A/N: I've said it once and I'll say it again - I'm sorry, but after Picard I just need [SPOILER ALERT] happy Icheb. This has a slight reference to my story "All Fall's Apart" which is an account (of sorts) of Remi's birth. If you haven't read it, it's not necessary but it might make a couple of the comments in here make sense. There's also references to some episodes of Voyager that inspired this fic, most notably "Child's Play". It took me ages to find an appropriate song to tie into what I was trying to do, but I hope it works. Anyways, hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

My Baby

…
With no words at all
So tiny and small
In love I fall so deep, so deep
My precious love
Sent from above
My baby boo
Gotta thank you, gotta thank you
-'My Baby', Britney Spears
…

Naomi stretched sleepily and frowned as her hand met with empty space on the other side of the bed. Blearily she sat up and looked across at the Borg alcove in the corner of the room, her frown deepened as she realised it was also empty.

Stifling a yawn behind her hand, she got out of bed and, slipping into a robe, made her way down the darkened corridor.

She stopped in the doorway to the next room, smiling as she watched Icheb sitting in a rocking chair and cradling their sleeping son. She was just starting to wonder if she'd be able to sneak out for a holo-camera when she realised that there were tears glistening on Icheb's cheek.

"Icheb?" she asked softly, walking over to join him, "Is everything ok?"

He nodded, still looking down at the sleeping infant, "Perhaps I shouldn't have revisited those particular memories," he commented after a moment.

Naomi bit her lip.

Icheb had no family beyond the crew of Voyager or any contact with his own people, so she had been more than willing to name their son 'Remi' after his childhood friend and as a way of honouring his heritage. But she hadn't considered how troubling the memories of his people might be.

"I just keep wondering if my parents ever really loved me," he confessed, looking up at her.

Naomi felt her breath catch in her throat at the raw pain on his face, "Oh Icheb…" she murmured, dropping to her knees beside the chair and grasping one of his hands.

"I love him so much already," he continued as though she hadn't spoken, looking back down at Remi, "and it would have killed me if I'd lost either one of you in that attack. I just can't imagine how any parent could send their child off to be assimilated, not even as a way to save their people." He paused, "And Seven's parents…how could they have put her in danger like that? She was their daughter they had a responsibility to protect and they still put her at risk."

"And my mother chose to have me despite being trapped in the Delta Quadrant," Naomi said softly, "isn't that also irresponsible?"

He looked down at her, "Your mother loved – loves – you, choosing to have you in spite of the danger is different to putting you directly into it herself. She still did everything she could to protect you."

Gently untangling their hands, he turned back to Remi and settled the blanket more securely around his tiny frame. He smiled softly, admiring the nasal ridge and tiny cranial ridges that marked him as a perfect blend of his parents.

"My parents didn't try to protect me, they tried to use me to protect themselves," he said with a touch of bitterness. "Do you know that I was actually worried they would be angry with me when Voyager came to my rescue?" he continued, looking back down at her, "I thought I'd failed in my duty to my people," he shook his head, "Seven reminded me that, as an individual, I had the right to choose what direction my life took. They had no right to make that choice for me."

He sighed heavily, looking back at Remi's sleeping face once more, "He's so helpless and, right now, he needs me – needs us – to make choices for him. What if we fail?"

"We won't," Naomi told him confidently, getting to her feet and gently lifting Remi from Icheb's arms. "We love him," she said simply, cradling him to her chest, "and, I don't know about you," she added with a touch of playfulness, "but I'd protect him with my life."

Icheb stood up to join them, slipping his arm around Naomi's waist as he did so, "I will do everything in my power to keep him safe, to keep you both safe," he promised, unconsciously pulling her closer. "The family I have built with you is better than any that I left behind in the Delta Quadrant," he added softly, reaching out to run a finger lightly along Remi's cheek.

Naomi smiled up at him, before stepping out of his embrace to return Remi to his crib.

"I've been thinking about that time too. I used to have nightmares about it," Naomi confessed, still standing by the crib, Icheb looked at her in surprise. "I was terrified that they'd come and try to take you away by force," she explained, turning to face him, "or that the pathogen couldn't be suppressed and it would end up killing you." She ducked her head, "I still occasionally worry about that last one actually."

"It would take more than that for you to get rid of me, my love," he informed her with a teasing lilt, lightening the mood, "I choose my own destiny and I'm not going anywhere."

Naomi smiled, "Good, because I'd like very much to keep you."

Icheb chuckled as she came to join him and he wrapped both arms around her waist, "There's nowhere else that I'd rather be," he assured her.

"I can't speak for your parents, but I love you very much," Naomi told him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Icheb gently rested his nasal ridge against her cranial ridges, "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Naomi pulled back slightly in confusion, "Much better, why?"

"Words can't describe how I feel about you," he informed her with mock solemnity, pulling her closer, "so, I thought I'd try showing you instead."

Naomi laughed, "Very efficient," she teased.

Icheb hesitated, "Is that a yes?"

Naomi rolled her eyes, "Just shut up and kiss me."

"I will comply," Icheb responded with a smirk.

Whatever response Naomi would have given was cut off as he closed the distance and kissed her.