A/N: It's amazing where inspiration comes from, all it took was a random summer storm and...well, this happened :P This is along a similar vein to "Here For You" and "Arachnophobia," the theory being Naomi had never experienced a thunder storm before coming home and she doesn't like them. At all. I thought of the song after I wrote the story, but it really fits with what I was aiming for so you may want to check out the rest of the lyrics :) Apologies for the unimaginative title. Hope you enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The Storm
~*~
The weather is fright'ning
The thunder and lightning
Seem to be having their way
But as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day
The turn in the weather
Will keep us together
So I can honestly say
That as far as I'm concerned, it's a lovely day
And everything's o.k.
-Irving Berlin, "Isn't This A Lovely Day"
~*~
Icheb looked up at the peal of thunder as the storm that had been threatening to break all morning suddenly began in earnest. He glanced around the room where most of Voyager's old crew were milling around at their annual reunion.
He frowned when he realised that Naomi was still missing from the crowd.
Another peal of thunder brought his attention back to the window and his frown deepened, Naomi hated thunder storms and now it seemed she was stuck outside in one.
He looked down at a tug on his hand; nine year old Miral Paris was staring up at him. "What's the matter Icheb? I thought you were teaching us the rules of kadis-kot," she said, looking put out as only a nine-year old can.
Icheb regarded Miral and the other handful of children who sat crowded around a kadis-kot board and felt a twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry Miral, I have to go find Naomi," he motioned towards the window, "I think she's stuck in the storm."
The other children turned wide eyes to the window and nodded. Patting Miral on the head, Icheb went to retrieve an umbrella before slipping out the back and heading towards the nearest transporter station.
He trudged through the rain grimly, as if rain weren't bad enough it was also an almost unbearably humid day. He caught sight of another figure ahead of him, running through the rain in a white sun dress with large red polka dots.
Naomi.
He found himself smiling as he quickened his pace to reach her. Sadly neither of them were paying much attention, particularly Naomi, and they collided. Icheb grabbed her wrist before she fell on her backside in a mud puddle.
"Thank you," she mumbled, a little flustered as she righted herself; she looked up and recognised him. "Icheb!" she said, a large smile appearing on her face.
"Hello," he greeted her in return.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Same as you, I'm here for the annual Voyager reunion," he replied, a little confused by her question.
She laughed, "No, I mean here, in the rain. You hate the rain, it's cold and wet and-"
"-it makes my implants itch," he finished for her, "I know. But you've hated thunderstorms ever since we came home; I wanted to make sure you were ok."
Naomi looked up at him for a long moment, years later she would tell him that this was the moment when she realised she was in love with him, but for now she just smiled and blushed a little. "I'm sixteen now, Icheb, don't you think I'm a little too old to be frightened by a thunderstorm?" she teased.
Before Icheb could reply another peal of thunder sounded, accompanied by a flash of lightening and Naomi dropped her umbrella and jumped into the safety of his arms, causing him to drop his own umbrella as he caught her.
He raised an eyebrow.
"Don't say it," she commanded, making no move to get down.
"I wasn't going to say a word," he told her.
It was Naomi's turn to raise an eyebrow as she regarded him doubtfully; she gave a noncommittal "hmm" as he gently set her back on her feet.
"Well, now that you've drenched us both, shall we head for the safety of the Admiral's house?" Icheb asked, retrieving both their umbrellas.
Naomi looked doubtfully up at the sky; smiling Icheb offered her his arm. She took it gratefully and, arm in arm, they made their way to the Voyager reunion.