moment came; Earth was in view. The ship really went crazy. Captain Janeway hit the button for shipwide intercom.

"Ladies and gentleman, the finest crew I have ever had, congratulations. We did it. We're home!"