A/N: Yep, another Icheb/Naomi story. I'm sorry, but I'm still trying to work through my emotional fall-out from Picard. I didn't think it would affect me so deeply, yet here we are. Anyways, this idea came from the current health crisis that has found people turning to different things (including stuffed animals) for comfort and partly by the Voyager episode "Once Upon A Time". The first few lines of dialogue are borrowed from the JAG two-part episode "Adrift" and the title comes from the song of the same name, but bears no other relation. This is set after my other story "Compatible" but you don't need to have read that. Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Cuddly Toy

"It's too heavy."

Naomi rolled her eyes at Icheb's protest as she hefted his bag a bit higher and led the way into their apartment. "It's fine," she assured him, "I just keep telling myself: better your suitcase than your casket."

"You shouldn't be carrying it at all," he retorted as he closed the door behind them and she set the bag in question down.

"Icheb, darling," Naomi began in a placating tone as she turned to face him, "I'm pregnant, not an invalid. Besides, I'm not the one on leave in order to recuperate," she reminded him. "Speaking of which," she continued before he could reply, "I turned your alcove back on before I left. It should be ready for you to regenerate."

Icheb hesitated, "Promise me that you'll get some rest as well."

"Icheb…"

"Please."

Naomi sighed, "Fine, I promise, I'm just reading over some reports anyway."

Icheb frowned, "Not quite what I had in mind," he stopped at the look on her face, "but it will suffice."

Naomi shook her head in fond exasperation, "Icheb, quit stalling and go regenerate."

"Yes ma'am," he quipped, heading down the hallway to their bedroom.

He stopped in the doorway as he caught sight of the object tucked under the covers of their bed. "I've only been gone a few months and you've replaced me already," he teased, looking at her over his shoulder as she came to join him.

"What are you-?" she broke off as she caught sight of the bed, "How did he get there?" she asked, feigning innocence as she went to retrieve the item in question.

"Naomi…"

"Ok, I was worried," Naomi conceded, "he helped," she added, unconsciously hugging the Flotter doll closer.

"I'm sorry for worrying you," Icheb said, moving to join her.

She shook her head, blinking back sudden tears, "It's not your fault."

Gently he tipped her head up with a hand under her chin, "I'll try to be more careful," he promised, cupping her chin and absently wiping away one of her tears with the pad of his thumb.

Naomi sniffed, "Icheb, we're Starfleet officers, we both know the risks."

Icheb sighed and, letting go of her chin, ran a hand through his hair, "I don't know how to make this better," he confessed after a moment.

Naomi gave a small huff of amusement, "I don't think either of us can," she said softly, "all we can do is make the most of the time we have together." Standing on her tiptoes, she pecked him on the lips, "But, right now, you need to regenerate," she told him with a smile, lightening the mood.

Icheb dipped his head in acknowledgement, "As you wish," he replied, ducking his head for a more substantial kiss before heading to his alcove.

Naomi drifted over as he stepped inside, "Pleasant dreams," she whispered as he closed his eyes.

Much later, Icheb opened his eyes. He smiled softly as they adjusted to the low lighting and came to rest on Naomi, fast asleep in a nearby chair. Flotter was tucked securely under one of her arms and the other was draped loosely over the slight bump in her middle that denoted her pregnancy.

He shook his head slightly in wonder, still finding it hard to believe that they were going to have a baby. His life was certainly different to the one he'd imagined when still on Voyager, but it was much fuller too.

Stepping out of his alcove he made his way over to the chair and considered his next move. Naomi had always been a deep sleeper and, therefore, relatively easy to relocate when she fell asleep in odd places. However, knowing how worried she'd been, he was loath to move her in case this proved to be one of the few times he disturbed her.

In the end, the fact that he was going to bed himself decided the issue (as it so often did) since he couldn't in good conscience leave her in the chair. The slightly awkward angle of her neck gave him further grounds to act.

His course decided, he turned down the blankets and then carefully picked her up; silently thankful for his enhanced Borg strength that made her weight relatively inconsequential. Gently, he set her down on the bed and pulled the blankets up.

As he tucked the blankets securely around her, he was faintly amused at how reminiscent this was of their time together on Voyager. Especially as she still had Flotter tucked under her arm, making her look very much like the little girl he used to know.

He immediately sobered as he considered how vulnerable she looked.

He'd always felt protective of her, but those feelings had continued to grow once he realised that he loved her and, particularly, after she became his wife. They'd then intensified almost exponentially once she also became the mother of his child.

In fact, this was the first time they'd been together since she'd told him she was pregnant and, now, he wasn't sure he'd be able to leave her again.

What if there was a next time and he wasn't so lucky? What if something happened to her?

"I can hear you overthinking," Naomi mumbled without opening her eyes.

Icheb raised an eyebrow, "Unlikely."

"You were overthinking though," she countered, still with her eyes closed. "Now are you going to come to bed or were you planning on hovering all night?" she added, stifling a yawn as she rolled onto her side. She opened her eyes as she realised she was still hugging Flotter.

"You seemed reluctant to part with him," Icheb explained, regaining some of his former amusement, "I didn't want to come between you."

"Very funny," she muttered in mock annoyance, putting Flotter on her bedside table.

"Give me a few minutes," he said at her pointed look, backing towards the bathroom, grabbing his pyjamas as he did so.

In the short space of time it took before he re-emerged, Naomi was once again fast asleep, albeit now facing towards the bathroom.

As quietly as he could, he set his uniform and boots aside before crawling under the covers beside her. He suppressed a start as she shifted closer to him, "Mm," she hummed appreciatively, wrapping an arm around his waist as she cuddled into his side, "much better than Flotter."

He chuckled softly as he shifted his arm so that it was wrapped securely around her waist, hugging her closer to him. "Pleasant dreams, my love," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before ordering the computer to turn the lighting completely off.

"They will be now," Naomi mumbled, so low he almost didn't hear her.

His answering grin was lost in the darkness.