Chapter Text
Looking at the lush planet on the viewscreen, Kathryn took a deep breath in and tried not to sigh. Her children were down there, left there by Commander Chakotay – something she felt she could never forgive him for. Hers and Tom’s children were innocent, they had done nothing to deserve being left behind.
She knew the Doctor could change them into humans, he had told her and Tom so when they were changed back. That was when she was informed that they had been left behind. She could still feel her blood boiling and she could vaguely recall ordering the ship to turn around.
“Life signs, Ensign,” she stated.
“Three, Ma’am,” Harry replied almost instantly. “The away team are ready to go on your order.”
“Send them down. I’ll be in my ready room.” Getting up and entering her ready room, she laid on the couch and tried to calm herself.
She still wasn’t feeling one hundred percent yet. It would take a few days and some much-needed rest. All she could think about was her children. They were her every thought. She never expected to be a mother, she couldn’t really remember anything that happened, but the one thing she did feel was love and protectiveness for her children.
Tom was still in Sickbay, he needed more care than she did, and if he was allowed out, Kathryn knew Chakotay didn’t stand a chance against a raging father. He was just as angry about their children being left behind as she was.
Kathryn knew she wouldn’t know anything for over an hour. The away team had to get through the atmosphere, land, and safely retrieve her children before coming back. She didn’t even know if she had sons or daughters, or both, and that hurt a little.
Getting up and going over to her desk, she pulled up the information from when her and Tom were found, and checked to see if there was anything of interest. She had a feeling she wouldn’t find much and after a couple of moments of searching, she found she was correct.
Feeling her body begin to get fatigued, it wasn’t long before the muscle aches started. She wasn’t one to listen when told to rest, but she was pretty sure some rest would be good about now. Wanting something to help keep her going, she walked out of her ready room and took the turbolift to deck five.
“Captain Janeway, what a surprise. You’re back,” the Doctor said, humming to himself.
“My muscles and joints are aching. Can I get something for the pain so I can get back to work?” Kathryn replied, noticing Tom sit up on the biobed.
“Go sit down on the other biobed. You will remain here for the next hour. And if the away team are able to retrieve your offspring, they’ll be brought here immediately.”
Feeling the Doctor take hold of her arm, he led her over to the other biobed and got her to sit down.
“The pain isn’t pleasant, is it?” Tom said, offering her one of his smiles.
“It’s definitely not,” she replied, feeling a little better at just being here with him. Laying down, she looked up at the ceiling and sighed. Turning her head so she could see Tom, she felt something pull in her heart. It was like the feeling she had when she first met him face to face in the penal colony in New Zealand.
“If the away team find and recover our children, what are we going to do?” Tom asked, the question playing on his mind since they went back for them.
“I honestly don’t know. If the Doctor is correct and can reverse the evolution, I want to be the best mother I can to them. This is something I never expected to happen but now it has, I’m going to do my best.”
“I want to be the best father to them. I didn’t exactly have a great childhood and I don’t want my kids to have an absent and emotionally unavailable father in their lives like I had,” Tom replied, laying on his side.
“The quarters next to mine are empty. I can get engineering to add a door between them so we can parent our children together,” Kathryn suggested. “Once we know they’re human, we can give the go ahead.”
“That sounds like a plan,” Tom smiled, his blue eyes meeting hers.
“I suggest you both get some rest for now. Very soon you’ll have three babies to look after and they’re going to be a handful,” the Doctor said, walking over to them. “Something for the pain, if needed, Captain.”
“Very much needed,” Kathryn replied, closing her eyes as she felt the pain drop drastically. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“Doc, are you positive you can make our children human?” Tom asked, needing to hear it again.
“I’m positive I can. I have both your DNA from before and after, and every simulation has been successful. It shouldn’t take me more than a few hours to turn them human,” the Doctor replied, walking into his office, and beginning to organise his desk.
Closing her eyes, Kathryn took deep and steady breaths and before she knew it, she was waking to the sound of a baby crying. Sitting up, she looked at Tom who also fell asleep, and then their eyes landed on three small human babies, all in portable cribs.
“Ah, you’re both awake. I was just about to wake you. All three babies, one hundred percent human, and healthy as can be,” the Doctor smiled, moving aside to let them see their children.
Looking into the cribs, Kathryn couldn’t believe her eyes. Three small babies, all wrapped in soft white blankets, looking up at her and Tom.
“Congratulations Mom and Dad, three beautiful daughters. The triplets are all fraternal so you shouldn’t have any trouble telling them apart as they get older.”
“Thank you, Doctor.”
“We make cute kids,” Tom smiled, putting a hand on her shoulder.
Feeling the steadiness of Tom’s hand on her shoulder, Kathryn took a deep breath in and picked up the first baby. Her baby. Her daughter.
Running her thumb over the soft skin of her daughter’s face, Kathryn knew then and there she would do anything for her babies. Going back for her children was one of the best decisions she felt she had made and she still couldn’t believe Chakotay just wanted to leave them behind.
“She has your nose,” Tom said, watching his other two children sleep.
“We need a name for her. And her sisters,” Kathryn replied, unable to take her eyes of her child who was looking up at her.
“Do you have any names in mind?”
“Amelia Shannon Paris. After Amelia Earheart and one of my ancestors, if that’s okay.”
“I think it’s perfect,” Tom smiled, gently touching his daughter’s head.
Hearing Amelia begin to fuss, Kathryn held her close and gently rocked her in her arms. “I think she’s hungry,” she said quietly while trying to calm her daughter.
“I’ll grab her a bottle. I’ll be right back,” Tom said, heading through the office area.
Looking at her daughter as she comforted her, Kathryn felt protective of her children. She was beyond grateful they were found safe and healthy, and as she held her daughter close, she didn’t understand how anyone could abandon a defenceless child.
“Here,” Tom said, handing her a warm bottle.
Carefully feeding Amelia as Tom put a cloth over her shoulder, she looked at her two other daughters that were fast asleep. All her babies had light hair, and she could tell by looking at them that they were a perfect mix between her and Tom.
Smiling as her daughter reached a hand out to her, Kathryn adjusted the bottle and looked at her fondly.
“She likes you,” Tom smiled, gently touching Amelia’s arm.
“I hope she does.” Unable to tear her eyes from the baby in her arms, she didn’t hear footsteps coming towards them.
“Baby B will need a feed soon if you’d like to help,” the Doctor said, rounding the corner and joining them as they looked at their daughters.
“I’m here to help in any way I can,” Tom replied, hearing his daughter begin to stir. Picking his baby up and cradling her close to his chest, Tom couldn’t explain the feeling that washed over him. He would do anything for these babies.
“Amelia just finished her bottle. Once she’s burped, I’ll put her down and help with Baby C,” Kathryn added, patting her daughter on the back. Putting Amelia down, Kathryn gently rested a hand on her before picking up her sister who was just beginning to wake.
“One name down, two more to go,” the Doctor smiled, handing each parent a warm bottle of formula.
“Do you have any names you like?” Kathryn asked, carefully feeding her daughter.
“I’m not sure. I never expected to have kids so I didn’t think much about it.” Stopping to think for a moment, Tom looked at Kathryn, “My mother’s name was Julia so I’d like that as a middle name for one of them.”
“Your mother, did she have a favourite colour or flower?” Kathryn asked, her mind formulating the perfect name.
“She loved purple and any purple flower. We had tons of them in the garden every spring,” Tom smiled, remembering the times where it was just him and his mother.
“What do you think about Violet Julia Paris?” Kathryn asked, seeing Tom’s face light up at the suggestion.
“I love it, it’s perfect. I think this little girl in my arms looks like a Violet,” Tom cooed, readjusting the bottle.
“She does.” Looking at all three of her daughters, she could tell Amelia and Violet had the perfect names, but she was stumped on another.
“Have you ever had a name you loved?” Tom asked, beginning to burp Violet.
“I used to love Matilda. I always wanted to call my daughter that when I was younger but when I was with Mark, he hated the name.”
“Well, if it means anything, I love Matilda. Does our baby look like a Matilda to you?” Tom asked, leaning in close.
“She actually does.” Carefully manoeuvring her daughter, Kathryn began to burp her.
“How about Matilda Jane Paris?” Tom suggested, knowing it was perfect when Kathryn paused for a moment and nodded her head.
“I think we have names for all of our daughters.”
“I think we do,” Tom agreed, putting Violet down and gently wrapping an arm around Kathryn’s shoulders.