Ahem.. First the boring legal bit... I do not own anything but the storyline, the rest are the property of Paramount, I merely 'borrowed' them for narrative purposes and I will put them back, good as new, when I am done. This story also depicts a relationship between two women. If you are under 18, same sex relationships are illegal where you are, or you have a nervous disposition, stop reading this immediately. Okay for those of you still with me. For the purpose of this storyline I have tweaked the timeline a little and Endgame never happened. It is approximately 4 months after Endgame was supposed to happen. Voyager is still trapped and Miral Paris is the second child to be born on board Voyager in the Delta Quadrant. Got that? Good.. Now on with the story...

Seven of Nine walked into engineering with none of her usual Borg superiority. In fact, she looked decidedly flustered as she approached Voyager's Chief of Engineering. Clearing her throat she addressed the half Klingon woman "Lieutenant Torres... May I have a word with you?" she asked wringing her hands.

Sure Seven what is it?" B'Elanna responded, barely glancing up from the console she was working on.

"I.. Er.. That is to say.. I believe this is a private matter Lieutenant" Seven stuttered looking at the floor.

"This caught the engineers attention. What had happened to cause Seven to lose that Borg calm? B'Elanna had noticed the former drone becoming more expressive with emotions since the operation to bypass the emotional inhibitor. But still, Seven had remained a calm collected kind of person. "Seven are you OK?.. You're.. Kinda babbling.." She frowned in concern. The last time Seven had sought her out like this was because she was dying. Since becoming a mother she'd also come to realize Seven didn't behave in an irritating manner to wind her up. She just didn't express herself well. Hell B'Elanna wasn't about to castigate the woman further for something she also lacked skill in. Recently she'd actually grown to like the young woman stood in front of her looking slightly nauseous. Oh Kahless she wasn't pregnant was she... Chakotay and her had been dating a while.

Pulling herself together slightly Seven almost pleaded with the Lieutenant "Lieutenant Torres.. May we go to your office.. Please.." glancing around engineering she added "I do not think you would appreciate hearing this with so many... ears around"

Regarding the nervously flustered woman she knew something was seriously wrong. Seven didn't often sound so vulnerable.. So human. "Sure" she shrugged and made her way into her office, followed by Seven. Once inside B'Elanna fixed the former drone with a hard stare, arms folded across her chest. Seven was making her feel nervous. "So.. What's up Seven?"

Shifting slightly Seven took a deep breath "I do not know what to tell you. Or where to start.. Also I really do not wish to be the one who.. damages you with this information. You have been a good friend to me recently B'Elanna. You saved my life.. I find myself wishing this could come from anyone but me." she said looking downward, tears brimming in her eyes. She'd grown quite attached to the friendship she was building with the Lieutenant, and she didn't want to jeopardize that. But she also could not let what she had found go on without informing B'Elanna. It was the honorable thing to do.

Inhaling deeply, B'Elanna moved her hands to her hips. What the hell could be bothering Seven this much. It was evidently something she thought would greatly hurt her. Her heart went out to the young woman. She was perceptive enough to know she was about to reveal something she felt could jeopardize the peace that had settled between them. Possibly ruin their friendship. "Seven.. Look.. I know I can.. Over react sometimes. I'm half Klingon you have to take that lightly. I don't mean to upset you. But please Seven just tell me what's wrong. I promise I will try not to shout at you.. unless it's something you've done?' she questioned the blond. On seeing Seven shake her head vigorously in the negative she continued "Good. Well then I wont be angry with you for just telling me. You're kinda freaking me out a little"

"I do not know how" Seven looked at B'Elanna with trembling lips "Miral is currently in the care of Ensign Samantha Wildman" she stated bluntly before hesitating again.

"What? Is Tom OK? Why is she not with him?" B'Elanna started forward panicking that something had happened to her husband, although they hadn't been getting along too well recently she still cared about him.

"I believe Lieutenant Paris is functioning perfectly" Seven said pursing her lips, anger flashing in her eyes.

"Then.. Why is my daughter with Sam and not him?" B'Elanna asked with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, she knew it had all been too good to last. Just as she thought she was happy.. Her life went down the crapper.

"Harry invited me to Sandrines to play pool..." Seven began

"He took my daughter to a bar?.. I'll kill him!" B'Elanna gritted out, of all the selfish, irresponsible, childish things to do.

"That is not the full story B'Elanna... I.. I am sorry. It is much worse than an irresponsible use of holodeck with an infant in his care. As I said I was invited by Ensign Kim to play pool.. However. I decided to practice first as I had a spare 45 minutes. Upon reaching holodeck 2, I discovered the Sandrines program already running" Pausing to settle her nerves she glanced at B'Elanna. Why of all the people on Voyager was it her who had discovered this. If she believed in a god she might say that a higher power was conspiring against her. Seeing B'Elanna's growing impatience she continued, tears coming to her eyes as she recalled the events "Upon entering I discovered Miral, alone and very distressed in her carrycot. She was tired, dirty and hungry and so I tended to her needs before attempting to locate the whereabouts of Lieutenant Paris."

"Hang on" B'Elanna interrupted with narrowed eyes "You're telling me that he left our daughter.. Our four month old daughter.. Alone..?" B'Elanna began pacing back and forth in front of her desk. She'd have his balls for this. Kahless knows how traumatized her baby was. Or how long she had been left unsupervised, starving and in a soiled diaper. "I'll kill him.. I swear on Kahless' beard I will hunt him down and kill him" Stopping abruptly she looked at Seven "Is she OK?"

"Yes. As I said I tended to her before attempting to locate her father. She was sleeping soundly when I left her with Sam. Although she did have a bad diaper rash" tears welled up in Seven's eyes again before she added "I applied a soothing cream to her as recommended by the Doctor.. Sam has the pattern. I am sure she would be happy to give it to you. Miral also consumed 8 Ounces of her nutritional formula before I winded her and put her to sleep"

"Thank you.. " B'Elanna said softly. She realized that Seven. With no knowledge of babies had done a better job of tending to Miral than the child's own father.

"There is more. I located Lieutenant Paris in an upstairs room. He was and I believe is still unaware I saw him. I also believe if you transport to holodeck 2 immediately you will be able to apprehend him and Ensign Delaney yourself." Seven finished miserably.

"Computer"

[Beep]

"Lock on to my comm badge. Site to site transport for two people to holodeck 2. Authorization Torres Alpha one" B'Elanna growled out grabbing Seven's arm. Of all the nerve.. Thomas Eugene Paris would pay. He would pay first for neglecting his infant daughter. He would pay for dishonoring his wife and he would pay for upsetting her friend who had to inform her of what the sleezerat had done.

"Computer. Turn of safeties. Authorization Torres Alpha four and end program" B'Elanna growled out. Grinning ferally as Tom and Megan Delaney landed naked on the holodeck floor. Their uniforms fluttering down to the floor around them.

"B'Elanna!.. This isn't what it looks like honestly. I.." pointing wildly at Seven who's arm B'Elanna still gripped he added "She set me up!" while Megan Delaney had the good sense to hightail it out of the holodeck. Regardless of whether she was naked or not. Being caught with a half Klingon's husband did not give a girl good prospects.

Letting go of Seven's arm, B'Elanna stalked up to him "How dare you try to blame Seven for your own dishonor! That poor woman was nearly in tears when she told me the state she found my child in! And all so you could get a quick leg-over with one of the bikes of Voyager!" She began to punch and kick Tom furiously "P'TaQ!... Ha'DIbaH!... 'urwI'!" B'Elanna rained down blow after blow on her husband screaming Klingon swearwords at him before Seven pulled her off him. Holding B'Elanna tightly as the woman she thought of as the strongest person she'd ever met, collapsed onto her knees sobbing.