Disclaimer: I only wish Voyager was mine, but Paramount owns them and it is our duty to speculate what they don't see fit to reveal in the series, and are too lazy to make a movie. If only they would see it our way...

Before I start my proud, very final chapter of BFC, I would like to thank every person for reading and reviewing this story. Every little insight has helped my shape this fic into a great story. Personally, gratitude and thanks go out to Shakayla, Steph, chibi, Hina, Sakura Slalonga, CanadianReba, and everyone else I have forgotten beacuse of my chronic short term lack of memory (not a disease, but what I have called my forgetfulness) and the fact that a) I have not slept very much in the past couple of days and b) my laptop doesn't have internet connection and I have to ferry my fics on a USB flash drive. Oh well, enough of my life story, but BFC is finally finished, and the sequel, the name of which I cannot reveal yet, is in the works. Just don't expect it to be uploaded soon.

Cheers, Emma!

Banned From Coffee Epilogue

The Janeway twins had settled into happy routine by the time they had turned one month old. Kathryn and Chakotay had learned to adapt to their routine and return to duty.

The turbolift doors opened to reveal a full Alpha shift on the Bridge, minus her commanding officers. Stepping out of the open doors, Kathryn Janeway beamed when she heard a very familiar, yet welcome, call of respect from the conn.

"Captain on the Bridge," Tom Paris said, rising from his chair, making sure the others followed suit.

As Janeway confidently strode down the steps and across the command deck to her chair, she gave each and every one of her officers a smile worth everything they aimed to achieve.

Finally retaking their seats, Paris had one question for the mother on duty. "Captain, who's babysitting the twins?"

A sly grin crept across her face, and Tom knew he would instantly regret asking that question. "Mr Paris," she said, the grin widening to reach her eyes, something that did not often happen. "If you're not careful, I'll have you transferred off the Alpha shift and put on babysitting duty for six hours, while someone else is up here flying the ship. Then I can just as easily put you on medic duty for the Gamma shift, and you won;t be spending any time on the Bridge at all."

A sheepish Paris quietly understood the threat and turned to face his console, and the large viewscreen in front of it, which presently displayed the stars streaking by at warp speed. "Yes ma'am," he said, just loud enough for her to hear.

Giggling, Kathryn stood up and stepped forward, stopping just behind the pilot's chair. Resting her hand on top of the backrest, she bent down to his ear, whispering in a tone only he would understand. "For your information, Tom Paris, babysitting rosters have now become your responsibility."

"Captain, that was a record of two minutes and fourteen seconds you took to psych out Tom," Harry called from Ops behind them.

Tom turned to look at his best friend, a questioning look on his face. "Why did you bring that up?"

"And I have just won the current betting pool," Kathryn said triumphantly, stealing the helmsman's thunder. At his confused look, she added, "Tom, next time you think of a betting pool, try not to have it me against you, because the Captain always wins."

Laughter shook the Bridge as Tom, with a very embarrassed look on his face, swivelled back to face his console, intent on not letting the Cpatain have her way.

Crossing over to Ensign Samantha Wildman at a science station to Paris' left, Kathryn quietly said something to make her laugh harder. "Men, can't live with them, can't live without them."

"I agree," she said, in between gasping for breaths.

Main Engineering was relatively calm, for once. Seven month pregnant B'Elanna Torres had enlisted Seven to help her control the engine room, all the while teaching Joe Carey and Vorik the finer points of being the Chief Engineer. With just two months left of her pregnancy, B'Elanna was planning on taking maternity leave as soon as she hit eight months, and needed to have her deputy chiefs trained by then.

Sitting calmly at the rear of Engineering, B'Elanna had her feet propped up on the console, watching her two immediate subordiantes under the direction of Seven, whom she had finally trusted as a friend. Technically, she wasn't needed there, but as she sipped her cup of hot chocolate, B'Elanna was glad she was sitting, observing the peace being kept by the ex-Borg.

"Lieutenant Torres!"

The call broought the chief engineer out of her reverie, startling her enough to spill her beverage on her gold and black uniform.

"Yes, Seven," she said exasperatively, now thoroughly annoyed at the young woman for her spoiled unform.

"You really should not be here, lieutenant," Ensign Vorik spoke to the pregnant woman. "You are not required to supervise us in your current state. I'm sure your daughter would like to spend some time with her mother before the new baby is born, and the babysitting roster for the Captain and Commander's children had your name on it, I'm sure."

Lieutenant Torres stared open-mouthed at the Vulcan in front of her. Even Joe Carey and Seven of Nine had nothing to say about the normally-conservative man's outburst.

"Thanks, Vorik," B'Elanna managed to stutter, slowly pulling herself out of the not-so-comfortable chair. Shaking off any attempts of help, the stubborn woman rose and moved towards the doors.

Turning back to look at the assembled trio from the corridor, Torres spoke in a semi-agrivated voice. "Seven, I am entrusting Engineering to you. You will only see me here in dire emergencies within the next three months, while I am on maternity leave. I don't want to have to fix up any mistakes!"

"Yes, lieutenant," was all she heard as the doors closed and B'Elanna Torres slowly waddled towards the Bridge, where the senior staff had been called to meet in ten minutes.

I'm going to miss that place, she thought as the turbolift doors closed in front of her, and I hope I won't have to see it again for a while.

The conference room off the Bridge was full by the time Kathryn Janeway entered at 1300 hours that day. Andrew and Allie had just turned one month old, so her and Chakotay were run off their feet between looking after the twins and overseeing the everyday happenings on Voyager.

All conversations stopped in respect for the woman who had just entered the room. Smiling warmly at every person, and sharing a look with both B'Elanna and Chakotay, Kathryn walked slowly around one side of the table to her seat at the head.

Sitting down, she wiped the 'Captain's mask' off her face, ready to address her family.

"Everyone, I have called you here today not only in a personal capacity, but in a professional one as well. In our last meeting, just over one month ago, I entrusted Voyager to each and every one of you while I went on maternity leave. Now, Natalie and Andrew are one month old, and Chakotay and I have returned to duty. During that stressful time for us, you all successfully kept Voyager together, running smoothly and heading towards the Alpha Quadrant with minimal problems. For that, I would like to deeply thank you and congratulate you."

A warm smile flashed out, revealing her true inner beauty, and made the assembled people feel more comfortable. The atmosphere in the room immediately softened and relaxed as the guards of the senior staff were dropped with her casual attitude.

"In thanks for keeping the ship together, the replicator system has been working overtime to replicate something rations can't afford, and something Tom Paris hasn't managed to synthesize yet."

The cryptic statement made everyone shift in their seats uncomfortably. Tom Paris was the first to respond to her statement, rising to his unoffivial position of troublemaker and insult target.

"Have you been replicating rank pips?" he asked, a baffled tone in his voice, emphasizing the things he had been trying to get his hands on for years.

The Captain's famous sly grin reappeared on her slender face, almost giving in to the helmsman's accusations.

"Mr Paris, in all these years we have been on Voyager, have I ever lied to you?" the innocent look on Janeway's face made everyone laugh, again at Tom's expense.

After the laughter had died down, Kathryn resumed her speech. "Tuvok, in all the years I have known you, old friend, these past eight years you have acted professionally, with valour and performed your duties exceptionally without error. There are no words to say how much I treasure our friendship, and how much I have come to rely on your input and presence over the years. In my absence, you have proved to be able to command the ship on your own, and keep it running efficiently with minimal errors. For your duties, exceptional service and valued friendship, both as Chief of Security and Chief Tactical officer, I hereby promote you to the rank of full Commander, with all the duties and responsibilities that come with the rank. Congratulations, Commander Tuvok."

At the end of her promotion speech, everyonje gasped and look surprised, but in true Vulcan fashion, Tuvok remained impassive and unemotional, the only change in his face the casual rising of his eyebrow. After their initial surprise, a round of applause and congratulations burst out, shattering the silence and flooding the room.

As the applause died down, Kathryn turned to her next 'victim'. "B'Elanna Torres, since your appearance on Voyager eight years ago, and Chakotay's fight to make you my Chief Engineer, you have acted professionally, performed your duties over 200 per cent. Since then, you have proved to be a very valuable officer, and a person I am honoured to call my friend. Your marriage and family have made you a better person, one I could not have imagined you being the day I met you. It has been with your help that Voyager has stayed together, continued her way home and travelled the distance we have, and for that we are all eternally greatful. It is with my pleasure that I promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Commander, with all the duties and responsibilities that come with the rank. Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander Torres."

Another round of applause and congratulations echoed throughout the briefing room, this time pierced by the excited screams of B'Elanna, who was only quietened by a large passionate kiss from her husband. Amused, Kathryn and Chakotay laughed at her surprise, before quieting the occupants of the room with a discreet cough.

"Tom Paris," she said, directing her next speech at the highly embarrassed man. "When I rescued you from the New Zealand Penal Colony, it was under orders of your father. I did not know if I could trust you or your knowledge of the Maquis. After the Caretaker kindly deposited us in the Delta Quadrant, you made your piloting abilities quite clear from the start. Since then, I have come to trust you, as have the rest of the crew, with our lives almost every day. This mission brought you to your wife, gave me a friend I will never forget, and gave me an officer I am truly lucky to have serving under me. The past eight years, though we may not have seen eye-to-eye on every matter, you have acted professionally, both in your duties as Chief Helm Officer and field medic, and in your unofficial duties as morale officer and clown of the family. Your skills, your presence, is something we would not be able to live or survive without, as you personally have the fate of over 150 people in your hands every day. In recognition of your loyal service, hard work and excellent pool skills, I hereby promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Commander, with all the duties and responsibilities that come with the rank. Congratulations, Lieutenant Commander Paris."

Her longest speech yet was met by a dumbfounded look coming from the newly promoted man. "You're promoting me?" he asked, still awestruck. "Promoting me!" he looked around at everyone, first to the Captain, then the Commander, followed by his wife and finally his best friend, all confirming what he had just heard really was true. "I don't know what to say."

Kathryn smiled, looking at the man she had seen grow since the day he left New Zealand. "You'd better believe it, Paris, because you're going to be a father again soon, and when you return to duty, expect some command time and increased responsibilities."

Still dumbfounded, Paris managed a struggled "Yes ma'am," before he was taken aback by a passionate kiss of his own from his wife.

Amused yet again, Janeway hated to break up the pair, but still had some unfinished business. "Ahem," she said, embarrassing the couple again.

Looking sheepish, Torres gestured for her to continue.

"When I stepped onto the ship from Deep Space Nine over eight years ago, I was surprised to see a fresh face, a very green ensign straight out of the academy, standing at Ops on the Bridge, in such a wound up stance I thought he would end up in Sickbay before we even left. I remember saying 'At ease, Ensign, before you sprain something' to this young man, followed by something about crunch time. This young man, Harry Kim, has grown from that very green ensign over the years, developing his nickname of 'Ensign Eager'. Now, after eight years of loyal service, immaculate in his duties and his professionalism in everything, this 'Ensign Eager' is now 'Lieutenant Loyal'. It is with my pleasure that I promote you, Harry Kim, to the rank of full Lieutenant, with all the duties and responsibilities that come with the rank. Congratulations, Lieutenant Kim."

A round of applause and cheers erupted with her final words, many people thinking this promotion was due long ago. Smiling to everyone, Harry Kim shared a very thankful look with his commanding officer, greatful she had chosen this time to promote him and his friends.

"Before you all migrate to the holodeck to celebrate, I have one more promotion left," Kathryn announced, pleased that the rank pips had been accepted with such generosity. Looking directly at Seven of Nine, the former Borg, Janeway chose now as her time to speak up.

"Five years ago, an alliance with the Borg almost tore Voyager apart, but instead it left us wit hone very valuable crewmember, Seven of Nine. In the five years she has been with us, we have watched her grow from the Borg she was, to the human being she is now. Her human given name, Annika Hansen, is something I would like to christen her with now, as well as a promotion to the rank of Ensign, with all the duties and responsibilities that come with the rank. Congratulations, Ensign Hansen."

Seven looked bewildered at the speech Kathryn had just given. Staring back at her while her fellow officers cheered beside her, Seven looked for answers in the Captain's face. Not finding any, Kathryn stood up to speak before any questions could be asked.

"Annika," she said, addressing her full on. "If you would accompany us to Deck 2, there is one more surprise waiting for you." The cryptic message was interpreted by everyone as a present for the youngest officer in the room.

Standing to leave, Kathryn, Chakotay and the others shared looks of intense appreciation and gratitude for one another and their commandning officer. Filing out the door and into an ajoining turbolift, the senior staff stayed together like a family, sharing jokes and memories.

"It's wonderful," gasped Annika Hansen as she walked through the doors of her new quarters. "Are these mine?" she asked, before spying a uniform laid out on the Starfleet-issue couch just below the window.

Janeway smiled. "Annika, you are part of our family. It is only fair that nw you have your own quarters," she gestured around her. "Your own uniform," she pointed to the scarlet and black unform of command on the couch. "And your family," she stepped back into Chakotay's waiting arms, gesturing to the assembled people around them.

Annika looked at eveyone. Tom Paris, his wife B'Elanna Torres, Harry Kim, Tuvok, the Doctor, Chakotay and finally Kathryn Janeway. "My family," she whispered, stepping into a large embrace offered by the captain, surrounded by everyone else.

Quietly, the women sobbed into eachother's shoulders, theor embrace growing stronger just like the ties so strong that had bonded them as a family.

Well, there we have it. BFC is finally finished. Keep watching my other fics and the Voyager page for the sequel which is in production at the moment. Once again, reviews are greatly appreciated, and thanks to everyone who has reviewed this fic. More fics are to come, just after I hand in my five assignments over the next month or so. Everyone, good luck with your fics and watch your email inboxes for my updates.

Cheers, Emma aka tayababy!