A/n: Thanks to xXTheGothicBumbleBeeXx for updating "The Borg with Butterfly Wings" last night. Enjoy the chapter!
"Now what colour of ribbon would you like Aylen honey?" Naira asked as she finished the last section of the Bajoran hair plait she was making with the two and a half year old's hair as they waited for Seven and Chakotay to reappear from upstairs.
"What colours?" The toddler asked, bouncing up and down on her chair excitedly.
"Well…" Naira laid the three silk ribbons she replicated out on the kitchen table. "There's blue and red and yellow, which do you want?"
Aylen peered intensely at the three choices, dismissing the blue one almost immediately with a push of her hand but pondering deeply over the red and yellow. Finally, squeezing her eyes tight shut, she snatched up one, dangling it in front of Naira's eyes. "I want this please!"
"Okay!" Naira agreed, taking the canary yellow ribbon and beginning to weave it through the little girl's glossy black locks. Her concentration was broken slightly by the sound of Seven and Chakotay talking quietly as they came downstairs.
"Mama and Papa!" exclaimed Aylen happily before pulling impatiently at Naira's arms. "Finish Naira! Mama and Papa need see!"
"Give me a minute, hold still." Naira scolded gently, but smiled at the child's exuberance as she tied the ribbon in a bow. "All done, you can call your parents now."
Aylen took her words to heart, shouting at the top of her lungs, "Papa! Mama!"
Chakotay anxiously popped his head into the room, followed almost immediately by Seven, who asked, "What's the matter baby?"
Aylen tossed her, thankfully secure, plait back and forth from shoulder to shoulder. "I look pretty?" she asked sweetly.
Her parents smiled at her. "Yes baby, you look very pretty." Seven confirmed as she walked further into the room and knelt down beside her daughter. "Did Naira do this for you?" Aylen nodded and Seven threw Naira a grateful glance before looking again to Aylen. "Say thank you to her then." She instructed.
Aylen twisted around in her chair to beam at the Bajoran. "Thank you."
"You're welcome sweetie." Naira replied pleasantly.
Chakotay ran a hand over his daughter's head and smiled at her, "Where are your brothers beautiful?"
"Not matter." Aylen responded nonchalantly, making the three adults chuckle.
"They're out in the garden with Icheb." Naira answered him.
"Okay, I'll go see what they're up too." Said Chakotay, "Thanks for looking after her Naira, sorry we took so long up there."
"Oh, it was no problem. We were having fun, weren't we Aylen?" Naira replied, smiling down at the little girl.
"Yes." Aylen muttered distractedly as she pulled at her mother's wrists for attention. When Seven obligingly met her gaze she said determinedly, "Mama, let Naira do your hair pretty."
Naira flushed, shooting Seven an embarrassed look. "Aylen, your mother's hair is pretty as it is, she doesn't want me to…" She began to try to explain, getting more and more flustered.
Aylen's blue eyes focused on her mother beseechingly. "But Mama…" She started in a wheedling tone, "I save red ribbon for you, you like that." To make her point clear, she waved the claret coloured ribbon in front of Seven's eyes.
Seven felt her horrified expression begin to fall away as her daughter's buttering up technique began to work. "All right my love, if Naira will consent." She smiled sheepishly at a surprised looking but willing Naira and took Aylen's place on the chair, pulling her flaxen hair loose as she did so. "Come sit on my lap sweetie."
Aylen settled happily on Seven's lap, throwing Naira and Chakotay a triumphant look."Mama's favourite colour is red."
"Yes, it is." Chakotay agreed indulgently, looking warmly at his wife. It was good to see her playful side, she'd do things for the children she'd never dream of doing for anyone else, and there had been far too much stress lately. The news of their new baby was a much needed sunny spot in the darkness of ongoing war… He was pulled from these thoughts by the appearance of a frantic and visibly out of breath Icheb at the patio door. "What's wrong Icheb?" he asked in concern.
"I saw Max eat some sand, will that damage his digestive system? Should we take him to the Doctor?" Icheb asked anxiously, wide eyed.
"No, no, he'll be fine…" Chakotay started to brush him off but saw that the younger man still seemed somewhat panicky and sighed, "I'll come out and see him, okay?" he told him, calmly stepping outside to see what all the fuss was.
As soon as Chakotay had shut the door behind him Naira uttered an exasperated sigh, "Prophets help me, I hope he's not this easily worried with our baby…"
Seven gave a light, knowing laugh. "It's likely that he will be, but don't worry, Chakotay and I have learned that it's natural."
Chakotay stepped out into the garden to see Michael happily sitting in the swing where Icheb had left him and Max sitting in the small sand pit next to the fence. He approached Michael and asked, "Michael, did you see Max eat anything?"
Michael's small shoulders gave a small shrug. "Just sand. Push me high Papa."
"I'll come back and help you swing in a minute son." Chakotay assured him before heading over to Max in the sand pit. "Hi Max, did you eat the sand?" he asked as he lifted him into his arms.
"Yesh, yucky." Max replied, rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth.
"Yes it's yucky, that's why Mama and Papa are always telling you not to eat it aren't we? Don't do it again." As the boy nodded, Chakotay, as he glanced over at the still worried looking Icheb said under his breath, "You nearly gave Icheb a heart attack. Now go play." He put the toddler down and headed back to Icheb with a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, the sand is clean, we only bought it last week and Max is always putting things in his mouth, he's like Michael that way…"
Icheb cut him off, "Be that as it may, I should have exercised more vigilance, he could have…"
"But he didn't, he's fine." Chakotay said firmly but saw that Icheb still looked dissatisfied. "Look Icheb, things like that happen all the time. Don't tell anyone this but when Seven was in the hospital expecting Max Michael swallowed a marble…"
Icheb's eyes bugged out in horror, and Chakotay remembered his own petrified reaction. "Really? Was he okay?"
Chakotay chuckled sheepishly, "Yeah, the Doctor just told me to calm down when I went to the hospital. But anyway to get to the point of the story, just because there's some scary incidents doesn't automatically mean you're a bad father, do you know what I'm getting at?"
Icheb blushed hotly, "Yes, I believe so, but what if I…"
Chakotay shook his head at him and gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "You'll be perfectly fine Icheb."
Icheb's head lowered gratefully. "Thank you." He murmured sincerely.
"Did you call the Doctor for an appointment?" Chakotay enquired of Seven as they walked back into the living room to join Icheb and Naira after tucking the children up for the night.
"Yes, for tomorrow, 1000 hours at Starfleet Medical." Seven replied quietly as she slid into the room, but she saw from the way concern crossed Icheb and Naira's faces that they'd been overheard.
Icheb couldn't contain himself and with characteristic Borg bluntness asked, "Are you ill Seven?"
Naira flushed on his behalf. "Icheb! Let them have some privacy for the Prophets' sake!" She reprimanded sharply.
"No, it's okay Naira…" Said Chakotay, glancing at Seven to tell them, who sat heavily down on the couch across from the other couple.
Waiting for Chakotay to join her before explaining, Seven sighed and began to explain, "I'm going to see the Doctor tomorrow because I've discovered that I'm pregnant again." She didn't allow them to comment before launching into an apologetic tone, "I apologise to you both, I never intended to…"
Icheb stopped her, his smile wide and his eyebrows raised high. "I believe the human phrase would be "to steal our thunder"? Seven nodded silently and he uttered a loud laugh. "That is an irrelevant concern Seven; I always presumed you may have more children and why shouldn't you? You have always been an exemplary mother."
Naira nodded vigorously, "Yes of course, don't be silly!" She smiled shyly at Seven. "I'm really happy actually; I was worried about going through this alone, with being so far away from home and all…"
Seven felt relief flood her, "I am happy you feel that way." She admitted quietly as Chakotay beamed at them all. Seven already knew she'd hear several "I told you so's" from him later as they contently settled into all kinds of baby related conversation.
A/n: I know that nothing much really happened in this chapter but I hope it was at least quite cute. Please review! :D For my readers that also read "The Loving Game", would you mind looking at the poll I've got concerning that story on my profile page and maybe vote? Thanks.