Falling Into Grace

Daddy Dearest

____________________________________________________________________
Paris/Kim Quarters

"He wants to call me helmboy" Tom whined "Your daddy and I'm helmboy"

Harry sat next to his complaining partner "Atleast he calls you
something. From the sound of it your counterpart barely recognized
his existence"

"More fool he" Tom said "I've been around the kid for a few hours
and 'I' can see how special he is. Lanna and Seven are lucky"

"So are you hun" Harry assured him "He'll grow to love you, the same
way he loves them"

"But your daddy and I'm helmboy" Tom complained again.

"It beats Male Parental Unit" Harry said trying to make him laugh.

"Well atleast then he'd identify me as a parent" Tom said.

Harry noted the depressed note in his voice. He didn't know what to
do. He himself was already in love with the little boy. Nicodemus
physically reminded him of Seven, and though his ways were
rather 'borg' at this point, Harry was sure he'd turn out to be a
boisterous and full of life as his father. "Tom are you scared"

Tom shot Harry a look trying to see if the man was teasing him.
Seeing how serious he looked Tom decided he wasn't."Yes. I'll try to
be a good father, but I'm afraid I'll turn out just like mine. He
never seemed to be happy with what I accomplished. It was 'never'
enough for him. I don't want my son to grow up like that. But what if
I fail at that too. What if I do hurt him"

"Then Seven and B'Elanna will kill you" Harry stated flatly.

"Gee Harry. Thanks alot"
_____________________________________________________________________
Torres/Hansen Quarters sorta

"We get this?" B'Elanna was stunned at the size of their new quarters.

"Yes. It's the largest we can give you" Janeway said calmly.

"But this is the VIP quarters" B'Elanna's eyes were wide as saucers.

"Yes. We've covered that already" Janeway muttered.

"We'll be living on deck 3. Next to the Captain" B'Elanna walked
around once more.

"Yes Lt." Janeway said softly.

"Wow" B'Elanna said again.

The doors hissed open to reveal Seven of Nine and her young son
Nicodemus.

"Mama" Nico flew into B'Elanna's arms.

"Hey kiddo. How was your first day of lessons" B'Elanna hugged her
son's small body to her own.

"He's as annoying as the other one. But he doesn't have
the 'Improvements' they we gave 'him'" Nico giggled.

Seven's brow shot up. He never giggled around her. It seemed that
B'Elanna brought out the 'child' in him.

"Maybe we should make the same 'Improvements' to this Doctor too"
Nico tried slyly.

"After we move into these new Quarters. What do you think Seven"
B'Elanna asked.

Seven took a brief tour before answering "I wish to keep our bath
tub. The rest however is satisfactory"

B'Elanna blushed at the mention of said bathtub (I'll get to that in
another story *g*)" I agree. Thank you Captain."

"It was my pleasure" Janeway said.

Nicodemus squirmed to be let out of his mothers arms. When she placed
him on the floor he confidently walked up to the Captain. "Captain
Janeway, I regret that I didn't have a chance to tell your
counterpart something. May I tell you?"

Janeway was surprised at this. The boy had always been polite to her
in the short time that he'd been on her ship, but this was the first
time he'd sought her out in any way. "Yes. Go ahead"

"I wanted to tell you" Nico sighed "That your beautiful. When my Mom
and Dad were missing on an Away Mission, you, well she, took care of
me. Her 'Lanna' told me that you didn't think you were beautiful, but
she felt that you're the most beautiful being in the entire Universe.
I agree you are very pretty, inside and out. But by inside I don't
mean your guts. Naomi thought I meant her guts when I told her that.
She smacked me. She hits really hard for a girl" Nico scrunched up
his face. "Did I offend you?"

Janeway stood imobile. The little romantic. He was 'very' good with
words. Janeway then wondered what she was missing by not being with
B'Elanna like her counterpart was. She found herself staring at the
other woman. She shook away the thought as she noticed the
territorial look Seven gave her. Nekira, had she been there, would
probably be screaming at her now "No you didn't offend me. Thank you
Nicodemus."

"Your welcome Captain. But I was just telling the truth"
_____________________________________________________________________
Next Day

Tom reminded himself to take deep breaths. he felt like a boy on his
first date. All he was doing was picking up his son from school. He
steeled himself and stepped through the SickBay doors.

Nicodemus was sitting next to Naomi Wildman holding his cheek. Naomi
was staring daggers at him.

"Hey son. Something wrong" Tom crossed to the boy. It was then he saw
the confused look on his sons face.

Samantha Wildman had entered seconds after him ushered her daughter
away.

"She hit me again" Nico said stunned. "All I did was tell her she's
pretty"

"What did she say to that"

"She said I wouldn't know pretty if it jumped up and bit me in the
butt. So I asked her if she was going to bite my butt, so I could find
out" Nico honestly didn't understand girls, they were so weird.

Tom tried not to laugh "Never say butt to a girl. They think the word
is taboo"

"Explain" Nico said in a very Sevenish manner.

"Girls are strange creatures that men will 'never' understand. They
can make compliments into insults. It's just their way" Tom tried to
explain.

"Ok. I'm hungry can we get some lunch helmboy?" Nico asked.

"Yeah. But let's work on this helmboy thing" Tom said cringing at the
nickname, damming B'Elanna with every breath for ever giving it to
him.

"Work on it how? It fits you" Nico feigned innocence. He followed his
father from the room.

"Well let's try and change it. How about calling me Dad"

"Harry is Dad" Nico pointed out.

"Pops then"

"How about Helmrat. Mama calls you that too"

"Daddy-o"

"Jet-head. She called you that last night"

"Old man"

"Tommy boy"

"Papa"

"Foolish little man. That's what Mom calls you"

"She does?"

"Yup. 'How can the Captain believe that foolish little man could take
care of a child'" Nico quoted.

"Oh"
_____________________________________________________________________
Later...

"Seven"

"Yes, Lanna"

"This is the first time we've been alone since I was switched back"

"Yes Lanna it is"

"We're temporarily childless, in this un-christened Quarters"

"Yes Lanna"

B'Elanna rolled onto her side on the bed and looked down at
Seven "Annika do you want to make love"

"Yes Lanna"
_____________________________________________________________________
Holodeck 2

"Now swing!" Tom called as the baseball flew towards Nico.

The boy swung and connected. With a 'thwack' the holographic baseball
flew into the outfield.

"Way to go son. You knocked clear of the diamond" Tom called running
up to Nico.

"I did good?"

"You did great" He pulled him into a bear hug. Nico laughed as he was
swung to and fro held in the strong arms of his father.

"Where's Dad?" Nico asked looking around.

"I'm right here"

"No your helmboy, where's dad?"

"He's working I think"

"His shift ends at 1630 hours. It is now 1843 hours. I wish to see
Dad" Nico said honestly.

"Ok. We can go see Dad" Tom relented having been caught trying to
keep the boy to himself.

"Goody"
____________________________________________________________________

Harry paced the quarters, wondering where is partner and stepson
were. He'd tried their commbadges but realized finally that they sat
on the low coffee table in the living room.

The doors hissed open, to admit the two missing men.

"Tom. Where were you and Nico, I was expecting you to be home" Harry
said opening his arms for a hug. Nico obligingly stepped into them.

"We were playing baseball in the Holodeck" Tom muttered.

"Without me" Harry's hurt tone didn't cut through Tom's jealous haze.

"Do you have to be there 'every' moment I'm with my son" Tom grumped.

Harry was hurt. More so than Tod evd ever hurt him. They'd shared
everything before, but it seemed now that Tom wanted to keep his son
all to himself "I thought he was our son" Harry said so softly that
Tom didn't hear.

Nico however did.
_____________________________________________________________________
Torres/Hansen Quarters

Nico settled himself into the bed allowing his 'Mom' to tuck him in.
It was to become a ritual that both he and Seven would enjoy.

"Mom. I'm Mama's son to aren't I?" Nico said confused by his father's
earlier dissention.

"Yes. You belong to both of us. Why do you ask?" Seven gently tucked
to blankets around him, not that it got cold.

"Helmboy said I was 'his' son. Dad thought I was 'theirs' together. I
don't think helmboy wants to share me. Do you and Mama want to share
me?"

Seven was taken aback by what her son had just said "Yes you
are 'ours together'. Your Mama and I love you very much. So did the
other me. Sharing you is the best part of our love. You make our love
complete"

"How do I do that" Nico said settling back again, relaxing now that
he wasn't unsure.

"We have so much love that it was overflowing ourselves. Now we may
share it with you as well. You've made us a true family. You're dearest
to our hearts" Seven explained hoping her understood.

Nico nodded his head tiredly. His eyes began to close "Ok. G'night
Mom"

Seven sat with him until he reached full REM sleep, before turning out
his light and tiptoeing from his room.
_____________________________________________________________________

"Lanna, Tom is making mistakes already" Seven said without preamble as
she entered their room.

"What" B'Elanna sat up straight "He's making mistakes how?"

"Nicodemus believes that Tom does not wish to share him with Harry"
Seven said sadly "He was unsure that we wished to share him together
as well"

"Oh my. How is he"

"Resting. I think I calmed his fears. Oh Lanna I cannot stand by and
let him hurt our son" Seven began to weep.

"It's probably just a misunderstanding, Nik. We have to give him a
ch. Li. Like the Captain said" B'Elanna opened her arms to comfort
her wife.

Seven slid into them and wept on her shoulder "I do not wish for him
to be confused. Tom is not fit. How do I explain 'that' to the
Captain? His very first day of responsibilty and he scares him"

"We have to give him a chance to get it right Annika. I don't like
this either. She sent him away from his father. Janeway's giving him
back. I don't want to give him a chance. But we have to" B'Elanna
said earnestly.

"And what if he fails" Seven said angrily "What if he hurts Nicodemus
so much that he is scarred. Emotionally, physcially, or mentally?
What if he messes up so bad that Nicodemus becomes like him?
Irresponsible, disrespectful, and childish? I do not wish for him to
be that way. He has such potential"

"If he messes up 'Nik', if he hurts him. We'll be there to pick up
the pieces, to fix what Tom's ruined. And we'll raise our son to be
the best that he can be. And we'll do it together. Sharing him"
_____________________________________________________________________