Shepard was tense. He had been up for the past 21 hours waiting for his wife of 2 years, Tali'Zorah-Shepard to give birth. He wished he could be with her, but the precautions the Quarian hospital had to take with childbirth meant that, as a human, it was just too risky or him to be present at the procedure until it was over. A small part of him knew that although Tali was scared, she would be able to find the inner strength to keep herself going, though when she let loose another ear piercing scream he couldn't help but let worry take over him. It was unknown what their child would look like, until she became pregnant they didn't know their two species could even reproduce. It was only when Tali ran to him from their shared bathroom with tears of joy falling from her eyes that he believed he could start a family with the love of his life. Not only was he unsure of what their child would look like, he had no idea what gender their baby would be. Ultrasound technology as humans used it was ineffective on Tali's womb, and Quarians did not use any gender detecting machinery themselves. They tended to let to let their pregnancies go as naturally as possible to appease their ancestors with their show of strength.

After Shepard suffered through another stretch of endless time, Tali let out an explosive shriek that ended in a shuddering breath loud enough for him to hear through the wall. He stood in a half raised position, expecting there to be news about Tali. The response from the nurses was unexpected. Instead of coming out to speak to him, three nurses shot out of the room, gave him severe warning looks and sped down the corridor away from him. When the door opened he could hear Tali whimpering to herself. Silence followed. The nurses returned with another specialist, but their speech was too low for him to hear. After they went back into Tali's room Shepard was painfully aware of the silence where a healthy baby should have been crying. Finally he heard Tali. 'No, no! NO! SHEPARD!' His name was drawn out and painful, her throat was hoarse from the screaming, but it was the desperation in her words that made his skin crawl and his heart drop. 'Tali!' He shouted back to her. He had to do something to comfort her, he had never heard her sound more distraught throughout all the time he'd known her. He leaped to the door but before he reached the handle a high pitched wail broke the tension. The clear, ringing crescendo ended with his eyes becoming damp. He was hearing the sound of his newborn child. A tired looking, but smiling, nurse opened the door to him. 'You may come in now.' He followed her round to the large bed where Tali laid with a small bundle in her arms. Other nurses were cleaning and putting away assorted medical equipment. Tali was understandably haggard looking after her long ordeal, but she too had a glow about her. She had just become a mother. Shepard longed to tell her how proud he was of her, and he never wanted to leave her alone again, but his throat was too tight for him to speak. She sensed his discomfort and held a hand out to him. 'I'm OK. We are OK.'

'You sure?'

'Yes. It took so long because I asked them not to assist me. I wanted… to be strong, like the ancestors.'

'Oh, good, good…' Tali knew that he was distracted by the sight of their newborn child. 'Is he…she…what's..?' Shepard was absolutely star struck by the blankets that had stirred at the sound of his voice. Tali smiled and revealed the tiny figure's face.

'We have a girl.'

'A girl…' Shepard marvelled at her. As he leaned his face closer to hers he felt the warmth radiating from her. He smiled as she tried to pull her hand free from the blankets. When she managed to free herself she swung her fist around blindly, for her eyes were still closed. Shepard stuck out his finger for her to grasp and he belatedly saw that their new daughter did not have three digits like her mother, but five. Tears welled in his eyes once more as he noted other similarities between him and his child. As well as her appendages she also shared Shepard's dark brown hair colour. Underneath the raw, red, flushed patches from birth, the tiny girl's skin was alabaster and innocent. He was surprised that so many of her features were similar to his own, whenever he and Tali had talked about the new addition to their family before she was born they always envisioned a perfect split. He arranged his posture and moved to the other side of Tali, the better for her to nuzzle his neck but still letting them gaze upon their child in wonder. The room was quiet apart from their combined breathing; the helpful staff had already left to give them some privacy. All of them were aware that the new life in the room was the first Quarian-Human hybrid in existence, as well as Shepard and Tali's first child. Tali was the first to break the quiet. 'She looks a lot like you. Much more than me.' She wasn't upset, she was happy.

'Yeah, she does. I think she's got your skin, though. Perfect skin.' The baby had grown restless without Shepard's finger to comfort her. The proud parents stopped their conversation as she began to gurgle in confusion. The babbling grew in strength until, at last, Shepard extended his finger to her. She couldn't find his hand, and both mother and father gasped when she opened her eyes to find it. Her eyes were a startlingly beautiful shade of storm blue; a representation of both her mother and her fathers DNA. Though what made them the most special was that even in the light of the hospital her tiny eyes were still as luminous as her mother's. The sight of Tali within the child overwhelmed Shepard, tears at last spilling from his eyes. He was proud, proud that they were able to create a child together. Proud that Tali had suffered through the labour without him and came out wonderfully. He was also euphoric that Tali now had an obvious physical representation within her daughter. Tali also began to weep with joy. Tali's eyes within her made the tiny life that much more precious.

With shaking breaths and an arm around his wife's shoulders, Shepard asked, 'Have you thought of anything to call her?' His other hand was busy amusing their unnamed daughter.

'I had mostly boy's names, but I've thought of a few, I hope you like at least one of them.'

'I'm sure I'll love whatever you pick.'

'OK… Well… My favourite name out of the ones I have come up with is Sophia. I heard it whilst I was pregnant, I thought it sounded strong, yet feminine. Do you like it?'

'I do, it's nice. It sounds human, but exotic. Just like her.'

'Would you like to pick a middle name for her? It would be nice if we both thought of names.'

'OK, how about…' Shepard struggled to find an appropriate name to fit his daughter. He wanted a name that represented the same things as Sophia. Feminine, yet with a strong edge. After much consideration he thought he'd found the perfect name that he thought Tali would like. 'How about Rose? Sophia Rose 'Zorah-Shepard. I like the sound of that.'

'Oh, Shepard, that's a wonderful name! Beautiful and feminine. It's just perfect!'

'I'm glad you like it. You're going to have quite the life ahead of you, Sophia.' The little girl gurgled and smiled again, showing fleshy pink gums. His attention was once again focused on her eyes. This time he thought the colour of her eyes was more like Tali's, let alone the slight glow they had. Her eyes made her so much more loveable, he was glad Tali had a place in their daughter.

'I love you, Tali.'

'Oh Shepard, I love you too.' They both said, as they spend the rest of the day wrapped in each others' close embrace, admiring the life that had only just begun.