The song 'Anna' is copyrighted by Michael W. Smith.

Sickbay was quiet and cold.  He thought about playing some Mozart or something to fill in the emptiness as he studied the results of his experiment, but each time he went to command the computer, he hesitated then forgot.  There was no use in thinking of her anymore than he already had, but he couldn't get her out of his mind.  No matter what he set his concentration to, she was there in the back of his mind.  Her innocence, her smile, her exploration of who she could be.  All these things
haunted him.  He felt lonely, as if there was no one else on Voyager at the moment and he was all alone, not to be found.  It started out simple enough.  She had been lost within her world, alone and one.  She couldn't go back and yet she didn't fit in because of who she had been, what she was.  So he befriended her.  He knew what it was like to be looked at differently.  He had been just a hologram to the people of Voyager, but slowly he began to show them he was much more.  He
certainly felt real.  But they still saw him as a hologram.  Much like like she felt she was still just a machine.  There we so many things that she still had to learn about being an individual.  And he was there for her.  He wanted to help her become more and more comfortable with being a part of Voyager, just like he had overcome being labeled, 'just a hologram.'  Then one day he helped her with learning about dating.  Even then everything had been fine, but he had started to see her in a new
light.  He hadn't dreamt this 'new light' would consume him so much.  It had been slow, but now she was in his thoughts constantly.  Fed up with trying to concentrate he tossed the data padd down and was about to deactivate when suddenly the doors to sickbay opened.  "Doctor," she said quietly.

He stood immediately.  'What is it, Seven?'  He grabbed a tricorder and walked to her.  "You're here awfully late."

She shook her head and stopped his scans with a hand over his.  "I am undamaged."

He gave a slightly puzzled look, sitting back on a biobed and setting the tricorder down.  "Is there something bothering you or is this a social call?"

She sighed and looked uneasy, but her determination pushed her forward.  "I have a request of you, Doctor."

A request, he thought.  Her requests could be anything.  At least she stopped saying required.  "What do you need?"

"I have come to a decision.  I wish to explore my sexuality now."  It was a simple enough statement.  But why?  What caused this course of decision?

His brown eyes reflected his puzzlement.  "Are you sure you are ready?"

She seemed uncertain but nodded.  "I believe I am ready for such an endeavor."

He sighed.  "Seven, sexuality isn't some sort of endeavor that you should just explore with anyone.  At least it shouldn't be.  Seven, this is something you should be
sure you want and with someone that really cares for you and won't hurt you."

"This is why I came to you," she replied to his statements.  It was totally unexpected and shocked him.  He couldn't even talk.  "You are the person I trust most on Voyager and are my closest relation.  I wish it to be you."

"Seven," he said hesitantly.  He didn't know how to answer.  He was the one person on Voyager that he trusted with her feelings and yet the fact that he had feelings for her made it seem wrong.  Like he was taking advantage.  "Seven, I don't know about this."

She seemed unfazed.  "If you don't wish it then I will find another partner."  She turned to leave.

He couldn't let her go like that and find some other man to do this with.  If there was anyone on Voyager close enough to her it was him. She seemed intent on what she wanted.  He put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her from going.  "No.  I can't let you find someone else."

She turned.  "Why?  There are a number of healthy unattached males aboard."

He sighed.  "Frankly, I don't trust anyone else.  Like you said, I am your closest relation, I guess.  So...I guess I'll do it."  He didn't know what else to do.  He couldn't let her share herself with someone else because no one cared for her the way he did.  Or was it because he couldn't stand the thought of her being with anyone else?  "Anytime you want, Seven.  Just come to me and I will help you."  As she nodded and left he felt a nervous ache where his stomach would have been
He laid down on the biobed to try and sort through what had just happened.  The last thing he wanted was to do something with her that she would later regret.  But then again, the thought of her enjoying something so special with anyone else but him made his databanks twist with jealousy.

Two nights later, as he stood there in his office reading a report, he heard the familiar whoosh of the sickbay doors opening.  He didn't need to turn around to know it was her.  She had finally made the decision to come to him.  "Can I help you?" he said quietly.

"Doctor, I have chosen tonight to be the night I explore sexuality."  Her voice was formal as usual, but soft.  Maybe she was afraid.  Maybe she would regret it later and hate him for not stopping her.  That thought made his holographic heart sink.

"Seven, are you absolutely sure that you want this, and with me?" Please let her be sure, he thought.  Please be sure. "Seven, I want you to absolutely sure because I don't want you angry afterwards."

The idea seemed alien to her.  She looked puzzled.  "I don't understand.  Why would I be angry at  you for something that I requested of you?"

He sighed.  "I just don't want you to think I am taking advantage of you if I don't stop you and you regret it later."

There was a puzzled silence, however she chose not to pursue it.  Instead she said, " If you would rather this be another time, I can return another day."

He sighed again and turned.  Had he breath it would have been caught in his chest.  She looked beautiful tonight with her hair down and cascading around her face.  She had chosen to wear pale purple, his favorite color on her.  He leaned forward and reached for a stray lock of blonde hair.  It was silky to his touch.  "No," he whispered.  "I'm ready if you are."  She nodded softly and he reached for her.

"What are you thinking?" he asked softly.  She hesitated.  He looked into her eyes.  "Sev?" he whispered as she looked at him.

She sighed softly and said, "It was a pleasurable experience."

He couldn't fight the grin at her almost clinical tone.  He touched her hair again, fingered the pale lock that fell from around her neck.  "I'm glad you found it to your liking."  He kissed the blonde strands laying on her shoulder then looked into her eyes.

She sighed and closed her eyes, just resting there with him.  "I did.  I believe I would like to explore this again.  When are you free next?"

He studied the features of her face.  "Anytime," he whispered.  He still could hardly believe this was reality and not some holo-program designed to fool him.  But the touch of her skin convinced him that she was real.

The Doctor fought his annoyance as Tom grinned from across sickbay at him.  "Mr. Paris, if you be so kind as to tell me what that look on your face means, I would be grateful."

Tom's smile got bigger.  "There's something going on, isn't there?  You've been different lately.  Nicer.  More lenient.  And you've been singing constantly.  I think someone's got a girlfriend."

The Doctor rolled his eyes.  "Really, Mr. Paris, I think you should spend more time working on your own personal life rather than examining mine."  He shook his head and handed Tom a data padd.  "Here.  Think about this."

Tom groaned as he looked over what the Doctor had just handed him, but grinned when the Doctor looked back.  The Doctor rolled his eyes again and escaped into his office.  Seven had been making her night time visits for about a month now, once or twice a week, and the Doctor couldn't have been happier.  Except he wanted more.  He enjoyed sharing those precious moments with Seven, but he wanted her love.  Maybe in her own way she did love him, but he never knew it if she
did.  Of course she was still exploring what it was like to be a separate being, learning how to feel again, but that didn't stop him from wanting her to say, "I love you," just once.  He sighed and went to his reading.

About fifteen minutes later the doors to sickbay whooshed open and she was there.  The Doctor stood as Tom asked her if she needed anything.  "I have been lethargic," she was telling him.  "And nauseous.  I am unaware of any viruses I might have been exposed to, and yet I am not functioning efficiently."

"How long has this been going on?" The Doctor asked, grabbing a tricorder.

"One week," she replied.

He bit his lip and scanned.  "Why didn't you come in sooner?"

"I didn't think the problem would escalate."

"How has it escalated?"  He narrowed his eyebrows, searching for any known viruses.

She sighed, frustrated and said simply, "I fell asleep in the astrometrics lab."  She shot a glare at Tom who grinned at this.

The Doctor stared at his tricorder for a moment, unsure if what he saw was correct.  "Tom, could you excuse us?"

Tom nodded.  "Sure," he said hesitantly, heading for the sickbay doors, hoping the Doctor wouldn't notice where he was headed.

"And Mr. Paris, I expect you to return in fifteen minutes."

"Okay, Doc."  He shook his head and left.

The Doctor looked into Seven's eyes.  "Seven, have you been with anyone else?  Sexually I mean."

She raised her eyebrow and shook her head.  "No.  You have been the only one."

The Doctor looked even more puzzled.  "It can't be true," he said, taking more readings.  "My God, it is."

"What is my disfunction?"

He looked into her blue eyes, surprise written plainly on his features.  "You're pregnant."

"Is that possible?  I thought once I left a holographic environment any prenancy would terminate."  She sat down on a biobed, the child growing within her taking her energy.

He shook his head.  "I thought so too.  Apparently, we were wrong.  It seems that the child is made up of biological matter, borg technology and holographic matter.  My guess is that the child was conceived and the nanoprobes, at the moment of conception,  became a part of the child and finding the child was half holographic, they created internal holo-emitters.  These holo-emitters must get their energy when you regenerate.  I never considered that your nanoprobes could do such a thing."  He seemed lost in the tricorder as he read the scans.

She sighed, taking everything in.  "And the gestation period?"

His eyes still glued to the tricorder, he answered, "From all indications I would say it is safe to assume you will gestate the normal 40 weeks for a human.  Seven," this time he looked into her eyes.  "Do you think you're ready for this?"

She shook her head, patting her belly instinctively.  "I am uncertain."

The Doctor considered.  "Well, if you can't handle this, then I will care for the child."  She looked at him.  "I cannot terminate a child's life.  We can do this together, Seven, or I will do it alone.  The choice is yours."  His eyes slid to her abdomen where his child was growing.  He could hardly believe it was possible.  His child.

Seven looked tired.  "I will raise this child with you.  She is part of my collective now."

He smiled.  "She?"

Seven gave him a soft smile.  "I believe the child to be female."

"What will we name her?"  He set the tricorder down and rubbed Seven's belly softly.

"I cannot decide that now.  I need to regenerate."  She stood slowly.  "I will tell Captain Janeway of this right away and then
return to my alcove to rest."

The Doctor nodded.  He watched her leave, his love increasing to encompass both Seven and the tiny miracle within her.  He had never considered he could have a child that wasn't either another man's or totally holographic and yet here was this baby within Seven of Nine that was part of him and her.  He could barely wait to see what the child would look like.

Tom slid into sickbay quietly and smiled softly.  "I take it you heard what was said?" The Doctor asked.

Tom nodded.  "Only some of it.  I was returning from my little walk and heard what you two were talking about.  Congratulations, Doc.  It looks like you've found another way to bridge the gap between biological beings and holograms."

The Doctor smiled.

Seven lay there on the biobed, asleep.  He could hardly blame her.  She had a rough time ahead of her.  Sure, there were
drugs that could be given, but unless you beamed the child out, there was no way of getting around the tough time she was going to have.  He stood above her, looking at her readings and then to her soft features.  Her pale hair was down around her shoulders and she lay on her back.  He touched her cheek softly, loving her more than any words could hope to say.  There she lay asleep, his lover and friend.  His bride.  He smiled, recalling what she had said.

"I want us to be a collective."  She was starting to show.  She rubbed absently at her stomach and looked into his brown eyes.
"Please."

He sighed.  As much as he wanted this, he couldn't give it to her.  Not unless he knew she loved him.  There was no use in starting a marriage if both parties didn't love each other.  "Seven, marriage is a very serious matter.  You have to love the person for one thing.  And you have to be sure that this is the person you want to spend the rest of your life with."

"Doctor," she said quietly.  "I know that I'm still learning things and I know that I have only been an individual for a short time compared to the other individuals on board, but I know this is what I want."  She was close to tears, something she did often throughout the pregnancy.  "I do know that I care for you.  I do love you.  I can also now recognise what I couldn't in the beginning.  I know you feel the same.  Please, become one with me."

He stared at her, her words echoing through him.  They had had this discussion before, but she had never been so vehement about it, certainly never told him that she loved him.  He could have easily thought she didn't know exactly what she was talking about, but there was something about the way she had said it that convinced him.  "Are you sure?" he asked gently.

She nodded, a small smile on her lips.  "We can build our own collective."

He smiled softly at her.

Now she was ready to have the child they had been waiting for.  Now all that was left was to find out if the child were male or female.  Captain Janeway and Tom stood there with him, waiting.  Kathryn smiled as she watched Seven sleep.  "I can't believe tonight is the night," she commented to Tom, who was looking down at Seven in amazement.

"I know.  Tonight the universe is going to greet the first biological hologram."  He looked up at the Doctor.  "This changes so many things.  This will change alot of how we look at technology."

Kathryn smiled.  "Life found a way around technology and biology.  This child is very special."

~~~~~~~

Seven lay there breathless.  "I can't," she gasped out.  "I can't."

The Doctor looked up at her.  "Come on, Seven.  You know you can do this.  Push."

She took a few breaths and tried again, holding tight to Tom and Kathryn's hands.  Tom winced but held on.  "I can't," she said after pushing.  "No more, please," she said tiredly.

The Doctor shook his head.  "No, Seven, one more.  Come on, I know you can do it.  One more and I promise you will be looking at your new daughter or son."

She groaned and steeled herself, giving it one last push and suddenly sickbay was filled with a cry.  The Doctor held up the tiny child and announced happily, "It's a girl."  He walked over and softly laid the child onto Seven's chest.  She fought for breath and smiled.  "My daughter.  Our daughter."  She was amazed at the tiny little lifeform that was crying and squirming on her chest.

Kathryn smiled brightly and touched the child's head.  "What will you call her?" she asked softly, smiling at the newborn.

Seven looked at the Doctor and he answered, "Anna."

"Anna," Kathryn said, never taking her eyes off the baby.  "Welcome to Voyager, Anna."

Anna.  She was four years old and the Doctor, as he watched her twirl in the middle of sickbay, decided right then and there that he had been blessed with a tiny angel from the Heavens.  She was the sweetest little child he had ever seen.  She turned, her brown eyes flashing, pale hair swinging, and smiled at him and in his mind he could hear music.  Just one look from her and he was filled with music.  "Anna," he said.

She grinned and curtsied.  "Yes, Daddy?"

He smiled at her softly.  "I love you, baby girl."

She smiled at him with a knowing little grin and said, "I know," softly.  "I love you, Daddy."  She then resumed her twirling.  She had come to visit him while he worked in sickbay.  He stared, transfixed, as she played.  Nothing could have taken him from that moment.  He looked at his data padd and read the lyrics he had just written about his pretty little angel.

"Is my girl playing good for Daddy?" Seven said from the door, smiling and watching Anna dance.

Anna smiled brightly and nodded.  "But Daddy won't play.  He just keeps writing."

Seven walked to where he sat and took the data padd away, reading.  When her blue eyes returned to him there were tears there.  "Thank you," she said.

He smiled softly.  "For what?"

"For making me love you even more.  For giving me these prefect moments."

He took Seven's hand and kissed it softly.  Anna smiled knowingly and resumed her dancing and pretending.

"Hey, Doc, are you okay?" Tom asked, noting the longing in the Doctor's eyes as he stared off.

The Doctor looked down then at Tom and smiled softly.  "I'm fine.  Just thinking."

Tom gave him a half smile and said, "Tell her."

The Doctor sighed.  "Maybe someday."

Tom shook his head and sighed.  I'll give you three weeks, Doc, then I'll talk with her myself, Tom decided.