Title: home (part 1)
Category: Movies ยป Ice Age
Author: Cahaya Sidur
Language: English, Rating: Rated: T
Genre: Family
Published: 02-04-18
Words: 2,639


Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age.


AN: So for anyone who reads either my Winx Club or Hero: 108 one shots, you'll know that I have a collection of AU one shots that I generally continue in my own time. I've currently got three or so for this fandom - mostly Diego-centric - that take place in human AUs, and I decided to place them all in one place so I can keep track of them.

I hope that anyone who reads will enjoy this.


It's quite a shock, Shira manages to think through the adrenaline pounding in her face, when you suddenly find yourself in a metallic place which shouldn't exist. It's not like Geotopia, where everything is natural and flowery - a heaven on earth - it's more like the caves or some form of meteorite cavern. Less like the natural wonders of the Dinosaur World and the humans' camps, and more like...

More like...

More like nothing she could've ever imagined.

The only upside to this horror is that Diego is still with her - she can feel his warmth and hear his heartbeat - pressed up right next to her with his body half covering hers as if to protect his mate. Shira doesn't need protecting, but Diego has always been the fastest to adapt and react in offensive situations, so she lets him take the lead as she tries to figure out where they are.

Humans wearing strange clothes - not the thick fur coats they wear when she had briefly encountered them - are standing around, gasping and awing over the two sabretooth tigers.

One of them - a leader maybe? - steps forward and eyes her hungrily. Shira narrows her eyes and lets out a low growl. She's seen that look before on other Sabres - it's still the same regardless of species - and she doesn't like it.

"Grey," he murmurs, "how beautiful. And rare."

These humans...talk?

Diego stiffens and leans more into her, hiding away from the predatory gaze.

Ironic, really. The predators had now become the prey.

"They talk." Shira bends her head so that they can't see her mouth moving, murmuring into Diego's ear.

Diego gives the slightest inclination of a nod, a sign that he's heard.

"Tranq them."

The term is unfamiliar to Shira, but in the next instant, something hits her neck and she shouts. Diego also lets out a roar and claws at his neck, but Shira's vision grows dark and her head heavy, and she drops to the ground.


It's been over a year since they have been captured, and fourteen months since Shira's screams filled the loudspeakers and hadn't stopped.

Diego sits down at the bed in the prison-like cell, taking deep breaths to calm himself down despite everything in him screaming to protect Shira, to find his mate and get her as far away from here as possible, and to maul everyone involved with her suffering. But he keeps calm because he can and he needs to to make this work.

He waits until the bell chimes in the loudspeaker, a reprieve for dinner.

Footsteps march by the cell, leaving Diego in absolute silence a mere half an hour later. He's patient, and he is careful not to meet the camera's glance before he smashes his fist into the metal wall. The wall happens to be where the main wires for the camera is.

Once the camera blacks out, Diego quickly smears the blood onto his forehead. He quickly wrenches the metal apart a few more times, before dropping to the ground where the metal has dented, looking like he had also smashed his head into said dent.

Alarms blare and there are shouts as a guard runs into the room. Diego is careful to keep still, knowing the guard well. The guard's card key is kept in the lower pocket of his pants, and his locker key in the jacket pocket. The taser is in his boot, the gun on his belt. There is a foldable baton in the same pocket as the locker key.

The guard runs desperate hands over him, then flips him over to examine the wound.

Diego wrenches himself free and lands a punch on the man's face, knowing that his and Shira's strength had been classified as abnormally strong for humans from this generation.

The man collapses to the ground with a sickening crunch and spurt of red.

Diego strips the man of his clothes and tosses it on, dumping the cap onto his head and then making sure he has the keys and weapons. He doesn't have much time before the command centre expects the guard to call in and give a status report.

After a quick glance back at the cell, Diego strides out confidently. He knows the compound like the back of his hand from days spent pouring over maps he slipped from the guards who came to chat with him.

It did pay off - at least among humans - to be charismatic.

Shira's screams have stopped since the dinner bell had rung, and Diego knows he doesn't have much time. The lead scientist has some strange obsession with Shira and is prone to spending off-working hours with her. Just the thought of the scientist and his leers causes Diego to clench his fingers around the metallic card key he is holding. The surprisingly strong metal holds under the onslaught it's facing.

A wrist grips his and he turns to face a suspicious looking captain of the guards.

Diego swears, jerks his wrist free. He wastes no time in slashing at the guard's exposed neck with the metallic card key, causing blood to spurt out. The captain drops to the ground, dead, with an expression of surprise now etched permanently on his face.

Grimacing, Diego wipes the key card clean on the dead captain's uniform. He straightens and hastens his pace. The compound would be empty, but time is not a luxury he has.

"Diego?" Shira murmurs, sapphire blue eyes blinking blearily at her mate. Diego's heart sinks at how his headstrong love sounds like a newborn cub, barely able to keep her balance as she clings onto him.

"Shira." Diego murmurs in relief, gently by quickly helping her up. He presses a kiss to her neck, then supports her up. "I know that it hurts, but you need to work with me here if I want to get us out."

"Okay." Shira says, struggling to straighten up. "I just need cold water or something. They tranqed me over an hour ago. But he's going to come back."

Diego doesn't need to ask to know who 'he' is.

"Let's go."


Shira grips onto Diego like he's the only thing in the world that matters. And for her, he is. He is the only constant she has, the only one that treats her like a gem despite all that the scientists had done to her. He asks her and makes sure that she's okay, having constant breaks in their travel despite knowing the scientists will be after them. Normally, Shira would be furious at being mollycoddled like this, but after so long being assaulted by the scientists, Diego is a welcome and well-loved reprieve.

"Shira?" Diego asks. He gets no response. "Kitty?"

"Don't call me that." Shira says, but it's half-hearted and more out of habit by now.

Diego smiles and presses another kiss to her neck, letting her lean back against him. "How're you doing?"

"Tired." Shira whispers honestly.

Diego's arms tighten around her, and Shira allows herself to lean back and close her eyes, safe in the knowledge that Diego was warmth and home and love, and would kill anyone before he let anything happen to Shira. "Nearly there, Shira. We'll get on a train and see if we can get a place to rest."

"I know." Shira twists slightly so that her face is half-buried against Diego's neck. "I trust you."

Diego rests his head on hers, then presses a kiss to her head.


"I'm back." Shira announces to the apartment after she has double locked the door.

Diego emerges from the kitchen, eating an apple. "About time." He smirks at her annoyed expression. "What happened his time?"

"Antonio."

Diego laughs, causing the tension in Shira's shoulders to drain out at the familiar sound. "He tried to convince you to dump me, abscond with our money and marry him again?"

Shira rolls her eyes. "The day that he doesn't will be nothing short of a miracle."

Diego tosses her another apple. "Go and shower. I've got good news."

Shira rummages through the drawer, her hair bundled up in a towel. Diego lounges in the bed, eyeing her back. "You got a new tatt."

"Yep." Shira hums. It's an ever growing collection. She likes getting a new ink when it strikes her; it's one of the only things that she can control about her own body.

"It's nice."

"Like it?"

"Yep." Diego says.

"So what's this news?" Shira pulls on a pair of cargo pants.

"I managed to get a contract with the military."

Shira lifts her head from where she is now rummaging for a shirt. "You're kidding. So soon?"

"I know a guy who knows a guy, who knows a guy." Diego shrugs.

"Careful. You're starting to sound like Sid."

Diego snorts. "Don't remind me."

Shira grins and makes her way to the bed, sitting herself beside her mate. She knows the terms are different now that they're humans, but the term is deeply ingrained into her. It's like how they still refer to human children as cubs. Shira doesn't like the terms lover or wife or husband or boyfriend or girlfriend. They're too shallow for her and Diego. Not as long lasting. All of them can be broken off legally.

"What are you thinking?" Diego asks as he rests his chin on her shoulder.

"Nothing much." Shira says. "Just some human terms."

"Hm." Diego says, but he seems to sense she doesn't want to talk about it and keeps silent.

Shira can't have children. That's a fact she knows ever since they escaped from the facility. She can't have children, and it seems so cruel now that they've discussed it back in the Ice Age and they have agreed they want children. She can't have children, and she doesn't know how Diego will react if she tells him. She can't have children, and she doesn't know how she'll cope if - when - Diego leaves her once he finds out.

"Shira?"

"Nothing." Shira forces a smile. She knows Diego doesn't buy it, so she turns and presses a kiss at the inked sun on his neck. "I'm fine."

"I worry." Diego whispers against her pale skin. Shira shudders at the guilt washing over her and nuzzles him.

"I can take care of myself, warrior princess."

"Doesn't mean I don't want to." Diego smiles. "So, we'll need a couple of days to get the contract settled. You're my official partner in writing, so I'll need you there."

"I don't know how many leaves I have left."

"Doesn't Antonio handle it?"

"Damn you, Di. Damn you."

Diego's rumble of laughter is her only response.


"You should thank me!" Shira shouts into the apartments as the door slams and locks behind her. She storms into their bedroom, where Diego is carefully going over forged papers. "I kissed a man for you." She starts rummaging through their drawer. "Where's the mouthwash? Or mints?"

"I've got gum." Diego offers, handing her the wrapped piece. He frowns as what she said caught up to him. "Sorry, what?"

Shira snatches the gum and pops it in her mouth with one hand, while she grabs her gathered clothes with the other. "I kissed a man for you." The bathroom door slams shut behind her.

"You kissed. A man?" Diego asks, sounding so genuinely bewildered that Shira can't help but crack a smile behind the bathroom door.

"Yep."

"For me?"

"Antonio." Shira deadpans.

Diego cackles. "Oh my god. I can't believe it."

"Shut up and be thankful."


"I can't have children." It's said in a rush with the memory of the smiling parents and playing children several miles away earlier that day. "I don't know what the scientists did. I can't have children."

Diego's stopped what he's doing and he's staring at Shira with wide green eyes.

Vibrant green eyes, which always lights up whenever he laughs and sparkles with mirth and crinkle at the corners when he's amused - always amused at Shira's anger and indignant rants. Emerald green eyes which darken in anger at anyone who threatens them - who threatens her - and eyes that gentle into a warmer forest green when promising Shira he'll protect her and he'll never leave her-

"I'm sorry." Shira says, and she looks down because she can no longer face the intensity of those startled eyes staring at her. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-"

She doesn't get very far before Diego's walking up to her and he reaches out and she flinches -

She flinches and Diego withdraws his hand with the look of a kicked puppy in those emerald eyes that shouldn't be looking so sad.

"Shira," he breathes, and it sounds like a prayer - like a plea, "you know I'll never hurt you, right?"

"I can't have children." Shira repeats, because that is the priority here. Her happiness is not a priority, should not be a priority because Diego's been doing everything he can to keep her happy and she can't make him happy anymore.

"I know." Diego says quietly, and Shira looks up inadvertently.

"What?" She whispers.

"I know." Diego says. "I thought that you knew I knew."

"How did you- but," Shira's breathing is increasing because she can't reconcile this with the fact that Diego's still here and not leaving- "how long have you known?"

"Since we left. A few weeks after we left the facility." Diego says. "I thought you knew." He repeats.

And Shira thinks back to the years they've been together, when Diego would smile and nod at the children running up to him and apologising for accidentally colliding with him or hitting him with some toy, and how he seems wistful but never upset. At how he's never broached the subject of children with her despite having done so numerous times back during the Ice Age.

She had thought the wistfulness in his expression had been because he wanted children.

She had never considered that it was because he knew he'd never have children. Those who were his by blood, of course.

And for some reason, it makes her heart clench even tighter.

Warm arms wrapped around her, causing her to tense up. Shira's pulled forwards until her head is resting on Diego's chest and she can hear his heartbeat, and she's brought back to that first moment in this terrifying era when Diego had shielded her from the stares of the scientists.

"I don't care, Shira." Diego says, as if a secret. "I don't need children to be happy."

"I can't give you children." Shira says like a warning, though her arms wrap around him. "You'll never have children if you're with me."

"I'm already with you, kitty." Diego murmurs. "Besides, I never became your mate because of your child bearing abilities. Or lack thereof."

Shira gives a watery chuckle even though it is too soon, and it's clear from his slight wince that he's realised his mistake. But it's just so like Diego to do something like this, to comfort her without thinking even with jokes, so she clings ever tighter and tries to banish the fears still present in her mind. "You're staying?"

"I'm scared to say, you're never getting rid of me."

Shira smiles, asking one last time to banish the dredges of fear lingering. "I'm never going to be alone?"

There is something stricken in Diego's voice as he answers. "Of course not. I'll stay for as long as you'll have me."

"Forever it is, then."

"Forever." Diego agrees, and he tightens his arms around her. And Shira finally allows herself to relax in the warmth completely since she had found out, and feel safe. More importantly, to feel at home.